Max Weber Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Max Weber - Essay Example For instance, Catholic doctrine as formulated by Aquinas differs from earliest Christianity and Stoicism in the viewpoint concerning equality of all human beings. This doctrine greatly influenced power relations in modern society metaphysically where human beings suffer either because of the original sin, individual causality of karma, or the corruption of the dualistic world. In which case, human beings suffer violence, strife, and differences in worldly social status and position. This in return created various and modern castes and stratifications â€Å"that have been providentially ordained, and each of them has been assigned some specific, indispensable task desired by god or determined by the impersonal world order, so that different ethical obligations devolve upon each.† (Weber 1993). These castes were maintained because of the regard for divinely ordained authoritarian relationship which contributes to the kind of modern social and political administration we have today. This in accordance discourage or condemn any revolt or rebellion against the authority as it only means creaturely arrogance or pride against the sanctity of God-built social order. Meanwhile, submitting to the established organic organization and functioning based from the assigned task will give person happiness in the world and in the life to come. Meanwhile, Islamic doctrine holds no regard to salvation and thus the kind of 'rulership' rejected universalism that leaves the people to decide upon any indifference to the Islamic regulations. On the other hand, social castes present in Hinduism justify discrimination and outcasts since the doctrine chiefly depends on person's fulfillment of his cast function to achieve higher chances of higher status in the next life. This can be manifested to the doctrine's affirmation to social discrimination since it believes to the idea that people who were in the lowest castes and sacrificed much can gain more in any of transmigration of souls. As Weber pointed out, political power struggle evolved to order of legal sate because of its increasing objectification. However, he also pointed that political power struggle in religion's perspective "is merely the most effective camouflage of brutality, for all politics is oriented to the reason of state, the pragmatic and self-purposive sustenance of the external and internal distribution of power. These goals must necessarily seem completely meaningless from the religious point of view. Yet only in this way does the realm of politics acquire a peculiarly rational power of its own, once formulated by Napoleon, which appears as thoroughly alien to every ethic of brotherliness as do the rationalized economic orders." (Weber 1993). Also influential is the religious antipathy to sexual acts that can be seen in cultic chastity meaningfully developed in place of the various types of magical motivation. The doctrine believes that sexual abstinence is a fundamental factor to achieve salvation. This can be done through contemplative withdrawal from worldly pleasures. Moreover, sexual drive and other related pleasures constitute the most powerful temptation that will only strengthen the hold of 'animality' to human. This religious convention greatly regarded modern sexual act as irrational and are only brought about by animalistic tendencies of human. Acts to subjugate sexual acts legitimizes marriage as a regulatory process for sexual intercourse and used the idea of legitimate child rearing to impose action fiercely against prostitution and extra-marital affairs. Karl Marx According to Karl Marx, religion depends

Introduction to MS project 2003 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Introduction to MS project 2003 - Assignment Example This software was programmed to help its users to improve their operations in the business world, this software was meant to raise the profile of various services and products. With Microsoft Project 2003, one can create a new system, improve customers experience and expectations and also engage in any activity that is towards improving the customer’s efforts. Whenever any project is in session, it is important to give out reports about the project itself when using this program. For one to be able to see all the reports while using this program, they just click on the view button. From this point, they will be able to select the stories then they at the same time select the category that they require (Culp & VTC Incorporated 2005). This software also uses what is known as the assessment process, in that the program can constitute the development of projects bit by bit but in a perfect way. At the same time, the software is built with a compensation plan, this is a component that is capable of working well in a network marketing. This makes it be the best even though other versions are coming up, that are best and easy to operate than this version. The versions are also have an friendly interface. To conclude, this Microsoft Project 2003, is useful for business management. It is more efficient in the world of project management, and many business oriented companies that would want to succeed should consider

Media In Malaysia Like Rtm Media Essay

Media In Malaysia Like Rtm Media Essay 1 Malaysia concept (1 Malaysia) was unveiled by the incumbent Prime Minister, DatoSri Najib Razak upon taking office on 3rd April 2009. The goals to present this policy is to unite the nation, to form the equity in the economic dimension, enhance the social cohesion and also make sure the people live in harmony and peace between different races (1 Malaysia.com , 2009). According to the Malaysias Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Satu Malaysia means the mutual respect between the different races in Malaysia and also to contribute to the success of vision 2020. According to the research done by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, conducted from 19 June 2012 until the 1st of July, there are over 75% of Malaysian aware to this policy with 23% of people agree that it help to promote the unity among races and 18% of people think One Malaysia concept is about the equitable among the different races in nation. Besides, this survey shows that 46% respondents agreed the One Malaysia policy would be able to achieve the objectives, the rest are not agree with it, which mean there are over 50% of respondent are not even aware and understand about the policy. The survey proved the majority of respondent felt that the government has successfully creating awareness on the Satu Malaysia concept among the nation, but this concept is not completely accepted by all the Malaysians. As we know, mainstream media used by government to create awareness on the One Malaysia concept, and used on enhance the acceptance of the concept by the citizen of Malaysia. Mainstream media plays an important role to give information, report news and educate the audience about government policies, especially in the pluralism society like Malaysia. Mainstream media do not differentiate between our citizens on the basis of their background or ethnic origin, the media mostly deliver the message in the different languages like Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, Tamil and English. For example, there are different channels in mainstream TV channels to broadcast the news programs with different languages, even the One Malaysia programs also have different version of languages. This is to make sure all the citizens can receive the information that they can easily to understand. The mainstream media in Malaysia like RTM, Media Prima and Bernama are controlled by government, and the alternative media like MalaysiaKini and The Insider are the popular news site to report the unvarnished news and event in Malaysia. Athough the alternative media occupy the small section of media in Malaysia, it still have a lots of audience an supporter compare to the mainstream media. Mainstream media used to promote the One Malaysia concept, for example the newspaper as tools to publish Malaysian government propaganda. Every day, there are many newspapers published mainly in Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, Tamil and English, most of them are government-controlled. Mainstream newspaper report on every stunts of the One Malaysia policy and emphasis only on the benefit of the concept and projects, it never reveal or focus on the negative side of the policy. For example One Malaysia store, one of the project by KARISMA. When the project was finally launched, the mainstream newspaper mostly report on how the 1M store can benefit to citizen and set it as headline or give the news a wide space in layout, but when the criticism arise because of the low quality of One Malaysias products, newspaper only publish out the news with small space or never appear. It shows the mainstream media are partial and only shows what they want to show and filtered the important information befo re publish out. Another example like RTM, local television channels licensed to broadcast in Malaysia, it used by government to promote the policy too. TV station will broadcast the video clips about One Malaysia concept, for example the one Malaysias advertisement. For every important day like Merdekas Day, TV will Keep showing the One Malaysia Merdeka advertisement and Satu Malaysia theme song to make a strong impressive on the audience. Besides, mainstream media will report about the major event of 1 Malaysia that happen in town, for example the Sitiawans Chinese New year Open House. This CNY event was live broadcasted through RTM1, and it successfully gets a wide coverage in Malaysia and even the reporter of CCTV from China attended to make a live report. This event is for the CNY celebration and help to foster unity among the various races in Malaysia, by showing this event on TV, it help to promote the One Malaysia concept and also to gain support from the chinese community, so that the One Ma laysia concept can be widely accepted in nation. Nowadays, mainstream media especially free to air TV channels and radio station now losing a large numbers of audiences and readers, the credibility of mainstream media was suspected. People will not totally accept the messages of mainstream media before verify the facts through online. Most Malaysians are now become more polite and wiser to distinguish the facts, people start to search information through online, and they verify and confirm the facts before accepting the truth. One of the hot topics was the censored news of Bersih 3.0 on 28th April 2012. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and ASTRO (Malaysian pay TV station) broadcasted the two different version of news, the BBCs original broadcast been censored and the interview of the respondent about Bersih 3.0 filtered by Astro. This video clip will not appear on the mainstream media channels like RTM1. Astro is not government-owned media, but it is indirectly control by the government. This shows that most of the media in Malaysia have no freedom, the reporting is not true and be biased towards one side which is the dominant group. In my own opinion, although the mainstream media occupy most of the media space in Malaysia, it is not powerful enough to change people mind and influence on the behavior of citizens, this probably because of the distortion of truth and biasness of mainstream media. Nowadays, more and more people start to voice out and express themselves in cyberspace. It shows the influential power of social networking sites. The example of social networking sites like facebook, blog, twitter and YouTube are now becoming the source to get news and information, especially the unvarnished news. Most people said that the mainstream media tell lies and partial, they rather believe the alternative media instead of biased reporting. According to the limited effects theory by Lazarsfeld, media are not powerful enough to influence on individuals which is also known as limited effect perspective. He also claims that the heavy media users were the person whose advice was being held by others. Thus, the heavy media users will become the gatekeepers and opinion leaders. Opinion leaders used to advice the followers and this is later known as the two step flow. The Prime Minister in Malaysia, Dato Sri Najib Razak as the opinion leader and also a heavy media user, he created a website called 1Malaysia with a tagline The Personal Website of DatoSri Najib Razak to provide a place for open discussion and also to encourage the acceptance of One Malaysia concept by the citizens of Malaysia. The website now become one of the mainstream media in Malaysia, it always shows on the top of Google page for the keywords One Malaysia. He understands the influential power of internet, and also the less popular of mainstream media, he started to take part in social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and blog, all of these sites have gathered over millions of followers. Our Prime Minister act as the opinion leader not only for the real life but also in the cyberspace, this is one of the ways he used to promote the One Malaysia concept and influence his followers. This is known as two step flow. The message about One Malaysia concept share from mainstrea m media in Malaysia can easily reach to audience but this does not mean the mainstream media can influence people to accept the policy, the most influential things is the idea of opinion leader instead of mainstream media . Another example like the critic or commenter who bombard the biasness of mainstream media will be viewed as the nation hero and opinion leader, for example Namwee. He has a huge of followers on facebook, he act as the opinion leader to critic the biasness of media and also the BN politicians. His opinion could influence his followers because people craving of hearing the actual truth about the government leaders and policies. According to Lazarsfeld, media rarely had power to change people mind because it is almost always mediated by the individual differences. Individual influences in psychological make ups cause media influence to vary from person to person. Everyone has different ideas, mainstream media only can deliver the messages or information of One Malaysia concept to the citizens but not powerful enough to influence people decision, and make people accept to the concept. This is because audiences have the right to choose what to expose, this is known as selective process. The selective process, information that is inconsistent with a person already held attitudes will create psychological discomfort or cognitive dissonance. People generally work to keep their knowledge of themselves and their knowledge of the world somewhat consistent via selective processes. People tend to avoid the cognitive dissonance after made a decision. Thus people will avoid the facts that can prove the decision was wrong, so the more potential dissonance, the more we tend to avoid. People will denial and pretend that they never seen the evidence. Because of people have right to choose what to expose in mainstream medias messages, the One Malaysia concept cannot be completely accepted by the citizens. The mainstream media in Malaysia keep promoting the concept, but this policy might not the ideal policy to some of the citizens, they can choose to deny the message or choose to remember some part of the concept they like. In the selective process, there are three form of selecti vity, for example the selective exposure, selective retention and also the selective retention. Selective exposure, people tend to expose themselves to information that same to their pre-existing attitudes and belief. For example, the mainstream TV station RTM1 broadcast the One Malaysia program, audiences can choose not to watch the program and switch to another channels if they dont agree with the concept or not interested to the information. This is because they obey to their subconscious and dont want to change the pre-existing belief. Selective retention, people tend to remember the best and interested messages that are most meaningful to them. For example, the mainstream media keep showing the benefit of One Malaysias projects, the IPT students only choose to remember the stunts of One Malaysia Siswa Card (KADS1M), because this project is benefit to them and help them to reduce the daily cost of living, they only pay attention and accept the message that can fulfill their demands. Selective perception, people will change the meaning of messages so that they become consistent with pre-existing attitudes and belief. For example, When media shows the advertisement of 1Malaysia store and promote the products, audience will think purchasing 1Mproduct is a stupid action because in their pre-existing belief One Malaysia products are low quality and they never consider to purchase those products. These three forms of selectivity show media cannot control how audience think, how audience act and even accept to the One Malaysia concept. The ways the mainstream media are used to promote the acceptance of the One Malaysia concept successfully creating awareness among the Malaysian, but this does not mean that people are completely admit the concept and support the idea of the policy. As we all know, the mainstream media actually under controlled by the dominant group, the government and The Barisan National. No one dare to eject or deny the government policy, they remain silence since they have no freedom to speak out the idea, and they scare to bear the consequences of against government so they choose to admit it, for example the preventive detention law. So people remain silence because they think their views are in minority but in fact there is no one to speak out their opinion. According to the Spiral of Silence theory by Neumann (1974), a people view control the public scene and others disappeared from the public awareness as it adherents became silent. People fear of being isolation and know what actions and be haviors should take to avoid their likelihood of being socially isolated. For example, some people tend to keep their negative opinion toward the government policy to themselves when they think they are in the minority. This context is called Spiral of Silence. In conclusion, mainstream media in Malaysia are not powerful enough to change people mind, but it do have certain influence. Therefore, under the assumption of the two step flow process, selective process, and the Spiral of Silence theory, the messages of the mainstream media would not be able to reach the citizen directly. Thus, the effect of the mainstream media in Malaysia is considered as limited effect. In my opinion, the government has successfully creating awareness on the policy among the citizens of Malaysia through the mainstream media, but not the acceptance of the concept. The completely acceptance of the concept among nation might happen if there is no partial and biased information from the mainstream media, if media are more control by the dominant group, the less trust of Malaysias citizens can give to the mainstream media.

Clear Liquid Thought: The Photographs of Jim Dine Essay -- Photography

Clear Liquid Thought: The Photographs of Jim Dine The camera sees even beyond the visual consciousness. --Ralph Eugene Meatyard Argument: The Photographic Unconscious In his article "Photographie avant analyse"1 photography critic Franà §ois Soulages discusses the reciprocal influence between photography (as an emerging technology in the nineteenth century) and the study of the unconscious (prior to the invention of psychoanalysis). To what extent, he asks, did a new technology such as photography enlighten, modify, or enrich the understanding of the unconscious? And, conversely, how did what he calls "the hypothesis of the unconscious" allow for a better understanding of a new technology? These questions, inherent in the beginnings of photography and essentially linked to its role in the comprehension of the visible and the invisible body, have gained considerable importance today. The photographic works I will discuss here participate in our understanding of the unconscious in a paradoxical way, since they do not imply disclosing images of the artist's unconscious specifically encoded into symbolic meaning. On the contrary, my concern is with these works' potential to generate visual equivalents of inner life perceptions in a variety of puzzling formal patterns whose disclosure of meaning is cunningly deferred. The photographic compositions of Jim Dine are not narratives of inner life, but forms of visual experience that inform our ways of thinking the unconscious. ------------------------------------ 1 Franà §ois Soulages, "Photographie avant analyse", Photographie et inconscient (31-35). In this study, Soulage primarily deals with the beginnings of photography and with its paradoxical uses in psychiatry .. ...rundberg, Andy. "Now, the Camera's Eye Turns Inward", in The New York Times, May 28. 1989. Hamon, Philippe. Imageries.Littà ©rature et image au XIXe sià ¨cle. Paris: Josà © Corti, 2001. ------------------------------------ 19 The phrase used in the title of this article is coined after the title of one of Dine's black-and-white photogravure prints, "Clear Liquid Talking", 1996. Krauss, Rosalind.The Optical Unconscious. Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, 1993. Meatyard, Ralph Eugene. Caught Moments -- New Viewpoints. Exhibition catalogue. London: Olympus Gallery, 1983. Powers, Richard. Three Framers on Their Way to a Dance. New York : W. Morrow, 1985. Sibony, Daniel. "Une technique de l'instant ou la machine à   clicher", La Recherche photographique 7 (1990) Soulages, Franà §ois. "Photographie avant analyse", Photographie et inconscient, Soulages ed. Paris: Osiris, 1986.

Grave of the Fireflies My Personal Reactions Essay

Yet again this is another war movie. But unlike so many American blockbusters that treat brave soldiers as heroes (such as Pearl Harbor, We were soldiers, Windtalkers, etc.), this one addresses war’s brutal impact on innocent civilians, especially children. With the war on Iraq now undergoing, this point has all the more relevance. Under the same American bombing, innocent Iraqi children are now suffering just as much as Seita and Setsuko in this movie have suffered, and even more, for the Iraqi people and land have long known the horrors of poverty, hunger and dictatorship. This essay, with at the beginning a brief summary and an elaboration of three classic scenes in the movie, is going to present to you the three dimensions of the complex feelings that the movie provokes in my heart on a personal level and thus tries to offer an individual yet hopefully worthy viewpoint for those interested in the movie. Summary and Three classic scenes Grave of the Fireflies is based on a semi-autobiographical book by Nosaka Akiyuki about the death of his sister, and is a very well known book in Japan. The movie itself is about a teenager boy named Seita and his 5-year-old sister Setsuko, and how they try to survive in mainland Japan after the entirety of their port town, Kobe, is destroyed by American fire bombings. Their mother dies shortly after the fires are put out, in a graphic and poignant scene at a community hospital. Their father is in the Navy, and unbeknownst to them, has already died in battle. Unable to tell Setsuko that their mother has died, Seita takes her with him to live with their Aunt. The Aunt, however, cares little for them, and barely feeds them. Seita eventually takes Setsuko, and leaves their aunt’s house for a dug-out shelter by a pond, where he struggles hopelessly to find money and items to trade for food. It all spirals downward in a tragic, yet foreseeable, path to a heartbreaking end, which is slow-suffering death for both brother and sister. There are three scenes in the movie that I find particularly striking and believe do most in delivering the themes of this movie. One is when after  the siblings use the fireflies to illuminate the cave, Setsuko is seen the next morning burying the dead insects, and as she tells that she knows her mother has died and is now also in a grave, she asks with her two large sparkling eyes shadowed and barred by the horrors of war, â€Å"Why do fireflies have to die so quickly?† Another comes after Seita carries his little sister to the hospital and is informed that his sister is starving and needs food, he is somber for a moment murmuring ‘food’, then in a sudden burst of desperation, cries out: â€Å"Where am I supposed to get food?† These two questions stabbed my heart like spears the moment I heard them. These are questions that never really need to be answered but they nevertheless need to be remembered. In the last scene, the ghost of Setsuko lays sleeping comfortably in the lap of her older brother, while he gazes at the night sky over the skyline of a fully modernized city. As one critic elaborates on this last shot, and here I quote, â€Å"They live on, though the world has forgotten them, and will continue to live on forever, reliving their story. They have not forgotten the past; they cannot. And neither should we.† Troubled, Moved, and Pity In fact this is a feeling any human being would have after watching this movie. The story the movie tells is heart-rending enough, as could be well seen from the above description and elaboration. However, the movie’s strength is not in the story, but in the untold. From the time Seita’s ghost appears after his death in a train station at the beginning of the movie, the viewer is haunted by the remembrance of what is to come as he retells his story. There are times when the viewer is allowed to forget about the future, but only for a little while, as Seita and Setsuko’s reappearance brings them back to the sad reality of their impending deaths. A feeling is created that some ghosts (like Seita and Setsuko) are still living, breathing people, and are cursed to watch their agony over and over again. In a scene where Setsuko cries violently for her Aunt not to take her mother’s kimonos and sell them for food, the screen pans slowly and deliberately out of vie w of the main characters, where the orange glow of Seita’s ghost appears. He covers his ears and cringes at his sister’s tears, almost crying himself, but can do nothing to stop them. Even the few heart warming scenes in the movie are interrupted by the truth of what the brother and sister face. There is a scene about a half hour into the movie where Seita takes Setsuko to the beach for the first time. It is a beautiful display of sibling love, and flashbacks of warm memories from their family enter the story. They are all too brief, however, as Setsuko soon discovers a dead body from the war wrapped in straw. Seita tells her the man is asleep, and they do not go to the beach again. Another disquieting scene is of Seita’s ghost watching himself carry his sleepy sister on his back, about to enter his Aunt’s house for the first time. He watches, knowing full well what will come of it, but unable to stop it. Indeed, as Roger Ebert, the famous critic for Chicago Sun-times, wrote in his review essay of the movie, one of Grave of the Fireflies’ greatest gifts is its patience; shots are held so we can think about them, characters are glimpsed in private moments, and atmosphere and nature are given time to establish themselves. The movie does not try to create a dramatic plot or atmosphere; rather it narrates the story out simply and directly, giving the animation an amazingly realistic touch and mood. There is time for silence in almost every scene and between scenes. And in these silences allowed for meditation we the audience are deeply troubled by the horrors of war, moved by the beauty and spirit the siblings display while confronting these horrors and at the same time we feel great pity for their tragic fate. Being a Chinese†¦ Being a Chinese, I found myself at times revolting to the movie in the course of viewing, mainly because, I think, it narrates through a Japanese military family’s point of view and takes a great pity upon the Japanese people. I thought to myself: â€Å"How about the cities you bombed and the villages you burned down? You deliberately invaded other countries and you massacred other peoples at will. During World War II, thousands upon thousands of Chinese people not only died from poverty and hunger, they died as victims to your soldiers’ barbaric slaughtering-for-fun-and/or-competition craze, and as experimenters in your notorious chemical weapon labs. You raped our  women and murdered our children, what right have you got to make such a movie and complain to the world about your miseries in a war largely initiated by your own government’s greed for power and resources?† Some of the characters’ remarks in the movie I find offending, like â€Å"Daddy will make them pay for this†, â€Å"†¦defend our country and motherland†, â€Å"We surrendered? The great Japanese Empire surrendered?† etc. Also the portrait of the impression of the boy’s father being loving, upright and brave somewhat angers me. In this movie, the father is the only soldier of the characters involved, and therefore to some extent he represents the Japanese military. This has some effect in creating the false impression that the Japanese military is upright and is only defending their homeland. Moreover, I cannot help thinking that if Seita was but a dozen years older, he would have been fighting somewhere in the Asias or the pacific, tormenting innocent people of other countries and serving the fascist greed of the Japanese government. Nostalgic Mood Still I admire many of the movie’s beautiful scenes. I believe that the scene of numerous fireflies dancing in the dark and around the brother and sister will remain one of animation’s most memorable scenes and it tickles every child’s heart with wonder. The way that the siblings capture fireflies and set them free inside their net is the most peculiar yet fascinating way of illuminating I have ever seen. The effect it produces is overwhelming: imagine sleeping inside such a net! —- Just as the movie shows, it is just like sleeping under the starry sky in the open air! In fact many of the movie’s scenes ring familiarly with my childhood memories. I remember vaguely when I was small I also went out after dark with my peers to capture fireflies; I also crushed the firefly the first time I tried to hold one in my hands. To me, many of the movie’s displays of natural landscapes and field views accord to South China’s beautiful countryside scenery. It resembles my hometown as I remembered. Nowadays things are unfortunately different. Industrialization and modernization have robbed today’s children the privilege and pleasure of swimming in little ponds and catching fireflies and grasshoppers on summer nights. In fact I have never ever seen a firefly when I go back every summer since I came to Beijing. For  me personally, thereof, the movie in some respects counts more as a nostalgic one remembering good old days than a war movie with profound meanings.

Points of change and contention over funding Essay

Smiling perhaps is very common among all the cultures of the world. A smile can start or end a war. A smile could even be immortalized and glorified just like Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Basically, a smile has some unexplainable power to make any situation somewhat lighter. However, misusing a smile could also spark disputes. The complexity and the potential of a smile is explored by profit-oriented groups. And as it turns out, a smile could really attract profit. Prioritizing how to smile is just as essential as planning the whole business. This simple yet effective practice is what some of the business sector is overlooking. People work hard for their money, not to mention life is getting more complicated as time passes. So it is just understandable that people would be carefully thinking—sometimes even over-thinking how would they spend their money. A smile could wash away that fear of spending. A smile is the business sector’s way of communicating that the customers are being valued. Moreover, a smile is the business sector’s way of saying that it is a pleasure providing the customers with quality product and service. If we would observe the evolution of the market, enterprising people were initially offering very basic products, then things got more complex as time passed by. Let us take for example food, in the earlier years of the market almost any variety of food, as long as it is edible, proven delicious, and safe for consumption people would buy them. However, we could just observe the how the food industry had evolved. People now are considering the packaging, nutrition facts, taste, and other details. In sophisticated restaurants, presentation is being considered as just as important as taste. This overload of details to analyze is likely to intimidate the consumers. However, if a smile is incorporated in the presentation of the food, the consumer’ thinking would circle back to the basics. A smile would tell the consumers that the food is edible, delicious, and safe for consumption. And as an added effect, a smile would suggest that eating the food would be an enjoyable experience. This analogy of putting a smile in the food business could be easily translated in the language of other business fields. It would just be as effective if a computer salesperson would smile as he or she would explain how a complicated computer program would work for the consumer. In relation to the previous paragraph, the business groups, particularly the corporations, even professionals, are being perceived by the public in a negative tone. Professional and business groups are being regarded as merely profit-driven. Incorporating the practice of smiling into businesses and professional endeavors is one likely solution to the problem. A smile is a message that tell the consumers that a business would not exist without them. In a profound sense, a smile is the way of professional and the business sectors way of expressing their gratitude. To simpler statement, a smile is the best way to make a person relax. In addition to that, a smile is one of the most effective tool in difficult situation. It just requires common sense to assume that any endeavor would have more chance of success if done with a smile. Moreover, smiling requires no financial investment, yet it could help increase profit. Of course, it would not hurt if we flex a few facial muscles. Work Cited True Profit Systems. The Real Value of a Smile. Retrieved 16 July 2008

Want a Summer Job Head to Orlando

Want a Summer Job Head to Orlando Are  you looking for a good summer gig or know a teenager, young adult, student, or new grad who is? The job market for this age bracket is a tough one- there’s  an unfortunate trend toward unpaid internships for younger workers, and lately adults have been overloading the service industry. But research suggests that the top market out of 150 large U.S. markets for summer employment is actually sunny Orlando, FL, home of Mickey and Minnie! Orlando scored this ranking across a survey of 21 key metrics, including access to public transport and the level of the minimum wage, but notably came in third in availability of summer jobs. Scotsdale, AZ, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL, came in second and third, respectively.Orlando has the most part-time job openings per 1,000  people in the youngest age group in their labor force- they get about a 4% bump in summer employment, which is hard to beat almost anywhere else.So hone in on the summer tourism industry (thank you Walt Disney Resor t and Universal) and look no further for summer employment opportunities and internships. It’s often very hard work, particularly at Disney, but it’s decent paying work and it’s ready and waiting for you.What’s the worst place, you might ask? The WalletHub survey named Moreno Valley, CA, as everything Orlando wasn’t- and worst for summer jobs. They have a high unemployment rate for that same 16-24 age group, with many living below the poverty line, and zero bump in employment numbers for the summer.So if you need a summer job and can’t find one where you live? Try Orlando. APPLY HERE

Free Essays on Warsaw Convention

An international treaty known as the Warsaw Convention controls the legal rights of international travelers to sue the airlines for injuries suffered on an airliner. The Warsaw Convention is 70 years old. The Convention was originally designed to protect the airlines against excess damage liability. The three most recent major airline disasters are TWA 800, Swiss Air 111 and Egypt Air 990. All involved international flights covered by the Warsaw Convention. This year the United States Supreme Court confirmed that the Warsaw Convention "exclusively" controls a passenger’s right of recovery in U.S. courts for "physical injuries" sustained on international flights. The Warsaw Convention applies to passengers ticketed on an international itinerary even if the crash occurs on the domestic part of a continuous international trip. For example, let us assume an American citizen purchases a round-trip ticket in Seattle for a flight to Mexico City with a change of planes in Los Angeles. If a crash occurred during the Washington to California leg, the Warsaw Convention would still apply because that passenger was embarked on an international flight based on his ticketing to Mexico, although other passengers may have only been ticketed for the Seattle to Los Angeles domestic leg. Until very recently and for almost 70 years, the families of internationally ticketed passengers killed in airline disasters were doubly traumatized. First, they lost a loved one in what was often a preventable accident. Second, they discovered a harsh economic reality the maximum amount of money they could collect from the airline was $75,000 U.S. No matter how tragic the loss or how glaring the negligence, they could receive only $75,000, while the family of domestic passengers who died from the same crash could expect to collect millions in U.S. Courts. The only way around this liability limitation was to prove that the airline was guilty of "willful misconduct."... Free Essays on Warsaw Convention Free Essays on Warsaw Convention An international treaty known as the Warsaw Convention controls the legal rights of international travelers to sue the airlines for injuries suffered on an airliner. The Warsaw Convention is 70 years old. The Convention was originally designed to protect the airlines against excess damage liability. The three most recent major airline disasters are TWA 800, Swiss Air 111 and Egypt Air 990. All involved international flights covered by the Warsaw Convention. This year the United States Supreme Court confirmed that the Warsaw Convention "exclusively" controls a passenger’s right of recovery in U.S. courts for "physical injuries" sustained on international flights. The Warsaw Convention applies to passengers ticketed on an international itinerary even if the crash occurs on the domestic part of a continuous international trip. For example, let us assume an American citizen purchases a round-trip ticket in Seattle for a flight to Mexico City with a change of planes in Los Angeles. If a crash occurred during the Washington to California leg, the Warsaw Convention would still apply because that passenger was embarked on an international flight based on his ticketing to Mexico, although other passengers may have only been ticketed for the Seattle to Los Angeles domestic leg. Until very recently and for almost 70 years, the families of internationally ticketed passengers killed in airline disasters were doubly traumatized. First, they lost a loved one in what was often a preventable accident. Second, they discovered a harsh economic reality the maximum amount of money they could collect from the airline was $75,000 U.S. No matter how tragic the loss or how glaring the negligence, they could receive only $75,000, while the family of domestic passengers who died from the same crash could expect to collect millions in U.S. Courts. The only way around this liability limitation was to prove that the airline was guilty of "willful misconduct."...

A governing body Essay Example for Free

A governing body Essay Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA Haven't found the essay you want? Get your custom sample essay for only $13.90/page ? A governing body is eminent in every populace. Although the governing bodies of the United States and Sweden are both administered by Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches, the role they play in the politics of their respective countries differs greatly. Both countries are subject to laws set forth by age-old constitutions. There is also variance in the number of representative parties for the population of each country. It is important to look at the age of the country and its influence on the government. The period of time in which countries are founded is very important in showing why certain countries have the institutions that they do. The early Swedish government was formed by aristocrats who nominated a king that used his rule to influence religion. This aspect of Sweden’s political history differs from that of the U. S. , which was founded hundreds of years later to be ruled by representation. U. S. Government The United States is the world’s oldest representative democracy. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the Constitution. Citizens are subject to three levels of government: federal, state, and local levels; most areas are subject to multiple local governments, such as county or metropolitan governments in addition to municipal government. The federal government is comprised of three branches, which are designed to check and balance one another’s powers. The Legislative branch is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, and has the power of making decisions regarding the budget and taxation, also known as â€Å"Power of the Purse. † The Executive branch is comprised of the President, who appoints, with Senate approval, the Cabinet and other officers. The Cabinet administers and enforces federal laws. The president is also Commander-in-Chief of the military. The Judicial branch is the Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the President with Senate approval. The Judicial branch interprets laws and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional. The United States Constitution is the supreme legal document that governs the American system. The document is considered a social contract for the people of the United States, regulating their affairs through government chosen by and populated by the people. All laws and procedures of both state and federal governments are subject to review, and any law ruled by the Judicial branch to be in violation of the Constitution can be overturned. The Constitution can be amended by two methods, both of which require the approval of three-fourths of the states. Officials at all three levels are either elected by voters in a secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Executive and legislative offices are decided by a plurality vote of citizens in their districts. Judicial and cabinet-level offices are nominated by the Executive branch and approved by the Legislature in the federal government and most states, although some state judges are elected by popular vote. American politics is dominated by the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Members of these two parties hold the majority of elected offices across the country at federal, state, and lower levels. Independent or third party candidates tend to do better in lower-level elections; however, there are currently two independent members of the Senate. Within American political culture, the Republican Party is considered conservative and the Democratic Party is considered liberal. Swedish Politics Information published by Nations Encyclopedia advises Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, of which King Carl XVI Gustaf is currently the head of state, but royal power is limited to official and ceremonial functions. The nation’s modern legislative body is the Swedish Parliament, also known as Riksdag, with 349 members, which chooses the Prime Minister. The Riksdag holds supreme authority in modern Sweden. The Riksdag is responsible for choosing the Prime Minister, who then appoints the ministers. The legislative power is then shared between the parliament and the Prime Minister-led government. The executive power is exercised by the government, while the Judiciary, unlike that of the United States is independent. Sweden’s judiciary system also lacks the ability to review laws that may be in violation of the constitution. Acts of the parliament and government decrees can be made inapplicable at every level if they are against constitutional laws. Legislation may be initiated by the Cabinet or by members of Parliament. Members are elected on the basis of proportional representation, or full representation versus the plurality voting system used in the U. S. The Constitution of Sweden can be altered by the Riksdag, which requires an absolute majority and two decisions with general elections in between. Since 1932, the Cabinets have been dominated by the Social Democrats. The following political parties currently hold seats in the Riksdag: Social Democrats, Moderates, Centre Party, Liberal People’s Party, Christian Democrats, Left Party, and Greens. There are six other parties, however, they do not currently hold any of the seats of the Riksdag. The six parties are: Swedish Democrats, Feminist Initiative, The Pirate Party, June List, The Health Care Party, and National Democrats. Religious and Cultural Aspects of Government Historicizing the formation of the Swedish government is to review the affects of aristocracy on government and government on religion. In the middle ages, struggle for power between powerful families and Great Men, also known as Stormannen, caused politically unstable situations. Sweden was a kingdom where the king was elected by members of a council of aristocrats; therefore, the throne was not inherited. The presence of powerful Great Men and chiefs meant that the king’s influence was often quite limited. His political and fiscal control over the country depended upon support from the aristocracy. During the late Middle Ages political anarchy came about in Sweden. Constant struggle for power between a number of families and the Danish King Kristian II ended in the Bloodbath of Stockholm in the early 1500s. The result of this struggle enabled Gustav Vasa to become king in 1521. The most important reform Gustav Vasa made was the reformation of the Church. â€Å"The king was able to gain political control, as well as control the property of the Church, all Swedes suddenly became Protestants instead of Catholics†(History World, 2007). This made it possible for the king to establish himself, not the Pope, as head of the Church, and also to use the Church as a pedagogic tool on the people according to History World. Because everyone had to attend church on Sundays, the state could reach almost the entire populace with information, propaganda, and a certain amount of education. The Bible was, for instance, translated from Latin to Swedish during this time. This had a positive impact on literacy among the ordinary people. In the United States, the formation of the government was influenced by agenda and innovationists rather than religion or how politics could influence religion. â€Å"Our Founding Fathers were not known to practice Christian orthodoxy†(White House, 2007). Although they supported the free exercise of any religion, they believed there could be dangers in incorporating a religion into the creation of a government to serve all people. Most of them believed in deism and attended Freemasonry lodges. According to John J. Robinson, â€Å"Freemasonry had been a powerful force for religious freedom†(Free Masons, 2007). Freemasons took seriously the principle that men should worship according to their own conscious. Masonry welcomed anyone from any religion or non-religion, as long as they believed in a Supreme Being. Washington, Franklin, Hancock, Hamilton, Lafayette, and many others accepted Freemasonry. According to the Free Masonry Organization, in order to be a Free Mason, one must believe in the existence of a â€Å"Supreme Being,† which includes the â€Å"gods† of Islam, Hinduism, or any other world religion. Although many believe the anti-Biblical and anti-Christian beliefs and practices of this organization are partially hidden beneath an outward appearance of a supposed compatibility with the Christian faith, the organization supports every religion. The influence of a non-uniform Christian society on the U. S. government was probably due to the combinations of cultures and backgrounds of the individuals making up the fairly new society. The compilation of cultures that continues to make up U. S. society varies greatly from those of the Swedish culture at the time their government was developed. Sweden was a very old country; therefore, the majority of the inhabitants had lived there most, if not all, of their lives. The governments of the United States and Sweden both represent their diverse populations through their respective governments. The greatest variance in the way branches operate is in the Judicial system. In the United States, the Judicial System ensures that laws are upheld and amended to meet changing times without going against the Constitution. The Swedish Judicial branch lacks the ability to review laws that may be against their constitution. A governing body. (2017, Mar 02).

Circumstances and causes around language death and if its changed over Research Paper

Circumstances and causes around language death and if its changed over the years - Research Paper Example 2). This paper discusses the phenomenon of language death, and examines what causes it. Using the example of Canada, the circumstances which help and hinder this process are discussed. It has been noted that language is a very big factor in the formation and sustaining of identity, and that there is therefore a link between the survival of aboriginal languages and the general wellbeing of individuals and of the aboriginal community as a whole. This finding has been substantiated by a recent empirical studies in Canada, where there are some communities which have preserved indigenous languages alongside other communities where the indigenous language has is no longer spoken: â€Å"The common theme that cuts across all of the research efforts is that any threat to the persistence of personal or cultural identity poses a counterpart threat to individual and community wellbeing.† (Hallet et al., 2007, p. 393). Specific analysis of suicide rates in young people found that there is a correlation between the death of the original language in the local community, and suicide among young people. The reason why this should be the case appears to be the fact that there is a strong connection between language, culture and identity. Young people who grow up without being able to speak the language of their ancestors, or even that of their grandparents, experience alienation from their own culture, and this causes a rise in public health problems. Using the analogy of a â€Å"coalminer’s canary† Hallet et al. show how youth suicide can be a marker of cultural distress, and how this is related to language death. In communities where the indigenous language is not being passed on to the young, suicide rates are higher. The case of Canada is an interesting one, because there is still today a large variety of experience occurring in terms of the way indigenous languages have prospered or died off within a country that operates predominantly in English and Fr ench at the national level. In an article from the mid 1980s the examples of North American/Canadian Indian languages Micmac and Maliseet are used to illustrate the way that a whole world view is built into the very structure of the language, including concepts of time, the physical environment, the weather and personal relations. (Leavitt, 1985, p. 266) The indigenous culture embraces time as a continuous process, rather than fixed blocks, while the physical environment is perceived in relation to the speaker, and not to arbitrary compass directions. Weather is spoken of in terms of on-going actions, while relationships are ordered in complex subject/object interactional forms. These structural forms are closely connected with the landscape and lifestyle of the indigenous nomadic societies of previous centuries. The death of such a language causes a dislocation of the community from its traditional understanding of all these key areas, and this, it seems, is why language death caus es so much cultural stress. One proposed cause of language death is the â€Å"killer language† theory. It is proposed that a language which is attached to powerful national or international forces can sweep over an area and wipe out all other languages in its path. Examples such as the imposition of European

Adult Education Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Adult Education Organizations - Essay Example The research outlines some of the criteria for changes where most of them focus on the effectiveness of the prevailing leadership style. According to the article, change occurs for various reasons. For instance, in education, organizations or learning institutions may be looking for alternative means to improve the quality and strengthen their reputation. However, the study also recommends that a successful change initiation depends on certain criteria that lay the basis for the transformation of all organizations. One of the criteria for leading change is open communication that results in effective coordination between the staff and executive management. Nonetheless, the article suggests that the inclusion of people in the early stages of the decision-making process is also necessary for leading change. Another important criterion for effecting change is creating an environment that motivates the staff to accept the change. From the above criteria, it is evident that one of the met hods for initiating change in the educational sector is creating enthusiasm among the staff to accept the transformation. Creating enthusiasm is a way of motivating the staff to accept the changes. Another important method for implementing change is training the staff on important aspects of change management and initiation. The training focuses on equipping staff with the right knowledge on effective change management and implementation. The article strongly emphasizes on leadership as the primary determinant of change initiation and implementation.

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 13

Business law - Essay Example In case of a valid contract between two parties, both the parties must be a promisor as well as a promisee. This means that both must gain as well as lose something as a result of the transaction made under the terms of the contract. The consideration is what is exchanged between the contracting parties during the transaction. In the case of a contract for providing some services, consideration for the service provider is the receipt of payment whereas for the client, the consideration is the service rendered by the service provider. Hence, while consideration may be different for the contracting parties, it must flow from both sides by parties acting in the capacity of promisee. Consideration for one party may be in the form of cash while it may be in the form of intangible services or a tangible good for another. Nonetheless, the existence of consideration in one form or the other is essential for a valid contract. It is important for consideration to meet certain requirements before it may be considered as valid consideration. Consideration must not be a past action unless it was done in response to a specific request (Whincup 74). English law does not recognize past consideration as valid (Tonapi 2). In other words, a promise to provide some consideration must be made before it is provided or executed. In the present scenario involving Kris and the claim for damages, the provision of complimentary chocolates is not valid consideration because it was not agreed upon between the parties at the time the agreement for providing chocolate for the wedding cake was made. The complimentary chocolate was provided later as a goodwill gesture and was not an expected part of the contract. Secondly, the consideration must move from the promisee. The consideration should move from both sides but the parties must execute it in the capacity of promisee instead of promisor. Mutuality of agreement is an important element of valid

Company Strategic Analysis - General Mills Research Paper

Company Strategic Analysis - General Mills - Research Paper Example The company has strong brand equity in the market place. The company’s financial position is strengthening even at the time of recession. The company has a diversified product portfolio. The company’s brands have strong brand identity. The company’s internal processes for acquiring raw materials for its products are very strong. Weaknesses: The scale of companies operations are hiding inefficiencies in its operations. General Mills is not taking enough measures to raise its productivity. Opportunities: Recent social trends have created a market for convenience food items. General Mills can export its product to the Asian Markets. Threats: The environment of recession is creating unprecedented operating challenges for the company. Kraft and Kellogg are formidable competitors of the company, having strong brands of their own. Suppressed consumer demand is threatening company’s revenues. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis: Threat of Substitutes: This dimens ion falls on the higher end of the spectrum because consumers have the option to buy convenience food items from food stalls and cheap hotels. Moreover, consumers can even decide to cook themselves fresh meals. So it can be concluded that there are alternatives available to consumers. Rivalry amongst competitors: This dimension is also ending up on the higher end of the spectrum because as mentioned earlier Kraft Food and Kellogg, both are formidable competitors having strong management and brand portfolio. In addition to this these companies also have strong capital base to support their operations. Suppliers Bargaining Power: This dimension also falls on the higher end of the spectrum because there are few quality suppliers of raw material in the marketplace. Companies who want to gain quality raw materials have to adhere to suppliers’ terms and conditions. Moreover, the price of the raw material is also very elastic, which leads companies to the future markets; in order to protect themselves from price risk and inflationary pressure. Customers Bargaining Power: This dimension again lies on the higher end of the spectrum because recessionary pressure has made consumers to curtail their expenditure. Consumers are demanding higher value at lower price from companies, in order to draw them to spend. Companies therefore have to adhere to the demands of consumers in order to utilize their huge asset base. Threat of New Entrant: This dimension falls on the lower end of the spectrum because the market conditions are not that encouraging for any new entrant to enter this market. Since the industry is engulfed by recession and has strong competitors in it, therefore no new entrant will be able to operate effectively in this marketplace. Firm’s overall Performance: Even at the time of recession the company has managed to perform exceptionally well. Almost all of its financial indicators are on the positive side of the spectrum, reflecting the fact that t he company has been successful in implementing its year start strategy. The company’s 2010 sales figure is up by 1 percent as compared to its 2009 sales figure (General Mills e, 2011). Operating profits have increased substantially, that is by 8 percent. Net income of the come has also increased drastically (17 percent) (General Mills e, 2011). The company’s asset utilization has also increased as reflected by the head of â€Å"Return on Average Total Capital†. This figure is up by 150 basis points, which is very encouraging. For the share

Driving School case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Driving School case - Essay Example (Pollack) The first phase, Strategic Marketing Analysis, includes observing every element of the marketplace such as target market, industry growth, market size as well as competitors. This is considered as the "Opportunity Analysis" stage when the firm is able to identify if there is indeed an opportunity in the market (Pollack). In the case of Advanced Driving School, the company has passed this phase as it has identified its target market, growth potential and existing competition. According to Oliver, the firm's core market is primarily comprised of fleet-drivers whose trainings are sponsored by fleet operators. Apart from this, the company also caters to private motorist and motor manufacturers. Indicative of the bright prospects in the industry, Oliver forecasts that profits would increase exponentially on the second year of sales. The company has also considered its competitors and identified its competitive edge. As cited by Oliver, quality of service provided by other driving schools remain questionable since they do not use qualified instructors as opposed to the company's high ranking former police instructors. The second phase, dubbed as Market Entry Strategy, involves the actual development of strategy. This stage entails the review of product strategies, presentation of service offering, pricing scheme, enticing customers and determination of the place where the service would be rendered (Pollack). Given the case facts, Advanced Driving School is within the middle of this phase. Although it has budgeted for marketing, considered the above elements and recognised the problem with regard to its current location, the company does not have a concrete marketing program that would enable it to completely penetrate the market and establish a strong foothold in the industry, especially in the long run. To be able to successfully maintain sustainable demand, the firm should first solidify not only its current sales strategy, but its overall marketing program as well. The company should be able to design the effective marketing mix to satisfy the wants and needs of its target market. (Burns & Bush) Only when Advanced Driving Schools has come up with its marketing strategy can it advance to the third phase, i.e. Strategy Implementation. In this stage, the firm should be able to integrate the Four Ps in concert with one another to be able to execute an effective marketing program. (Pollack) Question 2: What needs to be done to develop Advanced Driving School's sales and marketing activities in order to significantly increase sales In order for the firm to continuously boost sales, Advanced Driving School should ensure that its sales and marketing activities are apt for its intended market. In this regard, prior to undertaking is sales and marketing program, the company should assess the preferences of potential customers. As such, the company should primarily consider conducting marketing research. Through this process, the firm would be able to gather significant information which would help determine potential clients' wants and needs, and design marketing strategies that would

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 13

Business law - Essay Example In case of a valid contract between two parties, both the parties must be a promisor as well as a promisee. This means that both must gain as well as lose something as a result of the transaction made under the terms of the contract. The consideration is what is exchanged between the contracting parties during the transaction. In the case of a contract for providing some services, consideration for the service provider is the receipt of payment whereas for the client, the consideration is the service rendered by the service provider. Hence, while consideration may be different for the contracting parties, it must flow from both sides by parties acting in the capacity of promisee. Consideration for one party may be in the form of cash while it may be in the form of intangible services or a tangible good for another. Nonetheless, the existence of consideration in one form or the other is essential for a valid contract. It is important for consideration to meet certain requirements before it may be considered as valid consideration. Consideration must not be a past action unless it was done in response to a specific request (Whincup 74). English law does not recognize past consideration as valid (Tonapi 2). In other words, a promise to provide some consideration must be made before it is provided or executed. In the present scenario involving Kris and the claim for damages, the provision of complimentary chocolates is not valid consideration because it was not agreed upon between the parties at the time the agreement for providing chocolate for the wedding cake was made. The complimentary chocolate was provided later as a goodwill gesture and was not an expected part of the contract. Secondly, the consideration must move from the promisee. The consideration should move from both sides but the parties must execute it in the capacity of promisee instead of promisor. Mutuality of agreement is an important element of valid

Driving School case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Driving School case - Essay Example (Pollack) The first phase, Strategic Marketing Analysis, includes observing every element of the marketplace such as target market, industry growth, market size as well as competitors. This is considered as the "Opportunity Analysis" stage when the firm is able to identify if there is indeed an opportunity in the market (Pollack). In the case of Advanced Driving School, the company has passed this phase as it has identified its target market, growth potential and existing competition. According to Oliver, the firm's core market is primarily comprised of fleet-drivers whose trainings are sponsored by fleet operators. Apart from this, the company also caters to private motorist and motor manufacturers. Indicative of the bright prospects in the industry, Oliver forecasts that profits would increase exponentially on the second year of sales. The company has also considered its competitors and identified its competitive edge. As cited by Oliver, quality of service provided by other driving schools remain questionable since they do not use qualified instructors as opposed to the company's high ranking former police instructors. The second phase, dubbed as Market Entry Strategy, involves the actual development of strategy. This stage entails the review of product strategies, presentation of service offering, pricing scheme, enticing customers and determination of the place where the service would be rendered (Pollack). Given the case facts, Advanced Driving School is within the middle of this phase. Although it has budgeted for marketing, considered the above elements and recognised the problem with regard to its current location, the company does not have a concrete marketing program that would enable it to completely penetrate the market and establish a strong foothold in the industry, especially in the long run. To be able to successfully maintain sustainable demand, the firm should first solidify not only its current sales strategy, but its overall marketing program as well. The company should be able to design the effective marketing mix to satisfy the wants and needs of its target market. (Burns & Bush) Only when Advanced Driving Schools has come up with its marketing strategy can it advance to the third phase, i.e. Strategy Implementation. In this stage, the firm should be able to integrate the Four Ps in concert with one another to be able to execute an effective marketing program. (Pollack) Question 2: What needs to be done to develop Advanced Driving School's sales and marketing activities in order to significantly increase sales In order for the firm to continuously boost sales, Advanced Driving School should ensure that its sales and marketing activities are apt for its intended market. In this regard, prior to undertaking is sales and marketing program, the company should assess the preferences of potential customers. As such, the company should primarily consider conducting marketing research. Through this process, the firm would be able to gather significant information which would help determine potential clients' wants and needs, and design marketing strategies that would

Accounting Equation Paper Essay Example for Free

Accounting Equation Paper Essay The basic accounting equation is: Assets = Liabilities + Stockholders’ Equity. When looking at the balance sheet one can assume that assets must balance out each transaction and balance the claims to the assets (Kimmel, 2010). A balance sheet provides Assets of the company first and foremost, then Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity and last retained earnings. This shows the companies incoming money, outgoing payments, and the money left or retained at the end of each time period being documented on the balance sheet. The components of the accounting equation affect each other in many ways. For example, when cash assets are received the company is making profit only as long as it is making more revenue than the liabilities owed. So, when using the Sierra Corporation on pg. 14 from the text the company has to pay the Liabilities: Notes payable, Accounts payable, Salaries payable, Unearned Service revenue, and Interest prior to ever turning a profit above the black. When looking at a balance sheet one needs to know all incoming as well as outgoing money to determine profitability and sustainability of a corporation. See more: Satirical elements in the adventure of Huckleberry Finn essay Next, when looking at a balance sheet the liabilities + the stockholder’s Equity have to ALWAYS balance out to amount of assets to ensure all things are accounted for and there are no accounting errors. When done properly the balance sheet can be used to verify the company’s revenue and the financial stability of a company based upon debt to stockholders’ equity. References: Kimmel, P. D., Weygandt, J. J., Kieso, D. E. ( 2010). Financial accounting: Tools for business decision making (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

Inter Generational Theory Of Abuse Psychology Essay

Inter Generational Theory Of Abuse Psychology Essay The inter-generational theory of abuse is a widely accepted notion by professionals and lay people alike. This theory suggests that children exposed to physical, emotional or sexual abuse will subject their offspring to a one of these forms of maltreatment. However, the evidence that undermines this theory is too large to ignore. The evidence that supports this hypothesis refers to abused children becoming juvenile delinquents and the identification of the child with the abuser. Methodological problems, generalizability issues and low validity of the experiments conducted undermined the plausibility and truth in the hypothesis. Another strong factor is the protective factors and predisposition of abused children, who break the cycle of abuse which is more common than thought. In this essay I will discuss the evidence both for and against the hypothesis. Kaufman and Zigler (1987) found that the papers written on studies of inter-generational abuse assert validity without proper evidence because their primary sources of information are unreliable. These studies rely largely on case studies, agency records, clinical interviews, self-report questionnaires. An example of case studies was those mostly done with parents whose children were in hospital for non-accidental injuries (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). Most of these parents reported histories of abuse, but because there were methodological problems (such as limited control measures) the generalizability of the findings is not possible. Agency records also had many of the same limitations. The representative samples, comparison subjects and formal definitions of abuse differed. The omissions in agency records were rarely recorded. Clinical interviews are valuable for generating hypotheses about inter-generational theory but they lacked comparison groups and definitions were far from legal criteria (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). Self-report questionnaires lacked the exploration of the statistical relationships among determinants of abuse (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). Egeland Jacobvitzs observed that the history of abuse could not be separated from influence of poverty, stress and social isolation on parenting behavior. They also noted that the broader the definition is, the greater the apparent link becomes in the inter-generational hypothesis thus make the validity of the collected data low (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). According to Langeland and Dijkstra (1995) the variations of definitions of abuse cause considerable variation of the rates of transmission. They concur that due to bad methodologies making generalizations from the information is problematic. They also highlight the need to study both mothers and fathers (because they have clinical and theoretical relevance), which isnt always the case. Langeland and Dijkstra (1995) show how many studies only examine one child (e.g. Goodwin et al., 1981; Main Goldwyn, 1984; Altemeier et al., 1986; Egeland et al., 1988; Pianta et al., 1989; Burkett, 1991; Boyer Fine, 1992; Caliso Milner, 1992; Herzog et al. 1992; as cited in Langeland and Dijkstra; 1995) and suggest researchers need to look at wider family context (that is brothers, father, grandparents, aunts and cousins). Widom (1989) highlights that the methodological problems play a role in the misrepresentation and overestimation of the actual statistics related to the inter-generational theory. In Widoms review of the literature, she also emphasizes the over dependence on self-report, inadequate documenting of childhood abuse, and the infrequent use of control groups. According to Widom researchers should make a clearer distinction between abused and neglected children because the differences in consequences are significant the information collected overlaps and distorts the results. Widom thus suggests the need for better rating scales for studies, and the need for a greater methodological awareness and refinement. Protective Factors and Predispositions Kaufman and Zigler (1987) observed that some parents (with a history of abuse) became abusive parents whereas other did not. Hunter and Kilstrom (as cited in Kaufman Zigler, 1987) attributed this to the individuals having: extensive social support (e.g. therapy); fewer undecided feelings about being pregnant, they were openly angry about the abuse they endured, and their babies were healthier. Another study by Egeland and Jacobvitz (as cited in Kaufman Zigler, 1987) found mediating factors to be that one parent/foster parent was loving and caring towards the abused child, the abused had an emotionally supportive spouse, they also had fewer current stressful life events and they had a greater awareness of history of abuse and had come to terms with it. This study provides information on the interrelationships (etiology of abuse and other influences) of the many determinants of a parents behavior. Langeland and Dijkstra (1995) also found that many abused children manage to break the cycle of inter-generational abuse. They emphasize the factors that protect/buffer the transmission. Belsky (1980, as cited in Langeland and Dijkstra, 1995) says there are multiple factors at work that cause abuse such as: the individual (personality of parents); familial (the home/family environment e.g. marital relationship); community (formal informal social structures e.g. neighborhood and other family); cultural (societal expectations and attitudes). However, Belsky (1980, as cited in Langeland and Dijkstra) says the interaction of risk and protective factors are important because they effect likelihood of transmission of abuse between generations. Garbarino Gilliam (1980, as cited in Widom, 1989) reiterates that other life events or the predisposition of the child (e.g. natural abilities, physiological predispositions, and social supports) will protect them from the effects of abuse. Deliquency and Identification Kaufman and Zigler (1987) commented on the many other factors that contribute to abuse. Children may find themselves in similar social or relationship conditions (or have long lasting effects of child abuse) that led their parents to be abusive to them as children and cope in the same way. Quinton and Rutter (1988) reiterate that abuse occurs for many reasons namely: substantial social and environmental hardships and a constellation of psycho-social difficulties. It is noted that children may have the same or similar situations as their parents and cycle continues because of the same outside influences. They found that abuse can lead to: personality disorders, alcoholism, and criminality all of which are associated with abuse. Sir Keith Joseph (1972, as cited in Quinton and Rutter, 1988) said poor parenting is a central mechanism for encouraging inter-generational transmission of family problems (that is children learn from their parents). Men that were imprisoned for violence against children were found to have come from large families where abuse was common (Gibbens Walker, 1956; Scott, 1973, as cited in Quinton and Rutter, 1988) and women accused with child-battering were associated with unhappy, loveless and traumatic childhoods (Lukiarowitz, 1971 as cited in Quinton and Rutter, 1988). Quinton and Rutter (1988) noted that the vulnerabilities deriving from exposure to poor parenting can lead to them being abusive (e.g. depression is known to be associated with abuse). Widom (1989) emphasized that the immediate consequences of child abuse are physical injuries or emotional trauma but that the emotional and developmental scars may persist thus leading to the likelihood of inter-generational transmission of abuse. McCall Shields (1986, as cited in Widom, 1989) highlighted the context of violence in culture. Accordingly the approval of such behaviors legitimizes and reinforces the use of violence (Gil, 1973; Huggius Straus, 1980; Steinmetz, 1977; as cited in Widom, 1989) which in turn instigates the high degree of acceptance of violence in culture (R.A. Stark McEvoy, 1970 as cited in Widom, 1989). It is therefore not too difficult to deduce that learning to become violent through normal childrearing experiences might be transmitted from generation to generation (Goldstein, 1986; as cited in Widom, 1989). The social learning of a child and the witnessing/victims of physical and emotional aggression become a model for the child that violence is appropriate in the home (Bandua, 1973; Feshbach, 1980; as cited in Widom, 1989). Straus et al. (1980, as cited in Widom, 1989) suggest that each generation of abusive parents learns to be violent by being a participant in a violent home. Other evidence suggests that abuse leads to aggressive behavior, depression, withdrawal and self-punishing behavior all of which lead to abusive behavior which would suggest that the cycle of abuse can be and is transmitted. It is also suggested that abuse may lead to becoming an abusive parent, a delinquent, or a violent criminal (Widom, 1989). McCord (1983) did a study on abused, neglected, rejected, and loved boys. She found that 45% of the abused and neglected boys ended up being convicted for serious crimes, becoming alcoholics, suffering a mental illness, and/or died unusually young. Their parents were found to have been similar. Other researchers Rocklin and Lavetts (1987) research has demonstrated that identity formation (process by which a child incorporates aspects of a significant other) adds to inter-generational transmission. This is because they form these identifications as a coping mechanism rather than actual identity. However, the identification can persist and is often seen to be used later in life. Conclusion It is clear that being abused puts people at risk of being abusive towards their offspring but it is not the only factor and the path is not direct. There are many protective factors that buffer the adverse effects of abuse, which often breaks the cycle of abuse. The methodological limitations of most experiments (and lack of control measures) have lead to misleading representations of the statistics, and the inter-generational transmission of false facts (Widom, 1989). However the persistent acceptance of the inter-generational theory seems to have undermined many studies as well. The risk factors and society in which a child learns from seems to cause abuse and the transmission from generation to generation. In conclusion abuse is not necessarily transmitted from generation to generation, because there are many protective factors and the path is not direct. The past and present influence the likelihood of abused children becoming abusive parents, not just the possibility of the int er-generational abuse occurring.

Kupor :: essays research papers

In Texas politics, one of the most important things to understand is the iron triangle. The iron triangle figuratively symbolizes the relationship between interest groups, the bureaucracy, and legislative committees. Each of the three entities is at a corner of the triangle. It is regarded as an accurate representation of the way in which many routine policy decisions are made. The interest group is at the top, the bureaucracy is at the bottom left, and the legislative committee is at the bottom right. Starting at the interest group and going clockwise, the interest group provides the bureaucracy with information and support for agency budget. The bureaucracy provides the legislative committee with information. The legislative committee provides the interest group with legislation. Going counter-clockwise, the interest group provides the legislative committee with campaign contributions and information. The legislative committee provides the bureaucracy with legislation and budget s upport. The bureaucracy provides the interest group with rules and regulations. An example is the interest group being from the oil and gas industry, the bureaucracy is the railroad commission, and any committee. The lobbyists from the oil and gas industry send campaign contributions and information to the committee. Information could be about anything from supply and demand to turnover rates. The committee sends legislation and budget support to the commission, which are money and rules on how to regulate the oil and gas industry. The rules and regulations are then sent up to the interest group from the industry. The other way, the industry lobbyists send information and support to the commission, which sends the information to the committee, which then sends legislation to the industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The process of co-optation is closely related to this iron triangle. Co-optation is defined as the transition from guardian of the public interest to defenders of private interests. This happens for three reasons. First, once a regulatory agency is established, the public tends to lose interest. Second, the regulators tend to come from the industry being regulated, bringing with them the industry’s perspective and bias as opposed to the public interest. Third, regulators have personal relationships with representatives from the industry who are generous to members of the agency. Basically, the regulatory agencies come to represent the interest of the industry they were created to control as opposed to the public interest. The part of the iron triangle where this occurs is where the interest group sends the agency information and support.

Essay --

STAGE 1: Entrenchment The first stage of conflict escalation develops when a divergence over some issue or frustration in a relationship proves resilient to resolution efforts. The problem remains, and leads to irritation. The threshold to stage 2 is taken when one or both parties lose faith in the possibility of solving the problems through straight and fair verbal discussions. STAGE 2: Debate The parties look for more firm and stronger ways of pushing through their standpoints. The dispute is no longer restricted only to a well-defined issue, but the parties start to feel that their general position is at stake. Debates are no longer only focused on which standpoint has more merits, but also on who is most successful in promoting the standpoints, and how the outcomes of the debates affect one's reputation. When rational and issue-relevant arguments don't promisingly ensure success, the parties resort to "quasi-rational" argumentation, such as the underlying causes of the present problems avoiding blame; strong exaggeration of the implications and consequences of the counterpart's standpoints; suggestive comments about the relation of the central issue with other concerns, linking the issue to larger value ideologies, reference to recognized authorities or tradition in order to gain legitimacy for a standpoint; stating the alternatives as extremes, in order to get the opponent to accept a "reasonable compromise." Discussions now turn into debates, where inflexible standpoints collide. The growing mistrust creates a sense of insecurity and loss of control. Efforts to control the counterpart belong to later escalation stages. The threshold to stage 3 is related to the basic right of each party to be heard of mutual interest. S... ...the adversary. When a party is attacked in a way that threatens to shatter it, it is forced to make strong efforts to suppress internal conflicts. The only restraining factor is the concern for one's own survival. The threshold to stage 9 is reached when the self-preservation drive is given up. When this happens, there is no check at all on further destructiveness. STAGE 9: Total destruction In the last stage of conflict escalation, the drive to annihilate the enemy is so strong that even the self-preservation instinct is neglected. Not even one's own survival counts, the enemy shall be exterminated even at the price of destruction of one's own very existence as an organization, group, or individual. All bridges are burnt, there is no return. The only remaining concern in the race towards the other side is to make sure that the other side is equally destructed too.

Education Insurance Awareness Essay

An Overview In 1965, Yarri proposed the use of life insurance to insure against lifetime uncertainty resulting for the mortality risk of individuals. Premature death of a family head can bring serious financial consequences for the surviving family members because the family head’s earnings are lost forever leaving unfulfilled financial obligations, such as dependents to support, children to educate, and a mortgage to repay. Life insurance allows individuals and families to share the risk of premature death with many others and to alleviate the financial loss from the premature death of the rimary wage earner (Garman & Forgue, 2006). The purchase of life insurance is one of the most important purchasing decisions for individuals and families (Anderson & Nevin, 1975) and it is a critical component of a long-term financial plan (Devaney & Keaton, 1994). 2). Introduction to Child Education Insurance Policy A child education policy is a life insurance product specially designed as a savings tool to provide an amount of money when a child reaches the age for entry into college normally 18 years old and above. The funds can be utilised to partly meet a child’s higher education expenses. Also, if purchaser opts for a payor benefit rider, an education policy provides the assurance that, in the event of an untimely demise of the parents or legal guardian, the child will have access to funds to help finance his or her education expenses. Under a child education policy, the child is the life assured, while the parent or legal guardian is the policy owner. 3). Types of child education policies available in life insurance market. There are two main types, i. . an endowment or investment-linked policy. The difference between the two lies in the structure as well as the nature of investments. 3. 1) Endowment policy is an endowment policy combines a savings component with protection coverage. Endowment policy may be either participating or non-participating. As the name implies, non-participating policy do not participate in the life insurance fund’s profits but all insurance benefits are fully guaranteed. On the other hand, for participating policy, a portion of insurance benefits are guaranteed. However, the ultimate amount of benefits at maturity is not guaranteed as these depend on the performance of the insurance company’s participating life insurance fund. 3. 2) Investment-linked policy is an investment-linked policy combines the elements of investment and protection based on your requirement as the policy owner. It offers flexibility as you are able to increase or top-up your monthly premium contribution as your income improves. If you wish to be more aggressive with the instruments of investment, an investment-linked policy will also allow you to choose the types of funds your money will be invested in. However, like any other similar investment, there are higher risks involved and there are no guarantees on the returns, which may be higher or lower than projected. 4). Research Background An increasing trend of education expenses to enter college or university nowadays, a lot of parents using financial sources such as Employee Providence Fund or rely on borrowing from Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Negara to afford the study expenses of their son after leaving secondary school for a higher level of study. As an alternative source of financial protection against high education expenses, parents can purchase an education insurance starting from their children young age. Compare with withdrawal of lump sum of money from EPF (Employee Providence Fund) or make borrowing from PTPTN (Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Negara), a parents just need to pay for a small amount of premium and parents as a payer can be covered by insurance in case death or total permanent disablement occurred by paying for an extra insurance rider in the particular education insurance policy. Therefore, this research carried out to examine the level of awareness among parents in Sibu Region towards education insurance provide by insurance companies in Malaysia. This thesis aims to examine both the type and amount of life insurance purchased by households. To this end, comprehensive models of households’ demand for life insurance were developed, which included demographic variables (age, education, employment status, health status, number of children, marital status, and race), economic and assets variables (income, homeownership, debts, as well as portfolio elements such as liquid assets, certificates of deposit, mutual funds, bonds, stocks, individual retirement accounts, annuities, other miscellaneous financial assets, and nonfinancial assets), and psychographic variables (attitude toward risk, attitude toward leaving a bequest, and one’s expected life expectancy). The effects of these factors on either term or cash value life insurance purchased by households were examined separately. Research Objective General objective To examine the parent’s awareness towards education insurance. Specific Objective 1). To investigate whether parents had purchase education insurance or not for their children at their young age. 2). To identify from which channel of information that made parents aware of education insurance. 3). To identify whether insurance industry playing an effective role in promoting education insurance in life insurance market. ). To examine parents interest towards education insurance products administered by insurance company in insurance market. 5). The main purpose of this study is to examine whether demographic factors influence the purchase of education insurance among parents in Sibu Region. Research question 1). Do you know there is education insurance product in insurance market? 2). Had you purchased any education insur ance from any insurance company for your children? 3). Had any insurance agent approach or introduce and give explanation to you regarding education insurance? 4). Are you willing to purchase any education insurance for your children? 5). what type sources of information you needed to enhance the knowledge regarding education insurance? Problem statement Financing child’s education is one of the major investments that any wise parent is prepared to undertake. A sound university education is not only among the basic requirements to establish a good career; it can also form the foundation of your child’s intellectual maturity for life. We all start learning since birth and the brief period of academic education in our lives represents another landmark in a life-long learning process. But given the high cost of education and the competition to enter well-known universities, it is necessary to have an investment plan to fund our children’s brief sting of three to four years in university. With the limited places available in local universities, many Malaysian students have wisely invested in university education abroad. Faced with the rising costs of overseas university education, how can parents save and invest to finance the tuition fees, let alone the living costs. The depegging of the ringgit from the U. S. dollar last year is a welcome move for many Malaysian parents because under the flexible exchange rate system, the ringgit is likely to appreciate over the long term. This will help Malaysians reduce the cost of overseas education in popular countries such as the U. K. , U. S. and Australia (Charles Goh, www. fimm. com. my/pdf/investor/articles/09). One of the biggest worries for parents nowadays is how to fund their children’s education, which does not come cheap. In addition, as with everything else, education expenses, is it in foreign and local colleges/universities, private primary and secondary schools are expected to trend upwards in future (Elaine Ang, http://thestar. com. my/ September 18, 2010). The trend is upwards as far as education costs are concerned. In predicting the future, we can only use assumptions such as cost and inflation factors in child education planning. The general increase for local studies is about 3% per year and foreign about 5% and this applies to a general business degree of three years (Mike Lee, CTLA Financial Planners Sdn Bhd managing director, 2010). An average increase of between 5% to 7% annually in education costs for studies locally and in countries such as Britain, United States, Australia, Canada and Singapore excluding foreign exchange rate fluctuations. Moreover, there are certain years where the increase can be in a lump sum instead of percentage depending on the circumstances. (Matthew Gan, E. T. Education Services Sdn Bhd managing director, 2010). Some of the common mistakes parents make when saving for their child’s education fund are starting too late, saving without investing and not considering foreign exchange fluctuations for those who aim to send their children overseas. It is important to determine what the education costs are in current value and identify a suitable savings and investment vehicle. Some parents don’t even have a clue how much education costs (Yap Ming Hui, Whitman Independent Advisors Sdn Bhd managing director, 2010). Save and invest your money as early as possible. Let your money grow with your child, school fees for primary and secondary education range from RM15,000 to RM17,000 per annum with an average 10% increase in fees every two years (Rina Thiagu-Kler, Marketing manager Sri KDU, 2010). Because of less study and difficulties to obtain data regarding education insurance demand in Sibu Region. A brief interview conducted with Mr. Ten Kim Loong, Unit Manager of Kumpulan Elite Ten from Etiqa insurance agency on 2nd December 2011 where he indicated that most of the insurance product demanded by household within Sibu region is medical card and personal accident policy, it is because the premium affordable by policyholder, moreover among the clients approached did not know what policy to purchase and how much sum insured should be enough for protection need†. A discussion session also conducted with Mohamad Faizuli Bin Abd Karim, a financial planner from Takaful Ikhlas Sdn Bhd reveal that among the prospects that approached by him saying that they are not interested in any of insurance products and they worried the premium payment can become an extra expenses as per we noticed the living standard and price of basic necessity good are very high nowadays. The Breakdown of Schooling Expenditure As shown in Table 2, the average cost of schooling overall was found to be RM1,782 per student per year. The cost in rural areas which averaged RM1,590 was about 22 per cent lower than urban areas.

I Am Not Scared

Michele and Filippo deserve our sympathy, all the others deserve only condemnation. Discuss. The story takes place in 1978 in a fictional town called Acqua Traverse in Southern Italy during the hottest summer of the century. The readers all have a soft place in our hearts for filippo and Michele about their tragic experiences. Michele’s natural sense guides him to determine the good and wrong things. Despite his age, his moral terms are much better than all the adults, who sacrifice their consciences to sink into crimes. This statement considers being partly agreed.We sympathize with Filippo in his misfortune, and we feel sorrowful about the ways they treated Filippo are too ghastly to look at. Michele was not fear of sacrifice and saved Filippo’s life. And all the other deserve only condemnation, except for Michele’s parents, Pino and Terese. Filippo’s misfortune deserves our sympathy, and we feel sorrowful and miserable about the way the adults treat him . Filippo is only nine years old. He should prosecute true happiness and deserve the caring from his parents, but the adults totally destroy everything. A tragic experience causes him stay in the shadow of death.In the story, Michele has to do forfeit by climbing up to the first floor of the abandoned house. When he lifts up the corrugated sheet, he finds the boy was lying at the bottom of the hole, it was dark and full of flies and a sickening smell welled up. Filippo’s living condition is very poor and miserable, lack of water and food, with chains on his feet. After he gets kidnap and hide in the hole by the adults. He has a little bit mental disorder, because he can’t trust anyone anymore, nothing in this world is happy or magnificent, nobody in this world is dependable.He also mentions everyone in his family is all dead and they live in the holes like him. The world’s a place full of holes with dead people in them. He gives up his life in despair. He will n ever dare to expect someone come and help him, take him out of the evil and nasty place. And Sergio once spreads works to the public and says he will cut off two of Filippo’s ears for the ransom. That is unbelievable, how can they have the heart to cut off a nine-year-old boy’s ears. Their actions are shameful and disgraceful.And they totally destroy his childhood innocent and scar him emotionally forever. This shows that Filippo’s misfortunate should deserve the reader sympathy. Michele is not fear of sacrifice and saved Filippo’s life. His has a wonderful natural sense to determine whether he should do or he should not do. He doesn’t obey any unreasonable comments from the adults. In the story, when Michele listen the conversations between the adults, he sees Filippo’s mother is appealing to the kidnappers, do not hurt him, and they love him and haven’t forgotten him.And he realises Filippo is kidnaped by his father and the old man, Sergio. And they want to cut off his ears. Although Sergio frightens Michele into being a good and obedient children, and do not interfere with the world of adults. But he cannot transgress his morality, He goes back the abandoned house and tells him everything, and he also worries about does his father cut off Filippo’s ears. This also proves the friendship between Michele and Filippo are very precious. Michele helps him, provides food and water, and brings him back to the reality and takes him away from the shadow of death.Michele tries to convince him that he is not alone, he stills alive and he is not blind at all, and helps him to return to a human state. Gradually, the friendship between them bloomed, and Michele is the only one in the world that Filippo can depend on. Unfortunately, Felice discovers Michele is in the bottom of the hole, he get beat up by Felice, who was a poor devil with friendless and womanless. Finally he has to make a promise to his dad, never go b ack to the hole again. If they find Michele has visit him again.Sergio or Felice will shoot him. But he also promises Filippo that he will come back. This situation seems like to challenge his moral bottom line. But he decides to break promise to his father and pluck up his courage to rescue Filippo. The thunderstorm propels Michele to save Filippo’s life, because he knows they are coming to kill him soon. This moment shows the courage and goodness of Michele. The friendships between them are entitled to be called the true friendships, because they never betray each other.This shows Michele is not fear to sacrifice and save Filippo’s life, their friendships are very valuable. His actions and moral terms deserve our sympathy and are worth learning. All the others should only deserve condemnation, they should feel shameful and guilty about what they do to these nine-year-old boys, but Michele‘s parents should gain the forgiveness of the masses. In the story, Michel e is liked many other nine-year-old children, they trust their parents and depend on them all the time.However, the reason why Pino gets involved in this kidnap, because he wants his children to get the better life in the future, far away from poverty. In the story, when Michele gets beat up by Felice, Terese try to fling herself at Felice, although she knows Felice is much stronger than her, but she protects her children at risk of his life. This shows the depth of love and protection. She said to Michele, when he grow up he must go away from here and never come back, because she doesn’t want him to remember this unhappy experience. It will directly impact his emotionally.This show Pino and Terese should deserve the forgiveness, and they demonstrate the depth of love and protection to their children, they are not allowed anyone to hurt their children. Filippo’s misfortunate should deserve our sympathy. Michele demonstrates the courage and goodness, not fear to sacrifi ce and save Filippo’s life, his moral term is worth learning for everyone. All the others deserve only condemnation, except for Pino and Terese, because they are absolute conscientious parents, they just hope their children will have the better life in the future.