The Secret to Humor is Surprise in The Weather of New...

Critical Analysis Essay â€Å"The secret to humor is surprise-Aristotle.† The two stories Im going to talk about â€Å"The Weather of New England† by Mark Twain and â€Å"The Dog That Bit People† by James Thurber are both strange humorous essay with a twist. Both stories have a central conflict, in â€Å"The Dog That Bit People† a family is burden with a dog that bites everyone, including the narrator. â€Å"The Weather of New England† talks about the weather of the new colonies and how spontaneous they were and the different forms they came in. Both humorous authors use style, tone, and perspective as a technique to tell their story and conflicts. Mark Twain uses style in â€Å"The Weather of New England†, when he uses words like â€Å"sumptuous† and â€Å"Centennial† to describe whats going on in the story. The author refers to the weather as â€Å"sumptuous† saying that there are splendid and lavish varieties of the weather of New England that cause a stranger to admire and regret or pity the weather. He also says that â€Å"the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty.† The authors uses words like â€Å"dazzling† to show his style. His style is sarcastic because he makes the uncertainty of not knowing what the weathers going to be as a good thing when really the unexpected weather is causing problems. The author of The Dog That Bit People James Thurber on one hand uses hyperboles like Mark Twain ,but on the

The Parable Of The Sower - 1217 Words

Film and novels cannot be a part of the dystopian genre without having certain characteristics. Among these characteristics Parable of the Sower displays the traits needed to create a dystopian novel. Parable of the Sower belongs in this genre because it illustrates a restrictment of independent thought, the natural world is distrusted, and citizens live in a dehumanized state. One of the common traits dystopian novels include is, information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted. In Parable of the Sower it is not easy to get information about what happens outside of the walls. The way most families get their information is by radio. When Lauren and the rest go on the road they no longer have information on what is going on in other cities or the dangers of fires ahead of the road. The restrictment of independent thought is not seen much outside of Laurens community, but it is heavily seen in her community. Lauren tried to say what she thought to Joanne thinking that she would understand and agree with her, but it did not work the way Lauren wanted it to. In her journal entry Lauren wrote â€Å"I felt on the verge of talking to her about things I hadn’t talked about before. I’d written about them. Sometimes I write to keep from going crazy. There’s a world of things I don’t feel free to talk to anyone about. But Joanne is a friend. She knows me better than most people, and she has a brain. Why not talk to her? Sooner or later, I have to talk to someone. †Show MoreRelatedThe Parable Of The Sower1062 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstand the nature and purpose of the parable, in order for understanding and interpreting Jesus’ parables. The parable of the sower is considered as the great watershed of all Jesus’ parables. I believe that the right way to express the continuity and the development of Jesus’ thoughts about the connection between the kingdom and himself is by understanding the parable of the Sower. The author in Kingdom, Grace, and Judgement describes the parable of the sower by breaking it into five different proposalsRead MoreThe Parable Of The Sower753 Words   |  4 Pagespaper will be taken from Matthew 13: 3- 23 . Let’s summarize the parable for a clear understanding for the reader. Jesus began to discuss His discourse of the parable of the sower who sows seeds on different ground for it to grow and produce. Jesus cites three examples how the seeds were sown in this parable and how the ground responded. According to Dr. James Gibson defined a parable as â€Å"to place beside.† Jesus often used parables to teach mysteries to His disciples and others. Dr. Gibson refersRead MoreThe Parable Of The Sower1570 Words   |  7 PagesSpring 2013 Earthseed: The Books of the Living The Parable of the Sower By Lauren Oya Olamina ; Lorem Ipsum Dolor Spring 2016 The Parable of the Sower Earthseed is a fictional religion based on the idea that â€Å"God is Change.† Created by Octavia Butler, this story is told by the main character Lauren Oya Olamina in both of her books: Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents. There was supposed to be a third book to this trilogy series, Parable of the Trickster, but Butler was unable to completeRead MoreThe Parable Of The Sower1789 Words   |  8 Pagesthe author or of the intended audience or both.† The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-12, NRSV) is written with the intent to teach a lesson to the reader. Jesus shares a parable with a large group of people and later explores this with his disciples. This passage gives the reader the chance to hear the parable and also its intended meaning. Whilst this story is popular in catholic teaching, it is not exclusive to Mark. The Parable of the Sower can also be found in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:10-12 andRead MoreThe Parable of the Sower674 Words   |  3 PagesThe Parable of the Sower The Parables are a section of the Matthews Evangelium in the Christian Bible. It is a common inspiration and focus for interpretation or themes during sermon. The Parables consist of tales that Jesus is said to have been a crowd of people following him and they explained Goods word and moral by using ordinary events. Following each Parable is an interpretation of it –made to state what the parable actually wants to explain to us. The first of these parables is theRead MoreThe Parable Of The Sower861 Words   |  4 PagesCultivate Your Mind In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus points out that it is only when the seed is sown in good soil that it brings forth an abundance. The soil / soul comparison makes clear what is often ignored about prayer: it is not the seed, but the condition of the soil (soul) that determines the size of the harvest. It is not by sowing more seeds, but by improving the soil, that we increase the quantity and improve the quality of the results. In the parable, the birds of judgment negateRead MoreParable of the Sower531 Words   |  3 Pagesplays a key role in this story and shows how being an individualistic society can be the downfall to the strongest country in the world. This essay will discuss the struggle of man versus man, man versus nature, and the authors intent in Parable of the Sower. Butler talks about many aspects of life and the struggle to survive, and this essay will explore three main ideas that occurred in this book. The struggle of man versus man occurs throughout the whole story. The book starts out thatRead MoreThe Parable Of The Sower2295 Words   |  10 Pagesused parables to pass earthly stories with a heavenly meaning to the multitude. He used parables in His teachings to not only fulfill prophecy but also to enlighten the true hearted to challenge hardened hearts of the people (Matt. 13:34-35, KJV). Among His parables, the parable of the sower was the parable inclusive of other parables (soil grounds and the sower) making it one of the main parables of Christ. Four different soils were used to represent four different kinds of people and a sower wasRead MoreThe Parable Of The Sower Essay1796 Words   |  8 Pages The Parable of the Sower tells the story of several seeds, each of which had been placed into different conditions. The contrasting faith journeys of Nathan, Frank, and Ruth of the Drum family can each be connected to one such seed. Nathan, the seed in good soil, Frank, the s eed in rocky places, and Ruth, the seed among the thorns, were all tested by tragedy. In his book Ordinary Grace, William Kent Krueger uses the response of each person to prove that although extent of faith can vary greatlyRead MoreParable Of The Sower Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesSegregation Parable of the Sower hypothesizes around the ascent of a period of psychological oppression in America, a method of terrorism that inundates the quaint, generally more well off white-collar community. It additionally poses many dangers and consequences for those of wealthier classes. Parable of the Sower has is set in Los Angeles and California, in a near future in which human life is deteriorating and culture is plummeting to brutality. Almost every person in Parable of the Sower struggles

Challenges with an Ageing Population †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Challenges with an Ageing Population. Answer: Introduction The rapid increase in the ageing population has become a cause for concern for many nations that are presently grappling with such a situation. Many countries are having a large ageing population and this is invariably having a negative impact on their economy. An ageing population contributes to a decline in the working age population which leads to a shortage of qualified workers who can contribute to a nations growth and prosperity (Bloom, et al., 2015). It creates a rise in the healthcare costs as the demand for healthcare invariably rises with age thereby forcing the government to allocate and spend more money and resources on their public healthcare systems. Ageing population creates an increase in the dependency ratio as there is large elderly population which is dependent on the taxes paid by the smaller pool of workers for getting their pension benefits and other public funded facilities. This assignment will invariably discuss the rise in the ageing population in Japan and Singapore and how both the countries are trying to cope up with the challenges of managing the ageing population in their respective nations (Borji, 2016). The Demographic Changes There are three factors which essentially affect the size and age of the population in Asia. These are the witnessed trend of continuous baby boom, the rapid reduction in the male and female fertility rates and the decline in the mortality rates creates an increased pressure on the healthcare services of any country. In Singapore, the period of baby boom lasted nearly two decades from 1946 to 1965. The year 1965 is an important year for Singapore as the country became independent. The total yearly births remained 38,654 during the first year of baby boom and it steadily increased to 62,495 births in 1957. The number of births remained steady at around 60000 births until 1964 after which it steadily decreased to around 44,562 in 1969. After 1980, there was a marked increase in the number of live births and this trend continued till 1995. After 2000, the birth rate slowly decreased and this period after 2000 was marked by a low birth rate (Roy, 2014). The fertility rate in Singapore remained at high level during the period between 1947 and 1957. It was 6.5 during this period. The baby boom transformed into a baby bust due to the rapid fall in the fertility rates among the Singaporean population during the early 1980s. The period between the late 1960s and the early 1970s were market by a temperamen tal shift in how the people perceived family planning and birth control(Ferraro Shippee, 2009). Women had greater access to birth control techniques and the Government of Singapore introduced changes in their existing laws which went a long way in changing the perception and attitude of the general population towards womens role in the society (Roy, 2014). Improved life expectancy along with declining fertility in recent years has contributed to a large ageing population in Singapore. During the year 2000, the life expectancy stood at an all time high of 80.4 years. The rise in living standards and improving nutrition levels combined with better education and awareness contributed mainly towards the low mortality rates during the first half of the 20th century contributed largely to the ageing population in Singapore. Japans population has increased during the post war period from about 93.4 million in 1960 to around 128 million in 2010. This shows an increase of 37% in the overall population. However, the main cause of concern for Japan is that the number of persons below the age of 15 years has been witnessing a steady decline till the 1980s after which there was a rapid decline till the present moment. The population size of persons below 15 years of age was only 16.8 million in 2010. This statistics indicate that the proportion of children in the overall population has shrunk down considerably from 30% in 1960 to 13% in 2010. Contrastingly the proportion of elderly population has risen continuously from 1960 to 2010. The number of people above the age of 65 years was 5.4 million in 1960 and this was 29 million in 2010 recording an increase of almost five and a half times (Tsuya, 2014). This rapid pace of ageing population is attributed as a major factor for the problems associated with populat ion ageing which is being faced by Japan. In terms of fertility rate, there was a sharp decline in the fertility rate in the period after the Second World War. The Total fertility rate dropped down from 4.5 in 1947 to 2.0 in 1957. The fertility rate in Japan stabilised at the levels of 2.0 to 2.2 children per women till 1974 after which it recorded a decline again. The developments and advancements made in the fields of healthcare services in both Singapore and Japan have played a vital role in bring down the mortality rates in both the nations. It has played a major role in increasing the life expectancy of the people in both the countries which has invariably contributed to the present problems associated with an ageing population in both the nations (Tamiya, et al., 2011). The Policies The issue of the ageing population in Singapore has been on the national agenda since the 1980s and the Singaporean government has undertaken several high level committees to study the ageing trends in that country. Singapore is tackling the problem of ageing population with an inter-agency approach that takes into accounts inputs and feedbacks from the general population at the time of policy making. During the 1980s the government recognised the fact that the population was ageing rapid and thus they focused their efforts and attention on identifying and anticipating the needs of the elderly population (Goh, 2006). The Committee on the Problems of the Aged was formed in 1982 and was chaired by the Minister for Health and their main purpose was to study the impacts of an ageing population on the country and provide solutions to tackle the challenges. During the 1990s, an Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ageing Population (IMC) was set up for creating a coordinated national response to the challenges which emerged from an ageing society. It aimed at facilitating a successful ageing process by showcasing a high degree of preparedness for the challenges and opportunities which emerged from an ageing population (Sanderson Scherbov, 2010). The Singaporean Government has introduced holistic and affordable healthcare and eldercare which emphasises on disease prevention and health promotion. The government promotes personal responsibility for healthcare by encouraging the elderly population to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle in their respective communities for as long as possible. The Singapore government provides lifelong financial planning for their citizens. Under Singapores Central Provident Fund (CPF) system, the elderly population is responsible for planning and saving which would help to ensure their financial security in the old age. The government of Singapore has ensured that older people are employed for as long as possible which helps in ensuring that the elderly population are mentally and physically fit by leading an active lifestyle by enabling them to integrate with the society in an effective manner (Goh, 2006) In Japan, the people above the age of 65 years presently comprise almost a quarter of the total Japanese population. This top heavy demographic aspect has created huge challenges for the Japanese government. In order to tackle this growing problem, the Japanese government is trying to implement innovative programs such as long term care and insurance to advanced robotics which would go a long way in helping Japan to mitigate the problems and challenges faced as a result of their ageing population. Japan is widely considered to be the oldest society on the planet and the worsening situation has compelled the Japanese government to take bold decisions to counter the challenges of an ageing population (Tsuya, 2014). In the year 2000, the Japanese government has launched a long term care insurance which aims to totally change and transform the manner in which healthcare services are presently being delivered to the Japanese population. For revitalising the Japanese economy, the Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Shinzo Abehas launched a new set of reforms which are dubbed Abenomics". It aims to increase the proportion of women in the workforce by further increasing and expanding the inexpensive day-care centres for children and reforming the corporate governance laws in Japan (Marlow, 2015). The Japanese government has chosen to supplement their national pension plans with the long-term-care insurance (LTCI) and this has result in the LTCI becoming one of the most generous long term care systems of the world as far as benefits and coverage are concerned. This has played a vital role in removing the anxiety and unpredictability associated with elderly care elsewhere. People are able to pay into the system while they are in their 40s and start obtaining the benefits once they reach the age of 65 years (Tamiya, et al., 2011). The LTCI system provides comprehensive coverage of upto $2,900 a month in services, as opposed to cash payment, and it does require "co-payments" from patients. The LTCI co-payments are capped or waived for patients coming from weak economic backgrounds. Japan is considered to be a global leader in advanced robotics and cutting edge technology. There is increasing research going on in Japan in order to ascertain whether the robots can replace the agein g workforce in the different industries of Japan (Marlow, 2015). In the year 2002, the governments of 159 nations took part in theMadrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) along with representatives from civil society organisations. This was the first global agreement which aimed to recognise the contribution made by the older people to the development of their respective societies. The countries participating in this meeting pledged to consider ageing into all their future social and economic development policies which also includes their poverty reduction programmes (World Health Day 2012: ageing and health, 2012). These would help them to reach their Millennium Development Goals in 2018. The Culture The culture of Singapore is extremely vibrant and it is considered to be a melting pot of different cultures. Looking at the cultural aspect of Singapore it can be safely stated that it is a combination of Asian and European cultures. The culture of Singapore is mainly influenced by Malay, South Asian (Indian), East Asian (Chinese) and Eurasian cultures and this is the main reason why Singapore is considered by many to be a country where the East meets West. The Japanese culture on the other hand has evolved greatly over the years due to its growing interaction with western cultures. The Japanese culture has come a long way since the J?mon period where there was no interaction with the foreign cultures to the modern day contemporary culture which is largely the result of the global influences from Asia, Europe and North America. Culture plays a very important role in determining the outcome of healthcare services. It shapes up the values and perceptions of the general population regarding health and well being and this can play a very important role in determining the health outcomes for the general population. The culture of a nation plays an essential role in determining their diets and food habits and this can have a detrimental impact on the overall health and well being of an individual. The doctor patient communication is another factor that is heavily influenced by the culture of an individual (Vilbig, 2017). The language and literacy barrier is largely influenced by the socio-cultural norms under which an individual grows up and this can play a very important role in determining the outcome of healthcare services. There is a growing need for culturally sensitive policies, solutions and recommendations in order to limit the impact of the ageing population. This would play a very important role in helping the ageing population to integrate with the mainstream society in an effective manner and this would eventually benefit the society as a whole because the young generation can learn from the experience and knowledge which is possessed by the elderly population. Conclusion This assignment has played an important role in helping us to understand the problems faced by Japan and Singapore as a result of their ageing population. We have also gained knowledge about the government policies and interventions which have been adopted by both the nations in order to tackle the problem of the ageing population. We have been able to understand the role of culture in determining the quality of healthcare support that is presently being provided to the ageing population in both the countries. The government of both the nations (Japan and Singapore) are playing a proactive role in tackling the challenges associated with an ageing population and these have played a vital role in helping them to effectively cater to the healthcare needs of their ageing population in an effective manner. Bibliography Bloom, D. E., Canning, D., Fink, G. (2010). Oxford review of economic policy. Implications of population ageing for economic growth , 583-612. Bloom, D. E., Chatterji, S., Kowal, P., Lloyd-Sherlock, P., McKee, M., Rechel, B., et al. (2015). The Lancet. Macroeconomic implications of population ageing and selected policy responses , 649-657. Borji, H. (2016). 4 Global Economic Issues of an Aging Population. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011216/4-global-economic-issues-aging-population.asp: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011216/4-global-economic-issues-aging-population.asp Campbell, N. C., Murray, E., Darbyshire, J., Emery, J., Farmer, A., Griffiths, F., et al. (2007). Designing and evaluating complex interventions to improve health care. BMJ: British Medical Journal , 455. Ferraro, K. F., Shippee, T. P. (2009). Aging and cumulative inequality: How does inequality get under the skin? The Gerontologist. Goh, H. (2006). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from Successful Ageing A Review of Singapore's Policy Approaches: www.cscollege.gov.sg. Available at: https://www.cscollege.gov.sg/Knowledge/Ethos/Issue%201%20Oct%202006/Pages/Successful-Ageing-A-Review-of-Singapores-Policy-Approaches.aspx Harding, A., Gupta, A. (2007). Modelling our future: Population ageing, social security and taxation. Elsevier. Lee, R. D., Mason, A. (2011). Population aging and the generational economy: A global perspective. Edward Elgar Publishing. Marlow, I. (2015). The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 28, 2017, from Bold steps: Japans remedy for a rapidly aging society: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/retirement/retire-planning/how-japan-is-coping-with-a-rapidly-aging-population/article27259703/ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com Roy, S. (2014). Baby Boom Generation in Singapore and its Impact on Ageing. International Science Index . Sanderson, W. C., Scherbov, S. (2010). Remeasuring aging. Science. Tamiya, N., Noguchi, H., Nishi, A., Reich, M. R., Ikegami, N., Hashimoto, H., et al. (2011). Population ageing and wellbeing: lessons from Japan's long-term care insurance policy. The Lancet. Tsuya, N. (2014). The Impacts of Population Decline in Japan: Demographic Prospects and Policy Implications. AGE. World Health Day 2012: ageing and health. (2012). Retrieved September 29, 2017, from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/en/