The Concept of Self-Interest Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Concept of Self-Interest - Term Paper Example The paper will analyze the concept of self-interest from the position of Adam Smith, Chinese Confucianism, and Christianity. The human nature is created in a way that every action benefits the self-conscious. The action by a person either good or bad is made in regards to the wants of a person. In an argument by Marilynn (2001) the relationship between the human nature and one’s actions are based on the benefits one may achieve. The author further asserts that human nature acts in response to the human needs (Marilynn, 2001). For this reason, self-interest in inevitable. The creation of self-interest is involuntary to human nature. Moreover, the relationship between self-interest and human nature is created minus ant regards of morality and ethics. The moral obligation of human beings does not go beyond the altering of their internal needs. Marilynn (2001) is the assumption that the moral obligation of human beings is mostly influenced by the requirement of the society. Consequently, people tend to act as required by the people. This requirement can, however, be altered by personal needs. For this r eason, it is an accurate assertion that self-interest is an involuntary creation of the human mind to suit personal needs. As a creation of God, a person has the ability to control their perception of self-interest. The ability of a person to act may be influenced by their personal needs but a person can influence their needs. In an argument by Voert, Felling & Peters (1994) human beings are created with power and ability to control their ability to create wants and needs. For this reason, self-interest is a personal creation that can be controlled if a person wants to. From the Christian perspective, self-interest is selfish and a creation to justify immorality and being unethical. Moreover, Christians are required to act as required by the creator. This requirement makes self-interest, not a requirement or a need. In addition, self-interest can be shunned by adhering to the Christian teachings on morality and human requirements.

Role of the FBI in the United States Criminal Justice System Research Paper

Role of the FBI in the United States Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example Moreover, the FBI may also conduct investigations abroad but only if possible and if permitted by the government of the country in which it will conduct its investigation. The main concern of the FBI and the core of its mission is providing â€Å"criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners† (â€Å"Overview,† 2012). This means that the role of the FBI encompasses and overlaps that of any law enforcement agency of the United States provided such a case is of a federal or national concern. The history of FBI began in July 1908 when then Attorney General Charles Bonaparte called for a small group of investigators that will report directly to the Department of Justice. This small group became known as the Bureau of Investigation or the BOI, and the first types of cases handled by the BOI included land fraud, copyright violations, prostitution, auto theft and other less serious crimes. In World War I, President Woodrow Wilson ordered the BOI to include among its tasks he investigations of possible espionage, sedition and sabotage. In 1924, when the BOI was under Director John Edgar Hoover, there was intensive demand for strict professionalism within the organization and this system of discipline has been implemented until now. In 1935, the BOI was renamed as the Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI, and it was then that its tasks included the investigation of kidnapping cases and the new provision provided for FBI officials to carry weapons and make arrests. In the 195 0s, the FBI became very active in the suppression and control of riots and organized crimes during the Civil Rights Movement. However, it was only in 1995, after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, that the FBI began its work against domestic and international terrorism for the purpose of national security of the United States. In December 2004, the DI or Directorate

The Importance of the Arts Essay Example for Free

The Importance of the Arts Essay Math was always my least favorite subject in school. I always had difficulty remembering the formulas and all the different rules. I didn’t do well in all the other core subjects either. With no motivation and no interest, my grades quickly suffered. I was always watching movies and television instead of doing homework. So when I saw that I could take acting class as an elective in high school, it was obviously my first choice. Acting class came a little more naturally than math class did. Memorizing lines to a monologue was much easier for me than formulas to some equation. It made me come out of my shell more and communicate more effectively. I began to look forward to tests, which were usually performances, because I would be adequately prepared from all my practices. After taking acting class, I decided to take more performing art classes. Luckily the high school that I went to was the top public school for performing arts in the state. It allowed me to take chorus and dance along with acting. With so many classes I enjoyed taking and doing well in, my grades improved drastically. Taking all these performing art classes quickly became the salvation I needed and taught me many other important lessons. But towards the end of my high school years, funds were cut from schools again. The performing arts department in my school struggled to keep the program strong with the budget cuts. By the time I graduated, a few classes were cut and the ones that were left couldn’t afford the same things. These cuts affected other schools as well. For most schools across America, art programs were first to be cut. An article written by the Education Fund states that, â€Å"during these difficult economic times, arts programs are the first to be sacrificed. In addition, in many schools where classroom space is limited, art studios are now only contained in a cart that is wheeled by teachers from room to room, severely limiting the arts education students receive. † Although our program had not been cut, I was sad to see some of the classes go at my school among many others who enjoyed the arts. In an article written back in 2011 in the New York Times, Anna M. Phillips states, â€Å"The situation is likely to worsen next year if the city goes through with its plans to layoff 4,100 teachers to save $269 million. Estimates released in February project that 350 of those let go will be arts teachers, which would be a 15 percent drop in art, music and performing arts teachers. † With all the classes being cut, students will be the first to suffer. Why would they cut classes that students enjoyed to come to learn? The Arts have become a vital addition in education to help students become more successful. I was firsthand to witness this. The Arts allow students who don’t grasp the teachings of subjects like math and English to learn in a way that is more easily understandable to them. Not all students are the same nor do they learn the same. In an article from USA Today online, Tamara Henry states, â€Å"Schoolchildren exposed to drama, music and dance may do a better job at mastering reading, writing and math than those who focus solely on academics. † Keeping art programs in school can help students do well in school and lead to successful futures. Though it is said that careers in the arts are limited and that being an artist isn’t a real job, Valerie Strauss disagrees. In article she wrote in the Washington post titled â€Å"Why we love artist but not the arts education† she states, â€Å"Top CEO’s around the world are seeking out new employees who can think creatively, be innovative in business development and marketing strategies and show outstanding leadership qualities that will â€Å"wow† clients. This is what businesses need to compete in the global marketplace. In a 2010 study by IBM, interviews with CEO’s representing 33 industries and 60 countries identified creativity as the most important leadership skill for the future. † Despite counter arguments against the arts, it is proven that it can help. That is why the arts are fundamental in education for improving children’s academic success, communication and social skills, and teaching them discipline. After I began to take performing arts class, my grades improved dramatically. The arts have helped many students across America better achieve higher education standards. Test scores prove this and the organization Arts for LA states that, â€Å" In a national sample of 25,000 students, those students with high levels of arts-learning experiences earned higher grades and scored better on standardized tests than those with little or no involvement in the arts-regardless of socioeconomic status. Learning through the arts also appears to have significant effects on learning in other disciplines, with students consistently involved in theater and music showing higher levels of success in math and reading. After a raise in my GPA from my performing art classes, I soon saw another raise. I noticed that I was beginning to do better in my core classes as well. Memorizing lines of monologues and choreography improved my memorization skills helping me with the different formulas and steps of math. Skills learned in art programs can be used towards learning math and English and help students. Jessica Velasco also states in her blog, â€Å"Studying the lyrics of music can teach students about syllabification, phonics, vocabulary, imagery, history, myths, folktales, geography, and culture. † It’s evident that the Arts can improve student’s grades and test scores. It also can improve students’ attendance records. The Arts for LA also states, students involved in art are three times more likely to win an award for their school attendance. I knew when I went to school that I didn’t want to miss any of my acting classes because I didn’t want to miss out on learning something I enjoyed doing. The arts not only benefit students’ minds, but also their social and communication skills. With all of the performances to the public, it’s no wonder that the Arts can improve these vital skills needed everyday. When I first began performing, I was always nervous about talking in front of people. But the pure joy I found in performing made me more comfortable with public speaking. I remember when I was younger I had a bad habit of speaking really quickly when I got nervous. When I took acting class, my teacher made me very aware of the matter. She was constantly telling me not to rush my lines during practices. Now whenever I’m speaking to anyone, I can hear my acting teacher’s voice in the back of my head yelling at me to slow down! As I became more comfortable being in front of people, I began to more make friends as well. The arts are a great way to bring students together and have them work together in a positive way. Henry also states, â€Å"Multi-arts helps with reading, verbal and math skills; improves the ability to collaborate and higher-order thinking skills. † After taking acting classes, I became much more confident with public speaking. It has also helped me to do well in job interviews as well. The communication skills that can be learned through the arts can help students interact with others. Henry also states, â€Å"Drama helps with understanding social relationships, complex issues and emotions; improves concentrated thought and story comprehension. † In acting classes, the teacher not only teaches you memorizes lines but teaches you to be able to comprehend that which you are reading. You learn to express different emotions and work with other people. Working with a group of people so often, your team working skills improve which is very important to a students’ success. As students learn something they enjoy doing, it becomes less of a chore. This makes it much easier for a student to learn discipline. Despite the lazy artist stereotypes, the arts can help motivate students to do work. When I began to take dance much more seriously, I started going to practices 6 days a week. It taught me that if I worked hard enough at something, I would reap the rewards. Henry had this to say about dance, â€Å"Dance helps with creative thinking, originality, elaboration and flexibility; improves expressive skills, social tolerance, self-confidence and persistence. † Students learn persistence not only in dance but also in other areas of art like music. Velasco states, â€Å"Students who take the time to master a musical instrument learn about hard work, practice, and discipline. While performing in a group – like an orchestra, band, or choir – students learn to work together, appreciate teamwork, strive for a common goal, and develop negotiation skills. † Students who learn discipline through art can then apply that to other fields in their lives.

Project Design of Portable Stand for Tablet Computer

Project Design of Portable Stand for Tablet Computer 1.1 Customer Specification We were approached by a leading computer brand to design a small, lightweight and portable stand that can be used for any of the companys tablet computers. The company had a strong emphasis on the product being portable and the ability to fit into the end users pocket. The product should allow the end user to easily watch movies, read eBooks, surf the web, conduct a presentation, view photos and much more. The company would be looking to retail this product at  £11.99 and each unit should cost no more than  £4 to manufacture. They have also given us 12 months to complete the design with a prototype to be viewed in month 9. 1.2 Design Specification After considering the customers specification we began to brainstorm to generate possible solutions. First of all the product is to be small and lightweight which makes the material to be used one of the most important factors. Due to the low production price the stand will be made from ABS plastic resin which can be injection moulded. The stand will consist of 5 injection moulded parts which are connected by screw pivot barrels. The bottom of the tablet will feature a non-skid cushioned pad which will allow the stand to be used almost anywhere. Width (Folded)2.5 cm Length (Folded)17.8 cm Height (Folded)2.5 cm Weight 85g No of moulded parts5 1.3 Safety Considerations The first point of action is to identify all safety and non-safety critical engineering safety considerations, Customer safety requirements and design safety requirements. For doing this there are many techniques that will be used: Risk Assessment Identify hazards Observe what actually happens and identify hazards that can reasonably be expected to be present. Attention will be taken to any significant hazards which could cause serious harm or affect a number of people. Employees will be asked for their views as they may be aware of hazards which are not immediately obvious. Who can be harmed? Everyone should be taken into consideration during the risk assessment, including individuals who may not be present at all times. Evaluate risk- This will assess the likelihood that harm from a particular hazard may happen whilst also taking into consideration the precautions already in place. Record findings- Significant findings must be recorded by writing them down. Details of how the assessment was made will be unnecessary. Written documents should be kept for future reference as they may help to demonstrate that legal obligations have been met. Review and arise- The whole process will be reviewed and new processes or procedures introduced can then lead to new hazards which would result in the need for a new review of all assessments to be carried out to keep them up to date. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis FMEA This analytical technique explores the effects of failures or malfunctions of individual components in a system. This will be the first step of a reliability study. This will involve reviewing all the components and assembly of the stand to identify failure modes and their causes and effects. If any part of the stand fails what will be the result? The development of the design and testing of the product should ensure that failures have been eliminated or the risk has been reduced to an acceptable level. Advantages: Improve the quality, reliability and safety of the product Improve company image and competitiveness Increase user satisfaction Reduce system development time and cost Reduce the potential for warranty concerns Early identification and elimination of potential failure modes Increases teamwork and idea exchange Reduce the possibility of same kind of failure in future Fault Tree Analysis This is a graphical technique that will provide a systematic description of the combinations of possible occurrences in a system. This can result in an undesirable outcome. This analysis method will be used to understand how things can fail and to identify the best way to reduce the risk of these happening. Fault tree analysis will be used to: Understand the logic leading to the undesired state Show compliance with safety/reliability requirements Prioritize the contributors leading to the undesired state/event Monitor and control the safety performance Minimise and optimise resources Assist in the design of the product Function as a diagnostic tool Event Tree Analysis This will allow us to see what pathway is creating the greatest probability of failure. This is based on binary logic where an event has or has not happened. It is valuable in analysing the consequences arising from a failure or undesired event. The event tree will begin with an initiating event. The consequences of this event are followed through a series of possible paths where each path will be assigned a probability of occurrences allowing them to be calculated. Advantages: Enables the assessment of multiple faults and failures No need to anticipate end events Areas of single point failure, system vulnerability may be identified and assessed Allows resources to be deployed properly Work can be computerized Visual cause and effect relationship Relatively easy to learn and execute Follows easy to see fault paths Combines hardware, software, environment, and human interaction Permits probability assessment Commercial software is available 1.4 Project Schedule Month à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚  Event à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ ¢ Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Problem Identified Initial research Develop Product Build Prototype Testing Redesign Communicate and conclude Problem Identified The customer provided us with their specification required for the proposed new product.Initial research After Looking over the customer specification research will be conducted to see what products already exist. A brainstorming session will then take place to come up with potential solutions including pro and con lists. From these a best product will then be selected to go ahead and produce.Develop Product Once the best possible product has been identified the key requirements for each feature is selected. This will then give and idea of materials needed and how they will construct the tablet. This will then allow costs to be calculated.Build Prototype First of all the prototype will be created using CAD software in two and three dimensions. This prototype created in CAD will have all dimensions with tolerances and finishes. This will then be passed onto the production team to construct. This will also be shown to the customer at this stage to ensure it meets exp ectation.Testing Once the prototype arrives it must be tested and evaluated to determine if it works and meets the original customer specification. Minor adjustments may be needed at this point to finalise the design.Redesign Using the information gathered during testing, evaluation of the design the solution can then be optimised and revised to achieve better results.Communicate and conclude The final product will be shown to the customer before mass production will follow depending on the feedback from the customer. 2.1 Manufacturing considerations. The prototype was originally modelled using 3d CAD software from where this design was then passed on to the production team to create a solid model of the stand. The prototype did function in the correct manner but the weight was a slight issue. With the product being designed to be portable the weight would need to be reduced. It was decided that the solid components would be hollowed and supports would be set between each side of a component to strengthen them. The total cost for production has been set not to exceed  £4 per unit. The intention is for the stand to be mass produced to decrease product cost and increase profit margin. Due to the small nature of each individual part the best possible way of constructing these will be to use the injection moulding process. Injection moulding is one of the leading methods of producing plastic components. This is a fast process which is used to produce a large number of identical items. After considering many different materials it was established that ABS plastic resin met all the characteristics needed to form each component whilst also being cheaper than many of the other materials available. The companys current injection moulding machine will be used for making the 5 plastic resin components. A 3d model of this is shown below: The clamping end with moving platen takes half of the mould tool. This opens and closes the mould and supplies sufficient force to keep the mould closed when molten ABS resin is injected under pressure. The injection unit takes plastic raw plastic resin granules, heats them until molten, and injects them into the mould. The rotating screw forces the plastic along the barrel. When the right amount of material for the next shot has accumulated the screw stops rotating. The screw then acts like a plunger moving forward and forcing the molten plastic into the mould tool. Materials There were many different materials that could be used for making the individual parts but after much consideration it was decided that ABS plastic resin pellets would be used. ABS is a thermoplastic resin commonly used for injection moulding applications. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) possesses medium strength and performance at a low cost. It is available in multiple grades, colours, and Izod impact ratings. ABS Features Benefits: Easily machined Tough Low cost Rigid High impact strength Ideal for moulding Good chemical and stress cracking resistance Excellent abrasion resistance; electrical properties, moisture and creep resistance. Availability At the moment ABS pellets can be purchased from Zibo City Linzi Yixiang Chemical Co. Ltd. In China and shipped to the UK for  £1000 per Metric Ton which is 1000000grams. Each rotational part will be held together by 5g pivot barrels also shipped from Asia costing  £0.20p per unit. With each fully built unit weighing in around 85grams and requiring 3 pivot barrels each unit would cost: 1000000/70=14286 units  £1000/14286= 0.6p per unit in ABS material ABS material + 3 pivot barrels =  £0.66p per unit material cost. This price does not include cost of production. 2.2 Simulation/Modelling The design process will utilize the use of CAD to produce the trailers drafting and design. By using CAD this will allow the quality of the design to be improved whilst also speeding up the design process. The drafted design of the trailer will be used by any professional involved in the construction of the trailer. 3d simulation also allows for real life situations to be tested prior to the build. Advantages and disadvantages of using CAD Advantages Can be more accurate than hand-drawn designs which reduce human error. You can save and edit ideas, which make it easier and cheaper to modify your design as you go along. You can modify existing ideas, which saves time. Disadvantages The software itself can be expensive so initial costs are high. Staff need to be trained how to use the software, which also adds to costs. Requires a PC. Safety Considerations Although the product is fairly small and compact there are still many safety issues that need to be taken into consideration. Legislation should also be adhered to. Plastic materials are generally inert and lend themselves to product safety. The safety of plastic materials and products which will be used by users and consumers is extremely important to the company and to the industry as a whole. The cost problems associated with exercises such as product recalls and product failure could have a negative image on the company. The risk assessment technique used for tablet stand was a Fault Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). This method will explore the effect of malfunctions and failures for the individual parts of the product whilst also looking at what can happen within the working environment. The essential questions which are asked in regards to the working environment are: What are the hazards? Who could be harmed and how? What are the effects? What is currently done? Can anything else be done? What are the hazards? Who can be harmed and how? Whats being done? What can be done? Slips and trips Staff/contractors may be injured if they trip over objects or slip on spillages. à ¢-   Procedures for oil spillages in place and are adhered to à ¢-   Floors are in good condition à ¢-   Staff wear safety shoes à ¢-   Good lighting throughout No further action required Use of injection machinery Staff/contractors may suffer serious injury from unguarded moving parts of machinery à ¢-   All dangerous parts of machinery guarded to manufacturers standards à ¢-   All new machinery checked before first use à ¢-   Machinery guards are properly maintained and inspected No further action required Workplace transport Staff may suffer serious, fatal, injuries if struck by a vehicle or fork lift truck. à ¢-  Good segregation measures are on site, à ¢-   All staff, including contractors, wear hi-visibility work wear à ¢-   Annual safety inspections Provide safety rules before jobs begin Manual handling Staff may suffer back pain from handling heavy/bulky objects. à ¢-  Staff are trained in safe manual handling à ¢-   Safe system of work agreed à ¢-   Manual handling aids are No further action required Fire Staff could have fatal injuries from smoke inhalation or burns. à ¢-  Fire risk assessment had been previously done, and any necessary action taken, à ¢-   Staff and contractors told of fire and evacuation policy No further action required Noise Staff may suffer discomfort and potential hearing damage if working in noisy areas or using noisy equipment. à ¢-   If possible, jobs in production areas done when the injection moulding machines are not in use à ¢-   Staff provided with ear defenders or suitable hearing protection when required à ¢-   Machinery is maintained to ensure they run as quietly as possible No further action required The essential questions which are asked in regards to the product are: How can each part fail? What might cause this failure? What will the effects of failure be? How serious are these failures? How are the failures detected? Component Potential Failure Potential effects of failure Severity Potential causes of failure How will failure be detected Action to control risk Plastic Parts Breaking Unusable and possible tablet breakage II End user misuse Visual Instructions provided Plastic Parts Melting Product wont function II End user misuse Visual Instructions provided Plastic Parts Wear and tear Unstable I Overuse Visual Warranty Plastic Parts Causing harm End user harm. Potential Legal issues III Finishing Visual Instructions provided Pivot Screws Breaking Unusable and possible tablet breakage II End user misuse Visual Instructions provided Pivot Screws Wear and tear Still usable but not 100% I Overuse Visual Warranty The level of risk is determined by: Risk = probability of failure * Severity factor Severity Categorised Category Probability Description I Minor Functional failure of part of machine or process no potential for injury II Critical Failure will probably occur without major damage to system or serious injury III Major Major damage to system and/or potential serious injury or personal IV Catastrophic Failure causes complete system loss and/or potential for fatal injury Probability Categorised Level Probability Individual failure mode A 10-1 Frequent Likely to occur frequently B 10-2 Probable Likely to occur several times in the life of the product C 10-3 Occasional Likely to occur sometime in the life of the product D 10-4 Remote Unlikely to occur but possible E 10-5 Improbable So unlikely that occurrence may not be experienced A RP1 High Risk B RP2 C RP3 Medium Risk D Low Risk E I II III IV Severity Category Legislation The company currently adheres to ISO 9001:2008 for the plastic sector which aims to improve the efficiency of all operations within the sector, whether in manufacturing or distributing. 2.4 Details of the final design 3.1 Product Evaluation. When evaluating the design there are a wide range of methods and strategies. The one used in this instance is: F.A.C.E. value Function What does it do and how does it work? Aesthetics Is it attractive, why and what makes it so? Construction What is it made from, how and why? Economics How much does it cost and is this good value for money? Function: The stand will hold a number of current products in landscape or horizontal position for ease of use. Aesthetics: The product was never designed to be good looking but functional. Construction: The product was eventually made from ABS plastic resin due to its properties and cost. The constructed parts are held together with pivot screws due to their cost and ease of use. Economics: The customer had given us a maximum price to work too which enabled us to use strict guidelines when it came to purchasing products. Most of the materials were imported from China due to price issues. Although the product may seem good value money from our point of view, this may not be replicated by the end customer. 3.2 Team Working. Although everyone was not capable of working within a team, the selected group which were proved that teamwork has many benefits. The team worked more efficiently and speed was also increased compared to individual workers. This method also offered support for any members ideas. Creativity Increases: The group brainstorming activity process provided incredible results. Everyone came up with their own vision of the best way of creating the product to the customer needs. The team then decided which idea was the best and then continued to develop this in detail together. This was an invaluable process where team members could give instant feedback on what they thought what would and wouldnt work. Speed: Individuals have different strengths and weaknesses. When it came to tackling the project together the team delegated the workload among themselves according to each others skills. This no only saved time but it also allowed distribution of work within the team ensuring everything was done in the best possible way. Effect on Worker Morale: As staff members were working closely together as a successful team, they spend more time together and begin to know each other. This then created a good relationship between the employees. They started to feel proud of what they had achieved ad contributed to the project which also made them feel good about themselves. This seemed to help their self-esteem. Effect on Individual Responsibility: The overall product was produced by teamwork; all the team members felt they had to deliver to their highest abilities. Everyone had a clear understanding that they were responsible for a specific task and the entire team was depending on them doing a good job. 3.3 Evaluation of Safety During the design process safety was one of the main aspects to consider. Many materials were considered but due too certain aspects whether it was finishing or the product being fire retardant. ABS was eventually picked as this would reduce risk in the overall design of the product. The risk assessments carried out for the workplace proved invaluable as this gave the company a clear indication of what was currently being done within the working environment and what could still be done to improve the safety.

Discussing the Chrysanthemums Essay example -- English Literature

Discussing the Chrysanthemums In studying the various schools of criticism and using them to decipher the inner workings of novels, short stories, and poems, it becomes apparent that they all share a common factor: a theme. The theme of a story is the general idea or insight, which is revealed by the entire story (Kennedy, 195). Although there are many themes that seem to be similar, it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to find to stories with identical themes. Two stories with similar themes, however, are "The Chrysanthemums," by John Steinbeck, and "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. These two stories show the damage caused by male domination in the past. The short story "The Chrysanthemums" gives insight into the life of its author; John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. The locale of the story is of key resemblance to the Salinas in which Steinbeck was born and bread. "Salinas was a typical American small town, [differing] only in location and a few distinctive features" (McCarthy 3). The story begins by displaying the setting: "The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and the rest of the world." Though this does not directly illustrate the theme, the setting plays a role in building Elisa Allen's "prison." The main protagonist in "The Chrysanthemums," Elisa Allen, is a mid-aged housewife who also has a passion for growing chrysanthemums. This passion expressed in the planting of these flowers brings out the suppressed romance in her life. The fact that she is childless seems to have sublimated her motherly instincts to produce extraordinary flowers. Nevertheless, "the plants and flowers cannot compensate for t... ...nius soon tells Ophelia that she must seek out Hamlet. Much to her dismay, Hamlet rejects her, and this begins a downward spiral for Ophelia. She begins acting in a depressed fashion, and everyone begins to think she has gone mad. Unfortunately, all the negative light placed upon Ophelia leads to her death. It is not certain whether she was murdered or whether she in fact committed suicide, but she came to a tragic end by drowning. The events in "Hamlet" and "The Chrysanthemums," though different in appearance show a very similar topic. The problem of male dominance is shown in both situations to devastate the emotions of the women. In showing respect and obedience for the male characters, the females are in fact hurting themselves. This theme of male dominance destroying the psyche of women has been, and will continue to be a major theme in literature.

Mexico City Essay example -- History Geography Mexico Essays

Mexico City Like an enormous living museum, Mexico City provides an extraordinary showplace for the thousands of years of human cultural achievement that Mexico has attained. It ranks as one of the world's great capitals and is a must for anyone craving to understand Mexico's complex past, its fast-paced present, and its ever challenging future. The size and grandeur of the city are staggering. It is not only the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere, but, by some accounts, has also become the largest city in the world. Before we look at present day Mexico City, let us look into it deep and storied past. La Ciudad de los Palacios   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexico City was founded over 700 years ago by the Aztecs. Instructed by their god of war, Huitzilopochtli, they journeyed to Lake Texcoco, where they were to look for an eagle eating a snake perched on a cactus growing from a rock or cave surrounded by water. They found this in 1325, and so began the city of Tenochtitlan. Although the land surrounding them was marshy and snake infested, the Aztecs came up with an ingenious way a planting crops. They created chinampas, or floating gardens, by bunching twigs together and stacking mud on top. These gardens were placed in shallow lake areas and rooted down by the crops or small trees planted in the middle. The Aztecs were a very religious people, as well, and built many temples, including the great Templo Mayor. Cannibalism was a key element of their religion, as they believed that it was necessary to feed human hearts to the gods to ensure that the sun would rise everyday. The Aztecs would find these less than willin g human hosts in the numerous battles they fought. Due to an increasing population, estimated to be at 250,000 in the late 1400’s, the Aztecs were forced to expand their empire well beyond the cities original boundaries. As the Aztec warriors conquered these other outlying tribes, tribute payments were gained, leading to the cities massive wealth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Aztecs lived like this for 200 years until Spanish settlers, under Hernan Cortes, came and conquered the Aztecs in 1521. The Spanish were in awe of the cities tremendous wealth, and, thanks to superior weapons and tactics, easily defeated the Aztecs. Upon victory, the Spanish were quick to raze the entire city. The city was rapidly reconstructed as a Spanish city, and in the 15... .... There are small salsa clubs and crowded discos, as well as live concerts featuring the world's most popular stars. Ballet, theatre, folkloric shows, opera and philharmonic orchestras are also common. Boxing and wrestling events are held on most weekend nights. At Garibaldi Plaza the numerous Mariachi bands often play into the wee hours of the morning. Mexico City is very old, the worlds largest city, the financial, political and cultural center of Mà ©xico, the nightlife capital of Mexico, one of the worlds great cities, one of the world's most difficult cities to drive in, filled with exciting things to see and do, and an energetic metropolis as well as an incredible place to visit. This is truly one of the most interesting and diverse cities in the world. Bibliography http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569238/Mexico_City.html http://www.allaboutmexicocity.com/allaboutmexicocity.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City http://www.tourbymexico.com/df/df.htm http://www.mexicocity.com.mx/mexcity.html http://www.go2mexicocity.com/ www.wikitravel.org/article/Mexico_City http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=mexico_city%401

Pastoral Reflection Paper

After returning home from the mission field and going on staff at a Church, it wasn’t long before I found myself being used by God to counsel people. There was a lot of fear involved in the counseling, not from those who were being counseled, but from me, because I never had any formal training. Different life situations have caused me to receive counseling, but that was the extent of my counseling experience. After seeing God use me, an unqualified servant help marriages be restored, I felt the call to return to school to obtain a formal education in Pastoral Counseling.I will share how it all came about, what I have learned and what I expect the Lord to do through this formal training from taking PACO 500 Introduction to Pastoral Counseling. LIFE EXPERIENCES CHANGED MY FUTURE Fear doesn’t describe what I went through while serving the Lord as a M, in Northern Africa. My family and I where in the middle of a civil war, between Rebels and the President’s forces a fter being in the country for only three weeks. Gunfire, sounds of tanks shooting their guns and RPG’s flying through the sky happened throughout the day.The first night of the civil war, thieves decided to take the opportunity to invade our home while there was no police force; because they were helping the army fight the war. After going through a home invasion and being shot at during the invasion, three days later we were finally evacuated out of the country by the French Military. My family and I along with other expats arrived in France to a crowd of reporters and a small group of counselors. THE CHANGES My first experience with any type of counseling came that day we exited the plane in France.My family and I had gone through more than we signed up for as M, living through those three days of a civil war. The personal emotions we went through from that experience, at that time I did not know how to describe, but after reading The Pastor’s Guide to Psychological Disorders and Treatments, I now know we went through a form of an anxiety attack. The authors, Johnson and Johnson (2000), define anxiety as â€Å"a universal human emotion. It is a general feeling of apprehension about possible danger. † (p. 8).Reading through the symptoms of anxiety described by Johnson and Johnson (2000), â€Å"sweating, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, hot or cold flashes, trembling, dry mouth, and difficulty swallowing. † (p. 9) we experienced almost all of them to a certain extent during the war. After sitting with the counselors while in France over a five day period, having opportunities to share all that had happened to us, allowed us to exhale and realize someone cared about what happened to us. Those days of meetings, along with a period of five months, we were allowed to return to the country we had been evacuated from.Not only did we return to the same city, but to the same house that we experienced the home evasio n. God used that counseling team to help restore us so we could return to the work we were called. Upon our return we were able to see four different people come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. After the two years we spent in Northern Africa, we returned home and I went on staff at Church as a Associate Pastor. One of the major things I learned while living overseas, you need a spiritually strong family to have a spiritually strong ministry. If your family is not healthy your ministry or job will not be healthy.Over the past four years while living in the states, I have noticed a great need to help family become stronger. After being approached by the second family, asking me to help them grow their family spiritually, I asked them why they were coming to me? Their answer opened my eyes to the truth about how God uses bad situation for His glory. They told me after hearing about all my family had gone through while living overseas and seeing how we had not just survived, but we t hrived as a family, they wanted to meet and talk. I could not call it counseling, but in my heart knew that is what it would lead too.Then as my eyes were opened to all the men in my church who were struggling with pornography, addiction, and anger issues, I knew I could not just sit back and watch them walk that road of darkness. I started meeting with these men alone at first, and then when I met with them and their wife, I would invite my wife into the meeting. It was at that point I was labeled the unofficial counseling Pastor of the Church. As I looked back on the way I handled those meetings as a unqualified counselor with those different men and their wives, I have realized I did some things right and a lot of things wrong.Because of this time of reflection and feeling the Lord’s leading, I enrolled back in school to obtain my degree in Pastoral Counseling. In doing this, I know God will use this class to teach me different methods, style and techniques to better help people and families in need. Since enrolling in PACO 500, I have been reflecting back on those unofficial counseling times, and I have realized that listening to the counselee is just as important as having a personal quiet time daily with God. In Petersen’s (2007) Why Don’t We Listen Better? Rev. Dr. Petersen shares one of the things he has learned.He states, â€Å"I have leaned the value of communication balancing: listen awhile, talk until the other person stops hearing, and listen until the person calms enough to hear again. † (p. 5). While I was meeting with these different families, I realized I did not have a balance in my listening skills. I would battle with the feeling of wanting to interject my thoughts or opinions. Petersen’s (2007) statement â€Å"real listening gets us inside each other and there seems to be something in such human connection that touches and changes us. † (p. 7) This statement taught me that if I want to follow myhea rt’s desire to truly help people, I must become a better listener. Looking back on my time when I went through counseling in France, I realize the counselors had a great amount of balance in their sessions. Reflecting upon my life experiences with counseling sessions, I am excited to learn how to be a better listener and how to ask the right questions to show I care. One of the things I am expecting out of this class is to learn how to effectively use the Solution – Focused Counseling taught in the first edition of Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling: An Effective Short-Term Approach of Getting People Back on Track.Kollar’s new edition (1997/2011), because it offers a different approach to counseling. Dr. Kollar states that much of the time within sessions, counselors use the process of remaining centered on the problem, he calls this, â€Å"problem-focused† (p. 14). I am looking forward to learning how to change the focus from the problem, to visualizin g the outcome first. Dr. Kollar states when we do this, â€Å"we become solution-focused rather than problem focused. The outcome dictates the process rather than the process dictating the outcome. † (p. 15).That method was during my session while I was in France. The counselors had my family and I focus on the call on our life by the Lord to minister to those people in Northern Africa, who needed to hear about Christ and what would it take to get us back there. CONCLUSION The things I have learned already from the reading assignment required in PACO 500 are invaluable. I cannot wait to dig deeper into the different methods and ideas taught in my reading assignments. God has a plan for everything that happens and prepares us for His will to be done.As families and individuals deal with different life issues, with the training I will receive through this class and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, I pray God will allow me to be equipped to help them have victory of those issues. I know God has given me a heart to help individuals and families grow closer to Him. With the Lord’s blessing, maybe one day I may be that counselor on the mission field helping others through difficult times, just as my family and I went through.