Discuss the concept of The Johari Window as a model for personal and Essay

Discuss the concept of The Johari Window as a model for personal and group development - Essay Example ft and Harry Ingham, who conduct studies on human personal characteristics and how it positively or negatively impacts individual, or group behaviour and interaction. Since different people possess different behaviour attributes, it is necessary to know both individual and group behaviour in the context of work environment, not only for gaining optimum work output, but also to ensure harmonious interaction between different members of the group. Through knowing ourselves deeper, broader and better, especially our interacting and interfacing with others, it is possible to introduce positive personality changes in our outlook and interpersonal relations with others- superiors, peers and subordinate groups. This could bring about more effective communications, greater degree of understanding and empathy with others as well as greater a more constructive and harmonious relations with other individuals in our working place. In the long run, this could reap rich benefits for all members of the force and, more significantly, entire corporate as a whole unified unit. At the first stage, a list of attributes or characteristics are provided to the respondents, from which the respondent has to choose a few attributes which he believed he possesses- these could be adjectives like supportive, noble, patience, tolerance, empathy, caring, helping, modest, etc. The list of what the respondents thinks about himself, and what other peer groups, or members of known circles think about him, are compared and fitted in the appropriate quadrant of the Grid Matrix shown below: The four quadrants mentioned above represent the four possible permutations and combinations in terms of one’s self opinion about oneself vis-à  -vis what others may think about the respondent. â€Å"Each of these regions contains and represents the information - feelings, motivation, etc - known about the person, in terms of whether the information is known or unknown by the person, and whether the information

Individual Food Intake Essay Example for Free

Individual Food Intake Essay After using the food assessment tool at www.choosemyplate.gov I found that my daily intake of food was not sufficient for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Many of my goals were not achieved or were overachieved. This assessment revealed an imbalance in my eating habits. Like many Americans I am on the run and constrained by time. Going to school and working fulltime often forces me to eat quickly and make hurried choices. Often my choices are not in my best health interest but rather based on what is fast. When I have time, I tend to try to make better eating decisions but this is not sufficient for a good diet. In accordance with the Food Guide Pyramid I fell short in many areas of necessary consumption and went over in other areas. For the three day period I went over in grains (14.5 oz.) and over in proteins (10.5 oz.). I was insufficient with vegetables (1 cup), fruits (3/4 cup), and dairy (1 cup). What I found disturbing was that the bulk of the items I went over on was not balanced across three days but was instead committed on one to two days of the tracker. This means that on one day I had reached limits. This could be seen clearly on the third day and specifically with regard to lunch and my numbers jumped dramatically. I believe that I need to reshape my diet around the six classes of nutrients. The six nutrients include: 1. Water 2. Carbohydrates 3. Proteins 4. Fats 5. Vitamins 6. Minerals Each of the six nutrients is necessary in varying degrees in the body. Using the Food Pyramid I can identify the levels of nutrient intake and then  design my diet in accordance with balancing these numbers. For example, I eat a banana each day but this only provides me with a portion of the fruit intake I need and thereby cuts down on the vitamins and minerals I receive. By increasing my fruit intake I can increase this number but this is only part of the solution. I need to add more variety of food which will better encompass the wide range of nutrients needed. For example, strawberries and blueberries could be added to my diet and this would increase antioxidant intake as well as vitamins such as C. It is not just fruit intake that would need to be altered in this way; vegetables and meats also need to be examined. The intake of green vegetables would help to increase vitamin A, foliate, and iron, among other essentials. By expanding my varieties of foods I can incorporate this into my diet, as well as the elimination of certain types of foods could be used to increase nutrient intake such as removing the fast food burger in lieu of leaner fish which contains higher levels of Omega 3 and better quality proteins. Leaner meats that do not require heavy cooking also require less energy for the body to process and provide more useful calories. By modifying my diet in accordance with the Food Pyramid, I believe I can become healthier. The key is to determine the different foods that I will need to incorporate into my diet and to find the quantity that balances my caloric intake. For this I will need to do some research because I still need my diet to be somewhat convenient as well as nutritionally balanced. I believe it should also be mentioned that the level of fats that are taken in should be monitored as well, because almost a third of my diet was empty calories which had no nutritional value. There was also a very high sodium intake and my saturated fats were over the limit. These issues present many long term concerns which need to be addressed. This diet failure also explains my feelings of fatigue and my propensity for illnesses. My body has simply not been receiving the nutrients and levels that it needs to properly function. By watching these numbers I should be able to increase energy and make sure that my future health is strong. I also need to watch what I consume because my mother has had colon cancer, so the healthier I eat the  chances are less that I will contract that cancer. References Contemporary Nutrition, WileyPLUS ®, iProfile

Insights On De Tocquevilles Democracy In America :: essays research papers

Insights on De Tocqueville's Democracy In America It has been said that a French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville, who visited the United States in the 1830's, "understood us" in a way that few observers (foreign and domestic) have. Furthermore, Tocqueville's Democracy in America is often cited by present-day critics because so many of the observations in it seem extraordinarily suitable even more than one hundred and fifty years later. Alexis de Tocqueville was born 1805 into a minor noble family, in which his grandfather had been guillotined during the French Revolution. He had come to the United States in 1831 to study the prison system, in which he did not do, instead he wrote Democracy in America. He had stayed in the United States through February 1832 for about nine months, so intrigued by democracy, majority rule, and the absence of social hierarchy. Democracy in America was first published in 1825, full of observations and interpretations, was written as a sort of warning for European readers; "Is this what you want?" he asks. This book was famous for two accurate predictions, one, the U.S. would someday be a world power as would Russia, second, race would prove to be the most intractable problem for the U.S. One of Tocqueville's observations about the United States is that he thought there is no country in the civilized world that is less attention paid philosophy than the United States. This is applicable to American life in 1997 because the whole world is practically joined to the United States. Just about every country in the world trades with, tours in, and watches for the United States. What I mean by watches is that they practically always know what's going on (except for the top-secret things) in the United States, whether it be by television, computers, or satellites they know what the U.S. is doing. The U.S. is basically a "free-for-all" county; the laws and schools are less strict than other countries such as, Japan in which the students there have to go to school six days a week with much more homework then U.S. schools. Another observation of Alexis is that religion is associated with all the customs of the nation and all the feelings of patriotism. Another way of saying this that there is a religion for everyone. This is still true in 1997 because everyone has there own belief and goes to the church or believes in the religion that they desire. The religious person believes in what he or she wants to believe in and in most case respects what another persons religion might be.

Do We Have True Separation of Powers in Trinidad and Tobago? Essay

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely! (Lord Acton, 1834-1902). This phrase aptly demonstrates the reason for the separation of powers, which is meant to prevent abuse of power in a democracy and preserve each and every citizen’s rights through the division of government responsibilities into distinct branches, averting one branch from gaining absolute power or abusing the power they are given. The intent is to avoid the concentration of power and provide for checks and balances. Though it can be traced as far back as ancient Greece, the first modern interpretation of the separation of powers was introduced by the French enlightenment writer Charles Montesquieu in De L’Esprit des Lois (The Spirit of the Laws) in 1748. He believed that for liberty and freedom to be maintained a safeguard against centralisation of power in one person should be provided. Montesquieu wrote that a nation’s freedom depended on the three powers of governance â⠂¬â€œ legislative, executive and judicial – and that these three powers must be separate and act independently to effectively promote liberty. This principle has been widely used in the development of many democracies since that time. The question is asked though: ‘Is the separation of powers truly separate?’ This essay would be focussing on the separation of powers in Trinidad and Tobago and the question of whether there exists true separation of powers in this country. For this purpose we will also examine the differences of the Unitary and Federal State and will be using the USA as an example of a Federal State. Trinidad and Tobago is a Unitary State governed by a democratic system. Unitary States exists in homogenous societies; there is one central government and all taxes goes back to the central government; one law making body and the laws made applies to the entire State. It is a single state. Federal states consists of a heterogeneous society, it is a combination of states and each state has the authority to make certain laws which may differ from state to state but Federal laws can override State laws; power is shared; and there is a State and Federal tax system. The USA is a Federal State. These two countries are governed under a democratic system which abides by the separation of powers and whose governmental systems both  consist of an executive, judicial and legislative branch. The legislative branch is responsible for the making and changing of laws. Trinidad and Tobago has a Bicameral Parliament, which means there are two houses, the Upper House or Senate and the Lower House or the House of Representatives. The Senate consists of 31 members: 16 government senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 6 appointed senators on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, and 9 independent senators appointed by the President to represent other sectors of society. They are all appointed by the President. The ratio in the Senate is always fixed because that is what is allowed in the Constitution. The number of members in the House of Representatives is not a fixed ratio because it all depends on the voting process during elections, which are supposed to be free and fair and free from fear, meaning that you can choose to vote for whoever you want without any victimisation or force to do otherwise. Whoever wins the seat will be appointed a Member of Parl iament, by the President, and allowed to sit in the House of Representatives. Currently the House of Representatives, in Trinidad and Tobago consists of: 27 People Partnership seats, 1 ILP seat and 13 People National Movement seats. The party who wins the majority of seats would form the Government for the next 5 years. The United States Congress is also a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both representatives and senators are chosen through direct election. Members are affiliated to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party and only rarely to a third-party or as independents. Congress has 535 voting members: 435 Representatives and 100 Senators. The Vice President is also the President of the Senate.The Congress debates on and approves bills concerning various matters and approves all treaties and all nominations to key foreign policy postings. The most important authority given to Congress overall is the power to declare war. But there has always been a tension between this and the president’s constitutional role as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. According to the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, Ch 5 (74) and (75), Executive authority is vested in the President and, subject to the Constitution, may be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him. Supreme command of the armed forces is also vested in the President and the exercise of this power shall be regulated by law. Under Ch 5 (80) 1, â€Å"In the exercise of his functions under the Constitution or any other law, the President shall act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet†. The Cabinet falls under the Executive arm and have the general direction and control of the government of Trinidad and Tobago, and is collectively responsible to Parliament. The Cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister who is appointed by the President. The leader of the political party that won the majority of seats via the voting system in a general election usually becomes the next Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is responsible for the allocation of function among Government Ministries. Other members of the Cabinet include the Attorney General and other Ministers of government appointed by the Prime Minister. Apart from the Prime Minister the Attorney General is the only member of the Cabinet specifically mentioned in the constitution relating to the executive branch of government, which is why they must be present for this arm to function. The constitution also provides that in exercising his powers, the Attorney General shall not be subjected to the direction or control of any other person or authority. Also, the Prime Minister can remove any member of Cabinet or a Government Senator because they are chosen by the Prime Minister, but not a member of the House of Representatives because they were voted into office by the peop le. The functions of Cabinet include the initiating and deciding on policies, the supreme control of the government and the coordination of government departments. According to the Constitution Ch 5 (77) 1, where the House of Representatives passes a resolution, supported by the votes of a majority of all the members of the House, declaring that it has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister does not within seven days of the passing of such a resolution either resign or advise the President to dissolve Parliament, the President shall revoke the appointment of the Prime Minister from office by members of the legislature on a vote of no confidence, but this is unheard of since the members of both arms share the same political agenda. They may  also vacate office by replacement or by ceasing to be a member of the house to which they belong. Apart from being the leader of the Cabinet which has effective control of the nation’s affairs, it is most certain that by the power vested in this arm of government it is easy for intimidation to occur, contradicting the very back bone of Montesquieu’s theory on the hallmark of democracy with regards to the separation of powers, with his main argument being for liberty and freedom to be maintained the three arms of government should be separated and apart – entrusted to different people. In a Federal State the President is the head of the executive branch of government. The Cabinet also consist of the vice president and fifteen executive departments – the Secretaries of agriculture, commerce, defence, education, energy, health and human services, homeland security, housing and urban development, interior, labour, state, transport, treasury, veterans affairs and the Attorney General. The purpose of the cabinet is to advise the president on matters relating to the duties of their respective offices. These members of cabinet are appointed by the president and must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate. They cannot be a member of congress or hold any other elected office. They can be dismissed at any time by the President, without the approval of Cabinet.The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by congress. The main duties of the executive are making sure that the laws of the States are obeyed. They deliver programs and services to the population within the framework of laws, expenditures and tax measures approved by legislature. The Judiciary is known as the third arm of government in a unitary or federal state. The Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago is headed by the Chief Justice, and in a democratic country as this, the Judiciary is established by the Constitution to operate independently from the executive arm. They interpret and enforce the laws, and acts as a forum for the resolution of legal disputes among citizens of the State. The hierarchical order of the courts is as follows; magistrate, supreme, appeal and Privy Council which is the last and highest level located in England. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. Under the constitution the judicial and legal  services commission (JLSC) which is made up by the Chairman of the Public Services Commission, one person who was a Judge, two persons with legal qualifications and the Chief Justice, is charged with the tasks of appointing Justices of Appeal, High Court Judges, Masters of the High Court, Magistrates, Registrars of the Supreme Court and the Administrative Secretary to the Chief Justice, all of whom are judicial officers. Although the law clearly protects the Judiciary from political interference, the Judiciary is economically dependent on the executive arm of government for the allocation of funds causing them to not be as independent as proposed. The Attorney General, who is the second in command in Cabinet under the Executive, is the Minister responsible for the administration of legal affairs. There were complaints made by the Chief Justice in 1999, about the Attorney General’s plans to make the Judiciary a department under his Ministry, requiring the Chief Justice and his staff to report to him on matters concerning the operation of the courts in general. A detailed report by the Attorney General to the Parliament argued that a dispute did exist concerning his role in relation to the administration of justice, and he asserted his right of control over administrative matters not pertaining to the judicial function. He saw it fit that he should superintend the administrative affairs of the J udiciary. Another issue facing the judiciary is the national awards. The Chief Justice heads the committee which receives recommendations of citizens deserving of the award, this is then passed to the Prime Minister who has the power to insert and delete nominees. This has caused major concern in the real independence of the Judiciary as it pertains to the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary and some may see this as being politically motivated. In the past an inquiry into the interference by the other arms of government in the Judiciary was investigated by one of the Lords at the Privy Council. His findings gave no comfort to the allegations made, instead he noted that the real issue was the lack of co-operation by the Executive and the Judiciary arm of government and stressed that they should work together for the good of the country. In a federal judicial system such as the USA more than 600 judges sit on district courts, almost 200 judges sit on courts of appeals, and 9 justices make up the Supreme Court. Federal judges have life terms, therefore, no single president will make all of these appointments.The Supreme Court is the highest court and consists of the Chief Justice and 8 other associates. The Constitution provides broad parameters for the judicial nomination process giving the responsibility for nominating federal judges and justices to the President, who relies on many sources to recommend appropriate nominees for judicial posts.Recommendations are received from the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, members of Congress, sitting judges and justices, and the American Bar Association. Some judicial hopefuls even nominate themselves. Nominations are also required to be confirmed by the Senate. A special, very powerful tradition for recommending district judges is called senatorial courtesy. This practice allows senators from the state in which there is a vacancy, and who is also of the same political party as the President, to send a nomination to the President, who almost always follows the recommendation. To ignore it would be a great affront to the senator, as well as an invitation for conflict between the President and the Senate. The Constitution guarantees that judges would be protected by any reduction in salaries and removal from office. This concept is the backbone of the judicial independence which was establish by Brittan. The judiciary arm of government in a federal state may serve different purposes. Their functions can range from judicial to non-judicial with its main function being the administration of laws, interpretation of laws, guardianship of the constitution, advisory jurisdiction, protector of the fundamental rights and supervisory to smaller courts. Whilst stressing on the independence of the judiciary in the separation of powers external threats arise from the powers that the Constitution leaves to congress and the president to control the judiciary’s resources. In both the Unitary State which is Trinidad and Tobago and the Federal State which is the USA there exist a system in place for the separation of powers but in Trinidad and Tobago there is an overlapping in the system. The Parliament and the Cabinet has some of the same people, for example the Prime Minister, Attorney General and Government Ministers form the Cabinet  but they are also members of the Parliament. This means that there is no true separation of powers between the Parliament and the Executive because according to Montesquieu to ensure that liberty and freedom is maintained the three arms of government should be entrusted to different people and this has not happened with these two branches. The only one that remains totally separate is the Judiciary. In an article from the Guardian Newspaper, Tony Fraser wrote on the Separation of Powers, he said: â€Å"Having an operational separation of powers is important to achieve democratic and quality governance. It is absolute ly dangerous for the Government/Cabinet and the Prime Minister to have full control of the passage of legislation, to be in a position to implement policies and programmes, the vast majority of which have a base in the laws passed, and to then have control of the judiciary whose responsibility is to interpret the laws. Imagine the power of a prime minister as CEO who could pass legislation which does not require a special majority, have a majority to alter the Constitution to take away the right to free expression, have total control of all major appointments to state office — including the President of the Republic and the Chief Justice, the Commissioner of Police, the operations of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, the Service Commissions — and appoint independent senators and on and on. Imagine, too, a Prime Minister having full control of the operations of the judiciary so that judges and magistrates would have to make judgements based on the desires of the CEO. Effectively, this would mean that the PM could determine who among the political opponents of the Government should â€Å"make a jail† and who among the supporters of the ruling party could engage in corrupt activity â€Å"la blash,† free sheet without fear of prosecution. If the doctrine of the separa tion of powers does not function effectively, the Prime Minister would have total legislative power and power too over the judiciary, and all of this in addition to being in total control of the establishment and functioning of the Cabinet including, for instance, deciding which minister should be fired, who should be protected, and what policies and programmes are to be implemented without a continuing check on the power.† This article clearly illustrates the importance of the separation of powers, and the corruption that could ensue without it. In Trinidad and Tobago the separation of powers does not truly exist because too much power is centralised in one person – the Prime Minister. In a federal state there is true separation of powers because each branch is entrusted to different people. The only exception is that the Vice President is also the President of the Senate, which can lead to abuse of power, such as in the case of Senators who gives recommendations to the President, forcing the President to choose the person they recommended or face conflict in the Senate. Lord Acton could not have said it any better, power truly corrupts but he also said that â€Å"Great men are almost always bad men.† If no one else believed what his words conveyed then a need for the separation of powers would never have been realised. Checks and balances are not just needed for Government officials but also in everyone else’s daily lives. Businesses has managers, supervisors and labourers and they all have different degrees of power which helps to keep staff in check and ensure that everything is running efficiently, if they all had the same status then there would not be an incentive to keep others in check and chaos would reign supreme. There must always be a mechanism to help maintain order/good governance and even though it may not be a perfect system, some abusers of the laws have been brought to justice, more so in the federal system. We do, however, look forward to the day that it works efficiently in a Unitary State. BIBLIOGRAPHY Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Act 4 of 1976. http://www.ag.gov.tt/Portals/0/Documents/TT%20Constitution.pdf Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved from http://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/laws2/alphabetical_list/lawspdfs/1.01.pdf Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Contributors, Gaurav Shukla, Grace Young, Separation of Powers, The Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/topic/473411/contributors http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/az.htm Martin Kelly, Separation of Powers, About.com American History http://americanhistory.about.com/od/usconstitution/g/sep_of_powers.htm NCSL, Separation of Powers – an Overview. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/separation-of-powers-an-overview.aspx Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved from http://www.ttparliament.org/members.php?mid=25 The Phase Finder: Retrieved from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely.html Tony Fraser, Separation of Powers, Guardian Newspaper Article. Retrieved from https://guardian.co.tt/columnist/2012-12-19/separation-powers Wikipedia: The United States Congress, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress

Jesus and Mohammad Essay

Religion is the food for the soul, a type of food that never spoils or depreciates. It is the vessel of life, a vessel that is unbreakable and never shudders even from the most destructive outside force. It is the cup of morality, the one that shapes our character and personality. With these different views, one can say that religion is an important aspect of one’s life. It constitutes and contributes to the spiritual well-being of an individual, which is faced today with different options regarding their religion of choice. There are Methodists, Protestants, Muslims, Roman Catholics, and more. However, the two most influential and widespread religion are Islam and Christianity. Christianity is believed to be founded by Jesus Christ, the redeemer of humanity. The beliefs of Christians, which are also shared by Roman Catholics, are summarized in a doctrine called the Nicene Creed. In general, Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, that there are three superior beings: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Believers of this religion grew up with teachings about the creation of the world by God in seven days, the fall of Adam and Eve, the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, and the redemption of mankind (Walsh, 2005). On the other hand, Islam is considered to be founded by Mohammad or Muhammad. Its followers are called Muslims and they believe in only one God, Allah. They believe that Muhammad is the last prophet and Jesus is only one of them. Just like in Christianity, they also believe in the final judgment to be passed on to the blessed and the damned (Braswell, 2000). To know better the concept of these two religions, it may be helpful if one will look at the historical background of the prominent personalities of Christianity and Islam. Jesus Christ, also known as Jesus of Nazareth and the Messiah, was the child of Mary and Joseph and born in the humble stable of Bethlehem during the reign of Augustus. The famous Nativity is described as the birth of Jesus where he was visited by the shepherds and the three kings to give their offerings. He is said to be born without original sin and is said to save humankind from sins. One of the most prominent incidences during his childhood years is when he and his parents visited Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. It was during this time that he was lost for several days and nights, and was found by his parents in the temple teaching about the Word of God. After the incident, Jesus made subsequent visits to Jerusalem allowing him to see how corrupted religion was and the need to reform both its doctrine and practice during that time. He performed miracles and taught the Word of God through fables. Most of his teachings focused on the kingdom of God, how God loves mankind, and how God forgives people when they ask. He became well known and was praised by many people. This caught the attention of the Roman governors and the scribes, who ordered his execution when Jesus claimed that he was God. He was tortured, crucified, and died on the cross. After three days, he resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven. Thus, it marks the start of the salvation of humankind (Stalker, 2009). Conversely, Mohammad is the most prominent personality in Islam. Mohammad or Mahomet was born in Mecca in 571 during the reign of Khusro Anosharwan. His father was named Abdallah while his mother was named Amina. His father died several days before his birth. He became an orphan when he was six years old. It was during this time that his mother died while they were in a journey to Medina. Abdl al-Muttalib, his grandfather, took care of him but died when he was eight years old. Finally, he was taken care of by his father’s brother, Abd Manaf, who joined Muhammad on a caravan to Syria (Rodinson, 2002). He became a camel driver on their journey from Syria to Arabia but soon established his career as manager of caravans together with the merchants. On his travel, he met numerous people with various nationalities such as Christians, pagans, and Jews. At the age of 25, he married Khadija whose age is 15 years older than him. Throughout his life, he sought for contemplation and solitude by visiting Mecca and the caves in Mount Hira. On one of his visits, he was visited by Angel Gabriel and asked him to proclaim the Word of God. He was reluctant at first but later accepted that he was the messenger of God after receiving support from Khadija and subsequent visitations of angel. His teachings include worshipping Allah, repenting from evil, and truth about materialism and immortality. He did not perform miracles but only taught what he received. At the start of his struggle as a prophet, he had only 40 followers, who experienced prosecution because his teachings were said to be a great threat to the Meccan life. However, good news came that there was a small group of people supporting his movement in Yathrib, later called Medina. He established his teachings in Medina and began a movement to reclaim his former land, Mecca. After several battles, he regained Mecca and the entire Meccan population was converted to Islam. He returned to Medina in 632 where he died but Islam had already conquered most of Arabia (â€Å"Life†, 2010). The death of both personalities brought immense impact in their respective religion. Without the death of Jesus, Christianity will not be born. It was through his death that Christianity flourished as his apostles began to preach his word across the nation (Ermatinger, 2007). His death became the heart of Christian faith as it became a proof of God’s love for mankind. â€Å"For God so loved the world that He gave us his one and only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life† (John 3:16 New King James Version, 1985). His death allowed people to become closer to God. In addition, his death followed by his resurrection allowed man to have new hope. The first book of Peter stated that: â€Å"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you† (1 Peter 1:3-4 New King James Version, 1985). The death of Muhammad also allowed Islam to spread. It now extends on both sides of the earth reaching the Atlantic on the other side then reaching the borders of China on the other. The success of the spread of Islam can be attributed to the works of the caliphs, Muhammad’s successor with great political and military abilities (â€Å"Life†, 2010). However, the death of Muhammad brought conflict to the Muslims. Debates conjured and are present up to these days whether leadership must be placed upon Muhammad’s direct descendants (according to Shia) or upon the caliphs (according to Sunni) (â€Å"Comparison†, n. . ). In Christianity, the life of Jesus was celebrated starting from his birth up to his death and resurrection. The birth of Jesus is commemorated by Christians every 25 December and is marked by the giving of gifts and sharing of love. Before this day comes, Christians celebrate the season of Advent to prepare their hearts for his coming. His death and suffering are also commemorated by Christians through the season of Lent. During this season, people subject themselves to fasting and reconciliation of their sins. Moreover, Jesus, which is one of the Holy Trinity, is worshipped by most people through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist every Sunday. Unlike Christians, Muslims do not worship Muhammad. They only view him as the last messenger of God but worship Allah alone (â€Å"Comparison†, n. d. ). Even after the death of Jesus and Muhammad, their words and preaching continuously spread. In Christianity, there is the Bible. Bible comes from the word â€Å"biblos† which means book. It is the compilation of the works of prophets recounting the good deeds and mercy of God on humankind. The bible is also divided into two testaments: the Old and the New. The Old Testament, which consists of 39 books, contains the writings of the Jewish people that reflect their philosophy through literary compositions such as hymns and songs (Weatherall, 2009). The New Testament, on the other hand, is a collection of 27 books that provide a significant influence on Christianity and is recognized as a Sacred Scripture by the Christian Church. Included in this part of the bible is the so-called â€Å"Fourfold Gospels† written by Gospel writers with the books of Mathew and Mark recounting the biographies of Jesus Christ (Achtemeier, Green and Thompson, 2001). In Islam, the means of spreading the word of Muhammad is through the Qur’an or Koran. Its contents are revealed to Muhammad in stages for 23 years. It is considered as the holy book of the Muslims where the revelation part is intended to correct the error found in the Old and New Testaments. It has 114 chapters but is divided into 30 parts called juz. During Ramadan, the Muslims read one juz per day until they complete the whole month celebration (â€Å"Qur’an†, 2009). In conclusion, the two most influential religions in the present society have their own similarities and differences. Despite these, what is more important is how people respect and follow the doctrines of their religions. It does not matter whether he or she is a Christian or a Muslim. What matters most is how that people work themselves to build a life of morality and treasures in heaven and not on earth.

Nominations to the Supreme Court essays

Nominations to the Supreme Court essays When nominating a justice to the Supreme Court the President must take a variety of factors into consideration, the main factor that the President must take into account is the nominee's ideology since it influences how the Senate will react to the confirmation. The Senate is less likely to confirm a justice who is ideologically distant from the majority of senators of from the senator's constituencies. The President must also take into account several other factors, many of which will be discussed in this essay. Research shows that the President takes five majors factors into account when choosing a nominee for the Supreme Court: the ideology of the nominee compared to the President and Senate; the makeup of the Court; the background of the nominee, including race, gender, geographic location, and religion; the qualifications of the nominees; and the political power of the President. A President is more likely to choose a nominee that he feels has ideological similarities to himself. Presidents nominate those who have consistent conservative, if the president is a Republican, or liberal views, if he is a Democrat, in order that the future decisions of the nominee on certain issues may be ascertained beforehand. Simply, a Republican President will nominate a more conservative justice that shares his views on certain issues, and a Democratic President will nominate a more liberal justice that shares his views. However, the President must also take into account the ideological makeup of the Senate. Therefore, most justices confirmed are considered moderate because of compromise the President must make between his ideology and the ideological makeup of the Senate. The President also takes into account the makeup of the Court at that time. The President may attempt to move the Court in one direction or the other to make it further reflect his and his administration or party's views. However, if the Senate majority is not of the same...

Everson v. Board of Education - Religious Liberty

Everson v. Board of Education - Religious Liberty Under a New Jersey statute that allowed local school districts to fund the transportation of children to and from schools, the Board of Education of Ewing Township authorized reimbursement to parents forced to bus their children to school using regular public transportation. Part of this money was to pay for the transportation of some children to Catholic parochial schools and not just public schools. A local taxpayer filed suit, challenging the right of the Board to reimburse parents of parochial school students. He argued that the statute violated both the State and the Federal Constitutions. This court agreed and ruled hat the legislature did not have the authority to provide such reimbursements. Fast Facts: Everson v. Board of Education of the Township of Ewing Case Argued: November 20, 1946Decision Issued:  February 10, 1947Petitioner: Arch R. EversonRespondent: Board of Education of the Township of EwingKey Question: Did the New Jersey law authorizing reimbursement by local school boards for the costs of transportation to and from schools- including private schools, the majority of which were parochial Catholic schools- violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?Majority Decision: Justices Vinson, Reed, Douglas, Murphy, and BlackDissenting: Justices Jackson, Frankfurter, Rutledge, and Burton  Ruling: Reasoning that the law did not pay money to parochial schools, nor did it support them directly in any way, New Jersey’s law reimbursing parents for transportation costs to parochial schools did not violate the Establishment Clause. Court Decision The Supreme Court ruled against the plaintiff, holding that the government was allowed to reimburse the parents of parochial school children for the costs incurred by sending them to school on public buses. As the Court noted, the legal challenged was based on two arguments: First, the law authorized the state to take money from some people and give it to others for their own private purposes, a violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Second, the law forced taxpayers to support religious education at Catholic schools, thus resulting in using State power to support religion - a violation of the First Amendment. The Court rejected both arguments. The first argument was rejected on the grounds that the tax was for a public purpose - educating children - and so the fact that it coincided with someones personal desires does not render a law unconstitutional. When reviewing the second argument, the majority decision, referencing  Reynolds v. United States: The establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect a wall of separation between Church and State. Amazingly, even after admitting this, the Court failed to find any such violation in collecting taxes for the purpose of sending children to a religious school. According to the Court, providing for transportation is analogous to providing police protection along the same transportation routes - it benefits everyone, and therefore should not be refused to some because of the religious nature of their end destination. Justice Jackson, in his dissent, noted the inconsistency between the strong affirmation of the separation of church and state and the final conclusions reached. According to Jackson, the Courts decision required making both unsupported assumptions of fact and ignoring actual facts which were supported. In the first place, the Court assumed that this was part of a general program to help parents of any religion get their children safely and quickly to and from accredited schools, but Jackson noted that this was not true: The Township of Ewing is not furnishing transportation to the children in any form; it is not operating school busses itself or contracting for their operation; and it is not performing any public service of any kind with this taxpayers money. All school children are left to ride as ordinary paying passengers on the regular buses operated by the public transportation system. What the Township does, and what the taxpayer complains of, is at stated intervals to reimburse parents for the fares paid, provided the children attend either public schools or Catholic Church schools. This expenditure of tax funds has no possible effect on the childs safety or expedition in transit. As passengers on the public buses they travel as fast and no faster, and are as safe and no safer, since their parents are reimbursed as before. In the second place, the Court ignored the actual facts of religious discrimination which was occurring: The resolution which authorizes disbursement of this taxpayers money limits reimbursement to those who attend public schools and Catholic schools. That is the way the Act is applied to this taxpayer. The New Jersey Act in question makes the character of the school, not the needs of the children determine the eligibility of parents to reimbursement. The Act permits payment for transportation to parochial schools or public schools but prohibits it to private schools operated in whole or in part for profit. ...If all children of the state were objects of impartial solicitude, no reason is obvious for denying transportation reimbursement to students of this class, for these often are as needy and as worthy as those who go to public or parochial schools. Refusal to reimburse those who attend such schools is understandable only in the light of a purpose to aid the schools because the state might well abstain from aiding a profit-making private enterprise. As Jackson noted, the only reason for refusing to help children going to for-profit private schools is a desire not to aid those schools in their ventures - but this automatically means that giving reimbursements to children going to parochial schools means that the government is helping them. Significance This case reinforced the precedent of government money financing portions of religious, sectarian education by having those funds applied to activities other than direct religious education.

Barbary Lion Facts and Figures

Barbary Lion Facts and Figures Name: Barbary Lion; also known as Panthera leo leo, the Atlas Lion and the Nubian Lion Habitat: Plains of northern Africa Historical Epoch: Late Pleistocene-Modern (500,000-100 years ago) Size and Weight: Up to seven feet long and 500 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; thick mane and fur About the Barbary Lion Tracking the evolutionary relationships of the various subspecies of modern lion (Panthera leo) can be a tricky affair. As far as paleontologists can tell, the Barbary Lion (Panthera leo leo) evolved from a population of European Lions (Panthera leo europaea), which themselves descended from Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica), which are still extant, albeit in dwindling numbers, in modern-day India. Whatever its ultimate heritage, the Barbary Lion shares one dubious honor with most lion subspecies, having been wiped off the face of the earth by human encroachment and the dwindling of its once-expansive habitat. Like many other recently extinct mammals, the Barbary Lion has a distinctive historical pedigree. Medieval Britons had an especial fondness for this big cat; during the Middle Ages, Barbary Lions were kept in the menagerie at the Tower of London, and these big-maned beasts were star attractions at swanky British hotels. In the latter part of the 19th century, while the species was being hunted to extinction in northern Africa, Britains surviving Barbary Lions were transferred to zoos. In northern Africa, even in historical times, Barbary Lions were prized gifts, sometimes being offered in lieu of taxes to the ruling families of Morocco and Ethiopia. Today, in captivity, a few surviving lion subspecies harbor remnants of Barbary Lion genes, so it may yet be possible to selectively breed this big cat and reintroduce it into the wild, a program known as de-extinction. For example, researchers with the International Barbary Lion Project plan to recover DNA sequences from various mounted Barbary Lion specimens in natural history museums, and then compare these sequences with the DNA of living zoo lions, in order to see how much Barbary. so to speak, remains in these felines. Males and females with a high percentage of Barbary Lion DNA would then be selectively mated, as well as their descendants on down the lion, the ultimate goal being the birth of a Barbary Lion cub!

The Taxation of Social Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Taxation of Social Security - Essay Example The taxation of the security funds will also vary in a household in some countries, particularly in the US. When couples are having living differently or in the same household, the computation of the taxable security fund is differently calculated (Harding and Gupta, 2007). As this remains, the law also prohibits any taxation that would be advanced to security funds if the persons involved were not having any other supplementary source of income; in such cases, the security funds remain untaxed. From the above information on the taxation of the security, it can be construed that such taxation is highly varied and dependable on many factors that is not only based on the security funds. In this regard, there are several advantages and disadvantages of the taxation on the security funds and this is discussed below. The bulwark of the country’s income is based on the extent of taxation in the country since through taxation most of the economic development can be realized in a coun try. It is thus important that the tax base should be widened as possible as long as it is just and justifiable. The question one should ask on the security funds is their source, security funds in most cases are given to the old, disabled, and the survivors. Thus, money does earn interest and it is paid monthly to the individuals qualified. The fact that these moneys do earn interest is an indication that they qualify for taxation. This will accrue sufficient income for the government to undertake to the various financial needs that a country faces particularly if the population that is involved in the tax bracket forms a significant number of the total population (Harding and Gupta, 2007). Taxation of the security fund will also allow for the horizontal spread of taxation to all categories of people thus not allowing taxation to be skewed to other groups of the people especially the businesspersons thus making investment a difficult area to venture into. The Spread of taxation in the population is of great importance to reduce the burden of taxation to a specific group of population; therefore, the advantage here is that the tax base would be broad enough to cushion some of the rest from excessive taxation (Reagan, 2009). The fact that only those who have additional income from other sources are liable for taxation based on the security fund is a realistic move that only allow for excess income from other sources that adds on to the security funds to be taxed, this makes it even more realistic that not the absolute security fund is taxable. In a situation where the population of a country has a significant number of the people involved in reception of the security fund and at the same time receiving income from other sources, the computation of the taxable income is important in the generation of income for the realization of development of other economic sectors in the country. For instance, the infrastructural development and other recurrent expenditure ca n be met if the tax base is broadened to that extent. Again, if the taxable population is widened, a country can realize their tax projection in order to partake on issues that require funding by the government. In some situations, that requires budgetary allocations from other countries or borrowing, this strategy can

London city Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

London city - Essay Example Its fast-paced growth and advancements helped to produce a community of arts and letters such as had not existed since the Anthens of the fifth century. London is the home of a cultural and educational institution that is clearly depicted by the numerous images around the city. It is a world-class international city like no other as it pulsates with energy of business, style and rich cultural history. It is the home to a wide range of famous and spectacular sceneries such as museums and art galleries that have been in existence ever since the ancient times. Besides this, London is also known for its strengths in the commerce, arts, entertainment, fashion, finance, tourism, transport, and other myriad number of traits Cvetkovic, 2013). The images found along the street are eminently vital as they portray the identity of its people structure and meaning. One of the most striking feature surrounding the London City are the existence of thatched houses which are currently being referred to as cottages. Although being a few in numbers, the thatched houses represent the ancient times where there had not been any advancements in terms of housing. The cottages are described as being small dwellings of traditional build as it was in the olden days. The materials for building a thatched house had caused an alarm as it posed a great threat because of the materials being prone to fire. It is with this profound reason that the government passed on a bill that required its citizens to adapt to brick houses. However, there are still a few thatched houses that have been specifically designed to resemble the traditional ones thereby signifying the culture and traditions of the Britain citizens. London Bridge is another scenario that has caught many eyed due to its magnificent beauty and location. London Bridge is one of the historic sites found in London city and was constructed in the

Wind Load Effects on Skyscrapers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Wind Load Effects on Skyscrapers - Essay Example These devices are utilised in high-rise buildings reaching above 50 storeys. The TMDs enhance strength of the building while increasing comfort of residents. The Taipei 101 structure remains the building with the largest TMD weighing over six tons. This massive structure was constructed using advanced technology providing a significant breakthrough for the engineering industry. The massive structure has contributed towards the capacity for the building to withstand numerous typhoons, common in Asia. In many modern cities around the world, skyscrapers have continued to dominate the skylines. The construction of these structures continues to define the element of modernisation and evolvement of modern city designs. These magnificent structures decorating the skylines of major cities require a considerable amount of planning before commencing construction. The planning for construction of skyscrapers begins with consideration of various elements among them cost, economic efficiency and strength of the structure(Chew, 2001). The element of strength remains most important as it relates to safety of the tenants and other occupants of the building. The strength of a skyscraper remains the determinant element for the successful construction of these high rise structures. These structures remain highly susceptible to natural calamities like earth quakes and hurricanes, among others. During the planning phase for the construction of these high rise structures, those designing components seek to ensure the structure becomes sufficiently resistant to any forces that might arise. The consideration of these wind forces makes the designing phase most important. The forces exerted by winds on the structures remain fundamental for designing of high-rise structures. WIND AND TUNED MASS DAMPER Wind remains a complex phenomenon because of the variations in wind speeds resulting from interaction with the structures surrounding the wind. Wind comprises of numerous particles moving in different directions. The speed and direction of wind contributes immensely towards the effects produced by the wind(Holmes, 2007). During construction of tall structures, engineers and architects must consider the expected wind effects upon the intended structure. While normal wind force could be resisted by many structures, extreme cases like tornadoes, hurricanes present great challenges as they create massive forces, capable of collapsing entire buildings. The resulting effects of wind damage can cause massive destruction as have been recorded. Hurricanes, for example, are some of the most feared winds across the globe. Some hurricanes have enough strength to even uproot trees and destroy even the shortest of structures. During these extreme wind cases, like winds measuring 10 or higher on the Beaufort scale, the wind load affecting tall buildings is normally higher

Elizabeth Bowens The Demon Lover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Elizabeth Bowens The Demon Lover - Essay Example The story ‘Demon Lover’ was entitled as â€Å"a complete successful explanation of what war did to the mind and spirit of the English people† by The New Yorker. Apart from this the story also brings forward some of the essential writing characteristics of Bowen. To assess the story ‘The Demon Lover’ as a psychological drama or a mere story with supernatural element, it is first essential to understand the background against which the story is written. Bowen wrote the story during the time of World War II after experiencing the Ariel bombardment in London inflicted by the Germans during the year 1940-41. After experiencing the events of World War I, it was quite scary and traumatic for the people of London to encounter another war in the face of World War II. At this juncture of social history, Bowen tried to captivate within the limited compass of her story, the neurotic breakdown and horror any war can bring through the story, ‘The Demon Lover’, raising its thematic parameters far from being a mere story with supernatural elements. The story ‘The Demon Lover’ does not revolve round the simple context of supernaturalism. The story deals with a sentiment obvious and evident in human psyche and life during the post-war situation highlighting the trauma and fear that prevailed in the London as an aftermath of post-Blitz disaster.The protagonist of the story Mrs Drover is shown hallucinated by the effect of the war and confuses World War II with World War I and the story opens with her return to the evacuated city and home where she goes to collect some of her belongings and consequently illusioned by the aftermath of the recent bombing thinks of her long-dead fiancà ©. ... uses World War II with World War I and the story opens with her return to the evacuated city and home where she goes to collect some of her belongings and consequently illusioned by the aftermath of the recent bombing thinks of her long-dead fiance. The identity of this character and events following the opening scene builds an atmosphere of ambiguity where it is not transparent whether the events in the evacuated house taking place with Mrs Drover is supernatural or consequential of neurotic trauma and psychological disorder. The eerie atmosphere, the supernatural consequences and the ambiguous and unveiled ‘troth’ adds perfectly to the unnatural element of the story. But there are many other features under consideration which proves the operation of the psychological elements throughout the story. The oscillation of Mrs Drover into the present and the past, the â€Å"panic and fear† of Mrs Drover after travelling back from the flashback where a young girl is sho wn departing from a soldier who probably is missing since the war are all indication of strong psychological elements operating within the plot of the story. In other words, Bowen takes the platform of the supernatural hallucination to culminate the psychological elements of drama within the story. The first expression after receiving a letter from someone very close and expected is beautifully described but at the very moment the attitude with which Mrs Drover rushes for a cab and the way she gets into it indicates some kind of disturbance evident in the surrounding atmosphere. The prevailing aura of foreboding, a sense of unknown chase by the demon lover, the hint of a threat, the inky darkness and calm scene with odd lights might seem apparently ordinary and very commonplace to any story with

Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Resume - Essay Example The majority of his career was devoted to Counter Terrorism, Close Protection, covert operations, and working in hostile environments. Mr. Perkins has made contributions concerning security measurements in businesses in Asia, Africa, and the Gulf Region. He is based in the Philippines and has worked on world-wide assignments. His focus has been on businesses that have needed high risk security. OBJECTIVE: I am seeking the opportunity to utilize my talents and experience to work in high risk security projects where I may be in a position to plan, design, develop, implement, and evaluate the security of corporations. Enhanced the security program in China, in various areas: Threat Assessment; Security Management Plan; Emergency Evaluation Plan; Operating Procedures; Kidnap and Ransom Plan, and Close Protection Team Training. Managed the security for a joint Australian/Philippines company based in the Philippines and was responsible for the safety of 800 employees and the property on site (an island that has insurgency

Aviation Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Aviation Law - Case Study Example (a) that the flight can safely be made, taking into account the latest information available as to the route and aerodrome to be used, the weather reports and forecasts available and any alternative course of action which can be adopted in case the flight cannot be completed as planned; (c) that the aircraft is in every way fit for the intended flight, and that where a certificate of maintenance review is required by article 14(1) to be in force, it is in force and will not cease to be in force during the intended flight; (e) in the case of a flying machine or airship, that sufficient fuel, oil and engine coolant (if required) are carried for the intended flight, and that a safe margin has been allowed for contingencies, and, in the case of a flight for the purpose of public transport, that the instructions in the operations manual relating to fuel, oil and engine coolant have been complied with; x x x " [Emphasis supplied] 'Commander' in relation to an aircraft means the member of the flight crew designated as commander of that aircraft by the operator, or, failing such a person, the person who is for the time being the pilot in command of the aircraft; [Emphasis supplied] In the situation given, it is clear tha... ion to an aircraft means the member of the flight crew designated as commander of that aircraft by the operator, or, failing such a person, the person who is for the time being the pilot in command of the aircraft; [Emphasis supplied] In the situation given, it is clear that Carl was the commander of the aircraft for purposes of Article 52 of the ANO because Carl was the pilot in command of the aircraft. As a commander, it is therefore Carl's responsibility to conduct all pre-flight action as required of him under Article 52 of the ANO. Specifically, Carl's responsibility is to ensure before the flight that the aircraft has sufficient fuel for the intended flight. Based on the situation given, the aircraft's engine stopped due to fuel starvation, there being insufficient fuel for the intended flight. Moreover, considering Carl's failure to check the sufficiency of the fuel, he likewise failed to - (1) ensure "that the flight can safely be made," (2) take "into account the latest information available as to the route and aerodrome to be used, the weather reports and forecasts available," (3) ensure that "the equipment required" in the circumstances of the intended flight is carried and "is in a fit condition for use"; (4) see to it "that the aircraft is in every way fit for the intended flight," and (5) carry sufficient fuel for the intended flight, all in violation of Carl's duty as commander pursuant to Article 52 of the ANO. Furthermore, and as previously stated, Article 52 of the ANO requires a commander like Carl in the given situation to ensure that the flight may commence under and in accordance with the terms of a permission granted to the operator under Article 21 of the ANO, which provides as follows: "Minimum equipment requirements 21 (1) x x x. (2) An

Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Resume - Essay Example The majority of his career was devoted to Counter Terrorism, Close Protection, covert operations, and working in hostile environments. Mr. Perkins has made contributions concerning security measurements in businesses in Asia, Africa, and the Gulf Region. He is based in the Philippines and has worked on world-wide assignments. His focus has been on businesses that have needed high risk security. OBJECTIVE: I am seeking the opportunity to utilize my talents and experience to work in high risk security projects where I may be in a position to plan, design, develop, implement, and evaluate the security of corporations. Enhanced the security program in China, in various areas: Threat Assessment; Security Management Plan; Emergency Evaluation Plan; Operating Procedures; Kidnap and Ransom Plan, and Close Protection Team Training. Managed the security for a joint Australian/Philippines company based in the Philippines and was responsible for the safety of 800 employees and the property on site (an island that has insurgency

Health Care Utilization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Care Utilization - Assignment Example Majorly, healthcare reforms have expanded access and made many people access affordable healthcare and health insurance (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). Surveys from experts charged with seeking people’s opinions as to whether reforms have made access of healthcare easier suggest that most people agree that health reforms have been successful. For instance, they cite novel healthcare laws, and new healthcare insurance measures as some of the significant gains. After about a year of endless debates, meetings and workshops, speeches and votes, the New York Times (April 5, 2010) reported that Congress passed into law major health reform laws (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). 89 % of healthcare leaders as well as health policy makers believe the novel reform laws will expand access to healthcare and make health insurance affordable to a significant number of Americans. Many opinion leaders support the recent Modern Health Care Opinion/Commonwealth Fund. This can only mean that healthcare reforms have been immensely successful (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). What is more, opinion leaders support numerous healthcare policy legislation aimed at reducing the bottlenecks affecting efficient delivery of healthcare services. Subsidies advocated for through the health reforms allow many people to access healthcare and insurance cover. Concisely, the reforms improved service delivery. The New York Times reports that 90% of the population can access cheap insurance cover; 88% give priority for healthcare reforms; 80% support innovation, which makes access to a patient’s background information easier. Healthcare providers and Medicare enhancers are more accountable (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). Changes in utilization of healthcare mean that the United States now joins other industrialized countries with efficient healthcare systems that make access to health care essential. The new laws brought about

Process A Buying A House Essay Example for Free

Process A Buying A House Essay Your Journey to Home Ownership Buying a house is an exciting process; especially if it is your first home.   It may be a long or short process. But no matter how long it takes you will follow at least four steps throughout your journey to home ownership.   First, you will check your credit and examine your finances.   Next, you will shop for a mortgage loan.   Then you will shop for the right house!   Finally, you will move in.   Remember, you or other family members will probably live in your new house for the rest of your lives.    That is why it is important to understand the steps in the home buying process.   This brochure walks you through the process of buying a home. CREDIT AND FINANCES Know Your Credit It is not only important to know your credit scores, but to know your credit.   Know the basics about your credit before a mortgage lender pulls your credit scores.   It is helpful to write out a summary of your credit history as you know it.   What are your monthly payments?   If you have been late with payments, write down which ones, how often you have been late, the current status, and explain what led to the circumstances.   Also write down your loan and credit card balances.   And explain any collections, judgements, or other delinquencies that you think might affect your credit.   This way both you and the lender know what to expect when your credit report is pulled. Know Your Finances You must cover some part of a down payment (up to 20% of the purchase price) and some closing costs (at least 3% of the purchase price).   It is important to know that cash in the bank is not the only source of funds that are acceptable to a lender.   Will a relative give you part of your down payment as a gift?   If so, have them write a letter stating the amount they will give and include that amount as a cash asset on your loan application. Do you have an insurance policy with a cash value?   Do you have a retirement fund?   Include a most recent statement from those policies.   These cash assets help you to qualify even if the cash is not on hand.   If you need to use these sources, your lender will instruct you how to document the withdrawals or have the gift monies transferred when the time comes. SHOP FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN Shop for the Right Mortgage Company First, determine if you will use a commercial bank, a direct mortgage lender, or a mortgage broker.   The best thing to do is call each one and ask what programs and services they offer.   They can answer basic questions without taking a loan application or pulling your credit.   However, be careful about quoted rates.   Make sure that rates ore given for the type of loan you are interested in and qualify for.   In other words, if you are looking for a construction loan, don’t compare home improvement loan rates. Shop for the Right Mortgage Once you have decided what type of company to work with, they will help you determine the right mortgage program for you.   They will present you with scenarios for both fixed and adjustable rate mortgages; for 15-20-30 year loan periods.   They will also present loans for your specific financial and credit situation, for first time homebuyers, and for existing houses or new construction.   They will also tell you what loan amount you qualify for, what your down payment and closing cost cash contribution should be, and what your maximum purchase price can be. SHOP FOR YOUR HOUSE Location Location Location Take a drive around the communities that you are attracted to.   Determine how close they are to good schools, shopping locations, and other things that are important to you.   Be sure to note your commute to work from these areas noting accessibility to freeways and main roads.   Once you narrow the areas you like, write down what your home should look like and features it should have – how many bedrooms, bathrooms, 2-story or ranch style, older home or newer construction.   Once you decide these factors, you are ready to go shopping. Real Estate Agents Real estate agents can help you find what you are looking for.   The MLS allows the agent to plug in your parameters – price, style, location, size, amenities – and identify several houses for you to look at.   The agent will also present your offer to the seller, and help you negotiate contract items such as seller paid closing costs or repairs to be done prior to closing. MOVE IN Closing Once your loan is approved, the house is appraised and inspected, you will meet with a title company to sign the mortgage and title documents.   You will provide a copy of a homeowners insurance policy.   The seller will provide a transfer of title, a pest inspection, and general safety inspection or occupancy certificate, if required by your municipality.   The title company will provide you an insurance policy protecting against old liens against the property.   Once all documents are signed, the items are filed with the real estate department in your county, and YOU GET YOUR HOUSE KEYS! Moving In Remember to do things like submit a change of address at the post office.   And, if you are a renter, notify your landlord at least 30 days prior to moving.   Also, remember that you will now be responsible for paying property taxes and homeowners insurance.   If these items are not included with your mortgage payments, be sure to make billing and payment arrangements right away. RESOURCES Fannie Mae  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.fanniemae.com/homebuyers/index.jhtml;jsessionid=JNHAKUJNMMPBVJ2FQSHSFGI?p=Overview Freddie Mac  Ã‚   http://www.freddiemac.com/corporate/buying_and_owning.html FHA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.fha.com/ VA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.homeloans.va.gov/ HUD  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/index.cfm Bankrate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/mtg_home.asp?link=5

Steinbeck?s experience and feelings in Breakfast by John Steinbeck :: essays research papers

Steinbeck’s experience and feelings in "Breakfast" by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck’s stories depict his commiseration and compassion for the down-trodden class. He, in his stories, has summed up the bitterness of the Great Depression decade and aroused widespread sympathy for the plight of migratory farm workers. His style is natural and lucid. The story â€Å"Breakfast† by John Steinbeck is a description of a warm experience he had had. He reminisced about it each time with extra gratification. He kept on refreshing the â€Å"sunken memory† with greater details which presented him with queer blitheness. The author while traveling through the country side early in the morning chanced to meet a family who had fixed their tent down in a valley. He saw a young woman with a baby in her arm, cooking at a cracked, rusty and old iron stove. The writer observed the lady’s movements with great vigilance. He was inspired by the way she was doing her work and at the same time handling the child with absolute ease. The orange fire peeking out of the cracked stove made reflections on the tent which were quite appealing for the author. The author moved towards the stove to warm himself. In the meanwhile, two persons; an old and a young who were more or less alike, came out of the tent. They exchanged salutations with the author. The young woman kept on doing her job. She was frying bacon and baking bread. The two men inhaled deeply the delicious odour and invited the author for the breakfast. They did not ask the writer his name nor about his whereabouts. The young man asked the author if he was picking cotton. The author told him that he was not on job. The bloke told the author with satisfaction that he had been working for twelve days and the young woman added cheerfully that they had got new robes. They thanked to God for providing them with the opportunity to earn a living. They savoured the taste of the nicely concocted breakfast. The old man chewed the food with relish and said, â€Å"God Almighty, it’s good,† and he filled his mouth again. The young man was quite blissful as they had been eating good food for twelve days. The men’s contentment on the food, that though not surfeit and lavish, deeply impressed the writer. The young man told the author that if he wanted a job they could arrange one for him.

The Champion Lands :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

The Champion Lands The former Champion Lands of Vermont consist of 132,000 acres in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont has some of Vermont's most extensive areas of relitively remote and wild lands. A substantial portion of the Champion Lands are located in the the Nulhegan Basin, an extensive area of northern lowland forest and wetlands ringed by hills and mountians of moderatr elevation and drained by the Nulhegan River. The Champion Lands of Vermont are part of a larger system known as the Northern Forest. Stretching 400 miles from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, the Northern Forest covers more than 25 million acres across New York's Tug Hill plateau and Adirondack Mountains and includes nearly all of northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The forest reaches north and east into Quebec and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. This extensive regional forest contains a range of forest age-classes, from early successional to, in a few isolated locations, mature forest, but it is by and large young forest, less than 100 years old. It provides important habitat for the large mammals native to the extensive northeastern deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. These include black bear, bobcat, deer and moose. The lands are divided into three different ownership parcels, each area has its own unique features and area of interest The West Mountain WMA lands are dominated by three major features: in the center of the parcel, West Mountain rises to an elevation of 2,733 feet above sea level; to the north and east the land drains into a series of small ponds in the Wheeler Stream drainage, while to the west and south Paul Stream drains an area dominated by Ferdinand Bog. These two stream drainages, which are tributaries of the Connecticut River, contain what is thought to be the greatest concentration of glacial ice-contact deposits in Vermont. The result is a highly varied terrain containing kames, kame moraines, eskers, and kettles surrounding the resistant granite of West Mountain. Notch Pond Mountain, part of the Nulhagan Basin mountainous rim to the north of West Mountain, separates the Wheeler Stream and Paul Stream drainages from the Nulhegan River. The mountains and high hills on the West Mountain WMA are strongly dominated by northern hardwood forests, while the stream drainages are dominated by red spr uce-hardwood forest or lowland spruce-fir forests, and a variety of wetlands and ponds. The wetlands are predominantly northern white cedar swamps, spruce-fir-tamarack swamps, and alder-beaver meadow complexes.

Philosophy Essay

The existence of God is viewed in two debatable perspectives – either the Divine Almighty exists or He does not. It is almost impossible to dwell on revealing the right answer to resolve this matter as one is dealing with an abstract matter that goes beyond reason and the physical or concrete aspect of life and the universe. The first argument questions the existence of God because there is no tangible sign in reality that reveals that He does exist. The opposite argument argues that God exists because of the impossibility of the presence of a Divine Being despite his non-existence in physical terms. This is supported by the virtue of faith and the belief that a greater power must be responsible for the existence of man and life. Perhaps asking about the existence of God is one of the most glorified questions that have not been answered since the beginning of time. This may not only be because of the fact that he does not encompass a physical entity, but also because God as an entity is beyond reason that people cannot even start to define who or what He is, what He is capable of doing, and such. In order to present an argument regarding this matter, it is important to discuss points which will prove or rather rationalize God’s existence. God exists, but He will only dynamically exist if one believes in His true existence. Rationalizing the existence of God is similar to proving the existence of love. Love is an abstract feeling or emotion, like God Himself is a nonrepresentational entity which does not exist in physical terms. Love is the same. It is an abstract feeling or emotion which cannot be represented in tangible terms, however, people know what it is, if not believe in it. Love exists because people believe in it. Love is felt and expressed, defining its meaning and significance, and framing it as a valid term or feeling because people can feel it allowing them to know it does exist. On the other hand, people who do not believe in love do not also believe it exists. I think this argument goes the same with the inquiry of the existence of God. God is a term or a word which represents a Divine Entity, while love is also a term or a word which represents an abstract feeling or emotion. However, their existence in reality is only confined in terms or words not unless people would believe they do exist and act upon their existence. Therefore, God does not exist for people who do not have faith in His existence, who do not give meaning to who He is as the creator of man and the universe. Think about love and why people believe it exists. This is because people choose to believe in what they feel, although unexplainable and intangible. Love is expressed in so many ways, from touching, caring, helping, doing good and kind acts, etc. Since love is expressed, then it is felt consequentially; and since it is felt, then people believe it does exist. In terms of the existence of God, people can justify His existence then by acting on their faith. This means worshipping him, praying to him, spreading His word, practicing or applying His commandments, and living in His righteousness. God becomes present in an individual’s life if he chooses to abide by Him and believe in what He has to offer for mankind. This means that although God exists by definition, He will continually exist in reality – that is in the lives of man and in everything they do – if people believe that He plays an important role in their lives and that He commands or directs man into living in the kind of life that He wants for His people. The existence of God then is justified by faith. Moreover, God exists within the things that represent who He is as a Diety – and that is in goodness, in love, in hope, respect, trust, and graciousness. God’s existence perhaps is the most difficult matter to argue given the diverse answers of people to this inquiry. However, one possible rationalization is faith in Him and all the things that people experience that is representative of God. That is man’s faith in God brings Him beyond the term or word labeled to Him, and that the faith of man leads Him to act on it by doing things to acknowledge His existence.

Philosophical Theory Essay

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was a renowned French philosopher of twentieth century Europe. His highly unique political philosophy was merely influenced by the work of Marx and Hegel. From 1945 and onwards, his writings had dominated political themes which further recognized him as Europe’s best public intellectual of the century. One of his famous essays was â€Å"Anti-Semite and Jew† which had criticized French complicity in the Holocaust and defined oppression as an interpersonal recognition distortion (Sartre’s Political Philosophy; IEP). He co-founded â€Å"Les Temps Modernes†, a journal which published seminal essays on world affairs and political theory. It was only in 1950 when Sartre’s political inclination bent towards Marxism; he eventually released â€Å"Critique of Dialectic Reason, Vol. 1† in 1960, a systematic account which massively spoke of group struggle and history (Sartre’s Political Philosophy; IEP). Critique embodied Sartre’s earlier radical view and philosophy of existential freedom which had further led to his pioneering fusion of Marxism and Existentialism – an original political philosophy which touched the tension between historical forces and individual freedom. Marxism implied that societies can be better understood through struggle which existed between powerless and powerful groups. Existentialism viewed individuals as entities responsible for the numerous authorless social ills (Sartre’s Political Philosophy; IEP). It is in this respect that authenticity is considered a primary existential virtue; that is, it is a requirement for a person to critically examine one’s social situation prior to his or her acceptance of personal culpability with respect to the choices one made within that certain situation. In short, his new political philosophy embodied theories of both moral responsibility and individual agency. His well recognized work â€Å"Existentialism is a Humanism† although which was presented and shared a common argument of the categorical imperative of Kant, spoke largely of Marxism and Hegelianism. With respect to Marx and Hegel, Sartre developed his very own political view as reflected on his â€Å"Notebooks for an Ethics† (1982) (Sartre’s Political Philosophy; IEP). He agreed with Hegel who claimed that in order to win recognition, humans need to undergo a mutual struggle (Being and Nothingness). Initially, Sartre rejected the notion of transcending struggle by relations of mutual and reciprocal recognition; that is, all human relations according to Sartre, were by products of the master and slave relation. However, his idea on human relations was altered as he made the Notebooks. This may be summarized into four parts: (1) that there is a possibility for struggle to be transcended by both reciprocal and mutual recognition (2) that struggle is located in history and society rather than in onthology (3) that the struggle for recognition is a significant component in analyzing oppression as a form of domination and (4) that social solidarity was an ontological reality (dependent on recognition ties) rather than psychological projection which Hegel had claimed. Sartre’s theory of Existentialism had always accompanied Marxism. His description of social reality utilized Marx’s structural analysis which he further used to â€Å"rescue† Marxism’s categorization as â€Å"lazy dogmatism† (Sartre’s Political Philosophy; IEP). The combination of Existentialism and Marxism into a single unique theory criticized not only the economic class being a significant structural factor, but also human situation as dictated by gender, family, death and birth. An individual’s intention, he further claimed, can be sufficiently explained not by â€Å"objective interests† alone but through the combination of class analysis and personal history. Soren Kierkegaard Another renowned philosopher and Christian existentialist Soren Kierkegaard relied on the theory of Existentialism with respect to understanding human relations and individual particularity. Prior the release of his famous work â€Å"The Sickness unto Death†, Kierkegaard had claimed that there are forces at work in society and history which when projected, tend to focus on â€Å"sheer oneness† defined by singleness and particularity rather than by unity with others (Kierkegaard, Soren; 1989). The European society’s massive industrialization in the nineteenth century had led to the disruption of rurally-based societies and organic groupings with their respective identified function. Kierkegaard claimed that the age of rationalization had further drained the ethical content with respect to a well-defined group’s membership (intensive division of labor, multiple social roles and loss of corporate identity) and promoted â€Å"rational† reorganization (Kierkegaard, Soren; 1989). It was in this respect that he emphasized the world’s need of â€Å"absolute† particularity in oppose to universality. The notion of particularity, as Kierkegaard claimed, is precisely reflected in the principle of Christianity. Individuals find themselves in a lonely self emancipating situation, by which they are considered single human beings who stand before God. The more individual lose one’s social identity, the more â€Å"spiritual† and undifferentiated one becomes. Kierkegaard’s notion of the â€Å"true self† is one which conforms to the image of humanity as reflected by God through Christ (Kierkegaard, Soren; 1989). With respect to this principle, there are two theoretical dilemmas which other public intellectuals like Sartre may be facing: (1) in such a manner by which an individual stood before God, there is a possibility that the split between social and personal life is further accentuated (in oppose to Sartre’s dependence on both social and personal analysis); that is, the self and social life cannot be combined into one and (2) the situational status itself and that an individual identity for instance, cannot be placed over social and familial roles (which again contradicts Sartre’s notion of human situation as a by product of family, gender and other social structures). The Existentialist Thinker If it is in fact true to say that neither Kierkegaard nor Sartre agree with each other’s philosophy, why are they both considered existentialists any way? The very notion of Existentialism suggests that individual essence can only be realized after the â€Å"existence† of an individual had occurred and not the other way around; and that human beings cannot be understood in terms of science (Existentialism; 2010; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). As per Sartre’s definition, Existentialism viewed individuals as entities who are responsible for a certain social situation. In respect to this, an individual’s authentic value (so to speak one’s personal originality) is considered as the theory’s existential virtue necessary to examine one’s individual situation within a given social phenomenon. Kierkegaard, like Sartre, recognized the value for individual authenticity. Instead of relying on universality, he emphasized on the importance of absolute particularity of individuals. Placing a high regard for individual particularity over a more collective and universal approach to human relations and the society, Sartre and Kierkegaard somehow shared a common ground with respect to political philosophy. Thus, the accuracy of such theory may be defined in subjective terms rather than objective. Kierkegaard and Sartre viewed individuals as the center of rationalization; that is, when an individual is born, he or she is authentic by nature, one who dictated rather than be dictated by social condition; however, individual existentialism can be deemed applicable not only towards understanding human action and intention along with other social structures (for instance familial and social roles) but also towards absolute particularity which rejected the very notion of social influence. References â€Å"Sartre’s Political Philosophy†; Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP): A Peer Reviewed Academic Resource. Kierkegaard, Soren (1989); â€Å"The Sickness unto Death†; Penguin Group. â€Å"Existentialism† (2010); Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Sartre, Jean-Paul (1993); â€Å"Essays in Existentialism†; Citadel Press

Of Morality and Spirituality Essay

The moral sacred Philippines started from a dream, and now that it continues to progress it can be one good evidence that as long as someone believes in an idea, it can be possible. As long as its aim is for the goodness of the citizens, it can be a reality. This concept does not want to create a world of perfection but rather a world of morality and spirituality. That world is where we can clearly distinguish the right ones from the bad. It is where we can not only think about ourselves but also the community, the government, and the nation. This dream can all be possible if we just go and believe that the land where we stand can be a better habitat of mankind. From Genesis 1:27, God created mankind in His own image. This verse proves that each of us is spiritual at heart. We just have to go and find the path through our hearts. We are created in His likeness which gives us the realization that all living things have something good in the inside. If we believe, make something to make this work, the moral sacred Philippines will make sense. A. WRITING AS A SOCIAL ACT The event connects with how writing can be a social act. In the said event, one does not only think about himself but also for the people around him. As for writing, a writer does not only write for him or for him to understand but also for his readers and audience. You write alone, but you always write for others. Readers matter. Once a writer sets his or her thoughts to any medium, whether paper, blog, status update, there is the potential for audience interaction. Ideas and creativity are created outside ourselves. Writers can never be more creative without the experiences and thoughts the people have. They continue to interact with people. Writing is a social act. Writers choose to see the beauty and brilliance of the world around them. Writing is nothing without the world and mind that surrounds them. B. WRITING AS A MORAL ACT Morality and spirituality is what the event focuses on. As for writing, writers do not only write everything that flows from their thinking, he must be careful. Something that anyone who writes words of any kind would do well to remember. Words have their moral consequences. The responsibility is particularly great for writers who deal with spiritual issues. Every word they write leaves its mark upon their soul and upon the souls of those who read their work. Their words may become sacraments, visible signs of an invisible grace, or they may turn to poison and ashes. It may signify the abyss or nothing at all. Writers must strive against mediocrity in one’s work, aiming always higher for lucidity of thought and beauty of expression with still being careful with the words they use. Every piece they make has an effect in this world. They are part of our moral conversation as a society. They weigh in. The creation of literature worthy not only its high artistic calling but of his stature as a creature created in the image and likeness of God.

Contextualise an artwork (or a series of artworks) made from 1980 Essay

Contextualise an artwork (or a series of artworks) made from 1980 onwards. Discuss how this work relates to the ideas presented in three critical texts - Essay Example The most significant meaning of this piece therefore is the theme of death, shows that the death breathe to communicate (Preziosi 2009). However like any other art work the meaning of this piece depends entirely on the viewer, so it may have varying meanings Witkin is an American born 1939 in Brooklyn of a catholic mother and a Jewish father. It is assumed that his art work is attributed to the accident he witnessed at a tender age; hence the graphic and not so appealing photographs (Witkin 1985). A child was knocked down by a car and her head was swept to the feet of Witkin, this left him traumatized and freaked out, hence his inspiration in art to link the dead and the living. He has studied sculpture and worked as a photographer for the better part of his life, but never done commercial photography. He currently resides in the New Mexico (Preziosi 2009). Witkin argues that his work is aimed at making him a better person, loving, and unselfish (Witkin 1985). He goes further in explaining that he goes for the outcasts in society who are his main inspiration. Critics however have found more immorality in the work of Joel peter arguing that is work is not for the faint hearted (Witkin 1985). This is true as most of his pieces of art are horrific, frightening and too graphic making them more horrendous that beautiful. Most of viewers refer to his pieces of art as pornographic material. The photographs of Witkin not only show a single moment but they capture a series of events of these unusual people in the society. Most of the work done by Witkin represents death and or torture. The work of Witkin is based on transforming body parts of the outcasts into portraits, lustrous and glowing in which the strange variations of people and animals to him is beauty. However the interpretation of his portraits on whether they’re

Online education can be good supplement to regular school education Research Paper

Online education can be good supplement to regular school education - Research Paper Example According to Doan, Kim and Bloomfield (65), this kind of education is facilitated by virtual schools which are web-based programs catering for distance education students’ needs. Virtual schools provide facilitation for online education by providing the necessary learning environment consisting of software and hardware essential for online learning (Means 9). In the list of what virtual schools provide are cyber schools, electronic schools, cyber charts and e-schools. The internet has been observed to contain information overload (Greenblatt and Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly 788). This information is important in providing expansion of knowledge that is attained in regular school education. Thus, online learning serves this purpose of adding to the learning attained through regular school education programs. The combination of both, regular school learning and online learning, characteristically comprise what is referred to as blended learning. This has substantial benefits to an individual’s knowledge enrichment. The delivery as well as receiving of online courses involves relatively user-friendly essential software and hardware. The software system utilized for the packaging the communication tools, grade book, course content among other essential elements of the course is the learning management system (LMS) (Doan, Kim and Bloomfield 63). The second essential software for online learning is the student information system (SIS) which basically manages the students’ data (Ibid 63). Online instructors and students utilize audio and video plug-ins: to share course contents. Basic productivity software such as web browsers, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Microsoft PowerPoint are important for a variety of activities expected of the instructors and students for information sharing (Ibid 64). Hardware requirements are also