God Hates Divorce Essay

When Adam was alone The LORD God said, â€Å"It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him† .Gen.2:18. Under marriage covenant man and woman come together to serve a divine purpose and a role. Man can serve this purpose and role only if they are united and married. The moment they get divorced the unity is destroyed and they fail to serve the divine purpose and role that God wants them to fulfill while they are married and united. God gave a command to the first couple in the Garden of Eden to be fruitful. This command of God only a couple can carry out and the moment they get divorced they fail to carry out this divine command and we have to keep in mind that this command was given to men before their fall and even after the fall men are bound to keep this command. This shows us how important is this command and why God hates divorce so much. The failure to keep the first command affected the whole human race for generation after generations, the failure to keep this second command will also affect the human race generation after generations and even it will cause the mankind to stop be in existence. This is another reason why God hates divorce so much. When men get divorced they forget their first love. Marriage is a love relationship. When man is angry he cannot make a right decision. An angry head cannot evaluate the relationship that was made by a loving heart. Anger makes a man blind and leads him to the bottomless pit and that is divorce. Divorce is the worst hell in this world, the moment anyone falls into it he will be separated from his spouse, children, friends and families and from God. This is the darkest pit that will show no mercy and kindness to its victims. Life will be meaningless and worthless. You will be a creature without hope and future. A lonely man cannot succeed in anything; he is fruitless and useless to God and to society. All the sweet memories turn into bitterness. Then it becomes easier for that person to get into more and more sins as there is no one to show him his fault and give account to for all the wrong doings. Divorce affects our relationship with God, our relationship with one another, our relationship with the children and our relationship with the society. God cannot use a divorce person to reflect His glory and to show His image to His people. That person turns into an instrument of devil. There are so many reasons for all wise and all knowing God to hate divorce. God with His infinite wisdom can see the infinite danger that lies in divorce. Man cannot see the infinite danger that lies in divorce that is why man can take this decision of divorce without much thinking and considerations. God in His infinite wisdom and knowledge gives us the person that will be best suitable for us. We take it granted that suitable means comfortable. Something could be very suitable for us but at the same time it could be very painful and uncomfortable. The spouse you have is always suitable for you because God gave you this spouse. God took this responsibility from the very beginning to give us suitable spouse. The spouse we have is the best teacher for us given by God in our life to teach us something that no one can teach and to make us useful for God and for man. It takes a lot of pain, patience, humility and suffering to learn through our spouses to be more like Jesus Christ and God. Every time my wife gets angry with me or sins against me I ask God what lesson do you have to teach me today. Every time I can see that God has something to teach me through her anger. She does the same thing but I learn so many different lessons, at the beginning I get hurt then I rejoice when I can see what God has to teach me today through her anger. Then I feel very sorry for her because she took so much pain and suffering to teach me a lesson that nobody could teach me. Then I began to thank and praise God for her. We need to see what God wants us to see and to understand what God wants us to understand. God in His sovereignty allows us to go through all the bitter and painful experiences to make us more like Jesus and to draw us nearer to Him and to teach us how God feels when we sin against Him. We need to learn how to bow down to the sovereignty of God and to stop bow down to sin or to give in to sin. God hates the sin of divorce because He does not like separation or division. Divorce is the worst ingratitude towards God’s greatest gift and blessing in our life. The moment we stop giving thanks and praises to God for our spouses we are on the way to be ingratitude for the gift that God by His mercy and kindness gave us. Our Lord Jesus suffered and died on the cross and chose to be separated from God to keep us united with one another and with God. Our Lord Jesus chose to suffer and die to keep us united and one. So we must choose to suffer and die to remain united, one and married for the sake of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

Prejudice in “Of Mice and Men” Essay

â€Å"Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart.† – Marguerite Gardiner. In society, both modern and in the past, prejudice has been a tool of thinking and labeling a group of race, people, class and culture in order to distinguish ones superiority and dominance from one another, but is simply a way to judge without gathering valid facts. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, we see that prejudice was just as rampant in the 1930’s. In the novel, prejudice is demonstrated on 3 different levels: racial, sexual and social. It is shown how these prejudices generate false perceptions that although meant to aid, do no such good as their end result is clouding the truth. Racial prejudice is most significant when describing Crooks, who happens to be the stable buck for the farm. Crooks is also a Black man with a back disability, hence the reason he is called â€Å"Crooks†. While most of the other workers live in the same area and attend to jobs that are quite similar, Crooks is forced to live by himself, work alone in the stables and is almost never in contact with any of the other characters. People such as Curly’s Wife go as far as to ridicule Crooks and even look down at him simply for the fact that he is a Black man with a disability who is a laborer. In one instance, Curly’s Wife threatens Crooks by telling him â€Å"Listen, Nigger, you know what I can do if you open your trap, I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t funny† (Steinbeck, 98). The open brutality of this comment shows that even a woman, who would normally not have much or any say during this time in the 1930’s, is still considered higher in social class than an African-American man. Nothing is known about him as a person by any of the other farm attendants, but the prejudices that in this case are completely false help propel a gap between them, when one does not need to be. Although he may be physically handicap, he is just as capable as any of the others. As a result of being an outcast at the farm, Crooks has become very isolated and disengaged with the other members. When Lennie enters Crooks cabin in order retrieve the puppies, Crooks lashes out and tells Lennie â€Å"I ain’t wanted in the bunk room and you ain’t wanted in my room† (Steinbeck,124). This comment shows that Crooks has become bitter and alone because of the prejudice constantly being aimed at him when there is no reason for the way he is treated. He is a great overall example of racial  prejudice in Of Mice and Men and society, both past and present, in which a African-American male, who is as capable as any man of another color is denied the same opportunities because of stereotypes and perceptions which can only be supported with biased false facts. Sexual prejudice is strong when Curly’s Wife is a part of a scene. Curly’s Wife also happens to be the only female that is currently occupying the place of work that the novel is set in. Curly’s Wife is presented as a character who tends to be very friendly with all the men on the farm and enjoys the attention she gets because her husband, Curly does not give her the amount of attention that she wants, so she finds it with others. Curly’s Wife is often avoided by all other who work at the farm because she is a woman who could get them in a lot of trouble. Curly is the boss’ son and Curly’s Wife being the daughter-in-law always gets her way and can have any man in the farm fired without reason. â€Å"She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody. I bet she even gives the stable buck they eye. I don’t know what the hell she wants† (Steinbeck,51). Being a woman, there is already significant amount of sexual prejudice directed to her and the fact that she is very flirtatious with the other men further strengthens their perception of her. They all try to remain as calm as possible, careful not to give her the wrong idea cause they know the trouble that she could get them in. In actuality it appears that Curly’s Wife only craves attention from the other men and nothing sexual because of the lack of her husband to give her the attention that she wants. The idea of her wanting something only sexual and not spiritual shows the prejudice associated with gender in this novel and how its falsehood prevents a lonely woman from engaging and connecting with others on a mental level. Equally important is the Social prejudice towards characters such as Candy and Lennie in Of Mice and Men. Candy is very old and not capable of doing much around the farm but is still kept around to do the simple chores that the others are seen as more of a waste of time for others. These simple chores are envied by others and this jealousy helps create a division between Candy and the others. Candy also has a dog that in many ways is similar to him â€Å"[The] dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht somebody’d shoot  me if I got old an’ a cripple (pg. 45).† They are both described as being old, withered, confused and in many ways more of a nuisance who would do more good dead than alive. Socially being hated by the majority of the men at the ranch shows the prejudice that is directed without any reason, but simply motivated by jealousy. In the instance of Lennie, social prejudice is strongest evident in the perception others have of him because in their eyes, all they see is a big oaf incapable of accomplishing anything intelligent and only kept around for his strength. Before meeting Lennie and even engaging him in conversation, his position has already been established at the Ranch. With Curly we see that â€Å"[He’s] like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at ’em because he ain’t a big guy† (pg. 26). Regardless of his ability to be of help at the farm, Curly already establishes his position on Lennie even though he has had no significant direct contact or enough time to accurately depict Lennie as a person and not just a big man physically. Not only Curly, but other members of the farm also have decided Lennie’s place at work before fully knowing him. He is left out of card games, left back at the ranch when George and the others go out to hand more important jobs. Being considered a simple minded men with little use who spend their days playing with and day dreaming about rabbits or sweeping after others, Lennie and Candy have become outcasts in the sense that one of them is perceived to be mentally unstable and added to the fact that he is physically strong, while the other one is a nuisance who many could live without, make them both isolated and all the more reason to be avoid and singled out. â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is a brilliant novel in demonstrating that prejudice is a tool that people use to become more familiar with other individuals in order to overcome the fear of uncertainty. However, the ending result is that it puts distance between the person and the one they judge because it is not fact, but perception that is completely untrue. Prejudice is simply the reasoning of a fool to make themselves feel secure.

The death of life and the end of the world

In the span of twelve years, the Macedonian king Alexander the Great conquered a vast empire stretching from Greece to modern day Pakistan, consuming the great Persian empire and absorbing many smaller kingdoms in the process. Alexander was a headstrong, violent, extremely brave, politically cunning, and gifted leader who was loved by his men. Very few individuals throughout history have affected the world to such an extent as he. This essay will examine the effects of Alexander the Great's campaigns and explain why they were so influential in shaping western world.The ffects of these campaigns that will be examined are his unification of western civilization and how they changed western culture, his making Greek the common language throughout his empire and the effects of this, and his legacy as a political and military leader and how they have influenced people throughout history. To begin with we will examine the effects of what is considered Alexander's Greatest accomplishment, t he conquest and unification of the western half of the European continent.By conquering and replacing quarrelsome kingdoms with more amicable leaders, Alexander was able to exact an era of peace across his empire. Instead of imposing his own ideas of truth, religion, or behavior upon those he conquered, as long as they willingly kept the supply lines open to feed and equip his troop, he let them practice their native beliefs. This is important because it placated the conquered people, preventing revolt as well as allow for the relatively peaceful flow of culture and philosophy throughout the western continent.Greek however had the strongest influence during this period because of Alexander's conquest. His empire, at it's height, which spanned from Greece to modern day Pakistan, was conquered hrough a series of campaigns directly led by himself. Not once was he defeated by an enemy general in his campaigns. The most notable of these was the one against the Persian empire. It is estim ated that 50 million people, or approximately 40% of the world's population, lived in the persian empire at this time.The Persian army was considered the most powerful the world had ever seen. Had Alexander been defeated at the battle of Issus, Granicus or any number of other critical battles during this campaign, it is possible that the Persian thought rather than the Athenian thought would have contributed to western philosophy. Instead, his conquest of Persia and a number of smaller kingdoms allowed for the diffusion of cultures throughout his empire after his death. This diffusion came to be known as the Hellenistic Age, which literally means the dissemination of greek culture.That is because this period was the pinnacle of Greek influence in the ancient world; it was an age where Greeks, Persians and Asiatic cultures became intertwined. This cultural diffusion was so impactful that, even when the Romans came to power centuries later, they still felt the influence of this period . One example can be seen in Roman Greek god's. This is because as time passed, The Roman's adopted the Greek god's, absorbing them into their own pantheons. Another example is the influence of Greek art. Portraits became more realistic, and the use of Greek style portraits continued on into the Parthian period.In essence Alexander's conquests led to the deep rooting of Greek influence throughout western history. His policies and methods allowed for the diffusion of cultures that can still be felt today. For a time, for better or worse, the Western world became a single place. It was united by a common culture and anguage that left its mark on literature, language, and politics. Another influence that was a direct result of Alexander The Great's conquest was the diffusion of the Greek language across the continent. As the greek culture diffused throughout the empire so did its language.This allowed Greek to become the â€Å"lingua franca†, or unifying language, of the empire. This is important because it allowed for a vast number of different cultures and people to communicate and understand one another. One effect was the transcribing of various texts into different languages. For example n places like Alexandria, where Jews had stopped speaking Hebrew and had adopted greek as their native language due to Hellinization, Greek translations of the bible appeared. This allowed Jewish theology, the basis of Christianity, to be readily available throughout the empire and to the world.This simple occurrence helped spread the idea of monotheism throughout the world, which had been unheard of until this time. Directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, Alexander's life provided the catalytic changes which resulted in the end of paganism and the rise of Christianity and Islam. One culture – stopped persian expansion Had Alexander failed at Issus, Granicus, or any number of other critical battles, it is entirely possible that Persians rather than Athenians would have dictated Western thought.Moreover, until his premature death – set up stage for rome The Hellenistic age – which literally means the dissemination of Greek culture although it was in fact a fusion of Greco-Asian cultures – lasted until the final years of the Roman Republic. Nevertheless, the influence of Hellenism on the Romans continued because the Greek gods had over time been absorbed into the Roman pantheon. This lasted until the accession of Roman Emperor Constantine l, who ruled rom AD 306 to 337 and adopted Christianity as the official imperial religion for reasons of political expediency.Though he had conquered Egypt, Alexander was not interested in imposing his own ideas of truth, religion, or behavior upon the people as long as they willingly kept the supply lines open to feed and equip his troops (an important aspect of his ability to rule vast areas which was to be neglected by his successors). *his troops married Persian w omen to help create one culture allowed for the diffusion of greek andpersion culture. The western world, for better and for worse, became almost a single place, united by common culture that left its mark on language, literature, and politics.Hellinistic period This period was the pinnacle of Greek influence in the ancient world; the Hellenistic period was the time after Alexander's death when Greeks, Persians and Alexander attempted to merge elements of the Greek and Persian cultures together, â€Å"notably that ofproskynesis, a symbolic kissing of the hand that Persians paid to their social superiors, but a practice of which the Greeks disapproved† In addition he recruited the local peoples into his army, something which created hostility from the Greek and Macedonian soldiers.Greek the lingua franca He had a huge impact on world history spreading the seeds of western culture and philosophy across the world and has legends and stories about him in over 80 languages. The in fluence on other cultures in the effected areas was profound. In the period after Alexander's death Judea was annexed by the Ptolemy dynasty, as a result there were Greek government officials and merchants in every Judean village while the region was surrounded by Greek cities. This started to ‘Hellenize' the Jews, although not to the degree of other peoples.In addition to the previous many Jews were Dispersed' as in the Hellenistic Kings moved Jewish families across their empires, sometimes by force. Syria had the largest Jewish population caused by emigrants fleeing the crisis-ridden region, with many also moving to the Tigris river cities, Egypt and into Asia Minor. Many eventually took up Greek clothing and learning to speak and write in Greek, even adopting a Greek name (Alexander being popular) in addition to their Hebrew name.This situation continued to the point that many Jews no longer spoke Hebrew, so the â€Å"Jews of Alexandria had begun the translate their own wr itings into Greek. Most important of all was the Greek translation of the Bible†. The Hellenistic world even had an influence on the spread of Christianity. Saint Paul (ACE 64) was a Jew from the Hellenized city of Tarsus who spoke and wrote in Greek, who upon his conversion to Christianity adopted some Hellenistic elements to the message, making it more palatable to the Greeks and other gentiles.Greek became the lingua franca that allowed mass communication and exchange of ideas. It was in Alexander's city of Alexandria By Egypt on the offshore island of Pharos, that the first translation of the old testament was made from Hebrew to Greek. Although this translation called, The Septuagint, was made for Jews who had so long resided in foreign land that they could no longer read Hebrew, it made Jewish theology, the basis of Christianity, at once available to the entire world and promulgated the idea of monotheism which had been on the fringe of Greek philosophy since Anaxagoras in the 5th century BCE.Directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally his life was the catalyst which provided the changes which resulted in the end of paganism showed power o f unifying ruler/legacy Moreover, until his premature death, Alexander held in his hands a power than no an, before or since, has known: the power to bring peace and stability to the known world, uniting it under one banner. This notion traveled forward through time, from Greeks to Romans, and from Romans to Europeans.His lessons of organization, acceptance, and political integration have informed the decisions of countless leaders since, His lessons of organization, acceptance, and political integration have informed the decisions of countless leaders since, and, most notably, his image has carried forward through time to become one of the most memorable fgures in history: – d say that Alexander had a part to play in Rome becoming an empire. GJC worshiped Alexander that he even visited his st atue.I can definitely see GJC power hunger coming from the accomplishments of Alexander. Lead from the Front: Alexander was admired by his troops. He rode and walked in front of them; he didn't ride behind them in a golden carriage. He ate the same rations and drank the same amount of water that his troops had. Alexander knew exactly how far and how fast his army could march, and he knew their physical and emotional state before battle. Set up the archetype of heroic ruler charging into battle.

Bank Practice and Management inclusive of ratios and graphs Essay

Bank Practice and Management inclusive of ratios and graphs - Essay Example The main objective of the bank during its incorporation was to support the growth of Malaya that had just gained independence by financing economic development and offering modern financial services to the people (Maybank 8). Over the decades, Maybank has continued with expansion and embraced innovation by offering diverse products to its customers and supporting Malaysian citizens who invested or were trading abroad. Presently, Maybank has emerged as the largest company based on market capitalization in the Bursa Malaysia and is also identified as a leading bank in the region. The bank is currently guided by its mission of offering â€Å"humanising financial services across† and its well articulated vision of becoming a leader in offering financial services in the region (Maybank 10). Overview of the Bank Activities Maybank offers a range of financial products including commercial banking, stock broking, investment banking, Islamic banking, trustee services, asset management and insurance. The banking group has several subsidiaries. The Malayan Banking Berhad is the listed entity and holding company of Maybank Group. Mayan Banking Berhad has branches in Malaysia, London, Singapore, New York, Bahrain and Hong Kong. Some of the international unit subsidiaries of Maybank include PT Bank Internasional Indonesia TBK (BII), Maybank Philippines Inc., and Maybank International L (Ltd) (Maybank 34). Furthermore, the major subsidiaries of the banking group are Maybank Islamic Berhad, Maybank Investment Bank Berhad and Etiqa Insurance Berhad. Maybank Investment Bank Berhad is fully owned subsidiary of the group and is the main investment branch of Maybank. Kim Eng Holdings Ltd is also wholly owned subsidiary of Maybank and is the â€Å"regional securities powerhouse†. Maybank Islamic Berhad is the biggest provider of Islamic financial services throughout the Asian Pacific region. The 100 percent owned subsidiary owned by Maybank is the 17th Islamic banking institution in term of compliance to Shariah assets (Maybank 55). Tbk is 97 percent owned by Maybank and offers financial services such as Consumer and Corporate Banking and SME/Commercial services. The associate companies of Maybank Group are the MCB Bank in Pakistan and An Binh Bank in Vietnam both of which the group has 20 percent stake. The group corporate structure of Maybank is subdivided into four main areas, that is, commercial banking insurance and investment banking. The commercial banking includes various subsidiaries of the bank either owned wholly or partly. Additionally the investment banking section consist subsidiaries such as Maybank Investment Bank, Maybank IB Holdings SDN among other ventures. The insurance section includes all the subsidiaries that offer insurance services to customers. When it comes to the organizational structure, Maybank is headed by a board of directors which is then supported in its activities by the Chief Audit Executive, Head of Compliance and the General Counsel and Company Secretary (Maybank 85). The next in the hierarchy is the president assisted by several deputies. The deputies are in charge of Community financial services, global wholesale banking and group financial services. Maybank Group has developed several strategic objectives to be achieved by 2015. These goals include becoming the number one retail financial

Analysis of primary Document.DOCUMENT 15.1, Magazine article on the Essay

Analysis of primary Document.DOCUMENT 15.1, Magazine article on the changing caracter of immigration, by Kate Claghorn,in Wori - Essay Example Kate Claghorn considers the new system of presenting the statistics of immigration, introduced by Edward F McSweeney, as an effective system of classification, as it helps in disengaging the racial facts and the grouping of same race elements from different countries. According to the author, the predominance of the racial stocks of the Slavs, the Italian, and the Hebrews is the most noticeable feature of contemporary immigration, and these racial stocks are usually considered as lacking social and industrial values. Another characteristic of the recent immigrations is that it is mainly the patient family groups consisting of father, mother, children, grandparents, etc. that composes the major sections of the immigrated population, and the land of freedom and opportunity attract them. Immigration from city slums is practically diminutive, and there is very little immigrant population from cities.

Democracy, latin america Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Democracy, latin america - Essay Example Lagos notes that, â€Å"†¦low levels of trust in other people constitute a defining feature of Latin American political culture† (Lagos, pg. 142). Latin Americans are characterized by a chronic passivity, where they develop the naive expectation that their problems will be solved by someone else, turning to the state, and democracy, to do so. The statistics show that as individuals move away from institutions such as political parties and government, and toward more domestic issues like television or church, levels of trust increase. These low levels, although not new, are relatively low compared to other regions of the world, and make it almost impossible for the liberalization which democracy entails. Lagos concludes: â€Å"†¦declining levels of interpersonal trust thus constitute an important barrier to†¦ the development of a civil society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lagos, pg. 144). Right now, the support for democracy in Latin America resides at about 62%, which masks wide differentials between countries like Brazil which have moved progressively farther to the Left. Lagos reports there has been a sharp decline in support for liberal democracy, which has been motivated almost exclusively by economic and political failures in certain countries. Although 62% of Latin Americans favor democracy, â€Å"only 37 percent of the public are satisfied with the way that democracy works† (Lagos, pg. 141). Thus, the situation in the region is that the public perception of democracy remains mixed, and the initial short-lived enthusiasm about democratic change has faded through the years. The lack of public trust in institutions and public perceptions about failures in democratic countries has fueled this ambivalence toward the form of government. In their paper â€Å"Democratization Backwards: The Problem of Third-Wave Democracies†, Richard Rose and Doh Chull Shin propose a distinction between â€Å"first-wave† and â€Å"third-wave† democracies, the

Analyze the relationship between humans and technology in the novel Essay

Analyze the relationship between humans and technology in the novel and in the present - Essay Example But amidst the shining avenue of technological advancement, human civilization forgets the curse that it brings with it. The dark abbeys lying behind the gleaming and shining pavement of human civilization is casted with curse, tears, agony and bloodshed of million innocent people who become mere scapegoats and prey in the hands of lured and power hungry class who tear asunder the faith and the dreams of numerous innocent faces for their own interest and power play. The novel ‘Fail Safe’ by Eugene Burdick, throws light on the darker side that the technological glitch brings and discusses about the apocalyptic attitude which Americans possessed during the peak hours of the Cold War. This feeling and foreboding eclipsed the entire American society and pervaded throughout the nation. First introduced in the year 1962 to its readers, the novel ‘Fail Safe’ was written when entire America was still staggering from the Cuban missile crisis. At such point of time ‘Fail Safe’ was written to portray the fact that more the countries would indulge into the development of nuclear capabilities, more the potential for newer enemies would prowl on their horizon. ‘Fail Safe’ is written against the background, when disaster would have trucked any moment and during the period of political doldrums â€Å"Fail Safe† continued to deliver powerful response through the issues captivated within the periphery of the novel. Before trying to relate the difference of relationship between the humans and technology in the novel and the similar articles during the contemporary time, it is quite essential to note and understand the background of the write-up. Analyzing the background of the write-up essentially and poignantly involves the background of the creative mind behind the framing of the plot. The background of the writer who yields various documentations in the form of hypothesis or direct testimony of his experience or recorded experience

Globalizing the Central Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Globalizing the Central Asia - Essay Example As the American war efforts in Afghanistan comes to its end, the central Asia has started fading away from the public eyes, but the central Asian region remains a key area of the globe. The region is still not yet settled, as it is the neighborhood of both the South Asia and the eastern Asia. The region also borders Russia in the southern part. The region is being done justice by Peyrouse and Laruelle through the belief and a clear survey on how they can keep along with the outside powers (Laruelle, 27). While considering ways in which the central Asia consider themselves after going through a rough time in terms of relationship with the outside powers that surrounds them. While considering the challenges of globalization that faces the global nations that have an interest in the central Asian states. The countries that are interested in the central Asia stakes secured the states from the current recap of the great game in the nineteenth century that is between the United Kingdom and Russia. Rather than this, they give light to the little games, which are more complicated. A number of actors play the â€Å"little games† from different parts of the globes such as the American, Chinese, India, Iran, the European Union, the Russian, and the states of the Arabs that are found in the Middle East.

Culture and Heritage Tourism in Malta Case Study

Culture and Heritage Tourism in Malta - Case Study Example With a history dating back thousands of year tourism bosses have decided that a mix of history and culture is a market the island can tap in 2008, and will be marketing it to the UK and other European countries.Speaking recently Malta's tourism Minister noted that visitor numbers had risen each month since November 2006 - this was due though to the low cost airlines starting to fly to Malta, more than anything the government had done or the tourism board to promote Malta as a holiday destination.'Today we cannot rely any more on the formula 'sun, sea and sand'. We are diversifying our product into new tourism segments, namely cultural tourism, English language learning, conferences and incentives, sports, and Gozo as a destination on its own. Together these segments make up about 40 per cent of all tourists coming to Malta. This means that we are on the right track of diversification.'Commenting on Malta's pitch for the culture and heritage market, a local travel guide says 'From wha t we can see there isn't a figure the tourism bosses have in mind - and that's hardly surprising given their dismal record in the past when it come to attracting holidaymakers to Malta.'With a downward spiral in visitor numbers in successive years, the Maltese government finally relented to pressure from the Malta holidays industry and allowed low cost carriers to fly to the island for the first time in November 2006. Competition was keen between the airlines to take up the lucrative UK to Malta route, and Dublin based Ryan air was chosen over rivals easy Jet to take up the route and the island has benefited this year with a sharp increase in tourists, reversing six years of decline. Since then the island's tourist authorities have finally waken up to the fact that competition in the skies could bring more benefits to the country than protecting her national airline, and new routes have opened between Malta with Germany, Spain and Scandinavia. New official figures show that this year's all important summer season has been the best in six years for Malta, reversing the decline in fortunes for the Mediterranean island. The good news for Malta is that despite the increase in the number of tourists arriving on the island via low cost flights, the occupancy levels of hotels has increased from basic to 5 star, showing that Malta can appeal to all, which is why perhaps culture and history are seen as sectors of the travel market that could bring even more visitors to the island, but time will tell if government led directions can really be beneficial for Malta's holiday and airline industries. The megalithic monuments of Malta are the oldest buildings in the world, built by an advanced civilization that vanished 4,500 years ago. There is good fuel for tourism here. Yet ten years ago the tourist office did not even publish a brochure about the archaeology of the islands. Today, a tourist buys a ticket to see one of these temples and he finds himself wandering between lots of interesting old stones, but not really understanding what they are. Maybe he's with a group and a guide who can give him a little background, but for the casual visitor, the structures are not related to anything human. It demonstrates a sadly overlooked

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Economics - Essay Example Marshallian utility analysis is based on the assumption that utility is measurable and indifference curve analysis is based on the assumption that the consumer is able to tell his preferences among the various alternative combinations of the two commodities. These assumptions seem to be unrealistic and revealed preference theory is free from these unrealistic assumptions and it seeks to enunciate the demand from observed market behaviour of the consumer. The theory is based on the fact that ‘choice reveals preference’. 2. Critical Analysis of the Neo Classical consumption theories of Marshallian Utility analysis and Hicksian Indifference analysis 1) Unrealistic The Marshallian assumption of cardinal measurement of utility is very restrictive. It demands too much from the human mind. Utility is a mental phenomenon and the precision in the measurement of utility assumed by Marshall is unrealistic. It is criticised that new theory of indifference analysis only jumps from th e frying pan of the difficulty of measuring utility into the fire of the unreality of assuming consumer’s complete knowledge of all his scales of preferences or indifference map. The indifference curve technique envisages a consumer who thinks of innumerable possible combinations of goods and his relative preferences for them. 2) Absurd Indifference curves include even the most ridiculous combinations which may be far removed from a consumer’s habitual combinations. For example, while it may be perfectly sensible to compare whether three pairs of shoes and six shirts would give him as much satisfaction as two pairs of shoes and seven shirts. 3) Introspective Both the approaches of Marshallian Utility analysis and indiffence curve technique are based on the psychological or introspective method. The law of diminishing marginal utility, which is psychological in nature lies at the bottom of law of demand. Indifference curve too is based on introspection. This technique i s criticised as introspective and hence Samuelson introduced behaviourist method of devising demand theory. 4) Relation of Transitivity objected Armstrong has criticised the relation of transitivity involved in indifference curve technique. According to him, the consumer’s indifference arises from his inability to perceive the difference between alternative combinations of goods. This is due to the fact that the difference is too slight to be noticed. If that is true, the relation of indifference become non-trasitive. This knocks the bottom out of the whole system of indifference curve analysis. 5) Limited empirical Nature In Hicks-Allen theory, indifference curves are based on hypothetical experimentation. They are based on imaginary indifference curves, although attempts have been made recently to derive them experimentally. 4. Revealed Preference Theory The theory of Revealed Preference is associated with the name of Paul Samuelson and the theory is called the behaviourist ordinal utility theory. Instead of the unrealistic assumptions that the consumers operate with a complete and consistent scales of preferences set out in the form of indifference curves, most economists now prefer to analyse situations in which their hypothesis can be tested. Both

Organization development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organization development - Case Study Example The Nissan Company was experiencing a number of problems after 17 years of exporting its vehicles known as Datsun cars to USA. The companies become the top selling import in the market of US. Even though the sporty datsun gained popularity due to its reputation as the ultimate thrill machine, there were a number of management missteps that led to long-lasting decline of the company from 1980. First there was the change of brand name from Nissan to Datsun which was not popular. Secondly, there was little infusion of innovative in their popular car Z. This led to its decline in popularity hence few people went for it. In addition to its already faced problems, there was even more trouble as Nissan was unable to establish flexible relationships with its suppliers. It was also recorded that, their parts were extremely expensive as ranged from 15 to 20% above domestic competitors. This was obviously the decision of management to set prices high but as it was found out it was a wrong strategy as it led to a decline in sales (Covey 28). Nissan also faced competition that was unfavorable from Honda that led to Nissan having an expense of 1000$. This was a discount offered to consumers who purchased their vehicles. All these challenges forced Nissan to restructure their plans but were not successful since they faced powerful trade unions which were against the layoff of workers. Renault was another company which was facing problems for example in the year 1984; it experienced a loss of $2.4 billion. Among the reasons was how managers or heads of departments turned the separated silos into baronies that made it hard for cross functionality to take place in the company. The company also had embraced a narrow minded culture whose basis of thinking was one that was at the expense of a view that was larger. Renault was also experiencing a problem of additional unnecessary expenses through the operation of some of its plants.

The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart Essay Example for Free

The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart Essay The Wicked Day, Mary Stewart’s concluding volume of the four-book series called the Arthurian Saga proved to be another fantastic display of mastery in Middle Ages inspired literature. Stewart’s primary modification the original Arthurian legends is making Mordred, originally Arthur’s twice-removed cousin, into Arthur’s bastard son to his half-sister Morgause. Although I initially did not like this alteration, this book proved to be an enchanting version of the original legend of King Arthur and his knights after all. What I liked about it most is its non-typical approach to the characters. In the original legends which I’ve also read, the dialogue used was not very exciting, and the emotional impact of events that unfolded was not so intense. Stewart’s take on Arthur is a lot more mature, making her book stand heads and shoulders above the bland mass of other fairy tales whether in book or screen which is based on the story. She presents Arthur, Mordred, Morguese and the rest as three-dimensional characters in a realistic world. Arthur himself was not shown as a faultless leader, neither was Morguese shown as evil incarnate as she usually was in the original where she also wasn’t portrayed to have had an affair with Arthur. Morguese in Stewart’s book was shown more like a victim of circumstance, and even Mordred was humanized in Stewart’s tale, a man without lack of conscience who must battle his own demons and settle his grievances against a father who abandoned him. I think these elements make the entire saga and its inevitable ending portrayed in this installment as a lot more morally gray, it makes it hard for me to judge whether a particular character is good or bad and I ended up not doing so at all. Truly a treat for Arthur lovers everywhere, the magic in her book is subtle yet captivating. Source: Stewart, Mary. (1983). The Wicked Day. Ballantine Books.

Effect Of Technology On The Publishing Industry Media Essay

Effect Of Technology On The Publishing Industry Media Essay > The publishing industry is an industry which is segmented into the book, newspaper and magazine industry. The publishing market is not simply a business. The products made in the publishing industry have a huge impact on the socio-political and cultural environment, for instance in education systems. Additionally, due to the increased popularity of online resources and e-books the publishing market is facing higher levels of competition. Competition in the publishing industry is affected by consumer spending which is strongly related to economic growth and employment levels (Datamonitor, 2010). Because of the higher levels of rivalry caused by the introduction of new technologies, such as printing on demand, e-books and online newspapers, society often claims that the publishing industry is dying. While it is true that the publishing industry is undergoing a digital revolution, this revolution should be seen as a new opportunity, not as the end of the publishing industry. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effects of technology on the publishing industry. First, the technological changes in the publishing industry will be examined. In this paper we focus on e-books and online newspapers. This will be followed by the consequences of new technologies on supply and demand. Finally, the answer to the question whether the new technologies are substitution or complementary goods will be discussed. 2. Changes Ronte (2000) stated that technology has had and still has a dramatic effect on the publishing industry. Technologies currently shaping the publishing industry include: online newspapers, printing on demand and e-books. Digital technology is important for several reasons. First of all, digital technology has no boundaries in geography and time. Books, magazines and newspapers can be published, marketed, bought and read anytime and anywhere. Second, the power that came from physical distribution has disappeared. Retailers or salespeople cannot influence buying and selling behavior as they did before because traditional printing is no longer the only way to have content published. Third, distribution of electronic copies of books is free and therefore marginal costs of producing an additional book or journal are zero. The fixed costs, however, will increase because making digital publishing possible high investments in the installation of a network should be made. Furthermore, unique co ntent acquires more importance. Aspects such as the speed of digital distribution and exclusive access are more valuable to customers. Finally, the next generation, who are educated on computer, will use the new technologies more often (Ronte, 2000). 2.1 E-books Electronic books are defined as: A digital object with textual and/or other content, which arises as a result of integrating the familiar concept of a book with features that can be provided in an electronic environment. E-books typically have in-use features such search and cross reference function, hypertext links, bookmarks, annotations, highlights, multimedia objects and interactive tools. (Carreiro, 2010, p.221) The invention of e-books is an opportunity for the publishing industry to revitalize. The e-book market is still in its growth state and thus can revive the publishing market. The fact that a publisher can never be out-of-print and the publishing industrys traditional supply chain will be faster and shorter are other advantages of e-books (Carreiro, 2010). This results in lower costs, which in turn results in higher profits for publishers and authors, which can lead to lower prices for readers. On the contrary, digitalization goes together with piracy. As in the music and film industry, publishers of e-books risk that their books are copied and illegally spread on the Internet. E-books can be protected from piracy by both encryption and compression. For instance by a digital object identifier (DOI): an initiative of the publishing community for protecting its assets in the digital environment (Carreiro, 2010, p. 225). 2.2 Online newspapers The introduction of online newspapers is another change in the publishing industry. Most of the newspapers, local and national, offer nowadays both a traditional printed and an online newspaper. Despite of the question whether online newspapers are substitutes of print papers or not, which will be addressed in the next section, an on-going discussion is online pricing: should newspaper publishers set a price for online newspapers? Online newspapers have often extensive content-sharing characteristics. The print edition is often the primary source for the online edition. The fact that similar or identical information is published in two formats fostered the industrys concern about the negative impact of offering free content online on the print editions subscription base (Chyi Lasorsa, 2002, p. 94). This effect is called the cannibalization effect. Publishers are afraid that offering free content online may cause a decrease the demand of the print edition because of the subscription base. Therefore, many online news sites initially charged a subscription fee for online news access but most failed. The advertising model followed, but only with limited success (Chyi Lasorsa, 2002). Gentzkow (2007) also found that introducing online pricing causes a decrease in demand of online newspapers. People seem to prefer reading a printed newspaper over an online newspaper if an online price is charged. Gentzkow (2007) suggests not setting an online price when the advertising market is favorable. The welfare benefits of the online newspaper outweigh the costs. 3. Supply and demand The law of supply and demand rules books as tangible product. Changes in demand or supply will lead to an increase or decrease in the market equilibrium price and quantity. Factors that cause a shift in demand are: a change in price of complements or substitutes, a change in income or a change in preference. The supply curve shifts as a consequence of changes in costs of input, new technology or an increase/decrease in the number of suppliers (McDowell, et al., 2009). To be more specific, factors that influence the e-books demand are technology, cost, user friendliness, and privacy (Carreiro, 2010). The better developed these factors are, the higher the demand and, if supply remains the same, the higher the market equilibrium price. However, the demand of traditional printed books and newspapers decreased due to new technologies such as e-books and online newspapers. Thus, for the publishing printing industry the market equilibrium price lowered. The decrease in the demand of traditi onal printing can be explained by the substitution effect which is discussed in section 4. 4. Substitution and complementary effects 4.1 E-books To answer the question, e-books are no clear substitutes for the traditional printed books. The substitution effect can be explained as the change in the quantity demanded that results because buyers switch to substitutes when the price of the good changes (McDowell, Thom, Frank Bernanke, 2009, p.67). In other words, when goods are substitutes, in this case printed books and e-books, when the price of e-books increases, the demand of printed new books increases, and vice versa. This is partly the case in the publishing industry. The publishing industry treats the e-book just as another format, releasing the same titles in hardcover, book-on-tape, and e-book at the same time (Gall, 2005, p.27). It is important to decide whether it is useful to publish a book in e-book format. Childrens books, for example, will always remain paper-based, as young children are unlikely to handle computers (Ronte, 2000, p.19). On the other hand, academic articles, other reference works and course catalo gues are very suitable to be published as an e-book. In this case, e-books are substitutes for printed books. In the article Dispelling Five Myths about E-books, Gall (2005, p.27) notes that the e-book will be an electronic savior of text, replacing the printed word in the same way as the printed word replaced oral traditions. This is true and agrees on the fact that pleasure readers will prefer a printed book. Thus, paper based books will not become extinct because e-books nowadays only substitute scientific books and sources. 4.2 Online newspapers Disagreement exists whether online and print newspapers are substitute goods. Chyi and Lasorsa (2002) found that about one half of the online users also read the print edition (55% for the Wall Street Journal Interactive, 42% for USA Today and 41% for the New York Times on the Web). The simultaneous use of print and online newspapers suggests that to some extent print and online products complemented each other. Two goods are complements in consumption if an increase in price of one causes a leftward shift in the demand curve for the other (McDowell, et al., 2009, p.79). In other words, online and printed newspapers gain from each other. Thus, if the demand for online newspapers increases, the demand of printed newspapers increases too. Furthermore, Chyi and Lasorsa (2002) found that almost 80% prefer the print format, whereas only 20% would prefer the online edition. The online edition is more likely to be read by younger people. Gentzkow (2007) also researched on the complementarit y of online newspapers. Gentzkow used the Washington Post and post.com for his research. In contrast to Chyi and Lasorsa, Gentzkow (2007) found that print and online newspapers are significant substitutes. Theoretically, the degree of product substitutability is defined by cross-price elasticity of demand, the percentage change in demand for one good divided by the percentage changes of a related good, other things being equal (Chyi Lasorsa, 2002, p.95). A $0.10 (33 per cent) increase in the price of the Post would lead to an increase in post.com readership of 8,358 (2 per cent) (Gentzkow, 2007). This indicates that post.com and the Post substitute each other. 5. Conclusion In conclusion, technologies that have an effect on the publishing industry are e-books, online newspapers and print on demand. In this paper only e-books and online newspapers are discussed. One of the effects of these new technologies is that the boundaries in geography and time have disappeared. Furthermore, the marginal cost of producing an additional unit is zero and the uniqueness of books, magazines of newspapers has a greater importance than before. Supply and demand in the publishing industry has changed because of the introduction of new technologies. The demand of traditional prints decreased, which results in a lower market equilibrium price. This can be explained by the substitution effect. However, there is a lot of disagreement whether e-books as well as online newspapers are substitutes for the traditional printed books and newspapers. E-books are substitutes concerning research information, such as academic articles. On the contrary, people who like to read books in t heir leisure time will not replace the traditional book for an electronic version. For online newspapers researchers hold the same disagreement. Gentzkow describes online and printed newspapers as perfect substitutes, whereas Chyi and Lasorsa found that electronic and traditional newspapers are complements. Because of the fact there is no clear evidence that new technologies substitute the traditional versions, it can be concluded that the print book or newspaper will always exist and that the publishing industry, fortunately, is not dying.

Debate on Lowering the Voting Age to 16

Debate on Lowering the Voting Age to 16 Introduction A. Being an American has many great benefits because we have many rights as an individual like privacy, a strong constitution and a centralized government with balanced powers. As the people of the United States we have the right to vote to express our beliefs and to hear our voice. According to free dictionary.com voting is defined as a formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue. We face with many issues every day politically and It allows the men and women to get rid of bad governments and makes sure that any government listens to its people. There is a proposition going on and age wanting to change the policy on voting age qualifications. There are many discussions about this because people say there to young should not vote because they havent fully matured or some argue that they should because voting represents a voice. Three arguments for the policy B. The truth is that many 16 year olds would love to have the right to vote because it represents the responsibility and shows that you are mature enough to politically vote, express your opinions and shows how serious this is and what a difference it can make. Many teenagers are of course immature, but this is one of the ways we can improve the young people by engaging them into politics. At this age many young adults are just as capable of forming opinions. C. Many argue that 16 year olds should be able to vote because at that age they can start driving. Driving is a big part of todays society because you must be responsible enough to make decisions whether to take the light by being at risked for a ticket, the responsibility to watch out for any pedestrians, driving safely especially when you have passengers. This is a very big responsibility to anyone and if a 16 year old is able to drive then maybe they can be able to vote too. D. Alex Koroknay Palicz quoted that at that age most teenagers can work, pay taxes, drive and be charged as adults for crimes – even be sentenced to death- executive director of the National Youth Rights Association. Activist argue this issues a lot because if you work you are contributing the right of being a citizen and if an issues comes along that affects workers well this will have a great affect the 16 and 17 year olds because they wont be politically involved by expressing there opinion or demands. Three arguments against the policy E. This new proposition is manly on the young adults, but many argue that they are just too young. Many of these 16 and 17 year olds are still in high school and at that age is the age rebellion, trying to be cool by fitting in by smoking, doing drugs and ditching school. Most teenagers go trough that even I did when I was in high school. Many of these teens havent fully matured and are worried of many other things. Many of them still live at home with their parents being dependent on them by providing food, shelter, decision making. They have adult bodies, but many still act as if there were children by rebelling authority. The difference between 18 year olds and 16 is the fact is that once graduating you become more aware your responsibilities. Most 18s year olds go to college and it is a big difference from high school they start driving to work and school and pay for there college. Some move out and develop more responsibilities. I dont think that there are going to be a lot of s ixteen and seventeen year olds out there that are willing and concerned enough to take the time and energy to register to vote. F. The young adolescents are also not politically involved or even informed. Statistically the percentages of 16 year olds have limited knowledge of the candidates and issues. A lot of them can pass there classes with a D and that letter grade is a very poor grade. If this is true than why should we let 16 year olds to vote when they dont understand how our system works. G. Others argue about this new proposition government do things that affect every age group, but that does not mean everyone deserves the vote. Alastair Endersby stated Should 12 year olds get the vote because school policies affect them? Should toddlers get the vote because health services affect them? No – we trust parents to cast votes after thinking about the interests of their families. Also, it can be a bit dangerous to the adolescents to vote because they can vote for the wrong reasons for example a certain celebrity is running for office just because they liked how that person is on a movie they would get the vote like how Arnold Swartzenager got to be governor and he sucked because he has no experience whats so ever on politics. Three constitutional principles H. This proposition has its pros and cons which can have a great affect on many young people and our political votes. This issue reflects back in history when we amended the 15th amendment which was the right for African Americans to vote, but it was only African American MEN. The 15 amendment stated â€Å"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This actually reflects on todays society because now we have a black president for the first time and this wouldnt of happened if we didnt amended it. I. Women are strong political vocal people and for years the women were fighting to have the right to vote. The 19th amendment was a great victory for women that granted the right to vote for women, but it took 50 years after the 15th amendment was passed. The amendment stated prohibits each of the states and the federal government from denying any citizen the right to vote because of that citizen’s sex. In the 2009 election we had Hilary Clinton the first woman to run for president in the united states because on the amendment in 1920 she was able to run for president representing all the strong women in the U.S. J. Amendment 26 was the standardized the voting age to 18 by the United States Constitution. This was in 1971 that this gave many 18 year olds the right to politically vote and have a voice. This age is an appropriate age to vote because they have fully matured and also developed political discussions and responsibilities. Work Cited   Edwards, George. Government in America. New York: Pearson Longman, Endersby , Alastair . â€Å"Voting Age Lowering†. IDea.com. 09/11/2009 . â€Å"Voting†. The Free Dictionary. 09/10/2009 . Weiser, Carl . â€Å"Should voting age fall to 16?†. The Enquirer. 09/11/2009 .

Adolescent Computer Use :: Technology Internet Papers

Adolescent Computer Use The rising numbers of computers and the internet in American households over the past two decades have had many profound impacts for individuals and families. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Commerce estimated that half of Americans used computers, and about a third used the internet. By 2001, two thirds of Americans were using computers, and 54% were using the internet. For 9-17 year olds, internet use has doubled from 1997 to 2001 (from one third of Americans to two thirds) (NCES, 2004). These trends have significantly impacted interpersonal communication, as computer based forms of communication have become either dominant or complimentary for most adults and teens. While these computer advancements have had a positive impact for many American teens and adults, there are some growing concerns about increased computer activity becoming an integral part of individual’s lives. The Pew Research Center reported in 2004 that roughly 55% of parents think that the internet is a good thing for their kids to become acquainted with, and that it is essential for their kids’ world skills. However, 67% of those parents also expressed concern that the internet is keeping their children from important things, like schoolwork and reading, family time, etc. The statistics represent the growing paradox concerning child and adolescent increased computer use. So while the internet and skills associated with it are becoming increasingly important for young adults academically, many are speculating that the cost concerns the displacement of other valuable experiences characteristic of youth (Jeffery et. al, 2003). These concerns rest largely with possible associated decreases in physical activity/exercise and effects (still being investigated) involving social development (Levin, 2004). There is already a sizable literature concerning adolescents and younger children watching significantly more TV and health related effects of these trends. Children in the US, on average, watch 3-4 hours a day – where increased TV watching a playing video games is also associated with a lower quality diet (Levin, 2004). Subrahmanyam et al (2000) surmise that the overall increase in â€Å"screen time† (including TV, computer use, and video games) may be linked to obesity and loneliness – but they also suggest that further research is necessary to examine these relationships.

Creative Intelligence of Walt Disney :: Cartoons Movies Animation Essays

Creative Intelligence of Walt Disney Creative intelligence comes in many different forms, with makers and masters leading the way. Walt Disney was both a maker and a master of visual/spatial intelligence. Our class and creativity experts have agreed that if something is creative then it has to be novel and of high quality. Walt Disney’s artwork and animation certainly were. For example, he produced the first full-length animated musical feature film and the first full-color television programming, among other things (â€Å"Walt†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Walt Disney has been a huge part of my limited artistic life. I wish I had even a hundredth of his talent! But unfortunately I hate doing arts and crafts and have no talent or patience for them. So Walt Disney is not a model for what I want to do with my life. But I do enjoy art for entertainment, especially cartoons, and greatly admire Walt Disney for his creative genius. He not only created and drew Mickey Mouse, but he also did his voice. It amazes me how someone could be that good at art. Not only does his work have great aesthetic beauty but it also invokes great emotion too. In grade school I hated art class but any art projects that could possibly be influenced by his works were because I love his animation. My favorite movies were always Walt Disney Pictures, especially the animated ones. His animation seems so real it is almost like you can become a part of it. And because my family and I go to Walt Disney World every year I have grown up experiencing his works in real life and have enjoyed every minute of it. No matter how many times I see a work it is always as enjoyable as the first time I saw it, if not more so. I could never grow tired of a work by Walt Disney. I know I will enjoy his creations even when I am an old lady. Relation between the Child and the Adult Creator: Walt Disney showed very early interests in art and drawing. By the age of seven Walt would sell his drawings and small sketches to his neighbors to make some extra money. One interesting story about his creativity that I come across every time I write a paper about Walt Disney is when Walt convinced his sister Ruth to help him paint the side of their house with tar.

Good People in Cannery Row Essay

John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, on its surface, is a very simplistic book in which its plot does not have any significant impact on its universe, let alone its characters. However, if one might delve deeper into Steinbeck’s clever subtext and rich overtones, a world of bliss and beauty can be found. Cannery Row, is a book where its characters are self-described as â€Å"Whores, Pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches† and yet called â€Å"Saints and angels and martyrs and holy men† on the very same page (405). The point of these contradictions is to comment on society’s view of Morality. This is specifically noted when one of the main Characters, Doc, says â€Å"It has always seemed strange to me†¦The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success.† When referring a group of Former homeless men called Mack and the boys (505). Mack and the boys are a group of bums that live in the row, and often do nothing but drink alcohol. These men never do anything necessarily heroic, or daring, or even Courageous, but these men are the most moral individuals in the entirety of Cannery Row. Through the Scenes following Mack and the Boys, John Steinbeck develops Idea that despite their lack of ambition, they are viewed as morally upstanding individuals, who have a positive impact on society. With their happy go lucky nature, and simple needs, these men can achieve the impossible. One might think that they are very unintelligent individuals due to their standard of living, but that couldn’t be farther than the truth. Time and time again they prove themselves to be people that are not only capable, but show extraordinary prowess in certain fields. One of these men, for instance was gay. When referring to his mechanical ability, Steinbeck narrates â€Å"Indeed there are men near   Whom a car runs better. And such a one was gay. His fingers on a timer or a carburetor adjustment screw were gentle and wise and sure.† The way he listens to the ills of automatons, it is of no impossibility he could have become a wealthy mechanic, fixing cars in a garage of his owning. Gay Instead enjoys his time at the flop house, drinking and talking the day away. All Gay really wants, is to have a good time, and for the others around him to do the same. This is a key component of why gay is a moral citizen of society. Gay is often able to do wrong, but never is willing. Gay lives with an abusive Wife, which constantly beats him. He never wants to, but occasionally he has to return the favor. He used to get thrown into jail because of this, but that he liked the conditions in jail, so his wife beats him while he sleeps instead/ Gay, specifically, is an interesting case, because he has a life in which is deeper than one might believe. he is the only one to have a life of suburbia waiting for him. Gay lived a world in which he had a house and a loving wife. Through another lens, Gay was trapped in a cage with a woman that beats him so much that being put in jail is sweet relief. Despite this, Gay eventually always choses to go back to his wife. He believes that he is wrong in the situation and returns to his wife trying to be a better man. That truly is the reason why he is an upstanding person. He’s a very humble and simple creature, who just wishes to enjoy life. Another Example of such ambition would the leader of the group, Mack. Mack is by far, is the flop house’s driving force. When leading the group, he is a moral center, and the speaker of wisdom; when alone, he is a very tragic man. Throughout the book, Mack and the boys only ambition was to throw a party for Doc, a local good Samaritan. When this ambition ends in failure, he proclaims: It don’t do good to say I’m sorry. I’ve been sorry all my life†¦I had a wife†¦same thing. Ever’thing I done turn sour. She couldn’t stand it no more. If I done a good thing it got poisoned up some way†¦I don’t do nothin’ but clown no more. Try to make the boys laugh. (496) Mack seemingly is the only one who doesn’t lack ambition by choice. Whilst in with the other, Mack often is the one to set goals, albeit small ones. This is where the true tragedy of his character comes in. No matter what he does, or hard he works, all of his plans inevitably turn to failure. Mack is a man of good intentions, and made of good morals, but he is seemingly cursed with bad luck, and the world reacts as such. One of Mack’s greatest qualities is his way with words. A lesser person might use his power of speech craft to control the populace, and shape the world in his image, but Mack just wants to have fun. Whenever he uses this sort of power, he is always talking about doing something for someone else. The adventures of Mack and the boys is filled with irony: Gay having a wife that beats him, Hazel likes conversation, but hates talking, or having a party for someone who doesn’t attend. Perhaps the most ironic of all is that despite their lack of ambition and lazy attitude, their actions Influence everyone around them. All throughout cannery row, people would look on to these men, and get inspired in some way. One of the greatest examples of such inspiration is the aforementioned Doc. Even though Mack and the Boys destroyed his home by throwing a party for him, without him, he still holds them in high regard. â€Å"The sale of souls to gain the whole world is completely voluntary and almost unanimous—but not quite†¦You know how they tried to give me a party and it went wrong. But they wanted to give me a party. That was their impulse. â€Å"(505). What Doc is saying here, is that he respects the lifestyle that Mack and the Boys have chosen, and thinks of them as moral even though things don’t go their way. This is  Implied in a number of ways. Initially, he denotes the idea of throwing the party was on a whim of theirs. This is a Reference to the continuing notion of their lack of aspiration. Mack and the Boys don’t do things for certain reasons, they just decide to act whence they get the inspiration. Furthermore, he begins with a metaphor comparing the Consumerist system, a place where you have to work for a place you often hate, to selling your soul, giving away your humanly essence and personality. This metaphor works well contrasting with the boys, to those who seemingly suffer from working into monotony. Doc is implicating that their way of spontaneity is a way wherein they have the capability to do good. Steinbeck often uses these sections with Doc to illustrate the importance of the boy’s actions. Whenever Doc speaks of them, he outlines how â€Å"[business] men are sick men†, and how the boys are â€Å"healthy and strangely clean† (504). Mack and the boys don’t have that thirst that humans often have. That hunger for Silver stitching and velvet bed sheets. Steinbeck uses a group of happy homeless men as a symbol for the importance of caring for one another, while living in the moment. Mack and the boys outline how to do well in life, without selling one’s soul for wealth and power. Morality is often a tricky subject to tackle – and often when it is tackled, it’s not done well—But Steinbeck has it pegged. One might think that things such as be considerate of one another and be humble would be simple Ideologies for a book to go behind, Steinbeck does it justice. Cannery Row Shows just how people react to good deeds, as misguided as they are. John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, on its surface, is a very simplistic book, but it is so much more.

Impact Of Globalization On Urbane Culture

Culture has many meanings. As a practical human activity, it is an inherent part of both individual and collective development, from the education of a single child to the finest artistic expression of entire peoples and nations. Culture also refers to the customs of a given society, especially as reflected in its social institutions and practices, including social and political organization and religion. Even in the nineteenth century, cities at the centre of media, financial, and manufacturing networks led the global symbolic economy of the time.Cultural innovations in those days spread by means of exports of new products and models, and of images published in newspapers and magazines. It took weeks or months for these images to reach distant regions. Today, innovations travel at much greater speed via airplane, satellite and the internet. Easier import and export of culture helps ethnic groups living away from their homes to maintain their cultural identity, while exposing those i n their home countries to new cultural stimuli.In earlier years, people moved between the relatively simple spaces of home, work and neighborhood, all of which reinforced bonds based on ethnicity and social class. Networks and institutions of sociability directly shaped local cultures. Today, urban residents commute over great distances to go to work. Through television, film, the internet and popular magazines, rich and poor alike see images of affluence and modernity and compare them with their own lives.The inability to escape these multiple images and sources of information can be disconcerting and may sometimes lead to local resistance against what is termed â€Å"cultural globalization†. Access to more images and information also enriches the cosmopolitan culture of cities. The idea of using culture as a motor of urban economic growth reflects cities’ transition from manufacturing to more flexible, design and knowledge-based production.Since massive industries li ke steel and automobiles based on standardized mass production have fallen, one by one, to competition from low-cost locations, attention has focused on cultural industries – flexible industries that value knowledge, information and technology. Most cultural industries are located in cities. A dense population and concentration of skills allow them to draw upon tangible human resources, and a city’s usual history of tolerance and social diversity offers intangible sources of inspiration and experimentation. What is expected of the new global city?As noted earlier, globalization has introduced new cultures as well as fusion of old and new ones in cities. Already evident in many cities in advanced economies, these new urban cultures are likely to emerge more and more in the developing world. They provide new forms of what we may term â€Å"consumption spaces†, including fusion in their design and architecture, partly under the influence of intensified shopping all over the world. A feature of these new spaces is their enclosure, which tends to reinforce social exclusion within cities. They also, increasingly, signal the transition of a city’s status to global. Impact Of Globalization On Urbane Culture Culture has many meanings. As a practical human activity, it is an inherent part of both individual and collective development, from the education of a single child to the finest artistic expression of entire peoples and nations. Culture also refers to the customs of a given society, especially as reflected in its social institutions and practices, including social and political organization and religion. Even in the nineteenth century, cities at the centre of media, financial, and manufacturing networks led the global symbolic economy of the time.Cultural innovations in those days spread by means of exports of new products and models, and of images published in newspapers and magazines. It took weeks or months for these images to reach distant regions. Today, innovations travel at much greater speed via airplane, satellite and the internet. Easier import and export of culture helps ethnic groups living away from their homes to maintain their cultural identity, while exposing those i n their home countries to new cultural stimuli.In earlier years, people moved between the relatively simple spaces of home, work and neighborhood, all of which reinforced bonds based on ethnicity and social class. Networks and institutions of sociability directly shaped local cultures. Today, urban residents commute over great distances to go to work. Through television, film, the internet and popular magazines, rich and poor alike see images of affluence and modernity and compare them with their own lives.The inability to escape these multiple images and sources of information can be disconcerting and may sometimes lead to local resistance against what is termed â€Å"cultural globalization†. Access to more images and information also enriches the cosmopolitan culture of cities. The idea of using culture as a motor of urban economic growth reflects cities’ transition from manufacturing to more flexible, design and knowledge-based production.Since massive industries li ke steel and automobiles based on standardized mass production have fallen, one by one, to competition from low-cost locations, attention has focused on cultural industries – flexible industries that value knowledge, information and technology. Most cultural industries are located in cities. A dense population and concentration of skills allow them to draw upon tangible human resources, and a city’s usual history of tolerance and social diversity offers intangible sources of inspiration and experimentation. What is expected of the new global city?As noted earlier, globalization has introduced new cultures as well as fusion of old and new ones in cities. Already evident in many cities in advanced economies, these new urban cultures are likely to emerge more and more in the developing world. They provide new forms of what we may term â€Å"consumption spaces†, including fusion in their design and architecture, partly under the influence of intensified shopping all over the world. A feature of these new spaces is their enclosure, which tends to reinforce social exclusion within cities. They also, increasingly, signal the transition of a city’s status to global.

Rape of the Lock Satirical Devices Essay

From the excerpts studied in The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope skilfully uses the mock epic genre to satirize the trifling nature of his society through exaggeration, parody and juxtaposition in rhyming couplets. The epic form makes everything larger than life which Pope uses to reveal the absurdity of the society he lives in. A simple card game is turned into a complex â€Å"combat on [a] velvet plain,† which exaggerates the little action that actually takes place in the Canto. In the card game called Ombre, hands are not just hands. They represent armies of different suites. Face cards are â€Å"four kings in majesty revered, with hoary whiskers and a forky beard† ,†four fair queens whose hands sustain a flower, the expressive emblem of their softer power† and â€Å"four knaves in garb succinct, a trusty band, caps on their heads and halberds in their hand.† Pope also parodies the epic form in order to depict questionable values in his time. A feast is a scene common in epics like Beowulf and is mirrored by the coffee scene in this mock epic. â€Å"The board with cups and spoons is crowned† shows the great worth placed on China and utensils. Instead of vessels to hold beverages, Pope portrays them as â€Å"China’s earth [that] receives the smoking tide.† Coffee is almost given supernatural powers since it â€Å"makes the politician wise, and see through all things with his half-shut eyes.† The coffee is the â€Å"fuming liquor† that â€Å"sent up in vapors to the baron’s brain,† giving him the idea to plan to cut off a lock of Belinda’s hair. Pope combines the ordinary with the unusual with simplicity to suggest the triviality of the values of his time through the juxtaposition in rhyming couplets. Canto III describes Hampton Court where Queen lives â€Å"whom three realms obey, dost sometimes counsel take – and sometimes tea,† which sets the tone for the events to follow in the court. He suggests that â€Å"One speaks the glory of British Queen, and one describes a charming Indian screen; a third interprets motions, looks, eyes; at every word a reputation dies† through the conversation of the ladies and gentlemen in court, describing society’s twisted value system. Pope uses aspects of the mock epic to satirize his society’s irresponsibility. He uses exaggeration to mock misplaced importance. He takes specific scenes and uses parody to illustrate the irrelevance of rituals such as coffee drinking. He uses the structure of rhyming couplets to contrast the ordinary with the extraordinary to reveal how important things are considered.

Eight Elvises Essay

Following the times of the middle 1950’s Abstract Expressionism sparked an interest for Andy Warhol, and during the 60’s Andy, and Roy Lichtenstein created a new realism of America. This new realism was called Pop Art which expressed daily life in America as it was being lived. Warhol was born in 1928 as Andy Warhola, he grew up with a curiosity in commercials, and after a very successful life he became the main figure associated with Pop Art. His art is some of the most well known art of all time, and he is considered one of the best artists of all time, his greatest painting was done on canvas in 1963 called the Eight Elvises and is worth one hundred million dollars, which this amount is in the likes of Jackson Pollock, and Pablo Picasso’s work. Andy Warhol has many accomplishments during his life, and he was inspired by many different people and things. His talent led him to many opportunities including movies and artwork. Growing up Warhol was diagnosed with chorea which is a disease of the nervous system that causes movements that are involuntary. This disease is correlated with scarlet fever, causing Andy to grow up primarily bed-ridden, and this is where he listened to the radio and collected pictures of movie stars which helped him gain his own personality and attributes. After his struggle he spent his time at Carnegie School of Fine Arts Institute in Pittsburgh, he studied hard and showed his artistic capability early while he studied commercial art. Warhol was quickly offered a position in New York drawing advertisements for a shoe company. This is where his whimsical colors started to be portrayed in his drawings of those shoes. While working with the shoe company he was recruited to illustrate the vinyl album covers for band by record labels who at the time were booming with musical talent. In 1952, while Warhol was doing shoe art he was also doing his own art on the side. He wanted to show his early work to the public, so after pitching his idea he got his first art show in New York at the Hugo Gallery. All of his works during these times are very interesting to me, because he used his art to represented life as it was in America every day. Warhol took these everyday things as simple as Campbell’s soup cans, or Coke Cans and turned them into monumental items in America’s life. These items sell over 3 million products a day; these companies’ should be thanking Andy for making their business boom Worldwide. Warhol stated â€Å"You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coca-Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Coca-cola, and just think, you can drink Coca-Cola, too† (Art). This art of the soups and cokes form analytic lines the way he stacks cans precisely and mathematically as he draws, which takes extreme precision and measurement on his part to make sure that everything is straight and perfect. After these paintings were produced, Warhol began getting very well known in the New York art world. This art led him to moving on to what was called â€Å"The Factory† where many creative minds ranging from actors, writers, musicians, and other artists would drop by and lend their inspiration. The Factory† is where Andy let his ability shine, he decided to get rid of a difference between high and low art, and make known that art can be found anywhere. High art being art that has history and low art being art that has no history, but Andy wanted to clear high and low all together. Warhol liked the factory because it had a crazy atmosphere that fit his life style. He produced all of his work during the time at factory while he was working there. Including in 1963 piece that had the most impact on me which was the silkscreen painting Eight Elvises because the unusual thing about this silkscreen is that it is unique. Warhol had many other silkscreen’s that were produced sometimes in the hundreds, and Warhol only made one Eight Elvises. This 12 ft canvas shows from left to right Elvis in cowboy attire with his gun drawn in his right hand with seven repeat images on the left of his body finishing off with a full body view with left hand in sight as his body fades away. Warhol was known as a primary visual artist and this art is an example of that. Silkscreen is a stencil method of printmaking in which a design is imposed on a screen of silk or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance, and ink is forced through the mesh onto the printing surface. Warhol did not bother to clean up the imperfections of the print including slips of the screen, uneven inkings of the roller, and general graininess. I believe that this artwork and the artists represent America because Warhol used American icons such as items and faces to secure a place for these in history. For these reasons this is why I have chosen this artwork. I like that he used a popular person Elvis and put his pop art twist on him turning him into eight western Elvises ready to draw his weapon, I think this means that he is a dependable hero for America to lean on. Warhol uses high and low art through his artwork giving it a desirable product. During the sixties his art was very distinct and powerful which in turn Warhol gained mass popularity, and people that had known him had been driven away from him due to his success. In 1968 a woman that worked for Warhol on occasion found him and shot him in the stomach, stating that â€Å"He had to much control over my life† (Art). He survived the gunshot, but was injured horribly and was required to wear a bandage on his stomach for the rest of his life. After this incident Warhol returned to the art world creating some more of my favorite art because of the way that he uses colors on the faces of American icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Mr. and Mrs. JFK, even Jimmy Carter, Mick Jagger, and Elvis. After the assassination attempt he also began publishing a magazine called â€Å"Interview† which is still published today. This magazine was dubbed as â€Å"The Crystal Ball of Pop (Interview. com) due to Warhol’s style of running the magazine, Andy would take pictures of famous people or items and by adding his color schemes he would make the entire magazine look like his art. A portion of this magazine is still dedicated to Andy’s style of work. His hard work ethic led him to many art shows getting his work extensively in museums and galleries around the world until he died during a gall bladder procedure that was deemed a safe procedure. His work of almost forty years has secured his position as one of the most influential talents of all time, and one of the greatest artists in the world. Warhol grew up with tough conditions leading to his confused life and very awkward personality type, these factors contributed to his choice of being a homosexual and his ambition of wanting to only make rich people richer by putting their pictures in the art world for more people to look at this is why he did so many self portraits. He wanted everyone to remember what he did and to this day I would say he made a big impact.

Participant-Observer Exercise Essay

First of all, I am grateful to all class members and our instructor for the experience that I was able to acquire during this course. This is a good example of experiential learning – here we all had opportunities to transform our theoretical knowledge into real life experience. It really proved effective. I may also note that the last group engagement exercise did not disprove my previous hypotheses: with time and the experience of joint work we all got more confident about the tasks, and with the raise of confidence our productivity increased. I think we all got to know each other better and it increased the level of confidence. My hypothesis for this week is: â€Å"Group work gets real meaning and becomes more productive when group members bring in their personal insights and personal experiences instead of confining themselves to theorizing and relying on common sense. † At first, we knew each other too little to be open and share our personal experience. With time, we got to know each other better and gradually became more relaxed about sharing our thoughts. I think it had a positive impact on our performance. It helped to provide more examples of the concepts we presented. Our task was to discuss experiential learning and how it assists in exercising leadership and understanding group dynamics. We focused on several chosen principles in our presentation, and each of us was able to vitalize theory by referring to specific examples. This level of openness was quite impossible during the first exercise. Personal insights helped us all better understand theory and make a more interesting presentation. In fact, this experience once again proves Principle 9 that we discussed in our presentation: â€Å"The more supportive, accepting, and caring the social environment, the freer a person is to experiment with new behaviors, attitudes, and action theories† (Johnson & Johnson, 2009, p. 51). Since all were open and ready to introduce a personal insight, we felt the environment to be rather supportive and accepting. As a result, we felt more confident and could communicate our thoughts freely. It provided greater value to our group work and helped to fulfill our task more successfully. References Johnson, D. W. , & Johnson, F. P. (2009). Joining together: Group theory and group skills. 10th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Technology and culture class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Technology and culture class - Essay Example Still, Ullman feels that man is not able to live without computers, and expresses her love for the programmer’s world. Bill Joy, in his book, writes that technology has endangered human species though the introduction of robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology. Like Ullman, Joy has also stated the repercussions of letting machines do all the work, since it will lead to humans not doing any work in future, and all decisions will be made by machines. This brings human beings at mercy of machines. He admits that since machine made decisions are and will continue to be better that human decisions, man will continue to rely on machines, which is fatal for man’s independence in the long run. So, we see that both Ullman and Joy have talked about repercussions of computers, while admitting to their usefulness at the same time; but unlike Ullman, Joy has quoted works of famous people to support his argument, as he thinks that his argument relates to a minority of

Exemplification essay on Stereotypes of an American Male in a european

Exemplification on Stereotypes of an American Male in a european counrty - Essay Example Asian Americans are stereotyped as submissive, Math or business wizards, black Americans are either thugs or religious fanatics who are good in basketball and rapping, Latino Americans are lazy and dependent on social welfare, and white Americans are aggressive, loud-mouthed, condescending, violent individuals. Asian Americans are often depicted in the media as submissive. For instance, when speaking with other races, they do not look at them in the eye and tend to bow down. Asian Americans are also portrayed as Math wizards. They often wear large glasses and excel in Mathematics. They are frequently honor students and are severely grade-conscious. Furthermore, Asian Americans are described as businesspeople. They either have restaurants or pharmacies. Many of them become rich doing business. It can be seen that these stereotypes are generally positive compared to other ethnic American stereotypes. Black Americans are shown in the media as either thugs or religious fanatics. The young black male is often a criminal or juvenile delinquent. In TV shows, they are loud-mouthed and do not excel in their studies like Asian Americans. Sometimes, black males are also shown as religious zealots singing church hymns and attending religious services all the time. Black men are also stereotyped as good in basketball and rapping. People sometimes automatically assume that they have Michael Jordans genes running through each and every black man. These stereotypes are generally negative and focus too much on the sports abilities of black people. Latino Americans are frequently stereotyped as lazy. The media shows them as enjoying siestas and parties. It seems that all they do is have fun and that they cannot focus on being productive. The media also depicts Latinos as dependent on welfare. Again, this is a negative stereotype that entails their laziness and lack of motivation in their lives. Like

The Management of Global Trade Distribution - De Beers Essay

The Management of Global Trade Distribution - De Beers - Essay Example It was able to exert monopolistic influence among suppliers in the diamond industry to sell their rough diamonds to De Beers’ channel which was then the Central Selling Organisation or CSO which then enabled De Beers to control the global supply of diamonds even if the diamonds did not came from De Beer’s mines (Ziminisky2013). II. De Beers distribution system: Monopoly De Beers is one of the few companies that exerted monopoly in its supply and distribution that it creative a competitive advantage for the company. During its height in 1902, it was able to control an overwhelmingly 90 percent of the diamond industry that it can dictate the price and availability of diamonds (Sehgal 2011). Monopoly exists when a only a single company exists to dominate a certain industry in the provision of goods or services (Milton 2002). Its high price today and its perception of being a valued commodity can be attributed to De Beers’ strategy to justify the increase of the pric e of diamonds because diamonds perse have no practical use and its high price does not reflect its scarcity because its price remains high even if it is in abundance (Yu nd). III. Forms of distribution of De Beers: CSO and DTC De Beers is probably the most successful and biggest monopoly company in the world that virtually operated in almost absolute cartel from its beginning in 1800s until 2001. It was able to establish its cartel like monopoly in the diamond industry when Ernest Oppenheimer achieved a controlling stake in De Beers in the mid 1920s when it expanded into various operations of the diamond industry with the goal of monopolizing its distribution. It did so by influencing suppliers in a multitude of ways to sell its produce of rough diamonds to De Beers’ channel which was then the Central Selling Organisation or CSO which then enabled De Beers to control the global supply of diamonds even if the diamonds did not came from De Beer’s mines (Bergenstock et al 2006). De Beer’s cartel like distribution channel which is the Central Selling Organisation or CSO and later evolved to become Diamond Trading Centers or DTC is probably the most successful monopolistic distribution system in the world. It can basically dictate the entire diamond industry because it can determine what should be sold, when, where and how much. Since it controlled majority of the supply (85% to 90% of the market) through its CSO or DTC, buyers have no choice but to avail diamonds through De Beers’ distribution system of CSO or DTC. To be able to buy diamonds from De Beers’ distribution system, it has to become a member or â€Å"Sightholder† because De Beers only sell diamonds to qualified â€Å"Sightholders† until today. According to De Beer, this event of selling diamonds are known as â€Å"Sights† because, â€Å"during the sales period, [their] customers are able to physically inspect the stones we are offering them before deciding whether to purchase† (De Beer 2012). These customers are selected according the â€Å"Supplier of Choice contract  criteria† (De Beers 2012). In essence, however, these â€Å"Sightholders† are powerless during â€Å"sights† because they have to accept the terms set forth by De Beers where they are not allowed to negotiate and can only accept