Moral Fragments and Moral Community: A Proposal for Church in Society Essay

Devil’s Playground Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The film â€Å"Devil’s Playground† is considered as one of the films ever produced that is more of a psychological thriller that is developed in a church setting, schools as well as the upper levels of power which exist in the Catholic Church, specifically, Australian when there was change in late 1980s. The film has various stars including Simon Burke who plays the role of Tom Allen. The other characters in the film include Don Hany, Jack Thompson, Toni Collette, John Noble, Andrew McFarlane, Anna Lise Phillips, Leon Ford, UliLatukefu, Matt Levett, as well asJarinTowney (youtube.com).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Form this film, it can be noted that the Amish youths, when they reach the age of 16 years, they are allowed to make their personal decisions and take other ways apart from following the set Amish rules. The youths sample the outside life from the routine life of the Amish which is often under strict rules (Rasmussen, 9-20). The youths get to have modern life whereby they do things as they please and engage in all manner of activities that comes with modernism. In the year 1988, Tom Allen was still recuperating from the loss of his wife as well as the love affair that he had with Alice. One boy goes missing from a Catholic School and there are a lot of questions which are asked by the community. Desperate search by Andrassi as well as Brother Warner to find the boy that has gone missing. In the second episode of film, there is a body which is discovered as well as a note, cryptic, which gives the suggestion that the death of that has occur red is not a normal death or as a result of accident(Rasmussen, 9-20).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The film is quite clear on the lessons that it tries to pass through to the society at large. As it is depicted in the film, the youths are left to make their choices in life, whether to follow modernism or to follow the Amish rules(Beaty, Carlton, and Mark, 107). The film is all about freedom in the society to make choices and live according to what the world offers. From the film, the concept of change is eminent in the film whereby the youths, at the age of 16, are left to do what they want(Rasmussen, 9-20). The film depicts the society as weak and lacks the control that it needs to have on young people. For example, Faron, who is the son of a preacher, gets involved in drugs and leaves the teachings of his father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a lot of disrespect for authority that is depicted from the picture of Faron getting in to drugs and other social vices(David, n.p). The producer of the film tries to show the society that when people are left without any rules, there are high chances that things will definitely go wrong. However, it is ironical that the son of a preacher is ardent drugs user, something that the society greatly believes can only happen to those that do not go to church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this film, there are several characters that have been used, which includes students, clergymen, as well as person in authority. The use of the different characters helps in bringing out the themes in the film as well as the development of the film. The use of the clergy and having church settings as part of the film helps in bringing out the religious aspect that people have in the society (Beaty, Carlton, and Mark, 107). However, despite there being the aspect of religion and beliefs, the society is full of vices, some of which are associated with the church. The clergy are expected to perform the role of teaching morals to the followers and the society as well as offer the much needed support for the people. However, in the context of the film, the church is seen as one that is riddled with politics as well as social vices, although these are not outwardly displayed(Beaty, Carlton, and Mark, 107). The use of the clergy in the film he lps in supporting the theme of religion whereby people get hope from religion, as it is seen through the various youths that decided to get back to their communities instead of continuing with their reckless life(Rasmussen, 9-20). The church is the source of hope and future in the society. It is important that in society moral values should be supported by all the relevant authorities so that the young people can have some form of guidance since they are naà ¯ve and inexperienced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contrary to the moral values that are expected, the authorities have instead turned around and became symbols of immorality in the society, as this can be seen in the film. The clergymen fail in their responsibility which in turn leads to the death of a boy, and some form of note claiming that the death is not an accident(David, n.p). From the tile of the film, the Devil’s Playground†, it is symbolic since the events that take place in the film such as the way the youths have left the ways of the Amish and instead engaged in modernism, depicts the title of the film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The producer of this film managed to bring out the title of the film since there are a lot of social vices which are depicted throughout the film. The vices cover up the religious beliefs that exits leaving in the film, and the church seems not be effective in carrying out its duty of ensuring that the moral values that are expected in the society are upheld by everyone. The schools are not left out as it is depicted in the film (Brooks, 125). The students are the victims that are greatly affected by the vices in the society. The film is a clear indication of what modernism has on a society that does not hold on to its cultural values. The students are presented as intelligent and are aware of what is happening in their surrounding and from observation, they try and practices what they see(Beaty, Carlton, and Mark, 107). The use of the students as part of the characters in the film the producer of this film were simply trying to show that there is no one in the society that is immune to vices which are in a society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is the responsibility of everyone in the society to ensure that moral values are upheld. Furthermore, it is not just the responsibility of the clergy, as they are not as perfect as they may be viewed to help maintain moral values in the society. Parents have the first responsibility of instilling moral values in their children. In the film, parents are seen to be strict to their children and want the children to follow what they want (David, n.p). However, as the children reach the age of 16 years, they are left to make their choices without the guidance of the parents. The effect of this laxity on the side of the parents result in the death of a boy, many of them getting involved in drug abuse as well as sexual relationships, things they are not supposed to do. The whole aspect of religion and parental guidance is lost as it is depicted in the film, and instead, evil is left to prevail(Rasmussen, 9-20). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, the use of the different characters in the film is quite accurate and matches the title of the film, bringing out the clear theme that was intended by the producers of the film. In addition to the characters, the use of different settings, that is, the church, schools and homes, helps to support the theme of the film and the development of the film, something that is a plus to the film. The whole aspect of the film is to help people understand the behavior of human beings when faced with changes, that is, the psychological impacts of different events in the life of an individual(Beaty, Carlton, and Mark, 107). In a society, there it is important that moral values should be maintained and young people should be taught how to live morally upright lives. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of everyone in the society to help and support each other in ensuring that cultural values are not lost. References Beaty, Michael D, Carlton D. Fisher, and Mark Nelson.Christian Theism and Moral Philosophy.Macon, Ga: Mercer University Press, 1998. Print. P.107 Brooks, Thom. Ethics and Moral Philosophy. Leiden: Brill, 2011. Print. P.125 David Dale, Catholic church is in the spotlight for Devil’s Playground TV series viewed from http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/catholic-church-is-in-the-spotlight-for-devils-playground-tv-series-20140902-10b5hx.html on 23rd November 2014 Rasmussen, Larry L. Moral Fragments and Moral Community: A Proposal for Church in Society. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993. Print. P.9-20 The Devils’ Playground viewed from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMmf-20w5IA on 23rdNovember 2014 Source document

Noah’s Arf: Coming to the Dogs

Kris Price possesses most of the skills that are vital to be a successful entrepreneur. Having a successful career in Nike, Inc. prior to her business venture in establishing Noah’s Arf only means that she is a skilled and accomplished employee. Despite her blossoming career in Nike, Inc. she took the risk of quitting her job to start her own business that unknowingly would be the successful animal haven as we know now called Noah’s Arf. Being an entrepreneur, one must be willing to take risks. Even without prior knowledge of what the outcomes will be in either introducing a new product or expanding one’s business to a new location, an entrepreneur should be willing to take that risk and be able to muddle through the consequences no matter how difficult it would be. Taking risks is very important in dealing with one’s business because entrepreneurs who take risks are most probably the ones who get to experience bigger successes because they were brave enough to try. Kris happens to be one of them. (Sullivan) Kris’ creativity, innovativeness, and her intention to provide services needed by people, led her to develop the concept of Noah’s Arf. From a need, and that is the need to have someone check-up and care for her pet while she traveled elsewhere as an employee for Nike, Inc., the idea of a pet care facility cropped up. It was really impressive that she made efforts to conduct research in order to have an idea of how to develop a pet care facility and determine whether other business establishments offer the kind of service that she wants to provide for her target clients. Although she was inexperienced in writing business plans, she was able to find a solution to her dilemma. She used the Business Plan Pro computer software to write a business plan before starting to develop her vision of a pet care facility. Kris’ resourcefulness led to the development of Noah’s Arf’s business plan that contains the highlights of the pet care facility, the mission and objectives of the business establishment, and the image that it wants to develop for its customer as a credible and responsible pet care facility dedicated to provide for 24-hour service to its customers. Kris once again displayed her willingness to take risks by selling her house and donating her car to be able to raise funds as capital for her business venture. She even applied for a loan, believing that everything that she will be working on will pay off soon. Because of her innate entrepreneurial qualities, Noah’s Arf proved to be successful even after two months of opening up to the public. In just six months, she was able to draw clients, totaling to twenty dogs taken care by Noah’s Arf everyday. In order to attract more customers and contribute to her already solid client base, she spends time promoting her business, the in-home care services, as she calls it, to be specific. This service is very in demand during the holiday season. Perhaps Noah’s Arf is very successful because Kris is able to provide her clients the services that they really need. In addition to this, Kris was able to pick a strategic location, and that is putting up her business near the park where most people take their pets. Lastly, her success is simply because she loves and enjoys what she is doing. According to Kris, she is â€Å"working on adrenalin now.† Noah’s Arf: The Business Plan The business plan was successful in attracting clients to patronize her business. For the most part, the services that she offers are clearly some of the needs and demands of clients. Her reputation as a very hard-working and dedicated employee and her involvement in a service-oriented company prior to her business venture is convincing enough to trust and support the services she is offering. The business plan pointed out the services that she would be offering in Noah’s Arf, her credibility and qualities as an entrepreneur to provide for the needs of her clients as needed. The means of how she is going to establish her business was also mentioned in the business plan. (Business Plan Pro) The focal point of her business plan is very ambitious, in a good way though. Through this we can say that she believes and has faith in her vision in that she plans to achieve a steady increase in the facilities’ annual income, fifty percent gross income on her products for pets, maximization of resources, and expansion in the years to come. She does not limit her services to only dogs and cats and offers convenience for her clients and their pets, etc. These services and her ability to look through the future and predict the outcomes of her business take her halfway to meeting her goals and objectives as a pet care facility entrepreneur. (Business Plan Pro) However, business plans only give the entrepreneur a guide that would lead him tentatively to where everything in the business is going. These business plans change if, in application to real life, it fails to provide for the ideal concept embodied in it. In this case, changes to the business plan will apply if for instance, Kris fails to acquire loans to start-up her business. Then there would be changes as to the target objectives and the entire plan might be altered to fit the amount of money that she has for capital. In the actual business setting, if for instance the business establishment fails to acquire the target number of clients to furnish the amount of money needed to pay off the loans, etc. because of the location, then Kris might make another plan of establishing her business elsewhere. Business plans are changed if the output of the business does not meet the intended projection for the business in a short term and long-term basis. Noah’s Arf: The Website All the necessary information for the clients who want to check out the services they offer and want to look through the character of the facility is incorporated in the website. However, it would be great if the website were redeveloped to achieve a more attractive and amusing website that people would enjoy to browse through. Since Noah’s Arf is promoting a fun and clean environment for the clients’ pest, it would a good idea to add color and vibrancy to the physical make-up of the website. The links that are found at the bottom of the webpage should be put at a taskbar that is noticeable and that people can access easily. It is good that all the basic information is there in the website. It just needs a little restructuring to be true to the character that Noah’s Arf is portraying to its clients. Advertising and Promotional Strategies The use of the website is a good strategy to win over clients. Noah’s Arf should offer free and informational newsletters that will not only be available to those who visit the website but also for people who only get the time to check their e-mails. Clients who are on the go and leave their pets to the facility should be sent e-mail about recent news and other information that is related to pet caring, etc. There should be a sign-up button wherein people can sign in their names to be able to receive free newsletters. Through this, Noah’s Arf will also be able to include in their newsletters advertising for the services they offer, new promotional services, events for animals and pet-owners, etc. Another way is to sponsor a dinner featuring the dogs or cats in a fashion show. This is a great idea because the location of Noah’s Arf is accessible to most of the pet owners who take their pets to the park. It would be a great way to attract more people and clients for them to see the quality of services offered by Noah’s Arf. Through this other people will get to see and hear from Noah’s Arfs’ client base about the goodness and quality service provided by their clients. In addition to this, Noah’s Arf can get a sponsor from animal rights organizations and get to establish a larger network because of the organization’s endorsements.    Future Challenges As she was expecting, one of the future challenges that she will be facing for her business would be expansion. As her client base expands, there would also be a need to develop her business to be able to provide for the heightened needs of her growing clients, even in other places. It would be great, although a big risk, to establish a branch elsewhere, but if there is a need to, then she must be able to do it. Another thing is that as many innovative ideas are being developed nowadays, Noah’s Arf must be able to cope up with these changes and incorporate in their business technological advances that would help in systematizing tasks in the workplace. This would be difficult phase because further research and testing is needed to prove whether these changes will be feasible for her business. Aside from this, many ideas about pet care and animal rights are now cropping up and catching the attention of the people. Noah’s Ark should be aware of these ideas to be able to shape their establishment in a way that does not cause the loss of clients and endorsers alike.             Works Cited Business Plan Pro. 2008. Dog and Cat Kennel Business Plan. Retrieved from Palo Alto Software. 11 March 2008. Noah’s Arf. 2007. Noah’s Arf. Retrieved from Noah’s Arf. 11 March 2008. Sullivan, Robert. 2006. Are You and Entrepreneur? Retrieved from Information International. 11 March 2008.   

Analysis Of Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man Essay -- White people, Bl

In Battle Royal, the first chapter of Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison parallels the struggles of the protagonist to that of minorities in a post-slavery America. Ellison 's character is invited to deliver his graduation speech to a gathering high society white men and finds himself participating in a Battle Royal. Through deeply rooted, almost allegorical symbolism Ellison illustrates the protagonists journey toward self discovery and the â€Å"American dream† in a predominantly white powered society. Throughout this work the narrator/protagonist remains nameless. This namelessness serves to highlight the denial for a significant identity experienced by those who have suffered from the follies of racism. In Ellison 's Battle Royal the protagonist is blind to this racism, which defines him, and portrays himself, as the â€Å"black exception,† by asserting the standards and convictions imposed upon him as a means of achieving success. It is clear that the protagonist is affected by the convictions of those around him when he states that his grandfather 's words of wisdom â€Å"had a tremendous effect upon† him. His blatant naivety and gullibility are foreshadowed as he feels â€Å"guilty and uncomfortable... whenever things [go] well for† him, as if he â€Å"[is] carrying out his [grandfather 's] advice in spite of [himself].† In this particular passage Ellison shows the reader that by being affected by his grandfather 's curse the protagonist subconsciously accepts his grandfathers challenge of achieving success through playing the part of a â€Å"traitor† and a â€Å"spy in enemy territory.† The grandfather 's last words imply that what the protagonist is doing is treacherous and hs act, his speech. With the"thunderous applause" received from the oration of his speech, the protagonist is willingly mislead "in the right direction... of the the destiny of [his] people." Th is allows for the protagonist to maintain the mindset of false superiority. The protagonist mistakingly views himself as a privileged black man causing the hinderance of his journey to self-discovery. The characters surrounding the protagonist are constant reminders of the narrator 's lack of authority on the path of his future. Ellison illustrates this point to highlight that blacks who strive to achieve success or the American Dream through their own terms will only propel themselves farther into the follies of invisibility. In order for the veil to be lifted from the eyes of the blind, men must band together and the fight the powers that may be instead of each other.

Legal Environment of Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Legal Environment of Business - Essay Example The court was of the opinion that the equal protection clause does not prohibit use of race in admission decisions to obtain education benefits from diversity. Barbara Grutter, a white Michigan resident, applied to the Law School in 1996 but was denied admission despite having the requisite scores, 3.8 GPA and 161 LSAT score. She filed suit against the Law School, which respondents racially discriminated against her in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. The district court held that the Law Schools racial considerations were unlawful because the interest in diversity was not compelling and, even if it were, the policy "had not narrowly tailored its use of race to further that interest." Also, the district court granted Grutters requests for relief. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated the injunction and reversed. The appellate court held that the "use of race was narrowly tailored because race was merely a potential plus factor" and the policy was consistent with Justice Powells opinion in Regents of University of California v. Bakke. The Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari and affirmed the appellate decision. Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Kennedy, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas, all dissented with the argument that system at the university was unconstitutional, thinly veiled and against the fourth amendment act. As stated by Chief Justice Rehnquist the percentage of African American applicants closely mirrored the percentage of African American applicants that were accepted. The concern of Powell for individual consideration, which the Court adopted in Grutter’s case, is ironically with an argument against minority preference. Those opposed to minority preference maintain that American society has traditionally been extremely meritocratic, focusing on individual merit and true potential of applicants. Also, since all races must be

Computer security proposal report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Computer security proposal report - Assignment Example In simple words, computer security is the way of securing and identifying unlawful or illegal use of personal computer. In this scenario, there are a large number of prevention tools and techniques that help stop illegal users (as well recognized as "intruders") from getting access to any part of a computer system. In addition, detection allows us to find out whether or not someone has tried to force an entry our system, or they were successful, as well as what they may have access from the system (Armor2net Software Ltd.; Red Hat ®, Inc. ; Jaeger). The basic purpose of my research is to discuss computer security issues and their solutions. In this scenario, this paper outlines the plan for the overall research. The basic purpose of this research is to identify the latest security threats. This research will also discuss solutions that can be adopted by business organizations and individuals to deal with these security threats. The concept of computer security is not a new idea. It has been under discussion for a long time and its history can be traced back to the first use of the computer system. Up till now, computer security has remained a serious challenge for the business organizations as well as individuals. I have been excited to learn about what actually computer security is? My interest lies in exploring some of the serious computer security issues that cause serious challenges for computer users. I also want to explore security solutions that can be adopted to deal with these issues. The primary source of data collection would be the Internet. I would research on the internet and would get information from different journals and articles to recognize the latest security issues and solutions. I will also conduct surveys and interviews from the people who have suffered from these security threats. The basic purpose of these interviews and surveys would be to analyze some common trends and problems. The examples of these sources could

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 4

Assignment - Essay Example There is an established communication between Adam (man) and God (divine). Adam is seen stretching his hand reluctantly and loosely to receive what God is presenting to him. God is trying to transmit some sought of divinity to man. This is being attempted by bringing their fingers as close as possible but it is clear the fingers do not establish a contact. This could be the impossibility of God and man being into contact. The story is biblical though and it has it that after Creation of Adam, God breathed life into him. In the bible there is nowhere we are told that there was a lot of resistance in the process. However, in the creation of man, the work presents an interesting fact (Kleetus, 2005). God is seen trying to reach Adam with all his might. He is stretching his index finger to touch that of Adam. It seems there is a resistance in form of a wind, which is trying to deny him a chance to communicate to his creation. The presence of a wind-like force is depicted in the direction of God’s legs and those of the angels surrounding him. The implication from the figure here is that God is trying with all his might to touch and transmit his mightiness to hid creation amidst a strong opposing force. On the other hand, dam does not seem to have the energy and effort to reach to God. Adam is relaxed and while God is using his right hand to reach him, Adam is using his right hand to support his lazily leaning body and reluctantly uses his left hand to respond to God’s attempt to reach him. The left hand has to be supported by his left leg knee for that case. Adam’s body is leaning against God and it seems he is not willing enough or putting enough effort to make the divine connection with God. The body language of the two is totally different and while one is responding with strength to establish a connection, the receiver is not so much putting an effort to receive. A closer look at the index fingers of the two subjects in

Health team role in minimizing adverse events in the hospital Essay

Health team role in minimizing adverse events in the hospital literature review - Essay Example Miller M R, J S Clark, C U Lehmann.(2006). Computer based medication error reporting: insights and implications. Qual Saf Health Care.;15:208-213. Adams Sally Taylor & Vincent Charles. Systems Analysis of Clinical Incidents-The London Protocol. Clinical Safety Research Unit .Imperial College London. Mohr J J & P B Batalden.(2002). Improving safety on the front lines: the role of clinical Microsystems. Qual Saf Health Care 2002;11:45-50 Wilson R.M., Runciman W.B., Gibberd R.W., Harrison B.T., Newby L. & Hamilton J.D. (1995) The quality in Australian health care study. Medical Journal of Australia 163, 458-471. Buist M., Jarmolowski E., Burton P., Bernard S., Waxman B. & Anderson J. (1999) .Recognising clinical instability in hospital patients before cardiac arrest or unplanned admission to intensive care. A pilot study in a tertiary-care hospital. Medical Journal of Australia 171, 22-25. Franklin C., Mamdani B. & Burke G. (1986). Prediction of hospital arrests: toward a preventative strategy. Clinical Research 34, 954A. Sax F.L. & Charlson M.E. (1987). Medical patients at high risk for catastrophic deterioration. Critical Care Medicine 15, 510-515. Schein R.M., Hazday N., Pena M., Ruben B.H. & Sprung C.L. (1990). Clinical antecedents to in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest.Chest 98, 1388-1392. Considine J. & Botti M. (2004). Who, when and where Identification of patients at risk of an in-hospital adverse event: implications for nursing practice. International Journal of Nursing Practice 10,21-31. Daffurn K., Lee A., Hillman K.M., Bishop G.F. & Bauman A. (1994). Do nurses know when to summon emergency assistance Intensive and Critical Care Nursing 10, 115-120. Lee A., Bishop G., Hillman K.M. & Daffurn K. (1995). The medical emergency team. Anaesthesia...The Canadian Adverse Events Study: the incidence of adverse events among hospital patients in Canada. JAMC - 25 MAI 2004; 170 (11) Buist M., Jarmolowski E., Burton P., Bernard S., Waxman B. & Anderson J. (1999) .Recognising clinical instability in hospital patients before cardiac arrest or unplanned admission to intensive care. A pilot study in a tertiary-care hospital. Medical Journal of Australia 171, 22-25. Considine J. & Botti M. (2004). Who, when and where Identification of patients at risk of an in-hospital adverse event: implications for nursing practice. International Journal of Nursing Practice 10,21-31. McGloin H., Adam S.K. & Singer M. (1999). Unexpected deaths andreferrals to intensive care of patients on general wards. Are some cases potentially avoidable Journal of the Royal College of Physicians:London 33, 255-259. Brennan T A, L L Leape, N M Laird, L Hebert, A R Localio, A G Lawthers, J P Newhouse, P C Weiler,H H Hiatt.(2004).Incidence of adverse events and negligence in hospitalized patients: results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study .Qual Saf Health Care 2004;13:145-152. Jain,M, L Miller, D Belt, D King and D M Berwick.(2006).Decline in ICU adverse events, nosocomial infections and cost through a quality improvement initiative focusing on teamwork and culture change. Qual. Saf. Health Care.15;235-239. Cavallo, K. & Brienza, D.( 2003).

No tipic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

No tipic - Essay Example nto the impact and the angles from which the media portrayed and presented the Muslim community as a whole and at the same time the level to which they were persecuted through a dedicated segment of media that served based on vested interest and agenda. American society has always been a multi cultural and multi background carrying individuals who have settled in from the different parts of the world. The Muslims, along with people of other communities, largely the Asians make up for a considerable population bench. Any effort or any activity that may have been carried out by a group claiming to have done it for the purpose of their religious teachings or any other similar notion, would result in hatred and distancing of the people of other backgrounds from them. The same happened to the Muslims in the American society (Ewing, 152). Surveys have been conducted in this regard to assess the overall situation and bias against Muslims. Matthew Jabber has conducted a survey to investigate the existing outlook. According to his findings, based on questions asked from over a two and a half thousand individuals (Stiffler), as many as half of the people questioned and interviewed, believe that there is a persistent negative trend prevailing in the media with regard to the Muslims image. The Muslim community makes up for a large percentage of American population. They have been part of the American society for last couple of centuries. Since the events of 9-11 were supposedly undertaken by the people and hijackers who has had affiliations with the Muslims states or the religion in its own existence, it therefore became a direct inference to suspect Muslims. Apart from law making and law enforcing agencies, the attitude and approach of the people within the American society turned relatively negative towards the Muslims, there was less accommodation for the Muslims and they were relatively less welcomed in the different domains. This resulted in a gulf creation between the

Discuss the idea(s) developed by the author about the significance of Essay

Discuss the idea(s) developed by the author about the significance of our memory of the past - Essay Example Memories of the past especially regarding racialism and the white supremacy mentality are evident and still haunt Walt’s future. In other words, the belief that the white race was supreme than others, which was practiced and held for many years still haunts memories of the actor in his past. For example, the author indicates that though "Hmong might be good people," if they wanted anything fixed such as appliances or even cleaning up a yard or even ending the gang war that affect the society, they needed a white person to help and that the white may get away with anything thing. The racist mentality that was practiced in the past still haunts the author; he believes that the whites are supreme over other races in all aspects. The past beliefs in cultural superiority dictate his relationships with other races, which as the film illustrates prevents the author from establishing a cordial relationship with others. Understanding one another early enough dictate how people interact later in life and how this interaction impacts their lives. Walt’s memories of the good and meaningful life he had in the past as a soldier and with the family affects his life, considering he is now alone and in different settings. This makes Walt to sink deep into loneliness and reject any gesture that seeks to lift him from this life. For instance, his oldest son and his wife bring him a birthday gift to make his life better and cheer him up. However, his son’s motives are against Walt’s values and feelings. As a result, he rejects the gift and the suggestion of a retirement home. This suggests that everyone views life in a different and unique lens. In other words, there is a need to understand others and their needs to avoid conflicts. The fact that the two do not understand one another results into conflict. If the two had understood one another before, the son could have known what his fat her needed most at the time,

Diversity in America Essay Example for Free

Diversity in America Essay In an ideal world, humanity would understand that all mankind is created equally; that the underlying truth of each of us is goodness, and that through awareness, conscious choice and the willingness to create positive change, we could live in a world where diversity is celebrated. We would leave behind the substantial racist and oppressing patterns that exits in this world, specifically in the United States of America. It is said that the U. S. is a melting pot of cultures, and that we are a country of immigrants existing together as a new culture, living under the values of a democracy based on freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yet this policy is completely disregarding the fact that as immigrants, we brutally committed genocide to the Native Americans. The dominant race in the U. S. A. is made up of white Euro-centric people, and looking at the patterns that exist in this culture is important to examine the history, the ways in which racism is alive and how and who is affected. We all must look at how, as an individual and within a community, we can work towards positive change, healing and understanding. As a society, we have committed and perpetuated the oppression of different cultures specifically the Native Americans, the Native Africans and the many immigrants from different countries. In the early history of the U. S. government, it is clear that there was a systematic method that aimed to remove the Native Americans from the land that was desired by the colonists, with the malicious intention to commit genocide. The first example of the patterns of racism that were established is seen in the fabrication of stereotypes onto the Native Americans. It was said that the Natives were â€Å"barbarians† and that they would rape and murder women and children and that they â€Å"served the devil† (Tataki, 1993, p. 41). The whites held the belief that the Natives were occupying land that the colonists felt entitled to. â€Å"White people also justified the genocide by saying that Native Americans died from diseases they were biologically unable to resist† (Kivel, 2002, p.126). It is a known fact that smallpox were given to the Natives as a way to kill them. Multiple examples exist throughout the history of the whites murdering, raping and unjustly exploiting almost every aspect of the Native’s culture. After committing such horrendous violations we are left with the inability to change all that has occurred and a great sadness that produces guilt, blame and anger that often stagnates a healing process and increases denial and avoidance. The Native American population has almost completely been destroyed. â€Å"At the time Columbus arrived in the West Indies there were approximately fifteen million indigenous people†¦ today†¦ the population of native Americans in the United States is around three million according to U. S. government census figures† (Kivel, 2002, p. 124) and the remaining Natives in America are mostly confined to reservations. This small fraction of designated land is no longer their original sacred land but it is being raped for natural resources. White settlers not only committed genocide but they also enslaved the Native Americans. This pattern of entitlement and abuse was continued with the legal capturing and enslavement of people of African decent with as much violence and oppression. The history of slavery in the United States that occurred through 1619 to 1865 began soon after the English colonists first settled in Virginia and lasted until the passage of the thirteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. â€Å"Over the next twenty five years Virginia passed a series of laws that legalized slavery, producing a radically subordinate and stigmatized class below that of all whites† (Kivel, 2002, p.130). Although technically slavery was abolished in1865, a linage of abuse and inhumane treatment was installed and has been carried into this day and age providing a challenge to accept and comprehend the past. In an attempt in understanding black oppression, there are aspects that demonstrate this injustice. They are institutional racism, racist knowledge and power relations that are played out in our culture and in no way have anything to do biology. Individuals and societies have created and used race as a means to oppress and overpower other groups of people. Racial oppression is when a group of people dominates another for their own benefit disregarding justice and respect through the use of violence and defining and discriminating racial differences. This dominant group receives various benefits although in the larger picture all sides loose for the continuation of a pattern of pain and injustice is insured through these actions. African-Americans are a case of this racial oppression. They were turned into slaves because of the color of their skin. It is shocking that it did not start this way and that through the power of the U. S.government slavery laws were passed that enabled the white masters to turn the blacks into slaves. This is an example of the institutional racism used to enslave the blacks. Because of this occurrence, we, as a society, must break down the residual stereotypes that have instilled fear, pain and disconnection between the races, and to change the model that exists even at this point in time. Another example of racism in the U. S. is seen in the treatment of immigrants. This subject is personal, for on my father’s side of my family I am part of the first generation born in American. My father’s parents immigrated to the U. S. , to escape the holocaust and I am sure shared the dreams of the majority of different immigrants who traveled to the â€Å"land of opportunity,† escaping places of war and economic devastation to begin and pursue a new and better life. Through the duration of attending a class studying the diversity in America I have gained painful yet poignant knowledge of the racism that is still perpetrated upon immigrants, specifically on Jewish people. I have recently learned that groups of neo-Nazis congregate and commit acts of violence against Jewish people and immigrating races. This is terrifying to me and feels unacceptable while we live under a constitution that allows personal expression but does not permit such distinct racist and violent behavior. I am grateful and saddened that because I was raised in a protected and privileged community I have rarely experienced oppression and hateful discrimination when it so readily exists in our culture. In the past few months I find myself cycling through heartbreak, anger and disbelief of the injustice that has and still occurs, and then to a yearning for healing and equality for all. I remain in a space of wonderment, questioning the fact that although laws have been installed to prevent the acts of racism, fear, ignorance and violence is bubbling hot under the surface of our society, and we are a long way from a complete shift in humanity that I crave. I do believe there is hope. I believe that in gaining the truth of the past and diminishing ignorance of the harm that was and still is being done we open a door that may aid in the battles that are still being fought. Although the brutality of racism is alive, the potential to fight for the rights of all the people who live upon this American soil is possible, but the truth of the history and the attainment of awareness must be brought to fruition. Reference List Kivel, Paul, (2002). Uprooting racism: How White People Can Work For Racial Justice. Gabriola Island, BC VOR 1X0, Canada: New Society Publishers. Takaki, Ronald, (1993). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. New York, NY: Time Warner Book Group.

Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) Corporate Structure

Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) Corporate Structure Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is a key player in the establishment, maintenance and provision of telecommunication and related services under the license issued by the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications. It is the dominant player in the fixed line telephony market in Malaysia, offering local call, long distance call and data services through a range of platforms. TMs mobile communications business operates under the Celcom brand while its Internet access business operates under the TM net and Streamyx brands. TM also operates a wireless broadband Internet access network through TM net Hotspot. TM was incorporated in 1984 listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities in Nov 1990. the core business of TM is Telecommunications, Fixed Line Services, Mobile Cellular, Internet Connectivity, Operation of optic fibred systems, Managed Network Services, Trading in telecommunications equipment. Telekom Malaysia Berhad is the largest telecommunication company in Malaysia. It has a monopoly on the fixed line network and has a considerable market share of the mobile communications market after its acquisition of Celcom and merging with its mobile operation arm TM Touch. TM has an internet service provider subsidiary offering narrowband and broadband connectivity. Broadband connectivity is through DSL under TM Nets Streamyx brand. Due to its near monopoly of the last mile connections, TM Net is now the sole DSL broadband provider in the country. Telekom Malaysia officially changed its global brand from Telekom Malaysia to TM in April 2005. Telekom Malaysia Berhad, is one of the largest listed companies on Bursa Malaysia with an operating revenue of more than RM16 billion and total asset over RM41.8 billion. TM is a government-linked company, reporting government shareholdings of over 36%. Of the remaining shares, less than 4% are held by non-bumiputera Malaysians, the racial di stinction being an example of the governments affirmative action policy. TM had a large numbers of companies under its control both in and outside of Malaysia. Through its investment arm TM International Sdn Bhd, TM has  purchased and assumed control of a number of start-up telcos most notably close to the home region. TM has a local subsidiaries such as: * TMNet * VADS * Multimedia University * Multimedia College * TMRD * Telekom Applied Business On September 28, 2007, TM announced a revamp of its corporate structure, de-merging its fixed-line and mobile businesses into two separate companies: Fixed Co and Region Co. Fixed Co will comprise its domestic fixed-line business, internet service provider and other ancillary businesses. Region Co will comprise Celcom, its domestic cellular operator, and all of its international operations. The de-merger exercise is scheduled to be completed by Q1 2008 and both Fixed Co and Region Co will be listed on Bursa Malaysia by June 2008. On 10 December, 2007, TM announced a special dividend amounting to RM 1.6 billion to its shareholder. TM further added that after the demerger, Fixed Co. will adopt a dividend policy of a minimum RM700mil or up to 90% of normalized net profit, whichever is higher. On 11 April 2008, Telekom Malaysia announced that TM International will be listed on the Bursa Malaysia by 28 April 2008. TM International is renamed as Axiata Group Berhad in May 2009. Dialog Tele kom customer base as of end 2008 was 5.5 millions. In sponsorship, Manchester United signs five-year deal with Telekom Malaysia Premier League leaders Manchester United have signed a five-year deal with Telekom Malaysia (TM), which will become its Official Integrated Telecommunications partner in the Far Eastern country. TM is the largest telecommunications company in Malaysia, posting an increase in profits in 2009 of 180.4% compared to the previous year. The company is developing its tour match sponsorship of Man Utd into a complete partnership with the Club. Man Utds success in Malaysia is clearly evident with approximately 25% of the population supporting the Club. Its tours of the Far East attract large crowds with around 40,000 attending the training sessions with the same figure supporting the team at a match in Kuala Lumpur. Market analysis Market analysis is a research aimed at predicting or anticipating the direction of stock, bond, or commodity markets, based on technical data about the movement of market prices or on fundamental data such as corporate earnings prospects or supply and demand. It is a designed to define a companys current or potential markets, forecast their directions, and decide how to expand the companys share and exploit any new trends. Market analysis is a tool companies use in order to better understand the environment in which they operate. It is one of the main steps in the development of a marketing plan. The first step is to conduct market research or gather information through direct mail, telemarketing, focus groups or online surveys. Market analysis, which involves critically reviewing and organizing the data collected so that it can be used in making strategic marketing decisions. Just as one would not build a house on sand, one should never undertake a marketing program that is not buil t on a firm foundation of market knowledge. Telekom Malaysia (TM), the leading player in the Malaysian fixed-line market, is focusing on high-speed broadband and bundled services to drive its future growth, while a declining fixed-line market and shrinking ARPU remain its key challenges. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is engaged in providing a wide range of services for the telecommunications industry. The companys offering include fixed line, wireless, data and broadband services. The group operates in different countries namely Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, and Iran, with a strong focus on the Malaysian market. The company provides fixed line and data services such as telephone and internet connections for business and domestic purposes. Solutions for international wide area networks, corporate level virtual private networks. The Internet and multimedia services of the company include access services and application services. Under the cellular services the company offers wireless related services to its customers. It is managed by its operating subsidiaries such as Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad, TM International (Bangladesh), Dialog Telekom (Sri Lanka), Multinet Pakistan, PT Excelcomindo Pratama TBK (Indonesia), Spice Communications (India), Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia), and Mobileone (Singapore). Major service offerings include voice, data, mobile internet, messaging, and international roaming. The non-telecommunication related services include property development, printing and publication of directories, education, trading in consumers premises equipment and other businesses. The company operates through four reportable segments namely, Retail Business, Wholesale Business, Global Business and Shared Services or Others. The companys Retail Business segment provides various telecommunication products, services and communication solutions principally to direct consumers, small and medium businesses, corporate and government customers. TM offers a range of voice services, internet or broadband services, data services and information communication technology services. As on December 2008, the Retail Business segment holds a customer base of 1.6 million. During the fiscal 2008, the respective segment accounted MYR 6887.2 million, an increase of 6% over last fiscal. The Wholesale Business segment of the company delivers various telecommunication products and services through its direct networks to other licensed network operators such as Network Facilities Providers (NFP), Network Service Providers (NSP) and Application Service Providers (ASP). The company provides various telecommunications network related services through Fiberails fibre optics backbone, via railway tracks and Petronas gas pipelines. Fiberail is a joint venture formed by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB). In addition, its Fibrecomm is a joint venture with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). It operates through 10Gbps fibre optics network. Moreover, Fibrecomm also offers a neutral infrastructure service. During the fiscal 2008, the respective segment accounted MYR 997.1 million, a 0.65% decrease over last fiscal. Global Business segment is involved in the provision of inbound and outbound services for telecommunication products. The company under its Global Business segment holds collaborations in six continents namely, Asia, Europe, Americas, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa. It is involved on various business alliances with various telcos in Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and installed global IP nodes in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK, US and others. Global Data Marketing and Global Voice Marketing teams are the major products and services provided by this segment. During the fiscal 2008, the respective segment accounted MYR 11 48.4 million, an increase of 3.70% over last fiscal. The companys Shared Services or Others include all shared services divisions, networks and subsidiaries that do not fall under the above lines of business. During the fiscal 2008, the respective segment accounted MYR 4381.7 million, a 1.55% decrease over last fiscal. Telekom Research Development Sdn Bhd (TMRD), the research and development division of the group entered into an agreement with MIMOS for research collaboration in cutting-edge technologies between governments linked companies (GLCs). It also signed an agreement with University Technology Malaysia to promote co-operation between the two parties in the field of research and development. The company spent MYR 65.5 million on RD during 2008. In May 2009, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and Wi-Net Technology Sdn Bhd (Wi-Net) entered into a Wholesale Ethernet Service Agreement for the provisioning of Wi-Nets wireless broadband service, Winet Broadband. It is the five year agreement, where the Wi-Net will leverage on TMs existing Wholesale Ethernet service and the new High Speed Broadband (HSBB) network and expands supply of its broadband service to more than 2,000 locations nationwide by 2010. Industrial analysis Industry analysis is a tool that facilitates a companys understanding of its position relative to other companies that produce similar products or services. Understanding the forces at work in the overall industry is an important component of effective strategic planning. Industry analysis enables small business owners to identify the threats and opportunities facing their businesses, and to focus their resources on developing unique capabilities that could lead to a competitive advantage. An industry analysis consists of three major elements. That is the underlying forces at work in the industry, the overall attractiveness of the industry and the critical factors that determine a companys success within the industry. Ease of entry refers to how easy or difficult it is for a new firm to begin competing in the industry. The ease of entry into an industry is important because it determines the likelihood that a company will face new competitors. In industries that are easy to enter, so urces of competitive advantage tend to wane quickly. On the other hand, in industries that are difficult to enter, sources of competitive advantage last longer, and firms also tend to benefit from having a constant set of competitors. .The ease of entry into an industry depends upon two factors. It is reaction of existing competitors to new entrants and the barriers to market entry that prevail in the industry. Existing competitors are most likely to react strongly against new entrants when there is a history of such behavior, when the competitors have invested substantial resources in the industry and when the industry is characterized by slow growth. Some of the major barriers to market entry include economies of scale, high capital requirements, and switching costs for the customer, limited access to the channels of distribution, a high degree of product differentiation, and restrictive government policies. A comprehensive industry analysis requires a small business owner to take an objective view of the underlying forces, attractiveness, and success factors that determine the structure of the industry. Understanding the companys operating environment in this way can help the small business owner to formulate a n effective strategy, position the company for success, and make the most efficient use of the limited resources of the small business. Once the forces affecting competition in an industry and their underlying causes have been diagnosed, the firm is in a position to identify its strengths and weaknesses relative to the industry. An effective competitive strategy takes offensive or defensive action in order to create a defendable position against the five competitive forces. Some of the possible strategies include positioning the firm to use its unique capabilities as defense, influencing the balance of outside forces in the firms favor, or anticipating shifts in the underlying industry factors and adapting before competitors do in order to gain a competitive advantage. rom the economist intelligence unit Malaysias telecommunications network is relatively advanced compared with other countries in South-east Asia. In terms of total industry revenue, Malaysias communications market is roughly on a par with that of Singapore (which has a much smaller population), and is well ahead of that of Indonesia. In 2003 the number of telephone land lines per 100 populations in Malaysia stood at 18.3, giving the country about twice the teledensity of Thailand, six times that of the Philippines and five times that of Indonesia. As in most of Asia, the use of cellular telephones has been growing steadily at the end of September 2005 there were around 17.6m mobile accounts. Although telecoms services are excellent and readily available in urban centres, they are only fair in many rural locations. The monopoly of Telekom Malaysia, which is largely state-owned, on fixed-line and cellular services ended in 1994 with the licensing of several competitors. However, Telekom Malaysia remains the dominant provider of fixed-line services, with more than 90% of the market. The newcomers have tended to concentrate on mobile telephony. The ensuing competition has brought lower tariffs and improved service quality. The mobile network is primarily based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology; although a code division multiple access (CDMA) system is being used by Telekom Malaysia to meet demand from rural areas in eastern Malaysia. In order to achieve a truly competitive market, the government must eventually distance itself from the incumbent, Telekom Malaysia, and legislate provisions for local loop unbundling, co-location and interconnection. Without these, Malaysia will not have a competitive market for broadband services, and the fixed-line market is likely to remain stagnant. The development of information and communications technology (ICT) plays a crucial role in the governments plans for the economy. The government has attempted to position Malaysia as a regional and global ICT and multimedia hub, by providing tax breaks to attract multinational corporations and increase the companies competitiveness through the development of the Multimedia Super corridor (MSC) near the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Although the bursting of the dot-com bubble slowed the growth of the 750-sq-km MSC, by end-2005 a total of 1,421 companies had approved MSC status. These companies, of which 349 were majority foreign-owned, included technology manufacturers, data centres and communications-related industries. Usage of ICT, measured in terms of installed personal computers (PCs), rose to almost 170 per 1,000 population in 2003, up from 87.4 in 1998. The Economist Intelligence Unit estimates total information technology (IT) spending in Malaysia at US$3.3bn in 2005. Company analysis The Executive Summary entices the investor to learn more about the company. The company analysis in turn educates the reader regarding the companys history Company profile Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) as the leading integrated Telecommunications Company in Malaysia, that aim to deliver cutting-edge communications, information and entertainment services and the vision is to be Malaysias leading new generation communications provider, embracing customer needs through innovation and execution excellence mission Strive towards customer service excellence and operational efficiency, enrich consumer lifestyle and experience by providing innovative new generation services, improve the performance of our business customers by providing high value information and communications solutions, deliver value for stakeholders by generating shareholder value and supporting Malaysias growth and development Past Accomplishments Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) Investor Relations Unit is constantly striving to improve relationships with all our investors and in ensuring best practices are adhered to all communication with the capital market is governed by the Investor Relations Policy and Guidelines. Unique Qualifications Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is a Malaysia based integrated communications solutions provider. The company is principally engaged in the provision of services and solutions in broadband, data and fixed line. TM serves 4.3 million fixed-line customers and 1.6 million broadband customers across the globe. In addition, the company also operates retail, wholesale and the global business. Major subsidiaries of the company include Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad, TM International (Bangladesh), Dialog Telekom (Sri Lanka), Multinet Pakistan, PT Excelcomindo Pratama TBK (Indonesia), Spice Communications (India), Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia), and Mobileone (Singapore). Other than Malaysia, the company has presence in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, and Iran, through its subsidiaries. It is headquartered at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The company reported revenues of (Ringgit) MYR 8,674.90 million during the fiscal year ended December 2008, an increase of 4.57% over 2007. The operating profit of the company was MYR 729.40 million during the fiscal year 2008, a decrease of 21.27% from 2007. The net profit of the company was MYR 791.90 million during the fiscal year 2008, a decrease of 68.92% from 2007. Industry and structural links to company analysis Telekom Malaysia Berhad Financial and Strategic Analysis Review Global Markets Directs Telekom Malaysia Berhad Financial and Strategic Analysis Review is an in-depth business, strategic and financial analysis of Telekom Malaysia Berhad. The report provides a comprehensive insight into the company, including business structure and operations, executive biographies and key competitors. The hallmark of the report is the detailed strategic analysis of the company. This highlights its strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats it faces going forward The Company is engaged in the establishment, maintenance and provision of telecommunication and related services. The Company focuses on fixed line voice, data and broadband, and other telecommunication-related services. The Company operates in retail business, wholesale business, global business and shared services/others. Retail business provides a range of telecommunication products, services and communication solutions to consumers, small and medium businesses, as well as corporate and government customers. Wholesale business provides a range of telecommunication products and services delivered over its networks to other licensed network operators namely network facilities providers, network service providers and application service providers. Global Business provides inbound and outbound services for a range of telecommunication products, including the fixed network operations of its worldwide subsidiaries.