HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMNENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMNENT - Essay Example tice that organisations can not operate under one of the two above in absolute terms and a common ground should be struck to realise the best results and harmony. This is the management approach that perceives that the organisation is a family-like setting and that the whole system is harmonious and integrated. In this approach the proponents are against the formation of trade unions or any activity that is taken to be disruptive (Charles & Simhala 1998). Therefore, all employees are required to be loyal to the organisation and that their interests and purpose need to be shared by all. In this respect harmony in doing ones duties is of huge importance as it is perceived to lead to the overall success of the organisation. The management takes all the employees and itself as a people working towards a common cause for the betterment of the organisation. In other words the entire workforce is supposed to work as a team and any objective that deviates and sounds to be conflicting is deemed negative or dysfunctional. In this approach the management is required to provide an environment that enhances communication between itself and the employees a nd among the employees themselves. Proper communication reduces chances of conflicts as the commonality of interest shall be achieved (Sonia 2000). This approach has a number of pros that make it popular especially in the human resource sector of the United States. First is that the system or approach encourages harmony and builds on consensus. This as described in its definition above takes the core and therefore the foremost reason behind its adoption (Ackers 2008). Harmony and consensus are achieved since the employees and the management are made to work together in achieving the organisational goals and objectives. As also highlighted earlier the improved communication among the various parties enhances good relations that endeavour to promote peaceful coexistence. Secondly is that the approach makes the employees become

The movie the eternal jew Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The movie the eternal jew - Essay Example The Jews of Poland are said to be aliens, living in a foreign land, yet having managed to control the people in the social, political and economic dimensions (Haggith 2005). These Jews people have effective managed to create the industries of commerce and the lager banking sector in Poland, yet they are still living like animals. They do not show any proper plan of managing their lives in a manner that is pleasing, something that makes the natives wonder their way of life and actual mission in their foreign land. In as much as these people can sometimes be unquestionably vicious, many can acknowledge that by far, in reference to the standards of the contemporary world, it is actually transparent and crude in all angles. The director of the movie effectively illustrates the ratlike behavior and actions of the Jews of Poland, while at the same time, he openly shows that footage of actual rats squirming and moving from sewers and dirt to the front of the camera. This is done intentionally in order to make a comparison of the actions of these Jews, and link it directly to the lives of the rats, which is not any different from these people. In the movie, many things are happening that makes the natives to wonder the motives that the Jews of Poland seem to be operating under. One of the scenes that is most shocking involves the slaughtering of a cow, which is illustrated in a very bloody and horrific detail. This is done by one of the Rabbis, who is seen grinning (Schwartz 2012). This event if subsequently succeeded by among many things three innocent lands, presumably of German origin nuzzling each other. These scenes are not the only ones that indicate the perverse nature of the Jews people. Many scenes still exist, indicating the actual propagandists apart from the Jews. In essence, the Movie is about a people that cannot be effectively understood as to why they seem to live dilapidated lives yet they

Quality of Life in Turkish Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients

Quality of Life in Turkish Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients Introduction Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatological disease characterized by spinal inflammation, usually in the form of sacroiliitis and spondylitis which may lead to syndesmophyte formation and ankylosis in the further course of the disease [1]. AS most commonly begins in the second and third decade of life as persistent inflammatory back pain that can already be associated with significant loss of function, work disability and impaired quality of life early in the disease [2-4]. In studies conducted previously, risk factors affecting the functional status and quality of life in patients with AS have been evaluated. Age, duration of symptoms, pain severity, stiffness, peripheral arthritis, total hip arthroplasty, smoking habit of patient, having history of more physically demanding jobs and lower levels of education have been demonstrated as risk factors for functional limitations and quality of life in patients with AS [3-8]. In other rheumatic diseases, level of education has been found to be possibly associated as a risk factor [9-11]. In this study, we planned to determine the possible risk factors affecting functional situation and quality of life in Turkish patients with AS. Materials and Methods Eigthy nine Turkish AS patients diagnosed with AS according to the Modified 1984 New York Criteria who were admitted to the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinics of Akdeniz University and Adnan Menderes University were included in the study. This study was approved by the Research Eth ­ics Committee Yet, one patient, who did not want to participate, was excluded from the study. Thus, a total of 88 volunteer Turkish AS patients consisting of 24 females (27.3%) and 64 males (72.7%) with their age ranging from 21 to 81 were enrolled in the study. Demographic information of the patients was obtained, their heights and weights were measured and these values were recorded. Then body mass indices (BMIs) of the patients were calculated by dividing the body weight as kilograms by the square of height in meters. Levels of education of the patients were investigated and recorded (0: illiterate, 1: literate, 2: primary school graduate, 3: secondary school graduate, 4: high school graduate, 5: university graduate). Dates of diagnosis of the patients, drug(s) they used, their duration of morning stiffness (as minutes) were investigated and recorded. Patients with diagnosis of AS who were admitted to the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinics are routinely instructed with a home-based exercise program. Exercises recommended are as breathing and posture exercises, and range of motion/stretching exercises for all joints. Patients were inquired about the extent they do these recommended exercises, and they were rated as 0 (not doing the exercises) , 1 (doing irregularly or occasionally), 2 (doing regularly every day), and the results were recorded. Smoking habits of the patients were evaluated. Those who have smoked at least one cigarette a day for a period of longer than 6 months during their lifetime were included in the smoking group. Whether or not the individuals in this group were currently smoking and how many cigarettes a day and for how many years they have smoked were determined. â€Å"Packs/year† term was calculated by multiplying amount of cigarettes (as packs) smoked daily by smoking period (as years). Indices have been developed to measure the activation status, functional status, spinal mobility values and quality of life of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), developed for evaluating disease activity, consists of 6 visuel analog scale (VAS) measurements comprising of fatigue, spinal and peripheral joint pain, severity and morning stiffness [12]. Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), developed for functional evaluation, was determined to have been superior regarding sensitivity to the change to the Dougados Functional Index (DFI) which was developed for the same purpose [13]. Bath AS metrology index (BASMI) was developed by evaluating 20 different clinical assessment methods and selecting 5 among them with the property of the highest validity, reliability, repeatability, and sensitivity to the change [14]. Developed to assess the quality of life of patients with AS, Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (ASQoL) has been demons trated to be a valid and reliable tool that can be used both in clinical practice and in scientific research [15]. To evaluate the functional status, disease activity, spinal mobility and quality of life of the patients, BASFI, BASDAI, BASMI and ASQoL scales were used respectively. All indices were assessed by the same physician. Turkish versions of BASFI, BASDAI and ASQoL were used. The reliability of the Turkish versions of BASFI, BASDAI, and ASQoL has been confirmed [16-19]. BASMI is a combined index comprising five assessments of spinal mobility in AS patients. The index include assessments of lateral lumbar flexion, tragus-to-wall distance, lumbar flexion, intermalleolar distance and cervical rotation [20]. These measurements have been found to be clinically practical and reliable in reflecting axial status [1]. In our study, measurements of tragus-to-wall distance, modified Schober, cervical rotations (mean of the sum of right and left rotations was taken), lumbar lateral flexion difference (mean of the sum of right and left lateral flexion differences was taken), intermalleolar distance were performed by the same physician on all patients to obtain BASMI score. Apart from these mobility assessments performed, occiput-to-wall distance, chin-to-sternum distance, chest expansion, thoracic Schober, lumbar Schober, hand-to-ground distance and intermalleolar distance were measured. As laboratory values of the patients, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (using Standard Westegren Method) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. SPSS 14.0 (SPSS Inc., Il., USA) software package was used for data analysis. Results for continuous variables were presented as maximum, minimum and mean  ± standard deviation (SD). Descriptive statistical method was used to obtain these values. For the correlation analysis of the results, Pearson Correlation test was used. Multivariate regression models were constructed to evaluate associations between identified variables. A p value of

An Argument Against a Presupposition Essay -- Political Science

In The American Democracy and Its National Principle, Herbert Croly makes an eloquent and poignant case for adopting a nationalistic frame of mind. According to Croly, we are rapidly approaching a junction where we must choose between the traditional values, measures and mind set of our past or embrace the opportunities of the future. As a people we should realize that the future holds great promise, and that is why we should focus on empowering a centralized system of governance that replaces the antiquated approach to governance: regional centricity whose players are driven by their self-interest rather than the common good. This may sound like nationalism but this is an inadequate assessment. To Croly, nationalism is a much grander thing. Nationalism requires substantially more than â€Å"merely† centralizing the government; there must be a shift in how people see themselves, from a collection of states into a single American people. Nationalism is a philosophical ide al that far outstretches any tangible thing. Nationalism requires a unified frame of mind focused on a single point of governance. Croly’s opinion, while not revolutionary, was still regarded with suspension by many people in 1909 (the year Croly’s essay was published). People who were wary of a nationalistic government and a unified frame of mind had a good argument against Croly’s essay. Much of this essay focuses on this argument against Croly’s presuppositions regarding the â€Å"progressive† outcome of nationalization. First off, Croly bases everything in his argument on the claim that the â€Å"national interest† is predicated on democratic principles (as cited in Eisenach, p19). This is why people should have nothing to fear from a nationalistic government: i... ...al level (Eisenach, viii). I do not buy the argument that consolidating more power into the national government invariably leads to progress. At the same time, Croly‘s argument against nostalgic dogma is well founded and enlightened. Indeed, there are several interesting points Croly makes about the ramifications of inaction and indifference regarding amending the constitution. However, it was evident to me after reading the essay that his call for progressivism had, at best, several logical flaws and, at worst, paralleled fascism to an alarming degree. Works Cited Croly, H. (1909). The American Democracy and Its National Principle. (as cited in Eisenach, p#) References to the introduction section are in roman numeralsEisenach. (2006). The Social and Political Thought of American Progressivism. Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. (Eisenach)

My Narrative Report in Pal

Internship or on the job training is one way by which we students are given an opportunity to apply the theories and computations that we have learned from school. It also helps us to obtain applicable knowledge and skills by performing in actual work setting. Earful tool and possibly even a source of recommendation when they take that big lift from being students to career professionals. The On-The-Job Training (OJT) is one of the requirements in order for a student to be able to graduate from college and to become a professional. This training prepares the students to practice their profession. Thus, in adjusting one’s self and mingling to others one must cope up with the different standards and attitudes of the people in a particular field of industry. It is also a bridge to enhance the students’ skills that should be an advantage when they finally land a job. It’s proven and well tested! Experience is definitely the best teacher. There are countless things that I’ve learned during my On-the-Job Training at Philippine Airlines. Being in a new and never-been-to environment was a big challenge to me. I exerted great effort to cope up with the means and manner of living of the new environment that I’d indulged into. I did my best to blend in and went in with the flow of what the real world is offering. One of the requirements as graduating students of the College of Arts and Letter is On-the-Job Training. This Training exposes us to the real environment of a certain organization. Thus, adjusting oneself and mingling others is a must to cope up with different standards and attitudes of every individual in a particular field of industry. In furtherance, OJT will be a bridge to enhance our skills in communication and technical activities that makes it a plus point the sooner we landed a job and help ease the culture shock while dealing with different specialized people of their expertise. I went to other organizations to have an OJT but sad to say there were already different students from different schools who had come first to conduct an OJT. I was already desperate, hopeless and we’re running out of time. I came up with a decision and suddenly an idea flashed in my mind â€Å"Why not try Philippine Airlines? Due to lack of time, I went directly to the Branch Manager of Philippine Airlines, Legazpi City and submit a letter for approval in conducting an OJT in their organization. Knowing that I already accepted to conduct an OJT, my worries were then blown up by the wind as if my heart felt empty with thorn and pains of miseries. The manager told us the Don’ts and Do’s in the company like; Doâ⠂¬â„¢s: Wearing of Formal Attire Good Grooming Be On Time Don’ts: Do not go out in the Airline field without wearing a vest. Do not wear slippers Do not wear â€Å"maong† pants Don’t be shy Then my journey started in PAL†¦ my first week was a disastrous one. Why? Exactly 8am on the very first day of my report in the office the router was damaged due to faulty electrical wiring of transformer by ALECO. So all the computer transaction were then changed to manual type. The manager let me stay in his office for an hour or so because of what had happened. In that day I was oriented on what to do and exposes to other employees as well. And hey, before I forgot I have a company from other school, they are from La Consolacion College of Iriga City, a Tourism student. At first I am shy to them, I didn’t talk to them I just stayed in the office of the manager, but because of their super-duper nice approach to me and to their super friendly attitude we become friends. They guide and teach me what to do. My co-OJT named Margarette, Angela, Erika and Rhea. I learned more about what OJT means and to be patient is more important when you have a relationship to other people especially when you do not know them well. I had encountered different attitudes between clients and my employer, they have more jokes than us and we have to be sports and control our feelings. I meet new friends inside the company even though they have more guys than girls. I have a new co-OJT trainee after the first batch had been finished their 180 hours, named Makie, Eunice, Marieson and Shiryne. They are a tourism student from Iriga City also to be exact a classmates of my co-OJT the other month. They are a nice person and kind to me. And because of that I let them fill in to my ever loving slum book. Hehehe Check in Area I was trained on what specific things to do in the check in area like weighing the baggage’s, tagging with an international, local, perishable, push ups and fragile stickers and of the course adding baggage number and how it weighs. I was told also the allowed kilo of baggage and allowed kilo of hand carry. I was assigned also to PAL number seats in rows and columns. On the second day I was trained on what to do in the manual system. It was so strenuous even the employees were busy that time. I assist them at the back and I am always alert to avoid destruction. I was oriented also about the mandatory elements and the cleanliness around the check in area. Ticketing Office I was assigned in answering the phone for clients who wants to inquire in a specific date of flight, lucky you are if the customer is in good mood. I also type in the Documental Transmittal or Acknowledgement Receipt, Shipping Order ( I type certain records then pass it to the cargo area) Updated forms (air them back to Manila) I also do an accounting like the domestic sales report. I was also assigned to print the tickets and pass it the cashier. In ticketing area I was then given a short examination by one of the employees on how to use the electronic system of ticketing. Sir Mayor taught me how to do the work. Food Well, as part of my on-the-job training in the Philippine Airlines, I was part to the group to feed the tummy of my sir and maam. My co-trainee said that we need to prepare a food when we done our training. So I joined the group. I contributed 200php for the food. Then, there my OJT ends.

Marketing Umpqua Bank

For those and women in business like attire. They don't expect people to be sitting around drinking coffee and chatting. This may cause them to feel uncomfortable and not want to do business with the bank. For young people this would be a very attractive environment. They are not used to the days of old; they may like the informal setting and bring in their friends. This area that I have discussed would be part of the subculture too. Young people generally do not like regimen, rules and regulations, and while these remain intact at Umps, they are semi-hidden in this informal appealing environment.Social class would also be a major influence on who â€Å"shops† at Umps. Although in an informal setting that makes people feel welcome, some customers may feel that they are out of their own class and again feel uncomfortable. Another issue that I see, is that I did not see in the video reference to doing business with ethnic groups such as Hispanics. On the website I did not see a link that would take you to a Spanish page. I was not sure when I viewed the videos on the Umps Bank website on what does local look like that I understood the cartoonist message.Bank like you live: the way we see it Premise was better understood as â€Å"We've never thought of ourselves as being simply a bank. We're really more like knowledgeable neighbors, the kind you invite over for a cup of coffee, seek advice from and chat over the fence. And we're here to help you bank like you live† (Umps. Com). As a consumer of Umps Bank the need recognition is an important factor. It may be as simple as having somewhere to go when you are hungry and tired. Umps Bank offers its guests free coffee and a place to relax and distress.People tell stories about their experience and having a good experience where you bank is a good way to get you coming back. Umps knows that you will likely tell others, and getting referrals from this personal source of information is what that are hoping f or. There are banks and there are banks, and Umps is certainly very unique in this regard. I do not know of any other bank that is emulating Umps, so seeking an alternative may be quite difficult. The Umps Bank website is full of information for the consumer.Whether or not the customer makes a decision to â€Å"purchase† or do business with the bank entirely depends on their experience. â€Å"Generally, the consumers purchase 181). Other peoples experience (such as friends) may influence the purchasing session. If they have had a good experience of the bank the chances are that they will be able to make a decision based on that. After the purchase we have to look at the relationship that develops between the customer and the bank (Postprocessor Behavior Marketing an Introduction peg. 181).If good follow up is made by the bank to the customer, then generally the customer will be happy with his decision to â€Å"purchase†. However the opposite is also true. Lack of foll ow up or seemed unfriendliness may cause the customer to have second thoughts. This negative impact may give rise to complaints and potentially cause mage to the reputation of the bank. Service characteristics include intangibility, inseparability, variability and permissibility. Umps Bank sets itself aside from other banks by providing customers with a sense of quality, not something that can be generally perceived by looking, but rather something that can be felt.The focus of Umps is to have its employees trained in all aspects of the Job and to the same high standards, so that there is no real variability in their standards of service to the customer. The same is true regarding service inseparability. Due to the fact that the customer is present hen the banks services are provided the provider-customer interaction both affect the service outcome. (Marketing: An Introduction peg 250). There may be special offers available for only a limited time which means that when the time has gone the offer is no longer available.This is known as service permissibility. Just how perishable a product or service is depends on how successful it is in its first offering and Just how much demand there is for the product or service being offered. A service provider could either lengthen the shelf life of the product or service if it proves popular, or they may shorten its life if it doesn't draw many customers. The service profit chain comprises of five links. These are Internal service quality, Satisfied and productive service employees, Greater service value, Satisfied and loyal customers and Healthy service profits and growth. Marketing: An Introduction peg 251). The following is part extract and part my own words from Kettle 13th Edition â€Å"Umps Bank† Umps Bank provides very high standards of customer service, from when the customer enters to when they leave. They are always greeted with a smile and a warm welcome. If they are actually a customer then they will b e greeted by name. After the customer's transaction is complete they get a piece of Umps chocolate. Can sit and drink coffee and if they have their laptop. Use the available free wife.Umps bank wants you to stay. Every employee receives six weeks of off-site training about the banks culture and beliefs and about how the bank operates differently. Placing the employee with the customer rather than them sitting behind a desk makes the customer feel even more welcome. To enjoy what you do as an employee is more important than Just what you do. The design of the bank, even though it looks more like a hotel lobby than a bank, didn't actually cost them anymore Han if they had invested in a more traditional setting.

What do I mean when I say, I know, and why should anyone believe me Essay Example

What do I mean when I say, I know, and why should anyone believe me Essay Example What do I mean when I say, I know, and why should anyone believe me Essay What do I mean when I say, I know, and why should anyone believe me Essay If I said I know something, it means I have knowledge of something or someone. But why should anyone believe me? Ultimately, there are only two ways in which my knowledge can be trustworthy: from personal experience that the person has also personally experienced or from proven facts. I could say I know something because I have personally experienced it. But how would anyone know that I am not lying? They havent experienced my personal experience. They could have a different interpretation, but as long as their experience is similar they will consider what I know as right, because they can relate to it, and therefore they can believe me. This applies when sharing personal knowledge.When I say I know, I am saying I am a knower. I am a knower because I have my own experiences. Everyone who has experiences is a knower. Rights and wrongs are only because of our interpretation from personal experience through our reason because of morals and ethics. It is impossible to prove what is right and wrong with reason, unless we can relate to it through personal experience. So morals and ethics are experiences in themselves. We all know for example that it is wrong to hurt someone, but a young child might think it is funny to hurt someone and not think that inflicting pain is right or wrong. The childs parents will make sure that the child understands that it is wrong to hurt, by punishing him/her, so that the child connects hurting someone with being punished. Therefore morals and ethics are human, therefore experiences.Morals and ethics help us see our experiences, but just like the child learning that it is wrong to hurt, morals and ethics are experiences in themselves. So experiences influence every other experience we have. We can assume therefore, that a baby isnt born with any reason and that reason, (because it only exists because of morals and ethics.) is in itself something learned, something experienced. The baby is born with human conscience, which is the base f or experiences and how they are inter-connected and affect each other, which is the base for all knowledge.There is a main type of knowledge which is reliable to a person when you tell them you know something or someone. That is directly experienced knowledge. By this I mean direct knowledge, or a direct experience, not something someone has told you or that you have read in a book, (because that is also a form of experience.) but something that has happened in front of, or to you. The person you are telling you know something needs to be able to directly relate to their own experience of something. For example if I was dissecting a heart, it would be directly experienced knowledge. But if my biology textbook tells me a heart looks like that, it is indirect experience, and therefore not as reliable as my direct personal experience. You might be thinking: why would the textbook be wrong if we are supposed to learn what a heart is like, surely the school wants us to learn what things really look like? but there is still -however slim- chance that the school is trying to teach you lies.There is also proven knowledge. Proven knowledge can be both direct and indirect experiences if you tell someone I know water boils at one hundred degrees Celsius, anyone who thinks science has some truth to it will agree with you because science has a believable proof. Why would the Celsius temperature scale be so popular if it wasnt for being based on the different temperatures water changes state? Logically it must be true if I say I know water boils at 100à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. More reliable would be the direct experience of seeing water boil with a thermometer stuck in it showing 100à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C on its scale, than having someone telling you they know that water boils at 100à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C.Theoretical knowledge is tricky to categorize. If we take the atom theory, no one can prove that it is real, but it seems to be the most reliable and therefore the most accepted idea. Theoretical know ledge is never directly experienced knowledge. Even if you come up with the theory, a theory stays an idea created by the mind due to our reason, which is a result of many experiences. Theoretical knowledge is more or less reliable depending on how many things obey the theory, or that have been proven to be reliable due to the theory.We need to decide for ourselves whether we trust someone saying that they know something or if we dont. We have to keep in mind that direct experiences are more reliable than indirect experiences. We do also need to remember that the direct experiences we have can be fooled with illusions to our senses. No experience is 100% reliable, but ideas and morals which make sense to us or which work for us are usually the ones we accept.

Explain and critically assess Weber’s conception of power The WritePass Journal

Explain and critically assess Weber’s conception of power Introduction Explain and critically assess Weber’s conception of power , p.33). Moreover, this was a time of great social and political transformation in the West, whereupon the overall character of European polities had been drastically altered by waves of democratic fervour and revolutionary violence. The Revolutions of 1848, for instance, represented the single most concentrated outcrop of political upheaval in the history of European politics. â€Å"The 1848 revolutions†, says Micheline R. Ishay, â€Å"were a watershed. In the most industrialized countries, they broke the liberal-radical republican alliance against legitimist regimes and catalysed the formation of the most radical human rights perspectives of the century† (2008, p.121). In a very significant sense, said revolutions were a movement against the established power structures of the era. This was a time of great liberal reform and technological change; the social and political apparatuses by which international relations were hitherto understood were being fundamentally tra nsformed – as were theoretical conceptions of power. Although the 1848 Revolutions were mostly checked and curbed within a year of their outbreak, the underlying sentiment and intellectual kindling had not been extinguished. Instead, it fomented in various forms: one of which would lead eventually to the rise of Communism in the early twentieth century. With such conspicuous changes in the makeup of political relations during the nineteenth century, there came concurrent shifts in critical perspectives on how and why such changes occurred. Marx had upheld a perspective that prioritised historical materialism and the fundamental primacy of class struggle as defining political relations. Power, for Marx, concerned the power of those capitalist elites who owned the means of production to exploit the workers whose labour literally made production happen. Marx’s political philosophy was extremely widespread, known even to those who abjured it. For Marx, power also has much to do with class divisions: particularly between those who ow n the means of production, the bourgeoisie, and the workers, or proletariat, who exchange their labour value for wages. Power is thus manifested in the oppression of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie – for whom the social and political structures are geared to preserve the status quo, keeping the workers in a state of social, economic, and political subordination. Marx’s understanding of power, then, is concerned with large scale social and historical forces, particularly as they relate to material and industrial relations in determining power and overall socio-political mechanics. Weber, on the other hand, developed an approach that varied from the Marxian mould, stepping away from the perceived predominance of grand overarching forces in determining social and political relations. As a result, Weber also moved away from Marx’s theory of the strict bourgeoisie/proletariat duality as being the dominant paradigm in political economy. The latter class division was, for Marx, the principle animus for change in capitalist societies. As a consequence, Marx’s conception of power cannot be separated from his overall understanding of the relationship between capitalists and workers. For Weber, socio-economic divisions, and their relations to power, are far more complex than those posited by Marx. Weber understood class distinctions as deriving from more than just an inequality in property relations; instead, Weber posited that it was the unequal distribution of power that resulted in social dividing lines. Power for Weber was, again, more intricate and mu ltifaceted than the kind Marx had proposed. Weber states that power is â€Å"the chance of a man or of a number of men to realize their own will in a communal action even against the resistance of others who are participating in the action† (1968, p.926). Already we can see that Weber’s rendition of power is more abstract and open to interpretation that that of Marx. Further, Weber’s conception of power is similar to modern critical formulations of same; where â€Å"power†, at its most fundamental, â€Å"entails the capacity of one actor to make another actor do something which they would not otherwise do† (Haugaard, 2004, p.304). Most importantly, Weber’s definition is very broad; it allows for application in a number of contexts: social, economic, political, cultural, familial, sexual, interpersonal, and many others. Violence and Coercion: the Centrality of Force in Power Relations Weber’s conception of power is â€Å"inextricably connected to violence and coercion† (Kreisberg, 1992, p.39). Such violence is articulated though various social structures, from the microcosm of the family to the macrocosm of the state. Weber consequently sees â€Å"subjects as being on the receiving end of structures of power† (Whimster and Lash, 2006, p.22). The interactions between these discrete structures of power allow for varying degrees of control over the exercise of violence: where certain individuals or groups have access to or are denied the means to exert their will. For Weber, such means obtain to ideas of legitimacy. Hence, for Weber, the question of power relate to issues about: â€Å"who controls the means of violence; who enjoys a monopoly over economic resources; who controls the legitimate means of political power; and finally who has control over symbolic force† (Turner, 2002, p.215). Social action is thus enabled by control of distin ct fields of power. The more such fields of power can be channelled and consolidated, the more power that obtains. This can be seen very clearly, for example, in the state’s exclusive mandate on legal violence (via armed forces, police, prisons, and so forth). Hence Weber defines the state as â€Å"that agency within society which possesses the monopoly of legitimate violence† (cited in Wanek, 2013, p.12). Accordingly, in Weber’s view, the implicit threat of violence perpetually underwrites the state’s authority. Thus Weber’s position anticipates Mao Zedong’s famous declaration that â€Å"political power grows out of the barrel of a gun† (cited in Wardlaw, 1989, p.43). For Weber, then, coercive force is fundamental to power. Put simply, coercion equates to influence; and influence is power. National political power is therefore structured on implied coercive mechanisms. Hence Weber avers that â€Å"if no social institutions existed that knew the use of violence, then the ‘state’ would be eliminated† (cited in Wagner, 2002, p.120). So conceived, the state is in itself a form of coercive apparatus. Because the state monopolises legal violence, the state is the primary source of power as such. This means access to power is achieved via access to and control over the mechanisms of state. Power is thus manifested in the specific structures on which the social order is based. However, Weber does not believe that power is constituted in coercive force exclusively. Instead, a dynamic of obedience obtains between the ruling class and those ruled: in which the latter group willingly obey their political leaders. Here, Weber’s conce ption of power becomes more complex, delineating ideas of legitimate domination. As Weber perceives it, social conformity, or, as he puts it, â€Å"performance of the command†, may â€Å"have been motivated by the ruled’s own conviction of its propriety, or by his sense of duty, or by fear, or by ‘dull’ custom, or by a desire to obtain some benefit for himself† (1968, p.947). The dominated thus inadvertently cooperate in their domination. Hence we can see that Weber’s conceptualisation of power echoes a Hobbesian perspective, which stresses a central causality between a â€Å"sovereign† power and popular subjugation (Sreedhar, 2010, p.33). Furthermore, state power and interest are related to a conflictual paradigm where self-interest and the will to domination are taken as a given. Weber thus articulates a realist perspective. In addition, Weber’s notion of legitimate domination somewhat chimes with Gramscian hegemony, in that power is constituted and reconstituted in various complex sites, working overall to legitimise the status quo. As a result of this, Weber is distinct from Marx in two very important ways: firstly, he sees power as more abstract, subtle, and complex than Marx does; secondly, he sees power as deriving from many different types of social phenomena – not just class struggle. Following this logic, Weber also applies the same extended complexity to the concept of the origin s of power. Thus, for Weber, power comes from â€Å"three different sources†: â€Å"class (economic power), status (social power), and parties (political power)† (Levine, 2006, p.6). As we can see, then, Weber’s conception of power is based on coercion, force, domination, social structures, and a quasi-hegemonic socio-political structure that promotes and induces willing subjugation in the populace. Weber’s ideas are clearly more reflective of realist political theory than of Marxian idealism, which posits utopic notions of eventual global socialist harmony. This is not to say that Weber wholesale rejects the Marxian position, he does not; rather, he accommodates Marx’s economic arguments in his overall politico-economic model. Further, he expands upon and problematises them. As one would therefore expect, much like his conception of power, Weber’s conception of class is far more nuanced and open to interpretation than that of Marx. For Weber, class pertains to the numerous potential relations that may obtain in a given economic market. In particular, this relates to relationships that arise between an individual, or a group, as concerns a given market. This means that different kinds of economic distinctions will give rise to specific forms of class relation – not just a worker/capitalist polarity. Weber sees class as a social concept that encompasse s numerous iterations within an overall economic purview. Such iterations include professionals, landowners, bankers, financiers, and many others (Hamilton, 1991, p.182). In sum, then, Weber recognises numerous different kinds of class distinctions, each with their own complex sets of power relations. This heterogeneity, in turn, adds complexity to the overall function of power in its specific fields and sites of operation. For Weber, then, power relates to a multiform phenomenon. In treating of the economic dimensions of power, Weber observes that the â€Å"typical chance for a supply of goods, external living conditions, and personal life experiences† are fundamentally determined by â€Å"the amount and kind of power, or lack of such, to dispose of goods or skills† for the sake of â€Å"income in a given economic order† (1968, p.927). Hence Weber observes a clear causal continuum between economic and other kinds of power, where one can come to necessitate (or, at least, facilitate) the other. Where Weber significantly diverges from Marx is in his posited importance of the modes of power that function semi-independently of economic considerations. Specifically, Weber places much emphasis on social status. â€Å"For Weber, status groups are collectives of people with similar lifestyles, and they often overlap with economic class position† (Levine, 2006, p.6). In other words, the socially powerful tend to be located in economically powerful cohorts; at the same time, those without social power tend to be associated with non-economically powerful cohorts. This last assertion can seem very similar to the Marxian view, of the powerful bourgeoisie and non-powerful proletariat. However, the important distinction in Weber’s position is that affinities are drawn more primarily from social, not economic, similarities. Put simply, for Weber, two individuals or groups with similar social lives but different economic statuses could cohere nonetheless; their social alignment supersedes their economic misalignment. The economic distinction is not, for Weber, as integrally conflictual as it is for Marx. This is not to say the Weber does not see class as an important social factor; rather, it to say that, unlike Marx, Weber does not see class struggle as the defining characteristic of history and society. He does not therefore adopt Marx and Engel’s famous assertion that â€Å"all history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle† (2012, p.33). Hence, while Weber sees class as a significant variable in overall quality of life, in dictating one’s opportunities for advancement, for the acquisition of power, he does not identify a corollary primacy in class as catalysing social action and historical change. Friction between social forces – as embodied by class – is not the central source of social tension. This has to do with Weber’s complex and diverse view of class. Weber sees class as heterogeneous and thus not easily reducible to two opposing factions. Compared to Weber, Marx’s views of power and class are over ly reductive. Of the worker, Weber observes, his â€Å"interests† may â€Å"vary widely, according to whether he is constitutionally qualified for the task at hand to a high, to an average, or to a low degree†, meaning, in consequence, that â€Å"societal or even of communal action† from â€Å"a common class situation† is â€Å"by no means a universal phenomenon† (Weber, 1968, p. 929). In other words, the working class cannot simply be lumped together in a bloc group understood as sharing uniform priorities and ambitions. In many senses, that is, power moves beyond material and economic divisions; cannot be attributed to isolated causes and motivations. Conclusion In conclusion, Weber’s conception of power is much in keeping with that proffered by classical realists, where coercive force constitutes the primary hinge around which political power moves. By extension, other manifestations of power both derive legitimacy from, while at the same time reciprocally legitimating, the state: by functioning within its purview. Weber diverges from Marxian reductivism, rejecting the polarity of capitalist/worker class struggle and the primacy of historical materialism. Weber accordingly refutes Marx’s position that common class identity is sufficient to galvanise a homogenous intellectual action; he thus identifies many more lines of division between various social groups. For Weber, power is deeply related to social structures; indeed, power is seen to body forth though social structures, thereby keeping the popular masses in place. Interestingly, the power invested in said structures works, also, to instil a sense of obedience in the publ ic. The public therefore helps to perpetuate the status quo by conforming with, thus legitimating, the state’s exercise of coercive force. References Hamilton, P., 1991. Max Weber, Critical Assessments 2: Volume 2. London: Routledge. Haugaard, P., 2004. Power: A Reader. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Ishay, M. R., 2008. The History of Human Rights: From Ancient Times to the Globalization Era. Berkley, CA: University of California Press. Levine, R. H., 2006. Social Class and Stratification: Classic Statements and Theoretical Debates. Oxford: Rowman Littlefield. Marx, K. Engels, F., 2012. The Communist Manifesto: A Modern Edition. London: Verso. Sreedhar, S., 2010. Hobbes on Resistance: Defying the Leviathan. New York: Cambridge University Press. Turner, B. S., 2002. Max Weber: From History to Modernity. New York: Routledge. Wagner, H., 2002. War and the State: The Theory of International Politics. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. Wanek, A., 2013. The State and Its Enemies in Papua New Guinea. Richmond: Curzon Press. Wardlaw, G., 1989. Political Terrorism: Theory, Tactics and Counter-Measures. New York: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. Weber, M., 1968. Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology, New York: Bedminster Press. Whimster, S. Lash, S., 2006. Max Weber, Rationality and Modernity. Oxon: Routledge.

How to Build Your Resume With Expert Louise Fletcher

How to Build Your Resume With Expert Louise Fletcher Writing a resume has changed substantially over the years, and no one knows this better than resume expert Louise Fletcher of Blue Sky Resumes. She spoke with us about how resumes have changed and how job boards can help job hunters do a better job. What are some common misconceptions around resumes you see online?Oh, so many! I’ll just choose a few, or we’d be here all day.There are some myths that persist despite there being no evidence for them. One is that all resumes should be one page long. This is rubbish – in fact, if you have more than three to five years of experience, it’s usually not possible to tell your story on just one page. Most of the resumes we write are two pages long – occasionally for a very senior person, we will stretch to three.Another misconception is that using very formal language with lots of big words makes you sound professional and serious. We find that the most successful resumes are simple and direct.Finally, I†™d say that lots of people think they have to hide their personality when they write a resume, and stick to just the facts, but I think the best resumes give the reader a real sense of the candidate’s personality and character.What’s the first step for a new job seeker who hasn’t written a resume in a while? What should they focus on?Two things:Focus on what the employer needs. If you don’t have a specific job in mind, you’ll still be able to find out what’s important to employers in your target profession or industry. Look at job postings and talk to people and build a list of valued traits, skills and experiences.Look at your own background and find the strongest match between your traits, skills and experiences, and those sought by hiring managers. Choose no more than two or three key selling points based on what you’ve learned and focus your resume on these. For example, a marketing manager might choose to focus on his ability t o deliver results on a tight budget, his creativity on social media, and his strong Google analytics skills. He can now shape his whole resume around these three messages, writing a powerful headline and introduction, and telling compelling stories of success related to these three skills.How can job board managers encourage their applicants to submit better resumes?I think most job boards do an appalling job of helping candidates. Some have no information at all on resume writing, and some have a few generic articles. I think all job boards should have free courses or eBooks similar to the one I created for Blue Sky Resumes. A resource that walks people through the basics of creating a strong resume would make all the difference in terms of quality. Most people want to create a good resume – they just don’t know what’s expected.Increasingly, job applicants can have their resumes scanned and used to fill in blanks on an application. What are the dos and don†™ts of formatting your resume to make this easier?Some employers still use old scanning systems to store resumes, but most have now moved to automated applicant tracking systems, where the candidate completes an online form and then uploads his or her resume. With these automated systems, formatting of the actual document doesn’t matter except for the key point that you must submit in the file format they request. If you don’t, their system may not read your resume correctly. The other key tip is to include as many important keywords as possible because recruiters will search the system using these keywords.What are some resume mistakes that will get it put straight in the round file?People often answer this question by saying typos or grammatical errors, but I don’t think that’s actually true. If a resume arrives on your desk and the candidate is perfect, you’re not going to toss them out just because of a typo. Not that people shouldn’t be careful, of course!No, I think the reason most resumes get tossed out is that they don’t speak to the needs of the employer. It’s not enough to just tell your career history in chronological order. You have to market yourself and your skills by showing how you’ll add value.What trends in resumes and applying for jobs should we be keeping an eye on?I think a lot of people are trying to find alternatives to the resume – things like video resumes and online portfolios – but none of them have take off because they fail to take HR departments and recruiters into consideration. A recruiter just doesn’t have time to watch 100 video resumes – he or she wants to skim quickly to get the information they need. However, I think it’s becoming more common for companies – especially forward-thinking tech and new media companies – to look for ways around the resume. One alternative is using LinkedIn and asking people to apply directly through the site using their profiles rather than a resume. Another is to set up tests that have to be completed online and to judge applicants by their performance. Both are relatively new but something to keep an eye on.It’s also amazing how fast social media has become a vital hiring tool. Surveys show that huge numbers of recruiters are Googling candidates’ names before calling them in for interviews, which makes it very important to have a strong, professional online presence that supports what you’ve said in your resume.

Conflict as a Team Tool-Sheila Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conflict as a Team Tool-Sheila - Essay Example Team formation has been a modern management model for quite a long. Both scholars and non-scholars have argued in its favor or disfavor. In this regard, the focus of this study is not to investigate the merits or demerits of this tool but to probe the level of independence that should be tolerated within teams. It is also in the interest of this study to establish how conflicts between groups affect departmental performance. To achieve their ultimate goals, departments divide the entire project into sub-units called tasks, each of which should be delivered by each team. Eventually, the accomplished works are brought together to realize the final goal (Bezrukova, Thatcher, Jehn, & Spell, 2012). In the course of their work, these teams require some independence so that they can perform their duties efficiently. What is of concern though is the level of independence these teams should be entitled to. Conflicts are bound to arise between various teams in their day to day duties. These conflicts have impacts on departmental performance and should be pointed to concern. Independence simply means that a team works without any interference or intervention from non-team members. This freedom cannot be exercised entirely since the teams must be interdependent at some points. As a result of the interdependence, disagreements and dissatisfactions may arise leading to conflicts. Independence gives teams some sense of autonomy. The teams will be in a position to come up with work timetables suitable to them so that the members work at convenient times. Such flexible schedules are right for the minds of the team members because they feel less controlled, and they work when only ready. The performance of the workers will, therefore, be better because they will be mentally and physically prepared for working. (Bezrukova, Thatcher, Jehn, & Spell, 2012) Independence in the teams helps eliminate the barriers that

Should Catholic Priests Marry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should Catholic Priests Marry - Essay Example logically priests are believed to serve where Christ would have served if he was on earth and this will configure them to do as Christ did as he never got married. Though catholic priests are not allowed to marry, this paper will explore a number of ways which supports and show why catholic priest should marry It is evident that lager number of Christians value marriage a lot, and this is revealed in the book of Mathew when Jesus had a visit Peter’s house and saw the mother of his wife who was then ailing. This is one of the supports in which Catholic Priest should stand on, meaning that if one of the disciples who was close to Jesus was married then they themselves should also be married. Furthermore, Peter one of the apostles points out that state of being unmarried leads to sexual offences, and he shows this in the book of Corinthians, saying that there should be a relationship between two people, man and woman which leads to marriage. His point goes hand in hand with what is pointed out in the book of Genesis, where god commands people to fill the earth and this can only happen when people get married hence everyone must comply with bibles teaching implying that catholic priests should also marry. Today, it is all over the news on how priests struggle with celibacy and they are obligated to have secret relationships and this is detrimental to the church (Carrell). The current children sexual abuse which has wrecked the Roman Catholic is seen to have been contributed by unmarried priest, though there have been some efforts by the Catholic Churches to try and hide from the public such allegation. Priest should be given the chance to get families and celibacy in the Roman Catholics should be abandoned, so as to avoid such child abuse from the priests. This is because their conjugal rights will have been granted to them and they will not engage in these brutal acts. The above arguments do not mean that celibacy is never value or was never value by the

History 1010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History 1010 - Essay Example The 1866 Congressional elections allowed these Republicans to take control of the Congress and continue the process of reconstruction in the south (Henretta, and Brody). This process became known as Radical Reconstruction and began the process of freeing and emancipating black Americans. After gaining control in 1866, the new Radical Republican Congress began instituting new policies that not only hindered the power of President Andrew Johnson but also helped reconstruct the south so that black Americans could gain freedom. In order to establish their plan, Radical Republicans had to work with their moderate Republicans to gain enough power in both the House of Representatives and Senate that President Andrew Johnson could not veto aspects of their plan (Henretta, and Brody). The plan started with the First Reconstruction Act of 1867. This first act named the seceded states as territory that could be controlled by the military under marital law. The troops kept peace in the region and protected the former slaves while Congress compelled the southern states to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment in order to reintegrate with the Union states. This amendment provided blacks with the rights to vote, but in order to guarantee their suffrage, Congress passed the Second Recons truction Act that put the military in charge of voter registration. In order to establish order in the South, Congress used the military to enforce the previously desired reconstructive techniques. Although they were unpopular with the people, they proved to be effective because by 1870 all the states were reabsorbed by the Union (Henretta, and Brody). The effect of the new legislation is, however, debatable. Nevertheless, Congressional Radical Revolution did not necessarily change the way black Americans were treated by society. The institution of the First and Second Reconstruction Acts, with the help of the

Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Literature review

Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Literature review Example This increase in demand will lead to construction of new power plants; this means that more greenhouse gas will be released into environment; and the environment will continue to be affected by the greenhouse emissions. Generally, there exists a number of ways in which electric energy (electricity) is produced; and each method of production has benefits and disadvantages in relation to operation cost, and impact on the environment, among other factors. For example, the major sources of electric energy include: nuclear energy, coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, oil, biomass, solar and wind among others. Therefore, there is a great need that the future power plants are built such that greenhouse emissions are kept as minimum as possible, and environmental impact is minimized. In this regard, this research paper has carried out a life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from four natural gas and biomass power plants in United Kingdom. The plants investigated in this research inc lude: Elean, Knapton, Sleaford and Sutton Bridge power plants. These power plants source electricity from natural gas, oil, and/or biomass among others. Table of Contents 1.INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Aims 6 1.2 Problem statement 6 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 7 2.1 Understanding Lifecycle assessment 7 2.2 Lifecycle assessment of the various energy sources 8 2.2.1 Fossil Fuel 8 2.2.2 Lignite 8 2.2.3 Coal 8 2.2.4 Oil 9 2.2.5 Biomass 9 3.METHODOLOGY 9 4.ELEAN POWER PLANT 10 4.1 Power plant’s Brief preview 10 4.2 Characteristics of straw used on the power (the major source of fuel) 10 4.3 Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from Elean Power Plant 12 4.3.1 The source of Straw used in Elean Power Plant 12 4.3.2 Transportation of straw to the power plant 12 4.3.3 Calculation of greenhouse emissions as a result of combusion of diesel 18 4.4 Emission with carbon capture 33 4.5 MASS BALANCE FOR ELEAN POWER PLANT 34 4.6 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ELEAN POWER PLANT 37 5.SLEAFORD RENEWABLE ENERGY PLANT 39 5.1 Preview of sleaford power plant 39 5.2 Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from Sleaford Renewable Energy 41 5.3 Calculation of greenhouse emissions as a result of combusion of diesel 44 5.4 Emission with carbon capture 56 5.5 Mass Balance 56 5.6 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR SLEAFORD RENEWABLE ENERGY 59 6SUTTON BRIDGE POWER STATION 60 6.1 Brief Preview of the power plant 60 6.2 Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from Sutton Bridge Power Plant 61 6.3 Emission with carbon capture 67 Elean power plant is considered one of the major Biomass fired power stations in the world; in fact, according to Farming and Countryside Education (2013), it is the largest power plant in the world that is powered by straw. In addition, it is normally considered the first straw fired power plant in the United Kingdom. It is located in Cambridgeshire at Sutton area near Ely, and it was constructed in the period between 1998 and 2000 (that is, construction of the power pla nt begun in 1998, and was completed in 2000) (Farming and Countryside Education, 2013). It is estimated that the power plant consumes approximately 200000 tonnes of straw every year, and that it generates electric power that is enough to serve about 800000 homes (Galbraith, et al., 2006). Or according to   Farming and Countryside Education (2013), it produces electric power that is enough to power two towns whose sizes can be compared to that of Cambridge.   Elean power plant has two barns which are 18 meters high, and are used to house straw (fuel for the production of electricty); these barns are located on the either side the plants 25 meter high boiler   (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions, 2012). In order that the plant fits perfectly into unfavourable surrounding landscape, it was constructed approximately 8 meters into the ground surface   (Brem, 2005).

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Terrorism - Essay Example sider the motive of the Government for introducing such extreme measures and try to reach a conclusion as to whether the reaction of the Government is proportionate to the threat or whether the Government are using legislation as a tool to target minority sectors. The study will necessarily involve an analysis behind the circumstances of the arrests of suspects and offer an opinion as to whether the way in which the suspect was detained was necessary or whether the measures used were too extreme. This will involve an analysis of newspaper reports in relation to the manner of the arrest and will look at the outcome following the arrest. This will be particularly important in relation to those that are subsequently released without charge. This study will consider whether the Government has adopted the correct approach to the threat of terrorism or whether their actions could be regarded as too extreme. Chapter one will look at the definition of terrorism and will attempt to define acts that ought to be considered as acts of terrorism. Within this framework the study will consider the arrests of terrorist suspects and the circumstances behind these arrests. It is anticipated that this might reveal that in many cases the Government reaction to the threat of terrorism is too extreme. Chapter 2 will look at the reason for legislation in this area. This will involve an analysis of the 9/11 attack in the United States of America and the 7/7 attack in the United Kingdom. The research will then expand to examine the powers that have been given to the police through this legislation and will examine the legality of arrests that have occurred since the changes that have been introduced through legislation. In chapter 3 the study will examine the human rights aspect of the legislation and will pose the question as to whether the present legislation offends against the principles of the Human Rights Act. This will necessarily involve considering whether the fear of a

State Sovereighty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

State Sovereighty - Essay Example However, the more powerful territorial states repeatedly violated the national jurisdiction of the weaker ones and were legally free to â€Å"make war, violate human rights, neglect the welfare of citizens, and damage the ecology†. (Weiss, 2007, p. xiv) This classical definition of sovereignty eventually came to an end as effected by the two Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907. The result of the conference was the foundation of three conventions and three declarations which stipulated the laws that would govern international attitude towards land warfare, sea warfare, and peaceful settlement of disputes. Sovereignty in the classical sense was challenged by economic globalization and the development of alliances, regional coalitions, and shared currency. It was imposed upon by victors and the emerging community of nations clamoring for a secure and peaceful co-existence. Furthermore, it was realized that respect for human rights were equally important as territorial integrity and that states have a dual responsibility; internal respect for the well being of its people and external respect for the sovereignty of other states. Bodin first introduced the modern meaning of sovereignty during the sixteenth century. Through him, we are able to identify the modern definition of a sovereign state as a group of people living in a community, organized under a sovereign government which exercises the power of making and enforcing laws within the community, and is not itself subject to any superior government. The modern meaning of sovereignty is anchored on a people’s ability to adopt its own basic law, and to propose and adopt amendments to the basic law by directly deciding on all issues, instead of delegating decisions to national legislatures, and a duty to protect human rights. According to Daniel Philpott (2001), sovereignty has come closer to enjoying universal explicit assent than any other principle of political organization. (p. 3) The United Nations

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Terrorism - Essay Example sider the motive of the Government for introducing such extreme measures and try to reach a conclusion as to whether the reaction of the Government is proportionate to the threat or whether the Government are using legislation as a tool to target minority sectors. The study will necessarily involve an analysis behind the circumstances of the arrests of suspects and offer an opinion as to whether the way in which the suspect was detained was necessary or whether the measures used were too extreme. This will involve an analysis of newspaper reports in relation to the manner of the arrest and will look at the outcome following the arrest. This will be particularly important in relation to those that are subsequently released without charge. This study will consider whether the Government has adopted the correct approach to the threat of terrorism or whether their actions could be regarded as too extreme. Chapter one will look at the definition of terrorism and will attempt to define acts that ought to be considered as acts of terrorism. Within this framework the study will consider the arrests of terrorist suspects and the circumstances behind these arrests. It is anticipated that this might reveal that in many cases the Government reaction to the threat of terrorism is too extreme. Chapter 2 will look at the reason for legislation in this area. This will involve an analysis of the 9/11 attack in the United States of America and the 7/7 attack in the United Kingdom. The research will then expand to examine the powers that have been given to the police through this legislation and will examine the legality of arrests that have occurred since the changes that have been introduced through legislation. In chapter 3 the study will examine the human rights aspect of the legislation and will pose the question as to whether the present legislation offends against the principles of the Human Rights Act. This will necessarily involve considering whether the fear of a

Holiday Blues Essay Example for Free

Holiday Blues Essay Holidays filled with fun, family outings, shopping, Christmas Trees, and bringing in the New Year. It is not always like this for others. Holidays can be a very depressing time for others. When families get together you might want to pay attention to that loved one that maybe still grieving or going through lifes blows. It is hard to get into the grove of things when you look around and see that their is someone missing this year. Life is not the same without that person or persons. You are not so happy about another year going by and you havent made any significant progress in your life. It seems that nothing anyone can do to get you over this silent pain you are going through. Counseling could be one way of coping with this loss and trying to fill this void in ones life. Anti-depressants is another alternative. The best way I have found to beat the blues in combination of the above,if that is needed, is to bring yourself back to something you love to do. Be it listening to music, writing memoirs, singing, going out to a comedy. Just get yourself involved and loose yourself in your favorite past time to help alleviate the pressure. Remember not everyone is happy during the holidays. Try and look out for one another. You never know; all that person really needs to know is that someone has noticed them and had shown them that they really care. It is not only the teenagers we need to watch. We also need to watch the people that fall within the middle age group. So during the holiday fun and cheer look around to notice others that are not so happy. Cheer them up and show them that you care.

Paradise Lost And Frankenstein Theology Religion Essay

Paradise Lost And Frankenstein Theology Religion Essay Despite being written more than a century apart, Paradise Lost and Frankenstein, share the idea of individuals limitations. As classic science fictions, both books seek to express individuals over the control of a higher authority. In Paradise Lost, John Milton, questions the religious idea of predestination that says every individuals life is perfectly designed by God, and therefore one should happily accept his or her identity. During the 18th century, England empowered churches and priests as messengers of God, and Milton despised the corruption and injustice he saw in these Catholic churches. Through Paradise Lost, Milton celebrates individuals who challenge a higher authority and are willing to shape their own identity. Under the influence of John Milton, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1818 in which people are armed with science technology to challenge authority of nature or God. Although both books celebrate protagonists strong will to search and shape their identity, the b ooks still reflect the authors concerns that individuals cannot actually shape their identity that had been already determined by predestination or a higher authority. In Paradise Lost, although Satan declares a revenge on God by ruining his plan on humanity, God always has Satan under his eyes and has authority to trump anything Satan has done. Unlike Satan, the creature in Frankenstein is not always under control or watch by his creator, Victor, but ultimately fails to change his identity of being a monster regardless of how hard he tries to be like a human being. As these books assert the existence of a God or creator, the books depict that individuals in any part of human history cannot shape their authentic identity given by a higher authority because although characters who perceived predetermination attempts to change it by doing what they can do the best, the predestined identity and fate remain still regardless of their best attempts. Although Satan is known for his evilness, his evil identity is conspicuously designed by Miltons God who eliminates all Satans choices except committing sins. In Miltons Paradise Lost, God is the most authoritative figure and often expressed as the will of whole universe. Satan, who desires to escape from God, has to make a false vision in order to reject the influence from God. After his fall from heaven, Satan made a speech to gather and encourage his fellow-demons. During his speech, Satan suggests that it is tyrannical for the  Son to rule over the angels, because the angels are self-begot, self-raisd / By our own quickning power (5.860-61). This is first deception Satan creates to cancel the fact that God is the creator of all angels. This false expression indicates while Satan knows he is ruled by God, he pretends to be out of Gods influence. Swayed by this false sophistry, the demons, and even Satan himself are deluded to believe the false belief. Miltons God does not taking their strengths when defeated. Giving hope that Satan and devils still have chance to overcome God, God rather prevents devils from repenting and receiving forgiveness. By choosing to follow Satans false reasoning, the rebel angels lose all choice in whether they will repent to return to Heaven, and perhaps do not even realize that they are given a chance of repentance. Under Gods machination, they do not have choice because Gods false hope makes them chose to have no choice, but commit sins. The demons wills are not conquered by God but instead their wills are voluntarily surrendered to Him. Satans false claiming that the angels are self-created further deprives Satans will by making him a creator of sort that his creation is a privation. Sin is his self-begotten creation, and with Death, they compose an unholy, sinful trinity. With Sin and Death, Satan, as an inversion of God, is prevented from creating anything good and allowed to create only Miserie, uncreated till the crime (6 .268-69). As Satans choice to be good is initially limited by God and evilness is what Satan is entirely composed of by his false claim, the destiny of Satan is already shaped to be nothing but evil. Despite the fact that Satan is limited by careful designs of God, he still shows a sign of independence by using material objects to support him. Raphael explains to Adam and Even that Gods creations are more refined, more spirituous, and pure, / as nearer to him placed or nearer tending (5.475-476). If Raphael is true, then conversely, Satan must become less refined, spirituous, and pure once Satan turns away from God. However, in the hell, Satan is still ambitious and willing to challenge against   God with his spear and shield. As Satan takes his material arms in a war against God, these weapons are symbols of Satans unconquerable will against Gods will. Using his spear as a crutch to support [his] uneasy steps, as he moves around in hell, Satan, instead of returning to God and seeking for forgiveness, puts his faith in his material things (1.295). Falling with his weapons in hell, Satan never loses faith that his unconquerable will is capable of contravening Gods will. Satans unconquerable will to interrupt Gods plan is also highlighted when Satan enters Eden as a cormorant and wolf and approaches to Adam and Eve first as a lion, tiger, then as a serpent (4.402-08). The change of Satans physical appearance might indicate that Satan is actually being less refined, spirituous, and pure as he turns more against God. However, it also signifies that despite the insignificant physical shape of Satan, he does accomplish his own goal of corrupting Adam and Eve. In addition, Miltons God is omniscient, knowing all that happens and all that will happen, but consequently, God can be seen as tyrannical and cruel in not preventing evil. The success of Satans mission might reflect that God allows Satan to execute his free-will of ruining Gods plans. However, Satans belief in freewill is rather a delusion that he cannot act apart from God and all acts he performs serve Gods service. When Satan returns to hell after corrupting Adam and Eve, he does not receive victory cheers. Instead, he hears a universal hiss as he and his fellow devils transform into serpents. Punished by God, Satan receives punish in the shape he sind, and the rest of the rebels are like in punishment, / As in thir crime (10.516, 544-5). The punishment of this group of sinners reflects that as a poetic justice, Gods justice dispenses punishments that are appropriate to the crimes they committed. The punishment by God further suggests that the rebels punishments are fitting as they choose to be governed by Satan and refuse to be governed by God. The fact that God punished them for their decision indicates that although their actions seem free from God, the result of their actions, the poetic justice, is always held by God. In this sense, a demon gets what he wil ls, but having his will accomplished is always followed by a punishment because what he wills falls short of Gods will. Another instance that Satans freewill actually does not exist is Miltons description of Satan through Paradise Lost. Milton began his epic with pseudo-heroic size of Satan as that of Typhon or Leviathan (1.201). Although Satan is a fallen angel, Milton left his majesty and glory as archangel to provide God with a worthy adversary. However, all the appearances he takes on after fall lesson this angelic nobility; he transforms into a cormorant, lion tiger, toad, and at last serpent. As Satan chooses to appear baser as time progresses, there is gradual decrease in a sinful wills power. His transformation displays an unregenerate aspect of the sinner. Satan did will to be a serpent, and his followers willed for him to corrupt Adam and Eve. However, once they commit sins, their wills are slavishly subjected to the sin that there is no chance of way-out from the sin. Thus, they repeat their sins involuntarily, reminding the results of devils decision to have no choice. Ultimately, the poet shows the abysmal fate of Satan that his will is annihilated as one becomes further enveloped in sin, for his will cannot be redirected from sin after God prevents him from being good. With all these careful plans by God, God not only has the power to trump what Satan uses evil actions of Satan as a part of his plan. By the end of the book, Raphael opens the idea of the fortunate fall, that the corruption of Adam and Eve is also in a way an act that brings more goodness to creation, for it leads to the coming of the Messiah who makes evil turn to good (12.471). Although Satan initially attempts to corrupt Adam and Eve to create evil and disorder in the universe, his will of creating evil actually falls under Gods plan of salvation for humanity. Therefore, when it comes to Satans proud action, it is really Gods will being done, not his, though Satan never realizes this fact. Finally, Satans belief in free-will is rather a delusion that he cannot act apart from God since all acts are performed in Gods service. Satan is rather a very tragic figure whose actions against God in exchange of his own punishments are actually used to serve Gods plans. While Miltons God is almost impossible to overcome, in Frankenstein, the creature seems to have more control over his situations. However, the creature, too, falls to the victim of predetermination by his creator, Victor. Since the time of being created by Victor, the creature is rejected by his creator and world and does not seem to have a place in the world. Since the beginning of his life, the creature is be already abandoned before he knows anything about the world he enters. When the creature muttered some inarticulate sounds, and his hand was stretched out to his creator, Victor refuses to listen and escapes the laboratory (59). In this scene, the creature is portrayed like a baby, who cannot speak a word, but stretch his hands to father for a protection. The rejection by his creator, Victor, indicates that there is already a gap between the actual creature and the imagined creature by the creator. This gap, which the creature does not perceive yet, already reflects the creature as unwanted life and abortion from Victor and his world. Victors first idea of creation and rebirth is somewhat ideal and beautiful, an art work only allowed to God. When Victor with knowledge of science created a life, the created life is rather false and ugly, pointing out that peoples imaginations that sound really appealing can be horrific when brought to the world. The rejection of Victor is therefore significant that the monster is not only rejected by his deformed physicality but also rejected by the fact that he is a resemble of false, imaginative ideas that must only stay in unreal world, in peoples imaginations. In this Mary Shelleys world of science fiction, the creature is able to be brought to the real world with scientific imagination, but since the creature is a false product of scientific imagination, he has no place to belong in the world. The creature is an outlier in the world and cannot shape his identity because his identity is free to be changed only in unreal world and in imagination of Victor. The view of the creature as the unwanted becomes more evident as the creature makes inarticulate sounds like a baby to communicate with his creator. Victors refusal to understand or co mmunicate with the creature suggests that the creatures link with Victor, which is the only connection the creature is born with, can easily fall apart, leaving the creature with no connection to the world, and therefore isolating him from the real world. Regardless of the creature is able to perceive or not, there is again a gap or loss of connection between the creature and the world. In addition to Victors rejection, even the nature of the real world seems to reject the creature. When the narrative is turned to the creature, he describes his experience of first entering the world: The light became more and more oppressive to me; I sought a place where I could receive shade (105). In Frankenstein, light is often a symbol of virtue and life which people use it to celebrate a new birth or goodness. The creature, however, finds more comfort in darkness than light, evidence that he does not seem to fit into the world. Light is rather a torture or discomfort for him that nature does not welcome him for entering the world. As the creature is rejected both in terms of nurture and nature, he clearly does not belong to the world. The idea that the creature does not belong to the world continues even after the creature becomes conscious of his surroundings. After gaining knowledge and human sense, the creature realizes that Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him, but [he] is solitary and abhorred (133). The creatures attempts for self-extension, for connection with community do not seem to work at all; as Satan has evilness to have fellow devils and belong to hell, the creature has labeled identity of a monster to belong to its category. It is a tragic irony that while ones original identity guides one to ones original community, there is no such thing as original community for the creature, who does not initially belong to the world. For the creature, the chance of belonging to this world is never given because it is Victor and society that attributes his labeled identity, forcing him to belong somewhere else. Despite his initial rejection from his creator and the world, the creature develops hope to be part of community. Without help of his creator, the creature educates himself to be closer to humankind. The creatures desire to be accepted and assimilated is apparent when he speaks his feelings toward cottagers: The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to see their sweet looks directed towards me with affection was the utmost limit of my ambition (134). His desire to be a part of the cottagers lives, to have them accept and love him, illustrates a tangible connection felt between the creature and the rest of the humanity. The creature goes on to say I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself unworthy of it (134). The creature believes himself capable and even worthy of both emotional and psychological reciprocation and by extension, capable of existing in harmony with the rest of humankind. The creature confirms his belief by educating himself, showing that at least there is an opportunity for him to assimilate to the morals and ethics of humankind. The product of his self-education seems fruitful when the creature talks with Victor persuasively: my food is not that of man; I do not destroy the lamb and the kid to glut my appetite; acorns and berries afford me sufficient nourishment (148). Without the teaching from his creator, the creature is able to discern moral right and wrong. The creature is able to form his own code of behavior on example and the behavior he views from others despite the lack of formal education. This is notable that his instinctive sense of morality comes without any help of creator, and although his morality is not inborn, it is obtainable by the creature. Further knowledge on virtue and vice is given to the creature through the books: I read of men concerned in public affairs governing or massacring their species. I felt the greatest ardor for virtue ris e within me, and abhorrence for vice (131). The presence of a creator is again absent from his education, yet he is capable of developing a thoroughly structured sense of morality and ethics. His ardor for virtue and abhorrence for vice is a basis for strong intellectual development, as well as, being skillful in human relations, the end goal of the creatures self-education. His capability of changing himself by learning indicates that the creature is not an incommunicable evil monster by inherent constitution. He is rather born unformed without any shaped identity. Therefore, as he absorbs the characteristics of humans, he feels to be closer to mankind. Despite the creatures effort to be closer to mankind, his constructed inner-personality is easily overridden by his deformity, and ultimately cannot depart from predetermination by his creator, Victor. The fall of his inner-personality occurs when the creature is shot by a boy after the creature saves a girl. The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before, gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind (143). The sudden turnover of creatures personality from kindness and gentleness to hatred and vengeance suggests how easily his constructed virtue and inner-personality to be a person can be replaced as if his efforts are worthless. Regardless of his efforts in creating his inner-personal identity, the labeled physical monstrosity overlaps his self-construction and even brings him back to his initial status, a rejected and isolated life from the world. The insignificance of his self-education becomes more apparent when Victor replays his rejection to the creature: Begone! I will not hear you. There can be no community between you and me (103). The repetition of Victors rejection is evidence that there is not much change in the creatures connection to the world after his self-education. Although the creature learns the value of virtue and community, Victor denies the creatures needs when he insists that there is no community. As the creatures efforts turn out to be futile, the creator, Victor, seems to be the only one who can save the creature from misery. Even though the creature renounces all his virtue and passion to revenge on Victor after destroying his mate, Victors death, the loss of creator, does not allow him to be independent from misery: in his murder my crimes are consummated; the miserable series of my being is wound to its close (221). While Victor is the creatures source of agony, Victor has been the only relationship he actually has i n the world. The death of Victor represents the loss of core link between the creature and the world, which allows him at least to stay in the world. His demise, in fact, brings the complete isolation of the creature in the world and therefore his own annihilation in the world. The classic science fictions reflect that overcoming the creator or a higher authority is near impossible, and even if one defeats ones creator, what left is ones self-annihilation because one is directly connected with the creator. The scientific imaginations from classic science fiction do not provide actual freedom or extension of independence beyond the limit of the world. In classic science fictions, the freedom of imagination rather brings down the individual by imagining a higher authority in form of supernatural. Therefore, at the time of classic science fiction, the ideas of science fiction are powerful tool to erase existing boundaries in oneself, but seem to paralyze one by giving new boundaries, that are taller than the old boundaries.

Character Analysis Of Kino From the Pearl :: essays research papers

Kino, a character from the story "The Pearl," is a prime example of a developing character. From the start through to the end, he develops drastically. At the beginning, he was thought out to be a good loyal husband but as time went on he became a selfish, greedy person who would do anything for money.When the story began Kino seemed to be a good husband who wanted nothing more than to be able to support his family. After a scorpion had stung Coyotito, Kino prayed that he would find a pearl not to become a rich man but so that he could pay the doctor to heal the baby, as he would not work free.After Kino had spent long hard hours searching the ocean floor, he finally found the pearl he had worked for. At first when he found it, he only wanted to pay the doctor to cure Coyotito. However as time passed he began to think of all the things that he could acquire with the money form the pearl and began to develop greed and selfishness. When people asked him what he would buy now that he was a rich man, he was quick to list several items that came to his mind. One of these items was a rifle. Kino wanted a rifle because he wanted to show power over the rest of his village.When Kino took the pearl to the pearl buyers to sell, he was offered one thousand pesos. Kino declined that offer claiming that his pearl was "The Pearl of the World." By reacting in such a manner he yet again demonstrates his greed. It is not about saving Coyotito anymore, for he is already feeling well, it is now about the money. Although one thousand pesos was more money than Kino had ever seen he demanded that he would get fifty thousand pesos.Later in the text, Kino discovers Juana trying to destroy the pearl, causing Kino to become very angry, and resulted in him beating her. Although Juana was in very much pain she accepted the beating as if it were a punishment and stayed with Kino. A while later Kino was attacked by another man who wanted the pearl for himself and defended his pearl by killing the man. It is around this point in the story where Kino displays his greatest point of greed and selfishness.

Essay examples --

The main purpose of the article is to take a look at previously conducted research from the years 2000-2012, on the effectiveness of drug treatment programs. The main population of this research focuses in on prisoners, parolees, and probationers. The research suggested that those who were actively participating in cognitive-behavioral therapy, drug courts, and therapeutic communities had lower rates of drug use then those who did not receive these treatments. Researchers also conducted that effective treatment programs have these things going for them, emphasis on high-risk offenders, provided strong inducements to receive treatment, multiple interventions in the same time frame, intense treatment provided, and finally include aftercare. This article ties in perfectly with our research topic of the effectiveness of Narcotics Anonymous treatment programs. We will focus in more in depth at the numbers associated with this article to provide a full understanding of our research. Chen, Gila. 2006. â€Å"Social Support, Spiritual Program, and Addiction Recovery.† International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 50(3): 306-323. The author, social science researcher and lecturer at Bar-Ilan University, Gila Chen, PhD., focuses on the personal and emotional adjustments of inmates, who are recovering from substance addiction/abuse and who participated in a therapeutic intervention programs. There were two groups to her research: one group went through social support program that included spiritual factors (Narcotics Anonymous meetings with the 12-step course) while the other group went through a primarily social support program (Narcotics Anonymous meetings without the 12-step course). She had hypothesized that those w... ...statistical techniques. Regarding question one: for retention, the correlation was close to zero. For commitment, data suggested that individuals with higher levels of religiosity possessed higher levels of commitment to treatment. Overall, data indicates a weak to moderate relationship between religiosity and treatment outcomes. However, in some programs religiosity affiliation could be viewed as a positive resource whereas in other programs religiosity was a hindrance to recovery. For question two, data indicates that religiosity can be an effective resource to enhance retention if the clientele viewed religion as an important source to treatment recovery. For question three, data suggested that program religious emphasis was not related to retention. For commitment to treatment, level of program religious emphasis was significantly related to positive outcomes.

Elderlies in the Philippines Essay

When people grow old, they either have the option of being cared for by family or being cared for by the homes. In making that choice, there seems to be a cultural pattern or tradition that is prevalent. In most Western countries, where the values of youth, self-reliance and individualism are held in high regard, the latter is chosen most of the time. In Asian countries however, like that of China where the concept of ‘filial piety’ means showing obedience, deference and respect to your elders are honoured, taking in the elderly is a common practice. The significant number of the elderly in the Philippines population is not ignorable. In the Philippines, 6.8% of the 92.1 million household in 2010, make up the senior citizen sector. Among these, females (55.8%) outnumber the males (44.2%). The ageing index of the country was computed to be at 20.3% in 2010. This means, that for every five children under 15 years old, there is one person aged 60 years and over. But to add to add to this, these elderlies once contributed to the government’s institutions and their contributions should not be overlooked even though they seem to be well past their primes. They say, wisdom comes with age. Perhaps then, this paper, that serves to analyse the perceptions and receptions of the elderly, will contribute, not only to what today’s youth and the next generation could give back to the elderly but how the community and the country, could age with the elderly, both in years and in wisdom. The discussants and interviewees have varied backgrounds from Quezon City, to San Juan City and Makati City – almost all have children, most are still married and some of them still live with their children and grandchildren. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: The Female Prowess Most of the respondents preferred to live with their daughters who are not married. If the latter is not fulfilled, they still prefer to live with their daughters over their sons. The respondents did not like being taken cared of by those that are married already because of: a) the inlaws b) the children and b) the husband. On an FGD, a male discussant said, â€Å"Ngayon nga ang hirap nung may asawa kasi kapag kapwa babae hyan, mahirap magkasundo.† On an FGD, a female discussant said, â€Å"Nawala na ang atensyon sa magulang at sa anak na lahat.† On an interview, a female interviewee said, â€Å"Mag-iiba talaga may asawa. Susundin niya ung asawa niya.† Despite the reasons they gave however, the underlying tradition brought about by the masculine dominated post-colonial Asian Catholic values puts an expectation and/or pressure on the female children as most of the respondents, when asked, prefer to live with their daughters going with the answer, â€Å"kasi babae eh†. The fact that no further explanations were offered by some suggests that it is understood what being a woman entails. Another discussant said â€Å"eh mga anak ko kasi mga babae kaya spoiled din ako sa mga pasalubong at alaga nila†, implying that girls are generous and caring. Not only is it given in this case, but expected as well, because the respondents chose their female over their male children. Birth order Like the sex difference in the perceptions of the elderly when it comes to the living arrangements they prefer, the birth order has a relevant count in the Filipino household. The eldest is looked up to to fulfil the cumulative responsibilities of the children, although it does not take precedence in choosing the female as the caregiver of the parents. The eldest might be a man and it is expected of him to marry whenever it’s the right time. Although the eldest is usually the bearer of the responsibilities with regards to family woes, he is expected to look at the family in a macrocosm (from his own family born out of marriage, to the family of his siblings, and to the family he was born out of), thus making way for the woman in the family to focus on the microcosm picture of taking care of the elderly. Birth order is of relevance because they have the power to influence one of the discussions of the constantly persist in the family when an elderly is involved. Mon ey A few respondents said that inheritance is a hard topic to discuss because the children drag in the birth order when the discussion is opened. â€Å"Mahirap pag-usapan agn mana. †¦Ako ang eldest, dapat sa akin and ganito, ganyan.† â€Å"Dapat pag-usapan na. Mahalaga ang pinag-uusapan ang mana, para hindi na magkagulo.† Although a few wish to evade the discussion that may break up the family, others pointed out that the earlier it gets talked about the lesser the trouble it would cause. Thus, the perception between the birth order and the money involved in the inheritance is of question. However, only one respondent answered straight as an arrow when asked the question. â€Å"Siguro kung meron man doon yun mapupunta sa makakatulong pa sa akin.† Taga-payo/Nanghihimasok Whereas they passively recognize that they should take an active role in the inheritance and in their living preferences, when asked about their other roles inside within the four walls, the elderlies answered that they take a passive stance knowingly. They usually do minimal household chores for the family. Taking care of the apos also came with the list especially when both the parents are working. The role of taking care of the grandchildren seems to be a practice that is accepted by the community. The help however extends still when they offer advice to the family although most of the respondents say that their takes on the matter merely serve as guides. â€Å"Mga important decisions, ayokong makialam.† Important decisions to be made are not sometimes consulted and/or offered but most of the respondents have indicated that their children should know what they are doing and that they are only there to guide but not to commit what grandparents are usually accused of: nanghih imasok or overstepping on family matters. Pamilyang Pilipino Still on the topic of how and where one lives, the topic of Hones for the Aged were brought to the floor. One verbatim account that could best collate the answers of others are worded, â€Å"Ang maganda lang dyan eh makakasama ka ng mga taong nakaka-initindi sa inyo dahil pare-pareho kayong oldies, pero ayoko atang matrap sa loob ng institusyon maski gaano kaganda.† All the respondents who were asked about their perceptions of the Home for the Aged had negatives views and did not wish to be in a Home. A common response was the respondents’ comparison of the Homes here with the Homes in the West from: the price of going into a home, the facilities, the care received, the government support. Some were actually tolerable to the idea of a Home provided that the Home is in the US. However, the concept of Pamilyang Pilipino is still very much there as they feel that they should stick together with their families. Children taking care of their parents seemed to be a given as well as one respondent answered. â€Å"SOP dapat yun†. Another pointed out that children must be taught by their schools of the responsibility of children to take care of their elders, implying that sending them to a Home does not constitute what care is. BEYOND the FOUR WALLS Libang Outside the confines of a house, the topic of work has been discussed with the respondents. Almost all of the respondents said that their work now is mostly for them to do something. Work now is treated as a â€Å"libangan na lamang† because they have pension, the children are no longer going to school and most of them are already working too. Work keeps them busy. â€Å"Eh kasi pag tumatambay lang ako para akong nagkakasakit,†, this thought on being idle has been voiced out by a lot of the respondents. Some respondents, especially those who are not entitled to their pension and don’t have children, do intend to still work while they still can because they do feel that they need to save. The thought of work being just a necessity and not a hobby prevails.All of them however, still say that they love their job and they try to still be good at it. â€Å"Ang naapektuhan lang sa akin ay ang bilis sa pagtatrabaho, lalo na kapag may rayuma. Kung dati nagagawa ko ang task ng isang oras nagagawa ko ngayon ng tatlong oras, yung dedication sa trabaho, walang pinagbago.† Organizations Besides from work, they have social groups that they participate in. Organizations seem to be hot even with the elderly. â€Å"Dati kasi wala namang ganito. Dati ung lola ko sa simbahan lang un. Ung ngayon naman, nasa brgy kami, may ganito kami, nasa qc hall kami. Kaya dumadami ung senior na nagpparticipate.† Associations seem to make the elderly’s time more fruitful. Being church group leaders and active participants make them look forward to something. Organizations offer belongingness when it can’t be found at home and/or in the workplace. The PRACTICES of RESPECT â€Å"Para nang ang trato ng mga kabataan ay parang halos kasing edad nila ang matatanda.† The distance between the elderlies and the today’s generation seem to be closer. And whereas almost all consider this to have a negative effect, some actually disagree. In Action If the presence of many organizations seems to be non-traditional with respect to the elderlies, the practices of respect are expected and are held in high regard as well. The respondents’ responses for respect come in two forms: in words and actions. As actions speak louder than words, most of the elderly said that the practices that they did for their grandparents, ceased to exist now. Pagmamano, a distinct Filipino trait when respecting the elderly is not practiced as much anymore. So is offering a seat during a bus ride and helping them to cross the street. With respect, it’s not what you do that counts but what you don’t as well. The presences of vices or engaging in bisyos are tantamount to disrespecting your elders. In Words The long standing po and opo still seem to be in effect as no respondent brought it up. But again, sometimes, it’s not what you say, but what you don’t that could please the elders. Whereas, in some cultures, explaining yourself and whatever misconduct or shortcoming is the accepted practice to show that you respect someone who is talking to you, in the Philippines, talking back is one of the most disrespectful things you could commit. A discussant defined respect as, â€Å"Un bang pag nagagalit ako, hndi sila sumasagot sa akin.† However, not all of the respondents agreed to this. A respondent pointed out that today’s generation are not only â€Å"mas western† but are more vocal. â€Å"Ngayon kasi nagkakaroon kasi ng dialog ang mga may edad at saka mga bata. Sinasabi nila kung ano ang mali. Hindi naman lahat ng magulang tama.† The dialogue between the elderly and the youth is seen as a way of adjusting to each other’s needs. A lmost all of the respondent however prefer what was practiced then, some saying, â€Å"Dati smin, isang tingin, tiklop ka na.† Kusang Loob/Utang na Loob/Asa Respect however, encompasses not only the tangible practices. It moves in the bigger picture or dialog between the elderly and the children. When asked about the support that their children can give to them, almost all answered that they do not want to keep their hopes up. The concept of asa seems to be greatly tied to the concept of asking help. Filipinos, in general â€Å"do not want to take no for an answer†. This Ready for Disappointment mentality mentioned in Lacson, 2001, persists even in the elderlies as they would rather not ask help because, as one respondent said, â€Å"Masakit umasa.† Although almost all of the respondents answered that they are not expecting help, the concept of kusang loob is present. â€Å"I did my best to provide at nagkukusang-loob naman silang tumulong sa akin ngayon.† â€Å"Hindi ako lumalapit. Ang nangyayari, sila mismo ang gumagawa ng paraan.† The elderly do not expect help. They expect the ir children to understand that help should not be asked but it is expected to be offered. Utang na Loob â€Å"Dapat tumanaw ka ng utang na loob. Hindi ka tao kung hindi dahil sa kanila.† Most of the respondents said that it is only right to give back to people who have spent on you. Because of their Ready for Disappointment, almost all did not explicitly say that it is their children who need to give back to them. They mainly pointed out the importance of giving back. The three concepts are tied together. The elderly do not want to ask for help and get their hopes up in the fear of being hurt or disappointed. But because they feel that they’ve raised their children in a befitting manner, they should look back and â€Å"tumanaw ng utang na loob† by offering help that they won’t ask but they somehow expect to a certain point. The RISE of TECHNOLOGY The elderly, although a stickler for the ways of showing respect, try to adapt themselves to the current generation and its technology and one respondent even attributed a practive of respect through the means of technology. When asked to define respect, she said, â€Å"Kinakamusta ako sa text.† â€Å"Kahit papano gusto ko updated ako sa mga pinag-uusapan ng mga bata, sa pinapanuod at ginagawa nila. Mabagal man ako makaintindi niyang ipad-ipad ng mga batang yan pero ngayon atleast natuto na akong mag email at magchat sa facebook.† This answer should be looked at a bigger picture however because unlike the other respondents, this respondent came from one of a city with a thriving business. And with that, the respondent is more surrounded by people who aggressively take part in the fast and changing world. The enthusiasm of the respondent was echoed by most of the respondents. Some practices of respect which could not be performed by the children were unknowingly blaming technology or the children who were born into a generation that is very technology-dependent. â€Å"Dati kasi pag dating ni amang may dala silang slippers (a Philippine tradition where the children brings the father the slippers on the premise that he needs to relax after a long day’s work), eh ngayon tutok na sa TV.† â€Å"Malakas kasi ung impluensya ng napapnuod. Imbis na making sa lola. Kasi may gngawa, kasi nagkkomputer.† â€Å"Nagsasalita ka ng salita mo, un pala may nakasaksak na earphones dito.† One of the respondents also noticed the reaction of the children towards technology when the elderly tries to involve themselves with the onhand technology. â€Å"Tapos pansin ko lang siguro na maikli ang pasensiya ng mga bata..lalo na pagtechnology ang tinatanong mo.†