Case for Christ Essay

Dr. Jeffry McDonald was an ex-marine standing trial for killing his family. He did not think the jury would find him at fault because he had an alibi. However, his alibi did not stand up to scientific evidence. Dr. McDonald was sentenced based on blood and trace evidence that did not back up his alibi. In this case scientific evidence is introduced to prove or disprove the consistency of the gospels based on the discipline of archeology. Strobel turns to an archeological professional who has personal experience working digs in the Middle East. His name is John McRay. As Strobel seeks to stay independent in gathering the evidence he proposes a question to help him determine if McRay will exaggerate the role of archeology when it comes to determining the reliability of the gospels. McCray points out that archeology can bring forth evidence is presented to either explain or disprove evidence presented. In this chapter the search for opinions contrary to those already collected, which includes the opinions of Jesus Seminar, a self-selected group representing a small portion of New Testament scholars who believe Jesus did not say most of what is credited to him in the gospels. They also published The Five Gospels which include the traditional four plus a manuscript titled the Gospel of Thomas which was written in the second century. The author examines their claims to see if he can find reliable evidence to disprove these confusing opinions. To find answers he visits Dr. Gregory Boyd to gather evidence to the Jesus Seminar’s widely publicized views. Most skeptics take pride in their intellectual ability. Some people like to think that they have no beliefs. However, modern science has shown us that everyone has beliefs. Although people would like to think that everything we believe is based upon evidence and logic this cannot be. We become emotionally bound to our worldview, so much so that worldview changes occur rarely. Observational evidence became apparent that the universe was expanding. Inferring back in time revealed that the universe was merely billions of years old. The data eventually led to the â€Å"Big Bang† theory which is virtually universally accepted by modern day cosmologist. The idea that the universe could have gone through an infinite number of birth and deaths was shown to be false on the basis of the lack of amount of matter within the universe. So we have come to realize that the universe first began to exist 13 billion years ago. Atheists are left with a problem because their worldview requires all things have a cause to exist So logic says that the universe had a cause. Virtually all atheists say that this cause was some natural phenomenon. It is also possible that the cause of the universe was a supernatural intelligence, God. The problem gets worse for the atheist. The physical laws of the universe fall within very small ranges in order for life or matter to exist contradicting strong atheism. The prospect of finding a naturalistic cause for the origin of the universe is dreary since the laws of physics indicate that we will never be able escape the bounds of our universe to even look for the cause of the universe.

Economic Issues: Is the war in Iraq good for the economy Essay

As most of the issues concerning nowadays deals more on the economic impacts of the actions of the government, there have been a lot of debates arguing if whether it would be beneficial to the US the ongoing war in Iraq. In an economic view point, it is clear that funding war really requires a lot of money to spend in order to sustain it which in turn involves high opportunity costs on the part of the American people. Last year, around $1 trillion was the expected spending of our government to fund the said war in Iraq (Wolk 1) while there are sectors in the government that lacks enough budgets to continue its functions to serve the American people. Like for instance, the Congress decided to cut the fund allotted for education to around $12. 7 billion. Due to the war in Iraq, the government have incurred tremendous amount of budget deficit, and in order to solve the said problem on the finances of the government they sacrificed the welfare and pass the burden to the students. Moreover, taxes rate were increased by the government due to the need of more funds. It was found out that most of the tax collection of the government entirely goes to transfer payments like the war in Iraq. Moreover, the funds being used for schools came from property taxes; funds for roads and bridges came from gas taxes while user fees funds airports, sewer and water systems (â€Å"Where Do Your Taxes Go? † 2). The government also uses the funds generated from IMF to perform its designated functions. In short, the government charges us taxes in order to fund the war in Iraq and not to give us infrastructures and services that are in the first place role of the government to its citizen. Although at some point in time prices of stocks rise by the start of the war, but it does not guarantee that it would remain at that level. Moreover, it was the result of the expectations of the investors and not because of the direct cause of the war (Glassman 1). It is still up to the investors how they will view the war in Iraq- beneficial or detrimental to stock market. If they see that the war would boost the economy in the future, then, they would improved the stock market. But if the investors think that it would be risky to invest by the time the war began, then, war is detrimental to the financial institutions of the economy. Moreover, the US Central Bank said last November 6 that â€Å"geopolitical uncertainty† is the reason behind the economic turmoil like the cutting of the interest rate to 1. 5%. this only tell us that war in Iraq puts no good in the economy. Deaths might weaken the labor force of the economy and this result to lower productivity and growth of the market (Schifferes 1). Wage rate pressured to go up and could negatively affect the profitability of the companies in the market. Moreover, there are rumors in the market that Iraq will cut their supply of the oil in the international market as a result of the war (Miller 1). With this, there is a possibility that prices of oil products to rise which plays a vital role in the production of final goods in the market. It was said that the price of oil increased from $35 to $40 at the start of the war and this greatly affects the level of the productivity of the economy. Actually, there is really no problem on the military intervention of US to Iraq economic-political situation if it only involved a short period of time (Stiglitz 1). But the current situation seems to be not the case since until now the war continuous to occur in the desserts of Iraq which as we have said imposed uncertainties to the stock market, undervalued the welfare of its citizens and the reputation of the government to the foreign investors. Short run impacts of the war can still be handled by the market system itself; but in the long run, there is already a need for the collaboration of all the sectors of the economy to put back again the economy into its equilibrium condition.

Importance of Correlation Analysis in Decision Making

National language. Language plays an important role in the process of fostering unity among the races. Thus, the government has made Malay as the national language of our country. National Language Act 1967 has been allocated the Malay language as the official language. Starting in 1970, the discussion between the leaders has gradually replaced English as the medium of instruction in schools.Governments also undertook a campaign to promote the use of Malay with the launch of â€Å"Gerakan Cintailah Bahasa Kebangsaan†. Unity is an essential element for a country to be more advanced. In order to improve the quality of a country in all aspect, the citizen playing the most important roles. For an example, Malaysia is independent with the unity of people of different races in 1957. This shows that a country will not be established without the true unity among the people.If one country has no unity where people is not trusting one another, the country will fall apart and lead to the the internal strife among the people. An dramatic example is the issue of the races riot happened on May 13,1969 in Malaysia. The internal conflict had caused 2000 people kill. This brings awareness to Malaysian that people without the true unity and the no trustworthy is capable to ruin a country. So we should turn our face to the sun and the shadows fall behind us.In order to avoid infighting among people, the spirit of unity should be planted in our souls. National language is important in every country as it is not only allow communication among the people but also increase the understanding of different ethnics among different races. National language plays an important role in the process of fostering unity among the races. This is because toleration and trustworthy among each other is needed to unite the people through understanding.

Global operation and risk management of Qinetiq Group plc 01303 Essay - 1

Global operation and risk management of Qinetiq Group plc 01303 - Essay Example The company holds a business portfolio of military weapons and systems within mode of travelling including land, air and sea (QinetiQ, 2015b). According to QinetiQ (2014), the revenue of the company has been decreasing since 2011 such as 10.3% to  £m 1191.4 and with net loss of  £m12.7 in 2014. The reason is reduction in the expenditure of UK on defence equipment by 20% from 2007 and also other parts of the world (Clancy, 2014). Global company has major share in UK and USA. QinetiQ is considered for the assessment of performance and risk management due to its declining performance over last three years. Also the assessment of risk and risk management performance of the company will be reviewed. â€Å"Organic-plus† strategy drives QinetiQ’s with considering customers, people, innovation and productivity as core drivers (QinetiQ, 2014). Reported below financial trends of key indicators depicts continuous decline in performance (QinetiQ , 2014): The industry added value to the Europe via achieving turnover of 197.3 billion Euro in 2013 with the growth rate of 5.6% from military and civil sector (ASD, 2013). While, the information graphic report of Deloitte (2014), maintained that there will be decline in the Defense sector’s revenue while and increase in commercial sector is forecasted for future. It is anticipated that by 2023, commercial production level of aircrafts will witness 25% growth (Deloitte, 2014). CSC, however; forecasting challenges and only moderate growth near in the future (CSC, 2015). As depicted by the industry trends discussed above, the industry is highly flourished and developed with huge industry players base that fierce the competition level of the industry. Being the 6th largest in UK and operating in global environment the company possess a huge base of competitors including local and global players. According to Morningstar, direct competitors of QinetiQ are United technologies corp. and Boeing Co (Morning Star, 2015). However,

Organization Structure and Work of Detroit Electric Case Study

Organization Structure and Work of Detroit Electric - Case Study Example Detroit Electric Company invests in outlining what work it requires to be done and then outsources the services of other companies. It does not do any design or manufacturing. The company maintains that this kind of organizational structure helps it escape capital expenses which may be too huge for it to afford at this point in time, bearing in mind that it is still at startup level. However, there is the indication that this company may slowly stop outsourcing its operations as time goes by and as their revenues continue to build on. This is due to the fact that they attribute their outsourcing arrangement to ‘avoiding capital costs which could be fatal to its start-up’ (p. 512). The reason why Detroit Electric chose to use this structure is to capitalize on the economic advantage that is brought by a division of work into highly specialized or precise jobs. The company realized that there was already the presence of specialized vehicle manufacturing companies such as Proton Holdings where manufacturing resources could be outsourced to. Proton Holdings was chosen to do the manufacturing activities of Detroit Electric because it had a modern production facility was committed to research and development, was cost-efficient, stable, and had a highly qualified labor force. Detroit Electric Company is on pace to present its electric vehicles to the market only three years after its inception. On the other hand, Ford will have taken forty years to produce a viable electric car by 2011. The pace of development in these two companies is affected by the organizational structures the two companies have deployed in their organizations. The organizational structure defines the manner in which the human resource is organized and their reporting arrangements.

Business & sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business & sustainability - Essay Example This section deals with the environment practices of Morrison Company with reference to the five stage model. a. Management Policies and systems: Out of the 50 reporting criteria, 12 are included under this section. Some of the important ones are management views on environment, existence of an environmental management system, environmental auditing, responsibility and accountability etc. The company has ambitious environmental protection policies included in its CSR report and some of the important policies are given. It may be noted that policies and actual performance may differ. The company proposes to reduce its carbon foot print by 36% in the coming two years. Energy saving is also viewed seriously and the company had invested 10m in energy saving technology. It is looking seriously at renewable sources of energy and reduced usage of water. Other policies include sourcing of fish and timber from sustainable sources, waste reduction, carbon labelling, fleet efficiency and fleet emission control in its fleet "We are committed to taking good care environmentally, socially and in our busi ness." (Annual review and summary Financial Statement 2007, 2007). b. Input output inventory: As many as twenty reporting criteria are included under this head. ... The group could also achieve a 9% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions during the past year. Their new head office in Bradford has a rain water collection and treatment plant. Morrison Plc also follows the practice of remoulding used tires thereby saving 675 tonnes of rubber. The company has a good record in recycling of waste products. 60% of its paper and cardboard waste was recycled last year. Plastic recycling was to the tune of 7% and other waste 5%. The total tonnage of recycled waste rose 26% from 128,000 tonnes in 2006 to 142,000 tonnes in 2007. The company has also managed a waste to landfill by 28%. Land filling by using domestic and industrial waste is a common practice followed by many countries. The main problem of using waste for landfills is contamination of the water table. A lot of regulations have come up regarding the usage of waste and Morrison's have taken this seriously. "The objective of the Directive is to prevent or reduce as far as possible negative effects on the environment from the land filling of waste, by introducing stringent technical requirements for waste and landfills." (Waste, Landfill of Waste, 2007). Another novel feature introduced by the company is the usage of compostable packaging. This type of packing is biodegradable and hence not a threat to the environment. Packaging is usually made of sugar cane fibre, wood pulp and GM free corn starch and has saved the company 27 tonnes . Package returning is another step taken by Morrison's. This means that the company is able to send back to the supplier the packaging used in transportation and this practice has helped the company to save 65,000 tonnes of cardboard. Package changing and redesigning is also another initiative

Bonsai Tree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bonsai Tree - Essay Example This means that a bonsai is not merely a piece of horticulture. It is horticulture that is refined to the level of an art form. While a bonsai needs the same ingredients as other trees and plants, like land, fertilizers, water and sunlight, it is the way these are administered to the bonsai that makes it a special form of horticulture. All these essential requirements are provided in order to make the bonsai tree take exactly the desired shape and size, leading experts to comment that bonsais are more art than horticulture. They could be kept indoors or outdoors depending on the tree species, but it is the shape of a bonsai tree that determines the type to which it belongs. Bonsais are traditionally created in the following different shapes: Cascade-full (Kengai): In this type of bonsai, the branches as well as the trunk of the tree are deliberately swept over to a particular side of the container and allowed to hang below the roots. It is designed to look like a tree growing at the edge of a cliff, buffeted by strong winds. Clump (Kadudachi). In this variation of the bonsai, there are several trunks emerging from the same point in the clump of roots, giving it a look of overcrowded natural growth that can be found in forests. Informal uprighFormal upright (Chokkan). This is a rigidly classical bonsai, usually with a very linear and upright trunk. The branches spread out in a balanced way so as to take on a triangular form. Group / Forest (Yose-ue). This is where several bonsais are naturalistically planted and maneuvered on a container, so as to give the impression of a wood or forest. Informal upright (Moyogi). In this form of bonsai, the trunk makes its twisty way through the branches, remaining balanced in form all the time. Like the Chokkan, the Moyogi also has a triangular overall formation. Literati (Bunjingi). This bonsai mimics a tree of mature age, with no branches in the lower two-thirds of its trunk. Raft (Ikadabuki). For this bonsai, the tree is laid flat, and its branches are placed in a sort of group formation pointing vertically. Root over rock (Sekijoju). This bonsai has prominent roots which are maneuvered into place so as to flow over the central rock and then into the container itself. Slanting (Shakan). This particular bonsai is a variation of the Chokkan, where the tree is bent in one direction as if seeking light or swayed by the force of the wind. Twin trunk (Sojo). As the name suggests, this bonsai has two trunks that combine at the base, near the container. All these types of bonsais are fascinating to true enthusiasts. Though the practice of bonsai originated in China, it was Japan that refined it, and some of the most exclusive owners and patrons of bonsai are found there. Some bonsais may have prices running into thousands and millions of dollars, because of their age, history, beauty and exclusivity. They are held in reverence in Japan. But prices differ depending on the keeper, the age, the look and the demand. Most bonsais in the United States are much more affordable, and anyone can start off a bonsai hobby with minimal investment by collecting the tree from nature. From fifty dollars to a few hundred,

Law being ubiquitous in everyday life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Law being ubiquitous in everyday life - Essay Example As result, this faith on media is not as strong as it used to be and today's audience is not passive like past, but highly active and critical to media reports, treating it as 'one' of the sources in shaping their understanding of the legal system5. This essay will look at three different dimensions of legal consciousness and will argue that although law is often portrayed as a remote phenomenon, it is still ubiquitous in everyday life, however its presence varies from person to person according to his/her social background. The essay will also examine, how media dramatizes events, simplifies legal language and misreports legal information, selecting sensational news to increase profits. It will also argue that despite media's power and influence, personal experience of the legal system also creates knowledge of the legal system increasing public awareness. ... Law being ubiquitous in everyday life Some legal scholars see law as an important part of everyday life, whereas others assert its presence as marginal7. For years legal scholars examined subjective experiences and public perceptions of law to understand, how society forms an' internal' feature of social relations8 and to comprehend whether it is ubiquitous in social relations. Legal consciousness measures people's awareness and attitudes towards law and the legal system. Legal consciousness examines, what people 'do' and 'say9', how they engage, avoid, or resist the law. Ewick stated, that legal consciousness is shaped by "cultural schemas that define the pattern of social life10" facilitating our behaviour towards other members of society. The presence of law in everyday life and extend of legal consciousness varies and depend on person's race, education, background and experience of the legal system11. The individuals who encounter a greater personal experience are less likely to rely on media. The law is applicable in different ways and holds different meanings for people in a society as Ewick introduces three different forms of legal consciousness: before the law; with the law; and against the law12. 'Before the law', views law as an independent entity with fixed rules and procedures, but these procedures are removed from daily life affairs and are invoked only, when people turn for legal assistance13. The engagement 'with the law' states that law is perceived as a game, and law exists as a part of everyday life14. Under the 'against the law' framework states, that people resist the law, avoiding its presence in their daily activities and try to disobey wherever possible15. Thus individuals

Oberservance 234 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oberservance 234 - Essay Example This was an effective strategy because many children did come up to the teacher and sit on her lap. Some children even brought books or toys. Another technique that I saw was giving specific feedback to students who practicing new skills. One older toddler was practicing using a Styrofoam cup in the place of a Sippy cup. The teacher congratulated him on picking his cup up with two hands, but reminded him to drink slower next time. The goal of this method was not only to encourage the child, but to let him know what he was doing right and what he was doing wrong. I believe this was an effective strategy, since the child slowed down and smiled at the teacher. A teacher also showed admiration for a young toddler that had just started jumping. The child was taking great joy in jumping and the teacher commented "That looks like fun, you sure are getting good at jumping." I believe the goal of this method was to encourage the child to continue to develop his new skill. This was an effective strategy because the child jumped at other movement activities throughout the day. I also noticed teachers regularly visit children who were playing individually and invite them to join in on activities or to join other children in centers. The teachers especially did this when they noticed children who looked bored or upset in quiet areas. The goal of this method was to encourage children to play with each other, without forcing them to. I believe this was effective because some of the children decided on their own to join other children at different centers. I saw scaffolding used in the classroom as well. One teacher had been working with a young toddler on his climbing skills. She told me she had worked with him for several weeks on climbing the stairs to the hand washing sink and diapering table. I observed her guide the child to the climbing equipment on the playground when they went outside.

Construction Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Construction Law - Essay Example The first will deal with actions Innocent can take in relation to the inferior materials under contract law and industry statute. The second section deals with standards to be used by Innocent’s architects to call for changes and review. Finally, this section will deal with the dampness problem that was discovered after the contract was rectified. Question (A) In this section, the position of Innocent in relation to their architects's findings are examined in relation to the principles of contract law, breach of contract and the common law doctrine of temporary disconformity. Rules The terms of a contract can be express by incorporation by the terms of reference or implied by relevant legal rues. Exclusion clauses cannot be applied in cases of negligence and major activities that are not done in good faith1. In this broad and general framework, the HGCRA states that the construction contract requires a contractor to build to specification2. The Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) a lthough is not statutory has a composition made up of various professional associations which set standards in the building industry. Traditionally a building's structures and diagrams are to be drawn by an architect and supervised by the same architect throughout the construction process3. The architect is not part of the contract but engaged by a party, usually the sponsor or employer in a separate contract. The architect is an independent party and an agent of the employer who must operate ethically and independently4. Express terms in contracts become conditions and when they are not followed and honoured, it can lead to an action for a breach of contract5. Quality standards and quality specifications in a building contract become a form of conditions which must be adhered to. Failure to adhere to these expressly agreed standards leads to a potential breach of contract. In English Common Law, a breach of implied or express term can authorise the aggrieved party to sue for a brea ch of collateral contract under tort or sue for quantum meruit for a breach of statutory duty6. Temporary disconformity could be fully reward if the contractor makes a timely request to change the parts in order to remedy an issue that is capable of being corrected7. In Surrey V Lovell8, it was held that new destruction that damages a property during the various construction stages creates different circumstances9. Rather, in a situation where a builder quickly moves to rectify the situation, an action for a breach of contract will not stand as long as the temporary disconformity is fixed in a timely manner. Application The JCT Design and Building Contract 2011 Edition gives Innocent the right to get the inferior materials fixed. All they need is to get their architects to provide a report and they can demand the modification of the materials by Handyman. Handyman has an option of fixing the defective parts and other aspects. If they are able to do it in a timely manner, they can cl aim temporary disconformity and prevent further actions. But if they refuse, Innocent can take the action further and sue for a breach of contract since the materials used clearly do not conform with the agreed materials and level of quality that is specified in the contract. Conclusion Innocent has the right to sue for a breach of contract. This is because the fundamental specifications that invoked the contract have not been followed to specification. Hence, they can move to get Handyman to fix it. If Handyman fixes it,

Crime and Punishment Essay Example for Free

Crime and Punishment Essay The saying that crime does not pay lies at the heart of a great deal of literature and many films. It appears in a large number of fairy tales and childrens story. This is to teach children from an early age that it is wrong to commit a crime, no matter how small, and that every criminal is eventually punished. Of course this is not true, many crimes, especially smaller crimes, are never punished. This can either be because no one has discovered a crime was committed or because there was no punishment fit for the criminal. For instance, because the criminal wasnt conscious of committing the crime (mentally retarded, been drugged etc), because he is a minor and has a clean record or even because he is dying or deceased. However the criminal can be punished by other members of society as well and/or instead of by law. This would be in the form of revenge. Then there is self-inflicted punishment. Criminals often feel guilty and this can drive them to depression, sometimes leading them to inflict physical pain on themselves or to commit suicide. If the criminal is Christian or Moslem, he will also have to endure the thought of going to Hell. If the criminal is Hindu or Buddhist, he will know he is destroying his chance for a good rebirth, dirtying and ruining his karma, which will cause him to suffer for lifetimes to come. Criminal acts might in the short run satisfy them or fill their pockets, will in the long run, from a spiritual perspective, hurt the criminal. Indeed, in the long term, and from the moral and ethical, psychological and spiritual points of view, it appears to be almost always true that Crime does not pay. Literature often portrays reality; therefore this moral is present a great deal. Examples of crimes that are punished more by psychological means appear in The Millers Tale in Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales. This was written before the 15th Century yet it already refers to crimes that were not punished by law but indirectly by the general public. This tale is of a rich carpenter, his newly wed young wife, Alison, and his lodger. The carpenter is an old, jealous man who doesnt give his wife any freedom for the fear she will cheat on him. The lodger, Nicholas, is always after women and he soon flirts with the beautiful Alison. She soon falls in love with him and they decide to trick the carpenter so they can sleep together. Nicholas, who is fascinated by astrology, tells the carpenter that by studying the moon he  found out that in an hour there will be a great flood and the world will be drowned. The carpenter, who is sworn to secrecy, believes him and obeys his orders. He hangs up three kneading-troughs in the attic which are to be used as boats and at night the three of them get in their boats. The carpenter falls in a deep sleep after all his work so he doesnt know the two lovers have secretly gone downstairs to bed. However Absalon, a young parish clerk who is in love with the carpenters wife, hears that the carpenter hasnt been to work since Saturday. He uses this as an opportunity to tell Alison, through the bedroom window, of his love for her. After being told to leave, he agrees on the condition that she gives him one kiss. She consents but tricks him and he comes to learn that he has kissed a completely different part of her body. To take revenge, Absalon comes back with a hot iron and tells Alison he wants to give her a golden ring in exchange for another kiss. This time its Nicholass bottom that appears out of the window and is subsequently branded with the hot iron. His screaming awakens the carpenter who thinks the flood has started and cuts the rope tied to his tub. The boat falls and the carpenter breaks an arm and starts screaming that the world is flooding. Nicholas and Alison use this occasion to make him out as mad and for the rest of his life, nothing the carpenter says will chan ge this in the eyes of the public. He is treated as a reject but his wife is also mocked for being married to him. Notice that ever single character is punished by some means. The carpenter is mocked and cannot ever live a normal life again. He is forced to live with wife who betrayed him and will forever be considered a madman. It is clearly shown on page 106, that no one believed the carpenter: No matter what the carpenter asserted it went for nothing, no one was converted. He also has a broken arm and many bruises. His wife is also teased for living with him and has to endure the guilt of her criminal actions and their consequences. Nicholas is also humiliated and he is branded for life. Absalons punishment was being tricked into kissing Alisons bottom. He has to live with the shame of this and that he was rejected by Alison. The characters mentioned above all committed a crime: Alison committed adultery, Nicholas deliberately made Alison cheat on her husband and Absalon  also tried but failed. Nicholas and Alison furthermore lied to Absalon and the carpenter. They lied to the whole neighbourhood saying the latter was mad. Lying is not a crime that can be punished by law but it is still wrong. In Christianity and many other religions, it is thought of as a sin. It is to be debated whether Absalon also committed another crime: branding Nicholas with a hot iron. In doing this, Absalon was taking revenge for a crime that had been committed against him; a crime that would not be grave enough to be punished by law. By chance, Absalon was taking revenge on a character who had also committed other crimes. For this reason, the author might have excused Absalons drastic action against Nicholas and therefore given him the lightest punishment. According to the Chaucer, the carpenters crime was to marry a much younger and very beautiful young woman and then to forbid her of her freedom. He did not think of her feelings. Chaucer quotes at the bottom of page 89:A man should marry someone like himself; A man should pick an equal for his mate. Youth and old age are often in debate. However, he had fallen in the snare, And had to bear his cross as others bare.Here Chaucer already predicts that Alison is going to cheat on her husband. The carpenter fell in the trap and now he has to bear the consequences. Indeed, all the characters mentioned above committed a crime and quickly learnt that crime does not pay. They were all psychologically and often also physically punished. I wanted to see if the quote crime does not pay also applies in The shipmans tale. This tale tells of a kind, generous merchant who was married to a beautiful woman. This merchant was on very good terms with a monk, Sir John, and invited him to stay for dinner, some days before he was to leave on business. The monk stayed with them for a few days but one morning when he was speaking to Sir Johns wife, she poured out all her sorrows to him. She told him she wished she were dead and that she had no respect for her husband, she hated him, because he neglected her. She then asked the monk for a hundred francs so she could look smart and do my husband honour (page 162). The monk promised to lend her the money. However, he then privately  asked the merchant for the same amount using the reason that he wanted to buy some cattle. The merchant lent it to him and swore not to reveal the monks debt. When the merchant left, Sir John visited the wife and gave her the money in exchange for her keeping him company at night. The merchant then came back and asked the monk for his money but learnt from him that the money had already been returned to his wife. The merchant felt he had been rude and reprimanded his wife for not telling him the debt had been paid. His wife then explained the situation, cursed the monk for having broken his promise and told her husband she needed the money because he didnt supply her with enough. She asked for forgiveness. Her husband forgave her but asked her not to be so extravagant again (page 168). The obvious crimes here are adultery and breaking a promise. Both the merchants wife and Sir John are guilty of this. It is possible but unlikely, that the merchant committed the crime of not caring for his wife properly. The merchant is described as generous and though he might not always be at home with his wife, this is because he is earning money to support his wife and himself. However, he has the worst deal at the end of the tale: he loses hundred francs. The wifes punishment is that her secret is found out and she is shamed in front of her husband. It is not a heavy punishment but then she only cheated on her husband once. In addition, she has to live with the guilt of what she has done. Maybe she even has to sacrifice something in exchange for spending her husbands money on herself. Sir Johns only punishment is that he is now not regarded in the same light as before. He is also insulted by the merchants wife, but it is debatable whether this is a punishment as he did not have the humiliation of hearing himself be insulted. I think it is difficult to decide whether this moral also applies for The Shipmans tale. It depends who one thinks is guilty of committing a crime. The husband has learnt his lesson: to watch over his wife more closely. The wife learns she has done a foolish thing and will hopefully, for the merchant, now live a better life. However, not much ill seems to befall the monk. Of course, we could argue that he was only trying to help the merchant and his wife. He went too far in cheating on the merchant but he will presumably feel the consequences: his relationship with the merchant and his  wife will not be the same again. Therefore, I think the moral also applies for this tale, but it is not as obvious. I believe the moral that crime does not pay is present not only lies at the heart of a great deal of literature, but also in many films, comics and stories told by mouth. This is important as nowadays people no longer act morally only because they are afraid of God or of hell. Today, atheists are tolerated and many who are religious do not believe every word in the Bible, they no longer fear the word hell. Therefore, to keep society working peacefully, one needs to teach people to be morally good and to teach them that if they dont, they will be punished. Often, one is not punished for doing something morally wrong. This fact is often hidden, to encourage people to commit fewer or no crimes because they believe every crime will have a bad consequence. People, especially children, are taught this, often indirectly, through reading, watching films and hearing about personal experiences where the criminal eventually paid for his crime.

Ap European History Essay Example for Free

Ap European History Essay After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to discuss the meanings of the term renaissance. You should be able to explain the economic context for the Renaissance, the new status of the artist in Renaissance Italy, and the meanings of the terms humanism, secularism, and individualism as applied by scholars to the Renaissance. Also, you should be able to explain how the Italian Renaissance affected politics, the economy, and society. Finally, be able to elaborate on the evolution of medieval kingdoms into early modern nation-states, and the spread of Renaissance humanism northward. Chapter Outline I. The Evolution of the Italian Renaissance A. Economic Growth as the Basis of the Renaissance 1. Venice, Genoa, and Milan grew rich on commerce between 1050 and 1300. 2. Florence, where the Renaissance originated, was an important banking center by the fourteenth century. B. Communes and Republics 1. In northern Italy the larger cities won independence from local nobles and became self-governing communes of free men in the twelfth century. 2. Local nobles moved into the cities and married into wealthy merchant families. This new class set up property requirements for citizenship. . The excluded, the popolo, rebelled and in some cities set up republics. 5. By 1300 the republics had collapsed, and despots or oligarchies governed most Italian cities. C. The Balance of Power among the Italian City-States 1. City patriotism and constant competition for power among cities prevented political centralization on the Italian peninsula. 2. As cities strove to maintain the balance of power among themselves, they invented the apparatus of modern diplomacy. 3. In 1494 the city of Milan invited intervention by the French King Charles VIII. 4. Italy became a battleground as France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Emperor vied for dominance. 5. In 1527 the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V sacked Rome. II. Intellectual Hallmarks of the Renaissance A. Individualism 1. Renaissance writers stressed individual personality, greatness, and achievement, in contrast to the medieval ideal of Christian humility. B. Humanism 1. The revival of antiquity took the form of interest in archaeology, recovery of ancient manuscripts, and study of the Latin classics. 2. The study of the classics became known as the â€Å"new learning,† or humanism. 3. Humanist scholars studied antiquity not so much to find God as to know human nature and understand a different historical context. 4. Humanists derided what they viewed as the debased Latin of the medieval churchmen. C. Secular Spirit 1. The secular way of thinking focuses on the world as experienced rather than on the spiritual and/or eternal. 2. Renaissance thinkers came to see life as an opportunity rather than a painful pilgrimage toward God. 3. Lorenzo Valla argued that sense pleasures were the highest good. 4. Giovanni Boccaccio wrote about an acquisitive, sensual, worldly society. Renaissance popes expended much money on new buildings, a new cathedral (St. Peter’s), and on patronizing artists and men of letters. III. Art and the Artist A. Art and Power 1. In the early Renaissance, corporate groups such as guilds sponsored religious art. 2. By the late fifteenth century individual princes, merchants, and bankers sponsored art to glorify themselves and their families. Their urban palaces were full of expensive furnishings as well as art. 3. Classical themes, individual portraits, and realistic style characterized Renaissance art. 4. Renaissance artists invented perspective and portrayed the human body in a more natural and scientific manner than previous artists did. B. The Status of the Artist 1. Medieval masons were viewed as mechanical workers/artisans. Renaissance artists were seen as intellectual workers. 2. The princes and merchants who patronized artists paid them well. 3. Artists themselves gloried in their achievements. During the Renaissance, the concept of artist as genius was born. 4. Renaissance culture was only the culture of a very wealthy mercantile elite; it did not affect the lives of the urban middle classes or the poor. IV. Social Change A. Education and Political Thought 1. Humanist writers were preoccupied with education for morality and virtue. 2. Baldassare Castiglione’s The Courtier (1528) presented an image of the ideal man as master of dance, music, the arts, warfare, mathematics, and so on. 3. Daughters of the elite received an education similar to sons and a few went on to become renowned painters or scholars. 4. In The Prince (1513), Niccolo Machiavelli argued that politics could not follow simple rules of virtue and morality—that it ought in fact to be studied as a science. B. The Printed Word 1. Around 1455 in the German city of Mainz, Johan Gutenberg and two other men invented the movable type printing press. 2. Methods of paper production had reached Europe in the twelfth century from China through the Near East. 3. Printing made government and Church propaganda much more practical, created an invisible â€Å"public† of readers, and stimulated literacy among laypeople. C. Clocks 1. City people involved in commerce had a need to measure time. 2. By the early fourteenth century mechanical clocks were widespread in Europe. . Mechanical clocks and precise measurement of time contributed to the development of a conception of the universe in measurable, quantitative terms. D. Women and Work 1. Early modern culture identified women with marriage and the domestic virtues. 2. Women were involved with all economic activity connected with the care and nurturing of the family, as well as working outside the home. 3. Women during the Renaissance worked in a variety of businesses—for example, sailmaking—and even in a few isolated cases managed large enterprises. Wealthy women were usually excluded from the public arena and instead managed their households. E. Culture and Sexuality 1. Women’s status in the realm of love, romance, and sex declined during the Renaissance. 2. Writers such as Castiglione created the â€Å"double standard†? women were to be faithful in marriage, while men need not be. 3. Penalties for rape in Renaissance Italy were very light. 4. In spite of statutes against â€Å"sodomy,† generally referring to male homosexuality, Florentine records from the fifteenth century show a lot of homosexual activity going on, usually relations between an adult male and a boy. F. Slavery and Ethnicity 1. In medieval and Renaissance Europe many Slavic, Tartar, Circassian, Greek, and Hungarian slaves were imported. 2. Beginning in the fifteenth century the Portuguese brought many black African slaves into Europe. 3. Within Africa the economic motives of rulers and merchants trumped any cultural/ethnic/racial hostility toward Europeans. They sold fellow Africans into slavery apparently without qualms. 4. Africans did not identify themselves as â€Å"black,† but as members of more than 600 different tribal and ethnic groups. 5. Black slaves were an object of curiosity at European courts. 6. The Renaissance concept of people from sub-Saharan Africa was shaped by Christian symbology of light and darkness? blacks represented the Devil. Race did not emerge as a concept until the late seventeenth century. V. The Renaissance in the North A. Northern Humanists 1. In the late fifteenth century students from northern Europe studied in Italy and brought the Renaissance home. 2. Thomas More (1478–1535) of England argued that reform of social institutions could reduce or eliminate corruption and war. 3. The Dutchman Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536) was an expert in the Bible and Greek language who believed that all Christians should read the Bible. 4. Francois Rabelais (1490–1553) ridiculed established institutions such as the clergy with gross humor in Gargantua. 5. Flemish artists came to rival the Italian Renaissance painters. VI. Politics and the State in the Renaissance (ca 1450–1521) A. Centralization of Power 1. Some scholars have viewed Renaissance kingship as a new form, citing the dependence of the monarch on urban wealth and the ideology of the â€Å"strong king. In France Charles VII (r. 1422–1461) created the first permanent royal army, set up new taxes on salt and land, and allowed increased influence in his bureaucracy from middle-class men. He also asserted his right to appoint bishops in the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges. 3. Charles’s son Louis XI (r. 1461–1483) fostered industry from artisans, taxed it, and used the funds to build up his army. He brought much new territory under direct Crown rule. 4. In England Edward IV ended the War of the Roses between rival baronial houses. 5. Henry VII ruled largely without Parliament, using as his advisers men with lower-level gentry origins. 6. Henry’s Court of the Star Chamber tried cases involving aristocrats and did so with methods contradicting common law, such as torture. 7. Although Spain remained a confederation of kingdoms until 1700, the wedding of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon did lead to some centralization. Ferdinand and Isabella stopped violence among the nobles, recruited â€Å"middle-class† advisers onto their royal council, and secured the right to appoint bishops in Spain and in the Spanish empire in America. . Popular anti-Semitism increased in fourteenth-century Spain. In 1478 Ferdinand and Isabella invited the Inquisition into Spain to search out and punish Jewish converts to Christianity who secretly continued Jewish religious practices. 9. To persecute converts, Inquisitors and others formulated a racial theory? that conversos were suspect not because of their beliefs, but because of who they were racially. 10. In 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Jews from Spain.

The Truth About The First Thanksgiving

The Truth About The First Thanksgiving Every year on November 26th, families get together and celebrate Thanksgiving. They celebrate Thanksgiving thinking about the pilgrims and how they survived in America. They think about how they grew crops and found the food, and then had a huge feast afterward. That is why they think we celebrate Thanksgiving today, but they do not know the real truth about the first Thanksgiving when the pilgrims came over. The story of Thanksgiving has been being told for centuries, some of the information in the stories is not true that is passed down from generation to generation. There are many myths about Thanksgiving that people still think are true to this day. Some of the main information that is misled is about who came to America first and what happened when the pilgrims arrived on the land. (livewiredj.net) The Native Americans were a major part in America long before the pilgrims had even thought about sailing for America. They had been in America over a thousand years before the pilgrims arrived. The Native Americans had learned how to survive through the harsh winter and hot summers. They built adobe houses that would hold heat in for the winter and would keep cool in the summer. They would plow crops into the ground and harvest them in the summer and fall. They would also hunt for food, with bows and arrows, and they would kill deer and buffalo for meat. They would use everything that they killed for food, nothing was ever thrown away. They even used the bones and hides for something. (livewiredj.net) One of the most misled stories during the Thanksgiving time period is about how the pilgrims were some of the first people to ever set foot on land in America. The truth is that the Native Americans had been there for quite some time before the pilgrims even thought about going over to America. The Native Americans had lived in America for a thousand years, and apart from them the Spanish had also settled long before the English pilgrims. People think that the pilgrims settled in Plymouth and started a country later, but the Native Americans and the Spanish had already been there for quite some time. (livewiredj.net) The Native Americans were a huge part to the development of America. They had been living in America long enough that they had learned how to build things and use materials very well to suit their lifestyle. They had their own architecture buildings that were very advanced and modern day. If someone got sick, they knew which type of plant could help them. They had people who went out and got the plants and the doctors that knew how to use it to help the person that was sick. They were very skilled in growing crops also. They had created many fields without tearing out any forests or damaging any land. They found an open area and plowed seeds into the ground and let them grow. That is where a majority of their food came from so they had to do it right. (livewiredj.net) In the story of Thanksgiving everyone tells about how the Indians helped out the pilgrims and that they were all practically one big happy family, but that is not how it happened. There was lots of fighting going on between the Native Americans and the pilgrims at this time. The pilgrims brought over diseases that the Indians were not immune to and they did not know how to cure that disease right away. They brought over various European diseases, like influenza and measles. Some of the Indians died because of the diseases that the pilgrims brought over and that did not go over well with the Indians. The pilgrims also began to take land that the Indians believed to be theirs, so they began to fight over land. Now besides the diseases, they had to watch out for each other because they would attack and try to kill each other. If a pilgrim went out to hunt or plow a field by himself he would most likely not come back because the Indians would find him and either take him hostage or just shoot him. So they had lots of problems with each other at this time period. (livewiredj.net) With all of the fighting and the problems between the pilgrims and the Native Americans, they also were fighting because the pilgrims were trying to teach them their religion and the Native Americans had their own beliefs and culture that they had been following forever. The pilgrims wanted everyone in America to have the same religion and they were trying to teach the Indians their religion, but the Indians did not want to learn it and kept practicing their own religious beliefs. They pilgrims began to get frustrated and decided that there was no hope with dealing with the Indians. So they became like to different countries, the Indians and the pilgrims. (livewiredj.net) In the stories today, people tell how the pilgrims were kind enough to introduce the Native Americans to their Thanksgiving feast and how the Native Americans had never seen such a thing before, but that is not what actually happened. The Native Americans were the ones who knew how to grow the corn, beans, and other types of various foods that were available for them at the first Thanksgiving meal. The pilgrims were the ones who had not seen such a feast before and they were amazed how much food was there. Also the Native Americans had been having harvest celebrations for centuries but Thanksgiving did not start until during the 1890s. (planetblacksburg.com) Today, we teach what is says in the text book and whatever source that it went by, but the whole truth is not in the text books and there are many things that were not in the book that need to be taught. There are many things that need to be involved in the teaching of the first thanksgiving that arenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t, like who was here first, the Native Americans and the Spanish, and all sorts of other things. In the textbooks it tells how Squanto was a friendly Indian who learned English and helped the pilgrims, but that is not the truth. Squanto was kidnapped as a young boy and taken to England, and he was then took by a slave holder and sold into Spain. Then Squanto escaped his slave holder and got back to England. When he finally got back to America he had realized that his entire village had been destroyed and the only people left were the British who he had spent most of his life with already. (livewiredj.net) After the British had become comfortable and started to learn how to do things on their own they didnà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t need the Native Americans or the Spaniards that were there anymore. So the British started to force them to move further and further east, making them give up their own land and their personal lives. The British just took over what was the Native Americans at one time and forced them to have very little and made them live where it was hard to grow crops and the wildlife was scarce. Then there became less and less Native Americans, and they had to live where the British wanted them to live, without any basic needs for a good lifestyle. (planetblacksburg.com) From generation to generation the stories of Thanksgiving have been telling myths. Most of the great story that is told to kids and people during Thanksgiving is mostly made up. The Native Americans were the real ones who started America and learned how to survive. They are the people who started the country that we live in today and the basics things that we still do today like growing crops and hunting. Eley, Nicole. The Truth about Thanksgiving. Planet Blacksburg. Planet Blacksburg, 13 Jan. 2006. Web. 21 Apr. 2011. Harvey, Jennifer. The Truth About Thanksgiving. Unkown. Concordian Online Edition, 19 Nov. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. http://www.livewiredj.net/concordian/pacercms/article.php?id=1008 Sutter, Richard. The truth about Thanksgiving. Anglocatholic central. Joomla, 15 Nov. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. the-truth-about-thanksgiving>.

Faulkners Expression of the Human Spirit Essay -- Literary Analysis

William Faulkner accepted his Nobel Peace Prize in December 1950. During his acceptance speech, Faulkner proclaimed that the award was made not to him as a man, but to his life’s work, which was created, â€Å"out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before† (http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1949/faulkner-speech.html). He felt that the modern writer had lost connection to his spirit and that he must reconnect with the universal truths of the heart—â€Å"love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice† (http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1949/faulkner-speech.html). Through his characters voice and exposure of their spirit, Faulkner solidified man’s immortality by â€Å"lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past† (http://www.nobelprize. org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1949/faulkner-speech.html). Although some critics have characterized his work as violet, dealing with immoral themes and the miseries and brutality of life; it can be argued that even his most sad and depraved characters express positive virtues and personal strengths. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the portrayal and manifestation of the human spirit in a select few of William Faulkner’s literary characters, showing that they possess both human strength and flaws. So what is the human spirit and why is it significant? It is a somewhat indefinable concept. According to Faulkner the human spirit is the connection to the universal truths of the heart—â€Å"love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice† (http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/liter... .../laureates/1949/faulkner-speech.html. 1950. Gwynn, Frederick L. and Joseph L. Blotner, eds. Faulkner in the University: Class Conferences at the University of Virginia 1957-58. New York: Vintage Books, 1959. Hoffman, Frederick J. The Art of Southern Fiction: A Study of Some Modern Novelists. Carbondale: Southern Illinois Univ. Press, 1967. Howe, Irving. William Faulkner: A Critical Study. Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press, 1975.Orig. 1951. Vintage Books, 1962. Meriwether, James B. and Michael Millgate, eds. Lion in the Garden: Interviews with William Faulkner 1926-1962. New York: Random House, 1968. O’Donnell, George M. â€Å"Faulkner’s Mythology.† William Faulkner: Four Decades of Criticism. Linda W. Wagner, ed. East Lansing, MI: MSU Press, 1973. 83-93. Teske, John A. â€Å"The Social Construction of the Human Spirit.† http://users.etown.edu/t/teskeja/schs.html

Battling Digital Piracy Essay -- Piracy

In today’s age where Internet can provide fast access to any kind of information and media, copyrighted content faces grave threat of infringement. The distribution and unauthorized copying of such copyrighted content results in digital piracy. Common examples are downloading and uploading movies, music, e-books, software, and other copyrighted content online. Piracy deprives the original creators, scientists and artists of the deserved incentives. Digital Piracy has caused the US Copyright Industry a loss of billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs. To protect the copyright owners’ exclusive rights and encourage original ideas for scientific progress, digital piracy needs to be curbed with appropriate measures. Thus, this paper will discuss the problems caused by digital piracy and suggest measures to reduce digital piracy. With the growing popularity of the Internet, worldwide distribution of content can be done easily at lower price easily avoiding middlemen for distribution purposes. The disadvantage of such easy access is that consumers can access content that they may not be authorized to view for free. Downloading of digital pirated data being just a click away, many internet users are resorting to illegal sites or the peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. The extent of this problem is so much so that 25% of traffic on the Internet today is one resulting from copyright infringement. The progress in digital technology has enabled the production of countless replicas inexpensively and their distribution on Internet without any hassles. Content produced without copy-protection measures, the availability of high-speed internet and cheap storage means available online; all contribute to the rising incidence of piracy. ... ...gal means. Internet was meant to be open in nature, to provide information and services to everyone but was never meant to be a gigantic piracy machine. It was not designed to facilitate access to copyrighted content and encourage sharing of protected content. There is an urgent need to do away with Internet services that encourage digital piracy. Internet Enterprises, Government and consumers should together work towards maintaining integrity of Internet and take active measures to obliterate digital piracy. FCC plays an important role by implementing policy and technical controls to achieve this. Works Cited http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/resources/documents/upload/021611Leahy-RecordSubmissions-Website.pdf http://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/csep590a/06au/projects/digital-piracy.pdf http://www.itif.org/files/2009-digital-piracy.pdf

Free Essays - Essay on Medea and Antigone :: comparison compare contrast essays

Medea and Antigone are two stories of women fighting back for what they want, or what they feel is right. These stories take place in ancient Greece, around the time of its rise to power. Medea and Antigone are both strong, sometimes-manipulative characters but have different moral settings that control what they do. Medea is often very demanding in getting what it is that she wants; Antigone, will do what she need to do in order to get what she wants. With Antigone she is defies the law of a king to uphold the law of her spiritual belief. In the middle of the night she lives the house and sneaks into a field to bury her dead brother. Medea killed many people, including her own sons and a princess, in order to only spite her unlawful and cheating husband. The two women are like alligators, waiting motionless for the right time to strike. In the case of Medea, swift, violent strikes. And with Antigone, a cool collected precise one. These women are always determined to get what they want.   In classic works being a strong woman seems to run hand in hand with being manipulative. Medea lied and cheated friends to try to acquire time in order to get what she wants. In this case what she wants is revenge agents her ex-husband. She tricks a friend to give her asylum in Athens after she has committed her insane task. Medea even goes so far as to be able to con Kreon, the king himself into giving her an extra day. This unwittingly gives her exactly what she needs. Antigone tries her hand at manipulation but is not as successful as Medea. Antigone tries, with no avail, to persuade her sister, Ismene, to help her give their brother Polyneices a proper burial. In this way they are more like foxes, cunning but not always getting it right. Their deceitful nature is their strength.   While both women do wrong by the law of man, and Medea against the law of the gods, they do it for different reasons.   In the beginning Medea kills many people and monsters with little or no concern of the consequence. When the story deals with modern times Medea kills out of pure revenge and spite for Jason.   She plots for weeks to kill Jason’s new bride and poisons her, and then before she leaves the country she murders her two sons, she had with Jason, before she rides off in her bright white chariot.

Lord of the Flies by Sir William Golding

Lord of the Flies was the first novel published by Sir William Golding. Although Golding had published an anthology of poems nearly two decades before writing Lord of the Flies, this novel was his first extensive narrative work and is informed by his scientific training an academic background. In many ways Lord of the Flies is a hypothetical treatment of particular scientific concerns. It places a group of young English boys on a deserted island where they must develop their own society, in essence constructing a sociological experiment in which these boys must develop without any societal influences to shape them. In fact the beginning chapters of the novel parallel assumptions about human evolution, as the characters â€Å"discover† fire and form levels of political authority. However, what concerns Golding in Lord of the Flies is the nature of evil as demonstrated by the boys on the island. He concludes that the evil actions that the boys commit are inherent in human nature and can only be controlled by societal mores and rationality, as exemplified by the characters Piggy and Ralph. Although the novel does not adhere to themes particular to one religious tradition, in Lord of the Flies Golding draws upon a great deal of religious symbolism updated to conform to more contemporary ideas of human psychology. The title character,' the pig's head that Simon dubs the â€Å"lord of the flies† is a translation of the Hebrew word Ba'alzevuv, or its Greek equivalent Beelzebub. For Golding, this devil comes from within the human psyche rather than acting as an external force, as implied by Judeo-Christian teachings. Golding employs this religious reference in more Freudian terms. The devil that is the â€Å"lord of the flies† represents the Freudian conception of the Id, the driving amoral force that works solely to ensure its own survival. The â€Å"lord of the flies† directly confronts the most spiritually motivated character of the novel, Simon, who functions as a prophet-martyr for the other boys. Lord of the Flies is firmly rooted in the sociopolitical concerns of its era. Published during the first decade of the Cold War, the novel contains obvious parallels to the struggle between liberal democracy and totalitarianism. Ralph represents the liberal tradition, while Jack, before he succumbs to total anarchism, can be interpreted as representing military dictatorship. In its structure as an adventure the novel further resembles the science-fiction genre that reemerged as a popular form of literature during the fifties. Symbolism played an important part in the development of story. This narrative technique is used to give significance to certain people or objects, which represent some other figure. Piggy and glasses represents clear-sightedness, intelligence. Their state represents the status of social order. Ralph, the Conch represents democracy and order. Simon represents pure goodness or Christ figure. Roger represents evils or Satan. Jack represents savagery and anarchy. The island represents the world where people live. The scar represents man’s destruction or destructive forces. The beast represents the evil residing within everyone or   the dark side of human nature. The Lord of the Flies represents the Devil and great danger or evil. There are many other aspects in the story that may be considered symbolism, but the several that I mentioned are probably the most significant. Another good example of symbolism is the shape of the island. The boat shape of the island is an ancient symbol of civilization. The water current around the island seems to be â€Å"flowing backwards,† giving the subtle impression that civilization may be going backwards for the island or its inhabitants. William Golding presented numerous themes and basic ideas that give the reader something to think about. One of the most basic and obvious themes is that society holds everyone together, and without these conditions, our ideals, values, and the basics of right and wrong are lost. Without society's rigid rules, anarchy and savagery can come to light. Golding is also showing that morals come directly from our surroundings, and if there is no civilization around us, we will lose these values. Other characteristics of human beings that he showed in the book are that people will abuse power when it's not earned. When given a chance, people often take advantage or degrade others to improve their own security. The author also showed that you can only cover up inner savagery so long before it breaks out, given the right situation. Just like what happened to Jack. He also showed in the book that it's better to examine the consequences of a decision before you make it than to discover them afterward. Another theme in the book that I have observed is that the fear of the unknown can be a powerful force, which can turn you to either insight or hysteria. Just like what happened when they fear the unknown figure that they saw in the island which led them to murder Simon. I agree with the author’s theories on the basic nature of human beings. Without the values or morals being taught in our society and the basic knowledge of good and evil people will have a tendency to become savage or evil because it is part of the human nature. It goes back to the fall of the first man named Adam. After the fall, sin became a part of the human nature. Without the teachings of good values and morals, savagery will manifest in people.   

How and why compromises preserved the union until the southern states decided to leave the union in 1861?

Civil war within the United States was inevitable; the question was when it was going to happen. The issue of slavery was big enough to separate the country culturally and politically, civil war was bound to happen, in fact, it’s amazing it was avoided for so long. The single most important reason war was averted for so long was the many compromises made in the years prior that attempted to keep the southerns and northerns content in the house and senate.However, with a country in the midst of major territory expansion, population increase, and technological advancements, the days of a united nation were numbered. Conflicts over slavery will intensify with expansion, abolitionism, sectionalism, and issues over states rights. To settle these conflicts, compromises such as the 3/5 compromise, Missouri compromise, compromise of 1850 and the fugitive slave act, and the Kansas-Nebraska act were made. Daniel Webster speaks on behalf of a united nation that succession will destroy ou r country (doc B).When the compromise of 1850 is issued to settle the dispute over California being admitted as a free of slave state, The Fugitive Slave Act accompanies it to make sure that the southerns get something out of it too and don’t feel cheated (doc O). This act states â€Å"That when a person held to service or labor†¦ shall escape into another state†¦ may pursue and reclaim such fugitive person†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (doc C) This allowed peace to be held between the northern and southerns. Abolitionists were extremists who believed slavery should be abolished.Among those, the very famous and feared John Brown is probably most recognizable. He went on a killing streak, handing out weapons to slaves and hated by the southerns and most northerns as well (doc P). He believed that war was the only answer to keeping a united nation as evident in his last words, â€Å" I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land: will never be purged away; b ut by blood. † (doc F). An attempt by a northern named David Wilmot to keep slavery out of the newly acquired territories from Mexico was presented to the House and Senate in the Wilmot Proviso.It states â€Å" Acquisition of any territory from the republic of Mexico by the United States†¦ neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever in any part of said territory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (doc M). However it never passes the Senate, which was heavily dominated by southerns. Many states pass laws that prevent any persons from speaking out or publishing anything against slavery or the abolition of slavery or any thing that would spark rebellion in slaves. The federal government over looked this even though it was in contrast to the constitution because it was thought to help keep the southerns from succession (doc L).In 1860, shortly before the war started, the Republicans dominated the House and Senate (doc Q). This obviously was a key reason for the democrats to escape the u nion and start the confederate states. Plus, the southerns believed is states’ rights and that they should be able to do with their states what they wanted, a evident in Franklin Pierce’s speech when he says, â€Å" I believe that the constituted authorities of this Repubic are bound to regard the rights of the South in this respect as they would view any other legal and constitutional right.† (doc H). In 1861, of course, is the beginning of the civil war.With too much tension and hatred between the northerns and southerns, it was time for it to happen. The compromises could only hold for so long, the population differences between the north and south were too big to never interfere with the sides.

Does education always provide a means to better life? Essay

Education is believed to be a good bet for success. It is for this reason that governments invest huge amounts of resources with the aim of ensuring that its people acquire education. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) were a set of goals accepted by nations for the purpose of ensuring better lives for the people of the world. The second goal of the MDGs deals with the achievement of the universal primary education. It is no doubt that the importance of education cannot be underestimated. However, education that is learnt in class is based on books, facts and theories. This knowledge is does not exist in the hands of the bearer; thus, to succeed and have a better life depends on how one utilizes the knowledge as it will be discussed in this paper. A classroom is composed of people from different backgrounds. It is expected that the brains of the students are not homogenous. Some people have high IQ levels while as others have lower levels. It thus implies that there are people whose academic performances are better than others. Once it comes to the job market, the criteria of hiring and recruiting employees is based on the skills that individuals possess. There are high possibilities that those people who passed the exams with good degrees still struggle to have better lives while others who failed succeed very well as it is evident in everyday life. The truth is that success in life is based on the skills other than what people learn in schools. Life has proven to take a different dimension in how people succeed. There are people who drop out of school but they end up being millionaires while others study consistently and still continue to struggle for better lives. Not everything that is learnt in school is relevant in life. What is learnt in schools is the methods that one can apply in life based on skills and talents to lead a successful life. These skills are usually learnt out of class while others are inherited through heredity. It is one’s responsibility to realize these skills and talents so that he or she may apply them in daily life to succeed. This calls for someone to think out of the box. One who is able to think out the box has the chances to strategize things that need planning for the purpose of better life. It is for this reason that some people with professional degrees struggle to earn a better life since they over rely on what they learnt other than thinking out the box. A big gap exists between the educated people those who did not get an opportunity to go to school. Those people who did not get an opportunity to study find themselves struggling to survive. The uneducated people in the society know that they do not have a choice other than to work hard if they rely have to succeed. On the contrary, the educated people fail to work hard since they believe that they stand a better chance in life as there are many job opportunities available to them. The educated forget that there are few job opportunities available since many people are today educated thus making the job market competitive. In conclusion, education can be termed as tool that can lead one’s path to success but it is not a ticket for a better future. Education on the other hand will ensure that someone is well respected in the society. This respect can only be rewarded by the few job opportunities available in one’s locality. Securing such jobs does not mean that one will have a better life. As such, one is required to think out of the box and realize how he or she can apply the knowledge acquired in order to have a better future.

Review Of Herman And Chomsky Essay

The ‘Manufacturing Consent’ of media operations written and applied by Edward Herman and   Noam Chomsky say   that elite mass media are united and interlocked with other institutional sectors in ownership, management and social circles. In democratic societies mass media plays an important role. They respond to public concerns and create awareness to the state policies important events and view points. The fundamental principles of democracy depend upon the notion of a reasonably informed electorate   that reflects   public opinion and respond to public concerns Media is an integral part of the society, media need not be controlled or set to a pattern they work united with other sectors.(European Journal of Communication; 2002, pg.147). Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model has been named as ‘conspiracy theory’ because of its determined view of media behavior, according to them mass media are instruments of power that mobilize support for special interests that dominate the state and private activity and mass media acts in unison with other sectors, i.e. the academy, to establish, enforce, reinforce and police corporate hegemony. (European Journal of Communication 2002, pg148) .   Herman and Chomsky reject the ‘conspiracy label’ however ‘the Manufacturing Consent’s emphasis is on motives of media behavior, in relation to institutional controls.(Herman and Chomsky ;1988,pg 1-35). The model assumes that media designs should be explained in structural terms. According to Herman and Chomsky there are five major ‘filtering’ mechanisms which structure the news content. The authors admit that propaganda model cannot give every detail of such a complex matter as the working of the national mass media, the model does not assume that news reporters, editors and other workers are instructed or typically compelled to omit some voices and emphasize others, the model outlines circumstances under which media will be comparatively ‘open’ or ‘closed’. As micro-analysis is not the task of the Propaganda Model, it only provides an overview of the system at work, making sense out of a confusing picture by removing the main principles of the system, the basic argument in this context   is that meanings are easily ‘filtered’ by restrictions that are made in the system. The authors argue that meanings are formed at odd levels, as the decisions are understood to be natural and sensible, however the authors do not imply that newsroom workers always make decisions to align themselves with the interests of the dominant elites.(Rai,1995:pg46) Herman and Chomsky write that all news material goes through five inter related filter restrictions. Leaving only cleansed residue fit to be printed.(Herman and Chomsky;1988:pg 3-14). The five filter elements are: (1) the size, concentrated ownership, owner’s wealth, and profit orientation of the dominant mass-media; (2) advertising as the primary income source of the mass media. (3) the reliance of the media on information provided by government, business, and experts funded and approved by the primary sources and agents of power. (Martin and Knight 1997,pg 253-254). (4) Opposition as means of disciplining the media; (5) anti-communism as a national religion and control mechanism.(Herman ,cited in Wintonick and Achbar,1994:pg108). The first filter restriction emphasizes that media are closely interlinked and share common interests with other dominant sectors as corporations, the state, and banks. The dominant media sectors are large firms with large businesses; they are controlled by very wealthy people or by their managers who are subject to sharp restrictions by the owners. The second filter emphasizes that the news production process is highly influenced by advertising values ,most media must sell markets(readers) to buyers(advertisers).This dependency can directly influence media   performance, Chomsky   remarks   that media content reflects the interests of the sellers, the buyers, and the product . Herman contends that the application of the first and second filters of the   propaganda model has greatly influenced the economy the communications industries, and politics went through dramatic changes the two filters ,ownership and advertising have become even more important. The third filter is the news gathering process, the dominant elite provide press releases, copies of speeches, periodicals, photos, and thus government and corporate sources are attractive to media only for economic reasons. The third filter stresses that the opinions by corporate and state sources are adapted to class interest and market force. Herman and Chomsky stress that the nature of the mutual relationship between media and sources directly affect the media performance. The powerful can use personal relationships, threats, rewards, to influence media. The media under obligations may carry untrue stories in order not to offend their close relationship with the sources. The fourth filter, flak, means the state the dominant social institution which has power and resources to force the media to play a propagandistic role in society Herman and Chomsky explain that flak refers to negative responses to media statement, it may involve individuals or independent action, and the authors contend that preferred meanings are structured by dominating official sources, in this way news may be skewed in the desired direction. The fifth filter, the anti-communism has been replaced by ‘otherness’ It’s the idea of scaring people, creating fear, hatred, and discontent aroused by social and economic conditions, to prevent them from realizing to what is really happening to them.(Chomsky 1998: pg48).The authors maintain that media shapes public opinion by controlling how ideas are presented; the five filters curb the flow of the news as it passes through its gates and can easily limit what can be big news. Herman and Chomsky state that these five filter constraints are the essentials of propaganda model, the members of the power elite try to shape the beliefs and attitudes and opinions of the people through the media, free and open discussions are part of the process but leaders utilize deceit and violence to combat individuals and institutions as the public does not agree with the opinion of the power elite. The world politics has seen radical changes since the demise of communism in the former Soviet Union as mentioned in the Manufacturing Consent. The fifth filter is termed ‘the dominant ideology ’through out this book, however,   anti –communism   has been emphasized as the ideological elements that are most important in terms of discipline and control mechanisms. The Manufacturing Consent, gives a vague description of the fifth filter its ideology helps to mobilize people against an enemy it can be used against any policies that threaten property interests or support the communist states and radicalism, the model presumes that media performance is understood as the outcome of market forces, the dominant media are deeply and firmly imbedded in the market system, the main information sources ,the media depends on   are the government and major business firms. Herman and Chomsky view media as dominant ideological apparatus same   as mentioned in the thesis by William Domhoff in his book ,The Powers That Be: Processes of Ruling Class Domination in America. (Domhoff 1979,pg 169). Domhoff contends that the   four basic processes through which the ruling class ‘rules’ are (1)the special interest process;(2)policy formation process;(3)candidate selection; and(4)the ideological process, the Herman and Chomsky’s theory is the mirror of Domhoff’s theory of ideological apparatus for dominant elites.(Domhoff;1979,179-183). The Canadian sociologist Wallace Clement writes about the ruling class of Canada, he states through observation that the ruling elite have remained consistent over the past century. The institutional links within Canada are at elite level, ownership of capital is highly concentrated.(Canadian Corporate Elite;1975). Another Canadian sociologist Patricia Marchak (1988;pg122),stresses that the main question is under what conditions the state would be obliged to act only with reference to the interests of the capital. When such conditions are obtained universally, and when they do, the validity of Propaganda Model is likely to increase.(Patricia Marchak;1988,pg34). Herman and Chomsky do not claim that media acts only to circulate propaganda. The Propaganda Model   Ã‚  describes ‘the forces that cause the mass media to play a propaganda role’ they also argue that media not only serve the political and economic interests of dominant elite but also of the state. The authors admit that the propaganda model does not explain everything in every context it deals with the patterns of media behavior and performance. The elite media decides what topics, issues, and events that are to be considered ‘news worthy’ by the lower-tier media and establish the general discourse, they determine, they select,   they shape,   they control, they restrict in order   to serve the dominant elite groups in the society. This system is at odds with reality as the powerful are able to decide what the general public is allowed to see, hear, think and create public opinion by regular control. Individual powerlessness grows in the face of globalizing market; support organizations as the labor unions are weakened .In the final pages of Manufacturing Consent Herman and Chomsky acknowledge that the system is not all powerful, the domination of media by government and the elite have not overcome Vietnam syndrome and public hostility to direct US involvement in destabilization and over throw of foreign governments.   Herman and Chomsky took the phrase ‘manufacturing consent’ from the influential American journalist Walter Lippman who advocated consent engineering. He said common good should be managed by small specialized class. The creation of consent is not a new art, it was supposed to have died out with the birth of democracy but it is very much alive, it is now based on analysis rather than on rule of thumb. The engineering of consent is the essence of democratic process, (Bernays; 1947, cited in Wintonick and Achbar, 1994; pg41). the freedom of speech, press, petition, and assembly; the freedoms to make the engineering of consent possible are the most cherished guarantees of the Constitution of the United States.(Lippman, cited inRai,1995;pg23).   John Jay was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court he said ‘those who own the country ought to govern it’ in other words it is necessary to ensure that those who own the country are happy or else all will suffer, for they control investment and determine what is produced and distributed and what benefits will trickle down to those who rent themselves to the owners when the y can. The propaganda model contends that media content is organized to manufacture consent and to prevent opposition media content serves political ends the media makes choices that establish and define ‘worthy’ and ‘unworthy’ causes. The news coverage devoted to government(state)policy in general(foreign and domestic) by the elite to generate audience interest and sympathy in some stories while directing attention away from other stories Media take close interest in the Third World and their interconnections with the   government.(Herman and Chomsky,1988;pg13-14). The authors write that media treats victims of oppression and state terrorism differently, depending on the perpetrators. The ‘unworthy victims’ (victims of oppression and /or state terrorism perpetrated by us (Canada, the US and the other capitalist democracies), and ‘worthy victims’ (victims of oppression and/or state terrorism perpetrated by official enemy states).Different treatment is observed in sourcing and evaluating stories, full swing investigation in search of villain and of high officials, to humane treatment more prominent coverage. In case of ‘unworthy victims’ of enemy crimes, allegations are simply invented they have to rely on official US. sources unless they prove it wrong in which case they are avoided(Cambodia under Pol Pot is a case in point).It predicts that the victims of state terrorism/violence that is perpetuated by the democracies or client states will be given treatment that can be seen to serve political ends (Chomsky, 1988; pg34). The writers as moral agents are trying to bring the truth about matters of human significance to an audience that can do something about them. My personal view is that citizens of democratic societies should take a definite course of self- defense to protect their rights with the help of radio and television, advertising and public relations to safe guard their rights from being manipulated. The Independent mind must be allowed to develop and grow in a free society it is a difficult task as in today’s free society, consent is manipulation of public opinion. I do agree with the writers, in my view the young minds should separate themselves from the official manipulative system. Thus the writers are invested with a moral responsibility to tell the truth, it is a very difficult task to perform today even in our free society. Works Cited Clement, W. (1975) Canadian Corporate Elite: Analysis of Economic Power. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. Domhoff, William G. (1979) The Powers That Be: Processes of Ruling Class Domination in America. New York: Vintage Books. European Journal of Communication (2002) SAGE Publications (London, Thousand Oaks, CA and New Delhi), Vol 17(2): 147–182. [0267–3231(200206)17:2; 147–182; 023691] Martin, Michele with Graham Knight (1997) Communication and Mass Media: Culture, Domination and Opposition. Toronto: Prentice-Hall. Wintonick, Peter and Mark Achbar (1994) Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media. Montreal: Black Rose.

Business Opportunity Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Opportunity Identification - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  innovation forms the basis of any business opportunity. There are various factors that need to be analyzed before implementing an innovative idea. UK market is the main focus in this study due to its economic stability. Any new business start up should encompass such product or services that can cater hidden customer demand. Affordability or purchasing power is another aspect that plays a vital role while designing a new business plan. The business opportunity which has been identified is in the wrist watch sector. Watches are highly in demand in consumer market and there is more inclination towards branded items. Branded watches are usually preferred by customers due to its unique designs that are inimitable. In this segment there lies high opportunity in context of offering unique design wrist watches to upper middle and lower middle segment.This report outlines that the highly competitive UK market has different segments and middle income g roup shall initiate required profit margins for the retail company. Wrist watches are mostly preferred by adults and youth, and this is the business opportunity for the retail company to be launched.  An entrepreneur starting a new business needs to take into consideration wide array of factors. These factors are related to financial and operational aspects of the new start up business. Financial factor is a major component during designing a new business.

GLOBAL LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Essay - 1

GLOBAL LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Therefore, the total cost of the Model needs to be redefined. Carrying cost is constant; the model assumes that carrying costs are constant; however, this might vary depending on the quantity of inventory, economies of scale, increase in storage space, and renting of new warehouse. Independent orders; the increase of orders may increase the cost of saving by reducing the transportation and paperwork. This means that the original EOQ should be modified and developed to deal with the change. In essence, this means that the optimal strategy is computing one product Instantaneous delivery; the model assumes that the orders is delivered instantly; however, this can be modified to include the safe stock. In other words, the model assumes that there was no delay in delivery of stock and the delivered stock is as demanded. The model is based on assumptions hence not accurate; for instance, it assumes that there is a steady demand of the product for immediate restocking. However, the model does not consider variables such as economic fluctuations, as well as, seasonability of some products. Moreover, it assumes that holding charges, ordering costs, and inventory units are constant. This is difficult hence needs a constant monitoring of the inventory levels. In simple terms, the model is limited by the assumptions since the formula does not consider other factors and different products in the same order. Moreover, the model is based on complex mathematical calculations that require an individual to have a good understanding of algebra. This model disadvantages the small entrepreneurs who lack knowledge in calculating such figures. Notably, level production strategy is concerned with producing a plan that helps in maintaining a steady rate of employment and production. Satisfying demand requires that production in a firm be increased and lowered to

Australian rural and remote nursing (scope of nursing practice) Essay

Australian rural and remote nursing (scope of nursing practice) - Essay Example This paper is being carried out in order to establish a thorough and clear understanding of the subject matter. The main goal of government and legislative agencies, including the QNC, RCNA, and the NSW Nursing Registration Boards is to ensure that the public receives safe and adequate nursing and health services. Jacobs, (2007, p. 14) emphasizes that â€Å"differences in class, gender, personal experiences, values and beliefs have caused gulfs within nursing throughout its history, and no less than in the political, educational and regulatory development of advanced practice†. In the global setting disparities in the delivery of nursing care has been evident between countries, and even between territories within countries themselves. This is also apparent in Australia where the rural and the urban settings have different applications of nursing practice. Most countries have considered different legal standards and it has been declared that no one size fits all. Nevertheless, healthcare delivery is the responsibility of all states and territories, and majority of such responsibility fa lls on the federal governments. In effect, most states can be manipulated by the amount of money released by the federal government (Gardner, 2005, p. 382). To promote the standards of the practice and ensure the safety and quality of the services, many governments have set forth laws and different systems of clinical governance. In 2008, new guidelines for advancing nursing practice and reviewing competence was announced by the Queensland Nursing and Midwifery Council. The nursing and midwifery practice is all about the â€Å"application of knowledge, skills and attitudes towards alleviating, supporting or enhancing actual or potential responses of individuals or groups to health issues† (Queensland Nursing Council, 2010, p. 9). Their practice also includes administration of direct care, as well as assessing, planning,

Ethical and legal debate and implications of stem cell research Essay

Ethical and legal debate and implications of stem cell research - Essay Example certain that various solutions in terms of knowledge, skills, and awareness of long standing diseases will be found, as research done by Sandel (2004) reveals. Goals of stem cell research are highly acceptable in the biomedical field since it is very prolific and realistic using scientific based knowledge to enhance the medical field. The International Society for Stem cell Research (ISSCR) accepts and cultures ideas and proposals from stem cell scientists in an attempt to promote scientific research, knowledge development, and further education in this broad field. Besides encouraging use of accurate and precise use of stem cell research terminologies, the ISSCR actively takes part in educating researchers and the general population in appropriate usage of terms and meanings to avoid conflicting use of certain terms (Sugarman 2008). It also evaluates the importance of conducting stem cell research for a specific reason in the medical field. In an effort to streamline, the optimistic practice there must be several ethical and legal considerations otherwise the whole practice can be detrimental and demeaning to human life and rights (Doerflinger 2010). Ethics remains in connection to scientific and therapeutic importance as well as integrity while laws are concerned with patient’s accessibility to the services and safety; it is more of governmental responsibility to enact laws. Stem cell research has limited practice in most countries in the world with a few exceptions that meet the requirements and standards of undertaking the research. In United Kingdom for instance, stem cell research is crucial and the practice governing is via various legislations and ethical considerations. It has an elaborate and well-build regulatory scheme for stem cell research (Daley et al. 2007). Several reasons justify stem cell research in the UK, the Human Fertilization, and Embryology Act formed in 1990 and the recently formed Human Fertilization and Embryology

Reasons for poverty and the role of IMF on reduction of poverty Term Paper

Reasons for poverty and the role of IMF on reduction of poverty - Term Paper Example Poverty reduction is fundamentally dependent on the developing countries’ substantial efforts, particularly with regards to implementing reforms required to enhance economic growth. However, these countries usually lack required capacity to do this, as well as to effectively utilize potential foreign assistance. The IMF, which is a major foreign lender for developing countries struggling to end poverty, has began to play a critical role in helping poor countries develop capacity needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals aimed at reducing global poverty (Whitman, 2011: p52). This paper discusses the reasons for poverty and the role that the IMF should play in alleviating poverty. There are several reasons why poverty is so widespread, especially in the developing nations across the world. One of the most stated causes of poverty is colonial history of some of the poorest, developing countries in the world. Acemoglu and Robinson (2012: p66) contends that majority of the poorest nations in the world are former exporters of slaves to the developed world, as well as territories from which the colonial powers have systematically extracted resources to be used in their countries. Although some former colonies have been able to overcome this resource outflow, such as Canada, Australia, and the United States, most of the other colonies suffer from the legacies of colonialism, which have led to conditions that prevent its citizens from accessing education, capital, land, and other resources required for a society to adequately support itself. For most of these countries and territories, one of the most debilitating legacies of colonial history has been poverty and in equality. Since most colonial powers settled and developed areas from which they were extracting resources, other regions in the same colonial territory were left grossly