Mormon Book Essays - Book Of Mormon Witnesses, Three Witnesses

Mormon Book Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claimed that he received the Book of Mormon as a revelation from God. He said that the heavenly being Moroni appeared to him and directed him to some buried gold plates which contained ancient writings. His task then, was to translate these ancient writings with the help of seer stones which were also buried with the gold plates. Smith received strict directions from the heavenly being that he was to show the plates to no one except for appointed individuals. The Book of Mormon in its preface identifies these as eleven persons: the three witnesses and the eight witnesses. A student of religion would now be interested in knowing something about these witnesses, for only then can we evaluate their worth as witnesses. The Book of Mormon names the three witnesses as Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. The book also names the eight witnesses as follows: Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel H. Smith. Who were these persons? And what can we know about them that would give us reason to either believe or disbelieve them as witnesses in this most important matter? A good place to look for information would be the publications of the Mormons themselves, since they should more than anyone else be interested in preserving histories of their principal witnesses. This approach could be used at least as a starting point for gathering information before further scrutiny and investigative work. In this study I would like to turn to two books published by the Mormons to find information about the chief witnesses. The first book is the Doctrine and Covenant, a book of authoritative scriptures for the Mormons. The second book is Church History Timeline by William W. Slaughter, published by Desert Book Company, in Salt Lake City, Utah, 1996. What follows is a brief look at the information these books contain about the witnesses and other key persons associated with the Book of Mormon. My intention here is not to provide a summary of the entire body of information but only to show that what we learn from these books do not give us much confidence in the witnesses and hence in the Book of Mormon itself. The first of the three witnesses is Oliver Cowdery, a rural schoolteacher. He was a scribe to Joseph Smith, and associate president of the Church. In April 12,1838 he was excommunicated from the Mormon Church. He was rebaptized ten years later in November 1848 and died March 3, 1850. Reading this, one must wonder why this chief witness was excommunicated during the lifetime of Joseph Smith his prophet, and be allowed back in the church after his prophet died. Smith was martyred on June 27, 1844. The second of the three witnesses is Martin Harris. He was a prosperous farmer who was known as industrious, honest, and generous. It was his $3000 that financed the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon. But, as William Slaughter informs us: Harris clashed with Church leaders over monetary practices and was excommunicated in December 1837; he was rebaptized November 27, 1842. (Church History Timeline, p. 5). The same Martin Harris was given 116 pages of the book of Mormon after Joseph Smith had translated them with the help of the seer stones. But then he allowed wicked men to take these pages for the purpose of corrupting the translation and then to accuse Joseph Smith of falsehood in his prophetic claim. Why would Martin Harris do this? The Doctrine and Covenants explains that he was a wicked man who sought to destroy Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith relates in his history how Martin Harris had previously taken sample characters from the book of Mormon along with the relevant translation of those characters and received confirmation of these in New York City from a professor Charles Anton and Dr. Mitchell. These men attested that the characters were true characters of the Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac and Arabic, and that the translation so far done by Joseph Smith was accurate. Now, one may wonder why did Harris, after he had received this confirmation, should seek to destroy Joseph Smith. And what value should we attach to the testimony of a man who sought to destroy one whom he believed was God's prophet? Since the Doctrine and Covenants call Harris a wicked man, should we place confidence in his testimony? Or should we

The eNotes Blog Essential Literary Elements, Part1

Essential Literary Elements, Part1 Here at , we’re constantly reading and trying to figure out the myriad meanings found within our favorite texts. One of the ways we try to better understand what’s going on is to refresh ourselves on the many literary elements found in works across literary genres. Let’s look at four essential literary elements in Part 1 of this ongoing series. What Is Alliteration? Alliteration is the repetition of sounds in the same location across consecutive word groups. It most commonly applies to consonants that appear at the beginnings of words. The examples below all show alliteration in several classic texts. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, - Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Raven The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free: - Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossd lovers take their life; - William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet What Is Allusion? An allusion is a passing reference to another literary work, historical text or event, myth, legend, song, etc. The reference is not explained, which means allusions draw on shared knowledge between the writer and the reader. The examples below all show allusion in several classic texts. The wild garden behind the house contained a central apple-tree [] - James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† A big dog ran by like a shadow. - Katherine Mansfield’s â€Å"The Garden Party† I am going to unexplored regions, to ‘the land of mist and snow;’ but I shall kill no albatross; - Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein What Is Foreshadowing? Foreshadowing is when someone or something in the text hints at later events in the story. Sometimes foreshadowing can be subtle, and sometimes it can be more obvious. The examples below all show foreshadowing in several classic texts. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. - W.W. Jacob’s â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† Fifty degrees below zero was to him just precisely fifty degrees below zero. That there should be anything more to it than that was a thought that never entered his head. - Jack London’s â€Å"To Build a Fire† Then come and dine with me, and after meat, We’ll canvas every quiddity thereof; For ere I sleep I’ll try what I can do: This night I’ll conjure tho’ I die therefore. - Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus What Is Imagery? Imagery has several distinctive meanings, but in general, all refer to concrete parts of a literary work instead of abstract ones. This means that a narrow definition of imagery is a visual description of objects or scenes; however, a broader meaning of imagery includes all the references to sensory perception that a text evokes. The examples below all show imagery in several classic texts. Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, - Sara Teasdale’s â€Å"Barter† For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; - Gerard Manley Hopkins’s â€Å"Pied Beauty† To have bitten off the matter with a smile,   To have squeezed the universe into a ball   To roll it toward some overwhelming question, - T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† For more essential literary elements, check out our Part II of this series.

Media in UK and Qatar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media in UK and Qatar - Essay Example There limits of media and the code and conduct is an associated concept that comes along with the technology and other added functions within. Some of these states have it restricted to the state grant and state press and televisions, others offer relatively flexible terms such as United Kingdom is a front runner in this regard and has the world’s one of the strongest and stable media. B.B.C is a world renowned network working on television and radio and is absolutely free of any government interferences. The print media in general became dominant after 1960s. In Great Britain it was introduced in the form of Channel 4, I.T.V and Digital Radio and Television are few other hallmarks of Great Britain’s media sources and strong journalistic foundations. B.B.C was formally introduced towards the early part of 20th century and since televisions were not part of the media at that time, Radio served as the primary source towards reaching out to the people. Nearly whole of the English speaking world was reliant on the B.B.C radio transmission and reporting, hence Great Britain has played an important role in this regard. Newspapers and magazines are the printing form of journalism. Magazines largely make up for the recreational and tabloid material which is based on opinion, entertainment or other weekly and bi monthly editions. Daily Mail and Daily Express are two common examples of U.K. The Times is another similar magazine. Censorship is largely seen in parts of the world where the democratic governments are absent. Paparazzi makes up for an important industry and aspect of British media and most of its content is focused around celebrities and political figures trying to get information of their private lives. Blogs are another modern day concept comprising of the online diaries and personal opinion writing. Globally it is seen that the governments largely influence the policies and content of the media. This often leads to the deviation of the

Performance pay at Safelite Auto Glass Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance pay at Safelite Auto Glass - Essay Example The proposed PPP (Performance Pay Plan) plan introduced at Safelite was initiated with the objective of increasing productivity in installation of glass units Problem arrived when it was observed that productivity in the company has become significantly low. Workers were capable of installing more but their output was not up to the mark. PPP was introduced as it can motivate workers, enhance productivity and permit the employer to differentiate among the payments to his employees. PP Plan is assumed to be an effective plan for enhancing organizational climate which was not in line with the policies of Safelite. The organizational climate determines several features of a company inclusive of responsibility, rewards, standards, flexibility, team commitment and clarity. Problems encountered in the company, are related to lower productivity and the subsequent lower sales volume. The proposed PPP is estimated to boost up the company’s morale, sales and also build long lasting relat ionship between the company and employees, partners and customers. Thus, the plan can be measured to be addressing the productivity problems encountered in the company. As evident form the case, due to implementation of PP Plan, conflict may result in between employees and managers because employees would seek for maximizing their output while managers might pay more attention towards deterioration of quality levels. Employees might pose resistance in introducing new technologies as they might feel that the new technology would have an impact on the standards of production. There might even be reduced willingness of suggesting new methods of production on the part of the employees. There can be increased complaints from the employees that machines and equipments are not properly maintained and that might arrive as a form of excuse. Experienced workers might be reluctant in helping new employees as they will have to keep high focus on their personal level of performances. All these c onsequences can lead to eminent mistrust between management and workers. Assurance of maintaining equipments all the time will be required. This might lead to increased maintenance cost for the operational department and in turn would definitely have an impact on the financial performance of the company. Solution 2 Pros and Cons of Switching from Wage-Rate to Piece-Rate Pay and Evaluation of Safelite Workers There are several advantages of piece rate system of payment that will be enjoyed by Safelite through the step that it has taken for switching from wage-rate to piece-rate system. The first advantage of piece rate system is that it encourages the efficient workers. The workers who are inclined towards working efficiently are motivated to enhance their level of performance and thus results in greater output volume for the company in turn. Through the switching decision, Safelite will be able to reduce idle time which had been an immense problem in its operation. The adopted syste m would provide incentives to workers for adopting improved method of production that will result in their improved earning as well. Safelite would be now able to determine the appropriate cost of labor per unit for submission of quotation. This system would even reduce the production cost per unit due to increased production volume. Another cost will also be reduced through this system which is supervision cost. The advantages are achievable but the switching can also result in certain disadvantages for the company. Review of the past records suggest that piece rate system is not helpful in production of quality outputs as the workers are more concerned about quantity

Nursing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing Case Study - Essay Example Prolonged immobilization is one of the main causes for DVT (Poelkens, et.al., p. 111). In this case, the patient’s decompression surgery could have contributed to the formation of the thrombus, and such thrombus later travelled up his chest cavity, manifesting as pulmonary embolism. Initially, a thrombus which separates from its original site then travels through the circulatory system then on to the inferior venacava (Smulders, p. 23). The right ventricle then pushes the thrombus to the pulmonary arteries where the thrombus eventually lodges. Since the pulmonary arteries branch out to smaller blood vessels, the thrombus will likely lodge itself there (Smulders, p. 23). Multiple thrombi may be seen in the pulmonary area and they may be big or microscopic in size; the bigger ones may totally or partially block the major branches of the pulmonary artery. Such thrombus cuts the blood flow in the pulmonary arteries and this can cause increased resistance to blood flow in the pulmonary blood vessels. In instances of 50-60% decreased perfusion, pulmonary hypertension, right ventricle strain, and cardiac heart failure may occur (McGill University). Pulmonary reflexes also cause the release of humoral substances which then lead to the constriction of pulmonary blood ve ssels, thereby increasing vascular resistance. The pulmonary embolism, along with the patient’s lumbar decompression is causing the manifestation of his other symptoms including: tachypnoea, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, dyspnoea, and fever. Assessment The patient’s pulmonary embolism was diagnosed; however it is still important to note the clinical presentation of this condition in the patient. Since the patient is at a high risk for having PE, it is crucial to note the manifestations of this incident. Some common symptoms include: dyspnoea, pleuritic chest pain, tachypnoea, and tachycardia (Fedullo and Tapson, p. 1247). However, these symptoms cannot sufficiently establish a finding of PE. These symptoms are all apparent in this patient. These may all indeed point to his pulmonary embolism, however, some of these symptoms may be due to his lumbar decompression surgery. Other diagnostic tests may be used in order to detect pulmonary embolism. The first test is the D-dimer test which evaluates

Influence And Power Of Political Dynasties Politics Essay

Influence And Power Of Political Dynasties Politics Essay The political dynasty undoubtedly plays an influential role in Philippine society. Families of political dynasties are sitting side by side to deliberate on important legislations that will affect the future of more than 80 million Filipinos both young and old for generations to come (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). It has been often contended that political dynasties go against the values upheld by democracy since it does not provide an equal opportunity for people to hold offices of power and service. With the set-up of the political dynasty, it seems as if positions of power are exclusively dominated by a particular clan or family. Arguably, the political dynasty is said to monopolize the system of governance since it limits the chances of other common Filipinos to serve the people. It creates a brain drain in the sense that the new and capable leader who could possibly perform better than those currently in office, would not be given an opportunity when running against someone wi th a name. Former Mayor, and now DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo of Naga City, who has firmly stood against political dynasties, he believes, The right to serve does not belong to one family alone. Ordinary people who deserve to be empowered should be given the opportunity to serve the community,  [1]  (Medel, 2007).It is undeniable that there are candidates who are voted into office simply because of their name and fame. Sons, siblings and even wives of politicians people who have no knowledge whatsoever of how to lead and serve, are voted into office simply because of their connection to previous leaders. Electoral votes are not so much based on the capability of one to serve, but rather on the name carried by one who is running. It is quite obvious that the family name of an elected official or a potential candidate plays a big role in the success of one who falls under the category of being part of a political family. It can be identified that power can be seen not only in exe rcises of excess but also in tangible things such as a candidates family name. This symbolic power could be seen as a perpetuation of the power system that runs through a political dynasty since it plays a big role in a dynastys continued existence and evolution. The validity of the political dynasty has always remained a highly debatable matter. Why do traditional political clans that which do not ground their resources based on their economic stance, still exist in the Philippine political arena despite some rejections by others that it does not provide equal opportunities for other candidates to run for public office? What key elements existing in these political dynasties make them dominant in the political arena up until today? Does the existence of the political dynasty really help the Filipino people, or is it just making the political maturity of the nation stagnant? (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). Despite the negative connotation brought about by political dynasties and its detrimental effects throughout Philippine history, political dynasties are not entirely negative and can bring certain positive effects. The solution to stop the negative effects linked to political dynasties is not to ban political dynasties in general, but inst ead, to educate people to vote more responsibly in choosing a leader. In this paper, I intend to find the factors that make political dynasties relevant today in the face of a democratic Philippine society by taking into consideration Michel Foucaults theory on power and Vladimir Lenins theory on organization. In line with what Michel Foucault mentioned in his work, Discipline and Punish, political dynasties in the Philippines are unique in a way that they possess dynamic qualities that keep them surviving up until today. He stressed in his work that power is exercised in ways that it can be excessive to maintain order and discipline in society. The example would be that of Francois Damiens  [2]  , who was publicly tortured and executed for his attempt to assassinate the sovereign. As Foucault recounts the event, one can see the display of the excessive use of power to punish Damiens for his actions, as seen in his recount wherein à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Damiens, who cried out profusely, though without swearing, raised his head and looked at himself; the same executioner dipped an iron spoon, in the pot containing boiling potion, which he poured liberally over each wound  [3]  (Focault, 1977). Here we can see the sovereigns excessive use of power to punish a subject who attempted to challen ge his sovereignty by attempting to take his life. Francois Damiens public torture and execution was made as an example to others that contesting the kings sovereignty would be subject to the same level of punishment or worse. What Michel Foucault was reiterating in his account of Damiens torture is that power is primarily being exercised on the body as a means of strategizing the deployments of power rather than to punish the violator by causing physical pain. The crime committed by Damiens was against the body of the king; therefore, the punishment that was given to the violator was also against his body, through the form of torture. The pain caused to the body was clearly not intended only for the body alone but rather reached out to those who have witnessed or heard about the execution. The gravity of such an event still touches on modernity in a way that whoever reads or hears about such an event could still feel the gravity of the excessive use of power. During the early 18th century, there was a display of excessive torture on the body according to Michel Foucault. In a span of a few decades, the process of torture became a process of organized disciplinary action in the form of a penal justice system. This evolution of torture saw the disappearance of punishment on the body and a loosening of the hold of the sovereign over the body. In the disappearance of punishment, it enters into the abstract consciousness of society rather than of perceptions. Moreover, there is a focus on the effectivity of punishment rather than of spectacles, wherein it focuses only on visibility or intensity of punishment such as that of Foucaults account of Damiens torture. On the loosening of hold of the sovereign on the body, one can see that punishment no longer touched the body but rather as Foucault would state, The body now serves as an instrument or intermediary: if one intervenes upon it to imprison it, or to make it work, it is in order to deprive the individual of a liberty that is regarded both as a right and as property  [4]  (Focault, 1977). In the spectacle of scaffolds, executioners served as the kings hand in punishing offenders. As time passed, doctors, psychiatrists, guidance counselors, judges and jail wardens now took over the executioners role of administering punishment. As Foucault aptly put it, To sum up, ever since the new penal system that defined by the great codes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries has been in operation, a general process has led judges to judge something other than crimes; they have been led in their sentences to do something other than judge; and the power of judging has been transferred in part, to other authorities than the judges of the offence.   The whole penal operation has taken on extra-juridical elements and personnel.  [5]  (Focault, 1977). Negative Sides to Political Dynasties The very excess of the violence employed is one of the elements of glory: the fact that the guilty man should moan and cry out under the blows is not a shameful side effect, it is the very ceremonial of justice being expressed in all its force. Hence no doubt those tortures that take place even after death: corpses burnt, ashes thrown to the winds, bodies dragged on hurdles and exhibited at the roadside. Justice pursues the body beyond all possible pain  [6]  (Focault, 1977) Similar to what Foucault had studied about power relations, this paper, uses the same theory but relates it to the phenomenon of political dynasties in the Philippines. Throughout Philippine history, the political dynasty has taken on a negative connotation. Often linked to problems like graft, corruption, and abuse of power, it has taken on a detrimental role to society. Perhaps the most infamous of all would be the political dynasty of the Marcos family. Alleged to have embezzled between US$5 billion and US$10 billion from the Philippines, Transparency International  [7]  has ranked Ferdinand Marcos at second on a list of the worlds most corrupt political leaders of the past two decades; surpassed only by former Indonesian President Suharto (Ferdinand Marcos: Killer File, 2000). Names like the Estradas/Ejercitos and the Singson families have also linked the image of the political dynasty to allegations of graft and corruption. Luis Chavit Singson, governor of the province of Il ocos Sur, alleged that he had personally given Estrada the sum of 400 million pesos as payoff from illegal gambling profits such as jueteng, as well as 180 million pesos from the government price subsidy for the tobacco farmers marketing cooperative. Singsons allegation caused an uproar across the nation, which culminated in Estradas impeachment trial by the House of Representatives in November 13, 2000. A more recent example, would be that of the Ampatuans, whose name has been thrust to the limelight after the event of the Maguindanao Massacre  [8]  where 58 individuals consisting of their family rivals, the Mangudadatus, relatives and some journalists were shot and killed preventing them from filing their patrons certificate of candidacy. Families linked to political dynasties flood the news with allegations of all sorts of crime ranging from corruption, theft, murder and even rape. Regardless of whether these are proven or unproven, it all translates into the tarnished and dirty image that the political dynasty holds in todays society. This is exactly what Michel Foucault talks about in the spectacle of the scaffold wherein there is a display of an excessive use of power through torture. As Foucault mentions, there are three criterions where punishment must follow in order to fall under the category of torture. The first being, that it must manifest pain on a certain degree, that could be seen in the example of Francois Damiens torture. The second being that such pain is regulated in a way that suffering is maximized rather than imposing death immediately because this suffering would insure a more effective notice of change on the offenders part. Last but not least, perhaps the most important would be that torture ma rks the individual and that it should serve as a spectacle. Torture marking the individual means that there is a reclaiming of the sovereign by the ruler and that the making of the execution as a spectacle would serve as a public display of the rulers sovereignty. Such a public execution seeks to reach out to the whole of the society by letting the thought of punishment run through their consciousness making them aware of the total power of the sovereign, them serving as his subjects. The context of the logic of torture is that there is contempt for body, wherein the body serves a possession of the sovereign. There is a political need for the sovereign to display his power which will serve as a recognition of his dominance over his subjects. In addition, this display of power actually runs through an internal organization of politicization and serves as a disciplining factor towards order. As Foucault mentions how the Enlightenment period called torture as an atrocity, atrocity is one of those that best designates the economy of public torture in the old penal practice.  [9]  (Focault, 1977) Further, he states that insofar as being the crime before everyones eyes in all its severity, the punishment must take responsibility for this atrocity: it must bring to light by confessions, statements, inscription that make it public, it must reproduce it in ceremonies that apply it to the body of the guilty person in the form of humiliation and pain. Atrocity is that pa rt of the crime that the punishment turns back as torture in order to display it in the full light of day  [10]  (Focault, 1977) In light of Michel Foucaults study of power, he shows how the display of excessive power can serve as a negative connotation towards disciplining society. In relation to the existence of political dynasties, their display of excessive power by means of running private armies or reliance on coercion in order to establish and maintain their power, could very well serve as a detriment to public order as well as to their own existence. This is where Vladimir Lenins theory on organization can come into play because power alone in a democratic society, especially excessive power, can clash with the values of democracy while power coupled with proper organization could compromise with the said values. Organization, furthermore, would tweak how power is distributed, dispersed and used on the sovereigns subjects. In the case of political dynasties where power is seen to be a tool used for political domination, power alongside organization can produce an effective dynasty, which operates on be half of and for the public rather than for itself and its interests. Good Sides to Political Dynasties In his book, What is to be done?, Vladimir Lenin talks about the importance of organization to serve as a focusing of all efforts towards a certain goal. An organized exercise of power would mean that there is a proper system that is undergone where it is both regulated and directed towards achieving a goal rather than just a spectacle. In the case of political dynasties, despite the weaknesses that they are prone to, it also has its strengths. Political dynasties provide continuity and political stability which is particularly obvious in provinces such as those held by the Josons of Nueva Ecija, Ortegas of La Union, and Dys of Isabela. There is minimal political risk and this plays a huge role when it comes to investments. With the continuity offered by political dynasties, investors can be assured that laws do not change mid-stream of an investors project and that business agreements made in the past would still be upheld in the succeeding generations. This sparks an interest in t erms of foreign corporations doing business in third world countries since it takes out premium on political instability insurance (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). Furthermore, this continuity assures that the desired goal is achieved overtime and will be implemented throughout a long-term establishment made by these dynasties. In addition, their continued existence help promote continued progress and development, so long as the succeeding leader is actually capable and not just voted for his namesake. For example, a son who is to take the place of his fathers position in office, would be able to benefit from the experience and guidance of his father. Assuming that the succeeding leader has been trained from early on by the example of good leaders who have also lead from his dynasty, he would be able to emulate the good qualities and learn from mistakes made in the past as well as assure the constant upholding of the good qualities taught by his predecessors. By this process of lear ning from the example of the previous generations, they would have a huge advantage in terms of leadership and experience. An example of a prosperous region, which has been ruled under a political dynasty for over a century, is La Union. The family of Ortegas have occupied elective and appointed positions in the province since the 20th century. In 1901, Joaquin Ortega was appointed governor by the US colonial administration. In 2006, ten Ortegas were holding various elective posts in La Union  [11]  (Medel, 2007). The prosperity of the region speaks clearly, of how well the dynasty has managed. Boasting a 97% literacy rate and a 94.77% employment rate, La Union is classified as a first class province (La Union, 2007). The City of San Fernando is now the seat of national government agencies in Region I and center of trade, commerce, financial and educational institutions, among others. From a deep rooted potential of stable community governance, to international shipping, an airport with viable capacity to accommodate international air traffic, natural terrain conducive to tourism development and a pe ople endowed with cultural and virtuous heritage of industry, spirituality, nationalism and aspiration for growth, peace and prosperity, the City of San Fernando has emerged as the booming Metropolis of the North. (San Fernando City). In response to issues raised regarding the continued existence of a political dynasty in the region, Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega replies, It is not an issue. Why punish people who deliver? Like in Frankfurt, they have a Mayor for 25 years and she keeps delivering. Look how developed Frankfurt is. It is not an issue if you are in power for a long time. It is not actually the length of service. It is the quality of service that you give. If the leader delivers, why punish him/ her? On the other hand, if you have a term limitation, three years is too long kung hindi naman nagdedeliver,  [12]  (Medel, 2007). Another respectable leader belonging to families with a background in political dynasties include Senator Mar Roxas, son of the illustrious Senator Gerry Roxas, and the grandson of the venerable President Manuel Roxas whose public service careers have greatly benefited the country. Mars public service life began in the House of Representatives in 1993. After his congressional stint, he was appointed as Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry; and then in 2004, he was elected to the Senate with a staggering 20 million votes the largest ever obtained by a candidate in any Philippine election. Mars stint in the House is most noted for his principal authorship of RA 7880, also known as the Roxas Law, which ensures fair distribution of the education capital budget among all the provinces. This gave life to his advocacy for fair and equitable access to education, free from regional bias and political patronage considerations. Owing to his record of accomplishments as a public se rvant and political leader, the international community described Mar as one of the young leaders in politics and business who will bring Asia and the Pacific to the forefront of world affairs. (Senator Mar A. Roxas) At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mar was named as one of the Global Leaders of Tomorrow who is expected to shape the future. (Senator Mar A. Roxas) Recently, the Singapore Government has awarded him as the 16th Lee Kuan Yew Fellow (Senator Mar A. Roxas). Another example of a leader who has chosen to stick by his principles despite the temptations offered by that of a political dynasty is Governor Barbers. Governor Robert Lyndon S. Barbers is the eldest son of Senator Robert Bobby Z. Barbers and Vergie Smith of Makati City. The family has a deep-rooted background in politics. His brother was second district Rep. of Surigao del Norte and was succeeded by other family members who ran for governor in the province. Despite his familys involvement in a political dynasty, Lyndon Barbers has made a clear stand against nepotism; relatives are banned from benefiting from any project on account of his position as Governor. This has been proven on several instances. A relative of his was once caught operating a sand-gravel quarrying business without a license or permit and was brought to court. In another instance, a cousin of his was arrested for illegal gambling operations  [13]  (Medel, 2007). In addition, there are many other families be longing to political dynasties that have also contributed a great deal into building the nation and serving its people. Families like the Magsaysays, Osmenas, Biazons, Cayetanos, Villars, Duavits, Escuderos, Espinas, Gordons, Madrigals, Mitras Plazas, and Rectos have done a good job of keeping a clean image. These are the leaders who prove that the political dynasty can be beneficial to society so long as it does not abuse its power. It cannot be discounted that one will not practice the use of power, although, there can be ways wherein this power can be diverted into good reasons to achieve societal order and development. This is what Vladimir Lenin is stresses when he mentions in his work that, Such workers, average people of the masses, are capable of displaying enormous energy and self-sacrifice in strikes and in street, battles with the police and the troops, and are capable (in fact, are alone capable) of determining the outcome of our entire movement but the struggle against the political police requires special qualities; it requires professional revolutionaries  [14]  (Lenin, 1902). In this quotation, Lenin stresses that organizing a mass of people requires a strategic use of power as opposed to a fueling of the mobs emotions. A possible historical example would be that of the American Revolution in contrast to the French revolution. The French revolution had failed to recognize their freedom becaus e they failed to organize their efforts of systemizing their revolution. The leaders of the French revolution relied solely on power and doing so led to the abuse and struggle of power. In the end, the French revolution served as a spectacle of disorganization, wherein towards the end, Napoleon Bonapartes emergence to take hold of power was recognized. This emergence of Napoleon from this disorganization is an opposite to that of an organized succession and transfer of power seen in the American Revolution. The American Revolution, through proper organization, gave birth to freedom, liberty and equality among the states. The transfer and succession of power from one president to another required organization as well as a regulation of their, being the presidents, powers. The political dynasty has its own share of pros and cons. There are examples of good political dynasties as well as bad ones. However, it is usually the faults of the political dynasty that are highlighted and scrutinized. More often than not, the news is filled with reports about charges of theft, plunder and whatnot. As a result of which, many have turned to the solution of trying to ban political dynasties completely. Laws Regarding Political Dynasties In terms of the legality of political dynasties, Art. II, Sec. 26 of the Constitution says, The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. However, there is no clear definition of political dynasties and therefore the provision is none self-executing. It is the most ignored policy by Congress due to certain reasons. The framers left it to the congress to define political dynasties which it has not done (Cruz, 2007). This loophole in the law has allowed the political dynasty to continue up to the present day even if it is technically not allowed. The only law being actively enforced to prevent the abuse of power is the term limits on elective positions. However, providing a term limit for elective officials is easily countered by having families pass on their power. To retain political hold on his constituents, a forcibly retired official arranges to have his wife, a mistress, one of his children, his own siblings, or a parent to occupy his position for one term. After which, he will be qualified again to run for office (Cruz, 2007). In an effort to ban political dynasties, there was an anti-dynasty bill that was filled by Majority Floor Leader Arthur Defensor of Iloilo. Section Five of House Bill 783, which reads, Any person who has a political dynasty relationship with an incumbent elective official is disqualified from running for any elective public office within the same city and/or province where the elective public official is running. This bill will only be proactive. It will not affect those who are already currently holding positions. The bill also limits the definition of a political dynasty relationship as existing only among relatives up to the second degree of affinity or consanguinity. Thus, only the spouse, children, siblings or parents of the incumbent are deemed disqualified and similar in-law relationship. The bill disallows a relative of an incumbent from running for a position like governor, vice governor, mayor, vice mayor, as these positions are vested executive power. Another distinct feat ure of this bill is that it allows relatives of the incumbent to run for posts such as board member or councilor where power is shared owing to the collegial nature of the office. The idea of the bill is to bar relatives from holding positions where power is concentrated in an individual, but not from positions where decision-making is made through deliberation and consensus (Bordadora, 2007). Solution to Problems Regarding Political Dynasties Although this new bill seems like a good and effective idea for countering the negative effects of the existence political dynasties, it has yet to have been decided by legislators whether this will be fully implemented or not. It is up to the Congress to decide whether this bill will be passed and it seems highly unlikely that they will do so. This is partly due to the fact that political dynasties have become so much a part of the current system of governance that it is almost impossible to change. I dont think it has much of a chance under the present Congress, stated Defensor regarding his opinion on possibility of the bill being passed (Bordadora, 2007). Like it or not, the emergence of political dynasties in the Philippines still operate well within the framework of so-called democracy (PHILIPPINEPOLITICS.NET., 2000). No matter how much effort is put against the political dynasty, it is here to stay. It is simply futile to hope for any change regarding the current laws on political dynasties. Instead of looking at something that is simply out of reach, people should realize that there lies a much simpler solution. It would be impossible to ban all political dynasties in general; however, it is possible to put an end to the bad political dynasties. People should realize that they are the ones who elect their leaders into office. No matter how strong a political dynasty may be, sovereignty is held by the people. At the end of the day, it will be the people to decide whether or not a dynasty will be succeeded. Absolute power is when you have a dictatorship. We still have to go through an election. The electorate will be the ones to dic tate who are the ones who will lead. The people have the power, not the officials  [15]  (Medel, 2007). All this talk about outlawing political dynasties and its bad effects would not even be necessary if people were to vote more responsibly. What is happening in todays society is that the people are the ones choosing to make themselves powerless. They are quick to find faults in the system and demand for change, yet they do nothing to actually work for change. People need to realize that as much as the bad political dynasties are to blame, they are also responsible for allowing these dynasties to remain in power. Ultimately, people have the power to put a stop to political dynasties if the need arises. If they see that a certain dynasty abuses their power, they possess the power and responsibility to vote towards a change in leadership. On the other hand, if a dynasty is doing a good job, then they have the option to allow the dynasty to continue in the succeeding generations. According to then Representative of Tarlac and now President Benigno Aquino, the issue of whether a member of a political family should continue in office or not is a matter of public choice. At the end of the day, people deserve the government they get, he said (Cusi, 2004). That being said, these traditional political dynasties, that which do not ground their resources based on their economic stance, are still existing up to this day because they dont just merely exercise power on behalf of their families but rather they direct this power towards an ordered use to improve the publics welfare which is the way its supposed to be in a democratic society. While progress continues to be delivered by these political clans to their constituents, then their dominance and relevance in the Philippine political arena and society will be here to stay. On the other hand, if one lacks or exceeds in either their organization or exercise of power, then that dynasty is bound to fail. All in all, it is difficult to make a generalization whether the political dynasty is in fact good or bad since this would differ on a case-to-case basis. It can be detrimental to Philippine society on some instances, yet beneficial on other cases. There are both good political dynasties and bad ones. Each political dynasty has its own strengths and weaknesses and it is the duty of the people to be the judge. The political dynasty, like any other system of leadership, is prone to error. After all, no system of government is truly perfect; problems will always arise. What are needed are the unified efforts of each and every individual to continually strive in building the nation into a better place.

Religion and Relationships in Christina Rossetti’s Work Essay -- Gobli

Religion and Relationships in Christina Rossetti’s Work Our dreams are commonly known as the subconscious manifestations of our inner desires. Creative writing, like dreams, can represent an outlet, a method of pseudo-fulfillment for those unrealized wishes or fears. In the case of much fiction, especially poetry, these hidden triumphs are often so subtle that the reader may not recognize the achievement or the repressed emotion to which it relates. Christina Rossetti is known as one of the primary female figures of the Victorian Period. The majority of her poetry falls into one of two categories: religion and relationships. Many of her poems on relationships included a theme of death, yet often centered on the relationship between the dead or dying and their loved ones. She wrote a number of poems on love, as well, but these often bring forth a sense of loss, avoidance, fear, or disbelief. Based on some of these love poems and the fact that she was reportedly in love twice during her lifetime, it seems clear that Christina Rossetti was no stranger to the desires of humanity. We, as people, tend to have a natural urge to be seen on a very personal level, to be understood for that which makes us unique, and to be loved in spite of these things. Rossetti’s â€Å"religious poetry acknowledged these longings and formed an outlet for them. Many of her ‘poems explore what she saw as the great danger that the Victorian cult of love and marriage posed to the souls of woman’† (Touchà © 4). She held very strongly to her faith and is reported to have turned down two men whom she dearly loved because of religious differences that she could not overcome. â€Å"As a deeply religious woman she was afraid somebody ‘could co... ...J. and Vivienne J. Rundle, ed. The Broadview Anthology of Victorian Poetry and Poetic Theory. Orchard Park: Broadview Press,1999. Everett, Glenn. â€Å"The Life of Christina Rossetti.† Victorian Web. 26 Nov. 2004. 14 Dec. 2004. . â€Å"Maid.† Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. 1976. Rossetti, Christina. â€Å"Promises Like Pie-Crust.† Net Poems. 2003. 13 Dec. 2004. . Touchà ©, Julia. â€Å"The Longing for Motherhood and the Concept of Infertility in the Poetry of Christina Rossetti.† Victorian Web. 26 Nov. 2004. 14 Dec. 2004. . â€Å"Virgin.† Def. 1a. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. 1976. Womble, Alison. â€Å"Sappho and Christina Rossetti II.† Victorian Web. 26 Nov. 2004. 14 Dec. 2004. .

Human Activities Harming the Earth Essay

I. Introduction Thesis statement: There are many actions being implemented by humans that harm the earth and its climate, some of which are deforestation, the use of CFCs and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions. II. Body A. Deforestation and the increase of temperature. 1. Effect of plantation on the earth 2. What happens to the atmosphere 3. What happens to the temperature B. Greenhouse Gases cause global warming 1. Radiation absorbed by the earth 2. Greenhouse gases link with the radiation 3. Global warming and greenhouse gases C. Gases that deplete the ozone 1. What they are and their usage 2. CFC’s and the ozone 3. Ozone depletion and UV rays III. Conclusion A. Human activities that contribute to harming the earth such as deforestation, and use of harmful chemicals should be stopped. Human Activities Harming the Earth One of the most dangerous environmental hazards is global warming; it is causing a dramatic increase in the temperature around the globe. Some people don’t think that global warming is actually happening and assume that the sun, glaciers and oceans are the only factors that are responsible for regulating the earths temperature and that computer models are not reliable since they are â€Å"guessing† the temperature change that would occur later on and that is true. There are many actions being implemented by humans that  harm the earth and its climate, some of which are deforestation, the use of CFCs and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions. First, deforestation is the removal of trees and plants for building and creating space for development, an ignorant person would think that this is a normal thing while on the other hand removing trees will increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere because their removal would mean that there are le ss plants to photosynthesize. This process is like the breathing process of humans but it takes in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen anyone should at least know that this is a good thing because carbon dioxide is a harmful gas that also traps heat causing the earth’s temperature to increase because nothing is making a good use out of it. This is the cycle of how deforestation increases the temperature of the earth, Plants are removed, consequently Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increase and causes the temperature in that area and anywhere the carbon dioxide goes to to increase. In addition to deforestation, the use of CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons) is also extremely dangerous since they contribute to an increase of cancer casualties. CFCs are most commonly used in fire extinguishers, air conditioners and refrigerators. As El-Hinnawi explains in the book Global Environmental Issues, When these gases are used, they rise to the atmosphere because they are lighter than air and are later on are converted by UV radiation to ozone-destroying catalyst to add on to this issue these gases are extremely stable. (1982, P. 61-63). These gases have been banned of use except in cases of emergencies but they still exist and are being used and they cause the ozone in the earth to deplete. This is caused when CFCs are used these gases are lighter than air; so they travel up the earth reaching the atmosphere that consists of ozone making a chemical reaction that changes ozone to oxygen. The ozone is responsible for blocking UV radiation from entering the atmosphere, but now since we have a â€Å"hole† in the ozone more UV radiation enters the earth this means we are more vulnerable to radiation that is cancer causing. Finally, the emissions of greenhouse gases. These gases are responsible for keeping the earth’s temperature warm and life supporting by trapping heat, but what happens when these gases are being emitted by factories and daily human activities such as transportation, electricity and agriculture the amount of these gases in the atmosphere is increasing and the issue is that these gases trap in heat  radiated by the earth that should instead be reflected out causing the temperature to increase then as a consequence more water vapor that is also a heat trapping gas thus causing a change in rainfall patterns, sea level, temperature and ecological balance. These activities include burning fossil fuels, industrial emissions or industrial processes. This means the more the greenhouse gas emissions the more the temperature would rise. To sum up, the fact that the planet earth is being harmed has to be accepted. Some of the many harmful activities that include but are not limited to deforestation, the use of CFC’s and emissions of greenhouse gases. Many solutions have been given by environmentalists to stop this mayhem and damage some of these are for deforestation is banning the cutting down of trees in specific places, encouraging agriculture and reforestation. For chlorofluorocarbons it is really unfortunate that there is no way for them to be removed except when they degrade after a 100 years or so, a decision to ban them has been taken prior to that (Montrà ©al protocol). Also, for greenhouse gas emissions many solutions are being worked on such as cars that run using electricity and using nuclear power, hydroelectric power and solar power to provide electricity. Human activities nowadays are definitely hurting the earth’s environment and these rules and restrictions have to be implemented. References How we know global warming is real. (2008). Skeptic, 31-37 ,80. Aggarwal, A., & kumari. (2013). Depletion of the Ozone Layer and Its Consequences: A Review. American Journal of Plant Sciences. Archer, D., & Rahmstorf, S. (2010). The Climate Crisis. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. El-Hinnawi, E., & Hashmi, M.-U.-H. (1982). Global environmental issues. Dublin, Ireland: United Nations Environment Programme. Siddens, S. (2001, July). Rescuing the ozone. Specifying Engineer, 30(1).

Brutus’s Speech vs. Antony’s

The Speech That Changed Everything In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Mark Antony must win the support of the Romans by making a speech to them. The two former friends become enemies. They share different beliefs in what is right in their eyes. Brutus wants to take the place of Caesar and become powerful. Antony wants justice for his best friend, Caesar. However, Shakespeare pits Mark Antony’s speech against Brutus’ speech. Antony’s speech is persuasive, and heartfelt. He understands the Romans unlike Brutus. Brutus’ speech is brief and not heartfelt.Mark Antony becomes victorious in winning the hearts of the Romans by having his speech be more rhetoric and effective than Brutus’ speech. Brutus’ â€Å"Romans, Countrymen, and Lovers† speech is brief, precise, and gets to the point. He tells the people of Rome that Caesar is ambitious even though he does not prove that he was ambitious. Brutus also tells the Romans that Caesar w ill mostly likely be corrupt because all the other rulers before him were corrupt. For example, Brutus says, â€Å"Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? (3. 2. 3-24)† He tells the people of Rome that if Caesar was ruler, everyone would be slaves. Brutus tells them that he actually did them a favor. Brutus convinced the Romans, but he didn’t convince them for long. If he understood how they felt he would have fully convinced them. Mark Antony’s â€Å"Friends, Romans, Countrymen† speech is more rhetoric, persuasive and he put a lot of thought into it. After Brutus called Caesar ambitious, Antony gave excellent reasons on why he actually wasn’t ambitious. For example, Mark Antony says, â€Å"When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man (3. 2. 94-97). † Mark Antony was ab le to turn the word honorable around to mean dishonorable. He put it in a respectful, but sarcastic way. Antony understands how the Romans feel about the death of Julius Caesar. They are angry, confused, and sad just like Antony. Antony relates to the Romans by saying, â€Å"My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me (3. 2. 108-109). † By saying these powerful words the Romans and Antony share the same amount of suffering towards Caesar’s death.Mark Antony was able to convince an audience, who at first were against him, to be on his side. Mark Antony and Brutus both tried to make their speeches convincing and persuading. Mark Antony’s speech was very successful unlike Brutus’. His speech is also better than Brutus’. The people of Rome rooted for Brutus until Antony made his speech. If Brutus went after Antony, he might have been the more successful one. The people of Rome will follow anyone which is why th ey rooted for Antony because he spoke last. As Cassius puts it, â€Å"the Romans are but sheep (1. 3. 106). Mark Antony used more rhetorical questions in his speech to help persuade the Romans and Brutus did not. Brutus was less persuasive than Antony. He also treats the Romans like they are nothing but peasants. Antony calls the Romans his friends. Shakespeare does pit Mark Antony’s speech against Brutus’ speech. Even though Brutus gained the support of the Romans, it was not for long. Brutus just wanted power so he didn’t really have a passion in his speech. Mark Antony wanted justice for Caesar who made him passionate and sincere in his speech. Overall, Mark Antony’s speech won the hearts of the Romans.

Philosophy Of Science (Falsification) Example

Philosophy Of Science (Falsification) Example Philosophy Of Science (Falsification) – Coursework Example Philosophy of Science: Falsification Response to the First Criticism A falsificationist can indeed propose theories that he/she believes that are nottrue, but subject to falsification. But despite this fact, a falsificationist would find it practically difficult to practice science because science mainly involves the application of scientific theories in different kinds of situations that the theory promises to explain, but not looking for an evidence to refute the theory. Many discoveries in science are made through the application of scientific theories in many situations that the theory promises to explain. For this reason, therefore, although a falsificationism is a theory of whether science produces theories, and a falsificationist can, indeed, propose a scientific theory, in actual practice, however, a falsificationist would find it difficult to practice science. The actual practice of science requires the application scientific theories to different situations so as to uncover and discover more facts, rather than looking for an evidence to contradict the theory. In some instances, scientists even ignore some anomalies or some falsifying evidence in a scientific theory, and go ahead to apply the theory in different situations. If scientists strictly follow Popper’s falsification method, some scientific theories such as those of Copernicus, Newton, and Darwin, would have been thrown in their infancy. For this reason, therefore, it is practically impossible for a falsificationist to practice science.Response to the Second CriticismFor Karl Popper, the more a scientific theory resists falsification, the stronger the scientific theory. What this means for Karl Popper is that, as long there are ways to prove a scientific theory false, the more the theory resists falsification the stronger the scientific theory. This, however, does not mean that the more evidence we have of a theory, the stronger is the theory. For Popper, actually, the more evidence doe s not a scientific theory stronger. By saying that the more a scientific theory resists falsification, the stronger the scientific theory, Popper means that, the more a scientific theory resists falsification, the longer will the theory be held as a true account of reality.

Motivations of War Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Motivations of War - Assignment Example The inefficient manner in which search operations for Osama-bin-laden was carried out showed that the American government’s interest lay elsewhere – namely the oil rich Iraq. The supposed presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the hands of the authoritarian Iraqi leaders Saddam Hussein is also proven to be a fabrication. Hence, the real motivation for the ongoing War on Terror operations seem to be to secure strategic material interests of the United States. In this process, the consequences for Iraq/Afghanistan civil society and its local economy is given scant regard. We could analyze the War on Terror operations within the framework of ‘Just War’ theory presented in the book â€Å"The Origins of War: Biological and Anthropological Theories†. Admittedly, the 9/11 terror strikes were heinous acts that cannot be justified under humanitarian principles. The 9/11 attacks were not an attack on the United States alone, but on all of human civilization. Continuing in this vein, one could argue that the threat posed by networks such as Al Qaeda is potentially as big as that of totalitarian rulers of the past, including Hitler and Stalin. Hence, it won’t be illogical to equate the ongoing military engagements of the United States to its major confrontations against Nazism and Stalinism. (Dowd, 2009) But those state apologists who make these claims do not make a serious effort to justify the War on Terror with the conditions laid down by the Just War theory, most likely because the case is a weak one. The invasion and occupation of Iraq is a breach of several of the Just War conditions, the most blatant of which is the numerous civilian fatalities that the war has caused. We also realize that the doctrine of Pre-emptive war, which was the cornerstone of the eight year term of George W. Bush, has several flaws in it.

Any topic (writer's choice) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 180

Any topic (writer's choice) - Essay Example To be more precise, this paper will make an attempt to detect the role of meditation in such philosophies of thought as Yoga and Daoist philosophy as well as Zen Buddhism. I shall argue that despite that all of these the common characteristics and purposes typical of these three quite different philosophical practices, there is a number of distinctive features that define the general purpose of meditation in each of the philosophic trends. Speaking about an Ancient Indian view on meditation, one should point out that Yoga itself implied a certain state or condition, as well as a technique, and a particular kind of union. Patanjali considered Yoga to be â€Å"the cessation of the modifications of the mind† (â€Å"The Meaning and Purpose of Yoga†, n.d.). From the point of view of an Ancient Indian, the search for truth was in fact the fundamental problem of philosophy. The truth itself was not of great value, but the knowledge of it help an individual to be released. Thus, it appears that the release, attainment of absolute freedom was a chief aim of the spiritual practices, but not the knowledge of the truth. To become free meant to advance to the next level of being, gain another modus of existence that would surpass the â€Å"normal† life and set it on a new more advanced plane. Indeed, Yoga was regarded as a way analyzing the concepts of perception and cognition, lying at the root implying suffering. Besides, it was perceived as a rising and expansion of one’s consciousness.