Advantage of Semester System Essay

1. The greatest advantage of this system is that it reduces the load on the studentsand Inculcates regular study habits. 2. Since academic year is divided into 2 semesters it provides upward mobility – the Student can clear the backlog in one or many subjects even after moving to the next semester. 3. Best part is that it enables the students to learn at their own pace. 4. Well if you compare it to an annual system, it keeps students busy all year round with the same level of burden instead of the piling up of work at the end of the year. 5. In semester system, Student all time attach with study. Studies which is good for the Students. 6. The main advantage of semester system. Student busy all the year. He know, If he Does not study, he will fail. >> Easy learning >> Attach with studies. >> Remain in class>> No absence. >> Grip on knowledge. >> Respect of teachers increases. >> Scheduled work plan. Disadvantage of Semester SystemAs a disadvantage of the Semester system, I would point out the lack of recovery that students can make due to limited time, in comparison to Annual systems. Time is too short in Semester system. Students don’t understand many chapters. Today the topic under discussion is the topic which is being frequently discussed by us since the Karnataka University introduced the semester scheme for the degree courses. I strongly believe that semester scheme is extremely beneficial for the students. It is a sign that we are marching towards the development because almost all the developed countries have adopted the semester scheme which means this system must be having some unique qualities which are favorable for the students. First of all, the semester based method makes teaching and learning more scientific. It is good for the students as the syllabus is broken up into units that are to be learnt in a specific time frame. Moreover, as testing and evaluation are done in a continuous manner student can be sure of a more realistic assessment of their academic capabilities than what is done in the annual scheme. The actual process of learning is also more methodical in this scheme. Each topic to be covered in the syllabus is allotted a learning time. The student learns not just by taking down notes during a lecture, but he has to do self study; visiting the library, browsing the net and preparing for seminars and presentations. This results in comprehensive learning of the topic at hand. Many British universities tried changing from the three terms per year system to the American semester system of two sessions per year, in the 1990’s. Some changed but found the system unworkable and returned to the original British system from 2002 onwards. It seems that there are difficulties with semesters, for British universities, and disadvantages for both universities and students. In Britain, changing over to the semester arrangement of the academic year was coupled with changing to modular degrees. Huddersfield University was the first university in Britain to change to the semester system, but returned to the three-term year in 2003. Glamorgan University also returned from two fifteen-week semesters to the traditional three-term year in 2003. Some British universities, including Kingston University (Surrey), have a hybrid semester system and modular degrees. They have a three-term year but teaching is divided into two semesters running from September to July. . The semester system has certain disadvantages both for universities and for students. Most Universities introduced the semester system to accommodate the modular degree and this was difficult for both academics and students. The two systems were introduced together, as part of the scheme to expand higher education. Modular systems work on a credit system, each module counting for credit towards the student’s final degree. University teaching and learning is very different in Britain, to some other countries. In Britain, students have responsibility for their own learning, and tutors and lecturers do not control or lead students to knowledge but rather suggest where they might look to find that knowledge. British undergraduates do much more self-directed and independent study and reading, than in other countries. Students are they expected to think things through and come to their own conclusions and then to explain those conclusions, backing their conclusions with logical reasoning based on the facts. Simply regurgitating the facts that you tutor has taught on the course will not earn a British university degree. Lecturers and tutors do not tell students how to learn, or think and university learning in Britain is more than being force fed facts. Hence, in the United Kingdom, a student reads for a degree. The semester and modular system, therefore, caused academics some problems. Academics felt that the modular/semester system meant that students were sitting too many examinations,simply to complete a module rather than as a necessary part of the learning process. For some subject areas, they also felt that modular learning encouraged compartmentalization of knowledge, rather than applying new knowledge to the subject as a whole, and that it discouraged lateral thinking. In other subject areas, they felt that the modular/semester system only allowed a surface knowledge of a particular topic area, whereas year-long study allowed both in-depth study and the necessary reflection and thinking that the subject requires.

Critical Analysis of Two Primary Schools Essay

A critical analysis of the All Saints Primary School and Liverpool College Prep School websites. All Saints homepage immediately stresses the importance of learning together and demonstrates the emphasis that is placed upon religion within in the school. Their mission statement is presented as being â€Å"All Saints is a community where God’s light in each individual is nurtured and loved, allowing his spirit to shine in each one of us within our Catholic environment†. This is in contrast with Liverpool College which instead chooses to focus upon academic attainment on its homepage, stating: â€Å"High academic achievement is our primary aim and our results in national tests show that our standards are some of the best in the city and far above average in mathematics and English†. Both websites are extremely informative to the browser and offer detailed information on issues such as admission and behavioral policies. There is also a message from both headmasters outlining their visions for the schools. The schools contrast however in their ethos, religion appears to play an integral role within all aspects of All Saints whereas there is no mention of it within the Liverpool College website. Although both schools place a great importance upon producing an environment in which every child matters and feels secure. Liverpool College Prep School also displays information concerning tuition fees, whereas All Saints website being a voluntary aided school is free of cost to prospective pupils. Both schools however do demonstrate the significance they place upon extra-curricular activities by dedicating pages on their websites to the opportunities that are available to pupils within their school. The websites of both schools also outline the curriculum the school adheres to as well display their anti-bullying policies so they are accessible to all. The two schools display information for parents and offer advice and support in how they can effectively support their child through primary education. On the All Saints website this page is accompanied by a behavioural policy which the children are expected to comply with. Liverpool College asks parents to contact the school if they would like to receive a copy of the behavioural policy.

Rules of Statutory Interpretation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Rules of Statutory Interpretation - Essay Example In order to find the intent and meaning of legislation, judges use various rules and approaches of statutory interpretation such as legislative history and the traditional statutory interpretation canons. The use of rules and approaches in statutory interpretation is necessary because of the following reasons: more often than not, words have more than one meaning; errors of omission or commission may have been committed during the drafting if the statute; words can prove to be imperfect means of communication; and, society may experience new developments that may render some words in the statute out-of-date since they can no longer cover contemporary situations.2 Rules and approaches to statutory interpretations have been developed by the judges; the Interpretation Act of 1978 provides basic definitions which are necessary during statutory interpretations.3 As a matter of fact, the main function of the courts is to interpret the Acts of Parliament; they have the role of attempting to establish the Parliament’s intention in passing of a particular Act and make a decision based on that intention. However, there is a view among legal scholars and practitioners that the rules and approaches that apply to statutory interpretation give too much latitude to the courts, and there seem to be no underpinning principles.4 It is in the light of this that this paper will focus on the rules and approaches that apply to statutory interpretation and discuss the validity of this view. In addition, it will consider the influence of the European Law in regard to this topic. As has been noted, the courts use rules and approaches in interpreting statutes. Conventionally, the judge will perform the following tasks during statutory interpretations: consider the legislative intent of the statute, objective meaning of the appropriate text, the traditional canons of the statutory interpretation, and the general purposes and policies behind the legislation among others.5 Based on those considerations, the court may determine how the statute could be interpreted to mean.6 However, the court may also determine that there is no sufficient reason to prefer one way of interpretation over the other. This is one of the reasons that make some legal scholars and practitioners to have the view that the rules and Approaches that apply to statutory interpretation give too much latitude to the courts.7 They argue that even though it is assumed that diligent application of these rules and approaches will enable the courts to be persuaded on which interpretation is legally preferable; in some cases the courts encounter frustrations while attempting to find the legally preferable interpretation of statutes. As a result, sometimes judges have to pretend that these rules and approaches have yielded decisive interpretation when in real sense they have not, a situation that encourages arbitrariness and obfuscation in making of judicial decisions.8 In order to effectively discus s the validity of the view that 'The Rules and Approaches that apply to statutory interpretation give too much latitude to the courts, and it seems there are no underpinning principles', it is important to understand what these rules and

Ming Dynasty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ming Dynasty - Essay Example The essay "Ming Dynasty" analyzes the period of the rise of Ming dynasty which controlled China between 1368 and 1644. It was founded by the emperor whose aim was to see the success of dynasty after the fall of the previous empire. Ming dynasty was a prosperous period and respected cultural values. Ming dynasty was a period of cultural revival, expansion, and economic revival. Zhu Yuanzang reign made several changes, which include cutting taxes, and ensuring the government was cooperative. He also reorganized the administration. This period also saw the rise of military prowess. The number of the army improved significantly. During the reign of Emperor Chengzu who was a known sailor he improved foreign relation whenever he landed. His voyage saw an improved relationship with countries far away from China. In the final period of this dynasty saw improved trade activities. The dynasty usually traded in agricultural produce. This saw an improved income hence the economy became stable an d could sustain itself. There was also the revival of agriculture by Emperor Hongwu. This led to a production of surplus agricultural commodities. The excess produce was then sold to areas that he voyaged and this provided income to the dynasty. The progress the dynasty was faced with various challenges such as drought that affected agriculture. This led to various rebellions that saw the fall of the dynasty. This period had potential to improve China greatly. The failures at the end saw the decline of that progress to the level it started.

Effective Crisis Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Effective Crisis Communication - Research Paper Example More over, the paper discusses each step of crisis management plan in detail and how to best implement it. Another important factor emphasized in this paper of crisis management, which is often sidelined, is the image of the organization managing the crisis. Restoration of physical, properties and economical losses are possible, whereas restoration of damaged image of the organization is never possible. This paper studies the disaster sustained in Hurricane Irene in 2011 in terms of economic loss and loss of lives. The role of crisis communication that permeates each and every step of crisis management is explored. It is found that action is the best understandable and adorable language of crisis communication, wherein the stakeholders and victims play crucial role in evolving best salvation. Crises are for all and for ever. No community and no organization, public or private are immune from crises. (R. Ulmer et al, 2011). When effective communication modalities are adhered to during crises, the outlook on crises gets completely changed. Crises act as provider of opportunities with the potential to leave the organization stronger in some ways or other than it was before.(p.4). Developing a framework for performance indicators to measure and improve crisis communication preparedness is the need of the hour. Sensing the prodromes is not given its due weight age paving way to havoc via crises. The size and intensity of warning symptoms in many crises are in fact negligibly small. But the nature of those symptoms read the ill-fate to emerge. In an atmosphere of apparently strong administrational activities these tiny warning symptoms usually get submerged or unheard by the top brass. Paucity of frameworks, which ensure diligent monitoring of the performance indicators, is th e current plight in every organization. (Palttala P, 2012). Leveraging the knowledge of human performance technology (Hutchins H.M. et al, 2008) is to be widely established, since

The Sustainability of Extreme Sports as Businesses in Todays Society Research Paper

The Sustainability of Extreme Sports as Businesses in Todays Society - Research Paper Example For the extreme sports, there are no specific market boundaries and hence the market segment for these sports cannot be measured. It has been assumed that the market segment for extreme sports holds approximately 5 percent of the market for adventure trips (â€Å"Extreme Sports† 34). In the present times, extreme sports have a significant role to play in business and the sportspersons are being utilized for the purpose of marketing of different products. Extreme sports in marketing are more common among the youth. Considering the leisure market in the United States and other countries across the world, the use of extreme sports in businesses has been found to be increasing particularly targeting the youth who are the usual viewers of sports and sports-related programs on television. However although there are regular viewers of the extreme sports and hence products can be well marketed with the use of such sports, yet the sustainability of the extreme sports in businesses cann ot be realized. It has been observed that the viewers of such extreme sports are in most cases fickle minded that make them suspect the conventional methods of marketing and they are also more concerned about their status. All these factors make it difficult for the marketers creating challenges for their successful marketing approaches (Summers, Morgan and Summers 30). Aim and Objectives of the Research: Aim: The aim of the research is to focus on the use of extreme sports in businesses trying to determine the sustainability of the extreme sports in business in the near future. Objectives: Considering the above aim of the study, the following objectives have been decided: To understand the use of extreme sports for the purpose of businesses. To learn about the implications of the use of extreme sports in marketing on the prospective or targeted consumers. To determine the sustainability of the use of extreme sports in businesses in the near future. Literature Review: The concept of extreme sports has become highly significant and popular in the recent times with more and more individuals trying to take part in sports that are highly risky. These include the risky activities undertaken by the body in order to perform sports (Estivalet and Brisson 552). As Heggie and Caine (2) mentioned in their studies, the extreme sports have become a very important part of the lives of the Americans in particular who consider these sports as an option for recreation and athletics. Different sports that are included in the definition of extreme sports are motorcycle racing, rock climbing, and base jumping (Heggie and Caine 2). The popularity of extreme sports has increased in the recent times with new clubs and associations being developed. Television programs, magazines, and pages on the web are also been developed considering the growing attractiveness of extreme sports (Estivalet and Brisson 552). One of the most important reasons owing to which people are more attracted t owards extreme sports is that the participants do not have to follow the strict rules and regulations that are otherwise associated with other sports in general. However, in the present times, commercialization and standardization of extreme sports have also been considered proving it to be inopportune for such participants (Madigan and Delaney 47).  Ã‚  

Mental Health review tribunals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Mental Health review tribunals - Essay Example To ensure the protection from the evils of such disorder world legal forum set mental health tribunals to justify human rights for all irrespective of gender, race, territory and mental condition. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology, mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Subject to the Conditions as an introduction to the Mental Health Act, and as a suggestive source for people with mental health needs, professional workers and others encounter with these Acts. The Mental Health Act 1983 governs the admission of people to psychiatric hospital against their will, their rights while detained, discharge from hospital, and aftercare in England and Wales. Aprt from the philanthropic attitude there is criticism that the Act itself is not well organized, which is written in language that can be hard to follow for certain complications of the descrip tion of the legitimate proposition. The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, which received Royal Assent in November 2004, contains a number of measures to extend the Government's program of improving services and support to victims of certain criminal offences from prison to hospital for psychiatric treatment, as well as offenders subject to hospital orders with restriction orders. Custodial remand remains ironic when convicted of a sexual or violent offence are then made subject of a hospital order as found unfit to plead and to have committed the act, and been charged, or not guilty because of insanity. They direct the admission to hospital of patients transferred from prison, and consider recommendations from Responsible Medical Officers in hospitals for leave, transfer or discharge of restricted patients. MHU also prepare documentation for Mental Health Review Tribunals (MHRTs), and monitor patients. For each new case, including transferred prisoners, the Victim Liais on Officer (VLO) do contact the MHU caseworker. Imperial evidences furnished through Mental Health Review Tribunals say a detained restricted patient may apply to have their cases heard by a MHRT once each year. If the patient does not apply, the Home Secretary would refer their case to a Tribunal every three years. The Tribunal will consider whether the individual needs to be detained in hospital for the purposes of mental health treatment. Liason officers should consult victims about their representations relating to discharge conditions and forward them to the Tribunal Office by the specified date. The document state that victims should be made aware that no guarantees can be given that any representations they make will not be disclosed to the patient. In fact, the expectation is that all documents are disclosed to the patient and the circumstances in which documents can be withheld are very limited. Rule 12 of the Mental Health Review Tribunal Rules 1983 allows the Tribunal to withhold any document from the patient if they co nsider that disclosure would adversely affect the health or welfare of the patient or

Three branches of the U.S. government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Three branches of the U.S. government - Essay Example The U.S. government has three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary, each performing independently various function that support the functioning of the government. The three branches work independently.Consequently, the singular purpose of having the three branches working separately is to promise that they do not become too powerful to infringe on the freedoms of the population. In analyzing the three branches of the government, we see that all of their functions serve the public differently, and some branches seem to have more power than others in affecting the work of the government. Hence, this essay discusses the legislature because it has done and is doing a lot for the people of the United State (Trueman, 2000). The legislature is comprised of the bicameral Congress, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The two houses are tasked with many functions, but their main purpose is to make legislative laws. The Senate is the upper house with each state represented by two senators in it. The House of Representatives represents the lower house and has a number of elected members proportionate to the population of a state. The Senate has one hundred seats and allows elected members to serve for a six-year term. However, the House of Representatives has a bigger number of members, and currently there are 435 members serving for a two-year term. The House of Representatives and the Senate have almost similar functions, but they also have specific responsibilities and powers. In addition, the two chambers work parallelly to each other in passing the bills that originate from either the Senate or the House of Representative (Wilson, Dilulio, & Bose, 2009). The legislative branch has many functions, but law making is its key function. The executive branch implements and enforces the law, whereas the judiciary branch interprets them. Hence, in serving the people, the legislative branch has the most power given that it is the one that delib erates on the bill that later becomes a law. The input of bills in addressing the challenges people encounter in their daily activities acknowledges the work of the Congress for the benefit of the Americans. Therefore, their service to the people supersedes the enforcing and elucidation of the executive and the judiciary branches. Furthermore, the legislative branch consists of elected members, and thus it represents the heart of representative democracy. When the law makers make laws, they do so in a democratic manner to meet the public interests and to ensure they are upheld (Wilson et al., 2009). In addition to making laws, the legislature has other non-legislative powers and responsibilities. These functions are not in any way related to the legislation of laws. One of the non-legislation powers of the Congress are the electoral powers. The electoral powers are only exercised when the electoral process fails to determine the results of a presidential election. The House of Repre sentatives is privileged to elect the president in cases where no candidate gains a majority Electoral College. On the other hand, the Senate is responsible for electing vice president in case no presidential candidate has enough Electoral College to ensure the victory of his nominee to the position of a vice president (Wilson et al., 2009). The legislative branch also has the non-legislative power of impeachment. The House of Representatives has the power to impeach federal government officials who are deemed to have bribed, committed high crimes, misdemeanors, and treason. While the House has the powers to impeach, the Senate acts as the judge and jury. In the history of the United States, only two presidents have been impeach: Bill Clinton (1998) and Andrew Johnson (1868), who both were acquitted by the Senate. Another non-legislative function of the Congress is the power of confirmation. The senate has the

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Argument - Essay Example Therein exists a dilemma; it is apparent that all we do is determined and controlled by the mind; however, it would require defining features of the psychological condition that are not explicable on the basis of the human physical operations. Descartes argues that the connection between mind and body is a wholly arbitrary without regard to the laws of physics; for instance he demonstrates that a particle striking another will move in a direction that is determined by the angle of the first particle. In contrary, in the human body, there is no connection between the physical sensations and the ensuing mental reaction; he argues that hunger pangs; for instance, have no direct connection to the reaction they provoke (Desire to eat) and can just as well produce a desire to sleep or drink (Descartes 54). In modern day, cognitive scientists are more than ever before curious about the engenderment of the human perception and thought process; unlike in the past, information process in the abstract are no longer seen as conclusive accounts of the mind. Scientists are concerned with the interactions of the body and the environment and how the relationship contributes in shaping human perception and the mind. Thinkers who support this school of thought postulate that by such examination, the Cartesian rift between the body and mind may be bridged so the material and immaterial aspect of human existence can be seen a unified whole. (Robinson). One of the areas expected to provide answers is the examination of non-reflexive actions which are not indication of an individual’s mentality and whose arbitrary connection is to the motor features of the action in question such as pressing a button. In dualism the mind and body are contrasted; however over the years of study different parts of the mind have been the focus of attention; for instance before Descartes in the mediaeval period the intellect was seen as the least likely to be affected by a

Henry David Thoreau Essay Example for Free

Henry David Thoreau Essay Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) was an American writer and philosopher famous for his naturalistic and anarchical ideas as well as his adherence to the movement of transcendentalism. Thoreau was a vegetarian, actively stood against slavery and war, and was one of the first who supported Darwin’s theory of evolution. Among his many works, the best known are his essay, Civil Disobedience, a proclamation against injustice and an urge for individual opposition to civil government, and the book ‘Walden’, where Thoreau’s reflects his personal experience of living simple life in natural environment. Although these works, like many others of Thoreau, are considered ‘transcendental’ and had been published ages ago, the ideas and concepts they contain may still at some point be related to the issues we may face while living in the 21st century. In general, the core of transcendental beliefs is a faith into a perfect spiritual state of mind that transcends both empirical and physical. It can only be realized through the person’s intuition, not through the doctrines of any existing religions. Therefore, it is rather a philosophy then a religion. The transcendentalism was grounded on principles that are ‘transcendental’, i. e.  based not upon sensual experiences but upon inner feelings and empirical, spiritual essence of a human. (En. wikipedia. org) American transcendentalism was mainly dominating in the first half of the 19th century, encouraging to abandon our mundane world, establish close relationship between human and nature, and to concentrate on ideal existence through spiritual abundance and self-reliance. Henry David Thoreau was admitted as a co-founder of this movement not only for his great thoughts on transcendentalism, but also for his empirical ideas and personal practice of his beliefs, which was greatly illustrated in his most famous book, ‘Walden’. The book firstly released as ‘Walden, or Life in the Woods’ (1854) was later widely recognized as one of the best non-fictional works of American authors. Living amidst woodland that belonged to R. W. Emerson, his friend and another founder of transcendentalism, near Concord, Massachusetts, in the small unpretentious self-built cabin, Thoreau mainly aimed to isolation from society for its better, more objective understanding. He stayed there alone for almost two years but kept receiving and returning visits. For example, he often went to Emerson’s hÐ ¾use for meÐ °l and conversÐ °tion. Moreover, as he indicates in the book, the cabin was located ‘at the edge of town’, not in the wilderness, even not far away from his family home. Therefore, he focuses reader’s attention on the importance of human’s closeness to the nature, self-reliance and meditation. The book combines Thoreau’s autobiography with a criticism of society, namely American consumerism, materialism, and nature destruction, the issues still common in our century as well. Such experiment of cut-off living was made by Thoreau for special purposes. First, he tried to escape the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution through keeping agrarian lifestyle. Interesting fact, the experiment was of a temporary character, and in the book Thoreau strongly advises his readers to avoid repeating it. Thus, anyone who studies Thoreau’s works has to keep in mind that at some degree they should be approached philosophically rather than understood literally. Second, the writer wanted to practically experience the main transcendental belief that every individual can transcend from normal to divine by means of nature itself. Like other members of the movement, in the ‘Walden’ Thoreau, for example, speaks about Vedic concepts to illustrate his vision of the nature. â€Å"I lay down the book and go to my well for water, and lo! There I meet the servant of Brahmin, priest of Brahma, and Vishnu, and Indra, who still sits in his temple of the Ganges reading the Vedas, or dwells at the root of a tree with his crust and water-jug. I meet his servant come to draw water for his master, and our buckets as it were grate together in the same well. The pure Walden water is mingled with the sacred water of the Ganges. (Thoreau 221) At some point, Thoreau’s attempts to promote the ideals of transcendentalism may seem to be impractical and rather inapplicable. In fact, after an in-depth analysis, Thoreau’s ideals may even look infeasible, namely his appeals to ascetic way of living and refusal of common human needs. In the scope of critical thinking, impossibility to follow the idea of living without any blessings of civilization is rather obvious. The average American who lives in the 21st century can hardly imagine him- or herself without Internet connection, using cell-phones, driving cars, or going to supermarkets. Nevertheless, it is possible at certain degree. Moreover, due to global ecology problems, it even may become necessary for each of us to refuse some advantages of our daily welfare for the great purpose of saving the world from environmental catastrophe. For this reason ‘Walden’, as well as many other Thoreau’s works, is frequently quoted by specialists who work in various fields and are concerned with the environmental problems of the Earth in general and in the USA in particular. While the whole issue of bad ecology becomes more and more crucial, Thoreau’s idea of simple life in the forest turns out to be not as unsuitable as it seemed at first glance. It is important to mention that Thoreau’s works on natural history is a great anticipation of findings and methods in the fields of ecology and the history of environment, which later became main sources of nowadays movement of environmentalism. In the book ‘Earth Rising: American Environmentalism in the 21st Century’ we read that â€Å"some 150 years ago, transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, sitting in his tiny cabin on Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, was already mourning the loss of the wilderness and the debilitating effect of industrialism on the human spirit†. (Shabecoff 16) Thoreau significant influence onto the entire concept of nature preservation and conservation is unquestionable. â€Å"In the United States†¦ the movement expanded in the 1800s, out of concerns for protecting the natural resources of the West, with individuals such as John Muir and Henry David Thoreau making key philosophical contributions. Thoreau was interested in people’s relationship with nature and studied this by living close to nature in a simple life. He published his experiences in the book ‘Walden’, which argues that people should become intimately close with nature. The conservationist principles as well as the belief in an inherent right of nature were to become the bedrock of modern environmentalism†. The conservation movement is a political, social and scientific movement that aims to protect natural resources, including plant and animal species as well as their habitat for the future. Chiefly in the United States, conservation is seen as differing from environmentalism in that it seeks to preserve natural resources expressly for their continued sustainable use by humans. In other parts of the world conservation is used more broadly to include the setting aside of natural areas and the active protection of wildlife for their inherent value. (En. wikipedia. org) Because of Thoreau and his associates humanity became truly concerned about the nature, the world we live in. He can definitely be called a pioneer ecologist. Numerous contemporary movements and organizations prove the actuality of environment problem and therefore significance of all Thoreau’s works related to nature preservation. For example, his vision of the environmental issues in the 19th century became a ground for the book ‘From Walden to Wall Street: Frontiers of Conservation Finance’ written in the current times. â€Å"Why do we invest in conservation? Why do human beings invest their time, energy and financial resources in protection of land, plants, and animals? We invest in conservation because it is an expression of our faith in the future. Conservation investment is an expression of our faith in the future of natural systems that are essential to life on Earth. It is an expression of our faith in the future of deeply loved natural wonders. And it is an expression of faith in the future of our families and communities whose lives will be immeasurably enriched by the living world that we are striving to sustain†. (Levitt 3) Here is one more evidence on how outstanding were the Thoreau’s works and what a great impact they made and still do. In ‘Walden’ he included a famous aphorism that â€Å"in wilderness is the preservation of the world†. Thoreau kindled the Wilderness Religion that found fertile ground in America and provided a spiritual basis for conservation. In ‘The Main Woods’ (1864) Thoreau called for the establishment of national forest preserves, helping to set the stage for the National Park movement. (Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature 6) Despite of the fact that Walden is considered by some critics a failed experiment, the issues raised in the book are still of current importance. As 21st-century people, for instance, we suffer of consumerism and globalization, with their negative ethical aspects. Thoreau’s prophetic awareness of them is amazing, they are as relevant now, as they used to be in his century. He rejects consumerism, its adverse effect on society with its status stratification, and still teaches us lessons vital for our survival and progress. Another kind of ideas Thoreau often promoted in his works are related to anarchism and civil disobedience. Thus, let us shift our attention to this theme of Thoreau’s writings and discuss how those fit in the American viewpoint of the 21st century. In his disobedience to the American low of his times he was as prominent as in his attempts to bring humanity closer to the nature. He certainly was a key figure in the American radicalism. Disobedience was the main point in his endeavors to justifÃ'Æ' morÐ °l anÐ °rchism and to encourage each individual to act on the basis of their personal judgments, their personal opinion about the very justice rather than civil regulations. Unfortunately, Thoreau offers nothing instead and relies of his personal sÐ µnse of justice, which is univÐ µrsal. Here is the historical background of the essay. â€Å"’Civil Disobedience’ is an analysis of the individual’s relationship to the state that focuses on why men obey governmental law even when they believe it to be unjust. But ‘Civil Disobedience’ is not an essay of abstract theory. It is Thoreau’s extremely personal response to being imprisoned for breaking the law. † Because he opposed slavery and because tax revenues contributed to the support of it, Thoreau decided to become a tax rebel. He was arrested and imprisoned. It was short as a one night but has had enduring effect through the writing of ‘Civil Disobedience’ which has exerted its powerful force over time. (McElroy 2) In accordance with Thoreau’s ideals, the government of his days was far from perfection due to Mexican-American war and slavery expanded in the US. Therefore, the essay was written as anti-slavery and anti-war protest soon after the war’s beginning. Thoreau later wrote about governmental justice. â€Å"If it is of such a nature that requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop he machine†¦ Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also prison†. (Thoreau 259) In the essay the author urges American citizens to show their disagreement to government by passive disobedience without acts of violence. Such form of protest was later used by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King who initiated movements for social changes. Thoreau was emphasizing the importance of acting upon the person’s ethical and moral beliefs. According to Thoreau, â€Å"unjust law exists: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? † This urge to disobedience is in tune with the message of ‘Walden’. Those who are not satisfied with the society should not obey its norms, and neither wait until the norms are changed, nor until the majority joins them, but live according to their own believes. Personal values should be compared to the ones of the contemporary society, and unless they comply, stick the voice of conscience. Thoreau also said that â€Å"it costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the state, than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case. † (Thoreau 258) In fact, many of the issues pinpointed by Thoreau 150 years ago have not yet been overcome by the American society, and that strikes the most. He hated its slavish materialism as well as commercialism and believed that â€Å"the state should never rank above the individual conscience or the business of living. But if the state demands a person’s first allegiance by asking him to violate his conscience and participate in an injustice, the person should disobey – not through violence but by removing his cooperation. † (McElroy 3) Thoreau foresaw many issues typical to the modern American society. Over 150 years ago he predicted the crisis, spiritual and moral, that now corrodes it. The writer still begs us to slow down our hectic lives, to review our values, and to live in harmony with our consciences. He repeatedly talks about the possibility to establish a society where the justice is appreciated and the beauty of the nature is preserved.

Was Prince Hamlet Mentally Ill?

Was Prince Hamlet Mentally Ill? Does Prince Hamlet, protagonist of the tragedy of the same name, demonstrate to have some kind of mental illness, most precisely bipolar disorder? Was he faking his madness? During the centuries, since 1601, when the Bard of Avon wrote The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, scholars and professors, and not only them, asked themselves why Hamlet was behaving like this, changing his behaviour from Act to Act, from scene to scene. Before the modern discoveries in psychiatry, he would have been said to be suffering from intellectual melancholy due to an excess of black bile.[1] Now, not even having read Freud, a person can identify Hamlet as bipolar. What is bipolarity? Bipolarity is a mental disorder and causes mood swings, severe depression, extreme feelings and confusion.[2] Bipolarity can be a consequence of a traumatic stressing situation, detail that correspond to Hamlets story. Before analyzing different cases, the first thing to do should be observing the character: he is a twenty-year-old college student who is not allowed to return to school, the only place where he can truly feel himself; his father was murdered not even one month before his mother remarried with his uncle, his fathers brother; overcome by grief, he shows signs of depression and to make his life worse he is in an on-and-off relationship with this girl, Ophelia, daughter of Polonius, chief counsellor to the king. All these details suggest a positive answer to the proposed question. Since Gertrudes marriage, Hamlet is continuously told not to be sad and get over King Hamlets death: How is it that the clouds still hang on you? (Act I, Scene II, 65) and Good Hamlet, cast thy knighted colour off, (Act I, Scene II, 67). His mother is speaking these words, adding also to change his clothes, too dark for days of joy. Hamlet answers (Act I, Scene II, 77-86) telling her that wearing nice clothes is not a stressful worry: he is declaring his depression, and with it the will to commit suicide forced breath (Act I, Scene II, 79) and the fact that he has no more control on his dejection. This is one of many times Hamlet thinks of killing himself; after less than fifty verses later, he prays that his flesh would melt into dew and he is angry for the fact that God is contrary to self-slaughter (Act I, Scene II, 129-133). Hamlet is hesitant of putting an end to his life because he fears that in the afterlife he could suffer more. Indecision and doubt are qualities of a bipo lar person. Throughout the play, Hamlets mood changes happen within a matter of seconds. One minute he is complaining about his mothers adulterous behavior, the next he is so happy to see his friend Horatio. His actions are no more clear headed. In Act I, Scene IV, Hamlet follows his presumed fathers ghost, thoughtless movement according to the belief in his time that the apparition of a ghost could have condemned his soul. Horatio is troubled and tries in vain to stop him: Hamlet responds, Why, what should be the fear?/ I do not set my life at a pins fee; (Act I, Scene IV, 45-47); he considers his life less worth than a pin. He doesnt care of the consequences: he shows lack of judgement and excessive self-esteem, all symptoms of a manic depression. At a one point of the play, in Act III, his bipolarity reaches its climax: if a person has read Hamlets letters to Ophelia, he or she understood that he has deep feelings for her To the celestial, and my souls idol, the most beautified Ophelia-/ But never doubt I love. (Act II, Scene II, 111,114). But after his most famous soliloquy To be or not to be, he attacks every certainty she has about him: Get thee to a nunnery. tells her Hamlet, Why, wouldst thou be a breeder of/ sinners? (Act III, Scene I, 122-123). He speaks with abnormal and extreme cruelty; his words are vicious and lewd, suggesting that Ophelia is a whore (nowadays, people would use the term brothel instead of nunnery). At this time, the skeptics, suggesting the argument that Hamlets insanity was fake and everything was a plan to avenge his father, are without evidence: Hamlets brutality against the only delicate personality in the Danish court has been useless; his plans did not advance by turning Ophelia into madness . Hamlet is mad, faking mad and going mad. His madness is devouring his soul: he is depressed, irritable, confused, excessively angry with everyone, but excessively happy for trifles, he has suicidal thoughts and he sets unreachable goals, even though at times he is brilliant. Many people could say that Hamlet is simply mad, but, having documented all this variety of symptoms, in my opinion one can conclude that Hamlet was suffering from a bipolar disorder. BIBLIOGRAPHY Antonia. Fall 2015 Shakespeare I: Team 4. Fall 2015 Shakespeare I Team 4. N.p., 7 Dec. 2015. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. . Hamlet. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. . Labourin, Maddison. Investing Depression in the Character of Hamlet. Prezi.com. N.p., 27 Nov. 2014. Web. 9 Feb. 2017. . Marraccini, Christina. Hamlets Modern Day Diagnosis. Christina Marraccini, 3 July 2009. Web. 6 Feb. 2017. . McManamy, John. Hamlets BattlesWith Depression and Mania. Hamlets BattlesWith Depression and Mania Mania and Manic Episodes Bipolar. N.p., 22 Feb. 2007. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. . Mental Disorder. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017. . [1] Christina Marraccini, Hamlets Modern Day Diagnosis (Christina Marraccini), 3 July 2009 [2] Wikimedia Foundation, Mental disorder (Wikipedia) Alfred Lord Tennyson: An Analysis Alfred Lord Tennyson: An Analysis Discuss death and immorality in the poetry of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Tennyson was a prolific poet, his poetry ranged from being relatively joyful to upon investigation and scrutiny very nihilist and pessimistic in tone, the subjects he wrote on were not lacking in variety. Prominent themes in his poetry were both death and immorality. One of his most prominent and well known poems that falls into both these categories was memorandum soul; this poem entered thought into the notion of the a meditation on the journey of one persons life, Tennyson wrote this meditation about his deceased friend Arthur Henry Hennelson. Whether it be the inspiration or a source of a caveat the death of this person leaves behind was something Tennyson chose to discover through his poetry. The poem also deals with the journey one faces upon death and how the individual chooses to deal with it. Using metaphor to represent different paths through life. Its very lengthy; lasting dozens of stanzas, each one it could be said metaphorically representing a different chapter in his f riends life alongside being a vessel of expression of the evolving times of the Victorian period of which the poem was written during. Tennyson’s poetry can be tied into the fool’s gold theory when burying treasure in the past old miners used to leave a small amount of gold buried above their true treasure trove so that in the case of someone uncovering its location they’ll only dig to the extent of finding the first smaller parcel of gold believing it to be the full and complete package. We can apply the same frame of thinking around Tennyson’s modus operandi of his poetry; did he intend for only those who put in the effort of reading and contemplating his works to get the full message of them. While those who only glance over his work will receive their just reward of a fool’s gold, or in other words a message fit for someone who can’t comprehend let alone handle the truth. An example of this can be seen in his poem â€Å"After-Thought† In this poem, at first glance if we look at things as they are plainly laid out we might think Tennyson is portraying the passing o f someone and the inherent motions one goes through when someone dies I thought of Thee, my partner and my guide, As being past away. -Vain sympathies!. However when we read further into the poem we can see that Tennyson develops his poem into an investigation into a perception of the human condition, how one deals with their mortality and inherent unavoidable death To live, and act, and serve the future hour; And if, as toward the silent tomb we go, Through love, through hope, and faiths transcendent dower, We feel that we are greater than we know. Tennyson portrays that the average person deludes themselves into thinking that theyre important when he realises that in reality this harsh world wont even bat an eyelid if an individual were to die. As time passes by in Tennysons life he changes as a human being, and feels the pain of this change; the ever-present personal evolution of his mindset and persona as a poet is intensified by his inclination toward increasing darkness, immorality and depravity in his poetry, a key example of this can be seen throughout In Memorandum; the poem took many years for Tennyson to create which portrays his modus operandi and how it evolved over a long period of time, from the prologue of the poem; the quote Forgive my grief for one removed,Thy creature, whom I found so fair. I trust he lives in thee, and thereI find him worthier to be loved. while still relatively un-colourful and when contrasted to other poets of the era may be considered dark, it contrasts lightly to the progressive stanzas in Tennysons poem. For instance nearing the end of the poem the quote O life as futile, then, as frail!O for thy voice to soothe and bless!What hope of answer, or redress?Behind the veil, behind the vei l. portrays a very strong sense of hopelessness or inevitability of loss of control in life that Tennyson may have feared realising how ugly life can turn upon the death of his friend . We can see this sentiment present throughout In Memorandum â€Å"Who trusted God was love indeed , And love Creation’s final law- Tho’ Nature, red in tooth and claw, With ravine, shriek’d against his creed†. Through the examination of both religion and mourning for his dead friend the poet aims to attain a more rounded comprehension of the destruction his friends death lead to and how he through writing the lengthy poem attempts to come to terms with it. From these various points we can conclude that throughout his life and his work Tennyson never stopped developing and growing as a person and inherently as a writer, his moods and temperament may have progressed toward a more downbeat variant as time went on but his commitment to his craft of poetry never wavered and it was his unwavering commitment that has propagated Tennyson to the levels of understanding he reached while he was still writing and also to his legacy as one of the finest poet’s to have lived which lasts to this day. Bibliography Josef L. Altholz The Mind and Art of Victorian England. Victorian Web. Retrieved 6 November 2007. Tennysons Poetry, Alfred Tennyson,Robert W. Hill Jr. new york W. W. Norton Company1999 print Tennyson: In Memoriamby Susan Shatto; Marion ShawReview by:Edgar F. Shannon, Jr. Modern Philology, Vol. 82, No. 2 (Nov., 1984) , pp. 214-216 tennysons poetry Tennysons In Memoriam 74.By: Fontana, Ernest, Explicator, 00144940, Spring92, Vol. 50, Issue 3 this thought process a blow-away paper the rain had brought to rest. cited again as the line The news of a day Ive forgotten If I ever read it portrays.Despite contemplation we cant truly know where our choices may have led us if we chose a different road, A patch of old snow portrays this notion brooding over what could have been but also p

PHOTOSHOP LAB REPORT :: essays research papers

1.) Objective of the lab:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The objective of this lab was to make a halftone negative of a small clipart. 2.) Facilities, supplies and equipment used:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We did this in the photo lab and in the dark room. To complete this lab we needed to have a working knowledge of the camera, developer, fix and a loop. 3.) Techniques employed:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To make film of a clipart several steps must be taken. First is to turn the copy board to be parallel to the floor. Then the glass front must be unlocked and lifted. The art is then placed in the center of the board next to a gray scale. After shutting and locking the glass front the copy board is then turned to be upright facing the shutter of the camera. The aperture should be set at an F-stop of 22 at %100. The next step takes place in the dark room on the other side of the process camera. You must position the transparent plate to be locked in front of the shutter. You then press the test button or switch to check the alignment of the art on the copy board. When aligned you open the transparent plate and use the vacuum to hold the film in position on the solid plate. You then close the solid plate and press the button that controls the timer for the shutter. This exposes the film to the light from the clipart and the gray scale. When the shutter closes you rem ove the film by turning off the vacuum. Then place the film in the developer until you can see the level 4 on the gray scale. This is the desired development of the film. When there you place the film in the stop solution. After a minute or so in there you place the film in the fix. This removes all the remaining silver from the film.

Macbeth essay :: essays research papers

A Character in Her Own Right   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Behind all the great men of Shakespeare, there is a women close behind, who is often over looked. These women are just as crucial of a character as the men they follow. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth is a mere tool, there to carry out orders for his wife, both of whom desire nothing more than to rule. Together they will do anything, including murder, achieve their goal. Lady Macbeth proves to be a tragic figure and possess every capability that a man is able to. Although female, Lady Macbeth has proven herself as a central influence to the plot of the story, her strong, individualistic ways and ruthless plans prove to be the rise and downfall of her husbands reign as king and death, as well as her own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the reader is first introduced to Lady Macbeth in acts one and two, they receive some insight into who she is and what she stands for. Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband and learns of his desire to be king and to what lengths he claims he will go to achieve it. In her response, the presence of a realistic mind set is obvious. She frankly tells her husband that he can not be a good man while taking what is not his. She gets straight to the point and uses other tactics of persuasion to make sure her point is clear. â€Å"Hie thee hither. / That I may pour my spirits in thine ear/ And chastise with the valor of my tongue/ All that impedes thee from the golden round† (I.iiiii.24-27). Here she is using her sexual hold over Macbeth to further her power over him and get her own way. Lady Macbeth also proves to be truly ruthless as she wishes herself a man filled with cruelty and thick blood so she will not feel any remorse. She also speaks of bashing babies against the wall and wishing for night so that her knife can not see what is does and heaven can not tell her to stop. Lady Macbeth will not let her husband back out of the plot and clearly has thought of everything so the murder goes just the way she wants. She does everything except the actual deed. Lady Macbeth states to her husband, â€Å"My hands are of your color, but I shame/ To wear a heart so white† (II.

Faulkner’s Forefathers in the Film, William Faulkner: A Life on Paper

The role of fathers looms large in this Faulkner documentary. In terms of strictly male lineage, William Faulkner seems trapped in this sort of grey world between being his own man and the fact that he was so much like his male ancestors. I imagine this is true of all individuals, struggling to make our way between ourselves as individuals and as shaped by our contexts. In Faulkner's case, however, he seems conspicuously geared towards adopting those traits first shown by his ancestors, the same arrogance, a "haughty pride,"and a tradition to "look for a fight." At the risk of psychoanalyzing far beyond my knowledge, what seemed interesting to me is how the collective Faulkner males seem content to rest on the laurels of their forefathers. Faulkner's father, for example, dreams of inheriting his father's fortune rather than making his own. Faulkner himself loafed through numerous jobs, perhaps only waiting for the colonel's writing abilities to be channeled through Faulkner's own ski lls and establish him as a writer. The dynamics of such behavior puzzle me. Is this some sort of inher...

Bowen Family Systems

Bowen Family System Theory Introduction In doing my studies on family/systemic counselling, I found Bowen’s theory intriguing. In my work and everyday life, I witness triangulation on a daily basis, from my own experience, without the awareness from this module, I was often entwined in triangulation. As a trainee therapist I decided to write my paper on Bowenian Therapy in order to gain a better understanding and develop my awareness. Murray Bowen, M. D. (31 January 1913 – 9 October 1990) was an American psychiatrist and a professor in Psychiatry at the Georgetown University. Bowen was among the pioneers of family therapy and founders of systemic therapy. â€Å"The family systems theory is a theory introduced by Dr. Murray Bowen that suggests that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their family, as the family is an emotional unit. Families are systems of interconnected and interdependent individuals, none of whom can be understood in isolation from the system† (Genopro. com 18/11/2010) Bowen’s interest in family began as he was practicing as a psychiatrist in the 1940s. He focused on schizophrenic patient’s emotional relationships with their mothers. Others have called it a symbiosis relationship, but for him it was only an exaggerated natural process of emotional relationship. In 1954 he started to hospitalize the entire family of the sick (schizophrenic) person. He found out that the entire family suffered with the sick person emotionally. He also studied the relationship between mother-child symbioses. This involved a certain repetitive pattern, where he observed alternating patterns of closeness and distance. They portrayed sensitive emotional tensions caused by separation anxiety and incorporation anxiety. In 1959 he started working with families with less severe problems. Surprisingly these families displayed the same problems as the disturbed families. He concluded that there is no discontinuity between the normal and disturbed families but vary along a continuum line of emotional fusion to differentiation. Bowen was one of the first to realize that the history of our family creates a template which shapes the values, thoughts, and experiences of each generation, as well as how that generation passes down these things to the next generation. Bowen's theory focuses on the balance of two forces – togetherness and – individuality. Too much togetherness can prevent individuality, or developing one's own sense of self whereas too much individuality results in a distant and estranged family. The theory looks at the family as a system and describes the complex interactions that exist in any one unit. The way members of a family are connected and the way they react to one another makes the functioning of family members interdependent. According to the theory, mental illness happens as a result of emotional fusion. This can happen when there is an increase in the level of emotions and anxiety in the family. Bowen introduced eight interlocking concepts to explain family development and functioning. Below I will provide an overview of each concept. Differentiation of Self The first concept is Differentiation of Self, or the ability to separate feelings and thoughts. Undifferentiated people can not separate feelings and thoughts; They have difficulty thinking logically because when asked to think they are flooded with feelings, so this makes It difficult for them to base their responses on their own logical thinking. They also have difficulty differentiating between their feelings and the feelings of others. They look to their family to define how they think about issues, feel about people, and interpret their experiences. Differentiation is the process of freeing yourself from your family's processes to define yourself so you can have different opinions and values than your family members, but are still capable of staying emotionally connected to them. It means being able to calmly reflect on a conflicted interaction afterward, realising your wn role in it, and then choosing a different response for the future. Triangles Triangles are the basic units of systems. They balance between closeness and distance. The third person or party brings unity and creates continuity in warring situation. The triangle brings stressed person into a manageable level of operation. This involves true listening and gives a true advice for a better solution. In it virtually all relationships are shadowed by third part ies. For example when a couple have an argument, afterwards, one of the partners may call their friend to talk about the fight. The third person helps them reduce their anxiety and take action, or calm their strong emotions and reflect, and make decision. People who are more undifferentiated are likely to triangulate others and be triangulated whereas people who are differentiated cope well with life and relationship stress, and as a result are less likely to triangulate others or be triangulated. The Nuclear Family Emotional Process These are the emotional patterns in a family that continue over generations. This involves a modeling scenario where a family member models and imitates the behaviour and even the language of his or her parents. For example, a parent who teaches his or her children to be happy when things are ok and sad when things are bad shapes the future thinking of those children. Here the parent passes on an emotional view of the world (the emotional process), which is taught throughout generation from parent to a child, in a nuclear family. Reactions to this process can range from open conflict, to physical or emotional problems in one family member, to reactive distancing. This will bring problems with family members like substance abuse, mental illness and irresponsibility. The Multigenerational Transmission Process This process entails the way family emotional processes are transferred and maintained over generations. This captures how the whole family joins in The Family Projection Process, for example, by reinforcing the beliefs of the family. As the family continues this pattern over generations, they also refer back to previous generations (â€Å"He's just like his Uncle – he was always irresponsible too† or â€Å"She's just like your cousin Mary – she was divorced four times. â€Å"). Sibling Position Bowen believed In sibling order and that each child had a place in the family hierarchy. He believed that the oldest sibling was more likely to be seen as overly responsible and mature whilst the youngest as overly irresponsible and immature. Emotional Cut-off Emotional cut-off refers to the techniques people use to reduce anxiety from their unresolved emotional issues with parents, siblings, and other members from the family of origin. Some people seek distance either by moving away physically or emotionally using silence, diversion or avoidance of difficult and hurtful topics. To avoid sensitive issues, they may move away from their families and refuse to go home regularly. This strategy may work in the short term to reduce immediate anxiety but over time, the deeper, unresolved problems are toxic towards other relationships. An open relationship is the opposite of emotional cut-off. It is the best way to reduce a family's over-all anxiety. Continued low anxiety permits family members who would like to, to begin the slow steps to better differentiation. Bowen wrote, â€Å"It might be difficult for a family with severe cut-offs to begin more emotional contact with the extended family, but any effort toward reducing the cut-off with the extended family will soften the intensity of the family problem, reduce the symptoms, and make any kind of therapy far more productive. Societal Emotional Processes The concept of societal emotional process describes how the emotional system governs behaviour on a societal level, promoting both progressive and regressive periods in a society. Cultural forces are important in how a society functions but are insufficient for explaining the rise and fall in how well societies adapt to the challenges that face them. The society’s attitudes towards for example different r aces, classes, genders and sexual orientation, have definite effects on the family. In many ways, this is like the Family Projection Process scaled up to the level of a society as a whole. The way a family deals with prejudice, discrimination and persecution is instinctively passed on to their children so that they can survive in their unique environment. The coping practices of the parents and extended family may lead to more or less adaptive emotional health for the family and its members. Normal Family Development According to Bowen, all families lie along a continuum. Bowen believed that all families lie on a spectrum or continuum and that it is difficult to try to classify families into types. If circumstances change, one type of family could change and become another type of family. For this reason, Bowen is credited with being one of the first culturally sensitive family therapists. A normal, adjusted family will have tensions and anxieties but will be balanced in terms of their togetherness and differentiation. A normal family will have good emotional balance and recognise that some problems are external and others come from the individual. There are connections between the different generations in the family and also to the extended family. The transitions for example from adolescence to adulthood are smooth and supported by the wider family. Past pains and joys are shared. Bowen says no matter how we transform and forget the past, these memories of our relationship, still stay alive in us. The danger is the way our former family attachment will shape our new family. At various times difficulties in different relationships, sometimes called dyads, are resolved without drawing in others into their difficulties. The ability to tolerate and support family members with different views supports differentiation and is a sign of a healthy family. Awareness of external societal influences as well as the unique family influences helps a family to become well adjusted. During times of grief and loneliness for example, family members give space and allow the person opportunity to grow. A positive emotional atmosphere with a belief in the virtues of family builds normal family development. Finally, when family members depend on each ther for feedback and support rather than in co-dependent ways, the family develops healthily. Family Disorders Bowen believed that family problems result from emotional fusion, or from an increase in the level of anxiety in the family. He believed that the member with â€Å"the symptom† is the least differentiated member of the family, and is the one who has the least ability to resist the pull to become fused with another member. This person absorbs the anxiety an d worries of the whole family and has the least ability to separate their own thoughts and feelings from those of their family. Families face two kinds of problems. Vertical problems are â€Å"passed down† from one generation to the next. Thus, adults who had cold and distant relationships with their parents do not know how to have warm and close relationships with their children, and so pass down their own problems to their children. Horizontal problems are caused by environmental stressors or transition points in the family development. This may result from traumas such as a chronic illness, the loss of the family home, or the death of a family member. However, horizontal stress may also result from Social Emotional Processes, such as when a minority family moves from a like-minority neighbourhood to a very different neighbourhood, or when a family with traditional gender roles immigrates to a culture with very different views, and must raise their children there. The worst case for the family is when vertical and horizontal problems happen at once. Goals of Therapy Bowen’s therapy was not aimed at changing people or solving problems, it was basically geared towards: †¢ Helping families to inquire and explore their own roles in family problems Making them assume responsibility for their own problems†¢ People learning more about themselves and their relationships †¢ Decreasing emotional reactivity†¢ Improving self-focus †¢ Modifying dysfunctional patterns †¢ Evaluating progress of the family in terms of how they function now, as well as how adaptive they can be to future changes In general, the t herapist accomplishes this by giving less attention to specific problem they present with, and more attention to family patterns of emotions and relationships, as well as family structures of dyads and triangles. Techniques that are most prominent in the practice of Bowenian family systems therapy. Genogram: Bowen used what he termed a â€Å"family diagram† to collect and organise important data concerning the multigenerational family systems. In 1972 Guerin renamed the family diagram the â€Å"genogram. † The main function of the genogram is to organise data during the evaluation phase and to track relationship processes and key triangles over the course of therapy. In the process of assessment, the following are noted: the history of the presenting problems, exact dates are noted, history of the nuclear family, when the parents met, their courtship, their marriage, child rearing, where the family lived especially in relation to the location of the extended family, history of both spouses birth, sibling positions, facts about childhood, past and current functioning with parents The Therapy Triangle: This technique is based on the theoretical assumption that conflictual relationship processes within the family have activated key-symptom-related triangles in an attempt to re-establish stability; and the family will automatically attempt to include the therapist in the triangling process. If they succeed, therapy will be stalemated. On the other hand, if the therapist can remain free of reactive emotional entanglements, in other words, stay detriangled ,the family system and its members will calm down to the point where they can begin to work out s olutions to their dilemmas. Relationship Experiments: Relationship experiments are carried out around structural altercations in key triangles. The goal is to help the family members become aware of systems processes and learn to recognise their role in them. Thomas F. Fogarty developed experiments for use with emotional pursuers and distancers (lartin-drake. com 28/12/2010). Pursuers are encouraged to restrain their pursuit, stop making demands, and decrease pressure for emotional connection and see what happens in themselves and in the relationship. The exercise isn’t designed to be a magic cure, as some people have hoped, but to help clarify the emotional processes involved. Distancers are encouraged to move toward the other person and communicate personal thoughts and feelings, in other words, to find an alternative to either avoiding or capitulating to the others’ demands. Coaching: Coaching is the Bowenian alternative to the more emotionally involved role common to most other forms of therapy. By acting as a coach, the Bowenian therapist hopes to avoid taking over for patients or becoming embroiled in family triangles. The goal is increased understanding, increased self-focus, and more functional attachment to key family members. The I-Position: Taking a personal stand, saying what you feel, instead of what others are â€Å"doing†, is one of the most direct ways to break cycles of emotional reactivity. Bowenian therapists not only encourage clients to take I-Position, they also do so themselves. Another assumption in Bowenian therapy is that confrontation increases anxiety and decreases the ability to think clearly and see options. Therefore, displacing the focus, making it less personal and less threatening, is an excellent way to increase objectivity. This forms the basis for two related techniques, multiple family therapy and displacement stories. Conclusion In conclusion I believe that Bowen developed a comprehensive theory of family therapy which inspired generations. His theory describes how the family shapes the interplay of individuality and togetherness using six interlocking concepts which are: differentiation of self, triangles, nuclear family emotional process, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process and sibling position. In 1970 Bowen added two additional concepts: emotional cut-off and societal emotional process. Bowenian therapy is a process of active inquiry in which the therapist helps family members get past blaming and fault finding in order to face their own roles in family problems. The goals of Bowenian therapy are not to change people or to solve their problems. Instead they see therapy as an opportunity for people to learn more about themselves and their relationships so that they can assume responsibility for their own problems. Contents Introduction Differentiation of Self The Nuclear Family Emotional Process Triangles The Multigenerational Transmission Process Sibling Position Emotional Cut-off Societal Emotional Processes Normal Family Development Family Disorders Goals of Therapy Conclusion Bibliography Bibliography http://www. abacon. com/famtherapy/bowen. html (14/12/2010) http://www. anzjft. om/pages/articles/78. pdf (14/12/2010) http://www. bukisa. com/articles/293438_what-is-the-concept-of-bowen-family-therapyixzz14iOkMQpM (16/12/2010) http://www. genopro. com/genogram/fam ily-systems-theory/ (22/10/2010) http://www. houd. info/bowenTheory. pdf (22/10/2010) http://www. lartin-drake. com/distancer. pdf (22/10/2010) Bibliography http://www. abacon. com/famtherapy/bowen. html http://www. psychpage. com/learning/library/counseling/bowen. html http://www. bukisa. com/articles/293438_what-is-the-concept-of-bowen-family-therapy http://www. thebowencenter. org/ http://homepages. wmich. edu/~macdonal/SW 6680. 05/Friedman. Bow†¦ Contents Introduction

Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You… Essay

As a president of a biggest country of the world, we can see that our president is skillful speaker. He is the one of greatest american speakers. One of his famous speech is † Ask not what your country can do for you† when he is in his inaugural address. President Kennedy have used many of the tools in rhetorical or presuasive writing. He has full knowleged with Aristotle three areas of rhetorical such as: Ethos, Pathos and Logos. JFK also uses repetition to persuade the American people. He begins several sections in the middle of his speech with the same phrase, â€Å"Let both sides. . .† then uses very strong verbs to call the public to action such as â€Å"explore,† â€Å"formulate,† â€Å"seek,† and â€Å"unite.† Kennedy also uses the literary tool, the metaphor, â€Å"The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world.† We cannot literally light the world on fire, but he means that we can influence the world as an incendiary nation. Perhaps the most famous sentence is immediately following that metaphor. It is a sentence, that was delivered with great enthusiasm, as illustrated by the fervor behind JFK’s delivery, â€Å"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.(americanrhetoric.com)† This play on words is one of the most remembered phrases of all time. Why? Because JFK delivers it with rhythm and charisma.

Hunting skills Essay

Without hunting we would all be dead. Our ancestors needed to hunt for food and clothing. Hunting is very important to our human history. Today hunting is not as significant to some people, the populaces who hunt these days hunt for food or they hunt for a hobby. To hunt successfully, you need patience, the equipment and skill. Patience is one of the key ingredients to a good hunt. One of the hardest things to do for me is being patience because half of the time you are sitting (or standing) in one spot looking for the animal and if you see the animal you got to debate whether you want it or to look for a better animal. If it is not in a good position you got to wait for it to move to get a good shot. Having patience is one of the best things to have when hunting. Having the right equipment when hunting is like going to school with a pencil it is common sense. The weapon is the most important so you can get the animal, but you need different weapons for different animals like 22. is good for hunting grouse, not for hunting a moose. Clothing is second; you do not want to go hunting in a T-shirt and jeans there is clothing made just for hunting. The right gear is vital to a successfully hunt. Skill is everything you need to be a great hunter. First a skilled hunter would know how to find the animal, where it lives. Second you need to be a good shot because you do not want to miss the animal then it would get scared and run away. Also you do not want to shot the animal more than once because the meat would get ruined. Skill is all you need to have a good hunt. Hunting is a way of life and a hobby to some. People have been hunting throughout the ages and are still hunting today.

In the Name of Identity Summary

In Amin Maalouf’s book â€Å"In the Name of Identity† Maalouf emphasizes that we should not judge people on one singular identity. He argues that, â€Å"Identity can’t be compartmentalized. You can’t divide it up into halves or thirds or any other separate segments. I haven’t got several identities: I’ve got just one, made up of many components in mixture that is unique to me, just as other people’s identity is unique to them as individuals. † The essence of Maalouf’s argument is that one should not define another based solely on a singular component of their identity but rather their identity as a whole.In chapter one, Maalouf suggest that, â€Å"†¦ People commit crime nowadays in the name of religious, ethnic, national, or some other kind of identity. † Massacres, racial discrimination, and holocausts have all been done in the name of defending a single component of ones identity. Maalouf makes a valid point when he writes, â€Å"What’s known as an identity card carries the holder’s family name, given name, date and place of birth, photograph, a list of certain physical features, the holder’s signature and sometimes also his fingerprints. Proving that society as a whole selects individual components of their identity to define themselves. According to Maalouf, identity is defined as,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦A number of elements, and these are clearly not restricted to the particulars set down in official records. Of course, for the great majority these factors include allegiance to a religious tradition; to a nationality – sometimes two; to a profession, an institution, or a particular social milieu. But the list is much longer than that; it is virtually unlimited. † Maalouf celebrates the fact that identity is extremely complex.Each person has a single identity, although each identity is made up of many components, causing not one to be the same. In chapter two Maalouf tries to examine his own identity. Maalouf claims he is not trying to find one singular part of his identity to define himself but rather find instances that define him. Maalouf admits, â€Å"As you may imagine, my object is not to discover within myself some essential allegiance in which I may recognize my self. Rather the opposite: I scour my memory to find as many ingredients of my identity as I can. Throughout chapter two Maalouf goes into great detail about what defines him. He clearly states that it is not one component, for instance coming from an Arab background and being a Christian. He does not deny himself of either identity, but instead embraces them both. Maalouf claims that the more allegiances one has the rarer one’s identity is. He clearly states, â€Å"Every one of my allegiance links me to a large number of people, But the more ties I have the rarer and more particular my own identity becomes. Towards the end of chapter two he claimes society gene ralizes and puts individual components of ones identity and judges them based solely on that single component. Maalouf complicates matters further when he writes, â€Å"We blithely express sweeping judgments on a whole peoples, calling them â€Å"hardworking† and â€Å"ingenious,† or â€Å"lazy,† â€Å"touchy,† â€Å"sly,† â€Å"proud,† or â€Å"obstinate. † He claims that these judgments often lead to bloodshed. In chapter three maalouf states, â€Å"Identity isn’t given once and for all: it is build up and changes throughout a person’s lifetime. The essence of Maalouf’s argument is our identity changes over time and different components are added everyday, changing our identity as a whole. He gives a great example of an African baby born in New York, compared to if it was born in Lagos, Pretoria, or Launda. The child would have completely different experiences by the age of 10, and each experience would drasti cally change its identity. Maalouf also argues that people view themselves by the allegiance that is most threatened. Thus, the reason Maalouf believes killers are made.He argues that, â€Å"We have only the events of the last few years to see what any human community that feels humiliated or fears for its existence will tend to produce killers. † It his human nature to defend one’s self when feeling threatened. Maalouf agrees when he says, â€Å"There is a Mr. Hyde inside each of us. What we have to do is prevent the conditions occurring that will bring the monster forth. † In conclusion Maalouf urges us to prevent our selves from generalizing each other based on a single component of one’s identity. He argues that this will prevent wars, murders, and holocausts.

Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument - Essay Example Unpopular when first proposed and passed in 2010, the ACA has steadily gained acceptance since the Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of the law last June. The disagreement is between two opposing ideologies. One that believes health care should be a commodity much like any other, you buy as much as you can afford and if you cannot afford it then do without. The other thinks all citizens are entitled to the bare essentials of life including food, shelter, clothing and healthcare. Before the ACA passed and was a still a bill trying to survive in Congress, legislators and the American public were locked in a contentious national debate that further divided a nation already deeply separated by a conflicting concept regarding the country’s ideological direction. One side was frightened that â€Å"creeping socialism† was undermining the â€Å"American ideal.† They did not want European style governance claiming that the transformation would change the found ations of the country into something unrecognizable to them. The anti healthcare faction went as far as to use groundless scare tactics such as saying Obamacare death panels would come for grandma after she became too unhealthy to justify paying for continuing care. This and other statements just as untruthful and outrageous were not found on a radical, unknown blog posts but were spoken on the Senate steps by elected representatives in front of cameras and microphones. The battle was tough even by Washington D.C. standards but was won and subsequently preserved by the Supreme Court and the November 6 election. Despite the rumors of death panels killing dear old Grandma, the AARP and AMA along with nearly every person or organization involved with health care delivery supported the ACA and for good reason. The law already forbids health insurance companies from dropping coverage if a policy holder becomes ill and discriminating on the basis of pre-existing conditions and age. It all ows easier access for everyone, lets children age 26and under to stay on their parent’s plan, assists with long-term care and strengthens Medicare. The law also addresses preventative care. Already, insurance companies must pay for preventative services such as diabetes screenings, mammograms and immunizations at no cost to the patient and without adding to their insurance premium. By 2014, when it is fully implemented, annual and lifetime coverage limits will be a thing of the past. This means benefits will not end when they are most needed, during a serious and costly stay in the hospital. Small businesses and middle income families will receive tax credits which will guarantee all can afford healthcare (â€Å"Fact Sheet,† 2012). Opponents to health care reform seem to favor the components of the ACA but not the law as a whole. They fear the level of care will decline providing compelling evidence to back up their claim. â€Å"Fewer than 700,000 physicians would be available to treat a patient population growing in size, aging in years, shunning medical education and receiving ‘free’ health care or insurance coverage from the government in increasing numbers.† (â€Å"Doctor Shortage,†

Mao Zedong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Mao Zedong - Essay Example The fall of the dynasty rule thus resulted in the communist rule in the country (Stanlaw, P. 44). The Chinese Communist Party was a political party and revolutionary movement that was founded in 1921 as a way of unifying the people of China under one purpose and rule. In the October 1949, Mao Zedong being the leader of the communist party declared the creation of the people’s republic of china, leading to unification of all warring groups in China and uniting the people towards a common purpose following the devastation that the Chinese people had suffered following the Second World War. The period following consolidation of power by the communist party of China thus saw the country enjoying steady strides in economic and social development. Despite the brilliant and intellectual goals that Mao Zedong had for the people of China, his, which began as a liberation movement developed of more restrictive policies, the rule of the communist party became a compare to another of the dynasty rule in the country that perpetrated subjugation and human suffering. The land reform that was adopted by the communist rule in cooperated the confiscation of the land from the rich landlords who in most cases were executed by the local tribunes, these lands were thus briefly passed down to peasants some of who did not have idea about proper management of the land. Land reform adopted by the communist party is one area where the communist rule under Mao could be a compare to the dynasty rule that imposed restrictive land tenure systems (Nathan, P 63). In an attempt to consolidate his communist rule, Mao had ambitious development plans that critics term for being some of the key failures of the communist party. In an attempt to speed up economic growth, Mao based his policies on industrial development and civilization of the agricultural sector. The great leap forward policy adopted by the party called for the

Business Data Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Data Analysis - Essay Example The value of correlation coefficient is positive. Therefore it can be said that as age increases so does income. The level of dissatisfaction is significantly higher in women as compared to men. There were 14 ‘extremely dissatisfied’ responses from women as compared to only 6 from men. On the other hand the positive responses were 117 as compared to only 89 from women. However almost 21 males very a little dissatisfied as compared to only 8 from women. a. Predictors: (Constant), How many promotions, if any, have you received while working for your present employer?, How many traumatic events did you experience last year?, How many hours did you work last week, at all jobs?, How many years of school have you completed?, In your household, how many family members, including yourself, were employed last year?, Age, Your pre-tax income last year ($000), Total family pre-tax income last year ($000), Since you were 16 years old, about how many years have you worked for full-time pay? The age of employees at the company varies between 69 and 18. This is a very large level of diversity. This diversity can be help in creating creativity but also can be a tough task to manage such a diverse workforce. The major workforce has their age in the mid thirties. The age of employees can affect their output. Therefore it was important to analyze the affect of employee age on different variables. The analysis revealed that as the age of employees was increases their number of hours worked were becoming less. This means that older people were working less as compared to the younger workforce. This can be due to the higher posts of senior employees and managerial roles. The increase in pretax income with an increase in age also supports this theory. As the employees get older they become senior and therefore have a better pay scale and have to put in fewer hours. The age however was totally unrelated to union membership. Therefore we can that there was an

EU Official Control of Foodstuffs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

EU Official Control of Foodstuffs - Assignment Example In this regard, the European community has laid down the regulation on the official foodstuff control system Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 on 2004, in order to ensure the objective of food safety and adopt requisite measures. These regulatory guidelines are implemented in order to overcome the drawbacks associated with the previous legislation to ensure the control in food management approaches and design common national control systems for the European zone (2Europa, 2010; EUE-Lex, 2004). Correspondingly, this study intends to address the topic related to official foodstuff controls system with a special focus on Poland. Poland is one of the rapidly growing economies, wherein it is observed that the foodstuff sector play a critical role to maximise the growth of the nation. In accordance, the report will summarise the aspects related to meat inspections abattoirs, food products, border Inspection, food emergencies and the role of government in it. Poland is one of the fastest developing nations of the EU with a population of around 38 million and a GNI of around $ 13,080 per capita. The nation is termed as one of the largest economies, located in Central Europe (The World Bank Group, 2014). The national strategic plan of Poland has been working with the motive to improve the competitive position of food industry by implementing various preventive methods in its food chain. Due alignment has also been focused by the food management authority in the EU with the already enacted regulations in the food market (International Finance Corporation, 2010). The Republic of Poland is an organisational structure incorporated of a central level, which has 16 regions, 379 districts and 2478 municipalities. The central level of the nation is equipped with the overall responsibility and authority to control animal health and their welfare, agricultural food safety and safety measures through the various channels of food supply in these nations. Both the

Communication Barriers of Intercultural Communication Essay

Communication Barriers of Intercultural Communication - Essay Example Having worked with Filipinos for the first time, I thought it rude to be returned with raised eyebrows when greeting them. It turned out that it is their way of greeting people silently in their home country. It is also necessary to interact with international clients and communication barriers can arise due to accent, gestures, and manner of doing businesses. Thus, it is important to have communication between workmates in order to get to know each other better and become familiar with each other's culture habits as this prevents from misinterpreting gestures and words. Besides this, learning to observe and respect the cultures can minimize conflict. Organizing events that will promote interaction can help improve the barriers that arise from cultures. Likewise, talking to clients will give us hints about their characters and habits. In addition, attending courses on intercultural communication is also useful in expanding knowledge on this issue.

Gun Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Gun Control - Research Paper Example Crime rates have gone up drastically due to easy access to all manner of handguns, rifles, and automatic weapons. California has recorded a drastic increase in drug-related crimes, robberies, and rape in the past years due to gun possession. Moreover, gun owners feel they have the right to threaten, control, and mishandle other citizens using their weapons. Thus, is it necessary to illegalize possession of guns in California because they cause unnecessary deaths, more crimes and lawlessness, and increased violence in the society. Misuse of weapons leads to 50% of gun related incidences in the form of crimes and gun related lawlessness. In 2009, robbers, burglars, rapists, and drug criminals had easy access to weapons, leading to gang violence, intimidation, breaking of laws, and controlling the other people (Editorial 3). Citizens lived in fear due to rowdy criminals who can access handguns easily and threaten people’s lives. Massive access to different types of handguns, automatic rifles, and machine guns, has made it hard for police to keep up with combating crime in the state of California. Crimes happening in homes, schools, places, of work and on the streets due to guns increased by the day before enforcement of gun laws. Moreover, some gun owners take advantage of the situation and believe they have the right to end someone’s life, cause harm, and intimidate the person on the slightest provocation. Additionally, once guns are in circulation, they end up in the possession of wrong people w ho do not hesitate to use them on innocent citizens. Furthermore, once in possession of guns, criminals gain power over their victims and can inflict all sorts of harm including rape, and death. This power also has resulted in increased organized crimes as the criminals take advantage that they have guns to protect themselves and kill anyone against them. Nevertheless, misuse of weapons has decreased rapidly

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

- HR - Case Study Example This project report would deal with a UK based growing company, Vitamond which manufacturers a range of non alcoholic drinks which has positioned as a healthy life style. The company has decided to set up a manufacturing plant in France. Therefore the report would deal with the HR practises and policies of France as compared to UK. The HRM practises usually vary to a great extend between different nationality and it was mainly due to the changing practise of HR policies and practises due to acquisition or expansion. To a great extent, HRM penetration reflects the complex interaction between the difference in between the culture and globalization (Price, 2007, p.593). There exists a huge difference between the human resource practise in UK and that of France. The regulatory factors in UK and France differ in number on aspects. France ranks high in terms of employment protection legislation among the OECD countries. UK employers tend to face minimum legal restriction on firing of an employee and hiring of an employee. A high rate of difference exists between the two countries is in the area of employee representation and performance pay (See Appendix A). It can be seen that performance pay is 19.9% in UK whereas in France it is 72.6% (Lorenz, et.al, n.d, p.5). In UK, additional incentives from the standard pay scales are paid to the employees based on the performance of the individual, but however gender gaps still prevails in UK. However in case of France, the French are the champions for individualisations of compensation which might turn equity into key issues. France has the willingness to increase its compensation flexibility taking into consideration the important and necessary benefits. Therefore the HR professionals experience difficulty in linking the design and implementing its compensation with the structure of the organisation (ÄÅ'esynienÄâ€", 2008,

The Coming of Age in the Jewish Tradition Essay Example for Free

The Coming of Age in the Jewish Tradition Essay My Bar Mitzvah will be taking place on my 13th Birthday, 27th of January 2002. I would like to invite you to the ceremony in my local Synagogue. The ceremony is held on the first Shabbat after my birthday, this will be the 2nd of February. Shabbat starts on Friday evening at sunset and it finishes on Saturday night when the stars appear, we rest on Shabbat we devote ourselves to prayer at the Torah study, it is a family time. Bar Mitzvah means son of the commandments. I will be exactly Bar Mitzvah on the 27th as soon as I wake up. From then on I will be an adult in the Jewish community, I will take responsibility for my own actions where my Father used to, and I make a commitment to my faith. I will enter a covenant relationship with God, both as an individual and as a part of the Jewish community. When we are Bar Mitzvah we will be able to form a minyan, which is the required 10 men needed present in a Synagogue before prayers can be read. In preparation for the ceremony I will have to: Go to classes to learn to read and chant the Torah in Hebrew, what it says and why it is important. Hebrew is especially hard to learn because it is written from right to left and there are no spaces, punctuation or vowels! I will learn how to put on my tefillin and tallit. The tefillin are special boxes Jews wear when praying they contain pieces of parchment with prayers written on them. They are worn on the head and arm because the arm is close to the heart and the head is closer to my thoughts and feelings. And the tallit is a prayer robe worm during morning prayers. It is a four-cornered square of white cloth worn over the head and shoulders and has tassels called tizits, although they will not be worn at Bar Mitzvah as it is a Shabbat and they arent worn then. I have to learn what the mitzvot are and how they are to be kept. They are the 613 commandments; the 10 commandments known in Christianity are included also. I also have to learn to observe the fast says and festivals of my religion and what they mean. I learn these things because they are necessary to teach me about my religion and to make me understand its origins correctly. I learn them from my parents, not only from direct teaching but also from example, they create an environment for Jewish living for me to learn everything. During the ceremony held in the Synagogue I will recite a blessing from the Torah. My Rabbi is testing me on it. I have to practice the blessing and pass my test before I can recite it at the ceremony. I am also going to read all of the Sidra for that Shabbat, this means a portion of the Torah that would have been read at that Shabbat. My Father will recite Baruch Shepatarani. This reads: Blessed be he who has freed me from the responsibility for this child. And also, my Rabbit will then give a sermon, he speaks to me about the new obligations I will have and I will then give a speech. I have invited many people to my Bar Mitzvah, friends and family, including my little sister Marie, who is very excited, as she will be Bat Mitzvah in two years. Bat Mitzvah is the same as Bar Mitzvah except it is on her 12th birthday as girls mature earlier than boys do. It has not always been marked as a ceremony and is always sometimes on Shabbat. She will receive Jewish books and gifts and will recite a section of the Torah, as I will. Some Jews are unhappy with making any difference between the Jewish responsibilities of boys and girls. They hold Bat Mitzvah ceremony much like the boys Bar Mitzvah, usually when the girl is 13 as well. Order of the Service The service will be held in a special order, I thought you should know what will happen. * The Rabbi will read first * A relative or a friend will read (we havent decided who yet!) * Everyone recites the Shema. * The Amidah prayer is said silently by everyone * The Torah scroll is brought out of the Ark and placed on the Bimah. * A blessing is recited over it by me, I will be wearing my Tallit and Yarmulke * Then I will chant the days section from the Torah. * I might chant a section from the Prophets. * My Father says the Baruch Shepataraini. * All say prayers for the Queen of Israel, while scrolls are replaced in the Ark. * The Amidah prayer is said again. * The Kaddish prayer is said (for the recently bereaved) * The Aleynu (prayer of adoration) * Last is the Hymn of Glory The Shema is the most important Jewish prayer. The Ark is the most important part of the Synagogue; the Torah scrolls (Sefer Torah) are kept inside. They have to be read with a tool called a Yad, so the Torah is not touched with hands. After the ceremony n the Synagogue hall straight after the service there is a small celebration, tea and biscuits will be served. Later on there is a large banquet, some people think there is too much emphasis put on the banquet and that more should be put on the Synagogue ceremony, Rabbis think this especially. During the banquet I will deliver another speech to my friends and relatives. The Rabbi will choose the topic of my speech. I will receive presents off my friends and family, but the most important will be the Jewish holy books, because I will keep them forever and pray and worship off them. I hope you can come to my ceremony, I would love to see you there.