Essay on Secularization

Essay on Secularization Essay on Secularization Essay on Secularization1) After 10 years since the publication of â€Å"God is dead: secularization in the West†, Steve Bruce returned to the topic of secularization in order to response on the objections raised against his theory. In fact, polemic aspect of the work raises the most interest as theoretical part hardly differs from the one represented in the book â€Å"God is dead†. Here one may find the same scheme, which describes the movement from the protestant reformation through the industrial capitalism to the secular state and liberal democracy within the frameworks of which there goes â€Å"secularization in the West†. The whole process of secularization, if to describe it in a couple of words, is in the fact that individualism, diversity and egalitarianism in the context of liberal democracy undermine the authority of religion. Social meaning of religion declines and it becomes personal deal of the believer.Most of the arguments against the theory of sec ularization are based on not understanding or false interpretation of this theory. Bruce is required to explain that he is not inventing some immutable law of social development that is applicable to all societies. Paradigm of secularization is an attempt to explain some common treats of the recent past of the modern liberal democracies [Bruce S., 2011]. That is why it is impossible to refute the secularization theory by means of, for instance, reference on the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Even if the political regime was secular, the Iran community could have been whatever, but the industrial liberal democracy.One more argument against the secularization theory is that even in the most secularized countries despite the evident decline of traditional religions, most of the population still believes that there is some numen, God or etc. Secularization theory does not imply that all members of modernized secular society should be atheists. Bruce responses on the critiques according to which the more is religious â€Å"supply†, the more is religious â€Å"demand† and vice versa. He pays attention to the fact that in the western world the most homogeneous catholic and orthodox communities are more religious than the pluralistic protestant ones.Secularization theory says about the decline of social role of religion and about the decline of intensity of religious life at the level of individual believers. Bruce emphasizes that secularization while being irreversible process is still not uniform process. Some â€Å"slowing† of the secularization process still exists as while secularization becomes stronger, there appear stronger opposition in relation to it and different religious groups start attracting new followers and showing great activity as there appear more evident and clear threat for their traditional way of living.2) Combination of the fact that American culture was becoming more liberal and there was growth of self-conscience of conser vative Protestants has become the basis for rise of â€Å"the right Christians† [Bruce.S., 2011]. On the other hand, Bruce shows that mobilization of resources has not led to any more or less considerable victory on the legislative level and even more failure there has been when they tried to reverse all alterations in the life preferences of common Americans. Percent of women engaged in full working day out of home has increased; divorces became more common; â€Å"living in sin† became everyday practice and the phrase has fallen into disuse; women started to participate in the social life more actively, etc.In other words, trend for secularization remained irrespective to the attempts of the right Christians to reverse it. Bruce replies on critiques as for the secularization theory on behalf of the supporters of thesis about â€Å"exclusivity of America†. If the USA are exclusive in some way, it is just owing to the fact that secularization process takes place more slowly there (owing to the huge emigrant communities, absence of strict centralization, etc.). Of course, the United States remain more religious than Europe, but at the same time, they are less religious than 50 years ago. First of all, there are evidences that Christianity lose power, prestige and popularity in the USA. Secondly, Christianity becomes more and more secular. As for the third, despite definite influence of the â€Å"right Christians† on social life, they did not manage to achieve considerable success in attempt to reverse the tendency according to which religion could become more marginal in the role of social system functioning. According to Bruce, America is one of the most religious countries. Though, it can be explained as about 10% of the USA population is immigrants in the first generation. Such people came from religious countries such as Mexico, Asian countries, etc. Moreover, initially America was considered to be secularized country on the macro level as there was freedom of religion.3) The USA is one of the few countries where many faiths – denominations exist. Seeds of American religious freedom were sown at the end of the colonial period when growing hostility to the Church of England and understanding of the availability of many entrenched beliefs prompted politicians to find a solution that would exclude the privileged position of one religious group over another. As a result, there was a separation of church from the state that was realized in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and later in constitutions of all states. Freedom of religion became the basis of religious pluralism and high degree of religious tolerance.Macintosh and Alston tried to reproduce the original study of Lenski and found very little difference between Protestants and Catholics in respect of family devotion and participation in voluntary organizations. Protestants and Catholics who increasingly demonstrated commitment to their c hurch had a wide range of interests and matter outside the church. Though, sociologists strive to separate religion influence from other factors, some of them essentially influence the people’s views. Some people visit church because they deeply believe in God, some because of a habit and the third ones are attracted by the beauty and atmosphere of peace reigning in the church. On the other hand, there are deeply religious people who do not go to church. If to see religion from the other point of view and take into account personal beliefs, one may see that in the USA there are a number of citizens whose religious beliefs are higher than in any other industrialized country. There is a kind of civil religion according to which America is â€Å"the Promised Land† to which God led the oppressed people of Europe just as he helped the Jews to leave Egypt. Americans swear allegiance to one nation. Many ceremonies begin with a prayer and even the inscription on the U.S. dolla r claims that â€Å"we believe in God†. Recently fighters for freedom of religion call for the extension of civil religion. They seek to revive the reading of prayer in public schools.4) It is quite hard to tell whether secularization is a good or bad thing as it differently influences the life of each and every person. As it is known, religion has always had a great impact on the social life of people as a kind of way to control it. With appearance of new technologies, the role of religion started to decrease. But what if once people could stay without definite help of the state? Maybe then the return of religion would take place? Maybe if there were no factors causing secularization, there would be no such trend as itself. This is the question that is worth thinking.Hypothesis of secularization that appeared in the middle of XX century shows that with the time, religion would be forced out of life of the society by science and technologies. The softer version of this hypoth esis is that religion would not disappear totally, but it will lose its influence. According to this point of view, reticence or negative depiction of the religious figures and practices in the mass media are the external signatures of secularization. Many researchers who adhere to the secularization hypothesis point that it raises the whole range of social and psychological problems leading to apathy, cynicism, excessive desire for acquisition and consumption of material goods at the expense of spiritual values. Secularization contributes to wide spreading of atheism in its different forms.Till the end of XX century secularization hypothesis was rejected by the number of scientists as it contradicts to the following tendencies:There is still interest in religion and low level of atheism even in the countries with high level of the science and technologies development (e.g. the USA);Tendencies in the modern religion have not changed since the old times;Secularization in the regions with low level of religiosity is anomaly and caused by unusual social and cultural factors.In general, existential questions are eternal and their solution is always outside the rational definition. That is why there would always be place for religious answers in the human experience. As a result, it may be said that religion is still existing and developing and besides, secularization has its boundaries.

Skunk Works essays

Skunk Works essays Book Report on Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed The book I read was titled Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed. Ben Rich, the head of the Skunk Works program, wrote the book with help from Leo Janos. The publishing company is Little, Brown This book deals with the personal experience of the head of Lockheed Martins Skunk Works facility, located in Burbank, California. Skunk Works is a highly classified facility that has produced many famous and important airplanes, such as the U-2, a spy plane that can reach altitudes above 70,000 ft. The U-2 was especially helpful during the Cold War to spy on the Russians. Skunk Works also created the SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest airplane known to the civilian community. This reconnaissance airplane can reach Mach 3, 2000+ mph, and has a ceiling of more that 80,000 ft. This is so high and so fast that the titanium shell of the airplane can stretch more the one-foot by heat. The least visible, by radar, airplane ever made was also created at Skunk Works. With a radar cross-section the size of a marble, the F-117 Nighthawk proved to be the most practical airplane in the Gulf War. Without these airplanes that were produced by Lockheed Martins Skunk Works, the US may not be in the position of the world that it is in today. This book was excellently written, and even though a difficult subject to write about with all the technical aspects, this book was very easy to read. It also tells of a personal behind-the-scenes experience that could not be shown with just a person researching the facility. There was a negative point of the book though. Not all of the information was ...

Why College Athletes Should Be Paid To Play Sports Research Paper

Why College Athletes Should Be Paid To Play Sports - Research Paper Example The NCAA is the body charged with the responsibility of governing every facet of college sports in the United States. Established in 1906, NCAA has evolved over the years in its activities which are to the best interest of student-athletes, member universities, and the general public. However, critics do not buy this as the body has been, lately, under the skeptic's attack concerning the standoff on paying college athletes. They ask the question to whose interest is NCAA working. Most writers on collegiate sports confirm that college athletes bring sizable revenue to their institutions. But what do they get in return? Woods, 65, reports that an athlete on full scholarship receives a four-year education that may be worth an upward of $50,000 per year on the higher side. This covers books, room, and tuition. It is true that Football and men’s’ basketball college athletes generate huge incomes to the tune of billions to the schools and NCAA, yet they receive stipends in th e form of scholarships.Unlike other students, college athletes are prohibited from engaging in part-time jobs that can earn them money as most of their time is spent preparing for the sport.This implies that student-athletes are disadvantaged in the financial arena for the time they can use to earn extra cash is utilized in the pitch. It is therefore proper that the athletes be paid beyond what they are paid in the form of scholarships, at least to cater for their miscellaneous expenses and an appreciation of their valuable talents.

Discussion 7 international relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion 7 international relations - Essay Example 47). Kant’s article thus has promoted a unique cosmopolitan approach to developing an international law that all individuals possess equal rights regardless of the country they belong to. His work put forward specific three articles about perpetual peace among nations, they are, a) republican-character of every states’ civil constitution, b) law of nations as being federation of free states, and c) world citizenship as conditions of universal (Russett, Starr and Kinsella, 2009). First section of Immanuel Kant’s writings emphasized that no peace-treaty will be valid if it is made with a secret reservation for material for a future war, an independently existing land shall not be acquired by another state for inheritance, standing armies shall gradually be abolished, a state’s debts shall not be contracted in connection with the external affairs of the state etc. The other sections from his writings suggested that each nation can demand of the others that th ey should enter along with them in to a constitution, similar to the civil one for the sake of security reasons. His perpetual peace theory denoted idea of international right which in turn presupposes the separate existence of many independent states (Kant, p. 368- 374).

Analysis of No Exit, and Existentialism Essay Example for Free

Analysis of No Exit, and Existentialism Essay No Exits central themes of freedom and responsibility come from Sartres doctrine that existence precedes essence. Sartre believed that a being-for-itself differed from inanimate objects, or a being-in-itself, since humans have the ability to choose and define their individual characteristics. But with this freedom of choice comes the absolute responsibility for ones action. The fear and anxiety of this responsibility leads many people to ignore both their freedom and their responsibility by letting other people make their choices for them, resulting in bad faith. This bad faith is what causes Garcin to be unable to leave the room when the door opens. He cant handle the responsibility of confronting his decision to flee his country, and thus leaves it up to Inez to judge him and define his essence. Similarly, Estelle does not think that she exists unless she looks in a mirror, seeing herself as others do. When Inez pretends to be her mirror and says Estelle has a pimple on her face, Estelles bad faith causes her to accept someone else literally creating her essence. Both Estelle and Garcin are not only condemned to be free, but are willing to condemn themselves in order to avoid being free. This emphasis on bad faith establishes Sartres underlying argument of the play: Hell is other people. Using only three people and an empty room, Sartre evokes scenes of utter torture and despair. Garcin and Estelle refuse to let go of their pasts, each looking at their friends and loved ones back on earth. They attempt to justify their existence by only thinking about their past experiences: as Garcin explains, his fate is the evaluation of his past actions by other people. Inez however, sees her past as meaningless and inaccessible, choosing to exist in the present instead. Inez is the only character in the play intent on confronting both her responsibility and her suffering.

Literary Analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Essay -- Pride

Literary Analysis of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel Pride and Prejudice, is a romantic comedy, by Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is a story about an unlikely pair who go through many obstacles before finally coming together. Pride is the opinion of oneself and prejudice is how one person feels others perceive them. The novel, Pride and Prejudice, uses plot, the characters of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and the status of women and social standing, to portray the theme of the novel - pride and prejudice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plot of the novel follows traditional plot guidelines; although there are many small conflicts, there is one central conflict that sets the scene for the novel. The novel is about an embarrassing; mismatched couple and their five daughters. The novel begins with Mrs. Bennet, telling her daughters of the importance of marrying well. During this time a wealthy man, Charles Bingley, moves close to Netherfield, where the Bennets’ reside. The Bennet girls struggle to capture his attention, and Jane, who judges no one, is the daughter who manages to win his heart, until Mr. Bingley abruptly leaves town. Mr. Bingley is often accompanied by Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is a very proud man. Elizabeth Bennet, who is proud of herself, and Mr. Darcy are not fond of one another from the start, these two characters pose the central conflict in the novel. As the novel progresses, Elizabeth receives a marriage proposal from her cousin, Mr. Collins, and turns him down. Mr. Co llins then proposes to Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s bestfriend, who accepts. Elizabeth then leaves home to stay with, the Collins’ who live near Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy’s aunt. While this is going on, Mr. Darcy realizes he has feelings for Elizabeth and proposes to her, this is the climax of the novel. She is astonished by his actions, and turns him flat down. She explains that she feels he is arrogant, and feels he stood in the way of Jane and Mr. Bingley marrying, and also feels he is a cruel man, especially in his treating of Mr. Wickham, she is expressing her prejudice towards him. He leaves and they part very angry with each other. Mr. Darcy then writes Elizabeth a letter, explaining his feelings, defending his actions, and reveling the true nature of Mr. Wickham. During this time Elizabeth returns home still baffled about the letter Mr.... ...udice in the social ladder. The Bennet family, although wealthy, was looked down upon, is relation to their social status. They were seen as low on the social ladder, because they had "new money." Lady Catherine, is another example of pride and prejudice displayed through social status, "Now and then they were honoured with a call from her ladyship, and nothing escaped her observation†¦" Lady Catherine noticed flaws in everyone and used her position and title of "Lady" to rise above everyone and make herself seem superior to them. Her position gives her pride and she flaunts it in a negative way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many examples throughout the novel, to support the running theme, and title of the novel, Pride and Prejudice. Pride in not always a good thing, it can lead to arrogance and contempt very quickly. Prejudice is not necessarily a bad thing either, and is never unavoidable, sometimes disliking a person and not being friends with them works out to an advantage. Jane Austen dramatized the theme of pride and prejudice, through plot, her main characters, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, and demonstrated how the status of women and social status can lead to pride and prejudice.

Financial Literacy Essay

India is among the world’s most efficient financial markets in terms of technology, regulation and systems. It also has one of the highest savings rate in the world – our gross household savings rate, which averaged 19% of gross domestic product (GDP) between 1996-97 and 1999-2000, increased to about 23% in 2003-04 and has been growing ever since. While savings are more in India, where the savings are invested is a cause for concern. Investments by households have been more into either bank fixed deposits, risk-free government-backed securities and low-yielding instruments, or in non-financial assets. A majority of our households do not use modern financial markets. As per an RBI report, only 1. 4% of household savings was invested in equity, mutual funds and debentures in 2003-04. Though this went up to about 4% in 2005-06, it is still very small. Unless the common person becomes a wiser investor and is protected from wrong doings, wealth creation for the investor and the economy will remain a distant dream. We need to convert a country of savers into a nation of investors. Which one should you use? Such questions and choices appear tough to even urban population not to talk of those in rural areas, where most of India’s population is. When it comes to financial solutions, investors tend to use thumb rules or seek advice from friends and relatives, which are often poor approximations compared to those that follow from a systematic process. If they get bad advice, their outcomes will be poor, and they will start to lose faith in the financial sector. A big improvement of financial knowledge of households is necessary so that they participate continuously in financial markets. Financial literacy plays a significant role in the efficient allocation of household savings and the ability of individuals to meet their financial goals. It also means the ability to seek sound financial advice. Financial literacy has assumed greater importance in recent years as financial markets have become increasingly complex and the common man finds it very difficult to make informed decisions. Financial literacy is considered an important adjunct for promoting financial inclusion and ultimately financial stability. Both developed and developing countries, therefore, are focusing on programmes for financial literacy/education. In India, the need for financial literacy is even greater considering the low levels of literacy and the large section of the population, which still remains out of the formal financial set-up. To understand financial planning, a person should be financially literate to understand the importance of preparing household budgets, cash-flow management and asset allocation to meet financial goals. Everyone saves money for future needs but the approach is to save surplus money without preparing household budgets, without prioritizing personal financial goals, without properly allocating investments in different asset classes and without understanding the real rate of return (after adjusting for inflation). Financial literacy has become an immensely popular component of financial reform across the world. As a response to the recent financial crisis, the United States government set up the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy in January 2008, charged with promoting programs that improve financial education at all levels of the economy and helping increase access to financial services. In the developing world, the Indonesian government declared 2008 â€Å"the year of financial education,† with a stated goal of improving access to and use of financial services by increasing financial literacy. Similarly, in India, the Reserve Bank of India launched an initiative in 2007 to establish Financial Literacy and Credit Counseling Centers throughout the country which would offer free financial education and counseling to urban and rural populations. The World Bank also hasn’t been missing out on the trend – it recently approved a $15 million Trust Fund on Financial Literacy. But what do we know about financial literacy? Does it work, and if so, through what mechanisms? Despite the money being ploughed into financial literacy programs, we know very little to address these important questions. While it is true that there is a large and growing body of survey evidence from both developed and developing countries that demonstrate a strong association between financial literacy and household well-being, we are still in the process of learning whether this relationship is causal. While survey analysis can control for all observable variables in the survey questionnaires such as income, gender, age, education, etc. , there may be some unobserved variables, such as ability, that may be driving the positive correlation between financial literacy and use of financial services. In addition, people who choose to participate in surveys or literacy seminars may be quite different in terms of their interests in financial matters, for instance, than those who do not participate. The positive correlations may therefore be driven by endogenous selection. Further, survey evidence cannot distinguish the direction of causality: greater financial literacy may lead to greater use of financial services, or just as likely, individuals who use more financial services may score better on financial literacy assessments based on their experience in financial markets. Experimental studies on financial literacy, similar to medical drug trials, allow for overcoming the problems of selection and endogeneity that are associated with survey analysis. There are only a handful of completed studies on financial literacy, though more are in the pipeline. In the developed world, research evidence that financial education can affect decision-making comes from a randomized evaluation conducted at a major university in the United States. Duflo and Saez (2003) implemented an â€Å"encouragement design,† in which they randomly offered some administrative employees a small financial incentive ($20) to attend a session which provided information on retirement products. Those receiving the incentive were significantly more likely to attend the training session, and this had a small, but significant impact on their savings decisions, as more individuals in the treatment group enrolled in tax-deferred retirement accounts. In a paper I coauthored with Shawn Cole and Thomas Sampson, we provide the first study in this direction in the developing world, through a randomized evaluation of a financial literacy training program in Indonesia. Participants in this study consisted of unbanked households, half of whom received an invitation for a free financial literacy seminar 2-3 hours in length. Although take up of the training is high, we find no effect of the program on the likelihood of opening a bank account in the general population. We do, however, find that the training has a significant impact on unschooled and financially illiterate households, increasing the likelihood of opening a bank account by 12% and 5%, respectively. These results suggest that financial literacy training programs should be carefully targeted at these subgroups of individuals. Additionally, a more comprehensive financial literacy program that is delivered over several weekly sessions, rather than a single session of a few hours, may be required to change financial behavior among households in the general population. The need for a more detailed and extensive financial education program is also reflected in research by Cole, Gine et. al (2009) on rainfall insurance for low-income farmers in Andhra Pradesh, India. Specifically, they randomize the provision of an education module about converting the measurement of rainfall in millimeters to soil moisture. Since farmers typically decide when to sow using soil moisture whereas insurance payouts are calculated using millimeters, the education module should improve farmers’ understanding of the insurance policy. However, results indicate that the education module had no significant effect on insurance participation, possibly because the intervention was quite minimal. The education component only involved using a ruler to demonstrate a length of 10mm and 100mm, and subsequently showing a chart of how 100mm of rain translates into average soil moisture for a particular soil type. Moreover, the information was presented quite briefly, taking no more than 2 to 3 minutes. Thus, a modest amount of financial education appears to be insufficient in inducing households to participate in financial markets, and a more thorough financial literacy program may be necessary to do so. There are even fewer ongoing studies attempting to look at other aspects of financial literacy behavior. Exceptions include Cole, Shapiro and Zia, who are conducting a randomized evaluation of a video-based financial literacy training program in India, which includes modules on loans, savings, budgeting and insurance. Elsewhere, Hastings and Mitchell are conducting an experiment among Chilean households, to determine whether or not financial literacy has an effect on an individual’s ability to make optimal financial decisions; and Karlan, McMillan and Kutsoati are carrying out a randomized control trial in Ghana where rural bank customers receive six 15-minute financial literacy lessons. The jury is still out on whether financial literacy is a useful and cost-effective tool for promoting financial access. The studies mentioned here and many more that are in development should enhance our understanding of what works, how it works, and for whom it works. Indians have better financial literacy levels than most others globally and rank second out of 10 leading nations in having a basic financial literacy level, a survey said. â€Å"Indians turn out to be the second out of 10 leading nations in the world to have a basic financial literacy level (55 per cent), just behind the Japanese, an ING Consumer Resourcefulness Survey, said. A majority of Indian consumers have not only shown better skills in managing their household financial budget but are also confident of facing any financial impediments in future as compared to citizens of nine other countries, the survey said. The survey was carried out amongst 5,000 consumers across ten major nations, including India, the USA, Mexico, The Netherlands, Romania, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Korea and Japan. The survey shows that a whopping 84 per cent of Indians prefer buying life insurance products as compared to 54 per cent globally. A similar percentage of Indians believe in maintaining a household budget with a focus on savings. School for Investor Education & Financial Literacy (SIEFL) Financial Literacy Programmes through schools: NISM intends to introduce financial education in schools through the Pocket Money program. Currently the program covers more than 4300 children from 32 schools across North, South and East India. The program is in the process of being introduced in the schools in the Western region. The Spread of Financial Literacy It is better to start early with the process of financial education as discipline in money matters is an important characteristic of an individual. Children should be taught the benefits of saving and introducing the age old concepts of having a piggy bank can be a welcome start. Schools need to inculcate these habits in students and gradually introduce them to the basics of personal finance. A beginning has already been made by introducing subjects on basic finance in the school curriculum at certain centers. Reserve Bank of India is promoting this early education of children by adopting a friendly and entertaining way through the medium of comics. They are also encouraging the young to participate in contests, the winners of which are awarded scholarships. It is the vulnerable sections of society like women, senior citizens, the rural and urban poor who need to be adequately educated and equipped. The Financial Literacy programme of RBI is tackling all these issues through different means. Their website is a store house of knowledge provided there is an urge to learn. The individual has to be proactive and be eager to grasp the necessary knowledge to safeguard himself and thereby his money. RBI is making extra efforts to be as transparent as possible in the larger interest of the common citizen by reaching out to them through their out reach programmes. These pro-grammes which were held during the 75th year of RBI in 2010 in far corners of the country were primarily to educate the masses about the activi-ties of RBI and how to utilize the available banking services for their betterment. Most banks also have their financial literacy departments and credit counseling centers where personal problems are addressed. How much of these centers are successes is deba-table because a very small percentage of people know about these facilities and even if they know there is an inherent hesitation to seek their help. The websites of banks and financial institutions also have all the details about their products and services. In case of doubts it is advisable to refer to these portals to avoid making any wrong or improper decision. The concern is that incomplete or half baked knowledge is not used to take decisions which are repented later. BCSBI or Banking Codes and Standards Board of India have been set up by RBI as an apex body to improve the working of banks and introduce systemic changes wherever necessary for better treatment of customers. While their primary focus remains on customer service they are also participating in disseminating information on different aspects of banking. For an effective literacy campaign it is important that information asymmetry between service provider and customer is reduced. In this connection banks have unilaterally undertaken to comply with a Code of Commitment to Customers detailing the nature of services provided by banks, the normal time taken for rendering these services and the various obligations of banks who have signed these codes. Only when there is awareness can the customers use the code to their benefit. It is for the individual to take advantage of the provisions provided there is willingness to learn. BCSBI also publishes a quarterly newsletter which is both informative and educative. The importance of promoting financial literacy and the enormity of the task is being gradually understood. This has made many organizations enter this field to make their presence felt. Innovative ways have been adopted to keep the literacy efforts simple and user friendly for maximum benefit. Websites, print media and audio visual communications relating to financial education are easily accessible for the average individual to improve his under-standing of the financial market, its products and services. National dailies, banks, financial institutions,  private organizations are individually contributing through easy to understand pamphlets, comic strips, newsletters etc. to reach the consumer covering fundamental issues. Seminars, conferences, interactive sessions are often arranged to address issues of common concern and dissemination of information. Spreading of information and awareness is critical for an emerging economy like India. If the vast population of deprived people is brought into the mainstream it would be of immense benefit both as a social necessity as well as an economic push. The call for financial inclusion in the country has therefore become an immediate priority and is engaging the attention of policy makers for effective execution. It would reap dividends only when the targeted people are financial literate. Only then would they be able to make the most appropriate choice of the products and services which would improve their position. The vast majority of our people are extremely vulnerable as they depend upon informal sources of finance for meet-in their needs. Only by empowering them with the adequate knowledge can we hope to improve their lot and that of the economy as a whole. The penetration of banking and insurance services is extremely poor in India and if the coverage is extended by simultaneous spreading of financial literacy it would be a huge progress for overall growth. The formal channels of money transmission has to be introduced for all round benefit as for far too long the poor, gullible people have suffered at the hands of the money lender and his brethren. The international body Organization for Economic Development OECD is putting its weight behind RBI in promoting financial literacy in India. There is no running away from this hard fact for which the financial service providers are also being trained to encourage the dissemi-nation of information in as comprehensive a way as possible. However it is the individual as the consumer who needs to grasp and absorb the knowledge for his betterment and safety. Money creation through the legitimate way is hard and painstaking but can be lost in no time if there is improper financial planning. Financial awareness is a critical component in the process of protecting and enlarging the corpus of funds that an individual may have. | | | | | | | The survey shows 84 per cent Indians prefer buying life insurance products compared to 54 per cent globally and a similar percentage of Indians believe in maintaining a household budget with focus on savings. Indians are averse to borrowing money. They borrow money only in case they have to buy a house (50 per cent) or a car (43 per cent). Compared to 33 per cent globally, 87 per cent of Indian households have an emergency fund. The survey was conducted by New York Stock Exchange-listed, ING Groep, and research consultancy firm, Epiphany, amongst 5000 consumers across ten nations, including India, United States, Mexico, Netherlands, Romania, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Korea and Japan. It was to gain a better understanding of how consumers’ financial literacy level influences their attitudes and behaviours and identify the potential similarities and differences across countries, age and gender.

Satying in one place

Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better Job, house, community, or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or moving In search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion People are coming from varying communities with different backgrounds. Some of them prefer to stay and live In one country as long as they have a shelter, a decent lob, and good friends.However, others may prefer to move around looking for a better life and good living onditions. As far as I concerned, I give more advantage for the late opinion for some First of all, people who adopt traveling in their life are more likely to be reasons. successful and reach their ultimate goals. That is to say, if anyone dreamed to be distinguished, he/she should acquire wide information in his/her major. A biology field is one example that is required a biologist to have a clear vision and abundant i nformation about hormones, creatures, fossils, and so on In order to get a tremendous success.Therefore, moving from one place to another is a great way for im/ her to have a huge background and being exposed to different concepts and Another reason Is that these people who are familiar with moving perspectives. and changing their llvlng place acquire certain, unique characteristics that differs them from other people. Because these who have the tendency to live In more than one country are open minded, flexible, adaptable, and even cosmopolitan people. In my country for example which has one of the toughest regulations and tribal traditions is receiving more and more foreigners who are interested in living here for a while.When people asked them about their reasons, they might say to break the monotonous routine of their lives, maybe to be exposed with different cultures, or even to better off their financial means. In fact, changing the living place is a merit to enhance and devel op someone's personality. To sum up, † east or west home is best † is one way to convince ourselves to live In one place whether it's good for us or not. In contrary with ambitious people who believe In chasing their fortune whenever It goes. In my point of view, changing the residence Is good as long as we get the advantages and benefits from each experience we have.

The Odyssey Quotes Explained

The Odyssey Quotes Explained The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer, tells the tale of war hero Odysseus and his long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus is known for his wit, craft, and cunning, traits he uses to escape danger and eventually return to Ithaca. The quotes that follow contain some of the most important examples of Odysseus cunning, as well as the importance of other key characters and the significance of poetry and storytelling throughout the text. â€Å"Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turnsdriven time and again off course, once he had plunderedthe hallowed heights of Troy.Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds,many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea,fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home.But he could not save them from disaster, hard as he strove  - the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all,the blind fools, they devoured the cattle of the Sunand the Sungod wiped from sight the day of their return.Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus,start from where you will  - sing for our time too.†(1.1-12) These opening lines provide a brief synopsis of the plot of the poem. The passage begins with an invocation of the muse and a request for the story of the man of twists and turns. As readers, we learn that we are about to hear the tale of Odysseus- â€Å"the man of twists and turns- who went on a long, difficult journey and attempted (but failed) to bring his comrades home.   The unidentified narrator then requests, â€Å"Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus, / start from where you will.† Indeed, The Odyssey starts not at the beginning of Odysseus journey but in the middle of the action: 20 years after his initial departure from Ithaca. By jumping forward and backward in time, Homer provides important details at crucial moments without interrupting the narrative flow. â€Å"Odysseus, master of many exploits, praised the singer:I respect you, Demodocus, more than any man alive - surely the Muse has taught you, Zeus’s daughter,or god Apollo himself. How true to life,all too true . . . you sing the Achaeans’ fate,all they did and suffered, all they soldiered through,as if you were there yourself or heard from one who was.But come now, shift your ground. Sing of the wooden horse.Epeus built with Athena’s help, the cunning trap thatgood Odysseus brought one day to the heights of Troy,filled with fighting men who laid the city waste.Sing that for me - true to life as it deserves - and I will tell the world at once how freelythe Muse gave you the gods’ own gift of song.†(8.544-558) In these lines, Odysseus asks the blind bard Demodocus to regale him with his own story- the story of the Trojan War. Odysseus praises Demodocus for his skill as a storyteller, which surely the Muse has taught [him], and his ability to express powerful, true to life emotions and experiences. Later on in this scene, Odysseus himself weeps as he listens to the tale Demodocus tells. This scene offers insight into the performance of epic poems during Homers era. Poetry was considered a divine gift, bestowed upon storytellers by the muses and capable of inspiring powerful emotions. At the same time, poetic activity was also considered a type of rote work, as storytellers had vast repertories of tales that listeners could request. These lines convey the power and importance of storytelling in the world of The Odyssey, which is itself one of the most famous epic poems in world literature. â€Å"So, you ask me the name I’m known by, Cyclops?I will tell you. But you must give me a guest-giftas you’ve promised. Nobody  - that’s my name. Nobody  - so my mother and father call me, all my friends.But he boomed back at me from his ruthless heart,‘Nobody? I’ll eat Nobody last of all his friends  - I’ll eat the others first! That’s my gift to you!†(9.408-14) In this scene, Odysseus uses his wit to escape death by telling the cyclops Polyphemus that his name is â€Å"nobody. After Polyphemus falls asleep, Odysseus and his comrades stab and blind him. Polyphemus cries for help, shouting that Nobodys killing me now by fraud and not by force, but the other Cyclopes misunderstand the statement, believing that Polyphemus is not being killed at all. This scene is representative of Odysseus characteristic trickery. Unlike other classical heroes who overpower their antagonists through brute force, Odysseus uses wordplay and clever schemes to escape danger. The scene is also significant because it provokes the wrath of Polyphemus father Poseidon, who serves as Odysseus primary antagonist for the remainder of his journey. â€Å"Any man - any god who met you - would have to besome champion lying cheat to get past youfor all-round craft and guile! You terrible man,foxy, ingenious, never tired of twists and tricks - so, not even here, on native soil, would you give upthose wily tales that warm the cockles of your heart!Come, enough of this now. We’re both old handsat the arts of intrigue. Here among mortal menyou’re far the best at tactics, spinning yarns,and I am famous among the gods for wisdom,cunning wiles, too.Ah, but you never recognized me, did you?Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus - who alwaysstands beside you, shields you in every exploit:thanks to me the Phaeacians all embraced you warmly.And now I am here once more, to weave a scheme with youand to hide the treasure-trove Phaeacia’s nobleslavished on you then - I willed it, planned it sowhen you set out for home - and to tell you allthe trials you must suffer in your palace...†(13.329-48) Athena speaks these lines, revealing her identity, after Odysseus has finally returned to the shores of Ithaca. Athena defines herself as Odysseus helper, ally, and protector; as the goddess presiding over intelligent warfare and the crafts, she is eager to â€Å"weave a scheme† in order to get rid of the suitors threatening Odysseus domain over Ithaca. During the reunion, Athena is full of admiration, categorizing both herself and the cunning Odysseus as â€Å"old hands at the arts of intrigue. â€Å"Give the boy the name I tell you now. Just as Ihave come from afar, creating pain for many - men and women across the good green earth - so let his name be Odysseus...the Son of Pain, a name he’ll earn in full.†(19.460-464) These lines, spoken by Odysseus grandfather Autolycus, offer insight into the origins of Odysseus name. We learn that Autolycus named Odysseus when the hero was an infant. The passage includes another example of word play: the name â€Å"Odysseus† is associated with the Greek verb odussomai- to feel anger toward, to rage or hate. True to his own name, Odysseus both causes and experiences pain throughout his travels. Strange man,wary Penelope said. â€Å"I’m not so proud, so scornful,nor am I overwhelmed by your quick change...You look - how well I know - the way he looked,setting sail from Ithaca years agoaboard the long-oared ship.Come, Eurycleia,move the sturdy bedstead out of our bridal chamber - that room the master built with his own hands,Take it out now, sturdy bed that it is,and spread it deep with fleece,blankets and lustrous throws to keep him warm.(23.192-202) At this point in the poem, Penelope has already tricked the suitors by weaving and unweaving Laertes’ funeral shroud, as well as by making them compete in a rigged game of bow and arrows that only Odysseus could win. Now, in these lines, Penelope tests her very own husband. Odysseus has returned to Ithaca, but Penelope does not yet believe that its really him. As a test, she slyly asks the housekeeper Eurycleia to move their marital bed from her chambers. This is an impossible task, as the bed is built out of an olive tree and cannot be moved, and Odysseus immediate reaction confirms to Penelope that he is indeed her husband. This final trial proves not only that Odysseus has returned at last, but also that Penelopes cunning equals that of her husband.

U.S. President Mckinley Assassinated

U.S. President Mckinley Assassinated On September 6, 1901, anarchist Leon Czolgosz walked up to U.S. President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in New York and shot McKinley at point-blank range. After the shooting, it first appeared that President McKinley was getting better; however, he soon took a turn for the worse and died on September 14 from gangrene. The daylight assassination attempt horrified millions of Americans. Greeting People at the Pan-American Exposition On September 6, 1901, U.S. President William McKinley spent the morning visiting Niagara Falls with his wife before returning to the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York in the afternoon to spend a few minutes greeting the public. By about 3:30 p.m., President McKinley stood inside the Temple of Music building at the Exposition, ready to begin shaking the hands of the public as they streamed into the building. Many had been waiting for hours outside in the heat for their chance to meet the President. Unbeknownst to the President and the many guards who stood nearby, among those waiting outside was 28-year-old anarchist Leon Czolgosz who was planning to kill President McKinley. At 4 p.m. the doors to the building were opened and the mass of people waiting outside were forced into a single line as they entered the Temple of Music building. The line of people thus came up to the President in an organized fashion, with just enough time to whisper a Nice to meet you, Mr. President, shake President McKinleys hand, and then be forced to continue along the line and out the door again. President McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, was a popular president who had just started his second term in office and the people seemed clearly glad to get a chance to meet him. However, at 4:07 p.m. Leon Czolgosz had made it into the building and it was his turn to greet the President. Two Shots Rang Out In Czolgoszs right hand, he held a .32 caliber Iver-Johnson revolver, which he had covered by wrapping a handkerchief around the gun and his hand. Although Czolgoszs swaddled hand was noticed before he reached the President, many thought it looked like it covered an injury and not that it was hiding a gun. Also, since the day had been hot, many of the visitors to see the President had been carrying handkerchiefs in their hands so that they could wipe the sweat off their faces. When Czolgosz reached the President, President McKinley reached out to shake his left hand (thinking Czolgoszs right hand was injured) while Czolgosz brought up his right hand to President McKinleys chest and then fired two shots. One of the bullets didnt enter the president - some say it bounced off of a button or off the presidents sternum and then got tucked into his clothing. The other bullet, however, entered the presidents abdomen, tearing through his stomach, pancreas, and kidney. Shocked at being shot, President McKinley began to sag as blood stained his white shirt. He then told those around him, Be careful how you tell my wife. Those in line behind Czolgosz and guards in the room all jumped on Czolgosz and started to punch him. Seeing that the mob on Czolgosz might easily and quickly kill him, President McKinley whispered either, Dont let them hurt him or Go easy on him, boys. President McKinley Undergoes Surgery President McKinley was then whisked away in an electric ambulance to the hospital at the Exposition. Unfortunately, the hospital was not properly equipped for such a surgery and the very experienced doctor usually on premises was away doing a surgery in another town. Although several doctors were found, the most experienced doctor that could be found was Dr. Matthew Mann, a gynecologist. The surgery began at 5:20 p.m. During the operation, the doctors searched for the remains of the bullet that had entered the Presidents abdomen, but were unable to locate it. Worried that continued searching would tax the Presidents body too much, the doctors decided to discontinue looking for it and to sew up what they could. The surgery was completed a little before 7 p.m. Gangrene and Death For several days, President McKinley seemed to be getting better. After the shock of the shooting, the nation was excited to hear some good news. However, what the doctors did not realize was that without drainage, an infection had built up inside the President. By September 13 it was obvious the President was dying. At 2:15 a.m. on September 14, 1901, President William McKinley died of gangrene. That afternoon, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States. The Execution of Leon Czolgosz After being pummeled right after the shooting, Leon Czolgosz had been arrested and taken to police headquarters before nearly being lynched by the angry crowds that surrounded the Temple of Music. Czolgosz readily admitted that he was the one who had shot the President. In his written confession, Czolgosz stated, I killed President McKinley because I done my duty. I didnt believe one man should have so much service and another man should have none. Czolgosz was brought to trial on September 23, 1901. He was quickly found guilty and sentenced to death. On October 29, 1901, Leon Czolgosz was electrocuted.

Whether the use of responsive web design is able to maintain user Literature review

Whether the use of responsive web design is able to maintain user experience quality on many devices or not - Literature review Example RWD is gaining a lot of popularity in recent times as from the year 2010. Use of responsive web pages has been popularized by the extensive us of smart-phones and tablets. Browsing through mobile phones has been foreseen to grow and outgrow browsing through the personal computer since the early 2000 and the move to mobile phone browsing dominance is predicted to take place around 2013 and 2016 (Marcotte, 2010).It has also been predicted that the sales of tablets will surpass the sale of personal computers and laptops by the year 2014 (Joly, 2013). The statistics leave web designers with no option but to optimize web pages to the user-friendly to the larger market share. Responsive web pages have achieved and maintained a rich user experience on very many different devices. Responsive web pages have used several technologies over the last few years to make this happen. Responsive web design is gradually changing from being entirely device centered into being context focused. The elements of RWD that make it successful are flexible media, fluid layout and media queries. In contrast to fixed layout that uses specified static unit like pixels, points, and inches, fluid design uses relative units and percentages (Nebeling & Norrie, 2013). Fluid design of RWD is made to be relative to the viewpoint or window width of the browser being used. Child elements are also made to be corresponding to the widths of their parent elements. Gardner, (2011) says that video, plugin content or images, which form part of flexible media, are achieved using relative units. The Relative units specify the width of the media inside their main container elements. Earlier technologies used fixed layout that had fixed width wrapping items. The elements will be of the same width for all users regardless of the device being used to view the website. Same width elements will be viewable, even though, the items inside the wrapper

Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Property Law - Essay Example Therefore only a genuine owner of a property can actually sell, transfer or dispose of it1 and this suggests that Colonel Cadwallader is the person with the right to sell the violin, not Bill Sykes. The same principle is also stated reiterated in the law regarding sales2 so that a buyer who purchases a property from a seller who does not have necessary authority from the actual owner, or an acquired consent from the real owner after the sale has been finalized, does not acquire a valid title over the property just purchased. Therefore, you will note that at the outset, there appears to be a possibility that since Lady Fotherington Thomas has not acquired the property from the actual owner, the principle of nemo dat quod non habet may well apply to this case to render the sale invalid. However, it must also be established that Bill Sykes did not have a valid authorization from Colonel Cadwallader to sell the violin. In this case, the title on the property that Bill Sykes has acquired through fraudulently posing as someone else is voidable under law.3 But if the voidable title is not avoided by the actual owner before the latter sells it to a third party, then there is a holding out, in which case the new buyer acquires valid title to the property.4 Therefore it would appear that since Colonel Cadwallader has not avoided the voidable title before Bill Sykes has sold it to the violin dealer and Lady Fotherington-Thomas, therefore she does acquire valid title to the property. We may also find support for this position in the law in the form of the rights of buyers in possession5 and Lady Fotherington Thomas may be entitled to retain possession on three grounds (a) Bill Sykes initially obtained possession of the Stradivirus with the consent of the colonel and (b) she received the property in good faith and without receiving notice of liens possessed by