An Evaluation Of Public Sector Enterprises Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1306 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? One of the reasons why the financial crisis has led to such negative consequences for the world economy is pay-for-performance systems that were being used in financial institutions. In order to prevent this scenario from happening again, financial regulators have developed remuneration rules and guidelines that aim to mitigate the negative consequences that are associated with bonus schemes (e.g., CEBS high-level principles of remuneration policies, the Statement on Director Remuneration of the European Corporate Governance Forum, the British Financial Services Authoritys code on remuneration practices, the Netherlands Bankers Association code). Common for all of these recommendations are deferral of bonus payments and bonus caps. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "An Evaluation Of Public Sector Enterprises Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Although many authors have been exploring this concrete field, the impact of deferred payment is yet considered as very complex and not fully understood. Amongst the total set of recommendations that these codes provide, two specific recommendations, which are central to all codes, are to cap bonuses and to defer bonus payments. At the same time, academy and practise are discussing about effectiveness of public sector enterprises. A 2005 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report noted the significant evolution and reform since 1995 of the government ownership function. These reforms have tended to move countries away from the decentralized model and more toward the centralized model of governing of public sector or state-owned enterprises. The effectiveness and performance of an enterprise is de ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ned as the degree to which the objectives assigned to it by its owners can be reached. The objectives of the private enterprise owners come down in large measure to a single objective, pro ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ t maximization. The objectives of public enterprises are more numerous (Thiry 1993). Public sector enterprises besides commercials goals are structured to fulfill social goals. In order to evaluate performances of those enterprises, state ownership authorities needs to implement social component of its business into performance management system. 3. PROBLEM DEFINITION Managerial payment incentives are being used in corporations that are strictly commercially oriented, but also in public sector enterprises. Do the same payment incentives in commercially oriented corporations and public sector enterprises lead to the same managerial decisions? Do they encourage the same level of risk-taking? State ownership authorities are supervisory and monitoring bodies that govern the state shareholdings. In order to evaluate performances of state asset that is in their jurisdiction they need performance measurement tool that can implement social specificity of public sector enterprises. The aim of research is to develop balanced score card model for public sector enterprises. Ho: Same type of managerial payment incentives has different influence on managers in financial institution and public sector enterprises Ho: Does deferred bonus payment affect decision makers in public sector enterprises preference for risk? Ho: Does deferred bonus payment a ffect decision makers in public sector enterprises preference changes in risk preference based on prior outcomes? We test these predictions in a two-by-two between subject experiment that involves a choice task. In the experiment, subjects were presented with the asset allocation task between two alternative investments a risk free and a risky asset repeated in two stages under four possible combinations of bonus schemes. The prospect theory that convincingly describes decision taking in one period may however not be extended to intertemporal decision choices. Such is the case when bonuses are deferred and decision making in one period affects the outcomes in several subsequent periods. The study will start on the premise that managers evaluate a certain income as a gain or a loss depending on the reference point. Managers are risk averse when the choices are made in the gain domain and loss averse (which may mean risk seeking) if the choices are made in a loss domain. Th e prospect theory that convincingly describes decision taking in one period may however not be extended to intertemporal decision choices. Such is the case when bonuses are deferred and decision making in one period affects the outcomes in several subsequent periods. Moreover, the bonus that is not received immediately gets discounted. Results and conclusions of dissertation should contribute to the implementation of pay schemes into the practice that would lead to optimal and functional risk propensity of managers in public sector enterprises. Also, it should contribute to better performance evaluation of public sector enterprises. 4. CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW Monetary incentive structure has role to aim managerial behavior to maximize firm value (Jensen and Murphy, 2004). Traditional pay-for-performance schemes do not obtaining that goal, because they represent option contracts rewarding positive outcomes more than punishing negative outcomes. This asymmetry is considered as important source of managerial dysfunctional risk-seeking behavior (Chen, Steiner and Whyte, 2006). As a response to regulatory recommendations and pressures major banks have suggested linear compensation schemes which symmetrically reward and punish managers for decision outcomes (Byrnes, 2009). However, the estimated risk-seeking effects of those schemes depend on the expected utility that decision makers appoint to these positive and negative outcomes (Kahneman and Tversky, 1979). In contrast with expected utility theory, prospect theory argues that the utility of a cash flow depends on whether decision makers perceive the cash flows that is formed due to thei r decision as a gain or a loss. Whether cash flows are perceived as a gain or a loss depends on individuals reference points when evaluating decision outcomes (Kahneman and Tversky, 1979). In general, losses weigh heavier than gains. This asymmetry causes people to be more risk averse in the gain domain than in the loss domain. Prospect theory is a descriptive theory based on evidence from gambling experiments. It argues that individuals behavioral patterns can be described by assuming they have utility curves in their minds which vary between domains. Prospect theory does not explain what reference point people take. It assumes that people take a reference point, after which the curves explain their risk preferences. An important distinctive element of the capped versus the non-capped scheme is the potential of a loss. Previous results suggest that an individual is slightly risk averse for gambles involving only gains, but strongly risk averse for gambles that cause potential losses (Schoemaker, 1990; Thaler, Kahneman, Tversky Schwartz, 1997). This would imply that agents with the non-capped scheme may want to evade penalties by taking a less risky strategy than those with the capped bonus scheme. It is difficult to imagine how a negative bonus would be enforced in practice other than subtracted from the prior balance of bonuses or from the fixed pay. To this point, just few penalty provisions are contained in the compensation contracts. In previous research penalties were in majority of experiments only hypothetical (Camerer, 1995), not enforced (Schoemaker, 1990) or expressed as opportunity costs withheld from the overall payment (Thaler, 1981). A scheme that is framed as a penalty in terms of opportunity costs is most likely to be used in real compensation contracts. The managers risk preference will depend on his perception of the remuneration as a loss, a gain or a reduction in a gain. The perception of the non-capped scheme as a mixed loss- gain domain or only a gain domain (as defined by Thaler, Kahneman, Tversky Schwartz, 1997) depends on whether the agent will revise the decision problem. A manager could consider entirely the effect of the decision taking on the bonus. In that case, the fixed pay would not influence a decision, but would be cancelled out as common effect for any choice. According to such editing of the problem, the non-capped bonus scheme is likely to induce risk aversion to avoid a loss. Or, in another case, a manager may reflect on the effect of decision taking on his overall bonus. A larger fixed pay in contrast to a variable pay would make the estimated value of the total compensation positive. If such editing is adopted, then a non-capped scheme in contrast to a capped scheme may result in higher risk propensity as it may give managers the potential for higher returns.

Protestant Reformation a Prologue to Christian Civilization

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY PROTESTANT REFORMATION: A PROLOGUE TO CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DIVISION OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF DIVINITY IN CHAPLAINCY BY SULEIMAN ABBA LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA MARCH 2013 Abstract The Early Church was a minority religious movement which faced significant threats of persecution in their daily practice of faith. As a result there was no detailed structure of worship as seen in the present day Christian worship. However, worship in those days paved way for the current settings of various churches which have greatly evolved over time. Worship was characterized by several aspects such as†¦show more content†¦In Rick Warren’s book titled ‘Purpose Driven Life’ he noted that every part of a church service is an act of worship. These include, Praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, listening to sermon, taking notes, giving offering, baptism, communion, ushering and etc. Early Christian Worship Being a crucial and important factor of worship during the early days of Christianity, the Lord’s Supper was conducted mostly during church meetings and assemblies where the ceremony was conducted in addition to giving thanks to the Lord and singing his hymns. Generally, worship involves religious actions or devotion to a higher power which for Christianity means God. Christian worship is typified by various aspects such as praying in various designated venues, singing religious hymns and reading the Bible and engaging in communion or Eucharist among others. This paper critically analyzes the various practices of early church such as the singing of psalms and hymns, gathering in church assemblies, vocal thanksgiving, the Lord’s Supper as well as the practice of baptism. Christian worship is the adoration and contemplation of God and is defined by various elements such as meeting in venues such as churches in order to offer prayers, reading the Bible, singing and engaging in communion or Eucharist, collecting offerings as well as teaching and listening to sermons. These aspects of worship have evolved

Night Creature Blue Moon Chapter 16 Free Essays

I’d slept the day away and only had an hour before Ca-dotte was supposed to show up. The damn twine had rubbed a raw circle around my neck. A cold compress plus a liberal application of vitamin E took away the sting. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 16 or any similar topic only for you Order Now To hide the mark, I put on a sleeveless mock turtle-neck instead of a tank top; then I transferred the totem to a gold chain my mother had given me for my sixteenth birthday, which I’d never worn. I doubted she’d approve of the way I was wearing it now, but the chain was my present and she wasn’t here. My rationalization for a lot of the things I did that my mother wouldn’t approve of. I chose shorts instead of jeans. Judging by the heat of my apartment, we’d enjoyed the first true day of summer while I’d been asleep. I threw open a few windows. I couldn’t see turning on the air-conditioning when the setting of the sun was only a few hours away. Besides, I had good legs and, being tall, I had a lot of them. Swimming toned much better than jogging. I preferred round, feminine muscle to stringy sinew and emaciated calves. I turned my cell phone on long enough to dial a pizza, then shut it off again. If there were messages pending, they were no doubt from Clyde. I’d have to deal with him later, and later was when I would deal with him. Right now I was going to enjoy the evening. A little pizza, a little Cadotte. If things went well, I might even be in a good mood by the time I went to work. I was hoping sex could erase the memory of that very strange dream. I’d never been into bestiality, so what was the matter with me now? The stone shifted between my breasts, making me jump. I’d been standing at the floor-length window, staring at the summer sun. I hadn’t moved. Why had the totem? The dream had me spooked, that’s all. Dreams were just dreams, despite any woo-woo propaganda to the contrary. They were not truth or predictions, not buried secrets or hidden hopes. They were just images that meant nothing at all. But what images! Illusions tumbled through my mind of bodies entwined, sweat-slicked skin, heated flesh. These were followed by the tactile memory of soft fur, a smooth tongue. A man and a beast become one – or had that been a woman and a beast? The doorbell rang and I started. I was rolling the totem between two fingers like a worry bead. The stone was warm. I dropped the icon back down my shirt as if it were on fire. Woman and beast? That was a bit too kinky for comfort, and my mind shied away from the thought. Cadotte stood in the hall with a pizza. I was so hungry I wanted to eat them both. What was wrong with me? Nothing that a little pizza and a lot of sex wouldn’t solve. â€Å"I met the delivery boy coming up.† â€Å"I’ll pay you.† I opened the door wide, inviting him in. â€Å"Yeah, you will.† He crowded me close, kicked the door shut, then kissed me – hard, deep, and wet. Maybe sex, then pizza was a better idea. He stepped back and tilted his head. â€Å"There, all paid up.† â€Å"With one kiss?† â€Å"You’re a very good kisser.† I was left standing stunned in the hall when he strode into the apartment. I got so few compliments, and I’d never received one on how well I kissed. I had no idea what to say. I wasn’t required to say anything. By the time I reached the sofa, he had his mouth full of food. He’d brought wine. I got him a glass and a corkscrew. â€Å"You don’t drink?† He eyed the single glass. â€Å"I have to work in four hours.† â€Å"That doesn’t answer my question.† â€Å"Sure I drink.† I’d rarely met a cop who didn’t, unless at one time they’d overindulged and were now on the wagon. Police work, even in a tiny town like Miniwa, was stressful. Cops drank. Period. A lot of them smoked, too. Or did chew, like Clyde. Thankfully I’d been able to manage my stress, so far, with the occasional Bloody Mary and a twilight swim. â€Å"I suppose working third shift makes a beer at the end of your day a lot less than appealing.† He opened the wine. I’d never thought of it that way, but Cadotte was right. When I got off at 7:00 a.m. I didn’t want alcohol; I didn’t even want coffee. I just wanted my bed. Although if I kept having weird dreams, pretty soon I wouldn’t want that. â€Å"Mmm.† Cadotte had his mouth full again, so I joined him. Fifteen minutes later we were done. Cadotte scooted back on the couch, half-full glass of blood-red wine cradled in his long fingers. His thumb stroked the bowl and I lifted my gaze from his hand to his face. He took a sip. A drop clung to his lip, and his tongue swept out to capture it. His earring glittered in the glare of the setting sun. I wanted to take that earring in my teeth and tug him into the bedroom. â€Å"Shall we get down to business?† â€Å"Mmm-hmm,† I murmured, captivated by the way the light turned the golden feather from red to orange and back again. â€Å"Do you have the totem?† â€Å"Huh?† He smiled and set his glass on the coffee table with a click. Cadotte knew the effect he had on women and I found myself wondering: Was he playing me to get to the totem? Paranoid? Moi? Definitely. Nevertheless, I straightened, shook off the sexual inertia, and turned away. â€Å"It’s gone.† â€Å"Gone? What do you mean, gone?† â€Å"Disappeared? Stolen? Poof? Take your pick.† I was getting mighty good at lying. He got so quiet, if I hadn’t heard him breathing I might have thought he’d gone over the balcony- – this time in the opposite direction. â€Å"Oh well,† he said at last. â€Å"I guess it’s a good thing I sketched it.† Paper crinkled and I spun around. He leaned over the coffee table, smoothing a white rectangle. Then he pulled a bunch of other papers from his back pocket and set them all side by side. â€Å"Y-you aren’t upset about the totem?† He glanced up. He’d put on his glasses. My heart went ba-boom. â€Å"Upset? Why should I be? It wasn’t mine.† â€Å"Wasn’t mine, either,† I grumbled. He studied me for a moment. â€Å"What happened?† I didn’t think I should tell him about the evidence room fiasco. Clyde would say that was police business, and since I was in enough trouble with Clyde already, I decided to keep my lips zipped on the subject. â€Å"I really can’t say.† â€Å"You’re in trouble?† I was, so I nodded. Cadotte beckoned, then patted the sofa at his side. â€Å"Come here.† My paranoia seemed just that in the face of his lack of concern over the missing totem. Of course, what good did it do him to be upset? The thing was gone – or so he thought. When I joined him on the couch, our hips bumped. I shifted away. He followed, pressing his jean-clad thigh to mine. When I cast him a quick glance, however, he was staring at the paperwork and not at me. I left my leg right where it was. â€Å"See this?† I followed his finger to an extremely accurate pencil drawing of the totem, larger than the actual stone; the markings had been enlarged as well. They were much easier to see this way. â€Å"You’re good,† I said. â€Å"You have no idea.† That surprised a laugh out of me. The sound made me realize how seldom I heard it. Pretty sad. I was twenty-six and already the laughter had died. Perhaps with this man I could get it back. Cadotte shuffled the stack of papers – printouts from the World Wide Web. â€Å"What would we do without the Internet?† I murmured. â€Å"A lot of work. I can find more there in an hour than I could find in a week at the library. Aha!† He snatched a sheet out of the center of the pile. â€Å"Look at this.† Placing the two papers next to each other, he slid them closer to me. The Internet printout showed an ancient, emaciated being with long teeth and even longer fingernails. â€Å"Matchi-auwishuk,† he whispered. The trees rustled outside, and a sudden breeze came through the open balcony doors. As if expecting it, Cadotte put his hands on top of the papers. The breeze stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Okay. That was weird. I glanced at him, but he didn’t seem disturbed. By the breeze. Instead, he scowled at the drawings. â€Å"I don’t remember seeing that.† I pointed at the Matchi-auwishuk. â€Å"I used a magnifier to identify some of the smaller markings. It’s there. Take my word for it.† I would. Until he left and I scrounged up my own magnifying glass. â€Å"And take my word on this.† He shoved another piece of paper at me. A shiver ran from my neck to the base of my spine. The Matchi-auwishuk had been ugly, but this was downright creepy – given the circumstances. The figure was half-man, half-wolf. â€Å"What in hell is that?† â€Å"The wolf god.† The drawing was exemplary, the naked man impressive – sleek and muscled – perfection except for the paws growing where his hands and feet should be. A tail sprouted from his backside and ears from the top of his head. Instead of hair he had fur, and a snout blossomed where his mouth and nose had once been. But those little foibles weren’t what made me shrink away from the table, irrationally terrified of touching the picture or having it touch me. Nope, what bothered me about the drawing were the damn eyes – sly, intelligent, human. â€Å"Where did you find this?† â€Å"There’s an old and obscure legend of the Ojibwe. The wolf god can be brought to life during a blue moon if the way is paved by an army of wolf men. And women.† I turned my head so I could see his face. He wasn’t laughing – so I did. ‘ â€Å"What does that have to do with anything?† â€Å"‘ Jessie, aren’t there a few too many coincidences here? The totem, the madness of the wolves, and the blue moon?† The blue moon. I remembered telling Zee about it the night Karen Larson had been bitten by a wolf. The night I’d found the totem. The night I’d met William Cadotte running around naked in the woods. â€Å"What’s a wolf god, and how is it brought to life?† He shuffled some of the papers, scowled, pushed his glasses up in an absent gesture. â€Å"I’m not sure.† â€Å"What good are you then?† â€Å"We’ll get to that later.† He winked. Even in the middle of his delusion, he was propositioning me. Why did I think that was cute? Cadotte returned his attention to the gibberish he’d been reading. â€Å"All I’ve determined so far is that a werewolf army is needed – â€Å" â€Å"Whoa!† I jumped to my feet. â€Å"Werewolf army? Where did that come from?† â€Å"What do you think wolf men and wolf women are?† â€Å"A figment of your imagination?† â€Å"Mine and whoever else has decided they want to be the wolf god.† I rubbed my forehead. â€Å"Back up a minute. Someone is going to be the wolf god?† â€Å"I guess so. I haven’t been able to determine how that happens, exactly, but the making of a werewolf army between the two moons is the beginning.† â€Å"Between what two moons?† â€Å"Two full moons in a single month – â€Å" â€Å"Makes a blue moon,† I finished. â€Å"When the becoming takes place.† He glanced at his watch. â€Å"That’s in five days.† I plopped down on the couch. â€Å"You believe this stuff?† â€Å"It really doesn’t matter if I do or not.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because someone believes, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the legend come to life.† How to cite Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 16, Essay examples

Does Science Explain All Essay Example For Students

Does Science Explain All? Essay Does Science Explain All?In the beginning there was darkness. Then there was light. Then therewas consciousness. Then there were questions and then there was religion. Religions sprouted up all over the world as a response to some of humanitysmost troubling questions and fears. Why are we here? Where do we come from?Why does the world and nature act as it does? What happens when you die?Religions tended to answer all these questions with stories of gods andgoddesses and other supernatural forces that were beyond the understanding ofhumans. Magic, in its essence, were the powers wielded by these superiorbeings that caused the unexplainable to happen. Fast forward a few thousand years to the present. In our age and timethere is little left unexplained. Science seems able to explain everything withmathematical logic and concrete evidence right before our very eyes. Thesubject of science is taught in almost every school on Earth. Gone are the daysof magic and wonder. The magic of so-called magicians like David Copperfieldare a jest. When people attend a magic show everyone looks for the invisiblewires and hidden projectors. No one really believes the magician hassupernatural powers, except for maybe a handful of children in the audience whostill have faith in Santa Clause. Science does seem to explain all. It has enabled humans to fly, cureincurable diseases, explore the depths of the oceans, stave off death, walk onthe moon and wipe out entire civilizations with the push of a button. It isbecoming more and more widespread in that people are putting their faith inscience above that in the gods. What parent wouldnt rather bring their sickchild to a doctor than have faith in the healing power of some mystical entitythat may or may not exist. However strong and almost perfect the view of science is in todayssociety it cannot and does not cover the entire spectrum of the human experience. Nor does it explain some of the striking similarities present in the variousreligions of Earth. These similarities occur in civilizations not only far fromeach other but also in cultures separated by seemingly impossible to traverseoceans of water. Many of these similarities occur in the cosmological orcreation myths of the various religions. In the Bible and other in other comparable ancient literatures, creationis a theme expressed in parables or stories to account for the world. In almostevery ancient culture the universe was thought of as darkness, nothing and chaosuntil order is induced by the divine creative hand. The type of orderenvisioned varied from culture to culture. In the Biblical perspective, it wasenvisioned that light should be separated from dark, day from night; and thatthe various forms of plant and animal life be properly categorized. Althoughthe figure differ from myth to myth, all the ancient stories intend to give apoetic accounting for cosmic origins. When viewed in terms of creational motifs,the stories tend to be similar. Some myths of creation include myths of emergence, as from achildbearing woman, or creation by the marriage of two beings representing theheavens and earth. A common feature of some Hindu, African and Chinese myths isthat of a cosmic egg from which the first humans are hatched from. In othercultures, it must be brought up from primordial waters by a diver, or is formedfrom the dismembered body of a preexisting being. Whether the deity usespreexisting materials, whether he leaves his creation once it is finished, howperfect the creation is, and how the creator and the created interact vary amongthe myths. The creation story also attempts to explain the origins of evil andthe nature of god and humanity. .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 , .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .postImageUrl , .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 , .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:hover , .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:visited , .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:active { border:0!important; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:active , .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987 .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5fc987f69236338859910fe0aee50987:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bill of Rights EssayAn example of two different religions containing various aspects of eachother could be that of the creation myth of Christianity and aspects ofcreationism found in African religion. The creator god in the African religionis Nyambi. Nyambi creates a man, Kamonu, and the man does exactly as his goddoes in every way; Similar to the way the god of Christianity creates man in hisown image. Also Nyambi creates for Kamonu a garden to live in, the same way theGarden of Eden was created. Another motif repeated between these two religionsis that of the Bibles Tower of Babel. Kamonu, after his god left him behind,tried to build a tower to reach his god but like Th e Tower of Babel it collapsedand the humans failed to reach heaven. In Mesopotamian culture the epic tale Gilgamesh is almost totallyidentical to the Biblical story of Noah and the ark. In the tale of Gilgamesh,Gilgamesh is warned by Enki that a divine judgment has been passed and the worldis to be destroyed by a giant flood. Gilgamesh is instructed build a boat tobring his family and animals so to escape the flood. Another powerful example of the commonality of myth transcendingcultures is in the Trimurti of Brahman in post classical Hinduism when comparedto the holy trinity of Christianity. Brahman, the Hindu essence of ultimatereality is at the very core of Hinduism, post classical Hinduism sees him inthree aspects. Each of these three aspects of Brahman is expressed by a godfrom classical Indian literature: Brahma, the creator; Shiva, the destroyer;and Vishnu, the preserver. Very similar to the Holy Christian Trinity of: God,the father; Christ, the son; and the Holy Spirit. In both Hinduism andChristianity the trinities are three and at the same time one entity. In the mythology of many of the Central Asian Pastoral Tribes thesupreme deity of their religion is confronted by an adversary representing thepowers of darkness and evil. Very much like the relationship in the Christianmythos between God and Lucifer, this figure of evil attempts to counter theplans of the celestial good being and aims at gaining dominance over the worldand at establishing a realm of his own in which he would rule over humanity. The forces of good and evil are not equally balanced, however, and there isnever any real doubt about the final supremacy of the sky-god. Yet according tosome myths the representative of evil and darkness succeeded in leading peopleastray and bringing about a fall similar to that of Adam and Eve. Other mythological motifs not involving Christianity or the Bible isthat of a god or a hero making the dangerous journey to the underworld , orHades, to retrieve a lost love. The Greek mythological tale of Orpheus and theJapanese Shinto myths both contain very similar aspects. In both of thesestories, Orpheus and Izanagi, lose their spouses to death and venture into theterrible underworld of Hades to try to wrest them back. In both stories theyare on the way to getting back each his wife as long as they dont look backtowards her. In both tales both Izanagi and Orpheus look back, losing thechance they had at having their loves returned to them. These are just some of the universal myths contained within variousreligions of the world. How do all these myths seem to transcend thegeographical and cultural boundaries of Earth? Carl Gustav Jung, a leadingpsychologist and contemporary of Freud, came up with a theory involving thecollective unconscious of a persons psyche. The collective unconscious,according to Jung, is made up of what he called archetypes, or primordialimages. These correspond to such experiences such as confronting death orchoosing a mate and manifest themselves symbolically in religion, myths, fairytales and fantasies. .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 , .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .postImageUrl , .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 , .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:hover , .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:visited , .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:active { border:0!important; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:active , .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78 .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucb88e36df9485d1fe464686042d07b78:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Self-discovery through Adversity EssayJoseph Campbell, considered by most to have been the foremost expert onworld religions and mythology, believed to be a fact that; mythologies andtheir deities are productions and projections of the psyche. It was his beliefthat religions and myths come from ones own creative imagination andunconsciousness. He further believed that humankind is intrinsically linked inthat some part of human nature creates these myths and religions out of a needfor them. We all have the same basic psychological makeup just as we all havethe same basic physical makeup. Recent scientific studies suggest that the average human uses only tento fifteen percent of his or her brain. What happens to the other eighty-fiveto ninety percent of it? Does it just sit there and have absolutely no use? Ordoes it perhaps contain the universal commonalties of what links us all as agreat big tribe of human beings; containing our greatest hopes, our worst fears,our dreams and creativity. Perhaps it does contain a link to the realm ofmysticism and surrealism which artists such as Salvador Dali tried so hard torender on canvas. Science doesnt know what it contains. Its in our skullsand were not even sure what it contains, maybe the answers to our ownprimordial questions. WORKS CITEDWorld Religions From Ancient History to the Present editor: Geoffrey Parrinder,copyright 1971, The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. Essays On a Science of Mythology Carl Jung, copyright 1949, Pantheon Books Inc. Myths To Live By Joseph Campbell, copyright 1972, Viking PressReligions of the World Lewis M. Hopfe, Copyright 1976, Prentice-Hall Inc. Mythology Edith Hamilton, copyright 1942, Little Brown Inc. Encarta 95 copyright 1995, Microsoft corp. Philosophy

Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Film “Mommie Dearest” Essay Example

Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Film â€Å"Mommie Dearest† Paper The disruption or the illness of a person’s mentality is a disruption of his supposed living. The person is unable to function properly for himself, his family, nor in the society. Some types of the mental illnesses are curable and others, recurrent but manageable. Because of the unstable possibilities of mentally impaired persons, they are often stigmatized and afraid of being diagnosed. Fear of being society’s outsider is one of the most common reasons why people with mental illness go undiagnosed or untreated and in most cases diagnosed when it is too late to manage or treat the illness. This could greatly be accounted by the wrong and sometimes grotesque perceptions of the illness in the media and their depictions in films. Although some of these portrayals are realistic and accurate, some are more likely sensationalized. Media and films are powerful mediums of information. They can either justify the truth or bend the truth to both positive and negative extremities. With this in hand, this paper then is perusal of a film’s characterization of a person with mental disorder. The film studied is the biographic movie of Joan Crawford’s life entitled â€Å"Mommie Dearest† which was based on the book written by her adopted daughter Christina after her death. In the film, Yablans and Perry (1981) focused the story on the relationship between the movie legend Joan Crawford and her adoptive daughter Christina. The movie starts with then single and divorced Joan Crawford; determined to adopt children to fill the void that was missing in her life. Joan first adopted a baby girl and called her Christina. She later adopted another baby boy and called him Christopher. We will write a custom essay sample on Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Film â€Å"Mommie Dearest† specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Film â€Å"Mommie Dearest† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Film â€Å"Mommie Dearest† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The film depicts the children’s lives under the renowned Hollywood star, who behind curtains was an abusive and violent parent. Her obsessive want of excellence as a famous actress and a parent topped with the pressure of being in show business and an abusive attitude towards alcohol was a repeating theme throughout the movie. Yablans and Perry(1981) concentrated the film on Joan Crawford’s bouts of obsessive madness where the burden was inflicted on her children. Christina’s struggle as a child and later on adulthood to be an actress to satisfy her mother was also conveyed. There were only several small indications of her marriages during the film. No doubt, Joan Crawford’s supposed reputation as a renowned actress was ruined by the exposure of her other life. Although Joan Crawford was not formally diagnosed, she was suspected to have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). According to resources of MentalHelp. net (n. d. ), â€Å"OCD is an anxiety disorder where a person has recurrent and unwanted ideas or impulses (called obsessions)† and these obsessions are coupled with the constant â€Å"urge or compulsion† to satisfy the â€Å"discomfort caused by the obsession†. These obsessions could vary, from simple things such as hygiene to more complex things such as religion. When the compulsions to satisfy his obsession are disgruntled, anxiety attacks follow. MentalHelp. net (n. d. ) further adds that a person with OCD have thoughts and behaviors that are often â€Å"senseless, repetitive, distressing, and sometimes harmful, but they are also difficult to overcome†. The behavior of a person with OCD was more or less depicted by Joan Crawford’s characterization in the film. First was her obsession to be seen as a good role model of a parent. She insisted on adopting children although she was advised by her friend who is an attorney to not adopt because it was not advisable for her to adopt children given her single and divorced status. When advised, she retaliates â€Å"Bend the law! † (Yablans and Perry, 1981). In another instance, the two children were made to recite which were obviously practiced answers to the radio staff that came to interview the Crawford family on how they spend their Christmas. Joan Crawford was watchful of their answers and it was apparent how she was delighted and agitated on the children’s every response to the radio interviewer’s questions. Here, it can be seen that instead of parenting her children, she was directing them. Before that radio interview, an incident happened wherein the children faced one of Joan Crawford’s episodes of sheer madness. The children were already asleep when Joan walks in their bedroom. At first she was in a seemingly good mood but on seeing that Christina used wire hangers on the expensive dresses that she bought for her, she was enraged. She was in a rage, removing all the dresses and clothing from her dresser and afterward beats Christina with a wire hanger. Not satisfied, she continuous on the bathroom and inspects it. She finds the bathroom floor dirty although it was apparent that the bathroom was squeaky clean. Joan then forces her daughter to clean the floor with her. Christina was perplexed on how to clean an already clean floor and could only say â€Å"How? † (Yablans and Perry, 1981). This event occurred after she received an award for Best Actress.

Minorities and Indian Constitution Essays

Minorities and Indian Constitution Essays Minorities and Indian Constitution Essay Minorities and Indian Constitution Essay Minorities and our constitution: Historical Approach and its present relevance: Though Indian society has been plural from ancient times, the minority problem faced as faced by the framers of the Constitution is widely   believed to be the creation of the colonial regime. The plural Indian society has various groups – ethnic, religious and linguistic. They used to live harmoniously together with broad cultural unity. Even Islam co-existed with Hinduism. However, the British rule made a qualitative difference in the minority problem. It accepted the plural nature of the Indian society but stressed the importance of groups rather than individuals in the political processes and attempted to widen the gap among different groups based on ethnicity, religion, language and other interest in order to sub serve their imperial interest. In the words of Milton Gordon, British emphasized on  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœcorporate pluralism’  rather than  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœliberal pluralism’ In corporate pluralism emphasis is on groups and individuals are treated as members of the group: in liberal pluralism emphasis is on individuals as citizens. The Corporate Pluralism led to the separation among groups and thereby it creates difficulty in national integration. The latter neo-liberal pluralism helps the process of national integration and nation building. The national leaders accepted that Indian society was plural and that any constitutional framework could not ignore it. However their concept of Indian plural society was based on ‘Liberal Pluralism’ which emphasized the fact that though an individual was a member of his group, he participated in the political system as a citizen. This concept, they hoped, would ultimately strengthen the national bond among different minority groups and which foster the approach was evident in the  Nehru Committee Report, 1928,  which recommended on one hand, joint mixed electorates and on the other hand favoured such fundamental rights for individuals as right to equality, freedom of religion, etc. With such constitution they believed, the problem of minority could be solved after the departure of the British. It was under the  Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946, that the Constituent Assembly was elected to frame constitution for India. The Cabinet Mission proposed he formation of an advisory committee on minorities, fundamental rights of individuals and to suggest measures for safeguarding interests of minorities. The advisory committee was set up under the chairmanship of Sardar Vallabhai Patel which commented:   The question of minorities cannot possibly be overrated. It has been created so far creating conflict, distrust and cleavages between the different sections of the society. Imperialism thrives on such difference. So far the minorities have been stimulated and have been influenced in a manner which has hampered the growth of cohesion and friendliness. But now it is necessary that a new chapter should start and we should realize our responsibility. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar  while moving the Draft Constitution for consideration of the house said: In this country both minorities and majorities have followed the wrong path. It is wrong for the majority to dent the existence of minorities and it is equally wrong for the minorities to immortalize themselves. A solution must be found which will serve double purpose. It must recognize the existence of the minorities to start with. It must also be such that it enables majorities and minorities to merge someday into one†¦. When the Constituent Assembly decided to do away with communal separate electorates and communal reservation, Nehru welcomed it as a â€Å"historic turn of our destiny†. It was also welcomed by Sardar Patel . Thus it is clear that the constitution framers hoped that by abolishing separate communal reservations and by guaranteeing fundamental rights to citizens, India will be able to solve the problem of minorities and will emerge one day as â€Å"one community†. However, this hope was disproved by later developments. The constitutional provisions that were finally embodied in the constitution to solve the minority problem included among others the following: Communal separate electorates as introduced under British rule were abolished, and following the Nehru Committee Report, 1928, joint electorates with reserved seats for socially backward communities were adopted. Universal Adult Suffrage was adopted  and every adult citizen was given the right to vote. Special provisions were made for reservation of seats for the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes both in State Legislatures and In Parliament. Initially such provisions were for ten years but since 1960 these were extended for 10 yearly bases. Fundamental Rights were guaranteed  and were made justifiable such as:  right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation and right to religious freedom. However, the chapter on fundamental rights also included provisions regarding protective discrimination in favour of children, women, Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and Backward classes. Besides these rights to individuals and citizens, the Constitution also provided for  cultural and educational rights of minority  as fundamental rights According to  Article 29  any section of citizens of India having distinct language, Script and culture has the right to conserve the same. It covers both the majority and minority communities. Hence the majority cannot burden its own language, script and culture on minority. Article 30  states that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have right to establish and administer educational institution of their choice. Special provisions are made for Anglo Indian Community in certain services such as to posts in railways, customs, postal and telegraph services and also educational grants for their benefits. Articles’ 336 and 337) Provision was made for the appointment of a Commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes. (Article 340) A separate constitution was permitted for the state of Jammu and Kashmir  (Article 370) Similar special provisions were also made and added in subsequent   constitutional amendments to provide for particular demands of different linguistic, religious or regional backward minority groups such as development boards for  Vidharbha in Maharash tra and Kutch In Gujrat  (article 371 D) and  provisions for Andhra  (Art. 71 D) Similar special provisions were enacted to protect religious and social practices, customary law, ownership and transfer of land and its resources to tribal people with respect to states of North-East and other parts of the country. An analysis of these provisions shows that in spite of an emphasis on Universal Adult Suffrage and fundamental rights of individuals and citizens, plural nature of Indian society was not ignored and constitutional makers provided also for ethnic, religious and linguistic groups. While emphasizing liberal pluralism they also accepted the corporate pluralism to some extent and made provisions for rights of groups. Thus the makers of constitution had hoped that the problem of Minority created by Britishers would be solved peacefully with the constitutional framework and some day minority and majority would form â€Å"one community†. However, the problem has become more serious. In spite of numerous executive and legislative measures as well as constitutional amendments, the country still suffers from ethnic and terroristic violence. In order to check such destructive and violent activities, the state has to use police and even military power resulting in serious setback to the process of National Integration. In fact the minority problem is multi-dimensional which requires multi-dimensional solution. The modernization has developed two different tendencies. On one side it has strengthened the demand for identity of ethnic groups and one the other it has caused a desire for progress. It has been pointed out that in a low income multi-ethnic society modernization involves two processes which are often antagonistic. It provides opportunities for mobility which promotes internal migration; it also helps the development of Ethnic Cohesion. Ethnic Cohesion does not necessarily mean a break from the past; but it does involve modernity of tradition. Ethnic Cohesion in order to be effective requires resources which are distributed by political power. In a developing society like India, there is a scarcity of resources and every group’s fights for more and more resources. Every group desires to control or at least to have an effective voice in the distribution of resources. It is in this sense the political power occupies the central position in any political system. It is thus clear that the minority problem involves a number of variables both traditional and modern. It is therefore difficult to suggest readymade constitutional solution. Constitution is after all means which if properly implemented, can help to secure the desirable end. Much depends on how its provisions are interpreted and implemented. Keeping this in mind following measures can prove helpful to solve the problem of minority:- Policies of government are crises induced. Such policies encourage minority groups to put more demands leading ultimately to show off strength. This practice should be given up and certain objective criteria based on consensus among national leaders and ethnic group leaders should be laid down to grant more rights to these groups. Resources should be distributed among different groups justly and honestly. The regime should adopt transparent method for distribution of resources. Practice of Liberal Pluralism should be encouraged. This should be realized that any emphasis on the corporate pluralism will not help in the National Integration. Policy of accommodating minority/ethnic political demands should be favoured Finally, it is necessary that an atmosphere of trust should be created between national leaders and ethnic leaders. We must remember that the choice for us is between rapid evolution and violent revolution and if we cannot solve this problem soon our Constitution will become useless and powerless. â€Å"If India goes down, all will go down; if India thrives, all will thrive; if India lives all will live.

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams Almost 70 million Americans depend  on Social Security benefits. Sadly, whether you are already receiving benefits or not, your Social Security account is a tempting target for scammers. The sheer complexity of this mainline federal assistance program makes Social Security accounts particularly vulnerable to hacking by cyber attackers. As a result, the Social Security Administration has identified some particularly dangerous scams you should be aware of whether you are already receiving benefits or plan to in the future. Online Social Security Account Scam The Social Security Administration (SSA) strongly urges all current and future beneficiaries to set up a personal â€Å"My Social Security† account on its website. Opening a My Social Security account allows you to check the size of your current or future benefits and change your bank account direct deposit information or mailing address without having to visit your local Social Security office or wait on hold to speak to an agent. The bad news is that scammers also take advantage of many My Social Security accounts. In this bit of awful, scammers set up My Social Security accounts in the names of people who do not already have them, thus allowing them to transfer the victims’ current or future benefits to their own bank accounts or debit cards. While Social Security will reimburse victims of this scam, it can take months and leave you without benefits during that period. How to Prevent It Scammers can only set up a bogus My Social Security account in your name if they already know your Social Security Number and other personal information, which in today’s data-breach-of-the-week environment is all too likely. So, the thing to do is set up your account as soon as possible. Anyone over age 18 can set up a My Social Security account. Even if you do not intend to start drawing benefits for years, a My Social Security account can be a valuable retirement planning tool. When you set up your account, be sure to choose the â€Å"Add Extra Security† option on the online signup form. This option will cause a new security code to be sent to your cell phone or email ever time you try to access your account. You will need to enter the code in order to log on. It is sort of inconvenient, but far better than having your benefits stolen. The Fake Social Security Employee Scams There exists a whole set of scams in which the perpetrator- posing as a Social Security â€Å"agent- calls victims regarding their benefits. For example, the scammer may claim the SSA needs to verify the victim’s direct deposit information. In another more complex scam, the victim is told that their Social Security benefits are being cut because they have inherited a house from a relative; an event that would not result in a reduction of their Social Security benefit. To help perpetrate the fraud, the caller then places the recipient on hold and plays the same on-hold recordings actually used by Social Security. When the scammer comes back on the line, the victim is that told proceeds from the sale of the house will be sent to them if they pay the back taxes. Of course, there are no inherited houses or back taxes. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends taking extreme precautions before giving out personal information. â€Å"You should never provide your Social Security number or other personal information over the telephone unless you initiated the contact, or are confident of the person to whom you are speaking,† says the agency. â€Å"If in doubt, do not release information without first verifying the validity of the call.† Which you can do by calling Social Security’s toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the legitimacy of the call. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call Social Securitys TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.) Also be aware that scammers have also perfected the black cyber crime art of â€Å"caller ID spoofing,† so even if your caller ID says, â€Å"Social Security Administration,† it is probably just another scammer. The Data Theft Scare Scam Given the number of actual government data breaches these days, this scam is particularly believable and dangerous. The scammer – again pretending to work for Social Security – tells the victim that the agency’s computers have been hacked. In order find out if the victims account has been compromised, the scammer says he needs to verify that the SSA has the victim’s correct bank account information. To set the hook, the scammer gives the victim account information he knows is incorrect. In the end, the victim is tricked into giving the scammer their correct bank account information. Bad, very bad. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends ignoring calls and emails regarding account data breaches. The agency never initiates contact with beneficiaries by phone or email.Even letters regarding data breaches can be scams as scammers have gotten very good at making envelopes and letters look â€Å"official.† If you get such a letter call the real Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to find out if the letter is legitimate. If the letter gives any other number to call, do not call it. The No COLA For You Scam While it hasn’t happened since 2014, Social Security adds a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in most years based on the rate of inflation. But, when there is no increase in the consumer price index (CPI), as was the case in 2015 and 2016, there is no COLA for Social Security recipients. Scammers- again posing as SSA employees- take advantage of these non-COLA years by calling, emailing or sending letters to victims stating that the SSA had apparently â€Å"forgotten† to apply the COLA increase to their accounts. As with other scams, victims are given a form or link to a website where they can â€Å"claim† their COLA increase by providing their Social Security Number and bank account information. By now, you know what happens next. Tell your money goodbye. How to Prevent It Ignore the letters, calls or emails. When and if they are given, Social Security applies COLAs automatically and without fail to the accounts of all current beneficiaries. You never have to â€Å"apply† for them. The New, Improved Social Security Card Scam In this one, the scammer, again posing as an SSA employee, tells the victim that the agency is replacing all old paper Social Security cards with new high tech, â€Å"ID theft proof† computer chips embedded in them. The scammer tells the victim that they will not get any more benefits until they have gotten one of the new cards. The scammer then claims that he can â€Å"expedite† the replacement card if the victim provides their identity and bank account details. Clearly not the smart thing to do. How to Prevent It Ignore the claims. The SSA has no plans, desire or money to replace millions of old Social Security cards or to start issuing high-tech cards. In fact, the SSA recommends you not even carry your Social Security card with you due to the threat of identity theft. Instead, memorize your Social Security number and put the card in a safe, secret place. Report Suspected Scams The SSA’s office of inspector general asks Americans to report known or suspected incidents of scams. Reports can be submitted online at the SSA’s Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse website. Reports can also be submitted by mail to: Social Security Fraud Hotline​P.O. Box 17785Baltimore, Maryland 21235 In addition, reports can be submitted by telephone to 1-800-269-0271 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (TTY: 1-866-501-2101 for the deaf or hard of hearing.)