Charles Mingus Essay Example

Charles Mingus Essay The African American civil rights movement (1955-1968) was a social movement that saw direct action from individuals, groups and communities outlawing racial discrimination. Influential civil rights activists such as Jazz composer and bass player Charles Mining pushed this movement Into a more radical position. Mining was powerful In forming public opinion as he was able to reach the largely African-American Jazz community, the predominant music during the civil rights movement (CRM). This essay evaluates the significance of Charles Mining role in the American CRM. During the sasss-sasss, the Southern States in the united States of America were openly discriminating against Black Americans. 1 activists speak out for an end to southern racial violence and police brutality, equal opportunity in employment, and equal access in education and public accommodations. 2 was Charles Mining. This virtuosic bass player gained fame in the sass and sass working with fellow activists Louis Armstrong and Duke Longtime. He later pushed boundaries both musically and politically. Mining was significant In the African American call rights movement as he provided a rueful view of the attitudes of African-Americans towards the racial Inequalities In America. Lived that is of the Jazz community where he pursued freedom and Justice in music through compositional devices and musical expression. One way he contributed to the CRM was by influencing powerful and subordinate classes through holding hidden and public protests. His composition Fables of Faustus attests to these statements, as described below. We will write a custom essay sample on Charles Mingus specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Charles Mingus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Charles Mingus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Mining popularity in the Jazz community made him more influential in the political jazz climate. His regular performing schedule and frequent discography of records which made significant sales during the sasss-sasss powerful view of racial segregation and prejudice as present in American about racial injustices evident in the music industry. He directly challenged the accepted norms through his music by often using political titles for his pieces and his innovative compositional process enabled him to contest racial stereotypes through his outspoken critics. Punctuated with his position as a composer, allowed him to incorporate politics into his music. The most outstanding example of this is Fables of Faustus first recorded on Mining 1959 album, Mining, Ah Um. The song was written as a direct protest against Arkansas governor, American civil rights movement. 2013. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 08 August, 2013, movement Civil rights movement. 2013. The Free Dictionary. Re trieved 09 August, 2013, from http://legal- dictionary. Differentiator. Mom/Civil+Rights+Movement 2 The African American civil rights movement saw , provided an ideal forum to express to his wide audience his Charles Mining Discography session index. 2001. Jazz Discography Project. Retrieved 03 August, 2013, from http://www. ]zodiacs. Org/Charles-mining/discography/session-index/ Mining, Charles. Contemporary Musicians. Volvo. 9. Gale Coinage, 2006 4 M. Reef, Unexpected Activism. A Study of Louis Armstrong and Charles Mining as Activists Using 5 James Coots Theory of Public Versus Hidden Transcripts, p. 18 Thomas Vacancies Arrival E. Faustus, who in 1957 sent out the National Guard to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School by nine African American teenagers. And response from the horn section which is played in a combination of a somewhat mocking tone in order to depict Faustus as a fool, and in a raucous tone, to portray the anger as present n the African American community jazz critic Don Hickman who commented a classic Negro put-down in which satire becomes a deadly rapier-thrust. Faustus emerges in a glare of ridicule as a mock villain whom no-one really takes seriously. This kind of commentary Appears far too rarely in Jazz. achieved international acclaim as it was played and recorded extensively by the Mining Band during their 1964 European Tour. The influence of this composition was obvious in the Jazz community as it was recorded and played on numerous occasions by various musicians, including white musicians he popularity of Mining compositions, which depicted harsh, emotional power, influenced his musical peers to become increasingly outspoken and to play Mining political compositions. Mining influence in the political Jazz climate increased political action in his fellow jazz musicians and also those people in the public who attended his concerts. Racist practices in the recording industry, the conversationalist of music festivals, and the exploitation of black artists led to Mining forming his own record company Debut Records, his own publishing company, organizing a counter-festival to the increasingly commercialese Newport Jazz Festival, and founding the Jazz Artists Guild GAG) a collective in powerful classes was most evident in the formation of the JAG. The JAG was influential in preceding numerous musicians collectives which were all cooperative ventures that protested the rules governing the Jazz marketplace 1 a powerful force against racial discrimination, particularly in the music industry. Mining ability to communicate an agenda of resistance and protest to his audience hidden transcripts such as allegories in his compositions and musical statements made him ore outspoken than his counterparts Brown v. Board at Fifty: With an Even Hand. 2013. Library of Congress. Retrieved 06 June, 2013, from 6 http://www. Loc. Gob/exhibits/brown/brown-aftermath. HTML Fables of Faustus Song Review Ken Dryden. All Music. Retrieved 18 July, 2013, from http:// 7 www. Alembic. Com/song/fables-of-Faustus-mt0007689362 8 Hickman, Don (August 1962). About Charles Mining. American Record Guide: 916-18. AS cited cantors 2001, p. 198 The European Tour of 1964, Charles Mining, Retrieved 06 June, 2013, from http:// 9 mining. Monotone. Info/1964. HTML 10 (Masterpieces), p. M. Dunked, Aesthetics of Resistance Charles Mining and the Civil Rights Movement 11 (Masterpieces), p. 16 MM. Reef, Unexpected Activism. A Study of Louis Armstrong and Charles Mining as . In 1962, the song was re-recorded with lyrics to further . Musicians Joined Mining protest and thus presented . Thus, he could use music as a vehicle to express 3 strong political views supported the clear activism Mining freedom for Justice through music was an effective way of influencing the ordinate classes and subordinate classes. This was achieved through compositional devices and was giggly effective as it exemplified counterculture through music. He played bebop; a style of modern Jazz that developed in New York City during the early sass. It contained fast tempos, open soloing and complicated improvisation. 14 from post sass, bebop was a form of aesthetic protest and rebellion. 1 5 permanent black experience of oppression and discrimination in the USA. 16 interacted with the communal ideas of the CRM. Eh merged musical elements that represented diverse social groups within the Black community. He combined modern bebop elements with blues and sacred gospel music, representative of the lower classes pacification of bebop, combined with lower class blues and gospel music, Mining unified a diverse social group including the ordinate musician class through free, musical expression. Mining also used collective improvisation, a method where musicians improvised simultaneously. It bayed particular attention to how each band member interacted with the group as a whole. 19 band member expressed their musical freedom whilst playing a style of music reflecting Black grievances against discrimination. Mining captured the ordinate musician classes as many notable musicians played Mining songs which included these compositional consequences they exerted activism. In Fables of Faustus, Mining cleverly uses lyrics in conjunction with staccato (short and choppy) notes, stable sounds and unstable sounds which produces a tone of insanity. Since this song attempts to criticism Governor Faustus, this compositional device gives the impression that Faustus is psychotic. Hence, Mining used compositional form of activism to underpin the outspoken forms of activism. These combined forms of activism created a unique and powerful view towards the CRM. According to many African-American scholars This created potential for a visual image for an open protest as each Unexpected Activism: A Study of Louis Armstrong and Charles Mining as Activists Using James 13 Coots Theory of Public Versus Hidden Transcripts, up. 18, Melanie Riff bebop. 2013. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 08 August, 2013, prompt:// 14 www. Britannica. Com/Upchucked/topic/57837/bebop 15 M. Dunked, Aesthetics of Resistance Charles Mining and the Civil Rights Movement (Masterpieces), p. 7 MM. Dunked, Aesthetics of Resistance Charles Mining and the Civil Rights Movement (Masterpieces), p. 38 MM. Dunked, Aesthetics of Resistance Charles Mining and the Civil Rights Movement Masterpieces), p. 89 18 Retrieved July 19 23, 2013, from http://accent. Columbia. Du/pro]sects/]glossary/c/ collective_improvisation. HTML Charles Mining Cover Songs. 2009. Covers Project. Retrieved July 23, 2013, from www. Coversheet. Com/artist/Charles musingsMiMiningdentified music as a means of unity, insisting that music is all one21 comparisons with racial segregation and music genres. He attempted to break the barriers that lay between Jazz and classical music by incorporating elements from both fields, creating a medium. 22 musicians where he imagined a world free of racial restrictions and generic atdisgorgesHis activism was in the form of outspoken statements where he called for greater integration in the music world; Today, musicians in all races are proving that no race is endowed with special abilities for any profession and that every musician has an equal chance if given the proper start and study needed for playing correctly. 23 Arguably his most effective contribution to the CRM was his articulation of free musical expression as depicted in the prestigious downbeat magazines. MiMiningerecognizedf Jazz Journalist and its effect on the ability of the Jazz musician to make a living as Black West Coast America suffered from a lack of critique and was subsequently not rerecognizedn merit. He wrote to Gleason, expressing his belief that music was an expression of the emotional self. In doing so, he tried to create a climate in which these musicians would have the creative freedom and material resources to pursue their art. By writing to the critic, MiMiningrticulated his aesthetic vision of inequality in the music business. This encouraged musicians in the future to strive for free musical expression, where black musicians would predominantly create music infused with musical expression ideas about race, culture citizenship, civil and coeconomicights, and black rirightisthe supportive critic, Gleason. MiMiningethos prior to this publication was already respected as he had been written glowingly in Downbeat during 1949. Therefore, he was more influential to the ordinate musician class. This was further underpinned when the article was reproduced in 1953 and to an even greater extent when MiMiningonducted a CoColorlind Test, notable musicians had to identify personnel on records people identifying anonymous black artists as white artists and vice versa. The results were published, along with the support of critic

International Student Summit

International Student Summit Free Online Research Papers This report talks about: All the experiences I had in London, how much information I got, and what are the reactions I had. I’ll try to put pictures and I hope you will like it. I would like to thank the British Council, the Natural History Museum and everyone who was involved in this summit and made it work even with a single signature. Introduction: Getting the Visa: I thank the British Council once again for doing all the paper work. All I had to do was to give them the requirement papers and the visa was ready in about five days. The members of the conference from Libya: There should have been three people; me, another person and an adult but only the adult and I went there. The other person skipped the conference in the last minute for personal reasons. Getting on the plane and arrival: The trip was very comfortable and the plane landed safely. Then we collected our bags and took the 40 £ that the British Council gave us and went to the Imperial College We met Jakira and Eleanor who took us to the Sherfield Building and that is where we had dinner. I checked in into the Imperial College’s building after dinner. I took my room key and met Jakira and Eleanor again and they took us to the Alexander Fleming Building where we set house rules and made sure that everyone was in agreement not to break them. We played some icebreaker games that gave me the chance to get to know others and where everybody was from. We split up into six groups and I guess I was the lucky one because my group was the best or that is what I think. In my group there were the Canadians and Libyans; all girls but me. Then we all went back to the Beit hall and went to our beds. Day One of Student Summit: First thing in morning we met with Eleanor and went to have breakfast. When breakfast ended we took a walk to the Natural History Museum. They handed us the Quiz Dom handsets. And this is how the Quiz Dom handsets look like: We headed to our seats and this how it worked. The question appears on the screen and we answer with yes or no or we choose A B C D E F. The First speaker was Mr. Tom Burke. Mr. Tom said: â€Å"Don’t be under forty† He said this because all of the people who are under 40 years old are going to be suffering and we are the ones who are going to face all the disasters starting from earthquakes to the massive destructive hurricanes. I felt he was right because our mother earth is really suffering and humans are 100% responsible for what is going on. We are responsible for Global warming and our co2 footprint and we do have the sufficient technology to stop it or at least to prevent it from happening anymore. Yet we do not use it. Break time. The Second speaker was Professor Mike Hulme. Climate change: implication for the future, choice for the present. The Professor did talk about something seemed really interesting to me because we do not have it in Libya. He talked about the Thames barrier that was built in the United Kingdom to prevent the seawater from invading the land. Due to rising sea levels, there was a discussion in the public about raising the barrier. But he said that we should deal with the problem instead of going around it and of course the main reason for this problem is global warming. â€Å"How high are we going to keep building higher Thams barrier?† he said. The third speaker was Dr. Jeremy Leggett who talked about the Climate change meets peak oil: the numbers game of the century. A summary of Dr. Jeremy Leggett talk is that our business and particularly our oil industry are making mother earth suffer. He said that governments are not making the big steps towards a cleaner environment because the temperature already is higher than the average 2 degrees Celsius. Lunch: The fourth speaker was Dr. Jillian Anable and he talked about Driving to the limit: the effects of transport on climate change Dr. Jillian Anable made clear that the car is primary mode of transport for 6% of the world’s population but the transport sector is growing really fast all over the world. The more cars being sold, the more co2 emitted into the globe. Even worse is that although all cars have the same function as transport vehicles, they have varying fuel usage so that even driving the same distance, one car can emit more co2 than another. Here’s a really good example that made me go like WOW. The fifth speaker was Dr. Dave Reay and he talked about Tackling climate change in the urban jungle. Dr. Dave made a really good point when he pointed the accusatory finger at cities. He said â€Å"Cities are now responsible for three-quarters of all greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere by humankind†¦ Yes we may be sliding deeper into a human-made climate abyss, but our cities can provide the ladder out of the hole we’ve got ourselves into. He meant that it was possible within cities to come up with urban-centric solutions to tackle the very pollution they emit. Short break. Then all the speakers sat together and it was our turn to ask some questions. We asked some really good questions I don’t have the time to write all of them but I can say what I asked. Q1: Ok you already said that scientists invented cars that use hydrogen instead of gas why don’t we see any of these cars on the market or why don’t we even see any hydrogen stations? Q2: Since it’s still a new technology (the hydrogen cars), when do you think they are going to officially be used all over the world? Summit closes for the day. And return to the Imperial College. After that we played games and had something to eat in the map room at the Royal Geographical Society. Evening ends Day Two of Student Summit: . . Review of the last day. Dr. Bob Bloomfield introduces the first speaker Mr. Colin Butfield speaking of the WWF. Mr. Colin Butfield talked about how we could live in peace with our mother earth. (One planet living) Mr. Butfield made his argument with points on diminishing resources and animals in the wild due to our over-consumption in urban areas. Lets put this one in point form and you can be the judge: Only 250 tigers left in India. Only 350 tigers left in Bangladesh. 27% of co2 emissions come from our houses. 55% of timber used in our homes. The United Kingdom is the third largest importer of illegal timber in the world. More than 50% of the global population lives in he cities now. Cities take up to 2% of the planet space. Break Time. The second speaker was Dr. Mark Spencer and he talked about Urban plants: their importance in a changing world. The main idea was that if plants were used in the right way they can be our allies. They can provide shade and soothe the atmosphere. Due to global warming many types of plants has been excessively spreading through cities. London Rocket is sort of a plan that is invading London because of global warming. Thousands of types of grass are being affected by global warming. By examining trends in plant growth, we have an idea of the effect of global warming on our environment. The third speaker was Dr. Tim Sparks and he talked about Dear diary: everyone can contribute to monitoring the effects of climate change. This is a summary of what Dr. Tim Spark said: Very little data would exist without volunteers acting independently or as part of networks. Historical data is valuable in examining temperature response, but much data lies scattered and in obscurity. Our ambition is to preserve and make available historic data for comparison with a continuing phonological network. Current data shows a large shift towards early timings in plant and animal cycles. Continued monitoring is necessary to identify change and potential problems with life cycles, competition and the food chain. Lunchtime. Then our group visited the Ice station Antarctica at the Natural History Museum. Londons green spaces: improving peoples access to nature By Shirley Mitchell. The thing that really took my attention over here is that 42% of Londons citizens said that London isn’t a green city. Short break. Then it was Question time and I asked: Q: I asked Mr. Colin Butfield. Are their any volunteers working on the WWF? If so how can anyone become a part of it? He said they do have volunteers working with them and he asked me where am I from. I told him that Im from Libya. He said that they don’t have offices in Libya but they are doing some work over there and he took my E-mail address and said he would see what he could do. Summit closes for the day. Depart on foot and went to high street Kensington. Shopping. Shopping ends we met Eleanor outside of the McDonald. Depart by coach to a pizza restaurant. Dinner. Dinner ends. Depart on foot to London eye for embarkation. We returned by coach back to the Bait hall Lights off time to bed. Day three of student summit. We met Eleanor and went to have breakfast. Breakfast ends. Arrive to the NHM. Review of the last day. The first speaker was Mr. Ken Livingstone The mayor of London and he was talking about Climate change: the challenge of the 21st century. Something the mayor of London said really amazed me: â€Å"We don’t need new technology. We have what we need. We simply need the political will and we can reduce our carbon footprint by 80-90%. He was 100% right. The mayor of London made really clear points. He said that London is the only city that has increased in population by 10% but seen no increase in the carbon emissions. He also mentioned that there should be a small carbon taxes on air travel and this will produce for sure the air travel carbon footprint. Break time. The Second speaker was Mr. Peter Head, Director of ARUP The development of low carbon green cities. Mr. Peter Head was talking about the first eco-city (dongtan) and he said that it is one of six and the first phase of development is due to be completed in 2010. The eco-city will have a lower footprint than any other city thanks to its perfect designing. China hopes that eco-cities will help to remove humanity from the industrial age to the ecological age within the 50 next years. The third speaker was Ms. Brenda Boardman; Head of lower carbon Futures team at Environmental change Institute, Oxford University Personal carbon allowances. The idea was to give each person a specific amount of carbon that they can use whichever way they want and this amount is written on there carbon cards but some questions need to be asked first. How much should individuals be allowed? Should all individuals be given the same amount? Are children different in their carbon needs from adults? If this happened then it will produce the countrys carbon footprint. Those carbon cards should look like this. Lunchtime. The fourth speaker was Ms. Tatiana Bosteels, London Climate Change Agency moving towards a low carbon London The fifth speaker was Mr. Adrian Hewitt, Merton borough Council the power of local government to combat climate change. Short break. Questions time and I asked the mayor of London before he leaves. Q: Are those hydrogen buses going to be used all over Europe and will it ever going to be possible to make any sort of law that will force the other countries to use them? The answer was that those buses will be used in London in the next two years also in Europe very soon but we will not be able to force other countries to use them. Although since we are the first who invented those buses then this will create an international market and will be open for sail all over the world. Summit closes. After that we made our way to the hydrogen buses in front of the Natural History Museum and it took us in a tour on over London and put us back into the Imperial college. Evening ends. Lights off and time to sleep. Last day we had breakfast hugs and goodbyes then checkout and it was time to go to the airport. And finely†¦ Because a green city is a dream that comes in the minds of all those who cares about environment.. And it’s a dream I hope that I could bring it to realty to make my city greener.. So it can survive from the other problems that other cities are already having. I wish to be like a green hand that is digging over here and there. I wish to be the mind that tells the people what to do to make theyre cities greener. I wish that I could do all that while Im provided with all the knowledge that the British council could provide me with either working inside or outside of Libya. Research Papers on International Student SummitAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Quebec and CanadaPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyTrailblazing by Eric AndersonStandardized TestingWhere Wild and West MeetMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtBringing Democracy to AfricaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Class work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Class work - Assignment Example ividuals also have a good social support network that they feel comfortable leaning on in times of difficulty† (Towson University: Relational Wellness, 2010, par. 1). One strongly believes that there is eminent strength and wellness through relationships with family and friends. They current provide the needed boost to pursue diverse endeavors and also encourage one to express personal feelings and emotions which is needed to support and sustain various activities in life. On the other hand, exemplifying the weakest dimension is in the financial wellness area. As disclosed in the resources page, â€Å"people with high financial well-being may have a lot of money or a little, but either way they are able to live within their means, not spending more money than they have. They are aware of where their money goes, and they have a budget that they stick to, as well as a long-range financial plan. They are aware of and meet their financial obligations and generally have a comfortable relationship with money† (Towson University: Financial Wellness, 2012, par. 1). Therefore, since one is lowest in this dimension, the traits indicated herein are oppositely applied to one’s personal experience. The current economic and financial difficulties contribute to this weakness as one needs to support various activities that could be be fully sustained by one’s level of income. From among the strategies revealed from the resources page, as could be applied to people found to have weaknesses in this dimension, the following were worth noting: (1) planning for future financial independence; (2) reducing one’s credit card debt, if any; (3) making a game of saving money; (4) read about strategies for increasing one’s financial wellness; and (5) talking with a parent, counselor, or advisor about how to improve one’s financial situation (Towson University: Financial Wellness, 2012). The resources page provide ample strategies where one could improve financial wellness, as

Chronic Diabetic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Chronic Diabetic - Research Paper Example There are several core signs and symptoms by which chronic diabetes due to hyperglycemia is identified including increased urination, increased hunger, weight loss and increased thirst. In addition to these symptoms, damaged eyes/impaired vision and eventual blindness, renal failure, impotence, foot disorders (due to insufficient blood flow to legs) and nervous system impairment are the long-term effects of hyperglycemia. Chronic diabetes also exposes one to risks of developing stroke, kidney disease, and heart disease. From the causes, signs, and symptoms of chronic diabetes, it is quite apparent that the central way of treating or managing the condition is by lowering the elevated levels of blood sugar to the normal levels. This lowering of blood sugar level not only assists in improving the signs and symptoms of the disease but also prevents/delays the setting in of the myriad complications associated with chronic diabetes. It is not enough to beware of and implement the necessary interventions to realize normal blood sugar levels: more should be done by way of proper, patient-centered, well-coordinated and comprehensive interventions, caring for and treating chronic diabetics. Chiefly at risk of contracting chronic diabetes and other serious and life-threatening conditions are older adults amongst whom most of the life-threatening conditions often associated with chronic diabetes are observed to be more widespread. It has also been observed that many years of undetected or untreated unusually high blood sugar levels. is responsible for widespread chronic diabetes in older adults. Thus, it is imperative that victims of chronic diabetes under formal and informal care should be encouraged to practise good chronic diabetes

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management accounting - Essay Example Some managers and staff workers in the organisation are being evaluated using the income statement,balance sheet and the statement of cash flows as benchmarks.Some managers use the balance sheet to determine if all the customers have already paid their dues on timeSome managers would stop sending goods on account to customers who have large over due receivables In addition, some companies use different tools or criteria to determine if the managers have been doing profitably or beautifully. The following paragraphs will explain in detail this introductory.First, the management team has a problem with its working capital. working capital is arrived at by subtracting total current assets from total current liabilities. The total current assets include cash on hand, cash in bank and petty cash funds. The current assets also includes accounts receivable as well as notes receivable. The current assets also includes inventory end generated from current year purchases and beginning of the y ear inventory count. One problem in this situation is that the management team has a lot of write -offs. This simply means that the company has not been able to collect the receivables from the clients for one reason or another. Write offs are done only if the possibility of collecting the receivables is impossible because of the customers' bankruptcy, transfer to another location so that collection of the account owed by the customer cannot be pursued. The write offs result to a reduction in the accounts receivable. a reduction in the accounts receivable results to a reduction in the current ratio. A reduction in the current ratio indicates that the company is not doing well in terms of the balance sheet presentation for the current year. Likewise, the collection of only fifty percent of the amount collectible shows that the management team has lost fifty percent of its receivables amount. There are two ways to treat this lack of payment by the customer. One way is to record the fifty percent payment as a debit to cash and a credit to accounts receivable. The management then retains the remaining fifty percent uncollected accounts receivable from the disgruntled employee in the current assets section of the balance sheet. This would not result to an increase or decrease in the current assets portion of the balance sheet for the year (Fazzari 1993, 328). This would be a good accounting procedure to follow because it is what is the normal process as stated in the international accounting standards. On the other hand, a conservative approach to this situation would be to record the fifty percent payment from the unsatisfied customers as full payment of the original amount contracted. This would give us a reduction in the accounts receivable. Consequently, this would result to a decrease in the working capital of the management team. This will not give a good impression of the management team. The head of the management team was completely surprised when he or she received the fifty -percent payment. The surprise was due to the management team leader's expectation that the management team would receive the entire one hundred percent of the job done. The management team leader had to console himself or herself that the lack of payment was because the customer was dissatisfied with their job. The customer explained that the management team was not paid the entire management consultancy fee because the management team did not reach its pre -agreed targets. The profit center manager who is also the head of the management team feels that his department should not be dependent another department to save it from financial distress. The profit center manager is tasks to produce his or her department's income statement and balance sheet. Here, the profit center (may also be called a department must not ask for dole -outs or free rides from the other departments within the

Methods to improve personal and professional skills

Methods to improve personal and professional skills Methods to improve personal and professional skills Successful jobs and promotions seekers recognize their degrees and work experience are not enough to distinguish them from the crowded field of candidates. Though college degrees, professional certificates and experience help you meet the minimum criteria to apply, once you get the chance to interview your demonstrated communication, self management and behavioral skills combined with your presence is what will distinguish you from the competition. Your level of professionalism will relate directly to the degree to which you will RISE ABOVE THE CROWD! We may be a valued employee but if our skills and contributions dont accelerate over the years, especially in tough time like credit crunch, we may find our self out of a job. Its good that the boss likes you, but when are up against serious challenges to the ongoing success of the company, being a liked, known quantity is not enough. The only way we could find successful carrier by Exploring and evaluate methods to improve personal and professional skills and explore methods to improve them. Moreover, company must visualize our talents and contributions as essential to the companys future success. If we are doing a decent job, our reporting employees like and get along with us, and the job is getting done, well likely coast for a little. Change is difficult even when change would be beneficial the organization. Personal skill is something which is the inner responsibility and self esteem. If we take some aspects of personal skill it can be categorized into the followings: Carefulness: This is what we can say think before acting. This helps with reducing the chance for costly errors, as well as keeping a steady workflow going. [1] Cooperation: It is the willingness to cooperate in a working environment with your colleagues or work mates. Creativity: This is the thinking and imagination or you can say different perception in order to bring something positive in the organisation. It is also called as ‘thinking out of box. Discipline: This includes the ability to complete the task with enthusiastic and determined way without being distracted or bored. Drive: Every business needs people with the drive and ‘to do attitude for their growth. Good attitude: This has been shown to predict counter productive work behaviors, job performance and theft. Goodwill: This is a long term record of the person who has got some well-intentioned remarks on his behalf. Influence: This includes the motivational power to influence people in order to maintain a good working team. A strong leader can influence a mass and carry out them in a way to reap gain. Optimism: Productivity is directly proportional to positive attitude which is the optimism. Order: This show the proper placement of thing in order to retrieve them easily when and wherever it is needed. Safe work behavior: Every organisation needs people with knowledge of self protection and safety rules. These include the general fire alarm and first-aid knowledge. Savvy: This is about knowledge about your co-workers behavior and personality and way of dealing with them. It includes a tendency to read other peoples motives from observed behavior and use this information to guide ones thinking and action. Sociability: This is all about socializing while working in the work place. The more you socialize the better less job tensions and more productivity. Stability: This means a tendency to maintain composure and rationality in stressful work situations. The Professional skills are as followings: COMMUNICATION: It is again can be divided into two parts- Verbal and Non Verbal (or Written). [2] Oral- Public speaking, general conversation, seminars, conferences, presentations, workshops and negotiation. Written- Letters, proposals, reports, speeches, manuals, press releases, articles for periodicals and publications PROBLEM SOLVING: It is the skill needed by the employer in order to work efficiently in times when the situation demands and no one there to help. It also can be taking initiative in case of a problem while others find it hard to tackle. It can be classified as followings: [3] Trouble shooting- Problem identification, problem analysis and problem resolution Personnel- Employee morale and satisfaction, productivity and efficiency, work simplification and work flow improvement Customer and Public Relations- Liaison and coordination, improvement in customer service and satisfaction and client support. Personal and Professional development plan Most importantly it is crucial to remember that personal and professional development need to be intentional if they are to result improve individual and organization effectiveness. Plans should connect individual and institution need to meaningful activities. Outcome associated with those activities should be evaluated. Professional development is incomplete without continue professional development (CPD).This normally assists us to orient our self to the subject and in the course of doing so, CPD is a process by which individuals take control of their own learning and development. This progression is empowering and exciting and can inspire people to achieve their goal and move toward their dreams. CPD core concept is the we (as an employee) is in control, CPD is holistic process and can address all aspects of life and balance between them, regular looking forward how we want to be, reflecting on how we are working from our present position towards the future direction, helps in achieving CPD`s purpose and adds hunger and direction to work and learning. CPD works if we have the support and financial backing of our employer and it also works even if the employer is unconcerned or hostile.(Megginson, Whitaker,2003) Value of competence framework in an organisation ïÆ'Ëœ Make companies recruitment process more successful by using competencies to establish the crucial match between job candidates and the demand of the role. ïÆ'Ëœ Manage employees performance more effectively by using competencies to provide performance benchmarks and identify those employees with potential. ïÆ'Ëœ Design a more appropriate training and development programme by using competencies to identify learning needs. ïÆ'Ëœ Improve motivation by using competencies to clarify the link between pay and performance. (Amstrong,2000) Value of competence framework in individuals ïÆ'Ëœ It help to develop and define competencies that are a valuable management tool, providing a common language and framework for understanding organizations performance. ïÆ'Ëœ Explore how to select the competency model that best suits organizations need. ïÆ'Ëœ Helps to understand the fundamental components involved in designing an effective competency framework. ïÆ'Ëœ Effectively implement the competency framework to ensure it contributes organization success. ïÆ'Ëœ Helps to overcome the critical challenges that so often effective implementation ïÆ'Ëœ Improve professional experience through discussions. ( Amstrong,2000) Importance of Planning We tend to use any excuse not to get down to work, and one is uncertainty over where to begin; â€Å"Shall I do this or that?† And the uncertainty becomes an excuse for doing something else and in the end we would be running around like headless chickens not knowing what to do next. So its highly imperative to plan in advance so that there will be clear structure of how to execute the particular task successfully. The simple expedient of writing a list of various things to do and the order in which you are going to do them can save a considerable amount of time. Although it is important not be overly ambitious while planning as you can always do something extra at the end if time permits. When you make a list of everything you have to do the following day, your subconscious mind works on that list all night long and when you wake up next day, you will be able to generate more insights and develop strategies to help accomplish the task in hand. It will also help to use manpower , opportunities and resources you need to achieve your goals and complete the assignment successfully. So planning well in advance is necessary and recommended because it eradicates all the doubts and ambiguity regarding the task and helps an individual to forge ahead and complete the task in the best possible way. [6] Stress management techniques Job stress and its related conditions, job burnout, contribute to poor physical and mental health. Employee stress is a source of discomfort and a major concern to managers and stockholders. According to research, a worker stress cost $300 billion annually due to lot of productivity, increase workers compensation claims, and anxiety in general of dread, fear or worry for no immediate reason, and is a symptom of stress. Behavioral symptoms include nervous habits, such as facial twitching, and sudden decreases in job performance due to forgetfulness and errors in concentration or judgment. The control techniques consist of both actions and mental evaluations that help people take change in stress situation. (a) Get social support- Few people can do it alone when experiencing prolonged stress. Receiving social support encouragement, understanding and friendship- from other people is an important strategy for coping successfully with job stress. (b) Improve your work habit- This technique can be used for improving your personal productivity to reduce stress. People typically experience stress when they feel themselves losing control of their work assignments. Conscientious employees are especially prone to negative stress when they cannot get their work under control. (c) Develop positive self talk- Stress resistant people are basically optimistic and cheerful. This kind of positivism can be learned by switching to positive talk instead of thinking about negative thoughts. (d) Demand less than perfection from yourself- By demanding les than 100% performance than yourself, you will fail less frequently in your own perception. Not measuring up to ones own unrealistically high standards creates a considerable amount stress. Few human can operate with zero defects or ever achieve six-sigma perfection. (e) Strive not to neglect aspects of life outside of work- There is a big difference between a negative type of workaholic and a person who simply works hard and long to achieve constructive goals. A negative workaholic usually becomes anxious when not working. When a person neglects other aspects of life outside of work, such as spending time with family, friends and physical exercise, the person is more likely to suffer from stress symptoms such as irritability and lack of focus. [7] References : 1. www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?/pdf/(cited 10 July 2009) 2. www.communicationskills.co.in/t (cited 10 July 2009) 3. Robson , Continuous process improvement: simplifying work flow , p37 4. Continuing professional development, by David Megginson, Vivien Whitaker,2003 5. Performance management: key strategies and practical guidelines‎ by Michael Armstrong Limited preview 2000 6. Goals! How to get everything you want- faster than you ever thought possible, ‘Manage your time well by Brian Tracy, PP 165-166 7. Essentials of management by Andrew J DuBrin,, 7th edition, 2005, pp 18-28. Key questions for the Pragmatist Q1 Shall I be learning to do things with obvious practical links to my job? A1 It is easier to learn from experience when you can actually relate your learning to real life experience. When you have actually gone through the experience, you will be able to pick out and isolate the flaws and rectify it. Q2 Will the learning approach includes lots of practical tips and techniques? A2 After going through all the theory, techniques and concepts, it is imperative to have a reality check and test the practicality of the theories and concepts. it is very useful to learn practical tips and techniques along with the theory. Q3 Will there be ample opportunities to practice and experiment using â€Å"live† problems or good simulations? A3 There will be sufficient opportunities to practice and experiment during your learning but the most important thing is to understand the concept. A single practical experiment could able to solve a hundred theory questions. So even if there is no exact practical solution to a particular problem, you can always correlate it to previous experience and could find out the solution. Q4 Will there be coaching and feedback from a credible expert or role model: ie someone who is successful and can do what is being taught themselves? A4. An experienced person has the wealth of knowledge and expertise which he can share to the budding managers. And at the same time his feedback to a particular solution is equally important. Q5 Will there be an immediate real life application which can be included in my action plans? A5 It will be very useful you could include immediate real life application into you action plan because then It become more easier and the Individual will be able to perform the task in the best possible way. Q6 Will it contribute to the immediate performance of myself and my colleagues by addressing current problems? A6. It will not only contribute to the immediate performance but also have a positive impact on the future performance of an individual or a team by addressing current problems. Personal Development Plan A PDP is just a different name for an action plan which refers specifically to your aspirations regarding personal development. Plans are made every day, but are not always written down and for those reasons PDP are drawn which allows you to set your own personal targets and find the best possible way to achieve them. An action plan will help you to envisage what you are doing and keep track of your achievements. To be totally effective, it must be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that it is always precise, appropriate and pragmatic. [1] Personal development plan is a key component in the future working practice of all professionals. In the future, educational provision should be based on educational needs assessment. This means that the individual and the organisation must find a method to identify their educational needs and then methods to fulfil those needs for the benefit of the company. These plans are designed to structure educational activity of managers and their teams and to accomplish specific areas of development within the practice. They should take into account the individuals learning needs, the developmental needs of the practice as a whole and the priorities of the company. It consists of the following plan: †¢ Specifying how the learning needs are identified. †¢ The educational activity proposed to meet those needs †¢ How the plan will be addressed. Balancing the development needs of the managers to meet the needs of individual team members is sometimes difficult. Through Professional Development Plan individuals can start to understand why some areas of practice activity are given priority over others and how the decision was made. [2] What skills do you need to develop to do the job better? Are these shortcomings in your management capacities that you need to try to address? Are these projects or special assignments that you could get involved in that could strengthen you skills? Are there formal courses or programs that could strengthen your capabilities? It is especially critical that you do this when you are making key career passages. If you are a first time manager, get in the habit early of asking your boss for feedback and help in developing supervisory skills. Your willingness to seek candid feedback on your strength and weakness and, critically, your ability to act on the feedback send a powerful message. The same fundamental principle holds whether you are becoming a manager for the first time, functional leader, a general manager, or CEO. Whenever you are at a point in your career when success demands a different set of skills and attitudes, discipline yourself to be open to learning from others who ha ve gone before you. Dont restrict your focus on hard skills. The higher you rise, the more important the key soft skills of cultural and political diagnosis, negotiation, coalition building, and conflict management will become. Formal training can help, but development assignments- in project teams, in new parts of organisation, in different functions, in different locations- are indispensible in honing these key managerial skills. For example, no matter what type of situation you are entering, it can be useful to put together a 90- day plan and to get buy-in from your boss. Usually you will be able to devise a plan after a couple of weeks in the new job, when you have begun to connect with the organisation and to get the lay of the land. Your 90-day plan should be written, even if it just consists of bullet points. It should specify priorities and goals as well as milestones. Critically, you should share it with your boss and seek buy-in for it. It should serve as a contract betwee n the two of you about how you are going to spend your time, spelling out both what you will do and what you will not do. To begin to develop your plan, divide the 90 day into three blocks of 30-days. At the end of each block, you will have a review meeting with your boss. [3] In development programmes, there is an emphasis on personal development and planned learning from experience. Personal development programme is carried out by individual with guidance, encouragement and help from their managers as required. A personal development plan sets out the actions people prepare to take to learn and develop themselves. They take responsibility for formulating and implementing the plan, but they receive support from the organisation and their managers in doing so.Personal Development Programme consists of following stages 1. Analyse current situation and development needs What am I good at? a. Communication Skills b. Sincerity and Hardworking attitude c. Creativity What do I need to work on? a. Personal Organisation b. Leadership Skills c. Decision Making What could help me along? a. Taking responsibility for the activities of others during work experience. b. Setting priorities and meeting deadlines. c. Organising various activities and events. What could stop me? a. Lack of resources (money/time). b. Lack of concentration and focus. 2. Set Goals- These could include improving performance in the current job, improving or acquiring skills, extending relevant knowledge, developing specified areas of competence and preparing for changes in the current role. The most appropriate way or organising work is to set short term goals, medium term goals and long term goals. 3. Prepare action plan- The action plan sets out what needs to be done and how it will be done under headings such as outcome expected, the development activities, the responsibility for development and timing. Reference 1. www.learning-forces.org.uk//PERSONAL%20DEVELOPMENT%20PLANS2.doc, (cited 22 August 2009. 2. Personal Development and Practice Professional Development Plans in Primary Care Sector, by Derek Gallan, Glyns Buckle, 2001, pp 3-12. 3. The first 90 days: critical success strategies for new leaders at all levels By Michael Watkins, 2003, pp120-143. 4. A handbook of Human Resource Management Practices By Micheal Armstrong, 2001, pp 571-580.

Oedipus the King Essay -- Classics Oedipus King Essays

Oedipus the King Oedipus the King is the perfect example of a tragedy. It contains a complete combination of all the features of a tragedy. Aristotle in his Poetics[1] defines Oedipus as being 'a definite example of the form and purpose of tragedy'. In tragedies the Greeks dramatized climactic events in the lives of heroes, and Oedipus' story is no exception. By using many different literary devices it brings moral dilemmas of action and motive to the public stage. The action is set out over the timeframe of one day, which will according to the prophet Tiresias will bring Oedipus' 'birth' and 'destruction'. King Oedipus is the central protagonist and within his character lies a tragic flaw. He is unintentionally the architect of his own downfall. The strengths that once lead him to solve the riddle behind the sphinx later lead him to his own downfall. In the words of the priest; 'you helped us stand, only to fall once more'. Oedipus' hamartia is his anger. It lies at the root of the plot. It was fury that lead him to kill Laius. He was about to thrust Oedipus off the road one night, so Oedipus 'paid him back with interest' by murdering him. Another flaw is a persistent desire to discover the truth. His 'mindless stubbornness' motivates him to seek the truth about Laius' killer and who his father is. This search leads to the turn of events that take place throughout the play. Despite constant denial of his fate he cannot deny the work of the gods. Tiresias delivers him a prophecy of this fate. Oedipus' circumstances are far beyond his own control. No matter what he attempts to do or alter every path leads the same way. He finds himself 'always terrified Apollo's' oracle might come true'. However he is determined to seek out the Kings murderer to punish him. This search interlinks with the search for his father. Jocasta also tries to deny destiny believing that 'nothing human can penetrate the future'. She claims to believe that 'It's all chance, chance rules our lives'. However fate inevitably takes over. Through the process of anagorsis Oedipus discovers he is in fact the very criminal he seeks. Along with this he realises further truth in the prophecy, that he is married to his mother. Jocasta also comes to realise the same truth. By the end of the play his final downfall along with hers is inevitable. Tragic iro... ...loins that spawned my wretched life. What grief can crown this grief? It's mine alone, my destiny - I am Oedipus!' These two statements show the peripeteia of Oedipus' life. Once a hero basked in glory, he has now succumbed to his destiny. In turn he is lowered to a truly pathetic state. His altered state serves to highlight the reversal of fortune he undergoes. His tragic flaw leads him to acknowledging his fate. Oedipus' downfall comes as he tries to escape fate but cannot. The audience knows this as does the chorus and we can only watch. Oedipus the King contains nothing outside of the definition; it's just pure Tragedy at the very core. It also confirms to Aristotle's theory of Tragedy. It obeys all the rules and the elements of Tragedy mentioned throughout. These features entwine together to create the ultimate work of Tragedy. From all of this it is unquestionable that the word 'tragedy' is a usefully accurate description of Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] W.B. Worthen, The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 3rd Edition (USA, Harcourt College Publishers, 2000), p 72.

Into the Wild Essay

You will have 45 minutes to plan and write an essay on the topic assigned below. Before you begin writing, read the passage carefully and plan what you will say. Your essay should be as well-organized and carefully written as you can make it. I think that Chris McCandless was bright and ignorant at the same time. He had no common sense, and he had no business going into Alaska with his Romantic silliness. He made a lot of mistakes based on arrogance. I don’t admire him at all for his courage nor his noble ideas. Really, I think he was just plain crazy. Shaun Callarman Explain Callarman’s argument and discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with his analysis. Support your position, providing reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading. The sample student essays that follow reflect the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for their respective scores. Sample student essay with a score of 6: Life: Not an Episode of â€Å"Grizzly Man† Yes, living alone in the wilderness like Thoreau and London sounds exciting, especially if you fake a big part of your adventures or if you can pack up and go home when you get too hungry. Chris McCandless doesn’t have these options, but Shaun Callarman believes that Chris is full of â€Å"Romantic silliness,† and by this statement I think he means that Chris goes into Alaska seeing only the good parts of the wilderness experience. Like Callarman, I believe that Chris has a head full of â€Å"Romantic ideas† and that he lacks â€Å"common sense† although I would not call him â€Å"plain crazy.† When Chris decides to map some part of the Alaskan wilderness that’s already been mapped, he is definately showing â€Å"Romantic silliness.† Callarman is right about this; it doesn’t seem very courageous to me to waste time doing work that someone else has already done! I would want to spend my time doing something more useful. The wilde rness in Alaska is being ruined with oil pipes and spills. Chris could of taken some of his â€Å"noble ideas† and used them to better the area. By spending his energy for a good cause, he would not have seemed so arrogant and ignorant, as Callarman states. It might have  felt romantic to him to draw his own map, but he was staying in a bus, so it seems pretty clear to me that somebody else had been there already. Also, Callarman says that Chris â€Å"made a lot of mistakes base on arrogance.† I agree; Chris does make a lot of errors. For instance, he brings the wrong kind of gun, the wrong kind of clothes, too many books and not enough food. What is the purpose of his reading and his library research in Alaska if he’s not going to be willing to take advise? So yes, Chris’s mistakes maybe coming from an arrogant brain. On the other hand, Chris did show some â€Å"noble ideas,† in contrast to what Callarman states. He tries to keep other people from getting involved with him by not letting them get too close. In addition, he really did kill a moose and not a carabou, as some people made fun of him for doing. Finally, he lives a lot longer out in the wilderness than most people could! Chris is definately a bizarre mix of qualities, as Callarman argues, but now that I think about it Chris is not really as bad as he looks. Being young (high school and college) is suppose to be the time of our lives for Romantic silliness. Aren’t we suppose to be idealists during this time? I would not want my plans and dreams to be called â€Å"arrogant† or â€Å"ignorant,† because they’re impo rtant to me and I want them to come true. All in all, with his bad family life and sketchy role models like London, Chris did not do too bad. I do feel sorry for his parents and sister and friends, but his life is a lesson for all of us to be careful but to follow our dreams as much as we can. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 6. The superior response indicates that the writer is very well prepared to handle college-level reading and writing. The writer offers a concise and accurate explanation of the Callarman quotation and effectively addresses all aspects of the prompt. The essay demonstrates a thorough, critical understanding of the passage, invoking Callarman both directly and indirectly, integrating quoted material smoothly, and using the Callarman quotation to guide the writer’s response. The essay consistently and insightfully negotiates between Callarman and the writer, even to the extent that the writing itself functions to modify the writer’s position as the essay progresses. With a few exceptions (see the second paragraph, for example) the writer uses transitions appropriately and effectively, both within and between  paragraphs, to guide the reader through the essay. The writer offers specific, accura te, and relevant examples (the map, the insufficient clothing and food, too many books) to support the essay’s points. The writer concludes the essay by referring to London again at the end and bringing the essay full circle. The essay’s paragraphs get shorter toward the end as the writer perhaps begins to rush, yet they are generally unified, focused, and well developed. The writer has learned to write in the literary present tense, with only some wavering of verb tense (especially toward the end of the essay). The essay is generally free of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics, except for minor slips (such as â€Å"definately† and â€Å"maybe† versus â€Å"may be†) that do not interfere with meaning. Sample student essay with a score of 5: Into the Wild Essay Shaun Callarman does not have much good to say about Chris McCandless. He believes that he, â€Å"was bright and ignorant at the same time,† meaning that Chris was smart; just smart enough to get himself killed in Alaska. Callarman also believes that Chris, â€Å"was just plain crazy,† which I think is taking his argument too far. I agree that Chris was foolish and made mistakes based on arrogance, but I don’t think he was crazy. Chris was just a bad combination of brains and stupidity. A college graduate should know enough to prepare for the wilderness. Who goes to a cold and distant place like Alaska with a backpack full of books and a bag of rice? He had enough money to buy the stuff he needed, why not spend some of his savings on a $5 map? His $24,000 would of bought him a lot of equiptment and food. People kept trying to buy him equiptment but each time he denied them. Is this being independent, or is it being stupid? I vote for stupid. Of course, Chris had a lot of problems that contributed to his decision to go into the wild. For example, his parent’s marriage was awful, and his dad’s double life must of been a huge shock. It seems that Chris did a lot of this to spite his parents, like lieing about his identity, ignoring letters from home, and badmouthing his Mom and Dad. There are lots of people like him that feel they have something to prove, so they go out and do something wreckless. Chris didn’t prove anything by going to Alaska, besides that he was an idiot. If he hated his Mom and Dad so much, maybe he should of just  gone somewhere and started a new life, maybe he should of taken his savings and bought a cabin in Alaska and been alone as long as he wanted instead of starving to death in a bus for innocent hikers to find later. If Chris is crazy, then so are a lot of other people, but he seems more foolish and even mean. For example, what about the way he treated the old man Ron? Ron really cared about Chris and he had already lost his entire family, but Chris tried to tell him how to live. After all that, he hit the road again and left Ron behind. This example shows that he only thinks of himself throughout the book, which just makes him like many others, dumb. Callarman lets him off too easy when he calls him â€Å"crazy†. If Chris was crazy, he could of been helped, but I believe he was mostly foolish and angry. He went to Alaska in a temper tantrum to show everyone, but he paid the biggest price in his death. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 5. The clear competence of the essay indicates that this writer is ready to handle college-level reading and writing. The writer provides a reasonable and clear thesis that responds to the prompt. The writer opens with an accurate summary of the Callarman passage, choosing to focus on the idea of whether or not Chris is crazy to develop a well-reasoned response. The writer shows some depth and complexity by attempting to consider opposing viewpoints in the third paragraph, although the logic wavers somewhat. The essay tends to overuse generalities (largely that McClandless was â€Å"dumb† or â€Å"stupid†), and some sections are underdeveloped. However, the writer does provide some specific examples (McClandless’ refusal to obtain equipment, his abandonment of Ron) to back up the essay’s assertions. The writer’s personal voice is lively and consistent throughout the essay. Transitions are occasionally awkward or missing, but the writer generally succeeds at using transitional language to guide the reader through the essay. The writer is able to reiterate the essay’s position in the final paragraph without being overly repetitive. The essay suffers from some errors of expression, such as spelling (â€Å"equiptment,† â€Å"lieing†), usage (â€Å"would of,† â€Å"should of†), mechanics (â€Å"his parent’s marriage†), semicolon use, pronoun confusion (the use of â€Å"he† in the first paragraph), and style (overuse of â€Å"a lot†), but these concerns do not generally detract from meaning. On the strong side,  this writer has learned to use a comma before coordinating conjunctions that connect independent clauses. Sample student essay with a score of 4: Chris McCandless was a risk-taker. He was a young man that wanted to be independent and live his life without anyone telling him what to do. Some people, such as Shaun Callarman, describe him as ignorant and arrogant. Others admire him for his ability to maintain his independence and live under his own control while maintaining his morals. Shaun Callarman says he was â€Å"bright and ignorant at the same time.† He had to have been bright. He read amazingly difficult books and followed their teachings as well. However, aside from calling him bright, Callarman also calls McCandless ignorant. Was McCandless ignorant for following the teachings of these books? No. He was just curious and obviously determined. Callarman states, â€Å"He had no common sense, and he had no business going into Alaska with his Romantic silliness.† I agree with what Callarman says in this passage. Common sense would have told him to bring the necessary supplies with him before attempting to go in to the wilderness of Alaska. I have been taught from a very young age to not go anywhere without my necessities, whether it be money, food, or water. I also have been taught to not go anywhere alone, especially if it is a huge risk. Chris McCandless ignored, or showed absolutely no common sense. I do not however think he was crazy. I do admire him for his ability to retain his morals and live his dreams out to their fullest potential. He took risks and in doing so was able to achieve what he most wanted. Independence. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 4. This adequate response to the topic suggests that the writer should be able to handle college-level reading and writing. The writer demonstrates a generally accurate understanding of the passage, although the writer struggles to understand some of Callarman’s points (i.e., how McCandless could be â€Å"bright and ignorant at the same time†). The essay delivers its thesis in the first sentence; this thesis is succinct and responds to the prompt. The first paragraph is brief but adequately set up, with the question, Was Chris independent or arrogant? posed through logic and transitional language (e.g., â€Å"Some people . . .† in the third sentence,  followed by â€Å"Others . . .† in the fourth). The writer quotes Callarman both directly and indirectly and attempts to incorporate quoted material smoothly with tag phrases, introductions, and other markers, although the quotati ons after the first paragraph are repetitive in terms of structure and logic. The essay as a whole is somewhat simplistic and repetitive. The final paragraph, for example, basically restates the thesis paragraph (first paragraph), and the body paragraphs tend to repeat their points as well. The logic in the essay is uneven, particularly in the third paragraph, where the essay seems to argue against its own thesis when the writer attempts to acknowledge Callarman’s â€Å"Romantic silliness† comment. The writer offers transitional language, although somewhat simplistic, within paragraphs (â€Å"however† is a prominent transition) but does not provide similar guidance for the reader between paragraphs. The examples from the text (reading hard books, leaving without necessities) are relevant but are general and underdeveloped. The essay generally demonstrates control of grammar, usage, and mechanics; in fact, this essay is a prime example of a paper that handles the English language quite competently but that struggles in other areas, such as organization and development. Sample student essay with a sc ore of 3: Chris McCandless was an adventourous man. Chris McCandless wanted to live his life to the fullest. Chris had changed his name to Alex the Supertramp. Alex wanted to live on the ‘road’. So he packed up all his belongings and burned his money. He unfortunaly died hundred and twelve days after he ‘hit the road’. Many people think of him as inspiration. While Others belived he was Crazy. I personally believe that Alex was an inspiration. An man by the name of Shawn Callarman had written a passage about Alex. Callarman writes â€Å"I think that Chris McCandless was bright and ignorant.† Callarman goes on to say that â€Å"I think he was just plain Crazy.† I disagree I believe Alex had a purpose in life. I believe that Alex had taken some time to think about his journey. Alex had a purpose in his life. I believe he wanted to show people how they can have goals and still acheive them. Even though he died on his Journey he left a ‘track’ b ehind. Alex had many pals along the way and he made a difference in their lives. Chris McCandless was an inspiration to me. Many people have their opinions of Chris. Chris’s story could lean  towards both ways. I believe that Chris MaCandless made a difference in a least one person’s life on his Journey. Chris McCandless was Crazy but he was not just a regular man. Chris McCandless was an inspiration to us all. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 3; however, it is a weak 3. Although the essay suggests developing competence, it is flawed in significant ways that suggest the writer needs additional practice before being able to succeed in college-level reading and writing. The writer makes limited use of the passage, focusing solely on the idea of McClandless’s potential craziness. The essay quotes Callarman by implication and without attribution in the final sentence of the first paragraph. It mentions Callarman directly only in the second paragraph by providing two quotations, the first of which is simply dropped in, then left unaddressed. The writer struggles to choose between two potential thesis statements (â€Å"I personally believe that Alex was an inspiration† and â€Å"I believe Alex had a purpose in life†), both contained in the second paragraph and reiterated but not supported elsewhere in the essay. The body paragraphs are a series of assertions that lack effective transitions. The writer has limited control of syntax and vocabulary, using a highly repetitive sentence structure throughout the essay, with constructions of similar length, grammatical structure, and simplicity (e.g., the first three sentences of the first paragraph open with the word â€Å"Chris†). The writer offers examples from the text that are accurate (McClandless’s changing his name, burning the money, making friends along the way), but these examples are often unspecific and are generally underdeveloped and undersupported. The writer struggles to maintain a consistent and appropriate verb tense throughout the essay. The essay suffers from an accumulation of errors, especially errors in spelling (â€Å"unfortuanly† and â€Å"belived†), punctuation (missing commas and misused single quotation marks), and erratic capitalization (â€Å"Others† and â€Å"Crazy†). Sample student essay with a score of 2: Into the Wild Essay Callarman’s argument is that he thinks that McCandless was bright but a the same time ignorant. He tries to said that he was dum by saying he was  ignorant. Also he try to said that McCandless didn’t have no business to go to Alaska. That he made Mistakes based on Pride. That he was just going there because he was Crazy he didn’t know why he was going there. I also agree with him because why he wanted to go to Alaska. Specialy when he didn’t have the right things to live in a place like that. He also was acting crazy that he didn’t even know what he was doing. He even die because he didn’t have no Food to eat. And he was acting weird with his parents and his brother and sister. Callamar made a good opinion about McCandless by saying that because he didn’t act like a normal person. I think he didn’t act like an adult. Specialy when he sent the Letters to his Family and his Friends. I think he did Miss his people he didn’ t wanted to assume he Miss them. He should to stay with his parents and never went to Alaska. McCandless did it wrong because he went to Alaska just because of his Romantic illness. That was not a good reason to just go away and live to another place were he would not live in good conditions. I think he could Forget about his Romantic illness and he could even get another person. But he even kill his own life which is not a good thing. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 2. The serious flaws here indicate that this writer will need considerable additional practice before being able to succeed in college-level reading and writing. This piece provides a good picture of a student whose ESL writing features are profoundly obscuring what would otherwise be a stronger (that is, a 3-level) essay. The writer demonstrates a basic understanding of the passage but focuses on repeating Callarman’s points without establishing a clear direction for the essay. The writer fails to respond to the prompt with a focused thesis. The first sentence of the second paragraph, â€Å"I also agree with him . . . † alludes to a potential thesis that has not yet been offered and that never appears explicitly in the essay. Although the writer attempts four body paragraphs, the paragraphs are not logically linked to one another. The writer attempts in the second paragraph to use transitiona l language to guide the reader through that particular paragraph, but the essay’s organization both within and between paragraphs is left largely to the reader to discern. The essay offers generalizations (â€Å"he was acting weird with his parents†) without providing specific support. The writer  lacks basic control of syntax (see the first sentence of the third paragraph) and vocabulary (â€Å"Romantic illness†), and some statements make no logical or syntactic sense at all (see the third sentence of the second paragraph and the first sentence of the third paragraph). The writer has serious and persistent errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics (spelling, erratic capitalization) that severely interfere with meaning. The problems many English learners have with idioms (â€Å"because why he wanted to go†), verb tenses (â€Å"he tries to said†), and verb forms (â€Å"he even kill his own life†) are pervasive and profoundly obscure meaning. Sample student essay with a score of 1: I sure do agree with Callarmans argument. She is absolutly right McCandless was bright and ignorant. And He defenatly had no common sense, he was one of those weird people you won’t expect. For my observation she gots the same thoughts as I do. I shure think defining terms allows me to cushion my position. The evidence that I will use is that He was writing all his up and down pants. In my point of view I think that McCnadless was avery unique guy. He even did things that no one would do. An example, work everywhere he stop use his name and give out half of his idenity. That is my point and answere for this paragraph. Commentary This essay illustrates the EPT Scoring Guide’s criteria for a score of 1. The fundamental deficiencies of this essay clearly indicate that the writer needs much additional practice in order to be ready to succeed at college-level reading and writing. The writer agrees with the Callarman quotation without demonstrating any understanding of the passage. The writer fails to use the Callarman passage to develop a meaningful response to the prompt. The essay, at approximately 120 words, is seriously underdeveloped; statements of agreement with Callarman make up a considerable portion of the text. The digression about â€Å"cushion[ing] my position† contributes nothing to the minimal text the writer provides. The writer’s reflective statements about purpose are similarly wasted. The only evidence provided by the writer is McCandless’s evasive attitude toward self-identification at work, but even this example is so poorly expressed as to be nearly incoherent. The writer lacks basic control of syntax and vocabulary. The writer has serious and persistent errors in mechanics that severely interfere with meaning. Spelling and verb form errors are pervasive.

Jordan Surname Meaning and Origin

Jordan Surname Meaning and Origin The common surname Jordan  derived from the common Christian baptismal name Jordan,  taken from the river by that name flowing between the countries of Jordan and Israel. Jordan derives  from the Hebrew  Ã—™× ¨Ã—“ן (Yarden), meaning to descend or to flow down. Jordan is the 106th most common last name in America according to data from the 2000 U.S. census. ​Surname Origin: English, French, German, Spanish, Hungarian Alternate Surname Spellings:  Giordano (Italian), Jordann (Dutch), Jordn (Spanish), JORDÃÆ'O (Portuguese), JOURDAIN (French), GEORDAN, GERDAN, Giordan, Jordain, Jordaine, Jordanis, Jorden, Jordens, Jordin, Jourdaine, Jourdan, Jourdane, Jourden, Jurden, Jurdin, Jurdon, Siurdain, Yordan Famous People With the Surname JORDAN Michael Jordan - NBA basketball star.Barbara Jordan - civil rights activist and U.S. Representative.Louis Jordan - saxophonist and singer. Genealogy Resources for the Surname JORDAN The Jordan family DNA project consists of members with the Jordan surname from the USA, Canada, and Europe dedicated to discovering matches between participants that enable them to achieve their goals in genealogical research.   Explore the Jordan family genealogy forum at Genealogy.com for the Jordan surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or ask your own question about your Jordan ancestors. At  FamilySearch.org you can find records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Jordan surname and its variations.RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Jordan surname available through their website. DistantCousin.com is a great place to access free databases and genealogy links for the last name Jordan. References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Free Essays on Religion

World Views on Religion Religion is the eternal search for the divine. This quest has been sought after since the dawn of mankind. Over time there have been countless types of religions. People have died for their religion, people have killed for their religion and people have dedicated their lives to their religion. With such a powerful force as religion it is no wonder why people are so dedicated to their beliefs. Due to this fact it is easy to see why there is so much conflict in regards to this driving force. There are many types of world views that define the meaning of religion. I feel that religion is a choice of a person’s beliefs and the goals in their daily lifestyle they wish to pursue. Every culture in the religious world differs from one another. The question we ask ourselves is what is the difference? The beliefs of the eastern philosophies have a different outlook on religions than the western philosophies. In the western beliefs, people focus on the question in relation to one single god and its overall relationship with the universe and mankind. In the eastern beliefs people analyze the factual details in life and nature and the spirituality in life. As of my own personal views on religion as a whole, I believe that it works as a foundational â€Å"brace† for humankind. It allows a culture to follow traditions in their religion to reach their goals and moral standards.... Free Essays on Religion Free Essays on Religion It is important to show simultaneously the exceptional and the common, the national and the universal, the realistic and the mystical. The moment a writer attempts to generalize a problem and see it on an expansive scale, he stops being a writer. It is only after his literary endeavor is completed that he may go and make a speech in support of a candidate or a loved one. His novel, however, must not be a political dissertation. The role of literature is not to analyze ideas but to describe experiences. Frankly, mixing social and political issues with writing is not a very healthy practice: its outcome will reside outside true literature. True literature focuses on experiences and situations. When you read the Bible, you do not know what somebody was thinking, but you always know what the person was doing. People may sit and talk for hours about what they are thinking, but it is only through their action that we may judge their true colors. It is a heresy of our times that we use our thoughts and moods as the yardsticks in appraising almost everything that is around us. Instead of searching for words, the contemporary art of writing consists of restricting them so much that they become cliches. I refer to such words as good, bad, decent, immoral, charming, ugly, noble, abstract, cunning, talented those and many others which have been emasculated. Talents are born; I do not believe talent can be achieved through hard work. Genes do not produce many talents, in every generation talent is a rarity. Talent is a freak of nature. At the same time, it would only be fair to say that a talented person may write bad novels and bad stories. AZ-B: How do you write? IBS: In my early days, I wrote in the third person, now in the first, but I will go back to narrate in the third person. I write with a pen, then I type, but I find it more and more difficult to write by hand. I think I will soon switch over to a typewri... Free Essays on Religion case for prayer in school Many people believe that prayer and religion should be placed in schools for the betterment of children of all ages and society as a whole. There are many strong opposing facts to say why prayer and religion should not be allowed in schools. Those who feel religion has a place in school say that the violence of the world would be diminished with religion and prayer in schools. While those who feel otherwise believe prayer in school would not do any good and that it blatantly violates the 1st and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. In this paper I will argue why religion and prayer should be placed in school to increase morale and behavior of children, and how prayer in school would decrease violence in and out of school. The separation of Church and State is a fundamental principle of American government which rests primarily on the Constitution's First Amendment, which states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." While many may argue that prayer in school violates the constitution, our First Amendment didn't separate God and government but actually encouraged religion. The First Amendment of the Constitution declares that the federal government cannot establish one religion for all of the people. The simple idea of everyone in our nation being limited to one form of religion is inconceivable. The second section insists that the government should do nothing to prevent people from exercising religion. But forbidding officiated prayer in schools discourages religion, doesn't it? The founders of the Constitution recognized the freedom of religion as an important factor in establishing a democracy. The government is not upholding their part of the Constitution. They are trying to tell people that saying prayers in public school is unconstitutional. I attended a public school which allowed us to pray before class. Pray... Free Essays on Religion While other religions are precisely defined by explicit and often unyielding beliefs, Hinduism condones no such constraints. For the Hindu, intuition is far more important than intellect; experience supercedes dogma; and personal realization is held infinitely more precious than outer expressions or affiliations of faith. Philosopher and once President of India, S. Radhakrishnan said it well: "The mechanical faith which depends on authority and wishes to enjoy the consolations of religion without the labor of being religious is quite different from the religious faith which has its roots in experience." Hindu religious philosophy is based on experience, on personal discovery and testing of things. It does not say, "Believe as others do or suffer." Rather, it says, "Know thy Self, inquire and be free." There are no heretics in Hinduism, for God is everywhere and in all things. In such an open laboratory, Hindu spirituality has grown over the millennia so diverse and rich that it defies definition. Even knowledgeable Hindus, after a lifetime of study, will hesitate to say that Hinduism is one thing and not another. Indeed, the very idea of a Hindu catechism is, for many, unthinkable, a perilous and impertinent pursuit. Until now, no one has attempted such a complete overview, making this a rare, and perhaps remarkable, book. One might even say an inevitable one. If, therefore, in undertaking the impossible we have overlooked any lineage, neglected any tradition or vital issue, please call to mind that it is human to err and only God is perfect and find room in your heart to overlook a ny oversight. A simple warning is due. This collection of customs and beliefs is not a detached, scholastic analysis of Hinduism, but a view from the inside, a view of the religion as Hindus themselves would wish their tradition honored and explained to others. Nor is this yet another dogma added to the mountains of doctrines and decrees which ha... Free Essays on Religion Religion is part and parcel to every culture’s worldview. Religion serves to answer questions, which otherwise are beyond a group’s control. Whereas in most complex cultures religion has a certain time and place, amongst structurally simpler societies, religion is inextricably weaved in the fabric of their existence. The supernatural beings that are specific to a certain culture can be grouped into several categories. First, there are gods and goddesses. A pantheistic religion has several gods and goddesses. Goddesses are most prominent in societies where women play a significant role in the economy and in egalitarian economies. Second, ancestral spirits resemble humans in their appetites, feelings, emotions and behavior. Ancestral spirits reinforce social reality. Third, we have animism, a belief that nature is energized by distinct personalized spirits, separate from bodies. This belief is popular amongst people who view themselves as a part of nature rather than supe rior to it. Fourth, is animatism; a belief that nature is enlivened by a certain impersonal spiritual power. Religious specialists, also known as priest priestesses, and shamans serve to guide and supplement religious practices. All cultures have religious rituals that mark important events in the persons life. These rites of passage have three different cycles, including separation, transition, and incorporation. Witchcraft serves as a means for people to explain their personal misfortunes. It allows them to place blame on something or someone else rather than to take responsibility of their own actions. Religon serves many functions, some of them which include, building social solidarity, and providing guidelines of acceptable conduct.... Free Essays on Religion Religion: Important or Insignificant? Religion is a very vital and meaningful thing in most people’s lives. Each person believes in a type of religion to guide their lives or doesn’t believe in it at all. This is an important ethical issue to Americans and world citizens that involves questions of duty, consequences, and moral reconstruction and was highly recognized by many famous philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, John Dewey, Karl Marx, and Augustine. Dewey begins by claiming that doubt or insecurity creates the quest for certainty. Before there was modern science, religion had an answer to all questions about the world and any doubt was resolved by religious explanations. "Unity of thought and practice extended down to every detail of the management of life; effectiveness of its operation did not depend upon thought. It was guaranteed by the most powerful and reliable of all social institutions."(Pg. 291) This â€Å"powerful authority† was religion and it was very useful in sustaining a stable social system in times when security was hard to come by. Religion’s function was to provide certainty, but the development of science began eating away at away this single reality. Dewey defined religion as the higher realm, "consisting of the powers which determine human destiny in all important affairs"(Pg. 290). The other significant field of exploration was man’s own skill or matter-of-fact insight. Based on the same concept as mathematics, the idea of having a purely logical and rational knowledge became very important. Many people began to believe that this â€Å"rational ideal† was exercised in science. Science tended to have â€Å"explained† many things that led to a questioning of the importance of religion in people’s daily lives. Science uses an experimental procedure in order to draw conclusions about a given situation. The use of the experimental method in order to determine things was changing the way one ha... Free Essays on Religion There is nothing more powerful than a strong belief, it is what pushes a zealot, and it is what brings people together. Religion is the core of civilization, but is it still needed in today’s society? In the past it has been used to placate people during hardships, to make them realize that no matter how bad things are now, there will come a time of peace. It doesn’t matter if life is tough and there is no reason to fear death, because in the end all righteous people will reach a better place. There are no highs nor lows, tremendous victories, or crushing defeats, they are all gods’ will and you are no more than a pawn in a cosmic game of chess between good and evil. This is why religion is not as widespread and zealously followed in a place like the United States as it is in most third world countries. Citizens of the United States are living the good life, we are rewarded for the work we do, we don’t have widespread poverty and starvation there is a sense of security v! irtually all the time. People in third world countries don’t have the luxuries of a nice house, or warm meal like we do, and in many of those countries violence is a daily occurrence. Gunfire and bombings do irreparable damage to the human psyche, these people need something to cling to, and when death is everywhere it is something you worry about on a daily basis. "As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?" - John Adams, letter to F.A. Van der Kamp, Dec. 27, 1816 The danger of religion lies in belief and how it affects desperate and evil people. Being raised in a shack, sleeping on a dirt floor, eating spoiled food, and the interminable presence of death are the fuel for the fire. In the United States we worry about television ... Free Essays on Religion No part of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant purpose of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 AD. What is, what has been, and what is to come is the central focus of the content in Revelation. Literalist fundamentalists read Revelation’s multivalent visions as predictions of doom and threat, of punishment for the many and salvation for the elect few. Scholarly scientific readings seek to translate the book’s ambiguity into one-to-one meanings and to transpose its language of symbol and myth into description and facts. In Elisabeth Schà »ssler Fiorenza’s The Book of Revelation: Justice and Judgment, a third way of reading Revelation is depicted. The collection of essays in this book seeks to intervene in scholarly as well as popular discourses on the apocalypse from a liberationist feminist perspective. The first two parts of the book discuss the kind of theological-historical perspective and ecclesial situation that determines the form-content configuration of Revelation. The first section attempts to assess the theological commonality to and differences from Jewish apocalypticism. Fiorenza focuses of the problem that although Revelation claims to be a genuinely Christian book and has found its way into the Christian canon, it is often judged to be more Jewish than Christian and not to have achieved the â€Å"heights† of genuinely early Christian theology. In the second part of the book, Fiorenza seeks to assess whether and how much Revelation shares in the theological structure of the Fourth Gospel. Fiorenza proposes that a careful analysis of Revelation would suggest that Pauline, Johannine, and C... Free Essays on Religion â€Å"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.†(Romans 3:23) The fall of man- it’s a common topic all throughout the Bible. Many allusions to this familiar Biblical theme are made in the war-time novel, A Separate Peace, by American author John Knowles. In this work, Knowles relates many of his experiences as a teenage boy attending boarding school during World War Two. He uses Biblical allusions to reveal much about human nature. In Genesis 4:3-5 the Bible says, â€Å"In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Able brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry and his face was downcast.† Much like Cain’s jealousy toward his brother Abel in Genesis, the protagonist Gene is often placing himself in competition with his best friend and worst enemy, Phineas. Phineas, affectionately known as Finny is much like Able. He is innocent and pure in his views on life and others. Knowles says he â€Å",Did abide by certain rules which he seemed to cast in the form of Commandments. (Pg 26)† Able was honest and wise by choosing to follow God’s orders. Thus, God was pleased with Able’s offering. Cain, on the other hand was quite the opposite. He is presented as being rather depraved and corrupted. In this way, Gene is similar to Cain. In the book Gene realizes the grip that sin has on his soul and claims, â€Å"It was just some ignorance inside me, some crazy thing inside me, something blind, that’s all it was. (Pg 183) † Unfortunately, Gene, like Cain, becomes consumed with jealousy of Phineas, due to the realization that he can never be as good as Finny- morally or athletically. The reader sees this when Gene states that, â€Å"there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us. I was not of the same... Free Essays on Religion A religion is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings. Religious beliefs provide shape and meaning to one's perception of the universe. In other words, they provide a sense of order in what might otherwise be seen as a chaotic existence. Religions also provide understanding and meaning for inexplicable events such as a loved one being killed in an earthquake or some other unpredictable force of nature. For most religious people, their beliefs about the supernatural are at the very core of their worldviews. Karl Marx declared that as society changes so does religion. Marx’s opposition to this was from Max Webber who stated that religious ideas and beliefs shape changes in society. Although these men had varying ideals of society and religion, it is my belief that neither of them is incorrect in their thinking. When one looks at the origin of the major religions throughout the world one notices on important fact about each one. Each religion was created, by man, after the creation of the group of people who follow it. Marx was correct in his belief tat social changes bring on religious changes. Religions fulfill psychological needs. They help us confront and explain death. They help relieve our fears and anxieties about the unknown. Supernatural powers and beings may be appealed to or manipulated by people in times of crisis, as for example in praying to win a war or survive a fierce storm. Religions help ease the stress during life crises such as birth, marriage, serious illness, and death. It is not a coincidence that in most societies the "rites of passage" that are performed to help people adjust to these often highly emotional transitions are strongly religious. We also get psychological relief from "divinely given" moral codes. They lift some of the burden of decision making from our shoulders in difficult situations because they tell us what is right and wrong. Knowi... Free Essays on Religion What do I think about religion? That is a very tough question to ask myself. The first thing that comes to mind is what I was taught as a younger version of myself. That religion, in my case Christianity, was what my family did on Sundays. I was taught that religion was the reason I was here and why I continue to be here. It was a place and a thing of comfort. It had all the answers, except when it came to the point where I actually needed them. I was taught that the reason religion was around is to give the people that believe in it, hope. It was also our job to tell the people who did not believe that they should. Over the 23 years of my life I had had many â€Å"religious† experiences some good most bad. I have had a very tumultuous life in which I have been an inch away from death 3 times, in a coma for 2 weeks, and had many surgeries, most poignantly the removal of my left lung when I was 2 and a Kidney Transplant 1  ½ years ago. Now the reason I call these â€Å"religious† experiences is that my parents believe that God saved me. Also they think that I was â€Å"saved† for some reason that I have not figured out yet. They also believe that He (being God, of course) will show me the way. The reasoning for all this back story on me is so that you might understand what I think religion is, not necessarily what it was meant to be, but what I think it is now. I think religion originally intended on being exactly what my parents sought to teach me, a place of hope, faith, and love; knowing that some higher power is up there watching out for us. After many long years and numerous churches, youth groups, pastors, and sermons, I have come to think something entirely different from anyone else I know. Religion has come to be a place where the people who are â€Å"allowed in† come to bask in their own self-righteousness. It is an institution of separation. I am not saying that there is no such thing as religion any more, I... Free Essays on Religion Many people may be wondering what religion is exactly? Religion is a sacred engagement in which is believed to be a spiritual reality. Religion is a worldwide event that has played a part in all human culture and it is a much broader, more complex category than the set of beliefs or practices found in any single religion tradition. In all cultures, human being make a practice of interacting with what are taken to be spiritual powers. These powers may be in the form of god, spirits, ancestors, or any kind of sacred reality with which humans believe themselves to be connected. Sometimes a spiritual power is understood broadly as a complete reality, and sometimes it is approached through its appearance in special symbols. It may be regarded as external to the self, internal, or both. People interact with such presence in sacred manner-that is, with reverence and care. Religion is the term most commonly used to designate this difficult and different area of human experience. Where did religion come from? The word religion is derived from the Latin noun religio, which denotes both earnest observance of obligations and an inward spirit of reverence. Ways of Defining Religion In modern usage, religion covers a wide range of meanings that reflect the huge variety of ways the term can be interpreted. At one extreme, many committed believers recognize only their own traditions as a religion, understanding expressions such as worship and prayer to refer completely to the practices of their tradition. Some see religion-for example, â€Å" true love of God†, or â€Å" the path of enlightenment.† On the other hand it could be equated wit ignorance, passion, or wishful thinking. By defining religion as a sacred engagement with what is taken to be a spiritual reality, it is possible to consider the importance of religion in human life without making claims about what it really is or ought to be. Religion is not an object with a single, fixed defin... Free Essays on Religion Religion Religion in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's was seen as a spiritual movement and today since times have changed it is more what God can do for me than what I can do for God. So if we are to view in proper perspective the spiritual and religious conflicts of our age, as they are reflected in drama and fiction, then we must look at the outset to understand the nature of the relationship between literature and belief. Nothing is harder for a writer to write how they view religion or anyone else for that matter because it does not always go along with society’s ideals or views. Religion itself to day is seen as a joke especially with the televised religion that just takes money out of your pocket. After the attack on 9-11 and the war with Iraq this nation has started to turn towards God again, but honestly they are still to impatient because they don’t understand why things happen or for what reason. The world is running on time instead of patience or faith and that is wh at has lead this world into a downfall with religion. My father is almost fifty-one years old and grew up in a time in this country when there was a great spiritual awakening and a sensitivity to the things that pertained to God and it seemed like with religion, it didn’t matter what you believed there was a sacredness to it. For example in the Protestant religion they communed with God in their daily lives, either through their own understanding of the Bible or through experience with the Holy Spirit, and therefore needed no special rituals to secure or strengthen their faith. In practice, though, Protestants depended primarily on the Sunday service to preserve and reinforce their religious sentiments. It was in the church that people felt closest to God. It was there they heard the sermons that explained the Bible and upheld the evangelical ideal of moral behavior. My father said the he has seen many changes over the last few decades. His view on t... Free Essays on Religion According to the dictionary "religion is the service and worship of God or the supernatural."1 I challenge that definition. It is true that all religions do involve the worship of some supernatural force, however, it is also true that no religion in history has ever stopped at that. For a more complete definition of the word religion we also have to examine two other aspects. How has it affected man over the centuries? And what is the true motivation of its leadership? Some would have you believe that it has brought peace and harmony to the world and that its leaders are motivated by the service of their god. I suggest that a more accurate definition of word would be as follows. Religion, a feudal system of government which uses fear, hate and sometimes lies to control and manipulate people for the betterment of a select group of individuals. To better illustrate this point let's look at just three of the countless examples that human history has to offer. The Inquisition, "judicial institution, established by the papacy in the Middle Ages, charged with seeking out, trying, and sentencing people guilty of heresy."2 Heretics were considered enemies of the state. The penalty for heresy was torture and death. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ, "Jesus was taken to Golgotha and nailed to a cross, the Roman punishment for political offenders and criminals."2 The Crusades, "The name Crusade (from Latin, "Cross") was also applied, to the wars against pagan peoples, Christian heretics, and political foes of the papacy."2 All three examples illustrate how man has used God to justify his greed and quest for power. When the leadership was challenged, it used devine decree to justify the murder and torture of the innocent. We are expected to believe that a non-physical being order the religious leadership to aquire riches and land, ofte n at the demise of the poor and helpless. The misuse of God isn't limited to the Ancient world. Today we have... Free Essays on Religion Ethical Values In The Old Testament How we live our lives is governed by ethics. Ethics is â€Å"human moral conduct according to principles of what is good or right to do.† Our ethical values today descend primarily from a Christian ethic in which â€Å"a truly ethical decision, we are told, must be spontaneous, undirected, free - the individual's unfettered and uncoerced response to each new decision-demanding situation.† The ethical values of today, especially Christian ethics, borrow and carry forward the Hebrew ethics of the past. Yet it is hardly fair to explain Old Testament ethics with only what was borrowed from it. What sets Judaism apart from other religions of the time was its monotheistic basis. The ethics of Judaism is historical and traditional as opposed to philosophical and theoretical. â€Å"In Israel, for the first time, an ethical conception of God is attained, and this not philosophically but historically; while its view of the moral life is certain of justification not only by reason but by history.† Thus God is looked at as an ethical personality and is looked to as an example of good and right. In the Old Testament, God's voluntary (voluntary for God) covenant with man must be looked at as the prime example of ethical value. The covenant's requirements is the source of all ethics, morals, laws, and justice in the Old Testament. The Mosaic Covenant is the best example of ethical values and norms in the Old Testament. The Mosaic Covenant has three parts; the Decaloque, the Covenant Code; and the Holiness Code. The Decaloque is made up of apodictic (or absolute) law, it is unconditional and has no â€Å"ifs or buts† about it. This is commonly refereed to as the "Ten Commandments." Although legally vague these commandments are the basics for all ethical norms in the Old Testament. The Covenant Code is made up of casuistic (or conditional) law, it has a characteristic ... Free Essays on Religion Throughout the ages of Christianity, there have been many drawbacks to this cause. Many leaders among the Christian community were persecuted due to the disbelief of Christ being the Messiah among pagan worshipers, heathens, and even other credible religious leaders. This persecution more often led to death, or other horrifying results. But no matter what horrendous effects, there was always a brighter side causing the Christian faith to grow even stronger. Because of Rome’s strictness in following the laws and rules, they were very tradition bound. Many of the Pharisees were determined that the Old Testament was the only acceptable basis of religious law that the people of Rome should follow. The believed that Elijah was the Messiah, and they were waiting for his return. They also didn’t expect a â€Å"Messiah† to act the way that Christ did, having anything to do with sinners was looked down upon. However, after Christ’s death and resurrection, the disciples were told to go out into the world and spread the good news of their salvation. This didn’t appeal to the Pharisees at all, and they immediately set out to stop this message of freedom. The religious officials continuously put Simon and Peter in jail, Stephen was stoned to death, and there have been accounts of John’s attempted murder in boiling hot oil. Many Christians were flogged, stoned to death, skinned alive, fed to lions, an d many more gruesome things. Nero burned half of Rome and then blamed the Christians, he even dipped some in kerosene and then lit them on fire so that there was light for the sporting events. Peter was even crucified, but he didn’t feel he deserved to die the same way as Christ so he was crucified upside-down. Persecution was so bad that Christians were accused of having a â€Å"hatred for the human race,† cannibalism, and incest. The response of the Christians has a lot to do with the influence upon the church. The Bible sta... Free Essays on Religion World Views on Religion Religion is the eternal search for the divine. This quest has been sought after since the dawn of mankind. Over time there have been countless types of religions. People have died for their religion, people have killed for their religion and people have dedicated their lives to their religion. With such a powerful force as religion it is no wonder why people are so dedicated to their beliefs. Due to this fact it is easy to see why there is so much conflict in regards to this driving force. There are many types of world views that define the meaning of religion. I feel that religion is a choice of a person’s beliefs and the goals in their daily lifestyle they wish to pursue. Every culture in the religious world differs from one another. The question we ask ourselves is what is the difference? The beliefs of the eastern philosophies have a different outlook on religions than the western philosophies. In the western beliefs, people focus on the question in relation to one single god and its overall relationship with the universe and mankind. In the eastern beliefs people analyze the factual details in life and nature and the spirituality in life. As of my own personal views on religion as a whole, I believe that it works as a foundational â€Å"brace† for humankind. It allows a culture to follow traditions in their religion to reach their goals and moral standards....