Clancy, Tom Rainbow Six Essays - Tom Clancys Rainbow Six

Clancy, Tom Rainbow Six Tom Clancy Rainbow Six This book was published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in New York, USA. Copyright date is 1998. There are 740 pages in this book. Thomas L. Clancy, Jr. was born on the 12th of April 1947, he is married and lives in Maryland, USA. Clancy's novels can be classified as Military-Techno-Thrillers. He has written fiction and non-fiction books, Rainbow Six is a fiction book. As for other titles, well there are just to many to list, in total 23. Some books that he has written are The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, to list a few. According to Clancy "Rainbow Six, is one of my all time favourites." The book starts with a prologue that introduces us to the one main character, John Clark, an ex-Navy SEAL, and two other characters, Alistair Stanley the executive commander of Rainbow Six, and Domingo (Ding) Chavez, the Captain of Team 2. There are two other insignificant character introduced, Clark's wife Sandy and his daughter Patsy, who is married to Ding. Patsy is pregnant. The other main character is Dmitriy Arkadeyevich Popov, he is an ex-KGB agent who is now working as a ?special consultant'. He will become very important later on in the book. Clark is the commander and in charge of starting a new European anti-terrorist group called Rainbow Six. Rainbow Six is split into two teams; Team 1 and Team 2. These teams are the best there is. They are based in Hereford, England, but any European country can call on them at any time. They run 3 miles in 20 minutes every morning at 6:00 am. Only one team will be on-call at a time. The team that is not on-call will be doing live fire practices. In the first 6 months of being in operation they are called on three times which is a lot for this type of thing. The first incident happens in a Swiss bank where terrorists have taken control. They also have hostages. Team 2 successfully takes them out, with only one hostage killed, but he is killed before they had gotten there. The first mission helps them organize themselves and fix a few holes in their planning. The second mission is in Germany. An international trader is taken hostage in his mansion/castle. This mission goes well too, thanks to the snipers. No hostage deaths, but all the terrorists are killed. After this mission is over they realize they should have a helicopter and pilot on the team, this is done. The last mission that they are called on in the book is in Spain, in a huge amusement park. Earlier on in the book we hear a conversation in a french high security jail, with the Jackal and his lawyer. The Jackal tells his lawyer he is sick of being in jail and to call his friends and they would know what to do. The terrorists at the amusement park are well prepared, but not well enough to take on the Rainbow Six team. They take 30 children hostage, and demand for the Jackal and several other prisoners release. One of the major things that goes awary for the terrorists is that the Rainbow six have a program that would disable all cellular phones. They vary phones that the terrorists are using to communicate, with each other. Once their communication is out Rainbow Six easily takes them out one by one. They then take out the large group. Only one child is killed. The terrorists do this killing to show they are serious. One terrorist goes outside and takes a child that is in a wheelchair and shoots her in the back. The team just had to sit there and watch. If they had interrupted, they know more children will die. In the meantime while this is happening, Popov, the ex-KGB agent now freelance is hired by an American. Popov is hired to get people to do the job in Switzerland, the bank taking, and the taking of the international trader in Germany. The person that has hired him is the president of a multi-national pharmaceutical company, that has access to and deals with extremely deadly viruses, he is extremely wealthy. Lets call him the Boss (sorry forgot his name). Popov has nothing to do with the hostage taking of the children in Spain, that was the Jackal. Popov is living in New York will he is organizing these jobs and flies back and forth from Europe to organize them. After all

Origin of the Roman Satire Genre

Origin of the Roman Satire Genre Roman literature began as an imitation of the Greek literary forms, from the epic stories of Greek heroes and tragedy to the poem known as an epigram. It was only in satire that the Romans could claim originality since the Greeks never split satire off into its own genre. Satire, as invented by the Romans, had a tendency from the beginning towards social criticism- some of it quite nasty- which we still associate with satire. But the defining characteristic of Roman satire was that it was a medley, like a modern revue. Menippean Satire The Romans produced two types of satire. Menippean satire was frequently a parody, blending prose and verse. The first use of this was the Syrian Cynic philosopher Menippus of Gadara (fl. 290 B.C.). Varro (116-27 B.C.) brought it into Latin. The Apocolocyntosis (Pumpkinification of Claudius), attributed to Seneca, a parody of the deification of the drooling emperor, is the only extant Menippean satire. We also have large segments of the Epicurean satire/novel, Satyricon, by Petronius. Verse Satire The other and more important type of satire was the verse satire. Satire unqualified by Menippean usually refers to the verse satire. It was written in dactylic hexameter meter, like epics. Its stately meter partly accounts for its relatively high place in the hierarchy of poetry quoted at the beginning. Founder of the Genre of Satire Although there were earlier Latin writers instrumental in developing the genre of satire, the official founder of this Roman genre is Lucilius, of whom we have only fragments. Horace, Persius, and Juvenal followed, leaving us many complete satires about the life, vice, and moral decay they saw around them. Antecedents of Satire Attacking the foolish, a component of ancient or modern satire, is found in Athenian Old Comedy whose sole extant representative is Aristophanes. The Romans borrowed from him and other than extant Greek writers of comedy, Cratinus, and Eupolus, according to Horace. The Latin satirists also borrowed attention-grabbing techniques from Cynic and Skeptic preachers whose extemporaneous sermons, called diatribes, could be embellished with anecdotes, character sketches, fables, obscene jokes, parodies of serious poetry, and other elements also found in Roman satire.

Eating Jesus' Flesh and drinking His Blood Research Paper

Eating Jesus' Flesh and drinking His Blood - Research Paper Example The Hebrew writer tells us that His blood was shed for the transgressions of those who lived under the first testament, as well as those who live under the second (Heb. 9:15).   So, all humanity, who desire salvation, are dependent upon the blood of Christ  Ã‚   In this lesson, we shall  Ã‚   list some of the things that are said to be accomplished by the blood of Christ. VERSES 51-52:  Ã‚   I AM THE LIVING BREAD 51I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats (Greek: phage) of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (Greek: sarx)." 52The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"   "I am the living bread which came down out of heaven" (v. 51a).   This "living bread" parallels the "living water" that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman (4:10).   "If anyone eats (phage) of this bread, he will live forever" (v. 51b).   Phage is the ao rist of esthio (to eat), and thus represents a one-time action.   To eat of this bread, in this context, means the once-and-for-all action of accepting or believing in Christ.   "Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (Greek: sarx)"(v. 51c). Jesus does not retreat from the offense of his words, but instead adds to it with his mention of flesh (sarx). This is sacrificial language. The Torah requires ritual sacrifice of animals, and specifies how they are to be prepared and how their flesh is to be used. Some flesh is to be burned on the altar and other flesh is to be eaten.   Jesus makes his sacrifice in behalf of the world –– not just Israel (see also 3:16-17).   "The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?† (v. 52).   "Flesh" is a provocative word, raising the specter of cannibalism.   No observant Jew would consider eating human flesh. VERSE 53:   UNLESS YOU EAT AND DRINK 53Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat (Greek: phagete) the flesh (Greek:   sarka –– from sarx)of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves. "Most certainly I tell you" (v. 53a).   These words make emphatic that which follows.   "unless you eat (phagete)the flesh(sarka –– from sarx) of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves" (v. 53b).   The title that Jesus uses for himself here is Son of Man, which is a less provocative title than Messiah. The first significant issue here is whether Jesus' words are Eucharistic in nature (referring to the Lord's Supper) or simply incarnational/sacrificial (referring to the incarnation and the cross).   The question is significant.   Is Jesus emphasizing participation in the Eucharist here?   Should a sermon based on this text emphasize participation in the Lord's Supper?   Scholars are divided on this question.   My conclusion is that incarnational, sacrificial, and Eucharistic emphases are intertwined in 6:51-58, and that the emphasis shifts to favor the Eucharistic at verse 51c.   If this is correct, it is appropriate, perhaps even important, to emphasize participation in the Lord's Supper when preaching from this text. We should also note two things that were happening at the time of the writing of this Gospel that might have influenced the author to emphasize the eating of Jesus flesh and the drinking of his blood:

Principles and practice of leadership and management Essay

Principles and practice of leadership and management - Essay Example According to Egri and Herman, contingent leadership theories are those that predict relations while Hartog (1999) in an in-depth research on culturally implicit theories observes that contingent theories are twofold as attributes embraced in one culture may be discouraged in another. Since there are myriads of these theories, many of them overlap to an extent that merges others into a whole i.e. the transactional, laissez-faire, and transformational/charismatic leadership. Egri and Herman defined transactional leaders as those in charge of subordinates’ work performance to achieve a certain goal whereas the transformational leaders are those that inspire others to achieve their goals, visions, and missions by empowering them.Egri and Herman added that of particular importance in leadership is the behavior of the leader since it acts as a gauge on how to handle his or her subordinates, peers and superiors. Thus shaded light that highly effective leaders are those that are able to use multiple approaches such as human resource, structural, political, symbolic among others to ensure that they influence the team towards achieving their objectives.Culturally based theories expound leadership attributes that are ingrained in any particular culture. He argues that criterion used by different societies to consider one as a leader is of paramount importance since, across cultures, they are quite different if not complex behaviors and attributes that are critically looked for in leadership and may differ in different cultures.... e in charge of subordinates’ work performance to achieve a certain goal whereas the transformational leaders are those that inspire others to achieve their goals, visions and missions by empowering them. Egri and Herman (pp.6) added that of particular importance in leadership is the behavior of the leader since it acts as a gauge on how to handle his or her subordinates, peers and superiors. Thus shaded light that highly effective leaders are those that are able to use multiple approaches such as human resource, structural, political, symbolic among others to ensure that they influence the team towards achieving their objectives. Culturally based theories expound leadership attributes that are ingrained in any particular culture, (Hartog 1999 p.7). He argues that criterion used by different societies to consider one as a leader are of paramount importance since across cultures, they are quite different if not complex behaviors and attributes that are critically looked for in l eadership and may differ in different cultures. This makes the cultural conception of the most characteristics of a leader to vary. Hartog continues to highlight that the Implicit Leadership Theories (ILTs) have over time been employed to explain leadership attributes and perceptions. These theories are based on the general attributes that are universally considered in a leader across cultures. As aforementioned, the ILTs are formed with universally accepted elements such as categorization, prototype etc. which are the backbone of these theories. These theories are employed in almost all the main leadership theories as the root systems for their existence. For instance, in discussing the transactional, laissez-faire and transformational theories, (Hartog 1999, Egri &Herman 2000) the key

Learning and Development in Organisations Essay - 1

Learning and Development in Organisations - Essay Example I will use two other techniques along with direct observation. First, I will visit the nursing homes to interview some of the elderly residents who might have been living there at least for the last six months or so. I will interview them to know the problems that might have been facing in the nursing home. I will design a questionnaire which I will distribute to all residents of those nursing homes. This technique will be useful as I will be able to know the needs of the residents and the problems they might be facing while living in nursing homes. The collected data will help me identify the learning needs of the caregivers. I will analyze the responses to create a list of activities that the caregivers would need to do in order to be able to provide best services to the residents. The second technique that I will use to know the reasons of decreased effectiveness level of caregivers will be taking interviews of caregivers and nurses. This technique will help me know the problems t hat are making it difficult for caregivers to cope with more challenging residents. I will also inquire the reasons behind lack of confidence in dealing with paperwork. I think interviewing the target population is the best thing one can do to know the measures he/she can take to improve the conditions. Answer No. 2 Reading and analyzing the case, I have learned that the caregivers are falling short of providing best services to the residents of nursing homes. The learning needs that I have become aware of through analysis include lack of confidence, lack of knowledge and practice to deal with challenging residents, lack of ability to make quick decisions on their own, low academic qualification, and less wages. To design a learning solution to meet these needs, I would consider some key factors that are playing their role in decreasing the effectiveness level of the nursing homes. I would consider the nature of the job of caregivers to develop the learning solution. I would researc h the basic requirements of this job and the skills that caregivers should have to be employed for this particular job. To me, no job can be done without relevant skills and knowledge. Therefore, I would get an insight into the set of required skills and knowledge that is required by caregivers to perform this job effectively. Next, I would consider the job environment that the owner of the nursing homes has provided to caregivers for doing their jobs at their best. I think job environment plays a key role in determining the effectiveness level of employees of any company or organization. A good job environment makes employees more productive and satisfied with their jobs. On the other hand, a less secure and unhealthy job environment makes employees dull and ineffective which also puts a negative impact on the efficiency and productivity of the company. Therefore, I would analyze the job environment completely in order to know the factors that might have been causing decrease in th e effectiveness level of caregivers. Next, I would analyze the pay scales of the caregivers. I think high salary is one of biggest motivating factors for an employee. Employees receiving high salaries are satisfied with their companies and usually show more commitment and dedication towards their job tasks. On the other hand, employees who receive fewer wages are in constant search of some new job where they can get higher wages and that approach ad mindset decreases their level of productivity and efficiency. Therefore, I wou

Cross Cultural Application Of Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Commerce Essay

Cross Cultural Application Of Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Commerce Essay Studies have proposed that the effective use of human capital is likely the most important determinant of organisational performance (Adler, 1991 cited in Fey 2005). This has prompted organisations to seek for ways to motivate their employees to work to their full potential and to ensure optimal organisational performance. Once of the most cited and discussed theories of motivation is Abrahams Maslows Hierarchy of needs, which is same as with other popular motivation theories, Maslows model was based on research carried out on individuals from the United States (Fatehi, 1996, Gibson 1994). While it is reasonable to assume that this theory can help managers in America, the question arises as to its applicability to international management. The aim of this essay is to address that question using America and China as case studies. This essay is structured into three parts, the first part of this essay would consist of an overview of the various theories of motivation, the second part w ould look at Hofstedes cultural dimensions of individualism and collectivism while the final part would analyse the applicability and implications of using Maslows Theory of Motivation within individualistic and collectivistic cultures (America and China respectively). Motivation According to Bateman and Snell (2007) motivation refers to forces that energize, direct and sustain a persons efforts. Theories of Motivation There are two groups under which motivation theories are classified namely: content theories and process theories. Content theories, also known as the need theories are concerned with the internal factors that motivate an individual. These theories suggest that individual needs keeps changing and that to motivate individuals, it is important to take into consideration these needs and fulfil them. Notable among the content theories is Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory, Herzbergs Hygiene Theory and McClellands Learned Need Theory. On the other side, the process theories of motivation are concerned with the how people initiate, direct and maintain their motivations. These theories see motivation as a rational cognitive process. Examples include Adams equity theory (1963), which assumes that people expect a balance to exist between their contributions and their outcomes. They compare their circumstances with other similar people and if there is any inequity (if it is to their disadvantag e) they adapt their behaviour to lessen that inequity. Vrooms Expectancy Theory (1964) is also part of the process theories. Maslow Hierarchy of Need Theory: Maslows theory suggests that people will satisfy basic-level needs before adjusting behaviour to satisfy higher-level needs. Once a lower need is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivator and the individual progresses to the next need in hierarchical order. Source: Maslows Hieracy of Needs; www.learnmanagement2.com Such needs have been recognized by Maslow and in their hierarchical order, include physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem, and self-actualization. In Maslows model, individuals at the outset desire to gratify physiological needs. Physiological needs are the fundamental human needs which are necessary to maintain life and consist of food, clothing and shelter. Other desires present slight motivation pending the satisfaction of these basic needs. As soon as physiological needs are satisfied, safety becomes the next need. Safety characterizes the need to be liberated of the fear of bodily harm, the want to experience freedom from lack of fundamental physiological needs and the desire for self-protection. Subsequently, the social need arises as the chief need to be satisfied. The social need represents striving for significant relationships with other people. Once the need for significant relationship is fulfilled, the individual begins to seek more personal recogni tion and desires esteem or recognition from other people. The satisfaction of this need produces feelings of self-confidence, prestige, power, and control. After satisfying the need for self-esteem, self-actualization becomes the principal need. Self-actualization represents the desire to take full advantage of ones abilities and be what one is able to be (Maslow, 1970, Hersey, 1996, Gambel and Cianci, 2003). Cultural Dimensions Culture can be defined as a system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and that when taken together constitute a design for living (Hill, 2009 p. 89). According to Hofstede (1984), there are five dimensions of culture namely: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity. Power distance relates to the way a society deals with the fact that people are unequal in intellectual and physical capabilities. The uncertainty avoidance dimension relates to the extent to which different cultures socialised their members to accepting uncertainty and ambiguous situations; According to Hofstede, members of high uncertainty avoidance cultures place a premium of job security, benefits and demonstrate a strong resistance to change while the opposite applies to members of cultures with low uncertainty avoidance. Individualism and Collectivism refers to relationship between the individual and his fellows. In individualistic cultures, bonds between individuals are loose and freedom an individual achievement are valued while in cultures where collectivism is emphasized, bonds are tight and individuals are supposed to look out for the interest of others before his own. Hofstedes masculinity versus femininity dimension refers to the distribution of roles between genders in a particular culture. (Hofstede, 1984, Hill, 2009). Overview of Individualism and Collectivism Individualism Amongst individualistic societies, Hofstede (1984) suggests that individuals desire and gain a high quality of life as a result of success achieved by his or her efforts alone. Achievement, self-actualization, and self-respect describe an individualistic society and furthermore typify self-esteem and self-actualization in Maslows hierarchy of needs. One conserves self-respect and separates work and private life in an individualistic society. In the work organization, completing the job task will come before developing relationships. Collectivism Hofstede (1980) suggests that collectivism can be described by a tight social framework where differences exist between in-groups and out-groups. Individuals expect to be cared for by their fellows, which can consist of relatives, clans, or organizations in exchange for absolute allegiance. Hofstede (1982) also points out that individual are born into a collective society. Consequently, Hofstede (1984) suggests that in a collectivist society, a high quality of life is defined more in terms of the family and close relatives than the individual. In terms of the work environment, individuals from collectivist cultures do not separate their private lives from their jobs, relationships take precedence over job tasks and importance is placed on the development of relationships as a requirement to work together effectively. American and Chinese Culture To better understand the extent to which various factors motivates individuals from different cultures, it important to look at their national culture. The national culture of America and China shall be discussed briefly using Hofstedes (1984) model. Despite the short coming of this model, it is still widely used because it provides data on characteristics of culture based on a large number of respondents from variety of countries. Dimension America China Power Distance 40 80 Individualism 91 20 Uncertainty Avoidance 46 40 Masculinity 62 66 Source: Hofstede, G (1983), The Culture Relativity of Organisational Practices and Theories, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol.14 (4) pp.75-89 American Culture Hofstede argues that, the ordering of needs in Maslows hierarchy represents a value choice Maslows value choice. This choice was based on his mid-twentieth century U.S. middle class values (1984, p. 396). Maslows hierarchy was developed during an era when the American culture stressed individual achievement. The rapid growth of this country, which was facilitated by strong emphasis on education, lifestyle and career opportunities, influenced the formulation the needs demonstrated on Maslows model (Gambel and Cianci, 2003). Hamden, Turner and Trompenaar (1993) argue that the American culture places a lot of emphasis on making the individual self reliant as against being influenced by his or her external environment or others. Nevis (1983) also states that the American culture over the years has developed from assumptions that stress the independence of the individual. It can be confirmed from the research done the Maslows Theory was based on individualism that was prevalent in the Ame rican society. The question therefore arises as to whether this theory can be applied to cultures that are high on the collectivism dimension. Chinese culture Lit et al (2002) state that research on cultural studies identify family oriented collectivism as a key Chinese cultural characteristics. According to Triandis (1996), the Chinese are collectivist individuals. Similarly, Smith and Bond(1993) points out that a lot of research have discovered that the Chinese place a lot of emphasis and importance on family values and hierarchy. This characteristic is also noticed in the work environment; Chinese business practices are influenced by family-oriented collectivism and the structure of their organisations supports the collectivist nature (Nevis 1983, Li et al, 2000). These factors suggest that a Chinese hierarchy of needs would differ significantly from Maslows original model. The main issue concerning Maslows Theory and its ability to apply to Chinese cultures is the aspects of self actualisation and the need for social belonging. Other needs such as physiological and safety needs are basic needs that are present in any culture, although it may not be sought after in the sequence proposed by Maslow. However, his hierarchy of needs places the need for social belonging as being desired after physiological and safety needs are met. While self actualisation is the ultimate need. While these may be applicable in the American society, such cannot be said concerning the Chinese. Being a collectivist culture, one of the main focuses of individuals in such societies is to look out for the well being of their immediate family and relations. Such characteristics are acquired from young as the individuals watch the way their fellows interact. It is therefore not a need that they aspire to or desire but rather one that is already embedded in their environment. This ne ed therefore, cannot be used as a motivator for individuals from collectivist cultures especially China. Another problem with the application of this theory in collectivist cultures is the importance Maslow places of self actualisation. Self actualisation is seen as the chief desire of individuals. While this is possible in cultures that are highly individualistic, the same doesnt apply to collectivist cultures. As demonstrated in the literature on collectivist cultures, the aspect of self is not emphasized while communal thinking is promoted in place of individualistic behaviours. In cultures such as China, the need for Self-actualisation as proposed by Maslow may not exist at all. The implication of this is especially important for managers who are working in cross cultural environment. When using Maslows theory of motivation, it should be clear as to who such motivations are targeted to. Generalising this theory as being applicable to individuals from diverse cultures may not be in the best interest of management as they may not achieve their aim of motivating their employees to full potential. Although Maslows Hierarchy of Need theory is an important contribution that can help managers in motivating their employees, it should be handled carefully when dealing with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

The Story of Hamlet in Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

The Story of Hamlet in Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet has one outstanding character, namely the protagonist Hamlet. His character is so complex that this essay will scarcely present an adequate portrayal of his character.    John Russell Brown in â€Å"Soliloquies and Other Wordplay Let the Audience Share Some of Hamlet’s Thoughts† explains the interplay of dialogue, soliloquies and narrative in Hamlet’s role:    By any reckoning Hamlet is one of the most complex of Shakespeare’s characters, and a series of soliloquies is only one of the means which encourage the audience to enter imaginatively into his very personal and frightening predicament. The play’s narrative is handled so that a prolonged two-way chase is sustained between him and the king, during which the audience knows more than either one of them and so thinks ahead and anticipates events. In interplay with Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Polonius, and perhaps with Claudius, Gertrude and Ophelia, Hamlet has asides to draw attention to what dialogue cannot express(55-56).    Marchette Chute describes the opening scene of the drama: â€Å"For two nights in succession, just as the bell strikes the hour of one, a ghost has appeared on the battlements, a figure dressed in complete armor and with a face like that of the dead king of Denmark, Hamlet’s father. [. . .] The hour comes, and the ghost walks† (35). Horatio and Marcellus exit the ramparts of Elsinore intending to enlist the aid of Hamlet. There is a social gathering of the court, where Claudius pays tribute to the memory of his deceased brother, the former king, and then conducts some items of business. Hamlet is there dressed in black, the color of mourning, for his deceased father. His... ...World of Hamlet.† Yale Review. vol. 41 (1952) p. 502-23. Rpt. in Shakespeare: Modern Essays in Criticism. Rev. ed. Ed. Leonard F. Dean. New York: Oxford University P., 1967.    Rosenberg, Marvin. â€Å"Laertes: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: Univ. of Delaware P., 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958.      

We should embrace nihilism for growth in understanding

â€Å"Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy† (http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm). In a nihilist perspective, there are no beliefs in dogma, religion and other socially constructed norms and standards. Nihilists question the set of universally made way of thinking and that there is nothing real in this world.SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONâ€Å"Social constructs are institutionalized entity or artifacts in a social system, invented or constructed by participants in a particular culture or society that exist because people agree to behave as if it exist, or agree to follow certain conventional rules, or behave as if such agreement or rules existed† (wikipedia.org). Social constructs are created entities in whi ch people or groups of people perceived them to be true. Social constructs are perceived realities that are put into a convention to be turned into social beliefs.Some examples of social constructs are religion, morality, sexuality, class and many more. These social constructs play a major role in people’s daily lives. Social constructs became an integral part of people’s daily lives. These became inevitable realities of their existence. Basically, how people act are based on social constructions. Social constructions dictate the everyday lives of people. Social constructs determine how people will act and what their pattern of actions is. These social constructs are the perceived rightness of actions in a particular given situation. Therefore, people’s lives are controlled and move by social constructs.Social constructs evolve and changes as time pass by. It depends on the richness of thought of human beings. The minds of human beings are very rich and full of possibilities. People have the capability of evolving one system of thought into another. A particular social construct is not permanent and will not last forever because it only depends on the people who were the ones who constructed them. Social constructs are dynamic because the minds of people are also dynamic. What most people are experiencing now may just become a history of tomorrow.THE WORLD AS A REALM OF MEANING AND CAN BE DISCLOSED BY NIHILISMFor Heidegger, he viewed the world as a realm of meanings and possibilities. These possibilities are for Da-sein to discover and the meanings are for Da-sein to assimilate. This world for Heidegger is where the Da-sein is situated and part of the facticities given to the Da-sein. This world is for the Da-sein to discover and understand. The world gives meaning to the existence of man and man is to exhaust these meanings or possibilities. Hence, the world is where the Da-sein interacts and for him to assimilate.This word â€Å"alethei a† describes the world for Heidegger. â€Å"Aletheia† means revelation and concealment which constitutes the world’s disclosedness to man. The world is the realm of meanings for man that man is always in constant assimilation. Even if it reveals itself to man, it also conceals something to man and that the task of man to assimilate and understand is a never-ending task and that Heidegger called man as â€Å"always already understanding the world†.The word â€Å"always† signifies the infinity of understanding that man is task to reveal the world, the never-ending task of correlation and understanding. Man as Da-sein is the very nature and function of man as a being who is thrown into this world. â€Å"Da† means there and â€Å"sein† means being. Da-sein is openness to the world and the readiness of man to exhaust and assimilate. Da-sein is the there of being of man, the very thrown ness of man into a particular context. To understand mo re of man as Da-sein, we will tackle on the succeeding parts the functions of being a Da-sein.According to the great Heidegger, attunement is man’s mood or state of mind in which affects his perception of reality. He viewed man as always in the mood and is always ready to understand reality. Man as being thrown into this world, attunement is already embedded in his being. This attunement as already embedded in the being of man girds man to understand. Given the facticity of Da-sein as being-in-a-world, he is always in the mood to seize reality or to be conscious of reality and thus constituting man’s openness to the world. Da-sein as the there of being is always situated in the world thus, a temporal being.This situated ness of man gives him ample opportunity to correlate with the world and to fulfill his very nature as an understanding being who is already attuned to do so. Man becomes conscious by virtue of interaction, which is the very process of understanding for Heidegger. To correlate with the world is to exhaust its possibilities, to assimilate its meaning. Through interaction, man becomes conscious of reality, becomes conscious of meaning. Reality is already in the realm of meanings, which constitutes the world, and it is only for man that he can be conscious of and that is by virtue of correlating with the world.To question dogma and religion and other social constructs can be a tool for better understanding of reality. As discussed, Heidegger emphasized that man can slowly reveal the reality of beings by correlating with the world which is the world of meaning and possibilities. The world has its own meaning. The nihilistic view in its proper use, such as not totally for destruction but of finding the truth behind the world, it can open man’s eye to the real meaning of this world. Man as Da-sein in being a nihilist can be able to arrive at a better truth regarding the world. The world still has a lot to give in man’s unde rstanding of it that is why dogmas and principles of today must be questioned because it is still not in its absolute state.NIHILISM AS A TOOL TO A BETTER UNDERSTANING OF REALITYMan’s life is full of socially constructed norms and beliefs that are the ones dictating what he ought to do and act. There is religion that dictates morality and there is government that dictates who are enemies and not such as who are terrorists and not terrorists. A society is comprised of many ideas and perspectives that battles to gain monopoly. Man is put in the center of contrasting views.With the birth of nihilism, there came an opportunity to arrive in a truth wherein wrong dogma and beliefs can be erased and replaced with better ones. Nihilism can give good effects if not put in its extreme nature of destruction. Questioning beliefs and dogma is a healthy process to undertake. Through questioning, man can slowly reveal to himself the true essence of his existence. Questioning must also not b e intertwined with destruction because it can be a truly great means for development and better understanding.â€Å"I hope to bring some balance and clarity to a number of realities that seem to attract a great deal of misunderstanding: [1] the very serious issues of violence in Islam [including recent Muslim violence]; [2] the abhorrence that many Muslims have of violence; [stereotypes of Islam and Muslims as inherently violent]; and [4] the larger context of violence in our world [not just the Muslim world], much of which is woven into the fabric of our society in such a way that we may not even regard it as our own violence† (Hussain, 2006). The misunderstandings such as looking as a Muslim to be violent can be corrected by the nihilist perspective. People can arrive to a certain truth that not all Muslims are violent and stereotyping can be erased.NIHILISM AS A TOOL TO END CHAOS AND VIOLENCE IN THIS WORLDThe chaotic world is brought about by the differences in beliefs and norms and even in the practices of different religions. These are products of social constructions. With different beliefs and principles and with the devotion to such beliefs and principles, it brings chaos and even to violence. People seem to impose their own beliefs to other people which also have their own set of beliefs. By imposing one’s beliefs, it creates an atmosphere of competition that gives tensions and chaos to this world.Nihilism can be a tool to end all chaos and find peace in this world. People, in there different perspectives, can look at the common ground of their different beliefs. To question their own beliefs is a healthy process and even comparing their own beliefs to others is also a healthy process. This is an act of nihilism. People will not destroy their principles and beliefs but rather, developing it to be better set of beliefs and principles. One example can be seen in the realm of religion where we can see differences but looking at the greater reality of it, there are much more similarities that can be used in arriving to a better belief, a belief that can be bannered by all people from different contexts. Even the difference of science and religion, if nihilistic perspective can be used in a proper way of dialectics and questioning, people may arrive at a certain truth that science and religion has its common ground and that one will not be an opposition of the other.CONCLUSIONThe world is a realm of meaning and possibilities and is plague with socially constructed beliefs and principles. With the birth of nihilism, which is a perspective that most of a time attributed to destruction, the world may find better understanding in its hand. By the method of questioning which is a healthy process, people can arrive to better understanding of reality and the very principles and beliefs that they believe. Therefore, we should embrace nihilism.BIBLIOGRAPHYBogossian, Paul. What is Social Construction. 03 Mar. 2007Heidegger, Marti n. The Question of Being. New Haven (Conn): College and University Press 1958.Hussain, Amir. Oil and Water: Two Faiths: One God. Pilgrim Pr, 2006.Nishitani, Keiji. Religion and Nothingness. University of California press, 1983.http://www.iep.utm.edu/nihilism/#H5https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_constructionism

Biography of Thomas Jennings, Invented Dry-Cleaning

Biography of Thomas Jennings, Invented Dry-Cleaning Thomas Jennings (1791–Feb. 12, 1856), a free-born African-American and New Yorker who became a leader of the abolitionist movement, made his fortune as the inventor of a dry-cleaning process called â€Å"dry scouring.† Jennings was 30 years old when he received his patent on March 3, 1821 (U.S. patent 3306x), becoming the first African-American inventor to own the rights to his invention. Fast Facts: Thomas Jennings Known For: First African-American to be granted a patentAlso Known As: Thomas L. JenningsBorn: 1791 in  New York CityDied: Feb. 12, 1856 in  New York CitySpouse: ElizabethChildren: Matilda, Elizabeth, James E.Notable Quote: Among the leading matters which would occupy the attention of the meeting, were several important documents lately received from Europe, expressive of the sentiments that a very considerable portion of the people of the British Empire entertained respecting the deplorable situation of the colored people in the United States. Early Life and Career Jennings was born in 1791 in New York City.  He started his career as a tailor and eventually opened one of New York’s leading clothing shops. Inspired by frequent requests for cleaning advice, he began researching cleaning solutions. Jennings found that many of his customers were unhappy when their clothing became soiled. However, because of the material used to make the garments, conventional methods at the time were ineffective in cleaning them. Invents Dry Cleaning Jennings began experimenting with different solutions and cleaning agents. He tested them on various fabrics until he found the right combination to treat and clean them. He called his method â€Å"dry-scouring,† a process now known as dry cleaning. Jennings filed for a patent in 1820 and was granted a patent for the dry-scouring (dry cleaning) process he had invented just a year later.  Tragically, the original patent was lost in a fire. But by then, Jennings process of using solvents to clean clothes was well-known and widely heralded. Jennings spent the first money he earned from his patent on legal fees to buy his family out of slavery. After that, most of his income went to his abolitionist activities. In 1831, Jennings became assistant secretary for the First Annual Convention of the People of Color in Philadelphia. Legal Issues Luckily for Jennings, he filed his patent at the right time. Under the United States patent laws of 1793 and 1836, both slaves and free citizens could patent their inventions. However, in 1857, a slave-owner named Oscar Stuart patented a double cotton scraper that was invented by his slave. Historical records only show the real inventors name as being Ned. Stuarts reasoning for his action was that the master is the owner of the fruits of the labor of the slave both manual and intellectual. In 1858, the U.S. patent office changed its patent regulations in response to a Supreme Court case related to Stuarts patent called Oscar Stuart v. Ned. The court ruled in favor of Stuart, noting that slaves were not citizens and could not be granted patents. But surprisingly, in 1861, the Confederate States of America passed a law granting patent rights to slaves. In 1870, the U.S. government passed a patent law giving all American men including blacks the rights to their inventions. Later Years and Death Jennings daughter, Elizabeth, an activist like her father, was the plaintiff in a landmark lawsuit after being thrown off a New York City streetcar while on the way to church. With support from her father, Elizabeth sued the Third Avenue Railroad Company for discrimination and won her case in 1855. The day after the verdict, the company ordered its cars desegregated. After the incident, Jennings organized a movement against racial segregation in public transit in the city; the services were provided by private companies. The same year, Jennings was one of the founders of the Legal Rights Association, a group that organized challenges to discrimination and segregation and gained legal representation to take cases to court. Jennings died just a few years later in 1859, which was itself just a few years before the practiced he so reviled- slavery- was abolished. Legacy A decade after Elizabeth Jennings won her case, all New York City streetcar companies stopped practicing segregation. Jennings and his daughter had a hand the effort to desegregate public facilities, a movement that lasted well into the Civil Rights Era a century later. Indeed, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s 1963 I Have a Dream speech in Washington, D.C., echoed many of the convictions that Jennings and his daughter had expressed and fought for 100 years before. And the dry-scouring process Jennings invented is essentially the same method used by dry cleaning businesses worldwide to this day. Sources Chamberlain, Gaius. â€Å"Thomas Jennings.†Ã‚  The Black Inventor Online Museum, Gaius Chamberlain.â€Å"Thomas Jennings.†Ã‚  Ms. Darbus: Well Call It, Senior Year! Sharpay Evans: [Sarcastically] Genius., quotes.net.Volk, Kyle G. Moral Minorities and the Making of American Democracy. Oxford University Press, New York.

10 Varieties of Linguistic Siamese Twins

10 Varieties of Linguistic Siamese Twins 10 Varieties of Linguistic Siamese Twins 10 Varieties of Linguistic Siamese Twins By Mark Nichol One of the most intriguing aspects of idiomatic phrases is their fixed nature, an aspect acknowledged in two terms for the class of idioms distinguished by the use of the conjunction and or the conjunction or between the constituent words: irreversible binomials and freezes. (They are also referred to as binomials or binomial pairs, or are identified by the colloquial expression â€Å"Siamese twins.†) Ten sometimes overlapping variations of linguistic Siamese twins (which, because they are often clichà ©s, should be used with caution) follow, including a category for triplets: 1. Binomials connected with and include â€Å"alive and well,† â€Å"nuts and bolts,† and â€Å"skin and bone.† 2. Binomials connected with or include â€Å"give or take,† â€Å"more or less,† and â€Å"win or lose.† 3. Binomials connected with other words include â€Å"dawn till dusk,† â€Å"front to back,† â€Å"head over heels.† 4. Binomials that contain opposites or antonyms include â€Å"days and nights,† â€Å"high or low,† and â€Å"up and down.† 5. Binomials that contain related words or synonyms include â€Å"house and home,† â€Å"leaps and bounds,† and â€Å"prim and proper.† 6. Binomials that contain alliteration include â€Å"friend or foe,† â€Å"rant and rave,† and â€Å"tried and true.† 7. Binomials that contain numbers include â€Å"four or five† note that the linguistic convention is to always state the lower number first (a figurative idiom is this category is â€Å"at sixes and sevens,† meaning â€Å"in a confused state†) 8. Binomials that contain similar-sounding words: â€Å"doom and gloom,† â€Å"out and about,† and â€Å"wear and tear.† This category includes rhyming slang, in which a word or phrase is slang code for a word that rhymes with the second binomial term in the phrase (even though only the first binomial term may constitute the slang) and is either random, as in minces, from â€Å"mince pies,† for eyes, or suggestive, as in trouble, from â€Å"trouble and strife,† for wife. 9. Binomials that contain exact or near repetition include â€Å"dog eat dog,† â€Å"kill or be killed,† or â€Å"neck and neck.† 10. Trinomials, which contain three terms, include â€Å"blood, sweat, and tears,† â€Å"left, right, and center,† and â€Å"win, lose, and draw.† Take care, when using these clichà ©s, to reproduce them correctly (unless you are deliberately and obviously distorting them for emphatic or humorous effect, as when referring to fashionably ripped jeans as â€Å"tear and wear†) so that erroneous usage does not have a negative impact on your overall message. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Inquire vs EnquireHomonyms, Homophones, Homographs and HeteronymsEmpathic or Empathetic?

Astronomy assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Astronomy assignment - Essay Example These observations were more strong evidence that Earth is not the center of all things and that at least one planet orbited the Sun. The weight will change by 21 kg since the mass remain constant because the center of gravity is constant. The gravitational force between you and earth is divided into two components. One is the centripetal force required to keep you moving in a circle, and the rest is your weight. So if the radius increases so does the centripetal force. Thus, the weight goes down. The weight will change just proportional to the earth radius changes i.e. by one third of its current measure. There is gravity near the earth orbit keeping in mind that Earths gravity affects everything at or near the planets surface. We feel the force of gravity on Earth through our mass, and that force also translates into a downward pull of 9.8 meters per second squared However, in deep space, thousands of light years from any object, there is no gravity since the higher you go, the weaker and no gravitational force exists (Chaplin,

Mismatch Repair Genes and Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mismatch Repair Genes and Cancer - Essay Example The study attempted to screen for two major types of mutations. One type of mutation that was tested for was the loss of heterozygosity, which is a type of mutation that generates a change in the type of genetic transmission of cells. The other type of mutation that was screened in the study was microsatellite instability. This mutation is usually observed in long sequences that were composed of repeating segments. These two types of mutations were considered to be important in determining whether a certain gene does influence the development of cancer. The study was conducted in a Portugese hospital, wherein approximately 287 patient subjects participants. These patients were already diagnosed to have breast cancer. In addition, there were 547 individuals who also participated in the study as controls, or individuals who were pre-determined to be normal and healthy. The study wanted to estimate the chances of developing breast cancer based on the presence and number of mutations in the MMR genes that were studied. The MMR genes tested in the investigation included the mismatch repair genes of the MSH family, as well as that of the MLH family. The PMS1 and MUTYH were also other genes that belonged to the MMR class of repair genes.