Ielts Practice Essay

You should spend only 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words. In many parts of the world there is continuous coverage of sport on television. Some people believe this discourages the young from taking part in any sport themselves. Discuss this view and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Recently, a greater attention has been paid to sports programs on television. Some people state that watching TV to gain interests in sports is important for the young. However, there are some opponents who disagree with the above perspective. As such, there is a growing controversy whether young people should deal with this issue. In these following paragraphs, the arguments surrounding the issue of sports programs on TV will be carefully examined. The first point to consider is the fact that many youngsters can know about interesting sports by watching TV. There are many types of sports programs, where both children and adults learn numerous things from the top athletes’ performance. In addition, it is a great opportunity to listen to interviews after their performance. Some children may be inspired to be like their sports icons and consequently, try the sport themselves. Moreover, young people easily watch sports on TV anytime during their free time. In Japan, many daily news programs include sports. Hence, most of the young watch sports with the news. Even though, some young children do not have interests in current social news, they are able to see the lineup of all of the contents and will see news topics. On the other hand, there is no doubt that some young people spend too much time watching sports on television. Young children usually cannot manage their time well. What is more, nowadays many young people rather want to stay at home than go out as compared to in the past. Various kinds of sports programs on TV may discourage youngsters from going outside and playing sports themselves. In the final analysis, there are pros and cons for watching sports on television, however, that allows us to feel the fun in sports and gain knowledge about them easily. I firmly believe that sports contents on TV have an excellent power for the young.

Act of Union Essay

Assess the causes of the Act of Union of 1800, and consider the ways in which the Articles of Union themselves were intended to solve the apparent problems in Ireland’s constitutional, political and religious relationship with England. Your essay must make reference to the relevant document studied in seminar 5. There were several significant causes of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland in 1800, most notably, the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798, along with the French landing at Killala in North Mayo. The United Irishmen, a radical mixed religious group, had began a campaign against British rule in Ireland in 1798. This rebellion was centered around Wexford, Wicklow and a protestant linen worker rebellion in Antrim. The rebellion was poorly organized and coordinated, and many parts of the country were left undisturbed. Although it was yet another rebellion by the Irish that was defeated, it fast forwarded the long standing idea that a political, constitutional and military union was needed between the two countries to prevent further war, or even worse, for Ireland to become a stepping stone in a French invasion of The British Isles. The worry about a French invasion starting in Ireland was compounded by a small French landing in north Mayo, that led to two battles, at Castlebar and Ballinamuck. The French landing was requested by Wolfe Tone, a protestant who was viewed as the leader of the United Irishmen. Wolfe Tone was influenced by the French and American Revolutions, and passed this influence onto the United Irishmen. The fact that the American Revolution had occurred so recently also had another major bearing on the Act of Union. the British parliament did not want to lose another colony, especially not one this close to home. This most likely would have being seen as a major weakness by the other European powers of the time. The French revolution, which promised freedom to all religions and races, and equal rights to all men would also have being seen as a threat to George III, the current monarch, who’s Coronation Oath held him to uphold and secure the Protestant faith. Article Fifth of the Act of Union combined the Church of Ireland and the Church of England into one central Protestant Episcopal Church. It also made the protestant faith the official religion of Ireland. The unity of the churches would also have bred the hope that more of the Catholic majority in Ireland would be converted. This would have being a vital cause for the union getting voted through the all protestant Irish parliament, as the protestants were outnumbered by Catholics in the general population at a ratio of 3:11. Should the Act of Union pass, they would be on the opposite side, it would be a 3:11 protestant majority. On a related topic, Robert Peel had earlier being responsible for the ending of several of the penal laws, all since the threat of war began in France. In 1793 Catholics could vote and become lawyers for the first time. He also played a part in the repeal of Poynings Law, which allowed the Irish parliament to enact its own laws without influence from London for the first time since the Norman Invasion. However, vitally, he could not hold his nerve to repeal the Penal law that stopped Catholics from holding a place in parliament and many Irish people would have thought this was the most important, as they could only vote for the entirely protestant government. Pitt had supported the Act Of Union in 1800, but had originally planned to follow it with more far reaching ideas, such as Catholic emancipation. However George III, after signing the Act of Union into law in August 1800, refused to support full Catholic emancipation on the basis that it would be contrary to his Coronation Oath. While the Act of Union was defeated the first time in the Irish parliament, it was passed on the second time of asking. Certain peerages, pensions and certain honors were offered to Irish politicians and Irish critics in return for voting for the act in the second time of asking. The first attempt to pass the law was beaten 109 votes against to 104 votes for, but, on the second time of asking in 1800, the results showed 150 for, compared to 115 against. Also, since the repeal of Poynings law, the Irish had being in charge of their own finances, and had bankrupt the country. When much the same thing had happened to Scotland in the 17th century, a Union with Britain had helped the Scottish overcome their financial difficulties. The Act of Union was intended to solve many of Irelands problems in different ways. Article first stated that Ireland and Britain would ‘be united into one Kingdom, by the Name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland’. This essentially made Ireland a sister kingdom to Britain, with the same laws, religion and parliament. However as time showed, these sister kingdoms were not treated equally, with very little worry being given to the Great Famine of 1845-49. Although it may initially have being seen to calm some insurgency in Ireland, it was not a suitable long-term arrangement unless great measures were taken to assimilate the large Catholic majority. These measures were not taken, and Catholic Ireland still felt like it was being given the short straw without emancipation. Article Second simply stated that the continuation of the Imperial Crown ‘shall continue limited and settled in the same manner as the Succession to the Imperial Crown of the said Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland’. This was to ensure that a protestant was always going to be in power as a monarch in Great Britain, and that the new Union with Ireland would not have an influence on the process of picking a new king or queen. The third article was perhaps the most important in terms of change, as it was the article that fully combined the two parliaments into a single entity. This was the most influential article, as it caused many of the upper class representatives that Ireland would have to move out of Dublin and over to London, to be closer to political affairs. This caused a decline in the importance of Dublin as a major European city, and shifted most of the influential Irish people out of the country. It may also have lead to the idea of Absentee landlords, another thing that was seen by the Irish as a cause of the Great Famine. Article Fourth was simply involved in the representation of Ireland in the new parliament. The election of 28 Electoral Lords for life would have guaranteed a continuation of protestant ascendancy in the British House of Lords. This would not have went well with the catholic majority of Ireland as they would have zero representation in the House of Lords, which had the ability to veto any laws passed by the House of Commons. Any chance of a law hat passed a pro-Catholic law would have being immediately put down by the protestant powers in the House of Lords, so even if George III did not veto the hopes for Catholic emancipation then the House of Lords would surely have. The 8th article was a constitutional article that ensured the continuation of all laws from before the act, in both Britain and Ireland. It stated ‘That all Laws in force at the time of the Union, and all the Courts of Civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction within the respective Kingdoms, shall remain as now by Law established within the same’ This was a safety mechanism to prevent any problems with the transition between separate and united kingdom’s. If this article had not being put in place then, theoretically the parliament in London would have had to enact new laws that could potentially damage the political and hostile situation in Ireland. As you can see, the Act of Union was hoped to be a permanent solution to the problems in Ireland, and planned to consolidate the British Isles under one rulership. The Articles in the Act of Union attempted to promote the protestant faith, in particular the Anglican faith, in Ireland, and in the long term hoped to transform the rebellious Catholic majority into equal citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Although it was unsuccessful in the long run, it was a historic event that worked in other parts of the empire, such as Scotland.

On Just and Unjust War Essay

The general thesis of the article titled â€Å"On Just and Unjust War† was in using a recorded panel discussion that addressed how and whether or not one can distinguish between what is a just war versus what would be the considerations involved for a war to be considered an unjust war. The panel discussion was part of a conference entitled â€Å"War, Evil, the End of History, and America Now† that was presented at Skidmore College in the state of New York in March of 2006. The author begins developing the argument by discussing the five criteria that one should use when considering the occasion for war. I felt that the theoretical approach used in the article was excellent. Instead of pulling ideas out of the sky as their theoretical basis, the panel generally focused on theoretical examples that had already occurred in one form or another in current or past history and focused on these. Because there were a variety of viewpoints represented, the input was relatable and spanned a variety of approaches. This New York panel touched on a variety of ethical theoretical considerations and principles of the Just War Debate. One discussion was in regards one determines â€Å"unjust aggression† or â€Å"unjust threats. Another consideration presented was the obligation to protect the innocent, while at the same time clarifying that â€Å"the innocent need not be morally innocent† (Session 4, 2008 p. 209). The ethical consideration of other ways to deal with the situation before resorting to war is included in the panel discussion as was pre-determining some probability of success in advance of war was included. The point was made that â€Å"if you accept the framework of the just war tradition, you have to accept as a starting point that the war can be an instrument of justice† (Session 4, 2008, p. 09). I felt this was the most insightful consideration stated in the discussion to identify why the subject of â€Å"A Just War† is even worth approaching. In discussing pacifism and neo-consequentialism, the point was made that pacifists â€Å"start with the notion that all we control is our own behavior and our own will. People will die; I will not kill† (Session 4, 2008, p. 210). It was discussed how pacifists don’t want to have to take responsibility for any deaths because they cannot guess the consequences. My beliefs may not be the same but it made stimulating discussion. One of the advantages of bringing people together on a panel upon discussing subjects like â€Å"Just War† is that you readily get different ethical theoretical interpretations on the subject being approached. Because we each have different perspectives varying upon our environments, our education, our life experiences, this creates a diversity of ethical interpretations. One comment made by Jean Elshtain was how peace is a slippery concept. â€Å"I daresay no one would contend that the Iraqi people were somehow at peace under the rule of Saddam Hussein and the Baathists† (Session 4, 2008, p. 09). She makes this comment to strengthen the fact that peace is not simply an absence of war because the veil of peace can â€Å"cover up and promote illusion† (Session 4, 2008, p. 209). It is discussed that even the most absolute pacifists can sometimes see war being used as an instrument of justice. The movie â€Å"Glory† was used as an ethical consideration in â€Å"Just War† on how it identified the struggle African-Americans had in convincing Lincoln that African-Americans should be included in fighting for their own freedom. The quote was made, â€Å"I’ll die standing like a man rather than on my knees like a slave† (Session 4, 2008, p. 210). In the time given for this assembly and considering the amount of people represented, I feel there was ample empirical evidence included in the discussion. You have the military persons relating their real life experience to the â€Å"Just War† concept, you have those that consciously abstain from war and other perspectives in between all rendering their thoughts on the considerations of â€Å"Just War. † This discussion made the information far easier to relate to then one person writing an article with resources. It was like making an article 3-Dimensional. When the panel discussed our current war, it was brought up that our government failed the â€Å"Just War† test on every point. We didn’t go in having a probability of success, we didn’t engage in good faith efforts to avoid the war, we didn’t give enough thought to engage in war as a last resort, etc. In discussing the Just War, Michael Massing used Iraq as an example of what all should be considered in the cost of a â€Å"Just War. Not only civilian casualties, but also instability creatd in the region, additional terrorism, damage to the US image in the world. In short we failed in the â€Å"Just War† appraisal with the American intervention. This article based on a panel discussion absolutely makes a contribution to the further understanding of the â€Å"Just War† debate along with important themes in the â€Å"Just War† debate. The discussion was represented in such a way to make the information livelier, engaging and easy to digest. We are taught of the different learning styles as we go through the education system. I found that hearing a variety of perspectives represented by using a discussion panel is always stronger in my understanding of a subject. Each individual relays information differently so that the odds are increased that they can relate to a wider audience since a variety of teaching styles are represented. I found the article â€Å"On Just and Unjust War† to be very clearly written and very relatable. This was an article I would enjoy reading whether it was an assignment or more importantly, if it were not. The variety of voices represented in the panel discussion were able to add a human element to the facts. Because personal experiences are interwoven through the article along with the invaluable information and discussion, this helps the reader in understanding the points made throughout the article. Another element of this article which would go under the â€Å"strengths† column would be that the panel consisted of those who had already been active in some wars, those who had made a conscious decision not to participate in war and every viewpoint in between. One of the reasons I felt this was an excellent article was that I read it multiple times because I enjoyed it whereas other articles I read multiple times to merely understand them. The panel did such a clear and excellent job of presenting the information that upon completing the article, I could relate to both sides of opinions on the â€Å"Just and Unjust War† debate. I consider myself to be an open-minded person but I did go into reading this article with one opinion and completed the article with a broader understanding of the whole. Although it’s simpler and easier to look at things as black and white or right and wrong, through the process of understanding, we often discover there are no extremes, no positives without the negatives. So basically I come away from this reading with a better understanding of the gray.

Mass media's influence on presidental elections Research Paper

Mass media's influence on presidental elections - Research Paper Example During the first debate Nixon was not well prepared and had little make up while his rival Kennedy was well dressed and prepared for the interview. During the debate there were huge signs of nervousness and panic on Nixon’s face which led the people to believe that Nixon was not ready to lead the nation while people who were listening to the match on the radio believed that Nixon had won, as they could not see the face of any of the candidates. This was the first time that TV was used as a political tool by political candidates. Media has had tremendous effect on presidential elections but their way of influencing is not without controversy. Media will sometimes provide stories dealing with the personal lives of presidential candidates which is very harmful to the candidate and not useful even to the undecided voter. Influencing these undecided voters has a huge impact on American politics. America basically has two big news channels that are very important to the American pub lic; one is Fox news and the other is CNN. Both the channels have huge impact regarding the painting of the picture of the presidential candidate. Regarding the impact of Fox news on American public, Stefano Della Vigna and Ethan Kaplan have conducted a study on the ultraconservative Rupert Murdoch’s channel. Fox was launched in 1996 and by 2000 it was available in more than 20% of American households. They conducted a study in which they compared the change in republican vote bank between 1996 and 2000, and they came to the conclusion that Fox news had increased the vote bank of Republican Party in the areas which received Fox news by 0.5% or 200,000 votes; this number was enough to change the result of 2000 presidential elections. Fox news is also known for its right wing and Christian agenda which appealed to the most of the voters who had access to it. (Does Fox News Change Votes?) On the other hand, CNN is a relatively liberal news channel with agenda that is mostly neit her left wing nor right wing but more to the center in the political arena although it has been claimed that it has favored Democratic Party most of the times. During the elections of 2008, in which Barack Obama became victorious, it was clear that CNN favored a democratic candidate while Fox preferred Republican, and most important of them, all Fox was not biased against Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska who was the running mate of John McCain, while CNN did everything in its power to portray Sarah Palin in a way that can only be described as negative because of her affiliation with causes that can be classified as far-right. Talk Show hosts who are normally seen as a form entertainment by the Americans also influenced voters to an unimaginable degree. A prime example of this was Barack Obama’s fundraiser hosted by Oprah Winfrey which gathered a total of $3 million for the future president. (Ingraham 71) Between 1996 and 2000, before the election during which Clinton was f acing the Lewinsky Trial, any news meant bad news for Clinton and the Democrats and their prospects of winning the election of 2000 which they lost, (Alterman 186). After 2005 any

Lggerhead Sea Turtles and their migration and why they are protected Research Paper

Lggerhead Sea Turtles and their migration and why they are protected - Research Paper Example The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) has also listed sea turtles species as being one of the most endangered species on the planet. Unfortunately, scientists claim that Loggerhead sea turtles could face extinction in less than five decades. The loggerhead sea turtles are under the threat of extinction in the near future due to the human activities on their habitat that has seen their number decrease exceptionally fast, according to a report. Loggerheads sea turtles are also regarded as the species that migrate frequently over their lifetime particularly during the breeding period (Bowen et al., 1995). This paper will explore the loggerhead sea turtles in light of their features, distribution, and migration behavior, why they need protection and the protection measures already initiated to conserve the species. The loggerheads are arguably the largest hard-shelled turtle on planet, observed Kobayashi et al. (2008). The species were named so because of extra large head comprising of h orny beak, which is thicker than other sea turtle species are. Loggerhead sea turtles have exceptionally turf jaws, which enables them feed comfortably hard-shelled prey such as the conch and whelks. The adult loggerheads have carapace that is heart-shaped, and reddish-brown in color. Adult males differ from the female in the sense that they have long tails that protrude beyond the rare carapace (Kobayashi et al., 2008). Additionally, adult male loggerheads have narrow carapace tapering towards the rear. These species have been listed as being among the over 15,000 animal species facing the threat of extinction. Loggerheads were listed as endangered species in 1978, and since then efforts are being made to ensure that they are accorded the necessary protection to abate the extinction threat. Research shows that loggerhead sea turtles are among the species that make the longest journeys than any other sea turtle species (Witherington, Herren, and Bresette,  2006).   They migrate long distances easily due to their adaptation for such movement. Report indicates that loggerheads usually migrate more than 7,500 miles between their nesting beaches in Japan and Mexico here they feed, notes Witherington, Herren, and Bresette  (2006). Since loggerheads are slow in movement, they have turf shell that protects them from predators in the event of an attack. Distribution Loggerheads are regarded as a circumglobal animal present throughout tropical and temperate regions of Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Researchers have shown that loggerheads are the most abundant sea turtles in the United States’ coastal waters. The loggerhead sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean range extend from Newfoundland to Argentina. The species nests mainly during summer seasons in the subtropics. In the U.S., the species nesting concentration is found in North Carolina through to the southwest Florida. Research indicates that very few nesting occurs outside this range particularly in Texas and Virginia. Adult loggerheads normally migrate frequently between foraging areas and nesting beaches. However, during non-nesting periods, adult female loggerheads from the U.S. beaches distribute themselves in waters off eastern U.S., the Gulf of Mexico, Greater Antilles, Bahamas, and Yucatan (Kobayashi et al., 2008). Most loggerhead nesting takes place in the western part of Indian and Atlantic Oceans. A study

Lean in Nissan UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lean in Nissan UK - Assignment Example 201). In order to obtain maximum benefits of the market and the target audience, it is ideal for companies in this industry to focus of exploitation of the global market with the aim of increasing the total revenues and profit levels at the end of the financial year (Meredith, 2012, p12). Performance is determined by market share or coverage in that organizations that have significant market share possess higher chances of addressing the needs and preferences of their targeted audiences across the globe. The industry also focuses on meeting of standards and quality determinants in relation to performance of the company (Medinilla, 2012, p17). Qingdao Haier faces stiff competition from four vital companies within the Motor vehicle industry across the globe. These four crucial competitors within the appliances industry include Ford Motor Company (United States), Benz and Toyota (China). These organizations thrive on extensive market coverage or share thus a reflection of large consumer base. The organizations also thrive in their approaches of invading global market with the aim of maximizing benefits of opportunities and options available at their disposal. These mentioned organizations enjoy dominance within the industry because of practicing of diversity in relation to their products thus the ability to segment their markets (Kanji, 1995, p66). Segmentation of the market depends on the geographical locations, age, economic status, and climatic conditions. The weaknesses of the company rest on their inability to exploit difficult opportunities prior to the exploration of easy options in the global market (Murch, 2004, p34). Buyers in the in company purchase their goods through different methods. One of the common methods of procurement within the company is through order and delivery approach. This approach requires the buyer to evaluate the need and quality of the Vehicle and then place an order with the Nissan Company within the Motor vehicle industry. The ne xt approach is to purchase its products through sub-branches. This entails visiting of stores to procure the needed product with reference to the financial status of the buyer and the need for the Motor (Cooke, 2010, p22). The market in which The Nissan Company is operating in has the ability to fulfill the demands of segmentation. From the perspective of the organization, it is ideal to practice diversity in the presentation of goods and services to the market or targeted audiences (Panneerselvam & Senthilkumar, 2010, p66). Despite the essence of diversity facing criticism in UK, the organization has the ability to segment the market. This is through practicing what consumers view as specialization in the operation market. In illustrations of the segmentation of the market, the organization participates in the provision of numerous Motor vehicle services such as spare parts (Goodpasture, 2010, p34). The organization has the ability to meet the demands of consumers in relation to th e segmentations in the market. This is essential towards quantification of the market segments in valuation of the revenue levels at the end of the financial year. Quantification of the market segments is evident in the motor vehicle industry that constituted 70 percent of the total revenue of the organization of about $ 12.1 billion in 2004. (Littek & Charles, 1995, p56) One of the requirements for success in the Company is the ability to control the market through large market share. This ensures that the organization

Hitler's Rise to Power Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hitler's Rise to Power - Research Paper Example This loss of focus also made him lose the support of other students, who always elected him in leadership positions and to compensate this, he formed a tendency of creating friendship with younger pupils, whom he could command and influence (Kershaw 18). However, his time in school was limited as he managed to convince his mother at the age of fifteen to quit school instead of repeating, after which he moved to Vienna, at the age of 18, to pursue his career interest, which was in artistic work with the money he had received as his father’s pension, who had died in 1903 when Hitler was 13 years old (Hant 16). This ended up frustrating him as no institution was ready and willing to receive him owing to the fact that he had no academic certificates to prove that he had completed secondary education. Despite being an Austrian, Hitler disliked his country of birth to the extent of refusing to enroll into the military service, which was compulsory for every youth and according to re ports, it took the authorities close to 4 years to track him so he can fulfill his obligations but by then, his poor health could not meet the minimum standards required to join the military. During his early life, Hitler had shown a lot of admiration for Germany and indeed, he held his history teacher, who was a German, and the then German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, with high regard and as some of his role models (Hant 20). The start of the First World War opened a new opportunity for Hitler to enter Germany, his country of choice, after he made a choice to join and fight for the German army instead of the Austro-Hungarian forces, which he despised. This also gave him the chance to prove his worthiness as a fearless fighter, especially in his position as a dispatch-runner, which was one of the most dangerous positions as it involved acquiring and delivering messages from the command center to the forces on the frontline and which earned him the Iron cross rewards in 1924 and 191 8 (Kershaw 45). According to reports, it is during this time of the war that Hitler began his hatred towards the Jews and Marxists, whom he always described as cowards and a liability to German’s quest for victory. However, in 1918 just before Germany conceded defeat, Hitler suffered injuries in a mustard gas attack orchestrated by the British forces after which he was hospitalized in a German military hospital. With the war gone, Hitler suffered from severe cases of depression whereby it is reported that he spent most of his time crying, mostly because he could not accept the fact that Germany had lost the war. In addition, he had no academic papers to help him acquire formal employment and this meant that his future in Germany hanged in the balance and this was definitely more than he could bear (Kershaw 56). As stated earlier, Hitler was an outspoken person and he always made it clear that he was a strong proponent of anti-Semitism, anticommunism and Pan-Germanism (Toland 37). In addition to this, he never believed or subscribed to the school of thought that everyone was equal and as such, he was against any group or organization, which was trying to promote socialism. These qualities attracted the attention of German leaders, who shared the same opinions and they gave

Back turned to Open Window by Matisse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Back turned to Open Window by Matisse - Essay Example The essay "Back turned to Open Window by Matisse" explores the piece of art by Henri Matisse. Henri Matisse was born in 1869 in Le Cateau-Cambresis, Nord, France. In 1889, after a bout with appendicitis, his mother gave him a set of paints for something to do while he recovered. The act of painting became an obsession for him and he developed his work throughout the rest of his life. Matisse had experienced a great deal of difficulty in creating a career that was respected and appreciated. A founding member of the Fauvists with Andre Derain, his use of color and light provided expression that was predominant over the use of detail. The artists from Munich who had supported the development of Expressionsim, Kandinsky and Jawlensky, as an example, believed that the work of 1905 that was most worthy of their attention was coming from the Fauves, their eye now to France in order to observe the advancement of their movement. His work post 1919 represented a softening of his approach and a ‘return to order’ in which he once again looked back to the Masters, such as the Dutch painter Vermeer of the 17th century, for inspiration. Vermeer worked with exploring the use of light within his work. The piece Seated Woman, Back turned to Open Window (1921-1923), was from a collection of work in which he was examining the uses of color and form towards representation but through the lens of expression for emotional context. The piece was sold in 1947 through a catalogue by Durand-Ruel that offered the work. for fifteen thousand dollars along with works from Manet, Degas, and Renoir which situated Matisse in the position of being one of the modern masters (O’Brien, 1999, p. 56). In the work Seated Woman, Back turned to Open Window (1921-1923), Matisse uses linear movement in order to direct the eye towards the focal point of the woman. The horizontal lines converge with the vertical in order to frame the exterior view as the shutter acts as a frame for her a s she sits in front of it. Repetitions of rectangular shapes within the window are mimicked in the horizontal brush strokes of the water. Their shape has been morphed to be more organic, but still reflect the frame that holds them. While the work is representational, it holds a bit of the abstract as the forms and shapes create the imagery of what they reflect, rather than precisely reflecting reality. The brush strokes are expressive and reflect the Fauve aesthetics while revealing his return to a more classic form and holding their representative value. The painting is somewhat flattened, the roundness of the objects pushed back with the abstraction of their essence visually defined by shape and color. The refined use of primary colors, predominately of blue and red, are enhanced with touches of an ochre yellow in order to create interest and definition. Light

Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security Assignment

Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security - Assignment Example 1). The reasons that have been identified for the overwhelming popularity of SMM among business are as follows: (1) Customer Interaction and Feedback. SMM offers opportunities for business organizations to directly encourage feedback from customers and therefore enable them to address any weaknesses noted or areas for improvement. As emphasized by Hastings and Saperstein (2010), â€Å"today, more than ever before, businesses can not only listen to customers, they can invite customers to help shape the company activities. Customers have input on which products to develop with which features, how events should be planned, and what kind of meaningful dialogue they’d like to have† (par. 5). This reason therefore assists business organizations in immediately determining the reaction of customers through solicitation of their feedback, which is one of the most beneficial uses and reasons for SMM’s popularity. (2) Generate Traffic to Social Networking Websites. Accordin g to Prince & Rodgers (2012), generating traffic to identified social networking sites is made possible through target customers’ sharing â€Å"branded and highly relevant content with users who, in turn, pass your content to like-minded people they’re connected to† (Prince & Rodgers, 2012, par. 1). ... Likewise, as noted: â€Å"there was 800% traffic gain to its website†¦Additionally, the number of live Tweeter feeds relating to the Pepsi Refresh Project being streamed across Google grew tremendously in a short time†. This reason has been proven, therefore, to be effective in increasing target audience reach at a relatively short span of time and minimal expense compared to other advertisements or promotional campaigns. (3) To achieve the goal that the organization is targetting on a least cost yet greater target audience reach. As emphasized by (Prince & Rodgers (2012), â€Å"a core objective of social media marketing — or of a thought leadership campaign, for that matter — is to gain â€Å"mindshare.† You want to be top-of-mind when potential clients or customers are interested in products or services you can deliver. You want to provide content your preferred audiences find so appealing and beneficial that they’re motivated to pass it onà ¢â‚¬  (par. 6). One of the goals of the SMM has been identified to â€Å"generate interest in your offerings† (Prince & Rodgers, 2012, par. 1). Through the use of this strategy, business organizations are able to achieve their organizational goals, as well as the objectives identified in the particular project or promotional campaign; thus, increasing its popularity among business organizations. 2. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. According to the Marketplace for Entrepreneurs (2012), there are seven benefits of SMM, to wit: â€Å"(1) increased customer acquisition; (2) powerful word-of-mouth marketing; (3) increased brand awareness; (4) customer retention; (5) market research; (6) keep an

Techniques used by Martin Luther King to make his message powerful Essay

Techniques used by Martin Luther King to make his message powerful - Essay Example What is extra ordinary is his steely determination combined with clear vision and forceful expression that make his message so powerful. Martin Luther King had a good grasp of all facts and figures. The problem of segregation, its impact on a whole race of people whose only misfortune was the color of their skin, the impunity and arrogance of its perpetuators, the trauma and agony endured by its hapless victims most of whom comprised the aged, women and children, and the indifference of the people in general and the authorities in particular who were in a position to mitigate the problem but preferred to look the other way. The length of the letter, its tone, the unwavering documenting of instances that warranted his personal involvement, proves King's intentions of pursuing the case to its logical end. In his letter, Luther King expressed solidarity with his race, regretted the nonchalant way the problem was being allowed to continue, and does not show any sign of relenting on his opposition to the racial slur being daily played out in the country. He proved the validity of his presence in Birmingham as "consent" to an invitation, and his obligation to "live up to his promise" to engage in a non-violent direct-action program to oppose the "injustice being done here (Birmingham)." He also cited examples like Alabama where Negroes were being denied the right to vote. He contended, "Thus it is that I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court, for it is morally right; and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong." He even goes on to express his disapp ointment with the "laxity" of the church in relation to the inhuman treatment being perpetuated on the blacks. Scriptural and Political Quotations Being a seasoned theologian, he effectively quoted scriptures in support of his argument. He quoted St. Augustine, and declared, "an unjust law is no law." He referred to "the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake." Assuming a political stance, he stated, "We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal." It was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany." Using scriptural and political precedents, he made a strong appeal to human conscience in defense of his stand. In the entire saga of the good versus evil, the good always have had to pay a price, even when it vanquished the evil. Socrates did not change his stand even though it cost his life. Many others embraced martyrdom. Eventually, history repeated itself with Martin Luther King too. But they are remembered with gratitude all over the world. Source: Martin Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/mlkjail.html

Distorted picture Essay Example for Free

Distorted picture Essay Some people regard science as the supreme form of knowledge, because science provides facts. People tend to see science as true, justified, reliable, precise and objective. However there is a significant difference between natural and social sciences. Natural sciences use the basic scientific method to find the facts about the world we live in, the natural events and processes that take place in our world. The basic scientific method or nai ve inductivism follows five stages which include observation, information, generalization, theory and explanation and prediction. However though the basic scientific method seems perfectly reliable, there may be some problems which could challenge science as the supreme form of knowledge. Social sciences study human behaviour, relationships and society. These are very subjective and very difficult to measure. The results can be distorted by the scientists because completely objective observation is even more difficult in natural sciences because seeing what you want to see gives a distorted picture. The famous philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) who was a very radical empiricist and sceptic was concerned with limits to knowledge. According to his theories science cannot give us accurate knowledge and thus should not have such a high status. The problems of natural sciences, basic scientific method and Humes theory of causation that challenges science as the supreme form of knowledge is going to be discussed further in this essay. The social sciences study human behaviour and their relationships. There are several fields of social sciences including anthropology, political science, psychology, sociology and economics. However it is important to note that human behaviour is so inconsistent and influenced by so many variables that it is impossible to measure it precisely. The problem lies also in the social scientists themselves because they are humans as well as the subjects of their attention. It is virtually impossible for them to give a completely objective observation. Firstly they are studying things that cant be measured in human behaviour such as concentration or motivation. Secondly there is the problem that if the subject of their study knows he or she is being watched, he or she can consciously or unconsciously behave in a different way than they would otherwise. Also if the person hears the prediction of the results of the experiments, they might deliberately behave in such a way either to fulfil it or not. That means that social scientists prediction can influence human behaviour. Simply being seen by the unhidden scientist distorts what is seen. Another problem of social scientists is that they see what they want to see. They cannot separate their wishes, what they want to see, from what they see in the reality. Therefore social sciences are very imprecise and unreliable. The natural sciences use the basic scientific method which contains five stages that help the scientists to come to a conclusion. Firstly, they observe through their senses a particular set of events, they record the observation that they have made and after that they make certain generalisations which form a theory. The theory helps to form prediction for the future. Natural sciences are regarded as much more reliable than social sciences because their theories can be tested more easily and the tests can be repeated several times under identical conditions. It is not so easy for the natural scientists to distort the results as for the social scientists. However, there are certain problems with this method that make it seem unreliable too. Firstly, it has to be mentioned that observation comes through our senses. Unfortunately, our senses can be quite easily deceived. It is impossible to make our senses completely objective. We often see what we believe we should see or what we want to see or our hearing can be again influenced by our belief or a wish. This means that we cannot trust our senses completely. Secondly, science as an activity that is supposed to be detached from emotional content, however the scientists doing the experiments and the observations are humans an they cannot detach from their nature. Simply they can observe things that they want to observe because of many reasons such as political, financial, practical and also personal motives. And thirdly there is the problem of the observational statement which means that the scientists have to put their observations into words, which can influence the effect that the observation makes on people. Then there is the problem of the way we treat and use our knowledge. The process of inductive reasoning that we use in our everyday life follows this pattern: the experience or the observation comes first and based on it a prediction for the future or a general statement is made. There is a big strength about this way of reasoning. Firstly, science is based on this kind of reasoning and most of the people regard science as the supreme form of knowledge. Secondly it is quite obvious that the human race couldnt function without inductive reasoning because most or even all of our thinking processes follow the rules of inductive reasoning. If inductive reasoning was wrong, then human beings couldnt be classed as rational beings. However, there are weaknesses in this inductive reasoning that really raise doubts about human beings as rational beings. It is important to see that there is no necessary connection between the past and the future and also that the observation made could have been mistaken. The unconnected past and future can be very well expressed in Bertrand Russellstory about an inductivist turkey1. This story explains that we cannot make predictions or statements based on our past experience and observations because they are absolutely independent from what will happen in the future. This flaw of inductive reasoning seriously challenges the knowledge obtained through science because science is based on past observations. But if inductive reasoning is really wrong then science is based on very uncertain grounds. The philosopher David Hume created a theory which challenged the idea of causation. Causation means one event causing another, But can we really say that one event caused another? Usually when we see event A and then event B which followed event A, we tend to say that event B was caused by event A. But actually we observed just event A followed by event B, we didnt observe the cause the link between A and B. So to say that event B happened because of event A is not the same as to say that event A happened and then event B happened. We never experience the cause. An example can be day followed by night. In the past, the day was always followed by night and yet the day is not the cause of night. Day and night are both caused by something else (rotation of the earth on its axis as it goes around the Sun). So the connection between these two things can be invariant without either of them being the cause of the other. If this all is right, then science is again put into a very strange position and it seems to be based on very uncertain foundations and we can never talk about anything with absolute certainty. According to Hume, just the reason that we believe that the sun will rise every morning is based on our past experience and though it may be true that the sun has risen every morning of our lives, this is not enough evidence to guarantee the truth of the thesis that the sun will always rise. In social sciences the major problem is the inconsistency of human behaviour. If people regard social sciences as the supreme form of knowledge, they misunderstand the way social sciences work. It is impossible to rely completely on social sciences because there are too many variables that can influence the results. However if people regard natural sciences as the supreme form of knowledge, they misunderstand knowledge very much because there are so many problems and mistakes in human reasoning and the way they process information and deduce conclusions from information that was processed in a wrong way or was inadequate to support the conclusion. This theory can be very much supported by the theory of David Hume, a famous philosopher, who challenged science very much by his laws of causation. 1The turkey found that, on his first morning at the turkey farm, that he was fed at 9 a. m. Being a good inductivist turkey he did not jump to conclusions. He waited until he collected a large number of observations that he was fed at 9 a. m. and made these observations under a wide range of circumstances, on Wednesdays, on Thursdays, on cold days, on warm days. Each day he added another observation statement to his list. Finally he was satisfied that he had collected a number of observation statements to inductively infer that I am always fed at 9 a. m. However on the morning of Christmas eve he was not fed but instead had his throat cut. http://marr. bsee. swin. edu. au/~dtl/het704/lecture3/logfals/node6. html, 20th September 2004

Brave New World Essay Example for Free

Brave New World Essay Rhetorical Mode and Purpose It is better that one should suffer than that many should be corrupted.? Existing under a socially oppressive government, Bernard Marx constantly endures mental distress as a consequence of his unorthodox views. In Brave New World by Adolf Huxley, the primary protagonist struggles to voice his bitterness and disgruntled opinions, but the repressive World State tyrannize the society, and he ultimately loses his fight in becoming exiled. Narrated in the third person, Huxley details a technocratic government where signs of emotions are rendered treacherous and extreme consumerism forms the core of society. However, even more revolting is the unconscionable replication of nature through mass cloning, affirming the loss of everything fundamentally human. Through Brave New World, Huxley warned past governments who sought to increase effectiveness and stability, and continues to admonish the modern world, against increasing government intervention. Through narration, Huxley provides a panoramic scope of the horrific details and events residing under the command of a domineering government that asserts its omnipresence in all aspects of life. PASSAGE 1 (114-116) I chose this passage for both analytical purposes and interest value. Its surfeit in syntax variations stood out as a highly appealing passage to be analyzed, and the language effectively aroused suspense out of me. As the world of the savages unravels before Lenina?s eyes, her disgust heightens with each event that takes place, furthering repelling her from the culture. The underlying tone of hypnotic anticipation leads the audience through a series of events that build towards the climatical action of the passage. Through rhythmic syntax that propels the scene forward, dissonant diction and savage details, Huxley provides a lurid atmosphere as the lead-in to the horrifying act of sacrifice. Immediately, cacophonous diction begin to agitate the auditory senses. ?Harsh metallic? male voices answering the ?shrill? cries of the women initiates a perturbed mood and foreshadows deplorable events. As the audience?s sense of hearing wears away, ?a ghastly troop of monsters hideously masked or painted out of all semblance of humanity? enters to disconcert the visual senses. Nothing more than monsters completely devoid of human aspects. Monsters capable of executing actions that would appall Lenina?s society. Anticipation builds as the shrieks become ?louder and louder?; their dances, ?round and round? and ?round and round? again. Their actions echo in successions of hypnotic movements that lull the reader into a trancelike state. ?More and more,? the leader flings black snakes ?brown and mottled.? The periodic sentence emphasis this final action as a symbol of savagery and remnant of a primitive culture that ultimately disgusts Lenina. Dull diction such as ?brown and mottled? assembles a drab layer of atmosphere that looms over the tribal ritual. Adverbs and conjunctions advance toward additional events that further feed anticipation. ?And then the dance began?Then the leader gave a signal?Then the old man lifted his hand.? Syntax and diction continue to build suspense as it mounts toward a most horrific action event. Semicolons and commas function as the dominant driving force behind the passage. Instead of inserting common periods, Huxley surrogates punctuations as a link between closely related details that incrementally build towards the summit. Without paragraph breaks to detract from the anticipation, the events flow in a continuous stream while sentence lengths and punctuations determine the rhythm and pacing. The compound-complex sentences are brought to a sudden halt with the ceasing of the drums. ?The drums stopped beating, life seemed to have come to an end.? The device that signaled life halts suddenly and a series of medium length sentences supercedes the long ones. Just as the storm the eye of the hurricane provides temporary respite, the momentary arrest of the beating only creates further anticipation, leaving the reader waiting for the other half of the hurricane. Rather than satiating expectations, syntax lurches the rhythm suddenly to induce greater anticipation and thirst so th at when it resumes, the resulting effect will be of greater impact. The scene shifts from the panoramic view to focus on the interaction between two specific characters, the old man and the boy. Analogous syntax structure directs attention to the progression of actions. ?The old man clapped his hands?The old man made the sign?The boy moved on Succinct details are unaccompanied by imagery or flowery language that would detract from the crucial suspense-arousing events. ?The coyote-man raised his whip; there was a long moment of expectancy, then a swift movement, the whistle of the last and its loud flat-sounding impact on the flesh.? The actions of the savages tapestry the shroud of luridity that continue to repel Lenina while the clause between the semicolon and comma mirror the silence before the strike of the whip. At last, the ?whistle? signifies the anticipated action that syntax, details and diction have all along foreshadowed. ?Twice, thrice, four times round he went?.Five times round, six times round? Seven times round.? Lone words that constitute sentences and telegraphic phrases cut by commas reflect the sound of the lashes. Enumeration of each lash as if a scene from a movie being played in slow motion, grants equivalent emphasize of the pain from each blow. ?A few drops fell, and suddenly the drums broke out again into a panic of hurrying notes; there was a great shout.? The anticipation is finally satiated confirmed by the abrupt burst of drums. PASSAGE 2 (142 144) The details and diction in this passage was striking in conveying John?s fascination with Lenina. It immediately evoked in my mind a scene from Sleeping Beauty where the Prince stumbles upon the bewitched Princess. Lenina?s introduction to John at this point of the novel likens to a scientific experiment where a new and exotic life form is presented in a previously pedestrian environment. John, engrossed with every aspect about Lenina, adopts a humble position and invests her with rapt wonderment. Upon finding her possessions, he takes immediate fascination to his discovery and indulges himself in her relics. John?s actions reflect that of a worshipper. Thus, Huxley employs a tone of reverent infatuation to manifest John?s idolization of Lenina. Dominated by alluring details, the passage aims to manifest John?s unqualified adoration for Lenina. Without delay, olfactory appeal works to captivate John by providing a sense of familiarity, an indication of Lenina?s presence. In ?breathing Lenina?s perfume? and discovering ?a cloud of scented powder?, he conveys his fanatic infatuation, and then continues to ?fill his lungs with her essential being.? A meager waft proves inadequate to satiate John?s desires. Instead, he relishes in bliss, the effusive outpouring of her presence, breathes in her scents like a drug, and allows it to pervade all of his internal organs. In addition, he imagines the ?touch of [her] smooth skin against his face, while other tactile details confirm his nostalgic longing for her. As if in the presence of a goddess, he executes his actions with the most scrupulous care. Bending over the precious box, he touched, he lifted into the light, he examined. Polysyndetons and parallel structures emphasizes each action as distinct entities with equivalent importance. Commas retard the process so as to display not cursory haste, but fastidious devotion   not coarseness, but refinement and not brashness, but the delicacy of a worshipper in tending to a higher life form. Abstract diction continue to manifest John?s obsessive attachment to Lenina. Huxley attributes her possessions with desirous diction, labeling her perfume as delicious, her box as precious, her puzzle, a delight. John becomes entranced by her divine possessions, and muses over Lenina reverently. Delving further into the passage, comparative details attributed to Lenina and syntax portraying John as a stalker reveal the extent of his infatuation. Metaphors ascribe enigmatic aspects to Lenina, which intrigues John and plunges him into enchantment. Infatuated, he derives pleasure from unriddling her bewitched apparels. A simple pair of velveteen shorts likens at ?first a [to a] puzzle, then solved, a delight.? Lenina, furnisher of magically exotic appeal, jolts excitement into his previously mundane life of savagery. Huxley portrays her through John?s eyes as analogous to a mystery to be demystified, lock to be unlocked, cipher to be deciphered ? all of which fascinates John and builds on his infatuation. However, his conspicuous adoration becomes suppressed into a concealed form when agitation forms over the possibility of being discovered. Covert syntax and  diction depict John as an infatuated stalker. ?He heard something ? something like a sigh, something like the creak of a board.? Huxley purposefully employs ambiguous diction such as ?something? as opposed to concrete observable details. Disclosing her hiding position, Lenina?s appearance gradually comes into scope. John replies with stealthy obsession and strategically planned actions, reflected by extra inserts of commas that mirror his wary movement. ?He tiptoed to the door and, cautiously opening it, found himself looking on to a broad landing.? With enchanting metaphors and furtive syntax, literary devices continue to manifest John?s infatuation. Upon reaching the climatical action of John finally disclosing Lenina?s position, the tone ultimately assumes one of consummate reverence. Descriptive details of Lenina fast asleep enhances her chaste qualities. ?So beautiful in the midst of her curls, so touchingly childish with her pink toes?so trustful in the helplessness of her limp hands and melted limbs, that the tears came to his eyes.? Excessive use of the adverb ?so? heightens the degree of her qualities, implying an empyrean life-form inspiring awe. The child-like characteristics solicits sacred protection from John. Huxley?s delineation of her as ?limp? and ?melted? with a ?grave? sleeping face suggests death and ascendance into heaven. John, captivated, reveres her as one would of a goddess. Complex-compound sentences embroiders her purity and innocence while allusions to Shakespeare?s Romeo and Juliet continues to attribute divinity. ?On the white wonder of dead Juliet?s hand, may size/ And steal immortal blessing from her lips.? Comparison to Juliet further implies the notion of her resemblance to a goddess possessing immortality and an ethereal aura. In a humble manner, John ?very slowly, with the hesitating gesture? reach out to affirm the heavenly presence. However, his hands ?hung trembling? as he ruminates on the sacrilegious. Dare he ?profane? with his ?unworthiest? hand? Awe-inspiring details and sacredly connotated diction avouch the tone of infatuated reverence. PASSAGE 3 (232 233) The tone of this passage was not presented by the narration or characters in the novel, but rather created by a passage from a book being read by one of  the characters. I thought it was interesting to analyze a tone inside a passage of a passage. The abstract and metaphysical level of Brave New World reaches its apex when Mustapha Mond proceeds to read a passage from Maine de Biran?s book that justifies man?s eventual submission to God. While Biran holds the creed that individuals ultimately lose control of their lives and inevitably capitulate to the overwhelming siren call of God, Mond challenges that with the World State, one never experiences loss and thus will never seek counsel of religion. Huxley employs a tone of forensic instructiveness to allow both sides to present their cases effectively. Persuasive syntax utilized in Biran?s excerpt efficaciously compels the audience to assume his position. Immediately, the passage adopts the structure of a formal argument with Biran?s proposal of his thesis. ?We are not our own any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves, we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We are not our own masters. We are God?s property.? Simultaneous use of the pronoun ?we?, and three consecutive negatives carves away at the monolith of individual confidence. The anaphora build logical progression toward the thesis, whose brevity and sole affirmative adverb grants emphasis on unity with god. Also, rhetoric use of first person point of view lends itself to the notion that this pertains to all. Biran?s argument develops into a tone of instructiveness so as to provide support, illustrated by the transition, ?take this for example.? Repetitions in diction function to acknowledge the opposition. to have to think of nothing out of sight, to be without the irksomeness of continual acknowledgements, continual prayer, continual reference.? Syntactical analysis of Biran?s introduction reveal a tone of forensic instructiveness. Upon setting up the premise, Biran now proceeds to counter the opposition by providing rational support. The extensive length and complexity of the sentences that follow, broken down logically by semicolons and commas, carries the reader through a step by step process of rationally reaching a valid deduction. Diction, as well as syntax, justify man?s ultimate  submission to religion. With transitions such as ?feeling thus? and ?from which,? the progression towards the conclusions likens to a mathematical proof abundant with derivations. Anaphoric use of ?as the? and ?less? exhibits an inverse relationship between aging and the sentiments that prevented dependence on religion. Thus, with aging, ?God emerges as from behind a cloud? of with omnipotence, indicated by a series of fate-associated diction. ?Naturally,? one turns to God when he loses control of his world, and will ?inevitably? submit under his ?absolute? and ?everlasting? power. With spiritual and abstract diction, Biran?s concepts appeal spiritually and offer cleansing. ?So pure; so delightful to the soul.? The elongated sentence ultimately reaches its objective, its emphasis granted by a single dash. ? ? a reality, an absolute and everlasting truth.? Enhanced by mathematical instructiveness and persuasive diction, Biran effectively presents his case. After introducing Biran?s position, Mond assumes the tone of forensic instructiveness. He promptly proposes a qualified argument: ?You can only be independent of God while you?ve got youth and prosperity.? Mond builds his case upon the assertion that so long as one attains youthful desires and lives without the fear of death from old age, religion holds no significance in their life. Transitions prove to be the driving force of Mond?s counter-argument. ?Well, we?ve now got youth, what follows? Evidently, that we can be independent of God.? His argument, comparable to Biran?s, progresses logically and employs first person pronouns as well. ?And why should we go hunting for a substitute for youthful desires when desires never fail He summarizes his position with comparative rhetorical questions that juxtaposes both sides of the argument. The inquires detract rationale from Biran?s assertions while promoting his alternate solutions. Through forensic instructiveness, Mond?s counter-argum ent proves to be efficacious as well.

Human Resources in Malaysia

Human Resources in Malaysia Question1 ii) Assuming that you are the Senior HR Manager in one of the manufacturing company, how the minimum retirement age act in Malaysia has any impact in your company and industry taking into consideration it advantages and disadvantages? As a Senior HR Manager, I do believe there is impact of the minimum retirement age act in company and industry as well. Implementation of the new minimum retirement age act could be beneficial to the company. Based on the survey done by the group Aon Hewitt (2011), 53% out of the 107 companies that participated in the survey thinks that they will lose their talented employees. Furthermore, some companies also worry that they could not find the replacement for their talented senior employees due to the lack of talents in the market (Aon Hewitt, 2011). According to Tung and Comeau (2012), company that offer job rotation for the senior workers could save the cost of hiring new employees. Some senior employees are talented, still productive, and have many experiences that the younger employees do not have. Senior employees can share their experiences and knowledge, lead, and guide the newly hired employees. This could also help the company to save the cost of hiring outside trainer to train their new employees. However, there are drawbacks towards the company for implementing the new Act. Some company would face cost structure disruption due to the Act as mentioned by the Malaysia Employers Federation (Aruna Rahim, 2012). The senior employees have higher payroll than those younger ones. Some company could not afford higher wages employees and hence would face the financial problem due to the Act. Furthermore, some senior employees might face some health problem as they age and this would increase the company’s cost due to the medical bills (Tung Comeau, 2012). This would be a burden to the company especially those small-medium enterprises (SMEs). Besides the company, there are also some impacts of introducing the new retirement age act on industry field. According to Li (n.d.), delaying the retirement age from 55 to 60 can brings an impact on those fresh graduates or young employees. It is because the vacancies that were previously prepared for them which following the retirement of the older employees are delayed. He also stated that the pre-MRAA case of Sistem Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad had successfully argued in the Industrial Court on increasing the retirement age from 55 to 66 could cause frustration and stagnation of junior employees who failed to promote to the senior position as the senior staff only retires at the age of 60. Besides that, he also mentioned that the productivity of older employees may decline with age which lowers the performance of the organization. Some other disadvantages associated with older employees include inflexibility in executing tasks, unwilling to learn new knowledge, difficult in mainta ining up-to-date skills, and reluctance to take part in any training programs. Apart from that, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) Executive Director, Y. Bhg. Datuk Hj. Shamsuddin bin Bardan also claimed that the unemployment rate could rise from 3.7% to 4% or higher as the industry field is forced to subdue the loss in job openings as employee retires later (FreeMalaysiaToday, 2013). He said that the Malaysian job market is not well-prepared for the entering of new fresh graduates if the present employees do not leave the job market at the age of 55. In the other hand, new retirement age act can bring some long-term benefits (Chew, 2013). He proposed that by elongate five more productive years, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the national economy could be raised by extra 400 000 workers. He also said the government deficit can be reduced significantly as the workers working longer and contribute to the Employees Providence Fund (EPF) by continuing paying income tax. Last but not least, the contributions and taxes from the private sector can be reduced. This is because with the increase of revenue and surplus from the government, the income tax and other tax incentives from the private sector can be reduce. In a nutshell, the new retirement age act in Malaysia do give impacts on company and industry as well. Therefore, it is important for us to modify and minimize the negative impact so that it won’t affect company, industry and country much. Question 2 a) Does Sally have a basis for claiming â€Å"hostile environment† sexual harassment? How was she harmed? In our opinion, we think that Sally does have a basis for claiming â€Å"hostile environment† sexual harassment. Based on Code of Practice on the Prevention and Eradication of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace which established by Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia in 1999, sexual harassment means â€Å"any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature having the effect of verbal, non-verbal, visual, psychological or physical harassment: that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by the recipient as placing a condition of a sexual nature on her/his employment; or that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by the recipient as an offence or humiliation, or a threat to his/her well-being, but has no direct link to her/his employment. Based on The Code, sexual harassment of Sally case is fall on sexual annoyance, a sexually-related conduct that is offensive, hostile or intimidating to the recipient, but nonetheless has no direct link to any job benefit. In Sally case, the sexual harassment was fall into category of harassment by an employee against another employee. From the text above, the co-worker of Sally were whistles, leers, comments about her sexy physical body, one of the crew members whom name Al, even grabbed Sally and tried to kiss her. Sally was refuge what Al did on her. The action did by Al and co-worker were an unwanted conduct of a sexual nature having the effect of physical, verbal, non-verbal and visual which can be counted as a hostile environment sexual harassment. She was harmed due to the unsuccessful of resolving her sexual harassment problem by her supervisor, Chunk. She has been told to be calm. Apart from this, the co-worker isolates her and refuge to work with her. She develops an ulcer and used all her sick leave and being diagnosed having job-related stress and took 60 days of leave-of-absence. Her fiancà © also break their engagement because of peer pressure. Besides, she also failed to appeal regards on her sexual harassment case by both the union and management. b) If you were the union or Chunk, how would you investigate her grievance? If no witnesses supported Sally’s story, what would you conclude? Grievance is being defined as the â€Å"dissatisfaction between the employees and the employers involving the work and working environment† (Zulkiflee Daud, Mohd Faizal Mohd Isa, Wan Shakizah Wan Mohd Nor, Zairani Zainol, 2013, p. 123). In terms of this context, Sally claimed that she was being sexually harassed by one of the crew member, Al, where he tried to grab her and kiss her when Sally was being sent out in truck with Al. However, Al denied in having any physical contact with Sally. Sally’s case is considered as individual grievance whereby formal stage grievance procedures will be taken to investigate this case. So, if I were the union or Chuck, I will initiate with the grievance procedure once I received the complaint lodged by Sally. But before that, I need to ensure that I understand thoroughly what have been written in the grievance/complaint form by Sally and to have a basic idea on Sally’s situation and why she lodged the complaint. Then, I will write an acknowledging receipt of the grievance statement and proposed some advises on the ways to handle the grievance to Sally within the 5 working days from the day the grievance are being received. Next, I would proposed for an investigation to be done onto Sally’s grievance by developing a separate complaint procedure that deals specifically with such a sexual harassment complaints as this is a very sensitive issue in an organization. In developing the complaint procedure, Sally would be protected from any further embarrassment in the course of investigation into the complaint, for instance, being continuously shunned by the crew of the utility company. There are three main elements in a complaint procedure; first element is the step-by-step procedure within a time frame given for each step in the process of reporting and processing the complaint lodges by the aggrieved person, second element is conducting an investigation procedure, and last element in the complaint procedure is to come out with an appeal procedure that enable the dissatisfied party to re-appeal for an investigation’s findings to a higher authority. Thus, in dealing with the complaints by Sally, I will then request for a complaint Committee, as what may have been outlined in the company’s Code of Practice on the Prevention and Eradication of Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace. The complaint Committee shall includes at least three representatives from the other departments in the company not including the department of the accuser and the accused employee and the representatives shall have a higher position if compared to the employee that complaints and the employee that is being complaint. I shall also consider to go for a member from the outside counsel that is acquainted in dealing with the issue of sexual harassment. Not to forget, I shall go for a complaint Committee where at least half the members of the Complaints Committee are women and it is better to have Women member as the leader of the Complaints Committee. In setting up the Complaints Committee, I will proposed a tentative day, date, and time to the committee involved asking them to come for an investigation session and the committee shall present at the day, date, and time stated. Thus, in conducting the grievance investigation, separate interview will be held for both the aggrieved person (Sally) and the one who cause the aggrievation (Al). The interviews are done separately as to minimize the possibility of practicing bias and also to test the validity and reliability of the justification given by the parties involved. Apart from that, the investigation is carried out based on the 5W1H approach; who is involved in this case, what have happened, when did the case happened, where did the case takes place, and how did it happened? Both the parties, the aggrieved party (Sally) and the one who caused the aggrievation (Al) are given the fair chance to clarify and justify themselves. Other than the both parties involved, their colleagues l ike another women crew who also works would be called-in for the investigation session as well to know more about the parties involved, for instance, in terms of their attitudes in their working station and their personalities. After that, the Complaints Committee will come out with the final decision on whether Al is really guilty in sexually harassing Sally or not or it is Sally who has wrongly accused Al. The next step is closely linked to the decision made by the Complaints Committee. For instance, if Al was found guilty in sexually harassing Sally, I shall know what disciplinary actions that could be taken onto Al whether by terminating him without notice and showing him show cause letter or warning letter as the Employment Acts 1955 stated that: The individual found guilty of sexual harassment may be dismissed without notice, demoted or penalized with a lesser punishment, e.g. suspension without pay for a period of up to 2 weeks. Same situation applied to Sally, disciplinary actions will be taken if Sally was found guilty in accusing and maligning Al. It may be the possible that Sally is introverted and comes from a very conservative family background complaint that she was physically and verbally har assed. It might also be the case maybe Al was Sally’s former lover and had end their relationship or Al had fallen on her but she rejected and Al was envy what’s more to know that she had engaged with another man who is also the worker in the same company. If both the parties agreed with the final outcomes, the case is closed. But if both the parties do not agreed with the final outcomes, they are allowed to reappeal and the same investigation step will be carried on again. The investigation step will only come to an end when both the parties are agreed with the final outcomes or when one of the parties is proved to be guilty. In this sexual harassment case, if there is no witnesses that could support Sally’s story, I would conclude that Sally’s story is not valid. Without any strong supporting elements, the validity of Sally’s story is being questioned and without any proves, I have to come out with a conclusion that the sexual harassment do not take places as what have been told by Sally. Sally’s story could only be applicable if there is a strong evidence provided to support that the sexual harassment do take places and it do have the tendency to take place. However, if it really takes place, I will seek solution for the parties who found guilty and also provide some counseling session to help her recover from her emotional and physical injuries. Whether the charges are valid or not, I will transfer Sally to other department if she agrees to avoid the conflict between Al, the crew and herself which might affect her performance or given special attention on the welfare and saf ety of Sally if she has to work at night. c) How might this scenario have been prevented? This scenario can be prevented through several ways which are organization should develop policy statement prohibiting sexual harassment, provide training to employee and employer and take all the complaints of sexual harassment seriously. The organization should develop policy statement prohibiting sexual harassment. Based on The Code, policy statement on sexual harassment is a published message to all the members in organization which aim to create non-sexual harassment working environment. From the Sally case, it is clearly shown the co-worker doesn’t have a clear understanding on what sexual harassment is. A clear definition of sexual harassment is required include in the policy so that employee and employer can understand it and try to avoid doing it. Secondly, through provide training to employee and employer also can prevent sexual harassment. An effective policy, tied with training for all employer and employee will help in preventing harassment (Prevention of Sexual Harassment, n.d.). The training should teach what is sexual harassment is, procedure to complaints when facing such situation and etc. This can create awareness for all the staff to prevent sexual harassment with the knowledge gained during the training session. Lastly, the upper management should take complaints seriously rather treat it as small case. From the Sally case, we could see that her supervisor doesn’t treat it seriously. Instead of taking action on Al but the supervisor ask to keep her sense of humor and he just asked Al to keep his hands to himself. In fact, this obviously is a sexual harassment case and should take action quickly so that Sally’s right is protected. Due to the failure of taking complaint seriously, Sally being isolated by the co-workers and force to took leave because of job-related stress. It is important for the upper management especially immediate supervisor to take complaints seriously, take action on it, and figure it out whether sexual harassment exists or not. This is to ensure that the victim can be protected from being harass again. In conclusion, this scenario can be prevented through develop policy statement prohibiting sexual harassment, provide training to employee and employer and take all the complaints of sexual harassment seriously. This is to ensure Sally’s case won’t happened again.

Utopia Essay -- essays research papers fc

Thomas More’s, Utopia is one of the most politically and socially influential texts to date. His audience, which ranges from academic and social scholars to college students, all can gain a different understanding of the work and it’s meaning. In order to fully comprehend More’s message, one must have an appreciation for the time and culture in which he lived. After grasping historical concepts, one reads Utopia, not as just a volume recounting a fictitious island society, but rather as a critique on a time of corruption and reformation. Throughout the entire text, More’s personal views on the religion, politics, and economy of this turbulent time seep through the carefully plotted thread of this critical work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More is seen in history through many different lights. It is difficult to historically describe the sixteenth century without mentioning More’s individual involvement as a key religious and political figure of the time. In his early life, he focuses mainly on his desire for priesthood. More lived in a monastery for years and pursued the pious life of the Carthusians only to abandon it for a political career. Many speculate that More’s reasons for leaving had to do with the corruption he witnessed in his time there and desire to engage in matrimony. The corruption and greed forming among the clergy is what triggered the Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther. Next, More entered into the political spotlight through parliament and as a Speaker of the House of Commons, where he spent his energy encouraging the idea of freedom of speech. His next duty was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancester, followed by the Lord Chancellor. Both of these came towar ds the end of his political and judicial career when his views began to split from those of Henry VIII. More’s disagreement with the ideas of Henry VIII and the conversion to Lutheranism was eventually the end of him, when he was beheaded for refusing to swear to the Oath of Supremacy and Act of Succession. He believed in the way of the Catholic Church till the end and paid the ultimate sacrifice of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Evidence of More’s religious views is found throughout the text. He cleverly disguises his true opinions by inventing a fictitious traveler by the name of Raphael Hythloday, who the reader believes to be the originator of the radical ideas.... ... More spends a great deal of time in Book 1 on a conversation in which Raphael is expressing sympathy for the poor. More was rumored to also display this tendency in his life. In More’s time, the poor were at their poorest while the rich were getting richer. Food, clothing, etc, became a luxury to the homeless peasants, who often resorted to thievery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, More used an interesting characterization method to write a blatant critique of the societal constructs that he lived in. This was a dangerous task to undertake in a time when heresy and treason were punishable by death. More’s life achievements conflict with some of the views in his work, but that is why he calls it fiction. More lived a life of great determination and devotion. His strict lifestyle and critical analysis of the world that surrounded him served as the perfect exposition for a world that only existed in his mind. To close, a quote from Book I, Hythloday states, â€Å"You must strive to influence policy indirectly, handle the situation tactfully, and thus what you cannot turn to good, you may at least—to the extent of your powers—make less bad†(26). Works Cited

Criminal Behavior Essay -- Biology, Ellis and Walsh

Many scholars have attempted to explain criminal behaviour by identifying a genetic trait or other biological causes or indicator for criminality (Cullen and Agnew, 2011). Ellis and Walsh (2011) argue that while there is not a single â€Å"criminal behaviour† genetic trait, there are genetic trait that are associated with crime. They further suggest that these traits might provide evolutionary advantages to their holders in some circumstances. For example, traits such as deception and cheating would likely be evolutionary advantageous to maximizing a male's reproductive capabilities. Ellis and Walsh suggest that these traits might be genetically inherited. This theory of genetic influence does not however suggest that behaviours are genetically determined. Behaviours are still assumed to be learned, with specific genetic traits influencing this process (Ellis and Walsh, 2011).Rowe (2011) suggests a similarly biologically driven theory. He argues that through their impact upo n the central and autonomic nervous systems, genetic traits and biological harms can influence personality traits including those which are associated with criminality. In support of this notion are studies that have linked levels of testosterone and aggressiveness, low heart rate and criminality, weak skin conductance and criminality, as well as brain damage and lack of moral judgement (Rowe, 2011).Caspi, et al. (2011) present the theory that there are three super-traits which have various relationships with crime. The three super-traits they discuss are constraint, negative emotionality and positive emotionality. They note that the constraint and negative emotionality super-traits are related to self-control and with it criminality. This suggests that some indi... ...larly intimates. Both the methods and attributes associated with the crime are suggested to be learned. Learning of criminal and anti-criminal behaviour is thought to be similar to learning of other behaviours and attitudes in which the learner assimilates into the culture they are surrounded by (Sutherland and Cressey, 2011). This theory is similar to the Shaw and Mckay's explanation for criminality, but also ventures into the methods by which the attitudes are actually developed. Anderson's description of a culture of violence, that establishes a â€Å"code of the street† provides a vivid example of both the environmental conditions described by Shaw and Sutherland and Cressey as well as the learning processes described by Sutherland and Cressey. These clearly environmental and learned factors somewhat weaken the arguments of biological causes presented earlier..

Art and Aesthetics Essay -- Art

Art and Aesthetics Art is usually referred to as the visual arts, where a piece of work is judged through the aesthetics in which it creates. However, art refers to all human endeavors, including the product of oneÂ’s creative impulse. In other words, art does not have to be innovative to be good. I believe art is the communication of an idea, be it visual, musical, communicative or other. Art is the interplay between the conscious and unconscious part of our being, between what is real and what is an illusion; it is the voice of our soul through color and form in a constant search for connection with something beyond. I think of art as the bridge between our souls and the physical world. I see art as both an interaction between our psychological existence and our cultural expression of that existence. Thus, this can include challenging and sometimes disturbing imagery as well as the aesthetically pleasing. The artist's conceptual vision and a personÂ’s ability to translate this to an audience is what transforms the ordinary experience to a historically and culturally significant event. Moreover, art has a purpose. It is a way of reaching out and sending out a message, of opening a different way of communicating something with others, in ways otherwise would not be possible to achieve. Culture definitely plays a big role on the different varieties of art we have in our world today. For example, Japanese adolescents can be seen spending hours of their spare time trying to create animated art, otherwise known as Ââ€Å"manga†. This form of art may not be acceptable to every culture, as it may be seen as being unrealistic childish nonsense. However, to these Japanese adolescents, Ââ€Å"manga† is a valuable work of art. Contemporaries like Andy Warhol may have a different definition of what art is. However, traditionalists may sneer upon WarholÂ’s creation of the CampbellÂ’s soup can as a work of art. Generally, an artistÂ’s surroundings and culture plays a big influence in the type of art he or she creates. Personally, my culture did not play a big role when I was in the midst of working on my artwork. Although I consider myself as an amateur when it comes to art, I believe that if you let your emotions and inspirations guide you, you would be able to produce a fine piece of art. This will make your piece of art original, as it would have come from deep within yours... ...of something to the person who tries to interpret it. Every piece of art is created through the knowledge of something, be it objective or subjective. For example, in an artistic way, a skilled craftsman would have a purpose and message in mind and he adapts and molds materials to fulfill this end. If he is to succeed in conveying his message, he needs to develop his expertise. There is a kind of craftsmanship and intelligence at work in the practice of his art. Whether a ship builder or weaver, he applies his practical knowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœhow, virtuosity, and talent in fashioning objects that he is creating, and he draws upon general principles which he applies to concrete cases. Moreover, art can help a person develop their critical senses. It could give a person an intuition for forming judgments and trying to decipher what the artwork is trying to portray. Knowledge provided by art is very distinct, as it deals with having a good sense of judgment and interpretation. In conclusion, there is no one true definition of art. Art is valued differently, depending on the individual. Different individuals have different views as to what art is; and as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Ethical Theories Essay

A virtue is a trait of a certain person that is valued as being good from a particular point of view and answers the question of what actions are moral and what are not. Also, morality is the basis of being ethically correct and good. There had been several different ethical theories that exist in the society and each having different standards or basis for morality. One of the well known theories in the contemporary time in the field is virtue ethics which is one of the 3 major normative ethics approaches.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Virtue ethics originated in the ancient Greek times that takes inspiration from the works of the Greek philosopher, Aristotle while other theories in virtue ethics also incorporate elements from the works of Hume, Plato, Aquinas and as well as Nietzsche. Basically, virtue ethics gives importance on the character of a person.   Thus, it is the character of a person that is the key element and the basis of being good or morally correct rather than laws/rules or even the consequences or outcome brought about by a particular action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to virtue ethics, we should look at the character of a person rather than his or her duties and actions. It is how one can be better person that is given emphasis rather than the right thing to do. It is easy to live a virtuous life according to Aristotle and that the main reason for those who do so is to be happy. Thus, a virtuous life gives happiness which is the main or ultimate goal of every human being according to virtue ethics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to become a better person, virtue ethics suggest that one must practice virtuous acts on a regular basis. These acts will eventually become habitual and thus, making the habit of doing such acts as a natural day to day activity which in the long run, will make the person a better being. Thus, the ultimate aim of the particular person is to make people happy. Virtue ethics suggests that a person living a virtuous life will eventually do virtuous things not only to be happy but as well as to make people happy which in turn will be their main objective and goal in life of a virtues person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Virtue ethics also assumes that all humans have capacities that are inherited and that, as stated earlier, actions that could improve these capacities are considered as ethical and those that hinder the improvement of these capacities are not, that is, if an action is able to develop the potential of the particular person, it is the morally right thing to do and otherwise, morally wrong. These, inherited potentials, according to ethical theories are wisdom and intelligence and so, in order to live a virtues life, we must be able to develop our wisdom and intelligence. Thus, rather than trying to define goodness or righteousness, improving one’s character is given the importance and is the basis of ethically good actions and is virtue ethics’ central theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     By giving emphasis on the person’s being rather than actions, virtue ethics aims to achieve something that is genuinely wanted by the person rather than focusing on the incoherent ideas about the after-life which are found to be arguable. It is said that virtue ethics is applicable to all, can easily be understood and fits into both dos and don’ts of philosophies and as well as religion. Therefore, it is like a combination of both religion and philosophy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every ethical theory suggests standards of morality and according to virtue ethics, right actions are the results of being a moral person. It is by becoming a moral person that we will eventually know what actions are righteous from what are wrong and thus, we flourished as human beings. Virtue ethics also suggests that virtue is an important and admirable human characteristic just as courage and kindness. Virtue ethics also suggests that a good society is a result and accomplishments of virtuous people in that particular community. Thus, it can be said the virtue ethics is far more different than other ethical theories present such as Consequentialism that focuses on the results of a certain actions or Deontology that focuses on certain rules and duties of every individual as set by the society. Consequentialism would ask what actions will bring the most benefit and the least harm to the persons that are involved and will be affected by the action. On the other hand, Deontology will ask what actions are approved by the society and that are accordance to the moral rules or laws as dictated by the society or culture. Still, as mentioned earlier, virtue ethics does not focus on the action itself or on the result of that action or even in the set of rules that are present in the society but rather, on the character of the person involved in making the decision. By evaluating the points of these ethical theories, it can be said that all have their own strength and as well as weak points when it comes to decision making and one cannot be considered as superior to the other. Still, taking either side will also be dependent on the points of view of the person making the decision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One problem with virtue ethics is that it is mostly not applicable or of little help to persons who are facing dilemma. The same thing also goes for Consequentialism and Deontology.   If for example, you can save a friend by lying to a certain person or group, would lying be the action by a virtuous man or is it considered as a simple lie that a virtuous man should avoid? In this case, it can be said that virtue ethics cannot be applied and does not help the person in making a decision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another problem faced by virtue ethics is that it cannot justify a certain problem for doing so would require a basis of what is moral. In this case, the decision on which virtues are considered morally correct and which are not are has to be made which is definitely a hard thing to do. Thus justifying certain actions based on what virtues are moral and what are not are still a big question.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, it can also be said that the one of the distinct strength of virtue ethics is that it gives emphasis on the connection between our characters and our acts. It also views our character as whole and unified rather than treating each as isolated when it comes to making ethical decisions. Thus, a person’s virtue is considered as a totality and not as fragment of different aspects and that one character/trait is not isolated from the other. Thus, virtue ethics looks at the individual, something that most ethical theories fail to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is no absolute theory that exists in which all will agree that it is definitely the right standard of living a virtuous life. Thus, every theory has its own critique and opponents. This is because of the difference in the experiences, knowledge and points of view of every individual, being unique in different ways. Thus, an ultimate theory can never really exist. The actions that must be taken by every individual defends on both his or her experiences and values together with the situation at hand and no theory will be able to solely suggest what ought to be and not be done. Therefore, decision making is not just a matter of theories and principles but of experiences, knowledge of the situation and of the people involved and the complete being of a person making the decision. Reference Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2000). Virtue Ethics. Retrieved April 28, 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/#3

Tv Representation of Families and Society – 1950s to Present

The television shows from 1950 to the present are connected in many ways. The characters showed in the 1950s television show called Leave It To Beaver all have white coloured skin and portrayed as a happy, perfect family. As the decades increased, the nuclear families turned into blended families, and the television shows started to have coloured characters. The families started to have problems and social situations. The viewer sees the conflicts inside the family begin as the years progress. For example, in the 2000's we examined a television show called Arrested Development.The show portrays the characters as if they are troubled and have problems. The children do not listen to their parents but instead have their own path in life, and their father is in jail. The representations of families changed according to society. In the 1950s, society acted traditionally, and old-fashioned. Therefore, the families portrayed in television were traditional, old-fashioned, obedient, and respo nsible. However, as the years progressed, society changed. The people became more free, open-minded, united, and dysfunctional.However, even though there are many differences between the television shows from the decades, there are still similarities between them. Even though society changes through time, families are still connected through love, support, care and responsibilities. In my family, we always stick together, support each other's choices and love every person unconditionally. The television show that I can most relate to is The Crosby Show for many reasons. The Crosby Show has a humorous father, and a caring and loving mother who are both hard working, siblings who fight but still love playing and music.The female teenager called Denise is independent, likes boys, music, wants an education, but still has fun which is alot like myself. The family had the same values as mine, such as education is important in the household, being healthy, and having a respectful and hones t relationship with everyone. However, the past television show which I least relate to is called The Brady Bunch. It is a blended family which consists of a father who is an architect, a mother who stays home, a family nanny, and six children. The parents act romantic, loving and do not raise their voice or argue. The children behave properly nd do not have their independent voice nor their freedom. My family is not perfect like The Brady Bunch but we are a loving family with modern values and morals. The past television shows I have examined demonstrated morals, and values in families. In my opinion, the most realistic TV show about a family in the past was the Cosby Show. The Cosby Show was the only TV show that had a normal family. Both the parents had a successful job, the children have morals and optimistic values, and the family is always positive and humorous. The children have normal problems at their age, they care about education and social standards.They make it seem as if everyone is equal and fair, and everyone has their own opinions not just following every action. On the other hand, the TV show which had a dysfunctional and least unrealistic family was Married With Children. This family was chaotic, uncontrolled, and they have dysfunctional values. The mother does not think straight and wants control over her husband. The father on the other hand, gives away his money without an opinion, and does not give authority to the children. The children do not care about school, nor health. They cannot be controlled and handled by the parents very well.Half the time, the parents do not even know where their children are. In my opinion this is not healthy nor a stable environment for the children to grow up in. Overall, families in general are represented in TV shows by how society is acting in that specific year. For example, in the 1950s families were behaving properly and according to the rules. They had perfect hygienic appearances and they were prec ise about everything they did. They had a daily routine including work, chores, school, healthy food, doing homework, speaking politely, and the husband was the man of the house.In the 1960s, they begin to blend a family together and the viewer begins to see a small change. The children start to argue and disagree with many things, the father is still the only one working and still the man of the house. The family begins to have arguments and situations but learn how to solve it by communication. In the 1970s, the children begin to think more modernly and start to think for themselves. The parents are older and the children are younger. The children begin to wonder; my parents are older and they do not understand me.The values of the children are liberal while the parents are more conservative. In the 1980s, the families begin to show humour, choices, and diversity. The shows begin to have dark coloured skinned characters, and freedom of speech. The children begin to engage in extra curriculum activities and have their separate social lives. The parents are strict but still loving, and the family thinks modern and up to date but the husband is still the man of the house. In the 1990s, the families represented in the TV show, become disoriented, their values are mixed up, eat unhealthy, and do not follow any morals or rules.The parents do not seem to care or worry about their children. The children begin to disrespect their parents and not pay attention to the rules. In the 2000's, the family is more dysfunctional, and less sophisticated. The children are rebelling against their parents and their father is in jail. Basically, as the years progress, the values and morals of society changes thus, changing the morals in families. Report On The Image Of American Society In Films Representations of the American society in films changed throughout 1950s to the present. American society revolves around the typical American family.The family structure has changed drama tically over the years. In the early years, the family was represented as a perfect family structure that acted politely, sophisticated and came together as a family. The family communicated with each other and spent valuable time as one. They sat down together as a family and bonded. As the years increased, the morals and values began to get lost in time through technology. Family keeps everyone together and responsible but without an authority figure inside the family, the family will start lose their bond.Throughout the years, the husband was the authoritarian man figure, however, as years progressed from the 1970s to the present, allowed women an amount of independence to express their freedom by getting a chance to support their families and to receive an amount of responsibility. The films demonstrated that the families in the past had morals and values but decreased throughout the years. However, families still have honesty and unity to live by these days and no one can take that away from them. American’s society has a wide view on people based on the present life experiences.American films from the 1950s to the present have families based on the expectations of society at that moment. The past American film that I can most relate to is The Breakfast Club. The Breakfast Club is a movie from the 1980s about a group of different teenagers stuck in detention. These teenagers all have different personalities and hang out with different people. In the present society, I do not stick myself with one â€Å"crew† or â€Å"clique†. I pay attention to different kinds of people, with unique social standards and diverse appearances. The teenagers all come together and help each other and put aside their differences.The American film which I least relate to is called The Fight Club. This American movie about society got society all wrong. Society is not that cruel, guilty, and violent. The entire film is about a depressed man who meets another man who is played by Brad Pitt and form a fighting club for the men who need confidence and never fought in their lives. The two men lose their jobs, homes, and health and begin to live in a broken down house and rebel against the law. They lose themselves inside the money they earn and the fights they fight. They do not understand the true meaning of life.In my point of view, I cannot relate to those men fighting and rebelling against society. American society creates films based on the American population’s beliefs and moral values. America’s most realistic form of society in a film is Saturday Night Fever. This film toke society’s fashion, fads, slang, and the realistic view of society at that moment and brought it to life. John Travolta played a young adult who worked part time, but still made his own decisions and worked hard for what he wanted. He had an extra curriculum activity which was dancing, and that was special for him. He worked hard, and he devot ed himself to his passion.In civilization, human beings work hard to become someone that’s treated with respect. His family was not always beside him and supporting him but they got around like a normal loving family. He has freedom of speech and is involved with everyone around him. In that moment in society, the director got the exact moments, and social events precisely into the films. In my opinion, the least realistic film that was brought to the public based on the public was The Fight Club. The Fight Club did indeed touch people and made people want to fight to prove themselves worthy, however, society is much better and efficient than that.If one works hard, then the hard work will be paid off correctly and they will become a winner on their own. One cannot achieve greatness and success over one fight. One has to work hard, believe in themselves and have hope. Society is not weak and does not fight because they need confidence. In reality, people challenge themselves and earn their life and living in a proper educated manner. Overall, American society in general are represented according to the community’s actions, feelings, and moral values. The world begins to think less old fashioned and the directors understand that.Young adults are changing the future as we know it. Society is going to act accordingly to modern young adults’ opinions and attitudes. The films represent the positive views on society. They demonstrate the modern experiences and attitudes that the director places in the movies. Technology is taking over our world and has a huge impact in the movies. Directors try to catch the attention of their audiences but placing modern attractions into the movies. The films try to be what the society is at that moment so that people will want to see the movie and think that it is the coolest and top movie that there is.Modern Representation of Families in Society A modern Canadian society is represented through a TV show calle d Degrassi: The Next Generation. This TV show is about young adults in a high school trying to fit in, living through every day situations, and trying to understand life. The TV show focuses on many different life situations and unique kinds of people. These characters face various challenges such as poor self image, sex, AIDS, cheating, death and suicide, depression, bullying, homophobia, racism, eating disorders, peer pressure, child abuse, sexual identity, gang violence, self-injury, teenage pregnancy, and drug abuse.These are all topics that teens experience in high school, and there is no sugar-coating. In my point of view, this realistically relates most to the young adults and the adults in the show, also face daily modern situations such as divorce, abuse, economic problems, and identity issues. Degrassi is not for everyone, mainly because it's an honest account what it's like to be a teen in a society which values cliques and confrontation over truth and real growth. Teenag ers in society are beginning to learn their purpose in life and try to create their existence in society a worthy one.They believe that they can change the world and put their education towards a worthy cause. In the show, there are many cases of modern problems which demonstrate to the public that those are the situations that need to be changed. For example, teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy is high in America. 1 in 20 young females will become pregnant before they graduate high school. Teenagers need to realize that they do not live in a Barbie perfect world but have complications to face.With this TV show, teenagers, and young adults can realize the world issues out there and can fix them before they get out of hand. The audience gets a warning of the real world and chance for them to redeem themselves. The TV show is like a window into the modern world. The audience seems weak and confused on their path in life but if they get an opportunity to see the outcome of their actions, (s uch as having sex which can lead to pregnancy) they can learn what not to do. Television is a part in our modern society and media survives on the audience’s remarks.Basically, people enjoy watching what they can relate to or what they are interested in. This show is important to society in general for the Canadian community. The issues portrayed in the television show is the most realistic representation of modern society. It is based on real life stories and events that happened. It is important that television portrays the real society at that moment because people start to act according to them. For example, ideas and themes become main stream in society so do they become more common on television.Women would never sleep in the same bed as her husband on television. This is because at the time â€Å"Leave it to Beaver† was being aired, it was a social taboo to talk about sex, or sexuality, even between married couples. Today, we have shows about single moms and sex uality is openly displayed by characters on TV. This shows a change in our cultures values and how we need to be completely and clearly informed every moment we get in our lives so we can learn from TV characters’ mistakes.