Judeo Christian Veiws on God

Explain how the Judeo Christian tradition shows the goodness of God The ‘goodness’ of God, as a concept, refers to the holiness and care that god himself initiates on his people, however the Judeo-Christian tradition hold that gods attributes cannot be a ‘concept’ as god is personal, and treats all living beings as individuals.The biblical god, a completely different god than that of Plato or any philosopher, who can be seen as a ‘concept’ can be referred and described to as ‘good’ throughout scriptures through acts of kindness and his characteristics of denying those who are evil for the better of mankind; ‘You have rejected me, says the lord, your are going backward so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you’ (Jeremiah 15. 6). According to this Judeo-Christian tradition gods goodness cannot have attributes of evil and portray his acts of being hard done by as help to those who need it.However this a nger is not subjected to those who have done nothing wrong, but to those who are unjust and mistreat those of equality to them. The simple understanding of gods goodness is to look at what he does, he is beneficial to his creatures and doesn’t act for his own profit, but for those on earth to create a helpful father as he wishes to be conceived; ‘I myself, said, how gladly I treat you like sons, and give you a desirable land, the most insurance of any nation.I thought you would call me father and not turn away from me’ (Jeremiah 3. 19-20). God also promises Abraham that he would be the father to the Israelites, a great nation. The goodness which is a strong participant of gods role in the bible, along with the ten commandments ‘do not commit adultery, do no steal’ and so forth, conduct a role in which those who follow the doings of god will also take on. This also helps the follower of god to feel innate and closer to god as they respond and follow h is rules with obedience.Gods acts on individual people whilst helping them, is simply for their faith to be held with him, and they believe whatever god puts forth for them to do, they shall do it as god is good, and wouldn’t want to cause intentional hurt without reason. (quote 1). God can further can be seen as having personal feelings, as he is seen to be hurt and becomes angry when people disobey his orders and when people fail to respond to his commands, for example committing adultery would be a sin against god; ‘Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband, so you have been faithless to me, Oh house of Israel, says the lord’ (Jeremiah 3:19 19-20).God also shows love and compassion, another two attributes to gods goodness, as he bore a son to Hannah as she prayed to him to ‘look on the misery of your servant and remember me†¦.. give to your servant a male child’ (Jeremiah 3:19-20) Although his anger and the justice he serves on those wh o disobey him are sometimes seen as mean, they are attributes to his personality as a god and believers see this as him being fair and just.He does these as comeuppance to supposed faithful ones to take advantage of his goodness, and is still seen as perfect; ‘He is the rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just. A faithful god who does no wrong, upright and just is he. They have acted corruptly towards him, to their shame they are no longer his children but a warped and crocked generation’. (Deuteronomy 32. 4-5)       It is essential therefore, for people to respond to god’s demands with faith and obedience as god is the only one who understands and defines goodness, humans cannot understand this concept as we are tempted by evil.Having faith in god when you are poor and with nothing may be hard, but as Abraham sets example and continues believing in god, others should follow and having faith may lead them to a better fortune and not give up on ho pe. The goodness of god in the bible is represented through situations and stories told for centuries, they show his many attributes that fold into the one personality of god, to be and always be infinitely good.

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein Essay

   The director has made it clear to the audience that the film will be about life and death by having a statue of Jesus almost toppling over, next to a large figure of the grim reaper representing death. When Frankenstein is digging the grave up, he throws dirt over the statue, perhaps representing how he has no respect for death. The props and costumes are used reflect the setting and atmosphere. Dr. Frankenstein’s clothes differ from the rest of the cast, wearing a cravat and white shirt; the director may have done this to represent his higher status in society, compared to the mourners or Frankenstein’s hunchback assistant. In Branagh’s film the costumes are all very similar, they play no major part in the first four minutes studied. However they help to keep in with the mono colour of the ice and pale faces. These bland colours create a stark and dramatic contrast to the bright red blood which comes on screen when the monster’s hand dramatically appears. The make up worn by the characters in Whale’s film is heavy, pronounced and very theatrical; designed so that people in the theatre could see the faces from far away, but on camera it looks exaggerated and over the top. Branagh has used make-up subtly and realistically, creating red cheeks to show cold conditions alongside messy hair and unshaven faces to represent the length of time since the characters have been near civilization. Whale’s theatrical past suggests why all the facial expressions and movements are prominent and exaggerated. Although Branagh also has a distinguished history in theatre, Whale was working in the beginnings of Hollywood when cinema was portrayed much like theatre on screen. In the first close ups of Fritz and Frankenstein they are both wide-eyed which connotes stereotypical mad scientists and both characters creep around the graveyard with dramatic stage whispers. The facial expressions and emotions in Branagh’s Frankenstein are far less obvious and it is due to this fact that there is a lot more change in emotion over a short space of time. During a few minutes, the expressions of one character changed from fear, to pride, to concentration and then anger. This emotion change is slightly exaggerated to let the audience engage and empathize with the characters. One way that Branagh lets the audience use their imagination is by his use of positioning within the frame. Most shots are very closely cropped to the faces so that we can see expressions clearly. However, when the monster was killing the dogs, Branagh cleverly clipped the shots so that the suspense could be continued and prolonged. This method of positioning is a big contrast to Whale’s. Most of the shots in his version are mid or long and there are very few point-of-view or close ups. This is partly due to the lack of technology and experience. Branagh may have used more adventurous and interesting angles but he has had 60 years of Hollywood to look back on; Whale was at a huge disadvantage in this respect and this should of course be considered when deciding who is the better director. Whale did try and be adventurous in some respects: he used an effective high angle shot towards the end of the four minutes, it showed Fritz and Frankenstein walking towards the gallows, which heightened the feeling of a change of setting, and it clearly showed the rocky landscape, which also increased the sense of fear. Whale has placed the characters so that they were very central within the frame. The camera sticks to the action and follows it, much like if one were watching a play, a method most probably influenced by Whale’s history in theatrical directing. Branagh’s editing is a great deal faster than Whale’s so this gives him more scope to change the camera angles. However, the reason for this difference in speed could be down to the settings of the expositions, not effectiveness of directing. Branagh’s film begins in a chaotic storm with lots of action, whereas Whale tries to connote sense of fear and slow eeriness. Branagh tries to create an emotional impact and takes it for granted that the audience will understand and follow the action, whereas Whale’s style is more conventional and his editing is used for practical purposes and to see the setting and to follow the action. As an audience in the 20 and 21st century, we are so used to the conventional shock tactics, that we fail to take into account their effect in older films, such as Whale’s Frankenstein. Although aspects of Whale’s production may seem dated to today’s audience, there’s an atmosphere present that would be hard to re-create, even with technological advances. Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein, for all its use of modern technology, lacks the atmospheric build up that Whale’s seems to have. Whale’s film is more like the nineteenth century novel; his style suits the slow unveiling of narrative, as in the book, whereas Branagh conveys a sense of action and fast moving suspense to satisfy the ever-demanding audience. The fast moving action means that Branagh has not had a chance to build up a sense of fear; everything is over dramatized and with a very fast pace. Although Branagh has indeed created an atmospheric build up, using all the modern technology available, James Whale’s Frankenstein has stood the test of time and, although it was directed 63 years before Branagh’s, has used the most effective techniques available to build up an atmosphere of tension and fear. If an audience of today find Whale’s directing more or equally effective than Branagh’s then imagine how well it would have worked on audiences unaccustomed to this level of horror within a film. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis: Transformations in Gregor’s Family Essay

While it is apparent that the term metabolism chiefly pertains to the unaccountable alterations that Gregor Samsa faced. it may besides be said that the other characters experienced a metabolism of their ain. Specifically. despite Gregor’s bad luck and eventual death. considerable alterations have manifested for the benefit of Gregor’s household such as his male parent recovering enthusiasm in work ( Mallison 15 ) . To farther explain. Gregor Samsa’s sudden alteration in an insect has caused his household to alter their ways in order to last. Taking into consideration that Gregor chiefly provided for the demands of his household prior to his transmutation. it was decidedly no longer a pick for his male parent. female parent. and sister to pass their yearss lazily or fruitlessly. In add-on to such alterations. their mode of perceptual experience was altered throughout the patterned advance of the narrative every bit good. In peculiar. a metabolism besides occurred in how they perceived Gregor Samsa’s humanity and being. Therefore. it is so incontrovertible that Gregor’s father. female parent. and sister all underwent a procedure of metabolism as good albeit non in visual aspect but instead in footings of their actions and beliefs. Gregor provided for the demands of his household wholly. as they no longer had to busy themselves with any signifier of labor and labour. As noted in the narrative. Gregor â€Å"felt a great pride that he was able to supply a life like that in such a nice place for his sister and parents† ( Kafka 22 ) . However. upon recognizing that holding no 1 to back up the household due to Gregor’s unfortunate transmutation into an insect. Gregor’s father knew that he had to alter his ways and one time once more effort to do a life. This was non an easy undertaking though as Gregor’s male parent. holding suffered from unsuccessful concern chases in the yesteryear was â€Å"lacking in ego confidence† ( Kafka 28 ) . However. the male parent that Gregor one time knew. who ever acted and presented himself in a laid back mode. has undergone a considerable metabolism of his ain. Not merely did Gregor’s male parent get a occupation at a banking house. hence explicating a alteration in facets of vesture. a genuinely across-the-board transmutation is signified by holding â€Å"piercing dark eyes. that looked out fresh and alert† ( Kafka 36 ) . With such great alterations. it becomes evident that by the terminal of the narrative Gregor’s male parent was no longer a adult male haunted by failure. but alternatively embodied deserving and gained a renewed hungriness for achievements. In add-on to his father’s transmutation. Gregor’s female parent and sister underwent metabolism every bit good. First. it may look that Gregor’s female parent. being faced with a serious wellness status would non be able to alter her ways or to presume more duties. Particularly. Gregor’s female parent â€Å"suffered from asthma and it was a strain for her merely to travel about the home† ( Kafka 28 ) . However. as brought Forth by the alterations in their family. in add-on to perchance seeing the notable transmutation of his hubby. she was besides able to populate a more productive life style. Interestingly. the undertaking that Gregor’s female parent accomplished in order to farther procure the fiscal stableness of her household required minimum physical strain ; she â€Å"sew fancy underclothes for a manner shop† ( Kafka 39 ) . Grete. Gregor’s sister. on the other manus really got a proper occupation. following the stairss of her brother as she â€Å"had taken a gross revenues job† ( Kafka 39 ) . Albeit antecedently non seeing the demand to procure duties of her ain. her metabolism really foremost occurred when she felt the demand to care for her brother ; holding to carry through the most basic jobs without fail. even though she ne'er became accustomed to his brother’s new signifier. Throughout the points mentioned above. it becomes clear that the other members of Gregor’s household underwent a metabolism in their actions or more specifically in their duties and chases. Regardless. it transformations in footings of belief or perceptual experience should non be disregarded. To elaborate. the mode in which they believed or perceived Gregor as a household member. despite his abhorrent province. has besides undergone a metabolism throughout the narrative. Once earlier. Gregor’s mother even questioned the impression of taking all furniture from Gregor’s room. claiming that â€Å"it’d be best to go forth the room precisely the manner it was before so that when Gregor comes back to us once more he’ll happen everything unchanged† ( Kafka. 32 ) . With such words. it is obvious that there is still a belief that Gregor is so the insect before them. merely holding gone through a impermanent metabolism. a mere ordeal which would shortly go through. However. as Gregor’s household shortly became more self-sufficing. their perceptual experiences sing Gregor finally changed. In the terminal. even Gregor’s most darling sister exclaimed the followers: â€Å"I don’t want to name this monster my brother. all I can state is: we have to seek and acquire rid of it† ( Kafka. 49 ) . The metabolism of each member of Gregor’s household would non hold been possible if his ain metabolism has non occurred. Hence. metabolism in this sense may besides be pertained to as an exchange or tradeoff between luck and bad luck. or between accomplishment and debasement. Particularly. such a position would most be most interesting to farther emphasize in the context of Grete. As Hill specifically references in a unfavorable judgment of Kafka’s work. â€Å"the narrative unhappily implies that merely false semblance can go a redemptive ideal. merely under its clasp can life blossom† ( 162 ) . Even though non faced with a desperate demand to gain or to accomplish fiscal success. as other members of the household have gained proper occupations. Grete still aimed to prosecute similar ends. It is decidedly challenging to larn that she has acquired a similar occupation to that his brother one time held. connoting that she may be seeking to finish the spread left by her brother as a gesture of regard. In decision. Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is non simply a narrative sing peculiar alterations experienced by an single but most significantly Tells of how such alterations may convey forth a myriad of possible results for others. Works Cited Hill. Stanley. â€Å"Kafka’s Metamorphosis. † Explicator 61. 3 ( 2003 ) : 161 – 162. Print. Kafka. Franz. The Metamorphosis. Vista. Calcium: Boomer Books. 2008. Print. Mallison. Jane. Book Smart: Your Essential Reading List for Becoming a Literary Genius in 365 Days. New York. New york: McGraw Hill Companies. 2007. Print.

Cybersecurity Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cybersecurity Profile - Essay Example In conclusion, it is important to note that security controls and profiles will vary with information systems in different organizations. In this case, the security controls inherent in the Agency are crucial controls that are aimed at maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of the data and information. To achieve a complete and sound security profile, the management, operational and technical controls must be implemented to complement each other for effective results. Planning control lays a foundation for other management controls, this can be done through security policy and procedures and security plan. Basic operational controls such as security awareness and training are crucial in any organization. Through security awareness and training policy and procedures and user awareness, security can be achieved. Finally, the technical controls offer a final remedy for security concerns in the organization. Basically, the identification and authentication control is one of the effe ctive technical controls. By user identification and authentication and device identification and authentication controls, the agency can address the issue of unauthorized access. The identification and authentication procedures and guidelines in the agency require that each device is identified and authenticated before a connection is established. Confidentiality and security can easily be breached through intruding devices. The agency has a device identification and authentication procedure in place that is guided by the IRM of IRS.

Elements of the Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Elements of the Legal System - Essay Example The adversarial type is always seen on films and read in novels. The adversarial model works in two types of criminal cases: First are the celebrated cases, where famous people are involved, or cases that are horrifying and beyond the normal type of crime. Second are the serious felonies, which include serious misdemeanors that are done by strangers. The consensual model is a model classified as more effective because there is good cooperation from both the defense and prosecutor. In this model, the two attorneys from both sides share the same understanding of the crimes and punishments. These attorneys think that arguing over the case will only slow down the court proceedings of the case when their main purpose is to make the process faster and finish the throng of cases as quickly and effectively as possible. Crime Control vs. Due Process Models. Crime control model is the assurance of public protection. This type of model believes that all criminal suspects are guilty; thus, their cases should be dealt quickly in the courts or in any other legal branches. The legal process of this model with the criminal suspects is characterized like that of a conveyer belt where all cases and the suspects pass by in the conveyer belt quick and fast. â€Å"Crime control and consensual models complement each other since crime control gives importance to quickly and efficiently convict criminal suspects to ensure the public their safety† (Barkan, 2009). The consensual model gives importance of the same goal but only because to ensure of the continuous and uninterrupted court proceedings. In contrast, due process model is a model that protects and ensures the suspected criminal from the likely abuse of the government of its power. This model take into consideration that the suspected criminal or defendant is innocent of the charges thrown at him. In a democratic country, both the innocent and the guilty deserve to have proper court proceedings and ensure of their indivi dual freedom. The adversarial model and the due process model â€Å"complement each other† since the former model stresses on challenging the evidences of the two parties while the latter highlights on protecting the rights of the suspected offender (Barkan, 2009). Lawyers The significance of the function of a defense attorney is to talk and act in behalf of the defendant. A defense attorney understands the fair process of the criminal justice system. A defendant is in need of every legal advice and counsel throughout the court proceedings, and a defense attorney is the one that gives such. A defense attorney also â€Å"represents the defendant after the he or she is taken into custody†¦to give advice and to make sure constitutional rights are not violated during pretrial procedures† (â€Å"The Adversary Justice System,† n.d.). The prosecuting attorney does not give advices the same way a defense attorney does. A prosecutor’s responsibility is making sure that parties involved in the trial are conscious and be aware of legal measures. Prosecuting vs. Defense Attorney. The prosecuting and the defense attorneys both lay their sides to the judge and to the jury, and during the trial proceedings of the case both are involved. The prosecuting team goes first in presenting evidence that proves the conviction of the defendant followed by the defendant who is going to present his or her

Computer Generated Imagery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Computer Generated Imagery - Essay Example Another important reason why CGIs are worth the appreciation and support is that they have allowed and encouraged the filmmakers to broaden the horizon of their imaginations. What we saw in inception and 2012 recently, there is the probability that the directors of 70s or 80s may have thought on these lines but failed to translate their imaginations and ideas on screen because of absence of this technology. Today, the filmmakers have the liberty to think beyond what is known by science and technology. In fact, with their imagination and its on screen translation with the help of CGI, filmmakers even provide new directions to the scientists and experts to think (Page, pp. 52-59). Moreover, it has also benefited the video game industry because now it has become possible for the videogame creators to produce videogames of many movies and television series, which are on screen. Examples like Tomb Raider, Max Payne, Saw, Home Alone, Hit Man, Resident Evil, Doom, Mortal Kombat, Prince of P ersia, The Karate Kid, The Mask of Zorro, Star Wars, Street Fighters, Spider Man, Alice in wonderland and others (Miller, Vandome & McBrewster, pp 152-155). CGI has allowed people to achieve real and higher level entertainment from the movies. Without any doubts, the audience usually forms strong associations with the movies, their characters, plots, and scenarios. Furthermore, moviemakers earn a lot from these movies as compared to other professions. This is because the people are ready to pay huge amounts to see certain movies. The point here is that with CGI, the entertainment industry, in the real scene has been the â€Å"entertainment† industry. People are getting value for their money. They get to see stuff, which is beyond their imagination, they heroes doing... This paper talks about a very interesting today's problem - CGI. CGI stands for Computer Generated Imagery and it refers to any static or moving visual image whose creation or finishing had become possible due to the help and graphics added by the computer. Film industry like any other industry is facing the pressures of globalization and competition. Gone are the days when filmmakers had no concern about the budgets of the film, expenses, and costs of the projects only because the idea and the cast of the film were too strong. Producers are now looking for efficient methods of filmmaking with maximum and high quality results. Much of the technological innovation is the result of the same and so is the CGI technology. It allows the filmmakers to save great amount of time, money, and effort. With CGI, filmmakers do not have to make efforts towards gathering the entire cast, crew on a single shooting location for a scene but a scene can be shot at any location, and CGI will do the rest. Furthermore, CGI can also create scenes, which are not only costly but dangerous as well. The paper concludes that in the absence of CGI or in the absence of the recent advancements, which have taken place in CGI, the audience would have found themselves deprived of much needed entertainment and imagination. CGI has not only revolutionized but also provided great benefits to the industry and the audiences. However, it is important for the filmmakers not to lose focus of other essential elements of filmmaking while using CGI.

The Importance of Coffee in the Brazilian Economy Essay

The Importance of Coffee in the Brazilian Economy - Essay Example This paper demonstrates the importance of coffee production in the economy of Brazil. There is two figures in the essay which graphically illustrates the production of coffee over the recent years. Brazil is not only the largest producer of coffee and produces an estimated one third of world’s total coffee produce, and is also the world’s second largest consumer of coffee behind USA. Coffee is a key ingredient of the economy of the country on three main counts – a key economic activity contributing to the GDP, a major export item, and an important industry for employment. Agriculture accounts for 36% of Brazil’s exports, with coffee being the biggest exported agricultural item at $4.7 billion, by value. Coffee contributes to 0.27% of the total economy in Brazil and 2.1% of total exports. Brazil has 2.1 million hectares of land under coffee cultivation (ICO) with an estimated 350,000 producers spread through 14 states, and 160 firms exporting coffee. The production and processing of coffee is highly labor intensive industry and the coffee industry provides direct and indirect employment to nearly 8.5 million people in Brazil. This translates to almost 5% of the total population working in the coffee industry in Brazil. Historically, coffee has been an important component of the economy in Brazil. Brazil was the largest producer of coffee in the world and it accounted for 75% of Brazil’s total exports. Although this weight has reduced significantly over time, the contribution of coffee to the economy is still significant. In the 1990s, coffee was a key pillar of the economy in Brazil by supporting it in four ways – contribution to the economic activity, contribution to exports thereby increasing the foreign reserves, contribution to employment, and a key area of foreign investment. The coffee market was under government control until the 1990s, when the government decided to convert it to free market. This led to a lot of foreign investment in the sector and therefore helped the economy build its foreign reserves. The production and export trend of coffee is shown in Figure 1 below. It is evident that the coffee production overall has been increasing over the years. Also, the exports of coffee have been increasing constantly in accordance with the production. The peak production reached was in 2002 when it reached 2.65 million metric tons (MMT). However, although the coffee exports have been generally increasing, the weight of coffee in exports (by value) has been generally decreasing over the years, and over the last few years has stabilized at 2.1%. This is evident in Figure 2 where it is seen that the weight of coffee in exports has continuously reduced from a peak of 5.2% in 1997 to 1.8% in 2004 where after it has almost stabilized to 2.1%. Coffee is clearly a key part of the Brazilian economy - it forms a large part of the agricultural produce of the country and is a major export item for Brazil. It provides employment to nearly 5% of the Brazilian population and has historically been an important driver for foreign investments. Over the years, its relative weight in exports has been decreasing indicating that the dependence of the Brazilian economy on coffee is decreasing slowly; however, coffee still continues

Fringe Benefits Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fringe Benefits Tax - Essay Example This value is taxed on the top marginal tax rate. A statutory formula is prescribed for the payment of the FBT based on the value of the car and the distance travelled during the year irrespective of whether the vehicle was used for business or personal purposes. The lease payments or the running costs do not matter for the calculation of the FBT. If the car is made available for the personal use of the employees only for a certain period of the year then the FBT payable is calculated on a proportionate basis with the employer paying the FBT for the period for which the vehicle was actually used by the employee for his/her personal use instead of the whole year. Under this method the employee is allowed to reduce the FBT liability by making their own contributions towards the running expenses of the car. These contributions are to be deducted from their after tax salary. The amount of running expenses spent by the employee goes to reduce the same amount of FBT liability subject however to the maximum limit of the capital cost multiplied by the statutory fraction as specified by the Tax Office plus 10% GST. This implies that the personal taxation liability of the employee on the post-tax contribution is likely to be substantially less than the applicable FBT rate which is the maximum marginal rate of taxation. Robert Smith Cost of the Vehicle $ 44,000 Distance Travelled 20,000 Kms Lease Rent $ 12000 Running Cost and Maintenance $ 3300 Statutory percentage 20 percent of the FBV Amount of FBT payable $

Exploiting New Ideas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Exploiting New Ideas - Essay Example The working environment calls for the human resource department to talk of work in terms of output. The concentration of their workload is always the prime key for survival and going to upper management level or having a merit increase or vying for promotions. A big part of the big company's strategy to lessen work loads for a facilitated paper flow is the common centralization strategy. Looking into every inch of centralization is the limitation given to a certain employee to work on a particular project or subject or production phase only. It does not warrant the assumption of skill development through wide exposure of the company's different departments. Thus, the function of work is limited only to the job on hand. However, there are supervisors who constantly boost the morale of their employees and are very supportive with their endeavors to improve work efficiency. Still, procedures are being followed. In big corporations, work functions and loads are being followed literally. Example if you are in a marketing department, your concern is only with marketing. If there are any matters that relates to product innovations or improvements, it lies still in the department. They tend to wait for other people to look into the matter and giv e the feedback to quality or product control. The thing is, they really won't mind whether they get to view some changes. Their main concern is only how to market the product and how to properly draw their strategy to the segmented market. Somehow big corporations overlook expressions of inventiveness of their employees and come to refer those things only with systems and procedures or with research and development department. The act of transparency and information sharing is limited and is not so effective. Almost always, matters are often marked as classified or top secret like a government handy work. What is there to think of when the moment you begin to access data it is always looking for higher level authority access or it is always being pinned down to no access or access denied paraphrase. I am not talking about making confidentiality a common book for reading but simply stating that ideas are being maneuvered into a firewall if we talk in terms of computer. One just cannot read and one just doesn't have the freedom to generate new systems or generate new ideas. That is the humor of the complexities of the structure of big corporations it just can't get its grasp on the simplicity of small fundamentals and ba sics of business life. Delving into patent applications, small business market trend and procedures and looking into individual creativity, a lot of product or services is a by-product of our imaginations and dreams to make something out of life and out of what we want to do. Mostly, inventions came from the necessity to make our work more efficient and speed performance either in us being the worker and the performer or the materials itself that was used or in the systems and procedures that the company has sustained its operations. Employees in small businesses might not be as systematic as in structured big corporations but they are prone to developing their

Statutory Interpretation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statutory Interpretation - Case Study Example The first condition is defined as the first limb according to which the defendant did a dishonest act according to the reasonable and honest people. According, to this standard what the accused did was clearly dishonest as she took the ring without permission and secondly, the defendant was not even in a state to comprehend what was happening to her. According, to the second limb of the case law, in order to establish the dishonesty of the accused, it would have to be proved that the accused would himself realize that what he did was dishonest according to the standards of reasonable and honest people. In this case, both of the situations are certainly fulfilled as Debbie herself would realize what she did was dishonest as she took the ring from an innocent person in order to sell it for her use and purpose. Since, the crime has been proved, now comes the role of the statuary acts in order to convict this person accordingly of the sort of crime convicted. According to the section number eight of the Theft Act 1968, the person is found to be guilty of an offence when the person steals and in order to steal, subjects the person to some sort of force or seeks to create the feeling of force being used. In this case, Debbie did not use force but when the defendant awoke created the feeling of fear of death as she told the defendant that if she reacted, death was certain. Hence, Debbie clearly fulfilled the criteria of the statute and hence, would be convicted of the crime as according to section one of the same act, the person is found to be guilty when he or she take property with the intention of permanently depriving the person of it. So, according to this definition of the word guilty in section one of the Theft Act 1968, Debbie is clearly guilty.Bi) According to section two of the Fraud Act 2006, the person is found to guilty if he fulfils a number of conditions laid out including if the person dishonestly makes a false representation those include the intention of making the representation, making a gain for himself or another, or in order to cause loss to another or to expose another to a risk of loss.In the case of the representation element, the case if proved too false when it fulfils the following criteria; it is untrue or misleading, and the person making it knows that it is, or might be, untrue or misleading. The definition of "Representation" means any representation as to fact or law, including a representation as to the state of mind of the person making the representation, or Any other person and lastly the representation may be express or implied. In the case of Alex, Clare and his grandmother Bella, all three counts of fraud were visible as according to the first section of the section number two of the Fraud Act 2006, Alex is dishonestly making a false representation of the actual scenario. Though he is actually at fault and is responsible for the accident, has made it the fault of the other driver and is insisting upon the fact that it was a form of revenge on the behalf of the militant vegetarian in order to induce a fear of guilt in Bella. Thus, such a false represent

Relationships and Sexuality Worksheet and Journal Essay

Relationships and Sexuality Worksheet and Journal - Essay Example This paper highlights that the passages offered for consideration provide a comprehensive look at Christian perception of human relations based on the idea of unselfish help, love and cooperation in the name of God. The righteousness is reflected in a kind and respectful way a person treats other people. At the same time, the importance of careful choice of friends is emphasized, for friends should help a person in self-improvement and encourage all the best traits and qualities. Thus, these passages shape the attitude towards relationships based on benevolence.As the report outlines sexuality viewed from the Christian point of view should be free of impurity and sexual immorality. The key ideas promoted in the given passages are: 1) the connection between a human and the God through the body and thus necessity to keep the body ‘clean’ from adultery, sexually immoral actions and evil desires; 2) the idea of mutual marital fidelity and being loyal to a single person whom one has once chosen. In other words, sexuality in Christian context has certain moral restrictions that should keep people from crossing the line between sexuality and immorality.  The purpose in life is a kind of a lighthouse that leads us though the life journey, otherwise we could easily get lost. In fact, a person can take anything for a life purpose, anything that fills his/her way with sense turning mere existence into full life.  

Sample Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Sample Marketing Plan Essay The following pages contain an annotated sample marketing plan for Blue Sky Clothing. At some point in your career, you will likely be involved in writing—or at least contributing to –a marketing plan. And you’ll certainly read many marketing plans throughout your business career. Keep in mind that the plan for Blue Sky is a single example; no one format is used by all companies. Also, the Blue Sky plan has been somewhat condensed to make it easier to annotate and illustrate the most vital features. The important point to remember is that the marketing plan is a document designed to present concise, cohesive information about a company’s marketing objectives to managers, lending institutions, and others who are involved in creating and carrying out the firm’s overall business strategy. Five-Year Marketing Plan Blue Sky Clothing, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This five-year marketing plan for Blue Sky Clothing has been created by its two founders to secure additional funding for growth and to inform employees of the company’s current status and direction. Although Blue Sky was launched only three years ago, the firm has experienced greater-than-anticipated demand for its products, and research as shown that the target market of sport-minded consumers and sports retailers would like to buy more casual clothing than Blue Sky currently offers. They are also interested in extending their product line as well as adding new product lines. In addition, Blue Sky plans to explore opportunities for online sales. The marketing environment has been very receptive to the firm’s high-quality goods—casual clothing in trendy colors with logos and slogans that reflect the interests of outdoor enthusiasts around the country. Over the next five year, Blue Sky can increase its distribution, offer new products, and win new customers. COMP ANY DESCRIPTION Blue Sky Clothing was founded three years ago by entrepreneurs Lucy Neuman and Nick Russell, Neuman has an undergraduate degree in marketing and worked for several years in the retail clothing industry. Russell operated an adventure business called Go West!, which arranges group trips to locations in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, before selling the enterprise to a partner. Neuman and Russell, who have been friends since college, decided to develop and market a line of clothing with a unique—yet universal—appeal to outdoor enthusiasts. Blue Sky Clothing reflects Neuman’s and Russell’s passion for the outdoors. The company’s original cotton T-shirts, baseball caps, and fleece jackets and vests bear logos of different sports—such as kayaking, mountain climbing, bicycling, skating, surfing, and horseback riding. But every item shows off the company’s slogan: â€Å"Go Play Outside.† Blue Sky sells clothing for both men and women, in the hottest colors with the coolest names—such as sunrise pink, sunset red, twilight purple, desert rose, cactus green, ocean blue, mountaintop white, and river rock gray. Blue Sky attire is currently carried by small retail stores that specialize in outdoor clothing and gear. Most of these stores are concentrated in northern New England, California, the Northwest, and a few states in the South. The high quality, trendy colors, and unique message of the clothing have gained Blue Sky a following among consumers between the ages of 25 and 45. Sales have tripled in the last year alone, and Blue Sky is currently working to expand its manufacturing capabilities. Blue Sky is also committed to giving back to the community by contributing to local conservation programs. Ultimately, the company would like to develop and fund its own environmental programs. This plan will outline how Blue Sky intends to introduce new products, expand its distribution, enter new markets, and give back to the community. BLUE SKY’S MISSION AND GOALS Blue Sky’s mission is to be the leading producer and marketer of personalized, casual clothing for consumers who love the outdoors. Blue Sky wants to inspire people to get outdoors more often and enjoy family and friends while doing so. In addition, Blue Sky strives to design programs for preserving the natural environment. During the next five years, Blue Sky seeks to achieve the following financial and nonfinancial goals: Financial Goals 1. Obtain financing to expand manufacturing capabilities, increase distribution, and introduce two new product lines. 2. Increase revenues by at least 50 percent each year. 3. Donate at least $25,000 a year to conservation organizations. Nonfinancial goals 4. Introduce two new product lines—customized logo clothing and lightweight luggage. 5. Enter new geographic markets, including southwestern and Mid-Atlantic States. 6. Develop a successful Internet site, while maintaining strong relationships with retailers. 7. Develop its own conservation program aimed at helping communities raise money to purchase open space. CORE COMPETENCIES Blue Sky seeks to use its core competencies to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, in which competitors cannot provide the same value to consumers that Blue Sky does. Already, Blue Sky has developed core competencies in (1) offering a high-quality, branded product whose image is recognizable among consumers; (2) creating a sense of community among consumers who purchase the products; and (3) developing a reputation among retailers as a reliable manufacturer, delivering the requested number of products on schedule. The firm intends to build on these competencies through marketing efforts that increase the number of products offered as well as distribution outlets. By forming strong relationships with consumers, retailers, and suppliers of fabric and other goods and services, Blue Sky believes it can create a sustainable competitive advantage over its rivals. No other clothing company can say to its customers with as much conviction â€Å"Go Play Outside†! SITUATION ANALYSIS The marketing environment for Blue Sky represents overwhelming opportunities. It also contains some challenges that the firm believes it can meet successfully. Table A illustrates a SWOT analysis of the company conducted by marketers to highlight Blue Sky’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT analysis presents a thumbnail sketch of the company’s position in the marketplace. In just three years, Blue Sky has built some impressive strengths while looking forward to new opportunities. Its dedicated founders, the growing number of brand-loyal customers, and sound financial management place the company in a good position to grow. However, as Blue Sky considers expansion of its product line and entrance into new markets, the firm will have to guard against marketing myopia (the failure to recognize the scope of its business) and quality slippages. As the company finalizes plans for new products and expanded Internet sales, its management will also have to guard against competitors who attempt to duplicate to products. However, building strong relationships with consumers, retailers, and suppliers should help thwart competitors. COMPETITORS IN THE OUTDOOR CLOTHING MARKET The outdoor retail sales industry sells about $5 billion worth of goods annually, ranging from clothing to equipment. The outdoor apparel market has many entries. L.L. Bean, REI, Timberland, Bass Pro Shops, Cabello’s, and Patagonia are among the most recognizable companies that offer these products. Smaller competitors such as Title IX, which offers athletic clothing for women, and Ragged Mountain, which sells fleece clothing for skiers and hikers, also grab some of the market. The outlook for the industry in general—and Blue Sky in particular—is positive for several reasons. First, consumers are participating in and i8nvesting in recreational activities that are near their homes. Second, consumers are looking for ways to enjoy their leisure time with friends and family without overspending. Third, consumers are gaining more confidence in the economy and are willing and able to spend more. While all of the companies listed earlier can be considered competitors, none offers the kind of trendy, yet practical products provided by Blue Sky—and none carries the customized logos and slogans that Blue Sky pans to offer in the near future. In addition, most of these competitors sell performance apparel in high-tech manufactured fabrics. With the exception of the fleece vests and jackets, Blue Sky’s clothing is made of strictly the highest quality cotton, so it may be worn both on the hiking trail and around town. Finally, Blue Sky products are offered at moderate prices, making them affordable in multiple quantities. For instance, a Blue Sky T-shirt sells for $15.99, compared with a competing high-performance T-shirt that sells for $29.99. Consumers can easily replace a set of shirts from one season to the next, picking up the newest colors, without having to think about the purchase. A survey conducted by Blue Sky revealed that 67 percent of responding consumers prefer to replace their casual and active war more often that other clothing, so they are attracted by the moderate pricing of Blue Sky products. In addition, as the trend toward health-conscious activities and concerns about the natural environment continue, consumers increasingly relate to the Blue Sky philosophy as well as the firm’s contributions to socially responsible programs. THE TARGET MARKET The target market for Blue Sky products is active consumers between the ages of 25 and 45—people who like to hike, rock climb, bicycle, surf, figure skate, in-line skate, ride horses, snowboard or ski, kayak, and other such activities. In short, they like to â€Å"Go Play Outside.† They might not be experts at the sports they engage in, but they enjoy themselves outdoors. These active consumers represent a demographic group of well-educated and successful individuals; they are single or married and raising families. Household incomes generally range between $60.000 and $120,000 annually. Despite their comfortable incomes, these consumers are price conscious and consistently seek value in their purchases. Regardless of their age (whether they fall at the upper or lower end of the target range), they lead active lifestyles. They are somewhat status oriented but not overly so. They like to be associated with high-quality products but are not willing to pay a premium price for a certain brand. Current Blue Sky customers tend to live in northern New England, the South, California, and the Northwest. However, one future goal is to target consumers in the Mid-Atlantic states and Southwest as well. THE MARKETING MIX The following discussion outlines some of the details of the proposed marketing mix for Blue Sky products. PRODUCT STRATEGY. Blue Sky currently offers a line of high-quality outdoor apparel items including cotton T-shirts, baseball caps, and fleece vests and jackets. All bear the company log and slogan, â€Å"Go Play Outside.† The firm has researched the most popular colors for its items and given them names that consumers enjoy—sunset red, sunrise pink, cactus green, desert rise, and river rock gray, among others. Over the next five years, Blue Sky plans to expand the product line to include customized clothing items. Customers may select a logo that represents their sport—say rock climbing. Then they can add a slogan to match the logo, such as â€Å"Get over It.† A baseball cap with a bicyclist might bear the slogan, â€Å"Take a Spin.† At the beginning, there would be ten new logos and five new slogans; more would be added later. Eventually, some slogans and logos would be retired, and new ones introduced. This strategy will keep the concept fresh and prevent it from becoming diluted with too many variations. The second way in which Blue Sky plans to expand its product line is to offer items of lightweight luggage—two sizes of duffel bags, two sizes of tote bags, and a daypack. These items would also come in trendy an basic colors, with a choice of logos and slogans. In addition, every product would bear the Blue Sky logo. DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY. Currently, Blue Sky is marketed through regional and local specialty shops scattered along the California coast, into the Northwest, across the South, and in northern New England. So far, Blue Sky has not been distributed through national sporting goods and apparel chains. Climate and season tend to dictate the sales at specialty shops, which sell more T-shirts and baseball caps during warm weather and more fleece vests and jackets during colder months. Blue Sky obtains much of its information about overall industry trends in different geographic areas and at different types of retail outlets from its trade organization, Outdoor Industry Association. Over the next three years, Blue Sky seeks to expand distribution to retail specialty shops throughout the nation, focusing next on the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. The firm has not yet determined whether it would be beneficial to sell through a major national chain such as REI or Bass Pro Shops, as these outlets could be considered competitors. In addition, Blue Sky plans to expand online sales by offering the customized product line via Internet only, thus distinguishing between Internet offerings and specialty ship offerings. Eventually we may be able to place internet kiosks at some of the more profitable store outlets so consumers could order customized products form the stores. Regardless of its expansion plans, Blue Sky fully intends to monitor and maintain strong relationships with distribution channel members. PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY. Blue Sky communicates with consumers and retailers about its products in a variety of ways. Information about Blue Sky—the company as well as its products—is available via the Internet, direct mailings, and in person. The firms’ promotional efforts also seek to differentiate its products from those of its competitors. The company relies on personal contact with retailers to establish the products in their stores. This contact, whether in-person or by phone, helps convey the Blue Sky message, demonstrate the products’ unique qualities, and build relationships. Blue Sky sales representatives visit each store two or three times a year and offer in-store training on the features of the products for new retailers or for those who want a refresher. As distribution expands, Blue Sky will adjust o meet greater demand by increasing sales staff to make sure it stores are visited more frequently. Sales promotions and public relations currently make up the bulk of Blue Sky’s promotional strategy. Blue Sky staff works with retailers to offer short-term sales promotions tied to event and contests. In addition, Nick Russell is currently working with several trip outfitters to offer Blue Sky items on a promotional basis. Because Blue Sky also engages in cause marketing through its contribution to environmental programs, good public relations have followed. Nontraditional marketing methods that require little cash and a lot of creativity also lend themselves perfectly to Blue Sky. Because Blue Sky is a small, flexible organization, the firm can easily implement ideas such as distributing free water, skiers, and discount coupons at outdoor sporting events. During the next year, the company plans to engage in the following marketing efforts: Create a Blue Sky Tour, in which several employees take turns driving around the country to campgrounds to distribute promotional items such as Blue Sky stickers and discount coupons Attend canoe and kayak races, bicycling events, and rock climbing competitions with our Blue Sky truck to distribute free water, stickers, and discount coupons for Blue Sky shirts or hats. Organize Blue Sky hikes departing from participating retailers. Hold a Blue Sky design contest, selecting a winning slogan and logo to be added to the customized line. PRICING STRATEGY. As discussed earlier in this plan, Blue Sky products are priced with the competition in mind. The firm is not concerned with setting high prices to signal luxury or prestige, nor is ti attempting to achieve the goals of offsetting low prices by selling high quantities of products. Instead value pricing is practiced so that customers feel comfortable purchasing new clothing to replace the old, even if it is just because they like the new colors. The pricing strategy also makes Blue Sky products good gifts—for birthdays, graduations, or â€Å"just because.† The customized clothing will sell for $2 to $4 more than the regular Blue Sky logo clothing. The luggage ill be priced competitively, offering a good value against it competition. BUDGET, SCHEDULE, AND MONITORING Though its history is short, Blue Sky has enjoyed a steady increase in sales since its introduction three years ago. Figure A shows these three years, plus projected sales for the nest three years, including the introduction of the two new product lines. Additional financial data are included in the overall business plan for the company. The timeline for expansion of outlets and introduction of the two new product lines is shown in Figure B. The implementation of each of these tasks will be monitored closely and evaluated for its performance. Blue Sky anticipates continuing operations into the foreseeable future, with no plans to exit this market. Instead, as discussed throughout this plan, the firm plans to increase its presence in the market. At present, there are no plans to merge with another company or to make a public stock offering.

Publishing Controversial Photographs

Publishing Controversial Photographs Ephron argued that since death is part of life, readers should not be sheltered from it. She asked why photos from fatal car accidents show the wrecked vehicles and not the victims. Mangled steel is worthless; a human life is priceless. Why not capture on film the loss of that which is truly precious? (Ephron, www.haverford.edu/) The so-named Boston Photographs were taken in 1975 by photojournalist Stanley Forman.. I made all kinds of pictures because I thought it would be a good rescue shot over the ladder, (Ephron, 433) Forman said in explaining why he took the pictures. In the first frame, there is a fireman with his arm around a woman he is attempting to rescue from a burning apartment building. The woman clings to her child. The fireman is reaching for the rescue ladder an arm s length away. It appears that everything will be all right, that the woman and her child will be saved. This picture, by itself, does not foreshadow the tragedy to come. It is a dramatic photograph, to be certain, but one that would assure the viewer that confidence in the bravery and skills of firefighters is not misplaced. The second photograph shows the fire escape pulling away from the building. Whereas the first photo makes the reader want to cheer, the second one reminds us that something can go wrong. The rescue is not successful until everyone is on the ground and safely away from the burning building. The photo shows, too, that the firefighter did everything he was supposed to do. His training prepared him for a moment such as this. More than anything else, this photo shows that courage and skill are not always enough. No one could have anticipated that the fire escape would pull away from the building. It is a picture that at once captures the good fortune of the woman in being rescued and the horrific moment when her luck turned. The third photograph is the most dramatic because it shows the woman and her child falling through the air. The child, naturally, looks frightened. Her arms and legs are splayed and we see the speed of her descent with her shirt, which the air has pushed up to expose her round, babyish tummy. Her eyes are open and her mouth is distorted by a grimace. The mother s fall is even more dramatic because she propels through the air headfirst. The viewer cannot see her face but can only imagine the horror reflected in her expression. It is impossible to know what the woman was thinking. Did she know that she was moments from death? Did she think about her child? Did she ask for God s help, or curse His failure to protect them? The woman is barefoot and she is wearing shorts. On a summer s day, it would be expected that someone be so attired at home. Yet the woman seems particularly vulnerable when dressed this way. She seems so exposed although, of course, long pants and shoes would not have made any difference to her survival. Who was this woman? We cannot really know anything about her from the picture. We can see that she is young, with the long, gangling limbs of a teenager. She looks like a child and yet she also has a child of her own. The picture causes us to reflect on death made more tragic by the fact that, for this mother and child, they come too soon. The falling flowerpots add to the poignancy of the photos. The apartment building, obviously older, represents urban life as experienced by someone who is young and poor. The flowers represent an attempt to add a little beauty to the surroundings. What sort of person is it who puts a flowerpot on a window ledge high above the city streets? The flowerpots give us a tiny glimpse into the character of the young woman. We feel we know a little more about her and that makes her death more tragic. To plant a flower is to feel hopeful about the future, and when we see the photograph, we know that the woman s hope in the future, unbeknownst to her, was misplaced. We feel a greater sense of loss. But do we know her? Of course not. The shocking photo arouses emotion within us and, whether we realize it or not, causes us to ascribe thoughts and characteristics to the victim that we can never verify, even when reading the accompanying news story. Perhaps the young woman did not care at all about the plants. It is even possible that they were left there by a previous tenant of the apartment and went unnoticed by the young mother. Perhaps she did not notice beauty and felt no hope at all for the future she and her child would share. There is no way the viewer of the photograph can ever know any of this for certain. The newsworthiness of the tragic fire is the photos themselves. Unfortunately, people die in fires in the United States all the time. The accounts of the fires are tragic, but as news stories they are usually only relevant to families and friends of the victims and the people who live in the community where the tragedy took place. Photographer Forman, who won a Pulitzer Prize for the photos, expected to record an event with a far different outcome. He was taking advantage of a relatively new technology, a motor-driven camera that allowed a photographer to take a series of pictures in rapid succession. He expected to capture, in still photographs, the sequence of events leading up to a dramatic rescue. Instead, he captured the moments before death. The third photograph as the last that he took of the rescue attempt. I realized what was going on, he said afterwards. I completely turned around because I didn t want to see her hit. (Ephron, www.haverford.edu/) The pictures are much more powerful than words in telling this story. It is not that words cannot sufficiently describe a scene or convey emotions. Author Stephen King is famous and wealthy because of his ability to construct tales that frighten us. John Grisham has used the power of words to make us feel outrage on the behalf of the underdogs whose stories he tells. Nicholas Sparks writes romances that bring some of his readers to tears. Forman s pictures tell a story for which each individual viewer provides his own words. More than that, however, the pictures evoke an emotional response that is instantaneous, even quicker than words can form. The pictures certainly drew attention to the event in a way that words alone would not. Newspaper editors know this and it can be argued that it was for the purpose of selling newspapers, not the imperative to show readers that death is part of life, which motivated them to print the pictures. Charges of sensationalism, voyeurism, and exploitation constituted many of the angry responses from readers. The reality is, though, that graphic images do capture people s attention. A news story, without photographs, would have dehumanized the tragedy. When we read that a woman fell to her death, our reaction is not nearly as strong as seeing the picture. We may soon forget that a woman died, particularly in reading the story and learning that the child survived. The picture, on the other hand, makes us confront the notion of death head-on. We may experience, even for a fraction of a second, that shiver of fear of falling. We think about what it must have felt like to fall, and what it must have felt like to watch the horror unfold. The fact that the woman and child were African-American also plays a part in judging the impact of the photo versus a story in words. A written story might not mention race; in a photo, it is there to see. To some viewers, race might matter. People assumed, because the young woman was black, that the burning apartment building was in a ghetto, when in fact it was not. African-Americans might identify more strongly with the photo than they would with just a story; white readers might identify less. For some readers, and it is hoped that it means more of them, not less, race is a non-issue and what they see is not the color of the victims skin but the horror expressed in their faces and body language. It is this horror that writer Ephron believes readers should see, but not because horror itself has value even though it does, in a way, in its ability to sell newspapers. As Ephron pointed out, though, these were great photographs. They captured something real and evoke strong emotion in people who look at them. That they disturb readers, she wrote, is exactly as it should be: that s why photojournalism is often more powerful than written journalism. (Ephron, 438) The Boston Photographs are by no means the only pictures to evoke strong emotions and cause controversy among newspaper editors and their readership. This essay will discuss two other pictures that were considered controversial at the time they were published. Seven years before Stanley Forman won the Pulitzer for his photo, war photographer Eddie Adams earned the prize for his now-iconic photo showing the execution of a man by a military officer on the streets of Saigon. As was the case with Forman, Adams never expected that the situation would take such a dramatic and horrific turn. As Adams told the story in a video entitled An Unlikely Weapon: The Eddie Adams Story, he was in the Chinese section of Saigon on the second day of the Tet Offensive. He saw a man in a plaid shirt being led out of a building and into the street. He followed to see what would happen. He was not surprised or shocked when a man in uniform, a military officer, held a gun to the head of the man in the plaid. Adams interpreted the action as a means of intimidation, a threat used as part of an act of interrogation. ? Retrieved from PulitzerPrize.org [http://pulitzerprize.org/photography/vietnam/] In retrospect, it seems like an incredibly bold and even foolhardy move, to stand with a camera so close to someone with a loaded gun. Adams was an experienced war photographer, however, and danger was part of the job. He did not anticipate what happened next. Adams snapped a photograph; he moved his finger on the camera s shutter in the same instant that the officer pulled the trigger of his gun. The shocking photograph that resulted captured the moment in time when the bullet entered the man s head. The photograph is shocking for several reasons. The most obvious is the expression on the face of the man in the plaid shirt. It reflects both pain and terror. The lines around the right side of the mouth suggest the rapid and violent movement of the head as an involuntary response to the impact of the bullet. The man doing the shooting has a matter-of-fact expression. He does not take any pleasure in killing the man, but he does what he feels he must without flinching. He is very certain about what he is doing. Over the left shoulder of the shooter, we see a helmeted soldier wincing at the horrible spectacle before him. There is a military vehicle at the end of the street. There are other people in the street, but there response to the shooting cannot be discerned from the photo. The photograph is shocking because the shooting appeared to take place in broad daylight, in the middle of a city street. The shooter does not appear to be concerned about concealing his identity or his action. The photo is shocking in its close-up look at violence, and it is violence that is made very personal because we see it from a unique perspective. As with Forman s photo, we do not see death in its aftermath but in the moments before it occurs. Both photos are shocking and frightening. Both photos appear to show people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time and suffer fatal consequences as a result. Unlike Forman s photo, though, a news story accompanying Adams photo has the power to change one s perception of the brutal act caught on film. Looking at the picture, one might assume that it showed a military man killing a civilian execution-style. There was more to the story. The man in plaid was a Viet Cong Army officer; he was the prime suspect in the murder of an entire family that day. The family belonged to the aide of Brig. General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, South Vietnamese National Police Chief and the shooter in the photograph. Did it make a difference that the man being shot was on the side of the United States enemy? Perhaps it did to some who looked at the picture and read about it. It may be easier to explain the violence if one can justify it as necessary to bring about justice. The woman in Forman s picture was a random victim of a very unfortunate accident; the man in Adams photo was a suspected criminal, thought to be responsible for the killing of innocent civilians. Some people, reading about the circumstances under which he was shot, may believe that he deserved to die. Some might believe he deserved to die by virtue of the fact that he was a Viet Cong officer. Killing is part of war. We are not at all surprised that there is death on the streets of Saigon, but we are shocked when an image of it is captured so vividly. There was no justice to be served to the woman who plunged to her death in Forman s photo. We are shocked by her death and surprised by it. Forman s final photo is prefaced by one in which it looks as though the woman and her child will be rescued. There is no doubt, in looking at Adams photo, the man in plaid will die. It is the more shocking photo of the two because it makes us look right into the face of death. We can hold out hope for a miracle when we look at Forman s photo, and it is only upon reading the accompanying story that one learns the woman died and her child survived. At least there is some good news in that story. There is no miracle in Adams photo and no good news waiting for the reader of the story behind it. Adams photo, much to his dismay, became an iconic antiwar image. That was never his intent. Forty years later, the image endures. The story behind the photograph matters little. The photo has come to symbolize the horror and brutality of a war to which many Americans were, and still remained, opposed. Even more evocative in its antiwar sentiment is the 1972 photograph by Nick Ut, showing a young Vietnamese girl, naked, screaming, and horribly burned by napalm. ? Retrieved from BBC News [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4517597.stm] The photo needs no accompanying words to explain it or make it any more powerful. It is a heart-breaking photograph of a child in abject terror. There are other children in the picture but it is the nakedness and total vulnerability of the little girl that shocks and saddens us. There is nothing one can write about the horrors of war that exemplify it more than the perils of this child. As with Forman s photo of the mother and child, we can look at the little girl and hope that somehow she will survive this terrible event. Forman s photo showed the terrible circumstances of two people. Ut s photo, on the other hand, showed the terrible circumstances in which millions of people found themselves as a result of the war. The photo is a painful reminder that there are many victims of war, not just the soldiers who fight. It is difficult to look at the photo and not feel outrage, at the same time wishing there were a way to gather up the children and transport them to safety. We know now t hat the little girl survived; even knowing that, however, does not make the photograph any less shocking. The final photo to be discussed in this essay was taken September 11, 2001, by photographer Richard Drew. Often referred to as The Falling Man, it depicts one of the many people who leaped from the inferno of the Twin Towers, making the horrible choice to die by suicide than in the smoke and flames. ? Retrieved from Esquire Magazine online [http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0903-SEP_FALLINGMAN] The photo is shocking because, as one first looks at it, it seems to be some sort of optical trick. The vertical lines of the tower do not look like a building. The man does not look as though he is falling. In Forman s photograph, the woman and child fall from the building with arms and legs distended, desperate to seek purchase on anything that would break their fall. By contrast, the falling man appears to be holding a pose and is elegant in the way he does so. He is falling straight downward, his arms at his sides, one leg bent at the knee in a manner that resembles a casual stance. It is difficult to look at the picture and not be immediately transported back to the horrible events of the day. Much has been written about 9/11 and there were many pictures taken. The falling man was only one of many people who jumped that day, yet it is his picture which touches us the most. Words could not adequately describe the falling man s descent and the emotions the picture evokes. After an initial look at the picture, one realizes exactly what it depicts: a man hurtling towards his death. Junod (2009) wrote that the body fell at an estimated speed of one hundred fifty miles per hour. The fall would have taken approximately ten seconds. One cannot even imagine the crushing agony the jumpers experienced in the final moments of their lives. What must it feel like to know you have only seconds left to live? Looking at Forman s photo, one can hope that there was a good outcome. Looking at Adams photo, we see death. The bullet has entered the man s head but, because the camera can capture a fraction of a second, the man has not yet dropped. Looking at Drew s photo, we wee impending death and a man literally falling toward it with grace. It is incredibly sad, both the circumstances of his death and the calm dignity with which he goes to meet it. Newspapers and television news programs showed photographs of jumpers until there were too many complaints from the public about their indecency. Drew was able to identify, almost with certainty, the Falling Man, yet the family would not provide confirmation, becoming angry when asked to do so. They felt, as did many of the people viewing pictures of jumpers, that showing anyone in the last moments of life robbed those people of their dignity. Photojournalism can be much more powerful than written journalism. In describing the four photos discussed in this essay, writers would bring their biases to the work. The use of the word bias is not pejorative; it simply means that a writer s knowledge and experience contribute to the interpretation of the photograph. The four pictures shown are shocking and evoke strong emotion. The depth and range of emotion, however, depends on the person who is looking at the pictures. Each of us notices different elements; each of us is touched in a different way. When reading a newspaper account of a tragedy, we think about the story as we make our way through the printed words. Reaction to a picture is instantaneous and much more powerful. A picture puts us at the scene in a way that words do not. Ephron illustrated this by including the Boston Photographs in her essay. She discussed the impact of the photos and the controversy they caused. Without seeing the photos, it might be too easy to ask what all the fuss was about. By seeing the photos, one can understand why the inspired strong feelings. Ephron does not argue that newspapers should print photographs of death. She argues that they should print great pictures that tell a story and evoke strong emotional response from readers. Work Cited: BBC News. (2005). Picture power: Vietnam napalm attack. http://news.bbc.co .uk/2/hi/4517597.stm. Ephron, N. (2005). The Boston Photographs, reprinted in Chris Anderson and Lex Runciman, eds., Open Questions; Readings for Critical Thinking and Writing (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2005). Print via Retrieved from http://www.haverford.edu/writingprogram /development/Ephron.pdf Junod, T. The falling man. Esquire 9/8/09. Retrieved from http://www.esquire.com/features /ESQ0903-SEP_FALLINGMAN PulitzerPrize.org. (2010). Photography: Pulitzer Eddie Adams Vietnam. http://pulitzerprize.org /photography/vietnam/

Midwife Expert Of The Normal Health And Social Care Essay

Midwife Expert Of The Normal Health And Social Care Essay Humans have a gestational age of about 40 weeks, though a normal gestational period is from 37 to 42 weeks. It is the greatest desire of both the mother and midwives that the baby comes in to the world safely and with very little traumata. .This essay seeks to examine how the midwife is the expert of the normal and their role in the promotion of normality in childbirth . We also look at the midwifes role in promoting normality in childbirth, This is relation to waterbirth care will be explored through knowledge and evidence based midwifery practice. Promoting normality in childbirth can be defined as encouraging woman and professionals to consider vaginal birth without any intervention. It includes acting as an advocate for prospective mothers and ensuring that in all or most birth experiences normality is addressed in such away that will reduce the fear in woman. Focus must be paid mostly to high risk women. These include young mothers, first time mother and those who have had terrible experiences in the past. One of the best ways to encourage normality in childbirth is to make potential mothers to believe that it can be done with less pain and trauma, especially using the tool of advocacy.Attaining 100% normality is not about forcing women to have normal births and predispose them to believe there will be neither pain nor trauma. Neither can we encourage a laissez faire posturing where a womans choice is the mantra, and midwifery and obstetric expertise counts for nothing in the equation (Elaine, 2005) For the purpose of this study, the writer will focus on the midwifes role in promoting the benefits of waterbirth and giving women the choice. The opportunity to have water birth should be offered to all healthy women who have straightforward deliveries. In 1803, a medical journal featured the first recorded water birth in modern times. After 48 hours of labour, a woman used a hot bath out of desperation. She had no choice but to give birth in the water, as the baby arrived as she was relaxing, before she even had time to complete her bath. Influenced by her personal experience, in 1998, Harper (2005) decided to create Waterbirth International. The aim of this organisation is to provide up to date and accurate information about the part water could play in labour and birth. Harper continues to make waterbirth an available option for all women. (Harper, 2005) states that option is the key word in knowing that this method of birth is not for every woman, but every woman should be given an informed choice of whether it makes sense for her. The Royal College of Midwives describes waterbirth as a process which results in reduced trauma and stress to both mother and baby. During the birth process there is an interactive symbiotic relationship between the mother and the baby. However, there is always the risk of trauma to the mother and the fetus at the point of interaction. An increasing number of women are opting for waterbirth. This concept has existed since early civilization when women used water to relieve the discomfort of childbirth. Now, waterbirth is offered to women who have a low risk pregnancy and involves the use of a tub specially designed for childbirth, which is supported by both The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives. It appears that waterbirth presents very few complications, but the guidelines produced will go even further to ensure that complications are minimised. These include firm adherence to the eligibility criteria, management of chord rupture and infection control. (Harper, 2005) Approximately 80% of human beings are delivered by midwives. A word which literally means with women; they are trained to assist women during pregnancy, labour and the first year of the babys life. Midwives have been long established throughout the world as the most appropriate persons to provide care to women during their reproductive years. Because of her professional training, a midwife has the knowledge and skills necessary to support the mother, as well as the rest of the family, with care, education and counselling. Apart from having an outstanding safety record, various studies have proved that midwives produce exceptional results. According to Elaine (2005), the five lowest rates of infant mortality as well as use of technology have been recorded in countries where midwives are present in the birthroom, without a physician. As skilled specialists, midwives play a vital role in supporting and maintaining the high standard of normal childbirth. Maternity services can play their part in developing the midwifes expertise and autonomy by ensuring that there are suitable opportunities for meaningful practice. Midwives should also be valued for their skill and dedication. It is very important therefore, for a midwife to be confident and competent enough to give legitimate and safe informed advice to the mother;this will help in achieving the desired optimum results in promoting normality. Since they have to be proficient in supporting normal childbirth in a variety of settings without supervision, including the home, midwives are required to work to the NMC standards. This will ensure legitimate, safe and successful practices during the entire childbirth process (DoH, (2007), NMC, (2008) The midwifes roles include encouraging normal birth, using preventive measures, recognising complications in mother and baby, facilitating the access of relevant services and implementing emergency procedures. To achieve this, the midwife must work in partnership with the woman both before and after childbirth (International Confederation of Midwives, 2005). Good communication is an essential skill for a midwife. Clients feel confident to make their own decisions without anxiety when they believe that they are valued enough to be listened to and efforts are made to facilitate their understanding (RCM, 2006). Why Waterbirth? Miller (2006), recommends that every woman who has a normal pregnancy should be offered the opportunity of water birth. He maintains that this will result in a more fulfilling experience for both mother and child while increasing the midwifes job satisfaction. Most women prefer waterbirth, but there must be meaningful discussions with the midwife before making this decision. However, a woman must have all the information, including the pros and cons, as well as support in order to make an informed decision about the use of waterbirth.Waterbirth should also be discussed as an option for pain relief during childbirth and leaflets and other information should be provided (MIDIRS, 2008). There are no major differences to the results produces by analgesia, except for the fact less epidural, spinal or par cervical pain relief is required during water birth. As we move away from the high induction rates of the 1970s more women are choosing to give birth at home and in local birth centres (Wickham, 2005) Women want continuity of care, choice in the care they are provided with and control over the process of childbirth. Waterbirth should be viewed as an alternative method of care and management in labour and as one which must, therefore, fall within the duty of care and normal sphere of the practice of a midwife. Waterbirth is not considered to be a treatment (Wickham, 2005) It is important that midwives have up-to-date knowledge and information on the latest research and evidence relating to the advantages and disadvantages of labour or birth in water (RCOG/RCM 2006) Benefits of waterbirth Waterbirth has several , including the following: It facilitates mobility and enables the mother to assume any position which is comfortable for labour and birth; speeds up labour; reduces blood pressure; gives mother more feeling of control; provides significant pain relief; promotes relaxation; conserves her energy; reduces the need for drugs and intervention; gives mother a private protected space; reduces perineal trauma and eliminates episiotomies; reduces caesarean rates; it is highly rated by mothers typically stating, they would consider giving birth in water again; it highly rated by experienced providers; and it encourages an easier birth for mother and a gentler welcome for baby (Harper, 2005) Burns et al., (2006) believes that waterbirth is associated with higher maternal satisfaction than birth on dry land. Â  In a questionnaire assessing womens views on waterbirth, Richmond (2003) found that when women got into the pool in labour many of them described feelings of complete relaxation. Lying in warm water gives a sense of relaxation, but whether it actually reduces pain is unproven. A perception of relaxation, pain relief, ease of movements and more holistic experience made labour in water a popular choice during the 1980s. Women felt they were given immediate pain relief and the warmth was soothing. Â  Many mothers enjoyed the buoyancy and mobility the water gave them. (Richmond, 2003) Â   Also, Miller (2006) believes that women using a water pool feel more empowered and less exposed. Â  Immersion in water increases self control in a secure, warm, private and quiet environment, thus encouraging the promotion of normality. Â  There are considerable perceived benefit s of using immersion in water during labour, including less painful contractions and less need for pharmacological analgesia, shorter labour, less need for augmentation, with no known adverse effects for the woman herself (Thoeni et. al, 2005) However, there may be rare but clinically significant risks for the baby born under water. Possible complications that may be associated with water birth include fresh water drowning, neonatal hyponatremia, neonatal waterborne infectious disease, cord rupture with neonatal hemorrhage, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and death. The rates of these complications are likely to be low but are not well defined (Wax and Wilson, 2004) In his/her study of this phenomena, (Cluett, 2004) concluded that there was no significant difference in other important clinical outcomes, including duration of labour, operative delivery and perineal trauma. There were no increased adverse outcomes for the baby (Cluett, 2004) Otigbah et al., (2000) found in a study comparing waterbirths and conventional vaginal deliveries, concluded that labouring and delivering in water is associated with a shorter labour and reduced perineal trauma for primigravidae women. (Gilbert and Tookery, 2004) concluded that perinatal mortality is not substantially higher among babies delivered in water than among those born to low risk women who delivered conventionally (Gilbert and Tookery, 2004). Although there is no evidence of higher perinatal mortality or admission to special care baby units (SCBUs) for birth in water; caution is advised because of small numbers, possible under-reporting of SCBU admission and exclusion of women who were in labour in water but gave birth conventionally after complications. (Cluett et. al, 2004) All women require less analgesia. Â  Odent (2000) suggests that if a small number of recommendations are taken into account, using water during labour will seriously compete with epidural anaesthesia. Most of the available evidence is restricted to healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancy at term although there is some evidence that labouring in water under midwifery care may be an option for slow progress in labour, reducing the need for obstetric intervention, and offering an alternative pain management strategy (Cluett et. al, 2004) Gessbuhler et al., (2004) found that perineal trauma is minimised during a waterbirth: episiotomy is hardly ever needed; there are fewer first and second degree perineal lacerations, and fewer vaginal and labial tears. Â  Hale (2008) believes this is owed to the softening effect of the warm water and the womans ability to relax her perineum more readily. Â  Support from the water slows the crowning of the babys head and offers perineal support which decreases the risk of tearing (Garland, 2004) Â  Women with prolonged labour found a reduction in obstetric intervention following immersion in water and instrumental delivery is also rarely necessary Cluett et. al, (2004) and Beech (2008) points out that labouring in a birth pool encourages an upright position and increases the pelvic diameter which often increases the rate of cervical dilatation. Â  Waterbirth reduces the need for pain relieving drugs; however, if it does not work the woman has the option of choosing other forms of pain relief. Maternal and fetal infection rate is however, comparable to traditional deliveries (Zanetti-Daellenbach et. al, 2006) and (Thoeni et. al, 2005) The selection of a low-risk collective is essential to minimize the risks with the addition of strictly maintained guidelines and continuous intrapartum observation and fetal monitoring. Waterbirths are justifiable when certain criteria are met and risk factors are excluded (Zanetti-Daellenbach et. al, 2006). Monitoring of the fetal heart using underwater Doppler should be standard practice. If the woman raises herself out of the water and exposes the fetal head to air, once the presenting part is visible, she should be advised to remain out of the water to avoid the risk of premature gasping under water. All birthing pools and other equipment (such as mirrors and thermometers) should be disposed of or thoroughly cleaned and dried after every use, in accordance with local infection control policies. Disposable sieves should be made available to ensure that the pool remains free from maternal faeces and other debris. Local information and guidelines regarding prevention of legionella build up in water supply from seldomly used pools should be obtained from local NHS trust estates and should be adhered to. Midwives should use universal precautions and follow local trust infection control guidelines. (Wickham, 2005) All midwives should ensure that they are competent to care for a woman who wishes to have a waterbirth and have a good understanding of the basic principles of caring for a woman in labour, and should make themselves aware of local policies and guidelines. Midwives, managers and supervisors of midwives should ensure that training in caring for a woman who wishes to have a waterbirth is undertaken by midwives who undertake intrapartum care, in order to increase choice for women and promote normality and ensure quality care. Midwives roles after all are that of with woman serving the needs of healthy, childbearing women, not the sick and dying (Zanetti-Dallenbach et. al, 2006) In the same way as the woman who wants a natural birth with little or no intervention, where will she be if as midwives, we do not speak for her? The aim of promoting normality is that every womens birth experience is a positive one, and finally it is important to achieve the women choice . CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The joy of motherhood stems not only from reduced trauma and stress for both mother and child, it also comes from the power of choice exercised by the mother. So far, we have established that normality in childbirth should be the rule and that although several psychological, sociological and medical factors may weigh against it, scientific research still offers it as perhaps the most desirable. However, the midwifes role begins with the use of communication and advocacy to encourage women and professionals to consider normal birth as a viable and safe option, just as the concept of waterbirth as a way of reducing discomfort of childbirth should be embraced by those who have normal birth. In the light of these findings I wish to make the following specific recommendations: 1 Women should be helped through advocacy and communication to make a deliberate choice of normal birth. 2 They should also be helped to make an informed decision about the use of waterbirth. 3

Undercurrents of Imperialism and Colonialism in Star Trek :: Movie Film Essays

Undercurrents of Imperialism and Colonialism in Star Trek Star Trek mirrored the Cold War/Vietnam paranoia of the late sixties—in command of the Enterprise, the Federation had an uneasy peace with its adversaries, the Klingons and Romulans (there were many episodes that came down to Kirk vs. the Klingons). In one episode Kirk and his Klingon counterpart each tried to influence an emerging culture to see things their way—remember Vietnam, Chile, and El Salvador? In another, Kirk and Spock were sent to spy on the Romulans so they could steal their cloak (stealth?) technology. And there was Kirk: yellow shirt torn across his chest, with blood on his forehead or across his cheekbone. There would be a weapon in his hand—something primitive, a knife perhaps—and he would circle the battleground (often an arena for those barbaric aliens) staring intensely at his opponent. In the background there would be dramatic music (what comedian Dana Gould refers to as the â€Å"Star Trek fist fight theme†). Suddenly the comb atants would join in their deadly dance until, inevitably, Kirk would stand victorious over his enemy, a powerful example of a superior culture. Indeed, Kirk often displayed cultural superiority over his amorous conquests; he was irresistible to alien women because he was such a fine example of a superior culture. The lusty-busty alienettes would flock to him (much to the distress of their fellow aliens) and Kirk would show them what it meant to be in the Federation. Meanwhile, in the real world, the Cold War raged on. And Star Trek’s masters used characters like Chekov to ridicule the Soviet Union. Remember his accent? And what about all his claims of Russian cultural superiority? What about the fact that he would say—straight faced—that the Russians invented the phone, that Shakespeare was Russian, and that Russia was the source of all culture, while Kirk (and his audience) knew that all the things Chekov claimed as Russian were part of our dominant West; knew that Chekov, and by extension Russia, was one big joke. But the fact that he was there at all (as a minority) reassured an American audience that the United States was superior and that its culture, not Soviet Marxism, was the way things should be. This brings us to Picard’s Star Trek, as different from Kirk’s as 1995 is from 1968.

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Macbeth - Fates Triumph Es

Fate's Triumph in Macbeth       Shakespeare a fatalist in Macbeth? It would seem so, given the observation that the Macbeths capitulated totally to the evil suggestions of the witches. We shall clarify the concept of fate in this drama.    Blanche Coles states in Shakespeare's Four Giants the place of Fate in Macbeth's life:    Then, like a cog slipping naturally into its own notch, his thoughts turn to the Witches and their prophecy, and he concludes that he has defiled his mind for the descendants of Banquo he has murdered the gracious Duncan for them; he has poisoned his own peace of mind and given his immortal soul (eternal jewel) to the devil, the common enemy of man - all this to make the descendants of Banquo kings! Rather than face such an outcome, he challenges Fate to enter the lists with him against Banquo and champion him to the last extremity, even though that extremity be death itself. (57)    Macbeth: "If Chance would have me king, why, Chance may crown me without my stir." A.C. Bradley in Shakespearean Tragedy references Fate in the play to the Witches' prophecies:    The words of the witches are fatal to the hero only because there is in him something which leaps into light at the sound of them; but they are at the same time the witness of forces which never cease to work in the world around him, and, on the instant of his surrender to them, entangle him inextricably in the web of Fate. (320)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye stresses the connection between the witches and fate:    The successful ruler is a combination of nature and fortune, de jure and de facto power. He steers his course by the tiller of an immediate past and by... ...uin Books, 1991.    Coles, Blanche. Shakespeare's Four Giants. Rindge, NH: Richard R. Smith Publisher, Inc., 1957.    Coursen, H. R. Macbeth: a Guide to the Play. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press, 1997.    Frye, Northrop. Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1967.    Knights, L.C. "Macbeth." Shakespeare: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Mack, Maynard. Everybody's Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. http://chemicool.com/Shakespeare/macbeth/full.html, no lin.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

Book of Eli Social Commentary Essay

The film The Book of Eli directed by the Hughes brothers is a cinematic display of dystopian genius. Many dystopian films critique government involvement, privacy issues, and ethical concerns. However in The Book of Eli, the Hughes brothers take a jump to a different part of modern society: religion. Numerous religions are practiced in society as they are protected under the first amendment. The written word can be interpreted many different ways whether it is for good or evil and this film does a great job outlining the interpretations. The Book of Eli is a dystopian symbol for how organized religion is abused in modern society. Religion as a whole is seen throughout the film. Eli, the main character, believes that his purpose on Earth is to bring the Bible out West and to protect it. He is a religious man, regularly reading and praying from the book. He is devout and puts the books’ protection before other ethical issues. In the film, Eli encounters a woman being gang-raped. He proceeds to say† follow the path, follow the path.† He continues moving because his only mission is to get the Bible to the West. Eli believes that God put him on Earth to carry the book to the West, so he will do anything to get it there. The beginning of the film outlines Eli as having the inclination of protecting the book, yet he doesn’t quite understand the message of compassion found within the words. In this same way, we see religious zealots who â€Å"believe† in their religion so strongly that they sometimes ignore those that have less than them. Eli could’ve helped the woman being raped but instead continued with his journey, not straying in the least. These days, people go to church to hear preachers talk of compassion and loving forgiveness but once Mass is over, sure enough there is always a fight in the parking lot when everyone is trying to leave in a hurry. For many, these scriptures go in one ear and out the other and only certain passages are held on to because they deal with the problems faced only at that very moment. Carnegie’s mission is one of the most important parts of the film. He is in a long search for the Bible and is one of the only people who can still read. He yearns to rebuild civilization and become a dictator to many towns. He believes that the Bible holds power. With the book, Carnegie believes that he will be able to gain followers as long as he uses the written word. Carnegie and his men only see the Bible as a means of control, and do not see the true meaning of the written word: compassion, devotion, and freedom. This also mirrors the current situation with the Vatican. The Pope claims that condoms will worsen the African AIDS crisis. He believes â€Å"The traditional teaching of the church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids.† The Pope is trying to use his religion to keep power over the African people. 67% of people with HIV live in Africa, so by him preaching to not use condoms, he will reach a significant amount of people. In a dire situation like this, the Pope will use his religion to convey his message of God. Religions like this one could be used to build morality in people by taking stories and finding the values in them. However, they can also be used to attack certain individuals and be used as a means of control. Eli and Carnegie resemble both sides and warn of the evils that can come from an otherwise useful tool to teach from. Sunglasses also play a powerful role in the film as Eli wears them mysteriously throughout. The audience does not know why this is until the end of the movie when it is revealed that Eli is at least partially blind, if not completely. Looking back at the film, hints are dropped to suggest that Eli lacks vision. A significant line he says is â€Å"I walk by faith not by sight.† This can be interpreted in many ways. Eli walks with the Bible, his faith, to the west coast. He feels God put him on Earth to bring the bible to the west to preserve it along with other important books of faith that will later be used to recreate civilization. While walking, he is guided by God’s message instead of what he is able to see in front of him. Only two people in the film are able to read the book: Eli and Solara’s mother. Those who can’t see are the only ones who can truly read from the book. They are the most pure in the sense that they cannot see the corrupt society around them, so all they have to guide them through life is their faith. In today’s society people are surrounded by the deviant behaviors of sexual activity, drug usage, and violence as entertainment. In order to stay grounded to their own morality, people rely on their faith to guide them. These people are blind to the ills of society because they are confident in their values. The Book of Eli does a phenomenal job of describing abuses of religion in modern society, however, the concept it much bigger than that. In a perfect world, there are perfect people and no problems. In today’s society people do whatever they want with their money, time, religion, etc. There are no ground roots to fall back on. The people are the ones creating chaos; it’s not any one specific event. However, people place the blame on anything they can think of: money, time, religion, etc. Most people use this blame to gain control, and then it becomes a power struggle. This film was meant for the audience to think beyond the religious undertone, and realize the real issue: themselves.