The Big Lebowski Essay Example For Students

The Big Lebowski Essay All of the relationships among the elements in the film the Big Lebowski may seem to be enigmatic with each other, but this style of film creates an integrated system of disunity. The Coen brothers demonstrate this style through various motifs through out the film, from the main characters name to what he drinks. The film is a perfect example of a film which has the theme of disunity. In the film the main character Jeffery Lebowski, refers to himself as the Dude. This element of the story becomes a motif. The Dude is referred to, and refers to himself as the Dude because it represents his personality, which is an easygoing cool character. The common Western society slang which is associated with the word dude, is male prostitute. In the scene where the Dude returns home after being arrested in Malibu, he find himself engaging in sexual intercourse at the request of Mod Lebowski. After they finish, Mod explains to the Dude that she was using him to concede a child. We will write a custom essay on The Big Lebowski specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Obviously he was not given money in exchange for sexual favours but, the Dude, much similar to real prostitutes was used for sex. The Dude is continuously used by his friends and business associates through out the whole film. Although presented as a laidback cool character, the Dudes title is representative of how he is seen by everyone around him. In the film, Bowling is seen as a mans activity, a place where go to compete and get away from the world. In the bowling alley there is never a female present in the shot within any scene. This motif is reinforced during the scene entitled Gutter Balls. In the Dudes trip-out it starts off as a bowling spoof pornographic film, which can also be considered a male thing. It has shots of floating bowling pins and balls rearranged in numerous sexual positions, where the pins represent the male genitalia. Further on in the dream, Mod, who is a strong independent character, is represented by Viking costume she is wearing. Contrary to this, she still required help from the Dude when bowling. In the Big Lebowski bowling is seen as a male dominated activity. During the scene where the Dude and Mod Lebowski engage in sexual intercourse, the Dude pores himself a White Russian. The Dude explains that the alcohol and marijuana helps him think. Im keeping on a very strict drug regiment to ahh, keep my ahh, mind limber. This is shown when almost immediately after he smokes his marijuana and pours his White Russian he figures out where big Lebowskis money is. In contrast to this, the drugs and alcohol can also be seen as an obstacle in the Dudes effort to solve the case. At one point the Dude crashes his car after spilling his drink and dropping a lit joint onto his lap. In another scene the Dude is arrested because his White Russian was drugged. Drugs and alcohol become a paradox of the Dudes success. With these motifs in mind we are able to see that the Coen brothers used different motifs show any number of different things about the film. They are able to mesh together themes of masculinity to societys views of the weak. With this, the Big Lebowski has a theme which can only be called eclectic.

Doing Business in Korea Essay Example

Doing Business in Korea Essay Example Doing Business in Korea Essay Doing Business in Korea Essay Political and legal impacts on doing business in Korea Korea Is known as a country that showed miraculous economic growth, and considered one of the four tiger economies of Asia. Since the sass, South Korea has built a modern, internationally oriented industrial economy largely from scratch. This economy, the fourth-largest economies (after China, Japan and India) in Asia (World Bank 2014) is based on low -cost, high quality export production. Between the late 1980 and sass, the country has seen a massive Influx of FED projects to the South Korea, and recorded an Increase quadruple the foreign investment projects during the previous 35 years (Kim Lee 2007). This outcomes Is generally attributed to the countrys transition to a more open and democratic political system after years of authoritarian rule, with a pro-business government. However, these changes have also posed a number of latent tremendous challenges to the international business operating in South Korea, which include overpopulation, rising labor cost, and corruption 1 . Overpopulation: The overabundance of regulations and bureaucracy has been considered the mall seasons that Investors are packing up or moving to other Southeast Aslant countries or staying away from South Korea. A survey of Kim and Lee (2007) reveals that there is an inaccurate interpretation and improper implementation of investment regulations among the various government agencies at all levels. The poor governance at the local governments, as a result of the intense decentralization policies In the late sass, has created unnecessary bureaucracy and lack of consistency In laws and regulations enforcement at different cycles/provinces across the countries. 2. Rising labor cost and labor union: Since martial law ended and trade union activity became legal in 1987, workers compensation has double on average and the cost of benefits has risen dramatically. Korean factory wages are now the third highest in Asia, after Japan and Taiwan. For example, in 1992 the government attempted to limit wage hikes to 5. Percent, but most firms and trade unions settled on wage Increase of around 15. 5 per cent. Unions are powerful within South Koreans labor markets. This can prove a massive hurdle to Western organizations, which may have little experience of this kind of report intervention. Most workplace negotiations will involve unions and will include discussions about compensation levels. Not only does this restrict a foreign organization that needs to pay above the market rate to attract talent, but it also means human capital issues take longer to resolve. Labor militancy- A typical characteristic of labor force In Korea has resulted In many strikes In Korea. This Is another type of social unrest, which may lead to abrupt changes In the firms business policies. This could be seen through the strike which lasted for more than a onto in 2011 by workers at the Korean Standard Chartered Bank, as workers demand the company drop plans to introduce a performance-based pay system. Corruption: Transparency International, a corruption watchdog, gave South Korea a rating of 5. 4 clean. That ranks South Korea alongside countries and territories such as Botswana, Puerco Rice and Poland but far below many of the developed nations it has sought to emulate. The problem is embedded in the countrys bureaucracy and its Confucian- based culture that emphasizes family connections, regional ties and friendships roger in school. It also can be traced to decades of close links between past authoritarian governments headed by former army generals and the big business conglomerates such as Samsung, Haunted and the now-defunct Deadwood that drove the countrys industrialization. High probability of political risks Political risk has been defined as the likelihood that political forces will cause drastic changes in a countrys business environment that adversely affect the profit and other goals of a business enterprise. The major issue doesnt lie much in Korean government but with the North. The two Koreans are still officially at war and the situation remains fraught. In early October 2007, a historic Korean summit was held in Pyongyang, North Korea. During this summit, both countries agreed that a solution to the historic rivalry over border issues needs to be found and as such both sides have signed a peace declaration aimed at replacing the armistice with a permanent peace treaty. In addition, the summit also resulted in an agreement between North and South Korea to establish a Joint economic area in the border port city of Hajj in 2008. The proposal included Joint fishing areas along the sea border and a Joint shipyard at Hajj. This is seen as a necessary first step towards thawing relations between South and North Korea. However, the situation doesnt much improving.

How to Manage Studying and Sports

How to Manage Studying and Sports If you are a college athlete, no matter which sport you participate in you will face one common hurdle balancing training commitments with your studies. If you are a scholarship student then learning how to manage studying and sports is even more important since you are likely to have a minimum grade you are required to maintain in order to keep your scholarship! Even if you are not on a team, and just like to participate in sports or fitness on a casual basis, it can also be tough to find the right balance. That’s why we have put together this collection of helpful tips and techniques to help you learn how to manage studying and sports. Study Tips for Athletes These handy hints are going to help athletes learn how to manage studying and sports so that they can maintain good grades while still performing well in their chosen sporting activity. Get a Planner Stay Organized One of the best tips we can offer when it comes to learning how to manage studying and sports is to get a planner and learn to stay organized. You will be issued with a list of practice sessions and games or tournaments early on in the season. Mark all of these into your planner straight away. Add in study commitments such as homework assignments and exams as you are given the details. You will be able to see immediately if there is a clash. If you notice that an important assignment is due the day after a big game, then that is your cue to get started early. Finish the assignment before the game and you will have one less thing to stress over! Learn How to Manage Your Time Effectively Following on from making use of a planner is managing your time more effectively. You already know school hours, game times and practice times, so those are automatically blocked off already. Marking this in your calendar or planner helps you to see how much time you actually have for studying and other leisure activities allowing you to plan more effectively. Make Good Use of Travel Time As an athlete, it is likely that you will have to travel to away games and tournaments. It could be just one town over, or it could be out of state. Make the most of this time by using it to study. Pack some revision notes or textbooks to catch up on your reading on the bus! If you are going to be staying away overnight then bring some homework to do at your hotel. It is easy to see these trips as downtime or vacation, but if you gather a group of like minded teammates together who also want to study, then it is a great opportunity to stay on top of your school work. Ask About Supported Study Programs Sports teams want their athletes to do well academically. Many of them will have study support available in the form of tutors or study groups for any athlete struggling to balance study and sport. Ask if there is any help available to you and make use of it. That is why these programs are in place, so don’t be afraid to use them! Don’t Treat Sport Like Work Playing sports has an overall benefit to your mental, physical and emotional health. It gives you a healthy outlet for the pressures of studying as you get to do something you love. However, if you begin to see sport as a chore rather than a fun activity it stops serving those purposes. Never lose sight of the fact that your studies are the real work here and sport is your outlet. If you keep that in mind you may just find that they both help each other! General Tips for Managing Studying Sports These are more general tips for learning how to manage studying and sports. They can be used by athletes, but are also great for the the casual sports enthusiast just trying to find the right balance. Listen to Audio Books or Lectures at the Gym or Out Jogging If you are hitting the gym for a couple of hours, or maybe heading out for a run on the track you probably listen to music. Why not switch it up and use that time to listen to audiobook versions of your set texts or recordings of lecture notes? It’s a great way to catch up on reading and you will be surprised at how much sinks in! Workout At Your Desk You can actually fit in a workout while sitting at your desk! Chair squats are a great way to work all of the major muscle groups in your lower body! While working on your paper, stand at your desk with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your back straight and press down with your heels, squatting until your butt is an inch above the chair. Hold for 10 seconds then sit back down. Repeat this around 20 times at regular intervals. Not only will you work your muscles, but you are also elevating your heart rate and engaging your core. Set Realistic Goals Studying at college is stressful as it is without spreading yourself too thinly. It is great to want to incorporate sport into your daily routine, but be realistic. Can you really commit to a 6am run every single day or a workout session at the gym every evening? The answer is probably not! Schedule in time for your sporting activities just like you would study sessions. Think about the time available to you and use it wisely. If sport becomes a chore you will start to fall out of love with it , so stick to once or twice a week. In conclusion, there are a variety of techniques that can be utilized in order to manage studying and sports. Regardless of whether you are an athlete trying to meet your scholarship requirements, or just a sports enthusiast looking to balance fitness and study, these tips are a great place to start. Choose the ones that are going to work for you and adapt others to meet your individual needs. Maybe reading this list will even inspire you to come up with your own techniques for how to manage studying and sports?

Organizational Structures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Structures - Research Paper Example The transnational structure on the other hand incorporates the aspects of the two structures mentioned above in order to ensure its success locally and internationally (Claver-Cortes, Pertusa-Ortega and Molina-Azorin, 2012). A Worldwide Product Structure is more decentralized and hence encourages diversification and autonomy of the products being processed by a company. This encourages growth and creativity without constant nagging and blockages from the headquarters. This is the opposite of what happens in a Worldwide Area Structure which centralizes its powers on the headquarters hence making it hard for the other branches of the product in other areas to develop autonomy or even creativity. A company that would choose the first structure is the one that is adamant on diversification and it previously had its domestic structures being based on division of products. A company choosing the worldwide area structure is the one which values centralization and has a diversification degree that is too low (Hempel, Zhang and Han, 2012). One type is the divisional structure where a company is grouped in divisions that depend on the products and the geographical area. The advantage of this type of structure is that each geographical area gets the products that it uses mostly and hence ensuring that the sales remain high and the company’s product has a competitive edge in that geographical area. The other type of complex organizational structure is the matrix structure. This is complex because of the different type of matrix that are present and which largely depend on both the employees and the products. It works well and succeeds in companies where employees work in teams to promote their products. In case there is no team work, this structure does not work well. Claver-Cortes, E., Pertusa-Ortega, E. and Molina-Azorin, J. (July, 2012). â€Å"Characteristics of

Recruitment in Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Recruitment in Human Resource Management - Essay Example According to the study, when recruiting, it is of critical importance for an organization to avoid any form of discrimination because employment laws protect individuals against such treatment. Here, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 has taken care of any discrimination issues that may arise due to pregnancy, childbirth or any other related medical conditions. Specifically, this Act protects individuals against issues related to employment such as promotion, layoffs, training, hiring, and leaves among other conditions related to employment. When discriminations take place, the employee or employees can file lawsuits for unfair treatment. However, it is important to understand that some instances that may pass as discrimination are allowed by the law and include jobs such as those that require members of a certain religion. At times, pregnancy discrimination may be viewed as discrimination based on gender. In the case of Jenny and Melbourne Finance, Jenny has a right to take le gal action against the organization because of how it conducted her previous application for an opportunity. It is clear that she was discriminated because she was pregnant. Although the organization may have had genuine reasons for denying her the opportunity such as that she may have to undertake constant visits to the doctor for pregnancy check-ups, they still violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. This is one of the main mistakes that the organization did during the recruitment. It is appropriate to conclude that she was discriminated because of several reasons that include that she was more aware of how the organization ran implying that she was more qualified than an external individual would be and that the position that she was awarded later was senior to the one that she was denied.

A Critical Analysis of the Policy Making Process in Public Administration Essay Example for Free

A Critical Analysis of the Policy Making Process in Public Administration Essay South Africa has changed over time and ever since the democratic elections lots of laws and policies have been changed as well. When a policy is being made it will always involve interaction between the population and the institutions that have to perform the policy making functions. Interaction takes place by means of elections, meetings between the people and officials, public opinion surveys, media campaigns, etc. No policy can be made in an disorderly manner, so if the information which is needed to decide on a new policy is not correct, no planning can be made. For example, if a policy must be made which involves the standards of schools, research surveys must be done in all the schools of the state. This must then be interpreted and evaluated correct by the person or persons doing it. 2. Public Policy In any society, governmental entities enact laws, make policies, and allocate resources. According to Cloete (1993) a policy is a declaration of intent to do something or to have it done by specified institutions or functionaries as prescribed. There are a few steps that need to be completed successfully to have a policy such as a series of decisions have to be taken, the implementation of a policy means another series of decisions, and for policy analysis another series of decisions have to be taken. Cloete (1993:80) states that the constitution is a policy statement because it declares â€Å"the action to be taken by specified institutions and office bearers who follow stated procedures and respect prescribed conduct guidelines and values for the creation and maintenance of the state. However, a policy statement is never static because of human society constantly moving and developing it causes a constant change in policy to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the population. Public policy can be generally defined as a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic formed by government entity or its representatives. As a government action it is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. Schuster, 2009) Therefore, a major aspect of public policy is law, which includes specific legislation and provisions of constitutional or international law. Furthermore, Gerston (2008: 7) also states that a public policy is also the combination of basic decisions, commitments, and actions made by those who hold or influence government positions of authority. These arrangements result from interactions amongst those who demand change, those who make decisions, and those affected by the policy in question. Issues such as health, crime, education, social welfare and foreign policy can be addressed by public policy. Leaders of religious and cultural institutions can also make public policies for the benefit of the congregation and participants. I personally feel that public policies have a blend of both politics and government, and that public policies are there to address a public issue by instituting laws, regulations, decisions, or actions to control the problem at hand. 3. Public Policy Making Public policy making is a complex process that involves the interplay of numerous individuals and interest groups competing and collaborating to influence policymakers to act in a particular way. According to Cloete (1993) the term policy making should be used to refer to functions performed to obtain policies. Individuals and groups are always trying to shape public policy through education, advocacy, or mobilization of interest groups. Thus, policy making consists of the performance of a group of generic administrative processes. According to Cliffs (1987) policy making involves a number of functions to be performed namely: the identification of matters on which policies have to be made and the investigation of the matters requiring new policies or policy adaptations. When new public policies are created, there are generally three key things involved in the process: the problem, the player, and the policy. The problem is the issue needs to be addressed, the player is the individual or group that is influential in forming a plan to address the problem in question, and the policy is the finalized course of action decided upon by the government. Schuster, 2009). The general public will make the government aware of an issue through writing letters and emails, or making phone calls to local government leaders, the issue is then brought forward during government meetings and the process for creating new public policies. 3. 1Key actors in public policy making process In essence Wasby (1973: 50) states that he population plays a huge role in policy making and that is why there will always be a numerous amount of role-players in policy-making. The main categories of actors in the policy making process are official actors who have statutory or constitutional responsibilities such as legislative, executive, and judiciary. Unofficial actors have participation with no explicit legal authority such as interest groups, media. Most of the critical work on public policy is done in committees, which review legislation, propose and vote on amendments, and, in the end, decide whether a bill will die at the committee level or be elevated for consideration by the full body. Legislatures consider bills submitted to them by the political executive office-bearers. The courts have the ability to interpret legislative and executive actions: judicial review. Courts are the weakest because their authority rests on the legitimacy of the law and their ability to argue their case. Legislatures and executives initiate public policy, while courts react to the practical effects of such policies. Elected executives focus on agenda-setting, (Cliffs, 1987). The judicial system in a democratic country like South Africa has a major role in the public policy making process. All policies are formulated keeping in view the existing laws and legal provisions. According to Wasby (1973) the judiciary enters the area of policy making delivering suggestive or advisory judgments aimed at the effective achievement of the goals of the country as contained in the Preamble and the body of the Constitution. The judiciary issues directions for formulating a particular policy or changing the existing policy to suit a particular purpose. The judiciary being the sole guardian of the Constitution ensures that none of its provisions are contravened by the legislative, executive or administrative actions. Interest groups have been part of the political scene since the founding. Arrangements exist to link interest groups and public institutions to enable these groups to make regular inputs for policy-making purposes. According to Cloete (1993) political parties can play a vital role in making of policies. During elections they concentrate on weak policies of their opponents and suggest better policies for the state. Media’s primary function in policy process is agenda-setting. Media coverage correlates with institutional attention. Media also plays a very important role in educating members of the population about political and dministrative matters. Policy Making stages Grindle and Thomas offer a more interactive version of the stages model. Their central insight is that â€Å"a policy reform initiative may be altered or reversed at any stage†¦ by the pressures and reactions of those who oppose it† (1991:126). However, conflict over policy tends to center at that point in the process where a reform initiative has been agreed to in principle by decision makers somewhere in government and is moving on for further ratification and eventual implementation. Most of the heavy policy action comes after these early decision stages. A policy established and carried out by the government goes through several stages from inception to conclusion. These are Agenda-setting, Formation, Adoption, Implementation, Evaluation, and Termination. 4. 1 Agenda- setting The â€Å"agenda† is the list of subjects or problems to which government officials, and people outside of government closely associated with those officials, are paying serious attention at some given time (Rainey, 2003). Before a policy can be created, a problem must exist that is called to the attention of the government. Illegal immigration, for example, has been going on for many years, but it was not until the 1990s that enough people considered it such a serious problem that it required increased government action. Public problems will only reach the political agenda if they converted into political issues. This happens when an interest group demands government action on a problem, or when there is public disagreement over ways in which a problem should be addressed. According to Farmer (1995), the agenda- setting process narrows the set of all possible issues to the set that actually becomes the focus of attention. People rather limited capacity to seriously attend to many things at once is also characteristic of political systems, where agenda-setting is the bottleneck. Following Kingdon (1984:8), these can be conceived as three process streams- processes through which participants affect agendas such as problems, solutions and politics. Academics, for example, tend to be more involved on formatting proposals than are politicians, who seldom draft detailed policy documents. Problems Cliff (1993:7) states that problems are recognized and defined according to processes that are different from the ways in which policies are formulated and political events unfold. Many problems can also be seen either as private misfortunes for those who experience them or as public policy failures that government should address. But private problems need to be linked to public causes to attract government attention. When a young woman drops out of secondary school because of an unplanned pregnancy, for example, that may be a private misfortune. But only when women’s organisations and educators complain that adolescent pregnancy threatens the growth of skilled work force, and thus undermines economic development, does adolescent pregnancy become a problem for government that calls for government response. Only when a private misfortune is translated into a problem of educational attainment and economic growth does it become something that must concern policy makers. † Problem definition is the active manipulation of images of conditions by competing political actors. Conditions come to be defined as problems through the strategic portrayal of causal stories† (Stone, 1989). 4. 1. 2Solutions Policy alternatives are developed according to their own criteria of selection, whether or not they are solutions to recognize problems or sensitive to political considerations. Career civil servants, technocrats, academics, and policy advocates with nongovernmental organisations all play more of a role in framing of policy alternatives in Africa is further complicated by the presence of international donors, who may not share the same priorities or interests and who often do not speak with one voice. Ogden, 1971). 4. 1. 3Politics Political events flow along on their own often unpredictable schedule, whether or not they are related to problems or policy proposals. The third family of explanations for how a subject or a problem rises or falls on a government agenda has to do with politics. Developments in the political sphere can be powerful agenda-setters, for example, a change in government, a change of government ministers, a significant swing in national mood, can all move a subject onto or off of a government agenda. Politicians typically employ a calculus of political feasibility to determine whether a problem should be granted a high place on the policy agenda. 4. 2Formation In this stage policies are created and/or changed. According to Chandler (2000) policy formation means coming up with an approach to solving a problem. Congress, the executive branch, the courts, and interest groups may be involved. Contradictory proposals are often made. For example, the president may have one approach to immigration reform, and the opposition-party members of Congress may have another. Policy formulation has a tangible outcome: A bill of rights goes before Congress or a regulatory agency drafts proposed rules. The process continues with adoption. 4. 3 Adoption â€Å"A policy is adopted when a Congress passes legislation, the regulations become final, or the Supreme Court renders a decision in a case† ( Farmer,1995). This stage is also when a policy is brought into force, for example, by state or federal legislation. New or changed public policies are often adopted by means of a decision of cabinet, or an individual minister, without any legislation change. This stage includes the actions and mechanisms whereby policies are brought into practice, that is, where what is written in the legislation or policy document is turned into a reality. The content of the policy, and its impact on those affected, may be modified substantially, or even negated. A statue usually provides a broad outline of a policy. For example, Congress may mandate improved water quality standards, but Environmental protection agency (EPA) provides the details on those standards and the procedures for measuring compliance through regulations. According to Rainey (2003) the Supreme Court has no mechanism to enforce its decisions; other branches of government must implement its determinations. Successful implementation depends on the complexity of the policy, coordination between those putting the policy into effect, and compliance. For example, the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the justices realized that desegregation was a complex issue; however, they did not provide any guidance on how to implement it. Here, implementation depended upon the close scrutiny of circuit and appeals court judges, as well as local and state school board members who were reluctant to push social change. Dye indicates that implementation involves all of the activities designed to carry out the policies enacted by the legislative branch. These activities include the creation of new organizations and departments, agencies, bureaus, and the assignment of new responsibilities to existing organizations. These organizations must translate laws into operational rules and regulations. They must hire personnel, draw up contracts, spend money, and perform tasks. All of these activities involve decisions by bureaucrats and decisions that determine policy (Dye, 2005). One critical aspect of policy implementation is the high degree of discretion afforded to the bureaucrats and agency procedures to transform laws into action as outlined by Dye above. 4. 4. 1 Challenges and pitfalls of policy implementation Theodoulou and Kofinis identify three key challenges which they believe can routinely impede the effective implementation of public policy. Those three challenges are: 4. 4. 1. 1 Clarity of policy goals Clear policy or program goals help specify the ends or objectives desired from the policy action. Ideally, policies should be formulated with consideration of what the actual specific goals of the policy are goal stated with clarity and specificity not only provides direction but also improves the basis by which policies can be evaluated, for accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness (Theodoulou and Kofinis, 2004, p183). 4. 4. 1. 2 Information intelligence Information intelligence refers to the strategic necessity for constant feedback as to how implementation is progressing, as well as the preliminary assessments of impacts. Given the increasing reliance on multiple bureaucracies, information and feedback is essential to gauge the degree of interagency and intergovernmental cooperation and conflict, which may be affecting implementation. Information intelligence requires a high level of communication and feedback not only from the agencies involved but also from the population affected by the policy action. According to Ogden (1971) when they are terminated, it is usually because the policy became obsolete, clearly did not work, or lost its support among the interest groups and elected officials that placed it on the agenda in the first place. In 1974, for example, Congress enacted a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour. It was effective in reducing highway fatalities and gasoline consumption. On the other hand, the law increased costs for the trucking industry and was widely viewed as an unwarranted federal intrusion into an area that belonged to the states to regulate. The law was terminated in 1987. . Conclusion It is clear that policy making is not a task that can be undertaken by a single institution. Numerous private and public institutions must work together to ensure the well-being of the population. Policies cannot stay the same year in and year out. Changing circumstances demand constant evaluation of the existing policies. The top officials’ must take the lead in evaluating and proposing policy changes. It is therefore very important for Directors- General of state departments and town clerks to evaluate the results of their work and to inform their supervisors about needs for policy change.

What Theological Questions Relevant To The Study Of Judaism Are Raised :: essays research papers

WHAT THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS RELEVANT TO THE STUDY OF JUDAISM ARE RAISED BY THE HOLOCAUST? The Jewish people have always considered themselves as God’s chosen people and have undergone a lot of traumatic oppression throughout their life. Evolving out of a common religion, they have developed customs, culture and an ethical system which identified them as Jews regardless of their individual religious attitudes. There is a pattern evident in which the Jews have been cast as victims. The first sign of oppression noted in Jewish history according to the Hebrew scriptures, was the time in ancient years when the Jews were held in captivity by the Egyptians as slaves. Moses’s escape with the children of Israel marked the crucial transition in the history of Judaism. This event is known as the Exodus. The Exodus experience can be called the ‘key event’ both in Jewish history and theology. To understand the relevant details raised by the Holocaust one needs to understand how Jewish people have a strong devotion to God and have an ongoing respect for people in other religions. This is established by understanding the intention of the holy laws given to Moses for the people from God. These laws are known as the ten commandments which illustrates a list of obligations that there theology is firmly established. Their theology is based on a closeness between tradition and their moral precepts, which became conflicting for them during the time of World War II. Such is evident when they were persecuted, traumatized and de-humanized in the concentration camps. Similarly the Holocaust would be regarded as a very important event. It is this crucial experience that the Jewish people have had to query their very existence through their theological questioning. 1/3 As an effect of the economic and political upheavals of the time, the Jews were seen as endangering the purity of the Aryan race which was Hitler’s impression of the superior people consisting of only the Germans. During the horrid times of the war the Jews were deported to concentration camps in Europe, where many were tortured, gassed and Jewish women as young as 13 and onwards were kept and raped by the German soldiers. It was noted that over six million Jews were slaughtered by the Germans and their collaborators. This outrage was called the Holocaust. The Holocaust was not just an event. It was a process that continued for over a decade and involved the deaths of many innocent Jews.

Physician assisted euthanasia

Quality of life is not often guaranteed when one is suffering from a terminal illness. In fact quality of life and terminal illnesses hardly seem to be complementary. For years debate has been ongoing on the morality and legality of physician administered active voluntary euthanasia also known as physician assisted suicide or PAS for short. Physician assisted suicide involves a physician, at the request of the patient, either withholding or administering some form of procedure that would immediately or eventually lead to ending the patient’s life. Such an act becomes necessary when the quality of life for the patient is laced with pain and suffering, when alternatives do not seem to work and therefore the patient opts for death rather than a life in their current condition.The most furtive debate is often not whether physician assisted euthanasia is ethical in all cases but whether or not the state should legalize this practice (Kamisar 1123; Kaveny 125). Numerous arguments ha ve been put forward on the two sides of the argument and both seem feasible. However, whatever the opposing positions, the arguments for the legalization of physician assisted euthanasia are quite valid. Euthanasia should be legalized throughout the states of the U.S.A. as an option for patients, in consultation with their families and physicians.Reporting on data from a questionnaire among physicians Gupta, Bhatnagar and Mishra highlighted that 60% supported the legalization of physician assisted euthanasia at least in some cases. One argument for its legalization relates to an individual’s right to choose what is in his best interest. One of the fundamental principles that prevails in the U. S. is the right of the individual to determine and charter his own life path (Gittelman 372). The government aims to be as unobtrusive as possible when it comes to involvement in the affairs of the individual. Therefore the government should not restrict an individual’s choice of death over life in situations where the former seems to be the better alternative. The patient, therefore, as ultimate decision maker should be empowered to make such a decision independently.Opponents of legalization would want to suggest here that if the individual is given such all-encompassing power then this will suggest further societal implications. As in the case with abortion, the line between acts that affect just the individual and those that impact wider society will become distorted. On the other hand it is the duty of the government to draft correct procedures that would properly guide the practice of euthanasia. It will not be left up to the individual at all times to arbitrary decide when to die by accessing euthanasia but detailed and specific guidelines must be laid down in conjunction with the legislative instrument. As Gittelman argues, government must aim to control the actions of individuals in so far as they are overall harmful to self and other members in th e society (372).Related to this argument is a further benefit of physician assisted euthanasia. Currently physicians are conducting euthanasia even though it is illegal in most states across the U.S. (Gupta, Bhatnagar and Mishra). Physicians who comply with the requests of patients are taking a legal risk. There is the implication that this practice is not uniformed as there are no standards by which euthanasia is being conducted on this non-legal basis. Furthermore very little is known of the extent to which euthanasia is practiced throughout the United States (Kamisar 1124). The benefit that legalization would bring is to make the procedures more standardized and administrators would have significantly more control over its processes.Opponents have been pointing to the case of Judith Curren as grounds on which legalization should not be explored. Curren was an obese woman of 42 suffering from chronic-fatigue syndrome who was assisted to death by Dr. Kevorkian. Obviously her situat ion was not chronic enough to merit euthanasia (Kaveny 125) and other options could have been explored. It is, however, precisely because of these cases why physician assisted euthanasia should be legalized. Incompetence would be avoided and dealt with appropriately if necessary.A further argument for the legalization of euthanasia is the financial strain it would remove from families who have to maintain care of terminally ill relatives. The medical costs incurred by individual families and the government when such hospitalization is covered through it social services, are tremendous. Medical costs for terminally ill patients would therefore be significantly less because some would have the option of terminating life early rather than depend on a life support system that is not curative. Moreover more doctors would, as suggested by Gittelman, be willing to explore the possibility of euthanasia with patients (372).Another reason for legalization is to protect doctors from unnecessar y lawsuits and criminal penalties for acts done at the request of the patient. Doctors are now putting themselves at serious risks by carrying out euthanasia on their patients. Without the legislative backing physicians who persist with euthanasia go against the dictates of the law. Legalization, detailing the specific conditions and circumstances under which euthanasia could be performed, would avoid abuse by physicians ensuring that the proper procedures are followed. Therefore terminally ill patients would be protected in two main regards, they will be protected from the wrongful judgment of physicians to make poor decisions on their behalf and on the other hand patients would be protected from ceaseless pain and suffering.Many more arguments could be leveled in favor of the legalization of physician assisted euthanasia. What is evident is that the arguments that have been used to counter legalization are not quite sound. The rare case where this practice was misused by unprofess ional personnel is not a true reflection of its true potential. Furthermore lack of proper governmental regulation is what is contributing to these problems. Legalization would therefore dispel these problems.REFERENCESGittelman, David. â€Å"Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide.† Southern Medical Journal 92.4 (April 1999): 369-374.Gupta, Deepak, Sushma Bhatnagar and Seema Mishra. â€Å"Euthanasia: Issues Implied Within.† Internet Journal of Pain, Symptom Control & Palliative Care 4.1(2006):1.Kamisar, Yale. â€Å"Physician-Assisted Suicide: The Problems Presented by the Compelling Heartwrenching case.† The Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology 88.3 (1998): 1121-1146.Kaveny, M. Cathleen. â€Å"Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, and the Law.† Theological studies. 58 (1997): 124-148.

Cultural Autobiography Essay

Cultural Biography: How My Roots Shape My Identity It is often said that we should not let a single feature of ourselves define who we are. For example, a basketball should not only be an athlete, but must also value her roles as a sister, a daughter, a student, and anything else that gives her life meaning. A doctor should not only focus on his identity in the medical field but also his place in his neighborhood, his church, and, of course, his family. Otherwise, he would be considered the workaholic. In many cases, though, it is very easy to do. People’s identities are made up of all the roles they play in their lives. Defining oneself or someone else in only way is not healthy because it does not consider the full complexity the person. Thinking of ourselves in a limited way, such as if I considered myself only a student but did not consider my roles as a friend to others and a family member, could lead to shallow thinking. Thinking of others in such a way can result in stereotyping and even discrimination, such as if someo ne thinks she knows all she that needs to know about someone based on his religious beliefs. Nonetheless, not all aspects of our identities contribute equally to the whole. Certain elements of our environment and background help to shape us fundamentally. They seem to serve as a base for everything else that we would learn, do, and become. I think everyone has one or two areas of that nature. For me, I think that one of the most defining traits about me is the culture I came from, which is Mainland Chinese. Although I keep an open mind and try to learn new ways of looking at the world, the beliefs of my upbringing often are dominant. If you asked me to describe who I am at my core, I would probably say that I am a Chinese woman. Culture, of course, comes from the people around us. As I see it, my family, including a large extended family, has been the most influential community in shaping who I am today, because they passed on their culture to me. Often we do not realize what is our culture until we leave it. I can remember when I first arrived in America and stayed for a short time with a host family. They had a daughter who was 10 years old. She had a little cold at the time. She drank cold orange juice. I was so shocked that her mother allowed her to drink it. In my family, we feel that cold drinks are not good for sick people and that they can hurt the stomach. Many people in China think this way. I could almost hear my own mother’s voice in my head, scolding her disapproving of the cold drink. She and her sisters could never accept this. After hearing this idea for so many years, I, too, was starting to have the same reaction. When people have flu or cold, in China the appropriate drink is thought to be hot water. I suggested to the girl’s mother that she should drink warm water. They both suddenly got a disgust look on their faces. They said orange juice would be better because it has a lot of vitamin C to fight the germs. This was one of my first lessons in culture, both Am erican and my own. For my part, I still do not like to have very cold drinks. However, I do not make any suggestion about what other people should drink. In explaining how my family has influenced me, I should discuss some basic elements about Chinese culture. It is collectivist culture, not individual culture like America. That means that Mainland Chinese society tends to see the group as being more important than the person. The question then is who is the group. Based on stereotypical Western movies or shows, it would be easy to assume that nearly all Chinese act and look alike and that they would see themselves as one group. In fact, this is not true at all. Chinese people think in much smaller terms, most typically, and would see their immediate family, including elders such as parents and grandparents, as their group. In some sense, they would also consider old friends and former and current co-workers to be part of their group. It is not so common in Mainland China to make many new friends as adulthood. People in China depend on these tight networks to help them in hard times, and they have to be ready to repay the favor at som e point in the future. Tight informal networks are very important for getting by in life in China. Chinese culture value family piety. It means we believe in a strong obligation to respect and honor our family members. I would always try my  best to take care of my parents and also older relatives such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles. In a broad sense, family members, because all consider themselves a close group, would do almost anything to help each other. As is said in English, they would take the shirt from his or her own back to give to the other person. This kind of thinking is based on Confucianism, where taking care of the family is considered to be the highest value. Unfortunately, a related matter is that sometimes in Mainland China, people are not as quick to get involved when a stranger needs help, and some people without integrity are quick to take advantage of strangers and cheat them. We also do not have as much public volunteer and charity culture, as many people would feel guilty if they spend their money on people who are outside their own family. The concept of taking care of the family is so important to culture that it is sometimes humorous to other people from other countries. I once was at dinner in a group that included both American and international students. Some people were talking about what they would do if they won the lottery. A Chinese boy said he guessed that if he won, he would soon get married, and have a child. His friend, another boy from China, commented that the money would not only last for the lifetime for him and his son, but also for generations into the future. The American boys at the table laughed at the Chinese boys’ ideas. They thought they should use the money for their own fun, and would not like to get married. However, the Chinese students were looking from Chinese point of view, where not only the individual but the entire family name and bloodline is considered. They see a responsibility to their ancestors and to future bloodline that they should have a child. Personally, I like the viewpoint of thinking about multiple generations and not only focusing on the present. I have always been raised by my family to hold this point of view. Without a network of family and close friends, it is hard to survive in China, especially during hard times several decades ago. It is not so easy to get credit, so people rely on their networks to help them make a down payment for a house. Many people lack health insurance, and so if they needed and expensive surgery, they could perhaps ask their closest family and associates for help with money. Furthermore, in hospital, it is not like in America where nurses feed and bathe the  patients. In China, patients’ family members must help with those chores, and nurses usually would not help. As a result of these factors, Chinese people spend a lot of time cultivating their networks by choosing the right gifts on holidays, offering a helping hand when possible, and asking for help when needed. It is fair t o say that in China, if you do not have close connections in your life, including family members, friends, coworkers, then it is almost like you do not exist, according to society’s point of view. On the other hand, if you do have a family, then you feel much more secure and happy. You also get a large amount of your own identity from the group rather from your individual situation. It is important to behave well in society and try to be successful not only for your own sake, but also in order to create a good name for your family. Therefore I think that sometimes even if I do not feel like studying sometimes, I push myself to do so anyway, because if I came to America and did not perfect well in university, then I would create a bad impression on my family, including parents and extended relatives, as well. In fact, Chinese people from Mainland often do not like to spend time alone or to be in secluded places. We tend to like crowds and a lot of excitement and perceive them as safer because it would be harder for criminals to get away with serious crime amid a crowd. I felt strongly this way when I first arrived in America, but now I am getting used to peace and quiet. I have heard that Americans often like to go camping or fishing in order to get away from other people. This concept is a little different from China. I remember showing my mother a picture of our campus and she wanted to know why it looked so lonely. Later I took a photo when more students were out walking, and she seemed to feel much more comforted that I was in a safe place. On the other hand, some Americans have told me they think crowds are more dangerous, because it is easier for thieves to pick pockets or commit other crimes. My immediate and extended family has always been a source of much emotional support for me. My mother has several siblings and they each have children, so I have many aunts, uncles, and cousins. They always ask what I am doing in my life and they give me suggestions. They are not afraid to criticize me  if they feel it is warranted, such as for eating too much junk foods or not studying hard enough. In Chinese culture, these comments would never be taken as offense but instead in a spirit of caring. I always spend much time finding appropriate Chinese New Year gifts for my aunts and uncles as a show of respect. Sometimes the gifts could be as simple as fruit baskets, chocolates, or cake. I just want to show them that I am thinking of them. My family, including parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, serves as my home base on life. I have always felt that no matter what happened, there is a safe haven with many people who always cared about me. Much of Chinese family culture is expressed over food. If I go to visit one of my aunts and she knew I am coming, then it is sure that she will prepare my favorite noodle dish. Caring is often expressed with food. From my mother and father and several of their siblings and my grandparents, I learned to cook many dishes at a young. I learned mostly at quite a young age. In this way, too, my family has been the biggest influence on my life, as now I cook almost every day and can take care of myself. I do not need to depend on others to cook and I do not have to go to restaurants except for fun. Over meals, much culture gets passed to children as adults talk about what is going on in their lives and how they handle it. They often give advice to children, but it seems to be that there is not as much two-way communications culture as in America and other Western countries. In other words, adults would not often ask children what they think about things. I am sure that I am not the only person who feels that family has been the largest influence in life, and certainly not the only Chinese person with this idea. In fact, when we are away from our families, we try to recreate the experience in some ways. In UC, there are many Chinese students all in the same situation, living away from their home country. We have formed friend groups and often cook together, go to restaurants, or go to other activities. At times, groups of students even go on vacation to New York or Chicago or other locations. As it is in China, most social activities for us here have revolved around eating food. We often chat, give each other advice, and try to help each other to study and make good grades. As vitamin and other health supplements are very popular, we often discuss products  that we have tried or plan to try. Everyone has similar goals and we almost do not even need to say them out loud, because they are widely known. We all come from similar kinds o f families, usually involved in business. Everyone wants to make good grades, be successful, and make their parents happy. My friends are a very important group to me here, but in my overall life, I guess they are not nearly as influential to me as my relatives are. Chinese families were large for many years, sometimes with seven to 10 children. I know that my great grandmother came from a very large family. However, because of overpopulation, China has implemented the one-child policy. Although there are exceptions, the general rule is that only one child is allowed per couple. Now China is becoming a land of spoiled only-children. I often wonder what will happen to China’s family culture and if culture and knowledge will be passed down as efficiently. Many people grow up without uncles, aunts, cousins or, of course, siblings. This seems to be a significant social issue for a country whose character is still collectivist. Perhaps China will make the shift rather quickly to a culture of individualism. Or perhaps they will express collectivism in some other different formats, such as neighborhood groups and volunteer societies. At any rate, eventually rising population of people without close relatives to watch after them as they age will mean a need for more caregiving and health care professionals. There are many aspects that define my life, including my status as a student, family member, and friend. While these are important roles, they do not capture everything about who I am. One element that runs deeper than those items is my culture, most of which I received from relatives. I grew up in China until coming to school at UC. My thinking has certainly been influenced by the time I have spent living abroad, but it nonetheless does continue to be Chinese at the heart. In a Chinese family, your family is almost literally all that you have to depend on in many cases. I am quite thankful that I have a wonderful family.

Moon Over Buffalo essays

Moon Over Buffalo essays Although not the talk of the university, "Moon Over Buffalo" was definitely the talk of those who saw it. From one comedic act to another. Whether it was Paul trying to get George's pants on or just random lines such as "HOLY SHIT!!!", when George realizes he did not quite "dress for the part". It gave all the students at Stephen F. Austin something to do and whether we were forced to or went on our own free will, everyone was satisfied. Buffalo, New York, carries the reputation of being a "third-rate city", and not the center for the dramatic arts. In the 1950's, a theatrical company would not boast about playing there. The playwright of "Moon Over Buffalo" uses the city as an example of how low a company has sunk. Buffalo seems like the end of the road for Charlotte and George (Alyssa Yarde and Chad Spear) who battle their contradicting spirits with classics such as "Cyrano" and "Private Lives." The play opens with a very funny rehearsal scene of "Cyrano." George strikes out with the serious attitude he tries to bring to the play, all the while creating a funny scene for the audience. In the next scene we discover George is the most mischievous of the group- enough to get him in trouble with Charlotte. She suspects, quite correctly, that he has slept with a fellow actress, Eileen (Jennifer Youle). The pile up of problem starts with Eileen's pregnancy and continues with the lawyer Richard (Matthew Lyle), w ho tries to convince Charlotte to run away with him because he has money. Daughter of Charlotte and George, Rosalind (Jessica Francis Mills) brings a TV weatherman to meet her parents, who mistake him for the movie producer, Frank Kapra, of "Scarlet Pimpernel". All of this happens while George falls into a deep stage of depression and tries to drink his way out of it, getting totally hammered before the matinee. As in a well-crafted parody, the ending brings happiness and peace in an atmosph ...

A Pilot Study Report Education Essay

A Pilot Study Report Education Essay Introduction The aim of the pilot study was to examine data collection instruments that will be used in the main data collection. It is important that any tools of data collection should have a pilot study ‘in order to iron out any problems of overlap of categories’ (Cohen et al, 2005: 130). In other words, Drever (1995: 56) points out that the researcher in the pilot study is trying to do two things: ‘first, to give the interview a trial run under realistic conditions; second, to get as much information as possible from the other person about how they interpret and reacted to the researcher’s questions. Instruments Two instruments of data collection were used in the pilot study: first, in class-essay writing sessions, this was done by asking students to write three essay drafts in three different writing sessions. The time allowed for writing the essay drafts was 90 minutes. The number of errors was used to measure the achievements of the students’ accuracy in a new piece of writing. Second, conducting an interview with students first and then their tutors in order to know their expectations towards tutors’ error feedback. Participants Students from the two colleges were selected and had informed that their writing work would be analysed and used for research and teaching purposes. First year students and second year students from each college were enrolled in three writing class sessions. The total number of students who participated in the study was ninety-seven students. Students assigned to two different groups: first group, students who received ‘coded’ direct written feedback focused on form and the other group who received ‘un-coded’ written feedback focused on form as well. English writing tutors were selected in the study and their number was four. Pilot Study Procedures and methods of collecting data Used Students were required to write three descriptive essays on different topics but on a similar context during six weeks’ time. Tutors were asked to focus on correcting errors based on form, and they were given a list of types of errors that should be addressed on students’ essay drafts. (See table 1) Types of Error Article Errors Plural Nouns Errors Prepositions Wrong Word Punctuations Missing word Spelling Word Order Capitalization Subject-Verb Agreement Personal Pronouns Verb Tense Errors Incomplete Sentence Table: 1 Tutors asked students to write between 250 – 300 words for the first essay draft for both first and second year students. All students were given 90 minutes to write their essays. Tutors asked first year students to write three descriptive essays in six weeks’ time. The first essay topic was to describe your family and whether it is a typical family in Libya. In week two, they were asked to describe their best friends and why they were the best of their friends. In week six, students were asked to describe one of their parents and how they would describe them. Likewise, tutors asked second year students to write three descriptive essays in six weeks’ time. The first topic was to describe any important Muslim event in their country and why it is important to them. In week two, students were asked to describe their national holiday event in their country and why it is important. In week six, students were asked to describe their favourite holiday place in their country and why it is favourite one.

Strategy Issues in Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategy Issues in Marketing - Essay Example Social media is a great marketing strategy for businesses, that being said, businesses need to analyze why it is important to utilize social media to promote a product or service. Questions such as, what are the business' needs, why they are using the site, and who are they trying to target are all relevant in deciding whether or not to incorporate an SNS to the business. Even then there is still a multitude of sites that offer social networking capabilities for different purposes which you have to decide on. The shift from individual company websites to using social media for business has been drastic. Through these sites, companies can get direct information from customers through blogs and forums, in turn, giving the organization the benefit of fulfilling the wants and needs of customers in a more efficient manner. With the reduction in expenses of marketing, by using social media, companies are able to focus the attention more on the customer and offer freebies or giveaways to ac company the social networking campaign. A huge drawcard for companies to advertise on social media is the fact you can tailor your marketing campaign to a specific group of people. By these sites collecting information about the people using them through special algorithms, companies can provide exactly what the consumer desires. The major benefit for business' is the cost saving of getting their company out there. Social media was extensively used in the presidential election of the US in 2008.