Monday, September 30, 2019

Written Critique of Drug Therapy in Nursing Practice

According to Wayne K. Anderson, Dean, State University of New York, School of Pharmacy, â€Å"statistically, if you take six different drugs, you have an 80% chance of at least one drug-drug interaction. † The drug regimen of Mrs. Brown includes six drugs that may interact with each other if not administered and monitored carefully. This is the reason why healthcare providers should be aware of the possible adverse affects that may happen related to her drug regimen. Necessary precautions should be observed to get the full benefits of the needed drugs and minimize possible drug-drug interactions. Nursing Management Mrs. Brown has a history of seizure, therefore, necessary measures should be provided to ensure the patient's safety. It is also known that seizure is one of the many side effects of the drug metronidazole (Drugs. com, 2010). To prevent injury to patient, the nurse should provide comfort and safety measures if the CNS effect occurs such as siderails, and assistance with ambulation if dizziness and weakness are present† (Karch, 2006, p. 170). Since Mrs. Brown has numerous risk factors and health conditions, the nurse should â€Å"monitor for drug-drug interactions to arrange to adjust dosages appropriately† (Karch, 2006, p. 47). The drug regimen of Mrs. Brown may present several adverse effects that should be observed, the nurse â€Å"monitor adverse effects and provide appropriate supportive care as needed to help patient cope with these effects† (Karch, 2006, p. 347). To achieve therapeutic effects, it is also important that the nurse is aware how to â€Å"administer the drug as prescribed in appropriate relationship to meals† (Karch, 2006, p. 572). The nurse should provide supportive management to the drug regimen so she should â€Å"monitor the patient's clinical status closely especially during the initial stages of treatment† (Karch, 2006, p. 34). This includes daily monitoring of serum lithium and phenytoin levels, blood glucose, prothrombin time (PT) and hepatic functioning. It is essen tial to promote compliance to the patient. The nurse should â€Å"provide thorough patient teaching, including drug name and prescribed dosage, as well as measures for avoidance of adverse effects, warning signs that may indicate possible problems and the need for monitoring and evaluation to enhance patient knowledge about drug therapy† (Karch, 2006, p. 347). Some of the teaching points that should be included are any sign of blood loss ( petechiae,bleeding gums, bruises, dark colored stools, dark colored urine) to evaluate the effectiveness of warfarin and symptoms of phenytoin toxicity, including drowsiness, visual disturbances, change in mental status, nausea, or ataxia. Indications and Actions The indications and actions of Mrs. Brown's regimen is presented to help verify the purpose of the drugs and their effects on the overall condition of the patient. Metronidazole (Flagyl, MetroGel, Noritate) Metronidazole is used for the treatment of intestinal amebiasis, trichomoniasis, inflammatory bowel disease, H. pylori infection causing peptic ulcers, bacterial vaginosis, and anaerobic infections and perioperative prophylaxis in colorectal surgery† (Kee & Hayes, 2006, p. 470). In this case, it is also used to treat abscesses in the pelvis caused by susceptible anaerobic bacteria. It is classified as â€Å"an antiprotozoal agent that acts to inhibit DNA synthesis in susceptible protozoa, leading it to unable to reproduce and subsequent cell death† (Karch, 2006,p. 169). Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) Acetaminophen is indicated for the treatment of pain and fever associated with a variety of conditions, including influenza; for the prophylaxis of children receiving diptheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) immunizations; and for the relief of musculoskeletal pain associated with arthritis† (Karch, 2006, p. 241). Paracetamol was prescribed for the presence of pain in the client's perineal area. Metformin (Glucophage) â€Å"Metformin is a biguanide compound used for the management of type 2 diabetes† (Kee & Hayes, 2006, p. 787). In this case, the patient was known to have diabetes. This medication could be considered as a new mechanism for the management of her type 2 diabetes. This oral diabetic agent â€Å"acts by decreasing hepatic production of glucose from stored glycogen† (Kee & Hayes, 2006, p. 787). It is said to diminish the increase in serum glucose after meals and lessen the degree of postprandial hyperglycemia. Phenytoin (Dilatin) â€Å"Phenytoin is the protoype hydantoin used in the treatment of tonic-clonic seizures and status epilepticus, as well as in the prevention and treatment of seizures after neurosurgery† (Karch, 2006, p. 342). Since the patient has a history of seizure disorder, this medication was prescribed for maintenance. It acts as â€Å"an anticonvulsant drug that works by suppressing sodium influx through the drug binding to the sodium channel when it is inactivated, thus prolonging the channel inactivation and thereby preventing neuron firing† (Kee & Hayes, 2006, p. 341). Warfarin ( Coumadin) â€Å"Warfarin (Coumadin) is an anticoagulant drug in oral form that is used to maintain a state of anticoagulation in situations in which the patient is susceptible to potentially dangerous clot formation† (Karch, 2006, p. 38). The patient was given this medication since she has a history of atrial fibrillation that makes her susceptible to thrombus and embolus formation. The drug Warfarin inhibits the formation of thrombus and embolus formation by decreasing certain clotting factors. â€Å"Warfarin causes a decrease in the production of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors (II [prothrombin], V II, IX and X) in the liver† (Karch, 2006, p. 740). Lithum Carbonate â€Å"Lithium is used as a mood stabilizers which is used to treat bipolar affective disorder† (Key & Hayes, 2006, p. 399). Mrs. Brown has a bipolar mood disorder so this drug was prescribed to control her periods of mania and depression. It is said to function in several ways, â€Å"it alters sodium transport in nerve and musle cells; inhibits the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, but not serotonin, from stimulated neurons; increases the intraneuronal stores of norepinephrine and dopamine slightly; and decreases intraneuronalcontent of second messengers† (Karch, 2006, p. 330). Common Drug Interactions Drug to Drug Interactions Metronidazole (Flagyl, MetroGel, Noritate) This drug is known to produce interactions with phenytoin, oral coagulants and lithium. â€Å"Coadministration with a nitromidazole may increase the serum concentration of phenytoin† (Drugs. com, 2010). It is known to induce microsomal liver enzyme activity such as phenytoin that may accelerate the elimination of metronidazole resulting in reduced plasma; impaired clearance of phenytoin has been reported† (DailyMed, 2009). In this case, pharmacologic responses and serum phenytoin should be checked frequently whenever metronidazole is being administered to the patient. The drug dosage should be adjusted as necessary. Another thing to do is to educate the patient the signs and symptoms of phenytoin toxicity for immediate physician notification. â€Å"Metronidazole has been reported to potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and other oral coumarin anticoagulants, resulting in a prolongation of prothrombin time† (DailyMed, 2009). Mrs. Brown should be advised to report any signs of bleeding to her physician. INR should be checked frequently for adjustments in warfarin dosage, specifically after starting or discontinuing metronidazole. And lastly, lithium is said to produce interactions when administered with metronidazole. â€Å"Concurrent use of metronidazole with lithium may provoke lithium toxicity due to reduced renal clearance† (Rxlist, 2010). Since Mrs. Brown has a bipolar mood disorder, lithium is a long drug regimen. The serum lithium and creatinine levels should be monitored after the initiation of metronidazole. Phenytoin (Dilantin) Besides the impaired clearance of phenytoin with the use of metronidazole, there are other drug interactions that can happen in reference to Mrs. Brown's drug regimen. It is said that Phenytoin can increase the effects of anticoagulants. â€Å"The hydantoins displace the anticoagulants and aspirin, causing more free drug and increasing their activity† (Kee & Hayes, 2006, p. 342). Still, it is important to check on the prothrombin time (PT), phenytoin level and prothrombin time of the patient during the administration of both drugs. â€Å"Signs of an active bleed include coughing up blood in the form of coffee grinds (hemoptysis), gum bleeding, nose bleeds, cola- or tea-colored urine (hematuria), and black, tarry stools (hemoccult positive)†. Brown should be observed and notified to the physician. It is also said that the use of phenytoin can lead to â€Å"increased hepatotoxicity with acetaminophen† (Karch, 2007, p. 952). Lithium interacting with Phenytoin â€Å"may either increase or decrease the effectiveness of lithium or increase or decrease the effectiveness of the drug† (Raber, 2010). Phenytoin level and lithium serum level should be checked frequently to monitor the effectiveness of these drugs. Warfarin (Coumadin). Aside from the drug interactions of warfarin to both Metronidazole and Phenytoin, there is an existing interaction between Metformin and Warfarin. It is said that Metformin â€Å"oral hypoglycemic drugs for diabetes can displace warfarin or dicumarol from the protein-bound site, causing more free-circulating anticoagulant† (Kee & Hayes, 2006, p. 663). Due to this possible interaction, it is important to monitor the blood glucose level and prothrombin time (PT). The patient should be informed of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and bleeding so that she could report it to the health care team immediately. Warfarin also interacts with paracetamol (acetaminophen); it said that â€Å"some investigators advise that the hypothrombinemic response to warfarin can increase when acetaminophen is taken in a dosage of more than 2 g per day for longer than one week† (Ament, Bertolino & Liszewski, 2000). Since Mrs. Brown has a prescription of 1000mg to be taken four times a day, her dosage is more than 2g per day. â€Å"If acetaminophen therapy is needed, the dosage should be as low as possible, and the drug should be taken for only a short period. In addition, the INR should be monitored closely† (Ament et al. 2000). Metformin (Glucophage) Meformin has moderate drug interaction with the drug Phenytoin. It is said to diminish the efficacy of oral diabetic agents and insulin. â€Å"These drugs may interfere with blood glucose control because they can cause hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, new-onset diabetes mellitus, and/or exacerbation of preexisting diabetes† (Drugs. com, 2010). There should be close monitoring of Mrs. Brown's blood glucose level in order to observe hypoglycemia in the patient. Lithium (Eskalith) Lithium has drug interactions with Metronidazole and Phenytoin. It is also established that lithium may diminish the therapeutic effects of insulin and oral anti-diabetic agents. â€Å"In one study, 10 psychiatric patients treated with lithium carbonate for 2 weeks demonstrated elevated blood glucose levels and impaired glucose tolerance tests. There have also been isolated case reports of hyperglycemia, impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes mellitus in patients on lithium, although a causal relationship has not been established† (Drugs. com, 2010). The blood glucose level should be checked frequently after starting or discontinuing lithium therapy. Drug to Food, Drug to Herbal, Drug to OTC drugs Interactions Metronidazole Metronidazole has a significant interaction with ethanol. â€Å"Use of alcohol or products containing alcohol during nitroimidazole therapy may result in a disulfiram-like reaction in some patients† (Drugs. com, 2010). Necessary precautions should be made in relation to use of ethanol and ethanol-containing products. Mrs. Brown should be instructed not to take alcohol beverages and alcohol-containing products. It is said that â€Å"alcohol beverages should not be consumed for at least a day after completion of metronidazole therapy† (Drugs. om). Metronidazole has an interaction to the herb milk thistle. â€Å"Milk thistle has been reported to protect the liver from harm caused by some prescription drugs. While milk thistle has not yet been studied directly for protecting people against the known potentially liver-damaging actions of metronidazole, it is often used for this purpose† (Morazz oni & Bombardelli, 1995). Phenytoin Phenytoin has moderate interaction with alcohol and food. The effects of alcohol on the therapeutic level of Phenytoin depend on the duration of its consumption. â€Å"Acute consumption of alcohol may increase plasma phenytoin levels. Chronic consumption of alcohol may decrease plasma phenytoin levels† (Drugs. com, 2010). Phenytoin (oral drug) could be given with or without food in a consistent manner. Give with food if patient complains of GI upset ( Karch, 2007). The bioavailability of Phenytoin is said â€Å"to decrease to subtherapeutic levels when the suspension is given concomitantly with enteral feedings† (Drugs. com, 2010). Antacids containing calcium may decrease the blood level of phenytoin while aspirin (more than 1500 mg/dl) may increase the blood level of phenytoin (Epilepsy. om, 2010). Phenytoin also will lower the blood levels of other types of medication like acetaminophen (Epilepsy. com, 2010). Warfarin Patients taking Warfarin should not take Vitamin K-rich foods like â€Å"liver, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, Swiss chard, coriander, collards, cabbage, and other green leafy vegetables† (Drugs. com). There are also particular medicines that should not be taken for they m ay cause serious bleeding problems in the stomach and intestines and alterations in blood clotting. These particular medicines are as follows: â€Å"acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, and NSAIDs including celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), indomethacin, naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn),and others† (Drugs. com, 2010). It is also said that the patient should â€Å"avoid eating cranberries, drinking cranberry juice, or taking cranberry herbal products† (Drugs. com, 2010). Warfarin can interact with the following herbal products: â€Å"garlics, gingko biloba, ginseng or St. John's wort†. (Drugs. com, 2010). Metformin Drugs that can raise the blood sugar affecting the use of Metformin include medicines to treat colds and allergies while drugs that lower blood sugar include some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, and sulfa drugs (Bactrim)† (Drugs. com, 2010). Alcohol should also not be taken concomitantly with this drug. â€Å"Alcohol lowers blood sugar and may increase the risk of lactic acidosis while taking this drug† (Drugs. com, 2010). There could be increased risk for hypoglycemia if the drug is taken with â€Å"juniper berries, ginseng, garlic, dandelion root and celery† (Karch, 2007, p. 58). Lithium Patients taking lithium carbonate should â€Å"avoid drinking large amounts of coffee, tea, or cola, which can cause dehydration through increased urination† (Drugs. com, 2010). Besides having interactions with other drugs in the patient's regimen, lithium also interacts with over-the-counter drugs. â€Å"If Eskalith is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs† (Drugs. com, 2010). â€Å"Patients being treated with lithium should be encouraged not to use the herbal therapy psyllium. If combined with lithium, the absorption of the lithium may be blocked and the patient will not receive therapeutic level† (Karch, 2006, p. 333) Possible Adverse Reactions and Nursing Interventions Metronidazole â€Å"Convulsive seizures have been reported in patient treatment with metronidazole† (DailyMed, 2009). Necessary seizure precautions should be implemented. Mrs. Brown has a history of seizure; this is why the healthcare team should take necessary adjustments to the dosage of metronidazole. Aside from this major adverse reaction, the patient can develop â€Å"unpleasant metalic taste, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea† (Karch, 2007, p. 86). Nursing care for strange metallic taste should be â€Å"frequent mouth care, sucking sugarless candies†, and for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the patient should be advised to â€Å"eat frequent small meals† (Karch, 2007, p. 786). In the case of Mrs. Brown, complains of discomfort in her buttocks, pain in per ineal area and offensive odor could mean that she developed cadidiasis as â€Å"known or previously unrecognized candidiasis may present more prominent symptoms during therapy with metronidazole† (DailyMed, 2009). Treatment with candidicidal agent should be instituted to the patient. Other adverse effect can be â€Å"disulfiram-like interaction with alcohol† (Karch, 2007, p. 786). The patient should be always reminded of precautions on ingesting alcohol and alcohol-containing products. Phenytoin â€Å"Nausea,vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and gingival hyperplasia† (Karch, 2009, p. 951) could be present in patients taking Phenytoin. The nurse should â€Å"arrange instruction in proper hygiene technique for long-term patients to prevent development of gum hyperplasia†, â€Å"take drug with food, eat frequent small meals† (Karch, 2007, p. 953). Among the other common adverse effects are â€Å"dizziness ,drowsiness, confusion and headache†. The patient should be advised to â€Å"avoid performing tasks requiring alertness and visual acuity† (Karch, 2007, p. 953). Warfarin The common adverse effects of Warfarin are â€Å"nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea and hemorrhage† (Karch, 2007,p. 1216). Nurse should advise the patient to â€Å"avoid any situations in which she could be easily injured. † Necessary care should be provided to avoid bleeding in the patient like â€Å"not giving any IM injections† (Karch, 2007, p. 1217). The patient should also be asked to â€Å"report unusual bleeding (from brushing teeth, excessive bruising), black or bloody stools, cloudy or dark urine† (Karch, 2007, p. 1218). Metformin The most significant possible adverse effects of this drug are â€Å"hypoglycemia and lactic acidosis† (Karch, 2007, p. 758). The nurse should â€Å"monitor blood for glucose and ketones† or â€Å"should ask the client any sign of hypo- or hyperglycemic reactions† (Karch, 2007, p. 758). There could also be â€Å"signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat† (Drugs. om, 2010). In this case, it is necessary to â€Å"stop the medication and report to the physician† (Drugs. com, 2010). Lithium The common side effects of Lithium involves CNS manifestions such as â€Å"lethargy, slurred speech, muscle weakness and fine hand tremor; GI manifestions such as nausea, vomiting , diarrhea, thirst; GU effect is polyuria† (Karch, 2007, p. 704). It is important to instruct the client to â€Å"report any signs of toxicity such as diarrhea, vomiting, tremor, drowsiness, muscle weakness† (Karch, 2007, p. 705). The patient should also be prohibited or â€Å"avoid driving or performing tasks requiring alertness† and should be instructed to â€Å"eat frequent small meals† (Karch, 2007, p. 705). Health Education Metronidazole It is impotant to instruct the client to â€Å"not drink alcohol (beverages or preparations containing alcohol, cough syrups)† (Karch, 2007, p. 786). The nurse should also mention to the client that she may experience â€Å"urine with darker color , dry mouth with strange metallic taste, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea† (Karch, 2007, p. 786). Intervention to relieve these side effects should be taught like â€Å"frequent mouth care, sucking sugarless candies for dry mouth; eating frequent small meals for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea† (Karch, 2007, p. 786). Phenytoin Patients taking Phenytoin should be advised to â€Å"take this drug exactly as prescribed with food to reduce GI upset or without food — but maintain the consistency† (Karch, 2007, p. 953). Mrs. Brown should be advised to â€Å"not discontinue this drug abruptly or change dosage, except on advice of health care provider† (Karch, 2007,p. 953). Since Mrs. Brown has diabetes, it should be advised that she should â€Å"monitor blood or urine sugar regularly, and report any abnormality to health care provider† (Karch, 2007, p. 953). She should be advised that she should â€Å"maintain good oral hygiene to prevent gum disease and arrange frequent dental checkups† (Karch, 2007, p. 953). Warfarin It should be advised to the patient to â€Å"not start or stop taking any medication without consulting her health care provider† (Karch, 2007, p. 1217). She should â€Å"carry or wear a medical ID tag to alert emergency medical personnel about the drug† (Karch, 2007, p. 218). She should be instructed to â€Å"avoid situations that may cause injury and have periodic blood tests to check on drug action† (Karch, 2007, p. 1218). Lastly, the patient should be instructed to â€Å"report unusual bleeding, black or bloody stools and cloudy or dark urine† (Karch, 2007, p. 1218). Metformin Some of the instructions t hat should be given to the patient are â€Å"not to discontinue the medication without consulting health care provider and avoid using alcohol while taking the drug† (Karch, 2007, p. 758). She should also be advised to â€Å"monitor blood for glucose and ketones and report any hypo-or hyperglycemia reactions† (Karch, 2007, p. 758). Lithium Health teaching about this drug should include the following: â€Å"take the drug exactly as prescribed, after meals or with food or milk; eat a normal diet with normal salt intake and maintain adequate fluid intake and arrange for frequent checkups including blood tests† (Karch, 2007, p. 705). Mrs. Brown has numerous risk factors and health conditions that may produce drug interactions that may worsen her health. It is known that Metronidazole can produce seizures as its side effect. Considering this, safety precautions should be made since she has a history of seizure. This drug can also impair the clearance of the drug Phenytoin in her system and potentiate the anticoagulant effects of Warfarin. These things should be monitored by the healthcare team for them to make necessary adjustments. Phenytoin can also increase the anticoagulant effect of Warfarin and may either increase or decrease the efficacy of lithium. Necessary drug dosage adjustments should be made to minimize these interactions. Daily blood glucose monitoring should be done and symptoms of hypo- or hyperglycemia should be reported. This is necessary because Warfarin can increase the effects of oral diabetic agents such as Metformin. However, Phenytoin and Lithium can diminish the efficacy of this drug. Thus, it is really important to monitor the client's clinical status and the possible adverse effects of the drug regimen. It is also important to â€Å"offer support and encouragement to help the patient cope with the drug regimen† (Karch, 2006, p. 334).

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Reaction Paper: GMRC Essay

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 As we grow older things started to change. Changes in our surroundings, people we meet every day, our own point of view in life, and our own faith. These changes affect our daily existence. As a child, we are innocent of everything, we don’t care if we get tired of just playing around for the whole day, we don’t care if our clothes get dirty, we don’t care if there is a dirt on our face, but we do get scared when our mother and father get mad on us for the mistakes that we do. But in spite of these as a child; we still give the beautiful smile without keeping any grudges deep in our heart. As a child, we are pure and innocent and there is a glow of faith to God in our child heart. As we grow older, we are starting to expose to the reality of life. Life becomes complicated. We starting to have enemies and keep grudge s in our heart, we starting to become attached to the materials things around us, we starting to disobey our parents, we starting to be weak and fall on the sin, and we started to slip away on our faith and forget that there is a loving and forgiving God that watching us. As we celebrating the Christmas season, I would like to give emphasis to our FAITH and a beautiful verse and the heart of the bible, John chapter 3 verses 16. â€Å"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.† If we give our self a time to reflect on this remarkable verse on the bible, it will really transform our faith and our life. People may asks with a lot of how, why, who, and what questions on how this verse will affects us in our faith and to our daily life. Yes indeed, people will always questions God for so many reasons but we don’t bother to reflect and to analyze our own actions to our selves, towards our love ones and to the other people, to our environment and how much we offended GOD for the many sins we committed every single day. When our great father Adam and our great mother Eve committed the biggest sin, they cut the string that binding us to God, the morta l sin that passes to the generation of all mankind. But God is so good; he works in many mysterious ways and promises to save the human race from sin. God gave his one and only begotten son Jesus Christ to us. We celebrate the Christmas because the birth of Jesus Christ gives us new hope and new  life. The births of Jesus Christ on the manger show and reflect the humility of the Son of God. Also through this humility of the son of GOD, the three wise men give homage, respect and gave different kind of gifts that only for a king. The birth of Jesus Christ rejoices our heart in gladness. The birth of Jesus Christ is knocking at a door of our hardened heart and teaching us to be a child again. A child heart that is full of hope, happiness, humility, care, love and faith. It’s amazing how God really works and show how much He care and love the human kind through his Son Jesus. God sent his son Jesus to the world to carry a greatest mission, a mission to save all mankind from sin that weaken and destroy our faith. Jesus lives a life on earth with simplicity, love and obedience to his father Joseph and mother Mary but He never f orget the greatest work that our Lord God put on his shoulders. He started to proclaim the words of the Lord. He started to travelled and performed different kind of miracles. He touches and changed the life of different people. He healed different kind of sickness that makes our earthly body weak. Jesus Christ founded the sacrament of the Eucharist. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, â€Å"Take and eat; this is my body.† Then He took a cup, gave thanks and gave it to them saying, â€Å"Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.† (Matthew 26: 26-28). At the last suffer; Jesus founded the Eucharist to share with us His life and to provide us with the commemoration of his suffering and pain. When the time of Jesus Christ came, He carries his greatest mission. He shows his humility, as his holiness and divinity are trampled upon by the people he has chosen to be his own. People spit in His face and He struck him and while other slapped him by saying that his not the Messiah. But Jesus Christ accepted every pain, mocking and humiliation that the people gave to him without talking back or complaining. Jesus Christ can ask God the Father to send angels and protect him but he chooses to suffer in obedience to the will of the Father. Jesus Christ embraced all mankind, when He stretched his hands on the cross to redeem us from our sins. Jesus Christ cross proclaims the wonder of his love to all of us. God the father willed his one and only begotten son Jesus, to die on the cross for the sins of the world for us to understand how much God and Jesus Christ love the mankind  unconditionally. As we accept Jesus Christ, true God and true man in our life, his victory on the cross teaches us to reflect on his suffering, death and resurrection in order for us to have an unfailing faith in Thy goodness that has no end. Jesus Christ led us to many beautiful lessons. He teaches us to reflect and to be strong and to hold on to our faith in the midst of present danger and fear. He teaches us to bear our cross so that we may be united to his suffering as we pass by on our earthly life and to be worthy to hope for a new life in the kingdom of God.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Case Study Example There are a number of products and approaches for acquiring systems, starting from ‘in house development’ to ‘commercial off-the-shelf’ packages. At Power IT, the chief executive officer and finance director decided to purchase an ‘Enterprise Resource Solution’ to replace the ‘Material Resource Planning (MRPII). The Organization has its own internal IT system; however, the staffs are not capable enough to develop software at a large scale. The employees lack sufficient application domain knowledge which will enable them to develop such a system within the required timescale. Therefore, the company has decided to ‘buy in’ expertise, rather than putting large scale development into risk. After evaluating the level of required knowledge within the employees, the Organization has opted for ‘3rd party modified off-the shelf solution’ system. In this system, the software expertise and the application domain expertise ar e quite high. As the whole software includes large and complicated application; so surely, the ‘Third party modified off the shelf solution’ system is required to enjoy higher end of expertise in software development and in application domain of the same. A ‘Modified off the shelf’ product typically refers to a product or system whose source code can be modified by the purchaser to meet the requirements of the consumers (Information Leader, â€Å"Introduction†). â€Å"Many of these products feature modifiable or modular designs which increase flexibility, facilitate rapid prototyping of proof-of-concept designs, and are easy to install to insure quick start-up† (Cyber Research, â€Å"MOTS/ROTS Products†). By minimizing the requirement to develop new products from its scratch, the Organization can save on huge information technology expenses. However, to modify the codes as per the requirements of the consumers, demands some amount of ex pertise in this arena. This is why the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Developing a Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Developing a Manager - Essay Example From an employee perspective, management cannot be seen as a function which is pivotal to the enterprise alone because a manager helps employees to improve their overall performance and effectiveness (Zott and Amit, 2004). Due to this reason, a manager needs to constantly communicate with its subordinate employees and must maintain a positive relation with them. Along with that, organizational plans, performance measurement, psychological and analytical tools and economic measures are some of the necessary components which need to be effectively managed by organizational leaders. This essay will focus on how important managers are to a company and how they can develop organizational employees into intangible assets. Within the context of organizational development, roles and responsibilities of a manager are never limited merely to integrate employee activities with business goals and they may not always be able to bring the best out of an individual’s talent. From a broader perspective, a leader focuses on employee management and tries to influence the business environment, reduces the communication gap between employees, elucidates organizational strategies and helps employees to achieve their performance objectives by fulfilling organizational goals. This helps in achieving quality for the company and helps in producing a highly committed and hardworking workforce. With regard to employee management, it is the core duty of the organization’s management to select an appropriate team which can help in building considerable team relation and in providing appropriate training for their team members and thus building a highly productive and agile workforce. According to Woods (2010) , it is the duty of the organizational managers to coordinate and communicate with their workforce in an effective manner and explain the vision and mission of a company and defines

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Munich Agreement of September 1938 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Munich Agreement of September 1938 - Essay Example This has made these states consider the agreement as a Munich dictate, whose aim was to allow the Germans to continue with the occupation of the Czechoslovakia land. The paper will discuss the reasons why Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement. Why Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement Neville Chamberlain was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time the Berlin agreement was signed in Munich Germany. He is seen as a conservative politician who operates under the appeasement policy. Throughout his tenure in office as British Prime Minister, he is portrayed as a leader who practiced anti-war policies and would do everything possible to ensure that peace prevail. This saw him sign the Munich Agreement despite being ridiculed and branded as a coward. This is because, Chamberlain considered the matter that was bringing disagreement between Germany and Czechoslovakia as something which could be solved diplomatically (Caputi 2000 p.187). He, therefore, sought f or a diplomatic course by trying everything possible to convince Hitler who was much opposed to the agreement to concede, sign the agreement, and avoid war ((McDonough 1998). One of the main reasons Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement was to ensure that Britain maintained super power status in Europe, both in terms of the economy and imperial power. McDonough (1998 p.4) argues that chamberlain was an assertive politician who was realistic and able but was much aware that Britain was not in a position both military or economically to maintain control of the world. He, therefore, wanted Britain to retain its influence in Europe and retain the independence of Britain. For Britain to achieve its mission, Chamberlain felt that the best way to do this was by avoiding a world war, which was eminent (Parker 1993 P.48). He was, therefore, obliged to sign the agreement so that Britain can remain super power both economically and imperially. For a country to go into war, it needs to get su pport of the nation for it to be successful. Chamberlain signed the agreement because he was not sure as to whether he could get the support of his country in case he accepted to go into war (Grayson 2001). Before the signing of the agreement, Chamberlain kept seeking for the nation and cabinet support in his plan Z strategy in case war was unavoidable. He, however, did not get the kind of support, which made him doubt whether his nation would follow him into war. This prompted him to sign the agreement to avoid criticism from his nation (Caputi 2000 p.187). War is always associated with high costs, as it requires use of resources, arsenals and the army (Rowe 2004). Chamberlain felt that it was noble to for him to consider signing the Munich Agreement, which would prevent Britain from incurring such heavy costs associated with war. This shows that Chamberlain was not opposed to war as some historians branded him as a coward but instead he was being guided by moral values. It is only Germany that was prepared to pay these costs by ensuring that the fight for the annexation of Nazi Germans in Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain and government of France were however much opposed to subjecting their nations to these costs since the matter at hand to them was not worth the costs. This is seen in the Munich riddle that going to war need concrete cause, willingness, arsenals and the men, which to Chamberlain and Daladier were lacking according to Caputi (2000 p.192). Therefore, Chamberlain had no choice but to sign the Berlin Agreement. It is

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Are private equity buyouts in the best interest of a company (2.3) Essay

Are private equity buyouts in the best interest of a company (2.3) - Essay Example g cost and managements time are considered worthless by private companies (Pietersz, 2007).However, shareholders will require detailed explanation of the benefits of such a strategy. Through buyouts, the cash flows of a firm are improved. The value of a firm is the present value of all the future expected cash flows (Bierman, 2003). Because of a reduced cash outflow, the present value of PE will be enhanced. The additional cash inflows arise from tax benefit of additional debt financing. The change in capital structure will enable the firm reduce its tax base at hence enrich the cash flows of the business. There are both advantages and disadvantages of private equity buyouts. Buying of inefficient performing companies and restructuring them to profitable ventures benefits the whole economy and the owners. Through elimination of these inefficiencies, they create additional wealth to the shareholders by increasing their return on the investments. After a buyout, the capital structure of the firm allows the firm to perform higher interest tax deductions from their income statement (Cendrowski, 2008). Increased tax shield benefit reduces the tax liability of the firm. In addition, the managers of PE have the mindset of achieving their goal within the shortest duration possible and make the sales at a profit. The profit motive of the managers is responsible for the enhanced value of the firm. Secondly, private equities are better managed than the publicly traded companies. Managers in of the PE rewards are pegged on performance. More still, the managers are sometimes required to put a material proportion of their investment in the investment. This would ensure that they to remain concerned about the company’s performance because any loss that might arise will also be borne by them (Colvin, n.d). Private equity further employed better executives by offering them high salaries. In addition, the acquired company also stands to benefit from the PE buyout (Cendrowski,

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Federalists had better argumernt about the costitution and they should Essay

Federalists had better argumernt about the costitution and they should work toward common good - Essay Example Will democracy function better in a larger heterogeneous community or a smaller homogenous? From the arguments presented, I believe democracy will function in a larger heterogeneous community than a small homogenous one. Madison (56) makes an argument favoring large republics unlike small republics for choosing â€Å"fit characters† in public voice representation (62). The probability of electing competent representatives is broader in a larger republic where the candidates and the voters numbers are greater. This is because of the wide option available to the voters. It is easier to fool the voters in a small republic by the candidates and harder in a larger one (Madison 62). Additionally, in a small republic, existence of variety of parties is low compared to large republics where parties are many. Therefore, in small republics, it would be easier to work and agree to accomplish their ideas. However, in a large republic, different interests will be greater hence harder to de termine the majority (Miroff 20). For a long time many people have had arguments against the new Constitution with many claims that governance in United States as a democracy or a republic would be too large and had many factions as they used to refer to political parties by then. As much as Madison (56) acknowledged existence of numerous differing factions or groups, he further indicates that a democratic form of government whereby ideal rule of the majority is used would control the factions and make them cooperate and work together possibly. Furthermore, republican government created in the proposed federalists new Constitution provided the factions avenues to express their ideas and influence government’s workings by ensuring their members are appointed or elected to offices (Madison 56). Moreover, Madison (60) further states that minority groups with no doubt will be protected as the factions will have to negotiate their differences. In this manner, the republic will cre ate a government system in which the majority will rule. However, the ideas and the suggestions of the minority will have to be considered by the government. Miroff (19) further points out that the many existing factions would imply that no single faction will be able to take full government control. Consequently, this will give rise to politics at the time as all parties will fight to dominate. Should elected representatives vote based on their superior expertise and greater sense of the common good or should they base their vote on the views of their constituents Voting enables citizens to voice their interest and to practice his/her Constitutional rights. However, due to existence of factions, violence exists. Factions according to Madison (60) mean a collection of people united by the same passions, interest and beliefs. To pursue and to realize these common goals, they don’t regard the other citizens’ rights especially the minorities. Madison (59) further affirms that the groups when assembled to form majority, always have a problem with governments that are supported by the people. From the federalists’ point of view, it comes out clearly that they proposed elected representatives unlike the voting of common citizens. According to Miroff (28), the most common and long lasting source of the groups or factions is unequal property distribution. Distinct interests are formed in the society among

Monday, September 23, 2019

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 32

Article Review - Essay Example The fourth layer contains tailor-structured applications. In the past, the business management process structures focused on data but currently there is a shifting trend from the data system to processes. The focus was only on the data specific methods, which has transformed into the creation of the business processes, which was dismissed in the past. The shift has moved further to enhance the redesigning of the process to advanced levels. Separating the business process management into different components is because of the current developments in the area of web services. Workflow terminologies are helpful in explaining the business process management. The application of business process passes information, tasks, and documents from one party to the next according to the required and set procedures. A Workflow Management System refers to a system that generates and manages the accomplishment of workforce with the use of software operating on several workflow engines that are able link workflow engines, its requirements and the use of IT tools and their applications. The business process management has several phases, which it uses to support its operational business processes. The first stage is the design stage where redesigning of the processes occur. The next phase is the configuration stage where there is implementation of the designs by a process specific information system. After this stage there is the enactment phase where there is caring out of operational processes using the specific system. The diagnosis phase is the last stage where there is analysis of the operating processes to identify problems and to come up with solutions. The operational process of the business process management is divided into two trends in the modern times, Case Handling and Straight through processing. The Straight through processing is the automation of the business process though dealing with situations without

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Short Answers on Merchants of Cool Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Short Answers on Merchants of Cool - Coursework Example 3) â€Å"Marketers have to find a way to Seem Real† means that the marketers have to give an impression that they are ‘real’ by living lives that the teen generation can identify with. They have to adopt attitudes that to teenagers perceive as ‘cool’. 5) To counter the plummeting ratings in 1990s, MTV adopted ethnography study. In this study, MTV focused on learning the teens by visiting their homes and collecting personal information. They did this by asking them personal questions and go through their belongings such as their music albums. The researchers also got involved in the teens’ lives by accompanying them to social places such as to nightclubs. These activities were recorded as they happened then later, they were translated to video clips that were presented to MTV’s management. "Midriff" is the character inclined to teenage girls. It is highly sexualized, sophisticated and populates television shows such as Cruel Intentions. A juvenile and boorish behaved character on the other hand brands the â€Å"mook†. The "Mook" is a misogynistic, crude, and extremely angry adolescent. 7) The system designed to appeal to the â€Å"MOOK† keeps the teens’ under incessant surveillance. This helps the researchers determine the things that trigger the teens’ emotions and actions thus understand them better and 9) To overcome the resistance, marketers have to embrace the challenge and market the products in spite of their inadequacies. For instance, in the case of Insane Clown Posse, MTV marketed their music relentlessly even though the genre of music they created represented violence, profanity and misogyny. Today, the band has become a big name in the music industry. 10) Marketers have gone too far in their efforts to sell to the youth. Every marketer has his or her version of what should be perceived as cool. This readymade version of ‘cool’ has taken away the teens’ power to focus on their

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Decomposition of Bleach Essay Example for Free

Decomposition of Bleach Essay In this experiment, the rate of decomposition is calculated by measuring the volume of the product gas using water displacement. The reactant used is household bleach, which contains 5 to 6% of NaClO. The decomposition can be stated in this following equation: 2 ClO- (aq) 2 Cl- (aq) + O2 (g) To measure the rate of decomposition, a catalyst is needed to fasten the reaction. A suitable catalyst is Co2O3, which is produced from mixing Co(NO3)2 and bleach. The reaction can be described as follows: 2 Co2+ (aq) + ClO- (aq) + 2H2O (l) Co2O3 (s) + 4 H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) Purpose The objective of this experiment is to determine the rate of decomposition of bleach by measurement of gas production at several different temperatures. Hypothesis The decomposition rate will increase if the surrounding temperature increases. If the surrounding temperature increases by 10C, the reaction rate will double. If the temperature decreases by 10C, then the reaction rate will decrease by half. Materials * Household Bleach * Co(NO3)2 solution * Erlenmeyer flask * Stopper and tube * Ring stand * Burette * Graduated cylinder * Thermometer * Burette clamp Procedure Refer to lab instruction sheet Decomposition of Bleach Data Table 1 Accumulation of Oxygen at Room Temperature (24C) Time Interval (s) Volume of Gas (mL) Time Interval (s) Volume of Gas (mL) 30 3.5 210 29.9 60 9.1 240 34.3 90 13.4 270 38.3 120 18.0 300 42.0 150 20.8 330 44.5 180 25.9 360 50.1 Table 2 Accumulation of Oxygen at 10C above Room Temperature (34C) Time Interval (s) Volume of Gas (mL) Time Interval (s) Volume of Gas (mL) 30 8.1 180 37.5 60 13.9 210 41.3 90 20.4 240 45.4 120 26.0 270 49.4 150 31.8 \ Table 3 Accumulation of Oxygen at 10C below Room Temperature (14C) Time Interval (s) Volume of Gas (mL) Time Interval (s) Volume of Gas (mL) 60 0 900 27.2 120 0 960 29.5 180 0 1020 31.9 240 1.8 1080 33.5 300 4.0 1140 36.0 360 6.5 1200 38.0 420 8.9 1260 40.5 540 11.8 1320 42.1 600 13.2 1380 44.1 660 15.6 1440 45.6 720 18.1 1500 47.5 780 21.0 1560 49.6 840 23.0 1579 50.0 Analysis Calculations: Reaction Rate = Reaction rate at room temperature = = 0.14 mL O2 / s Reaction rate at 10C above room temperature = = 0.17 mL O2 / s Reaction rate at 10C below room temperature = = 0.036 mL O2 / s Table 4 Rate of Decomposition of Bleach Surrounding Temperature (C) Reaction Rate (mL/ s)

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Sociology Of Education

The Sociology Of Education The theory of functionalism assumes that institutions and society are made up of interdependent parts all working together. Each part of the society and institution are contributing some necessary activity to the functioning of the whole society. The government provides education for the children of the family; the family pays taxes to government to keep the society running (Cliffnotes.com, n.d.). Generally, functionalism does not encourage changing of social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, they believed changes are undesirable and society may compensate naturally when problems arise (Cliffnotes.com, n.d.). This functionalist perspective, or so called functionalism was found by Emile Durkheim (1858-1917). According to Durkheim, education system is a meritocracy. The main purpose of education is to sort people to specific job on the basis of their abilities. Those important jobs in society are filled by the most talented student. The micro level is the smallest levels of society (Appliedsoc.org, 1990). It mainly focuses on individuals and their relationship (123helpme.com, 2013). It examines the social roles of an individual and how an individual react to society and understand it. Micro level also focuses on how people think within society opposed to their behavior. The examples of micro level society include families, schools and church group (Appliedsoc.org, 1990). On the other side, macro level focuses on how the institutions within a large population affect the masses. This is the largest level of the society grouping. It mainly focuses on social structure, social processes and problems and also their relationships among each and other. Sociologists believe that societys problems begin on macro level. Therefore, many sociologists are interest on this level (Appliedsoc.org, 1990). Discussion: In Malaysia school system, students spend over a quarter of their time in school. Schools are responsible in foster unity. Students from a range of socio economic, ethnic background and religious learn to understand, accept and embrace differences (Blueprint). Schools are competitive in Malaysia. As stated in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, there are significant variation in outcomes in Malaysia across states, rural and urban school, National and National-type schools, gender and socio-economic. Among these variations, socio-economic status continues to have a huge impact on students performance. Students from a low-income household perform poorer than those from a better family background. From the functionalist theorists perspective, students with poorer and weaker performance will have to take low pay and low status work in their future. According to Durkheim (1858-1917), education is important to maintain social roles and social rules. Students learn that some people have more power than others in school. For instance, the school prefects have the power to uphold the school rules. Students also learn manner from school. They learn the correct manner and behavior which will then help them to survive in the future. Functionalism mentioned that there is division of labor in a modern society. An individual does not have all skills that needed to survive. Therefore, society needs plumbers, tailors, accountants and engineers. People must specialize in their own job. Therefore, students in our country sit for examinations. Examinations sorted students out and encouraged them to take up job that they are capable in. During primary education, students aptitude is measure through the Primary School Achievement Test (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah, UPSR). After their third year studied in secondary school, students sit for the Lower Secondary Assessment (Penilaian Menengah Rendah, PMR) examination. And finally, they take the Malaysia Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM) in their fifth year during secondary education. Those national examinations in primary education and secondary education in Malaysia are held under equal conditions where students have the equal opportunity to the hi gh grades. From this, students learn to accept the equality of opportunity. The competitive school life teaches students to be competitive and accept that it is fair to have different rewards. Malaysian school system passes on students are achievement and equality of opportunity. Students who can achieve better of success will get rewarded. This phenomenon encourages students to work hard. Malaysia Public Service offered JPA Scholarship to the Malaysian nationality who is continuing their studies at locally or overseas universities or colleges. There are also others corporate or university scholarship offered to encourage talented and outstanding students to further their studies. Beside scholarship, the National Higher Education Fun Corporation (PTPTN) is providing study loans to students pursuing tertiary education in Malaysia. PTPTN is open to students pursuing studies at the diploma, first degree, master, doctorate and professional courses levels in local institutions of higher learning. During secondary education, students study about the history. The study of history provides links between the individual and society. It is also important to give students a sense of the continuity of Malaysian culture. Furthermore, the enforcement of co-curricular, sports activities and competitions in school make students feel that they are part of the society. It reinforces students sense of social solidarity and belonging which is also coherent with the functionalism perspective. Other than that, skills provision is also important for a functionalists perspective on education. Education in Malaysia encompasses education from pre-school to university. According to the National Philosophy of Education, the vision of education is means to develop a child holistically from intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical. Education in our country aims to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent. To practice the skills provision, the country benchmarks the learning of languages, Mathematics and Science to international standards. Every student will receive foundational skills in literacy, numeracy and Science, which believed as the key growth area for the Malaysia economy. The equity in education will also ensure students are being equipped with the knowledge and skills required for success in life.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Drama Performed to Others :: Drama

Drama Performed to Others Our drama group was given the task of introducing a year nine class to the play 'Macbeth'. Apart from the obvious, there were five themes in the play that the group as a whole thought needed exploring: insanity; good versus bad; the supernatural; guilty conscience; and murder. We looked into each of these topics individually and decided on how we could include them in our final performance, in each lesson we learned more and more about both 'Macbeth' and the skills needed to teach a younger year group the basics of the play. We decided that the first thing that needed to be learned was the creation of atmosphere on stage. We did this by lowering the lights, putting just a candle in the centre of the room, and playing the sound effect of rain and howling gales. We each had to find one word that summed up the 'feeling' in the room. The key words that came up were remembered throughout our development of the piece of drama and we tried to capture these feelings on stage. Keeping in role and developing a convincing character was essential for the task and I learned this over the period of time building up to our final performance. We had decided to show five still-images to the year nines and, along with a narration, tell the story as an introduction. In groups we picked out the five points that seemed most significant: the meeting of the witches on the heath; the 'persuasion' scene (between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth); the banquet scene; the second witches scene (the premonitions); and the scene where Macduff finally kills Macbeth. In these groups we performed the still-images and showed what each character was thinking through thought-tracking, which added depth to the image. In pairs we performed our own versions of 'the persuasion scene', with one playing Macbeth and one playing Lady Macbeth. Through manipulation, Lady Macbeth always beats Macbeth one way or another, and we learned to create the right mood on stage, this improvisational work helped develop characterisation. After discussing the scene we were to study (the 'banquet scene' [Act Three, Scene Four]) and read through the original script, we began improvisation of a modern-day remake of the scene. Our class decided to work in just one group and we were sure we wanted to bring the scene to a modern-day setting so we could come up with our own interpretation. As a group we had to decide on who the Macbeth of the 21st century would be, and came up with plenty of suggestions. The one we finally decided on was a night-club owner, the night-club

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

jesus, the business man :: essays research papers

Purpose/Vision: To restore salvation to a lost world. Background Information: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The earth was His vision, His company. He invented everything in the earth and the placed a man and a woman in charge of the business. Their duties, at the time, included naming the animals and multiplying the population with their seed. Although God had a plan for the way he wanted His company run, the people He put in charge had their own agendas. They rebelled against the owner and tried to take over the business. Due to the insubordinate nature of His employees, He terminated their positions and hired other workers. From then on, under the supervision of different men, the fate of the company went down hill. Money and agricultural profits were at a loss, and the values that the employees once had, decreased with each successor. After seeing His business gradually decline from it's original standpoint, God took up a partnership with His Son, Jesus. He sent Jesus into the world to restore the company back to it's original purpose. Knowing the He needed a qualified staff under Him, Jesus employed twelve men to work with him. Chain of Command: Level 1-Owners: God, Jesus, (Holy Ghost-Silent Partner) Level 2-Supervisors: Peter, Paul, John Level 3-Employees: James, Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Lebbaeus, Simon, Judas Employee Qualifications: 1. Must already be employed * Matthew- tax collector (2:14) * Simon- fisherman (1:16) * Andrew- fisherman (1:16) * James- fisherman (1:19) * John- fisherman (1:19) 2. Must be willing to leave everything and relocate * "And immediately He called them and they left their father, Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him" (1:20). Services: Healing Ministries: * Sickness and Fevers: "Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up and immediately the fever left her" (1:31). * Leprosy: "As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed" (1:42). * Withered Hands: "He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out and his hand was restored whole as the other" (3:5). * Demon Possession: "Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind" (5:15). * Issues of Blood: "And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction" (5:34). jesus, the business man :: essays research papers Purpose/Vision: To restore salvation to a lost world. Background Information: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The earth was His vision, His company. He invented everything in the earth and the placed a man and a woman in charge of the business. Their duties, at the time, included naming the animals and multiplying the population with their seed. Although God had a plan for the way he wanted His company run, the people He put in charge had their own agendas. They rebelled against the owner and tried to take over the business. Due to the insubordinate nature of His employees, He terminated their positions and hired other workers. From then on, under the supervision of different men, the fate of the company went down hill. Money and agricultural profits were at a loss, and the values that the employees once had, decreased with each successor. After seeing His business gradually decline from it's original standpoint, God took up a partnership with His Son, Jesus. He sent Jesus into the world to restore the company back to it's original purpose. Knowing the He needed a qualified staff under Him, Jesus employed twelve men to work with him. Chain of Command: Level 1-Owners: God, Jesus, (Holy Ghost-Silent Partner) Level 2-Supervisors: Peter, Paul, John Level 3-Employees: James, Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Lebbaeus, Simon, Judas Employee Qualifications: 1. Must already be employed * Matthew- tax collector (2:14) * Simon- fisherman (1:16) * Andrew- fisherman (1:16) * James- fisherman (1:19) * John- fisherman (1:19) 2. Must be willing to leave everything and relocate * "And immediately He called them and they left their father, Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him" (1:20). Services: Healing Ministries: * Sickness and Fevers: "Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up and immediately the fever left her" (1:31). * Leprosy: "As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed" (1:42). * Withered Hands: "He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out and his hand was restored whole as the other" (3:5). * Demon Possession: "Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind" (5:15). * Issues of Blood: "And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction" (5:34).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

African American and Ebonics Essay

What if all of America spoke in Ebonics? â€Å"What up cuz† or â€Å"Holla at me. † That would be crazy right? Sharice, Travis, Rickia, and I did a report on the evidence for the critical element of the Oakland school board proposal and the convention that temporary African American Vernacular Forms (AAV) of speaking show strong influence from West-African languages. The Oakland school board proposed to the state that the kids learning will be improved with the recognition and understanding of Ebonics. My article came from the internet, and it is titled â€Å"A Case of Ebonics. † Ebonics is a critical language, with powerful elements of a distinct language, spoken by many Americans of African descent, a language marked by a long and rich history. While most other languages are restricted to specific geographical regions, Ebonics is a way of speaking shared by a large percentage of African-Americans living everywhere in the United States. Ebonics has been branded as a poor form of Standard English. Some think of it as lazy lips and lazy thinking. Because Ebonics held on to many leftover characteristics from West African languages, there has been debate as to whether it is a language of American English or another language altogether. Ebonics has a long history that began in Africa. It started when people from many different African villages were brought to American slave markets. The slave owners often purposely mixed the slaves by tribe so that they could not communicate directly in the language of a single tribe. For them to communicate with each other, the slaves developed a pidgin language, a mixture of various African languages. Over the centuries, this early pidgin blended with aspects of â€Å"Standard English† to form â€Å"Black English† but it still has many of the features of its ancestor. That is, many of the unique forms of Ebonics can be identified as leftovers of West African languages. For example some researchers say that the word for cat in several African languages also means â€Å"man. † For this reason our expression â€Å"cool cat† is derived from Ebonics. Despite these differences, Ebonics is a language that fully serves the needs of its users. Its grammar is just as complicated as Standard English. It’s just a different grammar. The meaning of â€Å"He didn’t do nothing† is perfectly understood by all Ebonics speakers, and by standard English speakers as well. A man by the name of Ishmael Reed makes clear the use of Ebonics indicates neither a lack of education nor an inability to speak in other tongues: â€Å"You not gone make me give up Black English. When you ask me to give up Black English you askin me to give up my soul. But for reasons of commerce, transportation, and hassle less mobility in everyday life, I will talk to 411 in the language both the operator and I can understand† (Lederer 4). I agree with Reed that everyone needs to learn and master Standard English to have the best chance to succeed in America. In certain contexts, someone (like a manager) might make a judgment about the way we black people talk. If we want to become successful we must learn Standard English. I hope that the movement of correction for Ebonics movement will work against the widespread disrespect of the way most African-American youth talk. People should be less defensive about the language in which we live and move and maybe we can better position to employ both the Ebonics and the standard codes and to reap the full fruits of our American civilization. If people were less defensive about Ebonics maybe then we as people could associate Standard English with Ebonics. And with all of this we could reap the full fruits of our American civilization.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Impact Of Globalization On Urbane Culture

Culture has many meanings. As a practical human activity, it is an inherent part of both individual and collective development, from the education of a single child to the finest artistic expression of entire peoples and nations. Culture also refers to the customs of a given society, especially as reflected in its social institutions and practices, including social and political organization and religion. Even in the nineteenth century, cities at the centre of media, financial, and manufacturing networks led the global symbolic economy of the time.Cultural innovations in those days spread by means of exports of new products and models, and of images published in newspapers and magazines. It took weeks or months for these images to reach distant regions. Today, innovations travel at much greater speed via airplane, satellite and the internet. Easier import and export of culture helps ethnic groups living away from their homes to maintain their cultural identity, while exposing those i n their home countries to new cultural stimuli.In earlier years, people moved between the relatively simple spaces of home, work and neighborhood, all of which reinforced bonds based on ethnicity and social class. Networks and institutions of sociability directly shaped local cultures. Today, urban residents commute over great distances to go to work. Through television, film, the internet and popular magazines, rich and poor alike see images of affluence and modernity and compare them with their own lives.The inability to escape these multiple images and sources of information can be disconcerting and may sometimes lead to local resistance against what is termed â€Å"cultural globalization†. Access to more images and information also enriches the cosmopolitan culture of cities. The idea of using culture as a motor of urban economic growth reflects cities’ transition from manufacturing to more flexible, design and knowledge-based production.Since massive industries li ke steel and automobiles based on standardized mass production have fallen, one by one, to competition from low-cost locations, attention has focused on cultural industries – flexible industries that value knowledge, information and technology. Most cultural industries are located in cities. A dense population and concentration of skills allow them to draw upon tangible human resources, and a city’s usual history of tolerance and social diversity offers intangible sources of inspiration and experimentation. What is expected of the new global city?As noted earlier, globalization has introduced new cultures as well as fusion of old and new ones in cities. Already evident in many cities in advanced economies, these new urban cultures are likely to emerge more and more in the developing world. They provide new forms of what we may term â€Å"consumption spaces†, including fusion in their design and architecture, partly under the influence of intensified shopping all over the world. A feature of these new spaces is their enclosure, which tends to reinforce social exclusion within cities. They also, increasingly, signal the transition of a city’s status to global. Impact Of Globalization On Urbane Culture Culture has many meanings. As a practical human activity, it is an inherent part of both individual and collective development, from the education of a single child to the finest artistic expression of entire peoples and nations. Culture also refers to the customs of a given society, especially as reflected in its social institutions and practices, including social and political organization and religion. Even in the nineteenth century, cities at the centre of media, financial, and manufacturing networks led the global symbolic economy of the time.Cultural innovations in those days spread by means of exports of new products and models, and of images published in newspapers and magazines. It took weeks or months for these images to reach distant regions. Today, innovations travel at much greater speed via airplane, satellite and the internet. Easier import and export of culture helps ethnic groups living away from their homes to maintain their cultural identity, while exposing those i n their home countries to new cultural stimuli.In earlier years, people moved between the relatively simple spaces of home, work and neighborhood, all of which reinforced bonds based on ethnicity and social class. Networks and institutions of sociability directly shaped local cultures. Today, urban residents commute over great distances to go to work. Through television, film, the internet and popular magazines, rich and poor alike see images of affluence and modernity and compare them with their own lives.The inability to escape these multiple images and sources of information can be disconcerting and may sometimes lead to local resistance against what is termed â€Å"cultural globalization†. Access to more images and information also enriches the cosmopolitan culture of cities. The idea of using culture as a motor of urban economic growth reflects cities’ transition from manufacturing to more flexible, design and knowledge-based production.Since massive industries li ke steel and automobiles based on standardized mass production have fallen, one by one, to competition from low-cost locations, attention has focused on cultural industries – flexible industries that value knowledge, information and technology. Most cultural industries are located in cities. A dense population and concentration of skills allow them to draw upon tangible human resources, and a city’s usual history of tolerance and social diversity offers intangible sources of inspiration and experimentation. What is expected of the new global city?As noted earlier, globalization has introduced new cultures as well as fusion of old and new ones in cities. Already evident in many cities in advanced economies, these new urban cultures are likely to emerge more and more in the developing world. They provide new forms of what we may term â€Å"consumption spaces†, including fusion in their design and architecture, partly under the influence of intensified shopping all over the world. A feature of these new spaces is their enclosure, which tends to reinforce social exclusion within cities. They also, increasingly, signal the transition of a city’s status to global.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Buddha & religions

As we come to know it, there are five major religions in our world. For centuries, these five religions, namely Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism have dominated and influenced the world and its views in life, death, heaven, and earth. Now, the writer wishes to state on this paper the different key terms, main arguments, and assumptions of one of the most revered faiths on earth. But before anything else, perhaps we should go through an overview of the history of Buddhism and its founder. The general history of Buddhism started around 566-486 B. C.The traditionally accepted founder of Buddhism is a man named Siddhartha Gautama. Around 486 B. C. , the first Buddhist Council at Rajagaha was formed. It is where the Buddhist Canon, as it still exists today was settled and preserved through oral tradition. Through the passing of centuries, different forms of Buddhism were developed and propagated throughout distant lands. One of the important highlights of the religionâ €™s history is the founding of the Dalai Lama lineage of the Tibetan Buddhism during the 15th century (â€Å"A Timeline of Buddhist History: Major Events†).Today, Buddhism continues to thrive and according to Wikipedia, most estimates put its number of followers at around 310 million (Jones 2006) In relation to the founding of Buddhism, it is a widely accepted fact that Siddhartha Gautama is the founder of Buddhism. Born in luxury, Siddhartha was the son of a king hence making him prince. At the age of 29, Gautama left his palace to view his subjects. However, what he saw was despair that depressed him so. So one night, he escaped from his palace to live the life of a mendicant.Thus started the Buddha’s long and fruitful life and the creation of the different principles and beliefs that would guide the ideology of Buddhism and influence world history (â€Å"Gautama Siddhattha Buddha†). An event that triggered Gautama’s quest for the truth is the one t hat happened when he left the palace at the age of 13. After seeing the four sights, which namely are an old man, a man with a disease, a corpse, and an ascetic, he became convinced that suffering in this world is inescapable and even all the riches of the world cannot add up to make a man truly happy and in peace (â€Å"Gautama Siddhattha Buddha†).It is also Siddhartha’s experience that meditation alone cannot ease all the anxieties in a man’s mind. After studying with two teachers on meditation, he was not satisfied so he left. He realized that the only way to detach you from all the pain and suffering in this world is through overall tranquility. Buddha is also credited as the creator of the Four Noble Truths. The first of these noble truths is the Noble Truth of Suffering. According to this truth, life is full of suffering such as pain and grief.Even in other religions, they share a common ground; that life is full of torment. According to the Second Noble T ruth, which is the Truth of the Arising of Suffering, the agony that people experience is due to the Threefold Craving. The Threefold Craving, on the other hand, is what brings beings from birth to rebirth accompanied by lust and joy. These three craving are the sensual cravings, and the cravings for existence, and wealth and power. The Third Noble Truth, according to Buddha is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering.According to this truth, there is a way for suffering to stop and that is by giving up the Threefold Craving. And lastly, the Fourth Noble Truth is the Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering. It is in this Noble truth that the Eightfold Path is presented. This path is also known as the Middle Path because this path does not commit to the two extremes of self-mortification and sensual pleasure (â€Å"Gautama Siddhattha Buddha†). The Eightfold Path, or the Middle Path, is the principle that guides the followers of Buddhism in eliminating all suffering from his life.The Eightfold Path is divided into three sections. The first section is called Sila. Sila pertains to the wholesome physical actions. Sila also stands for morality and refraining from objectionable actions of the body and speech. Included in Sila are three of the eight parts of the Eightfold Path. The first one is the Right Speech. In this right, the person should speak in a pleasant, truthful way. The second is the Right Actions wherein the person is taught to do good actions and to avoid doing things that may hurt or harm others.The last part of this section is the Right Livelihood. In this right, the follower should always choose a means of livelihood that does not harm anyone including himself straightforwardly or not. The second section of the Eightfold Path is called Samadhi. Samadhi, according to Buddhism, is the mastery over a person’s own mind. Included in this division are another three rights of the Eightfold Path. The first of these three i s the Right Effort or Exercise. This right concerns itself to the effort of the follower in improving his self.The second in this section is the Right Mindfulness or Awareness wherein the mental ability to perceive things with clear consciousness is emphasized. And the third one on Samadhi is the Right Concentration or Meditation. It is in this right that awareness of the current reality that happens on self is realized. The absence of craving or aversion is also included in being aware to the reality in one’s life And lastly, the third section of the Eightfold Path is called the Prajna. Prajna is mainly concerned with wisdom that purifies the mind.The last two rights of the Eightfold Path is included in this section. The first of the two is the Right Understanding. This right teaches that one should reality as what it really is and not just how it appears to be. The last of the rights is the Right Thoughts. In this right, an alteration in the pattern of thinking is taught. D ifferent ways of interpreting the Eightfold Path exists. Some people believe that it is a series of progressive stages. This interpretation stresses out that the mastery of the first right will lead to the beginning of the mastery of the next right and so on.Others believe that the Eightfold Path and its rights should be developed simultaneously (â€Å"The Eightfold Path†). According still to the Buddhist faith, Samsara is the cycle of birth, suffering and agony, death, and rebirth in which humans are bounded. But once a man becomes successful in grasping the Four Noble Truths and in following the Eightfold Path and eliminates all cravings from his life, it is when he experiences Bodhi. Bodhi is the awakening or enlightenment felt by Buddhas. It is also the time when greed, hate, and delusion are eradicated.In addition to this, it is also the time in which Nirvana or â€Å"highest happiness† is attained. These are only some of the basic principles held by the Buddhist faith. The teachings and beliefs of Buddhism are too many to be mentioned in this paper. However, this paper wishes to analyze some of the beliefs of the aforementioned religion. As a world-leading faith with hundreds of millions of followers, Buddhism has influenced not only the faith of multitudes but world history as well. Aside from these, Buddhism has also played a part in the development of oriental art and architecture.One of the strengths of the Buddhist religion is that their followers are not afraid to show that they are devoted to their belief. And being devoted to their belief has its own advantages. Because these followers adhere to their principles, it becomes better for them to be guided in their everyday lives and decisions. However, being too much devoted to the faith has its own disadvantages. Some people become too dependent on the principles that it starts to interfere with their normal lives.However, we cannot comment on that issue since it is their own choice a nd therefore are responsible for their own actions. In Buddhism, there are no recognized gods but there is the Buddha or enlightened beings. In the teachings of Buddhism, it is emphasized that in able to reach true happiness, one must live a simple life. This life that they would live should be one of humility and righteousness. Only then would they achieve nirvana. In parallel with other faiths, especially in Christianity, it is also stressed out that in able to attain salvation, one must live in truthfulness and simplicity.So this is why Christians, especially the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Church have their own monasteries where people could live in seclusion; far from all the temptations and sins of the Earth. It might be said that most religions, particularly the five leading ones, share the same principles of the need to do good to others and live in humbleness in able to attain salvation. Others believe that the foundations of Buddhism are vague and inaccurate. And sti ll others criticize them for their unique nature.But let us all remember that even though we share different faiths and beliefs, even though we are separated by cultural and spiritual diversity, some principles are still being shared. And one of those principles is to do the right thing and to never cause harm to anyone. I, as the writer, personally adhere to the belief that we should have religious tolerance. As long as our beliefs do not interfere or cause harm to anyone, then we should free to worship and believe what we desire. And above all, respect is what is needed in a society that prejudices and criticizes what they perceive as odd.In spite of everything, we are all, in the broadest sense, humans, and therefore, equal. Works Cited â€Å"Gautama Siddhattha Buddha. † 12 Sept. 2007 . Jones, Judy, and Wilson William. â€Å"Religion†, An Incomplete Education. 3rd ed.. Ballantine Books, 2006. â€Å"The Eightfold Path. † 2000. About, Inc. , A part of. 12 Sept. 2007 . â€Å"Timeline of Buddhist History: Major Events. † 12 Sept. 2007 .

Saturday, September 14, 2019

African American Press Essay

?â€Å"We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentation of things which concerns us dearly,† written on the front page of the first African-American owned newspaper, Freedom’s Journal. Freedom’s Journal was published on March 16, 1827 by a group of free African-American men in New York City. Freedom’s Journal was published the same year slavery was abolished in New York and was used to counter racist commentary published in the mainstream press. Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm served, respectively, as its senior and junior editors where they worked together to publish four-page, four-column weekly newspapers. Though The Freedom’s Journal was not the first African-American paper published, it was the first Africa-American owned newspaper. Freedom’s Journal consisted of news on current events, anecdotes, editorials and used to address contemporary issues such as denouncing slavery, advocating for black people’s political rights, the right to vote, and speaking out about lynching. Cornish and Russwurm desire were to give African-Americans the freedom to voice their thoughts, ideas and opinions. They sought to improve conditions for more than 300,000 newly freed men and women living in the North. They fulfilled this desire, by employing 14 to 44 agents each year to collect subscriptions. Each agent was paid $3 a year for their work. To encourage black achievements Freedom’s Journal featured biographies of celebrated black figures and continued to promote better living conditions by printing schools that were open to blacks, job offering and housing listings. Freedom’s Journal, eventually, circulated 11 states, the District of Columbia, Haiti, Europe and Canada before ceasing publications in 1829. During that time, Russwurm became the sole editor of Freedom’s Journal, after Cornish resigned in 1827. Russwurm began to promote the Colonization Movement which was frowned upon by majority of the newspaper’s readers. The Colonization Movement was a movement that was conceived by members of the American Colonization Colony where they began repatriating free African-Americans back to Africa. When the Freedom’s Journal shifted in complete support of colonization, it lost most of its readers and in March 1829 Freedom’s Journal ceased publication. Even though Freedom’s Journal existed for two years, its two years of existence helped spawn other papers. Since then, African American press has evolved and has substantially increased in the population over the years. After Freedom’s Journal, African-Americans had begun establishing and owning newspapers. It began May 1829, when Cornish attempted to revive the Freedom’s Journal under the name The Rights of All, however, the publication was not successful and failed after a year. David Walker, hired as an agent for Freedom’s Journal, became a well known, anti-slavery writer which was inspired by his experience with Freedom’s Journal. In 1830, Walker’s published his most famous publication known as Appeal which called for slaves to rebel against their masters, â€Å"†¦they want us for their slaves, and think nothing of murdering us†¦therefore, if there is an attempt made by us, kill or be killed†¦and believe this, that it is no more harm for you to kill a man who is trying to kill you, than it is for you to take a drink of water when thirsty,† (Walker). Another attempt at publication, Samuel Cornish, along with, Philip Bell, and Charles Bennett Ray launched The Weekly Advocate, January 1837. Later, the men changed the name to The Colored American March 4, 1837. The Colored American main purpose was to strengthen the moral, social, and political elevation of colored people as well as emancipation of slaves. The Colored American became well-known in the North because of the wide spread support of abolitionists, African-American churches and local abolition societies, and Caucasian allies. The Colored American published 38 articles, becoming an important paper of its time. The last edition of The Colored American was published on Christmas day in 1841. Other early African American newspapers include the Provincial Freeman, published in 1854, which was the first African-American owned newspapers to be published in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. The North Star was an anti-slavery newspaper published in 1847 by Frederick Douglas. He later agreed to merge it with the publication Liberty Party Paper with Gerrit Smith creating the Frederick Douglass’ Paper, in Rochester, New York. The National Era was published in Washington, D. C. in 1847 by the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. The Liberator was probably the best-known publication during the era, published by William Lloyd Garrison in Boston between 1831 and 1865. Other anti-slavery newspapers of note include the Friend of Man, published weekly for the New York State Anti-Slavery Society from 1836 through 1842. The Emancipator, originally known as Genius of Universal Emancipation, was one of the first anti-slavery newspapers published in the United States by Benjamin Lundy in 1819 and National Anti-Slavery Standard established in 1840. All of these newspapers advocated for the abolition of slavery and for the civil rights of all African Americans. By the start of Civil War, more than 40 black-owned and operated papers had been established throughout the United States. After the end of the Civil War, more than 100 newspapers were beginning to publish. Many of the major African-American owned publications include, Baltimore Afro-American, also known as The Afro, was founded by a former slave, John H. Murphy, SR. , in 1892. Today, The Afro is the longest-running African-American, family-owned newspaper in the United States. The Chicago Defender was founded by Robert Sengstacke. Abbott on May 5, 1905. The Chicago Defender included writing pieces from the well-known Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks and Willard Motley. The Pittsburgh Courier an African-American newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1910. The Pittsburgh Courier became the most widely circulated newspaper in America for African-Americans. During its peak, the Pittsburgh Courier circulated around 450,000 publications, with more than 400 employees in 14 cities. The Pittsburgh Courier discussed major issues impacting African-American communities. It campaigned against segregation and poverty, and promoted the social advancement of blacks. In the 1930s, the Pittsburgh Courier urged Black voters to vote Democrat, creating a political alliance that still exist to this day. Other publications includes, The Philadelphia Tribune (1912-2001), Atlanta Daily World (1931–2003), Cleveland Call & Post (1934-1991), Los Angeles Sentinel (1934–2005), New York Amsterdam News (1922–1993), and Norfolk Journal and Guide (1921-2003). With African-American newspaper publication on the rise, organizations to help promote the publication began to form to support African-American journalist. In 1940, Robert Sengstacke Abbott, founder of Chicago Defender, along with other African-American publishers, organized the National Negro Publishers Association. The members of the National Negro Publishers Association worked together, â€Å"harmonizing our energies in a common purpose for the benefit of Negro journalism†, (Sengstacke). Today, the National Negro Publishers Associations is composed of more than 200 black newspapers in the United States and the Virgin Islands. In 1975 in Washington D. C. , 44 African-American journalists founded the National Association of Black Journalists. The National Association of Black Journalist’ purpose was to provide quality programs and services to and advocate on behalf of black journalists. These organizations are still going strong today and have contributed greatly to the African American population. Today, there isn’t a firm count of how many African American newspapers circulating the United States, however, according to Allied Media Corporation, an ethnic marketing firm, they have listed 250 newspapers in circulation. The National Newspaper Publishers Association, better known as the Black Press of America, assist in the publication of African-American owned newspapers, counts more than 200 black-owned newspapers as its membership. As you can see, since the Freedom’s Journal, the number of newspaper publications has increased. It began with the main purpose being that Africa-Americans would stick together to fight the constant oppression they were under. Now that we don’t see African-American oppression, as we did then, publications has different focal points. Many of the newspapers provide news and insight on African-American culture, including a variety of perspectives from leaders, celebrities, trendsetters and great minds from the African-American community. The Freedom’s Journal created a new stepping stone for the African-American population. It provided the platform for issues and concerns pursuant to ensuring our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and to preserve a legacy of black conservatism for generations to come. References 2, M. A. (n. d. ). Early African American and Anti-Slavery Newspapers | Marjory Allen Perez. Genealogy & Family History | Search Family Trees & Vital Records . Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www. archives. com/experts/perez-marjory/early-african-american-and-anti-slavery-newspapers. html Black Newspapers Listing | The Network Journal. (n. d. ). Black Business | Black News, Career Ideas for Black Professionals. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www. tnj. com/lists-resources/black-newspapers-listing David Walker, 1785-1830. Walker’s Appeal, in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Coloured Citizens of the World, but in Particular, and Very Expressly.

Buddhist Education in Vietnam

Almost 85% of the entire population of Vietnam is Buddhist . The main reason for this vast acceptance of Buddhism is its very early entrance in Vietnam. Buddhism entered Vietnam in the beginning of second century. This was the Common Era and can be called as the first phase of the Buddhist education in Vietnam .The very first Buddhist education was given by a Taoist named Meou-Po, who later converted to Buddhism . According to many historians, even before this Taoist, some form of Buddhist education could be seen when the Chinese missionaries came to Vietnam .The Chinese missionaries came in Vietnam during the rule of Si-Nhiep. Later, two Indian monks also came from India to Vietnam, in order to practice and preach Buddhism. Ma Ha Ky Vuc and Khau Da La stayed in Vietnam for some time, later Khau Da La left whereas Ma Ha Ky Vuc stayed. Ma Ha Ky Vuc was a very religious man and used to fast for several days. According to him this helped purify his body and soul. These two Buddhist monk s first came to Northern Vietnam, which was called as Giao-Chi at that time. Mau-Bac, a Chinese Buddhist later came to Vietnam, in order to preach his religion.At that time China was the centre of a serious political conflict, hence many scholars in order to learn and preach at peace, came to Vietnam. This was a breakthrough for the Buddhism. These were the first people ever to bring in Buddhism in Vietnam. They were refugees from China and Pilgrims from India. As time passed by Buddhism became more accepted and most practiced religion in Vietnam. BEGINNING OF BUDDHIST EDUCATION A Hindu price, Gautama who did not like the idea of Hindu caste system, was the founder of Buddhism.Gautama did not believe that any man could be superior to the other and as Hinduism Brahmans are considered superior, he left this religion . Gautama had spent many years wandering and meditating. In the end he found answers to all his questions and hence found the path of enlightenment, â€Å"nirvana†. According to Buddhism, nirvana is the path to endless serenity. It is free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Moreover, a person will achieve salvation if he believes in the four noble truths.These four noble truths are that a man suffers in all his consecutive lives; the reason for his sufferings is his wants for earthly things, when the person frees himself from all the wants of earthly things he then achieves deliverance. The last noble truth says that a person can achieve deliverance by following the eightfold noble path . So how did Buddhism actually spread? During the time Si-Nhiep ruled Giao-Chi, it was considered as a safe place. Mau-Bac came to Vietnam looking for peace and tranquility. After coming to Vietnam, he studied Buddhism from an Indian monk named Ksudra .Ma Ha Ky Vuc who also came to Vietnam got together with Mau-Bac and started preaching their religion. Ksudra also started helping them, hence people in Vietnam, who never knew what Buddhism was, started learning and accepting it. These were the very first people to start preaching and teaching Buddhism. Their teaching is the very early form of teachings found in Vietnam. After these, many Buddhist monks came to Vietnam. Khang Tang Hoi and Cuong Luong Lau were two monks who made a lot of difference. They translated many Buddhist books into Chinese.As Vietnamese culture at that time was influenced a lot by Chinese and Chinese was the official language used , hence translating these books made a lot of difference to people who could not read or write other languages . PHASES OF VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM The history of Buddhist education in Vietnam can be studied by dividing it into four separate phases or periods. – The formation of Buddhism in Vietnam. This started from the common era and lasted till the end of Chinese dominion – Climax of Buddhism. Buddhism was at its peak during the independence – The decadence after the Le Dynasty– Revival period. This starte d in the beginning of the 20th century and has not ended yet. The period before the Common Era lays the foundation for the beginning and development of Buddhist education in Vietnam. It was the time when Siddhartha Gautama, who will later attain enlightenment and will be called as ‘Buddha’ was born. As he was born in India, Indians were the first to learn Buddhism. Later when Buddhism came to China, many Chinese monks went to Vietnam in order to spread Buddhism. However, it believed that the Chinese and Indian merchants came to Vietnam for trading.They brought monks with them saying that the monks were the â€Å"calmer of the sea† These monks started preaching their religion in Vietnam. It was easy for them to teach their religion to many people at a time, as Luy-Lau, later known as Ha-Bac was the centre of all trading activities. All the merchants who came here to trade, and merchants who were travelling between India and China, stopped here to rest, therefore, monks were able to spread their religion very easily. Many missionary activities were started as a result. Monasteries were built and Buddhism became important.This was the first time ever in the history of Vietnam, that monasteries were built . The next period or phase proved to be best for Vietnamese Buddhism. In this period Buddhist studies were at their peak and many famous people and rulers converted to this religion. It was when King Dinh Tien Hoang came in to power. Buddhism has its own hierarchy of monks and priests who were accepted by the court. Buddhism was now supported by the royal court and this helped many positive changes to take place. Buddhists were now respected and were considered as learned people.They were asked advice by the royal court and the rulers before taking decisions. This helped them get involved in many political and religious decisions and hence providing many decisions to be taken according to them. This era truly proved to be the best for Buddhist studies and it became one of the most predominant religions. After this, many kings and emperors converted to Buddhism. Many laws came into practice in this era, which were influenced by Buddhism, and hence were in favor of the Buddhists. Van Hanh became a Buddhist in this period.He is known as the meditation master and has influenced many people to convert to Buddhism. Any ruler who was not Buddhists was at least the supporter of Buddhism and this was a very positive point for the Buddhists. In 1010 A. D, almost eight monasteries were built in Ha Bac. All other monasteries and Buddhist temples were also repaired. Tripitaka texts, which were in China initially, were brought in Vietnam. Thousands of Buddha statues and paintings were made and set up. Festivals were set up. Many new monasteries such as Sung Kharh monastery and monastery at Mount Ba were built. In 1086 A.d Dai Lam monastery was built in Ha Bac. Later in 1118 A. D Thien Phat was built which had almost 1,000 Buddha statu es . BUDDHIST STUDIES The entire Buddhist education comes from the studies of Buddha, who is the supreme teacher. All of the studies root from saddha, which is the faith in triple Gem. Depdnding upon these studies the students are taught according to the five rules. The students should know the rules, their reason and their appliance in daily lives. Most importantly, they should appreciate all these rules and believe in them. The students should know what is generosity and self sacrifice.These are essential elements that help the students overcome their worldly desires, their selfishness and greed. These five moral rules are dependent on each other. A student can gain by suta, which is by extensive reading of Buddhism texts. According to Buddhist studies the knowledge of a person is dependent on his inside belief of truth i. e. Dhamma. Calm and insight are the two main elements of any Buddhist teaching. In Buddhist education tasks and wisdom are dependent on each other. A student ca n attain wisdom by deep investigation, discussion and intelligence.This wisdom was the basic instruments which lead Buddha to salvation. This wisdom is the crown of all educations of Buddhism. Without wisdom, education is incomplete. Before French, people were chosen based on their education. These were officials known as â€Å"mandarins†. Learning was very important in those times. It was not just education but it lead a person to intellectual understanding, social standing, wealth and power. Buddhism came directly from India, hence there are many words in Vietnamese Buddhism which are influenced or are taken directly from India. The word Buddha is also taken as it is.However, as the Vietnamese culture is influenced a lot from the Chinese, hence when Chinese monks came to Vietnam, the word Buddha was replaced by the word Phat. In those days, Buddhism in Vietnam was influenced by Theravada Buddhism. It was seen as religion which helped good people and punished the bad. It was very difficult to teach Buddhism at that time as very little literature was available. Vietnamese had no written script; hence a few translations were made in Chinese. The era between 544 and 602 was an independent era and was helpful in spreading Buddhism