Religion in Russia

Religion in Russia Russia has experienced a revival of religion since the start of the new millennium. Over 70% of Russians consider themselves to be Orthodox Christians, and the number is growing. There are also 25 million Muslims, around 1.5 million Buddhists, and over 179,000 Jewish people. The Russian Orthodox Church has been particularly active in attracting new followers due to its image as the true Russian religion. But Christianity wasnt the first religion that Russians followed. Here are some main historical periods in the evolution of religion in Russia. Key Takeaways: Religion in Russia Over 70% of Russians consider themselves to be Russian Orthodox Christians.Russia was pagan until the tenth century, when it adopted Christianity as a way to have a united religion.Pagan beliefs have survived alongside Christianity.In Soviet Russia, all religion was banned.Since the 1990s, many Russians have rediscovered religion, including Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Slavic Paganism.The 1997 law on religion has made it more difficult for less established religious groups in Russia to register, worship, or exercise the freedom of religious belief.The Russian Orthodox Church has a privileged position and gets to decide which other religions can be officially registered. Early Paganism Early Slavs were pagans and had a multitude of deities. Most of the information about the Slavic religion comes from the records made by Christians who brought Christianity to Russia, as well as from Russian folklore, but there is still a lot that we dont know about the early Slav paganism. Slavic gods often had several heads or faces. Perun was the most important deity and represented thunder, while Mother Earth was revered as the mother of all things. Veles, or Volos, was the god of abundance, since he was responsible for the cattle. Mokosh was a female deity and was associated with weaving. Early Slavs performed their rituals in the open nature, worshiping trees, rivers, stones, and everything around them. They saw the forest as a border between this world and the Underworld, which is reflected in many folktales where the hero has to cross the forest in order to achieve their goal. Establishment of the Russian Orthodox Church In the tenth century, Prince Vladimir The Great, the ruler of Kievan Rus, decided to unite his people and create an image of Kievan Rus as a strong, civilized country. Vladimir himself was an ardent pagan who erected wooden statues of deities, had five wives and around 800 concubines, and had a reputation of a bloodthirsty warrior. He also disliked Christianity because of his rival brother Yaropolk. However, Vladimir could see that uniting the country with one clear religion would be beneficial. The choice was between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and within it, Catholicism or Eastern Orthodox Church. Vladimir rejected Islam as he thought that it would pose too many restrictions on the freedom-loving Russian soul. Judaism was rejected because he believed that he could not adopt a religion that had not helped the Jewish people hold on to their own land. Catholicism was deemed too stern, and so Vladimir settled on Eastern Orthodox Christianity. In 988, during a military campaign in Byzantine, Vladimir demanded to marry Anna, sister of Byzantine emperors. They agreed, providing that he is baptized beforehand, which he agreed to. Anna and Vladimir married in a Christian ceremony, and upon his return to Kiev, Vladimir ordered the demolition of any pagan deity statues and a country-wide baptism of his citizens. The statues were chopped and burned or thrown into the river. With the advent of Christianity, paganism became an underground religion. There were several pagan uprisings, all violently squashed. The North-Eastern parts of the country, centered around Rostov, were particularly hostile to the new religion. The dislike of the clergy among the peasants can be seen in Russian folktales and mythology (byliny). Ultimately, most of the country continued with dual allegiance to both Christianity and, in everyday life, to paganism. This is reflected even now in the highly superstitious, ritual-loving Russian character. Religion in Communist Russia As soon as the Communist era began in 1917, the Soviet government made it its job to eradicate religion in the Soviet Union. Churches were demolished or turned into social clubs, the clergy was shot or sent to camps, and it became forbidden to teach religion to ones own children. The main target of the anti-religion campaign was the Russian Orthodox Church, as it had the most followers. During WWII, the Church experienced a short revival as Stalin looked for ways to increase the patriotic mood, but that quickly ended after the war. Russian Christmas, celebrated on the night of January 6, was no longer a public holiday, and many of its rituals and traditions moved to the New Years Eve, which even now remains the most loved and celebrated Russian holiday. While most main religions were not outlawed in the Soviet Union, the state promoted its policy of state atheism, which was taught at school and encouraged in academic writing. Islam was at first treated slightly better than Christianity, due to Bolsheviks view of it as a center of the reaction. However, that ended around 1929, and Islam experienced similar treatment as other religions, with mosques shut down or turned into warehouses. Judaism had a similar fate as Christianity in the Soviet Union, with the added persecution and discrimination, especially during Stalin. Hebrew was only taught in schools for diplomats, and most synagogues were closed under Stalin and then Khrushchev. Thousands of Buddhist monks were killed during the Soviet Union, too. In the late 1980s and in the 1990s, the more open environment of the Perestroika encouraged the opening of many Sunday schools and a general resurgence of interest in Orthodox Christianity. Religion in Russia Today The 1990s marked the beginning of a revival in religion in Russia. Christian cartoons were being shown on main TV channels, and new churches were built or old ones restored. However, it is on the cusp of the millennium that many Russians began associating the Russian Orthodox Church with the true Russian spirit. Paganism has also become popular again, after centuries of repression. Russians see in it an opportunity to connect with their Slavic roots and rebuild an identity different from the West. In 1997, a new law On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations was passed, which acknowledged Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism as traditional religions in Russia. The Russian Orthodox Church, which nowadays acts as a privileged religion of Russia, has the power to decide which other religions can be registered as official religions. This has meant that some religions, for example, Jehovahs Witnesses, are banned in Russia, while others, such as some Protestant churches or the Catholic Church, have considerable problems with registration, or limitations on their rights within the country. There have also been more restrictive laws adopted in some Russian regions, which means that the situation with the freedom of religious expression varies across Russia. Overall, any religions or religious organizations that are considered non-traditional according to the federal law, have experienced issues such as being unable to build or own places of worship, harassment from the authorities, violence, and denial of access to media time. Ultimately, the number of Russians who consider themselves to be Orthodox Christians is currently at over 70% of the population. At the same time, over a third of Orthodox Christian Russians do not believe in the existence of God. Only around 5% actually attend church regularly and follow the church calendar. Religion is a matter of national identity rather than faith for the majority of contemporary Russians.

Phrasal Verbs About Speaking for ESL Learners

Phrasal Verbs About Speaking for ESL Learners This phrasal verb feature focuses on phrasal verbs we use when talking about speaking and conversation. Obviously, using tell or say or speak, etc. is absolutely correct when relating conversations. However, if you want to stress HOW the person said something, phrasal verbs come in handy (idiombe useful). Phrasal Verbs About Speaking Negative Speaking go on: to continue to talk about a subject after the interest of the listener has been exhausted.harp on :Â  inf. to repeatedly talk about a certain subjectramble on: to talk for a long time about something which is not very interesting to the other people in the conversationrabbit on (British):Â  as aboverun on (American):Â  as above Speaking Quickly rattle off: to say a list or impressive number of facts very quicklyreel off inf.:Â  as abovewhip off inf. (American):Â  as above Interrupting butt in: to rudely enter another conversationchip in: to add a specific point to a conversation Speaking suddenly blurt out: to say something suddenly, usually without thinkingcome out with: to say something suddenly Contributing come up with: to add a new idea to a conversationto go along with: to agree with someone else Not Speaking shut up: to stop talking, often used as an imperative (very rude)break off: suddenly stop speakingclam up: to refuse to speak or become silent during a conversationdry up: run out of ideas of interesting comments, finish speaking because you dont know what to say next or have forgotten what you would like to say Speaking Rudely talk at: to talk to someone without listening to what they have to saytalk down to: to verbally treat someone in an inferior mannergo off: to speak angrily about somethingput down: to criticize someone or something Sample Paragraph WithPhrasal Verbs Last week I went to visit my friend Fred. Fred is a great guy but at times he can really go on about things. We were speaking about some of our friends and he came out with this incredible story about Jane. It seems she had butted in while he was harping on his favorite complaint: Service in restaurants. Apparently, he had been running on for quite a while putting down almost every restaurant he had been to by rattling off a list of his visits to different restaurants in town. I guess Jane felt that he was talking at her and was fed up with it. She went off about what a rude person he was which shut him up pretty quickly! I thought about blurting out that maybe she was right, but decided to clam up in order to not upset him.As you can see by using these phrasal verbs the reader gets a much better idea of the dynamics of the conversation. If the above story was reported by saying she told him, he said etc., it would be pretty boring indeed. In this way, the reader gets a real sense of the personalities of the speakers.

Factors Influencing Internationalization and Entrepreneurial Growth of Research Paper

Factors Influencing Internationalization and Entrepreneurial Growth of Family-Owned Businesses - Research Paper Example firms; Generational Involvement is associated with the level of Entrepreneurial indication in family firms; and, Entrepreneurial Orientation is positively related to the internationalization of family firms. Internationalization is the â€Å"process by which firms both increase their awareness of the direct and indirect influence of international transactions on their future, and establish and conduct transactions with firms in other countries† (Koh, 2010, p.22). As 80% of businesses in US are family owned, it is responsible for 60% of employment. Although a lot of these firms are small in size, still they represent around one-third of Fortune 500 Companies and around thirty five percent of the S&P 500 Industrials. (Blodgett et al, 2012) In most companies around the globe, internationalization is an important challenge which they need to address to make sure they remain competitive in today’s Global Economy. An entry into foreign soil is marked with uncertainty which may require breaking away from traditional and long used manufacturing processes, acquiring new channel partners and exploring avenues for funding. However, internationalization can be more even more challengi ng in family owned businesses, because the entry into foreign markets may require structural changes within the organization and most of these firms are extremely unwilling to lose family control. (Casillas et al, 2013). While family businesses aim for expansion, with exploring new markets, they are faced with the opposite force which is stability in their home market, which is relatively low-risk. (Casillas et al, 2013). Studies that have researched into the want of internationalization of family firms reveal an inclination toward family firms wanting to operate in the traditional markets and seem reluctant to venture into foreign territory. (Koh, 2010). This is not to say that NO family firms have surmounted this challenge, quite a few family firms have ventured into international markets and

Feasibility of hotel to implement changes in strategy Speech or Presentation

Feasibility of hotel to implement changes in strategy - Speech or Presentation Example A British scientist Charles Darwin wrote that survival does not belong to the strongest, but rather those that adapt more easily to change. For change in strategy to be implemented a feasibility study has to be taken. Change in strategy at hotel Penang Mutiara is visible due to these factors; The flexibility of the management is possible because this can be attested to the fact that the hotel can cope up with unexpected requests by customers this is evident from the fact that a hotel can have someone look for camembert cheese when asked by a guest since they don’t have it.This assures the guests of dependable services and satisfaction. (Gregory, G.,Lumpkin,G.&Marilyn,L04).The strategy of the hotel to cope with influx of guests is feasible because the hotel has already moved to a system of having multi-skilled works to cope up with the needs the hotel has proved this also by having them call stuff from other hotels and restaurants to the do the job.This is the flexibility that is needed for the management to work effectively and efficiently. This proves that the hotel can have a better system which is more effective by having a on and off system of hiring labour and retraining the current workers to be multi-skilled or rehiring multi-skilled workers.Changes to make sure Quality of services are there is necessary to be in place; in the case for this hotel the guest can lose their luggage on transit to the hotel.

The History of East Timor Essay Example for Free

The History of East Timor Essay Timor is an island on the eastern side of the Indonesian archipelago and to the northwest of Australia. West Timor was a part of Indonesia and East Timor was a Portuguese controlled colony. East Timor was taken under the control of the Portuguese in the 1600s. They were in control until 1975. During 1942 the Japanese invaded East Timor whilst fighting the Australian troops. Around 60,000 East Timorese were killed for protecting the Australian troops. The Japanese were in control of East Timor until 1945. In 1975 on the 28th of November, the Fretilin declared East Timor as independent. On the 5th of December that year the Indonesian forces invaded East Timor; claiming it as a province. The U. N. did not officially recognise the move by the Indonesians. The East Timorese tried to resist the Indonesian invasion, all attempts failed. While the invasion was happening 200,000 East Timorese died. The political climate in 1975 The fear of communism had spread throughout Asia at the Vietnam War. Many countries were afraid of it and the Indonesians accused the East Timorese of trying to become communist. The Indonesian military used this as a scare tactic for the rest of the world. They claimed that they were only trying to keep East Timor under control. But really they just didn’t want them to become independent. The Australian government knew of the invasion but did nothing to help the East Timorese people. The Hawke government didn’t want to risk Indonesia making us enemies. At the time, the Indonesian government had military, political and economic support from countries such as the UK, USA and Australia. It is to be believed that these countries did not aid the East Timorese from the invasion for various reasons, such as the Timor gap, trading and cheap labour interests. The impact of the invasion in 1975 and the future repercussions The invasion of the Indonesians left peoples homes destroyed, their family’s dead and their lives uprooted. Many refugees left East Timor in search of a peaceful new home. In August 1999, the 99% of the people of East Timor voted in a U. N referendum. Four days after the referendum the tally showed that 78% of the East Timorese voted for independence. A militia leader said it bluntly, Peace? Why would we want peace? If the vote is for independence well just kill—kill everybody. Within one week the Indonesian military-backed militia started a terror campaign. Women, children, but mostly men, boys, the educated, nuns, and priests were murdered. The Indonesian government was trying to make it so that East Timor didn’t have any educated people left. The capital, Dili, was set alight as people fled. Homes, churches and even the United Nations compound were attacked. Many refugees left for other Indonesian islands. The only safe places for the East Timorese were the four cantonments in the mountains that were held by the East Timorese armed resistance. At some points in time there were said to be 200,000 to 300,000 refugees with up to 600,000 people displaced. The role of significant individuals Jose Ramos-Horta: Jose Ramos-Horta was born and raised in East Timor. In 1969 he worked as a journalist and in 1974 he was exiled to Mozambique after his attempts to make East Timor independent anger the colonial administration. When Jose Ramos-Horta returned to East Timor he joined the Fretilin in 1974. In October 1975, Jose Ramos-Horta took the group of five journalists to the town Balibo so they can film the Indonesian attack. He left the town only hours before the five men were killed. On the 28th of November that year Jose Ramos-Horta was appointed as the Fretilin’s minister of communications and external affairs. Ramos-Horta had left just days before Indonesia invaded on the 7th of December. He was in New York representing East Timor to the UN Security Council. He successfully made a pass on the resolution demanding that Indonesia withdraw. But Indonesia ignored the UN. From 1977 until 1985 Jose Ramos-Horta became the representative of the Fretilin at the UN. Jose spoke to many different councils, committees and commissions about the human rights violations by the Indonesian military. He had a peace plan that would end all the violence in his country. During his time in exile, he was trained in human rights law in Australia. In February 1996 Jose was awarded the first UMPO prize, Unrepresented National and Peoples Organisation, for his â€Å"unswerving commitment to the rights of and freedoms of threatened people† later on it that year Jose Ramos-Horta and Bishop Carlos Belo were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2006 Jose Ramos-Horta take a place in the government as caretaker prime minister after many hiccups with the previous government. In 2007 he stepped down from his position while the East Timor’s first presidential election was taking place. Jose won the election with 70% of the vote. Jose Ramos-Horta was shot by rebel soldiers in 2008 and was flown to Australia. He returned to East Timor 2 months later. He continued on as president until the 20th of May 2012. If those in power, wherever we are, whichever country but also at whatever level in society that we are leaders, began working together—we would eliminate abject poverty and ensure that poverty becomes history in twenty years from now. It’s a moral duty of any of us as human beings. † The Balibo 5: In October 1975 five Australian journalists -Greg Shackleton, Tony Stewart, Brian Peters, Malcolm Rennie and Gary Cunningham- landed in East Timor. They travelled through East Timor filming the areas that they passed to show to the world. They were heading to a town called Balibo to film the Indonesian war ships of the coast of East Timor. Indonesian forces killed the five men in Balibo. We don’t know how they were killed but many believe they were burnt along with the footage they had taken on their journey so far. The journalists were reported as missing on the 16th of October. On The 12th of November Indonesian officials, whom handed their remains to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, confirmed their deaths. These men were important because they were trying to show the world what was really happening in East Timor, not the lies that the Indonesian government were making up.

The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior Essay -- Maxine Hong Kingston Woman Wa

The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior In Maxine Hong Kingston's novel, The Woman Warrior, Kingston touches upon several aspects of life common to all. Her experiences as a child were illustrated through this book. People not of the Chinese culture were seen as ghosts in this child's world. The similarities between Kingston's childhood, and the reader's help make this novel universally readable. The images created by Kinston, and the parallels between her life and others justify the creation of The Woman Warrior. When writing an autobiography, it is the goal of the author to point out the lessons of her life to others. While the lessons expressed are not always unique, each has its purpose. Parent child differences are common; caused by changing times and beliefs. Kingston not only had to deal with the generation gap, but she had to deal with the dissimilar Chinese and American mindset and traditions. Kingston often explained in detail how her mother acts in certain situations. Maxine often felt embarrassed by her mom; when they received a wrong prescription, her mother wanted retribution from the pharmacist. It would be complex for Maxine to explain the situation to the store clerk, who would not understand. As a child such a situation is confusing, explaining to mom will not help, she is not American. Those who have not encountered a similar situation can still correlate the predicament the one's experiences. Telling stories is a tradition of many cultures. Parents tell of a mystical event, or sometimes of a person. Knowing the history of one's ancestors is important. As a whole, people are always making mistakes; to correct them the error must be remembered so that the same act is not repeated. "S... ...haman who would only treat those who were not dying. This was her way of making herself appear a better doctor. No one would want to be treated by a physician whose patients died. Maxine's mother is also reluctant to show her Medical diploma from China. She said, "The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to appear favored by the gods."(??) Modesty is an attribute to one's personality, an especially important one in Chinese culture. Kingston recalls several events during her childhood in Stockton, during The Woman Warrior. No matter where one is from, one's parent child relations have similarities to those told in this novel. In every life there are people considered outsiders, those outsiders are ghosts to certain people. The biographical events on which this book is based provide a universal foundation for Kingston's novel. The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior Essay -- Maxine Hong Kingston Woman Wa The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior In Maxine Hong Kingston's novel, The Woman Warrior, Kingston touches upon several aspects of life common to all. Her experiences as a child were illustrated through this book. People not of the Chinese culture were seen as ghosts in this child's world. The similarities between Kingston's childhood, and the reader's help make this novel universally readable. The images created by Kinston, and the parallels between her life and others justify the creation of The Woman Warrior. When writing an autobiography, it is the goal of the author to point out the lessons of her life to others. While the lessons expressed are not always unique, each has its purpose. Parent child differences are common; caused by changing times and beliefs. Kingston not only had to deal with the generation gap, but she had to deal with the dissimilar Chinese and American mindset and traditions. Kingston often explained in detail how her mother acts in certain situations. Maxine often felt embarrassed by her mom; when they received a wrong prescription, her mother wanted retribution from the pharmacist. It would be complex for Maxine to explain the situation to the store clerk, who would not understand. As a child such a situation is confusing, explaining to mom will not help, she is not American. Those who have not encountered a similar situation can still correlate the predicament the one's experiences. Telling stories is a tradition of many cultures. Parents tell of a mystical event, or sometimes of a person. Knowing the history of one's ancestors is important. As a whole, people are always making mistakes; to correct them the error must be remembered so that the same act is not repeated. "S... ...haman who would only treat those who were not dying. This was her way of making herself appear a better doctor. No one would want to be treated by a physician whose patients died. Maxine's mother is also reluctant to show her Medical diploma from China. She said, "The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to appear favored by the gods."(??) Modesty is an attribute to one's personality, an especially important one in Chinese culture. Kingston recalls several events during her childhood in Stockton, during The Woman Warrior. No matter where one is from, one's parent child relations have similarities to those told in this novel. In every life there are people considered outsiders, those outsiders are ghosts to certain people. The biographical events on which this book is based provide a universal foundation for Kingston's novel.

Importance of Accountability Essay

â€Å"Accountability encompasses the procedures and processes by which one party justifies and takes responsibility for its activities such as for achieving various organizational goals† (Lippincott Nursing Center, 2009). When a patient goes enters an office, they have already set their standards and expectations to the highest standards. From the first hello to the introduction to their provider, every action is being measured. The employees will be held accountable if the patient isn’t checked in a timely manner; their insurance information is not entered quickly or accurately. The medical assistant has to have their patients roomed in a timely manner, check vitals and enter vitals and record medications correctly. If any of these steps are not completed appropriately, that individual will be held accountable. Accountability is an anchor in any business, but it is crucial to the healthcare industry. In this paper I will identify what it means to be held accountable an d tools to measure accountability. Why is accountability important in the health care industry. Patients rely on the accountability and knowledge of their providers. This attribute is important because their health is in the hands of these individuals. This responsibility does not stop with the providers, but it is also relevant for other staff members involved in the care of the patients. Patients expect their care to be handled appropriately and efficiently. In order for the system to work accordingly, employees need to be held accountable for their actions. If employees are not consistently doing what it takes to provide excellent customer service, accountability is not being enforced, and employees create risk for the company. By not following through on task or responsibilities patients begin to question the credibility of the company, and they begin to want someone to be held accountable for the deficiencies  that have occurred. How is an employee’s accountability measured in the health care industry. As a leader, my accountability is measured by the outcome of my staff and the productivity of my staff. Standards that are measured may be, are my patients being roomed in a timely manner, are there mistakes being made by my front office when entering information. Are my providers up to date on their requirements such as CMEs (continued medical education)? Are my OSHA and HIPAA manuals current? Do I have a fire escape plan posted and did we practice drills? Are charges being entered in a timely manner? These are certain aspects of my job that are tangible and some that are intangible that assessed and that I will be held accountable for if they do not meet the set standard. Staff accountability is measured through observation and yearly reviews, unless action is required sooner such corrective action measures. Patients also have the opportunity to send feedback through patient surveys and direct contact the leadership team. Applying ethical considerations in leadership and management. Ethics plays a large role in the different facets of healthcare. By not practicing ethical behavior, this creates room for error in the workplace. By teaching ethical behavior and exemplifying it as a leader you’re giving your employees the necessary tools to practice accountability and reliability. By incorporating this practice into the culture of your office, this leads to productivity and equips your staff to stand by behind their actions because they believe in them. By establishing this culture, it paves the path for accountable behavior. â€Å"Culture change requires committed leadership. Inadequate or inappropriate leadership has been identified as a key factor when attempts to change culture fail† (Lippincott Nursing Center, 2009). Checks and Balances in a successful organization. In a successful organization, checks and balances are created and implemented to ensure that the company’s success continues. Without checks and balances, the company is unable to quantify or identify the origin of its problems or how to go about correcting the situation. Without checks and balances, this leaves room for errors, which may lead to lawsuits or sick patients. For example by not providing your staff with mandated cleaning schedules, you are susceptible to infections among your patients. By requiring logs and assignments, you can then hold someone accountable if such tasks have not  been completed. By identifying what process is needed and the specific outcome, employees tend to be compliant and complete their expected work. By knowing the consequences of not completing their work, they are made aware that they will be held accountable and in what way. How does accountability affect an organization’s working culture? â€Å"Health care providers are constantly striving to improve quality and efficiency by using performance management systems and quality improvement initiatives. Creating and maintaining a culture of accountability are essential for achieving this end because accountability is the reason for measuring and improving performance† (Lippincott Nursing Center, 2009). How can you maintain a positive working culture and avoid a working culture of blame. In a leadership role, it is important to be the example of what you want within your organization. By doing so, you are developing a culture of respect without direct blame. Teach your staff how to identify the problem, how to avoid it and more importantly not to place blame. A responsible staff member will acknowledge their mistakes and make the effort to correct them. This attitude decreases the culture of blame. For example, my staff member made a mistake, and instead of pulling her into my office and placing all the blame on her my first question is â€Å"Why are you in here?† By approaching mistakes this way, you are putting the control back into the hands of the employee/staff member. This provides the opportunity to dissect their behavior and tell me why it occurred. In the end, there is no blame, but questions, which lead to answers, that result in the process of avoiding the same mistake. This approach negates cultural blame. In conclusion, accountability is a very productive tool in healthcare. By providing expectations for your employees they understand why and what it means to be accountable. In leadership exemplify what it means to hold yourself accountable and mirror that image for your employees. Patients depend on a culture that practices accountability and also believes in it. Commit to a set of standards, believe in them and practice those beliefs. References: Lippincott Nursing Center. (2009, April). Creating a Culture of Accountability in Health Care. Retrieved from http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/static?pageid=935642 NY Times – Freudenheim. (1991, February 19). Business and Health – Accountability In Health Care – NYTimes.com. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/19/business/business-and-health-accountability-in-health-care.html

Brechtian Performance †Message Delivery Essay

Our group explored and used a variety of different Brechtian techniques. Our chosen form of â€Å"social improvement† was â€Å"safe sex†, and we chose to use a parody of the well-known Bible tale of Genesis to deliver our message, hence juxtaposing contemporary society. We presented it with quite a lot of satire, with physical comedy (the banana and the throwing of clothes whilst Adam [Ryan] and Eve [Steph] were behind the curtains) as well as verbal comedy (â€Å"But God said we could do anything but touch the bananas!†). This example of verbal comedy was to parody God’s command to not touch the apples in the book of the Bible. We also had a narrator (Rebekka) who proved to be effective and acted in the style of a â€Å"Brechtian† narrator. We had individuals step out of the group to address the audience too – God (Jasmin) talked directly to the audience. This is a very popular Brechtian technique as it breaks the â€Å"fourth wall† and jars the audience. God and the narrator also gave stage directions, an example of self-reference which is again jarring for the audience. Since we used a Biblical story, there is already the presence of God, who made the judgment on characters in the end and resolved piece of epic theatre – another Brechtian technique. Also, when God entered, the music We Will Rock You was played in the background, juxtaposing God’s holiness and seriousness and creating opportunities for comedy at the same time. I think certain Brechtian techniques were utilized quite well in our piece of epic theatre. By choosing the tale of Adam and Even, we do not need introductions or monologues in order for the audience to understand the characterizations of the roles – even if not everyone is religious, I think it can be assumed that the whole of the audience are quite familiar with the basics of the tale. This allows the audience to be easily engaged in our performance. Our physical and verbal uses of comedy was successful – the audience understood the innuendos and showed this by laughing at the appropriate times. We also presented the Bible view of contraception satirically, and in the end used the narrator to tell the audience what the message really was – to have safe sex. Thus our issue of social improvement was clearly understood by the audience. When God said â€Å"to go forth and multiply†, the narrator also held up a placard that said â€Å"= MAKE BABIES†, a nother attempt at humor and also translating the Biblical language to make sure the audience could comprehend and follow the story. Critically, I believe we employed the Brechtian techniques well, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. We used self-referencing – both the narrator and God gave stage directions. The narrator also, whilst speaking to the audience, did not speak as herself – instead, she used â€Å"The narrator enters stage right and proceeds to tell the audience that this story is going to be about the issue of safe sex.† This use of third person is jarring and effective. God also gave directions to turn the lights on and off, which made the â€Å"theatre† of our piece evident. However, there were a lot of opportunities to use more Brechtian techniques, but we didn’t. I feel our use of juxtaposition wasn’t particularly strong – we could have used a contradicting type of music when Adam and Even were behind the curtains and throwing the clothes out instead of using the music we chose, which fit with the scene instead of contrasting it. Also, we only used â€Å"frozen images†, and not gestus – Adam and Eve froze whenever God and Satan entered, but it couldn’t be called a representation or summary of all the feelings and emotions depicted in the scene. Personally,I do not think my portrayal of Satan was up to its full potential. I didn’t really use any Brechtian techniques in my role, and my wearing the Devil horns seemed to fail as a humorous stereotypical presentation of Satan. I also think the narrator might’ve given herself more stage directions at times to create an even more jarring and comical effect. For example, â€Å"The narrator says the end to conclude the story. /pause/ The end.† We did not really have time to try this out though, so it might not be a good idea and is merely what I would’ve wanted to try. I also feel we should’ve tried juxtaposing the â€Å"sex† scene to be more sarcastic and humorous – perhaps with a classic, slow, romantic song, paired with the frantic throwing of the clothes. Again, our lack of organization meant we could not try that out, so it is only another personal goal that I wanted to attempt. I wish to have explored more Brechtian techniques, especially in my own role. For example I could’ve used a mask – perhaps a typical Halloween type of mask for a comical, stereotypical presentation. I think we synthesized our content with our form quite successfully. Choosing the Biblical tale of Genesis as the base of our form was a good choice as we favourably parodied God’s commands and the audience could follow the story with ease. This form we chose was effective because it allowed us to employ a variety of Brechtian techniques. The use of physical comedy was also very effective – the audience liked it and it was a sarcastic and humorous symbolism when Adam and Eve went behind the curtains. The use of the banana as a symbol was also very popular and the audience liked it. These uses of physical comedy were effective because we allowed the audience to piece things together and realize the joke, thus making it more amusing for them. The use of the narrator’s third person was also very well executed as it jarred the audience – they were not used to this and it made â€Å"theatre† more evident. Adam and Eve also spoke in colloquial language, p arodying the sophisticated Biblical text and making it more modernized, relating to the targeted audience. Overall the audience understood and appreciated the message we were trying to bring through, as well as our social improvement, thus I would consider this as well synthesized. Our group did not use any cross cutting, which I think is a very effective Brechtian technique. For example, for Tanisha’s group, whose social issue was the modern attitude to obesity, the use of cross cutting was executed very well. When Chloe was giving statistics about obesity and discussing facts about â€Å"Tanya†, Tanisha was at the background eating her Doritos. With this, we understand more easily what Chloe was saying – it was like she was describing the Tanisha at the back. This also provided a lot of comedy and the audience laughed a lot. It could still be an example of juxtaposition and contrast, where Chloe was talking about how Tanya’s condition was very fatal and she must be helped immediately, whilst Tanya was at the back just eating and eating. I also really like the use of the â€Å"original song† in the Gay Marriage group, and feel like we could have employed that technique too. YMCA is a song we, the audience, all know, and changing the lyrics to fit their own message was very successful. It was effective because we understood right away that they were gay and supported gay rights, and it was also very amusing as the lyrics to our well-known song are not changed in such a way. More comedy was created by their stylized acting – Georgia, Amalissa and Charlotte were so serious when singing the song, like it was an anthem and such – which made it more humorous for us. The use of making up your own lyrics to a well-known tune is, I feel, a very effective Brechtian technique, as the audience would easily understand and would also find it very funny. The â€Å"power relationships† demonstrated in Cora’s group was also something I would’ve wanted to use. Their social issue was bullying, and the bullies stood on chairs and towered over â€Å"Cinderella†, who was backed up against the wall. This is a very famous and popular Brechtian technique in demonstrating power – and I find this very effective. This explicit exaggeration of statuses makes the audience question the otherwise â€Å"normal† relationship. We’ve become so used to bullying that we know it’s wrong, yet we never really question the immorality of it or how to stop it anymore. Having the bullies stand on chairs and Cinderella cowering in fear was like a â€Å"wake-up call† – we see the power relationship and we see how wrong it is. Hence this was an effective way to get the social improvement across to the audience. Lastly, I really liked how Tanisha’s group â€Å"broke the fourth wall†. When the two contestants introduced themselves, we were given instructions to clap and give a round of applause. This made the â€Å"theatre† of the piece very evident – the audience is actually joining in and somehow â€Å"taking part† in the performance – we provided the applause. This technique is very effective because it jars the audience and makes them realize they are watching a piece of theatre. I would like to perhaps take this even further and try to ask questions and demand answers from the audience. This penetrates the fourth wall strongly and having the audience participate in such a way is very effective in making â€Å"theatre† obvious. This will make the audience think about the social issue more – the piece of theatre was not merely something you went to watch and got absorbed in, but rather, a representation of reality. I believe this is a n extremely effective Brechtian technique.

Workplace and Drug Abuse Essay

Workplace and Drug Abuse Essay Workplace and Drug Abuse Essay This is a free example essay on Workplace and Drug Abuse: Drug abuse has been an ongoing problem that has plagued America. The ramped use of illegal drugs impacts our society in many ways. Drug abuse attributes to increases in violent crime, poverty, domestic violence, HIV, school drop out rate, homelessness, teen pregnancy, and increasing health costs due to health related problems. Since the beginning of the 19th century America has had a problem with drug abuse. During this time, morphine, cocaine, and heroin, were commonly used like aspirin is today. By the time the twentieth century cam along our nation was dealing with its first problem of increasing drug use. The use of opium became ramped in the United States as well. Eventually the government began to recognize the problem and put laws in place to regulate drug use (Carroll, 2002). By the time of World War II was in existence, drug abuse had basically come to a halt, and was not an issue as it was previously. That all changed with the onset of the 1960s. Marijuana and psychedelics were popular in the 1960s and was more widely accepted. Because of this newly, wide spread use, the government began to create federal agencies to aggressively enforce the federal laws that were in existence. These laws were put in place to regulate illegal drug use. Soon after the 1970s were here and so was cocaine. During the 1970s cocaine use was considered the drug of choice, it also brought along with it a new surge of violent crimes and increased addiction. There are many different factors in our society that have contributed to the support of drug abuse and drug use. One such reason is the need to satisfy our want of mental stimulation audio/ visually. People are surrounded, by items meant to grasp, or stimulate their attention. In todays society we are often stimulated by audio and visual stimulants. For example, the vast variety of video games, computers, television, DVDs, and CDs, are all geared to satisfy our desire for audio/visual pleasure. With all these items and so many varieties to choose from, the American public soon becomes desensitized by the over stimulation to the senses. Many of our children are bombarded with this type of mental stimulation and they soon become bored. The only other alternative to generate excitement is the use of drugs. Still others are finding it necessary to seek some type of religious experience and therefore are motivated to become closer to a higher power. There has always been a desire to find the meaning of life or to gain a deeper understanding of oneself and purpose in life. Some people feel so strongly about this that they resort to chemical substances in order to comprehend the world of the supernatural. Chemical substances that are psychoactive are usually used to achieve the desired state of being. Still others resort to using methods of fasting or subjecting the body to a rigorous test of endurance. Alcoholism is another problem that ranks highly in our nation of substance abuse. Traditional treatment for alcohol abuse usually involves a twelve -step program at a licensed treatment center. The use of psychedelic drugs has been used as a form of treatment for alcoholism. Our society is filled with elements, which are motivating factors for alcohol abuse. People who are heavy drinkers or abusers of alcohol do usually due to some form of anxiety. â€Å" Views on the amount of alcohol consumed correlated positively with anxiety created by various cultural circumstances. Anxiety contributes to alcoholic addiction in America (Jennings, 2003).† A great number of individuals are motivated by the need to find relief from psychological problems or personal problems. Other reasons which motivate the use of drugs are mental disorders which may have to be treated with a narcotic to eleviate the symptoms of the disorder. Our culture through the various forms of the media has glamourized drug use. This image of acceptance contradict the anti-drug messages that the youth of this country are being exposed to, through school, and advertisement paid for by anti-drug organizations. Teenagers have shown an increase in drug usage base on a study done by various government agencies and anti-drug organizations.Even though most teenagers have been well informed of the health risks and dangers of drug abuse, many still make a personal choice to use them. A study was done by NIDA, (National Institute on Drug Abuse),released on July 31,2002, which found a correlation between teen drug use and health issues occurring in early adult years. The study concluded that young adults in their twenties who had used drugs in their teens developed more health problems than those who had not ever used drugs. The type of problems these young adults experienced were sinus infections, colds, and similar respiratory problems. In addition they also had problems focusing, remembering, learning disabilities, plus, headaches, dizziness, and problems with their site. The study included over 600 young people and was done over a period of 22 years. This study reaffirms and supports the facts, stating there are long-term health risks with drug abuse and drug use (NIDA, 2002). Other studies have been done that report a large number of the mentally ill, use drugs or alcohol. Combing mental illness and substance abuse makes it difficult to treat an individual for their mental problems. For the mental health community, the rise in substance abuse has created new challenges in the treatment of mental illness. One major complication that arises, is the difficulty in diagnosing a person’s mental condition. American young people are using chemical substances in great numbers. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (April 2003), published the national results of the Monitoring the Future, annual survey. The survey is a report of students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades and their current trends in drug use. The results indicated a decline in many illicit drugs, especially ecstasy. There was a significant decrease in smoking and drinking for all grades. Among 12th graders, an increase in tranquilizers and barbituates was reported. There is an ongoing emergence of new drugs in 2002, that are popular among teens. Included in this trend is an appearance of drugs coming back, that were popular in the 1960s, like LSD, for example. Most young people today are not familiar with the side effects and health risks of LSD. New drugs such as nitrite inhalants, PCP, Rohypnol, GHB, and ectasy are increasing in use. America will continue to struggle with the task of eliminating substance abuse. Studies conducted by the federal government and anti-drug organizations, will gauge the changes in current drug trends. It is apparent that research indicates a significant substance abuse epidemic within the young American community. According to the NIDA (April 2003), 53% of our youth have experiemented with illegal drugs by their 12 grade graduation. 57% of 12 graders have tried cigarettes, 27% currently smoke regularly. 78% of teens have tried alcohol, and 47% have done so by the 8th grade. Have there been decreases in drug use? Yes, there have been; along with the increase of new drugs. America has seen some positive trends with substance abuse, but how significant are these changes? Teenagers must constantly be made aware of the long term health risks of drug use.

Plaster of Paris Exothermic Reaction Can Cause Serious Burns

Plaster of Paris Exothermic Reaction Can Cause Serious Burns You may have read a while back about how a school in Lincolnshire (UK) was fined  £20,000 for failing to report a tragic accident in which a girl essentially lost her hands after immersing them in plaster of Paris to make a mold for an art project. Plaster of Paris is used in a lot of art and science projects, often very casually, though it is a potentially hazardous chemical. First off, plaster of Paris, which is calcium sulfate hemihydrate, may contain silica and asbestos as impurities. Both of these materials are capable of causing permanent lung damage and other ailments if inhaled. Second, and more significantly, plaster of Paris mixes with water in an exothermic reaction. In the Lincolnshire accident, the 16-year-old girl was seriously burned when she immersed her hands in a bucket of plaster of Paris mixture. She was unable to remove her hands from the setting plaster, which may have reached 60 °C. Now, Im not saying you shouldnt play with plaster of Paris. Its great for making geodes and molds and for many other projects. Its safe for kids to use, but only if they are aware of and can follow the proper safety precautions for working with that chemical: Wear a mask when working with dry plaster to prevent inhalation of the calcium sulfate or impurities which may be present in the powder.Wear gloves when working with plaster of Paris and avoid situations where your skin might be in contact with the plaster.Avoid washing plaster of Paris down the drain, since the plaster can set up in the plumbing. When its used properly, plaster of Paris is a useful chemical to have around. Just be careful.

Traditional vs Modern Architecture design in Shanghai, China Essay

Traditional vs Modern Architecture design in Shanghai, China - Essay Example which would help China connecting with the world. In the 1930s and 1940s there were only a few buildings being built in Shanghai. During 1970s due to the political unsettlement even those building that had a high traditional value were taken over by the government and given to those people who were in need of houses to live in. (Wong) In Shanghai there are two main types of traditional buildings. The first one is of government buildings or properties owned by corporate workers for example government headquarters, consulate buildings, banks, hotels etc. The other type is of residential buildings. The architecture and structure of these types of buildings were simply based on western concepts with a well-built neo-classical design which was usually found in Europe or the United States. In the old city regions residential houses were spread all over the area, this spots another type of architecture in Shanghai. Under this there were two types. The first were luxurious houses with gardens which were made for the rich, the other was small houses made for common people. High rise apartment buildings started to come into sight in Shanghai in the late 1920s as technology improved. These building usually rose to 15 storeys and had escalators for the convenience of people. (Wong) Shanghai consists of many buildings and structures of many different architectural styles. On the bank of the Huangpa River is The Bund, it contains a rich compilation of early 20th century architecture, which ranges in technique from neo-classical HSBC building to Sassoon House which is based on the theme of art deco. The French Concession which is a previous foreign concession is also well preserved. Even though there is extensive development the old city of Shanghai still holds on to buildings which are of heritage value , for example the Yuyuan Garden, a highly structured garden in the Jiangnan style. The city also consists of