What It Means to Love Ones Country - 774 Words

1 My View on What It Means to Love One’s Country Patriotism, according to Merriam Webster, is defined as â€Å"devotion or love for one’s country.† I believe this definition does not capture the true essence of the meaning of patriotism. This definition would be outstanding if there were no other conditions factored in this complex equation, but it seems that patriotism is a double-edged sword. The word patriotism strikes a lot of mixed emotions in people all over the United States. Some people describe themselves as involved patriots because they fly their American flag outside in their yards, when others see the word patriotism as disgusting and the seed of racism. Patriotism has spread like wildfire throughout the nation.†¦show more content†¦493). In other words, they tend to become close-minded toward other cultures. Patriotism to some people is a superstition that is artificially created and maintained through a network of lies and falsehoods, a superstition that robs a man of his self-respect an d dignity, and increases his arrogance and conceit. One example of having increased arrogance is being wealthy. Parenti states â€Å"even if it were easy to become a multi-millionaire, what is so great about that? Why should one’s ability to make large sums of money be reason to love one’s country?† (p. 497) Patriotism to me means to have love for our homeland, our country, to support, serve and defend, to be inspired by, to change for the better and to care deeply for fellow Americans. Patriots support the country’s authorities, laws, and interests. However, this does not mean that Americans should agree with whatever the President of the United States has to say and be blinded by what is really going on in America. I believe that true 3 patriotism does not have to be encouraged, but it is something that we feel. Patriotism is to be proud of where you are from, and to love everyone around you, whether he is a native of that country or not. As stated by Parenti, â€Å"what is there to love about the extermination of Native American nations?† (p. 495) Superpatriots believe that the patriotic individual is blinded by what government is telling us and that patriots will go along with any ideas theShow MoreRelatedresearch paper marriage tradition1355 Words   |  6 PagesOn the other hand, Americans believes that marriage is gift from God and means that couples are combined in one. However, no matter in what the culture, a wedding is always full of blessing and happiness. People in both countries regard marriage as one of the greatest event in ones life. They have similarity of base frameworks on the marriages. The first one is reasons why getting marry. Although these two countries have their own religion background which affecting their view of marriageRead MoreFeminism, By Teresa De Lauretis1304 Words   |  6 Pagesthere is a strong condemnation against female circumcision. White women in the first world countries have been adamant in putting a stop to it while the black women are of the thought that this particular issue has been sensationalized. In this way, there has been a rather tension between the two groups of women. In every society, there is always the ‘other’. This other is identified by acknowledging how and in what manner is he or she different from oneself. By comprehending the self in terms of ‘other’Read MoreWho Is The Father Of Existentialism?1067 Words   |  5 PagesKierkegaard, regarded by man y as the father of existentialism, came up with three stages a person must go through in order to become one’s true self. Like Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic stages, one must be successful at each stage in order to go on to the next one, if one does not, the likelihood of that person be well-rounded is highly unlikely. In order to find one’s true self and live to their full potential one must go through three stages which include; aesthetics, ethics and religious stagesRead MoreCross-Cultural Marriage954 Words   |  4 Pagescontrol over whom they begin a love relationship with. One does not see color, religion, culture, country, etc. difference, so it is very possible that someone may fall in love with a foreigner who has a totally different culture, which may result in a cross-cultural marriage. No matter how deeply this couple is in love with each other, differences will rise due to the variations in culture. Marrying someone with totally different culture w ill lead to leaving one’s country, inability of grandparentsRead MoreEssay: Patriotism1011 Words   |  4 PagesPatriotism is generally defined as loyalty and love for ones country. However, patriotisms definition varies depending on how loyalty and country are themselves defined. For example, Stephen Decaturs toast indicates a definition that allows for some types of political dissent. When Decatur stated, Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong, the naval officer meant that dissention with regards to foreign policy canRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Caramelo By Sandra Cisneros1508 Words   |  7 Pagesidentity within a latino family are explored throughout the text. Sandra Cisneros uses smaller main ideas and symbols of home, love, roots, and womanhood in order to further elucidate the greater theme of identity. One of the symbols and smaller main ideas that the characters explore is the meaning of home. Ceyala’s family struggles to find their place, and identity. They question what or where is home, whether it is family, the US, or Mexico. Cisneros uses the idea of home through many characters. In theRead MoreEssay On Arranged Marriage1339 Words   |  6 Pages Marriage is considered to be an institution in which people commit to spend a lifetime together. People across the world can seek love through arranged marriages or through love marriages but the concept of spending a lifetime with your companion remains the same in each. There are different customs and traditions that are followed in different societal set-ups. For instance, arranged marriages is a common practice done in Japan. Parents feel as if their child have no consent in deciding who theyRead MoreDemocratic Individualism in Walt Whitman Poetry1663 Words   |  7 Pagesintroduced to the printing trade. This was seemingly the point in his life that influenced his love of words and literature. He taught himself to read and did so very often. His favorite literature or the literature that was frequently available to him was that of Shakespeare, Dante, and Homer. Walt also was fascinated with the Bible. From these pieces of literature, Walt could have taken ideas of love, tragedy , trials and triumphs. This time in his life seems to be most influential to the distinguishedRead MoreEssay on What Kind of an American Am I?525 Words   |  3 PagesAmericanisn What Kind of an American Am I? What kind of an American am I? To summarize it up into one word, Im a proud American. To explain the characteristics that the word proud means to me, I took each letter in the word and made a new word. The new words represent the kind of American I am. P - patriotic; Patriotism is a quality that shows ones love for his or her country. By being patriotic, a person is being loyal to their country. It shows that they support and care for theRead MoreEssay on 1984 And The Left Hand Of Darkness1634 Words   |  7 Pagesto decide if one wants to support truth or untruth. When peoples friendships go untested they believe a friend would do anything for them, but when the trials come the trials end in betrayal. Winston believes he will stay true to Julia no matter what happens. quot;If I could save Julia by doubting my own pain, would I do it? Yes, I would.quot; (Pg. 184, Nineteen Eighty-Four) After Winston betrays everyone except Julia, he still believes he can withstand his torture and not betray Julia. quot;You

Sociology of Sport Baseball Free Essays

According to Ashley Crossman, â€Å"Sociology of sports, also referred to as sports sociology, is the study of the relationship between sports and society. It examines how culture and values influence sports, how sports influences culture and values, and the relationship between sports and media, politics, economics, religion, race, gender, youth, etc. It also looks at the relationship between sports and social inequality and social mobility† (Crossman 2012). We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology of Sport: Baseball or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sports are a microcosm of real life; therefore anyone can embrace a sport, as we embrace real life. For example, in this summer Olympic Games, Olympic sports are supported by all races and genders. In the past history, women usually gravitated to gymnastics, swimming or track field and women’s tennis. However, in 2012, the gender and race involvement and viewership disparity has closed (Statista 2012). According to Statista, a Dow Jones Company, woman and non-white Olympic Games viewership has increased by 28%. In my opinion, these stats are attributed to minorities being more involved in the games, as well as the mainstream media have realized the marketing value of minority athletes. Baseball was the first organized sport I was introduced to as a child. Although I played professional football, my first love of competition and athletics was baseball. My love for the sport of baseball was passed on to me by my step-father. The history of the sport was intriguing, even at a young age. I was into numbers and statistics and having a mentor to explain the simple parts of the game made it even more interesting, especially being American’s Pastime. However, this can be debated, as stated by baseball historians Frank Ceresi and Carol McMains, â€Å"America’s Pastime’ has been traditionally thought to have been founded by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, NY in 1839. In truth, the game evolved over many decades, if not centuries, and its roots are, in reality, a tangled web of bat and ball games brought to this country by immigrants† (Ceresi 2012). Most players and fans of baseball have an undeniably appreciation for sports. Seeing that baseball is played on the amateur level, as well as the professional level, this sport can be enjoyed by most demographics. Baseball at times transcends both social and economic boundaries. However, being at the ballpark there seems to be social classes, as in real life, such as the wealthy fans sit in certain areas, while those with limited finances sits in less costly sections. It also imitates real life society in other ways, like those in the so-called ‘cheap’ seats seem to have more fun than those fans in the expensive seats. Even though most appreciate the sport, it seems to more of pleasure for those in the inexpensive seats, while those in the exclusive box seats treat as though it is an entitlement, instead of a privilege. On Thursday, July 26, 2012 I attended a professional minor league baseball game in San Bernardino, CA. This game pitted the San Bernardino 66er’s, a Los Angeles Angels minor league team, versus the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, a Los Angeles Dodgers minor league team. This is a small cozy stadium; however it has the same field dimensions as a major league stadium. I chose this venue because I believed it would show a more diverse sociological viewpoint, in a close and friendly setting. Being an intimate setting, fans are able to interact with other fans, as well as coaches and players. This setting allows for a fun, family friendly atmosphere and doesn’t have the pressures of major league parks. Although winning is the primary goal, this is a developmental league and victory is not paramount for success. Therefore, the ball club management makes the environment conducive for a positive, enjoyable experience. The fan base was made up of all ages, from infants to senior citizens. The gender make-up was probably 60% male and 40% female. The social economic status of the fan base ranged from lower income to middle class. Minor league baseball prides itself on being economical, with many price and food specials, such as $1. 00 hot dog night, $2. 00 admission night, Friday fireworks shows, etc. These prices are a major selling point to attract individuals that normally couldn’t afford to attend a major league baseball game; therefore minor league baseball is marketed to lower income fans. The ethnicity of this fan base was mostly white and Hispanic, with a few African Americans sprinkled in. The fans seem to be moderately educated, with few exceptions. Also, because baseball is a worldwide sport, there were many immigrants attending the game, primarily Mexican and Spanish Americans. Since most players are sent to particular minor league teams for development, many don’t meet the same demographics of the fan base. However, this team’s demographics were the same as the fan base, including White, Hispanic and African American players. The coaching staff was primarily white, with one African American. Since this is a single ‘A’ minor league club, many of these players haven’t signed major league contracts, therefore most of them are in the low income bracket, as with this particular fan base. Being a friendly and personable person, I was able to interact with various fans, however I noticed many fans sat with and interacted only with their own party or nationality. It is also evident that the season ticket holders and regular fans interact with each other by first name basis, regardless of their ethnicity. Most fans seem to be generally cheerful and interested in the game. Being a minor league park, the other marketing tactic is to have interaction with the fans, such as using mascots, cheerleaders, on-field games for the kids, etc. My final observations include that baseball has its own language and most regular fans are extremely knowledgeable of the lingo. Baseball, being historically a slow sport, allows the casual fan and regular fan to learn about the idiosyncrasies of the game by listening to coaches and other fans. Some little league coaches brought their players to educate them on the game. In most cases, most of the fans showed similar behavior, such as family and fan interacting, knowledge of the game and overall enjoyment of the entertainment offered. One thing that stood out was the older fans seem to be more into the actual game and not in the special attractions. However, my children, as well as most other children seem to be more interested in the sideshows and the food. Observing sports sociology at a baseball game, with methodology research in mind, was quite interesting. It allowed me to view the game from a different perspective, such as focusing on human behavior, in lieu of just watching the game. I thought watching a baseball game from a sociology aspect would be difficult, however I realized most people view things the same way, but don’t have a clinical definition supporting it. ‘People-watching’ is a basic human instinct, though watching a game with a clinical perspective makes it very interesting. â€Å"It is only since 1970 that sports sociology has gained significant attention as a serious area of study† (Brown 2012). It is presumed that professors did not consider how sports influenced the social order nor was it very significant or fundamental to sociology. According to Brown, â€Å"Sociology of sports poses critical and controversial issues. Because sports are considered a microcosm of society, the same social issues that exist in larger society also exist in sports†. Many of the same government policies and social persecutions demonstrated on minorities and women were also implemented in the society of sports. For example, women were not permitted to participate in many sports believed to be a manly sport, like baseball or car racing. Many minorities or certain religious groups were not allowed to compete in many professional sports and in many cases were not even permitted to observe the sport, except from an isolated viewing area. Once more, the concerns and arguments that sports sociology uncovers are the same concerns that are reflected in real life society. The sociology of sport has many similarities to real life, as evident in how sports affect one’s everyday life. As a result, it is imperative for a person to critically think about how we deal with life, as inspired by our sports influence. By doing that we can see how sports can enhance our real life social skills. Many people participate or watch sports to relieve stress, get exercise or just to have fun. Businesses at times develop sport teams to build camaraderie amongst their employees, allowing them to interact outside of the workplace. Sports can satisfy the human need for competition and human interaction. Sports are a microcosm of real life, having a hierarchy, such as players, coaches, referees and spectators. In real life we have employees, bosses, human relations and customers, for example. Consequently, people gravitate to sports for different reasons; however they get the same passionate effect. Sport fans and actual sport participants have similar ambitions, whether it is winning games, winning as a team or rooting for your team to victory. Sport sociology encompasses a true spectrum of goals and inspiration, just as real life. Keeping true to one’s sociological views and embracing other’s views can definitely allow a person to see life through a basic viewpoint, as well as a broad sociological viewpoint. Sports have a place in everyone’s ife, whether it’s physical sport or mental sport, such as board games, playing cards or playing mental games with one’s significant other. Competition builds character; Competition is â€Å"the act of competing, as for profit or a prize. † (D’Angelo 2006) It is a test of skill or ability between players with the prize of some kind being victory, where one can only be achieved by out-c ompeting your competition. These sports concepts transcend to business, family, friendship, etc. Again, sports is a microcosm of real life, therefore it intertwines society’s real life sociology and sport’s sociology. In conclusion, sports have played an important part of my life, as both a participant and just having fan. Having a love for sports has allowed me to interact with people of all races and genders. Networking with individuals, while playing sports, even at the amateur level, offers venues for business opportunities, meeting new friends and cultivating existing personal relationships. Given the opportunity everyone should engage in some type of competition, as it stimulates the mind and body. How to cite Sociology of Sport: Baseball, Papers

Gossip in the Workplace free essay sample

Gossip in the work place Charlie Brown Peanuts University Prof. Writing in the Disciplines Business Communications EN306B Judy Brown July 18, 2010 Abstract In every work place environment gossip is very common and almost every working individual has been involved in it in some form or another. Although gossip is often derogatory most working individuals have either engaged in it or have been a victim of it. I t can also be referred to as a form of work place bullying and have a detrimental affect on an organization because it can cause a great deal of harm to the people involved and the organization it self. The gossip mill is a workplace problem that is very easy to get involved and also almost very hard to resist and it is a problem that needs to be addressed. The effects of gossip will be analyzed through this report. Gossip in the work place INTRODUCTION The main focus of this report is to examine the existence of gossip in the work place. Gossiping as a whole will be defined and it repercussions in the work place environment will be analyzed. Although, gossip is often associated with work place bullying this report will only examine the concerns of gossiping at the financial services department for CHATEX Co. This organization is a transportation company with over 500 employees and the financial services department is the support department that employs thirty para-professionals who handle everything from book keeping, contracts and payroll. The CHATEX’s financial services department will be the central focus for this report since; it has had a high volume of employee turn over within the last two years. CHATEX’s management team has recognized that gossip in the work place could be the issue that has contributed to low employee morale and high employee turn over. CHATEX prides itself in customer service and feels that employee loyalty and longevity are essential to its success, so they have requested an analysis of gossip and its ramifications in the work place. Therefore, the office environment at CHATEX was examined where a confidential survey was conducted and the data was collected as well as research from other sources was analyzed. GOSSIP THE PROBLEM In order to understand its ramifications gossip needs to be defined. In their article Gossip’s Toll On The Workplace, Smerd and Jeremy define gossip as â€Å"idle chit chat but reputational warfare† where rumors, non factual stories are spread that can hurt the reputation of the person being talked about. Work place gossip can cause a great deal of harm to an organization in his employee newsletter Hennessey claims that there are several ways in which gossip can hurt a company. The ways are listed as follows: * Lost productivity and wasted time * Morale and trust are eroded * Increased anxiety among employees as rumors circulate without any clear information as to what is fact and what isn’t * Divisiveness tends to grow among employees as people may â€Å"take sides† * Feelings and reputations are hurt, sometimes causing severe damage. * The â€Å"gossipers† may jeopardize changes for their own advancement because they are perceived as unprofessional. * Good employees may leave the company due to an unhealthy work atmosphere. Since, gossiping was defined gossiping as a serious work place problem that affects both the employee and the organization it also needs to be analyzed and recommendations to a solution need to be implemented to prevent it from happening. SOLUTION/RECOMMENDATION(S) Since, gossip was defined as the underlying reason affecting low employee morale and a high employee turn over the Human Resources department were given the results of the survey conducted at CHATEX Co. and were given a set of recommendations. These recommendations included a change in policy and procedures section in the employee handbook. These changes include a strong policy against harassment in any form that includes bullying/gossiping in any form. The policy stresses no tolerance to rumors or gossip in any form and implemented an open door policy in which any one come drop in and express any discomfort or inform the H. R. dept that they are victims of gossip. The H. R. dept. will pursue an investigation and if the investigation finds that the allegations are true then the parties involved will be counseled and given an oral reprimand. If parties being reprimanded continue to partake in office gossip they will be written up and depending on the severity of the gossip they will be suspended a full day with out pay. In his news letter Hennessy recommends ways in which gossip can be avoided and lists questions that a person might ask themselves if they find themselves in a situation where they might be tempted to participate in gossip. The questions are as follows: * Is what I am about to say true? * Is it harmless? * How would I feel if someone said something similar about me? How would I feel if I saw my words quoted in the daily paper? * How am I going to feel later if I say this (or listen to this)? * Does gossiping honor my own personal values? Hennessey also included a quote in the newsletter that has a powerful message about gossip that reads: â€Å"The real art of conversation is not to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment†. -Dorothy Nevil RES ULTS AND ANALYSIS OF SURVEY The survey was an anonymous survey given to the support staff at CHATEX Co. t was an online survey where the results collected were to be collected and interpreted to analyze and come up with recommendations for the company. The survey questions were all yes or no questions and were as follows: 1. Do you believe gossip exists in the workplace/office environment? 2. Have you ever participated in gossip in the workplace? 3. Have you ever gossiped about a fellow co-worker? 4. Have you ever gossiped spread rumors about a fellow co-worker because you are jealous of him or her? 5. Have you ever gossiped about someone purposely to harm that person? . Have you ever been a victim of gossip in the workplace? 7. Do you believe that gossip in the workplace can hinder/prevent a person from succeeding in the workplace? 8. If yes to question six did you confront the person or people who were gossiping about you? 9. Can office gossip hurt employee morale? 10. Do you beli eve that management is sometimes involved in workplace gossip or rumors? It was analyzed that out of thirty para-professionals only twenty-eight participated and all are full time employees working in the financial services department of CHATEX Co. Their ages range from twenty-one to fifty-two years and the findings do support the before mentioned research that gossip is a problem in the work place environment. * 100% do believe that gossip exists in the workplace environment * 70. 4 % admitted that they have participated in some sort of gossip or another * 67. 9 % stated that they have been a victim of gossip in the workplace * 85. 7% believe that gossip in the workplace can hinder/prevent a person from being successful in the workplace. * 100% agree that gossip can hurt employee morale * 92. % believe that management is sometimes involved in workplace gossip Since, low employee morale leads to poor employee production and effectiveness the following is a chart that indicates how many people admitted to being a victim of gossip in the workplace: CONCLUSION In order to promote workplace harmony and increase employee morale and stop the high employee turn over in the financial services department of CHATEX Co. a new employee pol icy needs to be implemented. After implementation of this new policy employees must respect and adhere to its rules or serious consequences or even termination may ensue for non-compliance. Mandatory employee training for all employees of CHATEX Co. will be done to discuss the changes of the employee handbook and the implementation of the â€Å"no gossiping â€Å" policy will be discussed along with its repercussions. Every year once a year a survey will be conducted to analyze and evaluate if the problem has improved and the results will be reviewed and discussed in annual employee grass roots seminar. References 1. Hennessy, k. (n. d. ). Workplace gossip. Employee Newsletter, Retrieved from http://www. healthsystem. virginia. du/internet/feap/newsletters Gossip. pdf 2. Holland, Margaret G. â€Å"What’s wrong with telling the truth? An analysis of gossip† Academic Onefile. Web. 17 July 2010. (Document ID:A18478474 3. Nefer, B. , (2009, April). Neutralizing the power of workplace gossip. SuperVision, 70(4), 14-16. Retrieved July 17, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global (Document ID: 1749569611). 4. Smerd, J.. (2010, March). GOSSIP’S TOLL ON THE WORKPLACE. Workforce Management, 89(3),3. Retrieved July 17, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:1980892741

Radical Recontruction free essay sample

They also acknowledged the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. Reconstruction also finally settled the states rights vs.. Federalism debate that had been an issue since the sass. The Radical Republicans tried to help the freedmen by controlling congress, and passing acts and amendments, such as amendments 13, 14, and 15. Which abolished slavery, gave citizenship, and allowed voting to all former slaves. There was also the civil right act of 1 865 which provides equality for all citizens of the United States. Therefore everyone is subject to the same punishments. These laws were made, but were not all followed. Though all of these laws were passed to protect the freedmen, the south found ways to go around them, creating the Black Codes and Vigilante groups. The Black Codes were designed to restrict freed blacks activity and ensure their availability as a labor force. It placed severe restrictions on the freedman s status as a free laborer, his right to own real estate, and his right to testify in court. We will write a custom essay sample on Radical Recontruction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most freedmen ended up becoming sharecroppers, which was a form of slavery because they almost never had a chance to be free, because they were constantly in debt. They would get some land from the landowners, and pay them back by giving them a share of their crops, but because the prices of cotton and other crops decreased by a large amount, they would rarely make enough to pay back their debt, and live a substantial life. This was technically not a form of slavery, but it might as well have been, because they were trapped until they could pay off their debt, and that seldom happened.Not only was the working life difficult, but the social life was as well. Many vigilante groups such as the Klux Klux Klan were formed. They would attack mostly blacks, but also carpetbaggers and scalawags. They made it their agenda to prevent the blacks from voting, and would kill just to make that happen. The Enforcement Act of 1871 was eventually made to prevent this, but the racism and torture towards the freedmen did not end. In the end, freedmen had to fight for their civil rights on their own because the northern whites lost their interest in the Reconstruction by mid- 1 offs.Therefore, the Reconstruction ended with many goal unaccomplished. In conclusion, the Radical Reconstruction had a large impact on the lives of the freed slaves and the south. It brought the south back into the union, and many laws were made to protect the slaves. Though laws were made, not all were followed, and the south found ways to go around them by creating the Black Codes, vigilante groups, and sharecropping. All of which limited the rights of the freedmen. Therefore, the Radical Reconstruction was not as effective, because the failures outweigh the success.

Free Essays on Confucianism

Amidst the chaos of political instability and constant warring of the Zhou era, arose many intellectual thinkers that brought such profound impact in the field of politics, religion and philosophy. Even to the day, their influence can be espied in the many matters of China. Confucianism became the paramount school of thinking and later significant philosophies such as Daoism and Legalism gained immense recognition as well. Each party had their own proposals for creating an idealistic political society where the many problems they faced in their everyday lives could be eliminated. All three approaches were very distinct but at the same time, they contained certain similarities as well. In my reasoning, I find that Confucianism and Daoism could be paralleled in many ways to find several common grounds. On the other hand, Legalism goes on to take a more unique approach which was much different from the previous two. Kongzi (Confucius, a Latinized name) was born in 551 B.C.E., to a poor family of the lower nobility. Throughout his life, he relentlessly tried to gain an office with a prominent ruler of the time who was willing to adopt his various concepts. Unfortunately, Confucius died in 479 B.C.E., before such a change ever took place. However, he succeeded in winning over a handful of devote followers who continued his legacy and Confucianism later went on to become one of the most influential thought systems of Chinese history. Of his followers, Mencius and Xunzi became the most renown. Since Confucius did not succeed in completing a manual of his views, these followers had to derive their own interpretations of the system which now formulate, the Analects. The Analects portray an idealized gentleman, and his various duties in terms of the society, family and the rituals. Confucius explains about the way (Dao) which he believed, that if the people accepted its terms and were willing to abide, they would succeed in creating a utopian s... Free Essays on Confucianism Free Essays on Confucianism Describe the origins and historical development of Confucianism in China up to the present day.† The history of Chinese civilisation spans thousands of years and encompasses countless ideas, beliefs, societal, and political doctrines. For the past two thousand years, the teachings of Confucius have been the basic fundamentals and origins of the entire Confucian Thought System and the behavioural patterns of his followers. However, Confucius himself only adapted several ideas from the ancient dynasties that ruled China, and focused on these practices as his core beliefs. After Confucius, two main Schools of Thought formed; those who chose to follow the adapted teachings of Mancius; and those who adopted those of Hsun-Tzu. Following the development of these two Schools, Neo-Confucianism took a stronghold in China, blending together the old ways of Confucius with the moral teachings of Buddhism. Before endeavouring to understand Confucianism and its connection with China, it is necessary to develop an understanding of China in its pre-Confucius era, in which the philosophy evolved. The most ancient evidence of Chinese religions dates back to the Shang dynasty, around 1500 BCE. In this early society, there is evidence of some of the basic fundamentals of most Chinese religious thought; the pursuit, establishment, maintenance, and enjoyment of harmony in the Earthly world. During the Zhou dynasty (1122-771 BCE), the path initiated by the Shang was sustained and expanded upon. The Zhou quest for harmony and order led to the development of some extremely crucial concepts that would directly effect the development of Confucianism. In this era also, the notion of Tian – best understood as Heaven – first came to light. This later led to the conception of the idea of the Mandate of Heaven (Tian-Ming), from which rulers derived all power and sense of legitimacy, due to the accordance of their behaviours with the norms of morality and ri... Free Essays on Confucianism Amidst the chaos of political instability and constant warring of the Zhou era, arose many intellectual thinkers that brought such profound impact in the field of politics, religion and philosophy. Even to the day, their influence can be espied in the many matters of China. Confucianism became the paramount school of thinking and later significant philosophies such as Daoism and Legalism gained immense recognition as well. Each party had their own proposals for creating an idealistic political society where the many problems they faced in their everyday lives could be eliminated. All three approaches were very distinct but at the same time, they contained certain similarities as well. In my reasoning, I find that Confucianism and Daoism could be paralleled in many ways to find several common grounds. On the other hand, Legalism goes on to take a more unique approach which was much different from the previous two. Kongzi (Confucius, a Latinized name) was born in 551 B.C.E., to a poor family of the lower nobility. Throughout his life, he relentlessly tried to gain an office with a prominent ruler of the time who was willing to adopt his various concepts. Unfortunately, Confucius died in 479 B.C.E., before such a change ever took place. However, he succeeded in winning over a handful of devote followers who continued his legacy and Confucianism later went on to become one of the most influential thought systems of Chinese history. Of his followers, Mencius and Xunzi became the most renown. Since Confucius did not succeed in completing a manual of his views, these followers had to derive their own interpretations of the system which now formulate, the Analects. The Analects portray an idealized gentleman, and his various duties in terms of the society, family and the rituals. Confucius explains about the way (Dao) which he believed, that if the people accepted its terms and were willing to abide, they would succeed in creating a utopian s... Free Essays on Confucianism Confucianism, the philosophical system founded on the teaching of Confucius, who lived from 551 BC to 479 BC, dominated Chinese sociopolitical life for most of the Chinese history and largely influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan, and Indochina. The Confucian school functioned as a recruiting ground for government positions, which were filled by those scoring highest on examinations in the Confucian classics. It also blended with popular and important religions and became the vehicle for presenting Chinese values to the peasants. The school's doctrine supported political authority using the theory of the mandate of heaven. It sought to help rulers maintain domestic order, preserve tradition, and maintain a constant standard of living for the tax paying peasants. It trained its followers in generous giving, traditional rituals, family order, loyalty, respect for superiors and for the aged, and principled flexibility in advising rulers. Confucius was China's first and most famous philosopher. He had a traditional personal name (Qiu) and a formal name (Zhoghi). Confucius's father died shortly after Confucius's birth. His family fell into relative poverty, and Confucius joined a growing class of impoverished descendants of aristocrats who made their careers by acquiring knowledge of feudal ritual and taking positions of influence serving the rulers of the many separate states of ancient China. Confucius devoted himself to learning. At the age of 30, however, when his short-lived official career floundered, he turned to teaching others. Confucius himself never wrote down his own philosophy, although tradition credits him with editing some of the historical classics that were used as texts in his school. He apparently made an enormous impact on the lives and attitudes of his disciples. Confucianism combines a political theory and a theory of human nature to yield "dao," a prescriptive doctrine or way. The political theor... Free Essays on Confucianism Confucianism, the philosophical system founded on the teaching of Confucius dominated Chinese sociopolitical life for most of Chinese history and largely influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan, and Indochina. The Confucian school functioned as a recruiting ground for government positions, which were filled by those scoring highest on examinations in the Confucian classics. It also blended with popular and imported religions and became the vehicle for articulating Chinese mores to the poor people. The school's doctrines supported political authority using the theory of the mandate of heaven. It sought to help the rulers maintain domestic order, preserve tradition, and maintain a constant standard of living for the taxpaying people. It trained its adherents in benevolence, traditional rituals, filial piety, loyalty, respect for superiors and for the aged, and principled flexibility in advising rulers. Confucius,Westerners use Confucius as the spelling for Kong Fuzi, China's first and most famous philosopher. Confucius had a traditional personal name (Qiu, or Ch'iu) and a formal name (Zhongni, or Chung-ni). Confucius's father died shortly after Confucius's birth. His family fell into relative poverty, and Confucius joined a growing class of impoverished descendants of aristocrats who made their careers by acquiring knowledge of feudal ritual and taking positions of influence serving the rulers of the fragmented states of ancient China. Confucius devoted himself to learning. At age 30, however, when his short-lived official career floundered, he turned to teaching others. Confucius himself never wrote down his own philosophy, although tradition credits him with editing some of the historical classics that were used as texts in his school. He apparently made an enormous impact on the lives and attitudes of his disciples, however. The book known as the Analects, which records all the "Confucius said,"... aphorisms, w...

10 Ways to Keep Your Class Interesting

10 Ways to Keep Your Class Interesting Have you ever been in the middle of teaching a class, glanced at your students, and caught them staring into space? Just when you think youve created the perfect lesson plan or engaging activity, you may find that your students are unfocused and out to lunch. Yet its essential that you find ways to keep your classes interesting so your students can absorb and retain the information that you present. For decades, educators have been trying new teaching strategies to keep their students on their toes and get them excited about learning. Although some strategies have failed, others have been found to be quite effective. Explore 10 teacher-tested ways to keep your class interesting so your students will stay engaged all the time. 1. Incorporate Mystery Into Your Lessons Learning may be the most fun for your students when they dont know what to expect. Try to incorporate a sense of surprise and mystery into your lessons. When youre about to unveil a new lesson, give students a new clue each day up until the last day before the start of the lesson. This is a fun way to make your lesson mysterious, and you may find that your students are actually looking forward to finding out what theyll be learning about next. 2. Dont Repeat Classroom Material Its appropriate and essential to review classroom material, but try not to repeat it verbatim because this can make it less interesting for students. The next time you need to review material, try playing a review game during which you present the information in a way thats different from the first time you taught the students. The 3-2-1 strategy is a fun way to review and not repeat material. For this activity, students draw a pyramid in their notebooks and write down three things they learned, two things they thought were interesting, and one question they still have. 3. Create Classroom Games Whether youre 5 or 25, playing a game can be fun. Games are also a great way to keep lessons interesting. If your students need to remember their spelling words, conduct a spelling bee- a contest in which participants are eliminated when they misspell a word. Or if the students need to practice math, have a math bee, which is similar to a spelling bee, but with math problems or facts instead of spelling words. Games make learning fun, and games in class are a prescription for happy kids. 4. Give Your Students Choices One strategy that teachers have found to be effective is offering their students the ability to make their own choices when it comes to learning. Choice can be a powerful motivator because it helps to foster student interest and independence. The next time youre planning an activity, try making a choice board. Print out a tic-tac-toe board and write down nine different tasks for students to complete. The goal is for each student to choose three tasks in a row. 5. Use Technology Technology is a great way to keep your lessons interesting. Children love electronics, so try incorporating it into your overall teaching strategy. Instead of standing in front of the room and lecturing, try using a Smartboard interactive display. Expand your cooperative learning activity lessons by connecting to a classroom in another city or country via videoconferencing. Use technology in a variety of ways, and youll see the interest level in your classroom increase by leaps and bounds. 6. Dont Take Teaching so Seriously Being an effective teacher is an important job, but that doesnt mean that you have to remain serious in class at all times. Try to loosen up a bit and acknowledge that your students may have different interests and learning styles than your own. Its OK to laugh at yourself at times and to have some fun. You may find that your students are more interested when youre a little more relaxed. 7. Make Your Lessons Interactive In a traditional classroom, the teacher stands in front of the room and lectures to the students as the students listen and take notes. Unfortunately, this is not the most effective way to hold students interest. Make learning interactive by creating hands-on lessons that involve students every step of the way. Try using the Jigsaw cooperative learning activity in which each student is responsible for his or her own part of a group activity. Or try a hands-on science experiment. When you involve students and make your lessons interactive, your class becomes more interesting. 8. Relate Material to Your Students Lives Try to create a real-world connection to what your students are learning. This will give them a better understanding of why they need to learn what youre teaching. If theyre constantly asking you why they need to learn something and youre always answering with â€Å"because,† you will soon lose credibility. Instead, try giving them a real answer such as, Youre learning about money because in the real world, youll need to know how to buy food and pay your bills. By giving a straightforward answer, youre helping them make a connection between what theyre learning in class and how theyll use this information in the future. 9. Flip Your Lessons The flipped classroom has been gaining in popularity since the term flipped entered the broader education world in 2012. When it was first presented, the idea that students could learn new information at home and then come to school and use class time for critical thinking activities and reinforcement of concepts was unique. However, many teachers are using this strategy and achieving positive results. Students in a flipped classroom are able to work at their own pace (which is great for differentiated learning) and engage with their peers in a more interactive, meaningful way when theyre in the classroom. Try using the flipped teaching strategy for your next lesson and observe the depth of your students engagement. 10. Think Outside the Box Lesson plans dont have to include worksheets or lectures during which students sit and take notes time and again. Try thinking outside the box and plan a lesson thats completely out of the ordinary. Invite a guest speaker, go on a field trip, or take learning outdoors. When you try something new and different, theres a good chance that your students will respond positively. When planning a lesson, try collaborating with another teacher or taking your students on a virtual field trip. Learning that engages students is the most effective. Your students will find it more interesting to learn when you present the material to them in a variety of creative ways.

Financial Resource Management and Healthcare Reimbursement Research Paper

Financial Resource Management and Healthcare Reimbursement - Research Paper Example There is an increase in the number of Medicaid patients and children enrolled in the children’s health insurance program of the state. This has affected our payer mixing which has consequently led to a decline in our reimbursement and the quarterly disbursement that we give to the physicians. The pediatric endocrinologist has approached me with a proposal to have his remuneration increased. He is asking for an additional stipend to his regularly covered services. Many partners have also suggested that we ought to increase the clinic services. They have come up with ideas on how to implement this plan. The increase in clinic services is a costly affair that will influence our finances. One of the partners is of the opinion that we contract a pediatric oncologist who will be seeing patients on a monthly clinic day. Another has suggested that since the contract for the Indian health contract was up for renewal soon, we can target that patient population and serve it through an ou treach arrangement where one or two pediatricians can travel to clinics reserved for the patients or the patients can come to our clinic. These ideas are quite brilliant since they are ventures that have the potential of earning additional revenue to the institution (McKeever, 2012). Many factors influence the price charged across the pediatric services worldwide. One is the remuneration that is paid to pediatric practitioners that in turn depends on the level of qualification and the number of cases that the medic attends. The other factor is the cost of conforming to the laws of the state regarding pediatric services for example the cost of obtaining a license to do the business. The type of illness also determines the charges since some diseases require more resources to treat than others can. There is also the cost of medical equipment like syringes, stethoscopes, and microscopes among others. Revenue collection is a vital process for any business since it is the only way

Asian history Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Asian history - Research Paper Example On the other hand, proponents of excavation argue that by unearthing the mausoleum, archaeologists and historians would access what is inside and piece up the findings to help with finding answers to questions related with the ruler’s empire (Ferroa, and Chan 18). The proponents add that the site will be an important tourist attraction whose opening will create jobs and income for the local population. This paper explores the benefits and shortfalls of opening the Qin Shi Huang’s tomb. Cultural and historical richness of the tomb The cultural and historical richness of the mausoleum is well captured in the history of the emperor. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was eldest son of the Qin emperor, whose family comprises one of the half-dozen autonomous empires in the contemporary China. He is believed to have died around 210 BC (Liao, Pan, and Ma 395-399). These empires had been at crossroads for over two centuries, but Qin Shi Huang’s vanquished them all, before declaring h imself the king. After his death, his body was interred in a large site located to the east of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province of China. His large army of terracotta soldiers was also buried alongside him to give him protection in death. His lavish burial place is now at the center of an excavation debate. Although archaeological activities have been done on most parts of the mausoleum, the most important parts remain uncovered. The archaeologists have yet to dig the grounds near and including the tomb where the emperor was buried. According to Smith (87) part of the area that has not yet been touched is a raised ground where it is believed emperor Huang’s remains were interred. There is a hot debate as to whether it is appropriate to proceed with the excavation exercise or not. The Debate Inadequate technology, and respect for the cultural values of the local community are perhaps the greatest points behind the stoppage of the archaeological activities in the mausoleum. Som e of the archaeologists have suggested that the postponement move is partly influenced by the honor for the local elders, and the lack of adequate technology that can be used to excavate the site and still preserve the important values there. According to Portal (53), the resolution by Chinese officials not to tolerate further activities is a positive one at least based on the outcomes of similar activities in the past. China’s authorities do not seem to be ready to engage in the same poor archaeological activities that might result in the loss of the culturally invaluable items at the site. In Egypt, for instance, early twentieth century archaeologists with poor technology engaged in an excavation exercise to retrieve the rich cultural artifacts in King Tut's tomb. The 1930’s exercise ended in lost valuable information. In light of this, archaeologists believe that there is a lot that could be lost if current techniques were deployed in the tomb. Ferroa and Chan (19) point out proponents of the halting of excavation activities are clear in their mind; they want a delay of the process until better technology is available to support a better process. A postponement of the process by three to five decades would be a sound conservation strategy, they suggest. In light of this,

Comparrative Essay of Cooking Programs Essay Example for Free

Comparrative Essay of Cooking Programs Essay â€Å"Nigella Bites† And â€Å"Surfing the Menu† are two cooking programmes that share the same end result of delicious foods, but are very different in the contrasting aspects of social context, form and purpose which all help to reflect the cooking styles and personalities of their hosts. The atmosphere and contents of both shows generally appeal to the audiences of a different social status and/or age group. Set in Britain, the programme â€Å"Nigella Bites† appeals to an audience who belong to more of a winter climate. Each episode is formatted as a very comfortable and inviting home movie, using amateur camera work making it look more personal and family orientated. The show is filmed in Nigella’s own house and kitchen allowing her audience to feel welcomed. Images and visuals of illustrated foods and vibrant pink colours are shown throughout the opening credits with Jazz music engagingly flowing in the background. Many of her episodes begin with the view of a freezing British winter day/night and then follow onto Nigella being in the warmth of her own home. â€Å"Surfing the Menu† is a travelogue formatted programme set in Australia which promotes different towns and locations around the country in each episode. Along with catching/acquiring their own ingredients before cooking their meals, the hosts Curtis Stone and Ben O’Donoghue aka â€Å"Bender† also make sure to interact with the culture of each location they shoot in, making the Programme very relaxed as well as educational to the viewers. The opening credits consist of a range of photo shots and bright colours that go with the themes of the tourism and the outdoors. While the boys are traveling cameras makes sure to capture different angles and views of the scenery, including aerial views of the land around them. The atmosphere for each show is evidently contrasted; â€Å"Nigella Bites† is more of a matured cooking programme compared to the jovial attitude of â€Å"Surfing the Menu†. Both shows have very different exterior climates which appeal to different audiences: Nigella pursues the comforts of the indoor warmth compared to the blistering cold of its winters outside. This tends to attract those who like to spend their time inside during the cold/wet days, such as women and mothers living in a winter climate wanting to create more wholesome and warm meals for their friends and families. Nigella showcases a particular social lifestyle that represents the enjoyment involved in cooking and preparing meals for the ones that are dear to her. â€Å"Surfing the Menu† however attracts, and is more of a target to those who are more outgoing, young and interested in the experience of Australia’s summer cultures. Both international and Australians viewers are drawn in by the advertised beauty of the scenery captured during each episode because of all the multicultural nature and Australian cuisine involved, advertising tourism within the country. Nigella is portrayed as a very family orientated and homely person who always enjoys her food and loves to cook. She has a proper upper-class British accent and speaks in a husky, somewhat seductive voice. Nigella is currently in her late thirties and is seen as very sophisticated to her viewers, usually she cooks on her own but once her meal is cooked and ready she shows her serving and sharing the meals with her children and/or all of her family and friends. The way that she describes her ingredients and recipes along with the terminology she uses such as â€Å"stunning†, â€Å"simply beautiful† and â€Å"absolutely gorgeous† makes it sound as if she is in love with what she is making, the endearment and emphasis she puts in makes her so believable and intriguing. Nigella tends to mainly use informal measurements and verbs to describe what she is doing which remind you of how a mother figure would teach you how to cook. Ben and Curtis on the other hand are completely different to Nigella, ‘typical Aussie blokes’ is what they are stereotyped as. Both in their mid-twenties, always wearing informal and comfortable ‘beach clothing’ and using a lot of Australian ‘slang’ such as â€Å"Mate† and â€Å"Chuck it on the barbie† the boys give off a very relaxed and casual feeling to their viewers. The meals that Nigella prepares are heavy winter foods which are more time consuming but are perfect for those who have the time and love to cook. The â€Å"Surfing the Menu† recipes on the other hand are light summer foods that are quick and easy to prepare. Nigella makes sure her cupboards are full of all the different ingredients that she uses and she then gives her viewers an insight of the different things that she likes to always make sure she has stocked, what they can be used for and why they come in handy for her to have around. Curtis and Ben use ingredients that are imported into the local stores such as stir-fry noodles that they cook on an Australian barbeque, along with many other ingredients that they go out and personally collect from the local produce or catch on their own in each episode. As well as collecting their own ingredients from each place they visit, each meal they prepare always relates to the location they’re in making the programme even more entertaining and educational. Typical cooking program camera techniques are used throughout both programs â€Å"Nigella Bites† and â€Å"Surfing the Menu† these techniques include: close-ups on the hands on action with the food preparation, and snap shots throughout the shows that are used to cut out the un-necessary preparation time and skip straight to the cooking, then to the completed meals. To show their personalities and connect with their audience both of the programmes hosts make sure to speak and look directly towards/into the camera whenever possible. â€Å"Surfing the Menu† also uses aerial shots during the car travels to capture the different scenery around them. Highlighted sounds of the cooking appliances and food being prepared are accompanied by soft music underneath throughout each episode in both â€Å"Nigella Bites† and â€Å"Surfing the Menu† to draw more attention to what they are doing. The contrasting features between both â€Å"Nigella Bites† and â€Å"Surfing the Menu† such as; social context, form, purpose, audiences and the atmosphere differ due to the personalities and cooking styles of their hosts. Nigella’s show expresses her love for warm homely meals and cooking for her family and friends during the cold British winters and the programme is filmed as a home movie style, which gives off an inviting comfortable feel to her audience. Curtis and Ben’s show however, reflects on the adventures and experiences of local cultures during the warm Australian summer days and is filmed as a travelogue. Both of the programmes hosts have very similar camera etiquettes and happy/warm, engaging mannerisms.

A Comparison of Jacques-Lois David and Joseph Goebbels Essay -- essays

â€Å"The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea so sincerely, so vitally, that in the end they succumb to it utterly and can never again escape from it† (Goebbels). Both Jacques-Lois David and Joseph Goebbels were aspiring men who rose above the standards that were set for them and utilized their own individual talent in order to sway people’s opinions to match their own. They both possessed extraordinary talent and ideas for their time, where Jacques-Lois David was an artist who mastered in the neoclassical style of painting and used his art work as a form of propaganda to represent a biased view from a revolutionary on occurring events; where as Joseph Goebbels had superb journaling abilities and dominated the media in Russia. Jacques-Lois David was an exquisite artist of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century who had a well educated background in the field of painting. After the tragic death of his father, Jacques-Lois David went to live with his uncle Francois Buron. From here David went to study at Academie Royales, in Italy, and was taught by J.M Vein who was a master of the Rococo style. After four years of attending Academie Royales David won the internationally recognized Prix de Rome with his work of Antiochus and Stratonice. David returned to Paris, after spending five years in Italy drawing antique models, to open his own studio where he taught and took on commissioned portraits. Jacques-Lois David was already beginning to set a fashio...

Human Organ Shouldn’t Ligalize

The sale of organs means that organs are removed from inside the body for the purpose of commercial transactions. Although the sales of human organs have been done since long ago, and there are many claims and proposal to make it legal, a lot of oppositions are against this idea. * Money the purpose Considering the poor status of most donors, one of the primary stated reasons for organ selling is to pay off debt. Those who are poorest are frequently seen as more reliable targets for transplant tourists because they are the most in need of money.It is said by the other side that legalizing the organ sale can help people who are in need to continue to survive. But at the same time, it also increases money desire for many poor people. For example, in 2007 a man in UK tried to sell his kidney online for 24,000 pounds in order to pay off his gambling. * Increase crimes and black market Legality of the organ sale would even encourage organ theft through murder and neglect sick individuals for a financial gain. There are many case like beautiful girls or handsome men trying to attract someone and flirting around with them until they agree to go with n end up waking without kidneys.Another example, Few families would turn down the opportunity to receive compensation (ensure financial stability or the dead is the main earner), so they may charge the hospital the same price, or they will turn to black market for higher price. Besides, there might be some criminal who break the promise to pay the donor higher amount for the organ than it was actually paid out or even escape without payment. * Imbalance between the rich and the poor Payment for organ is likely to take unfair advantage of the poor.Even if organ trade is legalized, it is still the third – world wealthy people who can afford the organ for transplantation. And the poor people are still vulnerable and unfortunate because they are the one who always make donation. Moreover, it is injustice to give pure or gan to those rich people who usually spending lot of money on drinking, eating, party, and cause the disease by themselves. * Health: The  WHO  first declared organ trade illegal in 1987 *Affect to living donor Although some medical research proved that there are not many effects on the donors with their left organs.However, a question is asked that if it is not so important, why people are born with both organ, for example kidneys or livers. Kidneys or livers do not regenerate as the other human products like blood or sperm. WHO reports has shown that there is decrease in human well being, especially, those who make living on physical labor. 96% of donors regret selling their organs. *Affect to recipient It is risky to introduce trafficking diseased organ to recipients because those donors often comes from the poor population where they don’t live well and receive good health care.There is a possibility of 1:18 to acquire HIV from such transplant. The diseases donâ€℠¢t show up on the screen of the analysis probably because they just start within three weeks before the donor’s death. One more thing is the change of recipients’ body rejecting of organ result from different blood type or genetic make-up. * Ethical concern *Violate human right The state often denies individuals the right to do certain things with their bodies because they may not make good decision for themselves.Furthermore, any procedure which tends to commercialize human organs or to consider them as items of exchange or trade must be considered morally unacceptable, because to use the body as an object is to violate the dignity of the human person. World Health Organization said that the transplantation promotes health but transplantation tourism violates human right. Organs can be bought and sold arbitrarily. *Corruption There is corruption in healthcare system and government and it sometimes turn to organ trafficking. For instance, In India, a patient unaware th at his kidney transplant procedure took place and was asked to pay after that.For example, in 2006 China made selling of executed prisoners’ organs and claimed that those prisoners had filed agreement and permission, but still the Chinese officials are suspected of these corrupted activities that the profit might go to them not the donors or their families. * Religion For the religious view, body and soul are one entity and very valuable that cannot be treated as property and make business. Traditionally, Muslim believes that oppose donation from human living and deceased donors because the human body is sacred thing from God so any part of the body must not be separated in life or death.Chinese customs call for people to be buried or cremated with the body complete orginally. One die-hard superstition has it that if an organ is taken from a body after death, the person in question will be reborn with a handicap in that organ in his or her next life. Nowadays, trade in human organs is illegal in all countries except Iran. Before, India and Philippine used to legalize this activity too but it turns out that they ban it later on, and it is clear enough why it couldn’t be practiced.There must be many complicated issues occurred. Solution The solutions have been put forward to both increase the amount of legally available organs and stop the flow of illegal organ trafficking around the world. One policy is â€Å"presumed consent†. (Successful in Brazil, US, several nations of Europe and increase the amount of organs available), patient can choose not to donate by submitting document. Worldwide, the trend has been move toward increased regulation of organ trading internationally.

Egyptian and Roman Empire Essay

Though there have been many greatly noted civilizations of the ancient world one might see those of the Egyptian and of the Roman Empire as two of the greatest. There were many contributing factors to the success of these two societies as well as there downfalls. One reason the Egyptians was a successful in the ancient world was due to their environment. The main reason for the strength of the early Egyptian society was the Nile. The Nile kept a majority of Egypt’s riverbanks full of lush greenery and plentiful natural resources. The Nile provided fresh water, free transportation, endless agricultural possibilities, as well as trade aspects. In ancient times all people depended on the river for their existence. Egypt flourished for 3,000 years because of the people’s ability to harness the power of the great Nile. The importance of the great river is reflected in ancient Egyptians daily life. It shows through in their art, religion, writing, as well as social lives. The river helped shape their society as well as their existence. Religion also greatly affected the Egyptian society greatly. Their religion was one based upon the central idea of polytheism. Where they believed in a series of many gods and goddesses. Even the Egyptian kings or â€Å"Pharos† as they were called, were even referred to gods on earth. Society and their religion were based mainly upon keeping the gods happy and content. Often times offering them sacrifices and other gifts to keep the Egyptian people free of torment and disaster. Everything in life depended on the gods. From fertility, to the rising of the sun and moon, crops, as well as the great Nile. The gods could be fair or vengeful, or so was the theory of the Egyptians. Thus why they tried to keep them eternally happy. Another powerful if not the strongest civilization of ancient times was the Roman Empire. Much like the Egyptians Rome also focused on location as an ideal place for starting a civilization. Rome was a city protected by hills. It had many great routes in out and out of the city mainly used for trade. Since Rome had such a good defensive standpoint a citizen could feel safe living there. ROMs location also added up to a large amount of cultural diffusion being the center of ancient life during its time. The Roman Empire also used every one of its available resources very well. From natural resources to manmade, they used everything. From The great roman military building roads, for travel and trade, which was a large part of roman life. Romans were also very smart, using great techniques in art, architecture, and labor forms. Ancient Rome was the only place to have running water, sewers, roads, as well as an outstanding military. But they also had a people’s republic, which gave the citizen an actual voice in society. Rome also took advantage of war. With every war came more slave labor, be to used in any way shape or form that they desired. Thus making Rome the most civilized as well as the least civilized of its time.

The extent to which supply chain activities within Zara supports its competitive advantage The WritePass Journal

The extent to which supply chain activities within Zara supports its competitive advantage Introduction The extent to which supply chain activities within Zara supports its competitive advantage . Some of its stores operate under the Lefties brand, known for low-cost fashion. It has become a well-known brand globally and one of the biggest success stories in Spanish history (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). The fashion industry in which Zara operates is characterized by intense competition among rivals in the industry with ever changing customer preferences driven by continuous design and output of new fashion items that change every season. This continuous shift challenges the dominance of a company or product in the market over the long term, which can be significant as a competitive advantage in other sectors. The acquisition of competitive advantage in the fashion industry through pricing and production of new lines can hardly be sustained with the intense competition and ever-increasing costs in the competitive business environment (Economist, 2012; Inditex, 2013). Also a major challenge to business in the current business environment is the global economic recession and attendant economic challenges, which has hit the fashion industry’s profitability and growth hard threatening the survival of players in the market, especially the companies serving the wider international m arket (Economist, 2012). Given these challenges threatening sustainability and viability of companies in the long term, it is incumbent upon firms in the fashion industry including Zara to enhance focus on developing and implementing strategies to improve bottom line, enhance profitability and assure revenue growth into the future. Pricing, quality, and new designs/items as potential sources of competitive advantage are challenged by characteristic frequent shifts of the fashion and apparel industry and, therefore, the sustenance of such strategies over the longer term as sources of competitive advantage is hindered. In such a case therefore, a focus on efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain is a possible strategy that can enable competitiveness especially in this industry, enabling companies to enhance bottom-lines and to realise growth in revenue and profitability essential for any economic venture (Cousins, 2005; HaËškansson and Persson, 2004). Zara, in light of these challenges in its industry, has managed to create and to sustain its breakthrough strategy enabled by its performance of key activities differently, especially enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of its supply chain. This it has achieved through a myriad of strategies at specific points in its manufacturing and distribution including employment of technology, vertical integration, market intelligence and customer service, among several other tweaks of its production and distribution processes (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). Its success, competitive differentiation and positioning which have contributed to its notable customer preference over its close rivals can be attributed to clear focus and vision in its tapping of the power of fashion, finding key activities that matter to customers and enhancing key operational activities, especially its supply chain (Economist, 2012). It has set the challenge for its competitors in the fashion industry who find it difficult to imitate or equal its achievement, its significant competitive advantage in the challenging industry and business environment (Inditex, 2013). The supply chain encompasses a network of relationships between organizations and integrated business processes across the boundaries of individual organizations and/or business units that are involved in providing products and services to customers at the end of the chain (Croom and Romano, 2000). In today’s competitive business environment and challenges threatening profitability and growth as have earlier been outlined, there is need to manage this network and constituent processes so as to ensure a smooth flow of goods and information back and forth from the raw materials through several intermediate entities to the end-users (Handï ¬ eld and Nichols, 2002). This synchronization of supply and demand is essential to enhance efficiency necessary for survival and competitiveness of firms in the market (Ketchen and Giunipero, 2004). A number of theoretical concepts enable the evaluation of the various processes that constitute the supply chain enhancing our understanding of the processes, motives for the engagements in the chain and consequently results expected and obtained. Among the theoretical concepts applicable to Zara’s case are: the Principal-Agent theory, the Transaction cost analysis, the Network Perspective, and the Resource-based view (Svensson, 2002). The Principal-Agent theory (PAT) is based on the separation between the principal and the agent (in this case Zara and the external suppliers and/or its internal production processes) with regard to the control of activities and ownership, and consequently, the resultant problems. Challenges of this separation include the asymmetry in information between the two players, bounded rationality, conflicts in objectives, variations in their risk aversion, their self-interest leading to inconsiderate behaviour, and the uncertainty of outcomes (Croom and Romano, 2000). This theory aims to facilitate the design of efficient contracts to mitigate such challenges and problems through the governance of the relationship between the two parties. An efficient contract would include a mix of incentives, based on behaviour and outcomes, that would motivate the agent to align their actions to the interests of the principal (Handï ¬ eld and Nichols, 2002). The Transaction Cost analysis (TCA) offers an economic approach in the endeavour to determine the boundaries of the firm. Through this, efficiency can be aptly presented as an essential motive for inter-organizational engagements such as those necessary in the supply chain (Frohlich and Westbrook, 2001; Svensson, 2002). Relationships in the supply chain are represented by a hybrid of hierarchies which influence costs of transaction and governance between markets. Through cooperation with entities and partners external to the organization, as well as cooperation of business units within, total transaction costs may be reduced. Commitments that are credible as well as safeguards such as long term contracts and penalties for deviations, sharing of equity, and joint investments that enhance the relationship, are some of the mechanism that can be used to mitigate opportunism (Ketchen and Giunipero, 2004). Also among the theoretical frameworks is the Network Perspective which describes the supply chain as a series of interactions which are reciprocated between institutions, with a firm’s performance depending not only on its partner’s cooperation with it, but also on these partners’ cooperation with their own business partners (Frohlich and Westbrook, 2001). These interactions become important factors in the development of new resources with the value of such resources based on their synergy combined with other resources. Gradually, partners build trust mutually through their social exchanges and cooperative relations (Handï ¬ eld and Nichols, 2002). The resource-Based view is concerned with the competitive advantage obtained from the possession of resources and capabilities which are considered to be a firm’s core competence. Efficiency in this case would not just be related to productivity and mechanisms of operation, building competencies in-house, but could also be obtained through access to core competencies of partner firms in cooperation with it. Decisions for such associations are based on finding complementary competencies among partners through inter-organizational collaborations towards mutual benefit (Handï ¬ eld and Nichols, 2002, Ketchen and Giunipero, 2004). With regard to Zara, and its supply chain, the company has partnered with a number of organizations that enable its successful performance of its production operations (Inditex, 2013; Min and Mentzner, 2004).   In the realization of the potential problems resulting from inefficiencies in dealing with numerous partners in the supply chain such as those envisaged in the Principal-Agent theory, and in an attempt to minimize transaction costs as outlined in the transaction cost analysis theory, Zara has, however, made an attempt to limit its exposure to external players and partners by conducting most of its manufacturing and distribution in-house thus ensuring greater efficiency (Womack and Jones 2003). Through its production facilities, it makes 40% of its fabrics and 60% of its merchandise, a strategy which has also enabled the company to significantly enhance efficiency and therefore competitiveness. This is unlike its closest rivals such as HM which has no factories and therefore employs over 900 suppliers (Inditex, 2013). Key to the fashion industry is the sourcing of inputs such as fabrics and dyes among other goods, as well as services such as labour to enable production. In acknowledgement of the need to tap into core competencies of partners, according to the resource-based view, and into synergies in association with aligned partners envisaged in the Network Perspective theory, Zara partners with contract manufacturers in Turkey and Asia that produce its staple, long shelf-life items such as jeans and t-shirts and a network of local cooperatives that stitch items together after the cutting and dyeing stage (Ketchen and Giunipero, 2004; Inditex, 2013). Also part of its supply chain are the entities that supply its fabrics and dyes which include Zara’s own subsidiary which purchases most of its dyes, and Comditel, a subsidiary of Inditex, through which Zara makes its fabric purchases. All these entities take charge of assigned tasks and the bulky and intensive production process so that Zara can focus on its specialty lines and core business which earns a significant portion of its revenues (Cox, 1999; Inditex, 2013). Zara, in the endeavour to turn its supply chain into a significant source of competitive advantage, has sought to enhance its control over the entire supply chain so as to enhance efficiency overall and thereby enable its substantial differentiation from its rivals in the industry (Womack and Jones 2003; Cox, 1999; Inditex, 2013). To this end, Zara has been quite successful and has managed to sustain its leading position with regard to efficiency and speed in the delivery of new items to stores and the replenishment of stock. Its   industry leading frequency of twice weekly deliveries drives customer preferences and ensures that its stores receives a high number of return visits to its stores by customers, beating industry averages (Economist, 2012). Zara’s value chain linkage, often tweaked to enhance efficiency and performance is a major platform which Zara continues to employ to differentiate itself with its closest rivals (Economist, 2012; Min and Mentzner, 2004). This enhanced efficiency is enabled by vertical integration in which Zara runs its own manufacturing and production facilities; control of crucial production processes; efficient coordination of suppliers and processes through technology; outsourcing to countries close to its headquarters; as well as finely-tuned logistics and its just-in-time manufacturing strategy. Other beneficial strategies include its centralized distribution which has enabled substantial reduction of lead-time and better inventory control; enhanced store management and control with its focus on the full ownership model; as well as a highly flattened hierarchical structure which enhances communication and enables effective conduct of market intelligence (Economist, 2012; Handï ¬ eld and Nichols, 2002). Through these initiatives, Zara has managed to acquire a leadership position in the industry gaining substantial preference, and achieving high growth and profitability (Inditex, 2013). Various theories in literature regarding the management of the supply chain can be useful tools which can be used to enhance understanding of the supply chain. They enable the evaluation of the chain so as to ensure that the company obtains maximum benefit from its management. Useful theories, especially with regard to Zara’s case include the transaction-cost analysis which is concerned with the employment of effective partnerships among players in the supply chain to reduce overall transaction costs; the principal-agent theory which is concerned with the development of efficient contracts to mitigate potential conflicts in supply chain associations and partnerships; the Network perspective which focuses on the wide network of inter-relationships   between two partners in addition to their individual business partners resulting in synergy and the development of new resources through a series of   reciprocated interactions; and the resource-based view which is concerned wit h competitive advantage gained through access to and employment of a partner’s core competencies and the mutual benefit enhancing the relationship. The supply chain when well managed and controlled can be a significant source of competitive advantage as can be seen in Zara’s case in the fashion and apparel industry. Zara’s deliberate strategies to enhance efficiency in its supply chain, made in consideration of the theories outlined above, have been significant factors that have enabled the achievement of its level of competitiveness and given it a strong market presence in the fashion and apparel industry. Through its deliberate endeavour to enhance efficiency in its supply chain, Zara has managed to differentiate itself from its rivals in the industry, as well as to find differences that matter to consumers thereby driving their preference. Consequently, these differences have enabled it achieve its growth and profitability targets. References Cousins, P.D. (2005), â€Å"The alignment of appropriate firm and supply Strategies for competitive advantage.† In: International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 25 No. 5, pp. 403-28. Cox, A., 1999. â€Å"Power, value and supply chain management.† In: Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 1 Croom, S., and P., Romano, 2000. â€Å"Supply chain management: an analytical framework for critical literature review.† In: European Journal of Purchasing Supply Management, Vol. 6, pp. 67-83. Economist, 2012. Inditex Fashion forward Zara: Spain’s most successful brand, is trying to go global. Mar 24th. LA CORUÑA Frohlich, M., and R., Westbrook, 2001. â€Å"Arcs of integration: an international study of supply chain strategies.† In: Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 185-200. Handï ¬ eld, R., and E., Nichols, 2002. Supply Chain Redesign: Transforming Supply Chains into Integrated Value Systems. Financial Times. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. HaËškansson, H. and G., Persson, 2004. â€Å"Supply chain management: the logic of supply chains and networks.† In: The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 11-23. Inditex, 2013. Zara. Viewed from: inditex.com/en/who_we_are/concepts/zara Ketchen, D., and L., Giunipero, 2004. â€Å"The intersection of strategic management and supply chain management.† In: Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 51-7. Min, S., and J., Mentzner, 2004. â€Å"Developing and measuring supply chain management concepts.† In: Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 63-99. Svensson, G., 2002. â€Å"The theoretical foundation of supply chain management: a functionalist theory of marketing.† In: International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, Vol. 32 No. 9, pp. 734-54. Womack, J., and D., Jones, 2003. Lean Thinking, 2nd ed., Free Press Business, London.

US Presidential Assassinations and Assassination Attempts

US Presidential Assassinations and Assassination Attempts In the history of the U.S. presidency, four presidents have actually been assassinated. Another six were the subject of assassination attempts. Following is a description of each assassination and attempt that has occurred since the founding of the nation. Assassinated in Office Abraham Lincoln - Lincoln was shot in the head while watching a play on April 14, 1865. His assassin, John Wilkes Booth escaped and was later shot and killed.  Conspirators who helped plan Lincolns assassination were found guilty and hung. Lincoln died on April 15, 1865. James Garfield - Charles J. Guiteau, a mentally disturbed government office seeker, shot Garfield on July 2, 1881. The president did not die until September 19th of blood poisoning. This was related more to the manner in which the physicians attended to the president than to the wounds themselves. Guiteau was convicted of murder and hanged on June 30, 1882. William McKinley - McKinley was shot two times by anarchist Leon Czolgosz while the president was visiting the Pan-American Exhibit in Buffalo, New York on September 6, 1901. He died on September 14, 1901. Czolgosz stated that he shot McKinley because he was an enemy of working people. He was convicted of the murder and electrocuted on October 29, 1901. John F. Kennedy - On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was mortally wounded while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. His apparent assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was killed by Jack Ruby before standing trial. The Warren Commission was called to investigate Kennedys death and found that Oswald had acted alone to kill Kennedy. Many argued, however, that there was more than one gunman, a theory upheld by a 1979 House Committee investigation. The FBI and a 1982 study disagreed. Speculation continues to this day. Assassination Attempts Andrew Jackson - On January 30, 1835, Andrew Jackson was attending a funeral for Congressman Warren Davis. Richard Lawrence attempted to shoot him with two different derringers, each of which misfired. Jackson was incensed and attacked Lawrence with his walking stick. Lawrence was tried for the attempted assassination but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He spent the rest of his life in an insane asylum. Theodore Roosevelt - An assassination attempt was actually not made on Roosevelts life while he was in the office of president. Instead, it occurred after he had left office and decided to run for another term against William Howard Taft. While campaigning on October 14, 1912, he was shot in the chest by John Schrank, a mentally disturbed New York saloon keeper. Luckily, Roosevelt had a speech and his spectacle case in his pocket that slowed down the .38 caliber bullet. The bullet was never removed but allowed to heal over. Roosevelt continued with his speech before seeing a doctor. Franklin Roosevelt - After giving a speech in Miami on February 15, 1933, Giuseppe Zangara shot six shots into the crowd. None hit Roosevelt though the Mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak, was shot in the stomach. Zangara blamed wealthy capitalists for his plights and those of other working people. He was convicted of attempted murder and then after Cermaks death due to the shooting he was retried for murder. He was executed by electric chair in March, 1933. Harry Truman - On November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican nationals attempted to kill President Truman to bring attention to the case for Puerto Rican independence. The President and his family were staying at the Blair House across from the White House and the two attempted assassins, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, tried to shoot their way into the house. Torresola killed one and wounded another policeman while Collazo wounded one policeman. Torresola died in the gunfight. Collazo was arrested and sentenced to death which Truman commuted to life in prison. President Jimmy  Carter freed Collazo from prison in 1979. Gerald Ford - Ford escaped two assassination attempts, both by women. First on September 5, 1975, Lynette Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, pointed a gun at him but did not fire. She was convicted of attempting to assassinate the president and sentenced to life in prison. The second attempt on Fords life occurred on September 22, 1975 when Sara Jane Moore fired one shot that was deflected by a bystander. Moore was trying to prove herself to some radical friends with the assassination of the president. She was convicted of attempted assassination and sentenced to life in prison. Ronald Reagan - On March 30, 1981, Reagan was shot in the lung by John Hinckley, Jr. Hinckley hoped that by assassinating the president, he would earn enough notoriety to impress Jodie Foster. He also shot Press Secretary James Brady along with an officer and a security agent. He was arrested but found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was sentenced to life in a mental institution.

MGT WK3 GROUP ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGT WK3 GROUP ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example This task is sub-divided into various duties and responsibilities pertaining to the corporation’s workforce. Stewart and Brown (2010) states that the human resource department usually plays a critical role in the organisation, which reflects on the bottom line of the organisation and it even contributes towards that achievement of the organisation strategic goals and missions. Mathis and Jackson (2010) further ads that the human resource management within an organisation can as well contribute to the competitive advantages of an organisation. In regards to the organising function of Microsoft Corporation’s human resource department it can be stated that the department organizes the workforce of the corporation by first ensuring that at all times the corporation has the right staff at the right place in all of its branches across the world. In this regard Stewart and Brown (2010), states that the department organises the recruitment and selection of best-qualified candidates who will work for the corporation in various capacities and who have the potential to help the corporation in achieving is strategic goals and objectives. Secondly, while organising the human resource of the corporation the department undertakes jobs analysis and descriptions in order to ensure that every member of the staff has a clear role in the corporation and that there is no collusion or replication of roles. Equally, during the job analysis, the department clearly outlines the requirements or qualifications that are required from employees in order to be able to perform certain duties and responsibilities as stipulated (Stewart and Brown, 2010)). According to Mathis and Jackson (2010), the human resource department is also tasked with the mandate of organising how each member of the staff will be compensated and they normally organize this