Hollywood Representations of Women in 1930s Films Research Paper - 3

Hollywood Representations of Women in 1930s Films - Research Paper Example The 1930s is an important era to explore the role and portrayal of women because the Depression era lends an interesting backdrop to explore how women are portrayed, due to the changing morals and increasing cynicism of the country, and also because the early 1930s is considered to be â€Å"pre-code† (Doherty, 1999, p. 3). This refers to the Hays Code, which was instituted in 1931, but not enforced until 1934, and this meant that, during the early 1930s, studios had more free reign to portray women in a lurid fashion. Additionally, the pre-code era portrayed women differently than in the post code era, as the post code era relied less on showing women as sex objects and more on showing women as equals to men (Doherty, 1999, p. 5). Under this topic, the following themes will be discussed: the representation of women in films in the early 1930s, the role of women in films, the portrayal of women in films in the 1930s, and the criticism of women’s roles in films in the 193 0s. Hollywood cinematography often objectified women for men’s pleasure (Kaplan, 1994, p. 3). According to Mulvey (1989, p. 56), female characters in Hollywood were presented as being worth looking at but not worth listening to. As such, in this era, men viewed women in different dimensions, often known as the Madonna/Whore (Kaplan, 1994, p. 103). This means that women were stereotyped either as sexually active whores, or pristine and powerless Madonnas (housewives). According to Gates (2011, p. 23), most Hollywood films present women images with the purpose of gratifying male viewers.   

Road and Drivers Essay Example for Free

Road and Drivers Essay Traffic accidents are big problem for megacities. Traffic accidents are caused by people, lack of traffic signs, problems of infrastructure Especially people should be aware of distractions that cause most common traffic accident. Because most common traffic accidents are caused by distractions. In megacities like Istanbul people don’t care traffic rules. They just use the car for their needs and when people are using car they don’t give enough attention. Because of this situation traffic accidents are increasing day by day. How can people reduce traffic accidents? They can reduce it first stay alert and pay attention the second don’t speed. Firstly the drivers in megacities should be stay alert and pay attention. When people are driving cars they mustn’t use their phones and they don’t distract themselves. Because most common traffic accidents are caused by distraction. For instance while driving car, answering a phone can be difficult and it can make distraction. People who is talking with the phone they lose their attention and they give all of their attention to the caller. While drivers are speaking with the phone, they can have an accident because they lose their attention to the other drivers and also roads. Drivers have be focus on the road which could also cause an accident if drivers are not careful. Using phone is really problem for drivers. They can also lose their attention with changing the music. For example while drivers using car sometimes they want to change the music and they look at the radio while they are searching music they don’t look at the road for a second and they lose their attention to the road and this can cause an accident. While people using car they have to focus on their road, they mustn’t use their phone and don’t struggle with the music Ä ±f they don’t want to have an accident. Secondly traffic volume is really important for megacities. If the roads are empty some drivers wants to make a speed and compete the other drivers. It can also make an accident. For example when the roads are empty, generally drivers want to make a speed. They don’t care the rules and they find one driver who makes speed at that moment and start to compete. It is really dangerous for them and also the other drivers because while they are competing they can make sudden changes on the road and lose the other  drivers attention and they can cause an accident. Also when they are competing if the drivers make a small mistake, they have an accident and because of speed they can die. Speed is a big issue in megacities. There has some rules for speed and every driver has to obey them like that people can reduce the traffic accidents. To sum up traffic accident is a big issue for megacities if there is an accident on the roads, roads can lock suddenly and occur some problem. If people want to reduce traffic accident they have to give their attention to the road not the other this that makes them disturb. They mustn’t talk with the phone while they are driving cars. Speed is the important for reduce traffic accidents. Every city has a certain rules and people have to obey rules for reducing traffic accidents. If people want to continue their lives, they give more attention to the rules.

Failed Anticorruption Mechanisms In The Philippines

Failed Anticorruption Mechanisms In The Philippines Corruption has been universally characterized as the misuse or the abuse of public office for private gain. Its manifestations come in different forms such as illegal enticements and pay-offs, extortion, fraud, nepotism, graft, speed money, pilferage, theft, and embezzlement, falsification of records, kickbacks, influence peddling and campaign contributions. Although corruption is known to be an attribute of the public sector, it also exists in other facets of governance, like political parties, private business sector and NGOs (USAID, 2005; World Bank, 2001). Combating corruption is, evidently, important in its own right because when it is left unimpeded, it will have an acerbic effect on a democracy and in the general well being of a nation. Similarly, fighting corruption can serve as a switch or a tool resulting in wide-ranging economic reforms that can create a level playing field on which businesses operate. These supplementary gains can become significant components in the effort to marshal support for anti-corruption initiatives. Basically, corruption is predominantly an issue of governance; it manifests a breakdown of institutions, a dearth of competence and a lack of capability to direct society and manage its people through a framework of social, judicial, political and economic checks and balances. When formal structures and informal systems go kaput, it becomes tougher and more difficult to put into practice and put into effect laws and policies that guarantee accountability and transparency. From an institutional perspective, corruption crops up when public officials have extensive influence and ubiquitous power, little accountability and vicious inducements, or when their accountability responds to informal rather than formal forms of regulation (UNDP, 2004, p. 2). Attempts to assail corruption have grown exponentially in the last decades. High-profile cases of corruption in developing countries and emerging economies, within international organizations, and in the advanced industrial democracies have resulted to a growing public demand to attack the problem forcefully and with conviction. Addressing the Issue One could never get to the bottom of corruption by simply digging over and dig out corrupt individuals, whether they are government officials, politicians, or business people. As it is, corruption prospers in environments where legal structures are vague, the rule of law is not deeply entrenched within cultural standards and where laws and the judiciary allow employees chances to exercise or wield unrestricted authority and unlimited power throughout various levels of government. As economies embark on liberalization, corruption can surface within the very process of change. Example, privatization is a major strategy constituent in the conversion of a government-dominated economy into one driven by private initiative. However, this changeover process can alter public officials when it is merged with a blend of low government wages and economic stagnation. Clearly, it is futile to get rid of leaders for governing a corrupt system if there are no changes made into that system; simply e ducating government leaders would not be sufficient (Sullivan, 2000, pp. 3-9). In the Philippines, extensive corruption continues rage. According to the international corruption perception index, the Philippines is one of the most dishonest countries in the Asia-Pacific Region; it ranked number 126 from a list of 163 countries (Transparency International, 2006). Distribution of resources does not have transparency and many civil groups are kept out from taking part in the process of drafting and consolidating the national budget. Corruption devours a substantial proportion of government projects, with pay-offs and bureaucratic red tape being unconcealed predicament. Similarly, there still exist countless problems in the bidding processes for government projects. As it is, frail mechanisms for transparency and answerability promote bureaucratic corruption and as can be observed, institutions given the task to investigate and resolve corruption-related cases, like the Office of the Ombudsman and the Special Graft and Corruption Court or the Sandiganbayan, have sh own to lack efficiency and transparency. There have also been a number of scandals involving top government officials, a good example of which is the bribery case involving a China-based telecommunication firm (ZTE Corporation) and high-ranking government officials which further stained government integrity (BTI, 2009, p. 21). Institutions to Abolish Corruption The creation and maintenance of institutions purposely dedicated to the eradication of corruption is essential for the preservation of the rule of law as well as democratic institutions within countries. In Asia, institutions that are distinctively committed to the abolition of corruption are found in most countries of the region; however, the framework for which they base their operations has not been designed to attain their apparent purpose. Majority of the agencies have extremely restricted powers and work on diminutive budgetary allotments. These agencies frequently produce the idea of the existence of initiatives for the purging of corruption but in reality these are only shallow schemes as evidenced by the lack, and most of the times, total absence of genuine political will to produce effectual institutions that would eradicate corruption. In effect, with the absence of political will, only allegorical pronouncements are made about the purging of corruption while ruling regime s in fact want to continue with the corrupt practices intrinsic within the system. Basically, the desire of people and the will to effect change (who are the victims of corrupt practices) is strong, but unless people who have this so-called will to change can articulate such will in a vigorous manner and are prepared to topple down political leaders who wish to carry on with fraudulent practices, change for the better can never take place. Institutions purposely intended to eliminate corruption should have the following attributes (ALRC, 2010, pp. 10-11): Autonomy of mandate, powers and appointments- not solely for people who are at the helm but also for all workers giving administrative support; personnel must be given security of tenure if their independence in implementing constitutional functions is to be a reality, by creating stipulation in significant legislation that they are not likely to be removed from office other than for transgression and lack of decorum. In addition, constitutional safeguards are needed to make sure of the trustworthiness of the individuals signed up to hold public positions in these institutions, as well as to check their morality is intact. Sufficient budgetary allocations to perform researches and inquiries, hearings, deterrence efforts, education and trainings and all other related tasks necessary to attain effectiveness. A competent law enforcement component to fight corruption must incorporate an investigation wing with adequate training and resources. Accessibility for people to air out grievances through diverse methods and must have other divisions throughout the country. Accountability to parliament and responsibility through appropriate methods that have been crafted to thwart intrusions by the executive or any other branch of government. Designed within the scaffold of the rule of law and the UN Convention against Corruption Vigorous and credible programs and mechanisms are vital to combat corruption in the Philippines for three reasons: Through the media, business surveys and anti-corruption agencies, the Philippines is cited with increasing regularity as a nation where foreign and domestic investments are hampered because of corruption and whose competitive position is eroded because of its continued existence. Corruption incontrovertibly depletes existing resources for development, obstructs the right of entry to services for poor communities and destabilizes public confidence in the governments resolve and capability to serve the underprivileged. Corruption has surfaced as a critical global measure for allocating scarce development aid reserves. Strategies and Mechanisms Against Corruption The Philippines fight against corruption has lingered for decades. In this country, corruption is the offshoot of a culture of personalism in politics, a Presidential structure which gives the President an extensive range of powers and a fragile party-system incompetent in securing support through programmatic politics. Such arrangement places public policy-making in the hands of specific factions or elite circles that promote horse trading and spin fraudulent transaction within the system. It has led to institutionalization of corruption as it filters through all of the political system including official procedures and individual agencies (Balboa and Medalla, 2006, p. 12; Rocamora, 1997). A good number of self-regulating entities and activist groups have embarked on investigations and inquiries on Philippine corruption, with a common objective of upholding good governance, accountability and to aid in anti-corruption efforts (Pacoy, 2008, p. 55). However, several studies have revealed that it is not by chance why most government initiatives have been proven to be unsatisfactory and even fail in its attempts to fight corruption (Larmour and Wolanin, 2001). Quite a lot of factors pave the way and enable the culture of corruption to pervade which include the governance environment and lack of political within frail institutions (Varela, 1996). Among the most intense end results of corruption are: a) societal displacement triggered by warped economic growth, poverty and income inequity; b) crushed political trustworthiness and reliability and deflated bureaucracy; and c) jeopardized public order and safety (Larmour and Wolanin, 2001). Figure 1 Number of Anti-Corruption Programs Source: Hills Governance Center. TI-Philippines (2001), Directory of Institutions, Organizations Agencies Involved in Combating Corruption in the Philippines. Diverse initiatives have been carried out to combat corruption in the country. On the government side, these intercessions have been in the form of legal scaffolds, presidential pronouncements, proclamations and other regulations, anti-graft and corruption bodies like presidential committees, commissions, task forces and other committees and units created since the 1950s. In the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the legal framework against corruption has been provided in Article XI Section 1 which stipulates that, Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees, must at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. The abovementioned article equally affords an anti-graft court and an Ombudsman (Section 5). The anti-graft court is called the Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Ombdusman is also known as the Tanodbayan. The latter has the rank equivalent to that of a Constitutional Commission. Almost each regime has a flagship committee created to respond to corruption issues and address corruption-related cases in the country (Appendix-1). However, many of them, except for the Presidential Commission against Graft and Corruption (PCAGC) that was instituted in 1994, were short lived and were substituted by a new office or task force when the term of office of the Presidents end. Fundamentally, the Philippines is not lacking in efforts in curtailing corruption. Anti-corruption policies and measures have been put in place to tackle diverse types of corrupt activities and conduct in the government. In truth, observation has been made that there are just too many laws and regulatory mechanisms and they ended up overlapping with each other. However, if just a few of them will be implemented thoroughly, these laws are adequate and wide-ranging enough to put off fraudulent practices. Almost all government administrations designed anti-corruption efforts its catchphrases and in the same way created new offices to perform these undertakings in order to produce the impression that the new administration is strict and uncompromising in its anti-corruption initiatives. However, creation of such bodies only led to superfluous functions and depletion of government resources. While the Philippines has adequately fashioned the legal scaffold to respond to the issue and address its concomitant problems and correspondingly created the institutions tasked to combat corruption, perceptibly, effective implementation of these initiatives has been truly lacking. Absence of a steadfast leadership and political will has made vulnerable these efforts to curtail corruption. It appears that crooked politicians and government officials seemed to be very creative in their methods of circumventing the safeguards that have been in place and get away with it. Hence, it becomes imperative that policies targeted at thwarting acts of corruption and curtailing opportunities for corrupt activities must be at the core of every reform initiative. Weaknesses Failure Current initiatives/mechanisms to combat corruption practices and catch fraudulent officials have several limitations that eventually lead to their failure. Among these weaknesses are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ineffectual and sluggish implementation of anti-corruption laws à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Incapability and poor coordination between anti-corruption agencies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The low social awareness of and high tolerance for corruption à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of institutionalization of government-business-civil society collaboration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of integrity and accountability in government-business transactions. In addition, most anti-corruption campaigns are hampered by logistical problems. The Office of the Ombudsman, the lead government body directed by the Philippine Constitution to combat corruption, only gets 0.065% of the total national budget. These logistical problems avert the hiring of competent staff to help guarantee the prompt and successful prosecution of corrupt public officials. On top of this issue on logistics, prosecution of public officials in the Philippines has not been very effective in putting off corruption because court procedures are so sluggish and wearisome. Currently, the prosecution of corrupt public officials is exemplified by a very low conviction rate, in fact, according to a former Ombudsman official, a high-ranking government official accused of graft and corruption has 94% chances of walking away (Marcelo, 2006, p. 37). In theory, the governments high-status lifestyle check is an excellent anti-corruption program, in practice, however, it has not been very efficient in unearthing irregularities and unlawful activities committed by many top-level officials. To this point, it has not been able to push many organizational insiders to report and provide evidence on the dubious standards of living and questionable sources of wealth of many public bureaucrats. The most important weaknesses of existing anti-corruption initiatives can be traced to derisory systems of putting into effect the code of transparency and accountability of those who hold public power. As it is, government dealings are still veiled in mystery, which increases the probability of abuse or misuse of power for personal gain. These anti-corruption initiatives also depend greatly on mechanisms or instruments external to the agencies being observed. To address these weaknesses in existing anti-corruption strategies, organizational insiders or people with reliable information must be persuaded to report shady practices that principally transpire in organizational settings. Prompting the silent majority to report corrupt practices will generate alternative cultures or behavior that will in due course eliminate individual and societal leniency for corruption. Strengthening Anti-Corruption Initiatives In the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (NEDA, 2004), the national government comes clean with the fact that corruption is a key obstruction to continued growth and development of the country and acknowledges that existing anti-corruption initiatives that include legislative actions and administrative measures to improve transparency and effectiveness of sanctions against corrupt behavior, have fallen short of expectations. The Office of the Ombudsman, the constitutional body tasked to curtail, if not totally eliminate, corruption, principally applies punitive and retributive procedures to in its anti-corruption approach. It also supports the employment of forceful imposition of administrative sanctions, swift investigations and prosecution of graft cases and responsive public assistance as instruments to fight corruption. Concentrated graft watch over the system of government, values formation, collaboration with other government agencies, and enhancements in systems and procedures are the other constituents of its anti-corruption strategy. However, taken as a whole, the existing anti-corruption initiatives, which include the then high-profile lifestyle checks of public officials and employees, continue to perform below expectations (MTPDP, 2004). Conclusion Corruption is actually a governance issue because it involves efficient implementation of institutions and the well-organized and competent management of society via its political, economic, social and judicial mechanisms. With the collapse or failure of these formal and informal institutions, laws and policies that guarantee accountability and transparency of the government become harder to put into operation. It can be gleaned then that ruling groups, at their will, can lessen accountability, either by lack of transparency or by affirming particular spheres of decision making off limits to inspection and intercession. Therefore, it is imperative that mechanisms aiming to reduce and curtain opportunities to dominate power are in place so that actions and activities that could undercut accountability are instantaneously forestalled and obstructed. Ex-ante or preventive strategies should also be the core element of reform. Furthermore, since this issue is associated with the quality of leaders the country has, it is important that the anti-corruption endeavor is focused on political reform and democratization. In the Philippines, one of the root causes of corruption is tremendous personalism in Philippine politics and the winner takes all system of elections. Policies that will neutralize this structure must be endorsed. Likewise, the anti-corruption approach must be highlighted by a committed leadership and proficient management to enable the execution of programs and make these programs and initiatives sustainable in the long run. Additionally, continued reengineering of the bureaucracy is also a great necessity, with reforms centered not only on attaining effectiveness and value, but also inculcating a culture of rules in the system. Lesson can be learned from Thai anti-corruption activist Pasuk Phongpaichit in curbing corruption. According to this activist, the control of corruption demands three strategies first, the formal machinery of monitoring officials and politicians needs to be drastically improved. There is a need for political will to implement this; second, this will can be generated by popular pressure. We cannot expect the bureaucrats and politicians who benefit from the political system to reform themselves; and third, the public must be educated to exert moral and political pressure to outlaw corruption. The mobilization of such public pressure depends on a clearer understanding of the modern concepts of public office and public service and a more widespread awareness of the social costs and political risks which corruption entails. Six years (after 2001) since Transparency International accentuated the principal role of government in anti-corruption initiatives and governance reforms, the same call for action is perceived by civil servants today and is slowly but surely pervading the consciousness of Filipino constituents leading to the implacable demand for civil service reforms, financial competence and authentic civil society participation. Since fighting corruption is everyones concern, forceful and potent crusades are needed aside from passionate advocacy. The initiatives to diminish hoaxes and corruption in the government service no longer sound as idealistic or impossible as they were decades ago as the Filipino youth and the masses are fully conscious to the bleak reality that as long as corruption is left uncheck, integrity in politics and in the civil service will remain tainted and while politics is tarnished with issues on procurement and fiscal integrity, the civil service is perceived to have been constrained with public service delivery. Moral profligacy is extensive because even those with the highest righteous objectives are influenced to part with their morals into the politics of corruption. The fight against corruption should be more focused on state capture instead of defining it as an agency problem. Right now the battleground should be shifted from small wars (principal-agent problem) to a grand war (grand corruption, state capture). The challenge lies in the evolution of strategies that are more creative and rigorous and because the challenges are greater the more energy is needed. Due to the fact that the Philippines are a soft state, the country only has few resources to do the battle. Therefore it makes sense to concentrate resources on strategies that would make a big difference and provide the impetus for changes along a broad front. Said in other words this would mean to do a lot for little instead of doing a little for a lot. Also, a shift should take place from personal (patronage) to impersonal exchange (rules that are enforced impartially). The country should come up with mechanism to develop constructs in which there are favorable incentives to impersonal transactions. Concluding one could argue that a good starting point is to devolve the power of discretion related through state capture, and to effectively reduce it by ensuring that big ticket items are out of reach of the few big payers who hold concentrated authority. The danger of course lies in the fact that this could lead to a decentralization of corruption. However, this would at least deal with a greater numbers of rent seekers which would restrict any one faction to a limited domain and prevents it from capturing regulations (Gonzalez et al., 2006, pp.41-42). Another matter of significance is that an enabling environment should must be created with incentives and disincentives for change because this is a critical factor in the choice and stepwise implementation of reform initiatives. And so as to obtain more insight into the problem of state capture, the political culture must be explored well to see how it works. Undertakings that are executed must be made sustainable because standalone endeavors are prone to be susceptible to state capture. Likewise, in order to prevent that new initiatives are blocked by inefficiencies at other levels, it is important that they transform into more comprehensive programs. Therefore, it is imperative that while helpful windows of opportunity may crop up, there is a need to focus on the long-term character of reform and to deal with existing expectations. To do this, actions that need to be embarked upon must be commenced with the necessary budget resources as well as capable and skillful manager to impl ement the targeted and programmatic anti-corruption campaign. This is the part where civil society can play a vital role in the process because business associations and NGOs can help identify and classify priorities and monitor outcomes. However, they cannot deploy the political will and resources of the state that are needed in the end to create transparent and accountable institutions. Serious anti-corruption campaigns cannot only be commanded from the outside but also need committed leadership from within, more specifically from the topmost levels of the state. While the initial pressure for reform can come from below, any effective program should be supported from the top. However, the downside is that any strategy that relies solely on high-level leadership will be vulnerable to the many uncertainties related to the political process. A convergence of strong players would make for a breakthrough performance against corruption. If leadership is broadly-based, this can make the difference in devising means for sustaining ends. Broadening the number of stakeholders in various sectors and support their partaking in decision-making can end policy biases while the decisions are made in all transparency, open to the scrutiny of the public. There is Hope If corruption is assumed to arise from greed and the discretionary powers of public officials, there is still fresh and enough hope for offering a vision of leadership and a strategic reform of the political and bureaucratic system; and that of the peoples mind-set concerning public office and public service. Let this be the battle cry of every Filipino. References ALRC. (2010). A consultation on corruption and counter-corruption across Asia. Article 2, 9, 1, pp. 1-80 Balboa, J. and Medalla, E.M. (2006). Anti-corruption and governance: the Philippine experience. Philippine Institute for Development Studies; Philippines APEC Study Center Network Bertelsmann Stiftung. (2009). BTI 2010 Philippines country report. Gutersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung Gonzalez, T. et al., (2006). Anti-corruption in the Philippines: creating virtuous circles of integrity and accountability. The Development Academy of the Philippines, Centre for Governance Larmour, P. and Wolanin, N. (2001). Corruption and anti-corruption. Asia Pacific Press. Asia Pacific School of Economics and Management Australian Institute of Criminology Marcelo, S. (2006). Combating Corruption in the Philippines. ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific. Available:http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Controlling Corruption/chapter1.pdf 18 NEDA. (2004). Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (2004-2010). Manila: National Economic Development Authority Pacoy, E. P. (2008). Tracking anti-corruption initiatives: perceptions and experiences in the Philippines, JOAAG, 3, 1, p. 55 Sullivan, J.D. (2000). Anti-Corruption Initiatives from a Business View Point. Center for International Private Enterprise, US Chamber of Commerce USAID. (2005 March 17). Fighting corruption. Retrieved November 25, 2010 from www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/technical_areas/anti-corruption/ Varela, A. (1996). Administrative culture and political change. College of Public Administration, University of the Philippines World Bank. (2001).Combating corruption in the Philippines: an update. Pasig City: World Bank Fighting Corruption to Improve Governance http://www.undp.org/governance/docsaccount/fighting_corruption_to_improve_governance.pdf UNDP/OECD Integrity Improvement Initiatives in Developing Countries http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/efa/corruption/Corrupti.htm

Achilles Doom Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"To be, or not to be, that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.† Though written centuries after the death of Achilles, this quote from Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet† speaks honestly of his life. The epic poem, â€Å"The Iliad† of Homer, is a story of the journey of his soul, and his attempts to escape his fate. He questions his fate set out for him by the gods, pondering whether or not he should die for the sake of war, and it is by this questioning of the divine judgment of the gods that he brings doom upon himself. It is known by himself, and by the gods, that he is to live a short, but glorious life, however it is not known how or when his life will come to an end. Achilles himself, wishes to live one of longevity without great glory, and therefore tries to escape his lot in life. Is it just for him to give his life for war, or should he live a life to satisfy himself? Throughout the â€Å"Iliad†, Achilles’ actions bring his eventual doom closer to reality than perhaps may have been planned. â€Å"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilles and it’s devastation which put pain thousandfold upon the Achaians.† The wrath of Achilles begins in Book One of â€Å"The Iliad.† Agamemmnon, leader of the Greek army, takes Achilles booty prize, Briseis to replace his own concubine, Chryses, daughter of a priest of Apollo, who was returned to end the plague put on his people by the angry god, Apollo. Achilles feels unappreciated for all that he does for the army when Agamemmnon takes his girl to be his own. He leaves the army because he feels that the king has disrespected him. Thus begins the onset of his doom; by not fighting, and continuing to refuse to do so until after the death of his best friend, Patroklos, he defies his fate. Once having decided to leave the fighting, he goes to speak to his mother, Thetis. He asks her to ask Zeus to allow the Trojan army to take over the fighting so that the Greeks realize how much they need him, and for them to come to an appreciation for him. Through his concern for his own ego, it is appearant to the reader that, knowing his fate, Achilles will do all that is in his power to stop the fate, or his doom, from being played out. It is also known that the gods do not favour those who try to defy them. Achilles do... ... is much more important than selfishly hiding from battle, not using his gifts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many events in our lives that leave us with one question: What is the meaning of life? This question plagued Achilles’ during the story of â€Å"The Iliad† and he progresses through it to accept the fact that it is not in his hands to decide his fate. â€Å"Now I shall go, to overtake that killer of a dear life, Hektor; then I will accept my own death, at whatever time Zeus wishes to bring it about, and the other immortals.† Having brought this doom upon himself out of his own need for gratification early in the poem, Achilles’ finally accepts, humbly that his actions have been the cause of his grief and loss over his dear companion, Partoklos. It is through his continual refusal to partake in his destiny that he brings his doom upon himself. It is one of the greatest sins one can commit, to deny the world of your gifts. It is impossible for us to control our fate, the gods (speaking in Ancient Greek terms) control our lives a s they see fit and by reading this poem, it is possible to come to a deeper understanding of how we must accept it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Evidence Based Practice Essay

Examine the ways that health professionals can use the five steps of evidence-based practice (EBP) as a practical framework to overcoming barriers to locating, appraising and applying best research evidence. Use an occupational health and safety practice as an example. Examples of occupational health and safety practices include:   Use of professional protective equipment (e.g. gloves)   Safety considerations when using equipment (e.g. sharps)   (or a topic you select yourself in negotiation with your LIC) Health professionals are very good at seeking information from their clients and their families and also from the settings in which they work but however they have not been as aware of the information that they can gain from research. Although they need information from many sources, evidence based practice shows how research can also play a role in informing clinical decisions, (Hoffmann ,2010). Health professionals use the five steps of evidence-based practice (EBP) as a structure to overcoming barriers and applying best research. Examples of this include use of professional protective equipment and safety considerations when using equipment. Liamputtong (2010) states that evidence based practice is a â€Å"process that requires the practitioner to find empirical evidence about the effectiveness or efficacy of different treatment options and then determine the relevance of the evidence to a particular clients situation† (pp. 252). Sackett (1996, pp.71) states that â€Å"conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individuals patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research, and the more thoughtful identification and compassionate use of individual patients’ predicaments, rights and preferences.† The purpose of evidence-based practice is to assist in clinical decision-making. To make informed clinical decisions, we need to integrate lots of pieces of information, (Hoffmann ,2010). EBP reduces inconsistency in practice and increa ses efficiency and effectiveness, and therefor has been accepted by the government and funding bodies as essential to better health care. (Liamputtong, 2010). Evidence based practice has 5 steps. The first step is to convert your information needs into an answerable clinical question. The process of EBP begins with the recognition that as a health professional, have clinical information need, these types of clinical information needs can be answered with assistance of research evidence. After converting your information into clinical questions, you then need to find the best evidence to answer your clinical question, and then upon finding the evidence, you will need to critically appraise it. This means you need to examine the evidence closely to determine whether its worthy of being used to inform your clinical practice. There are 3 main aspects of the evidence that need to be appraised; Internal validity – refers to whether the evidence is trustworthy, impact – health professionals need to determine the impact of the evidence and applicability – this means to evaluate whether you can apply the results of the study to your client. The fourth step is to integrate the evidence with clinical expertise, the clients values and circumstances, and information from the practice context. The final step consists of evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency with which steps 1-4 were carried out and think about ways to improve your performance of them next time. (Hoffmann ,2010, pp.4) Evidence based practice is important because it aims to provide the most effective care that is available, with the aim of improving client outcomes. It is also important because when an individual seeks health care from a health professional, you would expect that they would provide you with most effective care and the most accurate health care information. It is also important because it reduces inconsistency in practice and increases efficiency and effectiveness. (Liamputtong ,2010, pp.253). Evidence based practice promotes an attitude of inquiry in health professionals and gets people thinking about things like ‘Why am I doing this in this way? , Is there evidence that can guide me to do this more effective way?. The most important role-played is that in ensuring that health resources are used wisely and that relevant evidence is considered when decisions are made about funding health services. Evidence-based practice provides a critical strategy to ensure that care is up t o date and that it reflects the latest  research evidence. In summary, it is important because it results in better patient outcomes, it contributes to the science of nursing, it increases confidence in decision-making and policies and procedures are current and include the latest research. (Suzanne ,2006 pp. 8) Some safety considerations, prevention and control measures include hand hygiene; the health professionals checking that all their patients’ hands and fingernails are clean. Health professionals must always perform hand hygiene rules before and after each contact with client/patient or any contact with environmental surfaces near the client/patient. Another consideration is all personal protective equipment is to be removed/discarded before leaving the room of a patient who is suspected of having a infection. Health professionals know these health/safety measures are effective because of study and previous research. (Hoffman, 2010) They can firstly convert them into questions; for example – what equipment will best prev ent myself from coming into contact with any infection?, from there research is done. Health professionals then apply this knowledge in the workplace and see whether it’s an effective method or not. The barriers that prevent nurses from using research include; lack of value for research in practice, difficulty in changing practice, lack of administration support, lack of knowledgeable mentors, insufficient time to conduct research, lack of education about the research process, complexity of research reports and difficulty accessing research reports and articles. Another barrier is also the insufficient fund supply. (Suzanne , 2006 pp. 10) A facilitating factor is that the organisation should support staff to practice evidence based practice by allocating time for individuals to pursue it. Newhouse (2007). Limitations consist of low response rate, health professionals passionate either positively or negatively more likely to respond and also the self reporting to assess knowledge, skills and attitudes may resulted in inflated or underestimated scores. â€Å"Systematic reviews may be of varying kinds, but all are based on rigorous protocols† (Liamputtong, 2010) In conclusion health professionals seek information from patients/clients but  they also turn a blind eye to the information that they can gain form research unintentionally. They do this by using the 5-step mechanism of evidence-based practice to overcome barriers and to find the most valid and reliable information. Examples of this consist of use of professional protective equipment and safety considerations such as disposing sharps after use. Reference list Liamputtong (2010). Research methods in health (2nd ed.) Australia: Oxford University Hoffmann (2010). Evidence based practice. Australia: Sunalie Silva Suzanne (2006) Evidence based practice in nursing. Australia: Mary Jo Newhouse (2007) Evidence based practice. Monash University : Gulzar Malik Vernel, E. (2011, December 9). Developing evidence based practice among students. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/developing-evidence-based-practice-among-students/5038920.article

Improve Concentration Essay

It is mostly due to peer pressure. In such a situation, parents are often seen questioning the counsellors as what can be done to encourage their child to concentrate and also have good social skills at the same time. Well, here are a few answers. The key to having good concentration is being smart. The child should be smart enough to concentrate while having fun. This can be done in many ways. While in class, if he/she is finding it hard to concentrate, here are a few tips they can adopt in order to improve their concentration skills. . Sit in the front row. Sitting in the front row helps you steer away from distractions like speaking to your friends, whispering or even passing notes. The closer you sit to the teacher, the better you understand. 2. Participate in class. The people who concentrate, know that the key to good concentration is participation. Ask questions, start a discussion, debate with the teacher. It might sound to be geeky, but once you get the hang of it, it’s hard to get out. It is a lot of fun and you also learn extra. . Strategize your notes. Jotting down the points the teacher says is something which every child in class does. Don’t be stereotypical. Don’t make notes, instead make learning strategies. It’s fun and at the same time it’ll make you stand out and you also will be entitled to think out of the box. 4. Turn off your phone. Having a phone is a major distraction. In class, make sure your phone is turned off. Don’t cheat yourself by profiling it to vibrate or silent. Turn it off, be honest to yourself. Nothing will jar your concentration more than getting a text from your friend during a class. 5. Get some good breakfast. It can be really hard to concentrate when your stomach is growling away the hunger. It’s hard to concentrate on what is being taught when you’re raiding a buffet in your mind. Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast. But ensure that you don’t fill your stomach to an extent where it will make you sleepy. 6. Have props while studying. Having a prop to play with while studying can make studying so much fun. For example : If you are studying about the earth, have a globe in your hand. Turn it around, see where the countries are located, play with the globe. This will make studying easier. 7. Use gadgets for studying. If you are bored of using the same old paper and books, use e-books. Buy an iPad or simply make notes on your laptop. 8. Have group study parties. Invite a bunch of friends over to your house and call it a â€Å"study party†. This not only sounds cool but is also beneficial. It will help you to study and will also improve your social status. But all you have to ensure is that you actually study with those friends and not just waste time in talking, dancing and playing around. 9. Exercise everyday. Yoga and meditation is the best way of improving one’s concentration skills. Even 10 minutes of meditation will calm your mind and will help you concentrate with a clear mind. I have been practicing these tips for a long time. And it has helped me achieve a lot of things in my life. I suggest the readers to follow these guidelines and be successful in your life.

Free Essays on Dysfunctional Families

A Look at Dysfunctional Families â€Å"We put the fun in dysfunctional!† is a common saying heard from within the walls of my house. My family is not the expected average healthy family, but I feel my dysfunctional family is not the worst-case scenario. After surviving many unpleasant fights and divorce, I came to the realization that many other families have it even harder. I believe alcoholism, controlling parents, and abuse are the three main influences in a dysfunctional family. To lengthen my observation I reviewed the patterns and common behaviors between each effect. Parents that are too controlling over their child’s life can definitely make a family dysfunctional. Controlling parents fail to allow their children to assume responsibilities appropriate for their age. These parents continue dominating and making decisions for their children well beyond the age at which this is necessary. Controlling parents are often driven by a fear of becoming unnecessary to their children. The main problem in this behavior reflects on the parents. Alcoholic families tend to be chaotic and unpredictable. Rules that apply one day don't apply the next. Promises are neither kept nor remembered. Parents may be strict at times and indifferent at others. In addition, discussion about the alcohol use or related family problems is usually nonexistent. Family members are usually expected to keep problems a secret, therefore preventing anyone from seeking help. All of these factors leave children feeling insecure, frustrated, and angry. This is one of the worst key elements a dysfunctional family can have. Although the parent is an alcoholic they can be both abusive and controlling at the same time. Abuse can be verbal or physical. Verbal abuse, such as frequent belittling criticism, can have lasting effects. Criticism can be aimed at the child's looks, intelligence, capabilities, or basic value. Some ver... Free Essays on Dysfunctional Families Free Essays on Dysfunctional Families A Look at Dysfunctional Families â€Å"We put the fun in dysfunctional!† is a common saying heard from within the walls of my house. My family is not the expected average healthy family, but I feel my dysfunctional family is not the worst-case scenario. After surviving many unpleasant fights and divorce, I came to the realization that many other families have it even harder. I believe alcoholism, controlling parents, and abuse are the three main influences in a dysfunctional family. To lengthen my observation I reviewed the patterns and common behaviors between each effect. Parents that are too controlling over their child’s life can definitely make a family dysfunctional. Controlling parents fail to allow their children to assume responsibilities appropriate for their age. These parents continue dominating and making decisions for their children well beyond the age at which this is necessary. Controlling parents are often driven by a fear of becoming unnecessary to their children. The main problem in this behavior reflects on the parents. Alcoholic families tend to be chaotic and unpredictable. Rules that apply one day don't apply the next. Promises are neither kept nor remembered. Parents may be strict at times and indifferent at others. In addition, discussion about the alcohol use or related family problems is usually nonexistent. Family members are usually expected to keep problems a secret, therefore preventing anyone from seeking help. All of these factors leave children feeling insecure, frustrated, and angry. This is one of the worst key elements a dysfunctional family can have. Although the parent is an alcoholic they can be both abusive and controlling at the same time. Abuse can be verbal or physical. Verbal abuse, such as frequent belittling criticism, can have lasting effects. Criticism can be aimed at the child's looks, intelligence, capabilities, or basic value. Some ver...

Death Penalty in the United States

Death Penalty in the United States Free Online Research Papers The death Penalty has in recent times come up as an issue of debate among governments and institutions with some against it while others have support for it. This is a discussion about the death penalty in the united states specifically on the states that are up against it I.e New York and Iowa. It will be find out why these two states abolished the death Penalty and the reasons behind it. Death Penalty in New York and Iowa The united states comprises of various states which are governed by individual laws and order. The death penalty is one law and order that is as much applied differently to various states. The states of New York and Iowa are some of the states among others that have abolished the death Penalty. The states of Hawaii and Minnesota among others are some of the states that use the death penalty in their system. The State of New York house of senate has debated and disapproved the death penalty without majority support of support from the people of the state. Thus it seems the State of New York has agreed satisfactorily as a People to abolish the death Penalty. The State of Iowa Remains Embattled in with the death penalty law. Time and time again the house of senate has continued to debate the issue disapproving it without majority of support. New Yorks Death penalty was abolished in la Valle. There are various factors that contributed to the abolishment of the death penalty in new York state including racial problems, religious views, mental illness, costs, innocence, and deterrence, among other subjects. Much of the legal landscape had changed by. There had been new technological developments such as the use of DNA in determination of murder cases where it was found that some had become victims of circumstances and therefore they had been convicted wrongfully (Death Penalty Information Center, US) The death Penalty is a serious issue in the Legal justice system since if someone is convicted wrongfully and sentenced to death, the mistake can never be corrected. What is more compelling is when a family member becomes a victim of the death penalty, the sad emotions the family members undergo through is unjustifiable as their loved one was convicted innocently. These among others such as the defendants future dangerousness is not a statutory aggravator that the jury is told to consider, that is to say that if someone committed death to another person , it may be because he was out of control of his normal human functioning capacity. The defendant may undergo guidance and counseling and revoke to ideal ethics thus not become harmful to others in the future. Thus as it comes out clearly that the death penalty was loosing more and more ground as put out by various witnesses to determine the legality of death penalty. It was evident that the death penalty was unconstitutional since it breached the bill of rights of the defendant despite infringing on the bill of rights of the victim (Death Penalty Information Center, US) Despite Iowa law not proving for the death penalty, in October 2004 Dustin Honken was sentenced to death in the federal court system for the 1993 murders of three adults and two children. Angela Johnson was the first woman to be executed in Iowa for the death penalty. She had been found guilty against six victims. It was found that the federal law was imposed on Iowa; a state, may be because of the special circumstances surrounding the case. Majority of Iowans have been found to favor capital punishment according to public opinions carried out in the recent past. In Iowa the death penalty is still an issue for discussion following the historic developments of debate among the senate members. The Senate has voted without majority of support from both house of representatives with the republicans voting overwhelmingly in favor of the abolishment of the death penalty while the democrats offering little support. (Death Penality Information Center, US) Conclusion The issue of Death Penalty in the United States continues to solicit mixed reactions and debates without a clear decision being reached among all the states legal systems in America. This Could be attributed to the mixed racial backgrounds and culture among the US citizens. For sure the death Penalty code will continue to be abolished or dissolved now and the future depending on the circumstances of which representatives has a majority in house( democrat or republican) Its an issue left to the congressmen of both house of representatives to decide now and often depending on changing times. Republicans seems to vote overwhelmingly for the death penalty while democrats tend to vote against it. The decision on whether to abolish or support the death penalty will definitely be left on future generations to decide References Death Penalty Information Center, US (2010) Iowans Against the Death Penalty (2010) Research Papers on Death Penalty in the United StatesCapital PunishmentThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)The Fifth HorsemanBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresPETSTEL analysis of IndiaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

Ethics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Ethics - Case Study Example The issues ethics for these accountants’ suits maintaining accurate details of company resources, liabilities and also profits without succumbing to the demands placed on them by managing department or officers in a corporate, disreputable accountant may possibly and easily alter a company’s’ financial report and change numbers to paint bogus picture of the company’s successes. This may result to short term prosperity, but altered reports ultimately bring the downfall of any companies whenever the Exchange Commission and Securities discovers the fraud. The effect of greed in the finance world and any business leads to shaving ethical limitations and stepping in safeguards in the name of generating money. An account might never permit the desire to make a better living and obtain more wealth get in the way by ensuring that he/she follows ethical procedures or guidelines for financial reporting (Moore 23). An executive or other corporate officer may request an accountant to skip or leave out certain monetary figures from a balance sheet so that they may paint the business in an awful light to despite the industry investors and public. Bill should report this to the client and instruct the client to refuse the presented work papers presented to him for they do not give a true and fair view of the discrepancy that bill had come across (Moore 33). In accordance with AICPA the performance of any expert service, a member shall uphold integrity and objectivity, shall always be liberated from conflict of interest, and shall not intentionally misrepresent information or share his or her judgment to anyone. Any member shall always be thought to have deliberately misrepresented particulars in infringement rule 102 of the code of conduct of AICPA, when he/she consciously permit, make or directs another member to make, substantially untrue and misleading

Strategic Business Plan-Harley-Davidson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Business Plan-Harley-Davidson - Essay Example In December, 2011 the company had 6,000 employees and total revenue was US$5.31 billion. The assignment will study the different aspects relating to the company under consideration that includes the factors affecting the global economy, corporate leadership and a summary of the strategic issues. Introduction The company under consideration provides over thirty models of customized product (motor bikes) through a worldwide network of over 1000 dealers. The main competitors of the H-D are BMW, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda. The study looks to analyze the key motivating factors that have led to the global expansion of Harley Davidson, competitive advantage of H-D in global market, international market entry strategy and the digital marketing strategy of the company. Study also focuses on the overall organizational design, structure, culture and leadership traits of the company (Cowan, 2005, p.131). Factors Affecting Global Economy Global Expansion Strategy Global Marketing can be defined as the process by which a company looks to target the international customers by delivering high quality products to the foreign consumers. It is understandable that compared to domestic marketing global marketing there is much more complex, and risks are associated as the company has to deal with various political, social, economical and cultural issues. However, with great risks come great rewards (Henry, 2008. P. 251). Motivating Factors North America is the largest market for motorcycles. It includes USA and Canada. This market accounts for almost 60% of the sales. H-D is the industry leader in domestic market. However, over the last few years things began to take shape. The baby-boomer generation in North America started to get old. This happened to be premier target market segment of H-D. Therefore, the company decided to enter the markets of Europe and Asia. After America, Europe was supposed to be the most prospective market for H-D due to the high level of disposable income. H owever, things did not go very smoothly in the year 2008; Europe and U.S. in particular were badly hit by the recession. As a result there has been a change in the consumer behavior and dip in the purchasing power of the people. Hence the company decided to shift focus to the virgin yet perspective Asian markets. This included China, India, Taiwan and Korea. Among these, India and China are two of the most emerging economies in the world. Since 2007, China has become the largest automotive industry. The company looks to succeed in the foreign markets through effective marketing approach, efficient distribution network, robust after sales service. Add to this, the company also needs to understand the demand of the local consumers and satisfy the global standards (Brown, 2009, p. 351). Risk Factors Considering the modern scenario, one of the biggest risk factors in case of global expansion is going to be the economic factor. The global economy is still looking to get over the downturn since 2008. This has reduced the purchasing power of the consumers, especially in Europe. Other major factors the new

World Cup Security Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World Cup Security Plan - Essay Example That is an important issue because of the country’s poor security rating and, apart from the World Cup, the measures are expected to continue being beneficial afterward. With improved security, sporting tourists will be attracted by larger numbers and tickets will have more demand and that will directly impact on the economy. The already confirmed 600,000 visitors will stay in hotels for the duration of the tournament, bringing revenue to the tourism industry. Ideally, the hospitality, transport, private security and entertainment industries will gain financially for the duration of the tournament. At the same time, the sporting fraternity will earn direct revenue from hosting the tournament. At face value, spending $855 million on security for an event that will only last one month may seem impractical. However, evaluating the scenario reveals that the long term benefits actually equate the cost. With improved security, businesses will flourish and foreign investors will be i nterested in the country. From an economic point of view, it can be considered as spending money to secure future stability and, eventually, financial returns. However, the writer of the article seems to have given more focus on policing conflicts and the aspect of foreign threats at the expense of explaining how the country’s own citizens will be protected. Apart from the over half a million visitors expected, Brazil is a country known to be the home of soccer fanatics that may disrupt most of the proposed security measures.

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Human Resource - Essay Example Essentially, it points directly to the contributions of the employees with regards to the underlying bottom line of the company by delineating employees as an invaluable resource. In order to fully understand this notion, it is necessary for us to operationally define human resource management. Simms (2002) offers one of the most clear and concise definition of human resource management when he indicated that human resources management was: the term increasingly used to refer to the philosophy, policies, procedures, and practices related to the management of an organization’s employees. Human resources management is particularly concerned with all the activities that contribute to successfully attracting, developing, motivating, and maintaining a high-performing workforce that results in organizational success (Sims 2002). One of the primary functions of human resource management is to improve knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable employees to perform current and future jobs in order to help organizations achieve success. (Rothwell & Kazanas 1994). In fact Philip and Shaw (1998) stated that an integral part of human resource management needs to be that of training the employees and equipping them to deal with the rapid change in technology. This is tied into many other human resource functions such as recruitment, retention, creation of new positions, work systems and performance management systems. These systems would need to be aligned with the organizations missions and goals. Alignment would ensure that the training offered is what is required to achieve the mission and goals of the organization. Training is a very broad term that has many definitions and uses in the literature. Training is the process of getting the right knowledge, skills and abilities at the right time, in the correct way and in the correct priority order to an employee. The training process is aimed at preparing individuals to perform current and future jobs (DeSimone &

Developing a strategic plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developing a strategic plan - Essay Example Similarly I made a plan for improving students’ perception and satisfaction with transportation. I included two action items; offering buses to commuter students and ensuring the schedule accuracy to facilitate the students and providing private buses and shuttles for the students of Pittsburgh and nearby shopping centers within a radius of 10 miles. This improvement can reduce car traffic and parking issues by 30% and increase student mobility by 75% to Pittsburgh downtown. I did not use trial and error or any redundant old method just to fill in that space with a strategy. I built my strategy based on the information I collected through students’ reviews. Even though the strategic plan is complete and quite comprehensive I would like to add a few things especially regarding public safety. The three action items are very helpful. For instance, they publicize encourage enrollment in E2 campus emergency notification system. Similarly, there are other programs offered under the same category but one thing that I feel missing is the follow-up. There should be a measure or any form of tracking the performance of implementing the strategy. This is to see whether the implemented strategy is giving the output that it is supposed to deliver. Moreover, it is only encouraging students to take part in self-defense programs offered on campus. I believe it should be mandatory for students to take basic training programs for the self-defense. It is quite likely that several students would not want to join but by involving them in the process of constructing the course the program can be more inclusive and productive in the interest of all. This is the first time for me to learn how to develop a strategic plan. The entire process from the beginning to the end has been very helpful and educating for me. The key lessons I learned from this process is how to incorporate the vision and a mission in a plan. I have realized that developing a

Impact of Internet on Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Impact of Internet on Society - Research Paper Example To what extent have the governments embraced the Internet as a tool for development? This research seeks to find out what governments need to address so as to make the Internet a tool for development. While many researchers have tackled this topic, there is a gap with regard to the failure of developing countries to entirely invest in the Internet. Besides, many of these researchers have not fully addressed the significance of the Internet in key sectors that touch on the youth. The youths from the majority population in most of these countries. There is silence on the relationship between the Internet and pluralism, and this report seeks to deal with that. In conclusion, the Internet revolution needs the government to be in control of it as opposed to being laid back as it seems at the moment. This is a challenge to developing countries to rethink the significance of the Internet. Introduction Problem statement â€Å"Impacts of internet in developing countries have not been fully a cknowledged.† Explanation Almost everybody in the world knows something about the phenomenon called the Internet. It has sparked a lot of excitement. Most governments in the third world countries perceive internet to be a youth’s issue. They tend to underestimate the influence of the Internet on the growth of the economy. More importantly, they tend to imagine that Internet is a short time happening. This has caused the government not to invest in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate growth through internet. In most developing countries, the Internet is appreciated by the private sector. The governments remain rigid. This has caused the citizens to lose quality services and opportunities that come through internet. The few sectors that have experienced growth through internet tend to be downplayed. This is the reason we must do this research. We have to demonstrate to third world countries that internet and economic growth cannot be separated in modern times. In d oing this, we have to point out some of the visible impacts of the Internet. The Internet is a combination of two words which are â€Å"international† and â€Å"network.† It is a phenomenon that has helped link the world so that it operates like a unit. It has created a platform that cuts across international boundaries and continents. People of different races and cultures can now interact and share ideas and opinions at a click of a mouse (Atwood & Gallo, 2011). More and more computers are continuing to be manufactured. It is fascinating to observe that computers are considered less useful unless they are connected to the Internet. This is because the effectiveness of a computer is being made to depend on Internet connection. According to Botha and Bothma (2008), people have already felt a tremendous change. The Internet has become an immensely key aspect of growth and development. Children in schools are being taught how to use it. In high school, it is one of the m ajor subjects. More and more computer-related degrees and diplomas are being awarded.  Ã‚  

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Human Resource - Essay Example Essentially, it points directly to the contributions of the employees with regards to the underlying bottom line of the company by delineating employees as an invaluable resource. In order to fully understand this notion, it is necessary for us to operationally define human resource management. Simms (2002) offers one of the most clear and concise definition of human resource management when he indicated that human resources management was: the term increasingly used to refer to the philosophy, policies, procedures, and practices related to the management of an organization’s employees. Human resources management is particularly concerned with all the activities that contribute to successfully attracting, developing, motivating, and maintaining a high-performing workforce that results in organizational success (Sims 2002). One of the primary functions of human resource management is to improve knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable employees to perform current and future jobs in order to help organizations achieve success. (Rothwell & Kazanas 1994). In fact Philip and Shaw (1998) stated that an integral part of human resource management needs to be that of training the employees and equipping them to deal with the rapid change in technology. This is tied into many other human resource functions such as recruitment, retention, creation of new positions, work systems and performance management systems. These systems would need to be aligned with the organizations missions and goals. Alignment would ensure that the training offered is what is required to achieve the mission and goals of the organization. Training is a very broad term that has many definitions and uses in the literature. Training is the process of getting the right knowledge, skills and abilities at the right time, in the correct way and in the correct priority order to an employee. The training process is aimed at preparing individuals to perform current and future jobs (DeSimone &

Impact of Internet on Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Impact of Internet on Society - Research Paper Example To what extent have the governments embraced the Internet as a tool for development? This research seeks to find out what governments need to address so as to make the Internet a tool for development. While many researchers have tackled this topic, there is a gap with regard to the failure of developing countries to entirely invest in the Internet. Besides, many of these researchers have not fully addressed the significance of the Internet in key sectors that touch on the youth. The youths from the majority population in most of these countries. There is silence on the relationship between the Internet and pluralism, and this report seeks to deal with that. In conclusion, the Internet revolution needs the government to be in control of it as opposed to being laid back as it seems at the moment. This is a challenge to developing countries to rethink the significance of the Internet. Introduction Problem statement â€Å"Impacts of internet in developing countries have not been fully a cknowledged.† Explanation Almost everybody in the world knows something about the phenomenon called the Internet. It has sparked a lot of excitement. Most governments in the third world countries perceive internet to be a youth’s issue. They tend to underestimate the influence of the Internet on the growth of the economy. More importantly, they tend to imagine that Internet is a short time happening. This has caused the government not to invest in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate growth through internet. In most developing countries, the Internet is appreciated by the private sector. The governments remain rigid. This has caused the citizens to lose quality services and opportunities that come through internet. The few sectors that have experienced growth through internet tend to be downplayed. This is the reason we must do this research. We have to demonstrate to third world countries that internet and economic growth cannot be separated in modern times. In d oing this, we have to point out some of the visible impacts of the Internet. The Internet is a combination of two words which are â€Å"international† and â€Å"network.† It is a phenomenon that has helped link the world so that it operates like a unit. It has created a platform that cuts across international boundaries and continents. People of different races and cultures can now interact and share ideas and opinions at a click of a mouse (Atwood & Gallo, 2011). More and more computers are continuing to be manufactured. It is fascinating to observe that computers are considered less useful unless they are connected to the Internet. This is because the effectiveness of a computer is being made to depend on Internet connection. According to Botha and Bothma (2008), people have already felt a tremendous change. The Internet has become an immensely key aspect of growth and development. Children in schools are being taught how to use it. In high school, it is one of the m ajor subjects. More and more computer-related degrees and diplomas are being awarded.  Ã‚  

William Shakespeare’s Othello Essay Example for Free

William Shakespeare’s Othello Essay William Shakespeare is a talented dramatist, actor and poet whose popularity remains unsurpassed until today.   Until now his plays are still being performed not only in Western countries but also in Asia and in other non-English speaking countries as well.   (â€Å"William Shakespeare 14)   Indeed he is recognized as one of the greatest dramatist of all time. William Shakespeare’s birth place is the town of Stratford-upon-Avon.   His exact date of birth is not accurately known since there are no existing records.   However, based on his baptismal record which is on April 26, 1564 appearing in the parish register of Holy Trinity Church, his birth date could probably be April 23, 1564.    This is because the baptism of children during William Shakespeare’s time happens just two or three days after birth. (Amanda Mabillard 4) The names of his parents are John Shakespeare, a prominent glove maker, and Mary Arden, the daughter of a wealthy landowner.   He is the third among the children of eight.   He started his education at the age of six (6) at the Stratford grammar school.   Latin is the primary language that school uses which is why he learned a great deal about Latin and the works of Latin authors.   (David Ross 2) His wife’s name is Anne Hathaway whom he married at the age of 18.   She is 26 years of age at the time and pregnant fueling speculation that the marriage may have been forced. Nevertheless, William Shakespeare had three children with her whose names are Susanna, Hamnet and Judith who are twins. (Folger Shakespeare Library 1) He eventually decides to leave Stratford and his family to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor.   Not much is known from him for several years until in 1592 where he attains sufficient success as an actor.   However, his rise to fame started because of his poems such as Venus and Adonius (1593), and Rape of Lucrece (1594).   Two years after, he gains recognition for his plays. It must however be stressed that Shakespeare’s fortune came not from acting or from writing poetry or plays.   Shakespeare’s fortune came from his investment in a theatrical company.   After he earns enough money, Shakespeare uses his earnings to invest in a theatrical company known as Lord Chamberlain’s men where he not only acts but also writes plays for the company. Shakespeare dies of a fever on April 23, 1616, the same month and day he is believed to have been born.   (Encarta MSN 1) He leaves to his two daughters Susana and Judith, the bulk of his estate and 300 pounds, respectively.   He gives his wife their â€Å"second-best bed with the furniture.† (Encarta MSN 1)

Role Of Quantity Surveyor Construction Essay

Role Of Quantity Surveyor Construction Essay Introduction The name quantity surveyor conjures up a variety of different images in peoples imaginations. For some, the term quantity surveyor is an outmoded title from the past. It certainly no longer accurately describes the duties that are performed. When the term was first applied to the profession, the work of the Q.S. was vastly different to that now being carried out and anticipated in the twenty-first century. A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a professional which is essentially construction accountant who manages the financial costs and contracts within construction industry. A Quantity Surveyor is involved in four main areas of work in construction industry which are building work such as residential housing and industrial developments, building engineering services such as lift services and others where prime cost sums are to be included in the bills of quantities, civil engineering such as infrastructure construction projects, and heavy and industrial engineering such as onshore and offshore oil and gas and petrol-chemicals. (Yeaw, 2008) Quantity surveyors deal with a wide variety of people including clients, architects, design engineers, construction managers, engineers, planners, estimators, supplier, lawyers and buyers. As building work increased in volume and complexity, there are a lot of sectors recognised the advantage of employing and independent quantity surveyor to prepare an accurate bill of quantities, and measure and value any variation during the progress of work. (Seeley, 1997) Today, quantity surveyors are also being appointed as a project manager to take control of the project from inception to completion and to coordinate the work of the design team and the main contractor and subcontractor. (Seeley, 1997) They can find employment in various areas such as property surveys for hidden defects on behalf of potential purchasers, running estates, valuing the mineral deposits for mining companies, selling property and even Leasehold Reform Act work. The roles of Quantity Surveyor will vary depending on his role either within the clients consultant or the contractor. Role of Private or Public Quantity Surveyor The Quantity Surveyor who works in private or public sector is an important member of the design team. The role of QS includes: Preliminary Cost Advise The QS is an expert in cost appraisal. He/She gives practical advice on the likely cost of the scheme from the inception of a new project. Besides that, he also advises on the comparative costs of alternative layouts, materials, components and methods of construction. Cost Planning during the design stage The QS will prepare a realistic budget and a cost plan showing the distribution of cost for each element once the employers brief is done. (Seeley, 1997) Cost planning during the design stage of the project is to ensure the client obtain the best possible value of his money including added value to his property asset, preferably having regard to total costs using life cycle costing technique so that the costs are distributed in the most realistic way and the contract sum is kept within the clients budget. Approximate estimate of the initial costs of building are prepared using feasibility or conceptual estimating which are single price methods of estimating. (Seeley and Winfield, 1999) When the budget and cost plan were acceptable to the client then the design was developed by the architect. Procurement Advice The QS in design team has a duty to advice the client on the most appropriate form of building procurement based on the type of project, quality of building, speed of construction, apportionment of risk and price certainty. (Seeley and Winfield, 1999) There are numbers of procurement methods using in United Kingdom. For example, traditional method is to negotiate tenders with a single contractor and design and build method is where the contractor undertakes the whole task of design and construction. (Seeley, 1997) Documents Preparation (Tender and Bills of Quantities) The QS will need to prepare tender document in the tendering stage and Bill of Quantities is a part of tender document. Measurement and quantification are required to provide a complete Bill of Quantities. (BQ) BQ translates the drawings, schedules and specification notes produced by designers into a document listing in detail all the components parts required for the project to enable all contractors to calculate his tender prices in same quantities. (Seeley, 1997) Selection of Contractor The QS provides frank, sound and practical advice on contractor selection. QS will based on the industrial relations record, past performance in meeting standard, time target and the quality of management and then make recommendations to the employer on the make up of the selection list. (Seeley, 1997) Negotiation During tendering, the private or public QS will evaluation of tenders and negotiate rates with contractors. Sometimes, QS will choose two of the best contractors and ask them price for the project again with discount rates. Valuing work The contractor is paid monthly in most construction contracts. QS will value the work carried out each month based on the report of Clerk of Works and contractors QS and then making recommendations as to payment to be made to the contractor including advising on the financial effect of variation or receipt of instructions from the architect. (Seeley, 1997) Settlement of contractual claim QS will prepare interim certificate to contractor every month based on the negotiate accepted claims with the contractors QS. Financial Statement A QS prepares financial statement to employer during the construction period and advice the employer on anticipated liability for payment, giving dates and amounts. Preparation of Final Account At the completion of the contract works, QS will need to prepare the final account for the whole project and agree details and totals with the contractors Quantity Surveyor. Role of Contractors Quantity Surveyor The Quantity Surveyors work in contractors firm and is an important member of the construction team. The duties of QS will vary according to the size of the firm. For smaller firms, the roles are tending to be more very wide in scope. However, the roles are tending to be more specified for large firms. (Seeley and Winfield, 1999)It includes: Preparation of Bills of Quantities Commencing of a project, contractors QS will need to prepare BQ with accurate measurement and estimating and then insert prices into the tender document which is provided by private or public QS. There are two types of contract document which are lump sum contract and BQ contract. Lump sum contract is the contract document comprises a BQ without quantities. So, the QS will need to do his own measurement based on the drawings and then come out with accurate quantities. BQ contract means the contract document comprise BQ with quantities. So, the QS just need to do pricing for those documents. Cost Planning during the construction stage Seeley (1997, pg63) wrote that Cost planning is a specialist technique used by the quantity surveyor. It is used to help all the members of construction team to keep works within the budget. Once a realistic estimate is agreed and everything follow in accordance with it, effective cost planning will help to ensure over-budget will not occur in the project from the successful contractors tender to final project cost. Constant monitoring of the cost planning will decrease the risk of overspending at an early stage and prompt corrective action can be taken. Cost planning improves the better value of money. The contractors QS will aim to secure maximum payment for the work done at the earliest possible time to avoid any possible cash flow problems. (Seeley, 1997) He will prepare cost plans that list down all the expenses right through to the projects completion. Negotiation Contractors QS is responsible to control the construction cost during construction stage. To improve the better value of money and maintain the quality of the building, he will negotiate the material price, machinery cost and labour cost with the supplier and come out with a most reasonable price and quality report. Sometimes, he also needs to negotiate with the clients QS for the variation order and payment issue. Comparison of cost QS will need to collect information about the cost of various operations in order to give a better value of money and provide information for the contractor to prepare future estimates. He will do the comparison of the cost of alternative methods of carrying out various operations so that the most economical procedure can be adopted. (Seeley, 1997) Documents Preparation (Sub-contract and meeting report) Preparation of the BQ for the sub-contract is done by contractors QS when some of works are substituted to another specialist. QS will prepare a lump sum contract or BQ contract base on the scope of work of the sub-contractor. In the sub-contract, QS will state the contract sum, commencing date, completion date, scope of work and etc. Besides that, QS also need to prepare site meeting report before the site meeting. He will receive a letter which state the date of site meeting one week before the meeting. The frequency of site meeting is depended on the architect. Normally, it is twice a month. The meeting report includes the project brief, contract information, document register, quality report, work progress chart and progress photos. Making application to the architect or engineer for variation order The QS requires assessing the cost of alternative designs of temporary works and other operations in order to prepare cost and value reconciliations for internal purposes and to forecast trends. He also makes application to the architect for variation orders if drawings or site instructions vary the work and the agreeing the value of variations with clients QS. (Seeley, 1997) Interim valuation and payments QS will prepare interim costing to clients QS so that the contractor can ascertain of his financial position and make appropriate action taken when necessary. (Seeley, 1997) Contractors QS is responsible for looking after the financial interest of the contractor and work in conjunction with private practice on the preparation of interim payments. (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007) Final account preparation QS will assembling data for the final account from the start of the contract to ensure that it will be completed in all its aspects and to give the contractor his proper entitlement under the contract. (Seeley, 1997) Other roles of Quantity Surveyor Ashworth and Hogg (2007, pg9) write In response to the potential demise of bills of quantities, quantity surveyors began exploring new potential roles for their services. The evolved roles of Quantity Surveyor are: Whole life costing The meaning of whole life costing is defined by the Ashworth and Hogg who refer to the Construction Best Practice Programme 1998 (2007, pg146) write that the systematic consideration of all relevant costs and revenues associated with the acquisition and ownership of an asset. All the costs associated with various options for a project are added together to represent a total cost. Future costs are discounted to a present day value. The QS provides the whole life costing to the clients based on the initial cost such as design and construction costs and future cost such as rental and maintenance cost to give an emphasis on a whole or total cost approach undertaken during the acquisition of a capital cost project or asset rather than merely concentrating on the initial capital costs alone. (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007) Value Management Value management is a specialist area. It is important to the success of projects in providing the foundation for improving value for money in construction. Clients are generally wanted higher quality buildings at lower prices and which were produced more quickly. QS involves in value management will examine a strategic problem that a company may face before the decision to build a building. He also uses the value management knowledge to obtain a reduction in construction costs. (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007) Risk Analysis Nowadays, most of the dedicated project manager has a quantity surveying background. Amongst all client advisors, QS is the most suited and motivated toward the management of risk. Sometimes, risk may affect an estimate. So, the QS will need to assess the probability and extent of the effect. The QS evolved the risk analysis to control the occurrence and impact of risk factors and provides clients with better information upon which to make decision. (Ashworth and Hogg, 2007) Expert witness The QS also can become an arbitrator nowadays. He often called upon to act as expert witness in respect of a wide variety of building disputes due to he has the knowledge of the building contract. As an expert witness, the QS need to produce a proof of evidence covering all his intended evidence. (Seeley, 1997) Conclusion The traditional roles of Quantity Surveyor can be classified into private or public Quantity Surveyor and contractors Quantity Surveyor. The table below shows the summary of the roles of Quantity Surveyor in different working sectors. Private or Public Quantity Surveyor Contractors Quantity Surveyor Provide preliminary cost advise Prepare Bills of Quantities during tendering Prepare cost planning during the design stage Prepare cost planning during the construction stage Advice client for different procurement method Prepare tender document and Bills of Quantities Prepare sub-contract and meeting report Select the best contractor to do the work Negotiate the pricing rate with the contractor Negotiate the material price and construction cost with the supplier and the sub-contractor Value the work done by contractor Compare the cost provided by supplier and sub-contractor. Settlement of contractual claim Make application to the architect or engineer for variation order Prepare financial statement Prepare interim valuation and payment Prepare final Account Prepare final account Nowadays, the introduction of computerised systems for preparing BQ makes Quantity Surveyors practices become very nervous. The traditional roles of Quantity Surveyor are not enough for QS to survive in construction industry because it is becoming to take over by technology. So, in these few years, QS are trying to evolve their roles in construction industry. They become project managers, value managers, expert witness to provide whole life costing, value management, risk analysis, a prove of evidence in building disputes and so on to employers. The QS still have a lot of development spaces in construction industry. It will never be ended up and replaced by others. As QS in the future, I wont worry about the unemployment because it seems to be good in the economical crisis at 2007. I always believe that QS job is a Quite Smart job in the construction industry and has a good future. (Total: 2418 words)

Summary and Analysis of The Clerks Tale Essays -- Canterbury Tales Th

Summary and Analysis of The Clerk's Tale (The Canterbury Tales) Prologue to the Clerk's Tale: The Host remarks that the Clerk of Oxford sits quietly, and tells him to be more cheerful. The Host asks the Clerk to tell a merry tale of adventure and not a moralistic sermon. The Clerk agrees to tell a story that he learned from a clerk at Padua, Francis Petrarch. He then praises the renowned Petrarch for his sweet rhetoric and poetry. The Clerk does warn that Petrarch, before his tale, wrote a poem in a high style exalting the Italian landscape. Analysis In the Prologue to the Clerk's Tale, Chaucer indulges yet again in a mild critique of his contemporaries. Here he analyzes Petrarch's stories and finds fault with his overindulgent descriptions of the Italian landscape, yet nevertheless he finds Petrarch's story good enough to adapt for his own Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer did adapt most of these tales from outside sources, modifying them as he saw fit and often making significant changes in tone and plot points. Nevertheless, many of the stories in the Canterbury Tales did not originate with Chaucer himself. The Clerk's Tale: The tale begins with the description of Saluzzo, a region at the base of Mount Viso in Italy. There was once a marquis of this region named Walter. He was wise, noble and honorable, but had one major flaw. He refused to marry, choosing careless pursuits instead. His refusal was so steadfast that the people of his realm confronted him about this, pleading with him to take a wife. They offer to choose for him the most noble woman in the realm for him to marry. He agrees to marry, but makes this one condition: he will marry whomever he chooses, regardless of birth, and his wife shall be tr... ...tes Griselde's fortitude is callous and inappropriate to the purpose. The following tests that Walter inflicts on his wife appear to serve a different purpose. Walter's motivation seems to shift from demonstrating his wife's capacities to breaking down his wife. This may be due to envy for Griselde, a woman universally beloved by his people, who at the outset of the story consider Walter irresponsible and immature. By the time Walter sends Griselde naked from his home he has become wholeheartedly sadistic. The reconciliation that concludes the Clerk's Tale is therefore unsatisfying, for it restores to Walter what he does not deserve. The reconstruction of the family that occurs when Griselde and her children return to Walter's estate is at best tenuous, bringing together a wife and a husband who tortured her, and children and the parents who did not raise them.

The Morality of Atheism Essay -- essays research papers

That there is a difference between religion and morality is uncontroversial. How can atheism be interpreted as a moral alternative? Although religion and morality reflect different values, they are deeply tangled for most individuals. In many cases, a person’s moral principles are grounded in religious commitments. In other cases, people find the source of morality outside of religion, such as the inherent value of all human beings. My central claim is that atheism rather than a theologically based value system offers the moral high ground. Theism is defined as the belief in a God or Gods. The term theism is sometimes used to designate the belief in a particular kind of god the personal God of monotheism but, theism signifies the belief in any god or number of Gods. The prefix a means without, so the term, a-theism literally means without theism, or without belief in a God or Gods. Atheism, therefore, is the absence of theistic belief. One who does not believe in the existence of a God or supernatural being is properly designated as an atheist. Atheism is sometimes defined as the belief that there is no God of any kind, or the claim that a God cannot exist. While these are categories of atheism, they do not exhaust the meaning of atheism, and they are somewhat misleading with respect to the basic nature of atheism. Atheism, in its basic form, is not a belief it is the absence of belief. An atheist is not primarily a person who believes that a god does not exist; rather, he does not believe in the existence of a God. What propels people toward atheism is above all a sense of revulsion against the excesses and failures of organized religion. Atheism is ultimately a worldview of fear a fear, often merited, of what might happen if religious maniacs were to take over the world. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good. (Psalms 14.1) This passage captures the essence of how the average religious person views atheism. Atheism is probably the least popular and least understood philosophical position in America today. It is often approached with fear and mistrust, as if one were about to investigate a doctrine that advocates a ... ...imply because it is right, and not because of some ulterior motive. There is no need to create fictions for the purpose of moral motivation and to do what is right because one wants to avoid punishment, whether the punishment take the form of incarceration or eternal damnation. The right thing is for honorable people to act for the sake of a reward, whether that reward is worldly or otherworldly. Moreover, a God who will forgive any and all sins does more to promote wrong acts than any secular philosophy. Atheists can avoid these pitfalls since they typically embrace the principle that virtue is its own reward. However, religion can and does play a meaningful role in many lives. A great number of individuals lead a morally good life precisely because of their religious commitments. A deeply ingrained personal faith can provide one with the strength to face hardship and overcome adversity. Hope thrives for those who believe an in an omniscient and all-powerful God, but God and religion are form a necessity to act righteously. Believers and nonbelievers need to work together to live up to the highest moral standards for society to survive as a whole. The Morality of Atheism Essay -- essays research papers That there is a difference between religion and morality is uncontroversial. How can atheism be interpreted as a moral alternative? Although religion and morality reflect different values, they are deeply tangled for most individuals. In many cases, a person’s moral principles are grounded in religious commitments. In other cases, people find the source of morality outside of religion, such as the inherent value of all human beings. My central claim is that atheism rather than a theologically based value system offers the moral high ground. Theism is defined as the belief in a God or Gods. The term theism is sometimes used to designate the belief in a particular kind of god the personal God of monotheism but, theism signifies the belief in any god or number of Gods. The prefix a means without, so the term, a-theism literally means without theism, or without belief in a God or Gods. Atheism, therefore, is the absence of theistic belief. One who does not believe in the existence of a God or supernatural being is properly designated as an atheist. Atheism is sometimes defined as the belief that there is no God of any kind, or the claim that a God cannot exist. While these are categories of atheism, they do not exhaust the meaning of atheism, and they are somewhat misleading with respect to the basic nature of atheism. Atheism, in its basic form, is not a belief it is the absence of belief. An atheist is not primarily a person who believes that a god does not exist; rather, he does not believe in the existence of a God. What propels people toward atheism is above all a sense of revulsion against the excesses and failures of organized religion. Atheism is ultimately a worldview of fear a fear, often merited, of what might happen if religious maniacs were to take over the world. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good. (Psalms 14.1) This passage captures the essence of how the average religious person views atheism. Atheism is probably the least popular and least understood philosophical position in America today. It is often approached with fear and mistrust, as if one were about to investigate a doctrine that advocates a ... ...imply because it is right, and not because of some ulterior motive. There is no need to create fictions for the purpose of moral motivation and to do what is right because one wants to avoid punishment, whether the punishment take the form of incarceration or eternal damnation. The right thing is for honorable people to act for the sake of a reward, whether that reward is worldly or otherworldly. Moreover, a God who will forgive any and all sins does more to promote wrong acts than any secular philosophy. Atheists can avoid these pitfalls since they typically embrace the principle that virtue is its own reward. However, religion can and does play a meaningful role in many lives. A great number of individuals lead a morally good life precisely because of their religious commitments. A deeply ingrained personal faith can provide one with the strength to face hardship and overcome adversity. Hope thrives for those who believe an in an omniscient and all-powerful God, but God and religion are form a necessity to act righteously. Believers and nonbelievers need to work together to live up to the highest moral standards for society to survive as a whole.