Marine Exploration of Minerals, Oil and Gas Essay

Marine Exploration of Minerals, Oil and Gas - Essay Example The biggest concern in recent times has been the serious impact on the environment as a result of exploration and use of natural, non-renewable energy. The government is challenged in balancing between consumer demand and consumer health in a way. 1) A major part of underwater exploration happens in and around the Gulf of Mexico. By 2000 A.D., over 4000 platforms were operating up to a depth of about 3900 feet. Advances in technology have been regularly harnessed to increase safety of exploration here. 2) The marine medium throws up a unique challenge of exploration work clashing with other uses of water bodies such as fishing, tourism, container traffic, military traffic and exercises, and areas cordoned for ecosystem preservation. Every new platform planned therefore needs to consider each of the other potential possibilities of clashing use on these lines before moving ahead with installation. 3) There is a risk of accelerated or even lopsided increase in population and resultant commercial activity as a result of the presence of exploration platforms. This is bound to place stress on civic infrastructure as well as the environment. 4) Although more clearly defined in recent times, there is a risk of dispute with neighboring coastal nations in terms of jurisdictional control. This would need recourse to international legal systems or arbitration, and can potentially jeopardize current as well as future plans within the disputed regions. ("Offshore Oil and Gas") 5) The Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the US government, in 2006, proposed the 5-year Outer Continental Shelf program for the east coast covering reserve wildlife and seashore areas. Apart from raising the hackles of environmentalists, this program has been challenged on the grounds that the reserves are miniscule for the expected demand by 2030 A.D. (date of extraction). Further, this is an area frequented by the US Navy for military exercises and the consequences of a misguided or failed missile/torpedo launch would be catastrophic should it happen near or on the proposed platforms. ("Offshore Oil and Gas looms" - Clean Ocean Action). 6) Drilling creates excessive waste and debris leading to obvious consequences for the logistics of safe removal, possible toxicity of seawater and danger to marine life. The seismic surveys too are known to cause harm to aquatic animals. ("The Facts" - Clean Ocean Action) Key Recommendations While the earlier section highlights the downsides of marine energy exploration, it cannot be denied that it offers promises, however thin, for catering to the energy demands of the future. Thus, the possible ways out in terms of mitigating known risks include: 1) Invest heavily and produce research that will enable safer and more efficient, non-intrusive methods of marine exploration. 2) Invest in garnering support of environmental groups and regulatory bodies, by initiating awareness and advocacy measures. In other words, look at an 'inclusive' approach to the issue. 3) Provide 'advance' information to key stakeholders who could be impacted such as the government, fisheries department, commercial cargo companies, etc. - this is a vital step during the feasibility-check phase. 4) Where allowed, encourage production of natural gas as it is known to be

The Negative Impact of Drugs on Sports Entertainment Essay Example for Free

The Negative Impact of Drugs on Sports Entertainment Essay The non-medical use of performance enhancing drugs among adolescents and young adults is of growing concern.   As many as half a million Americans under age 18 may be abusing anabolic/androgenic steroids to improve their athletic performance, appearance and self-image.   A growing body of evidence suggests that medically unsupervised drug use may pose severe risks to physical and psychological health (Kashkin and Kleber, 1989).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shockwaves went through the sports world when Canadian track superstar Ben Johnson was denied his gold medal at the 1988 Olympics after tests showed that he had taken anabolic steroids.    The incident called international attention to the use of anabolic steroids and in general, performance enhancing drugs among world-class athletes to gain competitive advantage.   Still, athletes and non-athletes alike persist in taking them.   And, in fact, it is known that athletes participating in the original Roman Olympic Games consumed them too (UNRV, 2003)!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are reports of male adults in physically demanding professions like law enforcement also using performance enhancing drugs to appear tougher as well as more formidable (Lombardo 1990).   What is more, as these drugs grow in popularity, so does awareness of the serious side effects of their use.   One of the most alarming side effects is the threat of AIDS; HIV — human immunodeficiency virus — can be transmitted if shared needles are used to inject the drug.   Potential harm to physical and psychological health is only one aspect of this troubling trend, though (Lombardo, 1990).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The non-medical use of performance enhancing drugs such as steroids, raises ethical and moral issues.   Engaging in steroids use is illegal and users are likely to find themselves acquiring these drugs through illicit and expensive channels. The heavy demand for anabolic steroids has given rise to black market, with sales estimated at as much as $400 million a year; moreover, supplies, which are often illegally manufactured and do not meet established standards, may be unhygienic (Miller, 1987).   Second, athletes who use these drugs are cheating because they gain an unfair advantage over opponents and violate the ban on steroids imposed by most major sports organizations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Performance enhancing drugs may be addictive.   Users of steroids demonstrate an unwillingness to give them up even in the face of possibly dire consequences to their health.   As the health risks of anabolic steroids become more apparent, efforts to curtail their use — through education, legislation, and medical practices — are intensifying.   For those already hooked, kicking the steroids habit is the best chance to escape devastating side effects; for potential users, the solution, of course, is to never take the drug at all.   There are other ways to be a winner athletically and socially without harming health, and without cheating (Miller).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The use of performance enhancing drugs is spoiling the sports entertainment business today.   It is only fair for all athletes to give up drugs, or for all of them to take the same drugs with the same dosage at the same time.   If only a few athletes consume the drugs, it would be cheating on their part.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Still, it is best for all athletes to give up drug use altogether, seeing that there are harmful side effects, both psychological and physiological, related to the use of these drugs.   Given that many athletes are using performance enhancing drugs today, while the rest are not consuming them, these drugs most definitely have a negative effect on sports entertainment. References Kashkin, K. B., and Kleber, H. D. Hooked on Hormones? An Anabolic Steroid Addiction Hypothesis. Journal of the American Medical Association, December 1989. Lombardo, J. A. Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids. NIDA Research Monograph 102, 1990. Miller, R. W. Athletes and Steroids: Playing a Deadly Game, II.† FDA Consumer, November 1987. UNRV: Roman History. Archaeological News. â€Å"Drugs, Cheating Were Part Of Original Olympics Too,† 2003. Available at http://www.unrv.com/newsletter/newsletter-edition1.php. (5 February 2007).

Freedom of Cyber-Speech -- Internet Censorship Essay

Freedom of Cyber-Speech      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom of speech has always been an important issue in American society.   With the advent of the Internet as a high-speed communication device, this issue has become even more prominent in recent years.   This paper will explore the issue of whether the Internet should be censored. Additionally, it will investigate possible methods for undertaking this censorship.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since 1787, the Constitution has been integral part of American society.   The First Amendment to the Constitution, passed in 1791, reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. [1]    For two hundred years, this amendment has been tested in many different ways.   Over the years, the government passed many laws that did, in fact, "abridge the freedom of speech" for a variety of reasons.   Now, new technology appears to be giving the government another issue in which it must decide if it should go against the literal interpretation of the Constitution.  Ã‚   This paper will show how content on the Internet can be seen as dangerous, and if it should be censored.   It will then investigate what strategies are being used to censor it.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Internet has provided a new and very powerful communication tool for Americans over the past several years.   With the Internet, ideas can be transferred faster than ever before.   Countless benefits have arisen with the development of the Internet, including powerful research resources, on-line shopping, and more.   However, with ... ...ier Foundation. 10/17/99.   http://www.eff.org/EFFdocs/about_eff.html#mission - An introduction to the EFF [6] First Amendment and Free Expression.   Center for Democratic Technology.   10/17/99.   http://www.cdt.org/speech/ An introduction to the CDT [7] The Freedom Forum Online.   The Freedom Forum.   10/19/99. http://www.freedomforum.org - An introduction to the Freedom Forum [8] The Free Expression Network The Free Expression Network.   .http://www.freeexpression.org   - An introduction to the Free Expression Network [9] United States Supreme Court.   Schenck v. United States.   1919. [10]United States Congress.   Title V - Broadcast Obscenity and Violence.   1995. [11] Baase, Sarah.   Gift of Fire. New Jersey:   Prentice-Hall, Inc.   1997. [12] GetNetWise.   GetNetWise.   10/17/99.   www.getnetwise.com - A tool for obtaining web-filtering software.

british punk Essay -- essays research papers

Punk This is Peter Inskip coming to you live from triple j, with this week’s segment in our ‘Music and Society’ series. For the next half hour we’ll be looking at the punk music scene starting in the mid-seventies. Punk was born in the early 70’s in New York, and is still evolving. No other style in the history of rock, has been so uncompromising, or made such a dramatic impression as Punk Rock. The two versions of punk, the original American and its British descendent, were very different. British punk was aggressive and angry. It demanded immediate change and had no interest in working for the solution. The Sex Pistols typified British Punk with such songs as "Anarchy In The UK," which did not give a thought to anarchy's effect. American punk seemed lazy by comparison. It was sarcastic where the English version was more violent; the British pushed one step further, thus gaining more recognition. The first of the punk rock bands to be signed up with a record company were the Ramones. The Ramones survived through to the mid 90’s and still have a huge following. In that time they released over a dozen albums, most of their songs are short and simple three or four chord arrangements. Artists like the Ramones, Patti Smith, Television, Talking Heads, and Blondie, came out of the U.S, but Punk took on greater strength in England, where Bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Damned, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks emerged with more aggression than their softer Amer... british punk Essay -- essays research papers Punk This is Peter Inskip coming to you live from triple j, with this week’s segment in our ‘Music and Society’ series. For the next half hour we’ll be looking at the punk music scene starting in the mid-seventies. Punk was born in the early 70’s in New York, and is still evolving. No other style in the history of rock, has been so uncompromising, or made such a dramatic impression as Punk Rock. The two versions of punk, the original American and its British descendent, were very different. British punk was aggressive and angry. It demanded immediate change and had no interest in working for the solution. The Sex Pistols typified British Punk with such songs as "Anarchy In The UK," which did not give a thought to anarchy's effect. American punk seemed lazy by comparison. It was sarcastic where the English version was more violent; the British pushed one step further, thus gaining more recognition. The first of the punk rock bands to be signed up with a record company were the Ramones. The Ramones survived through to the mid 90’s and still have a huge following. In that time they released over a dozen albums, most of their songs are short and simple three or four chord arrangements. Artists like the Ramones, Patti Smith, Television, Talking Heads, and Blondie, came out of the U.S, but Punk took on greater strength in England, where Bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Damned, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks emerged with more aggression than their softer Amer...

Reducing Gender Inequality In Hiv Health And Social Care Essay

Globally, there has been a alteration in the tendency of infection among the sexes. Initially at the oncoming of the disease, the prevalence of the disease was higher among the males than the females due to the fact that the disease was concentrated among homophiles and drug users. However as the cuticular continues to turn there has been a progressive displacement to heterosexual transmittal with an addition in the figure of females being infected. The planetary pandemic of HIV/AIDS is now in its 3rd decennary, with adult females now at the epicenter of the pandemic, globally accounting for about 50 % of all HIV instances aged 15 and older, including about 60 % of all grownups populating with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the figure of females populating with the disease in every part of the universe continue to increase. ( UNAIDS, 2009 ) The feminization of the pandemic is precipitated by biological and socio-cultural factors ; However although adult females are more vulnerable to the disease because of their biological makeup, there is grounds that gender norms play an built-in portion in act uponing an person ‘s exposure to the infection, entree to wellness attention services, sexual behavior and attitude, every bit good as entree to intervention and support when infected. ( WHO, 2003 ) The present tendency of the disease transmittal reveals that the epidermic is being aggravated by gender based exposures, stressing the importance of mainstreaming gender into HIV/AIDS programmes as an built-in effort to commanding farther spread of the disease. ( UNFPA, 2008 ) The Importance of Gender on the HIV/AIDS Pandemic: In most communities, gender determines how much information males and females are expected to hold approximately sexual affairs. Females are supposed to be nescient about sexual affairs as a mark of celibacy ; therefore doing them nescient about preventative schemes and doing it hard for them to be proactive in negociating safer sex. Different set of cultural norms apply to the males, they are frequently expected to hold more information and cognition about sexual affairs, be expericienced, and led as determination shapers in sexual issues. These make them vulnerable to being infected, prevents them from seeking information or acknowledging their limited information about sexual affairs. ( Carovano, 1992 ) . Social norms of virginity for single adult females besides increase her exposure ; it besides limits her information about sexual affairs to avoid being thought of as being sexually active. Puting her at a hazard of colza and sexual coercion. Research has besides shown that these immature misss practise other sexual behaviors such as anal sex, therefore increasing their hazard of undertaking the disease. ( Weiss et al.,2000 ) . Besides, because of the social norms of virginity accessing wellness installations for the intervention of sexually transmitted diseases is frequently stigmatising for both immature and big females. ( Weiss et al.,2000 ) . In many societies, maternity, merely like virginity is seen as being ideal, therefore utilizing preventives or barrier methods to guarantee safer sex is seen as a important quandary for adult females. ( Heise and Elias, 1995 ) . Research have shown that economic dependance of adult females increases their likeliness of interchanging sex for money, with no dialogue for safe sex, accompanied with their inability to go forth these dealingss even when they perceive them to be hazardous because of its fiscal additions. ( Heise and Elias,1995 ) . A reappraisal of literature done by Heise et Al ( 1999 ) showed it was more likely for persons who had been sexually abused to hold multiple sex spouses, engage in insecure sex and exchange sex for money or favor. Harmonizing to Societal norms, work forces are supposed to show their male power through force against adult females, lending both straight and indirectly to a adult female ‘s exposure to the disease. ( Heise and Elias, 1995 ) . A survey conducted in a voluntary HIV guidance and proving Centre in Tanzania by Maman et Al ( 2000 ) suggested that adult females who expericienced sexual force were at a hazard of HIV/AIDS. It was noticed that those who were HIV positive were 2.6 times more likely to hold expericienced sexual force in an confidant relationship. Social norms expect a adult male to hold several sexual spouses, for sufficient sexual release, herewith beliing the preventative message that emphasizes fidelity in relationships. ( Heise and Elias, 1995 ) . Social norms of maleness, which affirm males holding sexual laterality over females, as a characteristic of manhood, frequently lead to stigmatisation of work forces who have sex with work forces, thereby taking to secrecy of their sexual behavior, increasing the exposure of their sexual spouses, both males and females. ( UNAIDS, 1999 ) . Overall, the influence of social norms is frequently associated with addition in an person ‘s exposure of undertaking the disease. ( Courteney, 1998 ) Analysis of WHO ‘s Policy on Gender Mainstreaming in HIV/AIDS Programme: The guidelines on gender mainstreaming resulted from a WHO ‘s meeting held in Geneva in 2002 on incorporating Gender into HIV/AIDS. The demand to bring forth guidelines was emphasized as a agency to guaranting realisation of set ends. The present edition was developed by World Health Organization in concurrence with inputs from advisers peer reviewed by external referees, relevant proficient staff in the World Health Organization every bit good as research experience from old programmes that addressed the gender dimensions in HIV/AIDS and other wellness programmes. The intent of the guidelines is to increase consciousness of how gender inequalities affects a adult female ‘s ability to entree HIV/AIDS programmes and services, it besides offers practical ways on how to integrate gender into assorted types of HIV/AIDS programmes and services. Four specific countries were covered HIV proving and reding, Prevention of female parent to child transmittal ( PMTCT ) , HIV intervention and Home based attention for people populating with HIV/AIDS. The guidelines were formulated chiefly for programmes directors, wellness attention suppliers in the public and private sector involved in instituting, implementing or measuring HIIV/AIDS programmes. The guidelines are consistent and reinforced through assorted international understandings and declarations such as Beijing declaration and platform for action of the 1995 Fourth World conference on adult females ( FWCW ) and 1994 International conference on population and development. The United Nations General Assembly declarations of the committedness on HIV/AIDS besides emphasized the importance of turn toing gender equality as a agency to commanding the epidermic. This policy compliments old attempts done on incorporating gender into HIV/AIDS programmes with the purpose of bettering entree, informing and authorising clients, and besides taking to wellness equity and societal justness. However the guidelines focused chiefly on adult females.it did non offer equal chances to work forces, although the Beijing platform for action besides considered work forces ‘s concerns, guaranting that adult females and work forces benefit every bit from the ultimate end of accomplishing gender equality. The guidelines did non besides see the multi-sectoral attack ; it focused chiefly on the wellness sector attack to cut downing gender inequality. ( Beginning: World Health Organization ‘s guidelines on intergrating gender into HIV/AIDS Programmes within the wellness sector, 2007 ) Measuring the execution of this policy at the international and national degree. Following the 1995 United Nations conference on adult females, assorted developmental establishments, international organisations and states adopted the thought of gender mainstreaming. These International Organizations and development Institutions developed and endorsed gender mainstreaming Policies in HIV/AIDS ; nevertheless rating show restraints in execution, these policies have been slow in interpreting from policy into action. ( Moser, 2005 ) . This can be attributed to the fact that some development practicians in NGO ‘s continue to see gender issues as a distraction to the developmental issues they have to turn to, accordingly those involved in gender cyclosis are non in places to do determinations and alterations to these programmes. Since the Congress, gender mainstreaming in HIV/AIDS have been adopted and endorsed by assorted authoritiess, gender advocators in these states have successed in integrating gender issues into their national strategic programs for HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS programmes. The challenges in these states have been the execution of these policies and strategic programs at the territory degree. In a survey done in Botswana, it was observed that although gender had been incorporated into its national response to HIV/AIDS, with purposes to authorising the adult females, therefore cut downing the exposure of females in undertaking the disease, the intercessions focused on adult females, pretermiting the work forces, therefore gestating gender as a adult female ‘s issue. In Malawi, important efforts have been made, assorted programmes have been formed, and the National HIV/AIDS policy recognized that gender issues had to be considered, to guarantee effectual response to HIV/AIDS intercessions. However on rating it was noticed that bulk of the staffs in the NGO ‘s understood the construct in the European context, which was non applicable to their ain cultural norms and values, furthermore, the exposure of work forces was non considered sabotaging the proportion of drug users and homophiles in the population. The Zimbabwe ‘s national Aids Policy, showed committedness to gender inequality, acknowledging that adult females were more vulnerable, and prosecuting authorization of adult females as a agency to undertaking gender inequality, it besides developed schemes to guarantee the engagement of work forces in gender affairs. However rating showed that despite these schemes nidation of these policies at the grass-root degree have been impossible. ( Boom et al. , 2000 ) The national strategic program of South-Africa accepted adult females, and work forces who have sex with work forces, as portion of those who were vulnerable to the disease, and provided assorted intercessions to turn to gender related causes of exposure. It emphasized the difference in the prevalence of the disease in the age groups ( 20-29 ) , saying that adult females were more vulnerable due to social norms. Acknowledging that really small attending had been given to work forces who have sex with work forces, and drug users. It emphasized that the execution of these schemes were to suit both the demands of adult females and work forces. Evaluation nevertheless noted that commercial sex workers were discriminated and that gender force played an built-in portion in adult females ‘s exposure in South-Africa was non addressed therefore haltering the execution of these schemes. The Multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS strategic program of Switzerland recognized that harmful gender norms played a function in fuelling the cuticular, and that to guarantee long -term effects in schemes aimed at commanding the disease gender inequality had to be considered. This led to the National Emergency Response Council, developing schemes to steer the execution of these HIV/AIDS programmes. However it was noticed that gender was conceptualized as biological sex instead than gender, and its programmes were targeted at adult females, pretermiting work forces who had sex with work forces and other vulnerable groups such as drug users. On rating an addition in the incidence of mew infections was noticed among homophiles, showing that these groups played an of import function in commanding the disease. Discussion: Assorted International Organizations and Countries have integrated gender into their assorted policies, schemes and HIV/AIDS Programmes. The inquiry arising is why are these policies, schemes and plans non being implemented at the grass root degree? Decision: Gender norms influence an person ‘s exposure to undertaking the disease, therefore stressing the importance of Gender mainstreaming and adult females authorization in commanding the spread of the disease. Gender mainstreaming intercessions in assorted degree should acknowledge the functions work forces play in adult females ‘s expericiences, therefore gender related restraints of both males and females should be considered in HIV/AIDS Programmes. Training and support should be offered to HIV/AIDS programme directors and their staffs about gender issues to enable them implement policies turn toing gender inequality and HIV/AIDS.

Anne Frank Essay Example

Anne Frank Essay Example Anne Frank Essay Anne Frank Essay The session that I attended at The Anne Frank Project on September 11, 2009 was Beyond the Diary: Behind the scenes of a Jewish Family in Hiding with Sophia Veffer. Even though I learned some things about the Holocaust during middle school, there still were things that I did not know. The reason why I attended this session is because I wanted to know how some of the Jews were able to survive the Holocaust and I also wanted to know what Sophia’s experience was like actually being a child during the Holocaust. This session connected to the overall theme of the conference because Sophia talked about what she and Anne Frank both had to go through and how some people in different countries still go through similar situations. Today there are still people who get treated differently because of what they look lie or where they come from. Sophia said that if Anne Frank were still alive she would probably try to make a difference by putting an end to these genocides. I was very glad that I got a chance to sit in Sophia’s session because I got to learn about the Holocaust from an actual survivor. She told us how her and her family had eleven different hiding places. I couldn’t even imagine what her childhood must have been like. She had to get rid of everything she owned even her identity. She also talked about how some Jews were not able to go in hiding and the reason was is they had to have money. The only families that went into hiding had money and they knew non Jewish people who would let them hide in their homes. One thing that really upset me is when Sophia said that the Germens pretended as if they did not know what was going on with the Jews. This really made me sad because how could you know that someone is doing wrong and not care to try to change it and make a difference? There are many different issues going on in the world today. One global issue that is of concern to me is homelessness. Every time I see a person out on the street I always think to myself their shoes can fit my feet. I do not mind helping others because after I do a good deed I always feel really good about myself and nothing can take that feeling away. This issue inspires me to try 2 make a small difference by giving them change or bringing them food. One day when me and my sister were driving up the street we saw sum homeless people and their sign said that they were hungry so we went to Mcdonalds and brought them sum burgers. Making a difference starts with a small deed then before you know it your changing the world.

Reasons Behind the Case for School Choice

Reasons Behind the Case for School Choice When it comes to education, conservatives believe that American families should have the flexibility and the right to a variety of school options for their children. The public education system in the United States is both expensive and under-performing. Conservatives believe that the public education system as it exists today should be an option of last resort, not a first and only choice. A majority of Americans believe that the education system is broken. Liberals say that more (and more and more) money is the answer. But conservatives argue that school choice is the answer. Public support for educational options is strong, but powerful liberal special interests have effectively limited the options many families have. School Choice Shouldn't be Just for the Wealthy Educational options should not only exist for the well-connected and wealthy. While President Obama opposes school choice and props up the education-affiliated labor unions, he sends his own children to a school that costs $30,000 per year. Though Obama likes to portray himself as having come from nothing, he attended the elite college prep Punahou School in Hawaii, which today costs almost $20,000 per year to attend. And Michelle Obama? She attended the also-elite Whitney M. Young Magnet High school. While the school is run by the city, it is not a typical high school and it closely resembles the way a charter school would operate. The school accepts less than 5% of applicants, highlighting the need and desire for such options. Conservatives believe that every child should have the educational opportunities that the entire Obama family has enjoyed. School choice should not be limited to the 1%, and the people who oppose school choice should at least send their kids to the school th ey want the regular folks to attend. Private and Charter Schools School choice would allow families to choose from a number of educational options. If they are happy with the education that the government provides, and admittedly some public schools are excellent, then they can remain. The second option would be a charter school. A charter school does not charge tuition and it survives off of public funds, however, it operates independently from the public education system. Charter schools offer unique educational opportunities but they are still held accountable for success. Unlike with the public education system, a failing charter school will not remain open. A third main option is private schooling. Private schools can range from elite prep schools to religiously-affiliated schools. Unlike with the public school system or charter schools, private schools do not run on public funds. Typically, expenses are met by charging tuition to cover part of the cost, and reliance on a pool of private donors. Currently, private schools are the least accessible to lower-income families, despite the per-pupil cost to attend typically being less than both the public school and charter school systems. Conservatives favor opening up the voucher system to these schools as well. Other educational opportunities are also supported, such as home-schooling and distance learning. A Voucher System Conservatives believe that a voucher system would be the most effective and efficient way to deliver school choice to millions of children. Not only would vouchers empower families to find the best fit for their children, but it saves taxpayers money as well. Currently, the per-pupil cost of public education is close to $11,000 across the nation. (And how many parents would say they believe their child gets an $11,000 per year education?) A voucher system would let parents use some of that money and apply it to a private or charter school of their choosing. Not only does the student get to attend a school that is a good educational fit, but charter and private schools are typically far less expensive, thus saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars every time a student leaves the status quo educational system in favor of a parent-chosen school. The Obstacle: Teacher's Unions The biggest (and perhaps only) obstacle to school choice is the powerful teachers unions who oppose any attempts to expand educational opportunities. Their position is certainly understandable. If school choice were to be embraced by politicians, how many parents would choose the government-run option? How many parents would not shop around for the best fit for their children? School choice and a publicly-supported voucher system would inevitably lead to a mass exodus of students from the public school system, thus endangering the currently competition-free atmosphere that teachers currently enjoy. It is also true that, on average, charter and private school teachers do not enjoy the salaries and benefits that their public counterparts do. This is a reality of operating in the real world where budgets and standards exist. But it would be unfair to say that lower salaries equal lower quality teachers. Its a valid argument that charter and private school teachers are more likely to teach for the love of teaching, rather than for money and benefits offered as a government employee. Competition Could Improve Public Schools and Teacher Quality It is likely true, similarly to how capitalism promotes private programs and diminishes public programs, a competitive private school system would require fewer public educators, but it would not mean a wholesale firing of public school teachers. Implementing these school choice programs would take years, and much of the reduction in the public teacher force would be handled through attrition (the retirement of current teachers and not replacing them). But this could be a good thing for the public education system. First, the hiring of new public school teachers would become more selective, thus increasing the quality of public school teachers. Also, more education funds would be freed up because of the voucher system, which costs thousands less per-pupil. Assuming this money is kept in the public education system, it would mean that struggling public schools could financially benefit as funds become more available.

Earning Money in the Beginning Readers and Chapter Books Market

Earning Money in the Beginning Readers and Chapter Books Market Writing beginning readers and chapter books has been the bread and butter of my career. Over the years, I’ve written more than 400 beginning reader stories that have been published in a variety of formats including a bestselling book with Scholastic Teaching Resources, 25 Read and Write Mini-Books That Teach Word Families. This book of 25 reproducible beginning reader stories has sold over 250,000 copies to date. If you’d like to try your hand in this field that is full of variety and fun, here is an overview of some of the opportunities available. Trade Book MarketDr. Seuss invented beginning readers in the trade book market with his book, The Cat in the Hat. Since then most of the big publishing houses have developed their own line of beginning readers. This market is tight, but not impossible to break into. For example, if you’re represented The Educational MarketTeachers as well as homeschooling parents use beginning readers in the form of mini-plays, mini-books, and reproducible stories. They can photocopy these and put them in the hands of their students to help them learn how to read. Visit your local teacher’s supply store to look for publishers such as Creative Teaching Press who publish books of reproducible beginning readers for teachers. Search on Amazon see more examples of their stories using the â€Å"Look Inside† feature. The ESL MarketThere is a variety of opportunity to earn income writing for the English as a Second Language (ESL) market. Publishers for this market need beginning reader materials in a wide range of formats for students from preschool through adult. To learn more about exciting opportunities available to writers of all levels, explore sites such as: TESOL at www.tesol.orgESL Magazine at www.eslmag.comELT Journal at http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/ Readers TheaterWith the nation-wide focus on teaching children to read along with the development of the Common Core State Standards, publishers are seeking to provide resources such as readers theater plays for educators to use. Readers theater plays can be read aloud while students sit in their seats and don’t require a stage, costumes, or a director. Publishers such as Libraries Unlimited and Lerner are often on the lookout for adding more of these book titles to their product line. Children’s MagazinesMany children’s magazines feature some type of beginning reader story. From rebuses to repetitive stories to readers theater, there are a variety of formats you can submit to magazines in order to start gaining experience writing for and building published credits in the beginning readers market. When I first started writing for the beginning readers and chapter book market, I didn’t know the first thing about the opportunities available or the techniques needed to write a manuscript or land a contract. Yet writing for this market became a solid source of income over my career. If I can learn how to experience success, you can, too! Explore the possibilities. Go ahead and give this market a try.

Social work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Social work - Essay Example Firstly, it must be assessed whether the person really needs help. Secondly, observation of the circumstances must be made with regard to the person needing help. Further if the person assessed turns out to be a disabled person such person is entitled to additional benefits in regards to Section 47 (2) of the National Health Services and the Community Care Act 1990. The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 states, â€Å"carers aged 16 or over are eligible for an assessment of their ability to provide and continue to provide care where: The carer does not provide or intend to provide the care under a contract or as a volunteer for a voluntary organization; they provide or intend to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for another individual aged 18 or over; the local authority is satisfied that the person cared for is someone for whom it may provide or arrange for the provision of community care services; and the carer asks the local authority to conduct an assessment† (Department of Health, 2010, p. 16) In the current case the daughter of Mrs. A had voluntarily undertaken the responsibility of her disabled mother who is aged over 18 years off course and the daughter is 34 years old (above 16 years). Hence under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, Mrs. A’s daughter is liable to assessment by the local authority. The psychotherapist in this case at last decides to send social services to take care of this state of depression. If assessment proves that she was not capable of taking care of her mother then some social worker or an organization should interfere. In this regard, an assessment needs to be made on the amount of care given by the carers to the patients. It must also be seen that the person being cared for falls under the category of Section 47 of the National Health Services and the Community Care Act 1990 in regards to the nature of circumstances, which has compelled such patients to receive

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Market Research - Essay Example 2. Research Approach and Methodology This section of the report elaborates on the intended approach and rationale for the research and how it is useful for the achievement of the above objectives. 3. Research Design This is an essential part of the proposed research as it highlights the practical aspects of the sample selection, data collection and data analysis. This section provides the overview of the research approach, methods and design and the suitability if the selection to serve the purpose of the intended research. 4. Benefits to be derived from the Research This section of the report details the benefits that the proposed research entails for Balmas Institute (BI) and will also discuss the scope of the proposed research to guide the planning for the intended expansion of Balmas Institute into the overseas market. ... The profile of the customers can be generated using the existing market research and survey reports, news, websites of different people intensive organizations and government publications. This research objective is therefore expected to reveal who the prospective clients are and in also assessing if customer segmentation is needed on the basis of the paying capacity or the need of the customers. Segmentation is a strategy that is found useful for foreign entry as it allows the entring organization to concentrate on the most profitable or easily attainable section of the customers and hence to gain a steady ground in the new market (McDonald and Malcolm McDonald (Author) †º Visit Amazon's Malcolm McDonald Page Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author Are you an author? Learn about Author Central Dunbar, 2004) 2.2 To Understand the Market Dynamics and Competitive Forces In order to assess the scope of the aspired project of expanding into the overseas management training market, it is essential that an assessment of the market be made. The overseas market is currently growing at a fast pace as the effects of globalization and liberalization policies of various countries in Asia, Middle East and Africa have led to mass employment opportunities in these countries and hence for the corresponding needs for training and development of employees. As international companies set up their offices in overseas regions, they rely on the local labour and employees for the conduction of their local business, and as such, there is a vast market available for training and development organizations. The overseasmarket is

The Ethical View of Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

The Ethical View of Utilitarianism - Essay Example Utilitarianism is the ethical view that every action is either right/wrong on the basis of the impact that it will create, more specifically if it will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people.   Deontology, on the other hand, is the ethical view that at least some actions will be right/wrong regardless of the consequences that they produce. Both theories follow different directs and have their own constraints and thresholds. The constraint of deontologists follows from their view that there may be circumstances in which one would be prohibited from taking an action even though it might trigger greatest amount of human happiness. In Engineer Bill’s case, from deontologist’s point of view, Sarah should be saved even though saving Sarah might mean killing a hundred other people in the train. However a utilitarian would opt for saving the train. (Rainbow) In Janitor Joe’s case unless Joe himself volunteers to give his body parts, it will be ethically wrong to forcefully kill him just to save others. In Engineer Bill’s case both Sarah and train were unexpectedly put under circumstances where Bill is left no other option but to choose. Here in Janitor Joe’s case other options can also be looked into and it makes no sense to impose death on someone even if it is at the cost of so many others. In the case of evil Hobo, Bill must save Sara. This is because Sarah has been deliberately framed into such a situation where she is being catapulted towards death. In this case, while utilitarianism may save the life of many but morally and ethically deontologists perspective holds more weight. The threshold for the deontologist is a limit over the amount of harm that the moral allows him to make while threshold for the utilitarian limits him on the amount of harm he can cause. Every situation is different and sometimes the mo ral action needs to be carefully weighed. In each of the aforementioned situation the context in which a particular ethical action followed was very important.

Aristotles Political Virtue and Modern Conceptions of Citizenship Essay

Aristotles Political Virtue and Modern Conceptions of Citizenship - Essay Example Aristotle's beliefs still hold relevance in today's conceptions of citizenship. Aristotle writes that prior to inquiring about the attributes and essences of government a person must find an answer to the question "What is a state" (Book 3, chapter 1, 1275a). In Politics (1252-3), Aristotle states his belief that humans came together out of a common need, thus the formation of cities and city-states. Cities served as a means to better control the residents within a given country or empire; the city still served as the most effective point of contact between the people who ruled and those they ruled over (Freeman, 1999). With this thought in mind, a city would seem to run much more effectively while under the administration of one leader--so perhaps a civilisation could too. It is evident, therefore, that we must begin by asking, who is the citizen, and what is the meaning of the term For here again there may be a difference of opinion. He who is a citizen in a democracy will often not be a citizen in an oligarchy (Book 3, chapter 1, 1275a). Aristotle also commented that besides the citizens, states are comprised of other elements, such as a working class, a rich class, and a poor class (Politics, Book 4, chapter 4). The working class, which was in the middle of the two extremes, Aristotle believed to be the most capable of following rational principles. His logic was simple: those people who appeared to have to much in the way of luxuries would not be likely to submit to other citizens' authority, while those who were extremely lacking in even the basic necessities of life would likely feel too degraded to obey another's rule. Therefore, a working class would help to balance the few, wealthy elite with the many, antagonistic poor (Politics, Book 4, chapter 4). Aristotle had gone on to specify the many different groups within these three basic types, to include: military, husbandry, traders, artisans, magistrates, serfs and labourers. As has happened several times throughout history, the existence of inequality between rich and poor sparked tensions between these social classes. Contrary to previous tribal or contemporary feudal societies, Athens at this point in time did not boast any priestly class. For as culturally diverse as the world is becoming, a political community can only flourish is there is at least an agreement on the rules (Financial Times, 2005); this notion of politics is very broad. Included with this idea of politics are methods for choosing who will hold executive, judicial, and legislative powers and what the holders of these powers are entitled to do (Financial Times, 2005). Politics concerns the rights of individual citizens

Comparison Critique of two Famous Speeches Essay

Comparison Critique of two Famous Speeches - Essay Example What makes their speeches unique and special were the contrasting messages that each speaker delivered. Though delivered at different points in American history, each president successfully managed to convey the thoughts and emotions of the American public to the world. The speech of Pres. George W. Bush was delivered before the joint session of congress back in 2001. Without the use of visual aids and backed up only by an off camera teleprompter, the president stood before the politicians and international delegates in order to express the deep gratitude of the American people for the outpouring of love and support from the international community after the terrorist attacks. This was a historically significant speech as it signaled the beginning of America's decade long war on terror that took them from the arid desert of Afghanistan all the way to the oil rich country of Iraq. It was the day that America finally joined in on the growing war on terror because of the attack on their homeland. This was in effect, similar to the speech that Pres. Roosevelt gave on the fateful day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. This speech turned the tide of history and dictated the end of the reign of terrorism in the Middle East. The opening dialogue of his speech tried to lighten the severely somber mood by reminding the American public that they were not alone in this tragedy. This was a tragedy that affected the whole world and nations such as South Korea, Britain, and others were not ashamed to show their sympathy by offering songs and prayers in support of America. After that the speech fell into its actual topic, which was how America was going to respond to the unprovoked attack and what it would cost the nation. It was not difficult to follow his train of thought during the speech as all the plans of action were laid out in a concise manner meant to educate the listener/viewer with its main ideas which were clearly supported by evidence. Americans have many qu estions tonight. Americans are asking, "Who attacked our country?"... The terrorists' directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans and make no distinctions among military and civilians, including women and children. This group and its leader, a person named Osama bin Laden, are linked to many other organizations in different countries, including the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. (Transcript of Pres. Bush's Address) Thanks to Pres. Bush's constant quoting of verified information from government sources such as the American CIA and British MI6, all the listeners deduced that their president had the credibility to deliver the information and, therefore, must be telling the truth. By using persuasive and highly descriptive information regarding the advent of the Al-Qaeda, Pres. Bush was able to garner unprecedented national and international support that was necessary in order to mount the war on terror. He explained in his own colorful and highly descriptive words that: The evidence we have gathered, all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as Al Qaeda. They are some of the murderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya and responsible for bombing the USS Cole. Al Qaeda is to terror what the Mafia is to crime. However, its goal is not making money; its goal is remaking the world and imposing

Aristotles Political Virtue and Modern Conceptions of Citizenship Essay

Aristotles Political Virtue and Modern Conceptions of Citizenship - Essay Example Aristotle's beliefs still hold relevance in today's conceptions of citizenship. Aristotle writes that prior to inquiring about the attributes and essences of government a person must find an answer to the question "What is a state" (Book 3, chapter 1, 1275a). In Politics (1252-3), Aristotle states his belief that humans came together out of a common need, thus the formation of cities and city-states. Cities served as a means to better control the residents within a given country or empire; the city still served as the most effective point of contact between the people who ruled and those they ruled over (Freeman, 1999). With this thought in mind, a city would seem to run much more effectively while under the administration of one leader--so perhaps a civilisation could too. It is evident, therefore, that we must begin by asking, who is the citizen, and what is the meaning of the term For here again there may be a difference of opinion. He who is a citizen in a democracy will often not be a citizen in an oligarchy (Book 3, chapter 1, 1275a). Aristotle also commented that besides the citizens, states are comprised of other elements, such as a working class, a rich class, and a poor class (Politics, Book 4, chapter 4). The working class, which was in the middle of the two extremes, Aristotle believed to be the most capable of following rational principles. His logic was simple: those people who appeared to have to much in the way of luxuries would not be likely to submit to other citizens' authority, while those who were extremely lacking in even the basic necessities of life would likely feel too degraded to obey another's rule. Therefore, a working class would help to balance the few, wealthy elite with the many, antagonistic poor (Politics, Book 4, chapter 4). Aristotle had gone on to specify the many different groups within these three basic types, to include: military, husbandry, traders, artisans, magistrates, serfs and labourers. As has happened several times throughout history, the existence of inequality between rich and poor sparked tensions between these social classes. Contrary to previous tribal or contemporary feudal societies, Athens at this point in time did not boast any priestly class. For as culturally diverse as the world is becoming, a political community can only flourish is there is at least an agreement on the rules (Financial Times, 2005); this notion of politics is very broad. Included with this idea of politics are methods for choosing who will hold executive, judicial, and legislative powers and what the holders of these powers are entitled to do (Financial Times, 2005). Politics concerns the rights of individual citizens

Shard Tower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Shard Tower - Essay Example Designing of the Shard tower was done in 2000 by Renzo Piano and in 2007 construction begun. In July 2012, the project was completed and opened by Prime Minister of Qatar, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. The opening ceremony was also attended by Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Mace Group 2010). The tower is serviced and maintained by central London’s amenities, facilities and transport infrastructure. The tower is located next to London bridge station thus making it easier for people to connect from the station to work place (Sellar Group 2011). This paper will focus on the Shard tower project and the project management. The core objectives of the Shard project was to; make positive changes, improving one’s life chances, ensure development in growth areas and deliver quality and standard public service This paper aims to look at project management in the construction industry and the relationship between the levels of risk management and the different stages of a cons truction project. The conventional techniques of project management will be mentioned as well as the current innovations in the field. Moreover, the paper will discuss the benefits and costs, barriers, of the trends and finally discuss relevant recommendations. Projects within Shard programme 1. Southwark tower demolition Stephen Furnell assisted by Len Abbott in the year 1969 to 1970 designed the Southwark tower. The tower was the head quarter of price waterhouse. The tower had 25-storey office (The Rubble Club 2009). The building was demolished to allow construction of Shard tower. It was the tallest building to be demolished in the United Kingdom. They demolition was done behind acoustic screen so that they could reduce noise pollution levels. 2. Fixing glass The Shard tower is also known as the shard of glass. The reason behind the name it is because the tower is covered in glass, which makes it crystal. The developers designed a glass roofed, which was done by Renzo Piano build ing. The design included both the ceiling and floor, which brought light to the offices during dimmest days. 3. Sensors The sensors activate grey blinds on each glass panels. In 2009, Claxton gave advice operational and budget for developing blind control system. The blind system control was to take and avail readings from sensors. The sensors would communicate to shreds to either lower or raise heat entering the tower. The solar track servers were installed in the basement while photometer and radiometer sensors we installed on the roof. The sensors positioned at the roof are called level 96. Claxton were able to successfully install solarTrac system, which is a product of Mechoshade. 4. Kone jump lifts The first Kone jump lift was installed in Shard Tower in August 2010. The jump lift is a self-climbing system developed by Kone. The lift uses the building shafts during construction. The lift can accommodate 21 people and 1600kg. Its main use was to carry Shard site workers up and down the construction site. Mace, the Shard principal contractor, collaborated with Kone to ensure the jump lift meets the standards and quality of the delivery program. Tony Palgrave, the Mace construction director, suggested that the jump lift was a solution to transporting materials and people effectively and quickly. It has been the safest way to move up and down the building. Michael Williams, KONE U.K. managing director, said feel privileged working together with Mace in the Shard tower project. They ensure that the lifts were well installed to unsure they ran smoothly (Chatham 2010). Project management Robert Deatker was the project director at the London Bridge quarter and Shard Tower. Robert says the work of the project management is to knot thing

The Status of Women In the New Testament Essay Example for Free

The Status of Women In the New Testament Essay When assessing the history of womens role and position in society, it is notably the period of the New Testament which proved to be a major turning point in the status of women, and was the starting point for the near-equality experienced in todays society. Graham Stanton observes that The status of women was markedly inferior to that of men throughout the ancient world, including Judaism.1 Thus, by looking to the society preceding that of Christ, one can only understand what a profound influence Christ had on the previous Jewish and Greek customs of women. The society in which Jesus lived was strongly patriarchal; the worth and dignity of women was not recognized, the womens role was domesticated, to be a faithful wife and mother, and women who stepped outside this role were vilified. Women had almost no role at all in the wider arena of social life, in politics and religious affairs 2. By looking to the Old Testament the earliest evidence of such a society is indicated in the Book of Job, and arguably the Old Testament is a record of the mistreatment of women by men. Women were considered to be the cause of evil doing, a temptation to men, and a hindrance to his spiritual life. If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked by my neighbors door, then may my wife grind another mans grain, and may other men sleep with her. ( Job 31:10 -11) Better is the wickedness of a man than a woman who does good; It is a woman who brings shame and disgrace (Sirach 42:14) This patriarchal society which had no time for women in discussions, decisions or pleasures, left women as objects to fulfill the mens sexual desires and produce children, they lived their lives under the control of men, mainly their fathers and husbands. This belief came about from what was stated in Exodus 20:17, that a woman was a possession of the husband, You shall not covet your neighbours house; you shall not covet your neighbours wife Indeed in Jewish religious and social law, women, slaves and minors were often placed in the same category. The religious authorities had little respect or liking for women, the Rabbis were fearful of women as they were seen as a source of sexual temptation. Additionally, the Shema was not to be recited anywhere, where you could hear a womans voice or see her legs or her hair. However, there were exceptions to this 1st century treatment of women, E. Schussler Fiorenza argues that Although in rabbinic Judaism women are categorized with children and slaves for legal and religious purposes, the biblical stories about women indicate that women were not perceived as minors or slaves in everyday life. Such examples she uses are women including Ruth, Esther, Hannah, all of who are seen to have typical female roles and behavior, yet, they are not perceived as minors or slaves in everyday life.3 Certainly Deborah is also an important figure for the raising of the female status in the Old Testament, she was a Judge and was consulted by the Israelites over several issues, and it can be understood that the majority of her rulings were correct. In the face of threat created by Jabin, the Canaanite king, she roused Barak to lead the Israelites into battle, and ultimate victory. Thus she was clearly a heroine. Certainly then, as J and K Court observe, womens status was relative and could depend on various factors: family, employment, or religious background, and Jesus preaching and teachings of equality for all could only be possible in so far as such notions of equality are conceivable in the context of Jewish life and faith.4 However, through the scriptures of the Old Testament God asks his people to act compassionately toward those around you (Deuteronomy 24:17-22) but no account can be found of men respecting the human rights of women, thus they over look Gods commands. Such a corrupt system, constantly producing injustice and fear, was in true need of a change. Jesus overturned the social and cultural mores of this day and challenged legalistic traditions. 5 He showed no discrimination to others and treated all persons with respect, regardless of their race, sex, age, physical condition, political preference, economic status, or educational level. 6 He told all persons, You have worth and value, and there is rejoicing in heaven when you as an individual become part of My family (Luke 15:1-10). For God created both men and women in his image, both equal and complete, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27). He did not separate one from the other in the ruling of the world for one cannot function without the other, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:18). It is this concept which Jesus tried to revive in his teachings. Throughout the New Testament, there are many references to women that demonstrate how Jesus reacted differently to women, and how he promoted the status of women. Jesus talks to women even though they are outcasts-much to the surprise of his disciples, as he was offending all the normal conventions.7 Jesus presents women as worthy and faithful through acts of forgiveness and numerous miracles performed on them. He also removes from women the domestic image that society had previously molded them into, and presents them as disciples equal to men, as shown in Luke 10:38-42 where Jesus favors the sister Mary who sat at the Lords feet listening to what he said rather than her sister Martha who was pre-occupied with the traditional female obligation of house work. Also in Luke 11:27-28 Jesus states Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it rather than the woman who brings life into the world, here again specifically telling women they are bound to no duty except to that of the Lord. Jesus, within this passage is shown to view women as equal to men, he makes no distinction, since Jesus main concern is to teach those who are willing to learn. This is a radical move away from Jewish thought, since up until this point it was unheard of within Judaism for a religious teacher to teach women. It is the evangelist Luke, who seems to show the most interest in women using Jesus positive references to women which were so different to the views at the time and including many unique stories of Jesus encounters with women in his Gospel that the other evangelists omit. Luke 18:1-8 shows a man in a superior position as a Judge supposedly working for what is true and Godly, however, with no sense of true loyalty or justice, compared to a widow with real faith, totally committed to God. It is only through the Judges selfish need does he see that she gets justice. By putting this story in of two contrasting characters, Luke must obviously be aware of womens hard deal in society, and also aware of some mens response to the superior positions that they hold in the first Century world. Thus this story is used to illustrate the faithful and faithless. Most of the references to women in the Gospels are there to portray positive examples of persons with great faith. Jesus welcomed the inclusion of women as disciples with the understanding that they could respond with obedience and commitment to the word of God. Luke 8:1-3 states by name women who followed Jesus in Galilee and to Jerusalem where they were present as faithful and active servants at the crucifixion. The three women were named as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, who had apparently left everything and became disciples of Jesus as a result of the healing they had received from him, and followed him until the end. As Fiorenza states, the women are thus characterized as true disciples of Jesus who have left everything and have followed him on the way, even to his bitter end on the cross. 8 All four Gospels report that it was the women disciples who first saw and believed Jesus resurrection, however in Luke 24:10-11 the male disciples did not believe them. Mark too, shows that in the New Testament writings the status of women has been improved. Just as in the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, he presents four leading male disciples who hear Jesus call to discipleship, so at the end of his Gospel he presents four leading women disciples. He mentions them by name which is demonstrating their importance, since one has previously noted from the story of Bethany (14:1-11) that the author of Marks Gospel did not always see it necessary to include the name. It is significant that in this passage of Mark 14:9 where Jesus pronounces that wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her. This is in reference to the anointing of Jesus in Bethany by a woman. This verse shows to a reader two things, firstly that from the start Jesus treated women as equals since he is willing to identify and make clear the great act that the woman has performed. Secondly it shows to one that although Jesus realised the great act the woman had performed, the author of the gospel did not believe it was worth noting the name of the woman. Certainly Fiorenza believes the name of the faithful disciple has been lost since she was a woman.9 Hence, again highlighting what the early status of women was, even in the Christian world. Also in Marks Gospel it is included the idea that Mary Magdalene was the first human to have Jesus appear to her (Mark 16:9). Mark writes; He appeared first to Mary Magdalene but when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her they would not believe it. Therefore, here clearly one can argue that although Jesus himself accepted women and believed them to be equal. Nevertheless, 16:9 demonstrates that despite the fact his male disciples would like to believe they followed Jesus and all he taught them, they evidently did not for they refused to believe Mary Magdalene, thus one can state from studying Marks Gospel that the author was indeed keen to encourage women into apostolic and ministerial leadership, which was a drastic change to the status of women. This is the radical difference in Jesus ministry, and the gospels will not let the Christian Church forget this, although as Stanton observes, the early church did not always follow his teaching regarding women. However, this serves only to establish the increasing likelihood that Jesus teachings were authentic. 10 Jesus uses his power and authority to try to bridge the gap between men and women in society by his acts of compassion. He is not afraid to be touched by a ritually unclean woman who is suffering from a hemorrhage, or when he brings a widows dead child back to life in Luke 7:11-17 which shows Jesus genuine compassion for women as he shows with men and children alike, his heart went out to her 7:13 and he raised her son from the dead. Jesus challenged the Jewish mentality that women as witnesses to Jesus preaching had no value or significance by drawing women to be apart of his discipleship and thereby giving a value to their presence and making them effective witnesses to his life and message. And it was Finallythe women who, drawing close to the dramatic events of his crucifixion and death, when all the disciples deserted him and fled.'(Matthew 26:56) and when Peter denied him, followed him and were present at his crucifixion, death and burial11 they are portrayed as dedicated and f aithful follows who have been able to see through their suffering. The one woman who even at the time of Jesus birth through to today holds a superior position in the church is Mary mother of Jesus. Mary is shown as a dedicated and obedient disciple of Jesus, She agreed to accept Jesus birth and to be obedient to Gods will while knowing well that this would place her in a position of being a social outcast.12 The Gospel writers support her and highlight her considerable strength and bravery from the beginning of the Gospel- Jesus birth, through to his death at the end of the Gospel. It is telling that Luke compared to Matthew tells the birth story from Marys point of view rather than Josephs, as we have seen Luke is strongly aware of the difficulties which beset women in New Testament society and hugely supports Mary mother of Jesus who he feels represents the faithful and long suffering women and disciple. In the second century document called The Gospel of Mary, written about Mary Magdalene there are indications towards the role that she carried with the disciples that is ignored in her presentation in the New Testament. We find Mary Magdalene consoling the disciples after Jesus ascension Do not weep and do not sorrow and above all do not be indecisive. His grace will be with you and will protect you. Peter turns to her and says: Sister, we know that the Saviour loved you more than other women. Tell us those words of his, which you remember and know, not us. 13 This shows Mary holding a somewhat authoritative position towards the disciples and the passage indicates Mary had a personal relationship with Jesus outside that with the disciples, of such an authoritative position that she holds, however, was omitted or not specified in the New Testament, although the Gospels did write that Jesus accepted her for who she was and with her past, however, they failed to specify the closeness to which their relationship is suggested to be, and it can be deduced that she (and conceivably other women) had a much more significant role in the early church than is presented in the New Testament documents themselves. The evangelists throughout the different gospels are expressing their views about the role of women through the mouth of Jesus and his encounters with them. However, these views however honest they may seem considering the society they are writing for and are apart of, may still be somewhat constrained when deciding whether to write of a wom en having a greater and closer relationship with Jesus than men, would seem ridiculous and absurd to the people at that time. As Graham Stanton observes, the early church soon after Jesus time on earth did not always follow Jesus example in its treatment of women. Indeed it could be said that Paul and other later New Testament authors reverted back to a more Jewish approach to women and therefore distanced the early Church away from all that Jesus had done to promote the status of women. However, although it is true to say the Pauline teachings imply that in the worshipping congregation women should not have an authoritative teaching role, thus they should not have an equal status with men within the church. Nevertheless some of the teachings still keep the theme that in the kingdom of God any person baptized is a part of Jesus Christs kingdom and can no longer be differentiated from another Baptised believer, therefore all are a apart of one unity in Christ. Paul has thus understood Jesus essential message that all are welcome into Gods kingdom: There is neither Jew not Greek, slave nor free, male nor fema le, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'(Galatians 3:28) However, he also establishes some rules that seem to diminish women but are actually aimed at creating order and dignity in the church. Although Paul clearly expresses his view that all people are equal in Jesus, in a letter to Timothy concerning the worship of men and women he does not deny the different roles both women and men should play, emphasizing clearly womans role of bearing children and prohibiting women to teach and lead a congregation or to have authority over a man'(1.Timothy 2:12). It is later in his instruction to the Corinthians that Paul places restriction on what women can do: women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak he then states that A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the women is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason the woman ought to have authority on her head because of the angels. (1.Corinthians 11:7-10) Pauls rules about the conditions for worship, although they may seem sexist, actually reflect the times. Women were usually covered apart from their heads and hands, however, to avoid distraction when worshipping it would be customary to cover their heads, so the only focus would be solely the Lord. Even though Paul has rules inside the equality of worship, he still stands by the view that In the Lord, however, there is neither woman without man nor man without woman. For as woman came from man. So also man is born woman, and everything comes from God.'(1 Corinthians 11:11-12)14 But it is passages such as Now as the Church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything (Ephesians 5:24) that have caused the most controversy and have been taken as literally wives being the husbands possession. For in traditional Western marriage services today the words I obeyARE often no longer included. It has been noticed that the Pauline and Petrine writers seek to limit womens leadership roles within the Christian community to roles that are culturally and religiously acceptable. However, ironically, these claims cannot allege the authority of Jesus. The status of women in modern times has a great deal to do with Paul and other later authors teaching. Certainly the practice of women covering their head before they went into churches was a common practice up until the II World War. This shows the long lasting effect of Pauls teachings in the church on the status of women. It is important that when looking at the texts written about Jesus teaching shortly after Jesus crucifixion that they must not be taken necessarily at face value, they must be interpreted in their cultural setting, so they may seem obscure to our standards and values in the twenty-first century. Even today, although huge developments have happened to the status of women since Jesus time, women are still thought in some countries to be of less social standing than their male counterparts, it is only in the developed countries that equal rights for men and women have been fought. There has been great dispute over the acceptance of women priests in the Church in the Western World. The argument against there being women priests within the Church of England, found much of its weight from the later New Testament authors, and much of what Jesus had taught was ignored. The main emphasis of the argument was placed on the idea that male and female were created to be equal but different, many against the ordination of women would have used this beginning to base the development of the role of priests as a male responsibility. Moreover, many scholars use the passage from 1Timothy:2:8-15, I permit no women to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep; silent, to suggest that women should not be in a position to teach with authority in the Church. They argue that Christ was male and chose male apostles and that females cannot form legitimate succession or play the crucial part in the sacrificial and sacramental acts of the Eucharist. 15 Peter Vardy argues that just as Christians misapplied Jesus essential message to the Jews, similarly Christian Churches and individuals have done the same to women Women in terms of the Roman Law were considered inferior to men, and it was the Roman law which became the basis of the churches law. Women were also considered to be responsible for bringing sin into the world and for being a continuous source of seduction, and they were considered to be ritually unclean because of their monthly blood flow, thus almost as definition to the Roman Law and understanding women could not be ordained simply because they were a woman, as it would be inappropriate for an inferior, sinful and unclean person to represent God. It was such strong feelings as these that became so deeply imbedded in the Churches thinking in past centuries that have remained up until today. The Church of England is currently paving the way for women bishop however there is strong opposition and splits within the church and so it could take another twenty years before a woman is made a bishop in Britain. Passages in the Bible emphasize the order of creation of men and women and reflect the household code of their positions in the family and home. Therefore although some traditionalists still believe that women have a different role from men and are subordinate to men by God, through the creation, others maintain that before God all are equal16. For women to be equal in the Christian church the very fact that circumcision was to be replaced by baptism was a very important factor. Since women now could become equal and have the same status as men did before God. Fiorenza REF? believes this generated a fundamental change in women, not only in their standing before God but also in their ecclesial social status and function. She bases this argument on the fact that previously in Judaism women could never be viewed as equal since they could not be fully initiated into the religion due to circumcision. Therefore although much of the New Testament writings show women to be subordinate to man , the actual initiation into the Church is balanced. The sense of oppression that women have felt for centuries in both religious and everyday life seems to have stemmed from the very roots of religion, in the creation story and also from the misinterpretation of Jesus words in the Bible Feminist groups both within and outside the church have accused the church of propagating a negative view of women.17 The Feminist Movement has developed today as a result of the injustices women have suffered in the past and their desire for equal rights and opportunity in the future in all aspects of life. Mary Wollstonercraft applied the principle of natural rights to women arguing that women have equal worth with men and therefore have the same rights. Today it is seen as an act of discrimination for women not to have the freedom to be ordained; the last few decades have witnessed increasing sensitivity regarding womans rights and the need to redress injustices committed in the past. This new freedom has opened up new roles in all fields of work. The church although slow and reluctant to incorporate a true evaluation of women (Galatians. 3:28) into its institutions and rituals has finally succumbed. The position of women in the church reflects the changes in society and so today women find themselves challenging men in all walks of life. In conclusion, the status of women in the New Testament has a great deal to do with how the individual authors of each book viewed women. Certainly the Gospels indicate to the reader that Jesus wished to depict women as having just as many rights as men in the eyes of God. Furthermore, he showed that he himself saw women as equal beings to men, since he allowed them to become his disciples, as in the case of the Galilean women. So the gospels project them as being Jesus true disciples. The period of the New Testament marks a significant change in the role and attitude to women, which seems to have been initiated by Jesus. It was this dramatic change in attitude to women (although the early church did not always reflect these teachings) that has finally become the standard to which modern day women aspire and society have accepted. People are welcomed by Jesus irrespective of race, status, or gender, and those who are called to leadership are chosen on the basis of Gods gracious spirit not on accidents of birth.18 1 The Gospels and Jesus Graham Stanton, 1989, p102 2 The Puzzle of the Gospels Peter Vardy and Mary Mills, Fount 1995 pg170 3 In Memory of Her E. Schussler Fiorenza 1983, pg 109 4 The New Testament World J. and K. Court, Prentice-Hall, 1990 5 Equal to Serve G.G. Hull 1989, pg85 6 Ibid 7 Puzzle of the Gospels Peter Vardy and Mary Mills, 1995, pg173. 8 In Memory of Her E. Schussler Fiorenza 1983 9 ibid pg 316 10 The Gospels and Jesus Graham Stanton, OUP (1989) pg202 11 Mary Magdalene and Many Others Carla Ricci, BURNS OATES (1994), pg144 12 The Puzzle of the Gospels Vardy and Mills, pg175 13 May Magdalene and Many Others Carla Ricci, pg147 14 information from Pauls teaching on the Ministry of Women P. Nelson, Whittles Publishing (1996) 15 The New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology IVP(1996) pg 595. 16 Paul and the Eschatological woman R. Scroggs. Pg266 17 Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology pg380 18 Oxford dictionary of the Bible W.R.F. Brownig. Pg 398

Will Smiths Roles And Performances Film Studies Essay

Will Smiths Roles And Performances Film Studies Essay Born to Reign was the album released by Willard Christopher Smith Jr. also known as Will Smith, in the year of 2002. Although it did not reach the levels of success his previous albums had, it had a very clear and intended message behind it in relation to this essay. Within it, he addressed his true beliefs and intentions of life which are now backed up by his acting in his never-ending list of films. This essay will simultaneously look at Will Smiths roles and performances mainly within three of his movies filmed within five years of each other. The first of the three being one of the most challenging physically and mentally as described by himself Ali, Michael Mann, 2001. At the time, this was something completely different to any of his other work. This film being a biopic meant he had to accustom himself into the role of one of the most influential figures and one of the greatest fighters of all time. Not an easy task for an average actor. But is Will Smith average? Far from it i n fact, in his 1997 pop/rap lyrics of Gettin Jiggy Wit It from the hit album Big Willie Style, Will Smith says that Muhammad Ali would call him the greatest. Four years later, he was the lead role in Ali working alongside the great man himself. The second film is Bad Boys II, Michael Bay, 2003, an action/adventure film which can be said to be a typically standard Will Smith movie consisting of comedy throughout. And finally, the third film is Hitch, Andy Tennant, 2005 which again showed his versatility as an actor and his capability to adapt to any given role within a film with this being of a romantic comedy genre. The reason behind these film choices is simply because of the fact that they all come under different genres with Will Smith maintaining his high standards throughout each of these films. This has made people ask themselves the question whether there is anything he can not do in film. By the end of this essay, when the films have been analyzed and his performances within them observed, we will have come to the conclusion as to why Will Smith is regarded as the most powerful actor in Hollywood. The word Renaissance is defined in the oxford dictionary as the revival of art and learning under the influence of classical models. Considering the formidable success achieved by Will Smith in the numerous arenas of the entertainment industry, music, producing as well as acting, this multi-talented individual must be regarded as the original Renaissance man. Remembering back to the time Will Smith first hit the big screen in the family friendly sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air in September 1990, he was a little known pop/rapper. Unknowingly, this sitcom based on a poor kid living with a rich Beverly Hills family relative from the Warner Bros executive Benny Medina would be an emergence of black comedy. This proved to be a runaway hit lasting for six seasons, but in fact this would just be the beginning of what was to come. His exploits within The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air prove that it was just the birth of a true star of entertainment. According to Dyer, R. 1998, p35, stardom is an image of the way stars live. For the most part, this generalised lifestyle is the assumed backdrop for the specific personality of the star and the details and events of his/her life. With that in mind and bearing Will Smith was given the freedom to be himself within the sitcom, he was given an opportunity to put across his true personality which in turn gave the show a distinctive genuine feel. This way, the audiences were treated to the real life star but unusually on stage. This gave the show a natural look which allowed the audience to appreciate the true characteristics and traits of the star of the show, Will Smith. In actual fact, it did not stop there. Since then most of his films have had Will Smith written all over them. Most of the films that Will Smith is associated with are action/adventure with a touch of his trademark comedy which is known to be his strength due to his personality. But in fact it appears to have been the epic creation of the biopic Ali, in which he had the lead role that earned him his first Oscar nomination. His well studied performance also earned him severe praise as at the time, it was something completely different to any of his other mainstream films. Playing the lead role in this biopic of the great Muhammad Ali was no easy task as in the footage of the Making of Ali, Will Smith stated that to play the role of a living legend is the hardest thing to do for an actor. Few would disagree as Muhammad Ali himself was on set for some of the shooting to keep an eye on things! The basic narrative of the film is that Ali thrills the world with his ground-breaking boxing victories in the 60s and 70s. But the man behind the legend is grappling with a tumultuous romantic life, his de eply held religious beliefs and the pressures of staying on top. A quick witted, winning personality and strong friendships with close associates including renowned newscaster Howerd Cosell help Ali float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. But faced with a life changing conflict outside of the ring, the famously opinionated boxer is forced to rely on the one person he knows the best, himself. With this narrative, Will Smith did not just have to worry about getting the acting part right, but also the part of getting into the right physical shape. This meant he had to train rigorously for his most demanding role yet. Darrell Foster, his boxing trainer, talked about the training regime in Behind the Scenes of Ali. He intimated that they trained for just over a year, six hours a day. The training began at six in the morning and finished by five in the evening with rests and other acting exertions in between. Weighing at just 189 pounds when they began, Will Smith scaled at 222 pounds by the time they had finished training and started filming. These facts simply show the dedication and commitment he has for the cause of being an actor and more importantly, a success. His ability to change his whole appearance via a physically demanding regime as the one he was on in order to fill his role show what an exceptional character he has. The courage and compassion he showed by doing this was what got him the most recognition by critics and audiences alike as he went out of his way in order to tell a real life story in the best way he possibly could. His general behaviour and intelligence within this film got people questioning how good he really was and is as an actor never mind an entertainer. This quote from Will Smith himself out of the Making of Ali I had to learn to think like a fighter, eat like a fighter, sleep like a fighter and assess situations in life like a fighter shows vital skills of adapting to any given role which is a sign of an if not good, then a great actor. It also shows that it was not just the physical aspects he had to adapt to but in fact his mentality too. This was on show when watching the film as you could see the narrative of the film insisted on him to cut out his usual comedy traits in order to try and emulate one of the most influential figures to grace sport. He managed to show some unique characteristics within the film as alt hough the film did include various scenes of comedy, the trademark so called goofy comedy of Will Smith was nowhere to be seen. In truth, it was the poetic rhymes that Muhammad Ali was so famous for that Will Smith imitated all to well. Changing his whole style of acting, beginning with minor things such as his walk, line of speech (phrases) and other characteristics to accommodate his role within the film showed a mean feat in itself. In reality, this was the film that put Will Smith at the top in regards to acting as although it was not the biggest selling film of that year, the hard work put into completing this film gained him endless praise and respect from critics, peers and audiences alike. After his Oscar nomination performance in Ali, Will Smith went on to executive produce the Robert De Niro/Eddie Murphy comedy Showtime in 2002. However what came after is our next focal point. Bad Boys II, a 2003 film by Michael Bay, was a film that topped the box office but by now, that was to be expected with a film starring Will Smith. This film consisted of a thrill ride from beginning to end. In brief, the film is about one hundred million dollars worth of confiscated heroin getting poached from police custody and the two most witty of detectives, Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are on the case. The missing drugs now threaten to shut down their narcotics division of the Miami Police Department. Bullets fly and cars crash as they pursue a dead beat drug lord from the streets of Miami to the barrios of Cuba. But this being a Will Smith film, the real fireworks result when Marcus discovers that playboy Mike Lowrey is secretly romancing his sister. This is the box office topping film we have now come to expect from Will Smith. A typical action/adventure genre with plenty of nice cars, plenty of shooting and plenty of blow ups, not forgetting the secret romance on the side. In a particular scene of an intense car chase, you see him driving his Ferrari over pavements and executing plenty of stunts while maintaining his trademark comedy with his witty comments. This really fulfils the credentials of an action/adventure genre therefore is very productive in catching the attention if its audience through its action packed acting. It has to be noted that Will Smith is complimented very much so by the presence of Martin Lawrence throughout this film which is fantastic from the comedic aspect of the film as they are two good entertainers but together, they show that they can become great. Director Michael Bay insisted on giving Will Smith a new sexy, bad image in the original Bad Boys to overcome his existing image of providing young goofy comedy seen in his sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. This obviously continued from their on in which shows his intentions to be able to learn and cultivate on his acting from a young age. All this has led him to reach the heights that he is at today. Preparation for this film was far from the same level as Ali as that was just on a completely different scale. But he still managed to put in some extra work by attending a school for policing to learn shooting and basic combative movements. This propelled him to greater heights in the world of Hollywood as he could have been said to be reaching a point where the question what he can not do was beginning to rise. Then came a slight indication as to there might just being something but as that question was about to be raised, then came Hitch. While Will Smith had proven himself as an action star time and again and had received high marks for his dramatic work, it remained to be seen if he could carry a romantic comedy. How wrong were the doubters as all the speculation ceased in early 2005 with the release of Hitch, starring Will Smith as a fabled date doctor. The film had the biggest opening weekend for a romantic comedy to date. Basically, Will Smith, as Alex Hitchens within the film, is the cure for the common man. Most men have difficulty finding love because its hard to be yourself when your self thinks you should be someone else. Thats where Hitch comes in. as a tactical advisor who specialises in first impressions, he customises and orchestrates a clients first three dates. He is secretly responsible for hundreds of New York City weddings. Sara (Eva Mendes) is a gossip reporter for a da ily tabloid who, after a chance meeting with Hitch, finds her professional life and personal life on a collision course. She makes Hitch re-evaluate his game and teaches him that love is not a feeling, its in fact an action. In relation to this narrative, the director Andy Tennant hinted that with all the charm and charisma Will Smith naturally possessed, this script was written purely for him and that this would come as second nature to him. His theory proved to be correct as Will Smith walked away with the kids as well as the teens choice awards for this film as well as being nominated for another six staggering awards including the BET comedy award. The following year, Will Smith starred in the period drama The Pursuit Of Happyness. This film recounted the true story of Charles Gardner and tapped new reserves of compassion in Will Smiths persona. He managed to fully embody another real-life character while maintaining all of the qualities that endeared him to audiences in the first place; his humour, his hustle and his ingenuity. This is no coincidence then that people have already begun to talk about him as playing the role of Barack Obama if a biopic of his life and the road to the United States presidency as the first black president is ever produced. Looking at his achievements to date and his ambitions for the future, you can understand the reasons behind him now being labelled as the most powerful actor in Hollywood. Having started rapping at the age of twelve and having won his first Grammy at the age of twenty, he is now in a position with a countless number of awards and nominations under his belt at the age of forty. The most recent one (November 2008) being voted number one on the list of Americas favourite stars by readers of parade magazine and viewers of the US television show Entertainment Tonight. Currently working on producing for film, music and television as well as acting, you can see that he is not yet ready to relinquish his work. Through the years he has distinctively demonstrated his own commercial viability and sturdy appeal to a broad cross section of viewers which has allowed him to arguably cement his place deservedly as the most powerful man in Hollywood never mind actor. Could his very own lyrics of 1997 from the hit single Gettin Jiggy Wit It when he claimed Muhammad Ali would call him the greatest be accurate? Would it be justifiable to think so in relation to what he has achieved and what he is destined to do?

The Role of Computers in Family Life :: Technology Society

The Role of Computers in Family Life In this paper I will be explaining how computers play both a positive and negative role in the family life. Along with how much computers have changed the â€Å"Family Life†. I will explain how computers open the doors to endless access to the world. All this freedom however comes with a price. One must realize that you will be losing security with every new site signed up for or every purchase made on-line. Not to mention all the other problems that come along with having a computer. You must be ready and aware of the risks so you can be prepared when you hook-up your computer. Right now you can practically do everything you need to do right from your own computer. There are so many tools to work with and things you are capable of doing. You can virtually talk to anyone anywhere at anytime if they have the proper hook-ups. This also includes the newly on-line dating services that has pro’s and con’s of its own. Another plus for computers is instead of the children being glued to the TV for hours, they are now being productive on the computer. They are doing things that force their minds to keep thinking and not just zoning out. The introduction of computers to the family life also helps families come together and spend more quality family time together. The list can go on, but with all these opportunities we have, we also lose a lot. We lose privacy and security. There are also some greater drawbacks when in comes to the net, like Internet related crimes and identity theft. When you think of computers, what do you think about? Conducting business at work or writing assignments at school maybe. There is so much more to do with computers. I don't even know the half of them, but a computer at home can make things a whole lot calmer. First off, you can do all your bills on line. You can check on balances, or check when the payments were received. Also check your savings/checking accounts. This is a great feature because you get away from talking to machines and being put on hold. No more driving out in the cold or in traffic to see if you have enough money to cover your checks.

The Shawshank Redemtion-Red and a Tall Drink of Water :: essays research papers

Red and a Tall Drink of Water In a darkened room two passionate lovers eagerly embrace. Outside a destraught man sits in a truck, boozing it up. The old song " If I Didn't Care " , plays from a tinny radio. The drunk man fumbles with a gun while he tries to get out of the truck. He opens the door of the truck, stumbles, drops and breaks the bottle of alcohol, and the extra bullets spill onto the ground. The next scene is in a courtoom where a lawyer is questioning a man. " I was upset. I was confused and drunk. I mostly wanted to scare them ", Andrew Dufresne tells the lawyer that was cross-examing him. " This was revenge", the lawyer shouts in his summation speech. The verdict is guilty and the sentence is two life sentences, back to back. An older black man is sitting patiently in front of his parole hearing. The five men on the panel ask him if he thinks he is rehabilitated and he answers, yes. " It's the Gods honest truth, " says Red. " I'm absolutely rehabilitated. " His friends, ask him what happened at the hearing. Red replies, " Same old shit, different day." He had been rejected and denied parole again. Outside in the exercise yard a loud siren wails. The incarcerated men all gather together to get a look at the new prisoners that have just arrived. Reds' first impression of Andy Dufresne was, " That one looks like a stiff breeze could knock him over. That tall drink of water with a silver spoon up his ass." Little did Red know, at this time, but the two men would develop a strong bond. The mutual friendship Red and Andy would cultivate, caused them both to grow an inner strength which helped them deal with prison life. The new prisoners stand linked together with chains, scared to death, in front of the Warden. He says, " I believe in two things, discipline and the Bible. Here you"ll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord, your ass belongs to me. " That was the kind of attitude Andy would have to live with from now on, and this was just the beginning. " Andy kept pretty much to himself at first...Wasn't till a month went by that he finally opened his mouth to say more than two words to somebody.