Society with Soul

A Society with Soul â€Å"As the soil, however rich it may be, cannot be productive without cultivation, so the mind without culture can never produce good fruit. † This quote by Seneca, a Roman philosopher, says that nothing good can ever come out of the absence of culture. Throughout history, many have argued that a society stripped of its culture is a society stripped of its soul. In the novel Things Fall Apart, the Ibo people are completely taken of their culture by the white colonialists.Despite a growing pattern of submission to new culture within the tribe, the people never truly lost their soul. The Ibo tribe was invaded by outsiders, their culture threatened with accusations on their way of life, worship, and customs, practically being forced into submission. The Ibo people may have been entirely stripped of their culture, but definitely not of their soul. Due to the colonialists attempting to assimilate the Ibo people, the tribe lost their culture but not the essence of who they are, allowing them to triumph against all odds.The white people pushed to assimilate the Africans, especially in their religion, ultimately tearing families apart and disconnecting the tribe. Obierika even says, â€Å"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on things that held us together and we have fallen apart,† (Achebe 152). As the British colonized the Ibo tribes in Africa, they brought with them their new religion of Christianity.At first these new beliefs were not accepted by the Ibo people, but quickly became a major threat to their old way of life. The appeal of wealth and the flow of money into their village from British traders, in combination with support for the colonialists’ new government and judicial system, eventually attracted many Ibos to convert to Chri stianity. Ibo society was torn in half, with some being lured in by the British, and others staying faithful to traditional Ibo customs.In addition, by the white missionaries seeking to convert children into their religion, there was no one to carry on the tribe’s traditions, resulting in the falling apart of the tribal system. The attempts of the colonialists to assimilate the Africans in religion caused families and the tribe to be divided. Despite these challenges, the tribe did not lose the essence of who they are and stayed true to a lot of the beliefs of their culture. The Ibo people were stripped of their culture by the colonialists, but they never lost their soul.Amidst the invasion of the white people, the Africans still found ways to maintain their beliefs and the essence of who they were. When Okoli killed the sacred python, he clearly went against traditional Ibo customs, but at the same time, he inadvertently reinforced Ibo customs. The Ibo people always look bac k to their culture for guidance and believe in it regardless of outside threats. Because it is all they have ever known, the tribe maintains their peaceful ways by deciding not to drive the Christians out with acts of violence, but rather, by ostracizing them.Soon afterwards, Okoli dies of an illness, which reaffirms the tribe’s trust in their gods. â€Å"His death showed that the gods were still able to fight their own battles,† (Achebe 141) and would rightfully punish those who went against them. It made the tribe realize that the gods were still with them, causing them to repeal the new policy of ostracism towards the converts. Furthermore, n the end, the colonialists may have ultimately drove Okonkwo to kill himself, forcing him to go against his culture, but in doing so, Okonkwo also reminded the tribe of their culture.In taking his own life, he reasserted Ibo beliefs, one of the tribesman even saying, â€Å"It is against our custom,† (Achebe 178) when aske d by the District Commissioner why the tribe could not take Okonkwo down from the tree. The tribesman went on to say, â€Å"It is an abomination for a man to take his own life,† (Achebe 78). In spite of threats to their way of life and a growing disconnection of their tribe, the Ibos remained true to their culture no matter what. In conclusion, the Ibo people never lost what made them who they were despite challenges presented by the British colonialists.The white people’s attempt to assimilate Africans to the Christian faith resulted in the tearing apart of families, the disconnection of the tribe, and subsequently, the loss of the entire Ibo culture. Notwithstanding, the Ibo people did not lose their soul, or the essence of who they are. Regardless of accusations on their way of life and mounted submission to new culture, the Ibo people were undeterred by the threat of invaders. The Ibo tribe was a society entirely stripped of their culture that made it out on the ot her side not stripped of their soul.

However, the German people who were hungry and bitter wanted new faces, they wanted to see change

â€Å"The war was now lost,†1 a quote from General Ludendorff's evidence to a post war assembly. It was 1918 and Germany had been defeated. Kaiser Wilhelm had fled to Holland on the advice of General Ludendorff, who had also urged an armistice. To preserve the reputation of the military forces of Germany, Ludendorff wanted the creation of a civilian government, in the hope that a civilian government could take the blame for Germany's defeat, a revolution from above, to maintain the vision of a still, strong, military force. The country of Germany had to repair itself to survive. The old constitution had to change, not that it could be classed as old. Germany was a relatively new country, unified in 1871, but because of growing popular unrest and economic discontent, the hierarchy of Germany had to be seen as making changes for the benefit of the population. The age of monarchy was dissolved and replaced by a new civilian government. The new constitution would be known as the Weimar Constitution. The new constitution would embrace democracy, it would be an elected government, headed by a president, and elections were to be every seven years. The parliament was known as the Reichstag. All men and women over the age of twenty were entitled to vote. All Germans were deemed equal under the law. In consequence of this, professional people such as doctors, lawyers and teachers did not want to be equal to proletarians or the lumper proletarians, professional, middle class people believed they were better, why should the whole of society be given an education and opportunities. In addition, social rights were given to the people, such as, free speech, a country free of censorship, education for all, religious freedom, and the entitlement to negotiate for better working conditions as well as having protection from the state. Unfortunately, Germany was a conservative, traditional country, too much freedom all at once could be too much to cope with, progressive free liberties, introduced on a slower scale might have worked better. Fredrich Ebert was the leader of the social democratic party, who had the following of the majority of the people and in November 1918, was made the first chancellor of the new constitution. Included within the constitution was article 48, this article gave permission for the president to dissolve the Reichstag, and act on his own, with the aid of, if necessary, military force. Consequently it could be argued about who was actually in charge of the constitution, was it the representative assembly or the elected head of state. The elected president had the right to interfere with legislation; it seemed a contradiction of a democratic republic. This immediately throws into disarray the whole idea of a democracy, as well as according to a USPD deputy â€Å"if some henchmen of the Hohenzollerns (the royal family), a general perhaps were to be at the head of the Reich,†2 article 48 could be a weakness exploited by military men to use to their advantage as a military coup. Ebert needed the army on side, particularly to cease uprisings by the left wing. Ebert was a socialist but not a communist, neither to his favour was General Groener, who Ebert forged a deal with to win his support, Ebert would keep the authority of any existing officers, thus, the army would defend the new government so uprisings from the left were easily suppressed. This went against the constitution. The Left Wing unified with the extreme Right over this, because they saw it as a supression to prevent revolution from the middle classes. The KPD co-operated with the extreme Right in efforts to destroy the constitution. Furthermore, Ebert kept existing civil servants and members of the judiciary in their positions, keeping the people he needed to rely on in favourable positions. In addition to this, Ebert needed experienced people to try and keep the infa-structure of Germany on a stable footing. However, the German people who were hungry and bitter wanted new faces, they wanted to see change. To keep things as they were was not a democracy, according to an anonymous exiled SPD member, the German working class should have taken over the old state, to leave things unchanged was a grave historical error and not a good start to a new democratic, republican state. Many of he German people refused to accept the new constitution as being legitimate; these people were not used to as much freedom as was being promised. They were battered from the war and not ready for such a change. If the new constitution was going to be part of their lives, maybe initiating it alongside a monarchy would have been more successful in winning them over traditionalists and nationalists cannot be changed overnight. The first real threat for Weimar was The Treaty of Versailles in 1919†³Death rather than slavery,†3 quoted the nationalist newspaper, Duetsche Zeitung. The whole of Germany rejected the Treaty, but the constitution had no choice but to accept it,†There is no alternative to accepting the armistice terms. It is however, already apparent that these conditions will not produce a just peace. The sacrifices on us are tremendous; they must lead to our peoples doom,†3 Germany was brought to its knees by reparations, loss of territory, war guilt and the limitations of a reduced military force, which country would survive, historian A.Nicholls,4 (1979) sums up the Treaty and the impact on the Weimar republic, â€Å"Germany's economy was ruined by reparations and her security undermined. Much more serious was the political demoralisation which the treaty caused with in the Reich itself †¦ The real damage the treaty did to Germany was to disillusion the more moderate men who might otherwise have supported their new republic†¦The peace settlement continued to poison the political atmosphere in Germany for many years.†4 The Treaty helped the radical right wing political party's gain support and challenge the new Weimar republican government. The main right wing parties rejected the republic and its principles and wanted to destroy the democratic constitution and go back to a nationalist system, the signing of the Treaty only reinforced that the new government wasn't working for the people. The aim of the Right Wing was to abolish the constitution and instead have a conservative, authoritarian regime, unlike other conservative political parties in well-established democracies. It was in March 1920 that the first major problem from the Right occurred. A right wing coup named after its leader Kapp was initiated. It only failed due to a general strike. After marching on Berlin the governments troops refused to fire on the freikorps, the support for a democratic republic was not where the army's loyalties lay, after all it was only because of secret talks between Ebert and Groener, and the fact that Groener was only protecting his position that the army only HAD to support the new Republic, through orders of their commander, they did not support the republic voluntarily. The judiciary dealt with the people involved with Kapp leniently, showing that the judiciary was not in favour of a democratic country, they were still in favour of the old nationalist Germany. The Right wing consisted of the military, financial elites, state beurocracy, the educational system and some of the press. However, the Kapp Putsch did demonstrate weaknesses in the New Constitution, democracy in Germany lost its way, there was no political control over the military, the government could not enforce its authority even in its own capital; the government could not put down a challenge to its own authority and only because of mass power was government authority re- established. It wasn't due to support of the constitution that people supported a general strike. It was due to the fact that peace was more important than political beliefs and who would want a revolution in their town. In addition to this the failure of Kapp being brought to justice led to a spate of assinations committed by the Right Wing against supporters of the Weimar Constitution. Over 350 political murders took place between 1919 and 1923. Again the perpetrators were dealt with leniently, showing support for the nationalists, and the weak decision of keeping the same people in their jobs, â€Å"when the republic was created, these judges held over from the monarchy found it impossible to transfer their allegiance to the new organisation of the state†¦They created a private law and subverted (undermined) the public law of the Republic by refusing to administer justice in an equal manner to all people, â€Å"5Kurt Tucholsky, left wing satirist. Ebert was in an impossible situation, the Treaty was the major factor in undermining the democratic constitution, and money for the reparations had to be found, promises of a welfare state and a new age for Germany and the rebuilding of great German country seemed impossible. It was no fun for those having to live under the crippling conditions imposed by the Treaty. In addition to this, Ebert's new Republican foundations were established in debt from the reign of the Kaiser and the war; the country was already weak economically from the war. The only way to remedy a weak economy and pay off debts was through taxes and inflation. War cost, lack of confidence in the currency, reparations, trade deficit and the governments apparent solution to print more and more money, all led to an economic crisis. People on fixed incomes and the middle class lost out to hyperinflation. Whilst people with debts, mortgages, tradesmen, industrialists and estate agents benefited through hyperinflation. In addition to this, levels of unemployment were kept down and new, international investments were encouraged. Despite the negative effects of hyperinflation, workers were economically better off due to increased levels of economic activity. Unfortunately, the Weimar Republic weakened with hyperinflation due to ill health suffered by the population; this was the result of inflation-induced poverty, the new constitution was blamed for this, again injuring the constitution.†The savings, hopes, plans and assumptions and aspirations of huge numbers of people were swept away in a whirlwind†¦ Even when the worst material impact was over, the psychological shock of the experience was to have longer lasting effects, confirming a deep-seated dislike of democracy†6 In June 1920, the Weimar Constitution lost its majority. A constitution that had been run by coalition governments, needed that majority, other parties were dissatisfied with the constitution, and because none of the other party's gained 50% of the vote, unstable coalition governments ruled Germany. Add to this bickering and lack of agreement on both domestic and foreign policies, co-operation became lax and there were too many minorities and no majorities. Elections were built around suffering and proportional representation. What could be seen, as a strength was actually a weakness. Because everybody was allowed to vote, including extremists from the left and the right. Which meant that with proportional voting, that the minor parties got seats in the Reichstag, thus, disrupting proceedings and make the leading party and the constitution look weak. In conclusion the Weimar Republic looked on paper like a sure, fire hit but because of the introduction of democracy and no strong patriarchal leader problems were bound to arise. The Kaiser was much loved and respected by a traditional and loyal Germany, the Germans were confused. They were being promised greatness and security but because of the Treaty and the in -fighting the German people never saw what was promised. They only saw problem after problem. Ebert was a great statesman but circumstances prevented the constitution being a success, and it does take time for new ideas to begin to work, if the Treaty had never been signed by the countries involved Germany would have been great, maybe the blame should be put upon the USA, Italy, France and Britain. The new constitution never stood a chance.

Bookstore Inventory System

Table of Contents Introduction Statement of the Problem Theoretical Framework Conceptual Framework Significance of the Study Scope and Delimitation of the Study Definition of Terms Introduction Information Technology has brought different changes in the environment especially in the growth of advanced technology. Modern technology is used by many companies and other business establishment either private / public in order to benefit the advantages that it brings to businesses. They use a computer as one of the devices to work easier and faster. It is one of the aspects considered in order to gain success in the competitive world of business. Information Communication Technology or ICT is used as a general term for all kinds of technology which enable users to create access and manipulate information. ICT is a combination of information technology and communications technology. In an increasingly interconnected world, the interactions among devices, systems, and people are growing rapidly. Businesses need to meet the demands of their employees and customers to allow for greater access to systems and information. All of these communications needs must be delivered in a unified way. By offering a scalable infrastructure, cloud computing models enable companies to work smarter through more agile and cost-effective access to technology and information. This unified platform reduces costs and boosts productivity across business. Part of an information and communications technology roadmap should involve consolidating infrastructures, while providing added benefits to users in collaboration, messaging, calendaring, instant messaging, audio, video, and web conferencing. Cloud computing is driving more efficient IT consumption and delivery and taking ICT to the next level. The importance of having an efficient and robust Bookstore Inventory and Sales System cannot be understated. As technology continues to evolve, customers are demanding streamlined customer service and instant access to easier transaction process. Bookstore Inventory and Sales System generates customer service processes, increases efficiency and improves technological factors. Statement of the Problem This system aims to handle transactions and to have a success in customer interaction presents. 1. How can the customer view the details of a certain item they need. 2. How can the administrator view all the records of the entire customer. 3. How can the administrator compute the bills of the customer. 4. How the administrators can add and delete customer’s record. 5. How can the administrator manage the customers. Theoretical Framework Bookstore Inventory and Sales System provides the easiest way in customer service. At this point, our system is one whom we designed for the purpose. First, a user can register either an administrator or a clerk provided the questions and requirements asked as he go through the process then if successful, he will be automatically registered in the logs. If registered as administrator, he can do all changes in every transaction on sales and records for the authority is in that position. He can delete, edit, or add in the records available. He can also view all the stocks and the total sales in a certain date. On the other hand, clerk, he can only do things that only a clerk can do such as do transactions with the customer purchasing in a certain date and record it accordingly. Conceptual Framework Significance of the Study This system will be able to lessen the difficulty of service providers in finding and locating the book/s the customer want to buy. With corresponding details and price of each book, the clerk can be able to automatically inform the customer. This system will also help them know the quantity of books and stocks available. This will also function as a sales inventory for all the transactions recorded accordingly. This system will be able to lessen the time – consuming processes for clerk and customers, create a quick and easy ambiance for all transactions, to develop a customer – clerk interaction with a good atmosphere, and especially to increase the number of sales because of the good services it provides. Scope and Delimitation From manual system to automated system is a very hard job to do but for an easier way it is designed to make the work faster. This inventory system can keep all the information and transactions in the computer. The admin can do change if the customers can’t achieve his/her needs. Admin/Clerk can compute the bills of the customers in an easiest way. This system can display all the customers’ information and needs. The customers can have his/her record in the computer and can have his/her service in details as he/she has requested. Definition of Terms 1. Inventory The act or process of making a complete list of the things that are in a place. 2. Sales The total amount of money that a business receives from selling goods or services. 3. Transaction A business deal: an occurrence in which goods, services, or money are passed from one person, account, company to another. 4. Bill An itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or services rendered. 5. Clerk A person whose job is to keep track of records and documents for a business or office. 6. Administrator A person who controls the use of something (such as property or money).

The experiences of American Civil War Veterans in April 1865 Research Paper

The experiences of American Civil War Veterans in April 1865 - Research Paper Example Coming home after four years of war must have had a lasting impact on the veterans. Posttraumatic stress, loneliness and physical injury were some of the things they went through. In other words, they literally went through hell. It must have killed them inside to know that they had to put on a bright face to reassure their loved ones and the nation as well that everything was okay. As evidenced from the wide range of memoirs, autobiographies and civil war diaries present in the annals of American history, individual experiences of the soldiers varied. As their experiences varied, so did their sentiments, hopes and future aspiration. Perhaps, one thing that they shared was a sense of pride and nationalism. The war was finally over. Confederate General Robert Lee had surrendered his authority to the Union under LTG U.S. Grant on April 9, 1865. Background In order to achieve clarity, it is important to place the civil war into its proper historical context. This begins with an understa nding that the issue of slavery in the United States was in the center of the worst internal conflict the country has ever experienced. The plantation elite, most of who were in the South ripping the benefits of slavery and forced labor in their tobacco, wheat and sugarcane plantation lacked the enthusiasm to relinquish their slave. They openly opposed abolition and maintained that it was within their rights to own property. Their argument was that abolition was repugnant to the constitutional right to own property. However, due to the rise of humanitarianism, the issue of slave ownership came under sharp criticism amid calls for the abolition of slavery. The anti-slavery campaign was the ethical cornerstone of the Republican presidential campaign in 1860 spearheaded by Abraham Lincoln1. Upon ascension to presidency, Lincoln vowed to champion for the emancipation of all slaves in the spirit of protecting human dignity under the ‘all men are equal’ mantra. The subsequent election of Abraham Lincoln angered a section of Southern states for fear that Lincoln would make good on his abolition pledge. In 1861, South Carolina alongside ten other Southern states wrote to the federal government declaring their intention to secede from the continental USA. Subsequently, the eleven states declared their secession after forming the Confederate States of America. The period that ensued is considered the mother of all internal conflicts. The resultant series of upheavals claimed the lives of thousands of American civilians and soldiers and leaving property worth millions of dollars destroyed. Slavery was central in the American civil war since the South remained adamant to relinquish their slaves even after Lincoln issued the historic Emancipation Proclamation after provoking his presidential powers. The president pushed for the inclusion of emancipation in the constitutional definition of liberty2. This marked the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution. A frican American slaves fled from their owners and sought refuge in the Union camps as the war raged on. It is prudent to underscore the significance of the issue of slavery since it was the sole reason behind the conflict. April 1865 Going by the memoirs, books, journals and diaries of veteran soldiers, the period beginning April 9 to April 30 was poignantly etched in the minds of the entire nation. This was a period of uncertainty and the atmosphere was tense. Historians believe that

Pertussis or Whooping Cough Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pertussis or Whooping Cough - Research Paper Example The present research has identified that there are two types of pertussis: severe and mild. Severe pertussis occurs in the infants and young children. Severe pertussis is more complicated and may lead even to death, whereas, mild pertussis is hard to diagnose and it is mostly misunderstood for the common cold. Bordetella pertussis  was first isolated in pure culture in 1906 by Bordet and Gengou. B.pertussis is a small, gram-negative, aerobic coccobacillus of 0.8 ?m by 0.4 ?m. It is arranged singly or in small groups. They also have pili-like filaments and are non-motile. B.pertussis is the most fastidious bacteria. It is transmitted from a person – to – person through aerosolized droplets. B.pertussis causes respiratory tract infection in humans and warm-blooded animals. The incubation period of this bacterium is 7-10 days. The bacterial cells â€Å"colonize only the ciliated cells of the respiratory mucosa.† After the onset of the infection, the cells colonize in the mucosal membrane of the respiratory tract. The attachment of the B.pertussis occurs with the help of a pertussis toxin produced by the bacterium. The filaments those are present in the bacteria acts as a bridge between the bacterium and the ciliary receptor This pertussis toxin is highly toxic and has a number of virulent factors. The adjuvant effect of pertussis toxin on the human body results in lymphocytosis and hypoglycemia within 3 hours in the ciliated epithelial cells and also causes ciliostasis. The adenylate cyclase toxin and tracheal cytotoxin combine with pertussis toxin to cause ciliostasis. The same toxins inhibit the phagocytic activities of the host. The phagocytic activities include chemotaxis, engulfment, the oxidative burst, and bactericidal killing. The adenylate cyclase is a hemolysin that causes lysis of the red blood cells. The tracheal cytotoxin stops the beating mechanism of the ciliated cells. This toxin then kills the ciliated cells and extrudes it from the mucosa. It also stimulates the release of the Interleukin – I, thus causing fever. The first stage symptoms of pertussis are a cough, low –grade fever, running nose, sneezing, etc. After 7 – 10 days, the nasal discharge gets thickened and the cough also gets severe. This leads to severe upper respiratory congestion in infants. This is the second stage. It lasts for 1-2 weeks. The third stage is the more complicated stage. The coughing increases very heavily that the child will cough more than 5 times during a single respiration and have a sudden intake of air, causing a whooping sound. The sound is caused due to the narrowed glottis. At this stage vomiting, weight loss, tongue protruding, eyes bulging are most common. Pneumonia, the serious complication of pertussis, results in the 90% of the deaths in children under the age of 3. The infection of the bacterium causes substantial immunity. This substantial immunity lasts for many years. The second infec tions are more frequent in adults and are usually not severe. The infants and children are highly prone to the lethality of this disease. The children who are suffering from a whooping cough are prone to pneumonia.

Shakespeare Othello Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Shakespeare Othello - Essay Example The film is presented in the same environment featuring the violent, catching and emotional story of friendship, love and betrayal. In Burge’s film, this quality is intensified and told in a passionate manner. In the film, Othello compares to the original Othello in Shakespeare’s play. Olivier plays the role of Othello in Blackface. Burge makes Olivier adopt an exotic accent, introduce a special walking style and speak in a deeper voice incomparable to his normal voice. He shows excellent leadership skills and a bright future. He dates Maggie Smith who acts as Desdemona (Fischlin and Fortier 234). In one interview Burger said, â€Å"†¦I found the strength of the movie is that you play the plot and situation as straight forward as you can. Essentially it's an action thriller, but you've thrown Rowan Atkinson in the mix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  Just like the original play, Othello by Shakespeare, the heinous villain is a person who is a very close friend to Olivier. Frank F inley, representing Lago has gained trust and loyalty from Olivier as his best friend. The fact that Olivier has trust from the people makes Hugo feel bad because of the praises he gets from the public. This makes Lago develop a desire to destroy Olivier. Lago manipulates Olivier and makes him doubt the love and fidelity of Maggie smith towards him. When this gets out of hand, Olivier decides to murder Maggie and commits suicide after that.  Othello, as directed by Oliver Parker has almost the approach towards the play.   The setting is fifty percent of the original play and involves a black police officer who has gained praise in his department because of his integrity, competence at work and valuable principles. The main difference involves lopping of Shakespeare’s original text from the actual screenplay. Laurence Fishburn acts as Moor Othello. He is the commissioner responsible to confrontation of the Turkish army at Cyprus. Nathaniel Parker acting as Cassio and Iago are always the right-hand man men of Othello. Iago is not as faithful to him as Othello thinks he is. Because of his rage, hatred and jealousy, Jago decides to plot an issue that would cause Othello’

Identify three accomplishments in your professional career and explain Essay - 1

Identify three accomplishments in your professional career and explain how they demonstrate your potential to become a successful manager - Essay Example This was mainly due to the lack of transparency between management and employees. My firm believes that an organization can reach its maximum potential if its members are allowed to honestly provide as well as accept constructive feedback as it makes the circumstances conducive for mutual growth. Following this belief, I took the risk of singlehandedly approaching the higher management and suggesting them to foster open communication where employees and the management could discuss the sales and marketing plans with each other as a team. Initially, my proposal met with disapproval and I was criticized for being a non-conformist. Nevertheless, the skepticism soon turned into acknowledgement with the implementation of the communication policy as per my suggestion. Management realized the benefits of having the company share future plans with the employees more responsively. Accordingly, it opened a new channel between the employees and the management. Later, I asked myself what had mad e me flow against the main stream. It dawned upon me that this incident was an outcome of the very character-building exercise that I was doing since childhood. That exercise encouraged me to rise and face such situations with integrity and perseverance. I was the leader on a project for a pharmaceutical client. We had to implement a SharePoint – InfoPath solution. As it was our first time with a pharmaceutical client, we just made sure that the estimates were objective and optimistic enough to win us the complete project. The actual design consumed considerably lesser time to be made than it does normally, though I strongly believe that if 80 per cent of the total time on a project is spent on designing and clarifying issues, development takes no more than 20 per cent of the time. I resolved to take added responsibilities in order to make sure

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock - Essay Example Elliot has used his poetic skill to create a complex character study. He also creates an image of the period with ladies in long skirts; tea rooms; smoke from chimneys; smoggy evenings; a man in a morning suit with a high collar cutting into his chin. To some extent though the poem reflects, not just the society of the time, but also Elliot’s own place in it and his rather pessimistic view of his own situation. In this essay the poem will be considered as to how it reflects his life. Poetry Genius (2014) describes it as being :- The lines at the beginning are taken from Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ and are spoken by one of the damned souls in hell, Count Guido da Montefeltro, who describes how nobody ever returns from this dead state. Prufrock in this poem may be walking and talking in an earthly city, but in some senses he too is one of the living dead, observing society, yet not quite part of it. Prufrock has a companion, a listener to whom he says (line1) ‘Let us go then, you and I.’ It is unclear whether or not this listener is a real companion, or just Prufrock talking to his inner self as an internal monologue in which he describes himself in both negative and positive terms as when he says :- So he sees himself as a lesser figure, an attendant upon society, an extra in a film set perhaps, but with a role nevertheless. He then acts this out, by moving only on the very edges of society, in this case at the head of the stairs, rather in the room with the women talking about Michelangelo. They are interested in a great and admired artist, so why should women even notice him? Even the soot from the many chimneys falls upon him, making him even more invisible (line 19). The original title for the poem was ’Prufrock among the women’ (Cummings, undated). He isn’t interacting with them, and seems totally unable to. He is just there at the same time. Time seems to have stood still for him,

Two restaurant you've attended Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Two restaurant you've attended - Essay Example However, a select few rise to the top of everyone’s lists, and in my opinion, two of the greatest are called Blackbird and Tru. These two restaurants give their patrons an exceptional dining experience both in terms of the environment that one eats in and the actual food that one eats. These two aspects of the total dining experience become one as the patron sits down to enjoy his or her meal with family, friends, or associates. As just as Blackbird differs from Tru in terms of the environment, so too do they differ in terms of the food they offer. I argue that both aspects are equally important in the total experience of the meal. Both beautifully match the environment they offer with the food, creating a kind of synesthetic experience where a sense of taste seems to become a sense of what the place looks and feels like. With this in mind, I argue that Tru gives its visitor a sense of lavishness in style, in contrast to the more minimalist approach taken by the creators of Bl ackbird, who adorn their restaurant and food with nothing in excess. The Blackbird restaurant is spare in style. It is chic and very urban which seems to separate it from the distinct culture of the city of Chicago. The dining room is narrow and packed with tables close together, which tends to make it hard to hear someone sitting across the table. It is definitely a place for modish people looking for a fun time out on the town and a very tasty meal. The restaurant sits on a quiet end of a series of restaurants. It serves mainly American dishes, but without frills. The restaurant characteristically serves guests meals that carry nothing in excess. Mirroring the minimalist appearance of the food, the exterior of the building is stark and yet magical in its glow. Inside, the dà ©cor is sleek and modern in appearance. The room itself is rather plain and cold, with abstract paintings and white walls, wooden floors and metal chairs. The Tru

Five-Year Career Development Paper Essay Example for Free

Five-Year Career Development Paper Essay Every year millions of college students worldwide graduate from college in hopes of obtaining a position in their career field of choice; however a lot of these students do not have a plan of action to actually help them find their career and achieve their goals. So much emphasis is put on college graduates going out and finding a job, but little focus is put on helping them find a career. A five year career plan is a road map that allows for progress tracking, and development of solutions or alternate courses of action (Crump, 2009). From personal experience I have realized that the chances of achieving my personal and career goals are increased of I actually write them out as a plan. In this paper I will discuss my career goals and objectives, my current knowledge and skills that I currently possess in my future career, the steps that I will take in order to meet my career goals, and any possible barriers that may present themselves in the path to me completing these goals. Currently I am a front desk clerk and personal trainer at Fitness Systems, a privately owned fitness center in South Sacramento. Since it is a small business and only consists of five employees, chances of promoting within the business are small. However I have used my experience from working the front counter and interacting with members of the gym, to help promote my presence of being a trainer. Also, working at Fitness Systems has allowed me to observe the procedures and responsibilities that it takes to run a successful business. Statistics show that most small businesses will fail in between 1-3 years from the initial startup time; therefore I am trying to absorb as much information as possible so that I dont fall into the same category. In order to manage a successful career it is important to develop an exceptional method of thinking strategically and exceptional execution skills. Building upon my skills in these areas will help me to achieve my long term goals. In all organizations, it is important that management sets goals for employees in accordance with the goals of the organization. When I open my fitness center, one of the main things that I want to stress among my employees (trainers), is strong communication skills. If management and staff arent on the same page, there will be an abundance of errors within  the organization. If certain skills are lacking within employees, it is the responsibility of management to identify these weaknesses and find a resolution such as training, to solve the issues. As a way to help kick start my five year career development plan, I have put together a list of some of my short term and long term career goals. My short term goals include improving upon my current skills as a personal trainer and gain experience in specific areas such as nutrition, so that I will be prepared to take on the role of being the owner of my own Personal Training Company. My personal short term goals include the following: increasing my knowledge in anatomy, improve upon my ability to map out an effective workout plan for clients, improve upon my communication skills, obtain my business degree in management, network with other local personal trainers, and gain more hands on personal training experience by recruiting more clients. My personal long term career goal is open a private fitness center that enables clients and their trainers to schedule one on one sessions in the center without having to worry about the crowds that usually plague commercial fitness centers. This goal will be achieved by the summer of 2012. My plan is to continue being a part time trainer for now, graduate with my BS in Business Management, enter and complete the MBA marketing program at the University of Phoenix, and then work on opening up my fitness center. Owning a successful business requires that you build strong relationships with your clients/customers, their families, and the surrounding communities. Maintaining a positive stance and reputation in the community that you serve, determines if youre company will be successful. In order to promote myself within the community, I have created business cards that describe the service that I provide and my contact information. I have also spoken to the founder and CEO (Plashette Robinson), of a local journal called the Sacramento Cultural Hub. Sacramento Cultural Hub is a Sacramento based journal that spotlights small businesses owned by minorities in Northern California. Ms. Robinson has agreed to post a small feature about  me in her journal. This feature will include a photo of me, current attributions to the community, my educational background, my career field of choice, and my opinion on different health/fitness related issues that are plaguing our society and communities. I feel that Sacramento Cultural Hub, along with my personal efforts, will help give me the exposure that I need to earn a good reputation within the community. As I mentioned earlier in this writing, actually mapping out a plan will help increase the chances of all objectives and goals being met. Below is a chart that displays my Five-Year Career Development plan on a year-to-year basis. Intermediate Steps Over the Next Five Years to Reach My GoalFor MeFor my supervisor/others who will support meYear OneFocus on school and earn my degree in Business Management by March 2010.Feedback from my peers and professors. Year TwoComplete the MBA Marketing program at UOP. Attend courses for first time business owners and begin looking for high traffic locations for my Fitness Center. Network with various promotional outlets.Feedback from my peers and professors. Seek advice from the owner of Fitness Systems in regards to opening a small business. Year ThreeActively recruit certified Personal Trainers in the Sacramento area. Open the Fitness Center in the summer of 2012. Network with other small business owners. Setup commercials spots with Sacramento area radio stations.Network with friends and family in order to assist me with finding local certified Personal Trainers. Year FourContinue to actively recruit Personal Trainers. Continue promotion via radio and other outlets. N/AYear FiveConsider possible methods of expanding services beyond Sacramento. N/A*Five-Year Career Plan Chart template retrieved from: mpiweb.orgRegardless of how well thought out a plan may be, there is always some kind of temporary barrier that may be encountered. In relation to my career plan, two potential barriers that I predict may take place are time management issues between my professional and personal life and a further downturn in our nations economy. Both of these issues can definitely cause a change in the objectives and goals for my business. However, the matter of time management can easily be tweaked if any issues shall arise and any issues in relation to the economy will have to be solved on a day to day basis. Both of the barriers mentioned above are vital, but they are issues that all small business ownerss struggle and deal with. In conclusion, I have shared my five-year career development plan. This plan will help assist me in achieving my career goals and at the same time help me in meeting some of my personal goals as well. Creating a development plan will assist in maximizing the potentials of an individual in the workplace. A career development plan not only helps to keep me motivated and focused; it also helps in providing the confident feeling that will in turn help me take charge of my career. References Crump, Jocelyn. (2009). Five-Year Career Plan. Retrieved July 30, 2009 from: http://www.stc.org/confproceed/1994/PDFs/PG163164.PDFFive-Year Career Plan Template. (2009) Retrieved August 1, 2009 from:http://www.mpiweb.org/CMS/uploadedFiles/Career_Development/Five-Year%20Plan.doc

Company analysis for Zara

Company analysis for Zara Strengths Zara is a very powerful brand and influential in overseas markets as America, Asia, Europe and Africa (according to article Best Global Brands 2010, 14 Sep 2010).Zara needs 2 weeks to design a new product and to bring in stores by meeting costumers preferences, meantime its competitors need 6-8weeks(chapter11-The strategy of international business). Competitive advantage of Zara is because didnt transfer all production to low cost countries, but kept most of them in Spain and Portugal where wages are lower than Western Europe. With this, it cuts shipping costs, and has more flexibility to answer the consumers demands for new products in quick way because of location than its competitors that have factories in low cost countries. According to a statement by Louis Vuitton Zara is Possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world. The company applied Instant Fashion in order to meet costumers demands by new designs and new trends in manufacturing and distribution, also by keeping prices low. Zara used group of designers instead of individuals in comparison with GAP, HM and others. Zaras stores are company owned, and it is vertically integrated retailer. It does designs, production and distribution by itself and controls everything. In comparison with competitors it doesnt promote its designs via fashion shows, but is delivering they direct to costumers through the stores to understand their need, thats why the company doesnt do advertising (article-the Secret of Zaras Success, Store Magazine, fall 2004). Another advantage is that the company has one of the highest numbers of products in the world that produces annually 11.000 and its key competitors 2000-4000.The company keep low inventory in stock because each new product is supposed to be sold within 10 days, if not is replaced after 2 weeks. By this measure the company keeps low cost of inventory. Every store in Spain is supposed to be visited on average 3 times a year, but Zara 17 times(according to article Zara a Spanish Success Story, CNN, 15 June 2001). Also this year the company will enter Australian market. The company has a core concept in information technology to support its international logistics system and online selling where return and exchange is the same as the store system(Wikipedia). Also in some location people can buy Zara products by IPod, I Phone application. Zara model have more flexibility in production sales, and stock management and its stores managers report back every day to designers in La Coruna for sells which shows a nice coordination between departments in order to meet costumers needs(Zara website). Zara is part of Spanish group Inditex is expanded worldwide in 77 countries with 5000 stores. Net Income was increased by 42% for the first 9 months of 2010 and share price 57.60 euro (Inditex Group). The company has Strong relationship between wholesalers, stores, management and costumers. Also, the use of the highest quality of materials for clothing. Zara revenue for 2009 was 7.071 billion Euros and operating profit is 15% higher than HM and GAP, but working capital is the lowest(Wikipedia). Weaknesses Zara is one of the largest clothing retailers in the world and this can cause its weakness in different parts of business, and is too difficult to control. The company is global but has presence in 77 countries (Wikipedia).Also Zaras greatest advantage lies in  its ability to provide the most interesting cutting-edge items, risk free.  Normally the more cutting edge the design, the greatest the risk. Clothes do not always last long (Zara 2.0- Fashion index.com). Zara has a reputation for new design product development and creativity, but is the risk that their innovation may stumble in future. Costs of doing business with Albanian stores, while the Zara is located in La Coruna Spain. Although ZARA has a successful business model it also have some weaknesses which could limit its scalability and ambitious growth. ZARA constitutes around 80% of Inditex business (8 companies) which means a failure in ZARA can put the whole group at a risk (Inditex group). Advertisement is becoming an important part of the business and it reflects directly to the sales. Zaras in-store advertisement model may not work going forward (Zara). Another weakness for the company in Albanian market is that, most of people are low income and could be difficult for the Zara to keep the growth. Opportunities Merge with Inditex group has created more possibilities to invest in emerging markets (Wikipedia). Zara stores are located in 77 countries and are lot of opportunities to invest and expanding the market as in India and China (Inditex). Albania is a nice opportunity for the company to open stores because people like high fashion brands. New location and stores offer the company opportunities to exploit market development. Grow into new markets/consumer segments Albanian Consumer Taste Albanian consumer view ZARA as fashionable house. If ZARA needs to grow in Albanian it needs to address specifically the Albanian needs and perception of fashion. Threats The biggest threats are its competitors as HM, GAP and Benetton and new entries in market that want to recapitalize their profits in new markets as Albanian.  Rising production cost because of labor and raw materials. As economic crisis is striking back costumers are trended to spend less. Imitation of companys logo by people that do not have permission to use it. Increase in Euro Rate An increase in Euro rate will increase the consumer selling price, consequently Zara will lose price advantage against relative competitors outsourcing in Albanian lek. Zara sales are increasing 25% over the past 5 years it has become one of the worlds fastest growing retailers, and to keep this growth has to invest in emerging markets. Zara strategy is growth through diversification with both horizontal and vertical integration, and brings new fashion (Zara website). The company controls all distribution channels, and invests a lot in Real Estate business in order to buy prime locations for new stores. This risk for Zara because its net cash flow is less than its competitors. Although ZARA has a successful business model it also has some weaknesses which could limit its ambitious growth, Inditex over dependence on ZARA (Wikipedia) Zaras business model is based by bringing new designs models in market every two weeks. For countries like Albania, where people are less fashion forward, it may be a challenge for Zara to sustain its presence. Other threat for the company in Albania is the politic stability that is still fragile because of disagreements between two main political forces. Petrol prices are very expensive in comparison with other countries and will affect the cost of products by increasing their prices. Situational Analysis (TOWS) Weaknesses and Threats (WTH) The weaknesses of Zara is to be part of Inditex group which has 8 companies and means failure of one of them can put Zara at a risk too(Inditex group). The company has to find a strategy in order to overcome weaknesses and developed them into strengths. As you see from the chart the direction shows the strength- opportunity position (so). The strategy is to reduce the competitive threat by developing in market flexible new designs in order to meet costumers preferences on time. Weaknesses Opportunities (WO) Another weakness of Zara is raising production costs in Spain and Portugal with introduction of Euro in 2002. Products became more expensive for export. To overcome this Zara started to invest globally and new mergers in order to keep prices down as its competitors. If Zara enters in Albanian markets, it doesnt have experience with Albanian laws and their culture for clothing but could overcome those barriers by creating franchise with local partners. Strengths Threats (ST) One of the greatest threats to Zara is the continuing an appreciation of the Euro against other currencies this means higher prices for the buyer and less competitive posture. To reduce threats of competition and exchange rate Zara has built factories in North Africa and emerging markets. Economic crisis that started in 2008 and still goes on has obliged costumers to spend less on clothing items, and the company must bring new designs with affordable prices in order to handle this situation. Strengths Opportunities (SO) In order to be a successful retailer Zara has to build on its strengths and to take advantage of opportunities by using its RD. It brings in market each year 11.000 new products more than its competitors and this evident by its growth rate by 25% each year. In order to keep that growth rate Zara is investing its profits to buy new real estate location, technologies and to open new plants in low costs countries. Internal strengths 1) Strong Rd and designers. 2) Strong sales and global network. 3) Efficient products. Internal Weaknesses 1) Strong reliance in Europe. 2) Rising costs in Spain because of Euro. 3) No experience with Albanian laws. External opportunities-O 1) Growing market demands for fashion. 2) Will open new stores in Australia in 2011. 3) Low costs products to cope the competition. SO- Strategies 1) To develop and produce new designs with different prices. 2) To go global by using its RD and capital. 3) Increase efficiency by using new technologies in production. WO- Strategies 1) To develop existing products for different price model. 2) To cope with rising costs in Spain and Portugal by building new plants and stores in emerging markets. 3) To stay in touch with new technologies. Threats-T 1) Exchange rate risk, devaluation of euro in relation to other currencies. 2) Competition from HM, GAP, Benetton act. 3)Economic crisis ST-Strategies 1) To reduce the effect of exchange rate by building plants in countries outside the euro area. 2) Meet competition with advanced designs. 3) Bring new designs in market with lower prices. WT-strategies 1) Overcome weaknesses by making them strengths. 2) Reduce threat of competition by developing flexible product lines. 3) Engage in joint operation with other firms.TOWS Matrix for Zara Marketing Strategy Zara marketing strategy for Albanian market will include the use of targeted print media advertising and direct selling to Tirana and Durres area. The company will also use a website to keep costumers in touch with new designs and to sell products online.  In order to be successful as a new Zara store in Albanian market we have to beef up our relationship with corporate headquarters. Also we have to put our franchise in position to provide the highest quality of clothing in Albania market by bringing new brand and new designs. Our marketing strategy is to communicate this to our customers and to build a good relationship with them. Target Markets The potential customers for Zara are: Albanian costumers of Zara products: Market research suggests that there are approximately 50% of populations which are trended by fashion. All products for our franchise that would be able to handle the quantities of Zaras shipments and are in their target market. Inditex group wholesalers: This market serves as a safety for our import business. By maintaining relationships with Spanish wholesalers we have an alternative market with established distribution channels. As Zara moves in Albanian market need to be more aggressive in order to target this audience. Positioning Zara will position as the high end quality fashion distributor in Albanian market. Zara will only sell the highest quality of designs and recognizing that fashion is a commodity.   The company will leverage their competitive edges to achieve the desired positioning (Inditex group). We have established relationships with Zara, and Inditex group, in order to sustain our competitive edge. Our franchise has received affirmation of the demand for their product in the form of requests from Zara for larger product shipments. Our designs will be superior because of the larger average size of the Zara products 11.000 a year and low price and shipping cost will be less because Albanian market is too close from Spain. Strategies The single objective is to position Zara in our market as the premier in fashion field, and to create customer awareness in connection with designs offered, and to build good relationship to costumers in order to have their loyalty. The message that our store seeks to communicate is that our name is synonymous with the highest quality Zara designs available in Albanian market.   This message will be communicated through a variety of methods.   The first method will be the use of printed sales material.   The material will detail all of the different products that Zara sells. Another method of communication is through the development of strategic relationships with buyers and sellers of our (Zara) products.   As we are aware a nice communicative relationships with our clients is essential for our business.   Our franchise will also use advertisements, in TV, radio, newspapers, magazine and Email to increase brand awareness.    The use of the website will allow different people around Albania to view a lot of information regarding Zaras products in our store, their production methods, and other information. Marketing Mix Marketing mix is comprised of the following approaches to pricing and distribution, advertising and promotion and costumers service. The product can be distributed throughout the Tirana and Durres area. Several different methods will be used for advertising and promotions; we will use the same advertising methods as I meant it above. With regard to promotion we will offer as discount price, rebate Zara credit cards and other methods in order to keep loyal customers and to get new ones. Customer service is our priority in order to build good relationship with them.

Was The Dropping Of The Atomic Bomb Justified? Essay -- U.S. History

On August 6, 1945 the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This was an extremely controversial military strategy in the United States. Was the United States justified in the dropping of the atomic bomb? The U.S. feared the rise of communism and gave aid to any country against it. The U.S. also fought countries threatening the spread communism. One of these countries was Japan. We began a harsh and brutal war against Japan and against communism. This war was killing many soldiers and Japan was not backing down. President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb when things were getting worse. The decision to use the atomic bomb was a difficult one and many people wonder if it was the right choice. When the United States caught word that Germany was close to creating the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer and other scientists wanted to create it first, for the U.S. After three years of research, the first small atomic device was exploded on July 16, 1945 in the lab at Los Alamos. Having proved their concept worked, a larger scale bomb was built. Less than a month later, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan (Rosenberg). There are many people who oppose the use of the atomic bombs; though there are some that believe it was a necessity in ending the war. President Truman realized the tragic significance of the atomic bomb and made his decision to use it to shorten the agony of young Americans (â€Å"Was the Atomic Bombing†). The president knew of the way the Japanese fought. They fought to the death and they were brutal to prisoners of war. They used woman and children as soldiers to surprise bomb the enemy. They made lethal weapons and were taught to sacr... ...t of physical as well as psychological damage was too great according to many people. Works Cited The Atomic Bomb. Evanston, Ill.: Nextext, 2000. Print. "Atomic Bomb-Truman Press Release-August 6, 1945." Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. Web. 10 June 2010. . Chaitin, Julia, Aiko Swasa, and Dan Bar-On. "Life After The ATOMIC BOMB." USA Today Magazine Mar. 2007: 20-23. Points Of View Reference Center. Web. 4 June 2010. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "J Robert Oppenheimer - Biography of Manhattan Project Director J. Robert Oppenheimer." 20th Century History. Web. 10 June 2010. . "Was the Atomic Bombing of Japan Justifiable?" The Pacific War 1941-43. Web. 10 June 2010. .

Media in the Seventies :: American America History

Media in the Seventies Media has forever changed the way people live today and it changed lives in the seventies. In the seventies the media was important because they were able to show what happened in Vietnam and the people that wanted to forget the war could listen to music to get away. In the seventies there also was a lot of new shows that became popular along with big bands. One of the first major bands to appear in the seventies was named Chicago. There first album was in sixty-nine, but they never really got noticed until there second album called Chicago. This album went all the way to the top and was voted album of the year by Cashbox magazine. In 1970 religious themes started to appear in songs like "spirit in the sky," and "let it be." The Beattles also had there last film called "Let it Be," which premiered in London. The Beattles were so big that in one year they had 2 hit albums. The number one single of 1970 was "Bridge Over Troubled Water," by Simon and Garfunkel and they also had one of the top albums of the year. The Jackson 5 had three hit singles in the top 40, this was a great accomplishment for these young superstars. In 1970 there was a lot of good movies and television shows. One of the major shows was called M*A*S*H, and this show is still running today, however it originally stated as a movie. Another oldie that is still on the air is Hawaii five - 0. In the early seventies Alice cooper emerged into his own type of rock now known as "shock rock," and this is when rock started spreading into different sub-catogories such as jazz rock, latin rock, and religious rock. The year of 71 is when Michael Jackson split from the Jackson 5 to try his career as a solo singer and his first hit was titled "got to be there." Don Mclean released a album called "American Pie," this single shot him to number one on the charts and is to this day the longest single in history to get there running at an amazing 8 minutes long. Nineteen seventy two was a great year for Led Zepplin he hit the charts with power scoring three hit singles Black Dog, Rock and Roll, and the classic Stairway to Heaven.

Lets Get Dirty - Our Future Is Compost ::

Let's Get Dirty - Our Future Is Compost Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash after you put it in the garbage can? Most people do not, after all, sanitation workers remove the garbage and it is never seen again. Martin V. Melosi called this "out-of-site, out-of-mind mentality†¦ as long as someone removed wastes from the immediate range of the senses, the problem was solved."1 As a result, garbage disposal is a service that many take for granted. Yet, waste does not just disappear. It must be stored, buried, or burned somewhere. This disposal process has gone on for hundreds of years since populations produced huge amounts of waste. The continued use of landfills and dumps has caused the perception that there is a garbage crisis. Consequently, new techniques to deal with garbage have been attempted.. Recycling is but one example of a solution. Through recycling, old products like aluminum cans and glass bottles would be made into new products. While recycling has enjoyed success in the United States, many question its efficiency. Other suggestions range from shipping garbage to other areas to incineration. All these proposals to the garbage problem go under such scrutiny and examination in an effort to achieve some perfect solution to the disposal problem. One practice enjoying success today is the process of composting. Originally utilized by farmers and in backyards, composting is the natural breaking down of organic materials into soil. The popularity of composting seems reflect people's attitudes and desires to be closer to nature. Compost can occur from levels as small as backyard piles to the heights of corporate composting facilities. When done properly, composting can provide cost benefits and greatly reduce amounts of garbage. Either way, composting is a growing practice that's efficiency grows over time and may become as widespread as garbage collection today. The Garbage Crisis The first question you may be asking yourself is, is there really a garbage crisis? Many would argue there is, and it is easy to see why. The population of the world is always growing; this growth results in increasing consumption. Whether it is food, energy, natural resources, material goods, or property, everyone is involved. Mass consumption leads to an increase in garbage and pollution. The production of cheaper goods that are available to most economic groups has also increased this trend. These factors lead many to believe "that we produce too much garbage.

Human Use of Animals

Human Use of Animals: Summary and Critique Charles Hall Ivy Bridge College In his interviews with both The Open University and The Colbert Report, Dr. Peter Singer discusses the unethical human use of animals. Most of his claims are highly controversial and are not taken well by most people. Human Use of Animals: Summary and Critique The use of animals in modern civilization has been a controversial subject for the past few decades.Author and Philosopher Peter Singer has made his standpoint clear on this particular subject. In his interviews with The Open University and Stephen Colbert he explains why he believes in what he does and gives his reasoning behind it. Singer’s idea of what defines a person is, â€Å"a person is someone who is aware of their own existence over time, and who is aware enough to realize that they are the same being who lived previously and who can expect to keep living into the future. (Singer 2008) he goes on to give details of what constitutes perso nhood by stating that infants are not persons because they have not yet become self-aware, but a chimpanzee is a person because it can recognize itself in a mirror. He also states that humans with severe brain damage or someone who is intellectually impaired may have once been a person but is no longer a person. Dr.Singer believes that this is an important argument to the wrongness of killing as he clearly states, â€Å"I do think the idea of a being who can envisage his or her own future is morally significant, because if you compare the wrongness of killing a being who is capable of having some anticipation of the future, some desires for the future, perhaps even some projects to complete in the future, and you kill such a person who wants to go on living, you’re doing something wrong to that person which is something you’re not doing if you kill a being who is fully not a person and who can have no wishes or hopes for the future, and therefore you can’t cut off or thwart or frustrate those wishes for the future. So I think the concept of the person points to something that is relevant in the specific context of the wrongness of killing. † (Singer 2008) I disagree wholeheartedly with nearly all of his statements.He seems to state that in a life threatening situation he would put the interests of a chimpanzee before he would a new-born child, when as far as he knows the human child could grow up to be a great leader or scientist, but just because that child is not yet aware that it is not a person and therefore is not as important as the chimpanzee. Singer states that, â€Å"a person is someone who is capable of suffering and therefore it would be wrong to kill them. † If an infant is not a person and therefore is not capable of suffering, then why do they scream and cry when they are injured? Dr. Singer also states his view on the consumption of meat, saying that â€Å"Someone that eats meat is a speciesist because they do not take into account the feelings of the animal which they are eating. (Singer 2008) Could we not say that every species on this planet is the same way? Wolves do not eat other wolves, though they kill prey animals like deer. Does the wolf think about the deer not living anymore? Of course it does not. The wolf is designed to kill other animals to survive. Human beings may not possess the natural tools for hunting but we evolved to a point where we could make our own tools for that job. One could also argue that human beings are natural omnivores, which means that we evolved to eat plants as well as meat. From the archeological records, humans have been omnivorous as far back as science can tell. As soon as the domestication of food sources began, meat was part of humanity’s diet.Our teeth are designed to eat multiple types of food, and our digestive system has enzymes to break down meat that herbivores do not have. Dr. Singer give his view on why we treat animals different ly than human beings. â€Å"The point about speciesism is that we give less weight to the interests of beings who are not members of our species, simply because they are not members of our species; not looking at their individual characteristics, not looking at their capacities, or what’s good for them, or bad for them. But we just say, ‘well they’re not members of the species Homo sapiens, therefore we can use them for our purposes, for our own ends, we don’t have to treat them as if their ends mattered. Whereas if we have a human being, no matter what the mental level of that human being, that human being’s life is sacred, we must respect the dignity of that human being and so on. That’s speciesism, to just take the species in itself as determinative of moral status. † (Singer 2008) It is only natural to look out for the well-being of other members of our species before we think about the well-being of a member of another species. Wo uld you not save a human that is drowning before you tried to save a cow? In his interview with Stephen Colbert, Dr. Singer discusses the rights that animals should have. He talks about how we â€Å"imprison chimpanzees without trial but we do not do the same to humans without proper cause, in most cases. (Singer 2006) When you look at the fact that a Chimpanzee, even a small one is ten times stronger than a human being why would we just allow them to run free around our cities. Could you imagine going to the mall and having a rowdy group of chimpanzees running around the food court? Also, what if animals, which have no understanding of humanity, much less, politics are given the right to vote. That idea in itself is absurd because there are no other creatures on this planet mentally capable of voting in a civilized way other than humans. In Conclusion I would like to say that while I may not agree with Dr. Singer on his ideas of what constitute personhood, I am an animal lover and I do not wish for any animals to be mistreated.I grew up on a farm where we raised cattle, pigs, and chickens. I grew to care for some of these animals. I was also raised to believe that it was only natural for these animals to become food for my family. Humanity has raised, and cared for animals since ancient times. It is one of the things that defines us as a species. Hunting and gathering is encoded in the DNA of the species Homo sapiens. Why would we stop doing something that has been done for millennia? The ethics of the human use of animals is a question that only came to light in the past 100 or so years. What sparked that idea that animals should have the same rights as an intellectual human being?Our minds and the ability to ask the question why is what makes us persons, not just the fact that we can feel pain. The same question why, is what could inevitably be what destroys us as a civilization before all is said and done. References Singer. (Writer) (2008, January 28). H uman use of animals. Ethics Bites. [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://www. open. edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/philosophy/human-use-animals Singer, P. S. (2006). Peter singer [Television series episode]. In Colbert, S. (Executive Producer), the Colbert report. New York, NY: Comedy Central. Retrieved from http://www. colbertnation. com/the-colbert-report-videos/79412/december-11-2006/peter-singer

Performance and Safety of Hydraulic Turbines

Research Paper M.V. Sai Ram AP17110020010 Branch: ECEHYDRAULIC TURBINES:Abstract: The first part of the paper contains the choice of small turbines for run of the river power plants. Then a discussion is given on the optimization of the performance of different types of large turbines. Finally a discussion on the safety and necessary maintenance of turbines is given with special attention to bolt connections.A set of empirical equations has been developed which defines the peak efficiency and shape of the efficiency curve for hydraulic turbines as a function commissioning date for the unit, rated head, rated flow, runner speed, and runner throat or impulse turbine jet diameter. The aim of this investigation was to develop an environmentally friendly nano -hydraulic turbine utilizing waterfalls. A model of an impulse type hydraulic turbine constructed and tested with an indoor type waterfall to arrive at an optimum installation condition. Effects of an installation parameter, namely distance between the rotor and the waterfall on the power performance were studied. The flow field around the rotor was examined visually to clarify influences of installation conditions on the flow field. The flow visualization showed differences of flow pattern around the rotor by the change of flow rate and rotational speed of the rotor.Every single turbine is custom-designed specifically to meet the requirements of a hydroelectric power plant. Performance of a designed turbine is validated, to some extent, by computational fluid dynamics simulations. Field performance testing of hydraulic turbines is undertaken to define the head-power-discharge relationship that identifies the peak operating point of the turbine. This relationship is essential for the efficient operation of a hydraulic turbine. The art of hydraulic turbine design never stands still but always progresses. In recent years major emphasis has been on the materials of construction and on such features of design as will reduce maintenance work and costly outages in the field.LimitationsHydro power plant or we can say that hydraulic turbines are widely used from the last decades. It is an efficient renewable energy source. There are many up and downs. Hence there Some limitations as shown in below,1.It is a renewable energy source. Water energy can be used again and again.2.the running cost of turbine or less compare to other.3.It has high efficiency.4.It does not pollute environment.5.It is to maintain.

Technology: Boon or Bane?

Day by day, technology advances only to deteriorate the health of those who use it. In the past years, scientists have spoon-fed people of all ages with attractive gadgets. However, the truth is technology has made humans less well-rounded individuals. Technology is a wonderful thing; there are cell phones with internet access and the capability to take pictures and videos. With computers, all the information you could ever want is available within a few keystrokes of a search engine. Contradicting those points is, just like everything else in life. Nothing is ever perfect and technology has its share of flaws. There are calculators, search engines, online forums and instant messengers that are making us socially and mentally handicapped. Video games are giving gamers a false sense of reality and teachings of violence. Finally, technology has in the past and is being used for the wrong reason of destroying the whole universe using weapons of mass destruction. People have questions every single day, and it is very normal and healthy to ask questions. This promotes the mental wellness of a human being; it also helps you learn more information which contributes to your general knowledge. With the invention of search engines and online forums, it has become easier to get your question answered. This is an asset to humans, however a human can become socially undeveloped and not have the confidence to talk with a person face to face and ask a question. Instant messengers have also contributed to the fact that people find it easier to talk over the internet, rather than face to face. The same rule applies to the mental strength of mankind. Math homework is less than a challenge for students of today. They pick up their calculators, type in a few numbers and write the answer down on the page claiming to their teachers that they have applied all their mental faculties to the questions. Though this method is extremely convenient, it is ruining our brain’s full capabilities. In order for something to run efficiently it must be utilized. The calculator does not permit the brain to be exercised before it can function properly. Video games provide unending fun, but it also gives the player unrealistic views about life. Computer and video games have come a long way since Space Invaders and Pac Man. â€Å"†¦numerous studies show that video games, especially ones with violent content, make teens more aggressive† (http://www. pamf. org/preteen/parents/videogames. html). Today's games are much more complex and interesting, and the technology has advanced to the point where a gamer can become immersed within the game. Video games provide the players with false ideas about saving the world and resulting to violence as a method of solving your problems with others. In other words it is making gamers become too unrealistic about the life they live and glorifying an unreal world. Technology has been used for the wrong reason of destroying the universe â€Å"[It] has dominated warfare since the early 1900s† (http://www. newscientist. com/topic/weapons). Majority of the population must agree with that comment. During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against Japan in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki† (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki). The bombings were one of the earliest signs of a technological breakthrough which destroyed the earth, there is no doubt that it is evident to happen again, due to the technology advancing every day. Another recent example which is still fresh in our minds is t he event of 9/11, in which terrorists trained themselves on a computer to destroy the Twin Towers. With technology reaching insurmountable feats rapidly, it is destroying the planet and its inhabitants. Technology is deteriorating the well-roundedness of humans by allowing them to rely on manmade machines and become lethargic. Technology is making us socially and mentally dumb, giving false sense of reality. Weapons are being created using technology for the wrong reason of destroying the universe. For all those reasons it is suggested people should become further aware of the Trojan horse of today, which is technology.

Language acquisition prinicples

Klinger, Artiles and Barletta (2006) examine the issue of language acquisition in English Language learners and attempt to decipher the underlying causes of difficulties faced by these learners. The primary debate the researchers examine is whether language acquisition difficulties are caused by limited language proficiency or could be linked to learning disabilities. The researchers postulate that linguistic, immigration, cultural, socioeconomic, and ethnic factors work in tandem to influence language proficiency in ELLs and thus these issues should be considered when examining these students before a decision is made that they require special education services. The researchers are worried though that two extremes are commonly practiced by teachers. The first is that ELLs are sometimes overrepresented in special education classes because teachers refer them for these services without adequately understanding the individual obstacles to learning and attribute limited proficiency to learning disabilities. The second extreme is that teachers sometimes fail to address the special education needs of these students, attributing acquisition difficulties to limited proficiency. The researchers examined published research on ELLs with either limited language proficiency (specifically in reading) or those with learning disabilities in order to determine the indicators that would help stakeholders differentiate between the two groups of ELLs. The researchers found that both learning disabilities and limited proficiency impact performance in English Language. However the research is still inconclusive and does not offer much information on how stakeholders including educators, can address this issue successfully in the classroom. There is still the question of the indicators that classroom teachers should use to determine whether or not a child is recommended for special education classes. This information is of particular interest to classroom teachers who deal with ELLs in their everyday classroom. Teachers are able to understand some of the factors that are not directly related to the classroom that may impact ELLs and their acquisition of the language. One important observation in the current article is that the home environment often presents an obstacle to successful acquisition. This is because parents, who are themselves non-English speakers, limit their use of the target language at home. As a result learners do not get effective reinforcement at home and thus have considerable difficulties acquire the requisite language skills. Teachers therefore should try to expose students as much as possible to the language while they are in school and to try to form effective partnerships with the home so that parents are brought on board to help in their child’s language acquisition. I found this article to be quite useful in helping to understand the various factors that can impact language acquisition and comes as a warning for me not to take certain characteristics of the learners in the classroom for granted. This article has helped clarify for me how issues such as ethnicity and even the specific native language may either hinder or foster language acquisition. There are a multiplicity of factors that can impact learning and it is very difficult to determine how each of these elements are influencing the various ELLs in any given classroom. Not all learners will acquire language in the same way. The Spanish influence may be much more different from the Chinese influence, for example, and thus it is difficult to decipher how the cultural contexts of these first languages can serve to impact second language acquisition. Overall the article was quite useful in helping me to better understand the range of factors that have to be taken into consideration in the classroom.

Assess the claim that video games have had a negative effect on Essay

Assess the claim that video games have had a negative effect on society - Essay Example Conversely, the negative effects of playing video games include the violent behaviour that they might teach the gamers as well as increasing the player’s perception of danger and risk in the real world. Furthermore, playing video games increases the player’s level of control, by influencing the adoption of violent behaviour. Watching video games is likely to affect the conception of teenagers, making them view the society as a gaming environment. The negative influences of Video games in society The first negative influence of video games is that they augment tendencies towards crime development and violent behaviour among young viewers. Different studies have been done in this area, and many of them have established a correlation between the two aspects. One of the studies done in the area showed that some negative patterns associated with video games were likely to trigger adverse behaviours such as shooting at school or within the community (Kutner and Olson 2008). A mong the widely accepted controversy about the effect of video games was that of Exidy’s game of 1976, under the title Death Race (Bensely and Van Eenwyk 2001). In the game, players would direct cars that would run over gremlins with the game becoming a major concern that consequently led to its withdrawal from stores after its sale was disallowed (Bensely and Van Eenwyk 2001). ... Video games are likely to affect the society negatively since they are a channel through which sexual themes are communicated to its viewers, and many times among the young generation. These themes, communicated through the video games, cultivate the development of sexual behaviours depicted through the games, which is much influential among teenagers. One major example of a video game that communicated sexual themes is the hot coffee mod and grand theft auto where the player stimulates sexual inclined actions among the girlfriends of the main character. Later in 2005, due to the extreme effects of the video game on its players particularly teenagers, the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) changed the game’s rating to the ‘adults’ only category.’ Furthermore, the game’s sale was restricted from sale at many stores. Many adults felt that the game promoted the adoption of sexual behaviour among its players, and the effect would be worse among t eenagers since they were less knowledgeable than adult players (Meli 2011). The negative effect of video games in communicating sexual themes was also demonstrated through the effect of Rapelay, which revolved around the theme of rape. Many viewers and public views agreed unanimously that the game could promote the development of raping behaviours among young and adult players. The sentiments triggered worldwide campaigns in opposition of the game, which led to its banishment (Meli 2011). Games are used as a platform for the negative portrayal of gender stereotypes and roles. Through many video games, the roles of males are portrayed as those of muscled, hard bodied people, while the females are

Principles Of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Principles Of Management - Essay Example Before delving into the business environment it is imperative to determine why firms engage in international business. The first reason as stipulated by Andexer is to increase market size. Businesses undergo a lifecycle and as they mature, they need to venture into new business or offer different products so as to remain relevant and competitive. Besides, every firm needs to gain a high market share as a growth strategy and also to spread risks of fluctuating economic cycles or currency risks. A business can thus decide to enter international markets depending on the internal and external environment and its resource capabilities.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another reason a firm may wish to enter new markets is a reactionary measure; that is, reacting to information gathered in the market. If a firm gets information of available opportunities in the foreign market that offers future possibilities, internal growth and prospective profitability, it can react by develop ing strategies to enter into that market. Furthermore, firms aim at increasing returns on their investments, and this can be achieved by entering into more profitable segments.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Globalisation and technology advancements have also led firms to venture into new markets. As business environment is very dynamic, organisations need to keep up with the changes so as to satisfy the changing needs of customers. (Cherunilam, 2010). Development of infrastructure and communication has played a great part in enabling firms to expand into other parts of the world. This is enhanced by trade liberalisation which opens borders for doing business and creates a good environment by reducing restrictions that hinder expansion (Lymbersky, 2008). For example, a firm can now produce products where labour is cheap and export to other countries or it can import materials and make finished products in domestic country. This can be done easier by establishing a subsi diary or licensing another firm to do so. After a firm determines the need to enter a new market, that is not the end, but the

Rome and Epic Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rome and Epic Cinema - Essay Example Rome and Epic Cinema The depiction of ancient Rome in Hollywood films has often remained loyal to the description of these two civilizations provided by the scholars of the middle Ages. These two civilizations are often considered the golden age of European civilization and because of this, in many Hollywood films, only the positive aspects of them are displayed. In addition, when one considers the fact that the Roman Empire was based not only in the cities but also in the rural areas, since without the latter the empire would not have lasted for long. It seems that most film directors often avoid showing these areas, ignoring the fact that they were an integral part of the life of those times. In fact, Rome is often depicted the same way in almost all the films concerning it and this tends to be based on research concerning the life of the upper classes of Roman society. The Hollywood films tend to be united in depicting this civilization as having been extremely martial and it is only on rare occasions where one will not have a war or some sort of conflict resulting in bloodshed being depicted on the films (Wyke, 1997). Despite the fact that many Hollywood films try to show ancient Rome as having been the golden age of European civilization, in line with the beliefs of medieval scholars, one of the most accurate displays of these civilizations tends to be the institution of slavery. Slavery was an integral part of the lives of Ancient Rome and it is a fact that at least more than half of the populations of these civilizations was made up of slaves. ... There were unskilled slaves many of who had been condemned to slavery as punishment, or had been captured in war, and these were given very hard tasks to perform such as working on farms, in the mines or at mills and their living conditions tended to be very brutal and this made their life expectancy very low. It can therefore be said that slavery in ancient Rome was a part of its everyday life and that this institution is one of the core pillars, which kept this state running (Malamud, 2008). Many Hollywood films have remained loyal to the depictions of slavery in these ancient civilizations and in some cases, directors often go the extra mile to show just how much the slaves of these civilizations were treated. A most vivid description of this in current times has been in the television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. In the Hollywood films, this civilization is often depicted as having been extremely martial not only at a national level but also at a domestic level. In ancient R ome, for example, one of the most praiseworthy forms of martial endeavors by the Rome that has often been depicted in films was that made by Julius Caesar during the wars that he made against the Gauls in his attempt to conquer them and bring them into the Roman Empire. In Rome, the martial feats of its citizens are often displayed through gladiatorial encounters and this is most accurately displayed in the film Gladiator. As depicted in the series Spartacus, slaves were acquired through the warfare made by its army, which always brought back captives in their hundreds and thousands from each war that they went to fight in. Many of these wars were wars of expansion in which the defeated enemies

The Influence of Televison Violence on Teenagers Essay

The Influence of Televison Violence on Teenagers - Essay Example Various organizations have carried out several studies related to the effects of violent media on teenagers, which has indicated that teenagers often get a negative impact after watching violent stuff on the television. In brief, the paper has tried to understand different aspects of effects of television violence that affect the teenagers in different parts of the globe. Nowadays, one of the favorite recreational activities for the teens is watching television with their family, friends, and often alone. Television watching is not an issue, if it is watched for a limited time; however, when an activity or a hobby becomes addictive, it results in the creation of a concern towards it according to a number of theories related to adolescent identity development. Similarly, when the teenagers start watching television and especially violent media on television every time, it creates a sense of insecurity in terms of their behavior and future. In the year 1998, one of the faculty members of Simon Fraser University carried out a study on the teens that watch violent stuff on television. The results of that study showed that television violence made twenty-five percent of teens addicted to it. In addition, all those teens showed great changes in their behavior, which was not in a positive manner. (Kelly, 1999) Furthermore, a number of studies have shown that worse academic results are shown by the teenagers that watch violent stuff on the television according to the National Institute on Media and Family. It is indicated by the researches and theories related to adolescent development that violent stuff are preferred by more than seventy-five percent of teenagers that are interested in watching television or playing video games.. One of the schools in Texas carried out a study of teenagers that watch television, and it found out that teachers complained of frequent arguments from the students that were involved in

Confucius and Gautama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Confucius and Gautama - Essay Example First of all, Confucian philosophy is based on the principles of decent way of life in order to create a strong and functioning state where people happily live together and respect each other. Thats why Confucian philosophy is engaged with obedience and mutual respectful treatment of citizens of a state. While Gautamas principles mostly talk about some abstract enlightenment people should try to attend throughout their lives and the process of ascension above everything material and temporal. Still those who say that these philosophies are similar also right, because the ways that Confucius and Buddha propose to become good and descent are concerning obedience and respect, tranquility and personal growth. Even though Confucius and Gautama can frequently be considered as quite similar, still their philosophies are about different things. Confucius considers state as the highest priority for every citizen and human, when Buddha says that people should strive to the personal enlightenment and mental

How do US auto firms evaluate the comprehensive and long term Dissertation

How do US auto firms evaluate the comprehensive and long term viability of investing in Information Technology projects that len - Dissertation Example Aptness of the process of decision making is justified by the methodological fitness of the decision to the demand of the concerned situation, reliability of the evidence used for decision making, relevance of the decision to context, transparency in the findings and the extent up to which consensus reached within the decision making individuals. In this paper the mixed method of research has been compared with quantitative and qualitative methods of research. Result of this comparison has been used to study the different models of decision making and the most preferred method of research has been described (Baba & HakemZadeh, 2012). The rational model The neoclassical theory of microeconomics is based on the assumption that man is a rational economic agent and is an informed decision-maker. This process shows involves four different steps, intelligence, design, choice and review. Intelligence of an individual or an organization helps them to find the appropriate occasions for decisi on making. Design of the decision making process allows them to invent new ways and analyze all the probable ways to choose the course of action. It helps in selecting some particular line of action from the available range of choices and review of the choice made helps in judging the outcomes of the decisions made in the past. In the classical model or the model of perfect rationality, numerical values are used to determine the level of utility of each of the alternative options which are then used for the process of decision making or during ‘choice phase’. The alternative choice that provides the maximum amount of utility (subjective level of utility depending on the decision maker) is selected. In business organizations, implementation of the rational model of decision making entails the following assumptions involving the managers in the organization. These assumptions include knowledge of all likely alternatives, awareness of the expected consequences of each of t he alternatives, having a predetermined and organized preference set corresponding to all the consequences and finally, having strong computational ability and deep insights to compare these consequences and determine which one of these is the most preferred (Turpin & Marais, 2004). The model of bounded rationality The notion of bounded rationality explains that while individuals make decisions, rationality of their behavior is limited by three important factors; availability of access to information, cognitive precincts of human minds, and time constraint within which the decision has to be made. According to Simon (1979), the leaders in an organization always do not make completely informed choices. In many occasions they make choices on the basis of available information and the insights and forecasting capabilities of the decision maker. Therefore, the choice made by these leaders is not always the optimal choice. Rational behavior by human beings is mainly influenced by two fac tors; the situation in which the decision has to be made and â€Å"the computational capabilities of the actor† (Turpin & Marais, 2004, 147). Study of rationality of human behavior has become easier since the study can be made within these