You will prepare and submit a term paper on The Gospel of Thomas. Your paper should be a minimum of 1500 words in length. The quotations on the Kingdom of Heaven, in particular, have been a focal point of discussion and argument as to what exactly the author of the text intended, especially in reference to its nature and how exactly one attains it. This paper analyses this Gospel’s allusions to the Kingdom of Heaven and what it entails with regard to the historical, cultural, social, and political atmosphere of the time in which the Gospel was written.

The strongest approach for interpretation of the Gospel of Thomas seems to be the Gnostic approach, with several factors lending credence to this theory. The scriptures seem to indicate that the main characteristic of the Kingdom of Heaven is that it is within us, and all that is required of us is inward reflection and self-knowledge. The emphasis on knowledge is a major selling point for this argument, with the word Gnosis itself being Greek for knowledge. Gnostics held the belief that the realization of knowledge was the path to salvation and deliverance. In what can be viewed as Gnostic tradition, the scriptures are viewed as holding a secret meaning, and only those who attain a deeper understanding have the truth revealed to them and are finally worthy of entering the kingdom (Valantasis, p 79). This attitude of secrecy and mystery is visible from the very first line in which the author states. “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded”. Gnosticism encouraged mysticism and regarded deep thinking and meditation on texts as important to the path of eventual revelation, a sign that one was worthy of the rewards from the higher powers (Wylen, p 239). One interpretation of these texts could argue strongly for the case that the reigning Gnostic attitude at the time influenced the writer to use the veiled references, parables, and allegories so as to motivate the reader into attempting to perceive more than just the written text. Examples of this approach can be seen in the verses quoted below:

“Jesus said, “If your leaders say to you, ‘Look, the (Father’s) kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you.”(v.3).

Create a 9 pages page paper that discusses importance of information security policy. The policy should also include the security of the employees and all stakeholders involved in the organization. An efficient security policy is an essential pillar of proper security practice. The trouble, however, is that very few organizations invest ample time to create decent policies. instead, they settle for sample policies from the web or borrow from a performing organization’s policy. The result is a security mess that often leaves the organization open to unpredicted security risks. A comprehensive policy, however, should cover all security concerns, from the user and the responsibilities thereof to the actual information and all the standard security issues.

Workman, Phelps, & Gathegi (2013), view the primary role of managers as far as security goes, as providing well-defined procedures for identifying and managing security risks. According to Workman et al.’s (2013) view, security is a behavioral issue. Therefore, a security manager’s aim is the mitigation of risk exposure by employing threat identification procedures, asset appraisal and control, as well as a reduction of losses associated with threats. A manager will, therefore, have to, “survey and classify assets, conduct security reviews perform a risk analysis, evaluate and select information security technologies, perform a cost/benefit analysis and test security effectiveness” (Workman, et al., 2013, p. 101). These are all factors that should be factored in when developing an effective information security policy document. It not only ensures the security of information but also enhances its access and dissemination thereof.

Information is useless if not disseminated to the right person at the right time. Therefore, an effective information security policy must bear guidelines on secure information dissemination channels within an organization. Effective dissemination and flow of information are vital to an organization’s overall goal achievement.

Provide a 5 pages analysis while answering the following question: Korean Art History Research Paper. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Ikutaro (9) states that the Bottle Vase is believed to have been developed in the period between the 918- 1392 by the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. The ceramic is in the shape of a wheel-thrown stoneware that has incised and slip filled beautification and green contemplation. The work represents the autonomy of the Korean arts industry and the progressive developed from the ancient to present days. From this ceramic, it can be observed that the Korean culture is gifted with talented artists of all times. The ceramic was developed several centuries ago but remains attractive up to the present days. The silvery color of the ceramic together with the flowery carvings makes the ceramic quite unique. The flowers decorating the ceramic are a symbol of the Korean rich natural and user friendly environment. In essence the flowers represent the beauty of natural resources that are found in Korea.

The mouth of the ceramic is coated with a shiny cup. The shiny top covering can be described to mean a bright future for the art industry. The neck of the ceramic is narrow and bulges outwards on reaching the central body. Moreover, the neck of the ceramic is upright or straight. The Bottle vase has a flat bottomed base that enhances stability and gives the piece of art a notable point of view. An analysis of the artistic style used to develop the ceramic reveals that the art is a blend of the ancient and modern technology. For instance, the flower decorations on the sides of the ceramic is an indication that at the time of developing the ceramic civilizations had started taking roots.

Compose a 500 words assignment on health reform plan. Needs to be plagiarism free! Running head: Why did the Clinton Health Reform Plan in the 1990s never pass? When Bill Clinton delivered a popular speech in September 1993, the main agenda of the proposed plan entailed an enforced mandate for employers to give health insurance coverage to their employees (Bowman, 1994). This was to be done through competitive and closely regulated health maintenance organizations (Bowman, 1994). Most critics of the reform agree in three interrelated reasons for its failure: politicization, bad timing, and human error.

One critical reason for the failure inheres in the fact that health care is a too big, dangerous, and convoluted area to delve in. When Clinton administration took office, it did not prioritize health reform per se because it fashioned the supposedly reform to fit their political agenda. The task force, which was constituted to construct the policy, was made up of over 30 working groups with over 500 participants (Yankelovich, 1995). What Clinton and his adviser failed to know was that congress is a political body whose profession is only to make the most politically viable policies, but not policies for public significance. This way, the resultant policy was not inclined to benefit ordinary citizens because the political reality is that healthcare benefits represent income to few players, who benefit from the health industry and whose interest is to ensure that policies favour them. Therefore, the politician and the reform body mistook good policy for good politics by creating a bill which was fit for political mileage rather than political process.

Moreover, the Clinton administration did not appreciate the need for a national strategy to sell the plan to the people. Medical coverage would have been a source of anxiety for all Americans as well as voters (Yankelovich, 1995). Failure to involve Americans resulted to what is referred to as human error. One angle of the human error lies in the fact that with 84 per cent of Americans holding health insurance, they were deeply afraid of losing their benefits (Toner, 1993). As a result, whenever the public was interviewed concerning their satisfaction on the old health coverage, most of them rated the services as either ‘very good’ or ‘good’, and this made it very hard to reform the system.

Democrats have been avoiding the repeat of the idea following the reform debacle, and this attitude has been a foremost impediment to change.There are several recommendations for president Obama based on the failure of this reform. First, there is no fact in the idea that health reform is not inevitable in the United States because many agencies profit from it and they would advocate for status quo. Secondly, many Americans are for the status quo and any attempt to bring a reform is a threat to ones votes. Any health reform, therefore, should be preceded by education to the anxious insured that the plan is in their own interest. In addition, this policy is controversial and debate is inevitable. Finally, financing the reform is not only a formidable challenge, but is also constitutionally bogged as far as president’s powers are concerned. This is because the constitution gives some rights to those with vested interests to make change impossible by complicating the healthcare reform. Therefore, with this knowledge, Obama administration should devise the best strategy to approach the reform without being politicized and misunderstood by the public.

References

Bowman, K.H. (1994). The 1993-1994 Debut! On Health Care Reform: Did the Polls Mislead the Policy Makers? Washington: American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

Toner, R. (1993). Clinton’s Health Plan: Poll on Changes in Health Care Finds Support Amid Skepticism. New York Times, September 22. Retrieved April 8, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/22/us/clinton-s-health-plan-poll-changes-health-care-finds-support-amid-skepticism.html

Yankelovich, D. (1995). The debate that wasn’t: the public and the Clinton plan. Retrieved April 8, 2012, from http://courses.phhp.ufl.edu/hsa6152/Articles/DebateThatWasnt.

You will prepare and submit a term paper on Exploring gender difference in social anxiety. Your paper should be a minimum of 4500 words in length. There is a major lack of data relative to the effect of gender on social anxiety. The aim of this study is to investigate the gender difference in social anxiety using results from both self-report questionnaire and experimental setting. The hope is to bring to light information that can be crucial to use to aid those suffering from social anxiety.

This study contains one central question that needs to be addressed: “Is there a gender difference in the experience of social anxiety?” A part of this study also explores whether or not individual experience of social anxiety is fully uncovered by self-report questionnaires. It intends to investigate how male gender roles affect their responses to the questionnaires. It is possible that males tend to underreport their fear and stress than females. This fact alone causes some false information to be conveyed in this area.

There is not only an issue with differences in prevalence and clinical samples, the gender experience of social anxiety in men and women also lack discussion. The majority of studies that are completed on social anxiety and social phobia are based on self-report questionnaires. These do not always reveal what the individual with anxiety is actually experiencing, their highs and lows and other crucial information. In considering this topic I suggest that the current findings in gender difference in social anxiety are biased due to gender socialization. The experience of social anxiety provoking situations is the same across genders. Men on an average are equally likely to experience high social anxiety as women.

There are a large number of theories and studies done on gender behavioral and psychological differences.