Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Rise Of Nazism And The Holocaust - 1668 Words

History involves the study of past events that have shaped the world today. These events range from scientific discoveries, revolutions to world wars. Historical events have causal factors and in certain instances can be traced to an individual level. Therefore, certain individuals do matter in history directly altering the course the world takes. Adolf Hitler is one of these individuals. Hitler, the figurehead of the Nazi regime that led Germany to World War II, and instigated one of the most infamous genocides in history, the Holocaust. The impact Adolf Hitler had on history, namely, the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust is also due to a favourable set of circumstances that without them Hitler himself would not have been enough. There is no denying that Hitler was not ‘Charismatic’, a leader that brought a type of cult following for millions. Seen to possess heroic qualities at a time of domestic and international crisis for the German population. Hitler created a new political theory ‘National Socialism’. The population was viewed as a ‘volk’ (people) consisting of Bavarians, Thuringians, Prussians, Rhinelanders, Sudetens and Austrians all of German racial stock and Hitler their Fueher. The political slogan Hitler created, ‘Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer (One people, one empire, one leader) sums up his leadership as the head of the leader cult. Hitler’s success as the figurehead of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) can be seen from the growth inShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie Lego 963 Words   |  4 Pagesa source of fun for families everywhere. However a recent form of Legos takes the place of an anti-Nazi and Holocaust lect ure. The Lego Movie was released in February 2014 and achieved a rating of 96% from Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was an instant hit, with 6 major awards and 11 nominations. However, in the movie there are silent messages being sent to kids about how bad the Holocaust can be. The connections between the historic event and the movie are featured throughout the film. The LegoRead MoreFascist Ideology- Norsefire and the Nazi Party1441 Words   |  6 PagesIdeology By Evie Friedrich Question One. What were the ideologies of the Nazi Party and the Norsefire Party portrayed in V for Vendetta? Nazi ideology or Nazism was the ideology developed by Adolf Hitler and other prominent Nazis in Germany. There were many existing ideologies that influenced Nazism such as Fascism and Nationalism, however Nazism was a unique ideology in many ways. It combined many ideas, values and morals that were key to Hitler’s vision of Germany, such as Lebensraum, the FuhrerRead MoreQuestions On The Holocaust1837 Words   |  8 PagesJulia Powell Rough Draft- Essay 2 ENG109H Six-Ish Components of Essay: 1.) Overview Thesis: Holocaust as a gate-way for larger evil in present and future. In a world plagued with evil, we as man witness incidences of degeneracy on a daily basis. Whether it be road rage in response to scanty driving, acts of aggression spurred by those who have felt wronged, or the theft of lavish items; inimical acts have become all-too-ordinary in society. In American culture, the broadcasting of such actsRead MoreAnti Semitism During World War I1024 Words   |  5 Pagesand industry profits and could control all trusts. They also planned to expand welfare. They stated that Nazis should want to die for their beliefs, or for the platform to even take place. Nazis were very determined to rise to power, and to discriminate against Jews (Ley). Nazism rapidly grew after the Great Depression in the 1930s. The Nazis blamed the Jews for this major stock market crash. (â€Å"Antisemitism†) The growth of Anti Semitism was the main factor that contributed to Nazi beliefs. AntiRead MoreMussolini s Main Goals For Italy1177 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Thou shalt not be a victim, thou shalt not be a perpetrator, but above all, thou shalt not be a bystander† (A), these wise words were spoken by Yehuda Bauer, 65 years after the start of the Holocaust. Italy, under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, was one of the many countries who turned her back on the Jewish people. Because of political, social and economic reasons, Italy was a bystander to the heinous crimes inflicted on the Jewish population. Benito Mussolini took control of theRead MoreEssay about Nazi Use of Darwinism 1495 Words   |  6 Pagesprinciples which were outlined by the Treaty of Versailles made economic stability in Germany difficult to achieve and caused Germany to suffer from inflation and the Great Depression. Unemployment and the fear of communism allowed Adolf Hitler to rise to power in 1933. Before Hitler came to power, he spent nine months in jail where he wrote his autobiography Mein Kampf (My Struggle), where he mentions how Darwin’s theory of evolution was the only basis for a successful Germany. He sets forth a numberRead MoreSylvia Plath s The Bell Jar1130 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Lady Lazarus,† about her trap of depression and suicide attempts, is effective and thought provoking because of her allusions to WWII Nazi Germany and the feelings of oppression and Nazism that the recurring images evoke. Beginning with the title, Plath takes a clear point of view as a Jewish person in the Holocaust. The Lazarus of Bethany, who was raised from the dead by Jesus, is the first allusion Plath incorporates. Lady Lazarus is a play on the Lazarus of Bethany, as Plath feels as if she hasRead MoreAdolf Hitler : Leading The Genocide1182 Words   |  5 PagesAdriana Flores Mrs.Harrington English 2; Per. 5 23 March 2015 Adolf Hitler: Leading the Genocide The Holocaust was the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime in 1941 to 1945. There are many components of this significant event. One important component was Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party and Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945. Hitler contributed to the execution of Jews during WWII through his ideology, his dictatorship, and his leadership of the Nazi Party. To initiateRead MoreVisual Propaganda For Armed Conflict Comment2298 Words   |  10 Pagesefforts continued systematically despite efforts by anti-Nazi groups like the European Union and the White Rose, groups who were composed of anti-fascist Germans who produced many anti-Nazis propaganda leaflets during the war. These groups despised Nazism and wrote newsletters leaflets debunking the myths orchestrated by the Nazis propaganda machine, however their efforts were largely unsuccessful, as millions of German citizens believed the Nazi rhetoric regarding the Jews (ushmm.org). Much of theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Perils Of Indifference784 Words   |  4 PagesPerils of Indifference,† asserts that the inhumanity of indifference is still relevant today and can have negative effects on humanity unless society acts to abolish indifference. He develops his message through highlighting his experience in the holocaust as well as the multitude of tragedies that had occurred that cen tury and how indifference can be handled; he states â€Å"Society was composed of three simple categories: the killer, the victim, and the bystander.†(par 14) which shows how his experience

Monday, December 16, 2019

Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 4 Free Essays

Chapter 4 Yet another reason that I loathe the heavenly scum with whom I share this room: today I found that I had offended our intrepid room service waiter, Jesus. How was I to know? When he brought our pizza for dinner, I gave him one of the American silver coins that we received from the airport sweet shop called Cinnabon. He scoffed at me – scoffed – then, thinking better of it, he said, â€Å"Seà ±or, I know you are foreign, so you do not know, but this is a very insulting tip. We will write a custom essay sample on Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Better you just sign the room service slip so I get the fee that is added automatically. I tell you this because you have been very kind, and I know you do not mean to offend, but another of the waiters would spit in your food if you should offer him this.† I glared at the angel, who, as usual, was lying on the bed watching television, and for the first time I realized that he did not understand Jesus’ language. He did not possess the gift of tongues he had bestowed on me. He spoke Aramaic to me, and he seemed to know Hebrew and enough English to understand television, but of Spanish he understood not a word. I apologized to Jesus and sent him on his way with a promise that I would make it up to him, then I wheeled on the angel. â€Å"You fool, these coins, these dimes, are nearly worthless in this country.† â€Å"What do you mean, they look like the silver dinars we dug up in Jerusalem, they are worth a fortune.† He was right, in a way. After he called me up from the dead I led him to a cemetery in the valley of Ben Hiddon, and there, hidden behind a stone where Judas had put it two thousand years ago, was the blood money – thirty silver dinars. But for a little tarnish, they looked just as they did on the day I had taken them, and they were almost identical to the coin this country calls the dime (except for the image of Tiberius on the dinars, and some other Caesar on the dime). We had taken the dinars to an antiquities dealer in the old city (which looked nearly the same as it did when I’d last walked there, except that the Temple was gone and in its place two great mosques). The merchant gave us twenty thousand dollars in American money for them. It was this money that we had traveled on, and deposited at the hotel desk for our expenses. The angel told me the dimes must have the same worth as the dinars, and I, like a fool, believed him. â€Å"You should have told me,† I said to the angel. â€Å"If I could leave this room I would know myself.† â€Å"You have work to do,† the angel said. Then he leapt to his feet and shouted at the television, â€Å"The wrath of the Lord shall fall upon ye, Stephanos!† â€Å"What in the hell are you shouting at?† The angel wagged a finger at the screen, â€Å"He has exchanged Catherine’s baby for its evil twin, which he fathered with her sister while she was in a coma, yet Catherine does not realize his evil deed, as he has had his face changed to impersonate the bank manager who is foreclosing on Catherine’s husband’s business. If I was not trapped here I would personally drag the fiend straight to hell.† For days now the angel had been watching serial dramas on television, alternately shouting at the screen or bursting into tears. He had stopped reading over my shoulder, so I had just tried to ignore him, but now I realized what was going on. â€Å"It’s not real, Raziel.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It’s drama, like the Greeks used to do. They are actors in a play.† â€Å"No, no one could pretend to such evil.† â€Å"That’s not all. Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus? Not real. Characters in a play.† â€Å"You lying dog!† â€Å"If you’d ever leave the room and look at how real people talk you’d know that, you yellow-haired cretin. But no, you stay here perched on my shoulder like a trained bird. I am dead two thousand years and even I know better.† (I still need to get a look at that book in the dresser. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could goad the angel into giving me five minutes privacy.) â€Å"You know nothing,† said Raziel. â€Å"I have destroyed whole cities in my time.† â€Å"Sort of makes me wonder if you destroyed the right ones. That’d be embarrassing, huh?† Then an advertisement came on the screen for a magazine that promised to â€Å"fill in all the blanks† and give the real inside story to all of soap operas: Soap Opera Digest. I watched the angel’s eyes widen. He grabbed the phone and rang the front desk. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I need that book.† â€Å"Have them send up Jesus,† I said. â€Å"He’ll help you get it.† On our first day of work, Joshua and I were up before dawn. We met near the well and filled the waterskins our fathers had given us, then ate our breakfasts, flatbread and cheese, as we walked together to Sepphoris. The road, although packed dirt most of the way, was smooth and easy to walk. (If Rome saw to anything in its territories, it was the lifelines of its army.) As we walked we watched the rock-strewn hills turn pink under the rising sun, and I saw Joshua shudder as if a chill wind had danced up his spine. â€Å"The glory of God is in everything we see,† he said. â€Å"We must never forget that.† â€Å"I just stepped in camel dung. Tomorrow let’s leave after it’s light out.† â€Å"I just realized it, that is why the old woman wouldn’t live again. I forgot that it wasn’t my power that made her arise, it was the Lord’s. I brought her back for the wrong reason, out of arrogance, so she died a second time.† â€Å"It squished over the side of my sandal. Well, that’s going to smell all day.† â€Å"But perhaps it was because I did not touch her. When I’ve brought other creatures back to life, I’ve always touched them.† â€Å"Is there something in the Law about taking your camel off the road to do his business? There should be. If not the Law of Moses, then the Romans should have one. I mean, they won’t hesitate to crucify a Jew who rebels, there should be some punishment for messing up their roads. Don’t you think? I’m not saying crucifixion, but a good smiting in the mouth or something.† â€Å"But how could I have touched the corpse when it is forbidden by the Law? The mourners would have stopped me.† â€Å"Can we stop for a second so I can scrape off my sandal? Help me find a stick. That pile was as big as my head.† â€Å"You’re not listening to me, Biff.† â€Å"I am listening. Look, Joshua, I don’t think the Law applies to you. I mean, you’re the Messiah, God is supposed to tell you what he wants, isn’t he?† â€Å"I ask, but I receive no answer.† â€Å"Look, you’re doing fine. Maybe that woman didn’t live again because she was stubborn. Old people are that way. You have to throw water on my grandfather to get him up from his nap. Try a young dead person next time.† â€Å"What if I am not really the Messiah?† â€Å"You mean you’re not sure? The angel didn’t give it away? You think that God might be playing a joke on you? I don’t think so. I don’t know the Torah as well as you, Joshua, but I don’t remember God having a sense of humor.† Finally, a grin. â€Å"He gave me you as a best friend, didn’t he?† â€Å"Help me find a stick.† â€Å"Do you think I’ll make a good stonemason?† â€Å"Just don’t be better at it than I am. That’s all I ask.† â€Å"You stink.† â€Å"What have I been saying?† â€Å"You really think Maggie likes me?† â€Å"Are you going to be like this every morning? Because if you are, you can walk to work alone.† The gates of Sepphoris were like a funnel of humanity. Farmers poured out into their fields and groves, craftsmen and builders crowded in, while merchants hawked their wares and beggars moaned at the roadside. Joshua and I stopped outside the gates to marvel and were nearly run down by a man leading a string of donkeys laden with baskets of stone. It wasn’t that we had never seen a city before. Jerusalem was fifty times larger than Sepphoris, and we had been there many times for feast days, but Jerusalem was a Jewish city – it was the Jewish city. Sepphoris was the Roman fortress city of Galilee, and as soon as we saw the statue of Venus at the gates we knew that this was something different. I elbowed Joshua in the ribs. â€Å"Graven image.† I had never seen the human form depicted before. â€Å"Sinful,† Joshua said. â€Å"She’s naked.† â€Å"Don’t look.† â€Å"She’s completely naked.† â€Å"It is forbidden. We should go away from here, find your father.† He caught me by my sleeve and dragged me through the gates into the city. â€Å"How can they allow that?† I asked. â€Å"You’d think that our people would tear it down.† â€Å"They did, a band of Zealots. Joseph told me. The Romans caught them and crucified them by this road.† â€Å"You never told me that.† â€Å"Joseph told me not to speak of it.† â€Å"You could see her breasts.† â€Å"Don’t think about it.† â€Å"How can I not think about it? I’ve never seen a breast without a baby attached to it. They’re more – more friendly in pairs like that.† â€Å"Which way to where we are supposed to work?† â€Å"My father said to come to the western corner of the city and we would see where the work was being done.† â€Å"Then come along.† He was still dragging me, his head down, stomping along like an angry mule. â€Å"Do you think Maggie’s breasts will look like that?† My father had been commissioned to build a house for a wealthy Greek on the western side of the city. When Joshua and I arrived my father was already there, directing the slaves who were hoisting a cut stone into place on the wall. I suppose I expected something different. I suppose I was surprised that anyone, even a slave, would do as my father instructed. The slaves were Nubians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, criminals, debtors, spoils of war, accidents of birth; they were wiry, filthy men, many wearing nothing more than sandals and a loincloth. In another life they might have commanded an army or lived in a palace, but now they sweated in the morning chill, moving stones heavy enough to break a donkey. â€Å"Are these your slaves?† Joshua asked my father. â€Å"Am I a rich man, Joshua? No, these slaves belong to the Romans. The Greek who is building this house has hired them for the construction.† â€Å"Why do they do as you ask? There are so many of them. You are only one man.† My father hung his head. â€Å"I hope that you never see what the lead tips of a Roman whip do to a man’s body. All of these men have, and even seeing it has broken their spirit as men. I pray for them every night.† â€Å"I hate the Romans,† I said. â€Å"Do you, little one, do you?† A man’s voice from behind. â€Å"Hail, Centurion,† my father said, his eyes going wide. Joshua and I turned to see Justus Gallicus, the centurion from the funeral at Japhia, standing among the slaves. â€Å"Alphaeus, it seems you are raising a litter of Zealots.† My father put his hands on my and Joshua’s shoulders. â€Å"This is my son, Levi, and his friend Joshua. They begin their apprenticeship today. Just boys,† he said, by way of apology. Justus approached, looked quickly at me, then stared at Joshua for a long time. â€Å"I know you, boy. I’ve seen you before.† â€Å"The funeral at Japhia,† I said quickly. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the wasp-waisted short sword that hung from the centurion’s belt. â€Å"No,† the Roman seemed to be searching his memory. â€Å"Not Japhia. I’ve seen this face in a picture.† â€Å"That can’t be,† my father said. â€Å"We are forbidden by our faith from depicting the human form.† Justus glared at him. â€Å"I am not a stranger to your people’s primitive beliefs, Alphaeus. Still, this boy is familiar.† Joshua stared up at the centurion with a completely blank expression. â€Å"You feel for these slaves, boy? You would free them if you could?† Joshua nodded. â€Å"I would. A man’s spirit should be his own to give to God.† â€Å"You know, there was a slave about eighty years ago who talked like you. He raised an army of slaves against Rome, beat back two of our armies, took over all the territories south of Rome. It’s a story every Roman soldier must learn.† â€Å"Why, what happened?† I asked. â€Å"We crucified him,† Justus said. â€Å"By the side of the road, and his body was eaten by ravens. The lesson we all learn is that nothing can stand against Rome. A lesson you need to learn, boy, along with your stonecutting.† Just then another Roman soldier approached, a legionnaire, not wearing the cape or the helmet crest of the centurion. He said something to Justus in Latin, then looked at Joshua and paused. In rough Aramaic he said, â€Å"Hey, didn’t I see that kid on some bread once?† â€Å"Wasn’t him,† I said. â€Å"Really? Sure looks like him.† â€Å"Nope, that was another kid on the bread.† â€Å"It was me,† said Joshua. I backhanded him across the forehead, knocking him to the ground. â€Å"No it wasn’t. He’s insane. Sorry.† The soldier shook his head and hurried off after Justus. I offered a hand to help Joshua up. â€Å"You’re going to have to learn to lie.† â€Å"I am? But I feel like I’m here to tell the truth.† â€Å"Yeah, sure, but not now.† I don’t exactly know what I expected it would be like working as a stonemason, but I know that in less than a week Joshua was having second thoughts about not becoming a carpenter. Cutting great stones with small iron chisels was very hard work. Who knew? â€Å"Look around, do you see any trees?† Joshua mocked. â€Å"Rocks, Josh, rocks.† â€Å"It’s only hard because we don’t know what we’re doing. It will get easier.† Joshua looked at my father, who was stripped to the waist, chiseling away on a stone the size of a donkey, while a dozen slaves waited to hoist it into place. He was covered with gray dust and streams of sweat drew dark lines between cords of muscle straining in his back and arms. â€Å"Alphaeus,† Joshua called, â€Å"does the work get easier once you know what you are doing?† â€Å"Your lungs grow thick with stone dust and your eyes bleary from the sun and fragments thrown up by the chisel. You pour your lifeblood out into works of stone for Romans who will take your money in taxes to feed soldiers who will nail your people to crosses for wanting to be free. Your back breaks, your bones creak, your wife screeches at you, and your children torment you with open, begging mouths, like greedy baby birds in the nest. You go to bed every night so tired and beaten that you pray to the Lord to send the angel of death to take you in your sleep so you don’t have to face another morning. It also has its downside.† â€Å"Thanks,† Joshua said. He looked at me, one eyebrow raised. â€Å"I for one, am excited,† I said. â€Å"I’m ready to cut some stone. Stand back, Josh, my chisel is on fire. Life is stretched out before us like a great bazaar, and I can’t wait to taste the sweets to be found there.† Josh tilted his head like a bewildered dog. â€Å"I didn’t get that from your father’s answer.† â€Å"It’s sarcasm, Josh.† â€Å"Sarcasm?† â€Å"It’s from the Greek, sarkasmos. To bite the lips. It means that you aren’t really saying what you mean, but people will get your point. I invented it, Bartholomew named it.† â€Å"Well, if the village idiot named it, I’m sure it’s a good thing.† â€Å"There you go, you got it.† â€Å"Got what?† â€Å"Sarcasm.† â€Å"No, I meant it.† â€Å"Sure you did.† â€Å"Is that sarcasm?† â€Å"Irony, I think.† â€Å"What’s the difference?† â€Å"I haven’t the slightest idea.† â€Å"So you’re being ironic now, right?† â€Å"No, I really don’t know.† â€Å"Maybe you should ask the idiot.† â€Å"Now you’ve got it.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sarcasm.† â€Å"Biff, are you sure you weren’t sent here by the Devil to vex me?† â€Å"Could be. How am I doing so far? You feel vexed?† â€Å"Yep. And my hands hurt from holding the chisel and mallet.† He struck the chisel with his wooden mallet and sprayed us both with stone fragments. â€Å"Maybe God sent me to talk you into being a stonemason so you would hurry up and go be the Messiah.† He struck the chisel again, then spit and sputtered through the fragments that flew. â€Å"I don’t know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"So what, a week ago we didn’t know how to be stonemasons and look at us now. It gets easier once you know what you’re doing.† â€Å"Are you being ironic again?† â€Å"God, I hope not.† It was two months before we actually saw the Greek who had commissioned my father to build the house. He was a short, soft-looking little man, who wore a robe that was as white as any worn by the Levite priests, with a border of interlocking rectangles woven around the hem in gold. He arrived in a pair of chariots, followed on foot by two body slaves and a half-dozen bodyguards who looked like Phoenicians. I say a pair of chariots because he rode with a driver in the lead chariot, but behind them they pulled a second chariot in which stood the ten-foot-tall marble statue of a naked man. The Greek climbed down from his chariot and went directly to my father. Joshua and I were mixing a batch of mortar at the time and we paused to watch. â€Å"Graven image,† Joshua said. â€Å"Saw it,† I said. â€Å"As graven images go, I like Venus over by the gate better.† â€Å"That statue is not Jewish,† Joshua said. â€Å"Definitely not Jewish,† I said. The statue’s manhood, although abundant, was not circumcised. â€Å"Alphaeus,† the Greek said, â€Å"why haven’t you set the floor of the gymnasium yet? I’ve brought this statue to display in the gymnasium, and there’s just a hole in the ground instead of a gymnasium.† â€Å"I told you, this ground is not suitable for building. I can’t build on sand. I’ve had the slaves dig down in the sand until they hit bedrock. Now it has to be back-filled in with stone, then pounded.† â€Å"But I want to place my statue,† the Greek whined. â€Å"It’s come all the way from Athens.† â€Å"Would you rather your house fall down around your precious statue?† â€Å"Don’t talk to me that way, Jew, I am paying you well to build this house.† â€Å"And I am building this house well, which means not on the sand. So store your statue and let me do my work.† â€Å"Well, unload it. You, slaves, help unload my statue.† The Greek was talking to Joshua and me. â€Å"All of you, help unload my statue.† He pointed to the slaves who had been pretending to work since the Greek arrived, but who weren’t sure that it was in their best interest to look like a part of a project about which the master seemed displeased. They all looked up with a surprised â€Å"Who, me?† expression on their faces, which I noticed was the same in any language. The slaves moved to the chariot and began untying the ropes that held the statue in place. The Greek looked to us. â€Å"Are you deaf, slaves? Help them!† He stormed back to his chariot and grabbed a whip out of the driver’s hand. â€Å"Those are not slaves,† my father said. â€Å"Those are my apprentices.† The Greek wheeled on him. â€Å"And I should care about that? Move, boys! Now!† â€Å"No,† Joshua said. I thought the Greek would explode. He raised the whip as if to strike. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"He said, no.† I stepped up to Joshua’s side. â€Å"My people believe that graven images, statues, are sinful,† my father said, his voice on the edge of panic. â€Å"The boys are only being true to our God.† â€Å"Well, that is a statue of Apollo, a real god, so they will help unload it, as will you, or I’ll find another mason to build my house.† â€Å"No,† Joshua repeated. â€Å"We will not.† â€Å"Right, you leprous jar of camel snot,† I said. Joshua looked at me, sort of disgusted. â€Å"Jeez, Biff.† â€Å"Too much?† The Greek screeched and started to swing the whip. The last thing I saw as I covered my face was my father diving toward the Greek. I would take a lash for Joshua, but I didn’t want to lose an eye. I braced for the sting that never came. There was a thump, then a twanging sound, and when I uncovered my face, the Greek was lying on his back in the dirt, his white robe covered with dust, his face red with rage. The whip was extended out behind him, and on its tip stood the armored hobnail boot of Gaius Justus Gallicus, the centurion. The Greek rolled in the dirt, ready to vent his ire on whoever had stayed his hand, but when he saw who it was, he went limp and pretended to cough. One of the Greek’s bodyguards started to step forward. Justus pointed a finger at the guard. â€Å"Will you stand down, or would you rather feel the foot of the Roman Empire on your neck?† The guard stepped back into line with his companions. The Roman was grinning like a mule eating an apple, not in the least concerned with allowing the Greek to save face. â€Å"So, Castor, am I to gather that you need to conscript more Roman slaves to help build your house? Or is it true what I hear about you Greeks, that whipping young boys is an entertainment for you, not a disciplinary action?† The Greek spit out a mouthful of dust as he climbed to his feet. â€Å"The slaves I have will be sufficient for the task, won’t they, Alphaeus?† He turned to my father, his eyes pleading. My father seemed to be caught between two evils, and unable to decide which was the lesser of them. â€Å"Probably,† he said, finally. â€Å"Well, good, then,† Justus said. â€Å"I will expect a bonus payment for the extra work they are doing. Carry on.† Justus walked through the construction site, acting as if every eye was not on him, or not caring, and paused as he passed Joshua and me. â€Å"Leprous jar of camel snot?† he said under his breath. â€Å"Old Hebrew blessing?† I ventured. â€Å"You two should be in the hills with the other Hebrew rebels.† The Roman laughed, tousled our hair, then walked away. The sunset was turning the hillsides pink as we walked home to Nazareth that evening. In addition to being almost exhausted from the work, Joshua seemed vexed by the events of the day. â€Å"Did you know that – about not being able to build on sand?† he asked. â€Å"Of course, my father’s been talking about it for a long time. You can build on sand, but what you build will fall down.† Joshua nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"What about soil? Dirt? Is it okay to build on that?† â€Å"Rock is best, but I suppose hard dirt is good.† â€Å"I need to remember that.† We seldom saw Maggie in those days after we began working with my father. I found myself looking forward to the Sabbath, when we would go to the synagogue and I would mill around outside, among the women, while the men were inside listening to the reading of the Torah or the arguments of the Pharisees. It was one of the few times I could talk to Maggie without Joshua around, for though he resented the Pharisees even then, he knew he could learn from them, so he spent the Sabbath listening to their teachings. I still wonder if this time I stole with Maggie somehow represented a disloyalty to Joshua, but later, when I asked him about it, he said, â€Å"God is willing to forgive you the sin that you carry for being a child of man, but you must forgive yourself for having once been a child.† â€Å"I suppose that’s right.† â€Å"Of course it’s right, I’m the Son of God, you dolt. Besides, Maggie always wanted to talk about me anyway, didn’t she?† â€Å"Not always,† I lied. On the Sabbath before the murder, I found Maggie outside the synagogue, sitting by herself under a date palm tree. I shuffled up to her to talk, but kept looking at my feet. I knew that if I looked into her eyes I would forget what I was talking about, so I only looked at her in brief takes, the way a man will glance up at the sun on a sweltering day to confirm the source of the heat. â€Å"Where’s Joshua?† were the first words out of her mouth, of course. â€Å"Studying with the men.† She seemed disappointed for a moment, but then brightened. â€Å"How is your work?† â€Å"Hard, I like playing better.† â€Å"What is Sepphoris like? Is it like Jerusalem?† â€Å"No, it’s smaller. But there are a lot of Romans there.† She’d seen Romans. I needed something to impress her. â€Å"And there are graven images – statues of people.† Maggie covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. â€Å"Statues, really? I would love to see them.† â€Å"Then come with us, we are leaving tomorrow very early, before anyone is awake.† â€Å"I couldn’t. Where would I tell my mother I was going?† â€Å"Tell her that you are going to Sepphoris with the Messiah and his pal.† Her eyes went wide and I looked away quickly, before I was caught in their spell. â€Å"You shouldn’t talk that way, Biff.† â€Å"I saw the angel.† â€Å"You said yourself that we shouldn’t say it.† â€Å"I was only joking. Tell your mother that I told you about a beehive that I found and that you want to go find some honey while the bees are still groggy from the morning cold. It’s a full moon tonight, so you’ll be able to see. She just might believe you.† â€Å"She might, but she’ll know I was lying when I don’t bring home any honey.† â€Å"Tell her it was a hornets’ nest. She thinks Josh and I are stupid anyway, doesn’t she?† â€Å"She thinks that Joshua is touched in the head, but you, yes, she thinks you’re stupid.† â€Å"You see, my plan is working. For it is written that ‘if the wise man always appears stupid, his failures do not disappoint, and his success gives pleasant surprise.'† Maggie smacked me on the leg. â€Å"That is not written.† â€Å"Sure it is, Imbeciles three, verse seven.† â€Å"There is no book of Imbeciles.† â€Å"Drudges five-four?† â€Å"You’re making that up.† â€Å"Come with us, you can be back to Nazareth before it’s time to fetch the morning water.† â€Å"Why so early? What are you two up to?† â€Å"We’re going to circumcise Apollo.† She didn’t say anything, she just looked at me, as if she would see â€Å"Liar† written across my forehead in fire. â€Å"It wasn’t my idea,† I said. â€Å"It was Joshua’s.† â€Å"I’ll go then,† she said. How to cite Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 4, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Demutualization and Stock Market Efficiency a Study on Asian Economies free essay sample

Ownership is somewhat open (WFE Survey, 2005). IOSCO (2000) defines demutualization as the transformation of an exchange into a for-profit shareholder-owned company. The pace of exchange demutualization in developed market jurisdictions has been quite rapid. In the fifteen years since the first exchange demutualization took place in 1993 in Stockholm, Switzerland, 21 exchanges in developed market jurisdictions have demutualised – representing almost 40% of the membership of the World Federation of Exchanges (WEF, 2003). In contrast, the pace of demutualization in emerging market jurisdictions has been relatively slower. Available literature found that a demutualized exchange can borrow from conventional lenders such as banks. Whereas mutualized stock exchanges have to look up to their guarantor for finances (Ahmed at al,, 2011). To borrow from a bank, stock exchanges have to improve their financial policies in order to increase the credibility of the exchange which enhances the corporate governance. In addition to the advantages discussed above, access to human capital is also an important outcome of demutualization. We will write a custom essay sample on Demutualization and Stock Market Efficiency a Study on Asian Economies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Good governance and access to economic capital assist exchanges to attract better qualified human resource (Faina and Lopez, 2006). These professionals will help to take better decisions. Better management would also increase the efficacy of the exchange by introducing better practices and policies (LSE, 2007). Demutualization would also enhance the profit motive for growth and development. After demutualization exchanges have to earn their own bread and butter. 2. Motivation and Contribution In Bangladesh, Stock indices are directed by the elected body of stock brokers where conflict of interest happens (Alam, 2012). There is very poor corporate governance in the Stock Indices that is an important reason of recent debacle of stock market (Ibrahim, 2011). As stock dealers and brokers are familiar as institutional investors and play a big rule in the capital market mechanism, they should be regulated properly. In Bangladesh, DSE conduct inspection on brokerage houses and DSE is also run by a selected committee of brokerage house, so one cannot expect proper judgment from the DSE. Study found that by the all the top investors are brokerage houses who are mainly monitored by DSE that creates many conflicts of interests. So, if brokerage houses make any big irregularity, DSE is supposed to hide it as it a member of DSE. In 2010, many positive factors along with regulatory supports (SEC, DSE) inflated the market and finally caused big losses for general investors. In case of irregularities (serial Trading, price manipulation) by brokerage houses/members, DSE had failed to make any proper investigation and also failed to inform it to SEC for regulatory actions and favored members (Alam,2012). In case of price bidding under book-building method, some members (associated to underwriter of the company) quoted very high and irrational price and DSE listed the securities of these companies without asking any question that rises about the transparency of the listing methods. Without stock exchange demutualization such conflict of interests could not be avoided. Inspired and motivated by the above mentioned reasons of inefficient state of stock market, this proposed research will be taken to assess the efficacy of two selected demutualized stock market- Bombay Stock Market and Australian Stock Market- by different Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of impact assessment in order to put some policy recommendation for the smooth transition of demutualization in Bangladesh. This research is expected to contribute both the heretical and empirical knowledge to the policy makers, investors , financial institutions , market makers to Bangladesh and to other countries who are about to demutualize their market. 3. Research Methodology The proposed research will use ve used secondary data (1997-20012) in the majority of cases from research papers and economic journals alongside with data from internet websites. For analyzing stock prices the daily stock price statistics from different international data bases like ISC, IOSCO, WEF, WORLD BANK, AND IMF. For evaluating operating performance, reports and data from the official web-sites of the sample stock exchanges will be collected. In addition, data provided by World Federation of Exchanges on their web-site www. worldexchanges. org/statistics. Methods that we used in our paper to analyze the operating and market performance are descriptive statistics for evaluating the post listing share price performance and the financial ratio analysis using the accounting data to evaluate stock exchanges market performance as well as their risk and return relationships profile. 4. Proposed Research Snapshot Abstract| Chapter One:Introduction| Problem Statement Objectives of the StudyResearch Methodology Variable IdentificationConstructing HypothesisData SourcesResearch Contribution| Chapter Two : Literature Review| Conceptual

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Evolution Of The American Television Family free essay sample

Essay, Research Paper Television is non merely a signifier of amusement, but it is an first-class signifier of survey of society? s position refering its households. This survey focuses on the history of telecasting beginning in the early 1950s and will run through present twenty-four hours. It examines the usage of racial, cultural and sexual stereotypes to qualify the participants of these shows. The illustrations assist in following what has happened to the word picture of the American household on premier clip telecasting. It reveals the alteration of the criterions employed by web telecasting as disclosed to the American populace. Finally, I will suggest the inquiry of which is the influential entity, telecasting or the viewing audience. The Goldbergs, which was originally a wireless show, became the first popular household series. It became a hebdomadal Television series in 1949, uncovering to Americans a working category Judaic household who resided in a little flat in the Bronx. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution Of The American Television Family or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The show, while warm and humourous, confronted delicate societal issues, such as sensitiveness due to the Second World War. It is an first-class illustration of an cultural household? s position in society. A authoritative among classics, I Love Lucy appeared on telecasting on October 15, 1951, ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nick-at-nite.com/tvretro/shows/ilovelucy/index.tin ) . The series? premiss focused on the jokes of a absurd married woman who beguiles her easy enraged hubby. The series created the men-versus-women criterion on telecasting, ( such as what we see between Dan and Roseanne on Roseanne today ) , that still predominates today. One circumstance that led Television executives to earnestly dispute the show? s impending success was the usage of Lucille Ball? s real-life Cuban hubby, Desi Arnaz. The? mixed-marriage? position was a questionable construct that worried the decision makers. The state of affairs prevailed ; its episodes routinely attracted over two-thirds of the telecasting audience. Leave it to Beaver, the unequivocal 1950? s family comedy, focused on life through the eyes of an stripling male child, Beaver. Beaver was a typically disorderly child. His brother Wally, merely come ining his teens, was get downing to detect the opposite sex. The relationship that existed between the male childs and their parents, Ward and June, was faultless. A state of affairs neer developed that damaged the affinity beyond Restoration. The parents exhibited perfect properties that no existent adult male and married woman could achieve. The kids bestowed unnatural virtuousnesss. The plan became popular with Americans but it did non realistically portray America? s household position. In 1974, a series developed by Garry Marshal entitled Happy Days issued popularity to this epoch. The Cunningham household was the primary household featured on the plan. The position of the American household modified small when the 1960ss arrived. Leave it to Beaver dominated telecasting through 1963. In 1961, the? Dick Van Dyke Show? aided in reenforcing the unflawed household image. Some viewing audiences thought Rob and Laura Petire were visibly similar to the first household, John and Jackie Kennedy. The extremely successful series Bewitched farther developed the perceptual experience of an immaculate suburban area. The indistinguishable status developed by the Ward and Petire households was operative in the Stephens household. Each telecasting family featured a working male parent, affectionate female parent, and attentive kids. Each household was a middle-class household and all financially secure. They each resided in secure families, which were in unworried urban countries. The morality displayed between the parents was applaudable and sacred. The finest word picture of the American household life in the sixtiess came twenty old ages subsequently. The Wonder Years, which debuted on January 31, 1988, exhibited the best portrayal of a middle- category household in differentiation to the sixtiess. The Arnold household featured a fighting urban family. The parents were both conventional and, in the instance of the male parent, emotionally distant. Kevin? s, the teen-aged hero, turning strivings mirrored those of America itself. The terminal of the sixtiess witnessed a drastic affray in America? s civilization. Television? s contemplation of society had begun to maturate. A lone bed replaced the twin beds customarily utilized in the word picture of sleeping rooms. The relationship shared between parents and their kids possessed increased trouble. ? The Brady Bunch? challenged the recognized household construction as it pertained to telecasting. Televisions foremost? blended household? was introduced. The plan contested certain typical ordinances while practising others. The face of telecasting changed everlastingly in the autumn of 1971. Norman Lear? s All in the Family brought a sense of rough world to telecasting which antecedently had been populated mostly by unoffending characters and narratives that seemed to hold been laundered before the were of all time placed on the air. Its main character, Archie Bunker, was uneducated, prejudiced, and blatantly outspoken. His changeless lambasting of virtually every minority group in being characterized the plan as? controversial. ? His debatable matrimony to Edith was due to their contrasted racial thoughts. The relationship that he shared with his girl, Gloria, was strained after her determination to come in the marital province with a Pole, Mike Stivic. The show became the first noteworthy series to turn to racial, cultural, and societal issues within the place. Following the All in the Family genre, household series took a more conservative attack. In Family Ties, the laid-back sixtiess clashed with the conservative 1980s, which in some ways reflected America? s altering values in the Reagan epoch. The kids? s thoughts were in crisp contrast to that of their parents, taking to humourous struggle between the two groups. The Bill Cosby Show besides addressed the discrepancy between kids of the 1980s and they? rhenium contrasted parents. One significant disagreement between the two shows was race and economic position. The Bill Cosby Show confronted the societal issues that pertained to a black upper category household. Both plans represented conservative issues that the bulk of American households faced at this clip. In the 1990s, telecasting as a whole has developed a sense of world in its scheduling. The dominant function adult females possess in the household and in society are better defined. In Roseanne, the thought of the American household is much more realistic than that of those shows from the 1950s. The household? s objectionable female parent is the most dynamic member of the household. Married with Children was an excessively overdone illustration of a debatable household. While it was a far call from world, the show expressed the society? s sentiment of its ain civilization in a satirical manner. Television? s portraiture of the American household has undergone a important transmutation in the 50 old ages of its being, as stated by this essay. The households seen on telecasting today are the diametral antonym of those seen in the early 1950s. The relationship between the parents and the kids has gone from perfect to dysfunctional. But, it is the dysfunctional relationships that are better illustrations of American households. Racial and cultural lines have been crossed in the 50 old ages of telecasting? s being. If anything, telecasting households have been instructors, demoing the screening audiences how to move and how things genuinely are. Blind creases, antecedently worn by the American people, have been taken off and thrown off. It is society? s greater grasp for honestness that has greatly influenced telecasting.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Why Not Applying for SSD After 50 Could Be a Mistake

Why Not Applying for SSD After 50 Could Be a Mistake 50-62-Year-Olds Aren’t Applying for SSD, Missing Opportunities A significant group of disabled Americans could be missing out on receiving the social security disability (SSD) benefits they deserve, because they don’t think they need to apply.Those who are 50-62-years-old may become disabled, but think that social security disability is not for them. Perhaps they are daunted by the seemingly complicated process or by what they have heard about how common denials can be. Or maybe they are worried about the stigma of being categorized as disabled, even though the disability is at no fault of their own.Therefore, they may avoid applying for SSD altogether and instead apply for early retirement to afford their medical bills and continue to support themselves and their family while they are unable to work. Being so close to retirement age, this shouldn’t hurt, right? However, applying early for retirement significantly reduces the benefits you can receive once you reach full retirement age.Difference Between Social Security Disability a nd Social Security Retirement It is important to understand that although the social security administration is responsible for both social security disability and social security retirement, these are separate entities. Social security disability was created to help Americans who have been diagnosed with disabilities, such as mental disorders, musculoskeletal system and connective tissue disorders and cancer that cause them to be unable to work. On the other hand, social security retirement was created for those who have reached retirement age and are ready to leave the workplace.The Older You Are, the More Social Security Disability Benefits You Can Receive If you are a disabled worker, you are not alone. In fact, disabled workers make up the majority of those who receive SSD benefits at nearly 87%. Other claimants include disabled adult children and the widows and widowers of the disabled.Being 50-62-years old as a disabled worker is often the prime age to receive SSD benefits. T his is because it is typically easier for workers who are 50 and older to receive the highest social security disability benefits. According to a report from the Social Security Administration, social security benefits for disabled workers increase with age.Simply put, Americans 50-years and older have diligently payed taxes over the years to fund SSD. Let’s take a look at the breakdown of benefits awarded to disabled workers ages 50-64.Ages 50-54: 16% of BenefitsAges 55-59: 25% of BenefitsAges: 60-64: 30% of BenefitsIt is also important to note that those who successfully apply for SSD and are approved to receive benefits typically do so until they reach full retirement age. Therefore, receiving SSD benefits will not change the social security retirement benefits you are entitled to. This is a crucial point because as mentioned, if you are disabled, but apply for early retirement instead, your benefits will be reduced.Don’t Wait - Apply for SSD Benefits As Soon As Po ssible to Start Receiving Benefits If you are between 50 and 62-years-old and you have been diagnosed with a disability, you should apply as soon as possible for social security disability. The process can be complicated, and requires paperwork, proper documentation of your disability and many other elements. With this in mind, it is important to understand your options and seek out an experienced social security disability lawyer who can help you submit your initial application and appeal your claim if necessary.If you are disabled and unable to work, call  Disability Attorneys of Michigan  for a free confidential consultation. We’ll let you know if we can help you get a monthly check and help you determine if any money or assets you receive could impact your eligibility for disability benefits.Disability Attorneys of Michigan  works hard every day helping the disabled of Michigan seek the  Social Security Disability  and  Veterans Disability  benefits they nee d. If you are unable to work due to a physical, mental or cognitive impairment, call  Disability Attorneys of Michigan now for a free consultation at  800-949- 2900.Let Michigan’s experienced disability law firm help you get the benefits you deserve.Disability Attorneys of Michigan, Compassionate Excellence. Social Security Disability Attorney, Social Security Disability Benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance, Social Security Disability Lawyer

Friday, November 22, 2019

Population Figures for the Dynasties of Ancient China

Population Figures for the Dynasties of Ancient China As of 2016, the population of China was 1.38 billion people. That phenomenal number is matched by enormous early population figures. Censuses were taken as a rule by ancient rulers beginning in the Zhou Dynasty, but what the rulers were counting is somewhat in doubt. Some censuses refer to the number of persons as mouths and the number of households as doors. But, conflicting figures are given for the same dates and its possible that the numbers refer not to the total population, but taxpayers, or people who were available for either military or corvee labor duties. By the Qing Dynasty, the government was using a ting or tax unit to count in the census, which is based on a head count of population and more on the ability of the population to support the elites. Xia Dynasty 2070–1600 BCE The Xia dynasty is the first known dynasty in China, but even its existence is doubted by some scholars in China and elsewhere. The first census was said by Han dynasty historians to have been taken by Yu the Great in about 2000 BCE, with a total of 13,553,923 people or possibly households. Further, the figures are likely Han Dynasty propaganda Shang Dynasty 1600–1100 BCE No surviving censuses. Zhou Dynasty 1027–221 BCE Censuses became normal instruments of public administration, and several rulers ordered them at regular intervals, but the statistics are somewhat in doubt 1000 BCE: 13,714,923 persons680 BCE: 11,841,923 persons Qin Dynasty 221–206 BCE The Qin Dynasty was the first time China was unified under a centralized government. With the ending of wars, iron implements, farming techniques, and irrigation were developed. No surviving censuses. Han Dynasty 206 BCE–220 CE About the turn of the Common Era, population censuses in China became statistically useful for the entire united mainland. By 2 CE, censuses were taken and recorded on occasion. Western Han 2 CE: persons per household: 4.9Eastern Han 57–156 CE, persons per household: 4.9–5.82 CE: 59,594,978 persons, 12,233,062 households156 CE: 56,486,856 persons, 10,677,960 households Six Dynasties (Period of Disunity) 220–589 CE Liu Sung State, 464 CE, 5.3 million persons, 900,000 households Sui Dynasty 581–618 CE 606 CE: persons per household 5.2, 46,019,956 persons, 8,907,536 households Tang Dynasty 618–907 CE 634–643 CE: 12,000,000 persons, 2,992,779 households707–755 CE: persons per household 5.7-6.0754 CE: 52,880,488 persons, 7,662,800 tax payers755 CE: 52,919,309 persons, 8,208,321 tax payers845 CE: 4,955,151 households Five Dynasties 907–960 CE After the fall of the Tang dynasty, China was split into several states and consistent population data for the entire county is not available. Song Dynasty 960–1279 CE 1006–1223 CE: persons per household 1.4-2.61006 CE: 15,280,254 persons, 7,417,507 households1063 CE: 26,421,651 persons, 12,462,310 households1103 CE: 45,981,845 persons, 20,524,065 households1160 CE: 19,229,008 persons, 11,575,753 households1223 CE: 28,320,085 persons, 12,670,801 households Yuan Dynasty 1271–1368 CE 1290-1292 CE: persons per household 4.5-4.61290 CE: 58,834,711 persons, 13,196,206 households1330 CE: 13,400,699 households Ming Dynasty 1368–1644 CE 1381–1626 CE: persons per household 4.8-7.11381 CE: 59,873305 persons, 10,654,362 households1450 CE: 53,403,954 persons, 9,588,234 households1520 CE: 60,606,220 persons, 9,399,979 households1620–1626 CE: 51,655,459 persons, 9,835,416 households Qing Dynasty 1655–1911 CE In 1740, the Qing dynasty emperor ordered that population statistics be compiled annually, a system known as pao-chia, which required each household to keep a tablet by their door with a list of all the members of the household. Later those tablets were kept in regional offices. 1751 CE: 207 million persons1781 CE: 270 million persons1791 CE: 294 million persons1811 CE: 347 million persons1821 CE: 344 million persons1831 CE: 383 million persons1841 CE: 400 million persons1851 CE: 417 million persons Sources Duan C-Q, Gan X-C, Jeanny W, and Chien PK. 1998. Relocation of Civilization Centers in Ancient China: Environmental Factors. Ambio 27(7):572-575.Durand JD. 1960. The Population Statistics of China, A.D. 2-1953. Population Studies 13(3):209-256.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

An External Cost Is a Produced-to-Producer or Consumer-to-Consumer Cos Assignment - 7

An External Cost Is a Produced-to-Producer or Consumer-to-Consumer Cost - Assignment Example Through profits, businesses have the capacity to reward its employees, who in turn get the ability to cater to their needs. For instance, through online jobs, I find some extra income for my upkeep. The other principle is economic viability. This enables businesses to have the capacity to cater for the needs of individuals in the society in future. For this to occur, businesses need to avoid the depletion of their resources and save for future usage. 5. The life cycle costs allow a business to undertake a lifetime comparison of the available options in making a purchase. This allows the conversion of future costs to their present value to account for inflation, and that has the lowest cost in its lifecycle is the most viable. 6. Effective EPR policies ensure that businesses have a liability of future external costs that for instance, relate to land contamination. Companies will internalize the costs in the form of business decisions that results in the pricing of raw materials commercially. This leads to the reduction of the external costs. 9. Ecological footprint relies on the fact that the earth produces all the renewable resources. It is the reliability of such resources for the production of goods and services, in order to sustain a particular lifestyle. 10. External costs lead to an increase in credit risks that cause a decrease in opportunities due to the limitation of resources such as bank loans. Therefore, businesses have a constraint in competing effectively in the market. 12. Third-party certifiers subject the products of a given company to sustainability tests. They determine the sales of certain products due to strict conditions that only certified products should be available in the market. 13. It is cheaper to purchase products that have negative impacts on the environment, as compared to the products that have a less environmental impact. Businesses do not have a strict obligation to pay the taxes on their operations on a full scale. Therefore, it has been hard to define equity in most businesses and this has led to the maintenance of external costs.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Draft Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Draft - Research Paper Example As the paper declares an emerging way of social networking that has been ably used by organizations to manage crises is blogging. This is because these blogs provide information to customers and may also display their opinion to the public. Blogs especially the political blogs may be important tools for communication especially when crises arise and can also help in the monitoring of responses of the targeted audience. According to thr research findings social media has played an important aspect in the management of crises whenever they occur within organizations. An unpredictable occurrence that may take place that may interfere or impede the expectations of the stakeholders served by the organization and may affect the performance and outcomes of the entity. In the advent of the technology and social media, organizations have increasingly experienced different cases of crises in the management of their affairs. Coombs used the situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) in the categorization of crises and found that some affected the victim that called for minimal responsibility, natural disasters, violence at the work place, unverified claims (rumors), tampering with products, accidents and technical errors. In addition, other crises were found to be product harm, crises that could be prevented, crises caused by human errors, as well as organizational misdeeds amongst others. In the case of businesses or other profit-generating organizations, the crises may be specific to the type of products or services that they deal in or offer to their clientele.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Department of Homeland Security Essay Example for Free

Department of Homeland Security Essay The Department of Homeland Security was established in the year 2002 as a part of the United States effort to combat against terrorists attacks. It was also instituted to respond against natural disasters that will greatly affect the United States people. Its primary goal is to protect the civilian inside or out of the country. Its main functionality is to prepare for actions to respond to domestic crisis. Â  It also provides regulation on cyber security issues. The said department set color codes to describe the threat levels of terrorists in the country. Being well regarded as one of the largest department in the federal cabinet, this department should think of ways on how to perform its function to protect the people of the United States of America. From the said functions of the department of homeland security, it is the role of the concerned department to deal with problems arising that would threaten its citizen. It should not interfere with the scope of work of the other departments. There are a lot of work to be done in monitoring possible threats by the terrorists against the lives and properties of the United States people. Likewise, the department also helps in dealing with people affected by various calamities such hurricanes, earthquake, flash floods and other nature-driven calamities. With respect to the military’s role, the main difference is that the military is not being used to meddle with the domestic issues or internal affairs but for combat and monitoring of the country’s security. Normally, military is under the command of the Department of National Defense, the department focused on military affairs overseas. This can show the major role differences played by both the military and the homeland security department. In the same way, the military should be cautioned not to go beyond its jurisdiction particularly with the civilian communities. Their participation should be limited on providing assistance on calamity-affected populace together with the other agencies of the government.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Group Dynamics in 12 Angry Men Essay -- Movie, Film, Twelve Angry Men

In the 1957 classic 12 Angry Men, group dynamics are portrayed through a jury deliberation. Group dynamics is concerned with the structure and functioning of groups as well as the different types of roles each character plays. In the film, twelve men are brought together in a room to decide whether a boy is guilty of killing his father. The personality conflicts, the joint effort and the functioning of several minds together to search for the truth are just a few characteristics of group dynamics at work. The whole spectrum of humanity is represented in this movie, from the bigotry of Juror No.10 to the coldly analytical No.4. Whether they brought good or bad qualities to the jury room, they all affected the outcome. At the outset, eleven jurors vote in favor of convicting the accused without even discussing a single shred of the evidence presented at the trial. When a group becomes too confident and fails to think realistically about its task, groupthink can occur. Since it takes a longer time to communicate and reach a consensus in a group, decision making in a group is time-consuming. Therefore, when groups want to achieve a quick decision, as several jurors were eager to do, they make riskier decisions than individuals. Since not any individual is completely accountable for the decision, members will have a tendency to accept more extreme solutions. Only one brave juror refused to vote guilty. Juror #8 refused to fall into the groupthink trap and ultimately saved an innocent man's life. He openly admits that he does not know whether the accused is guilty or innocent and that he finds it necessary to simply talk about the case. What follows is not only a discussion of the particular facts of t he case, but also an intense ex... ...quires looking at matters objectively, analyzing the evidence, and coming to a fair conclusion. And even if the juror's personal baggage was not checked at the door, the shift into positive group dynamics allowed the jury members to overcome interpersonal conflicts and prejudices to reach consensus on the innocence of an alleged murderer. Bibliography 1. Kolb, David A., and Joyce S. Osland and Irwin Mr. Rubin. Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach. 6th edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1995 Pages 98-100 2. Sarah Trenholm. Thinking Through Communication: An Introduction To The Study Of Human Communication. 2nd edition. Allyn and Bacon: A Viacom Company, 1995 Pages 196 - 205 3. Damian Cannon, a review by. '12 Angry Men (1957)' Copyright Movie Reviews UK 1997 4. Steve Rhodes, a review by. '12 Angry Men (1957)' Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes

Monday, November 11, 2019

How Family Size Directly Affects the Family Relationships

Studies indicate that the family size directly affects the family relationships. Children born into large families have more companionship, develop stronger family ties, and learn more responsibility than do only children. I feel, coming fron a large family myself, that having older brothers and sisters has helped me alot. I've learned from their mistakes and also from their triumphs. I've really learned to count on my brother ans sister for questions I may have about different situations that I feel he or she may know about. I have taken their advice on many things more than once.Now since my younger days, I myself am an older sisten. I have one younger sister and one younger brother. Being in that situation in which â€Å"the shoe is on the other foot†, I really enjoy being there for the two of them to answer any questions they may have or for that matter, to help in any way that I can.. As far as companionship and developing stronger family ties, once again, I know that hav ing brothers and sisters around while growing up, certainly made some of my â€Å"rainy days† less lonely. Our family is also very close. I feel alot of that has to do with the trials and tribulations of our large family as a whole.Responsibility, I think in a large family, almost has to be learned. There are many more jobs to be divided than tht of a one child family. There is also more emphasis on respecting one's personal property. I feel that is definitly learned, more with a large family. Therefore it makes you more responsible without even realizing the fact. To me, this is one more positive aspect towards a large family. To sum up this topic, I definitly am all for large families. I think planning the family is very important. If you can financially support a large family and have a strong positive attitude, then I say large families are great and to go for it! How Family Size Directly Affects the Family Relationships Studies indicate that the family size directly affects the family relationships. Children born into large families have more companionship, develop stronger family ties, and learn more responsibility than do only children. I feel, coming fron a large family myself, that having older brothers and sisters has helped me alot. I've learned from their mistakes and also from their triumphs. I've really learned to count on my brother ans sister for questions I may have about different situations that I feel he or she may know about. I have taken their advice on many things more than once.Now since my younger days, I myself am an older sisten. I have one younger sister and one younger brother. Being in that situation in which â€Å"the shoe is on the other foot†, I really enjoy being there for the two of them to answer any questions they may have or for that matter, to help in any way that I can.. As far as companionship and developing stronger family ties, once again, I know that hav ing brothers and sisters around while growing up, certainly made some of my â€Å"rainy days† less lonely. Our family is also very close. I feel alot of that has to do with the trials and tribulations of our large family as a whole.Responsibility, I think in a large family, almost has to be learned. There are many more jobs to be divided than tht of a one child family. There is also more emphasis on respecting one's personal property. I feel that is definitly learned, more with a large family. Therefore it makes you more responsible without even realizing the fact. To me, this is one more positive aspect towards a large family. To sum up this topic, I definitly am all for large families. I think planning the family is very important. If you can financially support a large family and have a strong positive attitude, then I say large families are great and to go for it!

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Environmental Education Essay

David W. Orr delves deeper into Rethinking Education. as he relates to the importance and reason of education and this affirms the six principles that serve as guides to rethinking of education. One of these is the contention that the goal of education is not mastery of subject matter but the mastery of one’s self. Having the power of knowledge means that it must be well-used. Included here also is the contention that one cannot claim that he/she knows something unless he understands the effects of this kind of knowledge on actual people as well as actual communities. Learning is also a process and not just an end product of something (Orr, D. (May/June, 1999) People who are geographically informed must understand how humans should live in different kinds of physical environments. They are not confined to the familiar mid-latitudes but also those that seem less conducive to settlement such as the Arctic and the Equatorial rain forest. It is important that they are equipped with the necessary knowledge of how the physical features of these environments play in shaping human activities. The physical environment differs in their carrying capacity. People sometimes fail to understand this which leads to environmental disaster. For example, cyclical environmental change, especially in semiarid environments, can give particular problems for humans which again can lead to desertification, famine, and mass migration, just as what happened in the Sahel of north-central Africa. Man has to comprehend that the relationship between any environment and its inhabitants is mediated by decisions about how much to consume and in what ways to consume. Water needs to be conserved properly and proper recycling can have critical effects on patterns of environmental use. Good teacher must learn how to motivate, inspire, be led and lead, while making the environment safe for risks and mistakes. They must also demonstrate the ability to lead by example, ethically, morally and purposefully. Good educators regularly communicate the vision and empower the culture within the organization. They continue to build trust and lead the challenges of a constantly changing workplace and society. They understand that it is necessary to incorporate balance not only in the lives of others, but their own as well. This encourages their students to think about life and work differently. The success of a well-managed organization is dependent on one’s ability to organize, direct and motivate the efforts of the individuals. An effective coach needs to know the interplay of all theories of management into action in order to be successful as a whole. Students and young people need to be introduced into various cultures around the world in the framework of a â€Å"melting pot perspective† and cultural relativism (Cushner, McClelland, & Safford, p. 68-70). This would require a new set up or a reorganization of schooling to further illuminate young people on how to assimilate world consciousness as they engage in it through the Internet. Young people must be taught how to accept values and cultures by either assimilating them or by just respecting them as they are. There should be more cultural understanding between people around the world and it is best being taught as school subjects. If more and more people are properly oriented with the language, religion, belief system and other cultural elements of other nations, I guess we would feel more connected with one another and we will be more culturally sensitive and accepting of other fellows. This cultural orientation should also be strengthened by historical and social courses about these other nations. We already have these subjects now but these lack focus and emphasis on its global connections or the links between histories of various nations, their cultures and the global events that unfold and what we ordinarily share in a multicultural technological setting. Educational policy must be able to answer the needs of people. For instance, people need to overcome some of the life chances which had been experienced by parents. Teachers need to be aware4 of children who needs special nurturing because they show special talent in areas where the school progressed (Aitkin, 2005). However, the usual problem is that people seldom find it easy to start from scratch. Society is able to address the performance of these young people No matter what the space provided, the surface of the earth demonstrates the physical diversity in terms of soil, climates, vegetation, and topography. These factors affect the range of environmental contexts for people. People who are geographically informed must understand how humans should live in different kinds of physical environments. They are not confined to the familiar mid-latitudes but also those that seem less conducive to settlement such as the Arctic and the Equatorial rain forest. It is important that they are equipped with the necessary knowledge of how the physical features of these environments play in shaping human activities. I can now understand the dilemma of some administrators of nursing homes. They are burdened with so many responsibilities to take care and ensure that people who avail of their services are attended to and such services are sustained long-term. These efforts are also coupled with corresponding financial burden to sustain the expenses that go with the various challenges that confront them. Retiree assistance, funds from the federal government and its subsidiaries may very well support the medical needs of the low-income and medically-needy people, yet the administrators realize that by meeting the demands of their tasks requires more than any management skills, analytical minds or well-rounded experience to go with such tasks. For what the challenges require most of them is that sincere heart to really care for and be concerned with so many people who are frail, chronically ill, and those who are less fortunate who may not have the resources to sustain their respective illnesses as they become old with no one to depend on during their last few years of their lives. REFERENCES Aitkin, Don. Rethinking education continued. Article Retrieved Jan 22, 2009 at: http://newmatilda. com/2005/04/20/rethinking-education-continued Cushner, K., McClelland, A. , and Safford, P. Human Diversity in Education : an integrative approach, 3rd ed. 2000. Experiencing the Difference: The Role of Experiential Learning in Youth Development. Conference Report: The Brathay Youth Conference Orr, D. (May/June, 1999) Rethinking Education. The Ecologist, 29, 3. White, M. (July, 1999). (ed). Experiencing the Difference: The Role of Experiential Learning in Youth Development. Conference Report: The Brathay Youth Conference (Ambleside, England, July 5-6, 1999).

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes Free Online Research Papers Langston Hughes, the historical poet of the Harlem Renaissance expresses his outlook of life through his poetry. The themes of his poetry range from sexuality to inner city power struggles. He uses his love of music to connect with the reader. The blues based sounds,popular at the time,are evident in his work. This is especially true in the poems Trumpet Player, Dream Boogie, and Listen Here Blues. In Trumpet Player, Hughes describes the physical aspects of the trumpet player. He starts letting you picture the bags under his eyes, comparing them to â€Å"moons of weariness† then moves to his hair â€Å"tamed down/ Patent leathered now/ until it gleams.† He then uses his way with words to allow the reader’s mind to escape and hear the trumpet players music.As the reader reads more and more, they feel the music pouring through the crowd. The music is made visible as he describes the rhythm coming through the trumpet. He compares it to ecstasy distilled from old desire, describing the feel good sounds of the blues. In the poem Dream Boogie, Langston opens the first stanza with a beat that makes the reader tap their feet while reading. While reading â€Å"The boogie-woogie rumble/of a dream deferred† the rhythm continues throughout as he begins to tell of a happy beat. Line after line, reading this out loud you can feel the tone of excitement from in my interpretation, a child getting excited telling their parent about the Harlem Renaissance. The child tells the parent in the poem to†listen to it closely†which can be interpreted as the child telling the parent to look at the changes being brought forward in that era of the Renaissance which he is happy about as he sings â€Å" oop-pop-a-da!/Skee!/Daddle-de-de-do!/Be-bop!† Listen Here Blues begins with Hughes addressing young girls, advising them to listen to him as he warns them of protecting their innocence. He warns living in the lifestyle of drinking and partying will lead to unhappiness and the loss of their purity. In the second stanza his continued reference of alcohol reiterates the importance of maintaining one’s innocence. He discusses how his own innocence is lost. He tells how he used to be a good child until alcohol consumed his life. Speaking in a depressed tone, often used in blues music, he uses the example of his hanging around â€Å"licker-headed fools† made him â€Å"everybody’s fool..† In the last stanza, Hughes attempts to warn good girls yet again to listen to him saying â€Å" Don’t you fool wid no men ‘cause/ They’ll bring you misery† This form of misery, along with pain and struggle are common themes found in blues. The theme of music is repeated throughout the many poems written by Langston Hughes. Its evident that he doesn’t limit his form of expression to poetry. He proves that music can be just as effective in telling stories and expressing emotions. Whether its referencing innocence or discussing cultural views music allows the reader to witness the authors point of view. Hughes is an intelligent poet. He uses real life experience to relate to the reader. Lngston Hughes is the peoples’ poet. Research Papers on Langston HughesMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Hockey GameHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoWhere Wild and West MeetPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Masque of the Red Death Room meanings

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

California Architecture for the Casual Traveler

California Architecture for the Casual Traveler California and the long Pacific coast of the Western United States is a territory of changing landscapes and wild diversity- in both lifestyles and architectural styles. California is a land of fire and rain and of tsunamis and drought.  Although from north to south its climate changes dramatically, California has a constant element that affects all building codes- the San Andreas Fault. In the links and resources on this page, you will find simple adobe homes of early Spanish colonists, glitzy homes of Hollywood movie stars, groundbreaking modernist architecture, playful amusement park buildings, wacky googie structures, historic bridges and stadia, and many other interesting and unusual building types. Visiting the San Francisco Area Marin County Civic Center by Frank Lloyd WrightSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art by Mario BottaUnited States Federal Building by Thom MayneCalifornia Academy of Sciences by Renzo PianoThe Golden Gate Bridge Along the Coast of California Historic Monterey Houses in MontereyBixby Bridge in Big SurSea Ranch Chapel in Gualala, by James HubbellHearst Castle in San Simeon, designed by Julia MorganHigh Style Spanish Revival Architecture in Santa Barbara Visiting the Los Angeles Area Los Angeles is an architectural kaleidoscope. As you explore the warm, southern California city, youll find odd contrasts. No matter. The sun of Southern California has attracted odd bedfellows, both in the movie industry and architectural practices. Here is just a taste of LA architecture: Disney Concert Hall by Frank GehryEmerson College Los Angeles by Thom MayneBinoculars Building in Venice by Frank GehryDiamond Ranch High School in Pomona by Thom MayneLA Museum of Contemporary Art by Arata IsozakiCase Study House #8  by Charles and Ray EamesThe Getty Center by Richard MeierEnnis Brown House by Frank Lloyd WrightHollyhock House by Frank Lloyd WrightThe Schindler Chace House by Rudolf SchindlerGeorge D. Sturges House by Frank Lloyd WrightTheme Building at LAXCentral Public Library by Bertram Grosvenor GoodhueCaltrans District 7 Headquarters by Thom Mayne Visiting the Palm Springs Area Within two hours of Hollywood, Palm Springs became the famous getaway for the movie elite. Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and other movie stars built homes here in the 1940s and 1950s, the height of Mid-Century Modernism. Richard Neutra, Albert Frey, and others invented what became known as Desert Modernism. Midcentury Modern Architecture in Palm SpringsAlexander Homes: Houses by the Alexander Construction CompanyThe Elvis Honeymoon HideawayThe Annenberg Residence, Sunnylands by A. Quincy Jones in Rancho Mirage Visiting the San Diego Area Balboa Park, site of the influential Panama-California Exposition of 1915.  San Diego architect Irving Gill carried out the Mission Revival and Pueblo styles decided on by the organizers, but it was New Yorker Bertram G. Goodhue who gave the buildings the Spanish Baroque detailing known as Churrigueresque.  Exposition buildings such as Casa de Balboa and Casa del Prado ignited a Spanish Renaissance throughout the American Southwest. Well-Known Sports Venues in California Rose Bowl Stadium in PasadenaLevis Stadium in Santa ClaraLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum Architects of California Many of todays larger architectural firms have multiple offices, which often include California. For example, Richard Meier Partners Architects LLP has an office in Los Angeles. The following list of architects, however, are often associated with beginning their careers in California. They made their mark and settled in California. Julia MorganPaul WilliamsRichard NeutraDonald WexlerFrank GehryCharles and Ray EamesRudolph SchindlerWallace NeffA. Quincy JonesThom MayneBernard MaybeckIrving GillCharles and Henry GreeneCraig EllwoodJoseph Esherick Learn More with these Books Wallace Neff, Architect of Californias Golden Age by Alson Clark, 2000Toward a Simpler Way of Life: The Arts and Crafts Architects of California by Robert Winter, University of California Press, 1997Irving J. Gill: Architect, 1870 - 1936 by Marvin Rand, 2006Five California Architects by Esther McCoy and Randell Makinson, 1975On the Edge of the World: Four Architects in San Francisco at the Turn of the Century by Richard Longstreth, University of California Press, 1998California Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright by David Gebhard, 1997California Modern: The Architecture of Craig Ellwood by Neil Jackson, Princeton Architectural Press, 2002Spanish Colonial Style: Santa Barbara and the Architecture of James Osborne Craig and Mary McLaughlin Craig by Pamela Skewes-Cox and Robert Sweeney, 2015

Saturday, November 2, 2019

New Venture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

New Venture - Assignment Example Once the market is there everything can be steamrolled to make the plan work. It would be better if she could conduct market segmentation so as to narrow down her target market to a small niche of consumers who she can supply adequately and profitably, and then slowly expand her clientele. The three points form the first assumption, which is that there is an opportunity which the entrepreneur (Olivia) can take advantage of. There are already plenty of coffee houses in Frankfurt, but Olivia’s decision to focus on flavored gourmet coffee is both strategic and realistic. Does Olivia understand the coffee industry/business well? Does she have a good understanding of the coffee industry in Brazil and that of Frankfurt in particular? These are very important questions because although she may have the capital and the market, the coffee business requires hands-on management and skills. It is not enough to just assemble the materials/resources required for the business. For instance, Olivia needs to understand that just like other industries the coffee retail industry has trends (Langen, 2013). Whether she like it or not those trends will affect her business; this is through aspects like climate changes, demand, market volatility, competition, hoarding, production/supply, and government policies (taxation and regulation). Olivia must have or develop an understanding of these issues because they will have a huge impact (positive or negative, depending on how she addresses them) on the success of her business. As such, we make two assumptions here. One is that she understands how the coffee retail industry works and the dynamics involved. Two is that if she does not understand how it works, she knows people who will support her until she does, and she is willing to learn. It has been mentioned that DC would ship to Olivia on receipt of payment for each order. This comes with its

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Mustafa Kemal Atatrk Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mustafa Kemal Atatrk - Research Paper Example Due to this decision, Turkey, under leadership from Mustafa, fought with three different enemies- The French, Greek and Armenian forces. He was able to defeat the Armenian forces and the Greeks due to heavy influx of arms and gold from the Russian Bolshevik government. The Greeks were able to extend their occupation of Ottoman land by a considerable extent up until Mustafa Kemal pushed the forces back and eventually launched an all-out attack, made effective due to the complacency on the part of the Allies towards his growing hold over their captured territories. Unfortunately, the Armenian genocide is one blotch on Mustafa’s military record. Under the Treaty of Sevres, the Armenian population was given certain safeguards to lands claimed by them. However the Allies, knowing fully well that the Armenians would need support until they could rebuild and develop, left the people to their own devices. Kemal then breached the frontier, forced the Armenians to renounce their claims for Turkish-Armenia, break the treaty of Sevres and even cede Russian Armenian districts (Hovannisian). The atrocities conducting by Mustafa Kemal’s ruling party, through the trio of Enver, Cemal and Talat Pasha (Freedman) will forever stain his record. On the fateful day of the 29th of October 1923, the Republic of Turkey was presented to the world and with it, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk the first president of the newly born state. He then set about the task of modernizing the state of Turkey, with economic, social and political reforms that were loosely based on the successful Western states. The most noticeable, and first reform he issued, was that of the ideology of the state. Mustafa Kemal believed in the... This research paper talks about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as great person who make a huge mark on history of Turkey. His surname, Atatà ¼rk (meaning "Father of the Turks"), was granted to him in 1934 and forbidden to any other person by the Turkish parliament. Mustafa Kemal was a military officer during the Italo-Turkish War and have won in a famous battle at Libya against the massive forces of the Italians. He later fought in the Balkan Wars and was promoted to colonel for his service to the Ottoman Empire. His second finest success on the battlefield was in World War I when he was commander of the 19th division and managed to hold off the British army. But for most Turks nowadays, Mustafa Kemal’s finest moment on the field was his leadership role in the War of Independence. On the historic day of the 29th of October 1923, the Republic of Turkey was presented to the world and with it, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk the first president of the newly born state. He set about the task of modernizing the state of Turkey, with economic, social and political reforms. The most noticeable, and first reform he issued, was that of the ideology of the state. Mustafa Kemal believed in the right of total independence and sovereignty. Thus he rejected the ideals of fascism and totalitarianism, and went forward with the removal of the interference by religion, on the state’s affairs- secularism. In fact theories propose that Turkey’s current standing among other Muslim Majority states is due to its split from the Sharia form of law (Kuran).

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Small-Business Opportunities Available Today Essay

Small-Business Opportunities Available Today - Essay Example (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_business). There are certain types of difficulties faced by such businesses due to their small size. One of the most common reasons for bankruptcy is undercapitalization. This is mainly due to the bogus arrangement and not the financial circumstances; meaning that any business should have enough amount of money to run that business and a certain criteria is set up. If the required isn't done, then the company can suffer from bankruptcy. Along with the fact of having good amount of capital, the proprietor of the small business should have a good knowledge of gross margin, which are "sales minus variable costs." In order to work appropriately and efficiently, the business is required to achieve a standard of sales having gross margin surpass the "fixed costs." In United States, few of the important small business proprietors are in the field of "insurance costs, rising energy costs and taxes." While in United Kingdom and Australia, small business possessors are more into the field "with excessive governmental red tape." It can be a complicated task for a fresh and developing business to gain trust of customers. To overcome this complication, some associations like Better Business Bureau and the International Charter are proposing Small Business Certification, "which certifies the quality of the services and goods produced and can encourage new and larger customers." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_business). Comparing and Contrasting Two Small Business Firms The two small business companies which will be compared in this report are two different finance corporations running in United States. The first one is Southwestern Business Financing Corporation, operating in State of Arizona and Contiguous States. The second one is Chesapeake Business Finance Corporation operating in Kent and Sussex Counties. About the Firms Southwestern Business Financing Cooperation is a classified, non-profit company that gives "small businesses with long-term loans for owner-occupied fixed assets." This company is one of the two corporations of Arizona which is endorsed by the U.S Small Business Administration to create the SBA 504 loan to small businesses for construction of gigantic utensils from "$ 125,000 to $ 10,000,000." This company offers a "long-term, fixed-rate financing" with a decreased down payment. From the time when it was founded, SBFC has financed the purchase or building of over $500 million of buildings for small businesses. (http://www.swbfc.com/mission.cfmpagename=mission). Chesapeake Busines

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Arguments For And Against Organic Food Environmental Sciences Essay

Arguments For And Against Organic Food Environmental Sciences Essay The organic industry has grown rapidly over the last decade particularly in the agricultural sector; today, over thirty million hectares are being organically managed in 118 countries (Yusuf Wilber, 2007). Organic products are made using biological and ecological farming techniques which exclude the use of pesticides and fertilizers; in addition, these products are characterized by a strong brand image which means that they command higher prices among retailers. On the other hand, inorganic products are characterized by monocultures, mechanization, and extensive use of chemical compounds in order to produce them. The inorganic product industry developed primarily as a consequence of technological advancement the Second World War; during this period, major breakthroughs such as the Haber Bosch process were used to promote the development of organic produce. The organic industry has many benefits over its inorganic counterpart; research published by the Journal of Applied Nutrition (2001) revealed that organic food products have more nutrients than inorganic foods this is due to the fact that organically grown food contains sixty three percent more calcium, seventy three percent more iron, eighteen percent more magnesium and ninety eight percent more zinc minerals. According to the Journal of Food and Agricultural Chemistry (2003), organically grown strawberry, corn and marionberries have considerably greater levels of anti cancer oxidants than inorganically grown food products. The research further suggests that inorganic methods such as the use of herbicides and pesticides inhibit the growth of natural protective compounds in food such as anti ageing, anti immune, and anti cancer properties. The European Clinical Nutrition Journal (2008) found that the average level of nutrients in eleven organically produced products was almost twice as high compared to inorganically produced products. Therefore in the long run if the country chooses to enhance and promote the organic industry it will lead to several benefits such as reduced fertilizer, machinery and fuel cost; organic practices will also earn the industry a significant amount of carbon credits which they can trade in the carbon credit market (Kipper, 2001). The endorsement of organic industry in the economy will also encourage organic labeling. This kind of certification will enable consumers to have confidence in organic products; improve record-keeping in order to maintain organic certification and create an opportunity for both producers and consumers to understand organic certification standards. Unlike inorganic products which lack clear accreditation standards, organic certification and accreditation ensure that the organic industry adheres to high quality product standards. This certification system has two major components: 1.A code of conduct, standards, criteria and guidelines for product certification. 2. Monitoring mechanism which assures that inorganic products are produced in accordance with certification principles. Organic industries also prevent long distant transportation of food; the average distance covered in transporting organically produced products is over 1800 miles while that of transporting inorganic products is 2500 miles Therefore inorganic industries consume a lot of energy and fossil fuels which leads to high carbon dioxide emissions. (FAO, 2002), on the other hand, ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s relatively cheap to transport organic products since they are often produced near the consumers. The endorsement of organic industry and organic products will lead to three forms of biodiversity i.e. genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity and species diversity. This will dramatically improve the environment. According to Evans and Grice (2005) organic industries reduce green house emissions by over forty percent which slows down global warming effects. Another benefit which will result in supporting organic industries is long term productivity and food security. According to FAO (2003), organic farming has a higher potential of ensuring food security in both developed and developing countries. Rundgren (2006) published an objective analysis of the contribution of organic industries to food security. He summarized that although inorganic industries can be used to solve food insecurity issues, its capital intensive and depends on chemical inputs which tend to reduce biodiversity. On the other hand, organic industries can tremendously increase food production without causing environmental degradation or loss of biodiversity. A study conducted by The Centre for Disease Control (2009) revealed that inorganic industries produce many toxic chemicals which often result to contamination of water supplies. These toxins have tested positive in blood and urine test of most citizens. In addition, the Centre for Disease Control found a cocktail of toxins and synthetic chemicals in most living organisms. Peer reviewed research has proven that most of these chemicals can disrupt nervous and immune systems, as well as disruption of hormone levels. The FAO report (2002) clearly states, à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"It has been proven that foods produced using organic methods have lesser levels of synthetic chemicals, lower nitrate content and lower veterinary drug residue. Animal feeding practices used in organic livestock production drastically decreases contamination of animal origin products.à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  p .119 . In light of these facts, promoting the growth of organic industries will prevent these problems as well as curb the escalating rise in cancers such as leukemia, lymphorma, uterine and breast cancers which are linked to synthetic chemical use. Similarly, the advancement of organic industries and products will curb the spread of autoimmune industries caused by inorganic chemical compounds. Surveys conducted in regions which undertake intensive organic practices have found that cases of Hodgkinà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s lymphoma disease are almost inexistent on the other hand cases of the same disease is fast growing in regions which have many inorganic industries as well as regions undertaking inorganic practices. Another benefit of adopting organic industries is the development of diversified landscapes as well as aesthetic values (Haltom Scalia, 2002). These industries also encourage the creation of semi natural habitats by maintaining biological connectivity which benefits both nature and agricultural conservation while still pursuing economic objectives. Its can therefore be accurately concluded that organic industries lead to greater aesthetic gains when compare to inorganic industries. Adoption of organic practices and industries offer greater social benefits than inorganic ones. For example, all organic products which have been certified meet International Organic Federation standards. These industries also conform to UN charter of human rights thus they ensure that they have safe working environments; abide by International Labor Organization laws; provide essential social security needs to employees and offer equal opportunities as well as adequate wages regardless of gender, creed and color. Accredited organic industries ensure the rights of indigenous people are respected and rarely are they involved in lawsuits due to exploitation of inhabitants, in the long run these industries provide a lot of social benefits. According to FAO (2002) the general social benefits which are directly linked to organic production systems are: First, tendency for these industries to align to traditions of inhabitants and less motivation to follow production paradigm i.e. increasing output via artificial inputs. Secondly, they depend on local knowledge of intricate interactions of conditions from place to place; this usually makes it unfavorable to use large production areas. This encourages reduced land and farm sizes thus enhance equitable access to land. The endorsement of organic industry in the economy also promotes social justice and fair trade products this is particularly done through fair trade certification of organic produce. Organic certification considers reasonable wage in its standards thus ensuring that all certified organic industries are aligned with principles of fair trade. Furthermore, research conducted by the US bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that eighty six percent of firms in the organic industry have favorable gender distribution as well as promote women representation in senior management positions. Organic industries also stimulate the local economy by using local inputs and reduce the purchase of inputs on credit; this is in sharp contrast to inorganic industries which use imported inputs. Many firms in the organic agricultural industry use crop diversification, different harvesting and planning schedules related to crop rotation practices which evenly distribute labor demand throughout the year. They also ensure stability in employment, reduce labor migration problems, spread the costs incurred per employee throughout the year and reduce turnover. Finally, diversity in production created by organic industries and value added products boost income generating opportunities; they also spread the odds of failure over a broad range of products and crops. The US Society for Cultural Development, a private nonprofit organization conducted research and noted that over seventy certified organic firms had were members of democratic cooperatives and adhered to fair trade requirements. The study revealed that over eighty six percent of the firms paid employees salaries which had social premiums in order to improve quality of life. In addition, the organic movement has a consensus in support of the fact that social requirements are necessary even though many critics argue that pursuing these social standards impose trade barriers and restrictions to organic exports. Loir (2002) studied forty indicators of benefits of organic industry and products in US counties. A statistical comparison and analysis showed that twenty six indicators were in favor of organic systems while eight favored organic systems, six were neutral. The studies suggest that regions with organic farms have better farm economies and add more to county economies through net revenue, total sales, maintenance services, repair, payroll and taxes paid. Additionally, counties with many organic farms have better rural development support with greater direct consumer sales, higher worker pay and greater direct-customer sales. Organic industries also provide a mechanism for generating foreign exchange. Unlike inorganic industries which tend to import inputs, organic industries export more of their produce especially when they are internationally certified. In addition, international organic markets such as the European Union, Switzerland and Japan have well developed infrastructure and channels for successful exportation. Unlike inorganic products which usually have one channel of selling distribution, inorganic industries have many players such as foreign offices, foreign retail supermarket chains, organic marketing organizations etc. The premium connected to organic farming greatly benefits the economy as a whole. This premium has been estimated to as much as twenty percent above that of inorganic products. In conclusion, the growth of organic industries and products will continue to outpace that of its inorganic counterpart. Attractive premium prices in the lucrative export market, social and environmental benefits will continue to boost organic firms. Governments and state support are also likely to promote organic systems through legislating certification, export and market advice, development and research. State institutions and private corporations are increasingly admitting that it might be more cost effective to promote and encourage organic systems rather than rectify problems caused by inorganic industries e.g. environmental degradation.