Heart Healthy Information Security Policy Essay

Due to personnel, policy and system changes, and audits, Heart Healthy has voluntarily updated their information security policy to be in-line with the current information security laws and regulations. Currently Heart-Healthy Insurance, a large insurance company, plans to review and provide recommendations for an updated information security policy in the area ‘s of: 1. Current New Users Policy – The current new user section of the policy states: â€Å"New users are assigned access based on the content of an access request. The submitter must sign the request and indicate which systems the new user will need access to and what level of access will be needed. A manager’s approval is required to grant administrator access.†(Heart-Healthy Insurance Information Security Policy) 2. Current Password Requirements – The current password requirements section of the policy states: â€Å"Passwords must be at least eight characters long and contain a combination of upper- and lowercase letters. Shared passwords are not permitted on any system that contains patient information. When resetting a password, users cannot reuse any of the previous six passwords that were used. Users entering an incorrect password more than three times will be locked out for at least 15 minutes before the password can be reset.†(Heart-Healthy Insurance Information Security Policy) Heart Healthy Insurance Information Security Policy and Update Proposed User Access Policy The purpose of the User Access Policy is to provide access to Heart-Healthy’s network infrastructure and to ensure appropriate access to all of Heart-Healthy’s information resources. The purpose of Heart-Healthy’s â€Å"Network Access Policy† is to establish the appropriate level of user access to Heart-Healthy’s network infrastructure. Heart-Healthy’s network access rules are necessary in order to preserve the confidentiality, Integrity and availability of Heart-Healthy’s proprietary information. Heart-Healthy’s Information Security Office will be responsible for management and administration of Heart-Healthy’s information security function(s). Heart-Healthy’s Information Security Office will be the chief point of contact for any and all security related functions. User Access Policy * Heart-Healthy users will be permitted access based on the principle of least privileges’ * Remote access or dial-in-services will be requested by Manager level positions and up, and approved by the Information Security Department. * End users are not allowed to re-transmit or extend any of Heart-Healthy’s network services. E.g. users will not attach hubs, switches, firewalls, access points to Heart-Healthy’s network without prior written authorization. * Users are not allowed to install any additional hardware or software without the express written consent from the Heart-Healthy information technology department. * All Heart-Healthy computer systems will conform to agency standards * End users are not allowed to download, install or run any programs that could potentially reveal or undermine Heart-Healthy’s in-place security system, e.g. packet sniffers, password crackers or network mapping tools are strictly forbidden. All Heart-Healthy employees, 3rd party contractors are responsible for managing their information resources and will be held accountable for any information security violations or infractions Current Password Policies and Requirements â€Å"Passwords must be at least eight characters long and contain a combination of upper- and lowercase letters. Shared passwords are not permitted on any system that contains patient information. When resetting a password, users cannot reuse any of the previous six passwords that were used. Users entering an incorrect password more than three times will be locked out for at least 15 minutes before the password can be reset†(Heart-Healthy Insurance Group Information Security Policy). NIST Special Publication 800-63 The stronger the password, the more likely that password guessing and cracking will be deterred. The combination of the password and the complexity directly lead to its unpredictability. With 8 character complex passwords, with current GPU processing power a password can be broken in less than 26 days by exhausting all possible combinations. Proposed Password Guidelines * Passwords should be a minimum of 14 characters * Passwords based on dictionary words are prohibited * Passwords based on pet names, biographical information, children’s names, no names of relatives * Passwords must consist of a mixture of uppercase, lowercase, and a special character * System will remember last 12 passwords * If passwords are written down, they must be kept in a safe place, e.g. a wallet, or a safe. Passwords are not be be written down and tape to the bottom of the keyboard, stuck to the computer monitor with a sticky note, or put in an unlocked desk drawer. * All passwords will be changed every 90 days Proposed Password Policy Heart-Healthy password policy guideline is a recommendation for creating a new user password. This policy is a guideline to help end users in: * Choosing and creating a strong password * Ensure that passwords are highly resistant to brute force attacks and password guessing * Recommendations on how users should handle and store their passwords safely * Recommendations on lost or stolen passwords Password expiration * Password expiration will serve 2 specific purposes: * Password expiration will limit the time crackers have to either guess, or brute force a password. * If a password has been compromised, the password expiration will help to limit the time the cracker / hacker has access to Heart-Healthy’s internal networking system. Heart-Healthy has embarked on a path to bring their information security posture regarding â€Å"Password Requirements† and â€Å"New Users† up-to-date. Heart-Healthy has used NIST (National Institute of Standards) and HIPAA ( Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act) regulations in order to achieve their goal of providing the CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, Authorization) triad for information security. The federal government has implemented a number of laws and regulations that pertain to the handling, reviewing and compliance assurance of private or confidential data. With respect to NIST, and HIPAA; although they do not specifically outline the methods in these documents, Heart-Healthy is obligated to make an attempt to implement reasonable standards in order to meet the current legal obligations outlined by these laws and regulations. Heart-Healthy will focus on three main categories for their security posture: Physical, Technical, Administrative, * Physical Security – Heart-Healthy has designed their physical security around protecting computer systems that store confidential data. * Technical Security – Heart-Healthy has implemented software and security safeguards designed specifically to ensure access is controlled, and the integrity and the authentication of the stored data remains intact. * Administrative Security – Heart-Healthy’s administrative security ensures that Heart-Healthy procedures, standards, security measures, and organizational policies are implemented by qualified personnel. The HIPAA Security Rule The HIPAA Security Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals’ electronic personal health information (ePHI) that is created, received, used, or maintained by a covered entity. The Security Rule requires appropriate administrative, physical and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of electronic protected health information (HSS.gov ). NIST ensures that the CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) of any electronic personal health information (EPHI) information that is maintained, received or transmitted is protected from potential threats and hazards that could potentially affect the integrity of the ePHI information. NIST also provides protection against the accidental or intentional exposure of private information. Heart-Healthy understands that information security means protecting their information from unauthorized disclosure, access and any disruptions. Heart-Healthy understands the difference in protecting their sensitive data lies primarily in their approach. Heart-Healthy has taken precautions to prevent accidental or intentional exposure to electronic private health information. Heart-Healthy feels confident that these policies put forth will help eliminate unauthorized access to Heart-Healthy’s information systems. Heart-Healthy’s technical security policies will help ensure that end users are responsible for their information. Technical policies will also serve to protect end users from accidental exposure by providing adequate protection to end users passwords and confidential data. Heart-Healthy will provide annual training on their new policies, in order to ensure end users are aware of security risks and that end users will ultimately be accountable for their personal security awareness. Heart-Healthy personnel will ultimately be responsible for the management of their information resources and will be held accountable for their actions in relation to their information security. All access to Heart-Healthy information resources are for authorized business purposes only. Heart-Healthy will not provide access to or guarantee access to email, web browsing. Heart-Healthy will monitor all electronic communications that might be needed in order to fulfill a complaint or any investigatory requirements. Heart-Healthy understands that if any confidential information is breached or falls into the hands of a competitor or a hacker that the consequences could be devastating. References mailchip.com. (2012). 3 Billion Passwords Per Second. Are Complex Passwords Enough Anymore?. Retrieved from http://blog.mailchimp.com/3-billion-passwords-per-second-are-complex-passwords-enough-anymore/ nist.gov. (2011). NIST Policy on Information Technology Resources Access and Use. Retrieved from http://www.nist.gov/director/oism/itsd/policy_accnuse.cfm hss.gov. (). Health Information Privacy. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/index.html hss.gov. (). Health Information Privacy. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/securityrule/index.html nist.gov. (). Guide to Enterprise Password Management. Retrieved from http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts/800-118/draft-sp800-118.pdf

Ageing Theory Essay

P4: In this assignment I will be explaining two theories which are the disengagement theory and the activity theory. Disengagement theory The disengagement theory suggests when people reach old age, they tend to naturally withdraw themselves from society and social involvement, elderly folk will also reduce their physical activity due to complications with poor health as they grow old. This among other reasons will result in restricted opportunities to interact with others and forms an individual mentality/approach to life due to becoming less concerned with the expectation of others/withdrawal. In 1975 Cumming argued that â€Å"it was appropriate and healthy for older people to withdraw from others† because it was deemed a natural part of the ageing process. The disengagement theory states that older people start to withdraw themselves from society and others because of their bodily issues i.e. hearing loss, loss of vision and reduction in physical movement. These complications can cause an older persons health to deteriorate which results in the loss of communication with others and withdrawal from society along with social interaction. Retirement can also be a contributing factor for elderly people not to be involved as much due to the inevitability that they will lose touch with their ex colleagues and friends. Older people may also have family that live far away therefore, they may not be able to travel much due to not having access to a car or even have access to technology such as the internet. This restricts the opportunity for social contact and leads to further disengagement due to being isolated from the new generation’s facilities. However, critics point out that disengagement can be discredited for a number of reasons. The majority of older people do remain socially involved with family and friends and many older people become more involved with close family as they become older. It may be that many older people choose to spend the time they have remaining with people they feel close to, rather than seeking to make new friends. If people only interact with close friends does this mean they are disengaged? It is also important to remember disengagement can often be enforced, rather than voluntary. For example, people who need to move to a nursing home experience restrictions on their social circle as well as limitations on their friends, this can result in fewer connections as friends die and depression/isolation occurs due to  inability to change the situation they are in. This is why many people don’t agree with the disengagement theory. Activity theory The activity theory suggests that older people need to disengage, but that they also need to remain â€Å"active† in order to limit the risks associated with disengagement i.e. stagnation, loss of mental and physical skills. Being mentally and physically active is viewed as being very important because it can improve mental and physical health in later life. The general ideology of the activity theory is the more you do, the better you will age. People who maintain an interest in life and continue to be engaged with family and friends tend to be healthier, happier and more in touch with what is going on around them. However, it is not sufficient merely to provide facilities for elderly people. They need to be educated to make use of them and encouraged to engage in a full day of activities, this will result in a high level of productivity and in theory slow down the ageing process. Furthermore, the activity theory can be argued against to some degree because it doesn’t remain true. It is somewhat difficult to suggest just being busy will help greatly with ageing. Therefore, a heightened level of activity is needed, but it needs to be engaging and fulfilling, rather than just busy work/stimulation. As people get older, nerve cells in the brain get weaker which results in memory loss, in order to prevent this from happening old people choose to be mentally active by taking courses and getting involved in studies, and physically active by going on walks, the gym even swimming. To conclude this theory implies by truly engaging ourselves in later life with purpose it can make us live longer. Overall I think it is best to stay active for as long as you can, it means a better social life and a healthy body and mind. It may even increase your life expectancy. I feel disengagement from society and social interaction would have serious consequences and would result in life expectancy being decreased. However, people may be forced in to disengagement through injury or onset of disease/disability. M2: I will be discussing the disengagement and active theories in relation to the individual I have chosen. Disengagement theory in relation to Barrack Obama When Barack Obama reaches old age, he may go through disengagement. This would include a withdrawal from society and social interaction. This may be caused by various factors as the ageing process begins to start and his physical and mental state declines. Obama may distance himself from family and friends which would restrict his opportunities, this is because older people tend to disengage themselves totally and chose not to be involved in social activities/interaction. Therefore, Obama could develop an individual approach and become stuck with this mentality which would result in isolation as he becomes less concerned with the expectations of others. A number of factors can contribute to Obama becoming further disengaged such as retirement. Due to the amount of stress and responsibilities he has had to deal with for a long period of time, he may feel a time out is required. This will inevitably mean the loss of friends and ex colleagues. Another factor could be the deterioration of his health for example, his eye sight, hearing and physical movement may all contribute to him socially disengaging. This would cause further complications and would also restrict Obama from travelling. The realization of death would then begin to linger while he considers the amount of time he has remaining. Furthermore, mental aspects may also occur due to contemplating his previous decisions he made while in power which could have a detrimental effect and may result in him developing depression. This will no doubt result in him no longer wanting his picture taken, and health services being required in order to help him cope with the situation he is in (mentally unstable maybe even forced disengagement). The mutual relationship he once had with society would then begin to evaporate as the disengagement process is completed. Activity theory in relation to Barrack Obama However, if Obama chooses to remain active, he will be more likely to overcome the negative factors that social disengagement causes. If Obama retires after his term as president of the United States, he could continue to work for the America government by being part of international relations. Therefore, he would continue to travel and have his photograph taken due to being an ambassador for his nation. This would mean he will maintain a heighted level of activity that would be engaging, fulfilling, and stimulate  his brain which would delay the aging process and in theory prolong any health issues. Furthermore, Obama would maintain an interest in life and continue to be engaged with family and friends, this would result in him being healthier, happier and more in touch with what was going on around him. He would also be involved in family gatherings and physical activities such as keeping fit i.e. running and attending the gym. All these active factors would form a physical and social routine which would no doubt prevent any sort of disengagement. D2: I will be evaluating how each theory is associated to health and social care provision and what influences health and social care can provide. Ageing and health and social care provision The activity and disengagement theory both relate to health and social care settings. Looking at the activity theory, it is clear that it still has an impact on health and social care settings, most services help people to be active by providing various physical and social activities i.e. care homes provide bingo, quizzes, chess, cards, music and sensory activities which keep elderly people occupied. These games are used in order to keep them entertained and their minds active, whereas day care centres offer days out, dancing and exercise. I believe these services help people to be involved rather than push them away and disengage them as they encourage physical and social interaction/participation. People are living longer due to these services and our good public health/lifestyle. Most health and social care provisions urge older people to remain active because it helps prolong body functions, boosts self esteem and in theory delays the negative effects of ageing. Doctor’s surgeries, community centres and hospitals will also have leaflets and posters with information on revealing how to stay active and will show activities and exercises that older people can do in order to keep healthy. It is now viewed as very important to remain active because as we grow older people tend to lose their memory. This is caused by a decrease in the number of brain cells and the body weakening. Therefore, maintaining a heighted level of activity that is engaging, fulfilling, and stimulates the brain helps delay complications and the aging process. Policies and procedures have changed over the years, giving older people more respect. Having these rights help older people feel more safe and secure in society. All these services for older people will aim to provide quality assurance, choice and ensure the upmost respect is given to the people they are caring for. Older people should always have a choice as to how active they wish to be. If some older people do not want to take part and be disengaged in activities and other participations then that is fine as they have free will in what they want to do and what they do not want to do. Some people may even have disabilities or mental health problems. Therefore, they may not want to take part as they will feel belittled or intimidated it is also a part of their human rights. Quality services will never attempt to force older people to be active and engaged, but they will provide opportunities and encouragement for individuals to maintain the continuity of their lives and remain as a ctive as they wish which must be respected and always taken into account. Looking at the disengagement theory, it is clear that it still has an impact on health and social care settings. Although there are many services that provide physical and social engagement, it can be difficult for elderly people to be involved. I believe there are a number of influences in today’s society that encourage disengagement. For example, Disabilities contribute when forming interaction socially and physically, travel expenses is also an issue, many people don’t have access to transport, although there are mini buses/bus passes now available for elderly people, lots of elderly, mentally challenged and disabled find it difficult to attend these services (forced disengagement). Some people may even struggle to adapt to retirement, someone who has been working all there life may find it difficult to find themselves out of the loop through the loss of ex colleagues and friends even death i.e. the loss of a loved one is a contributing factor and provides an outlet to disengage completely. Furthermore, more people now use drugs, smoke and drink alcohol excessively. Alcohol is a depressant and if used inappropriately it can form an addiction which eventually results in people wanting to be on their own and not wanting to leave their homes. Drugs, smoking and alcohol can also cause diseases such as cancer, liver disease and mental illnesses which all affect how individuals engage. All  these factors could result in serious complications/implications i.e. people not waiting to interact physically or socialise at all. Conclusion Overall I personally believe that today’s society is based more on the activity theory. People are becoming less ill because of the NHS and living longer due to various health and social care services providing engagement both physically and socially. Campaigns on healthy eating, exercise and things to do to keep active is being put out in the open daily. This includes medicines, treatments and screenings. The activity theory provides some evidence of being effective because more and more older people are living in their own homes, keeping active both physically and socially and even cooking healthy meals for themselves as people are becoming more alert to what their body requires, retirement is also now shown to be enjoyable, elderly people ensure they maintain a routine which involves interacting with family and friends, in addition to volunteering which helps them engage and in theory, be more in touch with what is going on around them leading to a happier, healthier life. In my opinion the disengagement theory is very negative on society and on a person. Although it is sometimes viewed as an unavoidable weakness, no one in today’s world wants to be separated from society because of their age. I believe the theory to be ignorant to the fact that older people are still individuals regardless of the process of ageing there are still people who are capable of enjoying life and being part of society which deserve respect and the right to have choices and be independent. Although complications can occur as the ageing process takes place i.e. loss of mobility, illness, malfunction of the body. It is important that people rights are respected and if they want to disengage themselves from society they are free to do so.

Two Sides of a Coin

I feel i have been fortunate enough to see and experience by living with both the negative and positive aspects of both sides of the coin. The coin here signifies â€Å"Life† And both of its sides are heads and tails denoting â€Å"Rural and city life† Respectively. Undoubtedly in today's time technology has enslaved us in every sphere of our life, it may be rural area or urban area. Everyday government of every country is trying to bring dynamic changes to urbanize the rural areas in every aspect so that the whole nation can progress towards a better and advanced future. The day isn't very far when we would witness every rural area equivalent to cities. There have been detailed researches ,discussions and strategies made every now and then related to the development of rural areas even then i feel rural and city life has carved a niche for each one of them since ancient times which has a fine life of good and bad differences. Countable disparities created by the humans for their own convenience have led to the origin of the term city and rural life. We are homo sapiens who can withstand any condition to survive therefore it is quite ironic to see that human evolution in its path has started losing the importance of their ancestral roots which belong to the rural life from where we all started. Quite obvious the only reason behind this drastic change is a better life and not contentment in life. Both lifestyles are one of their kind. There is a wide range of factors due to which these different lifestyles overshadow each other in negative and positive ways.i find the saying of ancient greek philosopher plato that â€Å"Necessity is the mother of invention† Is very apt when we talk about the concept of human needs. Human started working from the times where everything use to be done manually and have reached a point where people want every task to be completed within a nanosecond. Inventions have led to an easy life. This is the reason why city life has received a boost in its preference over the past few decades and its effect can be seen as the people living in rural areas have been provoked for a comfortable life alike the people in cities and as a result they are moving to towns and cities for a better life which is a very good thing. More awareness and development has surely been witnessed in the past years. Rural areas definitely have their own charm but when it comes to living there without any second thought there a lot of problems which the people face in their day to day life as compared to people living in cities. People residing in cites have a much more fast and meticulous life.they are highly organized and there life is highly influenced by the technology.the key component of city life is better lifestyle which covers health and medical facilities, basic education, hygiene, basic amenities of life such as food , clothes, house, electricity, transportation, awareness of each and every right as citizen, law and order, exposure to new changes occurring every now and then and many more. People in rural areas are considerably orthodox and are less open to changes in lifestyle whereas their counterparts are much more open minded and are willing to live a life out of the box. The paramount difference is of the educated population found in these two areas which shows us why there is utter difference in the awareness level between the two sides of the coin. In rural areas there are insufficient schools and the ones which are providing education are deficient in terms of teachers, modern teaching aids, infrastructure, educational outings and overall development activities. Primary occupation is farming, pottery, weaving ,domesticating animals resulting in average economic conditions due to which people are hesitant in investing money on education of their children. Due to improper education and awareness people are misguided leaving them behind as compared to the highly qualified people living in cities.alongwith this gender, cast, race discrimination and superstitious believes are prevalent even in the present times.the judicial system is not appropriate and they have to go to cities for any kind of legal help. Water and electricity facilities are not good enough to meet the irrigation and daily life requirements. In addition to this transportation facilities also lack quality. Consequentially people are moving out of the villages to cities and abroad to overcome the financial and educational barriers leading them to financially sound and better life.many people have provided financial aid in the development of several villages which has attributed tremendous improvement in health,education and many other sectors.furthermore, despite all the hurdles people of rural areas face they are fighting with all the circumstances and are trying to be a part of the changing world and have a high sense of contentment and are much more spiritual in comparison to urban dwellers as they are living in the lap of nature and to a considerable extent they are still away from a sedentary lifestyle. This is the reason they are much more healthier due to the muscular effort they require in the daily work they do which is very essential rather than earning any sort of luxury in life which costs us our health.on the contrary people residing in cities enjoy several times better way of living. People are engulfed in all sorts of activities such as gaming zones, various kinds of sports, multi storey malls, parks, music and many more entertainment facilities. Educational facilities are commendable and focus is mainly on education and then leading a better life. Yet people are facing the crisis of lesser job opportunities which has led to increased crime rates as compared to rural areas.everything is easily accessible due to hike in e-commerce and globalization over the decades. Judicial system is quite effective and active as compared to rural areas .technology has captured people in its web leaving them dependent on gadgets, machines reducing manual work and making them potato couches. People stay busy in the hustle bustle of life meeting their aims of being financial sound and give less importance to health and family values. Children have shifted to playing games on computers, mobile phones and studying under strict schedules .transportation is available at ease. Since the muscular work has dropped down to zero people are facing a lot of health issues.all sorts of health facility is available. People are highly occupied and barely give time to themselves and are less attentive towards family life. Both lifestyles have their own pros and cons.it is crucial to live a balanced and peaceful life no matter how much we have progressed with whatever resources we are blessed which maybe man-made or natural.

Labour Law and Labour Relations Board Research Paper

Labour Law and Labour Relations Board - Research Paper Example The employee filed a LRB complaint since the executive of the union refused to reinstate her employment and it had violated DFR (duty of fair representation). This DFR complaint had a chance of either being successful or not. The purposes of the DFR are in one accord and in good faith represent an employee in bargain of the possible mistreatment or misuse of labor from them. In this instance, though the union had been breached as no one wanted to represent her and the union leader never took the matter for arbitration. The union is held liable if it refuses to represent an employee or when it discriminates against the employee due to race, age, their status in the union, creed, nationality, sex orientation and of course their personality. This is important because it ensures that any course of action in whatever grievance is put forward on the basis of the merit of the grievance in the case. This may be disputed only in the instances when the grievance in the case is not valid. Thoug h in instances of hostility it is not appropriate for the union to decline to arbitrary represent the employee. If the grievance is ill motivated or not of any relevance then the union is free to decline representation. In this case, the employee who had been accused of stealing had to be represented because the union is liable for his well being. In Alberta Labor relations code cases, there was a case where a complainant Craig Shaughnessy filed a duty of fair representation since the union did not represent him fairly during his dismissal from Aluma Systems Inc. He contacted his supervisor who did not help him much either. Eventually the union did not side with the complainant, as they could not the safety issues he claimed to be fleeing from at the time of his departure from the work place without the consent of any authorities. The union further explained to the complaint that he should be responsible of his actions or inactions as he made his own decision on that particular day when he left without consent. He had to accept he complicated the situation for himself. His case was dismissed with this basis in mind. This is the same with the situation which the employee who had been accused of stealing product from the company her chances of reinstatement were almost nil; as it is that she is a victim of circumstance – she had not stolen anything and what she was accused of stealing did not cost anything more than $10. She could not defend herself, as the union did not even consider arbitration for her case. In that case, the termination was left to stand as it was demanded by the union’s executive and thus she had no choice but to accept the situation as it presented itself to her. The union could not defend her as her grievance was of low success probability. Thus, it did not take this case into consideration. The second case is an instance where a unionized employee has had a back related problem and this has resulted in her absenteeism that i s two and half times, the recommended average of the companys’requirement. The company needs to fill the position of this employee with someone whose attendance is more certain and assured. This move is considerably human since the employee did not intend for anything to happen to her while working at the company (Marten,1961). In Alberta Labor Relations Board, Susan Iuni of Rocky view Hospital filed a complaint that her bargaining agent the Canadian Union of Public Employees had failed to represent her fairly in respect to her

Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast - Essay Example It involves a group of people, who do the crime in a professional manner. These are criminals who depend on illegal or unlawful activities as their way of life, (Albanese, 2010). These crimes are coordinated and preplanned from a centralized syndicate. It happens to be an ongoing conspiracy where groups engage in illegal or illicit ventures with a sole aim of generating income. These groups have structures which resemble business with a pyramid hierarchy. It involves practicing heinous acts so as to maintain the external and internal control, (Albanese, 2010). These groups can go to the extent of committing murder. These tend to have political wings where they contribute to election campaigns with an aim of securing immunity from arrests. They engage in credit card frauds, gambling and narcotics. Racketeering and smuggling is also common with these groups, (Albanese, 2010). How my perception compares with the definition. My perception of organized crimes does compare with that of the definitions. This is because; in the definitions given here it is clear that planning is involved in the organized crimes. This is the same case in the readings. This also suggests that, in both cases, the nature of crime is not impromptu. It takes a lot of deliberations and sometimes diplomacy can be involved just to secure their interests, (Albanese, 2010). ... This is because activity that leads to violence, theft or even murder are unpopular and by all definitions they are terrible crimes. The idea of having professional criminals is intriguing by itself. It is difficult to imagine that there are people who specialized in crime as a way of living, (Albanese, 2010). However, it is not entirely shocking because there are people who have an uncontrollable desire to do crime. My perception of organized crime is that these are crimes done with a coordinated approach. The same definition appears in the readings. However, the readings reveal that this organization can get quit sophisticated because it is got training involved, and the coordinator are extremely intentional and often technological experts. Characteristics of organized criminal behavior Intimidation and violence Organized criminal gangs always use intimidation and violence to accomplish their goals and intentions. The nature of violence portrayed by these groups can be put into two categories, (Albanese, 2010). They are the tactical and the strategic categories of organized crimes. The strategic category of organized crime involves the use of groups with higher criminal capabilities. This includes careful planning and execution of well coordinated multiple crimes. This could be a way of retaliation against other groups or paralyzing government activates, (Albanese, 2010). On the other hand, tactical category is opportunistic in nature. It is clearly based on short-term goals like retention of a group share in the criminal market. Diversification of criminal activities. Most of these organized groups deal with: narcotics, vehicle thefts and other large-scale crimes, (Albanese, 2010). Their crimes are none—random in nature. Organized

Managing in a strategic context Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Managing in a strategic context - Case Study Example Generalisability refers to the application of certain policy or practices over a large section of population. The main advantage of generalizability is the implementation of certain practices to a wide range, which may lead towards creative solutions to the common managerial limitations often witnessed in the current phenomenon (NCBI, 2009). Correspondingly, the objective determined for this paper intends to identify the qualities of Lincoln Electric business model, which in turn defines its Generalisability to other industries and countries considering the HR policies and practices implemented by the company. Lincoln Electric practices the strategy of reducing the prices of its products by controlling the cost of production. The company has introduced several HR policies which mainly focuses on the employee’s satisfaction, and thus leads to retaining the existing employees resulting in the reduced cost of production. An overall understanding of the strategic intent and direction taken by the company, it can be observed to be continuously upgrading its technology for the improvement of its products to further suffice the market demand (Siegel, 2008). The organisational strategy of Lincoln Electronics was unique with innovative and creative ideas. In order to motivate the employees of the organisation, a special form of incentive system was introduced for properly distributing the profits within the organisation. The system comprised of four components, viz. piece work pay, annual bonus, guaranteed employment and limited benefits. Of these four components, the piecework was the most beneficial as every employee had to prove his/her quality and earn maximum according to his productivity. Another most important element of the employment system of Lincoln’s was the annual bonus scheme. According to this scheme, the employees

Compare and contrast the representation of women in the Iliad and the Essay

Compare and contrast the representation of women in the Iliad and the Odyssey - Essay Example On the other hand, the Iliad demonstrates the importance of women in the lives of the ancient Greece. Their roles are mainly depicted as mothers and wives. The Iliad has dedicated women to the role of helping men in different aspects, while at the same time playing the ritualistic roles that would see such men remain well protected during their war adventures. Looking at Hecuba and Andromache of the Iliad, women’s roles are mainly depicted as mothers and wives. The maternal and protective instincts of their sons are seen as an obstacle that the male hero has to overcome to fulfill his heroic destiny. Hecuba plays the caring role of being a mother to Hector. Therefore fore, when Hector arrives back at Troy with the message that women need to offer a sacrifice of the beautiful robes to Athena, Hecuba pleaded with him to first take some wine and relax, and then offer a sacrifice. To this, Hector objected, claiming that if he was to relax and offer a sacrifice, then he would need to cleanse himself first (Homer, n.p.). Further, after Hector has delivered this message, Hecuba and the rest of the women in Troy takes up their finest robes and goes to Athena’s temple, where they offered the sacrifice and prayed for the success of their warriors in the battle, and for their safe return (Homer, n.p.). Despite the fact that Hector did not succeed to return from the battle after he went back, his mother had played the caring role of a mother through playing for his success and his safe return. After Hecuba receives the news of the death of his son, Hector, she is deeply saddened, and makes his husband and the herald who were present during the delivery of the message to pour libations and pray (Homer, n.p.). This is yet a motherly role demonstrated of Hecuba, who feels that her son needs to be covered with rituals and prayers even in his death. Hecuba is also the first to throw herself at Hector’s body when it was finally returned back to

Health Econimics and Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health Econimics and Policy - Essay Example ining both the advantages and disadvantages of the NHS will lead to a better understanding of the NHS and it may lead to possible ideas for improvement of the NHS. I will begin my discussion of the NHS with its advantages, including its purpose and some of the things that are free. Then consequences of the NHS will be explained, including long waiting times, unfair payments, some parts of health care not being included for free, problems getting enough funding, and perceived similarity to communism. Finally, based on these consequences, some potential solutions will be described. To begin with positive aspects of the NHS, one of the biggest advantages has to do with the reason this organisation was created. The point of the NHS is to give health care to everyone in England, whether they are rich or poor. (Wikipedia, 2008 from NHS website). Instead of health care being a luxury for people with money, the NHS considers it a necessity and a human right. One of the good things about the NHS is that general practitioner visits are free even though some people think they should not be. People need to get referrals from general practitioners to see specialists. â€Å"It has been argued that a nominal charge for an appointment with a GP could be introduced to prevent patients consulting their GP with minor real or imaginary complaints.† (Wikipedia, 2008). If general practitioner visits were not free, though, many people who did not know how much they really needed to go might put their health at risk by skipping the visit to save money. This is a case where it is better to be safe than sorry. Another advantage of the NHS is that it does not require more money from people choosing to do things that make them have more health problems. Some people think that they should not have to help pay for the costs of a smoker who gets lung cancer because that person chose to smoke. (Rodgers, 2003). I am glad that smokers and other people do not have to pay more because

Information Security at Al Nahda Hospital Essay

Information Security at Al Nahda Hospital - Essay Example This is because internet users are potential customers and suppliers, and potential threats, as well. In case information stored in the hospital premises is tampered with, serious, adverse effects may result, because there are so many people who are dependent on this information. It is the responsibility of management to liaise with other departments to protect an organization’s information assets. This report analyses and evaluates information security at Al Nahda Hospital. In this report, the main categories of information assets that may be at risk and have to be protected have been described. The report also appraises the actual and potential threats and vulnerabilities of Al Nahda Hospital’s information assets. The report then formulates a security plan that describes counter measures that will manage the threats that put Al Nahda Hospital’s information assets at risk from a risk management perspective. A comprehensive information security education and awar eness program for use by management, staff and contractors for Al Nahda Hospital is also provided in this report. The report also explores the social, legal, and ethical issues or constraints that may be associated with the implementation of the comprehensive information security plan at Al Nahda Hospital. Finally, the report recommends valid actions that can be taken to improve the information security situation of Al Nahda Hospital. Introduction Al Nahda Hospital is a government hospital which is located in Oman. The hospital has a client server application called â€Å"Health Information Management system (HIMS)† on a local network. It also has applications that have been developed with oracle database, forms and reports. Al Nahda Hospital’s medical staff users can access and use the system from a local network using desktops, Personal Computers, or they can use laptops with WIFI, during wards round. Also, this system is connected to the headquarters with MPLS line. Users have access to both the operating system username and password and the database username and password. After a careful assessment of the information security situation, a security plan for the protection of the information holdings of the Al Nahda Hospital is required. The security plan will ensure that the security personnel oversee the security of information from deliberate and accidental threats to the hospital so as to improve Al Nahda Hospital’s information security. 1.0: Main Categories of Information Assets that may be at Risk and have to be protected Al Nahda Hospital’s information assets may be at risk, as far as the information status is concerned. These assets may be categorized into information assets, software, hardware, systems and people. 1.1: Information Assets Information assets of Al Nahda Hospital that may be at risk and need to be protected include documented information. Documented information contains both printed or written information an d electronic information stored on the hospital’s servers, website, extranets and internets. Electronic information can be stored in laptops, personal computers, cell phones, CD ROM and USB sticks, among other devices. The information that may be threatened

The play An Inspector Calls Essay Example for Free

The play An Inspector Calls Essay An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley is a play set in the early 1900s in the industrial city of Brumley. The Birling family and Gerald Croft is interrogated by a man who calls himself Inspector Goole, and it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something. The inspector controls the pace of the play by dealing with one enquiry at a time, and the tension is gradually built up, and since there is a lot at stake for each of the characters the situation is very fragile. Throughout Act I J. B. Priestley presents the differences between gender roles, as the men retreat to have their cigars and the women stay and discuss domesticities. The suicide of Eva Smith and the interrogation upon further explores notions of power division, morality and justice seen within the English society. An Inspector Calls is set during the pre-war Edwardian era in an industrial town in the North Midlands of England. It is the year 1912, and social status and wealth plays a vital role in the English society. The Birling family is gathered for a celebration in the dining room of a fairly large suburban house. Although the house is heavily comfortable, it is not cosy and homelike suggesting that the Birling family do not share a strong bond and that they do not spend much time together. The family is in evening dress, symptomatic for the time period, and an indication of wealth and prestige. A mans role during the Victorian era of the late 19th century consisted of mainly working, supporting the family, and standing upright in the society. Mr. Birling, the head of the family, is a man of great self-importance and vanity, with the idea that there is a very good chance of knighthood; however, he is very parochial and conveys a limited outlook on life, incapable of thinking beyond the comfortable boundaries he has created for himself seen in the dramatic irony in his lengthy speech. Mr. Birlings daughters fianci Gerald Croft aligns with Arthur Birling, as he has the same thoughts and beliefs, and more importantly he believes in the same business approach. He is of a wealthy background, and is perceived to be a well mannered man-about-town; however, he has a very superficial and narcissistic mentality. Inspector Goole, is a man in his 50s dressed in a plain dark suit, he enters on the note give us some light, suggesting that he will bring metaphorical light upon the situation. He creates an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness in the play, and although Inspector Goole ultimately belongs to the working class, he manages to gain the upper hand with morality and the law on his side. He portrays a very professional manner as he refrains from drinking, and addresses people eye to eye, which is disconcerting when attempting to tell a lie. Mr. Birlings son Eric, is a young man with good intentions; however, he is starting to loose himself to his excess of spare time. He is a paradoxical character as he demonstrates both hope for the future, as he is more conscious of the workers, but his drinking, gambling, and womanizing appears to act as a barrier.

Child Reading and Writing Development

Child Reading and Writing Development Learning of children in early ages Question: Consider the ways in which children learn to read and write. Illustrate, using Kenner, Al-Khatri, Kwok, Kim and Tsai’s study (2004) how young children pay attention to directionality, shape, size, spatial orientation in producing different writing scripts. Introduction It is necessary to encourage the children towards learning since childhood. Motivation towards learning and thinking is important when child is young because at that time, child grabs the thing easily. If child gets training about the importance of learning and practices writing in the early childhood, then it will be beneficial for his rest of life. It is a fact that a child changes in a lot of ways during the years of primary school. These years are so much important to develop a habit of learning and thinking in the child. Cognitive development is necessary to be developed in young children. Cognitive development includes learning skills such as languages, strong memory, planning and paying attention to the work. In these initial years, parents have to play their role. (Australia, 2012) By the help of different activities, parents can motivate the children towards learning new things. But it is also a fact that training young children is not an easy task. It is neither easy for the parents and nor for the teachers. By the help of various sessions, activities and games, we can encourage children towards learning. Child sometimes faces difficulty in learning different stuffs at a time but with the passage of time, he becomes habitual. In the book, Becoming Biliterate Kenner C. (2004) explains about child’s learning of different languages. He also discusses about different ways by which we can motivate young children to read and write. Furthermore, in the paper, we will look on different ways of teaching children in young ages and also discuss relevant techniques. Emergent literacy Term Emergent literacy defines the interaction of young children with books. This term explains that when a children is in the state of learning something and when he is not in a position of writing or reading some stuff. Marie Clay used this term for the first time. Emergent literacy is process that starts from the birth of a child and continues until and unless child trains in writing or reading in a conventional sense. This term is used in the field of psychology, linguistics, sociology and education. (Anon., 2011)Process of reading and writing starts in the young ages of an individual. A child tries to contact with different types of communication from the beginning. It is observed that most of the children starts recognizing different signs and symbols in the age of two or three years. It is because of the fact that every time, their mind is in the state of learning and interacting with different things. As far as this matter is concerned that either the child starts writing fir st or reading, it varies from child to child. But researches show that most of the children face difficulty in reading during their early ages and start writing quickly. Issues in the acquisition of literacy Acquisition of literacy for the young children is not easy. Although, child starts observing all the things by using his five senses but still some guidance is necessary. By the help of guidance and training, child learns the things easily. There are different issues that a child faces in the acquisition of literacy especially in terms of learning second language. Learning of different languages becomes a big problem for young children. In the article, Literacy and Second Language Acquisition: Issues and Perspectives, Weinstein (1984) explains that there is a strong relationship between the acquisition of second language and literacy. Author explains that understanding different languages and learning second language is difficult. (WEINSTEIN, 1984)In another article by Philip and Mikko (2003), it was explained that most of the children in European countries complete their acquisition of language before starting their early school education. English is at the top in the acquisition of languages. Children learn English easily as compared to other languages. (Philip H. K. Seymour, Mikko Aro, Jane M. Erskine, 2003)Another issue that is faced by the children in learning is their mental state. It is not always necessary that mental state of every child is same. Therefore, we cannot apply same strategies for all children. Some children do not grab these thing quickly and to develop the sense of learning in them, it is necessary to apply alternate techniques. How young children learn different writing systems There are different writing systems working in the world. It is not necessary that everyone knows all writing systems. Most of the people knows one or two writing systems usually. Talking in terms of learning different writing systems for the children, it is good to trained them in their early ages. For example, if a child is born in Europe and parents want him to become familiar with English writing system, then they have to guide him about English writing alphabets in the early ages. There are basically two types of writing systems. First type is known as alphabets and second type is called as Syllabaries. Both types are divided on various sub divisions. List of major classification is as following. Consonant alphabets Abugidas Alphabets Syllabaries Semanto-Phonetic writing systems Undeciphered writing systems (Anon., 2007) Now, the question is how young children learn different writing systems? There are different ways by which we can guide young children in learning various writing systems. First way to improve literacy is by teaching Morphemes. Morphemes is a collection of words that consists of different units of meaning. By the help of morphemes, children can easily pronounce the words and spell them. Teaching morphemes is a best way to teach vocabulary to the young children. (Nunes, T., and Bryant, P, 2006, pp. 14) Another way to teach different writing systems to the children is by using cardboard books. Parents can use different pieces of clothes, and cardboard books to teach different alphabets to the children. Colorful pictures can play an important role in attracting the young children towards learning. Writing different scripts and the design of symbols For writing a particular language, specific writing system is used. Writing system is usually known as Script. On the other hand, symbols are also used to guide children about languages. Types of scripts are as following. Script support Alphabets Right to left alphabets Syllabary Syllabic alphabet Ideographic script Depending upon your language style and script, you can teach your child about the language. If we take the example of English writing system, then it is seen that it starts from the left hand side whereas in case of Arabic, script starts from right hand side. So, it is necessary for the parents that they teach child about these basics. Suppose, you are from the Arabic background and make familiar your child with the Arabic writing system, then it is necessary for you to focus on the Arabic writing system. You should select those books and cardboards on which Arabic words are written so that your child starts recognizing these words. Following is an image that tells you about the basic Arabic writing system. Another way of guiding your child is through symbols. You can teach your child by using different symbols and pictures of something. In the early childhood, child easily understand words by the help of its illustration. Kerner (2004) focused on the illustration of symbols and pictures. (Kenner, C. Al-Khatib, H., Kwok, G., Kam, R. and Tsai, K, 2004, pp. 35), In this picture, we can see that with all the English alphabets, different pictures are used so that child cane identify the word easily. By the help of symbols and pictures, identification of words become easy. Embodied knowledge In order to teach the children to read and writing, actions also play a great role. Education in which body involves actions and knows how to act on something is called as Embodied Knowledge. The best example of this type of knowledge is riding a bicycle. Almost, everyone knows how to ride a bicycle and we do not need to memorize the procedure of riding bicycle. This is a type of knowledge that is automatically imprinted in the mind of an individual. It can be said that embodied knowledge is present in our unconsciousness. Children learn this knowledge by observing the environment. Embodied knowledge is somewhat similar to the Cognitive science. Conclusion To conclude the entire discussion, it can be said that parents can play an important role in teaching their child in early years. Young children are quite sensitive and in the early ages, their care is the duty of parents. Parents should teach their child by using techniques and activities. Before sending the child to school, a child should have a basic sense of recognizing and understanding different words and things. So, that he may not face any difficulty in future. Works Cited Anon., 2007. Types of writing system. [Online] Available at: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/types.htm [Accessed march 2014]. Anon., 2011. what is emergent literacy?. [Online] Available at: http://www.lincoln.dubuque.k12.ia.us/School-Wide/Literacy/EmergentLiteracy.htm [Accessed march 2014]. Australia, c. o., 2012. About thinking and learning. [Online] Available at: https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/sites/default/files/public/KMP_C3_CDTL_AboutThinkingAndLearning.pdf [Accessed 2014]. Kenner, C. Al-Khatib, H., Kwok, G., Kam, R. and Tsai, K. (2004), Becoming Biliterate: Young Children Learning Different Writing Systems, Stoke-on-Trent, Trentham Books. Nunes, T., and Bryant, P. (2006), Improving Literacy by Teaching morphemes, London, Routledge. Philip H. K. Seymour, Mikko Aro, Jane M. Erskine, 2003. Foundation literacy acquisition in European orthographies. British Journal of Psychology, 94(2), p. 143–174. Seymour, P., Aro, M., and Erskine, J. (2003), Foundation Literacy Acquisition, in British Journal of Psychology, 94: 143-174. WEINSTEIN, G., 1984. Literacy and Second Language Acquisition: Issues and Perspectives. TESOL Quarterly, 18(3), p. 471–484.

Animation In Live Action Movies Film Studies Essay

Animation In Live Action Movies Film Studies Essay Live action animation movies are the movies in which CG characters interact with live-action character/environment which will be interlinked and will be playing their respective role in the movies. The first live action animation movie was Gertie the Dinosaur by Winsor McCay. This started in the silent film era. Unlike the common belief, mickey mouse was not Disneys 1st success .With Alice comedies Disney has hit success which worked on the concept of incorporating animation in live action environment. Disney has also tried various movies using Donal duck. Classic example of a live action animation movie was Space Jam where the real life character(micheal jordan) accidentally enters a toon world and joins the Looney toons characters in a basketball match. Another record breaking live action animation movie was Who framed Roger Rabbit which was based on a novel written by Gary wolf. Combining real life character with CG character was not an easy job. It took much time to interlink and to get a realistic effect with CG character in a live action environment. Live action animations in earlier stage was done in different ways. Animated characters and real life characters have been positioned precisely to get better output using an optical printer or an aerial image animation cameras and the negatives would be printed twice on the same release print. Alice in Wonderland CG characters like rabbit, butterflies , rabbit and real life characters were done with much complicated methods. The interacting of both CG character and real life character were done that much good that normal people cant find which one is cg chracter and which one is normal character. To animate a action sequence of kicking a ball by real life character and it is falling somewhere that can not been seen by our naked eye. For that sequence 1st we have to shoot the person who is kicking the ball with action then with the help of softwares we will place that ball where ever we want. It is extermely difficult and biggest challenge to get that realistic feel. Advanced special effects were used in interaction of animated characters and real life chracter to make the film more realistic in the movie Who framed Roger Rabbit. No other live action animation movies were able to achieve successful stories like who framed roger rabbit. Who framed roger rabbit was the movie happened during 1988,but present software technology and features make the movie more realistic. India is still far from perfection when it comes to animation in live action. All the live action animated projects tries and uses animation to the fullest but we are just not there yet. One of the examples of animation in live action in Indian films would be Taare Zameen par by Aamir Khan. 1.2 billion is expected to reach india by 2010 though animation industry . India has a massive growth of 27% rise since 2008. Principles of classical animation was trained to indian people by Disney Studios aniamtor Clair weeks during the period of industry evolution in 1950. King Kong, the legendary giant gorilla is one of the most famous and iconic characters in the history of motion pictures developed by the Hollywood film industry. He would be the first ape who fell love with the beauty. The whole world stunned by watching the god of Skull island fought with the Tyrannosaurus Rex and and Pterodactyl to save the life of the beauty. King Kong is a character created by Merian C Cooper and later released as a stunning special effects movie in 1933, which gross a huge amount from the box office at the time of the great depression. The story is about a gigantic gorilla named Kong and how he is involved with the young lady Ann Darrow. The film was directed by Merian C Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack. This film is notable for Wills O Briens stop motion animation. Technically this film was a revolution and it helps to make 1930s as the golden era of motion pictures. A nine year old boy, living in the Pukerua Bay town of New Zealand bust in to tears when Kong slipped off the Empire State Building. When he was 12, he tried to recreate the film by using his parents super-8 camera and a model of Kong made of wire and rubber, but eventually gave up on the project. Inspired by this film he become a film director. This boy is none other than the Academy award winner peter Jackson. In 2005 he had fulfilled his dream by making the remake of the 1933s King Kong. It was full of ground breaking visual effects and CGI animation and won three academy awards including for best visual effects. Both the films used advanced technologies of that time and had influenced the future films. The old King Kong movie was a milestone in special effects and sop motion animation, in place the new King Kong movie was all about visual effects and computer generated animation. In this paper, I will first describe King Kong(1933) and King Kong(2005), then I will point out similarities and differences between the two films, and finally I will discuss how both of these film influence the future. About King Kong 1933 Origin of the concept Merien C Cooper was searching for a natural drama type story for his next film after done his works Grass (1925), Chang (1927) and The Four Feathers (1929) successfully for the Paramount pictures. He had an interest in exotic animals and he observed a lot about animals while the location shooting in Africa for Paramount pictures The Four Feathers. He inspired by the film The Lost World, an adaptation of Conan Doyles novel, which told a story of a modern day journey to a remote Amazonian plateau where living dinosaurs still roam. While reading the book The Dragon Lizards of Komodo he thought about making a fictional natural drama film. Komodo is about Dragons which were caught by humans and brought to city. Later they caught some diseases and dead. Instead of dragons Cooper thought about gorilla and he decided to bring his gorilla in to New York City. He want to kill his gorilla in a tragic way more than any kind of diseases. Even his previous films was huge success the exhibitors still complained that the film would have done better if it had a love story. So Cooper included a lady into this concept. In 1931, Cooper was offered a job by Radio Keith Orphium pictures as executive assistant to the vice president of production, David O Selznick. Upon arriving at RKO Cooper immediately started a new film project The Most Dangerous Game. To direct this picture he hired his friend and former partner Ernest Shoedsack. Same time RKO had canceled on big budget project Creation. The crew had been working for one year for the project. Cooper was really impressed with the special effects, especially the stop motion animation created for the film by an Irishman Willis O Brien. Cooper thought that it might be p ossible to bring his gorilla story in to screen in an economical manner, instead of costly and lengthy location trip, by using this stop motion technique. Cooper had discussed his concept with O Brien. O Brien painted a portrait of an explorer and a woman being attacked by a gorilla. In order to make it more dramatic O Brien increased the size of the gorilla in to ten foot. Cooper had not yet decided the size of his character. O Briens painting impressed Cooper to consider increasing the size of ape in to 20 foot. Cooper reworked on his concept to focus on the adventures of a 20- foot tall ape. The models of large dinosaurs and jungle sets had been made for creation. Cooper thought it would decrease the production expense if they use these models and sets. Cooper thought increasing size of the gorilla would increase the possibilities for mayhem it could create in the New York city. Knowing all this excitement require an equally exiting end, Cooper began to looking for a spectacular way to end his story. The idea came to him was to have the gorilla climb to the top of a tall building and battle with many airplanes before it was finally gunned down. Cooper want his gorilla climb the tallest building of that time, the Empire State Building. Cooper discussed his idea with the RKO board but except Selznick nobody liked it. They thought the idea was far too weired and the film would be much too expensive to make , especially in the time of great depression. Cooper and O Brien had made ten concept art and they shoot two sequences in order to present to the board. They had shoot the log seen in which Kong was shaking a log which placed between a cliff while some sailors were trying to cross the log. For this they used the set and actors of The Most Dangerous Game, which were shooting in the same time. They had also used a finished seen of Creation in which a dinosaur w as hunting a sailor. After seeing this clips, board of RKO approved the project and set budget

Ubuntu :: Africa Philosophy Culture Papers

Ubuntu The decolonization of Africa, of which the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa is the most recent example, has led to a greater recognition of the wide variety of religions practising on its soil. When confronted with this plurality, and the corresponding plurality of claims to truth or credibility, believers often resort to absolutism. The absolutist evaluates the religious other in view of criteria which violate the self-understanding of the latter. The religious other is thus being colonized by a hegemony (i.e., an enforced homogeneity) of norms and values. This paper deals with an assessment of the faith of others which transcends absolutism without resorting to relativism. More specifically, it aims to show that an African philosophy and way of life called ‘Ubuntu’ (humanness) significantly overlaps with such a ‘decolonized’ assessment of the religious other, and that this assessment can therefore also be explained, motivated or underscored with re ference to the concept of Ubuntu. Introduction: A decolonized assessment The decolonization of Africa, of which the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa is a recent example, led to a greater recognition of the wide variety of religions practising on its soil. When confronted with this plurality, and the corresponding plurality of claims to truth or credibility, believers usually resort to either absolutism or relativism. The absolutist evaluates the religious other in view of criteria which violate the self-understanding of the latter. The religious other is thus being colonized by a hegemony (i.e. an enforced homogeneity) of norms and values. In an attempt to transcend this hegemonic colonization, the relativist, on the other hand, simply surrenders the evaluation of beliefs and practices to subjective arbitrariness. This paper deals with an assessment of the faith of others which transcends absolutism without resorting to relativism. More specifically, it aims to show that an African philosophy and way of life called "Ubuntu" (humanness) significantly overlaps with such a "decolonized" assessment of the religious other, and that this assessment can therefore also be explained, motivated or underscored with reference to the concept of Ubuntu. Much can and has already been said about the presuppositions and requirements of such an assessment. However, for the purposes of this paper I would like to concentrate on only three of these, viz.: (1) a respect for the other as a religious other; (2) an agreement on criteria, i.e. a common scale in view of which the adherents of different religious traditions may jointly judge these traditions; and (3) an interreligious dialogue or "mutual exposure" (cf.

Analysis of Angelas Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Essay -- Angelas

Analysis of Angela's Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Angela's Ashes: A Memoir is Frank McCourt's acclaimed memoir. It charts the author's childhood from his infant years in Brooklyn, through his impoverished adolescence in Limerick, Ireland, to his return to America at the age of nineteen. First published in 1996, McCourt's memoir won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in the category of best Biography/Autobiography, and has gone on to become a worldwide bestseller. McCourt, who for many years taught writing in a New York public high school, waited for over forty years to write about his troubled youth. Arguably, waiting for years before writing his autobiography allowed Frank McCourt to talk about his childhood in the most objective way possible. McCourt treats the subject of his own difficult life with even-handedness and objectivity. McCourt never downplays the fact that he suffered from acute hunger and deprivation in his youth. He once described this autobiography as "an epic of woe." Nothing about the author's boyhood was easy. But Frank's world is not one of self-pity. Although the protagonist endures a troubled upbringing, it is one that instills in him strong moral values and a healthy sense of humor. McCourt's prose style is ambitious in its scope, yet detailed in his focus; it is prosaic in order to capture everyday life, but poetic in order to evoke a homeland. McCourt wrote a sequel to Angela's Ashes entitled 'Tis, which describes his experiences as a young man in America. A film version of Angela's Ashes was made in 1999. Summary The narrator, Frank McCourt, describes how his parents meet in Brooklyn, New York. After his mother, Angela becomes pregnant with Frank, she marries Malachy, the father of her child. The family grows, and Angela struggles to feed her growing family of sons while Malachy spends his wages on drink. Frank's much-loved baby sister Margaret dies, and Angela becomes depressed. The McCourts decide to return to Ireland. In Ireland, more troubles plague the McCourts. Angela has a miscarriage, Frank's two younger brothers die, and Malachy constantly drinks away the dole money. McCourt's childhood is characterized not only as a time of great deprivation, but as a time of good humor and adventure. When the first floor of the house floods during the winter, Angela and Malachy announce that the family will leave the cold dam... ..., priests, family members, and people in positions of authority. Even Frank's father may be seen as an antagonist, since his alcoholism aggravates his family's poverty. However, Frank's true antagonist is not one individual, but the general discrimination he faces because of his poverty Setting (time) - Late 1930's and 1940's Setting (place) - Brooklyn, New York (briefly) and Limerick, Ireland Point of View - First person Falling Action - Frank earns enough money to leave for America, and says an emotional farewell to Ireland Tense - Present tense or immediate past; the author writes as though he is experiencing events for the first time, in the present moment Foreshadowing - The death of baby Margaret seems to anticipate Frank's near-continual state of bereavement in Limerick, as he struggles to cope with the demise of two of his brothers, Theresa, and many other friends and relations Tone - Humorous, self-effacing, matter-of-fact. McCourt matches his tone to the age of the narrator, becoming more serious and worldly as the narrative progresses Themes - Guilt, class distinction, hunger Motifs - Anti-English sentiment, stories and folktales Symbols - River Shannon, eggs Analysis of Angela's Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Essay -- Angela's Analysis of Angela's Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Angela's Ashes: A Memoir is Frank McCourt's acclaimed memoir. It charts the author's childhood from his infant years in Brooklyn, through his impoverished adolescence in Limerick, Ireland, to his return to America at the age of nineteen. First published in 1996, McCourt's memoir won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in the category of best Biography/Autobiography, and has gone on to become a worldwide bestseller. McCourt, who for many years taught writing in a New York public high school, waited for over forty years to write about his troubled youth. Arguably, waiting for years before writing his autobiography allowed Frank McCourt to talk about his childhood in the most objective way possible. McCourt treats the subject of his own difficult life with even-handedness and objectivity. McCourt never downplays the fact that he suffered from acute hunger and deprivation in his youth. He once described this autobiography as "an epic of woe." Nothing about the author's boyhood was easy. But Frank's world is not one of self-pity. Although the protagonist endures a troubled upbringing, it is one that instills in him strong moral values and a healthy sense of humor. McCourt's prose style is ambitious in its scope, yet detailed in his focus; it is prosaic in order to capture everyday life, but poetic in order to evoke a homeland. McCourt wrote a sequel to Angela's Ashes entitled 'Tis, which describes his experiences as a young man in America. A film version of Angela's Ashes was made in 1999. Summary The narrator, Frank McCourt, describes how his parents meet in Brooklyn, New York. After his mother, Angela becomes pregnant with Frank, she marries Malachy, the father of her child. The family grows, and Angela struggles to feed her growing family of sons while Malachy spends his wages on drink. Frank's much-loved baby sister Margaret dies, and Angela becomes depressed. The McCourts decide to return to Ireland. In Ireland, more troubles plague the McCourts. Angela has a miscarriage, Frank's two younger brothers die, and Malachy constantly drinks away the dole money. McCourt's childhood is characterized not only as a time of great deprivation, but as a time of good humor and adventure. When the first floor of the house floods during the winter, Angela and Malachy announce that the family will leave the cold dam... ..., priests, family members, and people in positions of authority. Even Frank's father may be seen as an antagonist, since his alcoholism aggravates his family's poverty. However, Frank's true antagonist is not one individual, but the general discrimination he faces because of his poverty Setting (time) - Late 1930's and 1940's Setting (place) - Brooklyn, New York (briefly) and Limerick, Ireland Point of View - First person Falling Action - Frank earns enough money to leave for America, and says an emotional farewell to Ireland Tense - Present tense or immediate past; the author writes as though he is experiencing events for the first time, in the present moment Foreshadowing - The death of baby Margaret seems to anticipate Frank's near-continual state of bereavement in Limerick, as he struggles to cope with the demise of two of his brothers, Theresa, and many other friends and relations Tone - Humorous, self-effacing, matter-of-fact. McCourt matches his tone to the age of the narrator, becoming more serious and worldly as the narrative progresses Themes - Guilt, class distinction, hunger Motifs - Anti-English sentiment, stories and folktales Symbols - River Shannon, eggs

Native Americans in the United States Essay

Based on the ethnic groups (Table 1: Appendix), several beneficial values that helped to shape the United States lifestyle can be described (Holland, 2006). In particular, the brief summaries have given the clear picture of Multiculturalism in the United States in relation to the origin. The United States, for that matter, is captured as a multicultural society that is open to all people with different backgrounds. From an early time, several groups started moving into the region due to various reasons, which allowed for the development of a culturally diverse society. Hence, the United States substantially benefited from the cultural diversity as improved workforce was available for the various work scenarios. Despite the obvious benefits of multiculturalism in the society, some negative forms such as racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination flourished over several years (Holland, 2006). In the recent past, for example, several ethnic groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Indian Americans have continually suffered racism, discrimination, and being depicted in certain stereotypes. Firstly, segregation between the Whites and Blacks was a key characteristic of the population before the rise of the civil rights during the 1950s and over (Holland, 2006). Workplaces, schools, commuter busses, and residential areas were segregated between the two groups until in 1954 when segregation in schools was banned. As a result, people started integrating on a multicultural perspective, which led to the realization of better performances and solutions for the workplaces. Besides the significant leap ahead, other factors such as prejudice and stereotyping still exist at the current date. For instance, the African American and Hispanic groups have been stereotyped in the villainous characters such as gangsters, robbers and the like for several decades (Holland, 2006). Such beliefs have existed for several years and are even a common occurrence in media the same way. Hand in hand, prejudice has also resulted from the occurrences. Therefore, prejudice and stereotypes are a normal situation in the culturally diverse environment of the United States. However, the multicultural nature of the country’s population resulted in some positive factors such as creation of a multicultural workforce that can meet the requirements of the target population in an effective manner (Kenyon, 2005). In connection to that, all the ethnic groups in the American landscape are subject to some positive, as well as, negative aspects of the cultural diversity. As a result, prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that were once extremely high have considerably low effects on the modern and socially active populations. In conclusion, the United States still leads with regards to the benefits of cultural diversity among its people. Table 1: Multicultural Matrix and Analysis Worksheet. Part I: Matrix What is the group’s history in the United States? What is the group’s population in the United States? What are some attitudes and customs people of this group may practice? What is something you admire about this group’s people, lifestyle, or society? 1. The African American Several African American people are linked to a history of slavery since their ancestors were brought in the United States as slaves. This happened first during the 1600s-1700s, and where they assisted English colonialists to get American independence. Later, prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to change discrimination against Blacks. As a result, a breakthrough into the rampant segregation between the whites and blacks reduced. The African American has an approximate population of about 37 million forming about 13 percent of the total population of the United States. The African Americans are characterized by the practice of several cultural activities depicted in their music, art, and lifestyle. As such, they form a significant part of the USA as their culture substantially influenced the American culture. I appreciate the African American lifestyle and their music such as Hip-hop and reggae music. Additionally, I love their celebrations such as the Black history celebrations in which they remember their historic past. 2. The Hispanic and Latino American The Spanish became among the first settlers, before Europeans, to settle in some areas of America such as Florida and California. Several people of this group speak the English language only and have adopted the European-American Culture. On average, the Latino and Hispanic population in the United States is approximately 16 percent of the whole population. This accounts to almost 50 million people. The Hispanics are depicted as religious people who believe in helping one another. Families may be nuclear or extended, and the father is the final decision maker in the family setting, while the mother is the home care taker. However, all family members are expected to assist in the effective functioning of the setting. I love Hispanic music and their musicians such as Ricky Martin and Jenifer Lopez. Additionally, their Mexican foods are an excellent appetizer that I always cannot ignore. 3. The Indian American The Indian American officially became legal citizen in the United States in 1946. The Indians immigrated into the United States via other countries such as Jamaica, South Africa, and United Kingdom among other countries. The Indian population in America is reasonably low at approximately 0. 89 percent of the whole population. As such, this reflects to about 2. 5 million people. The Indian Americans have a strict cultural background and adhere to strict rule on religion, culture, and food among several other practices. Their religions are diverse and may include Hinduism, Islamism, Christianity, and Buddhism. I value the cultural practices of Indians especially those practicing Hinduism as they have fascinating ideas. One example is the caste system, where once in a low or high case system; one is destined to remain right there. 4. The American Asian Asians of the Chinese background came into the United States due to mainly conflicts from their countries. One situation was the Vietnam War, which led to massive migration of the affected into the USA. In the 1970s and 1980s, therefore, was time for the largest Asian migration into the United States. The Americans Asian account for about 5 percent of the United States’ population. As a result of cultural diversity, the American Asians are exposed to several challenges. I admire the Chinese way of life that comprises of fun in the form of art and craft. Additionally, I find pleasure watching some of their movies and appreciate the Yoga. 5. The Native Americans The Native Americans were the original settlers of the United States of America. Relevant sources indicate that they enabled undetectable communication during the World War II using their native language. As pertains to name, the Native Americans are recognized as the first settlers of the United States. However, they account for a small population percentage of about 1 percent. The Native Americans culture show dissimilar practices in all other nations. In particular, those living on reservations show dissimilar cultures from the ones not living on reservations; however, some similarities may exist in their heritage and traditions. The Native Americans fascinate me with their incredible lifestyle such as them living in tepees and their spiritualism. 6. The Bahamian American The Bahamian American migrated into the United States from the Caribbean during the late 19th century in search for job offers in the agricultural sector. The Bahamian American has an extremely low population of about 40,000 people. Hence, it accounts for approximately 0.01 percent of the whole population. Bahamian Americans preserved their cultural heritage; hence, have a distinguished way of living and culture. The Bahamian way of living and cultural heritage provides an excellent measure of modern living from historical setting. Their cultural practices are engaging. Part II: Analysis Basing on the above listed ethnic groups, several beneficial values that helped to shape the United States lifestyle can be described. In particular, the brief summaries have given the clear picture of Multiculturalism in the United States in relation to the origin. The United States, for that matter, is captured as a multicultural society that is open to all people with different backgrounds. From an early time, several groups started moving into the region due to various reasons, which allowed for the development of a culturally diverse society. Hence, the United States substantially benefited from the cultural diversity as improved workforce was available for the various work scenarios. Despite the obvious benefits of multiculturalism in the society, some negative forms such as racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination flourished over several years. In the recent past, for example, several ethnic groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Indian Americans have continually suffered racism, discrimination, and being depicted in certain stereotypes. Firstly, segregation between the Whites and Blacks was a key characteristic of the population before the rise of the civil rights during the 1950s and over. Workplaces, schools, commuter busses, and residential areas were segregated between the two groups until in 1954 when segregation in schools was banned. As a result, people started integrating on a multicultural perspective, which led to the realization of better performances and solutions for the workplaces. Besides the significant leap ahead, other factors such as prejudice and stereotyping still exist at the current date. For instance, the African American and Hispanic groups have been stereotyped in the villainous characters such as gangsters, robbers and the like for several decades. Such beliefs have existed for several years and are even a common occurrence in media the same way. Hand in hand, prejudice has also resulted from the occurrences. Therefore, prejudice and stereotypes are a normal situation in the culturally diverse environment of the United States. However, the multicultural nature of the country’s population resulted in some positive factors such as creation of a multicultural workforce that can meet the requirements of the target population in an effective manner. In connection to that, all the ethnic groups in the American landscape are subject to some positive, as well as, negative aspects of the cultural diversity. As a result, prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that were once extremely high have considerably low effects on the modern and socially active populations. In conclusion, the United States still leads with regards to the benefits of cultural diversity among its people. Part III: Sources Holland, C. (2006). Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Central America: An Historical Perspective. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from the Prolades Website: http://www. prolades. com/Ethnic_Religious_Diversity_CAM-Holland. pdf Kenyon, A. (2005). The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved November 11, 2011 from the Leading Today Website: http://www. leading today. org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/may05/ak-may05. html Reference List Holland, C. (2006). Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Central America: An Historical Perspective Retrieved November 12, 2011 from the Prolades Website: http://www. prolades. com/Ethnic_Religious_Diversity_CAM-Holland. pdf Kenyon, A. (2005). The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace Retrieved November 11, 2011 from the Leading Today Website: http://www. leading today. org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/may05/ak-may05. html.

Kubler Ross Essay

After reading Kubler-Ross’s On Life after Death, I must say, it’s definitely opened my eyes to a new perspective, and made me realize, that I too, will leave this earth one day. Kubler-Ross was the first in her playing field to open up the subject matter of death. She was able to bring about her ways of ideas through her seminars on what life, death, and transition is. In her counseling of and research on dying patients, Kubler-Ross brings about five stages of dying that an individual experiences when they leave their cocoon. These five stages are denial/isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I think many different individuals can benefit from reading this book, no matter who you are and no matter what your profession is. In this book, Kubler-Ross has mini chapters that are basically a discussion with patients and clients to express the key issues surrounding their illness, where some of the patients know they are certain they will die, and this is where Kubler-Ross exercises one to one therapy to assist throughout the process. A few different topics come up throughout the book about incurably sick patients, near death experiences, and incomplete business. I remember when my grandma passed away, prior to her dying, she’d been through several open heart surgeries, a leg amputation, Parkinson’s disease, and a tremendous amount of stress. Everyone in the family observed and just watched my grandma as she went through Kubler-Ross’s stages. Before something else would arise with my grandma, you can just tell she was in denial about whatever was next to happen. Everyone in the family was very down and out, especially my mom, and she was the strongest one and was the one to take care of my grandmas the most. But she would never let my grandma see her upset; she’d wait until she got home before she cried. Kubler-Ross mentions that it is usually a temporary guard and will eventually be able to reach the stage of acceptance (p. 21). Kubler-Ross points out that when you are angry, it can’t really be sugar coated. And when you have an upset or angry individual in a family, it will make its rounds and the mood will just linger amongst those that are there. During this time it’s important to be very liberal to the way others feel. The process of being open-minded to others will aid in expressing the wishes of the dying patient. I now understand that in more cases than not, the rationale for dying is connected with bargaining for more time. Bargaining, which is one of Kubler-Ross’s (5) stages, is when the individual thinks that if they would have done something differently, God would have given him/her more time to live. I feel we can learn a lot from this section in our day-to-day lives. We all ask ourselves if only and if we are struck with an illness, would we fight for the time we have and try to make it worthwhile. If we did not live with such suffering, like my grandmother had, we may lead different lives. The ways each person individually lives him/her life may be focused on materialistic values or it can be of faith in who we are and faith in God. I do believe that when any individual comes into contact with going through someone passing, it’s ok to be upset, and it’s expected for one to suffer from a heightened state of depression. As human beings, we can make a decision to let that depression take charge of us, or we can choose to accept death. To resolve most conflicts in our lives when we are dying is when we are able to accept the unavoidable events that transpire. It’s very important to be able to come to some terms of agreement with events that happen in our lives not just when death occurs, but also in our day to day lives in this world. If nothing is absorbed in one’s mind after reading these short essays in this book, you will learn to take what each day brings as a new day starts, and to live for the moment. My mom always tells me to not take things for granite, be grateful, because we never know when it’s our time to go, and that God brought us into this world, and he can take you out. I think this book mentions several personal stories, which is a good thing because whoever is reading the book has the ability to identify with the experiences. The book gives you an opportunity to become stronger reading about others experiences as you go through unforeseen events in your own life. One example from the book is the mother whose husband left her with the needy children, and she struggled with the word â€Å"retarded†, and tried to understand the purpose of having a child that was like a vegetable. She goes through several stages with God, and then finds a true meaning to have the child. She identifies herself with her child and talks to her godmother, and she writes a poem, titled â€Å"To My Godmother† (p. 23). The poems express the mother’s feelings of acceptance and her will to continue with her life even though she had a very needy child. An individual that is experiencing similar experiences may read this book and feel comforted in reading the poem, knowing that if someone else could show such strength and hope during hardship then they can as well. These readings clearly can be therapeutic to clients who are  experiencing and dealing with these issues in their own lives. However, this book presents a weakness in that Kubler-Ross can at times display a mixed tone that may come across as her showing more empathy in one story and more clinical in others. I think this book can be woven into psychotherapy a few different ways. The therapist could implement different parts of the book as reflection exercises for clients. Some experiences shared in this book can help clients gain insight into their feelings as they face dying either themselves or through some else’s experience. As mentioned previously, this book will have you taking one day at a time, and dealing with what each day brings as it comes. Kubler-Ross was an innovator in her field and opened the doors to communicating about death. I learned that death is a process and mostly filled with grief, and when loved ones are suffering from an illness, or whatever the case may be, we need to be aware of Kubler-Ross’s five stages as the individual goes through them, and think about how it is going to have an effect on us in the process.

Education of the Middle Ages Essay

Education, as we know it today, did not exist in the Middle Ages. Illiteracy was dominant among the population. Scribes were the exception to the rule. Churches were the main source of knowledge and schooling. Real interest in learning grew along with the development of towns. The towns’ officials needed to be educated. At the same time a need for legal institutions was created and so started the university phenomenon. Modern education was on its way. There were few schools in the Middle ages, so everyone had limited education. Even the Lord of the Manor was often unable to read or write. Some of the first schools were Cathedral schools. As well as Parish, Monastic, and Palace schools. Here people learned a particular role in society. Naturally the primary job was training the clergy in their professional duties as priests of the Christian people. The bishop was the head of the complex and he had a staff of priest to help him with the several of the diocese. These skills that were taught here were reading, singing of hymns, church law, writing of documents and the performing of Church duties and sacraments. An example of educating for a specific role in life were the Knights who had learn how to fight with various weapons so that they could fight for their king. The common people, however, had no way of being educated other than going a monastic school. However, if they did this, they had to donate their property to the church. The people who went to this school later become monks or nuns. They had to follow three important laws: chastity, obedience, and the law or the lord if not followed they would be thrown out of the monastery. Most monasteries had a rule of silence: monks could not talk which other except for a short period of time. During meals one monk might read passages from the bible while the others mediated. Even though monks’ lives seem to be so hard it was the best place to go for a good education for anybody from a king to a beggar (Monasteries 488-499). Women took part in monastic life by living in a convent under a direction of an abbess. Known as nuns, they wore simple clothes and wrapped a white cloth called a wimple around their face and neck. They alternated prayer with spinning, weaving, and embroiling items such as tapestries and banners. They also taught needlework and the medicinal use of herbs to daughters of nobles (Couglin A6). Although monks and nuns lived apart from society, they were not completely isolated. Indeed, they played a crucial role in medieval intellectual and social life. Since few people could read or write, the regular clergy preserved ancient and the classical writings. Scribes copied all the books by hand working in a small drafty room with one candle or a small window for light. Illuminated manuscripts decorated with rich colors and intricate pictures indicate that, although the task was done with hard work, it was also lovingly done (Monastaries 499-501). Monasteries and convents provided not only schools for young people, but hospitals for the sick, food for the needy, and a home for travelers who need a place to stay (Monasteries 499-501). Cathedral schools were there to train higher-member of the Church in their professional duties as ministers of the Christian people. The bishop in whose Cathedral complex the school was located needed a group of trained priests to administer the various needs dioceses. The Cathedral school largely emphasized practical skills, effective reading, singing, and knowledge of Church Law, public speaking and the administration of the holy sacraments (Corbishely 28). At first the university was not so much a place as it was a group of scholars organized like a guild for the purpose of learning. Classes were held in rented rooms or churches even in the open air. Books were scarce. In most classes teacher read the text and discussed it, while students took notes on slates or memorized as much information as possible. Classes did, however meet regularly schedule. University rules established the obligations of the students and the teachers toward each other. To qualify as a teacher students had to pass an exam leading to a degree, or a certificate of completion (Cantor 58). By the end of the 1200’s universities had spread throughout Europe. Most southern European universities were modeled after the law school at Bologna, Italy, and specialized in law and medicine. Universities in Northern Europe on the contrary, specialized in liberal arts in Theology. These were generally modeled after the University of Paris (Bailey 89). At medieval universities, scholars studied Latin classics and Roman law in depth. They also acquired knowledge from the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle and from the Islamic scholarship in the sciences. This interest in the physical world eventually led a rise of western science (Schools 291-292). Many church leaders opposed the study of Aristotle’s works, fearing that his ideas feared the Christian teachings. In contrast some scholars thought that new knowledge could be used ideas. The applied Aristotle philosophy to theological questions and developed a system of thought called scholasticism. This new type of learning emphasized reason as well as the faith in the interpretations of Christian doctrine. Scholastic sought to bring back classical philosophy along side with the teachings of the Church. They believed that knowledge could be integrated into a coherent whole (Schools 295). One scholastic teacher, Peter Aberlard taught theology in Paris during the early 1100’s. In his book Sic et Non, he collected statements from the bible writings of early Christian leaders that showed both sides of controversial questions. Abearld then had his students reconcile the difference though logic. In the 1200’s the most important scholastic thinker was Thomas Aquinas a brilliant theologian and philosopher who taught philosophy in Naples and France. In his work Summa Theolgica Aquinas claimed that reason was a gift from god that could provide answers to basic philosophical questions. The catholic later accepted and promoted Aquinas’s way of teaching and thinking (Schools 310). The education of a knight proceeded in a way similar to that of many medieval occupations. At an early age the prospective knight was apprenticed to serve as a page, or attendant, in a knight’s household. In his teens the page graduated to the status of a squire and received more responsibilities. As a squire the boy tended his knight’s horses and armor, but he also gained his first battle experience. Several squires were usually apprenticed to a knight at the same time and on the battlefield they might fight as a small band of infantry around their master. Here they acquired the many skills in arms necessary for their profession. To graduate to the status of a knight, a squire usually performed some heroic deed in battle. The squire was welcomed into the order of knights by being dubbed with a sword or slapped in the face by his lord. Afterwards the new knight would receive his fief, or gift of land. As the cult of chivalry developed in the 12th and 13th centuries, knighting ceremonies became more involved. Often they occurred at court, and a knight’s dubbing might be preceded by a religious vigil in which the knight vowed to uphold Christian and chivalric principles (Davies 12-13). Finally the Renaissance, or rebirth of learning, began in Europe in the 14th century and reached its height in the 15th century. Scholars became more interested in the humanist features that is, the secular or worldly rather than the religious aspects of the Greek and Latin classics. Humanist educators found their models of literary style in the classics. The Renaissance was a particularly powerful force in Italy, most notably in art, literature, and architecture. In literature, the works of such Italian writers as Dante Aleghieri, Petrarch, and Giovanni Boccaccio became especially important (Renaissance 228-229). Humanist educators designed teaching methods to prepare well-rounded, liberally educated persons. Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus was particularly influential. Erasmus believed that understanding and conversing about the meaning of literature was more important than memorizing it, as had been required at many of the medieval religious schools. He advised teachers to study such fields as archeology, astronomy, mythology, history, and Scripture (Renaissance 220). The invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century made books more widely available and increased literacy rates. But school attendance did not increase greatly during the Renaissance. Elementary schools educated middle-class children while lower-class children received little, if any, formal schooling. Children of the nobility and upper classes attended humanist secondary schools (Bailey 112). Educational opportunities for women improved slightly during the Renaissance, especially for the upper classes. Some girls from wealthy families attended schools of the royal court or received private lessons at home. The curriculum studied by young women was still based on the belief that only certain subjects, such as art, music, needlework, dancing, and poetry, were suited for females. For working-class girls, especially rural peasants, education was still limited to training in household duties such as cooking and sewing (Couglin, A8). As it shows education the Middle Ages seems to be so diverse and a starting point for modern education. But the reader must always keep in mind only about five percent of the whole population did all of these educational activities.