The evil-god challenge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The evil-god challenge - Essay Example These two notions are a measure by which human lives are evaluated. Depending on the actions of a person he or she may have a reputation of a good or a bad one. From early childhood, while listening fairy tales we begin to learn the concept of good and evil. We are taught that good always wins, though it is not so in the reality. Then the concept of God enters the life of children and they fully believe in what is written in the Bible, that is, the existence of the Lord is doubtless as well as the good nature of his personality and actions. Still there is a hesitation whether God exists and what his essence. So let’s consider this question with the help of research of theistic works on the theme of Stephen Law and Theodore M. Drange. To begin with we will study the argument of Law’s â€Å"The evil-god challenge† in which he touches the aspect of the good or evil will of the Lord who has the power to control life on the Earth as he is its Creator. From the beginning to the end of his work Law doubts the good motives of God’s activity for he allows so much suffering for his creatures, people. One of the main reasons of such a situation, according to the author, is that through the way of travails humans can become stronger and recognize good with even greater intense. Furthermore, the Lord has gifted people with an option of good or evil so it depends on them which one to prefer. And it is God who has allowed evil to exist by his decision not to made humanity his puppet theater giving it the opportunity to make a choice in favor of evil. Law claims that the explanation of such phenomenon as natural disasters which destroy and cripple the lives of sentient inhabitants is His will to prevent a g reater tragedy that is invisible for people. This is the first-order evil which needs the second-order good (theodicy) as a world’s virtue, for example. In this respect the suspicion or hypothesis of evil god arises. People just don’t understand how can a good

Palestine and Israel Essay Example for Free

Palestine and Israel Essay Before a conflict takes place, there is usually a disagreement between the concerned parties. In the case of the Israel and Palestine, aggressive dialogue has never been set to foster talk rather than war. When this is absolutely put in to practice, the result will be successful owing to the fact that three will be a less possibility of the occurrence of the war therefore saving the lives of the people that would have been lost during the war. Conflict basically entails a situation where two parties are not in agreement about an issue. In this case the parties usually engage in confrontation therefore limiting any diplomatic relations between the two sides. From the perspective of Israel, Palestinians are considered as caring out terrorist activities, therefore in order to cub such activities, they have to distort and prevent them from doing so. This forces them to deploy troops to Gaza to try and stop this kind of terrorist attacks to its citizens. This however ought not to be the case since the deployment of the troop without talk signifies that one party is not in any attempt tom embrace dialogue which would have solved the problem. Terrorism as considered by Israel is an act that leads to violence or a type of violence. It is the experience of fear or terror as the proximate intend of that brutality. .Terrorism may also be defined as the performance of acts of violence directed against a state or a group of people with the aim of intimidating them so as to achieve ones political goals. It entails making other people suffer so as to send certain messages to the relevant authorities about dissatisfactions or certain grievances. War is not justified at all in the case of the isrealites and the Palestine since they all suffer the consequences. For whichever reason a group of people or an individual decides to perform acts of terror, it just can’t be justified because there are better ways of solving disputes. For an action to be termed as justified, its end result should be good enough to justify the act. War is not because the end result is fear, frustration and terror to a certain group of people. Taking cases like the recent Israel invasion into Gaza is not justified since many innocent lives were lost and property destroyed. That is not a morally right end result since it only leads to suffering and misery to the innocent Palestinians who were caught in the commotion. This coupled with the fact that the objective is not always achieved this way, renders war inappropriate and should not be given a chance at all. War only victimizes people who are very innocent. All these victims only act as objects being used by a certain group of people to achieve their own unique absurd missions. The innocent victims who perish are used to terrify a certain group of people or governments. The ones who are sent to commit such an activity are also being used as objects by their masters to achieve their objectives. They are human beings and most often than not they end up perishing together with the innocent victims. There are better ways of settling personal differences without necessarily having to express ones frustrations through taking away innocent lives During the confrontation between the two sides, war crimes are usually committed where there is usually a breech of contract set by the international organizations about activities not to performed on the civilians,. This entails aspect that is carried upon with the main intentions of causing aggravation or harm to the immediate neighbor not necessarily for revenge purposes. When the Israelites and the Palestine engage in war, there is usually destruction of property and the loss of lives of civilians a factor that clearly results to psychological problems to the people who are caught up in the cross fire . In this case, those affected usually end up suffering and as a result the economic growth of the countries are hindered. Within the destruction of the facilities such as schools most of the youth and children end up engaging in a reengage mission and this in turn results to their influx in more terrorism attacks (Verhoeven,J eds) . Their can be understating within the two group in the event that all the previous are laid forward and analyzed critically through dialogue since by engaging in war, no sounding solution will be achieved. In the event that there is peaceful negotiation within the two groups, the society will totally benefit since there will be absence of the destruction of property and the two groups will embrace each others culture and live together in harmony . The society will also develop economically owing to the absence of sanctions that hinder a particular side from transaction and trading with the other. When things are clearly talked out between the Israelites and the Palestine it is depicted that there will be an agreement if each side decides to forget what was in the past and follow concepts that will sustain the future of the children of the two countries (Simon Schuster) . On the other hand, dialogue is the key aspect to a successful ceasefire since all the two sides will be able to come up with their proposal and at the end of the day a consensus can be attained if they are all willing to let loose what was seen as a conflicting situation. . In a normal circumstance the issue of dialogue when there is conflict always solves the problems, since human being are bound to conflict and at the same time they can reach an understanding. When the palatines and the isrealites embrace this aspect, the truth can be clearly seen therefore at the end of the day the two sides have to agree on whether to adopt the changes or not. Talking other than war on the other hand will shows the intenders of the war on the negative impact that can be produced in the event that it happens. When a person is convinced that when he or she goes to war death will be the consequence, then resulting result will be a change in that thought. â€Å"One will definitely consider his or her life other than death† (Barry). Therefore, the use of dialogue is a more concerned issue. In this scenario talking outshines the idea of war since, with appropriate dialogue between two parties at war, there will be no or a small chance of the occurrence of the war. Conclusion Talking thins out other than war is the only solution that will make it possible for most of the people who might be caught up during the commotion to be safe. In reality, the safety of and individual is very vital. talking other than war definitely is a good idea since the Palestine and the isrealites will be able to look back on how the situation has be devastated as a result of the war and in return think of building and sorting their issues without indulging in war. The impact of war carries a social problem since with total destruction of the facilities that people are able to obtain their basic commodities, lives are usually lost. In some case there is disease outbreak and food shortages therefore resulting to starvation of the affected individuals. Work cited Barry, R The Truth about Syria, Palgrave MacMillan, 2007 – Verhoeven,J eds. : Peace creation in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Lynne Reinner, London and Bolder, CO, 20 Simon Schuster,. The peace within Palestine not apartheid, 2006 Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Brief History retrieved on 23rd February from http://www. mideastweb. org/briefhistory. htm The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in a Nutshell on 23rd February from http://www. mideastweb. org/nutshell. htm A Synopsis of the Israel/Palestine Conflict on 23rd February from http://www. ifamericansknew. org/history/

Brown vs. Board of Education Art Exhibit :: Art Museum Exhibit Segregation

Black and White Walking into Krannert Art Museum, I experienced something I have never experienced before. That something was actually analyzing and appreciating artwork. I have been around artwork before and have looked at many times and I have enjoyed it but I have never really sat down with art to break it down and notice the little details that make it so powerful. Today I did at Krannert Art Museum while looking at their Brown vs. Board exhibit. I was able to break everything down and notice the details and by doing this I got a much more influential experience out of it. At first glance it is the colors in the room that jump out at you and draws your attention most but after really looking around you see the colorfulness isn’t the what the artist wants to attract your attention but instead on all of the black and white all over the room which fits perfectly with the idea the exhibit is trying to get across. This idea is that blacks and whites are equal and together, as Americans, they are much more powerful then when they stand apart as whites and blacks. As soon as I walked into the exhibit I noticed it had kind of an eerie aura to it. The lights were dim and there was a peculiar silence that was only interrupted about every ten seconds or so by a low, almost electronic sounding, humming coming from one of the distant rooms. Also, every so often the lights would flicker a little and between that, and the movie that was playing on the side wall switching between clips, it gave the room a very sporadic supernatural atmosphere. I walked into the two different rooms and two things caught my eye. The brightly colored flowers and people wallpaper on the left side of the first room, and the huge colored picture of Brett Charles Cook, on the left side of the second room. I noticed that this huge portrait was done using mostly blue and orange paint, which may have been a way for the artists to get the students there to connect with the painting or just to catch their attention.

Congress Essay -- essays research papers

There is a definite need for Congress in the United States. It serves many roles such as making laws, implementing national policy and watching over the other two branches of government. These are just a few of the duties of our U.S. Congress. Although they are essential to our government, there are potential problems. People are not always satisfied with the length of time involved in passing a law as well as the deadlock Congress can experience on an issue. Another potential problem people see with Congress is representation. Not all Americans feel that they are equally represented. The Congress of the United States is viewed by many as the largest branch in government. Some people might even say it is the most important. This is due to the roles Congress pays in our government. Congress is responsible for the lawmaking in our country as well as implementing national policy. The power to make laws was given to Congress by our forefathers when they constructed our constitution. Passing laws is very important to our country because without them we would be living in chaos. Of course, all our laws are not perfect but for the most part our Congress does a good job at keeping this country under control. The problems with lawmaking that most people see is the time involved in getting a law passed. In order for a bill to become a law it must first be introduced to the House or Senate, or both, then referred to a committee. This can be a very time consuming process. Anyone interested in having a law passed must realize the process involved and be patient. In addition to lawmaking Congress is also involved in passing amendments. Our nation has been able to grow and strengthen due to the amendment process. In order for our government to keep up with the changing times it is crucial that we make adjustments to the constitution. The downfall is that the amendments passed have not always kept up with changing times. Arguments against Congress would be that they taken to long in enforcing the amendments. The U.S. Congress must also implement national policy. The Congress must regulate commerce in order to create a prosperous economy. It is up to Congress to monitor the growth of the economy and be ready to act if necessary. Congress has the power to implement monetary policy in which they decrease taxes to induce spending during a slow econo... ... half the nations population are women, but the 102nd Congress had only thirty one women members. In addition, our nation is made up of mostly blue collared workers, yet the most predominant occupation of Congress members are lawyers. With this in mind the Congress must strive to understand and represent the needs of the people. Congress cannot ignore the disadvantage groups that feel unrepresented in the system. Until the enactment of Medicare in 1965, Congress declined to pass health care legislation for the elderly. There will always be people for and people against any branch in government. The reason being, government is not perfect, nor are the people who run it. Laws take time to create and policies take time to be implemented. You cannot deny the fact that regardless of the time involved these procedures are a major and necessary step. Over all Congress does a good job with the roles and duties it is given. When it comes to representation, the vote lies in our hands. We have the power to vote for who we want to represent us. We can make a difference if we get involved in electing those who share the same ideas of the people to make us a better a better nation.

Discuss the Relationship Between Persuasion and Attitude Change.

Discuss the relationship between persuasion and attitude change. The procedure of changing attitudes to then furthermore change behaviour has led psychologists to develop research into the topic of how persuasion takes place. The Hovland-Yale model was initially developed to persuade the American public for more support in the last stages of WW2. It was learnt that in order to persuade effectively, the need was to focus on who and what. Principally the content, the audience and the communicator.It was found that the most effective sources were experts as they had more credibility than non-experts, but also popular and attractive sources were more effective than unattractive sources. Bochner & Insko asked students to suggest how much sleep was needed, before showing them two different sources of information – an expert and a non-expert. Students were more persuaded by the expert even when it conflicted with their own beliefs. Another finding from the model found that messages a re more effective if the audience feels that their main purpose is not to persuade.Also, if a message contains a moderate level of fear it becomes more successful. McGuire also found that there was a primacy effect in messages. His research found that when he was trying to persuade students to join a course, he was more persuasive if he gave the positive points first. The final factor involved in the Hovland-Yale model is audience factors. It was seen that moderately intelligent audience members were more easily persuaded and when aiming at high intelligence audience members, it would be more effective to present both sides of the argument.The Elaboration-Likelihood model focuses on the message itself and splits this into two sections. Whether the audience focuses on the main content of the message or if they focus on other factors such as the communicator giving the message. Petty et al. called this the central and peripheral route. The central route audience members focus on the q uality of the arguments and are motivated to think about the message. It’s been suggested that this has a lasting attitude change.The peripheral route is quite the opposite as audience members are not motivated to think about the message and they focus on the peripheral tools (such as music, celebrities, colour) rather than the arguments presented. Attitude change through the peripheral route is temporary. The Hovland-Yale model has good research support for all three factors involved in the model. Morton et al. found that children had more favourable attitudes after being given information from an expert (doctor) than a parent. Lewis et al. ound that fear arousing messages were effective in the short-term, but messages containing humour were more effective in the long-term. However, Fechback et al. found that high fear level was most effective in messages which disputes McGuire’s findings. However, McGuire’s findings can also be explained another way to show su pport. If following the basis of the psychodynamic approach, messages using high fear arousal may trigger defence mechanisms such as denial or repression in audience members, suggesting moderate fear level is the most effective.Research also supports the key points of the Elaboration-Likelihood model. A psychologist supports the claim that the central route is more effective for high need-for-cognition audience members. Models have heavily relied on laboratory based research, which causes us to question the ecological validity. However, real-life application has occurred and found that when students were exposed to a fact-based or emotion-based health campaign, the higher NC individuals were more influenced by the central route (fact-based) and the lower NC were more persuaded by the peripheral route (emotion-based).Although both models are heavily supported by research, many research studies have involved students which brings problems of generalisation. Students have an age, wealt h, and education status which is not typical of the general public. In addition, experimenters have exposed participants solely to their stimuli, whereas in the real world, we are exposed to thousands of media forms everyday; thus lacking in mundane realism.

Leadership, power, influence, director- it can defined in many ways The WritePass Journal

Leadership, power, influence, director- it can defined in many ways Introduction Leadership, power, influence, director- it can defined in many ways IntroductionConclusionRelated Introduction Leadership, power, influence, director- it can defined in many ways, but most commonly Leader is a person who influences the thoughts and behaviors of others; a leader is one who establishes the direction for others to willingly follow. One person can serve as a leader or several persons might share leadership. A person may be appointed as leader or may be elected by people within his circle. Leaders play vital role in standardizing performance. Leaders can influence other to perform beyond the expectations. Managers plan, organize, lead and control so that â€Å"leading† and â€Å"managing† are inseparable, they are both integral part of each other. If one do not able to influence and inspire others to work willingly towards aims then all planning and organizing will be ineffective. Similarly setting direction is usually not enough, no matter how inspiring one can be, management skills are crucial. Leaders will simultaneously fill many roles interacting, motivating group members, solving conflicts as they arise. Leaders set vision, strategies, goals, and values in order to guide for desired action and behavior. Leaders are characterized by certain traits which distinguish leaders from non-leaders includes Drive, desire to lead, honesty, cognitive ability, self-confidence and knowledge. Effective leaders must have two major qualities: knowledge and communication competence. Leader needs knowledge of issue and the ways of effectively leading a team. This knowledge will enable leader to identify alternatives available. He also needs to be an effective communicator as equally listener and speaker. Leaders should acquire qualities of flexible, openness, empathetic, courage, interactive, and positive attitude. An effective leader generally values people, listen actively, gives credit to others, have consistent behaviors, admits mistakes, have a sense of humor and above all they set a good example for their followers. I have been working in refractory company called Magnezit in Russia. Magnezit LTD Company is one of the biggest Company in Europe which mine the product called magnezit. There I have developed three major departments of Production, Finance and Marketing. I have developed a seven-member team, which is headed by me. We usually came across discussing major issue related to finance, production and marketing. We made plans, had discussions, and generate ideas. My job out there was to design the agenda, set priorities, follow-up the discussions, and made our session meaningful. At the same time I performed simultaneously role of interacting, motivating group members, solving conflicts as they arise. During our sessions we set vision, developed strategies, and evaluated our past perf ormance in order to guide ourselves for desired action and behavior. Being a leader of the firm I had dual responsibilities to organize and develop a culture of selflessness. A failure of my team member was the failure of me. I had to do my work selflessly and biggest challenge for me was to get my team members also work selflessly for our firm. Each of our team members felt as he/she was the owner of the firm and we did our work for firm success, we should not to stick it for earning livelihood. That was the most admiring change, which I strove to bring about. The hardest job for me was to set myself as an example for my all fellows. I am not a leader based on how well I work with others or how admired I am. I am a leader based on my actions and how I affect the world around me. I try to never stray from this design because being a positive role model and doing the right thing is the best way to live your life. Being a leader is much more than just being the guy or girl with the ideas or plans. Being a leader is something much more than being the person with their act together and knowing what to do at a moment’s notice. â€Å"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.† By doing the right things I live my life as truthfully as I can. I keep my mind on the things that matter most to me: university, family, sport, my future and all the things that make me who I am as an individual. Conclusion All such exercises have made me able to actively contribute towards Master of Science in Management program. MSM program will provide me an opportunity to further develop a broader understanding of management/leadership and enhancing my analytical skills. This program will also provide me with the hands-on study and learn from varied backgrounds. My prior leadership experience will provide me a feedback while attending MSM program. This will provide me an opportunity to share my experiences with others. Also this program will enhance my leadership traits and enable me to learn and develop my capabilities as becoming successful leader. Moreover, it will improve my communication skills and gain more knowledge through the experiences of group members. These learning will help me to improve my attitude and behavior that would be helpful in my leadership career. I am fully confident that MSM program has the potential to make me able to achieve my challenge to bring an organizational cultu re of selflessness.

27 Influential Years of 60 Minutes Essays - CBS News, 60 Minutes

27 Influential Years of 60 Minutes Essays - CBS News, 60 Minutes 27 Influential Years of 60 Minutes Journalism/Media/Television 27 Influential Years of 60 Minutes 27 Years of Influential 60 Minutes Since 1968 America has been better enlightened than previously concerning current events and happenings around the world. A considerable factor for this occurrence is the television program 60 Minutes which debuted on the air in September of 1968. Many other television newsmagazines have been produced since its creation, however none have possessed the longevity nor the influence of 60 Minutes. In fact, 60 Minutes, which is owned by CBS News, was the first regular network news program to cover actual stories as opposed to topics. Today, similar newsmagazines can be seen every night of the week on various stations, all of which were sparked by the inception of 60 Minutes. All of the tabloid television programs being shown today are also a result of 60 Minutes and its bold, gutsy, "gotcha" style of television journalism. 60 Minutes changed the way that the American public receives its television news, stemming forth a whole new format of television broadcast journalism. 60 Minutes has a vast history of stories covered, yet the format has remained unchanged. Don Hewett, creator and producer of 60 Minutes, has been the subject of much criticism for his stubbornness. Since its origin, 60 Minutes has continued to adhere to the same formula that made it such a success. The hidden-camera interviews, the surprising of unsuspecting alleged crooks with a bombardment of questions, the longevity of the featured reporters, all of these are what made 60 Minutes a successfinishing in the top 10 Nielson ratings for 17 consecutive seasons and counting. Other than the fact that it changed from black- and-white to color with the new technology, the appearance of 60 Minutes has remained consistent. There is no reason to change a thing about such a prosperous show according to Hewitt. Not only has the format remained constant but the reporters have as well. Mike Wallace, and Harry Reasoner both appeared on the first episode of 60 Minutes. Reasoner, who passed away in 1991, left CBS in 1970 to pursue a news anchoring position at ABC but later returned to 60 Minutes, in 1978, until his death. Wallace and Morley Safer, who started in 1970, are still featured reporters as well as Ed Bradley (who joined the team in 1981) and newcomers Lesley Stahl and Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes would not be the same without the weekly commentary of Andy Rooney. Rooney started making a regular appearance in 1978 offering humorous, sometimes controversial annotations about everyday life. A well known prime time TV news anchor who did much of his best work at 60 Minutes is Dan Rather. When Rather joined the other prestigious journalists he had a reputation as a tough, aggressive reporter; in other words, he fit in perfectly. Rather left in 1981 to takeover The CBS Evening News, leaving with him a hard-nosed investigator who would do whatever it took to capture the whole story. All of these factors combined to form a one-of-a-kind TV newsmagazine with solid ratings; clones were destined to follow. Following in the wake of success, many spin-offs were created in an attempt to grab a piece of the action. There were many reasons for following the suite of 60 Minutes and not many reasons not to. The biggest incentive (in the eyes of the other network executives) for striving to reproduce 60 Minutes was the substantial amount of revenue created by this program. 60 Minutes requires a remarkably less amount of money to produce than a situation comedy. And because the CBS network owns the show, these were earnings that went straight to the corporation. 60 Minutes has turned out to be quite a goldmine for CBS because the program has not only brought in the highest profit of any other show in history, but most of all their other shows combined. It comes as no surprise that other networks dived into the newsmagazine business. Some of the more notable programs to cash in on the new format for broadcasting news include Prime Time Live, 20/20, and Entertainment Tonight. Entertainment Tonight branched off into a less newsworthy, more Hollywood scene which later set the pace for PM Magazine, and most recently A Current Affair and Hard Copy. None of the listed newsmagazines would exist had it not been for the creation of 60 Minutes. The new style of journalism that 60 Minutes incorporated went on to set a new standard for reporters everywhere. High ratings are the key to success in the television news business and 60 Minutes gave the viewing public what it cravedshocking interviews and investigations which led to the

Usher Surname Meaning and Family History

Usher Surname Meaning and Family History Usher is an occupational surname for a servant or courtier who served as an officer of a court to introduce strangers, or usher visitors in and out of meetings in large houses or palaces. It may also have originated as an occupational surname for the under-master of a school or who worked as a gatekeeper. The name derives from the Middle English usher,  Old French ussier, or  huissier, from the Late Latin ustiarius, meaning  door or gate.   Surname Origin:  French,  Irish, English Alternate Surname Spellings:  USSHER, USSIER, HUISSIER Famous People with the USHER Surname James Ussher - 17th-century Archbishop of ArmaghRichard Usher - English clown  and theatre designerAndrew Usher, II  - successful Scottish whiskey distillerDavid Usher -  Ã‚  English-born, Canadian singer songwriter and recording artistHezekiah Usher - first known bookseller in the American colonies Where is the USHER Surname Most Common? The Usher  surname, according to surname distribution information from  Forebears, is most prevalent in the United States, where it ranks as the 4,706th  most common last name. Usher is much more common based on population percentage in Belize, however, where it is the 10th most common surname. It is also found in England, Australia and South Africa. WorldNames PublicProfiler  data indicates  that the Usher surname is somewhat more commonly found in the North of England, as well as in the Midlands region of Ireland, the Northern Territory of Australia, Ontario in Canada, and in the Otorohanga, Stratford, Waimakariri and Taupo districts of New Zealand. Genealogy Resources for the Surname USHER Usher Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as an Usher  family crest or coat of arms for the Usher surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. USHER Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Usher ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Usher ancestors, or join the forum and post a query about your own Usher ancestors. FamilySearch - USHER  GenealogyExplore over 240,000 results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Usher surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. USHER Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Usher  surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. GeneaNet - Usher RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Usher surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Usher  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Usher  surname from the website of Genealogy Today. Ancestry.com: Usher SurnameExplore over 600,000 digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Usher surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com. Usher Surname - GeniRead more about the history of the Usher surname and search for Usher family trees on the genealogy website Geni.com.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Moot Skeleton Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moot Skeleton Argument - Essay Example The respondent argued that there were significant investment risks due to the financial crisis of 2007 thus limiting investment opportunities. In the second trust was an investment portfolio held in trust by the Barclays Bank for Betty Twix and her mother, Christie. The initial fund was $20,000 that the trustee invested in potato markets. The current value of the investment is $22,000. Betty contested the return on investment arguing that the trustee could have invested in wine markets. According to Betty, the trustee took into account non-financial considerations in choosing not to make such a decision. In such an argument, Betty knew that her grandparents were opposed to alcohol consumption. This was especially important because the bank manager was aware that her grandfather was a man of abstinence. With these arguments, Betty held that the breach resulted to a loss of $1,000. The trustee (respondent) argued that the wine market looked as profitable as the potato market at the tim e of taking that investment decision. The trustee learnt later that the wine markets were performing better than the potatoes market. More importantly, the trustee pointed out a clause that stated that â€Å"the trustee shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever that may occur with respect to the portfolio investment hereby settled unless such a loss or damage shall be cause by trustees own fraud†. In response, Betty Twix argued that the clause was invalid since it was widely drafted and thus could not exclude liability for breach of duties of care or the duty to not to take into account non-financial considerations. In the first instance ruling, Judge McIntyre ruled that the Barclays Bank breached its fist duty of no to have regard to non-financial considerations. Barclays was ordered to pay $1,000 to compensate the loss to the second trust. Skeleton Argument on Behalf of the Defendant (Betty Twix) For trustees to act within the law, they should act within their c lient’s power to invest and select appropriate investments. Before making investment decisions, trustees usually take into account various risk implications. The trustee has the following duties:1 Duty to administer Trust by its terms Duty of skill and care Duty to give notices Duty to account Duty to communicate and furnish information Duty not to neglect Duty of loyalty Duty to avoid conflict of interest Duty of confidentiality The general operating principle in most cases requires the following: i. If governing instrument indicates the need for an action, the trustee may take it f it is fair to the beneficiary, or ii. If an action is lawful, the trustee may take it if the instrument fails to offer sufficient specificity With these facts, it s clear that the Barclays Bank was duty bound to diversify the trust investments on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the trustee is not a guarantor of the principle and income of the trust but must act in accordance with fiduciary responsibilities. The Barclays Bank did not demonstrate sufficient faithfulness in the performance of its duties, particularly in selecting the potato market over the wine market. The trustee bears personal liability because it took into consideration nonfinancial factors in making such an investment decision.2 Furthermore, the bank acted in mistrust and failed to take into consideration

Ethical Theory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical Theory Paper - Essay Example Business is driven my profit motive. It meant that business owners put up their enterprises with the purpose of making money. Business therefore when left on its will do whatever it takes to make profit. It can only be mitigated by introducing ethics in business to temper its profit motive and have a sense of responsibility. Business ethics in fact, which business are now required to practice is in fact an oxymoron. One of the common practices of business to profit at whatever means possible is the case narrated by Gina Firenzi where deception is used in a warehouse sale. The â€Å"see through† pants were misrepresented by a marketing acrobatics to make it more appealing to customer by putting a tags saying â€Å"things dont always go as planned, this garment has fit, function, or visual imperfections† but did not say that it is in fact see through and that they are sold at final sale. Of course the company will refund those who complaint but those who will not, they already a made a money out of it. These pants were implied to be the recalled pants of Lululemon which is was already a reject but sold at a warehouse sale and made saleable by marketing acrobatics. They are prepared to do refund to those who will complaint, but will make money to those who will not. These pants were recalls anyway and it may not have cost them to buy it because they were supposed to be disposed. Business unethical practices however are not only confined to misrepresentation as cited by Gina Firenzi. The unethical practice can go back from the point of manufacture such as the recent case of the building of Cambodian factory that collapsed due to substandard working conditions. The collapsed exposed the unethical practice of major textile companies such as Swedish fast-fashion retailer  Hennes & Mauritz to subcontract sweat shop with hazardous working condition just to save on cost. And as expected Hennes & Mauritz denied

Core values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Core values - Essay Example According to Brown (2004), leadership is a core value because it inspires greater levels of teamwork, as there are certain things that others do not know how to do, but a leader can assist them. Leadership enables me to lead others in the correct path of life as I can influence others correctly. The term work has numerous meanings with regards to the field that uses the word such as physics. However, work, in the field of core values, is carrying out a task successfully (Brown, 2004). I consider working an extremely essential value as it is even quoted in the bible "man should not eat before they work". Therefore, people should work to get want they want in life as this applies to me. People around me do not see me as a lazy person as I like getting everything successfully completed. Faith, on the other hand, refers to the things the belief in God and the things, which He has given up to bring hope in life (Brown, 2004). Everybody, in this world, has faith in something, but, for Christians, faith is to believe in their sole creator. It offers people perseverance, and; therefore, should be regarded as a core value. Faith has made me a patient person, in life, knowing that, even through the thickest of times, my future will still be okay. Prayer refers to an invocation, which seeks to arouse a rapport between people and God. Prayers, to God, are done in plentiful ways, but the essence of the act is to bring people closer to their creator (Brown, 2004). Prayers, just like faith, teach people to be patient, and know the right ways of asking for things. Prayers have enabled me to grow closer to my creator. Knowing the essence of praying, I have been able to encourage a lot of people to pray when they are facing challenging times. They return to me, in the future to say that God has answered their prayers. Loyalty refers to the devotion or faithfulness, which a person

WE ARE A COFFEE SHOP CHAIN IN CANADA AND WE ARE EXPANDING TO BRAZIL Essay

WE ARE A COFFEE SHOP CHAIN IN CANADA AND WE ARE EXPANDING TO BRAZIL - Essay Example Also, they need to understand the cross-sectional issues and have constant attention to securing public or private investments (Nag, Hambrick, & Chen, 2007). Secondly is the partnership management. There should be ability to negotiate and maintenance of the core relationships set for the enterprise benefit. The partners should work well, and every partner’s knowledge and expertise contribute to the business success (Hill & Gareth, 2012). Many skills should be available in the expansion of the business to Brazil like engineering and technical expertise, legal advice, business planning and marketing that the partners can provide. Therefore, there should be corporation among them to improve the success. Thirdly, there should be marketing and business planning. The entrepreneurs should be able to access the business planning along with marketing skills now that they are expanding their market segments. The business plan should be able to demonstrate the objectives, service, and product lines; setting up the supply chains and pointing out the revenue targets in the other country, Brazil. The plan should have the financing and investment requirements and the marketing strategies to reach the objectives (Vladimir, 2009). Therefore, the business planning helps the coffee chain to identify its target in Brazil and how to achieve its objectives of expanding their market. Fourthly, another important element is creating a long and short-term benefits management as Richard (2011) suggests. The short-term benefits should keep the stakeholders until the long-term benefits get achieved. The significant factor for success is that every stakeholder should feel that they are getting benefits from the effort they contribute to the business. The idea of expanding the market to Brazil should show a success plan in future and define more potential benefit to the stakeholders in the project development. Now that the business require a significant lead time before securing tangible

Enviroment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Enviroment - Essay Example FDA failed to give apt evidence to stop BPA from being employed in the making of baby bottles. It claimed that it was unsafe and may cause harm to the surroundings and the wellbeing of kids. It is found that the research conducted was based on studies paid by the plastics industry. A recent report conducted showed that there was a link amid exposure to BPA and resistance to chemotherapy treatment. Environmental fallacies include formal and informal fallacies. Even though, ecological researches are significant to epidemiology particularly in environmental and societal epidemiology, community health practitioners appear to be scared of ecological researches. It is a frequent exercise to presume the involvement of ecological fallacy and low-ranked legitimacy when evaluating an ecological research. Majority of epidemiologists have a preference to a special peculiar approach, even though the significance of a multilevel fundamental advance is broadly acknowledged (Idrovo, 332). Scientific urging and opinions are succeeded or misled by the scientific mode. Either the data backs a point or fails to support it. From time to time, individuals fail to have data to sustain and back up their point of view will  intentionally make use of logical fallacies in an endeavour to encourage individuals that their argument is acceptable. Fallacies can also be by a chance used when an individual makes a blunder convincing rhetoric for a sound

WE ARE A COFFEE SHOP CHAIN IN CANADA AND WE ARE EXPANDING TO BRAZIL Essay

WE ARE A COFFEE SHOP CHAIN IN CANADA AND WE ARE EXPANDING TO BRAZIL - Essay Example Also, they need to understand the cross-sectional issues and have constant attention to securing public or private investments (Nag, Hambrick, & Chen, 2007). Secondly is the partnership management. There should be ability to negotiate and maintenance of the core relationships set for the enterprise benefit. The partners should work well, and every partner’s knowledge and expertise contribute to the business success (Hill & Gareth, 2012). Many skills should be available in the expansion of the business to Brazil like engineering and technical expertise, legal advice, business planning and marketing that the partners can provide. Therefore, there should be corporation among them to improve the success. Thirdly, there should be marketing and business planning. The entrepreneurs should be able to access the business planning along with marketing skills now that they are expanding their market segments. The business plan should be able to demonstrate the objectives, service, and product lines; setting up the supply chains and pointing out the revenue targets in the other country, Brazil. The plan should have the financing and investment requirements and the marketing strategies to reach the objectives (Vladimir, 2009). Therefore, the business planning helps the coffee chain to identify its target in Brazil and how to achieve its objectives of expanding their market. Fourthly, another important element is creating a long and short-term benefits management as Richard (2011) suggests. The short-term benefits should keep the stakeholders until the long-term benefits get achieved. The significant factor for success is that every stakeholder should feel that they are getting benefits from the effort they contribute to the business. The idea of expanding the market to Brazil should show a success plan in future and define more potential benefit to the stakeholders in the project development. Now that the business require a significant lead time before securing tangible

Contemporary Issues in International Business Assignment - 1

Contemporary Issues in International Business - Assignment Example It should be also noted that the environment in which international businesses operate is briefly explained so that the position and the challenges of global clothing industry to be fully understood. Businesses that operate globally have to face a series of issues. The willingness of investors to support global business initiatives is not standardized. In fact, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows in markets worldwide present high variation, being reduced from time to time, usually because of local political or economic crises.1 FDI has become popular due to the low level of its risks, compared to other internationalization strategies. Justin explains that FDI can be described as ‘the investment in the real assets of a foreign company so that a product is produced or marketed.2During the last five years, FDI shows important downturns probably because of the recession of 2008. The specific fact is reflected in Graph 1 and Graph1a (Appendix) where the changes in FDI globally, both as inflows and outflows, are presented. The recent trends in regard to FDI globally are also presented in Graph 2 (Appendix) where the emphasis is given on the FDI inflows in developing countries. It should be noted that a firm that wishes to secure its position in the global market needs to be able to continuously improve its productivity in order to respond to global competition, which tends to favor the most powerful organizations.  In fact, due to globalization, competition has become stronger not only in the international market but also in local markets.[i] Another issue for international business is the elimination of trade barriers. In practice, it has been proved that trade barriers can significantly threaten the prospects of firms in the global market, either temporarily or permanently.   

King Claudius is one of the most interesting characters Essay Example for Free

King Claudius is one of the most interesting characters Essay King Claudius is one of the most interesting characters in William Shakespeares play, Hamlet. He is a man who is always preoccupied with maintaining his own power, rather than protecting his country, Denmark, from danger. Act IV is one of the most significant acts in Hamlet as it shows us how Claudius really thinks. In this act, we get a taste of Claudiuss malevolent taste and his obsession with power. Claudius is thus one of the more significant characters in this act, as this is where we see how his mind works and how he goes to extremes to regain his control over his people and the events that have recently occurred. One of the ways that Claudius maintains his power is by using other people to his own advantage, namely Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two indistinguishable courtiers who obey the Claudiuss every command. Claudius also uses them as his own personal spies, which is another good example of how he uses them to his own advantage. Hamlet reflects upon this in one of the best quotes in the play that properly describe Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: Besides, to be demanded a sponge! that soaks up the kings countenance, his rewards, his authorities: when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. 1 In this quote, Hamlet describes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as sponges. This is quite a good comparison since sponges soak up water and then are re-used once they are squeezed, while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern gather up vital information for the king and then are re-used once their information is shared with the king. Another example of how Claudius attempts to regain control over the affairs occurring in Denmark is when Polonius is murdered by Hamlet. When Claudius hears about the murder, he begins to think politically in the way that the murder might ruin his kingship. He realizes that to solve this issue without threatening his position would require much work and skill: We must, with all our majesty and skill, / Both countenance and excuse. 2 Claudius, realizing that Hamlets original intent was actually to murder him3, decides to send Hamlet immediately to England in hope that the English king would murder him under Claudiuss request. This can be considered as a good example of how Claudius is obsessed with maintaining his political power. Since Claudius is now aware of Hamlets vengeful state, sending Hamlet to England may be considered as a good way to keep Hamlet away from Claudius. Another good reason to why Claudius sends Hamlet to be murdered in England and not in Denmark is because of fear of losing his political power. If Claudius decides to kill Hamlet, both Gertrude and the people of Denmark will hate him as they both love Hamlet very much, and thus, his kingship will be at stake. Yet must not we put the strong law on him: Hes loved of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; And where tis so, the offenders scourge is weighd But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even, This sudden sending him away must seem Deliberate pause 4 Another example of how Claudius regains his control over the events occurring in this act is when Laertes returns demanding to know who had killed his father. Claudius does not tell Laertes the culprit in front of Gertrude, fearing that she would turn against him. Instead, he decides to tell Laertes behind her back. It is at this time that Claudius and Laertes are informed that pirates have returned Hamlet to Denmark, this gives Claudius a chance to strike a deal with Laertes: If Claudius lets Laertes kill Hamlet, then Laertes will be under Claudiuss command. This is a bigger advantage for Claudius as it gets rid of Hamlet without affecting his kingship, and it keeps Laertes under his command. My lord, I will be ruled: The rather, if you could devise it so That I might be the organ. 5 Claudius thinks up a foolproof plan to murder Hamlet. He suggests that a fencing match be held between Laertes and Hamlet, with the exception of a sharpened sword given to Laertes rather than a blunt sword. He also adds that if Hamlet were to win, Claudius would give him a poisoned drink as congratulations to his victory. And he calls for drink, Ill have prepared him A chalice for the nonce; wherepon but sipping, If he by chance escape your venomd stuck, Our purpose may hold here. 6. This particular scene is extremely significant as it shows the reader how truly malevolent Claudius is and how far he would go to maintain his power. Claudius is one of the most important characters in Hamlet. He is a character of true power and hatred, who would go to any extreme just to maintain his power and his kingship. His obsession with absolute power is greatly portrayed in Act IV of Hamlet, making it one of the most important and vivid acts in the play. 1 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Company Canada Ltd, 1988), IV.ii. 13, 16-16, 20-22. 2 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Company Canada Ltd, 1988), IV. i. 31-33. 3 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Company Canada Ltd, 1988), IV. i. 13 4 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Company Canada Ltd, 1988), IV. iii. 3-9. 5 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Company Canada Ltd, 1988), IV. vii. 69-71. 6 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Company Canada Ltd, 1988), IV. vii. 160-163.

Economic impact of tourism in the Mauritian economy

Economic impact of tourism in the Mauritian economy 4.1 Introduction Tourism is a major pillar of the Mauritian economy. According to estimates for 2010, the tourism industry has contributed Rs 39,456 million to the Mauritian economy and has provided direct employment to 27,161 workers. The contribution of tourism to GDP at basic price stands at 7.4% in 2010. This fact is indicative of the importance of the tourism sector to the Mauritian economy. To evaluate the impact of tourism on economic growth in Mauritius, a log-linear model will be estimated. However, economic growth may not be influenced only by tourism, but there are also other macro economic factors which may have an effect on growth. As such, these factors will be taken into consideration in the model. The model consists of standard variables such as Investment (INV), Exports (EXP) and Inflation (CPI), as well as one variable (TRP) which will be used to quantify the impact of tourism, such as tourism receipts. Real GDP per capita is used as a reference variable in order to demonstrate the impact of tourism on economic growth. 4.2 Types of Data 4.2.1Primary Data Primary data is collected on source and is not been subjected to processing or any other manipulation. The most common methods to collect primary data consist of surveys, interviews and focus groups. As such, primary research entails the use of immediate data and is collected by the researcher particularly to meet up the research objective of the subsisting project. Making use of primary data implies that researchers are collecting information for the specific purposes of their study. As such, the questions the researchers ask are tailored to extract the data that will help them with their study. However, it is time consuming and costly to collect such data. 4.2.2 Secondary Data Secondary data consists of pre-existing information which is not gathered for the purpose of the current research. Secondary data is readily available and inexpensive to obtain. In addition, such data can be examined over a longer period of time. Secondary data includes information from the census, a companys financial position and safety records such as their injury rates, or other government statistical information such as the number of workers in different sectors. In secondary data, information relates to a past period and as such, it lacks aptness and has unsatisfactory value. The drawback is that often the reliability, accuracy and integrity of the data is uncertain. However, it is easier to collect such data and longitudinal study may be possible. 4.3 Model Specification A simple log-linear Cobb-Douglass production function is used to measure the impact of tourism on economic growth in Mauritius. The equation is as follows: GDP = f (INV, TRP, CPI, EXP) Consider the following model, known as an exponential regression model: GDPt = ÃŽ ²0 INVt ÃŽ ²1 TRPt ÃŽ ²2 CPIt ÃŽ ²3 EXPt ÃŽ ²4 e ÃŽ µt (4.2.1) which may be expressed alternatively as lnGDPt = lnÃŽ ²0 + ÃŽ ²1lnINVt + ÃŽ ²2lnTRPt + ÃŽ ²3lnCPIt + ÃŽ ²4lnEXPt + ÃŽ µt (4.2.2) where ln is the natural log (i.e log to the base e, and where e = 2.7183) Equation 4.2.2 can be written as: lnGDPt = C + ÃŽ ²1lnINVt + ÃŽ ²2lnTRPt + ÃŽ ²3lnCPIt + ÃŽ ²4lnEXPt + ÃŽ µt (4.2.3) where C = lnÃŽ ²0 Therefore, the transformed model is: ln GDPt = C + ÃŽ ²1 ln INVt + ÃŽ ²2 ln TRPt + ÃŽ ²3 ln CPIt + ÃŽ ²4 ln EXPt + ÃŽ µt Where ln GDP: Log of real gross domestic product per capita ln INV : Log of investment ln TRP : Log of tourism receipts per capita ln CPI : Log of consumer price index used as a proxy for inflation ln EXP : Log of exports C : Constant term ÃŽ µt : White noise disturbance term In the above log-linear model, the dependent variable, GDP, is expressed as a linear function of four other independent variables, also known as the explanatory variables, namely INV, TRP, CPI and EXP. It is often assumed for such log-linear model that the causal relationships which may exist, flow only in one direction, namely from the explanatory variables to the dependent variable. The parameters of the model can be estimated by using the Ordinary Least Square method, if the assumptions of the classical linear regression model are fulfilled. As such, GDPt* = C + ÃŽ ²1 INVt* + ÃŽ ²2 TRPt* + ÃŽ ²3 CPIt* + ÃŽ ²4 EXPt* + ÃŽ µt where GDPt* = ln GDPt, INVt* = ln INVt, TRPt* = ln TRPt, CPIt* = ln CPIt, EXPt* = ln EXPt The coefficient of each of the four explanatory variables measures the partial elasticity of the dependent variable GDP with respect to that variable. As such, each of the partial regression coefficient ÃŽ ²1, ÃŽ ²2, ÃŽ ²3 and ÃŽ ²4 are the partial elasticities of GDP with respect to variables INV, TRP, CPI and EXP respectively. 4.4 Explanation of Variables 4.4.1Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Gross Domestic Product is used to assess the market value of all final goods and services produced during a given period of time within an economy. It also measures the total income of an economy and as such, it is often correlated with standard of living. GDP is used as a reference variable in order to assess the impact of tourism on economic growth in Mauritius. GDP is an important factor used to analyse the development of the tourism sector. As such, in case the tourism sector brings huge foreign earnings, there will be an increase in GDP, suggesting that the economy is flourishing. The GDP figures that are used for the regression have been adjusted for inflation using the GDP deflator. 4.4.2 Investment (INV) Investment, which is a major component of the gross domestic product of an economy, refers to the acquisition of new capital goods. A positive change in investment may lead to a positive change in income and output of an economy in the short run. Higher level of investment may contribute to aggregate demand while higher level of income may indirectly impact on consumer demand. Investment, which is an injection in the circular flow of income, is a useful tool to analyse the impact of tourism on the economy of Mauritius. Investment is expected to have the same impact on economic growth as propounded by empirical literature, such as Sargent and James (1997) who found a positive impact of physical capital and investment on growth in Canada over the period from 1947 to 1995. 4.4.3 Tourism Receipts (TRP) Tourism receipt is a major indicator of the contribution of the tourism sector to the local economy. Tourism receipt represents an inflow of foreign currency in the economy. Such receipts account for a major contribution to the gross domestic product of the Mauritian economy. As such, an increase in tourism earning is expected to have a positive impact on GDP. Most governments in developing countries encourage international tourism because such tourists bring capital to the country. Earnings of currencies permit governments to finance, at least in part, their development efforts. Tourism receipt is expected to impact positively on economic growth as postulated by Balaguer and Cantavella-Jorda (2002) or Dritsakis (2004) who claimed that economic growth and tourism are interrelated and established tourism as a driver of economic growth. 4.4.4 Inflation (CPI) Inflation is defined in economics as a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. As such, it is a sustained increase in the price level and it may be the consequence either of constant falls in aggregate supply or recurring increases in aggregate demand. As a result, inflation erodes the purchasing power of money, that is, there is a loss of real value in the internal medium of exchange and unit of account in the economy. An important measure of price inflation is the inflation rate, which can be calculated by taking the annualised percentage change in a general price index over time. This is referred to as the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In Mauritius, the Consumer Price Index is measured by computing the average change over time in the cost of a fixed basket of consumer goods and services. It represents changes over time in the general level of prices of goods and services acquired by Mauritian consumers. Inflation is then calculated by comparing the average level of prices during a 12-month period with the average level during the preceding 12-month period. One of the most fundamental objectives of macroeconomic policies of many countries, whether industrialised or developing, is to sustain high economic growth together with low inflation. Inflation can bring about uncertainty about the future profitability of investment projects particularly when high inflation is also linked with increased price variability. This would in turn generate more conservative investment strategies, which would ultimately result in lower levels of investment and economic growth. Inflation is expected to have a negative effect on growth as claimed by Barro (1995) who explored the inflation-economic growth relationship using a large sample covering more than 100 countries from 1960 to 1990. 4.4.5 Exports (EXP) Export entails the sale of goods and services produced in one country to other countries. There are two types of exporting: direct and indirect. For national accounts statistics, exports consist of transactions in goods and services from residents to non-residents. As such, an export of a good represents a change of ownership from a resident to a non-resident; this does not necessarily imply that the good in question physically crosses the frontier; while an export of services consists of all services rendered by residents to non-residents. The relationship between export growth, foreign direct investment and economic growth in both developed and developing countries is a question that continues to be of considerable interest. Cross-country trade and capital flows and interpreting the significance of these activities towards economic growth lie at the heart of the debate on economic development policy since the early literature on export and economic growth. Export is expected to impact positively on growth as postulated by Feder (1982), who mentioned that exports contribute to economic growth in a variety of ways: economies of scale and incentives for technological improvement. Thus, marginal factor productivities are expected to be higher in export industries than in non-export industries. 4.5 Data Sources For the purpose of this study, time series data has been used. A time series is an ordered chain of values of a variable at equally spaced time intervals. Time series analysis is used for economic and sales forecasting, budgetary analysis, inventory studies or stock market analysis. It encompasses techniques to investigate data in order to extract meaningful statistics and other characteristics of the data. A time series model indicates that observations close together in time will be more closely correlated than observations further apart. As such, time series models use the natural one-way ordering of time so that values for a given period can be expressed as deriving in some way from past values. Data has been collected for the period 1976 to 2009. Figures for the explanatory variables namely investment and exports and that for the dependent variable real gross domestic product were obtained from the Central Statistical Office. Data for inflation and tourism receipts was obtained from annual reports of the Bank of Mauritius. 4.6 Software The analysis of data will be done using the Microfit 4.0 software. Before carrying out the regression, the stationarity of the variable should be tested in order to avoid spurious results and invalidity of the model. The ARDL model will be evaluated. Furthermore, a co-integration test shall be performed to determine if an Error Correction Model (ECM) must be used.

Commentary Against Absurdity in Goethes Faust Essay -- Faust Essays

Commentary Against Absurdity in Faust Goethe's "Faust" could be called a comedy as readily as it is subtitled "A Tragedy." In the course of the play, the author finds comic or ironic ways to either mock or punish religionists, atheists, demons, and deities. Despite the obvious differences between these, Goethe unites them all by the common threads of ego and ridiculousness. Thus, the play as a whole becomes more of a commentary against absurdity than against religion. The first victims of satire in Faust are Satan and God, who appear in somewhat small-scale form in an early scene that parallels the Book of Job. In Goethe's Heaven reigns "The Lord," to whom a trio of archangels ascribe creation. Enter Mephistopheles, and all semblance of seriousness is lost. Introduced as a demon, and arguably THE Devil, he is witty, cynical, and in general a caricature of what religionists throughout the ages have labeled pure evil. The Lord proceeds to give Mephistopheles permission to go to his "good servant" Faust,...

John Wayne :: essays research papers

The Duke takes his place in history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Wayne, one of America’s greatest actors and directors of all time. His fame and superstardom led to many problems in his career. His image as an icon of American individualism and the frontier spirit has overshadowed his career to such an extent that it is almost impossible for the fans and writers to separate Wayne the legend from Wayne the actor and Wayne the man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before the start of his movie career he played football at USC under his birth name, Marion Michael Morrison. He held many behind-the-scene jobs at Fox before moving in front of the cameras in the late 1920’s in a series of small roles. Director John Ford, who befriended “ the Duke';, recommended him for the lead role in Raoul Walsh’s western epic, The Big Trail. Wayne did not let the stardom go to his head. He spent the rest of the decade making his way through a series of low budget films whose failing budgets and quick shooting schedules did little to advance his career.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1939 John Ford gave Wayne another break by casting him as the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach. The roll threw Wayne into the top ranks of the movie stars and finally, in the 1940’s, his legend began to take shape. Relieved from military duty due to physical problems, Wayne became the film industry’s hard-core soilder, but had that compassionate side. Movies released during the war, such as Flying Tigers (1942), The Fighting Seabees (1944) and Back to Bataan (1945) left Wayne with some pretty big shoes to fill.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movies that he made at the end of the decade were the ones that established him as an actor of merit. Howard Hawks emphasized the willful side of Wayne’s screen persona by giving him the part in Red River (1948). He played the part of Tom Dunson, a difficult, unlikeable yet compelling character. Two other films directed by John Ford quickly followed. Fort Apache (1948) and She wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For a good part of the 50’s and 60’s Wayne took part in several small pictures. Standard western and action movies but nothing too dynamic. Because of the numerous films though he was financially in good setting. In 1969 he won Best Actor Oscar for True Grit, a light-hearted if not particularly impressive performance. Wayne’s final role was surely his best of the decade. In the Shootist, he played a dying gunman who is just beginning to understand his own life and legend. What a man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Wayne, you either love him or you hate him. Although there are not many people that dislike him.

Application of the PRECEDE PROCEED Model to Fit Kids Fit Families FKFF Youth Physical Activity Campaign Essay

Obesity among American youths has become a national epidemic. Both developed and developing nations face a crisis of rising trends of obesity and overweight among adolescent youths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). Approximately 10 % of school children are overweight with US alone reporting 25 % of overweight children while 11 % of them are obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). Preliminary data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES), strong evidence of overeight and obesity is linked to increased mortality and morbidity in United States. Likewise, Houston Department of Health and Human Sciences reports that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among youths of ages 14-18 is 34.4 % compared to the Hispanic youths of 37 % and African American at 23.5 % of similar age group (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). As such, the Fit Kids Fit Families has launched a national social marketing to provide awareness of physica l activity as a preventive measure of obesity and overweight. Fit Kids Fit Families group was founded in 2003, purposefully for promoting optimal weight and improving life quality among the African American people. The FKFF has selected activity as the target behaviour with the middle school youths as the target audience. The group mimics the PRECEDE-PROCEED model in several ways to provide physical activity intervention. As such, this paper describes the efforts of the group within the context of PRECEDE-PROCEED model as described by Green and Kreuter (2005). Phase 1: Quality of Life Diagnosis Youths suffer numerous consequences of obesity due to increased overweight and obesity. Polhamus, Dalenius, Thompson, Scanlon, Borland, Smith & Grummer- Strawn, (2003) writes that the excess body calories are converted into fats and finally stored in adipose tissue thus accumulates in the body of the youth. The individual is likely to develop a poor big body due to additional weight that adds more flesh. The children suffering from obesity are at risk of contacting multiple adverse health complications, some of which are fatal. Previous studies observe that high blood pressure while childhood is a weak predictor of premature death; however, high cholesterol had no relationship with early bereavement. Besides, health experts admit that factors causing obesity and high cholesterol were easier to control through exercise and medication. Researchers have identified children as the rapidly growing demographic in the global overweight population. For instance, approximately 31.9 percent of African American youths in have body indices that categorize them as overweight. Also, Polhamus et al. (2003) reports that 12 percent of obese people are likely to suffer from anxiety, impaired social interaction 17 %, and depression 34 %. Phase 2: Epidemiological Diagnosis The challenge of overweight and obesity epidemic is not limited to concerns about weight and bulk. According to Polhamus et al. (2003), 7 % of cases of obesity have resulted into disabilities through physiologic and psychological points of view. The increased waist to hip girth ratio is linked to increased risk of hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. Likewise, obesity and overweight has been related to elevated risk of cancer, sleep apnea, musculoskeletal disorders, gallbladder disease, diverticulitis, and intracranial hypertension. Research shows that the prevalence of obesity among American youths has increased from 5 % to 12.4 % in this time period and the age group of 14 – 18 years it has increased from 6.4 % to 17 % (CDC, 2009). From the viewpoint of health, 20 % of youths have been reported to exhibit clinical obesity and overweight characteristics. Phase 3: Behavioural and Environmental Diagnosis In December 2014, NHANES provided FKFF with summary of current data to assist them narrow to the target behaviour and audience for social marketing intervention. Therefore, FKFF decided to prevent obesity among youths that were segmented into pre-school, middle school, elementary school, and high school. Since obesity has numerous environmental and behavioural determinants and because appropriate interventions may differ between the groups, it was significant to narrow the focus. Data presented by NHANES provides that 15.3 % of pre-school, 13.9 % of elementary school, 22.8% of middle school and 13.6% of high school youths are either slightly overweight or overweight. Also, 12.5 % of pre-school, 15.9 % of elementary school, 3.2 % of middle school and 10.5 % of high school youths are extremely overweight or overweight Polhamus et al. (2003) reports. Because the FKFF was aware that they would be using social marketing for obesity prevention, the information concerning developmental and cognitive characteristics of every age group assisted in narrowing to the high school as the target group.Further, FKFF chose physical activity as the target behaviour. The potential behavioural objectives were based on the objects set by health People 2010 related to physical activity. According to Health people 2010, national behavioural objectives of physical activity were to increase the youth proportion that participates in moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week. Secondly, it aimed to increase the proportion of youths engaging in vigorous physical activity that promotes cardiorespiratory fitness 4-5 times a week for 20 minutes per occasion. Lastly, Healthy People 2010 supports the increase in proportion of adolescent that participate in daily school physical education. The FKFF underwent formal environmental diagnosis in where the community researchers collected data to determine places youth say they participate in physical activity. Phase 4: Educational Diagnosis Green et al. (2005) described that enabling factors, predisposing factors, and reinforcing factors are the three major broad categories of factors influencing health behavior. The predisposing factors include motivation, desire for competition, parents and peers. Likewise, the barriers to physical activity included poor body image and desire not to mess up makeup hair. The influencing enabling factors included the availability of facilities and the opportunity to showcase talent while barriers of enabling factors were homework and V and computer games. Lastly, influencers of the reinforcing factors were active people on TV and peers while the barriers included self-concept and poor body image. Phase 5 & 6: Policy and Administration Diagnosis and Implementation The goal of intervention alignment is to try and fit the components of intervention program with various micro and macro-ecological levels of community. The key terms in this PRECEDE-PROCEED model are mapping. Matching, pooling, and patching where the ecological levels are matched to intervention components, where evidence is lacking, interventions that show promise are patched to fill the gaps, practice-based intervention programs are mapped to health problem determinants and evidence-based intervention are pooled and reviewed (Polhamus, Dalenius, Thompson, Scanlon, Borland, Smith & Grummer- Strawn, 2003). Therefore, the FKFF pooled and reviewed numerously existing physical intervention programs. The administrative assessment includes resource assessment needed to implement the program, incorporating timeline developmental and budget. FKFF personnel reviewed the steps of community –based prevention marketing and communicated time involved in the development of evidence-based intervention. Likewise, the committee prepared a one-year budget with consultation from the healthy people department. The appraisal of the organization implementing the program highlighted the commitment of FKFF consistency in obesity intervention program. The scorecard pilot program of FKFF is in the beginning stages of implementation. The members of the group continue to actively recruit members who will in turn provide incentives for youth to participate in physical activity through the reduced cost programs. www.fkff.com has been developed to provide information to the youth. Also, the local radio network has ben contacted for media coverage of the program. Finally, YMCA locations are set for free in the country to promote cool, fun opportunities for youths to be active. Recently, FKFF staffed fresh graduates from universities to provide a cool appearance and direct the youth fun and creative activities as well as providing ideas on creating fun without sports equipment. The programs for local events are underway with the recreation and parks department commencing the summer scorecard with youth beach run. Phases 7, 8, & 9—Process, Impact, and Outcome Evaluation The quantitative component of the evaluation seeks to provide answers for number of youths recruited, website hits, and youths registered, local events, and youths that participated in the grand finale. The group designed impact evaluation to determine if the behavioural objectives set are being met and will consist of the qualitative component. Impact evaluation addresses the level of a moderate increase in moderate and vigorous physical activity among the youths. Likewise, it will determine the level of physical education among the youths. This provides the achievements of health objective through quantitative measures. This provides answers for decrease or increase of risk for overweight among the youths. The baseline data obtained from the Healthy People 2010 will be used to conduct a follow-up on particular youths for the program.ConclusionThe PRECEDE-PROCEED model adopted by Fit Kids Families First in designing the obesity prevention intervention is beneficial for summarizing t he work done and insert what might have been done within the PRECEDE-PROCEED model framework. In particular, the explicit priority and objective setting was an essential proponent of the model. The model further assisted in determining the facets of the program evaluation. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004). Obesity campaign overview. Retrieved April 16, 2006, from http://www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign/overview.htm.Green, L.W., & Kreuter, M.W. (2005). Health program planning: An educational and ecological approach (4Th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Polhamus, B., Dalenius, K., Thompson, D., Scanlon, K., Borland, E., Smith, B., & Grummer- Strawn, L. (2003). Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance 2001 Report. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 2004 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/pdf/2001_ped_nutrition_report.pdf. Source document

Remembering Babylon

1. Significance of the two prefatory quotes: Malouf's choice in prefatory quotes at the beginning of Remembering Babylon are significant in revealing the way in which he wishes to establish the tone of the novel and allow for the reader to reach a place of greater psychological understanding so that they are able to make meaning of the text. In the first, â€Å"Whether this is Jerusalem or Babylon we know not†, taken from a poem by William Blake, Malouf is putting to the reader the question of whether Gemmy has reached a place where he can find redemption (Jerusalem) or entered a world of brutality and cruelty (Babylon). By putting forward this question, Malouf is inducing the readers to begin a more emotionally and ethically deep state while reading the novel, so that the ideas he is presenting are better understood and so that Malouf is able to take his readers to a more spiritually revealing level of consciousness. In Remembering Babylon Gemmy represents the unknown when he is firstly found by the Aboriginals, â€Å"What was it? A†¦creature of a kind they had never seen before†¦? A spirit†¦?†, and then again when he crosses the fence, the physical division between the Settler's and the Indigenous people, â€Å"†¦a human that†¦had been changed into a bird†¦.and now, neither one thing nor the other was hopping and flapping towards them out of a world over there†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Readers can see that in both cases, Gemmy is a source of mystery and confusion; however it is the Aboriginal people who accept Gemmy and are willing to teach Gemmy their way of life, in contrast to his harsh and wary toleration by those in white society. This society is representative of Blake's ‘Babylon', a place of discord, confusion, enslavement and despair, whereas the Aboriginal tribe who takes Gemmy in holds a very distinct sense of tolerance, peace and love (Jerusalem). This sense of the Indigenous society being representative of Jerusalem is reinforced when, at the end of the novel, Gemmy seeks redemption with the Aboriginals after experiencing the brutality of the white society's Babylon, and returns to them in body, spirit and soul. It is therefore evident that this quote holds a significant amount of sway over the psychological level that the reader is on when beginning the novel, and therefore determines their interpretation of the ideas and meanings that Malouf conveys later in the novel. The second prefatory quote, â€Å"Strange shapes and void afflict the soul†¦.etc† is a poem written by John Clare which is used by Malouf as a comparison to the plot and main ideas presented in the novel in an attempt to prepare the reader mentally so that they are able to fully comprehend the text and take the appropriate meanings from it. In the poem, Clare presents a world in chaos with the â€Å"world on fire† where â€Å"smoke seas roll†. The first line of the poem, â€Å"Strange shapes and void afflict the soul† can be linked to the plot of Remembering Babylon where Gemmy and the Aboriginal people are considered to be the â€Å"strange shapes† who â€Å"afflict the soul† of the Settlers who fear them and the air of the unknown that accompany them. This could also be reversed, as the Indigenous people may also have viewed the white settler's as â€Å"strange shapes†, and this is supported by their reaction to their discovery of Gemmy when they assume he is â€Å"a spirit†¦come back from the dead†. â€Å"Shadow to the eye†, puts forward some of the key ideas in the novel, as it may be representative of the Aboriginals, who the settler's sometimes think of as â€Å"shadows† because of their fluid movements. The poem goes on to use apocalyptic type imagery which describes Australia's scorched landscape, â€Å"a world on fire†, and puts forward the idea that this place is a world of chaos and is morally devoid and barren. Clare uses other imagery to this effect, such as â€Å"Shall make sun dark and give no day†, which Malouf is able to use as a way of conveying the Absolute Dark, and the idea that there is a dark â€Å"thunder cloud† between the land and â€Å"Heaven† and the sun, in order to convey to the reader that there is no sunlight in this place, there is no happiness and there is no good; this is a place that God does not see. This quote therefore is also extremely significant in preparing the reader for the journey that they are embarking on whilst reading the novel and allowing them to be psychologically ready to understand Malouf's ideas concerning the Settler's and their treatment of the Aboriginal people, as well as Gemmy, as a result of their fear of that which is unknown to them. 2. Chapter titles in relation to theme Chapter 15 – Shards of my nightmares Chapter 16 – ‘Object' of my affection Chapter 17 – Playground rules Chapter 18 – Hope for a future all too far away Chapter 19 – Becoming clean Chapter 20 – Will you remember me? 3. â€Å"Gemmy is both symbol and character† Gemmy is a symbol in that he is a physical manifestation of everything that the white Settler's fear to become, whilst he is a character who the reader is able to watch evolve emotionally and spiritually throughout the text in order to reach an understanding of his own identity. As a symbol Gemmy is regarded as an object of fear and curiosity. He is proof, as the settler's see it, and a justification of their fears of the Aboriginal people, because of Gemmy's loss of his white heritage, of his civilisation, of â€Å"it†. Gemmy is also a beacon of equality in that if he is able to cross over between the two different societies, then, in essence, they surely cannot be that different from each other. Gemmy is representative of everything the settler's fear to become and as a result he is rejected and alienated in their society. As a character, Malouf uses Gemmy as a portal into both worlds; that of the Aboriginals and the world of the settlers, and because of this, readers are ab le to gain a deeper understanding of the novel. 4. Psychological profile of two significant characters: Janet McIvor is a character in Remembering Babylon whose position in society is constrained by her gender and who challenges society through her defiance of gender stereotypes. Her oppression manifests itself as a number of epiphanies which prove to be a catalyst for her mental and spiritual development throughout the novel. â€Å"†¦when the hard crust lifted, to discover†¦another skin, lustrous pearl†¦might have belonged to some other creature altogether†¦if all the rough skin of her present self crushed and came off , what would be revealed, shining in sunlight, was this finer being that had somehow been covered up in her.† Janet's longing to break free of the restraints that society has placed upon her becomes clear through these epiphanies, where the ‘creature' underneath(her true self) is far more extraordinary and exquisite than her outside shell – the mask that she is forced to wear. This shows that Janet is oppressed by the narrow minde d and Eurocentric views of the settlers. Through her epiphanies, Janet becomes closer to a higher power and therefore is able to see the world in clearer light and with more understanding, making her less prone to judgemental behaviour and prejudice over race. In the first moments that the reader is introduced to the character of Lachlan Beattie he is running wild with his imagination, â€Å"Cold air burned his nostrils, snow squeaked underfoot; the gin her carried†¦hung heavy on his arm.† This establishes psychological indications of the characteristics that he may possess as he develops. He shows arrogance as a key part of his personality and a need to be highly thought of by the adults and his peers, â€Å"For a moment back there, seeing himself as these grown-ups might see him, a mere kid†¦he felt a wave of anxiety at how shaky his power might be†. This need for power manifests itself in reality at the end of the novel when the reader sees that Lachlan has become a somewhat powerful politician. . 5. Significance of Mr Frazer's notebook In Remembering Babylon, Mr Frazer's notebook plays a crucial part in allowing Mr Frazer to act as Malouf's mouthpiece in conveying the idea of hybridity between the natives and the settlers, and in enabling readers to understand the purpose of the novel. The notebook allows for the expression of a post colonial attitude towards colonisation, where Malouf presents the concept that if the settlers were to stop exploiting the land and trying to make it habitable, they would see that it already was and could instead integrate themselves into the native society, â€Å"We have been wrong to see that†¦only by†¦sowing with the seeds we have brought with us, and by importing sheep, cattle, rabbits†¦can it be made habitable. It is habitable already.† With their â€Å"English eyes†, the first settlers only saw that they needed to shape Australia into a new England. Malouf is suggesting that colonisation fails if you attempt to make a country (England) on top of another country (Australia) and that they should stop looking for what they are expecting to see, and open their eyes to the wonders that Australia has to offer. It is this attitude, he suggests, that prevents the settlers from adapting to the native way of life; â€Å"We must rub our eyes and look again, clear our minds of what we are looking for to see what is there.† Through this, Malouf is conveying that the settlers are pompous and arrogant to think they could simply impose themselves upon the land, when they should have adapted to it instead. There is also a significant amount of implied criticism in the notebook where Mr Frazer states, â€Å"The children of this land were made for it†, allowing the reader to Malouf is trying to say that the Aboriginal people belong, whereas the settlers do not. This line of thought provokes the reader to form an opinion over who is entitled to the land. Later, Mr Frazer goes to Governor in order to appeal to him to acknowledge these ideas, however his intentions are completely misunderstood by both the Governor and the Premier, â€Å"Had he made himself so unclear?†, and this is an attempt to convey to the reader that the settlers of the time may have had some very genuinely post colonial views and ideas. However these were prevented from becoming a reality by the British government and the bureaucracy of the time, because of their complete self-involvement and lack of regard for anything that does not affect them and their progress. This idea is put forward to support the ignorance of the English settlers. Mr Frazer's notebook, therefore, plays a very significant role in conveying several key themes and ideas in the novel which in turn allow for the reader to gain a deeper and more complete understanding of the novel by forming their own opinions of these ideas. 6. Language is a recurring motif Remembering Babylon is based almost completely around the concept that language is identity – without it we cannot truly belong. Malouf puts forward the concept that everyone is defined by their language and, by extension, their associated culture. This idea is expressed in the text through three distinctly different forms; the written word, the power of language and the wordless communication that occurs on a different, more spiritual, level of consciousness. In the text there are several different examples of written communication, the most prominent of which are Gemmy's life story and Mr. Frazer's letter to the Governor. These examples are used by Malouf as a warning that the written word should not be considered as reliable or accurate as other forms of communication. In the case of Gemmy's life story, George Abbot alters Gemmy's words as he is writing them down, â€Å"†¦he had introduced into what he had set down a phrase or two of his own†¦this scrap of mistruth†, signifying to the audience that just because a piece of ‘history' is written down does not necessarily mean that it is the truth, and that perspective and translation may also have an effect on the final product. Mr. Frazer's letter to the Governor was in relation to his ideas of how the settler's should work to adapt to the land instead of imposing themselves on it, however these ideas are completely misunderstood by the Governor and the Premier, who end up offering Gemmy a job in response, â€Å"Had he made himself so unclear?† Readers are able to understand that that the written language is discouraged by Malouf as a vehicle for miscommunication, shown through Abbot falsifying Gemmy's story and the misunderstanding with relation to Mr. Frazer's letter. The manipulation of Gemmy's story fits the Eurocentric agenda as it parallels the theft by the settlers of Aboriginal land in the novel. Malouf suggests that the power of language lies in its ability to determine how we make meaning from what we see and experience, that we are defined by it and will be rejected from any society that does not support and accept that language. This is true for Gemmy, as he is never fully accepted by the settlers because of his inability to speak the language. Through this, Malouf suggests that language is culturally restrictive and that it is so powerful that it has the ability to alienate those who cannot or will not adopt the language. This draws a link between language in the text and its ability to control identity and purpose. The wordless, spiritual communication represented by the epiphanies experienced by some characters such as Jock and Janet are able to strengthen their individuality and allows for, Janet especially, the development of their own identities that are not moulded by the expectations of society. Through this, characters are able to develop a new level of understanding, where they are able to rise above the prejudice of the petty and those who have a weak sense of identity and who use the settlers' fear of the Aboriginals and Gemmy as a way to connect with them for a sense of inclusion and purpose. This is demonstrated in the text by Andy McKillop, â€Å"He was determined not to be ignored. He had a savage need to convince people of things; but had first, he knew†¦to convince them about himself.† The power of wordless, spiritual communication therefore plays a significant role in conveying the link between language and identity through epiphany. 7. Symbolism Malouf uses symbolism frequently in Remembering Babylon, and to great effect. His use of symbolism is significant in showing the ways in which the settlers attempt to create and maintain a sense of control and psychological superiority over the Aboriginal people, as well as to show how many of the characters in the novel are able to achieve a clearer understanding of the world through an epiphany, bringing them to a new level of spiritual and emotional clarity. Examples of this can be seen through the symbolism of the stick that Lachlan uses as a gun when he first encounters Gemmy, the bees and the fence. Remembering Babylon is very much centred around the theme of racial superiority. Readers are able to gain an understanding from the novel that this superiority does not truly exist, but that the settlers are determined to hold on to any power they have over the Aboriginals in an effort to maintain control. This is demonstrated through the stick that Lachlan uses as a gun when he first encounters Gemmy and the symbolic nature of what the stick represents. Lachlan imagines the stick to be a gun, and therefore a emblem of power and authority. This action is representative of how the settlers ‘imagine' their power over the Aboriginals in the same way that Lachlan pretends that the stick(equality) is a gun(power and superiority), whereas in reality the settlers are equal to the aboriginals, in the same way that the ‘gun' is simply a stick, which holds no commanding power. By imagining that the stick is a gun, Malouf is suggesting that the power and superiority that the settlers(Lachlan) have over the natives(Gemmy) is simply a psychological manifestation of the Eurocentric views that they have been brought up to believe are a reality. In essence, this one action is symbolic of how the settlers' superiority over the Aboriginals exists only in their minds and has no realistic basis. This is done in an attempt to maintain order, as Lachlan imagines the stick as a gun, he is able to maintain control of the situation. Readers understand that Gemmy is aware that the stick is not really a gun, though it may still be used as a weapon, â€Å"It had taken him only a moment of course to see that it was just a stick, but that did not mean it was harmless†, much like how the psychological beliefs of the settlers could have violent and brutal consequences in the physical realm. This is symbolic of the way that the Aboriginal's are aware that there is no real divide between themselves and the settlers as human beings; however they cooperate with the settlers in order to allow them the idea of control, as Gemmy does with Lachlan, which in turn allows for the Aboriginals to continue their lives in a peaceful manner. The stick therefore is a significant and powerful symbol of the settlers' false power, and this symbolism allows for the interpretation by readers of the th eme. The bees in Remembering Babylon are emblematic of a perfect civilization, where all parts of the society work together as a collective for the good of the collective. The nature of the bees can be linked to the nature of the Aboriginal people, who have a system of hunter gatherers who work together for the good of the tribe. This relationship can also be shown in that the bees will not harm a human unless they feel threatened in some way, much like the Indigenous people would not attack the settlers unless they are provoked. However, as can be seen in the text, Mrs. Hutchence, despite relaying this information to Janet, did not entirely believe it herself, â€Å"She saw then†¦that though her own faith had been absolute, Mrs. Hutchence's had not.† This is also figurative of the settler's view of the Aboriginals; that they may attack at any moment, without warning and without provocation, and that, despite the McIvors' insistence that Gemmy is not a threat to the community, many of the settlers are still reluctant to believe them and regard Gemmy as a threat. In the novel, the fence is representative of the dividing line between the Absolute Dark and civilization. This line is clear and definitive, clearly a physical depiction of how the settlers believe that there is a clear and distinct hierarchy between them and the Aboriginals, and this is founded by their belief in white supremacy. The fence is the dividing line between the barbaric and unknown darkness of the Aboriginals and the bright, civilized and safe world of the settlers. It provides a psychological boundary as well as a physical one that separates the Aboriginals from the settlers and allows them the pretence of safety and superiority over them. This physical boundary highlights the need for the settlers to extend this idea of superiority into the physical world through the fence in order to reinforce their unwavering belief that there are no similarities between themselves and the Indigenous people. 8. Literary Techniques used to convey values and themes Malouf uses a number of literary techniques throughout Remembering Babylon that aid in the passage of values and themes to the reader. Several of these techniques are more effective in conveying values and themes; these include Malouf's use of imagery, point of view and style. Remembering Babylon has an omniscient narrative, and therefore the reader is able to look through certain characters' perspectives. They are able to see Sir George's grandeur expectations or Lachlan's youthful view of the world, as in each chapter the narration is filtered through a particular character's perspective. Malouf may have elected to write his novel in the third person as a way to provide different views on certain situations in order to help the reader gain a more complete grasp of the significance of particular events. Third person narrative makes it easier for the reader to understand the transformation of each character in the novel and the profound ways in which Gemmy has influenced their lives, whether it be to bring out the best in them as human beings, or the worst in them through their fear of change and the unknown. Malouf's style is unique, and one of the most potent literary techniques is his restrained writing. This style of writing uses the power of suggestion, which allows the reader to form their own opinions on certain events and ideas in the novel. The most obvious example of this may be Mr. Frazer's visit to the Governor's house where he misunderstands the situation unfolding around him with the Governor's wife and the Premier. As a result of Mr. Frazer's misinterpretation of the situation, the audience is not given a clear understanding of the event; however this allows for reader interpretation and is forced to form their own ideas about what has occurred. Another such example of this style of writing is evident in chapter two of the text, when Gemmy is washed up onto the shore. Malouf has no way of knowing what the Aboriginal people would have been thinking, as he is not an Aboriginal himself and has never experienced their way of life, however Malouf uses this technique to suggest many things about their thoughts of Gemmy. Imagery is a very prominent technique used by Malouf in Remembering Babylon and can be seen when Gemmy is visited in the settlement by the two Aboriginals, â€Å"†¦as he recognised one and then another feature of it, the site of old happenings†¦felt the energy flow back into him, and saw†¦how weak he had grown in these last months†¦the land up there was his mother†¦it belonged to him as he did to it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This use of imagery demonstrates how Gemmy views the land the way the Aboriginals do – as his ‘mother', a living organism to be taken care of and nurtured. Imagery is used by Malouf as a way of showing the audience the differences in perspective of each of the characters in that not all of them would view the land the way that Gemmy does, and this therefore leads into the theme of how the settlers try to change the land. Gemmy does not understand this, as changing the land to him would be like trying to change his mother. In this way, Malouf is showing the audience the effect that a different upbringing can have on our perception of the world around us. 9. Malouf's sympathies Malouf conveys sympathy towards both the Aboriginals and the Settler's throughout Remembering Babylon. It is obvious that his favour lies with the Indigenous people, as can be seen in chapter two, where Malouf reveals the good nature of the Aboriginals through their partial acceptance of Gemmy after he is washed up on the shore. The tribe who took him in treated Gemmy more like a human being than any of the settlers did throughout the entirety of the novel. However, it can also be seen that Malouf has sympathy for the settlers as well, and this is shown through the characterisation of the McIvors. This is done as, if Malouf were to generalise all of the settlers and to provide the reader with evidence only to support their negative nature, audiences would assume that the settlers were ‘evil' and incapable of human emotions such as kindness and compassion. However, Malouf realises that the settlers are human beings with real emotions and that, while they have been wildly misled by their forefathers about their superiority over other cultures, are not truly evil. Obviously, the vast majority of the settlers stick to their stubborn refusal to accept Gemmy and all that he represents, which is done sometimes out of fear, and sometimes out of malice and contempt, however, some, such as the McIvors and Mrs. Hutchence, who despite being trapped in a society with very prominent Eurocentric views, are able to grow and rise above this, though they still have their reservations. If Malouf did not do this and instead was to generalise all the settlers, presenting them to the reader as the ‘evil' of the story to be hated without question or complaint, he would in essence be conveying the same attitude that the settlers have towards the Aboriginals, by assuming that they are all to be hated and feared, and that there could not possibly be any remnants of goodness in them.