Lily’s Fulfillment of the Hero’s Journey Essay

The classic story line of the hero’s journey can be recognized in almost every book, movie, or short story written. Even in some stories that would not be that obvious, such as the historical fiction novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Although not very recognizable two out of the three main stages of the hero’s journey are departure and initiation. These are apparent through out Lily’s journey to find herself and her mother’s history. The third main stage, return, is not as apparent in the novel. Departure, the first stage of the hero’s journey, is portrayed in Kidd’s historical fiction novel. This stage includes meeting the mentor, the call to adventure, and crossing the first threshold. Lily’s mentors through out the story are the bees. She goes back to them as a source of knowledge because she feels they have life figured out. The call to adventure happens when Lily realizes the only way to find answers for her many questions about her mother is to leave and search for them. â€Å"Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open. In a matter of seconds I knew exactly what I had to do- leave†(Kidd 41). Crossing the first threshold occurs after Lily’s realization. When she packs a bag leaving a note for T-Ray, her abusive father, and going to the hospital to get Rosaleen. The second stage, the initiation, takes place through most of the story and explains all of Lily’s trials to find herself and information about her mother. Through out Lily’s journey to find information about her mother, she encounters many hardships that help her mature and find herself. One of the biggest advances of her finding herself and maturing is when she falls in love with Zach. â€Å"Zachary Lincoln Taylor, resting there, along my heart.†(Kidd 231). This quote shows her feelings towards Zach and how much she cares about him. Although some trials created joy others created sorrow. â€Å"I looked away. I knew then. May was dead.†(Kidd 193) These three sentences make what happened really prominent and it enhances dread and sadness. Another example of a hardship Lily has to go through is when T-Ray comes to Tiburon to get Lily back and bring her home. â€Å"How dare you leave me! You need a lesson, is what you need!†(Kidd 294). This quote increases the understanding of T-Rays anger at Lily for leaving him. Lily’s hardships all affected her either positively or negatively. The third and final stage of the hero’s journey, return, is not as visible in this novel as the other stages. The return stage includes the refusal of the return. Although Lily refuses to go back to the peach farm with T-Ray, this is not a refusal to return to her ordinary world. Lily’s ordinary world is at the honey farm with August, June, and Rosaleen. Because Lily’s ordinary world is at the honey farm she doesn’t need to return to Sylvan, South Carolina. The step the master of the two worlds, where the character has become comfortable with themselves and everyone around them, is shown. At the end of the book Lil has come to accept the fact that she killed her mother. Also she has matured and found herself through out all of the trials she has gone through. The story line of the hero’s journey follows Lily Owens through her journey to find herself and information about her mother. The three stages she follows are departure, initiation, and although not as apparent return. After completing the hero’s journey she is now able to go on with her.

Role of Media in Society Today

Media certainly plays a vital role in advertising of anything what so ever to the general public. It is simply the media which brings out the commodities, new cars, new products, new inventions, and new designs of simply anything, new ideas, and new technology to the people Even though there are a lot of different kinds of Medias but television no doubt is the most powerful media present today. There is no doubt that the inventions of television in the human lives have changed everything around us. Communications have been made easier due to these Medias like Radio, television, newspapers and many more. If we simply talk about television as a whole, it would certainly not be wrong to say that television plays a vital role in our lives today. Television has become a necessity, rather than a luxury in almost every part of the world. It is undoubtfully true that today we would see television in simply every home. Even though there are merits as well as demerit of this media. Nowadays television channels and newspapers are busy making money by giving out wrong kind of information to the general public. Making money has simply become top most priority of the people engaged in this media business. They simply think that this way they would become more popular .As indicated earlier, that everyone simply watches television, simply because of the fact that it provides a lot of entertainment although, it is a common thought that the television only offers all types of   dramas, soaps, advertising, and the news. So we could say that due to the reason that this particular media. Has got a lot of viewers on the whole. Children undoubtfully watch a lot of television and according to one of the survey report they spent a lot more time watching television than they spend in their classrooms.   Thus lot viewers mean that this is simply the best media for advertising. As it is that not only the children watch television extensively but also the adults. This has been the reason that advertising is also done extensively on this media.(n.p,n.d} Nowadays shopping is also done through television. within minutes with the help of credit cards without roaming in the rush of shopping malls, which has been greatly appreciated by the female populace of the globe. Thus, television has become a matter of just fingertips, and has promoted, as well as, assisted the humans in achieving a better and improved place in their lives. This way a lot of time is also stopped from being wasted for going to the shopping malls and a person could simply shop at home. Apart from advantages of this media there are a lot of demerits of watching television for example we could say that at times it does happens that what is shown on the television is not what it basically is. when the product is bought on the credit card after watching the advertisement reaches the customer ,the customer does not wants to have it because what was so attractive ,did not appear to be when it got in the hands of the customer. Due to this reason also a lot of people hesitate from buying after watching television ads .But still there are many more that prefer from buying like this because it wastes no time. For the most part the television is found to be very entertaining. People watch television shows they enjoy and find entertaining. Television does not only provide entertainment only for adults but also for the babies. TELEVISION AND ADVERTISING As indicated that even the children of all ages watches television thus a lot of products like candies, different kinds of chocolated, different kinds of outlets for children, toys ,cloths are also advertised on television so the children could also watch and ask their parents to buy it for them.   At the same time there are also a lot of disadvantages of watching television This is also a fact that when people men and women watches television and look at the slim, smart looking people they feel as if they are unhealthy and are not fit .Due to this reason they do not eat well and start to take medicines which is of course not correct. Escaping the media and their influence is impossible. Everywhere one turns, a different form of the media is conveying a message to the world about what normalcy is and/or should be. As Douglas Kellner, author of Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism and Media Culture writes, they provide materials out of which we forge our very identities, our sense of selfhood; our notion of what it means to be male or female† this is true that there is so much going on and so much to look at that it just becomes impossible not to take notice of the messages that the media is passing on to us. The influence of media in society has effects on various age groups As we know that the advertising is done for different age groups so the effect is also on the different group of people. Media’s influence on society is so great that it clearly has the ability to mould our world through its distribution of information. Media can be of any kind it is a fact that people are attracted to it; it is just like a cyclone which takes in everyone who is in its reach. CONCLUSION Earlier when the media was not as it is today, newspapers and radio were the greatest and most reliable source of information in the world to bring people’s attention to different things. But that was long time back .Today the strongest media is television and one of the most reliable too. As it is that it reaches simply everyone .People of all ages, casts, class and religion.. One of the advantages of the television is its reliability, as the information on the television is updated within seconds. Businesspersons can be informed of latest foreign exchange rates and products that would be in trend in the near future. The term ‘television’ is used not only for an electronic box that provides a transmission by receiving and sending particular images and sounds within a distance; however, a new commercial world of entertainment and technology has been emerged through this idiot box. Works Cited Les Brown. (1973). Television. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: USA. Marry Ellen Brown. (1990). Television and Women’s Culture. Currency Press: USA. R. W. Burns. (1998). Television. IET: Texas, USA. Richard Collins. (1990). Television. Routledge: UK. Toby Miller. (2003). Television. Taylor & Francis: New York, USA. Vldamir Kosma Zworykin. (1954). Television. J. Wiley: New York, USA.   

Android operation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Android operation - Research Paper Example Technology is associated with lower production costs, better quality products and ability to develop new products through inventive and innovative ideas (Watsa, 5). It also facilitates easy flow of information that generally improves on the quality of human life. One area of technology that has recorded significant development is information and communication technology. A computer is in any device that can be programmed to ‘store, retrieve, and process data’ and the computing idea can be traced back to the thirteenth century (Golden Ink, para.1). Various developments are witnessed throughout the millennium like development of mechanical calculators in the seventeenth century up to the development of the first digital computers in the 1930s (Golden Ink, para.2-10). Further developments have been recorded from these early (primitive) forms of computer to the modern Third Generation computers. Developments have been recorded in terms of both software and hardware. Users are often attracted to systems that are user-friendly (very interactive) and have several applications incorporated into a single suite. Software developments have been mainly in the operating systems; the programs that tell the computer what to do by defining the machine-user interface. Several operating systems have been developed by different professionals working in different institutions. Most of the present operating systems are developments of earlier operating systems. The type of the programming language used in developing different applications also explains the different types of operating systems that are available. This paper focuses on the development of Android, an operating system that is mainly used in the mobile devices. Some of the desirable characteristics of the operating system are examined. It has been stated that significant developments have

Muslim Women in Medieval Spain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Muslim Women in Medieval Spain - Essay Example wholly foreign race professing a strongly hostile religion took over the country, a totally alien language became the official tongue, a completely novel culture was imposed on the population. Entire sections of the peasantry and the urban à ©lite deserted their Catholic faith and embraced Islam. By the tenth century the territory called Al-Andalus was a country with a solid Muslim majority, and had become the single most powerful and civilized state in western Europe. The Moorish state was never so integrated or unified that it crushed out the cultures that had preceded it (Collins 43). None the less, Islamic culture itself became so imbedded in the Hispanic mentality that it ceased to be alien and became an ineffaceable and authentic part of peninsular history. In Medieval Spain women obtained an important role and had more rights and freedoms in contrast to Christian women and their position in society. In Medieval Spain, the subjected Christian population was usually treated with the limited religious tolerance customary to Islam. Occasional persecution was matched by outbreaks of religious zeal on the part of the conquered. Those who held fast to their faith were called Mozarabs, Christian in belief but Arabized in culture and language. Their numbers, however, shrank, and their faith itself became diluted with novel beliefs and heresies. Many were attracted by the higher quality of Islamic culture. The principal episcopal see, Toledo, once the Visigothic capital, found itself isolated as the sees of the Christian north freed themselves from its jurisdiction. Despite these drawbacks, Mozarabism remained a vitally important phenomenon (Carr 64). It represented a profound dialogue between Muslim and Christian civilization, and retained enough of an identity to prepare the way for an eventual re, conversion of the lands which the Muslims had made their own. Dillard (1993): â€Å"The settlement charters, drawn up by king or count to attract settlers who would defend

The Making of Company Name Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Making of Company Name - Assignment Example Since Waxing Company wants to expand its business to European and American markets, it should adopt a name that fits the general market and the target customers. Some of the names that the company can adopt for its new markets are as proposed below. The name Five Star Electros can be an ideal name that Wuxing Company can decide to adopt since it contains the aspect of originality. Adopting this name will enable the potential customers to link the company directly to its parent company in China. In addition, the name Five Star Electros shows originality and business superiority in the automobile industry and thus will generate the notion that the company’s products are of high quality. Moreover, this name is generally acceptable globally, simple and very easy to recall and thus both the European an American customers will be able to relate to it. Equally important, the name Roadster Technologies will be a perfect fit for Wuxing Company. This name has numerous advantages that ca n enable Wuxing to penetrate the new market. Apart from being a unique name, it can attract the attention of the potential customers since the term Roadster creates a â€Å"superior† image on the minds of the customer. Furthermore, the term Technology will identify the manufactured products as being effective, efficient, and durable and of very high quality. To repeat, this name will fit the company’s objective to describe its products as high quality, original, of innovative design and lifestyle among other features. Imagine walking across a busy street and then all of a sudden you notice that you have seen a company premise that has been labeled Deluxe Auto Dikes. Chances are that if you are a motorbike â€Å"lover,† you will turn back and look again. This is so because the name Deluxe is generally attractive and thus this name will capture the attention of the customers in the new market.

Luxury fashion industry E-Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Luxury fashion industry E-Commerce - Essay Example The use of colour is usually considered to be an essential component of visual merchandising (Iqbal et al., 2011). Choice of the colour, therefore, determines the attention it attracts to consumers. Use of vibrant colours like red, brown or orange at the entrance and addition of designs gives an appealing look to attract many customers. Colour also, can create an emotional impact on consumers that can portray good meaning about the product. E-commerce employs the use of signage that acts as a salesperson. This increases the efficiency as customers easily reach their destinations by just following the displays in it. Also, use of signage increases customer service since it reduces the waiting time that is a desirable factor to customers. Maintenance of proper lighting to focus on key products improves the appealing effect of the products. Those consumers who use online applications and sites require pictures of products with good lighting to allow them make right choices and save on time. Lastly, the use of unique window display of products serves as an attraction to more sells. Showing items correctly will give consumers idea of how they would look like and these is more likely to influence them to buy the items (Iqbal, et al., 2011). In order to maintain consistency from the real visual merchandise shop and online, e-commerce have to employ some factors. The use of a simple web design with a good user interface where the customers can easily navigate through and make their purchases with ease. Pictures and videos of the items in the store are displayed in high quality and in simple layouts where one can access a number of items at a go. These pictures and videos usually contain a specified description of quality, make and prices. With the Omni-channel strategy, the integration of the real store and online stores has enabled the merchandisers maintain consistency and promote their

Innovation for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Innovation for Managers - Essay Example and understanding of the reasons, logic and need behind the overall process of innovation and its importance and role in the business world in the modern day business terms. The very generic and basic understanding of the word Innovation pertains to the ability, action and thought process of thinking out of the box. It includes challenging the mind, the thought, ideas and conventions that are in practice and existence. It further challenges the thought of going with the flow. In further contrast, it brings about the common understanding and thought process directed towards bringing about something new that may be related to a novel idea, novel thought or novel process (Fonseca,p. 14). In the domain of business actions and practices, innovation pertains to the thought of thinking in a unique way that will enable bringing about more productive output from the given scenario and dynamics. It pertains to thinking on the lines that may need questioning the already established norms, practices and actions and in turn enable thinking and building the demand and desire aimed towards bringing about some new dimensional aspect to the overall business activity. Innovation and entrepreneurial concepts are used interchangeably. Both apply to the ideas of thinking in a specifically unique way that is driven along the lines of achieving something extra and additional from the already established norms and concepts (Management). Within the business activities, innovation may not just be limited to the production aims or the final output, rather Innovation is the name to the mindset. It may reflect upon the overall socially oriented interaction within the organizational work, it may further pertain to the political handling and interface of the business enterprises and its engagements, further it may possibly pertain to the emotional aspect of thinking. Since emotions largely play a deciding and determining role upon the tendencies and aptitudes of the individuals, it is

Personal learning plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal learning plan - Essay Example The learning plans should attempt to meet the course objectives. In essence, the plans should function as blueprints for the learning by allowing students to consider the personal learning needs and areas of improvement within the context of intellectual development. In addition, the plans guide students to individualize the learning process, promote a sense of self-directedness with specific outcomes, and enable the development of habits related to lifelong learning (Graham, 2013). The paper presents my personal learning plan by highlighting the steps to improve time management skill. My long-term goal is to improve in time management in order to excel in all subjects including mastering the Mathematics skill, which I have a tremendous weakness. The attainment improvement of the time management skill will offer me sufficient time to attend to the subjects I underperform such as Mathematics. As indicated in my personal learning profile, I have attempted to master the skills of time management by adhering to programs and schedules. As I advance in my career, I endeavor to improve on time management in order to devote a lot of time in the studies and do away with the Mathematics phobia, which has been a challenge in my studies. I realize that my weekly schedule indicates that I have approximately twenty hours to work on my assignments. Although the time is adequate, I endeavor to utilize substantial time in Mathematics as I seek to excel in all disciplines and proceed to my master degree. My time management goal will complement my strong values such as communication , team player, self-confidence, open-mindedness, and self-awareness. Time management is critical in the learning process. The highest achievers tend to manage their time exceptionally well. It is crucial to develop workable strategies for managing time in order to balance the inevitable conflicting demands of time for study, work, and leisure. Essentially, time

Business - Discussion and Participation Questions Essay

Business - Discussion and Participation Questions - Essay Example The final report of the auditor should be included in the annual report of the company so that the findings become public information. Sox-online.com (2006). Section 201 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Retrieved January 19, 2012 from http://www.sox-online.com/act_section_201.html 2. The five major areas covered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) are: code of professional conduct, auditing standards, compilation and review standards, other attestation standards, and consulting standards. I believe that all areas are important due to the fact that they are part of a unique algorithm the must be followed to properly conduct an audit. If I were to choose one area that stands out from the rest it would be the code of professional conduct. During the Enron scandal a lack of professional conduct in the auditing process led to the biggest bankruptcy case in the history of the United States at the time. Ethics and professionals should have prevented the scandal from ever occurring, but greed took over the minds of the auditors at Arthur Anderson and they preferred to get rich than to do their jobs based on the principles of professional conduct. The integrity of the entire process is dependent on auditors complying with the code of professional conduct. 3. I like your response and I agree with you that compliance with SOX improves the accountability of the entire auditing process. When Sarbanes Oxley was created people did not know whether the Act would work. In 2012 it seems as if the initiative has helped stabilize the information coming out of Wall Street. A lack of confidence in the market was one of the main reasons Congress got involved in the process about a decade ago. Independence is achieved when the auditor works an audit without any external pressures to alter the results because of the existence of a conflict of interest. 4. I agree with you that the communication between the client and the auditor must be honest and open at all ti mes. The managers of the company being audited should facilitate the process of providing the auditor with all the data and information the auditor needs to perform his job. Auditors must have superb analytical ability and great communication skills. Verbal communication skills are required to interact with the client in order to retrieve the information necessary to complete the audit in an efficient manner. 5. Information risk occurred back in 2001 when the Enron scandal was revealed. In this case the risks of information occur because of collusion between the executive management team and Author Anderson. It would be hard to visualize in 2012 how history could repeat itself at such as large scale since compliance with SOX reassures external groups that the firm’s financial data is free of material error or fraud. I agree with you that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board was very instrumental in improving the reliability of accounting information. 6. I agree with you response in regards to the importance of professional conduct. When accountants are dirty it is highly feasible for a smart accountant to cook up the books in order

Importance Of E-learning For Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Importance Of E-learning For Education - Essay Example More specifically, I am going to focus on paragraph 2 and paragraph 3. In paragraph 2 of the outline, I briefly mentioned on the effect of the introduction of eLearning to teachers. According to a research conducted by Boston College in 2010, where they were evaluating the effect of eLearning on the teacher's mastery as well as their students, they found out that eLearning was important to the teachers since they were able to better master the content. However, due to continued use of eLearning, some were found to be highly dependent on it and did not deliver effectively. The students were also found to be able to get the proper mastery of the content taught since they could read the books, even from their phones as long as they could connect to the internet. (Laura, 20). Thus, from this information, it is very open that the use of learning does not have a negative effect on the teachers as it is usually asserted, on the contrary, it helps the teachers to effectively dispense their activities. I also focused on the regulation of learning activities by the governments in this paragraph. Basically, governments have the power to alter or influence the activities carried out in their jurisdictions. This being the case, the regulation of learning by governments in different countries is not a matter of much worry, assuming that the governments in question will act in good faith and in order to balance different activities for the good of its citizens. In paragraph three, I mentioned about the effects that the use of eLearning technologies has had on the publishing world. Though there are various thoughts and conviction, it is evident that the eLearning technology has had effects on the publishing industry. However, there is every reason to encourage the use of e-learning technology despite the danger it poses to the publishing market.

Wonderful Health Benefits Essay Example for Free

Wonderful Health Benefits Essay As the world becomes aware of all the wonderful health benefits of malunggay plant, the next question for many is how to use malunggay or moringa. Fortunately, malunggay is very versatile because one can enjoy all its benefits in a variety of ways. One of the best ways to ensure that one’s body gets to absorb all the goodness of malunggay is by drinking it as a tea. Malunggay tea is a very healthy drink because it is abundant with polyphenols or flavonoids, an effective antioxidant. If you cannot find moringa or malunggay tea in the market, you can buy or harvest (if you have your own moringa tree) fresh malunggay leaves and try making your own malunggay tea. The malunggay leaves to use should be so fresh with no signs of yellowing. How to Make Malunggay Tea You will need: Fresh malunggay leaves with no signs of yellowing (2-3 compound leaves) Clean Tray Clean sheet of manila or bond paper Basket with 2-3 cm. fine mesh Tea bags Air tight containers Procedure: Put the fresh malunggay leaves in a tray. Clean the leaves by dusting and sorting out any unnecessary particles.   Then lay out the leaves in a clean sheet of manila or bond paper. Put the malunggay leaves in an indoor drying shade and left it there for 2-3 days. Be careful not to sun-dry the leaves as it will destroy the vitamins and minerals in malunggay and affect the quality of the tea. The malunggay leaves will only be air-dried to wilt and remove excess moisture and it only needs a very light amount of oxidation. After the air drying, the next process is pan-drying. In this method, heat will be applied to the dried malunggay leaves by dry cooking it in hot pans. Minimal oxidation will happen during this process. To do this, heat the leaves in a pan with a very low fire to remove excess moisture and to sanitize it. The leaves should be constantly stirred and turned over for 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook it. Put the roasted leaves in a transparent plastic bag. Seal or tighten the plastic bag and then crush the leaves until it turned to tiny powder particles. Pack the tea leaves in air-tight containers and store it in a cool, dark and dry place to maintain freshness. Proper packaging is a must because the shelf life of malunggay tea depends on it packaging. It also has the tendency to lose its flavor when exposed to air. To brew malunggay tea, you can put  ½ teaspoon of malunggay tea leaves and place it in a tea bag. You can buy tea bags in some Chinese drug stores. Then submerge the tea bag in boiling water for a few seconds. After that, put the tea bag in a cup and pour just enough hot water. Let it steep for 1- 3 minutes. One can add honey or sugar if desired. Enjoy your healthy moringa tea!

Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack

Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack Graph Model for Cloud Ambikavathi C Dr.S.K.Srivatsa Abstract- The role of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) in security world is considered as a key requirement for any computing model. This traditional methodology can add its own contribution of security to the distributed Cloud environment. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the steps that are needed to be taken in order to efficiently implement the IDS in cloud environment. The proposed system uses node predictive attack graph to correlate the newly occurred attacks with known attacks. The prediction steps are used to later monitor the environment and control the attacks. Keywords-Attack Graph; Cloud Computing; IDS ,; I. INTRODUCTION A. What is Cloud computing? Cloud computing is â€Å"a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction†[1]. This cloud model is co mposed of three service models, four deploy ment models and five essential characteristics . The three service models are So ftware as a Service (SaaS), Platfo rm as a Se rvice (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The four deployment models are private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud and community cloud. The five essential characteristics of cloud are on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service. B. What is IDS? Intrusion detection systems are software or hardware systems that automate the process of monitoring the events occurring in a computer system or network, analyzing them for malicious activities or policy violations and produces reports to a management station. IDSs a rehost-based, network-based and distributed IDSs. Hos t based IDS (HIDS) monitors specific host machines, network-based IDS (NIDS) identifies intrusions on key network points and distributed IDS (DIDS) operates both on host as well as network [7]. IDS can be a valuable addition to the security arsenal. IDS performs the following functionalities : Monitoring and analyzing both user and system activities .Analyzing system configurations and vulnerabilities .Assessing system and file integrity.Ability to recognize patterns typical of attacks.Analysis of abnormal activity patterns.Tracking user policy violations.The extensive use of virtualization in implementing cloud infrastructure brings unique security concerns for customers or tenants of a public cloud service. Virtualization alters the relationship between the OS and underlying hardware. This introduces an additional layer virtualization that itself must be properly configured, managed and secured. Specific concerns include the potential to compromise the virtualization software, or hypervisor. So virtual machine security is essential in cloud environment. C. Attack Graph Attack graphs are used to determine how vulnerable their systems are and to determine what security measures to deploy to defend their systems. In the predictive attack graph, a node represents a host and an edge represents vulnerability. The predictive attack graph representation accurately forecasts the effect of removing vulnerabilities by removing edges from the attack graph. The predictive attack graph is the full attack graph with redundant paths removed. A path is considered redundant if the path contains the same vulnerability-host pair in two or mo replaces along the same attack path. In node predictive attack graph, a node can be host or a group of hosts, and an edge can be vulnerability or a group of vulnerabilities. The node predictive attack graph is a simplified version of the predictive attack graph. The node predictive attack graph’s purpose is to mitigate the effects of â€Å"firewall explosion.† Firewall explosion causes redundancy in the predictive gr aph. Thus, the node predictive attack graph mitigates this issue by merging nodes of the attack graph. Two nodes are merged if the attacker can compromise the two hosts from all hosts the attacker has already compromised. [16] Rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section II discusses about the related work done. Proposed system is described briefly in section III. Section IV, presents the implementation part of EIDS and section V concludes with references at the end. II. RELATED WORK In this section, we present related research to our proposed work: Intrusion detection in cloud and attack graph models. A. Anomaly based IDS Anomaly or behavior based detection [7] refers to techniques that define and characterize normal or acceptable behaviors of the system (e.g., CPU usage, job execution time , system ca lls). Behaviors that deviate fro m the expected normal behavior are considered intrusions. Generation of high false alarms is the major drawback of this type which leads to low detection efficiency. But it is able to detect new attack patterns. Here, Input parameter selection and analysis of ciphered data are tedious processes . It attains low throughput but high cost. Metrics and frame work to evaluate this IDS and compare with alternate IDS techniques is in need. Also it is poor in defending themselves from attacks. To avoid false alarms in anomaly based systems the system must be trained to create the appropriate user profiles. It requires extensive training to characterize normal behavior patterns. B. Signature based I DS Signature or Misuse based detection refers to techniques that characterize known methods to penetrate a system. These penetrations are characterized as a ‘pattern’ or a ‘signature’ that the IDS looks for. The pattern/signature might be a static string or a set sequence of actions[9]. It can only detect known attacks. Frequent updation is needed in the database for signatures of new attacks. The advantages of this IDS are, it generates less number of false alarms. A single signature can detect a group of attacks. It does not require extensive training. C. Fuzzy based IDS Fuzzy logic can be used to deal with inexact description of intrusions. It provides some flexibility to the uncertain problem of intrusion detection. Fuzzy logic techniques[5] are used for classification techniques. The classification algorithm is applied to audit data collected which learns to classify new audit data as normal or abnormal data. It allows greater complexity for IDS while it provides some flexibility to the uncertain problem of IDS. Most fuzzy IDS require human intervention to determine fuzzy sets and set of fuzzy rules . D. Artificial Neural Network based The goal of using ANNs for intrusion detection[5] is to be able to generalize data from incomplete data and to be able to classify data as being normal or intrusive. It is best because of it’s self learning capabilities , quick processing and can find small behaviour deviations. But it’s downside is it requires more tra ining sa mples and time consuming. E. Data Mining based IDS Some intrusion attacks are formed based on known attacks or variant of known attacks. To detect such signatures or attacks, signature apriori algorithm can be used, which finds frequent subset (containing some features of original attack) of given attack set. In Cloud, association rules can be used to generate new signatures. Using newly generated signatures, variations of known attacks can be detected in real time[5]. F. Profile based IDS In VM profile based IDS[12], a profile is created for each virtual machine in cloud that describes network behavior of each clouduser. The behavior gathered is then used for detection of network attacks on cloud. It detects the attacks early with robustness and minimum complexity. G. Entropy based IDS Entropy is, in general, used for measuring the data’s degree of impurity using a Threshold value. Entropy based anomaly detection system[14] is mainly proposed to prevent DDoS attacks. This is done in two steps. First users are allowed to pass through a router in network site. It detects for legitimate user using detection algorithm. Second again it passes through a router in cloud site. In this methodology confirmation algorithm is incorporated to detect the intruder by checking a threshold value. H. Multithreaded IDS Multithreading technique improves IDS performance within Cloud computing environment to handle large number of data packet flows. The proposed multi-threaded NIDS[8][4] is based on three modules named: capture module, analysis module and reporting module. The first one is responsible of capturing data packets and sending them to analysis part which analyzes them efficiently through matching against pre-defined set of rules and distinguishes the bad packets to generate alerts. Finally, the reporting module can read alerts and immediately prepare alert report. The authors conducted simulation experiments to show the effectiveness of their proposed method and compared it with single thread which presented high performance in terms of processing and execution time. However, the problem of detecting new types of attacks still needs many works to be done. I. Integrated model IDS It uses the combination two or more o f above techniques. It is advantageous since each technique has some advantages and drawbacks. Grid and Cloud Computing Intrusion Detection System (GCCIDS)[10] proposed the integration of knowledge and behavior analysis to detect specific intrusions. However, the proposed prototype cannot discover new types of attacks or create an attack database which must be considered during implementing IDS. A new integrated intrusion detection approach, called FCA NN[13] is proposed based on ANN and fuzzy clustering. Through fuzzy clustering technique, the heterogeneous training set is divided to several homogenous subsets. Thus complexity of each sub training set is reduced and consequently the detection performance is increased. J. Graph based IDS A graph is constructed in which nodes represent state of attack and edges represent the correlations between attacks. Queue graph, Dependency graph and Attack graph are the existing works done on IDS. To prevent vulnerable virtual machines from be ing compromised in the cloud, a multiphase distributed vulnerability detection, measurement, and countermeasure selection mechanism called NICE[2] is proposed, which is built on attack graph-based analytical models and reconfigurable virtual network-based countermeasures. III. PROP OSED WORK In this section, we describe how to construct and utilize node predictive attack graph model to handle vulnerabilities in cloud environ ment. Any attack has some set of predefined steps to incorporate it. An attack can only be accomplished when all its pre-conditions are met [11]. So that by keen monitoring the attack can be prevented. An attack graph is an abstraction that represents the ways an attacker can violate a security policy by leveraging interdependencies among discovered vulnerabilities. An attack graph can be generated from network configuration details and known vulnerabilities within the network. An attack path is a sequence of steps that starts from an attacker’s initial state to the attacker’s goal state (security policy violation) in an attack graph. Every virtual machine has it’s own logfile for recording the actions of that virtual machine. Th is logfile along with the knowledge base provides information for constructing attack graph. Fig. 1. Proposed Architecture IV. IMPLEMENTATION EIDS is implemented using Openebula[15] and OSSIM (Open Source – Security Information Management)[3] which comprises of traffic analyzers, vulnerability scanners. OS-SIM is embedded as a virtual mach ine in the c loud environment. The ro le of this virtual machine is to monitor all other virtual machines running in the environment. OSSIM provides a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution. It is a one-stop solution and integrated the open source software’s NTOP, Mrtg, Snort, Open VAS, and Nmap. OSSIM is a cost effective solution in the area of monitoring network health and security of network/hosts compared to other propriety products[6]. A. Attack Analyzer Attack Analyzer is built on the top the traffic Analyzer of OS-SIM. It uses each virtual machine’s logfile to analyze and extract attack trace steps. Whenever an attack occurs it is added to the attack graph as a node along with its state and correlation function is invoked. Attack Graph Attack Graph Generator Alert System Knowledge Base Attack Analyzer B. Correlation function Correlation function correlates this new attack with known attacks and gives the prediction steps for this attack. These prediction steps for each attack are used to monitor the further attacks in future. C. Attack Graph Generator Each node in the graph defines an attack and the edge between nodes represent the correlation between that two attacks. V. CONCLUSION Defending distributed environment is difficult. Always prevention is better than cure. Prediction of Intrusions in prior enhances the security of cloud environment. So that predictive attack graph model is chosen for providing security to the distributed cloud environment. At any point the known attacks are correlated with each other to predict new attacks. REFERENCES: [1] NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology ) http://csrc.nist.gov/p ublications/nistp ubs/800-145/SP800-145.p df [2] Chun-Jen Chung, Pankaj Khatkar, Tiany i Xing Jeongkeun Lee, Dijian g Huan g, â€Å"NICE: Network Intrusion Detection and Countermeasure Selection in Virtual Network Systems†, IEEE Transactions On Dependable And Secure Computing, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 198 – 211, July /August 2013. [3] â€Å"OSSIM †, https://www.alienvault.com/ [4] Ms. Parag K. Shelke, M s. Sneha Sontakke, Dr. A. D. Gawande, â€Å"Intrusion Detection Sy stem for Cloud Comp uting†, International Journal of Scientific Technology Research Volume 1, Issue 4, M ay 2012. [5] M odi, C., Patel, D., Patel, H., Borisaniy a, B., Patel, A. Rajarajan, M ., â€Å"A survey of intrusion detection techniques in Cloud†, Journal of Network and Computer App lications. [6] â€Å"OSSIM †, http ://www.op ensourceforu.com/2014/02 /top -10-op en-source-security -tools/ [7] Amirreza Zarrabi, Alireza Zarrabi, â€Å"Internet Intrusion Detection Sy stem Service in a Cloud† IJCSI International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol. 9, Issue 5, No 2, Sep tember 2012. [8] I. Gul and M . Hussain, â€Å"Distributed Cloud Intrusion Detection M odel†, International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, vol. 34, pp. 71-82, 2011. [9] R. Bhadauria, R. Chaki, N. Chak i, and S. Sany al â€Å"A Survey on Secur ity Issues in Cloud Comp uting†, Available at: http ://arxiv.org/abs/1109.5388 [10] K. Vieira, A. Schulter, C.B. Westp hall, and C.M . Westphall, â€Å"Intrusion Detection for Grid and Cloud comp uting†, IT Professional, Volume: 12 Issue: 4, p p. 38-43, 2010. [11] X. Ou and A. Singhal, â€Å"Quantitative Secur ity Risk Assessment of Enterp rise Networks†, Sp ringerBriefs in Comp uter Scien ce, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1860-3_2,  © The Author(s) 2012 [12] Sanchik a Gupta, Padam Kumar and Ajith Abraham, â€Å"A Profile Based Network Intrusion Detection and Prevention System for Secur in g Cloud Env ironment†, International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, Feb 2013 [13] Swati Ramteke, Rajesh Dongare, Ko mal Ramteke, â€Å"Intrusion Detection System for Cloud Network Using FC-ANN Algorithm†, Int. Journal of Advanced R esearch in Comp uter and Communication En gineeringVo l. 2, Issue 4, April 2013. [14] A.S.Sy ed Navaz, V.San geetha, C.Prabhadevi, â€Å"Entropy based Anomaly Detection System to Prevent DDoS Attacks in Cloud†, Int. Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887) Volume 62– No.15, January 2013 [15] â€Å"Op ennebula†, http ://opennebula.org [16] Nwokedi C. Idika, â€Å"Characterizin g and A ggregating Attack Grap h-based Security M etrics†, CERIAS Tech Rep ort 2010

Studying The Numerous Functions Of Maybank2u Information Technology Essay

Studying The Numerous Functions Of Maybank2u Information Technology Essay Fund transfer simply means send some amount of money from an account to another account via Internet. By having this function, Maybank2u(M2U) allows its registered users to transfer fund online without having queuing at bank counter to carry out transaction. For example, parents can transfer fund to their children who study overseas by using this service. Besides, corporate user can use this function to pay their supplier and so they do not need to use cheque to make payment which is more risky compared to fund transfer because the user or supplier may lost the cheque. On Maybank2u.com, users can transfer funds between own Maybank accounts, e.g. from savings account to current account, to other Maybank accounts, to other local banks or financial institutions and transfer funds overseas. Transfer between own Maybank accounts M2U users can transfer funds between own Maybank accounts. To transfer funds between own Maybank accounts: Users must be a registered M2U user. First, login on Maybank2u.com. They can then choose banking area of Accounts and Banking to transfer funds. An overview of saving and current accounts balance will be shown on screen afterward. By clicking Transfers at the option panel at left hand side, it will bring users to main transfer page and users can choose own account transfer. Then, users can enter transfer details such as amount to be transferred, transfer funds from which account to which account and select an effective date for the transfer to take place. After this is done, users can review transfer details to confirm the transaction. If users have changed their mind, they can correct it by moving back to the previous page. If users confirm the transaction, they can click the Confirm tab and a confirmation screen will be shown to show whether the transfer is successful or fail. Users will be given a unique reference number for the transfer as record. They can then print receipt of the transfer or make another transfer. This transfer takes less than 3 minutes to be done. It is fast and convenient. There is no limit for users to transfer fund between own accounts as long as there is balance in their account. Transfer.jpg Figure 1.1: Own account transfer Transfer to third partys Maybank account To transfer funds from own account to third partys Maybank account, M2U users can choose to transfer funds immediately or at a selected future date, just like how transferring between own accounts does. If users have selected any future transfers, all the outstanding future transfers will be recorded in a table and users are allowed to check on pending funds transfer and cancel them anytime. However, there is a limit for daily transfer which is of maximum RM5000 per day. This service is free of charge. Steps to carry this transfer are almost the same with that of transfer between own Maybank accounts. The differences between these two are users have to select 3rd party account transfer instead of own account transfer. There are also some functions available in this transfer. The first function is 3rd Party Account Maintenance. This function allows users to save account details of someone whom users transfer funds frequently, so that users do not need to key in account number every time when they want to transfer funds. Users are allowed to save up to 20 favourite accounts and update or delete the account details. Another function provided for this transfer is Transaction Limit Maintenance. The maximum limit of amount that users can transfer per day is RM5000. Users may set their own daily transaction limit from 1 cent to maximum of RM5000. Besides, for immediate transfer, users are allowed to send e-mail to recipients in order to inform them that they have transferred money to their accounts. Transfer1.jpg Figure 1.2: Transfer to 3rd partys Maybank account Transfer to accounts of other local banks or financial institutions M2U users can also transfer funds to savings or current accounts of other local banks or financial institutionssuch as Alliance Bank, CIMB Bank, HSBC, Citibank, etc. This transfer is named GIRO Interbank Transfer. There are a few types of payment can be made through GIRO which is funds transfers to savings or current accounts, credit card payment, loan payment and hire purchase payment. During weekdays, recipients will receive fund transferred at the same day if users transfer fund before 12pm and the money will be credited to recipients account before 12 midnight. For funds transferred after 12pm, recipients will receive the amount in the next working day. For funds transferred during weekends and public holidays, recipients will receive the money in the next working day. Steps to carry out this transfer are almost the same with the steps above but senders have to select New Interbank GIRO Transfer and they also needed to select which bank to transfer to before they enter transfer details. Senders will also be questioned about whether they want validation of recipients ID at their bank. m2.jpg Figure 1.3: Transfer to other banks account There is also a daily transfer limit for this transfer which is RM5000 and there is also RM2 charge for service fee. Like the transfer funds to third party, users can also set their favourite IBG Transfers to their favourite list and there is a maximum of 20 favourites. Transfer funds overseas If M2U users want to transfer funds (cash or credit money) overseas online, users can do this by using Foreign Telegraphic Transfer. Users can transfer money to 3rd party account by Credit to Account to 50 countries in 24 currencies conveniently while for cash, users can only send it to 6 countries. Maybank2u has set a daily transfer limit for this fund transfer. To transfer cash, users must transfer at least RM250 or maximum up to RM1000. For credit to account, users must transfer at least RM250 and maximum up to RM10000. This transaction is processed by SWIFT and TAC (security code) authentication, so it is fast and safe. Besides, Maybank2u is able to calculate the value of the funds that you want to transfer by converting currency instantly. The amount will then be debited directly from users Maybank saving or current account to 3rd party account. Maybank will charge a transaction fee of RM10 to sender for each transaction carried out. Recipient will also be charged by their bank and the amount is different in every country. The time taken for recipient to receive money depends on recipients bank. Besides all these transfers functions, on the Transfers page, users are also allowed to check transfer history, future transfers and foreign telegraphic transfer history and manage their favourite transfers. CREDIT CARDS There are total 23 types of credit card available in Maybank. Details about various types of credit cards are available on Maybank2u.com. People who are Malaysian and aged 21st to 65th years old with specified range of amount of income can apply for Maybank credit card. For supplementary cardholders, they must be of at least 21st years old. For those who wish to apply Maybank credit cards, they are provided with a function which can help them to get a card that is best suit themselves. First, they will be questioned about their income and also what type of card are they looking for. After make selection, all results will be shown and users are allowed to make comparison between cards. credit card2.jpg Figure 1.5: Choose income range and types of card After users have made decision on which card to choose, they can download application form from Maybank2u.com, print it and fill in details. For applicants who wish to have a supplementary cardholder, they can download supplementary form online too. After all these are done, they can hand up the application form attach with all required documents to one of the branches to apply for credit card. dl application form.jpg Figure 1.6: Download credit card application form IMPROVEMENT There are total 8 methods available in Maybank to transfer fund which are Maybank Money Express, Foreign Telegraphic Transfer, 3rd party own account transfer, GIRO Interbank Transfer, China Remittance Service, MEPS Interbank Funds Transfer, Foreign Worker Telegraphic Transfer and MoneyGram Money Transfer. However, there are only three methods available on Maybank2u.com. In order to increase customers option in transferring funds, Maybank should include a few more methods on Maybank2u.com. In other words, it should make any of the five methods available to use online. For example, Maybank Money Express is one of the methods that allows overseas recipients to receive money instantly. By providing reference number given by the sender, recipients can receive the money immediately without having to wait. If this function is available online, users (sender) do not have to travel to branch physically to perform this transaction and recipients can still receive money at once. By having this, users can transfer funds in a more efficient manner. This directly increases customers satisfaction and also the banks reputation and it may attract more customers since it provides the most convenient way for customers to transfer funds overseas. Besides, M2U should increase daily transfer limit for transfer fund to 3rd party account. The default daily transfer limit is RM5000. If users want to transfer more than RM5000, they have to wait until next working day or proceed to ATM to conduct the transaction. This causes inconvenience to users who wish to transfer funds in a larger amount without having travel to branch physically. So, M2U should increase its daily transfer limit so that users can transfer more money online. NEW FUNCTIONS In order to response more promptly to customers request, M2U should provide a function which allows customers to have direct conversations with customer service representatives online when they face problem in using functions on M2U. This is also known as chat box. Many online shopping websites adopt this function so that they can react faster to customers question and need. Conventionally, when users face problems, they either give a call to customer service department or send e-mail and wait for their reply. These take time and some customers may feel impatient while waiting for their reply. Businesses should always place their customers as their top priority and they should fulfill customers need as much as possible and as fast as possible. So, if M2U develop this function, it can response more quickly to customers need and this indirectly increase customers satisfaction and they can retain customers loyalty. For users who wish to apply Maybank credit card online, M2U again causes another inconvenience as there is no function that allows customers to apply credit card online. All it has are only detailed information about credit cards and users can download application form if they want to apply credit cards. So, M2U should insert this function and it can further develop another function for applicants to upload supporting documents. By having this, supporting documents such as NRIC, latest BE form with official tax receipt, latest 2 months salary slips, latest 3 months savings account activity/current account statements, etc can be uploaded and submitted online by the applicants together with the application of credit card. This function really bring great convenience for people who are busy and always have no free time to travel to branch physically.

Legal Implications :: Physician Assisted Suicide Medical Ethics Essays

Legal Implications â€Å"The social commitment of the physician is to sustain life and relieve suffering. Where the performance of one duty conflicts with the other, the preferences of the patient should prevail† (AMA). The case of Karen Quinlan extrapolated beyond the trivial cases of patient autonomy, in which the patient’s wishes are known or well communicated, and introduced us to a realm of patient autonomy that, at the time, had not been thoroughly explored. Although it was alleged that Karen had â€Å"on at least three occasions made statements that if she were in a hopeless medical condition she would not want her life prolonged by†¦extraordinary medical measures,† no concrete proof of these statements or wishes existed (Armstrong). Thus, Karen Quinlan’s physician could only assume an end-of-life decision from her surrogate decision-makers, her parents, was appropriate—an assumption he was not ready to make. In fact, the physician stated, â€Å"he c ould find no medical precedent with regard to such action (taking Karen off of medical support via the request of her parents)† (Armstrong). Albeit common tradition had seen â€Å"many (physicians) refuse to inflict an undesired prolongation of the process of dying on a patient in (an) irreversible condition,† most of these cases resulted from conditions in which the wishes of the patient were fairly clear (Supreme Court). The case of Karen Quinlan was not. Nevertheless, significant legal actions were taken—ultimately resulting in the legal illumination of an individual’s rights and responsibilities with respect to situations similar to Karen Quinlan’s. When her physician refused Mr. Quinlan’s request, he was told he would have to become legal guardian of Karen before his decision was considered. However, Mr. Quinlan’s plea was denied and a complete stranger received guardian status from the Superior Court of New Jersey. The State Attorney General intervened, and along with the hospital, treating physicians, and the county prosecutor, filed a suit against Mr. Quinlan. They argued that the Court had no jurisdiction to grant the Quinlan’s request, a person’s best interest is never served by allowing them to die, there is no constitutional right to die, the State’s interest in the preservation of life overrides the guarantees in the First and Eighth Amendments, granting the request would be against prevailing medical standards and ceasing treatment would be homicide if Karen died (Armstrong). The argument resulted in a ruling against the Quinlan family’s request.

The Life-Span Developmental Approach to Counseling Essay -- essays res

The life-span development approach addresses the basic nature versus nurture debate by allowing for both. Just as our physicals selves are determined by both genetics and lifestyle, so are our emotional selves. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I plan to consider life-span development to specialize in counseling a specific type of person with hopes of becoming well-versed, and therefore more helpful, in the types of experiences that group faces. â€Å"Personality can be better understood if it is examined developmentally† (Santrock, 2006, p. 45). Considering cognitive, biological, and socioemotional development throughout life will provide context, guideposts, and reasonable expectations for counselors. Life-span development theories also provide a useful place to start when offering emotional support as a counselor. Understanding an individual’s previous stages of development and environment can give a counselor and individual a common place from which to start counseling. Most of the developmental theorists discussed in section one of Santrock—Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Konrad Lorenz, and to an extent B. F. Skinner—focused mostly on early or childhood development. Early development, when considered in a life-span context of development, can give an LPC insight in an individual’s personality. Regardless of specialization, a counselor can weigh early behaviors against his or her contemporary observations, giving them a fuller context. â€Å"Actual development requires more [than genetic loading]: an environment† (Santrock, 2006, p. 98). Two cognitive developmental theories support Santrock’s assertion of environmental influence on early development. First, Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory defines how a person behaves as how a person adapts to his or her environment. An individual’s behavior is an adaptive process driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (Huitt and Hummel, 2003). This theory states that development is a byproduct linking and relating our experiences to each other, starting with general environmental knowledge, until a person’s cognitive ability is composed of more abstract reasoning. The second cognitive theory emphasizes social and cultural environment. Vygotsky’s theory points to our relationships with others as the definitions of ourselves (Nicholl, 1998, par. 13). Two other theo... ...span development is a multi-faceted approach to counseling. Using these and other theories gives a licensed professional counselor a variety of tools for counseling. I expect these theories to help me determine a specialty in my future practice, relying on the overlap and complexity of working in terms of an entire human life. References?Boeree, C. George. (1997). Erik Erikson: 1902 to 1994. Shippensburg, PA: Shippensburg University. Retrieved 21 June 2005 from http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/erikson.html. Huitt, W. (1997). Socioemotional development. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved 22 June 2005, from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/affsys/erikson.html. Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved 21 June 2005 from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html. Nicholl, P .M. (Trish). 1998. Vygotsky. Palmerston North, NZ: Massey University. Retrieved 21 June 2005 from http://www.massey.ac.nz/~alock/virtual/trishvyg.htm. Santrock, John H. (2006) Life-Span Development. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Computer-Based Career Information Systems Essay -- Technology Internet

Computer-Based Career Information Systems The adage "information is power" can certainly be applied to the marriage of career information with computers. In an era that is characterized by a rapidly changing employment and occupational outlook, the ability to access computerized career information has been empowering to both youth and adults (Bloch 1989; Tice and Gill 1991). Defined as "all that people need to know to make choices and take action . . . in relation to their paid or unpaid occupational activities and in relation to their preparation for these activities" (Bloch 1989, p. 120), career information includes knowledge about occupational areas and specific jobs; information about career preparation and where to obtain suitable education and training; facts about employment, including work environments and appropriate job behavior; job-search skills; and self-knowledge such as individual interests, values, and needs. Computers are an ideal medium for delivering career information because they can present current info rmation objectively in an interactive format that is appealing to many clients (Harris-Bowlsbey 1992). Two classes of computerized systems that provide information for career planning are computer-based career guidance systems (CCGS) and computer-based career information systems (CCIS) (Harris-Bowlsbey 1992; Mariani 1995-96). Although CCIS and CCGS share some common features, they differ in two important ways: CCIS provide local labor market information, whereas CCGS teach career development concepts online (Harris-Bowlsbey 1992). Guidance counselors frequently use CCIS in conjunction with clients, but youth and adults frequently access CCIS independently to obtain career information. This Digest focus... ...t: Concepts and Practices. 2nd ed., edited by H. D. Lea and Z. B. Leibowitz. Alexandria, VA: National Career Development Association, 1992. Mariani, M. "Computers and Career Guidance: Ride the Rising Tide." Occupational Outlook Quarterly 39, no. 4 (Winter 1995-1996): 16-27. National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. "Career Information Delivery Systems." <http://www.profiles.iastate.edu/ided/ncdc/cidstogo.htm> May 1996. Phelan, T. D. "Using Technology to Provide Self-Directed Learning Options for Power Utility Employees." New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education no. 64 (Winter 1994): 55-61. Tice, K. E., and Gill, S. J. "Education Information Centers: An Evaluation." Journal of Career Development 18, no. 1 (Fall 1991): 37-50. "Web Sites Link Job-Hunters with Career Possibilities." Columbus Dispatch, May 24, 1996, p. 3F.

Should School Uniforms Be Compulsory?

It has long been a controversial topic. Should uniforms be compulsory? The answer is short, absolutely! The reasons which support this argument far outweigh any opposing points. For years, the question has ‘ping-ponged’ back and forth as to whether having uniforms is imperative. Why would anyone choose to spend time carefully selecting different clothes to wear each day, if the option is out there to know every morning what you need to wear simply by having a uniform? Most importantly, uniforms make a group equal.There is no discrimination against someone’s choice of clothing. Commonly, families with a thriving financial status have the ability to spend money on high-end clothing labels, whilst families with an average or poor financial status have no option but to purchase the cheaper alternative. Why should anyone be put in a position of feeling as though they are judged purely on the choice of their clothing? Uniforms keep those who wear them, feeling as though they are â€Å"the same† or similar.Uniforms have the ability to make a group a team. Particularly when attending out of school activities or events, peers feel as though they are a part of team by simply wearing the same thing. It identifies complete individuals and unites them as one in the same. Look at teams of all sorts of circumstances. Soccer teams, wear the same uniform for their training and their games. How else would we be able to identify that they belong to a team or club? The staff at Qantas Airlines all wear the same uniform during their time at work.It would be quite interesting if they all decided to wear their own clothes and we weren’t able to identify them from the passengers. Without even knowing someone, a uniform can quickly identify them to any team whether that is a sports team, a company or a school. When students put on a uniform, it instantly makes them look neat and tidy and when you see hundreds of peers all in the same uniform, all in on e school. It gives the impression that it is a nice, hardworking and a dedicated school.If a school uniform got damaged, you will have the relief of knowing that it’s only a uniform and will most likely get fixed in a hurry but if it was just ordinary casual clothes, you wouldn’t get it fixed anytime soon because you’ll know that there are more clothes waiting to be worn. Just say if there were to be an incident before or after school such like a fight and bystanders witnessed it. There would be less chance of the two offenders facing a punishment because no one can identify who they are and what school they come from. So in conclusion

Response to Shooting an Elephant Essay

George Orwell, one of the most famous English authors, was born Eric Arthur Blair in Motihari, India, in 1903. His father was a colonial official for the British and his mother’s family also had colonial ties. In 1922, Orwell worked as a British imperial policeman in Burma for five years but he finally returned to England again because he recognized the injustices of the British imperial rule in Burma and could not suffer the guilt of oppressing the Burmese anymore. Later, Orwell spent the next twenty years as a writer; the essay â€Å"Shooting an Elephant,† set in the Burma of the 1920s and written in 1936, is one of his most famous works. In the early twentieth century, Burma was still a colony of Britain but anti-imperialism protests and social movements developed very fast, causing â€Å"great tension between Burmese, Indians and English, between civilians and police† (Meyers 56). Orwell’s essay â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† is based on this historical tension. In this essay, Orwell depicts an older narrator recounting his imperial policeman’s experience of killing an escaped elephant that destroyed a market and killed an Indian man in Burma. Throughout the story, Orwell chooses language carefully to develop his narration so as to help the readers explore a young imperial officer’s emotional struggle. First, Orwell begins his story with frequent use of carefully-chosen diction to indicate the young policeman’s hatred and also sympathy toward the Burmese. When he describes he was always â€Å"an obvious target† to those Burmese who hated the British Empire, he writes: When a nimble Burman tripped me up on the football field and the referee (another Burman) looked the other way, then the crowd yelled with hideous laughter. This happened more than once. In the end the sneering yellow faces of young men that met me everywhere, the insults hooted after me when I was at a safe distance, got badly on my nerves. (Orwell 94) Using the strong emotional words â€Å"hideous,† â€Å"sneering yellow faces,† and â€Å"hooted† indicates the young officer’s disgust toward those Burmese. But in the following paragraph his emotions are suddenly described in a more complex way; the narrator says, â€Å"All this was perplexing and upsetting† (Orwell 94), which is opposite to the anger and bitterness that are suggested by the diction used before. By using these two words, Orwell changes the young policeman’s emotional voice to the older narrator’s more intellectual voice to suggests a more complex feeling about what the young imperial policeman experienced because of his job. In the next sentence, Orwell uses a series of strong phrases to describe what the young police officer observes in his â€Å"dirty work†: â€Å"The wretched prisoners huddling in the stinking cages of lock-ups, the grey, cowed faces of the long-term convicts, the scarred buttocks of the men who had been flogged with bamboos—all these oppressed me with an intolerable sense of guilt† (Orwell 91). From this specific and graphic description of the prison, readers can perceive the young officer’s sympathy and guilt toward the suffering Burmese. It makes them realize that the young imperial officer is not totally inhumane. In short, Orwell uses careful diction to create the first emotional struggle of the young officer within his policing duties under imperialism. In the essay, Orwell also uses repetition to show the young narrator’s complex emotions. For example, after the young officer sees the destruction caused by the elephant and finally finds his target on the paddy field, he mentions more than three times that he is not willing to shoot the elephant. When he sees the crowd following him, he reports, â€Å"I had no intention of shooting the elephant—I had merely sent for the rifle to defend myself if necessary†(Orwell 94). After he sees the elephant, he comments, â€Å"I knew with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him† (Orwell 94). Then, he starts saying that the elephant was â€Å"a huge and costly piece of machinery† (Orwell 95) and the elephant seemed harmless right now. The young officer continues claiming,â€Å"I did not in the least want to shoot him† (Orwell 95). These all shows the young man’s sympathy toward the elephant, but more importantly Orwell builds up a tension here by using three different versions of repetition to show how the young officer was wavering in his position. For the first quote, â€Å"no intention† somehow indicates the young narrator’s thinking: he seems to be saying, â€Å"I have no purpose to do that and I am not going to do it. † But then in the second quote, he says â€Å"ought not to† instead of â€Å"no intension of,† which contains much more certainty of not killing the elephant. It shows that the young officer knew he should not shoot the elephant, but he certainly felt a lot of pressure and his mind was not as firm as in the last statement. In the third statement, the young officer’s tone is obviously weaker than the last two; â€Å"I did not in the least want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this tone sounds just like a prisoner talking about how he does not want to commit a murder, finishes it saying â€Å"I didn’t want to kill that person. † The young officer’s mind was wavering and he was taking a step forward toward killing the elephant everytime he introduces his different expressions of unwilling to kill the elephant. Orwell uses this repetition not only to show the young officer’s internal conflict, but also to imply, as a possible result, that the young officer will change his mind from not shooting the elephant to actually doing that. However, under the crowd’s pressure and his position as an imperial officer, the young police officer has to kill the elephant in order to maintain his master figure. Orwell uses the change from the first person to the third person to comment on the young man’s revelation. When the young man sees that the Burmese watch him excitedly, he suddenly feels that he should shoot the elephant after all. And it is because â€Å"their two thousand wills [were] pressing me forward, irresistibly†¦[that] I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys. He becomes a sort of hollow, posing dummy, the conventionalized figure of a sahib† (Orwell 95). The narration shifts from the first person â€Å"I† to the third person â€Å"he,† indicating not only Orwell’s comment upon this decision of the young person, but also Orwell’s main argument in the essay: as a imperial officer, a person needs to betray his own good nature in order to maintain his superiority toward the colonized. Then, Orwell uses strong terms again to replay the emergency and tension that the young officer encountered earlier: A white man mustn’t be frightened in front of ‘natives’; and so, in general, he isn’t frightened. The sole thought in my mind was that if anything went wrong those two thousand Burmans would see me pursued, caught, trampled on and reduced to a grinning corpse like the Indian up the hill. And if that happened it was quite probable that some of them would laugh. That would never do. (Orwell 96) Here, words like â€Å"sole thought,† â€Å"trampled,† â€Å"reduced to a grinning corpse† are used to emphasize the young man’s anxiety in shooting the elephant, for he does not want to lose face in front of the natives. This is the remaining emotion occupying his mind at that time; even though he still has sympathy toward the elephant, as a imperial officer, he will kill the elephant to protect his â€Å"conventionalized figure of a sahib. † By way of these specific word choices, Orwell describes vividly how the young imperial officer’s pride finally defeats his good nature so that he can maintain his superior figure. Finally, Orwell ends the story using the young officer’s naive voice as opposed to the older narrator’s voice mentioned before to make his narration more believable: â€Å"I was very glad that the coolie [which is the Indian killed by the elephant] had been killed†¦it gave me a sufficient pretext for shooting the elephant† (Orwell 99). Readers may feel sympathetic that the young man does not feel guilty but happy that he is not responsible for killing the elephant and saving his face or â€Å"avoiding looking a fool† in front of the natives. They may feel pity that the young man is likely to learn nothing from this incident and even to feel lucky that someone’s death can free him of responsibility for killing the elephant. But this naive voice can increase the old narrator’s credibility because readers can feel his sincerity; he is willing to admit that his younger self really felt a bit lucky that he was out of punishment because of the elephant killing an Indian man at that time. It convinces the reader to believe what the narrator argues at last: as an imperial officer, he has to do what the natives expect of him in order to conform to his â€Å"conventionalized figure of the sahib†(Orwell 95), which is â€Å"to avoid looking a fool†(Orwell 99) in front of the natives. Overall, in this essay, Orwell uses effective language to make his narration of the story more impressive and thoughtful, and to explore an imperial officer’s struggle between his good nature and his imperial role.

Begging in India Essay

Begging in India is a fashion, a compulsion, a profession, a privilege and a recreation. The number of beggars in India is much larger than in other countries. Our heads hang down in shame when we read description of this institution given by foreigners in a hateful manner. To the Westerners, India is a land of the mendicants and snake-charmers. Beggars are found in villages and towns, on roads, crossings and footpaths. But their favorite haunts are bathing Ghats, temples, religious or festival fairs, railway stations, trains and bus-stands. It is a big nuisance to be confronted by street beggars at all odd places. Like the God Almighty they seem to be omnipresent. You are waiting for a bus at the bus-stand or walking down a road with your friend, they appear from nowhere and start an endless volley of entreaties and blessings. They follow you close at your heels and keep pestering you till you give them some coins out of a sense of sheer disgust and helplessness. There are various types of beggars in India. The religious; beggars cluster round pilgrim centres and attract public attention by their wonderful feats. There are crippled and disabled beggars who remain lying on road-sides or at railway or river bridges arousing sympathy of the passers-by, making all kinds of pitiful gesture! ; There are beggars who are quite stout and able-bodied. Begging for them is not a necessity but a profession. They are idlers and rascals who are unwilling to earn their bread by hard work. They often operate in gangs and their leaders hold a bank balance that would be credit to an important business magnate. They are disguised as physically disabled or handicapped. They use as tools young women with new born babies or young children. Whenever they find an opportunity, they commit thefts and crimes, including kidnapping of children. At some places we come across modernized beggars dressed in suits. Such beggars lead a luxurious life in places of retirement. There are travelling beggars who are particularly seen in trains. The collect alms for orphanages, cow-shelters and widow-shelters, which exist only in their minds. Foreigners are their most privileged victims. Begging in India has developed into an art and a full-fledged profession. The practice of begging is the result of the poverty of the country and the deep-seated religious sentiments and superstitions of our country men. Unemployment, illiteracy, ignorance and ever-increasing population are other causes of begging. It cannot be denied that the distribution of wealth is not fair and the gulf between the rich and the poor is very wide. The rich and the well to-do accept extreme poverty and begging as a necessary feature of society. Religion seems to teach them that charity is the surest passport to heaven. Beggars, in themselves are problems and they create other social problems by kidnapping women and children; Sometimes, we begin to doubt the integrity of spiritually and morally high persons and ill treat them because pink clothes have become the common dress of beggars in India. Charity, in our country, enjoys religious sanctity. But it is conveniently forgotten that misplaced charity is good neither for the one who shows it nor for one to whom it is shown. It encourages idleness and in activity. It produces parasites and wastes a sizeable amount of human power. Laws should be legislated for abolishing begging and offenders should be severely dealt with. The government should be establish work-houses where able-bodied beggars should be kept and compelled to work. The people, in general, should be made conscious of the fact that beggars are the ‘greatest enemies of the country and there should be country wide agitations against beggars. The crippled and disabled beggars should be maintained by the State, The disabled and diseased beggars and orphaned children and destitute women deserve particular attention from the State. There should be asylums and training centres for such people. Here they should first be treated for their ailments and then trained in different kinds of handicrafts and cottage industries. The success of some of the schools for the blind, the deaf and the dumb shows the true solution of the problem. In place of individual charity, funds and donation should be raised on a large and organized scale for the relief of these unfortunate people. Indeed, beggary if so intricately women into our way of life that, no matter how corrupt and scheming it gets, it shall continue to claim attention. If not from the educated, from the illiterate and the superstitious. Tragedy stares at us round every corner. Begging is one of the worst social evils that denegrade India in the eyes of the world. The earlier it is eradicated, the better it would be in the interest of our nation.

The Schopenhauer Cure

The Schopenhauer Cure Alyssa K. Engblom Winona State University In the book The Schopenhauer Cure, Yalom portrays a group therapist, Julius, who uses a variety of group facilitation techniques in order for the group to be run effectively. The first technique Julius uses in the group is to switch the focus from content to process. â€Å"Julius intervened by using the group therapist’s most common and most effective tactic—he switched the focus from the content to the process, that is, away from the words being spoken to the nature of the relationship of the interacting parties† (Yalom, 2005, p. 132).During this scenario, Bonnie is feeling insecure about herself and confronts Rebecca about â€Å"preening† for the men in the group. Phillip is still new to the group, and the other members are not too sure what to think of him yet. In order for the group to be refocused, Julius tells everyone to â€Å"take a step back†¦and to try to understand whatâ€℠¢s happening. Let me first put out this question to all of you: what do you see going on in the relationship between Bonnie and Rebecca? † (Yalom, 2005, p. 132). Julius does not want everyone to focus solely on what Bonnie and Rebecca are saying to each other, but rather on their relationship with each other.The second technique Julius uses is to have group members focus on the â€Å"Here and Now. † An off-shoot of the Here and Now technique is to have members of the group talk directly to each other, instead of talking about them. Julius â€Å"had done what the good group therapist should do: he had translated one of his patient’s central issues into the here-and-now, where it could be explored firsthand. It was always more productive to focus on the here-and-now than to work on the patient’s reconstructions of an event from the past or from current outside life† (Yalom, 2005, p. 158).During this group meeting, Julius is trying to get to the root o f why Bonnie feels that everyone else is more valuable or more important to the group than her. However, all of her explanations are all external and the other group members feel that her answers are regressive or don’t make sense. Julius then moves into another technique. â€Å"In his view the work in therapy consisted of two phases: first interaction, often emotional, and second, understanding that interaction. That’s the way therapy should proceed—an alternating sequence of evocation of emotions and then understanding† (Yalom, 2005, p. 60). To get to this second stage, Julius asks the group to look back at what occurred in the past few minutes. He was trying to get Bonnie to see that she takes situations or comments and then punishes herself with them. The third technique Julius â€Å"taught to his group therapy students was: Members should never be punished for self-disclosure. On the contrary, risk taking must always be supported and reinforced† (Yalom, 2005, p. 218). At this point in the book, the group members are upset at Gill for not telling them sooner that he has a drinking problem.They are angry that he was blaming all his difficulties on his wife, Rose, and not talking about the real problem. Julius then goes on to use a fourth facilitation technique, Horizontal vs. Vertical Disclosure. â€Å"Julius always taught students the difference between vertical and horizontal self-disclosure. The group was pressing, as expected, for vertical disclosure—details about the past, including such queries as the scope and the duration of his drinking—whereas horizontal disclosure, that is, disclosure about the disclosure, was always far more productive† (Yalom, 2005, p. 19). He then asks Gill what made it possible for him to open up to them at this particular meeting. At the beginning of the story, Philip did not seem like an appealing character. However, by the end of the book and after I got to know his c haracter a bit more, I could see certain strengths peeking out. Philip is an extremely intelligent, bright, and committed individual. He was dedicated to finding a solution to his sexual addiction, and worked hard to achieve the result he desired. In the group experience, he offered up bits of advice to the other members.The advice may not have helped them extensively, but at least he was trying to contribute. Philip also challenged the other members of the group as well as Julius. His personality was not very inviting, but this forced the others (and Julius) to try harder to understand him and what made him tick. When Pam returns to the group from her retreat, the mood immediately becomes darker when she sees Philip in her â€Å"cozy† group. She does not feel comfortable having him in the group because he had caused her so much pain in the past.Julius found it hard to find â€Å"forgiveness† for Philip, but he tried to identify with him to try to understand why he wou ld have done the things he did. Tony sided with Pam and questioned some of Philip’s statements, whereas Rebecca defended Philip against Tony’s â€Å"attacks†. Stuart also seemed to protect Philip against Tony’s attacks. He reminded Tony that he hadn’t seemed sorry for his sexual assault charges in the past. At the end of this confrontational chapter, Pam behaved towards Philip as if he were invisible.Farther on into the â€Å"role changes†, Pam revealed that she felt defiled that Philip was a part of her group. He was also, in a way, taking away her role as the intellectual of the group. In order to handle these various changes, Julius tries to understand where each person is coming from, whether it is Pam, Philip, Tony, etc. Additionally, he made sure that each group member voiced what they were feeling and if they were comfortable with how the group was proceeding. Bonnie and Rebecca each have different things to say about their own beauty and attractiveness. Bonnie does not believe that she is attractive in any way.She feels that she isn’t interesting or worth anyone’s time. In her words, Bonnie â€Å"was the little fat girl in your grade-school classroom. Very chubby, very clumsy, hair too curly. The one who was pathetic in gym, got the fewest valentines, cried a lot, never had best friends, always walked home alone, never had a prom invitation, was so terrified that she never raised her hand in class even though she was smart as hell and knew all the right answers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Yalom, 2005, p. 129-130). She even mentioned that Rebecca was the type of person she envied and wished she could be.Some of those feelings are probably still raw for Bonnie. Those feelings were recreated in the group when Rebecca started â€Å"preening† for Philip when he entered the group as a new member. Rebecca, on the other hand, used to stop conversation when she walked into restaurants. She never had to worry ab out feeling unattractive or unwanted. However, now that she is getting older, her outward beauty is fading from what it used to be. She no longer stops conversation like she used to. Philip seems to sum it up perfectly: â€Å"Bonnie and Rebecca have similar afflictions.Bonnie cannot tolerate being unpopular, whereas Rebecca cannot tolerate being no longer popular†¦ Happiness, for the both of them, lies in the hands and heads of others. And for both the solution is the same: the more one has in oneself, the less one will want from others† (Yalom, 2005, p. 157). As the group gives Bonnie and Rebecca feedback, the criticism is not always taken happily. The comments sting, but they do help both women. Rebecca realizes that she likes to be admired, loved, and adored. She likes love. She then goes on later to discuss why she relates more with men than with women.In her discussion with Bonnie, she admits that she finds it more exciting to related to men or to date rather than s pend time with girlfriends. After this group discussion and feedback session about why Bonnie and Rebecca react the way they do to beauty/attention, they both seem to be more aware of their unconscious actions or why they seem to do certain actions. When Pam first returned to the group after her retreat, it was a huge shock to see Philip sitting in the room. I’m sure she never expected to see the man who made her life so confusing and turbulent at just age 18.Pam was extremely upset and did not seem to have any inclination towards ever forgiving Philip for what he did to her, as well as to her friend Molly. Philip did not even seem to have any emotions about the whole situation, which was frustrating for the whole group. How could anyone not have any emotion about such an important confrontation? Over the course of the group, Philip showed small changes in his behavior. He started to make eye-contact and use the group members’ names when addressing them in conversation . Pam starts to acknowledge Philip in the conversation eventually, though it was heated.On page 290, Philip and Pam get into an argument. In response to Pam’s assertion that some things are not forgivable, Philip says, â€Å"Because you are unforgiving does not mean that things are unforgivable. Many years ago you and I made a short-term social contract†¦ I explicitly stated in our conversation following that event that I had a pleasurable evening but did not wish to continue our relationship. How could I not have been clearer? † (Yalom, 2005, p. 290-291). In a meeting a few weeks later, Pam receives a lot of feedback from the group concerning her rage and why exactly the decided to have an affair with Tony.Philip observes that she â€Å"honors† contracts when it suits her. When Philip broke off their social contract, Pam was livid, but when she broke off her social contract with Tony, she didn’t seem to have many emotions about the situation at all. After this particular meeting, Philip could not keep his mind off of Pam. Later on, Pam explains that it is easier for her to forgive others because she wasn’t a personal victim of their offenses. With Philip, her life was altered by what happened. â€Å"But there’s more. I can forgive others here because they’ve shown remorse and, above all, because they’ve changed† (Yalom, 2005, p. 16). Philip eventually confesses to everyone that he thought about Pam after the previous session. It was the first time he had actually opened himself up to everyone. On page 328, Philip actually admits to needing therapy, because he needs to get his intentions and his behavior on the same page. He needs to be congruent. Ultimately, Philip breaks down when he describes what he thinks he truly is: â€Å"A monster. A predator. Alone. An insect killer. Full of blind rage. An untouchable. No one who has known me has loved me. Ever. No one could love me† (Yalom, 20 05, p. 334).Pam shows great strength and kindness when she comforts Philip. â€Å"I could have loved you Philip. You were the most beautiful man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Yalom, 2005, p. 334-335). After Julius died and the group members went their separate ways, Philip, Pam, and Tony all stuck together. Through all the feedback, criticism, and hard-work, Pam and Philip were able to move past the â€Å"event† of the past and live in the present. When in a working group, one does not only focus on his or her own problems. Each group member brings different life experiences, opinions, and feedback to the table.This creates a unique environment in which each member can receive feedback from more than one person. Members may receive advice or feel a bond they might not have had with the group leader/one-on-one therapist. Most of the 12 â€Å"universal healing factors† appear in The Schopenhauer Cure, but I will only discuss a few of them. Instillation of hope and Universality seem to go hand-in-hand with each other. As the members of this group talked about their personal problems and fears, they discovered that other members shared some of these same problems and fears. This gave them hope that they could potentially overcome these issues.Altruism is an especially helpful factor for Bonnie. The other members helped her put her self-esteem issues into perspective and to see that she is, indeed, important. Pam used Catharsis when she recapped her traumatic experience with Philip. This probably lifted a huge weight off her shoulders of the event being a secret. The positive response of the group members to support her after her confession brought them together even more. Group cohesiveness played an extensive part in this novel. Without a cohesive or trust-worthy group, nobody would ever open up and reveal their problems.When various members, Gill, Pam, Tony, Rebecca, etc. , revealed potentially humiliating information about themselves, it was essential that they trusted their fellow group members to keep the information confidential. The Schopenhauer Cure was an excellent example of a working group. It was great to see the different techniques used in diverse scenarios throughout the book. Without these examples, I wouldn’t have the good outline of how a group works that I do today. Reference Yalom, I. D. (2005). The Schopenhauer Cure. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Ancient Goddesses of the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ancient Goddesses of the Middle East - Essay Example However, during the past few thousand years, women have experienced marginalization from their power source. In the male dominated religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the female aspect of the Creator has been put aside. History reveals that remnants of the Goddess worshippers were annihilated because they were considered witches. It is alarming to note also that it was all done in the name of a loving God.1 By 4500 BC, the European continent hosted a flourishing group of Goddess worshipping cultures. Over the preceding two millennia, from about 6500 BC to 4500 BC, these cultures had undergone a peaceful evolution, and by the end of this time achieved what could properly be called a Golden Age of Old European civilization. They produced arts and crafts of remarkable quality. Communities achieved populations of many thousands and were laid out in a planned manner. Towns were located at consistently even distances from each other, with larger cities acting as religious and trade centers. According to Curtis, the peoples of this era believe and practice their religion in all aspects of their lives such as life, death, regeneration that is embodied in the female power, that is, the Goddess. Proof of this are the figurines and sculptures, the burial rites, the rich religious symbolism that were rampant during that age. Religion was so much a part of their lives that even ordinary chores like weaving was done inside the temples. It is almost common knowledge that in the present-day witchcraft, the central figure is a woman, the Goddess or the Great Mother. She represents life and fertility. She symbolizes the living force that connects all things in nature and the whole universe. She serves both as the creator and the destroyer. She is also called the Queen of Heaven as well as the moon. The Great Mother is endowed with magical powers and is often associated with feelings, intuition and the psychic faculty. Scholars agree that the Goddess is supposed to be without gender, however within the universe both the male and the female principles do exist. Furthermore, both in the Goddess worship both the male and the female principles are acknowledged.3 It is also recorded that, the Goddess has many features, titles and characteristics. At present however, particularly in witchcraft and Neo-paganism, she is worshipped as the triple Goddess such as the Virgin, the Mother and the Crone. Record shows that goddess worship dates back to Paleolithic times. Many anthropologists believe that the first "God" or gods of the peoples were feminine in nature. There is the so-called self-fertilization such as the ones mentioned in ancient creation myths and beliefs that all things came to order through this method. It means that there was no participation of a male counterpart and that the Goddess did all the creation by herself. Thus, it can be noted that the agricultural rituals and religions acknowledge that the gods were only successful because of the blessings of wisdom and goodness from the Great Goddess. This is evident in the existence of many matriarchal societies and tribes in the past. However, no concrete evidence can pinpoint that either of the gods or goddesses are superior to the other. The Great Goddess does not lord it over the male gods. In other