The History of Internet and Internet Security

The State of Texas Academic Readiness

The State of Texas Academic Readiness Introduction The state of Texas has had a statewide program for academic assessment since 1979 (Keating 562). The State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) was enacted in 2007, and the implementation started in 2011. The main aim of the STAAR is to appraise the knowledge of students and skills.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The State of Texas Academic Readiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The scope of the STAAR is to test students in grades three through to eight in reading, math, science, and social studies (Guisbond, Neil and Schaeffer 35). In addition, it includes assessments carried at the end of the course and taken between grades 9 and 12. The STAAR has experience mixed reactions in Texas. Proponents argue that it provides the best alternative to measure knowledge and skills of students. On the other hand, there are counter arguments that the program causes mental and emotional str ain on the key stakeholders i.e. the students, parents and teachers (Dutro and Selland 342). This paper analyzes the issues facing the program based on the counter argument. Measuring Knowledge using STAAR The STAAR is designed to ensure that a student passes a minimum of 11 end-of-course exams (EOC) in order to graduate. The students must achieve a minimum cumulative score on all the given exams. According to Dutro and Selland students are supposed to pass all EOC assessments in order to graduate from the high school (347). The EOC accounts for 15% of the students’ grade. Thus, a failure in an EOC may bar a student graduating from high school. According to Featherston, the STAAR places a lot of emphasis on testing, this negates the teaching to acquire basic skills and knowledge (3). Teachers have resulted in teaching towards the tests. In addition, the students are more anxious about the tests due to the time pressures and formalities that relate to STAAR that end up placing strain on them to perform well. Thus, the students may fail due to the pressure or pass with flying colors due to the fear of the consequences. This is due to the fact that the current standardized testing is based on ‘test and punish policies’ (Weiss par. 3). While substantiating the claims, Warren and Grodsky stated that STAAR does not measure the knowledge of students (647). For example, a study conducted by Dutro and Selland, established that majority of tests contain information that is hard to understand and thus, the tests do not properly assess skills and knowledge (357). In the study by Dutro and Selland, a student exclaimed that â€Å"I was finally happy when I could read chapter books, but I know I’m not good at it. I do badly on those tests. When we take them, I just know it will be another low point, so the books I like, I know they are too low for those tests† (359).This is a pointer that the STAAR has not been able to evaluate the studentsà ¢â‚¬â„¢ knowledge.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Warren and Grodsky added that the tests under STAAR are too many and thus causes the students to lose interest in the learning process (648). Cramming of the content being taught has replaced the basic learning process, which builds the students critical thinking skills. This is contrary to basic the teaching process in which testing is supposed to link the learning materials and the student in order to promote critical thinking and understanding the concept of issues being taught. However the advocates of the STAAR state the standardized testing is the only viable option to assess students’ knowledge and skills. This is because some teachers and parents trust that STAAR determines the academic situation of students in relation to writing and reading. Featherston added that the STAAR develops and administers tests that assess students’ knowledge against the set standards for learning (4). As a result, this ensures that all students have the required proficiencies in knowledge and skills and that as they progress to the next grade they are not falsely promoted. Preparedness of Teachers to Give Students what they need for STAAR The state of Texas has developed new curriculum for subjects such as World Geography and Biology. The standards for the new curriculum have been adopted by the State Board of Education (Guisbond, Neil and Schaeffer 36). However, the state of Texas has not provided materials required to boost the program. The teachers lack textbooks that promote the new curriculum standards. Dutro and Selland stated that the STARR has shifted the focus of teachers from guiding students to gain critical thinking skills that students require for their college and future careers to ‘teaching to the test’ (360). Furthermore, the EOC evaluation tests are normally writ ten in a complex language, three Lexile levels. This implies that the student may be aware of the subject matter but may not understand the tests because they are written in language that is higher than their normal grade. In the support that teachers are not giving the students what they need to prepare for STAAR, a university professor, Walter Stroup posited that STAAR is about how well the students are at doing the standardized tests (Weiss par. 1). Thus, teachers do not teach the right content. However, proponents argue that STAAR has led to teachers proving the students with the content they require in order to prepare them for college and future careers. For instance, it has led to a shift from grade-based to course-based assessments. In addition, the standardized tests have revolutionized the teaching process because teachers can link performance standards to external evidence of postsecondary readiness. Thus, there is the need to device other measures to evaluate the educato rs and students in order to improve academic performance and equity.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The State of Texas Academic Readiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion Based on the arguments, it can be generalized that STAAR has increased the test workload for teachers, students, and the parents. The emphasis on the standardized testing has led to teachers aligning the teaching strategies to ‘teaching to the test’. This has negated the principle that education is about learning and understanding. However, it is worth noting that STAAR is not entirely terrible. The lack of proper standardized tests, teachers and parents will not know the academic progress and preparedness of students to move to the next level of education. Thus, there is the need for test standards that uphold holistic learning of students and that motivate teachers rather than pressurizing them. The tests should be designed in relation to understanding the implications of standardized testing and their effects on students’ mental and emotional wellbeing. The tests should be designed in a manner that incorporates the empowerment ability in which teachers are provided with learning materials to prepare students to achieve the set standards. Dutro, Elizabeth, and Makenzie Selland. â€Å"I Like to Read, but I Know I’m Not Good at It†: Children’s Perspectives on High†Stakes Testing in a High†Poverty School. Curriculum Inquiry 42.3 (2012): 340-367. Print. Featherston, Mark. High-stakes testing policy in Texas: Describing the attitudes of young college graduates, Texas: Texas State University, 2011. Print. Guisbond, Lisa, Monty Neill, and Bob Schaeffer. Resistance to high-stakes testing to spreads. District Administration 48.8 (2012): 34-42. Print. Keating, Daniel. â€Å"Formative evaluation of the Early Development Instrument: Progress and prospects.† Early Education and Development 18.3 (2007): 561-570. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Warren, John, and Eric Grodsky. Exit exams harm students who fail them and dont benefit students who pass them. Phi Delta Kappan 90.9 (2009): 645-649. Print. Weiss, Jeffrey. Texas’ standardized tests a poor measure of what students learned, UT- Austin professor says. 11 Aug. 2012. Web.

Different Views On Slavery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Different Views On Slavery - Research Paper Example The assignment "Different Views On Slavery" presents a review of the situation in the United States America regarding slavery including the views on slavery of several significant figures in the United States politics. Slavery was a very common sort of business that was widely prevailing in the western as well as eastern culture. It was not simply getting the work out of people but also treating them brutally and cruelly, rather not regarding them as a part of the society. They only considered as one’s property that can also be traded with other parties in an open market. No matter if that slave is actually willing to work or not, he was ruthlessly forced to do all the tasks that have been assigned to him. Explaining this all concept of slavery, in a nutshell, can be termed as crafting a sense of inferiority in a certain group of people and making them feel that they are nothing but an instrument of great people. This concept was initiated in the early centuries in which people were purchased by giving some amount of money and then taken on remand for almost all of their lives. They were further traded with other people charging more money depending upon the slaves' skills, capabilities, personality looks etc. the captured slaves have no rights in the society and in all cases were considered inferior. In older times, this slavery was recognized by most parts of the world and was considered lawful. However, it was purely un- ethical to treat humans and things and under grading certain cast. Slavery in United States of America It was the initial colonial era that endorsed slavery. In the late seventies and stretching to late eighties, slavery was widely accepted by reputed and well established communities of the western as well as eastern world. Most importantly, it was very dominating and prominent in major areas of the United States of America. Slavery in the united states was termed as major legal institution and was regarded lawful and ethical. The roots of such act and laws popped up when united states successfully managed to get the independence from Great Britian in the year 1776. After a certain period of time, few people took the initiative to step against the tide. Few people rebelled against this evil practice of the Northern part of the country and endorsed the basic human and society rights of individuals. But on the other hand South was in complete favor of slavery. All this prevailing situation gave a courage to the slave society to raise their voices for themselves and halt this evil practice in the upcoming future. As a result, a chaos situation triumph in the whole country that later on, at the extreme, lead to the Civil War in the United States. Views On Slavery The topic of slavery became the limelight of a number of historians, philosophers, scholars and scientists. They were found highly interesting in researching and writing on this hot issue that w as in the air at those times. A great number of scholars took slavery as a part of their research for the reason that it was fitting really well into their officially authorized focus on the fresh scientific history (Smith, 1980). In addition, Thomas Jefferson also highlights the issue of slavery. His work on this topic can be termed as mix and even contradictory to his own points. His work on slavery completely represents his point that he was highly against this cruelty, ruthlessness and brutal treatment of the human element. He condemned this act widely through his columns, papers etc. He was the one man army which stood firm against the entire Virginia Assembly to enforce the law of Manumission in 1769 (Ford, 2008). Stanley Elkins' Slavery Stanley Elkins is a renowned personality that has great lists of works as far as the topic of slavery is concerned. His work was highly influential and striking at that point in time as it was the age when slavery was at the height of its prev ailing period. He made two most important arguments in regard to slavery 1. The American natives or some who were also known as the abolitionist had an idea to cut off the total efficiency and efficacy by means of insisting on the consistency of the roots of ideology, wholesomeness and steadiness.

Starting an Innovative Architectural Firm Essay

Starting an Innovative Architectural Firm - Essay Example On the hand, organizations with low or nil innovation orientation are normally associated with negative performance attributes, such as low quality of services, high wastages, constant complaints, grievances and conflicts with key stakeholders, low productivity, high redundancies, poor turnover, low flexibility and generally poor reactions from the key stakeholders (Koontz, 2009). In spite of the significance of innovation, founding an innovative architectural firm is not an easy process. It requires the understanding of a variety of environments, the application of best business practices and the adoption of current organizational development and management techniques, among other key issues. Adoption of current technological devices remains the key to the successful founding of an innovative firm. The computerized information technology with its related products in the forms of information systems, connectivity and telecommunications, the data base management syndrome, the artifici al intelligence domain and effective security to information and other related products have shown tremendous success in the management of innovation. The computer technology works to capture, process, store and disseminate information in a more accurate, economical and simple manner. Additionally the organization has the potential to meet both far away and immediate stakeholders through the various telecommunication systems. Closely associated with the telecommunications is the nature of information processing and dissemination. Since innovation requires quick and accurate information flows, the application of the online system of information processing, as opposed to the all batch processing, has clearly worked to increased innovation in the many other fields. This ensures effective and faster flow of ideas, communication and information that will increase an organization’s ability to innovate. In this respect through such products like electronic calendaring, artificial in telligence, electronic meetings and electronic mail, the application of computer based information systems has greatly assisted in the innovation. Thus, based on the aids of the current computers and related technologies the foundations of innovative architectural firms have been achieved with great success. Starting an innovative architectural firm also requires high levels of knowledge, abilities and capacities, as well as the right attitudes and skills. The acquisition of these variables is undertaken through sustainable training and development efforts. Training and development equips the participants with the above variables required to operate the venture. In this respect, an innovative architectural firm needs to establish training and development programs that are both comprehensive and flexible. This provides the participant with the needed innovation and related skills, attitude, knowledge and abilities. Senge advocates for the learning organization concept as a means of i nstituting innovative firms. His model of training and development denotes an organization that is constantly training and developing its resources while at the same time, being involved in serious analysis of its training and development programs. This analysis reflects the current and future needs of the firm with the ultimate objective of developing a strategic perspective. The learning organizations concept is synonymous with high levels of organizational flexibility,

Cambodia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cambodia - Assignment Example cribed as a third-world nation, its people poor and most towns ragged and dirty but its natural beauty and ancient architecture make it a tourist destination. Angkor Wat, located in province of Siem Reap, was built in the 1200’s to honor the god Vishnu. It served as the capital and state temple of the Khmer Empire, an ancient nation that was almost as large as all of present day Southeast Asia. Discovered by French explorers during the 18th Century, the ancient structure of Angkor Wat (translated as â€Å"Temple City†) is considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World. The height of classical Khmer architectural style and grandeur, Angkor Wat is a national symbol appearing prominently on the Cambodian flag. The Killing Fields refer to several places where massive numbers of people were massacred and buried by the Khmer Rouge, a regime that took control following the Cambodian Revolution in the mid-‘70’s. By the end of its reign of terror in 1979 more than a million had been brutally butchered, people considered dangerous such as intellectuals and those aligned with the previous government. (â€Å"Travel and T ourism,†2001). Tourism has made a comeback in Cambodia following the end of political unrest in neighboring Thailand two years ago. Many tourists, about one-third, enter Cambodia through Bangkok, Thailand. The government is promoting ecotourism, both encouraging visitors while sustaining the natural beauty and quiet serenity of its more than 800 ancient temples. Tourists enjoy both daytime and nighttime excursions of Cambodian temples and other heritage sites. What may be the more attractive feature of Cambodia are the areas that have yet to be discovered. The city of Sihanoukville, located on the shores of the Gulf of Thailand has recently become a tourist destination. The government reopened the airport there and is redeveloping the city in addition to encouraging the building of hotels, shopping centers and a casino that opened just last year.

Royal Bank of Scotland Staff Management

Royal Bank of Scotland Staff Management The Royal Bank of Scotland Executive Summary Royal Bank of Scotlands rapid expansion into the global market as against its roots as a national bank, has exposed the bank to the ripple effect created by the fall in the USA housing market, which has led the global banking industry into greater economic crisis. As a result of RBSs exposure to the current financial crisis, this report shall looks at the difficulties involve in leading and motivating staff of RBS as it navigates its way out of the crisis. The difficulties with leading staff of RBS that shall be looked into involve, lack of In-depth and technical knowledge by the board and the CEO, Managing culture, Managing Change, Loss of reputation, and Government Interference. Understanding and satisfying of staffs need in this current financial crisis may be a difficult task for the management of RBS, this report shall also evaluate the difficulties of motivating staff of RBS ranging from government influence, disparity in pay, public outcry and challenges in satisfying the need of every employee of RBS Lastly the report shall recommend practicable solutions that are applicable to the current financial crisis to the management of RBS. 1.0 Introduction The environment where business operates has a major impact on its operation. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) operates in the UK financial industry which is one of the strongest financial hubs in the world. Porter (1998) says that a business will be successful if all the elements of the microenvironment are favourable to the organisation, this can not be in isolation of the macroenvironmental factors which also dictates the success of an organisation. The current financial crisis, was ignited by the fall in the USA housing market, and has a ripple effect which has exposed RBS and the UK banking industry as a whole, this has led to the liquidity problem been faced by the industry and the loss of confidence in the banking industry. Companies that market products or services have always had to deal with a wider range of issues than those encountered by domestic firms (Jeannet and Hennessey 1998). Royal Bank of Scotlands rapid expansion into the global market as against its roots as a national bank, has exposed the bank to greater economic crisis. The new chairman headed by Sir Philip Hampton in his bid to reform the bank has rooted out seven non executive directors and the former CEO Sir Fred Godwin who spearheaded the Global expansion, and appointed a new CEO Stephen Hester. In 2008 RBS group declared a loss of  £28bn the biggest loss in British corporate history (www.guardian.co.uk) and this has culminated into several lay off of staff. The Government in its effort to save the bank has injected some fund into the banks business and now owns about 70% of the bank. RBS has laid off some thousands of its workforces over the past year, there is consistent criticism from the media and the general public about bankers pay and reward, banks exposure to the global crisis, governments control power etc, all these have sent different signal to the remaining staff and also create difficulties in leading and motivating these staff by the management. 2.0 Leading Staff Of RBS During The Financial Crisis It takes a mentally tough and emotionally strong CEO and a competent Board to survive the current crisis. Kotter (1996) as cited by Robins and Judge (2007) says management is about coping with complexity by implementing the vision and strategy provided by leaders, coordinating and staffing the organisation for smooth operation, while leadership on the other hand in contrast is about coping with changes, by having ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a set of goals. Robin and Judge (2007) also group leadership theories into two, Charismatic and transformational leadership. But says Transformational leadership builds on the transactional leadership Ø The charismatic leadership theory. Charismatic leaders have vision, willing to take personal risk, sensitive to follower needs. These individuals are set aside from ordinary people and treated as endowed with exceptional qualities and are given unprecedented autonomy and resources, which then makes such individual to posses ability to leverage higher salaries and reward even when their performance was not very good, high risk taker, incur high cost and engage in self sacrifice to achieve the vision, and engaging in unconventional behaviour. These traits were seen in Sir Fred Godwin character, though to some extent the staff and board were satisfied with him before the current crisis, but such attributes may be difficult to lead staff and the whole of RBS group in this current crisis judging by their recent performance (Refer to Appendix 1). Ø The Transformational leadership theory Transformational leaders are known for providing vision and sense of mission, communicates high hope, inspirational motivation, careful problem solving skills etc, however it also build up on the characteristic of transactional such as the contract exchange for reward, and management by exception. These set of individual inspire staff to put in more effort to achieve the business objectives and goals, and also help staff at looking at old issues in a different way by been more innovative and creative. These traits are been seen in the new CEO Stephen Hester and such characters may seems to fit in to lead in this current financial crisis 2.1 Challenges with leading staff of RBS out of this current financial crisis Ø In-depth and technical knowledge of the board: According to Peter Principle, In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to level of incompetence. The remuneration package approved by the former board of RBS has shown that though the board has some financial experts but the full understanding of the former CEO package which led to the public outcry was not fully understood by some members of the board before they approved it. This was also emphasised by Ministers who believed that it was not only Lord Myners who did not know that Sir Freds pension was discretionary. They believed that the old board of RBS was kept in the dark too (www.bbc.co.uk). The current board has several financial experts with years of experience working in the industry but this still does not guarantee that all strategies and decision made by them shall be perfect. Ø In-depth and technical knowledge of CEO: Dive (2009) argue that most CEOs do not know how to establish accountable organization. RBS was reported to have lost over  £600m in Madoffs alleged investment scam. This could have been attributed to the lack of understanding and technical knowledge of such investment exhibited by the former CEO Fred Godwin before venturing into such a risky investment scam. However the new CEO too could have being tricked into such investment because it is very hard for CEO to posses in-depth and technical knowledge of all the financial operations and investment. But not withstanding CEO should strive enough to develop or gain the full understanding of some decision they might have made in past and to be able to correct some anomalies When Egg card terminated over 100,000 of its credit card customer in February 2008, the CEO said he believes they pose an unacceptably high risk to the company, this was supported by Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers Association, who said that Eggs action was a sensible way of looking after a business (news.bbc.co.uk). Ø Managing culture Another difficulty leaders are likely to face in the current financial crisis is the ability to manage culture. Leaders need to know how to manage culture that exit within its organisation and the environment where it operates. The issue that leaders face at each of their organisational growth stages are different, partly because the role that culture plays at each stage is completely different (Schein 2004). The inability by banks chiefs to manage the bonus culture that exits within the financial institution in UK has led to public outcry and different criticism about the ability of these executives to run a profitable company and at the same time manage its staff. Stephen Hester who was brought to turnaround RBS might be faced with managing culture because it is a barrier to change, and change is prone to resistance. Stephen Hester is expected to deal with lavish executive perks in RBS which has become a culture in the banking industry, such as the  £17m private jet used by Sir Fred Godwin, and heavy pension schemes. However Stephen Hester too according to (www.dailymail.co.uk) lives an expensive life style such a 350 acres of country estate, expensive mansion in London, and large option reward. This is a culture that has been in the industry for quite some time and it may be difficult for any new CEO to change because he too might have been a benefactor at a point in time, and also for the position of a CEO of a large financial organisation like RBS to be attractive, the reward needs to be competitive. This is a major challenge that Stephen Hester and the board might faced in leading at this point of time. Ø Managing Change Johnson et al (2001) say when a business is in terminal decline and faces closure or takeover, there is a need for rapid and extensive change in order to achieve cost reduction and revenue generation. Stephen Hester was appointed not only as CEO at RBS but implied as a change agent who will carry out a rapid change within the bank. Change is a major challenge and may be difficult to implement than it seems at first because while changing the business strategies and operation, one has to change the people and their orientation. Balogun and Hailey (2004) say success rate for most of the change programme launched within organisation is poor and the failure rate is 70%. However Stephen needs to find ways of ensuring that the outcome is positive change rather than damaging to the business. RBS in its bid to be back to a profitable organisation has embarked on different change management processes which have led to some job cut, however resistance to these changes is expected. Rob Macgregor, Unites national officer, said the union was appalled that thousands of people, who form the backbone of the RBS operations, are to be made redundant. He added: These employees are totally blameless for the current position which RBS is in, yet they are paying for the mistakes at the top of the bank. (www.guardian.co.uk) Ø Loss of reputation Adams Equity Theory says the more upset people get the greater they strive to redress the inequity. The general public and the medias impression of banks and financial institution has led to the loss of reputation of most banks in the UK , which was even seen in the damage done to the building of RBS by angry protester in April 2009 during the G20 meeting in London. This has created fear into the members of staff of RBS not to be attacked in public once people know that they work for the bank. And this may even force some to leave the organisation or think about a career in another industry. Ø Government Interference The injection of over  £20bn by the UK government to salvage the RBS from collapse has led to major influence of government in the decision to be made by the current Board and CEO. Decision made by management must always be the one politician will prefer rather than the one that will be of best economic interest to the bank. The recent announcement by the bank to cut 9000 jobs over the next three years which might result in a savings of over  £2.5bn (www.guardian.co.uk) was strongly rejected by the Politician , and the banks deputy chief executive had to change their strategy from job cut to redeployment of staff while facing the MPs. This is a vital challenge that faces the management of RBS in leading the staff for a profitable organisation. 3.0 Staff Motivation Unhappy staff are known to have little chance to produce satisfied customers, so the more contented staff are, the higher customer satisfaction will be. The management of RBS needs to integrate individual needs along with the organisational goals in other to achieve the business objectives, but motivation of staff comes with different challenges. 3.1 Challenges with Motivating staff of RBS during the current financial crisis Ø External influences A key difficulty been faced by most organisations during this global financial crisis is that they have placed too much attention on the external environment, at the detriment of the internal working environment. RBS continuous laying off staff with the aim of cutting cost was a result of its exposure to the global economic crisis, liquidity in the market, and fall in stock value. This is a demotivating action to the staff of RBS but the management and board of RBS might want to first readdress it position in the banking industry before it can then focus on the staff extreme needs. Ø Reward Structure The pluralist perspective of organisational conflict according to Lashley and Ross (2003 ) emphasises that conflict between subgroups is inevitable, and therefore it must be handled and managed carefully . Because of the higher pay package being offered to some investment staff of RBS, some group of staff in the retail and commercial sector of business may believed that they are being underpaid and at the same time bring in lesser risk, this may result in different conflict and complex issues arising among staff. Also the need for reward when target is met may be valued by some top performing investment staff within the bank, and they may threaten to leave if they are not been compensated competitively with what is obtainable in the industry. Increased wages are precisely what RBS may not be able to provide during this storming period however Nelson (2005) has also said though money is a factor of motivation, but not sufficient condition alone to attract, retain and motivate good employees. Ø Satisfying needs of all staff Money may not be provided everytime while appreciation and involvement of staff which are seen as other means of motivation can be provided any time. The problem with this, is understanding the need of all members of staff of RBS and aligning organisation policies with these needs. Maslow hierarchy of needs says before the self actualisation of need can be met, the basic life needs needed to be met, and he also said when a need is satisfied it no longer motivates and the next higher need takes its place (Refer to Appendix 2). Maslow hierarchy of needs might be ineffective when organisation is faced with too many external factors. Virtually almost every staff of RBS is worried about their job security, public attack, loss of bonuses, and stigmatization of banking profession. Therefore understanding and satisfying of staffs need in this current financial crisis may be a difficult task for the management of RBS. Ø Government Interference/ public outcry The Government forced down the 2008 bonuses that were supposed to be paid to staff of Lloyd bank, as a result of government ownership in the bank and the poor performance of the bank in 2008, while some staff see these as unfair treatment because they met their target and they deserve their bonuses. This was supported by Unite trade union who says they will not accept a situation where staff are made to suffer financially for the mistakes or greed of the top executives who ran the bank. This could be demotivating to staff that work in the three banks where government have control, in which RBS is one of them 4.0 Recommendation Leading and motivating is an integral part of managing people in an organisation, because people are major asset to such organisation. Gratton (2000) says people should be treated with politeness, respect, dignity and fairness. This can help to build an organisation where people can grow and flourish and at the same time save management reputation when they acted wrongly Organisation branding could help to motivate employee, it helps to give them a job securities and the status that is attached to the branded company. Media can be used to gain back the good image RBS is known for, and also management should avoid action or event that may put the company into public debate by ensuring that ethical decision are taken all the time. Businesses that survive the trying times are the ones whose leaders adopt a attitude of discovery and change, instead of resistances. Johnson et al (2001) suggest five style of change management: Education communication, Collaboration/participation, intervention, direction, coercion, some of which can be used by the management of RBS while turning the business around. Though RBS do appraise its staff regularly the use of management by objective (MBO) as part of its performance measurement for staff may be very much ideal in this era, in order to align both the goal of individual staff with that of the organisation. Butler (2009) says that in a multicultural organisation, transformational leadership demonstrates care for the personal relationships with a diverse group of people that in turn builds better leader-member exchanges, trust and organisational commitment. These kind of leadership traits might have been suggested to the board of RBS before the selection of Stephen Hester as the new CEO with the hope of changing the staffs paradigm and give them higher satisfaction. However a transformational leader will require more to be successful in this era , and this may include trust and been ethical, in other to gain the respect and to remove the stigma associated to CEO of big banks seen as selfish ,greedy, and extravagant lifestyle. Apart from the normal qualities of a good leader, two exceptional role that may be expected of the new leadership of Stephen Hester and the new Board at RBS are to provide team leadership, and self leadership roles. Team building is essential for every organisational development and growth. Task and problems are shared to enhance productivity, great leadership takes into account proper delegation amongst staff while still taking responsibility at the end of its completion. Leaders lead by good examples in era such as this, Josef Ackermann, CEO of deutsche Bank pledged to relinquish his bonus which runs into millions of Euros (www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk). This action has also prompted 3 other senior board members to agree to relinquish theirs as well. Which is now been used as a yardstick in the industry. Though Stephen Hester is new at RBS but there are some other processes or action through which he can control his own behaviour in order to exhibit self leadership role However leadership though required some qualities but these qualities and the leadership styles varies along with the changes in the environment. Managing change may go with different kind of leadership style. Lewin et al (1939) identify Authoritarian, Democratic, and laissez-faire style as the three major classification of leadership style. Stephen Hester may decided to use any or combination of the styles. Whichever option adopted has its own shortcoming, therefore the management should ensure it monitor the resistance and blend with any changes to its style that might fit any particular circumstances. Training is one of the strategies for success in organisation, the cultural change that is expected of the new board can be done through training of its staff. Also RBS Management is expected to come up with some practicable corporate and business strategies, which will give not only the shareholder confidence in the bank but inclusive of the staff, who will then be certain about their long term commitment to the business instead of the fear of losing their jobs RBS management need to put more efforts into the remaining staff so as not to lose the key ones, because of the amount of training and experience that has been impacted into them. Therefore involvements in plans and decision, timely and resourceful information, celebrating success, flexible working hours are some of the intrinsic motivation that can be used. Bibliography Armstrong, M.(2001). Human Resources Management Practices. 8th edition. Published by Kogan Page Ltd London. Balogun, J and Hailey,H. (2004). Exploring Strategic change .FT Prentice Hall, London BPP ACCA Study text(P3)-Business Analysis) (April 2007), 1st edition, Published by BPP Learning Media ltd. Butler, C. (2009). Leadership in a multicultural Arab organisation. Journal of Leadership Organization Development Journal Volume:30 , Issue:2 , Page: 139 151,Published by Emerald Group Publishing Limited Child, J. (2005). Organisation Contemporary Principle and Practices. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Crouhy, M. Mark, R. and Galai, D (2001).Risk Management :comprehensive chapters on market credit and operational risk. Published by McGraw-Hill Dive, B. (2009).Why do banks continue to waste talent. Journal of Industrial and Commercial Training Volume: 41 , Issue: 1 , Page: 15 19. Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited Gratton, L. (2000). Living Strategy: Putting People at the Heart of Corporate Purpose. Published by Peason Education Ltd Jeannet, P. and Hennessey..D, 1998. Global Marketing Strategies.4th edition. Houghton Mifflin Company Johnson, G. Scholes, K. Whittington, R (2001). Exploring Corporate Strategy.7th edition. Published by Pearson Education, Uk Kotter,J. (1996) Leading Change. Published by Harvard Business school Press Lashley, C. Ross, D.(2003).Organisational Behaviour for Leisure Services. Published by Butterworth-Heinemann Laurence,J.Hull,R.(1969). The Peter Principle: why things go wrong. Published by Willian Morrow and Company New York. Lewin, K. LIippit, R. and White, K. (1939). Patterns of aggressive behaviour in experimentally created social climates. Journal of Social Psychology, 10, 271-301 Nelson, B. (2005). 1001 Ways to Reward Employees .Workman Publishing Company, New York. Porter,M.(1998). Competitive Advantage: creating and sustaining superior performance, Free Press New York Robins.S., and Judge.T, (2007). Organisational Behaviour,12th edition .Pearson Education Inc New Jersey Schein, E. (2004).Organisational Culture and Leadership.3rd edition. 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Consumer Good and Evil :: essays research papers

Consumer Good and Evil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the difference between good and evil? What is good? What is evil? These are questions we humans ask ourselves at least once in our short lives. Is good right? Is Evil wrong? We waste out lives pondering these meaningful questions. I believe the definition of good and evil can be defined by the economic services offered to the public. For example the difference between Charitable Crusaders* and Stuff Mart*, Mom and Pap’s cafà ©* and McDoogles*, Joe’s barbershop and Bidel Basson Hair salons*, I believe good and evil, right and wrong, are evident through these stores and businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Charitable Crusaders is an independents organization similar to a thrift store. This organization cares for the people they serve. In the month of December they raise a lot of money so they can afford to sell their items cheaper. Charitable Crusaders cares, unlike Stuff-Mart, who is stingy and only care for the profit. They care nothing for the people they serve or the people that they employ. Stuff-Mart is the definition of evil because of its greedy and uncaring ways. Because of Stuff-Mart’s practices, people have to spend more money and life is just overall harder. Charitable Crusaders is good and right because they love the people that they serve. They strive to make the world a better place. Unfortunately, unlike fairytales, the evil wins over good. Stuff-Mart is shopped at more because the quality is better and more survives are available, at a fe e. Charitable Crusaders, being a nonprofit organization, cannot compete with Stuff-Mart and lives off do nations. In this case, evil triumphs over the good in the form of profits and overall consumerism. I believe that, sometimes, this is how life works out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  McDoogles is the spawn of all evil in the restaurant world. It was crated to be a prostitute: fast, cheep, and easy! But in the process of being so has stopped caring about the people it was serving. Their food is high in fat, unhealthy and has contributed greatly to the obesity that is becoming rampant in America. Because of its cheap prices it is more readily available than other restraints. If McDoogles is the spawn of all evil then Mom and Pap’s cafà © is all that is good and right in the world. These small restaurants are privately owned and well-taken care off. In this respect, the people who own them care more about the people that they serve.

Historical Awareness and the Interpretation of the Bible Essay

Christianity holds the largest followers worldwide and holds its authority through what they claim as actual events in history. However, the study of the historicity of the Bible has made liberal critics question the authenticity and the validity of the events and teachings that are found in the Scriptures. Liberal critics claim that the Scripture is full of historical errors, human biases, religious prejudices and fictional stories. Everything from the Virgin Birth to the resurrection of Christ, and from papacy to priesthood, are being rejected, based on the â€Å"historical critical† approach to Scripture. The interpretation of the Bible has therefore developed from its literal sense to a symbolic interpretation of its passages. Interpretations of the Bible The Bible is interpreted in different ways but could be categorized into two methods: the conservative and liberal interpretation. Conservatives hold the Bible as God’s divine words from which they interpret it by the letter unless the passage is clearly intended as an allegory, poetry or some other genre. Interpreting the Bible by the letter encompasses a strict interpretation of the passages—that is to say conservatives interpret the Bible literally. The International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (1978), a group of conservative Christians hold that â€Å"the literal sense is the†¦ meaning which the writer expressed† and â€Å"deny the legitimacy of any approach to Scripture that attributes to it meaning which the literal sense does not support.† On the other hand, liberal critics interpret the Bible symbolically or allegorically—that is they treat the Bible as a collection of fictional stories. They use the historical-grammatical approach to uncover the meaning of the text by taking into account cultural and historical background and the literary genre. Problems Relating to the Literal Interpretation of the Bible There is little doubt that the Bible has been interpreted in its literal sense before science has explored and discovered concepts that are in relation with some Biblical passages. The story of creation, as a basic example, could no longer be accepted in its literal sense, which would otherwise contradict with scientifically proven principles and generally accepted theories. The knowledge that scientific discoveries and research has provided over the past millennium reveals that God could not have made the world as it is in seven earth days. Human logic and reason would dictate that there must be some other explanation why the Bible, as God’s inspired words, are written in such a manner. God, as the creator of all things and who has knowledge all things, could not have erred and must have intended something else in specifying that the world was created in seven days. Hence, it is not only evident but also necessary to say that literally interpreting at least some portions of the Bible are no longer sufficient. Historical Criticism Historical criticism is the art of analyzing the factuality of written documents and the supposed facts handed down. It makes use of written documents, unwritten evidence and tradition as the source of information. The historical critic must also be guided chiefly by an ardent love of truth and must be free of any prejudice—religious, national or domestic—that may otherwise affect the historian’s judgment. The authenticity and integrity of a written document is investigated before it could be passed as a genuine source of evidence. Authenticity includes verifying whether or not it was from the author who claims it to be, whether such individual existed, and whether or not the document or individual belonged to the specific time of history in question. Integrity, on the other hand, verifies whether or not the document is in the shape or form from which the author has produced it—that is, whether or not the document is complete, free of corruption and the complexities of translation. It is generally suffice to determine the approximate age of a document using the nature of the material, i.e. papyrus, parchment, cotton, etc., and the character of the writing. It is often very rare that a document that is purported to be an original or an autograph leaves room for reasonable doubt when it passed a series of tests regarding its authenticity. However, it is also generally held that to translate a word correctly does not necessarily give its meaning in the context of the particular era to which the manuscript belongs. The investigator must then be careful with interpreting the meaning of the document. The difficulty in analyzing Biblical documents is that they survive only in form of copies, or copies of copies. In these cases, manuscripts of similar content or subject are often compared to each other, sometimes revealing variations in the readings. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls while providing some of the oldest and the only known copies of Biblical documents have challenged the theories of the development of the modern Biblical text—specifically those of textual criticism. There are a few of the Biblical manuscripts in the Dead Sea Scrolls that differ with Masoretic texts, and most of them differ only slightly. The fact that Biblical documents have slightly changed over the course of at least three centuries provide confidence on the content of the modern Bible. However, the real question arises not in the actual content of the Bible but on the meaning of its content. Another problem regarding authenticity and integrity of the Biblical manuscripts is the question regarding the knowledge of the author concerning his work: Does the author have proper, first-hand knowledge of the purported fact? Is he altogether sincere in his disposition concerning the purported fact? As an example, the integrity of the Gospels is raised as it has become apparent that the earliest writings of this type dates 65 years after Jesus’ resurrection. Historicity of the Bible There are basically two main schools of thought regarding the historicity of the Bible: the fundamentalists who believe that everything that is written in the Bible actually happened as it is stated; and the liberals who believe that the Bible had no historical value—that is, historical events purported in the Bible did not really happen. There are two schools of thought on giving weight to the historical accounts presented in the Bible: Biblical maximalism assumes that Biblical narratives are accurate unless proven otherwise; and Biblical minimalism. Biblical maximalists tend to interpret the Bible literally. They view accounts specified in the Bible as a starting point for constructing history and correct and reinterpret it when archaeological evidences prove contradicts their viewpoint. On the other hand, Biblical minimalists start from archaeological findings and only consider Biblical accounts of value only when they are consistent with these findings. In relation to Jesus, there are but few historical manuscripts that provide evidence that he is an actual historical figure. His name is briefly mentioned in the works of Josephus, Pliny the Younger, Tacitus and Suetonius, but aside from a brief mention and description of the early Christians, only the accounts specified in the New Testament gives a basis for the existence of a man named Jesus. The Gospels are the only sources of information about the life and works of Jesus and even those are criticized for its historical accuracy. There exists what is known today as the Synoptic Problem which revealed the diversity in the Biblical texts. What catches the interest of critics, however, is not the differences in the versions of the accounts in the life of Jesus, but the striking similarity of the texts itself. Considering that the Gospels had been written during different times at different locations, questions such as whether the authors of the Synoptic Gospels were using a common source, perhaps written or from oral tradition, or not. If there exists an earlier source from which the authors of the Synoptic Gospels based their work, then why where the new Gospels written? Furthermore, if indeed the authors share a common source, why where there differences? Did the authors feel free to interpret and apply the Jesus tradition as they wrote? Most theologians would answer that each Gospel writers have their own purpose and interpretations of Jesus from which the differences in similar accounts are attributed. Nevertheless, there is no one solution that offers sufficient enough explanation on the Synoptic Problem. While resolving this issue would not verify the existence of the historical Jesus, questions regarding the authority of the accounts, particularly that of Jesus and his teachings, will be eliminated. Effects of Historical Criticism on the Interpretation of the Bible Today, Christianity holds the largest followers worldwide. If Christianity derives its authority from actual historical events, then that claim must be investigated by the most austere standards of historical judgments. The advent of scientific research, particularly that of historical criticism, has put the historicity, as well as the authority and interpretation of the Bible in serious question. Samuel George Brandon (1955) explained that â€Å"the historical character of Christianity, which was once proclaimed apologetically as the greatest argument for the validity of that faith, has gradually been found to be a source of great perplexity if not of weakness† (156). Raymond Brown (1975) explained that â€Å"physical, historical and linguistic methods, known to us in only approximately the last one hundred years, has produced a scientifically critical study of the Bible, a study that has revolutionalized views held in the past about the authorship, origin and dating of the biblical books, about how they were composed, and what the authors meant†¦ No longer did they (Catholic exegetes) hold that Moses was the substantial author of the Pentateuch, that the first chapters of Genesis were really historical†¦, that Matthew was the first Gospel written by an eyewitness†¦ etc.† Robert Sungenis held that â€Å"The historical critic will try to convince you that, since Scripture contains â€Å"historical errors, human biases, religious prejudices and fictional stories,† and since Scripture is only free from error when it deals with â€Å"matters of salvation,† then in non-salvific matters (e.g., women priests and homosexuality), the Bible is nothing more than an expression of the religious preferences and cultural biases active during the time of the biblical author’s writing. Since we in modern times have come of age, as it were, and know that such biases are unecumenical and judgmental, then it is high time we change our interpretation of Scripture. Historical criticism is just the needed tool to do the job.† Resolving the Conflict Previously, culture was understood to static and unchanging. However, historical data reveal culture to be more guided by human experience that creates changing values and meanings as predicted by the way of life. It must only be necessary therefore that faith is expressed and understood in terms of our particular setting. It is in contrast to the sola scriptura principle of conservative Protestants. They claim that faith is to be based on the Bible alone. However, interpreting the Bible in relation to present events does not necessarily imply the interpreter to be a liberal critic. Progressive interpretation look upon the Bible as historically shaped and culturally conditioned. It analyzes the culture from which the authors lived, interpret what is stated in relation to the circumstances of the time it was written, and apply the meaning of the passage in relation to the present circumstances. After all, Lonergan held that â€Å"theology mediates between a cultural matrix and the significance and role of a religion in that matrix.† While it is apparent that some passages in the Bible are clearly not intended to be interpreted in its literal sense, there is still the question whether some of the passages must be taken in its literal meaning or if any passage is to be taken in its literal sense at all. However, taking into consideration the accounts in the Synoptic Gospels which appear to be similar have different versions. Theologians justify these differences through specifying the intents of the authors. In this case, it is only plausible to dismiss the particular event as an accurate version in history. Nevertheless, it does not necessarily imply that the event had not taken place at all. Lonergan (1971, 179) held that â€Å"experience is individual while the data for history lie in the experiences of many.† Furthermore, the same event is sometimes interpreted by different individual who have experienced that particular event depending on their perception. The fact that the event is related to us on different accounts, probably by different individuals, may prove that such an event may have occurred. Regardless of the factual historicity of the event specified in the Synoptic Gospels, the justifications made by theologians on the different accounts on Jesus’ life make it clear that the accounts are not to be interpreted in its literal sense. Lonergan held that â€Å"the discoveries of the historian are expressed in narratives and descriptions that regard particular persons, places and times. They have no claim to universality: they could, of course, be relevant to the understanding of other persons, places and times; but whether in fact they are relevant, and just how relevant they are, can be settled only by a historical investigation of the other persons, places and times† (180). Furthermore, Lonergan explained that â€Å"because they have no claim to universality, the discoveries of the historians are not verifiable in the fashion proper to the natural sciences; in history verification is parallel to the procedures by which interpretation is judged correct† (180). On the other hand, faith has nothing to do with history. Regardless of whether Christian traditions gain its authority from its historicity or not, what matters is the belief that Christians hold. Faith is a product of the fulfillment that â€Å"brings a radical peace, the peace that the world cannot give† without which â€Å"opens the way to the trivialization of human life† (Lonergan, 1971, 105). That fulfillment, according to Lonergan (1971, 106), â€Å"is not the product of our knowledge or choice.† There is therefore always room to interpret the Scriptures that is not entirely based on historical criticism. Relying on faith alone, the Scriptures should be interpreted basing on the experience of mystery to develop a type of consciousness that deliberates, makes judgments of value, decides, and acts responsibly and freely. Works Cited Brandon, Samuel George Frederick, â€Å"The historical element in primitive Christianity.† Numen vol. 2, no. 1, 156-167 Brown, Raymond E. Biblical Reflections on Crises Facing the Church. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1975 International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. â€Å"The Chicago statement on Biblical inerrancy.† 1978. The Spurgeon Archive. 17 March 2009 Lonergan, Bernard. Method in Theology. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1971 Sungenis, Robert. â€Å"Fr. Raymond Brown and the demise of the Catholic Scripture Scholarship.† Catholic Apologetics International. 17 March 2009.

The Legitimacy Of The Armed Struggle Of The Tamil People Essays

The Legitimacy Of The Armed Struggle Of The Tamil People Essays The legitimacy of the armed struggle of the Tamil people Democracy may mean acceding to the rule of the majority, but democracy also means governments by discussion and persuasion. It is the belief that the minority of today may become the majority of tomorrow that ensures the stability of a functioning democracy. The practice of democracy in Sri Lanka within the confines of a unitary state served to perpetuate the oppressive rule of a permanent Sinhala majority. It was a permanent Sinhala majority, which through a series of legislative and administrative acts, ranging from disenfranchisement, and standardisation of University admissions, to discriminatory language and employment policies, and state sponsored colonisation of the homelands of the Tamil people, sough to establish its hegemony over people of Tamil Eelam. These legislative and administrative acts were reinforced from time to time with physical attacks on the Tamil people with intent to terrorise and intimidate them into submission. It was a course of conduct which led eventually to rise of Tamil militancy in the mid 1970s with, initially, sporadic acts of violence. The militancy was met with wide ranging retaliatory attacks on increasingly large sections of the Tamil people with intent, once again to subjugate them. In the late 1970s large numbers of Tamil youths were detained without trial and tortured under emergency regulations and later under the Prevention of Terrorism Act which has been described by the International Commission of Jurists as a 'blot on the statute book of any civilised country'. In 1980s and thereafter, there were random killings of Tamils by the state security forces and Tamil hostages were taken by the state when 'suspects' were not found. The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads: "Whereas it is essential if man is not compelled as a last resort to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law." The rise of the armed struggle of the Tamil people constituted the Tamil rebellion against a continuing Sinhala oppression over a period of several decades. The gross consistent and continuing violations of the human rights of the Tamil people have been well documented by innumerable reports of human rights organisations as well as of independent observers of the Sri Lankan scene. Walter Schwarz commented in the Minority Rights Group Report on Tamils of Sri Lanka, 1983 "...The makings of an embattled freedom movement now seem assembled: martyrs, prisoners and a pitiful mass of refugees. Talk of 'Biafra' which had sounded misplaced in 1975, seemed less unreal a few years later... As this report goes to press in September 1983, the general outlook for human rights in Sri Lanka is not promising. The present conflict has transcended the special consideration of minority rights and has reached the point where the basic human rights of the Tamil community - the rights to life and property, freedom of speech and self expression and freedom from arbitrary arrest have in fact and in law been subject to gross and continued violations. The two communities are mow polarised and continued repression coupled with economic stagnation can only produce stronger demands from the embattled minority, which unless there is a change in direction by the central government, will result in a stronger Sinhalese backlash and the possibility of outright civil war". David Selbourne remarked in July 1984: "The crimes committed by the Sri Lankan state against the Tamil minority - against its physical security, citizenship rights, and political representation -are of growing gravity.. Report after report by impartial bodies - By Amnesty International, By the International Commission of jurists, By parliamentary delegates from the West by journalists and scholars - have set out clearly the scale of growing degeneration of the political and physical well being of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka... Their cause represents the very essence of the cause of human rights and justice; and to deny it, debases and reduces us all". A Working Group chaired by Goran Backstrand, of the Swedish Red Cross at the Second Consultation on Ethnic Violence, Development and Human Rights, Netherlands, in February 1985 concluded: "There was a general consensus that within Sri Lanka today, the Tamils do not have the

Free Essays on Pascal, Blaise

Pascal, Blaise, 1623-62, French scientist and religious philosopher. Studying under the path of his father, a civil servant, Pascal showed great intelligencies, especially in mathematics and science. Before he was 16 he wrote a paper on conic sections, which won the respect of the mathematicians of Paris; at 19 he invented a calculating machine. Credited with founding the modern theory of probability, Pascal also discovered the properties of the cycloid and contributed to the advance of differential calculus. In physics his experiments increased knowledge of atmospheric pressure through barometric measurements and of the equilibrium of fluids. As a young man, Pascal came under the influence of Jansenism, and in 1651 his sister Jacqueline, who had also embraced Jansenist beliefs, entered the convent at Port-Royal, the center of the movement. As a result of the death of his father and of his own narrow escape from death, Pascal in 1654 experienced what he called a conversion and therea fter turned much of his attention to religion. When Antoine Arnauld, a noted Jansenist, was attacked by the Jesuits, Pascal championed him in his Lettre escrite un provincial (1656). Those Provincial Letters, rendered into Latin, quickly circulated throughout Europe, and they still hold a leading place in the literature of polite irony. Pascal's religious writings were after the death of his father and published as Pensees de M. Pascal sur la religion et sur quelques autres sujets (1670). For a modern edition Thoughts: An Apology for Christianity (1955). In the Pensees, famous both as a religious and philosophical classic, Pascal states his belief in the inadequacy of reason to solve man's difficulties or to satisfy his hopes. He preached instead the final necessity of mystic faith for true understanding of the universe and its meaning to man.... Free Essays on Pascal, Blaise Free Essays on Pascal, Blaise Pascal, Blaise, 1623-62, French scientist and religious philosopher. Studying under the path of his father, a civil servant, Pascal showed great intelligencies, especially in mathematics and science. Before he was 16 he wrote a paper on conic sections, which won the respect of the mathematicians of Paris; at 19 he invented a calculating machine. Credited with founding the modern theory of probability, Pascal also discovered the properties of the cycloid and contributed to the advance of differential calculus. In physics his experiments increased knowledge of atmospheric pressure through barometric measurements and of the equilibrium of fluids. As a young man, Pascal came under the influence of Jansenism, and in 1651 his sister Jacqueline, who had also embraced Jansenist beliefs, entered the convent at Port-Royal, the center of the movement. As a result of the death of his father and of his own narrow escape from death, Pascal in 1654 experienced what he called a conversion and therea fter turned much of his attention to religion. When Antoine Arnauld, a noted Jansenist, was attacked by the Jesuits, Pascal championed him in his Lettre escrite un provincial (1656). Those Provincial Letters, rendered into Latin, quickly circulated throughout Europe, and they still hold a leading place in the literature of polite irony. Pascal's religious writings were after the death of his father and published as Pensees de M. Pascal sur la religion et sur quelques autres sujets (1670). For a modern edition Thoughts: An Apology for Christianity (1955). In the Pensees, famous both as a religious and philosophical classic, Pascal states his belief in the inadequacy of reason to solve man's difficulties or to satisfy his hopes. He preached instead the final necessity of mystic faith for true understanding of the universe and its meaning to man....

The Way of The Musical In Turbulent Times Essay

The Way of The Musical In Turbulent Times - Essay Example There are many times in the history of the United States where turbulent times brought a need for ways to refocus the attention of the people towards something more pleasant. One way that has worked throughout time is musical theatre. Generally, each era of turbulence has shown a variety of musicals that dealt with the issues of that time. Some were done for the "feel good" quality to help audiences escape from the turmoil of the world's problems for awhile. In other eras the musicals were more political and dealt with issues of protest using parody and sarcasm to get people to look at the political issues of the time. Within the last several years, as the country deals with a global economic crisis that is uncertain, musicals have become popular again as a vehicle of escape. This research will explore musical theatre and movies from 1920 to the present time. It will explore specific musicals and periods of history that produced a significant turbulent time and how these times effect ed and influenced the audiences.

I am the One who has been Taught how to Dream Essay

I am the One who has been Taught how to Dream - Essay Example However, there is also an image in the poem that shows the father’s love for his son. My own dad is a tough father but he also loves me too. The father in "My Father Teaches Me to Dream'' is a tough father, and this displayed in a variety of images. For example, the rhythm of the poem has an ordering rhythm. The father tells his son what to do and what not to do. In addition, n lines such as "You get up. You get on the bus," "You don't look from side to side," and "You keep your eyes straight ahead'' show that the father didn't allow his son any space to think or to be creative. Also, in the line en he said "You get off the bus. You work all day," the father shows his son how tough the world is he doesn’t allowgive any time for leisure time. Furthermore, the father broke his son’s heart when he said "All other stuff you're looking for—it ain't there." This line deprived the son of the last drop of hope that he was hanging on. Also, the father told his son to be very precise and not to do any more than what he is told to do. This kills creativity in the son; it will not make him creative and he will likely grow up to becomes him an average man. The last line of the poem, â€Å"Work is work,† is quite simply yet it shows something of the father’s personality or background. ... This might not actually be the personality that the father has, but this is what is portrayed in the poem. However, despite the toughness that the father displays towards his son, he also shows his son some love in this poem. For example, the line "That way nobody will bothers you—see?" shows how the father does care about his son because he does not want anybody to bother him or make him feel uncomfortable. This is the true value of a father because any father should show so much concern for their son that they would want them to live a life free of trouble. Also, the line "There's no handouts in this life" could be explained as the father caring about his son; he is just trying to teach him that he has to work for everything that he wants in this life because no one will give him any freebies. While this could be perceived as mean, this is just a harsh reality of life and the sooner that we get used to it the quicker we can do something with our lives. Furthermore, when the father said "You do the same thing again," it could mean that if you are trying to work hard to accomplish a dream and it does not happen right away, it does not mean that you should stop; you should keep trying until you finally reach your dream. This could be seen as the father wanting a boring life for his son, but all he wants is for his son to find a successful formula in life and stick to it. This way, the son will always be pleased with his life and he should hopefully pass this important piece of advice onto his son. This line shows how the father wants his son to reach his dream and also that he did not envy him. The father wants his son to still have an opportunity to reach his