Cultural Wedding Ceremony Comparison

Every country has their own way of marrying two people that want to spend the rest of their life together. Each has their own unique ritual of how they go about a wedding ceremony. African and Chinese cultures both have very intriguing ways of how they proceed with their ceremony. It is found that there are many differences between the two of these cultures. This is a result of their own independent beliefs and traditions which causes them to go about their own unique ritual, although there are few similarities between the two countries. In the Chinese culture the wedding date is chosen based upon astrological signs and birthdates.Every Chinese ceremony commences on the half an hour which is the belief that will guarantee good fortune for the new couple. The night before wedding day the bride is bathed in citrus-infused water in another belief that it will cleanse her of her evil influences. This is the only way in which the two ceremonies are similar because they both consist of the bride being bathed before the wedding, although which is done in their own individual style. The bride in a Chinese wedding will be seen wearing three different dresses throughout wedding day.These dresses include a traditional white dress, a traditional Chinese bridal dress, and a cocktail dress. Also the groom will be placed through a series Mitchell2 of tests and stunts to prove that he is worthy to claim his future wife. When the bride arrives at the grooms’ home she is always greeted with firecrackers, gongs, and is forced to jump over an iron basin lit with charcoal to represent prosperity and to again cleanse of all evil spirits. The Chinese culture with also uphold their traditional tea ceremony. The bride will serve tea to her parents as a sign of respect.The Chinese wedding ceremony is always filled with symbolism. Their ceremony represents a ladder that the new couple will climb to success. On the other hand the African wedding ceremony is a tradition that stems a ll the way back to the days of slavery when slaves were not allowed to marry. Their marriage ceremony is a ritual well-known as â€Å"jumping the broom†. This ritual was created to represent the beginning of their new life together. The new couple will jump over a broom at the same time and are pronounced married after they have done so. The broom is often decorated with ribbon and tulle.On wedding day the bridesmaids bathe the bride in hammam before dressing her previous to the ceremony. During a libation ceremony a prayer is said and an elder presents water and liquor as an offering to god and their ancestors for their blessing. Then the groom will ask permission from the brides’ mother to marry her daughter while presenting her father with gifts to symbolize his ability to care. Another tradition is the tasting of the four elements during the ceremony. The four elements consist of lemon for sour, vinegar for bitter, cayenne for hot, and honey for sweet. The four tas tes are a symbol of the different moods of married life.Sometimes tribes will mound the couples’ wrists with plaited grass when walking down the aisle, and others just hold hands. Mitchell3 The difference between these two countries with their ceremonies represents their freedom of independent beliefs, which leads to separate traditions. Although, the similarities between the two ceremonies are also intriguing. Both wedding rituals consist of a lot of symbolism. Most of the symbolism that is present for both cultures also represents their beliefs, and every time their beliefs are symbolized is how their cultures are shown to be unique.

Graduate Studies

. Graduate Study Challenges and Strategies for Personal Success Christine Z. Liwag University of Phoenix Pursuing a higher education in any field of study can be very challenging to any person. It requires a lot of hard work, time management, support issues and organizational skills. It also takes a lot of courage and determination in order for a person to be successful on obtaining a master’s degree or even a doctorate degree. Being able to manage time and stress level together with work and family management are essential in successfully completing graduate school.A master’s degree student should have a full dedication and be able to balance the demand of work schedule and school schedule. Students who are married with kids should have a strong support system from the spouse and the children in order for the stress level of going to school and balancing family time and work be lessened. One of the many reasons on why I am pursuing a higher education in nursing is to b e able to expand my knowledge in my profession and gain more learning experiences so that I can do more for my future patients.Another reason is to be able to make a difference in the nursing industry. My short-term goal is to be able to pass every class that I will take for my Master’s degree and to have a full time job as an RN so that I can start having experience in the hospital. My long term goal is to become a professional and be good on what I do so that I can share my knowledge to patients, nurses and other member of the healthcare field. Another long term goal of mine is to become a nurse anesthetist and to work in a higher position.Some of the challenges that students like me often experiences are high stress level from work, family and school, lack of time management and the process of taking the classes online. The high demand of work schedule and the time that a student spends at work gives a student less time to complete the tasks that the graduate school requir es. According to Wild, J. , (2008, pg 454), â€Å"Time is an important resource which has to be managed effectively whether it is at home, at work or study. Time, unlike other resources cannot be increased or replaced.Poor time management can lead to increased costs and mistakes and is a major cause of stress†. The amount of stress level that I am receiving from my job at UCLA is a little bit high compared to the amount of stress that I get from graduate school. Another challenge for me is the process of taking all my classes online. In order for me to overcome these challenges, I need to be able to manage my time accordingly to reduce stress, organize my tasks starting from work to school and at home and become more confident and comfortable in taking online classes.My strategies for time management are to create a work schedule and school schedule. I plan to create a calendar in which I can write down the tasks for every hour of my work and school. Becoming comfortable taki ng online classes is also one of my goals. My strategy is to explore the website and know the functions of every tab, links, and to figure out how the classes are going to be held. For this one, I attended a new student orientation and it helped me explored the things that I will need to do once the classes starts. According to Ramos, J. (2011, pg 283), â€Å"The traditional on-campus graduate learning classrooms have historically consisted of daily face-to-face interactions with instructors and peers, class lectures and discussion groups. Learning, in the on-campus tradition, takes place at the physical site of an institution. Furthermore, face-to-face interaction with peers, faculty, and school administrators is part of the traditional on-campus graduate school experience†. To achieve my short term goal, I will make sure that I always keep up with my academic workload and make sure that I completed every task and learn all of them in order for me to pass every class.I am al so applying to different RN jobs right now so that I can get the experience I need as a registered nurse. The steps that I needed to complete to achieve my long term goal is to first graduate from master’s degree and earn more experiences working in the critical units of a hospital. Effective communication with other students and with the professors is one of the key to a successful completion of graduate studies especially when doing it online. Maintaining personal communication to groups and always updating each other will lead to an effective team work and good academic standing.According to Burt, C. , Westrate A. , Brown, C. , Champion, F. , (2010, pg. 649), â€Å"Engaging in  time management, particularly planning behaviors, can also contribute positively to group performance†. However, there are also some weakness and strengths in finding an effective communication. Some of those weaknesses are the time difference of every student in one online class. Another i s the lack of time to log in to the student website to check messages and the time spend to respond on emails.To improve communication and to reduce the conflict when communicating, students should log in to the website regularly and check messages and emails in a timely manner. Overall, personal success in finishing graduate school is easy to obtain as long as the person is dedicated and passionate enough to make it work no matter how busy the person is. With enough time management and organizational skills, it will become easier and doable as students gets close to graduation. References Burt, C. , Westrate, A. , Brown, C. , & Champion, F. (2010). Development of the time management environment (TiME) scale.Journal of Managerial Psychology,25(6), 649-668. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Ramos, J. (2011). A Comparison of Perceived Stress Levels and Coping Styles of Non-traditional Graduate Students in Distance Learning versus On-campus Programs. Contemporar y Educational Technology,  2(4), 282-293. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Wild, J. (2008). Tips for learning: effective time management. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants,  2(9), 454-455. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database.

Themes in the Last of the Mohicans

One major theme articulated in The Last of the Mohicans is the stereotype depicting Indians as animalistic. The Huron tribe is shown as the most violent tribe, almost nonhuman. Magua, the leader of the Huron tribe, is the most violent of the tribe. Angered by the colonies’ treatment of his kin, he only seeks revenge. One of the clearest images of the Huron tribe’s animalistic nature is when Magua rips the heart out of Colonel Munro’s chest. Other images that help add to this theme can be seen in the way that the Huron tribe attacks even the women and children.They care nothing about the innocent people they murder, and they roam about as savages. This is the image that Americans today have of all Indians. Very few know anything about the kindness of Indians such as Uncas and Chingachgook. Another theme in this movie is interracial love and friendship being looked down upon. After doing some research on the actual novel by James Fenimore Cooper, I noticed that the plot was changed in the movie. In the novel, Cora and Uncas have an interracial relationship. Related essay: Themes In MaruHowever, in the movie, Cora and Hawkeye, an adopted white, have that relationship. The relationship of Uncas and Cora that ends in death in the novel is switched to Uncas and Cora’s sister. Also, their fondness of each other is never developed. This supports that theme, for everything is changed to make it more appealing to the typical white audience. It would be frowned upon to have a white woman in love with an Indian. Thus, the movie does not show that.

Ethical issue, or issues, affecting the construction indistry today Research Paper

Ethical issue, or issues, affecting the construction indistry today - Research Paper Example These problems are getting more serious everyday because proper framework is not present to avoid ethical issues. In this essay two of the most prevalent ethical problems in the construction industry will be discussed that is use of low quality material and employee related issues. Use of Low Quality Material The use of low quality material is prevalent in construction industry because it is difficult to account for the materials beings used in constructions of buildings, houses, roads or bridges. Contractors and firms can use low quality material without any chance of being caught by the relevant authorities and this is why compromising quality is quite common in the construction business. The main focus of the construction companies is on cost cutting and as they attempt to crib expenses they are enticed to use low quality materials in their constructions. The article by Yosoff et al. (2006) explains that construction companies are prone to quality issues. The article explains how construction firms are coming under enormous pressure from authorities to mend their ways and therefore they are trying to adopt total quality management. The ethical issues like use of raw material are prevalent in the industry because of absence of any international standard. This leads to subjective decision making where room for unethical practices exist. It is also suggested that focus should be on changing the culture of construction industry in order to improve quality standards in the industry. Top level management should see quality management as essential and only then malpractices can be eradicated. Construction industry is also more likely to get affected by ethical issues because it spans over a large geographical areas. Especially in the developing countries construction is happening at a great speed therefore it is difficult to track problems. The use of low quality material in industries only gets noticed when there is a calamity. The earthquake in China revealed tha t low quality bricks were used in many buildings which caused many deaths and injuries (Krishnan, 2011). Use of low quality material also exists because people are poor and cannot afford to comply with safety standards (2011). Human Resource Management Issues Constructions industry is also known to deal with human resource in unethical ways. Many problems have been seen including low wages, lack of better safety standards and long work hours. These problems are a violation of employee ethics but they are ubiquitous in construction industry. This is because mostly unskilled workers are employed in construction firms therefore managers have a higher degree of bargaining power and can force workers to work for longer hours at a lower wage. The ethical issues the industry is facing are growing because no framework is present to reduce these problems. There is a divide between organizational and individual needs in construction industry (Yankov & Kleiner, 2001). This causes many employee related problems in the construction industry. Construction firms are reducing the number of skilled employees and are hiring unskilled worker who cost less for companies. The relationship between less skilled workers and management are destined to be volatile because they both have different preferences. Low skilled worker can only be motivated to work hard by giving monetary benefits while managers are trying to reduce costs all the time. This forms the basis of ethical issues related employees in the construct

Observation and Reaction assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Observation and Reaction assignment - Essay Example He found that discounting was the future of retail. This strategy led to the success of his business. Relating it to nursing, in order to gain positive patient outcomes, nurses and practitioners must be able to make strategic decisions that prove to be beneficial for patients in the long run (Sare & Ogilvie, 2010). Walton held the view that one should go the opposite way of the conventional methods to be successful. This strategy can be applied to gain patient outcomes by ignoring the traditional ways of dealing with patients and treating them the way others are not following, to make a unique niche. This will attract more patients, and will also improve the quality of health care. For example, under situations when nurses have to deal with drug addicts, they should focus more on their psychotherapy rather than traditional medicines. To conclude, Sam Walton’s leadership style and competencies should be applied in the field of nursing to gain quality patient outcomes. Nurses can use Walton’s strategic planning to improve the quality of services. They are also suggested to use Walton’s nontraditional style for treating

Emotional Intelligence (Communication) Research Paper

Emotional Intelligence (Communication) - Research Paper Example An intelligent manager may analyse the things intelligently, but lack of control over his emotions may prevent him from taking wide decisions. On the other hand, a manager with emotional intelligence will never get agitated in any situations. He knows well that lack of emotional control may lead to wrong decisions. The EQ test which I took was not accurate enough to judge the emotional intelligence adequately. I don’t think the 21 objective questions and 2 descriptive questions needed to be answered in this test are sufficient enough to predict the emotional intelligence properly. In my opinion, a more comprehensive test with more descriptive items may be more successful to predict the emotional intelligence better. At the same time this test can give a rough picture about one’s ability to control their emotions. It is as simple as that a lay man can understand all the questions and answer it properly based on his perceptions. Nothing complicated in the questionnaires and hence anybody can have a rough idea about their emotional intelligence using this

Engagement and Motivation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Engagement and Motivation - Assignment Example It shall first discuss the concepts of engagement and motivation and then go on to discuss the relationship between engagement and motivation as it relates to literacy during early childhood. It shall also discuss the policy implications based on what is established in the discussion on early childhood. Practice implications shall also be established based on what is established in the discussion on early childhood. This paper is being conducted in order to establish a clear understanding of engagement and motivation as it applies to literacy during specific stages of human development. Engagement is about energy in action or the connection between person and activity (Russell, as cited by Ainley, 2004). It is about setting into motion activities which would help accomplish one’s goals. Cambourne (as cited by Kamil, Pearson, Barr, & Mosenthal, 2000, p. 403) discusses that engagement â€Å"entails holding a purpose, seeking to understand, believing in one’s own capability, and taking responsibility for learning†. There is an emotional and physical connection between the thought and the action in engagement and this engagement helps to ensure that a person has more self confidence in carrying out certain activities like reading and writing. Motivation is â€Å"about energy and direction, the reasons for behavior, why we do what we do† (Russell as cited by Ainley, 2004). It is the ultimate underlying reason for one’s activities and one’s engagement in a certain goal. Motivation may be intrinsic or extrinsic and as an intrinsic goal it may refer to a person’s reasons for doing an activity without any purpose other than the fact that one enjoys the activity. This may be related to the concept of reading for reading’s sake (Kamil, Pearson, Barr & Mosenthal, 2000). Motivation often inspires a deeper and a more profound engagement in an activity. It helps sustain

Poundland in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Poundland in China - Essay Example According to the research findings, Angeline Volker started form studying the history of the company. She found out that Poundland is one of the famous companies in the retail industry. It is a British multinational company having its presence in most of the big countries of the world. It is a public limited company. The company was established in 1990 by Stephen Smith and Dave Dodd. The company deals with various types of products like kitchenware, home, healthcare, gifts etc. The company sells all of its products at  £ 1. The company is considered as the largest single priced retailer in the UK. In 2014 the company earned revenue of 997.8 million pounds. In that year the profit of the company was  £ 13.9 million. The firm has around 10,020 employees who play the vital role in operating the business process. The target of Poundland Company is to increase its market share and customer base. The company has expanded its business operations in many countries of the world. Now it is focusing on expanding its business in China. This country can be a big market for this company. The firm has the objective to the entire market of China. In different other countries, the company is enjoying strong growth in customer acquisition and sales. The company expects the same business growth after expanding into China market. The next issue Angeline considered to be essential was evaluating the brand of the company. Poundland is into the retail industry for a long period of time. The retail stores of Poundland sell products of different brands. The company also has products of its own. The company is famous for selling all products for  £ 1. This unique pricing policy helps the brand to attract the maximum number of customers.

American Colonies Political Science Research Paper

American Colonies Political Science - Research Paper Example The American Revolution started in the latter half of the 18th century and spanned a total of ten years from 1775-1785. It was a political revolution which resulted in the merging of the thirteen North American British colonies to form the United States of America. The upheaval and political unrest sparked by the series of high taxes imposed by the British, lack of colonial representation in the British government and the enforcement of illegitimate Laws, were some of the reasons why England never would have held onto the United States1. Overview of British Empire: The British Empire at its peak was the most influential and massive empire in world history, at one time it was designated as a global power. The extensiveness of the empire can be estimated from the fact that it was referred to as ‘the empire On which the sun never sets’. This was because the Empire spanned an extensive area around the globe which ensured that at any given time at least one of the colonies ha d the sun shining on it. The European age of discovery, characterized by global expeditions of Spain and Portugal, resulted in the formation of British Empire. Many historians believe that by 1921, the British were ruling a population of over 550 million people, which accounts for about quarter of the world’s population. ... ion to rule quarter of the world and they were merely looking for appropriate places to send their convicts to, searching for gold and trying to establish trade relations. However, during the process of attaining these objectives, British soon discovered that they rule approximately quarter of the Earth’s land area. By 1970, the extensive British Empire also consisted of thirteen American colonies extending from Georgia to New Hampshire.2 American Revolution: The British would never have been able to hold on to its colonies especially the American colonies even if it really wanted to because of many reasons such as the lack of elected representation in the British Parliament. The colonial rule research helped me identify the major problems Britain was facing while it was governing America. The era of American Revolution started in the year 1763, and coincided with the British victory at the French and Indian War. The British victory eliminated the threat which the American col onies had from the French military forces. Soon after the War ended, British Parliament expressed the desire to increase the amount of money that the colonies were paying for protection. Therefore, British imposed a series of high taxes and certain other Laws in an attempt to strengthen its authority on the colonies. Ironically, these attempts proved to be the precursors for political upheaval and unrest. On the other hand, American colonies lacked representation in the government which inevitably led to insecurity among the Americans. Many colonists believed that their right and interests as Englishmen were violated by the enforcement of a series of illegitimate Laws. By 1772, hatred against the governing British Parliament had prevailed to the extent that colonists began to form Committees of

Enron collapse A look back Essay Example for Free

Enron collapse A look back Essay Enron was formed as a result of merging with another company and it became a successful corporate. The joy of the business owners is to see how it grows fast and to attract more investors. There are rules and regulation that governs the corporate financial report that is open for inspection by potential investors (Folger, 2011). The audit of these financial reports should disclose the accurate financial state of the company and this should be made known to the stakeholders of the company. The stakeholders of a company play an important role in progress of the business and the going concern of the company (Sterling, 2002). The company of Enron did not manage its debts and therefore looked for means of hiding the truth from its stakeholders so as to continue making profit. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The aim of a business is to make profit and be able to pay the debts of the creditors and also attract investors who are interested in the business. Most investor relay on the financial statement to determine whether to invest or not to invest (Folger, 2011). The Enron Company was a big company that was famous and successful before its fall. The corporate attracted many investors since they financial report showed how the business was growing at high rate (Bauer, 2009). However the corporate management did not disclose the true and fair view of the financial reports. The financial report of a company should not mislead the shareholders or its members. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Moreover, in the Enron scandal there were some cases in which it showed misconduct of its financial reporting since the corporate did not display true and fair financial accountings to its stakeholders. The corporate used financial fabrication and mark- market accounting to hide its actual debts and real financial situation (Folger, 2011). These reports made the investor believe that the corporate was making profit while it was making losses in real sense. It is also a form of fraud to stakeholders since it cannot meet all its debts and in case of winding up majority of the investors and shareholder would suffer greatly. The Enron scandal was deemed to be great since it had huge debts to settle and its assets could not settle these debts. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Indeed, financial misconduct affects a large group of stakeholder and leaves a great mark that cannot be erased (Sterling, 2002). For example the shareholders of Enron corporate were highly affected and suffered a loss of billions that were not recovered since the corporate went bankrupt and the assets of the business were also false in existence. The investors also suffered greatly from these financial misconduct, they lost their resources. In addition, the employees suffered greatly by losing billions of pension benefits due to the misconduct of financial reports which led to the bankruptcy of the Enron therefore could no longer pay them (Folger, 2011). Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The financial statement of a company is very important to the investors, it gives an over view of the stability of the business and its ability to pay debts. The Enron corporate failed to disclose true and fair view financial statements by hiding its real financial reports and the investors were misled and also due to many investments made by the company lead to its bankruptcy (Sterling, 2002). The purpose of accurate financial reports is to help the investors and also the company to know to what extent they should contract or invest in other businesses. It also helps in managing of the company’s debt thus making profit but the Enron was only interested in making a lot of profits that led to their down fall. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  Ethics are rules that govern every business and its members on how to conduct their daily roles in the company (Brady, Dunn, 1995). In other words, the managers of this corporate owe their loyalty to its stakeholders and their interest ought to be the interest of the business (Bauer, 2009). In deontology of the Enron corporate, the management had a duty and obligations to display the true statement of finance and also to operate the business in the interest of the stakeholders and not their interest. As the leaders they ought to make sure that the going concern of the business is kept and the assets of the company are secured. In addition, the duty of the Enron managers was to disclose the true and fair view of financial reports (Bauer, 2009). Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  On other hand, utilitarian is a form ethic that is used to show the positive side of the organization, for example by disclosing the false statement to stakeholders thus blinding them of the real situation (Folger, 2011). The Enron leaders used different methods to conceal the truth about its debts and faked the profits. They made the business look attractive and therefore more investors invested in the business. At the end, the ethics rules were violated and the leaders had a role to play .Enron had a role to disclose the truth which could have rescued the company (Bauer, 2009). If at the beginning, the company revealed the truth it would not have ended bankrupt and the employees would have secured their jobs. Finally, the company had a duty to disclose the true financial statements and also save the company from falling and the scandals would have been avoided. The companies should put into practice the ethics governing the corporates. Therefore, to pre vent any future happenings such as the past frauds in the company, there has been an enhanced regulation as well as oversight in the company (Folger, 2011). References Bauer, A. (2009). The Enron scandal and the Sarbanes-Oxley-Act. München: GRIN Verlag. Brady, F. N., Dunn, C. P. (1995). Business meta-ethics: An analysis of two theories. Business Ethics Quarterly, 385-398. Folger, J. (2011). The Enron collapse: A look back. Investopedia, December 1. Retrieved October 25, 2014, at http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/the-enron-collapse-a-look-back.aspx Sterling, T. F. (2002). The Enron scandal. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Source document

Reliability of Methylphenidate as a Cognitive Enhancer

Reliability of Methylphenidate as a Cognitive Enhancer Methylphenidate (amphetamine), an inhibitor which acts on the noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been widely cited in Bioethicist literature as having the capability to improve cognitive ability in healthy individuals (Husain Mehta, 2011). Methylphenidate is widely used a wake promoting agent during training, in students to in the aim to increase their grades and in many academic professionals to maintain their performance. However, the effects of cognitive enhancement by methylphenidate are somewhat modest and large amount of variability exists between individuals. In patients with ADHD methylphenidate drugs such as Ritalin, perform well promoting attention; similarly, in healthy individuals an improvement is seen as Ritalin aids spatial working memory performance and improves executive functions in novel tasks (Mehta et al., 2000; Elliot et al., 1997). In the analysis of the effects of Ritalin through PET scans Mehta et al., (2000) conveyed that methylphenidate induced a reduction of blood flow in the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, increasing performance accuracy in spatial working memory tasks ( SWM) (Owen et al., 1996). SWM is localised in the prefrontal cortex, where damage to this area will lead to impairment in SWM tasks (Murphy et al., 1996). This suggests the increase of visual attention and improvement on visual working memory tasks may be due to the selective modulation effects of methylphenidate on the parietal, frontal and extra striate occipital regions- a finding synonymous with early research into monkeys and mono aminergic modulation of cognitive functions (Bernardi et al., 1982). However, recent exploration into fMRI and DCM studies on the brain show noradrenergic systems can influence neuronal excitability in regions engaged in sensory processing and visuospatial attention, thus suggesting that perhaps methylphenidate is less specific and affects functional connectivity across the brain network (Grefkes, 2010). The neural mechanisms by which, methylphenidate effects are primarily evident in the CNS; where the concentration of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain is caused by the blocking their reuptakes-thus increasing the expression of the dopamine transporter DAT and blocking of the monoamine transporter 2. By doing so reducing activity of monoamine oxidase and increasing the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase is inhibited (Fibiger et al., 1971). Where levels of DAT are high in ADHD patients, inducing Ritalin restores catecholamine and alters dopaminergic firing systems, subsequently reducing synaptic transmission on the D2 and D3 dopamine receptors (Goldstein et al., 2000). Thus dopamine levels would be reduced and normalise deficiencies and improve concentration. A clear example of this is shown in Volkow et al., (2012) , where methylphenidate given orally blocks 60% of DAT sites whilst increasing dopamine concentrations in the striatum ( by 8% to 16%) reducing hyperactivity in in A DHD patients. However, in normal patients the intake of methamphetamine could result in a DAT overexpression or hypo-dopaminergic activity and could possibly lead to enhanced cognition. Additionally, the prolonged use of methylphenidate could result in the downward regulation of dopamine D2 receptors and uptake sites, similar to the reinforcement effects in amphetamines like cocaine, emphasizing impulsive behaviour like gambling and hyper sexuality (Voltz, 2008 Cools.,2007). Additionally, hypodopemenergic activity within the basal ganglia could lead to involuntary movements (Dyskinesia) it is often difficult to test the neuro-enhancement in healthy individuals caused by methylphenidate. In general cognitive processes one would subsume an enhancement would be on the emotional, motivational and cognitive functions within healthy individuals. Unlike other drugs such as AChEI (used in the treatment of the neurodegenerative disease Alzheimer’s) where Emre etal., (2004) and McKeith et al.,(2000) convey positive effects of AChEI on cognition and neuropsychiatric measures such as mood , anxiety and visual hallucinations- the use of methylphenidate conveys quite modest results on cognitive enhancement (Mehta et al., 2011). Although previous research by Rependatis (2010), found the use of methylphenidate increases memory, there was no consistent evidence to support a substantial effect. Additionally, though Mehta et al ., (2000) did convey that Ritalin did improve spatial working memory, a finding supported by Elliot et al., (1997). However, in a recent analysis Mehta et al (2011) attributes previous findings to the variance of baseline ability. The plethora of research surround the effect of methylphenidate is largely inconsistent and there is little evidence to suggest methylphenidate can be used as a cognitive enhancer. Contrariwise to popular belief, there has been evidence to suggest that methylphenidate could actually impair previous cognitive abilities (Schaaf et al.,, 2013 ). In testing the effects of Ritalin on reward and punishment learning in healthy students, Schaaf et al., (2013), conveyed that the effect of Ritalin on baseline spatial working memory tasks varied in terms of tasks and demand between individuals. Although, methylphenidate improved reward and punishment behaviour in high working memory subjects, it impaired those with low working memory . These inconsistent results may be partially due to the inverted U shape, whereby dopamine D1 antagonist can selectively modulate cognitive processes, such as SWM. Excessive levels of D1 in the prefrontal cortex can impair working memory (Vijayraghavan et al.,2007). However, adverse effects of methylphenidate can also been seen in repeated use ( Lapworth et al.,2009). Lapworth et al., (2009) suggest that methylphenidate is associated with hostility, aggression, and psychotic symptoms in repeated users, where the repeated use of methylphenidate increases â€Å"positive psychotic symptoms that contribute to a perception of the environment as a hostile and threatening place as well as by increasing impulsivity†. The reliability and validity of the aforementioned research comes into context when looking at the methods for testing the cognitive effects of methylphenidate on healthy individuals. A large body of research lacks substance and is largely inconclusive do to the variability in methods, additionally the generalizability attributed to methylphenidate be taken with a reasonable amount of judicious concern (Tucha O,2006) . So far there have been no comprehensive studied in normal subjects showing a fair effect of methylphenidate as a cognitive enhancer. A fundamental flaw in research is largely evident in a lack of standardized testing methods. For example, In ADHD patients there is a clear deficiency which one is able to target and improve to normalise baseline levels of hyperactivity however, in normal individuals there is no baseline. How one compare against a â€Å"standard of enhancement† when there does is no standard for which to compare. Additionally, when using methods su ch as SWM It’s difficult to subsume that the change in cognition is due to methylphenidate rather than other cognitive processes. A researcher is yet to be able to pinpoint the source of effect as the brain involves a process of complex, interlinked networks. A classic example of this exists in Mehta et al (2000) research to test the effects of methylphenidate. Participants were presented with a spatial working memory task, tested with the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Battery Test (CANTAB). Results showed the dependent variables like spatial memory were enhanced by the IV (Mehta et al 2001). However, in a later study Mehta et al (2011), attributed the findings to the effect sizes, where average ratings for the effect of ADHD are produced by caregiver and parent responses, thus they are not correct methods of analysis for cognitive effects rather they convey behavioural effects. Furthermore, the majority of research presented on methylphenidate does not fairly analys e the negative effects with inducing methylphenidate, instead Elliot et al., (1979) purely focus on the positive effects and do not report any negative side effects, thus resulting in a bias portrayal of the overall cognitive effects of methylphenidate. Moreover on further analysis of the literature it is also evident that there is a large disparity in the duration of the trials presented and the dosages of methylphenidate given. For instance Mehta et al.,(2000) uses almost 20 mg more than Elliot et al., (1979) and Reprantis et al., (2000). In a larger context the reliability of methylphenidate as a cognitive enhancers is somewhat limited due to a complete lack of evidence and dubious testing methods. Research would benefit from further analysis to improve standard baselines and methods of comparison within pharmacology. References Bernardi, G., Cherubini, E., Marciani, M.G., Mercuri, N., Stanzione, P. (1982) Responses of intracellularly recorded cortical neurons to the ionto-phoretic application of dopamine. Brain Res 245:267–274. Cools R (2007). Impulsive personality predicts dopamine-dependent changes in frontostriatal activity during component processes of working memory. J. Neurosci.27:5506–5514. Emre, M., Aarsland, D., Albanese, A., Byrne, E. J., Deuschl, G., De Deyn, P. P., Lane, R. (2004). Rivastigmine for dementia associated with Parkinsons disease. New England Journal of Medicine, 351(24), 2509-2518. Elliott, R., Sahakian, B. J., Matthews, K., Bannerjea, A., Rimmer, J., Robbins, T. W. (1997). Effects of methylphenidate on spatial working memory and planning in healthy young adults. Psychopharmacology, 131(2), 196-206. Fibiger, H. C., McGeer, E. G. (1971). Effect of acute and chronic methamphetamine treatment on tyrosine hydroxylase activity in brain and adrenal medulla. European journal of pharmacology, 16(2), 176-180 Gibbs A.A.(2007). The role of dopamine in attentional and memory biases for emotional information. Am. J. Psychiatry, 164 :1603–1609. Goldstein, R. Z., Volkow, N. D. (2002). Drug addiction and its underlying neurobiological basis: neuroimaging evidence for the involvement of the frontal cortex. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(10), 1642-1652. Husain, M. Mehta, M.A. (2011). Cognitive enhancement by drugs in health and disease Trends in Cognitive Sciences 15, 28-36. Lapworth, K., Dawe, S., Davis, P., Kavanagh, D., Young, R., Saunders, J. (2009). Impulsivity and positive psychotic symptoms influence hostility in methamphetamine users. Addictive behaviors, 34(4), 380-385. Mehta, M. A., Owen, A. M., Sahakian, B. J., Mavaddat, N., Pickard, J. D., Robbins, T. W. (2000). Methylphenidate enhances working memory by modulating discrete frontal and parietal lobe regions in the human brain. J Neurosci, 20(6). McKeith, I., Del Ser, T., Spano, P., Emre, M., Wesnes, K., Anand R.(2000). Efficacy of rivastigmine in dementia with Lewy bodies: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled international study. Lancet f; Vol. 356, issue 9247: 2031–6 Owen A.M., Evans A.C., Petrides, M. (1996) Evidence for a two-stage model of spatial working memory processing within lateral frontal cortex: a positron emission tomography Study. Cereb Cortex 6:31–38. Repantis, D. (2010) Modafinil and methylphenidate for neuroenhancement in healthy individuals: a systematic review. Pharmacol. Res. 62:187–206. Tucha O. Methylphenidate-induced improvements of various measures of attention in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.(2006) J. Neural. Transm. 113:1575–1592 van der Schaaf, M. E., Fallon, S. J., ter Huurne, N., Buitelaar, J., Cools, R. (2013). Working memory capacity predicts effects of methylphenidate on reversal learning. Neuropsychopharmacology, 38(10), 2011-2018. Vijayraghavan, S., Wang, M., Birnbaum, S. G., Williams, G. V., Arnsten, A. F. (2007). Inverted-U dopamine D1 receptor actions on prefrontal neurons engaged in working memory. Nature neuroscience, 10(3), 376-384. Volkow, N. D., Wang, G. J., Tomasi, D., Kollins, S. H., Wigal, T. L., Newcorn, J. H., Swanson, J. M. (2012). Methylphenidate-elicited dopamine increases in ventral striatum are associated with long-term symptom improvement in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Journal of Neuroscience, 32(3), 841-849. Volz, T. J. (2008). Neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of methylphenidate. Current neuropharmacology, 6(4), 379.

Scarcity and the Unlimited Wants of Mankind

Scarcity and the Unlimited Wants of Mankind Introduction In my view, economic is a study of the how the society uses the scarcity of resource to satisfy the needs and wants of people. Different well-known economists have different interpretations of the economic statement. So, economics is not a specific answer and explanation, It is made of various well-known economists to identify the definition and awareness of economic. As we know that, economics is very important to a country, not only country, it also important to people. Body Economics is the study of resources, their scarcity and the unlimited wants of mankind. From this sentence, it was talking about economics is the study of resources, the resources are categories by 4 type of resources. Firstly, the resource of land, the land not only represents a piece of land in a country; the land is containing all the natural resources such as trees, mineral, rivers and etc. Secondly, the resource of labour, the resource of labour is mean that consists of the physical and mental abilities of a worker. The worker able to work according to the job responsibility and job routine, for example of the worker, is engineer, supervisor, manager and so on. Thirdly, the resource of capital, capital refers to goods produced in an economy that are used to produce other goods and services. For example, machines, tools, vehicle and so on. Lastly, entrepreneur, the entrepreneur is mean a person who has to organize resources for production, has an idea and able to introduce new pr oduct or techniques of production. Other than this, the person gains the rewards and bears the risks of such endeavours. An entrepreneurs purpose is bringing innovation and risk-taking. There are 3 basic economic issues which is what goods to produce and in what quantities, how to produce them and for whom to produce them? In these 3 basic economic issues, it will cause the decision making to become many changes as the scarce resources. Besides that, it also will cause the demand changes in the market, it maybe affects the quantities of using the scarcity of resources. In this case, we may choose the most appropriate, efficient, and best option in order to overcome these 3 basic economic issues. Because it can help the producer or manufacturer to make a decision which goods and service to consume and utilize by effective using the scarcity resource. From this situation, the opportunity cost will occur. What is an opportunity cost? Opportunity cost is mean that the cost of an item measured in terms of alternatives forgone. For example, a financial manager who is living in Johor state and he/she working in Singapore and earn 2500 dollars by the month but he/she need to pay for the bus fees in 300 dollars and take a long time for Johor state to Singapore. Besides that, he/she able to work in Johor state as a financial manager too. The salary by a month is RM 3500 and the company provides transportation, and take a very short time for travel from the company to his/her home. In this situation, the financial manager needs to make a decision in order to make self as convenience as possible and calculate the best reward included the transport fees, so he/she need to foregone one job to satisfy his/her desire. From this, the opportunity cost was related between scare of resource, so a company, firm or organization need to choose the bes t option to develop. Different economists have different terms, view and statement to describe and delimit the economics. The most appropriate definition is that by Lionel Robbins who defined economics as The science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. Lionel Robbins as a British famous economist was defined economics as the science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. In these phrases, there are few basic propositions emphasized in Lionel Robbinss definition as follows. Firstly, in this phrase, we talk about what actually meaning of human behaviour. Human behaviour in this phrase is meant that the human has unlimited human wants, even consumer. Basically human is looking for something in needs and wants to full fill their demand and able to reach their satisfaction even same as the consumer are looking for good quality of products and efficiency services. However, humans satisfaction is not fixed such as high demanding or easily satisfies, this also same as a consumer because consumer also has different satisfaction in products and services due to they are post-purchase. On the other hand, human is always insatiability in their need. The needs have to be satisfied for the life and the wants have to satisfy in order to live comfortably. Besides that, Human is also never feel satisfied as they have something they still want to get something that is better than the things they have. For example, previously we just need phones that can help us call each other, afterwards, we start to want some music in our phones, hence the radio and mp3, afterwards people have more needs, we want to be able to watch videos, internet, make video calls and so on. Limitless needs and wants make resources scarce and difficult to sustain. Therefore, needs are never-ending by the human and human was never stop working or keep hard work to earn money in order to satisfaction of their needs. Next, when human faced many options of wants, they need to choose the best one of the wants in order to achieve their satisfaction based on their limited resource. Based on the Lionel Robbinss theory, it talks about all wants are not same important, some are more important and some are less important, so we have to consider by well which wants is most important and arrange the wants we have by most important to less important. Then we choose the most important one to first and delaying the other wants. There are 4 basic resources which are land, labour, capital and entrepreneur. Sometimes these four resources will be scarcity it may cause the demand to exceed the supply. So, in order to avoid this situation occur, the decision making must be made by rational. First, lands are being inefficiency in the world, so that the people must be plan out the most effective method for using the limited land. For example, Singapore is a modern country nowadays, Singapore has fast development such as modern building, modern transportation and so on. In order to develop, it needs a large of space of land. Singapore is a country which is small and a narrow, in order to let more people living in Singapore so that, the government construct the high building to the people for live and builds more high building for other uses, thus the lack of land resource problem solved. Of course, the problem has been solved, but it spends much of funds to fetch up the defect, so it will cause Singapore to forego s ome projects and plans. Secondly, we talk about the labour, labour is referred that employee and workers which is willing to work and have the ability to work. Labour is a very important one in the 4 resources too, if a company lack of labour, which will cause many problems such as less production, the whole operation might be slowed down and so on. For example, a manufactory was facing less of labour, it caused the production is going slowing down and the packaging department was slow operation too. In order to solve the problem, the manufactory itself has to increase the salary to attract more people to come in the manufactory to work. Besides that, the manufactory also needs to buy the machine to replace the human resource. So that, the manufactory itself will be more efficiency in production, packaging and so on. Although the problem was solved, the net profit of the manufactory will decrease because of spending the income to the worker, it may cause the manufactory itself may foregone some plan or proj ect such as expand the manufactory scale and development of branches. Thirdly, we talk about the resource of capital. Capital is the items that a manufactory or a company using to produce goods and services such as machines, tools and vehicles. In other hand capital also refers to the real estate of a company or manufactory. Furthermore, a resource of capital is a very close relationship between resource of labour, it is because the capital needs labour to control or use. Resource of capital is quite important to a manufactory, firms, company and so on, it is because they using the resource of capital to serve the customer in order to earn a profit. Resource of capital is a resource which is tangible and intangible, so for the tangible capital resource will going to degradation because of the flow over time. So, some manufacturing factory or firms will renew update and be buying new capital to replace the old capital. For, example, a new manufacturing factory is full of the capital resource but lack of the technical staff and the capital resource withi n the new manufactory is used for mass production. In order to fulfil the capital resource being to control, the manufactorys labour resource manager has to hire the workers which able to control the capital to produce the product in the manufactory. If it hired the technical staff successfully, the lack of control of capital is been solved, but the manufactory are spent much of money in the salary to the workers. In this case, the headquarter has to consider by rational to make a decision as able to supply the product to the demand of the consumer as moderate as possible. In order to complete the production, they have to forgo some plans and program such as establish more branches in other areas, buy over the supplier and so on, it is because the new manufactory is spending much of money in the salary of the workers. So, it takes time to earn back the money and the other plans and program will be postponed. The last resource is the entrepreneur; an entrepreneur is a person who has the ability to organise resources for production and has the ability to introduce new products and services. The entrepreneur also has the ability to bring the innovation of the products and services, the entrepreneur also receives the reward and bears the risks. In economy, scarcity of resource will occur and not excluded entrepreneur. Why will the entrepreneur be scarcity? That was being many factors to cause it. For example, Sabah state was a second largest area of the state in Malaysia; these states are be living most poverty people, so the people unable to study in school and unable to enter a higher school because of financial problems. As an entrepreneur, besides having an education background and creativity of idea it also need the resources to produce goods and services such as land, capital, and labour resource. For example, an entrepreneur has idea to produce the product which is cloth, it needs workers, machine and place to produce this product, but the entrepreneur does not have enough too much of funds to buy over the factory and the entrepreneur only have funds to buy the machinery and able to hire some workers to work. So the entrepreneur just has to rent the factory to produce the product. In this case, the entrepreneur have to choose the best way to satisfy his/her wants if the entrepreneur spends the funds to buy over the factory it does not have enough to buy machinery and hire workers. In this scenario, the entrepreneur has to foregone to buy over the factory, so the entrepreneur can produce the product by renting the factory. Conclusion In the economy, the land, labour, capital and entrepreneur is very important to a company, manufactory and firms. When the company, manufactory and firms are facing scarcity of the resource, it needs to choose the best wants, arrange the important wants to first and postpone or foregone the less important wants. Furthermore, decision making is also very important. For the opportunity cost, for example, scarce of the resource is happened in a company, the companies headquarter has to choose the best wants in order to develop within some wants. In this case, it has to foregone the other wants. If the company headquarter has had chosen a wants to develop, after a period of time, there are no regret of chosen the wants to develop and no regret do not choose other wants before. So, in this situation, the companys headquarter have to consider by clear and be rational in order to make sure that does not feel regret after the decision is making by over a period of time. In this assignment, I was learning much of knowledge such as Lionel Robbinss theory and gain some useful information by doing internet research. Besides that, I also had an understood the 4 resources such as land, labour, capital and entrepreneur.

Essay on Satire and Black Humor in Catch-22 -- Catch-22 Essays

Satire and Black Humor in Catch-22      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The only thing going on was a war, and no one seemed to notice but Yossarian and Dunbar. Yossarian is one of the few "normal" characters found in the books, or at least he thinks he is. As the story progresses, it appears that no one is "normal." Values either no longer apply, or do in reverse. In this backwards world of Catch-22, where everyone is crazy, Heller uses black humor and satire to make light of an otherwise dismal situation.    Satire in the book mainly attacks three general things: senior military officers, professional and business interests, and society's remarkable reliance on forms, papers, rules and regulations. The senior officers are generally trying to intimidate and persecute the soldiers, most obviously by raising the number of missions, endangering the men's lives even more (Young 2). They are very selfish and have warped ideas about what they can do and what they can make the squadron do. They only do what they have been told to do, and have very few if any original thoughts. General Dreedle, for example, tries to have Danby shot for moaning during a mission briefing while in his presence. Another example of their warped beliefs is when Lieutenant Schisskopf comes up with the idea that they could stick pegs into each man's thighs and hook them together with copper wire so that the men would march better. Captain Black starts the Loyalty Oath Crusade, in which the men have to sign loyalty oaths for practically every task they need to perform throughout the day. They have to sign oaths to get their map cases, obtaining flak suits, being driven to their planes, and even eat or get their hair cut. His theory is that the more loyalty oaths the men sign, th... ...found in all parts of the book, they play crucial roles in making Catch-22 more enjoyable to read, and depicting the conditions felt by soldiers. Without the humor, it seems like a very disturbing and depressing tale. The characters are crazy, but we do get a good laugh at their expense. Catch-22 can be interpreted in many different ways though. What may be humorous to one person may be disturbing to another. Like any book, there is no wrong interpretation.    Works Cited Heller, Joseph. Catch 22. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1989. Merrill, Robert. Joseph Heller. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987. Young, Robert M. "Deadly Unconscious Logics in Joseph Heller's Catch-22."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   <http://www.human-nature.com/rmyoung/papers/des3.html> Magill, Frank N. "Catch-22." Masterplots. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1976.      

Essay on Oppression in The Yellow Wallpaper, At the Cadian Ball, and Th

Fighting Oppression in The Yellow Wallpaper, At the Cadian Ball, and The Storm      Ã‚   In their works, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin show that freedom was not universal in America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The three works, "The Yellow Wallpaper," "At the 'Cadian Ball," and "The Storm" expose the oppression of women by society.   This works also illustrate that those women who were passive in the face of this oppression risk losing not only their identity, but their sanity as well.    Gilman's female narrator, who either chose not to fight this tradition or was unable to do so, loses her sanity at the hands of an oppressive male-dominated American society. The narrator feels certain that the "rest cure" prescribed by her doctor is not working. She says that the men in her life are wrong to limit her activity. She feels that she could escape her depression if given the chance. "Personally, I disagree with their ideas. I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good."1 But despite this knowledge, the narrator does not act out against what she believes to be the incorrect ideas of the men who confine her and make her mental illness worse. Her growing insanity is inspired by and represented in the wallpaper of the story's title.    The pattern on the wallpaper represents to the narrator and to the reader the male-dominated society that is depriving the narrator of her freedom. For the narrator, on a personal level, the pattern on the wallpaper represents the actions of her husband, doctor and her husband's sister to keep her locked in the room and idle. While these people are ostensibly attempting to aid the narrator, they are in effect imprisoning her i... ...he Yellow Wallpaper," the narrator does not act out and she loses her sanity. In "At the 'Cadian Ball," Clarisse acts out and she is successful. Calixta does not act out and she submits to a marriage to a man for whom she feels less passion. In "The Storm," Clarisse continues to be happy because she acts in a manner that suits her. She goes away when she feels like it and both she and Alcee are happy. The theme that is recurrent in these stories is that it is important for a woman's happiness and well-being to act out against an unjust society.       Works Cited * 1 "The Yellow Wallpaper," Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 1994, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, p. 646. * 2 Ibid, p. 653. * 3 "The Storm," Kate Chopin, The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 1994, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, p. 493.

Fighting, Ruben Wolfe

Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak Fighting Ruben Wolfe is just a novel about teenage boys fighting. Discuss. Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak is not just about teenage boys fighting. It is also about two teenagers growing up with their family facing financial issues and about family relationships. Family in Fighting Ruben Wolfe is shown by the family being brought closer together, but they struggle because the father is currently unemployed and the mother is working two jobs, so it feels like the parents aren’t for their children as much as they were before Mr Wolfe’s accident.Mr and Mrs Wolfe are stressed because they can’t pay all the bills and as a result they can’t look after their children as well as they used to. At the beginning of the book, Sarah comes home drunk and Cameron and Ruben are at the dog track a lot. Once the boys started fighting, Mr and Mrs Wolfe don’t notice the bruises on the boys. These problems for the Wolfe family c learly show that Fighting Ruben Wolfe is just as much about family as fighting. It also shows that the family are facing financial issues. Financial issues in Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak are shown by family having very little money.They have hardly any money because Mr Wolfe is unemployed. In Chapter 6 of Fighting Ruben Wolfe, the first paragraph proves that they have very little money â€Å"The phone has been cut of because we don’t have the money to pay the bill. Or really Mum and Dad don’t have the money to pay it. Steve or Sarah could pay but there’s no way. It’s not allowed. It’s not even considered. † The main two characters, Cameron and Ruben have started to fight illegally so they could earn money to help pay for their bit. So there is fighting in the novel, but it is not just about fighting.These examples demonstrate that there are also financial issues in the novel. Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak is not just a novel about teenage boys fighting, it’s also about two teenagers growing up, showing there struggles in life, and also shows what two normal teenagers will do for their family. But the brother’s soon find out that there not just fighting for money, but also for identity, for dignity, and for each other. When Mr. Wolfe finally accepts that their broke, he goes down to Centrelink to get the doll. But as proud as Cameron and Ruben are, they go and try to stop him.Finally the parents find out that they fight. They don’t act kindly to this at the start, but then they realize how important this is to them and then they let them still compete. They keep on fighting and end up fighting each other in the end, but because both brothers are very series about their fighting, the fight series and Ruben defeats Cameron, But Cameron is very proud and didn’t give up till the very wnd. This book has taught me to be grateful for what I have and to always respect my family, this book was very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. By Liam Truscott 9a

Philosophy of Benedict Spinoza Essay

If one were to make a list of iconoclastic and radical thinkers, Benedict Spinoza would rank high. His great and enduring work, Ethics, continues to have renewed impact, currently among environmentalists and ecologically minded thinkers. Spinoza wrote numerous philosophical, political, and religious criticism works. His efforts consistently express a mind set in favor of religious tolerance and in opposition to traditional religious orthodoxy. In his two major works, Tractatus Thologico-Politicus and Ethics present interpretations of spiritual concepts that continue to offend some religious believers and provide an avenue of belief for those who aver traditional religion. Born in Amsterdam on November 24, 1632 in a jewish community and died in The Hague on February 20, 1677 at the age of 44. Latinized his given name Baruch(blessed) using the form Benedictus. Spinoza lived an outwardly simple life as a lens grinder, turning down rewards and honors throughout his life, including prestigious teaching positions. The family inheritance he gave to his sister. On 27 July 1656, the Talmud Torah congregation of Amsterdam issued a writ of cherem (Jew)/Herem(Hebrew), a kind of ban, shunning, ostracism, expulsion, or excommunication against the 23 year old Spinoza. Amsterdam and Rotterdam operated as important cosmopolitan centers where merchant ships from many parts of the world brought people of various customs and beliefs. Some possibility of free thought and shelter from the crushing hand of ecclesiastical authority. Most significantly, he came into contact with so-called ‘free-thinking’ Protestants – dissenters from the dominant Calvinism – who maintained a lively interest in a wide range of theological issues, as well as in the latest developments in philosophy and science. In order to discuss their interests, these free-thinkers organized themselves into small groups, they called colleges, which met on a regular basis. Spinoza may have attended such meetings as early as the first half of the 1650? s, and it is most likely here that he received his first exposure to Cartesian thought. His intellectual horizons were expanding and he was experiencing a restlessness that drove him to look further afield. It was at this time that he placed himself under the tutelage of an ex-Jesuit, Latinist,a medical doctor, Franciscus Van den Enden, who was notorious for his allegedly irreligious cast of mind, a passionate advocate of democratic political ideals. Spinoza’s increasingly unorthodox views and, perhaps, laxity in his observance of the Jewish law strained his relations with the community. Tensions became so great that resulted in his excommunication . Most Important works a) Ethica ordine geometrico demonstrate (simply, Ethics) b)Tractatus Theologico-politicus c)Brief Treatise on God, Man and His Happiness d)Tractaus de intellectus emendation e)Cogitata metaphysica Philosophy A . Against dualism â€Å"God is the infinite, necessarily existing (that is, uncaused), unique substance of the universe. There is only one substance in the universe; it is God; and everything else that is, is in God. † Spinoza believed God exists and contends that â€Å"Deus sive Natura† (â€Å"God or Nature†) is a being of infinitely many attributes, is abstract and impersonal. As a youth he first subscribed to Descartes’s dualistic belief that body and mind are two separate substances, but later changed his view and asserted that they were not separate, the universal substance consists of both body and mind, that it is a single identity there being no difference between these aspects. He contended that everything that exists in Nature (i. e. , everything in the Universe) is one Reality (substance) and there is only one set of rules governing the whole of the reality which surrounds us and of which we are part. Spinoza believes that: 1)a God that does not rule over the universe by providence, but a God which itself is the deterministic system of which everything in nature is a part. 2)God would be the natural world and have no personality. 3)To see God or Nature as acting for the sake of ends—to find purpose in Nature—is to misconstrue Nature and â€Å"turn it upside down† by putting the effect (the end result) before the true cause. 4)Nor does God perform miracles, since there are no departures whatsoever from the necessary course of nature. The belief in miracles is due only to ignorance of the true causes of phenomena. If a stone has fallen from a room onto someone’s head and killed him, they will show, in the following way, that the stone fell in order to kill the man. For if it did not fall to that end, God willing it, how could so many circumstances have concurred by chance (for often many circumstances do concur at once)? Perhaps you will answer that it happened because the wind was blowing hard and the man was walking that way. But they will persist: why was the wind blowing hard at that time? why was the man walking that way at that time? If you answer again that the wind arose then because on the preceding day, while the weather was still calm, the sea began to toss, and that the man had been invited by a friend, they will press on—for there is no end to the questions which can be asked: but why was the sea tossing? why was the man invited at just that time? And so they will not stop asking for the causes of causes until you take refuge in the will of God, i.e. , the sanctuary of ignorance. (I, Appendix) B. Humane vision â€Å"Everything must necessarily happen the way that it does. Therefore, humans have no free will. They believe, however, that their will is free† Spinoza was a thoroughgoing determinist who held that absolutely everything that happens occurs through the operation of necessity. For him, even human behaviour is fully determined, with freedom being our capacity to know we are determined and to understand why we act as we do. So freedom is not the possibility to say â€Å"no† to what happens to us but the possibility to say â€Å"yes† and fully understand why things should necessarily happen that way. This illusionary perception of freedom stems from our human consciousness, experience and our indifference to prior natural causes. Humans think they are free but they ? dream with their eyes open?. For Spinoza, our actions are guided entirely by natural impulses. This picture of Spinoza’s determinism is ever more illuminated through reading this famous quote in Ethics: ? the infant believes that it is by free will that it seeks the breast; the angry boy believes that by free will he wishes vengeance; the timid man thinks it is with free will he seeks flight; the drunkard believes that by a free command of his mind he speaks the things which when sober he wishes he had left unsaid. †¦ All believe that they speak by a free command of the mind, whilst, in truth, they have no power to restrain the impulse which they have to speak. † Thus for Spinoza morality and ethical judgment like choice is predicated on an illusion. c. Politcal Philosophy â€Å"Every man may think what he likes,and say what he thinks. The real disturber of peace are those who, in a free state, seek to curtail the liberty of judgement which they are unable to tyrannize over. † Spinoza’s reputation as a political thinker is eclipsed by his reputation as a rationalist metaphysician. Nevertheless, Spinoza was a penetrating political theorist whose writings have enduring significance. In his two political treatises,has it’s main purpose the defense of free expression, Spinoza advances a number of forceful and original arguments in defense of democratic governance, freedom of thought and expression, and the subordination of religion to the state. On the basis of his naturalistic metaphysics, Spinoza also offers trenchant criticisms of ordinary conceptions of right and duty. And his account of civil organization, grounded in psychological realism, stands as an important contribution to the development of constitutionalism and the rule of law. There is also textual evidence for the view that Spinoza does not reject other forms of government in favor of democracy. One of the central aims of A Political Treatise is precisely to demonstrate how different forms of governments can meet the fundamental political value of stability. For example, Spinoza explains that, historically, monarchies have enjoyed the most stability of any form of government (PT: VI:317), and that their potential instability results from the divergent interests between the sovereign and the citizens. In light of this, Spinoza advises the sovereign to act in his or her own interests which is to act in the interests of the citizens. In the case of aristocracy, instability is said to result from inequality of political power among the ruling aristocrats, the remedy for which consists of equalizing such power as far as possible. Spinoza’s considered thoughts on the stability of democracy were interrupted by his untimely death, but while he thought it most consistent with freedom, he nevertheless regarded it as the most unstable of all political forms. Indeed, Spinoza comments that democracies naturally evolve into aristocracies, and aristocracies naturally evolve into monarchies. At least on one understanding of â€Å"natural,† democracies may be interpreted as less natural than aristocracies and monarchies (PT: VIII: 351). To understand ends, sources, and justification of political authority, one does well to begin with the Conatus Principle and the associated psychological axioms employed by Spinoza. The source of problems for Spinoza’s political theory, specifically the moral notions of â€Å"contract,† â€Å"rights,† and â€Å"obligations† can also be traced to his view of human nature.

Motivation as an Important Aspect of Human Resource Management

Motivation is a vital aspect in functioning of every organization. It refers to the forces that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action for accomplishing organizational goals. Nowadays, there are numerous motivation theories that human resource managers use in order to encourage high work performance. Generally, there are two types of rewards in motivation.The first is intrinsic rewards, which is the satisfaction a person receives in the process of performing a particular action. For example, a person selling educational materials may get an intrinsic award of helping children read well. The other type of rewards is extrinsic, which are the rewards that are generally given by another person, typically a manager and include promotion and pay increases. For instance, some person that does not get pleasure from doing his/her job may be motivated by an extrinsic reward of high payment.Good human resource managers usually strive to help people achieve both e xtrinsic and intrinsic rewards, far as it has been proven that most talented and innovative employees are usually motivated not only by rewards such as benefits and money but also with the satisfaction from the work they do. To create an environment that is rich in opportunity, challenge and reward managers need to implement one of the manager’s theories. The three types of motivation theories include: content theories, process and reinforcement theories.Content theories usually stress the understanding of human needs and how they can be satisfied in the workplace. Thus, if a human resource manager realizes worker’s needs, the organization’s rewards system can be designed to meet them and reinforce employees for directing energies and priorities toward attainment of organizational goals. One of the content theories is the hierarchy of needs theory developed by Abraham Maslow. This theory suggests that people are motivated by five categories of needs- physiologic al, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization-that exist in a hierarchical order.Self-actualization which is on the top of the hierarchy may include: opportunities for training, advancement, growth and creativity. Esteem needs generate: recognition, high status and increased responsibilities. While, belongingness needs may comprise: work groups, clients, coworkers and supervisors. Safety needs include safe work, fringe benefits and job security. Finally, at the bottom of the hierarchy there are physiological needs which are heat, air and base salary. According to the theory low-order needs must be satisfied before higher-order needs are activated.The other content theory is ERG theory that resembles a modified Maslow’s theory. It identifies three categories of needs: 1. Existence needs- needs for physical well-being. 2. Relatedness needs- need for satisfactory relationships with others. 3. Growth needs- developing human potential and the desire for personal growth and increased competence. One psychologist suggested that nowadays the need to have fun at work needs to be added to this theory, far as it can relieve stress and enable people to feel that their personal lives are not totally separated from their work lives.There his also a two-factor content theory, created by Frederick Herzberg. After interviewing hundreds of workers he came to conclusion that two separate dimensions contribute to an employee’s behavior at work. The first are hygiene factors, which are factors that involve the presence or absence of job dissatisfiers such as working conditions, pay, company policies, and interpersonal relationships. The second set of factors is motivators, which include achievement, recognition, responsibility and opportunity for growth.Thus, on one hand providing hygiene factors will eliminate employee dissatisfaction, and on the other motivators will promote high satisfaction and performance. Process theories, unlike content theories fo cus more on determining how workers act to meet their needs and if those choices are successful. There are two basic process theories: equity theory and expectancy theory. Equity theory focuses on individual’s perceptions of how fairly they are treated relative to others. If people perceive their compensation as equal to what others receive for similar contributions they will believe that their treatment is fair and equitable.Equity is measured by ratio of outputs and inputs. Inputs include: education, experience, effort and ability, while the outputs generate pay, recognition, benefits and promotion. Thus, for example if some employee discovers that he/she is getting more money than people who contribute the same inputs to the company, he/she may feel the need to correct the inequity by working harder, getting more education or considering lower pay. Expectancy theory is a process theory that suggests that motivation depends on individual’s expectations about their ab ility to erform tasks and receive desired rewards. For instance, if the company creates an incentive program which would be used in areas such as distribution, where employees are recognized for accomplishment in safety, productivity and attendance it can appear rather effective. The other type of theories is reinforcement theory. It is a motivation theory based on the relationship between a given behavior and its consequences. For instance a company implementing a reinforcement theory may reward salespeople for the kinds of behaviors that keep sales and profits rising.If people in this company don’t perform, they don’t get paid. However, they can reap huge economic rewards for high performance. A good example of a country, where different companies use different motivation theories in their human resource management is Ukraine. Analyzing the variety of company’s in Ukraine it can be seen that most large company’s functioning on the territory of our count ry are either subsidiaries of foreign company’s or some multinational/transnational corporations.Surely, those companies placed in our country use mostly some content theories that provide workers with bonuses, opportunities for training, growth and team buildings, which can be some trips paid-for by the company, in order to create a sense of team in the company’s staff. An example of such companies would be Celenia, Kraft Foods, BMS Consulting, etc. Those companies, like many others of their kind use content theories that incorporate many useable tools for managers.As for local Ukrainian company’s that are based soly in Ukraine, they usually might offer some fringe benefits which is a good motivation tool. However, hrm managers in those companies rarely use the system of bonuses, increased payments, or some incentive programs. Mostly, the motivation is associated with fear of loosing the job or getting reduced payment if the organizational goals are not complet ed. It resembles a reinforcement theory of management, where employees are suggested a certain type of behavior and if they do or do not pursue it, certain consequences follow.There are companies that give their workers so-called â€Å"black balls† on every project they did not complete or that was not done on time and if the worker gets more than 5 balls he/she is out of the job. From my point of view, this type of motivation has a lot of shortcomings and it should be substituted by some content theory of management. Far as this type of human resource management, doesn't correspond to ethical norms of a democratic society. Thus, motivation is an important aspect in human resource management. Nowadays, human resource managers have an option of selecting out of numerous management theories.They include content, process and reinforcement theories. Content theories like hierarchy of needs theory or ERG theory focus on understanding and satisfying human needs at work. Process the ories on the other hand, focus on employee’s choices of action to accomplish company’s goals and determining if those choices are correct. While, reinforcement theory focuses on what consequences follow if the workers do or do not follow the given behavior. Choice of an appropriate motivation theory is a significant step to company’s success.

Kristen Cookie Company Essay

Yes. If Kristen and roommate can only do their own job, the max order(order by order) they can process is 8 orders a night. But if they can cross-training, would 1. Receive order print and reply Roommate 1 minute/order Mix ingredients Kristen 6 minutes /max 3trays Spooning cookies onto tray Kristen 2 minutes/tray Cookies in oven Roommate 10 minutes/tray Cool down cookies Roommate 5 minutes/tray Pack Roommate 2 minutes/tray Accept payment Roommate 1 minute/order 2. (1) Spooning cookies onto tray Cookies in oven (If receive a 2-dozens order) While Kristen is spooning cookies onto tray, the first tray she finished can send to roommate to put into oven. At the mean time, Kristen can spoon the second tray. (2) (If receive a 2-dozens order) While cooling down the first tray of cookies, roommate can put second tray into oven. (3) (If receive a 2-dozens order) After the first tray cool down, can pack directly. At the same time, second tray of cookies should be in the oven. 3. According to the answer of 1st question shown. So, amount of time to process a dozen of cookies is 27minutes (1+6+2+10+5+2+1=27) 4. (1) If Kristen proceed order by order, will be 8 orders of single dozen per night. 4 hours=240 minutes, 240/27=8.88 orders. (2) If Kristen and roommate can proceed different orders at the same time, that is 240minutes/45 minutes = 5.3 5.3x2orders =10.6, 10 orders be able to process more orders. Example shown below for 4hours performance of Kristen and roommate As the chart shown above, 4 hours of cross-training process can almost complete single dozen orders. 6. If Kristen and roommate still process order by order(process one order at one time), buying another oven can only reduce the baking time for 2-dozens order, 2-dozens order(time spend) complete orders in 4 hours one oven 1 + 6 + 2 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 37mins 6 two ovens 1 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 10 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 31mins 7 That’s mean, add another oven can only increase one more 2-dozens order. Therefore, buying another oven is not a good decision. 7. Question 3 is design to work from order to order, that is, Kristen and roommate have to (1) do their own job, and (2) can only process one order at a time. However, in real life, people will try hard to combine orders to save the time of process. 8. Without labor cost, the ingredients’ cost and the package cost are total $0.70. Assume that Kristen and her roommate both receive $10/hour as salary, and receive 15 orders per night. The total cost will be $90.5 per night, and $6.00 per pack of cookie. One pack of fresh cookies (daily made) sold in grocery store is about $3.00-5.00. We can assume that Kristen Cookies Company set their price at $6.00 pack. (Kristen and roommate only earn $10/hour/person as salary) Even though, the cookie Kristen Cookie Company provides is the freshest and most convenience for students. It is very hard to have extra profit. The significant problem that Kristen Cookie Company has is that *The producing process is not efficient. Because they are offering a customization service. If they can limit their product line into fewer categories They can switch their delivery system from â€Å"projects † to â€Å"job shop† .

Similarities in the General Human Resource Practices Article

Similarities in the General Human Resource Practices - Article Example The technique actually examines the relationship between a single dependent variable and more than one independent variable. It is the most common type of method used. It shows a linear relationship holding the lowest sum of the squared variances. The assumptions such as normality, equal variance and linearity and finely and clearly examined by the researcher. A coefficient knows as beta are taken which is the marginal impacts of each variable. This technique is usually used by the firm for its forecasting. This technique is actually the variation of multiple regressions and allows the firms to predict different events. The technique used non-metric dependent variables and the actual objective of the technique is to achieve a probabilistic assessment of binary choice. The independent variable used by the researchers is either continuous or discrete. Later, a contingency table is formed holding the classification of observations and the observations and predicted results are matched. Then the researcher sum the events that are predicted to occur and they actually occur and sum the events that the researcher predicted not to occur and they actually do not occur. These two sums are added and divided by the total number of events. This shows the effectiveness of the model and helps to predict the choices. Â  

Tax case meno Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tax case meno - Research Paper Example Normally, the cost of tools forms part of capital goods that the company requires to run its operation. Under the IRC section 263A, the uniform capitalization rule dictates that the taxpayer should produce information for all direct costs and certain in direct cost concerning tangible and real property. The law defines tangible and real property as those that lead to production such as to construct, build, install, manufacture, develop, improve, create, raise or grow (DiNardo, Baldwin and Harris 106). From this provision of the law, it is evident that the allowances that the company pays to cater for the cost of various tools of trade fall under capital goods and that they are tangible in nature. If this were the case, the provision of IRC section 263A, states that the taxpayer should treat such information as direct because they affect the cost of capital. It follows therefore, that Cambro Construction Company should treat the allowances it reimburses as cost for capital goods. Comb ro Company should treat this case as cost associated with tangible assets, which it uses to aid production. Therefore, the tax treatment for this case should be ordinary. Under this category, the taxpayer should accumulate all the information concerning this cost and treat them a cost of assets used in production. Thus, Cambro Construction Company should prepare tax report concerning the accumulated cost it incurred to reimburse cost for the capital goods. For a cost to qualify as capitalization cost under IRC section 263A, it must fall into the capital accounts as defined by section 1.446-1(c) (1) (ii). This provision tends to define the treatment of cost incurred by a company to buy assets or other related costs. The section 263A states that: Except as otherwise provided, direct and indirect costs that directly benefit or are incurred by reason of the performance of production or resale activities must be capitalized to the property produced or acquired for resale (DiNardo, Baldwi n and Harris 106). The provision of section 1.263A-1(e) (3) (iii) gives examples of indirect costs which the taxpayers should capitalize are tools and equipment. Further, this provision indicates that the producers must capitalize costs other interest whether incurred before, during, and after production period of property. Arguing from this provision, the cost incurred by Cambro Construction Company to reimburse the capital cost of its carpenters fall under the indirect costs. Thus, Cambro Construction Company should treat such indirect cost as provided for in the section 263A of the IRC. The must record this information whether it incurred it before, during, or after the production period. This implies that the law does not exempt the company from compiling tax information concerning the property that it acquired during its construction period. Largely, the fact that Cambro Construction Company does its activities with an aim of reselling them further makes it necessary for it to capitalize this cost. Cases bordering incidental repair of property seems to be closer to the above facts but not exact. In incidental repair, the taxpayer deducts a given cost to repair of the property with a view of prolonging the use of that property. Section 167 provides the treatment of such repairs. When a taxpayer makes full replacement for the property, the treatment that follows should be capitalization or depreciation as

Hervey Dunns and the Indian artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hervey Dunns and the Indian artwork - Essay Example Regarding movement, both artists have directed the viewers’ eyes across their artwork. The artists have showed direction and action in the manner through which they direct the movement of eyes across the artwork. The artists have utilised rhythm in the manner they direct the movement of the eyes across the artwork. Rhythms are displayed in the way the elements are arranged in the artwork. The artists organised the elements in an orderly manners, such that, the artists follow the elements in an orderly manner. Hervey Dunn’s art displays a unity design, where everything works, or fits together as a team. The Unity design is highlighted through continuity, where the alignment of the shape and figures ensures that a viewer moves from one part to another in a definite order. Proximity is another unity design elements, all the parts of the art are grouped together, clustered, and enclosed into sets. The art displays harmony, where related materials, colours, and textures are used. The unity design is brought about by harmony, whereby, the related colours and materials are utilised in the elements, such as flowers. In the Indian artwork, the unity is displayed through proximity; the elements of the artwork are grouped together. About the colour, Hervey Dunn and the Indian artwork utilises hue that is, they use primary colours. In chroma, the intensity of the colour in the images can be characterised as bright. The colour value of the image as light, with the intensity of the hue, such as, red, yellow, etc.

Human Resource Management And Why It Is Critical In Employment Law Essay

Human Resource Management And Why It Is Critical In Employment Law - Essay Example As such, the statute provides that an employee is entitled to a notice period, prior to dismissal. Such notice period is established on the basis of the length of service of the employee (National Employment Rights Authority, 2012). Application An employee has been defined at section 230(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, as an individual who works under a contract of employment. The Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004 require employers to implement procedures for grievance and disciplinary actions. These statutory procedures have to be commenced in the first instance. This is essential for submitting employment issues before the employment tribunal. A dismissal will be deemed to be unfair, if the employer fails to adopt these procedures (Pothecary Witham Weld, 2012). Furthermore, the employer would be held liable by the court. Employees should have completed a one year of continuous service with the same company to avail the protection of dismissal rights. T his applies only to those employees who were appointed before 6 April 2012. The corresponding period is two years for employees appointed after this date. In our problem, Janice had worked for two years with the same company. Hence, she should have been provided with a dismissal notice, which was not done by the company. Consequently, the dismissal procedures conducted by the company cannot be deemed as fair. Furthermore, in instances, wherein the employer dismisses an employee via procedures that are unfair, the dismissal will be deemed to be unfair, regardless of the issues involved (emplaw, 2012). Although, Kelsey had not completed a year’s period of employment with the company, she can file a claim of wrongful dismissal against the company for not following fair procedures in her dismissal. In general, the circumstances of a particular case, will determine the action that is justified or reasonable, whenever there is a need for formal action. As such, the employment tribu nals will take into account, the size and resources of an employer, at the time of deciding on cases (Code of Practice 1 ACAS Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, 2009). Under no circumstances, disciplinary or grievance issues should be dealt with in an unfair manner. Moreover, the ACAS has strongly recommended a thorough investigation of allegations by employers. Prior to a disciplinary hearing, particulars of the allegations have to be provided to the employee. In addition, the employee should be provided with an opportunity to explain what had transpired, and to draw attention to any extenuating circumstances (Birkinshaw & Fairclough, 2001). In our problem, Janice and Kelsey were suspected of having stolen a harddisk drive, since it was located in their jointly held locker. They were immediately suspended by the Warehouse Manager, and after two days a disciplinary meeting was conducted and they were dismissed. It is incumbent upon an employer to adhere to a fair process, while addressing a disciplinary or grievance issue. This holds good, even if the employee in question admits to the offense, as also to instances of gross misconduct. In general,

Understanding Heroines Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding Heroines - Movie Review Example Understanding Heroines Characters who cannot longer be understood the same way today because out reviling attitude toward the women have changed so thoroughly since the movie were made. For each of the heroines or leading characters, the following concerns would be addressed: to describe the attitudes that other characters in the Post 80 viewing assignment: choosing from Queen Latifah in " Bringing Down the House", Jennifer Lopez in " Selena" , Julia Roberts in " Erin Brockovich" or " Quinceanera" . What do these protesting women really want? Why did Woopi Goldberg become the first women of color to become a major movie star? And what in the climate of the 90s and early 2000 allowed the careers of Goldberg, Latifa, Halle Berry, J-Lo to flourish? Three Leading Characters Theda Bara was described by Rosen as â€Å"with her waist-length black hair, her darkly kohled eyes and crude exotic make-up, Theda Bara embodied still primitive notions of depravity and wanton lust. She postured triumphantly as the poor m ale on whom she drew a bead was driven to drink, ruin, slavery ...† Theda Bara catapulted to fame during the era of the silent films and her official website depicted the star as â€Å"the first studio-made sex-symbol superstar and the very first ‘vamp’†. Audrey Hepburn, on the other hand, was illumined by Rosen as â€Å"Hepburn simply out-dazzled by the sheer force of her piquant joie de vivre and the apposite way she was put together. Perhaps it was the unusual combination of a narrow, bony body which she carried like a queen and an elfin face whose doe eyes contradicted by the strength of intelligence in the look, the irregular nose and wide mouth whose smile was at once sensuous, mischievous and absolutely sincere† (285). Her career was more colorful and her achievements include becoming the â€Å"special ambassador to the United Nations UNICEF fund helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she retained until 1993. She was named to People's magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world†¦ She had made a total of 31 high quality movies. Her elegance and style will always be remembered in film history as evidenced by her being named in Empire magazine's ‘The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time’† (Jackson, par. 1). Finally, Mary Pickford was described by Rosen as â€Å"with her thick golden curls, her cherubic body and pretty face, she was, from the beginning, the incarnation of angelic sweetness and childlike innocence† (37). A Canadian, Pickford’s career begun in 1909 and ended in 1933. She acquired the name â€Å"America’s Sweetheart† due to the image, fame and fortune amassed during the peak of her career (Canadaka, par. 2). The three female lead characters who became famous through the 1940s were shown to manifest roles of from focusing on the physical traits of beauty and sexism as the main captivating elements to increasing emphasis on enhanced awareness of women to expand their roles from the traditional housewife to intelligent and participative members of society. Comparative Analysis with Post 80 Heroines 1. Protesting Women When compared with famous heroines during the post 80s, such as Queen Latifah in her portraya l as a an ex-convict who met Steve Martin, a tax lawyer, through the internet, Jennifer Lopez in "Selena", and Julia Roberts in "Erin Brockovich†

Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Public Relations - Essay Example This was the situation in this case. BP was trying to clean up, but its stock was sinking and everyone was turning on it. Many of its press releases from this period seek to reassure the public and the media. BP wanted to convince people that it was doing its best to help clean up the spill. They wanted people to think they were working very hard and tirelessly to do their best and ensure that the livelihood of people in the Gulf area and many of the marine animals were protected. This context is very important to understand. BP was dealing with a massive public relations (and natural) disaster. It was a challenging environment. One of the things that they worked hard to do was be open and transparent about the actions they were taking to solve the problem. That is in part what got them through the mess intact. What was accomplished in the communication? Consider more than just the obvious message. The obvious message here is one of damage control. BP wants to be seen to be working h ard to clean up the environment. They also want to tell people that they are willing to pay for the damage caused. Below this message is an effort by BP to show that they are in control of the situation. They are working hard, but more than that they know what is happening, they can quantify the damage, they are being very responsive to each of the problems that come along. The press release shows to the world that BP is not only working hard but is able to talk about each step of their action in a clear and direct way. For BP, there are no secrets. Everything is above board. That is what is accomplished through this communication. They wanted to send a message with a lot of facts about what they were doing but more than that, they wanted to be seen to be open and transparent. They didn't want to appear to be hiding anything in this situation. Were the press releases related in any way to each other or to major news or industry trends occurring at that time? The press releases were closely related to the events in the Gulf. Indeed, they were a direct response to the oil spill that was happening. Because BP was held to blame for the spill, the press releases were used as a way to assuage the public anger over the issue. It was also a way to get the media to try to start reporting on the story from a positive point view, i.e. what BP was doing to solve the problem. In a situation that extended over many months, BP issued a great number of press releases. The communications department of the company was definitely working overtime through the summer of 2010. Did the company send a consistent and coherent message? The company for the most part sent a consistent and coherent message. The press releases focused on what BP was doing to try to clean up the oil spill. The press releases also focused on some of the technical aspects of the clean-up and effort to stop the well from leaking anymore. Efforts to communicate BP's compensation for those affected by the spill were also included in the press releases. It should be noted that BP received a great deal of criticism when its CEO strayed off of this topic and began to offer an inconsistent message, saying in public for example that the spill was also very hard on him and that he wanted his life back too. That sort of inconsistent messaging caused the company a great deal of grief. In situations like this it is very important to understand that the media will be looking for any perceived inconsistency.