Culture Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture Comparison - Essay Example The other three disciplines are archeology, bioanthropology and linguistics; anthropological concerns however very often intersect varying spheres. Of particular interest to me are the aspects of language and kinship and descent, which thus cuts across linguistic and cultural anthropology. Linguistic anthropology focuses on how human languages are made and revived, and how they work, change and die (‘Cultural Anthropology/Introduction, n.d.); concern is with understanding language in terms of the historical, cultural and biological milieu in which it develops (‘Cultural Anthropology/Introduction, n.d.), and the linguistic features by which people communicate, including verbal and non-verbal features (‘Cultural Anthropology/Introduction, n.d; O’Neil). ... The second paradigm considered language as both impacting on and impacted by culture, and was concerned with studying language as used by different speakers in different situations; in other words the paradigm focused on language and its environment (Duranti, 2003, p.329-330). The third paradigm was concerned with the interaction of language and documenting and analyzing the way it is reproduced and transformed, both in terms of the moment in time and place (Duranti, 2003, P.333). Linguistic anthropology today has thus realized that in order to understand what it means to study language as culture, focus must be on methodology, theory and history as it relates to linguistics and language. Cultural anthropology as pertaining to kinship pertains to the relationships between people as defined by culture (O’Neil, 2006), either by marriage (affinal relatives) or descent (consanguinal relatives) Morgan (1871), and is fundamental in social organization, interaction, motivation and at titudes of any given community (O’Neil, 2006); in other words the study of kinship is concerned with both general and unique characteristics of the social life of humankind (Singarimbun, 1975). Kinship is determined in different ways within different societies but relate to two underlying principles of descent – unilineal and cognatic (O’Neil, 2006). Societies that are concerned with unilineal descent trace either their father’s (patrilineal) or their mother’s (matrilineal) group; those concerned with both their matrilineal and patrilineal descent are said to be concerned with cognative descent. Cognative traces can involve any of four variations including bilineal

Flemings and Walloons Essay Example for Free

Flemings and Walloons Essay Flemings and Walloons In the 19th and 20th centuries, Flemings and Walloons were divided by political and economic tensions, but the most outstanding source of division was social differences. The Flemings and Walloons went head-to-head because of the divergence in their culture and ultimately, the way they lived their day-to-day lives. Both of these groups wanted the country of Belgium to be run in their favor, but with that would come a clash of cultures. The first controversy between the Flemings and Walloons was political tension. After the Belgian Revolution in 1830, the new nation of Belgium had to come to terms in context of political leaders, but the dispute between the Flemings and Walloons was so strong that no political settlement could be officiated. In Document 2, an American diplomat speaks about the history of Flemings and Walloons, stating that Walloons are impatient politicians and deny tradition, while Flemings feel strong nationality and are better contenders to run the government. This document is supported by Document 4, where a Brussels-based newspaper claims that Walloon control the north, but resist monarchial power, while Flemings are ardent supporters. In Document 8, a French observer discuses the struggle for political power between the Flemings and Walloons, stating that the Catholic Flemings lead a politically dominant party and their leadership demands must be met over those of the Walloon politicians. Through years of battling, Walloons and Flemings still found their selves butting heads in the political arena, but still, all of that fighting came down to one issue: language. Another controversy that arose was economic competition. The potato famine had reached Belgium by the 1840s, straining the economy and there was a struggle of who would come out on top. In Document 4, a Brussels-based newspaper explains the Walloons in the north, stating that they are prominent in the economy and the Flemings resent their occupation. In Document 7, a Political leader speaks about improvement in the Flemish region, saying that they are under a system of economic exploitation that causes suffering within the Flemish community. In Document 9, a government publication assesses the differences in the economy of the Flemings and Walloons. The Flemish regions remain agricultural and commercial and in Wallonia manufacturers produce textiles and metallurgy, so there is a complete diversion in working economical paths because they run in completely different ways. The hard line of division that separated the Flemish and the Walloons still came down to their refusal to produce together, let alone work together. The last and most dominant controversy between the Flemings and Walloons was social tension. With nationalism on the rise, the Flemings and Walloons were completely divided by their languages: who would be the receiver of national pride? In Document 1, it is made clear that there is a distinct line of separation between the north (Flemish country) and south (Wallonia). In Document 5, a Flemish pamphlet states that there is a bilingual disputation in Belgium and Walloons are trying to invade Belgium with French language, which should be considered absurd while Flemish culture is traditional and the language must be recognized by all Belgians. In Document 6, a French diplomatic observer discusses the differences between Flemish and Walloon thought, saying that while they do spend much time debating in the political setting, that in the end, all of the tension and dispute comes down to the factor of language. In Document 10, a Belgian political leader says that the language issue dares to move even farther that just a matter of being a Dutch speaker or a French speaker, he says that the Flemish culture and history as a whole fights for a real equality of language and culture and that all problems between the Flemings and Walloons stem from their differences in language. In Document 10, a Flemish publicist demands nothing but equal rights, saying that the problems between the Flemings and Walloons are not confined to small areas anymore, but the whole country is in dispute. Lastly, Document 12, taken from a London paper, says that the problems between the Walloons and Flemings are caused by pure jealousy and while they consider themselves better than the other, all are equal, but only they can figure that out. The relationship between the Flemings and Walloons throughout the 19th and early 20th century was a very strained one. While nationalism was rising, the groups kept fighting because of political, economical, and most of all social differences.

Sun Angel :: Free Essay Writer

Sun Angel â€Å"Sun Angel† by Chris Fisher is a collection of short stories, each one portraying a different character that grew up in the small town of Dolguard. Each story is written from someone else’s point of view, therefore giving us a closer look into the town. We get to see the full picture, and see how the characters shape the way we view life in a small town. The characters in these short stories were all very unique. They ranged from children, young kids just out of college, drunks, and farmers trying to make ends meet. It was interesting to see how each character was tied to the town. Even after moving away to a large city, Muriel, always thought of Dolguard as her true home. When Greg, a young college student, wants to run for mayor, an old farmer named Dick sums up the ways of the town by saying, â€Å"It’s town stuff. It’s working together stuff. It’s Dolguard, and now some young bucks want to tear it apart.†. As i read that it occurred to me that this might also be how some people in Dalmeny feel when they see us young kids trying to organize dances, have parties, or start up a recreation center. It helped me to understand a little where they were coming from. Some characters in these stories were rather shady. In one story there was an Uncle Matt, who seemed rather nice in the beginning. But as the story went on it was evident that he was raping his niece. In the end, she ends up seeking revenge and killing him. As you can see, this small town does have some dark secrets. I liked how this book was written. It may have been a collection of short stories, but since some characters were mentioned in more than one story, it linked it all together nicely. Chris Fisher does a wonderful job of showing the roots of a small town, and how the characters shape this community. Often the stories are told in first person narration, so you can see how the character feels and what they think. It takes it to a more personal level, making it easier to relate to the different characters. The one thing that bothered me about the novel was how certain things weren’t said. For example, in the story of Uncle Matt, it wasn’t directly said that he raped his niece, or that she killed him.

Social Discrimination Essay -- Sociology

During the Spring of 2012, The University of Southern Mississippi's basketball team made their first appearance at the NCAA tournament since 1991. The team played against Kansas State University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the second half of the game, Kansas State was defeating the University of Southern Mississippi, due to their freshman point guard Angel Rodriguez who contributed many points. The Wildcats were leading the game by 70-64. As Angel Rodriguez was performing a free throw, some University of Southern Mississippi prep band students chanted â€Å"Where's your green card?† This incident made national news and labeled the band students of the University of Southern Mississippi as ignorant, immature, and racist. The intense of emotions towards Southern Miss' chance to continue having a position in the tournament struck the band members to resort discrimination against Rodriguez by using derogatory language. There are different stances that can take place when evaluating an incident such as this one. The University of Southern Mississippi is located in the Southern region of the United States which has an infamous reputation for racial discrimination and division for several years. When this is looked at by people from other regions of the United States, they will assume that the band members were racist. Angel Rodriguez is from Puerto Rico, an island in the northeastern Carribean. The majority of Puerto Rico's population consists of Hispanics and Latinos. Puerto Rico is not a U.S. State rather it is a commonwealth of the United States of America. This gives Puerto Ricans the benefits of having a United States citizenship; therefore not requiring them to have a green card to be in the United States of America. A gree... ...ed the boundary of the band student's perceived territory in the United States because of his ethnic background. Southern Miss' prep band has members of minority backgrounds. If the minorities also participated in the taunting, it shows that geography and racial discrimination is instilled in all races that are citizens of the United States. Rodriguez lives and attended school in Miami, Florida and for the band to question his citizenship status shows how racial divisiveness occurs even within the close knit regions of the United States. Miami, Florida is known for a large and thriving Spanish speaking population in the United States. Works Cited Williams, Melvin D. 2003. Racism: The Production, Reproduction, and Obsolescence of Social Inferiority. In New directions, ed. Carol R. Ember, Melvin Ember, and Peter N. Peregrine. Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

The Plane – Creative Writing

Four pm Spanish time and we were in the Reus airport waiting to go home. We had really enjoyed ourselves in the sun, compared to wet and dreary Northern Ireland but we were really looking forward to getting home and seeing our family again. We had only been there about an hour when we were asked to go to the departure lounge. I thought this was great. We would be in the air promptly and I would see my friends before nightfall. We where flying with Monarch Airlines and we could see the plane over the horizon. As it was landing all that was in my mind were thoughts of home. The people were getting off the plane and they were rushing for the baggage reclaim. We could see our luggage being transported onto the plane and watched as it was being refuelled. As I took a look around I could see there were no engineers examining the plane. As we settled into our seats the Captain of the plane announced that we would be taking off within the next ten minutes. I was seated at the window, my sister next to me, my mum on the aisle and my dad in the next row. As the plane was powering up I became very nervous. The engines roared and it shot like a bullet along the runway and into the air. I looked out the window and watched. The airport became just a speck in the distance and I knew we were finally heading home. The cabin crew came along selling headphones for the televisions and I bought a pair and waited to see what was coming on. The TV sets came down but to my surprise they went back up, All the sets were doing this, up then down again and again. The cabin lights flickered and a cold mist came out of the ceiling, I thought this was very strange. We all knew by now something wasn't right. Then the Captain's speakers came on and he said in a frightful manner â€Å"could the cabin crew come to the cockpit for a briefing† I knew this was not normal. The speakers came on once more the captain saying, â€Å"I am sorry but we will have to return to Reus airport†. My heart started to pump faster. As he said that, the plane went over to the side. I looked out of the window and the ocean was like a magnet pulling the plane down. The Captain pulled back up again and the plane was going the opposite direction. I could see the airport that was just a spec and now was a safe-haven. The plane started its descent to the airport. As I peered out of the window the runway was getting closer. Then the right engine failed. I thought this was all right because we were almost on the ground. As I turned my head further round the window I saw fire engines and ambulances rushing down beside the plane. My hands gripped onto the arm of the chair like a vice on a piece of hard metal There were children crying but I couldn't, all I could do was watch the sky. The back wheels of the plane touched down and I held my breath for the final wheel touching the ground. As it did it was like Velcro sticking to the runway. The wheels screeched on the ground and the plane went off to the right and we came to an abrupt halt. Everyone on the plane was silent and all that could be heard were sirens. One man on the plane started demanding his baggage. Then the Captain announced that we had to go to the departure lounge. Anybody that was a smoker had started smoking on the plane. As we waited in the departure lounge all we were given was a free sandwich and a free drink. We were in the airport for two hours when a thunderstorm occurred. All I could think of was â€Å"it could only happen to me†. Then around an hour later the Captain came into the airport and announced that when we took off we had sprayed half our fuel supply over the runway. It was due to a burst fuel pipe and that was why we had such a bad landing. We were in the airport for a total of seven hours when we could hear a faint sound in the air. All the people came to the windows and looked out. In the distance we could see our new plane coming towards the airport through thunder and lightning. It looked like a superhero coming to our rescue as everybody cheered. As we got on the plane everyone was nervous. We went down the runway and into the air again. As this was happening you could almost hear everyone's heart beating. As we touched down in Belfast International Airport everyone cheered once more and the pilots wished us all a safe and happy onward journey.

Azra Sabovic Gilgamesh And The Power Essays

Azra Sabovic Gilgamesh And The Power Essays Azra Sabovic Gilgamesh And The Power Essay Azra Sabovic Gilgamesh And The Power Essay Elates Is analyzing and presenting the argumentation of a famous Russian semiotic Laggards Grammas. Elates Is describing that his argument of 6 roles included (subject, object, dispatcher, beneficiary, helper, and opponent) are much more complex than known, when adding the detailed and composite model of plot. Grammas argument also expounds that any narrative can be described as an enclosed narrative program, whose definition Is the quest for an object by a subject. Furthermore, elates Is mentoring the 4-step sequence, that all narration actions Include. The first one Is manipulation, where the subject needs a desire to accomplish something, and In this case the dispatcher sets the goals and values. The second one Is the competence, which requires the subject to have capability and skills in order to achieve his goals. Third, the performance: once the two first steps are completed, the narrator explains the actual performance, which in some cases can be a failure and, yet in some, a success. The last, but not the least step. Is the sanction: if there is no sanction than people will fill it in.

Song of Solomon essays

Song of Solomon essays Toni Morrisons Song of Solomon relates the story of Milkman Dead and his obsession with flying, yet the book is also full of motifs and themes related to love which at times reinforces and supports the story while dealing with death and loss. Morrison also uses the themes of flight and love in order to engage the reader and bring about feelings of freedom. In addition, Morrison uses memory as a tool in order to relate the idea that certain sensory perceptions like smell and taste can often bring the reader closer to understanding a character and their personal feelings. Thus, by using these recurring themes, Morrison is attempting to tell us that it is better to try and deal with our problems than to escape from them. Also, Morrisons storytelling technique allows the reader to pick up on certain cues that inform Solomons desire to escape from reality and his responsibilities; thus, flying is a metaphor for this need to escape while love acts as the binding ingredient between the main characters. The title The Song of Solomon, obviously borrowed from the Old Testament, is Morrisons way of relating tales of romance and maturity via the retelling of the African-American experience in the United States. The novel opens with Robert Smith, an agent of the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, who decides to take off from Mercy and fly away on my own wings (9), but Pilot fails to save him and sings a song at his deathO Sugarman done fly/O Sugarman done gone (11). The very next day, Milkman is born at Mercy Hospital and as if he had been touched by Smiths blue silk wings, he too wishes to fly and when the little boy discovered, at four, the same thing Mr. Smith learned earlier, that only birds and airplanes could fly, he lost all interest in Many years later when Milkman reaches adulthood, he and his friend Guitar see a ...

t Laughed, I Would Have Cried

I was indestructible. I was ruthless. I broke out, hurling a flurry of precise, mastered and skilful kicks. Each kick grew in supremacy, as I glared at my opponent’s face: grief stricken and glazed with unmistakable distress. Each kick neared her towards tasting the bitterness of a palpable defeat. Rhapsody enticed my face as I smirked mercilessly. I emerged from under the bedclothes and encountered the mottled morning light. Today was the day my dreams would become reality. I had always harboured a competitive streak but I was not always good at actually realising it. This was to be my first Taekwondo competition and the desire to win was overwhelming. I affectionately selected my loose white uniform that hung alongside my green school dress. Each Sunday morning for the past twelve months I had religiously swapped the academic rigidity of school for the physical rigidity of Taekwondo and noticed that even now, the whiteness of my uniform was a little dulled and the threads slightly frayed, revealing the chronic blows that it had suffered. Two badges were sewn onto the front by unorthodox and jagged black threads, visibly overlapping the stark whiteness of my uniform. Each badge bore the fist of a martial artist and was intended to highlight strength, skill and indomitable spirit. However, despite the air of sophistication emitted by the badges, my clumsy Year 10 stitching defeated their purpose as being signs of professionalism. My transformation was almost complete. I picked up my belt and placed it around my waist, cautious to avoid any untidy overlapping. Tying a taut knot, the two remaining straps were left to suspend freely, yet, their presence did nothing except weigh heavily on my pride. I was a yellow belt, a mere novice, and felt demeaned by such a lowly status. Nevertheless I managed to reassure myself, this was to be the final day I would have to endure the humiliation of this sallow shade. I surveyed my ref... 't Laughed, I Would Have Cried Free Essays on If I Hadn\'t Laughed, I Would Have Cried I was indestructible. I was ruthless. I broke out, hurling a flurry of precise, mastered and skilful kicks. Each kick grew in supremacy, as I glared at my opponent’s face: grief stricken and glazed with unmistakable distress. Each kick neared her towards tasting the bitterness of a palpable defeat. Rhapsody enticed my face as I smirked mercilessly. I emerged from under the bedclothes and encountered the mottled morning light. Today was the day my dreams would become reality. I had always harboured a competitive streak but I was not always good at actually realising it. This was to be my first Taekwondo competition and the desire to win was overwhelming. I affectionately selected my loose white uniform that hung alongside my green school dress. Each Sunday morning for the past twelve months I had religiously swapped the academic rigidity of school for the physical rigidity of Taekwondo and noticed that even now, the whiteness of my uniform was a little dulled and the threads slightly frayed, revealing the chronic blows that it had suffered. Two badges were sewn onto the front by unorthodox and jagged black threads, visibly overlapping the stark whiteness of my uniform. Each badge bore the fist of a martial artist and was intended to highlight strength, skill and indomitable spirit. However, despite the air of sophistication emitted by the badges, my clumsy Year 10 stitching defeated their purpose as being signs of professionalism. My transformation was almost complete. I picked up my belt and placed it around my waist, cautious to avoid any untidy overlapping. Tying a taut knot, the two remaining straps were left to suspend freely, yet, their presence did nothing except weigh heavily on my pride. I was a yellow belt, a mere novice, and felt demeaned by such a lowly status. Nevertheless I managed to reassure myself, this was to be the final day I would have to endure the humiliation of this sallow shade. I surveyed my ref...

The Organization System - Organizational Change and Stress Management Term Paper - 1

The Organization System - Organizational Change and Stress Management - Term Paper Example The response to the first and the ninth question indicates that physical exhaustion is the major reason which is pushing me towards job burnout while mental exhaustion is also taking over as indicated by the response towards the second and the last question. Everybody experiences job burnout at one point in their career. It is a kind of job stress which affects a person physically as well as emotionally. A person feels utterly exhausted and doubts his abilities and competence. Job burnout was identified in the early 1970s and since then has become a topic of study with researchers and psychologists trying to determine the various causes and factors which often leave a person frustrated and drained. Job burnout is a global problem but is treated differently in different societies. In some countries it is considered a social problem while others treat it as a medical problem. At first it was thought that job burnout was restricted to those workers involved in human services such as nur ses, policemen, social workers and legal workers etc. However, as further studies were carried out, it was noted that job burnout was not restricted to people associated with social and health services only; even entrepreneurs, managers and white and blue collared persons suffered from a deep sense of depression and depletion in their jobs (Schaufeli et al, 2009). Job burnout reduces productivity as the worker begins to question his own talents and abilities and fails to come up with any useful contribution let alone face challenges. Although job burnout is quite common and is a hazard that plagues every occupation, the professionals who suffer from this emotional trauma the most are those associated with the police department and nursing. Pines (2005) devised the Burnout Measure or the BM method comprises of twenty one items pertaining to feelings and attitudes such as physical exhaustion; feeling weak or sickly and losing sleep; emotional exhaustion such as feeling depressed and h opeless and mental exhaustion such as feeling worthless like a failure and disappointed with people (Pines 2005). The answers were judged on a scale of 1 to 7 with responses ranging from never to always. According to Pine, a score of 4 indicates a burnout. The BM is the most commonly used burnout inventory and also enjoys a high internal consistency. A study of correlation between various work stressors and BMS scores in table four showed that the work environment factors contributed strongly towards burnout. The people examined were Israeli Jews and Arabs who were involved in police work force, nursing or were MBA students. Table 4 showed the responses of the police workforce and it is evident that the personnel are experiencing high job burnout which may affect the safety in jails and prisons. Poor working conditions, under staffing which means working under pressure to complete tasks such as cell searches, inmate count, paper work, security rounds and apathy and lack of interest from superiors led to job dissatisfaction and growing negative feelings. The Burnout Measure devised by Pines is the second most important measure of job burnout; the first one being the Maslach Burnout Inventory which according to Schaufeli is the â€Å"gold standard to assess burnout† (Schaufeli et al, 2009). Researchers and practitioners view burnout differently; according to some, exhaustion is the only force behind job burnout

Climate change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Climate change - Essay Example Individuals Human activities are frequently blamed as root causes of climate change. Similarly, human beings can clean up this mess through little ways. When we are aware of our environment, we gain better consciousness of how we can help in our homes and workplaces. By sometimes riding a bicycle, walking, or taking a bus, and saving electricity, we reduce the greenhouse-gases released unto the atmosphere. Recycling is also important in saving resources and energy. U.S. Government Being a developed country, the United States undeniably has a large contribution in producing greenhouse gases that harm the atmosphere. There seems to be no clear-cut federal policies that control or limit such production. However, concerned organizations and experts have several recommendations, and some government leaders pass bills or implement laws in their specific states. For instance, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger implemented law AB 32, which mandates that the state’s greenhouse g as-emissions be reduced to 1990 levels by the year 2020, which is approximately 25% (Walsh 2). The need for firm national leadership regarding the problem is needed, but it is essential to see that laws to encourage citizens to participate are not enough. Rather, specific regulations applicable even to the largest industries should be implemented.

Security Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Security - Case Study Example As technology grows, it has become much easier to work. You can store a lot of information and retrieve it very fast at the touch of a button. Well, this has brought to end the carrying of books and pens to meetings. This trend has also been picked up by hotels. They are introduced touch pad registers to manage their work efficiently and easily. A fast food franchise introduced touch pad registers. They issued each register with a password and a user ID to log into the system. It allowed them to input their passwords four times before the system locked. With time the system became harder to operate. The touch pads became greasy and some of the of the workers forgot the passwords. The system was a good idea, but it had several flaws in its design. The fact that this system needed a password and a user ID to log in, it became a problem when the workers forgot their passwords. When a worker entered the password there times unsuccessfully the system locked itself and needed the managers card to reboot the system. In cases where the manager is not present it would be impossible for the workers to use the system. It took some time for the system to reboot. This lost time could translate to looses. If a worker for the password and asked another worker to log in so that they could use the system, it will take it hard for the employers to track the activities in the fast food franchise. This was the main aim of introducing the touch pad register. The issue with the workers forgetting passwords was because of the keyboard layout. The managers complained about the time that it took to reboot the system. If the shift of a worker ended and they did not log out the system, it needed the manager to reboot the system that took a long time to do. The accumulation of grease on the touch pad made it harder for the workers to input their details. This is because the touch pad did not have any protection against the grease. With all these

Disaster Management in Water Science Speech or Presentation

Disaster Management in Water Science - Speech or Presentation Example Furthermore, the water that has been tested from the treatment facilities show that the existing water is contaminated as it contains a lot of foreign traces of dirt which makes it unfit for human consumption. This is a major disaster that has engulfed the entire community which further contradicts the fact that ample clean water supply is essential for consumption. It is the duty of the county to ensure that clean and safe water is available for all people and animals. Dirty water bears the risk of causing numerous diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis among others hence this calls for water treatment (Mwenda, 1999).I intend to inform the public in general on the importance of treating water before using it for various purposes such as cooking, drinking just to mention. According to Agnes (2000), she notes that that are several ways of treating water and none of them is perfect. She further argues that the best option is to combine several methods together so as to achieve desirable results. On the other hand, most microbes are killed as a result of water treatment but contaminants for instance salts, heavy metals and some chemicals are not removed (Molo, 2003). It is advisable to let all suspensions in water to settle down before one starts water treatment. Boiling water is considered to be one of the safest meth

Management Analysis for Whole Foods Market Essay

Management Analysis for Whole Foods Market - Essay Example Whole Foods Market get suppliers that produce least processed, most flavorful and naturally processed food and organic products which consumers prefer the most. Whole Foods Market has stores located mostly on urban areas and major cities to tap the most number of their potential and target customers. This is to ensure that the company will be able to maintain its market share and at least compete at par with its competitors that are mostly located on urban and major cities across the nation. One of the main weaknesses of Whole Foods Market would be its expensive natural and food items relative to its competitors. Even though the company has been able to make various ways to amply cut down their market price, but still when compared it closely to its competitors like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market's products are relatively expensive. Whole Foods Market failed to insulate, or at least minimize the adverse effects of economic slowdown of the country. This only suggests the degree of dependency of its growth from the economic condition of the country despite of the fact that it also operate abroad. The increasing health and wellness consciousness of many consumers in the market makes natural and organic food items more in-demand to the market, thus, giving enough room for Whole Foods Market to expand by establishing more stores to accommodate more customers and generate more income. The fast development of technology, software solutions like ChefTec which is primarily being used in inventory control and recipe and menu control, made Whole Foods Market to perform efficiently. The advent of new software solution indeed help Whole Foods Market to minimized their production cost and maximized their profit through achieving efficient operations. Threats The increasing degree of competition in the natural and organic food industry make it a lot harder for Whole Foods Market to optimally utilize the high demand of consumers for natural and organic food items in the market. With the growing number of stores of their competitors, Whole Foods Market started to experience declining profits and sales volume. The economic slowdown of the country has also starting to penetrate the natural and organic food industry which directly affects the profitability of Whole Foods Market. Last August 2008, Whole Foods Market recorded a 31% profit drop in the market which was enough to shake their stockholders (McRoskey 1). Works Cited McRoskey, Ricky (2008) "Whole Foods' Big Markdown" 11 October 2008. Business Week.

Disaster Management in Water Science Speech or Presentation

Disaster Management in Water Science - Speech or Presentation Example Furthermore, the water that has been tested from the treatment facilities show that the existing water is contaminated as it contains a lot of foreign traces of dirt which makes it unfit for human consumption. This is a major disaster that has engulfed the entire community which further contradicts the fact that ample clean water supply is essential for consumption. It is the duty of the county to ensure that clean and safe water is available for all people and animals. Dirty water bears the risk of causing numerous diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis among others hence this calls for water treatment (Mwenda, 1999).I intend to inform the public in general on the importance of treating water before using it for various purposes such as cooking, drinking just to mention. According to Agnes (2000), she notes that that are several ways of treating water and none of them is perfect. She further argues that the best option is to combine several methods together so as to achieve desirable results. On the other hand, most microbes are killed as a result of water treatment but contaminants for instance salts, heavy metals and some chemicals are not removed (Molo, 2003). It is advisable to let all suspensions in water to settle down before one starts water treatment. Boiling water is considered to be one of the safest meth

OSHA Legal Aspects of Safety and Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

OSHA Legal Aspects of Safety and Health - Essay Example The conference happens after the compliance officer has identified him/herself (OSHA, 2011). They are supposed to inform the manager of the scope of their inspection and criteria followed to select the firm. They are also supposed to specify the standards that are to apply and the general purpose. They should also offer information on how the manager can access a copy of applicable standards and then asks to be given an employer representative who will attend the inspection; an employee representative may also accompany them in case there is a safety committee in place (OSHA, 2011). In case there are some issues between the management and the employees then separate opening conferences are initiated. On the other hand the employer has the right to reduce or expand the scope but under reasonable grounds where the officer should in turn inform them on their responsibilities and obligations as the employer. References OSHA (2011). Discussions in the opening conference. Retrieved 18 Jan. 2011 from, http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9690

Directing the movie called Essay Example for Free

Directing the movie called Essay My name is Ahsan Mojumder . I am directing the movie called Romeo Juliet. My movie is basically written based on William Shakespeares mind blowing Romeo and Juliet. As a modern director I think Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is old fashioned. The language, communication system, characters everything has changed according to new era, as a director I am thinking why should the story line up remain the same. We can use the themes from Romeo and Juliet. Under these circumstances decided to make it contemporary upgraded version of Romeo and Juliet brief description of my upgraded story of immortal love is given below: Characters Romeo: 19 years old Vincent: Romeos father Mrs. Vincent: Romeos mother Juliet: 18 years old Bill: Juliets father Mrs. Bill: Juliets mother Morcutio: Juliets brother and Romeos best friend. Britney: Juliets friend Charle: Britneys Father Mrs. Charle: Britneys mother The story is about a couple of lover, who wanted to get together but the social status was not letting it happen. Vincent is rich merchant. He has massive business. Andrew is his one and only son. Andrew is a university student. He is studying in Computing and business. Morcutio is his best friend in university. Morcutios dad Bill is a clerk in an office. Mr. Vincent loves his son and daughter like every dad in this world. But his son and daughter are far away for him because he is always busy in his Business. Thats why he cant give them enough time. Romeo loves Juliet . Who is his best friend Morcutioss sister. Thats how they know each other. Both of the families dont know anything about the relationship between them. But Juliets mother starts to understand it nowadays. As days passing by love is becoming more and more dense. They are having a good time. But suddenly something start to happen in their life. Romeos mum and dad arranged their sons marriage with their friend Charles daughter named Britney. Romeo and Juliet become resourceless. They cant think about what to do. Should they run away from the society or they should sucide? They decided to ask Morcutios to help them. Morcutio talked with his parents but they said if Romeos family agree they havent got any problem about this relationship. Now its Romeos turn to ask his parents. But he hasnt got enough influence to talk to them. For Juliet sake he decided to tell them the truth. Romeos parents said no way because of her dad. Juliet talked with Britney to give them few more times. Britney said she would try her best. Britney did know that they love each other but she cant help it. Because this is her parent and Romeos parents wish. If they said something they said. which cant be changed. Thats why Britney doesnt want to talk to them. Juliets family is keep saying about the social difference economically. Andrew and Juliet are sitting together on Juliets home balcony. They are thinking how to stop this marriage and how to get together. They have decided they will leave this unscrupulous unverified society. They made a plan and went away from them. Their parents informed the police. But police says that they cant do anything in this case. Because they are young enough to make their own decisions. They gave the same statement to Police. They got married and lived happily ever after From the story I am going to direct the balcony scene where they decided to split up from their families. Each of the character has developed in my story rather than Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Settings: Location: A simple balcony. Shouldnt be luxurious to make a difference between Romeos home balcony. Than the audience can feel the social difference between two communities. Dress up: contemporary dresses and suits. Background music: Romantic. They both are sitting on chair and facing each other. They are discussing what to do. The script has been attached below- Romeo: I decide we are going to go far away from here. We will go somewhere else where nobody will try to split us. We will start a new life together. Do you agree with me love? Juliet: Whatever you say my Romeo. I gave you my heart, my soul, my mind and now you are asking for my opinion! I agree with you my Romeo. Romeo: You have saved me. If you would say no, I would suicide my love. Juliet: Never ever say that what you have just said. You cant die without me. If you have to tell me I would like to die with you. Romeo: (Holding her hands as they dance): I love holding your hands; may I kiss it? Juliet: (amused, cautious): You are being a little too bold in wanting to kiss me. If you are really a pilgrim, you should greet me only with your hand, as palmers do. Romeo: Hey, even holy pilgrim are human, they have got lips. Please let me kiss you. Stand still while I kiss you. (He kisses her lips) Juliet: (Thrilled and amused at the same time): you dont really need all this artificial argumentation to justify kissing me, you know. Lets get serious. As I said my story is a contemporary and upgraded version of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet I used regular pattern of English as script. William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet was written in 1595. Actually Romeo and Juliet was written as a play . The story is of course about a pair of star crossed lovers. Two teenagers pursue their love for each other despite the fact that their families have been at odds with each other for decades. In Verona (Italy) in the late 1500s two powerful families the Montague and the Capulet have been feuding with each other for years. But two people from two different communities get together and falled in love. When they realised they are resource less about their love and life they choose a different way to get together. But for a bit misunderstanding they lead their life to death. The script used for Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet was basically in a special kind of poetic device called Sonnet. Which was also invented by great William Shakespeare. The main characteristics of this poetic device are- 1. 16 lines 2. Fixed rhymes pattern Italian cities were infamous for their long lasting deadly feuds between prominent families. Think the play was written as a part of his contribution with others to say no against such conflicts. The greatest theme in Romeo and Juliet is Love. As I said its a contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet so I tried my best to keep the vital theme of the play. But in this modern society everything has been changing rather than Shakespeares era. Such a fact like communication system could change the theme in Romeo and Juliet. I think if Internet would available on that time they might alive until they meet each other. So I have to change the theme slightly as a modern director of Romeo and Juliet. And I also have changed the characters line up in order to give you something different. I havent involved any violence in my story because nowadays violence is not a rear, so people dont want to see any violence between love and lovers. I mentioned earlier about use of language in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. As you have seen my script, which is written in regular pattern of English, so people can understand it easily and also the people of other countries can enjoy the movie. Ahsan Mojumder English Assignment #4 Name: Ahsan Mojumder Lecturer: Diana May.

Asthma Case Study Essay

Asthma Case Study Essay This essay is written as a case study referring to a patient from my practice area. As I will be reflecting on my practice in relation to the case study, use will be made of first person writing where appropriate. Hamill (1999) supports the use of first person writing in academic essays such as case studies and suggests it develops self-awareness, reflection, analysis and critique. As this essay is focused on a specific patient from my practice area it is important to consider issues of confidentiality. Therefore, throughout neither my practice area nor the patient name will be identified. However to be able to discuss key issues in relation to the patient I will refer to their age, gender and lifestyle, and use a false name to aid the flow of writing. Introduction Asthma affects 5.2 million people in the UK: 1.1 million children and 4.1 million adults according to Asthma UK in their 2004 report. However, depending which report one reads, this number can almost double to 10.1 million (Masoli et al 2003). This wide variation of prevalence maybe explained by the different studies and reports used to gather the data and differing inclusion criteria used. There is nevertheless agreement on the fact that the numbers of cases of asthma are increasing. Asthma UK (2004) reports a 400,000 increase in the number of adults with asthma in the UK between 2001 and 2004. The rising patterns of asthma prevalence however are not explained by current knowledge of causes of asthma, but are paralleled by increases in other allergic conditions such as eczema and rhinitis (Masoli et al 2003). There is currently no agreed definition of the disease. Widely documented in the literature however, is the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (1992) definition who describe it as, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways causing widespread but variable airflow obstruction†¦Obstruction is often reversible, either spontaneously or with treatment. The severity of the condition varies significantly (Rees and Kanabar 2000) from mild intermittent asthma, to a distressing disabling condition which results in time off work or school, disturbed sleep, restriction of social and leisure activities and anxiety (Hyland 1998). The main aim of asthma management is to control symptoms, minimise asthma exacerbations and optimise quality of life (Scullion 2005). As a student of the Acute Care Pathway Degree, one of the specific learning outcomes for my pathway is to be able to manage programmes of care for patients with chronic diseases (St Martins College 2006). Hyland (1998) states that the Advanced Nurse Practitioner has become a major provider of asthma care in the UK. Watkins, Edwards and Gastrell (2003) agree, and suggest that currently the management of long-term conditions, including asthma, are a core component of a Advanced Nurse Practitioners work. Therefore it is crucial that I have an understanding of this condition and be able to review patients effectively (Wiggins 1999) using evidence based guidelines, and to have the confidence to provide advice on the management of their condition. I aim to improve my understanding and asthma management skills through critically reviewing key issues of patient care as a case study. The key issues I intend to focus on relating to a specific patient are: Treatment of Asthma in the Emergency Department Patient education Patient concordance Initially this essay will examine my current practice in relation to asthma management through reflecting on my present level of knowledge and understanding, discussing the level of care I can provide for patients with asthma at the moment. I then intend to give a brief outline of the patient chosen for this study, explaining the reasons for that choice and the rationale behind the key issues highlighted for discussion. A critical review of the key issues will follow using up to date evidence based literature and considering relevant policies. The conclusion will summarise the main points, reflect on what I have learned from this module and consider ongoing learning requirements in relation to asthma management. Reflection on current practice At the time of writing I have so far completed 16 hours in practise, Therefore my first few days in practice were spent adjusting to this new and very different area of nursing. Nevertheless I have had the opportunity to observe my mentor assessing patients with asthma and recently have become more involved in the review of these patients, with supervision. Prior to starting the course I did feel I had some understanding of the disease process of asthma from working in the Emergency Department, albeit very fundamental, and some basic knowledge of the management. Some of this understanding comes from personal experience but also through my previous experience working in dermatology. Often patients presenting with atopic eczema would also be asthmatic, there is a well known link between these conditions (Hyland 1998). Some of the advice given in eczema management, for example allergen avoidance, will also be relevant in asthma management (Rees and Kanabar 2000). Using Benners (1984) novice to expert model I would classify myself at present as an advanced beginner. This is someone who has a marginally acceptable performance with some background experience but who still requires supervision. I feel this accurately describes my current ability in practice in relation to asthma management. With supervision I am able to undertake an assessment using a template for guidance, check medication usage, check symptoms and carry out peak flow assessment. However I still find the array of inhalers confusing and dont feel confident in interpreting the information gleaned during assessment into planned care within the time constraints of the clinic. When I have the time to reflect on the information and review the guidelines away from the patient I feel more confident. I need however to be able to make the transition from an advanced beginner to a competent practitioner, increasing my level of proficiency to no longer requiring supervision but being aware of my own limitations. I feel with more experience in practice and by working through this case study I should be able to achieve this. Rationale for choice of patient and key issues Rolfe, Freshwater and Jasper (2001) suggest that choosing an event or incident to reflect upon or analyse is concerned with anything that happens to us that we want to write about for some reason. It is the significance of the experience within our daily lives which helps us choose one experience over another. Having decided to focus on asthma as the topic for my case study, when I looked back at the patients I had seen with asthma, it was the above episode of care which held the most significance for me. Pharmacological management The aims of the pharmacological management of asthma are to control symptoms, prevent exacerbations and achieve the best possible lung function while minimising side-effects and long-term sequelae (Scullion 2005). National clinical guidelines developed in 2003 by the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) were produced in collaboration with, amongst others, Asthma UK and the Royal College of Physicians of London, and have more recently been updated in 2005. They are widely accepted as the Gold Standard of evidence-based asthma care for health care professionals working in the UK (Levy and Pearce 2004). Patient education and concordance The issues of education and concordance will be discussed together as they are inextricably interlinked. It is difficult for the health professional to achieve concordance with the patient without providing education about their disease and its management (Levy and Pearce 2004). It is estimated that one quarter of asthma patients in the UK have a compliance rate of 30% or less (Das Gupta and Guest 2003). The term compliance in health care has become less fashionable recently due to it implying that a patient is perhaps ineffectual and hasnt followed the health professionals instructions (Hyland 1998). Whereas in reality the reasons for non-compliance are complex (Holgate and Douglass 2006) and not necessarily the fault of the patient, for example, not being shown how to use their inhaler device properly (Carter et al 2005). Nevertheless non-compliance is thought to contribute to between 18% and 48% of asthma deaths (Asthma UK 2003). Concordance is the term used to describe a negotiat ed agreement between health professional and patient with regard to the management of their condition (BTS/SIGN 2005). However even when concordance seems to have been achieved a patient still may not adhere to the agreed plan of care for many reasons (Weller and Booker 2006). Ensuring patients are well informed about how their medication works has been shown to improve adherence and control (Boulet 1998). They need to be aware of the risks of taking and of not taking their medication (Levy and Pearce 2004). The latter is of particular concern in asthma in that persistent inflammation of the airways may lead to irreversible obstruction (Rees and Kanabar 2000). Written personalised asthma action plans have been shown to improve outcomes of care (BTS/SIGN 2005). They reinforce verbal education and set out for patients what to do if their symptoms worsen (Roberts 2002). Conclusion Asthma is a frequently seen chronic condition in the Emergency Department and one that Advanced Nurse Practitioners are expected to be involved in the management of (Hampson 2002). Therefore as am Acute Care Pathway Degree Student, I need to develop my knowledge and skills in this condition to enable me to provide a high standard of evidence-based care for patients. Throughout this essay I have endeavoured to demonstrate my understanding of asthma especially in relation to the pharmacological management and issues of education and concordance. These issues have been discussed and have shown to be interrelated; without achieving concordance, adherence to prescribed medication cannot be achieved and without patient education concordance cannot be realised. Although I have been unable to discuss all aspects of asthma management due to word limit constraints, my understanding of asthma medications and the use of the stepwise guidelines has increased significantly to the point where I now feel more confident in practice. More recently when seeing patients with asthma I have been able to visualise which step they are on which has helped me to decide whether they are on the correct medication in relation to the severity of their disease. Reviewing the issues of concordance and education has made me realise how important these aspects of management are; however the time needed to address these issues in practice often doesnt correlate to the time allowed for appointments. To enable me to become a competent practitioner in asthma management I need to consolidate the increased knowledge I have gained from writing this essay with more experience in practice. I need to increase my knowledge in areas not discussed in this essay, such as non-pharmacological management through self-directed study and perhaps consider further education through an accredited asthma diploma course, on completion of my degree course.

Proctor & Gamble Essay -- Business Management Analysis Essays

Proctor & Gamble   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Founded in 1837, Procter & Gamble is the #1 U.S. makers of household products and a recognized leader in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of a broad range of products including Crest toothpaste, Tide laundry detergent, Ivory soap, Pampers diapers, and Dawn liquid detergent. Procter & Gamble has operations in over 70 countries and employs over 100,000 people worldwide and markets to nearly five billion customers in over 140 countries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Procter & Gamble?s purpose or mission statement states exactly why Procter & Gamble is so driven in providing quality products and services to consumers all over the world. Procter & Gamble?s purpose is as follows: ?We will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world?s consumers. As a result, consumers will reward us with leadership sales, profit and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work to prosper www.pg.com/jobs/company_culture/purpose.jhtml.? Procter & Gamble?s company culture, think globally, act globally, focuses on a variety of core values: leadership, ownership, integrity, passion for winning, and trust. Procter & Gamble works well with the national cultures of Italy and Japan because Procter & Gamble thrives on diversity. Everyone at Procter & Gamble is united through Procter & Gamble?s values and goals. Procter & Gamble is such a giant in the household industry. The company sees diversity as advantage. Procter & Gamble?s diversity covers a broad range of characteristics, such as race, sex, personal, religion, cultural heritage, etc. Within the company, Procter & Gamble creates an advantage from their differences. Outside Procter & Gamble, the company is very sensitive to other national cultures because of their unique culture found within. Every company has its own unique culture. Most organizations don?t deliberately try and create a culture. The culture of an organization is created unconsciously, based on the values of top management. Procter & Gamble?s principles are derived from the company?s Purpose and Values. The core principles of the company are: ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We Show Respect for All Individuals ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Interests of the Company and the Individual are Inseparable ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are Strategically Focused in Our Work ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Innovation is th... ...octer & Gamble needs to institute changes that will help them become faster. A better public corporate image of Procter & Gamble could also raise awareness that Procter & Gamble is home to many household products, even those environmentally safe. The recent Dawn commercial is a great example. Dawn is used to clean off oil spill animal victims. The general public is not aware of many of the products Procter & Gamble market and produce. Better advertising would be beneficial. Procter & Gamble uses their diversity successfully as a global company. The people that work for them are their greatest asset. Procter & Gamble believes tat it is important to develop and support a diverse workplace. Now the company needs to broaden its corporate culture outside of the United States more than it has in the past for continues future success. References 1). www.cyborlink.com/besite/hofstede.htm 2). www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_italy.shtml 3). www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_japan.shtml 4) www.geert-hofestede.com/hofstede_united_states.shtml 5). www.pg.com/jobs/company_culture/core-values.jhtml 6). www.pg.com/jobs/company_culture/purpose.jhtml 7). www.uvt.nl/web/iric/hofstede.htm

Everything is not Always as it Seems :: essays papers

Everything is not Always as it Seems In the novel, Bel-Ami, Guy de Maupassant uses symbolism quite frequently. Many of the smallest details are completely enthralled with symbolism. Maupassant uses people, inanimate objects, and situations to portray some aspects of his life or simply of French society in general. On the surface, Bel-Ami is a great book, but deeper into the pages lies a whole different world. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines symbolism as the representation of things by use of symbols, especially in art or literature. This definition strikes me as a very vague description. Symbolism to me is a sort of art form. It is not a very difficult task to tell someone information in a straight forward manner, but it takes a lot of imagination and cleverness to utilize the art of symbolism. That is why I enjoyed Bel-Ami. Maupassant really has a great understanding of his views and how he wants to portray them. Take the fish on page 260, for an example (Maupassant 260). The fish represented society. When the wad of bread was thrown into them, the fish would do just about anything to get a piece of it. They fought amongst each other and then they moved away from DuRoy and Suzanne to the other end of the pond, much like Suzanne’s parents and society. This example was just to show the constant and effortless use of symbolism throughout the novel. The mirror is used quite often in Bel-Ami. It appears to us first on page 17 (Maupassant 17). DuRoy, in his ascend up the stairs at the Forestiers’, notices a strikingly handsome gentleman staring back at him. He is taken aback when he realizes the man is himself. DuRoy continues to stand in front of the mirror and admire himself for quite sometime before actually entering the Forestiers’ home. It is here in front of this shiny, beautiful, glimmering object, that we truly see ourselves. DuRoy tries out just about every gesture he might use at the party, just to see the effect of his appearance. According to the symbolism dictionary (http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/M/mirror.html), the mirror is the absolute truth and a reflection of ones soul. It does not lie to anyone. The mirror is also considered a distraction when looked upon for glamour reasons. People don’t have to deal with real life issues or problems in the mirror. Y ou can just simply admire yourself to take away all other thoughts that might be troubling at the time.

Medical expenses †deductibility in personal income taxation

Federal Income tax code specifies the generally deductible expenses in the personal taxation of an individual which include medical expenses, certain taxes, mortgage interest, investment interest and charitable contributions. These deductions mentioned in the chapter are known as itemized deductions. It has to be noted that any expenditures not specifically allowed as itemized deductions are not allowable against the personal income subject to tax. Medical expenses paid out by the taxable individual on himself, spouse and dependents are allowed as an itemized deduction. The additional points to be noted are that the deduction is allowed only to the extent to which the medical expenses are not reimbursed and the deduction is limited to 7.5% of the taxpayers Adjusted Gross Income. 1.0   DEFINITION OF MEDICAL EXPENSES The definition of medical expenses is very broad to cover not only the expenses incurred for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of the disease but also covers expenses incurred for preventive health cover and costs of periodic physical and dental examinations of the taxpayer. The important point here is that such deductions are allowed even when the taxpayer is in good health. Hence, such medical expenses incurred for the treatment of diseases affecting any structure or function of the body are termed as medical expenses for the purpose of assessing the income for tax purposes. 2.0   COSMETIC SURGERY-DEDUCTIBILITY Expenses incurred for Cosmetic Surgery are deductible when the surgery is necessary to ameliorate a deformity arising from a congenial abnormality or a personal injury or A disfiguring disease. Any medical expenses incurred on cosmetic surgery for purposes other than those which are unnecessary are not deductible. For example, fees paid to a cosmetic surgeon for a face lift of a person of 75 years age to improve his appearance is unnecessary and hence not deductible. But the cost of restoring the face by cosmetic surgery, which is disfigured in an accident, is deductible. 3.0   DEDUCTIBILITY OF CERTAIN OTHER EXPENSES 4.1 COSTS INCURRED IN A NURSING HOME/HOME FOR AGED When a person is admitted in a nursing home or home for the aged primarily to get medical care, then the expenses incurred for the nursing home expenses including meals and lodging are allowable as a deduction. However if the primary concern for being admitted to the nursing home or the home for aged is personal, only the expenses paid for medical or cursing is deductible, whereas, costs of lodging and meals are not deductible. 4.2 TUITION EXPENSES When a dependent is sent to a school having special resources for alleviating the infirmities caused by mental or physical disability, the tuition expenses paid to the school is an allowable deduction. In such cases, the cost of meals and lodging in addition to the tuition fees is allowable. 4.3 MEDICAL EXPENSES INCURRED FOR SPOUSE AND DEPENDENTS A taxpayer is entitled to claim the deduction in his adjusted gross income of the medical expenses incurred by him on his/her spouse and for a person who is dependent on him/her at the time such expenses were incurred. Again the dependency is to be determined on the basis of certain criteria as spelt out in the Act and the schedules. 4.4 EXPENSES INCURRED ON TRANSPORTATION, MEALS AND LODGING FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT Transportation costs like bus, taxi, train or plane fare, charges for ambulance services and out of pocket expenses for the use of an automobile for commuting to and from a point of treatment for medical care are deductible. The taxpayer is entitled to choose either a mileage allowance or actual out-of-pocket automobile expenses. Deduction is allowed for the related parking fees and toll charges, whereas the cost of meals, en route are not allowed as a deduction. Similarly the cost of transportation of a parent accompanying a sick child or a nurse or other attendant accompanying a person who is traveling to get medical care is allowable, provided it is so that the patient can not travel alone and needs an aid to accompany during the journey. The Lodging expenses which are incurred essentially for medical care, when the medical care is provided by a doctor in a licensed hospital or clinic are allowed as deduction. No lavish or extravagant lodging expenses involving significant element of personal pleasure recreation or vacation in the travel away from home is allowed as deduction. The limit for such lodging expenses eligible for deduction is $50 per night for the patient as well as the person who must accompany the patient. 4.5 ALLOWABILITY MEDICAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS AS DEDUCTION The maximum limit of 7.5 % of the adjusted gross income of the taxpayer allowable as deduction include the medical insurance premiums, irrespective of the fact that such premiums are paid under a group or individual plan. When the medical insurance premium is paid by the employer such premium is not included in the income of the taxpayer and it cannot be included in the employee’s medical expense either. Insurance premiums paid by a self employed person are allowed as a business income. The premium paid for the spouse and dependents also qualify for deduction. Premiums paid by companies on their employees health care is allowed as business expenditure for the companies concerned. 4.0   DEDCUTION OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES INCURRED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES When swimming is a part of a medical treatment and there is no availability of a neighborhood pool then the capital expenses incurred on constructing such pool will become eligible for deduction. Similarly a Window Air-conditioner which is not permanent in nature, dust elimination system, elevators and a room built to house an iron lung are some of the examples of allowable capital expenditure. The basic criteria in determining the allowability of such expenditure is that they are required as medical necessity upon the advice of a doctor or physician, the facility is used primarily by the patient alone and the expenditure is reasonable. Similarly expenditure like constructing entrance and exit ramps to the residence widening hallways and doorways to accommodate wheelchair, installing support bars and railings in bathrooms and other living rooms and adjusting any electrical outlets or fixtures offer themselves eligible for deduction provided that the expenditure is incurred to enable a physically handicapped individual live independently and productively. If a capital expenditure is allowed as a medical expense, then the allowable cost is deductible in the year incurred. All these expenses are allowed subject to the overall ceiling of 7.5% of the adjusted gross income. 5.0   DEDUCTION ARE ALLOWED ON A CASH BASIS Whatever be the method of accounting adopted by the individual, the medical expenses are deductible on a cash basis. This means that the are deductible only in the year in which they are paid with an exception in the case of deceased person, when the expenses are paid within a year of death then the expenses would be deemed to have paid at the time when they are incurred. Deduction is not allowed currently for any medical expenses that is going to be incurred in the future, subject of course to the exception that the taxpayer has an obligation to pay the fees in advance under the policy of the physician or the institution furnishing the medical care.                                                          Works Cited          â€Å"Hoffman, Smith, Wills – Individual income taxes 2007 Chapter 10 pp 10-2 to 10-8 West Federal Taxation (Thomson)         

Dance Essay

Jameisha Tucker Divine Purpose Dance Team 08. 01. 11. Co-Captain Admissions Essay The term captain is synonymous with the term leader. By definition, a leader is someone who is in an advanced position to take the initiative in order to go forth and show the way. A dance captain should be able to make intelligent and creative decisions quickly and efficiently. Being a dance team captain for the Mighty Marching Lions has so much more to do with choreography and precision. Because we are a part of a Christian marching band, our purpose and our duty to fulfill that purpose is ten times greater than that of a traditional marching band. Without God, we would not have this grand opportunity and because of that we have to do things differently than the world would. We as band members are all working towards a goal which is ministering and showing the world the power of youth through the will of God. A captain must be able to effectively communicate and build a positive relationship with the team. A good relationship between captain and team is essential to the success of the team. Without it, everyone may not be on one accord and to accomplish our goals we all have to look and think like one. Every team has there issues and there is always going to be a time when someone is upset with someone else. Although our actions and words may not always project to be what we intend them to be, there are always reasonable solutions that can be taken in order to avoid altercations. We are of God and therefore we need to try our best to always show the love of God. I believe that I do posses many qualities of a leader. I am always pushing and striving to be greater. There may be times where I do get a dance move right away but I go home and practice until I feel I have mastered that move. I enjoy the fitness that we do before practice because I want a stronger body so that I can be a better dancer. I have a very independent personality and it is only because I want to be the best Christian, dancer, and overall person that I can be. One of our dance tattoos is â€Å"NO COMPROMISE†. I do not ever want to compromise myself or my beliefs to fit it. A leader never â€Å"fits in†. I always try my best to follow instructions because I know that this dance team is not only for me, it is for the world. We have to show the world the light. In this band you have to become selfless and know that when you are performing it is so that we can reach the world and save lives. Although I am also a dancer on my school’s dance team I would still be very committed to Divine Purpose. My contributions to this dance team would be enthusiasm, hard work ethic, and dedication. I am very excited to be apart of this dance team. I have been apart from the very beginning. I remember our first performance at the WE Fest on that very small stage. We didn’t even have team T-shirts but we tried to dance our hearts out. Moments like those are ones I never want to forget. I cannot wait for the incoming dancers to begin so that our team can grow and flourish. Pastor Powe is always preaching on legacy and I want to be able to leave one for future dancers. Dance Essay Jameisha Tucker Divine Purpose Dance Team 08. 01. 11. Co-Captain Admissions Essay The term captain is synonymous with the term leader. By definition, a leader is someone who is in an advanced position to take the initiative in order to go forth and show the way. A dance captain should be able to make intelligent and creative decisions quickly and efficiently. Being a dance team captain for the Mighty Marching Lions has so much more to do with choreography and precision. Because we are a part of a Christian marching band, our purpose and our duty to fulfill that purpose is ten times greater than that of a traditional marching band. Without God, we would not have this grand opportunity and because of that we have to do things differently than the world would. We as band members are all working towards a goal which is ministering and showing the world the power of youth through the will of God. A captain must be able to effectively communicate and build a positive relationship with the team. A good relationship between captain and team is essential to the success of the team. Without it, everyone may not be on one accord and to accomplish our goals we all have to look and think like one. Every team has there issues and there is always going to be a time when someone is upset with someone else. Although our actions and words may not always project to be what we intend them to be, there are always reasonable solutions that can be taken in order to avoid altercations. We are of God and therefore we need to try our best to always show the love of God. I believe that I do posses many qualities of a leader. I am always pushing and striving to be greater. There may be times where I do get a dance move right away but I go home and practice until I feel I have mastered that move. I enjoy the fitness that we do before practice because I want a stronger body so that I can be a better dancer. I have a very independent personality and it is only because I want to be the best Christian, dancer, and overall person that I can be. One of our dance tattoos is â€Å"NO COMPROMISE†. I do not ever want to compromise myself or my beliefs to fit it. A leader never â€Å"fits in†. I always try my best to follow instructions because I know that this dance team is not only for me, it is for the world. We have to show the world the light. In this band you have to become selfless and know that when you are performing it is so that we can reach the world and save lives. Although I am also a dancer on my school’s dance team I would still be very committed to Divine Purpose. My contributions to this dance team would be enthusiasm, hard work ethic, and dedication. I am very excited to be apart of this dance team. I have been apart from the very beginning. I remember our first performance at the WE Fest on that very small stage. We didn’t even have team T-shirts but we tried to dance our hearts out. Moments like those are ones I never want to forget. I cannot wait for the incoming dancers to begin so that our team can grow and flourish. Pastor Powe is always preaching on legacy and I want to be able to leave one for future dancers.

Austin Hill Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Austin Hill Project - Essay Example On the other hand, through Matt interview we are able to understand the success of the project as a product of his ability to distill the shifting diagram from the previous design meeting in which people the idea and the dream of the project. The success of the project can also be understood from the Llene Kleinsorge interview based on his viewpoint. Right from what the first question that needed the chronology of how the Austin Hall came to being, his response and explanation sets a clear precedent on the possibility of success as it was based on a proactive plan and ensuring every necessary material needed was put into place that even captured a lot of donations and contributions from other outside stakeholders. He pointed out on the need to include the fireplace within the building advancement further to explain how people were ready and willingly contributed towards the project based on the fact that they were able to provide effective leadership based on effective communication to convey every significant information to the stakeholders while at the same time embracing proactive management style to every stakeholder of the project. Llene interview also revealed the success of the project as fully to have been embedd ed on higher degree of prioritizing amongst the actions to be executed and at what particular time. The project has presented a lot of valuable success based on how it is designed to being the Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification. With the inclusion of the professional meeting rooms, events space and a behavioral research center particularly for the business community, the project is thumped as the most successful. The project has also led to a prominent career success Center that assist the learners to acquire internships jobs as well as interviews. The ability to connect the facility to the Beth Ray Center for Academic Support has help map the institution as

PERSONALITY THEORY (PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH PAPER) Essay

PERSONALITY THEORY (PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH PAPER) - Essay Example Jung was very influential and changed the way many people thought of psychology in his time, adding a certain mystical or spiritual dimension to some of Freud’s basic categories. And, like Freud, Jung has remained a respected part of the field of psychology, even in today’s modern world. According to Jung’s theories, life’s primary goal is to achieve self-realization, or a harmonious blending of the many components and forces within the psyche. â€Å"Although self-realization is never completely achieved, approximating it involves a†¦ journey of self-discovery† (Hergenhahn and Olson, 2003). The analyst’s role, then, in this situation is to help the client through a sectional modality to find as much self-discovery and self-realization as possible within the parameters of the interview setting, or to present this modality in terms of analysis. reacted to as if they belong to another object or person† (Scharf, 2004). The individuation process was also seen by Jung to be potentially induced by trying to make a connection in the individual between their conscious and unconscious self/selves, through analysis and deliberate action. Jung favored this form of coaxing out the individuation process in an analytical setting. Obviously, the individuation process does not occur during early childhood, and is seen by most to have its roots in the second half of an individual’s adult life. â€Å"Perhaps Jung’s most original contribution is that of the collective unconscious and archetypal patterns and images that arise from it† (Scharf, 2004). Jung was also somewhat strict about the individuation process being facilitated only by his own methods and descriptions, and was distrustful of other methods such as yoga or other eastern paradigms of awareness and enlightenment as being legitimate. The goal of the individuation process

PERSONALITY TRAIT THAT BEST FITS MY LIFE Term Paper - 1

PERSONALITY TRAIT THAT BEST FITS MY LIFE - Term Paper Example This branch of psychology is termed the most ambitious since personalities are all unique. Although unique, there are patterns that have been unlocked by some of the world’s best psychologists. There are even a lot of personality tests that have been invented to promote personality determination. One of the most famous ways of determining personalities is by determining one’s personality traits. Traits, according to this theory, are continuous dimensions of a person, unlike typologies, which are static. Apart from that, the trait theories of personality assume that people have traits that can vary through time, and they are also dependent on a number of personality scales. And unlike other approaches like the humanistic and psychoanalytic ones, trait approach uses differences in personality as basis in determining the specific typologies of a person. The Five-Factor Model theory is one of the most popular forms of determining personality using the personality traits. This theory is based on Eysenck’s Three Dimensions on Personality and Catell’s Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. The former was dismissed as being too short, with only three factors of personality listed in the personality scale. The latter was dismissed because it was too detailed, starting with over 4000 personality traits. It was narrowed down to 16 traits after factorial analysis of the traits as this proved to be the most common and defining traits of an individual. Since the two personality tests either too few or too descriptive, the Five-Factor Model was made. A combination of both Eysenck’s and Cattell’s questionnaires, the Five-Factor Model is considered to be one of the most reliable tests in defining personality. It represents the five core traits that form one’s individuality. The five core traits are: Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness.

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Terrorism - Essay Example The first component is use of violence or involvement of threat. Albeit the modern world has recorded the emergence of cyberterrorism where information and communication systems would be employed, physical violence remains a definitive feature of terrorism. Secondly, the violence should be quest for social or political objective. Finally, terrorism would not be aimed at any particular individual since the aim would be to cause psychological harm beyond the immediate objects or victims of the attack. This randomness aims at creating fear. Thus, a useful definition would outline terrorism as random use of violence or threats by an organized group in pursuance of political or social objectives. Examples of groupings that have met these features and thus considered as terrorists include Al-Qaeda, the Irish Republican Army, IRA and Aum Shinrikyo. There are various reasons that would cause a group to launch a terrorist attack. Political motivations have been reported over years. The traditional Irish Republican Army gives an appropriate example of a terrorist group with modest political objectives which fought what it considered as outside domination. Theirs involved small scale bomb attacks resulting into dozens of casualties to attract the attention of the world but not to a large extent alienate members of their community. Internationally, the dominance of few nations having massive political, economic and military power encourages acts of terrorism. Giving an example of Al-Qaeda, Shimko (299) argues on social and political goals motivated by specific forms of religious fundamentalism as probable causes of terrorism. The surges in terrorists that are religiously motivated have been on the increase since 1991. By 1995, they comprised more than half the recognized active international terrorist groups. The magnitude of the September 11 US terrorist attacks makes it unique. Considering it as war would limit action against perpetrators to military action thus the

The Healing Activity of Jesus and The Ministry of the Church Today Essay

The Healing Activity of Jesus and The Ministry of the Church Today - Essay Example His healing actions were central to His ministry as the Messiah who has come to preach the good news to the poor of the Yahweh. The cardinal principle of Jesus' mission is its stubborn option for the poor and the marginalized and the role of the healing action of Christ is an unequivocal proclamation that the people whom the society considers as the scum of the earth are the children of God in a special way. Since the Church is the continuation of Jesus in the world today, it is necessary for the Church to model its mission after the manner of Jesus and His disciples and missionaries, who provide us the benchmark of missionary conduct. Jesus has a proclaimed bias for the poor, marginalized, outcasts, handicapped, helpless and sinners. Jesus' basic identity was with those who were excluded from mainstream social class, who boasted about their pedigree and righteousness. (The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Mat.9.11, Mk.2.16, Lk.5.13). The derogatory remark about Jesus by the Jews highlights this identity chosen consciously by Jesus: a friend of the tax collectors and sinners (Mat.11.19). In the words of Martin Percy these friends of Jesus were those, who dwelt outside the periphery of the over- righteous Jewish society, the politically, socially and religiously disadvantaged (p.28). The main focus of Jesus' ministry was directed to the poor, the oppressed, the excluded and the helpless. The then Jewish society had a system of societal exclusions based on their self-righteous attitude as the chosen people of God. In the Jewish brag as the chosen people of God they forgot the fact that God has many chosen peoples. Social classes like the Samaritans were the outcasts, the presence of the sick like the lepers violated their ritualistic standards of cleanliness, tax collectors were branded bad because of their profession and the congenital handicaps like blindness were blindly accepted as the results of the sins of their ancestors. Though healing actions of Jesus is traditionally considered as faith revelations, the Jesus' Messianic mission of the societal inclusion of the marginalized is also inherent in them. This healing touch is a gratuitous gesture extended to all the deprived who came to Him, irrespective of race or religion. (Percy 30). Jesus achieves the empowerment of the marginalized by his own voluntary disempowerment, the culmination of which is the helpless nailed condition on the cross. In the active ministry Jesus demonstrates it by His spontaneous association with all classes of people whom the Jews considered outcastes. So there is dining with tax collectors, moving in the company of women of immoral history and blatant violation of Jewish rules of social segregation by asking the Samaritan woman water to drink. The choice of the ignorant fish folk as His disciples to carry on His mission, in itself is a symbol of the unique nature of Gods' work often achieved by using human beings, who in our judgment is least suited for the task. However, history has shown that the pack of ignorant fish folk under the leadership of the impetus Peter achieved what several divisions of grand armies of historical civilizations could not achieve. According to Martin Percy: This view would not have been strange to the Early Church fathers, whose

Literacy Essay Essay Example for Free

Literacy Essay Essay For as long as I can remember literature has always played an important role in my life. As a young child, I can remember how excited I’d be at story time each night before bed. My interest in literature carried on throughout my school years from kindergarten when I was placed in the red bird group, which was the group of strongest readers†¦. to high school†¦when I had the benefit of being taught by one of the best English teachers ever, Ms. Irena King. Now as an adult and professional, I am very appreciative of the literary foundation that was laid for me by my family and my teachers. I understand how important literacy is in everyday life. First, as a young child, literacy played a very important role in my life even before I could read. I was always fond of books of all kinds. Coloring books, magazines, and picture books†¦I loved them all. I remember each trip to the grocery store; I would always get a new Little Golden Book. I absolutely had to have the entire collection and would want them read to me each night before bed. My favorite of this collection was The Gingerbread Man. I would sit for hours and look at the pictures. My mother would often encourage me to keep an interest in books. She always kept a subscription of Highlights Magazine for me and I would watch the mail each day in hopes that a new issue had arrived. As I grew older, my love for books did not change, but the type of books I wanted did. I had the largest collection of Sweet Valley High books and was a faithful subscriber to Fresh Magazine. I think that these are some of my fondest memories from my childhood, and I am so appreciative of my familys support of my passion for reading. Next, my interest for literature carried on from my early years to my school years. This was very evident when I started kindergarten. I vividly remember there were different groups within our kindergarten class.

Dividend Payout in Consumer Product Industry, Malaysia

Dividend Payout in Consumer Product Industry, Malaysia 2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT There is a large volume of work in the area of dividend payout policy across many developed countries (Gugler, 2003; Kallapur, 2004; Ferris et al., 2006; Denis and Osobov, 2008; Eije and Megginson, 2008; Engsted and Pedersen, 2010). However, less work has been done in developing countries and researchers have started to study the dividend policy, as well as the behaviour of the company within the countries (Pandey, 2003). In addition, studies that examine the dividend payout policy focus more on the general category (Kallapur, 2004; Denis and Osobov, 2008; Eije and Megginson, 2008). Limited work has been done in category based on industrial grouping (Ferris et al., 2006). As such, my study seeks to address the gap in literature review and thereby stresses on the dividend payout, in term of ratio and pattern of companies within the consumer products industry in Malaysia. 2.1 RESEARCH QUESTION What is the trend of dividend payout in companies within consumer products industry in Malaysia? 2.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To identify the dividend payout ratio of the consumer products industry in Malaysia and its changes across years. To determine the percentage of companies paying dividend in the consumer products industry in Malaysia. To determine the dividend payout pattern of companies within the consumer products industry in Malaysia. To identify if there is a difference of dividend payout ratio within the consumer products industry in Malaysia. 3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW (GAPS FILLED) There is vast literature in the area of dividend payout policy across countries including US (Gugler, 2003; Denis and Osobov, 2008; Eije and Megginson, 2008) and non-US such as EU countries (Eije and Megginson, 2008; Denis and Osobov, 2008; Engsted and Pedersen, 2010), Japan (Ferris et al., 2006; Denis and Osobov, 2008) and Taiwan (Kallapur, 2004). The finding shows that payout policy undergoes changes and fluctuates across year, especially in the recent year of 1992 to 2004 (Renneboog and Trojanowski, 2010). According to Kallapur (2004), many studies agree that dividend payout ratio is a signal indicating the firms future growth. Firms pay attention to the consistency of dividend payout as studies show that investors put premium on the firms with stable payout policy and firms are reluctant to cut dividend (Gugler, 2003). Besides, a study by Ferris et al. (2006) shows that firm with negative earning (negative growth) in UK is less likely to pay dividend. This is consistent with the finding that dividend payout ratio is related to the firms growth. Study by Gugler (2003) reports that large firms with good investment opportunity in US are less likely to pay high dividend to the investors. However, their payout is relatively more stable and they are rarely cut down on the dividend (Allen and Michaely, 1995). Besides, study by Eije and Megginson (2008) shows that younger companies in EU are less likely to pay dividend and the payout is less than those older companies. According to Eije and Megginson (2008), dividend payout ratio has increased over years. They also report that the payout ratio in US has increased from year 1970 to year 2001, and the total dividend paid is increasing among firms in EU countries. From previous studies, Ferris et al. (2006) and Eije and Megginson (2008), find that the number of firms paying dividend in US is decreasing despite the increasing of dividend payout ratio across years. Eije and Megginson (2008) also report the same finding in EU firms and suggest that the dividend payout policies are quite similar between the two. According to Denis and Osobov (2008), the decreasing trend is driven by the failure of new listed firms to initiate payout when they are expected to do so. However, there is a contrast finding from the studies done in Taiwan and Japan. Study from Kallapur (2004) shows that dividend paying firms in Taiwan has actually increased since year 2000, while Ferris et al. (2006) reports that the percentage of firms paying dividend in Japan remains highly stable. Ferris et al. (2006) also suggests that the decreasing trend does not seem to affect Japanese firms. This is an interesting area that worth for study, especially in developing country such as Malaysia. Horngren et al. (2008) notes that dividend payout ratio different across industries and it is commonly used to compare companies in the same industry. However, there is limited work done specifically within an industry (Ferris et al., 2006). According to International Business Center (2010), consumer products industry plays a major role in the world economy as it acts as a driver for other industries. Besides, it reports that consumer products industry contributes to the two-thirds of the world trade volume and accounts for significant portion of the gross domestic product (GDP) in many countries. As such, my study would stress on the dividend payout, in term of the ratio and pattern, of consumer products industry in Malaysia. 4.0 METHODOLOGY The methodology that will be applied has been chosen in order to obtain data and compare the dividend payout, in terms of ratio and pattern, within consumer products industry in Malaysia. 4.1 DATA COLLECTION For the purpose of this study, data will be collected using the secondary source. Annual report of respective company will be obtained from the link given in the Bursa Malaysia website. 4.2 SAMPLING FRAME The sampling frame for this study would be the public listed companies in Malaysia. The list can be obtained from Bursa Malaysia or The Star website. 4.3 SAMPLING STRATEGY For the purpose of this study, non probability purposive sampling is selected. As the study only focus on one industry, and 5 years data is assumed to show a general trend of the dividend payout, thus the sample chosen need to meet the following criteria, Companies that fall under the consumer products industry. Companies with at least 5 years of annual report available on the company website. By searching through the companies website, only 89 out of 142 companies in consumer products industry fulfill the mentioned above criteria (as in Appendix 2). 4.4 DATA ANALYSIS In this study, hybrid method (both quantitative and qualitative) will be used to analyze the data. Generally, it can be divided into 3 parts as following, For dividend payout ratio, percentage of firms paying dividend and the percentage of company using certain payout pattern, SPSS (descriptive statistic) will be used. To determine if there is a difference of dividend payout ratio among companies within the industry, SPSS (One-Sample T-Test) can be carried out as the sample size is more than 30. Yearly dividend payout ratio obtained from a) will be used as the test value in SPSS. To determine the trend of dividend payout, in term of ratio and pattern across years, qualitative method will be used as it involves more on the interpretation of data. 4.5 ROLE OF THEORY In this study, the role of theory would be theory generation. It involves the new finding of dividend payout ratio, as well as the payout pattern among companies within the consumer products industry in Malaysia. 5.0 CONTRIBUTION EXPECTED It is intended that the finding of this study will give a clearer picture of the dividend payout in consumer products industry as it is the major contributor to the countrys economic. Besides, it can be used by potential investors that desire a certain cash flow (dividend) instead of incurring transaction cost from periodically selling shares of stock. Last but not least, it seeks to provide a better understanding for Chief Financial Officer (CFO) towards the dividend payout ratio and its pattern within the consumer products industry in Malaysia. 6.0 SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES Due to time constraint and limited information that is available on the website, only 5 years of annual report is obtained for this study. Thus, it is suggested that a longer time series of data, for example 10 years should be taken in future to provide a better understanding of the dividend payout in Malaysia. Besides, future researchers can study on other industries and ultimately compare the dividend payout ratio and its pattern across all industries in Malaysia.

Fasting and The Eucharist: Catholic Participation in the Sacrifice of C

Fasting and The Eucharist: Catholic Participation in the Sacrifice of Christ Christ, as the ultimate sacrifice in Christianity, gave his own life for the benefit of others. His self-sacrifice continues to this day to be celebrated in the Catholic Mass. Through communion, or receiving the Eucharist, one is able to actively partake of the fruits of that sacrifice. But how does one follow Jesus’ example? One surely cannot strive for the same kind of physical death that Jesus experienced. Thus, practice of another form of self-sacrifice becomes necessary. To eat, to nourish one’s self is an act that is essential for human life. What could cause more pain in this life than to deny one’s self sustenance? The practice of fasting, as one form of self-denial, can serve to bring one closer to identifying with the sacrifice of Christ. This is especially evident when fasting is examined in relation to the Eucharist in the Catholic tradition. But before we continue, a distinction must be made between two different types of self-denial. To fast, and to not eat do not constitute the same act. My own personal experience while exploring the topic of fasting has deeply colored my view of the practice of fasting. Many personal interests led me to pursue the question of fasting as a form of self-sacrifice. One was my personal engagement with and interest in the Roman Catholic tradition. Another, much more personal influence is my personal relationship with food. To stop eating is one of the (unhealthy ways) in which I personally deal with stress or depression. In reading Caroline Bynum’s book on the relationship medieval women mystics had with food I was able to identify on many levels. These women, in some cases, lived for... ...5 At the request of my friend, her name has been changed, in case her mother really does have spies everywhere. 16 Nussbaum, Melissa. â€Å"Your paper on fasting.† Email to Lorena Dremel. 03/06/2003 17 Dugan, Kathleen M. â€Å"Fasting For Life: The Place of Fasting in the Christian Tradition.† Journal of the American Academy of Religion. Vol. 63 Issue 3 (Fall 1995): 547 18 Repohl, Roger F. â€Å"Hungry Together.† Commonweal. Vol. 124 Issue 3 (02/14/1997): 9-10 19 Several articles including: Orsy, Ladislas. â€Å"Holy Days of Obligation? Holidays of Celebration?† America. Vol. 166 Issue 2 (01/18/1992-01/25/1992): 28-29. Rogers, Carole Garibaldi. â€Å"Why Catholics Fast: Searching for the Tradition.† America. Vol. 186 Issue 6 (02/25/2002): 6-10. Sherry, Mary. â€Å"Fasting? But That’s So Mortifying.† America. Vol. 186 Issue 7 (03/04/2002): 21-22. Fasting and The Eucharist: Catholic Participation in the Sacrifice of C Fasting and The Eucharist: Catholic Participation in the Sacrifice of Christ Christ, as the ultimate sacrifice in Christianity, gave his own life for the benefit of others. His self-sacrifice continues to this day to be celebrated in the Catholic Mass. Through communion, or receiving the Eucharist, one is able to actively partake of the fruits of that sacrifice. But how does one follow Jesus’ example? One surely cannot strive for the same kind of physical death that Jesus experienced. Thus, practice of another form of self-sacrifice becomes necessary. To eat, to nourish one’s self is an act that is essential for human life. What could cause more pain in this life than to deny one’s self sustenance? The practice of fasting, as one form of self-denial, can serve to bring one closer to identifying with the sacrifice of Christ. This is especially evident when fasting is examined in relation to the Eucharist in the Catholic tradition. But before we continue, a distinction must be made between two different types of self-denial. To fast, and to not eat do not constitute the same act. My own personal experience while exploring the topic of fasting has deeply colored my view of the practice of fasting. Many personal interests led me to pursue the question of fasting as a form of self-sacrifice. One was my personal engagement with and interest in the Roman Catholic tradition. Another, much more personal influence is my personal relationship with food. To stop eating is one of the (unhealthy ways) in which I personally deal with stress or depression. In reading Caroline Bynum’s book on the relationship medieval women mystics had with food I was able to identify on many levels. These women, in some cases, lived for... ...5 At the request of my friend, her name has been changed, in case her mother really does have spies everywhere. 16 Nussbaum, Melissa. â€Å"Your paper on fasting.† Email to Lorena Dremel. 03/06/2003 17 Dugan, Kathleen M. â€Å"Fasting For Life: The Place of Fasting in the Christian Tradition.† Journal of the American Academy of Religion. Vol. 63 Issue 3 (Fall 1995): 547 18 Repohl, Roger F. â€Å"Hungry Together.† Commonweal. Vol. 124 Issue 3 (02/14/1997): 9-10 19 Several articles including: Orsy, Ladislas. â€Å"Holy Days of Obligation? Holidays of Celebration?† America. Vol. 166 Issue 2 (01/18/1992-01/25/1992): 28-29. Rogers, Carole Garibaldi. â€Å"Why Catholics Fast: Searching for the Tradition.† America. Vol. 186 Issue 6 (02/25/2002): 6-10. Sherry, Mary. â€Å"Fasting? But That’s So Mortifying.† America. Vol. 186 Issue 7 (03/04/2002): 21-22.