A Book Critique of The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age Essay

Introduction In L. Russ Bush’s Christian apologetic work, The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age, he details the development and apparent fallacy associated with the modern naturalist worldview. Bush, a professor at Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary, focuses on the idea of inevitable progression within the modern worldview and provides an overview of this view’s promulgation within epistemology. Bush asserts Christians are no longer socially the majority in their beliefs regarding a world created by God and thus the civil authorities are no longer there to protect their beliefs, as in centuries past. Therefore, it is critical to have a Christian response to modern naturalism. Bush approaches this evolutionary worldview from a philosophical perspective and not as a scientist. The goal of his thesis is not to convince the reader of the scientific merits of Christianity, but to expose the erroneous beliefs found in the modern naturalistic worldview when compared to Christianity. Summary Bush’s overall purpose in this book is to show the failings of the modern naturalist philosophy, especially when compared to the truths found in biblical Christianity. Bush organizes his exposition into eight chapters, which sets out to dismantle the modern naturalistic worldview. Early on within the book, Bush adopts the phrase â€Å"Advancement† which he uses to describe the naturalistic philosophy for inevitable progress within the modernist worldview. Advancement, as Bush explains, is an applicable term for both modernist and post-modernist philosophies. The modernist worldview  blends natural historic development with inevitable progress and Bush describes this view is moving into uncertainty, because of its relativistic nature that only lead to chaos. Bush traces these worldviews throughout human history and details the development of modern naturalistic thought. The book reveals humanity’s view of epistemology has changed from the view of a world created by an all-powerful creator God to a random creation brought on by a series of happenstances, which lead to the creation of all life that inhabits the world. The author defines the modernist worldview through the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and up through the enlightenment philosophers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Furthermore, Bush compares the significant differences between the Christian and modernist worldview. This comparison reveals instability is found in the relative naturalistic worldview, and stability is present in Christianity. The Advancement focuses on the unchanging God of the Bible who offers stability unlike naturalism, which only offers inevitable chaos. Bush details the rise of the scientific method and Darwinian evolution within progressive society, which inaugurates the decline of the Christian majority in modern society. The result of the advancement thought process created a theme within society that God was no longer in existence or that God had died. The process of events within the history of the world began to be viewed as the results of accidents within a complicated process. Bush details un der the modernist worldview there is no objectivity because the mind is merely a result of random processes. Moreover, Bush notes the turning point from a dominion Christian worldview to the naturalistic worldview began with the introduction of Deism within the church. The author presents the theological ramifications of blending the Christian faith with naturalism in an attempt to reconcile the two worldviews. According to Bush, the fallacy in the modern worldview is exposed through his presentation of the â€Å"Ten Axioms of Modern Scientific Thought.† These axioms define how modern naturalism understands reality and how other sciences build their assumptions on its data. Bush concludes his book by detailing the reason why the advancement worldview must be rejected in light of the biblical worldview. Bush writes the antidote for the effects of the advancement worldview is authentic Christianity. The stability of Christianity is the only answer to the relative and erratic naturalist view. Book Critique Bush’s thesis within his book was the view that stability is found in the biblical view of the created world, which presents itself in rational order. Bush argues the naturalistic view relies on changing and erratic scientific reason, which creates an environment of instability. The Advancement disassembles the philosophy of naturalism in a matter that can be easily understood by those outside of academia. The Advancement presents several strong arguments regarding Bush’s claims on modern naturalism. Bush’s strongest argument lies within his view that the modern naturist worldview as relative and deceitful. The presentation of the logical conclusion of the evolutionary worldview, which led to the Nazi movement in Germany, was an extremely powerful way to expose the logical trappings of this advancement mindset. The gauge in which humanity views its progress and achievement through naturalistic thought is subjective and skewed to this atheistic philosophy. Bush unveils advancement thinking as false by revealing the lack of inevitable progress within human history. The continued advancement of science and technology does not create the utopian world envisioned by those who proclaim the modern naturalist worldview. Bush smartly presents the problem with medicine that despite the great achievement perceived by humanity there is still the presence of disease equal to the levels in times past. Bush’s use of the â€Å"Ten Axioms of Modern Scientific Thought† defines the science of naturalistic thinking and demonstrates how other scientific disciplines build their assumptions regarding evolutionary theory, which is based on this data. Another strength Bush presents can be found in his final chapter when he presents Jesus Christ as Lord. Bush finalizes his apologetic in a matter that every Christian should end with when engaging in apologetics, which is a focus on Christ. Bush presents Christ as the focus of truth regarding God and the world. This presentation of Christ gives those engaged in the apologetic argument a chance to hear the gospel and understand the absolute truth found in Christ. However, The Advancement presents several weaknesses, which may be difficult for a reader to understand regarding the themes within Bush’s book. Bush  uses multiple terms, often interchangeability, for his invented term â€Å"Advancement.† â€Å"Advancement† defined by Bush describes a hybrid of naturalistic modern thinking, but Bush does not utilize this term throughout the book. Moreover, the term used in the subtitle of this book the â€Å"evolutionary age† is not clearly defined or used, which may provide a level of confusion for those unfamiliar with the term. Bush alludes to a post-Christian age in which the creationist view held by many within the western world has fallen to the wayside for the modern view of naturalistic evolution, but he does not expressly use the term evolutionary age. Although, this is not a scientific book Bush does not define the advancement sciences that have led modern society away from God. A Christian should be able to use this book to engage in an apologetic debate on the philosophical grounds of modern naturalism with an evolutionist and be able to expose the fallacies and ramifications encapsulated within that worldview. However, Bush’s work would not be applicable for a scientific debate on the merits of creationism verse evolutionary theory. Conclusion The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age presents a valuable and sound argument for the Christian worldview when compared to the worldview of modern naturalism. This book answers questions for those interested in the failings of modern naturalism when compared to Christianity and defeats the idea of man’s inevitable advancement within this worldview. The naturalistic worldview incorrectly measures scientific and technological advancements and claims these advancements are progressing for the betterment of humanity. Bush assaults the ideas of natural theology by revealing the lack of inevitable progress. Furthermore, he reveals the tradition Christian view of God and the world can be compatible with science. This book would be a value for any student of apologetics, who is interested in an introduction into the deception of a modern naturalistic worldview. However, this book does not provide the detail needed to argue from a scientific position on the merits of the Christian understanding of nature and the created world. Bibliography Bush, L. Russ. The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group. 2003.

My Favorite Time of Year Essay

My favorite time of the year is naturally the time when I have the most fun. To me, that time of the year falls during the December holidays, or rather, it starts during the last term of school. It may sound strange of me to include the period of examinations. But I like the way teachers leave us, students, by ourselves to do our own revision. There is hardly any homework to be done but there is a lot of studying to take up our time. Finally, when the examinations are over, we can all heave a joyful sigh of relief and look forward to the seemingly eternal holidays stretching out before us. Just before school breaks up for the holidays, there are a host of post-examination activities, among which is mass dancing in the school hall. This is something I enjoy very much as I get to dance to the newest pop music with all my friends. The opportunity to â€Å"break-free† from serious activities of school and to sing and dance there is a truly welcome event. The last day of school comes and goes and the holidays start. The first thing I do is to go to the library and borrow as many books as possible to fill my holidays. I simply love reading book after book without having to worry about putting aside time for schoolwork. I make it a habit to read books of a particular author each holiday. Within the second week of the holidays my birthday arrives, I enjoy helping my mother prepare my favorite food for my birthday. I do not have big birthday parties. My birthday is celebrated within the family and I eat all my favorite food, with several helpings. Of course, I enjoy receiving presents and birthday cards from family members and friends. December is cool in Singapore and that is one reason why I appreciate the month so much. I do not like hot sunny. Christmas also makes the season all the more exciting. It would be impossible for me to sit at home and just read when so much is going on outside. Therefore, my friends and I take trips to Orchard Road, adding to the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. We do not buy anything but just window shop leisurely and watch the excitement of Christmas shoppers. Orchard Road is illuminated with colorful lights for Christmas. I usually view these lights twice; once before Christmas and once after, sometimes cruising along Orchard Road with my neighbor’s family in a rented van, alongside an ordered mass of other slow-moving vehicles. We usually have a good time on these trips, joking and laughing. Programs based on Christmas are also shown on television to add more joy to the season. I never tire of watching the animated cartoons or motion pictures of classics like â€Å"A Christmas Carol† by Charles Dickens. Finally, after Christmas, I have to start buying my school-books for the new academic year. These books have â€Å"off the press† smell which makes me feel that I have to work hard the following year and make good use of these brand new and precious books which no one has ever used before. The last day of the holidays is the end of my favorite time of the year and school starts the following day. I fell excited, but I also know that once school starts I would be caught up with work. However, I do know that the days will fly by so fast that I shall experience my favorite time of the year all over again.

International Terrorism and Global Politics Essay

In the 21st century, it would seem that the term â€Å"terrorist† has become an all encompassing description of anyone whom civilized people feel is a threat to innocent civilians, domestic tranquility, and the everyday life that most people take for granted. Government officials declare â€Å"war on terrorism† and the like. Expanding upon, and deviating from the typical definition of a terrorist, Charles W. Kegley’s 2002 edition, The New Global Terrorism: Characteristics, Causes, Controls, contains a chapter entitled â€Å"Is There a Good Terrorist? †, which asserts that one nation’s terrorist may fairly be considered another nation’s patriot. This paper will maintain the argument that no terrorist is a â€Å"good terrorist†, in contrast to the presentation of Kegley in his volume. Defining Terrorism To begin, a valid argument can be made against so-called â€Å"good† terrorists by establishing a baseline definition of terrorism. In some of his other writings, Kegley has maintained that one of the problems in condemning terrorists is that the act of terrorism itself is so hard to define; in other words, as was mentioned previously, a terrorist may not be considered a terrorist by everyone, because ultimately, some group of people or nation is supposedly benefitting from the terror inflicted on another group. However, by fine tuning the definition of a terrorist, it will be possible to reinforce and build upon the argument of this paper- that there is no such thing as a good terrorist. In order to make that assertion solid and tenable, one must realize that the term terrorism should in fact refer to acts of violence, war or sabotage inflicted upon innocent civilian populations by a person or persons not affiliated with an organized army and outside of the scope of declared warfare. Within this context, we are not talking about the soldier who serves his country by defeating enemies in combat, but we are talking about extremists who detonate car bombs near schools and hospitals. In using this definition, it is possible to further bolster the argument. Terrorism is about Targets as Well as Intentions A second assertion that can be made in critique of Kegley’s presentation comes from a discussion of the issue of the targets of terrorism as well as the intentions of terrorists, as earlier defined. For example, a terrorist, for all of his claims that he is trying to free other people from the oppression of another group, change a bad situation, avenge previous wrongs and the like, is violating international law as well as the basic moral codes when the terrorist inflicts casualties among defenseless civilians, such as when terrorists launch attacks on religious centers, public places or even private residential areas, there is a tremendous wrong being done, no matter what noble cause the terrorist claims to support or advance. Simply put, the means do not justify the end. A Fine Line between Patriotism and Vigilantism A key point continues to echo throughout this research- the fine line between defeating enemies and violating the written and unwritten laws of humanity. Indeed, one could make the argument, for example, that the founders of the United States in some ways inflicted terrorism according to our previously stated definition, for many of them were un-uniformed, taking up arms against an organized, sovereign government, no matter how noble the cause was for which they were fighting. However, when looking at terrorists in regard to being those who step over the line of legality and morality for the sake of their causes, again the message returns that there must be at least some level of decency in the world, even among those who adamantly oppose one another, for if opposing groups are allowed to continually launch terror attacks upon each other, all of humanity will soon degrade to chaos and anarchy, serving no one’s interests. Indeed, it is morally, ethically and legally wrong for people to take the law into their own hands; therefore, all potential or actual terrorist acts must be dealt with in the harshest possible terms. Conclusion In this paper, the argument has been made and supported that there is no such thing as a good terrorist, no matter what the intentions, motivations or goals of the terrorist, keeping in mind that there are certain criteria which define what makes a terrorist. Therefore, it must be remembered that patriots are not those who blow up women and children, poison reservoirs or destroy public gathering places, nor are those who wear the uniform of their country and fight in declared wars terrorists. Once that differentiation is made and adhered to, all of humanity will be all the better for it. Conversely, if we allow these grey areas to exist where a potential terrorist thinks they will receive rewards, either in this world or the one to come, the death toll of innocents will continue to swell. Hopefully, this key distinction will be realized by the people of the world before it is too late.

Vodafone Finance Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Vodafone Finance Report - Case Study Example According to Reuters (2005) analysts' opinion, the company is outperforming currently (financial ratios provided can be seen in Appendix 1). The group turnover was 34,133 m on the year ended March 31, 2005, which was 33,559 in 2004 and 30,375 in 2003 (Vodafone Annual Report, 2005, p. 78). Presented in percentage, the growth of turnover in 2003/04 was 10.4% and in 2004/05 it was 1.7%. The rise of the group turnover represents the addition of new customers and the increase of revenue from value added services. Looking at the five-year annual growth of turnover given on the diagram 1 it can be easily seen that the company's rate of expansion is decreasing. During previous years the company was rapidly expanding due attraction of new customers; now the customer audience of Vodafone is stable. The interim results of six months ended September 30, 2005 show that the group turnover has increased 9% to 18,250 m (Reuters, 2005). Reasonably the cost of sales in 2005 has increased along with the group turnover, leading to the gross profit of 13,380 m. In 2004 gross profit was 14,098 m and in 2003 it was 12,479 m (Vodafone Annual Report, 2005, p. 88). This gives us the ability to evaluate gross profit margin providing us with the information on how much of the group turnover can cover the non-operational costs by dividing gross profit on group turnover. The following diagram shows the three-year perspective. As can be seen there is hardly a trend can be outlined, but it can be concluded that the gross profit margin has fallen to 39.19%, indicating the rise of operating costs. Diagram 2: Gross profit margin (%) The group's operating loss was 5,304 m, 4,842 m, 5,052 m in 2005, 2004, and 2003 respectively (Vodafone Annual Report, 2005, p. 78). Thus we can calculate the net profit margin, showing us basically the percentage of profit earned on sales, or in this case the percentage of losses lost on sales. Basically, net profit margin shows the profitability of the company. It is found by dividing operating profit (loss) on group turnover. The next diagram shows the net profit margin of three years. As can be seen the previous year 2004 was more profitable for Vodafone than 2005. Additionally Reuters (2005) report of net income 23% decrease to 2,780 m in the first half of 2006. The reasons of the decreasing profitability are increased operating costs, administrative expenses and a decrease of non-operating income. Diagram 3: Net profit margin (%) Liquidity Liquidity is important for the company as it reflects the ability of meeting its liabilities. High liquidity can detract from profits, because liquid assets are low returning investments. Low liquidity stunts company's growth and eventually leads to bankruptcy. Liquidity ratio is measured with dividing the current assets of the company by the its current liabilities. Current assets of Vodafone were 11,794 m and 13,149 m in 2005 and 2004 respectively (Vodafone Annual Report, 2005, p. 79). Current liabilities to creditors were 14,837 m in 2005 and 15,026 m in 2004 (Vodafone Annual Report, 2005, p. 79). The comparison of liquidity ratios for 2004-2005 can be found in the following table. Along with current ratio there is a quick ratio, which shows the ability of a company to repay its liabilities with cash only excluding inventory assets (sales of inventory are often

An international expansion plan for Nestle Essay

An international expansion plan for Nestle - Essay Example At the same time, these business organisations have also been facing certain challenges, such as increasing competition from local as well as global business organisations, which has limited their ability to exploit the prospects existing in the potential foreign markets. Correspondingly, the business organisations engaged in conducting operations in the global context are required to develop appropriate international expansion planning in order to enter into new market segments and to avail the opportunities lying in the new market in the best possible manner. Developing ideal international expansion plan is therefore essential for ensuring long-term sustainability and success of the business organisations (Twarowska & Kakol, 2013). Correspondingly, this paper intends to develop an international expansion plan for Nestle, the American leading nutrition, health and wellness multinational company, for launching its lately introduced product, â€Å"Jamba All-Natural Energy Drink† in the Australian market.Expansion into a new market is considered to be the vital step for progression for every business as it not only provides an opportunity to gain more financial resources but also helps in expanding its brand awareness. Jamba All-Natural Energy Drink is considered to be one of the most renowned drinks in America which is manufactured in collaboration amid Nestle and Jamba. In this aspect, Australia has been selected as the market for expanding a line of business as it is amongst those countries which is regarded as one of the best markets for expanding a business that manufactures energy drink. From the evaluation, it has been revealed that Australia is an economically stable nation for business expansion and it provides ample opportunities for making sustainable progression with greater demand for energy drinks. However, there are certain key competitors that can pose a threat for the business. It is further determined that Jamba All-Natural Energy Drink c an leverage proper help from Australian Trade Commission to expand its business in the nation by locating prospective options. In summary, it can be affirmed that business expansion to Australia can facilitate Jamba All-Natural Energy Drink to establish its presence in global platform as well. A) A Description of the Product or Service The lives of today’s people are considered to be very hectic in comparison with how people lived decades ago. People tend to buy products that would help them both physically as well as mentally to cope up the increasing pressure in one’s personal and professional life. In this regard, energy drinks are considered to be one such product that tends to provide mental and physical stimulation to an individual. With the advent of globalisation and the growing adaption of energy drink

Cost Effectiveness Evaluation of Villa at Royal Commission in Jubail Literature review

Cost Effectiveness Evaluation of Villa at Royal Commission in Jubail - Literature review Example 2000 p. 15). Measures of effectiveness are also in relations with the achieved results of the designed project. This success factor is represented by the budget, time, quality, client satisfaction, user satisfaction, operational assurance, and learning and exploitation. According to the Roshana Takim’s Analysis of Effectiveness Measures of Construction Project Success in Malaysia, effectiveness is synonymous with success, the degree to which the project objectives are achieved. Therefore effectiveness is the extent to which the project budget, time, and technical specification and mission are met. Project success which is synonymous with its effectiveness is hence measured against the top project priority objectives in terms of the project time, project quality, project cost, and project mission. On the other hand, efficiency is broadly mastered as output maximization for a particular level of resources or input. In this regard, effectiveness of a project is directed towards a ccomplishing the objectives and goals of the project. Project success is therefore identified in terms of measures of efficiency and effectiveness. This is adherence to the budget scheduled and the basic expectations of project performance. ... Effectiveness is hence vital to a project as it deals with the project outcomes. Project will hence be termed effective if it accomplishes its objectives. The basis of the monitoring project performance is costs, time and resources and how the variables help achieve success in completion. Project success or effectiveness has two components, that is, project product success and project management success (Vince & Iranmanesh, 2008). We can therefore infer that cost effectiveness of the Villa at Royal Commission in Jubail, can be achieved through ensuring that the project fits within the proposed budget, is delivered in time, and is within the specification of the project plan. Quality is an important aspect of satisfaction. We can therefore consider that the satisfaction of the clients should be based on the comfort of the clients. If the construction of the Villa is based on the prescribed conditions and using the mentioned construction components, then the Villa would possibly satisf y the clients and hence achieve cost effectiveness in building construction. Achievement of cost effectiveness in the Villa at Royal Commission in Jubail would be done right from planning and scheduling of the process of the project. It is also important and necessary to schedule activities and develop a work-based structure in order to identify the shortest time possible for completing the project to enable the deliverables be delivered within the time stipulated for the project (Zeng, 2002 p. 25). The cost effectiveness of a project is therefore a combination of time, budget, and quality specifications. The cost of construction and resources also make but of the

Hatian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hatian Revolution - Essay Example The army had fought great wars against the armies of Britain, Spain and France, defeating them all in a span of thirteen years. Like the American independence war and the French revolution several decades earlier, Haiti revolution had its basis on the principal of self-rule and termination of cruelty from white masters. The American war of independence was against subjugation by colonialists, with proponents claiming that no country was superior to the other. The principal concern was lack of representation in governments while the Americans were paying taxes to their German and Britain colonists, a practice that amounted to subjugation of their rights. The French revolution on the other hand was an extension of the self-rule principle from nation state relations to the domestic spheres. Their basic tenet was that all citizens in a state were superior to the state itself and that no man was superior to the other. Whereas these two revolutions form the basis for freedom fights, they b oth centred on rights and freedoms of white men only and did not extent to non-whites or to women. Ironically, the Haiti revolution was against slavery and misrule by French and American among other white countries including Spain and Britain. With large farmlands and other economic activities in their colonies, white rulers mistreated local residents and black slaves whom they forced to work under very demeaning conditions (Sara 45). Once a free independent nation, the urge to avenge against the French colonialists drove the new government under the rule of Dessalines to order a total elimination of all white French settlers on the island under the pretext that they posed security risk to the young nation. This venture spared Americans and other foreigners, but led to extermination of thousands of white Frenchmen, women and children. The extend of Dessalines’s ire towards former French settlers surfaced in his â€Å"liberty or death† proclamation where he described wh ite Frenchmen as insatiate blood suckers who had fattened themselves with the hard toils of Haitians. Dessalines destroyed a considerable size of the island’s population in unleashing revenge on the remaining white French settlers. Population estimates indicate that a third to half of the population had died or fled the island over the thirteen years of war while over a hundred thousand were permanently disabled (Sara 33). The revolution period also saw sugarcane plantations, mills, and irrigation works destroyed, burned out or abandoned. The large standing army also kept productive men out of the fields. Dessalines declaration that no Haitian soldier could work on the fields left the fields short of close to forty thousand productive workers. Further, after thirteen years of fighting, the habit of hard work had diminished among the Haitian population. Women who had previously worked as slaves on the field continued to fill that role after independence, contributing essential ly the bulk of Haiti’s productivity, since they constituted over two thirds of the population (Leyburn 77). They however too abandoned this form of manual labour, taking up small scale trading instead. Without devoted and willing labourers on the fields, Haiti’s productivity took a serious dip down the drain. It is estimated that between 1789 and 1801 sugarcane production declined by 80%, while coffee production declined to 30% compared to production before the revolution begun. With this kind of decline in major economic production sectors, the viability of the nation and its economic future were in great peril. Realising the need to improve the island’

Free Will vs. Determinism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Free Will vs. Determinism - Essay Example The other argument for determinism is causation, or causes and effects. This argument depends on relationships that should happen with the same results every time, such as a baseball breaking a window, breaking the window. Basing on this, everything in the universe has a cause. And if all the causes and the events were known, then it would be possible to easily predict the future. If everything can be foreseen, then this proves that nothing that anyone does can change the courses ÃŽ ¿f the future. This, ÃŽ ¿f course, is not possible. If determinism were true, no person would be able to change his actions, therefore no one could ever be held morally responsible for his own actions. Common sense says that we can change our actions by our own choice. (Slife 80-107) Everyone in this world has common sense. In this argument determinism is definitely not true. One can want to do something, but from past experiences, can stop and not do the actions he had planned. A thief, who finally got caught and suffered two awful years in prison, can decide to not steal after seeing a desirable pair ÃŽ ¿f pants lying openly on a rack. He can restrain himself from doing wrong, after realizing from past consequences. This leads to the next argument. We can and have overcome our desires and inclinations. Both common sense and fact show that we can actively change our behavior. Yet a determinist would say that we only perceive that we can change our actions and behavior. But, that too, is false. Before, I wanted an expensive shirt tha t I really, really liked, but I, then, remembered the last time I bought a shirt that expensive, begging on my knees to my mom to buy it for me, and I rarely wore it. That made my mom really mad. This would leave me to not buy that desirable shirt, changing my actions (I really have not bought an expensive shirt, after that incident ). Free will states that we do not feel forced to act. At the time ÃŽ ¿f a

Fast Moving Consumer Goods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fast Moving Consumer Goods - Essay Example This essay demonstrates that at the same time, they develop trust and loyalty towards their brands. Due to the dynamic changes that FMCG companies operate in, penetrating the UK, and their supermarket has been a challenge. There has been a success and at the same time failures, this depending on the strategies employed in promoting the products. A specialized team appointed by Zeal Creative undertaking consultancy on various issues concerning FMCG companies in UK supermarkets found that different approaches, in communicating to customers, has been the key to either success or market failure. in consultancy, different products are to be sampled from leading supermarkets in the United Kingdom and strategies that various FMCG companies used and how best the succeeded in implementing these communication avenues. The consultancy working for Zeal Creatives conducted both primary and secondary research looking into the newspaper, company financial reports, marketing website and any other re levant research material that could help the consultancy analyze the reasons for success or failure of penetration into UK supermarkets. The research covers and analyses both in of the store and out of store communications. The research is interested in all UK supermarkets and using both the primary and secondary data the research focuses on the best practices to be adopted by FMCG companies. This is key to prior identification of the big winners and losers in terms of market penetration. The report sampled companies such as ASDA, Bacardi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Weetabix and, Johnson & Johnson. These companies both within the five years of concern used various strategies in communicating with their customers. Various in of the store and out of store communications approaches will be analyzed, and informed judgment made on the best approach applicable in future.  

Impact of christianity Essay Example for Free

Impact of christianity Essay Christian dogmas have always been intertwined with philosophy regardless of the fact that most of the time both philosophers and theologians had polar opinions associated with religion and philosophy respectively. The first mentioning of philosophy in the Bible was encountered in the New Testament: See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8) Nevertheless, one of the earliest Christian representatives Tertullian always disagreed with the combination of ordinary temporal philosophical views and spiritual exalted religious dogmas. To the contrary, another religious thinker St. Augustine of Hippo defended the idea of inter-complementation of abstract science and Christian faith only in case of their mutual compatibility. St. Thomas Aquinas made great contribution to the Christianity’s impact on philosophy, as he was the first to distinguish these two important sectors of human perception of surrounding environment. He claimed that o Owing to philosophy information is being received through basic sensory functions: smell, touch, vision, hearing, and taste. Also, it is possible to prove and check the data according to laws of physics initially based on philosophy as well. o Owing to Christianity, information is not something to be proved or argued. It is to be accepted axiomatically especially when it is closely connected with God and Divine. After the Middle Ages the double nature of Jesus Christ (divine and human) was put in doubt and required explicit evidence regarding the origin and function of God. Philosophy could not succeed in answering this question, as the notions of humanity and divinity do not logically coincide with each other. Therefore, certain attempts were made with the help of Christianity to resolve the issue of imbalance. Thus, we need to mention three major reasons why philosophy was isolated from Christianity. ? First of all, philosophers from English-speaking world were predominantly atheists and rejected all spiritual and divine aspects of human activity. They required strong logical evidence and proof for subjects of their investigation and discussion ? Secondly, rejecting Christian dogmas philosophers were constantly seeking alternative ways to find proof for their arguments and new methods and evidences hidden in other religions.? Thirdly, philosophers believed that the language of religion and theology is too incoherent, irrational, and inconsistent that the meaning, no matter how important or of current importance it may be, loses its significance. Philosophical issues that have become Christianized include: ? Trinity: it was no clear for many thinkers why God consisted of three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the 7th century the Council of Toledo announced: â€Å"we may say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; but they are not three Gods, he is one God†. Similar to how a solar system may consist of numerous cosmic bodies. ? Sacrifice and atonement: philosophers believed that one punishment is enough to give birth to another, which is not always fair. However, Christianity responded by proving that punishment has moral nature and it is not something that exceptionally deals with evil. In conclusion, we may add that Christianity had a great impact on philosophy since early times. References Moore, N. B. , Bruder, K. (2004). Philosophy: The Power of Ideas. 6th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities.

What is a project?

What is a project? Project Characteristics A project can be defined as a temporary endeavor that is undertaken to create a unique result, which can be a product or a service. There are some terms in this definition, which have to be defined themselves. The main ones are temporary and unique result. The term temporary means that every project must has a definite beginning and a definite end. The end would be reached when the projects objectives have all been achieved, or it becomes clear for us that the project objectives cannot or will not be met, or the former need for the project no longer exists. All of these result in the termination of project. Temporary does not necessarily mean short in duration; many projects can last for several years. In every case, however, the duration of a project is finite. Projects are not ongoing efforts. In addition, temporary does not generally apply to the product, service or result created by the project. Most projects are undertaken to create a lasting outcome. For example, a project to erect a national monument will create a result expected to last centuries. Projects also may often have intended and unintended social, economic and environmental impacts that far outlast the projects themselves. The temporary nature of projects may apply to other aspects of the endeavor as well: The opportunity or market window is usually temporary-some projects have a limited time frame in which to produce their product or service. The project team, as a working unit, seldom outlives the project-a team created for the sole purpose of performing the project will perform that project, and then the team is disbanded and the team members reassigned when the project ends. Unique Products, Services, Or Results A project creates unique deliverables, which are products, services, or results. Projects can create: A product or artifact that is produced, is quantifiable, and can be either an end item in itself or a component item A capability to perform a service, such as business functions supporting production or distribution A result, such as outcomes or documents. For example, a research project develops knowledge that can be used to determine whether or not a trend is present or a new process will benefit society. Uniqueness is an important characteristic of project deliverables. For example, many thousands of office buildings have been developed, but each individual facility is unique-different owner, different design, different location, different contractors, and so on. The presence of repetitive elements does not change the fundamental uniqueness of the project work. Progressive Elaboration Progressive elaboration is a characteristic of projects that accompanies the concepts of temporary and unique. Progressive elaboration means developing in steps, and continuing by increments. For example, the project scope will be broadly described early in the project and made more explicit and detailed as the project team develops a better and more complete understanding of the objectives and deliverables. Progressive elaboration should not be confused with scope creep. Progressive elaboration of a projects specifications needs to be carefully coordinated with proper project scope definition, particularly if the project is performed under contract. When properly defined, the scope of the project-the work to be done-should be controlled as the project and product specifications are progressively elaborated. Projects And Strategic Planning Projects are a means of organizing activities that cannot be addressed within the organizations normal operational limits. Projects are, therefore, often utilized as a means of achieving an organizations strategic plan, whether the project team is employed by the organization or is a contracted service provider. Projects are typically authorized as a result of one or more of the following strategic considerations: A market demand (e.g., an oil company authorizes a project to build a new refinery in response to chronic gasoline shortages) An organizational need (e.g., a training company authorizes a project to create a new course in order to increase its revenues) A customer request (e.g., an electric utility authorizes a project to build a new substation to serve a new industrial park) A technological advance (e.g., a software firm authorizes a new project to develop a new generation of video games after the introduction of new game- playing equipment by electronics firms) A legal requirement (e.g., a paint manufacturer authorizes a project to establish guidelines for the handling of a new toxic material). What Is Project Management? Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the application and integration of the project management processes of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. The project manager is the person responsible for accomplishing the project objectives. Managing a project includes: Identifying requirements Establishing clear and achievable objectives Balancing the competing demands for quality, scope, time and cost Adapting the specifications, plans, and approach to the different concerns and expectations of the various stakeholders. Project managers often talk of a triple constraint-project scope, time and cost-in managing competing project requirements. Project quality is affected by balancing these three factors. High quality projects deliver the required product, service or result within scope, on time, and within budget. The relationship among these factors is such that if any one of the three factors changes, at least one other factor is likely to be affected. Project managers also manage projects in response to uncertainty. Project risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on at least one project objective. It is important to note that many of the processes within project management are iterative because of the existence of, and necessity for, progressive elaboration in a project throughout the projects life cycle. That is, as a project management team learns more about a project, the team can then manage to a greater level of detail. The term project management is sometimes used to describe an organizational or managerial approach to the management of projects and some ongoing operations, which can be redefined as projects, that is also referred to as management by projects. There has been a tendency in recent years to manage more activities in more application areas using project management. More organizations are using management by project. This is not to say that all operations can or should be organized into projects. The adoption of management by project is also related to the adoption of an organizational culture that is close to the project management. Although, an understanding of project management is critical to an organization that is using management by projects, a detailed discussion of the approach itself is outside the scope of this standard. The Project Management Knowledge Areas The Project Management Knowledge Areas, organizes the 44 project management processes from the Project Management Process Groups into nine Knowledge Areas, as described below. Project Integration Management: describes the processes and activities that integrate the various elements of project management, which are identified, defined, combined, unified and coordinated within the Project Management Process Groups. It consists of the Develop Project Charter, Develop Preliminary Project Scope Statement, Develop Project Management Plan, Direct and Manage Project Execution, Monitor and Control Project Work, Integrated Change Control, and Close Project project management processes. Project Scope Management: describes the processes involved in ascertaining that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully. It consists of the Scope Planning, Scope Definition, Create WBS, Scope Verification, and Scope Control project management processes. Project Time Management: describes the processes concerning the timely completion of the project. It consists of the Activity Definition, Activity Sequencing, Activity Resource Estimating, Activity Duration Estimating, Schedule Development, and Schedule Control project management processes. Project Cost Management: describes the processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs so that the project is completed within the approved budget. It consists of the Cost Estimating, Cost Budgeting, and Cost Control project management processes. Project Quality Management: describes the processes involved in assuring that the project will satisfy the objectives for which it was undertaken. It consists of the Quality Planning, Perform Quality Assurance, and Perform Quality Control project management processes. Project Human Resource Management: describes the processes that organize and manage the project team. It consists of the Human Resource Planning, Acquire Project Team, Develop Project Team, and Manage Project Team project management processes. Project Communications Management: describes the processes concerning the timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage and ultimate disposition of project information. It consists of the Communications Planning, Information Distribution, Performance Reporting, and Manage Stakeholders project management processes. Project Risk Management: describes the processes concerned with conducting risk management on a project. It consists of the Risk Management Planning, Risk Identification, Qualitative Risk Analysis, Quantitative Risk Analysis, Risk Response Planning, and Risk Monitoring and Control project management processes. Project Procurement Management: describes the processes that purchase or acquire products, services or results, as well as contract management processes. It consists of the Plan Purchases and Acquisitions, Plan Contracting, Request Seller Responses, Select Sellers, Contract Administration, and Contract Closure project management processes. Figure 1-1. Overview of Project Management Knowledge Areas and Project Management Processes The Project Life Cycle Project managers or the organization can divide projects into phases to provide better management control with appropriate links to the ongoing operations of the performing organization. Collectively, these phases are known as the project life cycle. Many organizations identify a specific set of life cycles for use on all of their projects. Characteristics Of The Project Life Cycle The project life cycle defines the phases that connect the beginning of a project to its end. For example, when an organization identifies an opportunity to which it would like to respond, it will often authorize a feasibility study to decide whether it should undertake the project. The project life cycle definition can help the project manager clarify whether to treat the feasibility study as the first project phase or as a separate, stand-alone project. Where the outcome of such a preliminary effort is not clearly identifiable, it is best to treat such efforts as a separate project. The phases of a project life cycle are not the same as the Project Management Process Groups. The transition from one phase to another within a projects life cycle generally involves, and is usually defined by, some form of technical transfer or handoff. Deliverables from one phase are usually reviewed for completeness and accuracy and approved before work starts on the next phase. However, it is not uncommon for a phase to begin prior to the approval of the previous phases deliverables, when the risks involved are deemed acceptable. This practice of overlapping phases, normally done in sequence, is an example of the application of the schedule compression technique called fast tracking. There is no single best way to define an ideal project life cycle. Some organizations have established policies that standardize all projects with a single life cycle, while others allow the project management team to choose the most appropriate life cycle for the teams project. Further, industry common practices will often lead to the use of a preferred life cycle within that industry. Project life cycles generally define: What technical work to do in each phase (for example, in which phase should the architects work be performed?) When the deliverables are to be generated in each phase and how each deliverable is reviewed, verified, and validated Who is involved in each phase (for example, concurrent engineering requires that the implementers be involved with requirements and design) How to control and approve each phase. Project life cycle descriptions can be very general or very detailed. Highly detailed descriptions of life cycles can include forms, charts, and checklists to provide structure and control. Most project life cycles share a number of common characteristics: Phases are generally sequential and are usually defined by some form of technical information transfer or technical component handoff. Cost and staffing levels are low at the start, peak during the intermediate phases, and drop rapidly as the project draws to a conclusion. The level of uncertainty is highest and, hence, risk of failing to achieve the objectives is greatest at the start of the project. The certainty of completion generally gets progressively better as the project continues. The ability of the stakeholders to influence the final characteristics of the projects product and the final cost of the project is highest at the start, and gets progressively lower as the project continues. A major contributor to this phenomenon is that the cost of changes and correcting errors generally increases as the project continues. Although many project life cycles have similar phase names with similar deliverables, few life cycles are identical. Some can have four or five phases, but others may have nine or more. Single application areas are known to have significant variations. One organizations software development life cycle can have a single design phase, while another can have separate phases for architectural and detailed design. Subprojects can also have distinct project life cycles. For example, an architectural firm hired to design a new office building is first involved in the owners definition phase while doing the design, and in the owners implementation phase while supporting the construction effort. The architects design project, however, will have its own series of phases from conceptual development, through definition and implementation, to closure. The architect can even treat designing the facility and supporting the construction as separate projects, each with its own set of phases. Characteristics Of Project Phases The completion and approval of one or more deliverables characterizes a project phase. A deliverable is a measurable, verifiable work product such as a specification, feasibility study report, detailed design document, or working prototype. Some deliverables can correspond to the project management process, whereas others are the end products or components of the end products for which the project was conceived. The deliverables, and hence the phases, are part of a generally sequential process designed to ensure proper control of the project and to attain the desired product or service, which is the objective of the project. In any specific project, for reasons of size, complexity, level of risk, and cash flow constraints, phases can be further subdivided into subphases. Each subphase is aligned with one or more specific deliverables for monitoring and control. The majority of these subphase deliverables are related to the primary phase deliverable, and the phases typically take their names from these phase deliverables: requirements, design, build, test, startup, turnover, and others, as appropriate. A project phase is generally concluded with a review of the work accomplished and the deliverables to determine acceptance, whether extra work is still required, or whether the phase should be considered closed. A management review is often held to reach a decision to start the activities of the next phase without closing the current phase, for example, when the project manager chooses fast tracking as the course of action. Another example is when an information technology company chooses an iterative life cycle where more than one phase of the project might progress simultaneously. Requirements for a module can be gathered and analyzed before the module is designed and constructed. While analysis of a module is being done, the requirements gathering for another module could also start in parallel. Similarly, a phase can be closed without the decision to initiate any other phases. For example, the project is completed or the risk is deemed too great for the project to be allowed to continue. Formal phase completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phase. For effective control, each phase is formally initiated to produce a phase-dependent output of the Initiating Process Group, specifying what is allowed and expected for that phase, as shown in Figure 2-3. A phase-end review can be held with the explicit goals of obtaining authorization to close the current phase and to initiate the subsequent one. Sometimes both authorizations can be gained at one review. Phase-end reviews are also called phase exits, phase gates, or kill points. Project Management Processes The project management processes are presented as discrete elements with well- defined interfaces. However, in practice they overlap and interact in ways that are not completely detailed here. Most experienced project management practitioners recognize there is more than one way to manage a project. The specifics for a project are defined as objectives that must be accomplished based on complexity, risk, size, time frame, project teams experience, access to resources, amount of historical information, the organizations project management maturity, and industry and application area. The required Process Groups and their constituent processes are guides to apply appropriate project management knowledge and skills during the project. In addition, the application of the project management processes to a project is iterative and many processes are repeated and revised during the project. The project manager and the project team are responsible for determining what processes from the Proce ss Groups will be employed, by whom, and the degree of rigor that will be applied to the execution of those processes to achieve the desired project objective. An underlying concept for the interaction among the project management processes is the plan-do-check-act cycle. This cycle is linked by results   the result from one part of the cycle becomes the input to another. See Figure 3-1. The integrative nature of the Process Groups is more complex than the basic plan-do-check-act cycle (see Figure 3-2). However, the enhanced cycle can be applied to the interrelationships within and among the Process Groups. The Planning Process Group corresponds to the plan component of the plan-do-check-act cycle. The Executing Process Group corresponds to the do component and the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group corresponds to the check and act components. In addition, since management of a project is a finite effort, the Initiating Process Group starts these cycles and the Closing Process Group ends them. The integrative nature of project management requires the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group interaction with every aspect of the other Process Groups. Project Management Process Groups Mapped to the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle Project Management Process Groups There are five dependent Project Management Process Groups which are required for any project. These five Process Groups are performed in the same sequence on every project and are independent of application areas or industry focus. Individual Process Groups and constituent processes are often iterated prior to completing the project. Constituent processes can also have interactions both within a Process Group, and among all Process Groups. Process Groups Processes within the Process Groups Organizational Process Assets and Enterprise Environmental Factors, which are shown as inputs to and outputs from the Process Groups, and external to the processes Arrows or line arrows indicate data or process flow among or within the Process Groups. The process flow diagram, which is shown in Figure 3-4, provides an overall summary of the basic flow and interactions that happen among the Process Groups. An individual process may define and constrain the use of inputs to produce outputs for that Process Group. Each Process Group includes the constituent project management processes which are linked by the respective inputs and outputs; so the result or outcome of one process becomes the input to another. It is important to mention that The Process Groups are not project phases. All Process Group processes are normally repeated for each phase or subproject. The Process Groups are: Initiating Process Group: Defines and also authorizes the project, or a project phase. Planning Process Group: Defines and refines the objectives and plans the course of action that is required to attain the objectives and scope that the project has to address. Executing Process Group: Integrates resources (like people) to carry out the project management plan for the project. Monitoring and Controlling Process Group: Regularly measures and monitors progress to identify the variances from the project management plan to take the corrective when it is necessary to meet project objectives. Closing Process Group. Formalizes acceptance of the result (product or service) and brings the project (or a project phase) to an orderly end. Initiating Process Group The initiation processes determine the scope and nature of the project. If this stage is not done well, probably the project will not be successful in meeting its defined needs. The key project controls that are needed here are an understanding of the business environment, and also making sure that all of the necessary controls are incorporated. The failures have to be reported and a recommendation should be made for fixing them. The initiation stage should include a plan that covers the following areas: Analysis of the business requirements in measurable goals Review of the current operations Financial analysis of the costs and benefits containing a budget Stakeholder analysis and support personnel for the ongoing project Project charter containing costs, tasks, deliverables, and schedule Planning Process Group Following the initiation stage, the project is planned to a suitable level of detail. The main aim is to plan time, cost and resources sufficiently to estimate the work needed and to effectively manage the risk during project execution. Like the Initiation processes, a failure to adequately plan greatly decreases the projects chance of successfully accomplishing the goals. Project planning is generally consisted of the following: Finding out how to plan developing the scope statement; selecting the planning team; identifying the deliverables and creating the WBS; identifying the activities that are needed to complete the deliverables and networking the activities in their coherent sequence; estimating the resources required for the activities; estimating time and cost for activities; developing the schedule; developing the budget; risk planning; Getting the formal approval to begin work. For new product development projects, conceptual design of the operation of the final product may be performed simultaneous with the project planning activities, and can help to inform the planning team during identification of deliverables and planning activities. Executing Process Group Executing is consisted of the processes which are used to complete the work defined in the project management plan to gain the projects requirements. Execution process contains coordinating people and resources, as well as integrating and performing the activities of the project in accordance with the project management plan. The deliverables are then produced as outputs from the processes performed as is defined in the project management plan. Monitoring And Controlling Process Group Monitoring and controlling mainly consists of the processes that are performed for observation of project execution. Therefore, the potential problems can be easily identified in a timely manner and needed corrective action can be taken, to control the execution of the project. The key benefit is that project performance is observed on a regular basis to identify variances from the project management plan. Monitoring and Controlling process group includes: Measuring the current project activities; Monitoring the project variables (cost, effort, scope, etc.) with a look at the project management plan and the project performance baseline; Identifying needed corrective actions to address topics and risks properly; Influencing the factors that could circumvent structured change control so only approved changes are accepted and implemented In multi-phase projects, the monitoring and controlling process may also provide feedback between project phases for implementing corrective or preventive actions to bring the project in compliance with the project management plan. Project Maintenance is an ongoing process. Therefore, it includes: Ongoing support of end users Correcting errors Updating the software over time Monitoring And Controlling Cycle Over the trend of any construction project, the work scope might change. Change is an expected and normal part of the construction process. Change can be the result of necessary design modifications, differing site conditions, contractor-requested changes, material availability, value engineering and affects from third parties. Beyond executing the change in the field, the change needs to be documented to show what is actually constructed. This is referred to as Change Management. When changes are implemented to the project, the feasibility of the project has to be re-checked. It is important not to lose sight of the initial goals and targets of the projects. When the changes are collected, the forecasted result may not explain the original proposed investment in the project. Closing Process Group Closing includes the formal acceptance of the project and the ending thence. Managerial activities include the archiving of the files and documenting everything. This phase mainly consists of: Project close: Finalizing all activities across process groups to formally close the project Contract closure: Completing and settling each contract (including the resolution of any open items) and closing each contract applicable to the project or project phase Overview Of Project Risk Management Project Risk Management includes the processes concerned with conducting risk management planning, identification, analysis, responses, and monitoring and control on a project; most of these processes are updated throughout the project. The objectives of Project Risk Management are to increase the probability and impact of positive events, and decrease the probability and impact of events adverse to the project. Figure 11-1 provides an overview of the Project Risk Management processes, and Figure 11-2 provides a process flow diagram of those processes and their inputs, outputs, and other related Knowledge Area processes. The Project Risk Management processes include the following: 1. Risk Management Planning: deciding how to approach, plan, and execute the risk management activities for a project. 2. Risk Identification: determining which risks might affect the project and documenting their characteristics. 3. Qualitative Risk Analysis: prioritizing risks for subsequent further analysis or action by assessing and combining their probability of occurrence and impact. 4. Quantitative Risk Analysis: numerically analyzing the effect on overall project objectives of identified risks. 5. Risk Response Planning: developing options and actions to enhance opportunities, and to reduce threats to project objectives. 6. Risk Monitoring and Control: tracking identified risks, monitoring residual risks, identifying new risks, executing risk response plans, and evaluating their effectiveness throughout the project life cycle. These processes interact with each other and with the processes in the other Knowledge Areas as well. Each process can involve effort from one or more persons or groups of persons based on the needs of the project. Each process occurs at least once in every project and occurs in one or more project phases, if the project is divided into phases. Although the processes are presented here as discrete elements with well-defined interfaces, in practice they may overlap and interact in ways not detailed here. Process interactions are discussed in detail in Chapter 3. Project risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or a negative effect on at least one project objective, such as time, cost, scope, or quality (i.e., where the project time objective is to deliver in accordance with the agreed-upon schedule; where the project cost objective is to deliver within the agreed-upon cost; etc.). A risk may have one or more causes and, if it occurs, one or more impacts. For example, a cause may be requiring an environmental permit to do work, or having limited personnel assigned to design the project. The risk event is that the permitting agency may take longer than planned to issue a permit, or the design personnel available and assigned may not be adequate for the activity. If either of these uncertain events occurs, there may be an impact on the project cost, schedule, or performance. Risk conditions could include aspects of the projec

Marketing Plan for the Apple iPod :: Apple iPod Case Study

Assessment task Marketing Plan Apple Ipod Contents Executive Summary____________________________________________3 Situation Analysis -Market Analysis_______________________________________________3 -Product Analysis_______________________________________________4 -SWOT Analysis_______________________________________________ 4 -Competitor Analysis ___________________________________________ 6 Marketing Objectives__________________________________________ 7 Identifying Target Market -Selecting Target Market______________________________________7 -Target Market_________________________________________________7 Developing Marketing Strategies Marketing Mix: -Product____________________________________________________8 -Price______________________________________________________8 -Promotion___________________________________________________9 -Place_______________________________________________________9 Implementing the Marketing Plan__________________________________10 Monitoring and Controlling -Developing a Financial Forecast____________________________________10 -Comparing actual and planned results________________________________11 -Revising the marketing strategies____________________________________11 Appendix ______________________________________________________12 Appendix A_____________________________________________________13 Appendix B_____________________________________________________14 Appendix C_____________________________________________________15 Executive Summary The focus of this report is on new Apple Ipod product that has created increasing demands in various outlets. This product allows consumers to download not only their favourite music but also books and other literature which can be read and listened to. Additionally this Ipod can be used in your car and in other mobile settings. This report is for Apple to give a brief description of this product. Within this marketing report there is an insight of the situation analysis of this product, marketing objectives, the target market, marketing strategies that have been used and the forecasted strategies, monitoring and controlling. Situation Analysis Market Analysis Internal Influences -Management: Effective management is required for the training and development of employees for the continue innovation of Apple Ipod and for retraining sufficient funds during competitor introducing new product. -Capital Availability: Competition may cause mishap in the cash flow. Sufficient funds must be available when competitors unpredictably put forward their product in the market. -Technological Adoption: Technology must be adopted to improve overall efficiency. It must be integrated directly into operations (to increase productivity), as well stay on date with the amounts of IpodæŠ ¯ ordered, made and delivered. External Influences: -Competitors: Competitors will regulate what, when, how and why strategies will be adopted. The introduction of new products will greatly influence Apple Ipod. -Overseas Influences: The breaking down of barriers between countries can increase the sales of the new Apple Ipod, as more people are made aware of the product. -Demographic Patterns: Males and females from the age of 12years and over will be in favour of this product because of its new innovation to be able to not only play music but also books and other literature which would in fact appeal to them. Product Analysis Product Lifecycle X- The stage that Apple Ipod is currently in. Apple Ipod is currently in the growth stage, where more and more people are aware and purchasing the product, increasing product demand.

Terrorism, Patriotism and the Farce of the Pledge of Allegiance Essay

Terrorism, Patriotism and the Farce of the Pledge of Allegiance It is unfortunate that the terrorists did not attack and destroy the Pledge of Allegiance instead of the World Trade Center. But politicians and zealots have perverted "patriotism" to include a blind veneration of the United States based on an oversimplified conception that disregards current laws and social customs, a perversion evident in the idolatry performed regularly by most American citizens during the Pledge of Allegiance. When he authored the pledge in 1892, Christian Socialist and Baptist minister Francis Bellamy wanted to capture the spirit of indivisible union that the Civil War had validated a generation earlier. Bellamy was a radical of his time, however, and intended to emphasize the socialist principle of equality and a utopian, nationalist sensibility. This point has accumulated fine layers of irony with time, and I intend to show the extent to which the pledge is among the most ironic and troubling of texts. There are some intrinsic problems with Bellamy's original draft, which reads: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." But to do Bellamy justice, it should be noted that in 1923 and 1924, the National Flag Conference changed his "my Flag" to "the Flag of the United States of America," and Congress, influenced by the Knights of Columbus, more curiously added "under God." I will analyze the Pledge as it currently exists with the spirit of a vivisection. I want to show the dynamic affect of the Pledge on American consciousness and vice versa, and as usual I offer no anesthetic. "I pledge allegiance to the Fl... ... form a disgraceful lie, you need only eyes and the capacity for thought. Did Amadou Diallo receive justice? How do Native Americans feel about the pledge's insistence of universal liberty? What have homosexual faculty members and their partners, who have been told by the University that their unions, however legal, only constitute three-fifths of a marriage, to say about the pledge's notion of equality? We would love to believe that "liberty and justice for all" is a reality, but it unfortunately fails to constitute even a priority; our reciting makes it real only in the imagination, a daily narcotic liturgy that blunts our reaction to injustice and the violation of liberty. The greatest service that we can provide for our country and our people is to utilize our critical faculties and to resist appropriately, regardless of how "un-American" this use of reason seems.

The Importance of Character in Le Colonel Chabert :: Le Colonel Chabert

The Importance of Character in Le Colonel Chabert      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Le Colonel Chabert exhibits the relationship between strong and weak characters. The degree of strength within a character reflects how well the character survives in society. In society, weak characters often have no identity, profession or rank. Stronger characters have power to succeed from inner confidence, motivation and ambition. Any drastic changes brought to the body or soul by the environment corrupts that person's strength thereby affecting their ability to function properly in society. This comparison of characters gives an understanding of Balzac's pessimistic view of nineteenth century society. A character's strength and energy in the novel determines their survival in society. Colonel Chabert has been known to be a courageous hero in the past, "... je commandais un r‚giment de cavalerie †¦ Eylau. J'ai ‚t‚ beaucoup dans le succÃ…  es de la c‚lÃ…  bre charge..." Once he returns to Paris after his injury, he loses his identity and becomes the " weak character " of society. This is a rapid decline down the "ladder of success" and Chabert tries desperately to climb back up to the top, where he had been before. At the beginning of the novel, there is a vision of a slow non-energetic man walking progressively up the stairs to lawyer Derville's study which contrasts the boisterous energy of the clerks. Chabert reaches Derville's study and is determined to find the lawyer to help him find justice for his infortunes, "... me suis-je d‚termin‚ †¦ venir vous trouver. Je vous parlerai de mes malhers plus tard." Chabert demonstrates some energy left in him by his will to retrieve everything that he lost. This energy to gain back his power changes to furious and revengeful energy upon learning what his wife had done, "Les yeux de l'homme ‚nergique brillaient rallum‚s aux feux du d‚sir et de la vengeance." After a period of time, Chabert loses hope and bids farewell forever. He gives up his identity to become an unknown person as he realizes that his strength of character is not enough to keep him alive in this society. He sees himself weakening when seeing his wife and her children as he does not have the heart to break up her family. He tells his wife, "Je ne r‚clamerai jamais le nom que j'ai peut-ˆtre illustr‚. Je ne suis plus qu'un pauvre diable nomm‚ Hyancinthe.

Amanda Bynes Psychological Perspective Essay

The popular child star, Amanda Bynes, has recently gone through a wild child phase, as seen by committing several federal crimes, such as hitting and running, driving under the influence, and using illegal drugs. Bynes has recently been diagnosed with both Schizophrenia, and Bipolar Disorder. Finally, after several outrageous months, Bynes was, â€Å"placed under an involuntary hold,† known as the 5150 psychiatric hold, in Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Medical Center came to a conclusion and diagnosed Amanda Bynes with both, a bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Bynes’ disorder can be applicable based on several different perspectives such as the biological, and the social cognitive. Schizophrenia is a severe psychological disorder in which the person is categorized as having disturbed perceptions, inappropriate emotions and actions, disorganized, and delusional thoughts. Schizophrenia occurs due to dopamine over activity in the brain, biological predisposition, an d environmental stresses when in the mother’s womb. Bynes biological, schizophrenic symptoms included hallucination, disorganized speech, social withdrawal, and a sense that she was not truly part of the world. Bynes also suffers from a bipolar disorder that is also a genetic predisposition and is caused by three different brain chemicals, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, and abnormal brain circuit function. All the same, Schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders can be connected based on the dopamine chemical. On the other hand, the Freudian perspective believed that schizophrenia was truly several disorders, and was probably caused by the fact that the child did not successfully develop an attachment. Due to the fact that Bynes is actually diagnosed with more than one form of Schizophrenia, and with a bipolar disorder, Freud’s belief was right. All the same it is said that Bynes suffers a slight form of posttraumatic stress disorder after going through the pressures of stardom. Bynes never truly had parental figures as mentioned by a fox news source, â€Å"Amanda can’t make important decisions regarding her finances and welfare,† explained the source. â€Å"But her parents can’t either. Everything still needs  to go through Amanda lawyer and the judge.† The Neo-Freudian perspective believed much in the Freudian perspective, but placed a greater emphasize on childhood relationships. Based on the Neo-Freudian perspective the people who developed psychological disorders such as schizophrenia were love deprived. Based on Bynes’ history, the neo- Freudian perspective would apply based on the fact that she grew up on television without living a normal life and forming normal loving relationships. Growing up in the spotlight is not so easy, as portrayed by stars like Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, and Macaulay Culkin. The social cognitive perspective emphasizes this point. The social cognitive perspective emphasized the importa nce of how people process information, and how they apply that information when placed in a social environment. Based on research in both schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder we see how Bynes’ has a lack of social cognition. One of the symptoms that prove the social cognitive perspective is her need to be in a rehabilitation center due to the fact that she cannot be part of community. The behavior perspective suggests that all behaviors are learned. Based on the fact that Bynes grew up in stardom several celebrities went wild. Based on the behavior perspective Bynes’ paranoid schizophrenia could have also formed from all the paparazzi bombarding her. Existential psychology uses the study of phenomena, which are our feelings, relationships, thoughts ext. Existential psychology focuses on the inner conflicts a person, has based on confrontation with the world. All the same there are two existential dilemmas that include the balance between autonomy and connection, and the need to have a sense of self-security. For bipolar as well as schizophrenics existential psychology greatly affects the person. Before being admitted into rehab, Amanda Bynes was said to be suicidal, meaning that her thoughts on he r own existentialism were extremely low. All in all, we see how all of the six different perspective of Amanda Bynes’ can be of great use when diagnosing a psychological disorder.

American Idiot Essay

The song that I chose to write about is titled American Idiot by Green Day. This song was on Green Day’s album titled American Idiot. This album was originally released in 2004. American Idiot, the song, peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. My reason for choosing this song is that it talks about how the media runs society and how people shouldn’t let the media run their lives. The main social issue that is talked about in this song is how the media runs our lives and society. One of the lines in the song is â€Å"Don’t wanna be an American idiot, one nation controlled by the media. † This line refers to how people in America rely heavily on the media for everything. They trust every word that is printed in a newspaper or magazine or said on television without question. People hang on every word that is pumped through the media. I don’t consider this to be a personal problem because it refers to all people being controlled by the media. It is not as if the singer in the song is the only one that the media affects. Media is worldwide ways of letting people know what is going on around them. What Billy Joe Armstrong is saying throughout this song is that people need to realize is that not everything that a person hears is necessarily true and people should not panic just because of what the news says. Green Day is an American rock band that was formed in 1987. the group consists of three members: Billy Joe Armstrong(vocals), Tre` Cool(drums), and Mike Dirnt(bass). In 1988, they signed to Lookout Records and then in 1989 they released their first EP titled 1,000 Hours. However, the band didn’t have much success until it released the album Kerplunk in 1993. After Kerplunk’s success, Green Day proceeded to leave Lookout Records and sign with Reprise Records. In 1994, they released their first major label debut, Dookie. Over the next few years, Green Day would have much success but then decided to take a break in 1996. They returned in 1997. When they returned, they began to work on a new full-length album. This album was entitled Nimrod and was released in October of 1997. This album deviated from their normally pop-punk style of music and gave listeners a variety of music. They didn’t release another album until 2000 when they released Warning which further continued their new sound that they started with Nimrod. After releasing Warning, they were nominated for 8 awards in the California Music Awards. They won all eight awards. The band then continued their success over the next few years. In 2004 the band released American Idiot. And then in 2006 they won the Grammy for record of the year because of the track Boulevard of Broken Dreams which spent 16 weeks at the top of the charts. The lyrics to American Idiot are as follows: â€Å"Don’t wanna be an American idiot. Don’t want a nation under the new mania. And can you hear the sound of hysteria? The subliminal mindfuck America. Welcome to a new kind of tension. All across the alienation. Everything isn’t meant to be okay. Television dreams of tomorrow. We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow. For that’s enough to argue. Well maybe I’m the faggot America. I’m not a part of a redneck agenda. Now everybody do the propaganda. And sing along in the age of paranoia. Welcome to a new kind of tension. All across the alienation. Everything isn’t meant to be okay. Television dreams of tomorrow. We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow. For that’s enough to argue. Don’t wanna be an American idiot. One nation controlled by the media. Information age of hysteria. It’s calling out to idiot America. Welcome to a new kind of tension. All across the alienation. Everything isn’t meant to be okay. Television dreams of tomorrow. We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow. For that’s enough to argue. †

Analysis of Albert Ellis’s Life Experiences and Psychological Philosophies Essay

At the age of 12 his parents divorced (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Sheehy 1997). These two life-altering events were, in part, what led him to begin focusing his mind on understanding people (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Sheehy 1997). In junior high Albert Ellis dreamed of becoming a great novelist (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Sheehy 1997) but by the time he reached college age, he decided it might be more practical to become an accountant instead. However, he planned to retire by the age of 30 so that he could then take up writing at his own leisure (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Sheehy 1997). Due in part to the Great Depression, his goals changed but he did go on to graduate college in 1934 with a degree in business (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Sheehy 1997). After graduation he and his brother became entrepreneurs and started their own business. They sold pants purchased from the garment district (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Sheehy 1997). In 1938 a gift and novelty firm employed him as their personal manager. Some of his controversial articles included The Influence of Heterosexual Cultures on the Attitudes of Homosexuals (1951) and Prostitution Re-assessed (1951) both of these articles were written for the International Journal of Sexology (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis’ writings were groundbreaking material that opened the door to the sexual revolution of the 1960s and the gay and lesbian rights movement in the 1970’s (Ellis 1992). These writings were controversial at that time and may have stigmatized or put a negative label on Albert Ellis. However, these writings as well as references from his friends was how he formed his client base (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Ellis 2004). Most of Albert Ellis’ early clients were individuals and couples suffering from sex, love and marital problems (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 1992, , Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis also grew his private practice through publicity from his talks, workshops, radio, and television presentations which led to referrals from a number of psychologists with whom he had no personal relationship with (Ellis 1997). Besides maintaining a full-time private practice, Albert Ellis also found the time to become the first Chairman of the first Committee on Private Practice of the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Ellis 1997). During that time he conducted a study of the members of the American Psychological Association (Ellis 1997). This study showed that only 56% of the American Psychological Association members were engaged in some kind of paid private practice, and only 30% devoted 20 or more hours a week (Ellis 1997). Only a few individuals including Albert Ellis were in full-time private practices (Ellis 1997). Albert Ellis also worked with Reverend Ilsley Boone on a New York District Federal Court to legally sell nudist magazines (Ellis 1997)_. _ They lost the New York District Federal court case and immediately start working on a brief for the United States Supreme Court and alternately reversed and New York district Federal Court decision (Ellis 1997). This was a major victory for nudists across the country (Ellis 1997). Albert Ellis quickly became an â€Å"Idol† for many American nudists (Ellis 1997). Philosophical and Psychological Beliefs Albert Ellis experimented with various forms of psychotherapy keeping therapies that he believed work better than others and disregarded everything else. Albert Ellis began building his own therapeutic process and started questioning traditional Freudian psychoanalysis. In 1953 Albert Ellis started calling himself a â€Å"psychotherapist† instead of the traditional â€Å"psychoanalyst† label (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 1997, 2004). Albert Ellis thought that this change of title would separate him from the classical psychoanalytic practices (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 1997, 2004). Albert Ellis had a passion for reading early philosophy e. g. Epictetus and Spinoza (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 1992). Albert Ellis also read famous works from the leading psychologist of his time e. g. Alfred Adler and Karen Horney (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 1997, 2004). His study of philosophy and psychology also led him to become interested in understanding the philosophy of happiness. Albert Ellis came to the conclusion that if an individual’s basic needs were met, the individual would be happy. He found that basic needs were only part of the equation for personal happiness. Albert Ellis then focused on negative thoughts. Albert Ellis thought that if people had a rational philosophy of life they would rarely be emotionally disturbed (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 1997, 2004). Albert Ellis formulated a theory that psychological issues and emotional issues of the individual were causing the negative thoughts or what Albert Ellis called irrational beliefs (Ellis 1997, 2004). Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy Basics Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) is a therapy in which individuals change their perceived believes about perceived negative events. Albert Ellis acquired several disabilities such as diabetes, tired eyes, deficient hearing, as well as other physical handicaps (Ellis 1997). Albert Ellis used Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) to overcome his negative perceptions of his disabilities. † If you really accept it, and stop whining about it, you can turn some of its lemons into quite tasty lemonade† (Ellis 1997). Albert Ellis used rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT), on himself, in 1943 soon after he became a practicing psychologist (Ellis 1997, 2004). Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) is an important and useful therapy still used today. First, an individual must be aware of their irrational thoughts or explain to the individual that the way they perceive an event is irrational. Then, the individual must replace the irrational thought with rational thought. Finally the individual believes in â€Å"unconditional self acceptance (USA)† (Ellis 1997, 2004). Unconditional self acceptance (USA) is when an individual learns to accept and love their self for who they are rather than what they do. The unconditional self acceptance (USA) is reached when the low frustration tolerance (LFT) is raised and ultimately achieves high frustration tolerance (HFT) (Ellis 1997, 2004). The ABC’s of REBT Albert Ellis believed emotional problems that an individual suffers from are the link to a set of irrational beliefs held about themselves, others, and the world they live in. These rational beliefs perpetuate negative self talk in the individual’s consciousness. The negative self talk puts emphasis on â€Å"shoulds†, â€Å"oughts†, and â€Å"musts† of irrational thinking. Rational emotive behavioral therapy attempts to replace these irrational beliefs with new rational thoughts. The process of helping the client change their irrational believes is a two step process. The first step is setting up or choosing for themselves certain happiness producing values, purposes, goals, or ideals; and effective, flexible, scientific, logico-empirical [sic] ways to achieve these values and goals and upload boarding contradictory or self defeating result (Ellis 1997, 2004). Rational beliefs or irrational beliefs shape who we are how we act. Albert Ellis created an ABC model to help both the client and the therapist engage and treat unrealistic, immature, and absolutist modes of thinking into realistic, mature, logical, and a realistic approach to thinking (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 2004). The â€Å"A† in the ABC model refers to the â€Å"activating an event†. Activating events are events that trigger or cause our beliefs and perception. The Activating event could be a real situation that the individual had experience are could be inferred event were individual their own meeting contrary to what the situation was (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 2004). In Either case the activating event is negative stimuli cause by an event or situation triggers any irrational belief (Ellis 2004). The â€Å"B† in the ABC model is beliefs that shape an individual emotions and behaviors (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 2004). In other word, an individual who experiences an activating event then forms a belief based upon that activating event affecting their decision-making about their consequences and/or reaction to other stimuli (Ellis 2004). These Beliefs can either be you’re rational or rational (Ellis 2004). The â€Å"C† in the ABC model stands for the consequences of the irrational beliefs (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 2004). There are emotional and behavioral consequences, either positive or negative, to a set of beliefs about the activating event (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 2004). Individuals that suffer from irrational beliefs about a given situation will likely suffer from unhealthy negative emotions (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 2004). Unhealthy negative emotions are extreme emotions that can manifest themselves in a variety of forms e. g. guilt, anxiety, andor depression (Ellis 2004). The extreme negative feelings are so intense that the individual afflicted with these emotions often cannot function normally (DiGiuseppe 1989 , Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis does not believe that one should live a life free of negative emotions (Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis believed that healthy negative emotions were emotions that were relatively â€Å"low in intensity† (Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis believed that the healthy negative emotions experienced in a mentally healthy individual can modify behavior for the betterment of the individuals’ life (DiGiuseppe 1989, Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis later added the (D), (E), and (F) to his ABC’s ofRational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (Ellis 2004). The â€Å"D† is disputing the irrational beliefs that the individual possesses about the activating event (Ellis 2004). The â€Å"E† or effect the person feels is only achieved when the individual or client successfully disputes the irrational belief and replaces the irrational belief with a rational belief (Ellis 2004). This will ultimately lead to a new effect in the persons behavior. The effect will then lead the individual to a healthier and happier way of feeling â€Å"F† (Ellis 2004). The application of the rational emotive behavioral therapy’s ABC model allows people to visualize how their reactions to events are formed (Ellis 2004). Once an individual visualizes how irrational beliefs are formed and changes their behavior negatively therapy will, more than likely, be successful. The 4 steps of applying the ABC model Rational emotive behavioral therapy is an approach that makes the client participates in an active role in the therapy process. There are four steps in applying the ABC model. As the client Progresses through the four steps will work through an individual’s irrational beliefs and use certain skills to combat any irrational beliefs that may arise after private counseling has ended (Ellis 2004). Step one is to reveal the individuals or clients irrational beliefs in their current mode of thinking (Ellis 2004). In many cases the individuals of clients have had these irrational beliefs for so long that they cannot distinguish their irrational beliefs from normal rational beliefs (Ellis 2004). Also when the individual or the client has family and friends reinforcing their irrational beliefs, even though the irrational beliefs may not fall into societal norms, only reinforces the idea that their irrational beliefs are rational or normal (Ellis 2004). The first step, basically, outlines the treatment plan and formulates a plan of action to dispute the irrational beliefs. Clients must be aware of their irrational and rational beliefs and distinguish the differences between the two different beliefs. In step two the client or individual expands their understanding of what is irrational and what is rational (Ellis 2004). This step is similar to step one, but step two the therapy is more in-depth and intense. In step two the client or individual must be made aware of their irrational beliefs and how the individuals’ irrational beliefs are perpetuating their own turmoil (Ellis 2004). If the client or individual continues to think unreasonable or irrational, they will repeat their irrational behavior and have continued unpleasant feeling that interrupt their normal way of life (Ellis 2004). In showing the individual or client the pattern of their irrational beliefs and the consequences their irrational beliefs impose on them is detrimental to the success of their treatment (Ellis 2004). Only when the client can distinguish the difference between rational beliefs and irrational beliefs, can realize that the negative problems they are having are in direct correlation with their irrational beliefs, and can see the pattern they follow when irrational beliefs are present (Ellis 2004). Step three begins once the previous objectives have been met. In step three the individual or client will learn how to stop illogical or irrational beliefs and change the irrational and negative pattern into a new logical and rational mode of thinking and behaving (Ellis 2004). This is achieved when the individual ceases the negative self talk and stop the irrational beliefs from affecting their mode of thinking (Ellis 2004). Many individuals have their irrational beliefs so embedded in their mode of behaving and their mode thinking that the individual may not even be aware that their irrational beliefs are irrational (Ellis 2004). The client with help from their therapist will attempt to identify the irrational beliefs from the rational beliefs (Ellis 2004). In the fourth and final step the client has identified their irrational beliefs (Ellis 2004). The client along with the help of the therapist, work to modify the clients negative way of thinking and identify and change the clients irrational beliefs into rational modes of thinking (Ellis 2004). The therapist works with the client until a new set of rational beliefs are fashioned (Ellis 2004). Once the irrational belief system is replaced by a more rational and logical belief system the client will notice negative feelings and negative behaviors change into a more positive feelings and positive behaviors (Ellis 2004). The rational emotive behavioral theapry techniques used by the therapist to dispute irrational beliefs can vary from client to client depending on the type of the client and modes of irrational thinking REBT Techniques Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy is a multimodal form of therapy (Ellis 2004). Some of the different techniques used in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy include â€Å"Disputing the client’s irrational beliefs†, â€Å"changing the language of the client†, and emotive techniques like â€Å"role playing† and â€Å"rational emotive inventory† (Ellis 2004). These different techniques can be used to modify several types or irrational behaviors caused by irrational beliefs e. g. anxiety, depression, anger, and addictions (Ellis 2004). These techniques show the client how to refute their irrational beliefs in a precise and rapid method. Disputing the client’s irrational beliefs technique is a technique that makes the client challenge their beliefs and modes of thinking (Ellis 2004). In this technique the therapist presents a series of questions such as: Why do you assume this? or Why must it be this way? When the client answers these questions the client start to realize that the way they are thinking is irrational (Ellis 2004). The language of the client technique disputes â€Å"the shoulds† and â€Å"the oughts† in the client’s way of thinking (Ellis 2004). In most cases the language used by the client forms their irrational way of thinking (Ellis 2004). By changing â€Å"the shoulds† and â€Å"the oughts† into wishes, wants, and desires may change the client’s irrational beliefs (Ellis 2004). Example of Self-Application of REBT The techniques outlined by Albert Ellis shows how simplistic but meaningful Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) can be (Ellis 2004). Take for example when Albert Ellis gets impatient or angry about his various limitations (Ellis 2004). Albert Ellis says to himself: â€Å"Too damn bad! I really do not like taking all this time and effort to deal with my impairments and wish to hell that I didn’t have to do so. But alas, I do. It is hard doing so many things to keep myself in a relatively healthy condition, but it is much harder in the long run and much more painful and deadly, if I do not keep doing this. There is no reason whatsoever why I absolutely must have it easier than I do. Yes it is unfair for me to be more afflicted than many other people are. But, damn it, I should be just as afflicted as I am! Unfairness should exist in the world—to me, and to whomever else it does exist—because it does exist! Too bad that it does—but it does! † sic Albert Ellis lived a full and rich life filled with controversy and an outspoken attitude. Albert Ellis fought for gay and lesbian rights and the right to send uncensored or â€Å"obscene† mail through the Federal mail system. Albert Ellis was also one of the first individuals start their own private practice as a psychologist.