Comparing Mid Term Break and Om my first Sonne Essay

1) What do we learn about children who have died? â€Å"For the first time in six weeks. paler now,† Those they leave behind them mourn them. The poets parents found it more difficult then Seamus because he didn’t know his brother that much, he had a distanced relationship. â€Å"Snow drops and candles† shows the compassion of the event, he does this by good use of symbolism. He used the snow drops to show that he died in peace as they are white and innocent like his brother. â€Å"A four foot box, a foot for every year† Only now does Seamus realize that he will only have the memory of his brother. â€Å"Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple.† Poppies are commonly used to portray the violent, tragic death of a young person, in this case his younger brother. We also know that he got hit by a car so hard that it killed him â€Å"the bumper knocked him clear.† We know that he died on his 7th birthday, â€Å"seven years tho’ were lent to me.† No matter how protective parents are over their children there are greater forces that can determine the faith of the children that are out of the parents hands. â€Å"scap’d worlds, and fleshes rage† Jonson is telling the reader that his son has now left the real world and doesn’t have to deal with any awful things that you might come across in your lifetime. 2) What do we learn about feelings of the writers? Seamus doesn’t express any of his own feeling, Only feelings of others; Big Jim Evans to feel that the car incident to be a â€Å"hard blow†. On a literal level, it shows of the impact of car hitting the little brother whereas metaphorically, the incident could also show the emotional blow. He says â€Å"For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,† This indicates that Seamus didn’t have such a close relationship with his brother. It also suggests that the poet only had the fleeting memory of his brother as a baby and hardly ever sees him, therefore contributing largely to the fact that the poet was not grieving over his death because of their distanced relationship or because he hast come to terms with his brothers death. Mid-Term Break the family cannot accept the death. They feel that it is unjust, as the child was so young and innocent. This poem starts talking about the death using â€Å"farewell†. This hints that he is saying good-bye to his son and this is his way of letting him go. Ben Jonson uses faith to help him through the bereavement. Biblical phrases like â€Å"child of my right hand†, â€Å"my sinne was† are scattered through the text. The poet’s feelings were uncertain with doubts and sorrow. â€Å"O, could I loose all father now.† By using conditionals suggests that he is questioning his faith as he doesn’t understand why God would take away his loves one. â€Å"My sin too much hope for thee, loved boy.† Jonson doesn’t want to have any more children as the pain of losing them is overwhelming. 3) How have the writers expressed their feelings? Seamus Heaney uses indirect ways to portray grief, by describing events that happen after the death. Heaney doesn’t talk or write about how he feels, he writes about what he sees and remembers. He is keeping his emotions silent. His writing is detached because he expresses no emotion himself, and if he does it is understated and under layers of what he says. He is confused about his brothers death and reports the poem like an outsider. Alternatively, he may write like an outsider because its so tragic and he cant express his own feelings because he wont be able to come to terms with it. Ben Jonson writes On My First Sonne from a father’s point of view grieving over the death of his very young son. He uses the Iambic Pentameter which reflects the sound of a heart beat. He does this because it’s the first and last thing a human hears, this links to the birth and death of his short lived son. He also used a rhetorical question â€Å"he should envie?† He states that he is jealous of his son, because now he is closer to god in heaven. He indicates that he is a religious man. His sons death has made him question his faith which used to be so strong. The son, sitting on the right hand of his father, would remind a Christian reader of the Creed, in which the Son ‘sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.’

Religeous Ed

Romanesque to Gothic Romanesque vs†¦ Gothic: Sculptural Decoration: Thin, elongated, abstract figures. More realistic proportions and individualized features. Mood: Dark, gloomy. Tall, light filled. Emphasis: Horizontal Vertical Elevation = How high the building is Modest height. Soaring Layout = The plan or design of the building Multiple units. Main Trait = The main feature of the building Rounded Arch. Pointed Arch. Support System = What Is used to support the building? Piers (columns), thick walls. Exterior flying buttress Engineering Barrel and Groin Vaults. Atmosphere = The feel of the placeDark, solemn. Bright, Airy. Exterior = What is the exterior like? Simple, severe. Intricate, decorated. Example: SST. Screen Toulouse, France Chartres Cathedral, France. The Change from Romanesque to Gothic Architecture: The change from Romanesque to Gothic began around the 1 lath Century. Reasons for change are put into three categories: Social, Technological, and Spiritual. Social Re asons for Change: population, and at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the fugue stood at seventy-three million people. A feeling of confidence in the future was one of the factors that gave rise to the Gothic era.Technological Reasons for Change: The invention of the dissimilarity plow, the new shoulder collar for horses, and more efficient tools contributed a growth in agricultural production, which until then had been quite limited. This caused peasants to flee the land because there was inadequate room for them. In the course of the eleventh century, cities began to expand, while new cities were created or reborn. This expansion made it more convenient for the peasants to move into the cities and find work. Markets were most commonly situated in the cities, and so work was better available. Another SocialReason for Change: In the time of the population boom, the central governments of Europe was inadequate, and so merchants had to set up organizations to regulate business dealings within a city. The merchant guilds ruled that none other than members of their guild could sell merchandise within a certain area of the city. This made business more successful for merchants and gave a feeling of confidence in the future. With merchants becoming more successful, and with the towns expanding, a new class of people began to develop in Europe. At the top of the scale were prosperous merchants and bankers.

Book Emperor Of The Air English Literature Essay

Book Emperor Of The Air English Literature Essay Throughout many of his stories in his book â€Å"Emperor of the Air† author Ethan Canin explores the theme of happiness in relation to his characters. Depending on which source one uses, happiness ranges from the â€Å"quality or state of being happy† to â€Å"a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy† and according to the Oxford English Dictionary â€Å"Good fortune or luck in life or in a particular affair; success, prosperity†. Based on this, happiness is subjective to the individual. Every story in the book deals with the theme in its various forms but the three pieces I will examine each deal with this subject and its various definitions in their own ways, and I feel are the best representations of â€Å"happiness†. In his second story â€Å"The Year of Getting to Know Us† Canin introduces the idea of happiness directly and very matter-of-factly. Canin first questions the happiness of Lenny while he is at the counselors when he is asked â€Å"You sound as if you don’t want to let people near youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Right?† and Lenny responds with â€Å"I’m a reasonably happy man† (Canin 26). After reading this, we get a sense that maybe Lenny is lying, that he is holding something back. How can someone be happy, going through what he has, and will continue to go through? The events that are explained further in the story: his fathers death and his wife’s affair, impose on this question further. On the very next page Lenny goes on to talk about his life saying â€Å"I am struck by the good fortune of my life† (Canin, 1988). Perhaps Lenny truly is happy, as he early states an exact definition of the word in his thought of â€Å"good fortune†. Despite all that has happened in his life, he remains optimistic, and believes himself to be happy, and maybe he is. The opposition to Lenny’s apparent happiness is the nearly consta nt â€Å"nagging† he receives questioning his emotions and ability to feel anything at all. Canin mentions such an instance immediately after mentioning Lenny’s good fortune in life when he states â€Å"Anne says that I don’t feel things† (Canin 27). Lenny never questions whether or not if he is able to â€Å"feel†, but also never goes out of his way to show any emotion other than stating that he is indeed happy. Even after witnessing his wife’s affair firsthand, the only way Lenny can express himself is by writing down on a napkin â€Å"you are a 40 year old man with no children and your wife is having an affair† (Canin, 1988). Lenny’s apparent lack of any emotion that would come naturally to anyone in the same circumstance is quite intriguing and leaves the reader questioning his feelings, if he has any. Another moment where Lenny’s feelings are under fire comes when he is a child and his mother asks him if he is angry and he responds with â€Å"I don’t know† (Canin, 1988). This shows the reader that even though he was young, Lenny was indecisive about his feelings, and whether or not he felt anything. Canin leaves the decision of whether or not this character is happy or if he can feel, up to the reader.

Geomorphology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geomorphology - Coursework Example Retreating of the ice bergs leads to the reduction of the load on the lithosphere and the asthenosphere and they move back to their equilibrium levels. Continuous erosion of mountains washes away all the soil and rock particles that forms the mountains. They are washed to the lower valleys leading to exposure of the underlying basement as the mountains are gradually reduced. Lithology relates to the process of formation of rocks. This affects the topography of the earth surface through altering the texture, color and the fabric. It defines the natural arrangement of rocks and other particles on the earth surface. The earth’s surface in an arid setting is marked by sand and rock covering with small shrubs and herbs while the earth surface in the humid setting is covered by green grass as well as tall trees. The soil texture in arid areas is rough and dry while that in humid areas is soft and watery. Conservation of mass relates to the fact that any given system that is closed to all forms of matter and energy must remain constant over time unless added or removed. On the other hand, mass-balance equation confirms the view that mass can never be destroyed nor created. All rock particles or sediments displaced in a given region will be found in another location. The driving forces are responsible for the smoothening of rock surfaces on a slope of a hill or a mountain while the resisting forces are the forces opposing the erosion of rocks on a hillslope resulting into formation of steady rocks on the sides of hills. The resisting forces prevents complete erosion of rocks by the driving

THE LEGAL ISSUE IN NETWORK SECURITY USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THE LEGAL ISSUE IN NETWORK SECURITY USA - Essay Example Network security looks after the Local Area Network (LAN) from the external world. For the computer based crimes, it is hard to enforce any law on legal basis as the computer or the network cannot be restricted by boundaries of a country around it. There are many issues that US legal system face when dealing with the computer based crimes as they are bound in one or the other ways. This has made the criminals get a chance to misuse the available resource and be safe from legal issues. Following are some of the federal computer crime laws and status aid the US department: FERPA, TEACH and GLBA Act: ECPA and CFAA Act and Economic Espionage Act (EEA). Though there are many laws, it is important for a common man to know them so that they can use the right one at a given time. The legal system is found to be a part of the society and it cannot do anything in case the owner of a site won’t take the advantage of it. Hence, the major incidents related to network security, the progress ion of laws for safeguarding network security and the future of network security from a legal standpoint is detailed in the paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 4 2. Computer and Networks 5 3. Legal issues in Network Security 6 4. Preliminary Boards and Projects for Network Security 7 5. Idea of Separate Jurisdiction 8 6. Law for e-Commerce to Avoid Identification Theft 9 7. The Cyber Crime Agreement 9 8. Approval for Electronic Signature 10 9. Laws for Federal Computer Crimes 10 9.1 The FERPA, TEACH and GLBA Act: 11 9.2 The ECPA and CFAA Act: 11 9.3 Other Laws Used to act against Computer Crimes: 12 10. Controversy 12 11. Goal of Network Security 15 12. Conclusion 15 13. References 19 1. Introduction Today’s world rises with the use of the computer for almost everything. With the introduction of internet, the world is able to keep in touch with one another. Either a common man or a company can do this without moving even an inch but share all the information with the hel p of the strong network. When the network gains importance, the issue with it will also be very important. Having a personal computer is not the only need but one should know how to protect the information that they have in it. Network security can include elements such as intrusion detection systems traffic shaping and firewalls (The Gordon Schools, 2011).

The Soda Pop Board of America Advertisement Essay

The Soda Pop Board of America Advertisement - Essay Example This "The Soda Pop Board of America Advertisement" essay outlines the peculiarities of the food ad. This particular advertisement selected also understands that individuals who are attracted to notions of family experience a variety of sociological rituals inside the home. The rituals are â€Å"the cultural values of a community that offer predictability, and provide important avenues for expression of identity and culture† (Leeds-Hurwitz 2002:34). This advertisement depicts a mother that is abundantly satisfied with her child, who is pictured to her right with a glowing smile. By using the bottle of soda within the ad along with the notion that cola helps lead to a better life, the advertisers recognize the ritual of dining together with family-oriented buyers and play on these lifestyle elements. Serving food and family time together, as only two examples, are rituals that hailed from this particular time period, such as timing family dinner for service the moment the breadw inner father figure returns. By utilizing the mother in this advertisement, it clearly illustrates the role of the woman as caretaker and links baby health and well-being with cola consumption. Determining what type of beverage or foodstuff to serve the child is a ritualistic aspect of life and duty in this particular time period where the advertisement was launched. This advertisement also appeals to elements of this culture in which uncertainty is not tolerated when it relates to family roles and the familial structures that guide lifestyle principles.... ining what type of beverage or foodstuff to serve the child is a ritualistic aspect of life and duty in this particular time period where the advertisement was launched. Culturally, this advertisement also appeals to elements of this culture in which uncertainty is not tolerated when it relates to family roles, gender roles, and the familial structures that guide lifestyle principles. Uncertainty avoidance occurs when individuals will not accept high uncertainty, ambiguity or lack of structure at home or in the professional environment. People in â€Å"uncertainty accepting cultures† are more tolerant of conflicting opinion and have fewer rules† (Donnison 2008:17). During this period, the household roles were clearly identified and social backlash occurred when a mother stepped out of the caretaker role to explore personal desires or a career. The advertisers understand the cultural need for structure and use cola as a psychological motivator to ensure that the primary c oncern of a mother, her child’s needs and happiness, receive considerable attention and certainty. At this period, as already identified, there was much social inequality that still exists today. â€Å"Social inequality is a fundamental predictor of virtually all social processes and a person’s position in this system is the most consistent predictor of his or her behaviour, attitudes, and life choices† (sociologyindex.com 2011: 1). In this advertisement, the child is depicted as healthy and attractive in measurement to other children. By illustrating an individual that clearly hails from a very modest home environment and impressing the notion of a more affluent child, the cola manufacturer also maintains the ability to somewhat deceive the reader who is looking for someone to give her life

Marketing Intelligence 3.3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Intelligence 3.3 - Essay Example The fact that they only use the Internet to advertise means that they are designing mostly for the younger generation; the old and the very young are neglected. Therefore, they should focus on introducing deigns for the older population, and even for the very young, in order to expand their clientele and to cater to a broader demographic. This would not only strengthen their market position, but would also increase the revenues. The fact that the company relies solely on the Internet and electronic social networking for advertisements (MLS 2012:1) could prove to be dangerous and detrimental to the growth and life of the company. It might be sufficient temporarily while the economy is down and the competition is low, but once the market conditions improve and become stable again, it might prove to be insufficient. Only a limited demographic has access to the Internet or uses the Internet for shopping and social networking. A huge portion of the demographic has been excluded this way. The company should take a serious thought into advertising through print media such as fashion magazines, newspapers, and flyers. This would not only increase the customer base substantially, but would also show to the customers that this is a serious company which is interested in serious business and is here to

Digital Technology and Customer Relationship Essay

Digital Technology and Customer Relationship - Essay Example C.Laudon and P.Laudon (2006) believed that well-designed CRM systems can improve sales and customer service. Thompson and Cats-Baril argued, "Customer relationship management systems typically offer software and online tools for sales, customer service and marketing." (Thompson, 2003, 121-130) CRM systems provide sales prospect and contact information, product information, product configuration, and sales quote generation capabilities. In B&N Company, CRM software enables customer and prospect information to be shared easily among sales, marketing, and delivery department. It can increase sales department's efficiency in reducing the cost per sale as well as the cost of acquiring new customers and retaining old ones. (Harrington, 1991) CRM software also has capabilities for sales forecasting, territory management. Customer service modules in CRM systems offer tools and information to create call centres, help desk service, and customer support personnel more proficient. CRM systems have capabilities for assigning and managing customer service requests. In the early 1990s, the idea of 500 TV channels had been embraced by the nation's leading media, computing, and telecommunications conglomerates. Now--after the mid-1990s--the nation's leading microprocessor manufacturer was ridiculing the old capacity and pioneering the way toward half a million marketing channels. Hollywood and Silicon Valley may have loved Grove's statements, but in Madison Avenue, they triggered fear and loathing. Media planners, in particular, felt distraught. Deregulation, cable revolution, and alternative media options had already shattered the old and cozy status quo. As the "big three" networks lost control of the prime time audience, promotions were invading ad volumes and brand loyalty was rapidly becoming a remnant of history. (Negroponte, 1995) Interactive television threatened to re-fragment the already fragmented markets. And now Silicon Valley was dreaming of 500,000 channels That did not mean a simple channel multiplication any longer; instead, it meant far more--a revolution in the entire channel infrastructure and the ensuing demise of all conventional industry wisdom. Digital Marketing Communications Since the mid- 1980s, the global markets have been swept by the emergence of digital marketing communications. In the past, mass marketers conceived of, organized and implemented the marketing paradigm, which originated from the consumer markets. Toward the end of the 20th century, marketers were conceptualizing and launching a new marketing paradigm. It evolved in business-to-business markets. (Brockman, 1996) If Procter & Gamble heralded the era of mass marketing, Federal Express seemed to anticipate the new one of digital marketing communications. In the long term, these systems would also proliferate in the consumer markets. (Robert, 1997) The new environment puzzled even the hard-nosed veterans. Industry wisdom had become a competitive disadvantage. Old rules no longer worked. As technology companies, they were familiar with software; as media

Clinical trials for intiviral in general Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Clinical trials for intiviral in general - Essay Example After the promising drug has been identified based on its mode of action on the target , it undergoes a thorough pre-clinical testing involving biological test-tube and animal studies. The primary goal is to determine the safety of the product for initial use in humans, and if the drug shows pharmacological activity that justifies commercial development. These studies will show if the test drug works against its viral target. In the case of HIV, after it was reported that diketo acids can inhibit strand transfer step (3), studies were used to exhibit the disease progression and test treatments in macaque monkeys (4). Animal studies have utilized the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) to study acquired immunodeficiency in primates, however, SIV shares only 50% homology to HIV. Recently, a genetically altered HIV can infect rhesus monkeys in such a way that the resulting infection mimics the early stages of HIV human infection (5). Successful pre-clinical trials pave the way for a drug company to file an Investigational New Drug application. The application will include data on animal pharmacology and toxicological studies, manufacturing information, the protocols for the clinical trials, and the information about the investigators. The investigators and sponsors are responsible for the protection of the clinical trial subjects (6). Drugs have to be subjected to several phase of clinical trials for them to be approved for marketing. Phase I trials are meant to determine the metabolic and pharmacological actions, and the maximum tolerable dose of the drug in 20 to 80 volunteers. The trial normally lasts for a minimum of one month to a year. Measured outcomes are vital signs, virus plasma and serum levels and adverse events or reactions to the drug. Trials are unblinded and do not employ controls (7), although blinding and controls can be used to improve the validity. Phase I trials usually do not have therapeutic objectives, and may be conducted in

Evaluation of Barclays strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evaluation of Barclays strategy - Essay Example When we see the Barclays’ acquisitions of Wells Fargo Nikko Investment Advisers in 1995, to be integrated with BZW Investment Management to form Barclays Global Investors; acquisition of Banco Zaragozano in 2003, one of Spain's largest private sector banking groups; acquisition of Juniper Financial Corporation, a US leading full-service credit card issuer in 2004; acquisition of major stake of Absa Group Limited in 2005, South Africa’s largest retail bank; and acquisition of Gerrard Management Services Limited in 2006, a leading UK private client wealth manager; we can say that Barclays has preferred a route of investment in capital purchase of other financial institutions, as a direct measure of expanding its global base, as well ass to establish its base more firmly in other countries, and to use the established customer base of other financial institutions for its advantage. This sort of strategy gives the additional management challenges to barclays of managaing an ever expanding customer and market base, not to mention the growing number of cemployees and branches and integrate its acquisitions into its own processes and culture. As far as its performance measurement goes with reapect to the global drivers and its financial performance, we can see from the company financial data that its strategy of growing has worked well for the company. The time for its new acquisitions to become an effective contributor has been quite small and has been able to show profits very early. The bank has shown repeated profits aver the entire time while acquiring new enterorises, which shows that the bank has performed admirably in keeping the acquisitions hampering its profits. As far as the global industry drivers go, the new wave in banking has been the retail banking and the emergence of global players. The banking laws have become stricter, while some parts of the financial world, i.e. some big players have started to become monopolies, while all along the time there has been a massive flow of new products for the customers. In all this, banks like barclays have a strategic advantage caused by their huge presence and its modern outlook. It is in a position that it can capture huge amount of new customers and its massive base is able enough to satisfy the growing customers requirements. Also the diversion of barclays into different sectors of financial world, other than typical banking, such as credit, invetsment, insurance etc gives it an edge over its competitiors, while at the same time does not couse too much burden on its original operations. Also its base is valuable for establishment in emerging markets. Thus barclays can be assumed to be in a key position to dominate the financial world. Q2 Compare and contrast the intended acquisition of ABN with that of the earlier acquisition of Banco Zaragozano , paying particular attention to the merger rationale and the motives in each case and the likely synergy gains resulting from the integration of ABN. The intended acquisition of ABN is similar in many points with the previous acquisition of Banco Zaragozano, with the key similarities in the dimensions of rationale, motives and gained synergies

I lesson plan Essay Example for Free

I lesson plan Essay I. To develop experiential insights and interactive literacy among students. II. A. The students should find out and give insights of the 10 differences of the pictures. B. The students will able to formulate questions of their own. III. Pictures IV. Introduction Limit 20 min A. Q: Have you seen pictures of beautiful sceneries, houses, markets and busy streets? B. Students realize different situations shown by their opponent mate. C. Motivation Letting students appreciate ones ideas and more likely contributes his or her ideas to opponents. V. TEACHING STRATEGIES/ ACTIVITIES: (Time Limit: 35 min. ) A. Concept/Content: Comprehension, understanding and analyzing by comparing and contrasting. B. Skills to be develop: Interacting, speaking, listening, and do his or her own critical thinking. C. List 10 questions to ask and describe the picture. D. Let the students form in pairs and give them pictures. Do not let them show first to their mate the picture yet? Then instruct them to sit back-to-back and then cover very well their handed picture. Students should plan 10 questions to ask about the picture he or she handed in. Let her or his mate opponent’s quest about the picture. E. Participants are ESOL and gifted child as well. F. Discussion, giving insights and analyzing the pictures. A student expresses his or her own views about the pictures handed. G. Describe your surroundings at home. What are the things your mother does and other members of the family do to make your home clean and beautiful? A. Students were able to show her or his own point of view and trust to himself or herself trust to answer, The students able to list down 19 questions ask and expresses their feeling, understanding and, contrasting students ideas and concepts. B. Students can describe his or her own surroundings at home. To evaluate at their own what is new, good and unlikely not good to their own home. Generally students formulate their own concepts and develop skills of communicating and comprehending through understanding about the things around. V. I should create good surroundings and evaluated students as to their own self. Develop initiated activities more comprehensive situation leading to more higher degree of thinking. IX. I was able to guide students clearly on how and what to do with the activities. The students meet the exact ideas they get and developed a skills through experiences. The students able to communicate each other the usual means of mingling to each other.

Portable Players Essay Example for Free

Portable Players Essay The innovation set by the Walkman has lead to the creation of different portable media for music listening. This paved the way for the consumers to forever change the way they listen to music (Bellis 1). In fact, the Walkman is considered to be the main catalyst which prompted many companies to re-invent their products to become handy and mobile. Previously, music and news were only confined in big mechanical boxes sitting inside a living room. No one ever imagined that a bulky listening device can actually be turned into something which will fit right into one’s pocket. The Walkman, with an offshoot of portable CD players, has greatly modified the way people establish their lifestyles. The establishments of portable media players, especially those which can play music, have increased a form of mobility for consumers. Practically, it is very obvious that people are now freer to work on other matters even while listening to their favorite tunes. For most cases, this can equate to greater productivity values in day to day activities. Moreover, having a portable listening device such as a CD player makes one’s feelings more invigorated. This can deliberately affect his outlook towards the tasks he is going to do. Aside from that, it is very likely that the convenience of having a portable media player can increase the ability of a person to interact with other people. On a personal note, the presence of portable listening devices is actually a two-faceted situation. On the positive side, people now have the option to bring along the music wherever they go and whenever they may demand for it. Portable media have truly become one convenient way to integrate an entertainment platform defying the limits of previous generations of bulky and impractical music devices. This enriches a person’s point of view because of the fact that he can actually make his life enjoyable by listening to his favorite music anytime. On the other side however, having portable media can actually spell some drastic effects towards an individuals’ personality especially when the use of such devices become uncontrollable. One reason why mobile music players have a positive effect to a person’s social life is the fact that they can satisfy the personal needs of people. For example, if one needs to relax a bit out of the daily routine work, then a simple click and popping of headsets to the ears would sustain a change in mood for the better (Weinberger 1). However, it is also possible that such person, with the right addiction level towards music, may forget that he is still actually a part of the greater social structure. It is very possible that he will tend to interact less and less with other people, become unproductive at work or even modify an attitude towards obsession. Add to that the fact that portable music players pose a certain degree of health risks. Personal stereo systems may actually induce hear loss with extended use according to Canada’s Minister of Health. Even the Media Awareness Network is concerned about having music which promotes racism, discrimination and violence which makes it more available to portable players. Technology is one of the main factors for the development of human society. But sometimes, there are also some consequences that it may induce for people to change their outlook in life, personal feelings and overall philosophy. In such a case, it is important that each person has the capacity to limit himself towards becoming a slave for technological advancement in which social interaction perspectives maybe compromised. As of the moment, the portable music players are still doing its job to satisfy the entertainment hunger of the people. It is only a matter of personal evaluation to help an individual look beyond the excitement of having a mobile music treasure box and see other consequences it may bring. Works Cited Bellis, Mary. Sony Walkman. About. com. 2008. 27 Feb 2008 http://inventors.about. com/od/wstartinventions/a/Walkman. htm. Health Canada, Its Your Health. Minister of Health. 2006. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. 27 Feb 2008 http://www. hc-sc. gc. ca/iyh-vsv/life-vie/stereo-baladeur_e. html. Media Awareness, Inappropriate Content in Music. Media Awareness Network. 2008. 27 Feb 2008 http://www. media-awareness. ca/english/parents/music/inappropriate/negative_effects_music. cfm. Weinberger, Norman. Musica Research Notes. Musica. uci. edu. 1996. 27 Feb 2008 http://www. musica. uci. edu/mrn/V3I1S96. html#coloring.

Relevance Of The Maxim Certainty Philosophy Essay

Relevance Of The Maxim Certainty Philosophy Essay The maxim: Certainty is not overruled by doubt is one of the universal maxims in Islamic law. It applies to three-quarter of fiqh. Some positions maintain that the maxim does not have significant effect on commercial transactions. The work started by discussing the legal basis of the maxim. It also discussed the detailed meaning of certainty and doubt in Islamic law and jurisprudence and the principles with which they are applied to the particulars of law. Relevant particulars of commercial matters related to it were cited as examples after analysis of the general meaning of each maxim. These examples reveal the significance of the maxim in providing basic principles for dispute resolution as well as the responsibility of proving allegations between parties to commercial transactions. It also laid out in detail the party upon whom the onus of proof lies in litigations to counter what is presumed by law. Keywords: Certainty (yaqÄ ©n), Conjecture (Zann), Doubt (shakk), Illusion (Waham), Commercial Transactions, Dispute resolutions, presumption of law, onus of proof. * Higher Sharia Court Judge, Kala Balge Sharia Court and overseeing Rann Sharia Court, Borno State Judicial Service Commission, Borno State, Nigeria. E-mail: [emailprotected] * Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Department of Sharia, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. E.-mail: [emailprotected] ** Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Department of Sharia, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. E.-mail: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 1. INTRODUCTION: Legal maxims (Al-Qawà £id Al-Fiqhiyyah) are imperative in Islamic jurisprudence as they encapsulate perceptions and precepts that can abet to figure out the factual essence of the Islamic Law in details. Reflective of a consolidated reading of fiqh by great jurists, it is a handy tool for researchers who need to expand their grasp and understanding of content and objective of the law. More importantly, they ease to arrive at the appropriate ruling where is no direct text is available a particular matter. The word al-Qawaid is a plural qà £idah, a derivative of qaada and literally has the meanings of fixation, consistency, and being well established. Qaida on the other hand means base, and Qawaid means a foundation of a building, as Allah, the Most High says: And remember Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations (Qawà £id) of the House  [1]   Technically, it is a general rule applicable to all its related particulars. Sadrush SharÄ ©ah (d. 747) defined Qawà £id as general propositions  [2]  . Examples are Qaida Nahwiyyah (Rule of Grammar), Qà £idah Mantiqiyya (Rule of Logic), Qaida UsÃ…Â ©liyya (Rule of Jurisprudence), etc. Fiqhiyya (lit. of law) is the adjective of Qà £ida (maxim); a derivative of fiqh (law) which literally means understanding. Fiqh is a term that came to denote Muslim jurists detailed study of practical aspect of the Devine ordainments. Imam Shafii (d. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) defined it as the knowledge of the practical injunctions of Sharia acquired from its detailed evidences  [3]  . The two words, i.e. Al-Qawà £id al-Fiqhiyya, referred herein as Legal Maxims has several definitions which basically revolves around two positions. The often quoted definition of legal maxims is that it is a general rule which applies to all of its related particulars  [4]  . As this is an extension of the technical meaning of term Qà £ida in other discipline to the Qà £ida in law (fiqh), this definition has failed to encapsulate the concept of legal maxims and thus not reflective of its essence. Al-Hamawi (d. 1098H=1687AD) has stated that Qà £ida of legists (fuqahà £) is different from Qà £ida in other disciplines such as Grammar (Nahwu), Logic (Mantiq) and even Jurisprudence (UsÃ…Â ©lul Fiqh). In these disciplines, it is a rule applicable to all its related particulars.  [5]   From the foregoing we can say that a legal maxim is a general proposition of law that applies to most of its related particulars  [6]  . The reason for opting to this definition is that maxims do not apply to all particulars that seem related to it. The particulars that do not apply to a general principle are known as exceptions (mustathnayà £t). These exceptions often represent independent or auxiliary maxims in themselves. The exceptions do not however negate the general application of maxims, as the principles of the maxim still represent application to majority; and exceptions are but of minority in all maxims  [7]  . Another characteristic of a legal maxim worth noting is that a maxim applies to most of its related particulars, which are scattered in various themes or chapters of fiqh. But a principle that only applies on one particular theme or chapter of fiqh is referred to as a Regulator (Dà £bit). In other words, a Regulator (Dà £bit) is limited to one chapter and provides a legal principle on injunctions of a particular chapter of Fiqh. According to Al-SuyÃ…Â ©ti (d. 911H) says a maxim collects branches from different chapters while Dà £bit collects branches of the same chapter  [8]  . An example of Dà £bit is: injunction of sale of a nonexistent is same as that of risky-taking (gharar) sales (hukmu baiil madÃ…Â ©mi yatbaul gharar)  [9]  . This Dà £bit is applicable to the chapter of buying and selling. Importance of Legal Maxims (Al-Qawà £id Al-Fiqhiyyah): The great Maliki Jurist of Egypt, Imam Shihà £buddÄ ©n Al-Qarà £fi (d. 676H) described it as embodying secrets and wisdoms of Sharia  [10]  . Legal maxim brings together widely scattered branches of fiqh into a single abstract rule making it easy for jurists, researchers and students of the Islamic law. It also saves time in researching injunctions for several matters that are otherwise scattered in different chapters of books of fiqh. That is why, according Al-SuyÃ…Â ©ti, some jurists refer to fiqh as knowledge of similitudes. Legal maxims therefore make it easy to diagnose juristic injunctions, comprehend and memorise auxiliaries and particulars of the law  [11]  . The four schools of Islamic Jurisprudence are in agreement over the five of the Universal Maxims that they clasp within themselves the entire quintessence of the Islamic Shariah. They are depicted to be universal maxims for being all-inclusive and applicable to the entire range of fiqh without any specification  [12]  ; whereas the rest of the maxims are just elucidations of these five: Matters are (judged) by their intents (Al-UmÃ…Â ©ru bi-maqà £sidihà £)  [13]  ; Hardship begets facility (Al-Mashaqqatu tajlibu Al-TaisÄ ©r)  [14]  ; No harming and no counter-harming (Là £ darara wa là £ dirara)  [15]  ; Custom is Authoritative (Al-ÃÆ'datu Muhakkamah)  [16]  . Certainty is not be overruled by doubt (Al-YaqÄ ©nu la yazÃ…Â ©lu bish-shakki). Beside its general application to three-quarter of Fiqh chapters, Certainty is not overruled by Doubt provides basic guidelines for disputes resolution in contracts including commercial and financial transactions. The paper will discuss in detail the general meaning of the universal maxim Certainty is not overruled by Doubts, its importance and relevance to commercial transactions. This universal maxim is one of the earliest maxims to appear in the discipline of maxims derivation (Al-TaqÄ ©d Al-Fiqhi)  [17]  . The earliest reference to it was made by Imam ShafiÄ © (d. 204H º819C.E.) while discussing admission/ confession. He said: the basis of what I say is that I will always hold people by what is certain, drop the doubtful and use that which is most probable  [18]  . Al-Karkhi (d. 340H) too in his UsÃ…Â ©l has stated that the basis (in law) is that what was confirmed with certainty cannot be overruled by doubt and say it is one of the principles the Hanafi School was based on  [19]  . Over time, it was abridged into its current form: Certainty is not overruled by doubt (Al-YaqÄ ©nu là £ yazÃ…Â ©lu bish-Shakk)  [20]  . 2. CERTAINTY IS NOT OVERRULED BY DOUBT  [21]   (Al-YaqÄ ©nu là £ yazÃ…Â ©lu bish-Shakk) Generally, any matter confirmed to have existed with certainty remains certain until proven with evidence to be otherwise. It is not invalidated by mere doubt or supposition. The same is also said regarding a matter whose non-existence is confirmed continues in that state until also proven otherwise. This is because doubt is weaker than certainty. It will not, therefore, nullify certainty whether or not the later is positive or negative  [22]  . In other words, whenever the existence or non-existence of a matter is established through legally accepted means, a subsequent doubt over the continuance of this state will not affect the legal regard given to the confirmed certainty. Legally, certainty (yaqÄ ©n) is defined as the knowledge that a fact has either definitely occurred or not. Doubt (shakk), which is the opposite of certainty (yaqÄ ©n)  [23]  , is a vacillation over the occurrence and non-occurrence of a fact. Meaning none between the two possibilities is of higher probability. But if either has greater probability, the doubt seizes and it is thus certain (yaqÄ ©n) in the usage of legists (fuqahà £). This form of yaqÄ ©n is often interchangeably used with the term à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å"ann. The term à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ann which literally means conjecture is less than certainty in the language of Jurists and Logicians. To them, Certainty (YaqÄ ©n) is belief that a particular matter is so-and-so and cannot be but so-and-so in manner consistent with its reality and essence. In other words, it is the perfect knowledge free from error. Because injunctions of Sharia are applied on what evident or conspicuous (zà £hir) and not abso lute certainty, the jurists definition is not as encompassing as that of legists (Fuqahà £) which includes the most probable event  [24]  . This is because there are issues which the Sharia may have considered them as certain though they can logically be incorrect. Example is an accepted testimony by witnesses before a Court is a legal certainty for its truthfulness, but is possible that they are telling lies. Al-Qarà £fi says that necessity is the reason why conjecture (à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å"ann) is regarded as certain in Sharia for absolute certainty may not be achieved. Possibility of erring in such à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å"ann is however lesser. But the doubtful cannot be a basis for a judgement  [25]  . This is the reason why scholars of Malikiyya school of thought did not refer to this maxim in the above phrase, that is Certainty is not overruled by doubt, rather their preferred phrase is: The Norm of Sharia is that Injunctions are but based on knowledge and that which is in doubt is not considered  [26]  . 2.1 BASIS OF THE MAXIM: In the Quran, the saying of Allah, the Most High: But most of them follow nothing but Conjecture (Zann): truly Conjecture can be of no avail against truth. Verily Allah is well aware of all that they do  [27]  . One of the meanings of Zann (lit. conjecture) is illusion, i.e. where the fact thought to apply to a particular matter does not in reality apply to it. In such a situation, such conjecture will not overrule what was known for certain  [28]  . Also from Sunnah, the Hadith narrated by Abbà £d bin TamÄ ©m from his uncle from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in which a man complained to the Prophet, peace be upon him of feeling something (departing) his body. The Prophet, peace be upon him, told him not leave (his prayers) until he hears a sound or smells (the gas)  [29]  . The hadith means that one should not ignore the certain, which is the state purity before prayer, in favour of that which is uncertain, i.e. the feeling that something has departed his body. Therefore, such doubt will not overrule the original certainty. In another version of the Hadith related by Abu Huraira, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and if one of you feels something in his belly, and doubts whether something has left his body or not, he should not leave the mosque until he hears a sound or feels a gas  [30]  . 2.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MAXIM: On the significance of the above Hadith, Al-Nawawi (d. 676H) asserts that: this Hadith is a basic source and a great principle  [31]  among the principles of fiqh. The principle is that things are judged to remain on their original forms until the certainty of the contrary is established, a subsequent doubt will thus not harm it  [32]  . Jurists have unanimously agreed on the usage of this maxim. Imam Al-Qarafi states that: this is an agreed upon maxim, the only disagreement among scholars is in some of its applications  [33]  . Ibn DaqÄ ©q al-Eid (d. 702H) also said: The Hadith is a basic principle in the usage and/or tossing of doubts; and scholars appear to be in agreement on this maxim, even though they differ in some of its applications  [34]  . 2.3 RELEVANCE TO COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION: By Commercial Transactions we are referring all Contracts in Sharia relating to the exchange of goods and services. Examples include: transactions like bay (sales contract), ijà £rah (lease), muzà £raah (farm leasing) partnership (muqà £radah), wakà £lah (agency) juala (promise of reward for a particular action), kafà £lah (surety), hawà £la (transfer of debt), rahn (mortgaging), etc. In fact, all contracts with the exception of marriage contract which is not under the scope of this paper. As we have indicated above, certainty in law refers to the most probable assumption. Example of such probable assumption is seeing a man with reasonable wealth possessing a reasonably priced car for several years; one can confidently testify that it belongs to him  [35]  . It is upon this kind of certainty that many legal injunctions apply  [36]  . Other examples of its relevance to commercial transactions include: Where there is a contract between two parties and a doubt is raised on whether or not there was dissolution of the contract. The contract is presumed to be subsisting as this is the certainty  [37]  . Also where it is confirmed that A owes B certain amount of money. But after As death, a doubt is raised on whether or not he has paid, lack of payment will be presumed as it is the certainty  [38]  which cannot be overruled by doubt. Certainty is not overruled by Doubt is supplemented with many Auxiliary Maxims (qawà £id fariyyah) and Regulators (Dawà £bit) which together elaborate its legal implication and significance. These will be classified under three categories, namely: Auxiliary Maxims giving weight to certainty, Auxiliary Maxims emphasising on overlooking of doubt and Maxims indirectly related to the Certainty is not overruled by Doubt. Related maxims to each category will be discussed in the following order: Auxiliary Maxims giving weight to certainty: The norm is that the status quo remains as it was before (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Baqà £u mà £ kà £na ala mà £ kà £na); Let the Ancient rest on its age (Al-QadÄ ©mu yutraku alà £ qidamih) The norm (in Sharia) is freedom from liability (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu barà £at Al-Dhimmah); The norm (of Shariah) is that acquired attributes do not exist (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fis-Sifà £til Aridah Al-Adam) The norm in Law is that things are faultless or fit (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu As-Salama) The Norm (of Sharia) regarding things is permissibility (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fil Ashyà £i al-Ibà £hah) The Basis in Law Regarding Contracts is that they permissible and binding (on its parties) (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fil UqÃ…Â ©di As-Sihhah wal-LuzÃ…Â ©m) The Norm of law regarding terms and conditions is validity (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fish-ShurÃ…Â ©ti as-Sihhah) The basic principle is to ascribe the event to the nearest time of occurrence (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Idà £fatul Hadithi ilà £ aqrabi auqà £tih) Auxiliary Maxims emphasising on overlooking of doubt: No attention shall be paid to inferences (implication) in the face of an explicit statement (Là £ ibrata lid-Dalà £lati fÄ © Muqà £balatit TasrÄ ©h) No weight is attached to Illusion (Là £ ibrata littawahhumi) No argument is admitted against supposition based upon evidence (laa hujata maal ihtimaalin naashii an daleel) The apparently erroneous supposition is not to be taken into consideration (laa Ibrata biz Zannil bayyni khatauhu) Maxims indirectly related to the Certainty is not overruled by Doubt: No statement is imputed by to a person who keeps silence, but silence is tantamount to a statement where there is a necessity for speech (Là £ yunsabu ilà £ sà £kitin qaulun, wa là £kinnas sukÃ…Â ©tu fÄ © maradil hà £jati ilà £l bayà £ni bayà £nu) The original state of words is the literal sense (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fil Kalà £mi Al-HaqÄ ©qah) No room for ijtihà £d where there is a decisive text (Là £ masà £gha lilijitihà £di fÄ © mauridin nass) 3. AUXILIARY MAXIMS GIVING WEIGHT TO CERTAINTY 3.1 The norm is that the status quo remains as it was before  [39]  : (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Baqà £u mà £ kà £na ala mà £ kà £na) It is a basic provision in Sharia is that the status quo remains as it was before unless it is proven to have changed. To explain further, we can say that a fact whose existence or non-existence is said to be certain in the past is regarded to be as it was and does not change, until evidence is available to change such status. Such proof is mostly based on evidence, confession, admission, and refusal to take oath  [40]  . This principle of law is referred to as Istishà £b in Islamic jurisprudence  [41]  . Considered to be one of the secondary sources of law, Istishà £b has been defined as the presumption of continuity of a matter base on its previously established state. The previously confirmed state may either be legal or rational. This maxim represents a form of Istishà £b which is: accompanying what the law has confirmed to have existed in the past into the present; such as a person who bought a piece of land will be presumed to still owe it until anything that may change that presumption is proved  [42]  . This type of Istishà £b applies in cases such as presumption of continuation ownership after execution of a contract; the liability of a person who damages anothers property remains until repayment and the existence of a liability on an indebted person where the taking up of the loan is attested to  [43]  . An example of the application of the maxim in commercial transaction is where a lender claims paying his debtor; or a buyer claims paying the price to the seller; or a lessee claims paying the lessor; but the debtor, the seller and the lessor denied any payment. The statements of the party denying will be accepted. As the norm is the continuance of what has existed, these claims will not be accepted until legally proved  [44]  . Another application is when a buyer claims that the condition of a commodity he previously saw has diminished during delivery; according to Ibn Qà £sim (d. 918H), the statement of the seller will command credibility base on this maxim. Ash-hab (d. 204H) on the other hand also states that the claim of the buyer will have legal backing because the legal norm is that the buyer is free from liability (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu barà £at al-Dhimmah)  [45]  . Hanafis have distinguished between the two by asserting that if much time has lapsed from the time of inspection of the commodity and the time of delivery, the statement of the buyer will be backed by the law  [46]  until the contrary is proved by the seller. 3.2 Let the Ancient rest on its age  [47]   (Al-QadÄ ©mu yutraku alà £ qidamih) Provided it does not violate the right of another, a thing that has existed since time immemorial will enjoy legal protection. The law presumes that something that has remained for a very long time has a legal precedence  [48]  . This is also regarded as Istishab as it is an accompanying of the past condition, whether it is a proof of ownership through evidence or the admission of a respondent. Such istishab can be relied upon provided it has not been lawfully changed which should be through evidence, admission or refusal to take oath  [49]  . This maxim is also closely related the norm is that the status quo remains as it was before  [50]  . Example of its application is that whenever ownership of a property is confirmed by either admission of respondent or conclusive evidence, it shall be presumed to continue in Sharia law  [51]  . Also where two persons claim the ownership of a property, and both provided evidence of their ownership with date. The presumption of the ownership will be in favour of the person who provides earliest date, because he claims to own the property during a time when the plaintiff does not challenge his ownership. This will remain until the plaintiff can prove the contrary  [52]  . 3.3 The norm (in Sharia) is freedom from liability: (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu barà £at Al-Dhimmah) A person is born free from anything; and being liable of anything is contrary to the original norm (asl) of law  [53]  . Literally, the word asl means root or source, and in the context of this maxim it means the most probable (al-rà £jih  [54]  ) evidence upon which the law relies and bases its rulings. This maxim applies to both fact and law. Regarding its application to fact, the general rule is that a person is certainly free from any obligation or liability and making him liable for something is both doubtful and a contradiction of the original state of man; being born free from any liability. Claims of liabilities such as debt, obligation that was the result of later cause will only be accepted if proved through means provided by the law. In the absence of any such proof, the Sharia regards a person to have no liability, thus making onus of proof upon the person who alleges a fact or claims it. The maxim is inspired by the Prophets Hadith, peace be upon him, in which he said: the onus of proof is on the claimant, and taking of an oath is incumbent upon him who denies.  [55]  The hadith provides that the party insisting to disprove the status quo and wants to establish a recently acquired attribute is the claimant and the onus of proof is upon him; while the party that clings on the original (asl) attribute is the defendant/respondent and upon him is the oath because he is denying the allegation.  [56]   This maxim is an equivalent to what is generally known as the presumption of innocence, though this principle is more general. The expression presumption of innocence implies that it relates principally to criminal procedure, whereas the non-liability maxim extends to civil litigation and to religious matters generally. The normative state, or the state of certainty for that matter, is that people are not liable, unless it is proven that they are, and until this proof is forthcoming, to attribute guilt to anyone is treated as doubtful. Certainty can, in other words, only be overruled by certainty, not by doubt  [57]  . The maxim provides practical solutions in cases of disputes or disagreements between parties to commercial transactions. Where, or instance, there is a disagreement between the owner and a borrower, a victim and an assailant, the statement of the accused will be accepted because the legal norm is that he is free from an excess liability  [58]  . Another example is where there is disagreement on the amount of loan between the lender and the indebted; the statement of the indebted will be presumed  [59]  . Also, the statement of an agent regarding damage to a property will be accepted, likewise regarding denial of infringement and negligence, with oath  [60]  . In law however, this maxim is often referred to as: The norm (of law) is non-existent (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Al-Adamu). To majority of jurists, both these principles refer to the same thing, as lack of an injunction means one is not obliged to carry it out. In other words is not liable for not doing it. A second aspect of this principle also closely related to the notion of original non-existent, is original permissibility (al-ibà £ha al-asliyyah). In this concept, everything is legal ab initio, and one will not be sanctioned for either doing or omission. Jurists refer to it as permission of the reason (Al-Ibà £h al-Aqliyyah). This implies that it is a presumption of continuation of the original non-existent of injunction base on reason (aql) rather than the words of the Law-giver. This position can as well be deduced from many verses of holy Quran according to many scholars  [61]  . An example of such verses is the saying of Allah, the Most High: Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness. That is because they say: Trade is like usury, but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past  [62]  . When taking usury was prohibited, the companions of the Prophet feared the consequence of t

Right or Wrong :: Free Essay Writer

Right or Wrong Introduction: Violence is not generally accepted in our society. There are different levels of violence and some violence can be categorised as not so violent while other violence is extreme. There are guidelines which are set so young people are protected from extreme violence. The Office of Film and Literature Classification places different classifications on the different forms of media. A recent example of this is the banning of GTA San Andreas for its high level of violence and low classification. However we use violence to get what we need and what we want. Hello fellow classmates, today I am here to defend Raymond’s action in killing Ron Kendall. The Action I Agree With: Raymond’s most important action in the story is surrounded with controversy. The important part is when Raymond takes the gun and shoots Ron Kendall. It begins when the war starts in Sesame Street. Raymond keeps saying that he wants a gun. Gracey, Raymond’s sister is trying to convince Ron to abandon Cooper, the racist, and his bizarre idea of war with the blacks. It almost works but Raymond gets Ron’s gun. Ron then walks towards Raymond slowly asking for the gun back but Raymond then shoots Ron. If Raymond had not shot Ron then he would have got the gun back and Raymond and the others would be at risk. So it is Ron’s own fault that he got shot because he and Cooper had threatened Raymond. And all Raymond was trying to do is defend himself from Ron. The First Point: Raymond knew what kind of men he was up against. He was up against cold blooded murderers who planned to shoot the aborigines as they escaped from their houses because of the flood. If he were to give the gun back to Ron he and everybody else could be harmed. The Evidence: The evidence is stated in the book, â€Å"Are you really going to shoot all the blacks when they come out off their houses?† Gracey asked, Ron Kendall then says â€Å"Only the young blokes.† Therefore Ron Kendall was willing to go along with Cooper and shoot the blacks. Rounding off the Point: With men like Cooper threatening Raymond’s life and planning to shoot the helpless Aborigines, we can’t blame Raymond for taking the gun and protecting himself and the others. Point Two: I don’t see how Raymond could have had any reason to hope Kendall was going to listen to Gracey’s good sense.

Aboriginal Athletes in the World of Professional Sports :: Essays Papers

Aboriginal Athletes in the World of Professional Sports Terrence and Jordin Tootoo grew up in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, in Canada’s arctic region. They were like other Inuit children in Rankin Inlet in many respects: They were brought up to respect the customs of their people and they enjoyed the resources the land around them provided- they learned to hunt and fish for food like the others. However, the brothers were also different from their peers in one main respect- they were blessed with a love for the game of hockey, and also with extraordinary amounts of talent which would enable them to leave their native community to pursue the dream of professional hockey. While the brothers were growing up they were inseparable; however, after leaving Rankin Inlet to pursue the professional game their respective careers took strikingly different paths. Jordin’s journey took him to the top- he was drafted into the National Hockey League and signed a lucrative contract with the Nashville Predators. However, Terrence’s road to th e professional ranks was filled with hardship and tragedy, ultimately resulting in his suicide in August of 2002. The contrasting paths taken by the brothers is an illustration of how professional sporting careers can have varying impacts on the lives of Native American and Canadian athletes and their communities. In the following few paragraphs I will outline the history of Native Americans and Canadians in sports. I will examine how successful Native athletes are able to help their communities, both financially and by serving as role models for younger Natives. Also, I will argue that their still exist barriers and challenges to Native athletes that do not confront other athletes. For example, Native athletes are often placed under increased scrutiny because of their positions as role models. I will conclude by commenting on how Native athletes fit into pro sports today, and speculate on what can be done to increase the amount of success enjoyed by Natives. Participation in sports and games has long been a part of Native culture. The most significant example of a sport invented and played by Natives is lacrosse. Lacrosse is still designated as the official sport of Canada despite the overwhelming popularity of hockey (http://canada.gc.ca). Lacrosse was one of many varieties of indigenous stickball games being played by Native Americans and Canadians at the time of European contact. Almost exclusively a male team sport, it is distinguished from other stick and ball games, such as field hockey or shinny, by the use of a netted racquet with which to pick the ball off the ground, throw, catch and vault it into or past a goal to score a point.

Fast Food is Destroying America Essay -- Fast Food is Killing America

"We provide food that customers love, day after day after day. People just want more of it† (Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald’s). Coronary Artery Disease is a type of heart disease and the most common cause of heart attacks. Plaque from eating unhealthy foods, builds up in the arteries, the arteries harden and begin to become narrow and can cause chest pain and heart attacks. â€Å"Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.† The environment is affected by the fast food industry because of the amount of pollution and trash they produce on a daily basis. The fast food industry has a harmful effect on society. Fast food has a harmful effect on society because it can cause Coronary Artery Disease. Nancy Clarke indicates â€Å"Fast food contains high amounts of cholesterol and salt, two nutrients that contribute to cardiovascular health problems† (parag. 2). Fast food is known to be unhealthy, it is high in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, which can cause Atherosclerosis and lead to Heart Disease. The U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention claim there is a direct link between sodium and high blood pressure. Fast food is high in sodium and cholesterol can build-up plaque. The American Heart Association indicates â€Å"Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive disease that may start in childhood† (parag. 4). Most patients have no idea that they could possibly have atherosclerosis. Trying to find out if someone has this disease is very difficult, the person would have to have a heart attack or stroke first. This is because it develops gradually, but when atherosclerosis starts to develop it usuall... ...e/442066-diseases-caused-by-eating-too-much-fast-food/>. Bhimji, MD, Shabir, and Shehnaz Shaikh, MD. "Hardening of the Arteries."Emedicinehealth. Ed. Alan D. Forker. Www.WebMD.com, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. . Walton, Katelyn. "Faster Is Not Always Better – How Fast Food Effects the Environment | One Shade Greener." Faster Is Not Always Better – How Fast Food Effects the Environment | One Shade Greener. N.p., 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. . "Fast Food." Food Empowerment Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. . "Fast Food Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. . Fast Food is Destroying America Essay -- Fast Food is Killing America "We provide food that customers love, day after day after day. People just want more of it† (Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald’s). Coronary Artery Disease is a type of heart disease and the most common cause of heart attacks. Plaque from eating unhealthy foods, builds up in the arteries, the arteries harden and begin to become narrow and can cause chest pain and heart attacks. â€Å"Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.† The environment is affected by the fast food industry because of the amount of pollution and trash they produce on a daily basis. The fast food industry has a harmful effect on society. Fast food has a harmful effect on society because it can cause Coronary Artery Disease. Nancy Clarke indicates â€Å"Fast food contains high amounts of cholesterol and salt, two nutrients that contribute to cardiovascular health problems† (parag. 2). Fast food is known to be unhealthy, it is high in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, which can cause Atherosclerosis and lead to Heart Disease. The U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention claim there is a direct link between sodium and high blood pressure. Fast food is high in sodium and cholesterol can build-up plaque. The American Heart Association indicates â€Å"Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive disease that may start in childhood† (parag. 4). Most patients have no idea that they could possibly have atherosclerosis. Trying to find out if someone has this disease is very difficult, the person would have to have a heart attack or stroke first. This is because it develops gradually, but when atherosclerosis starts to develop it usuall... ...e/442066-diseases-caused-by-eating-too-much-fast-food/>. Bhimji, MD, Shabir, and Shehnaz Shaikh, MD. "Hardening of the Arteries."Emedicinehealth. Ed. Alan D. Forker. Www.WebMD.com, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. . Walton, Katelyn. "Faster Is Not Always Better – How Fast Food Effects the Environment | One Shade Greener." Faster Is Not Always Better – How Fast Food Effects the Environment | One Shade Greener. N.p., 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. . "Fast Food." Food Empowerment Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. . "Fast Food Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .

Toys R Us

When Toys R Us declared bankruptcy it broke the news, people everywhere were devastated, this company was every kids dream: a cornucopia of toys and games. When they announced that 180 stores would be closing and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, naturally the internet went into an uproar. Users everywhere posted about how devastated they were about Toys R Us closing and how the store was an important aspect of their childhood. But for major retailers such as Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Party City this is an enormous blessing. These stores are now gearing their focus toward our youth and tapping into the newly open market for toys. For decades Toys R Us was the place to buy toys, you could get a doll or maybe a stuffed animal at Walmart or Target, but if you wanted a vast selection of various playthings to choose from you went to Toys R Us. These corporations are offering new toys, extra store space and demonstrations for their shoppers. Just recently Party City established fifty new toy shops complete with enormous Lego dinosaurs and a variety of hands on experiences (designed to entertain kids just like Toys R Us). Amazon is even rumored to be creating a holiday toy catalog, which is predicted to boost their toy profits from fifteen to twenty percent by the end of 2018. Toys R Us closing created a drastic impact on citizens, not just for their loyal customers but when the company filed for bankruptcy they were estimated to put thirty thousand employees out of business. In addition to not having a job, these workers were not given any severance pay whatsoever. Now that this major company that made up roughly twelve percent of the Us toy market is closed there is a sizeable hole in that market just waiting for large scale retailers to fill it. Because of this company declaring bankruptcy, laying off thousands, and closing their stores other retailers get a chance to dominate the toy market. An example of this would be Walmart expanding their instore and online toy selection and being labeled as the country's best toy store. Toys R Us closing will not only impact their workers, but parents whose primary toy supplier is this company. In the article it mentioned a mother who as soon as hearing that they were closing rushed off to buy their toys, so her children wouldn't have to deal with the future scarcity. All in all Toys R Us closing has affected the economy by creating a twelve percent gap in the toy market that major retailers are rushing to fill, impacted kids because they will no longer be able to visit their favorite store, and wrecked their employees lives by cutting off their source of income and refusing to pay severance. While reading this article I was a saddened a little thinking about the kids who won't get to go to their beloved establishment, but not at all surprised that companies are seizing the opportunity to replenish the U.S. toy market. It made sense that Toys R Us filled for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy since they were unable to pay their debts, and had been unable to do so for quite some time. Them closing just means that that particular store won't sell their goods anymore, because of that their consumers will have to take their money elsewhere now. Toys R Us filing for bankruptcy and other companies playing catch up in their toy department doesn't truly affect me, since I haven't set foot in a Toys R Us for almost a decade. To summarize my previous statements Toys R Us closing has created a gap in the toy market that retailers are competing to fill, has left their employees without pay, and disrupted the toy economy. Toys R Us When Toys R Us declared bankruptcy it broke the news, people everywhere were devastated, this company was every kids dream: a cornucopia of toys and games. When they announced that 180 stores would be closing and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, naturally the internet went into an uproar. Users everywhere posted about how devastated they were about Toys R Us closing and how the store was an important aspect of their childhood. But for major retailers such as Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Party City this is an enormous blessing. These stores are now gearing their focus toward our youth and tapping into the newly open market for toys. For decades Toys R Us was the place to buy toys, you could get a doll or maybe a stuffed animal at Walmart or Target, but if you wanted a vast selection of various playthings to choose from you went to Toys R Us. These corporations are offering new toys, extra store space and demonstrations for their shoppers. Just recently Party City established fifty new toy shops complete with enormous Lego dinosaurs and a variety of hands on experiences (designed to entertain kids just like Toys R Us). Amazon is even rumored to be creating a holiday toy catalog, which is predicted to boost their toy profits from fifteen to twenty percent by the end of 2018. Toys R Us closing created a drastic impact on citizens, not just for their loyal customers but when the company filed for bankruptcy they were estimated to put thirty thousand employees out of business. In addition to not having a job, these workers were not given any severance pay whatsoever. Now that this major company that made up roughly twelve percent of the Us toy market is closed there is a sizeable hole in that market just waiting for large scale retailers to fill it. Because of this company declaring bankruptcy, laying off thousands, and closing their stores other retailers get a chance to dominate the toy market. An example of this would be Walmart expanding their instore and online toy selection and being labeled as the country's best toy store. Toys R Us closing will not only impact their workers, but parents whose primary toy supplier is this company. In the article it mentioned a mother who as soon as hearing that they were closing rushed off to buy their toys, so her children wouldn't have to deal with the future scarcity. All in all Toys R Us closing has affected the economy by creating a twelve percent gap in the toy market that major retailers are rushing to fill, impacted kids because they will no longer be able to visit their favorite store, and wrecked their employees lives by cutting off their source of income and refusing to pay severance. While reading this article I was a saddened a little thinking about the kids who won't get to go to their beloved establishment, but not at all surprised that companies are seizing the opportunity to replenish the U.S. toy market. It made sense that Toys R Us filled for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy since they were unable to pay their debts, and had been unable to do so for quite some time. Them closing just means that that particular store won't sell their goods anymore, because of that their consumers will have to take their money elsewhere now. Toys R Us filing for bankruptcy and other companies playing catch up in their toy department doesn't truly affect me, since I haven't set foot in a Toys R Us for almost a decade. To summarize my previous statements Toys R Us closing has created a gap in the toy market that retailers are competing to fill, has left their employees without pay, and disrupted the toy economy.

Anil Ambani Essay

Anil Dhirubhai Ambani – a Bachelor in Science from the University of Bombay (Now, University of Mumbai) and Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania was born on June 4, 1959; is the second and the youngest son of Dhirubhai Ambani a famous Indian Business Tycoon. His mother is Kokilaben Ambani; he is married to Tina Ambani who is an Indian Actress and has two sons Jai Anmol and Jai Anshul.He joined Reliance in 1983 as a co-chief executive officer and before the split in Reliance group; he was Vice-Chairman and Managing Director in Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). After the split of Reliance he incorporated Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG), of which he is the Chairman and includes companies like Reliance Communication, Reliance Capital, Reliance Energy, Reliance Natural Resources Ltd. He is a man of courage and conviction; he believed; â€Å"It is hope in this wider sense which enabled my father to build, from scratch, one of India's largest modern enterprises.His was an undertaking powered by hard work, initiative, self-belief but, above all else, the capacity, as he would often say, â€Å"to dream with your eyes wide open†. He is the President of the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Gandhinagar; and a member of Wharton Board of Overseers; The Wharton School, USA; Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad; Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur; Executive Board, Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad.He raised $ 3 billion from the highly anticipated Initial Public Offering of Reliance Power in less than 15 months, which is the biggest in Indian history. As of October 6, 2007, his total net worth is US$ 42billion and his personal stake in Reliance Communication is 66%. Forbes magazine listed his as the sixth richest man in the world after his brother Mukesh Ambani. Since his wealth tripled in only on e year in percentage terms he was the world's fastest-growing multi-billion-dollar individual.And his success mantra is, â€Å"I think you have to work with people, and when I talk about managing relationships, don't think the derogatory †managed relationships†. It is a question of sharing emotion and feelings. The common denominator of everything can't be money, and it should not be money†. He was awarded several awards and recognitions like: – o â€Å"Businessman of the Year 1997† by Business India. o â€Å"MTV Youth Icon of the Year† in September 2003. o â€Å"CEO of the Year 2004† in the Platts Global Energy Awards. o â€Å"The Entrepreneur of the Decade Award† by the Bombay Management Association. â€Å"Businessman of the Year 2006† by The Times of India. o â€Å"Best Role Model† in the pool conducted by India Today Magazine in August 2006. o â€Å"First Wharton Indian Alumni Award† by the Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF). o â€Å"Leaders of the millennium in Business and Finance† by Asiaweek Magazine. Rupal Jain, Lecturer, Atharva Institute of Management Studies (Mumbai), and I can be reached at  [email  protected] com Article Source:  http://EzineArticles. com/? expert=Rupal_Jain Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/1331114

Cliques in High School Essay

In high school, students feel presured to fit in with a certain group of people share the same intrests as them, this is better known as cliques. This makes many students feel left out and lonely while at school. Cliques are always around eachother wiether its in between classes, at lunch, or after school. There are many different reasons that cliques in high school are formed. The fear of surviving alone in high school is a main concen for many students that find it hard to make friends, this is one example of why cliques are formed. Cliques are developed by student’s needs to establish an identity and to be accepted. Students always seeks their identity and one way to do that is to choose a group of students who have the same identity as them. Teenagers love to explore and take risks. In forming cliques, especially with those groups who are popular, they develop a sense of power. Cliques are also formed because of peer preasure. This is because teenageres feel a sense of security when they are around people they look up to. There are many different types of cliques students form in high school. Typicly in highschool the athletes tend to hang out together. This clique is known at the jocks. The intrests of the students that make up this group include sports, dating, and their apperence. The guys in this clique are appealing to most girls in the school. Jocks feel a sense of superiority and tend to bully or pick on the other students they are not a part of this clique. The students in this group are made out to be the most popular kids in school and many others become envious of them. Another clique formed by highschool students are the nerds or the geeks. This students that make up this group are intrested in learning, computers, and video games. These students tend to make good grades and are very smart.  Most nerds tend to be in the school band. This group is most of the time known as the least popular in the school. Therefore they get picked on more than any of the other cliques, mainly by the jocks. The students who dress in dark colors and are very intriverted are refered to as the emo group or misfits. The intrests of the people who make up this group are loud music, skateboarding, and art. The apperence of this group differs from the others in that they have a very unique style. Dyed black hair, tight t-shirts and skinny jeans are only some ways this group would express themselves. There are many disadvantages of being involved in a clique throughout high school. For example, being in a clique can lead students to make stupid mistakes and decions. People involved in cliques are more likely to get pregnant or do drugs while in high school. Being involved in a clique could also spark jealously in less popular people. Along with the disadvanges comes many more advantages of being involved in a clique. Being involoved in a clique allows students to learn to be more comfortable around others. It also helps increase students’ self confidence. Students who are involved in a clique have a greater chance of not getting picked on throughout high school. Having a large group of friends and knowing that someone always has your back is another advantage of being in a clique. This, as many students should know, helps getting though high school much easier. In conclusion, being in a clique makes high school much easier to get through but can also cause a lot of unnesicary drama. Since fitting in is so important to in high school, cliques are an easy way for students to feel a sense of belonging. Cliques are very influencual in high school because they affect every student in some way or another.

The Causes of the American Civil War

The American Civil War is one of the most significant and controversial periods in American history. The Civil War was caused by mounting conflicting pressures, principles, and prejudices, fueled by differences and pride, and set into motion by unlikely set of political events. The war divided the country between the North (Union) and South (Confederate). The war lasted five years and by 1865 the Confederate forces were truly beaten. Out of this horrendous war though, where some 600,000 men died grew a greater sense of nationalism than is today, unrivalled around the world One of the causes of the American Civil War was the economic and social differences between the North and the South. With Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin in 1793, cotton became very profitable. This machine was able to reduce the time it took to separate seeds from the cotton. However, at the same time the increase in the number of plantations willing to move from other crops to cotton meant the greater need for a large amount of cheap labor, Indo European slaves. Therefore the Southern economy became a one-crop economy, depending on cotton as well as slavery. On the other side the Northern economy was based more on industry than agriculture. In fact, the northern industries were purchasing the raw cotton and turning it into finished goods. This disparity between the two set up a major difference in economic attitudes. The South was based on the plantation system while the North was focused on city life. The second cause for the American Civil War was the fight between slave and Non-slave state proponents. As America began to expand, first with the lands gained from the Louisiana Purchase and later with the Mexican War, the question of whether new states admitted to the union would be slave or free. The Missouri Compromise passed in 1820 made a rule that prohibited slavery in states from the former Louisiana Purchase. The Compromise of 1850 was created by Henry Clay and others to deal with the balance between slave states and free states, northern and southern interests. One of the provisions was the Fugitive Slave Act. Another issue that further increased tensions was the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. It created two new territories that would allow the states to use popular sovereignty to determine whether they would be free or slave. The last cause of the American Civil War was the growth of the Abolition Movement. Increasingly, the northerners became more polarized against slavery. Sympathies began to grow for abolitionists and against slavery and slaveholders. This occurred especially after some major events including: the publishing of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, the Dred Scott Case John Brown's Raid, and the passage of the fugitive slave act that held individuals responsible for harboring fugitive slaves even if they were located in non-slave states. The Civil War lasted longer than it was expected to. But, unfortunately, the War was inevitable due to the great gap between the North and South socially, economically and politically. In fact, due to these circumstances, if the South had won the War, the country would have probably been divided into two separate countries. As any war would have ended, the War ended with great losses to both sides. More Americans were killed in the Civil War than in all other American wars combined from the colonial period through the later phase of the Vietnam War. Apart from the number of deaths and casualties, the great loss of property and money, the country now needed to work together in order to rebuild what was lost. Emotionally, it would take long years for many people to overcome the consequences of the war. The war was followed by twelve years of Reconstruction, during which the North and South debated the future of black Americans and fought bitter political battles. Yet, there was a good outcome of this war. Slavery came to an end as a legal institution. But the war did not bring equal rights for blacks, they still had their own war to win until those rights would be achieved.

Ethical Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Ethical Foreign Policy - Essay Example In addition a global discourse of human rights is emerging, which in turn, reflects in a large number of international legal instruments.2 This discourse warrants intervention where rights are being abused on a large scale and where at the same time a global opinion in favour of democracy is observed. Why This is primarily because the "in time" availability of information makes the issue more sensitive since the natural instinct of "helping" in human nature is effectively activated. In addition due to a more accessible world people and governments (representative of the people) feel themselves to be more attached with the affairs of others as they directly or indirectly affect them politically, economically or sheer as per the national morality/psyche. This essay will first clarify ethical foreign policy. It will then examine foreign policy ethics and interests. Thirdly, it wills discuses how to construct ethical foreign policies in a government. Finally it will conclude that the most important points in the study, with a recommendation for any future work. It iWhat is ethical foreign policy It is not reflective of actual practice to posit a dichotomy between, on one hand, an ethical foreign policy, and on the other, a non-ethical foreign policy.3 The growing interaction amongst nation state at international canvass has made it impossible that the action of one state is devoid of the effect on other state. This existing interconnectedness of actions of one state and the effects on the other state had made it impossible to have foreign policy which is devoid of ethical strings. However, the depth and breadth of ethical paradigms might be different for different nations. Therefore, the issues are focused on rather how governments act ethically, according to certain criteria, and how they balance competing ethical claims. The governments must be pragmatic, because they cannot formulate foreign policy from a predetermined ethical standpoint.4 The pedestal of "ethical standpoint" has to be different for every government. The reason is that the intensity or the will to follow the ethical strings/viewpoints or even formulation of those, is directly proportional to numerous factors within the government which include military/economic might and the resultant fall out on the nation, of the event taking place. Example That is exactly what happened in case of Iraq War. To have a nuclear weapon, if seen from ethical stand point of protecting one's country, was justified from Iraq's point of view. However, US saw it as a direct threat to itself in particular and world in general. This led US to adopt pre-emptive strategy. On the other hand many of the world nations were not interested in US strategy as they were viewing the issue from the "ethical stand point" of engaging and resolving issue through dialogue with Iraq. Further, the resultant expected destabilization of the region and loss of life was not thought to be ethical enough by those nations. Reality is that US did go for the war because it had the

Crime, the Media and the Law Policy Research Paper

Crime, the Media and the Law Policy - Research Paper Example The power of the media and its responsibilities towards ensuring a harmonious state shall be looked into and the effects of such media coverage on the people shall be explored. Apart from this, the commercial aspect of the media and the advertising industry that forms a large part of the media and depends on sensationalism to a great extent for drawing its revenues shall also be a part of the focus of this paper. The only way in which the masses of a particular place would get to know about the crime rates of the area that they live in is through the media. Kenneth Dowler states – â€Å"The mass media play an important role in the construction of criminality and the criminal justice system. The public’s perception of victims, criminals, deviants, and law enforcement officials is largely determined by their portrayal in the mass media† (2003). Statistics regarding the performances of specific sectors of the law enforcement agencies are often let out to the society through the work of the media. Te channel of communication between the rulers and the ruled being the media, it has the onus of redirecting power back to the people from whom it is supposed to originate. The working of a democracy in an ideal manner has thus, a lot to do with the way in which the cycles of power are managed. The interest of the people at the helm of affairs would lie in the way in which the negative aspects of their tenure along with the positive ones are reported. This would result in a balanced analysis that would enable the smooth functioning of democracy in a nation. The media would then be able to fulfil its role as a check on the power of elected representatives in a government. Problems arise, however, when this system is subverted for the sake of profits on the part of increasingly profit-oriented media ventures. The effects of commercialization can be seen the most in the news media which provides people with the maximum amount of knowledge regarding crime s and the mechanisms that seek to control it. Such control is dependent on the taxes that people pay and hence depends on their consent regarding the modes of prevention of crime and the punishments that are meted out to people who violate the law. The opinions of people regarding the methods that seek to tackle crime are always factors that decide the person that occupies the seat of power. Consequently, the process of dealing with crime is something that is important to not just the people who cover it as a part of the media but also for the people who make laws for the prevention of it (Current Problems in the Media, 2012). The credibility of the media too has undergone erosion in the last few decades. With a growth in the corporatisation of the media, the power of its lobbies has grown too. The power of the media in shaping public opinion too is something that provides it with immense clout in deciding the social affairs of the state. This has however, instead of encouraging hon est investigative reporting led people to look for easy successes and fame through sensationalism (ibid). An unhealthy state of affairs in the media reflects badly upon the health of the nation’

Duke Ellington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Duke Ellington - Essay Example To write everything in just two pages would be impossible, so let's deal with the most important ones. To begin with we'd have to deal with Duke Ellington's origins. James Edward Ellington (Duke's father) who made blueprints for the navy and worked both as a carpenter and a White House butler, and Daisy (Kennedy) Ellington (Duke's mother) were strongly religious people belonging to the middle class black families in the USA. Both of them could play the piano well, and exposed their son to music at an early age (with "Miss Clinkscales"- his piano teacher, as he nicknamed her), hoping he would learn the piano and start playing the church organ later. However, E. K. "Duke" Ellington showed as more interested in drawing and painting at the time than in music. He created a poster and won a prize from the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) for it. He became interested in music in his teenage years (in high school) after all, because he realized girls liked p iano players, so he continued his piano lessons. At the age of fifteen he worked in a soda-shop after school. This experience led to his first composition, a jazz song titled as "Soda Fountain Rag". That was the time when he got his nickname Duke. Why and how he got it can only be speculated because there are so many stories about it (Duke Ellington Biography, http://www.musicguide/biographies/160800462/Duke-Ellington.html ). Duke dropped out of high school and started playing in jazz bands by night and painted signs as a freelancer during the day to make a living. Good looking, he married relatively young on July 2, 1918 to Edna Thompson. His only son from this marriage, Mercer, took leadership over the band after his death. What should be said about Duke's personality and appearances It could be seen the best from his personal quotes like "I'm a telephone freak, the greatest invention since peanut brittle" or when asked about how he got the scar on his face he replied " I have four stories about it, and it depends on which you like the best. One is a taxicab accident; another is that I slipped and fell on a broken bottle; then there is a jealous woman, and last is Old Heidelberg, where they used to stand toe to toe with a saber in each hand, and slash away. The first man to step back lost the contest, no matter how many times he's sliced the other. Take your pick." Also, in regards to his personality, we must add his own words and views on races and categories: "I don't believe in categories of any kind, and when you speak of problems between blacks and whites in the USA, you are referring to categories again" (Duke Ellington - Biography, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0254153/bio ). Duke Ellington spent most part of his life on the road. Speaking of successful touring and performing, one mustn't neglect and forget the fact about Duke's restless and ambitious character. Although Duke grew up surrounded by people from the middle class, he became a man of dignity and tended to reach for higher goals in his life. He visited New York in 1923 for the first time, but before settling in New York he played together with Sonny Greer (a drummer from New Jersey), Otto Hardwicke and Arthur Whetsol in Wisconsin and Atlantic City. He assembled several

Critical Anaysis of The Stranger by Albert Camus Essay

Critical Anaysis of The Stranger by Albert Camus - Essay Example The sun is the motif of the novel, where it affects the personality of Meursault and his reaction to his setting and conditions in life. The sun represents the existentialist philosophy of Meursault, where the natural absurdity of the setting and its plot are designed to illustrate that detachment is a natural response to the meaninglessness of human existence. The sun stands for the existentialist philosophy of Meursault, a philosophy that Camus himself believes in. Christian argues that Camus believes in an existentialist philosophy of â€Å"the Absurd† (92). He stresses that for Camus, the world and man per se are not absurd, and instead, the relationship of man with his environment is absurd (92). He maintains that people demand things from a world that cannot fulfill them, and so to exist with true hope for the fulfillment of dreams is â€Å"absurd† (92). Meursault lives life like a sun, where to exist is to accept whatever happens without any attachment to them. H e has an extremely disconnected attitude towards his mother’s death, for instance. He says at the beginning of the novel: â€Å"MOTHER died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can’t be sure† (Camus 4). He does not care for details when it comes to death. He values his mother enough to attend her funeral, but he does it out of duty, as a son. He does not even peek into his mother’s coffin, which people in the funeral find troubling. Strangers cry for her, while her own son does not even shed a tear. In addition, Meursault is not overly concerned of the prospect of dying himself. Death is not something that can stir him from his realization that nothing in life is worth pouring his passion over. His existence has come from nothing and will end up as nothing and that is the way life is. The sun heats up the setting and melts away any possible meaning in human action and agenda. The sun is a natural element of life’s natural cycle. The blackness of the fune ral of Meursault’s mother is distinguished because of the sun. Meursault, nevertheless, finds no meaning in these rituals and beliefs about the dead. The black colors of the hearse and horse and the noxious scents of the environment only serve to dull Meursault’s senses. In short, the funeral makes him want to sleep it away. Blackness means nothing, while sleeping is something that is more directly experienced. Furthermore, the sun also increases the temperature enough to make people live without concern for their actions. Meursault tumbles in his life in a state of coma and existence, because he always feels hot and uncomfortable. He wants to hurry up the funeral, because he feels the physical discomfort of standing under the sun. The Marengo landscape is illustrated as â€Å"something inhuman, discouraging† (Camus 11). Camus indicates that Meursault cannot be completely blamed for his absurdist approach to life, because his environment is disconcerting too. Vo n Dehsen calls it the â€Å"unreasonable silence of the world† to people who want to find meaning in life (39). Meursault realizes that his boss dislikes the fact that he will have several days off. His boss is only after making more money from his employees and is not truly concerned for him to attend his mother’s funeral and go over his grief. The society is not concerned of meaningful human existence too. Meursault’s relationships are important events in his life, as the plot reveals, but he