Becoming an Informed Voter

Georgia’s 5th Congressional District was created in the year 1827 after it was redistricted from the single multi-member district, the At-large district. During the first congressional elections held in same year, the district voted for Charles Haynes, a Jacksonian. In 1829 however, it was redistricted to the multi-member district.Ever since 1845, the 5th congressional district has been an independent district in Georgia, electing representatives to the House after every two years. Notably, the congressional seat has mostly been won by Democratic candidates.The only exceptions were in the 1851, 1868, 1873, and 1967, 1969, and 1971 elections. During five of these elections, the Republican nominees emerged victorious. It was only in 1851 when Thomas Hackett, a third-candidate running on a Unionist flag won the elections. From 1987 to the moment, John Lewis, a Democrat has won all the elections by a significantly wide margin. To a large extent, Georgia’s Fifth Congressiona l district has voted along party lines during presidential election.During the 2004 elections, the two presidential nominees, Democrat John Kerry and Republican George Bush received 78 percent and 28 percent respectively (Congressional Quarterly, 2005). In the 2008 elections, the district largely voted for the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama (79. 12 percent of the popular vote as compared to McCain who managed to scoop a mere 20. 1 percent of the popular vote) (Cost, 2008). Born in Troy, Alabama in 1940, John Lewis was to become one of the most renowned politicians in Georgia. It was during the Civil Rights Movements of the sixties that he increasingly came into the public arena.He is infamous for having chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a student civil movement that purported to challenge the widespread racially-based discrimination. Similarly, his role in the struggle against racial segregation is said to have been enormous – participating and l eading peaceful demonstrations such as the Selma-to-Montgomery march of 1965, and coordinating the Mississippi Freedom Project (Hill, 2002). Despite the fact that he suffered immensely under the brutal hand of authority agencies, Lewis endured, and was not only determined to lead by words, but through actions as well.It was in 1977 that Lewis first ran for elective office. This was after the congressional seat fell vacant, a situation occasioned by Andrew Young, the incumbent congressman’s appointment to the UN. Nevertheless, he was beaten by Wyche Fowler. In 1981, he was elected to the Atlanta City Council, a position he served till 1986 when he opted to vie for Congress. He managed to defeat Julian Bond (47% to 35%) in the Democratic primaries, a success largely attributed to his championing for city ethics and zoning. Thus, he became the second black American (after Young) to represent Georgia in Congress since the era of Reconstruction (Hill, 2002).Since 1987 to the momen t, Lewis has been reelected without little or no opposition at all, scooping more than 70% of the vote on many occasions. During his political career, he has interacted with many politicians irregardless of their racial background. He has also served in various Congressional committees including the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, and Subcommittee on Oversight; as well as non-legislative committees such as the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, 21st Century Health Care Caucus, and the Caucus on Human Trafficking (Project Vote Smart).One dichotomy that inevitably emerges whenever the difference between Democrats and Republicans is considered is that of liberalism versus conservatism. In essence, the Democrats are considered as liberals, while the Republicans are often described as conservatives. Although this stereotyping may not necessarily be correct, majority of Republicans tend to be strong advocates of the established traditions, while Democrats are more libe ral in their approach, thus stronger advocates of change.Numerous interest groups rate U. S. representatives and Senators based on their voting affiliations. These include National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), American for Democratic Action (ADA) and American Conservative Union (ACU) among others. In the year 2007, respective groups rated Representative John Lewis as follows: NARAL, 100%; ACLU, 100%; ADA, 85%; and CDF, 100%. Overall, seven interest groups gave him an average of 94%.In essence, this high score is a strong indication that Lewis is a liberal politician. The fact that he has been given a rating of 100% by groups such as NARAL Pro-Choice America implies that he is very supportive of progressive as opposed to conservative policies. Part 2: US State of Georgia The U. S. State of Georgia is among the thirteen original colonies that entered the Union and formed the Confede rate in 1788. Except in 1864 when it had temporarily seceded from the Confederate, the state has participated in all presidential elections.A closer observation of historical trends reveals that Georgia political history in regard to voting as largely inclined to supporting the two major political parties in the country, Republican and Democrat. Between 1868 and 1960 for instance, the state was persistently supportive of the Democrat party, voting Democratic presidential nominees in every election (Martis, 1989). However, the controversy surrounding the Civil Rights Act championed by the Democrats in the early sixties precipitated a change in voting coalitions beginning 1964.For the first time in history, the largely conservative Georgian Democrats voted in a Republican presidential nominee particularly due to their discontentment with the Act. In the 1968 elections, the state voted for George Wallace, an Independent presidential candidate. However, this was the last elections that saw a third-party nominee receive electoral votes in Georgia. Since then, the state has remained largely Republican. The only times when the state supported and voted for a Democrat was in 1976 (Jimmy Carter) and 1992 (Bill Clinton) (Congressional Quarterly, 2005).From a critical point of view, support for Democrats during the two presidential elections was largely rooted in the fact that both presidential nominees were from the southern states. During the 2008 presidential elections, McCain (Republican) received the majority of Georgia’s popular vote (2,048,759 or 52. 23 percent as compared to Obama who received 1,844,123 or 47. 02 percent of the popular vote). As Compared to the 2004 presidential elections, the Republican-Democrat winning margin during the 2008 elections was significantly low (5. 21% compared to 17 percent in 2004).To a large extent, the narrowed margin was attributable to the high voter turnout of African American voters. Nevertheless, McCain scooped all t he fifteen electoral votes. Out of the all the other presidential candidates, only Bob Barr running on a Libertarian ticket managed to get a significant portion of the popular vote (28,731 votes) (Cost, 2008). To a large extent, Georgia can be described a Republican stronghold as evident from presidential and congressional elections. Notably, the state has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton won the state in the 1992 elections.Despite the fact that African American voters turned in large numbers during the 2008 presidential elections thus reducing the margin between the Republican and Democrat vote, the state managed to maintain the Republican legacy through McCain’s win. With its substantial fifteen electoral votes, Georgia emerged as the 2nd largest state (after Texas) to be won by the Republican presidential nominee. On the 15th of December 2008, all the fifteen electors voted for McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin. McCain was able to carry eight out of Georgia’s thirteen congressional districts (Cost, 2008).Based on the 2008 as well as previous presidential elections, Georgia can be said to be currently leaning Republican. Senator Saxby Chambliss was born on the 10th of November, 1943 in Warrenton, North Carolina. After completing his high school education, he joined Louisiana Tech University where he pursued a degree in Business Administration, and later graduated with a Jurist doctorate from the University of Tennessee (Project Vote Smart). Chambliss entered into the political limelight in 1994 after he was elected to the House of Representatives on a Republican ticket.He was reelected in 1996, 1998, and 2000. During his terms as a Representative for Macon-based eighth congressional district, he served on the U. S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, besides chairing the House Intelligence on Terrorism and Homeland Security (Project Vote Smart). In 2002, he vied for the Senate seat where he faced the incumbent, Max Cleland. Notably his focus was on two major issues: homeland security and national defense. Flagging a Republican ticket, he managed to win the election with a significant margin of 7%.In the 2008 elections however, neither him nor Democrat Jim Martin, his close opponent, managed to receive the required 50%, a situation which precipitated a runoff. Nevertheless, Chambliss defeated Martin 57. 5 percent to 42. 5 percent (Congressional Quarterly). As a Senator, Chambliss has been appointed to various committees including the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Select Committee on Intelligence, and Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe among others.He has also been a member in Caucus committees such as the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Senate caucus on Military Deports, Arsenals and Ammunition Plants, and Rural Health Caucus (Project Vote Smart). Although Senator Chambliss has been actively involved in bi-par tisan legislation, for instance the Emergency Stabilization Act (2008), a closer scrutiny of his voting record depicts him as largely conservative. This is largely reflected in interest group ratings. In 2003 for instance, for instance, LCV gave him a rating of 0% on environmental issues, while NAACP gave him rating of 27% on civil liberties and rights issues in 2007.In 2007, he was rated as follows by other interest groups: NARAL, 0%; ACLU, 10%; ADA, 10%; and CDF, 40% (Project Vote Smart). Overall, he received an average rating of 15%. The fact that his average score is relatively low implies that Chambliss is a conservative Republican. According to the National Right to Life Committee and NARAL for instance, the Senator has maintained a pro-life voting record in as far as abortion issues are concerned (Project Vote Smart). References Congressional Quarterly. (2005). Guide to U. S. elections. New York: CQ Press, 2001. Cost, J. (2008). Georgia: McCain vs. Obama – polling aver ages. RealClearPolitics.Retrieved July 23, 2009 from http://www. realclearpolitics. com/epolls/2008/president/ga/georgia_mccain_vs_obama-596. html. Hill, C. M. (2002). John Lewis: from freedom rider to Congressman. New York: Enslow Publishers, Inc. Martis, K. C. (1989). The historical atlas of political parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. Project Vote Smart. Representative John R. Lewis (GA). Retrieved July 23, 2009 from http://www. votesmart. org/bio. php? can_id=26820 Project Vote Smart. Senator C. Saxby Chambliss (GA). Retrieved July 23, 2009 from http://www. votesmart. org/issue_rating_category. php? can_id=22029

Rhetoric Essay Essay

Rhetoric devices make persuasive writing very effective and more interesting to read. Studying rhetoric devices in English class, I have learned how to use and see these in effective writing. While some may argue that persuasive writing is not strengthen by rhetoric devices but by evidence, I certainly believe that rhetoric devices connect and deliver very strong persuasive writing to an audience. Rhetoric devices, mainly ethos, logos, and pathos, make persuasive writing very effective because they support and strengthen the arguments. Ethos is the art of connecting or appealing to an audience ethically. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Barbara Jordon are well known and have many supporters; therefore they are very credible, and many people would listen. Hundreds of people come to the speech and thousands more listen to it afterwards; these events, due to the size of the audience, draw more and more supporters. Being well known is very important because it gives a foundation and support to build on. Using facts, logos are very strengthening because it shows how some goals can be achieved. Barbara Jordon use of logos is one of the major reasons why the speech is. A perfect example of this is Barbara Jordon’s All Together Now speech. Being very truthful, Jordon is able to strengthen her argument and appeal to her supports. She shows that democrats have made mistakes and how racial segregation affected her life. She also is able to show that equality, regardless of gender, race, religion, or economic position, is necessary and how is transforms the country as a whole. Martin Luther King, although not as much a Jordon, uses logos to define his speech. Bringing a different view, he is able to convey how life would be better without the segregation. He tells about the dreams he has and says that it is possible to gain. Logos show the facts; however, it is not the strongest element when it comes to persuasion. The most effective of the rhetoric devices, pathos connects deeply to the audience by using emotional characteristics. Because it shows that the speaker knows and experiences what the audience does, pathos gives a very important reason on why the audience should support the speaker. Unlike Barbara Jordon, Martin Luther King uses pathos very efficiently throughout his speech, I Have a Dream. Civil rights activist, MLKJ gives the speech to increase the support for equality. Being segregated against and viewed upon as different, King is easily able to connect to his audience, who are also segregated against and viewed differently. In his dreams, King  tells about his children, however speaking as a whole community, he emotionally expresses that not only his children, but also the children of the audience should be able â€Å"live in a world where they are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character†. Using repletion, King shows confidence and how everything he talks about is possible. that Barbara Jordon also uses this technique by asking question and showing, like the audience, she does not know the answer to everything. She also shows this by showing the audience the effects of a national community, where everyone is equal. To sum up, rhetoric devices are crucial elements when it comes to persuasive writing. Ethos, logos, and pathos are examples of rhetoric devices that support and strengthen the arguments being made. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barbara Jordon both use rhetoric devices and are able to create very strong and effective speeches and bring more supports f or their cause.

Career Path for Acounting Essay Example for Free

Career Path for Acounting Essay It is always so hard to give the exact number of people who have majored in accounting, but one thing that I know is that the demography is very wide and large. This is because they have different reasons for majoring in this career path. The most common reason to all people is because accounting is a marketable career and they merely want to find a job. The number of people majoring in this field is growing immensely and the most important thing is to consider the main reason of joining this profession. Some people will claim that when they were in high school, this was their best subject and they loved it and so they will need to major in it. I believe the best reason for majoring in accounting is because it has wide varieties of career path that one can major in. People should understand that this field is not all about debits and credits. It is more of a communicating language in the world of business and this is why many chief executive officers hold a degree in this field. In the day today life it is usually one of the most common undergraduate degree programs. The most important thing is to make certain that all of the people who are in this profession understand business and that is why many people who have ventured in accounting always have considerations for such posts. The most interesting part of this career choice is that most of the time the people who venture into it will always have the best job positions waiting for them because many people always have a notion that it is a difficult discipline. The employment opportunities are abounding for the graduates majoring in accounting. The government figures shows that at least 1.2 million of jobs are held by accountants every year. According to the Feldmann, 2009 and also the survey done by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA, 2000) the graduates are declining but after revisiting their research in the year 2005, it reflected an increase in number of the accountant graduates. This has become a relief to many accounting recruiters. According to the 2007 Employment dynamics and growth expectations (EDGE) 57% of the hiring managers have a difficulty when hiring qualified staff. This call for a necessity of accounting graduates, which fortunately is increasing day after the other as the business enterprises increase. After attaining a degree in this sector, most of the students always opt to become public accountants as the first career choice. The choice of either taking job as a private accountant depended on the fact that they had to make choices among the salary values offered to them. None of them like to work in the non profit organizations. They also venture to work in a CPA company because this will give them an opportunity to venture in areas that they want to experience especially in the write up sector and auditing. This will offer them the necessary experience and that is one of the things that have invigorated so many students in venturing in the public sector option. One may also opt to venture in the private sector which is immensely lucrative. Some of the student will always like to work for the company which is rising up in this sector, but this will be determined by the level of research one is willing to do. This will give them a chance to grow and nurture their career paths in different sectors. I would advise the graduates to incline towards the public sector especially the government and non profitable sector which will provide them with the best job security even if the salary is low. There are several things that an accountant can do after they have completed their undergraduate degree. One can choose to specialize in different areas of this field, but most of all have the kind of skills that can enable them in doing so. One of the areas that is very common for people who have done accounting. Auditing is one of the areas that one can venture in. It is one of the basic areas that people have chosen to build their careers in. This kind of job involves checking of ledgers and financial statements for an organization so as to determine if they are making losses and are they spending the cash that has been allocated to them accordingly. In the era that we are in today, the work of this nature has been automated and mostly they just need to key in the values accordingly and they are going to get the right kind of statement. They ensure that the values that are presented are for the financial year contains the right values. Accounting career paths are very varied and this is why many a times one has to consider the path that they want take. Many people after they have cleared school do not have an impression where to flinch their careers but the many options have in these career paths that can be taken. Book keeping is another thing that they can do. These are the people who keep records of invoices, payments and other revenue coming for a company or an individual. In many cases they will always want to venture in this area accordingly. Another area, which they would venture in is becoming general accountants. This is almost the same to a book keeper, but they make accruals and the necessary adjustments in the accounting records. In the large organizations, they are usually placed in departments like human resources department dealing with the payment of the staff. Another area is when one becomes a controller. These are the people who are responsible for the accounting department. They usually work in the public sector but also venture in the private sector and they are usually in charge of cash flow for the organization. For one to reach to such a position, one must work and put a lot of determination in the work that they do. The other job, which is available for them is becoming a forensic accountant. These are the people who work with the government or the persons who are accountable for auditing and investigating crimes which are related to accounting frauds and other related things. These people should ensure that they posses some level of law knowledge because this will assist them in identifying areas which have been altered and assist in prosecution of the culprits. A budget analyst is another thing that they can do. This is because they are able to interpret many things, which are recorded in the budget. This is a very crucial and involving work because they are the people who are responsible in the making of financial plans for businesses and other organizations especially the government agencies and other non profitable organizations. The professionals who have taken up these works can take up these jobs in both the private and the public sectors. The people who take these kinds of jobs should be very innovative when it comes to the negotiation process and that is why they should have good personal and interpersonal skills. Financial accounting is another sector that one can venture in. These are the persons who are accountable for the preparation of financial statements of the available businesses or any enterprise. These are the persons who are used to make decisions when there is a merger which is going to take place in any company. This is because these people Are gifted to study the fiscal statements of the two companies and determine if there is a need for merger and if one of the companies is taking advantage of the other or not. They are also responsible for forecasting to determine the returns that will be experienced by the companies when they merge. It is important to make sure that these people are responsible for the financial and accounting processes. Management accounting is a very busy position in any organization. This is why many people are able to have the kind of decisions that are deterministic in the process of capital budgeting and the area of analysis of contracts. Control on businesses on the expenses and the cost analysis is done by these people. They usually make sure that they work in close contact with the people responsible for the marketing sector since they assist in a big way when it comes to the making decisions which are good for the welfare of the company. Taxation is another area which they can take up. This is for persons who would like to become tax accountants. These are the people who work for both companies and individuals. They usually prepare statements which either for a corporation of personal income. It is a boost for the individual who is doing this kind of work to have good knowledge background of the necessary kind of economics which is being used by these people. Accountants are also responsible for advising individuals when it comes to venturing in different kinds of businesses. This is because they are the people who have the knowhow on the issues that are present and current in the business world. It is very good to ensure that the people who need services can be given independent and privately. Budgeting and other issues, which are associated with the business are given and offered to the people accordingly. This is very usual for the companies which need a lot of desecrate business especially those that are being faces with of competition. They need individuals who are trustworthy and can be able to keep a secret and the customer’s information private. Some individuals have also opted to continue with their studies even after becoming qualified accountants. They continue for MS to become licensed, Certified Public Accountants. This is a person who is approved by the state to finance financial information in the public companies to give accurate results. These are the individuals qualified to start their own auditing firms if they do not a favouring or well paying job opportunity (Felix 2010, 56). Thus the study found it advisable for the accountant graduates to continue to this level for better and higher chances of employment opportunities and also private or self employment enterprises. The study realized various career choices coincide with the accountant career path. Though the rate of accountant graduate seems to increase year after the other, the job opportunities are also increasing since many people are venturing to businesses which requires accountants to deal with the financial analysis. Each and every sector starting with the individual enterprises, the public, private and nongovernmental organizations cannot be successful without the accountants. These are important personnel since every business is after making profits and thus accounting careers like the auditing department are important to examine whether the business profitable or not. The private and public sectors also requires accountant staffs that are qualified to analyze their financial status and thus, realizing on the areas that needs improvement. Some students lack the opportunity of joining any of the discussed careers especially because of some issues like corruption and high competition. Nevertheless such students are not supposed to be frustrated but to come up with other activities that utilize their qualifications. A number of graduates who have lacked a position in the public, private, or the non profit organizations have started their own auditing firms. They run their own business as private auditors and are employed casually by these organizations. Other graduates have set their small microfinance businesses. These are industries which are growing at a high rate. For the qualified accountants their operations are easy and beneficial. These enterprises have become common in the rural areas and in areas with small scale business. Some of the accountants are joining hands to operate such businesses as partners. Some of these enterprises have grown to become Sacco’s and eventually banks. continue for MS to become licensed, Certified Public Accountants. This is an individual who is licensed by the state to finance financial information in the public companie s to give accurate results. These are the individuals qualified to start their own auditing firms if they do not a favouring or well paying job opportunity (Felix 2010, 56). Thus the study found it advisable for the accountant graduates to continue to this level for better and higher chances of employment opportunities and also private or self employment enterprises. For people who have advanced in these areas and actually had the best payment package compared to having a degree alone. This is why I would advice many people to make sure that they have taken the issue of taking CPA in an extra way to be able to make more money and have better jobs. Many people who have licences and certifications are able to have the best things in the career paths toward getting the best jobs possible. Every qualified accountant expects a salary that is higher than for any other undergraduate from a number of business schools. There is also an expectation of initiation into an exclusive professional club of the practicing accountants. This is a symbolic status that makes one feel to have an important and recognized rank in the society. Unfortunately these expectations are rarely met in the current society. Quite a number of students have joined the account career. This is making this field to have more than the required participants. In other words the supply is overtaking the demand. With high expectations of having a unique status, what happens when one fails to achieve this goal? One is also interested with the queries like where an accountant career path can lead one to or if there are there other industrial areas related to accountant career that such a graduate could get involved to utilize his knowledge. For students who are clearing from the universities i would advise that one who is trying to learn about a good accounting career path should have a wide variety of choices especially if he has a degree in accounting. One’s initial selection depends on the feeling about a primary direction that he believes is of interest to him. There are various general areas where one can choose to work in for instance private, public, government linked, or the non profit making organizations. For newer graduates, it is advisable to work with a CPA firm since it gives an opportunity to examine a number of industries and experience of both the audit and write up functions. One may also decide to join a private sector which is more beneficial, nevertheless it is advisable to first investigate on any industry that lies as a choice and go for the one that is fast growing. This gives an opportunity for expansion of ones career and thus wider rooms for advancement. Where one is inclined in a public service or a career in a government or non profit making organizations, one gets a good chance of exploring in various issues and can easily make changes which are beneficial to a the whole society or even the nation. All the government offices, in all departments, require accountant personnel that are talented. These offices include the FDIC, IRS, Comptroller of the currency, General services administration, military branches departments, health ministries, environmental ministries, to mention but a few. Any accounting working area, be it in government, public, or private sectors, will always lead to an interesting financial rewarding and beneficial careers. Though some of these careers overlap they vary in focus and lead to a challenging, professional life. In conclusion I would say that Accounting is a career that moulds accountants; these are persons that are responsible in the provision of data that is mainly required to make an assessment on the future and current economic activities. Accountants performs various duties, which include planning tax strategy, calculating the computing cost, preparation of financial statements, developing information technology, measuring financial performance, to mention but a few. This suggests that there are various and different accounting career paths which are beneficial in one way or another and can fit different people. Though some of them overlap, each of them has a specific focus. For successful career people should be able to do the best that they can do to advance this sector. Many technological advances have been made to ensure that these people who take up this course are able to save time and actually do their work better too. Career Path for Acounting. (2016, Dec 24).

What makes bad logo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

What makes bad logo - Essay Example 2008). The use of computer tricks in designing a logo could also make it a bad logo. Thus, if the logo that is meant to be created by hand is created with the use of a computer, it makes it a bad logo. An example of a bad logo is the logo of the London Olympic Games. Many people actually find this logo bad and it is good to look at the reasons that, this logo has been adjudged bad. Personally, the logo looks too childish in nature, as the designers did not take the age of the adult followers into consideration. A good logo should cut across the age of its audiences and anything short of this makes the logo a bad one. Thus, the logo of the London 2012 Olympic Games is bad due to its childish nature. It makes one think that the Olympic is meant only for kids. Another thing that makes the logo for the London Olympic Games bad is the fact that, the colour scheme does not look original. One would have the feeling that, it is an imitation of the works of Nike and this should not be so. The fact that, the logo does not look original puts the credibility of the designers to

Leadership & the Role of Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership & the Role of Managers - Essay Example 4. She is an innovator. I have observed, on more than one occasion a creative and innovative solution is required to solve day to day issues. It is not just application of technology or application of mind but more than that. Innovate in her own small but effective way. 5. She is an entrepreneur. The ideas and opinions innovated or solutions worked out for the day to day issues are implemented boldly. This requires an entrepreneurial skill that comprises of boldness in action and clarity in thought. 1. She delays or procrastinates decisions. Where she is not sure instead hunting around and finding a solution immediately, she invariably drags the decision until it is clear to her by itself or somebody else clears it. 2. She has no time for new technologies happening else where in the world. There are developments happening else where and better methods adopted by various people all over the place. This she is not able to identify and apply since she finds time a rare specimen to study and gather the knowledge required. This would weaken her further with passage of time. 3. Her approach towards people management is one of intuition and personal.

International Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

International Human Resource Management - Essay Example International human resource management also pays due attention at administering diversified human capital (Scribd, 2012). Role of HRM in the United Kingdom The management of the organisations has become quite difficult and challenging in the present times, essentially in terms of accountability of the managers in administering the people. The managers belonging to the twenty-first century are faced with many regulations as well as restrictions that restrain their independence to act unilaterally. They are also faced with greater volatility as well as changeability in their external environment. The concept of ‘Human Resource Management’ did not initiate in the United Kingdom but in the United States in the period of 1980s. For few people, the term came to present a significant distinct approach to the management of the people. It has been based upon new assumptions regarding the employees, the altering characteristics of the work and regarding how best to enhance the ca pability of the staff in the organisation. It was noted that most of the organisations in the United Kingdom were capable of encompassing the new developments. A number of organisations in the United Kingdom did not embrace the concept related to human resource management because they wanted to retain the personal management title because of the fact that this evaded the impersonal relationship with their employees as human resources. However, with due course of time many ‘people’ departments were identified as HR departments (Oxford University Press, 2012). The main objective of the paper is to understand the human resource management practices in the United Kingdom. It will attempt to gauge the background and context of the United Kingdom and will also endevour to offer certain indications on the internal factors as well as the external factors that will have certain bearing on the way in which HRM is carried out in that particular country. The paper will attempt to t hrow light upon the significance of employee relation and will also demonstrate the degree to which culture, political, economic as well as social context have an impact upon the associations. Background and Context of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom can be considered as a monarch state which is situated off the north-western coast of Europe. The UK is one of the developed countries of the world. It has obtained seventh position in terms of biggest nations in the globe concerning nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and with regard to Purchasing Power Parity it is the eighth-biggest economy (GoldGoal, 2011). In the previous times, Britain sought a voluntarist industrial relation system offering the parties belonging to the industrial relations a significant level of freedom to opt for their preferred institutional arrangements. It has been noted in the two decades before the 1998 Workplace Employment Relations Survey overlapped with the Thatcher period. It was during this peri od when a development of the employer’s choice was created by various deregulatory measures thereby minimising legal endorsement for the trade union activity. Till the period 1998, it was found that the employers in the United

Compare and Contrast the Classical, Human Relations, and Systems Essay

Compare and Contrast the Classical, Human Relations, and Systems Approaches to Organization and Management - Essay Example One of the most important and central part of the study of management and organization is based upon how the overall management thinking has evolved over the period of time. Managers therefore must be able to keep themselves updated with the changes in the way management thinking has evolved over the period of time. This allows managers to actually get an insight into how the management has actually changed while facing different issues and challenges. The more managers know about management and organizational methods and operations, better they will be at making critical and important decisions. This knowledge also allows managers to make effective decisions and contribute positively towards the overall development of the organization. It is therefore critical that the overall developments made in the field of management and organizational thinking should be traced. Over the period of time, four important approaches towards organization and management have evolved. These include classical, human relations, systems and contingency approaches towards management and organization. All these approaches evolved as a result of different changes taking place within the domain of organizational development. Issues like leadership, employee motivation, performance, compensation etc dominated the way these approaches gradually evolved and matured over the period of time. Based on these approaches a comprehensive framework evolved regarding theory about management. Classical approach towards management and organizations view purpose of the organization as an essential element to understand as to how organization work and what methods can actually be adapted in order to improve the efficiency and work. Identification of purpose of the organization was also based upon crystallizing the roles and responsibilities within the organization. Since classical approach viewed organization having formal structures therefore it was important that clear roles and responsibilities should be identified first. These roles and responsibilities however, based upon first identifying and refining the purpose of the organization. Scientific management and bureaucracy are the two sub-groups of the classical approach and both the sub-groups have their own merits and de-merits. One of the key arguments of the writers on classical approach was based upon the notion that improving the management will actually improve the performance and the organization. F.W. Taylor was one of the key writers during that era outlining different principles which governed the scientific management approach within classical school of management. He advocated the implementation of scientific methods for selection and hiring of the workers while at the same time also suggested same approach for training and development of workers also. (Crainer, 1998) Classical approach however, visualized organizations and management as entities which can control the behavior of their workers. One of the key criticisms of this approach was therefore based upon the notion that labor workers may react strongly against the management principles of control. The creation of multiple layers of management in order to oversee and supervise the work was considered as essential in order to generate more efficiency and make workers productive. In nutshell, it can be argued that the classical approach was largely based upon the use of scientific methods of management with focus on improving effic iency and productivity by using scientific methods. The Human Relations Approach The main emphasis of classical

IFSM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IFSM - Essay Example will consist a member from each of the departments in the company and a training on how to use and implement the IT programs should be facilitated by Carol and her team. The methodology for IT governance in the company should be through data sharing with all the relevant departments who consist of the governing body. The responsibilities of the governance body include inspection of data available through the IT systems, suggesting news ways or areas that need IT programs and ensure the program runs smoothly. Carol will need the support of each and every member of the governing body to ensure that the IT strategic plan works out as expected. The prioritization of the IT projects should be guided by market demands, customer retention and competition. Carol and her team should explore the new IT approaches used by their competitors and implement them in the company in a better way. Tracking should be the first IT project to be implemented, following by a Mobile APP that enables customers to pay for services at the comfort of their

Administration Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Administration Issues - Essay Example The company’s background problems revolved around the product of the company known as wall tiles. The tiles were plain white ceramics. Being plain white was a major characteristic that gave the tiles their order qualifier. In the supply chain maintaining this product in its original state posed problems for the company (Oliver, Webber, 1982 pp. 65). With increasing competition the company could no longer retain its hold on the market as long as its order qualifier was un-altered. The survival of the company could be secured through diversification and finding new order qualifiers. The ‘new concept products’ made the company to come up with a corporate policy for designing, manufacturing and selling ranges of well designed, high quality, coordinated fashion home ware. This was aimed at reversing the image that was held of the company’s products. It would also give it the power to compete in a totally different growing market sector (Oliver, Webber, 1982 pp. 65). With the new product concept the company realized success but administrative problems were still there. The introduction of new products continued to irritate the company’s administration. The stock of finished goods was huge and dealing with it presented a problem. Distribution costs had also grown so that the profits being obtained on the old concept products had gone down considerably. The problem of planning was cropping in because new capacity was needed for the manufacture of new ranges. The distribution system was also not suitable for the newly introduced operations. The molding department was also having labor unrest because of the payment scheme being used at the time. The problem here was that jobs had not been redesigned as well as the system of payment which could take account of the manufacturing methods that had changed. In conclusion, the focus of the paper was on administrative problem in HG Ceramics Company with the inclusion of the order qualifiers and orde r winners. HG Ceramics Company in its new concept products was presented with a number of administrative products among them the problems in the distribution system, irritation from new product introductions, increased distribution costs, need for planning in order to create the capacity for the manufacture of the new ranges, unsuitability of the distribution system for the new operations and the labor unrests because of the unsuitable scheme of payment within the molding department.

Differing views of salvation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Differing views of salvation - Essay Example The emphasis on soteriology in Revelation has mainly to do with perseverance. Christ is introduced as the one who died and was raised again. Christ is also the Lamb slain who calls the thirsty to drink of the water of life. This is shown in His anticipated second coming when He is expected to judge the world. As in (Revelation 1:7.). John’s book of revelation is unique because of its apocalyptic nature. In his book, he fosters a sense of crisis, proclamations and impending traumas, which reveals a sense of world-ending catastrophes, which are unimaginable. However, his visions are just to clarify the importance of the churches for God’s purposes in the world and push them to ensure the fulfillment of the purposes. The vision of a slain lamb (Revelation 5) standing victorious underscores that the congregations are supposed to walk faithfully with the one with the definitive triumph. Their suffering can only be saved by the one sitting on the throne because He has power t hat creates, sustains and also brings fulfillment. John talks about the beast, and their allies that conquer with retributive violence, force, deception and domination. It seems like an overwhelming situation that nobody can stand against, but those who follow the lamb wherever He goes come out conquerors (Revelation 14:4). These worship visions also remind believers that despite overwhelming plagues, they can overcome them because the God of Jesus remains the true God and the one worthy of their trust.

Ethical Dilemma Faced in Combat Essay Example for Free

Ethical Dilemma Faced in Combat Essay When two primary values are conflicting there should be a good ethics code to serve as an arbiter. Ethical dilemma is therefore said to arise when there are two primary values conflicting in an individual for example a solider is supposed to be with his family but at the same time he is required to protect the government from enemies and enforce laws. During work he must choose between killing the enemy to protect the state or have mercy on the enemy at the expense of state security. The solider now is having a series of conflicting principles should he be at home with his family or not, if he is on duty should he attack and kill the enemy or should he leave his nation to be conquered? Ethical dilemma is therefore defined as the conflict between two important ethical values or perspectives, for example conflict between ones professional values and personal values, or it may be the conflict between the values held by different people (Cohen 2007). Ethical dilemma involving two people with different perspectives is typical between a doctor and a patient where the patient feels he is having the right not to take medication but the doctor feels that professionally he is entitled to prevent his patient from making this decision that may harm his life. For the US combats it is the professional value conflicting the personal value for example should they kill or not and if so what are the possible consequences. Further on the soldiers are supposed to be with their families but they cannot because they are somewhere in Iraq, Sudan, Israel and other parts of the world keeping peace or protecting the state from possible enemies like the alqueda terrorist group. Combats are the military personnel that are trained by the US military defense section to provide both physical and ideological services needed to fight any enemy of the state. With continued increase in global insecurity these combats are trained to deal with the enemy in the most brutal way possible even if it means killing the enemy. This kind of training makes the solders to develop poor ethical relations with other people more so anybody thought to be an enemy of the federal government will not be treated with any dignity by the combats. These people are always prone to great violations of human bioethical values because many a times they are killed mercilessly in cold blood. The US military ethics and standards of conduct, gives guidelines to military personnel including the combats on the codes of conduct and military ethics to be followed to the letter by any personnel. Violation of the US punitive military provision by any personnel may result to the prosecution of the offender under â€Å" The Uniform Cord of Military justice†. The US combats together with other service groups are supposed to direct their service and support to engage the US’s enemy in fight and offer state security at all costs. They are always organized to operate as a single unit under a one commander who is entitled to give orders on how to combat the enemy as well as how to protect the state at the same time. Within this unit there are the military doctors who are responsible for the wounded or sick combats but within the military medical ethics. The ethical values to be upheld by the combats are honesty, integrity, accountability, fairness, loyalty, respect, caring and promise keeping to the state fellow combats and the citizens. This applies to all the combats from the commander to juniors including the military medical officer. However studies have revealed that â€Å"Mixed Agency† and â€Å"conflicting loyalty† is as common in combats as it is in civilians with malicious combats justifying their acts to protection of the state leaving the straight forward ones in ethical dilemmas since they have to be loyal to the state, they have to kill (Beam 2005). The ethical dilemmas facing the combats include conflict in military ethics and health ethics, bioethics, human psychological ethics as well as military medical ethics. Therefore the combats are left in huge dilemmas on how to address each specific value with respect to their professional ethics that is the military ethics. One of the commanders in Iraq was reported to have accepted that actually in the battlefield they were at dilemma not with the bioethical value of the enemy or the civilians but also amongst the combats themselves. He said that it is actually it was not a simple matter to kill or to be killed, however the soldiers have to think about their fellow soldiers, their country and the reason why they have gone for war. If the leave the enemy to kill their fellow soldiers because they sympathize with the enemy, the soldiers are considered compromising the military ethics. If they kill the enemy they are considered war criminals before the law concerned with international human rights. The soldier are then expected to protect the interests of their fellow soldier and their nation but without compromising the interest of the civilians in war torn nations or the interest of the war lords they fight with for example the taliban group in Iraq. However those feeling the pinch of the dilemma here are the commanders, they have to put soldiers to battle knowing very well that deaths will occur but there is nothing they can do because they will do everything within their powers to save the lives of the soldiers the can not accomplish the mission. Continued war all over the world sees the combats being sent to various destinations this has by far added greater dimensions to the combat’s ethical dilemmas. With increased injuries and deaths the soldiers do not know where to start and end because the dilemma now is actually seen in their lives versus the profession. The US military ethics does not offer any guideline on whether to withhold treatment from soldiers with severe brain injuries or not, the military doctors are the in turn faced with a very complicated moral and ethical dilemma. Here the doctor must choose between treating the worst and disturbing wounds he has ever seen or to let his fellow soldier to die in the battlefields like Iraq. In these situations the military doctor are obsessed with keeping the wounded soldiers alive even if the wound is so serious something they would not have done in US. The military ethics back in US calls for immediate termination of life in such cases or an amputation if any of the limbs is involved, but in the war tone Iraq the military doctors are doing exactly the opposite of what is expected of them. Recently heated debates were witnessed across the states to discuss the position of women in US combat many people were against the view that females should be part of the team while others were supporting it by citing the great roles played by German women to fight the Nazi wars in the post war Germany. However the main ethical dilemma facing the women is to choose between going to war to protect their nation from enemies or to remain at home to care for the family. But if they go to war will they be safe in regard to their male counter pats in issues regarding sexual harassments and equality. To avoid these dilemmas there should be a well-defined ethics code to guard everybody getting involved with the soldiers for example there should be a specific line to differentiate military ethics and Bioethics or military ethics and medical ethics. The soldiers should adopt military role specific ethic which only favor military interest exclusively and the medical ethics should also be exclusive to patients. No mixing up agency should occur in the different values. When it comes to killing for example its a military ethics that a soldier whom is expected to be injured to recover should be shot dead, a soldier who betrays the federal government should also face the same but what of bioethics, is really right to kill? The soldiers should therefore be vigilant not to act inhumanly, they should learn to be flexible in their actions not to be influenced by fellow soldiers or even the state but should consider the values of the people they meet in war. The combats should also develop the skills of listening and learning from the mistakes made in the past by them or colleagues to avoid making any further errors. They should also learn to make their own decisions regardless of the unexpected situations they encounter in the battlefields and act accordingly with regard to military ethics and other moral ethics.

Bullying and Fun Thing Essay Example for Free

Bullying and Fun Thing Essay Schools from all over the world should really start preventing all this bullying thats going on. I find it bad that everyone makes fun of everyone. Either if it’s cyberbullying or just bullying, it’s a problem for a lot of students. In order to prevent bullying and all of this harassment, there’s so many things that I’d think can solve this problem. One of the first things that i think could be a solution for all of this would be talking to all of their parents, have a meeting about it, because most of their parents are also bullies. For example, that mother in Missouri who was making pretend she was a guy named Josh Evans on myspace and was cyberbullying her daughters friend just because she wanted revenge on that poor little girl and then she committed suicide. This all needs to stop! Parents are supposed to be setting an example for their children but they’re really not doing that correctly. More and more kids are losing their lifes because of this. It really isn’t a fun thing to do, the only thing you’re really doing is hurting and making them feel really bad. Noone would like it if someone else would do it to you. Changing the subject, the community should be more aware of this in my opinion. I feel like they need to step up a whole lot and make them have some changes around. The police should track on the computer everything that happens with everyone now a days, and if there’s any cyberbullying going on then they should just simply arrest them. They should be more stricter about it, not just around the community but also in schools. Sometimes I feel like theyre really not doing anything about bullying. I feel like noone cares at all, especially after what happened with the young adults that commited suicided these past few years.

Treatment Research for Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Treatment Research for Multiple Myeloma (MM) ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological neoplasm that appears after transformation and uncontrolled proliferation of plasma cells. MM is characterized by a heterogeneous genetic aberrations and very different clinical outcomes (Avet-Loiseau, . Boyd KD). Although treatments for MM have increased by develop new and more sophisticated therapeutics drugs such an immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PIs)( Shaji K. Kumar, Raghupathy, Antonio Palumbo) the marked variability of responses indicate that larger studies will be required. Currently, identification of cytogenetic abnormalities is performed by conventional karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization. However, these disorders are not sufficient to explain the malignant phenotype given that are also observed in premalignant states of MM such a monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) or smoldering myeloma(SM)(Bergsagel, Hideshima). This finding justifies the need for a comprehensive screening of genetic abnormalities in MM patients, which has not been incorporated in the medical workup yet. Recently, the introduction of massive sequencing of patient genome using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has considerably increased the understanding of the biological features of MM. Many works have described the complex and heterogeneous mutational profile of MM patients(bolli nuevo, walker). Whole Exome Sequency (WES) studies in newly diagnosis MM patients have confirmed that more than 50 genes are mutated in the first manifestation of disease (walker). However, only few genes have been detected recurrently mutated at diagnosis, including KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, DIS3, TP53 and FAM46C, and only TP53 mutations have been recurentelly associated with poor survival. In addition, other studies have assessed the clonal evolution over time, pointing out that systemic treatment with chemotherapy may affect the livelihood of some subclones more than others, and thus may influence the tumor evolution over time(Egan JB, bolli, Keats JJ, ) The introduction of targeted studies allows the detection of mutations even with very low allele frequencies at an affordable price, allowing the incorporation of extensive genetic studies to the clinical workup. In the last years, several groups have applied this approach in order to achieve a better patients stratification and prognosis prediction. Although many studies have highlighted the importance of the subclonal landscape in MM and many efforts have been undertaken to stratify patients and predicts their responses, there is no clear relation between sensitives or refractories clones to treatment, and more information about the prognostic impact of this subclonal profile in series of homogeneously treated MM patients is needed. A large number of clinical trial are being carried out with this aim, unify treatments in order to study more effectively the impact of genetic alterations in prognosis. In this work, newly diagnosis MM patient homogenously treated have been genetically characterized using a combination of the most recent techniques, including FISH and ultra-deep targeted sequencing. We applied the highest read depth described in the literature with the aim to detect minority subclones ignored to date. We also integrated these data with the clinical features to find out new patterns of behavior, relate them with survival and reveal new insight into the complexity of clonal and subclonal architecture of MM. Patient samples Samples were taken from the available 79 newly diagnosed MM patient enrolled in the clinical trial GEM10MAS65 (registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01237249). This is a phase III trial where patients older than 65 years were randomly assigned between two treatments arms: sequential melphalan/prednisone/Velcade (MPV) followed by Revlimid/low dose dexamethasone (Rd) versus alternating melphalan/prednisone/Velcade (MPV) with Revlimid/low dose dexamethasone (Rd). Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were measured from the starting date of the treatment. The median time to progression was 26.4 months with a median follow up of 31.5 months. Targeted sequencing and mutation calling Positive plasma cells CD138 were isolated from bone marrow aspirates and DNA was extracted using AllPrep DNA/RNA mini kit (Quiagen). Only 20 ng of DNA were used to prepare libraries using Ampliseq Library Kit 2.0. We also sequenced DNA from the 15 available CD138 negative fractions in order to filter out potential artifacts and corroborate detection sentivity. Samples were sequenced using Ion Torrent platform (IonProton, Thermofisher, Carlsbad, CA, USA) using the M3P gene panel (Mayo Clinic, Arizona). This panel spreads out over 77 genes frequently mutated in MM, which are related to critical pathophysiological pathways, associated to drug resistance or targetable with molecular drugs [paper mayo kortum etal]. Quality filter and alignments was performed using Torrent Suit software (Life Technologies) Single nucleotide variants were calling and annotated using Ion Reporter software applying in-house modifications in call variants process. Variants listed in Single Nucleotide Polimorph ism database (dbSNP, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/SNP/) were excluded from samples without germline available, as well as variants that were detected in multiple samples. In addition, to test the ability of the workflow previously described, we applied a novel bioinformatics pipeline developed by Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). All reported mutations were detected by both bioinformatics approaches. The integrative genomic viewer (IGV) was used to visualize the read alignments, single variants and correct sequencing errors due to homopolymer regions. Statistical analysis All statistical analysis was performed using the statistical environment R. Correlation coefficients between mutated genes and cytogenetic aberrations was assessed and plotted using corrplot (https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/corrplot/). Differences in survival were tested using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard regression was employed to obtain hazards ratios (HR) and evaluated at 5% of significance level. A second approach called LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) was performed to detect relevant variables among clinical, cytogenetic and mutated genes.   Further details can be found in Data Supplement. RESULTS Mutated genes and altered pathways (cambiar tà ­tulo) We sequenced 79 tumor samples with a mean coverage depth of 1600X. The minimum coverage of the detected variants was 60X and the average coverage 370X. We identified 170 nonsynonymous missense/nonsense/stoploss single variants, 81 of them (48%) were predicted pathogenic by Sift and Polyphen and 61 (36%)   have been described in COSMIC data base.   85% of patients harbored at least 1 mutation with a median of 2.1 mutations per patient. We detected mutations in 53 genes (Figure1), although 6 genes accounted the 39% of the total number of mutations; KRAS= 21.5%, DIS3= 19%, NRAS= 16.5%, BRAF= 10.1%, TP53= 8.8% and ATM= 7.6% of the patients.  Ã‚   48% of patients (38/79) presented at least one mutation in genes envolved in RAS/MAPK pathway, being the most frequently mutated pathway. 72 and 100% of variants in KRAS and NRAS respectively were detected in the hotspot codons 12, 13 and 61, and the targetable V600E BRAF mutation was detected in 1 patient. (Figure 2 supplemental?). NFKB p athway was the second most frequently mutated in our cohort, accounting for the 15% of all mutations distributed in 25 % of the patients (19/79). This pathway included TRAF3 (5 mutations, one nonsense and 4 missense) and TRAF2 (3 missense mutation) all of them predicted pathogenic by Sift and Polyphen. Other pathways importantly altered in the cohort were MYC in 11% of patients (9/79), cereblon and ciclyn both in 9% of patients (7/79). Multiple mutations within the same gene were observed in 11 patients: 4 of whom harbored 2 and 3 mutations within DIS3 (patient 1-24= Glu501Lys and Phe120Leu at 8 and 53 % of VRF, patient 2-236= Asp487His and Asp479Glu at 4 and 21 of VRF respectively, patient 3 321= Tyr753Asn and Glu126Lys at 2 and 58 % of VRF respectively and patient 4-42 = Arg820Trp, Gly249Glu and at 14, 20 and 24% of VRF respectively). Other 2 patients showed 2 and 3 mutation in KRAS (patient 5-168= Gly13Asp and Gln61His at 9 and 13 %of VRF and patient 6-269 = Tyr71Asp, UTR3 in exon 6 and Gln61Glu at 3, 15 and 37 % of VRF respectively; 2 patients with 2 mutation in NRAS(patient 7-177= .Gln61Lys   and Gly12Ala at 5 and 12% of VRF respectively and patient 8-257=   Gln61Glu   and Gly12Ala at 5 and 6% of VRF respectively), one patient with 3 mutations in MAX (patient 9-190= Arg36Lys , Arg35Leu and Glu32Val at 10, 20 and 26 %of VRF), one patient with 3 mutations in TRAF3 (patient 10-40 = Lys453Asn, His136Tyr   and Phe445Leu 8, 11 and1 3% of VRF) and one patient with 2 mutation in TP53 (patient 11-40 = Asp208Val   and Glu204Ter at 35 and 36% of VRF respectively). Variant Read Frequency study The VRF found in our cohort were diverse.   We detected 50% of variants (85/170) below 25% of VRF and 27% (46/170) below 10% (Figure 2). KRAS (n=5) DIS3 (n=5), BRAF (n=4), NRAS (n=4), and TP53 (n=3) were the genes that harbored the largest number of low frequency mutations (Figure 2). KRAS, NRAS, BRAF and TP53 mutations were, in all cases, lower than 50% of VRF while DIS3 showed mutations in a broad range (from 2 to 85%)(Fig3). ). Most of DIS3 mutations with VRF

Consumer Behaviour Essay -- Technology, The iPhone

Symbolic Consumption: The iPhone In this era of emerging economies and growing globalisation, the demand for symbolic goods continues to expand, and at a fast rate. With recent advances in technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDA’s), satellite/tracking devices, mobile phones and many others springing up almost every day, it is not surprising that consumers would be willing to part with large amounts of cash for these products. One of such technological advancement is the iPhone, a fascinating instance of adaptation, which is fast becoming a most sought after brand. The issue however is whether this new technological advancement of the iPhone is going to be a continuous trend or will just fizzle out in the nearer future. To understand deeply the phenomenon of symbolic consumption, we must first understand what it means. According to Kerrigan et al. (2004), symbolic consumption deals with the consumption of products and services as sources of meaning. An important aspect of symbolic consumption is that consumers no longer consume products simply for their functional value, but for their symbolic value, for what these products mean to themselves and to others (Kerrigan et al 2004). In other words, these products more or less become commodity signs. Digital-era commodity goods like the iPhone are symbolic markers or what Thorstein Veblen would call conspicuous consumption or â€Å"status symbols† (2007). To make sense of this rapturous reception, the iPhone would however now be examined as a notable instance of symbolic consuming culture. In June 2007, the hottest cellular phone hit town, with a vast array of technological wonders never before put together inside a tiny gadget called cell phone (Blokdijk 2008). It was Ap... ...d therefore argue that products involve a form of natural process within which the designer plays a key role. Like any product, the iPhone has its own life span or in other words, evolutionary timeline, its own inherited traits, its own product design and its own adapted state through its environment. As global technology is continuously introduced and replaced, it would get to a stage where the symbolic value of the iPhone would no longer be appreciated. This is because more advanced and superior mobile devices would have come into place, thereby stealing the limelight from the iPhone. Additionally, the study of behaviors and attitudes towards a specific technology such as the iPhone are extremely vulnerable to new products and trends, making the findings of any study outdated in a very short period of time. In other words, social values also changes over time. Consumer Behaviour Essay -- Technology, The iPhone Symbolic Consumption: The iPhone In this era of emerging economies and growing globalisation, the demand for symbolic goods continues to expand, and at a fast rate. With recent advances in technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDA’s), satellite/tracking devices, mobile phones and many others springing up almost every day, it is not surprising that consumers would be willing to part with large amounts of cash for these products. One of such technological advancement is the iPhone, a fascinating instance of adaptation, which is fast becoming a most sought after brand. The issue however is whether this new technological advancement of the iPhone is going to be a continuous trend or will just fizzle out in the nearer future. To understand deeply the phenomenon of symbolic consumption, we must first understand what it means. According to Kerrigan et al. (2004), symbolic consumption deals with the consumption of products and services as sources of meaning. An important aspect of symbolic consumption is that consumers no longer consume products simply for their functional value, but for their symbolic value, for what these products mean to themselves and to others (Kerrigan et al 2004). In other words, these products more or less become commodity signs. Digital-era commodity goods like the iPhone are symbolic markers or what Thorstein Veblen would call conspicuous consumption or â€Å"status symbols† (2007). To make sense of this rapturous reception, the iPhone would however now be examined as a notable instance of symbolic consuming culture. In June 2007, the hottest cellular phone hit town, with a vast array of technological wonders never before put together inside a tiny gadget called cell phone (Blokdijk 2008). It was Ap... ...d therefore argue that products involve a form of natural process within which the designer plays a key role. Like any product, the iPhone has its own life span or in other words, evolutionary timeline, its own inherited traits, its own product design and its own adapted state through its environment. As global technology is continuously introduced and replaced, it would get to a stage where the symbolic value of the iPhone would no longer be appreciated. This is because more advanced and superior mobile devices would have come into place, thereby stealing the limelight from the iPhone. Additionally, the study of behaviors and attitudes towards a specific technology such as the iPhone are extremely vulnerable to new products and trends, making the findings of any study outdated in a very short period of time. In other words, social values also changes over time.

Rap is Crap Essay examples -- essays research papers

Rap is Crap â€Å"She ain’t nuttin but a hoochie mama†¦Smackin’ on your lips, put your hands on your hips†¦She ain’t nuttin but a hoochie mama†¦Oh I love those big brown eyes and the way you shake your thighs, acting like you’re so damn cute...† Rap music with lyrics like this play on the radio and in home stereos every day. Rap music pounds messages of sex and violence into the minds of young adults leaving behind their sexist and repetitive influential messages. Music has a very powerful influence on our emotions, moods, and behavior. Rap music influences teenagers negatively by increasing violent attitudes and promoting sexual aggression against women. Very few people would argue the power of music. Mothers use it to rock their babies to sleep. Patriotic hymns can be used at rallies to evoke strong emotions of nationalism. Ballads have been used to incite rebellion. Some governments have viewed music so powerful that they ban it. In white dominated South Africa, centers of African music were destroyed and western music was declared forbidden in China during the Cultural Revolution. Is music powerful enough to incite antisocial and violent behavior? According Johnson, Jackson and Gatto’s study on the deleterious effects of exposure to rap music, subjects in the violent exposure conditions (rap music) expressed greater acceptance of violence. Subjects in the violent exposure condition also reported a higher probability that they would engage in violence (Johnson). Music plays an i...

The Cause Of The Civil War: Eli Whitneys Cotton Gin Essay -- essays re

During the period between 1790 and 1850, the United States was rapidly changing. It was now a separate country with its own economy, laws, and government. The country was learning to live on its own, apart from England. There began to appear a rift between North and South. The North believing in the Puritan Merchant role model, and the South in the role model of the English Country Squire. The North traded with everyone, while the South traded primarily with England. The major crop in the South was tobacco, and because of the decline in the price of tobacco the slave trade was dying, just as those in the North hoped it would. Then came a man, and an invention, which changed the course of history. In 1792, Eli Whitney visited the plantation of Catherine Greene, the wife of Revolutionary War general, Nathaniel Greene, near Savannah Georgia. He watched cotton being cleaned; a very long and time consuming process to do by hand. Watching the cotton being cleaned an idea came to Whitney. He decided he would build a machine that would clean cotton faster than it could be done by hand. Thus, he created the cotton gin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This invention changed the way the South functioned, and the ripple effect it created changed the course of history forever. The ripple effect caused by Eli Whitney’s cotton gin can be seen as the driving force behind many of the conflicts between North and South, and eventually culminating in the Civil War. Before Eli Whitney’s invention, slavery was dying in the South. The price of tobacco had plummeted, and planters were freeing slaves because of the high cost of feeding, housing and clothing them. When Eli Whitney introduced his invention the cotton market exploded. Cotton began to be grown in enormous quantities because it was good for making clothes, and with the invention of the cotton gin easier to produce. This explosion in the growth of the cotton market rejuvenated the slave trade. This time, though, the slave trade was not between the U.S. and Africa, but instead between the Old South, and the New South. The Old South began to â€Å"bree d† slaves to sell to the cotton farmers in the New South. These farmers needed large numbers of slaves because once the cotton was ripe, it needed to be picked quickly. The price of slaves skyrocketed, and this new crop ensured the practice of slavery would continue. This continuati... ...in slavery breathing new life into the South, and in the country economy as a whole. With this rejuvenation came problems between North and South over moral differences. These differences created a rift that widened until sectionalism overtook nationalism. This rift was temporarily closed several times but ultimately the differences between North and South were so ingrained in their respective culture that it took a war to change. The wide and far-reaching effects of this event can be viewed as a pond, the country, when a pebble is thrown into it the ripples become larger and larger until they come in contact with something that can stop them. As the proverb says, â€Å"A butterfly that flaps its wings in China can cause a hurricane in Kansas.† Bibliography Eli Whitney Museum. Organization Page. 3 December 2000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Green, Constance. Eli Whitney and the Birth of American Technology. Harper-Collins College Division, 1995. Hays, Wilma Pitchford. Eli Whitney and the Machine Age. Franklin Watts, 1959. Wilson, Mitchell. American Science and Invention: A Pictoral History. Simon and Shuster, New York, 1954.

The Epic of Beowulf: Order Overpowers Chaos

In the epic poem Beowulf, the warrior hero Beowulf chooses to confront the tyrannical monster Grendel in his own domain, the hijacked mead hall of Heorot. A battle of brute strength ensues, in which Grendel, unable to escape his opponent's awesome armgrip, rips away from his own arm and flees, dying soon after from bloodloss. Beowulf's victory, though relatively early in the story, is a pivotal moment that signifies the defeat of discord and the return of civilization.Due to the stark ifferences in their appearances, lineages, and tactics of warfare, Grendel and Beowulf in battle symbolize the recurring conflict between chaos and order. When it comes to physical form, Grendel's wild nature is demonstrated by his scaly, barbed, hulking fgure and his razor-sharp talons, while Beowulf's powerful human form and clothing present him as much more civil. As the Danish soldiers marvel at the monster's severed arm, they notice that â€Å"Every nail, claw-scale and spur, every spike and welt on the hand of that heathen brute was like barbed steel.Everybody said here was no honed iron hard enough to pierce him through, no time-proofed blade that could cut his brutal blood-caked claw' (983-989). Their description not only refers to their unsuccessful attempts to penetrate Grendel's flesh by blade, but it illustrates a conception of his features as a whole. The creature's size and bodily protrusions characterize the hostile nature of Grendel, making him uncivilized to the point of being inhuman. Beowulfs features, however, have the opposite effect.Speaking of the hero, the Danish coast guard exclaims, â€Å"Nor have I seen a mightier an-at-arms on this earth than the one standing here: unless I am mistaken, he is truly noble. This is no mere hanger-on in hero's armor† (247-251). Beowulfs appearance and frame, although imposing, do not spark fear such as that of Grendel, but rather awe and respect. Likewise, his characteristics portray him as honorable, including his sleeping garments when he decides to face Grendel unaided by sword or breastmail (669-673); both his clothing and appearance of chivalry depict him as a fair and ethical fghter.Therefore, while Grendel's monstrous image paints him as a arbinger of anarchy, Beowulf's regal aspect and normal human look illustrate his role as civilization. In the case of their family backgrounds, Beowulf is a prince descended from many honourable and noble kings who served their people, and is therefore orderly; Grendel, in contrast, is the offspring of generations' worth of violent sinners, mainly the biblical Cain, and is feral by default. When asked of his origins, â€Å"The man whose name was known for courage, the Geat leader, resolute in his helmet, answered in return: We are retainers from Hygelac's band.Beowulf is my name† (340-343). The Geat warrior inherits a lineage that manifests itself in his name and reputation. Essentially, Beowulf and his ancestors are known for being valiant an d honorable, which are reflected in his actions, such as his offer to face Grendel. In contrast to the poem's protagonist, Grendel is a member of â€Å"Cain's clan, whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts†¦. and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants brother, is infamous for being violent and vengeful; such traits are conferred to Grendel.Like his ancestor, Grendel ambushes his enemies without warning while gnoring moral conduct, effectively depicting his wild disposition. In essence, Grendel's heritage embodies his part in the conflict as barbarism, whereas that of Beowulf paints him as civil society. Lastly, what ultimately determines the two characters' natures is their fighting strategies: Grendel lashes out and demolishes his enemies in the middle of the night, but Beowulf chooses to fght without weapons to ensure a fair battle.The monster's unjust battle tactics are outlined in â€Å"the vicious raids and ravages of Grendel, his long and unrelenting feud, nothing but war; how he ould never parley or make peace with any Dane nor stop his death-dealing nor pay the death-price† (152-156). By choosing to ambush his enemies in their moments of vulnerability, Grendel highlights his own lack of ethical standards, as well as his inner cowardice, both shameful traits for a warrior to possess.His tactics of constant war and ignorance with respect to war atonement also feature his savage essence, making him the embodiment of lawlessness. In reference to his opponent, Beowulf states that â€Å"He has no idea of the arts of war, of shield or sword-play, although he does possess a wild strength. No weapons, therefore, for either this night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares. And may the Divine Lord in His wisdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit† (681-687).His decision to battle Grendel without arms exemplifies both his sense of honor in warfare a s well as his courage; on a different note, it is also indicative of his intelligence, as none of the other warriors were aware that Grendel's hide was impervious to weapons. Additionally, Beowulf accepts that the fate of the brawl will ultimately be chosen by God, demonstrating his moral values. As a result, Grendel represents disorder hrough his cowardly war strategies and his unethical values; Beowulf, on the other hand, symbolizes organized society due to his courtesy in war as well as his valor.By virtue of their symbolic roles as order and chaos, Beowulf and Grendel oppose each other Just as they did in the mead hall. The very existence of both fgures was inherently contradictory, illuminated by the fact that â€Å"As long as either lived, he was hateful to the other† (814-815). Lawfulness cannot be present while anarchy and tumult remain. Therefore, Beowulf's overthrow of Grendel personifies the transition from discord and turmoil to order and civilization.

Office Space

Office space, a critically acclaimed film, although it may seem like this was a comically movie, it tells a much deeper story. Peter Giffins goes to work every day and really hates what he does until a hypnotist brakes the cycle of mundane and boring days . This movie sheds like on the stereo type of cubical America, in the 90s. My analysis will focus on emotional competency; the stress brought on to Peter and how he effectively dealt with it, identity management, listening responses, communication climate, and conflict management styles that take place in this movie.Peter has quite the identity management crises over the course of the movie. Identity management (page 445) is the communication strategies people use to influence how others view them. Peter does this by changing his actions from when he is at work and when he is at home. When peter is at work he acts like a happy employee, but when he is at home all he can do is complain about work and think about work. He even at one point in the move told the hypnotist â€Å"Every day is worst then the last†. That doesn’t sound like a man who loves his job.Peter also manages his identity by using nonverbal communications At one point in the movie, office space, peter uses his hands to communicate a strong gesture of hate as he pretends to shoot up his office building. The main actor peter also uses plenty of facile expressions to also help drive his hate in. Nonverbal communications do not even have to be gestures they can be as simple, as his boss, Lumbergh’s not making eye contact when he talks to his employees, or the way he stands when talking to petter.Peter meets a lovely waitress, in the move, Joanna, who is played by Jennifer Anderson. Joanna’s boss communicates with her by using his, language illustrate concerns by using vague terms, abstractions and constructively. He does this by asking her about only having 16 pieces of â€Å"flair†. The minimum requirement for her job, at Chotckeys, as a waitress is 16 but the â€Å"over achiever† waiter has 36 pieces of â€Å"flair†. Her boss beats about the bush and basically states â€Å" Brian has 36 pieces of â€Å"flair†. He could have used more sincere language and just asked her to put more â€Å"flair† on. Peters boss, Lumbergh, shows poor listening responses by not even looking a peter when he is talking to him. Lumbergh also does not even respond correctly to the rebuttals from peter about the cover letters. Peter told his boss at one point in the movie, office space, â€Å"I already have the cover sheet, right here. † Lumbergh responds by saying â€Å"I’ll have a copy sent to you. † Lumbergh’s shows a complete disregard for what peter told him.Our book states(page 237) that mindless listing, occurs when we react to others’ messages automatically and routinely, without much mental investment. Lumbergh’s responses are all mindle ss responses thought out the movie, office space. In the movie office space the communication between managers and employees are disconfirming by the simple fact that no one lesions to any one or knows any one, one example of this is when another employee doesn’t even know the peters friends names when she hands back the mail.

the best movie I have ever seen

In my personal opinion Avatar is the best movie I have ever seen. I loved everything about the movie, especially the state-of-the-art technology. When I first saw the trailer for Avatar there were no famous actors in it but the thing that did draw me into seeing it was the amazing scenery. Most of the scenery in the movie reminded me of a tropical rain forest except the rain forest literally jumps out at you. After I saw Avatar for the first time with my older brother and dad, I felt like walking outside and hugging a tree. The director James Cameron has been working on this film for more than 15 years and a budget over 300 million. James Cameron’s Avatar is like nothing you have ever seen. The movie unfolds on a digitally created world called Pandora, the craziest world you can’t even imagine. Huge rock formations hang miles above the ground with waterfalls running off them into the air; flowers that look out of this world hide in the ground if you so much as touch them; little floating flowers that swim through the air like little jellyfish off the sacred tree. Since the movie is in 3D most of this beautiful scenery dances before your eyes. On the beautiful plant of Pandora, humans seek to find mineral deposits of Petroleum which is worth more than diamonds. The problem is not finding the Petroleum it’s the native forest people called the Na‘Vi. The Na’Vi live in a tree that’s as big as a skyscraper, the huge tree is sitting on top of the richest Petroleum deposits. The military wants to take action to force the Na’Vi out of their homes but the scientists urge the military to let them try a more diplomatic approach before they take action. This is where the scientist recruits a young paraplegic soldier, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), to infiltrate them by linking his mind to one of their bodies, genetically bred by the army for the purpose. They put Jake in a device that lets him control one of the Na’Vi bodies so he can move among their people and earn their trust. While all this is happening Jake is safe at the military base sitting in this machine for hours like a vegetable. The reason why they choose Jake for this assignment is because his older brother was on this mission but died. The military didn’t want to get rid of the avatar so they found his twin brother Jake to help. Jake acts as a spy for the humans learning the ways of the Na’Vi but in time falls in love with the Na’Vi princess, he starts to wonder if he’s really on the right side. Most movies that I see I can easily predict what was about to happen or going to happen in the future. But I could never have guessed most of the things that happened. When I saw Avatar it was like I was in this futuristic dream that I couldn’t escape from, not that I wanted to even leave for a second to go to the bathroom. I remember having to go to the bathroom really bad after drinking a large coke; I held it in for most of the movie until I couldn’t any longer. Avatar has been nominated for 9 Oscar awards. Those nominations are best art direction, best cinematography, best directing, best film editing, best original score, best picture, best sound editing, best sound mixing and best visual effects. There were no performance nominations; I’m not surprised at this because the visual effects and graphics are what draw you in to see the movie. In my opinion the acting wasn’t good or bad it was just ok. I think this movie would have done much better than it has if Cameron higher some better known actors such as Leonardo Dicaprio. Above all I would highly recommend going to see this big-budget mainstream film. If you can go to the loudest, biggest, brightest theater you can find and if you go deaf or blind from seeing this movie it will be well worth it.

Madam & Eve

The story takes place in South Africa. The main characters are Madam Eve and her daughter, Thandi. During the apatheid Eve was Madam's slave, since the end they remained good friends. 1. It is the first school day for Thandi a black young girl. Her mother and madam and Madam accompanies her to the entrance of school and say her to enjoy herself. 2. Thandi meets two school young-boy-white. 3. One asks Thandi for what she is here. And the other one adds that this school was a great school until people as Thandi arrives. 4. By far Madam and Eve look at the scene and think Thandi is again a victim of rascisme. 5. Madam querels them, by explaining them that now it is the new South Africa. Where blacks and whites live together and have the same rights. 6. The boys are surprised of reactions of the ladies. Because the problem is not the skin colour of thandi, but the fact whether she is a girl. Cause this school used to an all-boys school. 7. A third black little boy makes his appearance. To show and press on the fact that the blacks are not a problem in this school but the girls yes! Furthermore for them the girls are Yucky !! 8. Madam et Eve Smile 9. But Thandi does not want that they get away like that. Conclusion : To conclude, we can say that this comic strip raises the new problem of this society, the sexism.

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Changing our lives - Essay Example Moreover, establishing of goals indicates how much progress has been made and how far one is from his destination. Thus, like millions of people, I have also established few goals to be achieved in my life. One of my primary goals is to seek higher professional education from the USA. Since I belong to the Middle East, proceeding to the USA for acquiring Masters Degree in International Relations is my prime ambition. It would be a token of great honor, respect and prestige when my family members, friends and relations would introduce me with others as a foreign qualified young man. It would certainly boost up my morale and I would experience the bewitching fragrance of pride and respect in my mind. Proceeding to the western societies for seeking professional education is really a pleasant dream for the Arab youth, because lucrative jobs and rapid promotions are in wait of such qualified persons on their return in their native country. During my stay in the USA, I will be able to lear n many things related to culture, civilization, society, religion and politics of the world. It is reality beyond suspicion that the USA is a multicultural society, where people belonging to divergent racial, ethnic, regional, religious and cultural groups and communities live together.

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Collaborative Learning Community - Essay Example Through the process of fun, teamwork and engagement students can learn effortlessly. This process relates to the respective indicators in each of the module by using specific methodology that achieves the assessment goals. The methods used enable students to describe numerous items (parents, siblings, etch), able to express and identify their emotions as well as of others through games. For example, in the theme of Food and Taste, identification of foods and their taste were done through a ladder game where the class were formed into teams and recall as many adjectives they can about the object presented. In the same manner in the language and communication theme, the class is engaged in a bingo game where they identify facial expressions depending on the description used and concluded with a spinner game whereby they draw a word and express what they feel using that word. There is also a writing activity whereby students are form into teams and help each other use every word they know to describe the word on their

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Marketing - Essay Example You must take note of the industrial norms, i.e. the competitors which are already existent within the relevant market. This will make you realize the extent of scope that will be successful when you decide to open up London Pride. When you know about the competition right from the onset then you also discern that how they are playing upon their strengths and what weaknesses exist within their realms. Their weak points are significant since you could play with them and implement them in your own health and fitness club. Their strengths could be replicated and you could incorporate strategies which will make you successful as well. (Baker, 1970) In fact you can exceed the strengths by giving more value to the eventual customers or members of the health and fitness clubs than the competitors are providing at the present. If the marketing environment is dull and mundane, you would have to instill confidence within the customers to come and try for their own betterment the facilities ava ilable at your health and fitness club and thus become fitter and healthier in their respective lives. The marketing environment which exists for London Pride will dictate the way under which you will exploit the strengths that you bring to the table and close down the weaknesses that are already existent within the industry. Now it up to you as to how you balance the positive and the negative stance presented by the industry and how you will counter the very same in a head on manner. Your business is what you must concern yourself with and for that you need to devise a strategy which will not only be wholesome but also exclusive for your own business. The business will only gain from the marketing environment and you should make sure that the hurdles that come your way must not deter you in the wake of launching this health and fitness club. You must get your act together and do

A Victim's Perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Victim's Perspective - Essay Example Despite of this reduction, violent crimes in the country are known to be around 1.2 million (Frieden 2012). These statistics indicate the fact that more than millions of lives and more than millions of families are subjected to violent crimes annually. Despite of the reduction, it needs to be understood that the lives of the victims of the crimes become scarred every year. I have been through one such experience of a violent crime when I recently witnessed the murder of my aunt who stays in my neighbourhood. This event has left a great impact on me and has hampered my day to day activities. It has crippled me physically, emotionally as well as financially. I had read about the fact that crime victims suffer from many after effects following the violent crimes. These include post traumatic stress disorder, delusions and constant fear. Furthermore, the victims are repeatedly reminded of the crime by the interrogators who question with regard to the crime very often. Anxiety and stress are also known to affect these victims (Cox 2006). I have been suffering from all of these problems ever since the crime. I cannot sleep well and there is always a constant fear of being interrogated and reminded of the happenings on that day. I was very unlucky to have witnessed the murder of my aunt by the man who loved her and had promised that he would marry her. He is still on the run and I feel helpless. There are many challenges that I have to overcome before I can return my life back to normal. But the biggest challenge that needs to be tackled is to overcome the fear that I face when I want to go outside. It has been very difficult for me to step out of the house as there is a constant fear that I might be attacked by the murderer or that I might come across a similar incident again. I would have to gather my strength again and be ready to take all the support that my family and friends are offering me. To overcome this difficulty, I would also need to cooperate in a better way with the interrogators so that they can find the criminal and out him behind the bars. This will not be easy as it will require great willpower from my side. Difficulties have been my way following this incident. I have to answer the queries and questions not only of the investigators but also of the people living around me. This serves to remind me of the incident again and again. I am emotionally unstable as I cannot interact with anyone and my social life has totally ended. Furthermore, I have started visiting a psychiatrist as I am unable to sleep at night. I have not been going to my college as I do not think I will be able to face all the people and talk to anyone. My part time job has also been affected. Thus I have been drained financially as well. The stress and anxiety does not let me concentrate. I have assessed the fact that I need to come to terms with the event that has happened and face it rather than hide from it. I have tried searching and I have seen man y vic tims who have been suffering since years. I also watched the documentary â€Å"Beyond Conviction† by Rachel Libert (2006) to understand the feelings and emotions of other people suffering like me. The stories of Angela whose father was murdered and of Lyndy who was raped seem very similar to the situation that I