European history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

European history - Essay Example While the revolution swept all corners of the European nation, it is important to note that each nation had its own unique mix of issues and concerns about the traditional authority. The earlier uprisings patterns in 1820s and the 1830s were very instrumental for the final explosion of revolution in 1848. However the authorities by then worked very hard and thought that they had crushed the uprisings. However, most of the uprisings were only suppressed and went underground. The revolutions would come again and hence there were periods of peak and off peak with regard to revolutions. In this context, some were successful and resulted to one or two revolution reforms while others were completely suppressed. The major waves of uprisings that resulted into major reforms were witnessed in the year 1820s and 1830s before the eruption (Korner, 215). The 1830s uprisings mainly begun in France and spread to other places like Germany, Belgium, Poland and Italy. Unfortunately all the uprisings were crushed by the ruling authority in almost all these nations except those uprising in France survived. As a result of this however Belgium, Britain and France Won freedom, liberal reforms and constitutional monarchy respectively (Korner, 216). These uprisings were very important as they paved the way for wave opf uprisings that followed after a decade in the year 1848. This wave swept across many nations including those regions that had not experienced uprisings. By this time French had gone ahead to establish a republic while other fifty uprisings were witnessed in the different parts of Europe. However, France was neither lucky, it was taken over by a dictator, Napoleon III turning it into a second emperor. During this time, the French had made a republic and the Frenchmen could now vote for delegate with regard to the new constitution. This was a major development in France as partial freedom in choosing the leaders. The

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s Essay Example for Free

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s Essay Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s. As a genre description, reality TV is widening its usage from news magazine programmes based round emergency service activities to talk shows, docusoaps and a variety of first-person programmes (Creeber, 2001: 135). Reality TV with extensive meaning becomes popular to describe any factual programme based on an aesthetic style of apparent zero-degree realism in other words a direct, unmediated account of events, often associated with the use of video and surveillance-imaging technologies (Creeber, 2001: 135). While Barnfield has criticized the loose usage of the term, suggesting that over the last decade such a wide range of productions have been categorized as Reality TV that one wonders if the term is too general to be helpful'(Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 3). It is true that reality TV is not explicit enough in meaning. However, it is the best word applicable to all situations and never unilateral. It gives producers more space to innovate new programmes as to prosper this genre. Reality TV evolves with the development of new technologies. New sub-genres emerged as the hybrids of established genres. It challenges traditional documentary and changes the serious content to more entertainment elements. Every format is close to everyday life to convince the audience as real programming. In the short history of only two decades, reality TV has evolved into various formats. I will focus on five main forms which have either had a remarkable effect on television history or unprecedented audience ratings with reference to relevant representative programmes of British television. Contested Generic Identification: Definition of Reality TV It seems difficult to issue a particular definition of reality TV to attest to debates over it. As Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn point out: Producing a particular definition of Reality TV is nevertheless complex. This is partly because of the fundamentally hybrid nature of the forms in question. Yet it is also because of the range of programming to which the term Reality TV has been applied, as well as the extent to which this has shifted over time with the emergence of further permutations in reality-based texts. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 2) Jon Dovey characterised this genre by reference to the dominant and original forms of Reality TV that feature police and emergency service work (Dovey, 2000: 80). In his opinion, as form and construction, reality TV should be: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ camcorder, surveillance or observational actuality footage; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ first-person participant or eye-witness testimony; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ reconstructions that rely upon narrative fiction styles; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ studio or to-camera links and commentary from authoritative presenters; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ expert statements from emergency services personnel or psychologists. (Dovey, 2000: 80) These elements are helpful in interpreting the origins of reality programmes and in understanding its sub-genres and new development. Only by bearing these elements in mind can we make reference to relevant programmes when we trace back history to discuss the evolution of reality TV. Is it American Innovation? : Historical Precedent of Reality TV There is no consensus about the first reality programme. Jon Dovey thought that Reality TV is generally historically located as beginning in the US with NBCs Unsolved Mysteries in 1987 (Dovey, 2000: 81). While Bradley D. Clissold considered that during the years that it aired, Candid Camera (US, 1948- ), arguably the first Reality TV programme, proved itself to be one of US TVs most memorable, enduring and popular shows (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 33). There is a consensus that the earliest reality programme came out in America. In addition to these mentioned above, other commentators like Richard Kilborn, Chad Raphael and Gareth Palmer all agreed with this conclusion (Kilborn, 2003: 55; Palmer, 2003: 21). In the commercial environment in America, technologies like cable, satellite and digital prospered reality programmes in television market. However, reality TV as a television genre has evolved into a very strong Eurpoean form with regional variations in each country (Dovey). In mid-1980s, when surveillance technology such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) became accessible, Britain produced its own reality programmes, which revealed real accidents, crimes and emergencies. By using CCTV footage, these reality programmes departed from traditional documentary and were quickly accepted by the curious audience because of their witness techniques. They were real shows without actors and noted for low-cost which was attractive to most programme-makers. Among these early reality programmes, Crimewatch (BBC, 1984- ) was most influential. Jon Dovey said it has been seen as central to the development of the form, particularly in respect of debates around criminology and the media (Creeber, 2001: 135). Deborah Jermyn, who is experienced in studying television crime appeal, commented on Crimewatch: Promoting the growth of crime-appeal programming in Britain with a format where serious unsolved crimes are reconstructed, police and victims families interviewed, images of suspects publicized and the public encouraged to phone in and volunteer information by this time the series had comfortably established itself as Britains foremost crime-appeal programme. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 71) The effectiveness of Crimewatch as a detergent to crimes has been under much debate. It entertained the audience, but it was weak as a warning to the criminals. As Jermyn commented: indeed some criminals have claimed that the poor-quality CCTV footage they witnessed on Crimewatch actually gave them an incentive to commit crime (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 82). The use of CCTV conspicuously enhances the programmes claims to authenticity and underlines its sense of a privileged relationship with real crime and actuality, qualities which programme-makers evidently believe to be ratings winners (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 83). In this case it is exciting for the audience to see the raw footage without caring much about its effect of crime appeal. These early reality programmes about crime appeal, accidents and emergencies formed a new documentary format, which was the precedent of a new genre-reality TV. Later popular factual entertainment programmes are based on these elements to innovate. Their effect is remarkable in a long term. Fly-Off-the-Wall: Video Diaries Known as Access TV The 1990s was a golden era for the prevalence of reality TV. Jon Dovey points out: it seems that ordinary people, non-professional broadcasters, have never been more present on our screens (Dowmunt, 1993: 163). Camera is no longer simply fly-on-the-wall to observe and record, but closes to the object to become active fly-off-the-wall. For a long time, access TV, as new reality television, has been in a great demand. According to Jon Dovey, there are some fundamental principles that identify access programming; they centre around control and power over the programme-making process, especially the authors should have control over the whole process of representation (Dowmunt, 1993: 165). Camcorder and video technology opened up expansive space for access TV. Non-professional broadcasters became a leading role in making these programmes. As Patricia Holland commented on this innovative style: The video diary style, in which programmes are made with domestic video equipment by members of the public rather than by television professionals, has introduced a new way of making programmes. Low-tech, with a less polished appearance, they seem to bring the audience even closer to the realities they show. (Holland, 1997: 158) Video Diaries, produced by the BBC Community Programme Unit from 1990-1999, was a representative of access TV. From these series of programmes, Jon Dovey noted: the Unit solicits and researches ideas from potential diarists with a compelling story to tell. Once chosen, the diarist is trained in the use of an S-VHS camera and packed off to shoot their story, with support from the Unit should it be needed. In this way the diarists are given not only editorial control but also control over the means of production. They return with anything up to 200 hours of material and attend all the edit sessions, from an initial assembly which is viewed and discussed at length to the offline and online edit processes. (Dowmunt, 1993: 167) The format of Video Diaries is a development of documentary. Gareth Palmer has explained that it imported the authorizing and legitimizing discourse of documentary into the personal, and in doing so it imported also documentarys ordering principle into individual lives (Palmer, 2003:168). It was popular to the audience and also gained acclaim from the critics because of its flexibility in recording reality. Nevertheless there were debates that the producers had already controlled the programme by selecting the diarists, and there were also problems of quality and legality. New Observational Documentary: Emergence of Docusoap Docusoap is one form of the new observational documentary and one sub-genre of reality TV. It is a hybrid of documentary and soap-opera. It improves from serious documentary to emphasize on entertainment, especially everyday lives. Developed in the UK in the mid-1990s, the docusoap enjoyed unprecedented success for roughly a four-year period (1996-2000) (Kilborn, 2003: 87). Docusoap combines documentary and drama. There are elements of narration, interviews and background music, and similar sequences as soap-opera. Each episode has a certain title and focuses on character, personalities, plot or situation. Technological advances promote the development of new observational documentary. New technologies like lightweight cameras, portable sound equipment and non-linear editing system accelerate editing process with better quality and effect. Besides, financial benefits also attract producers to choose new technologies. As Paul Hamann has commented, docusoaps already cost on average only a third of the price of the equivalent in light entertainment or sitcoms (Bruzzi, 2000: 77). The entertainment factor of docusoap makes it popular with audience. Driving School peaked at 12.45 million viewers (Bruzzi, 2000: 86). It focused on the trials and tribulations of people preparing for their driving test (Kilborn, 2003: 96). Compared to the core character of reality TV, docusoap is blamed to be less factual with aesthetic reconstruction. According to Bruzzi: The sequence most frequently cited is that in which Maureen Rees, on the eve of another attempt at her theory exam, wakes in the middle of the night and asks her husband Dave to test her on the Highway Code. The sequence is a reconstruction, and Jeremy Gibson (head of BBC Television Features, Bristol) and others have gone on record exonerating themselves from blame, commenting that, having gleaned that Maureen did get up at night ghrough panic, it was perfectly legitimate to recreate such a sequence without the film crew having to camp out in her bedroom for an entire night. (Bruzzi, 2000: 87) The producers intervention revealed obvious dramatic skills, which aimed at telling a complete story. In any case, under these circumstances one can never expect a totally natural performance from the character with the presence of camera. These factors make docusoap not so real, but the audience appreciate it for the entertainment value and these factors do not affect their enjoyment. However, by the end of 1990s, this new documentary format had gradually lost its popularity. Critics and executives of TV channels began to complain the similar content with in the same format between series. It was also blamed as a challenge of serious documentary. Then new factual programmes emerged and replaced docusoap in TV schedules. Docusoap is remembered as a creative hybrid of documentary and fiction with high ratings in the history of reality TV. Serve the Public: Prevalence of Lifestyle Lifestyle is another sub-genre of reality TV, of which BBC has been one of the biggest providers (Gareth Palmer; Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 173). It originated in the 1990s and is still popular today. It occupies a large part of TV schedule, shown usually in the daytime and prime time. There is a series of choices in dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor (House Invaders [Bazal for BBC1, 1999-2002], Changing Rooms [Bazal for BBC1, 1996- ]), clothes (What Not To Wear [BBC2, 1999- ]) and manner (Would Love To Meet [WLTM, BBC2, 2001-3]) (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 174). People now have strong sense that they are citizens and consumers. They are eager to improve their lives. Many are glad to show their private life in front of camera. For habitus, Gareth Palmer commented: Britain is a nation of homeowners clutching close the belief that the home represents a sort of castle. Hence, it makes sense to produce programmes aimed at the house-proud (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 179). For fashion, according to Palmer, in looking at fashion programming we come closer to seeing how the individual should ideally be styled according to the new class of experts (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 181). There is a debate as to whether fashion shows need be bitchy. Palmer has an interesting opinion: fashion without bitchery, like academia without snobbery, is inconceivable (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 184). Bitchery makes fashion programming as amusement. It does happen frequently in our life, which is a factual element of lifestyle. Lifestyle programming is an innovation that television is not only observing peoples life, but also changing peoples way of life. It serves the audience by giving instructions, which is the nature of European television, compared to marketing the audience of American commercial television (Ang, 1991). Lifestyle is a good illustration how culture affects social life. New Interactive Reality Show: World Success of Big Brother Endemols jewel in the crown, Big Brother was thirty months in development and was the brainchild of co-principal, John de Mol. First broadcast on Veronica in 1999 and an immense ratings success, the programme has been adapted in over eighteen territories in Western Europe, the UK, the US and elsewhere. (Albert Moran, the Global Television Format Trade; Hilmes, 2003: 120) Big Brother, a new reality programme is based on established genres such as game show, quiz show, documentary and soap opera. It is a social experiment, in which we witness the reaction of the participants to their new environment and changing circumstances are often beyond their control. With the feature of game show, Big Brother sets its game rules as: The programme involved ten housemates interned together over a ten-week period in a specially designed hermetically sealed environment. The housemates were supplied with food and drink and had access to all amenities, but were isolated from all contact with the media and the outside world; there were no television sets, radios, newspapers. Every week each housemate had to nominate for eviction two fellow-contestants; the two with the highest number of nominations would then be subject to public voting. It was the role of the public to select, by telephone vote, which of the two was to survive. By the final week there would be only two housemates remaining the winner was decided by the public, and took away a cheque for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½70,000. (Palmer, 2003: 182) From the above description, it is obvious that this programme innovatively uses interactive voting. The audiences have opportunities to join the programme and play a crucial role in deciding the result. In early 1990s, Mike Wayne criticized programmes at that time: broadcasters and programme makers have paid relatively little attention to the way in which people watch television. They have been concerned with how many people see a programme, rather than the way audiences interact with the images on the screen: what they absorb, what they challenge and what they discard (Hood, 1994: 43). It seems that Big Brother answers all these criticisms. Compared to the audience, the participants are powerless to control the programme. They are observed at all times and their lives are exposed to the public. Weve been looking at the housemates through the eyes of thirty-one unforgiving cameras we have seen them at their best and also at their worst (Ritchie, 2001: 279). What they need is just to relax and enjoy their time. For all of them, without exception, it has been an amazing experience. They have learned a great deal about themselves, and the rest of us have learned not just lots about them, but also about human nature in general (Ritchie, 2001: 279). However, all the participants are under much pressure exposing their lives to millions of audience. There is probably some negative effect on the psychology of most participants. Gareth Palmer calls the programme a psychological experiment. Programme experience is not always as wonderful as Ritchies comment in the above paragraph. In Sweden there was a suicide of a participant on a similar programme (Palmer, 2003: 185). So in Big Brother a team of mental health professionals will oversee both the selection process and the psychological well being of the participants while they are in the house (Palmer, 2003: 185). Big Brother creates a small society for the housemates away from the outside world. There are conflicts and also friendship. The participants are competitors and also partners. As the audience watch the trivia of their daily routine, the voiceover commentary helps them understand the situations. Big Brother, a hybrid of different forms with popular interactive elements, is a new format of reality TV. It is leading a new trend of reality programming. Many independent television production companies are professional and experienced in making these new reality shows. Channel 4 and ITV, such non-mainstream commercial channels have shown many this kind of reality programmes. The audience are looking forward to more innovation of reality TV. BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, R. C. and Hill, A. (2004) the Television Studies Reader, London: Routledge Ang, I. (1991) Desperately Seeking the Audience, London: Roughtledge Bruzzi, S. (2000) New Documentary: A Critical Introduction, London: Routledge Creeber, G., Miller, T. and Tulloch, J. (2001) the Television Genre Book, London: British Film Institute Dovey, J. (2000) Freakshow: First Person Media and Factual Television, London: Pluto Press Dowmunt, T. (1993) Channels of Resistance: Global Television and Local Empowerment, London: British Film Institute Gunter, B. and Svennevig, M. (1987) Behind and in Front of the Screen: Televisions Involvement with Family Life, London: John Libbey Hilmes, M. (2003) the Television History Book, London: British Film Institute Holland, P. (1997) the Television Handbook, London: Routledge Holmes, S. and Jermyn, D. (2004) Understanding Reality Television, London: Routledge Hood, S. (1994) Behind the Screens: the Structure of British Television in the Nineties, London: Lawrence Wishart Limited Kilborn, R. (2003) Staging the Real: Factual TV Programming in the Age of Big Brother, Manchester: Manchester University Press Ishikawa, S. (1996) Quality Assessment of Television, Luton: John Libbey Media Livingstone, S. and Lunt, P. (1994) Talk on Television: Audience Participation and Public Debate, London: Routledge Macdonald, K. and Cousins, M (1996) Imagining Reality: the Faber Book of Documentary, London: Faber and Faber Limited Palmer, G. (2003) Discipline and Liberty: Television and Governance, Manchester: Manchester University Press Ritchie, J. (2001) Big Brother 2: the Official Unseen Story, London: Channel 4 Books Swallow, N. (1966) Factual Television, London: Focal Press Limited Winston, B. (1995) Claiming the Real: the Documentary Film Revisited, London: British Film Institute

Hamlet: Character Analysis :: essays research papers

Over the centuries many people have complained that William Shakespeare did an inadequate job of steering the readers of Hamlet to a specific interpretation of each character. Each reader is left to decide the true extent of Hamlet’s evil and insane ways or to realize that he clearly is a victim of circumstances beyond his control, therefore declaring him innocent. Because of William Shakespeare’s writing style, the reader receives little help in discovering who is truly innocent and who is as guilty as Claudius. Many scholars agree that Hamlet may be the most complex character presented by any playwrite. Over the centuries critics have offered many theories and explanations for Hamlet’s actions, but none have sufficiently explained him. Many people view Hamlet as a deeply troubled youth who caused many unnecessary deaths, such as those of Polonius and Laertes. Critics who support this theory point out the cruel actions carried out by Hamlet, one example being the indifferent and boastful way Hamlet describes the ingenious way he had his two good friend, Rosencrantz and Guildentsern killed. But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed?†¦I sat down, devised a new commission, wrote it fair. I once did hold it, as our satists do, a baseness to write fair, labored much how to forget that learning, but, sir, now it did me a yeoman’s service. Wilt thou know th’ effect of what I wrote?†¦An earnest conjuration from the King, as England was his faithful tributary†¦that on the view and knowing of the contents, without debatement further more or less, he should those bearers put to sudden death. (Shakespeare 5:228-45) The way Hamlet treats Ophelia, the woman he supposedly loved, also supports the portrayal of him being a barbarian. If thou dost marry ,I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery[referring to a brothel], go and quickly, too.(Shakespeare 3:1 136-141) Another offered interpretation suggests that using the information given by the ghost of King Hamlet, Hamlet seized the opportunity to regain what was rightfully his-the throne of Denmark. One less popular belief that has been expressed states that Hamlet was actually a girl, raised as a man, so there would be an heir to the throne. Critics who support this view say that this theory explains Hamlet’s reluctance and hesitation to commit murder(which is most often viewed as a masculine act).

The Banning of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

Banning of the Book/Play Romeo And Juliet 1. Brief Summary of the Play The story is happening in the city of Verona, where two respectful houses, Montague and Capulet, are in rage for many years. The sun of Montague, Romeo, is deeply in love with Rosaline. As a "cure" for his love, his friend, Benvolio, suggests that he will go under disguise to a party in Capulet house. Romeo arrives at the party, where he meets Juliet, the daughter of Capulet, and both fall in love immediately. Only after the party they discover that they are from rival houses. Romeo express his love to Juliet and the marry the next day, secretly. Tybalt is enraged by Romeo unwanted "visit" and he swears revenge. He is insulting Romeo and killing Mercutio, another Montague. Romeo kill's Tybalt, and as a punishment, he is to leave Verona and never return. The Friar has a plan to unite again Romeo and Juliet, who is supposed to marry Paris by her father demand. The friar makes a potion who will cause Juliet a temporary death-alike situation, and she will not have to marry Paris. Juliet agrees, drinks the portion and apparently die, and the Friar sends a messenger to inform Romeo, but the messenger fail to reach Romeo, and instead a friend of Romeo reaches him and tells him that Juliet is dead because he didn't knew that Juliet is only apparently dead because of the potion. Romeo buys a poison, comes back to Verona and enters Juliet tomb. He kisses her, and suicide. A little after, Juliet wake up, find her Romeo dead, and use Romeo's dagger to suicide. Romeo and Capulet arrive at the tomb, and decide to stop the fighting between the families. 2. Why was the book Banned. I think the book was banned because Romeo and Juliet suicide, (Romeo drinks poison and Juliet stabs herself). Juliet actually "angry" with Romeo after he suicide because he didn't left her even a drop of poison ("Drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after ?") and people thought that this will encourage teenagers to suicide because of false love. 3. Do you agree with the banning? I do not agree with the banning, although I do think it doesn't fit to an Elementary school or Jr. High, because of the hard language (I had really hard time figuring what some vocabulary is), although I wouldn't disallow students to read it, if they think they can, or willing to put as much effort as it takes to fully understand the book, I would allow and even recommend it.

Sulfamic Acid Titration

Introduction: ? Neutralization reactions involve the reaction of an acid and a base to produce a salt (ionic compound) and water. Acid + Base ( Salt + Water ? In this lab, sulfamic acid (a weak acid which contains one acidic hydrogen) will be used: H2NSO2OH(aq) + NaOH(aq) ( NaOSO2NH2(aq) + H2O(l) (Net Equation: H+(aq) + OH-(aq) ( H2O(l)) ? Titration is a process of neutralization Titration is commonly used to determine the concentration of an acid or base in a solution. ? This process involves a solution of known concentration (the titrant or standard solution) delivered from a buret into the unknown solution (analyte) until the substance being analyzed is just consumed. The moles of H+ = moles of OH- at this point (called the equivalence point). ? Information about the analyte (i. e. mass) can be calculated at the equivalence point. The volume of titrant is recorded and the moles of titrant can then be calculated using n = C(V, where n = # of moles, C = concentration in mol/L and V = volume in L. ? The end point in a titration is often signaled by the color change of an indicator and occurs just slightly past the equivalence point. ? An indicator is a substance (weak acid) that has distinctively different colors in acidic and basic media. *Not all indicators change color at the same pH, so the choice of indicator for a particular titration depends on the strength of the acid and base.An indicator is chosen whose end point range lies on the steep part of the titration curve. ? The progress of an acid-base titration is often monitored by plotting the pH of the solution being analyzed as a function of the amount of titrant added (called a titration cur ve). Types of Titrations: 1. Strong Acid / Strong Base pH at equivalence point = 7 2. Weak Acid / Strong Base pH at equivalence point >7 3. Strong Acid / Weak Base pH at equivalence point

Music Video Analysis Coffee and TV Essays

Music Video Analysis Coffee and TV Essays Music Video Analysis Coffee and TV Paper Music Video Analysis Coffee and TV Paper The song Coffee and TV is by a band called Blur. The music video is about an animated milk carton who decides to leave home because no one has given him any attention. During his journey the milk carton faced many hazards such as nearly being hit by a motorbike. Near the end of his journey the milk carton stops at a window. The milk carton discovers the missing person whose picture is on the back of the carton itself. The missing person is playing the Coffee and TV song with his band. The milk carton falls through the window and the missing person picks it up. The missing person turns out to be the lead singer of the band. The man and the milk carton take a bus to go back to his family. Once there the man drinks the milk, the milk dies and floats up to heaven. This music video is around 6 minutes long. Usually a music video lasts around 3 4 minutes. Most music videos have the artist lip sync throughout the video but in this video they have used animation and then near the end you see the artist sing the song. They have not used any lighting in this music video as they have mostly filmed outside in the broad daylight. In this video they have showed how a character can change their emotion very quickly. They have used no choreography in the video whereas most music videos do. Although this video isnt like other music videos you see on MTV etc, I think that this video was made like this because they wanted to show an interesting storyline and they wanted their video to be different from the rest. There are many different connotations throughout this music video. As the milk carton goes on his journey he doesnt seem to be too upset. While he is walking it looks like he is dancing and it seems that he doesnt care about what happened earlier. Behind him you can see the sunny, grassy background, this might connote happiness. As he gets into dangerous hazards the background becomes grey, the milk carton starts running, this connotes that he is scared and upset. The milk carton ends up in a dark alleyway which connotes evilness. You then see the milk carton walk up to a bright window. The milk carton doesnt seem to be as scared anymore and he then feels happy because he has found the missing person. They both get on a bus and the weather looks sunny again. At the end of the music video the person drinks the milk and the milk carton slowly floats unto heaven. As he floats to heaven the background becomes brighter and slowly fades to white, this connotes peacefulness. The genre of the music video is Indie. This video belongs to this genre because the music featured in the video is Indie. Indie music sounds home made like it is not edited with effects to change the artist voice. The band who sings this song used instruments to make their own music. Most Indie music is from bands that play their own instruments. Indie is also known as the abbreviated word for independent, this video is quite independent and unique from most other music videos so it belongs in this genre. You dont see much of the band performing in this video except near the end. The video has used animation and mixed it with everyday life. The kind of people that you see in this video is normal people. You can see people trying to get to work, shopping etc. You also see some children in the video. At the end of the video where you see the band playing the song they seem relaxed and they look like they are enjoying themselves. The band do not dance in this video as you can not really dance to this song because it is a little slow and something you would listen to when you want to relax or chill out. I think the target audience for this music video is aimed at everyone. This video appeals to its audience because of the use of animation. They have not use a man, woman or child as their main character which makes it fair and non stereotypical. The video is appealing for anyone because in some scenes of the video you can see women, men and children. There are no scenes of sexual nature making it suitable for children to see also children might find it appealing to them because of the animated character in the video. The song featured in this video has no bad words in it making it appeal to anyone again.

Aggression and the World Schindlers List Essay Example

Aggression and the World Schindlers List Essay Example Aggression and the World Schindlers List Paper Aggression and the World Schindlers List Paper Essay Topic: Film Schindlers List is a poignant and moving film based on a dark period in history, the Holocaust. One of the most stark and prominent global themes that the film presents is that of aggression. The film portrays a lowly picture of the German Nazi party at the time; a strongly prejudicial party whose ideology stemmed from a belief in a superior race (Aryan) and a subsequent inferior line of people (Jews, Poles, Gypsies, handicapped and dark-skinned people). Gore Vidal is one of Americas most controversial writers and is a zealous critic of the Bush administration. In his essay entitled, `The Enemy Within (Published in The Observer, London, 27 October 2002) Vidal presents an alternative viewpoint to the widely accepted premise as to who was to blame for the September 11 attacks on the United States. One of the main ideas in this essay is that the September 11 attacks may have been a `blessing for the Bush administration who were already drawing up plans for an incursion into Afghanistan. He gives details of the USs attempts to negotiate with the Taliban to allow them to construct an oil pipeline across the country as part of a scramble to profit from the surrounding seas rich recourses. Vidal presents evidence that certain factions of the government were aware of such an impending strike, and that the aggressive attack on New York and Washington provided justification to the public for invading the country. In a similar fashion, one could assume that the motives of various Nazi party members at the time of the Holocaust was directed solely around money-making and that racial hatred was not in the equation for them. They used the strongly supported view that Jews should not be treated as human, and exploited this feeling so as to obtain free labour and effectively steal Jewish possessions (eg. he piles of valuables confiscated before the Jews boarded the trains). Vidal describes how Osama bin Laden and the Taliban were made the ` frightening logo for our long contemplated invasion and conquest of Afghanistan, while Saddam Hussein [and the pack of cards featuring other wanted villains] were made out to be the `the personification of evil. They provided the `faces for the public to despise. Perhaps in a similar manner, the Jews were targeted as the `group responsible for all of Germanys troubles at the time (Germany had suffered great loses from World War 1). They were made out to be below human standards and some members of the German public were resentful of the wealth of the Jews. Thus it was relatively easy to convince a wide range of people that it was acceptable to pillage the Jews and use them to gain wealth. This was evident with Schindler (eg. he gleefully accepted the apartment of the ejected Nussbaum [It couldnt be better]). In addition, Vidal probes the possibility that September 11 could be perceived as a `pre-emptive strike. He states: Four days earlier, the Guardian had reported that `Osama bin Laden and the Taliban received threats of possible American military action against them two months before the terrorist assaults on New York and Washington [which] raises the possibility that bin Laden was launching a pre-emptive strike in response to what he saw as US threats. A replay of the `day of infamy in the Pacific 62 years earlier? Irrespective of what point of view you believe, the essay highlights how various situations and events can be seen from an alternative perspective. Different examples of aggression may not be as straightforward and one-sided as superficially seems. Emotive language plays a strong influence in how we perceive things. Additionally, the multinational acts of aggression such as the September 11 strikes and other world large-scale conflicts (such as the conflicts in Northern Ireland and the Middle East) show that the world has not fully learnt from the past of the devastating effects large-scale formes of aggression can have on human life. We can see that the film, Schindlers List is biased (which is not necessarily negative). It is very difficult to create an objective film that is entertaining as well as provides the intended message, in this case, the atrocities that occurred during the Jewish Holocaust. Apart from the negative personification of Amon Goeths character (which cannot be entirely factual as no one knows his true psychology and thought processes), the director uses various film techniques to draw viewers towards the message he is trying to promote. During a sequence in which Goeth is bashing Helen Hirsch, the camera takes on a subjective viewpoint, that is, the view that the camera is providing is the apparent view of a particular character. We see Geoth slapping Helen from her point of view, and it is if Goeth is slapping us, the viewer. This technique increases our negative response to Geoth and simultaneously provides us with an illusional empathy for Helen (i. e. it is as if we have experienced the event and can thus relate directly to it). Other subjectivity influencing aspects include the fact that the information for the original novel was provided extensively by one side of the spectrum (Jewish survivors) and that the director of the movie himself is indeed Jewish. It could be reasonable to say that a film presenting the Nazis in a more positive light would be perceived and interpreted differently by a viewer, as would a film made from an entirely non-partisan viewpoint. Thus, the way we view aggression is influenced by our past experiences and the version of events that we receive if we do not witness the aggression in first hand. Steven Spielberg does not exclude the aggression that Jews showed towards each other in desperate survival situations (although it does not feature prominently in the storyline). There are two obvious examples of this aggression. One is during the clearing of the ghetto, when a mother and daughter ask to be allowed into an occupied hidden floorboard compartment only to be told that there is only room for the daughter (even though we can see from a high angle shot that the compartment is not full). Another act of mental aggression occurs during the `health testing day at the camp, in which a small boy resorts to lowering himself into a pit toilet to avoid being apprehended by camp authorities, only to be told by children already in that hiding spot to leave. Regina Zielinski was a Polish born, Australian migrant. In an extract from the book, With a Guitar to Sobibor, published in 1983 and written by Dunya Breur, the author provides a recount of the retrial of Karl Frenzel in which Zielinski was requested to give evidence. Regina was asked to travel to a court in the German city of Hagen to give evidence against Frenzel, a commanding officer at the Sobibor `Death camp where she resided during the 2nd World War. She was given a job at the camp as a knitter and thus survived, while the rest of her family were killed. During her testimony, Regina described a young boy by the name of Caruso, who was viciously murdered by Frenzel. The fact that Regina stayed behind after her testimony, during a court recess, staring, with her shoulders slumped, convinced the author that Regina was indeed telling the truth. The source shows how devastating and unforgettable certain acts of aggression can be. The seriousness that a person perceives the effects of an act of aggression to be, influences how significant the occurrence is to the individual. For example, while an act of antagonism by a sibling is soon forgiven and forgotten by most, witnessing a murder(s) remains with people, such as Regina Zielinski, for up to a lifetime. A particularly disturbing scene in the film shows a large procession of Jews being led into the closed Jewish ghetto. As the Jews walk along the main road carrying their most valuable possessions, a sizeable contingency of onlookers shout out insults and throw dirt at the Jews. Above the noise, a distinguishable voice of a girl no more than ten years old can be heard screaming out, Goodbye Jews, with frightening prejudice and scorn. This form of psychological aggression and racial resentment is quite shocking as we know that the girl is probably not old enough to forge her own ideas on such issues and the shallow prejudice could only be instilled in her by family and elder peers. The scene shows that aggressively prejudiced thoughts and beliefs are easily `picked-up by the young, who are not mature enough to realise the true significance and enormity behind these beliefs. The film divulges into the psychological mindset of a recognised villain of the era, Amon Goeth. Goeth is portrayed in the film as the main scoundrel (although there were hundreds of people just as cruel as he was). He seemed to have no sympathy whatsoever for the plight of the Jews. He strongly believed that the Jews were an inferior race and followed the ideology of the Nazis with similar fanaticism. The documentary As it Happened The Long Road to War (which aired on SBS on the 12/05/03 at 7:30pm) provided a recap of U. S. and Iraqi relations over the last 2 decades. In addition, the 2-hour special presented an in-depth insight into Saddam Husseins rise to power and his time as dictator of Iraq. This analysis of Saddams character provided me with an excellent source to compare Hussein to Goeth. Both Hussein and Goeth had unregulated power over a group of people. The foremost distinction between the two is that Hussein controlled an entire country (from 1973 onwards) and was essentially above any laws and rules that applied to Iraqis. Goeth, on the other hand, had dictator-like control of the people in his concentration camp, however, Goeth was not above common Nazi law at the time (i. e. he could have been jailed or even executed for having a liaison with Helen Hisch, the servant Jew). An example of Husseins unbridled authority is a section in the documentary, which displays black and white video recorded footage of a meeting that Saddam had with other members of his Baath party in a large auditorium. In it Hussein reads from a list the names of people from his own party that he believes are disloyal. Those whose names are read out are escorted from the room and were never seen again. The most eminent aspect of aggression expressed by Hussein, was the incursion of the Iraqi military into Kuwait, which was subsequently the initiation of the Persian Gulf War. During the incursion, countless numbers of Kuwaitis were tortured and murdered. This is a segment of a speech Bush Snr made in the lead up to war: Summary executions, routine torture, Hitler revisited. America will not stand aside, the world will not allow the strong to swallow up the weak. In saying this, Bush compares the reign of Saddam Hussein to the reign of Hitler and the Nazis in the Second World War. In response Hussein states: Iraqis will not forget the maxim, that cutting necks is better than cutting the means of living. God almighty be witness that we have warned them. Both speeches have differing target audiences and use very different language, however they both evoke an aggressive pretext. The Concise English dict ionary defines the noun `aggression as `an unprovoked attack; a hostile action or behaviour. Through my viewing of the film, I came to realise that the first definition of aggression was not necessarily the case. Instead I recognized that aggression could indeed be provoked (while remaining outside `retaliation) but almost always inadvertently. Provocation can only be defined by an individual (through cultural influences and self-temperament). The more acceptable view is that the aggression brought to bear by Amon Goeth towards Helen Hersch in the cellar was unprovoked, however one could (controversially) argue that Helen provoked the situation by failing to respond to Goeth and his questions. Obviously the aggression was not warranted or acceptable and there was unquestionably no intent to incite on Helens part, but such an argument is still marginally valid. In retrospect, the film presented me with an in-depth look at the plight of the Jews during the period. It provided a display of emotion which is absent or easily overlooked in a written text. In particular, the film showed how the reaction of the audience to acts of aggression can be heightened or subdued through the use of film techniques.

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre On November 18, 1978, Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones instructed all members living in the Jonestown, Guyana compound to commit an act of revolutionary suicide, by drinking poisoned punch. In all, 918 people died that day, nearly a third of whom were children. The Jonestown Massacre was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until September 11, 2001. The Jonestown Massacre also remains the only time in history in which a U.S. congressman (Leo Ryan) was killed in the line of duty. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple Jim Jones, his wife, and their adopted children. Don Hogan Charles / Getty Images Founded in 1956 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple was a racially integrated church that focused on helping people in need. Jones originally established the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, but then moved it to Redwood Valley, California in 1966. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good. He was able to establish this in a small way while in California but he dreamed of establishing a compound outside of the United States. This compound would be fully under his control, allow Peoples Temple members to help others in the area, and be far away from any influence of the United States government. The Settlement in Guyana The Jonestown Pavilion, now abandoned. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Jones found a remote location in the South American country of Guyana that fit his needs. In 1973, he leased some land from the Guyanese government and had workers begin clearing it of jungle. Since all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement, construction of the site was slow. In early 1977, there were only about 50 people living in the compound and Jones was still in the U.S. However, that all changed when Jones received word that an exposà © was about to be printed about him. The article included interviews with ex-members. The night before the article was to be printed, Jim Jones and several hundred Peoples Temple members flew to Guyana and moved into the Jonestown compound. Things Go Wrong in Jonestown Jonestown was meant to be a utopia. However, when members arrived at Jonestown, things were not as they expected. Since there werent enough cabins built to house people, each cabin was filled with bunk beds and overcrowded. The cabins were also segregated by gender, so married couples were forced to live apart. The heat and humidity in Jonestown was stifling and caused a number of members to get sick. Members were also required to work long work days in the heat, often up to eleven hours a day. Throughout the compound, members could hear Joness voice broadcast through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jones often would talk endlessly on the loudspeaker, even through the night. Exhausted from a long days work, members did their best to sleep through it. Although some members did love living in Jonestown, others wanted out. Since the compound was surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and encircled by armed guards, members needed Jones permission to leave. And Jones didnt want anyone to leave. Congressman Ryan Visits Jonestown Congressman Leo Ryan. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images U.S. Representative Leo Ryan from San Mateo, California heard reports of bad things happening in Jonestown; thus, he decided to go to Jonestown and find out for himself what was going on. He took along his adviser, an NBC film crew, and a group of concerned relatives of Peoples Temple members. At first, everything looked fine to Ryan and his group. However, that evening, during a big dinner and dance in the pavilion, someone secretly handed one of the NBC crewmembers a note with the names of a few people who wanted to leave. It then became clear that some people were being held against their will in Jonestown. The following day, November 18, 1978, Ryan announced that he was willing to take anyone who wished to leave back to the United States. Worried about Jones reaction, only a few people accepted Ryans offer. The Attack at the Airport When it was time to leave, the Peoples Temple members who had stated they wanted out of Jonestown scrambled on board a truck with Ryans entourage. Before the truck got far, Ryan, who had decided to stay behind to ensure that there was no one else who wanted to leave, was attacked by a Peoples Temple member. The assailant failed to cut Ryans throat, but the incident made it obvious that Ryan and the others were in danger. Ryan then joined the truck and left the compound. The truck made it safely to the airport, but the planes werent ready to leave when the group arrived. As they waited, a tractor and trailer pulled up near them. From the trailer, Peoples Temple members popped up and started shooting at Ryans group. On the tarmac, five people were killed, including Congressman Ryan. Many others were severely wounded. Mass Suicide at Jonestown: Drinking Poisoned Punch Back in Jonestown, Jones ordered everyone to assemble at the pavilion. Once everyone was assembled, Jones spoke to his congregation. He was in a panic and seemed agitated. He was upset that some of his members had left. He acted like things had to happen in a hurry. He told the congregation that there was to be an attack on Ryans group. He also told them that because of the attack, Jonestown wasnt safe. Jones was sure that the U.S. government would react strongly to the attack on Ryans group. [W]hen they start parachuting out of the air, theyll shoot some of our innocent babies, Jones told them. Jones told his congregation that the only way out was to commit the revolutionary act of suicide. One woman spoke up against the idea, but after Jones offered reasons why there was no hope in other options, the crowd spoke out against her. When it was announced that Ryan was dead, Jones became more urgent and more heated. Jones urged the congregation to commit suicide by saying, If these people land out here, theyll torture some of our children here. Theyll torture our people, theyll torture our seniors. We cannot have this. Jones told everyone to hurry. Large kettles filled with grape flavored Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid), cyanide, and Valium were placed in the open-sided pavilion. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Babies and children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch. Next went other members. Some members were already dead before others got their drinks. If anyone wasnt cooperative, there were guards with guns and crossbows to encourage them. It took approximately five minutes for each person to die. The Death Toll Bettmann Archive / Getty Images On that day, November 18, 1978, 912 people died from drinking the poison, 276 of whom were children. Jones died from a single gunshot wound to the head, but it is unclear whether or not he did this himself. Portraits of the Jonestown victims.   Symphony999 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons Only a handful or so people survived, either by escaping into the jungle or hiding somewhere in the compound. In total 918 people died, either at the airport or at the Jonestown compound.

The Evolving State of Healthcare Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Evolving State of Healthcare - Research Paper Example pent more on health care that any other nation, despite the enormous expense of health care, the universal standards of health such as life expectation and infant mortality are not as elevated as those of different nations (Simon, 2010). Nevertheless, things have changed since the Obama administration took over power. National health insurance plan administered by the federal government as a substitute to the private health insurance is due to be proposed by President Obama. In essence, the congressional leaders argue that by reducing the cost of healthcare, universal health insurance plan will actual reduce the national arrears. Health care crisis in America is marked by three dimensional challenges; one is the escalating costs of health care, the restricted access to care and its threat to retirement security (Simon, 2010). First, the escalation of the health care caused by quick change from the usual reimbursement system to a capitation system which is more of cost sharing than the insurance having to cater for all medical bills to the extent of forcing doctor to attend on patient partially hence not genuine medical cover. Second, is that not most people are able to access to care because they are not well up. This means that preventive care is basically non existence to them and they can only attend to medical care when critically ill and require urgent and pricey treatment. (Simon, 2010). Third, is the growing cost of the health care as compared to the incomes of those who pay for it. This makes the standards of living and economic security of those people who retire at more risk. Universal healthcare coverage is being considered by a number of nations so as to ensure that all people are placed into one medical consideration. This kind of health care will ensure that people will no longer be oppressed by the privatized healthcare systems which are inefficient, costly and at times

Formal essay on Frankenstein Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Formal on Frankenstein - Essay Example We study the same in our thesis here. Much as the critics would hate it, Shelley’s depiction of how Frankenstein is created is a wholly enjoyable read that has the elements of hatred and loathsomeness intertwined with a feeling of awe and surprise. Shelley has used words like â€Å"trance†, â€Å"work-shop of filthy creation†, and â€Å"all soul and sensation† (Shelley, 50), which add that poetic flavor to a scene that is in plain words horrendous and ethically wrong. Victor Frankenstein is a person who wishes to create a being of his own type. He is consumed with the idea of being a creator but unaware of the responsibilities that come with it. He creates the monster or ghost in a state of trance, wherein no other human element is involved. Thus, the ghost is a sub human creation and not a clone expected through science. Using the power of spirit to rule over the world is often a writer’s chance to open up different visuals in the mind of the reader. Many argue that quite a few salient features of the original novel are missing from its movie version. Amongst these features, one factor is the emphasis on the confused origin of the monster clone. Humans have grown with the understanding that for procreation, a male and a female must come together. In this story, the scientific vision of creation, that is solely man-made, is generated by making Victor the sole creator of a monster, which is born out of no woman. Therefore, again the monster’s origin is non-human which makes him unfit to exist in the human society, let alone be born or have a family. With such a start, the reader goes through a series of thought lines that the monster takes in his consecutive scenes. According to the writer, the monster grows a fondness for Elizabeth who is Elizabeth’s cousin and a love interest. We can understand that such fondness comes from the fact that the monster

Corporate social resposibilty for cannon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Corporate social resposibilty for cannon - Essay Example Sustainability marketing adopts business practices, which promote sustainability in various aspects. These offer a remedy to environmental problems, and include a company’s production methods, as well as products, and marketing activities, which should result in minimal or no environmental pollution and depletion of resources (Charter et al 2002). Nonetheless, sustainable marketing is beneficial to a company in many ways. Sustainability marketing helps in the optimization of the performance of a company. According to Hunt (2010), adoption of sustainable marketing gives a company a competitive advantage. This will then result in an increased financial performance of a company. Often, companies compete for a competitive advantage in resources, which will offer them a position of competitive advantage in the market, and this is achieved by adoption of sustainable marketing. ... This is because customers and businesses are not restricted to buying the brand only. These also buy the philosophies and policies of a company. Therefore, most clients will purchase from a company that prioritizes environmental, social, and ethical issues (Charter et al 2002). Sustainable marketing also helps a company to create strong relationships with its customers, employees, other companies, and the community. If a company adopts sustainable marketing, this gives it brand trust. Therefore, customers and other stakeholders will have trust in the company, thus show their loyalty to the company, and this boosts positive relationships in the company, which is important for the prosperity and sustainability of a company (Diane & Schouten 2012). Question 2 According to Belz & Peattie (2012, p.29) sustainability marketing involves â€Å". . .planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling marketing resources and programmes to satisfy customers’ wants and needs, while consi dering social and environmental criteria and meeting corporate objects.† Therefore, using the sustainability marketing framework by Belz & Peattie (2012), it is possible to evaluate how Dannon integrates different elements of sustainability marketing into its business approach. In this sustainability marketing framework, two major aspects are essential are important, and these include the consumer behaviour and socio-ecological problems. Therefore, when developing different sustainability marketing elements, Dannon had to consider the behaviour of its customers in the market, as well as the present socio-ecological problems, which are prevalent in this 21st Century, where increased globalization and technological advances are experienced (Lofdahl

US Military History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

US Military History - Essay Example Immediately after the end of the Second World War, the Korean War broke at the height of Cold War with the two superpowers playing a significant role in influencing the war. The Soviet Union supported the North communist region as the U.S offered support to the South region that held the idea of capitalism. Although Russia failed to engage in direct combat during the war, it provided support through offering war equipment to the North region and eventually supporting Chinese communist military leading to the end of the war. The U.S involvement, however, occurred through providing support and engagement of U.S military in combat (Stewart, 2005). The primary objective behind the U.S engagement in the Korean War resulted from the fact that the U.S held a need of saving face as well as ensuring that it appeared stronger than communism. Therefore, it is indicative that America never held vital interests on Korea. In supporting the south anti-communists Syngman Rhee that was considered as tyrannical in the same manner as his North counterpart Kim II-Sung, the support offered by the U.S relates from the simple reason of the south region adoption of a non-communist approach. Furthermore, offering support to Rhee a leader that was equally corrupt and tyrannical served the negative policies that the U.S advocated. Again, the culminating factors that led to the involvement of Chinese military in the war served in portraying the weakness of and establishment of the superiority of the communist forces.

IP 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

IP 2 - Essay Example Belief has only little evidences, which few people deem they are true whereby those who may express different opinion do so based on their life’s experiences. For instance, I may claim my significant other’s love towards me is evident on how she is not afraid to express it even in the public. However, this to some people may refer her as a showy character that is possessive and only out to scare other females from making attempts of approaching me. Therefore, the issue of love or affection in this case only emerges as a belief specifically held by very few people and me alone because it does not have adequate and concrete evidence that I can give but to justify. Since, people differ based on respective opinions on how one ought to express love because of likes and dislikes to the extent the conventional ways (holding hands in public) may not be acceptable to some. Despite the evidences outlined in the above regarding pieces of evidences, I still hold onto my former categorization of both knowledge and belief. This is because in the latter’s evidences comprise of individual experiences, mythology and observation whereby in the former two confirmations apply only to the person who has felt them can prove (Zalabardo, 2012). In most cases, those close or around him or her may end up not believing the experimenter because they are not sharing similar circumstances. In addition, it is quite tricky to prove an aspect of belief from an individual level like love and faith whereby even the observer contrary to knowledge may end up misinterpreting the relayed information. This is evident in the example that I have given above regarding publicly expressing love whereby some may term as either of the partners being possessive. This is because belief in most cases encompasses justifying by the convinced (Broeck & Brestoff,

US Military History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

US Military History - Essay Example Immediately after the end of the Second World War, the Korean War broke at the height of Cold War with the two superpowers playing a significant role in influencing the war. The Soviet Union supported the North communist region as the U.S offered support to the South region that held the idea of capitalism. Although Russia failed to engage in direct combat during the war, it provided support through offering war equipment to the North region and eventually supporting Chinese communist military leading to the end of the war. The U.S involvement, however, occurred through providing support and engagement of U.S military in combat (Stewart, 2005). The primary objective behind the U.S engagement in the Korean War resulted from the fact that the U.S held a need of saving face as well as ensuring that it appeared stronger than communism. Therefore, it is indicative that America never held vital interests on Korea. In supporting the south anti-communists Syngman Rhee that was considered as tyrannical in the same manner as his North counterpart Kim II-Sung, the support offered by the U.S relates from the simple reason of the south region adoption of a non-communist approach. Furthermore, offering support to Rhee a leader that was equally corrupt and tyrannical served the negative policies that the U.S advocated. Again, the culminating factors that led to the involvement of Chinese military in the war served in portraying the weakness of and establishment of the superiority of the communist forces.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This is how a need for vertical integration springs in some businesses. The idea of vertical integration was made famous by Henry Ford. He wanted to make everything on his own without relying on any foreign trade. Vertical integration gives a firm monopoly power over other firms. A vertically integrated company has a flexible supply chain and therefore can afford to hold fewer inventories. Lowered costs and greater control are major advantages of vertical integration. The problem associated with vertical integration is that it is very hard and expensive to implement. It is also not easy to reverse vertical integration in a particular firm (The Economist, 2009). Horizontal integration, on the other hand, refers to a kind of ownership in which a firm merges or buys another company which is in the same business. For example an automobile company buying another automobile company will be an example of horizontal integration. It is the expansion or growth of the firm at the same level of the value chain. This means that an automobile company buying an investment firm will not come under horizontal integration. The merger should be between two firms involved in the same business activity. Horizontal integration also offers many advantages for a firm. It allows a firm to gain more market share by catering to more customers. It helps a company expand into newer markets. It also helps a company gain economies of scale and in turn increases the market power of the firm. The process of horizontal integration is also not easy to manage because there may be many differences between two firms that can cause problems. For example there can be a gap in technological expertise of firms or culture of the two firms can be different. These differences make... The intention of this study is Toyota as a good example of vertical integration as it works closely with its supplier to assist them in their production of raw materials that are eventually used by Toyota in its cars. Toyota is not a fully vertically integrated firm but it applies the concept to a great extent. The company owns shares and stakes in its suppliers business and by doing so Toyota can exert its influence on its suppliers which is the main aspect of vertical integration. The main focus of the company is to develop a supply chain that can eventually add value to the end users and at the same time can reduce costs related to inventory and supplies. Horizontal integration involves owning another business in the same industry. In the automobile industry, again, horizontal integration cannot work by the books. Toyota cannot buy other automobile companies because it is not feasible for Toyota. Instead horizontal integration works when firms in the similar business collaborate f or a joint venture. This gives the two companies opportunity to work together but at the same time does not take toll on the management system. Handling two companies especially in the automobile sector can be a cumbersome tasks therefore joint ventures and collaborations work well instead. Toyota owns equity stakes in its supplier which allows the firm to control its supply side. Toyota is also holding equity in electric car manufacturer Tesla and this is an example of horizontal integration.

Kobe Bryant and Lebron James Essay Example for Free

Kobe Bryant and Lebron James Essay Introduction In today’s world whenever somebody talks about the most favourite players then Kobe Bryant and Lebron James come on the top of the list just because of their remarkable performances and their young age achievements. They both have started their sports career from the school age and then they excelled in their respective sports of basketball. They both play for American National Basketball Association (NBA). Kobe Bryant plays as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and Lebron James plays for the Miami Heat. Lebron James also referred as a King James just because of his moves and his utmost versatility in basketball. Who is better Leader? It is really difficult to entitle one of them as a better player than other because both players have their separate recognition in the world of basketball. They both play as the backbone for their teams. Well if we look in the last season of sports then we will definitely find some remarkable knocks from the Lebron James. Lebron strived a lot in last season and struggled a lot with his teammates to turn the really hard matches into easy victories. Although, Kobe has great understanding with his teammates and his manager but sometimes due to the short temperedness he losses control on his tempo and takes some wrong moves that eventually count very negative impact on scoreboards. Trudell, (2012) defines â€Å"on the contrary Lebron has great quality to work with his teammates and lead them from the front†. This leading quality differentiates Lebron from Kobe to a greater extent and it also contributes towards his match wining performances as well. Key Differences between them They both are simply perfect in their teams. It is really hard to find any difference between these two worlds recognised players. There are following differences between them: Style of playing Both players have marvellous style in on screen and off screen. If we try to elaborate their style in the court then we will definitely come up with the opinion that Lebron always prefers to play in very defensive mode while maintaining the decorum of the game. On the contrary Kobe tries to be bit aggressive during the match and if he finds any injury in opponent player then he will turn that injury as a great weakness of the opponent team. Trudell (2012) cleared that â€Å"Lebron has more humanitarian attitude towards game†. Team Individual performance When we talk about the Lebron then we observe that he takes his team member along in entire match but when it comes about the Kobe then he always prefer to have individualistic approach to prove his abilities and skills and try to prove himself as a single shining moon on a sky (Armstrong, 2007). Past Performance They both are highly sincere with their profession and in the court they are perfect players. If we consider the rating of both players then we will clearly find that Kobe stands higher then the Lebron, his rating is 4.0/5 on the world ranking chart on the other hand the Lebron rating is 3.7/5. These ratings clearly differentiate their style of playing and their performance in past couple of years. William (2010) once said, â€Å"Although, it is fact that Kobe started his career in 1996 that is far earlier than the Lebron, so his efforts and his performances are better then Lebron in all aspects. They both meet their audiences’ expectations all the time by performing their best†. Who is better Player? On the basis of individual approach and stamina we can say that Kobe has better understanding towards game and he can all alone give very tough time to the opponents. Only on this basis we cannot degrade the Lebron because it is a fact that Lebron is playing really well nowadays and he has proved that he can make his team motivated enough to turn all the hard and tough situations in to their favour (Armstrong, 2007). Lebron never appeared in any kind of team distracting drama due to his friendly and kind behaviour on the contrary Kobe has been caught several times in these kinds of issues that have created very negative impact on his gaming personality. Audience Support for both players When we talk about the audience support then obviously time always matter. Since Kobe is older player than Lebron that is why his fan following is comparatively greater than the Lebron. If we look to the vote board then we will find that audience always prefer to vote the Kobe just because of his better style of playing and shooting against the opponent team. This kind of Kobe’s style always supports him to win the match. William (2010) defined, â€Å"he is not only a player for his team he is actually a robot that can judge the opponent’s strategies in a start of a match and then he devises his strategies to break all schemes of the opponent players†. Conclusion It is fact that winning matches is the best statistics of all and it is the only option we are left with to gauge a player performance by analysing his match wining scores and performance. If we look into the performance of both players who contributed towards a match wining performances then we will obviously vote to the Kobe for his unbeatable performance. Kobe has appeared in 4 NBA championships with 3 wining performances and he is still looking forward to more championships with high spirits of wining and turning down the opponents. On the contrary in case of Lebron it is not possible to participate in championship yet just because of his strong opponent player and that is obviously Kobe. But it is again a matter of fact that Lebron has long way to go because he is comparatively newer than Kobe and he has more passion. In the end we can say that Kobe is an unbeatable king of this basketball planet and no body can surpass him just because of his aggressive attitude towards playing and making his opponent helpless in the game. He never believes in any kind of humanitarian behaviour during game when he is out there to play then only one thing he keeps in his mind and that is victory and in order to turn that thinking into reality he utilises his full potential and eventually he comes out with flying colour. Statistical Analysis References Trudell, Mike (2012). Kobe Surpasses 29,000 Points. NBA.com (Turner Sports Interactive, Inc), Retrieved March 10, 2012. Armstrong, Kevin (2007). End of an era: Vaccaro closes ABCD camp as he eyes hoops academy. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 2, 2010 William Rhoden (2010). Cleveland’s Venom Validates James’s Exit, The New York Times, Archived from the original on November 9, 2010, Retrieved November 9, 2010 Adande, J. A (2010). Gilberts letter signals wider backlash. ESPN, Retrieved July 13, 2010

What It Means To Be Human Religion Essay

What It Means To Be Human Religion Essay [1st]First of all, I would like to emphasize the theological and academic depth of Dr Mark Elliotts paper. I would also like to acknowledge the initiative of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey (especially of its director, Professor Fr Ioan Sauca) in organizing this dialogue between Evangelicals and Orthodox which enables members of each tradition from different national contexts to meet and explore areas of convergence on major Christian themes. Such discussion between the two different traditions might bring to light common points of doctrine and bring them closer to one another. The Orthodox need to draw nearer to the Evangelicals, and the Evangelicals need to see the Orthodox world with more confidence. The time has already come for us to be no longer divided. [bod]The theme of this years seminar, What it means to be Human, will enable Orthodox and Evangelicals to explore, compare and contrast their understandings of what it means to be human (theological anthropology), and to reflect on how the extent of convergence in this area might bring us closer together theologically and facilitate our joint practical action. [hed]Convergence and Divergence [hed1]1. The four distinctive characteristics [1st]In the first part of his paper, Dr Elliott outlines present day Evangelicalism both from a historical and a doctrinal perspective. I have noted the four distinctive characteristics of Evangelicalism those of conversionism, Biblicism, crucicentrism and activism, to which the Evangelical Alliance has added that of Christocentrism, for [as Dr Elliott says] it is hard to imagine any Christian movement or denomination that would not call itself Christocentric. [bod]The first four characteristics are also found in the Orthodox doctrinal framework in a more or less nuanced form. However, the Orthodox might have some problems with the fifth element Christocentrism in the sense in which the author has mentioned it. The author writes, I I think Evangelicals do have a particular way of understanding the incarnation as being less about the assumption of humanity than as the activity of the God-man individual, who is more a substitute than a representative. For the Orthodox, Jesus Christ, through his incarnation, has assumed our humanity in his divine hypostasis. In Jesus Christ our human nature has received its real existence, not as being its own centre but in a pre-existent centre, namely in the unity of the divine hypostasis of the Logos. Through his incarnation the hypostasis of the divine Logos did not unite with another human hypostasis; rather, he assumed human nature in his eternal divine hypostasis, becoming, by means of this event, the hypostasis of our own human nature. Hence, through his incarnation, Jesus Christ as Son of God became united in a supreme manner with our humanity. In other words, he came into the closest possible proximity with us. This process is a consequence of the hypostatic union. That is why he is called God-Man. [bod]From this point of view, our humanity has been healed from all the effects and consequences of the original sin by Jesuss sacrifice and resurrection. It is important to emphasize in this context that the sacrifice of Jesus was directed not only towards his Father but also towards his own human nature and, implicitly, towards us human beings. Through his sacrifice offered to God, Jesus Christ is made perfect as a human being, sanctifying or perfecting other human beings through this. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews writes clearly on this matter: and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9). Or For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! (Heb. 9:13-14). The same author says further: it is by Gods will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Heb. 10:10,14). Christ has become through his cross and resurrection the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:20). Therefore, he is not a substitute for humankind, but the one who fully assumed and fulfilled it. From this perspective, we as human beings do not remain external to the incarnation, but are truly present in it. [hed1]2. Atonement: one of the three issues in Evangelical theological anthropology [1st]For the Orthodox, Christs sacrifice and his death on the cross are not understood as penal substitutionary atonement. From this point of view, statements like sin incurs divine wrath and judgmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and on the cross, Jesus sacrificially atoned for sin by dying in our place and paying the price of such sin are problematic for our soteriological doctrine. [bod]The Orthodox understand Jesuss death on the cross as being more a healing of the human nature disfigured by sin, and not as a price that Jesus had to pay in our place in order to satisfy God, whose honour is offended by our sin. In view of the fact that we have been created as an overflow of Gods love, our sin has caused him more sadness than offence. The concept of a substitutionary sacrifice by means of which the offended honour of God was re-established, has more to do with a so-called juridical act (sin-punishment-redemption) than with one which would express the divine love or sympathy. In this respect, the Orthodox might also have a problem with the concept of inherited guilt. Although Paul seems to be quite clear in this respect Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned (Rom. 5:12) I think this may cause difficulties for the Orthodox. In my own opinion, Paul is talking in th is context about the consequences of sin rather than inherited guilt resulting from Adams sin. According to the theology of the church fathers, we consider the cross as the way to resurrection. From this point of view, Orthodox theology is more resurrectional than Evangelicalism, although this does not mean that the Orthodox put less emphasis on the sacrifice of Christ than on his resurrection. In Orthodox worship, the veneration of the cross is not separated from the praise of the resurrection. This is wonderfully illustrated in a liturgical hymn: We worship your Cross, Jesus Christ, and your holy Resurrection we praise and honour. When considering the difference between a Calvinian and a Grotian understanding of the cross, the Orthodox may ask, are the Evangelicals more Calvinian or Grotian? Dr Elliott points out that Calvin sees God as being pleased because his Son as man obeyed him. For Grotius, God is above any such sense of being offended. The anthropological premise is that humans are taken seriously by God, but what does this mean? From this point of view, the Orthodox are closer to the doctrinal position of Grotius than to that of Calvin. My question is further justified by the following point made by Dr Elliott: To be honest, those who espouse a view that God the Father did not send his Son to the cross with a view to his bearing a penalty are arguably those who see the cross as one doctrine among others, and perhaps are not crucicentric enough to be traditionally Evangelical. [hed1]3. The Authority and Power of the Bible and The Uniqueness and Universality of Christ two theological issues highlighted by the Lausanne Covenant, 1974 [1st]The concept of mission, based on the authority and power of the Bible and the uniqueness and universality of Christ, may be a point of convergence between the two traditions. Nevertheless, there is a tendency for the Orthodox to put more emphasis on the liturgical reading of the Bible than on the teaching and preaching of it. As Professor John Breck has said, [shortquote]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ however important the place of the Bible may be in both personal and liturgical usage, for many Orthodox that place is purely formal. They respect and venerate the Scriptures, they recognize many familiar passages, particularly from the Sunday Gospel readings, and they insist that theirs is a biblical Church. Nevertheless, only a small minority seeks daily nourishment from Bible reading. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ we Orthodox have all too often neglected or even abandoned our patristic heritage which placed primary emphasis on the preaching of Gods Word. [1st]In this sense, the frequently made comment that the Orthodox kiss the Bible and dont read it is not entirely unjustified. [hed1]4. The true image of God [1st]The idea that human beings are created by and in Christ as the true image of God (Heb. 1:1-4) with the hope of a blessed and immortal life is a point of convergence between our traditions. Yet church fathers do not speak only of the image of God, but also and to an equal extent of the resemblance (likeness) to God. In this sense St John of Damascus says, the phrase according to the image means the reason and freedom, whereas according to the resemblance means likenessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. He continues, the image is developed into likeness through the practice of virtues. Therefore, the image of God is something which is given to us and the resemblance is something that we have to achieve. It is only in this sense that we might accept what Paul Evdokimov said: An image without resemblance is one reduced to passivity. But even in a passive state, the realization that we are made in the image of God remains eikona tou Theou. This reality is beautifully expressed in the words of th e Orthodox funeral service: I am the image of your ineffable glory, though I bear the marks of my transgressions. [bod]Since the man is created not only from dust but also through Gods breath of life it becomes obvious that he has a special relationship with the nature from which he is formed, and also with God his Creator. As St Gregory of Nazianzus affirms, Since from dust I have been created, I belong to the earthly life; but being also a small divine part, I also carry in my life the desire for eternal life. Therefore, because he is made in the image of God, man is rooted and anchored in eternity. But being the image of God refers not only to the soul but also to the body. St Gregory Palamas sees the image as relating to the whole human being: The name man does not refer to the soul or the body in a separate way, but to both at the same time because they were created together according to the image of God. [hed1]5. The weakness of the will and the grace of God [1st]We as Orthodox fully agree that after Adams sin, human will remained very weak. But in spite of this fact, human beings still have the freedom to choose for God. This was specially emphasized by the Patriarch Jeremias during a dialogue with the Lutherans around 1580, as Dr Elliott comments: humans preserved the ability to choose for God freedom as the possibility of choice. According to the Orthodox perspective, grace does not force or limit the human will and its freedom. That is, grace does not work in or for human beings in an irresistible way, forcing them to receive grace in order to be saved without their collaboration. The reason why not all human beings are saved is not because this is predestined by God, with some people being saved and others being lost, but, rather, because of a lack of response by some people to grace. The grace of God does not force anyone to pursue actions independently of their will. That is why the Orthodox refuse to accept the concept of absolu te predestination. [bod]Nowadays, we hear more and more voices among Orthodox in favour of a relative predestination, in the sense that God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). This relative predestination is shown in Gods will for every human being to be saved. This understanding of predestination sees it as conditioned by Gods foreknowledge of peoples collaboration or otherwise with divine grace: those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son (Rom. 8:29). If God predestined the salvation of only some human beings, that would contradict his eternal love as manifested in the incarnation and the cross of his Son, and also the ontological-universal value of the Christs sacrifice on the cross. From this point of view, Elliotts comment that for the sixteenth-century Lutherans in dialogue the point of salvation was to have ones independent centre of decision-making removed, to be replaced with total dependence on God sounds quite strange to the Orthodox. [hed1]6. Sanctification and justification [1st]Are we wholly sanctified when we are justified? And when does this process happen? At conversion or at baptism? From Dr Elliotts paper we may conclude that there is a lack of consensus among the Evangelicals in this respect. Is human sinful nature totally destroyed? Are the roots of pride, self-will, anger and love of the world totally removed from the heart, as John Wesley claimed? These are questions that need to be addressed. [bod]From an Orthodox perspective, conversion is the simple act of affirmation of a decision with regard to justification. The process of becoming holy begins with the sacrament of baptism. However, the fulfilment of holiness is obtained only at the end of a constant battle with sin and the continual practice of virtue. From this point of view, the Orthodox see two stages towards true holiness: sacramental holiness, obtained temporarily through baptism, and moral holiness, understood as a final stage to be reached. In this final stage, holiness corresponds to a stage which in patristic tradition and spirituality is called theosis. We will return to this issue again at the end of this paper. The Orthodox perspective on the sinful nature of human beings affirms that after the fall, the image of God was not totally lost and human knowledge was not entirely reduced to a dark and opaque understanding of the world. Human beings can partially penetrate this opacity by means of another way of knowing, namely that which arises from virtue. The marring of the image of God (darkening of reason, corruption of the heart, weakening of the will) in human beings does not mean its destruction or abolition, for none of the human spiritual functions were completely destroyed through original sin. Original sin has only obscured the image of God in human beings, not destroyed it. The tendency and the capacity of human beings to know and to want to do what is good have also survived the fall, but obviously in a weakened state. Fallen human beings are also able to achieve virtue and overcome temptation if you do what is right (cf. Gen. 4:7); fallen human beings can reject death, choosing lif e See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Choose life, so that you and your descendants may live (Deut. 30:15,19). Therefore Orthodox do not see human beings as totally fallen, nor the image of God in humanity as totally destroyed. [hed1]7. The anthropology of revivalism [1st]I do not know to what extent Evangelicals accept the ideas of Charles Finney, presented in Dr Elliotts paper and summarized below. But some of these could, with certain qualifications, be shared by the Orthodox. For instance: [list]- Preach the reality of hell, not of sin. Being filled by the Spirit is vital since, in the spiritual battle, attack is the best form of defence. One must give the heart to God and submit to him. Repentance is a change of mind, as regards God and towards sin. It is not only a change of view, but a change of the ultimate preference or choice of the soul. It is a voluntary change and by consequence involves a change of feeling and of action toward God and toward sin. These words may be accepted by the Orthodox as being a clear definition of the meaning of repentance. Humans have responsibility to repent and believers should not pray that God would help them to do that, for the sinner has to provide the will and disposition. However, these words leave no space for synergism, understood as cooperation between God and human beings concerning the process of their renewal. [1st]The Pauline statement in 2 Corinthians 4:16 is very important in relation to the process of human renewal. So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is perishing, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. According to the Orthodox, our salvation includes: [list]a passage from death to life, from darkness to light (John 3:1-6; Col. 1:13-14), through repentance, faith and baptism I have been saved. a process of spiritual growth and maturation (2 Pet. 1:2-8) through ongoing repentance, faith and communion, often called deification I am being saved. Paul writes of our inner life being renewed day by day. a promise of eternal life (2 Cor. 5:9-11; John 14:1-6), calling us to perseverance and righteousness I shall be saved. [hed1]8. The relation between soul and body [1st]What is the soul? Answers such as the body is the image of God by association with the soul and soul and body are aspects of the human existence, quoted by Dr Elliott, may be seen as convergence points between the anthropologies of our two traditions. Therefore, the human beings uniqueness consists in the close relation between spirit and soma. Salvation is for the whole human being soma and soul. Similarly, the final act of universal judgment applies to the whole human being. Our anthropology is therefore understood only through the eschatological event. That is why the body will be raised again in order to be judged by the Creator, together with the soul with which it has formed a unity during its earthly life. From this point of view, the death of the body does not mean its destruction, but the passageway towards a new existence. [bod]In view of the fact that Paul says your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), we may conclude that our humanity is a great mystery. Some of the Evangelicals appear to disagree with this. [hed1]9. Deification (Theosis) [1st]Dr Elliott argues that Evangelicals may have problems with deification. Why should this be so? If we understand deification in the sense in which R. J. Bauckham and other theologians apparently did, as quoted in the paper, namely that humans become divine as God is divine, such a thought is obviously unthinkable for any Christian theologian, Evangelical or Orthodox. From an Orthodox point of view, deification is more than being in the image of God or being adopted as Gods children. Being renewed by Gods grace, we become partakers of the divine nature: Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). This does not mean that we become divine by nature. If we participated in Gods essence or nature, the distinction between God and humans would be abolished. What this means is that we participate in Gods divine grace, described in scripture in a number of ways, such as glory, love, virtue and power. We are to become like God by his grace, and truly his adopted children, but we never become God by nature. For we are human, always have been human, and always will be human. We cannot take on the nature of God. [bod]Divinization, in the definitive form which the fathers gave it, looks towards a single goal. That is the goal of assuring man that the quest for the authentic person (not as a mask or as a tragic figure) is not mythical or nostalgic but a historical reality. Jesus Christ does not justify the title of Saviour because he brings the world a sublimely beautiful revelation of personhood, but because he realizes in history the very reality of the person and makes it the basis and hypostasis of the person for every man. According to some church fathers, this transformation occurs especially through the eucharist, for when Christs body and blood become one with ours, we become Christ-bearers and partakers of the divine nature. St John of Damascus, writing in the eighth century, makes a remarkable observation. The word God in the scriptures refers not to the divine nature or essence, for that is unknowable. God refers rather to the divine energies the power and grace of God which we can perceive in this world. The Greek word for God, Theos, comes from a verb meaning to run, to see or to burn. These are energy words, not essence words. In John 10:34 Jesus, quoting Psalm 82:6, repeats the statement, You are gods. The fact that he was speaking to a group of religious leaders who were accusing him of blasphemy allows, in my opinion, for the following interpretation: Jesus is not using the term god to refer to the divine nature. We are gods in that we bear his image, not his nature. Deification means that we are to become more like God through his grace, that is through his divine energies. The process of our being renewed in Gods image and likeness (Gen. 1:26) began when the Son of God assumed our humanity in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary. Thus, those who are joined with Christ through faith in holy baptism enter into a re-creation process, being renewed in Gods image and likeness. Based on the earlier Council of Chalcedon, as well as on the theology of Saint Maximus the Confessor (c.580-662), Palamas strenuously defended the churchs teaching that a direct, personal experience of God himself (theosis) was accessible through Gods energies made available through the hypostatic union of the two natures of Christ. The incarnate Word hypostasized human nature and acted in accordance with the divine and human wills. There was thus a sharing of attributes (communication idiomatum) whereby the humanity of Christ was penetrated by the divine energies and thereby deified. Those divine energies, which we partake of, were not understood as an impersonal something from God but as God himself because Christ is consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father. Through the incarnate Christ, God gives himself to us in such a living, personal way that the gift and the giver are one and the same. Historically, deification has often been illustrated by the sword and fire metaphor. A steel sword is thrust into a hot fire until the sword takes on a red glow. The energy of the fire penetrates the sword. The sword never becomes fire, but it picks up the properties of fire. By application, the divine energies penetrate the human nature of Christ. Being joined to Christ, our humanity is interpenetrated with the energies of God through Christs glorified flesh. Nourished by the body and blood of Christ, we partake of the grace of God his strength, his righteousness, his love and are enabled to serve him and glorify him. Thus we, being human, are being deified. Theosis means the transformation of being into true personhood in the person of Christ. The conclusion is that the ontology of personhood and communion which emerges from the understanding of the eucharist as a communion event in the body of Christ forms the basis for the understanding of the God-world relation, and more importantly, the patristic notion of energies. In this context, we can see that theosis is trinitarian through unity in the hypostasis of Christ. Theosis is, therefore, the ultimate goal toward which all people should strive, the blessed telos for which all things were made. It describes the ineffable descent of God to the ultimate limit of our fallen human condition, even unto death a descent of God which opens to men a path of ascent, the unlimited vistas of the union of created beings with the Divinity. Deification is a descriptive term for Gods redemptive activity towards human beings. When human beings respond to this activity, the ultimate transformation of a human being without losing personhood is made possible. It is a process that should be understood in a carefully qualified sense, as an ongoing process, going from one realm of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18). Even when the term deification is not explicitly mentioned it is implicitly present as the content of the salvation proclaimed by the gospel. [hed]Conclusions [list]In terms of a definition of what it means to be human, we may assert the following: The human being is the image of God and at the same time is called to his resemblance (likeness). Jesus incarnation, cross and resurrection do not only make possible the salvation of human beings, but also herald the starting point (beginning) of their deification. The basis for the deification of human beings is found in Jesus Christs deified nature. An example of this reality can be found in John 20:19-20. Here we read of the resurrected Jesus appearing to his ten disciples. He enters the house and stands in their midst although the doors were shut. The justification and sanctification of human beings are two different processes with three distinct stages: [list2] I have been saved started in faith, repentance, baptism and Eucharist; b. I am being saved achieved by means of the life in Christ; c. I shall be saved continued in the process of deification in eternity. 5. The death of the body does not mean the dissolution of the human being, but it represents the entry into a new existence in Gods presence. From this perspective, human beings are immortal.