Meredith Kirkland Essays - Religion, Book Of Exodus, Theology

Meredith Kirkland 4-9-99 The concept of God, or any god, is one that has definite boundaries. There are many questions that arise concerning the nature of God, or even whether or not there really is one. The most common god in today's society is God, the Supreme Being worshipped by Muslims as Allah, by Jews as Yahweh, and by popular Christianity simply as God. Generally, He is thought to be in the image of humans, and in most cases of worshipping this particular deity, He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. These beliefs, although they may be canon, are not the beliefs of every person that follows this god. There are many different ways to see and worship Him whom we will refer to simply as God. There are varied points of view on God expressed in Gloria Naylor's Mama Day, the book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible, and St. Augustine's Confessions. Through these works, one may see several viewpoints on the same deity, prompting the question, Who is God? There is no definite answer to this query. Instead, as we will see, there are many definitions and assumptions that describe God, giving us a complicated and sometimes contradicting view of God. In Mama Day, a novel detailing the lives of a closely-knit family on the island of Willow Springs, we can see God through the eyes of Mama Day, one of the main characters. Mama Day, whose real name is Miranda, views God as a passive deity. She does not feel that God intervenes with humans as punishment or rewards humans for things that they do. This conviction is clear in the story when a hurricane is coming and Miranda's sister, Abigail, feels that she has done something to make God send a hurricane. To this Miranda responds, Abigail, stop your foolishness. All God got in mind is to send you a hurricane? It ain't got nothing to do with us, we just bystanders on this earth. Sometimes I think we was only a second thought-and a poor second thought at that (228). Even though Miranda and Abigail are sisters and were probably raised similarly, they view God in two very different ways. While Miranda's philosophy on God's lack of intervention holds strong, she does believe God to be all-powerful. This is evident when she states, The past was gone, just as gone as it could be. And only God could change the future (138). Although Miranda does not think that what people are doing on Earth will affect what God does, she does believe that in the end God will hold each person accountable for what he or she has done. This can be seen on the Island of Willow Springs where Miranda's thoughts are, That'll be her defense at Judgement: Lord, I called out three times. Miranda thinks this after she knocks on Ruby's house three times before setting her house up to get struck by lightning. This is a prime example of her theology. By preparing the house for lightning, she is controlling where the lightning goes, a feat that some people, such as her sister, would attribute to God. Had Augustine, the author of Confessions, been there he would have likely believed that God caused the lightening. Augustine, in contrast to Miranda, believed that God had a purpose in mind for everything that happens on Earth. This is apparent when Augustine proclaims, It was, then by your guidance that I was persuaded to go to Rome and teach there the subjects which I taught at Carthage (Book V, Chapter 8). Augustine goes on to state his belief that God has sent him to Rome to convert him to Christianity. This is indicative of Augustine's belief that everything that happens on Earth is God's will. This is directly contradictory to Miranda's view that is that God does not intervene with people while they are still on Earth. Augustine also depicts God as being merciful. This is clear when he refers to God as God of mercy (Book V, Chapter 9) and again when he proclaims, God, let me acknowledge your mercy from the deepest depths of my soul (Book VII, Chapter 6). Augustine sees God as h aving a purpose for everyone on Earth

battle Ship Potemkin essays

battle Ship Potemkin essays The silent film Battleship Potemkin started off on a high, the sailors refusing to eat the meat and soup they were served because it was covered with maggots, for some reasoned really captured my attention. The setting was on a large ship that showed us many areas, so it was not focused on one area, they showed the galley where the sailors eat, and they showed the sleeping quarters and the main deck. The also went off land which added a special touch to the film for there was actual When the oppression began it was strange, for it went from the sailors who didnt eat, getting there soup stolen to having towns people getting killed babies falling down stairs and solders shooting everything in It was interesting to see the towns people walk by the coffin of the dead sailor and pay their respects to a person they do The casting was well done as said in the notes, some of the actors were picked to look the part but a lot were just regular sailors and that added a special touch to it, you saw strong body instead of little It was nice to see tricks being done, meaning stunts. I enjoyed seeing the sailors jump off the ship to go rescue the other I must say that he movie was a little strange but in general I would recommend it for it technique, different settings and ...

Argument Analysis Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argument Analysis Assignment - Essay Example Jones argues that violent media is good for kids because its juvenile and violent qualities are appropriate to children’s need for identification, which will help them deal with their personal fears and anxieties and develop confident identities. The author uses ethos and pathos to successfully convince his audience that violent media is not entirely bad for children, but the strength of his claims weaken due to the fallacies of biased sample and confusing cause and effect. Jones utilizes ethos effectively because his own childhood and professional experiences demonstrate how violent media helps children cope with their unique challenges and aspirations. He begins his article with his childhood dilemma: â€Å"At 13 I was alone and afraid† (Jones par.1). This hook represents his identification with current children, for they too, being small and helpless, tend to be alone and afraid. He establishes that he knows what it feels to be young and to need something strong to hold on to. In addition, Jones narrates how the Incredible Hulk helped him cope with his childhood fears and insecurities. He stresses the Hulk’s role in his childhood life: â€Å"I had a fantasy self who was a self: unafraid of his desires and t he worlds disapproval, unhesitating and effective in action. ‘Puny boy follow Hulk!’ roared my fantasy self, and I followed† (par.4). Jones highlights that because of Hulk, he develops a stronger persona, a child who is more confident in facing the world’s uncertainties. Aside from personal childhood experiences, Jones effectively uses his professional work to underscore that violent media can help kids explore and develop their identities. He mentions his work with urban youth: â€Å"[With a psychologist, he] developed Power Play, a program for helping young people improve their self-knowledge and sense of potency through heroic, combative storytelling† (par.10). His work with the children indicates that he

Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Strategy - Essay Example The name of the product is ‘Hair Food’. During the initial stages of the product, we will primarily focus on understanding the customer value and focus more on maintaining a stronger relationship with the final consumers. However on the other hand, the focus will be primarily laid on transforming the customer value in to the sales , profits and revenues and the equity. (Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. , 2001). Before introducing the product in the market, it is very important that the three important steps should be followed which are, segmentation, targeting and positioning. Since the product can not be reached to the masses , hence there is a need to divide the total segment in to the small segments so that the marketing strategies can be better concentrated on. Segmentation is defined as dividing the total market in to small sector and segments with the consumers having similar demands and needs. Different books and scholars talk about different segmentation methods, but the most common ones are geographic segmentation, demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation and the behavioral segmentation as well. In the case of Hair food , the segmentation will be done on the basis of gender, age, income group, social class and status and the usage rate. The Hairfood is a product which will primarily be focused on the females , who fall in the age bracket of 16-40 years of age , who belong to the middle and the high income group brackets . These females will be the ones who are facing severe hair damage and hair fall and they want to revitalize the natural look , shine and the luster of the hair. Since the primary focus is on the natural ingredients of the product, there it priced comparatively higher as to the other hairfall products which are available in the market. Hence only the consumers who fall in the middle and high income bracket will be able to fall under the category. Target markets is the process through which the marketers make evaluati ons made on how attractive each market and then later choose the segments which can potentially generate the most profits. (Masterson, R., & Pickton, D. ,2010). Once the target market has been defined, the positioning has to defined. Positioning is defined as making a clear and a different place in the market with a competitive edge and the differentiation. A company’s customer value proposition is one of the most important aspects which defines how the targeted customers will be served, with the help of the differentiation and proper market positioning. A value proposition is the number of advantages that the marketer aims to provide to the final consumers, so that the product differentiation can be exhibited . (Masterson, R., & Pickton, D. ,2010). Ayucure and Artesia Harifall Solutions and currently offering the hairfall products range which are made by extracting the natural herbs and help in rejuvenating the original natural look of the hair by minimizing the damage. Howe ver these two products have been available in the market for a very long time and the competitive edge is that over the past two years , they have gained the customer loyalty and the high ranking it has received over time shows that the shampoo gives amazing hair results. Creating the differentiation for the product is a very necessary aspect and this competitive edge helps the product to stand out from the other competitors which are availa

The Macroeconomic Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Macroeconomic Environment - Essay Example ons which are differentiated by government deficit or the â€Å"difference between what the government pays out (government expenditure) and what it takes in (tax revenues).† (Weil 2002) The first state is the contractionary or tight fiscal policy wherein the government expenditure is lesser than its revenues or budget surplus. On the other hand, it is called expansionary or loose fiscal policy when government spending is larger than its revenues resulting to budget deficit. (Weil 2002) In devising a fiscal expansion policy, the government should consider certain economic indicators and factors that are affected. These are interest rate, exchange rate, trade balance, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and aggregate demand. Weil (2002) and Hemming et al. (2002) observe the possible effects of fiscal expansion on these factors which contribute for economic stability. Richard Hemming et al. (2002) see expansionary fiscal policy as beneficial in stimulating economic activity. They use the events like Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and recessions in Europe and the United States as empirical evidences of the negative effects of contractionary fiscal policy through strong tax systems. Weil (2002) sees beneficial effect of fiscal expansion on managing the economy through the gross domestic product (GDP) or the total amount produced. Fiscal expansion results to increase in demand for goods and services which in effect raises both the output and price. However, the degree of increase on these two factors depends on the state of the economy according to Weil (2002). â€Å"If the economy is in recession, with unused productive capacity and unemployed workers, then increases in demand will lead mostly to more output without changing the price level. If the economy is at full employment, by contrast, a fiscal expansion will have more effect on prices and l ess impact on total output.† (Weil 2002) Weil (2002) states fiscal expansion raises the aggregate demand or the total demand for

Criminal Investigation Is The Process Of Discovering Criminology Essay

Criminal Investigation Is The Process Of Discovering Criminology Essay A Criminal Investigation is the process of discovering, collecting, preparing, identifying and presenting evidence to determine what happened and who is responsible. It is a reconstructive process that uses deductive reasoning, a logical process in which a conclusion follows from specific facts. From specific pieces of evidence, investigators establish proof that a suspect is guilty of an offence. (Hess Orthmann, 2010) In this assignment Im going to provide a clear understanding of an appropriate investigative approach toward theft form residence. Theft form residence in other countries is also known as a Burglary. This kind of crime is considered to be one of the most important crimes worldwide, since it is also one of the most common forms of criminal behaviour. The definition of burglary is defined by each states criminal code and it various from one code to another, although some commonalities exists and are generally reflected in the elements of the crime. Burglary is committed when a person, knowingly breaks, or remains, in a building or structure belonging to anther for the purpose of committing a crime therein. Burglary is referred as a crime against the dwelling that is violated and there is no need of direct violence towards any occupants. The public regards theft as a major crime problem since for many persons it is a traumatic event when they realize that someone unknown to them has invaded their privacy of their homes and personal belongings and stolen their possessions. Burglars are most often to choose suitable targets like elderly persons, women who live alone. Perpetrators often ransack rooms to look for valuables and make it difficult for victims to establish what is missing. Their targets are cash, televisions, computers, radios, jewellery, guns, tools and several household goods that either they use for their personal needs or to sell them. Theft from residence occurs mostly when most persons are away from their residence. Very often burglars main victims are those people that uses the same routine day to day and so that certain time is more susceptible to burglary due to the routine absence of residents like going work, shopping, mass etc. Burglars are either to be amateurs or long time professionals. The amateurs are usually to be unskilled and they learn by trial and error. They easily make mistakes and eventually are caught by the police, although once convicted they gain experience and learn from the trade ones. More experiences burglars are more trained, they may have more lookouts who are in communication through mobile or even radios and often a getaway vehicle is used and usually close to the burglary site. Most burglars motives are drug related and monetary. Approaching on the scene of crime Investigation initiates from that moment that the police receives the phone call. Reports can be received by the victim itself, neighbour or anyone else that may have noticed or suspected any different movements or noises. One should be very cautiously due to the fact that the crime could have occurred any time and perpetrators could still be inside premises or nearby. Investigators should be on the alert for any persons fleeing the area, suspicious or well known persons that are known by the police and suspicious vehicles. The first officer to respond a burglary call is usually the patrol division officer. Officers should first determine whether a crime is currently in progress. When a crime is still being carried out, officer must call for more help in order to prevent the escape of the suspect/s. On the way to the scene of crime officer should approach the burglary location without warning emergency lights or siren. After arriving one can observe certain reliable indicators that a burglary has been or still being for example open doors, windows. The first attendant officer should immediate preserve the crime scene, in order to maximise forensic opportunities due to the fact that there is few amount of time before the evidence will be contaminated. The crime scene should be secured and the victims are to be escorted to an area not part of the investigation and it is to be made sure that victims dont touch anything. The Preliminary Investigation Preliminary investigation is of utmost importance, although some investigators tend to simply skip the necessary steps of a preliminary investigation due to the fact that theft from residence are seen as being high-time investment for low results awards. The preliminary investigation should start by obtaining information about the type of structure which has been burglarized. It has to be established the time, date, the whereabouts of the owner, points and methods of entry and exit, however it is important to determinate who the occupant of the residence burglared is and where they were at the time of the offence, the time they left the residence, if all doors and windows were properly locked and if any visitors have been recently been there. Burglar can gain access by forced open a door or a window by means of tools, by break out or cut a small pain of glass in order to unlock a door from the inside. It is important to discover what type of tool was used and how the perpetrator had gained entrance. When no signs of forced entry are found it may indicate that burglar entered through an open or unlocked door or might possess the key of the residence. The next step for an investigator to carry out the preliminary investigation is to search, collect and preserve evidence. Great care must be taken when searching for evidence. The point of entry is usually the area which has the most evidence. When walking around the scene one must use extreme caution. Search must start from near where the perpetrator entered. One must locate where items were disturbed or removed. After the search, it has to be determinate the type and amount of loss with complete description. An important step in the preliminary investigation is the Modus Ope randi. The identifications of a unique modus operandi are essential in investigating burglary due to the fact that most burglars commit a series of burglars using the same patterns. One should look for the time of day, location, type of methods used to gain entrance, type of vandalism, things stolen for example cash only or jewellery and any particularities of the offence. Such patterns can tie and lead several burglaries to one suspect. Preliminary investigations also include interview the victim, and any witness available, enquiring with neighbourhood for witnesses and the identifications of CCTV cameras. A sketch of the scene of crime and a list of property stolen could also help toward the investigation. Witnesses Some might think that when it comes to deal with the crime of burglaries, there are few witnesses but in actually there might be more than one believes. Police tend to miss and to try to locate witnesses. Witnesses are very important in the process of solving crimes and they have very often been the key persons in such situations. Eyewitness are those who can provide a detailed account of the circumstances which otherwise would be lost and weaken the evidence. One also has to bear in mind that there may be instances where their evidence could also be unreliable. Although the testimony given by eyewitnesses has often been criticised it has always been given weight by Judges and Juries in a court of law. When a burglar is committed, police should investigate immediate the area and look out for a potential witness that can identified or can develop a description of a suspect. Physical Evidence Domestic burglary scenes are visited by SOCO in order to maximise forensic opportunities. When searching for physical evidence at a burglary scene it will also require the help of the victim who can easily identify what has been moved and what items does not belong to the owner. Forensic recovery includes the photographing of the crime scene and the discovery of physical evidence that may include fingerprints, footprints inside and outside the house for example below windows, fibers, hair, tire prints, tool marks, tools, and broken glass and paint chips and even personal items such as discarded cigarette butts. Often times burglars tend to drink and eat whatever is at hand in the kitchen of the burgled home and therefore they also leave traces of DNA on a bottle or cup. As stated by Mairs (1930), fingerprints are considered to be accurate and valuable marks in the process of identifying a human body due to the fact that the patterns and characteristics of the fingerprint are unique. They are the most common form of evidence that can be found in a scene of crime. Trace evidence can establish a link between the perpetrator and the scene of crime. The Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is a great advance in scientific criminal investigation and it is possible to search criminal record for a single latent print. A latent fingerprint is the type of fingerprint that most of the time is found in burglary, which gives a positive clue to the offenders identification and conviction (Horhan, 1991). The classification of fingerprints is important because these are filed and can be retrieved by the investigators when there is need to make identifications (Cunliffe et al. 1980). A case where it is clearly shown the importance of fingerprint was held in America State v Connors. The experts produced photographs at court showing fingerprints of a perpetrator upon a balcony of a residence that has been burgled and in addition the experts testified that same fingerprints found at the crime scene matched those of the perpetrator. The accused has been found guilty of committing the burglar (Horgan, 1991). Fingerprints are not always enough to support evidence in certain criminal cases. A marked example of this is the case of Il-Pulizija (Spettur Keith Arnaud) vs Victor Degabriele. Mr Degabriele was accused of theft from residence of Mr Nazzareno Mercieca from Xghajra. Although a fingerprint elevated from a box that had contained a watch which has been one of the stolen items had matched with the left hand thumb of the accused, the court decided that due to the principle of in dubbio pro reo the court is of the opinion that the legal prosecution had not met the required evidence requested by law. It was decided that Victor Degabriele was not guilty of charges issued. Shoes and shoe marks are also common physical evidence that can be found in a scene of crime. If collected, properly analyzed and recorded can yield to important investigative data. Shoe footprint can provide unique wear patterns that can be compared with a suspects shoes. Shoe print can indicate whether the suspect was running, walking or even if it was carrying something heavy, if it was familiar with the area or unsure of the terrain. The pattern, size, personal characteristics and coincidental characteristics can make a shoe mark unique. LeMay (2006, p.42) stated that dust impression can be made when a person with dust on their shoes walks on a surface, thereby transferring the dust from their shoes to the surface they step on. Shoe marks are to be photographed and latent fingerprint lifters are used to lift shoe impressions from smooth surface. In a Maltese case, Il-pulizija (Insp. James Grech Insp Fabian Fleri) vs Silvio (Saviour) Pace, in which case, Silvio has been found guilty of burglarise two different residences in different time and dates. Investigators sustained their case with the help of shoe marks which were found in both burglarise homes and after a search in his residence the shoe was found and it resulted that such shoe marks belongs to the accused. In fact Silvio Pace had admitted the charges and he was send to prison for 32 months. Another possible evidence that can be found in burglarise offence are tyre marks which can be located around the burglary scene. Tyre marks can show the approximate speed, direction and even the manufacturer and year the tyres were made. Tools and Tools marks: The most common means used to gain entrance in a residence is the use of tools. Common tools that are used in a burglary are screwdrivers, glass cutter, vice grips, pry bars, picks and augers. Tools and Tools marks are important items of evidence. Most burgles use the same tool over and over again to gain entry in residence and this will lead to leave behind characteristics striation marks that can connect one burglar to another. Locards principle of exchange every contact leaves a trace came in force when tools are used to force open a door or a window by means of tools. When a burglary occurs and in the process the burglar smashes a window pane, unknowing, this has attracted physical evidence upon oneself. Traces or fragments of chipped glass or paint stick to clothing and shoe soles. These constitute importance physical evidence. When forensic experts collect this evidence on the crime scene and this is confronted to traces found on the suspect it would therefore be confirmed that the suspect had been on the crime scene. In certain residences one can found safes to protect their valuables. Burglars can either carried away or demolished safes. Safes have safe insulation which can also leave traces and fragments on clothing, shoes and even on tools the offender used. These fragments are very often even deposited in the vehicles that have been used for the crime. These can also be detected and matched. Another evidence that is becoming important in burglaries is the DNA. When a burglar gets cut while breaking into a structure, trace of blood can be elevated and therefore can be analyzed for DNA. A burglary investigation involves several stages like investigating the scene of the crime, collecting and preserving and available physical evidence, interviewing potential witnesses, using informants, examining records, tracing property and identifying suspects. A successful case will depend frequently on the investigators ability to handle clearly unrelated pieces of information in an analytical way. As stated by Clarke (1992) and Forrester et al. (1988) in order to deter the burglar, there should be more effective policing and enhanced situational prevention.

A Doll’s House and The Cherry Orchard Essays -- Comparative, Ibsen, Ch

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard were famous for the way in which they depicted the changing of cultures. Both plays act as a sort of social commentary during times of widespread liberation, and use the contortive nature of these seemingly stereotypical characters’ actions to speak about groups of people as a whole. Throughout the course of both plays, this subversion of how different groups of people were typically perceived created a distinct contrast which often shocked and appalled audiences of the time. However, the effects of these plays were felt long after they were presented. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, written in 1879, is set in late-19th century Norway. Upon publication, Ibsen’s biting commentary on 19th century marriage stereotypes created widespread uproar. In the play’s first act, the viewer is introduced to a young married couple by the names of Nora and Torvald. In tune with stereotypes of the time, the relationship is controlled almost dictatorially by the husband. Nora is often treated by Torvald the way one might expect a father to treat his daughter. For instance, Torvald incessantly refers to Nora by child-like nicknames such as â€Å"my little squirrel† and â€Å"skylark† and often speaks to her in a condescending manner. Nora, who acts as a symbol of all women of that time, initially fits in very well with the common perception of women in late-19th century Scandinavia. Torvald himself even extends this sentiment of male infallibility and female submissiveness to the whole female race, saying, â€Å"Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother (Ibsen 27).† However, throughout the play Nora begins to break the mold of inferiority that was associ... ...Russian society and social norms. The greatest reminder of this is found in the fact that Lopahkin, the man who Ranevsky once spoke to condescendingly, is now the family’s last hope for survival. Ironically enough, Lopahkin is often glancing at his watch, a reminder that time is changing, and a message that he, himself, is a testament to. In both Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House the subversion of perception and the insubordination of supposedly inferior characters has massive implications on the overall message of the play. These mechanisms bring to light a multitude of questions about the correctness of social norms and the future of both Russian and Norwegian society. They are powerful reminders of ever-changing society and the nature of human relationships, and they leave the reader at once confused and motivated for change.