Introduction to Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Introduction to Information Systems - Essay Example However, the possibility of losing significant business information is enormous, and the likelihood of getting significant information for the right people at the right time is short. In addition, implementing a business information system that is capable to incorporate on hand information framework or business traditional working gateway is a challenging job (Dow Jones & Company., 2011), (Laudon & Laudon, 1999) and (Moga & Turner, 2011). This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the new information technology based system application at the Brass Tacks Company Limited (BTC Ltd). This report will analyze some prime aspects those are involved in the overall information based system application at this corporation. Brass Tacks Company Ltd. is presently operational through the traditional/paper-based approach. However, seeing the benefits of information systems, its top management has decided to establish a new business platform that can better handle and manage the business oper ations. BUSINESS OVERVIEW The business structure of Brass Tacks Company Limited is based on selling the door furniture like that brass plates, letter boxes, knockers and knobs to the public. The business was initiated as a small business set-up and now it has been evolved to a vast business arrangement. In this way the business is able to increase sales as well as customer market. In case of traditional business practice of the business that is being performed through the paper based procedures, business is facing a lot of problems. Thus, seeing the improvement in business setup administration needs to implement the new technology based arrangement. This report covers the analysis of aspects which take place during the implementation of this IT system. PROBLEM AREAS Currently, at Brass Tacks Company Limited, people use paper based approach to perform everyday tasks. In such business practice there is dire need for improving or replacing the traditional business practice with IT base d procedure. In this business practice the main and biggest problem is the lack of management control over business. In this scenario, the main problems those are coming out include complex management of business aspects, long searching time, data replication, and complicated business operational cycle and tough management of processing daily orders regarding customer. NEED FOR NEW INFORMATION SYSTEM AT BTC At the present, all the businesses regardless of their size and nature are relying on the information technology for their sustained survival. Obviously there are extensive effects on the traditional business practice through the new technology based business working. However, by using business information system, organizations are able to produce information subjects for the whole business to follow, in addition to the matters for particular business sectors or people working inside the business (Hutchings, 1996), (Dow Jones & Company., 2011) and (Turban et al., 2005). The imple mentation of business information system at Brass Tacks Company Limited will improve the overall business functioning and operations management. In addition, with the implementatio

Select a topic from EITHER (i) social justice, OR (ii) God's Essay

Select a topic from EITHER (i) social justice, OR (ii) God's existence, OR (iii) death and meaning in life. Which thinker or p - Essay Example The 15-year old fictional character has viewed the relationship between the two as necessary for the point of appreciation. In her thoughts, one cannot appreciate life if death does not exist to be the human race’s inevitable end. On the other hand, Sophie thought that one could not think of death alone without having realised how great it is to live (Gaarder, 1994). These contentions offer a thought-provoking exploration in taking both death and the meaning of life into perspective. This paper then explores the presence of thoughts regarding death and the meaning of life. In so doing, thinkers in the field of philosophy are examined and later reduced to a list of whom this paper think offers the best arguments and conclusions as per the matter concerned. The selection of such philosophers is consequently justified. Life and the Minds that Explored its Meaning Beginning to explore the meaning of life is in itself broad and complicated. If three persons are inquired upon with t hat question, it is highly likely that the person asking would get three unique interpretations. It then comes as less surprising when philosophers in the day have to offer different perspectives of their own. If one would even think of it, philosophers--no matter which timeline he/she belongs to--attempts to unravel the meaning of life in his/her own angle. As an illustration, the schools of thought of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle could be accounted for as one unique quest from the other. First, many would attribute Socrates to be among the thinkers responsible for the founding what is now known as the philosophy of the Western culture (Long, 1988). This form of recognition stems from the philosopher’s notoriety in being provocative of many ideas, questioning the society’s status quo, and stirring the thoughts of the youth during his time. These ideologies were Socrates’ form of investigating on the meaning of life. Although not an outright move, it was his w ay of challenging society’s thoughts on what is the meaning of life for them. Consequently, his move on continuous inquiry of things was his way of giving a picture of the meaning of life. Without doing so may be equal to life without meaning. On the other hand, Plato--though a student of Socrates--was his own man in terms of philosophical contribution. Particularly, his role in the early foundations of science and Western philosophy is considered to be another one that is essential to the prosperity of the knowledge up to this day. Aristotle, who was Plato’s student, meanwhile had a broad range of focus and dealt largely with the physical sciences. The student-teacher thought may have differed in content but just like Socrates, the central ideologies of the two philosophers have each had their own version of revealing the meaning of life. An example would be Aristotle tackling the concept of end purpose. This school of thought can be taken as the philosopher’s own version of finding an answer for what life’s meaning is--given that finding out ‘why are we here’ and what the purpose of an individual is in the world has been among the pressing questions long been asked since humankind has been intrigued with (Gaarder, 1994). Nevertheless, although Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle could be credited as the pillars of the quest in life’s meaning, this paper considers other philosophers like Immanuel Kant to be the ones

Huge Quantity of Heroin Seized in Bronx Term Paper

Huge Quantity of Heroin Seized in Bronx - Term Paper Example The men arrested in this particular operation would be booked for various charges, including those related to other offenses linked to their primary operation of narcotics processing and distribution. But two of the main charges against them would be Criminal Possession of Controlled Substances and Criminal Sale of Controlled Substances, as per the New York Penal Law. Depending on pertinent facts of individual cases, the punishments of these crimes vary from a simple fine to imprisonment for a duration extending to more than a decade.But in this particular case, as the arrested men are a part of a well-organized criminal gang, there is a very small possibility of the eventual punishment being on the milder side. As a matter of fact, it would not be an exaggeration in maintaining that the accused, in all probability, would be handed over a severe sentence. It needs to be conceded that the final punishment in the case would rely on various vital factors such as other facts of the case and the defense, to cite a few. Before focusing on the aspect of the defense, an understanding needs to be obtained about the two Latin Terms –Actus Reus and Mens Rea. This is of utmost relevance for thoroughly appreciating the likely possibilities of this particular case. Actus Reus, which means a â€Å"guilty act†, refers to the actual act that is punishable by the Criminal Law. On the other hand, Mens Rea, whose meaning is guilty mind, refers to the actual intention in the mind of the person, while committing that act.

The differences in ethical and Christian views concerning homosexuality Essay Example for Free

The differences in ethical and Christian views concerning homosexuality Essay Homosexuality is a subject, which is forever being raised in todays media and society. It is constantly brought to the attention of many to be somewhat reassessed in terms of ethical and religious view points, whether through the newspapers or the television. While religious view points used to manipulate society in all matters, it now seems to be the media which influences and guides social attitudes towards homosexuality. For many years, it has been seen as intrinsically wrong to everybody, religious and secular. However, it is fast becoming more and more accepted by a larger number of people. Just the mention of homosexuality in a Roman Catholic Church is bound to be frowned upon or combated with a quick fire of biblical references to show you that homosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God. Catholicism has often been blamed for the development of homophobia, particularly in the West. While this may seem a little unfair, it is most certainly true that homophobia is ubiquitous within this Christian denomination. Many Catholics often refer to what few references there are in the Bible to the subject of homosexuality. For example, the story of the town called Sodom (Gen. 19-21) is one of the most famous indications that people often refer to. Here, a man named Lot is greeted by two of Gods divine messengers, who wish to warn Lot that God is displeased with the terrible behavior. He then receives men at his door saying that they wish to commit sexual acts with these divine messengers and in response to this, God burns the town to the ground. Christians believe that this was because of the men wishing to commit homosexual acts. They feel that there is no necessary analysis of this story as the message is quite clear. Jack T. Chick is a publisher of fundamentalist Christian leaflets and comic books. In one of his childrens comic books, entitled Birds and Bees, he wrote, The worst city was Sodom. These Sodomites worshipped Satan, were possessed with devils and they hated God. Their stink reached heaven and God was fed up with them. He planned to destroy them to keep their filthy lifestyle from spreading. As soon as they got Lot and his family out of Sodom, God firebombed the cities and turned them into ashes. Today, those same kinds of people are back, but now theyre called Gays! This opinion is shared by many Christians today and is often the message, which is portrayed through Christian propaganda such as this. From looking at this sort of publication, it is easy to see why Catholics are so frequently blamed for the development of homophobia. However, many Catholics today argue that this was simply a misinterpretation of the biblical reference itself. John Macquarrie and James Childress wrote in the New Dictionary of Christian Ethics To the extent that the Sodom story focuses on homosexual acts, the judgment is on the homosexual rape of divine messengers, and its larger judgment appears to be against social injustice and inhospitality to strangers (see Ezek. 16:49-50). They clearly state that the passage in the bible is not about the homosexual acts themselves, but the wish to do it without consent, implying that homosexual acts are perfectly okay as long as they are with two compliant adults. Not only this, but God was displeased with how the men acted towards guests when they should have been hospitable in a more Christian and loving way. There are many other examples of homosexual references in the bible, such as the Levitical Holiness Code (Lev. 18:22; 20:13), which prescribes the death penalty for homosexual acts. The NT (New Testament) calls homosexual acts idolatry (Rom. 1:26-27) and suggests that certain homosexual activity will deny you entry into Gods Kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Tim. 1:9-10) But yet again, Macquarrie and Childress argue the same thing. They wrote, The references in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy quite clearly take the sordid and dehumanizing dimensions of Greco-Roman pederasty as their image of homosexual relations. Macquarrie and Childress argue that the reference in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy are in reference to relations between men and boys and not in fact between two grown men. This changes the meaning entirely of the supposed reference to homosexuality, as we know very well that relations between men and boys is still found highly unacceptable and illegal even in todays society, not just in the religious circles. This is a highly different interpretation to what most Catholics would agree with, however, as times change many Catholics are actually considering these alternative interpretations to meet with the ever changing ethical views of society. There were many others to follow Macquarrie and Childress in re-interpreting the Bible and its rules on homosexuality. Many criticized Catholics for ignoring other rules that suited them but sticking to the rules about homosexuality because they didnt like the idea. In his book, Ethical Studies, David Bowie wrote The bible condemns hypocrisy and greed, but no one died at the stake in medieval times for these offences, while homosexuals perished. This view was shared by the likes of John Boswell (1982) and Gareth Moore (1992). Moore wrote, in his book The Body in Context: Sex and Catholicism (1992), that Christians dont follow the rule in Leviticus 19:19 that states that wearing garments that are made of two types of material is forbidden. He goes further to say that we ignore the laws, which are convenient to us while pursuing those that attack minorities that we dont like (pp. 184-186). He too agrees with the interpretation of the Sodom story, which states that God was troubled by the failure to meet the responsibility of hospitality, as oppose to disapproving homosexuality (p. 191). St. Paul wrote that homosexuality often comes from godless people who lead a precarious lifestyle. In 1 Corinthians he lists all kinds of unrighteous people including male prostitutes and sodomites. He says that people engaging in same sex actions are dishonoring their bodies. He also writes about men committing shameless acts with men. Moore also criticizes this idea from St. Paul. Moore argues that, whilst this may have been true in St. Pauls lifetime, it certainly isnt true now; with the fact there are many holy, Christian homosexuals around today who just want to be accepted. This doesnt fit into St. Pauls argument of godless homosexuals. While biblical references are very powerful to Catholics as Gods spoken word, there are also many modern day references that are used by Catholics such as the Declaration on Sexual Ethics (1975) which states In Sacred Scripture homosexual acts are condemned as a serious depravity and even presented as a sad consequence of rejecting God. This judgment of scripture does not, of course, permit us to conclude that all those who suffer from this anomaly are personally responsible for it, but it does attest to the fact that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and cannot be approved of. This seems to express the general view of conservative Catholics and provides another reason for practicing Catholics to be against homosexuality even if it is not entirely what they think. If it is written in something as serious as the Declaration on Sexual Ethics, people feel that they must follow it no matter what simply because they dont want to go against their religion. Disagreeing with this documentation would be opposing what the modern day Catholicism is requiring them to do and therefore many Catholics see it as intrinsically wrong to be homosexual, no matter what the reasons or circumstances. As well as actual textual references that say homosexuality is wrong, there are many other arguments that are always put forward by Catholics. Perhaps the most famous was that developed by Thomas Aquinas, called The Natural Law. This is the idea that sex is only for pro-creation, that is having children. He argues that this is why God gave us the sexual organs and using them for anything other than reproduction would be to misuse our bodies. Of course, this includes any form of homosexual activity and many Christians stick to this rule explicitly. This means, however, that some Christians find it perfectly acceptable to be homosexual but remain celibate throughout their entire lifetime. There are several Christian denominations that do find forms of homosexuality acceptable. Quakers say that homosexuality is no more deplorable than left-handedness and that it is the nature and quality of the relationship that matters. This means that as long as the relationship is a loving and caring relationship then it is perfectly acceptable no matter who is involved. This view is shared by the Methodist denomination of Christianity, which states that For homosexual men and women, permanent relationships characterized by love can be an appropriate and Christian way of expressing their sexuality. Many Christians believe that the most important teaching of Jesus was that you must love each other and treat each other how you would like to be treated. In this case, we must treat homosexuals with respect and not judge them for their way of living. We must show compassion for every human being, no matter what his or her race, creed or sexuality. While these religious views are still seen as highly acceptable, it is fast becoming the ethical views that are dominating the societys opinion of homosexuality. Due to the investigation into the cause of homosexuality, many people now believe that being a homosexual is something that you do not choose to be, something that you cannot change about yourself. The causes of homosexuality can often be split up into different categories; biological, psychoanalytical and social learning theories. And of course many doctors and psychologists seem to go for a combination of all three. However, despite the general consensus that we do not know the cause of homosexuality, there have been certain aspects of it that people agree on. For example, we know that it seems to become fixed in early childhood, usually by the age of seven. This is said to be not of the individuals own choice. Another agreement is that while efforts to change ones sexual practices may be successful, it will not change the sexual orientation of the individual and things such as feelings and desires. And finally, people agree upon the fact that most people are neither exclusively heterosexual nor homosexual but that they have leading predispositions towards either orientation. With these ethical considerations in mind, many people take these into deliberation when making judgments or decisions about homosexuality. People often question whether homosexuality actually is a moral issue. Not all Christians would find these biblical references useful or even relevant to the modern day debate as to whether homosexuality is right or wrong. We also have to consider the views of those who dont follow the Christian tradition at all. At which point does homosexuality become a moral problem for people in society? Surely sexual acts that occur between two consenting adults, homosexual or heterosexual, are perfectly okay in the privacy of their own homes. True, people shouldnt be exposed to things that they may find offensive in their opinion but it doesnt mean that they can stop other people from doing so. Of course there has been the issue of homosexuality in the law. What is legal is not necessarily the same as what is moral. Up until 1967, it was illegal to perform sexual acts at any time in any place. However, the 1967 Sexual Offences Act legalized homosexuality but many people still think it should be against the law. J.S. Mill claimed The only purpose for which power can be rightfully be exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to prevent harm to others. This opinion was shared by John Rawls who stated every person has a right to the maximum amount of liberty compatible with allowing liberty for all.(Ethics: Homosexuality by Reg Luhman p.20) This means that every individual, homosexual or heterosexual has the right to do whatever he or she want as long as it doesnt harm other people. He questions why people think they have the right to deny some human beings of their right to be homosexual and happy at the same time. However, Lord Devlin challenged this. He stated in his lecture on the reinforcement of morals, that homosexuality could damage our societys status and that allowing homosexuality to exist legally could jeopardize this. He believes that a society must do what it takes to preserve its own existence even if this means illegalizing homosexual acts in private between consenting adults. H.L.A. Hart criticized Devlin for this, drawing divisions between what is immoral and what is an upset to public civility. It brings attention to the fact that sexual acts between husband and wife would be seen as perfectly okay as long as it was in private but if it public then it would be considered immoral. However, sexual acts between two homosexuals would be considered immoral whether it was private or in public. He says The idea that we may punish offenders against a moral code, not to prevent harm or suffering or even repetition of the offence but simply as a means of venting or emphatically expressing moral condemnation, is uncomfortably close to human sacrifice as an expression of religious worship. The fact that humans can punish other humans for doing nothing but expressing their sexuality seems morally wrong in itself. To punish someone for something which they cannot help and did not choose is a far greater and unchristian way of dealing with the issue than allowing them to be homosexual in the privacy of their own homes etc. Joseph Fletcher argued that any of the 10 commandments or moral values could be broken if the circumstances required people to do so. He proposed the idea of situation ethics, which suggested that acts should be committed depending on what would be the most loving thing to do. The obvious problem with this is that we cannot know the outcome of any action and so we cannot determine what the most loving thing to do would be. But in the situation where two people love each other very much and feel that they must find a way to express their love, Fletcher would argue that they should be allowed to express it simply because they are acting out of love for each other and not causing any harm to anybody. With these considerations in mind, people still find homosexuality immorally wrong, whether theyre religious or not. Many people call it unnatural and against what man was made to do, so to speak. Natural would be to preserve the human race and of course, homosexual relationship do not do this. Charles Darwin proposed the idea of Naturalistic Humes Law which said that just because things are natural does not mean they are good and just because things are artificial or unnatural does not mean they are evil or bad. If we put this into modern day perspective we can see that, while homosexuality may be considered unnatural (which it may or may not be depending on ones opinion), it does not mean it is necessarily wrong. This seems to suggest that the question of whether homosexuality is natural or unnatural is irrelevant because that factor doesnt contribute to whether it is right or wrong, moral or immoral. In conclusion, it seems that there will probably always be an issue with homosexuality and religious groups until religious leaders are willing to see alternative interpretations of their sacred texts. However, it does seem that many people are beginning to accept homosexuality into society without the consideration of religion. The media has heavily influenced the acceptance of homosexuality as well as the legalizing of it in 1967. In a few years times, homophobia should be almost non-existent, excluding the religious groups who arent willing to change their views with the modern day times. We could argue forever which view is more right in terms or morals and religious aspects but in the end it depends entirely upon personal opinion and we cannot force people to be okay with something as controversial as this. Homophobia should be something, which will diminish given time. Bibliography Ethical Studies David Bowie (2001) Groundwork of Christian Ethics Richard G. Jones (1984) A New Dictionary of Christian Ethics Edited by John Macquarrie and James Childress (1986) Religious Studies Sarah K. Tyler and Gordon Reid (2002) On Liberty J.S. Mill (1859) The Body In Context: Sex and Catholicism- Gareth Moore (1992) Rediscovering Gay History: Archetypes of Gay Love in Christian History John Boswell (1982) Ethics: Homosexuality Reg Luhman (1999)

Comparing Cyrano de Bergerac and the Movie, Roxanne Essay -- Compare C

Comparing Cyrano de Bergerac and the Movie, Roxanne   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Isn't it easier to accept the idea that a main character would be engaged in a fist fight, rather than a sword fight? Aren't fire fighters, as characters, more believable than a bunch of olden day French cadets? I certainly think so. To me it is just more real to have the setting of a story in modern times and in the United States. Rostand's Cyrano De Bergerac is written about a time that no one alive now has experienced. There is the same plot idea that an ugly man wants the pretty girl, but she is too busy being infatuated with the pretty boy to notice the intellect of the man she truly comes to love. Steve Martin's Roxanne and Rostand's Cyrano De Bergerac are similar in the sense that they both appeal to the people of the same time period in which each one was written and performed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever been to Paris, France in the year 1640? No? Well neither have I, but I have been residing in the United States in modern times. I related more to this version of Cyrano de Bergerac because the settings are familiar. In the original version there is a sword fight at a theater. Well for one, most people nowadays have the mind set that sword fights are for the aristocrats and Romeo and Juliet. Roxanne has fist fights and many events happen in a bar. I?ve seen fist fights and I have been in a bar and grill which is why I can relate to Roxanne. Another modern twist to Roxanne is the occupations of the characters. The fire figh...

‘Hide and Seek’ by Vernon Scannell and ‘Half-past Two’ by U. A. Fanthorpe Essay

‘Hide and Seek’ concerns a boy hiding cautiously whilst playing hide and seek with his peers. Gradually, he realises he has been abandoned, and fear overcomes him due to being isolated in the dark surroundings. The tone is incredibly certain and positive at the beginning. However, his confidence gradually fades away as the realisation of his abandonment occurs. The mood is analogous to the tone. At first, we can sense the excitement. This modifies to anxiety and nervousness towards the end. The poet uses language features to portray the tone. On the first line, exclamation marks are used to show the enthusiasm of the boy. Scannell uses personification and the senses to describe the surrounding atmosphere in a vivid way. Therefore, the reader gets a clearer image. Occasional rhyme is used to add a sense of rhythm to the poem. The poem is one continuous stanza. It is like dramatic monologue in that it creates character, but it is actually second person. The structure emphasises the unbearable length of waiting time. The adult speaks to his childhood self in second person, explaining feeling and thoughts. There are short sentences to build up tension and create stillness. The themes explored in ‘Hide and Seek’ are childhood experiences, reflection, isolation and abandonment. These themes are also explored in ‘Half- past Two’. This poem also explores various other themes such as time restriction and criticism of teaching methods. Half-past two is about a child who has been naughty. The punishment given by his teacher is to stay in the room until half- past two. She forgets that she hasn’t taught him time. He only understands his routines and throughout the poem we see how the child escapes time because he doesn’t know it. The poet uses tone and language methods to portray the way the child is treated. The mood for the majority of the poem is quite dreamy and we get the feeling that the boy is confused. In terms of language, personification is used effectively to show the child’s view of time. The use of senses creates the surrounding atmosphere like in the previous poem, ‘Hide and Seek’. Compound words are used to show the routines of the boy and the only time concepts he understands. Rhythm is produced by the repetition of compound words and by the fact that they are said in a child’s sing- song voice. Half-past two is divided into eleven three lines stanzas. Irony is expressed through the organised structure, as it contrasts with the boy’s feelings. In ‘Hide and Seek’ the child is hiding carefully, checking ‘feet aren’t sticking out,’ and taking precautions such as not risking ‘another shout.’ Gradually, we realise his friends have purposely abandoned him, but the child is very naive and thinks he is ‘the winner.’ He realises in ‘the darkening garden’ that he has been neglected. The poem is written in second person. ‘They’ll never find you in this salty dark.’ This gives us the impression that the narrator is an adult looking back on the experience. The senses are used in order to describe the surrounding atmosphere in a more vivid way. ‘The sacks in the tool shed smell like the seaside.’ Scannell also uses personification, which causes us to imagine how the child is feeling at that particular point. ‘The cold bites through your coat.’ Personification is effective at portraying the child’s feelings as it is easier for us to understand something if it is described to us in a more physical way. The majority of personification is used towards the end to give a sense of foreboding. ‘The darkening garden’ watching emphasises his isolation in a scary place whereas ‘the bushes hold their breath’ can show what the child may be doing because he is scared. In extreme circumstances when people are very scared, they hold their breath without knowing. Scannell applies punctuation to portray the tone and mood of the poem. ‘I’m ready! Come and find me!’ The exclamation marks highlight the excitement of the child. We detect a positive attitude and certainty due to the use of the imperative rather than taking orders. A question is used at the end to portray the uncertain and anxious emotions the child is feeling. ‘But where are they who sought you?’ This is the voice of the adult reflecting on a bitter experience. It is symbolic that the poem begins with the imperative and exclamation marks and conspicuously ends with confusion and question marks. It emphasises the gradual change from having a positive attitude to realisation of isolation. An alternative point that proves that the mood is positive at the beginning  is that the child compares the current situation to a typical, happy one the majority of children’s experience. ‘The sacks in the tool shed smell like the seaside.’ This gives the impression of a dazzling, sunny beach with a lot of happy children playing without constraints and restriction. This is ironic as the child is isolated in a dark, begrimed place with restricted space. The poem is one continuous stanza. The dramatic monologue symbolizes the unbearable length of waiting time. The character is speaking directly to us, explaining his different feelings and thoughts. The poem can be divided into two parts. They are positivity and certainty, and negativity and realisation. The first line of the second part is, ‘it seems a long time since they went away.’ Previously, the child attempts to convince himself they are still looking for him. ‘They must be thinking you’re very clever.’ The effect of this is to emphasise the naivety and innocence of the child. For the majority of the poem, the child is positive, but only for a minority is he negative. This can accentuate the fact a child may spend more time with fallacious ideas than in actual reality. Short sentences are used to build up tension. ‘Don’t breathe. Don’t move. Stay dumb.’ These sentences are said slower than the rest of the poem, creating a tense stillness. The pace slows down. Occasional rhyme is present in ‘Hide and Seek’. ‘Out, shout,’ ‘coat, throat.’ A sense of rhythm is added to the poem. I think there are four main themes explored in the poem; childhood memories, isolation, abandonment, feeling unwanted and reflection. Reflection and childhood memories can be connected as the whole poem is about an adult reflecting on a childhood memory. This is proven by the fact that the whole of the poem is written in second person. ‘You’ve never heard them sound so hushed before.’ This is more personal than using ‘he’ or ‘him.’ Isolation is another theme. The innocent child doesn’t think so, but for the  whole of the poem, he is alone. In the positive part of the poem, he believes that his friends are outside, but close to him. ‘They’re moving closer, someone stumbles, mutters;’ The child believes his friends are so close, he can even hear they’re discreet actions, usually unnoticeable. Like the last theme, it emphasises the naivety and innocence of the boy. An alternative point to verify that the boy is in isolation is the fact that he is in ‘the darkening garden’ as he emerges from ‘the tool shed.’ There is emphasis on the amount of darkness in his surroundings. This can be interpreted as a symbol of loneliness. This brings about fear, especially in young children. The fact that ‘the sun is gone’ is another symbol for darkness being present. For children, the sun and brightness are indications of happiness and contentment within a group. The theme of abandonment can be associated with isolation because he is alone. It is clear to us that his friends purposefully abandon the boy. ‘Their words and laughter scuffle, and they’re gone.’ We realise this a considerable time before the boy does. This emphasises that most of the time, children are left in the dark, and elders know beforehand. Feeling unwanted is another major theme of ‘Hide and Seek’. This is how the child feels when the realisation of his abandonment occurs to him. ‘Yes, here you are. But where are they who sought you?’ It is likely that the child feels his peers abandoned him because they do not like him. This action and the subsequent emotion are common with children. The child is left confused thinking that there is something wrong with them. I can tell by the bitterness of the adult’s tone that this is how the child feels. ‘You’re legs are stiff, the cold bites through your coat.’ He is trying to show that all the pain he went through was not worth it because he was unwanted. Similarly to ‘Hide and Seek’, ‘Half- past Two’ is about a young child. He has done something naughty in school and is told by his teacher to stay in the room until ‘Half- past Two’. In her rush, she forgets that ‘She hadn’t taught him Time.’ The only time concepts he is aware of and understands are daily routines such as ‘Gettinguptime,’ ‘Timeyouwereofftime.’ Whilst  waiting, he escapes into a ‘clockless land’ ‘out of reach of all the timefors.’ The teacher returns, slots ‘him back into school time’ and tells him to leave, or else he’ll be late. Contrasting with ‘Hide and Seek’, ‘Half- past Two’ is written in third person. ‘He did Something Very Wrong.’ I think the narrator is the adult looking back on a childhood experience. The poet doesn’t make it very obvious by using first person, or second person like ‘Hide and Seek’. Fanthorpe uses personification to portray the child’s view of the clock. ‘The little eyes, and two long legs for walking.’ This view is a child’s typical perception and establishes how naive a child can be, a comparison to ‘Hide and Seek’. Personification is used further when Fanthorpe uses the pun, ‘He couldn’t click its language.’ She is progressing further from the point that a child views a clock as a living object. A clock produces a ticking noise. To the child, this is how it talks. The pun stresses the point that he can’t understand a clock, and therefore time. Personification is used in ‘Hide and Seek’, but for different purposes. It is to give a clearer image, rather than show a child’s perception of an object. A comparison to ‘Hide and Seek’ concerning language is that the senses create a clearer atmosphere for the reader. ‘The smell of old chrysanthemums on Her desk.’ Another reason for the use of senses differing from ‘Hide and Seek’ at this particular point is to show how people, especially children notice insignificant things when they are alone. Their concentration increases due to minimal distraction. ‘Into the silent noise his hangnail made.’ The senses are used when he escapes into the ‘clockless land of ever’. A significant stanza of the poem is where ‘she slotted him back into schooltime.’ An image of this is created in our minds of a mechanical action. It is as if he is being taken out of one zone and put back into another instantly. The alliteration on this line causes the poem to be more rhythmic. Subsequent to escaping the timeless world, the teacher’s words are in  italics. ‘I forgot all about you.’ I think this is to make her lines prominent. These lines are important because they emphasise the fact that the child was neglected. Compound words are used to portray the child’s routines, the only time concepts he understands. ‘Gettinguptime, timeyouwereofftime, timetogohomenowtime.’ I think his parents and other carers in his life say these. The repetition of compound words creates a sense of rhythm. They seem to be said in a sing- song tone, emphasising the patronizing tone to the child because of his age. A patronizing tone is used previously towards the boy. ‘He did Something Very Wrong.’ The title case states the words that are emphasised. She thinks that if she uses a normal tone, the message won’t get through to him. In the last stanza, we can sense the wistful tone of the narrator. ‘Where time hides tick- less waiting to be born.’ He wishes he could escape into this land where he isn’t restricted by time, like most adults. The narrator shows bitterness by using a satirical and sarcastic tone. ‘(I forget what it was.)’ This mocks the teacher by trying to show that she was making a big deal out of something insignificant. The mood in the poem is dreamy, especially when the boy escapes into the timeless zone. ‘Beyond onceupona.’ The mood emphasises his confusion by the unfamiliar concept of time. The dreamy mood is also indicated by the fairytale references. ‘Once upon a schooltime.’ The word ‘time’ is substituted for alternative words or none at all. Not only do fairytale references portray the mood, but also the fact that fairytales are childish and contain fantasy aspects. The moods in ‘Half- past Two’ are a contrast to the mood in ‘Hide and Seek’. The poem is divided into eleven three-line stanzas, showing organisation. Irony is expressed through the organised structure, as it contrasts with the boy’s feelings. This is a very noticeable difference to the structure of ‘Hide and Seek’. A  further distinction is that occasional brackets are used in ‘Half- past Two’ as opposed to none in ‘Hide and Seek’. One stanza is dedicated to criticizing teaching methods and sarcastically mocking her. ‘(Being cross, she’d forgotten she hadn’t taught him Time. He was too scared of being wicked to remind her.)’ The brackets represent the insignificance of the teacher’s actions. The themes explored in ‘Half- past Two’ that are also explored in ‘Hide and Seek’ are childhood memories, isolation, abandonment and reflection. Also, restriction of time and freedom of childhood. Like in ‘Hide and Seek’, the themes of childhood memories and reflection can be closely tied together because in my view, the poem is about an adult looking back on a childhood experience. Unlike ‘Hide and Seek’, this isn’t indicated by the use of second person as the poem is written in third person, a less personal approach. It is indicated by the tone in the final stanza. ‘But he never forgot how once by not knowing time†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The tone is pensive and regretful. The adult wishes he had the power to escape into the ‘clockless land of ever.’ This brings me to my next point that restriction by time is a theme explored in ‘Half- past Two’, but not ‘Hide and Seek’. The last stanza is the adult reflecting. ‘He escaped into the clockless land of ever, where time hides tick- less waiting to be born.’ The quote emphasises the fact that an innocent child isn’t restricted by time as oppos ed to adults. An additional theme is isolation. Contrary to ‘Hide and Seek’, the child is aware of his isolation, but confused at how to escape it. ‘So he waited†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ His child like qualities are emphasised by the fact that he needs an older responsible figure to help and guide him. Abandonment, another theme, occurs when his teacher as opposed to friends in ‘Hide and Seek’ deserts the child. In both poems, the child is abandoned, but the teacher and the friends have different intentions. The friends do it as a joke and assume the child will find his way back, whereas the teacher ignored and forgot the boy. ‘Stay in the schoolroom till half- past two.’ In conclusion, I think the differences outweigh the similarities. An important similarity is that both are about adults reflecting on childhood experiences. In ‘Hide and Seek’, the adult is regretful and despises the experience, whereas in ‘Half- past Two’, the adult wishes he could relive the experience. Another difference is the structures of both poems. ‘Hide and Seek’ is one continuous stanza, whereas ‘Half- past Two’ consists of eleven three line stanzas. Regarding language, both poems use personification and senses to vividly describe the surrounding atmosphere. Unlike ‘Half- past Two’, ‘Hide and Seek’ uses punctuation to portray the change in tone and mood. Regarding themes, all themes explored in ‘Hide and Seek’ are explored in ‘Half- past Two’ as well as more. A noticeable difference is the content of both poems. The experiences are totally different as are the reactions a nd personal opinions of them. I enjoyed reading ‘Hide and Seek’ more than ‘Half- past Two’. This is because I thought ‘Hide and Seek’ was more effective at vividly portraying the experience. In ‘Half- past Two’, it was harder to get a grasp of the content and symbolism within the poem.

Royal Ploughing Ceremony

The Royal Plowing Ceremony The Royal Plowing Ceremony is one of the most important annual royal traditional ceremonies, which is held at the open square of Veal Preah Merhu in front of the National Museum in Phnom Penh every year. This ceremony is deemed one of the marvelous blessings of the Cambodian people. Each king has led this celebration since ancient times. According to the tradition, the Royal Plowing ceremony is celebrated to predict the upcoming orn, bean, grass, sesame, water, wine. It is also celebrated to give a blessing to farming and to pray to God for sufficient seasonal rainfall, which is essential to encouraging all of the Cambodian farmers to produce a high crop yield. This year’s Royal Plowing Day was celebrated on May 21st, presided over by His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It was held in the Meru field (Viel Men), north of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. For this year, Keo Chanmony, a CPP Member of Parliament from Kampong Chhnang province, was appointed as Mehour, while Cambodian lawmaker, Say Chhum, acted as Sdech Meak. After finishing the symbolic plowing and throwing seeds of a portion of the field, a pair of sacred oxen were led to eat rice, corn, beans, sesame, grass, water and alcohol, which had been prepared on trays. It was seen that the sacred oxen ate corn, beans, and grass but shunned rice grain. The oxen’s choice of corn, beans, and grass led the Royal Palace’s chief astrologer Kang Keng to declare that this year’s corn and beans harvests will be bountiful. However, he warned that the eating of grass signaled that Cambodia’s livestock will suffer from some pandemic diseases. Any way, the astrologer did not spell out to the crowd what it meant for the rice yield, sparking concern among superstitious farmers. â€Å"I am very worried that we will not have a good paddy harvest,† farmer Ros Makara, 52, told AFP after the ceremony, â€Å"but I will try my best to grow rice. I don’t totally rely on the prediction. † Ok Men, 46, from Prey Veng province, said she was worried about her cows. I have to be careful in taking care of and preventing my cows from contracting diseases,† she said. Another corn and bean farmer from Kandal province, Chhit Sorphea, said the prediction made him confident of a good harvest, and he would expand his planting. After the rite, the participants could enjoy the exhibition of agricultural products, agro-industrial products, forest products and by products, domestic animal products, rubber output, tourism potential, and agro-tourism which was held for three days, from 21-23 May 2011, in Viel Men. In that occasion, there have been many media coverage of the Royal Plowing Ceremony this year. In country’s broadcasting such as national TV which transferred to all Cambodia’s TV and radio, Koh Samtepheap newspaper, DAP news, many website on the internet like: www. rfa. org/khmer, www. cambodia. org/news , www. everyday. com. kh , www. news. bbc. co. uk , www. chanbokeo. com, and so on, all of the them have been broadcast this royal ceremony through same source by different style of each.