Business Law and the Accounting Profession Research Paper

Business Law and the Accounting Profession - Research Paper Example It governs all transactions in the land including business. Law is often associated with ethics. Ethics is the field of study that aims to encourage all people to act in accordance with the law. It focuses more on one's morality, the ability to decide in a rightful manner taking into consideration any possible consequences of the decision. It is crucial for law and ethics to unite, but unfortunately at times it is not the case. Sometimes an individual must consider doing an unlawful act to do something that is ethical, it sounds complicated, but it happens in reality especially in handling business transactions (Beatty and Samuelson 16). The day to day dilemmas in business led to the formulation of business laws that seek to promote the value of law and ethics in the globally progressing business environment. Sources of Business Law In spite of the existence of business laws there are still some professionals who opt to perform their duties through unethical means. Perhaps this wrong ful act has contributed to the growing disbelief of people towards the information that is being shown in financial statements. The violation could either be intentional, that is when the accountant voluntarily made the violation or unintentional, if there is no willingness to do the wrongful act (e.g., when the employer threatens an employee to do something unethical for the sake of the company). Accounting regulations were established to govern professional accountants into practicing ethical behavior. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the government agency tasked to promulgate regulations that are set to be followed by organizations particularly the accountants who are most of the time susceptible to trouble. The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 made possible the creation of SEC to formulate and impose securities law. In 2002 former U.S. President George W. Bush passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or the Public Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act. The law was est ablished to ensure the credibility of financial statements. Due to the increasing number of fraud related issues in companies, the government finally realized the need to reform the laws that govern organizations and protect the right of investors (Peck 11). Issues in the Accounting Profession There have been recent scandals that involved accounting professionals. This type of profession is never easy to handle and sometimes it places an accountant's reputation at stake. In most cases, the cause of complications in the accounting profession is in the making of financial statements. Financial statement misrepresentation is strictly prohibited. Although that rule is clearly emphasized, many seem to disregard it. The violation is avoidable if companies will consciously make an effort to adhere to the said policy. If unluckily an accountant is caught doing this wrongful act, then there is no possible way to get out of this mess. Whatever the case may be, an accountant will still be held liable because an offense has been committed and the harm has already been done. As in the case of a criminal act a suspect is convicted if the commission of a crime is proven beyond reasonable doubt, so a suspect is not yet considered a criminal unless there is enough evidence. Say for example a company that is struggling financially. The only way to solve the problem is to manipulate the figures in the financial report so that investors will remain faithful to the company. The accountant is left with no other choice, but to do what the employer says. There are two possible consequences to this act. The first consequence is that if the manipulation will push through there are chances of reviving the company and so

The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding Essay Example for Free

The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding Essay The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a political satire on society. The butt of the satire is civilization at the time of the second world war. During this era, a civilized society goes to war and obliterates, maims, and kills. In this novel, Golding depicts destruction, killing, and fear as evil in the heart of man, and uses irony to elaborate on this theme. The novel begins with a plane crashing on an uninhabited island. We are not told the reason for this, but we can assume the crash was a result of events associated with World War II. The survivors of the crash are a group of boys who we know little about prior to the crash. The group of boys then attempt to create a functional society by using a system of rules and a chief. The story then revolves around the breakdown of the boys society. Piggy and Ralph meet up with each other after escaping from their shot-down plane. A large scar was made by the crashing plane in the untouched jungle, symbolizing the first of mans destruction on the island. A war is going on in the outside world, and now for the rest of the book, everyone on the island will be isolated from the real world and put into their own world. Throughout the book we are told of the scar, and it is clear to understand that the scar symbolises mans destruction and destructive forces The island is ultimately a natural environment untamed by man that holds the resources for the boys survival parallel to other life on the island. Golding tries to convey the island like a cage confining the boys and isolating them from the rest of the world. We are told in the story that no boy could reach even the reef over the stretch of water. This shows us that the reef is like a boundary that cannot be crossed by any inhabitant on the island. A major factor stopping the boys getting even close to the reef is between the beach and the reef: the snapped sharks waited. This information helps us comprehend there is no way out. Another device Golding uses to emphasise the boys isolation is metaphors the miraculous throbbing stars. The stars help us understand the boys isolation as they are surrounded by mystery and speculation but their reality can never be found because they are so far away and out of reach. We are told the boys response to this situation is that they were gradually made accustomed to these mysteries and ignored them. Even though the mysteries are ignored, this does not mean that they do not exist or does it? : Sometimes land loomed where there was no land. This shows us that however tangible some of the mirages may seem, they are not necessarily real. The island is not an obvious character or type of life but it demonstrates human qualities and characteristics through its description. The way Golding brings the island to life is mainly through personification and metaphors: The great rock loitered. The wind roared. A thunderous plume leapt half way up the mount. Sending at last an arm of surf up. This language help us visualize the island as a character more powerful than any life on the island, but it has different capabilities and communicates as a force opposed to a physical presence. Near the beginning of Lord of the Flies we can see the island as a paradise: The water was warmer than blood and the temperature even though a little hot is generally comfortable. Which shows us how generally the boys were happy on the island. This gives us an optimistic view towards the book: the air was bright. Later on the mood changes to a darker more cynical mood, which warns us of trouble to come. The sun transforms from a warm presence to an angry eye. This device Golding uses warns us in chapter nine that tension is rising between Jack and Ralph: Revolving masses of gas piled up the static until the air was ready to explode. Throughout Lord of the Flies Golding uses surrounding conditions to reflect the mood on the island. This device helps the island become integrated into the story as a character. The boys in the difficult situation they are presented with have different reactions to their surroundings. Their first experiences with the island prove to show a foreign unfriendly environment: All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat. The metaphor bath of heat shows the area around the boys is humid and the destruction may be a message about how humans are in the centre of our planets destruction. This situation because it is so extreme brings out the boys characters immediately and shows their ability to cope with the situation. Ralphs first reactions are casual as he pays little attention to his surroundings, which may indicate he may not understand what is happening at this stage. He could also feel the island poses little threat to him and is in a safe environment. Piggy, however, seems to understand how serious his situation is and feels unsafe on the island we can see this from his attempts to start a conversation with Ralph and he makes suggestions to deal with the situation. I suppose well want to know all their names. At the end of Lord of the Flies the island is burning down and Ralph is being hunted down. The fact that the island is burning down could be suggesting the only thing we are going to achieve is the destruction of the planet if we keep on fighting and developing weapons of greater power. The boys near the end of the book describe the surrounding events as a game. This could be telling us that wars and destruction in modern society are just considered a game but really they are destroying our lives and people are dying. So when the boys were taken off the island the question arises were they really rescued, or just moved to the real world to aid the destruction of our planet. The irony of the final chapter can be viewed either way about if the boys were really rescued.

Hype or Worthwhile Essay -- Nutrition

With all of the diets, health concerns, and lack of knowledge about food in general these days it is not surprising that people have turned to other means of getting nutrients. A main way of getting those nutrients is through dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are described by the FDA website as a product that is taken orally and must contain either vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs or other substances that are used to help the diet. These are known as dietary ingredients and can come in the forms of tablets, capsules, powders, energy bars, and liquids (N.p.). With this definition of supplements it’s not surprising to find out that the Nutrition Business Journal reported that 28 billion dollars were spent on supplements in 2010.(N.p) Dietary supplements are a part of most people’s daily lives, however are they too integrated or a necessary part of life. Dietary supplements went under a reconstruction in 1994, when the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was passed by the U.S. Congress. Dr. William Soller explained that the DSHEA created a framework where the FDA was allowed to make a regulatory system for dietary supplements. The DHSEA also clarified dietary supplements to mean a part of food while dietary ingredients are not â€Å"food additives†. The DSHEA required manufactures of new dietary ingredients (NDI) to submit paperwork to the FDA so that the FDA could say that the ingredients were safe to consume. Now a day because of amendments added afterwards to the DHSEA the FDA can regulate dietary supplements easier and can use enforcement against mislabeled and unsafe products. (N.p). As good as this sounds it doesn’t mean that before a product hits the market it is FDA approved, basically the FDA can... ...ation of 500 Stories.† Plos Medicine 5.5: n. pag. PLoS Medicine. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. . Soller, Wiiliam R, Holly J Bayne, and Christopher Shaheen. â€Å"The Regulated Dietary Supplement Industry: Myths of an Unnegulated Industry Dispelled.† HerbalGram 93: 42-57. Alt HealthWatch. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=awh&AN=72364965>. Tweed, Vera. â€Å"Supplements and Drugs.† Amazing Wellness Fall 2011: 58-62. Consumer Health Complete. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. detail?sid=7e3aa3ce-39dc-493b-86ac-eff77baaf36e%40sessionmgr10&vid=11&hid=115&bdata= JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=c9h&AN=66865242>.

National Discipline Awardee Essay

â€Å"A person is not measured by his accomplishments or possessions, but how he deals with people and how deep his relationship with God is. † Young as I am, I have been taught by my God fearing parents to value everything – big or small – that we have. I am not from a prestigious clan or a well-off family but I feel privileged because I was able to see life more meaningful and worth living. It’s all because of my loved-ones that keeps me going. Amid the crucial days that come my way, I would be standing there because I believe that tests won’t be given to me if I cannot surpass them. Being chosen as a National Discipline Awardee is another challenge for me. Challenge because I have to prove everybody that I deserve that award. Nevertheless, they would probably look at me with their eyes stick on everything that I will do and on decisions that I will make. But, I don’t mind them. I have nothing to do. I just have to be myself. I don’t have to be somebody else just to please everybody. I am confident that what I have right now is the fruit of what my parents taught me ever since childhood. The virtues that they implanted in my heart helped me a lot in achieving my goals and dreams. And now, it’s my turn to give them something that they can be proud of. This award would definitely give them so much joy. And as for me, it’s indeed an honor. But I know, it doesn’t stop there, it is better if I could share something for our society especially for the youth. I have often wondered how some of our youth today were greatly influenced by the modern trend. Some lives have gone astray and dreams of a good future vanished. All because of the bad vices that they have been practicing which they learned from the BAD influences in our environment. My heart bleeds every time I will see parents working so hard just to give their child all the things they need. Yet, their deeds often neglected. I guess, what is lacking, is the discipline in our youth sector. Our teachers never failed to remind us that resorting to drugs, alcohol, premarital sex and other form of vices is an immoral act or habit. And this will definitely ruin their lives and bring nothing but trouble. So instead of doing so, I learned to respect y God-given life, and nurture the talents that I have. â€Å"Discipline† of the youth, is what we need, and that is being pure in thoughts, in words and in deeds. It has been said that you may whatever you resolve to be. You must be determined to be something in the world, and you will be someone or something. â€Å"I cannot† never accomplished anything. â€Å"I’ll try† has wrought wonders. Opportunities – that would direct my lives, trials – that would teach me lessons, and decision-making – where I can apply all lessons I’ve learned from my daily experiences, will always be just around the corner, playing a vital part in my personal life. But what really matters, is that I know I have this determination and will to overcome difficulties and hardships. I may not be from a well-off family nor has deformity in my physical aspect; I believe I would never get tired of trying and trying again. For it is only in the minds of my detractors that I can’t do it. Failure is not a hindrance for me to stop believing and dreaming rather I make it an inspiration for me to try and strive my best even more and have enough perseverance to attain success. Lastly, I learned to think less of myself. I found out that there should be selflessness and diminish in my heart selfishness. For I believe that it is only through selfless love that I can find true happiness. Reaching out for others especially in the needs of time and sacrificing my personal advantages or desires for the good of the masses gives me fulfillment in my heart. Sharing my time, talents as well as blessings with my brothers and sisters is the best way to say â€Å"Thank you† to God. Above all this, I would like to put emphasis that being a good role model for my fellow youth is simply what I can do to make this country a better place to live in.

The Impact of Divorce on Children

The impact of divorce on children Angela Smith PSYC 210 James Varland Liberty University The impact of divorce on children The days of complete families that include mom, dad, the household pet, and several children hardly exist. These families have now been replaced with an increasing number of single parent households due to the increasing divorce rate since the 1970’s. (Price & McKenry, 1988) What kind of impact does divorce play on children under the age of 18 years old today. As we journey into this research, we will see many things that effect children not only emotionally, but spiritually, physically, and mentally.Each of these problems can carry over to adulthood. What we may not realize is that divorce could affect everything up into adulthood of a child. Emotional scars could be left for life. The children are the ones that are left to suffer the most due to divorce. There is so much research on this topic. That alone shows that children are suffering in so many ways due to divorced parents. Divorce is a very stressful experience for any child, regardless of their age. Over half of American children will witness the breakup of a parent’s marriage.Among the millions of children who have seen their parents divorce, did you know that one in ten children will also go through three or more parental marriages? (The Abolition of Marriage, Gallagher) The death of a parent is less devastating on a child than a divorce. There are several areas and stages of pain that is dealt with within a child at the beginning of a divorce. They feel very vulnerable, they feel powerless over the situation, and they have feelings of anger and of course several feeling of guilt. Parents’ sensitivity to their child’s needs has to be a priority in the adjustment of the divorce.Then you need to consider the child’s age also. A preschooler’s reaction and an adolescent’s reaction will be very different from each other. Preschoolerâ₠¬â„¢s tend to be emotionally needy. They have fears related to abandonment, and may display acting-out behaviors. They are likely to become distressed during visit exchanges. (http://cpancf. com/articles_files/efffectsdivorceonchildren. asp) Children from ages 6 to 8 will likely fantasize about their parents but yet are less likely to blame themselves for the divorce.Then children ages 9 to 12 will have a better understanding of their parents divorce and the situation but yet may take the sides with one of the parents. Although adolescents understand and comprehend the divorce of their parents, they are faced with the divorce experience and also their own identities. Adolescents seem to mature more quickly after a divorce. They will take on more responsibilities at home; they learn to appreciate things like an allowance a lot more, and they also learn to gain insight into relationships with others.But on the other hand, they could be drawn into taking on the role of the parent and n ot be able to develop relationships with their own peers. According to research, there are many different approaches that you could take when talking to your children about the divorce. There are definitely ways of saying things at their level and ways to try and make it easier on that individual child. One thing that you have to remember is that there is no best age for a child for divorcing parents. One main thing that you have got to be sure and tell your child is that it isn’t their fault.Children seem to think, especially the younger ones that if I act better or get better grades in school, maybe mommy and daddy won’t be mad at me and leave me. Letting that child know that it isn’t their fault is very crucial for the child. It is very important to let that child know that both parents will still be a part of their lives. When talking to your child about the divorce, you need to keep your emotions under control. If the child sees that you are upset, that wil l also make them upset and the whole situation can be more complicated. Never, never speak negatively about your spouse in front of the child.Your child will need to know a reason but not all of the details. Negativity can cause your child to resent your spouse or you. Children are use to a routine. They will need to know what all will be changing in their life. The children need security. Put your differences aside and get along for the child’s sake. Always listen to your child or children and encourage your child or children to express their feelings. Children have problems finding words to express how they feel. Take the time to help your child understand what they are feeling. And allow the child to be honest.Reassure them that no matter what they have to say or how they are feeling, that neither of these are wrong. That it is okay for them to express themselves. While knowing what to say to a child when talking about divorce there are also things that should not be said when talking to them. Never try to buy your child’s love. Buying the child stuff will only make them feel good temporarily. That feeling will wear off. A child would rather have their parent’s undivided attention in opportunities and joys in life. Nothing can take the place of the love of a parent.The most important thing that I think that a couple should think of first is not to give up on your marriage. There are many alternatives to giving up and letting it end in divorce. (http://www. marriage-success-secrets. com/talking-to-your-child-about-divorce. html ) Statistics are done for very valuable purposes. As I bring some of these statistics to light for you, I think that you will be rather amazed. Children of divorce are at a greater risk to experience injury, asthma, headaches and speech defects than children whose parents have remained married.Children living with both biological parents are 20 to 35 percent more physically healthy than children from broken homes. (Journal of Marriage and Family) Teenagers in single-parent families and in blended families are three times likely to need psychological help within a year. A study of children six years after a parental breakup revealed that even after all that time, these children tended to be lonely, unhappy, anxious and insecure. (Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) These statistics are surely frightful. And people and politics wonder why our American culture is so messed up.Families today doesn’t seem to believe in morals and they especially do not see the importance of what marriage is all about. God gave us a mate to be with forever. The instructions that God has given us in the Bible are very clear about marriage and divorce. In 1 Corinthians 7:10-14 says, â€Å"I command the married-not I, but the Lord- a wife is not to leave her husband. But if she does leave she must remain unmarried or reconciled to her husband- and a husband is not to leave this wife. But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: if any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not leave her.Also if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not leave her husband. For the unbelieving husband is set apart for God by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is set apart for God by the husband. Otherwise, your children will be corrupt, but now they are set apart for God. (Christian Standard Bible) Another passage that Jesus talks about in the Bible about marriage and divorce and makes Himself very clear about it is in Matthew 19:5 & 9,†(5)For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 9) And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery. † (Christian Standard Bible) This passage sums it all up on divorce. If you are considering divorce and do live by the Bible , I think that there are several things that you need to see and think about according to God’s standard before you actually divorce. This should be considered only in light of the most basic principles of scripture. Is the motive for the divorce Godly? Has the spouse sought advice of wise counselors? Is the divorce a last resort action to be taken?If humans today still lived by God’s standards, the divorce rate and all the problems that follow divorce would not be the way they were. There are so many people that divorce affects and to be greedy and only think of ones own self is inhuman. Even is you have failed with your marriage, there are ways that you can succeed with your divorce. Divorce and all the complications that come along with it can have a significant impact on the well being and development of both children and adolescents. The consequences of divorce can and will impact almost all areas of a child’s life.That not only includes the parent and chil d relationship but also the child’s behavior, emotions, coping skills, and psychological development. No wonder that there is a high demand for mental health professionals and other child specialists. As we have looked at statistics and some ways for the parents to deal with the divorce for the children’s sake, let’s put ourselves in the children’s shoes. What do you think is actually going through their mind? What questions do you think that they are thinking about and wanting to ask?According to the University of Missouri, these are some questions and thoughts that are probably going through a child’s mind during their parents divorce. I need both of you to stay involved in my life. I need letters, phone calls, and lots of questions asked to me. Please don’t fight and work hard to get along with each other. Try to agree on matters that relate to me. When you fight about me, I think that I have done something wrong. Please don’t ask me to send messages back and forth between the two of you. Please remember that I depend on both of you to raise me and to be a part of my life.I need both of you to teach me what is important and to help me when I have problems. Take a minute to imagine just what all goes on in a child’s mind when divorce happens. It is truly a sad situation. Now let’s turn the tables and take a look at some of the positive effects of divorce and children. Now that sounds crazy, right. That is what I thought also until I read some research done on this particular topic. Being a child of divorced parents and looking back, I can actually see some of the benefits that have been seen in the research.Of course no child wants to see their parents gets divorced but if you think about it no child wants to see their parent’s constantly fighting either. If there is any kind of abuse in the relationship, you could actually be hurting your children more by staying together. Children who ha ve gone through divorce with their parents could reap the benefits of spending one on one time with each parent. Despite the difficulties of divorce, the one on one time is a great bonding opportunity for parents and children to experience. (http://www. helium. om/items/1355536-what-are-positive-effects-divorce-children) Just think about it for a minute. The quality time that each parent is able to spend with their child or children is actually increased after a divorce.The total focus of the parent on the child is much more valued now. Children can grow healthy in many types of divorce situations if the three key following conditions are met: first, the basic needs for the children must be met, such as love and physical care, understanding, discipline and safety; second, the children need a sense of belonging or being able to say, his is my family where I am important and a special person; and finally, they also need role models of both sexes in their lives to help them determine t heir proper male and female roles. (http://www. jesuschristismygod. com/index2b. html) Some female children come out of divorce growing into exceptionally good young women. It seems that girls and women strive on more responsibilities and challenges. They connect with their mothers and have deep ties with them. Child psychologist agree that keeping the strength of extended family intact is one of the best ways to provide a good structure for children to deal with divorce.In addition, when both parents have the full support of family and friends that were connected to the kids during the marriage that provides resources to turn to when things get difficult as the adults try to figure out how life as a divorced couple should work with kids. (http://www. articlesbase. com/divorce-articles/the-positive-effects-of-divorce-on-children-2745699. html) It is very important that the parents celebrate certain days, such as birthdays, and holidays, together with their children.This can and will show their children that there are values to be taken and at the same time show the role of a true mother and father relationship. As I sit here and think over all the research and statistics that I have read about and then think about my own situation as a child of divorce, I can identify with several of the characteristics that have been studied. First thing that comes to my mind was how my mom and dad handle the situation of divorce, They would talk bad about the other one in front of me and it seemed as if they were trying to win sides with me when actually all I wanted was both of their love.There was always arguing and fighting in front of me and my brothers which also caused me to grow up with a lot of hostility in me. Everything I did for years was prone to fighting and anger. I remember being took from my house to where my dad would stay for certain weekends and holidays and I all wanted was everyone together, As I look back on it now, I truly wonder if my parents had of m ade different and better choices due to their divorce and the sake of the children, would anything in my life been any different with my attitude or my outlook on things and especially family.I can remember blaming myself for several of the things that was wrong between my parents and also being a mediator between them. My grades in school did go down and I acted out to get the action I was lacking from having both of my parents there when I needed them. I guess that one good thing that did come out of my parents’ divorce was that I had a huge sense of survival and determination due to this divorce of my parents. I can also see where girls seem to make a strong tie with their mothers and become very strong women.I truly think that it has helped make me what I am today. I do not believe that I could of survived some of the abuse I have been through with drug addiction and recovery if I had not set my standards of survival at such a young age. There are so many ways that we can be coached and taught about what to do in this situation. It is a very sad case for a couple to have to come to this point in their lives today. Marriage is not seen as it should be. People take it for granted about having a lifelong mate and companion.We should all go back to the basis of the Bible but with the devil and the secular world taking over today, we as Christians have to stand up and play a huge role in our kids live. I have made a promise to myself that I will not repeat the cycle of my parents. Life is too precious and your children will be grown and gone before you know it. We endure enough pain in this world today and I refuse to allow anymore to be put into my children’s life due to me.This study has just made me a little more determined about living my marriage a a Christian example to my children and working through all the problems that marriage my bring in my direction. The statistics are growing but our God is even bigger.References Christian Standard B ible http://cpancf. com/articles_files/efffectsdivorceonchildren. asp) http://www. articlesbase. com/divorce-articles/the-positive-effects-of-divorce-on-children-2745699. html http://www. helium. com/items/1355536-what-are-positive-effects-divorce-children

The eNotes Blog Happy Birthday, Beckett! Celebrate the (Absurd) Waiting for GodotAuthor

Happy Birthday, Beckett! Celebrate the (Absurd) Waiting for GodotAuthor Samuel Beckett was a most interesting man- a fact that can be immediately  confirmed by the authors influential contributions to the Absurdist Movement (but well get to what that is in a moment). Though born and raised in Ireland, Beckett fell in love with Paris  in his 20s after graduating from Trinity College with a B.A. in modern languages and setting out on a cycling tour of  France. There  the young author befriended  and made a pseudo-father-figure of fellow author and Irishman  James Joyce, who provided a great deal of encouragement and assistance  to Beckett and his work. Throughout his life, Beckett suffered from bouts of severe depression and associated alcoholism, both of which took a toll on his writing until the midpoint of his career. Beckett began to use his pain and his experience in studying philosophy  to begin working in the style of  the  absurd. The Absurdist movement was centered on the concept that humanitys efforts  to find or define the inherent meaning of anything (say, human experience) are absurd because the qualities of communicable information in relation to reality make any such certainty impossible. Was that confusing? Yes, yes it was. More simply stated, Absurdism was founded on the belief that nothing can be truly confirmed, be it experience or relationships, and therefore who is to say what is real when what has happened cannot be proven? Okay, that was a little confusing, too,  but when we say that Samuel Beckett was a smart man, believe us- this fella not only understood Absurdism, but helped to establish it as a   literary and philosophical movement. Speaking of the Absurdist movement, we would like to (primarily) focus this Beckett b-day post on one of his most famous works,  Waiting for Godot. Sometimes referred to as one of the most significant English plays of the 20th century, this drama was and remains a highly influential piece. Arguably one of the most interesting elements of  Waiting for Godot is, for lack of more eloquent phrase, how very  weird  it is. Readers/viewers of this play are often struck by how nonsensical yet meaningful the play is, in addition to the notion that the play itself has no meaning And yet it must. The description of this play is becoming as confusing as the above attempt at defining the  absurd. For this reason, we shall now delve into detailing aspects of the drama/comedy itself, in hopes that piece by piece this moving work will become a more cohesive whole. What is  Waiting for Godot REALLY about? Arguably, the basis of the play is  desire for a purpose. This aim of having a purpose could be further extrapolated to the human condition and the desire to understand the meaning of life. Absurdism directly deals with the impossible conclusion to this  existential question, and it makes sense that Beckett would take this painful construction to bat in his works. How would you categorize this play? There are two basic genre categories  into we can place a given play: comedy and tragedy. A  tragedy can be described as a work with the philosophical view that life is tragic because it is filled with pain and suffering, and ultimately ends in death. Alternatively, a  comedy takes the view that life is ridiculous because people are foolish and harbor unrealistic expectations. It makes sense that an absurdist work such as  Waiting for Godot takes bits and pieces from both of these genres. As  an experimental play belonging to the Absurdist  movement, it  works to self-consciously break down and challenge the traditional generic conventions. What Are the Plays Themes? Any work of literature is going to feature at least one theme (and usually  more). A theme is very basically an ongoing subject/topic. You can see themes in  thoughts,  literary works, art exhibitions, etc. Waiting for Godot is a rather complex play, and  since the work is itself quite cyclical it can be argued that anything recurring is in some way a theme. In spite of this defensible stance, we are going to outline two major themes in the play: memory and time. Tied in with the themes of memory and time is the theme of uncertainty. Everything is uncertain in the play, and this is what makes it appear absurd. In watching/reading the play, the viewers and/or readers are often left as confused as the characters as to what is happening, when it happened, or if it happened at all.  Literary analysis is enough to make your head spin sometimes, but thats why were here! What Methods Did Beckett Use to Create The  Play? When we say methods, we mean what an author did to convey a desired message. In many cases, this methodology includes word choice, syntax, use of rhetoric, and more. By focusing on particular techniques/methodology, an author can decidedly skew a story in one direction or another, inflicting a particular interpretation or mood onto his or her audience. In Waiting for Godot, Becketts involvement in the theater becomes increasingly more apparent. Unlike his novels and short stories, Becketts plays are more definitely focused on theatrical outcome than literary objectives; instead of focusing on elements like grammatical structure to keep the story flowing, Beckett puts more emphasis into the action of what is occurring onstage rather than the behind-the-scenes drivers of the story (i.e.  action over  narration,) though he does  stake a lot on  the dialogue between characters. So,  What Was the  Meaning of the Play? Weve talked about what happens in the play, weve talked about its potential inspirations, and weve discussed how Beckett may have gone about the writing of the work, but what is  Waiting for Godot trying to tell us? To put it frankly, the play is pretty bleak. The whole piece details the story of two men waiting for someone or something that will potentially never arrive. This waiting for an event  that may never occur may be extrapolated to a commentary on the human condition- common in both existentialism and absurdism (though believers of one or the other would never agree to any similarities between these movements). Absurdism questions the motivations behind the human experience: if nothing can be explained or proven, then everything we do is arguably absurd. It can be argued, therefore, that the seemingly endless and repetitive waiting of the two main characters can be a metaphor for  humanity as a whole and how we are always, perhaps senselessly, awaiting  something. More on the plays meaning. Everybodys a Critic If youve ever read or written anything (and since youre on the   blog we can assume you have at least some  interest in the written word), you will know all about literary criticism- its just about everywhere. Back in the day, the only reputable source of literary criticism could be found in the work of scholars who had done targeted analysis on a particular piece. Nowadays, however, you can type in the name of any  work  and be taken to countless links to opinions (or tweets). A piece like  Waiting for Godot has been reviewed and criticized (and praised) a number of times from varying viewpoints with basis in all varieties of philosophical thought. One could wonder though what are the  critics themselves waiting for?

TOK Illusions in TOK Essays

TOK Illusions in TOK Essays TOK Illusions in TOK Essay TOK Illusions in TOK Essay Why are we so sure that we know what we see? For instance lets take the story â€Å"The Mouse Who Ate the Cheese† which we studied in class. Bill was sure he knew that a mouse ate the cheese because he had witnessed this happening right before his eyes. He used sense perception and sight to know that he had seen the mouse clearly. Everyday people uses their senses, to make an inference and assumption. People claim to know things due to what they believe and because their have used sense perception. However, can we actually depend on our senses one hundred percent? Do they always tell us the truth? All five senses, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting, are important in developing thoughts and ideas, but the sense of sight typically sets itself above the others in its effectiveness at creating strong and lasting beliefs. In everyday life, the sense of sight is used to give evidence to what we believe. Logically, believing what you see makes sense. The ancient quote â€Å"seeing is believing† supports the fact that experiencing or seeing something first hand makes one believe it. However, at times when a person assumes that they are basing their belief on sight, they are really allowing themselves to see what they already internally believe. The mind can be made to see something in a certain way simply because the belief is already present. And this initial belief is used in illusions; therefore, while seeing can help us believe, it can also hinder us from reality. The â€Å"Breathing Square† by Michael Bach represents an illusion, and demonstrated the knowledge issue that can occur with out senses. Although vision certainly gives us information, scientists now know that biological eyesight is much more complicated, and unfortunately, can also give us false information at times. Our eyes detect light, however it’s our brain that â€Å"sees† and therefore once we are caught believing what we see is true, it is difficult to change this falsehood. For instance the â€Å"Breathing Square† is a visual illusion, because although you may still believe what you see, what you believe and what the object actually represents may different greatly. When watching the illusion, the observer is aware of the fact that the blue square of constant size slowly rotates. However our senses deceive us and to every observes the square seems to be changing size, in fact it seems to be â€Å"breathing†. This phenomenon is described as â€Å"motion binding†. The brain uses â€Å"motion binding† as â€Å"shortcuts† which lets us process information faster, instead of observing every bit of information individually before the brain can form a picture. Therefore, it can happen sometimes, that the brain forms a picture to quickly and is therefore tricked. The â€Å"Breathing Square† is a great example of how our senses are able to trick us into thinking that the blue square is changing size however in reality it’s the orange squares which are confusing our senses to interpret the square differently. Finally although every person looking at the illusion knows that the square is not actually â€Å"breathing† it is impossible to stop the brain from reaching this conclusion. It is set in our minds and the belief of the square â€Å"breathing† is already present, making it unachievable to force one to see the reality. Michael Bach’s illusions are magnificent and are able to give us insight about how betraying our sense can be at time. It leaves me wondering is I am constantly being tricked by my senses and how I know what I am actually seeing is reality.

What Would A Content Marketing Degree Look Like

What Would A Content Marketing Degree Look Like What would a content marketing degree look like? Obviously, you dont need a degree to take part in content marketing. But if it were going to be your profession, what would you need to know?  Ive been stumbling onto blog posts and articles that try to pin down whether universities ought to offer actual degrees (or at least classes) in online content marketing, or whether there are certain types of courses someone ought to take in order to prepare for a career in content marketing. A Content Marketing Degree Im an art major, and while people often joke about the usefulness of that particular degree, I would point out that it is a degree that taught me important core creative principles that easily translate into other fields. It wasnt limited to the mechanics of drawing and painting, but included learning to give and receive critique, solving problems with my own ideas, working through a problem–good stuff to be able to do. In other words, some college degrees are about more than just their official title, building skills and qualities that translate well into other careers. Should universities offer specific content marketing degrees? #discussRather than worry about universities offering degrees for content marketing specifically, though, two better questions might be: What skills and knowledge would someone look for in hiring a content marketer? What kind of a training should you have if you want to pursue content marketing on your own? There are things every content marketer should know, and it doesnt take a university degree to learn them. What Every Content Marketer Should Know Content marketing is about writing, creativity, marketing, sales, data, and being socially engaging. Thats a lot of skills. How do you approach getting them? There are six core areas of knowledge that a content marketer should have a fair working grasp of, and if there were a content marketing degree, it might look a bit like this. 1. Psychology, Sociology, And Anthropology Psychology is the study of how we behave, and what motivates us to take action (or non-action).  Sociology  is the study of human social behavior, organization, and institutions.  Anthropology  is the study of people using social, biological, and natural sciences, as well as the  humanities  (studying human culture through a speculative and critical lens).  A special focus on  cultural anthropology  will give you insight into the customs, culture, politics, laws, religions, and language of a particular people group, which helps you understand a bit better why and how they react to things that other cultures perceive differently. Whew. All of that to say this:  You need to understand why people do what they do.  You need to know how to motivate or convince them to behave in the way that you want them to. If you are creating content that you want people to notice and share, take action on, and engage with in some way, you must know what causes them to do so. As a content marketer, youll need to know about: Pinging their emotions. Lets say there really are four basic emotions (happy, sad, afraid/surprised, angry/disgusted). Do you know which emotions encourage sharing? Which emotions get people to buy? Which emotions create loyalty? (Psychology) Pinging their motivations. Do you know what motivates people to take action? What verbal cues they look for? What visual cues they want? What turns them off right away? (Psychology) Banking on the group. Understanding how people act in groups or packs is important because that is exactly what social media is. It gets the individual to instigate something to the group. We talked about social proof, and how important it is to build that for your content marketing. Do you know how to leverage the group? (Sociology) Offending their sensibilities. Understanding your audiences culture is paramount. We all view the world through different cultural lenses. What might be offensive or crass in one culture might be admirable in another. Additionally, cultures arent purely based on geopolitical boundaries. They might be startup culture, mommy blogger culture, Star Trek culture–or all of the above. You should know your audiences culture well if you have a niche blog. (Anthropology) Culture affects marketing. Know the zeitgeist you are operating in. Culture determines so much about how content marketing works. Whats trending? Whats old news? Whats hot and what has become passà ©? (Anthropology) Youll see a lot of content marketing blog posts with a psychological or physiological (how our brain responds to stimuli) bent these days, but Ive always felt that, until recently, anthropology was lacking in mention despite having a very large role in how people groups act. The outcome of psychology and sociology sometimes gets altered when filtered through anthropology. Suggested Reading Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer Any of Dan Arielys books on behavior and rationality. Anthropology, Inc. by Graeme Wood The Atlantic, Feb 20, 2013. Anthropologys Contributions To Marketing by Charles Winick, Journal of Marketing, July 1961. Cultural Anthropology In Marketing by Marketing Profs 3 Things Marketers Could (And Should) Learn From Anthropologists by Mitchell Osak, Financial Post, March 4, 2014. Psychology for Marketer: 9 Revealing Principles of Human Behavior by Ginny Soskey, Hubspot Blog 2. Creativity And Problem Solving The need to create content of all types, for all occasions, means that youll need to be on your creative toes. A how-to guide on creativity is a bit hard to nail down, since we all approach it differently with habits, systems, preferences, and experiences. As a content marketer, youll need to know how to: Develop a system. Creativity and problem solving are concrete concepts in that they actually do tend to happen in the same way in each of us. We often get the idea that creativity is accidental, on a whim, and not predictable, but this is not the case. Will your system use brainstorming? Will you schedule creative time? Do you understand how creativity works? Do you know how to approach a problem that needs solving? Work through blocks. Sooner or later, youll face a dead-end when it comes to ideas, and this is when youll be glad you took the time to learn techniques to help you get past that. Maybe you have writers block, or cant think of absolutely anything to do for the next video. Really, when you think about it, problem solving  is  creativity. Suggested Reading: Inside the Box: A Proven System of Creativity for Breakthrough Results by Drew Boyd Ogilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy Scientific Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fools Guide to Surviving with Grace by Gordon MacKenzie An Easy Way To Increase Creativity  By Oren Shapira and Nira Liberman, Scientific American, July 21, 2009 3. Journalism And Creative Writing Journalism and creative writing both have a place in content marketing. The journalist approach–getting the important facts and presenting the data with impartiality–mixes well with creative writing, the telling of a good story. As a content marketer, youll need: Research skills. When you approach your blog posts like a journalist, youll start to make use of serious research tools to collect necessary data. The New York Times has compiled a great list of resources you could use to do this kind of research, as has Poynter. Interview skills. Even if you are not doing an outright interview post, you still need to know the art of interviewing because that is really just the art of asking the right questions. Sometimes, when doing research, you are interviewing yourself, asking yourself the questions so that you know what answers to find. Storytelling skills. Do take the time to practice the art of storytelling, which mixes in many of the elements of psychology that motivate readers to keep reading: suspense, emotion, connection, and curiosity. In a sense, both journalists and creative writers are storytellers; one just has tangible facts that must be included with a goal of informing and educating the reader, while creative writing approaches the same goal through a more winding path. In the end, all great writing, no matter what form or style it takes, tells the truth to and about the reader.

Property Tax Relief Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Property Tax Relief - Coursework Example If the income of the owner is more than $27,100 and equal or less than $40,650, then the section of the property taxes on the residence that goes beyond 5% of the income of the owner can be deferred (Guilford County Tax Department, 2009). Other additional mechanisms of property tax relief used by the state of North Carolina include Homestead Exclusion for the Elderly and Disabled and Disabled Veteran Exclusion. The most effective mechanism is the Disabled Veteran Exclusion program. The program omits up to the first $45,000 of the evaluated or assessed value of the permanent residence of veteran who has been discharged honourably and is totally and permanently disabled and gets benefits for specially adapted housing; the disability ought to be service connected. The program lacks income or age limitation. The benefit is also available for unmarried surviving spouses of a disabled veteran honourably discharged (Guilford County Tax Department,

Management---IR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Management---IR - Essay Example It offered them the right to negotiate with the employers, the right to collective bargaining, and allowed for paid parental leaves. Furthermore as a part of reforms, the Rudd government abolished various laws which were detrimental for the workers, such as the Australian Workplace Agreements, which was introduced to restore the workers rights by protecting them against their unfair dismissal by the employers, introduced a new system of awards, ensured its compliance through setting up of appropriate bodies, and appointed an independent workplace monitor, with the responsibility of ensuring fair workplace practices. Furthermore, it also allowed the workers the right to join unions. Thus, the phrase â€Å"Labor’s reforms are about restoring the rights of workers, not the power unions†. Labor’s reforms: The various laws pertaining to federal employment and labour reforms in Australia have been subject to a series of hot debates and controversies, over the last deca de. Historically, laws relating to labour reforms and aimed at protection and safeguarding of labour rights have formed a strong basis for fostering political success and have been a major contributor to the emergence of grass root activism movements within Australia. Similar laws aimed at fuelling wide spread labour reforms were enacted and implement in Australia by the Labor party under the Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard government, during the 2007 election. These laws were aimed at developing and enhancing industrial relations through the Forward with Fairness policy. This new policy was developed in response to the sharp criticism received by the previous act i.e. the Work Choices legislation which was received with fierce opposition mostly from the unions, as well as from the workers, who were greatly disadvantaged on account of certain terms and conditions included therein (Work Choices Act, 2005). The new policy / laws were proposed in order to counter the existing law (i.e. th e Work Choices) and the purpose of this new proposed set of laws as announced by the Labour government was to overcome the drawbacks of the previous law, which would be completely dropped and modified (Stewart, 2009: 33-40). While developing the Fair Work Act, 2009 the Rudd- Gillard Labor government endorsed this new legislation as a marked departure from the previous law, which was aimed at ensuring workers’ rights and was described as a relatively more accountable and balanced law, developed taking into consideration the interests of both the employees as well as employers. It was further claimed that the act is likely to bring about the much desired economic development through increased productivity and further the national objectives (Spoehr, 2009: 311-313). The Fair Work Bill was first introduced in the year 2008 and presented in the House of Representatives in November 2008. After a thorough inspection and deliberation over the same, it was finally passed in the senate with a couple of amendments and was then approved by the Governor General in the following months, in April 2009. The new bill (i.e. the Fair Work Bill) was viewed as a major milestone in the history of labour reforms, as it targeted the workers’ rights, more than the rights of the unions, and it sought to bring about major changes which were never witnessed ever before in the entire Australian history. It was seen as a welcome change as compared to the

Abstract critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Abstract critique - Essay Example The research identified leadership skills that school administrators need to manage an inclusive school setting. The recommendations and findings of the research support the literature presented by the researchers and yields valuable insights for program recommendations. The article emphasizes the need for school leaders to equip themselves with knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs to enhance their leadership skills that would eventually create an effective schools program aimed at recruiting and maintaining competent special education teachers. Furthermore, educators must be responsive to the diverse needs of an inclusive school set-up which can only be accomplished by upgrading one’s self. The research combined quantitative and qualitative methods to acquire triangulation that would enhance the validity and reliability of the result. Researchers also employed the assistance of three independent researchers to conduct face validity of the quantitative instruments used. Although the methods are good, the researchers could have utilized more quantitative methods. The evidence was strong as confirmed by the results of the research. For example, one of the results showing the challenges faced by school administrators is â€Å"lack of ability to generate solutions and options in resource mgt.†. At the beginning of the research, this was one of the issues raised by the Council for Exceptional Children presented as â€Å"overwhelming paperwork† which is a roadblock towards the effective management of inclusion schools. There are other similar issues that the researchers raised at the beginning of the article which was later validated by the research. The article can be a good platform for other researchers to pursue studies in order to concretely and comprehensively cover more challenges in educational leadership dealing with special education administration. There

LUCID DREAMING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LUCID DREAMING - Essay Example Our focus will be on how these lucid dreams occur along with the research analysis of Lewis; Lewis has discovered that while our body rests the brain starts to revise the tasks performed during the day, the second part of the discovery shows how it focuses more on the traumatic events and modifies them and finally she reveals how the mind forces a connection between distant concepts (Lewis, 2013). We would merge the symptoms of occurrence of lucid dreams with the Lewis discoveries in our examples below; and would conclude how these commercial and public messages emerge known dreams. Women of today age are easily distracted by the beauty product advertisements and often have lucid dreams; I would discuss about L’oreal total repair 5 shampoo ad; the ad states that the shampoo can repair five issues and would give the hair restored fiber, stronger grip, vitality, silky and shiny touch. Women especially young girls with hair problems start to consciously dream about such hairs as shown during the ads; they would take bad hairs as a weak area would modify it with thinking of them as healthy hair and would relate the two concepts. They would start to dream that they have long and shining hairs that could be easily taken out of a pony and would attract so many people around them. This is how the ad plays with that section of the body that the mind wants to change or has been changing constantly (Shen, 2010). Bharia Town is considered as one of the pioneers in development and construction work; it has made its advertisements in a manner that would make the buyer believe that they are just a drive away from their dream town and dream place; in the article under discussion about Sector D of Lahore; it is shown that the plots are ready to for possessions; Bharia would provide them with easy installment plans and the sector is develop with all the facilities such as commercial area and entertainment areas

Argumentative Research Paper On Whether or Not Gay Marriage Should be Essay

Argumentative Research Paper On Whether or Not Gay Marriage Should be Permitted - Essay Example Consequently, the idea of free-will and links to contraception will be addressed in refutation to the proponents of gay-marriage. Views on sexual morality have varied greatly over time and by different cultures and religions alike. Different religions have different codes of sexual morality which regulate sexual activity or assign normative values to certain sexually-charged actions or thoughts. The views of religions and religious believers range widely, from holding that sex and the flesh are evil and that many forms of sexual expression should be prohibited and punished, to the belief that sex is the highest expression of the divine and should not be regulated by social mores. Those who oppose gay marriage do so with vehemence because it is not simply that they would rather not see it exist, but rather that they regard homosexual marriage as a supreme moral and social evil. The religious opposition cannot merely be dismissed as containing no grounds for debate, as it is important to understand the true extension towards their views. Christian groups, for instance, claim that the Bible regards homosexual conduct as sinful. (Sidlow & Henschen, 102) Specifically, there are teachings in the Bible that reflect this notion that surround a comparison between adultery and fornication. First, there is adultery, which in the natural sense is the sexual intercourse of a married person with someone other than his or her own spouse. It is condemned in both the Old and New Testaments. (Exodus 20:14; I Cor. 6:9, 10) Secondly, there is fornication, which is the illicit sex acts of unmarried persons, which is likewise forbidden. (I Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; Ephesians 5:3) The difference between adultery and fornication is the aspect of being married. Thus, both sexual acts in marriage, or not, are considered forb idden due to their promiscuous nature, which is directly associated to homosexuality because it's sexual acts, in marriage or not, is still a sin. Moreover, homosexuality is directly referred to by the Apostle Paul, who declares that homosexuals: "shall not inherit the kingdom of God", (I Corinthians 6:9; 10) Also, homosexuality is an illicit lust forbidden by God, as he said to His people of Israel: "Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them". (Leviticus 18:22) Moral sin is produced by the rebellion against God and since homosexuality and its acts are viewed as an "abomination", then through Christian LAST NAME, 3 religious values, it is a sin and therefore should not be permitted as a sacrament of marriage. Like Christian religions, Muslims also teach that marriage is a sanction between a male and a female. One of the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence says that: "The default state of all things is lawfulness until some evidence shows otherwise." (Syed, Web/Online) Relations between men and women do not follow this general principle and in fact are opposite to it. The principle is that: "Relations between men and women are forbidden until some evidence shows otherwise." (Syed, Web/Online) Since homosexuals are unable to procreate, Muslims continue to reject its validity as a marriage and

LUCID DREAMING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LUCID DREAMING - Essay Example Our focus will be on how these lucid dreams occur along with the research analysis of Lewis; Lewis has discovered that while our body rests the brain starts to revise the tasks performed during the day, the second part of the discovery shows how it focuses more on the traumatic events and modifies them and finally she reveals how the mind forces a connection between distant concepts (Lewis, 2013). We would merge the symptoms of occurrence of lucid dreams with the Lewis discoveries in our examples below; and would conclude how these commercial and public messages emerge known dreams. Women of today age are easily distracted by the beauty product advertisements and often have lucid dreams; I would discuss about L’oreal total repair 5 shampoo ad; the ad states that the shampoo can repair five issues and would give the hair restored fiber, stronger grip, vitality, silky and shiny touch. Women especially young girls with hair problems start to consciously dream about such hairs as shown during the ads; they would take bad hairs as a weak area would modify it with thinking of them as healthy hair and would relate the two concepts. They would start to dream that they have long and shining hairs that could be easily taken out of a pony and would attract so many people around them. This is how the ad plays with that section of the body that the mind wants to change or has been changing constantly (Shen, 2010). Bharia Town is considered as one of the pioneers in development and construction work; it has made its advertisements in a manner that would make the buyer believe that they are just a drive away from their dream town and dream place; in the article under discussion about Sector D of Lahore; it is shown that the plots are ready to for possessions; Bharia would provide them with easy installment plans and the sector is develop with all the facilities such as commercial area and entertainment areas

Investment Profile Analysis for McCormick & Company Assignment

Investment Profile Analysis for McCormick & Company - Assignment Example According to the paper findings the company also supplies for store brands that are private level items. The company’s current employee strength is around 10000 including members of its research facilities. The company’s success pillars include continuous innovation, participative management for managing workforce, quality assurance and maintenance and delivering high performance. A research on company profile suggests that the decision of participative management and empowering employees have helped the company to achieve its current position. According to the management, learning and development initiatives by the company such as Global Leadership Program, Global Learning Network and High performance Organisation has also played an important role in the company’s success.As the discussion stresses McCormick & Co. is growing at a fast pace and has become the largest spice company globally with sales value of USD 4123 millions in 2013. In the spice industry the s ize and reputation of the company matters and as a result, McCormick & Co. has a competitive advantage over its competitors. It has been observed that consumers in spice industry are price sensitive but they are equally concerned with the quality of the product. The price of MKC is comparatively high and it mainly competes with various private brands. However, the products of MKC are highly distinguished because of its substantial investment in research and development. This has helped the company in achieving high market capitalisation.

Weibo And Chinese Society Essay Example for Free

Weibo And Chinese Society Essay The new media, different from television, magazines, books or paper-based publications, is a new form of mass communication, which contains technologies that enable digital interactivity. For example, websites, video games, Internet all belong to the new media. Currently, the new media is becoming increasingly popular and sharply changing people’s life. The advent of Weibo in China is one of the most prominent examples, which is also the topic I am going to analyze in this passage. Chinese Weibo, similar to twitter used worldwide, is a micro blog, by which people can post words, pictures and videos on the Internet. The general public or the organization can create their own account easily and share things with their followers so they can communicate freely with each other. Some celebrities and government officials also own weibo accounts and in this way, weibo helps to create a two-way communication between famous people and Chinese Internet users. Research showed that people spend at least one hour per day checking Weibo messages on their cellphones or on their laptops, while spend only fifteen minutes on reading newspapers. It is very common in current Chinese society to see people using weibo every day to check the latest news, share daily life, or chat with friends, etc. 1 Nearly fifty percent of the Internet users in China have Weibo accounts and use it regularly. Among these people, most of them are from the younger generation who are more open-minded to the new technology. This paper consists of two parts. The first part aims to understand the effects weibo has made ten years from now on Chinese society. The second part talks about Chinese government policy and the progress China has made reflected by the proliferation of weibo. Speaking of the impact of this new media, weibo has impressively changed the traditional mass media. Prior to the turn of the century, only journalists with an official degree can be reporters and public news, which they thought were newsworthy. However, in nowadays, with the advent of weibo, the general public can be the first one to reveal something important happened around them by posting weibo using only forty Chinese characters. Sometimes these posts can be the sources of the news on next day’s newspaper. For example, on March 2013 a man robbed a store and fell down on his way running. This accident was firstly recorded by a citizen who happened to pass by in that neighborhood. Then he quickly posted this on weibo and called the police. Immediately, this post was reposted thousand times and known to many people in this city. Later on, the newspaper bought the pictures taken by the weibo user and published as the next day’s headline news. In this way, the general public is helping professional journalists find newsworthy things happened around them and change the traditional humdrum way of publishing. 2 In addition, the extensive use of weibo is acting like a supplement of paper- version reports. Every famous news agency has their own weibo accounts, whenever there was an influential news, there would be a short post to give people a brief introduction of what happened. Also, weibo can be a place where the journalists post updates in a continuous event. For example, when the missing airplane MH370 accident happened this year, every progress the rescue group had made was posted through weibo. While we were waiting anxiously for the latest news–if there were survivors, how was their family numbers, where was the plane, what caused this crash, etc. several news agencies post the latest contents immediately when there were new discoveries. The general public simply need to refresh their weibo to look for the latest news, which makes it more convenient and quickly. The advent of weibo also has tremendous impact on the daily life of the general public. Firstly, weibo users can follow official accounts based on their interests–what kind of news they care about most, which celebrities they esteem and want to know more about. For instance, a person likes sports might follow soccer players and other sports news related accounts. A person cares about health might become a fan of Chinese Healthy Diet on weibo. In this way, the weibo users can conveniently receive information specifically 3 what they want to know by using the Internet. Moreover, by reposting these weibos, weibo users can share the interested news with other followers and show the support for the original weibo user. Besides that, weibo users can also follow private accounts, which consist of one’s family members, friends and co-workers. Even if people cannot meet each other every day, they can still keep in touch and let others know what happened in their life by posting weibo. In the current society, weibo is a good communication tool to help promote the interaction between people who are busy working or studying every day and cannot meet each other because they live far away. My own example can best illustrate this point. I study abroad, which means I can only meet my family members and friends once a year. But I regularly post on weibo about what I have learned, what I have done, how I feel, etc. My friends can like or comment on my posts so we would not feel so far from my life in a remote country. The use of the micro blog also provoked great repercussion on the whole society, especially on the political field. Since a two-way communication between government officials and the general public was built up based on the proliferation of weibo. Almost every civic servant in China has their weibo account and is required to post their weekly work publicly. If Internet users have problems with the policy or officials’ behaviors, they can comment under the post or send a private letter 4 through weibo. It is the government officials’ duty to reply in time to the citizens and explain every action they take until the askers receive a satisfied answer. Making sure that the general public has a clear understanding of what the government is doing is a task for government officials through their communication on weibo. It is also common for people to show their support to certain policy or government officials through the use of weibo. Due to the impressive influence it has on the whole society, once a post was sent by a civic servant or a department in the government, it would be repost at once by thousands of Internet users who advocate this proposal. Therefore, with the power of the weibo users, it is easy to distinguish if an action or policy by the government is welcomed to the public in society. On the other hand, weibo can dramatically help to supervise the political system  and other charitable organizations. Before the proliferation of weibo, it is relatively hard for the public to directly oversee the behaviors of the authorities and social groups. This kind of supervision is mostly achieved by the specialized department set up to keep an on the behaviors of the government officials. However, nowadays, people can freely post anything they discovered in their daily life and keep an eye on the celebrities what they have posted through weibo. The weibo users also supervise the misbehaviors of government officials in political field and urged the related to investigate. 5 Two examples happened in 2011 and 2012 Chinese society can best help to explain this point. In 2011, a weibo user with the account number Meimei Guo posted several micro blogs about her Maserati and big houses. And her title was the manager of the Chinese Red Cross, which was revealed in her weibo profile. This made the weibo users pretty confused: where did all her money come from? How can she afford such luxury? With more and more people paying attention to this young girl with such unusual background, the Red Cross was forced to response to this issue. Although that this organization clarified it had no connection with Meimei Guo, the public do not think that is the real truth. Also, the Public Security Bureau began to investigate the relationship between Meimei Guo and the Red Cross. Specially, they suspect this so-called manager had improper relationship with the chairman of the board, so she could have access to the money people donated to the Red Cross and used it for big houses and Maserati. Later after the Meimei Guo affair, the Red Cross was mistrust by the public for a long time and was required by the relevant department to reveal its budget to the society and become completely transparent. Another case happened in 2012 was triggered by one picture taken by a weibo user in a car accident scene. The post on weibo showed that in this kind of 6 occasion, the government official was smiling instead of grieving for the hurt people, which made the general public angry. Afterwards, this official was severely criticized by the people on weibo. People even found out all his other pictures taken in different occasions to see if he was eligible to be a civic servant. Eventually, people found that in many pictures, he wore different costly watches, which were not accordance with his income earned from his job. With more and more people doubted the sources of the money, relevant department began to investigate in this case. They found out that a large amount of the money of his fortune was from corruption. This official used the convenience of his position to make money for a long time so he had money to afford expensive watches and big houses. As a result, this official was â€Å"sent â€Å"by the weibo users into prison. Of course, the spread of weibo is a two-edged sword,which means it can also exert negative effects on society. For instance, there is a group of people who open weibo accounts only to sell products, which makes the Internet environment full of commercials. It is difficult to regulate these commercials because it is hard to tell if the product is of good quality based on the limited information weibo posts can provide. Also, the freedom people possess when they use weibo makes the online environment increasingly complex. Diverse people holding totally different opinions can equally and freely express on weibo. On rare cases, immoral people purposely release fake news to the public in order to tarnish others’ reputation or cause a society panic. The general public might get confused based on the complicated information they receive. 7 There was once a water company being framed by a piece of news in Beijing Daily. It reported that the water from Nongfu Company was not clean and could not achieve the water standard in China. Later on, this news was posted by several weibo users without testing its accuracy. Along with the spread of this breaking news all over the weibo environment, this company got stuck in trust crisis and had a significant decline in monthly sales. Thousands of Internet users showed their anger and disappointment to this water company and the news was reposted in a large scale. However, when Nongfu Company went to test its water in the Quality Supervision Bureau, the result showed Nongfu water was clean and had achieved the water standard. It turned out the news was distorted and afterwards misused by the weibo users. This example showed that it is equally easy for both the truth and fake news spread out through weibo and the latter would absolutely damage the social order to some degree. The spread of Weibo and its effects can be the introduction of the second part of this paper, which explains the Chinese society progress and the government policy. Because of the significant impact weibo exerts on Chinese society, the government has taken specific measures to regulate the weibo environment. Moreover, the policies, being increasingly flexible and allowing for more freedom, can reflect the Chinese progress in recent ten years. Fifty years ago, Chinese people were not used to freely speak in the public at all, nor were they allowed to criticize the government officials and the policy. In my 8 father’ generation, people who dared speak out the actual evaluation of one policy might even end up being caught into prison because they were considered too aggressive. Almost every thing they said or did was under the guidance of the government. People did not have a way to express their thoughts, not to mention giving advice to the government. Obedience blindly might be the best words to describe the people living in that period. However, in the new era, with more rights are given to the general public, people are changing their mind accordingly. They begin to say something in public instead of stubbornly listening to the authority. Weibo is an excellent tool to help achieve this transformation within this background. With the advent of weibo, people are having a channel to easily express themselves. They can set up an account and apply their personal design to the home page. They can post words and pictures. These weibo contents do not limit to their daily life about what they have done and how they feel which are mainly shared with their friends and family members. Weibo users can also use the micro blog to comment on recent events happened in China and in the international scale. For example, after the plane crash MH370, many weibo users criticized the inappropriate behaviors of the Malaysia government and airplanes. Another example would be the lawsuit in 2011. The driver, whose father is Gang Li–a government official, was interrogated in court because he triggered a car accident, which caused one people dead and one people severely injured. Hundreds of weibo users posted on Internet their complaints because they thought the court was treating this criminal inequity due to his special social 9 status. This case reflects a big progress which not only means the government is giving more freedom to people, but also means people are more willing to discuss the current affair and becoming the masters of their own country. Still, I cannot deny that there are restrictions on weibo use. Offensive words and pornographic contents are definitely not allowed to exit on Weibo. Besides, the regulation on political field is relatively strict compared to the policies used to regulate the Internet in other countries. However, even if there are certain amount of restrictions on the contents people can post, it is too a large degree progressive compared to before. The limitations are primarily in political area, especially when the reputation and safety of central government were threatened by aggressive speech on weibo. If happened, the relevant accounts might be suspended and the posts would be deleted as soon as being found. Moreover, this weibo user might even be arrested if the post had caused a severely negative effect within the whole society. This is a comparatively strict punishment compared to the policies made on pornographic or fake news. To the latter one, the account might still be used. Only the specific weibo contains pornographic or violence contents would be deleted by the administrator. The policies in sensitive period in China, (for example, when minorities groups were trying to split China) are harsh compared to that in normal times. The government is controlling weibo environment to stop the rumors, which aim to cause social panic. During that special period, Internet users even cannot post 10 weibos including sensitive words such as â€Å"split of China† †The independence of Tibet† or the names of the sensitive characters in the political fight. All in all, Chinese society is making progress in the new millennium, not only in terms of economics, but also in political and cultural area. The policy and laws enacted by the government guarantee freedom and democracy to the public. Chinese people’s minds are opening to the world and becoming more autonomous accordingly. They use weibo to share their life, enjoy the rights they are accorded to help master the country. It is not possible for the social organization or government to block a piece of news they do not want the public to know any more. With the extensive use of weibo, all the information around them and directly affect them would spread quickly and has a significant effect within the whole society. People have already stepped into a new era with the extensive use of weibo and the old days will never come back.

Arguments for and Against Capital Punishment

Arguments for and Against Capital Punishment Jump to: Arguments in favor of Capital Punishment  | Arguments  Against Capital Punishment Introduction Capital punishment is a legal process in which a person is put to death by the country or state law as a punishment for a crime. It is also known as death sentence or death penalty. Capital punishment sends the message that such criminal acts will not be tolerated in the society. It works on the simple theory that people desist from doing a particular action when they know that they will have to pay a high price for the same. There is no doubt that death penalty is one of the most debatable issue in our society. In support of death penalty people argue that it discourage others from resorting to similar crimes, those who oppose it are of the opinion that it is not as effective it is promoted to be. Many countries still keep the capital punishment in their penal laws. This is a practice that has been there since time immemorial as a sign of the Law of Moses, which integrated a retributive approach that was characterized as an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  [1]   There are 7 types of capital punishments known to world. These are:  [2]   Death by Hanging Execution by Firing Squad Lethal Injection Gas Chamber Executions Death by Stoning Death by Beheading Electrocution. Capital Punishment in Bangladesh The capital punishment is one of talkative issue in present day Bangladesh. In the international environment death penalty is actively implemented and well protected. In some cases, it is also a debatable matter in the domestic area. According to Amnesty International report, Bangladesh is a retentionist country.  [3]  That means Bangladesh is the promoter or supporter of capital punishment. There is a lot of evidence which support the statement of Amnesty International report. The practical natures of the explanations or evidences support the elimination of the death penalty in Bangladesh. Crimes punishable by death in Bangladesh There is a wide range of crimes are currently subject to the capital punishment in Bangladesh. According to the Penal Code 1860, here is a set of crimes which are subject to the death penalty in Bangladesh: Section 121: Waging war against Bangladesh 132: Abetting mutiny 194: Giving false evidence upon which an innocent person suffers death 302: Murder 305: Assisting the suicide of a child or insane person 307: Attempted murder by life-convicts 396: Kidnapping of a child under the age of ten (with intent to murder, grievously hurt, rap or enslave the child) and Armed robbery resulting in murder. According to the Special Powers Act 1974: Section 15: Sabotage 25: Hhoarding of goods or dealing on the black market, counterfeiting, smuggling, and poisoning or contamination of consumables or attempt of any of these offences. In addition, there is an act, Women and Children Repression Prevention Act-2000, to prevent violence against women and children. Under this act the capital punishment is available for: murder or attempted murder involving burning, use of acid, trafficking of women and children for illegal or immoral acts, sexual assault of women or children occasioning death etc. Criminals Excluded From the Capital Punishment The persons who are below 18 years old at the time of committing crime will be excluded from the capital punishment.  [4]  In 2009, the U.N. Committee on the Rights reiterated this alarm and suggested that Bangladesh explain its clarity of the child to include all people under the age of 18. U.N. papers point out that Bangladeshs situation is that it does not implement persons for crimes committed while under the age of 18, that capital punishment for such individuals are infrequently-if at all-meted out by courts and that Bangladesh is allowing for altering the 1974 Children Act to assure a clear legal exclusion.  [5]  Women are not applicable for death penalty during pregnancy period. Women with new born children also will not punishable by death sentence.  [6]  The people who are mentally sick are excluded from death penalty. During committing the criminal act if the person is in unsoundness of mind or is incapable of knowing the nature of the act will not be punished by capital punishment.  [7]   Courts and the Judiciary of Bangladesh Bangladesh operates under a judicial system. It was mainly come from the British common law tradition. The Supreme Court is the highest appeals court in Bangladesh. It is divided into the Appellate Division and the High Court. The High Court hears appeals from subordinate courts. Under the writ jurisdiction, the High Court issues orders to enforce fundamental rights and grant other available summons. From the High Court division, the Appellate Division hears appeals. An important function of the Appellate Division is supervising the subordinate courts and tribunals.  [8]   Legal basis of Capital Punishment in Bangladesh Capital punishment is subject to prior approval of the honable high court division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. All capital punishments in Bangladesh are carried out by hanging according to the Bangladesh government law.  [9]  Like other nations in the region, Bangladesh does not have a jury system: suspected criminals are tried and sentenced by a judge.  [10]  Those sentenced to death have an automatic appeal hearing before the High Court. If that appeal fails, the person also has the option to lodge additional appeals with the High Court and, if those fail, with the Supreme Court. Should all these avenues of appeal fail, the condemned persons final chance is to appeal to the President for clemency.  [11]  The Jail Code also affords an avenue for appeal, whereby prisoners can appeal to the jail authorities within seven days of being brought to jail this appears to apply to those prisoners extradited from overseas. Additional to these safeguards, is the requirement that the High Court approve all death sentences pronounced by a lower court before they can be put into effect. A hea ring is held in which all documents relating to the case, including the lower courts judgment, are compiled.  [12]   Clemency process The Code of Criminal Procedure specifies that executions require not be permitted by the executive.  [13]  The main executive obstacle to execution of a capital punishment is the privilege of mercy, approved by the Constitution and defined under the Code of Criminal Procedure and Penal Code. Damned persons petition the President for clemency. In addition, the government which may mean the legislature or some other executive official-may alter capital punishment.  [14]   Available statistics on Capital Punishment in Bangladesh The information or statistics about capital punishment are not publicly reported in Bangladesh. It only comes in publicly, when it is about a sensational or political matter. For example, the February 2010 hanging of 5 persons accused and tried for the murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was widely reported; the same holds true of the 2007 hanging of members of the JMB who were accused in the 2005 bomb attacks on two judges at Jhalakathi.  [15]  There is No official information are available regarding the number of death penalty handed down, or the number of capital punishments carried out. According to the International Federation for Human Rights (2010), there are about 75,000 prisoners all over Bangladesh and 40-45 percent of them are convicted prisoners. In one district jail outside Dhaka, out of the 2,300-2,400 estimated total prison inmates, 90 prisoners are on death row.  [16]   The following table includes the number of capital punishments reported in Amnesty Internationals annual reports for the past five years, as well as the numbers reported by Hands Off Cain. Number of Executions, Bangladesh, 2005-2010:  [17]   Capital Punishment and the attitude of Bangladesh Government Bangladesh is a country where there is actually no right to life. Exercising the capital punishment violates the common human rights. In 2010, five people were given the death penalty within a day. On January 28 of the same year, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh made the decision to execute death penalty of the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  [18]   On the contrary, on 7th September 2010 Zillur Rahman, President of Bangladesh, pardoned 20 prisoners death row. Those people were sentenced to death in 2006 by a Speedy Trial Tribunal (2002) for the murder of a then-ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activist Sabbir Ahmed Gama.  [19]  In the history of Bangladesh it was the first where President gave pardon a huge number of death prisoners at a time. The important thing is that the benefited prisoners are supporters of the present governing party (Awami League). Amnesty International welcomed the pardon of President Zillur Rahman in their international report. At the same time it also argued that it is not ethical to favor only supporters of the governing party.  [20]   Though the death sentence is a permanent punishment, the legislative authorities should ensure that criminals are not released by the politically motivated grounds. Problems of Bangladeshs criminal justice system Lack of fairness and transparency. Political interference and arbitrary police control over the complaint mechanisms. Criminal justice system is politicalized, inefficient, and unprofessional. As far the administration of justice, the judiciary system does not enjoy independence. Lack of judicial competence and commitment to upholding the rule of law. The countrys medico-legal system still is not acceptable by international standards. Lack of interpersonal respect between lawyers, judges, political parties, medico-legal experts seriously hampers effectiveness of the administration of justice. Is the Capital Punishment an Effective Crime Deterrent? Capital punishment is based on the principle that the peril of death makes probable criminals think twice before doing to some serious crimes such as murder, rape and makes them totally give up on such criminal act. The effectiveness of death sentence to prevent criminal from doing serious crimes is questionable, whether it really discourages people to do crimes. A study in America discloses that 88 percent of American criminologists believed that capital punishment was not effective crime prevention. In this study about 87 percent of the respondents thought that capital punishment would have no major impact on crime rates in the country as such.  [21]   On the other hand, many criminologists think that death penalty in itself is one of the several factors which makes a person indulge in crime. The example of Canada wherein the murder rate decreased after elimination of capital punishment in 1976.  [22]  One important thing is that the criminal who is planning to do any crime, he or she will never get affected by the threat of being caught and convicted. In addition, the time gap between the sentencing of convict and his actual execution is quite lengthy. As time elapse the preclusion effect of sentencing a person to death starts decreasing. Now the people who support the death penalty may argue that to speed up legal process and execute the death sentence early. But then, speedy trials would again mean more chances of an innocent person being sent to the gallows, and that is something which we cant afford to do. There are some studies which support the death sentence as crime prevention. A study showed that eighteen lives are saved for every criminal death penalty.  [23]  The legislative authorities of Bangladesh argue that the capital punishment is essential for control the serious crimes like murder. They also think that capital punishment will transmit the message of ultimate results of murder to the potential criminal. This so-called prevention of criminal act is shown to not be working effectively, as incidents of serious crimes rise each year. For example, according to the Bangladesh Police website, there were 3592 murders during 2005 and 4219 murders in 2009.  [24]   Arguments in favor of Capital Punishment There are two types of criminals in our society ones who commit crimes under unavoidable circumstances and other ones who commit crimes intentionally. The people who commit crimes intentionally, they do not feel any kind of guilt for their actions and they do not hesitate to do same again. So, it is important to implement capital punishment for making such criminals to realize that they are not the decider of life and death. Here is some supports behind the capital punishment: Fear of Death: All people have the fear of death, even though death is inevitable. Implementing death penalty for serious crimes like murders or rapes will absolutely make the criminal think twice before doing any brutal crimes. There are some killers who are commit killing only for fulfill their hobby. Capital punishment will send the message to the criminal that, he or she is preparing own grave by killing someone else. No Escape: No one can getaway from the death, but any one can escape from imprisonment. There are so many evidences of jail escaping illegally by managing political leader or prison inspector. After escaping the criminal commit crimes again and making the innocent suffers. So this is unethical to let innocent people die and criminal live. Justice not Killing: Sometimes the people who do not support capital punishment, they think death penalty is all about revenge in the name of law or justice. However it is very important for our society to teach criminals about the importance of life. Saving the Innocent: To save innocent people there is no other alternative way without death penalty to the serious criminals. If we allow criminals in the imprisonment, then suffer for the innocent people will be huge. Law Should Provide Justice: Capital punishment issued by law is fair and justified for the society. The innocent victims do not get any chance do crime, then why should we give the chance to the criminal with imprisonment. Arguments against Capital Punishment Some people think that reason of the death penalty is to send a right message to the society. Such harsh punishment means that no serious crime will be tolerated and the responsible must be punished for his or her act. Denial of basic right: Death penalty violates human right the right to life. Human being life has a essential value. The holiness of human life is denied by the capital punishment. Life is priceless. The possibility of error: Capital punishment is decided by the collected evidences against the individual. Sometimes those collected information and investigation might be wrong or manipulated. So in case of imprisonment, after finding error in judgment individual may be released and compensated for the injustice. However, in case of capital punishment judge can do nothing without feeling guilty for taking innocent life. Lack of Deterrence: The goal of capital punishment is to deter serious criminal activities from the society. However, according to the available information, the capital punishment has not been effective in controlling the murder rate. For example, according to the Bangladesh Police website, there were 3592 murders during 2005 and 4219 murders in 2009.  [25]   Racist Factor: Death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment for human being. Most of the people in all over the world think that death penalty is a way of minimizing the number of minorities in a particular country. Killing is Expensive: Keeping one person in the prison for entire life is less expensive compare to give death penalty. Long and complex process of death penalty cases is the biggest drawbacks of capital punishment. Justifying circumstances: There is possibility for individuals to suffer from emotional trauma, violence, destructive social environment to commit such terrible crimes. So it is unethical to blame only them for their activities. Recommendation Observe existing law with a view towards diminishing the scope of crimes that attract the death sentence to only those with deadly consequences. All mandatory death sentences should be revoked as unconstitutionally controlling the judgment and freedom of the judiciary, as required under international standards. Other convicts may under no situation be entrusted to carry out a capital punishment, a practice that is not in conventionality with the domestic legal structure and constitutes an inhuman and degrading treatment for concerned prisoners. Make public information about the death penalty and executions to permit an informed public debate on the capital punishment. Assign a committee of high level jurists to inform on the purpose and situations of implementation of the capital punishment in the country. Conclusion Death penalty is as basically wrong as a cure for crime as charity is wrong as a cure of poverty. Bangladeshs constitutions Article 35 prohibits torture, cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment or treatment.  [26]  There can hardly be any argue that the capital punishment does not amount to brutal punishment, which is banned in the countrys supreme law. In fact, such brutal punishment comprises a violation of the Constitution by deflation the natural dignity of human beings. The reality concerning the criminal justice system must be understood to assess how hazardous the use of the capital punishment can be in Bangladesh. Essential policies or steps should be taken to reduce the reappearance of crimes that are presently penalized by the death sentence in the place of continuing with this unsuccessful prevention. Bangladesh should obey to national and international statement for human rights. And Bangladesh government should eliminate the death sentence system immediately, if they believe on human rights.