House of Representatives Essay

The US federal legislature is bicameral, therefore it consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and in theory they should both be of equal power. However, in reality it is the Senate which is considered to hold the most power, although there are arguments to in favour of them having equal rights. In order to reach a balanced judgement I will consider both sides of the argument, beginning with the claim that the Senate is more powerful than the House of Representatives. Senators represent an entire state, as members of the House of Representatives only represent districts, highlighting from the outset their different abilities to reach a broader spectrum of people, along with Senates being 1 of 100, and House members being 1 of 435. Therefore Senators have an easier avenue to implement their work, as a House representative has far less status, due to them being far denser in numbers a clear example of this is that of Bill Frist who in January 2003 became majority leader after only eight years in the Senate. While at the same time Representative Nancy Pelosi became House minority leader, but she had been a member in the house since 1987. This further highlights the ability of those with the senate to gain more status. Power within Congress is very much concentrated within committees, rather than that of the Chamber floor in question, which further highlights the Senates greater status, as Senators are far more likely to chair committees, which furthe r heightens their status on Capitol Hill. Senators are known both state-wide and even some are known nationwide, as House members are generally known in neither category. As a typical American sitting in the public gallery of the senate probably would not find difficulty in recognising such Senators as John McCain and John Kerry, as both have been their party’s presidential candidate. This is a different story within the house as most people would be unable to recognise representatives other than their own however there have been few exceptions such as Ron Paul, although this does further highlight the lack of status the House members have and as a consequence hindered power. This point is backed up even more by the time members have before they face re-elections, as in the Senate this period is every six years but only every two in the house. Consequently displaying the implication of House members being less important than that of Senators who have a longer period to make themselves known to their people and carry o ut their work without the hindrance of elections. The senate is widely seen as a launching pad for a presidential campaign, as Presidents Obama, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy and Truman were all former members of the Senate. While no member of the House in recent years has been chosen to run for President apart from Ron Paul in 2012, showing the Senates dominance within Congress in this area, as further instilling this point is the fact that 14 out of the last 15 elections the Democrats have nominated a senator as their vice-presidential candidate. However, when it comes down to passing legislation the two chambers have mostly equal powers, as neither chamber can overturn the decision made by the other, therefore the senate cannot dominate the House. Along with the ruling that both chambers must approve constitutional amendments, the House does however have exclusive powers over money bills, but this is overshadowed by the Senates ability to ratify or even reject a treaty even though a super majority would be needed. The only power the House holds that would appear to make them more powerful is that over the president and Vice-President, as they have the ability to elect the resident in the rare event of deadlock within the Electoral College. Although this is an almost irrelevant power as the house has not exercised it since 1824. Overall, it is apparent that members of both chambers are paid equal amounts, even though this is not an overriding argument for the two holding equal powers, it does add weight to them both having relatively equal powers, with the Senate receiving a greater amount of status within American Politics, this does not however mean they have an increased amount of power, the house is purely hindered by some factors such as the amount of members, which then makes many claim the Senate to be far more powerful than the House of Representatives, when the reality is slightly contrasting.

A Comparison of Federal and Puerto Rican Employment Protections

Following the Industrial Revolution of the Nineteenth Century, the federal government of the United States pursued the enactment of various laws to protect the rights of individual laborers.This was primarily spawned at the insistence of labor unions, which were legalized in the same time period. Throughout the following century, a number of revisions and improvements were made upon these laws, to the point where at the present individual workers enjoy the full legal protections of the United States government at their places of employment.These federal statutes cover all areas from age discrimination to discrimination against those with disabilities. One major statute is based on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against a worker on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.This applies to not only treatment on the job, but to all aspects of the employment process, including hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, and referral.Employers are prohibited from showing preference while advertising or recruiting. For example, an employer may not post advertisements for a position that are tailored exclusively to a particular gender, or insinuate during the hiring process that individuals fitting a certain description are more likely to be hired. (Department of Labor.)Falling under the same statute, employers cannot dismiss an employee for any of the above classifications, and cannot pay less on the basis of gender, race, etc. This was a common practice before the creation of such protections, as in many circumstances women were paid much less for working the same jobs that men were being paid much higher to complete.In addition to this, the federal statutes prohibit child labor, which means in most states that workers under the ages of 18 or 16 are subject to certain restrictions in the number of hours a week they may work, and other aspects of working the job including the use of tools and operation of machinery. (Department of Labor.)As well, Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits employers of fifteen or more employees to discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities.This law is inapplicable in some circumstances. Obviously, if an individual is disabled in such a way so as to make them wholly unable to perform the duties of a given job, it is not considered discrimination for the employer to refuse to hire them. However, in some cases involving minor mental illness, where individuals are still able to adequately perform the function of a job, which may or may not require less skill, employers are not permitted to discriminate on the basis of the disability, and are subject to being penalized if they are discovered doing so. (Andrade.)The federal government left some areas of employment protection to be decided by the individual states. One example of this is minimum wage. Though there is a fairl y low standard of minimum wage established by the federal government, individual states may establish a higher minimum wage. In the case of Puerto Rico, the minimum wage is $5.15 per hour worked, though over the summer of 2006 members of the House of Representatives introduced legislation to raise this minimum wage to $5.40.This minimum wage only applies to employers who are covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employers not covered by the FLSA may pay their workers much lower rates, close to $3.00 per hour. (Department of Labor.)Even so, Puerto Rico is said to have some of the most strictly regulated labor laws within United States jurisdiction. This is due in part to highly successful labor movements within the territory. All federal statutes regarding labor apply to states, and this includes territories such as Puerto Rico. If these regulations are not followed, the Department of Labor will intervene in some manner and enforce the law. At a minimum, Puerto Rica n labor laws must comply with the labor laws established by the federal government of the United States. (Andrade.)In some areas, Puerto Rico has gone above and beyond the minimum established standards. As mentioned, the House of Representatives has made an effort to raise the minimum wage. As well, the territory has established the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act of Puerto Rico (OSHA).Among other things, this act guarantees to each employee in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico â€Å"safe and healthful working conditions†. Employers must ensure that each employee has a job and jobsite free of hazards which may cause death or physical injury. (Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Serrano.)Employers must also obey all occupational safety and health standards, and any rules or regulations that are applicable to the worksite. This includes federal statutes, as well as Puerto Rican laws.This is enforced through the use of inspections, which are conducted on the basis of priority in the following order: imminent danger, fatalities/catastrophes investigations, complaint/referral investigations, programmed inspections, and follow-up inspections to ensure that any necessary modifications have been carried out by the employer. An additional measure established a Boiler and Elevator Inspection Program, the title of which is self-explanatory.In this program, inspectors ascertain the safety of boilers and elevators on jobsites, judging all aspects including manufacture, installment, and safe operation. These measures, while adopted by several other states, are not specifically enforced or provided by the federal government.Contrary to the bad reputation that many labor sites outside of the continental United States have earned, Puerto Rico vigorously follows federal standards of employment protection, and has made initiatives to improve upon the federal model. With a decent mi nimum wage, laws promoting safe workplaces, and an administration in place that actively inspects employers to ensure the enforcement of these laws, Puerto Rico has been deemed by many to be a safe, profitable place for laborers to work.Works CitedAndrade, N (2006, October 4). Puerto Rico-State-Labor Law Center Blog. Retrieved October6, 2006, from Labor Law Center Web site: http://blog.laborlawcenter.com/category/state/puerto-ricoAuthor Unknown, (2006). Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Retrieved October6, 2006, from ToPuertoRico.org Web site: http://www.topuertorico.org/constitu.shtmlAuthor Unknown, Puerto Rico State Information Page. Retrieved October 6, 2006, from U.S.Department of Labor Web site: http://www.osha.gov/oshdir/stateprogs/Puerto_Rico.htmlSerrano, M, Labor Laws Weigh Heavily on Puerto Rico’s Employers. (2005, August 25). PuertoRico Herald, http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues2/2005/ vol09n34/ CBLaborLaws.shtml

Management Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Strategy - Essay Example This advancement in technology was based on advanced physics principle than simple electro mechanic as the new equipment relied more on microprocessor-based controls than on electromechanical relays and switches. Following the fact that Lincoln has enjoyed the monotony of owning the laser technology for a long time, the company could use this kind of technology to make productions and sales at the expense of other new companies, hence staying ahead of competition. This gave Lincoln their success that any other company did not have as the bars were highly raised for others to pursue. 2. Lincoln electrical, in its endeavors to pursue laser technologies, had no alternative than to master the laser technology/it had to allow some of the equipment to go extremely custom made so as to be able to perform extremely fine tolerances. To be able to a chieve such equipment, Lincoln electrical would have to part with too much money as this equipment was costing considerably too expensive than was any such equipment in the same industry. Therefore, Lincoln electrical had no choice than to master the laser technology and develop a line of products built on it. The implication of this would mean that, Lincoln must have enough expertise in both human resource and resources allocation so as to be able to master the laser technology in its full application. This would mean that, this company would have to look for both the required funds and resources to be able to facilitate this kind of new technology upgrade which would enable them to raise their annual sales as required. The company was then faced with a tough financial conditions as its required financial outlays were unattainable. This was because the firm had to do a thorough research and development in the line of five products, a process that would cost between 5-15 million dollars.

Human Skeleton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Skeleton - Essay Example The archeological findings of this skeleton showed a skull which is smaller than that of humans (Tomkins, n.p). The skeleton showed evidence of the bipedal upright posture. The skeleton was 3ft 7in tall and weighed approximately 64 pounds. The skeleton had a similar appearance to that of a chimpanzee (Tomkins, n.p). The skeleton had a smaller skull, hence, a smaller brain than that of humans. However, the structure of the pelvic and leg bones was identical to that of Homo sapiens sapiens, which suggested that they performed similar functions to those of modern man and walked in an upright position (Institute of Human Origins, n.d).The archeological findings were re constructed in the University of Cleveland by Owen Lovejoy (Institute of Human Origins, n.d). Another factor which showed that Lucy walked upright was her valgus knee; her greater trochanter was short and similar to that of humans (Institute of Human Origins, n.d). Her feet were also discovered to be physiologically flat. The reconstruction of her sacrum showed it had a broad iliac flare, and broad inner acetabular distance and a long superior pubic ramus (Institute of Human Origins, n.d). H er pubic arch was similar to that of humans. She had a smaller cranium and spatulate canines. Her cranial capacity as mentioned above was smaller than that of humans. Her mandible showed similarities to that of gorillas (Institute of Human Origins,

Short answer&essay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Short answer& - Essay Example The American Government is also held responsible for the pathetic condition of the people of Iraq enabling worldwide sanctions against Iraq. Since the American people elected their leaders and supported their policies, they too were held responsible for the atrocities against the Islam world. The strong military presence of the United States in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is the holiest Islamic centre was considered a provocation to the entire Islamic brethren. The American military comprised of American men and women and the leaders and their policies were endorsed by the American people so they too were considered offenders of Islam who were to be attacked and subdued. One of the key features of the anti- American sentiments prevalent in the Middle East is the American policies which have played a decisive role in the local politics of the region. The disintegration of the Ottoman Empire caused by the Europeans resulted in the loss of the only unifying force in the Middle East. The western powers began to exploit the countries of this region for their own benefit. An atmosphere of distrust was created when the contents of the Sykes- Picot Agreement was made public by the Russians. This agreement divided the Ottoman Empire between the two European nations and limited the scope for absolute Arab sovereignty to the Arabian Peninsula. The Balfour Declaration supporting the Zionist movement caused ill will. Along with these the League of Nations mandate virtually gave control of the Middle East to Britain and France. The western policies were unacceptable to the people of the region and fostered anti- Western sentiments. Andrew Bacevich is of the view that the American Ideology of National Security is flawed in the sense that they are delusional. Successive governments have undermined the limitations of power and have believed in the efficacy of military solutions for all problems. He defines the Ideology of National Security within the four

Designing a Team Strategy. Teaming Up for a Worthy Project Essay

Designing a Team Strategy. Teaming Up for a Worthy Project - Essay Example For instance, if the personality of A is extroverted and B is introverted, A should be able to use that engaging personality to draw B out of her shell, while keeping it tamer so that B will not be overwhelmed. On the other hand, B will just have to reach out a little more just so she gets to connect with A as a compromise. That is usually the dynamics of working to get along with others. In doing so, more productive relationships ensue and there is more likelihood of common goals being achieved. This paper will discuss how teams can work more effectively according to some theories and considering members’ personality profiles as analyzed from the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. The team project to be discussed is the organization of a proposal to be presented for bidding for a special event. The team is composed of five individuals with varying backgrounds and skills. The members are tasked to work on organizing a seminar-workshop on Work-Life Balance for middle manag ement. The designated leader of the group has worked with various companies and has developed his network of credible resource people that he can invite as speakers for the seminar. Aside from the leader, the team is composed of an accountant, a mother, an artist and a researcher. The team members all work for an events management company. Working in Groups Collaborative work can bring about group process gains as well as group process losses (Thatcher and de la Cour, 2003). Group process gains are positive outcomes derived from working with other members. One such gain is the provision of synergy or a group member being creatively stimulated by the other members. Other benefits of working in groups are the efficient exchange of ideas and information, exposure to different views, collection of objective feedback and a host of other learning effects. However, groups may not always be as effective as expected, and group process losses negate the positive outcomes of group process gain s. Dominance is one such group process’ downside (Hiltz et al, 1986). This is because in groups discussions, only one person can talk at a time and this may block out, forget, neglect or not give enough time other members’ ideas if the speaker is dominant. Diehle and Stoebe (1991) also identify evaluation apprehension, which is the fear of members to be negatively evaluated by other members when they become more active and visible in the group participation. Social loafing may then be the result. This happens when an individual member feels less inclined to participate in the expectation that his efforts may not hold water with the group. Finally, free-riding is another group process loss. This happens when a group participant feels that his contribution may be dispensable (Barry & Stewart, 1997). Hence, he reduces his participation to just going along with the majority and exert less effort in contributing his share. Thatcher & de la Cour (2003) identify more group pr ocess losses that groups should be wary of in order to be more effective. These are cognitive inertia or getting stuck in usual patterns of thought and routine; information overload or coming up with too many ideas that focus on the main objective may be lost; and excessive socializing, that little time is left for actual

Campaign Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Campaign Analysis - Essay Example The goal is one the United Nations formulated in the hope of changing the trends and perceptions of the entire world regarding the management of the environment. The goal is a social change program because it entails both communicative aspects and an implementation that relies on modification of the characters of people. An interpretation of the development goal will elaborate its scope within the social context. The communicative aspects of the project will demonstrate the effectiveness of the theories of communication of social change. Development of the field of development communication is not like the rest of the areas of knowledge because there exists many practical theories used simultaneously. As such, newer ideas emerge and apply alongside older theories of the same case. The developed theories have a basis of a number of factors. Most of them seek to interpret the relationship between people and development projects. For instance, they try to establish the correlation between culture and the environment, psychology and the political interventions to environmental development (Gumucio & Tufte 2006, p.531). They also consider the link between individuals and the community and the existing hierarchy as well as their involvement. As such, the theories explain the importance of communicating the process of social change in the society. The most dominant paradigm has been behavior change models because social change entails behavioral adjustments (McMichael 2008, p. 276). Most of such theories based on the idea that the hindrances to development lied in lack of lack of knowledge of the people. As such, the principles affirmed that the best approaches were those that would provide the people with information that would change their character. One such theory is that of modernization, which proposes that information and culture deficits underlie the development problems, and their solutions

North by Northwest Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

North by Northwest - Movie Review Example The purpose of this paper is to analyze Hitchcock’s movie North by Northwest. This will be done by providing the plot and summary of the movie. The paper will later look into the use of cinematography, mines-en -scene and editing to bring out the thoughts and fillings of the main character Thornhill. The paper later provides a concluding paragraph on the contents of the paper in relation to the theses. Plot summary The movie begins when two gangsters mistakenly kidnap the wrong man. This is a result of Thornhill being in the wrong place at the right time. The man kidnapped is an advertising agent who is new to this world. He is wrongfully accused of being an American spy responsible for the death of a Russian secret service agent. Based on the time when the cold war had taken center stage, the movie addresses the activities that occur between the two sides of the war. Thornhill is thereby, forced to defend himself by proving his real identity. For him to achieve this, he must change his identity in order to protect himself. The movie is defined by the use of adventure, comedy and most of all suspense. Aided by his accomplice Eve Kendall, they set to find out the identity of the actual spy so that they can go back to their normal lives. In their quest to do so, they are met with many challenges making them take refuge in different locations of the country. Use of cinematography Cinematography makes up for most of the features of an entire movie. It comprises of the use of the camera, photography, shooting and picture making. The camera is one of the most essential devices in the making of a film. It is used to emphasize the angles that the director views as the most critical parts of the film. The movie generally does not portray a lot of the use of the camera. One of the pivotal scenes where the camera is used is during the end of the film where Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall’s lives are in danger. The director shows Thornhill look for a way out by first glancing to the left, right and then back to the left as Eve Kendall is clutching on to him for dear life. This brings out his desperation in that he has few options to choose from. All he can picture is his whole life flash before him. The use of shadows across the faces of Mount Rushmore brings out the intensity of the scene. The sniper who shoots their attacker miraculously saves them. The camera is pointed towards the attacker who is situated on the floor and, later tilted towards the direction of the sniper. This scene also displays the use of twists to maximize on the suspense of the movie. Mines-en -scene Mines-en-scene is the display of the view, picture and the location of a movie in general. The movie utilizes this factor significantly in that it is set in different parts of the country. Thornhill eventually runs for his life and take refuge in several parts of the country. Hitchcock achieved this by shooting scenes in pivotal places such as Mount Rushmore that is known for the presidential faces during the end of the movie. This is where he redeems himself by becoming a hero in a turn of events. Another area where the director displays mines-en-scene is in the United Nations building located in New York. The use of a hidden camera was enabled so as to view the entrance of Thornhill as he climbs the stairs. What sets this movie apart from the rest of

How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety Through Yoga Essay Example for Free

How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety Through Yoga Essay Stress is an inevitable part of life. Our jobs, families and friends are constant potential sources of stress in our lives. People are constantly on the search for ways to deal with their stress. Yoga has been proven as a means of dealing with stress so in this essay I will discuss how yoga has been used to deal with stress and anxiety. By definition, Yoga is; â€Å"a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation†. I feel that it is a very calming and soothing form of exercise that also manages to improve health, flexibility and thought-processing skills. When people are stressed or suffering from anxiety, they tend to think less logically, sleep less, eat unhealthily and practice less exercise. However, dealing with ones stress is the best idea in improving ones lifestyle so, yoga is a practical solution for these issues. Specifically, yoga is more than just stretching. It loosens up the tense muscles in the body (due to the vast amounts of stretching) especially (the high stress areas); the neck, the shoulders and the back. It combines a loosening the muscles with regular deep breathing and relaxation of the mind. When practicing yoga, one must always â€Å"stay in the moment†, it is one of the key phrases of the activity. When people are stressed they constantly think of their next upcoming deadlines rather than focusing on the now. Yoga manages to relax the person by allowing you to think solely on the moment. When in a yoga pose you only think of the current pose and how it should match your breathing, thinking and balance. You cant think of your pose if youre thinking of your problems therefore, the poses are designed to make you think about the moment so you can successfully accomplish them. In doing so, you become so involved in your pose that you forget about the issues which caused you stress in the first place. Also, yoga emphasizes slow deep breathing which, in itself, is a means of dealing with anxiety therefore already helping the person to relax. This means that one of the core features of yoga is already a means of solving anxiety. Breathing is the key to yoga stress management. Instructors encourage people to focus on their breathing because it allows you to focus on something other than your stress. Listening to your own breath makes your problems seem further away because you pay more attention to your core self rather than your external issues. Every yoga class ends with a corpse pose. This pose is designed for deep relaxation. After undergoing several challenging poses that really stretch out the tense muscles, the corpse pose (or â€Å"playing dead†) allows your body to re-adjust whilst also relaxing the mind. Whilst â€Å"playing dead† I tend to not think about anything and just flow with the music like â€Å"a pebble flowing in the river†. This is possibly the most relaxing phase of yoga because of motionlessness of the body after an intense session. This phase can be so relaxing that many people even tend to fall asleep. This is clearly a sign that yoga works because, stressed people do not sleep easily. As college students, yoga can be very useful at peak times such as; before class, before a test or before going to bed. Before a test you can easily do some neck and shoulder rolls and relieve yourself. Before bed, if you have a lot of things on your mind, you can do a few stretches (maintaing them for 3 to 4 full breaths) and thus relax yourself enough to sleep comfortably without any impending thoughts. In conclusion, I feel that yoga is very useful for stress and anxiety relief. In my personal experience, yoga has helped me become a less stressed and thus more comfortable person because I have found an escape as a college student from the, occasionally, mundane and monotonous routine.

Faculty Evaluation System Essay Example for Free

Faculty Evaluation System Essay A faculty evaluation system which is installed in our college is of great use to evaluate the faculty performance and their self development in the process. The value added system installed in place takes input of various feedbacks given not only by the students but also by the other faculties. The various feedbacks and advises are capitalized upon for deciding merit of the faculty. It overall encourages the faculties and ensures better focus towards research and development. The faculty evaluation system takes into account the following: 1. It evaluates the faculties on their performance, their integrity, their adherence to rules and regulations, their publication of journals and contribution towards research papers. 2. The feedbacks are in various forms, more likely in areas syllabus coverage, innovation, analysis, case study approaches, behavior and attitude (Bowers, 2005). 3. The various suggestions and feedbacks would ensure a change in the trait of the person for the betterment of the individual and the society at large. The astonishing fact is the acceptance of the system in the college as it not only fosters development but ensures innovation and making of a leader in every being. The analysis of the feedbacks is evaluated to a large extent by the system and the data evaluation is done quite well. The special feature is the trend analysis for the performance of the faculty and the very graph of performance is taken up. The system is designed in a very well coordinated manner for fetching large scale analysis of the various developments and ensures that right tracking is made possible (Arreola, 2003). References/Bibliography Arreola, A Raoul (2003). Developing a Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation System, Educational Psychology from Arizona State University. Bowers K. John (2005). Issues in Developing a Faculty Evaluation System. Retrieved 16, January 2009 from http://www. springerlink. com/index/X712557731J2WN54. pdf.

The Roles Of Ict In The Government Information Technology Essay

The Roles Of Ict In The Government Information Technology Essay ICT stands for information and communications technology, ICT mainly focuses on the role of communication that includes phone lines and wireless data/signals as well as the ability to control information including hardware for computers and networks and software. Throughout this essay, the way in which ICT has affected and continues to become of high importance to the United kingdoms Government will be explored, the main areas that will be conducted in this research are the Government ICT strategy, greening government ICT, how the internet is transforming the UK Economy, a selected number of Government departments and how ICT is important to their daily use and finally an end conclusion highlighting the importance of ICT development in the UK government. Government ICT strategy In October 2005, the first government ICT strategy was released setting the schedule for the ICT public sector (organisations funded by the government) towards the next five years. Its main aim was to focus on the areas that could enable transformed service delivery, putting the citizen at the heart of what we do, shared services and professionalising IT-enabled business change (Cabinet Office 2010 [URL] Date Accessed 02/11/10). Five years later, after reviewing yearly reports and employing a new Government chief information officer a new strategy was released. Its approach has been adapted to fit the current economic climate in which the nation is in transforming services against a backdrop of economic pressure change (Cabinet Office 2010 [URL] Date Accessed 02/11/10). The new strategy will now make possible an ICT infrastructure that will solve many problems across the board which the Government faces. It also encourages the development of delivery being increased via the public, private and third party sectors in order to meet the needs and requirements. In 1994 www.direct.gov.uk formally known as www.open.gov.uk was announced to hold all websites and links to government and agency websites, with all the increased pressure to deliver higher and better public services, expectations had never been higher due to the potential of better services that was unforeseen when the website was first published. However, with the increased prospect of technology, expectations have changed and so have demands which has enabled the government to make it easier to handle their day to day business and help those in need of support, talktofrank.com was set up to assist and explain the dangers of drugs and notschool.net was set up for those children excluded from school. On the other hand Denis McCauley, Global Technology Research Director at the Economist Intelligence Unit, believes the government can do more recognizing that although it does well in terms of its internet website, its popularity is decreasing rapidly and he thinks that even more can be done in terms of using information technology. Although the United Kingdoms Government is not solely to thanks for its success in its public sector ICT use, it reaches the top spot when compared to the rest of Europe, as its citizen-based services are 100% online compared with the average 71% that Europe has. Since the turn of the century the UK was the first Government to even start to allow its citizen-based service online taken approximately four years till Europes average came became public. Turning Government ICT green Since the governments increased use of ICT from owning some of the largest and most power fullest computers and public servants using their desktop computers at a higher rate than expected, be it from issuing tax disks to people across the country to saving x-rays on file. The Government is the countries largest purchaser of ICT equipment, and use a large amount of power and resources. They have decided to set an example amongst the nation and turn green, as they want the disposal of monitors, printers, computers and servers to happen in a sustainable and responsible way. To start the Governments reduction of carbon emissions another strategy has been created called the greening government strategy. According to the cabinet offices brochure on becoming green by turning just one computer off will save 235kg of carbon dioxide emissions a year. By turning off every one of Whitehalls 500,000 computers at night would have the same effect as taking 40,000 cars off the road. How the Internet has transformed the United kingdoms Economy Moving away from the strategies recently formed for ICT, this essay will now review how the Internet has affected and transformed the UK Economy. The Internet has largely influenced societies in the United Kingdom with a majority of them having easy access to it, many modern phones now come with the capability to do such thing. Websites such as ebay.co.uk and amazon.co.uk have increased the populations spending habits, which further down the line companies pay tax, which turns back into the government. In 2009 the Internet contributed to 7.2 per cent of GDP in Britain, an estimated  £100 billion making it larger than the countries transportation, construction or utilities industry. Whilst the large growth in Internet activity has increased it has disrupted many businesses but has had a positive effect on the medium and smaller based businesses that sell anything from clothes to computer games with research showing that the United Kingdoms economy is likely to increase by up to 15 p er cent via the Internet. Government organisations and their use of ICT Now this essay will look at a number of government organisations and the importance that ICT plays in them. -Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) To begin with The Department of Work and pensions (DWP) pays money into millions of peoples accounts across the nation, from people on benefits to elderly people receiving their pension, its use of ICT is on a large-scale basis and as a whole plays a major role in the social sector of todays lifestyle. ICT is a positive use in the DWP as it allows a quicker way of handling information and delivering an output service due to the large memory servers they have. However errors still occur in which the government loses millions at a time and because of this have called for an urgent change in the way their ICT strategy is changed -Ministry of Defence The Ministry of Defences (MoD) role is to protect the nation against any potential threat internally and externally, its team highlights dangers through many methods that involve ICT such as listening in on phone calls or checking the internet for major threats. Its ICT role again is very important to how its run due to keeping in contact with other global agencies to keep informed about terrorism strikes, it also informs local media in order to get information broadcasted across the UK. Another use of ICT within the MoD is to ensure military standards are kept high as well as the environment. Again by using the Website they allow people to view the procedures and information of the MoD, which encourages responsibility. -Driver and vehicle Licensing Agency DVLA The use of computers in the DVLA is very important, as they have to produce tax certificates as well as driving licenses and number plate registration forms in their large memory banks. Conclusion Concluding the report, ICT is probably one of the most important aspects of the governments way in terms of running its whole organisation, due to this it is hard to find any faults into the way they are actually sustaining their ICT, the only weak point is due to the fact that their website is not as popular as it was before however it still provides the information that you look for as well as email addresses and phone numbers if you need more help. With the Government also turning green they have taken another positive step in terms of being leaders and hopefully turning it in to a national thing; they have started to release television adverts and produce leaflets to spread the word. http://www.parliamentandinternet.org.uk/uploads/Final_report.pdf http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/66177/greening_government_ict.pdf http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/317444/ict_strategy4.pdf http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/anger-as-uks-carbon-dioxide-emissions-reach-10year-high-442496.html http://www.publictechnology.net/sector/central-gov/martin-read-and-three-little-words-ict-pain http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/anger-as-uks-carbon-dioxide-emissions-reach-10year-high-442496.html

The Turbulen Sixties Essay -- essays research papers

The Turbulent Sixties Throughout American history, each generation has sought to individualize itself from all others preceding it. Decades of American history can be separated to represent a distinctive set of values, culture, and political ideals. The 1960's was a decade caught between euphoric, idealistic beginnings and a discordant, violent climax. The music of this time period produced a strong counterculture which sought to influence America in a way never before experienced. The songs were the backbone of this new age; they were the tunes which the generation danced to, marched to, and got high off of. This paper will discuss the ways popular music of the 1960's produced national awareness of the anti-war movements, led to the partialcollapse of the structure of American society, and forever changed the way current generations listen to and buy music. The songwriters of the 1960's were rarely without inspiration. Perhaps the most powerful incentive came from the movement to end the Vietnam War. Many of the most prominent musicians of that generation aided the struggle to protest against and attempt to end the war. The most popular song to be considered an anthem against the war efforts was called "Blowin' in the Wind," written by Bob Dylan in 1962 while he was living in New York. The song is centered around racism and militarism, two main focal points which were principal in many early sixties protest songs (Pichaske 58). Dylan used conventional symbols to blatantly state his point; a white dove representing peace, flying cannon balls describing war and violence, and roads and seas symbolizing the hardships and struggles there would have to be with eliminating the war. Demonstrations against the Vietnam War took place in many major cities and college campuses. While many of these demonstrations had only peaceful motives, violent methods were often used to break them up. Take for example the famous student takeover of Columbia University. Black students arguing for civil rights, and white students protesting against the Vietnam war successfully took over Hamilton Hall, the Low Library and the Dean's office, as well as three other buildings. The Grateful Dead were smuggled onto campus and played several long sets of music while students began to set up communal living, with food generously donated by outside supporters and Harlem's CORE (Co... ... labels began methodically recruiting performers and signing them to contracts. The music was becoming less oriented to free form and more constricted so as to present them on FM radio. Advertising became increasingly directed towards the hippies. Pepsi Cola began airing commercials that consisted of an eerie psychedelic renderings of urban nightlife, with the Pepsi theme sounding more like a Byrd's song than a commercial jingle (Frank 178). Many musicians began fighting a sense of deep disillusion as the sixties winded down. Perhaps Dylan, the man who spoke so poignantly about the generation understood it best, he knew that the most prominent threat to musicians of the sixties was their image, it leads to the generalization of their art and destroys it (Pichaske 177). In conclusion, the sixties were a turbulent time characterized with both optimism and despair. The music that this generation spawned has lasted as a remnant of the idealistic and hopful nature of the times. In many cases, the songs are interrelated with certain events. In other instances, music was used as a catalyst to ignite a chain of events. Whatever the case may be, music was revolutionized during the1960's.

Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers

The McCourt family leaves their apartment in Brooklyn to set sail for Ireland, leaving behind an apartment with indoor plumbing and the memory of a dead sister in hopes of finding a better life amongst â€Å"the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father, the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire, pompous priests, and bullying schoolmasters† of Ireland. This tragic story is told from the point of view of a child, Frank McCourt, whose father is a driftless alcoholic and whose mother does moan by the fire. McCourt is able to use humor, irony, and point of view to make the tale of Angela’s Ashes one which will never be forgotten. The humor used throughout the novel breaks the tension of what would otherwise be a very depressing story. When confronted with fleas in the mattress of the bed, the father is instructed to by a man on the street to â€Å"confuse the little buggers† by turning the mattress upside down. Obviously, this is not going to rid the mattress of fleas, nor will it confuse them. The reader is aware of this, and the incident is humorous. Another example of humor that can be found in the novel occurs on the day of Frank’s first communion. He becomes sick and his communion wafer finds its way into his grandmother’s back yard. She then sends him to confession and instructs him to ask the priest what can be done to fix the problem. The big deal she makes about having â€Å"God in my back yard† is humorous to the reader, who knows that the communion wafer is not really God. Irony also plays a large role in keeping the story interesting. There is a poem that Mam recites to a neighbor about Ireland that states: â€Å"And Limerick town has no happier hearth than mine has been with my man from the North.† Pap is from the north and is of no use to the family. He does nothing to make them happy or to make life easier on them, so this poem does not work with the situation Mam is in. Another situation that may not be considered to be fortunate in these days is the wake. Wakes are considered to be good because there is food and warm shelter while one is mourning the dead. It is once commented that, â€Å"there is nothing like a wake for having a good time. Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers The McCourt family leaves their apartment in Brooklyn to set sail for Ireland, leaving behind an apartment with indoor plumbing and the memory of a dead sister in hopes of finding a better life amongst â€Å"the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father, the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire, pompous priests, and bullying schoolmasters† of Ireland. This tragic story is told from the point of view of a child, Frank McCourt, whose father is a driftless alcoholic and whose mother does moan by the fire. McCourt is able to use humor, irony, and point of view to make the tale of Angela’s Ashes one which will never be forgotten. The humor used throughout the novel breaks the tension of what would otherwise be a very depressing story. When confronted with fleas in the mattress of the bed, the father is instructed to by a man on the street to â€Å"confuse the little buggers† by turning the mattress upside down. Obviously, this is not going to rid the mattress of fleas, nor will it confuse them. The reader is aware of this, and the incident is humorous. Another example of humor that can be found in the novel occurs on the day of Frank’s first communion. He becomes sick and his communion wafer finds its way into his grandmother’s back yard. She then sends him to confession and instructs him to ask the priest what can be done to fix the problem. The big deal she makes about having â€Å"God in my back yard† is humorous to the reader, who knows that the communion wafer is not really God. Irony also plays a large role in keeping the story interesting. There is a poem that Mam recites to a neighbor about Ireland that states: â€Å"And Limerick town has no happier hearth than mine has been with my man from the North.† Pap is from the north and is of no use to the family. He does nothing to make them happy or to make life easier on them, so this poem does not work with the situation Mam is in. Another situation that may not be considered to be fortunate in these days is the wake. Wakes are considered to be good because there is food and warm shelter while one is mourning the dead. It is once commented that, â€Å"there is nothing like a wake for having a good time.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3

Chapter 3 The angel will tell me nothing of what happened to my friends, of the twelve, of Maggie. All he'll say is that they are dead and that I have to write my own version of the story. Oh, he'll tell me useless angel stories – of how Gabriel disappeared once for sixty years and they found him on earth hiding in the body of a man named Miles Davis, or how Raphael snuck out of heaven to visit Satan and returned with something called a cell phone. (Evidently everyone has them in hell now.) He watches the television and when they show an earthquake or a tornado he'll say, â€Å"I destroyed a city with one of those once. Mine was better.† I am awash in useless angel prattle, but about my own time I know nothing but what I saw. And when the television makes mention of Joshua, calling him by his Greek name, Raziel changes the channel before I can learn anything. He never sleeps. He just watches me, watches the television, and eats. He never leaves the room. Today, while searching for extra towels, I opened one of the drawers and there, beneath a plastic bag meant for laundry, I found a book: Holy Bible, it said on the cover. Thank the Lord I did not take the book from the drawer, but opened it with my back to the angel. There are chapters there that were in no Bible I know. I saw the names of Matthew and John, I saw Romans and Galatians – this is a book of my time. â€Å"What are you doing?† the angel asked. I covered the Bible and closed the drawer. â€Å"Looking for towels. I need to bathe.† â€Å"You bathed yesterday.† â€Å"Cleanliness is important to my people.† â€Å"I know that. What, you think I don't know that?† â€Å"You're not exactly the brightest halo in the bunch.† â€Å"Then bathe. And stand away from the television.† â€Å"Why don't you go get me some towels?† â€Å"I'll call down to the desk.† And he did. If I am to get a look at that book, I must get the angel to leave the room. It came to pass that in the village of Japhia, the sister village of Nazareth, that Esther, the mother of one of the priests of the Temple, died of bad air. The Levite priests, or Sadducees, were rich from the tributes we paid to the Temple, and mourners were hired from all the surrounding villages. The families of Nazareth made the journey to the next hill for the funeral, and for the first time, Joshua and I were able to spend time with Maggie as we walked along the road. â€Å"So,† she said without looking at us, â€Å"have you two been playing with any snakes lately?† â€Å"We've been waiting for the lion to lay down with the lamb,† Joshua said. â€Å"That's the next part of the prophecy.† â€Å"What prophecy?† â€Å"Never mind,† I said. â€Å"Snakes are for boys. We are almost men. We will begin work after the Feast of Tabernacles. In Sepphoris.† I was trying to sound worldly. Maggie seemed unimpressed. â€Å"And you will learn to be a carpenter?† she asked Joshua. â€Å"I will do the work of my father, eventually, yes.† â€Å"And you?† she asked me. â€Å"I'm thinking of being a professional mourner. How hard can it be? Tear at your hair, sing a dirge or two, take the rest of the week off.† â€Å"His father is a stonemason,† Joshua said. â€Å"We may both learn that skill.† At my urging, my father had offered to take Joshua on as an apprentice if Joseph approved. â€Å"Or a shepherd,† I added quickly. â€Å"Being a shepherd seems easy. I went with Kaliel last week to tend his flock. The Law says that two must go with the flock to keep an abomination from happening. I can spot an abomination from fifty paces.† Maggie smiled. â€Å"And did you prevent any abominations?† â€Å"Oh yes, I kept all of the abominations at bay while Kaliel played with his favorite sheep behind the bushes.† â€Å"Biff,† Joshua said gravely, â€Å"that was the abomination you were supposed to prevent.† â€Å"It was?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Whoops. Oh well, I think I would make an excellent mourner. Do you know the words to any dirges, Maggie? I'm going to need to learn some dirges.† â€Å"I think that when I grow up,† Maggie announced, â€Å"I shall go back to Magdala and become a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.† I laughed, â€Å"Don't be silly, you are a girl. You can't be a fisherman.† â€Å"Yes I can.† â€Å"No, you can't. You have to marry and have sons. Are you betrothed, by the way?† Joshua said: â€Å"Come with me, Maggie, and I will make you a fisher of men.† â€Å"What the hell does that mean?† Maggie asked. I grabbed Joshua by the back of his robe and began to drag him away. â€Å"Don't pay any attention to him. He's mad. He gets it from his mother. Lovely woman, but a loony. Come now, Josh, let's sing a dirge.† I began improvising what I thought was a good funeral song. â€Å"La-la-la. Oh, we are really, really sad that your mom is dead. Too bad you're a Sadducee and don't believe in an afterlife and your mom is just going to be worm food, la-la. Makes you think that you might want to reconsider, huh? Fa-la-la-la-la-la-wacka-wacka.† (It sounded great in Aramaic. Really.) â€Å"You two are silly.† â€Å"Gotta go. Mourning to do. See you.† â€Å"A fisher of women?† Josh said. â€Å"Fa-la-la-la, don't feel bad – she was old and had no teeth left, la-la-la. Come on, people, you know the words!† Later, I said, â€Å"Josh, you can't keep saying creepy things like that. ‘Fisher of men,' you want the Pharisees to stone you? Is that what you want?† â€Å"I'm only doing my father's work. Besides, Maggie is our friend, she wouldn't say anything.† â€Å"You're going to scare her away.† â€Å"No I won't. She's going to be with us, Biff.† â€Å"Are you going to marry her?† â€Å"I don't even know if I'm allowed to marry at all, Biff. Look.† We were topping the hill into Japhia, and we could see the crowd of mourners gathering around the village. Joshua was pointing to a red crest that stood out above the crowd – the helmet crest of a Roman centurion. The centurion was talking to the Levite priest, who was arrayed in white and gold, his white beard reaching past his belt. As we moved into the village we could see twenty or thirty other soldiers watching the crowd. â€Å"Why are they here?† â€Å"They don't like it when we gather,† Joshua said, pausing to study the centurion commander. â€Å"They are here to see that we don't revolt.† â€Å"Why is the priest talking to him?† â€Å"The Sadducee wants to assure the Roman of his influence over us. It wouldn't do to have a massacre on the day of his mother's funeral.† â€Å"So he's watching out for us.† â€Å"He's watching out for himself. Only for himself.† â€Å"You shouldn't say that about a priest of the Temple, Joshua.† It was the first time I ever heard Joshua speak against the Sadducees, and it frightened me. â€Å"Today, I think this priest will learn who the Temple belongs to.† â€Å"I hate it when you talk like that, Josh. Maybe we should go home.† â€Å"Do you remember the dead meadowlark we found?† â€Å"I have a really bad feeling about this.† Joshua grinned at me. I could see gold flecks shining in his eyes. â€Å"Sing your dirge, Biff. I think Maggie was impressed by your singing.† â€Å"Really? You think so?† â€Å"Nope.† There was a crowd of five hundred outside the tomb. In the front, the men had draped striped shawls over their heads and rocked as they prayed. The women were separated to the back, and except for the wailing of the hired mourners, it was as if they didn't exist. I tried to catch a glimpse of Maggie, but couldn't see her through the crowd. When I turned again, Joshua had wormed his way to the front of the men, where the Sadducee stood beside the corpse of his dead mother, reading from a scroll of the Torah. The women had wrapped the corpse in linen and anointed it with fragrant oils. I could smell sandalwood and jasmine amid the acrid sweat of the mourners as I made my way to the front and stood by Joshua. He looked past the priest and was staring at the corpse, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He was trembling as if taken by a chill wind. The priest finished his reading and began to sing, joined by the voices of hired singers who had made the journey all the way from the Temple in Jerusalem. â€Å"It's good to be rich, huh?† I whispered to Joshua, elbowing him in the ribs. He ignored me and balled up his fists at his sides. A vein stood out on his forehead as he burned his gaze on the corpse. And she moved. Just a twitch at first. The jerk of her hand under the linen shroud. I think I was the only one who noticed. â€Å"No, Joshua, don't,† I said. I looked for the Romans, who were gathered in groups of five at different points around the perimeter of the crowd looking bored, their hands resting on the hafts of their short swords. The corpse twitched again and raised her arm. There was a gasp in the crowd and a boy screamed. The men started backing away and the women pushed forward to see what was happening. Joshua fell to his knees and pressed his fists to his temples. The priest sang on. The corpse sat up. The singers stopped and finally the priest turned to look behind him at his dead mother, who had swung her legs off of the slab and looked as if she was trying to stand. The priest stumbled back into the crowd, clawing at the air before his eyes as if it some vapor was causing this horrible vision. Joshua was rocking on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. The corpse stood, and still covered by the shroud, turned as if she was looking around. I could see that several of the Romans had drawn their swords. I looked around and found the commanding centurion standing on the back of a wagon, giving signals to his men to stay calm. When I looked back I realized that Joshua and I had been deserted by the mourners and we stood out in the empty space. â€Å"Stop it, now, Josh,† I whispered in his ear, but he continued to rock and concentrate on the corpse, who took her first step. The crowd seemed to be transfixed by the walking corpse, but we were too isolated, too alone now with the dead, and I knew it would only be seconds before they noticed Joshua rocking in the dirt. I threw my arm around his throat and dragged him back away from the corpse and into a group of men who were wailing as they backed away. â€Å"Is he all right?† I heard at my ear, and turned to see Maggie standing beside me. â€Å"Help me get him away.† Maggie took one of Joshua's arms and I took the other as we dragged him away. His body was as stiff as a walking staff, and he kept his gaze trained on the corpse. The dead woman was walking toward her son, the priest, who was backing away, brandishing the scroll like a sword, his eyes as big as saucers. Finally the woman fell in the dirt, twitched, then lay still. Joshua went limp in our arms. â€Å"Let's get him out of here,† I said to Maggie. She nodded and helped me drag him behind the wagon where the centurion was directing his troops. â€Å"Is he dead?† the centurion asked. Joshua was blinking as if he'd just been awakened from a deep sleep. â€Å"We're never sure, sir,† I said. The centurion threw his head back and laughed. His scale armor rattled with the tossing of his shoulders. He was older than the other soldiers, gray-haired, but obviously lean and strong, and totally unconcerned with the histrionics of the crowd. â€Å"Good answer, boy. What is your name?† â€Å"Biff, sir. Levi bar Alphaeus, who is called Biff, sir. Of Nazareth.† â€Å"Well, Biff, I am Gaius Justus Gallicus, under-commander of Sepphoris, and I think that you Jews should make sure your dead are dead before you bury them.† â€Å"Yes sir,† I said. â€Å"You, girl. You are a pretty little thing. What is your name?† I could see that Maggie was shaken by the attention of the Roman. â€Å"I am Mary of Magdala, sir.† She wiped at Joshua's brow with the edge of her shawl as she spoke. â€Å"You will break someone's heart someday, eh, little one?† Maggie didn't answer. But I must have shown some reaction to the question, because Justus laughed again. â€Å"Or perhaps she already has, eh, Biff?† â€Å"It is our way, sir. That's why we Jews bury our women when they are still alive. It cuts down on the heartbreak.† The Roman took off his helmet, ran his hand over his short hair, and flung sweat at me. â€Å"Go on, you two, get your friend into the shade. It's too hot out here for a sick boy. Go on.† Maggie and I helped Joshua to his feet and began to lead him away, but when we had gone only a few steps, Joshua stopped and looked back over his shoulder at the Roman. â€Å"Will you slay my people if we follow our God?† he shouted. I cuffed him on the back of the head. â€Å"Joshua, are you insane?† Justus narrowed his gaze at Joshua and the smile went out of his eyes. â€Å"Whatever they tell you, boy, Rome has only two rules: pay your taxes and don't rebel. Follow those and you'll stay alive.† Maggie yanked Joshua around and smiled back at the Roman. â€Å"Thank you, sir, we'll get him out of the sun.† Then she turned back to Joshua. â€Å"Is there something you two would like to tell me?† â€Å"It's not me,† I said. â€Å"It's him.† The next day we met the angel for the first time. Mary and Joseph said that Joshua had left the house at dawn and they hadn't seen him since. I wandered around the village most of the morning, looking for Joshua and hoping to run into Maggie. The square was alive with talk of the walking dead woman, but neither of my friends was to be found. At noon my mother recruited me to watch my little brothers while she went to work with the other women in the vineyard. She returned at dusk, smelling of sweat and sweet wine, her feet purple from walking in the winepress. Cut loose, I ran all over the hilltop, checking in our favorite places to play, and finally found Joshua on his knees in an olive grove, rocking back and forth as he prayed. He was soaked in sweat and I was afraid he might have a fever. Strange, I never felt that sort of concern for my own brothers, but from the beginning, Joshua filled me with divinely inspired worry. I watched, and waited, and when he stopped his rocking and sat back to rest, I faked a cough to let him know I was coming. â€Å"Maybe you should stick with lizards for a while longer.† â€Å"I failed. I have disappointed my father.† â€Å"Did he tell you that, or do you just know it?† He thought for a moment, made as if to brush his hair away from his face, then remembered that he no longer wore his hair long and dropped his hands in his lap. â€Å"I ask for guidance, but I get no answer. I can feel that I am supposed to do things, but I don't know what. And I don't know how.† â€Å"I don't know, I think the priest was surprised. I certainly was. Maggie was. People will be talking about it for months.† â€Å"But I wanted the woman to live again. To walk among us. To tell of the miracle.† â€Å"Well, it is written, two out of three ain't bad.† â€Å"Where is that written?† â€Å"Dalmatians 9:7, I think – doesn't matter, no one else could have done what you did.† Joshua nodded. â€Å"What are people saying?† â€Å"They think that it was something the women used to prepare the corpse. They are still going through purification for two more days, so no one can ask them.† â€Å"So they don't know that it was me?† â€Å"I hope not. Joshua, don't you understand that you can't do that sort of thing in front of people? They aren't ready for it.† â€Å"But most of them want it. They talk about the Messiah coming to deliver us all the time. Don't I have to show them that he has come?† What do you say to that? He was right, since I could remember there was always talk of the coming of the Messiah, of the coming of the kingdom of God, of the liberation of our people from the Romans – the hills were full of different factions of Zealots who skirmished with the Romans in hope that they could bring about the change. We were the chosen of God, blessed and punished like no other on earth. When the Jews spoke, God listened, now it was God's turn to speak. Evidently, my best friend was supposed to be the mouthpiece. But at that moment, I just didn't believe it. Despite what I'd seen, Joshua was my pal, not the Messiah. I said, â€Å"I'm pretty sure the Messiah is supposed to have a beard.† â€Å"So, it's not time yet, is that what you're saying?† â€Å"Right, Josh, I'm going to know when you don't. God sent a messenger to me and he said, ‘By the way, tell Joshua to wait until he can shave before he leads my people out of bondage.'† â€Å"It could happen.† â€Å"Don't ask me, ask God.† â€Å"That's what I've been doing. He's not answering.† It had been getting darker by the minute in the olive grove, and I could barely see the shine in Josh's eyes, but suddenly the area around us was lit up like daylight. We looked up to see the dreaded Raziel descending on us from above the treetops. Of course I didn't know he was the dreaded Raziel at the time, I was just terrified. The angel shone like a star above us, his features so perfect that even my beloved Maggie's beauty paled by comparison. Joshua hid his face and huddled against the trunk of an olive tree. I guess he was more easily surprised by the supernatural than I was. I just stood there staring with my mouth open, drooling like the village idiot. â€Å"Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men. For on this day, in the city of David, is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.† Then he hovered for a second, waiting for his message to sink in. Joshua uncovered his face and risked a glance at the angel. â€Å"Well?† the angel said. It took me a second to digest the meaning of the words, and I waited for Joshua to say something, but he had turned his face skyward and seemed to be basking in the light, a silly smile locked on his face. Finally I pointed a thumb at Josh and said, â€Å"He was born in the city of David.† â€Å"Really?† said the angel. â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"His mother's name is Mary?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"She a virgin?† â€Å"He has four brothers and sisters now, but at one time, yes.† The angel looked around nervously, as if he might expect a multitude of the heavenly host to show up at some point. â€Å"How old are you, kid?† Joshua just stared, smiling. â€Å"He's ten.† The angel cleared his throat and fidgeted a bit, dropping a few feet toward the ground as he did so. â€Å"I'm in a lot of trouble. I stopped to chat with Michael on the way here, he had a deck of cards. I knew some time had passed, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  To Joshua he said, â€Å"Kid, were you born in a stable? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger?† Joshua said nothing. â€Å"That's the way his mom tells it,† I said. â€Å"Is he retarded?† â€Å"I think you're his first angel. He's impressed, I think.† â€Å"What about you?† â€Å"I'm in trouble because I'm going to be an hour late for dinner.† â€Å"I see what you mean. I'd better get back and check on this. If you see some shepherds watching over their flocks by night would you tell them – uh, tell them – that at some point, probably, oh – ten years or so ago, that a Savior was born? Could you do that?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Okey-dokey. Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.† â€Å"Right back at you.† â€Å"Thanks. Bye.† And as quickly as he had come, the angel was gone in a shooting star and the olive grove went dark again. I could just make out Joshua's face as he turned to look at me. â€Å"There you go,† I said. â€Å"Next question?† I suppose that every boy wonders what he will be when he grows up. I suppose that many watch their peers accomplish great things and wonder, â€Å"Could I have done that?† For me, to know at ten that my best friend was the Messiah, while I would live and die a stonecutter, seemed too much of a curse for a ten-year-old to bear. The morning after we met the angel, I went to the square and sat with Bartholomew the village idiot, hoping that Maggie would come to the well. If I had to be a stonecutter, at least I might have the love of an enchanting woman. In those days, we started training for our life's work at ten, then received the prayer shawl and phylacteries at thirteen, signifying our entry into manhood. Soon after we were expected to be betrothed, and by fourteen, married and starting a family. So you see, I was not too young to consider Maggie as a wife (and I might always have the fallback position of marrying Joshua's mother when Joseph died). The women would come and go, fetching water, washing clothes, and as the sun rose high and the square cleared, Bartholomew sat in the shade of a tattered date palm and picked his nose. Maggie never appeared. Funny how easy heartbreak can come. I've always had a talent for it. â€Å"Why you cry?† said Bartholomew. He was bigger than any man in the village, his hair and beard were wild and tangled, and the yellow dust that covered him from head to toe gave him the appearance of an incredibly stupid lion. His tunic was ragged and he wore no sandals. The only thing he owned was a wooden bowl that he ate from and licked clean. He lived off of the charity of the village, and by gleaning the grain fields (there was always some grain left in the fields for the poor – it was dictated by the Law). I never knew how old he was. He spent his days in the square, playing with the village dogs, giggling to himself, and scratching his crotch. When the women passed he would stick out his tongue and say, â€Å"Bleh.† My mother said he had the mind of a child. As usual, she was wrong. He put his big paw on my shoulder and rubbed, leaving a dusty circle of affection on my shirt. â€Å"Why you cry?† he asked again. â€Å"I'm just sad. You wouldn't understand.† Bartholomew looked around, and when he saw that we were alone in the square except for his dog pals, he said, â€Å"You think too much. Thinking will bring you nothing but suffering. Be simple.† â€Å"What?† It was the most coherent thing I'd ever heard him say. â€Å"Do you ever see me cry? I have nothing, so I am slave to nothing. I have nothing to do, so nothing makes me its slave.† â€Å"What do you know?† I snapped. â€Å"You live in the dirt. You are unclean! You do nothing. I have to begin working next week, and work for a lifetime until I die with a broken back. The girl I want is in love with my best friend, and he's the Messiah. I'm nothing, and you, you – you're an idiot.† â€Å"No, I'm not, I'm a Greek. A Cynic.† I turned and really looked at him. His eyes, normally as dull as mud, shone like black jewels in the dusty desert of his face. â€Å"What's a Cynic?† â€Å"A philosopher. I am a student of Diogenes. You know Diogenes?† â€Å"No, but how much could he have taught you? Your only friends are dogs.† â€Å"Diogenes went about Athens with a lamp in broad daylight, holding it in people's faces, saying he was looking for an honest man.† â€Å"So, he was like the prophet of the idiots?† â€Å"No, no, no.† Bart picked up a small terrier and was gesturing with him to make his point. The dog seemed to enjoy it. â€Å"They were all fooled by their culture. Diogenes taught that all affectations of modern life were false, that a man must live simply, outdoors, carry nothing, make no art, no poetry, no religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like a dog,† I said. â€Å"Yes!† Bart described a flourish in the air with the rat dog. â€Å"Exactly!† The little dog made as if to upchuck from the motion. Bart put him down and he wobbled away. A life without worry: right then it sounded wonderful. I mean, I didn't want to live in the dirt and have other people think me mad, like Bartholomew, but a dog's life really didn't sound bad. The idiot had been hiding a deep wisdom all these years. â€Å"I'm trying to learn to lick my own balls,† Bart said. Maybe not. â€Å"I have to go find Joshua.† â€Å"You know he is the Messiah, don't you?† â€Å"Wait a minute, you're not a Jew – I thought you didn't believe in any religion.† â€Å"The dogs told me he was the Messiah. I believe them. Tell Joshua I believe them.† â€Å"The dogs told you?† â€Å"They're Jewish dogs.† â€Å"Right, let me know how the ball licking works out.† â€Å"Shalom.† Who would have thought that Joshua would find his first apostle among the dirt and dogs of Nazareth. Bleh. I found Joshua at the synagogue, listening to the Pharisees lecture on the Law. I stepped through the group of boys sitting on the floor and whispered to him. â€Å"Bartholomew says that he knows you are the Messiah.† â€Å"The idiot? Did you ask him how long he's known?† â€Å"He says the village dogs told him.† â€Å"I never thought to ask the dogs.† â€Å"He says that we should live simply, like dogs, carry nothing, no affectations – whatever that means.† â€Å"Bartholomew said that? Sounds like an Essene. He's much smarter than he looks.† â€Å"He's trying to learn to lick his own balls.† â€Å"I'm sure there's something in the Law that forbids that. I'll ask the rabbi.† â€Å"I'm not sure you want to bring that up to the Pharisee.† â€Å"Did you tell your father about the angel?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Good. I've spoken to Joseph, he's going to let me learn to be a stonecutter with you. I don't want your father to change his mind about teaching me. I think the angel would frighten him.† Joshua looked at me for the first time, turning from the Pharisee, who droned on in Hebrew. â€Å"Have you been crying?† â€Å"Me? No, Bart's stench made my eyes water.† Joshua put his hand on my forehead and all the sadness and trepidation seemed to drain out of me in an instant. He smiled. â€Å"Better?† â€Å"I'm jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"That can't be good for your neck.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Trying to lick your own balls. It's got to be hard on your neck.† â€Å"Did you hear me? I'm jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"I'm still learning, Biff. There are things I don't understand yet. The Lord said, ‘I am a jealous God.' So jealousy should be a good thing.† â€Å"But it makes me feel so bad.† â€Å"You see the puzzle, then? Jealousy makes you feel bad, but God is jealous, so it must be good, yet when a dog licks its balls it seems to enjoy it, but it must be bad under the Law.† Suddenly Joshua was yanked to his feet by the ear. The Pharisee glared at him. â€Å"Is the Law of Moses too boring for you, Joshua bar Joseph?† â€Å"I have a question, Rabbi,† Joshua said. â€Å"Oh, jeez.† I hid my head in my arms.

A feminist or misogynistic Essay

In the play Medea, Euripides recognises the lack of gender equality of his time and comments on the patrichial nature of ancient Greek society. A feminist theme resonates in the play and has been developed through the characterisation of Medea and Jason. Medea, the female protagonist, is portrayed as powerful figure. Medea is spurned and aggrieved by a man but instead of accepting the situation submissively as she would have been expected to do, she asserts her own power. Furthermore, when King Creon decides to banish her, she doesn’t hesitate to argue persuasively on her own behalf despite his position of power. She naturally assumes that she has the right to speak as a man might do. Medea recognizes the oppression of women in her society when she declares â€Å"we women are the sorriest lot: first we must at great expenditure of money but a husband and even take on a master of our body†. However, Medea herself denounces women by admitting that they were born ‘useless for honest purposes’ suggesting that woman’s skills lie solely in the ability to exert their will by deceit and manipulation. Her deceptive nature is evident in the nature of the murder of Glauce by giving gifts laced with poison. Medea argues that although women have a deserved reputation for treachery, they only do so as the patriarchal society to which they belong deprives them of any other avenues of power. Yet Medea’s response to masculine exploitation surpasses any reasonable measures by her horrific murder of her children. The audience is positioned to be shocked and unsympathetic towards her actions. Medea’s actions are portrayed as hers alone not indicative of the natural behavior of women and Euripides acknowledges that the social injustice experienced by Medea cannot absolve her personal accountability for her actions. In the play through his characterisation of Jason, Euripides mocks the men’s supposed entitlement to authority and supremacy over women. Jason, the key male figure, from the onset of the play reveals himself to the audience to be a weak character, at odds with his reputation as a hero. His abandonment of his obedient wife, Medea, his greed-driven re-marriage and his inability to admit his own culpability in the drama that ensued, portrays him to the audience as vapid, vacuous man whose actions are fuelled almost entirely by self-interest. His constant emasculation of Jason by his depiction as a weak and flawed character makes him appear unsympathetic to the audience. Medea is a strong-willed and powerful individual whose personality traits would be stereotypically attributed to a male character whilst Jason’s self-obsessed and treacherous ways would more often be linked to a female character. Through the depiction of Medea and Jason, Euripides makes the conjecture their characters are both highly flawed and so they should be condemned for their deeds rather than for the gender.

Expenditures and Revenues Summary: Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Essay

The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, a statutory government agency, is responsible for providing services to three mandated programs in Palm Beach County, Florida (PBSO.org, 2013). Those programs are Law Enforcement, Corrections Services throughout Palm Beach County’s jails, and finally Bailiff and Court staff. Palm Beach Sheriff’s office is required to respond to law enforcement calls throughout the county and all unincorporated areas of Palm Beach County. Palm Beach Sheriff’s office is also responsible for providing services to certain municipalities throughout Palm Beach County, if a contract exists between the municipality and the Sheriff’s office. The municipality must come to a fee agreement with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s office before a contract is established. The following will elaborate on the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office revenue and expenditures and the impact of the expenditures on the revenue source. The following will also elaborate on who the key players are in terms of making budget decisions and whether or not there is any influence of political and public policies on the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office. Finally, recommended organizational financial analysis alternatives for the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office will be researched. The Impact of the Expenditures on the Revenue Source Palm Beach County is located in South Florida and is the largest county in square mileage in Florida at 2,268 square miles. Palm Beach County is Florida’s third largest populated county with just under 1.4 million residents (PBSO.org, 2014).The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office maintains 3,949 allocations throughout Palm Beach County and boasts 1,333 sworn law enforcement officers, 7,757 civilian support staff, 689 sworn Corrections officers and 170 sworn Court services and Bailiff; therefore a large portion of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office budget is allocated to programs. Personal services, according to the Sheriff’s Office (2014) means this part of the budget is considered to pay employee wages and benefits. This program is divided in to thee parts, Law Enforcement, Corrections and Court Services  and Bailiff, which in turns means three different expenditures. A total of $510,102,878.00 for the Sheriff’s was requested for the 2014 fiscal year in order to support the three programs. This amount is an increase of about 5.8% from the 2013 fiscal year (PBSO.org, 2014). The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office is funded through various revenues generated from Law Enforcement services, ad-valorem taxes and utility taxes. The Sheriff’s Office collects 15% of all revenues collected through adult entertainment and revenue is also received by the State of Florida for Crime Laboratory Operations. Funds are established by the Florida Crime Laboratory Council. Safety services also generate revenue for the Sheriff’s Office. The charges and fees are ultimately determined by the Statute and fee schedule approved by the Sheriff. These contracts include airport security, Private and Governmental Off-Duty permits and other law enforcement contract. The Safety Service fees make up a large portion of the Sheriff’s revenues (PBSO. org, 2014). Other revenues include fines and forfeitures, commission on coin telephones used by the county’s inmates, taxes levied on assessed properties in Palm Beach County and utility tax. According to Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office (2014), each program is divided in to three expenditures. Those expenditures are Law Enforcement, Corrections and Court Services and Bailiff. Each of the three program categories is broken down even further. Those parts are listed as Personal Services, Operating and Capital Outlay. Each variable requires funds in order to operate; for example, the Law Enforcement Program was budgeted for a total budget of $347,035,274.00 out of the $510,102,878.00. As stated this program is further broken down in to three variables, Personal Services, Operating and Capital Outlay. A total of $276,397,453.00 is budgeted for personal services. $60,185,099 is budgeted for Operating and $10,452,722.00 is budgeted for Capital Outlay. This brings the total to $347,035,274.00 dollars budgeted for the Law Enforcement Program. This total is about 60% of the total budget for 2014. It is important to understand that 81% of the operating budget consists of wages, overtime and employee benefits. These are items which are set through collective bargaining, policy, contracts and also receive protection under to Career Service Bill (PBSO.org, 2014). Key  Players Involved in Deciding on a Budget Because the Sheriff’s Office is large and requires time to create a reasonable budget, the budgeting process begins in December of the preceding year (PBSO.org, 2014). In January, the Palm Beach Sheriff discusses the philosophy for the approaching fiscal year. The Sheriff’s Office had an established budget staff which provides an overview of the budget process and provides details regarding the upcoming budget preparation and procedures. Executives and Senior Staff conduct a series of internal reviews before the proposed budget is presented the Sheriff. The Sheriff then reviews the proposed budget and either accepts or denies the budget. Once the Sheriff approves the budget a signed copy is sent to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioner by May 1. The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners Office of Finance Management and Budget would then schedule a number of workshops for the County’s proposed budget. It is during these workshops that modifications to the Sheriff’s budget can be presented. Budgets may be modified based on the receipt of grant funds, donations or other sources outside of the Sheriff’s adopted budget. In September, there are two public hearing scheduled during which the final budget is adopted. The budget must be adopted for October 1, the start of the new fiscal year. The Influence of Politics and Public Policies on the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners Office of Finance Management and Budget is a governmental organization which oversees the Sheriff’s proposed budget on a yearly basis. The Constitutional Officers who oversee the budget include Clerk and Comptroller Office, Tax Collector and Property Appraiser (Palm Beach County, 2014). All three entities are those of local government. These three organizations are responsible for reviewing not only the Sheriff’s budget, but all other budgets relating to cities in Palm Beach County who provide public assistance. Politics can play a huge role when considering a budget proposal. In this case, these three entities know what funding is available as they are responsible for collecting different revenues. If the money is not available to fund the entire budget request, then cuts will be made to the budget; furthermore, because budgets are able to be accessed by  the public, is important to ensure that all decisions regarding the budget are ethical decisions. Financial Analysis Alternatives In the event that there is a loss of revenue source, there are many other options the Sheriff’s Office can explore in order to obtain funding. The Sheriff’s Office, like any other police department, has many departments which are responsible for investigating certain crimes; for example, the Sheriff’s Office created a department specifically for tracking online sexual predators. The United States Department of Justice provides funding to the Sheriff’s Office for strategically targeting online predators. The Sheriff’s office would be able to continue funding this department and maintaining its multidisciplinary team to assist in the development and implementation of the strategy. The COPS hiring Program (CHP) is dedicated to enhancing community policing by addressing the needs of a state, local or tribal law enforcement agency. The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) provides funding so that law enforcement agencies are able to hire new or career law enforcement officers. Employing more officers would increase crime prevention efforts in a given district (U.S. Department of Justice, 2014). The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) will provide up to 75% of any approved entry-level salary and fringe benefits. The officers must be hired as full-time officers for the length of grant period, which is 36 months. A minimum of 25% of the officer’s salary must be matched by the hiring agency and a maximum federal share of $125,000 per officer. Under the COPS Hiring Program, the agency is only able to hire up to 5% of the agency’s sworn police officers (U.S Department of Justice, 2014). According to the Sheriff’s Office (2014), there are two other sources of alternative funding. Alternative funding can be obtained through forfeiture funds which are obtained from cases which assets and cash are seized and eventually released to the law enforcement agency. Forfeiture funds may come from state and federal governments and ought to be used to purchase equipment which was unable to be funded. Secondly, alternative funds may come from the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office grant program. This program  generates millions of dollars annually. In the past, grant funding has enabled the Sheriff’s Office to purchase patrol boats; additionally, the grant funding, the Sheriff’s Office has also purchased 245 square miles of waterway in Palm Beach County and 45 miles of shoreline (PBSO.org, 2014). Conclusion In conclusion, The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office is large law enforcement agency within Palm Beach County which provides law enforcement, corrections and court services to Palm Beach County. The Sheriff’s office is also contracted by a number of cities within Palm Beach County to perform law enforcement duties within that area. Drafting a budget proposal can be challenging and difficult for such a large organization. Upon completing this research, one can easily see the much thought and preparation is needed to complete a budget which will allow the Sheriff’s Office to continuously provide services to those within the jurisdictions. The preceding elaborated on the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office revenue and expenditures and the impact of the expenditures on the revenue source. The preceding also elaborated on who the key players are in terms of making budget decisions and whether or not there is any influence of political and public policies on the Palm Beach Sh eriff’s Office. Finally, the organizational financial analysis alternatives for the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office were discussed. References Palm Beach County (2014). Preparing for Budgets. Retrieved from website http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=2367 PBSO.org, (2014). Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Budget. Retrieved from website http://pbso.org/index.cfm?fa=budget U.S. Department of Justice (2014). COPS Hiring Program. Retrieved from website http://www.pbcgov.com/ofmb/budget/

A Right to Bear Arms: Living the Second Amendment

Linda Hasselstrom vehemently defends her choice of means to protect herself in her essay, â€Å"A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun†.The topic of gun control provides for a heated debate between those that believe guns are dangerous and unnecessary and those who rely both on the protection of the gun and the right to its possession.Rather than waxing philosophic on her rights under the Second Amendment, she describes years of feeling powerless and finding that the conventional and more passive methods of self-defense are simply ineffective. Hasselstrom makes a convincing case for her choice to carry a gun.The most persuasive aspect of the essay is the way that Hasselstrom leads the reader to the obvious conclusion that gun possession was her only option. She describes, on page 371, the advice given to women to avoid certain situations.While she complies, she is irritated at the idea that the precautions only apply to females, and that females must fear men. Next, s he describes incidents in which she felt helpless because more physically powerful men were immune to polite requests and common decency. Instead of going directly to the gun, she spent time learning martial arts and self-defense, only to realize that the sheer size difference was too great a disadvantage.Her most convincing argument is the story of the woman who called for help for a flat tire only to be raped and beaten. Hasselstrom’s implication is that if the woman had a gun in her possession, it never would have happened.In conclusion, Hasselstrom does not suggest that every woman carry a gun, nor does she recommend using that gun to threaten anyone unnecessarily. Rather, she keeps the gun for protection and only reveals it in order to protect herself.Not only is â€Å"A Peaceful Woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  a convincing argument for gun possession, but it is also a tribute to the lasting nature of the Second Amendment.

Analysis of Espergesia

It is importance to read the poem in the context of its time, during this period Vallejo was moving in circles that held Marxist ideals, renounced religion, and embraced the notion that coherence and order of traditional poetry do not effectively communicate emotion, but that the logic of modern art is the logic of emotion. In this collection we see Vallejo begin to move away from the ideals and influences of modernism (Higgins,J) rather than using language as a tool to escape reality by romanticising it, Vallejo seeks to convey his own sense of reality, whilst he does employ modernist techniques such as religious symbolism and imagery that is connotative of beauty and art he subverts this imagery and in this way succeeds in conveying emotion in a manner much more personal and direct that lacks literary pretension and the glorification of the role of the artist (Miller, N). The poem explores Vallejos crisis of faith and the effect this has had on his relationship with society and how it has caused him to feel in terms of his existence in the world as a consequence. The broken language is symbolic of Vallejos broken faith and ideology, he attempts make sense of a world which to him does not make sense. The title Espergesia in an archaic legal term signifying the passing of a sentence this then must raise the question of who is passing the sentence there are only two possibilities of who this could be, God or society. Given that Vallejo debases religion and thereby a society with religion at its foundation, it would be strange if he felt this sentence to be actually imposed upon him by either party, instead however the poem implies that life itself it a sentence. Vallejo in his clever employment of paradox, â€Å"el claustro de un silencio que hablo a flor de fuego† portrays the sense of loss he feels now religion holds nothing of value for him. Also the imagery in the penultimate stanza of â€Å"la luz† and â€Å"la sombra† is a metaphor for religions downfall. It is made implicit throughout the poem that he does not believe in God, the most pertinent example that demonstrates this is in the opening stanza â€Å"Yo naci un dia que Dios estuvo enfermo† through his use of personification Vallejo attributes human weakness to God, undermining his power and in doing that, as by definition God cannot be ill, he denies his existence, this is further stressed by the repetition of this phrase. There is evidence to show that he bears a sentence imposed by society, for example in the lines â€Å"Todos saben que soy malo† there is a striking sense of bitterness of what society has condemned him to be now he doesnt believe in God. The juxtaposition of what everybody constrasts significantly with what they dont know â€Å"del diciembre de ese enero†, he emphasisesthis in the contrast in language of simple compared to a more elusive and ambiguous mode of expression that puts across a sense of perhaps being harder to comprehend yet of having a more profound meaning, the implication being that others have a superficial understanding of life as they know only of his external appearance and his external acts and can perceive nothing of the state of his soul his sense of emptiness and his existentialist view of life (Higgins, J). It seems clear that Vallejo is sentenced by society for his belief that life is a sentence and within this idea we gain an insight to the sense of isolation and fear that is so vividly manifested in the poem. In the third stanza, the image â€Å"la Esfinge preguntona del Desierto† communicates this notion with poignancy, the sphinx being the traditional symbol of the enigma of existence â€Å"grand in its loneliness symbol of eternity forever gazing on and on into a future which will still be distant when we, like all who have preceded us and looked upon its face, have lived our little lives and disappeared† (Stoddard,J. L) Whilst many critics believe that the opening stanza indicates that the poet is pursued by a sense of fatality, it can also be maintained that this line is a manifestation of his despair caused by him not believing in religion rest of the poem stresses the poets isolation and different vision of life primarily that God does not exist and where religion once gave meaning to life now it cannot this understanding has led him to become misunderstood by the majority of society who continue to derive meaning to life from religion this point is illustrated throughout the poem particularly in the paradoxical imagery that he creates manifest a deeper understanding whilst serving to emphasise the meaningless of life â€Å" hay un vacio, en mi aire metafisico†. In conclusion this poem can be interpreted in many ways however to me it is the cry of an existentialist in a religious world, Vallejo is experiencing a crisis of faith and within that a crisis of identity and this conflict and confusion of emotions is reflected in his language, in particular his use of antithesis and paradox. At the same time Vallejo is coming to terms with the meaningless and inevitability of life in a deterministic and seemingly meaningless universe. His sentence is the limites life imposes, his portrayal of an unfulfilled existence is powerful. The poem is an existential lament and an incredibly expressive, emotive and revolutionary piece of writing.

MIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

MIS - Essay Example ent of the Company are deeply convinced that the new product will increase the profits of the Company by 100 of millions as 100 million shoppers buy from the Wal-Mart every week (Girard, 2003). The reason behind the Wal-Mart’s decision to sell Jeans to Wal-Mart was to target the rich customers and attracting well-off customers requires big brands, the Company, therefore, needed big brands. Levis is a famous high prestigious brand. The customers of Wal-Mart are people from all walks of life and through Levis, the company shall be able to meet the demands of all their customers, including the demands of the new affluent customers. Wal-mart has a high bargaining power. This fact can be attributed to the fact that Levis is facing tremendous pressure on the sales front as its revenue has decreased because of the changing preferences of the customers. The Wal-Mart company, therefore, really needs to target a new customer group through its new product line so as to boost the company earnings and make profits of 100 million dollars. Walmart Company has a well-established supply chain management system that enables it to track the inventory right from the supplier factory up to the warehouse. Suppliers of Wal-Mart need to be upgraded in IT system so as to enable them to track inventory management. 4.What generic strategy (among the following four: (1) broad target / cost leadership, (2) broad target differentiation, (3) focused target / cost leadership, and (4) focused target / differentiation) is Wal-Mart following? Justify your answer. Wal-Mart is guided by the broad target and cost leadership strategy. The company targets a broad range of customers that come from all walks of life. The company distinguishes itself from its rivals on the basis of low costs. An entry barrier is defined as an advantage of established sellers in an industry over potential entrant sellers that is reflected in the extent to which established sellers can easily raise their prices above