Comparison between Hitler and Martin Luther King's Ideologies Essay

Comparison between Hitler and Martin Luther King's Ideologies - Essay Example One common similarity between them is their rise from humble backgrounds to lead high profile nationalistic campaigns in their different backyards. Hitler rising to lead the Germans while King rising to lead a campaign against racial inequality in the United States of America. They espoused different ideologies; Marin Luther King espoused nonviolent activism while Adolf Hitler strongly believed in the Nazi ideology. These were two contradicting ideologies, Adolf Hitler’s believed in the superiority of the Aryan race while the Martin Luther King believed in Black Nationalism. The two ideologies on other hand seemed to have similarities, not taking into account the fact that Martin Luther King was from the United States and Adolf Hitler was from Germany. Martin Luther’s king and Hitler’s ideological background There are varying definitions of the term ideology; however, it usually refers to the manner of thinking and belief common to an individual, class or the who le society. Ideologies are sets of ideas, which are based on the messages that do not emanate from the ideas on their own, but from the unconscious mind of an individual or the collective masses. Martin Luther King Junior was famously known for his significant role in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, and he lead a non-violent activism movement in the United States campaigning for equal footing for the black Americans with the white Americans. This ideology seemed similar to the one espoused by Mohandas Gandhi when he led a nonviolent activism against the British colonialist, occupying India, he claims to have been heavily inspired by this Leader and in addition, Leo Tolstoy Before King. The philosophy espoused in this ideology entailed Christian doctrine and that of liberating African Americans from the yoke of slavery. He had great speech delivery; he captured the society with very famous phrases and quotes that have held together societies for generations and generation s. The election of the current United States of America President Barrack Obama, who is an African American, is indirectly linked to the great work and campaign of Martin Luther King Junior. This feat was unlikely and unthinkable in the eras that Martin Luther king Junior lived; this was a legacy that he left on the annals of the United States of America. Adolf Hitler was great a German Reich, who left a great print on the society because the Second World War was directly attributable to him. This was after he felt that Germany was exposed and shortchanged at the treaty of Versailles, he thought that Germany’s pride had diminished at the treaty. This war was blamed for the millions of lives lost across the world from America, Europe, Africa and even Asia. Besides the world war, his ideological beliefs lead to widespread torture, violence, and terror of millions of Semites, blacks and the gypsies. His ideology captured millions of people especially in white dominated areas in Europe, Americas and the Australasia regions, and even to this date, there are people who still profess this ideology, despite the fact that it is predominantly unpopular all over the world. His ideology entailed the claim that the Aryan race in Germany and Austria were the most superior races off all beings this lead to orchestrate one of the dark events known in the history of humankind, the holocaust. He held the view

McDonald's Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

McDonald's - Case Study Example McDonald has shown great business acumen, flexibility and commitment to these values to stand solid and gain competitive advantage through creating differential advantages in every segment. Political factors: government policy can have impact on the economy and business. By imposing higher tax on fast food industry government can influence the business and its profitability in a country where the business is situated. Government can fix up minimum wages or bonus for workers in chin stores that can inflate the wage bills of a fast food chain like McDonald. Economic factors: interest rates, taxation changes, economic growth, inflation and exchange rates ruling in the country of operation always affect the business. Many governments consider fast food stores as luxurious segment of business and impose higher taxes. Higher interest rates often deter investment because of higher costs for borrowing funds. Inflation keeps the fast food prices higher and deters youths the target customers to eat in McDonalds. Social factors: Changes in social trends can have impact on the demand for a McDonald's products. Workers may not be sufficiently available or not willing to work for the prescribed wage and benefit structure. The aging population in UK and Japan have made the labour cost higher. Young Turks who visit fast food chains more frequently prefer young faces to serve. Older workers claim longer and higher pension. Technological factors: new technologies create new products and new processes that can reduce costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These new developments always benefit consumers as well as the organisations providing the products. McDonald can afford introducing these newer technologies better and provide benefits to its consumers. Environmental factors: The growing desire to protect the environment is having an impact on many industries and fast food is one of those. Government imposes many rules in order to protect environment. Environmentalists always campaign and raise issues on this external factor that is gaining importance everyday. Legal factors: legal environment in which firms operate is very vital. Significant legal changes in UK have affected McDonald. For example an increase in the minimum wage and greater requirements for firms to recycle. Legal changes usually affect a firm's costs. The planning and prosperity of a venture abroad is guaranteed only when the macro environment of the country where the business is operating is congenial enough to promote the business. For example the political system of the country is smooth enough to let the investment fructify and provide appreciable returns. The nature of government whether democratic or communist or military or dictatorship is a determinant factor. The political scenario, its local government, labour profile, leadership, media industry profile and general populace are important considerations. The social and cultural system of the country should also enable the local populace to accept the product for consumption. Global expansion made Mc Donald giant and truly multinational but had had to face many controversial issues on health,

Universal Diagnostic Criteria for Oral Lichen Planus

Universal Diagnostic Criteria for Oral Lichen Planus ABSTRACT: For years, dissentions and debates on the malignant transformation of oral lichen planus (OLP) have been sparked not only by a lack of an accurate diagnostic criteria but also due to the failure on our part in not following single universal one. In this short communication, we try to reiterate its importance, with a goal of making the clinicians and pathologists aware of its serious implications. Keywords: Oral lichen planus, oral lichenoid lesion, dysplasia BACKGROUND: The lack of a universal diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of oral lichen planus (OLP) can be made accountable for the current scepticism and controversies over its malignant transformation. Van der meij et al have stressed for a need of a diagnostic criteria to be universally adopted for its firm diagnosis.1,2 A clinical and a histopathological definition of OLP was formulated by the WHO in 19783 (Table 1). Later, in 2003, van der Meij and van der Waal4, proposed a modification in the WHO criteria (Table 2), stating OLP diagnosis should be clinico-pathological. Results of Rad M et al’s4 study in 2009 showed higher clinicopathologic correlation in the diagnosis of OLP based on the modified criteria of OLP (van der Meij 2003) compared with the 1978 criteria. Studies in the past, and present have substantiated the malignant potential of OLP.6-9 So, now that we have evidence for its malignant transformation and a suitable criteria in hand, what could be the problem? 1978 WHO CRITERIA VS MODIFIED 2003 CRITERIA: There have been studies related to the malignant nature of OLP since 1924 by Williger et al. to a recent meta-analysis by Fitzpatrick SG et al8 in 2014. It has to be noted, that, over the years, the diagnostic criteria of OLP has undergone a number of significant changes. A criteria was agreed by WHO in 19783 and again modified in 2003 by van der Meij and van der Waal4. There are pathologists who still favour the 1978 criteria and others who follow the 2003 modified criteria. This difference in opinion among pathologists has a very significant bearing on the data collected in literature. What would have been an OLP to one pathologist following a particular criteria could seem to be an oral lichenoid lesion(OLL) to another following a different criteria. Let us consider the following hypothetical examples: Hypothetical scenario 1: Let us consider an OLP lesion clinically manifesting with white radiating striae unilaterally in the buccal mucosa. If the oral medicine and pathology specialists agree to follow the 2003 modified criteria(clinico-pathologic), then, this lesion being clinically compatible(unilateral), will have to be diagnosed as OLL, though it could be histologically typical of OLP. However, the diagnosis would be OLP according to the 1978 criteria. One should make note of the lines quoted by van der Meij and van der Waal4(2003), in their paper which says: â€Å" We do realise that application of these criteria will exclude a number of patients who actually may have the disease but do not meet the strict criteria.† This line has considerable relevance if we consider the above example. Also, if this in turn progresses to carcinoma, a false record of malignant transformation of OLL is generated,when in reality the lesion could possibly have been a true OLP. This example quoted, cannot be rejected on the grounds of being hypothetical, as there is every possibility of OLP manifesting unilaterally though it often manifests bilaterally. ABSENCE OF DYSPLASIA :AN EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR OLP – IS THIS JUSTIFIED? The heated debate of OLP and dysplasia started with Krutchkoff and Eisenberg’s10 paper in 1985, â€Å"Lichenoid dysplasia: A distinct histopathologic entity†. While they could have been right about epithelial dysplasia with lichenoid features being misdiagnosed as OLP, the possibility of OLP showing dysplasia cannot be ruled out. The present 2003 modified criteria of OLP have dysplasia as an exclusion criteria. Van der Meij and van der Waal3 in their paper, in 2003, state that â€Å"To avoid confusion over the terminology- ‘Lichenoid Dysplasia’ we propose to regard the presence of epithelial dysplasia as an exclusion criterion for the histopathological diagnosis of OLP†. This is not convincing enough to make ‘absence of dysplasia’ as a criterion because, there is accumulating evidence of OLP’s malignant potential and it is rather logical to assume that it could manifest dyplastic features. In fact, exclusion of all lesions that re semble OLPs but exhibit epithelial dysplasia may lead to an underestimation of the rate of malignant transformation.11 This fact was restated by Mignona et al12 in 2007, where they reported severe epithelial dyaplasia and carcinoma in situ in their series of OLP. Rejecting a diagnosis of OLP solely due to the presence of dysplasia, therefore requires consideration. LICHENOID DYSPLASIA: Krutchkoff and Eisenberg’s conclusion of epithelial dysplasias manifesting with lichenoid features were substantiated in the recent papers published by Patil et al13 and Fitzpatrick et al14. Moreover, Patil et al13 observed features of dysplasia in OLP and OLL in their case series, further reiterating the malignant potential of these entities. These papers enlighten us about the co-existence of lichenoid features in OLP,OLL and epithelial dysplasia, further stamping the necessity for an accurate and universal diagnostic criteria for the distinction of these lesions. Also, the lesion, lichenoid dysplasia deserves some consideration and requires further appraisal by a panel of experts. Hypothetical scenario 2: Assuming there is a case of OLP manifesting bilaterally (clinically typical) and the histopathology, though being very typical, reveals dysplasia, what then, should it be diagnosed as? According to 2003 modified criteria, it should be branded as an OLL, since it is histologically compatible (shows dysplasia). But is this diagnosis justified? Pathologists would also consider other different diagnoses like: OLP with dysplasia, lichenoid dysplasia or simply, epithelial dysplasia. Hypothetical scenario 3: If a patient with a history of OLP, consults another pathologist, unaware of the fact that it has become dysplastic, he/she would again be diagnosed with OLL if the 2003 diagnostic criteria are followed. SIGNIFICANCE OF DIAGNOSING ORAL LICHENOID LESIONS: van der Meij et al4 proposed the designation OLL for cases that are clinically typical and histologically compatible, clinically compatible and histologically typical, or clinically and histologically compatible with OLP. As already stated and explained in the first hypothetical scenario, not all patients with OLP manifest with the classical bilateral white striae. In such situations, clinicians and pathologists must exercise prudence in blindly branding the lesion as OLL by strict adherence to the 2003 modified criteria. Whether the lesion to be diagnosed represents an OLP like disease can be suspected by other clinical manifestations like: manifestation in cancer-prone areas (floor of the mouth, lateral border and ventral surface of the tongue, retromolar trigone and soft palate–uvula complex), lesions accompanied or preceded by skin manifestations suggestive of other diseases like lupus erythematosus, lesions that have a plaque-type keratosis or a verruco-papillary nature and lesions that may have a possible etiology like restorations(silver amalgam) or drugs.10 Differentiating between OLP and OLL is very significant as both the lesions are potentially malignant. It becomes all the more pertinent as two prospective studies by van der Meij et al15,16 one in 2003 and one in 2007 showed that only OLLs in their many cases turned malignant. DIAGNOSIS OF CANDIDIASIS IN OLP PATIENTS: Culture studies have demonstrated Candida infection in 37% to 50% of OLP cases.17 There appears to be no differences in the frequency of Candida infection between ulcerated OLP and non-ulcerated OLP.18 Candida albicans produces nitrosamine which is harmful carcinogen. Thus, OLP and candidiasis together provide a fertile background for malignant transformation of oral epithelium. Moreover, candida albicans isolated from potentially malignant oral disorders are able to produce mutagenic amounts of carcinogenic acetaldehyde when exposed to substrates such as wine and ethanol.19 Thus, one cannot disregard oral candidiasis from OLP. Both the lesions together can act synergistically and/or additively in progression to oral squamous cell carcinoma. Hence, we believe that this association needs serious considerartion in the revision of diagnostic criteria of OLP. WHAT IF BOTH THE CRITERIA ARE FOLLOWED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE GLOBE? This could possibly be the situation today as there is no universal consensus on any specific criteria to be followed. This would be a serious issue, as there would be a gross under or overestimation in the diagnosis of OLP or OLL, inadvertently leading to false data regarding its malignant potential. Studies done on the current topic by different institutions using different diagnostic criteria would generate contrasting data in literature precipitating confusion and controversies. UNIVERSAL DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA – THE NEED OF THE HOUR! So, how then, do we undo the debates surrounding the current issue? The answer lies in not only formulating more accurate diagnostic criteria but also in universally following them. Of course, further molecular or immunological studies on OLP would throw further light. We, in this commentary have tried to explain the possible demerits and confusions that could possibly arise if the current criteria are used and not universally followed. The 1978 WHO criteria may need more accuracy while the 2003 modified criteria could be rigid and strict. Devising an accurate criteria taking into consideration, the above mentioned points, would go a long way in eliminating the confusion and disputes surrounding OLP.

The Red Badge of Courage and The Blue Hotel :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Red Badge of Courage and The Blue Hotel: The Singular Love of Stephen Crane Stephen Crane firmly cemented himself in the canon of American Romanticism with the success of works such as The Red Badge of Courage and "The Blue Hotel." His writing served to probe the fundamental depths of the genre while enumerating on the themes vital to the movement's aesthetic. Such topics as heartfelt reverence for the beauty and ferocity of nature, the general exaltation of emotion over reason and senses over intellect, self-examination of personality and its moods and mental possibilities, a preoccupation with genius and the heroic archetype in general, a focus on passions and inner struggles, and an emphasis on imagination as a gateway to transcendence, as well as a predilection for the exotic, the remote, the mysterious, and folk culture are all characteristic of his stories. However, the most traditionally "romantic" facets of his artifice are most fully manifested in a series of private correspondence between himself and a certain society maiden by the name of Nellie Crouse. It is these letters that serve to illustrate Crane's writing prowess as it transcends traditional Romantic genrefication. Through these letters, which serve as an informed testament to Crane's marked skill as a writer, we begin to examine Crane in the context of his own existence, devoid of the fictional trappings of his most acclaimed accomplishments. What is most remarkable about Crane's series of letters to Mrs. Crouse is the tone of his love-stricken entreaties. He gracefully plays off of his burgeoning fame and his growing success as a published artist with good-natured self-deprecation and a propensity to undermine his own endeavours. The series of letters commences with a carefully constructed communique crafted to provoke a sympathetic response from Mrs. Crouse. Employing "inside" reactions to his celebrity to impress, he relies on an aura of exotic settings and playful humor to win a reply. Having succeeded in securing an apparently satisfactory response, he eagerly raises the temperature of the correspondence in his second letter. Without compromising further relations with Mrs. Crouse, his words adopt a more acute degree of intimacy, with Crane even going so far as to volunteer to accept her literary advice. The third letter opens to the heart of the correspondence on Crane's side, as he begins in earnest to try and make Mrs.

Peer College Counselor

There are many traits that define people, and most people share the majority of those traits. However, there are few traits that are unique, special, and rare. The ability to step up when it is required and be a valuable leader is one of them, and I am fortunate enough to have this trait. If a situation ever becomes tough or confusing and people need someone to guide them, I am always happy to accept that osition.I can think quickly on my feet and am able to remain calm and clear- minded in stressful situations. I believe that this trait puts me ahead of my fellow applicants because I understand the stress of being a high school student and I understand how to cope with such stress. Another significant trait of mine is that I am extremely personable and exceptionally easy to talk to. Whenever any of my friends have problems, whether it e in school, home life, or socially, I pride myself on the fact that I am fully capable of being there for them in their time of need.For instance, my sister had recently broken up with her boyfriend of over three years, and she was hysteric. She wouldn't smile, laugh, or even leave the house for at least a week. Everyday, I would clear my schedule Just to be with her, sit with her, and talk with her. I let her express every emotion and concern she was feeling, and, most importantly, I gave her the pportunity to speak freely.After that period, she couldn't stop thanking me for being there for her and being so easy to talk to. I believe this trait will be crucial in being a peer college counselor because, no matter what my peers will need, I know that I will be there for them. From what I have mentioned, I hope to have given you an accurate and positive image of the type of person I am. I'm a hardworking, determined individual and I hope you consider that during this application process.

Information Use Essay

In today’s business environment information is the most important asset a business has, this information helps to support, maintain, develop and track its daily activities. The next logical step is implementing a system that is conducive and geared towards this goal. With the help of its information system, and its information technology department, managers, sales people, the operations department and others with access to this information have a handy tool to help them do their work on a daily basis. The structure of the information system is paramount on how accessible this information is to the people that depend upon it to complete their normal workday. The managers and IT department work closely together to agree upon and decide on an information system that will be feasible to the business itself, thus setting up a system that will be beneficial to the business itself. In my previous workplace, this was a real estate company that focused on short sales and loan modifications. Our information was provided by the homeowner, this information consisted of their mortgage statement, bank records, hardship letters describing why they needed the short sales or the loan modification, and a list of their debt-income ratio and any foreclosure information. The database we worked on was a system called Salesforce; this system enabled us to keep track of the calls we had to make and document all details of that call. It contained all of the information we needed to accomplish this task, it held clients pertinent data, the banks that we dealt with and a method to track the goals we had to accomplish each week. This system was also an ERM (electronic records management database) we had the ability to scan and upload pertinent client information such as three months of bank statements, paystubs, and hardship letters, foreclosure notices and current mortgage statements. It was very user friendly and had the ability to be modified towards the needs of the company using it. That being said management asked us to make suggestions on what additions we saw or felt that would help make our jobs easy and more efficient. The short sale team made several suggestions to add to Salesforce, thereby making it more specified for our daily tasks. The short sale team was not the only ones using Salesforce, our sales team that generated the leads or clients were the first line of defense; they had to enter the client’s information into Salesforce and scan all the documents related to a homeowner’s situation. The sales team was also responsible for contacting the homeowners to send updated and current documents pertinent to their short sales or loan modifications. In essence Salesforce was also used as a data management system, it had the ability to store all data, generate sales reports, processing, integrating, distributing, securing, and archiving data effectively for current and future use. Accessing Salesforce was readily available if we were out of the office as well, we had the capability to log in and view reports, or if a new client was added, and if we needed information to set up an appraisal that was requested by the bank before the short sale was approved. This ability was very handy for the real estate agent and the processor handling the account, the ability to access the main database with all pertinent information about the client away from the office was an excellent tool that Salesforce offered. Maintenance of Salesforce was managed by our small IT staff, any problems with the system was corrected or fixed very quickly, as the licenses held by Salesforce enabled the IT staff to manage the database as an in-house system, therefore they did not have to contact anyone with any issues. At the same time the permissions on Salesforce were very strict, a person’s user id and password only allowed access to certain parts, the short sales team could not modify or change anything, especially any client information or access the sales departments input and vice versa. This made sense, because there was very important information on the database, the client’s financial data and mortgage information, very sensitive information. In essence, the database that the company used in my opinion was user friendly and seemed to address the needs of the business, in this case a real estate office that held important and sensitive financial data, credit reports and mortgage information. The system enabled us to handle the flow of information and daily activities easy, made access to running reports quickly and efficiently. Further, management was able to view and track completion of daily tasks and weekly goals to generate reports quickly.

Conjugate the French Apercevoir (to catch sight of)

Conjugate the French Apercevoir (to catch sight of) Conjugating the French verb  apercevoir  is a little more complicated than other verbs. This is because it is an irregular verb and does not follow the most common patterns for conjugation. Apercevoir  means to catch sight of or to foresee and it is one of the French verbs of sensation or perception. While this lesson may be a little difficult, its a good one to understand as you continue to expand your vocabulary. Conjugating the French Verb  Apercevoir Verb conjugations are important when learning French because they help a phrase make sense. When we conjugate, we change the ending of the verb to coincide with the subject pronoun and the tense. Without these special endings, your French would not be grammatically correct. Irregular verbs  like  apercevoir  pose a challenge to French students because they do not follow a typical pattern. However, the endings here also apply to the conjugations of other French verbs ending in  -cevoir. This includes  concevoir  (to conceive),  dà ©cevoir  (to disappoint),  percevoir  (to perceive), and  recevoir  (to receive). That said, you will probably have a more difficult time memorizing these verb conjugations. Yet, with enough practice, you will do just fine. Explore this chart and focus on the present and future tenses at first. The imperfect is not as important because you can often use the  passà © composà ©. For example, to say I foresee, you will say j aperà §ois. Subject Present Future Imperfect j aperois apercevrai apercevais tu aperois apercevras apercevais il aperoit apercevra apercevait nous apercevons apercevrons apercevions vous apercevez apercevrez aperceviez ils aperoivent apercevront apercevaient Apercevoirs Present Participle The  present participle  of  apercevoir  is  apercevant. The -​ant  ending is similar to the -ing we use in English. It can also act as an adjective, gerund, or noun if need be. The  Passà © Composà © of  Apercevoir In French, its very common to use the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  for the past tense. This makes the conjugation easier, because you only have to remember the past participle for the verb. In this case, that is  aperà §u. You also need to use an  auxiliary verb, which is avoir  in this case. When we put this together with the past participle, we can say I foresaw. In French, this is jai  aperà §u. The ai is the conjugate for  avoir. More Conjugations for  Apercevoir Its not like  apercevoir  isnt complicated enough, but we also have to add a few more conjugations into the mix. These are not as important, particularly the  passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive because these two are used in formal writing. However, you should be aware of them. You may use the subjunctive and conditional forms from time to time. The subjunctive is a verb mood that implies the uncertainty of the verb. The conditional means just that: the verb is dependent on the conditions.   In the case of  apercevoir, these two forms are actually quite useful. Given the nature of the word as a perception that is not necessarily tangible nor true you may find use for these conjugations in conversation. If you tend to skip other subjunctives and conditionals, consider spending some time on these. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j aperoive apercevrais aperus aperusse tu aperoives apercevrais aperus aperusses il aperoive apercevrait aperut apert nous apercevions apercevrions apermes aperussions vous aperceviez apercevriez apertes aperussiez ils aperoivent apercevraient aperurent aperussent One last conjugation and were done with  apercevoir. This time, it is the imperative, which is another mood often used in short, direct commands or requests. In the imperative conjugation, you can forget about the pronoun as it is implied in the verb. Instead of saying nous  apercevons, you can simply say apercevons. Imperative (tu) aperois (nous) apercevons (vous) apercevez Another Verb for to Foresee You might have noticed that apercevoir  ends with  voir, which means to see. The prefix changes it to foresee, which is exactly what happens with  prà ©voir. You can look at  prà ©voir  as pre-seeing to remember the correlation. Because  apercevoir  and  prà ©voir  both mean to foresee, you can use the latter in the right context. The conjugations are very similar, so learning how to conjugate  prà ©voir  as well may not be a bad idea.

4 Ways to Master English Vocabulary

4 Ways to Master English Vocabulary The best way to learn English vocabulary is by topics with explanations of meaning, examples of usage and subsequent exercises. It is possible to practice English vocabulary through exercises in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Learners of English should have lists of difficult word meanings and of phrases (expressions) on every topic with usage sentences. They must read those ready-made vocabulary usage sentences many times if needed. Longman Language Activator Dictionary (unique English Idea Production Dictionary) covers this issue thoroughly. It is essential that learners also make up their own sentences with that vocabulary, taking into consideration real life situations.Students of English can learn a lot of vocabulary on every topic from thematic English dictionaries. Good thematic English dictionaries provide clear word usage explanations and also a few usage sentences for each word meaning, which is especially important. It is essential that students of English also make up their own sentences with difficult vocabulary. They should think about the real life situations where and when that vocabulary can be used.Do ready-made exercises from textbooks in vocabulary practice. Exercises in vocabulary pra ctice can include dialogues, narrations (telling stories), thematic texts, questions and answers in various situations, discussions, talking points, and expressing opinions and views on real life topics and issues. Learners can also master new English vocabulary by reading thematic texts (materials) on everyday topics with important content, for example, Practical Tips and Advice to Make Everyday Life Easier and Better (practical solutions for everyday problems). Such self-help books on settling everyday matters are available at bookstores. Learners must write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences. It is essential that they practice speaking the content of the texts that they have read. As people say, practice makes perfect. Thematic General English Dictionaries Longman Language Activator (Unique idea production English dictionary, very valuable for solid vocabulary acquisition). There is also Longman Pocket Activator Dictionary. Longman English dictionaries are the most authoritative.Longman Lexicon of Contemporary English.The Oxford-Duden Pictorial English Dictionary (by J. Pheby, 1995, 816 pages).Oxford Learners Wordfinder Dictionary.Word Menu (dictionary by Stephen Glazier, Random House, USA, over 75,000 words arranged by subject matter).Cambridge Word Selector/Routes.NTCs Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions (over 7,000 phrases arranged by topics).

How To Write A Business Memo [Free PDF Template]

How To Write A Business Memo [Free PDF Template] What is the meaning of internal memo? The term "internal memo" is actually redundant since a memo is always an internal document. A memo is a business document that communicates information internally in an organization. A business letter communicates information outside of an organization. Email is used both inside and outside an organization. Here is a standard business memo format model. Note: a business memo should not exceed two pages. Memo Format Example Letterhead (drop down 1.5 inches from Letterhead) Memo To: Name of Person and Title in Organization From: Your Name Date: Month, Day, Year Subject: Be very specific (NOTE: There is no salutation greeting in a memo, as there is in a letter or email.) I propose that we purchase or lease a van to serve as a mobile bookstore. We could use this van to generate sales in the outlying towns and villages throughout the state where our retail stores are not penetrating. (Direct and brief introduction which sums up the point of the memo succinctly.) Rationale for Van (informative heading.) We have been aware for some time that many small towns around the state do not have adequate bookstore facilities, but the economics of the situation are such that we would not be able to open a comprehensive branch and operate it profitably. However, we could afford to stock a van with books and operate it for a few days at a time in various small towns throughout the state. As you are probably aware, the laws of this state would permit us to acquire a statewide business license fairly easily and inexpensively. (Provides brief, but full, background and feasibility information to the reader.) With the proper advance advertising, we should be able to generate much interest in this initiative. It seems to me that this idea has much merit because of the flexibility it offers us. For example, we could tailor the length of our stay to the size of the town and the amount of business generated. Also, we could customize our inventory to the needs and interests of the particular locales.(Additional persuasive information.) Actions Request The driver of the van would act as the salesperson, and we would, of course, have copies of our complete catalog so that mail orders could be taken as well. Please let me know your thoughts about this proposal. If you wish, I can explore the matter further and generate cost and sales estimates. (Clear closing that asks for specific action.) Memorandum Format PDF Example The Purdue University Online Writing Lab shares this downloadable PDF example. It provides another strong example of proper formatting. Notice the format: All text is justifed to the left side of the page. None of the first paragraphs are indented. Business documents use justified left format, while academic format indents the first paragraph. Text is single spaced between lines. There is double spacing between paragraphs. How to End a Memo Notice that there is no closing signature in a memo, as there would be in a business email or business letter. The best ending for a memo is a clear closing action, stated in the last paragraph. And, be very clear about what you want your reader to know or do after reading the memo, which makes it easy for your reader to respond. Master Business Writing in This Course: Effective Business Writing Techniques

Role of Reforms in American Society since 1877 to Present Assignment

Role of Reforms in American Society since 1877 to Present - Assignment Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that populism is perhaps the most serious reform movement which greatly threatened the two-party system in American history. Populism was established on the basis of the panic movement of 1873.in this regard, many farmers especially those in the Mid-West and South greatly felt the impact of the Panic. They felt sidelined from the recovery benefits, as the only ones who benefited were the financial and industrial class of the East. Basing on free coinage of silver and the government ownership of railways, the Populist Party was established. They nominated J.B. Weaver for the presidency, who became a major threat to the Democrats. This prompted the Democratic Party, under William Jennings Bryan to adopt some of the populist reforms agenda with the quest to garb the Populist vote in 1896.this witnessed the demise of popularism in the Southern states. Progressivism is the period between the 1890’s to 1920’s mark ed with social activists plus political reforms. The movement was majorly aimed at purifying the government by eliminating corruption. Many progressivism proponents advocated for major reforms in the local government, medicine, education, industries, churches, insurance, finance and several other areas. The movement initially began its operations at local levels and later penetrated the national arena. Its main supporters came from the middle-class people mainly business people, lawyers, physicians, teachers, ministers among others. The significant reforms championed by this movement include the direct election of senators, the Prohibition, the Women’s suffrage, the Sixteenth Amendments and the Nineteenth Amendments among others. The New Deal, on the other hand, is a progression of economic programs between 1933 and 1936, which were implemented in the United States.

Do Students lose more than they gain in online writing classes Essay

Do Students lose more than they gain in online writing classes - Essay Example In the chapter text, Keifer writes, â€Å"questions about the efficacy of online education have been ignored in the face of pressures† (Keifer, 2007, p. 142). I am in agreement with the author’s statement that the schools, confronted by rising intake of students and governmental pressure, have been under pressure to embrace online learning. However, such efforts, to provide alternative models of learning, should be guided by efficiency and not by the current boom in student populations. Globally, few learning institutions with online learning programs have integrated efficiency of content delivery in their e-learning approach. Kiefer identified three deficits in the online writing system that makes it a less desirable learning platform. One of these deficits is the nature of the classroom software. It feels that the author has overly criticized the role of software in a classroom. A good quote is, â€Å"We have all had moments when we question why technology, especiall y software seems to distract energy away from the focus of our work as writers and teachers† (Keifer, 2007, p. 148). The author sees that technology disguises the interest of students in coursework and that through an online platform; students can pretend to be engaged in the learning process. Kiefer also critiques software used in online writing, citing that such software is not developed with the writing teachers in mind and does not provide for interaction between the students. While this may have been true when the article was written.

Strategic Leadership and Future Leaders (DB) Essay

Strategic Leadership and Future Leaders (DB) - Essay Example I would also choose a leadership style which relates to my persona and comment on another which doesn't. (Yellid) The servant leader relationship was coined by Robert Greenfield, wherein the leader's role is reduced to that of a steward, with special regards to human, financial and statistical recourses of an organization. Although the concept is not new and Chanakya, a great thinker from India, has already mentioned its true worth in the 4th century BC, the fact still remains that it was indeed Robert Greenfield who reinforced it with an official stamp. The reason why I advocate the cause for a servant leader relationship is because the servant leader, during its manifestation phase, is blessed with the power of listening, empathy, awareness, conceptualization, healing, stewardship, persuasion and community building. The leader is also stated to be a humble servant of the organization and strives to help his/her employees in their future growth. Unlike a typical top down relationship, servant leadership is based on trust, empathy and ethical use of power. (Yellid) Over here, a leader has to create a positive relationship with the organization.

Critical outcomes of assignments 1 and 2 and profile for assignment 3 Essay

Critical outcomes of assignments 1 and 2 and profile for assignment 3 - Essay Example When we look at the three advertisements in question, namely BMW, Nike and Adidas, there are strengths and weaknesses that are projected, related to how these brands are advertised. For instance, in the BMW adverts, the positive side displays confidence, vitality, style; a product that is coveted by others who don’t have it. While on the downside, it directly attacks a rival brand (Audi) by implying that it is inferior and thus may displease the consumer segment who own or prefer Audis at present. What remains to be seen as the most important point though, is that throughout the advertisement an effort is made to establish an emotional connection between the end consumer or the target market and the brand. This is done by projecting the brand image in such a way that people who own BMWs feel proud of their purchase and people who don’t, but aspire to purchase a BMW covet the brand for the luxury it is posed as and the glamour it will bring to their lives when they do ev entually purchase it. Kotler (2000) says that a brand can be defined as â€Å"the name, associated with one or more items in the product line, that is used to identify the source of character of the item†, elaborating this point, Keller (2003) says that then, essentially, â€Å"whenever a marketer creates a new name, logo, or symbol for a new product, he or she has created a brand†. This holds true when practically examined as well. Every now and then, companies are coming up with new brands, each with its own identity and image, each portraying a different color and image and each creating a separate emotional bond with its target market. Branding thus becomes a critical component of a particular product’s strategy (Kotler, 2000). The importance leant to the brand is due to the fact that this is the part of the product that will be actually communicated to the target market, in essence the marketers will use the brand to create and allure for the customers and pique their interest to reel them in. however, in the highly competitive market that firms operate in, in this day and age, only creating a brand is not sufficient. To be successful, a brand must â€Å"create a strong and distinctive image† (Kohli and Thakor 1997) which means that it is essential for a brand to define its unique selling point or its factor of differentiability. Kapferer (1997), says that a brand has eight functions to complete; identification, that is to be able to be easily identified by its target market, practicality, that is to be economical to guarantee a repurchase, guarantee, that is to be quality consistent, optimization, that is to be the category/market leader, characterization, that is to build a strong brand image and identity, continuity, that is to provide continued satisfaction, be hedonistic, that is create an attraction and allure and be ethical, that is socially responsible in actions and implications. Ghodeswar (2008) says that building a b rand from the ground up takes time, the most important thing to focus on is differentiability of the brand so that the customers can forge a bond

Shakespeare's Othello theme and characterization Essay

Shakespeare's Othello theme and characterization - Essay Example 34). Lago characterization is basically presentation of black sheep in the societies that how they play with individual’s life and destroys them. Their mind games are of pure evilness and immorality; utmost desire to get power, wealth & ranks can lead them to do any spiteful task. Lago in the quest of such desires makes a big spectrum in which he plays with many individual’s life and creates conflicts in between them so that he would lead to the ultimate path of success. His agenda is self fulfilment of worldly desire for which he would take any step (Rees, 186). The theme of the author is to concentrate readers on such kind of devil-men who are present in the human race. Othello is depicted as hero in the novel; however his did some immoral acts due to ignorance about the occurrence of certain events. Lago is the main person behind this whole game plan. The writer wanted to depict that sometimes even good people can commit crime due to ignorance, resentment, jealousy, envy and unawareness but their agenda is not to prevail destruction among the society. Their acts are in the light of presented facts and figures and thus they feel resentful inside thus take bitter actions. Othello killed her wife due to genuine misunderstanding; though taking a human life due to jealousy, betrayal and revenge is not justifiable in any book of law (Toole 73). Todd & Kenneth (371) illustrate that Othello after knowing the real picture of the handkerchief incident commits suicide as he feels extremely sorry for his act of killing her wife, disrespecting her and disregard Cassio services. The writer wanted the readers to understand that the good one’s cannot resist after hearing the truth as they feel ashamed of their wrong deeds prevailed. Also man with a noble and gentle heart knows that what’s right and wrong in life so killing an innocent due to a great

Research Critique - Dapagliflozin Trials Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critique - Dapagliflozin Trials - Research Paper Example This paper reviews various aspects of a medical trial study carried out in Japan. The critique evaluates issues of human protection, data collection, analyses and management as well as the final findings. The study by Boulton et al. (2011) highlights the comparative use of dapagliflozin on two treatment groups consisting of diabetics with type II diabetes (T2DM) and healthy subjects. The research paper was published in the fourth issue of the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Journal in 2011. The main objective of the research was to investigate the tolerability and safety of dapagliflozin in the Japanese participants. Evaluated aspects included the pharmacodynamics (PD) and pharmacokinetics (PK) of the drug on both treatment groups. Protection of Human Participants The implicitly implied benefits of this research included the ability to determine the tolerability and safety of the drug for Japanese subjects, and thus offer a reliable, non-insulin dependent therapeutic option for T2DM management. This would be beneficial because it would save patients with T2DM from regular insulin injections and costs if it would be established as an efficient mono-therapy option or improving add-on to other diabetic therapies. The authors of the research recognized drug allergy as a potential risk and possible aggravation of cardiovascular and diabetic ketoacidocis. As such, precautionary measures were taken to exclude subjects with such conditions or a history of such conditions. In addition to the highlighted benefits, the researchers failed to note that dapagliflozin’s effectiveness does not depend on the dysfunction severity of beta cells. Unlike most other therapies, its effectiveness will not decrease with beta cell failure advancement or with higher severity of insulin resistance. This would be a major benefit in the T2DM therapy. Additionally, they also failed to identify other risks such as possible aggravation of polyuria, which may results from the diuretic e ffect of dapagliflozin. The research was conducted after acquisition of informed consent from subjects as stated within the material and methods section, and as such it is expected that all participants consented to participation after full information. The research process and procedures adhered to GCP (â€Å"Good Clinical Practice†), and â€Å"Japanese Pharmaceutical Affairs Law† both of which define standards of clinical pharmaceutical trials (Boulton et al. 2011). The adherence to these standards as asserted within the paper implies that indeed the participants must have voluntarily accepted participation in the study. This is because voluntary participation is one of the stipulations under these standards, and adherence confirms willing participation. As part of ensuring adherence the researchers also sought approval from the local ethics committee/ IRB (â€Å"Institutional Review Board†). From these facts it can be inferred that ethical, procedural adheren ce was upheld as required in any drug trial cases. Data Collection Data collection in the study was done through the bio-analytical

Shakespeare's Othello theme and characterization Essay

Shakespeare's Othello theme and characterization - Essay Example 34). Lago characterization is basically presentation of black sheep in the societies that how they play with individual’s life and destroys them. Their mind games are of pure evilness and immorality; utmost desire to get power, wealth & ranks can lead them to do any spiteful task. Lago in the quest of such desires makes a big spectrum in which he plays with many individual’s life and creates conflicts in between them so that he would lead to the ultimate path of success. His agenda is self fulfilment of worldly desire for which he would take any step (Rees, 186). The theme of the author is to concentrate readers on such kind of devil-men who are present in the human race. Othello is depicted as hero in the novel; however his did some immoral acts due to ignorance about the occurrence of certain events. Lago is the main person behind this whole game plan. The writer wanted to depict that sometimes even good people can commit crime due to ignorance, resentment, jealousy, envy and unawareness but their agenda is not to prevail destruction among the society. Their acts are in the light of presented facts and figures and thus they feel resentful inside thus take bitter actions. Othello killed her wife due to genuine misunderstanding; though taking a human life due to jealousy, betrayal and revenge is not justifiable in any book of law (Toole 73). Todd & Kenneth (371) illustrate that Othello after knowing the real picture of the handkerchief incident commits suicide as he feels extremely sorry for his act of killing her wife, disrespecting her and disregard Cassio services. The writer wanted the readers to understand that the good one’s cannot resist after hearing the truth as they feel ashamed of their wrong deeds prevailed. Also man with a noble and gentle heart knows that what’s right and wrong in life so killing an innocent due to a great

Information Policy and Governance Essay Example for Free

Information Policy and Governance Essay Besides the security loopholes and privacy demands from information providers and users, there are various issues that have drawn the attention of information management from the novice systems to advanced information management systems. Policies, in the management worlds have been used as guidelines against which certain safety frameworks are checked. In the information management sectors, policies are guidelines against which the integrity of information and its security can be formulated. Complexity  Whilst I have recognized that a governance copycat seems now to be undulating, I am reluctant to have a definite conclusion and certainly not in a gullible fashion. Instead, I believe that governing complexity of information is far from straightforward and, indeed, that governance malfunction in an organization is custom. Where there are not corporate strategies to guide information management, computer executives will be in risk when making long-term technology choices making it imperative for top-management executive and possibly shareholders to be involved in any decisions that involve governing of Information. The dangers of internal or external threats to a company’s data are becoming more complex as the profundity, extent of a company’s information expands hastily, and data is collective with business partners, suppliers, and customers. The complexities involved in the policy formulation process may be mainly sourced from the end users who may not always be agreeable to the draft policies and without adequate coordination, the process can collapse. Massive training programs, in-depth directives, guidelines and basic instructions, must all be considered as part of the policy formulation processes hence the complexity. Although the complexity of policy formulation may be in the initial stages, governance poses a challenge in the implementation phases. Information Policy Formulation of information management policies involves both the policy formulators and the information users. There is much coordination and interpretation needed. In many instances, there would be several drafts, approvals, debates and eventual releases. Though the information users may agree to the underlying policies on how they would create, have or gain access to, store, as well as dispose of information be it personal or business information, there may be numerous challenges to top management on how to govern and manage the long-term adherence to the formulated policies. Accountability procedures have to therefore be implemented to ensue that the policies agreed upon are not only implemented but adhered to. Policy Frame works. Besides the challenges involved in making agreeable terms upon which information management can be based, basic policies have to be formulated to guide all the stakeholders on the foundational frameworks of information integrity and security. In this case, the attention is then drawn to some basis questions: who makes the information management policies? How are the information management policies made? â€Å"Traditional organizational structure is crumbling under the weight of ever increasing egulations that drive greater accountability and transparency. Smart companies are on the forefront of building new and improved structures that support and enhance this new compliance environment, and best practices are emerging† (Atkinson Leandri, 2005, p. 37). The foundational frameworks upon which information management policies are formulated are key. Basic consideration, in this process, is given to the particular organizational needs as well as long-term goals. Both short-term as well as long-term organizational information needs have to also be evaluated, both Bookmark Privacy In any democratic society privacy is an essential human right. And now organizations are evolving in their thoughts about information privacy. More focus is being placed on the value it can deliver to an organization, and how it can contribute to enhanced and sustained stakeholder value. Most businesses are very particular about data privacy by making sure that certain data does not end up in wrong hands. As part of putting into practice this requests, the business logic section executes functions that make compulsory privacy rules which are a derivative from business rules and sources for government, industry and consumer privacy rules. Rules Traditionally, law and government policy have customary default rules for information policy, but for network environments and the information society the government is not solely responsible for making this rules. In any organization that shares data both internally and externally rules have to be put in place to govern who and when information can be accessed. And if the information is accessed there has to be certain checks and balances that make sure only the information required can be accessed. Linked Data Linked data is the aptitude of an organization to add one information set to another data set and use it for further relevance. This can be achieved by making some changes to the way information is presented to the public and some naming standards have to be implemented and followed. This is not a necessarily complex change that an organization needs to make but it will require alto of expertise, strategy planning and implementation. Places that offer information to public, such as libraries would benefit enormously from using linked data design. It means that they will stop spending time on data aggregation and start spending it on analysis and action of the already existing data. An example is linked data can be used in secure surroundings to help partners share personal, sensitive or profitable information on presentation and resources and help better target those in need or areas for improvement. Conclusion Not every organisation has setup an information management policy, and many carry out their business commendably without one. However, certain occurrences can occur and will alert such organisations to the necessity for one, however, and perpetually this will be at that dangerous ‘its too late’ moment. To avoid such kind of mishaps it is always good for organization to start planning on how they will manage there information and govern it within the company.

Social Bond Theory and Deviant Behaviour

Social Bond Theory and Deviant Behaviour Social Bonds and Deviance Deviance is a term used to describe behavior that goes against the established social and cultural norms. The concept of deviance is complex because norms vary considerably across groups, times, and places. Essentially, individuals commit deviant behavior when society defines it as such. Within the field of criminology, a number of theories exist that attempt to explain why some people engage in deviant behavior, while others abstain from it. One of these theories is Travis Hirschi’s, social bond theory, which eventually becomes the blueprint for subsequent control theories. This paper will analyze aspects of social control theory and social bonds, for the purpose of seeing if they can deter deviant behavior. Social control theory focuses on how the lack of close relationships with others can free individuals from social constraints, which in turn allows them to engage in delinquency. Unlike most criminology theories that claim to explain why people offend, control theories of fer the justification for why people obey the rules (Cartwright, 2013). Social control theories focus primarily on external factors and the processes by which rules become effective. Followers of this theory believe that deviance and crime occur because of inadequate constraints. This theory also examines the lack of control a person has in relation to society and explains how deviant behavior occurs in proportion to the strength of one’s social bonding. For the most part, social control theory assumes a shared value or belief in social norms. Therefore, even those who break laws or violate social norms, share the general belief that those rules should be followed (Cartwright, 2013). Thus, the essence of social control theory is explaining conformity and the process through which people are socialized to obey the rules. The first mentions of social control theory can be found in the works of some of the Enlightenment thinkers and can be traced to the Chicago School (Cartwright, 2011, p. 207). For example, Thomas Hobbes, an English social philosopher who wrote about external restraints and the role of government in preventing deviance, can be seen as one of the roots of this theory. Hobbes argued that humans had an inherent tendency toward evil and were constrained only through social contracts and agreements with people. More often though, the origin of social control theory is connected to Emile Durkheim, who is a French sociologist and is considered as the founder of sociology. Durkheim views crime and deviance as social facts that are present in all societies and even considered crime as â€Å"normal† (Cartwright, 2013). Durkheim thought that, â€Å"social controls were necessary if individuals were to understand the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable behavior† (Cartwrig ht, 2011, p. 207). In his view, crime serves the function of identifying boundaries for behavior, which are recognized collectively in communities and reinforced by negative societal reaction. As a result, social order is maintained to avoid disapproved association with deviant acts. Eventually, Durkheim’s theory of integration and regulation becomes the basis for Travis Hirschi’s social bonding theory, in which criminal behavior is accounted as a result of weakening social bonds. Although Hirschi was not the first to propose a social control theory, his research published in the, â€Å"Causes of Delinquency† (1969), established him as the leading social control theorist. However, it is important to note that his social bonding theory exists, for the most part, as a result of the work done by his social control theory predecessors (Hirschi, 1969, p. 212). Terence Thornberry elaborated upon Hirschi’s control theory and Durkheim’s view of crime in society, in order to create a more accurate model for describing delinquency. He agreed with Hirschi that all humans are born with deviant motivation and that if social constraints are absent, people will naturally engage in deviant behavior. However, Thornberry argues that the weakening of social controls would not necessarily result in delinquency. In other words, according to Thornberry’s interactional theory, the absence or weakening of social control is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for delinquent involvement (Cartwright, 2011, p. 229). Laub and Sampson’s turning points theory was also rooted in Durkheim’s views, Hirschi’s social bond theory and Thornberry’s interactional theory. Laub and Sampson’s theory concluded that some social events may change delinquents from a path of crime and this event is called a turning point. Closer to the present time, Bouffard and Petkovsek conducted a study which explores the process through which social bonds work to restrain offending criminal behavior. This was primarily based on Hirschi’s social bonding theory and looks at the decision to drive drunk. All of the above mentioned theorists are intricately connected through their theories, which are based on some aspect of their respective predecessors, and their view that all individuals are bonded to society. Hirschi’s, social bond theory, looks at how delinquency is the result of weak or broken bonds between the individual and society. He states that there are four aspects of the bond, and their relationship between each other, that affect our connection to society (Cartwright, 2011). These four are: attachment, commitment, involvement in conventional activities, and lastly belief in wider social values. Hirschi defines attachment to others as the degree to which we admire others and feel affection for and identify with them. Forming secure bonds to other human beings, foster traits like empathy and respect. If a person is able to experience empathy, that person will be far less likely to engage in criminal acts that would result in someone being harmed. Attachment is especially important when it comes to the person’s parental figures. According to Hirschi, other attachments, such as school, also play a tremendous role in conventional society (Hirschi, 1969, p. 215). Next i s commitment, which can be described as the personal investment of an individual, in things such as educational or career goals, and the perceived losses suffered by involvement in deviant behavior. A person is far less likely to commit deviant behavior when they have invested too much energy and time into pursuing a goal. A sense of commitment is a grounding force that gives individuals a reason to conform to socially accepted norms and goals (Hirschi, 1969, p. 216-217). Involvement refers to the level of one’s participation in social activities such as volunteering, jobs, or attending church. There is an inverse correlation between the amount of time an individual participates in conventional activities and the amount of time they have to deviate. Therefore, involvement in activities serves to both further an individual’s bonds to others and leaves the individual with limited time to be involved in deviant activities. Finally, belief refers to an individual’s trust in society’s moral system. The individual must believe that the rules and laws are necessary and should be obeyed. A lack of belief in the system can cause individuals to be more likely to engage in deviant behavior (Hirschi, 1969, p. 217-219). Hirschi views these four aspects of social control as highly interrelated and together they form the foundation of the social bonding theory. Thornberry’s Interactional theory attempts to combine social structure, social control, and social learning theories. He began with aspects of Hirschi’s version of control theory and Ronald Akers’s social learning theory, in order to create a more integrated theory to explain delinquent behavior. He called his theory, â€Å"interactional† because it was based on the premise that crime and deviance is the outcome of interactions between an individual and his or her environment (Thornberry, 1987, p. 232-233). Thornberry selected three concepts from Hirschi’s theory (attachment to parents, commitment to school, and belief in conventional values) and two from Akers’s theory (association with delinquent peers and delinquent values) (Cartwright, 2011). The significance of this theory is that it examines the developmental changes across three stage of adolescence: early, middle, and late adolescence. During childhood and early adolescence, attachmen t to the family is the most important determinant of whether a youth will adjust to society’s rules and be shielded from delinquency (Thornberry, 1987, p. 242-243). By mid-adolescence, the family is replaced by the world of friends, school and youth culture. In adulthood, a person’s behavioural choices are shaped by their place in conventional society and in their own family. Additionally, this theory asserts that at different ages, different influences become more important for the individual (Thornberry, 1987, p. 246, 248). This theory further states that individuals with weak social bonds will form other bonds with delinquents who share the same values. Laub and Sampson developed a theory of age-graded informal social control. They predicted that those who have more social capital, quality marital bonds, and stable employment in adulthood are more likely to abstain from committing more crime, through what the authors refer to as turning points. The key component of this theory is that delinquency and crime have an inverse relationship with an individuals bond to society (Cartwright, 2011). As an extension of Hirschi’s social bond theory, Laub and Sampson discussed the concept of attachment and commitment. The most notable difference between age-graded informal social control theory and social control theory is that the former acknowledges that crime is not â€Å"necessarily stable over the life course† and that criminals can change into â€Å"normal, law-abiding adults† (Cartwright, 2011, p. 258). Laub and Sampson find that attachments or social bonds in adulthood increase some individuals social capital, leadin g to desistance from most types of deviant behavior. Furthermore, they found that antisocial behavior in childhood has a strong likelihood of continuing through adulthood across a variety of life domains. So, individuals who become attached to other people will increase their self-control and, constraints in the form of job or marriage can prevent those with low self-control from offending (Laub and Sampsons, 1993, p. 269-270). Laub and Sampson argue that the start of a criminal career occurs early in life, but emphasize that even with an established criminal career; delinquency can be interrupted during the life course. Specifically, Laub and Sampson found that kids who were involved in deviant behavior, changed for the better because they experienced an event that pulled them out of their criminal lifestyle and into a more conventional pattern of behavior. They refer to these points of interruption as turning points. Such turning points include military service, employment, and ma rriage which create social capital. This social capital then represents investment in society and will restrain deviant behavior (Laub and Sampsons, 1993, p. 272-273). According to this theory, social influences on crime can directly and indirectly, affect trajectories of crime across the entire life course. In Bouffard and Petkovsek’s paper, they tested Hirschi’s social bond theory and the impact social bonds have on crime, specifically focusing on the decision to drive drunk. Their prediction for the outcome of the study is as follows: individuals with lower levels of social bonding will not care about the severity of negative consequences involved in drunk driving behavior and these ratings of severity will decide whether an individual participates in drunk driving (Bouffard and Petkovsek, 2013, p. 5). Each participant in the study was asked questions to test the social control theory. These questions focused on attachment to the family, belief in conventional values, and religious involvement/commitment (Bouffard and Petkovsek, 2013, p. 8). From the results, they found that concepts discussed in Hirschi’s social bond theory, did in fact affect deviant behavior. Those individuals with greater social bonds were found to be less likely to drive drunk, whereas those with less social bonds had a greater likelihood of driving drunk (Bouffard and Petkovsek, 2013, p. 17). The results of this study indicate that the concepts described in Hirschi’s social bond theory actually do have an effect on the deterrence of deviant behavior. Personally, I do believe that aspects of social control theory and social bonds can deter people from engaging in deviant behavior. It is not difficult to believe in any of the aforementioned theories, especially Hirschi’s components of social bond theory (attachment, commitment, involvement in conventional activities, and belief in social values), when there are many accounts of the life stories of major criminals out in the media. Most, if not all, serious crimes (murder, kidnappings, etc) are committed by people who grew up with bad parental figures, and strongly believed that they had no place in conventional society. This tied in with Thornberry’s concept of developmental changes across various stages of adolescence. When these individual do not have a significant attachment to family during their childhood, they have already begun rejecting some of society’s rules. This coupled with Laub and Sampsons assertion that social bonds increase an individualâ€℠¢s social capital which in turn restricts deviant behavior, almost guarantees a path of deviance for that individual. Furthermore, as Bouffard and Petkovesk’s study showed, social bonds really do have an effect on some types of deviant behavior. As previously mentioned, the readings have truly convinced me that social bonds play an integral role in the decision to participate in deviant behavior. References Bouffard, J.A., Petkovsek M.A. (2013): Testing Hirschis integration of social control and rational choice: Are bonds considered in offender decisions? Journal of Crime and Justice, doi: 10.1080/0735648X.2013.814547 Cartwright, B. (2011). Social Control Theory and Developmental Life Course Theories. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 207-209). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Cartwright, B. (2011). A Control Theory of Delinquency. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 211-213). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Cartwright, B. (2011). Turning Points in the Life Course: Why Change Matters to the Study of Crime. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 258-260). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Cartwright, B. (2011). Toward an Interactional Theory of Deviance. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 229-231). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Cartwright, B. (2011). The Origins of Social Control Theory Part 1. Retrieved from online tutorial site: http://media.pearsoncmg.com/pcp/1256315303/tutorial6/tutorial6.html Cartwright, B. (2011). Life Course and Developmental Theories Part 2. Retrieved from online tutorial site: http://media.pearsoncmg.com/pcp/1256315303/tutorial7/tutorial7.html Cartwright, B. (2013). â€Å"Social Control Theories.† Criminology 104 Lecture, retrieved from Simon Fraser University on-line lecture site. Hirschi, T. (1969). A Control Theory of Delinquency. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 214-228). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Laub, J., Samspon, R. (1993). Turning Points in the Life Course: Why Change Matters to the Study of Crime. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 261-282). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Thornberry, T. (1987). Toward an interactional Theory of Delinquency. In B. Cartwright (Ed), Sociological Explanations of Crime and Deviance (pp. 232-257). Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions.

The Benefits of Teaching Foreign Language in Elementary School Essay

The Benefits of Teaching Foreign Language in Elementary School The ultimate goal in many classrooms is to communicate in meaningful and appropriate ways (Slavit 1998). In the United States, American students get the opportunity to learn a second language in high school, yet it has been proven that children learn better when they are young. Some schools are taking this opportunity to teach a foreign language to elementary students. The United States may be the only nation where it's possible to complete elementary and secondary schooling without completing any foreign languages (Schulz 2001). In some countries, such as Lebanon, Asia, teachers within public elementary schools are required to teach two or three different languages, usually English and French, to their students. Many schools within European and Asian countries teach two languages to their students before they enter high school. In America, students are introduced to a foreign language in high school where it is difficult for them to master a second language (Naserdeen 2001). Newsweek ran an edition that was mainly about the importance of early learning experiences on brain development. They said that within the first three years of a child's life, there is a "window of opportunity", and second language learning should start taking place around one year of age. They also said that after ten years of age, a person is unlikely to ever speak like a native of the language would (Why 2001). Mantrel explains this as "Synapses or avenues in the brain are opened up by foreign language instruction when it is introduced at an early age. If languages are not introduced at an early age, these synapses are not accessed, and language learning is much more difficult to ac... ...ferent language have increased cognitive ability and exceed normal classroom expectations. This will also come in to play later on in their lives, and it will benefit the global economy, as everyone will better understand each other. It provides the learners with a competitive edge in the work force (Naserdeen 2001). When interviews were done at randomly selected elementary schools in the 2000/2001 school year, the students had positive things to say about learning another language. All of them said that they wanted to continue with their studies in languages. By bringing language studies to the elementary schools, this is helping society and the kids too. They will later benefit in life from this; also as one of the results, we will teach them to respect other cultures. Overall, teaching a second language in elementary education will definitely benefit everyone. The Benefits of Teaching Foreign Language in Elementary School Essay The Benefits of Teaching Foreign Language in Elementary School The ultimate goal in many classrooms is to communicate in meaningful and appropriate ways (Slavit 1998). In the United States, American students get the opportunity to learn a second language in high school, yet it has been proven that children learn better when they are young. Some schools are taking this opportunity to teach a foreign language to elementary students. The United States may be the only nation where it's possible to complete elementary and secondary schooling without completing any foreign languages (Schulz 2001). In some countries, such as Lebanon, Asia, teachers within public elementary schools are required to teach two or three different languages, usually English and French, to their students. Many schools within European and Asian countries teach two languages to their students before they enter high school. In America, students are introduced to a foreign language in high school where it is difficult for them to master a second language (Naserdeen 2001). Newsweek ran an edition that was mainly about the importance of early learning experiences on brain development. They said that within the first three years of a child's life, there is a "window of opportunity", and second language learning should start taking place around one year of age. They also said that after ten years of age, a person is unlikely to ever speak like a native of the language would (Why 2001). Mantrel explains this as "Synapses or avenues in the brain are opened up by foreign language instruction when it is introduced at an early age. If languages are not introduced at an early age, these synapses are not accessed, and language learning is much more difficult to ac... ...ferent language have increased cognitive ability and exceed normal classroom expectations. This will also come in to play later on in their lives, and it will benefit the global economy, as everyone will better understand each other. It provides the learners with a competitive edge in the work force (Naserdeen 2001). When interviews were done at randomly selected elementary schools in the 2000/2001 school year, the students had positive things to say about learning another language. All of them said that they wanted to continue with their studies in languages. By bringing language studies to the elementary schools, this is helping society and the kids too. They will later benefit in life from this; also as one of the results, we will teach them to respect other cultures. Overall, teaching a second language in elementary education will definitely benefit everyone.

Murdstones in Charles Dickens Great Expectations :: Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essays

Murdstones in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations I think the Murdstones are the two main villains in the story. Mr.Murdstone, step dad of David, he is evil, cruel and treats David harshly. He hates David and wants him out of the way. Mrs Murdstone, sister of Mr.Murstone also vicious and self-centred. Both of them together ruin the early childhood of David and have control of the Copperfield family. The sheer evilness of the Murdstones resulted in the death of David's mother-Clara, although at one point he did love Clara, but her pretty house and her income probably added to her attractions in his eye. I think worst of all the Murdstones tormented David both physically and psychologically. Dickens is very clever in describing the appearance of the Murdstones, it very much relates to their ruthlessness. He describes the eyes of Mr.Murdstones as "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. with his ill-omened black eyesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦." Already we are given a warning of impending disaster from the looks of his eyes. ". Shallow black eyeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an eye that has no depth in it to be looked into" This just shows the wretched character he is. As much as I hate the character, I noticed that Dickens have put a touch of gentleness to the character of Mr.Murdstone. This is stated when David notices his 'handsomer' side. "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In spite of my misgivings, a very handsome man." I think this description is very cleverly done. It makes the character more real and life like so we can relate to. It emphasizes "never judge the book by its cover". Miss.Murdstone, sister of Mr.Murstone, doesn't perform well either, description wise. ". Gloomy-looking lady she was: dark, like her brotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" This shows the similarities of the characters, not only connected by blood, but also by appearance and by heart. Jane Murdstone is stronger, colder, and more heartless than her brother. Dickens makes her seem inhuman by comparing her to metallic objects, especially locks, chains, and prisons. In a society where a spinster is a dependent creature, she uses her power over her brother to secure a home for herself. "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Hard lack boxesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" "Hard brass nail." ". Hard steel purseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" ". Jail of a bagà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦." ". Heavy chain." ". Metallic lady." All the above quotes describe the 'characters' of the things she carry and how they resemble her. The word "hard" have come up several times and so has anything that has got to do with it. This just shows how much wickedness she posses only in her belongings. I think the main feature in which Dickens expresses that really brings out the villainous of the characters are the things they do. Ever since entering the Copperfield household they have been controlling

Curfew Laws: Helpful or Harmful? Essay

Curfew laws are being carefully examined right now. Some adults believe that they are necessary and that they help curb adolescent crime. Others believe that they violate rights and don’t really solve the problem at all. To look at this issue more closely, there are two articles, one in support of curfew laws, and one against it. The first article is by David Knight, who is in support of curfew laws. There are strengths to his article. First of all, he is a police officer who has seen teen crime firsthand. He is also a parent, so he knows that kids may tell their parents one thing (i. e. â€Å"I’m going to Johnny’s house†) but really do another, intentionally or unintentionally. Knight is convinced that at night, teens can get into trouble because fewer people are watching them. Also, he says that teens who are out at night are likely behaving in ways that are disruptive, like violating noise ordinances and drinking underage. Knight points out that no one, regardless of their age, has the right to disrupt others and be publicly annoying. These are all good points. However, Knight fails to point out what effect, exactly, curfews have had on the juvenile crime rates. He also ignores other possibilities in combating juvenile crime, such as counseling or afterschool programs, or the parent’s role. While it is true, as Knight says, that some kids will lie to their parents, it is insulting and ridiculous to assume that all kids will lie to their parents. Knight glosses over this idea, and one has to wonder how much he trusts his own kids. The second article is by Colin Miller, who opposes curfew laws. The strengths are the statistics he cites – that most juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3 pm and 11 pm, with most occurring before 8 pm. He also states that afterschool programs have been shown to be far more effective in combating crime than curfews. Finally, curfews have cost cities a lot of money in increased police costs, money that Miller says could be used to fund afterschool programs and other ways to combat juvenile crime more effectively. Miller also says that curfews take away the parents’ rights, while making them more responsible for their teens’ behavior. The weaknesses of his article are that he doesn’t talk much about the actual effects of curfews on teens in the towns, he just says they are â€Å"ineffective. † He also doesn’t look at the law enforcement’s point of view much. I agree with Miller. Miller makes many more reasonable arguments than does Knight. Knight assumes that all kids are inherently bad, and that the only thing they would be doing on the streets is getting into trouble. While it’s easy to see how Knight would feel this way – he is a cop who deals primarily with teens in trouble – it is a false and troubling assumption about teens. Knight’s statement that all teens lie to their parents and that parents can’t control their kids without the law’s help is also ridiculous. This supposes no trust or respect between parents and kids, and many parents have raised their kids better than this. Miller recognizes that kids are often inherently good, and that those that aren’t are going to get in trouble just as much (and more) during the day as at night. Research has shown, as Miller states, that it is in the afterschool hours (when parents are still at work and kids are unsupervised) that kids are more likely to get in trouble, if they are going to get in trouble at all. What’s more, Miller is correct in saying that teens need the freedom to make choices if they are to learn to make good ones. Teens are nearly grown up, and if they can’t even choose to come home early (or to go to a good evening event, possibly at a friend’s house or at church), then how are they going to be entirely responsible for themselves in a year or two? Teens should be given more freedom as they grow up, not less. Finally, instead of punishing all teens who are out late at night, cops and the rest of society should worry about helping the teens who are in trouble, those who have already been in the system for doing something they shouldn’t. These teens need help, they need supervision, they need people to care about them and provide them with alternative activities. In general, money is much better spent on real crime prevention than punishing the innocent.

Motivational theories applied in the workplace Essay

Within this assignment I will be looking at the various motivational theories that organisations may use in order to more their workforce more efficient. The organisation I will look at is Tesco as they now employ over 468,000 employees worldwide and have adopted various methods in order to give their employees increased knowledge, skills and job satisfaction by using training and relevant rewards and recognition schemes. Motivation is very important within an organisation that relies heavily on their employees as this will determine how efficiently they work. Motivation can be given in many ways such as personal interest in the job they are doing or other factors such as rewards, other factors include recognition of hard work, a sense of achievement, responsibility within the workplace, opportunity of promotion and also a sense of challenge and enjoyment. By motivating employees in this way they will be able to work harder and achieve a high quality of work in less time. If this is applied within Tesco, the same task will take a shorter period of time meaning a reduced labour cost for the business. The first motivational theory I am going to look at is Taylor’s theory which suggests that employee’s main incentive to work is for money purposes only. Although Taylor’s theory is based upon a production line where workers are paid for each item that is produced which creates an incentive to work faster. Although this meant that work would be completed quicker, it may also lead to lower quality work. Some positive aspects of this theory include that people are able to work for longer periods, and workers feel rewarded for putting in more effort although negative features may include not being suitable to everyone as people may feel less secure in their job. This motivational theory has been adopted within Tesco in order to motivate their staff by offering incentives, these incentives are varied according to lifestyle and includes free shares, pension scheme, private healthcare and contract mobile phones. Tesco offer varied incentives so that every employee has something to work towards as there are different rewards for different people. Although one disadvantage of adopting this method within Tesco is that only the floor staff will benefit as it will relate to the amount of work they complete, whereas mangers do not have the same type of work and will miss out on the same rewards, this means Tesco must adopt multiple theories to suit all employees. The next motivational theory I will look at is the Hawthorne study which suggests that there were various factors which created motivation at work and this included; greater communication, good teamwork, showing an interest in others and ensuring work was non-repetitive. This is due to Elton Mayo suggesting that receptiveness will make employees bored and become less motivated. Which means employees should be given freedom to make choices within their workplace. Although a disadvantage of using this theory is that employees will not get any financial benefits such as bonuses. This is apparent within Tesco as communication within this company is an important factor in order to motivate staff, examples of this include 1-to-1 discussions between floor staff and managers and also with the use of the company’s intranet which is used to offer jobs to current employees before they go out to the public. Another motivational theory I will focus on is Maslow, which includes a pyramid style of motivation where basic or physical needs must be met before the other stages can be dealt with. The other stages include security within the business, social needs which include teambuilding and a sense of belonging between employees, self-esteem which may include promotions and also self-fulfilment that may consist of a constant challenge they face within the workplace. This motivational theory is used within Tesco to motivate all employees within the organisation, such as ensuring each worker has a regular monthly pay and the use of facilities such as a restaurant. The next stage Tesco focus on is the need for security at work, this is in the form of formal contracts of employment to ensure employees feel secure in the job they have taken, security within Tesco also includes pension schemes, union options and also health and safety within the workplace. In addition to this, the Herzberg theory is also used within workplaces such as Tesco, and this includes both motivators and hygiene factors. Some motivational factors that are used within Tesco include: 1. Achievement 2. Responsibility 3. Promotion 4. Growth Also including hygiene factors such as: 1. Pay and benefits 2. Company policy 3. Supervision 4. Job security 5. Working conditions Tesco uses each of these factors in order to motivate its staff by delegating responsibility and decision making which will help to improve the communication within the business and ensure staff are working to the best of their ability. Although by following these factors no social needs are looked into which can be important within a large business such as Tesco. The McGregor theory implies that workers are one of two types which are labelled theory X which include: 1. Individuals who dislike work and avoid it where possible 2. Individuals who lack ambition, dislike responsibility and prefer to be led 3. Individuals who desire security For Theory X workers in order to achieve organisational objectives, a business would need to include a management system, control and correct penalties where needed. And Theory Y workers can be described as: 1. Consider effort at work as just like rest or play 2. Ordinary people who do not dislike work. Depending on the working conditions, work could be considered a source of satisfaction or punishment 3. Individuals who seek responsibility The implications for Theory Y workers are that to achieve organisational objectives, various rewards can be used to motivate workers. Although in order for the workers to show development the workplace must create a working environment. The McGregor theory is used within Tesco by providing a management system for workers on the shop floor by offering one to one talks with their own sector manager which will help to establish objectives for their work and also gives the employees a chance to express any enquiries they may have about their job. The next theory I will look at is the McClelland theory which suggests that there are three main types of motivational needs: 1. The need for achievement 2. The need for authority and power 3. The need for affiliation. Tesco makes use of this theory as each employee and manager has differencing levels of needs, and this influences them within their working environment. Tesco do this by ensuring all employees feel a part of a group and a part of the company, this can be achieved by giving employees responsibility to complete tasks and also have a chance at promotion. The final theory I will explore is the Vroom theory which proposes that employees will work harder if they can see that the overall outcome of their work will benefit them more. This is shown using a formula that can be used to show how motivated someone is likely to be. Tesco are able to use this by offering greater rewards for the work that their employees complete, which may include additional discounts on all areas of the company such as food and electronics and also offering their employees’ private health memberships.

Comparative religion Essay

When classifying the world’s major religions they can easily be split up into two groups: Eastern religions and Western religions. The Eastern religions consist of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. The Western religions consist of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Almost all of these religions have come about within existing religious frameworks. Eastern and Western religions share many qualities while differing in many as well. Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism are monistic, meaning they see god in all things. The Eastern mind sees God everywhere, in all things, and sees everything as sacred. Their ultimate reality is an entity and not necessarily a god. â€Å"God† is not personal and not to be thought of as a brother or father, but as so much more. Eastern religions see one kind of reality. They view all beings as equal in value. The individual is not actually real and the separateness of humans from creation and from one another is an illusion to be overcome. Human nature is viewed as naturally ignorant and we better ourselves by being enlightened. Following dharma is the good life, which is being in harmony with universal order through personal duty. In Eastern religions, enlightenment is attained within the individual. In Buddhism, it is nirvana; In Hinduism, it is the yoga; In Taoism, it is wu wei. Reincarnation is a central belief; so some things are not that big of a deal, such as justice or injustice. They believe there is one true god and all religions speak of him. There are many paths to god. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic faiths, which mean they believe in one god. The Western mind considers it heresy to believe that God pervades all things, and makes a strong difference between what is sacred and what is profane. The god of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is a god of history not of nature, the world reflects him but he isn’t to be found in it. God is personal and tended to be thought of in terms of what we know, such as a father figure, etc. Western religions are dualistic, meaning there are two kinds of reality, material and non-material. It is viewed as heaven and hell. Each of these western religions believes that humans are here to submit themselves to god. There are sharp distinctions made between humans and the rest of the natural world. The individual is the same throughout eternity, and the separateness of humans from creation and from one another  is real and permanent. Human nature is viewed as sinful and we become better by taking control of our sinful nature. The good life is obeying the laws of god. In Western religions, enlightenment is attained through significant people conveying god’s word to the ordinary people. This occurred through the prophets Adam, Abraham, Moses, Muhammad, Jesus. There is only one chance at life, and this is probably why Western religions seem to have more emphasis on justice. They believe there is only one true god and one true religion and all non-believers will spend eternity in â€Å"hell.† Eastern and Western religions also share many traits. Each of the groups has come about within other religions. Buddhism grew out of Hinduism, and Christianity and Islam grew out of Judaism. Each believes there is more to reality than what we experience with our senses. Eastern and Western religions alike have specific creeds, guidelines, doctrines or orderliness. Hinduism has the Bhagavad-Gita; Buddhism has the four noble truths; Christianity has the Bible; Judaism has the Hebrew Bible and the Torah; and Islam has the Koran. In the texts of these religions, many of the stories are moral stories meant to help us and not always factual. In these Eastern religions, they all meditate and reach a state of enlightenment. These Western religions all pray to god and have faith that god will help and have mercy on them. Each gains a better sense of self although by different means. They each teach to have compassion, love your fellow man, help those less fortunate, and live the best life you can. The most important similarities would be the thought and knowledge of existence outside of our realities. Morals are also where they balance with each other. Man’s destiny is viewed by both groups as lying in his own hands. Man can choose to enlighten himself or save himself, or choose not to. These are the most significant views shared. This is where they share the most common ground. The most important differences would be that eastern religions see truth in all religions and western religions see truth only in their religion. The way natural things are viewed set the groups apart significantly. Eastern religions see everything having value and western religions see only people  having value and nothing else. Western religions have had prophets to speak god’s word. Eastern religions say everyone can reach ultimate reality. These are the ideas that separate eastern religions and western religions so greatly. There are some common themes in all religions. All religious beliefs allow us to understand and categorize our world and our place in it. There is value in all religions that honor life and individuals potential. They are all concerned with ultimate reality, only seen from different angles. A common theme is charity. All religions emphasize charity and helping out those who need it. Happiness is a common theme, which is what is drawn together from religious experience. Wisdom is attained as a result of religion and its practice. The Eastern religions could teach the Western religions tolerance. Western religions only see themselves as â€Å"right† and dismiss all other views. This is not easily justified and just reaffirms eastern thought that humans are naturally ignorant. So that alone discredits the assumption on the western part that they are â€Å"right.† The Western religions could teach Eastern religions about dualism. One could say that although this reality is a certain way, who is to say that the next or continual one will be similar? They could see dualism within the reality. My approach to religion was greatly affected by my upbringing. I was raised as a Baptist. I blindly followed just as all children do. When I reached the â€Å"Age of Reason†, I took a serious look at the faith and came to my own conclusions. I figure that if the way I learned it is the way that it is, then there is no use in practicing it. If god is vengeful and could damn me to hell for eternity, then I don’t want anything to do with him. That certainly does not sound Supreme to me. I have a hard time believing the doctrine that we were created for the sole purpose of serving him and fighting down the human spirit. I would rather try to see life as being something to enjoy and make the most of it. I am considered â€Å"agnostic† and do not know where most men are sure. I feel that most organized religion has been around to control and limit people. Eastern religions appeal to me  because they are not necessarily based on doctrine. I view all beings as equal, t ry to live a good life, and don’t attempt to speak of things that I cannot conceive. Religion is definitely becoming more of a tolerable subject among those who are intolerable. The persecution of religious groups seems to be slowing down, very slowly. The future of religion is identical to the future of human existence. As long as human beings are around, they will use religion to place themselves in this world and understand themselves. As humans, we tend to be very self-important and make ourselves feel better about ourselves, and give ourselves meaning so we do not feel that we do not have a significant place in the world.