Processing

Crystal Hoge Professor Jennifer Mullins Eng. 101 Bi-Term Processing Essay 29 October 2012 Bringing Baking Back from the Old Days Today's society has become all about convience and how to get everything done cheaper and faster. However, my belief is that you should only take convience so far. Convience shouldn't be brought anywhere near the kitchen. My favorite baked item is that of old-fashioned bread. I don't mean that pre-packaged bread that you pick up from your local grocery store.I'm talking about the kind of sweet smelling bread your grandma used to make on Sunday mornings before church. Included in this article are the ingredients and steps necessary to obtaining that delicious, sweet smelling homemade bread. The first step to baking is to aquire the desired recipe the recipe I will be following is the recipe for traditional white sandwich bread. (Yetter, Elizabeth) The required ingredients for this recipe for the recipe are as follows: * 1 ? cup room temperature milk * 1 Tbsp dry active yeast * ? tsp salt * 1 Tbsp softened butter 3 ? cups all purpose flour, or bread flour This recipe will only make one loaf and will take roughly three hours and fifteen minutes. This time includes baking and preparation time. Before starting your preparation, I highly recommend making sure you have all required ingredients, as well as any desired additional indregients. If you wish to have sweeter tasting white sandwich bread I recommend a tablespoon of honey. If you wish to make more than one loaf of bread, simply multiply the recipe. If you desire to make two loaves, double the recipe.If three loaves is what you want, quadruple the recipe. Doing so, however, may elongate the period of time it takes to cook and prepare the bread. Preparation is the next key step in making a successful loaf of bread. First, you will need a large bowl in which you will mix milk and yeast, adding sugar, salt, and two cups of flour at a time to ensure it mixes well. As a test, make sure the dough follows your spoon around the bowl. Next, lightly flour your recently cleaned and dried counter top and knead the dough for four minutes.The process of kneading is basically pulling apart and massaging the dough into a ball. After kneading the dough until smooth, grease a medium sized bowl and place the dough into into bowl. Turn the dough over so that both sides of the dough are lightly greased then cover the dough for one hour and place in a warm, draft-free place, such as a microwave and let rise. After the dough has doubled in size remove it from the covered bowl. Then lightly flour a cutting board. After flouring your surface place the dough onto it and knead for four minutes or until all the bubbles are gone.Once the bubbles are gone, shape the dough into a loaf and place into a greased bread pan. Then, once again cover the pan with a cloth and place back into the microwave and let rise for forty-five minutes. After the bread has doubled in size, uncover the pan and pla ce into a preheated oven of 350 degrees. Cook the bread dough for approximately forty-five minutes. A way to test the bread to see if it’s done is to knock on the top of the bread. If it sounds hollow when you knock on it, it’s done.Once you have verified that your bread is done, remove it from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. After your bread has cooled enough to touch, remove it from the bread pan and place on a cutting board. With a sharpened bread knife, cut the bread into even slices. Remember, your slices should be thick enough to hold a spread and a couple slices of sliced meat. However, it should also be thin enough to chew easily without straining your jaw. To ensure that your bread doesn’t get hard, store your bread in plastic storage bags.Bread made with milk usually has a softer crust than breads made with water. However, in any recipe for milk, you can substitue milk with water or visa versa. Now that you have properly mixed, prepared, cooke d, and stored your bread you should have a nicely browned, sweet smelling loaf of bread that Grandma used to make. Now simply dress your bread with your desired spread, meat, and vegtables, and enjoy! Works Citied Yetter, Elizabeth, White Sandwich Bread, About. com, 2012, Oct. 28, 2012

After the Order of Melchizedek

Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies Theological Seminary â€Å"After the Order of Melchizedek† A Term Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Course: THST 619 Doctrine of the Sanctuary by Ralph D Bock October 2009 Table of Contents CHAPTER 11 INTRODUCTION1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY4 DELIMITATION5 METHODOLOGY5 CHAPTER 27 TYPOLOGY OF JESUS AND MELCHIZEDEK7 WHAT IS TYPOLOGY? 7 WHO IS MELCHIZEDEK? 8 AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK10 CHAPTER 316 SUMMARY, FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION16 BIBLIOGRAPHY19 CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE PHRASE â€Å"AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK? † PSALM 110 SPEAKS ABOUT A PERSON WHO IS A KING AND A PRIEST, BUT IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL THERE WAS NEVER SUCH A KING. IT COULD BE THAT THE PSALM SPEAKS ABOUT A FUTURE KING-PRIEST. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT IT DEALS NOT WITH A HISTORICAL KING, BUT WITH THE MESSIAH. [1] The prediction of Jesus’ priestho od according to the order of Melchizedek indicated that the Aaronic priesthood was transitory (Heb 7 verses 11–14), and imperfect—that is, salvation from sin—was not possible through the Aaronic priesthood.This meant that God intended to change the priestly law, making it possible for one who was not a descendant of Aaron to become a High Priest. Once the new High Priest after the order of Melchizedek arrived, the typical priesthood would end (verses 15–19). Christ became priest, not on the basis of genealogical ties, but by a divine declaration. His priesthood is permanent because His life is indestructible. [2] This is called in biblical theology typology. Whether or not typology can legitimately be embraced in the interpretation of certain messianic prophecies is by far the most controversial question.One area of OT typology was that of typical individuals who served as prototypes both of other individuals within the OT and of Christ; in addition, the Melchizedek of Genesis 14:18-20 served as an individual type of the Messiah within the OT, as evinced in Psalm 110:4; and that the author of the Book of Hebrews utilized the Melchizedekian typology already employed within the OT canon to further his arguments for the supremacy of the priesthood of Jesus to that of the Levites. [3] Matthew Henry and et al. reference to Hebrew 7. that Melchizedek met Abraham returning from the rescue of Lot, Melchizedek’s name, â€Å"King of Righteousness,† doubtless suitable to his character, marked him as a type of the Messiah and his kingdom. The name of his city signified â€Å"Peace;† and as King of Peace he typified Christ, the Prince of Peace, the great Reconciler of God and man. Nothing is recorded as to the beginning or end of his life; thus he typically resembled the Son of God, whose existence is from everlasting to everlasting, who had no one that was before Him, and will have no one come after Him, in His priesthood.E very part of Scripture honors the great King of Righteousness and Peace, our glorious High Priest and Savior; and the more we examine it, the more we shall be convinced, that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. [4] There are strong parallels between Melchizedek and Jesus: both are the Sons of God, priest of the Order of Melchizedek, King of Righteous, King of Peace, appointed by God, eternal priesthood, and preexistent. Statement of the Problem The problem this paper espouses is embodied in the questions: What was so special about the order of Melchizedek?Why would God juxtapose the order of Melchizedek to that of Jesus if there where no credence to it? Significance of the study The study is significant because it will explore the intertextual study of Melchizedek in relation to Jesus Christ. The study is vital because it will contribute to the knowledge of bringing to focus the importance of Jesus’ priesthood as superior and more elevating and able to meet the needs of God’s people during the closing days of earth’s history. Purpose of the StudyThe main thrust of this paper is to provide a clearer view of the superior and excellent perception of Jesus’ priesthood as efficacious enough for the people of God. In reality, Jesus Christ is the only true priestly mediator between God and the human race. The priesthoods of Aaron and Melchizedek serve only as role models of Christ’s effective ministry. â€Å"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time† (1 Tim. 2:5,6). [5] DelimitationThe paper will be delimited to the few pericopes about Melchizedek in Genesis 14, Psalm 110 and the letter to the Hebrews chapter 7. Methodology This is a qualitative research that describes Melchizedek and Jesus’ priesthood from Jewish and Christian sources. Chapter 1 is a description of th e introduction that includes the significance of study, purpose and the delimitation of the research. Chapter 2 contains the literature review that extrapolates sources from Jewish, Christian, and non-Christian literature to expound on Melchizedek and Jesus’ priesthood as relevant to the plan of salvation.Chapter 3 is the conclusion with the focus on the summary and findings of the research work. Chapter 2 TYPOLOGY OF JESUS AND MELCHIZEDEK WHAT IS TYPOLOGY? Exactly what is a type? Theologically speaking, a type may be defined as â€Å"a figure or ensample of something future and more or less prophetic, called the ‘Antitype’†. [6] Muenscher says a type is â€Å"the preordained representative relation which certain persons, events, and institutions of the Old Testament bear to corresponding persons, events, and institutions in the New†. 7] Wick Broomall has a concise statement that is helpful: â€Å"A type is a shadow cast on the pages of the Old Tes tament history by a truth whose full embodiment or antitype is found in the New Testament revelation†. [8] We would, in summary, suggest the following definition, which we paraphrase from Terry: A type is a real, exalted happening in history which was divinely ordained by the omniscient God to be a prophetic picture of the good things which he purposed to bring to fruition in Christ Jesus.Who is Melchizedek? The identification of Melchizedek has been highly debated in the history of the church. Jewish tradition has identified Melchizedek with Shem, the son of Noah who, after the chronology in Genesis, survived the flood and lived at a time when Abraham was alive and was his contemporary for a hundred years. Christian tradition has proposed different interpretations to identify who Melchizedek was. Origen said that Melchizedek was an angel. Others have proposed that he was the Holy Spirit in human form.Many Christians, ancient and contemporary, have said that this is a classica l example of a Christophany in the Old Testament, that is, Melchizedek was Jesus Christ himself, who appeared to Abraham in human form. The concept of Christophany should be rejected because it contradicts the statement in the book of Hebrews that Jesus was designated a Priest after the order of Melchizedek. If Melchizedek was Christ then how could Christ himself become a Priest in the likeness of Melchizedek? [9] Ellen White wrote in the Review and Herald that it was Christ that spoke through Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God.Melchizedek was not Christ, but he was the voice of God in the world, the representative of the Father. And all through the generations of the past, Christ has spoken; Christ has led His people, and has been the light of the world. [10] Another view is that Melchizedek was a type of Christ. The typological interpretation suggests that the priesthood of Melchizedek was a type of Christ’s priesthood. As Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God, so was Jesus. As Melchizedek was a king, so was Jesus. Both Melchizedek and Jesus were royal priests.In the persons of Melchizedek and Jesus the offices of priest and king were combined. For this paper we are going to focus on the view that Melchizedek was a type of Jesus. After The Order of Melchizedek The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Ps 110,4). Unlike the ordinary priests, for whom it was possible to be of priestly descent and yet not actually function as priests (cf. Deut 18,6-8; Lev 21,17-23), the priesthood of Jesus priest was sworn unto Him by God Himself to be after the order of Melchizedek.He was not of any priestly descent inasmuch as he was not of the tribe of Levi, nor was he a priest in the sense of someone who was actually employed as a sanctuary attendant and was carrying out sanctuary duties on a day-to-day basis. However, his priesthood was more permanent and enduring than that of any othe r priest, since whether or not he was functioning in the sanctuary and ‘doing the job’ of priest, he was by definition a mediator between people and deity for the rest of his life. [11] Christ was a priest of God after the â€Å"order of Melchizedek† (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6,10; 6:20; 7:11,17).The word â€Å"order† (taxis) signifies an â€Å"arrangement. † In this connection, it means â€Å"of similar arrangement,† i. e. , the nature of, or â€Å"just like Melchizedek†. The meaning is this: in some sense the kingly-priesthood of Jesus would be similar in nature to that of Melchizedek. Note the reference to Psalm 110:4 above, and observe that Christ made the application of this Psalm to Himself in Matthew 22:43-45[12] It was not that Melchizedek was â€Å"without father, without mother† literally, or that he had no genealogical background.No, the truth being conveyed was this. Whereas the Aaronic priesthood resulted from being a part of a family line, i. e. , the descendants of Aaron, Moses’ brother, the priesthood of Melchizedek was bestowed directly by God. And it was precisely in this manner that the Lord Jesus was appointed as our High Priest; he did not inherit it by means of a physical lineage (cf. Hebrews 7:14). [13] In the Letter to the Hebrews, the author uses the figure of Melchizedek in his reflection on the salvation-historical significance of Jesus' life.Although there are probably original elements to his use of Melchizedek, much of what he affirms about Melchizedek is parallel or similar to what is found in Jesus. The author uses the view that his readers had about Melchizedek for the purpose of proving the superiority of Jesus' High Priesthood to that of Aaron and his descendents. His goal is to demonstrate that Christ's death brings the Levitical sacrificial system to an end. The figure of Melchizedek sees the unification of king and high priest into one individual. These two office s were separated in the Mosaic covenant and also later in the Davidic covenant.Moses led the people whereas Aaron his brother founded a high-priestly order; later, when God swore to David that he would establish his dynasty forever, the high priesthood belonged to the family of Zadok, who was a priest (from the line of Aaron). Melchizedek, in the author's view, prefigures the unification of two offices in one person, which should come to pass in the â€Å"last days. † To be a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek is to be both king and priest. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 0 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him. Abraham, the father of the Levites and the nation of Israel, paid tithes to Melchizedek and because of that, through Abraham, Levi also paid tithes to Melchizedek, so to speak. In doing so, not only was Melchizedek greater than Abraham, but greater than Levi and the priestho od that bore his name. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?The writer, having established the superiority of the priestly ministry of Melchizedek over the Levitical priesthood, now shows the superiority of the priestly ministry of Christ Jesus over both. Perfection, as we have seen in this paper, refers to salvation. Perfection is the New Testament sacrifice; it is salvation through the sacrifice of Christ, and the completeness of His entire work for the believer. In addition if the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law could bring a person into salvation, reconciliation and access to God, then there was no need for another priest to come after the order of Melchizedek.The fact that there was one who came after the order of Melchizedek proved the failure of the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law to provide a complete and comprehensive salvation that only Christ, our great High Priest, provides. It means that Christ was not a High Priest, as in Aaronic and the Levitical order (according to the law of Moses). The High Priesthood of Jesus Christ is of a higher order! Christ was and is a High Priest as Melchizedek; and not as Aaron or Levi. Note the following: 1. Melchizedek's position as High Priest was not dependent on ancestry†¦ either was Christ's. (7:14). 2. Melchizedek was not in a succession of many priests†¦ neither is Christ. (7:3). 3. Melchizedek's priesthood was higher than and separate from the Levitical order†¦ so is Christ's. (7:4-7). ? 4. Melchizedek was priest and king†¦ so is Christ! (See Zech. 6:9-15). 5. Melchizedek received tribute from Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation; this shows the superiority of Melchizedek's priesthood above the Levitical (which came out of the loins of Abraham). {See Gen. 14:18-20 with Heb. 7 :4}[14]. Chapter 3 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONTHIS CHAPTER DISCUSSES THE SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. Summary The replacing of the old priesthood with the eternal priesthood of Christ also meant a replacement of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, which was required. All of this was set up, executed and revealed by God, for the purpose of convincing the Jews – their old Levitical priesthood was now history. And it means that we have a High Priest and access to God! â€Å"For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.Who needed not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people; for this he did once, when he offered up himself. † (Heb. 7:26-27). â€Å"Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lived to make intercession for them,† (Heb. 7:25). Conclusion A careful reading of Hebrews 7 provides a lens for understanding the rest of the letter. Christ’s priesthood, its efficacy and our response, is the main theme of the letter, and this is expounded carefully in chap. 7, via the vehicle of Melchizedek.In the form of true Hebrew poetics, repetitions of references to Melchizedek lead the reader on a hermeneutical journey. However, also in good Hebrew form, what is left unsaid explicitly also colors the reading and understanding and makes the possibilities for interpretation even richer. [15] Recommendations After a careful analysis of the juxtaposition position of the Melchizedek’s priesthood and Priesthood of Christ, this paper proposes the following recommendation for further research: In examining the priesthood of Christ, does grace have any antecedents?What has Christ to offer up for the perfection of His Priesthood in heaven? Does Christ Priesthood offer any hope of salvation to the sinner? Bibliography BIRD, CHAD L. 2000. â€Å"TYPOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION WITHIN THE OLD TESTAMENT: MELCHIZEDEKIAN TYPOLOGY. † CONCORDIA JOURNAL 26. Booij, Thijs. â€Å"Psalm 110: â€Å"rule in the midst of your foes! † Vetus testamentum 41, no. 4 October 1991. Broomall, Wick. 1960. Baker Dictionary of Theology. Everett F. Harrison, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Carl F. H. Henry, eds. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. Bullinger, E. W. 1968. Figures of Speech Used in the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. Coleran, James E. The sacrifice of Melchisedech. † Theological Studies 1, no. 1 February 1940. Danker, et al. , Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000. Dunnill John, Covenant and sacrifice in the Letter to the Hebrews. SNTS 75; Cambridge, CUP, 1992. Edwardson, C â€Å"Bible facts concerning the Sanctuary and the Judgement†, Maplewood Press. Fitzmyer, Joseph A. â€Å"Now this Melchizedek† (Heb 7:1). † Catholic Biblical Quarterly 25, no. 3,July 1963. Gane, Roy â€Å"Altar Call† Daidem, 1999. Kobelski, P J. â€Å"The Melchizedek tradition. † Journal of Biblical Literature 96, no. 4 December 1977. Lefler, Nathan. The Melchizedek traditions in the Letter to the Hebrews: reading through the eyes of an inspired Jewish-Christian author. † Pro Ecclesia 16, no. 1,2007. Mariottini Claude, A Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Professor of Old Testament, Northern Baptist Seminary. Mason, Eric Farrel. â€Å"Hebrews 7:3 and the relationship between Melchizedek and Jesus. † Biblical Research 50 2005. Neyrey, Jerome H. â€Å"Without beginning of days or end of life† Hebrews 7:3 : topos for a true deity. † Catholic Biblical Quarterly 53, no. 3 July 1991. Paul, M J. â€Å"The order of Melchizedek Ps 110:4 and Heb 7:3. † Westminster Theological Journal 49, no. Spr 1987. Petuchowski, Jakob Josef. â€Å"The controversial figure of Melchizedek. † Hebrew Union College Annual 28, 1957. Review and Harold, Feb. 18, 1890. Rooke, D. W. , Kingship as Priesthood: The Relationship between the High Priesthood and the Monarchy, King and Messiah in Israel and the Ancient Near East. JSOTSS 270; Sheffield 1998. Songer, Harold S. â€Å"A superior priesthood : Hebrews 4:14-7:27. † Review & Expositor 82, no. 3 Sum 1985. Terry, M. S. 1890. Biblical Hermeneutics. New York, NY: Eaton & Mains. Thompson, James W. â€Å"Conceptual background and purpose of the Midrash in Hebrews 7. † Novum testamentum 19, no. July 1977. Walter R. Roehrs, â€Å"The Typological Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament,† Concordia Journal 10,1984: 204-216; William J. Hassold, â€Å"Rectilinear or Typological Interpretation of Messianic Prophecy? † Concordia Theological Monthly 38,1967. Warren E. Berkley, http://www. bible. ca/ef/expository-Hebrews-7. htm Were, Louis F. â€Å"The blotting out of sins† ————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [1] Paul, M J. â€Å"The order of Melchizedek (Ps 110:4 and Heb 7:3). â€Å"Westminster Theological Journal 49, no. 1 (Spring 1987): 195-211. [2]Raoul. Dederen, vol. 12, Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology, (electronic ed. Logos Library System; Commentary Reference Series Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2001, c2000), 390. [3]Bird, Chad L. 2000. â€Å"Typological Interpretation Within the Old Testament: Melchizedekian Typology† Concordia Journal 26, no. 1: 36-52. [4]Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Heb 7:1. [5]Dederen, Raoul, vol. 12, Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology, (electronic ed. , Logos Library System; Commentary Reference Series Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2001, c2000), 390. [6] Bullinger, E.W. 1968. Figures of Speech Used in the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. [7] Terry, M. S. 1890. Biblical Hermeneutics. New York, NY: Eaton & Mains. [8] Broomall, Wick. 1960. Baker Dictionary of Theology. Everett F. Harrison, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Carl F. H. Henry, eds. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. [9] Mariottini Claude, A Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Professor of Old Testament, Northern Baptist Seminary. [10] Review and Harold, Feb. 18, 1890. [11] D. W. ROOKE, Kingship as Priesthood: The Relationship between the High Priesthood and the Monarchy, King and Messiah in Israel and the Ancient Near East.JSOTSS 270; Sheffield 1998. [12] Danker, et al. , Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament,[pic] Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000, 989. [13] D. W. ROOKE, Kingship as Priesthood: The Relationship between the High Priesthood and the Monarchy, King and Messiah in Israel and the Ancient Near East. JSOTSS 270; Sheffield 1998. [14] Warren E. Berkley http://www. bible. ca/ef/expository-hebrews-7. htm [15] John Dunnill, Covenant and sacrifice in the Letter to the Hebrews. SNT S 75; Cambridge, CUP, 1992,

In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien: Theme Analysis

Tim O’Brien’s In the Lake of the Woods is centered around the mysterious disappearance of Kathy Wade. Mysterious is the key word, as throughout the novel O’Brien plays with the fine line between ambiguity and reality. Kathy’s husband John Wade, the main character, is a Vietnam veteran and former politician whose participation in the infamous Mai Lai Massacre caused his fall from grace. Following a landslide defeat in the congressional elections, Kathy and John retreat to solitude in an isolated cabin in the Minnesota woods. Here, O’Brien highlights the stress that secrecy has had on their relationship. During their retreat, Kathy disappears in the middle of the night. Their boat is missing, but there are no other clues. O’Brien does not reveal the truth behind Kathy’s disappearance; instead, throughout the novel, in several chapters entitled â€Å"Hypothesis,† he proposes potential solutions. O’Brien suggests that Kathy drowned in the lake, or John murdered her, or that she got lost on a deserted island. In the final hypothesis, which is both the most unsuspected and the most supported by the end of the novel, Kathy plans her disappearance. Weeks later, John too goes missing, and he and Kathy are together once again in an isolated world. While he leaves does not offer a conclusive verdict, O’Brien does support each theory with both evidence from John’s past and police evidence from Kathy’s disappearance. The basis of In the Lake of the Woods is the burden of secrecy and the effects of truth. Mysteries are plentiful, including John’s obsession with magic as a young boy, the hiding of the Mai Lai massacre, the deceit of politics, and the central mystery of Kathy’s disappearance. The connecting theme between all of these mysteries is that secrecy was a convenient way for John and Kathy to avoid facing the facts, but the burden of hiding the truth eventually proved to be too much. In the end, while the truth is ugly, it does manage to liberate John and Kathy. To highlight this theme, O’Brien constantly uses light imagery, namely the presence or absence of sunlight to differentiate between truth and mystery. O’Brien highlights several aspects of John Wade’s childhood to trace the mysteries that surround John back to his roots. As a child, John took an obsessive interest in magic, making frequent trips to â€Å"Karra’s Studio of Magic† to buy tricks, or illusions, as he called them. John used magic to escape from the verbal abuse of his drunken father, Paul, who frequently teased John for his weight. â€Å"After school, and on most weekends, he spent his free time down in the basement, all alone, no teasing or distractions, just perfecting his magic. There was something peaceful about it, something firm and orderly. (208) For John, magic was a way to avoid facing his problems with his father. To further avoid dealing with the alcoholism, John even tried to get rid of the liquor by replacing it with water. â€Å"Another little trick,† he said. (209) Both this trick and his magic tricks did nothing but increase the secrecy surrounding John’s turbulent childhood. When he was sober, Paul was a loving father, which is what John feverishly tried to imagine him as. O’Brien highlighted the difference between the sober Paul and the drunk Paul through the use of light imagery. John’s mother, Eleanor, said, â€Å"He’d just point those incredible blue eyes at you and you’d feel like you were under a big hot sun or something†¦Except then he’d go back to the booze and it was like the sun burned itself out. † (195) The presence of sunlight when Paul was sober and a loving father proves that that was the image that John chose to believe. On the other hand, Eleanor said the sun burned out when Paul drank. This was because John ignored this side of his father, instead opting to cover it up with magic and secrecy. In fact, John kept pictures of his father, his father’s empty vodka bottles and his father’s neckties alongside his magic equipment in his â€Å"box of tricks,† demonstrating that he had conceived an completely unrealistic relationship with his father in which magic and trickery acted as a facade to hide the drinking and verbal abuse. John was terrified of discovering the truth about his father. O’Brien explained that for John, â€Å"[Knowing] is to be disappointed. To understand is to be betrayed. † (242) While hiding the truth was convenient for John, the secrets piled up and ultimately proved to be too much of a burden. For as hard as John tried to cover up the truth, he always knew about his father’s drinking. â€Å"That was the worst part. The secret drinking that wasn’t secret,† O’Brien explained. (66) When Paul hanged himself, however, John was finally able to face the truth. He was still a child, and at the funeral he continually screamed in front of the entire procession, finally relieving himself of the burden of years of secrecy. While the truth of Paul’s alcoholism was not pretty, and was certainly less convenient to face than simply ignoring it, it was a significant relief for John. His mother explained: â€Å"I hate to say it, but it was a relief to have him out of the house. John and I, we both adored the man, but suddenly all the tension was gone and we could have supper without sitting there on the edge of our seats. † (97) Throughout the rest of John’s life, a similar process of hiding the truth and ultimately accepting it would repeat. As he progressed to the next stage of his life, as a young adult serving in the Vietnam War, John would bear a secret much heavier than his father’s alcoholism. While serving in the U. S. army, John’s battalion partook in the gruesome Mai Lai Massacre. An entire village, including hundreds of women and children, was wiped out with its inhabitants all murdered and buried in mass graves. Many victims were raped or tortured. In every reference to the massacre in In the Lake of the Woods, O’Brien purposefully describes the bright sunlight that shone over Mai Lai on that day. â€Å"In the sunlight, which shifted from pink to purple, people were shot dead and carved up with knives and raped and sodomized and bayoneted and blown into scraps. † (200) Here, O’Brien reveals the brutal truth, which is fittingly accompanied with sunlight. John, however, being quite the Houdini, would of course try to avoid the truth. John’s interest in magic continued into his adulthood. At night, obviously when the sun was down, he would perform magic tricks for his fellow soldiers, who called him â€Å"Sorcerer. † In fact, very few of them actually knew his real name. Even though John was more of a bystander than a participant in the massacre, he still refused to face the truth, even when one of his friends in the war tries to convince him that they can tell their story without repercussions. John was horrified by the massacre, and once again the terror of discovery caused him to turn to secrecy even though he obviously knew the truth. â€Å"Pure wrongness, [John] knew. He could taste the sunlight. It had a rusty, metallic flavor, like nails on his tongue. † By describing the unfavorable taste of the sunlight, O’Brien demonstrates John’s negative view of the ugly truth. Thus, similar to his use of magic to avoid facing his father’s alcoholism, John kept the massacre a secret. He was able to keep it a mystery to everyone around him until he became a politician, which fit in perfectly with the theme of In the Lake of the Woods. Like many politicians, John was an expert at manipulation, especially manipulation of the truth. He explained that, â€Å"Politics was manipulation. Like a magic show: invisible wires and secret trapdoors. † (35) But as he rose in status and ran for a seat in the Senate, it became harder to keep the secret. Much to the dismay of his campaign manager, Tony Carbo, John never even told him about the massacre. â€Å"Doesn’t say anything about the Vietnam shit—not to his wife or me or anybody†¦The guy was a magic man, keeping that stuff locked up inside, it must’ve driven him crazy sometimes. (196) Carbo was certainly correct, as the burden of keeping the massacre a secret became even worse than the truth. It affected his relationship with Kathy, who described a new darkness in his eye. When John ran for a Senate seat, the press discovered the truth about the Mai Lai Massacre. While it was horribly embarrassing for John and Kathy, they actually achieved peace with themselves. Patricia Hood, Kathy’s sister, explained Kathy’s cheerfulness during their last conversation before she disappeared. â€Å"She seemed so happy. Like she could finally relax and get on with her life. (182) John’s mood also lightened after news of the massacre broke, and he and Kathy took a vacation to the lake house where Kathy would soon disappear from. In the six days they had there before she vanished, John and Kathy were relieved and isolated from the rest of society. Throughout the novel, John and Kathy’s relationship is plagued by John’s tendency to hide the truth. Kathy is truly in love with him, but she struggles to deal with the constant lying. Early on in their relationship, in fact, John constantly spied on Kathy. He was completely obsessed with manipulating their relationship. As he rationalized it, â€Å"He was Sorcerer, after all, and what was love without a little mystery? † (45) This mystery took a toll on his relationship with Kathy, however. Kathy felt urges to leave John, as she grew tired of the constant secrecy and spying. She had a loveless affair with her dentist, Harmon, and in a typical nature, John chose to pretend like he was not aware that she was cheating on him. Kathy was both desperate for the truth and apprehensive about receiving the truth. To show this, O’Brien used light and dark imagery. In the middle of the night, Kathy had a â€Å"huge and desperate wanting in her heart. † (253) This desire is to end the lies that her relationship is based on, such as the spying, and the desire to stop John’s constant manipulation in politics. She frequently wakes up in the middle of the night because of the burden placed upon her by John’s lies, but she always feels more relaxed during the day. â€Å"It was just after six o’clock [in the morning]. Flakes of speckled light filled the kitchen. ‘Well, that’s better,’ she said. (14) At the same time, however, Kathy was still hesitant to leave the convenience of secrecy. While she was desperate to put an end to the lying, she worried that doing so would put an end to their relationship. John, however, was comfortable living in secrecy, or in the dark. â€Å"Wade lay back in the shade†¦Pleasant memories came to mind. Kathy’s laughter. The way she slept on her side, thumb up against her sleeve. He remembered the times back in college when they’d gone dancing, how she’d look at him in a way that made him queasy with joy. (183) Ultimately, John’s secrecy affected him, as it caused Kathy’s affair with Harmon. The lies finally came to fruition when the Mai Lai Massacre was unveiled and John’s career unraveled. John was able to accept Kathy’s unfaithfulness and he stopped spying on her. With the truth finally out, John and Kathy were relieved of the pressures on their relationship and they moved on. By going to the lake house in the woods, they were able to start anew with a relationship free from secrecy and manipulation. Soon after, however, they would be separated again. The central mystery of In the Lake of the Woods is Kathy’s disappearance. She left her bed in the middle of the night and took their boat out onto the lake. Fittingly, it is completely dark when she disappears, as once again the truth is unknown without sunlight. After weeks of searching, no one found her. Throughout the novel, O’Brien proposes four solutions to the mystery, all in chapters entitled, â€Å"Hypothesis. † The first three are the most plausible. Perhaps Kathy drowned in the lake, or was stranded on a small island, or perhaps she was even murdered by John. The police suspect the latter, since John is seemingly unaffected by Kathy’s disappearance. But in the final chapter, O’Brien proposes the idea that in one last magic trick, John and Kathy planned her disappearance, with John joining her later on. Bethany Kee, Kathy’s coworker, supported this theory. â€Å"Maybe they decided†¦Hard to say. But I know this much. She had the guts. And she wanted changes. † (297) Ironically, this â€Å"magic trick† would be the only secret that resulted positively. Having disappeared together, Kathy and John have faced the truth and are now at peace, even when the sun is down. And so one chilly evening he might have joined her on the shore of Oak Island, or Massacre Island, or Buckete Island. Maybe she scolded him for being late. All around them there was only wilderness, dark and silent, which was what they had come for. They needed the solitude†¦Maybe they spent the night huddled at a small fire, celebrating, thinking up names for the children they wanted—funny names, sometimes, so they could laugh—and then later they would’ve planned the furnishings for their new house. (300) Even though O’Brien never reveals what actually happened, this hypothesis is supported by the fact that John, who was madly in love with Kathy, was not fazed by disappearance. Out of all the hypotheses, it serves the central theme the best, as John and Kathy have been liberated by truth. In the Lake of the Woods is an excellently written book. O’Brien is ingenious, and he is always one step ahead of the reader. By leaving the ending inconclusive, O’Brien adds to the mystery of the book. While this could leave readers unsatisfied, it was the only way O’Brien could feasibly end the story. John Wade is an incredibly intriguing and dynamic character whose different sides show throughout various parts of the novel. O’Brien brilliantly intertwines elements of John’s childhood, time in Vietnam, time as a politician, and the present day. Every piece is connected, molding together into one, profound message. Sunlight imagery perfectly serves this message, and its subtle inclusion is well-used. In the Lake of the Woods is not the most satisfying book to read, but it is certainly a thrilling and thought-provoking work of high literary quality.

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Literature Review - Essay Example In addition, domestic politics and international politics are perceived to be dissimilar, and their structures are also quite dissimilar. Also, the domestic political structure is defined by the rule of which it is ordered, the specifications of its functions, and the distribution of its capabilities. According to the article, domestic political structure is centralized and hierarchical. Hierarchical means that there are specified rules that impose laws onto the followers. Also, society in the domestic sense is functional and ordered. There are no world leaders who pass total laws onto the citizens. Every state has its specified rule and ideas on what it wants to undertake. The globe is disconnected because of the lack of an overall government. The author brings up a comparison to the economy to highlight how international political structures emerge even in their anarchic state. Waltz states that units’ own interests are individual and spontaneous in origin. Units converge wi th similar ones to enhance their productivity. In the existing world, this is consistent with the fact that some states unite with others for reasons such as security and safety. They are looking for their stability by depending on a different state. It is also argued that international political structures are found on the basis of states because states are the most significant actors in the world of politics. States play a tremendous part in foreign relations, foreign policy, and trade, so international politics is found on the basis of the states. Particularly, international politics resemble units and states following identical patterns of actions. Finally, it is argued that anarchic or international forms, similar to states or units interrelate with one another, while in hierarchic or domestic forms, different states or units interact (Waltz 47). Contribution to the Field The article has contributed to the field in a number of ways. The article explains that not all states are identical in their views of how international politics should be handled or in their forms of government. It also explains how different nations do not fight one another. This is achieved through the employment of power. In the view of the article, the states with the most supremacy are those with the utmost capabilities. This means that the whole structure of the political system can be altered with modifications in the capabilities of specific states. For instance, a country like Britain has sufficient technology, money, military arms, and intelligence. These are all the essential capabilities to solve problems or take over small nations (Waltz 38). The article shows that a state’s capacity to achieve so much is what gives the state power. In addition, the only way significant things can be achieved is by states with magnificent capabilities. This is one of the foremost reasons countries such as the United Stated of America and Britain get involved in peacekeeping missions in countries, for example the Middle East, Bosnia, among others. These unsafe states tend to battle more because they are not sure about other states. The article helps the students in the field to understand the actions of powerful states. Because these states are the most powerful and secure in the world, it is their responsibility to keep the world stable and satisfied (Waltz 39). It explains why they have the

Investment Appraisal for Miggy and Brothers Co Essay

Investment Appraisal for Miggy and Brothers Co - Essay Example MBC is considering three alternatives as replacements: model A which will be sourced from the United States; Model B which is a British machine; and model C which will be imported from France. All of these machineries cost $100,000 and are seen to improve the production efficiency of the company and reduce the costs incurred in manufacture. As these are new machines, MBC will be hiring and training personnel who will operate the new equipment. Exact amount is not yet determined but Model C, in particular is expected to incur the highest training cost since the machine is least user-friendly. Models A & B have local dealer which agree to maintain and repair the machines for MBC. In the case of Model C, MBC needs to seek French manufacturers to service the machine in case of emergencies. The choice between the three machines under consideration can be justified by utilizing tools which tests the profitability of each investment. Three of the most frequently used assessment tools will be employed in MBC decision making. These are payback period, net present value analysis, and internal rate of return analysis. Aside from the quantitative data given by the management, this report adjusted the figures to enhance the rationale of the choice. In this regard, the salvage value of the old machine to be replaced is reflected as cash flows in Models A, B, and C. It should be noted that as the acquisition of the new machine will entail discarding the old, all options will benefit from the revenue of selling the old one. Due to equity considerations, this report opted to disregard the salvage value of the three machines on the sixth year. Since the salvage value of Models B and C cannot be determined, it is more rational to omit the revenue to be derived from the future sale of the machines. 3.1 Payback Period The payback period is one of the simplest ways in ascertaining the feasibility of an investment. This tool is used to determine the length of time that the company can recoup its cash outlay (Keown, et al, 2005). Table 2 shows the computed payback period for the three options. Table 2. Payback Period Computation From the above computation, Model A has a payback period of 4 years while the company's investment in Models B and C will be recouped within a shorter period of three years. 3.2 Net Present Value Net Present Value (NPV) is the difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows (Keown, et al, 2005). Table 3. Net Present Value Computation Table 2 shows the computation for the NPV of the three machines under consideration. Model A has an NPV of 6,434 while Models B and C generate discounted cash flows of -7,299 and 16,455, respectively. 3.3 Internal Rate of Return The internal rate of return is the cost of capital which equates the NPV to zero (Keown, et al, 2005). Table 4 shows the different IRR for each model as computed by Microsoft Excel. Consistent with the NPV analysis,

The Israeli Wall Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Israeli Wall - Research Paper Example It has also taken a lot of international assistance to bring the situation to an end but this has not been so productive in that all the opportunities to enable the two sides come to a conclusive solution has always been lost because of one way or the other. One of the most spirited international efforts to bring peace in the war torn area was in the 1993 when Oslo accord was signed to pave ways for the two warring sides to strike a deal in ending their differences that has resulted to humanitarian crisis in the area. The Oslo accord was secretly discussed in Norway and the agreements officially signed in the US, Washington DC in the Presence of the then US president Bill Clinton but because of the Intifada war that followed, the intention of the accord hit a dead end and no conclusive resolution was reached. What is the Israeli Wall? Following the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians over Gaza and West Bank, the areas have been demarcated, thought without any consensus from the parties involved, which territory belongs to the Israel and that which belongs to Palestine. The demarcation has always not been taken as a fair consideration by the Palestine and they have developed over time a tendency of advancing terrorism activities in the Israeli infested areas resulting into cycles of casualties year round (Gelvin 62). To avert this notoriety, the Israeli decided to construct a barrier wall that will delimit the Israeli and the Palestine so that they are cushioned form their terrorist activities that have been very devastating. The construction of the will is estimated to be about seven hundred meters long and about eight meters tall consisting of concrete wall, 90% of the constructed wall is an inhibiting fence with a vehicle-barrier trenches that is surrounded by about 60 meter area of wide exclusion area (Gelvin 67). With the reference made by the Israeli human rights organization, they conform that the barrier wall is concentrated in the West Ba nk area and extends along the 1949 armistice line that is between the Israeli and Palestine side of the West Bank. The Israeli wall is not a surprise, they have previously constructed the Gaza strip barrier that delimits Israel and Egypt, and this was constructed in the 1994 and was concluded in 2005 (Kershner 49). The Israeli has developed the tendency of secluding themselves through the barrier wall in cases of foreseeable attack by their enemies. Israeli’s Justification On their side regarding the construction of the wall, the Israeli have insisted that providing protection to their civilian is their responsibility in whatever cost and will do all that is possible to ensure that their civilians are not under coercion, pressure or threats from any quarter and to be specific, the Palestinian terrorism activities. They confirm that since the onset of the second Intifada, the Palestine has attacked the Israeli civilian in several occasions by suicide bombers and that needed to be put under stringent check, otherwise, it was going to be out of control. They say the attacks they have witnessed form the Palestinians since the second Intifada justifies the construction of the wall for the purposes of their civilian protection (Semmerling 104). The Israeli also confirms that since the beginning if the wall’s construction, there has been a significant reduction in the number of the suicide attack from Palestine. With

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 34

Essay Example This study will focus on one nation, the Iroquois, as a prime example. The Iroquois people, who called themselves Haudenosaunee envisioned their Nation as being one giant family. In truth they created a governing body that was a family of nations. The name, Haudenosaunee, which is used to refer to this Iroquois nation, means literally, "People of the Longhouse." They built long houses that were large structures creating a long hall and became the meeting place for local and distant chieftains and other dignitaries to speak, make laws, give announcements, etc. Some of these structures were hundreds of feet long for meeting of all the nations, while single villages’ were less than fifty feet in length. However, the width and height of longhouses varied only slightly. Haudenosaunee longhouses were usually between twenty and thirty feet wide and the apex of their roofs were generally between eighteen to twenty feet high. The true center of longhouse family relationships revolved around the fireside family. (Johnson, 2003, p. 12) In fact their many c enturies old culture may have actually been the first congress of democracy in the America’s long before the Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution. The Iroquois Nation was bound together by what is probably the worlds first constitution, known as the Gayanashagowa (Great Law of Peace). They are also touted as being the first true participatory democracy on the planet. (Benner, 2005, p. 32) They formed a United Nations among themselves. While our very recent constitution states that â€Å"all men are created equal,† in practice if certain people have something you need and do not want to give it up, then suddenly they are no longer people, savages and not men, but animals. While there had always been many disputes over the Native American, the Iroquois would find that in 1785 New York and its then Governor, George Clinton, along with a company called The New York Genesee

Bullying and Zero Tolerance Policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Bullying and Zero Tolerance Policies - Essay Example From this table we can see that parents are not particularly satisfied with the solutions they have experienced and they would like to try out the zero tolerance policy. Also, we can see that there have been many instances where their children have been targeted to bullying activities and have been the victims. Parents are more willing to try out zero tolerance, and believe that it would work more effectively and efficiently. We can see that a higher percentage of parents think that their children are the victims instead of them being the bullies. Thus, from this we can easily say that parents have a biased opinion towards their own children. Parents think that of zero tolerance policy was to be introduced their child would engage less in such behavior but it is not fro sure that this is what would happen. The bullies could retaliate to this policy which would result in higher bullying activities. One major limitation is that the sample size is not large enough to make generalizations. Students hold very differing views than parents. The children admit that they have engaged in bullying behavior more often than they have been a victim. The children agree that a zero tolerance policy would work and they would engage in bullying behavior less if it were to be followed. ... The bullies could retaliate to this policy which would result in higher bullying activities. One major limitation is that the sample size is not large enough to make generalizations. The Student's Perspective The students were asked the same questions as the adults. Questions Percentage say 'YES' Percentage say 'NO' Have you ever been the victim of bullying Have you engaged in bullying behavior Were the bullying incidents in which you were involved resolved to your satisfaction Do you feel that a zero tolerance policy towards bullying would help to prevent future episodes of bullying Would you be less likely to engage in bullying behaviors if there was a zero tolerance policy Would the potential negative consequences of a zero tolerance policy which does not take into consideration any special circumstances outweigh the potential benefits of such a policy 35 19 51 38 57 53 65 81 13 62 43 47 DiscussionStudents hold very differing views than parents. The children admit that they have engaged in bullying behavior more often than they have been a victim. The children agree that a zero tolerance policy would work and they would engage in bullying behavior less if it were to be followed. This may be because the zero tolerance policy is something that they fear because if the child is caught bullying he is scared that he would be expelled from school and his/her parents might find out. Limitations As we have seen zero tolerance being introduced for other problems such as school shooting and drugs, children who are determined will continue to carry out wrong behavior. In this way this policy may not work as students may not take it

If saudi Arabia a person what it should be what would you like to Essay

If saudi Arabia a person what it should be what would you like to change in Saudi Arabia and why - Essay Example The person would be fond of eating and would be regular customer of world’s largest and most variant cuisines. The person would be particularly fond of dry fruits, specially dates. The person would always dress in the traditional white cloak and would preferably communicate with others in Arabic. One thing that I do not like about Saudi Arabia is the fact that the native people of Saudi Arabia show very little interest in learning a second language. A vast majority of the native people know no other language but Arabic. This makes it very difficult for the foreigners to communicate with them. Linguistic barriers are the biggest hindrance in the way of development of rapport between the native people of Saudi Arabia and the foreigners. It is very good and essential for a nation to give due importance to its own language, but government should take measures to make people learn at least one second language i.e. the international language like English so that they may also commun icate with the outer world.

Chain reaction by tere Martinez Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chain reaction by tere Martinez - Essay Example The play itself focuses on Antionia Pantoja, a community leader from Puerto Rica and her life’s work. The relationship between Pantoja and her mentor Frank Horne is another key example of mentorship within the play. The two share the same passion and drive, wanting to fight for rights and freedoms. He encourages her plans and this gives her the strength to succeed. With his support, she builds the ASPIRA, a group and a community that supports one another. Through ASPIRA she taught students ways of solving problems, determining what the issues were in their life, the causes and how to go about solving them. In addition, it focused on the cultural background of Puerto Ricans, encouraging them to embrace rather than ignore their heritage. A second relationship of importance in the play is that of Yoiaira and Professor Ramos. Yojaira is a 19 year old student studying at Hostos Community College. She is sarcastic, feeling that she is unable to succeed. While she dreams of being a scientist, she rejects Ramos’ suggestions that this is possible, instead deciding to follow her mother’s desires to be a dentist. Yojaira talks to Ramos about her personal life, the problems that she is experiencing and her plans for the future. It is through this relationship of trust and friendship that Ramos is able to help Yojaria. Because of Ramos’ influence, Yojaira finds in herself the desire to be someone different and it is this desire that causes her to call Hector and agree to meet him. A final crucial relationship within the play is that between Hector and Pantoja. Hector was a member of the ASPIRA group that Pantoja had developed and encouraged. Because of Pantoja’s encouragement, Hector followed a career path that everyone else in his life told him was not possible. Through Pantoja’s work and encouragement he gained substantial strength in himself, and found that he did not have to be ashamed of his heritage, or become an

Human Resource Management for Tourism, Sports and Creative Industries Essay

Human Resource Management for Tourism, Sports and Creative Industries - Essay Example ative sector relies on recruiting and retaining the appropriate volunteers in the workplace whereas in HRM in Tourism Industry relies on the effective HR practices. However, today human resource in tourism, sports and creative industries are facing the challenges in recruiting, retaining the committed employees and motivating the skilled workers in the workforce, which is focused on offering high quality service to the customers (Armstrong, 2009, p.4-5). Before starting the discussion on how effective human resource management could contribute to the success of event industry, Bratton and Gold (1990) have done a critical analysis on the theory and practices of HRM in the areas of performance management, recruitments and selection and training and development. In the present day globalization, the different areas of industry have undergone a sea change. The Chinese companies are facing the competitions with American companies; the American companies are facing the competitions with the Europe, India and everywhere. There is no monopoly. Hence, for the survival of any industry a high degree of professional management is required at every stage of processing. However, HRM is the vital question that is to be applied at all event management, and there are various types of event industry, which might be either Tourism or can be Sports or anything. The span of activities of HRM starts from the scope of work to the management of international human resources. The literature of Human Resource Management Journal by Bratton and Gold had presented the hard and soft skills of the HRM in different fields of HR practices. The hard skills of HRM focus on the business and the HR strategy in order to help the organization achieve its company strategic goa ls. On the contrary, the soft skill emphasizes on the training and development of the unskilled employees. However, HRM for Tourism, Sports and Creative Industry plays an essential role in the corporate, professional, social and

The Invisible Hand Theory Essay Example for Free

The Invisible Hand Theory Essay â€Å"The Enquiry to the Nature and Cause of wealth and Nation† by Adam Smith is one of the well-known influenced books in the economy. As express on the title of the book, it shows Adam great interest on wealth condition of a nation. He doesn’t locate the wealth on natural resources and climates but in division of labor and the â€Å"Invisible Hand† within competition of free-market. In Vietnam, healthcare, education and retirement services are opaque and inefficiency due to State monopolization. So by applying the â€Å"Invisible Hand† theory to Vietnamese market, it would be a shift of local economy. The theory â€Å"Invisible Hand† In the book â€Å"The Enquiry to the Nature and Cause of the Wealth of Nation† by Adam Smith, he expresses three arguments: the Economizer Argument, the Local Knowledge Argument and the Invisible Hand Argument. (Otteson and Meadowcroft, 2011:99) [1] â€Å"Invisible Hand† is the term which is rarely mentioned in Adam’s work but has great influence in modern economy. In details, he wrote: â€Å"†¦Every individual necessarily labors to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Smith, 1950: 9) [2], that simply means the entrepreneur is motivated by self-interest to satisfy their need but unintentionally by doing so, at the end it not only benefits himself but also to other people. People act unintentionally with local purpose in mind but it does not only to them. In contrast, Smith believes that it also includes concern about family and friends as well. Smith describe people as economizers and who want to save their time and energy while try to get enormous return of investment (Otteson and Meadowcroft, 2011:99). People use energy more efficiently benefits not only themselves but others. Since people are allowed to focus on narrow range of activities, it creates surplus in goods which they can sell or trade on the market. Furthermore, other locals may interest and imitate that so it saves time and energy for them as well. Another point is that when division of labor is accepted and people allow specializing or concentrating on their task, it will unleash hidden human ingenuity as mentioned on Prof. James Otteson’s interview Adam Smith: The Invisible Hand, 2011 [3]. For instance, entrepreneurs will figure out better ways to do things to satisfy their interest. In order to create opportunity for specialization, free up of market is essential. The competition between buyers and seller is motivated by profit for individuals, as the result both sides have to improve their products and reduce selling prices. This process of attracting customers is leading by the â€Å"Invisible Hand†. Generally, external forces such as Government interventionism is unnecessary because economy can be sustain under guidance of â€Å"Invisible Hand†. Overall, Smith saws creation of the free market as resources of higher standard of livings. (Morgan, 2010:23)[4] To sum up, the â€Å"Invisible Hand† shows that innovation and free market can generate specialization and productivity therefore improves living standards. Positive negative attributes One benefit of the Invisible hand is that it can guide free market through competition for scarce resources therefore benefits everyone since not only it makes the firms produce more quality resources but also enhances variety of products in the market with cheaper prices. (Otteson and Meadowcroft, 2011:89). As this process is repeated in other industry, people will enjoy buying as well as increase their living standards. Even though it is possible that the Invisible Hand can improve living standards but Adam Smith’s ideas only suitable for capitalism for free-market period. Later, when the economic crisis happens, people need visible hand of government intervention to balance the economy. Another disadvantage shows in total free market dominant the market by State-owned enterprises. Petrol in Vietnam for instance, Petrolimex holds nearly half of the market shares and it betrays the principle of free market. Lastly, division in people values will be deeper. (Vietnamnews, 2013)[5] Summary newspaper article Title: Public expects better quality service The author suggests that Government should â€Å"play as regulatory and supervisory role† in management of healthcare, education and retirement. In Vietnam, Government is still a major public service provider so that service users have very few options to choose. In addition, according to a survey made by Central Institute for Economic and Management, public services are facing low efficiency in allocating the funds as well as little engagement with non-State sector. As the result, quality provided remains low. In order to solve the problem, Nhung, a supervisor from Institution, suggests that â€Å"public sector should only do what private sector is unable to do† which also means open up the market for private sector to provide public service. Relevance Opaque, corruption and inefficiency Low efficient services provided by the public sectors is the fact that local people facing every day. Not only healthcare, education and retirement are State monopolized but also petrol market such as Petrolimex. Since the mid 1980s reform period, Vietnam has change from planned economy to a Socialist-oriented market economy but state sector still accounts about 70 percent of total economic activities in Vietnam. Moreover, the sector hasn’t been seen in good health in recent years. For instance, economic scandal, giant Vinashin which announced $4. 4 billion losses which is the biggest lost to the national budget (France24, 2013) [7]. Return to the healthcare system, most Vietnamese have to pay health services out of their own pocket even though it’s public service. There is another fact that patients have to bribe the doctors or they will put him in waiting list for treatment. Opaque, corruption and inefficiency exist in public sector due to lack of competition in the market. â€Å"Public sector should only do what private sector can’t do† Private healthcare or private operators may be more innovative in telemedicine which is use telecommunications to provide patients with clinical healthcare at a distance. Due to profit motive, they can be very productive while public sector meets limitation in funds so leads to low quality services and number of researches. In that case, instead of monopolizing the market, public sector should play as supervisory role as Ms Nhung said (Vietnamnews, 2013). But there is negative affect if market is open for private sector; quality of services in Vietnam highly depends on remuneration for doctors and staffs. Consequently rich people will get better services than others and that creates division in people values. Recommendations If free market is apply, private healthcare has to be more carefully regulated to ensure that it achieves national standards as well as safety, value, and efficiency. Similarity, State should have taxes, standards and a legal system to encourage the free market to operate quickly. New technology can be used in administration of hospitals. Conclusion  Even though Vietnam did change to Socialist-oriented market economy which is partly open-market, the public sector still suffers from â€Å"long illness†. It let a web of state own firms control the economic and stubbornly resistance to change. Note that free market mention by Adam Smith is base of capitalism so it can create also a political issue when trying fully applying it to Vietnam despite the fact that competition does enhance quality of services. On the whole, I would call Vietnamese market is a partly free-market since it encourages private sector in some industry but monopolizes in a few like petrol or electricity.

George Orwell and Langston Hughes

George Orwell and Langston Hughes George Orwell and Langston Hughes Both George Orwell and Langston Hughes had external and internal pressure in their stories. With their stories â€Å"Shooting an elephant† and â€Å"Salvation† this paper will compare and contrast the two authors. This will be done by relating the authors stories to Milgrams Experiment, which was a series of social psychology experiments conducted by Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram, which measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience. â€Å"Perils of Obedience,† written by Stanley Milgram shows that a majority of society supports authority figure regardless of their own personal ideals. Milgram says to the reader, â€Å"For many people, obedience is a deeply ingrained behavioral tendency, indeed a potent impulse overriding training in ethics, sympathy, and moral conduct† (Milgram). Both Orwell and Hughes provide incidents that support Milgrams findings. Orwells story â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† can be used as an example for Milgrams because Orwell knows he does not have to shoot the elephant, yet he does it anyway. Throughout the story Orwell is increasingly pressured to kill the elephant by the Burmans because the elephant had killed a person. As the story is read one can start to see the connection of Milgrams experiment to Orwell shooting the elephant to save his own life. Orwell can see the rage the Burmans have toward the elephant because it killed a person, and knows he must kill the ele phant to please the Burmans. In this quote, The people expected it of me and I had got to do it: I could feel their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly† (LMR 143), One can see to force which is pressed upon him. Hughes shows himself as a little boy at a church revival where he show are own behavioral tendencies toward obedience. When Hughes is at this revival his has pressure not only to make everyone in church happy but to also please his aunt by being saved by Jesus. During this time all the adults are going around the church sing different song about being saved so that the children will be saved and as children start to get up he is felling more and more pressure until there is only him Westley. Westley decides to get up and lie just so he could go home. This act gave Hughes a way to be obedient to the church and his aunt. Hughes got up and said he had been saved to so everyone would like him. This story is the perfect example of how a person can have so much pressure that he must be obedient and lie to save himself. Both stories can be said to connect to Milgrams experiment, but only one of the characters could have chosen another way of doing things. While Hughes would no matter what had to have sat up eventually, Orwell did not have to shoot the elephant at all he could have walked away from the whole thing and been fine. Hughes knew that if he did not get up that the church and his aunt would be disappointed. The type of pressure should never be put on a child because they think if they do not do it the way adults want it they will not be loved. Orwell could have been attacked by the burmans but only by shooting his rife in the air would probably get the crowd to disburse. â€Å"The dilemma inherent in submission to authority is ancient, as old as the story of Abraham, and the question of whether one should obey when commands conflict with conscience has been argued by Plato, dramatized in Antigone, and treated to philosophic analysis in almost every historical epoch†(Milgram). With the conflict of obedience so old there is no question as to why George Orwell and Langston Hughes went against their own thoughts and just did what everyone else wanted them to do. Work Cited Milgram, Stanley. The Perils of Obedience. (1974): n. pag. Web. 26 Nov 2009. .

Affirmative Action Is the Wrong Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasi

Affirmative Action Is the Wrong Action The United States of America has long been a country divided by race. Hate has pervaded her existence since her conception, and now today’s society is forced to deal with those issues. Minorities have suffered at the hands of the white male majority for centuries as the social activities of the old war were brought to the new colonies, only to ferment and continue to affect the lives of all who lived within her borders. There is no doubting that this continued discrimination is a problem; however, the question arises with how to deal with it. Legislation has been passed to remedy the situation, yet has been seemingly ineffective. Affirmative action has caused problems without fulfilling its purpose. The downfall of affirmative action is that it is the wrong action; the United States society has problems, including an underlying tension of hate, but they cannot be fixed by the government’s laws; they will be fixed when society changes how it views its members. Affirmative action was put into affect with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Eastland 22). The purposes of affirmative action are noble at best-in theory they would serve to end the discriminatory practices so rampant in the American society. The goals were to repair or negate the effects of past discrimination, move towards diversity in both the private and public sector, to encourage representation in the work force, and to increase the economic levels of both women and minorities (Doverspike 3). The outlined goals of affirmative action are what we need for this country. The United States society needs to change the way it sees and treats its citizens. The methods that affirmative action uses, however, are not conducive to ac... ...l Perspective. Vancouver: The Fraser Institute, 1982. Doverspike, Dennis, Mary Anne Taylor, and Winfried Arthur, Jr. Affirmative Action: A Psychological Perspective. Huntington: Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2000. Eastland, Terry. Ending Affirmative Action: The Case for Colorblind Justice. New York: Harper Collins, 1996. Puddington, Arch. â€Å"Affirmative Actino Should Be Eliminated.† Affirmative Action. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. 70-83. Rosenfeld, Michel. Affirmative Action and Justice: A Philosophical and Constitutional Inquiry. New Haven: Yale. 1991. Skrentny, John David. The Ironies of Affirmative Action: Politics, Culture, and Justice in America. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Urofsky, Melvin I. Affirmative Action on Trial: Sex Discrimination in Johnson v. Santa. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1997.

Essay --

The Colosseum or Coliseum was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. The building was constructed by the emperors of Flavian dynasty, following the reign of Nero. The name ‘Colosseum’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Colosseus’ meaning colossal (‘Facts about the Colosseum’, n.d.). It was the largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire and in the world (Guinness World Records, 2013). It was also considered as one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. The Colosseum could hold between 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. (William, 2005) It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as animal hunts, mock sea battles, executions, reenactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building is used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for different purposes such as housing, workshops, a Christian shrine, a fortress, a quarry, and quarters for a religious order (à ¢â‚¬ËœBBC's History of the Colosseum p. 1’ ,2012). Historical Aspect The Colosseum was built after the Flavian dynasty of Emperors including Ves...

Animal Farm Book and Movie :: Compare Contrast Animal Farm Essays

Animal Farm Book and Movie   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Animal Farm is a novel about farm animals running a farm and becoming self sufficient. It is a story with great detail and is a very good book to read because of it surprising events. If you have seen Animal Farm the movie, you would feel completely different. The movie has far less detail and events to make it as interesting as the book. Though the story is basically the same, the lack of details makes the movie dull.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One thing that can make a book good is characters. In the book, there were many more animals in the farm. The movie did not show many animals except for the main animals. Even thought this is a small difference, it can be noticeable. In the book, Mollie was a character. When she betrayed the animals by being with a human it gave you a feeling that there were more animals that could be traitors. In the movie since there was no Mollie, you did not even have a feeling of suspense for what was going to happen later on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book, there was many surprises that shocked me. One of those surprises was that Napoleon wanted Snowball ousted. Though Napoleon did not like Snowball, the wasn't really any evidence that he would try to kill Snowball. In the movie, Napoleon, had a bad image already. He had a mean look and shoved his way in front when Old Major gave his speech. There was also gloomy music when they had scenes of him. When the book showed of Napoleon as a bad guy, I was surprised but I expected it in the movie because the movie showed him as a bad person from the beginning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another detail that the movie missed was when all the animals could talk. In the movie not all the animals could talk. This eliminated many important things. Beasts of England was hummed when the animals sang it. When they could talk, the words represented the hate they felt for the humans and the injustice they felt was done to them. This is important because this greatly motivated the animals to rebel. If they just hum the tune and call it Beasts of England, it takes away from the mood of the story. Another reason speech is so important is that in the book, animals sometimes questioned authority. Boxer had once questions Squealer's actions. It also made it so the regular animals besides the pigs could not communicate to each other and trying to guess their feelings was not the easy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie had a few more differences.

Ethical aspects of Social Media Marketing

This essay will focus on the topic ‘Critically evaluating the ethical aspects of social media marketing in the United States’ and the principal question assessed throughout this writing will be ‘Have social media marketing acted ethical or not? ’ According to Nielson Report (2013, p. 3), ‘Social media marketing typically refers to two practices involving social media- the use free tools and paid media’.According to Gaski (1999 cited Smith 2000, p8), marketing ethics is defined as â€Å"standards of conduct and moral judgements applied to marketing†. In relation to social media, these ethics guide the operations of marketing on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Youtube (Eagle, 2009). With the rapid growth and adoption of social media, the ethical concerns on social media has also significantly increased. (Mutula, 2012).The author further examines the following categories: 1. 1Social Media Research According to Smith, (200 1), -â€Å"be truthful, protect privacy, don't model inappropriate behaviour, don't be offensive, be fair and balanced, avoid stereotyping and protect children’’ are the seven basic ethical standards for marketing, which are applicable to the present social media marketing. However, all businesses has a legal responsibility to comply with the legislation of their country.In the United States it is the Federal Trade Commission which regulates advertising and marketing laws in the country. (Smith, 2001: Federal Trade Commission, 2013) Social media research is the initial stage of marketing; a technique or an approach used by the marketers to conduct market research on social media platforms. The foremost issue that has commenced is the ethical aspect of using social media for market research purposes; the gathering of data and conducting research on consumers and competitors. (Patino et. al).In addition, it is the fundamental responsibility of marketers to protect consu mer personal data by ensuring that the data is only used for research purposes and makes sure that they adhere to the social network guidelines and regulations of the company. (Mareck M, 2011) However, companies violate these rules and steal customer information without their consent for research and marketing activities, which is unethical and against the FTC Act.Evidently, it was reported by the FTC, in May 2011, 32 legal actions were taken against  organisations that have failed to maintain protection for consumer sensitive data thus breached consumers’ privacy rights. For example, in February 2013, a social networking app generated by Path. Inc. , acquired consumer personal information without their consent and settled FTC charges for infringing Consumer Privacy Act also in the meantime the same company was charged for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, from approximately 3000 children personal information was collected without getting parent s’ consent which was claimed to be highly unethical.  (Federal Trade Commission 2013).Moreover, social media has assisted companies to monitor their employees on social networks. Many reports and cases have been lodged against those companies for unethical practices, by involuntarily retrieving personal information of employees. Such cases involve companies use specialised softwares or access employees’ user name and password of Facebook and Twitter accounts, to trace tweets and posts of what employees post on social networks.As a result, in regard to the newly imposed social media privacy legislation, companies were seized to make settlements on the charges of violating Employee Privacy Protection Act. (Eaglesham, J. and Rothfeld, M. , 2013) Furthermore, social media marketing has become a major threat to the competitors since the birth of social media, and with the aid of market research it has become a trend for brands to practice unethical and unlawful activities such as creating fake accounts, fake endorsements, fake blogs, fake community groups and tarnishing competitors’ brand reputation on social platforms.  (Ray, 2011)1. 2 Viral Marketing and Advertising Viral marketing is the spreading of information between users on social media and it has become the defining marketing trend; techniques used to promote company product/ service and brand name on social media. For example, viral campaigns are marketing techniques widely used to spread the Word-Of-Mouth (WOM) and it can be in the form of viral videos via Youtube, Facebook statuses/posts, or blogs on social media.Thus, viral campaigns build awareness and promotes the company product and image on social media. (Fergusan. R, 2008) For example, ASDA has effectively used this strategy for their promotional campaigns, like the Christmas doesn’t just happen by magic Video 2012 which went viral on Youtube. However, viral marketing can be an adverse impact to the company and unet hical too.For example, Celeb Boutique thought of implementing the viral marketing technique of trending hash tag on Twitter, instead of a positive brand recognition it caused a negative impact to the company brand image and was humiliated virally. (Smeets, 2013) In terms of ethics, such cases include: companies that attack other companies indirectly, being dis honest unprofessional and dis respectful on their campaigns.For example: As reported by The Economic Times, in April 2012, Nokia launched an aggressive viral campaign against Samsung, comparing it’s Lumia smart phone with Samsung’s intentionally emphasizing that Nokia phones are invincible and can blow away other smart phones, this campaign was highly unethical and against the FTC Advertising and Marketing Act of being dishonest and deceptive to stakeholders such as competitors (Mukherjee, W, 2012) According to FTC (2013), â€Å"All businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure that advertising is truthful an d not deceptive’’.Advertising shouldn’t target on vulnerable audiences such as children and should comply with the FTC standards regarding children privacy issues.For example: Kelloggs company made false claims on social networks that it’s Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal benefits children and improves their immunity, this was done by giving false evidence that the attentiveness of children can be improved by 20percent clinically, this advertisement was unethical as it infringed the standards of FTC† (Federal Trade Commission, 2013) Furthermore, it was alleged that companies pay celebrities millions of dollars to advertise and promote their brand on Social networks.Recently, Snickers was suspected in promoting their brand on Twitter in the form of tweets through prominent celebrities such as Rio Ferdinand and Katie Price in 2012. As a result, the Fair Trade officers advised celebrities that advertisements that doesn’t reveal as a promotion or an en dorsement is a ‘deceptive advertising’ and warned Snickers, it is against the FTC standards. However, the complaints accusing Snickers for deceptive advertising were forwarded to the Advertising Standards Authority to take further investigations on this unethical behavior.  (Barnett, 2012: Federal Trade Commission, 2013)1. 3 Engagement Process Social media enables companies to interact with customers more directly than any other forms. Engagement process is one of the major ethical challenge for companies as it involves the process of directly engaging with customers on social networks and has become a common practice for companies. Social media is used by employees on behalf of the company and it can endanger the company reputation via social media by using it unethically.Even though, engagement process is an important component for marketing and public relations it can still be treacherous if used unethically. (Institute of Business Ethics, 2011) In a survey carried out by the Ethics Resource Centre, 45percent of U. S employees witnessed misconduct at work in which 65percent from those reported to be immoral behaviour, in consequence was alleged for violating the workplace ethics law. The study reveals that social media appears to be a major contributor to this issue.  (Ethics Resource Centre, 2011)In March 2010, Nestle Facebook fan page was hovered with negative remarks from its fans after the palm oil campaign, in response, the employee who controls the fan page posted offensive comments which violated the company policies hence, led to bad publicity and boycott activities from the public. (The Guardian, 2011) In 2012, many big brands faced serious catastrophes on social networks. Such circumstances follows; when McDonald tried to promote its brand via Twitter using hashtags, unfortunately the customers on Twitter posted unfavourable comments of consuming McDonald’s food.Other examples such as the American Apparel and The Gap faced a colossal destructive responses from its customers for posting disapproving ads at the time of Hurricane Sandy. (Anon, 2012) 1. 4 Ethical Social Media Marketing Vs. Unethical Social Media Marketing Conversely, a survey carried out by the IBE reveals, businesses that operate ethically on social media is significantly greater than the proportion of businesses that operate unethically.The above pie chart illustrates that 48 percent of the respondents say that businesses operate very/fairly ethically. (Institute of Business Ethics, 2012) Nevertheless, IBE survey found that it was a decline from 58 percent to 48 percent of views that assumes businesses operate very/fairly ethical on social media. Therefore, the change in the percentage from 2011 to 2012 ascertains that the negative impressions on ethical business behavior have increased radically. (Institute of Business Ethics, 2012) ConclusionSocial media marketing has positive and negative effects: the importance for social media has increased tremendously due to the immense benefits such as the increase in awareness, promotion, engagement and research; if social media is used unethically, may lead to lead to bad publicity and tarnish the company reputation. The varied arguments evidences of statistics and cases from different organisations strongly condemns that social media marketing is unethical; the unethical use of social media practiced by businesses outweighs the ethical use of social media marketing.All in all, the author finds social media marketing unethical hence, may create a huge impact on the company and brand image negatively. However, if social media is properly used, it will result positive outcomes for the brand; if misused, the consequence will be a social abuse. Therefore, the author suggests to use social media vigilantly and consider the business ethics standards of their country before taking further steps

Media Violence Essay

Introduction   Ã‚   A number of psychological problems are surfacing these days, especially concerning the younger generation. The open viewer ship of television, movies & playing video games instill young children with the aggression & violent energy of the show. It has been deduced through extensive research that children who view more media violence are more verbally & physically aggressive becoming more anti social as the years pass. â€Å"Media violence exposure is described as a risk factor for aggressive beliefs and behaviors, and it is argued that media violence exposure in combination with other risk factors for aggression (e.g., hostile attribution bias, sex, prior aggression) can produce an effect greater than any single risk factor alone.† (For further review Gentile et al 2004)   Ã‚   Psychologists have been conducting researches to learn more about the physical & mental effects of violence through media. The intense & antagonistic music, lyrics & videos affect the viewers most negatively regardless of their age. Even the cartoons which are meant purely for children’s viewing have turned aggressive & boisterous. In classrooms students are getting into fights with co- students & forming cliques comprising of most popular & un- popular students all derived from the latest TV series. This impact is seen in girls more than in boys; however the boys are more into the aggressive attitudes physically. The matters to be discussed are: How the media affects the minds of young children? What steps are being taken by the parents to control these consequences? What measures are the media related people taking so as to broadcast less violence in TV shows? The government & officials dealings to solve this problem? The problems occurring due to this social learning; a process where an individual learns by watching & imitating others instead of ones own experiences, by exposure to TV violence in the early years are numerous. Some main points to be highlighted are: Diminishing of the involuntary concern for another’s suffering. Losing the sensitivity towards violence & aggression by becoming habitual. Imitating the violent acts as seen in the movie. Exhibiting a hostile attitude towards others. Prevalence of risk factor:   Ã‚   Due to the availability of many media options like cable television, DVDs, & the ever progressing video games. Unlimited time is being spent in watching cartoon & animated movies, which are becoming more sadistic as the technology advances; generating a number of behavioral, social & emotional problems. At times the media simply provide a boom to an already disturbed child under stress due to family or school troubles. Often it causes severe psychotic disorders & pervasive developmental disorders with a very low frequency which makes it difficult to identify the main causes. (Merrell K. 1999) Description of risk factor at different ages:   Ã‚   The risk factors in media violence are many & observed differently at each age level & also gender wise.   A research   concluded at 99% of American families have televisions at home, 87% a VCR,   54% children have televisions & video games in their own bedrooms. Average time an American child spends per day, in viewing different types of media is 6 hours & 43 minutes; of which 90 minutes each day is spent in playing video games. This deduces that they consume double the amount of time in watching TV & playing video games then they spend at school annually. Children are mostly fascinated by the fantasies & stories hence fantasy based games are the most popular among kids. The total estimation of the profit earned by the video games industry is a whopping $ 10 billion dollars a year, even crossing the gross of the ever popular motion pictures.    It has not yet been deduced how the media violence effects infants but it may cause them to imitate behaviors in a minimal manner, from what they grasp. Usually the viewer ship becomes stronger when they reach the age of two & a half or above. That’s the time when they develop the ability to grasp the right meaning of what they view on television & then incorporate it in their actions.    The children of age group 6 – 8 are most likely to be fascinated by what they view on media. They do not have the experience & maturity to characterize between the real life & fantasy hence; they feel infatuated by the fictional characters & try to imitate their actions verbally & physically. Many children, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, answer mostly the names of superheroes they watch & admire on TV like superman or batman.   Ã‚  When the movie superman was released many children tried to copy the flying act by tying a cape around their neck & jumping from a higher place. This ended up in a number of casualties & therefore frustration on not being able to carry out the task, which the superman so flawlessly renders. This is not an only example; the horror movies children view also create negative effects in the young minds. When the movie Childs play was released, a huge number of children threw away their dolls & had countless nightmares by imagining the face of chucky the evil doll & feeling scared.    The young age is open to magical ideas & fantasies. They consider the on-screen violence as reality, this though process gradually develops as the child ages & the difference between reality & fantasy diminishes. The TV is taking over the family moments. This development is progressing with great pace which is an extremely serious issue & needs to be tackled & controlled by the parents & with the collaboration of the media related people.   Ã‚   The media viewing habits that the children develop at an early stage influence their life throughout the ages. The inspiration they take from the fast paced & colorful cartoons & movies will embark a feeling of aggression at a premature level. The exploring property of young minds fosters them to learn the violent actions of the characters & emulate them themselves. This characteristic is further highlighted by the intense sounds & music supporting the movie. Theory    The reality & enjoyment level of the violence creates de-sensitization. It is a feeling when the individual, loses the feeling of compassion or sensitivity & becomes oblivious to the violence being broadcasted in front of him. This process is cemented by the high levels of graphics being used in video games & movies these days. The points or rewards on killing, blood showing & body mutilation in video games are considered as normal undertakings.    Depression is considered to be the major psychiatric disease of the 20th century. (M. Abdel et al, 2006) This problem is becoming common in young children as well, mostly appearing during the teenage years, it intervenes with a child’s psychological, social & academic functioning evoking a suicidal behavior. The signs are often showcased by a child exhibit frustration & low tolerance. Various factors are materializing due to the media violence exposure in children: Epidemiologists who have been studying the factors of violence & other common social issues discovered that exposure to violent media played a vital part in 10,000 homicides committed in the United States of America last year (E. Cook, 2000) Individuals preferring heavy metal music are more subjective to psychological disarray, substance exploitation, & suicidal risk in the extreme stage during adolescence. The effects of interactive media like internet & video games are more enduring & persuasive on violent behavior than passive media like television as they have increased levels of aggression & hostility having a tendency to make the individual insensitive to violence. An inclination towards using drugs & indulging in unsafe sex, contributing to the widely spreading diseases like HIV aids, cancer of different types. Specific effects on children/adolescents     Ã‚  Ã‚  The students of middle school or high school, around the age of 12 to 17 are very much capable of theoretical thinking & elucidation. However, when exposed to the world of media they do not utilize these mental abilities, making them as prone to media violence effects as younger children. By this age they get much independence by the parents, thus making them highly vulnerable to in appropriate media. This is more compelling for boys than in girls; however, girls too are being captivated into the same habits nowadays. They indulge in viewing media dealing issues in negative ways including loud music videos, horror & often pornographic content.    A research conducted by the of Washington epidemiologist Brandon Centerwall, evaluated that among one- quarter & one- third convicted young male criminals had consciously imitated the violent techniques they had seen on television.(Tepperman)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Some percentage of youngsters both male & females who associate the media content with real life are more prone to becoming aggressive later in life, however they are less prone to identify with television characters & doubt the reality of media at this age as compared to younger children. Whereas younger children, are much enthralled & captivated by the aggressive heroes depicted in the media. Excessive exposure to strong media generates some particular effects on children like: The violent behavior might perceive them into becoming attackers. It may induce fear in the individual hence creating a victimized effect. The excessive viewing of violent content may make them insensitive & ruthless to the belligerence happening around them in media or in real life. It can make them ambitious for yet more aggression & violence by creating an effect of negative desire.    The children studying at elementary school level are very keen in recognizing patterns of the actions depicted in media especially cartoons which appeal to them the most. Their cognitive abilities make it a grave period to make conjectures about the vociferous content & recognize motivations of the characters.    The society should show some concern to the risks encompassed & being spread through media. The fact that a young mind learns & develops aggressive behavior & later becomes desensitized to it; has been proven by a number of scientific researches. The violence itself is not the attraction for younger children, the graphic content & dramatic production features set up the hype. As young as preschool students view cartoons like Pokemon which has been banned earlier in many countries due to its violent theme.   Ã‚   The children not just enjoy the cartoons; they buy the merchandise & games of their favorite show as well. Another factor that appears here is when the families who cannot afford such extravagance fail to comply with the Childs demands; it creates a sense of severance in him or her. This might induce him to steal or get into fights so as to hide this feeling. It has been noted by parents & teachers alike, that when preschooler watch any stimulating action oriented content, they become more aggressive in their play. The teenagers have a predisposition to confront conventional authority making them vulnerable to interpret some television violence & especially exposà © of suicide & murders. Research findings   Ã‚   If we observe the viewer ship of programs like MTV & WWE containing explicit matter, it is clear that children most exposed to these programs are verbally & physically more aggressive & anti social. Children viewing WWE are physically more violent & get into more fights at school. Both the viewers showed decline in school grades. Girls surprisingly have a higher tendency than boys to get into fights. The steps that appear in children exposed to violence on media making them most likely to imitate it are: Identification with the hero & the program itself. Fantasizing about the program & creating one’s own stories on its bases. The aptitude to commit the act. Vulnerability and protective factor    The expansion of children’s media started in the early 1940s & up till now comprises of television, video tapes, DVDs, electronic games, interactive soft wares. The visual media has flourished more as compared to the print media like comic & story books. The 1990s saw a transformation of media into a more violent & physically aggressive medium. The rating system that they used to label the content has not been implemented properly thus provoke the risk of violence in young children, often traumatizing them & affecting their judgmental qualities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  The media portrays unrealistic concepts regarding beauty & physical appearances as sales tactics. This is perceived by the young minds in a negative way propelling them to opt for unhealthy diets & suffer body disorders & psychological effects when they are unable to attain that look. Minimum 20 hours per week are spent in television viewing by an average American child not counting the time spent on movies, music, video games & Internet. This association with media is promoting inactivity the children. Less time is spent on studies & social life. The parents use the TV as a way to get the children out of the way. Especially mothers so they can complete housework with ease.    The use of tobacco, alcohol & illicit drugs is represented as high glamour in the media. The characters of the movies or TV shows often shown indulging in them. (Clark, 2007) $6 billion & $2 billion dollars are spent annually by the tobacco & alcohol manufactures respectively in advertising their product. Educational messages are also broadcasted but on a much smaller scale.   Ã‚   Repeated viewing of the harmful content has been noted to lower emotional response to violence & increase hostility in individuals. Studies have documented that desensitization results in reduced arousal and emotional disturbance while witnessing violence.   Ã‚   A survey conducted in Ohio, in 1998 of more than 2000 3-8 grade students showed that as the viewer ship increased the psychological effects like anxiety, depression & posttraumatic stress increased as well. (Cantor, 2002) A normal American child witness more than 8000 murders on media by the time he’s 11, 75% of these show the murderer performing the act without any regret making the children either insensitive or fearful of the society’s negative acts. (Gentile et all, 2004)   A national survey in 1999 revealed that 62% parents of children ages ranging from 2-17 confessed their child being frightened by something they saw on TV. Strengths and limitations Surveys were conducted, strength is that research will have positive implications if steps taken to avoid exposure of media on young children. Our research limitation is that we have to rely on questionnaires for this study. Though every person who takes the survey we take consent to be truthful and honest, but still some people might not be serious in answering the questions.   Ã‚   The research we conducted brought out many views & issues concerning the media’s violent nature by parents & psychological experts. Many a times the results deduced by a survey are not 100% accurate due to the answers not being stated with honesty. Often parents hide their children’s problems so as to cast a positive & likeable image in front of others. Thus, giving false information & diluting the research. Further investigation should be planned & executed to fully extract the true happenings. This can help in contriving the broadcast of media to promote positive points among its viewers. The studies should be devised with a broad view so as to cover all the aspects whether good or bad. Often the experts do not co-operate with the evaluators therefore the end results lack professional guidelines. Expert opinion is always required to cement the result of surveys & strengthen the evaluation.    The researches conducted in schools proved to be quite remarkable & helped in collecting physical & psychological health of the children. The information given was backed by the annual report cards & examination results of each student. More studies should be conducted in different level schools. It provides a beneficial lead in devising theories regarding the children. Future directions for research Further research is needed in this field and especially research must be conducted to study the effect of media on developmental psychology of children. Future research will reveal how violence in media is affecting children and the related frequency of occurrence of abnormal psychological disorders. This will help taking further steps to stop such media violence and avoid psychological problems.    The research conducted proves that moderate television viewing with parents check is rather favorable for the young children. The media can be used as an effective tool in teaching & developing sound habits in children through parental guidance & proper planning of the medium’s people. Parents can use the specific shows as guidelines to satisfy the child’s inquisition. Watching programs with good values & ethics on TV can help the children understand the right way to behave.    However the media is being used in a limited way, the variety of messages that can be incorporated through the medium is being ignored. Changes must be designed to use the medium in a finest way. The gaps left by this research & evaluation should be fulfilled by further researches that are extensively conducted.    Advertising &entertainment industries represent the culture & spirit of the respective country to the rest of the world & must not be used casually. Parents & teachers should come up with strategies to create a sense of understanding in the children from an early age.   The parents should realize what effects the movies & content on TV are having on their children & try to minimize TV viewing at home level. Some ways that may be incorporated by parents to limit children’s revelation to violence are: Restricting & keeping a check on what their children view on TV Discussing the programs with older children or young adults to clear their minds of any confusion & help them in expressing their opinions. Start a family oriented time by going for picnics, organizing a special lunch or dinner. Allow the children to watch TV for a selected time period & only programs that are desirable for their viewing. Offer criticism on TV channels & sponsors for showing in appropriate programs or content so as to force them to use proper censorship. Conclusion    The effects whether positive or negative concerning today’s media are out in the open. It is the duty of every individual to counter such issues & raise their voices to control them. Many researches & experiments are being conducted to realize the short-term & long-term effects of violent media. Feelings of hostility, revenge, anger sprout in a young mind & provoke him or her to retaliate. Many reasons that promote violence on media are present. Often the viewer & the broadcaster thinks the effect is too minute to make a difference in anyone’s mind, nevertheless children are affected by the smallest of acts without worrying about its positive or negative aspect. The media declaring that that there is no understanding of the definition of violence among the people & continue to showcase the explicit content. They further comprehend by saying they show what the people want to watch. Believing that violence shown on media is simply showcasing real life. This is mostly observed in news channels & movies, where gruesome details of murder & accidents are shown openly. Parents allow children to view violent content in the name of comedy, many well-liked shows illustrate this example such as the ever popular tom & jerry cartoon which shows both the characters beating or pummeling each other References Anon., (May 28, 2003) Preventing violence by teaching non-violent problem-solving American Psychological Association, [accessed 1st December 2007] Anon, (February 19, 2004) Violence in the media – psychologists helps protect children from harmful effects American Psychological Association [accessed 1st December 2007] Donald E. 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