Westboro Baptist Church

Persuasive opinion paper God hates fags, Thank god for dead soldiers, Thank god for Hurricane Katrina, Pretty harsh right? These are all common phrases publically protested by a church called the Westboro Baptist church. You would think such comments should be illegal to chant out in public considering that gay marriage is now legal in some states and also that soldiers are out fighting for us, however members of the Westboro Baptist church feel differently. Westboro Baptist church was established in 1955. Located in Topeka, Kansas, Their goal is  to â€Å"preach the Word of God to this crooked and perverse generation†. They take on such goals by publically protesting these horrendous phrases on street corners, gay festivals, and more shockingly the funerals of dead soldiers. Sounds illegal and disrespectful however according to the first amendment, which is freedom of speech, they are within the words of the law. I am personally against the actions of the Westboro Baptist church. In my opinion it is downright disrespectful and should not be allowed. However in a legal aspect such protesting and picketing are done carefully within the law. According to the The Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act, you must stand at least 500 feet away, which is exactly what they do. Shouting phrases and holding up signs that would make anyone’s jaw drop, they have no shame. Soldiers risk their lives for us each and every day so we can enjoy the freedom we have and also to make sure we are safe. The argument that the Westboro Baptist church members are using their right to freedom of speech is almost ironic because had it not been for the courageous acts of our soldiers, they would not be granted the ability to publically protest they do. They are taking advantage of a right that would not be in place if it weren’t for the fighting of our soldiers. They should be awarding them not protesting at their funerals. They believe god loves dead soldiers because soldiers are out fighting for and condoning many of our rights; one specific right is the ability to be married to a person of the same gender. Secondly, God hates fags? This phrase insults Americans all over the world that have chosen to be gay. Members of the Westboro Baptist church refer to the bible for the reasons they feel sodomy – which defined by dictionary. com is the oral copulation with a member of the same sex- is filthy. However I believe that it is all about the interpretation of the bible that makes this excuse invalid. Many religious people read the bible and every religion interprets the word of God differently. So for members of the Westboro Baptist church to publically express their interpretations and what they believe is the real meaning of what’s written In the bible is absurd and a stain on their faith. The final thing done by the Westboro Baptist church that catches the eye of many Americans is the upside down flying of the American flag. According to the members, the upside down flag is a sign of distress. They feel that the entire country is in mortal danger and the upside down flag is a symbol that represents that. The American flag has such a significant meaning here in the United States. We cross our right arms over our chest to honor and respect this symbol of our country, so for the members of this church to hang it upside down is such a slap in the face to what it truly stands for. At this point nothing can justify the actions of the Westboro Baptist church. They are set in their ways and believe that God hates fags, God hates dead soldiers and that the nation is doomed. The only way to â€Å"save ourselves† according to the Westboro Baptist church is to repent and hope there is still time. Everything they stand for and believe in is all disrespectful to our country and what the united states in known for. While mourning the death of a soldier, the last thing any person related to that soldier would want to see is a huge group of people basically praising their death. Also, the hatred they have toward gays should not be publically protested. On June 26th 2003 the Supreme Court ruled that they must respect sodomy. This caused an outrage and only caused more picketing and protesting. In conclusion I believe that the actions of the Westboro Baptist church should not be allowed. They should be banned and made illegal. Although in violation of the first amendment, where will the line be drawn? I Westboro Baptist â€Å"Church† The pseudo-religious â€Å"ministry† of Westboro Baptist Church has been in existence since 1955. Based on its own propaganda, this group is anti-homosexual, anti-american, and basically anti-everything. Subheadings on this site include â€Å"God Hates The World† and â€Å"America is Doomed†. This organization has used the method of protest and public assembly to get their message out. This message combines typical elements for fear mongering, scapegoating and unsubtle calls to action that are endemic to hate groups of all kinds. The site uses provocative language and obnoxious methodology (such as picketing funerals) to call attention to their efforts. That the group uses the vehicle of Christian religion to frame their nonsense is offensive not only to those who would abhor an anti-gay message in general, but also to those who espouse true religion and, while they may not condone or agree with certain lifestyles, understand that it is, according to all Judeo-Christian doctrine, not their place pass judgment. Since the early 1990s, this group has been attempting to spread their â€Å"message† through protests (they claim 34,000 to date) that take place at any public situation that is subject to media attention. This includes funerals of military personnel, and openly gay citizens. They carry signs with provocative, insulting language, and personify hate and ignorance wherever they go. Interestingly, the focus appears to be on criticizing those things they disagree with (Homosexuality, War, etc. ) yet they offer no remedy or hope of salvation. They claim that their Church is that hope, but make no attempt to suggest a course of action that would mitigate the perdition to which they seem to feel the world is doomed. In sum, this group seems to be nothing more than an organization dedicated to the preaching of hate and condemnation of all things American. As is typical, while criticizing the United States for its tolerance of differing viewpoints, Westboro unashamedly takes advantage of the First Amendment to protect their right to spew such hatred in public venues. The reactions of individuals to this group’s methodology and methods seem to be universally negative. Even those who might agree with the sentiments do not condone the manner in which they are expressed. Those who disapprove of this group’s message fall generally into two groups: those who don’t condemn the gay lifestyle or U. S. War in Iraq, and those who may or may not so condemn, but abhor the manner in which their religious beliefs and holy book are misused to promote this group’s agenda. Of the two, religious people seem to have the strongest reaction against Westboro. The reason for this reaction is very simple. The group not only misrepresents Christian doctrine, is besmirches the reputation of all Christianity by painting the religion and its God as vengeful, hate-filled, and mean-spirited. Most Christians believe that their faith is founded fundamentally upon love and forgiveness, to elements notably absent from Wesboro’s philosophy. In fact, the very name of their website invokes an attitude that is contradictory to the teachings of most Christian churches. The idea that â€Å"God Hates†¦Ã¢â‚¬  anyone or anything other than sin is laughably inconsistent with the scripture from which adherents to Westboro draw their â€Å"inspiration†. The â€Å"saving grace† of this entire organization is their apparent lack of any goal at all. Other than shouting about whom and what God hates, the group suggests no specific action. They do not directly advocate violence (although they rejoice in it), they do not ask for repentance, they simply carry signs and tell us who God hates today. This group is as pointless as it is obnoxious. Comparisons to the KKK and other hate organizations fall short fort the simple reason that these other groups, no matter how loathsome and despicable, at least seem to have some purpose to their work. The Westboro group seems intent on doing nothing more that yelling about how terrible everything is, and suggesting that we have all brought these conditions on ourselves one way or another. The twisted use of scripture that this group utilizes is equally troubling. The passages used are taken out of context, and distorted in order to express a viewpoint. As an example, the website uses Romans 9:13 as a justification for hatred, while ignoring the context of the entire letter (from Paul to the Romans), which is a dissertation on God’s mercy. The use of provocative language, cited by one of the â€Å"feelings† reactions has, as was pointed out, no value beyond shock and marketing. The language of hate targets those who feel hate and desire a venue by which they can shout it for all to hear without fearing judgment from their social peers. The fact that they use this terminology merely broadcasts the notion that this group is convinced of its own righteousness, and that no amount of rational discourse can be employed to change their minds. The short response to this group is simple: â€Å"Never argue with crazy people. † As Mark Twain put it, â€Å"Don’t try to teach a pig to read. It wastes your time and annoys the pig. † Nobody on either side of the real issues that this group prates about pays any attention to what they say. As such, they are reduced to background noise, and serve as a representative example that no bottom has yet to be found to the well of human stupidity. They are obnoxious, but harmless.

Cultural Awareness in an Asymmetric Environment

I believe all experienced military leaders, both noncommissioned and commissioned, realize the importance of knowing every facet of the enemy and their environment. Throughout history, we have studied, witnessed and experienced great examples of the use of cultural knowledge during combat operations. Lieutenant Colonel T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia) of the British Army documented his experiences while living among the Arabic people. He learned about their society and culture in order to improve his military expertise (McFate, 2004). With constantly changing interests, influences and enemy TTPs in today’s asymmetric environment, Soldiers on all levels are often focused on new strategies, equipment and tactics and unintentionally lose focus on the importance of cultural awareness. In today’s contemporary operation environment, cultural understanding and knowledge is a key element to successful counterinsurgency operations. This paper will stress the need for intensifying cultural awareness training in preparation for today’s asymmetric warfare and will emphasize the effectiveness of this principle of war. Cultural Awareness in an Asymmetric Environment Any WWII or Korean War Veteran can probably tell you how the phrase â€Å"combat operations† had a completely different connotation back in their day. Where conflicts of the past may have been focused on manpower, fire superiority and maneuver, today we are focused on variables like sociological demographics, politics and economy. Currently, U. S. forces are engaged in asymmetric warfare where the insurgents are adapting their strategies to avoid the direct fight and attempting to exploit the weaknesses of U. S. forces. The insurgents have the upper-hand; they know the customs, geography, influences and people and are able to maneuver unnoticed. To combat this, we have adjusted our training by implementing cultural familiarization in pre-mobilization training and inserting COIN doctrine into many leadership courses. However I argue that Soldiers on all levels, but especially the junior leaders and tacticians who are often engaged in the midst of the local populace, do not fully understand the value and second/third order effects of properly implementing this principle of warfare. Today, more than ever, we need to focus our training on cultural awareness and employ this knowledge to reverse the trend of the insurgency exploiting our cultural ignorance. Argument Just as a college football coach studies the footage of their opponent’s previous games; we need to study the norms, interests, relationships and socio-political patterns of our operating environment. In the last decade, we have taken measures to emphasize this principle of war but most significantly the publication of FM 3-24 has developed doctrine to defeat counterinsurgents with lessons learned in combat. It teaches the importance of cultural awareness in an asymmetric environment and stresses to avoid imposing our ideology of what we think is normal upon a foreign society (2006, p. 1-15). Today’s COE demands a more robust pre-mobilization training package on the culture, language, geography and anthropology. Training for this principle of warfare has been trivialized to higher-level familiarization of COIN doctrine and lower-level â€Å"check-the-block† pre-mobilization training. We need comprehensive training that involves every Soldier and incorporates advanced studies with scenario based exercises. Sergeant Elkhamri, a U. S. Army translator that spent 18 month with a Special Forces unit in Iraq, explained that the way to increase the Iraqi support in our fight against terrorism is to â€Å"improve the quality and increase the quantity† of pre-mobilization cultural awareness training. He further emphasizes how the we cannot expect deploying Soldiers to get a full understanding of Iraqi culture in a two hour PowerPoint class (2007, p. 110). The Philippine Insurrection The Philippine Insurrection is one of the strongest examples of how the lack of cultural respect and understanding can render significantly negative effects on military operations. From the American stand point, the Philippine Insurrection should have been a quick and easy conflict. Originally, the U. S. deployed with 20,000 troops in order to quickly quell the insurrection. After the realization that the resistance was not going to collapse quickly, troop strength doubled, tripled and finally peaked at 74,000 by the end of the conflict (Wikipedia, 2009) . In short, this stemmed from the U. S. underestimating the importance of cultural understanding by disregarding the Filiopino culture. The U. S. also demostrated that it was their duty to rescue the Filipino people by imposing American democracy upon them. This mindset, which was evident among U. S. military leadership in the Philippines, is sometimes apparent to this day. The Philippine Insurrection is one of the lowest points in U. S. military history. The Filipinos were often described by American military and media as uncivilized, fiendish savages. The U. S. ilitary strategy was executed with no consideration towards the local populace. American Soldiers tortured, mutilated and even decapitated Filipino troops. There were reports of U. S. Soldiers shooting surrendering Filipino troops and burning entire villages to the ground (Wikipedia, 2009). Picture these atrocities happening in America to Americans by a foreign military force. I would bet that we would have an enormous insurgent force of enraged Americans. Human nature dictates that the Philippine people would react the same way, and they did. The insurgency grew as word spread of the atrocities. Agoncillo described how the Filipino troops would exceed American brutality on some prisoners of war. He told stories how ears and noses were cut off and salt applied to the wounds; other reports described captured U. S. Soldiers being buried alive (Wikipedia, 1990). This cause and effect cycle was mutually destructive; in the end, both sides were blatantly breaking the Laws of War. John White was one American that understood the effectiveness of cultural understanding. He was a former American soldier that served as an officer in the Philippine Constabulary and led foreign indigenous troops in combat. His experiences served as a perfect example of the positive effects achieved by applying cultural understanding. In 1928 he wrote a book describing how he built a unified and highly effective combat unit of indigenous people that were both Muslim and Christian. These specialized squads would hunt down the insurgents into their own domain and defeat them in battle. Some of the keys to his success were emphasizing common soldier skills, trusting the integrity of his troops, treating his subordinates and their cultures with respect and adapting proven army methods to the native culture. He became fluent in Spanish and lived among his soldiers and the native people (2009, Dimarco). White was hugely successful in overcoming the insurgency by understanding their culture and adapting his knowledge of combat operations and tactics to fit his operating environment. Operation Iraqi Freedom The roots of the problems we face in Iraq stemmed from the strategic level. McFate, explained how some policy makers misunderstood the tribal nature of the Iraqi culture and assumed that the government would remain stable even after Saddam’s regime was overthrown. Consequentially, without any governmental structure the tribes assumed control and once the Ba’thists lost their power, the tribal network became the backbone of the insurgency. The Iraqi tribal insurgency was born from American cultural ignorance (McFate, 2004, p. 44). Cultural misunderstanding continued to be our weakness with the misinterpretation of certain symbols and gestures. American forces often associated the black flag as the opposite of surrender but among the Shia population it is a religious symbol. Consequently, many Shia who flew the black were shot unnecessarily for displaying their religious beliefs. Another example is how the American signal for stop was often misinterpreted since this gesture means welcome in Iraq; as you can imagine, this resulted in tragedy as well (2004, p. 44). In 2006, Elkhamri witnessed numerous appointments of powerful political figures solely based family-ties and political affiliations. He met Iraqi Commanders who were promoted from lieutenant to lieutenant colonel exclusively for political reasons. Naturally, these shady antics did not go over well with the local populace. With a better under ¬standing of the social-political framework, leaders could prevent these situations and earn the trust and respect of the community (2007, p. 111). Inversely, understanding the culture and society of your COE can positively impact military operations. By recognizing that pre-existing social structures were key to political stabilization, British Brigadier Andrew Kennett implemented historical lessons learned by adjusting to local cultures and understanding the inner workings of the tribal hierarchy. He learned that the most important element of the Iraqi society is the tribe and their supporters and observed the tribal relationship between currency and loyalty. Knowing this, he appointed tribal leaders to the local councils and gave them money to distribute. By doing this, he empower the sheiks and gained favor with the local tribes (McFate, 2007, p. 45). General Odierno understood how the structure of any insurgency always mirrors the structure of the indigenous society; with this notion he tasked two junior intelligence analysts to construct a chart in order to locate Saddam. By identifying, depicting and tracking key figures’ nterrelationships, social status, and last-known locations, this intelligence led the 4th ID troops directly to Saddam Hussein (McFate, 2007, p. 45). This turning point in the war stemmed from the leadership’s knowledge of the Iraqi society and culture. Counter Argument There are some that believe cultural understanding is over rated and over emphasized. In some military subcultures, hardened emotions and apathy towards your enemies’ culture and interests correlates to strength, courage and fearlessness. Some argue that the Warrior Ethos contradicts with cultural understanding and COIN doctrine. Many years ago, my friend SSG Delagarza jokingly said, â€Å"My definition of hearts and minds is two in the heart, one in the mind† and yes, we all laughed because that was part of being in that subculture. There are situations where this hardened mindset is essential to mission success, but just as we need to select the right weaponry for each planned target, we need to select the proper approach for each military operation and situation. Selecting the proper weaponry and the proper approach is a key decision that is based on thorough analysis of every aspect of your enemy and AO. Cultural knowledge of your enemy goes hand in hand with the strategy and tactics used to defeat them. A former commander and one of the hardest Rangers I ever met used to always tell us, â€Å"You got to be hard AND smart. † It was a simple little phrase that we usually ignored but it’s always stuck with me. Now that I have grown as an NCO and leader, I realize what he was saying. There are times to use your brawn by showing overwhelming aggression and firepower but there are also times to use your intellect by employing the most efficient methods to handle a situation. As a young first sergeant I learned the hard way. There were times my hard charging methods of demanding battalion staff NCOs to â€Å"do their job and fix the problem† may have worked, but in due course I realized that I was destroying critical relationships and losing all rapport with supporting elements. The secondary effects were evident by the lack willing support from these same staff sections for months to follow. Ironically, the trickle-down effect eventually affected the ones I was so adamantly fighting for, my Soldiers. Conclusion I believe the U. S. will always overcome any military adversary with our verwhelming land, sea and air superiority, advanced intelligence, technology, weaponry and training but at what cost? In today’s asymmetric environment, direct action may not always be the best option. The finesse of properly executed cultural diplomacy may be an effective force multiplier. There is a significant need to train every Soldier on effectively implementing cultural understanding, especially at the lowest level. With an advanced understanding of our COE’s culture, society, geography and anthropology we could achieve success swiftly, efficiently and most importantly with considerably less casualties. References https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War http://louisdimarco.com/Occupations/Reviewbulletsandbolos.pdf

Abortion, Right and Wrong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Abortion, Right and Wrong - Essay Example The wealthy were able to travel abroad or pay high fees to a local doctor willing to perform the procedure, but a poor woman was required to resort to less safe options. Prohibiting abortions does not and has never stopped them from occurring; it just acts to harm women. Those opposed to Roe also argue that if the Constitution does not directly address an issue, then the Congress, not the courts should decide matters such as this which have weighty moral implications. The Roe decision essentially addressed this question by asserting the government’s concern for the life of the unborn does not outweigh the constitutional rights of the born and thus their decision to allow pregnancy terminations. The Court did draw a line distinguishing what is considered murder of a child. On this issue, those that oppose abortion rights do have legal justification for debate. Viability seems to be an appropriate benchmark because in the early weeks following conception, the fetus is not a conscious being although those of religious conviction argue that it does have a soul. Viability is somewhat scientifically determined while the presence of a soul is not. Therefore, the line can only be drawn at the viability of the unborn as any other method by which to de termine when abortions are considered murder is unclear (Dorf, 2003). Those opposed to abortion claim that the fetus, viable or not, is a living being much the same as a child or adult. Mothers who have had abortions certainly cannot believe she is killing a living child or the practice would be a rare procedure. â€Å"I don’t think, in most cases, that the woman who aborts her child, consciously believes she is killing a person. As philosopher Francis Beckwith points out, â€Å"why do women only kill their fetuses when confronted with practical difficulties, rather than their already born children, if they truly believe their fetuses are fully human?† (cited in Smith,

Microeconomics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Microeconomics - Coursework Example The seven companies claim that China government avails subsidies to its enterprises in an effort to increase their sales in the US market. According to EU Prosun, there is substantial proof that China is dumping solar panels in both the US and EU markets (1). Without any doubt, Chinese government policies demonstrate that companies are selling their solar panels at a price below the production cost. The contention has its origins in a surge of cheap Chinese solar panels that made several US companies go bankrupt. The US government has actually taken some bold steps to reduce the inflow of cheap solar panels from both Taiwan and China. The decision is part of the long battle between the US and Asian markets. Statistics shows â€Å"both Taiwanese and Chinese governments exported solar panels and related products to the US worth $2.15 billion† (Mauldin 1). Germanys SolarWorld AG, a unit based in the US, brought the most recent case. The company claims to be a casualty of both dumping and unreasonable endowments from China. As a result, these practices harm the companys ability to increase its sales in the US markets. In a different turn, â€Å"the US government has additionally blamed Chinese hackers for infiltrating into computer systems of SolarWorld with an aim of picking up competitive advantages† (Mauldin 4). Against all odds, both the Taiwanese and Chinese governments failed to defend itself on some specific inquiries (US Department of Commerce

Stem Cell Research Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stem Cell Research Legislation - Essay Example The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, aside from its ability to establish potential information for the benefit of the Americans, was hoping from the start to receive financial support from the government, and consensus votes among the legislators in both Congress and Senate (US Congress, 2010, p.9967). However, the Congressional Bill, Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, vetoed by Bush administration, was highlighting scientific progress which would be under constraint through living up to ethical responsibilities (Rimmer, 2008, p.258). Under this point, stem cell research has difficulty finding funding support from the Federal Government, which leads to varying scrutiny from the point of view of the scientific community. Recently, the stem cell research is heading forward to human embryonic stem cells by viable preimplantation embryos through in vitro fertilization. However, it is not only in the US this substantially receives rejection leading to highly controlled legislative reg ulation, but including in some European countries like Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Slovakia, primarily due to controversial ethical concerns associated with it (Atala, Lanza, Thomson & Nerem, 2010, p.215). However, some countries especially India, Israel, Singapore, China, Australia, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom and other European countries have already implemented liberal and research-favorable regulatory policies associated with stem cell research (James, 2009, p.6). Unlike the US which is currently struggling to draft regulatory policies, these countries are remarkably looking forward to investigate and know more about the health benefits and great promises of stem cell technology for the humanity. Understanding this will eventually lead someone to think the prevailing legislative state of affairs going on in the US with stem cell research. In addition, some concern on this issue would be in line with knowing where the law on stem cells in th e US is heading in the future considering its highly conservative effort on this matter. As already stated, the prevailing state of affairs concerning stem cell research in the US is quite politically motivated from the point of view of scientific community. However, the federal government on the other hand just like with the stand of Bush administration, would want to emphasize the great influence of science and technology on the humanity together with its huge ethical concerns. In line with this concern, the Obama administration is also considering substantial restriction concerning legislative regulation for stem cells technology and research (Atala, Lanza, Thomson & Nerem, 2010, p.215). From the stand point of scientific community, the restrictions on legislative regulation hinder stem cells researchers to optimize better understanding on stem cells’ potential advantage for the humanity. However, it is clear that the law on stem cells in the US is heading to major progres sion. Just this year, Texas Board approves rules on use of stem cells (Park, 2012). However, there is a great controversy that proliferates upon the emancipation of this ruling. The rules include the use of adult stem cells. However, the great issue of concern at this point is on the safety of using adult stem cells, which at this point has not yet been proven feasible and safe (Park, 2012). So the real issue has

Smoothie King Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Smoothie King - Case Study Example According to Tracy, Jansen, Scarfone and Butterfield (2007), one of the ways of protecting important documents is using company e-mail lists to attach these documents. Company e-mail addresses usually have a higher level of security than common, free e-mail services; therefore, a company should acquire a private company e-mail server. This ensures that the servers used before the recipient accesses the e-mail remain uncompromised. One concept that many people usually fail to understand is the fact that e-mail is not sent like regular mail, where the sender and recipient seal and open the envelope. Contrary to regular mail, e-mail is usually sent as open text, and any individual who mistakenly or intentionally receives the e-mail can read the contents (Tracy, Jansen, Scarfone and Butterfield, 2007). Therefore, it is advisable to attach documents to the mail, and as an added precaution, add a security feature to the attached files. The security feature, like passwords and access codes, can then be sent as a separate e-mail or though a different way. This ensures that, in case the wrong person intercepts the e-mail, the chance of compromising the information is lessened. The size of the documents being sent as part of normal working procedure is usually big and cumbersome, and the process of attaching and sending them might be tedious. In this case, it is usually advisable to upload the file to certified file sharing websites and sharing the link with the intended recipient of the e-mail (Tracy, Jansen, Scarfone and Butterfield, 2007). This serves two purposes; first, it eliminates the tedious nature of attaching and sending the e-mail, and reduces the security risk of sending the e-mail. Most hosts of uploaded information require passwords and security clearance, therefore, the chances of unintended access is reduced. After an analysis of the Smoothie King case study, it is evident that all the steps needed for the establishment of a franchising operation are inc luded. This is because the essential steps in the process; identifying the potential franchisee, proof of qualification, business agreement, and conclusion of the franchising decision are included. However, I would suggest that an extra step be added to the whole process. In my opinion, qualification on paper is not enough to prove that a potential franchisee has the potential to start a business. Even though a potential franchisee might have all the necessary financial ability and qualification to be able to run a franchising operation, the best quality is having business ability. Some individuals might have the necessary resources to run a business but lack the fundamental ability to run the said business. This means that the process of running a franchising operation requires an individual to have a certain mind set; therefore, it is essential that the franchiser test the potential franchisee. This can be achieved by having a short time where the individual or company is given th e opportunity to run a mock franchise to test their ability. The steps listed above also lack an important part; the review of operations after the franchising deal is approved. Normally, a franchiser would want to retain their particular brand in the market, meaning that one franchisee can spoil an existing reputation. Customers would not understand that a franchisee is not part of the

Is information society the consequence of a revolutionary change from Essay

Is information society the consequence of a revolutionary change from previous social relations or has there just been gradual evolution - Essay Example An information society would be meaningless if it is following a set agenda. This could be a politically backed agenda or could derive its motivation from a number of different areas, most of which remain within the state itself. The society has a very pertinent role to play as far as the information spreading regimes are concerned. If the society is naà ¯ve and does not actually know what this information would do towards their own lives, it would be safe to state that such an information society is serving the cause of absolutely no one. Propagation of political thought within an information society would be equivalent to meeting an objective or a goal which is intended and hence motivated in such a manner that it changes the perceptions of the people. Following an agenda within an information society is therefore filled with different dispositions, all of which have an important role at understanding the dictum of bringing in a social change, one that is either of a short-term na ture or meant to bring a long run progression. Then there is the important discussion of political tilts getting shifted through the incorporation of media outlets and under such aegis, an information society would only work best towards providing that competitive advantage that has been envisaged.

Financial Statements and the Monetary Situation of Morrisons Essay

Financial Statements and the Monetary Situation of Morrisons - Essay Example The report is aimed towards guiding interested shareholders to rationally invest in Morrisons Supermarkets. Morrisons is one of the largest chains of supermarkets located in the U.K. The firm has their headquarters located in Bradford, England. Morrisons is counted amongst the big four supermarkets in the U.K, after Tesco, Sainsbury, and Asda. Currently, the company holds approximately 11% market share in the supermarket sector of the U.K. The company had initially begun as retailers of butter and egg in the year 1899. However, the firm has remained successful in expanding itself and presently it has 515 superstores and 113 local stores spread across the U.K, England, Wales, and Scotland. The U.K supermarkets are highly competitive and also possess the ability to earn a very high level of revenues. Consumers, in general, are seen to gain benefits from such high competition as they are able to procure goods and services at reduced prices. The purpose of the paper is to understand how analysis of financial statements facilitates better investments decision making. Income statements are prepared to estimate the level of profitability existing in a firm. They also indicate the efficiency with which an organization performs and earns revenue. Investments decisions are crucial as they may either cause a shareholder to earn adequate profits or lose earnings on the capital invested. Shareholders face the risk of losing their savings if financial statement interpretations are not carried out effectively. The income statement is essentially a summary of the incomes and expenses of a firm presented in a summarised form for a particular period. By analyzing the incomes, expenses and the profits of a number of years, investors can understand how effectively a firm manages their internal operating expenses so as to earn sufficient profits.

Business Law Essay Example for Free

Business Law Essay You are to work on this assignment alone without assistance from others; however, you may use your text, class lectures and your notes in completing the assignment. Points earned from this assignment will be added to your total point score for the semester. (See the course syllabus for the course grading scale.) Due Date Mon., Nov. 12th: This is an out-of-class assignment and is to be turned in no later than the beginning of class on the due date. The Assignment: Read the news articles and the federal regulations that follow. Answer the questions about potential claims. Please note: †¢ Your answers are to be marked on the Assignment. Mark clearly to show which answer you have selected. †¢ Write your name on the Assignment Sheet. Submit a hard copy of the entire Assignment Sheet. NTSB releases details on Lake Butler crash No charges have been filed against bus driver, although a criminal investigation continues. By ASSOCIATED PRESS Published February 3, 2006 LAKE BUTLER, FLORIDA – The truck driver who plowed into a car at a school bus stop last week killing seven children had been awake for 34 hours, except for a short nap, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday. David Rayburn, the lead NTSB investigator for the Lake Butler crash, said the 31-year-old truck driver, Alvin Wilkerson, was refusing to talk to investigators about the accident. Rayburn and Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Bill Leeper refused to release the name of Wilkerson’s attorney. Calls to Crete Carrier Corp., the Lincoln, Nebraska, trucking company Wilkerson drove for, were not immediately returned. Blood tests showed he had not been using alcohol or drugs, Leeper said. Wilkerson was not using his cell phone at the time of the accident. No charges have been filed against Wilkerson, although a criminal investigation continues. Rayburn said driver fatigue was one of main factors being looked into as the cause of the crash. â€Å"He was driving quite a bit during those 34 hours, probably too much,† Rayburn said, adding that Wilkerson was making deliveries and loading and unloading his truck. At the time of the crash, Wilkerson was driving a load of bottled water from High Springs to Jacksonville, a trip of about 85 miles. The NTSB, using an identical school bus and truck, determined the school bus should have been visible for about 3,000 feet (more than half a mile) and there was some light skid marks before hitting the car and pushing it into the school bus. The car burst into flames, killing all seven children, and forcing it under the school bus, carrying nine children. Two children from the bus remain at Shands hospital in Gainesvile in serious condition. When asked when Wilkerson saw the bus, Rayburn said, â€Å"I don’t know that he did.† Rayburn said both the bus driver and the truck driver had valid commercial licenses. He noted that the driver of the car, Nikki Mann, was only 15, and had only a learner’s permit. She was talking on her cell phone when the truck hit the back of her car. Sheriff Jerry Whitehead said the crash was not Nikki Mann’s fault. â€Å"Accidents happen. This was a tragedy. I don’t believe she was at all at fault. The truck plowed into them and killed them.† Rayburn said there were no mechanical problems with any of the vehicles involved and a recorder on the truck did not show the impact. Investigators don’t know if a dog riding in Wilkerson’s truck played any part in the collision. Rayburn said he investigated a 2004 crash in which a Crete Carrier driver had been driving excessive hours. That incident involved a multi-car pile-up on the Indiana toll road near Chicago resulting in two fatalities, including the Crete driver. NTSB records show Crete has been cited fourteen times in the last six years for driver hour violations. This tiny Union City town has been mourning since the crash last week. On Monday, the five children of Terry and Barbara Mann were buried after a service at the First Christian Church in Lake Butler. They were Nikki, 15, and adopted children Elizabeth, 15, Johnny, 13, Heaven, 3, and 20-month-old Anthony. Their cousins, twins Ashley and Amanda Finn, 13, were buried Wednesday next to the body of William Edwin Scott, 70, the grandfather of the seven children, who died of a heart attack after hearing about the accident. Fatal Accident Driver Has Long Legal History Investigators are still piecing together why an 18-wheeler slammed into the back of a car and school bus in Lake Butler yesterday, causing seven children to die. The truck that was involved in the accident was owned and operated by Crete Carrier Corp. It’s a trucking company that has a pretty good reputation for safety nationwide. But the driver who was behind the wheel had anything but that. The WESH 2 I-Team discovered that he has a long history of problems with the law. According to driving records obtained by the I-Team, Alvin Wilkerson has been cited for eight traffic violations since 1995, including two speeding tickets and two seat belt violations. He’s also been cited twice for driving with a suspended or revoked license and twice more for operating a motor vehicle in an unsafe condition. Wilkerson, age 31, was driving for Crete Carrier Corp., which is headquartered in Lincoln, Neb. Crete employs 5,400 drivers operating 5,100 tractor-trailers around the country. According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records, Crete carries a satisfactory safety rating. Even so, the I-Team discovered that in the last two years, Crete drivers have been involved in 482 crashes and 20 of those ended in fatalities. In Florida, transportation officials conducted 259 inspections of Crete trucks and drivers in the last two years alone and found 111 violations. Eight of those violations were so serious that inspectors immediately forced the trucks out of service and off the road. WESH 2 News asked Crete officials why they would hire someone with Wilkerson’s driving record, but they did not respond. A Florida Highway Patrol investigation of the accident continues. An investigator said they are checking on the truck’s systems. He said there was no indication that the truck’s brakes failed, but it appears the truck made no effort to stop before it slammed into that car full of children. Seven children, all related, perished in the crash when the car burst into flames. Their bodies were charred beyond recognition. Eight children on the school bus and the driver were transported to Shands HealthCare hospitals. Three of the children are reported in critical condition. Alvin Wilkerson suffered minor injuries and is reportedly at home.

Body strength Essay Example for Free

Body strength Essay Overall I enjoyed completing the circuit training and was very pleased with the way in which the PEP developed all the different aspects of my fitness. The chosen method of training and the specific exercises were relevant to the game of basketball and the level of intensity was suitable for me. The overload and progression worked well and defiantly made me work hard. I now understand how to implement gradual changes to the intensity without risking injury and fatigue. I also have a better understanding of the need for adequate recovery time and the importance of a proper cool-down period. Before following this PEP I used to only spend time warming-up. The exercises were followed safely and the quick safety check of equipment was carried out each session. The retest results show I have improved in all areas of fitness. I was particularly pleased with the vertical jump and flexibility results. These improvements have allowed me to be more effective in the matches I am playing and I am starting to make less mistakes in my passing and shooting skills. I also seem to be more effective under the basket when rebounding. However I still feel I need to develop my upper body strength. I found the evaluation of each individual session useful and will continue to do this in the future, not only for training but matches to make my goal setting more effective. The PEP helped my levels of motivation, as I wanted to constantly strive for improvement as well as my levels of concentration. Because I was getting tired I found I had to focus on the technique and I have started to transfer this to the game situation which has helped my skill performance. I will continue to incorporate circuit training into my overall programme and aim to gradually increase the work intensity, after reducing the recovery time between the circuits. The warm-up was good and I felt the passive stretching really helped. I coped well with the increase in work time and was pleased with the level of intensity I sustained. But I did lose my concentration on a few exercises during the last circuit and didnt complete a full range of movement on some of the upper body exercises. After the first session I did feel sore around the shoulders and hopefully the extra time spent stretching during the cool-down will help the DOMS. Considerations for next session The intensity of work load should remain the same, as well as the exercises on each station. However I feel the recovery between the stations could be reduced slightly, but between the circuits the activity should not be altered, as too many changes may be too much for me to cope with and produce poor quality exercises. I also need to focus and concentrate on completing a full range of movement on the few upper body exercises I struggled with on the final circuit. Overall I enjoyed completing the circuit training and was very pleased with the way in which the PEP developed all the different aspects of my fitness. The chosen method of training and the specific exercises were relevant to the game of basketball and the level of intensity was suitable for me. The overload and progression worked well and definitely made me work hard. I now understand how to implement gradual changes to the intensity without risking injury and fatigue. I also have a better understanding of the need for adequate recovery time and the importance of a proper cool down period. Before following this PEP is used to only spend time warming up. The exercises were followed safely and the quick safety check of equipment was carried out each session. The retest results how I have improved in all areas of fitness. I was particularly pleased with the vertical jump and flexibility results. These improvements have allowed me to be more effective in the matches I am playing and I am starting to make less mistakes in my passing and shooting skills. I also seem to be more effective under the basket when rebounding. However I still feel I need to develop my upper body strength. I found the evaluation of each session useful and will continue to do this in the future, not only for training but matches to make my goal setting more effective. The PEP helped my levels of motivation as I wanted to constantly strive for improvement as well as my levels of concentration. Because I was getting tired I found I had to focus on the technique and I have started to transfer this to the game situation which has helped my skill performance. I will continue to incorporate circuit training into my overall programme and aim to gradually increase the work intensity, after reducing the recovery time between the circuits.

Effects on an Individuals Worldview: A Reflection

Effects on an Individuals Worldview: A Reflection MY WORLDVIEW: REFLECTION PAPER Osvaldo Santos TABLE OF CONTENTS (Jump to) How do we relate to people? The â€Å"isms† Naturalism Deism Existentialism Islamism How To Deal With The â€Å"Isms† How My Education Connects to My Worldview The Constructivism Approach My Worldview As Leader Conclusion Reference list How do we relate to people? The â€Å"isms† Many â€Å"isms† are presented as a form to help people to relate to people and to understand themselves and their worldviews such as Naturalism, Deism, Existentialism, and Islamism. I will present them in a short understanding. Naturalism Naturalism asserts that the world is of a piece; everything we are and do is included in the space-time continuum whose most basic elements are those described by physics. We are the evolved products of natural selection, which operates without intention, foresight or purpose (Tenets of Naturalism, n.d.). According to the Tenets of Naturalism, nothing about us escapes being included in the physical universe, or escapes being shaped by the various processes – physical, biological, psychological, and social – that science describes. Deism Deism presents other view to understand life and related situations. It preaches that Deism has a lot to offer to us and to society (World Union of Deists n.d.). Deism is knowledge of God based on the application of our reason on the designs/laws found throughout Nature; therefore, Deism presents itself as a natural religion and is not a â€Å"revealed† religion. The natural religion/philosophy of Deism frees those who embrace it from the inconsistencies of superstition and the negativity of fear that are so strongly represented in all of the â€Å"revealed† religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam (World Union of Deists, n.d.). They are called revealed because they all claim to having received a special revelation from God and they present many books with its roots in God as the revelator. Existentialism Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice (Mastin, 2008). It is the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe. Existentialism focuses many questions such as the question of human existence, and the feeling that there is no explanation that can derive of the core of existence. However, as there is no God or any other transcendent force, the only way to counter this nothingness (and hence to find meaning in life) is by embracing existence (Mastin, 2008). Islamism According to (Islam, n.d.) Islamism is an important religion, which shares many beliefs and practices with Christianity and Judaism. Furthermore, Islam is a rational religion: â€Å"The vilest of creatures are those who choose to be deaf and dumb and do not use their reason.† (Qur’an 8:2). Muhammad reminded his followers that â€Å"The first thing God created was reason†. Therefore, believers must take personal responsibility for one’s actions and faith. Islam’s appeal lies in being able to connect the piety of faith, the covenant, and the mobilizing elements to produce powerful resistance to foreign intrusion. Crucial dimension is not economic but social. Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam (Islam, n.d.). The pillars of Islam are: 1. Faith in ONE God and Muhammed the Prophet; 2. Five daily prayers facing to Meca; 3. Sharing or giving money to the poor is REQUIRED, not optional; 4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan. Muslins cannot eat or drink anything during the daylight hours (period of spiritual and moral renewal); and 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca: Once in their lives, IF they can afford it. Some authorities add a sixth pillar: Jihad or Holy War in defense of Islam. Means active opposition to evil and injustice, more than literal warfare (Dutch, n.d.; Kash, n.d.). DeSantis (n.d.) present six Islamism’s beliefs: 1. Belief in only One God. He is defined as Eternal, Absolute, Infinite, Compassionate and Merciful, the sole Creator and Provider; 2. Engage only in Righteous Actions in all areas: spiritual, intellectual and physical activity; 3. All God’s creation is â€Å"Muslim†. Only humans are given CHOICE to submit (be Muslim) or reject submission to God’s will; 4. All children are born without sin and are Muslim. As they grow older, they make their religious CHOICE; 5. God created human beings with a body and soul. The body is a temporal host for this life, whereas the soul is eternal. It is the soul that will survive beyond death, and 6. Universality of the call. All Muslims are brothers and equals without any distinction of class, race or tongue. Superiority is only based on the greater fear of God and greater piety. How To Deal With The â€Å"Isms† As stated above through the Sire’s seven questions, as a Christian Theist, I believe in God and follow the Bible as my book of revelation about the God becoming knowledgeable Himself through the scriptures and given a variety of instructions belonging to many areas of our lives to us, as human beings. I accept and defend God and His creation, as well as I hope to see Him soon and live together. As simple as is. On the other hand, we can defend our worldview without being arrogant to other’s â€Å"isms† worldviews. So, in some instance, I felt a bit uncomfortable trying to answers some provocative questions that have appeared in many post comments on the related week’s forum about the â€Å"isms†. I believe that the â€Å"tone† on this role play should be a lot different. Instead attacking the worldview of others being provocative, arrogant and/or sarcastic, my point is that we should add knowledge to ourselves and limit some â€Å"personal† thoughts in order to discuss only ideas and beliefs in a non-aggressive tone that are related to the class’ proposals. There is no gain in any type of dispute. Before some people state their position in an arrogant way, these people should go deeply and learn and understand their cultures, and their worldviews they are inciting. They could also learn how to speak their languages so they could say that they know a bit more about them. So, it is always wise to be careful when expelling out the other’s worldviews. How My Education Connects to My Worldview My education also has shaped my worldview. Education and learning are constantly taking place in a person’s life (Knight, 2006, p. 108). Thinking about my personal education and how it has similarities with my actual one. I can divide my education in parts: my home education and school education. The most important part of my home education is that one that I could learn and receive from my parents. They gave me a Christian education and taught me the basic principles, values, ethics, and built the foundation for the person I am today. My father used to say: â€Å"My son, education will always give you the skills and knowledge, but they won’t be enough. Study as much as you can because it will help you to make better decisions in your life. Have a good relationship with God and ask Him humility and wisdom. Finally, do as best as you can for the people around you.† I think that in some level we tend to reflect in our lives the level of education and boundaries we were taught in our early ages. So the education we teach to our children is in some way a combination of that one we received from our parents. If we feel that it was a good one, we automatically transfer to them. If we feel that it was not a good one, we take knowledge and do it in different ways. My children are 10 and 11 years old and I would like to apply the knowledge I have now back few years ago. Even with my knowledge, I would say that I would do some things in a different way. By May 2016, they will celebrate their 50thanniversary and I am very thankful to God for this celebration as well as the education they have given to me. They have helped me as a person, father, husband, friend, son, brother, educator, leader, etc. My school education is a combination Christian and non-Christian education. After I have finished my non-Christian elementary and middle school in a small city in South of Brazil, I left it to live in Sao Paulo and to attend high school in a Seventh-day Adventist Academy. Sao Paulo was among the five biggest cities around the world and an unsafe city to live outside the walls of the school. As soon as I finished high school in Sao Paulo, I moved to Curitiba to continue my studies. In Curitiba I attended the college and took the Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, followed by the Specialization in Finance, and a MBA in Business Administration/Finance. Parallel to these degrees, I took three years as a Bachelor’s in Music (Piano solo). As I had already started my piano soloist career earlier, for multiple reasons, I did not complete this degree. If compared to Anyon (1980)’s study, I can say that I always had the opportunity to participate in the â€Å"Affluent Professional School†, the fourth class of school among the five contained in his study. My parents always looked for giving me the best study they could afford. Repeating my father’s words again, he used to say: â€Å"My son, education will always give you the skills and knowledge, but they won’t be enough. Study as much as you can because it will help you to make better decisions in your life.† I left Brazil to live in US in 2002 and from US to Canada in 2012. So I used to say that my education/learning/schooling is always a working in progress. I am taking the Ph.D. program in Leadership at Andrews University in US and a Bridging program at York University in Toronto. As English is not my first language, every single class I take is a challenge. I would say that for me, it takes almost the double of the time to have a complete understanding about the readings and to elaborate projects and complete assignments. Living, working and studying in these different countries, and receiving a cross cultural education; I can affirm that directly or indirectly, my worldview has been influenced by these cultures. However, Thompson (2014) states that â€Å"Great leaders are always learning† (p.20). The Constructivism Approach I see in my education the constructivism approach where according to Knight (2006) means that I am constantly revising and upgrading my knowledge. It dictates the way I can learn seeking new understanding or ways to fulfill my knowledge with â€Å"new† things. Basically it says that I can construct my own knowledge through experiencing things and reflecting on them. Is some way, is how I construct my worldview about things making some type of measurement about the ideas and experiences already acquired against the new information where I can change or discard them. It is a continuous learning process through life; where we are actively creating our own knowledge. This approach makes me a bit uncomfortable because the quantity of â€Å"knowledge† I have today, may not be enough to keep me as a successful leader, educator and professional five years from now. What does it mean? The education and learning acquisition’s system are in a constant and evolving change. I have to analyze myself constantly and compare to level and quantity of information it is necessary to exceed. My learning process as well as my need to seek knowledge never ends. Through my ideas, education and experiences that promote my actual knowledge I have to be innovative and reflective in order to add more knowledge on it. The principal goal of education is to create individuals who are capable of doing new things, not simple of repeating what other generations have done (Theory of Constructivism Jean Piaget) (Constructivism, n.d.). My Worldview As Leader As leader, I also need to understand who I am. Reading the article â€Å"Learning while leading: The Andrews University leadership program† written by Drs. Freed, Covrig, and Baumgartner (2011), on page 37 it states: â€Å"Leaders need to understand who they are-and they achieve this understanding in part by learning the significance of their own life stories.† This citation caught my attention, and I would like to reflect in the first part where it says â€Å"Leaders need to understand who they are†. As early as 42 B.C., Publilius Syrus proposed: â€Å"It matters not what you are thought to be, but what you are† (Whetten Cameron, 2011, p. 57). Freud (1956) once asserted that to be completely honest with oneself is the best effort and individual can make, because complete honesty requires a continual search for more information about the self and a desire for self-improvement (Whetten Cameron, 2011, p. 58). I would like to extend Freud’s point adding that we cannot improve ourselves or develop new capabilities unless and until we consciously know what level of capacity and ability we presently possess. This is a point of recognition and evaluation about our current abilities and deficiencies versus what is expected at end. The realization that we may not be totally adequate or knowledgeable is sometimes difficult to accept because seeking self-knowledge is a prerequisite for our personal growth. However, for a variety of reasons we might be attempted to avoid seeking information as well as evaluate ourselves because it may make us feel inferior. Whetten and Cameron (2011) declares that self-knowledge will help you understand your own taken-for-granted assumptions, trigger points, sensitive line, comfort zone, strengths and weaknesses, and so forth. I would say that this is an important part of our self-awareness which is to understand who we are. As a leader, I am also a proactive person by nature. I try to learn, reach a high level of home and school education, and acquire knowledge as much as possible for few reasons including that they can grow me as a person and as a professional as well. Cloud and Townsend (1992) state that â€Å"Proactive people show you what they love, what they want, what they purpose, and what they stand for† plus â€Å"Proactive people are able to love others as themselves, they have mutual respect, they are able to die to self and not return evil for evil† (p.98). This is me. From the various education philosophies theories I have learned, I sympathize with ontology (being) and epistemology (knowing). Knight (2006) claims that â€Å"Ontology is the study of the nature of being.† It is how we make sense of being or existence. On the other hand, Epistemology is the study of knowledge or how we know the things we know. In a practical way, epistemology is how we make sense of the processes by which we make sense. More broadly, epistemology is about issues having to do with the creation and dissemination of knowledge. So based in these two analyzes, and in a simple philosophical thought, I like to think and I am naturally inclined to consider that â€Å"Ontology comes ‘before’ Epistemology† in the same way I can consider that â€Å"Zero comes ‘before’ One†. I can think that ontology is a sufficient condition for epistemology. Example: you cannot study something which you do not have an example of. In general, this is our life and this is one of the reasons I am taking the leadership program (LP) of Andrews University (AU), always seeking more knowledge. As Christians we believe that everything began with God. God made everything real. Sire (2009) present many question which his first question is What is prime reality-the really real? To this we might answer: God, or the gods, or the material cosmos (Sire, 2009, p. 22). The LP of AU is summarized by these two philosophical dimensions about being and knowing where: being works with the individual bringing his/her personal and professional experiences and sharing with other his/her â€Å"cultures, beliefs, worldviews, and theoretical orientations†. Knowing is represented by the paradoxical unity of theory and practice and as leaders we can transmit and generate knowledge. (Andrews University: Leadership Handbook 2014-15). In my understanding, I am participating actively in these two philosophical dimensions in this LP of AU. So as leader in the position to exert leadership, if I understand the complexity of my own culture, working by worldview and values I am inserted, I can better understand my own behavior and values. As important as the understanding of my own worldview is how I deal, interpret and accept other’s worldviews. I would say that, the leader’s role would be a complete understanding of culture, applying the worldview, values and principles in a right way moving forward the vision. Doing so, I can exert a better and successful leadership. Reference list Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of Education, 162(1), 67-92. Cloud, H., Townsend, J. (1992). Boundaries: When to say yes, when to say no to take control of your life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Constructivism. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2015 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_%28philosophy_of_education%29 DeSantis, A. (n.d.). Understanding Islam: A brief introduction. Retrieved March 20, 2015 www.uky.edu/~addesa01/documents/UnderstandingIslamforweb.ppt Dutch, S. (n.d.). Islam. Retrieved March 20, 2015 https://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/WestTechPPT/Islam.ppt Freed, S., Covrig, D., Baumgartner, E. (2011). Learning while leading: The Andrews University leadership program. Journal of Applied Christian Leadership, 4(1), 26-55. Freud, S. (1956). Collected papers (Vol. 3 and 4). London: Hogarth. Islam. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2015 schools.yrdsb.ca/markville.ss/history/religion/ISlam.ppt Kash. (n.d.). The religion of Islam. Retrieved March 20, 2015 mrkash.com/activities/Islam.ppt Knight, G. (2006). Philosophy education: An introduction in Christian perspective (4th ed.). Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press. Mastin, L. (2008). The basics of philosophy: Existentialism. Retrieved April 5, 2015 http://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_existentialism.html Sire, J. W. (2009). The universe next door: A basic worldview catalog (5th ed.). Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press. Tenets of Naturalism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2015 http://www.naturalism.org/tenetsof.htm Thompson, L. L. (2014). Making the team: A guide for managers (5 ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Whetten, D. A., Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing management skills. Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. World Union of Deists. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2015 http://www.deism.com/deism_defined.htm 1

Application Software :: essays research papers fc

Application Software   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Computer systems contain both hard and software. Hardware is any tangible item in a computer system, like the system unit, keyboard, or printer. Software, or a computer program, is the set of instruction that direct the computer to perform a task. Software falls into one of two categories: system software and application software. System software controls the operation of the computer hardware; whereas, application software enables a user to perform tasks. Three major types of application software on the market today for personal computers are word processors, electronic spreadsheets, and database management systems (Little and Benson 10-42). A word processing program allows a user to efficiently and economically create professional looking documents such as memoranda, letters, reports, and resumes. With a word processor, one can easily revise a document. To improve the accuracy of one's writing, word processors can check the spelling and the grammar in a document. They also provide a thesaurus to enable a user to add variety and precision to his or her writing. Many word processing programs also provide desktop publishing features to create brochures, advertisements, and newsletters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An electronic spreadsheet enables a user to organize data in a fashion similar to a paper spreadsheet. The difference is the user does not have to perform calculations manually; electronic spreadsheets can be instructed to perform any computation desired. The contents of an electronic spreadsheet can be easily modified by the user. Once the data is modified, all calculations in the spreadsheet are recomputed automatically. Many electronic spreadsheet packages also enable a user to graph the data in his or her spreadsheet (Wakefield 98-110).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A database management system (DBMS) is a software program that allows a user to efficiently store a large amount of data in a centralized location. Data is one of the most valuable resources to any organization. For this reason, user desire data be organized and readily accessible in a variety of formats. With aDBMS, a user can then easily store data, retrieve data, modify data, analyze data, and create a variety of reports from the data(Aldrin 25-37). Many organizations today have all three of these types of application

Acupuncture :: essays research papers fc

Acupuncture is considered to be a new alternative medicine in western society, and has recently become very popular in the United States (â€Å"All About Acupuncture†). Acupuncture is the insertion of hair-fine needles into the body’s surface, which is supposed to cause psychological effects on the body to cure the patient of an illness. These illnesses may be emotional mental or physical (Singer). But some doctors question the validity of this practice, and believe that acupuncture may be unsafe (Barrett).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first basis of acupuncture was probably first theorized by Shen Nung about 5000 years ago in a document called â€Å"Huang Di Nei Jing† (Singer). Shen Nung believed that there is an energy force running through the entire body called â€Å"Qi† (pronounced chee). Qi travels through the body in â€Å"meridians† or channels. These meridians run vertically up and down the body’s surface (Singer). The Qi is supposed to be the mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of life. The Qi reacting with the forces of the â€Å"Yin† and â€Å"Yang† influence a person’s health (Singer). The Yin and Yang represent the positive and negative forces in the universe (â€Å"All About Acupuncture†). â€Å"Yin is signified by female attributes, passive, dark, cold, moist, that which moves medially†¦ Yang is signified by male attributes, light, active, warm, dry, that which moves laterally†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Singer). If the Qi in a person’s body is not in balance with the Yin and Yang then an illness will befall the person, and he or she should be treated with acupuncture, which corrects this imbalance (Singer).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The process of acupuncture requires the placement of needles at acupuncture points so the Qi can be balanced. There are about nine different kinds of acupuncture needles, although six needles are commonly used today (Singer). The needles vary in size, length, and shape of the head. These needles can be placed between 15 ° and 90 ° angles depending on the treatment that is required. Also the needles may be raised, pushed, twirled or plucked (vibration of the needle) to cause sensations called â€Å"deqi† to correct the Qi imbalance in the body. Electrical currents may also be applied to the needles to allow stimulation at the acupuncture points. Acupuncture is often accompanied by acupressure and burning of herbs near the skin to help correct Qi imbalances (Singer).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several different theories as to how acupuncture possibly works. First acupuncture might possibly cut pain off from reaching the spinal cord or the brain since many acupuncture points are located on neural structures.

Gandhi’s Campaign Methods Essay

It’s clear that Gandhi’s campaigns of non-cooperation and attending political meetings with high ranked British officials during the early 1930s, were hugely significant as they mounted pressure on the Raj, leaving the British with no other alternative than to make concessions towards the nationalists. However, Purna Swaraj wasn’t achieved by Gandhi’s campaigns in the 1930s, due to the limitations of his methods as he was unable to cooperate and negotiate with the British. Conversely, demands for nationalism increased across India and the British began to lose any moral authority they had over the Indians. Gandhi’s methods of non-violent, civil disobedience were hugely effective in turning many Indians against British rule, increasing demands for Purna Swaraj and attacking the revenue that the British relied on to survive within India. Source 1 is a declaration written by Gandhi, a speech in which was broadcasted on Independence Day. The symbolism of broadcasting this speech across the whole of India on the 26th January 1930, shows Gandhi’s purpose of targeting the masses to enthuse them on a day of huge importance, to rise up against the ‘inhuman rule’ they’re being controlled under. ‘Inhuman rule’ emphasises how the British were keeping the Indians in subordination within no care or consideration for the wellbeing of its subjects. This is witnessed with the tax that the British put on salt. Salt is a necessity for every Indians health and survival due to living in such hot climates, so consequently, the British revenue increased as they knew every Indian had to purchase it in order to survive. However, Gandhi wanted to ‘stop the payment of taxes without violence’ and thus, publicised the boycott of salt tax with his salt march on 12th March 1930. Initially, the British disregarded it and treat it as a joke, until it caught the attention of the worlds press as a result of Gandhi connecting with the supportive masses, and drawing in tens of thousands at prayer meetings and gatherings before the actual march. This contradicts the view of Lawrence James in source 3, who believes the Indians had ‘never come close to toppling the Raj’, as source 1 makes it explicit that the increasing animosity and non-payment of taxes, generated by Gandhi, concerned the British a great deal. Gandhi directly attacked the Raj as he declared it a ‘crime’ to submit to its rule in hope he could connect with the Indians and encourage them to follow his lead. He successfully did this as a result of the Salt March. Although only 78 of his supporters followed him on the entire march, many other Indians got involved. On route of the march, many Indian officials resigned from their posts. Elsewhere, another march was organised in South India were protests in Bombay, the North West Frontier Province and 2000 non-violent demonstrators at a salt production plant in Dharasana were attacked to the ground by police. This again is evidence of the ‘inhuman rule’ Gandhi speaks about in hi s declaration, and consequently shows why the British lost a lot of moral authority over the Indians. Source 2 explicitly shows that Gandhi’s non-violent campaign methods were effective at challenging the Raj and allowing them no other option that to begin making political concessions towards the activists. It adds a lot of weight to source 1 as it shows the effectiveness of Gandhi’s campaigns in relation to the British response. Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India at the time, recognised that ‘political dialogue’ was the only way forward from the current position in 1931, due to the increasing hostility in India that was becoming a huge threat to the Empire. Consequently the Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed on the 5th March 1931 which was an agreement between both Gandhi and Irwin. The most significant aspect of this wasn’t the agreements themselves, which saw many political prisoners released, Indian officials reassigned and future political changes to be in the interest of India, but more so the fact that Gandhi was seen as an equal to a leading British official. This in itself unleashed hope that the British would start showing respect and help the Indians advance politically. It’s clear from source 2 that Irwin showed some respect for Indians as he states that the ultimate purpose for India is not to be under ‘perpetual subordination’ in the British Empire. This too conflicts with source 3 as it suggests the British have come to the realisation that they cannot hold on and control India forever, due to the increase in non-cooperation amongst the masses as a result of Gandhi’s campaigns and in the aftermath of the second round table conference. This conference was held in Britain on 7th September 1931, which aimed to start negotiations towards Indians progression to self rule. However, it achieved nothing due to Gandhi demanding nothing less than Purna Swaraj and thus blocked any further negotiations and progress for India. In addition to this, his arrogant approach in being the only representative to speak for eve ry Indian angered many groups within the population, in particular the untouchables. Source 2 therefore shows that Gandhi’s campaigning methods were limited, and only effective to a certain extent. As this modern source was written by Tim Leadbitter, a writer for academic studies, we can trust that his view is objective. However, he does express his own opinion when stating that Irwin ‘rightly’ recognised the dangers of mass movements. This is unusual in textbooks which are used for academic purposes and could cause the reader to believe his opinion is actually fact. Nevertheless, put in context its clear that the mass movements were a threat to the Raj and so followed awaited Government of India Act of 1935. The provisions of the act were too little too late and although it provided Indians with provincial control, it achieved no advancement in central or higher administration, and the electorate was still less than 10% of the overall population. Congress did benefit hugely from the 1937 election and in effect became the leading party in India wh ich in turn caused resentment and anger from the Muslim League. By this time, Gandhi lost his campaigning momentum after his arrest in 1931 however that is not to say the small but significant successes of the 1935 Government of India Act wasn’t a result of Gandhi’s campaigning efforts. Source 3 contradicts the evidence in sources 1 and 2 and completely disregards any lack of progress being made by Gandhi and the Indian nationalists in the 1930s, with the non-violent campagns. It takes facts at face value as James takes a broad sweep over the British Empire. As a result, his account ignores the underlying pressures and Gandhi’s non-violent methods that challenged the British rule in India. James undermines Gandhi’s efforts by stating they ‘never came close’ to toppling the Raj, therefore believing that the civil disobedience and non-cooperation as a result of Gandhi’s campaigns, were too weak to put even the slightest dent in the British hold on India. However source 2 explicitly opposes this as the British Viceroy Lord Irwin recognises the need to show that the British are willing to help India progress politically, to prevent further unrest and mass movements witnessed after the Salt March. The resulting 1935 Government of India Act and 1937 elections weren’t direct results of Gandhi’s campaigning, however the small changes witnessed in Indians advancing in politics and having more say at provincial level, wouldn’t have happened at all if it wasn’t for the pressure Gandhi put on the Raj. Without his non-cooperation campaigns, the British wouldn’t have felt the need to make any concessions at all towards Indians, but the fact remains that by 1939 Gandhi’s agenda of 1930 demanding Purna Swaraj hadn’t been achieved. However, James is not completely oblivious to the pressure the Raj is under, as he states they can ‘hold on’ in an unconvincing tone. It’s therefore apparent that if the Raj had to make the effort to hold on to their control, Gandhi’s campaigning efforts and mass movements are obviously causing them some concerns and mounting pressure, and so much have been effective to a certain extent . Lawrence James does actually give evidence to suggest that some Indians were actually content with British rule as he mentions the ‘backing of an army’ of ‘loyal’ sepoys, which the British utilised for general administration and control. However this alone doesn’t hold any weight when confronted with conflicting evidence from sources 1 and 2. It’s therefore undisputable that Gandhi’s non-violent campaign methods as mentioned in source 1 were hugely effective in amplifying the nationalism within India and thus rallying the masses in order to put strenuous pressure on the Raj as witnessed in source 2. It is apparent however that Gandhi became less influential after his arrest in 1931. His campaigns lost momentum and Congress became machine that followed up the progress Gandhi had made prior to the 1935 Government of India Act. Source 2 therefore bares the most weight as it makes it explicit that Gandhi’s campaigning left the British with no other option than to proceed to make concessions towards the Indians, who where now actively pushing for future self governing. The British were then obliged to relinquish some power, and accept that there would be no going back to having complete perpetual control over the Indians.

Child’s behavior Essay

Action speaks louder than words, the adage goes. The same applies for child rearing, specifically in setting a child’s behavior. Verbal admonitions, advices, and instructions are important to make it obvious to the child what the parent expects him to follow and do. Words specifically define the desired behavior parents want from their children. However, children are easily distracted, especially with long sentences, so that while talking to them, their attention or their mind strays from grasping every word thus deterring understanding. Another, words oftentimes have ambiguous meanings to the child so that the latter might not â€Å"get it† in spite of having been told. Actions leave more imprints into a child’s memory compared to words because actions explain more than words could express. Usually, when a parent verbalizes an instruction, he accompanies it with action. This is because the more senses are involved during the comprehension process, the better and more lasting the comprehension. Actions involve more senses. They engage the child more into the character-building process because they do not just hear; they also see it in action through their parents. Furthermore, when the parents’ behavior contradicts with what they say, it confuses the child and might diminish the parent’s trustworthiness and authority in the eyes of the child. Children imitate grown-ups a lot during their formative years since they still have to develop their own individual personalities and judgments. Children tend to think that whatever their parents do are always the right things. After all, in their yet young lives, parents have been doing a lot of things for them, feeding them, taking care of them, dressing them, etc. By doing the right and proper actions, therefore, the child would confidently follow—with this knowledge that whatever their parents might be doing could be right.

Change over Time: the Americas Essay

The social and economic transformations in the Americas occured as a result of new contacts with Europe and Africa from 1450-1750. Large scale European immigration occured shortly after the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. Immagrants came over to flee from religious persecution, seek economic opprotunities, part of government sponsored attempts to found colonies, or forcibly transported there as slaves or prisoners. As more and more people came to America they brought with them crops, livestock, and diseases. The Columbian exchange greatly affected the American society. It brought with it diseases, crops, and livestock. There were devastating effects of Old World diseases on Native American populations. Infectious diseases, such as smallpox, resulted in the largest death toll in the New World. New foods became staples of human diets and new growing regions opened up for crops. Two of Americas major cash crops, sugar and coffee, come from Africa and Asia. Livestock from the Europe also flourished in the New World. One of Europeans first imports, the horse, changed th lives of many Native American tribes. Trade began to become a big part of life in America. The transatlantic triangular trade operated in the 17th and 18th centuries between West Africa, the Americas, and European colonial powers. The trade represented a profitable enterprise of enslaved Africans. The use of slaves was fundamental to growing the colonial cash crops in the New World. A constant problem in the Americas was the dissagreements between the Natives and the European settlers. The settlers imposed their economic and religious beliefs on the Natives. They often tried to convert them to the European way of living. Europeans took over their land by using their advanced technology and enslaved them as workers or maids on plantations. This led to the constant wars and revolts between these two groups and ended up in many deaths of not only the Natives but the settlers too.

Discuss the concept of adolescence as a social construct Essay

Adolescence describes the transitional stage in a teenager’s life, from childhood to adulthood, where an individual evolves physically, psychologically, emotionally, cognitively and socially. It is a defined social category that is expressed through immaturity and unpredictability and allows an individual to learn and discover their sense of self and identity. The idea of adolescence came into perspective after children were expected to take on adult roles as soon as they were mature enough to, going straight from puberty to adulthood. As society changed and moulded, so did the ideas about life stages, which is evident in Erikson’s theory. Adolescence is the perfect example of our modern societies ‘social construction’. A social construct is a sociological theory based upon categorised groups in modernised cultures, devised by social constructionists who view knowledge of reality as ‘established’. Adolescence was invented because of these social constructions in westernised cultures which depend entirely on the society in which it is used. Although the concept of adolescence is commonly used and referred to in westernised cultures, it does not exist in most developing countries as they aren’t exposed to the resources which educates them about it. Instead of going through adolescence, teenagers in developing countries go straight from childhood to adulthood and have no time to develop interests or a sense of identity. Erik Erikson established a theory about the life stages of a human, starting from infancy and ending at maturity (65+). Through the use of a ‘maturation table’, Erikson was able to emphasize a wide and cohesive set of life skills and abilities that function together within an individual. Although he discussed all of the life stages, he focused on the adolescent period more thoroughly as he felt that it was a crucial stage for an individual to develop their identity. The ‘identity versus role confusion’ is a crisis which is typically evident during early to middle adolescence. It outlines the struggle an individual faces in finding stability between developing a  sense of forming a unique identity while still being accepted and â€Å"fitting in† with society. Erikson believed that when teenagers adequately navigated their way through this crisis, they would transpire into having a clear understanding of their individual identity and easily share this new ‘self’ with others. However, if an individual is unable to navigate their way through this crisis period, they may be uncertain of who they are which can result in a lack of understanding, leading to disconnection from society and the people around them. If youth become stuck at this stage they will be unable to become emotionally mature adults, according to Erikson’s theory. This period of an individual’s life allows them to investigate possibilities which will lead them to discovering their own identity based upon the result of their explorations. A westernised culture that embraces the life stage of adolescence are the Indigenous Aboriginals of Australia. The aboriginals embrace adolescence by engaging in a tradition known as â€Å"Walkabout†, which passes a boy from childhood to adulthood. Although this tradition has been around for centuries, some Aboriginals in today’s society still partake in it but have adjusted some of the regulations. Walkabout refers to the journey an adolescent boy undertakes, alternating from a laid back playful child to a responsible and mature man. Throughout this deeply spiritual and reflective stage of an Aboriginal boy’s life he will experience a greater connection to the land and nature, which ultimately becomes a part of their identity as a man. At the beginning of time the ancestors created paths for the men to follow while going on Walkabout, leading them through songs and ceremonies that connected them to important waterholes, food sources and landmarks. These paths were known as ‘songlines’ and essentially enhanced their cultural and spiritual connection with the land and their ancestors. After 6 months of living in the wilderness and exploring who they are as a person, they return with a sense of wholeness within themselves and with world around them enabling them to pass through adolescence and into adulthood. Sub-Saharan Africa lies south of the Saharan desert and is one of the most challenging places for an adolescent to live. Most of the teenagers that live in Sub-Saharan Africa aren’t given the opportunity to experience adolescence as they tend to go straight from being a child to being an adult  and taking on fully fledged adult responsibilities. The health and safety of an adolescent girl in this area can be placed at risk, as they are often forced to abandon childhood before they’re ready, limiting their chances to grow as a person, gain an education and a sense of identity. Being a young girl in Africa, it is not only unfortunate, but also very common to fall pregnant and have a baby at the age of 16 or younger. Due to this, many girls have to leave school and are forced into the world of adulthood. Enduring motherhood at a young age can make a girl particularly vulnerable to violence and most girls that live in Sub-Saharan Africa may experience abuse at least once in their life. Sexual violence and pressured sex is common, especially among female adolescents and young women. Younger mothers are more likely to experience complications or death due to pregnancy and childbearing. In Australia, teenagers experience what it’s like to go through adolescence by developing a sense of identity, achieving independence, developing a positive state of mind and discovering skills for future life stages. Although all these things can positively impact the period of adolescence, some teenagers may use this to their advantage and can endure in some dangerous behavioural activities. The most common adolescent activity that most Australians experience, is schoolies. Schoolies marks the end of tertiary education and adolescents embark on this by going on a holiday with their friends of choice, partying and experimenting with alcohol and even drugs. From youth to adulthood, schoolies week is seen as a transitional period of an individuals life which marks the transition from the discipline of school to the plunge of freedom that they partake in. In conclusion, adolescence is a period of ones life where an individual can embark on new experiences, gain a sense of identity, learn about themselves and discover who they are as a person. Although not all people go through adolescence, it is a major growing period for a person’s life and if they choose to embrace this positively it will b enefit them for the rest of their lives.

Benetton baby Essay Example for Free

Benetton baby Essay Benetton baby was produced as a 1991 advertising campaign that also included images of a priest kissing a nun and coloured leaves floating in a sea of petrol. Although I would presume Benetton would be trying to show the beauty and goodness of the new born baby they claim â€Å"Benetton is not trying to emphasise the beauty a and goodness of its apparel, but rather is trying to capture the interest or people†¦ The objective is to brake through the barrier of indifference. † But I believe that the image is in anyway offensive or wrong. The image consists of a newborn baby trailing its umbilical cord, the baby is covered in blood, and two hands, presumably of a Doctor, are waiting to receive the child. This was created to appear on billboard so the shire size would make the image impossible to be missed. The background is white therefore the baby stands out. The logo is included to the left of the advertisement and is very small almost insignificant. The image is very clear and not edited in any way to make the situation more attractive I agree with the advertisement entirely. Although it is a strange way to advertise I have no objections. The image is very large and might not be what all people want to witness it but birth of babies are publicized on the television as entertainment or education in more graphic detail. Isn’t a baby being born â€Å"the most wonderful experience†? But people did however complain, the public disagreed strongly with this image â€Å"the poster†¦. Has attracted more than 800 complaints. † 800 is not a particularly large amount when in comparison with the millions that would have witness the advertisement. The complaints consisted of â€Å"the image is shocking and distasteful†¦ â€Å", â€Å"many children are reported to have found it disturbing†¦ â€Å"and objections regarding the â€Å"exploitative use of such an image to sell clothes. † All complaints where made to an advertising organisation called the ASA. The ‘Advertising Standards Authority’ began in 1962 by the advertising industry. The ASA practises a voluntary code of practice called ‘The British Code of Advertising and sales promotion practise. The code declares that all advertisements must be legal, decent honest and truthful. They must not be offensive or downgrade competitors they must not deliberately misinform. Benetton baby does break some of these rules. The first rule broken in some points of view is ‘decency’ â€Å"No advert should contain any matter that is likely to cause widespread offence†¦. â€Å"The advert may be offensive to a mother who recently had a miscarriage. As to a woman whose child has recently died or to a woman who cannot become a mother. Etc. however this information cant be held against Benetton as a second rule in the code states, â€Å"[t]he fact that a product may be found offensive by some people Is not†¦ a sufficient basis under the code for objecting an advertisement for it† therefore the advert is within its own rights. ‘Honesty’ â€Å"†¦. cause be easily grasped and clearly understood†¦ † the advertisement isn’t entirely clear. From the advertisement alone you are not able to grasp what exactly the clothing company is retailing. However the advertisement does not lead you to believe that the Benetton Company sells babies or anything else, for that matter. â€Å"Looking death in the face† An ad showing the image of a man dying of AIDS, surrounded by his family. The logo is present also but, as with the others, it is small and unimportant. The camera shot is very provocative, it is very close up. The dying man obviously and purposely is made to resemble Jesus this has been done by computer. The image almost makes you fell an intruder in the scene. This has led to furious debate about the limits of advertising. Benetton claims, â€Å"It was as if the reality of suffering only had dignity and moral value in the editorial section of a newspaper and lost all its ability to denounce and sensitize people when in `contagious’ contact with advertising. † Published by an English daily before its official presentation, the photo provoked a controversy that extended from Great Britain throughout the world. The AIDS ad may, however be seen by some as trying to profit from people’s pain rather than simply offending the more traditionalist members of society. One British AIDS charity agreed, while some American gay activists disagree, saying the advertisements gives the issue a higher public profile. The parents of the dying man may feel the same since, according to Benetton, they approved the company’s use of the photo. With this new project, Benetton has once again chosen to look reality in the face by embarking upon a social issue, as he did in previous campaigns that focused on war, Aids, discrimination and racism. Harshly attacked by some and internationally applauded by others, Benetton’s campaigns have managed to tear down the wall of indifference contributing at increasing the awareness of universal problems among world’s citizens. Both the advertisements, â€Å"Benettons baby† and â€Å"looking death in the face† Where concealed and eventually banned across the world. There is more to this than the old saying that all publicity is good publicity. Oliviero Toscani, Benetton’s â€Å"adman,† claims the campaigns are not designed to offend, but rather to â€Å"raise consciousness. † A more plausible interpretation is that Benetton is trying to sell sweaters to the young and hip and those who like to think of themselves in that way. What better means to appeal to them than by offending an older generation of their parents? 7th January 2000 – At the beginning of the new millennium, Benetton publicized the real faces of the prisoners on death row, without a future. Remorseful or unremorseful, smiling or sad, healthy or ill, they all are guilty in the eyes of the human law. Many have their arms crossed; one is shown reading the Bible. Almost all of them are looking directly at the camera, at you. These portraits of dozens of individuals sentenced to death are the results of Oliviero Toscani’s two years of work which he visited several American prisons. The campaign is about the death penalty this project aims at presentation to the public the reality of capital punishment, aiming to prevent people considering the death penalty as a distant matter, just something they might hear about on television. Toscani’s images intend to give back a human face to the prisoners on death row, to remind â€Å"respectable people who are always so sure they’re right†¦ † that these people are human Beings not virtual characters easily removed or secured with a simple click as with a game. The campaign appeared on billboards and on the pages of the major publishing companies around Europe, America and Asia in January 2000. Toscani spoke for the prisoners when he said, â€Å"that having killed has changed them forever, and for the worst. † Speedy Rice a writer, on behalf of the NACDl (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers) who has contributed to the campaign by patiently contacting and negotiating with prisons’ Mr. Rice mentions that during 1999 there has been a huge rise in the number of executions in the United States. Of the 600 death sentences that were passed between 1976 and the end of the 20thcentury, approximately 100 executions were carried out in 1999. Benetton advertisements to me have a strong meaning, which differs from individual to individual. For some the adverts are merely indicating how ignorant the world is today. How people emphasise on looking a certain way and how they foresee others. To others they may be seen as a source of entertainment something to discuss on the train or to your local cab driver that will never silence. There are many other views but mine is this I agree entirely with the advertisements, although others wont. The ads are unique and contain moral issues that may keep the brain puzzled all day to find. As there has been such uproar in disagreement concerning the ads this has given Benetton a vast amount of free advertisement. I like all the adverts I have been analysing although I do prefer the â€Å"death row† images. These appeal to me a majority more as they have more of a moral message, and become challenging to comprehend the death penalty law. You are left asking yourself, â€Å"Do I agree with the death penalty? † All of the benetton advertisements caused great amounts of controversial disagreement. The three mentioned esspecialy, as to more than half the world they have no meaning, as to others they offend highly. Benetton baby. (2017, Jul 09).