Why Is Nutrition Important For Us Essay - 968 Words

Body I. Why is nutrition important for us? A. What does nutrition mean? 1. According to Whitney, nutrition is the science of the nutrients in foods and their actions within the body. (Whitney, 2013, p.3) a) Good nutrition is part of having a healthy lifestyle. b) Knowing what types of food you eat can help reach your goals, whether it is to help you maintain a healthy weight or reduce the risk of diseases. c) According to Bales (2011, August 1), â€Å"What you eat significantly impacts your heart health† (p.4). 1. In other words the foods that you pick can affect you as soon as today, tomorrow and in your future. 2. You may ask yourself why you should care. 3. Well the nutrients in the food enables the cells in our body to perform their necessary functions. 4. This is critical to know since if we don’t feed our body with the right amount of nutrients on a daily basis, you may not know it but your health will decline over the years if you keep going with the same routine 5. How well you nourish yourself depends on your overall eating pattern, the combination of different food and beverages at numerous meals over days, months, and years. (Whitney, 2013, p.35) [Transition: So I’m going to tell on how to get the better of your foods.] II. To recognize the true value of nutrition A. We have several meals a day and what we eat can have an influence on our body’s health for better or worse. We usually select foods based on taste and convenience, but making selection onShow MoreRelatedShould There Be Mandatory Nutrition952 Words   |  4 PagesShould there be Mandatory Nutrition Education in School? Every living thing needs nutrition in order to be surviving and growing healthier. In somehow, government required every import and export food products need to have nutrition label to let the customer know the nutrition fact of product. This will helps and gives us the ideas to know what the sources are containing in the products. For as there is no mandatory nutrition school provided in small town of northeastern from Thailand, many of theRead MoreAnalysis Of Michael Pollan s Defense Of Food967 Words   |  4 Pagesbook In Defense of Food author Michael Pollan takes an interesting and thought provoking journey into our contemporary nutrition. He not only breaks down the dangers of what we currently eat, but the entire reasoning behind why. He delves into how advertising, scientific claims (be them correct or incorrect) and even politics have changed the landscape of nutrition, and all our eating habits as a whole. He correlates the current epidemic of major health problems in America (obesity, heartRead More Buying Local Foods is Better Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesI think this is important because most people, like myself, buy global foods and do not realize how much better local foods are for the local economy, the global environment, and our personal nutrition. Nutrition is vital to the healthy of everyone especially children, so with the purchase of local fresh produce, it can ease the worry in parents of what children as well as ourselves are ingesting. Produce grown locally are healthier for toddlers because they contain more nutrition in the foods, meaningRead MoreA Research Study On The Nutrition Clinic1124 Words   |  5 PagesResults: the findings- can use tables, graph etc. basically the main findings and what is important. †¢ From our short survey results we came to know that majority of the students that is 60 students out of 93 did not know about the nutrition clinic. 30 students knew about the clinic but 27 out of them refused to take in the opportunity to get free nutrition counselling. †¢ From the survey administered to 98 students in Brooklyn College through interns working with Dietitian we found that 96 studentsRead MoreNotes On Fruit And Vegetable Purchase Data Obtained1153 Words   |  5 Pagesservings. 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Michael Pollan’s book In Defense of Food: A Eater’s Manifesto, informed me that we should focus on the foods we are putting in our bodies such as vitamins, fibers, saturated fats, etc. The food, as the author claimsRead MoreUnderstand and Meet the Nutrition Requirements of Individuals with Dementia960 Words   |  4 Pages1.1 Describe how cognitive, functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating, drinking and nutrition? Cognitive: depending on the type of dementia a person has they may have trouble in recognising the food in front of them or not understand that the food provided is for them, they may even view the food in front of them as food. This can be caused by their minds not recognising what is in front of them. 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A lot of people do not, and that is why this topic is relevant to society, especially adolescence. No matter what, good nutrition is essential for everyone, but it is especially important for growing teenagers. Proper nutritionRead MoreNutrition and Health Worksheet Essay1429 Words   |  6 PagesUniversity of Phoenix Material Nutrition and Health Worksheet Use Ch. 1 of Contemporary Nutrition, Ch. 2 of Visualizing Nutrition, supplemental course materials, the University Library, the Internet, or other resources to answer the following questions. Your response to each question should be 75 to 100 words. |What is nutrition? Why is nutrition essential to our daily lives? | |Nutrition is the necessary supplements provide

Moral Virtue Aquired Free Essays

How is moral virtue acquired? Alex Koglman Aristotle believes ethics is about moral virtue over intellectual virtue. Moral virtue comes about as a result of habits of human excellence. So in that case nothing that exists by nature can form a habit. We will write a custom essay sample on Moral Virtue Aquired or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example, when a bunny is born it does not learn to hop it is born to hop. With that being said us humans should try and develop good habits from the beginning of life. By developing good habits this will help you do the right thing without having to think hard about what the outcome is going to be. Good behavior arises from habits which in return can only be acquired by repeating the action and correcting it. First, moral virtues that help construct up a â€Å"happy† human are; justice, wisdom, courage and temperance. Wisdom is a special virtue that is intellectual; however it does guide human choices, while moral virtues are about action. Moral virtues are not acquired by teaching; they are brought on by acting the same way over and over again until it is habitual. So how do people acquire these moral virtues? The best conclusion would be, if a person had parents that acted in this way and were role models of excellence. Otherwise, success only comes from years of practicing, making tough decisions, and learning from your mistakes. Next, how will someone know when they acquire these moral virtues? The persons peers will look up to them and constantly have positive outcomes. People will come to them for help/advice, have 100% faith in them and be a huge role model. In result that person will feel like a million dollars knowing that he/she is in control. Aristotle provides people with both amazing insight and a powerful plan to shape one’s choices and actions in ways that will increase the chance of attaining happiness. By developing the four cardinal virtues, a person can go very far down the path of a whole life, well lived and the rest is up to good fortune. But even if bad luck ruins the chance, a person of good character, by possessing the moral virtues, will be far better off than those who don’t. Aristotle concludes that it is not possible to achieve happiness, a whole life well lived, without moral virtue. Moral virtue is a necessity for happiness otherwise people will act out of spite/anger/revenge/unlawful. Acting virtuously, however, is the primary means to becoming virtuous. For, according to Aristotle, â€Å"virtues arise in us neither by nature nor contrary to nature; but by our nature we can receive them and perfect them by habituation† How to cite Moral Virtue Aquired, Papers

Mexican Style Rice Essay Example For Students

Mexican Style Rice Essay Spanish Cookbook Spanish 5th Period You Will Need: 1. (2 cups) Enriched Long Grain Rice 2. (4 cups) Water* 3. (2 table spoons) Butter / Margarine 4. Seasoning** a. (2 table spoons) Onion, Dried b. (2 table spoons) Red Green Bell Peppers, Dried c. (2 table spoons) Garlic, Dried d. (2 table spoons) Tomatoes, Dried 5. Salt*** 6. (2 table spoons) Soy Sauce**** *For saucier rice, add up to cup more water. **Chose seasonings (dried and/or fresh) and quantities to desired taste and convenience. ***To taste ****Optional Directions: 1. Heat water and butter/margarine to boiling in 4-quart saucepan. 2. Stir in rice, soy sauce, and seasoning mix. Heat to boiling. 3. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. 4. Mix in salt and enjoy. Servings: Serving Size 1/3 cup Servings-6 Nutrition Facts: Calories 360 Fat 2 grams Total Carbohydrates 84 grams Protein 10 grams Sugars 4 grams

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Essay Summary Example For Students

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Essay Summary A monologue from the play by William ShakespeareMOROCCO: Some god direct my judgment! Let me seeI will survey th inscriptions back again.What says this leaden casket?Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath. Must give for what? for lead! hazard for lead?This casket threatens; men that hazard allDo it in hope of fair advantages.A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross;Ill then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.What says the silver with her virgin hue?Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.As much as he deserves? Pause there, Morocco,And weigh thy value with an even hand:If thou best rated by thy estimation,Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enoughMay not extend so far as to the lady;And yet to be afeard of my deservingWere but a weak disabling of myself. We will write a custom essay on THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As much as I deserve? Why thats the lady!I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes,In graces, and in qualities of breeding;But more than these, in love I do deserve.What if I strayed no farther, but chose here?Lets see once more this saying graved in gold:Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.Why thats the lady! All the world desires her;From the four corners of the earth they comeTo kiss this shrine, this mortal breathing saint.The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wildsOf wide Arabia are as thoroughfares nowFor princes to come view fair Portia. The watery kingdom, whose ambitious headSpits in the face of heaven, is no barTo stop the foreign spirits, but they comeAs oer a brook to see fair Portia.One of these three contains her heavenly picture.Ist like that lead contains her? Twere damnationTo think so base a thought; it were too grossTo rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave.Or shall I think in silver shes immured,Being ten times undervalued to tried gold?O sinful thought! Never so rich a gemWas set in worse than gold. They have in EnglandA coin that bears the figure of an angelStamped in gold but thats insculped upon;But here an angel in a golden bedLies all within. Deliver me the key.Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!

Airplane Warfare During World War I Essays - Aerial Warfare

Airplane Warfare During World War I Essays - Aerial Warfare Airplane Warfare During World War I During World War One, the role of airplanes and how they were used changed greatly. At first planes were only used for sport, but people started realize that not only could airplanes be useful but they could even influence an outcome of the war greatly. Soon the war was filled with blimps, planes, and tethered balloons. By the end of the war, planes became a symbol of fear, but they were not always treated with such respect. In the time leading up to the war, the general feeling about planes was, they were a sneaky, unfair tactic that should not be used in warfare. During The 1899 Hague Peace Conference it was put on record that the dropping or shooting of any projectiles or explosives from the air during a time of war was forbidden and was considered a crime of war. It was also decided that airplanes could only be used for reconnaissance or spying missions. (Villard-227) ?The airplane may be all very well for sport, but for the army it is useless? (Quoted in Villard-227) Even by the beginning of the war in 1912, the use of planes in war was still prohibited by the War Office. Shortly thereafter this changed, people awakened to the possibilities of air warfare. The world soon started to realize the effectiveness of planes in war and how the control of the skies could influence the outcome. Although the French were the first to have a working, conscripting air force and to license fliers, their trust in airplanes still was not up to par. Their lack of trust was justified, for the planes had no armaments, too many wires, and no reliable motor. (Villard-228) Soon all countries in the war effort had their own little air force, built hangers, and started to train pilots. The first bombing occurred in November 1911. Although the first bomb was dropped by the Italians, soon all countries were involved in bombing raids. (Villard-229) It was followed by the first aerial dogfight in 1912. This consisted of a primitive exchange of pistol fire between British and German planes . (Harvey-95) The first flying experience for the United States occurred in 1862, during the Civil War. General McClellan went into battle against the South with a balloon corps floated by hydrogen and pulled by four horses. (Saga-51) Literary fiction started to breed ideas about the use of planes in warfare. The most famous writer to explore the idea was H.G. Wells. He wrote The War In The Air, a book about the future in which battle is conducted with planes. (Wohl-70). In Germany, literary fiction preceded the actual development of warfare in the air. Rudolph Martin was a writer who predicted that the German?s future was not on the sea, but in the air. He also believed that further development in aviation would kill the importance of diezce and help to lead toward the German unification of the world. (Wohl-81) Martin?s novel helped to prepare the Germans for their use of planes in the war. The fiction soon became scientific fact. (Wohl-71) The United States, ultimately was slower than France and Germany to develop an air force. On March 3, 1911, Congress appropriated $125,000 to start an air force, which consisted of five planes. The first squadron was organized by the Americans on March 5, 1913, in Texas City. It consisted of nine planes. Although the United States entered the war in 1917, it did not use planes in the war at that time. (Villard-231) U.S. pilots had little or no experience in ?cross-country navigation.? They did not have good maps and sometimes they became lost, ran out of fuel and would have to land behind enemy lines. (Villard-233) As the Americans advanced in the use of planes in warfare, so did the Germans. Initially, the Germans made no effort to hide their skepticism about the use of planes in warfare. In the beginning of the war, many Germans raised in newspaper articles and on government committees the possibilities of warfare in the air, but the country as a whole was not quick to initiate the effort. (Wohl-70) This quickly changed, however, because the development of airplanes during the war

Business Ethics And Social Responsibility Commerce Essay

Business Ethics And Social Responsibility Commerce Essay Generation of maximum returns for its stakeholders is the ultimate purpose of any business establishment but over the last decade, there has been an ongoing dialogue about the role of business as responsible stewards. Though profit motive for any organization is well understood and accepted, people do not accept it as an excuse for ignoring the basic norms, values, and standards of being a good and responsible citizen. Standards, Norms Procedures and expectations to define values of responsible business conduct are emerging worldwide. In the past few years, ethical problems in business have been reported several times by leading newspaper and magazines. The term ‘ethics’ is mainly used to refer to the rules or principles that define the right and wrong conduct. According to Clarence D. Walton and La Rue Tone Hosmer, â€Å"business ethics is concerned with truth and justice and has a variety of aspects such as the expectations of society, fair competition, advertising, public relations, social responsibilities, consumer autonomy, and corporate behavior in the home country as well as abroad.† Practically speaking it can also be considered to be a value system which is â€Å"concerned primarily with the relationship of business goals & techniques to specifically human ends†, It also means viewing the needs & aspirations of individuals as a part of society. In the present day scenario it is one of the major task for the management to inculcate values & impart a sense of business ethics to the employees and organization, Managers, especially top-level managers, are responsible for creating an environment that fosters ethical decision-making in organization. Theodore Purcell and James Weber suggested three ways for applying and integrating ethical concepts: 1. Establishing of a policy regarding ethical behavior or developing a code of ethics in organization 2. An ethics committee in organization to resolve ethical issues 3. Teaching busine ss ethics and values in management development programs. These concepts should be applied taking into consideration the Social, Cultural, Political and Economic factors that affects the state of personal value and business ethic within different industries. Types of Managerial Ethics Archie B. Carroll, an eminent researcher, identified three types of management ethics, depending on the extent to which the decisions were ethical or moral: moral management amoral management immoral management Types of Managerial Ethics 1) Moral management Moral management strives to follow ethical principles and doctrines. Moral managers work to succeed without violating any ethical standards. They seek to succeed remaining within the bounds of laws. Such managers undertake such activities which ensure that though they may engage in legal and ethical behavior, they also continue to make a profit. The law should be followed not only in letter but also in spirit. Moral managers always seek to determine whether their actions, behavior or decisions are fair to themselves as well as to all other stakeholders involved. In the long run, this approach is likely to be in the best interests of the organizations. 2) Amoral management This approach is neither immoral nor moral. Amoral management simply ignores ethical considerations. It is broadly categorized into two types – intentional and unintentional. Intentional amoral managers do not take ethical issues into consideration while making decisions or while taking any action, because in their perception, general ethical standards should only be applicable to the non-business areas of life. Unintentional amoral managers, however, do not even consider the moral implications of their decisions or actions. Amoral managers pursue profitability as the only goal and pay very little attention to the impact on any of their social stakeholders. They do not like to interfere in their employees’ activities, unless their behavior can le ad to government interference. The guiding principle of amoral management is – â€Å"Within the law of the land, will this action, decision, or behavior help us make money?†

Behavior of Activities of Thymidine Metabolizing Enzymes in Human Article

Behavior of Activities of Thymidine Metabolizing Enzymes in Human Leukemia-Lymphoma Cells - Article Example The studies were conducted with cell cultures obtained from 13 human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines consisting of T- and B-cell lines as well as Non-T- and Non-B- cell lines. The various enzymes were assayed in extracts obtained from cells subjected to rapid freezing and thawing in liquid nitrogen. Activities of the catabolic enzymes were higher by several orders of magnitude compared to the synthetic enzymes in normal cells. However, in all leukemia-lymphoma cells examined, the thymidine degrading enzyme activities were decreased for example, by 5-42% in the case of dihydro thymine dehydrogenase (with the complete absence of DHT DH activity noted in chronic myelogenous leukemia K-562 cells) and up to 38% in the case of TP relative to normal cells. In contrast, the activities of the synthetic enzymes namely, thymidylate synthase and TK were increased significantly by up to 407 times and up to 79 times, respectively of the normal human lymphocytes. Thymidine is utilized by cells both for DNA synthesis and energy production through oxidation to CO2 and water. Therefore, the reduction in the activity of the thymidine degrading enzymes is also important since it would lead to the enhanced availability of the compound for DNA synthesis. Furthermore, the enhanced activities of the thymidine synthesizing enzymes would also contribute to DNA synthesis which is  essential for rapid cell growth and proliferation. A comparison of kinetic properties of the catabolic enzymes, DHT DH and TP in the normal lymphocytes showed that the specific activity of DHT DH was considerably less than that of phosphorylase thereby indicating that DHT DH is the rate-limiting enzyme and, therefore, a better enzyme to evaluate the capacity of human leukemia-lymphoma cells to degrade thymidine. Thymidine kinase (TK) converts thymidine, or deoxythymidine (dT) to the respective monophosphate.  

Abortion and personhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abortion and personhood - Essay Example Although highly controversial, the Roe decision, specifically, and the abortion debate, in general, continues to be one of the most significant issues, both from a theological and a moral perspective. When examining the use of the concept of personhood from an ethical standpoint, Gibson2 points out traditionally the debate surrounding abortion is, in actuality, a debate over whether a woman has the right to maintain control over her own body. Although there is little disagreement that women are afforded the right to choose, the right to privacy, the right to control their bodies and the right to self-determination, these distinctions become less clear when a woman wishes to execute these rights at the expense of a fetus. At this point, pro-life proponents would argue that the rights of the fetus outweigh those of the host (i.e. the pregnant female). Herein, lays the problem of basing the morality of abortion on personhood. According to Gibson when this is done there are three theoretical frameworks that are present each of which acknowledge and define personhood as occurring at different stages of fetal development. These three varying positions as to when personhood is present a nd translated into rights are the basic camps of the abortion debate. The first is that personhood and therefore the right to life is present at conception. The second, as argued by Aquinas, is that the right to life is present at some point after conception, but before birth. Lastly, the third position holds that the fetus does not possess any right to life, therefore personhood, until birth. Gibson notes that although these various camps of pro-choice versus pro-life differ as to their belief systems, both from a moral and theological standpoint, they all base these positions on the notion, directly or indirectly on personhood which, in effect, focuses not on the right of the woman but on the moral status of

The Last Spin Essay Example for Free

The Last Spin Essay Two boys, named Tigo and Dave, who were both enemies and both belonged in two different gang’s had never met each other before and engaged themselves in the game known as the ‘Russian Roulette’. They had to settle a situation for their gang’s. Apparently, Dave and his gang member’s had set foot on the territory that belonged to Tigo and his gang member’s. When they engaged themselves in the ‘Russian Roulette’, Tigo wore a green silk jacket with an orange stripe on each sleeve and had thick black hair and a nose that was a bit too long. Meanwhile, Dave wore a blue and gold jacket and had large eyes that were moist – looking. They were both sitting in the middle of a basement room on two different chairs with a table in the middle. On the centre of the table there was a Smith and Wesson . 38 Police Special that was worth forty five dollars and three . 38 Special cartridges. Tigo had referred to the gun by saying ‘I like a good piece’. It all began when Tigo loaded the first cartridge, twirled the cylinder, placed the gun on the side of his head, squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. They kept on going while talking amongst themselves, until Tigo added an extra cartridge to change and lower the odds. Afterwards, they still kept on going, while talking amongst them, until Tigo re added an extra cartridge to make it even money and decided that they could not keep on playing this game for the rest of the night. He had said ‘To hell with the club! ’ and decided to ignore the situation. Meanwhile, Dave had wondered if they should become friends and said ‘†¦Friends? ’ Tigo agreed and decided that they shall do ‘The Last Spin’. The tragic event occurred when Dave picked up the gun, placed it on the side of his head and fired. There was an explosion and half of Dave’s head was ripped away and shattered his face. A small, sharp cry had escaped Tigo’s throat, a look of incredulous shock knifed his eyes and he placed his head on the table and wept. 2. At the beginning of the story, Dave and Tigo are separated because: They are both each other’s enemies. They both belong in different gang’s. They both have no blood for each other. They have never met each other before. They have never crossed paths before. As the story continues, Dave and Tigo are brought together because: They both have to settle a situation for each other’s gang. They both have girlfriends. They are pretty lucky. They both have to stick to their gang’s They both went through the spinning of the cylinder without one of the cartridges coming out of the barrel several times when they squeezed the trigger. They both agree to become friends when Dave says ‘†¦Friends? ’ They both want to go to the lake on Sunday with their girlfriend’s in one boat. If I were to film the story I would chose Johnny Depp and Al Pacino to cast in the roles of Tigo and Dave because they have both played in different gangster movies when they were younger or recently. For example, Al Pacino acted as an Italian mafia named Michael Corleone in the ‘Godfather Trilogy’ in 1972, 1974 and 1990 and also as a young Cuban refugee who turns into a gangster named Tony Montana in the movie ‘Scarface’ in 1983. Besides, Johnny Depp has acted as an American bank robber in the Midwest during the early 1930s named John Dillinger in the movie ‘Public Enemies’ in 2009. Furthermore, the set I would use would be in a small basement room with a bit of light that is coming from a light bulb that is hanging from the ceiling, a few windows but some of them would be broken and damaged, a door that is old and rusted, a grey floor covered with some dust and dirt, a grey ceiling that has some cracks and some spider webs, and some grey walls that are covered with graffiti. Inside the basement room I would have a table, two chairs and some boxes that are spread around and are stacked up one on top of the other. Some of the directions I would give to the actors, Al Pacino and Johnny Depp would be to mention that Tigo and Dave are enemies and at the end of the short story, they become friends. I would also tell them to express their feelings and emotions such as when they are about to squeeze the trigger and shoot the Smith and Wesson . 38 Police Special next to their heads, when they speak about their girlfriends and when Tigo starts weeping because Dave’s head has been ripped away from the explosion. Last of all, I would tell them to use gangster voices and expressions. 4. Some of the words that I think are KEY to our understanding of the story would be: Enemy. Club. Settle. Situation Friends Explosion. Weeping. 5. Some grammatically incorrect sentences that I picked out are: I seen pieces before I’ve seen pieces before. I got no bad blood for you I’ve got no bad blood for you. We going to sit and talk all night Are we going to sit and talk all night. I man, you got to admit your boys shouldn’t have come into our territory last night I mean, you’ve got to admit that your boys shouldn’t have come into our territory last night. I got to admit nothing I’ve got to admit nothing. I never seen you either I’ve never seen you either. Where you from originally? – Where are you from originally? Why you giving me a break? Why are you giving me a break? The they get to be our people’s age and they turn to fat They get to be our people’s age and then they turn to fat. You’re the one needs the courage: You’re the one who needs the courage. There should be some body you can trust There should be somebody you can trust. Well here goes Well here it goes. We keep this up all night We can keep this up all night. 6. To begin with, in the passages of description, the author, Evan Hunter, describes Tigo and Dave and the different objects. Secondly, in the lines of dialogue, he describes the different discussions amongst themselves. Thirdly, in the passages of description and narrative he uses the Third Person Point of View by using the word ‘He’. However, in the lines of dialogue he uses Second Person Point of View by using the word ‘You’. Furthermore, in the passages of description and narrative, Evan Hunter, pretends to be in the same room as Dave and Tigo so therefore he can give more information to the readers. Last of all, the purpose of the Second Person Point of View by using the words ‘You’ in the lines of dialogue is used so that the author can pretend to be part of Dave and Tigo’s conversation so he can give more information to the readers. 7. Today’s age is more or less the same as the past generations. In the past, there were many wars were many people were killed. For example, in Europe there was World War One from 1914 to 1918 in which the Allied Forces (France, England, United States, Russia and Italy) fought versus Germany who belonged in the Central Powers and later on, there was World War Two from 1939 to 1945 where again, the Allied Forces fought versus Germany, Italy and Japan who belonged in the Axis Powers. Secondly, there also were many famous criminals. For example, there was John Dillinger from the United States, Jack the Ripper from England and Jacques Mesrine from France. Last of all, there were many different Civil Wars that erupted in different countries. For example, there was the American Civil War in the United States from 1861 to 1865 and the Irish Civil War in Ireland from 1922 to 1923. However, in nowadays, there are still some Civil Wars such as the Somali Civil War in Somalia that erupted in 1991 and the Civil War in Afghanistan that erupted in 1978. In nowadays, there is still some violence because nearly every single day, there are many stories on the news about children that have been kidnapped by one or several pedophiles. For example, there is Marc Dutroux from Belgium. Secondly, there is the Death Penalty which was used in many different countries in the past but today, it is still used in countries such as the United States, Korea DPR, China and Cuba. Last of all, there were many gangs in the past but they still exist today in the United States, South America, Eastern Europe and China. For example, in China you have the gang known as the ‘Triads’. To conclude, there is violence because of Terrorism. There is always a Terrorist Group such as Al Qaeda, Hamas or the Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) or an individual person who always has to commit an act of Terrorism to induce fear in victims who are ruthless and not protected against Terrorism. Therefore, they kill, injure, maim, destroy and terrorize many citizens. The Terrorist Group or individual person commits the Act of Terrorism for various reasons such as Revenge, Communism, Separatism, Poverty and Economic Disadvantages, Globalization, Religion, Social and Political Injustice. Additionally, there is violence within the Child Soldiers in countries such as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo because they are brainwashed by their factions, clans or leaders and are ordered to kill other people who are defenseless when they are given an AK – 47. A perfect example would be the movie ‘Blood Diamond’ with Leonardo Dicaprio and directed by Edward Zwick. Last of all, there is violence in many different sports such as football (soccer) and basketball. It may happen when the supporters of a certain team will fight against the supporters of another team if they have any rivalries. For example, the Chelsea supporters will fight against the Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspurs or Manchester United supporters. This would create violence because many of them would get killed, wounded and stabbed. A second example would be a football player that would get killed by its own supporters. An incident of this type occurred in the 1994 World Cup in America where a Colombian football player, Andres Escobar, had accidentally scored an own goal in a match against the United States, a match which Colombia lost 2:1. On his return to Colombia, Andres Escobar had been confronted outside a bar in Medellin by a gunman who shot him six times. When he shot him, he always repeated ‘Goal ‘after each shot.

A Unique Cult Essays -- Consumerism Economics Economy Essays

A Unique Cult Within the past five years, the stock market has steadily increased due to an abundance of retail and merchandise shopping. Many may wonder, â€Å"why now?† or â€Å"why such an increase in sales?†; the answer to this question is right in front of our nose. The answer is the current consumer culture, consisting of everything we buy- including clothes, food, accessories, cars, and furniture. Pressure from the current consumer culture on the average shopper has never been so strong. Nowadays the only way for a person to feel as though they fit in is by purchasing the latest fashion fad, in order to, in some way, feel connected. Peer pressure and the pressure of advertising are placing the latest crazes in front of our eyes, and it is our job as consumers to purchase them, no matter the cost. The current consumer culture is taking the word â€Å"unique† out of the country by creating false images for teenagers and cities to fulfill. It is also pl acing unwanted pressure on parents and teenagers to cooperate with today’s consumer culture without realizing that the intent of large corporations is only for their own good. The words cult and consumer culture, also known as consumerism, have become prevalent topics in today’s society. The most general and personal definition of the term cult refers to a group of people in which everyone is the same, or has the same goals and dreams. For example, one may think of a cult as the Catholic Church in which every Catholic’s goal is to find salvation. In a less religious and significant stance, a cult is the extreme followers of a television show such as â€Å"Star Trek†. The term consumer culture, dealing with the need for people to purchase and have the latest... ...proving to be monetary gain for their own selfish needs rather than the people which keep them in business. Works Cited: Connor, John. "TV: 'TEENAGE SUICIDE: DON'T TRY IT!'" New York Times. 10 Dec. 1981, sec C. Lexis Nexis. 3 Dec. 2004 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>. Garcia, Michelle. "New York, Brought to You by . . .." Washington Post. 7 Dec. 2003, sec. A03. Lexis Nexis. 20 Nov. 2004 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>. Lasn, Kalle. "The Cult You're In." Culture Jam. New York: Perennial Currents, 2000. Mayer, Caroline. "Nurturing Brand Loyalty." Washington Post. 12 Dec. 2003, sec. F01. Lexis Nexis. 20 Nov. 2004 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>. Moraes, Lisa de. "High-Priced Ads: For Younger Viewers Only." Washington Post. 21 March 2004, sec. N10. Lexis Nexis. 20 Nov. 2004 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

Environmental Analysis of Barclays Bank Essay

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Banks are central to every society; they provide the funding that facilitates business and entrepreneurship, support a sound financial system, and help to create jobs and wealth. Banks in the UK operate in a highly competitive, globalised but lightly-regulated environment. They face increasingly well-informed and ‘energetic’ customers, determined legislators, and electorates who are becoming environmentally aware. They have to adapt to changing economic and market conditions, fast changing consumer needs and expectations. Their business is influenced by global economic, political, regulatory, technological and other unpredictable factors. Consequently, they have to device their strategies, policies and operations to adapt to these changes in order to meet stakeholder expectations and satisfy consumer needs. In this assignment, I try to describe and evaluate changing business environment of Barclays Bank Plc over the last five years. INTRODUCTION About Barclays Bank Plc Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, corporate banking, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services with an extensive international presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. Barclays  Group headquarters is at 1 Churchill Place in London, UK, but it has operations all over the world, with products and services to meet the needs of customers and clients in local markets. With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs more than 144,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for more than 48 million customers and clients worldwide. Organizational structure Barclays is made up of two ‘Clusters’: Global Retail Banking, and Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth Management, each of which has a number of Business Units. The third major area of the business is Group Centre, which comprises all our essential support functions. UK Banking Industry UK’s banking sector, following the US and Japan, is the world’s third largest and considered foremost in terms of: efficiency, dynamism and return on capital. In addition to having one of the largest commercial banking industries, the UK is also a major international centre for investment and private banking. The UK banking sector’s strong international orientation is reflected in the substantial foreign presence and sizeable assets of foreign banks in London. It services 95% of the population with about 3.5% of UK’s workforce – over a million workers. Banks and financial services contribute  £70bn to the UK’s national output (6.8% of GDP) and provide 25% of total corporation tax ( £8bn) to the UK Government. The main retail banks provide over 125m accounts, clear 7bn transactions a year and facilitate 2.3bn cash withdrawals per year from its network of over 30,000 free ATMs. Banks in the UK contribute well over  £100m per year to charities and local community initiatives. UK banks are authorised and regulated by Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). Financial Services Authority is an independent non-governmental body which exercises statutory powers under the FSMA. The FSMA requires the FSA to pursue four objectives: to maintain confidence in the UK financial system; to promote public understanding of the financial system; to secure an appropriate degree of  protection for consumers whilst recognizing their own responsibilities; and to reduce the scope for financial crime. Banks of England is responsible for maintaining overall stability of the financial system a whole. The Bank sets interest rates of UK and is also responsible for identifying and limiting systemic financial risk. ANALYSIS Barclays bank operates almost all over the world and hence its actions are influenced by the global economic conditions. I have used PESTEL framework to describe and evaluate business environment of Barclays Bank plc. It categorises environmental factors into six main types: political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal. Political * Government stability * Taxation policy * Foreign trade regulations * Social welfare policies Economic factors * Business cycles * GNP trends * Interest rates * Money supply * Income distribution * Social mobility * Lifestyle changes * Attitudes to work and leisure * Consumerism * Levels of education Technological * Government spending on research * Government and industry focus on technological effort * New discoveries/development * Speed of technology transfer * Rates of obsolescence Environmental * Environmental protection laws * Waste disposal * Energy consumption Legal * Monopolies legislation * Employment law * Health and safety * Product safety The change in the business environment of Barclays bank Economic factors The collapse of a global housing bubble, which peaked in the U.S. in 2006, caused the values of securities tied to real estate pricing to plummet thereafter, damaging financial institutions globally. Questions regarding bank solvency, declines in credit availability, and damaged investor confidence had an impact on global stock markets, where securities suffered large losses during late 2008 and early 2009. Economies worldwide slowed during this period as credit tightened and international trade declined. Governments and central banks responded with unprecedented fiscal stimulus, monetary policy expansion, and institutional bailouts. The subsequent emergence of a wider set of credit problems – in mortgages and in corporate lending, and in particular in commercial real estate – generated credit capacity constraints and economic slowdown. An initial focus on funding problems, with the failure of Northern Rock caused not by immediately evident solvency/credit quality problems, but by the drying up of the market for both securitised credit assets and wholesale funding availability. Such funding issues were also critical to the problems of Bradford & Bingley and HBOS in September/October 2008. The UK economy was officially declared to be in recession on 6th May 2009. The Office of National Statistics said that Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 1.5% in the last three months of 2008, after a 0.6% contraction in  the previous quarter. Recession is generally defined as two quarters of successive contractions in GDP, which means the UK had been in recession since July 2008. Industrial production fell by a massive 3.9 per cent over the quarter, while the dominant services sector fell by one per cent. Unemployment had also risen to 2.47 million in the three months to July 2009. It was at its highest level in 14 years since May 1995. The UK economy came out of recession in 2010, after figures showed it had grown by 0.1% in the last three months of 2009. In the second week of January 2010, UK unemployment fell for the first time in 18 month. The UK’s production and service sectors each grew by 0.1% during the quarter. The UK recession began in the April-to-June quarter of 2008, and was the longest UK recession on record. During 18 months of recession, public borrowing increased to an estimated  £178bn, while output slumped by 6%. Impact on Barclays Bank’s performance Barclays announced record profits of more than  £11 billion for 2009 – a 92% rise on the previous year. Its performance driven largely by a strong revival in its investment banking arm Barclays Capital. Profits were also boosted by sale of fund management business Barclays Global Investors, and the addition of the New York operations of failed investment bank Lehman Brothers at the end of 2008. The BGI sale added  £6.3 billion to pre-tax profits. Barclays Capital contributed  £2.5 billion of the bank’s underlying profit of  £5.3 billion which was 13% down on 2008’s  £6 billion. However, the bank’s profit was highly affected by the global economic slowdown and deteriorating economic conditions in the UK. Its UK Retail Banking profit before tax in 2009 decreased 55% ( £757m) to  £612m (2008:  £1,369m), impacted by low interest rates resulting in margin compression on the deposit book and increased impairment charges which together more than offset well controlled costs and an improved assets margin. Impairment charges rose to  £974m (2008:  £414m), reflecting the impact of the economic recession across the business with continued pressure on corporate liquidity, rising default rates and lower asset values. Barclays enforced strict criteria on new credit card applications, using a  scoring system that takes over 400 variables into account when assessing an applicant’s likely ability to manage their credit. Around 50% of applications for credit cards are declined as a result. Strong income growth (2009) across the portfolio driven by increased lending, improved margins and foreign exchange gains, was offset by higher impairment charges, driven by the deterioration in the global economy. Impairment charges in the international businesses increased  £444m, driven by higher delinquencies due to deteriorating economic conditions. UK portfolio charges were higher as a result of rising delinquencies due to the economic deterioration, especially in the loan portfolios, and the inclusion of Goldfish in UK Cards. The impairment charge in Global Retail and Commercial Banking increased by 85% ( £2,473m) to  £5,395m (2008:  £2,922m) as charges rose in all portfolios, reflecting deteriorating credit conditions across all regions. Impairment charges on loans and advances increased 50% ( £2,445m) to  £7,358m (2008:  £4,913m). The increase was primarily due to economic deterioration and portfolio maturation, currency movements and methodology enhancements, partially offset by a contraction in loan balances. In Investment Banking and Investment Management, impairment was broadly unchanged at  £1,949m (2008:  £1,980m). The impairment charge against available for sale assets and reversed repurchase agreements increased by 41% ( £207m) to  £713m (2008:  £506m), driven by impairment against credit market exposures. Political During 2008, the UK government acted in the banking sector to recapitalise banks and guarantee toxic assets and deposits and new lending for essential infrastructure programmes. This was essential to shore up lending for consumers and businesses and restore confidence in banks. Also it was vital to avoid the unprecedented banking crisis having even more wide reaching and catastrophic effects in the wider economy. This decision was not taken lightly and wasn’t considered an easy ride for the banks. Banks wishing to  participate in the Asset Protection Scheme for example had to make additional lending to households and businesses. But the overarching priority in the banking sector was first to ensure the continuing supply of credit to the wider economy. This means returning the banks to solvency and profitability, and maintaining financial stability. On 13th October 2008, the government nationalised the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), taking up a 63 % stake in exchange for  £20 billion of taxpayers’ money (now 84% owned by the government) on condition that no executive bonuses paid during 2008; no dividend until the government’s  £5bn of preference shares are repaid and the government appointed three directors; RBS had to maintain mortgage lending at 2007 levels. On 31st October 2008, Business secretary Lord Mandelson waived competition law for takeover of Lloyds TSB’s takeover of Halifax Bank of Scotland creating the fourth biggest bank of Britain to calm uncertainty about the strength of HBOS after a run on its shares. The combined bank accounts for a third of the mortgage market. Although the merged bank is smaller than Barclays, HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland, because it has less of an international profile than the other banks, it is the market leader – in terms of savings – by a huge margin. In order to shore up confidence in the banking system during 2008, the government injected money into Lloyds TSB Bank ( £5.5bn) and HBOS ( £11bn) and became owner of 43.5% of the combined group, directors were asked to receive 2008’s bonus in shares; no dividend until preference shares are repaid; government appointed two directors; Lloyds asked to maintain mortgage lending at 2007 levels for next three years. As the Financial Services Authority increased the capital ratio requirements for all UK banks, Barclays had been forced to raise  £7.2 billion from Middle Eastern Investors on generous terms. A further  £1.5bn was being raised from institutional investors to strengthen its balance sheet. Chancellor Alistair Darling introduced a temporary one-off super-tax of 50% on bankers’ bonuses paid above  £25000 between December 2009 and April 2010. Bankers still had to pay income tax on any bonus they receive as usual. The  new tax was designed to discourage banks from awarding large bonuses to employees in the wake of the major taxpayer support they have received in the financial crisis. Consequently, Barclays paid  £225 million in windfall bonus tax for 2009. Sociocultual According to British Retail Consortium (BRC), more people are using cash to pay for their purchases amid growing consumer concerns about how much money they are spending. The global credit crunch is causing consumers to be more cautious with their money. Figures from the organisation showed that cash was used for 60 per cent of all transactions during 2008, an increase of 54 per cent from 2007. Cash represented 34 per cent of all money spent in the retail sector during 2008, compared with 32 per cent in 2007. According to BRC, people’s enthusiasm for using cards is slipping as they are not only reluctant to borrow but also reluctant to use cards. A survey released on 22nd January 2009 by communications consultants Cohn & Wolfe revealed the full scale of UK consumers’ anger with financial institutions. UK consumers perceive their banks to be ‘greedy’ and ‘impersonal’, according to the survey, which polled 852 consumers in January 2009. The study also revealed that 60% of consumers don’t believe that their bank is looking after their best interests. When asked which words best describe the perception of their financial institution, consumers identified ‘greedy’ (49%), ‘impersonal’ (36%) and distant (34%). Positive and desired descriptions including ‘ethical’ (2%), ‘trustworthy’ (4%) and ‘transparent’ (5%) were among the least common terms used by consumers to describe their financial institutions. Almost two thirds (64%) of respondents’ trust in financial institutions had weakened over the last 18 months. A lack of confidence in banks was further emphasized with 74% of consumers saying that they do not believe that their bank would help them recover any money they had lost in 2008. Respondents also identified the financial services they trusted most. Retail banks were comfortably (59%) the most trusted type of financial service. At the other end of the scale, investment broker (2%), insurance providers (5%), online financial service providers and supermarket  retailers (both 6%) come off worst. Due to such negative attitude towards banking industry and intense public interest and concern for banks and bankers’ pay, Barclays chief executive John Varley and president Bob Diamond both agreed to sacrifice bonuses for two years, 2008 and 2009. Technological In late 2004, Chip & PIN technology was introduced as a strategic response to tackle counterfeit and lost & stolen card fraud in the face-to-face environment. Up until this point, UK consumers signed for their goods and services and only used their PIN for ATM withdrawals. During 2007, Barclays sent out ‘PIN sentry’ machines to over half a million customers in an attempt to prevent online banking fraud. The PIN sentry reader is meant to be used once an online account holder has logged in to the banking site. After logging in, customers slot their bank debit card into the card reader, which generates a unique code which they must input before making a transaction. Also, retailers and banks are using more fraud screening detection tools and online fraud prevention tools, such as MasterCard SecureCode and Verified by Visa, which make cards more secure when people are shopping online. This led to phone, internet and mail order fraud losses falling 19 percent from  £328.4 million in 2008 to  £266.4 million in 2009. Environmental Climate change has become the single biggest challenge the world faces at the beginning of the 21st century, and in response Barclays is focusing increasingly on its work on the environment, which includes both its direct and indirect impacts. Barclays remains committed to increasing its energy efficiency, and reducing its carbon footprint on an ongoing basis, as well as helping its supply chain reduces its emissions. In 2007, it invested in emissions trading capability, and moved into the consumer market with new lower-carbon products and services. An example is Barclaycard Breathe, a new card that gives consumers incentives when they buy green products, and donates half its profits to environmental projects. In the wholesale market Barclays Capital has committed to the EU emissions trading market to brings its full range of commodity trading and risk management expertise to bear to help clients manage their carbon risk. Since 2005 it has traded over 600 million tonnes of carbon credits, with a notional value of over $14 billion. Legal factors The global financial crisis resulted in a significant tightening of regulation and changes to regulatory structures globally. The changes in the legal framework, policies and banking regulatory action, have an impact on Barclays’ businesses and earnings. The market for payment protection insurance (PPI) has been under scrutiny by the UK competition authorities and financial services regulators. In 2006, the FSA published the outcome of its broad industry thematic review of PPI sales practices in which it concluded that some firms fail to treat customers fairly and that the FSA would strengthen its actions against such firms. Barclays voluntarily complied with the FSA’s request to cease selling single premium PPI by the end of January 2009. On 21st February, the UK government introduced Banking Act 2009 which provides the Authorities with tools to deal with failing banks and building societies. The Banking Act provides a permanent and appropriate regime for the resolution of failing banks. It is a major step forward in the Government’s programme to strengthen stability and confidence in the UK banking system, in the wake of the global instability experienced by financial markets. In order to discourage excessive risk taking by large banks, FSA published its new Remuneration Code of Practice in August 2009. The code states that firms should not encourage risk taking to generate short-term profit – the focus should be on long term success. It required firms to give pay details to FSA so that it can monitor compliance. Barclays’ discretionary pay awards for 2009 were fully compliant with the FSA Remuneration Code which resulted in an increase in the deferred awards by approximately 70% and greater use of  equity in deferral structures, particularly to senior staff. 100% of the discretionary pay awards for 2009 to its Executive Committee were deferred. RECOMMENDATION From previous chapters it becomes clear that Barclays bank operates in unpredictable and volatile business environment. In such circumstances, it is highly recommended that it should be clear about its strategic framework for the coming years and should maintain a sound financial and organisational footing that anticipates and adapts to the regulatory changes. It can achieve superior growth by diversifying its profit base by geography and by business line. It should focus intensely on cost reduction and risk management. It is required to create the internal framework, processes and culture to respond rapidly to new opportunities, threats and regulations. It is also required to re-establish trust and relationship with customers by fulfilling their needs with product innovation and customer centric approach. CONCLUSION The global economic slowdown and subsequent recession in UK and in many other countries of the world have changed the business environment in substantial way. Barclays Bank operates in a business environment which is highly influenced by political, economical, sociocultural, technological, environmental and legal factors. In order to compete successfully, it has to adapt to changing business environment. Its performance in last five years shows that it has the ability to run the business profitably even in such deteriorating economic conditions where other players in the market struggled to survive. However, it needs to undertake a balanced set of strategic initiatives in such unpredictable and extreme volatile business environment which is beyond the organisational control. REFERENCES * Exploring Corporate Strategy, text and cases, sixth edition (2002) by Gerry Johnson and Kevan Scholes * http://en.wikepedia.org * http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/other/turner_review.pdf * http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?inarticle_id=469739&in_page_id=2#ixzz0lIhv4NoL * http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8479639.stm * http://www.myoffshoreaccounts.com/english/offshore_uk-banking-uk-bank-account * http://group.barclays.com/About-us/Barclays-at-a-glance/Key-facts * http://group.barclays.com/Investor-Relations/Shareholder-information/Annual-Reports * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crisis_of_2007%E2%80%932010) * www.moneyshop.co.uk/†¦/brc-credit-crunch-leading-to-cash-comeback.html * http://www.gciuk.com/en/news/banking-blues-uk-survey-says-consumers-lose-trust * http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_16_09.htm * http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/banking/6267384/Online-banking * http://econsultancy.com/blog/1065-barclays-uses-chip-and-pin-to-combat-online-fraud

A Vision, A Possibility

I was born into a family of four who never experienced silver spoons on our mouths. My father passed away when I was still 24 years old. His death, aside from leaving us with loneliness and grief, also brought us to an unstable economic situation. However, the financial constraints were not successful in dampening my spirit and blocking me from my dreams. I always believe that there is always a way in everything if I put my heart into it. With the help of my mother and my older sister, I was able to finish Law at Kwang Woon University in Seoul, Korea in 2004. I also took up Arts and Sciences degree, majoring in Liberal Arts at the Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2006. At present, I am enrolled in Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting at the Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii, in Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii. As an assistant to the director of Samnam Corporation in Korea, I learned to take responsibility and initiative. I took charge of assisting the sales department daily operations, the director’s daily schedules, and documents sent to and from other departments. I also exhibited social responsibility as a volunteer at the Korean Care Home in Kiapu, Hawaii. I am also thankful that I have been given opportunities to share my skills in the martial arts by voluntarily teaching taekwondo at the central YMCA. For me, nobility and honor rises from volunteer works, especially if it means helping those who are badly in need. Even though, I have less earthly treasures, I believe that I can still share something to my countrymen and even to the entire community with my skills and talents. I know these are endowed upon me to be able to share it to others. If granted, the scholarship would provide me with the opportunity to achieve the goals I have set for myself. I am driven to achieve a career in business and I believe that a thorough mastery in accounting would be of great help to me. I envision myself to be a chief executive officer (CEO) of a stable, well-respected, and well-established corporation in the near future. I am greatly interested in Korean economy and I see myself as an instrument that can help the society in its struggle towards economic stability. In particular, I would like to discover what industries would prosper both in the United States and my homeland, Korea, and soon venture in economically-beneficial business undertakings. I am also confident that the scholarship would provide me the opportunity, the resources and the information I would need to delve into deeper researches and analyses. These studies would later on be helpful and informative to other students, to the school, to the community and to the society at large. Moreover, with my great virtue of humility, I never forget to look back from where I come from. Thus, I believe that with my hard work and dedication, I would be of great help to your company and institution. This grant would give me the capacity to share more and help others. Since I am also endowed with the virtue of generosity, I believe that this scholarship would cause a positive multiplier to the community. This scholarship would mean a lot to me because I have a great passion to learn. I hope you will give me a chance to fulfill a very noble mission by granting me this scholarship, and I assure you, you will never regret it because I have a deep commitment for education and service.

V for Vendetta Questions Essays

V for Vendetta Questions Essays V for Vendetta Questions Essay V for Vendetta Questions Essay If people feel strong it will be easier to get people once a good amount of people Join the cause It is very easy to mess up when a mass of people are doing something because of the numbers Everyone has to be on the same side for the manipulation to work. In order to immobile a population everyone needs to agree with the movement; convincing people is a lot more difficult when one has to convince a whole group of people. 2. A. I agree with what V said when he stated Moline can be used for good. The main reason I believe this is because even though there are only some instances in which evil has been used for good, there still are events that occurred for good. Some wars have been fought with freedom being the reason; although there have been ulterior motives other than freedom there is still one good thing. This one thing makes Vs.. Statement true. Another reason as to why I believe Vs.. Statement is true is because there have been vigilantes, such as V, who save people for the sole reason of being a good person. V saved Eve with violence and during World War 2, there were group of Jews who would go around blowing up concentration camps. The methods of destruction of those buildings and compounds were violent but in the end, it ended up saving some Jews from being sent to those concentration camps and any that were already there. 2. B. I believe Vs.. Motivation to use violence was based more for the memory of Valerie. Then would come his desire to awaken the public then, to challenge an oppressive government and the reason that was the least important to him would be revenge for the way he was treated. Although throughout the movie, he anted down the people who he believed did the most evil in the place he was held at, I think it was mostly to get revenge for Valerie, not for himself. 3. In that context, no, V is not a terrorist, he is a person who believes the people should rule the been oppressed by the government. Although, in the perspective of the government he was a terrorist because they were the ones who were oppressing and who believed what they were doing was right. But, since the context is The Government should be afraid of their people, V is not a terrorist, he is a liberator. The symbolism behind the Guy Fakes mask was that V was someone who was going to/ did blow up parliament. Guy Fakes is the actual guy who attempted to blow up Parliament. V is Just attempting to honor Guy Fakes. The audience isnt allowed to see Vs.. Face because it would ruin the imagery of the Guy Fakes mask being the liberator. I probably wouldnt unmask him if I had the chance. With the ending the movie had, the Guy Fakes mask became the trademark of people who are attempting to liberate the people from oppressive governments or any type of oppression. The mask is widely used with the Hastiest group Anonymous; they hack information and anything in order to try to help oppressed people. 5. V lets Eve make the final decision because he knew she would do the right thing. He changed during his time at the facility and Eve changed at the facility as well. At the beginning of the movie, V knew Eve and he were supposed to meet and that their fates were connected; he knew Eve would choose to help lead the revolution against the oppressive British government. The fact that Eve already had the background for eloping lead this revolution helped propel her ideals forward and it helped influence her decision of blowing up parliament. Her parents were taken away by the government so she knew how oppressive the British Government was; she knew it had to be stopped. She also Just wanted to help Vs.. Ideas live on; they couldnt die with him. 6. Freedom is the right ideal to have but security with limited freedom will probably make the country more successful and prosperous. With freedom, the people will rule the country. The majority of the people in every society are Just cooking out for themselves; its human nature. If people are afraid of their governments, they will not revolt, there will not be much violence, nothing truly significant will happen within that country. With freedom, new ideals will form from the ranks of the ordinary people. Although some of the ideas within the society will be good ones, the majority will burden a group of people if not the whole society; more mistakes can be made when freedom is a thing. With security, the society will be safe and everything will be okay within the country. Although, like in the movie, governments will get more oppressive over time and eventually they will start scaring the people with water viruses in order to make the people feel that they need the government. A society can be secure and free at the same time; although, if the balances are off, then the whole system fails. There needs to be a way of making sure that the government does not get too oppressive or powerful but there also needs to be a way to assure that the people will not topple the government or else the society will become chaotic and disorderly.

Financial Crisis in South Korea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Crisis in South Korea - Essay Example Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand were the countries most affected by the Asian economic recession. The economic growth of Indonesia slowed down from an average rate of between 5% and 7% to 4.7% in 1997. Forecasts for 1998 and 1998 showed a negative 12% growth, and inflation rate was predicted to soar to 66%. In 1998 rupiah's value declined by 80%. As a consequence of the devaluation, the country's foreign debt multiplied.. Simple economic theories would explain how the devaluation of baht affected other economies. A devaluation of any local currency implied an increase in the cost of imports. Crane stated that in Thailand, such devaluation meant inflation in fuel and food. Reports said that overall prices soared 4.9 percent in July 1997 from the previous year. The surge in rice and flour prices was even higher, at 42%. In the Philippines, interest rates reached 33.5 percent in September 1997 from the previous week's 12 percent. This was for the peso to sustain its value or at least slow down its decline. Inevitably, interest rates on credit cards, mortgages and personal loans would also increase. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad blamed the IMF for the economic decline. He believed bracing the stock market with public pension money would resolve the issue. Martin Hart-Landsberg and Paul Burkett's "Economic Crisis and Restructuring in South Korea Beyond the Free Market-Statist Debate" offers an analysis of the causes, nature and consequences of the restructuring process of post- Asian crisis South Korea. In the process of identifying the causes, the authors discussed the various aspects of restructuring and reform. The article studied the cause of the country's monetary decline from two standpoints: the... Researchers proposed financial-crisis models as long-term solutions for South Korea and as tools to forecast economic conditions. There were two models: the weak-fundamentals view and the financial-panic view. Based on the weak-fundamentals perspective, a country’s weakness in macroeconomic or financial fundamental triggers the abrupt backflow of capital. This called for radical reforms and support to see things through. On the other hand, the weak-fundamentals view predicted a slow recovery because it took a while before creditors and other financial institutions were able to complete the auditing and accounting process and recognition of losses was not made instantly. However, economists claimed that neither of the two views above proved helpful in the Asian-crisis recovery. The fast recovery of Korea since the economic recession misrepresents the observed social and political developments. The election of Kim Dae Jung to power symbolized the bureaucracy’s adoption of a politically neutral institution. The state has manifested social maturity by valuing loyalty to the institutions of governance as opposed to loyalty to the institutions of the few privileged groups.

Critically discuss the historical-cultural context of human rights Essay

Critically discuss the historical-cultural context of human rights. Does their context differ across cultural boundaries and if - Essay Example In academic literature, the school of thought that who argued against universality in relation to human rights are today establishing new perspectives regarding human rights. This school of thought, now incorporates cultural elements within a universal concept related to human rights, instead of directly criticizing the idea of universality (Hey 2000, p.17). This approach taken in regard to human rights paves way for a focus on various issues affecting the society and the implications in terms of establishing human rights that are recognized internationally. Further, there is a likelihood of a new universalism being born as a result of globalization. This new universalism related to significant developments that have occurred globally in terms of theories and politics related to human rights. In practice, various rights that exist within the society are now viewed as being interdependent. However, there is also an increasing recognition of cultural diversity thus resulting in varying concepts related to rights in regard to a new universalism. For example, the establishment of the internationally recognized criminal tribunals in countries such as the Netherlands or Tanzania, reflect on a consensus for international responsibility, and also accountability in regard to serious crimes that are against humanity. In essence, this paper explores the historical-cultural context related to universality of human rights. (Hey 2000, p.19). Universality is an important characteristic related to human rights and by definition, human rights denotes the rights available to every human being and hence, considered universal. Each human being is considered a holder of human rights that are independent of their origin, their daily activities, where they reside and their citizenship or community. Universality in regard to human rights is often influenced by other factors associated with human rights, and human rights are categorical, egalitarian and indivisible (Onuma 2001, p.33). In essence, a review of universalism and relativism reveals a build-up of two different terminologies, however; the counterpart of the former term is particularism and for the latter term is absolutism. The main reason for the misconception revolves around an assumption identifying universalism as being only legitimate through absolute justification. As a result, a relative means of legitimization can establish only a justification considered relative. The result in this sense related to the proponents advocating for human rights tends to establish an absolute justification in terms of the set human rights. This assumption is influenced by the view that relative justification is not appropriate to establish universality related to human rights (Onuma 2001, p.42). On the other hand, it could be argued that this two terms lack direct association, which creates consequences in regarding to developing an understanding of the universality related to human rights, and also attempt to esta blish a justification. Human rights often struggles as a result of particular interests among states that place priority for sovereignty over universality related to human rights. In addition, the private sector also impacts on human rights as a result of focusing on self-regulating approaches and capitalizes to establish their influence relative to certain limits. Further, this challenge forms part of

Personal Effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Personal Effectiveness - Essay Example There are hundreds of skills that you developed over time, but it is even more challenging to combine which tasks you are good at and which ones you enjoy the most. The reconciliation of both will determine your strengths. I am trying to identify my weaknesses and strengths all the time in order to make the most of my career opportunities. Besides, I realize that it is easier to focus and develop your strengths than trying to eliminate weaknesses. Every time I try to engage into a new activity, I am always naturally worried that I won't have the necessary skills for a new activity or responsibility. However, after I sat down and gave a thought about the type of role that I would like to fulfill, it became easier for me to look at the skills that I already have in abundance that will be suitable for that or another activity, responsibility. I have made a whole list of the things that I am excellent or good at, then a list of things that I am not good at or do not enjoy doing them. The list of strengths and skills helps me to identify what else I can work on and I have also developed an excel matrix and time schedule of things that I would like to work on and monitor my performance. ... I have developed a matrix in Excel, which will help me to structure my developments over time and keep on track my progress. COMMUNICATION Communication is an essential part of any activity, whether it involves working with other colleagues or with customers or clients, communicating with professors, negotiating with peers, etc. It is also one of the most easily identifiable transferable skills. After I have looked on how I communicate within my existing role, it's easy to see that I need to work on a more professional style of communication that will suit work environment better. WORKING IN A TEAM Teamwork is another easily identifiable skill. Being able to work with others is an asset in any role. During the last year I have been working 5 times in a team. In two case I have been leading the team of 6 people during the business game and during one we won the first prize, which is an example of a successful team player. However, my team role tends to have a slight hint of dictatorship, which I will work on and will try to develop more collaborative approach to team negotiation ship. In my opinion, being able to choose the role within a team is an excellent asset, as in a now day's society almost in every job I will have to work in a team and it is essential to be not only leading but also submissive. Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 - Identifies strengths & development areas for members improvement - Provides development and training opportunities to others to improve performance - Gives subordinates advice and coaching to improve their technical skills - Gives honest and constructive feedback to team members to aid their development - Designs and delivers skills training in a variety of areas - Provides constructive feedback

Chronic Offenders Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chronic Offenders - Assignment Example A group of North American researchers, including Don Andrews, Paul Gendreau, Robert Ross and Ted Palmer were reanalyzing data in 1975, same time as Martinson was announcing that only a few things had effect on recidivism, and found out that many things worked in contrast to the report that Martinson was basis his theory on. The re-analysis of the facts proved that the ‘Nothing works doctrine’ was wrong, a claim which was further boosted by Martinson’s proclamation of the same in his paper in 1979, acknowledging the errors in the earlier reviews. Since then, a number of meta-analytical study results verify the efficacy of some of the correctional approaches to chronic offenders. Instances include review of twelve meta-analyses on correctional treatment by Losel, which estimated the effects sizes of these treatment ranges between r=+.05 and r=+.36, with a mean of r=+.10 in all the cases analyzed. McGuire followed suite in 2000 with analysis of six other meta-analyses, obtaining a reduction rate on recidivism of between 5% and 10%. His conclusion was that some methods of correction were more effective and consistent than other, but rehabilitation definitely worked on chronic offenders. Punishment-oriented correctional measures are not effective. Personally, I perceive these punishments as crime cultivators; enhancing the growth of what they claim to root out. The intimidation of the offenders by punishment-oriented measures does not lower the risk of these offenders engaging in crime, rather, it increases it. Recidivism increases with each punishment. These sentiments are consistent with the recent research carried out by RAND Corporation on adult inmates of state prisons in America (Franklin, Pratt & Gau, 2011). Inmates subjected to punishments had a tendency to commit more crimes than those subjected to rehabilitation measures. According to Robert Ross and Gendreau, claims of effective rehabilitation of chronic

Theology Essay: Church State Relations

Theology Essay: Church State Relations Church-State Relations and Secularization Throughout history there has developed a variety of relationships between Christian churches and governments, sometimes harmonious and sometimes conflictual. The major forms of relationships between Christian churches and governments are in large measure grounded in various perspectives in the Christian Bible. The Christian Bible is not a single book, but a collection of books written over more than a millennium and containing very diverse perspectives on religion and government. One perspective, represented by the Psalms, which were hymns sung in the Temple in Jerusalem, exalts the king to an almost divine position, sitting at the right hand of God (Ps 110:1) and receiving the nations of the earth for an inheritance (Ps 2:8). Coronation hymns celebrate the king’s special relationship to God. This perspective dominates the self-understanding of the kings of Judah, the southern part of ancient Israel. In sharp contrast, the prophet Samuel denounces kings as crooks and oppressors who are allowed by God only as a concession to human sinfulness. Samuel warns the tribes of Israel that if they choose to have a king, the king will draft their young men into his army and put the young women to work in his service. In this trajectory, prophets, armed only with the conviction that they have been called by God to proclaim the Word of God, repeatedly stand up to the kings of ancient Israel and denounce their sinfulness. Thus Samuel condemns Saul, Nathan condemns David, and later prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah condemn the kings of their times. Meanwhile, in the Gospel of John, Jesus tells the Roman governor Pontius Pilate that his kingdom does not belong to this world (Jn 18:36). This suggests a separation of responsibilities between civil governance and religious leadership. Repeatedly in the gospels, when people want to make Jesus a king, he slips through their midst and escapes. His mission is to proclaim the reign of God, not to establish a worldly kingdom. There are also various covenants that set forth the relationship of God and God’s people (Gen 9:8-17; 15:18-21; Ex 20; Deut 5); a covenant in the ancient Middle East was a solemn agreement that bound both parties to observe certain obligations. The covenant with Noah was made by God with all of creation. The covenant with Abraham initiated a relationship with Abraham and his descendants forever. The covenant made with Moses at Mt. Sinai became the central framework for the relationship of the people of Israel to God. The Book of Deuteronomy renews and reflects upon this covenant a generation later, as Moses is at the end of his life. These four options would shape, respectively, later Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist views of the proper relation between church and state. The political theologies of the later Christian tradition consist in large measure of a series of conflicting appropriations of these perspectives. One can read the major political options taken by later Christian communions as developing one or more of the biblical trajectories. The Byzantine Orthodox tradition and some aspects of the Roman Catholic tradition continue the tradition of sacred kingship. Later strands of the Roman Catholic tradition view earthly rulers as prone to corruption and in need of repeated rebuke by religious leaders, such as popes. The Lutheran tradition focuses on Jesus’s statement to Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world and concludes that there are two kingdoms: the kingdom of God, which is ruled by the gospel, and the kingdom of this world, which is ruled by civil governments. The Calvinist tradition focused on covenant in a way that none of the earlier traditions had done, placing covenant at the center of relationships both with God and with other human beings. In this lecture, I will not discuss the original biblical texts themselves, but I would like to explore the way in biblical perspectives have guided later Christian political theologies. Divine Kingship The ideology of the Judean monarchy, with its lofty view of the monarch as favored by God and called to mediate divine justice in the world would shape the Byzantine Orthodox tradition’s view of the Emperor as a sacred figure with responsibility for the empire and the church together. Psalm 110 proclaims: â€Å"The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool† (110:1). That is, God says to the king: be enthroned beside me. This strand of the Bible sees God as entrusting a special responsibility to the king, which included particular care for the rights of widows and orphans, who were usually the most vulnerable persons in the ancient world. In this perspective, kings are divinely chosen beings with both rights and responsibilities of proper rule. This perspective would influence later Eastern Christian views of church-state relations. For example, after Constantine had unified the Roman Empire in the early fourth century and made Christianity legal, the fourth-century bishop Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine described the Emperor who was formally only a candidate for reception into the church, as receiving, â€Å"as it were, a transcript of divine sovereignty† from God and directing the administration of the entire world, including the church, in imitation of God (Life of Constantine). That is, Constantine had a divinely given responsibility to govern not only the Roman Empire but also the Church. This view of a sacred emperor would shape the self-understanding of Byzantine Emperors until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the self-understanding of the Russian Czars until 1917. All of the first seven ecumenical councils—meetings of bishops from throughout the worldacknowledged by the Byzantine Orthodox and C atholics were called by Roman Emperors and were presided over by them or their legates. If the pope did not wish to have a council, pressure would be applied. In the sixth century CE, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian wanted to call a council, but Pope Vigilius disagreed with him. Justinian had Vigilius kidnapped by the Byzantine police while he was saying Mass and held until he agreed to the council. Then the council was held in Constantinople, where Justinian wanted it, not in Sicily, where Pope Vigilius wanted it. At the end of the council Vigilius did not like the idea of condemning men who had died two centuries earlier in communion with the church. Justinian applied further pressure to the Latin clergy, and Vigilius eventually accepted the Condemnation of various bishops from two hundred years earlier. The model of sacred kingship would also dominate early medieval Western views of kings and emperors from the eighth to the eleventh centuries. During the first millennium of Christian history, lay rulers, inspired by the ideology of the Judean monarchy, regularly called bishops and popes to account for their misdeeds and had recognized authority to depose unworthy ecclesiastical leaders and appoint new ones. In one year alone, 1046, Emperor Henry III, imbued with the divinely given mission of sacred kingship, deposed three popes (Sylvester III, Benedict IX, and Gregory VI) and appointed a new pope, Clement II. Before his death in 1056, Henry would appoint three more popes. There is certainly the danger of abuse of power here, but there was also a genuine concern that the papacy not be dominated by corrupt Roman nobility. This tradition leaves a heritage that challenges Christian political leaders to accountability to God for the way they enforce justice in this world and charges them with responsibility for good governance of the Church. During the first millennium popes from Gelasius I onward would insist on a distinction between sacred and secular authority in order to limit the role of Emperors in the church. Like Samuel and other prophets who challenged the pretensions of biblical monarchs, Augustine rejected Eusebius’s exaltation of a Christian Roman Emperor and the entire model of sacred kingship. Like Samuel, Augustine thought earthly rulers were largely thieves and saw monarchy as a tragic necessity because of human sinfulness and not as directly willed by God. Augustine believed that no form of government could assure true justice in this world, and he questioned: â€Å"Justice removed, what are kingdoms but great bands of robbers? What are bands of robbers but little kingdoms?† Empires in principle are not Christian. This perspective would buttress the Gregorian Reform in the eleventh century, when a series of popes and reformers would reject the model of sacred kingship. Pope Gregory VII, echoing Samuel and Augustine, insisted that kings are largely thugs and oppressors who need to be called to accountability by religious leaders and who can be deposed by papal autho rity. The inability of either popes or emperors completely to dominate Europe would lead to new distinctions between secular and sacred in the twelfth century and in later medieval and early modern thought. From about the year 1100 on, emperors and pro-imperial apologists insist on a distinction between the sacred and the secular to limit the power of the papacy in politics. The suspicion of great empires as great robbers that need to be called to account by religious leaders would inform the battles of popes against emperors and kings for centuries and hovers in the background of Pope John Paul II’s challenge to the Soviet Empire on his trip to Poland in 1979 and his eloquent defense of human rights against oppressive governments around the world. The claim of papal authority over kings and nations could manifest itself in dangerous ways as well. In Psalm 2, God promises the king: â€Å"I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall rule them with an iron rod; you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.† Even though never fulfilled in ancient times, that promise, buttressed by the conquest narratives of the Hebrew Bible, lived on in Christian memory, and fifteenth-century popes saw themselves as the trustees of this inheritance. In 1452, as the Portuguese were inaugurating their journeys of discovery and conquest, Pope Nicholas V granted to the king of Portugal the right to conquer and enslave the entire non-Christian world: â€Å"In the name of our apostolic authority, we grant to you the full and entire faculty of invading, conquering, expelling and reigning over all the kingdoms, the duchies . . . of the Saracens, of pagans and of all infidels, wherever they may be found; of reducing their inhabitants to perpetual slavery, of appropriating to yourself those kingdoms and all their possessions, for your own use and that of your successors† (Nicholas V, Dum Diversas, 1452; quoted in Peter Schineller, A Handbook of Inculturation, 34). In 1493 and again in 1494, shortly after the discovery of the New World, Pope Alexander VI drew a line on the map of the Americas, marking a partition between the areas that Spain and Portugal could dominate. The dream of empire, inspired by biblical promises, would shape centuries of modern colonial history. Reformation During the Reformation, the two major Protestant traditions rejected both the Byzantine Orthodox and the Roman Catholic models, but they drew sharply contrasting visions of politics from the Bible. Citing the Gospel of John, where Jesus denies that his kingdom belongs to this world, Martin Luther used the distinction between two kingdoms as a central principle structuring his theology. Luther insisted that God rules God’s own people by the Gospel and God rules those outside the church by the Law (â€Å"Secular Authority: To What Extent It Should be Obeyed,† in Dillenberger, 368). However, Christians remain sinners throughout their lives, and so God also rules Christians by the Law insofar as they are sinners and part of a sinful society. Luther shared Augustine’s and Samuel’s skepticism about earthly rulers, but he interpreted Paul’s Letter to the Romans (chapter 13) as calling the Christian to obey even rulers whose policies offend a Christian cons cience. He insisted on freedom to preach the Word of God, but he generally trusted governmental authorities to rule the temporal realm. In the later history of Lutheranism, contrary to Luther’s intention, the Lutheran church was generally subservient to the state, and the state often supervised ecclesiastical governance. In contrast to all the earlier models, John Calvin placed the covenant at the center of his political theology, with implications that would echo through much of European and American history. For Calvinists, covenants governed relations not only between God and Christians but also between earthly rulers and their subjects. In various countries the Calvinist tradition developed a forceful critique of monarchy based on the mutual obligations of each party. For Calvin, God alone is truly king, and all humans are radically fallen and subject to constant temptations to idolatry. No figure, whether pope or emperor or king or even a Protestant preacher, can claim infallible, final authority. Since rulers are forever tempted to rebel against God, all earthly power must be limited. Calvin distrusted democracy because a majority can be just as tyrannical as an individual, and he thought democracy could easily lead to sedition. He judged that in a fallen world, no single figure can be trusted, and thus all political powers must be checked by the self-interest of others. He advocated a mixture of aristocracy and democracy, a model that would be very influential on political developments in North America. Calvinists often suffered attacks and persecutions. After the St. Bartholemew’s Day Massacre in France, when Roman Catholics murdered thousands of Protestants, Theodore Beza, Calvin’s most faithful disciple, proclaimed the sovereignty of the people, the right of revolution, and the binding nature of a constitution. Presbyterians in Scotland insisted on mutual responsibilities of the covenant as a way of limiting the powers of the Stuart monarchs. When Mary Stuart accused John Knox of grasping for power, he denied the charge and insisted: â€Å"My one aim is that Prince and people alike shall obey God.† (Ernst Troeltsch, The Social Teaching of the Christian Churches, vol. 2, p. 634). The rebellion against King Charles I began in Scotland with the proclamation of the National Covenant. Precisely because covenants spelled out mutual obligations for both ruler and the ruled, they could become the basis for rebellion and revolution when the terms were judged to have b een violated. Through reflection on covenants in the Hebrew Bible and on natural law, Calvinists influenced early modern theories of government based upon a social contract and thus relying upon the consent of the governed. Calvin saw the Gospel as a transformative social power, and there is a militant utopianism in Calvin’s vision of Christianity that would change the world. Geneva was to be the New Jerusalem. Puritans frustrated by the Stuart monarchs in England brought this energy and vision to New England, determined to build the city on the hill to inspire the world. Puritans understood themselves as the new Israelites fleeing slavery and coming to the Promised Land. As in earlier papal and imperial models, there was a negative side to the appropriation of biblical promises. Remembering that the ancient Israelites were instructed to destroy other tribes lest they tempt them to worship other gods, Puritan settlers viewed Native Americans as temptations to sin and sought to exterminate them or, at least, contain them in separate areas, reservations that were called â€Å"praying towns† (Richard Slotkin, Regeneration through Violence: The Mythology of the American Frontier 1600-1860, 40- 42). When the Puritan Revolution in England failed in 1660, Puritans in America gave up hope for Europe and saw themselves as the millennial people, with a divine mission to convert the world after the failures in Europe. Secularization and Religious Freedom in North America Thus far we have seen the major models of church-state relations through the 17th century. Every pre-modern government with which I am familiar looked to religion for a source of legitimation. Emperors, kings, sultans, aristocrats all claimed to rule by the will of God. In China emperors ruled through the Confucian notion of the Mandate of Heaven. Buddhist kings cultivated harmonious relationships with Buddhist monasteries to demonstrate their devotion and piety. All this came under suspicion in early modern Europe. During the 16th and 17th centuries, European Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, fought a series of bitter and bloody wars of religion. Each side claimed to be fighting on behalf of God; each side assumed that an empire, a nation, or a smaller polity should be unified in its religious belief and practice. Only a small minority of Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries believed in religious freedom for each individual according to the person’s own conscience. Because religious convictions were so strong, and because religion was embedded in manifold political, social, and economic relations, the conflicts were relentless and merciless. The Thirty Years’ War in Germany, which raged from 1618 to 1648, began as a religious conflict among Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists. By the end the war was more political than religious, with Catholic France intervening on the side of the Protestants to weaken the Holy Roman Emperor; but the damage had been done. There were atrocities against civilian populations on all sides. This was the bloodiest war on the continent of Europe prior to World War I. Meanwhile, about the same time, England went through an extremely vicious, bloody civil war, which killed a higher percentage of the population of England than did World War I. In the wake of these wars of religion, thinking people increasingly began to question whether religion could or should be trusted with the task of legitimating any form of government. Enlightenment thinkers began to reflect on the virtue of religious tolerance, of respecting the liberty of conscience of others in matters religious. They also began to reflect on the possibility of separating church from state. About this same time, in the British colonies in North America, some began to question the wisdom of government regulation of religion. In New England Roger Williams surveyed the bitter history of religious conflicts in Europe since the time of Constantine and concluded that imposing religious loyalties was a violation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Williams interpreted Jesus’s parable of the wheat and the weeds as forbidding Christians to attack those with whom they disagreed. Williams daringly judged the Emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire, to have been more of a danger than Nero, who had persecuted Christians. Under Nero, Christians had heroically suffered and died; with Constantine, Christians took power, became corrupted, and began to impose Christianity by governmental authority. Williams also argued that it was unjust for the King of England to pretend to have the right to give away lands where Native Americans had lived for centuries. Fo r Williams, the fact that Native Americans had different religious practices did not deprive them of their right to their homeland. In 1635 Williams was banished from Massachusetts as a dissenter. The following year he moved south, where he purchased land from Native American Indians and established a new community, Rhode Island, as a â€Å"haven for the cause of conscience,† founded on the principle of religious liberty for all. His ideal of religious freedom or, in his phrase, â€Å"soul liberty† was fiercely opposed by the Puritans in Massachusetts but would stand as a model for later generations. About the same time, Lord Baltimore founded Maryland as a refuge for Catholics fleeing persecution in England. Purchasing land from Native American Indians, he intended the colony to be a home for followers of all Christian paths, and the charter founding the colony offered equal rights in religious freedom to all. In 1649 the Maryland Assembly passed a Toleration Act offering freedom of conscience to all Christians. The example of guaranteeing religious freedom spread to other colonies as well, with similar charters of religious liberty in New Jersey in 1664, in Carolina in 1665, and in Pennsylvania in 1682. There was increasing momentum in the colonies to end government interference in religious practice and to accept a variety of forms of faith. The Americans who fought the Revolutionary war were struggling for religious liberty as well as for political liberty. The quest for religious freedom came from both the tradition of dissenting Protestantism and also Enlightenment ideals of religious toleration. Many of the founders of the United States of America were strongly influenced by the European Enlightenment, with its suspicion of Christianity, its critique of the wars of religion, its deist faith, and its doubts about any claims for supernatural revelation. Thomas Jefferson thought that the alliance of clergy and political officials inevitably led to tyranny, and he believed that clergymen should not be allowed to any hold political office. On occasion he excoriated them as â€Å"the real Anti-Christ.† In return, some New England preachers attacked Jefferson himself as the Anti-Christ and warned that if he were elected president, he would commandeer all Bibles and establish houses of prostitution in the churches. Je fferson and George Washington, like many of their contemporaries, were deists, for whom the natural religion of humankind provided the ultimate answer to the conflicts among particular religions. For both, religious freedom was indispensable for human progress. As military commander, Washington forbade the celebration of the English anti-Catholic feast, Pope’s Day, on November 5, 1775, at a time when he was seeking support from French-speaking Catholics in Canada. Ben Franklin was deeply influenced by Deism and is often considered a deist; but he shaped his own idiosyncratic view of natural religion, with a plurality of deities under the direction of one supreme deity. Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington would quietly attend Christian church services without believing traditional theology; more radical deists such as Thomas Paine, Ethan Allen, and Elihu Palmer, rejected Christianity more thoroughly, criticizing the Bible for its multiple contradictions and substituting a reli gion of nature for Christian practice. While many of the founding fathers were deists of one form or another, American Protestants also contributed strongly to the revolution and interpreted the establishment of the new nation in religious terms. Indeed, the evangelical revival movement known as the First Great Awakening in the early eighteenth century did much to foster communication among the colonies, to establish awareness of a new shared American identity in contrast to the British, and also to arouse evangelical Protestant hostility to Anglican and Catholic forms of worship, thereby paving the way for revolt against the British king. The Puritan practice of interpreting the settlement in North America as a fulfillment of promises in the Book of Revelation was influential on supporters of the Revolution. In Virginia the Church of the England was the established Church, and all other forms of worship were forbidden. The young James Madison was deeply shocked by the imprisonment of traveling Baptist preachers who openly expressed their religious beliefs in Virginia; he would later become one of the leaders in the quest for full religious liberty. Madison asserted, â€Å"Torrents of blood have been spilt in the old world, by vain attempts of the secular arm to extinguish religious discord. . . . Time has at length revealed the true remedy.† The remedy for Madison and his colleagues was full religious liberty and the separation of church and state. The founders of the new nation resolved that the bitter religious wars of Europe should not be replicated on American soil. George Mason was the chief author of Virginia Declaration of Rights, which declared â€Å"all men should enjoy the fullest Toleration in the Exercise of Religion according to the Dictates of Conscience.† The Bill of Rights for the Commonwealth of Virginia, approved on June 12, 1776, was a landmark achievement, the first such list of rights in history. On July 4, 1788, a parade in Philadelphia celebrated the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Clergy from various Christian denominations marched together and with them, arm, in arm, a Jewish rabbi. One observer, Dr. Benjamin Rush, commented, â€Å"There could not have been a more happy emblem contrived, of the section of the new constitution, which opens all its powers and offices alike, not only to every sect of Christians, but to worthy men of every religion.† Two years later George Washington visited the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, which still stands as the oldest synagogue in the United States. The Jewish community thanked him and the new government for â€Å"generously affording to all liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship†; Washington, in reply, affirmed that the U.S. government â€Å"gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance,† and he went on to distinguish the religious toleration granted by the British and o ther European governments (often on condition that Jews â€Å"improve†) from the American recognition of religious liberty as an inherent natural right. In principle, followers of all religious traditions were to be fully equal citizens in the United States of America. Secularization in the United States was not hostile to religion but allowed a free range of religious debate. One can read the history of the United States in terms of four Great Awakenings, each of which was linked to a movement of social or political reform. Alexis de Tocqueville would note the paradox that in Europe churches were established but languishing. In the United States, by contrast, no church was established, and all were flourishing. The free competition among Protestant churches called forth creativity and vitality. France and the Papal Reaction A few years after the American Revolution, another revolution began in France, which became far bloodier both in attacking established religion and also in devouring its own children. Because the Catholic Church was intimately intertwined with the ancien regime, the old way of life in France, the French Revolution targeted Catholic bishops, priests, nuns, churches and monasteries. Many Catholic leaders were killed, churches were turned into museums—as is the case with the Pantheon in Paris to the present day—monastery farmlands were confiscated by the French Republic and put up for sale to support the Revolution and its armies. The model of secularization in France was very, very different from that in the United States. Because the Catholic Church had been so powerfully established for centuries, the program of secularization aimed to eliminate the influence of the Catholic Church from the political sphere for the sake of laicità ©. This heritage lives on to the prese nt day, continuing to shape relations between the French government and religions. Catholic leaders in Europe saw the French Revolution as a direct attack upon the Catholic Church, and this prompted a profound suspicion of modernity and its newly proclaimed democratic ideals. Napoleon, after all, had humiliated Pope Pius VII, taking him as a virtual prisoner into France in 1808. Napoleon, in the presence of the pope, crowned himself emperor, thereby signaling that the pope had no role whatsoever to play. Many thought that this would be the end of the papacy. After the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, the victorious European powers gathered at the Congress of Vienna to plan the future of Europe. The pope sided with the forces of reaction. It was commented that the victorious European leaders had â€Å"forgotten nothing and learned nothing.† In this context, the papacy returned to a position of prominence and renewed vigor, albeit on the side of the forces of reaction in Europe. In this atmosphere, a French Catholic priest, Felicità © Robert de Lamennais, sought to accept the ideals of democracy, separation of church and state, and freedom of speech, of the press and of religion into Catholicism. He argued against the interference of governments in religious matters and supported revolutions to transform society. Pope Gregory XVI vigorously condemned him and the ideals of modernity. Pope Gregory condemned democracy, freedom of religion, separation of church and state, and freedom of the press. In a wordplay on the French term for railroads, â€Å"chemins de fer† (roads of iron), he even condemned railroads as â€Å"chemins de l’enfer†Ã¢â‚¬â€the roads of hell. His successor, Pope Pius IX, was originally more positively disposed toward the reform movements in Europe, but after the Revolution of 1848 killed his Priume Minister and forced him to flee Rome in disguise, Pope Pius turned vehemently against the ideals of the modern world. In 1 864 Pope Pius IX issued the Syllabus of Errors, which repeated earlier papal condemnations of modern ideals, and concluding by a famous condemnation of the notion that â€Å"the Roman Pontiff can, and ought to, reconcile himself, and comes to terms with progress, liberalism, and modern civilization.† During this time the Italian movement known as the Risorgimento was fighting to unify Italy into a modern nation. The pope had ruled the central portion of Italy, known as the Papal States, for centuries. By the time of the pontificate of Pius IX, this territory was reduced to the city of Rome, which was effectively defended by French troops. When in 1870 Prussia invaded France, the French troops were called home and the Italian General Garibaldi was able to capture Rome for the new Italian nation. In protest, the pope declared himself a â€Å"prisoner of the Vatican† and refused to leave its precincts for the rest of his life. This precedent was followed for decades. The loss of temporal power profoundly transformed the papacy. For centuries popes had been not only spiritual leaders but also the temporal governors of Rome and central Italy. As such, they were involved in constant political squabbles and frequently papal armies fought in battles for land and power. Popes intervened on the side of their own families and were perceived as partisan political leaders. The papal states were long thought to be necessary to preserve the independence of the pope from domination by a temporal ruler. In 1870 the worst nightmare of the popes came to pass. Pope Pius IX lost all the temporal possessions except for the Vatican itself. Pius refused any negotiations with the new Italian natgion. Finally, in 1929 Pope Pius XI would sign a Concordat with Benito Mussolini, officially establishing the relationship between the Holy See and the nation of Italy. Paradoxically, however, the loss of the Papal States was one of the greatest possible blessings for the papacy. Once freed from the responsibilities of ruling the central portion of Italy, popes were eventually able to become respected moral and spiritual leaders on an unprecedented global level. This came to fruition in the middle and late 20th c. Pope John XXIII, who served as pope from 1958 to 1963, was beloved by many, many people beyond the borders of the Catholic Church. He was, in a sense, the grandfather to the world, a kindly, spiritual man who spoke vigorously for peace and the welfare of the poor. During the Cuban missile crisis in the fall of 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union came the closest they ever did to nuclear war, Pope John XXIII served as an intermediary, passing messages between them. Pope J