To Kill A Mocking Bird By Lee Essays (778 words) -

To Kill A Mocking Bird By Lee Racial categories are created in the film To Kill A Mockingbird through a complex societal hierarchy founded in difference. Although all of Macon county lives in poverty, the town does not unite on the basis of this shared experience, but instead focuses on their differences, both real and imagined, to segregate themselves. The town operates under a general assumption that wealthier whites hold the most power and prestige, followed by poorer whites, while all blacks, regardless of financial station, are considered to be the lowest citizens. General depictions of black men and women in the film are of household servants and ignorant, docile farm workers. The only slight indication that there were any educated blacks in Macon comes from the appearance of the preacher at Tom Robinson's trial. Held on charges of raping and beating a poor, white woman, Mr. Robinson is portrayed as a meek and nearly helpless man. The fact that he can barely speak in his own defense, relays both the idea that black men were uneducated, as well as the idea that blacks were afraid to step over the boundaries of their society. Attics Finch, a kind and fair white lawyer, is the only person to speak up for Mr. Robinson. This demonstrates the idea that the lowly black man needs a benevolent white man to "save" him and direct his life along the right path. Black men and women in the film are unable to make their own decisions. Clearly, there were obvious lines drawn in Macon, delegating specific roles to the various groups of citizens. The dark pigment of Mr. Robinson's skin placed him on the bottom rung of society, forcing him into a subservient position. It is difficult to discern whether the film is attempting to garner sympathy for the oppressed black community, or reinforce stereotypes of ignorant and complacent black men and women. While the initial depictions of the black community center around the Finch's maid, Calpurnia, the respect with which the family treats her is far from the norm. Ranging from the callous indifference of several of the white law-enforcement officers, to the blatant racism of the group of country farmers, much meaning is assumed from difference. The racism of Macon seems to stem from the Southern history of slavery. Blacks continue to be classed as servants, and not equals, to the white townspeople. With no other opportunities available to them, the black workers attempt to make the most out of what they have. They are faced daily with the stigma attached to the color of their skin, a difference which assigns the entire black community an inferior status. Especially evident in the treatment of blacks by the poor, white farmers, is a desire for dominance over the blacks. Bob Ewel, the father of the victim, expresses his distaste by referring to black men as "boy," a term we have seen is weighted by heavy historical significance. This racism most likely stems from the substandard treatment these farmers receive from the wealthier population of Macon. In the blacks, the farmers are looking for a place to vent their own frustration and exert power over another group. The idea of ethnic identity as an illusion opened my eyes to the fallacy of a single identity for every group. Using only the basic elements of family life for example, it is clear to see that the Finch family is very different from the farming Cunningham family, despite the fact that they are both white. This illusion shows up again in the lumping together of all of the black men and women of Macon into a single category, at the expense of any individual identities. Even Tom Robinson, the man held on (false) charges of raping a white woman, is never developed as a character. The audience is left to imagine that he is "just" another poor, black farmer. I chose this film because of the use of difference as a foundation for social hierarchy. Throughout the film, there is much lumping of various ethnic groups. A group identity is favored over the individual identity, and all assumptions are based on the idea that each member of a group shares the same thoughts, values, and identity. Seeing the various episodes of the film through the eyes of the young narrator, Scout Finch, also offered a unique perspective to the film. The questioning eyes of a child are often as critical as any educated outsider looking in on Macon could be. Through this course I have

Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay Example

Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay Example Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay PREFACE Anyone who had a chance to witness a Singapore of the 1950s-the British’s colonial port and a prosperous Singapore nowadays has to admire the rise of Singaporean as well as the wise leadership of the government. There is no doubt that the city-state of Singapore represents a remarkable success story that has placed the country among the developed nations. After its independence in the mid-1960s, Singapore had no more than a deep port. There are no fresh water, no hinterland; all nation’s area just limits in 700 square kilometer. The question made in everyone’s mind was how Singapore could survive with such obstacles after the British’s withdrawal rather than how Singapore could develop to become one of the top-class economies. In contrast of everyone’s thought, Singapore has swiftly moved ahead of all neighbouring countries in almost all fields, turning itself into Asia’s second-richest country in term of per capita income. How has Singapore done to attain such remarkable achivements? What will Singapore have to do to cope with emerging giants such as China, India? It is the content of this essay: SINGAPORE -THE WAY TO THE GLOBAL CITY. In this essay, it is inevitable to have some mistakes. Therefore, I hope you will excuse them and contribute to make the essay better. I/. Singapore’s history and periods of development: The modern Singaopore’s history began in 1819 when Englishman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles established a British port on the island and Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. Singapore, together with Malacca and Penang, the two British settlements in the Malay Peninsula, became the Straits Settlements in 1826, under the control of British India. With the advent of the steamship in the mid-1 860s and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Singapore became a major port of call for ships plying between Europe and East Asia. This led to the prosperity of Singapore until Japanese occupation, starting on Frebruary 1942 and lasting for three years and a half. The British forces returned in September 1945. At that time the people, especially the merchant class, clamored for a say in the government. Hence, Singapore’s first election was held on 20 March 1948. Upon the basis of a new constitution that gave Singapore a greater measure of self-government, the 1955 election was the first lively political contest in Singapore’s history. Self-government was attained in 1959 when Singapore’s first general election was held and Lee Kuan Yew became Singapore’s first Prime Minister. In 1963, Singapore was formally merged with Malaysia for the purpose of benefiting the economy by creating a common free market, eliminating trade tariffs, and solving unemployment woes and Singapore’s security would also be safeguarded within the much larger Malaysia. However, the merger proved to be short-lived. Singapore was separated from the rest of Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation. Thereafter, Singapore commenced the struggle to survive, prosper on its own and create a sense of national identity and consciousness among a disparate population of immigrants. Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. On 28 November 1990, a new chapter opened in Singapore’s modern history Goh Chok Tong became the second Prime Minster of Singapore after the resignation of Lee Kuan Yew. In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong , the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the third Prime Minister of Singapore and has been giving innovative policies to make Singapore become a global city. II/. Singapore’s achievements: When Singapore gained independence in 1965, its leaders cried rather than cheered. The idea that a small island city-state of two million people with no hinterland could survive in what was then a difficult and troubled region seemed manifestly absurd. Nevertheless, by its own effort, Singapore has been from the Third World to the First. 1/. Economy: Singapore’s economy has grown by more than 7 percent annum since 1965, leading to a per-capita income of US$29,610, ranking the ninth in the world. It now has the most efficient port, airport, airline and civil service in the world. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy depends heavily on exports refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing. Manufacturing industry which is well-diversified into electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences constituted 26 percent of Singapore’s GDP in 2005. It also has the third largest oil refining. In 2006, Singapore produced about 10 percent of the worlds foundry wafer output. Singapore now is the worlds fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York city and Tokyo. Its total trade is three times the size of its GNP. 2/. Society: In the process of developing economy, Singapore has also concentrated on the conservation of environment in order to become the cleanest country in the world. Singapore has been well-known to have the best living conditions, expressing on some fields: Health: Singapore has one of the best healthcare systems in the world with the assistance of Medisave, Medishield, Medifund. That explains the fact that the population has become healthier each year. Infant mortality rates have fallen from 26. 3 per 1000 live births in 1965 to 3. 2 per 1000 today. Life expectancy is also rising. Education: Singapore has the highest literacy rate in the world. Education is neither totally free nor compulsory, but today 90 percent of the population will complete at least 10 years of education; 20 percent will complete university; 40 percent will complete polytechnic training, and 30 percent will complete vocational training. Housing: Shelter is also plentiful. 90 percent of the population lives in high-rise public housing that occupies only one-sixth of the island. The average dwelling space per family is above the global average. Virtually all Singaporeans live in homes they own because of a compulsory savings program, the Central Provident Fund (CPF). Multi-racial harmony: Singapore includes Chinese, Malays, Indians. Despite difficulties from the variety of ethnic groups and religions, Singapore has been successful with the policies of multi-racial harmony. Therefore, Singapore has been developing stably with four official languages (Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English). III. Lee Kuan Yew’s contribution to Singapore’s succes s: Singapore nowadays has totally changed its look from the image of a country with poverty and corruption of 1950s. In contrast to todays prosperity, during the 1950s, Singapore was merely one of the many colonial ports of the British Empire, with fewer than 1. million people. In 1959, Singapores GDP per capita was only $400. How could this small island develop into a splendid city and a flourishing country from a poor village-like port 50 years ago? There are many factors contributing to Singapore’s success, in which Lee Kuan Yew (Prime Minister from 1959-1990) played a crucial role. In the limit of this essay, I just would like to emphasize the role of Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore’s development. The success of Singapore is mostly due to the talented leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, who is the architect of many sound policies in many fields helping raise the Singapore’s economy. When elected to become the Prime Minister in 1959, Lee Kuan Yew gained the autonomy for Singapore from the British in all state matters except in defence and foreign affairs. Singapore even is more resource-poor than Japan. It has almost no natural resources aside from its deep-water port. Only 4% of the total area is arable land. In order to gain the control of defence and foreign policy and benefit the economy, Lee Kuan Yew forced to merge Singapore into Malaya, which with the mergence of Sabah and Sarawak became Malaysia in 1963. However, just two years later, in 1965, Lee Kuan Yew had to proclaim the seperation of Singapore from Malaysia and began to lead an independent Singapore with numerous difficulties ahead. Lee Kuan Yew had three main concerns – national security, the economy, and social issues – during his post-independence administration. 1/. National security: Recognizing the vulnerability of Singapore from outside threats, he quickly sought international recognition of Singapores independence as Singapore gained admission to the United Nations on 21 September 1965. He also declared a policy of neutrality and non-alignment, following Switzerland’s model. At the same time, he assigned Goh Keng Swee with the task of building the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and requested help from other countries for advice, training and facilities. Singapore later co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on 8 August 1967 and was admitted into the Non-Aligned Movement in 1970. 2/. Economic issues: Having almost no natural resources except for the deep port, Lee Kuan Yew supposed that Singapore had no choice but joining the international trade and commerce. He believed that creating and sustain a free and open economy is an efficient way for Singapore to develop. In the 1960s, Singapore was still very poor with high unemployment rate, especially after the British’s withdrawal. He tried to attract foreign investment as much as possible, encouraged the growth of private enterprises and avoided any subsidy. The government has adopted an open-door policy and welcomes foreign investment as well as foreign expertise. Singapore’s free-enterprise spirit extends to its relations with foreign investors. An open business environment has evolved in Singapore, evidenced by the size of the countrys external trade which is in fact about three times that of the domestic GDP. A free trade policy ensures that there are minimal restrictions on the import and export of goods. Therefore, almost all commodities, and consumer and industrial items enter and leave the country free from duty charges. Singapore provides international businesses with a total operating capability in a conducive business and free trade environment. In order for policies to be implemented effectively, apparatus of government is very important. None better than him, he was aware that Singapore was only able to grow when it has a pure, dedicated and talented government. Lee Kuan Yew built and ran a totally corruption-free regime by setting an example of exemplary virtues himself. Civil servants are chosen from top of the most excellent students of universities. In first days after independence, Singapore was still very poor. How could the corruption which was soaked into the government since the British colonial time be crossed out? Lee Kuan Yew then, in one hand, inspired civil servants the strong work ethic; in the other hand, he built a strict and close framework of legislation. After the economy overcame some obstacles in the first stage, Singapore’s civil servants were paid handsome salaries so that they remained free from temptations. Lee Kuan Yew made it clear to them that his administration would have zero tolerance for sleaze of any kind. It was not unsual for a foreign entrepreneur wanting to set up a manufacturing facility to get all the approvals from a single officer. In 2001, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Lee’s successors, decided to raise the salary budget for overnment employees from $28 million to $34 million, while Singapore’s public service is regularly rated as one of the most efficient and competent in the world. How did he justify this increase? â€Å"Judge my government by its results, the quality of political leadership is all important, that is fair to make this increase, given the ministers’ huge responsibilities and impact on people’s lives†, he said. The countrys sound government policies hav e enabled Singapore to rank as Asias most stable country. The Singapore government encourages businesses to thrive by keeping red-tape to a minimum. It also has a reputation for being responsive to changes and is willing to adapt quickly to new and unforeseen circumstances by altering its outlook and modifying its policies. The government encourages private sector initiative. Government agencies with regulatory functions have close rapport with the private sector; major policies affecting the business community are often adopted only after consultation with major trade and business bodies. To a small, no natural resources island like Singapore, human resource is the most valuable. Since the first days, Lee Kuan Yew has put education as one of the most important national strategies. Its main objective was to ensure that every child had a place in school. Lee realized early on that English is the future of international commerce, which is what Singapore is all about and students lacking English command are hard to find a good job. Thus, English, with three other languages have become official languages in Singapore. Since then, English has been forced to use in teaching and learning. Top students with exceptional bilingual (Chinese and English) abilities from the national primary school leaving examinations were given options to study in specialized secondary schools to develop these capabilities further. On the whole, the edu ¬cation system is based on the economy’s needs. In the 1960s, Singapore’s infrastructure was weak and deficient. Lee used military infrastruture for the civil purpose. Simultaneously, to develop the unique advantage of Singapore, Lee tried to attract foreign investment to improve the infrastructure. Singapore nowadays has become the busiest port in the world and become the international trade connection due to its worldwide sea and air links, modern port and airport facilities, sophisticated telecommunications network, and comprehensive land transport system. /. Social issues: Singapore is a very small island but there are three ethnic groups on it. Therefore, one of the main concerns of Lee Kuan Yew is that how to harmonize these ethnic groups in order for them to direct toward the common benefit of the country. The first thing Lee did was making Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, along with English to become official languages, despite the fact that almos t 80% Singaporeans are ethnic Chinese, only about 14% Singaporeans are Malays and 7% are Indians. Lee introduced the teaching of three languages, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, in English schools. To balance this, he introduced the teaching of English in Chinese, Malay and Tamil schools. Lee Kuan Yew stated publicly that all four major languages in Singapore were official and equal. Thus the Chinese language and culture did not dominate the landscape of Singaporeans social life despite the overwhelming proportion of the Chinese in the total population. Without any natural sources of water like freshwater rivers and lakes, the primary domestic source of water in Singapore is rainfall, collected in reservoirs or water catchment areas. The country also imports a large amount of water from Malaysia, which means that Singapore depends on Malaysia’s water supply. In order to stabilize Malaysia’s water supply, Lee Kuan Yew gave a request for Malaysias guarantee of water supply to Singapore as part of the 1965 Agreement of Separation, which was later deposited in the United Nations. Singapore also relied on the fact that the Straits of Malacca had been international waters for centuries. If any of these were breached, Singapore could go to the UN Security Council. In addition, the authorities also launched a unique process of producing ‘ultra-clean water called NEWater. The lack of good public housing, poor sanitation, and high unemployment led to social problems from crime to health issues. The Housing Development Board (HDB) set up before independence continued to be largely successful and huge building projects were given to provide affordable public housing. Within a decade, the majority of the population had been housed in these apartments. The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Scheme, introduced in 1968, allows residents to use their compulsory savings account to purchase HDB flats and gradually increases home ownership in Singapore. The story on the environment front is also worth studying. Determining the economic growth as a national strategy, simultaneously, Lee Kuan Yew also stressed on the necessity of a green nature in the way to substantial development. With careful land planning, only 49 percent of the island is used for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. Hence, half the island consists of forest reserves, water catchment areas, marshes and other non-built-up areas. It is a green island, even though the World Bank classifies the population as one hundred percent urbanized†. Singapore nowadays, which is the cleanest city in the world, really becomes the paradise of rest and treatment. IV/. Vision to the future: With the unique advantage of strategic location, stable government, competitive workforce, forward-looking economic policies and a pro-business environment, Singapore is not only a convenient link between East and West, but also offers easy access to Asia Pacific’s dynamic market of over 2. 8 billion people. With its rich multicultural heritage, Singapore combines a truly cosmopolitan ambience with classic Asian hospitality. Clean and green surroundings, a low crime rate, affordable housing, and outstanding visitor attractions are just some of the factors that make working and living in Singapore a pleasure. For such those, Singapore deserves to become a global city. In the last period of development, Singapore has been successful in learning from other countries’ experience. However, with the status of one of the top-class economies, from now there is no more experience lesson for Singapore to learn. It will have to find out its own way and be ready to accept falure if any. In a recent research of author Mansour Javidan on the Havard business magazine about future-oriented culture, Singapore has the strongest future-oriented culture, the following are Switzerland, Holland and Malaysia. Since the 1990s, Singapore has given programs to prepare for meeting challenges and opportunities in the 21st century, such as: Public service 21, Industry 21, Human resource 21, the Scheme 21 for building global city- the best house, the plan of developing national technology and science†¦ In the 1990s and this 21st century, we are witnessing the rise of China and India in many fields: economy, military affairs, technology†¦, which has negatively affected Singapore’s position as a leading attracter of foreign investments and a prominent Asian manufacturer and exporter. With their varied natural resources, low labour costs, varying business opportunities and tempting incentives, the two Asian giants have left little for Singapore to do. Realizing this reality, Singapore has been developing a new role for itself in the current millennium. This includes acting as a bridge between China and India on the one hand, and as a bridge between two these countries and other countries in the West and Southeast Asia on the other. Lee Kuan Yew, who strongly supports such a role, had urged Singaporean firms as early as the 1970s to strongly establish themselves in China, so they could successfully compete with other foreign investors and control maximum business opportunities. In line with its new role, Singapore decided to develop manufacturing in favour of higher-value added activities. It emphasized the need to shift to a knowledge-based economy where fine education and training and specific services needed in China, India, and other emerging powers would be available. The government’s strategy in recent years to attract more foreign students and trainees and to have institutions that can train them in certain specialized areas for careers in government and first-class private companies must be viewed in this regard. For such orientation and preparation for future, it can be sure that this city-state, based on strong rule of law, Western economic and managerial practices, effective corruption- free admininstration and top-class infrastructure, can meet the challenge and present the world with another success story with the global city status. CONCLUSION The success story of Singapore has been so well-known that many countries in the Third World have considered Singapore as a model to strive. Under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore had remarkable achievements in all aspects: economy, social life, national identity, education, science and technology†¦ The face of Singapore has totally changed compared with that in 1950s. The policy that has brought success for Singapore are: Sustain a free and open economy, avoid any subsidy, set up uncorruption administration, elcome foreign investment. Due to sound policies of government, Singapore has used very well its unique advantage to develop it to the busiest port in the world and Singapore has become the gateway to Asia. Besides, the key to Singapore’s economic success has come from the free trade. Free trade has given Singapore many business opportunities and made Singapore become the strategic link between the West and the East. In order to meet forwarding challenges in a more and more competitive world, Singapore has proposed many forward-looking missions, in which has attached special importance to training future human resource. Being a vibrant, dynamic city state with one of the highest standards of living in the world, a key regional trading center and the world’s busiest port, Singapore deserves to be a global city. It is also sure that successors will keep Lee Kuan Yew’s principles, which have being made Singapore an uncorrupt and meritocracy based society, to maintain Singapore as a global city.

Cloud Computing - advantage and disadvantage for payroll companies Essay

Cloud Computing - advantage and disadvantage for payroll companies - Essay Example In this scenario, cloud computing is an emerging trend in the computing industry. This paper presents a brief overview of cloud computing technology with respect to its usage for payroll industry. The basic objective of this research is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing with respect to payroll industry. Cloud computing refers to the use of a cloud image to indicate the internet or a number of huge networked arrangements. Though, people are not concerned a great deal with what is in the cloud or what goes on there apart from that they actually rely on consistently transmitting data to as well as receiving information and data from it. Additionally, the cloud computing is at the present linked with a high level idea of the cloud. Instead of using routers, pipes and servers for transferring data and information, people use cloud services (Rouse; Hartig). In addition, the technology and architecture behind cloud computing lead to a group of unified storage systems, servers and control nodes that can facilitate distributed computing. Additionally, every cloud computing based arrangement normally has a client computer and front end and a back end that consists of software systems and servers, and a number of categories of control node and data storage. In this scenario, the network that puts together all the things is the most significant side that could be linked with cloud computing design. As well, the components of a cloud computing arrangement can be connected with each other by means of web/internet, and the client normally accesses them by means of internet (Hartig; Strickland; Laukkonen). PC revolution has provided many â€Å"off the shelf† solutions to business organizations. Payroll and HR software tools are the solution that is created for the HR professionals to meet the needs of the organizations. However, in the past decade with the technology of cloud based software, many solutions provided to organizations

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 8

Assignment - Essay Example In the real sense, corruption affects the general physical infrastructure of a country/ region, including construction of roads, schools, health facilities, and conservation of the environment (Radin, 2013; Ionescu, Lazaroiu and Iosif, 2012). Certain variables either mediate or moderate the relationship between these two perceptions. For instance, more mature people (those in relatively more advanced ages) tend to have better understanding of corruption and its effects, and may consequently tend to rate corruption significantly higher than younger persons. Explaining this observation, Porumbescu and Im (2013) further noted that ‘more educated’ individuals are more conscious of corruption in society, and can relate its effects to service delivery more easily than the less educated. Based on these established discussions, the present analysis attempted to conceptualize how perceptions on corruption could be related to the perceived impediments to quality service delivery, including provision of high standard infrastructure. Respondents’ satisfaction with eight items that constitute infrastructural wellbeing was assessed. These include public transport systems, roads and highways, schools, quality of air, quality of water, quality of health care, quality of housing, and the beauty or physical setting of the localities within which the respondents live. Again, based on the findings in the mentioned research articles, the researcher hypothesized that higher perceived levels of corruption in government are significantly related to lower levels of satisfaction with service delivery. Similarly, age and educational level are estimated to relate with the perceived level of satisfaction such that as either increases, the level of satisfaction decreases. Age and educational attainment are also theorised to have a linear relationship with the perceived level of corruption, implying that as either of the

The Knights Templar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Knights Templar - Research Paper Example Being a monastic military, the Knight Templar’s mandate was to protect Christian’s pilgrims on the route to the holy land. King Richard 1 commonly known as Richard the lion Hearted fought along side the Templars in the battle to the holy lands. The Templar was interesting because it had both soldiers and monks, making some of the earliest soldiers in the Western World. Orders played a vital role in many battles of the crusade to the extent that it improved modern banking, which could be considered as a notable improvement. The knights of the Templars started in small group, and as time progressed it grew in membership. The members of the group possessed certain duties and lifestyles, which made them unique in all their endeavors. As the military fighting for Christ, the Templars kept aside every temptations of the ordinary secular life, for a dedicated life of holiness and service to God. Since then, the concept of service has been the legacy of the Templars whereby mos t people emulate the military group. To many, the military group fought for Christ extraordinarily putting aside every secular life for an arduous life of service. In reality, the Templars’ services were greatly appreciated given the fact that, they gave their lives fully for the sake of Christ. At this point, the following paper aims to discuss the Knights Templar through giving out a brief history, its mandatory purpose, and its religious benefits. To Hale (1), the Knight Templars were the soldiers of the Christ throughout the medieval world of Solomon’s Temple. This implies that the Knight Templars were devoted soldiers who had set their lives for the service. Historically, the Templars originated from the Kingdom of Jerusalem around 118 AD whereby nine members vowed to protect the pilgrim of the dangerous road leading to Jerusalem. The Templars members combined the rules of knight in a remarkable way that the western world had never seen before. Their passion to se rve was so notable that, King Baldwin 11 of Jerusalem granted part of his palace to them for their headquarters, which thereafter a became a stable place of the Temple Mount which was referred to as Solomon’s Temple. After a while, the temple was captured by the Muslims whereby they built their holiest site commonly known as the Temple Mount. Despite controversial that emerged from who possessed the temple, the site remained sacred to the Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Many assumed the temple was significant to Christians since it was the storage of the Ark of the Covenant with other biblical treasures. After twenty years of crusaders conquest of Jerusalem, the noble French knight collected eight knights where several of them were relatives. Their stated assignment was to protect pilgrims of the holy land in service as military members gave their lives fully to the commitment of Christ. The knights were seen as complementary to the society in the sense that, they cared for si ck and weary pilgrims while the Templars guarded those approaching and those who left the city. The Knights Templar was emulated by many, particularly the official blessings of the church of the Council of Troyes, which grew dramatically hence the group was showered with blessings and donations. The group grew exceptionally, and as time progressed, they received land and money to assist the fight in the holy land. The group was so respected that, no princes, kings, or bishop could command

The Shining Film Analysis

The Shining Film Analysis The suspense, blood and gore made the film so intriguing; the audience was kept wondering throughout as to what would really happen next. The eerie hotel combined with music and sound effects played a major role in the film, giving it a sense of paranoia. Nicholsons portrayal of Jack Torrance was truly remarkable, showing us how easily a man can lose complete sanity. The film reveals our need for companionship; loneliness is something we as humans, find it impossible to endure. What disappointed me about the movie was the fact that the breakdown of the family was not as clear prior to it happening; Jacks character lacked depth which would have been vital before his eventual breakdown. However, the film as a whole was exceptionally appealing. The director (Stanley Kubrick) carefully placed the horrific images combined with excruciating background music that would give you utmost panic; Stanley Kubrick had us believe exactly what he wanted and where he wanted, the fact that you were never too certain as to what was about to happen next showed his creative flair. The overflowing blood scenes were a visual masterpiece that seemed almost surreal, what drew me more to the film were hands out the characters and the circumstances they had to go through. Whether you like it or not after watching the film, it makes you somewhat wonder if a world where the past and present unite really exists; hence expanding our imagination to the extent that nothing is impossible. Themes: Isolation and loneliness are one of the major themes in this film. Jacks main reason to losing complete sanity was because he started to slowly isolate himself from everyone, including his family; nothing seemed to matter or make sense anymore. If you were in a world where its sole existence was you; then slowly if not immediately, life loses its meaning. At the beginning of the film we are shown that the car is moving towards and isolated hotel; the hotel itself represents a sense of isolation. The fact that it is located in a secluded place, where not a single soul can be found creates a border between Jacks family and the rest of the world. One scene that showcases loneliness is when Wendy talks to the fire department; we can see a feeling of despair, because she has literally no one to talk to. Duality plays another major role in the construct of the set and the film; there are two mazes, two little girls, two Gradys, even two Jacks. The duality factor of the film may represent the two faced nature of humanity, the one that shines (Danny) and the other one that wallows in the dark, corrupted, and twisted desires. In Jacks case what started as a mere irritation turned into downright aggression towards his family. Detachment from reality is another major theme circling throughout the film. Jack spends most of his time working alone or isolating himself from his wife and child. How are we as humans able to define whats a mere illusion to reality? Jack was not in a clear state of mind, from the way he talked and acted we could tell he was slowly slipping to world illustrated by him. The severity of his detachment is shown with his writing, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. As the film proceeds Jack sells his soul, or whats left of his humanity to the devil in exchange for drinks; which finally detaches him completely from reality. Clairvoyance is another theme that Kubrick plays on during the film; Danny is the major factor of this theme. Seen through messages sent by Tony, Danny starts to pick up the broken pieces and tries to prevent what the future beholds. This theme is covered with mystery and no clear edges, representing more of an unfinished circle with no beginning and no end. Tony sends Wendy messages in a mirror written red rum The reflection of which reads murder, murder is a reflection of both the past and the future, the word has a significant connection to the hotel; and history repeating itself. The hotel itself is filled with unexplainable paranormal activity that causes people to be in a disturbing state of mind. Clear, unexplainable images are brought to life to the characters; thus leaving them hanging by a thread of defining whats real and whats plain imagination. Structure: The choice of actors and their portray play huge factors in creating a horrifiic masterpiece. Darling, light of my life. Im not going hurt ya. You didnt let me finish my sentence. I said Im not going to hurt ya, Im just gonna bash your brains in Im gonna bash em right the fuck in. Jack, 1980: The Shining. Nicholsons brings a character to life with his portrayal of Jacks psychotic, twisted mind. With the audience observing his every move; its hard to ignore the fact that whilst watching the film you feel like you can see right through Jacks psychotic, twisted mind. He had the audience observing his every move. Wendys personality on the other hand is illustrated as passive and hysterical making her seem eventually vulnerable as the film proceeds; the fact that she does not dare to conflict with her husband even in the most unfortunate situations makes her almost flawed character seem more human and damaged. Shot in secluded hotel high in the mountains which is inaccessible to anyone, the setting itself creates an atmosphere of seclusion. Kubricks choice of unnerving music and sound effects is one of the most crucial factors that add to the cramped atmosphere; keeping the audience tense, ready for a scared. The Shining wouldnt have been the same if Kubrick didnt add the yellow/ green colour to film, which created a complete different atmosphere; and setting the perfect cautious mood for the audience whilst watching the film. The emptiness of the hotel combined with the unusual setting complements each other greatly, allowing Kubrick to capture great shots; the film was very fast paced but at the same time had long, intense pauses creating a synchronized effect between each shot. Stanley Kubrick tells us simple story of losing complete sanity through a unique perspective. As a whole the film successfully achieves its goal of keeping the audience right at the tip of their seats and anticipating whats going to happen next. Jack Torrance was a one of a kind character, who was trapped by his own demons within the hotel; thus, creating a fascinating phenomenon.

Postmodernism in Heaneys Poems Bogland and Tollund Man Essay -- Seamu

Abstract This research takes a postmodern approach to Seamus Heaney's two poems: Bogland and The Tollund Man. The evidences in the research bring illuminations to the significant issues of postmodern concept. Heaney's poetry was studied in myth, politics and revolutionary movement in the area of Irish classical poetry. Recently, his poems are considered as postmodern. To answer that how much his poems are traditional, modern or postmodern is the aim of this project. Key Words: postmodernism, myth, imagery, technique, poetry, deadly, violence, corpse, bog, imagination, freedom. Introduction This research is a case study including discussions and analysis of two poems by Seamus Heaney, one of the postmodern poets. The poems, which are going to be analyzed, are: Bogland and The Tollund Man. In Heaney's poetry we can see a connection between the mythical and the logical, the past and the present, to describe his thoughts and emotions, concerning the Irish troubles and human experiences. Heaney represent his feelings toward these problems by using imagery and structural techniques that are present in his poems . Chapter one of this study is a literature review of the ideology of postmodernism with emphasis on postmodernism and poetry. It also includes the meaning of postmodernism, different views and criticism on Heaney's poetry and his ideas about the principles of imagism. Chapter two analyzes the poem Bogland and reveals some points in describing the poem such as its national sides and two key images in the poem and explains how the poet has achieved and used them in his poems. It also discusses about Heaney's essay on a poem called The Bog People by P.V Globe. Chapter three is... ... From Internet: http://athena.louisville.edu/~cscart01/pomopoetry.html From Internet: http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/pomo.html Notes 1 Dr. Mary Klages, Associate Professor, English Department, University of Colorado, Boulder: http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/pomo.html 2 Dr. Christopher Carter Professors at University of Louisville, Postmodern Poetries March 1999. 3 Seamus Heaney, essay on The Bog People by P. V Globe, 1969 4 From a study guide on internet: http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/poetry/heaney.htm

“Finishing School” by Maya Angelou Essay

During the Victorian reign, Finishing school was a famous and prestige private school for wealthy young girls. It emphasized cultural studies for social activities, introduced good manners and etiquette, and taught skills such as dancing, singing and much more. In other words, Finishing school prepared young ladies for â€Å"future life†. The title Finishing School by Maya Angelou, has a different meaning, I would say the title is ironic. Angelou’s main character Margaret went through her own â€Å"Finishing School† that happened to be inside a white woman’s kitchen. It taught her about race differences and how to defend her dignity, both that reflect the author’s purpose in choosing this title. Margaret is a ten-year-old black girl who lives in the south in 1930’s at the time when slavery has long passed gone, but racial segregation and discrimination are still very strong. She comes to work as a servant in a home of a white wealthy woman, Mrs. Cullinan, where she begins to help out around the house, run errands, clean dishes and polish silverware. Margaret is overwhelmed with the inhumanness and the discipline of the house. All meals have to be at a certain time, all drinks have to be from a certain glass. Nevertheless, Margaret is willing to accept the new rules and work as hard as possible for the white rich and ugly lady, because Margaret feels sorry for her. She starts to come to work early, leaves home late, puts in extra work, somehow by doing so, Margaret thinks that she can compensate for the fact that Mrs. Cullinan can never have children. Margaret develops human feelings toward her mistress and her situation, not acknowledging the race issue. Sadly, she soon realizes that no one is interested in her feelings and her pity. To her employer she is just a stupid, wordless, black servant. Not a human, but simply an object that serves for comfort of the white masters. Margaret realizes that, when one day Mrs. Cullinan calls her by a different name, which is in her opinion more â€Å"appropriate†. Margaret cannot believe her years. The fact that her name, her own name that was given to her by her parents, is just now so easily being changed by this white woman, makes her very mad. She frightfully feels that her opinion might never be valued. That is when she decides to change all that once and for all. Margaret feels that she was just robbed of something important, her name. Even though she is just a young girl, she does not want to tolerate such mistreatment. Her inner dignity and pride arise and push her to forget about her need of money and job. Margaret feels that it is crucial to make a statement. She breaks her employer’s favorite piece of china that was left to Mrs. Cullinan by her wealthy parents. Margaret knows the importance of that reliquary and wants to take something important from Mrs. Cullinan to get even. The author says â€Å"While white girls learned to waltz and sit gracefully with a tea cup balanced on their knees, we were lagging behind, learning the mid-Victorian values with very little money to indulge them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mrs. Cullinan indulged her china piece meanwhile little Margaret had nothing to indulge but her dignity. Through out Margaret’s experience in â€Å"Finishing School† she learns about race differences and dignity, both values witch will serve her in the future.

5 Job Interview Tips for Shy People

5 Job Interview Tips for Shy People Got the interview? Great! But now you are so nervous you don’t think you can make it through the ordeal without hyperventilating. Your palms are already sweating. And your heart rate? Through the roof. Preparation is key. Make sure you have reviewed these tough interview questions and be ready for any questions. Here are 5 job interview tips for shy people so you can get through it. So sit back, take a deep breath, and get started.1. Bring propsHave any great visuals? Charts or graphs that track your progress or success in a previous position? Have a dossier of praise letters and awards? Bring them with. If you find yourself tongue-tied you can always hand one over to buy yourself some time.2. Make yourself a cheat sheetNothing says an interview can’t be an open book affair. Make a one-sheet of your top 10 professional achievements and keep it on hand during the interview. If you draw a blank, you’ll be back on track with one glance down into your documents. They ’ll never know you’re cribbing, particularly if you rehearse referring to these bullet points in practice interviews.3. Plan on how you’ll stallFigure out a signature phrase for yourself to buy a little time. â€Å"That’s a great question, would you mind if I took a moment to give you a more thorough answer?† is one option. Find what’s most comfortable for you.4. Get helpThere are tons of resources out there. If you can’t afford a career coach, an interview prep personal trainer, if you will, then ask a friend whose business savvy you respect to mock interview with you. Try videotaping yourself answering some standard questions and practice until it doesn’t terrify you anymore. Remember: the actual interview can’t be as bad as watching yourself on camera.5. Prepare  questions in advanceThe number one most terrifying question in an interview: â€Å"Do you have any questions for us?† Everybody freezes up a little in this moment. Come prepared. Make a list of 5 to 10  questions for every single interview, specific to those jobs. In doing so, you’ll also be doing good research into the particulars of the company and the job, and you won’t be caught with your pants down at the crucial moment. You can simply call one to mind, smile, and fire it off with confidence.

Aids 1 essays

Aids 1 essays AIDS Related Stigma Since the appearance of AIDS in the late seventies and early eighties, the disease has had attached to it a significant social stigma. This stigma has manifested itself in the form of discrimination, avoidance and fear of people living with AIDS (PLWAs). As a result, the social implications of the disease have been extended from those of other life threatening conditions to the point at which PLWAs are not only faced with a terminal illness but also social isolation and constant discrimination throughout society. Various explanations have been suggested as to the underlying causes of this stigmatization. Many studies point to the relationship the disease has with deviant behavior. Others suggest that fear of contagion is the actual culprit. Examining the existing literature and putting it into societal context leads one to believe that there is no one cause. Instead, there would appear to be a collection of associated factors that influence societys att itudes towards AIDS and PLWAs. As the number of people infected with HIV increases, social workers are and will be increasingly called upon to deal with and serve PLWAs. Although not all social workers chose to work with PLWAs, the escalating incidence of HIV infection is creating a situation in which sera positive people are and will be showing up more often in almost all areas of social work practice. This paper aims to examine AIDS related stigma and the stigmatization process, hopefully providing insights into countering the effects of stigma and perhaps the possibility of destigmatization. This is of particular pertinence to the field of social work due to our growing involvement with the HIV positive population. Association to Deviant/Marginal Behavior one of the most clearly and often identified causes of AIDS related stigma is its association to deviant behavior. The disease has had and still does have a strong associ...

Health Care in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Care in the USA - Essay Example Authorities to transmit overt health messages, such as those for AIDS prevention, immunization, or family planning, may use the electronic media. Perhaps more significant are advertisements (for insecticide, beer, soft drinks, automobiles, powdered milk, cosmetics, and other items of commerce) and programmatic content depicting supposedly admirable people and their lives and activities. Emulation of such models may have rapid and profound health consequences, both good and bad. Moreover, decades ago, the medium is often the message, and the mere presence of the radio or television receiver may lead to significant changes in personal or group behavior, independent of the nature or content of the broadcast messages. Most commentators ascribe the great decline in mortality in countries like US that were developing during the 18th and 19th centuries to improved nutrition, water supply, excreta disposal, and housing; legislation to control employment of women and children; and public health services in the broad sense. There seems to be a common misconception in the world that Health Care Services in US have monolithic socialized medicine systems under which a person need only appear on a hospital doorstep to be showered with free services. Perhaps equally widespread is the idea, promoted by television pictures of starving hordes, "such is not the case in the United States, where not all Americans are covered by health insurance" (Shi, L. & Singh, D., 2004, p. 2). Neither of these extreme images is accurate. While often useful, comparative studies have their limitations. On a superficial level, comparative health services research can uncover statistics on the numbers of facilities, physicians, hospital beds, and so on; on money and other resources put into the system; and on the number of patient visits or immunizations given over a certain period of time. It can also illustrate certain structural relationships within systems, such as the organization of divisions of a health department or the regionalization of hospitals, health centers, clinics, and dispensaries. Pages of tables and charts can be prepared in such studies, but skill and care are needed to draw correct conclusions from these data. There are two basic problems: (1) what the data show and (2) what they do not show. "Health care is a continuously evolving process impossible to describe adequately in an instantaneous snapshot, any more than a single frame can exemplify a long and complex motion picture" (Frick, K., Jensen, P.L., Quinlan, M. and Wilthagen, T, 2000, p. 86). The fact that a system for health care exists does not necessarily mean that it functions according to design or that it is used, or used appropriately, by the people whom it is intended to serve. The official health care system is not necessarily the health care system, because it has several parallel systems. Persons may by necessity (= lack of access) or by intent (= distrust) circumvent the official system. Indeed, in some parts of the US only a minority of the population may make use of official health services, preferring to consult pharmacists, healers, or others whose services are not recorded on government charts and tables. Whereas the elements of a system, and the resources put into it, can be counted and described, t he output or product of the system, in terms of improved health, is impossible to measure and may even defy estimation. Attitudes, motivations, and policies cannot be indicated on an organizational

Texting While Driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Texting While Driving - Essay Example The familiar text tone emitted from my mobile phone that was holstered in its holder clip in front of my air-conditioning vent. I glanced down at it and saw the information â€Å"1 new text: Mother†. Having driven down this road many times before, and often times answering text messages as I did that, I thought nothing of grabbing my phone from its holder and opening the message to read it, glancing up at the road once in a while to make sure I did not crash into a tree or something. She was worried that I had left without having any breakfast and I had forgotten to tell her that I was leaving early. She just wanted to know where I was headed out to. As I began answering the message, another message came in from my best friend, which I also felt an immediate need to respond to. Pretty soon, I was driving with one hand and texting with the other while my eyes darted back and forth between the two activities that divided my brain concentration. Then I suddenly heard a bump and m y car thudded over whatever it was that was lying on the road that I had not seen. I got down from the car and checked under neath. I had hit an obviously family owned dog whose master was currently running towards me, shouting in anger. Although I had taken the animal to the vet and paid for the medical expenses, a police officer still came over to investigate what happened.