Aztec Tradition free essay sample

The driving creation beliefs of the Aztec religion begin with the dual god, Ometecuhtli/Omecihuatl. * This god created itself and it was both male and female, bad and good and, chaos and order. * The Aztecs believed that the contrasting aspects in the world would create balance and unite the origins of the world. * The god had four children and each of them represented the four directions of the world north, south, east and west. The Aztecs believed that their empire was at the centre of the universe and therefore the directions mentioned in the creation story link to this. * The four gods created the water and then other gods who then created Cipactli a creature who was part crocodile and part fish. * This creature begun to eat all the creations made by the gods and were eaten. * The four direction gods attacked the Cipactli and stretched him into the four corners and the world was created when it was defeated. We will write a custom essay sample on Aztec Tradition or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page * It is believed that the head contained the 13 heavens, the body contained the world and tail held the 9 underworlds Principal beliefs of the Aztecs: * The Aztecs beliefs were based upon the theme of nature * Aztecs believed that the gods needed to be nourished by humans and therefore sacrifice is an integral aspect of Aztec tradition * They believed that the world was divided into five eras, or suns. Each previous era had been governed by one deity and it had ended with the destruction of the elements or phenomena after which it had been named. They believed they were living in the fifth and last era. They believed this era was the era of movement as they believed an earthquake would end the world and time would come to an end. The Aztecs believed in an underworld and a paradise where in which there were 13 heavens and 9 hells in which one could go after death * The sun fought against the darkness every night and rose to save mankind * The Aztecs saw the Earth as a giant flat circular disk (sometimes imagined to be an enormous alligator, whose scales were mountains), surrounded by water as far as the distant horizon, where it joined the sky Identify and describe the role of the supernatural powers and deities in the religion: * The Aztec tradition is a polytheistic religion and is credited over 100 gods and creatures that possess supernatural powers. They worshipped many gods and goddesses, each of whom ruled one or more human activities or aspects of nature. * Many of the gods were agricultural based as the Aztec period was heavily based on farming * Some of the deities were benevolent while others had terrifying characteristics and feared the people * The deities needed to be fed fresh blood in order for the chaos in the world to be avoided. If this was not done the Aztecs believed they would wither and die. They believed that the processes that make life possible like the rain or solar energy and that the destiny of people depended on the will of these gods * Many of the Aztec deities belonged to a number of tribes, cultures and regions Discuss the relationship between sacred spaces and the beliefs of the religion * Aztecs called their temples Teocalli and they were used to worship, pray and make offerings to the Gods. * Some spaces were built purely for specific celebrations of the Aztecs * Many of their sacred spaces were used to carry out the blood offering to the Gods. The temples were a dwelling place on earth for a particular deity and hence why the sacrifices were chosen to be done within this space * The Aztecs believed that once an area is used as a sacred space it is incredibly important and essential that it remains this way * The size of the space which was used for worship was not relevant as long as it was sacred and remained separate and was distinct to the other areas of the house * It is a common belief amongst the Aztecs that this sacred space needs to be present even if it is simple and basic. It must be respected regardless of the size. Identify the principal rituals and examine their significance for the individual and community * The loyalty, respect and even fear which was felt towards the Gods lead to the establishment of various rituals * The main rituals of the Aztec traditions are: Sacrificial Blood letting Deity impersonation Reenactment of myth * The Aztecs had 18 months in one cycle, and for each of the 18 months there was ritual sacrifice. The victim would be painted as a part of the ritual, they would be placed on a slab where their heart would be removed and held up to the sun. The body would be thrown down the stairs of the temple/pyramid. The body would be disposed in several ways including being fed to animals and it is even believed cannibalism took place amongst the Aztecs * Blood letting was a ritual amongst the Aztecs where people would cut themselves to offer their blood to the gods. Such blood-letting was tied to rank: the higher one was in social or priestly rank, the more blood one had to sacrifice * It was the role of priests or another elected individual would dress up and achieve the likeness of a specific deity. This individual would be the physical manifestation of the god until the inevitable end when the gods likeness had to be killed as the ultimate sacrifice under great circumstance and festivities * Similar to the impersonation of gods, the purpose of the reenactment of myth was to remind the Aztec community of the past mythical events but was also to perpetuate the word by spreading the important events of creation Explain the relationship between the religion and its society * The Aztec society was heavily related to the culture which was established. In many ways the Aztec culture was expressed in through their beliefs * The Aztec culture was incredibly creative and filled with rich and beautiful forms of art (music, tattoos, poetry). This art which they created linked to their beliefs and furthermore their unique tradition * The Aztec warfare is portrayed through their art and examples of this can be found in the form of paintings and pottery found in temples * Religion evidently played a large role in the Aztec culture. Many of their actions were linked to the deities. They were expected to work hard in order to please the gods and therefore keep the balance of the universe * The remains of temples are examples of how their lives were based around showing their dedication and lives towards their deities. The culture and way of life was based around keeping the gods content in order for their lives to be good Explain how the religion provides a distinct response to the search for meaning * As identified in the previous sections, the Aztecs have proven a culture which is unique through the way in which they conduct their rituals and way of life. The deep respect and honor the Aztecs have for their gods is an incredibly unique way of communicating their reason for being and search for meaning * In everything that they do they convey their love and dedication to pleasing the deities. It is evident through their religion and their culture it is very evident that their reason for existence is to please the gods * Many other traditions include similar bel iefs however for the Aztecs it provides their reason for being and the basis of their lives Identify the principal rituals and examine their significance for the individual and community: The Aztecs practice many rituals which are significant to their religious identity, and on a wider scale their culture. These forms of rituals explore and make the tradition unique and support and tie into the beliefs which are followed by the Aztecs. All the rituals are designed and performed in order to celebrate and honor the gods, and the world they have given to us. It is the central belief of the tradition that they exist to serve and show gratitude to the gods that placed them on this earth. The rituals which are common within the Aztec religion include blood –letting, human sacrifice, impersonation of deities and reenactment of myths. Even from the names of these rituals it is evident that the focus around the gods play a significant role. Blood-letting was the process by which elite individuals including community leaders and religious figures would cut themselves in front of a congregation. They would intentionally cut parts of their body usually their tongues and then collect the blood on paper and then burnt as an offering to the gods through the form of smoke. This was significant for the Aztecs as it demonstrated the strong connection the person performing the ritual had with the supernatural and gods. It was a way of showing respect to the higher beings. It was a way in which all individuals could be involved through joining as a community and observing a sacrificial practice. It was also integral because it provided as a form of maintaining political power and legitimizing the prominent social position of the chosen blood-letting figure. Human sacrifice was a ritual which the Aztecs are still known for today. This ritual required 5 priests to take the victim to the top of a temple where they would then tear the beating heart out of the body. This was because the gods required living human hearts for nourishment. The heart would be burnt and the corpse would be pushed down the stairs of the temple. Many people in the community would choose to impersonate deities and then died as a sacrifice to that particular god. Approximately 20,000 Aztecs were sacrificed each year and in comparison to other traditions at the same time this was incredibly high. This ritual was particularly significant to the Aztec religion because it was the most extreme form of sacrifice. Individuals in the Aztec community were chosen at random to be the sacrificial person and therefore each person needs to be prepared to do so. The beliefs of the tradition link to this ritual in the way that all people should be fully dedicated and show gratitude to the deities. As a community they were expected to respect this ritual and support the reasoning behind it. The reenactment of myths was a ritual where in which people in the community would gather together and reenact mythical stories of the deities. These reenactments were a special part within the community because they provided as reminder of the Aztecs of their creation story and their myths. The recreation of these myths ensured that the important events behind the religion were passed down through the generations. This is another way in which the community gathers in order to show their respect to their beliefs and furthermore show pride in their culture. It is clear to see that the Aztecs were a group of people who had a strong connection with their gods. They performed rituals that expressed the gratitude, which they had towards the gods. These rituals were a way in which individuals could convey their dedication to the higher beings.

How Students Can Leverage Part-Time and Volunteer Work - Guest Post by Gary Ryan

How Students Can Leverage Part-Time and Volunteer Work - Guest Post by Gary Ryan The following is a guest post by Gary Ryan, founder of Organisations That Matter. Edited by Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert. Summer vacations (or â€Å"holiday seasons† as they say Down Under), are terrific for many reasons. They present an opportunity to catch up with friends and family as well as to relax. For many students, summer means a chance to earn money and/or volunteer (especially if you aren’t taking extra classes). Unfortunately, many students don’t take full advantage of their holiday work. Too often I hear things like, â€Å"I’m just a check-out operator,† or â€Å"I just work at a cafà ©,† or â€Å"I just provide meals to homeless people.† There is no such thing as â€Å"just† a part time job- not if you are prepared to consider the employability skills that you are developing while doing your work! Below is a short list of ten employability skills that part time / volunteer work develops: 1. Communication skills 2. Problem solving skills 3. Initiative 4. Teamwork 5. Technology skills 6. Planning and organizing skills 7. Service excellence skills 8. Leadership skills 9. Learning skills 10. Self-management skills Let’s look at some examples of how you might develop these skills: 1. Communication If you communicate with your boss, other team members and/or the general public, then you have the opportunity to develop communication skills. Here’s a tip: Good communicators are good listeners †¦ which also means that you are good at asking questions. So, develop your questioning skills and your communication skills will skyrocket! 2. Problem solving Problems occur all the time. In every job. A computer won’t work. Another staff member didn’t turn up for their shift. The delivery hasn’t arrived and customers are waiting for their orders. The list goes on. Each of these examples is a wonderful opportunity for you to consciously practice your problem solving skills. Not only that, but you can create a bank of stories about how you solve problems. Can you imagine any of your future employers not wanting a problem solver? Neither can I! 3. Initiative Showing initiative is doing something helpful without having been asked. Every time you see that something could go wrong (like someone slipping on a banana peel) and you take action to stop that from happening (like picking up the banana peel) you are showing initiative. Opportunities to demonstrate initiative are everywhere. Keep your eye out for them and grasp them with both hands when they pop up. They also create great stories that can be used in interviews. 4. Teamwork There is hardly a job that exists that does not involve teamwork. Even if you work alone, you are probably still part of a team. Imagine an interview when you are asked about your experience of working in teams. If you’ve covered a shift for a teammate, taught someone something, or helped out in some other way, you will have a great answer to this question! 5. Technology Technology skills don’t just include using electronic devices such as computers and scanners. Using technology can mean writing on whiteboards, driving forklifts (providing you have a license) and whatever else you have to use to do your job. If you volunteer planting trees, the shovels, picks and other tools that you use are all forms of technology. By having a range of stories about your technological capacity, you can demonstrate your adaptability and ability to learn quickly. Most students don’t even think about these things as being relevant to their future. But, they are! 6. Planning and organizing In whatever work you are doing, show up on time and meet your deadlines. Employers expect it. Practice it and practice it now. 7. Leadership For those of you who have responsibility for a team or other staff, how do you treat the people you lead? What are your mental models about leadership? How are your personal values reflected in how you lead? Conscious thought about these questions can create wonderful leadership experiences for you as well as the opportunity to make relatively â€Å"safe† mistakes. Think about your personal theory about formal leadership. Try it out. See if it works. Learn how to lead by doing it when the opportunity arises. 8. Learning Part time and volunteer work always involves learning one or more of the following: technical skills policies and procedures cash management processes customer service procedures people’s names how to work in a team how to communicate the company mission / vision This list could go on. The point is, notice what you have to learn to do your job. You’ll have a mountain of examples to share in an interview! 9. Service excellence No job is worth its salt if you aren’t able to practice developing your service excellence skills. Quite simply, service excellence is like oxygen. In any job, we can’t live without it. The simplest and best practice to adopt is, â€Å"Everyone is my customer: my boss, my colleagues and my customers.† If you wouldn’t choose to be a customer of yourself, then you need to improve your skills in this area or you will likely â€Å"suffocate† your career. 10. Self-management In order to consciously practice the above skills you have to practice self-management. You will have all had a challenging on-the-job experience. How did you handle it? How did you overcome any negative experiences? Challenges at work require a significant amount of positive self-talk, time management, problem solving and communication skills. Develop them now! Part-time and volunteer work are goldmines as far as developing your employability skills. Take full advantage of your opportunities. The gold in this sense will come in the future when you get the job that you really want. So, enjoy your time off this â€Å"holiday season†- and make it an even more valuable summer by developing yourself in the workplace! Gary Ryan is the Founder of Organisations That Matter, author of What Really Matters For Young Professionals! and creator of the Yes For Success online platform for creating and executing a life of balance and personal success!

Difficulties and challenges for Etisalat ( Operation class) Essay

Difficulties and challenges for Etisalat ( Operation class) - Essay Example The Corporation deals with sensitive services such as the transfer of money services which requires alot of security. Etisalat is exposed to risks such as cyber criminals hence the need to seek new ways to get rid of such threats. Some individuals employed at Etisalat are not qualified for the work they are required to do at the Corporation. They lack the knowledge and skills in the services they are offering to customers because of lack of training. The Corporation does not offer training skills to their employees since they do not have enough resources,hence avoid sending staff outside the country to acquire more skills from the best. The world keeps developing with new security technologies frequently that requires Episalat as one of the biggest companies to follow the trend. This is a big challenge for the Corporation because the changes happen constantly and adapting to the situation is difficult since it requires money to buy the equipments and knowlege of the techniques required to operate the new equipments. There is a high demand for the services at Etisalat but they lack enough resources to meet the needs of their customers since they are located in many countries that require their best services. This is a challenge because the customers in countries with poor services blame the whole Corporation for the failure of one departments that offered the services. Some departments in the Corporation lack mannuals that contain the guidelines for security projects which makes it confusing for most staff members (Plunkett,2007). The available resources in Etisalat are not invested properly hence causing difficulties in the operation of the Corporation. The government own large shares at Etisalat and command any changes they want hence making it difficult for the Corporation to introduce new ideas in the business since it takes a long time for procedures to be approved. There is also poor communication because of the bureucratic nature of the

Strategic Management Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Management Process - Essay Example The major contribution of performance management is its focus on achieving results - making use of the best tools to success and useful products and services for customers inside and outside the organization. In other words, performance management is not just being busy, but it is of how much of the work is effective in achieving the goals of the organization. Today, organizations have goals, plans and resource management. In order to achieve specific goals of an organization, it is essential that they need to have strategic management. Recently, organizations have been faced with challenges like never before and those organizations which utilize strategic management practices are generally more effective than those who do not. Further, this increasing competition from businesses across the world has meant that all businesses must be much more careful about the choice of strategies to remain competitive. Therefore, small and large organizations put more focus on effectiveness to put systems and processes in the right way to the right things to achieve the predetermined results. This is the only way to claim that the organization and its various parts are really performing (McNamara n.pag, 1997). In simple terms strategic management is the process of specifying an organization's aims and objectives, developing policies and plans to achieve it, and allocating resources so as to implement the plans. Strategic management is the highest level of managerial activity, which is generally performed by the top leaders of an organization. It provides an overall direction to the whole organization, leading them all to achieve a set goal/s. An organization's strategy must be best suited for its resources, circumstances, and to achieve its objectives. The process involves matching the company's strategic advantages to the business environment the organization faces. Training each and every individual to perform the individual targets is also am important step in this process. In general the goal of corporate strategy is to put the organization into a position to carry out its mission effectively and efficiently. Hence a good corporate strategy should combine an organization's goals, poli cies, and action into a complete package of success (Wikipedia n.pag, 2007). In general a corporate strategy can be described as an organizations sense of purpose - a guiding purpose or policy, or it can also be a focused mission statement, or even a philosophy, for the achievement of an objective. It is the mapping out of future directions that need to be adopted using the resources possessed. The study of corporate strategy is a relatively recent phenomenon. Edith Penrose (1959) was one of the pioneers in academics to argue that what happened inside the firm was just as important as the marketplace outside the firm. Till then the main focus of economics had been upon the marketplace outside the firm, with a detailed consideration of market demand and supply issues. Penrose argued that the growth of the firm was related to its use of resources, its past history and its evolution over time; previous history was a key influence on future development. The US strategist Alfred Chandler (1962) also published a substantial study regarding the growth of the firm. H e argued, in support of Penrose, that the development of an organization over time is an essential element in understanding strategy. The implementation

Historical Periods and Feminist Stylistics Coursework

Historical Periods and Feminist Stylistics - Coursework Example However, the rise of women to power did not take place in an impulse. It happened in stages, and this stage-by-stage change may have been reflected in the literature (as a mouthpiece for context, society) across these periods. Language stylistics is the product and/or evidence of this evolution of language. This paper analyses this accompanying reflective evolution of language stylistics based on three texts from three periods: Shakespeare’s Macbeth from the renaissance and reformation period; Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility from the romantic period; and Hume Sotomi’s The General’s Wife from the post-modernist period. This analysis will cut across the three levels of language: the word (vocabulary); the phrase or sentence; and the discourse. Renaissance and Reformation Period: Grammatical Possession in Shakespeare’s MacbethWhile the aspects of feminist stylistics may have to do with the evolution of feminist movement, the fact that it focuses mo re on female writers makes it only natural that the feminine voice should be pronounced in their works, feminist movement or not. But in the broader discussion on the evolution of feminism, to give voice solely to the women would not be fair. A male voice is equally important, at least for balance’s sake. Besides, the feminine voice is only identifiable vis-Ã  -vis the masculine voice. But most importantly, men have also been part of the feminist movement. The plan is to find how this is exemplified in language. Shakespeare is a suitable candidate. Not only because he is male.

Taxation System In Pakistan

Taxation System In Pakistan Taxation in Pakistan is a very complex system including more than 70 different taxes and nearly 37 different government agencies administer the tax system. Around 10 million people are registered to pay taxes but only 1.9 million people pay taxes [1]. In 2002, Transparency International studied 256 respondents, among which 99% were facing corruption regarding to taxation. Furthermore, 32% of respondents were paying bribes to lower their tax assessment, and around 14% reported receiving fictitious tax assessments [2]. Pakistan is one of the developing countries where tax to GDP ratio is very low. (Exhibit 1) From 1947 the sales tax was introduced at provincial level which was covering a limited area of commercial activities. In 1951 it was converted into a federal tax in 1951. The Government of Pakistan setup a National Tax Reforms Commission in 1985 to provide recommendations to improve the taxation system in Pakistan. The Commission submitted its final report in December 1986. As a result, the Sales Tax Act was introduced in 1990, it was a value added version named as General Sales Tax (GST). In 1995-96, GST was transformed into a complete VAT mode tax with its basic structures. In 1997-98 the tax base was extended to importers, retailers and wholesalers. GST was only covering the goods before 1990, which later on covered the services sector also. Tax collection was increased from 1990s to 2000s collecting US$ 2.67 billion in the recent years. Comparing With Some Similar Economies [3] The Indian economy is the 2nd fastest growing economy of the world and 12thlargest in term of exchange rate. Although, India does not have impressive track record in the growth of revenues, rising from6.8% of GDP in 1950s to 10.3% in 1990s and maximum of 12.9% in 2009. But the important thing is that the tax-to-GDP ratio is increasing constantly from 2004 onward. On the other hand, tax-to-GDP ratio in Pakistan has a declining trend from peak 13.2% to 8.9 in 2009. (Exhibit 2) Sri Lanka has been facing a worsened law and order situation since early 80sand economy of Sri Lanka showed a very low GDP growth. Although, tax revenues as compared to GDP has decreased in Sri Lanka but still they have high rate of 14.3% which is higher than Pakistan. Sri Lanka has coped with the problems in economy by focusing on its Tea exports, Tourism sector. Furthermore, government has also tried to improve the revenue collection. (Exhibit 3). Sweden is considered to have highest tax-to-GDP ratio in the world. Tax revenues in Sweden have touched a highest level over 50% of GDP. The personal income tax rate is highest in Sweden which is about 56.4%. Tax rate is progressive for the personal income in Sweden while in Pakistan we are facing a regressive taxation. (Exhibit 4) Reasons of low tax to GDP ratio in Pakistan There are several reasons why we are unable to collect the tax. Corruption is one of the important aspects which are casting great hindrance in taxation system. Other important reason is low literacy rate, which is very low as compared to many countries in the world.(Exhibit-5Literacy).Demography of a country also play an important role in the tax to GDP ratio. Pakistan has about 36.7% population which is 14 years of age or below. Hence working class is not growing to generate taxes. Terrorism, law and order situation, poverty and unemployment are also playing important role in low tax collection. Tax base in Pakistan is stable at 1%, on the other hand tax base in USA is about 24% and it is 20% in Malaysia. Tax policy is also not suitable in order to generate taxes and to extend the tax net. Another problem that we are facing is documentation of economy; nearly 52% of our economy is undocumented. Audit and enforcement is so weak in Pakistan that the audit agencies themselves are invo lved in corruption. Looking at different sectors, we can see agriculture has above 20% share in GDP but tax collected from this sector are only 1% of total tax collection. In this way contribution of different sectors is not properly distributed. Political influence is also a big hurdle in the taxation system. [4] Main Concern of Pakistans Tax Policy Government collect taxes from its people in order to spend the collection on the welfare of its people which includes national defense, debt servicing and other welfare related issues. While designing the tax policy a country should account the equity and justice for its people because a system is most effective when it is designed on the bases of equal and fair treatment of each tax-payer. But in case of Pakistan the situation is bit different, as a nation we are in debt by the foreign and domestic lenders which is due to our extra expenses incurred due to recent war on terror, our habit of corruption at national and international level and we are also tax averse society in which we dont feel ourselves responsible to pay taxes. Our current tax collection system is very weak which comprises of loopholes in the system accompanied by the corruption of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers which speaks about the justice and equity of our government officials for their people [5]. After analyzing the height of corruption, special favor given to government officials or their friends, our undocumented economy and failure to increase tax net it has become necessary for any lender to set the target in order to continue the money lending and to make sure that their borrowed money can be repaid by the borrower. Initially the foreign lenders did not set any targets for us because they somehow believed in our commitments and also felt that we will pay them back their money as per the signed agreement but after the several failures of debt servicing, lenders started to analyze the root cause of this issue in which they found our tax collection system complied with old methodology of taxation i.e. General Sales Tax (GST) in which all the tax collected at the last stage which makes them aware of the fact that as a corrupt nation and low tax net economy it will become more difficult for them to collect their lent amount from us which lead IMF to set targets for us[6]. The reason they feel our system is outdated because now most of the countries in the world including the developing countries are eliminating the loopholes in tax collection system by introducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) and by increasing the tax net through VAT. Now the question arises what are the reasons for government to obey the rules set by International Monetary Fund (IMF). Firstly, we do not have enough liable system and funds by which we can manage our economy because of which we need IMFs support so that we can run our affairs smoothly. Secondly, reforming Pakistani taxation; certain actions such as reestablishment of the State Tax Organization, restructuring the law of direct taxation, introducing and implementing the value added tax, as a complimentary to the reformation of the existing law of direct  taxation and as an efficient and co-ordinate tool with the economic situation of the country has been taken in to account. Also, In General Sales Tax (GST) which is based on the percentage of sales, State loses 100 percent when someone evades tax whereas in Value Added Tax (VAT), a taxation system in which tax is applied in production process whenever the value is added to the product, if tax is evaded at one value addition stage government loses only some part of the tax Another reason for suggesting implementation of the value added tax is that, it is a suitable substitute for many other duties and indirect taxes, which has vast distortion effects  on the productive sectors and on the welfare and behavior of the consumers. Omission of the indirect taxes and duties causes  great decrease in the government revenues. Thus, the value added tax, in addition to compensating the income decrease of the government, can also increase the government tax  revenues. VAT also justifies itself more effectively because by implementing VAT it will result in the increase of tax revenues and also help to decrease the pressure on taxation for production sector also better for the investment by the adjustments in the income tax rates. It will also reduce the time and costs related to tax collection and also bring the sense of participation among the peoples [7]. On the proposal for introducing VAT in Pakistan by the government officials there was a huge resistance from the opposition parties because the main negative effect of VAT in economy of Pakistan is the need of accounting which needs to be done which will also effect on the accounting which business might need to perform. It affects small businesses because such business may lack in terms of accounting proficient peoples in order to track the tax of business. It is also highlighted by opposition that VAT will also result as a regressive tax policy in which rich person will get a fair deal by transferring their tax burden upon the poor people which will ultimately cost a lot for the poorer one but after analyzing the research paper of so many author we came to understanding that initially at the time of imposing VAT for the first time such problems do occur but there are also some ways by which government can address these issues. And it is also the reason that some of the critics of VAT states that it will also lead to inflationary price level which will hurt the economy as a whole but this is not as much true because the rationale behind VAT states that it will create the deflationary effect on the economy which will result in stable or low price as the time passes. And to respond the previous critic of VAT about being regressive policy, we can compensate the low salary class of people by introducing new tax policies which could help the m particularly [8]. The main concern of Pakistans tax policy is to increase the tax revenue which can only be done through applying VAT in which tax can be collected at every level whenever the value has been added. Its positive effects are more as compare to the reasons for resistance which government is facing in order to reinforce it and these resistance are natural because if we see other countries who are same as Pakistan have also faced the similar kind of issues while implying their tax system from GST to VAT and not just that but also we are running out of funds for which we have to comply with the requirement of Foreign Lenders i.e. IMF so that we can manage our economical issues comfortably. In the long run perspective, the VAT will not just increase our tax net but also make us self sufficient in terms of managing our self and we will also be able to service our debts which will results us as a freedom from the loan from IMF in the coming time period. Only critical fact which needs to be address while setting the tax policy on VAT is the corruption related matters which can be minimized by the VAT by its own self but government should also take some initiative while dealing with VAT implementation face because its more easy and possible to cheat if VAT is the system but on the other hand it will just miss the percent of Value Addition while on the other hand GST miss the whole hit if the tax payers manage to get rid of tax. Comparison of Complex VAT with Simpler GST As we know, in GST, tax is charged as a fixed rate at the end of supply chain where as in Value Added Tax system, tax is charged at every value addition stage so suppliers/vendors in the middle stages of production can evade tax by not registering with Financial Bureau of statistics. In VAT system, for example If a stage two supplier is not registered with FBR and supplies goods to third level in value addition and FBR takes information about the production of good from level three vendor, the tax evader at level will be tracked sooner or later. The world experience has showed that VAT induces a strong tax culture. Under GST system, due to tax evasion, tax gap in 2010-2011 was 79 percent [9]. One way to stop organizations from evading tax is heavily penalizing them. For example if the organization has already filed a tax return and fails to pay the tax liability or evades it should be penalized on daily basis. If a person registered with VAT fails to file return, under section 88 of the Federal VAT Bill 2010, value added tax liability will increase. If the tax return is not filed within fifteen days of due date, the supplier would have a penalty of Rs.1, 000/- for every day of default. Penalties on failing to pay the taxes would help collecting tax and there would be an incentive for organizations to pay taxes on time because if they do not they will be charged more [10]. Also the suppliers in the supply chain who are not registered with FBR will not be in a position to claim the tax paid at purchase levels. The in-built invoice based credit of VAT will promote economic documentation. Tax invoice is the most important and significant feature of VAT-induced documentation. VAT has self-assessment features and records business transactions through tax invoicing. Today Pakistan is facing a problem of undocumented and black economy. More than 30 %, calculated by electricity consumption approach, of Pakistans total economy is undocumented resulting in low tax revenues which in turn results in increasing tax rate and increasing tax burden on people who fairly pay their tax dues [11] see exhibit 7. VAT, with its features of penalizing and mandatory documentation of business activity, will help eradicate the norm of black economy from the nation. When in 2010 implementation of VAT was proposed, online registration of tax payers was also proposed. Difficult and rigorous registration is also one reason of people and businessmen not registering for tax. Historically as well as in present registration, under GST, has been a troublesome process because of which people avoid it hence huge amount of revenue is lost by government. If VAT is introduced, registration would become easy and those who do not register just because of the complicated process would start listing themselves which would eventually increase government revenues and its ability to pay off debt. It is also a general concern of people that the cost of compliance would increase dramatically if the VAT is implemented; this however, is not true. There will be no effect or increase in compliance cost of producers already registered/operating under GST regime and will automatically switch to VAT. But the new taxpayers who are not yet registered will have to pay nominal expense for VAT compliance. Because of IT- based VAT processes, cost of VAT compliance usually remains low for the taxpayers who release their tax obligations regularly on fair lines. [12] One of the reasons Pakistan has not been able to progress as much as other emerging countries have is because of the lack of proper infrastructure, low quality of education, and lack of governments ability to spend on public welfare. Almost all of the tax collected by government is spent on either defense or on debt servicing. The stage has come when Pakistan needs loan to pay its loan payments. With VAT the state would be able to collect more taxes with which Pakistan will be able to repay its loans sooner. Once Pakistan pays off all the loans it will be able to spend on infrastructure and improve quality of education. Better infrastructure and education would attract foreign investments which will increase GDP and eventually increasing the tax base; there has been a decrease of more than 3000 million $ from fiscal year 2007-2008 to 2009-20010 in FDI see exhibit 6. According to VAT law there is no difference between retailers and wholesalers. It also does not define manufacturer or manufacture. Every person, who is part of the production supply chain, is required to get registered with VAT if he/she is engaged in carrying out business activity of making supplies of taxable goods/services. Under GST only some of the industries are charged tax. For example, cellular services account for more than 80% of the total GST collected, rest of the countrys industries pay less than 20% of the GST revenue.[13] See Exhibit 5 . Now one problem could be that organizations tend to avoid taxes especially when VAT is practiced in the economy. But with the negative effects, payment of taxes has positive consequences as well; paying taxes improves the credibility of organization. People tend to purchase from organization that are ethical enough to pay its due taxes, it is most beneficial for small companies. If small organizations mention on their sites that the company is a regular tax payer, it will not just improves its credibility but will also enhance its ability to compete with larger firms. Tax refund is also a major problem under GST regime, VAT, however has a solution to it. Under VAT system refunds will be paid through speedy Refund Payment System. The system has already been set-up for exporters from the tax period April, 2010 onwards. Under this upgraded system electronic refund payments will be made directly in the bank accounts of the taxpayers. This new refund system will be expanded to cover all other classes of refund claimants in due time. Thus, VAT is the most appropriate tax system for Pakistan as it has the ability to deal with tax refunds without taking much time, its ability to track un-registered business entities, and its ability to increase government revenues and reduce tax gap.

Essay --

What is love? Love is the force that binds our feelings. It is very difficult to get out of it, sometimes even impossible. The ability to love in the human beings can manifest itself in the form of attachment, complex social relationships within the group type, but it is fully controversial and has not been confirmed. Love is the highest moral and aesthetic sense, which means a strong emotional attachment and selfless commitment to another person. Love is based on qualities such as selflessness, dedication, devotion. Love is very emotional feeling; it is characterized by high elation flourishing desires, high availability dissolved in the subject of love. In a state of love one experiences a special satisfaction from life that is the state of happiness. The notion of love is multifaceted and includes the love of parents, children, homeland, the object of the opposite sex, love of neighbor. In different religion ethics highest expression of love is agape - which means love of God. The notion of love as a moral quality is formed in a person's lifetime. At first formed desire for the...

Fruit of the Spirit

IYWCC Impact Studies Rediscovering the Holy Spirit Lesson 6: Fruit of the Holy Spirit David Jones, Teacher I. INTRODUCTION: Talking with Christians about the Holy Spirit can sometimes get pretty confusing. Last week we studied the specific â€Å"gifts† of the Holy Spirit – which to an outsider sounds like the Holy Spirit might have something in common with Santa Claus. This week we study the â€Å"fruit† of the Holy Spirit, which sounds like the Holy Spirit might have something in common with an fruit tree. How would you explain the difference between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Holy Spirit? . Gifts are about what we do 2. Fruit is about who we are Let's dive into our study of the Bible and find out! II. LIMITS OF OUR FLESH Galatians 5:16-17 â€Å"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to th e other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. † We know, then, that the indwelling Spirit wars against the desires of our flesh. What is the desire of the Spirit?It is the desire of the Holy Spirit to produce, or bring forth, fruits of righteousness in us as a result of His presence. He desires to truly transform us from the inside out. Philippians 1:10, 11 â€Å"That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. † These fruits of righteousness that result from the indwelling Spirit are termed the fruit of the Spirit. 1. There Is Nothing Good That Can Come From Our Flesh.There is a simple and vital law that God has established in the natural world: Genesis 1:11, 12 â€Å"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, w hose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. † In other words:  · Orange trees give rise to orange trees.  · Apple trees give rise to apple trees.  · Wheat plants give rise to wheat plants. Tomato plants give rise to tomato This sinful flesh does not bring forth righteousness – it brings forth sin! Romans 7:18 â€Å"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. † 2. What Comes From The Flesh’s Fruit? (Galatians 5:19-21). â€Å"Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:† Religion only serves to mask or whi tewash these evil works – it cannot bring orth the fruits of righteousness. Even the most righteous works are tainted with pride and self-righteousness. 3. Anything Good In Our Lives Is A Result Of The Work Of The Spirit. â€Å"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,†¦But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:† If nothing good can come from our flesh, then it is clear that any good fruit produced in our lives is the result of the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. Just as the sinful flesh brings forth sin, the Holy Spirit will bring forth holiness and righteousness.John 6:63 â€Å"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. † 4. It Is Our Duty To Submit To The Spirit And Allow Him To Bring Forth Fruit. â€Å"It is not without design, evidently, that the apostle uses the w ord â€Å"Spirit† here, as denoting that these things do not flow from our own nature. The vices above enumerated are the proper â€Å"works† or result of the operations of the human heart; the virtues which he enumerates are produced by a foreign influence—the agency of the Holy Spirit. Hence, Paul does not trace them to our own hearts, even when renewed.He says that they are to be regarded as the proper result of the Spirit’s operations on the soul. † (Barnes) 5. God Is Very Interested In Bringing Forth Righteous Fruit In Our Lives: John 15:16 â€Å"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. † Romans 7:4 â€Å"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, th at we should bring forth fruit unto God. The source of good works is not a reformed or renewed human heart – it is the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is our part to die to self and yield to the Spirit so that He can produce His fruit in us. John 12:24 â€Å"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. † III. NOW, WHAT ARE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT? 1. Inward Fruit That Effects My Relationship To God (Godward) A. Love. Colossians 3:14 â€Å"And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. † Love to God and to human beings.The Greek word agape means â€Å"unconditional love; benevolence. † Love forms the foundation for all the other fruit listed. Love seeks the better good of the one to whom it is directed.. B. Joy 1 John 1:4 â€Å"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. † Joy is greater tha n happiness, for happiness is dependent upon circumstances, whereas joy depends upon an inward faith in the love and goodness of God. C. Peace. John 14:27 â€Å"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. †We are to enjoy peace in the midst of trials and persecutions, and peace among one another. An inner quietness and trust in God's sovereignty and justice, even in the face of adverse circumstances. 2. Inward Fruit That Effects My Relationships with Others (Outward) D. Longsuffering. 2 Timothy 3:10 â€Å"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity,patience,† Longsuffering may be defined as the ability to cheerfully endure an unbearable situation. It denotes the state of mind which can bear long when oppressed, provoked, insulted and injured. E. Gentleness.Titus 3:1, 2 â€Å"Put them in mind to be subject to princi palities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. † The word means goodness, kindness, benignity; and is opposed to a harsh, evil, cruel temper. It is mildness of temper, calmness of spirit, and an unruffled disposition. You might say, easy going. F. Goodness. Acts 10:38 â€Å"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. †A Christian must be a good man who does good to all. 3. Inward Fruit That Effects My Relationship To My Conscience (Inward) G. Faith. 1 Corinthians 4:2 â€Å"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. † A Christian is to be a faithful man, faithful to his word and promises; faithful to His God and to His calling; faithful to those he loves and serves; A Christian is to be a man who can be trusted in. H. Meekness. Ephesians 4:2 â€Å"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;† Meekness is subdued strength, or power under control. Meekness does not equal weakness!Meekness is the reception of injuries with a belief that God will vindicate us, and it is the opposite of vengeance and retaliation. It is not easily ruffled, insulted, angered, or offended. I. Temperance. 2 Peter 1:5, 6 â€Å"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;† Temperance is self-control. It is derived from the Greek word meaning strength, and refers to the power which we have over passions of all kinds. It denotes the self-rule which a man has over the evil tendencies of his nature.The word temperance has often referred to abstaining from alcoholic drinks, but here it has a much wider meaning, implying chastity, s elf-government, restraint and moderation. The influences of the Holy Spirit on the heart make a man moderate and restrained, teaching him to restrain his passions and govern himself. IV. CONCLUSION The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ's control; we can't obtain them by trying to get them without his help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must align our lives to his John 15:4-5 – Remain in Me, and I in you.Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 â€Å"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. a. We must know him. b. We must love him. c. We must remember him. d. We must imitate him. To understand the fruit of the Spirit, we must see ourselves, not as individual trees, but as an entire garden unde r the cultivation of God's Spirit. His purpose involves not simply the production of a single kind of fruit but all the fruit, each becoming ripe as it is needed.

Traditional and Modern Societies Essays - Anthropology, Free Essays

Traditional and Modern Societies Essays - Anthropology, Free Essays Traditional and Modern Societies Simranjit Kaur 214493498 Introduction to Social Science AP/Social Science 1000 9.0 B Andrew Paul Tutorial 11 Traditional and Modern Societies Throughout history, society has been changing. Society has become more advanced in all aspects. Traditional and modern are two different terms used to classify ways of governing society. Even today, traditional societies exist where culture and religion are very important. Yet, societies that have been traditional across the world have managed to keep traditional values and become partially or entirely modern. Looking back in time, individuals have more freedom and rights now than before. Change is important because it encourages new opportunities and our mentality is different than individuals from before the Industrial revolution. Traditional and modern societies have many similarities and differences, and this paper will look at both viewpoints. The most important differences between traditional and modern societies are the social hierarchy, mass consumption, and family structure. This paper will also argue why modernity is more beneficial for society than a traditional viewpoint. The first type of society to be examined is known as the traditional society. Traditional society has very strict division of labour and honour. There are specific roles for both the men and women within the family. According to Bell (2015), "Significant proportion of the population the relation of social position to cultural style-working class, middle class, and upper class- no longer holds" (p. 38). Today in society, no individual of the higher working class can dictate where individuals stand in society. Where as in traditional society, people were born with prescribed roles and had little to no freedom to change their position in the social structure. Campbell states, "Members of the traditional society were also held to be responsible for the action of any other member" (p. 101). Traditional society has a closed belief system, which includes the values of tradition, magic and superstitions. Prestige is very important in traditional society, as it is an indicator of high status within the community. Conlin states, "The family's task is to always enhance their prestige, honour and respect. (Conlin,2015). The second type of society is known as the modern society. Unlike traditional society, where family was the most important aspect, individualism and freedom is the central aspect. Freedom is essential and opposition towards forces which attempt to restrict individual freedom. Modern society values ambition and upward mobility, whereas in traditional society an individual was prescribed a role at birth and through out their life. (Conlin, 2015). Modern society is also concerned with the latest fashion trends and technology. For example, people want newer versions of phones constantly or the latest style of purses. Competition is everywhere in this society, individuals want to have the best of everything, this allows the society to move forward and advance. Where as in traditional society, there was a lot of stagnation and since their roles in society were limited, there wasn't room for creativity or advancement. In modern society self-indulgence is a key trait. People want to buy luxury items and spend money, where as in the traditional society you only made your earnings for the only purpose of surviving. Another difference between modern and traditional societies is the concept of achievement and ambition. In traditional society, ambition is not valued or accepted due to the fact that it is seen as a threat to social order. (Conlin, 2015). Where as in modern society ambition is a key trait in being successful. Position in society is attained by achievements. For example, graduating from university and having a career is considered an achievement and brings happiness into a person's life. Enjoyment in traditional society was disregarded. Traditional society weighed heavily on prestige. In modern society prestige is linked with an individual's occupation, where as in traditional society it was connected to family status in society. Religion played a huge role in the traditional society. T hey believed that God is above everyone and many of their principals came from God's teachings. People of traditional society believed that debt is a sin and it was morally a weakness. On the contrast, in modern society debt was common and not to be worried about. Today, religion does play a role in society, but individuals have more

Ancient Potters essays

Ancient Potters essays Our knowledge of ancient science and technology is based entirely on what we have uncovered at archeological sites. When researchers first started finding things belonging to ancient peoples, they formed ideas about how those people lived and operated in their society. As more information came to light, many ideas had to be changed. New discoveries enabled researchers to get a clearer picture of how certain areas of the ancient world practiced their trade. Many of the new discoveries had to do with pottery. There is now an abundance of information telling us about ancient potters, concerning how they produced their wares and to where these wares were sold. Apart from the progression from open fire to the use of kilns, more specific elements of the pottery process were revealed. With the use of modern technology, researchers realized that the ancient potters were not just using whatever clay was available but were using certain kinds. As the craft developed, the potters learned which clay to use for its strength and color. We now know that it is the levels of iron and calcium contained in the clay that determine these things. Also, it was discovered that, contrary to popular belief, paint was not used to illustrate the pottery. Instead, a mixture of clay and water, called a slip, was used. The slip was added before the clay was fired. To get the change in color desired, the potters (probably unaware of the chemistry involved) deprived the fire of oxygen at one point in the process and then reintroduced it. Another big discovery was the terra sigillata molds. These molds were used to mass-produce a certain kind of pottery. The pottery was called Samian ware. Samian ware was the ancient equivalent of fine china. It was all red and had a glossy shine to it. And, usually when a potter would make this stuff, he would add his trademark, his symbol. The symbol became a mark of excellence. But, even in these ancient...

Film Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Studies - Essay Example The film Amelie begins with an omniscient narrator detailing the likes and dislikes of Amelie’s parents providing insight into Amelie’s formative childhood that led to her introspective personality. Both parents eschew touching. For example, the father hates his swimming costume sticking to his legs and the mother hates when someone brushes her hand. Although the child-Amelie craves physical affection, her father only touches her once a month with his stethoscope during her check-up. Excited by this contact, Amelie’s heartbeat quickens causing her father to diagnose her with a heart condition that causes her to become home schooled by her neurotic mother. Amelie develops into an extraordinarily imaginative child whose only friend is a suicidal goldfish. Yet, Amelie is not simply a recluse; she shows a spark for something more in her life. She craves tactile pleasure eating raspberries from her fingertips, pulling â€Å"glue skin† from her finger, running h er finger around a wineglass top, or plunging her hand into a sack of beans. She also demonstrates an ability to feel her interconnectedness with society at large as well as a bit of fire for harmless revenge. When a nasty neighbor tricks Amelie into believing that her taking photographs lead to a car accident and other citywide accidents, she innately believes in her ability to connect with others in this unseen, spiritual way. Yet, once she realizes the neighbor’s trick, the cheeky Amelie revenges the avid football fan by unplugging his TV at pivotal match moments. Quite opposite to Amelie’s solitary upbringing, her future love Nino suffered a fate much like Oskar from Let The Right One In as classmates bully both. Of course, Nino’s bullying is slanted towards humor, yet Oskar’s world of isolation is far more detrimental, sad, and violent. Oskar’s divorced mother and father seem completely disconnected from their son. Oskar retreats into an imagi nary world where he is the tough bully threatening and debasing weaker boys. The film opens with the prepubescent Oskar standing shirtless holding a small knife commanding an unseen foe to â€Å"Squeal like a pig† (Lindqvist). Oskar is attempting to reverse the power relationship between himself and the bullies by inventing his own bully identity within the mirror image reflected in his apartment window. Of course, neither Oskar nor Amelie’s identities remain unchanged by their films’ conclusions. Within Amelie’s world, hearing the shocking report of Lady Diana’s death causes Amelie to drop a bottle top that nocks loose a tile revealing a long lost box of a child’s treasures. Frances notes â€Å"Princess Di, often referred to in the film†¦represented for the collective, heart values that lie in the shadow of cultures† (2003). Inspired to find the owner and become an agent of kindness, Amelie enters a manic world where characters drives plot and plot drives characters. Riding the maze-like subway, Amelie locates the owner, who is so touched by this anonymous gift that he vows to reconnect with his daughter to meet his grandson. Just as characters incite change within each other in Amelie’

Reflections on the use of electronic health record data for clinical Essay

Reflections on the use of electronic health record data for clinical research - Essay Example Of course, the electronic health record system is not perfect. There are still several aspects that need improvement such as standardization and completeness of data. Further improvements need to be done to ensure accuracy and completeness of data as well as standard use of terms in all hospitals. Electronic health records may be also used for clinical research, given the wide database of different patients with similar, if not the same, medical cases. This data would prove to be useful in determining effectiveness of treatment and would provide different views on medical approaches. However, this task is not as simple as it may seem. Getting data from electronic health records is a complex and intricate task because one would need clear and concise data for it to be used effectively in clinical research. There are too many discrepancies in data and differences in terms and abbreviations used in transcribed notes that make collection of data more difficult. After reading the article, I realized that electronic health records are useful in ways more than one. I never really thought about EHR as a vital tool in clinical research. I know that it is important for records’ sake and that it would provide all necessary information to improve the quality and stability of patient care. Its use in clinical research is very interesting. It would not only aid health care providers in identifying specific patterns in diseases, but it would also help in comparing different treatments which could show researchers the more effective ones. The use of electronic health records could also further methods of assessing quality of care given to patients. The possibilities are endless and the benefits are seemingly overwhelming. The use of EHR’s, however, can also result in violation of privacy. Privacy is an important aspect of quality health care. The problem with transcribed data from health care providers in that it includes the name of the patient, which