Buddhism 'psychological' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buddhism 'psychological' - Essay Example Buddhism is typically an Eastern religion for it focuses on human suffering and offers practical solutions to counter it. Rather than dealing with the paranormal and the supernatural, it is a practical philosophy toward life. In other words, Buddhism can be seen as offering psychological insights into the workings of the human mind, an understanding of which will benefit the individual subject. Both Buddhism and psychology can be seen as systems of philosophy. The idea of detachment is a central Buddhist doctrine, which has strong resonance in modern psychoanalysis. Since much of human suffering arises from the loss of an attached object (which could be material, personal or emotional), Buddhism advices the practice of detaching oneself from such objects as a way of preventing hurt and loss. This idea is also expressed as the achievement of a state of lack of desire. But therein lies an important contradiction. If an individual sets a goal of attaining a state of lack of desire, then he/she is getting attached to the goal. This paradox also has parallels in psychology, where it is referred to as neurosis. Just as desire is what brings about most human suffering, so does neurosis the cause of most psychological disturbances such as anxiety, panic, depression, obsessive behavior, etc. In this way there are strong similarities between Buddhism and psychology. Buddhism can be considered psychological in that it recognizes the importance of the psyche in perceiving and ascertaining the material world. It says that by controlling ones mind and shaping ones thoughts a great deal of personal tranquility can be achieved. Therapeutic techniques in psychology also attempt to do the same. The only difference is that while Buddhism uses the revelatory knowledge of Gautam Buddha in teaching these techniques, modern psychology employs quasi-scientific theories about cognition and mental conditioning as part of the treatment. To the extent that prevailing

Religious Service Essay Example for Free

Religious Service Essay For my last response paper, I decided that I wanted to attend a Jewish service. Since I had missed the pre arranged field trip to go with the school, I decided that I would grab a friend, and make a day out of driving up to Park City to go to the Temple Har Shalom. We set off on our forty minute drive, and finally came upon the Temple. The temple itself was very intriguing to the eye, it was a mix of brick and what looked like maple wood, the architecture was interesting and had a very modern feel to it. The inside was beautiful, and very spacious. There were chairs set up and tables, and fire places, of course there were Israeli flags hanging from different locations. When we first got in, we first just walked around and marveled at how modern and clean the temple felt. People were starting to come in, and greet each other. It was obvious that the community was very close; everyone seemed to know one another. My friend and I were immediately picked out as being visitors, and so some people came to us and wanted to know who we were, and what we were doing there. Upon hearing my reason for being at the temple, a man kindly offered to first explain to us a little about what was going on. First of all he began to tell us that every synagogue must have three things in order for it to be considered holy. One of these things is the Ark, the cabinet where the Torah scrolls are kept. The second thing is a â€Å"sanctuary lamp† or an altar lamp; a light that shall burn continuously. The third thing he mentioned was a 7 branched candelabrum, or menorah. We walked into where the service was being held, and considering that this specific temple is one of the largest in the state, the room was huge. I was told that the congregation was made of over 300 Jewish families, and there was room for everyone to be comfortable. The pews were set up, and they were all blue behind the rows of pews, blue single chairs were set up. The chairs were all set up to face the ark, which was surrounded by beautiful, white blue and grey brick looking stain glass. Again the building is very new and modern, so the lights where very interesting shaped, they reminded me of tire wheels. The wall on the side of the room had slits of the same stain glass that surrounded near the front of the room where the arc resided. The Star of David and a menorah were also present on the walls. The ceiling was very interesting; it was wood pleats and reminded me of an olden wooden sleigh. The Rabbi who was conducting the service was Rabbi Joshua Aaronson. He was a little younger than I was expecting, I would put him maybe around 35 or so. He was wearing a full length white robe with a Tallit around his shoulders, which was a more yellowish collar, and had what looked like leaves to be on it. He was also wearing a Yamaka. He greeted the congregation by saying â€Å"Shalom† which means welcome. I noticed that there was different books all around, there were prayer books, called â€Å"Siddur† which contained Hebrew, and English translations, there was also the â€Å"Chumash† which is the book that has the torah readings in it, each week a different part of the Torah is read, starting in Genesis and going through to Deuteronomy, once the torah has been read all the way through, it starts over again in Genesis. Rabbi Aaronson spoke to the congregation and told some stories about his wife and family, the whole congregation seemed to enjoy him, and he wa s quite funny. Rabbi Aaronson’s sermon was about happiness, he talked about how he had never really thought about the idea of happiness and Judaism going together, of course he was happy, and had studied the religion for many years, the persecution of the Jews, the nature of God, Faith in God, the rules, the laws, he joked that through all the movies he had seen about Judaism he had never left in a happy mood, with Fiddler on the Roof being the exception. He talked about how he realized that happiness was actually found many places in Judaism, the first of which would be the Tanakh or Jewish bible, one of the sons of Jacob is named Asher, meaning happy. He talks about how the word happy is found most often in Psalms and Proverbs, and mentions that the very first word in the very first Psalms is happy, he then repeats the first Psalm, first in Hebrew and then in English. He explains the Psalms which basically says that a person is happy when he or she has a strong moral compass, and is not persuaded by liars and cheaters. He mentions Psalms 84 and mentions that the Psalms is so important that it is the first phrase in one of the most important prayers of the Shabbat, the prayer in English roughly means â€Å"The Happy Prayer†. The point to his message was that being close to God, and more so being religious and studying God and religion brings people happiness. He talks about a poll that was done with 600,000 Americans which showed that people who considered themselves religious or very religious said they were much happier than those who said they were moderately religious or not religious at all. My favorite part of the service was when the Torah was read. The reading of the Torah was done in the middle of the service, Rabbi Aaronson opened the Ark, and it is custom for everyone to stand when the Ark is opened, to show respect. Everyone rose and chanted a verse from the Torah, which I was told again shows their recognition of the importance of the Torah. The different Torahs were all neatly placed in the Ark, which beautiful covers on them, while the Rabbi took them out, I noticed he carried them to the altar almost like a new born baby, which makes sense considering how sacred the Torah is in the religion. He took off the coverings and there were two other people around him who were the â€Å"Torah checkers† they make sure that whoever is doing the reading is not making any mistakes and is there to correct if a mistake is made reading the torah. They carried the torah around the room and people bowed when it came near them, I was told that I did not have to bow if I did not feel comfortable, but felt I wouldn’t get the full experience if I didn’t. There was a whole intriguing ritual in reading the torah, a man went up to do an â€Å"Aliyah† which is Hebrew for going up, this is like a blessing on the torah before the reader read’s that weeks passage. I had never heard Hebrew spoken before attending this service, let alone heard another language in a church so that was very interesting. I had also never seen a book that was so sacred, of course Christians have the bible but it is not transported around the room, while people bow to it. I thought that showed a lot of tradition and strength in the religion. It is clearly a religion that is very important to those who follow it. I would go into more detail about the torah reading, but I left my notes and my program on the pew when I left and didn’t realize until much too late. The book that allowed us to follow along the torah reading was very great, and I was pleasantly surprised that they did the reading in English as well as in Hebrew. The service ended and people came up to me and shook my hand and of course as always, wanted to know what I thought about it. I have to admit this was one of the most intriguing church experiences I have ever had. The sermon was interesting, the people were great, and there was such a feeling of being close, close to one another and close to God and to a religion that I was very overwhelmed with positive emotion. I am very glad that I attended this service, and am glad this class has allowed me to open my mind to different religions.

Fa Mu Lan: Equal Rights for Women in China Essay -- Asian History

Despite the oppression women were subjected to in China, they still occasionally overcame it and accomplished something extraordinary. Some worked, and helped to earn the family living, some were extremely honorable in their efforts to uphold their chastity or their family's honor, and some accomplished even more influential feats. Fa Mu Lan trained for fifteen years in order to become a woman warrior. She became as strong as a man, but swifter and more graceful. After saving her father from the draft by dressing up as a man, she assembled an army. Her army never lost, because Kuan Kung, the god of war and literature, would always ride before her into battle. Interestingly enough, another of the more extraordinary feats was that of women writing and studying literature, also apparently under the god, Kuan Kung. Writing women worked around the rules. Men thought that women had no real use for writing, and so writing to the detriment of the household duties was greatly frowned upon, a problem easily solved. Both woman warriors and writers were amazing achievements, but one had some benefits the other did not. In the case of the woman warrior, Fa Mu Lan overcame many disadvantages of women. Biologically, women are disadvantaged from the start when it comes to physical strength and limits. Men are built more for hunting and killing than women. Male hormones force the growth of more muscle than female hormones do, and due to this women are often weaker. This is one of the great many barriers Fa Mu Lan overcame on her way to becoming a warrior. She trained hard enough that she was just as strong as a man. Mann says, "Through reading and writing, elite women developed new spheres of influence," which empowered wome... ...ving it all to your elders, which just serves to perpetuate the mistreatment of women, with the justification of Confusion thought. The pleasantries of the tales of Fa Mu Lan are quite interesting and fun to read, but they lack much significance. The lives of women in China were not improved through the tellings and re-tellings of folk lore. It is for the women writers unto whom the real respect can be given, as not only did they receive the same education as men at that time, but they excelled with the knowledge they gleaned from it. Women writers embraced their femininity and used it to their full advantage, creating better works of art and literature than their male counterparts. Works Cited Kingston, Maxine Hong. Woman Warrior. (1975), New York: Vintage International. Mann, Susan. Precious Records. (1997), Stanford: Stanford University Press.

“Murder in the Cathedral” by T. S. Eliot Essay

Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot that portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, first performed in 1935. Eliot drew heavily on the writing of Edward Grim, a clerk who was an eyewitness to the event. The play, dealing with an individual’s opposition to authority, was written at the time of rising Fascism in Central Europe, and can be taken as a protest to individuals in affected countries to oppose the Nazi regime’s subversion of the ideals of the Christian Church.[1] Some material that the producer asked Eliot to remove or replace during the writing was transformed into the poem â€Å"Burnt Norton†.[2] The action occurs between December 2 and December 29, 1170, chronicling the days leading up to the martyrdom of Thomas Becket following his absence of seven years in France. Becket’s internal struggle is the main focus of the play. The book is divided into two parts. Part one takes place in the Archbishop Thomas Becket’s hall on December 2, 1170. The play begins with a Chorus singing, foreshadowing the coming violence. The Chorus is a key part of the drama, with its voice changing and developing during the play, offering comments about the action and providing a link between the audience and the characters and action, as in Greek drama. Three priests are present, and they reflect on the absence of Becket and the rise of temporal power. A herald announces Becket’s arrival. Becket is immediately reflective about his coming martyrdom, which he embraces, and which is understood to be a sign of his own selfishness—his fatal weakness. The tempters arrive, three of whom parallel the Temptations of Christ. The first tempter offers the prospect of physical safety. Take a friend’s advice. Leave well alone, Or your goose may be cooked and eaten to the bone. The second offers power, riches and fame in serving the King. To set down the great, protect the poor, Beneath the throne of God can man do more? The third tempter suggests a coalition with the barons and a chance to resist the King. For us, Church favour would be an advantage, Blessing of Pope powerful protection In the fight for liberty. You, my Lord, In being with us, would fight a good stroke Finally, a fourth tempter urges him to seek the glory of martyrdom. You hold the keys of heaven and hell. Power to bind and loose : bind, Thomas, bind, King and bishop under your heel. King, emperor, bishop, baron, king: Becket responds to all of the tempters and specifically addresses the immoral suggestions of the fourth tempter at the end of the first act: Now is my way clear, now is the meaning plain: Temptation shall not come in this kind again. The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason. The Interlude of the play is a sermon given by Becket on Christmas morning 1170. It is about the strange contradiction that Christmas is a day both of mourning and rejoicing, which Christians also do for martyrs. He announces at the end of his sermon, â€Å"it is possible that in a short time you may have yet another martyr†. We see in the sermon something of Becket’s ultimate peace of mind, as he elects not to seek sainthood, but to accept his death as inevitable and part of a better whole. Part II of the play takes place in the Archbishop’s Hall and in the Cathedral, December 29, 1170. Four knights arrive with â€Å"Urgent business† from the king. These knights had heard the king speak of his frustration with Becket, and had interpreted this as an order to kill Becket. They accuse him of betrayal, and he claims to be loyal. He tells them to accuse him in public, and they make to attack him, but priests intervene. The priests insist that he leave and protect himself, but he refuses. The knights leave and Becket again says he is ready to die. The chorus sings that they knew this conflict was coming, that it had long been in the fabric of their lives, both temporal and spiritual. The chorus again reflects on the coming devastation. Thomas is taken to the Cathedral, where the knights break in and kill him. The chorus laments: â€Å"Clean the air! Clean the sky!†, and â€Å"The land is foul, the water is foul, our beasts and ourselves defiled with blood.† At the close of the play, the knights step up, address the audience, and defend their actions. The murder was all right and for the best: it was in the right spirit, sober, and justified so that the church’s power would not undermine stability and state power.

After the Order of Melchizedek

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

Learn About the Difference Between Corporate Ownership and Management

Learn About the Difference Between Corporate Ownership and Management Today, many large corporations have a great number of owners. In fact, a  major company may be owned by a million or more people. These owners are generally called shareholders. In the case of a public company with a great number of these shareholders, a majority may  hold fewer than 100 shares of stock each. This widespread ownership has given many Americans a direct stake in some of the nations biggest companies. By the mid-1990s, more than 40% of U.S. families owned common stock, either directly or through mutual funds or other intermediaries. This scenario is a far cry from the corporate structure of but one hundred years ago  and marks a great shift in the concepts of corporation ownership versus management. Corporation Ownership Versus Corporation Management The widely dispersed ownership of Americas largest corporations has to lead to a separation of the concepts of corporate ownership and control. Because shareholders generally cannot know and manage the full details of a corporations business (nor do many wish to), they elect a board of directors to make broad corporate policy. Typically, even members of a corporations board of directors and managers own less than 5% of the common stock, though some may own far more than that. Individuals, banks, or retirement funds often own blocks of stock, but even these holdings generally account for only a small fraction of the total of the companys stock. Usually, only a minority of board members are operating officers of the corporation. Some directors are nominated by the company to give prestige to the board, others to provide certain skills or to represent lending institutions. For these very reasons, it is not unusual for one person to serve on several different corporate boards at the same time. Corporate Board of Directors and Corporate Executives While corporate boards are elected to direct corporate policy, those boards typically delegate day-to-day management decisions to a chief executive officer (CEO), who may also operate as the boards chairman or president. The CEO supervises other corporate executives, including a number of vice presidents who oversee various corporate functions and divisions. The CEO will also oversee other executives like the chief financial officer (CFO), the chief operating officer (COO), and the chief information officer (CIO). The position of CIO is by far the newest executive title to American corporate structure. It was first introduced in the late 1990s as high technology became a crucial part of U.S. business affairs. The Power of the Shareholders As long as a CEO has the confidence of the board of directors, he or she is generally permitted a great deal of freedom in running and management of the corporation. But sometimes, individual and institutional stockholders, acting in concert and with the backing of dissident candidates for the board, can exert enough power to force a change in management. Other than these more extraordinary circumstances, shareholders participation in the company whose stock they hold is limited to annual shareholder meetings. Even so, generally only a few people attend annual shareholder meetings. Most shareholders vote on the election of directors and important policy proposals by proxy, that is, by mailing in election forms. In recent years, however, some annual meetings have seen more shareholders- perhaps several hundred- in attendance. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires corporations to give groups challenging management access to mailing lists of stockholders to present their views.

The Important Of Pets Example

The Important Of Pets Example The Important Of Pets – Coursework Example Importance of Pets. A huge amount of money spent and the widespread ownership of pets gives an indication of the benefits that pet owners receive from pets companionship. Pets that have been trained to guide the blind provide obvious critical benefit to man. In addition, they also provide unconditional love.OTHER BENEFITS OF PETS ARE; Reduction of cardiovascular disease. According to recent reports, researchers argue that pets may slow down the risk of acquiring heart disease and also it may slow down the advancement of the disease.(Friedman 3)Reduction of stress and anxiety. According to Friedman, friendly animal may cause short-term anti-anxiety and anti-arousal effects. The lower a persons level of stress, the smaller the response to a given stressor (Friedman 6).Social benefits. Animal companion can greatly facilitate the pet owner to connect with other people easily. According to Lynett, companion animal readily elicits warm responses, even from unfamiliar passers-by (Lynett 5)H elping children with learning and other disorders. Researchers have found out that children who have problem learning things can be assisted by pets in discovering their hidden talents. In addition, it has also been found out that autistic children who rely on non-verbal communication, interact better with pets (Lynett 6).Improves human lifestyle. Pets such as dogs help man do exercise as a result in the processes the pet owner reduces weight and hence reduce the risks associated with heavy weight (Lynett 7).Conclusion Pets have various benefits such as increasing responsibility, good time management, and improve health. In addition, they also enable humans to learn to care about one another. ReferencesFriedman, Ericka. The role of pets in enhancing human well-being: Physiological effects. Waltman.Lynett, Hurt. The role of pets in enhancing human-well being for older people. Waltman

Mammal Species Characteristics

Mammal Species Characteristics Have you ever thought about what makes mammal species different from other vertebrates? If not, Im sure that you have noticed the differences between a snake, which is a reptile, and an elephant. Being a mammal myself, I have always found this particular class of vertebrates very interesting. As you will see, mammals have certain characteristics that differentiate them from other vertebrates. Lets take a look at some of these characteristics. Mammal Characteristics To begin with, mammal species are in the Class Mammalia, within the Subphylum Vertebrata, under the Phylum Chordata, in the Kingdom Animalia. Now that you have that straight, lets look at some specific traits of mammals. One main characteristic that mammals have is a feature that usually stands on end in frightening situations. Can you guess what it is? Yes, its hair or fur, whichever the case may be. This trait is useful in maintaining the constant body temperature that is important to all endothermic animals. Another characteristic is the ability to produce milk. This comes in handy while nourishing babies which are usually born fully developed (exceptions are the monotremes and the marsupials). Fertilization occurs within the reproductive tract of the female and most have a placenta that provides nutrients to the developing embryo. Mammalian young are usually slow to leave the nest, which allows for a longer period of time for the parents to teach skills that are necessary for survival. Respiratory and circulatory features of mammals include a diaphragm for proper lung ventilation and a heart that has four chambers to ensure that blood is circulated appropriately. Mammals can comprehend and learn things, which can be attributed to a larger brain size as compared to vertebrates of similar size. Finally, the existence of teeth that are different in size and function is a trait that is seen among mammals. All of these characteristics (hair, maintaining a constant body temperature, production of milk, internal fertilization, young born fully developed, highly developed circulatory and respiratory systems, larger brain size, and differences in the size and function of teeth) make mammal species unique among the vertebrates.

Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Operation Management - Essay Example Tactical issues deal with the plant structure and layout, project management methods and also equipment selection as well as replacement. Finally, an operational issue involves production scheduling, production control, quality control & inspection, inventory management, equipment maintenance policies and traffic & material handling (Chary, p. 88). Construction firms require the use of construction management techniques in order to be able to direct and coordinate the workers and the material resources required throughout the timeframe of a given construction project. Management techniques are quite important when it comes to the implementation of a management system. Benefits attributed to various management techniques are that they are able to increase a firm’s success based on cost, quality, time, and scope and participation satisfaction (Chary, p. 91). With regards to project management in a construction firm scenario, what is involved is a set of objectives that are meant to be accomplished through implementation of operations that are subject to the resource constraint. Based on the concept explained above on operation management, this paper is going to focus on the best method of implementing a management system for a construction company following the necessary essentials in the concept. There is need for most business companies to adopt an operational management method that will help in achieving most of their goals especially in the production of quality goods that will definitely increase their financial gain (Chary, p.93). Satisfying the customers’ needs is the major priority for any business organization. The construction companies which are referred to as one of the highly ranked performing organizations are required to have their own processing bodies which are meant to be the foundation of the company’s standard

Should Wells Fargo lose the latest DOJ lawsuit, Were they ethical in Research Paper

Should Wells Fargo lose the latest DOJ lawsuit, Were they ethical in there practices with the Mortgages - Research Paper Example Recently, the company has been facing a lawsuit that requires them to pay for damages, because of acting unethically toward offering substandard mortgage loans, which might have powered the financial crisis in the region (Raindi & Timiraos, 2012). This paper will examine the lawsuit, and if the company is justified in claiming they acted within their financial ethical boundaries. In October 2012, the Department of Justice was at the forefront in trying to prove that Wells Fargo & Co. acted unethically by providing shoddy mortgage deals to insurance programs in the U.S., hence; creating a loss of millions of dollars. An Act enacted in 1989 allows the government to sue any financial institution if the affected party is insured by the federal government. The Department of Housing and Urban Development in US is accusing Wells Fargo & Co. of offering shoddy loans to first-time buyers (Raindi & Timiraos, 2012). According to the Department of Housing, this was done with complete disregard a s to whether the parties being given loans had the ability to pay or not. The probability of Wells Fargo losing the lawsuit There is a likelihood that Wells Fargo & Co. might lose the lawsuit. This is because under the various laws that govern the operations and functions of financial institutions, the company may have gone against the law in their undertakings. The law of restrictions under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), is still a factor to consider, where the company is still liable for prosecution by the state even after the period that has elapsed. The company can also be prosecuted under the federal False Claims Act. The refusal of the banking institution to report the defective loans has played a vital role in the escalation of the financial crisis (Raindi & Timiraos, 2012), which still rocks the U.S. and countless other regions to this day. The company claims that since it was the only institution affected by its actions, there is n o possible reason why it should be prosecuted for unethical practices within the organization. This claim was thrown out of court as the judge presiding over the case indicated that even if the only party affected by such actions was the one under prosecution, it still had to face the charges leveled against it. It is the belief of countless individuals that the simple act of choosing not to report these defective loans meant that the company knew about the issues they faced, but did not bring them to the HUD’s attention. This is tantamount to fraud, according to the court, and that is probably why the company may lose the suit by the U.S. Department of Justice. It is unethical for any financial institution to hold out on information (Jennings, 2011), which may be done to save money and disregard the integrity of the organization they serve. The ethical nature of the company’s lending practices There were some unethical undertakings by the company during the lending of loans to people. It is the task and duty of a financial institution to properly vet the people it is meant to serve, especially when dealing with loans. This is so as to see the chances of the loans being paid by the parties offered loans. In the company’s case, they were sure that any failure by the parties to pay would be bailed out by the Federal Housing Administration, which often bailed out first time buyers (Raindi & Timira

An Ounce Of Cure By Alice Munro and A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Essay

An Ounce Of Cure By Alice Munro and A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery OConnor - Essay Example The narration is from the third person, but the story is centered on grandmother. She is the one, who is described the most, who’s thought and actions are given more attention. Other characters seems not as important to the story, and others are downplayed so much so that the reader hardly notices they are there, like children’s mother, who seems to wear the same clothes all through the story, she hardly talks, her name is unknown. As to contrast, the grandmother is very particular in her choice of clothing; she is a real â€Å"lady†. However it seems children do not like her so much. The story takes place in Georgia, even though no specific place mentioned. During the second half of the story the characters are mainly in the â€Å"ditch†, only sometime people are taken to the forest. The story keeps the reader in suspense. It starts with an argument in the beginning as to what place they will go for vacation – Florida or Tennessee. The old lady rea lly wants to go to Tennessee, so she uses all the arguments possible to convince her son to head that direction. Then she attempts to talk to her daughter-in-law, but the mother seems to be utterly uninterested in what grandmother has to say.

Operation and management of china's auto production increased Dissertation

Operation and management of china's auto production increased - Dissertation Example ity and Reliability 27 3.4Conclusion 28 CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND ANALYSIS 29 4.0Introduction 29 4.1Chinese Automobile Industry 30 4.1.1Findings 30 4.1.1.1Chinese Auto Industry Sales, 2006 to 2010 30 4.1.1.2Comparison between China and US 32 4.1.1.3Comparison of brands, 2002 and 2011 33 4.1.1.4Market Share and Growth 35 36 4.1.2Analysis 36 4.1.2.1Chinese Auto Industry Sales, 2006 to 2010 36 4.1.2.2Chinese Auto Industry Sales by Category, 2006-2010 37 4.1.2.3Chinese Auto Industry Performance in the Global Arena 38 4.1.2.4Comparison of brands, 2002 and 2011 39 4.1.2.5Analysis on Market Share and... TIONS 47 5.1Conclusions 47 5.2Recommendations 49 BIBLIOGRAPHY 51 APPENDICES 56 Appendix 1: China’s SWOT Analysis 56 Appendix 2: Market Entry Strategies 57 Appendix 3: Selection of the right Market Entry Strategy 58 Table of Figures Figure 1: China's SWOT Analysis 13 Figure 2: Market Entry Strategies that Chinese Auto Industry can select from 17 Figure 3: Process of selecting the right Market Entry Strategy 17 Figure 4: Sales for Chinese Auto Industry 2006 to 2010 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 31 Figure 5: Line Graph of China Auto Products Sales between 2006 and 2010 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 31 Figure 6: China Auto Industry Sales per Product between 2006 and 2010 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 32 Figure 7: The Top Five Auto Industries 2008 and 2009 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 32 Figure 8: Top Five Auto Industries, 2008 and 2009 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 33 Figure 9: Sales by Brand in %age, 2002 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 33 Figure 10: Sales by Brand in %age, 2011 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 34 Figure 11: Sales by Brand in Units, 2002 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 34 Figure 12: Sales by Brands in Units, 2011 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 35 Figure 13: Market Size and Growth (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 35 Figure 14: Market Share by Brand, 2011 (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 36 Figure 15: Impact of Government Tax Incentive (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 44 Figure 16: Position of Chinese Auto Industry within the Global Market (Synergistic Limited, 2012) 46 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction The increased demand for growth and expansion amongst firms within Chinese automobile industry coupled with the increased demand for automobile products within the globe continue to be the reasons behind globalization (Zhu, Sarkis, & Lai, 2007). The Chinese automobile industry aims at

Closing the Gap Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Closing the Gap - Article Example The management process entails the channel that duties, orders and chores pass from the highest individual in the company’s hierarchy to the junior staff in the organization (Saxena, 2009). According to economists, good management skills and ethics complete the production cycle. However, this only happens if there is an excellent open door communication channel between the superiors, seniors and juniors. Most of the successful giant businesses corporate have acquired their large market shares through formulation and implementation of competitive management strategies. According to the article, ‘good communication’ is a vital factor ensuring the success of a business. Communication is employed through vertical and horizontal communication. Channels of communication have played a big role in the formulation of strategic decisions. For a firm to implement its strategies there should be effective and efficient relay of information from the managers to the subordinate staff. Management should achieve this through suggestion boxes, memos and the open door communication. Teamwork is a very important principle of management that starts from leadership skills. It ensures division of labor that helps in inventory and bookkeeping. They help in the follow up of business transaction which in turn helps ensures the success of the business. Organization score also influences a business’ success. ... Critique According to most economists, employment of principles of management leads the achievement of the set firm’s goals and objectives (Saxena, 2009). However, critics have come up with their theories explains reasons as to why firms fail irrespective of the implementation of the principles of management. These critic theories include the following: According to the article, communication strategy is the most important strategy to the success of a business. However, communication is not always the answer. While done at some inappropriate levels, it may lead to the business failure. For example, when a manager relays critical information to the worker, if they are not specialized in their departments, the messages may be interpreted in the wrong manner. Language barriers may also pose a threat to the communication process. The junior staff may fall prey to altered or faulty information due to the hierarchy of bureaucracy in the organization. Firms need to employ competent a nd professional workers who will help in the communication, implementation and performance of the business. Teamwork is also a principle of management but due to various factors brought up by critics, it poses a threat to the business. This evident where bad leadership and management skills are present in a business’ operations. The senior leaders should set examples to their junior staff by being key team players and not joy riders whose main objective is to command and get a monthly pay. Greedy seniors who become traitors by providing competitors with sensitive information have been a threat to the success of most international firms. Remarkably, team involves both internal and external emotions of the employees. Differentiation in most business entities

Vocational Rehabilitation for People with Mental Illness in the UK Essay

Vocational Rehabilitation for People with Mental Illness in the UK - Essay Example 2002, 172-177). Since the downfall of the act, there has been a speedy augment in the formation of for-profit health and mental health care organisations in the United Kingdom. This research discusses the managed care proposal sweeping the nation and their thoughtful belongings on the way social workers transport services to people with severe mental illness (Bachrach, L. 2003, 465-468). No doubt, Individuals with disabilities ought to expect employee benefits comparable to those predictable by all employees. The lack of ease of use of employee benefits, especially health insurance, can be prevention for individuals bearing in mind employment. The advantage package available to employees is a significant subject in employee approval for all employees counting those with disabilities (Bedall, J. R. 2004, pp. 95-119). If we analyse then we come to know that vacation, sick leave, health insurance, and retirement benefits are careful a significant feature of job satisfaction and sight as very significant by employees. In addition, research investigating quality employment result for individuals with disabilities have used employee reimbursement as an indicator of valued employment. For the majority UK workers, health insurance is the key employee benefit. As two-thirds of London's are employed in jobs with health insurance, workers at the inferior end of the salary scale are greatly additional likely to have jobs with no health insurance. For instance, workers earning less than $35,000 yearly are four times as probable to be uninsured than those earning over $35,000 (Bernstein, C. 2004). Evolution of Managed Care Many experts described the development of managed care as include five distinct phases: (1) carrying out consumption reviews and confine access, (2) managing advantage use, (3) supervision care with a most important importance on cost control, (4) running outcomes, and (5) put together managed care systems parallel and upright. For social workers the language linked with this example shift has been new and rather foreign. "Medical necessity," "degree of difference benefit packages," "penetration rates," "capitation contracts," "cost offsets," "slice outs," "cost bands," and "report cards" are but a only some of the terms in the new dictionary. Though managed care is the existing buzzword in the human services, frequent health care organisations, supported by provisions of the Health Maintenance Organisation Act of 1973, have been experimentation with this move toward for many years. Managed mental health care is a comparatively further recent occurrence and has outspread in an assortment of forms since the early 1980s (Bickman, 2005). States and Managed Care Numerous states have not waited for federal improvement since cost repression is a pressing requirement for them. Medicaid now constitutes 20 percent of the majority states' budgets, a better amount than senior education; so, states are turning to managed care to control this rising budget component. At least 35 states previously have a few form of capitated payment system for

Closing the Gap Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Closing the Gap - Article Example The management process entails the channel that duties, orders and chores pass from the highest individual in the company’s hierarchy to the junior staff in the organization (Saxena, 2009). According to economists, good management skills and ethics complete the production cycle. However, this only happens if there is an excellent open door communication channel between the superiors, seniors and juniors. Most of the successful giant businesses corporate have acquired their large market shares through formulation and implementation of competitive management strategies. According to the article, ‘good communication’ is a vital factor ensuring the success of a business. Communication is employed through vertical and horizontal communication. Channels of communication have played a big role in the formulation of strategic decisions. For a firm to implement its strategies there should be effective and efficient relay of information from the managers to the subordinate staff. Management should achieve this through suggestion boxes, memos and the open door communication. Teamwork is a very important principle of management that starts from leadership skills. It ensures division of labor that helps in inventory and bookkeeping. They help in the follow up of business transaction which in turn helps ensures the success of the business. Organization score also influences a business’ success. ... Critique According to most economists, employment of principles of management leads the achievement of the set firm’s goals and objectives (Saxena, 2009). However, critics have come up with their theories explains reasons as to why firms fail irrespective of the implementation of the principles of management. These critic theories include the following: According to the article, communication strategy is the most important strategy to the success of a business. However, communication is not always the answer. While done at some inappropriate levels, it may lead to the business failure. For example, when a manager relays critical information to the worker, if they are not specialized in their departments, the messages may be interpreted in the wrong manner. Language barriers may also pose a threat to the communication process. The junior staff may fall prey to altered or faulty information due to the hierarchy of bureaucracy in the organization. Firms need to employ competent a nd professional workers who will help in the communication, implementation and performance of the business. Teamwork is also a principle of management but due to various factors brought up by critics, it poses a threat to the business. This evident where bad leadership and management skills are present in a business’ operations. The senior leaders should set examples to their junior staff by being key team players and not joy riders whose main objective is to command and get a monthly pay. Greedy seniors who become traitors by providing competitors with sensitive information have been a threat to the success of most international firms. Remarkably, team involves both internal and external emotions of the employees. Differentiation in most business entities

CE Marking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

CE Marking - Essay Example Whenever in a conflict between any of the social responsibility and their responsibility to their employer they are quite clear about the strategy they should opt. The project too suggests a few guidelines to resolve any such conflict. Among various responsibilities of the engineers a few are to look into the EU Documentation and Standards, technical consultation, compliance testing, technical documentation, product registration, company-internal self-certification process and many more. Then there are various CE marking related issues, its objectives and the difficulties faced by the manufacturers in the process or due to any of the discrepancies. So, the project caters to all the above mentioned issues as well as the role of engineers employed by the manufacturers in the whole procedure. CE Marking, also known as CE mark, is a mandatory conformity mark to be put on the products which are placed on the single market in European Economic Area (EEA). The affixation of the CE Marking on the product which is placed on the market or put into service means that the product meets all the necessary requirements of the relevant European Directives. ... A few examples of European Directives requiring CE Marking include toy safety, low-voltage equipment, machinery, terminal equipment and EM compatibility. And there are about 25 directives requiring CE Marking. If you are planning to export a product to one or more markets in any member states of EU or EEA then it becomes essential to apply for CE Marking of your products. "CE Marking is a mandatory mark for most (around 70%) of the products sold on the EU market (totalling 28 countries.)"1 it can be crucial to your success if the new product directives apply to your product and you also want to continue exporting it to the European market. It becomes very necessary to seek the professional help and advice to assist the manufacturers in conforming and acquiring the CE Marking. It is very essential for business and is a very swift and straightforward process if you seek genuine advice. It is very important to understand the amount of resources and the time that companies spend on a product and to obtain a smooth approach for CE Marking. And if your company is outside the EU, the process becomes all the more challenging but the capable engineers can do the job well. And as the process is essential for business it is better to have knowledgeable engineers to do the job and to ensure that your products comply with all basic requirements. They know well how to get the products CE marked understanding all the safety issues that are important to address.2 Responsibility and Actions taken by Engineer for CE Marking As it is very crucial to acquire CE marking, it becomes necessary for the firms to seek the help of some consultancy or engineer to guide them to do so and to ensure that their product complies with all European Directives. For CE Marking there are

Information Systems Security Survey Essay Example for Free

Information Systems Security Survey Essay The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is an institution that was built back in the 19th century. UNMC’s mission is to improve the health of Nebraska through premier educational programs, innovative research, the highest quality patient care, and outreach to underserved populations (UNMC, 2004). As an institution with key interest to privacy of its students, staff and subordinate staff, UNMC has adopted various policy guidelines to ensure information security system. The Information Security Management Plan (ISMP) describes its safeguards to protect confidential information. These safeguards are meant among another reason to: Ensure the confidentiality of data Ensure the integrity of data Ensure the availability of data Protect against anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of the information UNMC has adopted information security industry best practices to implement its information security system (UNMC, 2014). They have become so effective that during 2011, a Hitrust Gap assessment was performed, and no significant gaps were found within its security program. The worksheet below outlines how these programs have been rolled out by different offices in the university. Worksheet: Information Security Program Survey Security Area Responsible Party / Office of Primary Responsibility Known Vulnerabilities / Risks Countermeasures / Risk Mitigation Strategy Acquisition (systems/services) Information Security Office Breach of the confidentiality clause All service providers must undergo an evaluation process to verify they are qualified. Contracts have a confidentiality clause whose breach terminates the contract. Asset management System Administrator Poor asset management Proper policies and procedure in place  to ensure effective asset management. Evaluation to ascertain the qualifications of asset managers. Audit and accountability Information Security Office Dishonest employees disclosing confidential information to third parties Every application contains a log that must be maintained to meet regulatory requirement. There is Information security Incident Response plan to handle any notable strange events. Authentication and authorization System Administrator Covered data may be transferred to third parties without authorization Employees are provided with user name and password to access the data. Employees are trained on developing a secure password. There are control policies in place governing access to this information. Business continuity Information Security Office Non-coordination and miscommunication between employees All employees are supposed to keep contact information of co-workers and supervisors to seek for help in case of any emergency. Compliance management Compliance Officer the Information Security Officer Employees failure to comply with the set guidelines, policies and procedure There is a compliance form that is filled before a major project is undertaken by the enterprise. The form is to ensure that no new risk is introduced to the enterprise. Configuration control System Administrator Compromised system security Every configuration must have a password. Each password must have at least ten characters. The password must be encrypted at all times. Data System Administrator Data may be intercepted during transmission Database with security keys is available to authorized employees only. Access to classified data is allowed to limited employees. Information security plan ensures security of covered data. Hardware System Administrator Destruction of hardware in disaster Only employees with technical know-how of operating hardware are allowed to use them. The hardware are encrypted for security purposes. Hardware backup system. Identity management Information Security Office Unauthorized covered data and information transfer through third parties Identity Management Program (IDM) outlines procedure for issuing credentials based on the NIST guidance. Checks are done on employees prior to their employment. Incident management Command Centre Incident Response Team Physical loss of data in a disaster An Incident Reporting and Response Plan is in place to report and respond to any  identified risk. Availability of a well-trained incident response team. Command Centre is established to manage emergency. Maintenance procedures Change Advisory Board (CAB) Existing patches within the security system A release process is in place to ensure that the changes do not affect non-primary system. Patching policies for workstations to ensure security. Media protection and destruction Information Security Office Unauthorized access covered data as well as information Data storage policies define how data stored in the media is to be protected. Data is only stored in a secured data centre or encrypted medium. Network System Administrator Unauthorized access to the network Network traffic is controlled by Cisco enterprise-class firewall where inbound connects are only allowed to DMZ. Internal trusted network is provided via an encrypted VPN tunnel. Technical perimeter is established to bar direct access from the internet to the Internal Trusted Area. Planning Information Security Office Poor planning that compromise management of the security system Contingency plan is in place to handle any eventuality. Employees are encouraged to store data on network file servers for backup. All backups are surely stored and marked for easy identification during emergencies. Personnel System Administrator Loss of data integrity Employees are only employed after exhibiting minimum security requirement. Information Security Addendum are to be signed for confidentiality purposes. An insider who ensures that all legal requirements are followed before access is granted must accompany outsiders accessing information. Physical environment System Administrator Physical safety of the environment may be compromised through attacks and burglary No unauthorized personal is allowed within the data centre premises. The data centers are controlled by keycard access. Policy Information Security Plan Coordinator Policies may be misinterpreted by the employee The University’s security policy is enshrined in the Privacy, Confidentiality and Security of Patient Proprietary Information Policy and the Computer Use and Electronic Information Security Policy. The two policies require that authorized people can only access this information. The policies are reviewed every two years to make them in tandem with the prevailing circumstances. Operations The Information Security Officer and the Infrastructure Team  Failure for operations to comply with the system security policy An operation must fill a compliance Checklist or a Security Risk Assessment form for review to verify that no new risk is introduced to the enterprise. Outsourcing System Administrator Unauthorized disclosure of security information by third parties Outsourced vendors must comply with UNMC Policy No. 8009, Contract Policy. Vendors accessing classified student information must sign the GLB Act contract addendum. Risk assessments Information Custodian Poor method of risk assessment that may downplay the actual impact of a risk Security assessment I conducted annually. All applications must meet the organizations security policies and procedure. Software System Administrator Software may be infected with a virus Software should not be installed unless the user trusts it. Vendor update and patches must be installed unless directed otherwise. Software license must be retained to get technical assistance. Training System Administrators and Information Custodians Misuse of security system Loss of data integrity Employees are trained on information security system before they are employed. System administrators and information custodians are annually trained on Specific Information Security Policy and Procedure. References UNMC. (March 2014) Strategic Plan 2010-2013. Retrieved from http://www.unmc.edu/wwwdocs/strategic-plan_06-10_v3-brochure1.pdf United States Government Accountability Office. (February 2010). ELECTRONIC PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE: Health Care Entities Reported Disclosure Practices and Effects on Quality of Care. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10361.pdf UNMC. (February 9, 2004). Information Security Plan. Retrieved from http://www.unmc.edu/its/docs/UNMCInformationSecurityPlan-Sept2010.pdf

Paradigm Transitions in Education

Paradigm Transitions in Education Introduction professional context For this piece I will look to investigate the transition to paperless education to coincide with the opening of a new sixth form centre. Alongside the research question I will look into the relevant epistemological, ontological and methodological paradigms and how they influence my professional practice. During this piece I hope the reflexly look into my personal experience, my Habitus (Bourdieu, 1993) and how this has affected the decisions made in the pursuit of this goal to become paperless. I have worked with education for the last 11 years having the predominant section of ,my career being in the secondary education sector. I was recently appointed to the position of Head of Deeside Sixth form centre, which is a brand new  £15 million build the enhance the provision of A levels for North Wales and beyond. The building is a XXX square feet and is part of Coleg Cambria, which is one of the largest Colleges in Wales with some 20,000 students. The new role has not only changed my lens in terms of sector, with a move from secondary to further, but also significantly changed my role within the organistion, by moving from a position of middle management to senior management. This has challenged my epistemology of A level provision, specifically within the field of preparing students for positive progression to employment or university. With the building of this new Sixth form centre, I made the claim that we would have cutting edge IT facilities (Deeside Sixth Website), and this gave me the perfect opportunity to make large investment in ILT (information for learning technologies). The centre had a large budget of IT facilities with some 800 log-ins around the building. Because of the large investment I was able to look at ways of developing pedagogy to best suit 21st century education. This large investment coupled with the overarching drive to become more sustainable as a college, made me look into the options of reducing paper use. In order to allow this reduction in paper use and to prepare current A level students for future employment and education, as a new Sixth form centre I have decided to make a transition from a paper based curriculum to an electronic curriculum, which makes use of Goolge as a learning platform including google classroom as a VLE, thus allowing online work submission, marking and feedback. This should best prepare students for university, where their studies will be largely dependant on this format and an employment world, which is under rapid change and has a growing reliance on technology. As head of a brand new sixth form centre this decision has fell solely with me and during the planning phase there has been no staff engagement or student voice, due to not having a staff team or student body during the planning phase. To allow retrospective planning and ensure smooth future transition this piece will look at staff and student opinion of the transition to paperless and outline stage for further progress to the Holy Grail of paperless education. Paradigms Having come from a natural science background the idea of paradigms is a novel idea, which has made me challenge my own thoughts and feelings about epistemology and how the phenomenology as opposed the the cartesian philosophy may be more applicable to the social world of a school or college. To start with a definition of a paradigm, Oxford Dictionary defines it as a world view underlying the theories and methodology of a particular scientific subject. A more grounded description would be simply a belief system that moulds the way we think and act about all aspects of life. Upon commencement of this unit I was faced with the philosophical viewpoint that There is no such thing as absolute truth and absolute falsehood. (Rowland, H, 1899), which brought about some dissonance in my understanding of the world. Previously, the idea of my research falling into a certain ontological perspective other than positivist seemed absurd, however upon making my way through some of the numerous philosophical opinions and approaches within the area of educational research, my lens has widened and allowed me to embrace some of these theories and their application in the social setting. The term paradigm, which can largely be derived from the work of Kuhn (and his  book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions published in 1962) and can broadly be described as the ways in research be investigated and interpreted. Further work by Patton (1978) in Sparkes (Ed.) (1992, p.11) takes the idea of a paradigm a step further and refers to it as a world view. This world view has shifted throughout the progression of this unit to acknowledge the strengths and applications of the interpretivist paradigm. This paradigm shift, would show strength for the work of Kuhn, Kuhn argues that changes in paradigm is brought about by a series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions, and in those revolutions one conceptual world view is replaced by another. (Kuhn, T 1962). I dont feel I am in a position to fully move away from the positivist paradigm, but I feel my Lens has significantly altered. As previously mentioned, my natural science background has largely ingrained the positivist paradigm with my outlook and this has embedded in my professional practice. Positivism is an epistemological standpoint that looks for experimental testing , where controlling bias and the importance of subjectivity is vital. Ledoux (2002, p. 34) defines natural sciences as disciplines that deal only with natural events (i.e. independent and dependent variables in nature) using scientific methods. According to work Bà ¼chel (1992), the birth of natural science was initated by those who questioned earlier explanations about the world and wanted systematic / scientific methods for research.

Importance of Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet Essay example -- Shake

Friar Laurence plays an important part in the narrative development of Romeo and Juliet. He is naà ¯ve and detached from society so doesn’t fully appreciate the bitterness of the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. The well intentioned advice that he gives to Romeo and Juliet is thus misguided and this develops a sense of foreboding. The advice that Friar Laurence gives sets the young lovers on a path which the audience senses will end in tragedy. With regard to his character, Friar Laurence is a contemplative and moral man yet he lacks real insight in human nature i.e. their passions and motivations. When we first meet Friar Laurence, he compares plants to human nature concluding that â€Å"Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied And vice sometime by action dignified† From our first meeting with Friar Laurence the audience sees how naive he is to believe so simply in the goodness of man. It is partly this characteristic that causes his schemes to end tragically. Friar Laurence is a man of self control who believes that â€Å"violent delights have violent ends.† In other words, people should be measured and not let passion overrule their good judgement. This is almost a premonition of what happens later on in the play when Romeo and Juliet’s short but passionate love ends in death. Shakespeare portrays the Friar as a prudent and modest man of God. Friar Laurence is trustworthy; we know this because both Juliet and Romeo trust him enough to confide their love for one another to him. They also seek his advice to find a way to be together. This trust is also based on Friar Laurence’s reputation as a highly respected member of Verona’s society, â€Å"the whole city is much bound to him.† Romeo refers to Friar Laurence as hi... ...eveal their innermost feelings to the audience. Shakespeare uses Friar Laurence as a device to achieve this. Friar Laurence also acts as the messenger in the play. In Shakespearean times, Romeo and Juliet would have been performed in theatres like The Globe. There would be a lot of noise and distraction for the audience and it was likely that they would miss out on important parts of the play. The actor playing Friar Laurence up dates the audience regularly. An example of this is when he gives the audience a synopsis of the story right at the end of the play â€Å"Is not so long as is a tedious tale. . .† This is helpful for the audience because it allows them to catch up with important parts that they might have missed. As the audience sees Friar Laurence’s plans fail one by one, a sense of foreboding develops which prepares the audience for the unfolding tragedy

Cultural Impacts of the Civil Rights Act Essay

Until the eighteenth century Civil Rights and Liberty’s were taken advantage of as a American. Observation in our judicial system cited within the paper suggest that our civil rights in America has improved and continue to evolve to this day. Cultural Impacts of American Civil Rights laws In recent years, a great deal has gone into fair treatment of all. As history serves, there was a great civil rights activist that fought for fair treatment of all, one man in particular goes by the name of Martin Luther king jr. The implications of our culturally induced melting pot of a nation proceeded with immense struggles that carry on today. Are we (Americans) culturally desensitized or are we culturally aware? United States of America is one of the most culturally injected nations that stand for freedom and democracy. Our civil rights is the key to or success as a great nation. Find Law defined our civil right by giving rights of individuals to receive equal treatment (and to be free from unfair treatment or â€Å"discrimination†) in a number of settings — including education, employment, housing, and more — and based on certain legally-protected characteristics(â€Å"FindLaw†, 2009). According to Find Law, Civil Rights could also be described as the advancement of equality for all people regardless of race, sex, age, disability, national origin, religion, or certain other characteristics(â€Å"FindLaw,2009). President Abraham Lincoln is one of the first to create a civil right document called the Emancipation Proclamation, this document freed the first slaves that were in the states that were fighting in the civil war, eventually the thirteens amendment freed all slaves. Other example are (CNN, 2007): 1868 The 14th Amendment, which requires equal protection under the law to all persons, is ratified. 1870 The 15th Amendment, which bans racial discrimination in voting, is ratified 1948 President Truman issues an executive order outlawing segregation in the U.S. military Civil rights seemed to be focused on race discrimination but that is not he case. It also covers sex, religion, and pregnancy discrimination, just to name a few. Racial discrimination is defined as unfair treatment of a person because of the color of there skin or race. In one case according to Jet, a 37-year-old black woman sued Life Care Service Corp. Anita Holt filed the suit because the executives at LCSC would not review her application for promotion because â€Å"Placing a black in a administrative position would be considered to great of a business risk†. The company settled out of court with Anita Holt. They payed her $415,000 and they wrote a letter to it’s employees about how they made a error in judgement and in practice, along with overhauling there employment and promotion practices. Sex (gender) discrimination included in Title VII, is when a act of discrimination occurs when a person is treated unfairly or different because of there gender. This type of situation could occur in: Education- Excluding people from programs based on gender. Sports- Salary, scholastic, athletic discrimination. Military- Women banned from special operations, infantry, armor and artillery. Home- Boys cut the grass and girl cook and wash dishes. One of the main reasons why we have sex discrimination is because of our cultural outlook that is instilled in us from generation to generation and from birth to death. This has also has spread to our media; we see men on Tv playing the rough and tough rolls and women playing to clean and adorable roll. Religious discrimination involves â€Å"treating a person unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs†,(EEOC,2010) this also violates Title VII of the civil rights act which was amended and added 1972. This type of discrimination happens quite often in the workplace. All employers are required to try to accommodate there workers religious practices. In the Navy, when going through basic training, they give one day a week for individuals that want to practice there religious right. This doesn’t always happen in all cases as it should. In march 2006 a Queens Midtown Tunnel employee by the name of Gregory fisherman filed a compliant against his boss. He complained because his boss denied him of promotion and penalized him for taking sick days because he is Jewish(Lawsuit financial corp,2009). He proved his case by hearing his supervisor use a curse word before they called him a jew which was his basis for claim. By getting that 51% of the jury to believe Mr. Fisherman, he was awarded $735,000. In another case, a restaurant called Sorrano’s Mexican Restaurant was sued in 2002 by Terra Neave(manager)for not accommodating to religious belief. She led a bible study after work and two of her subordinates attended. According to company policy manager are not suppose to socialize with subordinates,to prevent sexual harassment. The company offered to transfer her to another location, she refused and continued to lead bible study with her subordinates. With this type of substantial evidence she lost the case. In these two cases our rights were upheld and justice was served according to our civil rights laws(Luci Scott, Jan 2009). Pregnancy discrimination according to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is â€Å"discrimination involves treating a woman unfavorably because she is pregnant,child birth, or medical condition related to pregnancy or child birth†. In 2009 there were 6,196 cases filed for pregnancy discrimination and 5,594 had resolutions according to EEOC & FEPAs. In 2009 the International House of Pancake lost a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit. Jennifer Beck a former IHOP employee was terminated because she was pregnant and they also failed to meet there legal obligation to answer her complaint. According to (Chain Leader 2009): IHOP had to pay her â€Å"$28,478 in back pay plus six percent annum from the date of her termination. Reinstate her to the next available position and pay her $437 a week until she accepts or reject any offer or one year passes Reimburse her $20 for travel expenses This is a very high price to pay in a recession, not only because of the money but there representation to the world as a restaurant chain. As we can see, as a nation we will continue to fight and legislate for our rights and civil liberties as our forefathers did. Starting with President Abraham Lincoln in 1776 in which he declared in the Declaration of Independence, that â€Å"We hold these truths to be self evident: That all men are created equal†. That statement paved to way for Jennifer Beck, Anita Holt, and countless others can enjoy what America has to offer. References Withy Law. A Short History of American Civil Right Law. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.withylaw.com/history.htm InfoPlease, Civil Rights Time Line. Milestones in Modern Civil Rights Movements. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html Public Find Law, Civil Rights:Law and History, Gender(Sex) Discrimination Basics, Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://public.findlaw.com/civil-rights/civil-rights-basics/civil-rights-history.html,http://public.findlaw.com/civil-rights/gender-discrimination/gender-discrimination-basics.html U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Race and Color Discrimination, Pregnancy Discrimination, Religious Discrimination, Retrieved April 13, 2010 from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/pregnancy.cfm Iris:A Journal about Women(September 2002). AccessMyLibrary, Women and the Military, Retrieved April 13, 2010 from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-95612707/women-and-military-sex.html Bello, M. Lawsuit financial corp. $735,00 Verdict Awrded in Religious Discrimination Case-Law Suit Finance Candidate. Retrieved Apri 14, 2010 from http://www.lawsuitfinanceblog.com/2008/08/735000_verdict_awarded_in_reli_1.html Scott, L.(2009) Serrano’s wins in religious discrimination case. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2009/01/21/20090121cr-serrano0121.html Chain Leader(2009) IHOP Franchisee Loses Pregnancy Discrimination Case. Retrieved from

Policy of Neutrality and the United States of America

In 1792, the European struggle began which started when the French Revolution concluded with the Napoleonic Wars. During the same year, the American government first noticed that a state of war subsisted when Thomas Jefferson, then the American Secretary of State, received a message from the French Minister at Philadelphia. In reply to the notification, Jefferson assured that the United States will remain forthcoming to France â€Å"and render all those good offices which shall be consistent with the duties of a neutral nation.†(Hyneman) During that time, President Washington was art Mount Vernon, this statement from the Secretary of State seemed to be the only direct acknowledgement by the government; thus, the United States was placed in an arrangement of a neutral state. Alongside the implementation of the policy, there were various acts and bills that were made and ratified to effectively compromise with the current state of the nation. Amongst the bill, acts, treaties that were made during that time were the Non-Intercourse Act, Macon’s Bill No.2, Pickney’s Treaty, Treaty of 1778 and the Convention of 1800 (Brodeur). For most of the treaties and acts that were made, it became ineffective and unimportant for most of its existence. The Neutrality Policy fulfilled the idealistic objectives of the nation but it did not fulfill the realistic objectives of the country. The United States did not want to partake in the European War and they were successful in doing so by agreeing with France; however, the acts and bills that were signed to further protect themselves from war caused them futile or even more losses. Works Cited: Brodeur, Paul. â€Å"Restitution: The Land Claims of the Mashpee, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Indians of New England.† American ndian Quarterly 12.4 (1988): 337-39 pp. MArch 2, 2008 . Hyneman, Charles S. â€Å"Neutrality During the European Wars of 1792-1815: America's Understanding of Her Obligations † The American Journal of Internationla Law 24.2 (1930): 279-309 pp. March 2, 2008 .      

Decline of Education and the Rise of Mediocrity

According to â€Å"A Nation at Risk†, the American education system has declined due to a â€Å"rising tide of mediocrity† in our schools. States such as New York have responded to the findings and recommendations of the report by implementing such strategies as the â€Å"Regents Action Plan† and the â€Å"New Compact for Learning†. In the early 1980†³s, President Regan ordered a national commission to study our education system. The findings of this commission were that, compared with other industrialized nations, our education system is grossly inadequate in meeting the standards of education that many other countries have developed. At one time, America was the world leader in technology, service, and industry, but overconfidence based on a historical belief in our superiority has caused our nation to fall behind the rapidly growing competitive market in the world with regard to education. The report in some respects is an unfair comparison of our education system, which does not have a national standard for goals, curriculum, or regulations, with other countries that do, but the findings nevertheless reflect the need for change. Our education system at this time is regulated by states which implement their own curriculum, set their own goals nd have their own requirements for teacher preparation. Combined with this is the fact that we have lowered our expectations in these areas, thus we are not providing an equal or quality education to all students across the country. The commission findings generated recommendations to improve the content of education and raise the standards of student achievement, particularly in testing, increase the time spent on education and provide incentives to encourage more individuals to enter the field of education as well as improving N. Y. State responded to these recommendations by first mplementing the Regents Action Plan; an eight year plan designed to raise the standards of education. This plan changed the requirements for graduation by raising the number of credits needed for graduation, raising the number of required core curriculum classes such as social studies, and introduced technology and computer science. The plan also introduced the Regents Minimum Competency Tests, which requires a student to pass tests in five major categories; math, science, reading, writing, and two areas of social studies. Although the plan achieved many of its goals in raising standards of education in N. Y. State, the general consensus is that we need to continue to improve our education system rather than being satisfied with the achievements Therefore, N. Y. adopted â€Å"The New Compact for Learning†. This plan is based on the principles that all children can learn. The focus of education should be on results and teachers should aim for mastery, not minimum competency. Education should be provided for all children and authority with accountability should be given to educators and success should be rewarded with necessary changes being made to reduce failures. This plan calls for curriculum to be devised n order to meet the needs of students so that they will be fully functional in society upon graduation, rather than just being able to graduate. Districts within the state have been given the authority to devise their own curriculum, but are held accountable by the state so that each district meets the states goals that have been established. Teachers are encouraged to challenge students to reach their full potential, rather than minimum competency. In this regard, tracking of students is being eliminated so that all students will be challenged, rather than just those who are gifted. Similarly, success hould be rewarded with recognition and incentives to further encourage progress for districts, teachers and students while others who are not as accomplished are provided remedial training or resources in order to help them achieve success. It is difficult to determine whether our country on the whole has responded to the concerns that â€Å"A Nation at Risk† presented. Clearly though, N. Y. State has taken measures over the last ten years to improve its own education system. In many respects the state has accomplished much of what it set out to do, but the need to continue to improve is still present. Certainly, if America is determined to regain its superiority in the world, education, the foundation of our future, needs to be priority number one. Teachers often develop academic expectations of students based on characteristics that are unrelated to academic progress. These expectations can affect the way educators present themselves toward the student, causing an alteration in the way our students learn, and thus causing an overall degeneration in the potential Expectations affect students in many ways, not just academically, but in the form of mental and social deprivation which causes a lack of self-esteem. When educators receive information about students, mostly even before the student walks into their classroom, from past test scores, IEP†s, and past teachers, it tends to alter the way we look at the students potential for growth. This foundation of expectation is then transformed on to our method of One basic fallout from these expectations is the amount of time educators spend in communicating with students. We tend to speak more directly to students who excel, talking in more matures tone of voice, treating them more like a grown-up than we do to the students who are already labeled underachievers. This can give the student an added incentive to either progress or regress due to the amount of As educators we tend to take the exceptional students â€Å"under our wing†. We tend to offer knowledge in situations to help push the good students, in comparison to moving on to the next task for the others. We also tend to critique the work of our god students more positively than the others, offering challenges to the answers they The most obvious characteristic that educators present to the students is in the area of body language and facial expression. We tend to present ourselves in a more professional manner to our good tudents, speaking more clearly and with a stronger tone of voice. We tend to stand more upright, in a more powerful stance, than to the slouching effect we give to the underachievers. The head shakes, glancing with our eyes, hand gestures, and posture all contribute to the way we look at certain students based on our first impressions which came before we even knew the student. One major way we can avoid these pitfalls and eliminate unfair expectations that help produce failure in our students is to restrict the past information on the students to a need to know basis. Instead f telling the teacher how the student did on past examinations, just present them with the curricula that the student must learn during the time they spend in that class. This enables the educator to formulate their own opinions of that student. Also, instead of doing the IEP meetings during the middle of the year, we should wait till the end of the semester to inform the educators of certain aspects of the student instead of giving them all the information earlier in the year. Finally, it is up to the educator himself to evaluate their own teaching methods to be able to recognize, and change, the way they resent themselves to the entire class. To be able to know what we are doing, and how we are doing it, at different times in the day is crucial to the aura we present to the students. Schools are often blamed for the ills of society, yet society has a major impact on our education system. The problems that schools are facing today are certainly connected to the problems that are society faces, including drugs, violence, and the changing of our family structure. There are many methods that schools have begun to use in order to deal with the problems they are faced with and still offer the best possible education to our youth. The use of drugs in the general population has become a very serious problem in society and within the school system. There are two aspects to drug use that teachers are having to deal with now. The first is in trying to teach the new generation of crack babies that are now entering the schools. These students have extremely low attention spans and can be very disruptive in class. Early intervention programs designed to target these children and focus on behavior management within the school setting have been effective in preparing these students for school. Educators have also identified rug use among students as one of the most significant problems that our schools face today. According to the text, the rate of drug use among students has declined in last few years, but recently there has been an increase in alcohol abuse among teenagers. Intervention programs such as APPLE, (a school based rehabilitation facility) have been implemented in many schools with the cooperation of school counselors and community agencies to treat drug using teenagers. Other programs, such as D. A. R. E have been implemented in many elementary schools to provide education about drugs to young students. Violence, both in society and in the school system has also been identified as a serious problem. The influx of weapons in schools creates a dangerous situation for teachers, administrators and other students. One remedy for this problem has been introduced in many public city schools; the use of metal detectors. While this method is not foolproof it does send the message that violence will not be tolerated in schools and that severe measures will be implemented in order to curb it. Educators are also being trained to identify those students who may be violent and to provide non-violent risis intervention. It is an undeniable fact that our society has a serious problem concerning violence and that the violence on the streets is certainly connected to the violence in the schools. It seems questionable that even these measures will significantly reduce the problem in schools, but certainly the process of teaching can continue in a less stressful atmosphere by having these measures in Unfortunately, there are other problems such as the changing family structure that do not have such clear cut solutions. Some of the problems that teachers are faced with concerning the family nclude poverty, single parent homes, abuse and/or neglect and Statistics state that 41% of single, female headed households live below the poverty level and that students who live in single parent homes score lower on achievement tests, particularly boys whose mothers are the head of the household. Obviously, single parent families are a fact in our society today, given the rising rate of divorce and single women having children, and it is true that this change is having a severe effect on students today, but this should not effect the quality of education that is provided, but rather, ncourage educators to be more aware of the difficulties these students face in order to adapt their teaching style, as well as the Similarly, child abuse and/or neglect has become a major issue in society and schools. It is not clear whether there is a rise in the occurrences of abuse or whether better awareness has increased the statistics, but it cannot be argued that this a significant problem and one that effects those educators who have to help students who are either abused or neglected. Strict regulations concerning the accountability of teachers regarding the reporting of child abuse or eglect are in effect. Teachers are required to be trained on the ability to identify abuse. Community agencies, shelters and child welfare agencies have begun working in conjunction with schools in order to deal with the problem with as little disruption in the Homelessness is another major problem in our society. The rate of homeless people has grown significantly since the early 1980†³s deinstitutionalization movement and more recently due to the rising unemployment rate have led to more families and children being homeless than ever before. This social problem has become a significant problem for educators. Low achievement, which may be in part due to low attendance as a result of a transient lifestyle, physical problems associated with living on the streets and child abuse are all issues that educators are confronted with when working with students who are homeless. Unfortunately, because of the lack of government funds, this problem continues to grow in America. On the other hand, schools have begun to deal with this problem by hiring additional counselors, some who work specifically to coordinate service with shelters in order provide assistance to these families and more precisely to the children. This effort clearly demonstrates that educators are genuinely concerned about providing education to Clearly our schools and society face the same problems. It has become necessary for all people, not just educators, to be more aware of the problems. Although some intervention programs have been implemented and in some cases are very successful, it is becoming more apparent that these problems are going to continue and will have a direct consequence on our future in this country. Unfortunately, we as a society tend to look for the â€Å"quick fix† to our problems without realizing the consequences for the future. Decline of Education and the Rise of Mediocrity According to â€Å"A Nation at Risk†, the American education system has declined due to a â€Å"rising tide of mediocrity† in our schools. States such as New York have responded to the findings and recommendations of the report by implementing such strategies as the â€Å"Regents Action Plan† and the â€Å"New Compact for Learning†. In the early 1980†³s, President Regan ordered a national commission to study our education system. The findings of this commission were that, compared with other industrialized nations, our education system is grossly inadequate in meeting the standards of education that many other countries have developed. At one time, America was the world leader in technology, service, and industry, but overconfidence based on a historical belief in our superiority has caused our nation to fall behind the rapidly growing competitive market in the world with regard to education. The report in some respects is an unfair comparison of our education system, which does not have a national standard for goals, curriculum, or regulations, with other countries that do, but the findings nevertheless reflect the need for change. Our education system at this time is regulated by states which implement their own curriculum, set their own goals nd have their own requirements for teacher preparation. Combined with this is the fact that we have lowered our expectations in these areas, thus we are not providing an equal or quality education to all students across the country. The commission findings generated recommendations to improve the content of education and raise the standards of student achievement, particularly in testing, increase the time spent on education and provide incentives to encourage more individuals to enter the field of education as well as improving N. Y. State responded to these recommendations by first mplementing the Regents Action Plan; an eight year plan designed to raise the standards of education. This plan changed the requirements for graduation by raising the number of credits needed for graduation, raising the number of required core curriculum classes such as social studies, and introduced technology and computer science. The plan also introduced the Regents Minimum Competency Tests, which requires a student to pass tests in five major categories; math, science, reading, writing, and two areas of social studies. Although the plan achieved many of its goals in raising standards of education in N. Y. State, the general consensus is that we need to continue to improve our education system rather than being satisfied with the achievements Therefore, N. Y. adopted â€Å"The New Compact for Learning†. This plan is based on the principles that all children can learn. The focus of education should be on results and teachers should aim for mastery, not minimum competency. Education should be provided for all children and authority with accountability should be given to educators and success should be rewarded with necessary changes being made to reduce failures. This plan calls for curriculum to be devised n order to meet the needs of students so that they will be fully functional in society upon graduation, rather than just being able to graduate. Districts within the state have been given the authority to devise their own curriculum, but are held accountable by the state so that each district meets the states goals that have been established. Teachers are encouraged to challenge students to reach their full potential, rather than minimum competency. In this regard, tracking of students is being eliminated so that all students will be challenged, rather than just those who are gifted. Similarly, success hould be rewarded with recognition and incentives to further encourage progress for districts, teachers and students while others who are not as accomplished are provided remedial training or resources in order to help them achieve success. It is difficult to determine whether our country on the whole has responded to the concerns that â€Å"A Nation at Risk† presented. Clearly though, N. Y. State has taken measures over the last ten years to improve its own education system. In many respects the state has accomplished much of what it set out to do, but the need to continue to improve is still present. Certainly, if America is determined to regain its superiority in the world, education, the foundation of our future, needs to be priority number one. Teachers often develop academic expectations of students based on characteristics that are unrelated to academic progress. These expectations can affect the way educators present themselves toward the student, causing an alteration in the way our students learn, and thus causing an overall degeneration in the potential Expectations affect students in many ways, not just academically, but in the form of mental and social deprivation which causes a lack of self-esteem. When educators receive information about students, mostly even before the student walks into their classroom, from past test scores, IEP†s, and past teachers, it tends to alter the way we look at the students potential for growth. This foundation of expectation is then transformed on to our method of One basic fallout from these expectations is the amount of time educators spend in communicating with students. We tend to speak more directly to students who excel, talking in more matures tone of voice, treating them more like a grown-up than we do to the students who are already labeled underachievers. This can give the student an added incentive to either progress or regress due to the amount of As educators we tend to take the exceptional students â€Å"under our wing†. We tend to offer knowledge in situations to help push the good students, in comparison to moving on to the next task for the others. We also tend to critique the work of our god students more positively than the others, offering challenges to the answers they The most obvious characteristic that educators present to the students is in the area of body language and facial expression. We tend to present ourselves in a more professional manner to our good tudents, speaking more clearly and with a stronger tone of voice. We tend to stand more upright, in a more powerful stance, than to the slouching effect we give to the underachievers. The head shakes, glancing with our eyes, hand gestures, and posture all contribute to the way we look at certain students based on our first impressions which came before we even knew the student. One major way we can avoid these pitfalls and eliminate unfair expectations that help produce failure in our students is to restrict the past information on the students to a need to know basis. Instead f telling the teacher how the student did on past examinations, just present them with the curricula that the student must learn during the time they spend in that class. This enables the educator to formulate their own opinions of that student. Also, instead of doing the IEP meetings during the middle of the year, we should wait till the end of the semester to inform the educators of certain aspects of the student instead of giving them all the information earlier in the year. Finally, it is up to the educator himself to evaluate their own teaching methods to be able to recognize, and change, the way they resent themselves to the entire class. To be able to know what we are doing, and how we are doing it, at different times in the day is crucial to the aura we present to the students. Schools are often blamed for the ills of society, yet society has a major impact on our education system. The problems that schools are facing today are certainly connected to the problems that are society faces, including drugs, violence, and the changing of our family structure. There are many methods that schools have begun to use in order to deal with the problems they are faced with and still offer the best possible education to our youth. The use of drugs in the general population has become a very serious problem in society and within the school system. There are two aspects to drug use that teachers are having to deal with now. The first is in trying to teach the new generation of crack babies that are now entering the schools. These students have extremely low attention spans and can be very disruptive in class. Early intervention programs designed to target these children and focus on behavior management within the school setting have been effective in preparing these students for school. Educators have also identified rug use among students as one of the most significant problems that our schools face today. According to the text, the rate of drug use among students has declined in last few years, but recently there has been an increase in alcohol abuse among teenagers. Intervention programs such as APPLE, (a school based rehabilitation facility) have been implemented in many schools with the cooperation of school counselors and community agencies to treat drug using teenagers. Other programs, such as D. A. R. E have been implemented in many elementary schools to provide education about drugs to young students. Violence, both in society and in the school system has also been identified as a serious problem. The influx of weapons in schools creates a dangerous situation for teachers, administrators and other students. One remedy for this problem has been introduced in many public city schools; the use of metal detectors. While this method is not foolproof it does send the message that violence will not be tolerated in schools and that severe measures will be implemented in order to curb it. Educators are also being trained to identify those students who may be violent and to provide non-violent risis intervention. It is an undeniable fact that our society has a serious problem concerning violence and that the violence on the streets is certainly connected to the violence in the schools. It seems questionable that even these measures will significantly reduce the problem in schools, but certainly the process of teaching can continue in a less stressful atmosphere by having these measures in Unfortunately, there are other problems such as the changing family structure that do not have such clear cut solutions. Some of the problems that teachers are faced with concerning the family nclude poverty, single parent homes, abuse and/or neglect and Statistics state that 41% of single, female headed households live below the poverty level and that students who live in single parent homes score lower on achievement tests, particularly boys whose mothers are the head of the household. Obviously, single parent families are a fact in our society today, given the rising rate of divorce and single women having children, and it is true that this change is having a severe effect on students today, but this should not effect the quality of education that is provided, but rather, ncourage educators to be more aware of the difficulties these students face in order to adapt their teaching style, as well as the Similarly, child abuse and/or neglect has become a major issue in society and schools. It is not clear whether there is a rise in the occurrences of abuse or whether better awareness has increased the statistics, but it cannot be argued that this a significant problem and one that effects those educators who have to help students who are either abused or neglected. Strict regulations concerning the accountability of teachers regarding the reporting of child abuse or eglect are in effect. Teachers are required to be trained on the ability to identify abuse. Community agencies, shelters and child welfare agencies have begun working in conjunction with schools in order to deal with the problem with as little disruption in the Homelessness is another major problem in our society. The rate of homeless people has grown significantly since the early 1980†³s deinstitutionalization movement and more recently due to the rising unemployment rate have led to more families and children being homeless than ever before. This social problem has become a significant problem for educators. Low achievement, which may be in part due to low attendance as a result of a transient lifestyle, physical problems associated with living on the streets and child abuse are all issues that educators are confronted with when working with students who are homeless. Unfortunately, because of the lack of government funds, this problem continues to grow in America. On the other hand, schools have begun to deal with this problem by hiring additional counselors, some who work specifically to coordinate service with shelters in order provide assistance to these families and more precisely to the children. This effort clearly demonstrates that educators are genuinely concerned about providing education to Clearly our schools and society face the same problems. It has become necessary for all people, not just educators, to be more aware of the problems. Although some intervention programs have been implemented and in some cases are very successful, it is becoming more apparent that these problems are going to continue and will have a direct consequence on our future in this country. Unfortunately, we as a society tend to look for the â€Å"quick fix† to our problems without realizing the consequences for the future.