Doesnt It Always Seem As Though Rich And Famous People Are Larger- Ess

Doesn't it always seem as though rich and famous people are larger- than-life and virtually impossible to touch, almost as if they were a fantasy? In The Great Gatsby, set in two wealthy communities, East Egg and West Egg, Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as a Romantic, larger- than-life, figure by setting him apart from the common person. Fitzgerald sets Gatsby in a fantasy world that, based on illusion, is of his own making. Gatsby's possessions start to this illusion. He lives in an extremely lavish mansion. "It is a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden." It models an extravagant castle with a European style. Indoors it has "Marie Antoinette music- rooms and restoration salons." There is even a "Merton College Library, paneled with imported carved English oak and thousands of volumes of books." There is even a private beach on his property. He also has his own personal hydroplane. Gatsby also drives a highly imaginative, "circus wagon", car that "everybody had seen. It is a rich cream color with nickel and has a three-noted horn." It has a "monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes, supper-boxes, tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields and a green leather conservatory." Other than Gatsby's possessions, he develops his personal self. His physical self appearance sets him apart form the other characters. His smile is the type "that comes across four or five times in life. One of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it." He has a collection of tailored shirts from England. They are described as"shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel." He has shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple-green and la- vender and faint orange, with monograms of Indian blue." Gatsby wears a unique "gorgeous pink rag of a suit" that sets him apart as a "bright spot." Gatsby's mannerisms are different too. He gives the "strong im- pression that he picks his words with care." Gatsby is an "elegant young roughneck whose elaborate formality of speech just misses being absurd." Gatsby also has a particularly distinct phrase which is "old sport." Further, at his parties he stands apart from the other people. Unlike everyone else, he does not drink any alcohol. Also, there are no young ladies that lay their head on his shoulder and he doesn't dance. During his parties he either sits alone or stands on his balcony alone, apart from everyone else. Gatsby even creates himself a false personal history that is unlike anyone else's in order to give him the appearance of having old money. He says that he is the son of a wealthy family in the Middle West, San Francisco, and he was educated at Oxford. Sup- posedly after his family had all died he "lived like a young rajah in all the capitals of Europe collecting jewels, hunting big game, painting and doing things for himself." During the war he was apparently a promoted major that every Allied government gave a decoration to." However, the medal he received looked to be either fake or borrowed. The fantasy world that Fitzgerald gives Gatsby also ends with parties that are practically like movie-like productions. These parties are so fantastic that they last from Friday nights to Monday mornings. His house and garden is decorated with thousands of colored lights, "enough to make a Christmas tree of his enormous garden." "Buffet tables are garnished with glistening hors-d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys be- witched to a dark gold." He has famous singers that entertain his guests whom are the most well known and richest people. There is an orchestra with "oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and pic- colos and low and high drums." People do not even have to be invited to come to his parties. Car loads of people arrive at his celebrations. Movie directors, actresses and many celebrities attend his extravagan- zas. All these things make his parties well known by everyone. As I said in the beginning , he is portrayed by Fitzgerald as a larger-than- life figure. Apart from the fantasy world of Gatsby, Fitzgerald also invest his quest with a religious motif. The author describes him as a wor- shipper of his "holy" love, Daisy Buchanan. The promise is that he will be with her again. He devotes his life to

The Role of Management in organization

The Role of Management in organization Introduction The main role of management is categorized into four functions, i.e. Controlling, Leading, Organizing and planning. Many textbooks depict these functions as the simple, clear and unchanging guidelines to perfect management. However, the role of management is more than just following simple rules of procedure.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Management in organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These functions looks very ideal to work with and they lay out a god framework through which managers should work with, but they do not represent the day-to-day challenges that face a manager. This essay analyses various textbooks and how each of them depict the role of management. The role of management Role of management as depicted by the study book The text book paints the role of management as a rational and technical function. F.W. Taylor, for example, believed that â€Å"the way to create the most efficient division of labor could best be determined by scientific management techniques rather than intuitive of informal rule-of-thumb knowledge,† (Waddell et al 2007, P. 43). He further four principles of management as â€Å"developing a for each job element, scientifically selecting an training workers, formulating science principles to be followed and equal division of work and responsibilities between workers and management,† (Waddell et al 2007, P.44). This may be conclusively said to be his idea of management’s role of planning, leading, organizing, and controlling. The Gilbreths too, in â€Å"their goal to achieve maximum efficiency, undertook to develop efficiency principle of management to be applied in all areas,† (Waddell et al 2007, P. 47). To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the administrative function, Max Weber developed â€Å"formalized rules, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and norms,† (Waddell et al 2007 , P. 49), popularly known as principles of bureaucracy. To him bureaucracy was the gateway to achieving organizational goals by enabling effective directing and control of workers. Henri Fayol too believed that the only way â€Å"to achieve efficiency of management is by the use of some standard principles which he came up with, to be used by managers in their management role which he identified as planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling† (Waddell et al 2007, P. 52), which equate to the modern management functions as POLC. This stand was challenged by Parker Follet who disagreed with flow of authority from top to bottom and viewed that workers too should be included in the decision making, but Fayols principles have stood the test of time and are still very applicable to date.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Management role by other wr iters Jackall maintains that scientific principles of management are crucial to management process when it comes to middle-managers. Well formulated principles outlines what a manager needs to do when and thus removes the constant fear that such managers feel of â€Å"being found not measuring up to the expectations in their social world,† (Jackall, 1988, P. 79). Tasks are broken into smaller portions and also knowledge conferred and required by each piece. However, he admits that scientific principles will not be helpful to a senior manager who need to make, what he calls, ‘gut decisions’ which are complex and involve large amounts of capital outlay. According to him, â€Å"numeric measures and other seemingly sophisticated analytical tools can only be â€Å"guideposts† in making such decisions,† (Jackall 1988, P.81). But Parker was of the opinion that management cannot be a rational and technical role. He states that management must conform to ind ustrial changes and social progress. In his own words, â€Å"it would make no sense to disentangle†¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœmanagement’ from the everyday skills through which life was lived,† (Parker 2002, P. 5). He views management, though, as an art that once learnt becomes universally applicable to all situations. Roberts views scientific methods of management as essential sources of techniques that managers can use to effectively manage their entities. On the other hand, â€Å"such techniques are inadequate to the task that is set for them and, only by acknowledging the moral character of their practice, will managers be able to become truly effective,† (Roberts 1984 P. 288). Thus, managers are morally neutral characters in their ways of controlling others. Others like Knight and Roberts believe that management power does not only rest with the managers but also the subordinates, (Knight Roberts, 1928). Managers draw their power from the people they manage and therefor e this cannot be rational and technical as in scientific management. Terkel, in his narration of his job in the executive says that, he can’t tell â€Å"of any situation in the corporate world where an executive is completely free and sure of his job from moment to moment,† (Terkel 1974, 335). This is because they are constantly under pressure from both within, e.g., shareholders and outside the organization. Thus, management role cannot be rational and technical. Analysis The study book by Waddell et al, 2007, holds a rigid position on the role of management. Most of the theories of management discussed hold that from management to be effective, managers must follow some preset standards and procedures. According to them, failure to adhere to such principles would lead to total failure of the management.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Management in organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their principles have been applied over a long stretch of time and even now some of their principles have trickled down to modern management. Some writers still believe that scientific methods help managers to reduce uncertainty found in management and makes performance of tasks relatively easy since they are well broken down and defined, (Jackall, 1988). But modern writers have realized that management is more than being technical and rational. It involves the ability to cope with the industrial developments and social progress, (Parker 2002). Others believe that both methods are intertwined and it is hard to separate the two from each other. Simply put, none can survive without the other. Conclusion The most logical line of argument is that the two methods are paramount to success of an organization since as much as management is about dealing with day to day life, lack of clear guidelines to indicate what is to be done, when and by who may result to a state of chaos and con flicts. On the other hand religious adherence to some rational and technical guidelines will be a hindrance to creativity and innovation and it may take long adapting to change. This in effect will lead to slow development of the entire organization. Therefore managers should adopt methods of management that are a combination of both methods. The laid down policies and procedures should not be too rigid as to make it hard to adapt to new circumstances. On the other hand, they should be such as to enable one to know his authority and scope of duty. References Jackall, R. (1988) Moral Mazes: The World of Corporate Managers. Chapter 4, Oxford, Oxford University Press Knights, D Roberts, J. (1928) The Power of Organization or the Organization of Power? Department of Management Science, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, England. Parker, M. (2002) Against Management: Management and its Discontents, Cambridge, PolityAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Roberts, J. (1948) The Moral Character of Management Practice. Journal of Management Studies, 21, 3. Department of Accounting and Business Finance, University of Manchester Terkel, S. (1974) Working. Middlesex. ND Penguin. Waddell, et al. (2007) Contemporary management. McGraw Hill: Australia pty limited.

Critical review of a journal article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical review of a journal article - Essay Example In this regard, ecologists, environmentalists, and even business organizations are now carrying out researches and studies to benefit from the available resources of the planet efficiently. In other words, environmental management has now become a notion of survival for the organizations and even states globally that are now focusing primarily on opportunities that may bring environmental benefits that will be an alternative warfare and most importantly, dominating tool to rule the world in coming years. This paper is a little attempt to discuss some of the aspects of environmental management while focusing mainly on a scholarly piece (MacLean, 2009) that will be the fundamental basis of this paper. Richard MacLean (2009) is the author of a significant article, â€Å"Entering the Fourth Environmental Wave† (MacLean, 2009) in which, author has done a remarkable job by defining and discussing specific issues of environmental management while providing some solutions and implications that seem practical and beneficial theoretically. In brief, the author (MacLean, 2009) began by defining that the world has been experiencing different periods of environmental alterations that occur in the form of waves. Presently, the world is confronting the fourth environmental wave that now requires business organizations to take a step forward in a strategic manner, in order to survive in this competitive era that will be involving huge efforts to acquire remaining natural resources globally. After indicating beginning of the fourth wave, author (MacLean, 2009) specified that in order to acquire material benefits, business organizations will have to start thinking out of the box rather than following cluster of similar perspective, such as trade associations, conferences, etc. Additionally, environmental managers must begin to focus on long-term vision rather than short-term goals that may result in revenues, but in a long run, it

Chinese Communist Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinese Communist Party - Essay Example This country has several more amazing features. The land contains nearly 9.57 million square kilometers of which mountains occupy about one-third, numerous liquid flowing paths where one measures nearly three thousand miles called the Yangtze, and steppe as well as deserts. Not to forget a dazzling 1.3 billion inhabitants (Farah 124-129). The country went through horrible times during which Chinese citizens were suffering of starvation, anguish, and the outcome was death upon innocent beings. The main cause of this ordeal was a man who contributed to the change of the Republic of China. This intelligent but mad communist brought the concept of Communism to the third largest country of the world and that is no other than Mao Zedong (a great fan of Marx theory of communism) or rather say:" scientific socialism".(Wikipedia: free encyclopedia) Although under a totally different concept of living, China is a well respected and a highly productive industrial nation. Forty-eight million representatives make up the* CCP 1today. The CCP functions in a completely different way because authority does not only control politics, but also it reaches deep into the lives of the Chinese (Farah 220). Many reside in agricultural sections where food and crops are produced. Work-strength depends on human and animal force, but nowadays farmers are able to purchase efficient tools (Farah 221). Since its founding in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party gradually expanded its guiding principles to incorporate the philosophical musings of Russia's Vladimir Lenin as well as homegrown revolutionaries Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. The party has traveled a long ideological path from its Marxist roots to its present struggle to maintain its relevance in China's modern and increasingly capitalistic society. Now the whole world looks at it as a country whose scale dwarfs the United States-1.3 billion people, four times America's population. For more than a hundred years it was dreams of this magnitude that fascinated small groups of American missionaries and businessmen-1 billion souls to save; 2 billion armpits to deodorize-but it never amounted to anything. China was very big, but very poor, all that has changed totally. But now the very size and scale that seemed so alluring is beginning to look ominous. And Americans are wondering whether the "China threat" is nightmarishly real. China is now the world's largest producer of coal, steel and cement, the second largest consumer of energy and the third largest importer of oil, which is why gas prices are soaring. China's exports to the United States have grown by 1,600 percent over the past 15 years, and U.S. exports to China have grown by 415 percent. All these figures are so thrilling to here. At the height of the Industrial Revolution, Britain was called "the workshop of the world." That title surely belongs to China today. It manufactures two thirds of the world's copiers, microwave ovens, DVD players and shoes. China's rise is no longer a prediction. It is a fact. It is already the world's fastest-growing

The relation between globalisation and the hospitality industry Essay

The relation between globalisation and the hospitality industry - Essay Example This has ensured that business activities are carried out without the limitation of boundaries between nations since numerous currencies are utilised while people travel across the world while coping up with varied political and social systems that are present in different societies. Hospitality, on the other hand, is a service based industry that integrates hotel, tourism, tour and airline industries. Unlike products where the impression attracts potential clients the hospitality industry is based on the service or experience that clients get after experiencing service the level of satisfaction is the one that will influence whether to come for the same service or not. Globalisation and tourism have integrated to a large extent especially in the 21st century as a need for business firms to venture into international markets has increased (Go and Pine, 2005). Globalisation is all about integrating the economic aspects of an industry. For instance, in the hospitality industry it has experienced massive changes that are aimed at positioning the industry to cater for the global market rather than the local or regional markets, which most establishments are meant for. The hospitality industry is fundamentally dependent on tourism be it domestic or international; thus, the players in the hospitality industry are competing with each other to market their countries as the best holiday destination whereby they can experience cutting edge hospitality that is offered by their firms. This has led to hotels partnering with airlines and local tour companies to provide all-inclusive packages for their clients to experience all services under a single package; thus, making it more lucrative and attractive for the clients to be enticed by the deals. That notwithstanding, branding of hotels and lodges has been a significant trend over the years, it is evident that some brands have an international

Crime Risk Management

Crime Risk Management How can the security/risk manager utilise the Crime Risk Management process and how useful is this process? Crime Risk Management (CRM) is an evolutionary and analytical process to assess whether organisational procedures, assets or individuals could become exposed to a potential threat; to identify the measures necessary to reduce any such risk; to mitigate the consequences of any hazard once realised; to evaluate the success or otherwise of the prescribed course of action; and to adapt appropriately. The conventions of risk management take into account that whilst risk is unlikely to be entirely eradicated, adapting organisational security mechanisms to further protect against anticipated or imagined threats can significantly reduce it. The Crime Risk Management process provides those responsible for securing an organisation against risk with various tools. To develop a greater understanding of how CRM is utilised today it is beneficial to consider the practices of a particular industry in isolation. The manner in which the banking industry combats financial crimes such as plastic fraud provides a useful example. Further to this, in order to critically assess the effectiveness of the approaches taken by industry watchdogs in safeguarding against risk, a brief comparison between the Banking sector and the United Nations CRM practices has been included. Ultimately, when best practices are followed, the CRM process can also have the effect of a deterrent against future misconduct when the latent vulnerabilities of an operation are recognised and appropriately reduced to within acceptable boundaries. According to constitutive criminology, crime is defined as the harm resulting from people â€Å"investing energy in harm-producing relations of power,† which â€Å"denies others their ability to make a difference† (McLaughlin and Muncie, 2006:66). The United States (US) Air Force Material Command Pamphlet (AFMCPAM 63-101, 1997:5) describes risk as â€Å"a measure of a projects inability to achieve program objectives†¦(it) has two components: the probability of failing to achieve particular performance, schedule or cost objectives, and the consequences of failing to achieve those objectives†. Subsequently, risk management is the process of ‘controlling’ such risks and â€Å"includes identifying and tracking risk areas, developing risk mitigation plans as part of risk handling, monitoring risks and performing risk assessments to determine how risks have changed† (AFMCPAM 63-101, 1997:5-6). Cox (2005:64) defines risk management as a â€Å"decision process that maps available risk assessment information about the probable consequences of acts of crime, along with value judgments and priority information concerning the choices of which acts to take in response†. This definition however interprets the discipline of risk management as a more passive activity, focusing more on the assimilation of information and the analysis that follows, rather than the active intervention required to avert or alleviate the risk. Conversely, Broder as cited in Nalla Newman (1990: 92), defines CRM as the â€Å"anticipation, recognition and appraisal of a risk and the initiation of some action to remove the risk or reduce the potential loss from it to an acceptable level†. Based on the above contrasting definitions, one focusing on the information gathering and analysis aspect, and the other accentuating the notion of taking action to avert the risk, CRM can be concluded to have a number of objectives: namely to assess risk by proactive means rather than simply reacting to risks as and when they are encountered, to assess potential losses that might result from these eventualities, conduct a cost benefit analysis of taking risk intervention measures such as setting up a CRM process, and finally, to minimise, control or transfer foreseeable risks (Gill, 1998:14). Therefore, a solid â€Å"risk management approach includes three primary elements: a threat assessment, a vulnerability assessment, and a criticality assessment† (Decker, 2001:1). Each of these aspects also takes into consideration the probability of an occurrence and the timeframe in which it is likely to occur during the lifetime of a project (AFMCPAM 63-101, 1997:6). Threat assessments are critical supports for operational decision-making in the security program design phase, identifying areas requiring crucial and concerted efforts. These assessments identify and evaluate risks based on a number of elements including ‘capability’, ‘intentions’, and the ‘potential lethality’ of a breach (Decker, 2001:1). Since there is no way to anticipate every possible risk, or to know everything about each risk, the two other processes involved in this method, vulnerability and criticality assessments, are essential in maximising preparedness against the threat of a violation. A vulnerability assessment determines â€Å"weaknesses that may be exploited† by potential perpetrators and â€Å"suggests options to eliminate or mitigate those weaknesses†. â€Å"A criticality assessment is a process designed to systematically identify and evaluate†: an operation’s key assets based on their consequence to the fulfilment of its mission or basic function, those within the organisation that may prove vulnerable, â€Å"or the significance of a structure† (Decker, 2001:1). This aspect of the CRM approach is imperative since it has the potential to aid preparedness against material threats, and in turn, enhance the allocation of scarce resources to those areas, whether to assets, procedures or structures, subsequently identified as being of the highest priority and thereby requiring ‘special protection’ from perceived threats (Decker, 2001:1-2). While a number of conventional theories are both accessible and feasibly applicable as CRM processes, the two contemporary methods that are the most popular are the rational choice and routine activity theories. The routine activity approach considers only direct-contact predatory violations, where at least one offender takes or damages the property of at least one other person. It is thus based on three factors, â€Å"a likely offender, a suitable target and the absence of capable guardians against crime† (Cohen and Felson, 1979:588). On the other hand, the rational choice approach focuses on situational crime prevention, predicting the time and place where crimes are likely to occur, reducing opportunities and the motivation to offend, and thereby decreasing the propensity of the criminal to offend at all (Clarke and Cornish, 1985:174-177). Both of these approaches highlight the importance of assimilation and analysis of information. To this end, the Crime Pattern Analysis ( CPA) is a critical informative tool â€Å"which seeks to determine what crimes are likely to impact particular targets†, to identify â€Å"the criminals (most) likely to commit the crimes, and (to forecast) how and when such crimes are likely to occur† (Tyska and Fennelly, 1998:50). An initial consideration of these concepts would appear relatively straightforward, however the prospect of implementing an effective CRM process to adequately safeguard against risk can be a daunting endeavour for the security manager. One area in particular requiring a comprehensive CRM approach is the retail banking industry especially relating to plastic fraud. Plastic fraud includes various types of criminal activity including use of stolen cards, skimming, absent ordering, and identity theft (Newman and Clarke, 2003:145, Refer also to Appendix 1, page 13). Misuse of stolen cards is the most traditional form of plastic fraud, where cards are stolen from customers, enabling the fraudsters to make purchases in the window available to them between their acquisition of the card and the original card holder reporting the loss of the card to their issuing bank who take action to revoke or cancel the account (Slawsky and Zafar, 2005:101). Skimming is another form of plastic crime that takes place when a cardholder uses his card at any commercial establishment or cash machine. The details of the electromagnetic strip at the back of the card are copied onto a secondary storage device, which can later be replicated onto a counterfeit card, illegally cloned to resemble the details of the original, and reused by the fraudster for access to funds or illegal purchases. (Slawsky and Zafar, 2005:104). Another form of card crime growing in incidence is the ‘Card Not Present’ (CNP) variety. This occurs when the perpetrator makes a purchase t hrough mail order or telephone order, usually buying expensive merchandise, for their own personal gain, for either reselling it in the market-place or by tricking the merchant into refunding the value of the goods upon their return (Montague, 2004:12). Leonard and Lamb (2007:91) define identity theft as â€Å"afraud committed using the identifying information of another person†. As such, it comprises the misuse of information that is specific to an individual, usually involving â€Å"a partial and transient adoption (of the details)†¦in order to facilitate criminal activity† (Finch, 2002:86). In extreme cases, this could cause the victim huge financial losses, discomfort and social embarrassment where the protagonist attempts to use these details to derive material benefit at the expense of the victim. When applying the CRM process to this form of crime, the first step the security manager is required to take is the initial assessment phase, which involves evaluating the threats and areas of vulnerability in order to determine the level of risk. A number of tools are required at this stage, some of which are quantitative in nature, and others are qualitative (Fennelly, 2003:494). Quantitative analyses usually employ statistical sampling, based on mathematical calculations to assess the likelihood of a crime, extrapolated from results data (DePersia and Pennella, 1998:304). The aforementioned Rational Choice Theory is a related quantitative approach. Within the context of plastic fraud crime, application of this particular theory is exemplified through the regulated practice of profiling customers. In order to identify extraordinary behaviour financial institutions commonly track the regular transaction histories of their clientele. This is especially true of institutions that issue cards for credit purchases, viewing investment in database profiling of customer transaction histories as crucial. These systems make it possible to characterise potential ‘suspect’ incidents by programming patterns which trigger warnings including: sudden spending sprees, reaching the credit limit or exhausting the account balance, duplicate transactions of unlikely merchandise especially expensive items such as televisions, and an unusual avoidance of delivery services (Slawsky and Zafar, 2005:102). An example of automated programming used to detect uncharacteristic activity on card accounts is the Visa Intelligent Scoring Of Risk (VISOR) facility provided by the Visa network (Grabosky and Smith, 1998:170). The use of this CPA technique has improved the potential to diminish the effec t of fraudulent activity on both customers and institutions alike, by simultaneously preventing further theft and acting as a deterrent against aspiring felons. Qualitative assessments determine the chances of risk on a sliding scale from negligible to prohibitive based on the opinions, experience and knowledge of leading security management experts (Kovacich and Boni, 1999:192). Considering most plastic fraud takes place at the ‘Point of Sale’ (POS), and since highly skilled security managers cannot monitor everything at once, one of the most effective means of incorporating qualitative assessment into the CRM process is by implementing a thorough training regimen for employees, alongside a widespread awareness raising campaign aimed at educating customers and installation of permanent surveillance equipment such as CCTV (Horan, 1996:68-76). This dual approach instructs on the nefarious methods employed to misuse either cards or card information in order to create a front-line defence mechanism and enhance the fraud detection capacity of the operation. Any fraudulent activities intercepted by staff are rapidly communicated thro ughout the organisation, for instructive and investigative purposes, to further foster this self-regulative method (Horan, 1996:68). The assimilation of quantitative and qualitative analysis into banking industry best-practice CRM has resulted in the introduction of a number of effective controls designed specifically to curtail plastic fraud. One solution has been the introduction of embedded ‘microchip’ protection and PIN cards in the United Kingdom (Hoare, 2007:274). This security enhancement prevents the misuse of credit cards by requesting the card PIN for every transaction regardless of whether the customer is making a simple purchase or a cash withdrawal, thereby further reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions. This approach is then combined with customer advisories such as the need to keep cards and PIN information separate (Grabosky and Smith, 1991:170). When implementing crime risk management systems of this nature, however, there are two imperative considerations security managers must remain mindful of in advocating a particular method: probability and the associated cost-benefit outc omes. Proponents within crime management recommend that risk should always be viewed in a probabilistic context (Fischer and Green, 2004:139). For example, the recent collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market, beginning in the United States, has had a tremendous impact on global financial markets, however those organisations that viewed the probability of this event occurring as remote presumably installed fewer measures to insure against such a risk, thereby suffering the greatest losses. This example vindicates those weary observers who viewed this practice as dubious, although not criminal in the strictest sense, and who have continued to advocate for more rigorously stringent regulation of credit lending (Munro, Ford, Leishman, and Kofi Karley, 2005:1-3 26-30). The second, and arguably more important factor, is that the cost of CRM implementation should not exceed the benefits received to the institution in seeking to avoid the risk in the first instance (Culp, 2001:226). The indomitable pervasiveness of plastic fraud, although costly, does not quite warrant the installation of sophisticated risk management systems at all POS sites. One of the more dramatic recent proposals to counteract crimes of an identity fraud nature involves biometrically tagging individuals to a corresponding identification card in order to develop a log of all activities, which is then compiled into an ominous central database (Ahlefeld and Gaston, 2005:79). Although some view these measures as the only way possible of comprehensively monitoring and controlling such crimes, there are certainly many criticisms against this suggested method including the prohibitive cost of implementing and maintaining a system capable of delivering this service, the potential for sec urity breaches in the data system storing private records of citizens, and the associated infringements upon civil liberties and human rights likely to be raised in opposition to the proposal (Grant, 2008). Industry driven cost-benefit analysis is therefore a vital component of appropriate CRM design. There are innumerous benefits to implementing a CRM process within an organisation, regardless of the environment in which it is applied, in either the public or private sphere, which is why this approach has steadily grown in practice (McLaughlin and Muncie, 2006: 363-364). It is the essentially proactive nature of the approach taken in CRM, allowing for the mitigation and prevention of potentially disastrous outcomes, that explains why it is so well favoured. The banking industry is not alone in its vulnerability to losses through fraudulent practices; indeed according to calculations published by the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office Identity Fraud Steering Committee (IFSC), it is estimated that identity fraud represents an annual cost of  £1.7 billion to the UK economy (Home Office, 2006). The significance of this threat is a partial motivating factor behind the financial services sector adopting an industry-wide approach to CRM shared regulatory practices. The Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS) is representative of this trend, working in conjunction with institutions across the entire financial sector and in the general interest of the banking fraternity. These cooperative systems are then linked to the broader national security management infrastructure, and though ongoing consultations and data sharing, a complex relationship has been established to combat pervasive and costly crimes, including plastic fraud (CIFAS, 2007). This level of cooperation was recently formalised in the UK through Royal Assent to the Serious Crimes Act 2007 for the prevention of fraud through shared information with anti-fraud organisations (Office of PSI, 2007: Part 3, Chapter 1, section 68). Thereby the CRM approach of individual institutions informs industry standards to nati onal policing activities, all working cooperatively in a sophisticated network dedicated to crime management. This cooperative approach by the banking industry to CRM processes has a cascading effect. The shared CRM network enables participants to access a continuous risk assessment feedback mechanism, allowing the entire industry to maintain a collective pool of knowledge easily referenced to assess the potential risks associated with a specific action, either not previously anticipated or as part of a new initiative by an individual institution, creating unprecedented levels of cost-benefit sharing and exemplifying the potential of widespread best-practice implementation (CIFAS, 2007 and FSA, 2008). Regulative bodies such as the Financial Services Authority (FSA), constituted with statutory powers through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Office of PSI, 2000: Part 1, section 1), provide a form of protection for the industry against both internal and external fraud, by monitoring, evaluating and reporting practices across the sector. The authority is an industry funded, non-gover nmental organisation, empowered to enforce its recommendations (FSA, 2008). Alongside the membership requirement to voluntarily commit to full disclosure regulative authorities such as this further enable the industry to self-regulate, mitigate against threats and further spread the cost of CRM across the sector. The systemic level of commitment exemplified by the banking industry’s approach to CRM of threats such as plastic fraud, and the broader commitment to combating identity related fraud in the United Kingdom, demonstrate the high level of cooperative action required to effectively combat specific crimes and realise the full potential of CRM processes at large. Both Gill, through his three foci for risk management decision-making (1998:15), and Young’s 1992 theory of the ‘square of crime’ (Department of Criminology, 2003:1-15) call for multi-sectoral simultaneous high-level intervention for effective crime prevention outcomes. The combinations of: institutions and their customers, advocating for changes in public and private policy to mitigate specific threats, activated by administrators and legislators alike, must be in alignment with factors such as Gill’s means to ‘change offenders’ (1998:16), where appropriate punishment is meted again st identified perpetrators to increase the risk of offending, in concert with a palpable level of public opprobrium (Department of Criminology, 2003:1-21). Whilst a consideration of the plastic fraud approach has illustrated the high level of cooperation required between all impacted by crime, in order to more effectively prevent losses, a brief reflection of the United Nations system further reveals the evolution of CRM at work. CRM processes are performed in two simultaneous approaches within the UN system. CRM practices are now more closely assimilated into the Security Risk Assessment (SRA) processes of the organisation to more effectively combat risk from both internal and external threats (Australian Capital Territory Insurance Authority, 2004: 4-10). CRM and SRA processes are continually reviewed, evaluated, reassessed and adapted as necessary; especially in light of recent attacks such as those on UN staff members in Iraq and Algeria. Updated recommendations are communicated broadly to mainstream their approach across all activities and in order to achieve the aims of comprehensive security management across their global operati ons. The mission of the UN Security Management System (UNSMS) overall is â€Å"to ‘enable’ the effective and efficient conduct of UN activities while ensuring the security, safety and well being of staff as a high priority† (United Nations, 2002:2, Part II, para 3). To achieve this mandate the UNSM system requires maximum coordination and cooperation at all levels to facilitate workable ‘funds and programmes’ so they are enabled to perform their primary objective of delivering aid as appropriate. The ‘management techniques’ discussed by Gill (1998: 14-15) are increasingly being incorporated to general UN practices; for example in the manner of staff and management recruitment practices which emphasise security as the responsibility of all staff employed under the auspices of the UN (United Nations, 2006:4-2). In order to fully integrate this approach, from the ground up and across country programs, a Security Management Team is allocated to meet regularly at the ‘head of mission’ level. These senior level fora are guided by the senior country representative of the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS), who are â€Å"responsible for providing leadership, operational support and oversight of the security management system to enable the safest and most efficient conduct of the programmes and activities of the United Nations† (United Nations, 2006:2-1, para 2.5). The UNSMS framework exemplifies Gill’s risk management recommendations whereby the mandate of security managers is to be a stakeholder in program operational objectives, enabling their effective fulfilment, and conversely, the managers and staff of each program are a stakeholder in the security of their own operations (1998:14-15). This cultural shift from the traditional perception of security as ‘working in isolation’ allows for an increased level of protection to permeate the organisation and for all staff to enjoy the successful achievement of operational objectives in a safe and secure environment. Although the UNSM system provides one positive example, the reality is that changing internal traditional operational cultures, to incorporate risk prevention as a perceived responsibility for all managers, remains a significant challenge (Handy, 1993: 209). Closer inspection of the plastic fraud approach to the CRM process also exposes a number other difficulties faced by the security manager when implementing procedures to prevent exposure to risk. The crime risk manager may be criticised for displaying a disposition to crime displacement, which results in a transfer of risk rather than absolute dissolution. â€Å"Crime displacement occurs when security measures are effective in preventing crime†, where they are in place, â€Å"and forces the criminal to go elsewhere†¦to commit their crimes†, where there may be less security infrastructure. Displacement could be represented by a shift in time (temporal), shift in target venue (spatial), tactics, or perpetrator (V ellani, 2006:169). As intimated above, the high level of cross-sectoral cooperation required to truly spotlight and diminish specific crimes is often beyond the means of small-scale security managers to influence. Even in the case of confederated cooperation illustrated by the banking industry to mitigate plastic fraud, the crime still exists. Where the perpetrator commits isolated instances of plastic fraud there may be a low risk of detection, incidents may not be recorded or reported and therefore there is a perceived lack of punishment associated with the offence, which can contribute to the overall seriousness of the problem (Department of Criminology, 2003: 1-21). Indeed the CIFAS prevention service lists the three documents most frequently utilised to commit identity related fraud offences as â€Å"non-UK passports, utility bills and then UK passports† (CIFAS, 2008). As CRM policy shifts its attention toward the greater risk area a gap is left behind for small-scale, undetected perpetrato rs that nonetheless contribute to an area of fraudulent activity that still represents major losses for credit providers. The major challenge in taking the CRM process approach is in designing the system based on ‘real’ threats and with enough flexibility to adapt to a constantly changing environment. CRM processes require constant review, evaluation, reassessment and adaptation, and even then there is no guarantee that risk will always be averted (Gill, 1998: 17). There may be those whose commitment to the process waivers, governments and their policies may change, societal reactions to certain risk may be attenuated, criminals evolve to increasingly sophisticated methods as their use of technology improves and victim organisations may change their directions, reforming appropriately as they go (Department of Criminology, 2003: 1-22). Therefore, implementation of a CRM process requires a scrupulous cost-benefit examination, credible and quality information from which the risk assessment is drawn, and a wholesale commitment by the organisation in order to derive maximum worth (Gill, 1998: 1 6-17). If the approach is too conservative the risk may be that tangible business opportunities are unnecessarily overlooked whilst simultaneously failing to address the risks involved. Finally, the security manager must also control the level of expectation associated with their anticipated levels of success, since it is unlikely for even the most reliable system to remain unscathed. In conclusion, almost every act in business involves an element of risk: customer habits change, new competitors appear, and factors outside the sphere of control could delay a project. However thorough risk analysis and management can help to inform decision making and minimize potential disruptions, especially where there is a sufficient balance between mitigating the risk and the cost associated in doing so. Evolving CRM processes that utilise decentralised risk management techniques in combination with a centralised coordination approach are becoming accepted best practice, with the result that individual firms are able to adapt the framework to best suit their preferences and internal conditions. It would therefore appear that the discipline is ‘coming of age’ which is evidenced through the prevalence of its practice in the mainstream. However the combination of the ever-present elements of change and the unforeseen represent the greatest challenges to the security manager in mitigating risk. The reality is that they can only apply their experience, offer their informed advice to key stakeholders, and manage the outcomes, whatever they may be. References Ahlefeld, H. von. and Gaston, J. (2005) Lessons in Danger, OECD Online Bookshop. Air Force Material Command Pamphlet (1997) ‘Acquisition: Risk Management’, AFMC Pamphlet 63-101, http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFMCPAM63-101.pdf, (accessed 1 March 2008). Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Insurance Authority (2004) ‘Guide to Risk Management’, Risk Management Guide Toolkit, ACT Insurance Authority, http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/actia/Guide.doc (Accessed 1 March 2008). Bridgeman, C. (1996) ‘Crime Risk Management: Making it work’, Crime Detection and Prevention Series Paper 70, Police Research Group, London: Home Office. Clarke, R.V. and Cornish, D.B. (1985) ‘Modelling Offenders’ Decisions: A framework for Research and Policy’, Crime and Justice, 6: 147-185. Cohen, L.E. and Felson, M. (1979) ‘Social Change and Crime rate trends’, American Sociological Review, 44: 588-608. Cox, L. A. (2005) Quantitative Health Risk Analysis Methods, Springer. Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS). (2007) ‘New Fraud Prevention Power Will Save  £Millions’, Press Centre, 30 October 2007, http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=786-57, (accessed 1 March 2008). Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS). (2008) ‘2007 Fraud Trends’, Press Centre, 28 January 2008, http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=790-57, (accessed 1 March 2008). Culp, C. L. (2001) The Risk Management Process, John Wiley and Sons. DePersia, A.T. and Pennella, J.J. (1998) Enforcement and Security Technologies, SPIE. Decker, R.J. (2001) ‘Homeland Security: Key Elements of a Risk Management Approach’, Testimony: Before the Subcommittee on National Security, Veteran Affairs and International Relations; House Committee on Government Reform, GAO-02-150T, United States: General Accounting Office. Department of Criminology (2003) ‘Unit 1: Crime Risk Management’, Module 2: Applied Crime Management, Department of Criminology, 1-5 to 1-23. Fennelly, L.J. (2003) Handbook of Loss Prevention and Crime Prevention, Butterworth-Heinemann. Financial Services Authority (FSA). (2008) ‘Who are we’, http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/About/Who/index.shtml, (accessed 1 March 2008). Finch, E. (2002) ‘What a tangled web we weave: identity theft and the Internet’, in Yvonne Jewkes (ed.) Dot.cons: Crime, deviance and identity on the Internet, Willan Publishing, 86-104. Fischer, R. J. and Green, G. (2004) Introduction to Security (7th Edn), Butterworth-Heinemann. Gill, M. (1998) ‘Chapter 1: Introduction’, in Martin Gill (ed.) Crime at Work Volume II: Increasing the Risk to Offenders, Leicester: Perpetuity Press Ltd, 11-23. Grabosky, P.N. and Smith, R.G. (1998) Crime in the Digital Age: Controlling Telecommunications and Cyberspace Illegalities, Transaction Publishers. Grant. I. (2008) ‘Wave of criticism hits government ID card relaunch’ in ComputerWeekly.com, http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/03/07/229773/wave-of-criticism-hits-government-id-card-relaunch.htm, (accessed 9 March 2008). Handy, C. (1993) Understanding Organizations (4th edn), Harmondsworth: Penguin. Home Office (2006) ‘Identity Fraud puts  £1.7bn Hole in Britains Pocket’, Press Releases, 2 February 2006, http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/identity-fraud-puts-1.7bn-hole?version=1, accessed 1 March 2008). Horan, D.J. (1996) The Retailer’s Guide to Loss Prevention and Security, CRC Press. Hoare, J. (2007) ‘Deceptive Evidence: Challenges in Measuring Fraud’ in J.M. Hough, and M.G. Maxfield (eds) Surveying Crime in the 21st Century, Criminal Justice Press. Kovacich, G. L. and Boni, W. C. (1999) High Technology Crime Investigator’s Handbook, Elsevier. Leonard, R. and Lamb J. (2007) Credit Repair (8th Edn),Nolo. McLaughlin, E. and Muncie, J. (2006) The Sage Dictionary of Criminology, Sage Publications. Montague, D.A. (2004) Fraud Prevention Techniques for Credit Card Fraud, Trafford Publishing. Munro, M., Ford, J., Leishman, C. and Kofi Karley, N. (2005) Lending to higher risk borrowers: Sub-prime credit and sustainable home ownership, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/1859353355.pdf, (accessed 1 March 2008). Nalla, M. and Newman, G

The Fight for Womens Rights After the Vote was Gained Essay example --

The Fight for Women's Rights After the Vote was Gained By 1925, both feminist socialists and equal rights feminists believed they had won their battles for women's rights because they had gained the vote. Considering developments in the 20th century, how justified were those beliefs? Winning the vote for women was only the beginning, so those who thought that was the end of the fight had a big surprise coming. The vote was to be for women an instrument to achieve equality. In order for this to happen women had to stick together and only voted for candidates that would work on some of their demands. Even though, it was legal for women to vote, it was still not socially acceptable, so most women who did where considered social outcasts. Due to this accurate position, a great deal of women chose not to vote, and most of those who did vote, did so the same way their husbands or fathers did. Because of that, women as a group where nothing to fear, since they would not cause a shift in the polls, so political candidates ignored women's demands. This fact proved that the fight...

Existentialism †God Essay

What is the meaning of life. The meaning of our lives, the purpose, and the dreams both dashed and realized, and the expectations forced upon us by others. In other words how do you â€Å"translate† what life is? â€Å"Translation† means to explain in simple terms. What is it supposed to be about? There are different answers for different people at different times in their lives. A person’s lifetime is filled with self-examination. Why am I here? What am I doing? Is this as good as it gets? You have a beginning. You’re in the middle, and your story hasn’t ended yet. If one would recognize the greatest things we have in life, they would not be asking this question. These great things are faith, hope, and love. Faith is the one that can keep one from asking questions. If God wanted us to know something, then we would know it. In most religions, Christian ones in particular, the question of meaning in life is inextricably wrapped up in a relationship with God. Living in, for, with, and through him. Therefore, how one answers the meaning of life question bears directly the existence of God. Soren Kierkegaard said to be the â€Å"father† of existentialism maintains that there are three basic answers to the question of the meaning of life. He called these â€Å"stages† of life, because he believed that people â€Å"progressed† from one stage to the next. Whether or not that is true, there do seem to be at least three fundamental outlooks on life. One is a life devoted to pleasure. This value perspective can be shown by a person whose only concern is for what they are doing now. They would rather gain from pleasures in life without any regards to how they might affect their future. Another stage is those choosing ethical and moral paths. People who are honest and loyal demonstrate this in their everyday lives. Finally, there is a live religiously. This has been the popular way of life for many of us. It is going to church and practicing your faith Stace argues, the present age has begun to weaken faith in God. The concept of a supernatural person has begun to seem unlikely to many people. The Bible no longer seems as respected for many Catholics. While many people say they believe in God they are beginning question whether faith and God are the answer to the meaning of life. Most of us whether we choose to admit it or not show that material things are what we base our lives around. These ideas are at the heart of existentialism, which is a view of life that says that human beings are the creators of their own sense of meaning or purpose. The most famous existentialist, John Paul Sartre in his books and novels developed several themes that portray existentialism. The first is the notion that â€Å"existence precedes essence. † A legacy of traditional philosophy has been that we have a fixed human nature. Sartre challenged that we have no such set purpose or meaning. Our real meaning or who we are is a result of our decisions. We are what we decide. The second associated concept is the importance of human freedom. Sartre believed that every human being has the freedom to live life as we choose to. He believed that we are often terrified by our freedom, and in fact frequently do not want to take responsibility for our own actions. This attitude Sartre called â€Å"bad faith. † Bad faith is an act of self-deception in which we rationalize our actions as being caused by circumstances instead of being self-caused. Basically blaming others for our own deceptions and mistakes. The third major concept of existentialism is the idea of the Absurd. The philosopher Albert Camus popularized this concept. The concept of the absurd is promoted by atheistic existentialist, such as Sartre and Camus. The similarity between Christian and atheistic existentialist is the significance of human freedom and the belief that we are the makers of our own lives One of the most significant pieces of the decline of religious faith is the continuing awareness that there may not be any purpose in life. Both Albert Camus, and Stace, write from this perspective. They believed that traditional Christians have found security in the belief that their lives are invisibly directed or orchestrated by God. That we have assumed that God has a plan for our life, that things happen for a purpose. But as we experience, if we do, the decline of faith or the reality of God in our lives, we come to realize that perhaps we are more responsible than God is for what happens to us. We begin to realize or suspect that it is we, not God, who is the creator of our lives. We are responsible for who we become. Of course, there are always going to be those people who doubt everything God stands for. For them, the body dies and eternity is darkness, I suppose. The fight is going to be, perhaps even as it has been a battle between those who reject God and the, and those who know that God is real. The soul is one’s conscience. Without the acknowledgement of that soul, there is no inner voice that helps guide him in the decisions that he makes. Yet, the soulless atheists still seek to discover the meaning of life, and this is where the battle is fought. They are simply stating that there is no meaning to their lives they have no soul, there can be no meaning. Theists realize life isn’t fair. People aren’t created equal. Atheists believe that until all people actually are equal, life is meaningless, and this is the connection we have to make for them. People are not equal, people will never be equal, and if this equality is the requirement for accepting the meaning of life, then life will always be meaningless. If ambition brings about advantage, those advantages must be neutralized. This is the goal of the atheist. If there is nothing but darkness after life, the goal must be to create heaven on earth. Everyone has questioned their purpose in life for example in his article, â€Å"My Confession†, Leo Tolstoy has gone through his life without ever really questioning the meaning. Then he periodically questioned it until one day he eventually could not picture himself living anymore until he came up with an answer to his questionings. All the things he was thought to be living by no longer made any sense or had any meaning at all to him. He tried to answer his question many different ways, but whichever way he went he kept coming up with a dead end. He first thought the answer must be his family. Although he loved them very much, as humans they are confronted with the same questions he is. They are living this lie right along with him pretending that they have all the answers, or just simply ignoring the questions. He next thought the answer to be in his work. Eventually, coming to the realization that with all of his success in art and poetry he had become distracted. He was using art as a decoy. Without knowing his answers to the meaning of life, it was wrong and useless to depict these lies to others. He soon felt as if life had stopped, and was even contemplating suicide when he came to the realization that faith is present in each one of us and is what makes our lives meaningful. Everyone must believe they have a purpose here, for if they didn’t they would not be living at all. For life to have true meaning, that meaning must come external to the individual and be somehow consistent with life as a whole. Christians would argue that only God could grant this. It is the helping hand, which guides us through life with an honest and loving heart. Jesus is the only man to lead a true, meaningful life. His life is really the only life of meaning and it is only through him that we have the opportunity to live meaningful lives. Without accepting this answer, one will have only difficulty for the rest of their lives, especially in answering the question of the meaning of life. If you accept this answer, however life is much simpler, because your search is over. Jesus said, â€Å"I am the way, the truth, and the life? † John 14:6. The way the truth and the meaning of life itself. There are scriptural accounts of people claiming to see God, and while a witness is more â€Å"proof† than no witness is, there is no way to scientifically verify these statements. They must be accepted purely on faith. Some say that the existence of humans or planetary balance is proof that God exists. These do not prove He exists. Christians believe God is in control of everything in the universe, and created the same. God created all beings, and every atom in this universe. We know God exists because He says He does. The bible is His word, left for us to read. Psychologist Viktor Frankl wrote in â€Å"Mans search for Meaning† that we should not ask what we expect from life, but what life expects from us. He was making the point that people must deal with what daily tasks are put in front of them. Instead of arguing and complaining, we have to take action. Our strength is shown through the soul survival of the hardships we face. Which brings us to the problem philosopher John Hick was facing. In his article, â€Å"The Problem of Evil† he asks the question, â€Å"if God is perfectly loving, he must wish to abolish evil. But evil exists; therefore God cannot be both omnipotent and perfectly loving. â€Å"The very fact that there is such suffering gives good cause to doubt not only the value of the whole human race, but also the existence of God. A God that can be said to care in the slightest for what’s been created, any God who has power over all things, who is anything other than a horrible monster who finds cruel unusual joy in squeezing every last drop of suffering out of them. It would rule out anything even vaguely resembling the God that Christians speak of. A God who deserves our utter hatred not our worship. However, Hick found that although harsh and painful, evil did have purpose in the world. He stated in his article, † the finest characteristics of personal life must have a good deal in common with our present world. It must operate according to general and dependable laws: and it must involve real dangers, difficulties, problems, obstacles, and possibilities of pain, failure, sorrow, frustration, and defeat. † Without these sufferings, we would not be able to know what happiness and love really was. Evil provides us with the possibility of soul making, and according to free will, we must choose our fate. The Laws of nature must be abided by without them the world could not exist. God may be creating the lesser of the evils. There must be suffering in order for God to give inner strength that compensates for loss, and gives the sufferer inspiration to live faithfully and effectively. What God provides are the resources so we can face the suffering and make something positive come from it. He gives the direction and power to make these resources work. He gives hope and wisdom to find the way past the suffering, and to learn from it. John Paul II gave us an outline of what is believed to be the salvific meaning of suffering. Suffering as he wrote in the Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris, â€Å"cannot be transformed and changed by a grace form outside, but from within? † This question of human suffering is not answered directly by God. As man begins to share in the sufferings of Christ, the answer is discovered within in him. Suffering changes and can either increase or decrease, and in those moments Christians become aware of Gods closeness. We are given inner peace and spiritual joy when we suffer generously. When we are suffering we are never alone we are with Christ. With Christ everything has meaning whether its moments of happiness and peace or of pain and suffering. Nothing in life can be fully explained without God. . Look to the bible and Jesus gives us the answer. Love God with your whole heart, mind, body and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself. If you do this, you are following all the commandments. Humble yourself and give the praise and glory to our creator. God the Father our creator is love and he loves you very much. God created us to worship him and he deserves all the praise because he is the first and the last. He has no beginning and no end. Just look around and take in all the beauty he has created. Everyone is special and made in the image of God. We are nothing without our creator. Sin will keep us from God for he is pure and perfect. It is hard to let go of pleasure and putting ones self first. However, the key to peace and happiness is to surrender your freewill to God, the author of life, and he will give you complete, happiness, peace, contentment and purity you are looking for. That is what we were created for. God is made evident every day when the sun comes up, and there is still air to breathe, and you made it through the night. One cannot believe that everything we know was created by accident. Things are just too perfect to have happened by chance. Man is too corrupt a creature to have invented the beautiful things in the world, as in faith, hope and love. He allows evil in this world because He wants us to have the opportunity to choose either Him or evil, thereby proving our love for Him. If His were the only game in town, then there would not be a free will conscious choice for Him. It is evident that the meaning of life has to far to complex for any one to fully understand or agree on the same answer. All these ideas of these different philosophers are not necessarily inaccurate, just incomplete. All pieces to a puzzle that one has no way of fully figuring out. No one has seemed to accomplish this yet in life. There are so many obstacles that we face as we try to achieve a higher good. Many of these are based in the fact that we are human beings, and because of that are flawed by the ways of our culture. Things such as self-doubt, worry, ignorance, and the values put into our heads since the day we were born all are roadblocks on our way to a higher level. Also being human beings makes vulnerable to the ways of the world around us, so it is not easy to block these things out of our lives. This life is a stage in which we are to develop our minds, bodies, and souls to their highest potential in preparation for the afterlife. Only God could ever really show anyone true meaning.

Comparing the City in the United States and Canada

Comparing the City in the United States and Canada Canadian and American cities may appear remarkably similar. They both display great ethnic diversity, impressive transportation infrastructure, high socioeconomic status, and sprawl. However, when the generalizations of these traits are broken down, it reveals a multitude of urban contrasts. Sprawl in the United States and Canada In contrast, even when controlling for population data from annexed territory, six of the ten largest Canadian cities saw a population explosion from 1971-2001 (the Canadian census was conducted one year after U.S. census), with Calgary experiencing the largest growth at 118%. Four cities did experience population declines, but none to the extent of their U.S. counterparts. Toronto, Canadas largest city lost only 5% of its population. Montreal experienced the steepest decline, but at 18%, it still pales in comparison to the 44% loss incurred by cities like St. Louis, Missouri. The difference between the intensity of sprawl in America and Canada has to do with the countries divergent approaches to urban development. American metropolitan areas are heavily centered around the automobile, while Canadian areas are more focused on public transit and pedestrian traffic. Transportation Infrastructure in the United States and Canada Unlike their neighbors to the south, Canada only has 648,000 miles of total roads. Their highways stretch just over 10,500 miles, less than nine percent of total United States road mileage. Noted, Canada only has one-tenth the population and much of its land is uninhabited or under permafrost. But nevertheless, Canadian metropolitan areas are not nearly as centered on the automobile as their American neighbors. Instead, the average Canadian is more than twice as likely to utilize public transportation, which contributes to its urban centralization and overall higher density. All seven of Canadas largest cities display public transit ridership in the double digits, in comparison to just two in the entire United States (Chicago 11%, NYC 25%). According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), there are over 12,000 active buses and 2,600 rail vehicles across Canada. Canadian cities also resemble more closely to the European style of smart growth urban design, which advocates co mpact, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly land use. Thanks to its less-motorized infrastructure, Canadians on average walk twice as often as their American counterparts and bike three times the miles. Ethnic Diversity in the United States and Canada Although minority urban development has its similarities in the United States and Canada, their demographic and level of integration differs. One divergence is the discourse of the American melting pot versus the Canadian cultural mosaic. In the United States, most immigrants usually assimilate themselves rather quickly into their parent society, while in Canada, ethnic minorities tend to remain more culturally and geographically distinctive, at least for a generation or two. There is also a demographic dissimilarity between the two countries. In the United States, Hispanics (15.1%) and Blacks (12.8%) are the two dominate minority groups. The Latino cultural landscape can be seen throughout many southern cities, where Spanish urban designs are most prevalent. Spanish is also now the second most widely spoken and written language in the United States. This, of course, is the result of Americas geographic proximity to Latin America. In contrast, Canadas largest minority groups, excluding the French, are South Asians (4%) and Chinese (3.9%). The extensive presence of these two minority groups is attributed to their colonial connection to Great Britain. A vast majority of the Chinese are emigrants from Hong Kong, who fled the island in sizable numbers just prior its 1997 handover to communist China. Many of these immigrants are affluent and they have purchased a great deal of property throughout Canadas metropolitan areas. As a result, unlike in the United States where ethnic enclaves are usually found exclusively in the central city, Canadian ethnic enclaves have now spread into the suburbs. This ethnic invasion-succession has dramatically altered the cultural landscape and galvanized social tensions in Canada. Sources: CIA World Factbook (2012). Country profile: USA. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html CIA World Factbook (2012). Country profile: Canada. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html Lewyn, Michael. Sprawl in Canada and the United States. Graduate Department of Law: University of Toronto, 2010

The President and Bureaucracy essay

The President and Bureaucracy essay The President and Bureaucracy essay The President and Bureaucracy essayThe US President heads the executive branch of power in the US, according to the Article 2 of the US Constitution.The article, â€Å"Top Jewish Leaders Calls on Obama to ‘Name, Apologize for and Repudiate’ Official who mocked Netanyahu†, reveals the power of the US President to appoint and dismiss statesmen in terms of his executive power. In addition, the article gives implications for the power of the US President to receive foreign representatives. In this regard, the President does not need the assistance of other branches of power since it is under his responsibility to control his subordinates.The article â€Å"Jeb: Obama Incompetent on Ebola† by K. Breitman focuses on the use of the executive power by the US President to care for the faithful execution of law since Obama enhance policies to protect the public from the risk of epidemics, Ebola. The US government had to protect the population from such threats as epi demics, while the President monitors and controls the execution of existing laws and regulations. In the struggle of the US President against Ebola, he may need the support of the legislative branch of power to introduce new legal regulations to decrease the risk of spreading Ebola in the US.The article â€Å"Conservatives Are Finally Right: Obama Is Not a Dictator. He’s a Bystander† by D. Malbank focuses on the power of the US President to conduct foreign policies and receive foreign representatives, as the article refers to the US President as the bystander in his foreign policy. In this regard, the foreign policy should not be restricted by other branches of power.

Definition of Family paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Definition of Family paper - Essay Example On the other hand, the extended family includes all immediate relatives. Significant inclusions in this family setting are the grandparents. Grandparents in this case are on top of the family tree. In a research carried out in 1996, fourteen percent of all children lived in extended families (Friedman, Bowden and Jones, 2003. Pp. 22). Regardless of what setting families share, they remain the best setting individual posses in the society. The family is viewed as the center of all the relationship created in the social setting. According to Friedman, Bowden and Jones (2003), parents are viewed as the providers (pp. 53). The author further argues that the relationships formed in the family setting come naturally. These relationships have assurance on commitment and honor. Researches on family relationships have pointed out that families provide individuals with more than just a relationship. They also provide a unit of companionship and support. It is proven that many people believe th at the strongest bonds in life are created from family settings. An individual living without the family bond does not have required relationship bond in the society. Different families have different ways in which they bond with one another. One common way in which such moments are shared is through sharing of meals and holidays. Sharing of meals in a family setting is viewed as a way of keeping in track with everyone’s life in the family. Meal times are used to strengthen bonds in the family since people get to know about each other. The healing process during family meal times is the most inspiring healing process. In case of any problem which a family member has incurred during the day, they have a time to put it across and receive advice or solutions. The most significant way of creating strong bonds in any form of relationships is solving each other’s problems. To me this is the most important function of a family. A family should not be a unit of formal relation ship but a unit which provides guidelines to all its members. Solving problems in a family setting can be termed as the best therapy anyone can have. Apart from counseling sessions, family meal times are characterized by the sharing of memorable moments that strengthen the relationship between members. Meal times are viewed as an activity which family members carry out together. Spending time on holidays brings out the moments that have a significant impact on the strengthening of family circles. Holidays with family members provide with the best memories I hold to date. Family holidays also play major roles in strengthening the bonds in family. Family holidays produce as well comfortable environments in which people can relate more to each other. Holidays away from the normal social setting bring out the serenity and calmness one needs. This scenario is made more comfortable when one spends it with family members. A family that usually has more than two holidays annually have stron g relationships compared to other families that do not have or spend fewer holidays together. My other view on a family is the issue on proper division of labor. In the division of labor there should be an inclusion of team work. In the division of labor, fathers are usually required to take on the most challenging tasks and majority provisions to the families needs. As much this is viewed as a duty, most fathers appreciate this gesture and view it as a form of respect from other family members.

Food Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Food - Research Paper Example This may be seen, for example, in the cultural prohibitions against eating pork in the Jewish and Muslim religions – this is an essential part of their cultural heritage, and it sets them apart and defines them as a part of their cultural group (James, 3). Food also forms memories, and these memories and associations form the basis for what is commonly termed as â€Å"comfort food.† Wansink et al., (740) state that comfort foods are foods which conjure a comfortable and pleasurable state in the person, and that childhood experienced and social-affective contexts influence these food preferences. The psychological pleasure that these foods bring is based upon the feelings of pleasure and love which are behind these foods. The researchers state that this psychological response explains why some people love liver and onions, while others find this aversive. Moreover, chocolate is often favored in part because of its association with gift-giving and rewards in childhood exp eriences. At the same time, certain foods may have negative connotations, and these negative connotations creates food aversions. Concurs Wood (36), food often has a certain nostalgic appeal that is based upon sentiment, and is often associated with home and contentment. Familiar foods evoke comfort and psychological benefits. Wood also found, interestingly enough, that when individuals are in the midst of great personal change, they choose familiar favorites less often (Wood, 36). Thus, as Wansink and Wood acknowledge, there is a very powerful memory component in the consumption of food. Whether one remembers mum serving Yorkshire Pudding every Sunday evening at dinner, or one remembers one’s father serving curried chicken, these will be the foods which will be psychologically comforting, because these are the foods which are steeped with memories of home, childhood and love. These will be the foods which will create the nostalgic craving, that, interestingly enough, accordi ng to Wood, are not as appealing when an individual is going through great personal change. While this paper will concentrate on three different regions of the world, and some of the trends or the staples of their diet, James (3) cautions against using stereotypes in ascertaining typical regional diets, given the diversity within cultures for what people prefer to eat. James states that people have an idea about typical diets, such as a typical Italian diet, or Greek diet, or Spanish diet, and this is what gives society at large a general idea of what to expect when visiting these countries. Furthermore, as each region of the world is influenced by the global nature of society, as well as immigrants into the country and the general fluidity of the populace with regards to travel, food, according to James, has more of a global character than a local one. She points out that olive oil has only become a staple in the Provencal region since the end of the 19th Century (James, 4). Theref ore, James argues that regional cooking is influenced by globalization, and, as such, is ever evolving. Since there is such diversity in each of the areas which are explored – for instance, even in the United States of America, there are distinctive regions that serve different kinds of foods (southern food is much different than New England food, which is different from West coast food, etc) –