Gender Inequality in The Quiet American Essay

The book The Quiet American focuses on a poor, war-struck, and undeveloped country – Vietnam. In this type of environment, many social problems are accepted, particularly gender inequality. Throughout The Quiet American gender inequality is mostly practiced by men, however it carried out by women as well. Proving that women are unequal to men and woman. Phuong, Fowler’s lover is a specific example of gender inequality. Firstly, Fowler treats her as if she is the stereotypical housewife and servant. Phuong acts as the stereotypical housewife in three ways. She stays home most of the time, waiting for Fowler to return. When she is out of the house then she is out â€Å"haggling for he price of fish over in third street† (pg. 26) because she’s obliged to cook for Fowler. Whenever Fowler comes home every night he has Phuong â€Å"Make me another pipe† (pg. 73) or â€Å"make me a brandy-and-soda† (pg. 117). He treats her as his servant and she accepts the inequality â€Å"she did at once what I asked†¦just so she would have made love if I asked her too, straight away, peeling off her trousers without question† (pg. 116). Secondly, Fowler uses her more as an object for sex and avoiding loneliness than (â€Å"my biggest fear† pg. 57) his lover or girlfriend. Throughout the story they are never seen together doing things that couples would normally do together such as going for walks together and going to the movies. Pyle at one point asked him if he could â€Å"live without her† (pg. 77). He replies â€Å"That’s too emotional, not quite true either† (pg. 77). He only uses her to fulfill his sexual desires. He does not â€Å"care that for her interests. You can have her interests. I only want her body. I want her in bed with me.† (pg. 59) He would much â€Å"rather ruin her and sleep† (pg. 59) than â€Å"look after her damned interests† (pg. 59). Altogether, he treats her as his sex slave â€Å"she did not change; she cooked for me, she made my pipes, she gently and sweetly laid out her body for my pleasure† (pg. 140). Finally, the way Fowler speaks to her is as if he is more superior to her – he speaks down to her. In the quote above (pg. 140), the manner of how he describes how he used the words â€Å"laid out† and â€Å"for my pleasure† has this greedy superior style. The way he has spoken them sounds as if he is the man in charge and is commanding her. When he asks her to do things it is not a question, it is an order. â€Å"Kiss me Phuong† (pg. 116), â€Å"You had better stay here tonight† (pg. 22), â€Å"Wait in the street† (pg. 21). However, Phuong and Fowler are just one example of gender inequality. Phuong is not the only female victim of gender inequality. Throughout the book women continue to suffer from gender inequality. Firstly, there is this motif of men referring women to different objects. In the beginning of the story Granger seems to refer to women as if they are animals. When he saw Phuong for the first time he asked, â€Å"Where did you find her? Didn’t know you had a whistle in you† (pg. 34) as if she was found off the street like stray dog. He continues to refer to women’s animal characteristics â€Å"let’s go find a girl. You’ve got a piece of tail. I want a piece of tail too†(pg. 35). By objectifying women as animals he is saying that they possess the same low standards and competency as a stray animal. Towards the end of the story, Fowler went dive-bombing with a French pilot name Tourin. Tourin’s squadron fly B.26 bombers. They refer to them as â€Å"French Prostitutes† because they have a â€Å"short wing-span† and â€Å"no visible means of support† (pg. 148). This is another example of how men objectify women using different things. Secondly, women are targeted for certain stereotypical gender roles. When Fowler was explaining to Miss Hei (Phuong’s sister) what Pyle does for a living â€Å"He belongs to the American Economic Mission, you know the kind of thing – electrical sewing machines for starving seamstresses† (pg. 41). When Miss Hei asks â€Å"are there any?† he replies â€Å"I don’t know† (pg. 41). When he is describing a charity example he automatically uses women as an example, inferring that they are the ones who are weak. He also associates the women with sewing machines and working as seamstresses. Both are stereotypical jobs for women. Finally, the House of Five Hundred Girls was treated as a detested place. Many of them labeled it as the derogatory word â€Å"Whorehouse† (150). As the women desperately swarmed Granger, Fowler treated these women’s desperation as a game, â€Å"I had learnt a technique – divide and conquer†. He used a woman more as a shield than a real person as he plowed through the â€Å"scrimmage† (pg. 39). Granger seemed to be proud of what he was. He took â€Å"this demonstration as a tribute to his manhood† (pg. 38). He took pleasure out of these women begging all around him. The way Graham Greene describes him as â€Å"flushed and triumphant† shows that he thinks he is superior to these women, as if he is a god. In spite of how people think men treat women unequal there is evidence that women treat women with gender inequality as well. Through the duration of the book it has seemed that it’s the men that act towards inequality of women. However in the case of Miss Hei and Phuong, it is different. It provides a contrast to the customariness of inequality. Firstly, Miss Hei seems to be always trying to setup Pyle and Phuong together. Miss Hei has assumed the role of the â€Å"father† in the family, trying to sell off his (in this case her) daughter to the wealthiest man â€Å"she loves children†¦how olds your father†¦old people love children†. Even though it is now a women in the position of the mans job she is still enforcing gender inequality. It isn’t gender inequality from Miss Hei’s position, but from Phuong’s. She is selling Phuong off to forced marriage like a product. Phuong is not given the right to choose for herself she â€Å"must do the right thing† (pg. 156). In the beginning, She was asking a lot of questions about his wealth â€Å"he looks like a reliable man†, â€Å"What does he do?†, â€Å"Is your father a business man?†. After she finished she started to boast about her sister â€Å"She is the most beautiful girl in Saigon†. Not only men can practice inequality but women can too. The Quiet American is a concise example of how men practice gender inequality. By using the male characters such as Granger and Fowler from the story, Graham Greene shows how they practice inequality towards Phuong and the Vietnamese women. However, The Quiet American is also a rare example of how gender inequality is practiced by women. Miss Hei enforces gender inequality on Phuong by trying to sell her off to marriage, proving that The Quiet American gender inequality is mostly practiced by men, however it is carried out by women as well.

Comparing the revengers Fortinbras Essay

For this essay I will be comparing the revengers Fortinbras, Laertes and Hamlet. They each have their own roles as separate characters in the play and each have similarities and differences. All have strong reasons for wanting revenge. Fortinbras’ being a combination of political reasons and vengeance for his fathers’ death, whist Laertes and Hamlet are both avenging their fathers’ deaths. Nevertheless, the way in which each character goes about each of their revenge strategies is completely different. To show this I will be analysing how each react to various events within the play, starting with Hamlet himself. Revenge tragedies became very popular during 1600 at a time when theatre was of an unstable popularity and required the backing of men of influence to ensure it would continue. The theme of earlier revenge tragedies was the punishment of an evildoer through someone who had suffered because of him. The story source on which Hamlet was based had a dominating revenge theme. One of the basic elements of the revenge situation came to be the ghost: ‘A clear image of a spirit left restless through waiting for vengeance against the person who had inflicted suffering’. Its role being to urge the avenger to action and vengeance then to be sought and carried out in a series of dramatic episodes. Hamlet has clear links with this type of revenge tragedy. Other plays relating to the revenge tragedy such as Kyd’s ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ 91587) and the anonymous ‘Locrine’ (1595) have characters avenging deaths of close relatives. But in both these plays material considerations prevent fulfilment whereas in Hamlet, conscience is what stops the vengeance taking place. Shakespeare chose a theme, which deals wit a duty higher than the others, a son’s revenge for the murder of his father. Shakespeare humanizes the play, gives the audience something to relate to – loyalty between father and son. This is perhaps a component, which contributes to the success of Hamlet. Hamlet first learns of the real situation behind his fathers’ death when the ghost of his father visits him in Act 1, Scene V. He is told that his father was murdered. This confirms the suspicion Hamlet had before, and spurs him into thoughts of revenge straight away. ‘Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. ‘ (Lines 29-31). This statement from Hamlet quite early on is a complete contrast to what action Hamlet does actually take and the time it takes him to act. He speaks here of wanting to take quick revenge but in fact Hamlet waits and seeks evidence to prove that Claudius was responsible for his father’s death. He spends the next four and a half acts deliberating over how and when he should take revenge, and seeks confirmation for himself of Claudius’ guilt by the use of the ‘Mouse-Trap’. This takes place in Act 3, Scene 2, when Claudius asks for light during the play at the point where, Gonzago pours poison into the King’s ear. As Hamlet knows, this is very similar to the situation in which his father died. Claudius realises this as well and rises dramatically. This is confirmation enough for Hamlet and brings him to true recognition of his fathers’ death, yet Hamlet still hesitates to kill him. Hamlets’ revenge plan is hidden from the rest of the court. It is very much behind closed doors and it is only Horatio to whom Hamlet tells the whole story. The other two main revengers – Fortinbras and Laertes are a great contrast to Hamlet in this way. Laertes and Fortinbras’ vengeance is discussed throughout the play, and both are very open compared to Hamlet, although Fortinbras does hide his motives from his uncle. Both these characters have similarities in their situation to Hamlet but both go about their revenge in very different ways. Even after Hamlet is sure beyond any doubts that Claudius is the murderer, he hesitates to kill him. Fortinbras, on the other hand, has been taking action even before the play begins. When the play does begin we learn that Demark is in a state of alert. The audience learn that the country has been preparing for a war, and from Horatio, the audience also learns that the young Fortinbras is getting ready for action against Denmark for the killing of his father and for the return of lands previously owned by Norway. This provides the audience with a lot of the background for the revenge theme and also suggests later events in the plot. From this introduction to Fortinbras we already get the impression that he is a soldier, a man of action, he doesn’t delay his revenge but plots it and takes his opportunities whenever they arrive. His character is a contrast to Hamlet and Hamlet realises this. In Hamlet’s Soliloquy in Act IV Scene IV, Hamlet is thinking about all the time he has wasted in not taking action. He sees how everything around him is taking shape, all except his own actions. The sight of Fortinbras’ determination to go against the Polish army for the honour of gaining such a small and trivial piece of land makes Hamlet annoyed with himself. After all, he is avenging the murder of his father and the disgracing of his mothers’ name, something much more important than a piece of land, yet he has not carried out his revenge, and has in fact, it seems, been putting it off. ‘How stand I, then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep? ‘ (Lines 56-59). Hamlet is questioning himself and most importantly his actions, why has he just let things go? He knows he has had the opportunities, especially in Act III Scene III where he is in the position to kill Claudius. Hamlet finds the King kneeling-praying, and so has him at his mercy; but he does not kill him. Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I’ll do’t – and so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged – that would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. ‘ (Lines 73-78). At the beginning of his speech Hamlet is very dramatic, he has the confidence to kill Claudius on the spur of the moment. But as soon as there is time for him to think about what he is doing, like in this situation, his resolution fails and he makes excuses for himself. Hamlet feels his revenge will not be fulfilled if, murdering the King while he is praying sends his soul straight to heaven. However, we can see this as just another reason for Hamlet to put off taking his revenge. It is the event taking place that turns Hamlet’s thoughts. He is ashamed, before his eyes are twenty-thousand men willing to fight and die for a piece of land virtually worthless, when he himself is unable to kill his fathers murderer even when presented with the perfect opportunity. It is this event that turns Hamlet, makes him form decisions and turns his thought into revenge. ‘O, from this time forth My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! ‘ (Lines 65-66). At the end of this soliloquy Hamlet decides that all he will think about is his revenge against anyone that has done injustice towards him, it is time to act. Though we as the audience perhaps see this as ironic as Hamlet’s actions often contradict his words, we perhaps still wonder whether he will actually take his revenge. This scene makes Hamlet’s personality clear to the reader. He is shown against another Prince who is the exact opposite of him in the same situation. Hamlet is not an impulsive character, if he had been he would have committed murder straight away, but this would have meant there would have been no play to speak of. Hamlet cannot bring himself to do it, until now. Fortinbras’ pursuit of his goal has given Hamlet the example on how to act if an opportunity presents itself. Hamlet is so determined to do something he doesn’t want to think about the consequences anymore. This eventual attitude of Hamlet is similar to how Laertes has been throughout the play, he acts almost immediately when finding out that his father has been killed, he is almost irrational, he is passionate with his accusations and threats, and like Hamlet a menace to Claudius at this stage in the play. Unlike Hamlet, much like Fortinbras, Laertes is a man of action; he has no scruples and needs no corroborative evidence to support his courses of action. On his return to Denmark he is quickly standing before the King, accusing him of the death of Polonius. He wants immediate action and is determined to take revenge. ‘How came he dead? I’ll not be juggled with. To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! ‘ (Lines 127-128). Here Laertes speaks boldly and passionately – he will revenge! He uses curses – ‘To hell, allegiance! ‘ that would have appeared very evil to Shakespeare’s audiences. Laertes goes on to say that as long as he avenges his father’s death he doesn’t care what happens to him in life – or death. This emphasis the strength in Laertes’ character, he is determined to take revenge straight away and speaks of it in a similar way to Hamlet when Hamlet learnt of how his father was killed in Act I, Scene V. ‘O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain; smiling, damned villain! (Lines 105-106).

Brief for Comedy Films Coursework

I am going to change the film ‘Way out West' by ‘Oliver Hardy' and ‘Stan Laurel'. I am going to modernize the film so that it would be like a film which would be created at present time. I will have to follow the key concepts of comedy films and the story line of the film will be kept the same. There will be a different cast of actors and actresses and there names will have to be different from the film in 1937. The generic conventions for a comedy film would be the following: * Narrative * Setting * Someone to laugh at * Someone to laugh with * Someone to sympathize with * Happy Ending * Music * Facial Expressions * Goal/Objective * Innocence * Moral Messages * Female Role A comedy needs a Narrative because this is basically the story line. The story line in comedy film will usually straight forward. For example in the film ‘The Nutty Professor' the basic story line is about a fat person who wants to be thin and faces problem while doing this. The setting tells the audience whether the subject which is happening at a certain point is an everyday situation or whether it is over exaggerated. For example the time of day would change the effect on the audience because if it was a dark stormy night then you would know that something bad was going to happen but if it was a bright sunny day then you would expect things in the film to be happy which is usually were the comedy falls into place rather than the sad parts were the audience sympathizes with the actor/actress. A comedy film needs someone to laugh at because if this was not included then the film would most probably not be funny at all. The person who you laugh at is usually the key actor/actress and usually brings down the tension or sadness from part of the film. This is the actor/actress who has problems in there life in family and social aspects. For example in ‘The nutty professor' the actor ‘Eddie Murphy' who play ‘Sherman Clump' he has problems in his life where he is unable to talk to his family about his problems of being fat and socially he has problems with finding a partner for himself. He wants someone to be sexually attracted to him. Usually in these cases the people get so wound up in trying to do something that they forget about the most important things which can be the moral of the film. A comedy film needs someone to laugh with also with the person to laugh at. This person is often the protagonist. The protagonist is someone who usually annoys the main actor and causes fights and arguments. This person usually annoys the actor by getting to something or someone before him or destroying the person's plans. He is also the person who usually teases someone about there physical appearance or the physical appearance of a loved one. It is usually the funniest person in the film for example ‘The nutty professor' in the means of ‘Buddy Love' who teases ‘Sherman Clump' about his physical appearance and also steals the girl of his dreams. Someone to sympathize with is usually the key actor. For example ‘The nutty professor' by the means of ‘Sherman Clump' who although is the key actor is also the person that the audience sympathizes with and the audience can interact with by the means of some people may have experiences of there physical appearance. There is usually music to match the times where the audience is supposed to sympathize with the person. The music is usually slow tempo and quite high pitched. Every comedy film needs a happy ending because it makes the audience come out of the film feeling happy about there life and things are supposed to be funny to make you happy so it would not be correct to have a funny film with a sad ending because that may effect the way you look at the film and the story line or morals of the film. The narrative resolves and everything goes back to normal completing the equilibrium. The music of the comedy film plays a major part in the mood or subject of what is happening. If something sad is happening then the music will be slow tempo and usually high pitched. If there is a funny or happy part of the story the music will usually be of high tempo and up beat. This usually tells the audience in advance whether something good or bad happens. Facial expressions play a major part in films and are easy to make the audience laugh. The facial expressions can also tell the audience whether the person is happy or sad or whether a happy or sad event is going to happen. Actors such as ‘Jim Carrey' use facial expressions a lot in there film which is what has made them so popular. The protagonist usually uses his/her facial expression to an advantage. This also sets them apart from the rest of the cast. There is always a goal/objective in a comedy film because if there wasn't then what would be the point of the film. There would be no story line to the film and the audience would find it boring. Innocence can play a part in comedy films where the villain works against the innocence pr the hero triumphs over the villain unknowingly. This could mean that there is a villain but is a part of one person's feelings or views on a particular subject. The person who is innocent can also be the person that the audience sympathizes with. Moral Messages is something that comedy films have such as good/bad/, right/wrong etc. These are always followed in comedy films. These moral messages can make the audience think about what they are doing wrong in there own life or think about what they are actually doing right in there life. Female Role has a major part on a comedy film. The female role is usually has a love interest with the key actor and usually plays the supporting role. The female also creates sympathy for the lead role for example in ‘The nutty professor' the women creates sympathy for ‘Sherman Clump' as he wants her to be a part of his life but he can't get that because things keep going wrong with his life of people keep messing things up for him.

The Overview of a Documentary Film about New York City Movie Review

The Overview of a Documentary Film about New York City - Movie Review Example The essay "The Overview of a Documentary Film about New York City" talks about the overall impression of the film and how the character of the city of New York is presented in the film. The film gives the impression of various perspectives by taking into consideration the events of the period in regard to a diverse journalist, historians, and corresponding politicians. The New York City comes across as the main architecture the conviction of the five boys in regard to the police racial discrimination on the minorities' blacks. It is evidence on the haste judgment by the police in respect to forcing their underlying confessions and later within the press that documentary meticulously details with a deep, credible schedule. Eventually, the lives of the victims are adversely affected that of Meili mostly. The race aids in depicting the cultural and ethnopolitical leanings of the day to day events. It also assists in uncovering the racial strains amidst the police and the similar ethnic minorities in respect to the fervor and rioting occurrence. Women are depicted as the endangered species within the society that ought to be safeguarded and offered with constant protection from bad people within the organization. It is evidence when the boys admit they perform the role of committing a crime in the New York City mainly to female counterparts. Social class plays the significance role in the determination of events within the society and legal institutions that are the American elites.

International marketing communication Assignment

International marketing communication - Assignment Example This paper aims at using Nike case analysis to explore the promises and perils of globalization in the modern society. The paper is responding to the questions related to the subject of discussion, and a conclusion is given as a summation of the promise and perils of globalization. Founded in 1964, Nike (initially Blue Ribbon Sports) has grown to be a global renowned manufacturer of sports’ gears and its vested interest in sports fashion has earned a global market as the world leader in design, distribution and marketing of athletic footwear (Frisch, 2009). Nike company outsourced its shoe production in lower- cost regions as a strategy of underselling its competitors and break into the competitive market. It developed strong working relationships with other shoe manufacturers in the region, and this made it have a competitive market share (Mahon, 2009; Kobayashi, 2012). For instance in Japan, it had a working relationship with Nippon Rubber and Nihon-Koyo but due to the tight labor market and a shift in the dollar/yen exchange rate, Nike broke off and outsourced other alternatives targeting lower-cost producers. This networking with other lead producers and suppliers enabled Nike to open up manufacturing plants in various parts of the world as well as have a market share of its products (Frisch, 2009). The production cost of a hosting country determined Nike’s future. When the cost of production increased, Nike Company moved into lower-cost countries where it will break into the footwear market with high tech models of athletic shoe. As such globalization has enabled Nike to expand the market for its products throughout the world (Frankiewicz & Churchill, 2011). Through linking with other lead suppliers, Nike broaden its market share by establishing manufacturing plants across the world and placing its employees in these newly established

Special education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Special education - Coursework Example All children are being handled in the inclusion class to help them interact and socialize with other students. The syllabus learnt by students with special needs is the same as those learnt by others. The inclusion of all children in the same class has necessitated the use of learning aids to help children with special needs in the learning process. Training of teachers has also been intensified to enable teachers in regular classes handle both students with special needs and those without special needs at the same time. (Friend, 2011) The three, IDEA, section 504 and ADA are legislations aimed at protecting the people with disabilities in various aspects. Thus, they are similar in that they all advocate for the rights of those with disabilities. The application of each of the law is what makes them different. IDEA is a federally funded law that provides financial assistance to the state and local education agencies to aid in the provision of special education to the disabled children and other services that these children require. IDEA added autism and traumatic brain injury to the Education of Handicapped Act to enable those suffering from these disabilities to access special education like other special needs children. Section 504, unlike IDEA, is not federally funded. The 504 law is against discrimination of the handicapped persons in programs and activities funded by the federal government whether in the private or public sector. The ADA on the other hand, unlike IDEA and section 504, caters for both the righ ts of the handicapped in the private and public sector. The ADA law prohibits discrimination of the disabled in employment, public service and accommodation. While IDEA covers only children of between 3-21 years of age with disabilities, ADA and section 504 protects all persons who qualify as being disabled through having a physical or mental impairment. Groups not eligible for IDEA and have special needs are students

Comparing Plato and Hobbes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparing Plato and Hobbes - Essay Example This is true that Hobbes is the creator of the present times’ suburbia.  For Hobbes, the safety of the suburban housing developments that shows a number of TV programs on a ten-minute delay is the best that any of us can wish for.  He has been at the center of quenching any hopes, there are, with respect to old moral philosophers for which much has already been written in the books. The greatest good for Hobbes, then, is safety, and he stops at nothing short than to achieve it. The fact that Hobbes does not believe in any greatest good or utmost aim is significant to his conception of justice because this specifically rules out any possibility of a natural form of justice at all.  Religion thus for that matter is a creation of man and God has become no less than immaterial to any future conversation concerned with justice.  Without God, and without some greater, natural good, justice becomes something invented by man.  Hobbes leaves us with a conception of justice which involves nothing more than minding the laws that are possessed with the sovereign. Hobbes has assumed that man would rather choose to leave the state of nature, where there is no justice or for that matter any kind of injustice and thus build an agreement with the sovereign whereby this will form the basis for the ultimate creation of justice itself.  As stated down by Hobbes, one must agree to accept justice as simply keeping one’s agreements; this is specifically because th ere is nothing more and in essence nothing better than God. Hobbes has factually rejected the notion of justice attached with the haughty philosophers but he has quite a few things in common with that of Plato, who has also set out to create a Leviathan or to a certain extent a particular metropolis, in The Republic of Plato.

The Most Appropriate Way of Analyzing and Representing Data Article

The Most Appropriate Way of Analyzing and Representing Data - Article Example This is meant to make a researcher come up with a simpler way of data analysis without following the rigid linear method. A major problem existed when it came to coding and five major approaches were unearthed for the purpose of data analysis as discussed below. For the purposes of chronology, the steps involved in this case is organizing data files, the creation of initial codes, description, interpretation, and presentation of this data. As such, this method can be said to be used appropriately for qualitative research. However, all aspects of the data analysis methods were not justified clearly shown by Cresswell. The accumulation of other elements such as beginning scrutiny by focusing on a distinct element. This could have also made the method more effective. The grounded theory is also known as constant equation theory whose stages are more detailed and include; organizing the data, getting to know the data, open coding, axial coding and checking the results of the analysis. This method has been effectively used to study recovery from child abuse according to the text thus it has been used appropriately for research analysis. Creswell clearly gives a step to step process before a hypothesis is made. However, the results of the analysis were not presented in the study above and thus all processes were not justified. The best way to correct this according to Miles and Huberman would be to present sub-stages in the presentation of analysis. Used successfully for analyzing personal experiences, the structured steps include; description of the experience, stating significant statements, grouping significant statements, answering the questions what and how and lastly writing a description of the phenomenon.

Company Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company Law - Coursework Example Sale of DVD players can be impacted due to recycling old DVD players and hence investing in both the companies results in conflicts of interest. According to section 175, it is the duty of a director to avoid a situation in which his direct or indirect interest conflicts with the interest of the company in which he is already a director. It is not an infringement if the situation is not likely to give rise to conflict of interest or if the investment is already authorised by the board. In the new Act, shareholders’ approval of the conflict of interest is required either by resolution or by Articles. 2,3. In Boardman v Phipps4. the defendant had acquired special knowledge by virtue of being his solicitor and abused it for his personal benefit along with another. Held that as a fiduciary, he should have avoided conflict of interest. In Peso Silver Mines Ltd. v. Cropper,5 a leading Canadian case law involved conflict of interest arising out of fiduciary duty, the defendant took a dvantage of a rejected business opportunity by the plaintiff and utilised it for his personal benefit along with others. ... he resigned from the plaintiff company and secured the contract meant for plaintiff company in the name of his newly formed company.8 Another relevant case is Bhullar v Bhullar 9 wherein the principle of directors avoiding conflict of interest has been upheld. It was held that failure to pass information to the company about a business opportunity and utilising it for personal benefit amounted to breach of duty against conflict of interest. This put to rest the decision in London and Mashonaland Exploration Co v New Mashonaland Exploration Co10 that â€Å"directors did not have a duty not to place themselves in a position of conflict†11. In Plus Group Ltd v Pyke12, it was held that it was not a breach of fiduciary duty to work for a competing company as he had been effectively excluded from the company of which he continued to be a director. 13 A codification of common law, section 175 can apply to multiple directorships apart from exploitation of property, information or busi ness opportunity a director is able to access by virtue of his position. The director’s duty to inform conflict of interest cases even if the company or the directors are not interested in them. This statutory duty is not breached if already authorized by the company in the prescribed manner. Originally shareholder could only authorize such a conflict of interest. Now under the statute, in the case of a private limited company, it can be authorized by other directors who have no conflict of interest in the particular matter, provided the company’s articles also permit. In the case of a public limited company the non-conflicted directors can authorise provided the articles specifically permit it. If all the directors are conflicted, then shareholders’ approval will be required. This duty came

Previous Leisure Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Previous Leisure Activities - Essay Example In my family, one had observed through the years that my parents’ idea of fun and recreation is watching sporting events with friends and family members. They would host parties to watch games and they also went to many local sporting events. They were big Lakers, Rams, and Dodger fans. I remember they would creatively indulge their guests to play different activities while watching each sporting event. For the Super bowl, for instance, they would decorate the house in the colors of both teams. As one team would score, fans for that team would rip down decorations from the opposing team. For â€Å"Fight† parties they would have prizes for those who guessed the round in which the fight would end. My parents definitely have fun together. I could not remember a time when they delved into recreational activities alone or separately. They did everything as a couple, except work. In terms of family vacations, every year my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and I went camping in Yosemite. We stayed in log cabins with no doors and concrete floors. During the day, while the men cook, the women would play cards and listen to music. I and my cousins would explore. Our activities were non-structured to keep them exciting and interesting. We would set traps and attempt to capture squirrels and snakes; we would make up innovative and creative games to play. Often, we encouraged other families in nearby campsites to join in the festivities. I remember a time when we would even drink water directly from the running stream. Family vacations are such invigorating experiences that we always look forward to the next even prior to ending the year’s activities. On a personal perspective, my idea of fun and play is actively seeking outdoor activities especially since I can clearly remember at 7 years old until high school. There were about eight girls and

Describe the various stages of the typical lifecycle of an individual in the UK today and identify the most relevant financial products that should be considered at each stage Essay Example for Free

Describe the various stages of the typical lifecycle of an individual in the UK today and identify the most relevant financial products that should be considered at each stage Essay Describe the various stages of the typical lifecycle of an individual in the UK today and identify the most relevant financial products that should be considered at each stage To date, the interpretation of the concept of life cycle of the individual has a lot of variations. In this case, the main of them wearing in one degree or another echo of the financial and economic issues, is: The sequence of qualitatively different stages of development of the organism. Model income and consumption over the life. With regard to the first definition, then there also exists a certain gradation, which is the existence of several theories regarding the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the stages of the life cycle. The most famous theory of division of the life cycle of an individual on the steps of the theory are researchers such as Alpheus Hyatt, Sullivan, Thomas S. Dalton, Randy B. Evans, and also such theory as of E. Erikson and Joel Martin. The most expedient and convenient to the financial context of the question is the theory of the division of the life cycle of an individual to a number of stages by Alpheus Hyatt. This theory is the basis for the division of the life cycle of an individual to 3 stages: formation, productive phase and effective step. Phase formation covers the time period from the moment of birth of the individual up to 25 32 years. This period is due to the formation of life basis, so on the first stage of the life cycle is the formation of the moral aspects of the personality, the initial accumulation of experience and the formation of an information foundation that actually affects the formation of a set of financial products most commonly consumed by the population of the United Kingdom in the future. Productive stage is the second stage in the life cycle of an individual, including an individual residing in the United Kingdom. This stage lasts from the end of the formation phase of up to 54 62 years. This cycle is considered to be working during it productively apply the knowledge and experience gained and accumulated during the formation phase. These years were marked by a high capacity for work and the desire to implement ideas and achieve their goals. Finally, the third stage of the life cycle score is final. It extends from the end of the productive phase until the end of life. It was during this cycle; individuals are satisfied with the achievements and receive a reward for all his works and deeds, not only morally, but also in material terms. As for the second definition of the life cycle of the individual, in this case it should be noted that in the context of the problem, the latter is more rational in terms of financial and economic sense, and as the former requires more detailed consideration, but at the same time, the latter is specifies the elements of a continuation and development stages of the first definition, namely, its financial and economic sense. In this regard, it is worth noting that in the present world context of the above issue, it is a rational assumption that, as a rule, children who actually represent the first stage in the life cycle, live at the expense of their parents, if we talk about the first part of the first phase life cycle, namely up to 18 years, speaking about the citizens of the United Kingdom. In addition, the first stage of the life cycle, as well as generally achieved the highest level of consumption, which is due to a period of the early years of adulthood, and forcing a number of items to purchase household goods and parenting. Such financial and economic characteristics of the first period of the life cycle, flows smoothly into the second, but in the first case applies the highest consumption level in the second half stage , what concerns the productive phase of the life cycle, in this case, the highest consumption level in the first half of the spread phase. This model leads to a model of savings, which are usually small in the early years of adulthood, high in the period after the children have grown and become negative during retirement. Thus, the youth begins with low incomes (1th stage of the life cycle), which is gradually increased until it reaches middle age (the 2nd stage of the life cycle), and then the characteristic of income is the sharp decline stage (third stage of life cycle), due to retirement. Usually, the third stage of the life cycle as well due to the receipt of earned income and more (to the end of life), but usually in smaller amounts. Consequently, the assets of households tend to grow until retirement and a reduction thereafter. Start and whether the finish if in fact the assets at zero depends on how society relates to the question of inheritance: the majority of people, particularly those who living in the UK leave positive assets at the time of his death, if only because they do not know when it will happen. Also worth noting, and take into account when considering the life cycle of a typical person in the UK today, the fact that the life-cycle model of savings assumes that the distribution of assets will be uneven between households, even if their incomes and social positions within the same life cycle. Along with all the above, it should be noted that all life cycle stages listed above are typical for any individual residing in the territory of more and less economically developed countries in general, and for individuals residing in the territory particularly the United Kingdom. Considering the financial products as part of normal everyday life of individuals living in the United Kingdom in each of these stages of the life cycle, it should be noted that financial products are integral part of daily life. With regard to the factors described through the use of financial products throughout the life cycle of the individual resided in the UK to date, it should be noted that the most common financial products today are shares, loans, particularly mortgages, deposits, options, futures, swaps, those insurance some aspect of life and objects, as well as commodity contracts and interest rates. All of the above financial products individuals residing in the United Kingdom is used throughout the life cycle. At the same time, depending on the stage of the life cycle of an individual uses certain financial products, inherent to its needs relevant to this stage. At the first stage of the life cycle, so from birth to 25 32 years, United Kingdom for individuals most relevant is the use of such financial products, such as long-term and Short-term loans, particularly mortgages, compulsory insurance, in particular, Medical insurance, pension insurance and liability insurance, in addition, quite common in the above-mentioned period of the life cycle of an individual is the UK property insurance. At the second stage of the life cycle, so from 25 32 years and 54 62 years of the United Kingdom most individual relevance use financial products such as stocks, options, futures and swaps , as well as commodity contracts and interest rates. At the same time, so it should be noted that at this stage of life do not lose relevance and financial products such as compulsory insurance and property insurance, as well urgent to use life and health insurance. Thus, considering all of the above it should be noted that the second phase of the life cycle of an individual residing in the UK, today used the widest range of financial products than during other stages. The reason for this state of affairs is the fact that it was during the second stage of the life cycle, as a rule, most individuals who living in the UK reach a peak of career, have a family, get a certain amount of real estate and other property, as well as characterized by the highest level of wages for all life cycle. In the third stage of the life cycle, the most relevant financial products used by individuals of the United Kingdom are the deposits, most types of insurance, especially with regard to life insurance, as well as the most reliable stocks and other securities. As seen from the above, in the third stage of the life cycle most individuals are trying to best protect their use of financial products, reducing the risks to minimum that is logical, given that the reporting stage of the life cycle lasts from 54 62 years until his death. Analyzing the life cycle of an individual United Kingdom, as well it should be noted that the only financial product that is gaining relevance for UK citizens at the stage of formation, and does not lose so for productive and efficient life-cycle stages is insurance. In this case, depending on the stage of the life cycle are added only certain types of insurance and insurance objects. This situation is related not only to the existence of the United Kingdom of compulsory insurance, which in itself suggests the beginning of the use of insurance to meet individual age and continues until death, but also the factor that the whole life cycle of the individual accompanies a number of risks of varying complexity and specifically, these risks relate to most other financial products used by individuals throughout life. Of course, the actual separation of the above financial products for individuals residing in the United Kingdom is far from ambiguous, since it depends not only on the age group that falls under one or another individual, but also on other factors, for example such as the scope of activities, family status, presence of children, average salary, and others. For example, the likelihood that students will benefit from the mortgage insurance or property is extremely small, but if the stage of formation (in the second half of the stage) the individual is enrolled in higher educational institution (for example in postgraduate) has a wife and / or children, the probability of acquiring such individual mortgage and other long-term loans, as well as property insurance, increases dramatically. Along with this, there is an example of a large homeowner or just an entrepreneur and working diner, which are on the second stage of the life cycle. Range of financial products an individual representing the first and second class will be significantly different. For the first and most urgent is to use various tools to expand their existing business, by finding additional sources of joining the capital, one of which is the acquisition of commodity contracts, options, futures and swaps, as all of these financial products can not only increase the capital of the individual, but and to do this in the shortest possible period of time in comparison with other financial products. For an ordinary worker, all financial products relevant to a wealthy individual would not be as relevant for a given individual will acquire greater relevance compulsory insurance and the use of shares and promissory notes. However, at this graduation, presented earlier are the most widespread and the most relevant classification of financial products such individuals regarding the use of the United Kingdom. Reference List 1. Alpheus, H. (1902) Cycle in the life of the individual (Ontogeny) and in the evolution of its own group (Phylogeny).

Islam is the second religion of the book Essay Example for Free

Islam is the second religion of the book Essay Incidentally, the term: â€Å"People of the Book† comes from the Qur’an which cites both Judaism and Christianity, religions which came before Islam, as having part of its origins in the prophet of Abraham. In this, we can see a respect for the other religions; a respect which is lost on the perception of a vocal minority of Muslims and as a result, a perception that Muslims hate all other religions. This is false and dangerous assumption for both sides. Belief in Islam requires that a convert believe in only one God, the revelations which he has given to his people from his angels, his messengers and chiefly, the prophet Mohammad whose writings from 610AD until his death in 632 AD helped to compose the Holy book of Quran. It is a central belief and one that is seen as the most important: That there is no â€Å"God but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet. † This is required of all those wishing to consider themselves Muslims and followers of Mohammad and his teachings. There are an estimated 1. 6 billion Muslims with an annual growth rate which exceeds all other religions in the world. Muslims are spread all over the world but are highly concentrated in the Middle East. Pakistan is the most heavily populated country of Muslims and even America has an estimated seven to ten million Muslims in the country. Muslims believe that the Koran is the literal word of God and was made such by a visitation of the angel Gabriel to the prophet Mohammad. Angels are described in the Koran as: â€Å"messengers with wings. Two or three of four pairs. He adds to Creation as He pleases. † This is a central belief as well as the fact that Mohammad, despite his greatness in the religion of Islam, is not considered a deity of any kind. Neither is Jesus who, despite being highly regarded in the official teachings of the last fourteen centuries, is considered to be only a man and a prophet of God’s, although his greatness is not to exceed that of the prophet Mohammad. God is a central theme of the religion and his is referred to as: â€Å"God, the One and Only: God, the eternal, Absolute, He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto him. † It is also a central theme of Islam; the Day of Judgment. Similar to the Christian belief in predestination, many Muslims believe that people are predestined as to whether they will enter heaven or enter hell on the Day of Judgment. That is not to say that an individual does not have the freedom to choose, rather that God, from the beginning of time, knows the destination of every person who ever existed, or who will ever exist. In this fervor, the message of a complete submission to God is central as well as to the belief in Islam. Disbelief and a failure to submit to the will of God are one of the main offenses which, according to the Koran, will result in a person, on the Day of Judgment, going to hell. The latter is one of the main appeals that individuals have for Islam as in many countries with a high population of Muslims, the living conditions are less than substandard and people live a very tough existence. Lastly, one of the most important and central teachings of Islam is called the â€Å"Five Pillars of Islam. † There are five major aspects of Islam which individuals are strongly encouraged to observe. The first is belief in Mohammad as the prophet of God and that the words of the prophet which are located in the Koran are the literal word of God. The second is praying in the direction of Mecca, five times a day. The third is the giving of alms or charity to the poor and needy. The fourth is fasting during the month of Ramadan in which one must not eat or drink from dusk to dawn. The last is called the Hajj or a pilgrimage during the fourth Islamic month to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. † The latter will compel millions of Muslims, sometimes two and three million Muslims at a time, to go to Mecca at the same time in order to fulfill their last duty, or pillar of Islam. When asking Mr. Aziz about the importance of the religion of Islam within his own life, he gave a very passionate and informed response. â€Å"In America, there is a great deal of misconception about the religion of Islam and as a Muslim; it is my responsibility to live in a way that would help to dispel those myths. Although not in the same light, nor with the same amount of spotlight, it is similar to the experience that the American boxer, Joe Louis had while he was the Boxing heavyweight champion of the world. His manager was careful not to have Joe Louis portrayed in a way that would add to the misconceived stereotypes about African Americans at that time since the last African America boxer, Jack Johnson, had done the opposite and was shunned by America. † When asked if he has found this to help within his own life; the conception of others about him, his ethnicity and his religion, Mr. Aziz had a mixed response. â€Å"There will always be people who will not change their opinions about the Middle East or Islam. I can’t really help that. However, for three high majorities of people who make the effort to know me, they have sometimes come out and said that they were wrong about Muslims, or at least about me. There is still a hint of racism within such sentiments. However, it is progress. † Mr. Aziz then talked to me about his religion. â€Å"In Islam, there are five pillars which every Muslim is expected to respect and obey these pillars. In no specific order, these five pillars are to travel to Mecca at least once in your life, to give to charity, to pray five times in the day while facing in the direction of Mecca, to fast during the Holy Months and to believe that there are no gods but Allah and that Mohammad is his messenger. The last is the most important and is what helps to connect the more than 1. 6 billions Muslims in more than a hundred countries in the world, each one to the other. It is very important to all Muslims. I have not yet gone to Mecca but I hope to by the end of the decade. I have not always been faithful in the completion of the other four on a daily basis as most people of faith experience a lapse in their faith and devotion. That has happened before. However, I am quick to connect the dots and to separate myself from whatever vehicle is serving as an impediment to my faith. † â€Å"Fasting is also important. During the Holy month of Ramadan, there is to be no eating during sunlight. This is one of the most difficult of the five pillars. The reason to fast is that it will help to bring the believer closer to God through the realization that God is the supplier of everything and that nothing can be done apart from him. We eat his food and breathe his air. We use his sunlight and are stewards of his world. In comparison with God, man is so small and weak. Sometimes people forget that. Fasting helps to remind them. † Mr. Aziz also prays five times a day as well as gives to charity. â€Å"I wake up at 5am and pray then as well as at 8am, noon, four pm and before I go to bed at 9pm. Since I was raised to do this and to adhere to the five pillars, this has become a habit of mine and is not really difficult. I remember as a child, I rebelled a great deal towards this especially since I wanted to stay in bed. It was not until two consecutive years, did I feel its difficulty ease and I began to enjoy it. † It is also important to give to charity. This does not solely mean money. There are many people in the world who are very poor and do not have the money to give. To give to charity, or to give alms, means also to be helpful to one’s neighbor. Whether it is shoveling the snow from an elderly neighbor’s driveway or simply just informing a person at the grocery store that they dropped their purse; these all are examples of charity. † Mr. Aziz also speaks to the importance that his religion has towards his community. â€Å"Even though here in America, there is an estimated three to seven million Muslims, there are very few where I live and no places of worship. One of the reasons for the latter I believe is caused by the beliefs that the people in the surrounding towns have about Muslims and that we are all terrorists. Therefore, there have been many attempts, to diffuse any building plans for a mosque. † How do you feel about that? â€Å"It is discouraging to me but me and fellow Muslims meet in people’s homes in order to worship and pray. It is similar to the 1st century Christians who were barred from worshiping by the Roman authorities or the Jews who during WWII were not allowed to worship either. We are not under the same level of persecution but as these other two groups. However, it still requires some planning. † â€Å"It is my family and friends which help to lay a foundation of faith within my life. There are few Muslims in the surrounding areas. Therefore, the friends that I do have and which practice Islam as well as my family, for more than one reason, provide a structure and foundation for me. This is very important. America does not have the same problem with their Muslim population in comparison to the troubles in Europe because we have assimilated. This is important to a degree. We do not want to become completely Americanized but in the process, love American sports and the traditions that come with this country. † So we are then relegated to worship nearly in private. † It is one of the prices to pay for being a Muslim in America. However, since the majority of American Muslims are doing well in America and enjoy this land, we are content to pay some of that price. We are Muslims first however and Americans second. Just as Christians have as a major aspect of their identity in which it cannot be separated from who they are, the same can be said about Muslims. † â€Å"The societal restrictions towards Muslims in America have eased up. However, as a Muslim in America, I still feel as though I am a foreigner in a country that I immigrated to legally over twenty years ago. America has still given me more opportunities than my homeland. I just look forward to the day when I can be truly being considered an America. If I do not live to see that day, I will be sad but I will remain happy that I have had such a rewarding and blessed life while living in America. † Mr. Aziz still continues to work and to support his family. When asked about the faith of his two daughters, Mr. Aziz comments: â€Å"They are eight and ten years old so they are young, but not too young to understand some of the world around them. I hope that I can keep them from experiencing instances of racism or prejudice. I do not however, that the worst that they receive in America, is still better than what they could have hoped for in Pakistan. That is why I am hesitant to complain too loudly. I am still able to raise my children, along with my wife, in the ways that we choose. This is a great freedom that America has; its religious freedom. I recently watched a documentary on Thomas Jefferson and learned that he was instrumental in creating a foundation of religious freedom that is present in America. This happened more than two hundred years ago. Yet, I am a recipient of such actions even today. It is very amazing to me and I am very appreciative. † â€Å"I am proud to be an American. However, I am also proud to be a Muslim. It seems that in the past few years, especially since 9/11, such sentiments have been seen as an oxymoron. I believe that they are one in the same as America promises religious freedom to all who will practice their religion of choice without breaking the law. This is the great gift that America’s forefathers and all who help to preserve such efforts, to contemporary Americans and all who will follow. It is the effort of every Muslim, not to be swayed by the fleeting morals of a society but to hold firm to the faith and teachings of Islam. This is what I am attempting to do. I have not always been successful and have fallen away from my faith from time to time. It is important, just like with anything in life, that once somebody has fallen short of their personal expectations, to get right back up and to try again. Religious faith is an ongoing process and does not stop while one is alive. † This is my hope and prayer for me and all others who feel that the law can only go so far and that a personal relationship with God is paramount in a person’s life. WORKS CITED Armstrong, Karen Islam: A Short History New York: Random History 2006 Burns, Ken Thomas Jefferson New York: Steeplechase PBS Films 1997 Miller, James Religions of the World. New York: WW Norton 1987 The Holy Qur’an (2002) New York: Oxford University Press An Interview with Mr. Aziz. Recorded with his permission on November 1, 2007 and Transcribed on November 4, 2007.

The Role Of Jealousy And Your Relationship

The Role Of Jealousy And Your Relationship Do you find yourself constantly checking your boyfriends/girlfriends cellphone, hacking their email, looking through their purse, briefcase , looking for solid evidence to prove their dishonesty? When your partner dresses nicely for an occasion, does your compliment accompany sarcastic remarks? Do you think your partner is a flirt or exceptionally friendly with his workmates? Do you call your partner when youre feeling anxious, just to make sure, he is not with someone else? If the abovementioned scenarios are familiar to you, then chances are you are slowly turning into a green eyed-monster. And if you are not careful this monster will wreak havoc in your relationship. Jealousy is an emotion that refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something of valuable, such as a relationship, friendship, or love. It often consists of a combination of emotions such as anger, sadness, and disgust. It is not to be confused with envy. The color green is often associated with jealousy and envy, from which the expressions green with envy, and green-eyed monster. The green eyed monster comes to life when distrust eats into the relationship. This is further aggravated with acts of infidelity. The reality of a third party in a relationship can be most traumatic. For the faint hearted this is enough reason to end ones life. Some partners may be willing to forgive incidents of infidelity, but the devastating experience can never be forgotten. And although there is some level of peace in the relationship instances of nagging doubts can still cause tension, sometimes this triggers the final separation. The irony of it all, is that people who are guilty of cheating, turn out to be the more suspicious. Because they are aware of what could take place, as they are guilty of the crime, they are likely to suspect their partner to do the same. Believe or not even a person who engages in acts of infidelity may feel intense feelings of jealousy. Of course there are some who are naturally distrustful, probably because of some traumatic experience. For instance most kids who were old enough to witness the break-up of their parents, have a hard time trusting others. They believe relationships do not last forever and that the day will come when they too, will left by the person they love. However psychologists are firm that that the root cause of jealousy is internal, and not external factors like third party. People do not get jealous because they saw their partner having fun with someone else. Psychologists believe that a big part of the problem lies within, and external conditions. The pretty girl, or the friendly workmate have nothing to do with it. The possible causes of Jealousy are as follows: Lack of self confidence: People develop feelings of jealousy because they have no faith in their own abilities and skills. They do not believe that they are capable of having happy relationships. They probably think that their current partner is the best that they will ever have, and thus they should make it last forever, because they might not find anyone like it. If youre one hundred percent sure of yourself, youll never have feelings of jealousy because you know that you are deserve to be happy and that you will always attain the life you deserve. If you have faith in yourself you know that you will always have happy relationships, and just in case the current one will not work out, you can always look forward to a better one. Poor self image: Having a poor self image is another cause of jealousy; if you think you are not beautiful then chances are youll be experiencing insecure whenever you are in the presence of someone good looking. You will compare yourself to that person and you will feel bad because you do not have the same eyes, or shes taller or slimmer. A person with a very positive self image, values ones uniqueness. He or she knows that beauty is beyond skin deep. Fear : One of the root causes of feelings of jealousy is fear. Most people are so afraid to lose their partner because they do not want to be alone. They think being alone is synonymous to loneliness. Believe it or not, some people are happily living fulfilling lives on their own, without any partner. When you are alone it is easy to take control of your life, because no one will influence your decision-making process. Some people anchor happiness to being in a relationship. Happiness is a choices. Whether you are in relationship or not, you can still have a happy life. Insecurity: Feelings of insecurity is a result of poor self image, a lack of self confidence topped with the fear of losing your partner to someone else. This can be a very stressful phase in the relationship. Insecurity can lead to nonstop arguments and petty quarrels. If the problem is not addressed immediately then it can lead to something as drastic as separation. Levels of Intensity in professional jealousy There can be intense jealousy if you happen to dislike the party in question. This is very evident in cases of professional jealousy. If you happen to abhor the person who received the promotion, then you could be fuming mad. The opposite can also take place. Of course if the person who received the honor, happens to be a very good friend, then you too will be just as happy. While low self esteem and poor self image can also lead to professional jealousy, another factor to consider is emotional maturity the ability to assess a relationship or situation and to act according to what is best for oneself and for the other person in the relationship. Being emotionally-mature means being just as happy for other peoples success as if it were our own. And so we shouldnt feel bad when someone else wins the contest, or if someone gets a higher grade in class. Negative thoughts bring negative situations and so brewing ill-feelings in our hearts moves us further away from blessings. Invasion of privacy A jealous person will not stop until he or she can come up with a tangible proof of the suspected affair. The alleged aggrieved party would start snooping around going through personal effects, in order to look for clues. Invading ones private space, like hacking ones email password causes dissatisfaction and can ruin a relationship. Such an action is a clear indication of mistrust. How can there be a good relationship if two people no longer trust each other. Of course if there is a strong evidence of cheating invasion of private space may seem logical. However one must be prepared for the ugly truth. Friend or foe Jealousy brings nothing but feelings of negativity. You will end up feeling bad, you will ruin your relationships, and fill your heart with hatred. It leads to blaming others which can result to further misunderstandings. Getting rid of the green-eyed monster: Yes, there is a good side. Like anything else, jealousy can be channeled towards the good. Lets take professional jealousy as an example. If you are aspiring for a promotion at work, and all of a sudden, your boss awards that position to someone else, instead of feeling bad you can look at the bright side and be happy for that persons good fortune. Instead of declaring that the promotion should have been yours, be grateful to the universe for sending you a sign. The fact that a manifestation of that wish has taken place, even if the recipient was not you, is an indication that the universe has acknowledged it. And guess what you are next in line. The other persons good fortune could just be a sign, that your with is in the air, and it will soon be made available to you at the perfect time. Get rid of all ill feelings. Relax, spread love and be happy, for your wish will soon be granted. As for the jealousy that takes place between two people in a relationship, this simply indicates that there are matters that need to be settled. People in love, trust and respect each other. Jealousy is a sign of diminishing trust. Why is your girlfriend so adamant about reading your text messages? Have you been paying her enough attention or have you been spending too much time with the boys? Why is she suddenly having doubts? At this point no one is at fault until proven guilty, however such matters need to be settled, immediately before its too late. Remember that in the law of attraction, thoughts become things. A person in doubt who constantly floods her mind with thoughts of her cheating husband, will eventually bring it to life. Instead of dwelling on the negative, think of the good times, those fun moments with the family, such thoughts will undoubtedly fuel feelings of happiness in your heart. So get rid of that green-eyed monster. It will bring nothing but anger and sadness. Thank God for your wonderful partner every day and stay happy. www.nomorejealousy.com/

Money Laundering Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Essays

Money Laundering In a recent movie Mickey Blue Eyes, there is a comical scene in which an unknown artist’s painting is sold to a buyer for $50,000. It seems as though a restaurant owner owed the mafia a large sum of money and he paid them by bidding an absurd amount of money for a horrid painting. The movie made this scene seem quite innocent and funny (See Appendix 1 for more examples). Unfortunately money laundering is a serious crime that is still prevalent in the United States and other countries. Money laundering is the routing of illegal profits from bank to bank to disguise its existence. The illegal profits are usually made through activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution rings, illegal arms sales, and various other things. The Russian mafia, the Triad (otherwise known as the Chinese mafia), and the Columbian drug cartel are just a few of the groups that partake in money laundering (FATF). No one knows exactly how much money is launder yearly but it is estimated to be about $100 billion in the United States (CCANB). Although there are hundreds of ways in which to launder money, some are more lucrative than others. The Black Market Peso exchange, gold, and digital cash are some of the more common ways to launder money. Making it harder to crack down on money laundering is the fact that many countries do not have money-laundering laws in place like the United States does. These other countries make it possible for this illegal activity to carry on. These countries are only hurting themselves because money laundering creates a direct negative effect on their economy. If these nations want to fight money laundering they will need to implement laws against it. Banks could be one of the most useful tools in stopping the laundering of money. WHAT IS MONEY LAUNDERING? As mentioned earlier money laundering is the process of hiding profits from illegal criminal activities. The major goal of these criminal activities is to make as large of a profit as possible. The money laundering process is very important to these criminals because it allows them to enjoy their profits without revealing the source. When one of these activities generates large profits, the group involved must find away to disguise the funds without attracting attention towards themselves. The way they accomplish this is by moving the funds to an indiscrete place wh... ...Feb 1996. 7 Nov 2001. http://members.tripod.com/~orgcrime/genmluk.htm â€Å"Money Laundering: A Banker’s Guide to Avoiding Problems.† Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of National Banks. 29 Jun. 2000. 2 Nov 2001. http://www.occ.treas.gov â€Å"Money Laundering: Black Market Peso Exchange.† U.S. Customs Service 3 Nov 2001 http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/enforcem/pesos.htm â€Å"Money Laundering: Financial Crimes Investigation.† U.S. Customs Service 4 Nov 2001 http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/enforcem/mone.htm â€Å"Money Laundering: A Changing Scenario.† U.S. Department of State 4 Nov 2001 http://usis.usemb.se/drugs/money/scenario.htm Preston, Staff Sergeant R.D. â€Å"Financial Investigations and Money Laundering: Investigator Manual.† United Nations International Drug Control Programme Rider, B A K. â€Å" The financial world at risk: The money dangers of organized crime, money laundering and corruption.† Managerial Auditing Journal v8n7, (1993): p3-14. ABI_INFORM_FT 6 Nov 2001 http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org â€Å"U.S. Wants CPAs to Help Fight Money Laundering.† The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants May 2000. 19 Sep. 2001 http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/may2000/news1/htm

Arguments for the Existence for God Essay -- Argumentative Religion Pe

1. The Cosmological Argument for the existence of God is based on the principle of cause and effect. What this basically means is that the universe was the effect of a cause, which was God. One of the oldest and most well known advocates of the Cosmological Argument was Thomas Aquinas who outlines his argument for the existence of God in his article entitled The Five Ways. The first way in his argument is deals with motion. Aquinas says that in order for something to be in motion something had to move it because it is impossible for something to move without the presence of some sort of outside force upon it. Therefore the world around us, nature, and our very existence could not have been put into motion without the influence of the â€Å"unmoved mover†, as it is called in the book, who we know to be God. Aquinas’ second way to prove that God exists is by stating that nothing can be the cause of itself. For example, I am not the cause of myself. I would not be in existence today if it were not for my parents having a baby and naming it Chris. This is true for everything around us: trees, buildings, cars, planes, etc, none of these can be the cause of themselves. They all must be created or manufactured from seeds, humans, and machines in order for them to exist as they do today. The next way comes from possibility and necessity. First is possibility which means that it is possible for everything in the world to at some point in time not exist, thus meaning that there was a time when nothing existed and since something cannot come from nothing it is necessary for something to have always existed. However as Aquinas previously stated this necessary being cannot be the cause of itself plus there cannot be a time at which it did not exist therefore this being must have always existed and be God. In his fourth way Aquinas bases the existence of God on the gradation of things such as things being the greatest or the smallest, the hottest or the coldest. Aquinas says that there must be a cause of this and it is God. The last way that Aquinas proves God comes from the governance of the world. Aquinas says that things in the world lack knowledge and yet they still work their way towards an end, but he says that it is impossible for something to lack knowledge and work its way to an end. Due to this fact Aquinas determines that there must be some intelli... ...that logic to explain God to him he would laugh in his face. Although these arguments may prove their point in a construed way there are some who believe the Ontological Argument to be impossible, one of these being Kant. Kant believes that the argument fails right off the bat by basing everything on the idea that God does exist. Kant believes that it is wrong to assume that God has all of these magnificent characteristics that Anselm believes Him to have. Kant questions how Anselm proves this. My view of these arguments and the Ontological argument as a whole is that it is a weak argument. If I had to choose sides between Anselm or Gaunilo and Kant I think I would choose Gaunilo and Kant because they do a better job of arguing their point. If I were questioning the existence of God and had Anselm’s argument to read and then Kant’s to read I would probably end up ton believing that God existed. One reason being that you cannot understand Anselm’s argument and two he does not prove anything but the fact that God is a supreme being than which no greater can be conceived. It is because of this why I believe the Ontological argument to be a bad way to prove God to anyone.

The Power of Music :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Power of Music When talking about human beings developing and music, music is one of the areas of organization arranging stimulli in patterns of deep meaning and influence, that stands at or very near the apex of humanness. Music is an evolutionary contributer to human beings. For example, crude tools have been found and evidence indicates that the Zinjanthropus ( an early progenitor of man) used them in Eastern Africa about 1.7 million years ago. Part of any human being's culture is music. Music has a biological basis as well as a cultural basis. Einstein stated, " The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible." In other words, without the comprehensibily of the outside world there would be no music. The full fruit on our potential for humaness can never be attained unless we grow and develop within a rich musical environment. Music is simply innate, humans cannot escape the formation of esthetic constructs. Music is a need for expression and communication. Now a days more and more thrapy clinics, be it for psychlogical or physiological purposes, are using music as therapy. As music, being a form of human behavior itself, has its own unique and powerful influence. Understanding of human behavior and specifically music therapy will profit most from a multidisciplinary approach. Music is known to benefit handicapped and ill persons by helping them change their behavior. Music Itself elicits these behavioral changes. By using music and persuation, then , the ultimate goal--to bring about desirable changes in behavior --is attempted. again psychologically speaking, in depressed older adults, music therapy has been a positive contributer. Discriptive and experimental studies have documented effects of music on quality of life, involvement with the environment, expression of feeling, awareness and responsiveness, positive associations, and socialization. Music therapy and listening is able of providing a relaxing, positive stimullis for mood change and stress reduction. Further more, it may provide palliative coping strageties for the relief of pain and anxiety. An experiment was done where music listening techniques as a part a therapy were administered in the home setting with great ease and comfort. Participants enjoyed this form of therapy. The experimant sh owed how music listening stragaties may be useful to distressed individuals. Music just doesn't have positive affects on adults only. According to research, tunes in music may help babies breath better. According to a Prevention Magazine, in a recent 3-day study researcher used baby-sized walk-mans to play lullbies into the ears of 10 premature babies in the Intensive Care Unit.

My Bio

My name is Latisha Anderson 33 year old native from Raleigh, North Carolina. I graduated from East Carolina University College of Nursing in Greenville, North Carolina in May 2009 with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Many say that I am a unique nurse due to the fact I am the first African American woman to complete a nursing program from a wheelchair. At the age of 17 years old I was shot in the neck and paralyzed from breast on down. I do have a success story on line. If you type my full name Latisha Anderson in Google search engine and I think on the second search page you will find a link with my name and it has the pulse magazine link which is ECU CON alumni magazine and on page 6 you can read my success story and see me in my standing wheelchair. I landed my first job at a private psychiatric/chemical detox program hospital that treats patient ranging from ages 5 years old on up. I started out PRN; therefore I had the advantage of working on all the different units with the different age groups. After about three months of diligent working my ADON offered me a permanent position on the acute inpatient psych unit which housed twelve acute patients. I worked third shift and was the charge nurse and the only nurse that worked that unit. I decided to pursue my passion of wanting to serve those who have served my country. efore I became disabled i wanted to join the marine corps and I was 37 days away from my 18th birthday and being enlisted but I became paralyzed that did not stop me i just had to pursue my goal from a different angle. I currently work with the Veteran’s Administration in Augusta, GA. I want to pursue my Masters in Nursing with an Emphasis in Leadership because i want to obtain a leadership role. Nurses are in roles where they can have a major impact with creating policies, laws and advocating for their consumer in the healthcare aspect in politics.

Causes and the Course of the US Civil War Essay

The American Civil War created the nation of the United States as we know it today. The bloodiest war in the history of the nation, the victory was a combination of many factors and many battles that finally resulted in a Union victory. But why would a nation engage in combat so fiercely that more Americans were lost in the one war than in the American Revolution, WW1, WW2 and the Vietnam War combined? The main cause of the American Civil War was slavery. According to historian David Goldfield, â€Å"Both Northerners and Southerners recognized slavery as the immediate cause of the Civil War† and even Abraham Lincoln acknowledged this fact in his second inaugural address by saying, â€Å"An eighth of the whole population were coloured slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest – all knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war.† The Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865 between two sides – the anti-slavery, northern Union and the pro-slavery, southern Confederate States of America. The southern states’ economies and social structures were built entirely on the concept of slavery – slavery was fundamental to the entire economic and social existence. The upper class’s riches were all earned from the cotton plantati ons that provided two-thirds of the world’s cotton crop, all worked by slave labour. When the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 eventually freed the slaves, the southern states’ economies and social structures were literally turned upside down – the South lost half its capital wealth in an instant. Aside from slavery, there were several minor causes of the Civil War, including the concept of agriculture versus industry and the states’ rights to freedom from the tyranny of an overarching federal government, but these cannot be argued as the main cause of the war. If so, the war would have erupted in the 1830s with the Nullification Crisis, when President Andrew Jackson stated that South Carolina could not declare a federal tax null in their state. In reality, the Confederate government was quite demanding of its citizens, through passing the first conscription Act in the Americas, implementing national taxes, creating a national currency and having a national bureaucracy of 70 000 or more. But governmental reasons for going  to war differed from those of the soldiers. Each soldier likely had a prosaic reason for enlisting, for example, one Alabamian only enlisted after his girlfriend sent him a dress and told him that he should start wearing it if he was not willing to fight for his country. Religion also paid a main role in the Civil War – the Protestant North was high motivated to support combat if it preserved their states, ended slavery and promoted their religious denomination. Throughout the Civil War, there were numerous battles fought all across the nation, bringing the death toll to a total of 680 000. Unknown to most modern-day Americans, for the first year of the war, it seemed that the Confederates had secured a definitive victory. South Carolina had begun the war by attacking Fort Sumter. Three months later, the South then shockingly arose triumphant at the First Battle of Bull Run in Manassas, Virginia. Robert E. Lee (the commander of the Southern military) had highly energized, disciplined and trained soldiers who were fighting on home turf in Virginia on the Eastern front. The North, on the other hand, still believed that the war would be over quickly, and therefore, their soldiers were not so motivated to fight. The next major event of the war was the huge Union victory at the Battle of Shiloh near Pittsburg Landing. This area was key as it was the crossroads of the Confederates’ two main railroads. 44 000 of General Ulysses S. Grant†™s command were amassed in camps around this area and were attacked at night by the Southern soldiers. Schermann, one of Grant’s underlings, heard a noise and went out to investigate, only to realise that the entire Union force in the area was under attack. Lasting all day, and beginning the next at daybreak, the leaders had only a small Methodist chapel in which to convene to discuss potential rapid strategizing. Due to the Southerners’ element of surprise and the Northerners’ superior force, it became the most costly battle of the war to date with 23 000 dead, injured or captured, and with around equal numbers on both sides. It was then the South were to suffer a great defeat at the Battle of Antietum – Lee marched a force of 40 000 strong to Maryland on 4th September, 1862, only to be met with huge numbers of General George McClellan’s troops. 23 000 were killed in a single day, and General Lee was forced to retreat back to Virginia. After these major humiliations, it was  months before the first real turning point of the war when the tide began to turn towards a Union success. Although politically the Union made some impact with the release of the Emancipation Proclamation on 1st January, 1863, in reali ty, there was little change in the secessionist states and the war dragged onwards. An excellent execution of division tactics by Lee resulted in a Confederate victory over the new Union commander Hooker at the Battle of the Wilderness, but at a cost of 24 000 casualties. From May to July 1863, Grant laid siege to the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, starving the population and firing shots at any soldiers who appeared on the walls of the town. After a naval landing, commander Pemberton’s force of 23 000 met Grant’s force, encircling and overrunning the city, and surprising the Southerners. The ensuing siege resulted in the Union’s control of the lower Mississippi river, after the trapped Confederates surrendered unconditionally. This blocked any avenues for shipping supplies and soldiers for the South, which was extremely important. It also split the Confederacy down the centre, disrupting order and the transfer of information and supplies from east to west. During the same month, General Lee led a force into northern territory and met with Union forces at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. After a three day battle, 50 000 men had died, a stunning blow to the South. The second important turning point of the war was over a year later in August 1864, when the Union general Sherman took Atlanta, a manufacturing and railroad centre. This capture was important politically, rather than militarily, as it was close to the elections of 1864. Lincoln had to re-run for presidency and at the time, was very unpopular with the Northern population because the war was dragging on, and families were losing their sons and fathers. A difficult win, in Atlanta, Sherman besieged the city and when the citizens did not surrender, his troops began the famous March to the Sea, a night time march of terror involving all of Sherman’s command in which the soldiers marched from inland to the city, tearing up railway tracks and destroying all things of value along the way. The March ended in Savannah, where the inhabitants surrendered. With the fall of Atlanta, the public’s view of Lincoln changed putting him in a position of superiority over his democratic opp onent, former top general George McClellan. Lincoln’s  election was an extremely important determinant of the course of the war as Lincoln was determined to have a Union victory, while McClellan did not seem to care which side was victorious, wanting only a settlement with the South. After Lincoln’s electoral victory, both the Union and the Confederates decided to wage total war, rather than the limited war that had been occurring for the last three years. In the mean time, the South was spiralling into despair, suffering under the Union naval blockade, Sherman’s campaign in Georgia, lack of international assistance, class conflicts, and a lack of money. The army began to disband, and as the Confederate leaders realized that all hope was lost, Jefferson Davis proposed peace negotiations. Delegations from the South and the North met at the Hampton Roads Conference in February 1865. Still there was no resolution to the conflict – Lincoln demanded that the South surrender unconditionally, while Davis wanted to be granted full independence. In April 1865, however, the conflict was resolved at the Battle of Appomattox when Grant’s forces broke through Confederate lines headed by Lee, forcing the Southerners into a shameful retreat. Days lat er, Lee surrendered to Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. With this, the Civil War had finally come to an end. The American Civil War involved four gruelling years of conflict in which approximately 680 000 lost their lives. With the northern and southern states completely divided on the issue of slavery and the existence of slavery so intrinsic to the South’s entire economic and social structures, there was much fuel for battle – a battle largely about the right to human freedom and which ultimately lead to the demise of slavery in the United States. The Civil War was a critical part of American history, a defining moment in the future of the nation, and a defining moment in the freedom of all American people henceforth.

Food Habits Changing After Food, Inc

The documentary Food, Inc was created to show viewers what is being put on their plates and has given me an altered view towards the food industry which has drastically changed my food habits. Many emotional scenes were shown on this film to give viewers empathy towards the problem that is occurring. The documentary shows many vivid details and explains what is in the food that consumers eat. The film food, Inc influenced my habits of consumption by eating organic meats, purchasing most foods in the farmers market, and checking for food labels. I have learned that there is a big difference in organic and non-organic meats.Animals raised organically are not allowed to be fed antibiotics or other drugs and cannot eat genetically modified foods. Eating organic meats is not only helping animals but also preventing the consumer from a possible disease outbreak that may occur due to the mistreatment of animals. The meat comes from a sustainable farm that uses the manure productively as org anic fertilizer. The manure is â€Å"pure,† coming from animals fed an organic diet which ensures consumers that there will not be any exposure to chemicals. Consumers feel safe knowing that the certified organic meat won’t hurt them in the long-run.Going to a farmers’ market helps consumers because everything is fresh, locally grown, and certified organic which gives the buyer no doubts. When purchasing meat from an organic farm stand at a farmer’s market, consumers support that farm. On the other hand, buying non-organic meat that isn’t local, free-range, or ranch-raised from a supermarket chain will most likely support a multinational food corporation. After the experience change in some of the famers’ supermarkets, I also started realizing the foods tasted better and after eating, I felt lighter and full at the same time.I also saw that costs were higher than the farmers’ markets but it truly made a difference to purchase organic produce and meats. It decreased health risks like diabetes and obesity. Food labels are essential to consumers because they stay alert with what they eat everywhere they go. I have always wondered how many calories are in the food in restaurants as well as other types of foods that I buy at the grocery store. Most restaurants don’t list the actual nutritional value of their food which is why it’s important for consumers’ to remember to check and be aware of what is going to be in their bodies.The film transmits this message to its viewers by showing consumers foods that have glucose and Trans fat than expected. There can be many ingredients or a high number of calories that a consumer may not know about but after looking at a label, it will give the consumer peace of mind or change their mind on whether they will eat it or not. Food, Inc helped me realize and understand that it’s critical for consumers to be cautious about how different foods can affect t heir overall health. This led me to change some of my eating habits such as buying organic meats, which helped me choose my foods wisely.Being aware lets consumers like me stay healthy. Food, Inc taught me a lot about buying organic animal products because it’s better for health, the community, and it can also benefit consumers in the long-run. I would recommend that all consumers watch this film and understand the positive aspects of it because it gives some critical points about the food industry and backs them up with evidence. Food is important for the body and it helps an individual survive every day, but it can also be deadly. It’s all about making the right decisions when it comes to the consumers’ food habits.

Culture Acceptance of Homosexuality in the African-American Culture Essay

Different factions of sociologists depict men. Functionalists suggest that a division of labor originally arose between man and women because of the woman’s role in reproduction. By virtue of their larger size and greater muscular strength, men were assigned hunting and defense tasks. Conflict theorists reject functionalist arguments as simply offering a rationale for male dominance. They contend that a sexual division of labor is a social vehicle devised by men to assure themselves of privilege, prestige, and power in their relationships with women. By relegating women to the home, men have been able to deny women those resources they need to succeed in the larger world. Others say that the fundamental motive is men’s desire to have women readily available for sexual gratification. And still others emphasize that the appropriation of women is not for copulation but for procreation, especially to produce male heirs and daughters who can be used as exchanges in cementing political economic alliances with other families (Hinkle, 1994). Indeed, this gender stratification promotes the survival of the species and fulfilling their label to be strong, men even use violence to assert their so-called masculinity, which in any case is portrayed by the sociologists as the more superior specie. But when one takes a closer look into Kinsey’s reports, he or she won’t help but notice an honest existence of a â€Å"third kind† or the second-class citizens as the popular belief says in the persons of the homosexuals (Betancourt & Lopez, 1993). For the best information on sexual characteristics, we are indebted to the Kinsey reports. Kinsey’s greatest contribution was the discovery that individual differences in sexual behavior are truly amazing. The reports were designed to give a scientific gloss to the normalization of promiscuity and deviancy. Kinsey’s initial report, released in 1948 stunned the nation by saying that American men were so sexually wild that â€Å"95% of them could be accused of some kind of sexual offense under 1940s laws† (Kinsey et al. , 1948). The report included reports of sexual activity by boys, even babies, and said, â€Å"37% of adult males had had at least one homosexual experience† (Kinsey et al. , 1948). Homosexuality is a preference for an individual of the same sex as a sexual partner. The Alfred C. Kinsey Institute for Sex Research estimates that five to six percent of the adult population is predominantly homosexual. However, since there are so many gradations in sexual behavior and preferences, many sociologists and psychologists take the view that there heterosexual or homosexual practices but not homosexual individuals (Halgin, 2006). In brief, homosexuality and heterosexuality are terms that describe behavior, not the identity of a person. But gender identity confusion can lead to fear of homosexuality. But behavior is not grossly disorganized, nor is functioning impaired if the delusions are not acted out. A gay man or a lesbian may or may not elect to engage in homosexual behavior (Bell and Weinberg, 1998). Father’s Presence A boy prefers the company of boys; his favorite toys are cars and trucks and wants to be a fireman or policeman. The parents treated both the children differently, even though they are technically the same. This shows how parents do seek to socialize children into their gender roles, even if they are doing it unconsciously. Parents provide distinctive environments for boys and girls. They give them different toys and clothes and decorate their rooms differently (Fagot, 1995). They respond negatively to more obvious forms of cross-sex behavior. A very young boy who tries on his mother high-heeled shoes or puts on a dress or lipstick may be regarded with amused tolerance, but such behavior in older children is regarded as outrageous rather than funny. Father reacts especially strongly to any such signs of feminine tendencies in their sons (Nicolosi, 1991). The men may interpret certain kinds of feminine interests or actions as signs of developing homosexual tendencies in their sons and react to their tendencies in the strongest terms (Nicolosi, 1991). Psychologists described the uniformity of reports from literature that gay males had poorer relations with their fathers and concludes, â€Å"Every study reported findings that their relationships with their fathers were unsatisfying with the father variously described as cold, rejecting, indifferent, hostile, or simply distant† (Moberly, 1983). Likewise it was concluded that the homosexuals hurtful relationship with the father results in defensive detachment, which is carried over to relationships with other men. Homosexuality becomes a form of a reparative drive (Nicolosi, 1991) in which the boy seeks a nurturing male relationship to undo the repression and regain the lost father. Significant environmental issues such as the impact of the father-son relationship are indicated as important in the development of adult male homosexual orientation. As scholars suggested, the father-child relationship is one of many crucial elements in the development of any child. Deficits in this area may result in adverse effects to the child’s (and later adult child’s) identification with self as an adult, and this identification is generally considered to be crucial in determining the way in which children and adults form relationships with others (Blankenhorn, 1995). Conversely, boys seemed to conform to the sex-role standards of their culture when their relationships with their fathers were warm, regardless of how masculine the fathers were, even though warmth and intimacy have traditionally been seen as feminine characteristics (Blankenhorn, 1995). Son’s pubertal development was a significant predictor of both information sharing and, to a lesser extent, values sharing, with fathers more likely to talk with sons who had attained more physical development. The father’s recognition of his son’s physical development appears to be an important factor in talking about sexuality. When fathers see their sons maturing physically, they may become aware of the increased possibility of sexual initiation, and this possibility spurs them to discussion of sexual topics (Moberly, 1983). In the movie Billy Elliot, the simple rights of gay people are also advanced. In terms of personality traits, boys are generally aggressive, independent, dominant, competitive, logical, direct, adventurous, self-confident, and ambitious. Boys are described as closemouthed, rough, and sloppy in their habits. Boys do not usually enjoy art and literature, and cannot easily express and find it easy to express their feelings. This is what it means to be masculine in the eyes of biased society. But Billy, more than the fondness for boxing his father wants for him, his natural flair falls for dancing, an art predominantly associated with girls. Most families, like that of Billy, urge boys to be little men even before they have any idea what it means to be a man. As a matter of fact, there is even more pressure on boys to be masculine than on girls to be feminine. They are constantly warned not to act like girls, not cry, not to be sissies. Most people have always considered it worse for a boy to be a sissy than for a girl to be a tomboy. Boys may have to prove themselves by being athletic or by being tough, men by making a lot of money or by being a man’s man in whatever way this is defined by their associates. But the burden of proof is always present. And the burden is heavier than most people think. When cooing to a baby in a crib, they use one tone of voice toward a girl, a different one toward a boy. Mothers look at baby girl more often and talk to her more frequently. By and large, children have been brought up to believe that women should be pretty and preferably slim, while men should be tall and strong (Sheinberg, 2004). This familial stereotyping is even carried on to the bigger world of the boys known as school. In the world that children enter at 6 there is a new adult, the teacher, whose discipline boys must conform to and whose acceptance they must court. Ordinarily the teacher is a woman, like the mother, and children’s behavior toward their mother can be generalized toward her. But boys who are identifying with their father and rebelling against their mother often have trouble in the early grades. They may be less fearful of rejection by the teacher and therefore more reluctant to accept her influence (Sheinberg, 2004). It was also found that father’s age at first intercourse would predict father-son sex-based communication. The rationale was that fathers who were sexually active at an earlier age would remember their experiences and would see their sons as needing information (Moberly, 1983). On the other hand, fathers who had sexual intercourse at a later age may believe it is best to wait, and they may talk with sons to instill this same value, while fathers who had sex at an early age might believe it best to inform their sons about sex in order to prepare them for it (Moberly, 1983). Without a doubt, among African Americans, a father is the most important thing a boy can have in his life. They relate to one another on a level that cannot be achieved through a mother-son relationship. It is important to have communication in the relationship because talking brings the two closer. A father, though, needs to know when to play an active role in his son’s life, and when to be more of an observer. If he mixes the two up, serious repercussions may occur. A father can be the best thing in his son’s life, but he needs to care for the right (Sheinberg, 2004). Masculinity Another expert to have studied sexuality is Margaret Mead. Margaret Mead (1949) edified a good number of Americans about the significance of examining sensitively and plainly at other cultures to better comprehend the intricacies of humanness. She contends that it seems quite probable that nature creates some inborn tendencies. But there is ample proof that heredity alone does not necessarily push men toward being independent and aggressive, nor women toward being passive and submissive (Mead, 1949). In one tribe that Mead studied, both men and women were what we would call highly feminine. Both sexes shunned aggression. Both took care of and nurtured the children. In modern times, girls and women are considered feminine unless they display overwhelming evidence to the contrary, but boys and men have to win the right to be called masculine. They have to prove their masculinity; they have to face and succeed in all kinds of financial, intellectual, sexual, and physical tests. The testing process starts early and continues throughout life (Mead, 1949). In the other tribe, the members of one sex spent all their time applying cosmetics, gossiping, putting, engaging in emotional outbursts, and taking care of the children. Members of the other sex had clean-shaven heads, scorned any makeup or ornamentation, were active and domineering, and provided most of the tribe’s food and other necessities. But the last sentence describes how the women behaved. The preceding sentence, about a fondness for cosmetics and emotional outbursts, describes the men (Mead, 1949). The motives for affiliation and dependency are universal. So are the emotions that accompany them. Society’s demand to suppress them is in effect a demand to transcend humanity. And efforts to do so can never completely succeed. Since it is impossible to program out all emotions, even the most extreme he-man can only approximate the masculine ideal. Thus every man, aware of the stirrings of the softer and weaker emotion he tries so dutifully to hide, is bound to worry about his own masculinity. Otherwise, he is prejudged as gay, a sissy, or a homosexual (Duberman, et al. , 1989). The Religion’s Take The church usually operates with a bureaucratic structure and claims to include most of the members of a society. The difficulties the society has experienced in recent years are reflective of that of the ancient times and have contributed to the resurgence of conservative Christianity (Fisher, et al. , 1994). We have seen in Christie Davies’ Sexual Taboos and Social Boundaries that religion may be a conservative force, impeding modernization and reaffirming traditional authority (Davies, 1982). The bold article tackles Christianity’s bias against such so-called sexual taboos as homosexuality, bestiality, and transvestism in North America and Europe. That is, Christianity is associable with such concepts as hypocrisy, racism, narrow-mindedness and conservativism (Fisher, et al. , 1994). Davies is referring to the passages in the Bible, which state that homosexuality is wrong. These occur most prominently in Deuteronomy. Is it not entirely possible for instance to believe that the Bible is entirely true except those passages which condemn homosexuality which were inserted later by corrupt scribes (Fisher, et al. , 1994). Second, because homosexuals are considered deviants, the religious, military, and political principals find a way to give them a reprehensible image by consolidating their boundaries. The symbolic interactionist perspective has been a useful tool for examining the complexities of this heterosexual-homosexual relationship. Thus, should the roles of certain members of the society depart from the normal conventions bordering on the taboo, as homosexuals have been automatically deemed doing, invariably there are spiteful consequences for their behavior and actions (Fisher, et al. , 1994). And third, Davies argues that the society’s mainstream institutions dictate and shape the homosexuals’ experiences. In large part, they unconsciously build up their sense of reality by the way the society orders its social agendas and structures social alternatives. To the extent that they are locked within the social environment provided by the heterosexual culture, the homosexual segment inhabits a somewhat restricted world outside and is thus considered an external threat to any open social frontier (Fisher, et al. , 1994). Homosexual acts were punishable by death among the ancient Hebrews, but accepted and even admired by the Greeks. Later, the early Christians held that abstinence was the noblest form of sexual behavior, but at about the same time, the Romans were indulging in their famous orgies in the Colosseum (Fisher, et al. , 1994). In England, at the time of Queen Elizabeth, sex was treated with a frankness and frequently with a ribaldry that has no parallel in Western history. A little later, under Queen Victoria, it was regarded with such great circumspection that among some groups of these very same Englishmen, one would hardly have known that coitus ever took place and any falls from propriety were the cause of great scandal and disgrace (Lenski and Lenski, 1999). Moreover, Davies also touches on dehumanization or slavery by way of Christian association. In the Western society, significant segments of the population reject coexistence with minorities in equal terms. Women and homosexuals are subsumed in the list of minorities in the large group of African Americans (Davies, 1982). The current debate suggests that Christianity or any religion for that matter, remains a powerful moving force in Western life. People are not close to resolving how to relate people’s religious lives to their religious lives. Each generation must tackle its own church-state question as Christie Davies does with homosexuality in her article (Davies, 1982). Furthermore, broadly considered, long-term relationship, heterosexual or homosexual, should be considered as families. The social definition of the family as a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption has come to its revolutionary point of reshaping into such as a group of people who love and care or each other regardless of spiritual background or sexual preference (Fisher, et al. , 1994). Some gays and lesbians are married, have children, and lead lives that in most respects are indistinguishable from those of the larger population. However, homosexual adults who have come to terms with their homosexuality, who do not regret their sexual orientation, and who can function effectively sexually and socially, are no more distressed psychologically than are heterosexual men and women (Klonoff & Landrine, 2000). Homophobia Few people in the history of Western society have been more scorned, feared, and stigmatized than homosexuals. To put in a more appropriate context, these people who fear, hate, and persecute the homosexuals are homophobic (Kagay, 1999). Gays and lesbians often hold values and beliefs that are different from those of the dominant culture. Because of the controversial nature of being gay or lesbian, and the heavy social proscriptions against it, many individuals are reluctant to â€Å"come out of the closet† or to reveal their membership in this co-culture. As more gays and lesbians identify themselves publicly, they find that their attitudes and communication patterns often clash with people who do not understand the gay and lesbian co-cultures (Vander Zanden, 1995). When the collision involves the arbitrary denial of privilege, prestige, and power to members of the homosexual co-culture whose qualifications are equal to those of members of the dominant group as the heterosexuals, then generally, sociologists can easily label this as discrimination. And when the attitudes of aversion and hostility toward the homosexual co-culture abound because they simply belong to it and hence are presumed to have the objectionable qualities ascribed to it, then the label becomes prejudice (Vander Zanden, 1993). Whereas prejudice is an attitude or a state of mind, discrimination is action. Therefore, phobia as an irrational part of a person’s mentality makes homophobia basically a prejudice that may lead to discrimination but cannot grow to be a form of racism (Klonoff & Landrine, 2000). Racism or racialism is a belief in the superiority of some races over others. It also involves prejudice against or hatred of other races. Discriminating behavior is also defining element in racism. Be that as it may, racism is based on none other than racial membership and in this paper’s case, on sexual preference or orientation too. Stereotypically, it is based on the color of the skin, the texture of the hair, the facial features, the stature, and the shape of the heads. Biologists typically view races as populations that differ in the incidence of various hereditary traits. More narrowly, they conceive of a race or subspecies as an inbreeding, geographically isolated population that differs in hereditary traits from other members of the species (Bullough & Bullough 1996). Hereditary is the key term. Although there are some floating nature-nurture debate on the tendency to be homosexual, being gay or lesbian is more broadly accepted as a behavior than a heritable peculiarity (Klonoff & Landrine, 2000). Homosexuality knows no color or physical feature. Although gays whiten the color of their skin, stretch their hair length, effeminize their facial features, glamorize their stature, or cosmetically alter the shape of their heads, they cannot be classified a race but a co-culture instead (Bell and Weinberg, 1998). Although racial stratification is similar to other systems of stratification in which African Americans are a part of, including gender stratification, in its essential features, there tends to be one major difference. Racial and ethnic groups often have the potential for carving their own independent nation from the existing state (Klonoff & Landrine, 2000). Political separatism may offer racial groups a solution that is not available to gender groups. Gender groups typically lack the potential for becoming self-sufficient political states because they do not function as self-sufficient social or economic groups (Vander Zanden, 1995). Homosexuals are a varied group. They are found in all occupational fields, political persuasions, religious faiths, and racial and ethnic groups. Some are married, have children, and lead lives that in most respects are indistinguishable from those of the larger population. Others enter homosexual unions that are relatively durable (Kagay, 1999). In fact, if homosexuality could be considered a part of the gender stratification, then homophobia could even be more appropriately subsumed by the realms of sexism than racism. But the homosexual population cannot be undervalued that a gay joke can testify to their numbers: â€Å"I wonder why gay people multiply. They don’t have any vagina but they seem born twice a straight baby girl’s chance. † In many modern nations, the members of some groups participate in the main culture of the society while simultaneously sharing with one another a number of unique values, norms, traditions, and lifestyles. These cultural patterns are termed a co-culture (Vander Zanden, 1993). African American co-cultures that have become prominent in the United States partly because of their numbers and partly because of their lack of subscription to many of the mainstream beliefs, attitudes, and values. Although there are many co-cultures in the United States, the homosexual culture has become increasingly prominent because of their demands for equality.