The Current Structure Of The Health Care System - 920 Words

Introduction Moving forward with the social problems issue chosen for this course, I have found two reliable resources that are underway of working out the United States health care system, seeing as how there are so many concerns and issues that patients, physicians, families, and insurance programs are facing. The current structure of the health care system has been sustained and used for years simply because it rests on its own set of reinforcing elements. These elements include: â€Å"†¦organization by specialty with independent private-practice physicians; measurement of â€Å"quality† defined as process compliance; cost accounting driven not by costs but by charges; fee-for-service payments by specialty with rampant cross-subsidies; delivery systems with duplicative service lines and little integration; fragmentation of patient populations such that most providers do not have critical masses of patients with a given medical condition; soloed IT systems around medical specialtie s,† (Mayberry, et al., 2006). The current structure is self-explanatory in determining why the United States health care system has been so resistant to chance and also why altering steps have had little to no impact. So what, if anything can be done, and is being done, to fix the health care system? Baylor Health Care System After extensive research on finding resources who have sought to ease the pressures that citizens are facing, I came across a health care system under research by the landmarkShow MoreRelatedDisease Classification Structures935 Words   |  4 PagesDisease Classification Structures Health care information systems cover a wide range of issues dealing with the supervision and use of biomedical information. Health information systems are central support tools in the administration of health care services. An acceptable health information system is important not only for evaluating the health needs of populations but also for preparation and for application of health interventions. 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The management structure on a team of supervisors, managers, and directors working together under the leadership of a vice president to coordinate and implement organizational initiatives. In essence, the supervisor reports to and is evaluated by their manager; the manager reports to and is evaluated by the director or vice president, and so on. In most business settings the preferred model is an operational one—a pyramid structure with clear lines of authority andRead MoreNursing Leadership931 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational structures play a vital role in the creation of the favorable environment for client centered care. It determines how information systems adopted are used. The organizational structure highlights the nature of communication within a companys decision-making techniques and habits of the health agency. Functional and service line structures are extremely prominent in health settings as they determine how activities are run within this industry. 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The approach provides a practical and feasible method for providers and organizations to improve their current revenue cycle processes, while maintaining provider incomes and reducing overall health care costs. Rising health care cost currently threatenRead MoreEssay about Health Care Systems1368 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: HEALTH CARE SYSTEM EVOLUTION PAPER Health Care System Evolution Paper University of Phoenix Sandra Walther/ HCS 310 October 20, 2009 Understanding the roller-coaster experience with the use of market forces in health care over the past ten years provides important context for discussions of likely future developments in the nature of competition (Lesser, 2007). 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Functional Skills Free Essays

Functional Skills Functional skills are qualifications in English, maths and ICT that  equip learners with the basic practical skills required in everyday life, education and the workplace. To ensure that Functional skills are assessable to all learners they are available at Entry Level 1 through to Level 2. Employers are crying out for workers with sound Functional Skills – they are essential skills that are genuinely in demand. We will write a custom essay sample on Functional Skills or any similar topic only for you Order Now With good Functional Skills your students will have the ability to draw on a bank of transferable skills to help them succeed in all areas of life. Functional skills where introduced due to the Wolf Report to replace the old key skills as a result of a gap in skills whichThe Secretary of State for Education commissioned Professor Alison Wolf of King’s College London to carry out an independent review of vocational education. She was asked to consider how vocational education for 14- to 19-year-olds can be improved  in order to  promote successful progression into the labour market and into higher level education and training routes. She was also asked to provide practical recommendations to help inform future policy direction, taking into account current financial constraints. The review has been informed by over 400 pieces of evidence from the public, a number of visits to colleges, academies and training providers, and interviews and discussion sessions with key partners in the sector. Alison Wolf comments in FAQ’s in edexel. com that , â€Å"Functional Skills pass rates are lower than Key Skills pass rates. This is still true post-pilot, and on one level may be due to this being a new qualification. However, rather than having negative connotations, this proves that standards are higher and a more legitimate marker of quality (cross-reference Key Skills where the pass rate is almost 100%). Functional Skills are challenging, worthwhile qualifications, denoting a marker of student excellence FAQs – Functional Skills and the Wolf Report – Edexcelwww. edexcel. com Functional skills ran as a three year pilot scheme from Sept 2007 and was officially rolled out nationally in Sept 2010 We use basic skills on a daily basis – while driving a car, cooking, making purchases, supporting our children in schoolwork. These daily tasks may present challenges for adult literacy learners, because they incorporate skills from a variety of academic areas – when driving you must read street signs very quickly; when cooking you use measuring tools or calculate with fractions. Yet some learners may state, â€Å"I don’t read much,† or â€Å"I never use math. † Teachers can help learners make connections between what they are learning in class and every-day functional skills by the contextualization of instruction. The 3 functional skills are MATHS Functional maths is what we use every day e. g counting money, calculating shopping bills basic money management adding these childrens dinner money ? 2. 00 per day x 5 Days a week = ? 10, measuring area etc for carpets , wallpaper, cooking we weigh and measure ingredients. ICT Functional ict is everyday uses including online banking , paying household bills , renewing car insurance , online shopping and searching for best deals , reading e mails, texting friends ENGLISH Functional English is everyday tasks such as writing a shopping list , reading the mail reading the newspaper, reading the road signs when driving, checking shopping purchases on receipts, using e mail reading and replying. holding an everyday conversation requires speaking and listening skills. The delivery of Functional Skills should be embedded into all curriculum areas by using contextualized teaching materials, In my area of Art I can incorporate and plan functional skills in sessions by †¢ Maths , in art learners regularly use ratio to mix art materials , e. g paint and water 2-1, mixing plaster of paris 3-1 measuring dimensions for drawing patterns e. g dividing a canvas in half or into four requires an overall measurement and then divided by 2 for half or 4 for quarters and so on. English, in art learners have to read to understand e. g study of an artist , YP read a biography of the artist and pick out relevant key points and write them down, so using sentence formation , punctuation . listening is a skill , to follow instructions in art either verbally or from a list which is used in making a clay pot , or plaster mould. †¢ ICT in art , learners use ict to find images , so using a google search , also knowing their way around a website to find relevant images or information. Usually images are printed and formatted to their specifications for tasks , so printing knowledge is used also saving work to relevant files are all everyday ict skills we use in day to day life and work How functional skills are implemented and supported in my organisation We are a small education setting with up to 30 YP at any time so I think we have a thorough pathway for YP Learners are assessed when they arrive at Aycliffe before entering education by the online goal assessment which gives a clear score on maths and English ability they are broken down into separate curriculum areas e. spelling , punctuation , number sequencing, adding , subtracting so can clearly give a good assessment for extra support regarding functional skills across the curriculum The senco then highlights areas for concern and distributes Strategy sheets to teaching staff and relevant support staff these give an indication of hints and tips useful in teaching a particular identified need in a student. Provision mapping and planning sheets are used to track continual level of need and progress, In Aycliffe secure centre we also use for identified pupils a computer programme called Successmaker which is has numeracy and literacy programmes aimed at all levels this is an excellent tool to boost the attainment in functional skills as learners are supervised on a 1-1 basis by teaching and support staff, and Successmaker shows a clear improvement and highlights areas for extra need. In our establishment the most level of need is in reading and we use SRA reading scheme which has 4 levels and the learners are assessed and placed in appropriate groups , we also have journal reading groups which are for competent readers which concentrate on reading own material and reviewing and understanding text. We also run an individualised Life Skills Programme , through assessment YP work through a life skills programme which offers a cross curricular array of Functional / Life skills from making a bed , budgeting and shopping for a healthy meal, booking a train ticket to accessing further education in their communities. How to cite Functional Skills, Papers

Equity Market Structure Literature Review - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Equity Market Structure Literature Review. Answer: Introduction: The overall evaluation of the article mainly helps in depicting the reduced sellers stamp duty that is imposed by the government if the property is sold within 4 years of buying. The relevant stamp duty rate is mainly declining from the range of 16%-4% to 12%-4% within the three years of holding period. The article mainly helps in reducing the overall stamp duty tax that is imposed on the residential property holding period. The overall holding period has mainly declined from 4 years to 3 years, which will be implemented in March 11 2017. The overall contraction of the SSD mainly restricts the loan obligation of the individuals to 60% of the monthly gross income. The article states that the TDSR threshold could only affect small group of owners. The article also indicates that the problems, which was previously faced by individuals in dealing within the residential market. In addition, the overall decision that was made by government is to promote the overall residential property and financial prudence among households. Therefore, evaluation of the article mainly helps in depicting the overall promotion that could help in increasing evaluation of the residential property sector. Rydqvist, Spizman Strebulaev (2014) mentioned that the decline in the overall tax could eventually help in increasing transaction and sale of property. UOL group is many identified as Property Company which mainly deals in development and investment conducted in property. The overall operations of the organisation are mainly concentrated within China and Singapore, where relevant development projects are being conducted bythe company. The concentration of activities mainly brings the actual revenue for UOL, which has steadily been increasing from S$1361 to S$1441. This increment in revenue is not allowed the company's net profit to increase, as it declined from S$686 million to S$287 million. The relevant decline in net profit is mainly due to the rising cost of goods sold of S$956 million. Quick ratio of the company also declined from 0.7 to 0.4 indicating lower capacity of the organisation to support their short term obligations. Levi Segal (2015) mentioned that use of fundamental analysis mainly allow the investors to identify the overall value of the shares according to the annual reports. From the overall evaluation it could also be identified that profit margin assertively dropped from 50.4% to 19.9% in 2016. This relevant decline in overall profit margin mainly indicates the high expenses that are conducted by the organisation. Return on assets and return on equity of the organisation also fell rapidly due to the reduced profits obtained in 2016. The dividend payout of the organisation has relevantly increased from 17.2% to 42% indicating a high payout ratio which will attract more potential investors into the vicinity of the company. From the overall evaluation of CapitaLand Limited financials it could be identified that Main activities related to consultancy and investment holding. In addition, the company directly conduct operations in Malaysia and Singapore which has allowed the organisation to adequately capture of Asia Pacific, Europe and Gulf region.However, revenues of the organisation adequately increased from S$3511 to S$5252 million indicating the high revenue generation capacity of the organisation. This relevant increment in Revenue is mainly allowed the organisation to increase the net profit from S$840 million to S$1190 million. Moreover deduction in expenses could be identified from S$118 to S$53 in 2016. Current ratio however has been declining from 1.8 to 1.5, which is adequate as per the industry standard. The quick ratio of the organisation increased from 0.8 to 0.9 improving its ability to support its short term obligations. The gross profit margin of the company mainly declined from 31% to 30.4%, whereas the overall net income ratio increased by 0.2 to 0.3 indicating the low expenditure conducted on expenses. The return on equity of the company has a relatively increased from 5.17% to 6.7%. However, the dividend payout ratio declined from 35.9% to 35.6% indicating low ability of the organisation to pay relevant dividends. Furthermore, EPS of the organisation increased from 0.18 to 0.26 in 2016 indicating an increase in earnings per share obtained by the organisation. Determining the intrinsic values: Dividend discount model CapitaLand Ltd Year CashFlow 2017F 1881 2018F 1928 2.5% 2019F 2309 19.8% Average growth rate 11.1% cost of equity 8.82% Dividend 0.1 Share price 4.810739198 The intrinsic value could only be depicted with the help of Gordon model, which is used in the above table. According to the table the overall value of the shares is mainly derived to be at 4.8, while the actual price is around 3.67. This indicates that the value of shares will eventually increase in future due to the identification of growth rate. Dividend discount model UOLs Year CashFlow 2016A 483 2017F 558 15.5% 2018F 679 21.7% Average growth rate 18.6% cost of equity 7.52% Dividend 0.15 Share price 1.604773 However, the overall valuation of the intrinsic value of UOL is mainly identified at 1.6, where the share price of the company is relatively estimated to decline in future. This is mainly indicating that relevant inflation in prices of the stock is been conducted. Therefore, relevant decline in share value of UOL could be witnessed in the near future according to the Gordon discounted model (Hornuf, L., Schwienbacher (2016). Key Performance Metrics CapitaLand Ltd UOL Beta 1.34 1.08 Dividend Yield 35.6% 42% Profit Margin 22.7 19.9 Price 3.67 9.07 The overall above table mainly depicts the key performance metrics of both the companies, which could help in identifying investment viability. In addition, the beta, dividend yield profit margin and price mainly depict the CapitaLand ltd is a best investment opportunity for investment. However, beta is lower for UOL and divined yield is higher, which does not comply with the rising profit margin and increased price. Nevertheless, the reduced price increase profit margin and dividend yield mainly depicts the overall opportunity, which could be conducted by the individual. Guharay et al., (2013) mentioned that evaluating the overall financial performance of companies mainly allows investors to understand the viability of its investment. Applying the overall technical analysis and discussing trend of the stock with entry and exit level: From the overall evaluation of the figurer 2 relevant share price valuation of CapitaLand Ltd could be identified. This relevant increment in the share value is mainly depicting the overall opportunity of an investor. According to the technical analysis valuation the overall share price of the company could be conducted to increase return from investment. The overall evaluation mainly helps in depicting the overall stop loss, target price and entry level for the trade. Therefore, the entry level for the trade could be conducted from $3.5 with a stop loss of $3.0 and target price of $4.2. The depiction of the overall trading strategy could mainly provide a profit ratio of 20%, while the loss estimation is mainly at 14%. The overall depiction of Relative strength index and simple moving averages directly support the uptrend of the stock. Therefore, share price of the company is mainly in a uptrend, which might increase return generation capacity of the company. Coffee Jr, J. C., Sale Henderson (2015) mentioned that use of technical analysis mainly allow the investor to identify the overall trend present in the stock, which help in making adequate investment decision. The overall support line is at levels of $3, while the resistance level is around $4, which might be used in drafting the overall investment plan. In addition, the overall evaluation also indicates that the stock is in bullish form, where higher highs is been achieved by the stock. The evaluation of figure 2 overall share price of UOL is mainly increasing over time, which is supported by both simple moving average and relative strength index. In addition, the overall share price of the company has increased over time, which could depict the relevant investment opportunity. The share price of the company has relatively increased and obtained higher high, which depicts an adequate investment opportunity. The share price has increased adequately, where the target returns could be obtained from investment. The overall entry level of the share is mainly at $8, while the stop loss is at 7 with a target of $10. This relevant investment strategy could eventually help in generating higher returns from investment. Therefore, the investment the stock could eventually help in generating higher return of 25%, while the loss will be projected to 13%. On the other hand, Editorial (2017) criticises that technical analysis mainly loses its fiction if an economic crisis in unfol ding in the capital market. In case of UOL, the overall shares have a support level around $8, while there is no resistance level, as the stock has achieved an all time high. This relevant achievement of all time high directly indicates the bullish trend that is currently present in the stock. Providing relevant recommendation regarding performance of the 2 stocks: Recommendation Company HOLD CapitaLand SELL UOL The overall table mainly represents the investment strategy, which needs to be conducted for CapitaLand and UOL. In addition, the investment strategy could eventually help in generating the required level of profitability for the investor. From the overall evaluation of the stock with relevant fundamental and technical analysis growth in stock could be identified. However, the shares of CapitaLand have hold condition, where relevant increment in value could be witnessed according to the Gordon model. Nevertheless, the overall share or UOL is relatively depicting an inflated share price, which initiates a sell call. This relevant limitation of the share value is mainly due to the weak fundamental characterises of the company. Hence, the stock of CapitaLand has Hold Position, while the sock of UOL is advised for Sell position. Reference and Bibliography: Barth, M. E., Gmez Biscarri, J., Kasznik, R., Lpez-Espinosa, G. (2016). Bank earnings and regulatory capital management using available for sale securities. Boehmer, E., Chava, S., Tookes, H. E. (2015). Related Securities and Equity Market Quality: The Case of CDS.Journal of Financial Quantitative Analysis,50(3). Choi, S. J., Min, B. C., Park, S. (2017). Empirical Analysis of Credit Risk in Autocallable Structured Product Market: Evidence from Korean Equity-Linked Securities (ELS) Market. Coffee Jr, J. C., Sale, H., Henderson, M. T. (2015). Securities regulation: Cases and materials. Fauver, L., Loureiro, G., Taboada, A. G. (2015). Equity offerings, stock price crash risk, and the impact of securities regulation: international evidence.NIPE working papers series, (NIPE WP 14/2015), 1-49. Guharay, S. K., Thakur, G. S., Goodman, F. J., Rosen, S. L., Houser, D. (2013). Analysis of non-stationary dynamics in the financial system.Economics Letters,121(3), 454-457. Cremers, K. M., Curtis, Q. (2016). DO MUTUAL FUND INVESTORS GET WHAT THEY PAY FOR? SECURITIES LAW AND CLOSET INDEX FUNDS.Va. L. Bus. Rev.,11, 31-149. Hornuf, L., Schwienbacher, A. (2016). Should securities regulation promote equity crowdfunding?.Small Business Economics, 1-15. Levi, S., Segal, B. (2015). The Impact of Debt-Equity Reporting Classifications on the Firm's Decision to Issue Hybrid Securities.European Accounting Review,24(4), 801-822. Light, R. S. (Ed.). (2015).Structuring venture capital, private equity and entrepreneurial transactions. Wolters Kluwer Law Business. Mwenje, J. M., Olweny, T. (2016). The impact of private equity on value creation among listed firms at the nairobi securities exchange.International Journal of Economic, Commerce and management,4(2), 84-106. Reuters.com. (2017).${Instrument_CompanyName} ${Instrument_Ric} Quote| Reuters.com.U.S.. Retrieved 2 November 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/CATL.SI Reuters.com. (2017).${Instrument_CompanyName} ${Instrument_Ric} Quote| Reuters.com.U.S.. Retrieved 2 November 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/UTOS.SI Rydqvist, K., Spizman, J., Strebulaev, I. (2014). Government policy and ownership of equity securities.Journal of Financial Economics,111(1), 70-85. Securities, U. S., Exchange Commission. (2014). Equity market structure literature review Part II: High frequency trading.Staff of the Division of Trading and Markets. Straitstimes.com. (2017).The Straits Times. Retrieved 3 November 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/govt-eases-property-cooling-measures-sellers-stamp-duty-cut-tdsr-relaxed.

Respiratory Diseases free essay sample

Respiratory disease is a medical term that encompasses pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange possible in higher organisms, and includes conditions of the upper respiratory tract, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleura and pleural cavity, and the nerves and muscles of breathing. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting, such as the common cold, to life-threatening entities like bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and lung cancer.The study of respiratory disease is known as pulmonology. A doctor who specializes in respiratory disease is known as a pulmonologist, a chest medicine specialist, a respiratory medicine specialist, a respirologist or a thoracic medicine specialist. Respiratory diseases can be classified in many different ways, including by the organ or tissue involved, by the type and pattern of associated signs and symptoms, or by the cause (etiology) of the disease. Inflammatory lung disease Characterised by a high neutrophil count, e. . asthma, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or acute respiratory distress syndrome. We will write a custom essay sample on Respiratory Diseases or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page [1] Allergic reactions due to exposure to certain agents (i. e. foods) are a relatively common cause of acute respiratory disease. Obstructive lung diseases Obstructive lung diseases are diseases of the lung where the airways (i. e. bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli) become reduced in volume or have free flow of gas impeded, making it more difficult to move air in and out of the lung.Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes asthma an example of an obstructive lung disease, is where the airways become damaged, causing them to narrow. Restrictive lung diseases Restrictive lung diseases (also known as interstitial lung diseases) are a category of respiratory disease characterized by a loss of lung compliance,[2] causing incomplete lung expansion and increased lung stiffness. E. g. in infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS). Respiratory tract infections Infections can affect any part of the respiratory system.They are traditionally divided into upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections. Upper respiratory tract infection common cold however, sinusitis, tonsillitis,pharyngitis and laryngitis are Lower respiratory tract infection pneumonia, tuberculosis Diagnosis Respiratory diseases may be investigated by performing one or more of the following tests Chest x-ray Pulmonary function test Computed tomography scan Culture of microorganisms from secretions such as sputum Bronchoscopy Biopsy of the lung or pleuraVentilation perfusion scan Ultrasound scanning Epidemiology Respiratory di sease is a common and important cause of illness and death around the world. In the US, approximately 1 billion common colds occur each year. [5] In the UK, approximately 1 in 7 individuals are affected by some form of chronic lung disease, most commonly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. [6] Respiratory diseases (including lung cancer) are responsible for over 10% of hospitalizations and over 16% of deaths in Canada

Peak Oil Theory Essays

Peak Oil Theory Essays Peak Oil Theory Paper Peak Oil Theory Paper Peak Oil Argument Peak Oil theory was devised by geoscientist M. King Hubbert; the theory states that the U.S oil production, in the long run, will reach a point where the rate of oil production would stop rising. After the peak of oil production is reached, a terminal decline ensues which indicates the halt of oil production in the future. The production curve is expected to resemble the curve of a bell, the apex of it is the maximum point of production. According to Herbert the maximum point of production would have been hit by 1970 from which the decline of production would start, his prediction was launched in 1956 (Hunt, 2016). As a matter of fact in 1970 US oil production was at a peak level. In 1974 Hubbert said that the peak point would be in 1995 his basis was on the 628 billion barrels being produced at the time. Since the 70s to early 2000 US oil production has declined, global oil production, on the other hand, has increased over time due to discoveries of newer oil fields and the improvem ents in drilling technologies. This leaves many people wondering if the Peak Oil theory has already occurred or was it just a fallacy created by M. King Hubbert (Agnihotri, 2015). Arguments in Support of Peak Oil Theory Proponent of the Peak Oil Theory believes that the rate at which oil production and wastage occur around America is a major risk to depletion of Oil reserves in the U.S soil. It is imperative to acknowledge that the rate of oil production in the 1970s was excessive and this would have led to a major peak and a steep decline after it (Murphy, 2015). The proponent of this theory believed that there is need to seek alternative energy sources in order to recuperate from the losses that can be incurred from the decline in oil production in the U.S. A discontinues decrease in supply and the increase in oil prices predicates the matter of peak oil theory. Basing on the 2007/8 oil crisis that saw to the spike of oil prices from $50 per barrel to $147 per barrel was a key indicator of the manifestation of the peak oil theory. The 2008 recession which was the biggest after the Great Depression after the First World War was also a clear indicator of an increase in oil prices that would limit the production of oil and hence a decline in supply and usage of oil in the U.S (Hunt, 2016). Arguments in Opposition to the Peak Oil Theory The peak oil theory has had a lot of challenges that have seemed to manifest over the proposed theory. It is imperative to acknowledge that high oil prices encourage saving, people no longer use their vehicles whenever they want, manufacturing companies are moving towards other sources of energy like electricity to reduce usage of oil (Murphy, 2015). High prices of energy in the 21st century has encouraged investment in efficient systems, hybridization of cars and other machinery have come in to reduce the usage of oil. Other technologies such as videoconferencing, work collaboration software just to mention a few have significantly contributed to the reduction of oil usage in transport activities globally. Investments in alternative energy sources have contributed to the reduction in oil prices. All the above points indicate the probability of the Peak Oil theory is never manifesting in the 21st century. References Agnihotri, G. (2015). Peak Oil: Myth Or Coming Reality?. OilPrice.com. Retrieved 3 October 2016, from http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Peak-Oil-Myth-Or-Coming-Reality.html Hunt, T. (2016). What Happened to Peak Oil?. Retrieved 3 October 2016, from greentechmedia.com/articles/read/what-happened-to-peak-oil Murphy, R. (2015). Peak Oil Theory May Have Peaked IER. IER. Retrieved 3 October 2016, from http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/analysis/peak-oil-theory-may-have-peaked/

5 Words That End in the Excrescent -st

5 Words That End in the Excrescent -st 5 Words That End in the Excrescent â€Å"-st† 5 Words That End in the Excrescent â€Å"-st† By Mark Nichol Somewhere along the way, a very small group of English words, through dialectical divergence, acquired spelling and punctuation variants in the form of an odd appendage: the letters -st. Three of these terms are acceptable (but declining in use) in British English but deemed nonstandard in American English, while two others, strangely, have prevailed over earlier forms. The phonological term for this type of change is excrescence, which although it simply means â€Å"outgrowth† is a word with unpleasant associations that should help writers (and speakers) of American English to remember to think twice before using one of the following three words: 1. Amidst: The preposition amid, meaning â€Å"among† or â€Å"during,† or â€Å"with the accompaniment of,† is often written (but rarely said as) amidst, even in American English, but it is considered colloquial and unsuitable for formal writing. 2. Amongst: The excrescent form of the preposition among, in some senses synonymous with amid(st), is perhaps even more frequently employed in informal American English writing (and speaking). However, amongst, like amidst, should be avoided in formal writing. 3. Whilst: Alone among these three words, the conjunction whilst is rarely used in American English, perhaps because it sounds especially affected; many users of British English also favor while. Its relative unpopularity, however, is counterintuitive in that it is relatively easy to pronounce, while amidst and amongst involve some mandibular gymnastics. Though they have the same ending as amidst, amongst, and whilst, these words ending in the excrescent -st are standard: 4. Against: Anomalously, though against followed a path similar to those of the three words listed above, forming from the alteration of again to againes and then to againest before settling into its current form, the nonstandard variant prevailed. Again, as a preposition, has been relegated to dialect used for comic effect; indeed, in this context, it is often spelled agin to emphasize the drawled pronunciation, as in â€Å"I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ agin ya† (translation: â€Å"I’m not saying anything against you†). 5. Midst: This variant of the noun middle (from the Middle English term middest, an alteration of middes, which in turn is short for amiddes, meaning â€Å"amid†) is correct, though its survival is curious, considering that middle is easier to pronounce. The truncated form mid is acceptable only as a prefix in a hyphenated (mid-Atlantic) or closed (midafternoon) compound. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)Hyper and HypoComma After Introductory Phrases

Hamilcar Barca research paper paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hamilcar Barca - Research Paper Example A review of Hannibal’s early life is important for one to understand what motivated the Carthaginian hero. Hannibal was born to Hamilcar Barca, who was a Carthaginian leader at the time (Antiquity 74). At the time of his birth, Carthaginians and Romans were at supremacy war fighting over the Mediterranean Sea. To this end, the two were expanding their empires and conflict was almost inevitable given the fact that both had the same ambitions. The first punic war lasted from 264-241 BC led by the Barca family from the Carthaginians, and Scipio family from the Romans side. As the war ended, Carthaginians had lost control of Sicily and Sardinia in the western Mediterranean. This infuriated Hamiclar, who was the general commanding the Carthaginians in the first punic war. The humiliation made Hamiclar hate the Romans with a passion (Prevas 40). Scullard writes, â€Å"Hamilcar truly hated Romans after they humiliated the Carthaginians at their forced surrender at Sicily† (184 ). Hannibal was barely 20 years old when he was sent to Spain by the senate after Hasdrubal had insisted that the young Barca needed proper military education. Despite his young age, Hannibal was very eager to learn since he knew that this was preparation for him to rise to power and wage war against Romans. It is said that Hamilcar had â€Å"made his son swear eternal hatred to Rome† (Scullard 184) when he was very young. Hannibal received a warm welcome and immediate recognition among the troops. Prevas says that when Hannibal arrived in Spain, the troops â€Å"saw in this young boy their old commander Hamilcar† (48). As he matured, Hannibal earned more respect from the Carthage army in Spain. Hannibal got political knowledge from Hasdrubal and war competence through experience with the soldiers’ activities. The art of war seemed to come to Hannibal naturally as well (Prevas 48). Prevas further notes that Hannibal never did anything extra than the others, he a te and drank just enough to stay alive, slept on bare ground, and took guard duty just like any other soldier (48). He became a respected, skilled fighter and further learned Latin, the enemy language. Hannibal’s interaction with the soldiers served to build a strong bond with them; this would come in handy in the coming war (Prevas 48-49). Hannibal finally rose to power in 221 BC after violent assassination of Hasdrubal. Hannibal’s intense hatred for the Romans meant that he could not afford to waste any time before he started planning his terror against the Romans. Just like his father, Hannibal was ambitious about conquering lands in Spain. He, therefore, disregarded the treaty that Hasdrubal had signed with the Romans and continued expanding his territory west. Hannibal soon acknowledged the fact â€Å"Carthaginian victories in Spain would not break the power of Rome† (Scullard 186). Hannibal realized that he had to break the Italian Confederacy to bring dow n Rome. A perfect point for him to start his Rome mission would be Saguntum, a city allied to Rome and between Spain and the Alps (Barnes 1). Hannibal initiated the second punic war by his aggression and seizure over Saguntum in 219 BC, which the Romans considered an act of war, (Barnes 1). This act made the Romans furious, and they â€Å"ordered the Carthaginian government to hand Hannibal over to them† (Michael 98). Hannibal ignored the threats and proceeded to plot entry to Italy; he realized that to keep both Carthage and

Network and Internet Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Network and Internet Security - Essay Example This technique ensures that there is only one key which will be used – that is a secret key. Asymmetric encryption (Public key encryption) - requires the use of a two keys where one is a private key and the other is a public key which is known to a number of people. With that, these two keys (public and private keys) are used interchangeable to encrypt and decrypt messages. Hybrid encryption (single key and public key) – this technique used both the symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques. It is important to note that, modern systems have been designed to be dynamic in terms of the encryption technique (s) that they are using. As a result; they can use both the symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques interchangeably. Encryption by a shared secret: As the name suggests, two hosts can be in a position to exchange information through the use of a shared secret and/ or a secret key. This mechanism is characterised by the fact that the shared secret key is used to encrypt both the senders and the recipient’s messages. Based on that, this channel faces very high security risks since if the message is tapped or eavesdropped, the attacker can be in a position to use the shared secret key to either encrypt or decrypt the entire conversation. Based on that, data security is highly compromised. The other challenge faced with the shared secret key encryption is the fact that the higher the messages that are being sent on the communication channel by the hosts, their corresponding keys will also be increased. As a result, there will be too many keys being shared. Thirdly, due to the fact that it is a shared key, if the sender’s key is not known, decrypting the... Sessions keys are implemented using the following process description: If Host A, B and C want to communicate to each other; they have to set up an encrypted link among themselves. With that, if Host A wants to send an encrypted message to B and C, then A will have to provide its key that will be used by B and C in a bid to decrypt the ciphered message. This key exchange process requires the availability of a Key Distribution Centre (KDC) that is used to store the shared session keys. It is worthy to note that, this scheme totally depends on the KDC and if the KDC encounters any problems, then that will compromise on data security. With that stated, below are some of the challenges that may be faced by the KDC. First, if the KDC fails to store the session keys, then the hosts will not be in a position to encrypt and decrypt the messages. Secondly, if the number of keys grows then there is a need for a scalable KDC else it will fail to provide the keys. Thirdly, the KDC is not used fo r connection fewer protocols. Fourth, transporting the keys physically can be tedious. The above encryption techniques can be used in the following protocols and/ or products: Kerberos V4, Kerberos V5 and Secure Socket Layer (SSL). Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that is used in a bid to provide security for both the client and the server through the use of the secret-key cryptography. Kerberos also depends entirely on the KDC so as to ensure secure communication between the hosts.

Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present Essay Example for Free

Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present Essay The development of priesthood within the Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present has resulted in various improvements and changes in the sacrament of holy orders. This paper traces the roots of priesthood,   the duties and responsibilities of the ordained priest, and his forms and functions in the Catholic Church. One good excerpt is the saying from Spiderman: â€Å"With great power comes great responsibility. † We can replace the first word in the profession of priesthood and say: â€Å"With great faith comes great responsibility.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is the Catholic Priesthood? It is   a divinely instituted sacrament that Christ Himself instituted as how the same Council of Trent explains in relation to the events of the Last Supper. â€Å"The Catholic priesthood is a state of life.† It follows logically on what the Church teachesthat   the priesthood is a sacrament that imprints an indelible character. Given that fact it must also be to say the least a permanent state of life. That requires a special divine vocation. (Hardon, 1998)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priesthoods origin is from Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, who, according to the Hebrew Chapter of the Bible 7:26 and 8:2,   â€Å"[w]as holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners of the world, exalted above heavensa minister in the sanctuary which is set up not only by man but by the Lord.† Being the heavenly and high priest above all men, he offered himself as a sacrifice by being crucified on the cross and conferred his priesthood to his apostles (John 20:21-23; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18; and Acts 2:33, King James Version).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unbroken chain of priesthood was passed on from the apostles of Christ to the first first ordained clergymen and through their successors. It was called an Apostolic Succession and was considered as a fundamental teaching on the Orthodox Church. Only through the Apostolic Succession can the clergymen receive the authority to become real representatives of Christ and the Apostles of the Church. (Orfanakos, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As successors of the Apostles and representatives of Christ in His Church, clergymen  Ã‚   continue the work of Jesus. They teach the word of God; offer the Holy Eucharist and administer the other sacraments; they govern the Church and take care of the spiritual needs of the members of their congregations. (Orfanakos, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being a priest is never easy. It requires time and devotion, especially great spirituality. A man who is weak from temptation in doing earthly things and desires more cannot enter this vocation of lifetime devotion to faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priesthood falls under the sacrament of Holy Orders wherein a man goes through ordination and decides to do their part in serving the Church and its people. It is a ministry of meditation between man and God above as he performs the following functions: forgiveness of sins, blessings and casting away evil spirits. Priesthoods foundation began on the declaration of God about priesthood to St. Peter in the region of Caesarea Philippi: â€Å"To thee I shall give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven† (Sacraments, 2008). This event also led to the formation of the priests responsibility: â€Å"Feed My lambs. Feed My sheep. Feed My ewes† (Sacraments, 2008). Its completion and perfection from that He breathed on them saying: â€Å"Receive ye the Holy Spirit; if ye forgive a man his sins, they are forgiven to him; and you withhold forgiveness of a man’s sins, they shall be held†. (Sacraments, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the old times, priesthood was considered as one of generations and mans own choice to go in such ministry wherein their way of living is not merely a basis. In contrast to the new Priesthood by Apostolic succession, Ordination involves laying of hands to those chosen people to become priest granted that a thorough examination of their past life before entering the congregation as well as their thoughts about God is done. Once they are found blameless, they are qualified and blessed to become priest all through their lives.   Former priesthood was done by the use of Material oil but now, it is done through the spirit and laying on of hands (Sacraments, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Assyrian Church of the east,   there are certain qualities that a man must possess before entering priesthood. First he, must be blameless. If he was ever married, he should  Ã‚   never have committed adultery. he should also be â€Å"alert mentally, modest, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt at teaching; not given to wine, not hasty to strike, but patient, not quarrelsome, not greedy of lucre† (Sacraments, 2008). He should also be a great father, â€Å"[o]ne who rules well his own house, having his children under submission to bring them up with all purity† (Sacraments, 2008). He should also a devote Catholic since birth. Similarly, deacons should also maintain a life of purity (Sacraments,2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A clear examination of conscience should be done by men who desire to enter this lifetime vocation. According to St. Paul, â€Å"choosing priesthood is desiring to have a good work with the spirit of God† (Fitzgerald, 1996). Once the decision is made, the full conviction of giving special service to the church and the people of God is expected from people who are ordained as priests.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the Apostolic Customs of the church,   there are three major orders of priesthood: Bishops, Priests and Deacons, each of which requires a special ordination. The Bishop is viewed as the successor of the Apostles while the Priest and the Deacon act in the name of the Bishop. Each order is distinguished by its pastoral responsibilities. Only a Bishop may ordain. Often, other titles and offices are associated with the three orders. The Orthodox Church permits men to marry before they are ordained. Since the sixth century, Bishops have been chosen from the celibate clergy (Fitzgerald, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bishop is the highest order of priesthood. The name episcopos was given to the successors of the Apostles (Acts 20:28; 1 timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:7, King James Version). The term â€Å"episcopos† means overseer and is also called as the Archpriest. This makes him the chief of the priest within a specific territory. There are many bishops worldwide and they are all equal among themselves since they own the same degree of priesthood. However, they are graded in their titles which depend on their administrative power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Priest occupies the second order of the Holy Priesthood. He is in charge of the community to which he gives spiritual services and where he administers all the sacraments, except ordination. He is the main celebrant during the Eucharist and leads the whole community of God into prayer and blesses them in the name of the Lord .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third order belongs to the Deacon or â€Å"diakonos† which means assistant (Matthew 20:26; Acts 6:1-7 King James Version). His main responsibility is to assist the priest during the celebration of sacraments and other church services. He often recites the litanies, gospel readings and other prayers .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Catholic priesthood is an institution necessary for Christianity. According to Fr. Hardon (1998), without priesthood, Christianity would cease to exist. If there is no priesthood,  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jesus Christ would not be present in the Eucharist. It is also the duty of priests to give penance to sinners and anoint the sick and dying in the world. They are also the ones who reveal the divine truth to the world. â€Å"In a world without priesthood, Christianity would be a memory but no longer a reality. It would cease to exist on earth in this admittedly, difficult valley of tears† (Hardon, 1998). Controversies in Catholic Priesthood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The last part of this research discusses the office of priesthood as retrieved from the Jesus is Lord website which will give a clearer view of what the office of priesthood really is:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early 1970s, we who gloried in being priests were shocked to read the word of one of our best Roman Catholic Scripture scholars, Raymond E. Brown: When we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is striking that while there are pagan priests and Jewish priests on the scene, no individual Christian is ever specifically identified as a priest. The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the high priesthood of Jesus by comparing his death and entry into heaven with the actions of the Jewish high priest who went into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle once a year with a offering for himself and for the sins of his people (Hebrews 9:6-7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But it is noteworthy that the author of Hebrews does not associate the priesthood of Jesus with the Eucharist or the Last Supper; neither does he suggest that other Christians are priests in the likeness of Jesus. In fact, the once-for-all atmosphere that surrounds the priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews 10:12-14, has been offered as an explanation of why there are no Christian priests in the New Testament period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Later in the same chapter Brown argues for a priesthood like that of the Levitical class in the Old Testament. He makes his case for the development of such a doctrine by means of tradition. Even those of us who knew very little of the Bible knew that the Pharisees counted tradition superior to the clear Word of God. Brown did more to demolish the conviction that we were indeed priests than to ease our troubled minds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now I see that what Brown stated in the section quoted is biblically and absolutely true. Other than the royal priesthood, which applies to all true believers in Christ, there is no office of priesthood in the New Testament. Rather, as Hebrews states so clearly of the Old Testament priests, And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:23-25)   Unchangeable priesthood means just that in the Greek: aparabatos means nontransferable. The reason it cannot be transferred to men is that its essence is Christs own, ..who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (verse 26).   (Bennett, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many claims regarding the divinity and authenticity of Priesthood and being a priest. Depending on ones religion and belief, I can say that Priesthood is one noble job that will continuously challenge every mans faith and their capacity to handle responsibility guaranteed by strong faith and conviction to God. References Bennett, Richard (2008) The Priesthood. Introduction to the Priesthood by a Converted Priest   Ã‚   retrieved January 15, 2008 from: http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/priestho.htm Fitzgerald, Thomas (1996). The Sacraments (Holy Orders). Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America Department of Religious Education. Retrieved, January 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Sacraments.html Hardon, John A. (1998) What is the Catholic Priesthood. Inter Mirifica Archives. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   December 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Priesthood/Priesthood_020.htm Orfanakos, Peter (2008). The Sacrament of the Holy Priesthood. Retrieved, January 15, 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚   from: www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Priesthood_Orfanakos.html Sacraments: Priesthood (2008). Assyrian Church of the East. Retrieved January 15, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/priesthood.htm

Middle East Paper -- essays research papers

The conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis erupted after the partition made by Great Britain on November 29, 1947. Immediately after the decision to make Israel a separate, independent state, there were massive attacks on both sides. Upon reading the first set of articles, I felt that the Palestine's unnecessarily attacked the Jews and that they deserved the land being given to them. But the first set of articles I read were incredibly biased toward the Jewish perspective and, I think that because of this, I presented a distorted view of the situation. Now that I have read the second packet, I understand that many of the Arabs must have felt helpless about the situation, and even startled by the numerous attacks and massacres by the Israelis. I now believe that the reason that the fighting started was because both sides felt that they had an obligation to uphold their religious beliefs and, also, justification to do what they did. Both the Arabs and the Jews felt that it was their sacred duty to keep or regain their land. The Arabs thought of the partition as an automatic declaration of war against them. Therefore, they thought that they had to counter-attack the Jews in order to keep their land. One of the biggest massacres that the Jews waged on the Arabs was the attack on Deir Yassin on April 9, 1948, when 250 men, women, and children where killed. The first set of articles that we read did not mention anything about the ruthlessness of t...

How Successfully Does Marlowe portrayal of Faustus Essay

How Successfully Does Marlowe portrayal of Faustus reflect the attitudes and beliefs of Elizabethan times? Christopher Marlowe lived in a time of great change for England and the whole of Europe. New developments in the field of science were overturning ancient ideas about astronomy and physics and the discovery of the Americas had transformed the European views of the world. Christian and pagan beliefs interacted with each other in rich and often illogical ways, and signs of that complicated interaction are present in many of Marlowe’s works. We see the idea’s of Renaissance Europe through Dr Faustus in Dr Faustus. Doctor Faustus is a play of deep questions concerning morality, religion, and man’s relationship to both. Sorcery and magic were part of widespread belief systems throughout Europe that predated Christianity. These early beliefs about magic were present in medicine. Women in particular used a mix of magic and herbal medicine to treat common illnesses. But as Christianity spread and either absorbed or rejected other belief systems, practitioners of magic came to be viewed as evil. These themes are presented in Doctor Faustus especially the idea of religion. Many religious themes base don Elizabethan views are presented in the play. Pride is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, arguably the one that leads to all the others. Faustus’ first great sin is pride and he does not stop there. Reflecting the Elizabethean view, pride gives rise to all of the other sins, and ends ironically with the sinner’s downfall. This is clearly shown in Faustus. Dr. Faustus is a man possessed by himself, and blinded by his own intellect. By making a deal with the devil, Faustus trades his soul for satisfaction, and a greater field of study. He is selfish–wanting knowledge, power, and fun without having to work or take responsibility for it. As result of his selfish desires, he signs a contract with his blood trading his soul for his desires, eternal peace for eternal anguish, thus beginning his hardships which leads to him committing the other 6 sins becoming increasingly petty and low. Like Christian belief that it is Pride which lead for the Devil to be exiled from heaven, it to is behind Faustus’ downfall. Elizabethans had a strong view on hell. Hell was developed throughout the Medieval and Tudor times by the church to scare the ordinary people. It was widely believed that Hell is eternal, but so is heaven. For a Christian, all that is necessary to be saved from eternal damnation is acceptance of Jesus Christ’s grace. This belief can be shown in Faustus as early as Scence 3 where Faustus signs away his soul. Even after signing away his soul to the devil, Faustus has the option of repentance that will save him from hell. But once he has committed himself to his own damnation, Faustus seems unable to change his course. This of course leads to his damnation in the last Act. The play emphasizes the idea that if you turn away from God you will be damned. The play also however gives a different idea of what hell is. It was believed at the time that hell was a place and images of fire etc were widely used to show what it looked like. Marlow however gives us the view that it is just separation from God that is Hell. This is shown through Metatopholis in Act 1 Sc 3 when Faustus asks him how come he has left Hell. The idea of of a time of discovery took off in a major way when Dr Faustus was being written. Amrlow makes several references to this idea throughout the play. New lands were discovered by explorers like Christopher Columbus. A great deal of enthusiasm and optimism was generated by the fact that the world had quite literally become a much bigger place. When Fautus talks about what he wishes to do with his power in Act 1 Sc 1 Line 83 Fautus declares he intends to send spirits to â€Å"search all corners of the new-found world.† He also sends Met. To the other side of the world to fetch the Duchess some grapes in Act 4. This shows that like the scholars at the time Faustus to ahs an interest in exploration and discovery. Fautus also has an interest in expanding his knowledge. At the beginning of the book Fautus is alking to himself about what knowledge he wishes to have. He rejects a range of preoffessions including that of a Physican and lawyer. These professions were at the time seen as the â€Å"magicians† of their time. They were the well-educated people and at the time these people were behind the new ideas and the first stirrings of the scientific revolution. Copernicus proposed that the earth was in motion and orbited the sun, opposing all previous thinking on the subject. In Dr. Fautus in Act 2 Sc 3 Met. Tells Fautus the Renaissance view on the Universe. Marlowe was probably agreeing with them hence why he out it into his play. The idea of Faustus rejecting the profession he lists in Act 1 Sc 1 symbolizes the Elizabethan break with the medieval world, which prized authority above all else, in favor of a more modern spirit of free inquiry, in which experimentation and innovation trump the assertions of Greek philosophers and the Bible. Elizabethans believed they could achieve above what was realistically possible. This is verified in the introduction to Scene 1, where the story of Icarus is told. The story shows the consequences of over-ambition, and tells you what will happen to Faustus. Scene 1 also shows the Elizabethan need for extravagance, money and fame, lines 14-15 show how Faustus wants gold, and to be immortalized Alchemy was a complex of beliefs and ideas that involved chemistry, astrology and magic, with the scope to blend in ideas drawn from various religions. Magic was a theme that was explored in various plays at the Elizabethean time. Shakespeare was fascinated by magic and this is evident from his plays such as, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet and Macbeth. In his play Dr Faustus, Marlowe warns us of the dark power inherent in magic. Faustus sells his soul to the devil in return for knowledge and worldly success but his dream is eventually shattered. For Marlowe magic is a downright dangerous practise. He was here expressing the common belief that unlike the good magic praticsed by scholars and physicans Black magic was a dangerous place to go and that the occult could lead to a life of damnation. Throughout the play Faustus shows a keen interest in the occult In the opening of Act 1 Scene 3 we the audience see Faustus conjuring a devil. In Elizabethan times spells, folklore, superstition were a normal part of life. This is shown in Line 7-‘Seeing thou hast prayed and sacrificed to them’, where Faustus prepares for his conjuring act. It is ironic that he prays, as he does not believe in God. Following this ritual, he draws a circle around himself, to keep evil spirits from harming him. This is ironic once more, as he is conjuring the devil at the same time- who is surely the most evil spirit possible. The entire conjuring scene is set to challenge religion, as many Elizabethans did. This may have been because the religion is England at the time was very unstable and Elizabethan’s had to compel to what ever religion the law enforced on them. It is not just the Renaissance period Faustus highlights in his play. He also wrote a play he knew would appeal to his audience. The use of slapstick comedy in the play during such scene as making a mockery of the pope and his head falling off would have appealed to the lower uneducated class masses that he would have expected to view his plays. He wrote a simple humor for simple people to understand.

Importance and Effects of “Knowing Thyself”

According to Armstrong (1999), twentieth century man had mistakenly associated intelligence with the â€Å"bookworm, the egg head and the academics† (8).   Fortunately, Howard Gardner, a psychologist, had developed the theory of multiple intelligence or seven kinds of smarts. According to this theory, there are many ways to be smart or to be intelligent aside from academic excellence. The seven intelligences are linguistic intelligence, musical intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily kinesthetic intelligence, and interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence (9-12). Knowledge and understanding of these kinds of intelligence or smarts tends to broaden self-understanding and boost human relationships and career. This paper will discuss the importance and potential effects of â€Å"knowing thyself† and interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and linguistic intelligence within relationships and career. I.Importance/effects A.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acceptance of oneself   and others One of the main sources of family conflicts is parent’s relentless preoccupation of  Ã‚   developing their children into persons who they are not. Every parent wants their children to excel in academics and to become a doctor, a scientist or an engineer someday. Most importantly, they want their children to be known as intelligent. Because of this, they place too much emphasis on the academics.   Ever since their child first entered school, he is led to believe that he can only be considered intelligent when he gets good grades. Otherwise, his parents and society will consider him a loser and a failure. Moreover, parents usually prevent their child from pursuing a career that for them do not appear to be respectable, admirable and promising. They would dissuade their children from pursuing a singing, dancing, athletic or other careers that they judged to be inferior in quality. When the child do not meet the expectations of his parents it will led to disappointment and frustration for both parent and child (Corwin 40-41). Linguistic intelligence is very important in this case for the child. Through the use of words, he can effectively persuade his parents to understand that not all people are crafted in one mold. Being smart in words is also beneficial in developing his convincing arguments (Armstrong 28) so that the parents will learn to understand and accept him for who he is and not for what they imagined him to be. For the part of  Ã‚   the parents, being people smart or having interpersonal intelligence will be helpful here. Being people smart help the parents to read in the behavior of their child that he has other plans for his life (Armstrong   110)   and forcing him to do the things against his nature will only destroy him. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Avoid wasting   time   in unproductive pursuits One common mistake of man is that he has the tendency to do the things that do not interest him   due to   peer or parental pressure.   As a result, he will enroll in a course that he does not like and will most likely dropout later because of poor academic performance. College school counselors usually encounter this kind of problem with their students. Other students however did manage to acquire a diploma in a course they hate and eventually land in a job that for them is a â€Å"prison sentence† (Dahl 2008). In both cases, their decision results to a waste of precious time. In the first case the man should have enrolled immediately in the course that interests him and in the second case, the man     should be engaging in a career that he loves and which he will most likely excel in.   In a metaphorical sense, both cases also waste precious time in acquainting man to his passions. Intrapersonal intelligence or being self-smart helps man avoid this kind of life detour. When a man is self-smart, he has a positive self-image; he is fully aware of his own weakness and strengths and therefore would know what is good for him (Armstrong 133). He knows that pleasing his parents in this situation would only result to lifelong regret so he refuses to follow their wishes. Above all, he knows that in the end he is the master of his own fate. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Minimize life   stress Building relationships with other people can be a stressful experience. People have different characters, preferences and values. As a result, there would be misunderstandings and quarrels. However applying interpersonal intelligence can minimize stress. People who have interpersonal intelligence had the ability to â€Å"understand and work† with people. They are compassionate and respond favorably to people’s moods or temperaments (Armstrong 11). So instead of reacting negatively to them, they tend to ease the tension through empathy.   Without interpersonal intelligence, people can be very prejudice of others (Armstrong 112).   This is especially true with different ethnic races in America, specifically the black and the whites. Tensions are built whenever people of differing ethnic backgrounds meet. People are so stressed by merely thinking what race groups are up to against them.   Fortunately, American citizens are now getting to gradual understanding that they can work together in spite of their differences (Schaefer 10). So much stress also results when a person engages in pursuits that do no interest him or in which he is not good at. In the quest to be accepted or approved by others, a man who possesses a high degree of interpersonal intelligence and a low degree of logical-mathematical intelligence may find himself working as an accountant.   As he does not love numbers, he had to spend more effort and energy to do his job, and he will most likely meet many failures along the way resulting to depression. He realized that he is like a man who actually does not know where he is going or what he wants. Yet when he follows where his intelligence lays, he experiences less stress for he loves to do what he is doing and most likely, he will give it his 100% (Covey 99). D.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increase   effectiveness A person who operates in the realm of his intelligence will most likely become effective. Consider Martin Luther King Jr. King was a good communicator; he was persuasive and able to express clearly his intentions or ideas. He uses his linguistic intelligence to free the black race from the oppression of racial segregation from the 1950’s to the 1960’s (Srieter 2004).   King could have chosen to keep quite and work as a typical black farmer who minds his own business. Instead, he inspired the Black people to action and led them ultimately to freedom. A man who had no linguistic intelligence like King would have never successfully rallied a crowd behind him. E.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Happiness and Self-fulfillment When a man loves what he is doing, he   Ã‚  Ã‚  would naturally feel happy. His work was not a burden to him but instead a source of inspiration and reward.   In addition, because he loves what he is doing he will most likely excel in it (Dahl 2008; Covey 47). Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King, Jr.  Ã‚   may have chosen a path that most people would never tread upon yet they were happy for they were true to themselves, using their respective linguistic and  Ã‚   interpersonal intelligence to change lives. Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King know themselves well; there is no record that they ever regret doing what they did in spite of the hardships, they encountered. They were self-fulfilled individuals who were able to contribute positively in this world using the kinds of smarts that God gave them. II. Conclusion Understanding the existence of multiple intelligence, particularly linguistics, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence can be one of the greatest achievements for any person.   Application of these intelligences will help him to accept himself or others for who they are, help him not to waste his time pursuing unsuitable careers, lessen the stress in his life, increase his effectiveness and led him to a happy and self-fulfilled life. Works Cited Armstrong, Thomas. 7 kinds of smarts: Identifying and developing your multiple intelligences. Plume, 1999. Corwin, Donna. Pushed to the Edge: How To Stop the Child Competition Race so Everyone Wins. New York: Berkeley Publishing Group, 2003. Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989. Dahl, Mary Clista. â€Å"How to Choose a Career That Makes You Smile†. College Journal for   the Wall Street Journal. 2008.   Dow Jones and Company, Inc. Accessed March 14, 2008 Schaefer, Richard T. Racial and Ethnic Groups, tenth ed. New York: Prentice-Hall, 2006. Srieter, Susan. Martin Luther King, Jr. Cyclopedia of World Authors Fourth Revised Edition. Salem Press Inc., 2004                                                      

Romantic Shakespeare Quotes

Romantic Shakespeare Quotes William Shakespeare was considered a true romantic. He portrayed love as a heady mix of passion, aggression, despair, and determination. There are amorous love scenes in many of his plays. If you are a romantic, too, you will appreciate the intensity of these Shakespeare quotes. Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II I am too bold, tis not to me she speaks:Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,Having some business, do entreat her eyesTo twinkle in their spheres till they return.What if her eyes were there, they in her head?The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heavenWould through the airy region stream so brightThat birds would sing and think it were not night.See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!O, that I were a glove upon that hand,That I might touch that cheek! Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II Then plainly know my hearts dear love is setOn the fair daughter of rich Capulet:As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine;And all combined, save what thou must combineBy holy marriage: when and where and howWe met, we wood and made exchange of vow,Ill tell thee as we pass; but this I pray,That thou consent to marry us to-day. Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 3 I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love nowDoth grace for grace and love for love allow;The other did not so. Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 3 O, she knew wellThy love did read by rote, that could not spell.But come, young waverer, come go with me,In one respect Ill thy assistant be;For this alliance may so happy prove,To turn your households rancour to pure love. The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act I, Sc. III O, how this spring of love resemblethThe uncertain glory of an April day! Twelfth Night, Act III, Sc. I Love sought is good, but given unsought is better. Twelfth Night, Act II, Sc. III Journeys end in lovers meeting,Every wise mans son doth know. Twelfth Night, Act I, Scene 1 O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou!That, notwithstanding thy capacityReceiveth as the sea, nought enters there,Of what validity and pitch soever,But falls into abatement and low priceEven in a minute! so full of shapes is fancy,That it alone is high-fantastical. As You  Like It No sooner met but they looked; No sooner looked but they loved;No sooner loved but they sighed;No sooner signed but they asked one another the reason;No sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy;And in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage... Much Ado about Nothing, Act IV, Sc. I I never tempted her with word too large,But, as a brother to his sister, showdBashful sincerity and comely love. Othello, Act II, Sc. III Cassio, I love thee;But never more be officer of mine. Othello, Act III, Sc. III But, O, what damned minutes tells he oerWho dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves! Othello, Act III, Sc. III Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul,But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,Chaos is come again. Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Sc. II Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,That I shall say good night till it be morrow. Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite. Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Sc. V My only love sprung from my only hate!Too early seen unknown, and known too late! A Midsummer Nights Dream, Act I, Sc. I Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. Antony and Cleopatra, Act I, Sc. I Theres beggary in the love that can be reckond. As You Like It, Act II, Sc. V Under the greenwood treeWho loves to lie with me. As You Like It, Act IV, Sc. I Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love. As You Like It, Act V, Sc. II No sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy. Hamlet, Act II, Sc. I This is the very ecstasy of love. Hamlet, Act II, Sc. II Doubt thou the stars are fire;Doubt that the sun doth move;Doubt truth to be a liar;But never doubt I love. Julius Caesar, Act III, Sc. I Though last, not least in love. A Midsummer Nights Dream, Act I, Sc. I Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. Antony and Cleopatra, Act I, Sc. I Theres beggary in the love that can be reckond. As You Like It, Act II, Sc. V Under the greenwood treeWho loves to lie with me. As You Like It, Act IV, Sc. I Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love. As You Like It, Act V, Sc. II No sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy. Hamlet, Act II, Sc. I This is the very ecstasy of love. Hamlet, Act II, Sc. II Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move;Doubt truth to be a liar;But never doubt I love. Julius Caesar, Act III, Sc. I Though last, not least in love.

How to Use Chou in French Conversation

How to Use Chou in French Conversation If youre talking about cabbage in French, then youre going to need to know how to use the word  chou.  Pronounced shoo, the word  chou  can be used to describe a cabbage or as a term of endearment akin to darling or dear. Using  Chou  in Conversation As a vegetable, chou can be served grated raw in a salad, boiled then creamed with bacon bits, stuffed with milk-soaked bread, sausage, eggs, vegetables, and herbs or baked in a cabbage galette with herbs and lardons (hearty French smoked bacon). But, really, the options are only limited by the culinary imagination of Frances  talented regional and restaurant cooks. The use as a term of endearment  may derive from the pretty, frilly, green, slightly delicate Savoy cabbage that the French have a certain affection for. On va manger du chou. Were going to eat some cabbage.Salade de chou rouge  est un excellent example de la cuisine minceur de  Michel Guà ©rard. Red cabbage salad is an excellent example of [chef] Michel Guà ©rards slimming cuisine.Ça va mon [petit] chou? How are you, my darling (my sweet)? Related Words There are a number of related words with chou as their root, for example: un chouchou darling, pet  chouchouter (informal) to pamper, coddle  la choucroute sauerkraut (brine-marinated cabbage)les choux de Bruxelles Brussels sprouts These root  words also wind up in some common French expressions, such as: à ªtre dans les choux (informel) to be screwed up, lost, in trouble  faire chou blanc to draw a blank, to lead nowhereCest chou vert et vert chou.   Its green cabbage and cabbage green. [meaning, roughly: Its the same either way.] Additional Resources As you expand your  vocabulary, youll want to learn more ways to talk about food with your loved ones. French terms of endearmentFood in French

Strategy- Energy Firm Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategy- Energy Firm - Assignment Example However, the case of BP oil shows that firms seek to reduce cost at the expense of ethical actions hence the observed problem (Tencati & Perrini, 2011). The strategies of the company are to incorporate the additional cost of meeting ethical requirements and corporate social responsibility in the final price to the consumer. Competitive strategies in various industries have gone beyond pricing. The cost of production remains a key factor in a firm’s profit level. Ethical concern is cost related and remains a competitive dilemma among companies. Although the cost of corporate social responsibility affects the profits, it has long term benefits as far as market share is concerned (Tencati & Perrini, 2011). For profit companies can effectively balance ethical practices with competition. The consumer community is aware of the ethical practices hence significantly influence the performance of the firm. This was evident when the world frowned against the BP oil over its environmental degradation on the spill. This means strategic costing and fair pricing would help address market size in the long run and compete favorably. The situation of BP oil would have been averted if the management had considered the high cost environment care option. The CEO would have opted for the expensive casing pipe as this would help reduce the risk significantly (Tencati & Perrini, 2011). It is evident that the wrong decision cost the firm its global image and subsequent slump in sales. The situation would have been prevented by insisting on ethical standards as a long term consumer focused

Discuss two items from each museum and respond to the questions Research Paper

Discuss two items from each museum and respond to the questions - Research Paper Example So, it can be seen that this communication is a complex process, through the medium of the art work itself. Earlier, the term art was used to refer any sort of skill or mastery. But the Romantic spirit which transformed the scenario of art helped it to relate itself to any object, concrete or abstract, capable to stimulate thoughts and emotions. The power of Art to attract human minds is irrevocably proven and it is clear that the discussion of art pieces from different museums will shed much light to the foretold subject. The museums selected for the discussion are: National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the items selected are: 1. Fine arts- the portrait of Abraham Lincoln namely-‘The Penny Image of Abraham Lincoln’ (see appendix-1) by William Willard. 2. Natural history (Archaeology) – ‘Mummied Ibis’ (see appendix-2) i.e., mummified form of an animal excavated from Egypt. The painting-‘The Penny Image of Abraham Lincoln’, was painted by William Willard in 1864. The medium of the work is oil on canvas and the owner is the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. The object-‘Mummied Ibis’ is an animal mummy excavated from Abydos, an important site of Ancient Egyptian culture. The portrait is based on a photograph of Lincoln, captured by Anthony Berger at a famous studio, namely Mathew Brady’s studio, Washington D.C., in 1864. At the same time, the second object selected for discussion, i.e. ‘Mummied Ibis’ symbolize the cultural aspects of ancient Egypt. The process of mummifying or embalming was a complex process related to the belief of ancient Egyptians in life after death. Barry J. Kemp reflects that: â€Å"The nature of the ancient Egyptian state and its wealth of devices-myth, symbol and institution to manipulate minds and to direct the lives

Insurance Claims Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Insurance Claims - Term Paper Example Today, the firms that operate in the insurance industry have to face an important challenge: the increase of claims is combined with the limitation of demand for insurance contracts; this phenomenon is probably related to the strong financial pressures in markets worldwide. This paper focuses on the claims settlement process. Emphasis is given to the recent advances that have resulted to the increase of efficiency of the claims settlement process. It is proved that claims settlement process can be quite long, especially if the level of compensation involved is high. Still, the advances developed in regard to this process have contributed in the limitation of failures and delays in completing the claims settlement process. In any case, the role of these advances in the increase of efficiency of the claims settlement process is not standardized; local regulations and social ethics can affect the performance of the process even when supportive schemes and means of technology are availab le. 2. Increase of efficiency of the claims settlement process – recent advances In the past the potentials of insurance to cover the needs of people worldwide were limited. Today, almost most of human activities and almost all types of properties can be secured through an insurance contract (Feetham 2012). In addition, the means used for accessing an insurance contract have been developed (Seltzer & Ochs 2010). ... The claims settlement process, which is a critical part of an insurance contract, has been also changed being in order to respond to the current style of life, as being affected by the advances of technology (Kearney 2010). The high level of failures related to the claims settlement process and the radical increase of sums which insurance companies worldwide are asked to pay as compensation in regard to insurance contracts have been also led to the need for the advances in all phases of the insurance process (Kearney 2010). The key advances in the claims settlement process are related to the technology involved in the various parts of the process (Kearney 2010). Due to its structure the process is highly depended on technology (Kearney 2010); for example: an appropriately customized and rapid IT system is required for introducing the information related to an insurance contract (Kearney 2010). The information described above will be of high value in the claims settlement process (Kea rney 2010). Therefore, the IT systems in which the data of insured is stored need to be continuously updated and checked as of their performance (Kearney 2010). In practice, it has been proved that using advanced IT systems can significantly reduce the time required for the completion of the claims settlement process (Feetham 2012). The last year the average time of completion of the above process has been estimated to 12 – months, an achievement related mostly to the use in the process of IT systems based on advanced technology (Feetham 2012). Two have been found to be the parts of the process that are highly depended on technology: ‘a) the retrieval of information in regard to an insurance contract/ claims file and b) the update of a claims

Pulp Fiction By Quentin Tarantino | Analysis

Pulp Fiction By Quentin Tarantino | Analysis If you take no pleasure in popular culture, with all its manic excesses, then you are likely to be bewildered and even offended, by Quentin Tarantinos extraordinary film, Pulp Fiction. Tarantino unapologetically enjoys popular culture at the same time that he satirizes it. Unfortunately, he also seems to specialize in violence. Still, taken on its own terms, Pulp Fiction is a rare accomplishment; it opens a new aesthetic horizon in film. Like Van Goghs sunflowers, the ordinary suddenly takes on a striking vibrancy; from the dazzling title colors on, it is easy to recognize the artist, but almost impossible to imagine how one could imitate him. Tarantino, a one-time video store clerk, now the hottest director in Hollywood, has memory banks packed with movies and he draws on some of the most ordinary to create something brilliantly original. This is no experimental film of intellectual pretensions and high-brow obscurantism. Pulp Fiction has built a cult following, even as its mother-f reaking language and graphic violence offends others. Violence in film is a serious matter, and for some people an inexcusable offense. They can see no justification for the scene in which John Travoltas character accidentally blows a young mans brains out. Even worse for those concerned about film violence, most of the audience laughed despite the spatter of blood and brain tissue and with spontaneous amusement, not the nervous hysteria often heard at horror films. The violence of Pulp Fiction is essential to its aesthetic; though he knew that many would complain, Tarantino meant the audience to laugh. Deliberately violating the conventions of action-violence films, Tarantino re-imagines stylized moments of violence and exaggerates them until they are almost surrealistic. Then he creates dialogue that leads up to the violence and then away from it. When most directors would be building tension and suspense, Tarantino has his killers chatting. When most directors would cut away from the violence, Tarantino stays with the aftermath. And he has achieved something I would have thought impossible; he has made violence humorous by doing it tongue-in-cheek and the tongue has a stud in it. Tarantinos film garnered top honors at the Cannes Film Festival but will probably pay for its punkness at the Oscars. Its box office success, however, should comfort the many aspiring Hollywood directors who dream of doing something different. But they will not find it easy to follow in Tarantinos tracks. His film is put together with touch, spin, and nuance, and then goes off in your face like a letter bomb. What Tarantino has crafted in this film can be best appreciated in the performance he has extracted from John Travolta. In 1977, Travolta gave his unforgettable portrayal of the cock-of-the-walk dancer in Saturday Night Fever. Far from a natural dancer, he nonetheless gave a heart-winning performance. Ever since then, he has been fighting the battle of the bulge and trying with less and less success to prove that he can act. One might have concluded that he was too old, too fat, and too far over the hill for Pulp Fiction. But it turns out that he is brilliantly cast in the film; everything wrong about him is right for this part. In his early-forties he still has a teenagers winning vulnerability. His broad mouth and high cheek bones are now bejowled but there is still a promise of sensuality in that ruined face. His appealing and familiar presence brings just the feel of movie nostalgia Tarantino wanted. Travolta plays a laid back, get-along kind of guy who is living a depraved and drug-addicted life as a paid killer, but has an astonishingly innocent soul, as do most of Tarantinos low-life characters. This innocence in depravity is Pulp Fictions central theme. It keeps the film from being an exercise in sado-masochistic perversity; it is the source of its humor and its creative energy. The film title Pulp Fiction harks back to the 30s and 40s when newsstands featured an array of monthly short story magazines. Among the most popular were those about hard-nosed private investigators. Written by such authors as Dashiell Hammet, Raymond Chandler, and James M. Cain, these stories were the forerunners of dark, city crime movies that became film noir. Pulp fiction stories typically began in the front of the magazine, competing for the readers attention, and were then continued in the back. Tarantino, though not old enough to remember this genre of pulp fiction, has put his film together as if he had that structure in mind. We begin with one short story: a hopped-up British couple (Amanda Plummer and Tim Roth) deciding to rob the coffee shop where they are having breakfast. Before they do, we turn the page a dark screen to the next story of Travolta and Jackson going off to retrieve a mysterious briefcase and to kill some drug dealers who didnt pay off their boss. Then another dark screen to the childhood of the Bruce Willis character who grows up to be the boxer who refuses to throw the fight. Unlike the old pulp fiction magazines, the triptych of stories eventually comes together as the seemingly disparate plots are interwoven by coincidence and by Tarantinos central theme. Because the film is set in Los Angeles, its anthology structure may of course owe much more to Robert Altmans Shortcuts or to his brilliant Nashville than to pulp fiction magazines. But Tarantinos borrowings are no defect. He is winking at his audience; he wants them to be aware of his references. The more they recognize the more they will enjoy the texture of his tapestry. It is because John Travolta carries so much baggage that he is so wonderful in this film. Moreover, everything Tarantino borrows is a clichà © that has been given an original spin. Pulp Fiction takes the dead genre of film noir and gives it new life. Finally, Tarantinos startling humor takes his film beyond anything he has drawn from others. Tarantinos interweaving of his three stories complicates the linear time structure of each plot. The most surprising result is that the Travolta character is killed only to reappear in the final scene of the movie, which took place earlier and is presented out of sequence. Once you figure out the puzzle, it becomes clear that Tarantino is playing with convention rather than rejecting or deconstructing it. Tarantinos entire film is playful, but he is playing with the imaginary world of film, not with reality itself. There can be no doubt that the self-taught Tarantino intends to shock his audience. The many scenes of graphic violence testify to that. European film-makers are concerned that violence in American film is pornography that appeals to the lowest common denominator and, like American fast food, is destroying the taste for better things. Some psychologists believe that film and TV violence teach Americas young people to be violent, or at the very least, inure them to real-life violence. Perhaps most troubling is the idea that graphic violence, like pornography, exploits an appetite in our basest instincts that degrades rather than edifies. Many people are refusing to see this film and a surprising number of my middle-aged friends report that their teenage children love it but have warned them they will hate the film. These reactions to the violence are too important to be dismissed, but I do not believe that Tarantino has dismissed them. His film exploits violence but as the jury at Can nes recognized he is neither lacking in moral sensibility nor, even though he wallows in popular culture, is he a Philistine. If violence is a form of pornography, then like pornography it presents the same problem of line-drawing between exploiting our passions and edifying them. But as our modern courts have recognized, it is necessary to go beyond that simple categorical distinction and ask whether an admittedly exploitive work of art has redeeming social value. When Shakespeare wrote Hamlet and King Lear, he intended to exploit his audiences violent passions as well as to edify them. There is, after all, a great deal of violence, even graphic violence, in Lear remember out vile jelly as Cornwall gouges out Gloucesters eyes on stage. The greatest works of Western Civilization mock those who count graphic violence as ipso facto unredeemable exploitation. This is not to say that Tarantino intends to redeem the violence; if anything, he seems to be mocking the arbiters of good taste with his wicked humor. This is most blatant, not in the scenes of violence, but in the quirky introduction to the Bruce Willis/boxer story. Christopher Walken, an actor who will be remembered for his Oscar-winning performance in Deer Hunter (a Vietnam war-film), makes a brief appearance in Pulp Fiction as a former Vietnam POW. He has come to deliver his dead cellmates gold watch to the young boy who never knew his father. The Walken character begins to tell the boy what happened to his father in standard heroic pulp fiction rhetoric, but then veers perversely into a description of the intestinal orifice where the father hid the watch, and the intestinal disorders that complicated its concealment. It is an account that no sane adult would give a child and a scene right out of a graffiti imagination. Other directors are capable of imagining such graffiti, but Tarantino was brash enough to keep it in his film. Like all toilet graffiti it can be understood as an example of adolescent bad taste and Tarantino knows that. It is gross, it is inappropriate, it is irreverent, and one can understand why the younger generation would be warning off their fuddy-duddy parents. Yet even this heavy-handed moment belongs in the film. The scene begins as a patriotic-die-for-your-country clichà © in which the reality of how the gold watch survived would have been unimagined. Tarantinos script takes up the challenge of an explanation and as he veers into scatology, he gives the finger to the false norm of noble death in all such war clichà ©s. But Tarantino is interested less in making an anti-war gesture than in doing a send-up of a movie clichà ©. Similarly, this is not an anti-violence film . It is a send up of movie violence. One astute teenage critic remarked that Tarantino learned something from his first film, Reservoir Dogs. All the guys in her high school loved the macho violence but there was not much in this male-oriented film for her and her female friends. Despite its violence and male orientation, Pulp Fiction has something for the female gender, particularly the scenes between Travolta and Uma Thurman. This teenage critic and her girl friends especially enjoyed the episode in which the Travolta character is required to entertain the black crime boss white wife (Uma Thurman). The previous man charged with this task had given her a foot massage; the boss took umbrage and had the massager thrown out of a four-story window. The Travolta-Thurman episode quickly turns into an over-the-top parody of a blind date. Travolta prepares himself by going to his drug dealer for a batch of the ultimate hit a mixture of cocaine and heroin that only a seasoned addict could tolerate. Travolta mainlines the stuff the way a nervous guy might take a drink to boost his confidence before a date. Meanwhile, Uma Thurman is sniffing cocaine, not because shes uneasy, but because she is a man-eater whetting her appetite. Thurman takes Travolta to a dance contest where they do the twist, to the delight of Saturday Night Fever fans. Tarantinos elaborate set features vintage 50s convertibles as booths, pop culture look-alikes as servers, top-of-the-charts music, all of it so extravagant in its evocation of nostalgia as to be unreal. The scene is somehow true to the spirit of Pulp Fiction, a film that parodies popular culture without ever condescending to those who take pleasure in it. The Travolta/Thurman blind date has clever dialogue, the twist is a trip, and the sexual tension escalates as they tango back into her home at the end of the evening. But while Travolta is in the toilet (it turns out he is always in the toilet at critical moments) Thurman finds his drug stash, snorts it, and overdoses. Instead of a sexual conclusion, the evening ends with a slapstick resuscitation involving a huge syringe stuck in her sternum. In this funny and surreal scene it becomes clear that Travolta and his low-life friends are playing overaged adolescents. Indeed the whole film has the spirit, energy, and sensibility of adolescence. No wonder teenagers love it. Although Tarantino wants to shock us with violence, his film is politically correct. There is no nudity and no violence directed against women; in fact a man, the crime boss, gets raped and the only essentially evil people in the film are two sadistic honkies straight out of Deliverance who do the raping. The film celebrates interracial friendship and cultural diversity; there are strong women and strong black men, and the director swims against the current of class stereotype. It is the British couple who, out of place in Los Angeles in the very first scene, fill the sound track with British-accented mother fuckers. Amanda Plummer, who was born to play Ophelia, does a crazed Honey Bunny to Tim Roths Pumpkin. They are two waifs holding hands in the storm of their strung-outness on drugs and their hare-brained career of sticking up liquor stores. The juxtaposition of their lost teddy bear attachment to each other with their nervous trigger-finger desperation establishes Tarantinos tone of innocence in depravity. Samuel Jackson, who will best be remembered as the drug-addicted older brother in Spike Lees Jungle Fever, sustains that tone as Travoltas hit-man partner. His presence on the screen is a match for Travolta; he has a face that looks different in every camera angle and he radiates strength. These professional killers engage first in an earnest discussion about the European nomenclature of American fast foods and then a subtle analysis of the sexual si gnificance of the foot massage as they make their way to the apartment where they will kill three men. The Jackson character miraculously eludes a point-blank fusillade of bullets. As they leave, they debate whether he was saved by divine intervention or simple luck. Jackson, who quotes from Ezekiel to spellbinding effect when he kills people, suddenly understands his Biblical text in a quite different way. As it turns out, his life and perhaps if it is possible for a killer his soul will be saved by this epiphany. This theme of redemption is present in each of the three stories. Willis as Butch the boxer rescues his would-be killer, the black crime boss, from the honkey rapists. Butch, who was to be their next victim, has the opportunity to escape, but goes back. Redeemed by this act of solidarity, he is forgiven by the crime boss for not throwing the fight and is sent on his way. The British couple are also saved. They try to rob Jackson who has ended up in the restaurant where the film began. He has drawn his gun under the table and could easily blow them both away. Instead, in the spirit of justice and honor that prevails among the low-lifes in this film, Jackson does the right thing. He stares the amateur criminals down, letting them take his own money but not the mysterious briefcase that he is dutifully returning to the crime boss. We believe that the strung-out British couple are capable of a killing rampage in the restaurant Amanda Plummer is a remarkable sight standing on a restaurant table screaming obscenities and waving a Saturday-night special. We also know that the day before Jackson would have killed them without blinking an eye, and that he will have to kill them today if they try to take the boss briefcase. Instead Jackson sends the couple peacefully out of the restaurant clutching each other and a trash bag filled with stolen money. But the best scenes involve Jackson and Travolta. When they are not killing, they are like college sophomores, one black, one white both amateur philosophers eager to share their ideas and experiences. Tarantinos ingenious dialogue humanizes their homocidal partnership. The improbable juxtaposition of their earnest dialogue and the violence is the stylistic twist that allows us to laugh at the spatter of brains and blood in the backseat of their car. Travolta reacts like a teenager unjustly blamed by his buddy for accidentally spilling the beer. And like children of over-indulgent parents, they have no idea how to clean up the mess. Yes, they seem oblivious to the fact that a person has been killed. In that light their conversation is ludicrous. But this absurd dialogue unexpectedly transforms the meaning of the violence clichà ©. If Tarantino wanted to defend his film, this is where he could make his strongest arguments. Pulp Fiction unmasks the macho myth by making it laughable and deheroicizes the power trip glorified by standard Hollywood violence. But Tarantino is irreverent, not didactic. He goes from Road-Runner cartoon-violence humor in the Bruce Willis segment to whips and chain homosexual rape that silences the laughter. Tarantino will stop at nothing and yet never loses control. He dives into a nightmare and comes up with something funny, taking his audience up and down with him. Though Tarantino thinks his screenplay is funny, and would be disappointed if no one laughed, he doesnt consider Pulp Fiction a comedy. He is quite right; but if you dont get the studded tongue-in-cheek humor, you may not li ke this extraordinary movie.