FAMILY LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FAMILY LAW - Essay Example Under the MCA, a lump sum order can be made to enable the payee to comply with pre-existing liabilities and expenses already incurred such as the outstanding mortgage payments in the current scenario; or alternatively it could be used to enable a spouse to take training as Ann has indicated. In such cases, an order can only be made if Timothy has the appropriate capital5. Section 25A requires courts to consider the desirability of promoting cessation of financial obligations between the parties. In ancillary relief applications, there is a mandatory judicial obligation to consider a clean break or impose a time limit on financial obligations. However, as highlighted in SRJ v DWJ,6there is no judicial presumption towards a clean break. It is further evident from the decision in Miller and Mcfarlane7, that the courts favour wives of wealthier spouses in divorce, which places Ann at an advantage8. Nevertheless, the overriding sentiment of the MCA is to encourage spouses to become independent and the courts will follow the section 25 guidelines9. With regard to the judicial approach to Ann’s demands for maintenance, in Wachtel v Wachtel10, the courts adopted a one third formula as a starting point. Moreover, as a result of the decision in White v White11the House of Lords determined a benchmark approach of equal division in surplus asset cases12. With regard to the property and maintenance, the house is jointly owned and Ann and Timothy’s children are adults and have moved away. Accordingly, the appropriate approach as highlighted in Piglowska v Piglowska13 is to consider the specific criteria in section 25(2) of the MCA, which creates no priority. Section 25(2)(a) and (b) are relevant and therefore the present and future income and other financial resources of both parties, including any increase in capacity that is reasonable to expect a party to take

Operations management Essay Example for Free

Operations management Essay This assignment requires student complete an analysis of the LensCrafters case from Chapter 6 of the text. Write a six page paper in which you: 1. Evaluate LensCrafters’ operations strategy and explain how the organization seeks to gain a competitive advantage in terms of sustainability. 2. Analyze how operation management activities affect the customer experience. Select two (2) operation management challenges and provide the solutions for confronting them. 3. Examine LensCrafters’ value chain and evaluate its effectiveness to operations in terms of quality, value creation, and customer satisfaction. 4. Determine the different types of performance measurements that can be used to measure LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design. Select at least two (2) types that can be applied and provide justifications for the selection. 5. Examine the different types of technologies applied to LensCrafters’ service operations and evaluate how the technologies strengthen the value chain. 6. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: †¢ Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. †¢ Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: †¢ Apply the concept of operations management. †¢ Compare and contrast the difference between a supply chain and a value chain. †¢ Analyze the types of measures used for decision making. †¢ Analyze the five key competitive priorities and their relationship to operations strategy. †¢ Analyze different types of technology and their role in manufacturing and service operations. †¢ Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management. †¢ Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics. †¢ Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Argument Against Smoking :: Papers Nicotine Tobbacco Argumentative Essays

Expensive highs, expensive addictions, smoking is a worthless habit. Nicotine, like so many other harmful substances, is a drug. They have the power to affect how you feel about yourself and those around you. It takes full control of your body, like your brain has been infected by tar. The three main groups of drugs are legal, illegal and medicinal. Legal and illegal, what is the difference in today's world? Smoking causes fatal hazards and I believe as a consequence, should be made illegal. Smoking is a legal drug worldwide, however, recently many countries such as America and the UK are beginning to realise the affects of another kind of smoking, Passive smoking. Many areas in both countries have restrictions as to where you may smoke. This is a huge step in the right direction. Imagine that there were no restrictions but no smoking at all! Why should many be forced to smoke through the selfish addiction of another? It is our job to take action and inform the country of this silent but deadly killer. Why do people turn their bodies into dilapidated factories with airways of tar and destruction? The answer is Nicotine. Tobacco is both a stimulant, a substance that speeds up the body and a depressant, a substance that slows down the body. The stimulant used in tobacco is Nicotine. This is an addictive drug, which causes havoc within the smoker's body. The body doesn't just get used to the drug but it then depends on it to function normally. Between cigarettes the smoker becomes jittery, irritable and anxious. Nicotine makes your heart beat at nearly twice its regular rate and forces your exhausted, oxygen starved body to work twice as hard. Why put your body through so much torture? Nicotine damages your mind and blocks the crucial nerve signals in the brain. In this way, Nicotine has the same affect as the illegal drugs including heroin, LSD and cannabis. In a recent survey cigarettes have been seen to contain double the amount of chemicals that they should legally be, many of which contain

Christian Counseling Essay

Abstract In the book, â€Å"Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling†, author Mark McMinn gives the reader information on how these three entities can work together in Christian counseling. McMinn offers several ways in which this can be done including the use of prayer, Scripture, confession, forgiveness, the effects of sin, and redemption in counseling sessions. Through narration of counseling vignettes displaying different results, from different approaches demonstrates for the reader integration. There are very many counselors in different walks in their faith and McMinn helps to explore this area for future and practicing clinicians. 4 MAT Review McMinn Summary Mark McMinn authored the book entitled; â€Å"Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling† introduces the reader to his concept of integration of these three entities. McMinn separates spirituality and defines why it is unlike psychology and theology, he states, â€Å"We can become more with less competent in the spiritual disciplines, training ourselves to experience God more fully, but we can never be spiritually competent.† (2011, p. 11). This is an interesting observation since Christians are always growing but can sometimes become stagnant in their growth and in their walk with Christ. It was also pointed out that spiritual training is not done in the classroom, it is not in a curriculum, and thus harder to measure from someone other than the participant. McMinn wants to empower the reader to explore their own Christian faith and how it can be incorporated successfully into therapy sessions with their clients. By educating the reader on a sense of a healthy self, he explores how prayer can be effective in sessions and also provides different methods for implementation. He stresses the importance of prayer and what it means at different times in relation to a counseling session he states, â€Å"We pray  as we breathe, inhaling the wisdom of God’s presence in this moment, exhaling a frantic need to have the perfect words or exact technique to â€Å"fix† our clients.† (2011, p. 109). This was one of the ways the author describes the use of prayer in counseling and how it also aides the counselor. Exploring further into the use of Scripture in counseling sessions the author establishes the connection of support in different counseling models. Forgiveness was also another topic the author addresses noting, â€Å"Rather, my goal is to raise pertinent issues and make recommendations for Christian counselors to consider so that each unique counseling situation can be carefully evaluated and a psychologically and spiritually sensitive manner.† (McMinn, 2011, p. 250). McMinn additionally provides five steps in assessing before considering introduction of forgiveness in a therapeutic session. He does this by debunking misinformation, and other related concepts that are not true in the use of forgiveness in therapy. By tying together the topics of prayer, scripture, confession, forgiveness, and redemption the goal as McMinn puts it, â€Å"If not how we understand the relationship between psychology and theology but how we practically use the Christian faith in our counseling. Change brings challenge and Christian counselors they several significant challenges as they bring religion into the counseling offices.† (p. 26) Concrete Response In McMinn’s book, he uses a chapter to discuss forgiveness which reminded me of a client I had long ago. This client had suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from various family members. I remember this client disclosing horrible, horrible abuse and still having nightmares, at times hallucinations of the offenders, and fits of rage. At this point in my career I was co-counseling, and was just beginning to understand the impact forgiveness can have in physical health and emotional health. My problem was I didn’t realize how the client wanted to please me and in doing so I believe I prolonged this client’s understanding of forgiveness and what it should have meant with the client and not me. This client was Christian and from my estimation now looking back was just beginning their walk with Christ and not on the same maturity level that I was at that time in my walk with Christ. At that time I knew how forgiveness first and foremost is obedience to God, and secondly how it can set you free from so many emotional problems, McMinn said, â€Å"Forgiveness, in its theological and spiritual context, is profound, life-giving, and transforming. When we remove the religious context and think of forgiveness only as a clinical technique, we risk losing the essence of forgiveness.† (2011, p. 254) After reading this chapter it made me re-live an area in which I was not fully equipped to help client maneuver their way through. This particular chapter has allowed me to see how vital forgiveness is in a therapeutic session, and how it must be used carefully. It is made me aware of how important my Christianity is to forgiveness, but also to assess the level my client is currently on before beginning a session on forgiveness. Reflection Truthfully, there was not much about this book that gave me pause to say â€Å"this bothers me†. Although, I did have a few questions but not necessarily pertaining to the author’s writing of the book, but more so some information of other resources cited. For example, the author stated, â€Å"Though Maslow would not agree that the Christian faith can help lead people to emotional health, his reports of the characteristics and desires of help the people who have moved beyond preoccupation with self he called them self actualizers are remarkably similar to the fruit of the Spirit described by apostle Paul in Galatians 5:22-23.† (McMinn, 2011, p. 52). This was interesting, but this student thought as the author had previously pointed out how you can build on something that’s faulty. It appeared as though Maslow’s disagreement with the Christian faith was unfounded, but he built his own concept of self-similar to Christian values. There was a statement from McMinn which did cause this student question if there was a direct answer. McMinn stated, â€Å"However, this view perpetuates the problem mentioned earlier, that Christianized form of therapy can be built on flawed, misleading, and damaging worldview assumptions.† (2011, p. 25). The question this student was left with was is there any therapy that can agree with Christian beliefs without being built on a flawed worldview? The author gave this student of reason to pause when thinking about the different types of therapy that are currently used in counseling. Due to different statistics, success rates, and general practice it seems as a counselor you go with what  works. However, McMinn has given this reader a different view on how therapy for the counselor should be perceived with the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality. It is not enough simply to use of therapy because statistically it has been proven to be successful. If certain theories in which some therapies are based are in direct opposition of godly counsel in this would need to be viewed more cautiously by the counselor. Action Action steps this student can take as a result of what has been learned, specifically in regards to prayer would be as follows: if a client desires to pray this student asked the client that comfort level in regards to pray aloud, silently or together. Further, learning pauses in a session can be a prime opportunity to pray silently for the client and guidance from God. McMinn stated, â€Å"Praying during pauses in conversation is often the way not only to keep a spiritual focus in counseling but also to keep from impulsively filling the silence with unnecessary words.† (2011, p. 83). Another action step this student will be taking as a result of a lesson learned, researching theories and books which may be in opposition to Christian beliefs. This student’s understanding of integration of psychology and Christianity are vital in be effective in helping God’s people. For example, the book â€Å"The Courage to Heal† is used in many areas of sexual abuse. This student was unaware of the author’s understanding of forgiveness and how the client is directed not to forgive the perpetrator of the abuse. If the client is Christian and this student is the counselor gave a homework assignment from this book regarding forgiveness this would create a problem. It is very important to understand, read fully, and research information which may be incorporated into a counseling session. It is not enough to use a therapy technique or intervention because it is popular or has been proven effective. Steps must be taken to ensure therapy and techniques are in line with God and His will. References McMinn, M. (2011). Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling (p. 254). Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers.

Diamond International Co-Corporation Essay

I. Executive Summary Diamond International Corporation (DIC) is one of the leading suppliers in the country. It is a trading company that imports thermoplastic (PVC) pipes, values and fittings. By 1990, the company has already grown to more than 50 employees. The company has identified its three major marketing areas: projects and major accounts, branches and dealership. It is also the major competitor in selling high-precision screws and bearings needed by the semicon industry II. Point of View (POV) President of the Diamond International Corporation III. Time Context Around the time when the company placed Mr. Robert Cruz being in-charge of the over-all shop operation of the ABC Steel Company and was appointed as the new shop manager. The same time when the company’s production backlog has reached its proportions that will lead to the halt of businesses with other companies. From the point of view of the new shop manager, the company may go bankrupt in five months time if the company keeps paying penalties. IV. Statement of the Problem To determine present and future manpower requirements of the organization in coordination with planning and job analysis activities. V. Objectives 1.To address the fair and justifiable hiring and selection of the future employees of the company. 2.To improve the working behavior of the employees and increase coordination in every aspect of their work. VI. Areas of Consideration By 1990, the company has already grown to more than 50 employees. It is now one of the leading suppliers in the country. It imports thermoplastic (PVC) pipes, valves and fittings. DIC’s main clientele is the semiconductor industry. It included Splash Island in Laguna as one of its major projects. It has a standing inventory of Php 15m+ located at its warehouse in Las Pinas. DIC is also a major competitor in selling high-precision screws and bearings needed by the semicon industry. The sales from this area constitute 10 to 15 percent of the company’s profits. Opportunities 1.The company’s assurance of the maintenance of quality 2.Improved productivity Threats 1.Company backlogs 2.Shortage of skilled manpower VII. Assumption 1.The organizational structure of the management creates discord in the effective operations of the company. 2.No effective HR program is present to handle the company’s manpower. 3.No harmony is present within the management, operations, production and logistics of the company. VIII. Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) 1. Team Building – designed for improving team performance advantages: a. encourage both individual and team development and improvement. b. helps individual to focus on group goals to accomplish more beneficial tasks. c. helps individual in decision making process. d. helps each employees to assess their personal effectiveness and strengths. disadvantages: a. difficulty in assessing the performance of an individual’s role in a team. b. coordination costs are very high (team building as a management has to spend a lot of costs.) 2. Monitor the performance of each employee advantages: a. targeted staff development – good performance management system can be positive way to identify developmental opportunities. b. rewards staff for a job well done. c.allows employees growth d. provide an opportunities to discuss issues and clarify expectations with their managers. disadvantages: a. Time consuming b. Biases occur when it comes to performance evaluation that lead to difficulty in assessing one’s work performance. IX. Conclusion and Recommendations The management should develop a just and fair hiring of their employees. They should follow the appropriate guidelines for the recruitment process so that they can hire the best candidates having the right potential for a particular position. X. Plan of Action a. The HR Department should develop a new strategy that will help them to assess the work performance of each employees. b. Everyone should be aware of the recruitment process. Ensure all staff involved with the recruitment and selection of staff are trained and aware of your recruitment policy and have the skills to ensure its effective implementation.

Seperate piece essays

Seperate piece essays In the story A Separate Peace, John Knowles created the world of The Devon School. The story is set in a boarding school during World War II in New England. Two friends, Gene and Finny, learn the dark side of adolescence, which changes their viewpoints forever. The following essay will explain the relationship between the two main characters, Gene and Finny. Gene, the narrator of the novel A Separate Peace was a student at Devon during the early years of World War II. He was known as a hard worker and had excellent academic skills. Though Gene appears to be an innocent and honest person, beneath that surface is a dark side that reveals itself. The accident that occurred at Devon in the summer of 1942 gives Gene the feelings of regret, denial, and fear. Which banishes his world and innocence. Phineas, also known as Finny was Genes best friend and roommate. He is a daring athlete and a troublemaker who never tends to obey set rules. Yet, he is good at heart and with his charm, he has the ability to win people over. Unfortunately, all is changed after Finny falls out of a tree, which was caused by Gene. His right leg becomes shattered. Therefore, Gene takes over Finnys old place and becomes a wonderful athlete. Devon was a boys boarding school set during the early years of World War II. It was known as the most beautiful School in New England. There, Gene and Finny grow close and become best friends. Yet, they both live in denial, but of different types. Gene tries his best to deny that he had hurt Finny. In addition, Finny convinces himself that Gene had nothing to do with the accident. He also denies the existence of the war itself, believing that it is a joke. A Separate Peace is a great novel that teaches about the struggles of adolescence. The following essay explains the two main characters, Gene and Finny. In the beginning, the story is unleash ...

Slavery and serfdom origins essays

Slavery and serfdom origins essays Geographic factors were not the only important component in the establishment of slavery in American Colonies and Serfdom in Russia. Forced labour in both countries was a result of the shortage of labour in their societies, yet was more significant to the development of Slavery. Also Economic factors contributed to the formation of the systems in each country. Slaves in America provided substantial income to their masters whilst Serfs were forced into the system due to their lingering debts. Matters of race and religion also influenced the establishment of Slavery in American Colonies; on the other hand this component was not particularly associated with the creation of Serfdom in Russia. Slaves were of African descent as they were easily recognisable within the colonies as opposed to the Serfs in Russia, due to a peasants position in society. Geographic factors certainly influenced the creation of forced labour in both societies, however other various aspects were considered addit ionally vital in the establishment of Slavery and Serfdom in both countries. Geographic factors were not the primary reason for the development of Slavery in America. Climate impacted the Western settlers, as they were accustomed to the colder weather, while in America humidity was mainly prevalent. Due to this factor Africans were forced into Slavery, as they tended to cope better with climatic conditions in America, with the exception of those brought in from the Caribbean, as they were unfamiliarised with these conditions. An additional geographic factor saw Africans being enslaved in countries near to the America colonies, thus ensuring the ease of their transportation. Vicinity also played a role in the formation of forced labour in American colonies, as Southern states of America required a greater amount of labour due to the maintenance of agricultural land and the farming of cotton, tobacco and other crops. The climatic conditions in...

How Feature Writers Use Delayed Ledes

How Feature Writers Use Delayed Ledes A lede, usually used in feature stories, that can take several paragraphs to begin to tell a story, as opposed to hard-news ledes, which must summarize a storys main points in the first paragraph. Delayed ledes can use description, anecdotes, scene-setting or background information to pull the reader into the story. How Delayed Ledes Work A delayed lede, also called a feature lede, is used on feature stories and allows you to break free of the standard hard-news lede, which must have the who, what, where, when, why, and how and outline the main point of the story in the very first sentence. A delayed lede allows the writer to take a more creative approach by setting a scene, describing a person or place or telling a short story or anecdote. If that sounds familiar, it should. A delayed lede is much like the opening of a short story or novel. Obviously, a reporter writing a feature story doesnt have the luxury of making things up the way a novelist does, but the idea is much the same: Create an opening to your story that will make the reader want to read more. The length of a delayed lede varies depending on the kind of article and whether you are writing for a newspaper or magazine. Delayed ledes for newspaper feature articles generally last no more than three or four paragraphs, while ones in magazines can go on much longer. The delayed lede is generally followed by whats called the nutgraph, which is where the writer explains what the story is all about. In fact, thats where the delayed lede gets its name; instead of the main point of the story being outlined in the very first sentence, it comes several paragraphs later. Example Heres an example of a delayed lede from the Philadelphia Inquirer: After several days in solitary confinement, Mohamed Rifaey finally found relief in pain. He would wrap his head in a towel and whack it against the cinder-block wall. Over and over. Im going to lose my mind, Rifaey recalls thinking. I begged them: Charge me with something, with anything! Just let me out to be with people. The illegal alien from Egypt, now finishing his fourth month in custody in York County, Pa., is among hundreds of people caught on the wrong side of the domestic war on terrorism. In interviews with The Inquirer inside and out of jail, several men described long detentions on minimal or no charges, unusually stiff bond orders, and no allegations of terrorism. Their tales have worried civil libertarians and immigration advocates. As you can see, the first two paragraphs of this story constitute the delayed lede. They describe the inmates anguish without explicitly stating what the story is about. But in the third and fourth paragraphs, the angle of the story is made clear. You can imagine how might have been written using a straight-news lede: Civil libertarians say many illegal aliens have recently been jailed recently as part of the domestic war on terrorism, despite the fact that many have not been charged with any crime. That certainly sums up the main point of the story, but of course, its not nearly as compelling as the image of the inmate banging his head against the wall of his cell. Thats why journalists use delayed ledes - to grab a readers attention, and never let go.

Capital Structure of Public Limited Companies Dissertation

Capital Structure of Public Limited Companies - Dissertation Example Table of Content Chapter 1: Introduction 5 Motivation 5 Aims and Objectives 5 Significance of the study 6 Research Questions 7 Research method and data 8 Research Structure 8 Chapter 2: Literature review 9 Global Financial Market 9 History 9 Evaluation of UK capital market 12 Causes of current financial crisis 13 Capital market 15 Source of finance 15 Current capital structure of FTSE 100 companies 16 Advantages and disadvantages of high leverage 19 Theories of capital market structure 20 Chapter 3: Methodology and data analysis 26 36 Chapter 4: Research Findings 36 Impact of Capital Structure on Agency Costs 36 Impact of recent global financial crisis on the capital structure of UK companies 37 Chapter 5: Conclusion 39 Reference 42 Bibliography 47 Financial times. European debt crisis shakes markets again. May 23, 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.kyivpost.com/content/business/european-debt-crisis-shakes-markets-again-105100.html 48 Chapter 1: Introduction Motivation Capital structur e of firms is developed based on many internal and external factors which have substantial influence on it. Financial Crisis or Liquidity Crisis in 2007 in global financial market has had a major impact on the firms’ financial status across the world. ... Financial crisis leads to dr4amatiacally decrease in stock price of the firms. So, equity structure of the firms also changed during this recession period. Capital structure is the major part of overall financial structure and policies of firms. Companies develop financial structure and policies based on major external financial condition of the market where they operate business. Though there is many empirical studies and research on capital structures but it hard to assess the impact of financial crisis on it. Therefore, it this study, capital structure theories and empirical studies are analysed to assess the extent of impact of financial crisis on capital structure and reason for the impact. Aims and Objectives The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the capital structure of firms in the UK before the global economic crisis in the years around 2007 and after the financial crisis in the years 2011 or 2012. In order to achieve the above mentioned aim of the study, the following objectives have been considered: Review theories on capital structure in order to determine how it might change during a period of prolonged recession and liquidity crisis. Compare and contrast the capital structure of public UK companies in 2007 and in 2011/2012.Evaluate the extent to which any changes in capital structure are due to the ongoing global crisis. Aim of this paper is a detailed evaluation of the capital structure of firms in United Kingdom. Capital structure of the firms in before financial crisis will be compared with current revised capital structures of the firms. For this purpose, reasons for financial crisis need to be analysed along with history of it to assess its impact in earlier. Theoretically aim of the paper is to

Elementary Education Major Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Elementary Education Major - Research Paper Example In this paper, I want to explain why I regard this course to be among the best courses given in our universities, its benefits, and some of the challenges that one can encounter as a profession. I am planning to bring-out my original assumptions, my findings from research and my final discoveries. What I Know, Assume or Imagine What I know is that several universities and constituent colleges distributed throughout this country offer this course. However, each university has specific qualifications requirements for admission in this course. The course takes four years when studied on full time bases. I am aware that the course involves assessments that vary depending with the intended purpose. For somebody to graduate, it is mandatory that the person must have passed all the assessments. My assumptions are that University of Florida is the best in offering this course and that it is among the ones that admit most students on the course. Another assumption that I have is that after th e four years of study and successful assessments I will come out of this university a fully qualified and competent elementary school teacher. I also have an assumption that I will be able to obtain a job soon after graduation. In addition, I have the assumption that that the course might be involving but not that much challenging and that I have full ability to handle it. What I imagine is how the teaching process and assessment process will be looking like. I imagine an assessment like being told to teach an elementary class while you are being assessed by a tutor or a supervisor. I also imagine what the course content might be. My imagination is that it will contain some course units teaching about learning behaviors and effective running styles. In this imagination, I suppose that it will criticize cramming and emphasize on understanding among students. Most of these imaginations, that I am not sure of them, might be true or false and might exist or not exist. The search One maj or component found in elementary education major course is field experience (Freshman Academic Advisory Services 3). Thus as an education major I should expect to find various fieldwork tasks throughout my training period. In most cases, supervisors or tutors will offer guidance and coaching on how those fieldwork activities should be effectively undertaken. Such activities could be both challenging and enjoyable depending on personal traits and characteristics. According to Harmon and Jones (20), the focus of education has changed from schooling as a preparation for participation in society to schooling as a vehicle to social change. Therefore, education professionals are required to develop not only the teaching skills but also interactive skills necessary for generating social change among students. As an education profession in the making, I am prepared to develop and nurture those skills that will make me a better elementary schools educator by the end of my training. The eleme ntary education should recover the characteristic compassion of children, which requires nurturing and protection from corruptive social forces (Letts and Sears 28). As an elementary school educator, I realize that I will be the one expected to play the key role in recovering this characteristic compassion of children among my students. I should thus ensure that I gain the required skills and tactics required to

Can ICT Enhance Education In The 21st Century Essay

Can ICT Enhance Education In The 21st Century - Essay Example However, little information is known about the value of the information technology in schools in the developing nations. This article looks at how ICT has influenced the level and standards of education in the 21st century, using the ICT theory and tools and the using of the relevance theory to explain how it applies to education. In the recent past, the teachers have learnt the importance of embracing ICT in their teaching programs, which have given them the relevant knowledge and made work easier for themselves as well as the students. Ager found out that there are diverse ICT tools used by different teachers in different countries, which causes a variation in the level of students understanding. The use of ICT tools in teaching and learning in the 21st century can enhance the level of education as well as the quality of education among the students, and the teachers (Ager, 1998, p.8). Using ICT will mastermind the changes in the teacher’s knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes. This is because using ICT in the education reform will bring into effect the importance of the teachers changing their attitudes in the order of teaching to create long-term sustainable change. One main hindrance to the effective implementation of this course is that the projects normally fall short of their expectations since the educationalists carry on work within the old-style vision of rote learning (Ager, 2000, p.7). In order to oversee effective implementation of the ICT tools in education, the teachers ought to realize this modern methodology of teaching is effective and should make a modification for their students. In addition, the teachers ought to have understanding and commitment, which should be particularly important in order to sustain changes in these areas, for instance project based learning systems, and the student center teaching techniques. However, the implementation of this methodology needs some primary changes for instance as a teacher instructional practic e (Blamires, 1999). Additionally, ICT can enhance changes in education in the way students engage their contents. According to (Cook, & Finlayson, 1999, p.7) the use of ICT in education can enhance changes especially in the areas, which engages research, such as the research projects. This is because research in learning science topics has proven that constructivist models of learning offer a supplementary reliable indulgence of how humans learn than previous behaviors. Besides, the different researches conducted have identified that the use of ICT technology encourages students to participate in-group activities such as teamwork or students make products, which symbolize what they are learning. Therefore, use of ICT technology can help improve the way the students interact and obtain their learning contents. Moreover, using ICT tools in education has created changes in relationships among the students, the teachers, and the parents. This has been achieved using a supportive and col laborative effort between the students and the teachers, which supports learning. The introduction of technology in learning also has enhanced the changes in the roles played by the students and the teachers. The various challenges brought about by the use of ICT in education have also enhanced the need for more involvement by the teachers and the students so that they can learn and master its use. Some various factors such as the teacher’s knowledge, time, and the tools, which are to be used, are an important factor to be considered. More importantly, the use of ICT technology has to be in line with the pedagogical goals (Forester, & Morrison, 1992, p.8), which are set forth by the education fraternity. ICT tools such as the internet has helped the students gain a self-governing

Moral Conflict in Antigone by Sophocles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Moral Conflict in Antigone by Sophocles - Essay Example On the other hand, her civil disobedience has widespread repercussions on the integrity of the ruler and the stability of the state. This paper analyzes and discusses the varied moral conflicts in this play. Several conflicts can be found in Antigone, particularly the conflict between authority and family duties, natural law and positive law, conscience and civic ethics, and duties to man and duties to the gods. The play explores the conflict between authority and family duties. Creon already decrees that Polyneices will not have a proper burial as a traitor to Thebes. He says: Him I decree that none should dare entomb, That none should utter wail or loud lament, But leave his corpse unburied, by the dogs And vultures mangled, foul to look upon. (Sophocles lines 233-236). Antigone, however, is willing to contradict her King and decides to bury Polyneices, because she is bound to her family duties. She asserts this to Ismene, who dissuades her from disobeying Creon: â€Å"At least he is my brother-and yours, too,/....I will not prove false to him† (Sophocles 51-52). Ismene reminds Antigone that she should obey the King's authority: â€Å"We twain shall perish, if, against the law,/We brave our sovereign’s edict and his power† (Sophocles 67-68). ... He tells him: â€Å"Yea, to learn much, and know the time to yield,/Brings no disgrace... (Sophocles 806-807). He asks his father to yield to other people's reason. For him, the law is not absolute if it will hurt personal ties. Creon, however, will not listen to a woman or his own counsel and family. He says: â€Å"Shall we at our age stoop to learn from him† (Sophocles 823). He undermines the youth of his son. For him, Haemon does not have the experience, and consequently, the wisdom, to rule over him. Creon also says: â€Å"...While I live, at least,/A woman shall not rule† (Sophocles 592-593). He will, most especially, not change his law for a woman, which depicts misogyny during his time. Thus, for Creon, his law is supreme over all family ties. Antigone also illustrates the conflict between positive and natural law. Positive law refers to the law of the state, while natural law pertains to the â€Å"unwritten law† (Burns 546). Aristotle argues that Antigon e depicts the conflict between positive and natural law, or between human nature and the â€Å"polis† (Burns 546). Creon emphasizes his will as the will of the state to Haemon: â€Å"The state, I pray,/It is not reckoned his who governs it?† (Sophocles 841-842). Antigone questions the validity of Creon's positive law: â€Å"Who traced these laws for all the sons of men;/Nor did I deem thy edicts strong enough,/Coming from mortal man, to set at naught† (Sophocles 495-497). She argues that the unwritten or natural laws are more important than positive laws. Natural laws have the strength of permanence, while positive laws change with the changing of rulers. Furthermore, natural law refers to what the people feel as right, or something is universal.

Managing people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing people - Essay Example 246-250). In this scenario, an important element is to figure out during what time there is more record of absence, since it could be due to more excessive working hours, no offs per week, working extra hours, more work and less encouragement causing employees to feel the motivated and demoralized. It is important for the organization to assess the situation and design strategies to bring back the presence of its employees on a daily basis. And this also brings a lot of responsibility and looks upon the efficiency of the HR human resource management to skillfully design ways to encourage employees to come to work on time daily and be more productive for themselves and the company (Preece, 2010). A few interesting trends that follow absence in employees are as follows: When there is an air of downsizing in any company, related to its economic instability and productivity stress (McPheat, 2011). Surprisingly absentees are more common in youngsters than older employees. Analysis on a we ekly basis there is absence mostly on Fridays and Mondays. Earlier and even organizations are now following the Draconian Policies that just push away the employees and burden them psychologically. Instead if they understand the employee’s needs and follow a flexible off time from work schedule, including sick leaves, casual leaves, vacation such can be very helpful in the reduction of unscheduled days off (cipd.co.uk, 2013). According to a few HR Experts, they say â€Å"If a Company fails to give their workers a sense of their â€Å"Importance and Value to the Organization† such results in less motivation and dedication resulting in absence (Baker-McClearn et al., 2010)† Reputed organization consists of many bases in which management is the primary function at all. Without a tremendously functioning management, no organization can acquire an eminent position. Therefore, management requires several competent and credible employees to attain a good position. As w e find many organizations undoing and the critical problem behind their failure is the absence management (Preece, 2010). Absence management happens mostly due to sickness, unprofessional and immoral employees, and leniency in the policies. The foremost is the lenient policy gives an extra margin to recruits by which they get fearless of being off. Another chief reason of destabilized management highlights lack in the proficiency of the HR team brings immature employees into the company. What can be the effective approaches in the transformation of absence Management? In every state we find a military department as the most powerful and well being, functioning properly and accurately. The prime reason behind their success indicates proper training, maintenance of discipline, and the methodology in each act. They do the entire task with complete dedication without losing concentration on their work. This is the key which every organization has to grasp and implement it on employees b efore giving permit for the job. Therefore, training criteria must be created firm and even tougher than the actual job so it evidently determines the compatible employee. It also enables the organization to accurately evaluate the tendency of personnel rather than to judge credibility during ongoing job. Thus, it is the best approach in reckoning employees practically rather than to do blind trust on employees at

Moral Conflict in Antigone by Sophocles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Moral Conflict in Antigone by Sophocles - Essay Example On the other hand, her civil disobedience has widespread repercussions on the integrity of the ruler and the stability of the state. This paper analyzes and discusses the varied moral conflicts in this play. Several conflicts can be found in Antigone, particularly the conflict between authority and family duties, natural law and positive law, conscience and civic ethics, and duties to man and duties to the gods. The play explores the conflict between authority and family duties. Creon already decrees that Polyneices will not have a proper burial as a traitor to Thebes. He says: Him I decree that none should dare entomb, That none should utter wail or loud lament, But leave his corpse unburied, by the dogs And vultures mangled, foul to look upon. (Sophocles lines 233-236). Antigone, however, is willing to contradict her King and decides to bury Polyneices, because she is bound to her family duties. She asserts this to Ismene, who dissuades her from disobeying Creon: â€Å"At least he is my brother-and yours, too,/....I will not prove false to him† (Sophocles 51-52). Ismene reminds Antigone that she should obey the King's authority: â€Å"We twain shall perish, if, against the law,/We brave our sovereign’s edict and his power† (Sophocles 67-68). ... He tells him: â€Å"Yea, to learn much, and know the time to yield,/Brings no disgrace... (Sophocles 806-807). He asks his father to yield to other people's reason. For him, the law is not absolute if it will hurt personal ties. Creon, however, will not listen to a woman or his own counsel and family. He says: â€Å"Shall we at our age stoop to learn from him† (Sophocles 823). He undermines the youth of his son. For him, Haemon does not have the experience, and consequently, the wisdom, to rule over him. Creon also says: â€Å"...While I live, at least,/A woman shall not rule† (Sophocles 592-593). He will, most especially, not change his law for a woman, which depicts misogyny during his time. Thus, for Creon, his law is supreme over all family ties. Antigone also illustrates the conflict between positive and natural law. Positive law refers to the law of the state, while natural law pertains to the â€Å"unwritten law† (Burns 546). Aristotle argues that Antigon e depicts the conflict between positive and natural law, or between human nature and the â€Å"polis† (Burns 546). Creon emphasizes his will as the will of the state to Haemon: â€Å"The state, I pray,/It is not reckoned his who governs it?† (Sophocles 841-842). Antigone questions the validity of Creon's positive law: â€Å"Who traced these laws for all the sons of men;/Nor did I deem thy edicts strong enough,/Coming from mortal man, to set at naught† (Sophocles 495-497). She argues that the unwritten or natural laws are more important than positive laws. Natural laws have the strength of permanence, while positive laws change with the changing of rulers. Furthermore, natural law refers to what the people feel as right, or something is universal.

Can Secular Leadership Be Useful in the Church Thesis

Can Secular Leadership Be Useful in the Church - Thesis Example These include differences in motivation as well as style and practicalities and also in response and relationships. There are aspects of leadership which only seem to fit into a secular pattern and others only into a church one. There are also some which require some adaptation to fit from one to the other. Thought leadership is mentioned, that is the idea that leadership does not necessarily come from a position held, but from ideas pursued until they come to have great influence, such influence bearing no relationship to the person’s official status or standing. The essay looks too at historical patterns of leadership within the church, including patterns described by Christ and his apostle Paul, as evidenced in the pages of the New Testament, the Gospels, the Book of Acts and the Epistles, as well as what happened during the first centuries of the church. It looks also at the role of women in the church, Biblically, historically and in current practice. It asks about the differences between secular and Christian leadership. It then considers which aspects of the former are not useful in church life, as well as considering those that are. The conclusion reached is that there are certain aspects of secular leadership which can be useful in a church setting, although perhaps carried out in a different way or with a different emphasis. There are however other aspects which the church could well do without and which should be avoided. The church is not the world and her standards are not worldly ones, but should be those of Christ

The Virginal Conception of Christ Essay Example for Free

The Virginal Conception of Christ Essay The Virginal Conception is a vital aspects in Christian faith, this is also held by Muslims (Qur’an 3.47). Virginal conception is a miraculous, non-sexual manner. The Holy Spirit caused Mary to conceive God Incarnate without the help of a man. For some believers they believed that   Mary also gave birth to Jesus miraculously; He passed through her without wounding her or spoiling her physical virginity, But for some He passed through her in natural way- thus breaking her hymen and went thru birth pains. When talking of virgin birth, it means also, Virginal Conception (Virginitas ante partum), i.e. that Christ, one of the person in the Deity Incarnate, had no human biological father. The biblical basis of virginal conception of Jesus was prophesied in Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah 7:14. It came true in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:34-35. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7) However, the possibility of a virgin birth is often questioned for the fact that, from a biological viewpoint, it is impossible for a human being to be born without a biological father and a mother. Also, some Christians do not believe in the Virgin Birth. Research by many groups, including Christian researchers, indicates that among both the clergy and the laity (in all branches of Christianity) a belief in central tenets of the faith such as Virgin Birth or bodily Resurrection is highly variable. Although they believe in the Virgin Birth, Muslims do not call Jesus Son of God, rather Servant of God. In the Quran, Jesus (Isa in Arabic) is consistently termed Isa ibn Maryam a matronymic- because, in Muslim belief, he had no biological father. Philosophical controversy In the wider sense, arguments for and against the Virgin Birth depend on fundamental philosophical assumptions: if one believes God does not exist, or if God exists but does not perform miracles, the Virgin Birth cannot have taken place in any traditionally accepted sense. While parthogenesis, a type of virgin birth where a female gives birth without the intervention of the male material, is known in nature, the resulting offspring must be female since the mother has no Y chromosome to pass on. Also, the process has never been observed in mammals. The Virgin Birth not only violates a naturalist philosophy, but also science based upon methodological naturalism. Alleged late appearance in the New Testament There are explicit references to the virgin birth in only two places in the New Testament: the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which are believed by many scholars to be amongst the later written parts of the New Testament. The apparently older Gospel of Mark, on which Matthew and Luke are believed to be partly based, does not mention the virgin birth, and some scholars also argue from grammar and style that the first two chapters of Luke, describing the virgin birth, were a later addition to the Gospel, which may originally have begun at 3:1: 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. 3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. At 3:1 there is an abrupt change of subject and the story begins again. Nevertheless, this is characteristic of many stories in the Gospels and the author of Luke may simply be beginning a new segment of his narrative. Arguments regarding the addition of material to a narrative (Redaction and Form criticism), especially when the material in question is present in the earliest manuscripts, have received significant criticism in the last 20 years and are now regarded as dubious by some textual critics. Double attestation The Virgin conception and birth is a tradition that fits within the criterion of multiple attestation, that is, the same event appears in two independent traditions (most scholars argue that the authors of Matthew and Luke worked independent of one another). For many historians, independent testimony is a significant evidence for the historical validity of a said event. Matthew and Luke are testifying to an event, the birth, about which there was a tradition, namely, that it resulted from a miraculous conception. That the conception itself was indeed miraculous appears to rest on a single attestation, that of the Virgin Mary. The attestation of the Angel to St. Joseph on the miraculous nature of the conception would not be accepted by many scholars as historiographically valid. Critics of the double attestation argument cite many inconsistencies between the accounts of Matthew and Luke regarding Jesus birth. According to Matthew, Joseph was forewarned of the virgin birth by an unnamed angel; in Luke it is Mary who is notified of this by the angel Gabriel. Matthew tells us that Joseph and Mary were residents of Bethlehem who moved to Nazareth after Jesus birth in order to avoid living under Archelaus: according to the better-known story in Luke the couple lived in Nazareth and only traveled to Bethlehem in order to comply with a Roman census. Luke mentions that Mary was the sister of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, has the new-born Jesus visited by shepherds, and mentions several long hymns uttered by various characters, such as Marys Magnificat. None of this is mentioned by Matthew, who instead tells us of the visit of the Magi, the massacre of the innocents by Herod, and the flight into Egypt. There are thus two rival explanations for the double attestation of Matthew and Luke regarding the virgin birth of Jesus: The virgin birth was a historical event, and the stories of Matthew and Luke are based on different aspects and witnesses accounts of it. Matthew and Luke both wanted to make Jesus fit prophecies from Hebrew scripture. Both authors were aware of the prophecies concerning virgin birth and Bethlehem, and therefore these elements of their stories match. But each author wove these prophecies into the overall narrative in a different way. For example, both authors had to explain how Jesus was born in Bethlehem when he was known to be from Nazareth (as mentioned in Marks gospel) and each came up with a totally different explanation. The double attestation shows only that the two witnesses are independent, although, there are some inconsistencies but it does not disqualify the truth of the case. Dispute regarding Isaiah 7:14 In the past two millennia, there has been controversy among scholars about the translation and the meaning of a small section of Isaiah. For many scholars, the crux of the matter is the translation of the word  : × ¢Ã—Å"מה, `almah which has been translated as young woman and as virgin. In Isaiah the word for virgin here is almah. Some liberals1 and Orthodox Jews claim that the word really means young woman, and this is reflected in Bible translations such as the NEB, RSV, NRSV, and GNB. Such people fail to explain why a young womans bearing a son should be a sign it happens all the time. The Septuagint translates it as (parthenos), the normal word for virgin.2 Later Jews, such as Trypho,3 Justin Martyrs (c. 160) dialog opponent, and Rashi4 (11th Cent.) have claimed that the Septuagint was wrong. Trypho claimed that almah should have been translated neanis (young girl) rather than parthenos.5 However, even Rashi admitted that the word could mean virgin in Song of Sol. 1:3 and 6:8. In the KJV, the word is translated virgin in Gen. 24:43 (Rebekah before her marriage), maid in Ex. 2:8 (Miriam as a girl) and Prov. 30:19, and damsels in Ps. 68:25. These verses contain all the occurrences of almah in the OT, and in none can it be shown that a non-virgin is meant. In English, maid and maiden are often treated as synonyms for virgin (e.g. maiden voyage). Vine et al. note that the other word for virgin, betà »lah, emphasizes virility more than virginity (although it is used with both emphases, too).6 It is qualified by a statement neither had any man known her in Gn. 24:16, and is used of a widow in Joel 1:8. Further evidence comes from clay tablets found in 1929 in Ugarit in Syria. Here, in Aramaic, a word similar to `almah is used of an unmarried woman, while on certain Aramaic incantation bowls, the Aramaic counterpart of betà »lah is used of a married woman.37 The Encyclopedia Judaica, while criticising the translation of almah in Is. 7:14 as virgin, also points out that btlt was used of the goddess Anath who had frenzied sex with Baal.8 In the King James Virsion of The Bible, a traditional Protestant translation, the verses in question run like this: 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. Some newer translations also use the word virgin: The New King James, The English Standard Version, The Contemporary English Version, Youngs Literal Translation, among others. Many modern translations concede that the word in the Hebrew does not mean virgin, including The Revised Standard Version, The New Jerusalem Bible, The Revised English Bible, The Good News Bible, The New Revised Standard Version, among others. This demonstrates that some Christian scholars, both Protestant and Catholic, prefer the traditional translation of the Hebrew in the context of Isaiah 7:14, while others do not. Skeptics argue that this is not a very clear prophecy of the birth of Jesus. In addition to the objection that Jesus was not in fact named Immanuel there are other problems: for example, (1) what does the butter and honey refer to? (One possible response to the butter and honey problem: it is a reference to one who, metaphorically, has eaten good meat his entire life in order to spit out the bad meat if it ever touched his lips. Note that the butter and honey reference is immediately followed by the comment on an ability to choose between good and evil; this may suggest that they are related.) (2) Why is Jesus, who was sinless from birth in the traditional Christian understanding, described as having to learn to refuse the evil and choose the good? and (3) This passage within the latter translations states clearly that the young woman within this prophecy is already pregnant with a child. This makes this prophecy about the coming Messiah Jesus very difficult to explain as the prophecy would have already been fulfilled during Isaiahs time. Some Christian aplogists have attempted to explain this problem of temporal context as: a) the latter translations are in error, and b) the latter translations are correct, but that the prophecy has a double-application for both Isaiahs time and the first century. Thomas Paine argued in the second part of The Age of Reason that Isaiahs prophesy (7:16) turned out to be false. He based his conclusion on the 2nd Chronicles (chapter 28) account of heavy defeat of Ahaz. Skeptics raise even greater questions about the translation of the first verse in this passage: 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, × ¢Ã—Å"מה (a `almah) shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Christian apologists respond that the passage is a double reference— a sign both to Ahaz that the alliance against him would be destroyed, and to the house of David as a whole that was threatened with extinction. This is shown by the Hebrew which uses singular you for the former and plural you for the latter. With the former, Isaiah reassures Ahaz that the alliance would be destroyed before his own son Shear Jashub, who was present (v. 3), would learn to refuse the evil and choose the good. Finally, there is archaeological evidence that Jewish speakers of Greek used the word parthenos elastically; Jewish catacombs in Rome identify married men and women as virgins, and some have suggested that in this case the word was used to call attention to the fact that the deceased was someones first spouse (although it is notable that this usage is from several centuries before the translation of the Septuagint [citation  needed]). Certainly, Jews stopped using the more explicit Septuagint translation as Christianity spread, and post-Christian Jewish translations into Greek use ÃŽ ½ÃŽ µÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¹Ãâ€š, neanis, meaning young (juvenile) woman, rather than parthenos. Possible borrowing from Paganism Some have argued that the Virgin Birth is a Christian borrowing from paganism The impregnation of mortal women by gods is common in pagan mythology. However, this is not technically virginal conception, since virginity is lost by definition when the sex act is initiated. Christian writers have noted that the obvious sex of the pagan myths is missing in the Gospels: Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. A pagan myth of virgin birth may also underlie the disputed verses from Isaiah: It all boils down to this: the distinctive Hebrew word for virgin is betulah, whereas `almah means a young woman who may be a virgin, but is not necessarily so. The aim of this note is rather to call attention to a source that has not yet been brought into the discussion. From Ugarit of around 1400 B.C. comes a text celebrating the marriage of the male and female lunar deities. It is there predicted that the goddess will bear a son The terminology is remarkably close to that in Isaiah 7:14. However, the Ugaritic statement that the bride will bear a son is fortunately given in parallelistic form; in 77:7 she is called by the exact etymological counterpart of Hebrew `almah young woman; in 77:5 she is called by the exact etymological counterpart of Hebrew betulah virgin. Therefore, the New Testament rendering of `almah as virgin for Isaiah 7:14 rests on the older Jewish interpretation, which in turn is now borne out for precisely this annunciation formula by a text that is not only pre-Isaianic but is pre-Mosaic in the form that we now have it on a clay tablet. (Feinberg, BibSac, July 62; the citation to Gordon is: C. H. Gordon, `Almah in Isaiah 7:14, Journal of Bible and Religion, XXI, 2 (April, 1953), p. 106.) This philological reasoning seems to raise four possibilities: virgin birth is a pagan concept that Christianity has 1) taken from contemporary paganism; 2) taken from pre-Mosaic paganism through Isaiah; 3) taken from contemporary paganism and justified from Isaiah, who took it from pre-Mosaic paganism; 4) produced independently of all forms of paganism, though sharing similar vocabulary. If pre-Mosaic paganism supports Isaiah, and Isaiah supports Matthew and Mark, paganism has anticipated Christianity, perhaps because God was preparing the way for Christianity or because, as some Church Fathers argued, the Devil was blasphemously imitating Christianity. On the other hand, if paganism does not underlie Isaiah, there are several possibilities. Perhaps virgin birth was invented separately, first in paganism, then in Christianity. Perhaps the idea of asexual conception was so different from the idea of conception through sexual intercourse with a deity that there was little or no borrowing in either direction. Or perhaps, despite the earlier date of the Ugaritic text, virgin birth existed first in Judaism, without any other instances than this one, and was borrowed by paganism. The obvious difficulty with this idea is that virgin birth was much more prominent in paganism, where it occurs in many myths in many different areas, than it was in Judaism, where it occurs (if at all) in a single verse late in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the argument that virgin birth was a Jewish concept first borrowed by paganism and later incorporated into Christianity was first made by Justin Martyr in The First Apology of Justin, written in the second century. Justin also made this argument in his Dialog with Trypho, in which he debates with a Jew called Trypho: Be well assured, then, Trypho, I continued, that I am established in the knowledge of and faith in the Scriptures by those counterfeits which he who is called the Devil is said to have performed among the Greeks; just as some were wrought by the Magi in Egypt, and others by the false prophets in Elijahs days. For when they tell that Bacchus, son of Jupiter, was begotten by Jupiters intercourse with Semele, and that he was the discoverer of the vine; and when they relate, that being torn in pieces, and having died, he rose again, and ascended to heaven; and when they introduce wine into his mysteries, do I not perceive that the Devil has imitated the prophecy announced by the patriarch Jacob, and recorded by Moses? Justin was clearly not referring to any Ugaritic texts, as these texts were not known in his day; he was referring to Greek paganism. That the Devil is responsible for the similarities between paganism and Judaism is not generally accepted by modern scholars, partly because the Devils influence would be impossible to disprove. The Devil could not, for example, imitate Christianity or Judaism before either existed, without violating the generally accepted historical rule that a culture cannot be influenced by a culture that does not yet exist; even though in point of fact it is likely that if the patriarch Jacob existed, he was contemporary with the inscriptions at Ugarit. In a similar vein, it might also be argued that God had chosen to out-do these earlier human myths, all as part of his Plan. Christian writers point out that if in fact the writer of Isaiah intended to borrow the idea of a virgin birth from an older pagan tradition, we might expect to find Isaiah using more explicit language to indicate that a virgin was meant. However, if Isaiah had borrowed the story from pagans, he might be expected to speak in the same way as the pagans, and that is what he does, according to the scholar quoted, who notes the remarkable similarity of the Ugaritic and the Hebrew. However, Isaiah may speak the same way as the pagans simply because he came from a similar sociological and semantic context. If Isaiah received a new prophecy direct from God, on the other hand, he had no tradition to conform to, and he could have expanded the meaning to make it completely unambiguous. That he did not choose to make it unambiguous is thus an apparent difficulty for the Christian interpretation of the text, though the ambiguity could be seen as being intended, if one supposes that God had a dual purpose for the text (i.e., to serve one function in Isaiahs time and another function later). Isaiahs prophecy departs from the Ugaritic version of the virgin birth by having the female be entirely human, whereas in the Ugaritic culture, the virgin was another deity, on par with the male; but this is exactly what might be expected if the myth were borrowed from paganism, since Judaism has only one male deity; a female deity in a borrowed myth might thus conceivably become a female human. According to Origen and Tertullian, the Christian doctrine of the Virgin birth met with lively opposition and mockery from pagan groups. This testimony would seem to discount the suggestion of those modern revisionists who have posited that the pagan religions had a similar or identical tradition. The doctrine of the Virgin Birth is frequently confused with the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The latter, taught by the Roman Catholic Church states that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin. Mary, however, unlike many peoples views of Jesus, was conceived in the ordinary way: i.e. she had a human father as well as a human mother (whose names, according to Catholic and Orthodox tradition, were Joachim and Anna/Anne or Jehoiakim and Hannah in Hebrew). Whilst Protestant denominations adhere to the doctrine of the Virgin Birth, they do not adhere to the idea of Marys immaculate conception, nor of her perpetual virginity. References: Hagner, Donald-Matthew 2 Vols. (Biblical Commentary) Dallas; Word, 1993,1995. Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 1-7 Minneapolis; Augsburg Fortress, 1989. Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1997. Keener Craig, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1999. Nolland, John, The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 2005 Raymond E. Brown, The Virginal Conception and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus, New York: Paulist, 1973 (pp. 21-68) Marshall, I. Howard. Commentary on Luke, Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1978 Fitzmyer, Joseph. The Gospel According to Kuke I-IX (Anchor Bible) Garden City. Doubleday. 1981

Four Control Objectives Of Wages System Accounting Essay

Four Control Objectives Of Wages System Accounting Essay According to Millichamp Taylor (2008), control objectives of wage system are as follows: To ensure that wages are paid to the existing employees at authorized rates of pay To ensure that wages are computed in accordance with work-performed records, in respect of working time, units produced, and other criteria To ensure that gross pay and net pay are calculated correctly and payments are made to the correct employees To ensure that payrolls deductions to Central Provident Fund Board are correctly accounted and paid (b) As the external auditors of Blake Ltd, write a management letter to the directors in respect of the shift-workers wages recording and payment systems which: Identifies and explains FOUR deficiencies in that system Explains the possible effect of each deficiency Provides a recommendation to alleviate each deficiency [14m] The Board of Directors Blake Limited 1208 Chancery Lane, Strand, London. 08th DEC 2010 Dear Sirs/Madams, BLAKE LIMITED REPORT TO MANAGEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH DECEMBER 2010 Following our recent audit, we bring to your attention certain observations in the companys operations which we believe can help you in improving the profitability and efficiency of the business. First Deficiency: Logging in process The logging in process using an electronic identification card is not monitored. Possible effect: Card scanned doesnt mean that work starts! As the logging in process is not monitored, collusion between employees by helping each other scanning the identification cards may result receipt of wages on the non-approval leave days or working hours. Recommendation: Replacement of electronic identification card to finger-print scanning may effectively cut off the collusion, yet it may be costly for the management. Spot check on the number of workers on the production line by shift manager from time to time and compare the number of employees logged in via the time recording system. Second Deficiency: Overtime supervision The shift foreman is not required to monitor the extent of any overtime working. Possible effect: As overtime working is not supervised, the employees may get wages paid at overtime rates for no work done by logging-off late. This phenomenon not only reduces the productivity, but also increases the labor costs. Recommendation: As each group of shift workers (25 persons) is allocated with specific vehicle at specific amount, the management may adopt piece-work systems, where employees are paid for output instead of time [Dunn, 1990]. Change of existing working environment where the overtime working should be monitored by the shift foreman or through the installation of CCTVs. Third Deficiency: Code word in computerized wage system The authorization code word (pets name) uses in comparing the accuracy of time worked from the time recording system to the computerized wages system is generally known around the department. Possible effect: Unauthorized alterations may be made by the employees inside and outside the department. Recommendation: Further security steps should be carried out, such as authorization using personnel identification number and password. This will help in keeping the records of the employees name who certified the wages amount of particular employees. Change of code word on a regular basis and only inform to the responsible employees instead of whole department, may help in reducing this deficiency. Forth Deficiency: Termination of employees No effort in ensuring the receipt of e-mails sent from personnel department to payroll department which stating the details of employees termination. Possible effect: Terminated employees may remain on the payroll system [Leung, Coram, Cooper Richardson, 2009] and hence the accounts department clerk will continue making payments to those employees as there is no link between accounts and personnel department. Recommendation: It is essential in ensuring that the termination e-mails are received in personnel, and this can be done by sending a notification feedback mails from payroll department to personnel department. We hope to discuss the report with you at our forthcoming meeting. May we take this opportunity to express our thanks to you and your employees for the assistance provided during the audit period. If you require any further information on the above, please do not hesitate to contact us. Disclaimers: This letter does not identify all the weaknesses in the company internal control systems. This letter is for management use only. Yours Faithfully, Fung Jason Smith Audit Co. (c) List THREE substantive analytical procedures you should perform on the shift managers salary system. For each procedure, state your expectation on the result of that procedure. [6m] Substantive procedures are designed to obtain audit evidence to reduce detection risks relating to specific financial statement assertions [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005], using the tools: tests of details of transaction and balances, and analytical procedures. Analytical procedures consist of the analysis of significant trends and ratios, which entail the use of relationships and comparisons to determine the balance of accounts and reasonability of data [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. When analytical procedures serve as substantive tests in the shift managers salary system, substantive analytical procedures may be conducted by auditors comprise of: (i) Trend Analysis The analysis of changes in an account balance over time [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Regular independent comparisons of shift managers salaries paid with budgets and previous year, through investigation of variances [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. Expectation: Assuming that the budgeted shift managers salaries included the 3% increment in second half year and the 5% annual bonus, variances between actual and budgeted total salary expenses should persist at similar level. On the other hand, presuming that the number of total shift managers remained unchanged, only inflation rates supposed to take place when comparing current and previous years salary expenses. (ii) Ratio Analysis The comparison of relationships between financial statement accounts, the comparison of an account with non-financial data, or the comparison of relationships between firms in an industry [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Data collection of employment and rates payment of each shift manager in Blake Ltd from HR department [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. Calculation of aggregate amount and compare it with the actual salary disclosed in financial statement [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Expectation: As non-financial data may serve as a basis for comparisons, the estimated total payrolls can be achieved through the multiplication of total number of shift managers with the mean salary rates. (iii) Reasonableness Testing The analysis of account balances or changes in account balances within an accounting period in terms of their reasonableness in light of expected relationships between accounts [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Data collection of number of shift managers hired and terminated, the timing of pay changes (increment of 3% in July and annual bonus of 5% in November), and the effect of vacation and sick leave, a model on shift managers payroll expenses could be created [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Expectation: As reasonableness testing develop explicit information, the monthly salary expenses should be quite constant in the first half years and an approximately 3% increment took place from July onwards and a further increment in November due to the annual bonus paid. (d) Audit evidence can be obtained using various audit procedures, such as inspection. APART FROM THIS PROCEDURE, in respect of testing the accuracy of the time recording system at Blake Ltd, explain FOUR procedures used in collecting audit evidence and discuss whether the auditor will benefit from using each procedure. [8m] The collection and gathering of audit evidence lies at the heart of the audit, where Mautz and Sharaf claimed that Auditing in its entirety is made up of two functions, both closely concerned with evidence. The first one is the evidence-gathering function; the second is that of evidence evaluation. [Dunn, 1991]. Test of controls is the tool uses in testing the effectiveness of control policies and procedures in supporting the detection of control risk [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Apart from inspection, the procedures and techniques used in collecting audit evidence and the benefit to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system are as follows: (1) Confirmation The receipt of a written or oral response from an independent third party verifying the accuracy of information that was requested by the auditor [Loebbecke, 1999]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: As the evidence is from independent third party, it is highly persuasive. However, the time recoding system manufacturer may feel reluctant to share the weaknesses and problems of the system in order to protect its product and business. Due to the time constraint and the inconveniencies in obtaining information, this procedure is less likely to be selected by auditors. (2) Observation A control consists of looking at a process or procedure being performed by others [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005], which can be a significant procedure in determining whether the control system is operating [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: This procedure enables the auditor to find out whether collusion in logging-in and out among shift workers takes place. However, observation may not provide an accurate reflection as employees will usually perform duties appropriately while being observed. Hence, combination with other procedures in gathering evidence may be necessary step in order to achieve higher accuracy [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. (3) Recalculation The procedure of checking the arithmetical accuracy of source of documents and accounting records or performing independent calculations [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: Recalculation helps in confirming the total hours paid are the same with the total time logging-in and out on the time recording system. Recalculation may provide strong evidence but the evidence is rarely persuasive and conclusive by itself [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. A further step via re-performance procedure may help in increasing the overall accuracy of the time recording system. (4) Analytical Procedure The analysis used to evaluate financial information by studying plausible and predictable relationships among both financial and non-financial data [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: This procedure could be a reasonably effective test, which enables the auditor to monitor the number of total hours claimed (time recoding system) and the total cost of wages paid (computerized wage system) through standard costing system [Dunn, 1990]. Any excessive variance occurred should be investigated. In conclusion, auditors always face difficulties in deciding the most suitable procedures which is most appropriate to achieve the objective. Guideline on Audit Evidence suggests the following: Documentary evidence is more reliable than oral Evidence obtained from independent sources outside the enterprise is more persuasive than that secured solely from within Evidence originated by the auditor is more reliable than evidence obtained from others [Dunn, 1990]

The Voyage to the New World :: History

The Voyage to the New World First of all, King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castille got married in 1464. The main reason that they got married was to unite their kingdoms into Spain. The king and queen were Roman Catholic, so they gave power to certain people to convert non-Catholics to Catholicism. In 1482, the Roman Catholic monarchs renew the reconquista, the military crusade ordered to conquer the remaining Muslim state in Iberia, Granada. In 1492, the Roman Catholic monarchs ordered all non-converted Jews expelled from Spain. In April, 1492, Spain received reports that the Portuguese succeeded in reaching the Indian Ocean, therefore Spanish monarchs authorized Christopher Columbus to sail to Asia and establish trade and start to convert natives to Christianity. The reasons that the monarchs let Columbus sail were mainly to search for spices and profits, spread Christianity, and to use some of their new technology like the caravel. Columbus would receive one-tenth of all the profits, and governance of the new lands would be shared by the monarchs and by Columbus. There were mainly three different types of natives who lived in the Caribbean. There were the Ciboneys (in Cuba), Caribs (in the lesser Antilles), and Taino-Arawaks (in the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispanola, and Puerto Rico). The population of the Caribbean Islands was probably not too much more than 1,500,000 of which about 1,000,000 lived mainly in Hispanola. Hispanola was the center of Taino culture. Between 1509 and 1520, the demand for native labor increased and the native population steeply decreased. Here is a table of how rapidly the population of the Tainos decreased: 1492- 1,000,000 (about) 1514- 28,000 1508- 92,000 1518- 16,000 1509- 62,000 1540- 250 1510- 66,000 1570- 125 1512- 27,000 By the 1540’s the native population of the Tainos did not even exceed 1,000. In October 1492, Columbus’s ships were bound for Japan, China, and the Indies, but they arrived in the Bahamas. In May 1493, Columbus departed for his second voyage. The new goals were to settle the land, cultivate the land, assert royal authority over the whole area, convert the natives to Christianity, and mainly to search for gold and send it back to Spain. There were 17 ships, and about 1500 men on this voyage. Between 1494 and 1495, Columbus implemented a series of regulations to control the natives and to gain lots of wealth. Each adult must have delivered a certain amount of gold every three months, or else they would be punished by the Spaniards.

Conflict: Father

Parent child relationship has never been easy. We can easily realize it in the texts that we have been reading. I preferred â€Å"mother† by Grace Paley and â€Å"Father† by Yasushi Inouye. The conflict in the relationship between parent and children is not very clear in those texts, but it is present. What really captured my attention was how in both texts this conflict was resolved by the death of the parents. I also liked how both authors painted the caring of a parent for his child. I think that both texts have a valuable lesson: that we should not take thing for granted. The conflict in the relationship between parent and child in â€Å"mother† is the most common one we come upon in our world today. Kids often mistake their parent’s advice for annoying scolding that is not important. In â€Å"Mother† the story starts with a girl having a flashback about her mother; which is caused by a song that she heard in the radio. â€Å"Oh I long to see My Mother in the Doorway† says the song. She had many other memories with her mother of course but she particularly remembers her mom standing in the doorway, educating her. â€Å"If you come home at 4 A. M. when you’re seventeen, what time will you come home when you’re twenty? † Of course at that time she was still young and only taught about the present and the fun part of life, and felt like her mother was being annoying with all her scolding and complaints. She barely listened to what her mother had to say, still doing whatever she felt like doing. She didn’t value the lessons her mother was trying to teach her. I also feel that because her mother was always trying to educate her she attached herself to her dad who seemed more tolerant than her mother. It shows when she evokes her father in her memory of her mother urging her to go to sleep instead of staying in front of the TV. â€Å"Go to sleep for godsakes, you damn fool, you and your communist ideas. We saw them already, Papa and me, in 1905. † The conflict in â€Å"Father† on the other hand is different. Whereas I â€Å"Mother† you can deduct that the mother of the narrator is acting the way she is because she loves her child, you cannot say the same for the narrator’s father in â€Å"Father†. You can at first realize the lack of affection in the relationship between the father and his son when the father takes his son’s hands into his on his death bed. Since father had never done anything like that before, I could not understand what he wanted. † This just shows that there has never, not even once been a demonstration of affection between his father and him. The conflicts in both texts get resolved by death. In both text the nar rators realize how much their parent loved and cared about them. In â€Å"mother† the narrator wishes she could see her mother in every doorway, ready to scold her or teach her a new lesson. She now realizes that her mother her mother did everything she did because she loved her. It is only now that she understands the troubles, the worries, and sadness that she brought to her mother when she was younger. The fact that she remembers it and wishes to see her mother in the doorway â€Å"I wish I could see her in the doorway†, shows in my opinion how much she regrets acting the way she did, how much she wishes her mom could be there to see that now she is grown and is behaving well, that she heard her every time she tried to teach her a lesson. In â€Å"Father† death also resolves the conflict in the relationship between the father and the son. In the text when the author’s father took his hands into his, he never really understood what it meant. â€Å"For some time after Father’s death this incident stayed in my mind, and I speculated about it like one obsessed. † It did not occur automatically to him that his father took his hand into his because he wanted to show him that he loved him. It is only when he reached about the age his father retired that he understood fully that his father loved him and that he was acting the way he did because he loved him. As he is getting closer to death he realizes that his father was always so cynical because he knew he was dying from cancer, and wanted to protect them from death. â€Å"I also became aware that one of the roles father performed in his lifetime was to shield me from death. † I also think that just like in â€Å"mother† the narrator feels some sort of regret. He never understood his father and spent year trying to be his exact opposite: â€Å"From the time I was a student I consciously willed myself not to think like Father, not to behave like him†. Now that he understands why his father was acting the way he did he feels like he has been a little too harsh on him. One thing Liked about both texts was the love of both parents. They both died worrying about their children. The father taking his son’s hand in â€Å"Father† shows many worries: worry that he will die without his children knowing that he loves them, worry about how well they will do without him, worry about the image they will keep of him. In â€Å"Mother† the narrator’s mother shows her worry more clearly then the ather in â€Å"Father. † She keeps wondering about what her daughter will become when she is not there which makes us wonder if she has a fatal illness. â€Å"You never finish your lunch. You run around senselessly. What will become of you? Then she died† A lot of times we don’t realize the importance of what we have until we lose it. In this theory often applies to children and their parents. We teenagers o ften don’t value our parents, what we don’t realize is that we can’t live without them.

Doris Lessing’s “To Room 19” Symbols

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