Afterlife of the 3 major religions Islam, Christianity, and Judaism Free Essay Example, 1250 words

Ideas about the Afterlife in Judaism, Christianity and Islam Ideas about the afterlife play an importantrole in various religions including the world ones: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Afterlife is seen as something that has a direct relationship with the earthly life of a person. Regardless of their features, various religions admit the interdependence between the afterlife and the earthly life. The acts committed by a person during his/her earthly life affect his/her existence within the afterlife. Afterlife is regarded as a continuation of life on earth and its quality depends on the characteristics of human behavior within the framework of earthly life. In turn, the differences between the three religions are determined by the historical development of their theological ideas, making their concepts of the afterlife specific. These differences are manifested primarily in understanding the meaning of life after death and its connection with the earthly life. Analyzing the doct rine of the afterlife in Judaism, one should understand that in modern Judaism, the concept of the afterlife is not so important in comparison with similar concepts in Christianity and Islam. We will write a custom essay sample on Afterlife of the 3 major religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now In fact, â€Å"in modern times Judaism focuses more in the present world, where the relationship with God exists based on the commitment to humanity† (Houben). Perhaps this has led to the fact that the various streams of Judaism provide rather conflicting interpretations of the afterlife. As a result, the task of obtaining a common Jewish concept of the afterlife is rather difficult (Houben). Nevertheless, one can identify the main three versions of the doctrine of the afterlife, which followed one after another (Leff and Raphael). The first version existed before the creation of the first books of the Talmud. At that time, the Jews believed that after the death, the souls of all people - both the righteous and the sinners – go into the same country, which they called the â€Å"Sheol. † Sheol is a place where there is no bliss or torment. Being in Sheol, the souls of all the dead people were expecting the arrival of the Messiah and the decision of their fate. After the arrival of the Messiah, the righteous expected a reward in the form of a happy life in a renewed earth. The second variant of the doctrine of the afterlife existed from the time of the Talmud until the second half of the twentieth century. According to this version, the souls should wait for the Messiah to receive a reward since after parting with the body the souls of the righteous immediately enter the heavenly paradise called â€Å"Gan Eden. † In turn, the sinners were sent to hell, a place of torment.

Analysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman - 935 Words

Waiting for Superman is a documentary that scrutinized public schools primarily located in inner-city areas. The documentary provided criticism towards educational reforms and the process of seeking alternative private or institutionalized education (i.e. charter schools). The film showcased the testimonies of five students and their desires to escape the failing public schools in the area. Waiting for Superman is metaphorically titled to suggest that a false sense of hope is given to students. It is understood by the families and students in the film that a quality education is the only way to break the poverty cycle. Year after year families hope that a reform will take place in the neighborhood schools, but each year begins with a false hope that results in the same failing results. The parents of the five students have desperately sought schools for their children that are staffed with qualified teachers who are willing to provide their students with learning opportunities. Lack of effective teachers is a critical concern that is displayed in Waiting for Superman. Daisy, an elementary school student, explained that students should find a way to make learning fun. It is not the responsibility of a child to make learning fun, but instead the teachers. Unfortunately for Daisy, she understood that in order for her to escape the poverty cycle, she must change education for herself because no one else in her school system is accepting responsibility. The responsibilityShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 1186 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Waiting for Superman† looks at a problem plaguing American schools all over the country today. This film makes it clear this problem hits hardest in the poorest communities of the country, he does make it clear though that it can happen in rich communities and suburbs.. The filmmakers attack all political parties and belief systems. The movie looks at many things , the funding of schools, how s upplies are distributed to schools, how teachers are picked and monitored, teachers unions, differentRead MoreMovie Analysis : Waiting For Superman 1271 Words   |  6 Pageslife gives you lemons, make lemonade: a clichà © that seems to be used oftentimes and never fails to humor some truth in it. In the television show, The Simpsons, episode: â€Å"How the Test Was Won,† directed by Lance Kramer and the documentary, Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim, indicates the depleted issue in our education system. Both texts argue the decline of our nation’s literacy and school merit that comes with. Ultimately, Guggeheim builds his credibility with citing reputableRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 902 Words   |  4 PagesWaiting for â€Å"Superman† is a documentary that focuses on five children-Anthony, Bianca, Emily, Francisco, and Daisy- who are looking for a better outcome for their education. The film is set up to follow d ifferent stories to explain how the school system works and the different ways that each school district functions. In detail, it unravels the struggle of the American school system and how the roles of charter schools has increased. It shows the five different charter schools that each child wantsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Waiting For Superman 1952 Words   |  8 PagesDanny kinder-key Waiting for Superman 2010 Mr. Davis Guggenheim—an American film director and producer wrote and directed Waiting for â€Å"Superman†, a documentary that deals with the American education system. Guggenheim argues that they are failing more each year in producing successful students. He finds where the faults are within the public educational system. He takes the time to show us some of the faces to those numbers to make his pubic realize they areRead MoreMovie Analysis : Waiting For Superman2121 Words   |  9 PagesAfter watching both â€Å"Waiting for Superman† at home and â€Å"Race to Nowhere† in class, a lot of conclusions can be made from both incredibly made documentaries. Both films offered their audience the opportunity to be informed about the problems and issues in contemporary American education, both clearly with two completely different points of view. â€Å"Waiting for Superman† and â€Å"Race to Nowhere† were both created in 2010, and here and no w in 2015, major issues in the United States surrounding educationRead MoreVsdgvfyhb2024 Words   |  9 PagesWriter’s Reflection ​When I heard the assignment for Inquiry Two, I was quite excited. I had heard of â€Å"Waiting For Superman,† but had never really had the chance to watch it. The topic of it is something that I am extremely passionate about and was eager to learn more about. So I happily watched the documentary and quickly whipped out a first draft (rough rough draft) without even really having to think about it- the words just poured out. However, when writing my real rough draft, I tried to focusRead MoreExamples Of Education In Waiting For Superman1242 Words   |  5 PagesA proper education is one of the most important things in a childs life. In the powerful documentary, Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim, the audience is given an insight on charter, public, and private/ boarding schools. While the underlying tones of the film are leaning towards the positives of these prestigious schools, the main principle is how important an education is, and the steps the cou ntry is taking to improve it. Throughout the film, a strong pull of emotion is presentedRead MoreA System of Failure Essay2247 Words   |  9 Pageswriter Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster first appeared in Action Comics. Deemed Superman, the mythical hero was dedicated to fight for social justice and overthrow tyranny. Soon after, his iconic flashy red cape and tight blue bodysuit graced the shelves of comic shops as he flew straight into the hearts and minds of fellow Americans faster than a speeding bullet. In spite of being a very foreign immigrant, Superman has long been portrayed as a loyal patriot fighting for truth, justice and the AmericanRead MoreThe History of Inequality in the United States1111 Words   |  4 Pagestheir parents because of immobility, how far they advance in their positions will be determined by the system of meritocracy (Manza, Arum, Haney, 2013). If a class analysis is conducted, it will probably be easy to see that the workers would be members of the lower class. Three issues that were not included in â€Å"Waiting For Superman† are the issues of inequality based on race, income, and wealth, all of which can be tied back to each other. The issue of race can be seen by the fact that many of theRead MoreSailor Moon2795 Words   |  12 Pagesbasing my analysis off of the Japanese version of the series. I have long since felt that the English version does a disservice to its fans by making the characters immature, censoring homosexuality, and stereotyping what it is to be a teenager. I will also plead artistic license on the spelling and order of the names. So, without further adieu, the Sailor Soldiers. Sailor Moon/Usagi Tsukino: Our heroine. Our very flawed heroine. And how refreshing that is! Instead of a very boring Superman who could

What is DNA Forensic Free Essays

DNA forensics is a scientific analysis of evidence for crime scene investigations and other legal proceedings. To a DNA profile, scientists compare sequence In the genome that varies from person to person. Like a gene, a encoding genetic sequence is more likely to be match between relatives than between unrelated Individuals (Simon, Dickey, Race). We will write a custom essay sample on What is DNA Forensic or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example, In the case of a shooting In a Wild Buffalo Wings parking lot In Bear Delaware, police use forensic to link the two Burns and Evans in the case of a 23 year-old they shot. Burns and Evans met up with the 23 year-old to buy heroin from him. The drug dealer enters the car and was shot by Burns. Victim ran into a store and drove to Christiana Hospital in critical condition. Police went to Burns and Evans home were they searched the vehicle and found blood stains that Burns tried to clean up with bleach. Blood stains were visible at crime scene and matched victim that was shot. Another DNA application is a paternity test, my friend had a baby and the father denied the child. Therefore, the court made the father take a paternity test by swabbing the side of his out. The test came back that he was the father and now he has to pay child support. Lastly, a man In Philadelphia raped a doctor. Surveillance cameras were able to get a picture of the person. Somebody called In with a tip and they went to the person Job. They took blood and hair samples and determines he did Indeed rape the doctor. Population evolution and microbial life is inherited traits through successive generation’s overtime. Some examples would be a butterfly that was very colorful. Prior to this type of style, the butterfly used to be a dull color and it was most reverent. The dull butterfly would hide in flowers to avoid being attacked or eaten. But the pollution generated stained the dull color flowers to a bright color. Eventually the dull color butterfly was attack because it could no longer hide by the flowers, which made It less prevalent and made the bright color butterfly more predominant. This example shows how the population had evolved to a higher adaptive condition. Another example would be mutation, a lizard patterns duplicated over time to other lizards from the same family would be considered gene duplication. Lastly, someone an past DNA trait to one family member after another over time. For example, my mother had me and see pass me her traits/DNA. When I had my kids a passed down some of the traits from my mother and the cycle will continue when they have their kids. Biology and diversity refers to all of earth species. There are millions of species living on earth according to scientist. It is important that earth species continue to thrive and evolve because earth would be in danger if we loss biodiversity. The world ecosystem would collapse, food that humans need to fight off certain diseases and crops and plant would not exist. This would be the case because a population with decreased genetic diversity has less ability to evolve In response to environmental change. Also, the enormous genetic diversity of all the organisms on Earth has great potential benefit for people, too. Many researchers and biotechnology leaders are enthusiastic about the potential that genetic â€Å"prospecting† may also hold the key the spread of a deadly new strain of wheat steam rust, a fungal pathogen that has devastated harvests in eastern Africa and central Asia. At least 75% of the wheat varieties planted worldwide is susceptible to this pathogen, but researchers hope to mind a resistance gene in the wild relatives of wheat (Simon, Dickey, Race). Plants have four stages of evolution. The first stage is bryophytes the lack true roots and leaves. Bryophytes also lack aligning, the wall-hardening material that enables other plants to stand tall. Without liquefied cell walls, bryophytes have weak upright support. The most familiar bryophytes are mosses (Simon, Dickey, Race). The second one is ferns seedless plants. Next is gymnosperm, pine trees also known as cone-bearing trees. Lastly, angiosperms bear seeds. Animals have eight life cycles such as meiosis, fertilization, mitosis, blastula, early gastrula, later gastrula, larva and metamorphosis. Population increases, over a specific period of time, in the number of individuals living in a country or region. Population can change throughout the years due to deaths, births and dispersal of individual from separate populations. When resources are functioning properly, the population will increase dramatically. For example, births, death, and environment are natural factors that can affect population growth. Another example of population growth is population loss due to endangerment or extinction. What is biomass and ecosystem? According to Campbell Essential Biology biomass is a major terrestrial or aquatic life zone, characterized by vegetarian type in terrestrial biomass and the physical environment in aquatic biomass and ecosystem is all the organism in a given area, along with the nonliving (biotic) factors with which they interact; a biological community and its physical environment (Simon, Dickey, Race). The difference between the two is that ecosystem is a community and physical environment where as biomass major terrestrial or aquatic life zone. For example, the ecosystem of northern New York and California have similar plants and animal life, temperature, and amount of sunlight. They combine to make up the tollgate bimbo. Microbial life is short for microbe and it describes many organisms. How to cite What is DNA Forensic, Papers

Comparing Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story com Essay Example For Students

Comparing Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story com Essay parison compare contrast essays Comparing Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story In plays, as in real life, individuals actions can change the course of events in theirs, as well as, other individuals lives. In both Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story, the lovers were forced to take their own lives or be killed because of fate and the actions of others. In Romeo and Juliet, one character who is partly responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is Tybalt. Tybalt enrages Remeo and causes him to kill Tybalt. In Romeo and Juliet, this brings about Romeos exile from Verona. If Romeo had not been exiled from Verona, he would have heard of Friar Lawrences plan to keep Juliet from getting married. If he had known of the plan, he would not have gone to the vault and killed himself over what he thought was Juliets dead body. In West Side Story, a character with a role similar to Tybalt is Bernardo. In West Side Story, the killing of Bernardo enrages Chino to the point where he takes out a gun and searches for Tony. While trying to protect Tony from Anita, Bernardos girlfriend, they cause her to become extremely upset and to say that Maria is dead. Upon hearing this, Tony leaves the drug store in search of Chino. When Tony eventually finds Maria, Chino kills him. None of this would have happened, had Bernardo not gotten into a fight with Tony and been killed. Another character who is responsible for the deaths of the lovers in Romeo and Juliet is Lord Capulet. Knowing that her father would disagree with her being married to Romeo, a Montague, Romeo and Juliet were forced to keep their love a secret. In the beginning of the play, Lord Capulet tells Paris that Juliet is still to young to woo and that he should wait two years. However, later in the play, he tells Paris that Juliet will be married to him in two days. After hearing that she will be wed in two days, Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence asking for help. If Lord Capulet did not force Juliet to marry Paris, she would not have had to fake her death. The plan that Friar Lawrence devised to prevent the wedding led to death of Romeo and Juliet. An additional character in West Side Story that is partly responsible for Tonys death is Officer Krupke. Officer Krupke is involved because while performing his job as a police officer, he increases the amount of tension between the two gangs. One way he does this is by being racist against the Puerto Ricans because they are new two the area. He also does this when he tells the Jets that he will help them win the fight against the Sharks. This increased hate for each other may have been one of the things that caused Chino to murder Tony. Although Romeo and Juliet, and Tony and Maria were partly responsible for their deaths, the majority of the blame can be put on the minor characters in both plays as well as fate. This fate is alluded at in the prologue of Romeo and Juliet when they are described as a pair of star crossed lovers and throughout both plays.

The Types of Shoppers

Items to Exclude from Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Items to Exclude from Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) No one likes writing a resume, but its a critical part of the job search in all fields. In academics, the resume is called a curriculum vitae (or CV) and it is even less fun to write. Unlike a resume which presents your experience and skills within a 1-page format, the curriculum vitae has no page limit. The most prolific professionals I have encountered have CVs that are dozens of pages long and bound as books. Thats highly unusual, of course, but the point is that the CV is a comprehensive list of your experiences, accomplishments, and the products of your work. Your mentor likely has a CV of 20 pages or more, depending on his or her productivity, rank, and experience. Beginning graduate students usually start out with 1 page CVs and work hard to flesh them out into multiple page documents. It can be easy to add pages when you consider what goes into a CV. The CV lists your education, work experience, research background and interests, teaching history, publications, and more. Theres lots of information to work with, but can you include too much information? Is there anything that you should not include on your CV? Dont Include Personal InformationIt was once common for people to include personal information on their CVs. Never include any of the following: Social security numberMarital statusBirthdateAgeHeight, weight, hair color, or other personal attributesNumber of childrenPhoto It is illegal for employers to discriminate against potential employees on the basis of personal characteristics. That said, people naturally judge others. Allow yourself to be judged only on your professional merits and not on your personal characteristics. Dont Include Photos Given the ban on personal information, it should go without saying that applicants should not send photographs of themselves. Unless you are an actor, dancer, or another performer, never attach a picture of yourself to your CV or application. Dont Add Irrelevant Information Hobbies and interests should not appear on your CV. Include only extracurricular activities that are directly related to your work. Remember that your goal is to portray yourself as serious and an expert in your discipline. Hobbies can suggest that youre not working hard enough or that you are not serious about your career. Leave them out. Dont Include Too Much Detail Its an odd paradox: Your CV presents detailed information about your career, but you must take care not to go into too much depth in describing the content of your work. Your CV will be accompanied by a research statement in which you walk readers through your research, explaining its development and your goals. You will also write a statement of teaching philosophy, explaining your perspective on teaching. Given these documents, there is no need to go into minute detail describing your research and teaching other than the facts: where, when, what, awards granted, etc. Dont Include Ancient Information Do not discuss anything from high school. Period. Unless you discovered a supernova, that is. Your curriculum vitae describes your qualifications for a professional academic career. It is unlikely that experiences from college are relevant to this. From college, list only your major, graduation year, scholarships, awards, and honors. Do not list any extracurricular activities from high school or college. Do Not List References Your CV is a statement about YOU. There is no need to include references. Undoubtedly youll be asked to provide references but your references do not belong on your CV. Dont list that your references are available upon request. Surely the employer will request references if youre a potential candidate. Wait until you are asked and then remind your references and tell them to expect a call or email. Do Not Lie It should be obvious but many applicants make the mistake of including items that are not entirely true. For example, they might list a poster presentation that they were invited to give but didnt. Or list a paper as under review that is still being drafted. There are no harmless lies. Dont exaggerate or lie about anything. It will come back to haunt you and ruin your career. Criminal Record Although you should never lie, dont give employers a reason to dump your CV in the trash-pile. That means dont spill the beans unless you are asked. If theyre interested and youre offered the job you may be asked to consent to a background check. If so, thats when you discuss your record - when you know that they are interested, Discuss it too soon and you may lose an opportunity. Dont Write in Solid Blocks of Text Remember that employers scan CVs. Make yours easy to read by using bold headings and short descriptions of items. Do not include big blocks of text. No paragraphs. Dont Include Errors Whats the fastest way to get your CV and application tossed? Spelling mistakes. Bad grammar. Typos. Do you prefer to be known as careless or poorly educated? Neither will help you advance in your career. Always review your CV carefully before submitting. Dont Include a Touch of Flair Fancy paper. Unusual font. Colored font. Scented paper. Although you want your CV to stand out, be sure that it stands out for the right reasons, such as its quality. Do not make your CV look different in color, shape, or format unless you want it passed around as a source of humor.

How Meaning of Words Change Throughout the Generations Research Paper

How Meaning of Words Change Throughout the Generations - Research Paper Example That indicates that it is common for an individual from outside a circle to get lost when engaging in a discussion from members who belong to the same circles. However, some slang words usage remains almost the same with only acquiring growth in terms of usage across various cultures and group settings. The usage of the words may at times become seasonal where almost every group uses the word at a certain period and then the word gets replaced by another more appealing word. Some slangs may, however, maintain the same meaning while compared with the dictionary meaning although changes may result over time. The paper examines the usage and meaning of the word cool according to the researcher’s perspective and how the circle that the researcher belongs to uses the word in expressing opinions or reactions. As a student, my circle comprises of students in a few groupings from the academic platform and the extra-curricular platform. As a student, interactions are common with group members and other classmates as most of the day time hours are spent together with other students. On the other hand, as a footballer for the school team, interactions with other team members are evident during training and game time. The word cool as used in the two group settings is often used in the two group settings mostly to signify something good. The difference between the meaning of the word is portrayed while examining the result that I attributed to the word cool by these two groups. Consider for example a situation where upon submitting a group representation in the class, our study group scored eighty percent, although the performance was the fifth while compared to the other groups. From citing the performance as cool, the group leader and the group members signified that although the performance was not excellent, it was good.

The latest technology in wireless Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The latest technology in wireless - Essay Example In the world of wireless communication you contribute each time when you make use of your cellular telephone for calling, tune your television to a soccer game being played on a diverse continent, or listen to satellite radio despite the fact that sitting in your car. Wireless devices, collectively with smart pagers, cellular telephones, PDAs, Tablet PCs, and notebook computers with high speed internet access, make things easier and spread out your communication services. Wireless communication is not new or modern; more than hundred years ago, Guglielmo Marconi sent the earliest wireless message by means of radio waves (Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat, 2005). At the present time, Marconi’s findings consent you to attach peripherals to your computers devoid of using wires and put together a wireless network. Wireless technology has accomplished a shining impression on people and quickly has won accepted agreement wide-reaching. Even the casual examine notices remarkable transforms in the way computers users correspond devoid of wires in the home and offices. The facility to work wirelessly is well thought-out by some, as the most noteworthy preference in computing. This technology also facilitates you to check your email as you take a trip all the way through your town or other countries. Even though the wireless basis was placed more than a century ago, up to date wireless technology corresponds to a development of products and standards. Each day, there is an increase in number of wireless devices on the other hand the costs of connectivity decreases. This extraordinary eminence looks at an extensive assortment of these wireless products and demonstrates how an assortment of segments of life makes use of this technology (Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat, 2005). At the present time, there are a variety of ideas globally that try to express the 3rd generation personal communications network, which is acknowledged as a

American Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

American Foreign Policy - Essay Example When there is an issue that needs to be discussed in regards to the foreign policy, each facet of the process serves their own agenda before looking at the overall responsibility of the decision. In this regard, it is evident that each of the working unit feels an essential player in the process and seeks to safeguard the interests of the particular arm of the state. This is both beneficial and detrimental to the presidential power and ability to make decisions. For the latter, the best decision is reached at, and a decision that favors all involved departments and thus the state. As for the former case, the solution that is realized is largely as a result of compromised standards, and conflicts amongst the involved officials. There is diversification of interests amongst the parties, some of whom may have undue influence thus negatively affecting the process and wasting more time in the same. Foreign policy bureaucracy suppresses rationalism in decision making. This is again influenced by the influence of a particular department in policy formulation. A good example to this is the reason that compelled the U.S. to attack in Iraq in 2003. Just rationalism was definitely not used in the final decision making process, given the issues that erupted thereafter. This is detrimental to the president’s personal choices but acts or the best of the nation. In foreign policy decision making, the President is the most powerful and central figure. Psychologically, the President is bound by some limitations as time and energy, ideology as well as rationality. With the presence of the foreign policy circle of advisers, the process of decision making is decentralized from the President making life and governance much easier. In this case, the bureaucracy in foreign policy safeguards the president from making decisions constrained by irrationality and psychological inabilities. Bureaucracy in foreign policy is decentralized to four components

Leisure Tourism in Nepal

Leisure Tourism in Nepal Introduction The United Nations World Tourism Organisation, (UNWTO), undoubtedly the most influential international tourism organisation, describes tourists as â€Å"people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited†. (Richards Hall, 2000, P 36) Whilst this rather complex interpretation does not do justice to itinerant and obsessive travellers, or to the thousands of young westerners who live for months on the beaches and mountain resorts of alien countries, it effectively narrows down tourism to a short or medium term self funded leisure activity in foreign, unknown, strange or unfamiliar environs. Sharpley’s definition of tourism as a phenomenon of modern society, (1994) whilst being apt with regard to timeline, does not also do justice to this seething and volatile activity, the largest and possibly the most complex organised process in today’s world. Tourism is widely known to be not just the world’s largest business but also its principal employer. It accounts for practically 8 % of global GDP and continues to grow at a clip of 4 %, despite its massive base. (Richards Hall, 2000) Millions of people all over the world, from the largest metropolises to the remotest hamlets, depend upon tourism for their livelihood, opening up their countries and towns to enable people from other countries and cultures to come and gain touristic experiences. Tourism, since the inception of the concept, has primarily been associated with the desires of affluent citizens of advanced nations to go out of their ordinary places of residence for experiential activities that provide emotional and physical satisfaction. (Richards Hall, 2000) Even though tourism has constantly been viewed as a self indulgent activity, its phenomenal increase and adoption by all affluent societies has led to the creation of a multi billion dollar octopus like activity; one with numerous tentacles in different activities and places. (Richards Hall, 2000) Leisure tourism has witnessed a dramatic upsurge in the last few decades, driven by (a) steadily increasing incomes and discretionary spending powers in the advanced and industrialising nations, (b) cheaper air travel, (c) strong western currencies, (d) globalisation, (e) the emergence and consolidation of a unipolar world, and (f) the opening up of numerous tourism destinations and experiences. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) As such, whilst tourism has expanded phenomenally in recent years, the reasons for this phenomenon possibly lie in a number of modern day happenings that have come together for the expression of latent but previously existing desires. The fact that a modern day occurrence, can, in a matter of decades become the world’s largest activity also belies any simple definition or explanation. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) The complexity of tourism can be gauged from the number of activities and businesses it encompasses, including, among other things, different modes of transport, varieties of accommodation, choices of cuisines and eating ambiences, range of activities, and innumerable players. Touristic pursuits are now becoming segmented into different areas like culinary, cultural, historical, health, wildlife, sex, and outdoor adventure activities. (Richards Hall, 2000) Out door adventure pursuits are again further subdivided into a plethora of activities like trekking, mountaineering, mountain and flat land cycling, para-gliding, and white water rafting. (Richards Hall, 2000) Driven by changing lifestyles, these activities are becoming increasingly popular with more and more people wishing to experience more rewarding leisure experiences. (Richards Hall, 2000) Countries with natural resources conducive to outdoor sports have naturally started leveraging their resources to take advantage of this upsurge in interest. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have taken adventure tourism to new levels by building facilities and infrastructure that not only showcase the country’s natural beauty but allow visitors to participate safely in a range of outdoor activities. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) Whilst these countries have been able to exploit their resources successfully, other nations, equally rich in natural beauty, have been unable to fulfil or even come near their potential in attracting leisure or adventure tourism traffic. Nepal, a nation state tucked away in the Himalayas between China and India is a land of unimaginable beauty, grandeur, and ruggedness, and is ideal for leisure and adventure tourism. The country has attracted considerable leisure tourism interest from Europe and the UK and a number of British tourism companies have tried to set up operations in the state, especially in areas relating to white water rafting, mountaineering, and adventure trekking. Whilst disturbed political conditions during the last few years had led to a significant decrease in tourist arrivals, recent developments involving the formation and installation of a democratic government have now resulted in more stable conditions and an upsurge in tourism interest. (Basu Riaz, 2007) This assignment deals with Nepal’s attractiveness as a White Water Rafting and Leisure Tourism destination, its current position as a tourist attraction, and the various initiatives that need to be taken at the private and public level to attract visitors and promote tourism on a sustainable basis. Commentary and Analysis White Water Rafting Rafting is widely accepted by historians to be one of the most primitive modes of water transportation. The activity evolved thousands of years ago when humans started using water currents for transportation by roping wooden logs into platforms for floating downstream. Rafts have changed little over the centuries and even today represent small flat bottomed floating vessels without engines or sails, dependent fully upon water currents and oars for forward propulsion. (Robinson, 2004) Rafts are nowadays made of specially manufactured thick plastic or fabric. (Robinson, 2004) The material is multi layered, adequately waterproofed, and stitched or fused into inflatable multi chambered rubber vessels with flat bottoms and short sides. (Robinson, 2004) Not large in size, modern day rafts are less than 20 feet long, about 6 to 8 feet wide, and can seat a maximum of 12 people. (Robinson, 2004) Being inflatable they can be easily transported over long distances and are economical to buy and maintain. (Robinson, 2004) White water rafting (WWR) originated a couple of decades ago with the use of these rafts by pleasure seekers for rushing down swiftly flowing mountain streams. (Robinson, 2004) The turbulence of mountain streams and rivers, the feel of spray in the face, the froth, the foam, and the association with danger, combine to make rafting a thrilling and enjoyable proposition. (Robinson, 2004) WWR has gained significantly in popularity and is now available across the globe. Involving trips to distant places with the opportunity to participate in intrinsically enjoyable outdoor activity, WWR makes for an ideal group, individual and family pursuit and is open to all reasonably healthy people. (Robinson, 2004) WWR expeditions last from a few hours to days, depending upon the stretch of available water, and often incorporate outdoor camping, tent accommodation, barbecues and spits next to the river at night, and local cultural shows. â€Å"Though river rafting once was thought akin to slaying dragons, the sport has grown dramatically in the last two decades, pursued on more than 145 rivers around the country, according to David Brown, director of America Outdoors, a trade association. But trends in rafting are steering away from expeditions designed for thrill-seekers and toward family-style trips and one-day float outings† (Cooke Haggerty, 1996) Safety is obviously of paramount importance for WWR and rafters use specific gear including helmets and inflatable vests. (Robinson, 2004) Getting thrown off the raft is common during turbulent stretches and rafters are provided with detailed instructions before the commencement of trips. Extremely stormy conditions increase the risk of such occurrences as well as the chances of being swept downstream. Water stretches used for rafting are categorised in accordance with the level of danger involved, levels 1 to 3 being mild stretches ideal for beginners and levels 4 to 6 being rough and meant for experienced rafters. (Robinson, 2004) The significant increase in WWR activity over the last two decades has been attributed by social researchers to a number of factors, which include its widespread availability and manageable costs, the opportunities it provides for group and family bonding, and the growing increase in interest in outdoor activity. It is also associated with the pleasure people obtain out of escaping from urban work and life tensions, the proximity to natural beauty, ruggedness and majesty, and the adrenalin rush that comes from exciting physical activity. Rowlands (2008) feels that the popularity of the activity is due mostly to it being high on adrenalin, medium on fitness, and low on cost. Recent innovations like the designing and fitment of special seats on rafts for people who can not use their lower limbs indicate the spreading popularity of the activity. â€Å"Weve got special seats on rafts adapted for people who dont have use of their lower limbs. The seat helps to stabilise you in the raft, gives extra support and has quick-release straps so you can get out quickly if necessary. People with sight or hearing difficulties also come rafting with us its a really inclusive activity.†(Rowlands, 2008) The low cost of setting up rafting facilities (expenditure comprising largely of investment in reasonably low priced equipment, and trained instructors and guides) is also a major reason for the mushrooming of WWR activity, more so in developing nations where local entrepreneurs and nature enthusiasts are otherwise hindered by lack of capital and resources. (Robinson, 2004) Improvement in communication, greater information availability, and cheaper air travel costs have also contributed enormously to the growing popularity of WWR. Cheaper air travel has enabled tourists to travel to distant destinations even during short holidays and it is now common for Britishers, Americans, and citizens of other affluent countries to engage in intercontinental travel for tourism experiences that could last even lesser than a week. The plethora of information available over the internet has brought information about hitherto exotic and distant locations into the common realm of knowledge and the av ailability of online booking facilities for airline tickets, hotel accommodation and tourism experiences has empowered tourists to act on their own and undertake trips at short notice without the involvement of travel agents. Tourism experts feel that the interest in WWR activity is bound to increase in future, given its many appealing features and possibility of the opening up of numerous fresh locales. (Robinson, 2004) White Water Rafting in Nepal Nepal, a small Himalayan nation state currently undergoing a difficult transition from a monarchy to a democratic republic, has among the most abundant mountaineering and WRR resources in the world. Home to 8 out of the world’s highest 14mountain peaks, the country nestles in majestic mountain country. (Welcome to Nepal, 2008) It is abundantly fed by swiftly flowing rivers, covered with dense forests, and is home to an incredible range of flora and fauna. (Welcome to Nepal, 2008) Connected by air and road the country is not difficult to access and is normally reached after a stopover in a major Indian city. (Welcome to Nepal, 2008) Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is a remarkably tourist friendly city; rich in cosmopolitanism, culinary variety, and culture, and was a major backpacker and mountaineering destination even a few years ago. Local entrepreneurs along with British and European companies have started promoting Nepal as a strong WWR destination and a number of its river s are being used for rafting trips. Appendix 1 provides details about various Nepalese rivers and the duration of WWR trips possible on each of them. Approximately 61 companies service Nepal’s tourism industry, which in turn provides employment to thousands of Nepalese citizens. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Despite its enormous tourism resources and its friendly people, Nepal has in recent years been beset with large scale peace and order problems caused by agitating Maoists and other anti monarchists. (Basu Riaz, 2007) The installation of an elected government in 2006 has led to a cessation of large scale violence and whilst civil strife and unrest is yet to cease completely the situation is steadily moving towards normalcy. (Basu Riaz, 2007) Various European and North American governments still have negative travel advisories for their citizens wishing to travel to Nepal. The Canadian government, for example, advises its citizens to exercise great caution whilst visiting Nepal. â€Å"You should evaluate carefully the implications for your security and safety before deciding to travel to Nepal.Canadians in Nepal should maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times due to the unpredictable safety situation. Following an intense period of unrest and armed conflict, the political and security situation remains fragile and volatile.† (Travel Report Nepal, 2008) Nepalese WWR providers have however started work on rebuilding awareness in Europe and the UK about facilities available for rafting on Nepalese mountain streams and rivers. The Nepalese Association of Rafting Agents has in fact recently concluded the 7th Himalayan White Water Challenge. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Held in November 2007 in association with Peak UK, an English White Water and Kayaking Equipment Company, the event was designed as a multi disciplinary one boat competition that combined extreme slalom and river running skills with down river speed and free style action. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Combining state of the art forms of slalom and head to head racing, the event drew 80 international and 30 local participants and turned out to be a huge success, despite the troubled state of the country and the somewhat inclement weather. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Whilst the successful holding of the event should help in bring ing back WWR enthusiasts to Nepal in the coming season, much still needs to be done to make WWR and allied tourism activities in the country truly self sustaining and beneficial for the local population. Challenges and Hazards before Nepal’s WWR Tourism Activity Even as a modern and democratic Nepal tries to reengage with the global community after nearly a decade of unrest and isolation, it will need to put in extraordinary efforts to rebuild its inward tourism activity on a sustainable basis if it is to ensure protection of its environment and the passing of tourism benefits to the local population. Tourism has been the subject of endless research and discussion in recent years. Even as hoteliers, airline operators, travel agents, keepers of historical sites, designers and operators of amusement parks and other touristic activities, and the numerous other operators have striven to provide better and differentiated offerings, the industry has been criticised for sharpening income divides, creating low skill employment, causing large scale environmental degradation, generating pockets of work as well as income divides in scarcity ridden areas, and for being one of the chief causes of greenhouse emissions. (Robinson, 2004) Debate has raged over other aspects of tourism especially the impact of modernism and postmodernism on the evolution of the business. Thinkers like MacCannell, Sharpley, Ritzer and Liska have raised a number of issues about existing tourism practices, introduced postmodernist concepts, and stressed the need to bring in far reaching changes in government attitudes and public policy in dealing with the issue. Postmodern views on tourism encompass various perspectives, including the imperative need to make tourism sustainable. A major global initiative in this regard came about in 2002 when representatives of inbound and outbound tour operators, emerging entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, national parks, provincial conservation authorities, all spheres of government, tourism professionals, tourism authorities, NGOs and hotel groups and other tourism stakeholders, from 20 countries in Africa, North and South America, Europe and Asia came together in Cape Town to consider the issue of responsible tourism and agreed to a number of actions. (Responsible Tourism in Destinations, 2002) These included adoption of a number of processes that aimed at inculcating responsibility in tourism. Conference members agreed to (a) minimise negative economic, environmental, and social impacts, generate greater economic benefits for local people and enhance the well-being of host communities, (b) improve working conditions and access to the industry, (c) involve local people in decisions that affect their lives and life ch ances, (d) make positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, (e) maintain the worlds diversity, (f) provide more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues, (g) provide access for physically challenged people and (h) engender respect between tourists and hosts, and (i) build local pride and confidence. (Responsible Tourism in Destinations, 2002) WWR and associated touristic activities in Nepal have the potential of causing severe damage to the environment through large scale littering of river banks, cutting and burning of forest resource, spillage of diesel and petroleum products in rivers, destruction of local flora and fauna, and spoilage of natural habitat and biodiversity. Tourism authorities in Nepal along with local tourism operators need to ensure that increase in WWR tourism does not harm the environment and is able to bring about real benefits to the local population. Marketing of Nepal as a WWR destination WWR activities, like other touristic pursuits, are mainly concerned with optimal utilisation of leisure time and characterised by â€Å"a sense of separation from the everyday world, feelings of intense pleasure, freedom of choice, spontaneity, timelessness, fantasy, adventure and self-realization.† (Otto and Ritchie, 1996, p 54) Leisure is also associated with six conditions, namely intrinsic satisfaction, perceived freedom, involvement, arousal, mastery and spontaneity, and also characterized by two forms of risk, functional and psychosocial. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) It contributes to strong feelings of camaraderie and mental bonding, especially when tourists take part in group activities, be they harmless sightseeing tours or riskier mountaineering or white water rafting expeditions. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) Tourism can also be categorised in two dimensions, existential, representing satisfaction, freedom, involvement, pleasure and reward as well as structural, which deals with physical tasks and an element of external enforcement like, e.g., visits to safari parks or the undertaking of supervised hill climbing expeditions. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) A number of tourism experiences have greater or lesser elements of risk. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) As such, tourists subconsciously deal with a number of psychological and social issues while making a tourism choice. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) As these perspectives are also not readily transferable to managerial activity to prompt suitable decisions, most marketers of tourism tend to focus on discrete service quality factors and tend to ignore the various psychological factors that are closely related to leisure activities. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) Concentration only on the technical aspects of WWR and ignoring various involved emotions will lead to an inadequate understanding of the true nature of consumer satisfaction and the true extent of satisfaction with a tourism experience. It is evident that proper and holistic marketing of WWR activity for Nepal must address the total needs of the prospective traveller, which comprise not only of objective and physically quantifiable components but also of emotional and subjective parts that do not lend themselves to physical quantification, but are nevertheless important components of a total leisure experience. WWR tourism in Nepal will depend upon a complex amalgam of a number of service industries as well as on the efficiency and ability of primary service providers like Travel Agents, Tour Operators, the Airlines, and the Hotels as also local guides, leisure activity experts, transporters, restaurants and shopping infrastructures at major Nepalese cities. The political stability, the government controlling the affairs of the tourism destination, and the nodal tourism agency play very important roles in the effective marketing of a tourist destination. (Klenosky and Gitelson, 1998) A primary market audit of Nepalese tourism reveals that inward travellers mostly come in from India and whilst the majority of visitors are Indians, the country also attracts adventure tourism aficionados from the western countries and religious tourists from South East Asia. Whilst the country was experiencing increasing tourism arrivals until the late 1990s, recent years have seen a decline due to unstable political conditions. The most popular tourism destinations are Kathmandu and Pokhra, both of which are near WWR starting points. Most of the tourists who come at present are in search of mountain and jungle holidays. Nepal is situated on the Northern border of India, and many visitors nowadays prefer to engage in WWR and allied activities in the neighbouring country. A PEST analysis indicates that the country is on its way to becoming a stable and peaceful democracy. The government is committed to increasing tourism and has a tourist friendly approach. Whilst there is a local Maoist threat, terrorist activity is still absent and the country has not experienced bombings like those that occurred in London, Madrid, Bali or Bombay. Nepal is a developing nation and tourism is its largest service industry. The number of hotel beds is growing and whilst there are numerous travel agents, few are of significance. Katmandu has many WWR and car rental services as well as numerous bars, restaurants and cafes. Nepal has in the past been a Hindu kingdom and is progressing towards becoming a secular democracy. Whilst it is technologically backward it has enormous natural and religious touristic resources. As the birthplace of the Buddha it attracts visitors from all over east and Southeast Asia. A SWOT analysis shows that Nepal has very strong WWR resources. It has an accessible location and is proximal to both India and China. It has magnificent mountains, crystal clear rivers and immensely varied wildlife and forestry resources. The country has a strong tradition of history and culture, friendly people and a reasonably developed tourism industry. It has good air connections, proper roads, comfortable hotels, taxi services, restaurants, cafes, and bars. Prices are far lesser than in major European countries, and holidays in Nepal are economical and provide value for money. The country has a poor railway system and sanitation and drinking water facilities are inadequate. Ecommerce in the tourism industry has not developed in line with that of European countries and online bookings are available only for a few hotels. A perusal of tourism websites indicates that marketing of tourism is weak compared to that of western nations and most visitors are not affluent. Average days spent by tourists in Nepal as well as money spends are low. Most arrivals are during the summer months and there is underutilisation in the lean periods. Language barriers also pose a problem for tourists to access services. The tourism industry has opportunities to increase off-season business and step up the number of arrivals in the cold winter months. There is great scope to increase cultural and historical tourism because of the availability of significant historical resource. Efforts to step up visits of more affluent tourists and arrange for longer visits through introduction of structured tours can also boost tourism earnings significantly. Underdevelopment of infrastructure could encourage tourists to go to other locations. Low-income tourists are very liable to change their mind and move to other locations at short notices and this threat will continue until the income profile of tourists’ changes. Very little information is available on market segmentation and growth has been organic. Recommendations and Conclusion Opportunities to increase tourist arrivals and promote Nepal as a WWR tourist and leisure destination are immense. It is evident from the SWOT analysis and the available data that the country has numerous underdeveloped areas, which if properly addressed can improve the quantity, and quality of tourist flows significantly. Tourism efforts should focus upon positioning Nepal as a WWR destination through a combination of interconnected and complementary set of attractions that provide tourists with an interesting and enjoyable value proposition; in this case a mix of WWR, interesting culture, novel cuisine, historic sites, lovely climate, gorgeous mountains, extravagant jungles, and a range of mountain and hill oriented outdoor activity. Marketing efforts will need to be provided through a mix of various suppliers who combine together to offer the tourism experience, i.e., the local tourism body, tour operators, airlines, hotels, taxi operators, WWR services, restaurants, cafes and guides. The tourism body needs to co-ordinate with all service providers to ensure improvement in services as well as adoption of a common marketing approach. The co coordinating body needs to develop value propositions that will appeal to various market segments, e.g. the low budget tourist, the affluent visitor, people desirous of WWR or mountaineering holidays, historical and cultural experiences or a mix of both. These value propositions need further development to form visitor activity packages that will satisfy the subjective and objective demands of tourists. A complex branding exercise for the complete tourism experience as well as its components like WWR needs development and implementation. The country has various touristic experiences on offer that have their unique appeal and need distinguishing and highlighting. Brand development is a complex exercise and must encompass the physical aspects of Nepalese holidays, cultural components, historical sites and the fun aspect of the total tourism package on offer. The country has extremely inadequate infrastructural facilities like train services, competent local tour operators, drinking water availability, waste disposal systems, and availability of guides with knowledge of foreign languages. The Nepalese authorities need to encourage and catalyse various initiatives, private, public and private-public partnerships that aim to improve the quality of infrastructure. In addition to improvement of basic tourism infrastructure WWR activity will be well served by improvement in the quality of guides and operators, introduction of mandatory safety requirements, and dissemination of information about the different WWR options. The tendency of tourists to avoid tour operators wherever possible and organise their tourism experiences on their own is increasing constantly, especially in the USA and Europe. It is essential that the parties involved in marketing WWR in Nepal should arrange for strong on line presence, including payment options. E Commerce gives rise to enormous possibilities to increase the value proposition of the tourism experience through different tourism sectors like WWR operators joining restaurants and cafes to offer discounts, free meals, entry and other benefits. Apart from setting up these initiatives the introduction of a practical monitoring system to assess progress in various areas will also help enormously in effectively marketing Nepal as a major tourism and WWR destination. Appendix 1 Rivers Suitable for WWR in Nepal (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Serial Name of River Duration of Rafting Trips in days 1 Trishuli 1 to 3 2 Seti 2 3 Bhote Koshi 2 4 Kali Gandki 3 5 Marshvangdi 4 6 Sun Koshi 7 to 9 7 Arun Up to 9 8 Karnali Up to 10 9 Tamur Up to 11 Word Count: 4428 Bibliography Ansoff, I, 2005, Strategic Choice, Management Centre, Retrieved December 17, 2006 from www.managementcentre.co.uk/knowledgebase/pdf/Ansoff%20-%20July%2005.pdf Basu, S and Riaz, A, 2007, Paradise Lost, Lexington Books. Beckman, T. N., Davidson, W. R, 1967 Marketing, New York: Ronald Press Co. Bloodgood, J. M., Bauerschmidt, A. (2002), Competitive Analysis: Do Managers Accurately Compare Their Firms to Competitors?. Journal of Managerial Issues, 14(4), 418+ Bright, A. D, 2000, The Role of Social Marketing in Leisure and Recreation Management. Journal of Leisure Research, 32(1), 12 Brown, T. L, 1996, The Challenge to Democracy in Nepal: A Political History. London: Routledge Cooke, A. Z., Haggerty, S, 1996, July 1, The Original White Water: During the Last 20 Years, River Rafting Has Evolved from a Sport for Thrill Seekers to Family Fun. Insight on the News, 12, 40+ Houston, P. D, 1998, November, Navigating Dangerous White Water Together. School Administrator, 55, 69 Klenosky, D and Gitelson, R, 1998, Travel agents destination recommendations, Annals of tourism research, Vol. 25, No. 3, Pgs 661-674 Lazer, W, 1971, Marketing Management: A Systems Perspective, New York: Joh

Tupac :: essays research papers

Tupac Shakur was one of the most influential music artist of the 20th Century. â€Å"Murda, Murda, Murda, and Kill, Kill, Kill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  these are they lyrics to one of the songs written by Tupac Shakur. Amidst all the controversy surrounding his personal life, this artist has managed to overcome all obstacles and spread his hope/hate message to a surprisingly receptive audience. Tupac’s music is borrowed from the styles of early rap and hip-hop yet its appeal rested in Tupac himself. His persona of â€Å"Thug Poet† opened up a portal into the new genre of â€Å"Gangsta Rap.† This new style of music revolutionized the music industry and allowed several new artists to break through in Tupac’s creation, Gangsta Rap, such as; G-unit, Eminem, and many others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971 in New York City to Afeni Shakur, a Black Panther member since 1968. She gave birth to him 2 months after she was released from Women’s House of Detentions in Grenwich Village. She was charged with conspiracy to bomb several New York public locations and just had her bail revoked. In court she represented herself and won against the state of New York in a surprising turn out. In Incan dialect, his name Tupac Amaru means â€Å"shining serpent† and Shakur is Arabic for â€Å"thankful to God.† For most of his childhood his crack addicted mother shuffled Tupac between the ghettos of Harlem and the Bronx. Young Tupac began his performance career with the 127th Street Ensemble and then enrolled Baltimore School for the Arts where he was educated in ballet and acting. Tupac was forced to drop out of the school because he had to move to California with his mother, where his criminal career began. He left hi s house at the age of 17 because of the continuous fights with his mother he then began selling/doing drugs, and was homeless for about 2 years. His life was spiraling down wards at a rapid rate. Till one day he got his big break. Tupac always dreamt about being famous someday, now his dream was becoming a reality. He struck a recording deal with Interscope records. He was on his way to super stardom, but as we all know with fame comes problems. He was involved in the shooting of two off duty police officers, although the chargers were later dropped. He was also convicted of rape, and sentenced to 5 years in Clinton Correctional Facilities.