Dark Romanticism in “The Devil and Tom Walker” Essay

During the nineteen century in America, Dark Romanticism was very popular. Dark Romanticism is a literary subgenre that emerges from Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism believed that to discover truth people must see beyond the physical world, also believed that people can find God directly on nature. Dark romanticism explores the conflict between good and evil and the psychological effect of sin and guilt in the human mind. One of the famous Dark romantic writers is Washington Irving. He is well known for his short stories and his unrealistic characters and his detailed description of nature. Irving develops the characteristic themes of dark romanticism through symbolism in â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker†. Many Dark romantics writer thought that nature had a spiritual influence over people, as a mysterious being. One of the main themes of the Dark Romanticism is nature. Irving describes with detail the nature setting around the characters. In this story Irving says â€Å"The swamp was thickly grown with great gloomy pines and hemlocks, some of them ninety feet high, which made it dark at noonday and a retreat for all the owls of the neighborhood†. In this sentence he is describing the setting described as dark, decaying and mystifying. Another theme presented in this story is the presence of the devil. Irving gives the devil human qualities and describes him as a â€Å"great black man†, â€Å"neither Negro nor Indian†, with a â€Å"pair of great red eyes† and with an ax in his shoulder. The devil is said to have various names among the countries and he claims to have witness great battles and conflicts in America. Dark Romantics used images of evil in form of vampires, devils, ghosts and other human-characterized figures. In this case Irving uses the devil as a symbol of evil. Dark Romantics presents human beings as susceptible to sin. The author presents different sins in this story for exa mple, avarice. This sin was present in Tom Walker and also in his wife. In the story it said that the â€Å"husband was continually prying about to detect her secret hoards† and there were conflicts about what â€Å"ought to have been common property†. This says that the woman hid things to her husband, in order to save it from herself. Dark Romantics explore the conflict between good and evil. In this case the devil wanted to make an agreement with Walker. At first Walker refused because he knew that when devil granted favors, there was one condition: he had to be at his service. The wanted him to become a slave trader, but he refused his proposal because he was against slavery. He instead became a usurer. When Tom Walker committed sins, he went to church to feel better about it. These visits to church are a symbol used to present guilt. He tried to focus in reading the Bible, but he kept censuring his neighbors and scamming his clients. He thought that every sin his neighbors committed became a credit in his own sins. Also, Walker tried to hide his guilt in his ostentation by building a great and incomplete house, just as Captain Kidd hid his treasure between the big trees in the forest. Washington Irving uses many symbols in this story to present the themes of Dark Romanticism. The forest is a symbol of the nature, and the devil is representative of the evil influence over the human being. Walker’s house represents a place to hide guilt and Walker’s wife is a symbol of greed. â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† describes very well the themes of Dark Romanticism.

Military history Essay

You [Military professionals] must know something about strategy and tactics and logistics, but also economics and politics and diplomacy and history. You must know everything you can know about military power, and you must also understand the limits of military power. You must understand that few of the important problems of our time have in the final analysis, been solved by military power alone–John F. Kennedy (Quoted from â€Å"Winning the Peace the Requirement for Full-spectrum Operations† by Chiarelli and Michaelis (2005). Military history-just like any other form of history- can make or break you depending on how you use it. In US, for example, military battles and wars can be traced back to the 1700s when America was in the verge of attaining independence. From then onwards, there have been a series of wars-mainly in their conquest and colonization efforts. In other parts of the world, military history also faced variable evolutions that led to the utilization of different forms and strategies. All these wars can however be collectively summarized with the first and second world wars which saw direct or indirect participation of almost all countries from all over the world (Gabel, 1985, p. 1-85). It is from studying such rich history that current military professionals are able to have a relatively easy time when going about their vital schedules. These lessons can be in form of making improvements on already discovered fundamental concepts or alternatively, learning from past mistakes by avoiding them. Failure to positively learn comes with a bag-full of consequences; more aptly put in the words of John Santayana â€Å"Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. † In giving his contribution to this vastly debated subject, RAF (2010, p. 152) rhetorically asks that â€Å"If the study of history is so fraught with problems, and either so easy to get wrong or difficult to get right, depending on one’s view of the contents of the glass, why bother at all? † Well, so many answers-backed with evidences-have been advanced to support both ends of the debate. However, the focus of this paper is going to be on circumspectly highlighting the importance of studying military history-which most researchers amass as being vital-while partly highlighting its demerits. Before delving deep into why we should or should not study military history, it is inherent that we start by mentioning the importance of history as an entity in itself. It is from getting this background knowledge that we will be able to ardently address the issue of military history. Most scholars tend to heavily draw their knowledge from historical data; so they strongly commend the study of history in general. Others, on the other hand, either oppose it or support sparing use of historical sources. To the latter, history-more so the written type-is subject to people’s interpretations, understandings and opinions thus may be misleading in studies since it is not very accurate or reliable (RAF, 2010, p. 153). For example, Presher (1901) describes his views on America’s abuse of noncombatants in a Filipino village. To some historians, the abuse described here was not really abuse but just an exercise of power. Both views might therefore be very confusing to people trying to get the real picture of what happened during that time. According to RAF (2010, p. 153), the literature studied in history â€Å"Is inevitably extensive and, almost equally inevitably, much of it is impenetrable on first inspection. † This may also deviate from what is really meant. RAF goes ahead and advises that if we are to get the most accurate and precise representation of what happened, we need to study â€Å"In breadth, depth and arguably most importantly in a proper context. † We should also ensure that we focus on many sources from authoritative individuals so as to get facts rather than myths or fables which might be misleading (p. 152-156). For instance, The long shadow of little rock is a personal memoir of Daisy Bates which makes the writing authentic and credible as opposed to other military history records which are narrated from the perspective of hearsays. Just like any major area of human concern, the study of military history has its predefined language and concepts. Consequently, when studying military history, it is inherent that you familiarize yourself with jargons used here. For example, words like Strategic, operational, Tactical and Individual are used in military history to represent the realms of traditional history (Kagan (2006). It is also important to note that the studies should be conducted in an order. Haphazard studies tend to confuse rather than perform the fundamental functions of studying military history. Having said that, what really are the advantages of studying military history? Elementarily, RAF (2010, p. 157) documents that military history studies by military professionals offers entertainment, inspiration, information and pride to its students. Just by studying about the escapades of our historical heroes and villains in their military obligations, we are able to get entertainment since most of the stories are appalling. On top of that, we get informed from the in-depth descriptions of the war times. In With the Old Breed, Sledge (2001) grippingly describes the horrendous experiences at Peleliu and Okinawa while informing the readers of how difficult it was to survive during that time. In effect, someone studying the story gets informed and entertained at the same time. Murray & Sinnreich (2006, p. 32) assert that â€Å"Military history helps provide the theoretical foundation for the science of war, and continues to do so even in an era of huge technological and social change. † Gabel (1985, p. 3) exemplifies this by talking of â€Å"clumsy, unreliable, difficult to operate† fight tanks that provided a basis for the formation of better tanks to be used in other wars. In another example to show how one piece of history laid theoretical foundation for another, Lupfer (1981, p. 8) says that: The Germans did not win the First World War and their strategic conduct of the war was often flawed. Yet, much value can be derived from their development of tactical doctrine, for the Germans developed and applied new tactical doctrine impressively in 1917 and 1918. Their tactical changes were systematic and thorough, for these changes in doctrine directly affected subsequent battlefield success. In addition, studying military history provides a platform for referencing by military professionals. Lupfer (1981, p. 8) articulates of changes made by the army of Germany courtesy of army’s high command—OHL. First, a defensive doctrine is adopted based on previous studies then later, an offensive strategy is adopted. In the long run, the German army succeeds in curbing their oppositions in the western fronts. According to Hanson (2007), military history also plays the irreplaceable role of reminding us happenings of the past and how the people back then contributed to our current state. The numerous documentations of the battles in the 1700s helps us not only to know the sacrifices endure for the achievement of independence but also reminds to be grateful and appreciative of all the villains who paved the way for the current freedoms in the U. S Moreover, military trainings only cover a small portion of the fundamental aspects involved in military education. Most scholars opinionate that military history helps in filling the knowledge void left by other forms of military education. Specifically, military history enhances practicability of military education which is crucial for the growth of military professionals. Hanson (2007) adds that â€Å"Democratic citizenship requires knowledge of war—and now, in the age of weapons of mass annihilation, more than ever. † It is for this reason that institutions that focus on military history are slowly-but steadily- rising in many nations. This is also evident with the various movies, shows and songs that currently tend to incorporate aspects of military history. Examples include award-wining movies like Troy and 300 among many others. In spite of being hugely debated by many researchers, Hanson-and a handful of other scholars-further opinionate that military history teaches us that war is not necessarily as bad as most people perceive it to be. So even though millions of people may get killed or innumerable properties may get destroyed, through war, we may get peace, freedom or even progress economically which is positive. In other words, war involves doing something bad with the hope that something good may come out of it. This can be exemplified with the outcomes of the vastly covered World wars (WWI and WWII); despite the numerous deaths and huge economic losses that resulted from them, the wars also pioneered dialogue which led to freedom and peace amongst the involved states. On the flipside, the study of war does not necessarily equate to advantages. Chiarelli and Michaelis (2005) support this statement by saying that â€Å"A gun on every street corner, although visually appealing, provides only a short-term solution and does not equate to long-term security grounded in a democratic process. † So in spite of peace being the ultimate target for wars, many wars end up with worse rivalry thus worsening the already bad situation. In instances where peace or freedom was not realized from the war, students who study the war may end up sucking in bad influence and negative lessons rather than the positive lessons that is targeted for them. It is also important to note that some people who study military history may get private information on some confidential issues which may pose a threat to those living around them. An example is chemical combinations of making a bomb landing in the hands of a terrorist. This poses a danger not only to people living around the terrorist but also on the country as a whole. Yet still, the study of military history can prove quite costly and risky. So many people currently focus on technological advancements, discovery of new drugs to solve the current diseases, making work easier through software among other things. I effect, very little time and attention is given to studying of past histories. The fact that history cannot be changed yet we can determine what becomes of our future makes even more people gutter the study of history while concentrating on current affairs as well as prospective forecasts. As a result, those who concentrate on studying military history mostly have to personally dig into their pockets so as to the studies as opposed to the millions of dollars donated daily towards new researches. In addition, those who study military history have to sometimes come to terms with poor hospitality and hostility from their subjects. In Dougherty’s (2005, p. 1) interview of historian and free-lance writer Robert Kaplan on his military research book Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground, Kaplan reveals that he had to trail soldiers through inhospitable and volatile areas just to get an interview from them. In his studies, he visited Yemen, Iraq, Ethiopia and Philippines- who at the time of the interviews were quite unwelcoming thus making it difficult for him to get substantial information. Dougherty (2005, p. 1) further exemplifies these acrid conditions by saying that in order for Kaplan to get valuable information from the soldiers, â€Å"He immerses himself in their world, spending weeks and months living with soldiers in their quarters, joining their missions, eating, drinking, sweating, freezing, and sometimes starving, side-by-side with them. † Adding on to the demerits, Kagan (2006) says that the complex nature of military language which involves â€Å"Unit sizes and nomenclature, acronyms and abbreviations, typologies of military activity† may sometimes prove too multifarious and confusing to normal students (those without professional military knowledge). Dougherty (2005, p. 3-6) gets Kaplan to talk about the complex language that existed between the military sergeants, generals and commanders in their communication. In some cases, it was even a must for the military officials to know and communicate in other foreign languages. At such points, some meanings maybe distorted to those recording as well as those studying the history based on the various communication syntaxes and rules that govern different regions. Lastly, the proliferation in ways of solving disputes has lessened the use of military personnel by most countries. As of today, most disputes are solved through dialogues, courts and round-table negotiations by world superpowers. In effect, the study of military is only done by a few people who rarely dig deep into these annals of history. The many fundamental functions that military history provides are therefore slowly being corroded away by the ever increasing modern forms of conflict resolution. In conclusion, it is noteworthy to say that military history plays an important role in preparing soldiers for wars. It may not necessarily empower them but it offers them insights on how their opponents fight, their strengths, weaknesses, previously successful combat methods, what they should avoid among other vital details which are invaluable before going to war. On the other hand, military history should be used sparingly so as to avoid complacency by soldiers based on overconfidence. Aptly put in the words of Henry Kissinger (1978); â€Å"History is not, of course, a cookbook offering pretested recipes. It teaches by analogy, not maxims. It can illuminate the consequences of actions in comparable situations, yet each generation must discover for itself what situations are in fact comparable. † References Bates, D. (1987). T The long shadow of little rock. Fayetteville. P. 1 – 5, 43 – 76, 82 – 106. [64 pages] Chiarelli, P. W. , & Michaelis, P. R. (July-August, 2005). Winning the peace: The requirement for full-spectrum operations. Military Review, p. 1 – 17. Dougherty, E. (2005). Warriors for Good: Interview with Robert Kaplan. Atlantic Unbound. Gabel, C. R. (1985). Seek, strike, and destroy: U. S. army tank destroyer doctrine in World War II. Hanson, V. D. (2007). Why study war? CITY journal. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://www. city-journal.org/html/17_3_military_history. html Kagan, F. W. (2006). Why military history matters. AEI Online. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://www. aei. org/outlook/24600 Kaplan, R. (October, 2005). Imperial Grunts: With the army special forces in the Philippines and Afghanistan—laboratories of counterinsurgency. The Atlantic Monthly, p. 84 – 93. Lupfer, T. T. (1981). The dynamics of doctrine: the change in German tactical doctrine during the First World War. Murray, W. , & Sinnreich R. H. (2006). The past as prologue: the importance of history to the military profession. Google Books. p. 32. Presher, F. (1999). Private Frederick Presher describes the U. S. Army’s abuse of noncombatants in a Filipino village, 1901. Major Problems in American Military History. p. 230 – 231. RAF, P. W. G. (2005). XII. Why Study Military History? Defence Studies, 5(1), p. 151-164. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://dx. doi. org/10. 1080/14702430500097408 Sledge, E. B. (1981) With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. P. 55 – 10.

Plato, Greek Art and Censorship Essay

It is imperative that we begin the illustration of Plato’s pursuit for censorship with the definition of his times, the context by which his beliefs on music and poetry were formulated.   Greece during Hellenic times was distinctively marked by a superior regard to the polis or the city-state. With what the civil wars wrought to its citizens, the Greeks developed a strong inclination towards the attainment of what they believed to be the kallipolis or the ideal state, one that is marked by justice, order and harmony, and will do everything in its power to preserve it. The general concession of its superiority justified acts which would have been highly condemnable in the present times. Acts like infanticide and common life are surely not to arouse the approval of the many. One of the necessary steps that Plato strongly advocated for the attainment of the idea state, was the censorship of the arts, music and poetry alike. In summary he claims that the polis needed to constrain its arts, to mitigate its negative influences and curb the dangerous effect of its mimeric nature if they were to avoid the disruption of the state, more like its demise considering how pervasive arts was during the Hellenic period. Plato’s definition of censorship came in the form of 1) the prohibition of music that was intrinsically bad, and 2) the sanctioning of tales that were weaved from a state of madness, thereby promoting false virtues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On Music – It was a general belief during those times that there existed some form of music that was intrinsically bad or an aberration to the natural harmony of the universe. These were the songs whose words upheld false virtues and songs whose musical tones were derived from the improper order of interval. There in the sequencing of its notes lay a palpable sense of disharmony and discordance which mathematicians and philosophers went to great lengths to prove.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is to be said too that the soul is part of a force called Harmonia – a force that brings to union all elements of the universe, good and bad. The soul acts like a sponge, is its modern rhetoric equivalent, absorbing the discordance of the notes and sending the soul to a confused state as it cannot adequately grasps the things it acquires (Republic 78). The faculties of the physical body become misguided and the resulting man is one who is corrupt and unable to discern what is just from not. Hence, guardians, producers and rulers were considered susceptible to music’s negative influences and must be then censored by the polis if it were to protect man’s virtues. Rhythm and harmony penetrate the inner part of the soul and that gracelessness, bad rhythm and disharmony are akin to bad words and character (Republic III)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This was perhaps the first attempt to advance the concept of the subliminal meaning. The Doctrine of Ethos – music’s ability to form one’s character – still remains on solid ground after centuries. I find sense in what these early philosophers claim. How else do we explain the anarchic proclivities of Rock Music and Rap’s inclination towards street violence despite shifts in paradigm of the many generations that have passed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On Poetry – Here Plato refers to drama, tragedies and words of a song without the musical notes.   Unlike the subliminal effect of some music, poetry has a more direct and invasive effect to one’s character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato’s Theory of Forms states that Nature is an imperfect representation of the ideal and perfect reality of Forms; that man ought to take actions that will bring him closer to the reality of Forms. If poetry represents that which is already imperfect, the resulting work ushers man away from the light and further into the shadows. Without the light, man now becomes a slave to the shadows he continuously imitates.   Moreover, when exposed to poetic illusions man naturally takes on what he sees and starts to assume the character of the poetic subject, in whole or in parts. This mimeric nature, Plato says, is dangerous as this will distract man from achieving his highest state of being.   It is better to stick to one craft and be good at it than to acquire all trades but be good at none. Guardians must be prohibited to learn the trade of the poets. This is   to ensure that his optimum self is achieved.   Otherwise he starts to neglect his duties to the state.   Also, the process of producing poetry sends the artist in a temporal state of divine inspiration or madness, simply that he loses all sense of rationality, he weaves one that is not according to Reason’s dictates but that of his many passions, ignorance and possibly appetites albeit the poetic charm. Anything that is far from Reason is necessarily deemed unhealthy for the kallipolis. Clearly the Hellenic times were defined by their end goals. Plato and others saw censorship, along with many state policies, as a justified means to their end. The present times, however, see a completely different paradigm. People have long shown the world that the morality of the means is just as considerable as the end itself. Censorship to a substantial part of the world is unacceptable. Now, it’s all about rights to freedom of speech and expression. When New Zealand Broadcasting Standards Authority decides to cut off offensive language from the radio, immediately journalists are tagging it as discrimination. In US alone how many controversial lawsuits, to include a high school valedictorian as complainant, have been filed because people have been forbidden to make religious references. Plato would have been shocked, even enraged at this underlying idea of the Individual catching up with the State; or the state policies being subservient to Individual Rights. He would have thought it a narrow insight and I completely agree.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All this talk on Rights and Freedom of Expression is based on the faulty assumption that 1) everyone is capable of responsible and sensible expressions, and 2) everyone is capable of judicious interpretations of these expressions. When truth of the matter is that when people make tirade speeches against a group , they almost always fail to consider the sensibilities of whose who are being attacked. One’s unguarded   expression becomes another one’s discrimination. To compound things, people are impressionable. Plato was correct when he said that man naturally adopts the things he sees and hears no matter how unjust and far from virtues. Man doesn’t generally step back and take a moment to carefully weigh what he perceives. To those who can, notice that they don’t go out of their way to educate the public. These educated minds have become an elite preferring apathy. This is what turns expressions into social disturbances. Sooner or later when more people start to believe, these expressions become acceptable truths. Eventually they become imbibed as values. With the advent of the digital age, things are even escalated. The cyberspace contains practically all sorts of information, educated, trash, pornographic and otherwise, which can be accessed by anyone even those who are not in the right minds to discern right from wrong. Censorship, contrary to what people believe as a tyrannical act against freedom, is simply responsible regulation. It is to ensure that information is accessed   by the right audience and that the propensity of these expressions to stir and rouse disturbances is curbed. This time it is to preserve not the State but the Society with the Individual at its core and Values at stake. Each processes information or whatever elements one picks up from the cosmos in various ways and degrees. What misguided minds process as motivation for unjust ways may be an educated mind’s trigger for higher knowledge. But if takes only one out of a thousand and perhaps millions of minds to have his virtues corrupted because of unregulated information, that for me, and should so for the progressively liberal states, provide more than enough justification for censorship.   It is a rational step to reduce freedom’s excesses especially in a time where the universe presents wider, freer and borderless ways by which man can inflict harm to another, even to himself. Works Cited Plato. â€Å"The Republic†, translated by Benjamin Jowett,

Personal research on topics for Information Technology and Human Paper

Personal on topics for Information Technology and Human Factors - Research Paper Example This important information is greatly needed for the assessment, diagnosis, prevention, management and treatment of various diseases, and making sure it arrives as fast as possible to save many lives. Because of the vast information available through the use of nursing informatics, practice will become safer because the practitioners will have access to more knowledge, keeping them informed of procedures, warning signs, potential outcomes, and alternative treatment options. Nursing informatics is also responsible for bringing up-to-date vital information on the patient which is crucial for health care practitioners in the monitoring of the patient. It can also help with the nursing shortage by allowing the nurse and other health care practitioners to perform with more speed and efficiency, giving them more time to handle more patients (Staggers & Thompson, 2002). 2. Given the growing net-savvy, empowered consumers, how will you transform your practice to accommodate these patients? T he internet age has brought about many innovations in information and communications technology. ... On the other hand, it can also mislead many people. The overwhelming amount of information on the internet also includes a lot of outdated, poorly researched, misinformed, and even outright deceptive information. This clashes with other information and confuses the general public as to which ‘specialist’ is actually right, or is telling the truth. Using nursing informatics in health education requires nurses to provide quality content that is backed by extensive research to help the general public find the right information for the sake of their health. A study made by Hubner, Ammenwerth, Flemming, Schaubmayr, and Sellemann (2010), and Hubner and Sellemann (2004) showed how Austrian and German hospitals are increasing usage of IT technology. Aside from generating and disseminating useful information to the public about health, the main role of the informatics nurse is to use information structures, information processes, and information technology to support the health c are team in all situations in the provision of care. Some ways to do this is to conduct trainings for the medical staff in the usage of new technology in health care; shifting from physical records to completely digital records is underway, but requires training for the staff both old and new as they adapt to the changes (McCormick, et al., 2007; Staggers & Thompson, 2002). 3. What are the top three human computer interface issues that you identify for an informatics tool you expect to use in our organization? And what ideas or suggestions do you have to address these top three HCI issues? One of the very useful informatics tools slowly gaining use in the modern medical field is the computerized physician order entry (CPOE). It is a system designed to reduce

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 33

English - Essay Example This included food chemical flavoring, working conditions of beef industry and production of chicken and cattle. This section also takes a look on the dangers of meat consumption and the global interest of fast food in America as a cultural export (Schlosser 12). The assignment requires selection of one topic in the book explained above and its examination. In addition to that, the paper will craft an argument that will convince the readers to change the way they think, do things, or behavior as explained in the selected topic. In order to accomplish the requirements of the assignment, the paper is based on one topic â€Å"what we eat†. Fast food in America has become one of the most factors that drive the economy. At least over the last three decades, the American has been infiltrated by fast food. The fast food industry first began with the small quantity of fast food in the State of California. The influence of the industry has spread to every part of America and to a bigger extent all over the world. The industry is fulfilling the wants of its customers by processing a wide range of food stuffs with a purpose of reaching its market. The industry has taken a good distributing strategy where the food is being distributed in cafeterias, in school, bus stages and restaurants. The nation is known to spend more on fast food than what is spent in a combination of magazines, videos, newspapers, books and movies. According to Schlosser (2001), the fast food industry has a hygiene issue. One may find a person in the construction work just taking the packet of fast food without even washing their hands. People take the exercise of buying fast food as routine without any issue. However, fast food has a revolutionary force in the United States. The food is booth metaphor and a commodity to drive the economy of America. The influence of what people eat or do not is due to

George Washington's Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

George Washington's Leadership - Essay Example extended to matters of communication with his troops and this enabled them have a competitive edge over the Indians and even protected the citizens from these frequent attacks. His extreme courage was immensely seen in the battle ground where he was not afraid to expose himself to the danger of even bullets. There is even one occasion where he was shot at four times during the war but this did not deter him from continuing to fight for his country. This courage extended to his troop and they therefore fought relentlessly and obeyed his orders without doubt. Even after his men were terribly killed and in large numbers at Valley Forge in 1777 and some died from diseases, this defeat and setback did not dishearten his military career or leadership but he continued to fight with renewed courage and determination. This showcased not only a tough man but a persistent one as well who would stop at nothing to see his country liberated (Goldfield, et al 215). His toughness also portrayed when it came to protecting his army without fear or favor and this made him the best military commander and commander in chief even after he became the president. Goldfield, David, Carl Abbot, Virginia Anderson, Jo Ann Argersinger, Peter Argersinger and William Barney. The American Journey: A History of the United States. New Jersey: Pearson Education Limited, 2011.

Playing the Piano(process essay) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Playing the Piano(process ) - Essay Example Playing the piano isn’t really as hard as most people seem to think. If you can type, you can probably make music. The first step taken in approaching the idea of playing the piano is in the way you position yourself. This is a lot like the way that you sit when you drive a car. The bench should be placed far enough away from the piano so that your feet can rest flat on the floor with one foot comfortably ready to control the pedals on the floor. Your hands should be able to reach the keyboard with your arms bent at roughly right angles in order to give you greatest playing comfort. The keys to the piano are located under the keyguard which is generally moved out of the way by lifting up on the knobs until the wood clears the top of the keys and then pushing in so that the keyguard slides easily into the niche made specifically for this purpose. Finally, you are able to place your fingers on the keys and begin playing. Most people automatically place their hands at the middle C position when they are getting ready to play. Middle C can be found just where you’d expect, in the middle of the keyboard. If you’re sitting at the right place, it should be just in front of your belly button. Another way to find it is to look carefully at the keyboard and notice that the black keys alternate between sets of two and sets of three. These keys offer the sharp and flat notes that give the music its character. Beginning on the left-hand side of the keyboard, count to the fourth twin set of black keys. The middle C is the key just to the left of this set. The right hand is positioned so that the thumb is resting on this key and each of the other fingers of this hand are resting on each successive key to the right. These are the notes C, D, E, F and G. The left hand is usually placed so that the pinky finger is resting on

Learner's profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Learner's profile - Essay Example to Min for improving his language proficiency shall include verb and subject agreement, verb tenses, correct pronunciation of words, and a wider vocabulary. This can be done by reading activities which will enable him to learn new words, correct his pronunciation and intonation, and check his comprehension. I believe that Min’s English skills can be further improved by exposing him to other English native speakers. Thus, activities should be complemented with daily interaction with other Australians. On the basis of the tests carried out on him covering various aspects of his language learning efficiency it could safely be ascertained that the learner possesses satisfactory skills of elementary level which includes reading, writing, speaking as well as listening skills. Some words still required to be repeated over and over again. Often times, choosing simpler and more familiar words aid him to understand and respond more quickly during interviews. However he does understand the overall meaning of the conversation. (I do not have any source to find out how Min fared in the other tests. I only have his reading and writing test samples, but writing on something that I do not know is apparently difficult. I haven’t even heard how he speaks nor have any idea about his listening skills. However I have tried to incorporate some of the findings in the task.) For non English speakers, listening is a relatively tough job, which is mainly because of the variation in intonations and word stress which is quite different compared to other languages. Also the individual skill levels count, like a good vocabulary, and frequent contacts with the native English speakers. Such factors help in adapting to the sounds, intonations, stress and pronunciations of the English language. Some English words are pronounced differently in Korean language which sometimes makes it difficult for the non native speakers, like Min, to grasp specific information from conversations, often

A Progressive Learning App for Children that are behind Assignment

A Progressive Learning App for Children that are behind - Assignment Example Nevertheless, very few domestic businesses operate in retail food sectors as luxurious restaurant like multinational food chains present in this market. Therefore, future growth of this new business has been identified after detailed analysis of business environment, market trend and consumer behavior. The main objective its marketing strategy would be to position the brand as luxurious restaurant with a touch of western culture. To develop a brand the company also needs to offer varieties of dishes considering the domestic culture and food habits and also popular foreign recipes. 2.0 Situation Analysis 2.1 Market Summary Market of BiCE refers to the potential customers who would be interested in consuming high quality Italian food with premium services. The defined market also covers the purchasing power of the target customers and the product and service offered by the company are permitted by the laws and regulation. The company faces demand of its product and services from a nich e market only then it can gradually work towards achieving greater market share by following the trends and demands of the market. According to the Economic Report of 2012-2013 of the UAE the Hotels and Restaurants sector held almost 1.7% of the market during 2010 and 1.7% in the following year. The sector was worth 22 Billion AED during 2010 and a slight increase in the value happened in 2011. Moreover the market exhibited a price increase in the eatery and non-alcoholic beverages segment which was 4.45% during 2010 and reached 5.87% during 2011 (Annual Economic Report, 2012). The service sector of UAE illustrated continuous decline throughout 2012, 2013 and appear to decline in 2014. The given diagram represents the same- The growth of the Oil sector has been assumed to slow... From this discussion it is clear that  United Arab Emirates has been enjoying modern, diversified and growing retail food sector over the years. Increasing development of new hypermarkets in last few years is the key driver for rapid growth in retail food sector. 90% of the total consumed food especially food ingredients s outsourced from markets and processed in this market. Therefore the domestic firm has huge opportunities in food market of UAE. Consequently, the people have high disposable income and for this reason they are very much reluctant to pay higher price for food if it is presented in a luxurious way and environment.   Nevertheless, very few domestic businesses operate in retail food sectors as luxurious restaurant like multinational food chains present in this market.  As the paper highlights market of BiCE refers to the potential customers who would be interested in consuming high quality Italian food with premium services. The defined market also covers the pur chasing power of the target customers and the product and service offered by the company are permitted by the laws and regulation. The company faces demand of its product and services from a niche market only then it can gradually work towards achieving greater market share by following the trends and demands of the market.  BiCE will offer a complete package of Italian foods which will satisfy the variety seeking group of customers.

Primitivism in Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Primitivism in Modern Art - Essay Example The essay "Primitivism in Modern Art" concerns the modern art and primitivism. â€Å"Expressionists† differentiate themselves from other art movements by defining themselves as artists who are â€Å"expressing† themselves because their painting and production of artworks involves their own perceptions, personalities and interests. Foremost of the â€Å"Expressionist† artists were the group called Brà ¼cke which was founded in 1905 by architecture students Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Fritz Beyl, Karl Schmidt-Rotluff and Erich Heckel and later joined by remarkable artists such as Emil Nolde, Cuno Amiet, Max Pechstein and Otto Mueller. Thru the efforts of the group in its first eight years, the world was able to witness the greatest development of the first period of German expressionism which went through various stylistic phases inspired by the stylistic objectives shared by its members. The movement had one very important tendency and that is propensity to look into ‘primitive’ culture for inspiration on the form of their artwork. While they were belonging to the modern era, German expressionists Brà ¼cke explored into non-European, tribal cultures to try to distinguish their works of arts with others and gave rise to the term ‘Primitivism’. ‘Primitive’ art was considered to be closer to unmediated expression and more ‘authentic’ than the civilized. The idea of ‘nature/culture’ was most appealing to German expressionists because ‘nature’ was considered as being direct, unfettered, non-intellectual etc. ... The 'woman' was also considered to be belonging to the primitive group. In this paper, I will be looking into how primitive art inspired modern artists by exploring the concept of primitive art and how it influenced modern artists such as the Brucke in their artworks. A case study involving the analysis of how African sculptures inspired Erich Heckel is provided for a more specific and clear discussion of how primitive art influenced modern artists. 2.0 Exploring the Primitivism Concept 2.1 What is 'Primitive' Whenever one hears of the word 'primitive', there is a tendency to associate it with the word 'barbarian' or 'uncivilized' which connotes untamed and direct expression. While the definition of the term is a major issue in art historical writing, central to the term is the concept of the 'other'. The concept is derived from postmodern theory that describes a tendency to misrepresent another culture, society, social group or object as different, even alien and speak of it as 'other' to the artist's own culture and experiences. The primitive is often associated with tribal and Oriental (those from the East) people but Expressionists also associates it with the nude particularly the nude female. The woman is considered to be a creature of 'primitive' textile prone to 'natural' impulses as opposed to the notion male rationality. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, the Brucke's leader, is particularly fond of nude women and his works is said to display the affinity between culture/male rationality and nature/female impulses (Lloyd, 1991). This is shown in his work displayed in Figure 1: Figure 1. Nude. Kirschner (1910). The sight of Nude

Integrated Marketing Communications Report Essay - 1

Integrated Marketing Communications Report - Essay Example ting activities combined together perform at a single platform, forming a synergy, whose supplemented energy energizes the organization on the whole – it is all about streamlining marketing activities and all activities moving in the one single direction i.e. the goal or the objective of the organization on the whole or as a single marketing unit as the case may be. This concept has gained significant importance particularly since the time when media started to grow, and from a newspaper to radios and from radios to a single state owned television channel and thereon the multiple growth of the various media and media houses; this trend has led organizations into adopting various channels for their advertisements, so it became very important for these channels to have a synergized message i.e. consistency in the message and in the form that the message is being conveyed. Today, television advertisements are the fundamental set of acts, from which, media houses derive newspaper advertisement, radio advertisements, and so on. And all this is done to convey to the customer one single message i.e. the product being developed and sold is a useful one for them, but competition does not allow this; it attempts at retaining the customer base. The sole terminology that keeps an organization or a business alive in today’s competitive arena is ‘innovation’. More often than not, today, innovation is derived by the customer expectations and values that the customer associate with the planners and strategic think-tanks that formulate a new product launch. Innovation has really been the path-way and concluding a product that the customers expect and want has been the key to this path way. There are many ways and means by which firms analyze and realize the products that the customers expect from them. Once these are developed and created, the uphill task comes in creating the awareness about the product, thereby making the customers aware of the fact that these are the

Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay Example for Free

Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay The term character can be applied in several ways. It can mean either a physical being, or to their total pattern of behavior. In Chaucers Canterbury Tales, one is used to complement the other. He often uses certain physical characteristics to dictate exactly how the person is going to act*. This is most evident in the Summoners Tale. The Summoner is ugly, with a scary face, but also turns out to have a very ugly personality, between his job, attitudes, and values, which come out through his physical descriptions. **.Chaucers use of physical characteristics is most obvious in the Summoners Tale. The Summoner is a scary sight, but not only because he looks so hideous. He also has a hideous job- a summoner is a kind of religious bounty hunter. He seeks down people that need to do their penances and make sure they do them. He is described as having acne so bad no quicksilver, lead ointment, tartar creams,/ no brimstone, no boracic, so it seems,/ could make a salve to cure his whelks of knobby white. So, when people saw him coming, they would already be repulsed simply by his physical image. However, if they knew who he was, they would also be afraid that he was coming to get them. So, he is scary in more than one way. His behavior is as ugly as his face. Questio quid juris was his tag. The Latin phrase questio quid juris means the question is, what is the point in law? He is supposed to be upholding the Churchs law, but was known to turn his back (for a fee). Finally, he was an extortionist, with a heart as black as his beard. He would learn peoples secrets and then tell them he would tell the Church. They would pay him to keep his mouth shut. Sometimes he even set them up with a girl for wine. Chaucers image of the Summoner with his face on fire helps describe his fiery attitudes, even though it directly refers to his facial features. He is prone to drunken rages, often spouting Latin phrases and arguing with people. In fact, his whole tale is told because he was mad at the Friar for insulting him. He is very argumentative, and vulgar. He tells a crude story about the afterlife of Friars, in revenge for the Friars Tale, as way of prologue into his tale. Even his tale is about a greedy Friar, who is so desperate he looks beneath a sick mans buttocks for something hidden there for secrecy. Upon receiving a loud fart, he is shocked, but what else can  he have expected? According to the Summoner, Friars are greedy and stupid, a very immature attempt to gain revenge on the Friar, demonstrating how vindictive he is. Finally, he does not believe in the traditional values of medieval Christianity, although he is supposed to be one of its proponents. He is described as having a garland set upon his head, leading the reader into believing he is a homosexual. He allows men to commit sins, like adultery, without punishment as long as they paid him. Usually he took his payments in the form of wine, but also accepted cash. Why hed allow -just for a quart of wine- / any good lad to keep a concubine/ a twelvemonth! He was very corrupt, a common theme in Chaucers clergy. By accepting bribes to keep his mouth shut, he was essentially blackmailing the men of the community, instead of telling someone like he was supposed to. As his description says he Sang deep seconds to [the Pardoners] song, a love song. He has a deep voice, and is singing harmony to the Pardoner, suggesting their relationship is more than business related. Homosexuality was almost a sin in the Middle Ages, but for one who was supposed to make other pay for their sins he had a propensity for disregarding them. As he pleased the man could bring duress/ on any young fellow in the diocese/ he knew their secrets, they did what he said. He held them in fear of being cursed, and leave them no hope for salvation, by dangling their sins over their heads. So they must do as he says. A Medieval man is not supposed to cause others harm, but try to help them. In fact, his job was to try to save them by making sure they atoned for their sins and gained entry into heaven. So even by the nature of his job, he isnt holding to traditional values. In conclusion, Chaucer effectively sketched the character of the Summoner, using physical traits to attempt to analyze the underlying traits of the character. The reader can become very familiar with who he is (liar, drinker, extortionist) simply by the way Chaucer describes him physically (ugly, large pimples and boils on his face), even though the image is backed up by the characters own actions (drinking, letting young men commit adultery and other sins).

Product Feature For Whittakers Products

Product Feature For Whittakers Products Whittakers the major chocolate manufacturer and the only fully owned New Zealand Company. It is the second biggest chocolate brand in New Zealand. It has dark peanuts slab, processing of beans includes human involvement. There is no solid milk in this chocolate. Whittaker forwards its quality using pure cocoa butter and cocoa milk. Product feature for Whittakers products:- Dark chocolate has always been best seller for company by setting a trend or a saga of taste. Its high quality cocoa beans and it is family sized blocks of chocolate having 72% dark Ghana chocolate. It is popular in KIWI people of New Zealand because Whittaker is KIWI owned company and has been one of the good competitors. Its vegan preparation add features in this chocolates Product Support for Whittakers products:- The product support for the Whittaker chocolates are, contact centre details, other elements like phone number, email communication and customer support details. Also, retailers always have taken Whittakers as the most appreciable manufacturer of market for its quality and long term appreciation of customers. Internet is also play a crucial for product support because it is ultra-modern and technology. It has the pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, @twitter, web pages and other blogs. Product differentiation for Whittakers products:- If compared with other big market players like Nestle, Ferro and Cadbury the range of products at Whittakers is unmatchable. If we talk about differentiation, as we know there are 33% cocoa in this chocolate and only 21% cocoa in Cadbury chocolate. All the cocoa for Whittaker comes from Ghana and Madagascar. All are gluten free as comparison to other companies. 4 recommendations to make improvement in marketing mix:- 1):- The cost factor should be sized on the bases of customer purchasing capacity in addition to quality of product. It seems rich chocolate for riches. 2):-Company should take steps to raise their market in Asian countries for their certain development towards international marketing. 3):-Quality no doubt is the prime factor for any product of a company to survive long in the market however availability of the sale is rather more important. For an example if a person sitting in foreign country wishes to taste the product of Whittakers needs to shell out extra cents to purchase it via internet. 4):-Local existence in different markets is very important for company as the positivity of its being a Kiwi company is turning towards negativity as a large mass of consumers is still unaware of this brand name. Answer to Question No. 2: Below is the detailed study of 4 different pricing strategies at Whittakers namely: Value Based Pricing Competition based Pricing Differential Pricing Bundle Pricing Value-Based Pricing:-The strategies to put price first as a primary factor and not the exclusive is Value-based pricing. Whittakers set its pricing lesser as a tag of profitability and more as a cost to quality. The price for Whittakers seems higher if compared with any foreign brand. The Creamy Milk product of Whittakers has a direct competitor in global market i.e. Dairy Milk form Cadbury. KIWI mostly people prefer to go for Whittaker for its purity and vegan .So it goes with Whittakers also, they set the price as not to earn the profit only but to keep the clientele attached with brand furthermore. Competition-based Pricing: Whittaker follow the steps to stay longer in the market via setting the price of goods in accordance with the price of similar products (already existing or newly launched).As we know very well, Whittaker chocolates are liked by KIWI people not only of its pricing but also their quality in chocolates. According to marketing manager of Whittaker, cocoa butter is more expensive but still they are selling chocolates on normal price which is beneficial for company output as comparison to other company cocoa like Cadbury. Differential Pricing: On the basis of differential pricing, Whittaker chocolates can promote and sell their products through coupons, mega sales, price rebates and distribution outlet. Also its depending on demographics or customer distinctions like age, lifestyles, status, and income. Moreover, on the basis of competitors and market research and pricing of others companies is beneficial. Bundle Pricing: Company can sell their product by increasing the volume of products in bucket and sale their product on normal prices. Everyone like the bundle products near to festivals like Christmas and for gift to anyone. They can down their prices near to festivals for customer attractions and for some profit. it differentiate the competition by providing a surplus to the range of customers through offering the bundle of products in a package. 4 other basis of pricing to improve the mix of marketing:- Whittakers should expand their business on global strategies maintain their price and strategies to compete other chocolates company like NESTLE, Hershey and Cadbury etc. Offering the cost effectiveness delivery to customers with good quality is required to improvement. In bundle pricing, the company should start with services like appreciation to customers or provide token and coupons that will boost the sales. Company can include the references of all social contributions to the society because customers will earn the references and raise the emotional factor in the heart of purchaser. Answer to Question No. 3: Advertisement: on the basis of advertisement effectiveness, Whittakers scored on the prospect of advertising can be scored 10/ 10. They motivates the customers by advertisement on Social sites like Facebook, linked, @twitter helping a lot to promote the products of Whittaker chocolates. Even the other ways like television, print media and radio are also been adopted by this company to grab more attentions. Public Relation: the word of mouth is also known as variant of marketing. Same as doing by Whittaker Company. They give first preference to public relations because majority of companies taken activity into action for its customers.it is called jargoned word of mouth, technical or tailored to a product. It becomes very important to entertain that Whittaker is doing well in. Consumer Promotions: Customers loyalty is preferred by company in consumer promotion in which consumers having long term relations with company. The other way to promote are sampling, contests, money Refunds, packaging, loyalty schemes and exhibitions to attract the customers attentions. 4 promotional tools for attracting customers to purchase Whittakers products instead of other brands: As a thumb rule of business promotion i.e. the advertisement like television promos at a grand level to explore the potential company should increase the diameters from country basis to global basis and should go for the television promos at a grand level to explore the potential market or customers across the world. Whittakers should design promotional campaigns in other countries according to their regional language at the world level. We can promote the product on you tube videos and on created pages of Facebook, twitter so that everyone who liked the paged on Facebook or on twitter can see the new flavour or existing product of chocolate. As Whittakers have justified that its a brand of the KIWI and for the KIWI; should similarly impact the people by interacting their eating, living, purchasing and spending habits with the companys product range. It will convey a message that this brand has a product to treat every sector of people Answer to Question No. 4: Exclusive: Hereby the company has taken much of the exclusiveness of distribution in its own hands. The example for this can be drawn through the website of Whittakers. A wide ranged catalogue covering the entire range of existing products, their descriptions is mentioned along with pictorial representation of product packaging. Selective: Whittakers is a company that explores more of strategy of selective distribution as the products and distributions of the company are for limited area or people. Though it is opposite to an open distribution system but a depicting one for the business nature of the company. This strategy has its own charm as because the area of competition decreases the margin of profit earning increases. Henceforth if a global market player like Cadbury or Nestle which has an open distributions system will not be successful to earn the clientele in business territories of Whittakers as because the impact of Whittakers on KIWIs is century long. A foreign brand cannot afford such a high cost of production by paying international taxes. In case if they try launching a product or product line by compromising slightly with the quality even, the newly customer will built rather more strong interest in their previous brand of chocolate. Intensive: Whitaker though has not it available for entire world through all different means of distribution however it is intensive approach of distribution for the areas where it is popular. Other methods for distributions: Direct Method: the company should start the company should seek for franchisees or their own branch outlets at continental level. Indirect method: by adopting this method the company can reach put to the areas where it already is not having trade currently without losing the authority of decision making. Channel distribution: by adopting this method the company can open its outlets by sharing the business compulsion with local potential natives of foreign lands. Answer to Question No. 5: Product: product quality plays a crucial role in selling of product. If there is good quality .then, everyone likes to buy the product. For example Audi car, people like to buy the Audi because of its high performance and also good looking. Price: Price should be according to the market and the service/product. For BIC the manufacturers of lighters, razors and pens should provide the services of the product at the affordable price to attract more customers. Place: Placement is also play an equal role for company. For example Amway Company sells their product through independent business owners of worldwide. In the India, mostly like to sell their second hand through car agents or dealers. Promotion: companies doing advertisement on radio, television, on social sites like Facebook, yahoo and Other ways like sampling, packaging, branding and coupons for the promotion of product. If we talk about Whittakers chocolate all these things are important. For products, they are using 33% cocoa butter as comparison to Cadbury and affordable price, good placement and promotion. REFRENCES:- New Zealand (2012). New Zealand profile in 2012, retrieved in www.wikipedia.com www.whittaker.co.nz www.wikipedia.com www.answer.com

The Human Diversity In A Counselling Environment Sociology Essay

The Human Diversity In A Counselling Environment Sociology Essay In todays society the concept of both identity and human diversity have become both an integral and important aspect of peoples daily lives. In the case of a counsellors role, where a mutually trusting therapeutic environment is conducive to the success of any outcomes of therapy, it has become paramount for todays professional counsellor to acknowledge and address these issues when entering into any therapeutic relationship with clients. With global migration easily available to many individuals, the World has become a profoundly multicultural, multiethnic and multinational place, with many millions of people moving to live within new cultures. As a result it is estimated that one in every 35 people is such an international immigrant. (Lago, 2011) Such a change in the demographics of potential clients for any counsellor/psychotherapist today has resulted in a high probability that they will come in to contact with individuals of differing race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs,  political beliefs or other ideologies. The issues regarding identity is invariably complex and can be continually changing (Kettle, 2004) and needs to be successfully navigated by the counsellor to ensure a mutually respectful relationship is created between them and the client in order for any therapeutically beneficial outcome to be achieved. If these identity issues are not addressed the effect could be very harmful and detrimental to any potential relationship due to the dynamics of power and control between the client and counsellor (McKenzie, 1986; Lago, 2011). This essay will describe the key issues of what it is that gives us our identity and what it means to be diverse. A simple definition for diversity can be given as being very different (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2012). It can however, be argued that it is much more than that. It is having an understanding that each individual person is unique and recognising those individual differences. For a counsellor and their client it is the exploration  of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment.  It is about understanding each other and moving beyond  simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the  rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual and discovering how they may affect both the counsellor and client in developing a healthy working relationship. The advent of Rogers third force of psychotherapy, the client centred approach in the 1960s, introduced the idea that the client should be both the focus and at the very centre of the therapeutic session (Rogers, 1957). This soon led to the concept that an acceptance of a clients identity and culture is paramount to these aims being met. The term the culturally encapsulated counsellor was introduced by Wrenn (1962) to critique a universalistic approach to counselling which soon came to be known as multicultural counselling, which today is regarded by many therapists as the fourth force in psychotherapy/counselling. Multicultural counselling is what takes place when a counsellor and their client are from differing cultural groups. Cultural identity itself however is not simply defined by the colour of a persons skin or the geographical location or even their ethnicity, it can encompass a multitude of factors. Gender, religious beliefs, social economic status, sexual orientation are all identity factors that a culturally encapsulated counsellor needs to be aware of, not only from the clients perspective but also to have a good self awareness of their own cultural identity. (Middleton, et al., 2011) The issue of race and ethnic identity comprises of several factors which include an understanding of more than just what it is to black or white. A sense of identification with what whiteness means as compared to being part of a racial/ethnic minority group, including the importance of the difference between race and culture itself is critical to becoming an effect multicultural counsellor. It is vital that counsellors do not assume, for example, that all blacks or all Asians have similar cultural backgrounds. There are various ethnic identifications that exist within each of these racial groups such as language, religion, or gender roles and whilst it is true many of these ethnic groups share the physical characteristics of race, they may not necessarily share the same value and belief  structures (Katz, 1985). Some examples of these ethnic identifications can be seen in the cultural value system of many black Africans, where a great value is placed on the concept of family, especially their  children, who are seen as a  gift from  God. There is a great emphasis on their sense of community and their place in it. Personal wellbeing becomes secondary to that of social conflict resolution, which is seen as more important, to ensure peace and equilibrium within the community. Another example can be seen within the Chinese cultural environment, where passivity rather than assertiveness is revered. Quiescence rather than verbal articulation is seen as a sign of wisdom and there is the role of the all-knowing father that the Chinese respect for authority bestows on them (Ching and Prosen, 1980). The fact that traditional counselling therapies have been developed upon the research with predominantly middle classed white men indicates a propensity towards gender bias within the profession. It has even been reported that some professional counsellors have evaluated female clients as less competent than male clients (Balkin, Schlosser and Levitt, 2009). Aspects of gender can be also affected by religious attitudes from both the counsellor and client, either of which may have more traditional beliefs about specific gender roles and behaviour. There are also certain individuals or groups who adhere to religious fundamentalism which should be taken into consideration, which places women in the more traditional roles other than those chosen by more modern contemporary women. These fundamentalists have been seen to exhibit strong sexist behaviour in regards to issues of gender (Balkin, Schlosser and Levitt, 2009). It is clear that religious identity has been shown play a pivotal role for both the client and the counsellor within the therapeutic process. It is suggested that highly religious people have a tendency to believe they have stronger moral attributes than those of non-religious people (Hunter, 2001 cited in Balkin, Schlosser and Levitt, 2009, p.420). In the case of a highly religious counsellor, such a bias could cause complications within the counselling environment in regards to issues such as homophobia, gender bias and racism. It could be argued that when faced with issues such as homosexuality, which is regarded as a sin in many conservative religions, it could give rise to problems with dealing with clients who fall into the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender group for the highly religious counsellor (Balkin, Schlosser and Levitt, 2009). A persons gender/sexual orientation could be argued as being one of the more complex identity issues, with its anonymity and invisibility being a large factor that can create problems for both counsellor and client. Despite a growing public awareness of gender identity with the acceptance of trans-identified celebrities on popular television such as Graham Norton and Gok Wan, there can be a certain amount of confusion for the counsellor when working with transgender clients as the distinction between gender and sexuality is prone to being misunderstood. (Hawley, 2011) Sexual orientation generally refers to a persons sexual object choice, as in whether we choose to have sex with male or with females. As a result the options are to be straight (heterosexual), gay (homosexual) or bisexual. For most people the determination of sexuality is dependent on the gender of the individuals, i.e.: male/female, male/male, and female/female. However for some this is more complex for what if your gender was unknown to you? For some, this issue goes beyond the physical sexuality of their bodies; it is subject to behaviours, social acceptance and/or belonging to specific groups to which their allocated sex consigns them. (Hawley, 2011) For the counsellor, it is important to be aware of the multiple possibilities that fall within gender/sexuality identification. Pre-judgement and bias is an all too easy mistake for the inexperienced counsellor to make about sexuality, with the arrival of a cross dressing client. Similarly the client themselves may be feeling terrified and in a state of bewilderment as to their own feelings, in such instances a open minded and understanding therapist would be considered a lifeline. (Hawley, 2011) In an effort to address the diversity of clients in the counselling environment, a number of models have been introduced to the counselling professional in an effort to provide adequate training in the areas of race, culture, ethnicity and other areas of diversity as key variables in understanding the representations of psychological distress in clients (Moodley, 2005). Sue, Arredondo and McDavis (1992) states that counsellors who practice without adequate training or competence when working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds are prone to practicing unethically and with potentially harmful actions, which borders on a violation of human rights. Sue and Sue (1990) identified three areas in which a culturally skilled counsellor could become proficient in multiculturalism. The first is the process of becoming aware of their own assumptions about human behaviour, values, biases, preconceived notions and personal limitations. Secondly, is the attempt to understand and share the worldview of their culturally different client with respect and appreciation and without imposing any negative judgments. Thirdly and finally, a culturally skilled counsellor is someone who actively develops and puts into practice appropriate, relevant and sensitive intervention strategies utilising skills when working with their diverse clients. However, since the publication and formal adoption by the American Counselling Association of the Sue, et al. (1982) multicultural counselling competencies (MCC) model, some researchers have noted that little empirical research has been carried out to evaluate the model itself (Chao, 2012). Patterson (1996) states that multicultural counselling is generic in nature and as such all counselling is multicultural. It is not hard to accept the uniqueness of each individual client when you consider the infinite number of combinations and permutations of identify. As such to try and develop a different counselling technique for each one would be an insurmountable task. There appears to be an emphasis on the difference in values between diverse cultures, but it should be acknowledged that so many of these different values are actually customs, lifestyles, habits, social norms and as such common to many different groups and even considered to be universally accepted values (Patterson, 1996). The success of the exsisiting models within counselling/psychotherapy should not be so easily abandoned in an attempt to become more culturally diverse. Any compromise of the westernised therapeutic psychological models should be limited as has been suggested through the intervention of a more multicultural approach when working with ethincally diverse clients, for diluting the process would surely lead to a less effective service being provided (Patterson, 1996) Sue Sue (1990) acknowledged that the core conditions such as unconditional positive regard, respect and accpetance of the individual, an empathic relationship of understanding the clients problem from their own perspective and allowing the client to explore their own core values and reach their own solutions are counselling qualities that may trancend culture. Rogers (1957) claimed that there are five basic qualities that all counsellors need to become an effective counsellor and as such create an effective therapeutic relationship. The nature of this relationship has been well established within the counselling environment and is the same, regardless of whatever cultural, ethnic, gender or social group a client belongs to. Having respect for clients, trusting them to make the right decisions, take responsibility for themselves. Genuiness, where the counsellor acts like a real person, not coming across as the all knowing expert or using a battery of techniques on the client. Empathic understanding for a client is more than simply having the knowledge of the group to which they belong. It is being able to use this knowledge to enter the clients world by invitation through self disclosure by the client, which is related to the degree of respect and genuiness displayed towards the client. (Rogers, 1957; Patterson, 1996) It is essential that communication of these qualities is perceived and felt by the client during the threapeutic process in order for them to be effective. The understanding of cultural differences in both verbal and non-verbal behaviours can overcome some of the difficulties encountered when dealing with culturally diverse clients. It can also be said that these qualities are not only essential for an effective counselling environment but also facilitate all interpersonal relationships. Being neither time-bound or culture-bound thay can encompass all issues of identity within the counselling environment. (Patterson, 1996)

Shakespeares Othello - Othello and Desdemona :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

Othello and Desdemona In the play, The Tragedy of Othello, Shakespeare really tests our conception as to what love is, and where it can or can't exist. Judging from the relationship between Desdemona and Othello, the play seems to say that marriage based on an innocent romantic love or profane love is bound to fail. Shakespeare is pessimistic about the existence and survival of a true type of love. There is a common thread of betrayal and deceit among his female characters, especially. Othello and Desdemona, as portrayed in the play, are the two greatest innocents there ever were. The two appear to love one another romantically at first, but this romantic love becomes more of a profane love, or more likely was truly a profane love all along. This comes to pass because there is no foundation for a relationship here. There is no trust, no communication, and no understanding. Othello has spent most of his life in battle, which makes him good at some things-- namely, battle. Othello says "Rude am I in my spee ch,/ and little bless'd with the soft phrase of peace;/ for since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,/ Till now some nine moons wasted, they have us'd/ Their dearest action in the tented field;/ And little of this great world can I speak/ More than pertains to feats of broils and battle" (1113). Desdemona is little more that a girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world. She is taken in by Othello's war stories. Desdemona takes one look at the hunk of burning love that is Othello, his virility and manliness, and she is swept off her feet. But is this a true love? She speaks so fondly of him, yet hardly knows him. As she defends her newly born love for Othello, Desdemona says (among other things), "My downright violence, and storm of fortunes,/ May trumpet to the world. My heart's subdu'd/ Even to the very quality of my lord./ I saw Othello's visage in his mind,/ And to his honors and his valiant parts/ Did I my soul and fortune consecrate." (1118). I can say from experience t hat in the "Magic Time", the first part of the relationship, some things are said that maybe affected by Love's blindness. Put these two together, and you have the equivalent of a couple of kids playing doctor. The two big clumsy babies "fumbling towards ecstasy" might have actually made it if they were free from outside forces.

HR roles and responsibilities Essay -- essays research papers

In today’s competitive business market, it is very important to remember how effective planning and development play an important role in the overall success of the organization. The ability to plan and execute an effective strategy is only as good as the people that are placed in the positions to make these decisions. It is crucial to have an aggressive team that will be both competitive and motivated to carry out the objectives set forth. Not only is it important to understand how these individuals will effect the organization but also the importance of obtaining effective hiring practices. Real Estate human resources vary from agency to agency, but for larger companies, still has a strong presence in the company. Human resource management is truly the backbone for all organizations as it relates to the overall picture. Additionally, human resource management effects an organization through methods such as effective human resource planning, equal opportunity employment and affirmative action, the recruitment and selection process of staff and the manager’s ability to manage a safe and healthy work environment. The real estate industry provides many aspect of management related to strategic initiatives that directly affect the organization. In looking at the management in a real estate environment, there are many decisions that need to be made and how these decisions effect the organization and the staff is a crucial part of the success of the overall operation. Human resource management plays an important role in the development of accurate policies and procedures, staffing and management of personnel and individual job fulfillment and career planning. Let us not forget the basics of human resource management and how it relates to daily operations in a real estate environment. On a daily basis managers must understand that they are the representatives of human resources and how they react to staff members in certain situations directly effects the operation of the agency. Human resources development is a major function that consists not only of training and development but also of individu al career planning and development activities, organization development, and performance appraisals, an activity that emphasizes training and development needs (Mondy, et al, 2005a). Managers must understand that training and development of staff and management is cruci... ...to age, sex, race, religion, functional specialty, religion, sexual orientation, geographic origin, and lifestyle, tenure with the organization, or position and any other perceived difference. (Mondy, Noe, 2005d). As discussed, it is important not only for the manager to understand the importance of the human resource management process, but also the way that all aspects of the management an operation effect success. Human resources management certainly applied to daily operations and is very difficult to overlook when realizing the constant need to understand and determine solutions for your organization (Mondy, et al, 2005e).These practices are levels of awareness that every manager and employee must be aware of in a real estate company. Next time a staff member has a question about human resource planning, equal opportunity employment and affirmative action, the recruitment and process of staff or the manager’s ability to manage a safe and healthy work environment human resources one must remember how important an human resource manager is to the company. References Mondy, R., et al. (2005). Human resource management (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Being a successful student is not difficult

Being a successful student is not difficult. Many students are trapped in their busy schedules, but few realize that being a successful student is well within everyone’s capability. The most important factor that comes in is ‘time management. ’ With regular management of time, work does not pile up, leaving more time for the student to pay attention to his/her studies rather than worry about meeting deadlines. Time management also creates an organized and well-thought-out work and study environment, encouraging the student to gain more knowledge.Mismanaged time can be devastating. It may sound exaggerated, but for a student, each minute is important. With work piling up, many begin getting worried, and it gets harder for them to work efficiently, and to their level best. With deadlines to meet, many also give in shabby and mediocre work, which eventually costs them their grades. Mediocre work has its own implications. Overall, a student’s self-esteem takes a nose dive. The cycle goes on.On the contrary, a student who does his/her work on time, with attention gets encouraged, and gets more determined to prove him/herself even better next time. Being a successful student also has a lot to do with presence of mind. Many students remain absent-minded during lectures. This results in poor understanding of the subject, and waste of time. Along with paying attention, one also needs to retain the knowledge gained. In order to do this students ought to note down things.Important points jotted down during lectures are often helpful. Students also need to read from other guide books and reference books in order to enhance their understanding of a subject. This results in through in-depth analysis. Students should also make time to study. Studying again, should be done in a most organized manner, with a deep understanding of the topic. Last but definitely not the least is the desire to be successful. Students who are motivated are always successf ul, no matter what hurdles stand in their path.

With whom does the responsibility of the holocaust ultimately lie?

The Holocaust was the end result of a long chain of events that lead all the way back to 1919 when Hitler became part of the Nazis. But to find out who was really responsible for the Holocaust, we shall need to go way back, back to 1918. In 1918, there was a small group of right-wing extremists formed a Nationalist party, which appealed to the working classes led by Anton Drexler. In 1919, Adolf Hitler joined as a member of the National Socialist Germany Workers Party (‘Nazi' for short). In 1920 the Nazis put out a 25 point statement of their beliefs. This programme was the work of Hitler. Its main ideas were nationalism, anti-Semitism and anti-capitalism. The Nazi programme called for the creation of a ‘Greater Germany' in which all German-speaking peoples were united. It also called for the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles. There was nothing unique in these nationalistic ideas. They were shared by other German right-wing extremists. Anti-Semitism was widespread in the right-wing circles in Germany and Austria in the early 20th century. Hitler seems to have become infected with the idea in Vienna before 1914. By the early 1920s he was making speeches which contained frenzied attacks on Germany's Jews. The Nazi programme of 1920 was openly anti-Semitic although it did not employ the violent language which Hitler used in is speeches. For nearly two decades after 1945 it was generally assumed that Hitler was totally responsible for the Holocaust – and everything else that happened in Nazi Germany. The Third Reich was seen as a one power state where all power was concentrated in the Fihrer's hands. Hitler's vitriolic hatred of all Jews was seen as sufficient on its own to explain the murder of millions of Jews. Many historians still believe that Hitler was an all-powerful dictator whose will was translated into action. Some historians see him conceiving the idea of the extermination of the Jews in the 1920s and pursuing this intention remorselessly once he was handed power in 1933. But back in 1918, Anton Drexler was the key point that turned Hitler (and him being refused a place at the art school by the Jews at Vienna), so really, he played a massive part. Without him, there might have not even been a Nazi party at all. But on the other hand, Hitler was not the only one responsible for the industrial removal of countless numbers of Jews. Nazi Germany was a ‘totalitarian' country. Totalitarian countries can be thought of as ones which try to establish total control over the lives of their citizens. They always only allow one political party, the ruling party tries to force its ideas on the rest of society and tries to stop people believing in other ideas and the ruling party aims to control all aspects of people's lives – there is no area where the citizen is left to think or act as he or she pleases. In Nazi Germany the tasks of detecting and stamping out opposition was the responsibility of the SS. The SS was created in 1925. Its full name was the ‘Schutzstaffel'. This means ‘protection squad'. The purpose for which the SS was formed was to provide Hitler and other Nazi leaders with a bodyguard. Things changed when the SS got a new leader in 1929. This was Himmler. Himmler came from a well-off middle-class family. He joined the Nazi party in 1923 after service in the army and the Free Corps. In 1929 he was only 29 years old. Special SS units called ‘Einsatzgruppen' (action squads) were set up to deal with resistance to Nazi rule in German-occupied countries. These units were murder gangs. They went into invaded countries behind the German army and rounded up and killed anyone who was felt to be a threat. In Eastern Europe the Einsatzgruppen were responsible for hundreds of thousands of people. Their victims included Jews. This was another example of the SS and Himmler killing Jews, and overall contributing to the Holocaust. Himmler ensured that Hitler's orders were carried out. An extreme racist who was totally loyal to Hitler, Himmler is often regarded as the ‘architect of genocide'. However, Himmler delegated considerable authority in Jewish matters to Reinhard Heydrich, his loyal henchman. At the Wannsee conference in January 1942 it was Heydrich who formalised the administrative arrangements of the Holocaust. The SS was a perfect instrument for genocide. Its members were fanatical Nazis and had a grossly distorted sense of duty. Few doubt that Himmler, Heydrich and the SS played a vital role in the Final Solution. However, Himmler and Heydrich were not the only leading Nazis involved in anti-Jewish initiatives. Nor were the SS the only killers. It was a combination of everyone in Germany who caused the holocaust. After 1937 relations between Hitler and his generals turned sour. The generals were unenthusiastic when Hitler told them of his plans for a war of conquest in Europe. Hitler decided that they were spineless.. During the war he took little notice of the expert advice of the Generals and was quick to sack them if they failed. It was once claimed that the German armed forces were untainted by Hitler's racism and not responsible for the Holocaust. After 1938 Hitler treated the Generals with a certain amount of contempt. In 1934 he had promised them that no military force other than the army would be permitted in Germany: he broke his promise when he allowed the Waffen SS to be set up . After 1945 many of Germany's top officers claimed they were unaware of what was happening to the Jews. Most historians now, however, believe that the army was massively implicated in the Final Solution. German historians have argued that the bulk of leading army officers were anti-Semitic and, regarding the was against the USSR as a war to the death, were quite content to support the brutality of the SS. The letters and diaries of ordinary German troops suggest that the majority were also extremely racist. Many seem to have carried out horrendous massacres with enthusiasm. In the 1920s and early 1930s foreigners working in Germany as diplomats or journalists sometimes suggested that of Hitler getting into power he would become respectable and leave anti-Semitism behind. In 1933 there were about half a million Jews living in Germany. When in power the Nazis put their anti-Semitic beliefs were savagely put into practice. It should not be thought that they were a number of people who were somehow living apart from the rest of the population in Germany and else where . In the 1920s Jewish community provided the Weimar Republic with some of its most celebrated citizens . 100,000 German Jews had fought and died alongside non-Jews in the German army during the first world war. Most members of Germany's population . Nazi claims that Jews controlled the political and economic life of the Weimar Republic were pure fantasy. The first official attack made on Germany's Jews came in the form of a boycott of Jewish shops ordered by Hitler for 1 April 1933. There were other anti-Jewish moves in 1933 apart from the one-day shops boycott. The most important of these was a law which forced Jews out of the German civil service. In the five years after Hitler came to power Jews in Germany were viciously persecuted. Over 200 were murdered. Large Numbers emigrated. In the 1930s half of Germany's Jewish population left the country. Others Stayed. Perhaps they thought that after the Nuremberg Laws things could not get worse. After 1945 most Germans insisted they had no idea of what was happening to Jews in the east. Many may have been telling the truth. There is no doubt that the Holocaust was implemented with the utmost secrecy. There are no public opinion polls results to tell us so it is very hard to say how much opposition there was to Nazism in Germany after 1938. It is most likely that the number of people who disliked Nazism was very large, although people wouldn't come forward to admit it. There is, however, a difference between disliking something and actively opposing it. The number of people who either protested openly against Nazism or who tried to overthrow it was very small. These people were people of extraordinary bravery. The penalty for resistance was at very least detention in a concentration camp and was normally death. Most people who disliked but did not resist Nazism appear to have tried to shut themselves off from what was happening. This became known as ‘inner emigration'. In 1963 the Jewish scholar Hannah Arendt claimed that: ‘if the Jewish people had really been unorganised and leaderless, there would have been chaos and plenty of misery but the total number of victims would hardly have been between four and a half and six million people'. Arendt charged Jewish leaders with helping the process of destruction by complying with Nazi orders to supply names and groups of Jews for transportation to the death camps. Many scholars have rejected this thesis. Isaiah Trunk, for example, focused attention on the dilemma confronting Jewish leaders in the Polish ghettos. His Conclusion was that they were in an impossible position. Having little option but to obey Nazi commands, they did their best to protect their communities. So, in conclusion we can see that there were many areas were people have helped along the Holocaust, and some who tried to stop it. It is a difficult question to answer, as responsibility lies in many areas. If you are talking about the killing in the concentration camps, then it would be the Nazis because they used the British idea and worked on it, then systematically moved allot of European Jews from their homes to the camps. If you are talking about the entire anti-Semitic campaign, then responsibility lies in many areas, the Nazis, even Jews themselves. So, in conclusion, I think that overall everyone in Germany at that time had a part to play in the way things went.

History project- religious development in India during medieval ages Essay

With the coming of the Mughals in India and the Turkish rule, there were many developments and changes in the Indian culture and religion. The Sultans of Delhi and Mughal tolerated different religions, especially Hinduism, though they were followers of Islam. This lead to the beggining of indo-islamic culture. Since dawn of history, India has been the cradle of religious developments. In the early medival period, two parrelel movements in Hinduism and Islam representing the Bhakti and Sufi movements emerged in India. The Indo-Islamic strands have been woven into the texture of India by intertwining Bhakti and Sufi traditions. Bhakti movement The Bhakti movement is a Hindu religious movement in which the main spiritual practice is loving devotion towards Shiva or Vishnu. Bhakti movement is also closely related to Sufism of Islam which rose in the same time period and both advocated ‘love of God’ as the easiest way to attain God. The Bhakti movement originated in ancient Tamil Nadu. The Nayanmars and the Alvars played a major role in the Bhakti movement. The Bhakti movement co-existed peacefully with the other movements in Hinduism. It was initially considered unorthodox, as it rebelled against caste distinctions and disregarded Brahmanic rituals, which according to Bhakti saints were not necessary for salvation. In the course of time, however, owing to its immense popularity among the masses it became ‘orthodox’ and continues to be one of the most important modes of religious expression in modern India. The world ‘Bhakti’ means devotion to God. The Bhakti movement had its origin in the Bhagavadgita and the Upanishads. The Bhaktas of God did not believe in any sort of caste distinctions. They advocated love and devotion to God and discarded all sorts of rituals and ceremonies. They preached oneness of God and â€Å"that all religions were but roads leading to the same goal†. Chief Principles of Bhakti Movement: The chief principles of the Bhakti movement were as follows: 1. It is Bhakti or devotion to God alone that can help man attain salvation. 2. It is important to follow a true guru for realizing God. 3. All men are equal and no one is superior or inferior. 4. Caste distinctions, rituals, fasts, etc. , are useless and lead to nowhere. 5. All men should be tolerant. Effects of the Bhakti Movement: The Bhakti movement had far-reaching effects on the people. Firstly, it helped a lot in removing the existing bitterness between the Hindus and the Muslims. Both became more tolerant towards each other. Secondly, the Bhaktas exposed the hollowness of empty rituals and ceremonies and taught the people to give up evils like belief in superstitions etc. This movement delta a blow to the superiority of the Brahmins, for it propagated the equality of all men. This also helped in checking conversions. Thirdly, the Bhakti reformers preached in the common language of the people, which gave rise to the vernacular languages such as Bengali in the east, Gujarati and Marathi in the west and Punjabi in the north. Important Bhakti Reformers Ramanuja : Ramanuja was one of the earliest reformers. His teachings were based on the Upanishads and Bhagwad Gita. he had taught in the language of the common man. Soon a large number of people became his followers. Ramananda was his disciple. Ramananda : Ramananda was the first reformer to preach in Hindi, the main language spoken by the people of the North. He was educated at Benaras. He preached that there is nothing high or low. He was an ardent worshipper of Rama. He considered God as a loving father. He lived in the 14th century A. D. Kabir : Kabir was an ardent disciple of Ramananda. He wanted unity between the Hindus and the Muslims. He preached that both the Hindus and the Muslims are the children of a single God. He had no faith in idol worship, religious rituals and ceremonies. The devotees of Kabir were known as Kabir Panthis. Chaitanya : Chaitanya, a great devotee of Lord Krishna, was a saint from Bengal. From his very childhood, he had showed great interest in education and studied Sanskrit. He married the daughter of a Saintly person. Later at the age of 24, he renounced the worldly life and became a sanyasin. His followers regarded him as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He helped the old and the needy. He was opposed to the inequalities of the caste system. He emphasised the need for tolerance, humanity and love. He spread the message of Bhakti in Bengal. He popularised ‘Sankritan’or public singing of God’s name. He was addressed `Mahaprabhu’ by his followers. Meera Bai : Meerabai was a Rajput princess. She married the Rana of Mewar. She was a pious devotee of Lord Krishna. Her songs or hymns are even today sung all over India. Her palace was kept open to people of all castes to join her Bhajans of Lord Krishna. She had lived for the most part of her life in Mathura, the birth place of Krishna and Vrindaban. There is a temple dedicated to Meerabai in Chittor, the capital of Mewar. Sufi movement Sufism was a reform movement within Islam which applies greater stress on free thinking, liberal ideas and toleration. The Sufis believed in the equality of all human beings and brotherhood mankind. The Sufi movement started in Persia. Some of the Sufi saints also came to India. They began to preach their liberal ideas and to remove the gulf between the Hindus and the Muslims and join them together. The word Sufi has been taken from the Arabic word ‘Suf’ which means wool. The movement may have been given the name Sufism because of the course wool garments they wore as a mark of their rejection of worldly things. Sufis have traditionally taken vows of poverty and celibacy. Sufism developed religious practices focusing on strict self-control that enable both psychological and mystical insights as well as a loss of self, with the ultimate goal of mystical union with God. The Sufi movement consists of fraternal orders in which leaders train and assist disciples in the mastery of Sufism’s philosophical principles and ritual practices. Such rituals and practices include writing and reciting poetry and hymns; some of the most famous and beautiful literature of the Islamic world has been written by Sufis. Sufis engage in a variety of ritual practices intended to help them realize union with God, such as distinct forms of ritual prayer including the recitation of God’s names, as well as bodily rituals such as those practices by the so-called â€Å"Whirling Dervishes,† a Turkish Sufi order that practices meditation and contemplation of God through spinning. Teaching of Sufism: 1. There is one God, the Eternal, the Only Being; none else exists save He. 2. There is only one Master, the Guiding Spirit of all souls, who constantly leads his followers towards the light. 3. There is one Holy Book, the sacred manuscript of nature: the only scripture, which can enlighten the reader. 4. There is one Religion, the unswerving progress in the right direction towards the ideal, which fulfills the life’s purpose of every soul. 5. There is one Law, the Law of reciprocity, which can be observed by a selfless conscience together with a sense of awakened justice. 6. There is one Brotherhood, the human brotherhood, which unites the children of earth indiscriminately in the fatherhood of God. 7. There is one Moral Principle, the love which springs forth from self-denial, and blooms in deeds of beneficence. 8. There is one Object of Praise, the beauty which uplifts the heart of its worshipper through all aspects from the seen to the Unseen. 9. There is one Truth, the true knowledge of our being within and without, which is the essence of all wisdom. 10. There is one Path, the annihilation of the false ego in the real, which raises the mortal to immortality and in which resides all perfection. The Sufi Movement there is no priesthood in the ordinary sense, the priesthood is only to conduct the service and to answer the need of a priest which always exists in our everyday life. Those ordained in the Sufi Movement are called Sirajs and Cherags. There is no distinction between women and men. The worthy soul is ordained; this gives an example to the world that in all places – in the church, in the school, in parliament, in court – it is woman and man together who make evolution complete. But at the same time every Sufi is a priest, a preacher, a teacher, and a pupil of every soul that he meets in the world. The Sufi prayers such as Saum and Salat are not man-made prayers. They have descended from above, just as in every period of spiritual reconstruction prayers were given. And there is every power and blessing in them, especially for those who believe. Sikhism Guru Nanak is the founder of the religion of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated world-wide on Kartik Puranmashi, the full-moon day which falls on different dates each year in the month of Katak, October-November. Guru Nanak travelled to places far and wide teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of God’s creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. He setup a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternity love, goodness, and virtue. Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, now celebrated as Guru Nanak Gurpurab. Today, his birthplace is marked by Gurdwara Janam Asthan. His parents were Kalyan Chand Das Bedi and Mata Tripta. His father was a patwari (accountant) for crop revenue in the village of Talwandi, employed by a Muslim landlord of that area, Rai Bular Bhatti. He had one sister, Bibi Nanaki, who was five years older than him and became a spiritual figure in her own right. Nanak also found work with Daulat Khan, when he was around 16 years old. On 24 September 1487 Nanak married Mata Sulakkhani, daughter of Mul Chand and Chando Ra? i, in the town of Batala. The couple had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand. Inspite of his married life, he spent most of his time in the company of holy men. At the age of 29, he left his home to spread the message of faith far and wide. Sikh teaching emphasizes the principle of equality of all humans and rejects discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, and gender. Sikh principles encourage living life as a householder Sikh Religion and Worship: 1)A Sikh believes in, and worships only one God. 2)A Sikh regards the succession of ten gurus, and the written word of the Guru Granth, a channel through which divine light manifests as salvation. 3)Sikhs worship in the gurdwara, congregating with spiritual companions, and communing with God, by singing divine hymns selected from the Guru Granth. 4)Sikhs perform ardas, a formal prayer, and read from Guru Granth before embarking on important endeavors. 5)The uniqueness of Sikhism is upheld without any derogatory attitude towards others, or belittling of others faith. . A brief of the next 9 Gurus: http://www. sarabsanjhigurbani. com/ten-guru. asp