Monday, September 30, 2019

Speech: Unconditional Love

Persuasive speeches aim to convince the audience to believe a certain view. A persuasive speech is a specific type of speech in which the speaker has a goal of convincing the audience to accept his or her point of view. The speech is arranged in such a way as to hopefully cause the audience to accept all or part of the expressed view. Though the overarching goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience to accept a perspective, not all audiences can be convinced by a single speech and not all perspectives can persuade the audience Figure 0. The Sales PitchAn example of a persuasive speech is a sales pitch. During a sales pitch, the speaker is trying to convince the audience to buy his or her product or service. If the salesperson is successful, the audience (the person being sold to) will choose to purchase the product or service. However, salespeople understand that just because someone does not make a purchase after the first sales pitch does not mean the pitch failed. Per suasion is often a process. People may need multiple persuasive pitches and a lot of outside information before they are ready to accept a new view.Components of a Persuasive Speech Persuasive speeches are composed of both logical and emotional appeals. Logic appeals are arguments that present a set of information and show why a conclusion must rationally be true. For example, arguments heard in court are logical arguments. Emotional appeals are appeals that seek to make the audience feel a certain way so that they will accept a conclusion. Negative political ads, for example, often incorporate emotional appeals by juxtaposing an opponent with a negative emotion such as fear.I think that every emotionally healthy person wants to love and to be loved. We want people to love us as we are. We want to feel accepted no matter what we may say or do. When we make a mistake, we want to be forgiven and we don't want to experience  rejection. We want to be loved unconditionally. A problem c omes though when we do not reciprocate unconditional love. For example, there will never be  real love  expressed between two people if both individuals are seeking to have their needs met. How can two people make a relationship work if both define love as, â€Å"if you love me then you will o what I want†? There is only one person who can truly  love unconditionally. His name is Jesus. See, God is perfect and demands perfection from us. But, we all have fallen short of living a perfect life and that is called sin. The penalty for sin is death. But, this penalty is too great for us to pay! The Bible says that God demonstrated themeaning of love  to us in this that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus laid down His life for us as the ultimate act of unconditional love. He accepts us for who we are, for what we have done, and even for what we have neglected to do.But, now He is asking us to accept Him unconditionally as well. He wants us to accept His lo ve by giving to Him our heart, mind, soul, and strength. He wants all of us. When we give ourselves over completely to Jesus then we are â€Å"fully known, fully accepted, fully loved, fully valued, and fully celebrated. † Jesus will never leave you, quit on you, belittle you, or even condemn you. Did you know that the Bible says that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save the world?He came to show you  what love is. Once we experience His love, we must step forward quickly to embrace it. The Bible provides an excellent description of unconditional love and gives us a pattern to follow. What is real love? Here is an example, â€Å"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, †¦ Love rejoices with the truth. Love believes and endures all things. Love never fails. † The longing of your heart to be loved unconditionally can be fulfilled only through Jesus Christ.You must admit your sin, believ e in Jesus, and follow His ways. If you do, you will experience  unconditional love. Once you have experienced  love unconditionally, you are then able to know  how to love  as well. As you travel life’s journey, you can take the road from conditional love to unconditional love. Let us Pray.. â€Å"Dear Jesus, I want real love and to be loved unconditionally. Please forgive me of my sin and show me  what is real love. I surrender my heart to you and ask that you take control of my life now. Thank you. â€Å"

Sunday, September 29, 2019

The Dead Child

Significant Lines1. â€Å"Why, oh why, did the memory of that dead child seek me out today in the very midst of the summer that sang?†2. â€Å"I glanced again at that astonishing splash of pink in the melancholy landscape.†3. â€Å"I studied the silent little face. A child who had loved books, solemnity, and decorous attire.†4. â€Å"I realized suddenly that it was a mass of wild roses. In June they open in great sheets all over Manitoba, growing from the poorest soil.†5. â€Å"A scent I have not much liked since the long ago June when I went to that poorest of villages-to acquire, as they say, experience.† Insightful Comments6. Each flower/rose holds a precious memory.7. Life is full of harsh moments. However the simple, yet precious things in life make up for the murky moments.8. The flowers signify the hope, found in a place surrounded by darkness. ( The light at the end of the tunnel)9. The value of a child’s memory is worth more than all the riches in the world.10. Yolande, a rose grown from the poorest soil. A brilliant, pure, and innocent rose. The theme of â€Å"The Dead Child† by Gabrielle Roy is about how a simple action can have a massive impact on our surroundings. In other words never underestimate the power of a simple action. In the story we are introduced to a group of Mà ©tis students, who are under privileged and are taught in poor working environments. Already we can see that these students do not have very much – money wise-. Despite their lack of necessities they were still able to give the gift of kindness, respect and love to their close friend Yolande.Their simple act of kindness not only changed their perspective on death but it also opened their hearts and allowed them to connect with their teacher throughout their moments of grief. By simply visiting Yolande before her burial helped the students cope with their misery and lift all the emotional weights from their tiny shoulders. Not only did they show others that Yolande was not alone but they also proved to themselves that they were strong enough to understand death. As they are picking the flowers they are reminded of the hope among them and that everything will be okay. I think the reason why this theme was used in the story is to allow readers to take the time to think about their actions and how it can affect themselves and their surroundings no matter how diminutive  the action may be- like many people say actions always speak louder than words.The face in my image is Yolande. The ribbons of colors caressing Yolande’s face represent all the feelings that were present throughout the story. Blue symbolizing sadness, white symbolizing purity, yellow symbolizes the imperfections in life and pink represents hope. The black background is the soil in which the roses grow out of and the same soil that will hold Yolande’s body where she too will become a rose. The large stream of rose petals r epresents the innocent and simple actions of the children. If you picture a stream they are usually calm and quiet but if you look closer streams are also abundant filled with life just like the students in the story.The tiny bits of roses represent all the memories the children had with Yolande; each rose petal builds a larger rose. At the end of the story the children form a circle around Yolande and console themselves by telling one another â€Å"She must have got to heaven by this time.† Or â€Å"She must be happy now.† For a child to experience such a mature feeling is not only incredible but at the same time fascinating, and so all of these emotions have engraved their names onto the rose signifying an important moment in their lives, the moment when they learnt how to cope with grief and death.As a result of their simple acts of kindness each child’s memory, feelings and actions make them a beautiful rose. All these relate back to the theme because they i llustrate all the wondrous things the children and the teacher were able to experience and achieve through a simple action despite all the emotional, and mental struggles each character went through.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

What evidence is there to support the prescribing of exenatide for Literature review

What evidence is there to support the prescribing of exenatide for adults patients who are already prescribed insulin with type - Literature review Example In insulin dependent patients with type 2 diabetes, especially with obesity, control of glycemia is a challenging issue (Hood et al, 2006). Intensification of insulin therapy to achieve target levels of glycosylated hemoglobin leads to further weight gain. Infact, one of main anxieties with insulin therapy in this population is poor weight gain (Nayak et al, 2010). In several developed countries like UK, there are recommendations for obesity surgery, along with exercise, diet and drug control of diabetes. However, obesity surgery is associated with significant risk. Exenatide, when given as an adjunct to insulin therapy, has been proven to not only achieve better control of blood glucose levels, but also decrease the chances of gaining weight. Infact, some studies have demonstrated weight loss with exenatide therapy. In this article, evidence to support the prescription of exenatide, as an adjunct to insulin therapy will be discussed through review of suitable literature. Understanding the pathophysiology and treatment basis of diabetes type-2 Diabetes mellitus can be defined as a group of clinical syndromes characterized by hyperglycemia arising as a result of absolute or relative insulin deficiency (Edwards et al, 2002). There are basically 2 types of diabetes mellitus. While type-1 is due to absolute insulin deficiency as a result of pancreatic beta-cell destruction, there is relative insulin deficiency in type-2 as a result of combination of peripheral resistance to insulin action and an inadequate secretory response by the beta cells (Kumar et al, 2007). Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes constituting 90% of diabetic population (Ramachandran et al, 2002). In a classic definition, type 2 diabetes has been defined as a triad of 3 etiologies, namely, resistance to insulin, progressive failure or exhausion of beta cells, and increased gluconeogenesis at liver. However, there is another pathophysiologic abnormality that is worth mentioning and that is decreased activity of GLP-1 (Jellinger, 2011). The imp aired insulin secretion in type-2 diabetes is due to beta cell dysfunction (DeFronzo, 1997). The beta cells fail to adapt themselves for the long-term demands of peripheral insulin resistance and increased insulin secretion (Kumaret al, 2007). In type-2, this dysfunction is both quantitative and qualitative. There is loss of normal pulsatile, oscillating pattern of insulin secretion and the rapid first phase of insulin secretion which is a normal response to elevated plasma glucose is attenuated. There is also decrease in beta cell mass, islet degeneration and deposition of islet amyloid (Kumaret al, 2007). Infact, studies have established the onset of insulin resistance much before the manifestations of hyperglycemia (DeFronzo, 1997). The pancreas beta-cell function declines gradually over time already before the onset of clinical hyperglycaemia (Stumvoll et al, 2005). The factors which probably lead to insulin resistance are increased non-esterified fatty acids, inflammatory cytok ines, adipokines, and mitochondrial dysfunction for insulin resistance, and glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, and amyloid formation for beta-cell dysfunction (Stumvoll et al,

Friday, September 27, 2019

Technology in the ESL elementary classroom Term Paper

Technology in the ESL elementary classroom - Term Paper Example One of the primary ways that the whiteboard can be used to help ESL teaching is in student motivation: â€Å"[O]nce a chapter section or story has been assigned and read for homework, the teacher can use an electronic â€Å"flip chart† presentation, displayed on a screen in front of the class, that visually emphasizes academic vocabulary and important content from the lesson. The flip chart allows a teacher to hide, reveal, and highlight text and images as necessary to motivate students† (Wappel, 2010). The flipchart allows vocabulary to be presented in interesting ways and can be used to encourage immediate participation. â€Å"To enhance and complement the teacher’s chart, each student is given an interactive tool. Using these hand held devices, the classmates can record their responses to quiz or test questions, either in an objective (true-false or multiple choice) format or using complete sentences† (Wappel, 2010). Teachers can pair immediate reinforc ement with students' answers, and students can feel that their participation is being immediately noted and rewarded. Whiteboard programs also allow collaborative on-line text editing and participation. â€Å"The on-line texts are particularly helpful in trying to get a large group of language learners to focus on one element of a lesson together. The format allows a teacher to have better control of a class and maintain continuous eye contact while directing attention to a particular sentence, paragraph, or picture in the text. The online texts also offer practice quizzes and tests, a writing lab and interactive questions, all of which may be sent electronically to the teacher† (Wappel, 2010). Eye contact during ESL teaching is one of the ways to build schemata and encourage interactive learning, making the process seem more human and less difficult (Stott, 2001). Students can be put into online groups, able to discuss and work together, figuring out each others' weak points and letting them build confidence collectively on assignments. â€Å"A bank of computers in Solebury’s ESL Center enables students to become part of an online community through e-mail, chat rooms, and posting and reading announcements and homework on the school’s web site† (Wappel, 2010). Any instructor knows that one of the most important elements is staving off boredom and prompting interest (Wappel, 2010). Whiteboard software allows teachers a wide variety of approaches. Stress, rhythm and structure exercises can be specially created which are not only different from the regular classroom process but also interactive, giving immediate feedback. In particular, the ability to encourage participation in other areas besides direct, verbal participation is useful. Shore argues that one of the ways to encourage participation and reduce stress for ESL students is to â€Å"Encourage participation in less language-demanding subject areas: music, art, physical educat ion† and provide opportunities for success. Whiteboard projects can allow students to sing along, make presentations with their own prompts, and otherwise demonstrate their skills in a non-threatening manner and setting. Whiteboards also allow participation to be immediately rewarded (Jeffrey, 2003). Jeffrey proposes a â€Å"

Thursday, September 26, 2019

An examination of factors affecting Inditex's online sales market in Dissertation

An examination of factors affecting Inditex's online sales market in Russia - Dissertation Example Much of the transactions over the Internet are performed without person-to-person interaction between the store representatives and consumers, and without the consumers viewing and inspecting the actual item to be purchased. Online purchase transactions are intrinsically based on intangible promises, which fact explains the natural reluctance of most consumers to immediately transact over websites. The study makes use of both primary and secondary data in the resolution of the research problem. Secondary data is relied upon to assess the direction and prospects of the Russian online apparels market, to determine the opportunities it offers and how Inditex could best position itself given the forecasted indicators. Primary data is gathered through the online dissemination of survey questionnaires that elicited perceptual data from consumers who were stratified according to whether they transacted seldom, moderately or frequently in online retail stores. The hypotheses were tested with the use of Student’s t-test and OLS regression analysis. The study found that trust factors (transaction security, customer data misuse, uncertainty reducing elements, and guarantees/ return policies) are the most significant and positively influential drivers of both decisions to purchase and the amount of purchases made. Marketing mix is also significant though less influential, with pricing strategies playing a positive role in the decision to purchase and the amount purchased. Finally, usability has some impact on both the purchase decision and volume transacted, but the direction of the relationship of these factors to the outputs is uncertain. Key words: online retailer, marketing mix, multichannel marketing, multi-concept approach, market segmentation, transaction security, site speed Table of Contents Abstract 2 List of Tables 6 List of Figures 6 Chapter 1: Introduction 8 1.1 Background of the problem 8 1.2 Industry Background 12 1.3 Research aim / objective 13 1.4 R esearch hypotheses 13 1.5 Research questions 13 1.6 Research objectives 13 1.7 Significance of the study 13 1.8 Chapter Summary 14 Chapter 2: Literature Review 15 2.1 Chapter overview 15 2.2 Online shopping 15 2.3 Traditional versus online consumer behaviour 17 2.4 Factors affecting online shopping behaviour 18 2.5 Strategic practices in online retailing 20 2.6 Online fashion retailing 21 2.7 Theoretical Framework 23 Chapter 3: Methodology 27 3.1Chapter overview 27 3.2 Research philosophy and strategy 27 3.3 Research approach 28 3.4 Data and information 29 3.5 Survey dissemination 29 3.6 Data analysis 30 The data gathered through the survey questionnaire consists of the perceptions of online shoppers classified as either seldom, moderate, and frequent purchasers. These responses are used to resolve hypothesis 1 with the use of Student’s t-test statistical method, and also to resolve hypothesis 2 with the use of ordinary least squares (OLS) multivariate regression analysis. Th e procedure shall be executed with the use of the SPSS version 17 statistical software. 30 3.6 Reliability and validity 31 3.7 Limitations 31 3.8 Chapter summary 31 The third chapter described the data that was used and the method by which such data had been gathered and analysed. These methods had been implemented during the research phase, in the course of which the data as described had been gathered and analysed according to the procedures described in this chapter. The findings that resulted

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Free writing journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Free writing journal - Essay Example Everyone has the tendency to doubt and to question things. We are not perfect beings. That’s the reason why we see goodness in men and why it’s easy for us to doubt. Since we are imperfect beings, we know that there is always a tendency to turn to evil. But we expect each one of us not to. Why? Because we have the church to make sure that we are well-guided. But church teachings sometimes are not enough. When our expectations are not met, our frustrations lead us to the other side of the road. This happened to Goodman Brown. He expected the priests and other religious men and women that serve the church to stay true to the church. But when he found them at a cult gathering, he began to question and to doubt them. Since he believed that evil cannot turn the people he believed to be pure and good, his experience in the forest greatly disappointed and frustrated him. The story also emphasizes that we, as humans, can make our own decisions. And because of this, we tend to firmly stand for what we believe in. The problem is when you encounter an event that can shake this belief, that we are in control. Then, we will find a problem for everything. Why? Because humans tend to reason out. And we fail or do something out of our control, we look for reasons and

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Comparison of two medieval theocracies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison of two medieval theocracies - Essay Example Yet though both cultures developed theocratic systems of government during the medieval period, we will see that they came to that system of government through very different means and enacted quite different measures to secure and maintain that system. First, though, we should consider the nature of theocracy itself. In a theocratic government, religion forms the basis for political decisions. Government leadership and religious leadership are synonymous, since faith in the governing religion is a prerequisite to political power. Religious texts and tenets provide the backbone for civil law and government. Those members of a theocratic society who do not espouse the prevailing faith may be disenfranchised at best and persecuted at worst. Such was the case when Christianity became the prevailing religion in Western Europe during the Middle Ages — an ironic development since Christians themselves had been a persecuted class in the Roman Empire from the time of Nero (54-68) until the emperor Constantine was converted to Christianity in the early 300s (Tierney). The dramatic power shift led to the most significant power struggle of the medieval period in Europe: the uneasy problem of church and state. Constantine had brought the church to a position of previously unimagined power, but in return, he expected the unwavering alliance of the church — in matters of faith as well as matters of government, as the great debate over the Arian and Nicene faiths in the 300s demonstrated. The challenge was that Christianity had to win over strong, existing systems of government and people whose religious were as sophisticated and compelling (and sometimes more fun) than Christianity. How could a theocracy come to bear in a system of existing governments? The church was inventive — it assimilated pagan traditions to make its asceticism more

Monday, September 23, 2019

Compare and contrast critically the views of distributive justice Essay

Compare and contrast critically the views of distributive justice presented by Rawls and by Nozick. Which is the more convincing account - Essay Example This section will attempt to highlight some of the different perspectives touching on distributive justice with regard to the two philosophers’ account of understanding. In the various perspectives, there are different positions held by the two philosophers either in the affirmative or opposition. According to Rawls, Justice for the individual tends to be overlooked for the general well being of the society. This position of understanding distributive justice therefore usually generates an egalitarian approach. Based on equitable grounds, a decision concerning separate individuals has to weigh available options on the utility that each of the actions would bring to the society. Utilitarianism guides the principle of distributive justice where the overall good for the society determines the worth of pursuing a particular course of action. Robert Nozick postulates the â€Å"original position† where all parties stand to benefit in a social decision making platform (Hendin, 2010). Inequalities are weeded out by distributing them among the society members so as to avoid some disadvantage on some while others benefit (difference principle). Nozick’s position is however a contestation and opposition of Rawls view under the two situations; difference principle and original position. In order for these provisions to hold true, ignorance must guide the society. Nozick argues that arbitrary scenarios guide the direction of the social decisions regarding distinction of persons based on their resource endowment if Rawls’ observations are true (Leif, 2008). Nozick instead argues that some form of sacrifice is involved where people willingly opt to dedicate their rights for the general good of the society. Different individuals make up the society and their rights are as well distinct from each other’s. In order for the rest to benefit from one individual, the person must be

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Writing Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Writing Today - Essay Example The chapter is characterized by proposal examples which make it easier for the learner to master and comprehend the process. The chapter outlines the steps a student should follow in wring a proper proposal. First, the student has to find and focus on the content of the proposal. This part makes the bulk of the proposal. As such, the content is the major part of a proposal. Under the content, the problem to be solved is often identified and how it is to be solved or tackled. The learner must make this part as convincing as possible. Most people review a proposal’s viability by analyzing its content, the addressed problem, and the offered solutions. After inventing the content of the proposal, the next step is to draft the proposal. All the relevant ideas are synched and written down. Additionally, the proposal is organized in a coherent manner. Next, an appropriate style is applied to the proposal. Subsequently, the proposal is designed in a logical, understandable and easy to understand manner with all the major ideas, arguments or parts being clearly verified. To rid the proposal of minor and major grammar and structural mistakes, the document is revised and edited (Paine, Charles & Johnson-Sheehan, 2012). After this process, the proposal is ready for submission. A proposal can be developed by following three major stages. However, this depends on the inclinations of the target audience or sponsor. Some audiences may prefer a concept paper in advance. The concept paper basically focuses on the proposal’s content and problem to be solved. A preliminary proposal may follow the concept paper. Lastly, a full complete proposal is the developed. In this chapter, the authors have in fact followed their own advice in writing. They have done this by primarily making the text scannable, brief, and easy to navigate.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Ford Motor’s Financial Health Progress Report Essay Example for Free

Ford Motor’s Financial Health Progress Report Essay In the coming week, Learning Team B will discuss the financial health of Ford Motor Co. The discussion will include an analysis of the current financial condition after calculating profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, activity ratios, and solvency ratios. We will answer questions about where the company began, how the company manages their investments, and where the company is now financially. We will also look at the DuPont Method as it relates to Ford Motor Co. and their financial troubles. Specific Task that have been Accomplished How Much the Company has borrowed? It has been discovered that Ford Motor Co. borrowed 23.5 billion dollars in 2006 from the government in an effort to reduce debt. Ford Motor Company’s debt liabilities, long term-debts, current notes is the total of what the company has borrowed. Define the Business Need Because of the money borrowed, Ford is in better shape than General Motors and Chrysler. The financial ratios, profitability, liquidity, activity, solvency, have already been calculated. The business need will include high-level deliverables to resolve problems. The business needs of the Ford Motor Company is to improve in the area of return on equity and return on capital by addressing customer service needs and customer satisfaction as a means of retention of reputation and quality assurance. How liquid is the Company The liquidation of Ford Motor Company can easily be defined as the ability in which as asset can be converted into cash, to meet short-term financial obligations. In order for Ford to meet this obligation, the company has to have more liquid. The company can calculate their liquids by using financial rations such as cash ratio, quick ratio, and current ratio. How Efficiently the Organization is using its Assets This will be determined by using the Debt Ratios of the company’s liabilities and assets. Additionally, the straight line depreciation method will be used to determine if assets are profitable or assuming greater debt to the company. Strength and weakness The strength and weakness of an organization is crucial. According to (Titman, Keown, Martin, p. 79), â€Å"Financial ratios provide a second method for standardizing the financial information in the income statement and balance sheet. Ratios answer questions about the firm’s financial health or strength and weaknesses.† The relevant questions are how liquid is the firm, will it be able to pay on time, did the firm finance the purchase of assets, is the management efficient in utilizing assets to generate sales, is ROI adequate based on the organization financial goals and objectives, and are shareholders getting value for their investment. The ratio mechanism is liquidity, capital structure, and asset management efficiency, profitability, and market value ratios assessments. â€Å"The acid test is the current ratio to assess firm liquidity; we assume that the firm’s accounts receivable will be collected and turned into cash on a timely basis and that its inventories can be sold without an extended delay. But the truth is that a company’s inventory might not be very liquid at all, (Titman, Keown, Martin, p. 80).† Debt Equity Financing According to (Investorwords.com, 2014), â€Å"Debt financing requires borrowing money, usually as a loan from a bank, financial institution or commercial finance companies, to fund investment of the organization.† Organizations must keep in mind that debt builds credit that s supports lower insurance rates and future borrowing. Additionally, an organization can gain a tax deductible interest rate to lessen the impact of repayment. Equity financing requires investment partners that provide funding for a share of ownership. Each type of financing has advantages and disadvantages of appeal, organizations use both to finance investment ventures. Problems, Solutions, and Potential Issues The high-level of deliverables occurs according to the Britannica (2014)  website â€Å"because of financial struggles at the beginning of the 21st century, the company sold off Aston Martin in 2007 and both Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008.† In addition to selling â€Å"Ford manufactures passenger cars, trucks, and tractors as well as parts and accessories.† Next Steps The team should further expound on the business need of Ford Motor Co. The Market Value Added (EVA) and Economic Value Added (EVA) have been research, but need to be further researched to explain difference it makes for Ford Motor Co. All ratios and ROE need to be calculated and explained: ELIZABETH Profitability Ratio Liquidity Ratio Activity Ratio Solvency Ratio ROE DuPont Method Finally, the team needs to determine how profitable the organization is at the end of the research. Conclusion In concluding, Learning Team B discusses the financial health of Ford Motor Company within a progress report. The report includes an analysis of the current financial condition after calculating profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, activity ratios, and solvency ratios. The report answer questions about where the company began, how the company manages their investments, and where the company is now financially. The report finally looks into the DuPont Method as it relates to Ford Motor Co. and their financial troubles.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Electoral Evolution In The Island Of Mauritius Politics Essay

The Electoral Evolution In The Island Of Mauritius Politics Essay This introductory chapter projects a clear idea about the central issue of concern in the research. The reasons for this particular investigation are also elaborated. A full statement of the research aims and objectives, based on the stated research problem is included. The chapter ends with a brief of the structure and content of the remaining chapters of the dissertation. 1.0 Overview Section 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Mauritius states that Mauritius shall be a sovereign democratic State which shall be known as the Republic of Mauritius. Section 2 defines that the Constitution is the supreme law of Mauritius and if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void. Mauritius is a constitutional parliamentary democracy, based on the Westminster model, which consists of the President and the National Assembly. Elected on a First-Pass-the-post system, at an interval of 5 years, during the General Election, the Assembly makes provision for 70 candidates on 20 constituencies. (The Constitution of the Republic of Mauritius) However, this model has been often subject to critics. Michael Duggett (2009), in his thesis about the Westminster Model, states that this model is one-dimensional, simplistic and has weakened as well as privatised. Rod Rhodes (2005) expressed his opinion saying that the model is hollowed-out. This might be a cause which is affecting the level of voter turnout in Mauritius. 1.1 Scope of the study In this study, I propose to study the different causes of abstention at the General Elections and the policies that can be adopted to reduce this phenomenon. This research relates to the island of Mauritius only and therefore does not include Rodrigues and the other outer islands. Research Title The research title is: A study of the causes of voting abstention at the General Election in the Island of Mauritius. Definition of voting abstention Abstention occurs when an eligible voter does not cast a ballot during an election process. It has been observed that many countries are suffering from a high abstention rate due to the citizens low participation during elections. 1.3 Problem statement An  election  is a formal  decision-making process  by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office while vote is a citizens civic duty; however there are some people who abstain from voting for several reasons. Since our representative democratic model relies on citizen participation in elections, less participation means less representation, therefore, less people who decide for everyone else. Falling turnout is often seen as a mark of disengagement, if not of actual disaffection (Norris 1999) The General Elections of year 2005 and 2010 will be used to show the issue; that is, a rise in voting abstention. Table 1 below shows the rate of abstention at the General Election during the year 2005 and 2010. A detailed analysis of the statistics is given in Appendix A: The rate of voting abstention in year 2005 and Appendix B: The rate of voting abstention in year 2010. Table 1: Rate of abstention during year 2005 2010 General Election Year No of Registered electors No of voters % of voters Abstention Rate 2005 793449 644069 81.17 18.83 2010 875356 658441 75.22 24.78 Average Rate 78.05 21.95 Source: Electoral Commissioners Office 1.4 Research Aim The main aim of the study is to analyse the causes which are decreasing the rate of turnout in the Mauritian General Election. 1.5 Research Objectives The objectives of this research are as follows: To calculate the level of abstention and the evolution thereof during the General Election of year 2005 and 2010; To identify the factors which are likely to affect the decision of Mauritians whether to abstain or to vote; To find out the policies that can be adopted to alleviate this problem of voter abstention. 1.6 Structure of the dissertation CHAPTER 1 introduces the issue of voting abstention, the actual electoral system in Mauritius, the right to vote under the Mauritian Constitution, the scope of the study, the research title, the statement of problem is identified, the research aim and the research objectives are pointed out and finally the structure of the dissertation is elaborated in details. CHAPTER 2 focuses on the political system and its evolution since 1810 before adopting the actual system. CHAPTER 3 provides a literature review which analyses the different causes that could affect voters from abstaining. CHAPTER 4 encompasses in detail how the research has been carried out and comprises all relevant information regarding the research methods to meet the objectives of the study. CHAPTER 5 provides a discussion of results and findings from the survey which has been carried out. Each aspect of the questionnaire had been analyzed and interpreted. CHAPER 6 provides a conclusion and some recommendations for the benefit of policy makers and administrators and other people interested in this field, together with a conclusion. 1.7 Chapter Conclusion This first chapter has helped to set out an overview about the topic under investigation. The scope of the study is worked out before giving way to the research aims and objectives. Finally the structuring of the whole report has been elaborated. CHAPTER 2: THE ELECTORAL EVOLUTION IN THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS 2.0 A Historical Background The Island of Mauritius has been consequently conquered by Arab Sailors, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British. The Arab sailors were the first who visited the island which was named as Dina Arobi. The Portuguese came in year 1507, followed by the Dutch during the year 1598 who renamed the island as Mauritius. In 1715, the French took control of the island and renamed it Ile de France. Ile de France was formally surrendered to the British, on the 3rd December 1810, where the islands name was reverted to Mauritius. During their abdication, the French was allowed to keep their land and property and to use the French language and law of France in civil and criminal matters on the island. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1 Electoral System Mauritius has experienced a number of electoral systems since 1810 before adopting the actual system. The electoral system of Mauritius is based on the majority rule and government stability as it comprises of a fair representation of the population. The choice of government is made by citizens. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.1 One Man One Rule (1810-1886) During 1810-1886, Mauritius was under the British Colonial Rule whereby the governor was enjoying all the law-making and decision-making process over Franco-Mauritian elite. It was a one man one rule policy. In 1825, Mauritius obtained its first Constitution under which a Council of Government, which consisted of 4 top officials: Chief Justice, Chief Secretary, Commander of forces and Collector of Customs, was set up. Later, in 1885, the Constitution was revised and enlarged to make room for elected representatives. The new Council of Government provided 27 members, including 10 elected members, on a restricted franchise. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.2 First-Pass-The-Post-System (FPTP) (1886-1958) Year 1886, welcomes Mauritius first General Election (G.E) under the British Rule. The G.E was limited to wealthy property owners, who constituted only 2 percent of the adult population; that is, out of 365,000 inhabitants, only 12,000 of which all were men, could vote. 2 out of 10 elected members were from Port-Louis and 1 from each 8 districts. Under the 1885 Constitution, Mauritius was divided into 9 constituencies and each constituency elected one representative and Port-Louis, the capital, in relation to highest number of population returned two candidates to the legislative. The elections were held during nine days: from 11-20 January; and were based on the first-past-the-post system. Traces of the 1886 Constitution, can be found in the actual electoral system as the FPTP has been prevailing in Mauritius whereby the candidate receiving the highest number of votes were elected. Due to World War II, G.E could not be held during 1939-1945. The second G.E was then held in 1948, after that the 1886 Constitution was replaced by a new one, which allowed all those above 21 years old who could sign their name in any of the following languages: English, French, Creole, or any Indian languages, to vote through FPTP. Out of 419,000; 72,000 inhabitants, including 12,000 women, were registered electors. Following constitutional conventions held in London in 1955 and 1957, the ministerial system was initiated and G.E was held on 9th March 1959. Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.3 London Agreement (1956-1957) Due to Mauritius multi-ethnic society the issue of an ideal electoral system has been a real concern. Since 1956, there was a need for a proper representation of the citizens in the Parliament. In the first London Agreement in 1957, the concept of Proportional Representation (PR) in the system was bluntly rejected. The agreement was supposed to eradicate communal ideology and encourage a system based on political parties not religion. The citizens wanted an ethnic reassurance where PR could prevailed in the National Assembly. The Mauritius Labour Party (MLP) under the successive leaderships of Dr Maurice Cure and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam persistently struggled not only for universal suffrage and responsible Government, but also a ministerial form of Government, a decrease in the number of nominees and an increase in that of elected members, changes in the composition of the Executive Council, the appointment of a Speaker and the majority party leader to be styled Prime Minister. During the 1955 Constitutional Conference which was held in London, the MLP requested some constitutional changes. The London Agreement envisaged nomination of maximum of 12 nominees to ensure fair representation. The right to vote was franchise to both sexes over the age of twenty-one and symbols were introduced to facilitate uneducated voters. The number of electors rose to 207,000 at the 1957 elections. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democr acy in Africa) 2.1.4 Trustram-Eve Recommendations (1957) In year 1957, Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve; member of the London Agreement, recommended a 40 single-member constituency system along with the FPTP system. This implies that there is no need for a majority overall to win over a seat. The year 1957 had launched the Ministerial system where the elected candidates were able to decide upon policy issues in many areas. The Ministerial system comprised of nine ministers out of whom six were elected and three nominated. Despite the fact that it was not a fully elected body, the island had its first representative body and the Executive Council was chaired by the Governor. Trustrams recommendation was to ensure ethnic and communal representation in the legislative. The nominees are the ancestors of the best loser system. In 1964, in view of not upsetting the population, the governors did not increase the number of nominees. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.5 Banwell Report (1966) The Banwell Report was initially based on the Trustrams-Eve recommendations. Part of Mauritius actual electoral system is based on Banwell Recommendations. Banwell Commission was set up after the proposals made for an electoral system, at the Lancaster House Conference of September 1965, failed. Banwell then proposed the followings: 20 constituencies returning 3 members in Mauritius and 2 members in Rodrigues. A division of the population for electoral law purposes: Hindu, Muslin, Chinese and the General Population. Use of FPTP in theory and the three pass the post in practice. 5 constant best loser seats to be filled as soon as results of general election are official so as to overcome the problem of under representation. Candidates chosen as best losers should secure largest number of votes among the defeated candidates belonging to the under-represented community and 10% of the general votes. Any party receiving more than 25% of the total vote and less than 25% seats in Parliament would be reallocated to bring its share to 25%. The last proposal was rejected by the MLP, then Stonehouse; MLPs friend, was called as a negotiator. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.5.1 Stonehouse Modifications Stonehouse modified the 5 constant correctives to the 8 best loser votes. The variable correctives and the 10% votes were also rejected. The first 4 best losers seats were to be allocated to parties belonging to under presented communities irrespective to party affiliation .The community for the first 4 best losers is obtained by dividing the population of each of the communities by number of seats obtained by that community in general election plus one. The second 4 best losers were allocated on party and community basis. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.5.2 The final proposal and actual electoral system The final proposal and the actual electoral system is based on Banwell recommendations and modified by Stonehouse. There are 70 members in the parliament ,60 out of the 70 are directly elected through FPTP in 20 constituencies with returning 3 candidates each and Rodrigues 2 candidates as shown in the table below. The remaining 8 are the best losers chosen by the Electoral Supervisory Commission immediately after results of general elections. This structure has been basically maintained up to now. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.6 Independence The 1967 election brought a milestone in the history of Mauritius. About 90% of the electorate voted. PMSD fought against independence while MLP fought for independence. PMSD was defeated and MLP won 39 seats by obtaining 54% of the national votes. Mauritius acceded to the status of independence on the 12th March 1968. The first parliamentary election which took place on the 20th December 1976 amended the right to vote. Those aged 18 and above could vote. Out of 462,034, 170,000 were new eligible voters. The first general election after independence was an electoral victory. It was the first time that a single party alliance; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) and Parti Socialiste Mauricien (PSM), won all 60 seats. Subsequently, the contribution was altered to guarantee that legislation elections occur every five years. Parliamentary by-elections were also reinstated. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral institute for sustainable democracy in Africa) 2.1.7 Westminster Model The Constitution of Mauritius provides for the Parliament of Mauritius to consist of the President and the National Assembly. The Parliament of Mauritius is modeled after the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, where Members of Parliament are voted in at regular general elections, on the basis of a first past the post system. (Official site of the Republic of Mauritius-The Parliament) The Westminster System guarantees the separation of the legislative, executive and judicial powers. Political power rests on the Prime Minister and the cabinet. Sixty-two members of Parliament are elected every five years by universal adult suffrage and all major political parties are represented in Parliament.   The Legislative Assembly became the National Assembly. The Governor General was replaced by the President of the Republic. The latter is elected by the legislative upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister. (Dukhira, 2002) CHAPTER 3: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3.0 Introduction A vote is an electorates act of voting, whereby voting is the civic duty of every citizen. It is the starting and the ending point of every democracy. In general, the voting system allows electors to select a candidate or a party. The citizens participation in election is important for democracy. If citizens do not have a hand in political things (especially elections) democracy is exposed to weakening risks. (Pasquino, 1983). Citizens derive a direct benefit from fulfilling this duty. However, it is indeed serious because some citizen abstains from their civic duty. The decrease in the rate of voter turnout has been constantly observed. It is contended that voter turnout and voter abstention are closely related to one-another. These two factors will be used interchangeably throughout this study but as opposites of each other. Poole and Rosenthal (1997) argue that the decision to vote or to abstain can be formulated with the equation: R=P (B)-C+D where R is the net reward from voting, B is the material benefit brought about by voting, P is the probability that ones vote makes a difference, C is the cost associated with voting, and D is the fixed benefit of voting. Electors will abstain if the perceived benefits of abstention will exceed the perceived costs. This can be formulated by an equation: R= (P (B))-(C+D))>0. On the other hand, Corey Brettschneider (2007) claimed that: mutual respect, equality or autonomy, are the core substantive values associated to the right to vote. These values should make the right to vote worth being enjoyable and exercisable, rather than the other way round. Riker and Ordeshook (1968) introduced the citizen duty notion to explain the issue of voter turnout. This literature review addresses the causes, factors leading to a decrease of voter turnout and an increase in voting abstention. 3.1 Voter Abstention Abstention occurs when an eligible voter does not cast a ballot during an election process. It has been observed that many countries are suffering from a high abstention rate due to the citizens low participation during elections. Abstention is a real concern and a challenge for politicians, who must persuade the public of the need to vote, according to Seddik Chihas of the National Democratic Rally (RND). (Ademe Amine, 2012). Abstention shall not be compared with blank vote where an eligible voter purposely spoils a vote by marking it wrongly or by marking anything at all, whereby abstention is when the electorate does not vote at all. 3.1.1 Un-informed electors According to Arianna Degans and Antonio Merlos study in 2004, who votes and for who people vote determine the outcome of the elections. It is of high importance for candidates during elections to ensure the participation of their citizens and as well as their voting decisions. Abstention occurs when there is a lack of information about the candidates, (Arianna Degan and Antonio Merlo, 2004), who make the wrong decision or the wrong choice. This can be costly to the elections where a wrong candidate might be elected. Some electors might also feel unmotivated to vote due to a feeling of uncertainty towards candidates but when a citizen is well informed about his civic duty and the electoral candidates, he will definitely participate during elections and vote for the right candidate. 3.2 Voter Turnout Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Eligible voters shall not be compared with the total adult population because some adults are not eligible to vote. Voter turnout is an essential quality of fair election and is considered to be a necessary factor for a healthy democracy. Low turnout is generally accredited to disengagement from the system because of perceived efficacy of voting in altering policy decisions. Consequently established democracies with free elections usually have higher turnout than other states. Understanding voter turnout Voting turnout has often been used to judge the evolution of democratic countries, (Scot and Barbara, 2005). The act of voting depicts the preference of the citizens as this show the extent to which the citizens are actually interested in being represented.(Fair Vote Canada; Lijphart, 1996) However, low level of participation is being noticed on behalf of eligible voters. This is due to disenchantment, indifference, or contentment. As such a poll with low turnout is not reliable, because it does not show what the whole country wants; it shows only part of the citizens will. For example, an elector may have abstained from voting because her favourite party had no chances of attaining representation. Different countries have very different average voter turnouts. Low turnout can be expressed differently. For example, in developed countries, the young and the poor are the abstainers. However, India which comprises of an electorate of more than 670 million people, the contrary is found. The poor, who comprises of the majority of the demographic, tend to vote more than the rich and the middle- class, and turnout is higher in rural areas than in urban areas ( D.Gupta, 2004) 3.2.2 Socio- economic factors Citizens participate politically when their level of wealth and education increases because they are more informed and has a feeling of efficacy. This leads to a higher political participation (Lijphart, 1997). According to Ioannis and Phil (2005), sociologist argues that the political behaviour, the identification with a partys values and peoples interest to vote are affected by the socio.economic characteristics. Turnout is higher among those with higher income, those of higher education, white -collar workers, whites, men, middle-aged , older voters, those with closer community ties, those married and the members of organizations. In developing countries, to maintain security and economic development in case when things are bad, citizens tend to vote in great numbers (Radcliff 1992; Fornos et al.2004) Cultural Factor The educational level and the wealth of the country affect turnout but these are not reliable measures as in countries like Europe, in spite of the fact that it is wealthy and have a high rate of literacy, the level of turnout is found to be low. Despite the fact, that countries, like those in Europe and Latin America have a newer democracy, they do not have the cultural habit of voting. The eligible voters do not have the sense of civic duty, which takes time and certain social conditions to develop. These social conditions developed by G. Bingham Powell are: trust in government, the degree of partisanship among the population, interest in politics, and belief in the efficiency of voting. Political Factor Crewe et al. (1992) traced four factors associated with turnout irregularity: being young, having recently moved home, the type of housing tenure, and, marital status(single or divorced). These factors are inter-correlated but they have an independent effect on turnout. According to Crewe et al. (1992), isolation from personal and national networks resulted in a lack of political information or pressure to vote, thus, lowering turnout due to a lack of motivation. Weak or absent party emerged as another important source of irregular voting (Crewe et al, 1992). According to their study, the identification of age and strength are inter-dependently related to voter turnout. A lack in the government performance also carries a negative impact upon turnout. Strong political competition and ideological cleavages between parties tend to increase turnout (Dalton, 1988). Institutional Factor Institutional factors have a significant impact on voter turnout. These variables are classified into three categories: Electoral rules, Perception of the effectiveness of governing institutions, Mobilization. Electoral rules Variables in electoral rules include compulsory voting, registration rules and voting age. Compulsory voting Compulsory voting increases turnout because once voting is made mandatory, people follow the rule irrespective of the punitive sanctions for non-voting (Lijphart 1997). However, in Venezuela and the Netherlands compulsory voting has been rescinded, due to a decrease in turnout. On the other hand, Paraguay having a compulsory voting system imposes payment of a fine and ineligibility for elective office for a prescribed period. Colombia and Nicaragua also have compulsory voting. In Greece voting is compulsory; however there are practically no sanctions for those who do not vote. In Belgium voting is compulsory, too, but not strongly enforced. Registration rules Automatic and compulsory registration often leads to a low turnout because even those who are not eligible, as stated below in the case study: The Republic of Mauritius: Disqualified voters, are on the registration list which gives false survey. Conversely, an election where registration is voluntary or requires a personal initiative ought to be associated with higher voter turnout, because the institutional obstacle of registration has already been surmounted. (Payne et al, 2002) Voting age Voting age has been found to be positively associated to voting turnout as younger citizens are less exposed to politics (Wolfinger and Rosenstone, 1980) and are less likely to vote as older voters. Compared to the youths, the older generations tend to have the sense of civic duty. Older people vote more than youths. The act of voting is also seen as part of the young people coming-of-age ritual. 3.2.5.2 Perception of the effectiveness of governing institutions Variables in the governing effectiveness category include the number of political parties, the relative power of the lower house, federalism or the centralization of the government, and concurrent elections. These variables may affect voters perceptions of the effectiveness or the policy of the powers of the elected officials. The number of political parties Jackman (1987) argues that multi parties lead to coalition building to policy ambiguity and compromise. It is expected to reduce the probability of legislative majorities and worsen executive legislative cooperation which may lead to rendering the electoral process less consequential. The relative power of the lower house This unicameral legislature has to adopt the majoritarian policy to be more effective. This is supposed to render voting to be more meaningful. The centralization of the government Centralized government is more effective, efficient and decisive. Jones (1997) argues that federal political arrangements create new electoral dynamics. The federalism variable is ought to capture longer ballots, which are believed to reduce turnout and the presence of unique local election laws that may deter voting. Concurrent elections Concurrent election means the instances when presidential and legislative elections are held at the same time. Concurrent election is supposed to increase voter turnout as it is expected to contribute to the perception that the election is more relevant. 3.2.5.3 Mobilization Institutional variables in the mobilization category include district magnitude and electoral disproportionality. District magnitude As district magnitude increases political parties have more incentives to retain all seats found in a particular district (Powell, 1986). With a smaller pool of candidates or political parties competing for votes in the district, the distribution of patronage will be more visible and more certain which is ought to result in greater voter mobilization. Electoral disproportionality Electoral disproportionality occurs when parties receive electoral support that does not translate into representation in the legislature in which case, votes have been wasted (Burnham 1987). Wasted votes are found to be associated negatively with voting turnout as parties have less of an incentive to turn out to vote. 3.2.5.4 Salience Mark. N. Franklin (1997) argues that salience is the effect of a vote of an eligible voter over a country. Salient issues are politically important as public opinions are likely to structure party support and voting behaviour and form the subject of political debate. Voters perceptions of fairness impact on salience. Citizens will not cast any ballot if they feel that the election is not worthy, corrupted and determined by fraud thus relating to low voter turnout. Gender Abstention For ages, gender inequality has been prevailing. Women were considered to be inferior to men. Women were confined in a more private sphere leaving men in a public one, especially in politics due to a combination of psychological and sociological causes. If we refer to classical literature, we shall see how women were kept away from the social aspect of life. Women roles in the society were to be a mother, a wife, a sister or a friend. This practice has prevailed for years. There is only a minority of women who participates in the society. However an analysis at the end of 90s in 19 centuries (Norris et al, 2003) confirmed that Norway had a female participation rate significantly higher than men, in Germany, Great Britain and Spain men and women abstention rates were very close, and in all countries there was an invasion in the youngest ages, female children vote more than their mothers. Voter Fatigue Voter fatigue tends to lower turnout. This occurs when participants do not find any interest to cast a ballot. They get bored and reject participation. This may be due to frequent election. Eileen Park, a journalist, reported on 31 March 2012 that voter fatigue might be a cause to influence the public not to vote though being at the eve of the GOP (Grand Old Party) Presidential Election in Wisconsin. The public were no more motivated to vote. Voter Suppression Voter suppression is used as a stratagem to influence the outcome of an election by

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay on Whartons Ethan Frome: Ethan Frome as Fairy Tale

Ethan Frome as Fairy Tale    Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome is vividly real to its readers, its issues continually relevant to society, but through its structure and moral lessons, it is intended to be read as a 'fairy tale'. Elizabeth Ammons discusses this 'fairy tale' in her article "Ethan Frome as a Fairy Tale," explaining that the novel is a "vision" of the narrator's. As evidenced by the introductory chapter, the narrator truly has few clues as to the real story of Ethan Frome, and these clues often are diverse, and what we are about to read is nothing more than a figment of the narrator's imagination based on certain facts he has learned. Ammons comments, "while Ethan's story will appear real and we can believe that the tragedy did happen, the version here is a fabrication . . . one of many possible narratives" (146). The story is fiction, not fact, and is mainly intended to entertain and instruct more than inform. Fairy tales themselves are by their very nature documents concerned with morality, never actual events. The psychological impact of Ethan Frome is far more lasting than the plot itself, for the plot is fictional but the issues are real. The characters of Ethan Frome also fit the mold for fairy tales. ... ...their stomachs when they saw Ethan's feelings for Zeena, how they cheered their love on despite knowing that Ethan was already married, and how they cried to see Mattie, once vivacious, now paralyzed. Ethan Frome is a powerful fairy tale because we learn that in stories, as in real life, success isn't always guaranteed. Works Cited and Consulted Ammons, Elizabeth "Ethan Frome as a Fairy Tale" Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1995. Bell, Millicent. The Cambridge Companion to Edith Wharton. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. New York: Penguin Group, 1993.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Directors file for the new production of An Inspector Calls :: Drama

Directors file for the new production of an Inspector Calls Cast List - all these people I have chosen for the following parts are because they identify with the characters as well as the reasons I have said. ====================================================================== Inspector Goole = Anthony Hopkins --------------------------------- I thought quite carefully about who would be most suitable for this part as I think it is very important that the actor playing this part can manage put out a certain impression of solidity and purposefulness have a strong and almost hypnotic power over the other characters and also the audience. The inspector is probably the hardest character to portray excellently and I think that Anthony Hopkins would suit the part perfectly as he can do the things that the inspector does, such as give a character a certain power and a mysterious feel. I imagine the inspector to be very similar to 'Hannibal Lector' from 'Silence of the Lambs, which Anthony Hopkins played. From previous parts that Anthony Hopkins has acted I know he can manage to have complete control over situations and people and brings a very unsettling feeling with him which is exactly how he would have to go about to give the presence the Inspector would. The main thing that Anthony Hopkins would have to try and do, would be to give the Inspector all these characteristics without making it look like he was even trying, and I think this is very important. The inspector always knows exactly what he's doing and uses no effort in trying to do it. Anthony Hopkins would have to speak with no emotion, almost in a monotone voice and have those cold eyes, which stare very deliberately and disconcertingly and give a very uncomfortable feeling, most of these I think Anthony.H would be able to do. He would have to speak with a posh English accent because the Inspector Arthur Birling = Jim Broadbent ------------------------------ For this part I chose Jim Broadbent partly because I have seem him act many different parts so I know he could carry off any part, but mainly because of his part in Moulin Rouge was very similar to Mr. Birling. I imagine Mr. Birling to have quite a large belly, a beard and to be very loud and jolly at the beginning but to then to change to an arrogant, proud and stubborn man. Even though Jim Broadbent matches the description he would have to work a lot harder on matching the character and personality. He would need to give Mr Birling a very loud booming voice and a very over the top exaggerated character. He would have to concentrate on making sure that Mr Birling came across

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Michael Collins’

Between the white knuckle intensity, the bombastic array of explosions, the sinister factionalism and the multitude of conspiratorial machinations, director Neil Jordan’s Michael Collins comes off like political history re-imagined in the vein of the gangster film. As an ambitious attempt to chronicle the life and times of one of the most important figures in Ireland’s violent struggles for independence from the British Empire, it is intelligently well-made. But it is also problematic, because it makes an obscure political struggle even more obscure by trivializing it in the way that much of historical cinema has trivialized history: emphasizing the emotional highs and lows of its protagonists at the expense of the events it uses as its foundation. Considering that Michael Collins’ epochal content is fundamentally tied to present day conflicts, namely the seemingly endless one in Northern Ireland, this is rather troubling. Collins is credited with inventing guerilla warfare, and bringing world attention to the Irish cause by forcing the English to cede authority in certain parts of his native soil and initiating a movement for an independent Irish republic. Having seen many historical dramas before, I immediately assumed that Jordan was going to spend the entire length of the film demonstrating Collins’ greatness. I was pleasantly surprised to see that while Jordan does question some of Collins’ character attributes and decisions, he fashions a historical account that somehow absolves Collins of the present state of Ireland. Jordan presents Collins, played with hearty vigor by Academy Award nominee Liam Neeson, glowing from the residual acclaim of Schindler’s List, as a patriot whose dedication to the annihilation of British rule in Ireland was compromised by the people around him. The film opens with a terrible bombardment by the English upon Irish freedom fighters, which establishes the unforgiving demand of obedience that the English crown maintained without any pretense of subtlety. Some years later, one of them named Collins is released from jail, whereupon he proceeds to give impassioned speeches as the self-dubbed Minister of Mayhem. Collins argues that the disastrous defeat in 1916 proves that a straightforward battle against the occupying British presence is an invitation to defeat. He proposes that they plant bombs to deliver unobstructed carnage to those who would oppose Irish independence. The film plays this up as an action of last resort in which Collins and his men have been forced to use violence because of the unyielding nature of the anti-independents. Yet despite to airing this sentiment frequently to his best friend/confidant/rival Harry Boland (as played by Aidan Quinn), Collins has no qualms about using the intelligence offered by a sympathetic copper played by the downtrodden hangdog face of The Crying Game’s Stephen Rea. The escalating acts of violence put the British in the uncomfortable position of acceding to negotiations, and former Republic president Eamon de Valera, as portrayed with vague menace by versatile character actor Alan Rickman, delegates Collins as a representative on his behalf. Collins recognizes his own shortcomings as a politico: the best he could negotiate was self-governance for South Ireland with allegiance to the Crown still in place. It is this halfway point of reconciliation between Ireland and the Crown that Collins argues is the best attainable agreement of the time. De Valera proceeds to disassociate himself from Collins, while Collins has a falling out with Boland, and the upset leads to civil war. Eventually, Collins dies at the hands of an assassin, which Jordan implies to have been approved by De Valera. Jordan’s Collins ultimately comes off as a violent underdog who repackages himself as a liaison between his countrymen and the occupying forces, trading in the downtrodden charisma of a scruffy brown coat with the sharp glamour of a well pressed uniform, not unlike a German officer who approves of Hitler because of the blessings in his life under Nazism. This isn’t to say that Collins was some kind of fascist, but that his frequently celebrated talents for political expedience still fall short under the lens of critical examination. After all, his agitator’s approach to moving the Irish cause forward still hasn’t brought peace today. In the meantime, conventional history writes De Valera off as a duplicitous sell out, and Jordan doesn’t attempt to challenge that view, choosing instead to portray Collins as a heroic patriot. This strikes me as strange, since Collins is the man who initiated violence and then insisted that violence must stop, leaving us with a rather ambiguous and maybe ambivalent definition of what heroism and patriotism is.       Michael Collins This oft-quoted statement is a testament as to how diverse a society’s perception of historical figures can be. Different world leaders, especially revolutionaries are often portrayed in different respects, according to the ideological prism one uses to analyze the life of the world’s greatest men and women. Mao Zedong, for example, will always be remembered by the majority of the Chinese population who lived through the years prior to the 1949 Chinese revolution as the leader of a people’s movement that liberated Chinese society from a semi-feudal and semi-colonial system ruled by bourgeois compradors and big landowners under the auspices of foreign imperialism. He is also remembered by some sections of Chinese society as a ruthless dictator who insisted on an experimental utopian social system that led to the deaths of millions of his people due to hunger and famine. In contemporary history, on the other hand, Arab nationalists and anti-imperialists view the legacy of Saddam Hussein as a triumph of the repudiation of American intrusion into Arab soil, while American conservatives view his reign of terror as one of the most dastardly regimes the world has seen in the last fifty years. Nonetheless, it is this historical ambivalence that the life of Michael Collins as an Irish revolutionary shall be analyzed in this paper, especially on questions as to whether he can be considered a villain or a patriot. Michael Collins was an Irish revolutionary who fervently sought the independence of Ireland from the â€Å"illegal occupation† of England, and led one of the bloodiest armed struggles against the British Empire. Collins came to the fore during the Easter Rising, which was one of the first attempts for centuries of British rule that militant Irish republicans sought to win Irish independence by force of arms. It must be understood that the armed struggle which was started during the Easter Rising and continued on even by the Irish Republican Army until recent past was a reaction to the timid parliamentary politics that was being espoused by the Irish Parliamentary Party of John Redmond. This party was seen by many militant republicans led by Michael Collins as a capitulating force and utterly incapable of leading the Irish people in the path to independence. As such, the Easter Rising was hatched and implemented by throngs of Irish revolutionaries which sought to grab the reins of political power from the British in the lightning fashion of an urban insurrection by seizing buildings in Dublin and cordon-off the city to surmount a violent counter-attack from British security forces, notwithstanding guerilla attacks at British soldiers – a tactic that was mastered by Collins through his flying columns. As expected, the British forces soon after counter-attacked and they were decisively able to quell the rebellion in a week, with the leading members and cadres of the Irish republican movement arrested and even executed by the British.   This foolish tactic of political violence was premised on the theory that the bloodletting of the leaders and members of the republican movement would soon after inspire the struggle of a thousand-fold more people. While this tactic of violence had a definite shock-value both to the British Empire and the Irish public, it was very costly to the Irish republican cause because it lost much of its respected leaders, especially John Connolly, the head of the Irish armed socialist movement that inspired much of the forces to wage armed struggle against the British Empire. In all of these, and even to the events leading to the signing of the Peace treaty between the Ireland and England, Michael Collins can be considered a patriot as he knew at what historic moment the necessity of armed struggle beckons, alongside his other comrades in the Irish republican movement. By supporting the armed struggle, no matter how ill-advised their insurrectionary tactic was, Collins recognized that Irish political power and national sovereignty can never be attained by simply waging a peaceful parliamentary struggle against the British crown, as the Empire will never hand over sovereignty of rich Irish lands on a silver platter. Instead, it must be forcibly taken through violent means. Nonetheless, it is only in Collins’ role prior to the peace treaty that he can be considered a patriot as he capitulated to the might of the British Empire when he acceded to the treaty and abruptly ended hostilities between the warring nations. Many in the radical sections of the Irish Republican Army saw the signing of the treaty and Collin’s support for it as a betrayal of the Irish revolution, especially to the Irish martyrs who only wanted to witness an Ireland that had its people as its sovereign and not the English throne. For this, Collins was assassinated during the Irish Civil War, dying in the same violent manner as the armed struggle he valiantly espoused in the years after the Easter Rising. On the other hand, it can somehow be said that Collins model of political violence is comparable to the theory of armed struggle by Che Guevara, particularly his foco theory. Che Guevara believed that a single guerilla force, no matter how small, carrying out armed revolution in any country is capable of spreading like wildfire and inspiring the masses to join the revolution. Both of them believed in the necessity of guerilla warfare as the most effective tool at systematically reducing the strength of the enemy, especially an enemy with almost unlimited military resources fighting against a revolutionary movement with meager resources. It must also be said that both revolutionary leaders repudiated the grabbing of political power through an urban insurrection as it opened revolutionary movement and its supporters to the heavy weight of a counter-attack by enemy forces which might be utter detrimental to the revolutionary cause. In all of these, though, it must be reiterated that despite the faults and failures of Michael Collins, especially when he capitulated to British forces instead of seeing the Irish revolution to its fruition, his life as an Irish patriot and hero can never be discounted. He lived at a concrete historical moment which challenged him and many other Irishmen to stand up against a mighty empire and determine their own destiny as a people. Works Cited: Castaneda, J. (1998). Comandante: The life and death of Chà © Guevara. Vintage Publishing. Fox, R.M. (1943). The History of the Irish Citizen Army. Dublin: James Duffy &   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Co. Hopkinson, M. Green Against Green, the Irish Civil War, pp.83-87 Kostick, Conor & Collins. (2000). The Easter Rising. Dublin: O'Brien Press Townshend, C. (2005). Easter 1916: the Irish rebellion. London: Allen Lane.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Csr Polytechnic Case Study Essay

Statement of the problem: Considering that polytechnic saving bank Inc. A thrift bank suffering from a cringe-evoking operational losses and capital deficiency due to its weak management, How would PSBI improve its unsatisfactory financial conditions and critically deficient performance? Objectives: -To ensure the fulfilment of BOD in their duties and responsibilities under BSP circular 283 -To hire 3independent qualified ethical and trustworthy workers in replacement of the terminated president and the resignation of its successor -To comply BSP the infused additional capital of P5 Million -To immediately infuse the 57.4Million in the new capital to comply with the minimum capital requirement for thrift banks -To Strengthen the Bank’s risk management function in order to regain the trust back from its depositors and investors Areas of consideration *EXTERNAL 1. Legal/political – in its failure in fiduciary trust and confidence in financial institutions rather to help the capital markets and the economy it causes a great effects on individual by the PBI’s disregard of such corporate governance principle -PSBI must meet its required amount to enable to continue its operation as a thrift bank but because of deficiency it can serve as a rural bank which has lesser minimum requirement that being a thrift bank – given under BSP circular 283 BOD fulfil their duties and responsibilities 2. Economy – Polytechnic Savings Bank, Inc. operating as an economy in the use of resources created to serve as a community focused which needed P82M to continue operation and save thrift bank from dwindling capital *Operating External factors a) Workforce –PSBI’s BOD had no banking experience, doing unethically acts or anomalies b)Customers- individuals and small businesses c) Competitors- Other banks B. Internal Aspects 1. Financial Aspects -It is said that PSBI has its unsatisfactory financial condition that the bank is unstable and cannot withstand adverse business conditions and fluctuations because of its poor financial ratios which it requires the amount of P55.2milion capital to gain and to fully continue its operations due to capital deficiency and loss. 2. Operational -PSBI’s operation resulting from memorandum of undertaking (MOU) turned from bad to worse 3. Management -the various financial anomalies undertaken by the management were found during the fraud and forensic audit of the bank therefore PSBI’s improving such weak management because of failure in oversight functions and supervision on affairs inside bank premises. -A complete failure in the fiduciary responsibilities of the officers swot STRENGTHS| WEAKNESSES| -Wayward Group of companies (mother of PSBI)| -failure in fiduciary trust-BOD had no experience in banking-Poor financial ratios| OPPORTUNITIES| THREATS| -Rehabilitation program-buyers, investors, depositors| -adverse business conditions and fluctuations-stop operation as a thrift bank| ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION A. Sell the bank instead working on the impression that the bank performance would not improve due to weak management Pros: -To save thrift bank from capital deficiency with four potential buyers (with an asking price of P10million to P30million) Cons: -considering that P1.00 selling price for the bank would not even be a bargain -Not one expressed any real interest to complete the purchase among these potential buyers B. Focus on Rehabilitation program Pros: Program designed to address the capital deficiency and operational  losses of the bank Cons: Considering that PSBI has no choice left because PSBI is undergoing from a cringe-evoking operational losses and capital deficiency due to its weak management C.Improve the importance of corporate governance principle in Fiduciary trust and confidence in financial institution Pros: -help strengthen the bank’s risk management function -To regain the trust back from other depositor’s and investor’s -To save the bank from its financial conditions and critically deficient performance -To help capital markets, economy, and each individual lives -To continue operation as a Thrift bank -To improve good governance, managerial and operational factors outside and inside bank premises Cons: -considering there’s a complete failure in the fiduciary responsibilities of the officers D. Conduct annual examination Pros: -to have an annual report on financial operations showed on investors -Must encourage and provide an accurate and timely information’s to their investors about financial status -To have a proper screening and access to PSBI bank’s employees and workers information in the internal management fields in actively oversight functions and supervise their affair of the bank -To avoid fraud and forensic audit of the bank Cons: -Considering that The Internal control system, which were supposed to provide a check and balance were all overridden to disregard

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Literature Review Essay

They warned the investors not to buy unlisted shares, as Stock Exchanges do not permit trading in unlisted shares. Another rule that they specify is not to buy inactive shares, ie, shares in which transactions take place rarely. Themain reason why shares are inactive is because there are no buyers forthem. They are mostly shares of companies, which are not doing well. A third rule according to them is not to buy shares in closely-held companies because these shares tend to be less active than those of widely held ones since they have a fewer number of shareholders. They caution not to hold the shares for a long period, expecting a high price, but to sell whenever one earns a reasonable reward. Jack Clark Francis (1986) revealed the importance of the rate of return in investments and reviewed the possibility of default and bankruptcy risk. He opined that in an uncertain world, investors cannot predict exactly what rate of return an investment will yield. However he suggested that the investors can formulate a probability distribution of the possible rates of return. He also opined that an investor who purchases corporate securities must face the possibility of default and bankruptcy by the issuer. Financial analysts can foresee bankruptcy. He disclosed some easily observable warnings of a firm’s failure, which could be noticed by the investors to avoid such a risk. Preethi Singh3(1986) disclosed the basic rules for selecting the company to invest in. She opined that understanding and measuring return m d risk is fundamental to the investment process. According to her, most investors are ‘risk averse’. To have a higher return theinvestor has to face greater risks. She concludes that risk is fundamental to the process of investment. Every investor should have an understanding of the various pitfalls of investments. The investor should carefully analyse the financial statements with special reference to solvency, profitability, EPS, and efficiency of the company. David. L. Scott and William Edward4 (1990) reviewed the important risks of owning common stocks and the ways to minimise these risks. They commented that the severity of financial risk depends on how heavily a business relies on debt. Financial risk is relatively easy to minimise if an investor sticks to the common stocks of companies that employ small amounts of debt. They suggested that a relatively easy way to ensure some degree of liquidity is to restrict investment in stocks having a history of adequate trading volume. Investors concerned about business risk can reduce it by selecting common stocks of firms that are diversified in several unrelated industries. Lewis Mandells (1992) reviewed the nature of market risk, which according to him is very much ‘global’. He revealed that certain risks that are so global that they affect the entire investment market. Even the stocks and bonds of the well-managed companies face market risk. He concluded that market risk is influenced by factors that cannot be predicted accurately like economic conditions, political events, mass psychological factors, etc. Market risk is the systemic risk that affects all securities simultaneously and it cannot be reduced through diversification Nabhi Kumar Jain (1992) specified certain tips for buyingshares for holding and also for selling shares. He advised the investors to buy shares of a growing company of a growing industry. Buy shares by diversifying in a number of growth companies operating in a different but equally fast growing sector of the economy. He suggested selling the shares the moment company has or almost reached the peak of its growth. Also, sell the shares the moment you realise you have made a mistake in the initial selection of the shares. The only option to decide when to buy and sell high priced shares is to identify the individual merit or demerit of each of the shares in the portfolio and arrive at a decision. Carter Randal (1992) offered to investors the underlying principles of winning on the stock market. He emphasised on long-term vision and a plan to reach the goals. He advised the investors that to be successful, they should never be pessimists. He revealed thatthough there has been a major economic crisis almost every year, it remains true that patient investors have consistently made money in the equities market. He concluded that investing in the stock market should be an un-emotional endeavour and suggested that investors should own a stock if they believe it would perform well. S. Rajagopal. (1996) commented on risk management in relation to banks. He opined that good risk management is good banking. A professional approach to Risk Management will safeguard the interests of the banking institution in the long run. He described risk identification as an art of combining intuition with formal information. And risk measurement is the estimation of the size, probability and timing of a potential loss under various scenarios. Charles. P. Jonesl8 (1996) reviewed how to estimate security return and risk. To estimate returns, the investors must estimate cash flows the securities are likely to provide. Also, investors must be able to quantify and measure risk using variance or standard deviation. Variance or standard deviation is the accepted measure of variability for both realised returns and expected returns. He suggested that the investors should use it as the situation dictates. He revealed that over the past 12 years, returns in stocks,bonds, etc. have been normal. Blue chip stocks have returned an average of more than 16% per year. He warned that the investors who believe that these rates will continue in the future also, will be in trouble. He also warned the investors not to allow themselves to become victimised by â€Å"investment gurus†. Rukmani Viswanath (2001) reported that the Primary Dealers in Govt. securities are working on a new internal risk management model suited for the Indian market conditions. Theattempt is to lay down general parameters for risk perception. The Primary Dealers Association of India (PDAI) is formulating a set of prudential norms for ‘risk management practices’. While internationally the principles of risk management may be the same everywhere, the Association is of the view that they have to identify the relevant issues and apply those principles in the Indian context. It strongly argues that it must work on a model that can help to manage liquidity and interest rate risk. While the existing RBI guidelines on risk management cover mainly statutory risk, the PDAI hopes that its new risk management model will be able to perceive ‘real risk’. These new norms are expected to help gauge several issues like, whether a fall in the prices of securities or yields is a temporary or permanent situation etc. The areas the new norms are likely to address are the assessment of the liquidity situation and envisaging investor appetite for a specific instrument and their appetite for risk. According to thegovt. securities dealers, these norms are expected to help them hedge. FOOTNOTES 1. Grewal and Navjot Grewal, Profitable lnvestment in shares, Vision Books Pvt. Ltd. 36 Connaught Place, New Delhi 1984. 2. Jack Clark Francis, Investment – Analysis and Management, MC Graw Hill, International Editions, 1986. 3. Preethi Singh, Investment management, Himalaya PublishingHouse, Bombay Nagpur and Delhi,1986. . Lewis Mandell, Investments, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1992. 5. Nabhi Kumar Jain, How to earn more from shares, Nabhi Publications, Delhi, 1992. 6. Carter Randall Non-stop ~winning from the stock market Vision Books, New Delhi, Bombay (1992). . 7. S. Rajagopal,. â€Å"Bank Risk Management – A risk pricing model†, State Bank of india, Monthly Review, VoI. XXXV, No. 11, November 1996, p. 555. 8. Rukmani Viswanth, â€Å"PDs working on Risk Management Model†, TIE Hindu, Business Lime, Daily, Voi. 8, No. 17, January 18,2001, p. 11

The Nature and Relationship of Hitler and Geli Raubal.

The last time the public had seen Geli Raubal was when Hitler was heard to shout at h as he was about to get into his car: â€Å"For the last time, no! † She shouted. After he left Raubal shot herself through the heart with a revolver. It has been said and believed that Hitler and his niece Geli Raubal were romantically involved; although there is no forthright proof, the vicious consequences Raubal was forced to go though throughout their time together is strong enough proof to convince a majority of the people that she was driven so far to the edge that she committed suicide. Geli Raubal was a typical content adolescent before she came into the likes of her uncle, Adolf Hitler. When Adolf Hitler rented a house in Obersalzberg after he was released from prison, he asked his half-sister, Angela Raubal, to be his housekeeper. She agreed and in August 1928 brought Geli with her to stay with Hitler. This is when his admiration for the love and youth of the Aryan race were able to be exercised as he looked into the eyes of Raubal. It was the fact that her presence released Hitler as she was â€Å"Allowed to laugh at her Uncle Alf and adjust his tie when it had slipped. She was never put under pressure to be specially clever or specially witty. She could be simply what she was – lively and uncomplicated. † – Emil Maurice and her pure Arian-bred features intrigued Hitler so much to the point in which his infatuation was more important than morality and the incorrectness of incest. Hitler proudly introduced Raubal to members of the Nazi party and other guests at social events. Baldur Von Schirach quotes â€Å"In his tone of voice there was a mixture of pride and tenderness as he introduced ‘My niece, Fraulein Raubal. † However, he made sure she was watched closely due to the fact that he protected her to a great extent. As Hitler rose to power as the leader of the Nazi party, he insured a tight rein over Raubal. Nevertheless, Hitler's efforts to control Geli were at times unsuccessful as she was a free-spirited young woman who often did as she pleased whenever and wherever possible. He did not allow her to associate wi th friends freely and attempted to have himself or some one he trusted greatly near her at all times, accompanying her on window shopping excursions, the movies and the opera. However, Raubal did not seem to return his feelings and became linked to Emil Maurice, a founding member of the SS and Hitler’s chauffer. Subsequent to when Hitler discovered their relationship he dismissed Maurice instantly. In a letter from Raubal to Maurice that was found, Raubal says â€Å"Uncle Adolf is insisting that we should wait two years. Think of it, Emil, two whole years of only being able to kiss each other now and then and always having Uncle Adolf in charge. I can only give you my love and be unconditionally faithful to you. I love you so infinitely much. Uncle Adolf insists that I should go on with my studies†. Many believe this was not the case, since Adolf said himself to Heinrich Hoffman that he could â€Å"marry her†. Due to this, the jealousy Hitler felt was taken to a whole new level and began so noticeably suffocate Raubal with his jealousy. It was said that Hitler was not the only one who was protestant. Raubal began to become concerned about Hitler’s relationship with nineteen year old, Eva Braun, whom Hitler used to â€Å"take out for rides in his Mercede’s† (Quote: Unknown member of the S. S) which then led to a public relationship. The demonstration of feelings such as jealousy is what led the public to believe that Raubal also had feelings for Hitler. An SA officer, Wilhelm Stocker, who Raubal often confided in told in an interview that â€Å"She admitted to me that at times Hitler made her do things in the privacy of her room that sickened her but when I asked her why she didn't refuse to do them she just shrugged and said that she didn't want to lose him† also illustrating that she was flattered by Hitler's gallantry and generosity. She also complained about the way Hitler controlled her life. On September 8, 1931, Hitler left for Hamburg after having a blazing row with her over her desire to spend some time in Vienna. Hitler was heard to shout at her as he was about to get into his car: â€Å"For the last time, no! † After he left she shot herself through the heart with a revolver. Raubal was found dead from the gunshot wound in Hitler’s Munich apartment on the morning of September 19, 1931, at the age of twenty three. The official cause of death was listed as suicide; most historians surmise that Raubal was distraught over her incestual relationship with Hitler, could not escape it, and killed herself as a result. However, at the time Hitler already had considerable influence with the Munich police, so it cannot be known if they were being objective. There were many rumours, including one that Hitler had in fact shot her (or had her shot) for infidelity, since the bullet came from Hitler’s gun and that she committed suicide because she was expecting Hitler’s child. By all accounts, they argued intensely in the days leading to her death. Nobody knows what really happened between the two. After her death, Hitler threatened to commit suicide himself. Historians have written that Hitler was deeply in love with her, that she was the love of his life and that after her death he was a changed man for the worse. He even turned vegetarian as he claimed â€Å"meat reminded him of Raubal’s corpse†. Hitler had early ambitions to make his way as an artist and continued to draw sporadically after he entered politics. The many sketches of his which survived the war included some ordinary nudes and at least one of these depicted Raubal. Bibliography: Spartacus Educational, 2009 – http://www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/GERraubal. htm Spiritus Temporis, copyright 2005 – http://www. spiritus-temporis. com/geli-raubal/ Lycos Retriever, copyright 2005 Lycos Inc – http://www. lycos. com/info/eva-braun–geli-raubal. html All Experts, About, Inc, 2007 – http://en. allexperts. com/e/g/ge/geli_raubal. htm

Saturday, September 14, 2019

John’s Descriptions

Jon’s descriptions may be defined as the only Revelation that describes Antichrist. It is known that this word is not used in other Revelations. Religious communities are interested in revealing who Antichrist is and what influence he has had on religious development and bible compilation. However, Apostle John is the only person who pays attention to Antichrist. John writes that Antichrist is coming: â€Å"Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us†. (1 John 2:18, 19) When John was writing the movement was already present and, therefore, John uses present to prove that the last hour has come. John defines ‘antichrists’ as ex-church member who has abandoned their faith. It means that Antichrist was a Christian, but it was no single individual. Antichrist is liar who denies Jesus the Christ, as well as Father and the Son. John writes that he is not pleased with such people as they have betrayed the real faith. The God can’t be a spirit that denies Jesus Christ. Such spirit is Antichrist and he is present in the world: â€Å"For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist†. (2 John 1:7) The teachings of Antichrist aimed at showing that Jesus had not come in the flesh. Many people believed that Christ was divine, but erroneous belief that flesh was evil prevented them from faith expansion. John argues that humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ are central to Christian faith.