Chemistry and the Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chemistry and the Environment - Essay Example Nitrogen and oxygen predominantly comprise the Earth’s atmosphere at approximately 78.1% and 20.9% respectively while there exists trace amounts of certain elements as argon, water vapor, and carbon dioxide to account for the remaining 1%. Negligible quantities of dust, volcanic ash, and other particulates in solid form are also present in the atmosphere with the main gases to facilitate the formation of clouds. In general, Earth’s atmosphere assumes the role of shielding all living things against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. It keeps the temperature balanced within 24 hours as well. At different temperatures, the atmosphere is further subdivided into layers beginning from the Earth’s surface where troposphere lies between 7 to 14 kms followed by the stratosphere reaching the 50-km altitude. This layer is conducive for airplanes due to stability and with increasing temperature, only minimal amount of water vapor and other components may be detected whereas the troposphere consists of weather occurrences. The ionosphere, on the other hand, makes less than 0.1% of the total mass of the Earth’s atmosphere and the sun’s energy is radiates at its fullest on this layer so that ionization takes place and molecules split as they undergo the process of gaining or losing electrons. (2) Explain what constitutes a good fuel. Evaluate the social value of fossil and alternative fuels and the use of unleaded petrol. What are the sources of pollutants from fuel combustion and what impact do they (COx, SOx, NOx and O3) have on the environment?   Essentiall y, a good fuel must be one that releases heat energy in huge amount when burnt besides the attributes of being less hazardous when used and stored. If the fuel is good, it would be least likely to generate toxic substances or pollutants with unpleasant odor in the environment and between renewable and non-renewable energy resources, renewable energy resources prove to be the chief source of good fuel. Algae-based biofuels for instance may constitute a renewable alternative fuel used extensively in generating electricity. Aside from the renewably extracted geothermal energy, biomass, hydroelectric energy, solar, and wind powers, good fuel alternatives are also available as bioalcohols, ammonia, vegetable oil, hydrogen, non-fossil methane and natural gas. This approach with more secure options may be perceived to remedy issues with health and environmental impact depending upon the number of industries that prefer usage of energy from a renewable source. The fact that It normally take s nearly 700 million years to produce fossil fuels out of decaying plant and animal matters fossilized upon exposure to extreme levels of heat and pressure establishes the social value of fossil fuels which pertain to fuels formed out of the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals that undergo natural process of anaerobic decomposition and these fuels are chiefly comprised in coal, gas, and oil. Besides being a flexible non-renewable energy source, based on their structure, depositional environment, and thermal reactions, fossil fuels reflect the social relevance of drawing a potential attraction due to the fact that most of world’s reserves of oil and natural gas come from deformed rocks whereas a great quantity of coal may be derived from sedimentary rock layers that do not undergo deformation. By combustion or fuel evaporation, mobile sources that pollute the air are either on-road sources or non-road sources. â€Å"On-road† or highway sources pertain to v ehicles used on roads for transportation of passengers or freight such as light-duty vehicles (LDVs), heavy-duty

Meaning of Life and Success Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Success Essay The most important thing in my life is thought to be happiness. In order to achieve success you must adjust to very situation with ease. Success is it the process of doing a task and receiving a positive result, or is it simply achieving one’s own personal goals. According to The American Heritage dictionary success is, â€Å"the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempt†. The word success itself means to achieve your goal or get the point that you looking for. Some people success meant to them to be rich or to finish school and work high pay jobs. But for me success means more than that. Success means to me have peace and love; also to get married and to enter heaven after this life is over. To be sure, everybody who has peace and love is a successful succeeding person. Without peace and love there is no success. You wake up in the morning and you don’t worry about anything that day; that is success for me, because the life is short, you don’t have to be concerned about anything. Also if you have a family that loves you and is always happy for what you are doing, that is success. In addition, if you take care of your old parents and they love you and they live a happy life, which is success for me. Additionally, success is also something that is viewed differently in the eyes of everyone. This is because success means doing what I have always wanted do being where I have always wanted to be. My goal in life is to eventually get married to a good wife and have many happy children and if I accomplished that, then I could view myself as having success. Lastly, meaning of success for me is to enter the heaven after this life is over. We know that life in this world is too short, and we don’t know when we are going to die and what we are going to get after this life. That is a simple answer; do good deeds in this world and you are going to be successful in the life hereafter. That means you enter the heaven for sure and that is big reward from God to his mankind. There is no dying after this life; that means if you don’t enter the heaven you will be the loser and who ever go in the heaven will be the winner. In conclusion, I still agree with the idea I presented: however according to the dictionary and many other resources, success means to them achievement. But according to my own opinion success means to believe the ones of God, and to have peace and love in your whole life, and to get in heaven the life hereafter.

Film Review For Rushmore Film Studies Essay

Film Review For Rushmore Film Studies Essay Wes Andersons Rushmore is an appealing and skillful movie. It has that quality that tells you there is something very special about this film, rather than it being just another teen movie that we see every day. The genius of this film, and the true reason for Rushmores originality, is that it manages to entertain us even without us having to actually getting it completely. The film is about Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a 15 year-old student who attends Rushmore and has all the ambition in the world but no concentration. He is a member of every club in school but he is failing most of his classes apart from drama. He loves to put on elaborate productions of classic films. Max lies to everyone by telling them that his father (Seymour Cassel) is a brain surgeon but in reality, he is a barber. Max is simply blown away by Mr. Blumes (Bill Murray) speech at Rushmore and introduces himself. Mr. Blume decides to mentor Max out of pity and loneliness. Shortly after they become friends, they both fall in love for a beautiful new first-grade teacher at Rushmore named Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams). Their friendship quickly turns to a war as they try to win her over. Max refuses to believe that his age has anything to do with Miss Cross refusing to love him. This leads to immense consequences as Mr. Blumes family life disintegrates and Max loses his best fri end. There are many devices that Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson use in Rushmore to advance the understanding of the film. First, instances of literary devices used are characterization and plot. They do an amazing job in making sure that every single character in the film grows over the course of the film. Moreover, it is incredibly interesting to see that every character in the film has a Rushmore. thus, every character has something that they want in the film and ultimately wants and by the end, each one of them gets it. For example, Blumes Rushmore was Miss Cross. Max is embarrassment that he goes to Rushmore with a scholarship and that his father is a barber as covers it by telling everyone that his father is a neurosurgeon. These two characters are performed amazingly by both actors, which really make us comprehend them. The plot of the film was truly amazing and original. The heart of the movie, for me, was not only how charming or quirky Max is but also how Maxs fascinations are fuel ed just as much by sadness as by selfishness. When he tells Miss Cross that Harvard is his safety school if he does not get into Oxford, this is not only to impress her but this is really the high standard he holds himself to. This is due to his mother who died of cancer, because she was the one who encouraged him to write plays and helped him get into Rushmore,. We can appreciate this film from the beginning from Maxs planned battle of distraction from genuine pain. We follow along in the film as the colors are washed out as soon as Max is expelled from Rushmore, and we do not see them return until the end when Mr. Blume gets a haircut. Everything gets darker and duller in the film after Max is expelled from Rushmore. Wes Anderson has done an amazing job with the plot. It is like nothing we see in theatres today. It has something different and original about it that really makes the story interesting and funny. The setting is always very unique and intriguing. The main two places t hat the film takes place in is Rushmore and Grover Cleveland High School. There are big differences between these two schools and it is clearly shown during the film. At Grover Cleveland High School, we see the rusted sign that hangs on a chain-link fence, which shows the conditions inside where students are subjected to search for weapons and drugs. The school is practically a prison. Compared to at Rushmore, we can see the clear difference between the two schools. Rushmore has a perfect sign that is hung on an iron fence with an amazingly cared for landscape. The two contrasting settings clearly show what Max has lost when he was expelled from Rushmore. A problem that I noticed in the continuity of the film was at a certain moment, Max uses a ladder to enter Miss Cross house and he leaves without going down the stairs, by walking out of the front door. This to me was a very big mistake that should have been fixed. It didnt take anything from the film, but it was something that I noticed. In addition, I really liked how there was a timeline in the film, showing sequences and narrations. The progression by months and how it was introduced with movie curtains, related back to Max loving to direct plays and was a great addition to this terrific film. The film shows the audience the story not tell it to us. Rushmore is Maxs life; he simply cannot live without it. He has dedicated lots of time and energy in that school because he enjoys it. The audience gets to see and experience Maxs delusional view of the world from the beginning when we see him dream about completing a very difficult math problem in class. Anderson and Wilson decided to convey Maxs delusional view of the world visually. The viewer can immediately identify with Max to see where his character is coming from because he is actually shown by how Max perceives the world. Another instance is when Max is put on academic probation and needs to improve his marks or he will be expelled from Rushmore. The principal explains that Max has too many extracurricular activities and not enough studying. Anderson and Wilson brilliantly show the viewer all of Maxs extracurricular activities instead of just simply having the principal say them. If the principal would have just listed the activities, they wouldnt have truly grasps Maxs role and dedication to Rushmore but by showing the audience every activity, we can understand the amount of devotion he has for this school. Maxs really cares and loves Rushmore. This film has an amazing script. Anderson and Wilson took every opportunity to show us visually the story. As a result, every single line of dialogue in this film has a purpose, which makes the film crisp and never drag. In the end, the viewer is left with an amazing story that is wonderfully created through visuals and writing. The dialogue in the film is very monotone, except for at the dinner table. I found it quite natural and normal. It seems as when Max speaks to his peers, he speaks above his peers with a sense of superiority in his voice. In addition, when Maxs speaks to his father, it is very quiet and ashamed. The dialogue changes when he talks to Ms. Cross and especially when it becomes super awkward which shows that he likes her. Just to brief ly mention lightning, it was much brighter at Rushmore and inside it. It was very colourful and happy inside the school because it represents that he really loves it at Rushmore. In comparison to outside where it is a bit darker showing how he is unhappy. Last, some cinematic devices used are music, sound and camera angle. The music in this film is very key. One of the best part of music in the film is the part when Maxs is feeling his first rejection from Miss Cross and the song I Am Waiting by the Rolling Stones plays. Max is experiencing his first pain and this song could be representing Max and how he is waiting to become the person he is supposed to be. There is also the part when Murrays face changes into one that shows his desire for true vengeance against Max. This is when the song A Quick One While Hes Away by The Who plays. This music goes perfectly with the scene and wanting revenge. There are many sounds that are put and used in the perfect times. When Max shows Ms. Cross the book, there is a dancing ballerina box sort of sound on. The sounds are often of bells and charms showing the innocent, young and juvenile of this film. Also, it seems to become quiet and quite silent during awkward moments in the film. For example, d uring many conversations with Ms. Cross, such as the one in the library or times in her classroom. The music and sound are very innocent, playful and somewhat cheesy and awkward to fit in with the story. It goes very well with this coming of age film. The camera angle does not seem to change that much in the film. Anderson uses anamorphic wide-angle lenses and there is hardly anything but wide-angle lenses in the film. Most of it is wide-angle lenses to be able to show his(Maxs) world/school and not have it be a straight horizontal line. I did find that it was a bit overboard and that it was at some points annoying because of the exaggerated wide-angle lenses. It felt like I was removed from the character at certain points. Wes Andersons story displays the importance of being able to do things yourself. With Maxs wild and bizarre imagination, we can see Max being an awful lot like Wes Anderson as a kid. This movie was clearly created based on personal experiences, which is shown throughout the film since he was inside the head of the character the entire film. There is no way for someone to be able to think of this without experiencing this first hand. This film truly tries to blurs the line between childhood and adulthood. In order for Max to grow up, he needs to first accept that his father is not a brain surgeon, he cannot have a romantic relationship with a woman far older than him and he will never be able to return to Rushmore. Maxs maturity throughout the film is shown in different ways. He begins by stopping the war between Mr. Blume and himself and actually starts to help him out rather than destroy him. He also starts to write stories of his own, instead of basing them from famous films. The f ilm shows that there might not be a line between kids and adults and that sometimes the kids are more mature than the adults are, as we say with the actions of Mr. Blume. Ultimately, Rushmore is an unusual and wacky movie but still an appealing and out of the ordinary film. It talks about many important themes and is acted by brilliantly talented actors. The three main characters together are amazing and their affection and frustration with each other is so intense throughout the film. This story is absolutely funny while still examining love, anger and imagination like we have never seen. Max is so geeky and weird that the audience cannot help but feel for him. Everything from the writing to the music in this film is done marvellously. You definitely should go and watch this film. You wont regret it.

Modernism And Cinderella :: essays research papers

Research Writing Though there are many fairy tales that have been created through the years, Cinderella is into our subconscious by stimulating the part of us that sympathizes with the mistreatment of Cinderella. Others say that the theme of a down-and-out poor girl rising up to become rich and happy appeals to any normal person. This theme is the common bond between all the stories. Recently, however, modern versions of the tale have surfaced in an attempt to relate to modern audiences. In the textbook Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum the editors decide to take out a chapter entitled Fairy Tales: A Closer Look at Cinderella. This chapter includes the stories, The politically Correct Cinderella, A feminist View, and America's Cinderella. The changes were made because the content was outdated and not "true" Cinderella stories. In the politically correct version, the author makes a mockery of today's obsession with correct terminology. Every detail is explained so that no one is offended and pretty much makes a mockery of the story. The Politically Correct Cinderella is merely a satire on the left leaning views that our nation has been taking over the past decade. Excluding this version from the main stories was a good move by the editors because the politically correct issues that were so important years ago are losing steam today. The editors of the textbook also ousted the feminist orientated version. This feminist criticism was totally unnecessary because there were two of them. Having Pretty Woman: A Modern Cinderella as well as a segment on the feminist voice is totally redundant and unnecessary. Both segments give the reader what they need to know about femininity and its impact on literature. Karol Kelly in her Pretty Woman piece compares the Perrault version with the Pretty Woman story. She explains the changes that have occurred because of the women's movement especially the impact on information. We now have a lot more information that has led to societal changes. The feminist criticism that was omitted hit on several feminine issues in the actual variations of the Cinderella story. "The slipper, the central icon in the story, is a symbol of sexual bondage and imprisonment in a stereotype." The author then explains how this small slipper idea originates from the ancient Chinese act of foot-binding eventually leading to the mutilation of their foot. She hits on many other feminine aspects in the Cinderella stories.

Neil Postman: Amusing Ourselves to Death

Neil Postman was a special type of a man and considered that he was not an expert on anything, and yet he was ready to express his opinion on every subject under the sun. The person's mind was continuously working at jokes, headlines and different ideas. This infected an individual when he met Mr. Postman and that could be responded to only with humor, and even that was likely to bring out more ideas. There were a lot of people who knew him – in excess of a hundred thousand or so – had first met his humor. This was also reflected in the books that he wrote. Each of these is also a source of propaganda for his views and written like an essay. The first was â€Å"The Disappearance of Childhood† in 1982, and this was on the infantile nature of American culture. The next book was in 1985 and a satire on entertainment and was named â€Å"Amusing Ourselves to Death†. The last was in 1993 called â€Å"technopoly† and this criticized the fall of culture to technology. He had an excellent intellectual pose along with poise in public meetings and all this rode on the back of his capacity for humor. He always felt that he was the civilized man in a barbaric setting. This setting gradually changed into television and was concerned with the dots, and pursued him all his life. Now let us look at what is this television and how it connects with people. In the United States it first started transmission in New York and the British play, â€Å"The Man with the Flower in His Mouth† was broadcast there in July 1930. Thus one can say that television started off in the heart of United States and the television station was located in South Eastern New York at the mouth of the Hudson River. The station began broadcasting seven days a week on July 21, 1931. This was a television channel or station that broadcast on the terrestrial mode as that was the only mode available then. The bandwidth was then highly confined and this led to a high control by the government. Yet, from the beginning television has been highly used for advertising. Organizing the TV programs that are to be broadcast can be worked out either as a direct production by the manufacturers and then selling to the station that intends to buy it. Sometimes the production itself is paid for by the TV station that will show it. (Television) In other cases the station issues a license to the producers to produce the show for the channel. The show is sometimes carried on in other centers after the show is over on the main channel. In TV terminology this is called secondary programming usage. The secondary shows may be in the original country where the show was produced or in other countries from where the channels are interested in the show. The shows may be controlled by the original producer or not depending on the agreement. Sometimes a group of TV stations run some common programs in their own interest, or through an individual. This is called syndication and the show may be sold by the producers themselves or their agents. Yet with all this it has been seen that doctors recommend that children should only see TV for an hour or two at the maximum in the day. Excess of TV viewing is known to cause various diseases like ADD, excessive weight and heart problems. These may lead to diabetes or excess aggression. Thus it is clear that viewing of Television is not recommended in a high dosage for anybody, and the problem in our country is made worse by the situation of having a number of stations at every town or city due to the possibility of multiple channels being available now. These channels can also be seen on the set through a cable and the customer only has to pay a monthly fee. This is the problem that was envisaged by Postman quite a few years ago, and possibly he foresaw the worsening of the situation due to the advent of cable TV. The problem was also made clear by the decline of the family in the country and as a result the children are being left with only one parent. Most of the time, the single parent is working and is not able to attend to the child when the child comes back from school. These let the child free with the television and see any program of their choice. (Television) Neil Postman is an authority on children and has written many books about different subjects. These are mostly concentrated on education, as he was a teacher himself. He has written on the crisis in the schools, the effect of Television on our public and political life and the nature of modern childhood and education. He has taken the position of conscientiously objecting to whatever he saw being harmful to the society. In certain cases he has pointed out institutionalized mistakes or organizational stupidity and asked for their solution. Throughout the West, there has been the concept of three stages in life – infancy, childhood and adulthood. This had gone undisturbed for 350 years, but is now being questioned by a new element in the communicational facilities – television. This is seriously disturbing as the contents of life that would be normally faced by adults are now being made open to the children through this new medium. The children do not have to go through the portals of adulthood for reaching this information. Earlier this was being protected by the adults through certain secrets that are known to adults, but not revealed to children till they reached the appropriate age. These secrets are the social, political and sexual secrets that an adult must know. At the same time Television reveals all these secrets at once, and this makes it difficult to control the socialization of the young among themselves. This is making the young less discernible from adults. Stirring Up Trouble about Technology, Language, and Education) In the past there was a time when alcoholism was seen only among adults, and not at all among children. Today it is common to see child alcoholics. The same situation exists among children for drugs and it is quite common among children. The same situation exists for sex and sexual disease and this is seen from the total crime statistics. There are a number of figures that show the young being involved in crime today while this was not the situation even in 1959 as the figures for crime by people under the age of 18 shows. Thus it is clear that television is making the concept of childhood as being different from adulthood being different extremely difficult to sustain in North America, and childhood is disappearing from that region of the world. At the same time, there some parents who are well off and if they know what is happening to the child may still provide him or her with a childhood. This requires the parents to be very careful on the influences of the media on the child, among other factors. The problem is that not many parents can meet those conditions, and the influence of television among media is still rising. As mentioned earlier, there are many single parent houses in America and their difficulties have already been discussed. Even when there are two parents, both of them are working at the same time and that stops them from being able to give enough time to the children for socializing. This transfers the socializing exercise to the television set, and many of them are unable to control the channels that the children see or what films they see, or even know what records they have. These activities require the parents to have a lot of time for the child, and advise the child. Yet not many parents find the time for that. Thus for the children to have a childhood, the parents must spend a lot of time with the child. On the other hand many parents are too busy and there children get the required education from the advertising of NBC, CBS, Steven Spielberg, Coca-Cola and Proctor and Gamble. In certain countries television is being controlled – Denmark. They have now limited the extent of commercials that an advertiser supported station can have. These stations are not permitted to have advertisements on cigarettes, liquor, beer, banks, medicine, religious organizations, political organizations, or even advertisements aimed at children. Also, in Denmark, the television operates for the full 24 hours in a day. But, it is not possible for this to happen in the United States as the Americans would feel it is very restrictive, apart from the ideology of the present day administration. The present day administration may even be called the extreme type of free market supporters. This has not started today and even Ronald Reagan was not conservative, and he was probably as oriented to the free market as is the present President Bush. They are all willing to get as much out of technology as possible in terms of gains of dollars. Thus there is no chance of any restriction being put on the hours of operation of the Television through any social policy. This attitude goes on in Americans well beyond the limits of television and is being applied by them even in the case of computer technology. The issue is not of one particular technology, but the general question of using technology for financial gain to extreme limits, or no limits. (Stirring Up Trouble about Technology, Language, and Education) It can be said that in the exploitation of technology, there are no limits in America and they generally do not have any concerns about the psychological and social effects. They are just interested in knowing what the new technology can do. They are not concerned about the effects of the new technology in changing the social or cultural behaviors of the citizens. This is reflected in Sesame Street which makes the children get more attached to television than school. The concerned program is well prepared and makes the maximum possible use of a visual image based medium. When the makers of the program say that the program will make the children like school it is only right in the sense that the children will like school if it is a show like Sesame Street. The show is probably helping the children learn the elements that are taught in school like the letters and the numbers, yet at the same time, it is also giving the children some built in impressions about school. This is teaching the children that school must be entertaining, and that images have to form the basic of learning. It also gives the children that feeling that learning is immediately rewarded by getting of rewards in some form or the other. The impressions which are built into the children turn out to be more important than the learning that they get, and that is the problem. The children learn the numbers and letters in other forms also, and that also happens within the expected time, but the normal learning process does not build in these difficulties. It is often said that these methods of education make the children more intelligent, but that is a moot question to answer as the differences in intelligence are hard to define and their benefits are also hard to judge. The question of intelligence is easy to be used, as nobody probably understands what we are trying to say, but it is much easier to understand when we say that a person is stupid. It is possible that the technology available in the computer will help the technology of printing to a large extent, and that would be a service. It also increases the thinking by the children as to program a computer the child has to think quite a lot. Yet the total effect that this would cause is rather difficult to guess. (Stirring Up Trouble about Technology, Language, and Education) Technological development has had a very big impact and much more so when the development has been on the matters of information and communication. They have great impacts in terms of socialization, ways of thinking and methods of learning. A lot of these changes have taken place in the latter part of the 20th century and this brings up the question of defining the new Child of the Information Age. Some people may be defining all the children of today as Children of the Information Generation with television, computer games and video games. This had also been the thinking of Neil Postman, and he believed that this made the child cross puberty physically but never reach maturity. Thus they loose their childhood but are then are lost to mankind. The phrase â€Å"technology development† normally refers to the development of tools and these are being developed from the time that men have started on the path to development. (Children of the Information Age: A Reversal of Roles) Until the seventeenth century, tools of a more primitive kind were being used by all civilizations. Not that all countries were using the same tools and some had only spears and cooking utensils available to them. On the other side, others had water mills, coal and horse power. At the same time, these tools were not intended to change the civilization which had brought them into existence, and they were not intended to attack. Thus the tools did not stop people from believing in their versions of god, politics, and methods of education or their methods of social organization. (Kaplan, 34) Some cultures and religions believe that television is intruding into their religion and the use of television is banned by some sections of believers in Islam in some parts of the world. In the world of today, children and adults see the same movies thanks to television and highlighted by Postman. They all get into telephone romances; get informed about the same pop music and the same computer games. These come through both the television and the computer. This results in the adults never growing up and becoming more childish as time goes on. The children become more mature as they are exposed to all matters of adulthood, or at least seem so. This adulthood is only superficial and not emotional, as the amount of information to be passed on to the child should be passed on in a controlled manner by the concerned adult, as otherwise, the concept of being a child will end. This gradually stops the clear line of demarcation between adults and children, and the sense of independence and responsibility also becomes unclear. This is highlighted by Postman who describes the present day children as living between illusion and realty. This has also made the adults loose most of their authority, and it is a world without borders. (Children of the Information Age: A Reversal of Roles) In truth these makes them totally dependent for all the time, and never grow up into adults. Yet the children of the present day differ a lot from the children of earlier years and they consist of a larger section of the people who come to the net regularly. This is quite understandable as the net is a part of their life which has never been the case with their parents. In studies it has been seen that as much as 73% of the American population between the ages of 12-17 use the Internet regularly and the study was in June 2001. These children also certainly have a care in the world for the world that they live in. One of their main contributions is through the creation of web sites for helping others. Jason Fernandez from Mumbai had built a site which supported children with learning disabilities along with their parents and teachers. This is a site for common good. The new facility of Internet has made it possible for everybody to publish his or her work. This is irrespective of age, gender, or education. The control is not with groups of people that existed in earlier generations where the work could only go out in the printed format. This change will also bring in other changes in the methods of learning, working and social structure. (Children of the Information Age: A Reversal of Roles) Postman had been concerned that the importance of all items was being reduced by television – be it politics, religion, news, athletic education or commerce. This was how we were amusing ourselves to death. It also showed that image was viewed as more important than content, and television was the master of images. (Neil Postman's amusing ourselves to Death) If Postman were to now concentrate on the newer developments he would write on the Internet. To be negative, the Internet contains a lot of false information, and this would hurt the beliefs of a normal human being. But this is also something that we learn while growing up into adults from childhood, and is not necessarily negative. (Final Project Paper: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman) To conclude, one can thus say that while television makes the audience less responsible and childish, the Internet makes the audience more apparently mature. It is up to the audience to carry the work further, and not live for their own life, abandoning the responsibility of the children that they created.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-nine

Eddard The grey light of dawn was streaming through his window when the thunder of hoofbeats awoke Eddard Stark from his brief, exhausted sleep. He lifted his head from the table to look down into the yard. Below, men in mail and leather and crimson cloaks were making the morning ring to the sound of swords, and riding down mock warriors stuffed with straw. Ned watched Sandor Clegane gallop across the hard-packed ground to drive an iron-tipped lance through a dummy's head. Canvas ripped and straw exploded as Lannister guardsmen joked and cursed. Is this brave show for my benefit? he wondered. If so, Cersei was a greater fool than he'd imagined. Damn her, he thought, why is the woman not fled? I have given her chance after chance . . . The morning was overcast and grim. Ned broke his fast with his daughters and Septa Mordane. Sansa, still disconsolate, stared sullenly at her food and refused to eat, but Arya wolfed down everything that was set in front of her. â€Å"Syrio says we have time for one last lesson before we take ship this evening,† she said. â€Å"Can I, Father? All my things are packed.† â€Å"A short lesson, and make certain you leave yourself time to bathe and change. I want you ready to leave by midday, is that understood?† â€Å"By midday,† Arya said. Sansa looked up from her food. â€Å"If she can have a dancing lesson, why won't you let me say farewell to Prince Joffrey?† â€Å"I would gladly go with her, Lord Eddard,† Septa Mordane offered. â€Å"There would be no question of her missing the ship.† â€Å"It would not be wise for you to go to Joffrey right now, Sansa. I'm sorry.† Sansa's eyes filled with tears. â€Å"But why?† â€Å"Sansa, your lord father knows best,† Septa Mordane said. â€Å"You are not to question his decisions.† â€Å"It's not fair!† Sansa pushed back from her table, knocked over her chair, and ran weeping from the solar. Septa Mordane rose, but Ned gestured her back to her seat. â€Å"Let her go, Septa. I will try to make her understand when we are all safely back in Winterfell.† The septa bowed her head and sat down to finish her breakfast. It was an hour later when Grand Maester Pycelle came to Eddard Stark in his solar. His shoulders slumped, as if the weight of the great maester's chain around his neck had become too great to bear. â€Å"My lord,† he said, â€Å"King Robert is gone. The gods give him rest.† â€Å"No,† Ned answered. â€Å"He hated rest. The gods give him love and laughter, and the joy of righteous battle.† It was strange how empty he felt. He had been expecting the visit, and yet with those words, something died within him. He would have given all his titles for the freedom to weep . . . but he was Robert's Hand, and the hour he dreaded had come. â€Å"Be so good as to summon the members of the council here to my solar,† he told Pycelle. The Tower of the Hand was as secure as he and Tomard could make it; he could not say the same for the council chambers. â€Å"My lord?† Pycelle blinked. â€Å"Surely the affairs of the kingdom will keep till the morrow, when our grief is not so fresh.† Ned was quiet but firm. â€Å"I fear we must convene at once.† Pycelle bowed. â€Å"As the Hand commands.† He called his servants and sent them running, then gratefully accepted Ned's offer of a chair and a cup of sweet beer. Ser Barristan Selmy was the first to answer the summons, immaculate in white cloak and enameled scales. â€Å"My lords,† he said, â€Å"my place is beside the young king now. Pray give me leave to attend him.† â€Å"Your place is here, Ser Barristan,† Ned told him. Littlefinger came next, still garbed in the blue velvets and silver mockingbird cape he had worn the night previous, his boots dusty from riding. â€Å"My lords,† he said, smiling at nothing in particular before he turned to Ned. â€Å"That little task you set me is accomplished, Lord Eddard.† Varys entered in a wash of lavender, pink from his bath, his plump face scrubbed and freshly powdered, his soft slippers all but soundless. â€Å"The little birds sing a grievous song today,† he said as he seated himself. â€Å"The realm weeps. Shall we begin?† â€Å"When Lord Renly arrives,† Ned said. Varys gave him a sorrowful look. â€Å"I fear Lord Renly has left the city.† â€Å"Left the city?† Ned had counted on Renly's support. â€Å"He took his leave through a postern gate an hour before dawn, accompanied by Ser Loras Tyrell and some fifty retainers,† Varys told them. â€Å"When last seen, they were galloping south in some haste, no doubt bound for Storm's End or Highgarden.† So much for Renly and his hundred swords. Ned did not like the smell of that, but there was nothing to be done for it. He drew out Robert's last letter. â€Å"The king called me to his side last night and commanded me to record his final words. Lord Renly and Grand Maester Pycelle stood witness as Robert sealed the letter, to be opened by the council after his death. Ser Barristan, if you would be so kind?† The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard examined the paper. â€Å"King Robert's seal, and unbroken.† He opened the letter and read. â€Å"Lord Eddard Stark is herein named Protector of the Realm, to rule as regent until the heir comes of age.† And as it happens, he is of age, Ned reflected, but he did not give voice to the thought. He trusted neither Pycelle nor Varys, and Ser Barristan was honor-bound to protect and defend the boy he thought his new king. The old knight would not abandon Joffrey easily. The need for deceit was a bitter taste in his mouth, but Ned knew he must tread softly here, must keep his counsel and play the game until he was firmly established as regent. There would be time enough to deal with the succession when Arya and Sansa were safely back in Winterfell, and Lord Stannis had returned to King's Landing with all his power. â€Å"I would ask this council to confirm me as Lord Protector, as Robert wished,† Ned said, watching their faces, wondering what thoughts hid behind Pycelle's half-closed eyes, Littlefinger's lazy half-smile, and the nervous flutter of Varys's fingers. The door opened. Fat Tom stepped into the solar. â€Å"Pardon, my lords, the king's steward insists . . . â€Å" The royal steward entered and bowed. â€Å"Esteemed lords, the king demands the immediate presence of his small council in the throne room.† Ned had expected Cersei to strike quickly; the summons came as no surprise. â€Å"The king is dead,† he said, â€Å"but we shall go with you nonetheless. Tom, assemble an escort, if you would.† Littlefinger gave Ned his arm to help him down the steps. Varys, Pycelle, and Ser Barristan followed close behind. A double column of men-at-arms in chainmail and steel helms was waiting outside the tower, eight strong. Grey cloaks snapped in the wind as the guardsmen marched them across the yard. There was no Lannister crimson to be seen, but Ned was reassured by the number of gold cloaks visible on the ramparts and at the gates. Janos Slynt met them at the door to the throne room, armored in ornate black-and-gold plate, with a high-crested helm under one arm. The Commander bowed stiffly. His men pushed open the great oaken doors, twenty feet tall and banded with bronze. The royal steward led them in. â€Å"All hail His Grace, Joffrey of the Houses Baratheon and Lannister, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm,† he sang out. It was a long walk to the far end of the hall, where Joffrey waited atop the Iron Throne. Supported by Littlefinger, Ned Stark slowly limped and hopped toward the boy who called himself king. The others followed. The first time he had come this way, he had been on horseback, sword in hand, and the Targaryen dragons had watched from the walls as he forced Jaime Lannister down from the throne. He wondered if Joffrey would step down quite so easily. Five knights of the Kingsguard—all but Ser Jaime and Ser Barristan—were arrayed in a crescent around the base of the throne. They were in full armor, enameled steel from helm to heel, long pale cloaks over their shoulders, shining white shields strapped to their left arms. Cersei Lannister and her two younger children stood behind Ser Boros and Ser Meryn. The queen wore a gown of sea-green silk, trimmed with Myrish lace as pale as foam. On her finger was a golden ring with an emerald the size of a pigeon's egg, on her head a matching tiara. Above them, Prince Joffrey sat amidst the barbs and spikes in a cloth-of-gold doublet and a red satin cape. Sandor Clegane was stationed at the foot of the throne's steep narrow stair. He wore mail and soot-grey plate and his snarling dog's-head helm. Behind the throne, twenty Lannister guardsmen waited with longswords hanging from their belts. Crimson cloaks draped their shoulders and steel lions crested their helms. But Littlefinger had kept his promise; all along the walls, in front of Robert's tapestries with their scenes of hunt and battle, the gold-cloaked ranks of the City Watch stood stiffly to attention, each man's hand clasped around the haft of an eight-foot-long spear tipped in black iron. They outnumbered the Lannisters five to one. Ned's leg was a blaze of pain by the time he stopped. He kept a hand on Littlefinger's shoulder to help support his weight. Joffrey stood. His red satin cape was patterned in gold thread; fifty roaring lions to one side, fifty prancing stags to the other. â€Å"I command the council to make all the necessary arrangements for my coronation,† the boy proclaimed. â€Å"I wish to be crowned within the fortnight. Today I shall accept oaths of fealty from my loyal councillors.† Ned produced Robert's letter. â€Å"Lord Varys, be so kind as to show this to my lady of Lannister.† The eunuch carried the letter to Cersei. The queen glanced at the words. â€Å"Protector of the Realm,† she read. â€Å"Is this meant to be your shield, my lord? A piece of paper?† She ripped the letter in half, ripped the halves in quarters, and let the pieces flutter to the floor. â€Å"Those were the king's words,† Ser Barristan said, shocked. â€Å"We have a new king now,† Cersei Lannister replied. â€Å"Lord Eddard, when last we spoke, you gave me some counsel. Allow me to return the courtesy. Bend the knee, my lord. Bend the knee and swear fealty to my son, and we shall allow you to step down as Hand and live out your days in the grey waste you call home.† â€Å"Would that I could,† Ned said grimly. If she was so determined to force the issue here and now, she left him no choice. â€Å"Your son has no claim to the throne he sits. Lord Stannis is Robert's true heir.† â€Å"Liar!† Joffrey screamed, his face reddening. â€Å"Mother, what does he mean?† Princess Myrcella asked the queen plaintively. â€Å"Isn't Joff the king now?† â€Å"You condemn yourself with your own mouth, Lord Stark,† said Cersei Lannister. â€Å"Ser Barristan, seize this traitor.† The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard hesitated. In the blink of an eye he was surrounded by Stark guardsmen, bare steel in their mailed fists. â€Å"And now the treason moves from words to deeds,† Cersei said. â€Å"Do you think Ser Barristan stands alone, my lord?† With an ominous rasp of metal on metal, the Hound drew his longsword. The knights of the Kingsguard and twenty Lannister guardsmen in crimson cloaks moved to support him. â€Å"Kill him!† the boy king screamed down from the Iron Throne. â€Å"Kill all of them, I command it!† â€Å"You leave me no choice,† Ned told Cersei Lannister. He called out to Janos Slynt. â€Å"Commander, take the queen and her children into custody. Do them no harm, but escort them back to the royal apartments and keep them there, under guard.† â€Å"Men of the Watch!† Janos Slynt shouted, donning his helm. A hundred gold cloaks leveled their spears and closed. â€Å"I want no bloodshed,† Ned told the queen. â€Å"Tell your men to lay down their swords, and no one need—† With a single sharp thrust, the nearest gold cloak drove his spear into Tomard's back. Fat Tom's blade dropped from nerveless fingers as the wet red point burst out through his ribs, piercing leather and mail. He was dead before his sword hit the floor. Ned's shout came far too late. Janos Slynt himself slashed open Varly's throat. Cayn whirled, steel flashing, drove back the nearest spearman with a flurry of blows; for an instant it looked as though he might cut his way free. Then the Hound was on him. Sandor Clegane's first cut took off Cayn's sword hand at the wrist; his second drove him to his knees and opened him from shoulder to breastbone. As his men died around him, Littlefinger slid Ned's dagger from its sheath and shoved it up under his chin. His smile was apologetic. â€Å"I did warn you not to trust me, you know.†

How to Get Rid of a Musty Smell in Books

How to Get Rid of a Musty Smell in Books Have your beloved old books developed a musty smell? Prevention is key to making sure that books dont develop a bad odor. If you store your books in a cool, dry location, theres a much better chance that youll avoid much of the bad odor that old books can develop. Despite your best efforts, though, you may find mold or mildew on your books. Unfortunately, this may make them smell musty. Below, youll find some tips on how to get rid of the bad odor from your books. Consider Where You Are Storing Your Books If you are storing books in a  basement, garage, attic  or storage unit, youll want to address the storage issue before trying to remove the odor, mildew, and mold from your books. If you get rid of the bad smell and then put them right back in a damp storage location, youll see the problem come right back. Too much moisture causes mildew and mold and too much heat can cause the pages to dry out and crumble move your books to a cool, dry location. Protect Them with Dust Jackets Dust jackets protect the book covers, helping to keep the moisture away from the book. But a dust jacket is not a miracle cure. Even if you use dust jackets, be aware of where you are storing your books,  and avoid moist, hot areas, which can increase the likelihood that theyll develop bad-smelling mold or mildew. Avoid Prolonged Direct Contact with Newspaper Some experts used to recommend that you wrap your books with newspapers, or even place sheets of newspaper between the pages of your book. However, prolonged contact with newspapers can cause damage to your books because of acidity in the newspapers. If you do use a newspaper to get rid of the bad odor, be sure that the newspaper does not come into direct contact with your books. Avoid Bleach or Cleansers Bleach (or cleansers) can be destructive to the pages of your books. If the mildew and/or mold is such that you must remove it, use a dry, soft cloth to remove the worst of it. De-Stinkify Your Book In some cases, despite your best efforts, your book will still smell musty, mildewed or just old. Thankfully, theres an easy solution.  You will need two plastic containersone that will fit inside the other one. Pour some kitty litter in the bottom of the larger container. Place your book into the smaller container (without the lid), then put the small plastic container into the larger container with the kitty litter. Place the lid on the larger plastic container. You can leave the book in this book de-stinkifier for a month, which will remove the odor (and any moisture) from the book.  You can also use baking soda or charcoal in your book de-stinkifier.

How Collaborative Decision Making Transforms Schools

How Collaborative Decision Making Transforms Schools Schools should continuously be striving to improve.  Every school should have this as a central theme in their mission statement. Schools that are either stagnant or complacent are doing the students and communities that they serve a major disservice. If you are not progressing, you will ultimately fall behind and fail. Education, in general, is very progressive and trendy, sometimes to a fault, but you must always be seeking out something bigger and better. School leaders who regularly include their constituents in the decision-making process find it advantageous in many different ways. They understand that involving stakeholders in the decision-making process can ultimately transform a school. Progressive transformation is continuous and ongoing. It must become a mindset and regular way of making decisions to maximize effectiveness.  School leaders must actively invest in the opinions of others, understanding that they do not have all the answers themselves. Varying Perspectives One of the most beneficial aspects of bringing different people to the discussion is that you get several different perspectives or points of view.  Every stakeholder is going to have a distinctly different point of view based on their individual affiliation with the school. It is important that school leaders bring together a varying range of constituents with their hands in different parts of the cookie jar so that perspective is maximized. This is naturally beneficial as someone else may see a potential road block or benefit that someone else may not have thought of. Having multiple perspectives can only boost any decision-making effort and lead to healthy discussions that morph into growth and improvement.  Ã‚   Better Buy In When decisions are made through a process that is genuinely inclusive and transparent people tend to buy in and support those decisions even when they are not directly involved.  There will likely be some that still disagree with the decisions, but they typically respect them because they understand the process and know that the decision was not made lightly or by a single person. Buy in is extremely important for a school because of all the moving parts. A school operates more efficiently when all the parts on the same page. This often translates to success which benefits everyone. Less Resistance Resistance is not necessarily a bad thing and offers some benefits. However, it can also totally destroy a school if it morphs into a resistance movement.  By bringing varying perspectives to the table, you naturally negate much of the resistance. This is especially true when collaborative decision making becomes the norm and part of the expected culture of the school. People will trust a decision-making process that is inclusive, transparent, and holistic in nature. Resistance can be annoying, and it can definitely impede improvement referendum. As stated before this is not always a bad thing as some resistance minimally serves as a natural system of checks and balances. Not Top Heavy School leaders are ultimately responsible for their school’s successes and failures.  When they make critical decisions by themselves, they shoulder 100% of the blame when things run amiss. Furthermore, many people question top heavy decision making and never fully buy in. Any time a single person makes a key decision without consulting others they are setting themselves up for ridicule and eventual failure. Even if that decision is the correct and best choice, it serves school leaders well to consult with others and seek their advice before the final say. When school leaders make too many individual decisions they eventually distance themselves from other stakeholders which is unhealthy at best. Holistic, Inclusive Decisions Collaborative decisions are typically well thought out, inclusive, and holistic. When a representative from each stakeholder group is brought to the table, it gives validity to the decision. For example, parents feel they have a voice in a decision because there were other parents representing them in the decision-making group.  This is especially true when those on a collaborative decision-making committee go out into the community and seek further feedback from like stakeholders. Furthermore, these decisions are holistic in nature meaning that research has been done, and both sides have been carefully examined.   Better Decisions Collaborative decisions often lead to better decision making. When a group comes together with a common goal, they are able to explore all the options more in-depth.  They can take their time, bounce ideas off one another, research the pros and cons of each option thoroughly, and ultimately make a decision that will produce the greatest outcomes with the least resistance.  Better decisions yield better results. In a school environment, this is extremely important. A top priority for every school is to maximize student potential. You do this in part by making the correct, calculated decisions time and time again.   Shared Responsibility One of the greatest aspects of collaborative decision making is that no single person can take the credit or the blame. The final decision lies with the majority on the committee. Though a school leader will likely take the lead in the process, the decision is not solely theirs. This also ensures that they are not doing all of the work. Instead, each member of the committee plays a critical role in the process that often extends beyond simple decision making into implementation and follow through.  Shared responsibility helps reduce the pressure of making a big decision. Those on the committee provide a natural support system because they truly understand the commitment and dedication to making the correct decisions.

A Definition Of Monopoly Economics Essay

A Definition Of Monopoly Economics Essay Monopoly is an industry that has only one firm that sells a good which has no close substitutes. Monopoly firms also represent industries because there are no other firms in the market. Products that are from monopoly market are electricity, water, cable television, local telephone services and many more. Examples of monopoly firm in Malaysia is Tenaga Nasional Berhad, TNB’s unique position as a monopoly in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Peninsular Malaysia. TNB is the only firm that provides us electricity to every building in Malaysia. Another monopoly firm in Malaysia that only provide sewerage services is Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd. Indah Water Konsortium is the only firm in Malaysia that mainly responsible for operating and maintaining the public sewage treatment plants and network of underground sewerage pipelines. Characteristics of Monopoly Market One seller and large number of buyers Monopoly market characteristics are they is onl y one producer or seller in the market and there are many buyers. Therefore, the firm had the power to control the whole market whether it is from the angle of determining the price or the quantity of production. A monopolist has the power to determine the level of price because there is no competition from other firms. Therefore, if the monopolist intends to sell a bigger quantity, it has to reduce the price. This means that the monopolist can only control the price or the quantity of sales, and not both at once. No close substitution Furthermore, monopoly firm’s goods have no substitutes, its means consumers have no choice other than what is produced by the monopolist and they can’t find any substitute of the product. For example, Telekom Malaysia is a firms that provide home telephone services which has no close substitutes but if the buyer can find another firms that provide home telephone service therefore the product is no longer in monopoly. Restriction of entry of new firms All the competitors are prevented from entering the market due to strict barriers to the entry of new firm. To restrict the entry of new firms into the industry, there are barriers to entry that are natural or legal restrictions. There are no competition faces by monopolist is because of barriers of entry. Advertising A monopolist doesn’t need to advertise their product or services to increase sales because monopolist had the right to control the market and consumers know where to obtain the products and they have no choice to buy from other producer. Monopoly firms that provide local public utilities such as water, electricity and home phone services doesn’t need to advertise since they are the only firms that provide it and customers had no choice to buy it from another firm. Intro to Question 2 It is traditional to divide industries into categories according to the degree of competition that exists between the firms within the industry. There are four such categories. First of all is perfect competition is the market where there is a large number of buyers and seller. The goods sold in the market are homogenous where most of the goods are alike and most likely the same. Therefore, sellers can easily enter and exit from the market. Most of the agricultural goods are included in perfect competition market such as vegetables, fruits, rice, coffee beans, wheat, primary commodities, gold, silver and others.

Contemporary hospitality industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Contemporary hospitality industry - Assignment Example ng to the British Hospitality Association, (BHA) the hotel and tourism sector comprises of an approximate of 127,000 businesses and employment for about 1.6 million people. This is anticipated to rise in the future as more investors come into the industry. Approximately, the industry contributes about 19% of the total national income. This kind of labour is either directly or indirectly related to hospitality and tourism (Reid et al, 2010). There are distinguishing differences between a 4* hotel and a Bed and Breakfast. Different travellers settle on where to stay based on specific needs. Bed and Breakfasts are usually run by a family providing a friendly and caring environment. It is appropriate for people who want to have the home away from home experience. A 4* hotel is mostly a member of a conglomerate which is larger and consists of other hotels. The inns are privately owned mostly private homes that have been renovated for commercial use. The Bed and Breakfast food is provided by the owners and usually gourmet which is informal and quality food. The food could be eggs, meat or what is available in the house. A four star hotel offers a continental breakfast which is a variety of fruits, cereal, yogurt, and batter for those who wish to make waffles. The food is prepared by professional chefs. A four star hotel is offers a more complex style of living with uniform rooms and decor whereas Bed and Breakfasts are more like homes rented out to guests with an open kitchen and variations in rooms. A four star hotel has a large staff employed to perform several duties such as cleaning, checking in guests and other services while a Bed and Breakfast is equipped with lesser staff who treat guests as members of the house. The main distinguishing factor between a tall and flat organisational structure is the levels of management. In a flat organisational structure, there is usually just one level of authority. This could be the CEO whom everybody reports to. In a

Theoretical Perspectives and the Strong Argument Essay

Theoretical Perspectives and the Strong Argument - Essay Example Functionalism, Behaviorism, dependency theory, critical theories, and other approaches, including international ethics, post-colonialism, post-modernism, historical sociology, state cartel theory, and geopolitics. (Baylis and Smith, 2001) Then, in order to define historical events of the global policy within conceptual framework, according to Sens and Stoett, we must connect international relations with theoretical perspectives as their origins but on the contrary as their outcomes. (2005) So, let us begin the thorough examination of methods of global politics with the Realism. It can be classical (for example, writings of Thomas Hobbes), neo-realist, offensive, defensive, neo-classical, and liberal (English school). (Brown, 2005) Being separated into three main groups, realist theories presented nation-states as the â€Å"main actors in international politics.† (Burchill, 2001) Firstly, â€Å"statism† is believed to be a â€Å"state-centric theory of international rel ations;† then, â€Å"survival† theory signifies that global policy is a â€Å"struggle for power between self-interested states† (Bucher, 1998); thirdly, â€Å"self-help† theory claims that â€Å"no other states can be relied upon to help guarantee the state’s survival.† (Brown and Nardin, 2002) Furthermore, theoretical approach of Liberalism, originated from the utopian tradition rather than from rational, claims that â€Å"state preferences†¦ are the primary determinant of state behavior,† (Der Derian, 1995) depending on culture, economy, or governance; on the contrary, Realism hold that only â€Å"high politics† could determine the nature of things in the international relations, not â€Å"low politics,† as it was stated by Liberalism. Afterwards, Neoliberalism, being widely known as neoliberal institutionalism, can be treated through a suggestion that only international institutions as an international cobweb of global institutions must be regarded as relevant enough to solve the problems with state autonomy and sovereignty within politic, human rights, economic, and social dimension. Also, Post-liberalism is focused constantly on the defining of terms of autonomy and sovereignty with a means of interdependency between states, global institutions, and non-state agents. Moreover, not being originated from positivist/rationalist group of theories, Constructivism could not be traced to the Realism or Liberalism. Therefore, arguing that â€Å"international policies is shaped by persuasive ideas, collective values, culture, and social identities,† Constructivism views the theoretical framework of global policy as socially constructed. Ultimately, if Realism was tended to determine the global politics by the factor of nation-state military power and Liberalism viewed international cobweb of global institutions as principally framed with the means of non-state agents, concepts

Describe the impact of a risk event on business relationships Assignment

Describe the impact of a risk event on business relationships - Assignment Example They are strategic risks that are inadvertently linked with the nature of operations and administrative procedures of any particular industry. Other multilateral dependencies that can impact business partners or link in a business chain include accidents between cars in the importing procedures, fire, theft, and vandalism and water damages (Jolly, 2003). Being a transporter with a reputation of delivering on time and within budget, traffic can be a considerable hindrance to the performance of duties. Such a reputation is highly dependent on the status of traffic unless the transporter has a dedicated means of business that is not shared by others in the same business. Depending on the embedded culture of business continuity, a business organization can be categorized as risk taking or having zero tolerance. It is from such cultures that a business’ continuity is ensured and the impacts of accidents, such as those arising from transport procedures, can be

Photosynthesis Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Photosynthesis - Lab Report Example In table 1 above figure 1, the rate leaves floats with time indicating that photosynthesis is taking place in the presence of lit. This can be seen with the upward sloping curve. On the other hand, in figure 2, the leaves are sinking gradually due to absence of photosynthesis as a result of no light. This can be seen from the down sloping curve. In the table 2 above light is present hence photosynthesis will take place but at higher rate with 0.4% of bicarbonate which produces more carbon (IV) oxide than 0.2% concentration hence the observed higher rate of floating in 0.4%. However at a certain time, rate of photosynthesis reaches optimum point indicated by 10 floats which is the maximum. The following conclusive results would be made out of this experiment.The leaves disks are able to undertake photosynthesis in water as they use dissolved carbon (IV) oxide and oxygen also for respiration. This is why the experiment was able to be successful in water. It is also worth to note that rate of photosynthesis is influenced by carbon (IV) oxide supply as indicated by the higher rates in floats by 0.4% of bicarbonate more than 0.2%. It can also be noted that rate of leaves disks were higher in the presence of light than darkness from the observations above proving that light is necessity for photosynthesis holding other factors

Response to Coments on DQ1 Smith and DQ2 Smith,WK2 Essay

Response to Coments on DQ1 Smith and DQ2 Smith,WK2 - Essay Example A way to determine whether the debt balance of a company is bad is by calculating the debt ratio and the current ratio. The debt ratio shows the ability of a company to pay off its long term debt, while the current ratio demonstrates the ability of a firm to pay off its short term debt. DQ2 The use of cash based accounting is more suitable for small operations that are highly dependent on the short term income to stay in business. An example would be a hot dog vendor. The hot dog vender uses the weekly sales to purchase more material to operate the next week. The hot dog vendor collects all his sales in cash. The majority of public corporations use accrued based accounting because they deal with large sums of money and numerous transactions. The existence of credit does not work in accounting unless the firm used an accrued based accounting system. In cash based accounting credit is not existent. Despite the differences between cash based accounting and accrued based accounting the a pplication of both systems will lead to the same accounting results. For example if the net income of a company is $10,000 under cash based accounting the use of accrued based accounting will also give a net profit of $10,000.

Describe the impact of a risk event on business relationships Assignment

Describe the impact of a risk event on business relationships - Assignment Example They are strategic risks that are inadvertently linked with the nature of operations and administrative procedures of any particular industry. Other multilateral dependencies that can impact business partners or link in a business chain include accidents between cars in the importing procedures, fire, theft, and vandalism and water damages (Jolly, 2003). Being a transporter with a reputation of delivering on time and within budget, traffic can be a considerable hindrance to the performance of duties. Such a reputation is highly dependent on the status of traffic unless the transporter has a dedicated means of business that is not shared by others in the same business. Depending on the embedded culture of business continuity, a business organization can be categorized as risk taking or having zero tolerance. It is from such cultures that a business’ continuity is ensured and the impacts of accidents, such as those arising from transport procedures, can be

Response to Coments on DQ1 Smith and DQ2 Smith,WK2 Essay

Response to Coments on DQ1 Smith and DQ2 Smith,WK2 - Essay Example A way to determine whether the debt balance of a company is bad is by calculating the debt ratio and the current ratio. The debt ratio shows the ability of a company to pay off its long term debt, while the current ratio demonstrates the ability of a firm to pay off its short term debt. DQ2 The use of cash based accounting is more suitable for small operations that are highly dependent on the short term income to stay in business. An example would be a hot dog vendor. The hot dog vender uses the weekly sales to purchase more material to operate the next week. The hot dog vendor collects all his sales in cash. The majority of public corporations use accrued based accounting because they deal with large sums of money and numerous transactions. The existence of credit does not work in accounting unless the firm used an accrued based accounting system. In cash based accounting credit is not existent. Despite the differences between cash based accounting and accrued based accounting the a pplication of both systems will lead to the same accounting results. For example if the net income of a company is $10,000 under cash based accounting the use of accrued based accounting will also give a net profit of $10,000.

Religious Free

Religious Freedom in Colonial America Essay Religious freedom was the driving force that led the first settlers that arrived on America’s shores in the 1500’s. They wanted to be free from the religious intolerance and forget the past. They were greeted by something that they couldn’t have expected in their wildest dreams, people living there already, and people that had lived on the land for centuries before. These Native Americans were not ready to assimilate and saw these settlers as gods, and began to worship them. The settlers believed that the natives were inferior to them due to their lack of technology, economy, and anything beyond a simple form of government. They used this to their advantage when they exploited the natives by trading unfairly. As the 1500’s moved into he 1600’s the natives communicated with the settlers more. The settlers considered the natives to be the inferior people, due to lack of technology and the fact that they didn’t realize that they were getting cheated with every trade. The Native Americans even sold off their land without realizing that the land had changed hands. This action caused the settlers to believe that the natives lacked the intelligence necessary to speak to the settlers. The language gap was the cause for this, even of the settlers didn’t see it. The settlers and natives are equal in my opinion, despite the settlers’ thoughts that they were inferior. Although the settlers could and did easily win on the battlefield, the natives had a strong connection to nature and knew the surroundings. The Native Americans also had an entirely different culture and religion than the settlers; they were earthy and at peace with nature while the settlers were just trying to grab gold with their greedy fingers. The fact that they couldn’t communicate did not make one any more intelligent than the next; it just meant that there was a language gap that proved to be too big to cross. Because the settlers considered themselves superior, and the natives looked at the settlers as if they were gods, the natives were taken advantage of. The settlers saw it as okay due to their superiority, this idea is similar to one called Social Darwinism because it has the settlers believing they are better than the next group (the natives) even if they didn’t consider themselves more evolved. To give an example that fueled the settlers’ beliefs of superiority, the natives were taken advantage of again, but this time on a larger scale. The settlers bought Manhattan from the Native Americans, but they were unaware of it at the time. Manhattan was given to the settlers for the small price of $24. The treatment of the Native Americans was unfair. The settlers simply believed that due to their superiority they could simply take advantage of the natives. This was wrong because the Native Americans were so culturally advanced. The natives only trusted them so much because they were people like they had never seen before and were looked at as if they were gods. The settlers took away the natives material items, as well as large parts of their culture. It is sad because the settlers just couldn’t see how brilliant the Native Americans really were.

The Purpose Of Metro Rail

The Purpose Of Metro Rail The purpose of this report is to determine how managers at MetroRail can achieve ecologically sustainable management values and practices utilising planning and controlling methods, while running and maintaining a metropolitan rail network. 1.2 Scope This report will analyse initiatives higher level management at MetroRail can consider in order to achieve ecologically sustainable management, due to investment in new rolling stock and expansion of rail network. The report will look at strategies MetroRail can adopt to run an environmentally friendly transport service with minimal carbon footprint. 1.3 Methodology The information used in this report will use ecological sustainable management values and practices. To facilitate these value and practices, the use of tools such as management planning and organising will be used by MetroRail. 1.4 Assumption It is assumed that MetroRails environmental vision has been promoted to all employees. The policy statement is to establish MetroRails environmental commitments and provides the basis for setting our environmental objectives and targets. This policy will pursue policies that protect the global and local environment and those that are consistent with principles of ecologically sustainable development. 1.5 Limitations This report is limited by its focus on planning and controlling of ecological sustainable management values and practices to satisfy this reports requirements. In addition, only key elements within planning and control have been addressed. Organisational and leadership functions are also represented within MetroRail, however these will not be included in this report. 1.6 Background MetroRail is a state run corporation in the state of Queensland, providing passenger rail services covering suburban Brisbane and extending to south western, western, central west and northern regions of Queensland. MetroRail plans to expand its network as part of the Federal Government Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan, with further investment in new rolling stock to cater for the growing demand for clean, reliable, passenger rail services. 1.7 Plan This report will first discuss the importance of ecologically sustainable management values and practices before discussing planning and controlling methods utilised to achieve their nominated functions. Several practical and theoretical concepts will be outlined to management on different proposals to be taken. A summary of recommendations and justification will be presented at the conclusion of this report. 2. Discussion 2.1 Importance of Ecologically Sustainable Management Values and Practices The introduction of new rolling stock and expansion of rail network raises the need for MetroRail to recognise the growing need for more ecologically sustainable management practices, Robbins, Bergman, Stagg and Coulter (2009). As a result, both state and federal Government have required MetroRail to review its environmental policies and strategies to be eligible for grant funding. Sustainability has become an important value in many corporate cultures, however implementing this concept has been very challenging (Esquer-Peralta, Velazquez and Munguia, 2008). This could be due to sustainability having various meanings according to the interest, needs, and values of different societies. 2.2 Planning Planning is an approach to establishing the long-term future of an organisation and then moving that organisation in an appropriate direction to achieve the future. (Bell, 2002). Through planning a strategy can be developed on the concerns about organisations impact on the natural environment (Robbins et al., p.175). By clearly outlining the ecological sustainable management values of the organisation it can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the company by providing focus and direction (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). 2.2.1 Goals Goals are specific, measurable outcomes that you want to achieve in the next week, month, year, and five years (Chang, 2005). As MetroRail is a government corporation, its goals are set by the state and federal governments. However as governments can change during election periods, MetroRail must be able to set its own goals. These goals must be measurable, an example of a rail company setting goals is CityRail in New South Wales of Australia. The 2009 Customer Charter outlines their specific goals for improving customer service over the next three years, coupled with tangible actions that will directly benefit customers over the next 12 months (CityRail, 2009). Within planning there are two major types of planning that affects a company. Strategic planning is a process of deciding in advance what kind of planning effort is to be undertaken, when it is to be done, who is going to do it, and what will be done with the results (Frank Harrison, 1999). Top level managers such as Chief Engineers, Chief Technology officer and the Department of Transport are usually involved in strategic planning for the corporation. Operation planning is the other type of planning. Manager at both middle and lower levels perform operation planning in order to define the specific tactics and action steps needed to accomplish the goals specified by top management (Morrisey, 1996). Management at MetroRail needs to set clear goals in regards as to how they will expand their current rolling stock, network, and maintaining its existing infrastructure. These goals need to be strategically planned along with operation planning to achieve realistic targets. An example of such goals is to ensure all future rolling stock does not consume more electricity than current rolling stock while featuring extra security features. One way to achieve such a goal is to ensure all new rolling stock is equipped with regenerative braking. This will ensure less wear and tear on brakes as well as less power consumption. 2.2.2 Strategy Strategic planning brings about an integrated perspective of the company, a foresight of the companys direction that is built upon experience and hard data from research (Schmetterer, 2003). Collecting these ideas as building blocks is instrumental to the development of strategic plans. Mintzberg (1994) insightfully said, The big picture is painted with little strokes. There are a number of tools to formulate an effective strategy. Research can be used to see how other companies go about tackling their ecological sustainable management practices. However research in the organisation itself is vital to understand if its current policies and missions are adhered to. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis helps identify where MetroRail is performing well in its environmental policies and where improvements need to be targeted at. Upon completion of a SWOT analysis, the three key points, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat must be carefully taken into account when setting up ecological management values and practices. A strategy on how to lower MetroRails carbon footprint must be developed with industry and community consultation. Management must set boundaries on available resources, such as human resources, budget and facilities before a strategy can be formalised. If MetroRail does not have the necessary resources to initiate environmentally friendly initiatives, it must find ways to implement the strategy with its limited resources. If it cannot allocate the resources to the initiatives, it may need to reduces its goals or form an alliance with key industry partners to get the resource it requires. A key strategy for MetroRail in ecologically sustainable management practices is to ensure the procurement of all equipment, services and resources have the environment in mind. An example would be to purchase a portion of energy to come from renewable sources. MetroRail is committed to becoming a carbon neutral company through policies the management sets. MetroRails environmental policy needs to be filtered through the company to ensure all employees continuously strive to improve its environmental performance. Many of the key strategies are developed by full time planners who would develop business strategies. Mintzberg (1994) points out, one of the key weaknesses of this approach was that the strategic planners, while being superior analysts of hard business data, were outsiders of various business functions. As such, many plans devised by these strategists were poor. In order to create the most effective strategic planning strategies, each specific business or activities is to be planned by those involved with the particular business and activities. Higher level management should only initiate policies and ideas. This paradigm shifts the decisions downwards to lower level persons who have direct knowledge and in-depth understanding of the subject matter at hand (Barney, 2002). 2.2.3 Plans Setting realistic plans is the next important activity once a strategy has been formulated. Planning is the process of establishing specific objectives, action steps, and a schedule and budget related to a predetermined program, task, or project (Kerzner, 2003). Planning helps to focus on critical areas that need attention and action. Short term plan needs must balance with long term plans. Different types of plans are needed to meet each specific department, as they require different methods to reach their goals. The strategic plans will be created by higher level management, while operational plans will be formulated by individual divisions. As MetroRail is a state government corporation, it is bounded by the governments vision. Higher level management at MetroRail will formulate the strategic plan for the whole organisation on how best to minimise environmental impacts. This is usually released as an organisation policy on the environment. An example of strategic planning, is all future rolling stocks must feature regenerative braking to minimise energy use. More specific operational strategic plans will stem from each division. These ecological sustainable management practices and values will flow into divisional employees to guide them and follow. Operational plans include, how to minimise energy with moving empty rolling stock between stations and stabling yards. These plans will be long term as they are on-going issues and are performed repeatedly. Both strategic and operational planning are important, because the success of MetroRail in its ecological sustainable management depends on creating new paths to the future as well as implementing short term operational plans (Noy, 2001). 2.3 Control The function of control process is taking a systematic approach to figuring out if what has been planned is has achieved or not (McNamara, 2008). This process occurs after the planning process. This allows managers to make decisions on whether to modify the plan as required. 2.3.1 Approaches to Control Setting standards specifies criterias by which work and results are measured and evaluated (Chang, 2005). Standards provide guidelines for measuring performance of ecological sustainable management practices. In order to make comparison on how well MetroRail is being measured on its ecological management practices, it will be benchmarked on technical, planning, perception against other corporations. Many of the high level controls put in places come from the strategic planning stage. These need to be measured to show the public and government MetroRail is committed to reducing its environmental foot print. Benchmarking, however has limitations, such as data not been available, and in such cases, estimates must be made. Managers may use techniques to study samples, ratings, data collection to measure the performance of the organisation (Dhillon, 1987). To evaluate performance is to evaluate work in progress, assess job completed and provide feedback. Example would be to control the roll out of new maintenance of pneumatic pressure gauges. This needs to be benchmarked to the old maintenance scheme to assess if the new system lowers leaks from the system, thus reducing waste on compressing air. To exercise control, manager can perform inspections, review progress and define and add variation to plans. Managers exercise control over projects when serving as project leaders (Katz, Light and Thompson, 2003). The main driving forces for the implementation of controls such as Environmental Management System and ISO 140001 in industry are to satisfy customer requirements, to ensure legal compliance, to improve risk management, to improve public image, and in a systematic way utilise the potential to save money and natural resource (Sammalisto and Arvidsson, 2005). 2.3.2 Types of Control There are three types of controls used by mangers, Robbins et al. (2009). The first is feedforward control. The essential feature of a feedback system is that performance is compared to a standard and this comparison becomes the basis for corrective action (Tadepalli, 1991). MetroRail must use feedforward control as much as possible. This comes mostly from the planning process, such as utilising the Environmental Management Plan. The second type of control is called concurrent control. Concurrent control involves monitoring and adjusting ongoing activities, Erdogan, Bauer, and Carpenter (2009). The best way to for managers to continuously monitor and adjust activities is to manage by walk about (MBWA). The final type of control is called feedback control. Feedback control provides managers with information concerning outcomes from organisational activities, Enz (2009). With feedback control, managers measure performance against targets set during planning. An example of feedback control is measuring the power consumption of the new trains to technical plans provided during the planning phase. 2.4 Conclusion Planning and controlling are essential tools in ecological sustainable management values and practices. Planning allows managers to forecast and to regulate plans for sustainable management. Planning to procuring new trains with regenerative braking and effective and efficient movement of trains between stations and stabling yards are sustainable solutions. Proper planning ensures the strategy and goals developed can be achieved. Control process is followed by the planning process. This link ensures plans are controlled to reach their set goals. Control ensures MetroRail is complying with applicable environmental legislation and regulations, and addresses government policy. In summary, planning and control process ensure MetroRail aims to achieve ecological sustainable management values and practices. 3. Recommendations Implement mandatory training on ecological sustainable management values for all employees. Provide an audit and review framework to achieve continual improvement in ecological sustainable management. Establish objectives, targets and key performance indicators to monitor environmental performance and drive improvement. Comply with applicable environmental legislation and regulations, and address government policy. Minimise use of natural resources. Adhere to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Procurement policy to consider ecological sustainability practices and values. Word Count: 2488

Being Nice to Strangers :: Free Essay Writer

Being Nice to Strangers Throughout this literature class we have been reading stories of love & war, history & heroes, and Gods & Goddesses. This literature that has been introduced to us is about much more than that. It is about life. Everyday life. Our lives. If you understand the literature as it is meant to be understood, then you would be able to put yourself in the characters’ shoes. You would be able to relate with the choices they have to make, the feelings they feel, and the burden of society they have gone through. You are able to do so because these literature works are masterpieces, and masterpieces last forever. They aren’t just stories told only for the times when they were written, they are for all times: past and present. Even if it does take an educated person like Dr. Fajardo-Acosta to get the deepest meaning across to us, once you understand it, everything clicks. You think to yourself, "That’s like the situation I went through last week," or "That’s how I feel." And you begin to realize that these works pertain to you and everyone else. You realize that you aren’t the only one that has gone through something or that feels a certain way. Than you start to crave more. You want to learn, read, and understand more. I believe that deep down all human beings are good. Their ways or thoughts may be tainted but who are we to judge. That concept of judging others is very important in literature. Of course, you can’t possibly stop all judgmental thoughts but the key is to limit them and to realize when you are having these thoughts. We as humans are critical people of ourselves and of others. They way we criticize depends on what we have gone through so far in our lives. We think the way we do and perceive others by what has happened to us, whether it was good or bad. We are all conditioned to think the way we do, whether it is the religion you were born into or the experiences that you went through as a child that are stored deep down inside. Whatever it may be and whether you know it or not, they affect you and the way you think, act, and see other human beings. Let’s take Oedipus for example. As a child he was pretty much tortured and thrown into the woods to die.

Comparison of Dulce et Decorum Est and Charge of the Light Brigade Essa

Comparison of Dulce et Decorum Est and Charge of the Light Brigade Compare and contrast the two poems Dulce et Decorum Est (Owen) with Charge of the Light Brigade (Tennyson), paying particular attention to the writers’ attitude to war. The attitudes of poets towards war have always been expressed vigorously in their poetry, each poet either condoning or condemning war, and mitigating their attitudes in whatever way possible. I aim to explore the change in the portrayal of war before and during the twentieth century, and also the structures and devices poets use to convey their views persuasively, and justify them. For this job I have chosen to write about â€Å"Charge of the Light Brigade† written by the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est† by the poet Wilfred Owen. These two poems describe war, and scenes from war, with varying levels of intensity and reality and also from different viewpoints. Written during the Crimean War Tennyson’s â€Å"Charge of the Light Brigade† mirrors the sentiments expressed in the Battle of Balaclava. This event took place in 1854 and is still remembered as one of the most famous triumphs in British history. The truth is that Lord Raglan suicidally led his troops " Into the valley of Death ", where they were massacred. Lord Tennyson was the poet Laureate at the time of the Crimean war, but did not witness any fighting and was not involved in it but his clever and effective use of literary devices in his poem ensure that this military fiasco was remembered as a glorious victory. Tennyson puts across a message to remember, respect and honour the soldiers for what they have given up their lives to do for their country. â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est† however, was writt... ... suggesting that the writers of glorious war poems have even lied to the young people, and sent them to the front line to die in their millions, in awful conditions and distressing situations. Having explored both poems, I feel that the one which brings about the biggest response from me is â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est†. This is because of the striking graphic imagery he uses, the way he describes the effects of the war on him, and also because of the way he directs the poem at the reader personally, using phrases such as â€Å"you† and â€Å"my friend†. In my opinion, â€Å"The Charge of the Light Brigade† does not have the impact and the realism to convey the opinions contained in it effectively and forcefully. I feel is a more imaginative, outlook on war than Wilfred Owen’s graphic poem. The thing I did like about Tennyson’s poem was the excitement and passion and pace.

Celibacy and Catholic Priests Essay

In today’s world, many wonder why Catholic priests can’t get married and have a family of their own. This issue and question can be boiled down into one word: celibacy. Being celibate is defined as being â€Å"One who abstains from sexual intercourse, especially by reason of religious vows,† according to thefreedictionary.com. This definition is not understood by many because the thought of having a life without sex is unbearable, especially in today’s society. By exploring this topic in depth, one can understand why celibacy is an important factor of the Catholic priesthood. According to Father Kenneth Doyle of the Catholic News Service, priests hold this sacred vow for three particular reasons: it closely resembles Christ Who was unmarried, it shows and proves that love can be present without being physical, and it allows a man to give all of his energy to the Lord rather than to a family. In understanding how celibacy became so important, we have to look at its history, particularly at the third, fourth, eleventh, and sixteenth centuries, according to John O’Malley in his article Some Basics About Celibacy (8). In the third century, within the early Church, many priests and even most of the apostles of Jesus were men with wives and families. It was a common feature among the early Church, and even some of the Holy Fathers, or Popes, were known to be married and have children. It is clear that during this time period, the patristic era and early Middle Ages, celibacy was not enforced and not important within the Church. Early in this century, Constantine’s recognition of Christianity brought about status change for all Christians: because they were not being oppressed and martyred they looked for new ways to follow Christ and challenge themselves to give their lives for Him. John W. O’Malley writes, â€Å"With St. Jerome (345-420), as well as many others, virginity for those espoused to Christ began to be extolled with new fervor and consistency.† This became the building block for legislation and more teachings on the subject of celibacy (9). O’Malley points out that the fourth century brought about more change for Christians as they came out of hiding in the catacombs (9). The Council of Elvira was held in 305, which consisted of nineteen bishops as well as a number of priests, deacons, and laypeople. O’Malley writes that Canon 33 was a product of this council and that it was the first piece of legislation that dealt with the issue of the clergy and marriage. It reads: It has seemed good absolutely to forbid the bishops, the priests, and the deacons, i.e., all the clerics in the service of the ministry, to have relations with their wives and procreate children; should anyone do so, let him be excluded from the honor of the clergy. (9) This decree changed things, because it made a tradition into a law, and any who violated it would be punished. This decree was really meant to put continence or self-restraint on married clergy, because the idea of mirroring Christ and having complete dedication to the sacraments was becoming more important, as well as trying to lead by example as clergy to the laypeople. This was very important in setting up what would change in the eleventh century as more authoritative figures wanted to establish order and set things right within the Church (9). According to O’Malley, the eleventh century sought to recover from the Dark Ages and was able to retrieve patristic era canon law collections (10). These recovered canon law collections contained laws related to the idea of celibacy and acted as maps or blueprints for a series of holy and zealous popes for thirty-five years, who were determined to set order in the Church and society (10). During this time the papacy established a rule of authority and power, which far surpassed anything that preceded it, and began reforming the Church. The reformers had the main goal of trying to get the clergy’s behaviors and actions to mirror the ancient canon laws interpreted by the reformers, and were striving to make the clergy and the Church more holy in nature. One of the greatest popes in history was Pope Gregory VII who came into office towards the end of the movement. Thanks to his efforts, the law of celibacy began to appear in the form that would most resemble today’s form, which is the prohibition of the ordained from being married before or after ordination (10). The sixteenth century saw the beginnings of the reformation, where the idea of celibacy was challenged and questioned by Luther and others, who broke away from the Church and who were also married. The Council of Trent was the Church’s response to the Protestants; it solidified what celibacy means today for the Church and condemned three thoughts on celibacy. According to O’Malley, these were as follows: â€Å"First, that clerics in major orders and religious priests who have made a solemn vow of chastity can validly contract marriage; second, that the regulation of celibacy is a disparagement of marriage; and third, that those who, after making a solemn vow of celibacy, cannot observe it are free to contract marriage† (11). O’Malley points out that the law has been modified. Canon 277, which is observed and practiced today, reads: Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and therefore are obliged to observe celibacy, which is a special gift of God, by which sacred ministers can adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and can more freely dedicate themselves to the service of God and humankind. (11) Continuing to dive deeper into the topic of celibacy, it is important to make a distinction between the Catholic teachings of dogma and discipline. According to Catholic Answers, dogmas are teachings within the Catholic Church that will never change, and a discipline can change. As Catholic Answers points out, because of the many different variations of celibacy in the Eastern Rite Catholics, Orthodox and Oriental Christians where married priests are quite common, celibacy is a disciplinary rule, not a dogma like the Trinity is. Of course there are rules and regulations on marriage and being ordained in those areas that have married clergy, but it is the tradition in the Western or Roman Catholic Church that their clergy take a vow of celibacy; exceptions can be made for Roman Catholic Priests who are married because they converted after being Lutheran or some other denomination. Many Fundamentalists attack celibacy as being a discipline or practice that goes against the Holy Bible and against nature itself because Genesis 1:28 says to, â€Å"Be fruitful and multiply.† As Catholic Answers points out, many also argue that celibacy itself leads to perversion or that it can cause illicit sexual behavior, which is simply not true. It is true that many people are called to be married in their lives, but Catholics Answers states, â€Å"†¦The vocation of celibacy is explicitly advocated—as well as practiced—by both Jesus and Paul†. Thus, it is easy to see why celibacy is a very intricate and important part of the priesthood, because it allows the priests to be more like Jesus and have a more connected relationship with the Father and the people they minister to, just like Jesus Himself. Paul understands the importance of celibacy and complete dedication to the Lord by saying in First Corinthians 7:32-34 that, â€Å"I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided†. Being celibate is neither unnatural nor against the Bible. Jesus and Paul practiced and advocated it in their times; clearly, it is not wrong. Catholic Priests are extremely important in today’s world because they provide us with the seven sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the sick. Being celibate helps priests to perform these sacraments in the most holy manner and with complete connection to God. Unfortunately, in today’s world the idea or discipline of celibacy is becoming something that is very hard for some to understand and practice, even for priests. In her article entitled On the Verge of Ideological Mutiny: Celibacy and the Roman Catholic Priesthood, Cathleen M. Falsani said that, â€Å"The debate about mandatory celibacy for priests raises ire and eyebrows, as the Roman Catholic Church experiences a daunting shortage of priests and a declining interest in religious vocations, while stories of sexual indiscretion and abuse abound† (16). It is true that today, many people blame celibacy as the main cause of shortages to the prie sthood and many argue that celibacy shouldn’t be forced onto someone and instead be a personal choice. This issue takes a toll on the entire Church and can threaten the availability of the Mass and sacraments if shortages of priests continue (16). Many also take the Church’s view on sex as a negative thing in that sex is a bad thing and that its only use is to create children, which is why many believe that celibacy is in place for Catholic priests, according to Falsani and Bob McClory a former Catholic priest (16). As Falsani points out, the Church has responded to this view with Blessed Pope John Paul II’s papal letter which stated that, â€Å"The heart of a priest, in order that it may be available for this service, must be free. Celibacy is a sign of a freedom that exists for the sake of service†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (17). This really is what celibacy for those in the priesthood is all about: it allows them to be focused and be married to the church and God in a way that many simply many can not comprehend nor understand. It is about complete sacrifice and giving of one’s self for the greater glory of God and heaven, which allows them to administer and perform the seven holy sacraments in a way that reflects Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles who followed Him and gave up their lives for Christ’s glory. Yes, many of the apostles may have been married; nonetheless, they began to develop a greater love and meaning to what it means to be a servant of the Lord to others and to truly give up their lives in service to Him. Celibacy is not against Church teachings. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, it actually helps strengthen and reaffirm practices within the Catholic Church and proves that life is possible without giving in to worldly desires. In his article Why Celibacy Makes Sense, Robert Barron says that, â€Å"Celibacy†¦is a form of life adopted by people in love with Jesus Christ† (19). This is exactly what drives priests in their ministry and enables them to continue their work with great fervor and zeal. The Catholic priest is a person who is able to prove that being in control of one’s own desires is possible, especially in a world that is filled with sex around every corner. They are able to be that bright light within the darkness that emulates Christ and His purity and love. Imagine if Roman Catholic priests were all allowed to be married in today’s world. This would not raise any eyebrows like it does now; instead, it would just be another thing that is am ong the norm in society. However, it is precisely because of this abnormal thing called celibacy that people do raise their eyebrows at these holy men living in a world that desperately needs people to stand out and be different than what society expects them to be. This is exactly what Jesus did. He was someone Who stood out like a sore thumb during His time, but this allowed Him to lead by example and show everyone who turned their heads that a life with Him and the Father was worth living, no matter how different it was from everyone else’s in society. In The Theological Basis for Priestly Celibacy, the theologian Max Thurian writes, â€Å"Observing celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven does not mean being any the less a man; by renouncing a natural form of existence, the priest discovers life in all its fullness. Christ was certainly no less of a man because he did not have affections other than those for his brethren, and a bride other than the Church.† This sums it up very well: priests try to be leaders of men and are fully committed and faithful to their bride, the Church, and to the flock of people that they minister to. The call to celibacy and the priesthood is a supernatural one, and one which the world sees as unnatural. Contrary to popular belief, celibacy and the call to be a priest is not for those men who have no attraction to women, because like everyone else, priests are human beings and men who still have wants. In his study entitled Seminarians Today, Paul Stanosz writes that sociologists Dean Hoge and Jacqueline have reported that seminarians and young priests view themselves as, â€Å"Men set apart† (19). Many priests are men who really wanted to have a family and children but decided to heed the call to sacrifice this desire and instead be fathers within the Church. The most important tool for priests and seminarians to stay strong in their training and ministry is personal prayer, and Paul Stanosz writes that, â€Å"When asked what they looked forward to as priests, the students mentioned having time for personal prayer and for leading others in prayer† (22). The main reason that seminarians and priests enjoy their personal prayer so much is that they are able to enter into a deeper prayer state because of their total commitment to the Church and not to a wife or children. Celibacy is a practice that allows priests and seminarians to be more connected with the Lord, and thus they can enjoy prayer more and get more out of it. In fact, they can draw others to it as well, because of their mirroring of Jesus Christ’s life and their connection to their unique calling. This truly makes Catholic priests â€Å"Men set apart† and is exactly what is needed in today’s world and what needs to continue within the Roman Catholic C hurch (19). As we have examined, celibacy is a topic that many do not understand because it is one that goes against the social norms of today’s society. Ultimately, it is a very big sacrifice and one that is necessary for Roman Catholic priests to effectively minister and be different from every other man in society. It is something that creates a unique bond between the celibate priest and his ministry and continues a tradition that has been handed down through history and advocated by the Church’s most prominent leaders. As mentioned at the start of this paper from Father Kenneth Doyle, celibacy allows for priests to closely resemble Jesus Christ as the leader and model of the church, it allows for love to exist and be present without being physical, and it allows priests to focus all their energy on the Church rather than on a family or children. This commitment is very grave in nature. According to the Catholic encyclopedia at newadvent.org, during the beginning of the priestly candidates’ ceremony, the bishop tells them just how significant this commitment is by saying the following: You ought anxiously to consider again and again what sort of a burden this is which you are taking upon you of your own accord. Up to this you are free. You may still, if you choose, turn to the aims and desires of the world. But if you receive this order it will no longer be lawful to turn back from your purpose. You will be required to continue in the service of God, and with His assistance to observe chastity and to be bound for ever in the ministrations of the Altar, to serve who is to reign. This is what it means to be celibate: to go against the grain and serve the Lord and the Church with all that one can offer as a priest and as a true man and disciple of Jesus Christ. Bibliography Barron, Robert. â€Å"Why Celibacy Makes Sense.† Commonweal 132.14 (2005): 17-9. ProQuest Religion. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. â€Å"Celibacy and the Priesthood.† Celibacy and the Priesthood. N.p., 10 Aug. 2004. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Celibate.† The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. . Doyle, Father Kenneth. â€Å"CatholicPhilly.com: News from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Powered by The Catholic Standard & Times and Phaith Magazine.† Explaining Celibacy for Latin-rite Priests. N.p., 24 July 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. . 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