A Christian Perspective on Nudity in Art Essay

The Association of Classical & Christian Schools John is a Christian who enjoys the arts and finds them edifying. He is particularly fond of the art of painting. Desiring to expand his art history knowledge, he visits the best, closest art museum he can find. Going from gallery to gallery, John begins to become discouraged and more than a little embarrassed because of all the nudity shown in the paintings. He finds himself wondering if he should leave the museum in a state of disillusioned protest. As a Christian, John understands the need to shun pornography; but what he is seeing is not Hollywood at its X-rated worst, it is Western Civilization. These are the paintings that make up the canon of art. What is he . what are Christians . to do with nudity as it is often shown in art? To answer the overriding question, one must first understand the difference between nudity and pornography. Nudity is nothing more than a human figure without clothing. There is no overt intention of sexual arousal. When nudity is used in art, it is often (but not always) with the goal of eliciting an admiration on the part of the viewer for the handy-work of his Creator. The Greeks believed that man was the measure of all things; as such they sought to find the perfect human form and show it in their art. The resulting nudes are not pornographic; rather, they are the outworking of the Greek ideal. As Christians, we rightly reject their philosophy, but we should not make the mistake of mislabeling their art. There has been much written on the beauty of the human body and it does not need be rehearsed here. It is clear that we are, indeed, fearfully and wonderfully made. When an artist shows nudity with this in mind, he is showing it to the praise and glory of the Creator. Pornography, on the other hand, has sexual arousal as its sole intention. It seeks to debase and lower both its subject, the person being looked at, and its object, the person doing the looking, to the level of mere animals. It is meant to feed our lusts, with the full understanding that they can never be sated. Sexual lust . like all other lusts . perates according to the Law of Diminishing Returns; the more a person feeds his lust, the harder it is to get even temporary satisfaction. This forces him to go back for increasingly more and more stimulation until it is almost impossible to derive any pleasure from his vice, no matter how much he indulges. It would be irresponsible to say that no part of Western Art leans to the pornographic side of things; for some of it does (much of Klimt, Schiele, some Courbet, etc. ); however, the difference is usually reasonably obvious with sober thought (if it. s not, then the artist has not done his job! ). There is also art that is quite charged with erotic content that doesn. t show so much as an exposed ankle. These paintings rely on context and subtlety to convey the true meaning of the work. For example, Gustave Courbet. s painting, Demoiselles on the Banks of the Seine of 1856, is widely understood to be a depiction of two lesbians in post-coital sleep . an obviously unacceptable situation for the Christian. There is no crass sexual imagery to suggest this relationship; however, when viewed in light of some of his other paintings, and when the painting is looked at carefully the relationship between the two women becomes clear. This is far from the only example of subtle erotic imagery, but it is illustrative of the issue. Like so many situations in life, context is the key to making a decision about whether or not to show or look at imagery like this. Song of Solomon (among other passages in scripture) is very explicit in its description of a sexual relationship between a man and a woman. It speaks quite openly of physical desire. We know from the context of the whole book that this is not a sinful desire and that it is proper for us to read about it and learn from it. So it is with art; when we properly understand the context of a picture we can make decisions on whether it is sinful to look at or not. We have to decide what our aim is in looking at it: are we indulging in an unlawful desire, or are we confronting an opposing worldview? If it is the former, then by no means should the image be viewed; however, if our education is to have any value we must confront opposing worldviews. To what are we objecting in pictures like this? It is obviously not the depiction of an unclothed human body. It is the representation and the implicit approval of promiscuity. This is what breaks the Law of God in Scripture . the sin does not necessarily occur when we look at such material, it happens when we approve of it. Things are rarely one dimensional; there are many reasons for showing nudity in art. We do a disservice to our students (and ourselves) when we teach them to be reactionary instead of thoughtful and discerning. There is a long tradition of depicting the nude human form in Western Art. I mentioned above that appreciation of the human form is one reason for showing nudity in art. However, it is not the only reason. Realism is another; nudity in varying degrees is a part of life, even public life at many times in the past and in different parts of the world. Many times artists were showing only what they saw as a part of everyday life. In the past there were public baths and public toilets that did not afford the same privacy that we, as 21st century Americans, have come to take for granted. There were even times when public nudity was accepted (for example, Peter worked in the nude while he fished (John 21:7). As such, people would have come to understand the concept of modesty as opposed to prudishness. Modesty reserves the exposure of the body to appropriate times and places, whereas prudishness sees the body as sinful in and of itself. As Christians, we must reject prudishness in light of the fact that God has given us many good gifts that are to be enjoyed in their proper context, our bodies being one of them. Since the Fall, nakedness in many situations has become shameful to us. Artists throughout history have recognized this fact and have used it in their art. For example, there are many depictions of the Last Judgment in art history (Rogier Van der Weyden, Hieronymous Bosch, Petrus Christus, the van Eycks, etc. ), many of which show those to be judged completely naked; the blessed are usually given a robe while the damned are sent into hell naked. This is done to emphasize their state before God; they have no covering, either physical or metaphorical to shield them from their Creator. The image of nakedness is used in the Scriptures to highlight our condition before God (Hebrews 4:13). God describes Israel as having been naked before He found her (Ezekiel 16, Hosea 2:1-5). He also uses literal nakedness when he commands Isaiah to go without clothing for three years as a sign of impending judgment (Isaiah 20:1-6). Whether in Scripture or elsewhere, a literary image of nudity is not really that much different from a literal image; both give the mind pictures of naked bodies to think about. It is the intended goal of depicting nudity (whether in words or pictures) that carries the weight of moral responsibility. If e take into account the Scriptures. use of nudity, it seems that it is proper . even edifying . at times to show nudity in art if it is done for the same reasons as the Scriptures. Many times in art the baby Jesus is shown quite openly nude. This is done for a very serious reason. His genitals were shown so that the artist might emphasize the very real human nature of the Christ. The artists wished to refute various Christological heresies (Nestorianism, Mo nophysitism, various forms of Gnosticism, etc. ) by showing that Jesus was both God and man. The attributes of Divinity are obvious and well known (the halo, lamb, and cross) but the tradition of depicting Jesus. humanity through showing His genitals is often misunderstood. At the other end of the spectrum of representing Jesus during His life on Earth is the cross. He would have been completely naked on the cross. The loincloth that we commonly see in paintings is a piece of pure fiction. Would it have been sinful for Him to be naked in public? Of course not, this was not a sexual context, nor was it meant to be. Was it sinful for Jesus. emale followers to be there and see Him in such a state? No. Again, context is the key. A common example of public exposure (albeit mild exposure) that many of us will encounter is breastfeeding. This is a context in which a woman’s breasts are not meant to be seen as sexual, but as motherly. If a man is aroused by the sight of this, does that not point to the sin in him and not in the act of breastfeeding? God ordained this method o f nourishment for children and alludes to it many times in Scripture as a good and proper thing. Again, context is the key to discerning the nature of this situation. Likewise, it is exceedingly rare for a medical doctor to be accused of being a pornography addict for giving physical exams to members of the opposite sex. The context of the examination room is not a sexual one. However, if a doctor mistreats his position and does look at a woman in a lecherous manner, does that mean that all physicals are pornographic and we should stop having them? There are other examples where images of nudity do not and should not elicit sexual arousal: childbirth, war pictures, anatomical charts and books, images from other (often indigenous) cultures, etc. The age at which it is acceptable for children to begin seeing paintings with nudity in them is a matter of debate. It seems that children should be exposed to nudity in art from an early age with the understanding that it is proper in some contexts and improper in others (many of which have been discussed above). If this is done, many aspects of the question of pornography will have been answered at an early age. Furthermore, if this approach is taken, children will gain an understanding of modesty and prudishness and know the difference between the two before it becomes an issue of practice for them (e. . skirt length, bathing suits, movies, etc. ). Of course there are many things that are perfectly good and right in and of themselves that are inappropriate for children. It is the responsibility of the parents to know their children and use their discernment in this question. The above arguments show that things are rarely as simple as nude = bad, clothed = good. This is not an exh austive treatment of the issue by any means; however, it should shed light on different perspectives on how a Christian is supposed to view nudity in art.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet †Essay Essay

INTRODUCTION Internet has become the most ever powerful tool for man throughout the world. The internet is a collection of various services and resources. Although, many people still think e-mail and World Wide Web as the principle constituents of internet, there is lot more in store than e-mail, chat rooms, celebrity web sites and search engines. It also became the best business tool of modern scenario. Today internet has brought a globe in a single room. Right from news across the corner of the world, wealth of knowledge to shopping, purchasing the tickets of your favorite movie-everything is at your finger tips. Internet has great potential and lot to offer†¦ however, like every single innovation in science and technology, internet has its own advantages and disadvantages. ADVANTAGES 1) COMMUNICATION: You can communicate with other through Internet around the world. You can talk by watching to one another; just you are talking with your friends in your drawing room. For this purpose, different services are provided on the Internet such as; * Chatting * Video conferencing * E-mail * Internet telephony etc 2) SHARING INFORMATION: You can share information with other people around the world. The scientist or researchers can interact with each other to share knowledge and to get guidance etc. Sharing information through Internet is very easy, cheap and fast method. 3) COLLECTION OF INFORMATION: A lot of information of different types is stored on the web server on the Internet. It means that billions websites contain different information  in the form of text and pictures. You can easily collect information on every topic of the world. For this purpose, special websites, called search engines are available on the Internet to search information of every topic of the world. The most popular search engines are altavista.com, search.com, yahoo.com, ask.com etc. The scientists, writers, engineers and many other people use these search engines to collect latest information for different purposes. Usually, the information on the Internet is free of cost. The information on the Internet is available 24 hours a day 4) SEARCHING PURPOSE: Students and children are among the top users who surf the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students should use the Internet for research for the purpose of gathering resources. Teachers have started giving assignments that require research on the Internet. Almost every coming day, researches on medical issues become much easier to locate. Numerous web sites available on the net are offering loads of information for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites such as, America’s Doctor. During 1998 over 20 million people reported going online to retrieve health information. 5) ENTERTAINMENT: Entertainment is another popular raison d’à ªtre why many people prefer to surf the Internet. In fact, media of internet has become quite successful in trapping multifaceted entertainment factor. Downloading games, visiting chat rooms or just surfing the Web are some of the uses people have discovered. There are numerous games that may be downloaded from the Internet for free. The industry of online gaming has tasted dramatic and phenomenal attention by game lovers. Chat rooms are popular because users can meet new and interesting people. In fact, the Internet has been successfully used by people to find lifelong partners. When people surf the Web, there are numerous things that can be found. Music, hobbies, news and more can be found and shared on the Internet. 6) NEWS: You can get latest news of the world on the Internet. Most of the newspapers of the world are also available on the Internet. They have their websites from where you can get the latest news about the events happening in the world. These websites are periodically updated or they are immediately updated with latest news when any event happens around the world. 7) SERVICES: Many services are now provided on the internet such as online banking, job seeking, purchasing tickets for your favorite movies, guidance services on array of topics engulfing the every aspect of life, and hotel reservations. Often these services are not available off-line and can cost you more. 8) E-COMMERCE: Ecommerce is the concept used for any type of commercial maneuvering, or business deals that involves the transfer of information across the globe via Internet. It has become a phenomenon associated with any kind of shopping, almost anything. You name it and Ecommerce with its giant tentacles engulfing every single product and service will make you available at your door steps. It has got a real amazing and wide range of products from household needs, technology to entertainment. 9) ONLINE EDUCATION: Internet provides the facility to get online education. Many websites of different universities provide lectures and tutorials on different subjects or topics. You can also download these lectures or tutorials into your own computer. You can listen these lectures repeatedly and get a lot of knowledge. It is very cheap and easy way to get education. 10) ONLINE RESULTS: Today, most of the universities and education boards provide results on the Internet. The students can watch their results from any part of country or world. 11) ONLINE AIRLINES AND RAILWAY SCHEDULES: Many Airline companies and Pakistan Railway provide their schedules of flights and trains respectively on the Internet. 12) ONLINE MEDICAL ADVICE: Many websites are also available on the Internet to get information about different diseases. You can consult a panel of online doctors to get advice about any medical problem. In addition, a lot of material is also available on the Internet for research in medical field. DISADVANTAGES 1) THEFT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION: If you use the internet, you may be facing grave danger as your personal information such as name, address, credit card number etc. can be accessed by other culprits to make your problems worse. 2) SPAMMING: Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails in bulk, which provide no purpose and needlessly obstruct the entire system. Such illegal activities can be very frustrating for you, and so instead of just ignoring it, you should make an effort to try and stop these activities so that using the internet can become that much safer. 3) VIRUS THREAT: Virus is nothing but a program which disrupts the normal functioning of your computer systems. Computers attached to internet are more prone to virus attacks and they can end up into crashing your whole hard disk, causing you considerable headache. 4) PORNOGRAPHY: This is perhaps the biggest threat related to your children’s healthy mental life. A very serious issue concerning the Internet. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the Internet that can be easily found and can be a detrimental factor to letting children use the Internet. Though, internet can also create havoc, destruction and its misuse can be very fatal, the advantages of it outweigh its disadvantages. 5) INTERNET CAN BY ADDICTIVE: Some people just can’t live without it. They have no real friends and when Internet is down they are getting furious. Internet has some opponents but more and more people treats Internet like telephone, or radio. They use it for fun and work, and I think at present living without internet would be quite difficult. 6) FILTRATION OF INFORMATION: When a keyword is given to a search engine to search information of a specific topic, a large number of related links a displayed. In this case, it becomes difficult to filter out the required information. 7) ACCURACY OF INFORMATION: A lot of information about a particular topic is stored on the websites. Some information may be incorrect or not authentic. So, it becomes difficult to select the correct information. Sometimes you may be confused. 8) WASTAGE OF TIMES: A lot of time is wasted to collect the information on the Internet. Some people waste a lot of time in chatting or to play games. At home and offices, most of the people use Internet without any positive purpose. 9) ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROBLEMS: Most of the information on the Internet is available in English language. So, some people cannot avail the facility of Internet

Definition of Literature Essay

Literature is an outlet of escape from reality. At the end of the day, I open a book and allow the story to take me to a world where my own fades into a distant memory. With every turn of a page, my imagination is free to reinvent a narrative that is better than the reality I live. Literature can be non-fiction and based on facts surrounding real events, people, and places. Examples include history books, memoirs, biographies, newspapers, self-help, devotionals, and textbooks. Literature can also be writings based not on truth, but on the imagination and creativity of the author. This includes fiction novels and children story books. A lot of times authors of fiction will get their idea from a real life event and then they allow their imagination to recreate the characters and plot. Aside from being fiction or non-fiction, literature can also fall into different categories according to the genre, purpose, and style. Some genres include romance, science fiction, Christian, suspense, and western. The authors purpose for writing will likely determine what style and genre they will use. Poetry and drama are forms of literature that are stylistically different from other writings. Every writer wants to engage their audience and capture their attention in order to convey a message. The meaning of the text may hold differing messages within the audience, but it is the goal of the author to captivate the reader and keep them wanting to read more. John Smith wrote historical accounts of life while he was living. His writings brought insight and hope regarding English settlement during the early 1600s. The General History of Virginia is difficult to comprehend in areas because I am unfamiliar with his use and style of language, but nonetheless it is a beautifully written piece of literature. John Smith’s targeted audience was most likely the people of his time, with the goal of informing them of recent events. I appreciate the way he portrays the struggles of daily life realistically and in a way that inspires and intrigues. William Bradford was not formally educauted, yet he was a wise and well-read man. His writings spread throughout the world and have been studied and quoted by many. As with most of the literature from his time period, Bradford’s style is simple, but he writes with such conviction that demands the attention and respect of the reader. Bradford was a man of faith and often expressed this in his writing. In Of Plymouth Plantation he often refers to God’s providence and makes continuous references to God. Bradford may refer to God more than any other author in this colonial unit. Anne Bradstreet was a powerful force in literature during the 1960s because she was one of the first recognized women poets. Centuries later she is a revered writer and her poetry remains enchanting. â€Å"Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the opening line to her poem The Author of Her Book and illustrates just how feeble her brain is not. She has the unique capacity to use words to express herself so creatively and with so much emotion. To My Dear and Loving Husband is a great romantic poem that I admire. Bradstreet’s style reminds me slightly of my own. However I need more experience and practice to become nearly as talented as she. Upon the Burning of Our House reminds of my own experience of a house fire and has inspired me to attempt to capture my experience through poetry. Through all Anne Bradstreet’s work, she inspires others to recognize the beauty and power in writing. Edward Taylor was a highly educated, well respected, and devout religious man who used poetry as a private expression of his faith. He did not seek fame or recognition for his writing, rather just the pleasure it brought him. Taylor writes of God beautifully and is a master of creating moving and emotional works of art without intending to. As with most poets, Taylor and Bradstreet used metaphors and had a personal style unique from others. There is also an overflowing of emotion from both Taylor and Bradstreet within all their writings. William Byrd was a very accomplished man of his time. He was well educated, respected, and prosperous. His most famous writings are the journals that he wrote to describe day to day life. In The History of the Dividing Line I was able to pick up on the humor that has lead Byrd to be one of the first distinct comedic writers. The humor is not â€Å"pee your pants funny† rather it is more light-hearted humor that makes the reader smile. It is evident in his writing that Byrd was indeed well-read. A writer is capable of learning a great deal about language, word usage, and style through reading. Byrd’s style is simple, yet he articulates his message very well and although he wrote for himself, he managed to write in a way that would capture an audience’s attention. Jonathan Edwards was an intelligent man of God who served as a preacher. As an author, he wrote popular sermons and other serious works on religion, metaphysics, and philosophy. Edwards’ style of writing is quite different from other authors in this unit because unlike the others he gives the reader an array of possible positions for the topic he is presenting. In the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards develops his view on destruction and punishment from verses in Deuteronomy. Not only does he explain how he interprets the scripture, he also gives other possible views. St. Jean De Crevecoeur wrote about religion but he did not profess or maintain that he believed in God. He was a well-educated humanitarian who served his people and country. I found Letters from an American Farmer difficult to get through because his style of writing is unexciting. I was also turned off by the way he wrote about certain topics particularly African American issues. Crevecoeur was not a racist man, but he lacked some sensitivity in discussing his unique view on negroes and parenting. He believed that negroes should not continue having children because if they did misery would undeniably result for themselves and their offspring. I understand that he is referring to slaves and perhaps even slaves may have wished to not have children in order to save future generations from being forced into slavery. Crevecoeur surprised me with the boldness in his writing. The progression of writing from Smith to Crevecoeur is interesting to track and there are noticeable changes in language and word usage. As defined earlier, literature to me is written art that engages my imagination and takes my mind away from reality. Not every piece of literature will bring me the pleasure of leaving my own world for a moment and that does not mean the author has failed. Genre plays an important role in this element of the definition. For example the writings from the colonies unit are primarily non-fiction history writings that are meant to inform more than entertain. Anne Bradstreet is an exception. As the writer of poetry, her style is most obviously different from the more serious and constructed essays of the other writers. Every writer has a style that is unique, however one similarity in the colonial writings is the purpose of the author’s writing. Many of the writers were writing for the sake of recording daily life and making historical accounts of slavery, war, and developing colony life. Centuries later, authors such as Smith, Bradford, Bradstreet, Taylor, Edwards, and Crevecoeur are recognized as masters in the field of writing. Writers during the establishment of the colonies wrote simple, yet serious and powerful pieces of art. They have a style of writing and voice that still captures the hearts of readers.

Benefits Policy & Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Benefits Policy & Strategy - Assignment Example Therefore, it is practical that WorldatWork argues that although the goal of motivating workers is the same in different companies, optimum mix or strategy of benefits may change even in the same company. This trend is probably due to changes in administration of the company over time. However, with these changes, it is possible for an expert in the field of benefits strategy to equip himself with the new types of benefits strategies in the following ways. A benefits strategy connoisseur is ought to be a timely researcher. As mentioned earlier, this field is fast changing and therefore, those who are involved should change too. The best too for this change is through research on new viable benefits strategies and how to use them. Benefits policy and strategy has surely gone to a completely new level with every human resource manager trying to keep or acquire the best kind of employees there is. The only difference is on the way they do

Global issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Global issues - Essay Example The disclosure should also be backed by the independent monitoring of pay and working conditions. Violators of the laws when found should be corrected in ways that protect the workers and their jobs. There are moral and economic implications that come with the decision of not being concerned about sweatshops operating in developing countries because they provide quality clothes. The moral implication is that human dignity is not upheld. It provides the basis for the obligation of the employer to the employee. Respecting the dignity of workers requires the adherence to the laws of labor, meeting the safety standards and provision of a wage. Many aspects of the American lifestyle are attributed to the trade with Asia. Commerce with developing countries like China is crucial to its economic prosperity. Their manufacturing investment in developing countries is in the tens of billions of dollars and they also have plants that they operate on a contract basis. Hence the developing countries help in building up their economy. There are three major types of economic systems-traditional, command and market. Most of the countries in the world can be identified with one of them. In the traditional economy, the allocation of resources is based on rituals, habit or custom. The main advantage is that everyone knows which role to play. There is little uncertainty over what to produce, how to produce or for whom to produce since one follows their customs. The main disadvantage is that it discourages new ideas and new ways of carrying out things. The command economy is whereby a central authority is responsible for what, how and for whom they should produce products. The main advantage is that the system can drastically change direction in a short period of time. The main disadvantage is that it is not designed in a way that will meet the wants of the consumers even though

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

Assignment Example Applying the above theory to this coursework discourse, we can also assert that students have an expectation of what studying in the UK institutions should offer them. On the issue of studying in the United Kingdom, this present coursework mainly intends to investigate the extent to which students have become aware of financial issues that are faced with students who are joining universities. Therefore, the coursework will give information and advice on what first year undergraduate should expect to spend their money on when they arrive at the university and a rough estimate of these costs. Additionally, the coursework will highlight on the sources of finance that are available to students. Students’ expenditure budget According to Davey (2008), students learning at UK institutions are faced with a budget as they are supposed to cater for their needs and cover their own expenses, this more in particular for students are boarding at their learning institutions. Therefore, for f irst year undergraduate students the first thing that they should learn is financial management and proper budgeting in order to go through the entire term without financial hurdles and be able to fully concentrate on their studies. Among the common expenditure that students are faced with, include rent, food, communication (mobile/ internet), student supplies, council tax, transport, utilities, and banking charges such as opening a UK account. Estimate of a student budget For first year students who are going to undertake a course that runs for three years, the common budget estimates are presented in the table below. A 3 years course Amount in GBP Annual fees 2500 The living costs Books 62 Clothes 178 Concerts/ cinema 50 Travel home 50 Monthly expenditure Rent 340 Bar/restaurant bills 77 Food 130 Mobile phone 36 Transport 12 Shopping 69 Households bills 65 Other miscellaneous 20 Total Amount 37, 524 Based on this total amount that students will spend for their entire 3 years cours e, the annual amount that students will be required to have is 12508, on per term basis the required amount is 4168.33 while on monthly basis it is 1042.33. Evans (2011) stated that for students studying in the UK, there are various sources of finance that they can exploit in order to cover for their expenses and this excluded funds that can be provided for by their parents or guardians. Among the available sources, include student loans, grants that are offered annually, earning from part-time work, and holiday jobs. The estimate amounts that students could generate from these sources are as follows; Students’ possible income Student loan plus grant per year 6000 Part-time work 60 Holiday jobs 2500 Total 8560 The annual expenditure budget for students as it was noted was 12,508 and the rough estimates for students’ possible income per year is 8560 in total. Therefore, it means that on annual basis students will have a shortfall of 3948. This shortfall could either be covered by a funds received from parents or income earned from additional part time jobs and holidays jobs. However, it is of essence to note that for students to engage too much in jobs is highly likely to interfere with their education and they may end up have dwindling performances. The other key expense that was not included on the budget is healthcare costs for the students. This was intentionally excluded because of the fact that healthcare cost for students is also charged as part of the total school fees,

How Hooliganism Is Seen in the Contemporary World Coursework

How Hooliganism Is Seen in the Contemporary World - Coursework Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that to give a reason for some of the key attributes of hooliganism, a division between impulsive, relatively secluded confrontations of spectator violence and the conduct of socially organized fan groups which participate in aggressive violent behavior should be drawn. This division is historically apparent through a change from a pattern in which assaults on football match officials and opponent players preponderated over assaults on opponent fans, to a practice in which fights against fans and the police became the dominant form of watcher muddled state. Pearson defines hooliganism as a violent, raucous and disparaging behavior. Hooliganism has closely been associated with sports activities due to violence among the spectators. There are numerous theories on the history and origin of hooliganism. In reference to the Oxford dictionary, hooliganism originated in the late years of the 19th century from the surname of an illusory unruly Irish family, Hooligan, in a musical-hall song of the 1890’s. Hooliganism has been used since the late 19th century. It described a street bunch of criminals in London in the 1890’s, just about the same time Manchester street mob were achieving disrepute. Exact first usage of the term hooliganism and how it came to be used in the present meaning is not well known. The Daily News reported a case at Southwark Police Court in London where it indicated that Clarke, 19 years old, arraigned for the attack on police was the ringleader of â€Å"Hooligan Boys†, a gang of youth. This gang had graced with their presence a music hall and caused disturbances which led to the police being called. Later the next month, two young men were brought before a court in London for unruly behavior.

Old Habits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Old Habits - Essay Example My own family members have become the greatest examples of these phenomena in my life. To comprehend this procedure or perceive the power of the cosmic force which is beyond our comprehension, the trajectory of my life consisted of the actions which fell into close counter, begins with the story of my brother Matt. Matt is my sibling and he is a great lover of adventure. This love of his life suddenly changed his entire life. However, it was not his destiny alone that was shaped with the deeds for which he was responsible. There were people around him like my mom, Deb and my dad, Steve and me whose lives were greatly affected by the transition in Matt’s life. As a family the lives of each member is closely related and influenced by the actions and lifestyle of other members in the family. Actually, this feeling itself gives a feeling of coherence. A family is like a complete picture where each member and their life is a fragment of the jigsaw puzzle. A single fragment missing would never allow completing the puzzle and the story. Matt and my life are not an exception in this regard and the fate of our parents proved fatal for us to a great extent. There was a time when my mom and dad were almost on the verge of losing their job. Threat of financial crisis is greatest in today’s materialist world. ... I mentioned the fact earlier that every integrated bit, every single member complements and completes the picture of a happy family. One day we all went together for hunting and very unfortunately at the dusk, we lost one of our dogs and never saw him again. This is why I repeatedly keep stressing on this factor. I am well aware with the consequence of a missing member in the prevalent picture perfect concept. The three different stories evolve out from the same platform called family. The three different incidents might seem fragmented incidents of life. They may seem bizarre. But all these events are united at a plane which greatly effect, move and influence the lives of all the members of the family. I want to give a very clear and in-depth introspection to this very simple and mundane factor which often escape the attention of the human mind. But the fact that neither it is mundane nor is it unimportant attracts a close attention. And this fact at times can bring forth an entire different set of actions which can alter the fate of a family or a generation altogether. Matt was a victim of this socio-economic change. His actions were not guided solely by his own will. At times, I sincerely feel that external conditions were responsible to a great extent for the predicament which he had to meet. I watched Matt through the glass door made for the visitors to watch the critical patients at the I.C.U. Matt was lying on the hospital bed. His blue-colored uniform reminded me the fact time and again that he loved blue. He wanted to wear something blue at the prom-night in his high-school graduation party. He was fortunate to get that touch of blue; but alas it was the I.C.U uniform. Matt was looking handsome. I could see only his face but that vision was

Time extension under FIDIC 1999 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Time extension under FIDIC 1999 - Essay Example It also includes details of operations like payments and specific works to be done in the contract. Due to the fact that the construction contract comes with numerous elements which define the contractors tender, employers letter of acceptance, contract agreement, contract conditions and technical details2, it is prone to numerous issues that can affect its interpretation. This include misunderstanding, conflict and other disputes. In order to minimize these problems, FIDIC has a set of standardised rules and regulations that control the operation of construction contracts. The 1999 FIDIC Red Book sets out provisions for continuity of projects, encouragement of of constructive relationships and provisions for dealing with uncertainties3. Clause 20.1 provides an important guideline on how claims can be made and it regulates the relationship between Employers and Contractors on making claims for further payments and time extensions amongst other things4. Clause 20.1 states that: â€Å"If the Contractor considers himself to be entitled to any extension of the Time for completion and/or any additional payment, under any Clause of these conditions or otherwise in connection with the contract, the Contractor shall give notice to the Engineer describing the event or circumstances giving rise to the claim. The notice shall be given as son as practicable, and not later than 28 days after the Contractor becomes aware or should, after the contractor becomes aware, or should have become aware of the events or circumstances† This clause attempts to create a timeframe within which Contractors must report issues relating to time constraints need for further payments and other issues. This is necessary because there is the need for some kind of order to ensure that Employers and Contractors needs are respected and there is no indefinite right for Contractors to come back with their demands and requests for time

Rwanda Genocide Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Rwanda Genocide - Coursework Example The next aspect of this paper studies the possibilities for averting genocide based on recognition of its conditions and the factors driving its achievement. Potential preventive measures were present on a time-continuum, with mediations being possible during the phase prior to real genocide; more direct courses of action existing in the months leading up to and during the genocide; and possible ways for prevention of further/future genocide that happen in the aftermath. Prevention can take place at various levels, in relation to the impact that may be applied on individual, organizational or structural aspects. There have been many endeavors to describe genocide since the term was coined. First in 1944 Raphael Lemkin, defined genocide as "the coordinated and planned annihilation of a national, religious, or racial group by a variety of actions aimed at undermining the foundations essential to the survival of a group as a group" (Lemkin, 1944). Lemkin also asserted that genocide is a "form of one-sided killing" in which the offender aimed to get rid of their victims who by contrast have no similar intention. Lemkin's definition was followed by many others such as the 1946 UN Resolution that defined genocide as "the denial of the right to exist of entire human groups, as homicide is denial of the right to live of individual" (Chalk and Jonassohn, 1990). On December 9, 1948, the United Nations ratified the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. This convention delineates "genocide" as an international crime, which participant nations "undertake to prevent and punish." It defines genocide as: '[G] enocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: a. Killing members of the group; b. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; c. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; d. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; e. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.' Regardless of the fact that many cases of group-targeted violence have taken place throughout the history and even since the Convention came into effect, the legal and international development of the term is focused into two diverse historical periods: the time from the defining of the term until its approval as international law (1944-1948) and the time of its

State of Personal Computers Market in the UK Assignment

State of Personal Computers Market in the UK - Assignment Example In other words, the portable PC must not necessarily have big memory or storage space since it can retrieve data from the centric server within the company (Gillam, 2010). Several companies adopted this technology, hence increased sale of the portable PC but reduced sales of desktops. A good VDI network may comprise of at least one desktop with over 70 portable PC depending on the size of the company. Other clouding technology also followed and led to a further increase in sales of portable PCs. The graph below shows a non-uniform decrease in PCs’ prices as time (in years) advances. Increase in PCs producing firms There have been increases in the number of mobile PC companies venturing into the market. These include Samsung which manufactured laptops, net books, notebooks, tablets and mini laptops among other portable PCs. Apple manufactures iMacs and iPhones among other portable PCs. These products had advanced and efficient applications and specifications that later attracte d more customers. Majority shipped their desktops to developing nations while some were treated as electronic wastes. The younger generations were compelled to purchase the portable the portable gadgets since they have social media applications like twitter, Facebook and Skype among other applications. The products also came in smaller sizes but attractive shapes and colors to attract more customers (Bradley, 2005). The aspect of compatibility also enhanced increased demand for the products. One can easily connect his/her portable computer with the sound system or flat screen televisions for entertainment purpose. The companies have stiff competition with regular advancement of the portable computers which has kept the demand on a steady growing trend, since majority dump or ship their... This paper offers a comprehensive theoretic economic analysis of high price elasticity of the demand for personal computers in the UK market. In the 2007, the market of personal computers in the UK recorded an estimated net worth of 12.27 billion USD. This increased to 12.81 billion USD in the year 2008 (4.4 % increase). The market PC market continued to depreciate to about 11.77 billion USD by the end of the year 2009. However, the same report indicates the market worth was on a growing trend from 2005 until 2008, from which the PC market worth started depreciating.There are several factors that boosted the increase in the PC market worth between 2005 and 2008. Several companies register an increase in sales of portable or mobile personal computers. The introduction of the portable PC in the markets attracted more customers The law of demand and supply states the demand will increase as the price decreases and other factors held constant. However, this economic principle does not apply in the personal computer business. Since 2005, the price for the personal computers has been on a falling trend despite continuous growth in demand. Different markets have different demand, price and supply relations depending on the prevailing economic status as well as the countries demographic characteristics among some factors. Different nations also have different policies or legislations to control its business. The aspect of a global description of the elastic curve with respect to the personal computers is a challenge.

Consumerism Essay Example for Free

Consumerism Essay THE DISHONEST FACE OF CONSUMERISM A statistic illustrates that in 1950, there is one car for every fifty people but in 2009, there are more than one car for every twelve people in America. This example demonstrates the increasing effect of consumerism by the end of the 20th century. According to Cambridge Dictionary, consumerism is the situation in which too much attention is given to buying andowning things. In the light of this definition, it can be concluded that consumerism usually leads to materialism since materialists claim that happiness can be increased through buying and spending as well . It is inevitable that there exist a dissidence between people about this issue. Authors like Juliet Schor, Annie Leonard and Danielle Todd support consumerism is a foe whereas Peter Saunders and James Twitchell, advocates the idea that consumerism is a friend. Consumerism has many negative outcomes like overspending, overworking, credit card debts, social and economic problems etc. These negative aspects of consumerism are in majority therefore consumerism is a foe. Consumerism is a foe since it causes overworking by triggering the insatiable nature of human. Each person aims to reach a good, qualified life and this ambition causes competition between people. As Annie Leonard mentions, we have become a nation of consumers (9). The reason behind this situation is exactly the competitive life circumstances, each person buys more and more to be the best. It is acknowledged that human has an insatiable nature by birth and the consumerist system triggers this stimulation substantially since people do not want to stay out of the competition. Todd states that consumers are well aware of the insatiable nature of consumerism, but recognize that in their society it is the only possible way to live (1). The most negative aspect of consumerism emerges at that point; since consumers can never be fulfilled with the goods they consume there occurs a circle which tucks people into a trap. The empty and miserable consumers buy more and more goods with the hope of finding fulfillment and reaching the best. For instance, a young man buys an Iphone 4 and just three months later he sees his friend’s Iphone 5  and decides to buy an Iphone 5 immediately for reaching his friend’s level . To purchase more, this man obliged to work exceedingly so his life passes with heavy working conditions. According to Leonard, this situation creates a c razy work-watch-spend treadmill (13). This circle damages people’s lives since it is almost impossible to get rid of this circle because of the unsatisfied nature of human. With the existence of this circle, people turn into robots, they cannot think anything except money, working and shopping. Eventually, people’s psychological and physical healths are damaged because of stress, they become tired, they do not have individual times, they do not have any hobbies, they drift apart from nature and get stuck into shopping malls etc. Briefly, it can be said that consumerism is a foe since it triggers the unsatisfied nature of people and ensnare their lives with the work-watch-spend circle. Advertisements cause the problem of overspending which is the most mischievous outcome of consumerism. Advertisements have seven functions like identifiying brands, supplying information, persuasion previewing new trends etc. but persuasion is the best function which is related with consumerism. Advertisements and consumerism definitely have a positive correlation since powerful and visual advertising directs consumers to purchase goods and services. As Juliet Schor states, it can be said that the growing importance of television causes consumerism (1). It demonstrates that people who watch TV are more inclined to purchasing more. Schor also asserts that an avarage level of TV watching of 15 hours a week equals nearly $3,000 per year (1). So it can be concluded that television is very effective on people’s buying decisions, advertisements direct people to spend more money. These tricky advertisements lead people to buy redundant goods. For instance, Twitchell mentions that he bought a Mazda Miata although he did not need this car (1). Moreover, he states that he bought the car because of an advertisement which promotes the idea that if you buy this car, all of your dreams will come true (2). This is a clear example of overspending, an effective advertisement made Twitchell buy a luxury and redundant good which was pretty expensive. Twitchell’s experience is just the tip of the iceberg, the rate of overspending will increase more and more with the growing importance of television. Due to overspending, people become unable to afford their basic, biological needs since they spend all their money for visible status  goods. Shortly, it is verified that advertisements direct people to consume more and more but this huge effect of advertisements are destructive since over-consumption makes people unable to afford their basic needs. Credit card debts is another destructive outcome of consumerism. In Turkey, one million and sixty thousand people have credit card debts by 2014. This statistical data demonstrates that consumerism is not a friend for one million and sixty thousand people in Turkey. As it is mentioned before, human has an insatiable nature therefore people see products as a hero and they purchase more and more. Banks take advantage of people’s fralities and give them lots of credit cards. This situation brings a trouble into society like credit card debts. Juliet Schor argues that one of the most fascinating things about credit card debt is how m any people are not conscious of their behaviour (3). While buying goods people cannot be aware of what they spend since they are not aware that these credits are borrowed. They assume that these credits are free and limitless. Credit cards are presented as hero by banks, consumers can buy what they want without making payment by cash but at the end this dream concludes with a disappointing end, hoarded credit card debts. Victims of credit cards have to sell their houses, cars etc. to pay their credit card debts. So, it can be concluded that although many people believe to the misleading friendly face of consumerism actually it is just an invisible enemy which drags people to debt spiral. Some may say that consumerism is a friend. However, this assertion is not true. It should not be forgotten that the capitalist system leads to the occurrence of consumerism. Saunders defends that capitalism is good for the soul since it gives people a chance to live a good life (6). That assumption can be accepted to an extent since each person aims to reach a good life. This is a common will of all humanity but it should be considered that human being is insatiable and this system exploits people’s weaknesses which is coming from their nature. As it is mentioned in second and third paragraphs, advertisements exploit people’s weaknesses dramatically by giving the message that they are insufficient. Peop le cannot reject the desirable choices that the system provides and they become a part of this system even if they cannot afford the requirements of a good life. Saunders also hypothesizes that no socioeconomic system can guarantee people a good life, they can just provide happy and worthwhile lives and capitalism  passes with flying colors on this test (19). There exist a social stratification in today’s world so these flying colors are just accessable for upper and middle classes but what about the working class? Their labor is exploited all the time by this capitalist system. A good system should provide a happy and worthwhile life to everyone, not just the selected rich ones. To sum up, it is true that capitalism can be seen as desirable and attracts many people’s attention but this does not mean that capitalism is a friend since it just provides tricky and temporary dreams to a minor group of rich people. In conclusion, negative aspects of consumerism like overspending, overworking, credit card debts, social and economic problems etc. outweigh so consumerism is a foe. Although some argue that it is a friend, actually in real life it is impossible to support that argument since consumerism triggers the unfulfilling nature of human and it is not desirable or beneficial in the long run. Consumerism is just a foe which make s you a victim with empty promises. Schor believes that, to avoid this situation people should decrease the time they spend in front of the TV, use no credit cards, stop buying unnecessary products and try to make logical, consciously decisions while purchasing (4). If people take these suggestions into account, they can reach a good life without these tricky systems. It should not be forgotten that spending less makes people feel better. WORKS CITED Leonard, Annie. â€Å"The Story of Stuff.† Free Range Studios, 2007. 20 Aug. 2009. Web. Saunders, Peter. â€Å"Why Capitalism Is Good for the Soul.† The Insider 23.4 (2008): 14- 21. Insider Online. The Insider Heritage Foundation, Apr. 2008. Web. Schor, Juliet. â€Å"Juliet Schor on The Overspent American.† TIME.com. N.p., 20 May 1998. Web. http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/schor-overspent.html Todd, Danielle. â€Å"You Are What You Buy: Postmodern Consumerism and the Construction of Self.† Fall 2011. Web. Twitchell, James. â€Å"How I Bought My Red Miata.† August/ September 2000. Web.

The Great Pyramid Of Khufu History Essay

The Great Pyramid Of Khufu History Essay In the Old Kingdom sometime between the years of 2575 BC and 2134 BC the Egyptians constructed The Great Pyramid. The Pharaoh Khufu ordered the building of a pyramid of greater dimensions than any other pyramid ever constructed. In hope to increase interest in the building of his pyramid Khufu shut down other temples to divert the interest to his site. Khufu chose to build on the Giza plateau on the East side of the Nile River. It is said that Khufu ordered slaves to construct the huge pyramid, but this is incorrect. The pyramid was built by about 5,000 free citizens of Egypt drafted for public work. The men were divided up into gangs of laborers and masons. The laborers consisted of approximately 18 to 20 individuals. The laborers would personalize the blocks of stone in which they moved with their group ¿Ã‚ ½s name. Using stone cut mostly from a quarry right on the Giza plateau the laborers quarried and hauled the massive blocks of stone up the pyramid (Egypt 55). Fine white lime stone was taken from Tura across the Nile River. The granite used for the king ¿Ã‚ ½s burial chamber was quarried from Aswan, 400 miles upriver from Giza (Egypt 58). The blocks of stone weighed as much as 15 tons as the granite stones were the heaviest (Casson 131). The total weight of the pyramid is 6.25 million long tons of stone (Harris 86). The Great Pyramid has a total of about 2,250,000 blocks of stone (Woods 16). This feat is almost unheard of today with the use of new machines and techniques for hauling and moving incredibly heavy objects. The Egyptians used some rather ingenious ways to keep their building project on the perfect side. The crews would dig connected trenches around the building site and fill the trenches with water. After filling the trenches with water they would tie a length of rope at equal height onto two sticks. Thus stretching the rope taunt they could see any unleveled points to fill or level off to keep their base even all-around (Casson 133). The l aborers used log rollers to aid in the moving of the massive blocks of stone. Before tipping the stone onto the rollers the side that is to be faced down on the logs is finished early to ensure a smooth ride (ibid. 131). Seeing how organized the ancient civilization was proving itself to be, historians are not shocked to find that they used a four-way ramp system to haul the blocks of rock to the upper most places of Khufus pyramid. The system used three ramps that formed three squared off spirals to the top, and one ramp that followed the same form down and off the formation (ibid. 134). This gives us four tiers of ramps, a sort of Egyptian highway system of on and off ramps. French architect Henri Chevrier tested the ramp theory with 50 men and a one ton block of limestone set on a track of wet mud from the Nile River. The results showed that one man harnessed to a rope could move the block on a level surface, 1 not all 50 (Egypt 58). After possibly what might have taken the entire twenty-three year reign of Khufu the structure was complete. The entrance lead down around 60 feet. The next obstacle to be faced is three stone sealing plugs that slid in front of the entrance to prevent grave robbers from entering. The sealing blocks kept robbers out for about 400 years till finally they got through and stole the contents of the pyramid (Casson 136). Then advancing upward to a second burial chamber that was left incomplete, this chamber is commonly misnamed the Queens Chamber. Then we fall upon a 153 foot long 28 foot high tunnel called The Grand Gallery. The Grand Gallery is noted for its ceiling made with tiers and braces (ibid. 136). After traveling through The Grand Gallery we find ourselves in the actual burial chamber of Khufu. The sarcophagus still stands at the west end of the chamber; of course it has been empty for some time now. This chamber was actually the third placement designated by Khufu. Each time hi s aspirations grew he wanted the pyramid bigger, and his tomb higher. The burial chamber was designed with six stress relieving roofs made of granite to support the tons of block over head (ibid.136). This monument of Egyptian architecture and technique covers a land mass of 13.1 acres. At the top of the once gold capstone the pyramid stands 482 feet high, now it is 31 feet shorter due to other projects taking stone from the handy source. The sides at the base are an astounding 756 feet long. (Egypt 53). I want to share with you the strange tales and theories about the Egyptians being able to see the future. One theory is from the Scottish astronomer Charles Piazzi Smyth. Smyth believed that the pyramid reflected measures of time and distance that could have then been only from a divine source. The pyramid showed the distance of the sun to the earth when its height in inches is multiplied by 10 to the 9th power. Smyth also said that the perimeter of the pyramid equaled 1000 times 365.2, the number of days in a solar year. Unfortunately Smyths measurements were proven wrong by British archaeologist Flinders Petrie (Egypt 55). Even thought the construction of the pyramid still has its doubts and theories, we find that the Egyptians used such great accuracy in their techniques that some spots in the pyramid have gaps only about .0001 inch (.0003 cm) wide (woods 23). This is about large enough to squeeze a postcard through. This brings us to the outside surroundings of the Great Pyramid. There are two other major pyramids at the Giza site. The second biggest is the pyramid of Khafre, and the smallest of the three is the pyramid of Menkaure (Egypt 56). These other pyramids were built after Khufus death. The second largest was built by his son, (Khafre), and his grandson, (Menkaure). In the surroundings of the Great Pyramid the Great Sphinx is found. This 240 foot long and 66 foot high Guardian ordered by King Khafre was carved out of an outcropping left behind at the limestone quarry that supplied the stone for the Great Pyramid (ibid. 60). Perhaps one of the greatest discoveries found around the perimeter of the Great Pyramid is the twin pits that contain funeral boats for Khufu. During a routine clearing of the base of the pyramid in 1954 Egyptian archeologist Kamal el Mallakh uncovered what he at first thought to be a part of the enclosure wall. Then Mallakh noticed that this section was closer than on the other sides. Thinking of a possible find he instructed to dig deeper until a row of 81 huge limestone blocks in separate sets were apparently covering the twin pits. After careful work Mallakh opened a hole in one of the six-foot-thick slabs. Under that slab he saw an oar and realized he had come upon a historical relic, a cedar funeral boat of Khufu. It took about sixteen years to remove the boat from the pit. Not wanting to risk the loss they left the second pit untouched (ibid. 61). Today the boat is on display in a special museum along side of the Great Pyramid of Khufu (ibid. 59). Another great discovery was found around the Great Pyramid by accident. In 1925 a photographer while setting up his tripod to take photos of The Great Pyramid nicked a piece of plaster from a hidden opening cut into the rock. Archaeologists removed stones and revealed a 100 foot shaft that lead down to a tomb. The tomb belonged to Queen Hetepheres, Khufus mother. After a total of three-hundred-twenty-one days of work it became apparent that 4500 years had taken its toll on the tomb. Most objects were already decayed almost to nothing. Using 1701 pages of sketches and 1057 pictures of the site most items were able to be reconstructed (Egypt 54). In front of the pyramid was what is known as the Great Causeway. The Great Causeway led to a rectangular mortuary temple. From this point the coffin was taken to a spot below the tomb entrance and then hauled up 56 feet to the opening of the pyramid (Casson 138). Also next to the pyramid are three satellite pyramids that belonged to the rulers three queens. There were also several fields of mastaba tombs and two temples, all connected by The Great Causeway (Egypt 59). Until recently it was thought that we had little chance of finding all of the missing sections of Khufu ¿Ã‚ ½s pyramid. In 1990 workmen installing sewer lines hit upon a part of the Great Causeway. After this finding the original path of the Causeway was easily mapped. The government of Egypt wants to move the residents of Nazlet el Simman and excavate the site (ibid. 59). The location of the Great Pyramid at Giza has been a popular place throughout time, and time has definitely taken its toll on the Great Pyramid. Unfortunately we have almost no tombs from the old kingdom left with artifacts and treasures from the nobility that once inhabited them. Khufus Great Pyramid is unfortunately one that was made in the old kingdom, hence it was not well preserved and artifacts are rare (Harris 88). Another fear is as man progresses the pollution will cause the rocks on the pyramid to erode at a much more rapid pace. Possible tourism someday will take a toll and start to make the wonderful site deteriorate much more rapidly than it would if we were to just admire from a distance. The pyramids at Giza remain the only of the seven wonders of the ancient world that is still here (ibid. 85). The future holds the truth of what time will do to the Great Pyramid. If it is treated like the sphinx has been we may be in danger of some idiot shooting a cannon at it. If hi story continues on the path it is set on now there is nothing to stop the Egyptians from using the blocks as a handy source for outer building projects. Time has been responsible for the changes in the pyramid: the contents have disappeared, outcroppings have been buried and possibly lost forever, and the environment has taken its toll on the massive structure. In conclusion, The Great Pyramid has open eyes on the techniques and loyalty of the ancient Egyptian empire. The Egyptians have constructed a piece of history that can only sit on a list of seven; the other six are no longer in existence. This makes the pyramid the last of the seven wonders of the ancient world. There will probably never be anything constructed with such raw accuracy and detail without computers and machines. I hope you have enjoyed the information I have given you on: the construction of the Great Pyramid, the surroundings of the Great Pyramid, and the effect of time on the Great Pyramid of Khufu.

Models Of Forensic Psychology Case Study Social Work Essay

Models Of Forensic Psychology Case Study Social Work Essay Andrew is fifteen. He has been accused of sexually assaulting his younger sister and may be charged with this in the near future. Some of his family have a history of mental disorder and he has a history of learning and behavioural difficulties, as a result of which he has been attending a residential special school. He does not acknowledge the accusations against him and is reluctant to discuss them. INFORMATION FROM INTERVIEW Andrew presents as a tall, slim-built youth who is restlessly anxious, looking away for most of the interview, and repeatedly yawning in an exaggerated manner to indicate how little he wants to be involved in the discussion. Despite this he is essentially polite in manner and answers all questions, at least in some measure. His apparent level of intelligence puts him in the mild range of impairment, and he is also very sensitive to anything that he thinks puts him at a disadvantage or makes him look thick. He has some social skills, although these are not always used and sometimes he appears socially disinhibited. He has a reasonable vocabulary and powers of speech. There are no behavioural stereotypies (repetitive apparently purposeless movements) and no perseverative behaviour (continuance of behaviours after their original purpose has been served). However, his powers of concentration are limited and he is easily distracted from discussion. His attention is focused on his perceived likelihood that he will automatically go to prison, regardless of whether he is charged or not. He hopes that a combination of his medical history and denial of the allegations will be enough to get him through any legal processes. Andrew says he hasnt been charged with anything because I aint done nowt. Nevertheless he is able to say that sexual assault means trying to make somebody do something have sex, how to make babies and that penetration means putting a finger up someone up (the) clitoris of women. He has already been officially asked on one occasion about for whats going on now basically but can describe no details and says that he aint bothered because I havent done it. CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES Andrew has his own room at his special school and has made one or two friends. The activity that he enjoys most, and gets most from, is studying motor vehicles and he has developed an ambition to become a mechanic. He comes home for some weekends and for holiday periods. At present he feels he hasnt got a life anymore. This is both because of the possible pending charges and because he feels people are dropping dead around me. A close friend (female) of his died recently, and his life has not felt the same since his father died unexpectedly the day before his birthday four ago, and his paternal grandmother died about a year afterwards. He would like to become a motor mechanic, but thinks this will not be possible, unless he can get training in prison, because of his possible court case. PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY He is the youngest member of his family, although his own list of his siblings and half-siblings is slightly different to that provided by his family. His father died from a heart attack and his mother has a lot of problems with her health. He was excluded from his first school for throwing a brick at a teacher or something like that they were doing my head in all the time. MEDICAL HISTORY He has been diagnosed as having ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and says that this is why he is at boarding school. He says that he used to get all mad and hate people and take it out on them but that this has improved more recently. Two years ago he tried to hang himself with two belts because he just felt like it I couldnt be bothered living anymore I did it for fun I thought it was funny. He also tried to cut his wrist, and still has a faint scar from this. He continues to have periodic thoughts about a quick premature death as a way of not having to put up with living anymore. Although these thoughts reflect a depressed view of life there is no indication that he currently has a depressive illness. He has previously taken the antihyperactivity drug Ritalin, but has now discontinued this and describes it as doing my head in. SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT HISTORY He first became sexually aware at a very young age, as a result of being given information either by one of his sisters or a friend. His father told him not to have sex until he was older so as to avoid having children. His strongest sexual experience so far has been with a girlfriend who he described as the nicest person you could meet even though my sister called her a smackhead'. He denies the allegations about his sister and describes them as all lies. Questions What identifiable risks, giving your reasons, does Andrew present a) in the short term and b) in the longer term? Rank them once in their order of certainty, and again in their order of importance. Construct an interview strategy to help investigating police officers further question Andrew about the allegations regarding his sister, explaining your rationale. Case Study 2 Mr D Case Study Read the following case study carefully. Using your knowledge of risk assessment, mental disorders and offending behaviour and interview and treatment strategies answer the following questions: Describe the type(s) of mental disorder Mr D may be suffering from Consider whether those disorders are likely to contribute to the risk he poses of future violence Identify those risks that Mr D poses to himself and others Consider whether you would discharge Mr D from hospital at this time and give your reasons why (Point 5 is optional) Highlight what challenges Mr D may pose in treatment and how you might overcome them. Background Early Childhood Mr D was born to a 16 year old mother and conceived following a one night stand. Mr D recalled an unsettled childhood due to his mother handing over his care to her parents. Mr D described how he liked living with his grandparents, however he also described how his grandfather frequently used alcohol and his grandmother was strict and did not allow him to socialise with other children. Behavioural problems were noted from the age of 4. Throughout this time period Mr D began having severe tantrums which involved hitting and kicking and Mr D was referred to the Childrens Hospital at the age of 8. This followed a severe attack levied against his grandfather involving a knife. Throughout the interview process Mr D remained closed about his relationship with his grandfather. Later reports indicate he was sexually abused by his grandfather but Mr D refuses to discuss this subject. Mr D was taken into care at the age of 8, where again he reported an unsettled period of time characterised by isolation and bullying. Mr D was able to live with a foster family whom he described as supportive for the next two years and it is of note that there were no behavioural difficulties noted for Mr D within this time period. Mr D appeared to settled with this family and their two sons, which allowed him to form secure attachments with this family. Unfortunately the family needed to emigrate to South Africa, and although he was asked to go with them, Mr D chose to remain close to his grandparents. Mr D spent the next five years in Childrens homes, interspersed by foster placements which broke down. Mr D returned to live with his grandparents following this period. Previous reports indicate conflicting points of view about this time period, some indicating that Mr D had more positive relationships with his grandparents and mother at this time, but with others highlighting that his grandparents did not really speak to him. Education and employment Mr D attended approximately five different schools as he was moved due to his living situation changing. Mr D recalled an unsettled period of time at school as he was bullied. He also described himself as hyper, I would scream and shout a lot and recalled finding lessons boring. Records indicate that Mr D began refusing school at the age of 4 and has a significant history of truancy throughout his education. Mr D left school with no qualifications but school reports describe him as exceptionally bright. Mr D has never been in formal employment. After leaving school he was unemployed for 2 years as he reported he could not find a job that interested him and he was having difficulties with his mental health. Following this, Mr D has been detained due to the conviction for his index offence. Substance and alcohol misuse Mr D reports a substantial history of cannabis use and a history of binge drinking. Psychiatric History Mr D first came into contact with mental health services at the age of 8 when he was admitted to the Childrens Hospital for 6 weeks following a violent attack on his grandfather. An ECG and neurological examination at the time were found to be normal, however Mr Ds mother recalled a black patch being found. Following this Mr D was referred to an Adolescent Unit at the age of 14 due to behaviour problems such as refusing to attend school and standing naked in the window. Later that year, Mr D was admitted to the hospital and was described by the doctor as an isolated and withdrawn individual, having no self confidence who responded with aggressive outbursts when frustrated. Mr D self-harmed by cutting his arms with a piece of glass. After being convicted of two incidents of indecent exposure at the age of 17, Mr D received outpatient treatment initially, but following another charge for indecent exposure Mr D was admitted as an inpatient. At this point he was talking about injuring people before they had the chance to injure him. On the 9th April 1987 Mr D was again charged with indecent exposure and was remanded under section 35 of the Mental Health Act (1983). During his assessment there, it was noted that he was hearing voices telling him to commit acts of violence. No specific diagnosis was made at this time, although a condition of residence and psychiatric treatment was made. Following his 18th birthday he was moved to Arnold Lodge Hospital. Whilst there it is reported that Mr Ds mental health appeared to deteriorate and violence towards others increased. At the age of 20 Mr D was transferred to a Hostel in Liverpool as it was thought that he would benefit from integration with other people, however three months after this he was discharged after assaulting another resident. Mr D managed to live in the community on his own for approximately two and a half years before he committed his index offence. At this point he was remanded to HMP Hull for approximately 2 months. Mr D attempted to hang himself during his first night in custody. He was then transferred to Wathwood hospital due to him exhibiting paranoid ideation and experiencing auditory hallucinations commanding him to harm a female prison officer. Whilst at Wathwood Hospital, initially Mr Ds presentation seemed to improve to the point that he was granted conditional discharge by a Mental Health Review Tribunal, however at this point Mr Ds fixation with a female member of staff began to cause concern. Mr D began exposing himself to female members of staff and his mental health deteriorated. Mr Ds presentation continued to decline over the next two years in terms of incidents of violence, aggression and sexually inappropriate. His mental health also fluctuated with episodes of paranoid ideation, delusions, thoughts of harming himself and incidents of aggression. Forensic History Mr D has three previous convictions for offences of indecent exposure. There are seven previous convictions for driving offences (e.g. driving whilst under the influence, reckless driving, driving without a license, insurance and MOT) and 4 convictions of acquisitive offending (2 offences of shoplifting and2 burglary offences). Mr D has no other convictions for violent offences apart from the index offence, however there has been other violence evident in Mr Drivers past when he has been a patient in hospital. Index Offence Mr D was convicted of the murder of his neighbour. The offence occurred in the context of ongoing difficulties Mr D was experiencing with his neighbours in terms of loud music they were playing in the early hours of the morning. Mr D had raised this problem with his neighbours and it is reported that they responded to this in a less than positive way. Mr D then tried to involve the council to alleviate the problem, however this appeared to have had no effect. On the day of the index offence, the victim was taking his rubbish out and Mr D approached him from behind and struck him once in the back with a 5 inch bladed knife. Mr D immediately ran away from the scene and made his way to the Family and Community Services Department with whom he was in regular contact and the police were contacted and Mr D was subsequently arrested. The victim had removed the weapon himself and in the meantime had made his way to nearby premises to seek assistance. He later died of his injuries in hospital . Mr Ds account of the offence is that he had been living next to neighbours who were noisy. He said he had lived next to them for about six months and I kept knocking, asking them to turn it down, they just said it was their house. When asked how many times this had occurred Mr D said, probably approached them about 5 or 6 times. Mr D stated that he didnt phone the police at all, but that he did phone the housing association. He said that nothing happened as a result of this and the music continued. On the last occasion that Mr D asked for the music to be turned down before he committed the index offence Mr Driver stated he started threatening me and said Im not turning the music down and was arguing. I cant remember what was being said, but I just kept asking him to turn it down. He was shouting and I think I hit him first, we had a scuffle and the police were called. The Police told me to get in touch with the housing association. Following this incident Mr D said that a few weeks passed and the music continued. Mr D stated that he had been going out shopping he had been carrying the same knife that he eventually stabbed the victim with. On the day of the index offence, Mr D reported being woken at 9am by music being played. He stated, I felt really stressed and angry. I got up, got dressed, I was standing in my kitchen and could hear it (the music) and I saw him going to the bin. Id come to the end of how I was feeling and looking for a way out. Mr D stated, I got a knife and stabbed him in the lower back. When asked what might have happened to resolve the situation had the index offence not occurred Mr D said, If I hadnt seen him, I probably would have gone on carrying the knife and gone round to his house. In terms of why Mr D felt he committed the offence, he stated, I couldnt stand them playing loud music. Mr D went onto say Yes I regret it, its led to me being kept in hospital. There is nothing else I could have done. He deserved it because he wouldnt turn down his music. Assessments Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -3rd edition (WAIS III) This assessment examines general cognitive abilities, specifically thinking and reasoning skills. It explores non-verbal reasoning skills, spatial processing skills, visual-motor integration, attention to detail and acquired knowledge such as verbal reasoning and comprehension. Mr D presented with a full scale IQ of 130. International Personality Disorder Examination Mr D was assessed for personality disorder using the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE: Loranger; 1999). The IPDE is a semi-structured clinical interview developed to assess personality disorders defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10; World Health Organisation, 1992). Mr Ds current presentation indicates that definite diagnoses of Antisocial and Narcissistic personality disorders are warranted. The Antisocial features most relevant in Mr D include a lack of concern for the feelings of others, reckless behaviour, consistent irresponsibility, disregard for rules and punishment, low tolerance to frustration leading to acts of aggression and violence, and a proneness to rationalise and blame others for his own behaviour. The Narcissistic features which Mr D presents with include a grandiose sense of self-im portance, a belief that he should be treated differently, an overinflated sense of self-entitlement, arrogance in his behaviour and attitudes, a persistent pattern of taking advantage of others to achieve his own ends and an unwillingness to recognise or identify with the feelings of others. Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R The Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R, Hare 1991, 2003) is a rigorous psychological assessment, widely regarded as the standard measure of psychopathy in research, clinical and forensic settings. It measures different aspects of a persons emotional experience, the way they relate to others, how they go about getting what they want and their behaviour. High levels of psychopathic traits as measured by the PCL-R are associated with high rates of re-offending and future violence (however a low PCL-R score alone does not imply low risk) and can impact on responsivity to therapeutic intervention. Mr D presented with moderate levels of psychopathic traits which fell just below the diagnostic cut off for psychopathic disorder. Items that he scored on include failure to accept responsibility for his actions, irresponsibility, lack of remorse, callous disregard for others, grandiose sense of self worth, manipulation and early childhood problems. Presentation in interview Mr D presented as a difficult and challenging patient to interview. He was dismissive at times, questioning my experience, qualifications and competence. He stated that psychology was not a proper science and would prefer to talk to the proper doctor i.e. the psychiatrist. Mr D appeared to have some knowledge of psychiatry and psychology and used technical terms throughout. He appeared to have little insight into his mental disorder stating that he does need to take medication and that everyone is like him. Mr D stated he does not under stand why anyone would think he poses a risk to people and that he should be discharged from hospital immediately. Case Study 3 Ms W Case Study Read the following case study carefully. Using your knowledge of risk assessment, mental disorders and offending behaviour and interview and treatment strategies answer the following questions: Describe the type(s) of mental disorder Ms W may be suffering from Consider whether those disorders are likely to contribute to the risk she poses of future violence Consider what techniques/strategies/considerations you would use when interviewing Ms W Highlight what further areas of work you may wish to undertake with Ms W (concentrating on what areas of her presentation you would like to explore/assess further and why) Background Early childhood Ms W was the eldest child of three, the other two children being boys. Ms W recalled an unhappy childhood due to the sexual abuse she experienced from her father (for which he received a conviction) and then the emotional detachment that was apparent between her mother and herself. Social services records support Ms Ws account of her early childhood. In addition to being sexually abused by her father, Ms W also reported being sexually abused by an uncle and a next door neighbour. Ms W also reported that the relationship between her mother and father was a turbulent one and although she did not witness any physical violence, she did hear arguments which resulted in her repeatedly banging his head against the wall through the stress this caused. Ms Ws behaviour became uncontrollable both within school and the community, in terms of fighting at school and committing petty crime such as shoplifting. Whilst still living with her parents, at the age of 14, Ms W became involved in a relationship with a man who was much older than her, in his 60s. This further contributed to the deterioration between Ms W and her parents, and her parents subsequently placed her in care. Ms W remained in care until the age of 17, and upon leaving she was given support from social services and moved into independent housing in which she was happy on her own. Education and employment Ms W reported that her school performance was average; teachers would not have found her a management problem, but that she did get distracted easily. Whilst at school she was subject to bullying from peers and this resulted in her engaging in fights outside of school. Ms W left school with no formal qualifications. Ms W obtained employment as soon as she left school and worked as a packer, a cleaner and in a pet shop. All of the employment she engaged in was in a short period after school, with her last job being held at the age of 20. Ms W reported that the last job she had needed to leave because her mental health was causing her difficulties and she needed to attend various appointments. Following this period of employment, Ms W was unemployed for the next 16 years due to mental health, drug and alcohol difficulties. Ms W claimed incapacity benefits and before coming into custody she reported having an income of approximately  £800 per month. Substance and alcohol misuse Ms W reported that she began drinking at the age of 14 or 15 as she would visit pubs with her partner at the time. She suggested that she became a heavy drinker at age 20 and that she needed alcohol every day as otherwise she would suffer with withdrawal symptoms. Ms W would consume approximately 12 cans of Stella a day or 2 bottles of 2 litre Cider. Ms Ws drinking caused her health problems in the form of liver failure and pancreatitis. Ms W was under the influence of alcohol when committing the index offence and this followed a period where she had tried to go through a detoxification process without medical support. It is of note that Ms W reported hearing voices whilst she completed this home detoxification process. In terms of drug use, Ms W remembered beginning to use substances at around the age of 18. She reports using acid tabs, microdots, magic mushrooms, speed, heroin (smoking) and cannabis. She also reported that she would take prescription medication if the opportunity arose. Ms W recalls that she would use whenever she had the money to do so and that she would frequently take drugs and drink at the same time. She estimated that she would spend approximately  £14 per day, but that this would depend on what funds she had available at the time. In the early 1990s Ms W was diagnosed with drug induced psychosis. Psychiatric history Ms W first recalled being in contact with psychiatric services in her 20s. She was first seen by a psychiatrist due to the hallucinations she was experiencing and she voluntarily stayed in hospital for a few months. Ms W had spent time in group mental health homes and has had support from psychiatrists, CPNs and social workers. Ms W had attempted to commit suicide on a number of occasions through taking overdoses. She was diagnosed with depression in her late 20s and has been on a number of anti depressant drugs which she combined with drink and non prescription drugs. Whilst in custody Ms W was taking antidepressants, anxiolytics and anti psychotics. The latter were prescribed due to Ms W experiencing hallucinations and also mood instability. Ms W had most recently been diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder with features of depersonalisation and derealisation. Forensic history Ms W had three previous convictions. Two were received in 1989 which were both fraud offences, and then the third in 1990 for burglary and theft of a non dwelling. Ms W cannot recall specific details regarding the situations. Ms W had no other convictions for violent offending, apart from the index offence, but there has been other violence present in Ms Ws past especially within interpersonal relationships. Index offence The offence occurred in the shared home of Ms W and her partner. Two weeks before the index offence occurred, police had been called to the home after Ms W had taken an overdose of her partners medication. When Ms Ws partner had attempted to summon help, Ms W threatened her with a knife to try and prevent this. On the 10th June 2006 when the offence occurred, it was alleged that Ms W had been drinking cider from the early hours of the morning. Ms W insists that she was so drunk that she has no recall of the stabbing which then occurred and all that she remembered was seeing the blood on her partners stomach. After stabbing her partner in the stomach she then threatened to cut her throat with the knife. The stab wounds caused a near fatal injury. The victim was able to summons help by activating the emergency pull cord for the accommodations warden. Assessments Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -3rd edition (WAIS III) This assessment examines general cognitive abilities, specifically thinking and reasoning skills. It explores non-verbal reasoning skills, spatial processing skills, visual-motor integration, attention to detail and acquired knowledge such as verbal reasoning and comprehension. Ms W presented with a full scale IQ of 75. The assessment showed that Ms W processes information more effectively when presented visually rather than verbally and that she struggles to concentrate for long periods of time. International Personality Disorder Examination Screening Questionnaire (IPDE-SQ) This assessment is a screening questionnaire which indicates whether there are certain personality traits which need further investigation using the full International Personality Disorder Examination assessment. The IPDE-SQ indicated the possible presence of paranoid, schizotypal, emotionally unstable, avoidant and dependent personality disorders but this should not be considered as a formal diagnosis. Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III) This assessment is used to evaluate elements of personality and also pathological syndromes within psychiatric populations. On this occasion the MCMI- III was used to provide a more comprehensive picture of Ms Ws personality and presentation in combination with the outcome of the IPDE-SQ. This measure was not used to diagnose personality disorder but to contribute to the understanding of Ms Ws presentation. The Millon highlighted that Ms W presented with anxiety, drug dependence and post traumatic stress disorder and may possible present with thought disorder and major depression. Presentation in interview Ms W presented as a shy, pleasant individual with very low confidence and who suffered with anxiety. It was evident that she was lacking in confidence in terms of speaking to people and being sure of her own opinions. She had also seemed to struggle in terms of her level of concentration. Over the course of the sessions Ms Ws mood could be quite volatile, changing from happy to depressed in the period of a couple of hours. Ms W consistently spoke of thoughts of self harm throughout the sessions and when feeling depressed would project these feelings onto others as having caused them. Ms W also presented at times as quite paranoid in terms of thinking that people were talking about her. Ms W also disclosed that she was experiencing visual hallucinations particularly when she felt stressed.

Zorlu Holding And Vestel Electronics :: essays research papers

Zorlu Holding & The Vision Of The Company Mehmet Zorlu, established their Group's first company in the early 1950s, he laid the ground rules for the Zorlu Group's subsequent growth: integrity, perseverance’ and unconditional commitment to quality. Integrity is the Group's cornerstone value and they expect it to govern every aspect of their business. Hard work and perseverance are essential for the day-to-day success of their enterprises as they are for the undertaking) of a new venture. Quality is the key to customer loyalty, on which the long-term prosperity a f all ventures depends. With these ground rules, the Zorlu Group has sought to develop solid and profitable businesses that contribute to the welfare of the Group; its customers, business partners and employees; as well as the larger community. Until the early 1990s, they focused their investments in home textiles, an activity the Zorlu family has been involved with for several generations and in which they have a particular expertise. In 1994, they saw the opp ortunity to employ their strong capital and human resources in the consumer electronics sector, through the acquisition of the Vestel electronics Group. This was followed, in 1996 and 1997, by investments in the fast- growing energy and financial services sectors. Between 1990 and 1997, they tripled the number of their operations, increasing their total assets to just under US$ 1 billion, excluding the assets of five of their six subsidiaries incorporated abroad. They invested in state-of the-art spinning, weaving and textile technology that has made them the world’s largest; vertically-integrated polyester curtain producer and will propel them to the forefront of the international home textile industry in the years to come. They acquired the Vestel Group of consumer electronics companies, pushed its balance sheet from an undeserved red into the black, and set it on course to become a leading contender in the international consumer electronics markets. They established a bank, a leasing company and o factoring firm and they penetrated the power generation and electricity distribution sectors with the construction of two plants and a; competitive bid for o state- owned, plant slated for privatization. The Zorlu Group's rapid growth since 1990 reflects the vast range of opportunities that have emerged from the unique juncture of Turkey's Customs Union with the European Today, their operations include 32 companies in Turkey, France, Germany, Holland and South Africa in the textile, consumer electronics, finance, energy and tourism sectors. In 1997, their key operations achieved net sales of almost US$ 750 million and after tax profits of just under US$ 80 million.

Eulogy for Father :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Father As you all know, there were certain things Loyd liked -- dogs, and poker games, football, and airplanes -- and there were certain things he didn’t like -- carrots, political speeches, telephone solicitations (especially those made by insurance men), and long-winded eulogies. I won’t do that because for every story that I could tell today about Loyd, his friends here today could tell fifty more. I am very secure in the knowledge that Loyd lived every day of his life to the fullest and I feel that Mother and Delia Ruth are secure in that knowledge as well. And we are very grateful to you all to be here today with us to honor his life. As Brother Sam said, Papa was born in Norfolk County, Virginia, the son of Ovie and Ruth Owen. One of his earliest memories was of crossing the Mississippi River on his way back home to Texas where he lived, except for his time in the Army Air Corps, until his death this past Saturday. He graduated from Junction High School in 1938 and he very much enjoyed his memories of playing football for the Eagles, a game that he continued to love throughout his life, second only to poker, and most recently, the lottery. He enlisted in the Air Force on July 30, 1940 and was given the opportunity to become an enlisted pilot with the rank of Staff Sergeant Pilot . His membership in the Army Air Corps Enlisted Pilots Association gave him great pleasure and just last month in Austin he and his buddies refought the war at their bi-annual reunion. You’ll be very pleased to know we won again. He was a graduate of the class of 42-H from Kelly Field and flew fifty-one bombing missions in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He married Dortha W. of Menard the same day he received his wings, September 6, 1942. He liked to say he got his wings that morning and had them clipped that afternoon. For more than 50 years he has owned and operated Buster’s Laundry and Cleaners, first with his parents and then as sole proprietor. He was very proud of his business and once we were together at a social gathering in Kerrville and he had been sitting there with that look on his face you all know so well listening to self-important oil men and bankers talk about their work.

Democratic Implications of the Bible :: essays research papers

Democratic Implications of the Bible   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the form of government known as democracy, the power lies in the hands of the people. Be it to change the laws or the structure of the government, the decisions of the legislature are made by either the people or representatives that are elected by the people. Under most government systems, elections are used for people to express their views and beliefs. There is equality for all, including basic freedoms such as freedom of speech and religion. There has been a conflict of opinion among people for many years regarding the presence of democracy in the Bible. The Scriptural Tradition of both the Old and New Testament can be viewed as either democratic or non-democratic. Many instances are present throughout the texts that can point in either direction, depending on a person’s personal views and point of view. After reading select books of both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Testament, along with Brian J. Walsh and Sylvia C. Kessmat’s â€Å"Col assians Remixed†, I could easily see how an argument could be made either way. After much deliberation with each of the two sides pulling me their way, I chose the democratic side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The issue of democracy arises early in the Bible with Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament. The creation of the world was presented in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Genesis. In this creation, there was no hierarchy among the people, as none of them had to face oppression from a higher individual. In a democracy, all people are meant to be equals. Also similar to a democracy, the people had various freedoms, such as the freedom to develop creation and the freedom to disobey. The freedom is also displayed vividly in the broad mandate that is given to human by God. It is a cultural mandate where the people can create their own cultural institutions, from cities to agriculture to art.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An instance where some people consider inequality to arise is between man and woman. Eve was created out of Adam, which can be considered as man’s superiority over woman. â€Å"†¦and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made the woman and brought her to the man.† (Genesis chapter 2: 21-22) Despite Eve being created out of Adam’s ribs, I still do not view this as an inequality.