PARADISE WITHIN Essays - Jules Laforgue, Afterlife, Paradise

PARADISE WITHIN The search for paradise is the neverending struggle through life for sanctum and inner-peace. While the knowledge of a single religion can cause doubts of afterlife, the contrast between two culturally diverse beliefs complicates matters even more; possibly to the point of enlightenment that one man's heaven is another man's hell. Likewise, the film, BlackRobe, plays on the similarities between Chomina, the Huron indian tribe leader, and Father LaForgue, the French Jesuit preist and the ultimate respect they gain for one another despite their cultural and religious diffferences. One must always show respect before one can expect to receive it however these circumstances come about. Chomina and Father LaForgue shared the common bond of commitment to a promise. This is what created the underlying conflict between the two. Chomina had promised to deliver Father LaForgue to his destiny (a missionary camp set up by other French preist), while at the same time, Chomina had to stand up for his own cultural beliefs and life-style. On the other hand, LaForgue devotes himself to his god, country, and the battle to save the souls of these poor Huron savages. Both of their constant efforts to keep their commitments created much friction between the two, and posed problems of doubt to them. There was one main factor that lead to Chomina and LaForgue's understanding of one another. Chomina's daughter, Annuka, and Father LaForgue's younger assistant Daniel crossed cultural, racial and religious barriers with their love for one another. LaForgue did not understand why Daniel could love some- one so religiously biased. What LaForgue finally sees is that love for someone should not be based upon such trivial concepts such as a spiritual opinion. Chomina also sees this when Daniel continues to follow the tribe after their abandonment. This then causes them to see that love conquers all differences through the quality of the promises they both make to one another. Both men knew and finally came to grips with their destiny and inevitable downfalls. Because deep down inside they knew what they had to do. Chomina knew his demise was coming through the repitition of his dream where the raven pecked out his eyes on a snow covered island. Not until his end did he see this was his fate. Not unlike Chomina, Father LaForgue knew his fate was also tragic. His mother had told him that she would not see him ever again. These two scenarios are similar due to the fact that the end was near, but neither could make real sense of the actual events. Despite the tragedies that occured along their way, much insight and enlightenment was acquired by all involved parties. Presumabley, this can be summed up by the saying, "There's what's right, and there's what's right, and never the 'tween shall meet".

pythagorean essays

pythagorean essays Pythagorean Philosophy and its influence on Musical Instrumentation and "Music is the harmonization of opposites, the unification of disparate things, and the conciliation of warring elements... Music is the basis of agreement among things in nature and of the best government in the universe. As a rule it assumes the guise of harmony in the universe, of lawful government in a state, and of a sensible way of life in the home. It brings together and unites." - The Pythagoreans Every school student will recognize his name as the originator of that theorem which offers many cheerful facts about the square on the hypotenuse. Many European philosophers will call him the father of philosophy. Many scientists will call him the father of science. To musicians, nonetheless, Pythagoras is the father of music. According to Johnston, it was a much told story that one day the young Pythagoras was passing a blacksmith's shop and his ear was caught by the regular intervals of sounds from the anvil. When he discovered that the hammers were of different weights, it occured to him that the intervals might be related to those weights. Pythagoras was correct. Pythagorean philosophy maintained that all things are numbers. Based on the belief that numbers were the building blocks of everything, Pythagoras began linking numbers and music. Revolutionizing music, Pythagoras' findings generated theorems and standards for musical scales, relationships, instruments, and creative formation. Musical scales became defined, and taught. Instrument makers began a precision approach to device construction. Composers developed new attitudes of composition that encompassed a foundation of numeric value in addition to melody. All three approaches were based on Pythagorean philosophy. Thus, Pythagoras' relationship between numbers and music had a profound influence on future musical education, i...

Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Auditing - Essay Example As the report declares the evolution of auditing ethical standards has abdicated the powers governing ethical issues of objectivity from the institutes and placed it in the hands of the ASB, this doesn’t seem to enough to properly control the behaviour of auditors in terms of objectivity and independence. In some cases, the Auditor becomes too financially dependent on the client that it cannot afford to give negative reports regarding the company for fear of losing his/her job. After all, good paying clients are becoming quite scarce nowadays. Other auditors are also providing very profitable advisory services to the client and even go to the extent of deciding for the company instead of merely advising the same. This discussion stresses that standards be set and properly instituted through statutes to provide effective deterrent to potential violators. The low cost auditing services proves to be a major reason why most auditors are resorting to unethical practices of the profession to augment their income. Standards have to be upgraded in terms of professional fees for auditors to prevent them from becoming too financially dependent to the clients. The decision rendered by the Court on the Caparo Industries plc v Dickman case, it if now very difficult to prosecute the auditor. Two provisions of Civil Law can be used to sue auditors for breach of contract, where the client sues the auditor for giving clean report which the client subsequently feels unjustified, and for tort which can be brought to court by anybody other than the client being audited for breaching their duty.

Walden - A Treatise on Transcendentalism Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Walden - A Treatise on Transcendentalism - Term Paper Example Living with a meagre amount of income, he built a home and enjoyed the most rustic freedom available to mankind. Moreover, Thoreau alleged in the tome that over-dependence on literature was never an effective conduit towards transcendence or the ideal conception of one’s spiritual condition against the lure of worldly facets or sensual perceptions; spiritual success can be attained through individual intuition or experience. The magnificent natural surroundings endowed to us by Mother Nature is goading us to live simply and to concentrate on the elemental sounds of nature such as the rustling hum of the leaves, the chirping of migratory birds, the ringing of the chapel’s bells, the jangling and muffling of wagons, the farm animals moaning, and the tiny creatures flirting. The last chapter of the book condemned the American preoccupation with success and excessive affluence that were vestigial to their pursuit of happiness. Thoreau compassionately encouraged humanity to alter their lives for the wellness of the spirit and not for the mounting of wealth and material possessions. He epitomized these pieces of advice by means of passages interspersed in the book such as â€Å"sell your clothes and keep your thoughts,† and â€Å"say what you have to say, not what you ought.† Furthermore, Thoreau denounced conformity because this administrative demand hinders the genuine journey of humanity towards happiness and contentment; individuals, as he accepted, should follow what their hearts and minds utter because only though self-discretion will a person obtain a blissful subsistence. The masterpiece of Thoreau generally criticizes the debilitating fixation of the Western culture towards consumerism and materialism which in the long run will spawn the obliteration of nature. The venture of Thoreau towards simplicity has three objectives; primarily, the endeavour was performed to elude the global weakening effect of the Industrial Revolution.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 11

Leadership - Essay Example Reluctant leaders are normally endowed with leadership skills and with proper training and mentorship, reluctant leaders turn out to be very strong and competent leaders; as the author of this article states, reluctant leaders have skills to be excellent managers but can’t imagine themselves succeeding in a leadership role. Arrogant leaders refer to the category of people who, though they have insecurities just like the reluctant leaders, they however believe that they are strong and competent leaders. The arrogant leaders compensate for their insecurities through convincing themvelves that they are competent leaders; unlike the reluctant leaders who manifest low self-esteem, the arrogant leaders manifest strong self-confidence and self-conviction in their capabilities as leaders. The arrogant leaders are normally ambitious self-marketers; for this reason, arrogant leaders are mainly promoted to positions of leadership by many organisations, unlike the reluctant leaders who do not showcase their leadership skills. Unlike the reluctant leaders, the arrogant leaders lack natural leadership skills and for this reason, arrogant leaders can wreak havoc in the groups or the teams that they are leading. This is because arrogant leaders are not humble and they believe that they know all they need to know in le adership and in relating with the people they lead. For this reason, transforming arrogant leaders into competent leaders is a challenging task that requires the arrogant leaders to be helped to recognize their own weaknesses and limitations, so that they can be humble enough to learn more about leadership so as to be able to relate better with the people they lead. Unknown leaders refer to a category of leaders who are quite competent leaders and they are also ambitious, but they have a weakness in forming relationships with other people; unknown leaders are cautious and they form relationships with other people more slowly and tentatively than other

Motorola inc. six sigma approach

Motorola inc. six sigma approach EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The first part of the project contains information about Motorola.   The information includes the companys mission, vision statement, their values of Motorola and a brief view of their TQM beliefs. Motorola, Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications company, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. The main purpose of this report is to analyze Total Quality Management (TQM) tools and techniques practiced by Motorola, Inc. for achievement of competitive edge in this intense competitive environment. The second part of the project talks about Motorolas Total Quality Management practices like Six Sigma Approach, Continuous improvement, Employee involvement and Customer focus, Quality standards, Management, Supplier standards, Counterfeit products etc. The third part of the project contains information about Motorolas key performance indicators and quality standards. The final part of the project talks about Motorolas successes and weaknesses. All the information I used for this project was received at www.motorola.com. INTRODUCTION Motorola Inc. is one of the largest telecommunication manufacturer companies of the world. Motorola is in telecommunication industry for more than 80 years.   Motorola net sales in 2008 were U.S. $ 30.1 billion and it employed approximately 65,000 people all over the world. The company manufactures telecommunication products like Microprocessors, Mobile phones, Smartphones, Two-way radios, Networking systems and Satellite phones etc. This report examines the efficiency and effectiveness of the TQM tools practice by Motorola i.e. Six Sigma Approach, Continuous improvement, Employee involvement and Customer focus etc. It also analyzes the quality standard of Motorola, Inc. Product quality for Motorola is the most important factor of business profitability and importance of ensuring the quality of the products cannot be underestimated. Strategy of quality improvement usually increases innovative products that meet the expanding needs of Motorola customers around the world and also increases market share of company. Motorola sees things from a global perspective, always motivated to create and produce innovative products of the highest quality at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction. Motorola is also trying to develop environmental friendly products in order to show responsible corporate citizen image. Furthermore, new ways are found out by Motorola to reduce raw material requirements and at the same time keep wastage level at minimum. Vision Statement: Our history is rich. Our future is dynamic. We are Motorola and the spirit of invention is what drives us. Mission Statement: We are a global communications leader powered by a passion to invent and an unceasing commitment to advance the way the world connects. Our communication solutions allow people, businesses and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Values of Motorola:  § Receive customer loyalty by delivering on our promises.  § Build quality associations with companies that contribute to our values.  § Take care of the investment of our shareholders as if it were our own.  § Compete aggressively but with integrity.  § Provide products and services that benefit people.  § Business decisions must be based on the best interests of Motorola.  § Report business conduct concerns immediately.  § Business must be conducted legally and ethically, without accepting or giving bribes. Strategy: As a global corporate citizen, Motorola tries to create products and technologies that benefit society by making things smarter and life healthier for people around the world. Motorola is devoted to operate ethically, defending the environment and supporting the communities in which Motorola do business. They are guided by our Code of Business Conduct, which is based on our key beliefs of unbending reliability and constant respect for people. As a global corporate citizen, Motorola strives to:  § Create innovative technological solutions that benefit people at home, at work and on the move.  § Increase shareholder value through profitable growth, technological innovation and market leadership.  § Operating with precision and the top standards of ethics and law.  § Protect the environment by improving our environmental performance and designing environmentally conscious products.  § Maintain a safe and healthy workplace, fostering a globally diverse workforce and supporting our employees work-life balance.  § Promote economic opportunities and growth in regions where Motorola conduct business, through products, services and operations.  § Set expectations for our suppliers to conduct their operations in agreement with the law. KEY STAKEHOLDERS The key stake holders who directly or indirect affect Motorola company LTD according to CSR report 2008 are:  § Customers  § Employees  § Suppliers  § Labor unions  § Investors/share holders  § Industry organizations  § Government TQM TOOLS USED BY MOTOROLA 1. Six Sigma Approach: Motorola knows Six Sigma is a very good approach but not perfect for achievement of the quality goals. Thats why being the founder of the Six Sigma technique; Motorola practices lots of useful tools of TQM. â€Å"Six Sigma, an approach developed by Motorola to improve business processes by minimizing defects. 2. Customer focus: Customer focus is the major concern of Motorola. Motorola has always worked well with its supplier to maximize the customer satisfaction. Motorola services and products are focused on market share and loyalty of customers. Customer satisfaction index help Motorola in measuring the satisfaction level of its customers. Customer complaints not only represent the problem of Motorola customer face but also are a big opportunity for improvement. Motorola tries to find the root causes of the problem and remove that, so as to enhance services and reduce complaints of customer in long run. Customer relation centers help Motorola in handling the enquiries from customers quickly, respectfully and clearly. 3. Continuous improvement and Supplier Standards: Supplier produce necessary parts and materials for the products, maintaining close cooperation is very important for stable production and enhancement of quality. Motorola knows the importance of relationship with its supplier thats why Motorola is building long term relationship with its business partners. Motorola follows strict processes to ensure the quality of finished products regardless of whether it is from the internal or external suppliers. For Motorola it is also very crucial that working conditions are safe for employees, and employees are treated as partner, this will assure the quality and continuity of supply. 4. Benchmarking: Benchmarking is one of the effective tools of Motorola that enables to gain competitive edge by building strengths and reducing weaknesses of company. Benchmarking inspire Motorola managers to compete, it is useful tool of quality because the objectives are set on the basis of external information, due to information access personnel of the organization is much more motivated to attain the goals and objective. Motorola know that Benchmarking is time and cost efficient because the process involves imitation and adaptation rather than pure invention. 5. Environmental concern: Motorola is working with its supplier to produce smart products which is not harmful for environment, Motorola produce energy efficient products to promote environmental management systems. Motorola is supporting the suppliers efforts to achieve the ISO 14000 Certification which is very helpful for sustainable environment. Motorola follows all countries, regions and localities laws regarding environment and trying to find out the cheap ways to minimize energy usage. 6. Education and Training: Employee development is very important for continues improvement, therefore Motorola gives ongoing education and training to its employees. This not only keeps employees up-to-date with new trends applied to job but also help increase the productivity. Motorola monitor the effectiveness of training programmes to ensure that its useful for employees. 7. Employee involvement: The performance of organization directly depend on the employee involvement, therefore success of company is dependent on the involvement of employees. Motorola Employees are the source of creativity and problem solving. Employee must be given authority which motivates employees to own the company / Process of Company. Motorola staff knows they play vital role in the success of the company, that why they effectively participate in all processes of organization. Employee involvement efficiently increased quality of the products produced by Motorola. PERFROMANCE INDICATORS OF MOTOROLA Motorola puts its efforts to provide the society with superior products and services by developing innovations that improve the quality of life and satisfy customer needs, provides employees with meaningful work environment and advancement opportunities and investors with a superior return. Motorola is also playing a role to make sure that their products are accessible and affordable to the people who need them. They are taking different initiatives and forming partnerships in this regard. All people at Motorola are responsible for adhering to business practices that are in accordance with the law and the ethical principles. The Company strives to use outside technology resources as well. Motorolas manufacturing division will further focus its capabilities on core products. In addition, Motorola is enhancing its research operations to expand access to worldwide external science. It works with its employees to understand their concerns, needs and thoughts on companys strengths and weaknesses and incorporate these findings into the strategies, processes and programs. In order to do this, Motorola carries out surveys of employees. Motorola promotes the human rights of its employees. The main focus is to encourage justice, equal opportunity and dignity without discrimination. This is a step towards promoting economic development. SUCCESSES OF MOTOROLA Motorola is a world-renowned company that services the US and several international countries. Their organizational structure puts them on top of the rest with strong values for their employees and customers. I learned that there is a huge competition between Nokia and Motorola for market share in the manufacturing of handheld devices. Starting out in 1928 as a small battery powered radio producer, Motorola is truly a company building a foundation for the next up and coming technology. Motorola is a company that has been around a long time and one of its main key factors to success is that that you can see the brand name any where you go. Motorola is the second leading producer of wireless handsets and is the top supplier of wireless infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmissions base stations, amplifiers, and network switching. Its also helpful in many new products such as the new Star Tac cell phone that has the market wondering if Motorola is back in the game and ready to regain market share. Motorola is also the top producer of fixed chips that are used in wireless networking, automotive, and customer products. A key success for many annalists is how much market share a company has. Motorola has the no. one global market share in semiconductors for automotive applications, in communications processors, and in radio frequency power products for cellular base station markets. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS To remain competitive in these extremely competitive economic situations that exist in todays telecommunication industry, telecommunication companies must look for excellence. New style of management helps in achieving the excellence which focuses on cycle time reduction, employee involvement, the reduction of waste, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. To gain competitive edge in twenty first century market, it is crucial for telecommunication companies to supply more reliable quality and value to their customers. It is the time to expand better and more direct relationships with clients, to start teamwork at the jobsite, and to generate better quality work. The recommendations are that Motorola must continue to sustain the position of cost leadership by focusing on quality of the products, as it helps in producing high volumes of mature products, which lead to lower prices. Motorola should apply differentiation strategy to gain competitive advantage to charge premium prices.

Famous Women Pilot: Amelia Earhart Essay -- Female Pilot, Biography

Amelia Earhart is one of the most famous women pilots in our history. Her childhood wasn’t the best out of everyone’s, but she used flying as a distraction. Amelia attempted to do things that no one else would attempt and she was the first women to break many records and fly to different places. Amelia was the first woman to attempt to fly around the world even though if it meant risking her life. She changed what women pilots could do and she encouraged them to fly and become pilots. It is still a mystery till today about her disappearance. Amelia Earhart impacted women in aviation even before she disappeared on her journey around the world. Amelia’s childhood didn’t start off or end up as great as it could have been. Amelia Mary Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas on July 24, 1897. Her parents struggled financially when she was young. It was tough for them to pay for things and that impacted their family life (â€Å"Amelia Earhart†). Amelia spent a lot of time at her grandparents house. At that time her dad, Edwin wasn’t doing well with his job and he had a bad drinking problem. Amy, Amelia’s mom and the two girls left her father. Her parents got together and tried to work things out, but it eventually didn’t (Fleming 9). While Amelia was still young, she worked as an American Red Cross nurse during World War I in Toronto, Canada. Once the war ended, Amelia went to New York to attend Columbus University and got a degree in nursing. Her nursing job was one of the many jobs Amelia had to help pay for the daily needs of the family. She paid for all the things that were r equired for her plane since her family couldn’t afford these expenses (â€Å"Amelia Earhart†). Overall, she used flying as her distraction to all of the d... ...ng the Social Significance of Scientific Discovery. Ed. Josh Lauer and Neil Schlager. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 57-58. Global Issues In Context. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. Parr, Jan. Amelia Earhart: First Lady of Flight. New York: Franklin Watts, 1997. Print. Pelt, Lori Vori. Amelia Earhart: The Sky's No Limit. New York: Forge, 2005. Print. American Heroes Ser. Stone, Tanya Lee. Amelia Earhart. London: DK Pub., 2007. Print. Wagner, Heather Lehr. "'A New Career'." Amelia Earhart, Famous Flyers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2003. American History Online. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 26 Novem ber 2013 Waldman, Carl, and Jon Cunningham. "Aviation and Exploration." Encyclopedia of Exploration: Places, Technologies, and Cultural Trends, Volume 2. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web 6 Nov. 2013.

Performance Management Plan Essay

Good afternoon Traci, after assessing the current status and future needs of Marylee Luther’s construction company and taking some notes from your conversation with her the other day we have compiled a performance management framework that we believe will integrate the company’s goals to its strategy while making the growth move from Michigan to Arizona and staying consistent with the organizations current revenue and employee growth projections over the next year. We will briefly outline this performance management plan as it pertains to the categories of alignment of the performance management framework to the organizational business strategy, organizational performance philosophy, the job analysis process you will complete to identify the skills needed by employees, methods used for measuring the employee’s skills, process for addressing skill gaps, and an approach for delivering effective performance feedback. The framework that has been chosen for the organi zation will ease the growing pains of adding 20% more personnel (130 people) over the next year. Performance Framework Organizations with the revenues and personnel comparable to Mrs. Luther’s construction business have made the move to all inclusive software systems in order to handle the monitoring and scheduled maintenance of both operational and employee performance metrics which allow managers to make real time changes that save time and money for the organization. We recommend WebFOCUS performance management framework or (PMF). According to â€Å"Information Builders† (1996-2013), â€Å"PMF is a comprehensive, fully integrated, out-of-the-box solution that fully supports any existing performance management methodology, such as balanced scorecard (BSC). It comes complete with all the functionality and tools companies need to efficiently and effectively set and communicate strategy across the organization, define related metrics, and involve all stakeholders in monitoring and measurement – all from a single, intuitive, easy-to-access, browser-based environment.† Read more:  Growth Performance Management The PMF software has such features as †¢Performance management data models †¢Pre-built dashboards, scorecards, and reports †¢More than 500 pre-packaged metrics for common industries and business functions †¢Strategy mapping to visualize and communicate strategy †¢The ability to manage performance and risk together †¢Mobile alerts †¢In-depth analytics †¢Link scorecards to operational reports The WebFOCUS framework software will be a good fit for the organization due to the fact that the software will give the organization the ability to maintain consistency and allow for growth in every area of the business. Performance Philosophy In order to facilitate the solidification of the performance framework with the organizations new performance strategy, we have chosen a proven philosophy that encourages the simultaneous improvement of both technical and social aspects of the company through aligning the organizations strategy with its goals and clearly incorporating each employee into a definable part of the business. Core principles are developed as guidelines for members of the organization to operate under to stay in line with the business goals. Here are the principles that should be focused on moving forward. †¢The strategy and goals of the organization are clear to all members of the organization and are an integral part of everyday operations †¢The employees are treated as the organizations key assets and are provided with the training, skill development, and resources to succeed while fulfilling the organizations strategy †¢Work is designed around teams to accomplish the goals of the business as a whole †¢Job processes and structures are streamlined to support a focused part of the organizations strategy †¢The management team is present to provide operational boundaries, resources for tasks and guidance when needed †¢The organization will always exceed the expectations of its customers Identifying Employee Needs Given the fact that construction workers are out on job sites most of the day and cannot voice their needs or concerns when they arise, we recommend a system of top-down check ins daily where managers will have mobile conferences with site supervisors after having team meetings that morning on the different job sites. This will help move any employee needs or issues up the management chain faster. To add to that process management will have quarterly one-on-one meetings with all employees to address any needs and guide in filling any performance or skill gaps that will later be scheduled for improvement. Measuring Employee Skills Using the WebFOCUS software, we recommend having employees taking an online test that can be done at work or home that will identify each employee’s skills and strengths and will put those into a database that measures standards to each job and where that employee excels or falls short in that job and the construction industry. The new software will also keep the company goals and focus for both Michigan and new Arizona facilities simultaneously. Addressing Skill Gaps Construction employees are notoriously hands on people so after a proper skills assessment test to identify strengths and weaknesses in that employees current position we recommend a one-on-one meeting between that employee and their manager where a training map can be discussed and implemented over a three month period which will consist of both online and on-the-job training to bring the employee up to industry standards for their respective position. The training will be monitored by site supervisors and progress will be logged and relayed to upper management. Effective Performance Feedback Performance feedback is essential to both the employee as well as the company so we recommend a system of open communication and full disclosure as they pertain to current and the projected 20% new employees over the next year for the company. The process will consist of the manager clearly conveying their expectations of said employee at the point of hire, informing that quarterly one-on-one meetings with the manager will be held to make sure that employees performance goals are being met, and address any issues or concerns that arise. The process for the yearly performance feedback reviews will consist of a clear ranking system based off of the managers previously stated expectations of that employee, social and technical compliances for that employee, and will give an overall score that will dictate any compensation raise or bonus. The day of the performance feedback the employee will receive a printed out copy of the feedback an hour before their actual meeting with management. This will allow the employee to work out any emotions or feeling within themselves first so that the meeting with their manager can be conducted with fresh eyes and ears. The manager will not address any issue with compensation or wander off topic during the feedback and new goals and expectations will be discussed and implemented from that point. Conclusion The information that has been given in regards to Marylee Luther’s construction company warranted a completely all inclusive software system to be able to make assessments and organize information regarding the business and employees. We feel that the WebFOCUS software chosen for her company will streamline processes and expedite growth as they expand to the Arizona market and provide flexibility for the managers to use in new ways moving forward in both states respectively. We believe that the process changes recommended towards employee relations will empower the employees to expand their own knowledge and foster a sense of accountability and ownership that will ultimately take the company and employee to the next level. References Information builders (1996-2013). Retrieved from http://www.informationbuilders.com/products/webfocus/webfocuspmf The center for organizational design (2012). Retrieved from http://www.centerod.com/high-performance-philosophy/

Writing Money versus Heart

Writing Money versus Heart When you have spells of no feedback, and your family and friends do not take your writing seriously, what do you do? There lies the crossroad. The point of decision between writing for reward and pats on the back. . . or writing for sanity and joy. If you do one, you wonder why you cannot have the other. But in reality you understand that heavy focus on one always robs from the other. I was at the bank recently, and the banker asked me what I did for a living. I said I was an author. He asked more. I explained I retired from the federal government at 46 to write, and Ive been doing it every since. Oh, he said. Now you can just have fun. I smiled and accepted the back-handed, ignorant, meant-to-be-nice compliment. After all, I needed his help. But the comment stuck with me for days after. Add to that the comment of my father. Facing dementia, he calls almost daily, forgetting whatever we talked about the day before, usually asking, Am I interrupting anything? I usually  say that I am working, which means at the computer writing. This week he replied, Are you working, or just writing? Of course, you dont scold an old man for not understanding. Then theres the old friend from years ago who hub But then a reader asked me to read her essay and offer feedback before she entered a contest. A very reputable contest, so I gave it a look-see. It blew me away. The piece was poignant, deeply personal, and gripped me through the entire 5,500 words. It made me wish I had the liberty to only write from the heart and only for me. Wishing that making a living didnt factor into the equation. As a reader, take a second to respect the author. Whether you loved the story or tossed it in the trash, somebody on the other end poured tons of time and heart into creating that book. As an author, take a second to remember that you have to write for you first and foremost. You have to love living inside your stories before anyone else can. And if the book doesnt sell, well, you created a world for yourself. . . designed And as a successful author, take a moment to measure if youre still loyal to the writing. Because its that umbilical cord connection that birthed you and got you started. Dont get so independent, or so successful, that you dont recall that writing is what sets you mentally free.

Rape in Ancient Societies

Rape in Ancient Societies Introduction One way to understand the view of ancient men is to rely on the insights provided by a gifted writer. Shakespeare is still relevant in the 21st century as he was during his time because of his ability to penetrate human nature. He does not only understand human nature but he is also a master when it comes to explaining it in terms and images readily understood by common men.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Rape in Ancient Societies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Shakespeare has another talent and it is his ability to look into ancient history and draw inspiration from there. One of his important works that relates to this topic is the play entitled The Rape of Lucrece. In this play Shakespeare sheds light on the mentality of the rapist and victim in ancient times. The most poignant part of the play is when Lucrece, after securing an oath from husband and father to avenge the wrong done to her, committed suicide.[1] This is an important scene because it shows the way society view the victim of the rape. Even if the rapist was the evildoer, the act itself has somehow transferred his wickedness into the victim, forcing her to kill herself. It has to be pointed out that rape is a crime that is difficult to prove. In a time when there were no scientific means to prove sexual assault it is difficult for a woman to build a clear case against a rapist especially if there were no witnesses. Going back to the story of Lucrece, her suicide was necessary to prove to everyone that she did nothing wrong. In the words of one commentary, â€Å"her death is to function as the ultimate sign of her innocence.†[2] Her family believed her story. It was Tarquin who forced her to sin against her body and therefore there was no need to commit suicide. However, her reputation suffers because at the time of the sexual act, although it must be considered rape, she allowed it to happen. Shak espeare wrote this play based on what he knows about ancient societies such as Greece and Rome. Before going any further it is important to have a clear understanding of the nature of rape. Jane Gallop, in The Daughter’s of Seduction has this to say: The notions of integrity and closure in the text are like that of virginity in a body. They assume that if one does not respect the boundaries between inside and outside, one is ‘breaking and entering,’ violating a property. As long as the fallacies of integrity and closure are upheld, a desire to penetrate becomes a desire to rape.[3]Advertising Looking for research paper on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The above statement also reveals an important feature of the act of rape that it begins in the mind. It begins with desire and the rapist is guilty even before he has committed the act. This must serve as a strong deterrent to rape . But the status of women in ancient societies was so low that men can were able to do what they please. Sexual assault was not as clearly defined and many of the guilty were left unpunished. It is now time to examine if the Greeks have a better understanding of the violent nature of rape. Ancient Greece The Greeks are known for their wisdom but even their enlightened rulers and philosopher did not develop laws to protect women from rape and the consequences of rape. They did not create laws that acted as a deterrent to violating the consent of women. They did not create laws to send a message that their society honors women in the same way that it honors the men. There were laws about rape but the focus is to protect the property and the reputation of the husband. Women in ancient Greece did not directly benefit from these laws because these laws are dependent on their relationship to a man. They have to be a wife, daughter, mother, or a palleke, a slave-woman kept for the purpose of bearing children.[4] In other words the crime of rape must be punished to deal with the offense made against husband and father but not to the victim of the said crime. The idea that laws about rape were created for the benefit of men was made clear in the story of Euphiletus trial on the murder of Eratosthenes. Euphiletus said that he knew that Eratosthenes was seducing his wife and when he caught them in the act of adultery he killed him. The plot thickens when Euphiletus found himself on trial for the murder of an adulterer when their law justifies the murder of a person caught seducing a pallake. Euphiletus added that if the law justifies this act then how much more the husbands murderous rage against an adulterer.[5] Euphiletus went on to explain why seduction is more dangerous than rape and he said: The rapist incurs the hatred of his victim, the seducer corrupts the very soul of the woman and gains greater control over her than her husband has. The seducer thus gets the en tire household under his control, making it impossible for the husband to know the father of his wife’s children.[6] Euphiletus made an interesting point with regards to the laws against adultery, rape and seduction. But the importance of his statement is on how it sheds light on the mindset of ancient Greeks when it comes to their women. As one can observe rape was made evil not because it violated the women but because the act can produce unwanted children.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Rape in Ancient Societies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, it can be interpreted as an act disadvantageous to the husband and protector of the female victim. For instance, in the case of a rapist attacking a man’s daughter, the rapist must be made to answer for his crime because the moment the daughter conceives after the rape, she would bring dishonor to the family. At the same time it raises a probl em when it comes to the responsibility of taking care of the child. There is no one who can help her raise the child. A rapist caught in the act of raping a man’s mother has to be punished because the act has brought shame to the family. There is also a possibility that the rapist has sired a child and this can be the root cause of a destructive family struggle later on. The same thing can be said about the raping the wife and the pallake. The end-goal is to erase all doubts that the children sired by these women are the legitimate heirs and not sired by a rapist and seducer. It is very clear that although Rome has sophisticated laws to deal with rape and seduction, all of these laws are for the benefit of men. Women are valued primarily as a bearer of children. Thus, their rights do not extend far from how they are perceived by the men in their household. These laws reveal a significantly different mindset when compared to the ideals of human rights and women’s rights in the 21st century. The concept of rape against women follows the same pattern as that of ancient Greece. The following statement clarifies the way sexual offenses were viewed during this time: â€Å"Sexual offenses by men involving women (rape, adultery, seduction, even sexual insults) were offenses against men’s authority over their household members.†[7] In ancient Greece adultery and rape were not clearly distinguished and the punishment was the same most of the time.[8] There is a simple explanation, â€Å"the victim of both crimes was not the person attacked but the man whose house she dwelt.†[9] Aside from the need to protect the family lineage these laws were created to protect the property of the men in a male-dominated society. Ancient Rome When Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates were formulating great ideas, Rome was still an unknown entity in the Western world. However, centuries later when Rome began to consolidate power to become a superpower in Euro pe, not much has change when it comes to how men treated women. According to one commentary: As is often true in patriarchal societies, the roles and identities of women in ancient Rome were generally seen as inseparable from those of the men to whom they were related. Roman women’s lives were expected to make a neat transition from the position of daughter and sister to that of wife and mother.[10]Advertising Looking for research paper on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A Roman myth called the Rape of the Sabine Women reveals how women are viewed in this ancient society. In the said myth the Romans wanted to form an alliance with a neighboring tribe called the Sabine. But this tribe was clearly not interested with the proposal. Thus, the Romans abducted the daughters of the Sabine people and forced them to be their wives. Technically, they were raped, but the reaction of the women provided a glimpse into their mindset when it comes to the relationship between men and women. In the aftermath of the abduction the Sabine tribe declared war on Rome but their captured daughters pleaded with them and begged â€Å"not to force a choice between their family of birth and their family of marriage.†[11] In this instance, rape became a prelude to marriage demonstrating once again that if the male relatives of the victims of rape are unable to redeem their honor then the woman’s value was lost forever. In this case their value was redeemed by agre eing to be married to their captors. This particular myth was in reference to the early days of Rome. It is important to find out if there was a significant change that occurred when Rome became a Republic. But just the same, the laws against rape were created to protect the honor of the male relatives. As a matter of fact the insult done to the woman is also considered as an insult to the male relative.[12] If the male relatives took matters into their own hand and kill the rapist, the prosecution against them was known to be very lenient.[13] Nevertheless, nothing can be done to restore the victim’s value. The offense of rape was considered a capital charge and therefore the punishment can be death, banishment or diminution of the civil status of the rapist.[14] Everything was done to prove to the world that the family’s honor was redeemed and that the male relative will not lose face in public. But nothing can be done to restore the value of the victim. The idea tha t an unmarried Roman girl has to be chaste has frightening consequences for the rape victim because: â€Å"Chastity was a vital element in the girl’s value for marriage, and if she had been violated before, her future was irrevocably spoiled. It got worse if she conceived during the rape. She lost her value as an object of exchange between families and could redeem herself only by death.[15] It is time to find out if much has change after the passage of thousands of years. It is important to determine if modern societies were able to see the value of women beyond their relationship with a man. Modern Times There is a major difference in the way modern people view rape compared to the mindset of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the ancient world rape is not just an act committed against a woman, it is an act committed against a woman under the supervision of a male relative. As a result, analysis of Greek and Roman literature will reveal that in their ancient societies adult ery and rape are seen as a similar offense against the head of the household. The modern view of rape is a sexual act committed without a woman’s consent.[16] But ancient Greece and ancient Rome had a different view than modern societies as pointed out by Harris: â€Å"our concept focuses on the absence of the victim’s consent †¦ ancient authors, on the other hand, had very different notions from ours about women’s power and ability to grant consent and were more interested in questions of honor when it came to judging acts of sexual violence.†[17] Although modern societies have a more sophisticated view of rape there are certain things that remained unchanged. Sex crimes still abound today. Rape is still a serious problem in the modern world as it was in ancient times. Rape still devalues women to the point that victims do not report rape to the authorities. A female victim of rape will find her value diminished even to the point that she may find i t hard to find a husband. Society still frowns on the victim even if it is not her fault. The laws of the modern world, however, offer more protection to the women regardless of her status.[18] She does not need the help of a male relative in order to defend her honor in court. Nevertheless, society still views a victim as damaged goods. When comparing ancient and modern societies one can see that the major difference is in the way women had liberated themselves from the clutches of a male-dominated world. Wives and daughters still believe in mutual respect when it comes to their relationship with husbands and fathers but the men can no longer treat them as if they were their property. The change in perception also created unexpected results such as the freedom of women to associate with men. In ancient times certain rules of conduct were in place to protect the honor of the family. The mere suspicion of undesirable behavior between man and woman must be dealt with swiftly either by a forceful dissolution of the relationship or marriage. But in the 21st century women can choose to have relationships with any man they would like. The unintended consequence is the emergence of a new form of rape called date rape. In layman’s terms date rape occurs between two people that are dating.[19] It can also happen between two acquaintances that happened to meet in a party.[20] The act is technically rape but the major difference is that the male perpetrator is known to the female victim. Rape can occur by the use of violence or by drugs.[21] The rapist can put a drug into a girl’s drink and when she passes out he takes advantage of her. It is also important to point out that date rape or simply rape can be the culmination of a series of violent acts. In other words the man can abuse the woman until the violence ends up in rape. It is of crucial importance to discuss date rape in the examination of the evolution of rape from ancient times to the present. Dat e rape is a remote possibility in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. The reported cases of violence committed by boyfriends against their girlfriends can only occur in the present time. Violent men and sex predators are dealt with swiftly and decisively in ancient Greece and Rome. The swift resolution of the problem is based on the fact that men are responsible for the women under their care. They will not allow stranger and other men to even come close to their daughters and wives if they are not assured of their true intentions. Much has been said about the abuses committed in a patriarchal society. There is no need to elaborate the fact that laws must cater to both men and women. However, something has to be done to develop a strong bond between families. It is not wise and practical to go back to ancient practices but one thing has to be made clear, they know how to protect their women. Today, sexual violence is on the rise and women are left to fend for themselves. Conclusion The re is not much difference between ancient Greece and ancient Rome when it comes to the way they deal with rape. Their laws were specifically designed to protect the honor and the property of the male relative. Rape, adultery, and seduction are all the same when the act is committed by someone who is not related to the female. In modern times women are no longer treated like property by their husbands and fathers. Women are free to mingle with other men. But this new found freedom has created a weakness that sex predators and unscrupulous men are willing to exploit. Something has to be done to strengthen the bond between family members without recreating the social structures of a male-dominated society. Bibliography Edwards, Catharine. Death in Ancient Rome. MA: Yale University Press, 2007. Gagarin, Michael and Elaine Fantham. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece  and Rome. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Harris, Edward. Democracy and the Rule of Law in Classical Ath ens. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Harris, Edward. â€Å"Rape in Antiquity: Sexual Violence in the Greek and Roman Worlds.† Diotima. Last modified 2007. Larmour, David. Rethinking Sexuality: Focault and Classical Antiquity. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1998. Orr, Tamara. Frequently Asked Questions about Date Rape. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2007. Parrot, Andrea. Coping with Date Rape and Acquaintance Rape. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 1999. Quay, Sara. â€Å"Lucrece the Chaste: The Construction of Rape in Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrece.† Modern Language Studies 25, no. 2 (1995): 3-17. Schnabel, Stephanie. The Theme of Rape in Elizabethan and Jacobean Literary  Text. Berlin: Verlag, 2006. Wilkins, Jessica. Date Rape. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 2011. Footnotes Sara Quay, â€Å"Lucrece the Chaste: The Construction of Rape in Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrece,† Modern Language Studies 25, no. 2 (1995): 3 Catharine Edwards, Death in Ancient Rome (MA: Yale University Press, 2007), 181. Quay, 3. Harris 286. Ibid. Edward Harris, Democracy and the Rule of Law in Classical Athens (UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006), 284. David Larmour, Rethinking Sexuality: Focault and Classical Antiquity (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1998), 132. Ibid. Ibid. Michael Gagarin and Elaine Fantham,The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and  Rome (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 249. Ibid. Stephanie Schnabel, The Theme of Rape in Elizabethan and Jacobean Literary Text  (Berlin: Verlag, 2006), 10. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Edward Harris, â€Å"Rape in Antiquity: Sexual Violence in the Greek and Roman Worlds.†Ã‚  Diotima. Last modified 2007. Ibid. Ibid. Jessica Wilkins, Date Rape (New York: Crabtree Publishing, 2011), 7. Tamra Orr, Frequently Asked Questions about Date Rape (New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2007), 23. Andrea Parrot, Coping with Date Rape and Acquaintance Rape ( New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 1999), 49

Anything having to do with economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anything having to do with economics - Essay Example 4): Human resources: labor. The labor force is limited both in number and in skills. Manufactured resources or capital. Capital consists of all those inputs that have themselves been produced in the first place. The world has a limited stock of capital: a limited supply of factories, machines, transportation and other equipment. The productivity of capital is limited by the state of technology. Hence, scarcity arises due to comparative unlimited human wants in the limited set of available resources to satisfy these wants. In other words, in free market economy scarcity occurs either because of increase in demand or decrease in supply. Also known as pure capitalist system; where individuals are free to make their demand decisions. The decisions of consumers and firms pertaining to the demand and supply of goods are transmitted to each one of them via the effect of these decisions on prices. This in turn, sets the equilibrium price level in the economy. Hence, prices are set via free interaction of demand and supply of goods and services, in a market where consumers are free to make their own choices according to their own income levels, firms are free to supply what they decide according to their own investment. government interference to run the economic system exists with the help of businesses. United States, however, is a good example of free market system where government intervention is minimal and mostly prices are determined through market forces of demand and supply. â€Å"an economy where supply and price are regulated by the government rather than market forces. Government planners decide which goods and services are produced and how they are distributed. The former Soviet Union was an example of a command economy†. Command economies are usually recognizable in places where the presence of socialist or communist systems of

Film responses 11 Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Film responses 11 - Movie Review Example The camera tilts from the middle of the tree trunk downwards to show Tajà ´maru at the roots of another big tree. The long shot shows him in natural sunlight. The camera cuts to a long shot that focuses on his body only and a small surrounding space to show part of the tree and the grass on the ground. It makes him look as wild as his surroundings. The musical background is used to amplify the menacing nature of Tajà ´maru. The mise-en-scene shows his tattered clothing with his sword and messy hair. He looks like a slob, which fits the personality of an uneducated bandit. The way he sleeps indicates his arrogance too. The camera dollies to the right of Tajà ´maru to show the road at his side. The samurai and his wife are approaching in broad daylight. The light on the couple contrasts with the darkness on Tajà ´maru. The lighting signifies on the darkness and goodness of people. The scene cuts to a medium shot of the samurai but a full shot of his veiled wife. The background show s the woods, signifying their isolation. Their gentle movements, costume and hair signify their social class and breeding. The camera cuts to Tajà ´maru in medium shot. The dry bark of the tree is clear from behind. Patches of sunlight are piercing through the leaves to show his face. He looks bored and uninterested with the couple. He sees the wife but her veil hides her. He lazily scratches his body. The next cut is a wide long shot that reveals a dark tree at the middle, Tajà ´maru at the left and the couple at the right. The samurai is shown as acting on defense with a long shot from his waist up. He gets ready if the stranger Tajà ´maru strikes him. It shows the samurai as a careful fellow, someone who will also protect his wife’s honor. The men look at each other but Tajà ´maru’s closes his eyes lazily. The background music adds a chiming effect as the shadows of the leaves on Tajà ´maru’s body shows them being moved by the wind. He wakes up and opens his eyes