Scandian Myth Essays - Flood Myths, Greek Mythology,

Scandian Myth The Scandinavian myth of creation begins by presenting Odin as the All-Father, a god that is older and mightier than all other beings. Being the ruler of all living things, Odin was responsible for the creation of the skies in the heavens and the ground on the earth. Soon after his formation the planet, the deity composed the first man, breathing life into his body and providing generously a soul to the frame. Even with such apparent power and control over the world, Odin the All-Father, was not the first creature. Before Odin there was only a great emptiness called Ginnungagap and was the only thing that existed. Niflheim, an area filled with mist and ice, was fashioned in the abyss along with Muspellsheim, a section in the south of intense heat and fire. Yggdrasil, the world-tree, and her nemesis, Nidhogg, an evil serpent, were spawned to occupy the space as well. The two points of cold and hot, Niflheim and Muspellsheim, collided into each other, melting the ice with a strong fire. From the interaction, Ymir was formed, the frost-giant who adopted the shape of humans. Giants were produce from his perspiration, causing a massive cow to be grown to feed them. The cow began to lick the ice, resulting in the appearance of hair, a head, and then a full body named Buri. From Buri three gods, Odin, Vili, Ve, were born, producing a new race that killed Ymir. The offspring of Ymir, the giants, drowned in immense sea of his blood. His body made land and his skull into the heavens by three gods. Dwarfs were molded from the maggots that consumed Ymir`s body, while the first man was created from an ash tree and a woman from a vine. In Greece, the origins of creation were not drastically different, referring to the story of King Lycaon of Arcadia. Lycaon was a conventional ruler and man of the age, having no regard for other mortals, beasts, or even gods. Zeus, the god above all others, masquerading carefully in a human form, visited the castle of the great king only to find him and his nobles in celebration. As a practice of the day, the god sat down at the table and ordered a hot meal, expecting a hospitable welcome as a visitor. Having seen through Zeus's ruse, Lycaon replaced him intended dinner with that of human limbs, an effort to murder the god. Zeus rose from the table, scorned and furious, removing all who were present at the banquet with his mighty wrath except for one, Lycaon, a man that was transformed into a wolf. In an attempt to eradicate the mortals, Zeus commanded a flood to be spread upon the earth once he reverted to his original form at Mount Olympus. The creator of humans, a titan Prometheus, forewarned Deucalion, his mortal son, of the destructive plans, allowing him to gather his wife Pyrrha and rations before the danger. Deucaltion and Pyrrha, two individuals that were in Zeus's favor, survived by resting on a chest for nine days and nights, remaining after all mortals had be destroyed. Both looked to the goddess of the titans, Themis, for council, praying for advice of the situation. The goddess instructed for Deucalion to throw stones over his shoulder, resulting in the creation of men, and directed Pyrrha to perform the same, generating women upon the earth from stone. Bibliography Work Cited Crystal, Ellie. ?Greece - Creational Myths.? Creation 28 Sept. 2001 . Crystal, Ellie. ?Scandinavian Creational Myths ? Odin.? Creation 28 Sept. 2001 . Mythology Essays

Integrating Sustainability into Business Strategy where Interests Intersect The WritePass Journal

Integrating Sustainability into Business Strategy where Interests Intersect Introduction Integrating Sustainability into Business Strategy where Interests Intersect IntroductionBusiness Benefitâ€Å"Protect it†26 – Regulations and Reputationâ€Å"Run it†33 Operationsâ€Å"Grow it†43 Innovation and MarketingRole of StrategyStrategic Approach to Sustainability  Ã¢â‚¬ËœIntegration’ and ‘Fit’  Does The ‘Sweet-Spot’ Approach Lead to Sustainability?Expectation of no Trade-offsBusiness Model as a WholeCreating a Sustainable Business ModelConclusion  Related Introduction Literature agrees that for sustainability to achieve benefit to business, society and the environment, it must not be an add-on but be integrated into the business.13 In order to integrate sustainability into business strategy Savitz and Weber suggest establishing where areas of â€Å"mutual interest†14 lie, between business strategy and stakeholder interest. They term this the â€Å"sustainability sweet spot: the place where the pursuit of profit blends seamlessly with the pursuit of the common good†15 Businesses operate in an â€Å"interdependent world†16 therefore there is much scope for overlap between stakeholder and business interests agree, recommending companies focus on â€Å"the points of intersection†18 rather than the tension and frictions between business and society. Points of intersection arise, in product offering, along the value chain and in the competitive context, that provide opportunity for â€Å"creating shared value†19 Drucker has encouraged companies, since 1955, to â€Å"make the public good become the private good of the enterprise†20 More recently, The Forum for the Future argues that â€Å"smart businesses†21 will profit from sustainability issues by â€Å"finding ways to give us what we need and want whilst maintaining the eco-system services on which we rely.†22 Business Benefit Points of intersection occur in product offering, throughout the value chain, and in the competitive context, providing much scope for sustainability activities. According to Savitz and Weber, sustainability activities have the potential to enhance your business in three ways. They can help to â€Å"protect it, run it, and grow it†24 Although using different terminology, this concept is â€Å"Protect it†26 – Regulations and Reputation Integrating sustainability into the business strategy reduces risk by ensuring compliance with existing regulations but also preparing for, influencing27 and reducing the risk of impending regulatory interventions.28 WWF and Smith add that engaging with stakeholders including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) can reduce the risk of reputational damage,29 negative campaigns and consumer boycott. De Man and Burns suggest supply-chain partnerships and codes-of-conduct manage risk by recouping control lost through globalization and outsourcing.31 The second two stages suggested by Savitz and Weber move from risk management to include opportunity maximization, reflecting the shift observed by Forum for the Future over the past decade. â€Å"Run it†33 Operations As expressed by Forum for the Future, â€Å"Pollution is waste,†¦ it means that your company is paying for something it didn’t use†34 Reducing costs, waste and inefficiencies in operations can increase profitability while keeping the company ahead of regulators. The improved environmental and social impacts can be beneficial for brand enhancement. Porter agrees that â€Å"operational efficiency†35 is important but argues that it is not sufficient to secure a viable business into the long-term. It can be quickly imitated,36 shifting the â€Å"productivity frontier outward†37 and raising efficiencies of the industry as a whole but providing â€Å"relative improvements for no one†38 Without additional strategy this creates â€Å"pressures on costs†39 and â€Å"mutually destructive competition†40 Environment Management Systems can assist reduction of resources used in production. But, as populations and therefore production expands, this reduction becomes ‘relative’ rather than ‘absolute’41. Environmental degradation continues to increase although businesses appear to be addressing the issue. Jackson terms this the â€Å"myth of decoupling†42 Improvements required for absolute decoupling of growth and material usage would require substantial economic investment, with a return-oninvestment timeframe that would not pass traditional calculations. â€Å"Grow it†43 Innovation and Marketing Sustainability provides scope for growth activities including opening access to new markets, increasing share in existing markets, developing innovative new products and processes, increased consumer loyalty and satisfaction, increased scope for alliances and partnerships, and improvement to reputation and brand.44 This area shall be considered in detail in Part 2. In summary, sustainability can be integrated into business where there are areas of mutual interest between the business, environment and society. Areas of intersection occur throughout the value chain. Sustainability activities can provide business benefits such as: managing risk of regulation; managing risk of reputational damage in consumer, investor and employment markets; re-couping control lost through globalization and outsourcing; reduced operating costs; reputation and brand enhancement; product differentiation; access to new markets and increased share in existing markets; and providing a driver for innovation of product, process and business model. Role of Strategy Strategic Approach to Sustainability Focusing on points of intersection has the potential to benefit the business alongside society and the environment. The danger is that sustainability activities become â€Å"fragmented†45, â€Å"disconnected from the company’s strategy†46, reducing the potential benefit to society, the environment and to the business and opening the company up to risks such as accusations of ‘green-wash’ (see 2.2.1). A fragmented approach leads to â€Å"contradictory practices†47 that reduce the overall benefits produced. Instead sustainability issues should be analysed â€Å"using the same frameworks that guide their core business choices†48 Approached strategically, sustainability becomes a source of progress for both society and the firm, being â€Å"a source of opportunity, innovation, and competitive advantage†49 â€Å"as the business applies its considerable resources, expertise, and insights to activities that benefit society.†50 Considered strategically sustainability activities can compliment and re-enforce each other, working together as a coherent whole.   Ã¢â‚¬ËœIntegration’ and ‘Fit’ Sustainability activities can be realised throughout the business model,51 summarised According to Drucker â€Å"The entire business can be seen, understood and managed as an integrated process†53 â€Å"from raw material procurement†¦to customer service†54 According to Porter, the role of strategy is to â€Å"tighten fit†55 between activities and changes taking place. Strategy considers the company as a whole â€Å"activity system†56, rather than individual activities, combining and configuring activities. â€Å"The success of a strategy depends on doing many things well-not just a few- and integrating among them†57 ensuring that activities are complimentary, having â€Å"consistency†58, are â€Å"reinforcing†59 and provide â€Å"optimization of effort†60 Integrating individual sustainability activities into business units is an improvement from mere philanthropy, but real benefit is achieved when there is integration among activities so that they work together as a coherent whole, re-enforcing and supporting each other. Balancing Stakeholder Interests and Competing Business Objectives The business context contains a range of stakeholders61. FMCG’s are publicly traded companies62, therefore shareholders are among their key stakeholders, along with consumers, governments, employees, communities in which they operate, NGOs and the media. Inevitably conflict arises between stakeholder interests63 especially when consideration is extended to future stakeholder interests, as required by the sustainability agenda64 Porter and Kramer recognize that, like all business activities, sustainability activities require a degree of â€Å"balancing competing values, interests, and costs†65 In some cases the â€Å"conflict of interest between shareholders and other stakeholders†66 can be resolved by considering the long-term interests of shareholders67 In some instances it is possible to create an overlap of interests through innovation68, by â€Å"working to alter consumer preference†69 or by lobbying for regulation that converges these interests. In some instances the activity should simply be halted. Smith argues that â€Å"stakeholder engagement must be at the core†70 of sustainability strategy in order to ensure informed decision-making. Competing business objectives can conflict. Without clear strategy it is likely that sustainability â€Å"trade-offs†71 such as costs will be postponed72 â€Å"which can lead to far greater costs when the company is later judged to have violated its social obligation.†73 Although they do not explicate it, we can add that this postponement can also lead to severe costs to society and the environment. Porter identifies â€Å"the growth trap†74 as a pressure that detracts from strategy, encouraging activities that are not coherent with the system as a whole.75 A strategic framework allows decisions to be made, regarding competing interests and objectives, consistently across the business, maintaining the company’s â€Å"unique and valuable position†76 In order to ensure that sustainability activities fulfill their potential, it is necessary to have them sit within a core strategic framework. In summary, sustainability can be integrated into all aspects of the business. A fragmented approach is inefficient at producing benefit and avoiding risk. But, when considered strategically, sustainability activities can compliment each other, working together as a coherent whole to benefit the business, society and the environment simultaneously. This is when maximum benefit is achieved. Strategy provides the framework for managing competing stakeholder interests and business objectives in a manner consistent with the business as a whole, strengthening the company’s unique position.   Does The ‘Sweet-Spot’ Approach Lead to Sustainability? Expectation of no Trade-offs Walley and Whitehead express caution in allowing ‘sweet-spots’ to dictate sustainability strategy. They accept that ‘win-win’ scenarios exist but argue they are extremely rare and should not form the basis of a company’s sustainability strategy.77 Previous easy wins were achieved without making â€Å"truly fundamental changes in production processes or product design†78 Once ‘low hanging fruit’ has been reaped, addressing sustainability issues becomes an increasingly â€Å"costly and complicated proposition†79 that requires â€Å"long-term commitment and cooperation†80 The occasional ‘win-win’ becomes insignificant when considered alongside the full costs of addressing sustainability issues. The expectation that no trade-offs are required leads to reduced commitment and cooperation when expected win-win’s do not materialise and true costs are realised. Walley Whitehead advocate â€Å"a more integrated way of thinking†81, focusing on the core strategy of the business in order to make â€Å"informed trade-offs between costs and benefits†82 Business Model as a Whole Focusing on ‘sweet-spots’ does not address the impact of the business model as a whole but makes modifications within. Utting argues that corporations have â€Å"skillfully placated the opposition†83 using dialogue, engagement and sustainability activities, without effecting real change to business practices. Focusing on gradual mitigation of negative environmental and social impacts, or increasing positive impacts only to the extent that delivers medium term business benefit, may well provide the desired business benefits, and indeed provide some benefit to society, but results in the continuation of â€Å"current unsustainable trends†84 Looking long term this is detrimental to shareholder value as well as to future stakeholder interests. Jackson argues85 that the constant pursuit of growth, through marketing and innovation86, has led to unsustainable levels of consumption.87 Companies are responsible for encouraging materialistic desires as well as for fulfilling them.88 87 Five planets would be required if current consumption levels of richer nations were achieved globally. (Leonard, A. 2002) Add to this an increased population size and it becomes clear that incremental improvements will not be enough to achieve sustainability (WWF-UK (2001), p12.) 88 Sustainable Development Commission (2009) and Leonard, A. 2010. 19 Leonard argues that making the products a little less damaging will not achieve sustainability.89 More sustainable patterns of consumption must be achieved90 where prosperity is not reliant upon continued â€Å"consumption growth†91 Savitz does not deny that current efforts will not achieve sustainability, but he argues that we cannot make â€Å"extreme shifts†92 without â€Å"modest initiatives first†93 to achieve buy-in from stakeholders essential to the viability of the business. Creating a Sustainable Business Model Drucker advocates asking â€Å"What is our business, what will it be, what should it be?†94 The organisational structure and objectives should be designed to achieve this vision of the company, ensuring integration and consistency throughout, in order to achieve the goals of the business as a whole.95 According to MacDonald, to achieve sustainability one must first have a vision of what sustainability would look like, which can then be planned towards. This â€Å"planning from principles of success†96 or â€Å"back casting from principles†97 matches Drucker’s view of strategy outlined above. Envisioning a sustainable company provides the goal towards which the business structure and objectives can be designed.98 This view is supported by Forum For the Future99, who work with companies â€Å"with positive visions of a sustainable future; finding innovative, practical ways to help realise those visions;†100 MacDonald recognises that interim targets towards achieving the goal of sustainability are useful but these should be planned within an â€Å"overarching strategy†101 and recommends a â€Å"10 30 year horizon†102    Conclusion   Much of the literature on sustainability recommends that companies look for areas of mutual interest between its various stakeholders and focus on integrating sustainability activities. ‘Sweet-spots’ are a vital tool in transitioning a company and its stakeholders towards a sustainable future, but this does not constitute a complete sustainability strategy. Sustainability activities and incremental targets must be set within an ‘over-arching strategy’ designed to achieve the vision of a sustainable company.

Business Economics and Suppliers Implements Strategies

1: In order to gain the maximum revenue, the suppliers implements strategies. There are a number of ways in which the suppliers are able to increase their revenue depending upon the market demand and supply of the product. In a perfectly petitive market, the suppliers intend to lower the price of the products offered to the customers in the market, when the market economy is slow. Lowering the price level allows the supplier to sell more products and earn higher revenue. Li & Zhang, (2013) stated that if the demand curve of the product supplied is perfectly elastic, then the customers are likely to purchase lesser quantity and thus, reducing the price is beneficial in increasing the revenue (Refer to appendix 1). From the figure, it can be inferred that at price level P1 (Rs. 5 per unit) the amount sold is Q1 (10 units), then the revenue obtained by the supplier is P1*Q1 = 50. On the other hand, with the decrease in the price level P2 (Rs. 3 per unit), the quantity sold is Q2 (25 units). The new revenue earned is P2*Q2= 75. Therefore, the supplier is able to increase the revenue by lowering the price, if the demand is perfectly elastic (Negash & Kirschen, 2014). The supplier can decide to raise the price level of the goods so as to boost up the revenue if the products offered by the supplier have a perfectly inelastic demand curve. For such a modity, the consumers would purchase the same quantity of product even if the price level is high (Refer to appendix 2). As per the diagram, the initial price level is P1 (Rs. 3 per unit) and the quantity sold is Q1 (8 units) and the revenue earned is P1*Q1= 24. The perfectly inelastic demand curve indicates that rise in the price level will not affect the demand to large extent. The new price level is P2 (Rs. 7 per unit) and the quantity sold is Q2 (6 units). The new revenue thus earned is P2*Q2= 42. Every economy has diverse natural, capital and human resources and has separate ways in which the resources are bined. Thus, a country is not similarly resourceful in producing all goods and services. The decision regarding the producing of goods have certain opportunity costs (Johnson, 2013). If a country is efficient in producing all the goods efficiently than any other country then it has an absolute advantage. However, Feenstra, (2015) opined that trade is necessary as the notion of parative advantage is present, which is a condition in which a country produces a particular product at a lower opportunity cost than other economies. Hence, even if a country has absolute advantage it can engage in trade with other countries that have a parative advantage in producing the particular goods. The engagement in the trade will allow the countries taking part in the trade to gain a mutual benefit, as absolute advantage is a condition where the there is no mutual benefits. Thus, a country is able to produce all products more petently than the other economies even have a need to engage in trade to gain further advantage. Feenstra, R. C. (2015). Advanced international trade: theory and evidence. Princeton university press. Johnson, H. G. (2013). International Trade and Economic Growth (Collected Works of Harry Johnson): Studies in Pure Theory. Routledge. Li, C., & Zhang, F. (2013). Advance demand information, price discrimination, and preorder strategies. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 15(1), 57-71.

Is there a clash of civilizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is there a clash of civilizations - Essay Example and its allies, due to the perceived threat of western cultural values, lifestyles, democracy, liberalness, secularism as well as capitalism to the Muslim spiritual customs and dogmas, is indicative of a clash of civilizations between Islam and the west. There is compelling evidence of the ever-broadening gap between the Muslim world and the west, due to unique differences in values that define the two cultural blocks. While there is no single civilization that dominates the world, the western culture and the Islamic culture are perhaps the greatest civilizations of the world, with the latter being the most troublesome. The Muslim world is always antagonizing the west and individuals in the Islamic civilization do not see eye to eye with those in the western civilization on many issues. The assault on Pentagon and New York’s Twin Towers was not only an attack against the United States as a nation, but also an attack on the glorified western society and philosophy in general (Wistrich, 2001). The Muslim terrorists will not relent until they have reduced the western civilization to the ground and only then will they be satisfied that the spread of contemporary western way of life and western values across the world has been con tained. The Muslim world has always been threatened by the U.S. led â€Å"western democracy, freedom of thought, secularism and capitalism, ideals that have been hailed as the epitome of modern civilization and modelled by many nations across the world. As the western nations revel their successful democratization of the rest of the world, the Muslim world frowns at their successes and their hatred grows even further. The longstanding confrontational relationship between the west and the Muslim world does indicate the obvious conflicting interests of the two sides, with each seeking domination of the global world order. The western world, particularly the U.S. and Israel, have been loathed and targeted by the Muslim world since they are

How Cultures Conflict in Native American Vs. European Culture Term Paper

How Cultures Conflict in Native American Vs. European Culture - Term Paper Example This paper tells that cultures change always and have a relationship with symbols of life dimensions. Symbolic dimensions can be places where we make meanings and enact consistently our identities. Therefore cultural messages from our origin convey what is important to us, who we are and what relationships we have with others. As Nina puts it, cultures conflict in such a way that cultural messages make what people in a cultural group know that the outsiders know not. These cultural messages are like a series of lenses shaping what we do not see as well as what we see, how the group interpret and perceive, and where they draw boundaries. Cultures conflict such that they shape the values and involve the currencies and starting points of every individual group. What is perceived as important by one group may not mean anything to the other group? For example, starting points places natural to start from with group or individual concerns with particularities or big picture. Currencies may be the things that a particular cultural group care about so much and shape and influence their interaction with other cultural groups. Cultures are basically embedded in all manners of conflict since human relationships are the origin of conflicts. Particular cultures affect the way people frame, name, blame or attempt to resolve conflicts. It is a cultural question whether at all there is an existence of a conflict. According to the readings, labeling interactions as conflicts and scrutinizing them to smaller content sections is a Western approach distinctly and obscures other related aspects.

Myth Of Sisyphus And The Allegory Cave Essay Example for Free

Myth Of Sisyphus And The Allegory Cave Essay In the world of philosophy, it is widely known conception that Socrates and Plato had been the first few philosophers. A friend of mine once told me that some things that are said by philosophers could be footnoted to Plato. However, the validity of this statement may still be dubitable or debatable. But there is a point in this statement. It would then be hard for me to identify which philosopher had presented a compelling vision of the struggles and meaning of human life. Plato had presented as an idealist may have claimed that the man from the cave who had accepted the glaring sun would have to be the person who had sought the truth. Taking out the metaphorical aspect in the allegory, it seems that what Plato wants to convey is that man and his folly could not be reined at times especially when they are presented with the Truth. A man then who is trying to present this Truth would then be deemed as insane or they would shun his/her assertions as false or even wrong (Brians). On the other hand, Camus has presented us with a different side of human nature. Upon reading the Myth, I could fairly deduce that Camus wanted to convey the idea that Sisyphus’ ordeal could be taken in twofold. First is that it may just be pure torture to not be able to fulfill an ultimate goal and it could be seen as a victory on his part viz. being able to fulfill the destiny and be happy about it (Keefer). Reading what was said above and reading further the original text, there seems to be a connection between the two philosophers. The connection here is that Plato in his search for the truth is like Camus’ where it could be inferred that Camus’ discussion about life in general could mean finding the truth about life by doing the best we could in what we have in life. The connection may be arbitrary for others but this is what I could fairly deduce, so far. This certain connection then is making it hard for me to actually choose which philosopher had best described the meaning and struggles of human life. I could always go for the idiosyncratic or eccentric way that people tend to cling to ignorance and half-truths, which would be taken here as the little ‘t,’ or I could always go for the peculiar way where people would tend to find happiness in the absurd. Whichever philosopher I would choose, it would still trickle down to one idea, which is that the meaning and struggles that is present in human life could no longer be grasped in just choosing between the two philosophers. What they could present to us though is that a certain view about it but taking this question into the big picture would make it hard for a person to actually present an answer as quickly as one could blink the eye. Alas, the specifications had been set. In lieu of what were mentioned above, it is in great belief that Albert Camus has presented us a unique and dark approach in the struggles and meaning of human life. Not because his time is much closer than the present time but his approach has given me a new perspective that Plato did not. Camus, description of human life could be construed as something ‘absurd. ’ It seems that he believed in finding happiness in the absurdities that are presented to us and still say that â€Å"all is well (Keefer). † In a way, his assertion could be observed through other people in this world. Some people rejoice in the merest things and some people find it hard to be happy about the simplest things. To sum up what constitutes human nature and life would take me a lifetime or more to make me come up with an answer. What could be done though is the speculation that Camus’ claim could be justified in few of the people that I know. What is essentially a big score for Camus’ work is that he had been able to deduce a certain aspect of human nature and life where there are those who could rejoice in the mundane thinking that this is their life and the struggles that they have vary with such embracing of life. Plato, by using his works, could be deemed as an idealist. His concept of the world of forms and world of objects (â€Å"The Philosophy of Plato†), itself could be a way to rationalize his idealism. Yet, Plato had been one of the first few philosophers of his time and his deductions are commendable. This would not mean though that Plato would not have his flaws. One of this could be his assertion that man would continually find truths and few or nobody could be able to truly grasp the Truth since this Truth resides in the world of forms and it is what could be found in our soul (â€Å"The Philosophy of Plato†). What could be presented to us then is the replica of those Truths. This assertion may have been reasonable enough but as the course of the changing path of philosophy, Plato’s work could now be compared to other philosophers. The struggle then that a person would have according to Plato is to be able to find the truth and hopefully discover the big ‘T,’ Truth (Brians). In this aspect, what could be the strongest point that the opposition could present then is the fact that indeed some people are still struggling to find the truth. The meaning of life or our real identity is few of the truths that could still be found. This may be a big point for the opposition but not all of the people would believe this as so. They would naturally attribute this as curiosity that we have regarding the concept of life and some people usually get lost along the way that they tend to just accept the absurdities that are happening around them. Finding the meaning of life and wondering about the struggles that presents us would have taken us a lifetime. It is actually a tedious and sometimes a disappointing exercise. Yet most of the people are still, consciously or unconsciously, tries to resolve this big matter. I may not be in a position to prescribe how a person would be able to achieve these feats but I may be able to give out my own opinions about it. Choosing Camus’ work would definitely imply that I am under the impression that human life and conditions would not be easily resolved by trying to look for it in the form of the big ‘T’ or Truth like Plato had insinuated in his allegory. It is in my opinion that some people would not be actually be able to find the real meaning of life but he/she could more or less find a certain idea of what it would mean to live out the life that he/she has. Camus had summed it up through his Myth. In a way, it would be up to us on how we would be able to address the jackpot question that is life. We may be the defeated hero or we could take it out as the defiance against the forever frustration of the question and try to live out the life that we already know it to be. Although this would not necessarily mean stagnation but it would be called embracing what we have and try to make it our own ultimate goal to succeed. This mean then that people would be able to change the course or path that they could take especially when it could change in the long run. The only assertion that I could make then is that it would then depend on perspectives. Work Cited Article from the link given : Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus The Allegory of the cave. htm The Philosophy of Plato. 2002. September 21, 2007. http://radicalacademy. com/philplato1. htm.

Open Campus Policy :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students, you, as well as I, have always felt the strain of limitations brought upon you this and past school years. These past years, the school board has been closing students’ ability to do almost what they please to an oppressive detention in which you cannot even walk the hallways to get a sip of water. How many times have you or heard that someone has been given a detention for just walking around the halls? How many times have you been hassled for trying to go to your car and sent back into the school by a so called â€Å"rent-a-cop† and a new enforcer cop? All of these and more are related to the idea of a closed campus. I, on the other hand, am on the behalf of an open campus. An open campus gives the student more freedom and responsibility to make the right decisions. As opposition, the closed campus concept would argue that not all or any of the students should receive such trustworthiness from the school. I think that not all but a selec t group of students should have the open campus opportunity. Another matter with open campus is money issues in many areas in which I will discuss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As time goes on, each class of students gains and loses freedoms. An open campus freedom would not only just let students go where they please; it would also give the students a responsibility to manage their time. Many administrators on the board of education do not think that a high school student should have such a responsibility. They would tell us that we are too immature to be able to manage time during the school day. I think that students are mature enough to have such a freedom placed within their grasps. I can anticipate that the opposition will be outraged by all students receiving this freedom and responsibility. If such a concept as open campus could be arranged, there surely would be rules and regulations placed in effect to ensure that the school will not have liability of the student once off school ground.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The group of students that can leave the school can be very easily simplified from the current thought of all students being able to leave. First of all, a freshman certainly cannot leave the school grounds. A sophomore, even though more mature than the freshman, should as well not be able to leave the grounds.

Safety and Health

|Title |HSC 027 Contribute to health and safety in health and social care | |Level |2 | |Credit value |4 | |Learning outcomes |Assessment criteria | |The learner will: |The learner can: | |1. Understand own responsibilities, and the |1. 1 Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in a health or social | |responsibilities of others, relating to health and |care work setting | |safety in the work setting |1. 2 Describe the main points of the health and safety policies and procedures agreed | | |with the employer | | |1. Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of: | | |self | | |the employer or manager | | |others in the work setting | | |1. 4 Identify tasks relating to health and safety that should not be carried out | | |without special training | | |1. Explain how to access additional support and information relating to health and | | |safety | |2. Understand the use of risk assessments in |2. 1 Explain why it is important to assess health and safety hazards posed by the work | |relation to health and safety |setting or by particular activities | | |2. 2 Explain how and when to report potential health and safety risks that have been | | |identified | | |2. Explain how risk assessment can help address | | |dilemmas between rights and health and safety | | |concerns | |3. Understand procedures for responding to |3. 1 Describe different types of accidents and | |accidents and sudden illness |sudden illness that may occur in own work setting | | |3. 2 Outline the procedures to be followed if an | | |accident or sudden illness should occur | |4.Be able to reduce the spread of infection |Demonstrate the recommended method for hand washing | | |Demonstrate ways to ensure that own health and hygiene do not pose a risk to others at| | |work | |5. Be able to move and handle equipment and other|Identify legislation that relates to moving and handling | |objects safely |Explain principles for moving and handling equip ment and other objects safely | | |Move and handle equipment or other objects safely | |6.Know how to handle hazardous substances and |Identify hazardous substances and materials that may be found in the work setting | |materials |Describe safe practices for: | | |Storing hazardous substances | | |Using hazardous substances | | |Disposing of hazardous substances and | | |materials | |7.Understand how to promote fire safety in the |Describe practices that prevent fires from: | |work setting |starting | | |spreading | | |Outline emergency procedures to be followed in the event of a fire in the work setting| | |Explain the importance of maintaining clear evacuation routes at all times | |8. Be able to implement security measures in the |Use agreed ways of working for checking the identity of anyone requesting access to: | |work setting |Premises | | |Information | | |8. Implement measures to protect own security and the security of others in the | | |work setting | | |8. 3 Explain the importance of ensuring that others are aware of own whereabouts | |9. Know how to manage own stress |Identify common signs and indicators of stress | | |Identify circumstances that tend to trigger own stress | | |Describe ways to manage own stress | Additional information about the unit | |NOS ref |HSC 22 HSC 221 HSC 223 | | |Content recurs throughout HSC NOS knowledge requirements | |Unit purpose and aims |This unit is aimed at those working in a wide range of settings. It provides the learner | | |with the knowledge and skills required to carry out their work safely. | |Assessment requirements or guidance |This unit must be assessed in accordance with Skills for Care and Development QCF | | |Assessment Principles. | | | | |LO 4, 5, and 8 must be assessed in a real work environment | |Additional Information |Others may include: | | |Team members | | |Other colleagues | | |Those who use or commission their own health or social care services | | |Famil ies, carers and advocates | | | | | |Work setting may include one specific location or a range of locations, depending on the | | |context of a particular work role | | | | | |Policies and procedures may include other agreed ways of working as well as formal | | |policies and procedures | | | | |Tasks that the learner should not carry out without special training may include those | | |relating to: | | |Use of equipment | | |First aid | | |Medication | | |Health care procedures | | |Food handling and preparation | | | | | |Stress can have positive as well as negative effects, but in this unit the word is used | | |to refer to negative stress |

Neck Rings and Lotus Feet

Bodily mutilation to achieve the goal of ultimate beauty for women resides within every culture in the world. An average American way of bodily mutilation to gain beauty is through plastic surgery. As for Africa, women believe having a long neck symbolizes their beauty and status within their village. In some parts of China, the women believe the smaller your feet are the more desirable you become. Within the Mae Hong Son area of northwest Thailand, the women of the tribes are more commonly known as the, â€Å"Long-Necks. The women in these areas are known for adorning brass rings around their necks, The rings on the neck reach from the clavicle up to beneath the chin, and these rings are held very tightly by the bone structure from clavicle to chin. This neck ring adornment is started when the girls are five or six years old and the neck grows longer as additional rings are added with each passing year. It is from this practice that this tribe has gained the name of â€Å"Long-Nec ks†. Some women wear thirty-seven brass rings around the neck and this is considered ideal.Not only do they wear the rings around their necks they will wear them around the arms and the legs, and for this tribe the rings are the most prominent sign of female beauty and status. â€Å"Lotus Feet† is an ancient Chinese bodily mutilation of binding the feet to make the size much smaller. to the restructure the feet by the breaking of the arch and four smaller toes on each foot. After the initial binding procedure, usually around the age of seven, the feet would remain tightly bound with long cloth strips until the feet were no longer growing.The ideal foot consisted of three features, which was the length of three inches, a cleft between the heel and the sole, which was wanted to be around two to three inched deep, and that the feet appeared to be an extension of the leg, instead of platforms for the legs. Binding of the feet symbolized a lily or lotus flower because of the similarities in looks, if the woman’s feet were bound, they would be comparable to the grace and delicateness of the flower.If a woman had a natural size foot similar to a mans, it meant she was the opposite of grace and beauty such as a man would be characterized. Neck rings and feet binding pose serious negative effects to a human body. Neck rings caused a woman who adorned them to never be able to look up or down. The mobility of the neck was restricted where they wouldn’t even be able to drink from a cup without using a straw. Stretching of the neck pulled the muscles rendering them useless, to the point were if they were removed, the woman would not be able to hold her own head up.Feet binding can cause the woman to be nearly crippled, they have trouble getting out of chairs, doing activties on their feet, and have hip and spinal injuries throughout life. Although Neck-rings and Lotus feet are very different practices of bodily mutilation, they create the same de sired effect. These practices are to convey a womans beauty through a painful act, creating a falsified version of what society believed to be beautiful. Every culture shares this common theme throughout history, although it may be painful and odd, it continues on through our culture today.

Homage or parody Essays

Homage or parody Essays Homage or parody Essay Homage or parody Essay As DePalmas career in film spans from the 60s to the present day, it would be impossible to refer to his entire body of work in detail, therefore this essay will focus particularly upon two of his notable works from the 1970s, Phantom of the Paradise (DePalma, 1974) and Carrie (DePalma, 1976), with reference to other films where appropriate, and will focus upon themes of identity, particularly regarding gender identity and a comparison regarding the levels De Palma presents identity on from the personal to the mass identity of the music industry. The common themes that feature in the majority of his films centre upon the exploitation of a protagonist who is presented as vulnerable in one way or another (Mateuse, 1977). In Phantom of the Paradise, Winslow is grossly mistreated by music mogul Swan, who takes his music for his own uses and then casts Winslow aside. Like Winslow in Phantom of the Paradise, Carrie is seen as victimized, by both her popular and pretty classmates and her religious fanatic mother. At the end of both films, the protagonists find retribution, and destroy the worlds that have corrupted them although along with this, they destroy themselves. DePalma often depicts the horror genre as a carnal affair (Lewis, 2008), as his films often carry ideas of sexuality, and particularly sexual identity. The way women are presented is often in a highly sexualised manner. This is very true in Phantom of the Paradise, the girls auditioning are overlooked for their talent and ability, and instead we see them parading their sexuality. The audition room is actually a large round bed area, with scantily-clad women writhing around touching each other. Rather than seeming manipulated and exploited, the women seem to be happy with their position. Later on, they are dressed in bikinis sitting on a car for the show rehearsal, when the car explodes. As discussed by Lewis (2008), DePalma often shows brutal violence being dealt towards women such as the dream scene of brutal rape and murder that opens his 1980 film Dressed to Kill. The mixture of the sexuality of the women and the horrific nature of their deaths result in what seems to be an underlying message that those who become aware of their sexual identity are likely to meet with a disturbing end. The same happens with Swan, another sexualised being, who takes advantage of these womens sexuality he is killed in a scene where he marries Phoenix. The name Phoenix is also an interesting point with regards to identity Strauss (1997, pp. 17-21) discusses how a persons name often relates to the way they are identified or identify themselves. A phoenix will die, and then rise out of the ashes Phoenix herself fails to audition the first time round, representative of a death in her journey toward becoming a singer. However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, she returns and reignites her dream and in the end, is successful. Name and identity is also relevant in Carrie; when the principal repeatedly calls her by the wrong name Cassie she becomes angered and breaks the ashtray on his desk. If he were to address her correctly, he would therefore be acknowledging her as the person she is. Instead, he is rejecting the knowledge of her name, and according to Strauss theory of name and identity, therefore rejecting the person that she is. Returning to the discussion of Phantom of the Paradise, Phoenix plays an important role in the film, and her own identity is challenged and changed throughout the film narrative. When Winslow first meets her at the auditions, she is repulsed by what she is asked to do, and insists all she wants to do is sing. However, when she first sings in front of an audience, we see a change in her, particularly through the line Ill do anything you want, just give me that crowd again (DePalma, Phantom of the Paradise, 1974), and then follows to behave seductively towards Swan. When given the limelight, she is becoming more powerful, and through this, sexualised, and power through sexuality is very much a theme in both films. As with Carrie, she has been given this power with Carrie, her telekinesis, with Phoenix it is acknowledgement of her voice, and this power is changing who she is as a person. Her morals are also affected early on in the film she refused to fall for Swans sexual exploitation, however we eventually see her kissing Swan, in a way that insinuates they are having a sexual relationship. A major theme in both films is these characters discovering themselves through their female identity. Throughout its history, American Hollywood cinema has relied on and reinforced the natural characteristics of women (Bathrick, 1977), dealing with the changing identity of the female and the fear this often creates in the male psyche. In the opening scenes of Carrie, DePalma creates what is perhaps an uncomfortable juxtaposition regarding Carries transformation from girl to woman. The first time we see her is in school gym clothes as an awkward, gawky schoolgirl, and then naked in the shower, with explicit close-ups of her washing her breasts and thighs. The use of these two scenes in quick succession connotes Carries position, being stuck in the stage between childhood and adulthood. The film essentially combines the horror genre with themes of female rite of passage (Citron, 1977). Indeed, the film itself could well be used as a metaphor for this stage, the self-discovery a female experiences when transcending into adolescence. Carries telekinetic powers emerge in the narrative structure of the film when we witness her experience menstruation for the first time. Her mother believes menstruation is a sign of sin, so she is unprepared for her adolescence, but this moment marks a change in Carrie. To begin with, it confuses her, and this is visually represented in the scene where she looks into the mirror and she distorts then breaks it with her telekinesis a physical, outer rending of the turmoil she feels internally about her identity, and who she is becoming. As her telekinetic power grows stronger, this coincides with her personal development she stands up to her mother and goes to the prom against her wishes. She experiments with makeup, wears lipstick, which is often symbolic of female sexuality in film, and wears a tight dress to the dance (Citron, 1977).

Learning journal focus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learning journal focus - Assignment Example Thirdly, one can use the general settings so as to select a â€Å"Theme†. This process involves deciding on the site layout and design, which is found on the tab labeled â€Å"Appearance† (Gerald, 2009).There are several details that were discussed in the lab that could be done on the template. For instance, One is able to preview the theme that he or she has selected, thereafter, select â€Å"Activate† so as to effect the changes (Gerald, 2009). It should be noted that one can customize a theme by designing and installing it on the blog (Gerald, 2009). In order to begin to enter new information to your blog, one would go to the â€Å"Pages† tab in the administrator dashboard and click â€Å"Add New† (Gerald, 2009). One should remember to always save regularly the new information being entered (Gerald, 2009). The page can also contain a document which can be hyperlinked. After this is done, one can present each page by clicking â€Å"Publish† (Gerald, 2009). Using this process, one can write the portfolio’s introduction and other pages in the site and thereafter simply click â€Å"Publish† so that the public could view the portfolio (Gerald, 2009). There are other things that one can do to improve the appearance of the portfolio, for instance, one can set and remove widgets. One can also take the comment box of the site page and make it look more professional and appealing. There are various examples of E-portfolio that were shown. Gerald, S. (2009, May 11). How to Make an E-Portfolio Using WordPress. Retrieved November 17, 2012, from Teacherly Tech: technology news, tips, and translations for teachers

The development of art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The development of art - Research Paper Example Synagogues, cities and university buildings also utilized these styles. Their differences were seen in terms of the radiating chapels, arch type, vault, elevation, exterior, sculptural decoration, and mood (Fitchen 1981). Gothic architecture was characterized by ribbed vaults while that of Romanesque used groin vaults. In gothic there were pointed arches in arcades, windows, and doors whereas in Romanesque they were rounded ones. Flying buttresses were seen in gothic buildings while in Romanesque buttresses were shallowly projected. Built during the Romanesque period, the building is outstanding and famous in the world. It has the likeness of other Basilica churches consisting of double aisles, and timber roof. The columns are joined by stacked arches, with red and white marble on the bands outside. Its aesthetics are the general proportions and delicate ornamental features. The Vaults mainly chatracterised the Romanesque era as they were developed through innovation so as to replace wooden roofs which were prone to catching fire. Gothic Architecture was concerned with sculpture, architecture, manuscripts and music. The two main structural concerns are pointed arches and ribbed vaults. One such innovation is the Rayyonant style which concentrated on decoration. Other characteristics are heavy colorings of the glasses, carvings and paintings as seen in Saint Chapelle building. Tall and large buildings were built to complicate their plans. Tall buildings were accompanied by thin walls, as seen in Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican church formerly called the cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was constructed in the early English Gothic style. Its uniqueness is the towering central spire in the UK and world oldest functioning clock. It was built with highly sophisticated design under the guidance of Richard Poore, the Bishop of Salisbury. Sainte Chapelle was constructed under the commission of King Louis IX