Is Math a Science Essay

Upon arriving at this topic, I had previously been asked a simple opinionated question, is math is a science, an art, or a philosophy. I thought to myself, well of course all three. Mathematics is for the most part (at least what people see) is a science; adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, differentiating, integrating, etc. These are all very well defined operations which, for the most part, have very algorithmic solution methods. The art comes in the proofs. Typically, when formulating a proof you’re not given anywhere to start and so, just like in art, practice makes perfect. Also, when writing theorems this process is completely in reverse and the amount of creativity required is staggering. Just try drawing a conclusion from a set of fragmented, typically unrelated information (this doesn’t even have to be math related). The philosophy comes from concepts of infinity and most of set theory. A lot of early mathematics (after the Dark Age) were, for the most part, philosophers. They were fascinated by how something so simple as mathematics could model something so abstract and complicated as nature, and yet could itself become as abstract as to not be visualize-able by humans (infinite, dimensions greater than 3, etc.) So it is all three, although rarely is it simultaneously all three. One of these usually dominates while working with math at any one time. But there have been points in history where all three of coincided and it is some of the most mind-boggling and beautiful work you’ll ever see. But it had got me thinking after taking this course that is math really a science, an art, or a philosophy, though for more thought out reasons. Having an art background and studying art history front and back, I came to the idea that mathematics and art go hand in hand. (And now knowing this, I have a stronger connection as to why math would be considered an art compared to a chemical engineer who would be more likely to lean towards a more scientifical view of mathematics). Math and art have quite a long, historical relationship. The ancient Egyptians and the ancient Greeks knew about the golden ration, regarded and an aesthetically pleasing ratio, and incorporated it into the design of monuments including the Great Pyramid, the Parthenon, and the Colosseum. There are many examples of artists who have been inspired by mathematics and have studied mathematics as a means of complementing their works. The Greek sculptor Polykleitos prescribed a series of mathematical proportions for carving the ideal male nude. Renaissance painters turned to mathematics and many, including Piero della Francesca, became accomplished mathematicians themselves. Even look at Galileo Galilei, he wrote that the universe is written in the language of mathematics, and that its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures. On the other hand, mathematicians have sought to interpret and analyze art through the lens of geometry and rationality. All of this made me realize that this all had to do with algorithms. Algorithms had to fit into the mathematical relation with art which then got me to the concept of algorithmic art. Algorithmic art, also known as algorithm art, is visual art explicitly generated by an algorithm. It is a subset of generative art, and is practically always executed by a computer. If executed by a computer, it is also classed as computer-generated art; typically, this is usually categorized as digital art. Fractal art and equation art are both subsets of algorithmic art. For a work of art to be considered algorithmic art, its creation must include a process based on an algorithm devised by the artist. Here, an algorithm is simply a detailed recipe for the design and possibly execution of an artwork, which may include computer code, functions, expressions, or other input which ultimately determines the form the art will take. This input may be mathematical, computational, or generative in nature. Inasmuch as algorithms tend to be deterministic, meaning that their repeated execution would always result in the production of identical artworks, some external factor is usually introduced. This can either be a random number generator of some sort, or an external body of data (which, I found, can range from recorded heartbeats to frames of a movie.) Some artists also work with organically based gestural input which is then modified by an algorithm. By this definition, algorithmic art is not to be confused with graphical methods such as generating a fractal out of a fractal program; it is necessarily concerned with the human factor (one’s own algorithm, and not one that is pre-set in a package). The artist must be concerned with the most appropriate expression for their idea, just as a painter would be most concerned with the best application of colors. By this definition, defaulting to something like a fractal generator (and using it for all or most of your creations) would in essence be letting the computer dictate the form of the final work, and not truly be a creative art. The artist’s self-made algorithms are an integral part of the authorship, as well as being a medium through which their ideas are conveyed. Though, after delving into the fact that math is and can be very well classified as an art, I do strongly agree that math is a science because I think that math can be considered a science if you look at it from the right perspective. Let’s say you have a hypothesis (imagine you are Fermat or Pythagoras). How would you prove that you were right? You would do an experiment (the proof) and arrive at a conclusion. This is the scientific method, and it does fit how mathematics is done. Sometimes it takes a while to do enough experiments to prove your theory. For one, I still cannot think of mathematics as entirely a science; the two are fundamentally different in a very important aspect: in science we have to look at reality and then give explanations, usually enlisting the aid of mathematics as a coherent language in which to frame our explanations, but mathematics is done in many other situations beyond science. Pure mathematicians are sometimes proud to claim how useless their discoveries are. In science we experiment. We go into the â€Å"real world,† observe phenomena, go back to the drawing table, and try to explain these phenomena. Then we go back out to the world, see if we can predict a new phenomenon before it happens (when we can do that we usually say that we have discovered â€Å"a fundamental law of nature†), and either smugly rest for the day, or crawl back to the drawing table, slightly disappointed if our hypothesis did not work as we intended. This, in general, is what we call the â€Å"scientific method.† Mathematics is different. Though I do agree that mathematics is becoming an experimental discipline, particularly with the recent introduction of powerful calculating machines, it does not rely on these experiments in order to claim â€Å"Eureka! I have discovered a new truth!† Mathematics requires proof, and it’s very picky about what it considers proof to be. For a scientist, ten experiments with consistent results might constitute proof, â€Å"within experimental error.† For a mathematician, a googolplex of successful experiments is not enough proof. Instead, we rely on logic, and this thing we call â€Å"common sense,† fundamental logical rules we believe no one will dispute, very basic rules. Mathematics is very often inspired by nature, but it is a purely intellectual pursuit. It is just a bunch of ideas in our heads, like philosophy. Unlike most of philosophy, there is some â€Å"glue† to it all, some fundamental unity, something we call logic, reason, order. Pure abstract reasoning. That’s why I sometimes like to say that mathematics is applied philosophy. Philosophy under the influence of very specific rules. Then there’s the aesthetics of it. The capacity of mathematics to be an art. This is one of my favorite interpretations. The sheer simplistic beauty, the awe one can feel when one reads an entire proof and understands every aspect of it, when a surprising truth is found by unsurprising means; this is a very personal experience, I think. You really have to feel it in the flesh to understand it. That flash of understanding when a complex problem has been solved. That simple marvel of seeing many unrelated ideas congregates under a single roof o f logic and order. This is what spurs the most romantic of mathematicians to keep on trying to prove that ancient conjecture. Personally, as it turns out, I do not think that anyone will really know what math really is. There may be a myriad of ways of how math can be classified, whether it is an art, a science or a philosophy. There will always be opinions for and against each concept. But as for me, my heart solely believes that math can be absolutely any of the three concepts above. I feel that maybe there are many ignorant people who do not care enough to be open minded to the fact that mathematics may in fact be all three. Who knows, I may have an opinion that can be completely inaccurate, but it wouldn’t be an opinion if it could be proved wrong.

Good and Evil and Beowulf Essay

Beowulf is the most famous epic of the Anglo-Saxon period. This is a story of an epic hero who fights against the most sinister monsters known to man. Beowulf and Grendel are the main characters of this tale; they are the perfect example of good versus evil, light versus dark, and hero versus villain. Beowulf is the story all epic hero stories have followed; the Beowulf with his hero qualities goes head to head with Grendel. Heroes and villains share a lot of qualities but a number of key characteristics set them apart. Heroes as well as villains above all are abnormal; they share their own specific goals and are often very intelligent and capable of achieving what they want or need to achieve. Both types of these individuals are often warrior like and of unique or even divine like powers and weapons. Despite sharing these characteristics they are not similar in their desires. Heroes fight on the side of right, they fight for the good of man and they fight for the safety of society. Villains fight for evil; they do not care about innocent people being injured by their actions and only seek self satisfaction. Villains recklessly murder anyone who gets in their way and the only ones who can stop them are heroes like Beowulf. Beowulf is a shining example of an epic hero who fights against the evils of the Geats. Beowulf is a warrior who praises god and aims to kill the monsters that plague his people. â€Å"Bravest and the best of the Geats,† Beowulf is a superhuman warrior who is out to kill the likes of Grendel for fame and glory. Grendel is the most sinister monster known to the Geats, he strikes fear into their hearts because of what he has done to innocent people. Grendel is an ugly and despicable monster who â€Å"has hands forged in hell† (ll. 64). Grendel is the enemy of mankind and specifically Beowulf, he is the â€Å"shadow of death† and lusts for evil (ll. 74). The conflict between Grendel and Beowulf is not one that is just a battle of fame or pleasure but one of righteousness and wrong. Beowulf must defeat Grendel for all of the evil he has committed and to honor those who have died defending themselves from this creature born in the depths of hell.

Whats Complicating Bernankes Balancing Act Essay

Whats Complicating Bernankes Balancing Act - Essay Example products, but more about the market forces that are determined by overseas. The interdependency can be observed from the increasing trade volume between U.S. and Asia, which has doubled in 10 years. The complication increases the chances that the Fed could make a policy mistake by pushing rates too high or leaving them too low. It could cost the economy deadly if an error is to be corrected later on. (Cooper, 2006) Large countries, like the U.S., used to alter their monetary policies according to the situation of themselves. For example, in the past, the U.S. could keep her inflation rate under control easily and effectively through adjusting the interest rate to a right level. However, in the world of globalization, as the world economies are becoming more interdependent, as supported by the increasing trading volume in the passage, the level of interest rate would also affect the trade deficit issues between the U.S. and other countries as foreign capital is in need to finance the trade deficit.

Amazon Operational Management Strategies Term Paper

Amazon Operational Management Strategies - Term Paper Example Operations management is not confined to manufacturing alone but also encompasses services. Hence, operations management can be best defined as effective and efficient management of all operations of the organization that contribute to improving the systems that are aimed at creating and delivering quality products and services to the customers (Young, 2009). It involves designing, redesigning, overseeing, implementing, executing of the various business operations. Operations management has a twofold effect on the profit of an organization and hence it is vital for the overall success of an organization. Organization is benefitted from the improved effectiveness due to operations management and the created products and services are such that they meet the requirements and needs of the customers. In simple words, increased efficiency will result in increased revenue which results in a more competitive organization and increased efficiency will also reduce costs (Galloway, 1993). Follo wing are the 10 operational management strategies that an organization can apply: Product/ Service Design, Quality Management, Capacity Management, Location, Layout Design, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management, Scheduling and Maintenance. This paper is aimed at analysing how Amazon.com has applied operational management strategies to succeed and gain competitive advantage in the market. Amazon.com Amazon.com is a multinational customer-centric American company. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington Amazon.com is an electronic commerce company and the largest online retailer in the world. It was founded by Jeffrey Bezos and incorporated in 1994. Even though it was incorporated in 1994, it went live in 1995. Started as an online book store, Amzon.com today has diversified and expanded its product and service line (Reuters, 2011). Today, Amzon.com sells numerous products from different categories. It not online sells books online but also sells computer softwar e, CDs, DVDs, food, furniture, video games, toys, electronic apparels, MP3 downloads, etc (Google Finance, 2011). Consumers, sellers and enterprises are three primary customer sets that the company serves. Apart from selling products online, the company also generates revenue from various other sources such as co-branded credit card agreements, third party selling, reselling and online advertising (Google Finance, 2011). For the following countries Amzon.com has separate websites: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, China and Japan (Amazon.com, 2011). Amazon has numerous software development centres, fulfilment and warehousing centres across the globe to meet the growing demands (Reuters, 2011). Amazon’s Product Categories: Books, DVDs, videotapes, music CDs, musical instruments, toys & games, software, consumer electronics, sporting goods, lawn and garden items, apparel, clothing, kitchen items, gourmet food, tools, baby products, beauty pro ducts, watches, jewellery, industrial & scientific supplies, groceries and health and personal-care items (Amazon.com, 2011). Amazon’s Services: Amazon Web Services, Amazon Publishing, Amazon Prime, AmazonBasics, Amazon.com exclusives, Amapedia, Subscribe & Save, AmazonLocal, Amazon Wireless, askville, Amazon Marketplace, Amazon Fresh, etc (Amazon.com, 2011

How would you describe the protagonist of The Snows of Kilimanjaro Essay

How would you describe the protagonist of The Snows of Kilimanjaro Name three of his most important characteristics and supp - Essay Example While Henry waits for the approach of the inevitable hour, the plot of the story moves ahead through the recollection of his thoughts of spectacular experience of the poor and â€Å"interesting lot†. The story is also captivated with the remorse and repentance of Henry during his final hours as he estimates the time he has wasted in his decadent life instead of writing down his wonderful experiences. A thorough understanding and deep delineation of the story would launch the readers into three most pertinent characteristics of Henry’s personality. The first obvious trait in his personality is his impatient nature. Henry is seen to be impatient and pessimist throughout the story. He is in a continuous quest and his thought process is also observed moving faster. He is hopeless and he is sure that no aid can be given to him except a peaceful death which according to him he is denied at the camp as well, â€Å"Don't be silly. I'm dying now. Ask those bastards. He looked o ver to where the huge, filthy birds sat, their naked heads sunk in the hunched feathers. A fourth planed down to run quick-legged and then waddle slowly toward the others†. (Hemingway, 1998). Henry is seen blaming others for his failure which is an indication of a very nagging behaviour.

There has been extensive research into whether employees are motivated Essay

There has been extensive research into whether employees are motivated purely by money, or whether there are other factors which - Essay Example One such theory is that employees are purely motivated by money. There are other theories that contradict this and argue that there are various other factors that motivate the employees and impact employee behavior. In this essay I evaluate both viewpoints and conclude my opinion on the debate. Motivation Before going on to see what motivates employees, it is first necessary to understand what exactly motivation is and the various motivation theories. Motivation is best defined by Armstrong (2002, p. 56) as a reason for a person to do something and move in a certain direction. Most people are motivated when they believe that a certain course of action leads to the achievement of a goal or results in a reward that satisfies a particular need. There are mainly two types of motivation: Intrinsic Motivation: This is motivation through work itself. This is a result of self generated factors which leads to people behaving in a particular way or particular direction. The various factors tha t are responsible for intrinsic motivation are creativity responsibility, challenging environment, scope for development of skills and abilities, growth opportunities, etc (Armstrong, 2007, p. 121). Extrinsic Motivation: Extrinsic motivation is inspired by what is done to or for people if they act in a certain way. That is, what is done to motivate people. These factors includes rewards such as pay, praise, recognition, raise and even punishments such as criticism, pay withholding, disciplinary action, etc (Armstrong, 2007, p. 121). Employee motivation depends on the individual. Each individual reacts to a situation in a different way and are motivated by different factors. Therefore, some employees are motivated by intrinsic factors while others are motivated by external factors. Money as motivator One of the very first theories that were published discussed how money is motivator for employees to perform better. It even concluded that money is the only factor that influences emplo yee motivation. Research was conducted by Fredrick Taylor in 1911 and according to him employees worked only on money. The reason for this is that when employees were offered pay based directly on their performance or productivity, it was observed that productivity increased. This resulted in greater productivity and proves the fact that money is an important motivator. There are various other researches that were conducted in order to prove the role that money plays as a motivator. It is argued that financial rewards give employees an opportunity to secure their personal lives. Main motive behind employees to work is that they want to earn money to take care of their personal life and their families. If money is taken out of the equation, irrespective of what the job offers, no employee would be willing to work. Hence money is a vital motivator. Money may not be the only motivator but is definitely the most fundamental one. There is evidence from various researches that have proved that where financial rewards are offered, better is the productivity and the commitment of the employees. One of the best examples of this is how the changes in the pay system made a direct impact on the productivity and growth of General Electric. CEO Jack Welch’s strategy of greater rewards for those employees with better individual and organizational performance made motivated the employees and resulted in the revitalization of the organization (Rynes et al., 2004, p. 392). In a recent survey,

Identifying Key Community Success Factors Essay

Identifying Key Community Success Factors - Essay Example To clarify, the ideal community can be loosely defined by a few factors that almost every person, living or dead and despite cultural differences, as a functional place where people reside, occupy themselves, socialize and have all of their basic needs met. Although further factors will undeniably be added to this list both by individuals and groups, the fact is that the ideal community will consist of a group of people who all contribute in some way to the well-being and contentment of others within the group while enjoying simultaneous support. Every basic need of a human being must be met within the Utopian society without putting any one citizen or subset of people at a disadvantage. There are three crucial factors that will directly affect the creation and preservation of the basic ideal community: an accepted set of ideals and morals on which to base major decisions and any type of government, the opportunity for growth and stability. The first important factor in the success of any community setting is moral homogeneity; this is the most crucial aspect of a Utopian society however it is also the most difficult to establish and maintain simply because of human nature. Without a set guideline - for example something like a Constitution or religious doctrine that dictates acceptable and expected behavior as well as a moral framework from which to base future unforeseen decisions - it is impossible for any group of people to agree on any aspect of their lives that involves conscious thought. The establishment of such a set of lifestyle guidelines is by no means a new idea; it has been done by virtually every religious group, every political group and even by fami ly units to ensure that members are acting in a way befitting of the group's creators. The issue with indoctrinated morality is the fact that people will very rarely agree on such delicate ideals and any fully consented document could therefore only include generalized guidelines instead of specific ways of dealing with the various issues of any given community. As with individuals, communities also require the ability to grow and to change as time wears on; this is the nature of people and groups alike; the problem with growth of course is the pressure it puts on any community doctrine or tradition. As a community ages, its citizens realize better which methods or morals are actually useful and which have been more of a hindrance than a help to the community morale and success. As a citizen within any community, one will want to visualize him or herself as an integral part of society in some way or form; this might mean to advance into government levels (if indeed a formal government exists in said community) or by providing basic maintenance for public buildings. In whatever small or large way, people need to feel that their life will have an impact on the community that has nurtured them; without this reciprocity any occupation can feel dull, meaningless and lead to many issues from mental health considerations to disparity to crime. For an ideal community to flourish, each member must realize their own potential to contribute and feel validated by receiving all they need from the community in return. The third important factor in building and maintaining a

Importance of Eminent Domain and the Negative Financial Effect Essay

Importance of Eminent Domain and the Negative Financial Effect - Essay Example This paper seeks to explain the economic importance of eminent domain and the negative financial effect it has on ordinary citizens. Eminent domain has helped in economic development as it has provided land that has revitalized communities and increased the welfare of cities and states (Godwin 69). It has enabled smart growth. Eminent domain has helped to correlate development and improvement of the quality of life. It promotes development with economic cautiousness and it does keeping in mind environmental prudence. Eminent domain offers the government with the power to be able to assemble or utilize underutilized land or the land portion in depressing and decaying neighborhoods. This helps in revitalizing such areas so that can help economic development. Over the years, there are various case studies that have revealed the significance of eminent domain and how it has helped the government to assemble different parts of land in order to promote economic development. This has helped to savage depressed or failing communities. Eminent domain has also led to economic development or ordinary citizens. In Lakewood, Colorado there was a Villa Italia Mall that was approximately 1.4 million square feet. This was an area of gross leasable. In the early 1990s, the land began to decline. The city later initialed eminent domain proceedings in the quest to acquire this land. This was closely monitored and orchestrated by Continuum as the proposed a new city plan. From this proceedings, they anticipated sales tax revenues of about 90$ million with a future projection over the next 20 years. Up until now Belmar is known as Lakewood’s thriving and uprising downtown. The second case that has shown the importance of eminent domain is of Best Buy that is located in Richfield, Minnesota. Best Buy decided to purchase a headquarters complex that was about the area square of 43 acre in the year 2000. This was not taken lightly and, after the condemnation proceedings, the cou rt had to intermediate this issue. The case was ruled in favor of Best Buy. They were able to acquire the land and were able to relocate their offices to this place by March 2003 (Mich 70). Economists assert that it is possible for the redeveloped site to be generating about 8$ million on a yearly basis. This is about ten times what was initially gotten as taxes from that land. Eminent domain has also helped in making the life of ordinary people safer and their environment much habitable. A case to support this fact is the New York City’s Time Square. Back in 1980 there was a memorandum of understanding between Empire State Development Corporation with regards to the development of the 42nd St. This project was focused on building new offices towers hotels entertainment facilities amongst other improvements. This eventually turned Times Square into a lively center that has shopping, entertainment and business facilities. This Corporation was able to purchase parcels of land t hrough two means. It was either through outright public development, regulation or condemnation. This parcel of land has been having constant public litigation and controversy. Revitalization of Times Square has made it to become a model for other cities to enumerate. Despite the importance of eminent domain to ordinary citizens, it has some negative financial effect on them. The major issues and challenges that eminent domain presents

Agency Theory and Corporate Governance Problem Essay

Agency Theory and Corporate Governance Problem - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the Agency theory conceptualizes the relationship between the firm managers and shareholders as a â€Å"nexus of contract† that is bound to result to conflict due to the different interests of each group. The proposal of this theory is that firms should have independent board structures and that the equity-based compensation for top executives should be applied to curb the aggressive behavior of the management. While this theory suffers a number of weaknesses by assuming perfect organizational structures, it provides a possible approach to a solution of the corporate governance problem. On this ground, agency theory, to a great extent provides workable solutions that can harmonize the interests of both the managers and company stakeholders. Corporate structures are characterized by a separation between the owners and the management of an organization. The owners of an organization appoint managers who are better versed with manage ment knowledge to run their business for payment. The expectation of the shareholders is that the managers run the organizations to the best interests of the shareholders at all times. However, there is the risk that the management may put their goals first before those of the firm, which would be contradictory to their duties. As expected, the managers are the information bearers and have for the power to influence the firm performance and profit through their strategic initiatives. From a different angle, the shareholders have little information and hence act in good faith expecting that the management will pursue the firm interests. However, it is hard for them to establish whether the management influenced the outcomes of their firms through economic manipulation. Ultimately, the shareholders wish to submit the business risks to the experts with the sole aim of maximizing the share values for their own benefits. Contrary, the manager’s goals may be against the shareholder 's interest as they seek to maximize the benefits they accrue from the organization.

R.E Coursework Religion and Medical Issues Essay Example for Free

R.E Coursework Religion and Medical Issues Essay Ai) Infertility is when a couple cannot naturally conceive a child. There are many treatments to get around infertility; some of these, may however raise moral issues. There are many treatments available; Fertility drugs are one of these, this is where an infertile woman is given drugs, which stop infertility and make a woman capable of carrying a child. These are recognised by the church, as the sacredness of life is not threatened. AIH (artificial insemination by the husband), is another of these treatments. The sperm of the husband is taken and artificially put it in the wife. AID (artificial insemination by the donor), this is for if the man does not produce sperm. An anonymous donor donates his sperm, which is then artificially put into the woman. Gamete storing, is a fairly new process where the gametes are frozen, this means that if one of the parents has a treatment which makes them infertile, they can use the gametes which are stored. Surrogacy. This is where an alien hostess carries the baby. The sperm of the man is artificially inserted into the hostess. This is not recognised by the church because it is very similar to adultery. Aii) Roman Catholics have the view that life is sacred and therefore the sacredness of life must be protected. The church believes that no one has the right to children; if someone is infertile it is because it is supposed to be that way. Any of the treatments, which involve the destruction of embryos, are banned because this is the same as abortion and that is banned in the Catholic Church. The Church bans any of the treatments, which involve artificial insemination by the husband, as this involves masturbation, which is a sin in the eyes of the church. In AID and surrogacy the child does not get to know their biological parents, the church believes that the child has a right to know their biological parents. All forms of fertility treatments involve procreation outside of sex; God intended procreation to be part of the sex act. Other Christian churches allow IVF and AIH as they believe it is a good use of technology to provide families with the happiness of children. God intended families to have children, if IVF or AIH is the only way to do that it should be done. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife and so it is not counted as adultery and therefore it is still a pure loving act. Some of the embryos are destroyed in these processes; embryos, which are not yet foetuses, so therefore it is not considered murder. The other churches still have major concerns about the other treatments; they have not banned them, however. All churches encourage childless families to adopt as they believe all children should have a loving happy family. iii) Generally Christians believe in transplant surgery and think that it is a good thing. Some Christians have some ethical issues, however. They believe that it would be wrong for rich people to pay for organs. It is well known that some wealthier 1st world citizens would be more than willing to exploit uneducated, 3rd world citizens to save themselves. This is known as the black market. The people in Africa may not be well educated and therefore do not realise that it is dangerous. It could be dangerous as the surgeon in Africa may be using dirty equipment and therefore the African would be vulnerable to infection. It is also exploiting the poor which is condemned by the bible. Some Christians are opposed to using organs from the dead but support using those of the living. They believe that organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of the individual created by God. Transplanting organs from the dead into the living is usurping the role of God, and humans do not have the right to play God. This is a sin and is condemned by the Bible. Jesus taught us to love thy neighbour. If an organ can be transplanted while someone is alive then it is not vital and transplanting it would be, ‘loving thy neighbour.’ Some Christians believe all transplant surgery wrong and condemn it. They believe that transplants ignore the sanctity of life. This is a great sin in the eyes of the church. They believe that transplanting organs is ‘playing God’ and this is one of the great sins. They also believe that it is very expensive and requires very skilled people of which there are few. It raises the question of when someone is considered dead, as the heart needs to be removed when it is still beating. It diverts recourses from less expensive treatments which could help far more people than transplants. Most Muslims believe that transplants are wrong. They believe that it is against God’s will to remove anything from the body after death this means that none of the organs can be removed. They believe that God created each person and so to remove something from one and put it in another is to act as God which is the greatest sin in Islam. They believe that life is sacred and only God has the right to give and take it.

Effects of Petroleum in Foods and Personal Care Products

Effects of Petroleum in Foods and Personal Care Products Cowden, 1 Dating back to ancient Egypt and Europe people everywhere would use lead filled makeup on their faces and bodies. These days, however, our government realizes the dangers and would never let us apply something so hazardous on our skin, right? Wrong. Just as lead causes memory and concentration problems, nervous system and kidney damage and high blood pressure; petroleum products can also cause health issues. American businesses consistently use petroleum derivatives in our food, drinks, and personal care products, and these additives cause diseases such as, cancer, skin dermatitis, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Petroleum consists of a liquid mix of hydrocarbons found in the depths of the earth that society refines to create fuel. The term petroleum derivatives includes different chemicals made from petroleum and that have a variety of names, concealing what the people of the world truly put on their skin and in their bodies. Some of these chemicals include, parabens, tertiary-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), petroleum jelly, and paraffinum liquidum also known as mineral oil. Americans may see these items on the ingredient list of some of their groceries, just assuming that our government will protect us; after all, why would a well trusted company insert substances in their products that could cause us harm? Many people do not know what these derivatives really consist of because with names like â€Å"mineral oil†, it seems as though a product might be made with minerals. Another misconception in todays society is the use of terms such as â€Å"all natural† or â€Å"organic†. In recent years, Americans have become more concerned with general well-being and drawn to certain trends, some American consumers resolved to buy exclusively all-natural and organic products. All terms, immediately associated with good health, but just because a product claims to be â€Å"organic† or â€Å"all-natural† on the label does not necessarily mean that it does not contain hazardous chemicals. Arsenic is an all-natural substance found in minerals; that does not mean it would be safe to ingest. However, contrary to popular belief, high levels of arsenic can be detected in American rice and there are no regulations in the USA as to how much may be found in the grain. Surpri singly, the one country that does regulate the amount of arsenic allowed in rice, is China. The requirements set by the United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Organic Program state that the food products portraying themselves as organic must have a percentage of at least ninety-five organic ingredients and cannot be made, grown or processed with any pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, synthetic ingredients, or bio chemistry, and cannot be produced or processed with irradiation meaning, a food product goes through a process using radiation in order to preserve the food. If a product has a percentage of seventy or more organic ingredients and is not produced with synthetic methods, it can be labeled as â€Å"made with organic ingredients† but the product cannot use the USDA organic seal. Products that do not qualify for the previous seals, can take advantage of a loophole. One option utilized by companies to get their food products certified as naturally grown and that certain companies also considered an easier and cheaper process wou ld be to go through certification with the help of a non-profit organization sponsored program called Certified Naturally Grown. A product with the Certified Naturally Grown label on it indicates that a farmer has inspected the product and confirms the product was made using a natural process and ingredients. However, companies do not have to go through the process of maintaining these seals in order to put â€Å"natural† on the label of a product. The label will not have the Certified Naturally Grown or the USDA Certified Organic seal, but there are no requirements for using terms such as â€Å"all-natural† or â€Å"natural† on a products label because everything comes from something and is technically natural. As a result of such, petroleum and other harmful chemicals can be used in virtually any merchandise (a company or organization wishes). Labels reveal the shocking truth of what popular snack foods contain and what consumers may have eaten their whole life. TBHQ, for instance, can be found in snack foods such as American Reeses peanut butter cups, Butterfingers, Nestle Crunch, Little Debbie, CHEEZ-Its, MMs, numerous brands of (microwave) popcorn, and Wrigleys gum. Other products that use TBHQ include the popular breakfast foods such as Pop Tarts, Wheat Thins, Kelloggs frozen waffles, certain restaurant foods from McDonalds, KFC, Red Robin, Olive Garden and Taco Bell, certain brands of cooking oil, certain brands of peanut butter, personal care products, pet foods, and much more. Paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil) can be found in the popular gummy candies Swedish Fish and Life Savers, and the petroleum derivative can also be found in baby oil, moisturizers, makeup, and hair products. Parabens, are mainly found in makeup but companies also utilize them in toothpaste, tooth whitening, shampoo and conditioner and a number of styling gels and creams. Parabens and TBHQ are used as preservatives and Paraffinum Liquidum is mainly used as a film former and emollient but is also used as a cleaner and solvent for inks used in fine art printmaking. It can be used to cool electric components and as a lubricant and fuel. When companies use mineral oil in foods, they use the chemical as a glazing agent. Companies use these chemicals to preserve foods because they cost less than the alternatives and to satisfy consumers wanting cheaper products, but what is the ultimate cost? Parabens have been shown in multiple studies to be oestrogenic meaning that parabens can effect female hormones in a negative way. Of course some people do believe that it has not been proven that parabens are the definitive cause of breast cancer, and that there are other harmful chemicals in products that could also be the cause. Dr. Phillipa Darbre, an associate professor at the school of biological sciences and a program adviser for biochemistry, who for around 26 years worked on the role of estrogen in breast cancer at the cellular level, claims â€Å"There are plenty of other chemicals in these pots [of cosmetics] apart from parabens which are also oestrogenic and we have to ask questions about additive effects. We are not exposed to a chemical, we are exposed to a mixture (Mellowship pg. 77).† This statement has truth in it, nevertheless, some types of parabens have been found in the breast tissue of women diagnosed with breast cancer including a high concentration of methyl-paraben which, along with n-propyl paraben, has been discovered in human urine. In a study conducted in Denmark, twenty-six volunteers in good health applied cosmetic creams containing the ingredient butyl-paraben all over their skin and the chemical was detected in their blood stream in one hour. TBHQ, an antioxidant extracted from petroleum and the main ingredient in lighter fluid, can cause an array of health problems. According to reports from American citizens, the problems reported include, night terrors and anxiety, asthma, swollen lymph nodes, body rash, diarrhea, irritable bowl syndrome, and anaphylatic shock as well as some other serious problems. A toxic reaction may occur if only a gram of THBQ is ingested. The amount of TBHQ allowed in a product cannot exceed 0.02% of the fat and oil in the food, (this includes any essential oil in the food). ADHD has become increasingly more common in recent decades. Although reasons for this remain classified as unknown, perhaps the reason for this is that companies manufacturing their products do not want consumers to know that those items contain the possible cause. The Feingold Association has executed research and have discovered that the use of more than one additive at one time has a synergistic interaction and damages nerve cells. The Feingold Association, which researches the connection between a childs diet and any disorders the child may have, recommends removing additives and food colorings containing petroleum. Legal guardians that have followed the associations suggestions report that their childs symptoms have disappeared or significantly decreased. Another idea suggests that artificial additives act as counterfeit neurotransmitters admitting false excitable signals. Children possess a higher risk of developing negative affects from heavy metals due to processed foods cons istently removing the calcium, iron and zinc which provide a childs body with the ability to clear out heavy metals. A child has an inadequate amount of essential vitamins and minerals making processed foods a possible factor of aggressive behavior. Petroleum derivatives, mainly parabens and mineral oil, can also cause various skin rashes and reactions. Contact dermatitis, is a type of skin inflammation that has symptoms comparable to those of eczema. According to statistics, five to nine percent of men have been affected by contact dermatitis and thirteen to fifteen percent of women have been affected. Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when substances come into direct contact with a persons skin causing inflammation and irritation; irritant contact dermatitis maintains the role of the most common type of contact dermatitis. It usually causes itching, swelling, oozing, dryness and crusting. A case of allergic contact dermatitis takes place when the immune system becomes provoked after repeated exposure to a substance causing an allergic reaction which could take place around two days after exposure. Contact urticaria takes place immediately after contact with an irritable substance, causing extremely itchy welts. Contact urtica ria can be an irritant or an allergic reaction, be that as it may, an allergic reaction can follow an irritant reaction. Chronic cumulative irritancy occurs most of the time through repeated contact with mild cleansing agents such as detergents and soaps. Research that took place between 1972 and 1983 discovered that facial makeup, skin and hair care products caused the bulk of contact dermatitis reactions in the volunteers observed. The most common causes of contact dermatitis in the participants studied in order were fragrances and parabens. Due to the fact that petroleum products stand as such harmful chemicals, several countries including Norway, Finland, Australia and France have all set laws banning at least one type of petroleum based food coloring. Most certified food colorings possess petroleum bases; the differences between American foods that contain food coloring and European foods that use healthier options are drastic. The Center for Science and Public Interest (CSPI) is a non-profit group that specializes in innovative research on health and nutrition to equip consumers with valuable information about health and well being. The CSPI organization took a trip to Britain in 2008 and unearthed the variations of food coloring use. CSPI discovered that a McDonalds strawberry sundae receives its color from strawberries in Europe, whereas in America the sundae gets its color from red dye number forty. They also discovered that the European Fanta orange soda, unlike the American version which gets its color from the dyes yellow number six and red number forty, gets its orange hue from pumpkin and carrot juice. Barbara Brenner, the executive director of Breast Cancer Action, an education and advocacy organization working to cure breast cancer, said â€Å"I think it would be really interesting for people in the U.S. to learn what is being done in Europe. Because, here in America, there is something that amounts to hubris. To the extent that short-term profits are valued over life, there is a tragic flaw. Capitalism is killing us. The truth is that making our products safer is really in industrys interest, because the people who use the products would live longer, but nobody is taking a long term view (Schwartz-Nobel, 117).† The well-known cosmetics company Avon, claims to be involved in breast cancer research. It seems like a conflict of interest for cosmetic companies to be involved in the breast cancer field considering the chemicals they use, nevertheless, it seems to be a popular marketing strategy. Avon, like many other cosmetic companies, uses dangerous and untrusted chemicals and has continued to do so since 1886. Pharmaceutical companies that also use harmful chemicals, perform breast cancer research as well. But to actually discover a cure or learn how to prevent the disease would be against their financial interest. The same people that make a living treating these illnesses fund many of the health advocacy movements as well. The previously mentioned organization Breast Cancer Action decided to try and have Avon remove some of the harsh additives from their makeup, specifically parabens. Eighty-two of Avons products contain parabens. After purchasing one share of Avon and becoming a share holder, Breast Cancer Action approached three larger share holders and convinced them to hold a shareholder resolution requesting Avon to remove parabens completely from their products or using a nonestrogenic substitute. Avon replied soon after their request saying, â€Å"We believe that discontinuation of the use of parabens and replacement with an inferior preservative would present a potential health risk to our consumers that is neither necessary nor warranted (Schwartz-Nobel, 118).† This statement from the board of directors at Avon persuaded the other shareholders to vote against the proposal to remove parabens. The company Avalon, which markets the Alba, Avalon Organics, and UN-Petroleum brands of personal care products, went through a difficult but altogether rewarding process complying with the campaign for safe cosmetics toxic free pledge. They called this newly found objective, â€Å"consciousness in cosmetics†. Under new ownership at the time, the company struggled at the start. Morris Shriftman, senior vice president of marketing for Avalon, asked himself this question, â€Å"What do you do when you learn about something that can be dangerous, problematic and expensive? We had a rude awakening (Baker, 97).† After removing any additives that the European government has banned, the companys next step was eliminating any non renewable petroleum based ingredients. He goes on to say that, â€Å"We found a deeper value in what we do. And the world of consciousness in cosmetics has been very good from a business point of view (Baker, 98).† The companys sales skyrocketed up to forty million dollars. When the company announced it was being taken over by Hain Celestial group, a natural and organic food and personal care conglomerate, for twenty million dollars in 2006, Shriftman and his partners proved that even if cosmetic companies do not realize it, these companies gain no finances by using hazardous additives in their merchandise. And, that taking these chemicals out of products provides ethical as well as financial returns. On some occasions companies list petroleum products on the label, but companies only have to list an ingredient if it qualifies as a major allergen and companies do not have to declare ingredients that do not qualify as major allergens. Therefore, many companies that do not list all the ingredients used in their products for marketing purposes, hope that the potential customers that know the dangers of consuming petroleum will at least not know that their products contain it. Consumers must educate themselves on different chemicals, which products contain those chemicals, and whether the foods and products being used by them are truly safe. The consistent use of petroleum in foods and personal care products causes Americans various health issues such as anxiety and ADHD, skin irritations, reactions, rashes and cancer. Research proves that companies that have cut out petroleum derivatives from their products have an increased profit margin, yet most companies still ignore the fact that there is no long term value in using petroleum in food, makeup or personal care products as well. The American governments job is to protect the United States of America from all threats foreign and domestic; several organizations have proven that petroleum is a threat to society when consumed or applied to the skin. America should follow the example of other countries and should ban petroleum in food and skin products. At the very least, it should be law for companies to list specifically all added ingredients so that consumers have a choice as to what they use and consume every day.

The Role of the Media in Rwandas Violence Essay -- History Media Viol

Many situations and acts that are unacceptable need a stressor. Stressors are situations and/or events that lead to a catastrophic outcome, such as the Rwanda genocide. The tension between both the Hutu and Tutsi already existed; it only needed something to reach its breaking point – a stressor. On April 6, 1994, the plane that occupied Juvenal Habyarimana, President of Rwanda, and Cyprien Ntaryamina, President of Burundi crashed due to unexplained circumstances. Over the next three months in Rwanda after the crash carrying both Presidents, mass killings began to occur. The kill count escaladed dramatically leaving one million Rwandans dead and two million seeking refugee status among its neighbors: Zaire, Tanzania, and Burundi (Kellow and Steeves 1998). This stressor is a key contribution to the events that followed; the Rwandan Genocide. â€Å"The rise in tension and violence, the wide distribution of arms to civilians and militia, and the increasingly vehement anit-Tutsi p ropaganda broadcast by Radio Libre de Mille Collines, all indicated the growing potency of ethnic hatred† (Uvin 1998, 83-84). Ethnic hatred centered on the hostility and segregation towards a particular group, in this case the Tutsi. The use of fear, rumor, and panic enabled the unsteady decline of trust between the Hutu and the Tutsi, which eventually escaladed to pure ethnic hatred (Kellow and Steeves, 1998; Straus, 2007; Uvin, 1998). The role of the media in the Rwandan genocide contributed to further violence and hatred among the Hutu and the Tutsi residents. One of the ways in which information could be obtained throughout Rwanda that was easily accessible was through public broadcasting particularly the radio. Through radio broadcasting it enables the public... ... Rwanda before RTLM took over its frequency during the early stages of the genocide (Thompson 2007, 390). Once again media is not the cause for the genocide but rather a tool that is used in advancing its devastation on a nation at a rapid rate. Works Cited Kellow, Christine L, and H. Leslie Steeves. "The Role of Radio in the Rwandan Genocide." Journal of Communication, 1998: 107-128. Li, Darryl. "Echoes of Violence: Consideration on Radio and Genocide in Rwanda." Journal of Genocide Research, 2004: 9-27. Straus, Scott. "What is the Relationship between Hate Radio and Violence? Rethinking Rwanda's "Radio Machete"." Politics & Society , 2007: 609-637. Thompson, Allan. The Media and the Rwanda Genocide. London: Pluto Press, 2007. Uvin, Peter. Aiding Violence: The Development Enterprise in Rwanda. Connecticut: Kumarian Press, Inc, 1998.

Much Ado About Nothing Essay: Beatrice, Benedick, and Love

Beatrice, Benedick, and Love in Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing   is set in thirteenth century Italy.   The plot of the play can be categorized as comedy or tragicomedy .  Ã‚  Ã‚   Villainy and scheming combine with humor and sparkling wordplay in Shakespeare's comedy of manners. Claudio is deceived into believing that Hero, is unfaithful. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice have "a kind of merry war" between them, matching wits in repartee.   This paper will attempt to present the fact that Beatrice and Benedick are in love during the entire play despite their witty rivalries.   Their friends' schemes lead each to think that the other is in love, which allows the true affection between them which leads to the exchange of the sacred vows. â€Å"They offer comedy of both character and situation.   The â€Å"merry war† between them is established in the opening scene: Beatrice piles comic insults on Benedick both before she sees him and to his face, yet there is no mistaking her interest in him, however it may be expressed;   and   although Benedick declares himself ‘ a professed tyrant to their sex’   (1.1.161) and an opponent to marriage, he tells Claudio that Beatrice ‘an she were not possessed with fury, exceeds’ Hero ‘as much in beauty as the first May doth the last of December’   (1.1.180-2).   Beatrice, too, though she says she prays morn and night that God will send her no husband, admits that there is something to be said for Benedick, were it not for his perpetual tattling (2.1.6-26)†Ã‚   (Wells 167). Beatrice and Benedick had been more or less in love for some time, and Benedick had retreated: Bene: O God, sir, here’s a dish I love not! I cannot endure my Lady Tongue. Exit D. Pedro: Come, la... ...eason’, she loves him ‘but in friendly recompense’; he takes her only ‘for pity’, she yields to him ‘on great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption’.   As pipers strike up the music for a final dance we can only agree that they were ‘too wise to woo peaceably’ (5.2.65)†Ã‚   (Palmer 119). Shakespeare’s interest in action frequently is merely tertiary to his powers of characterization and of language.   In Much Ado he created a puzzling relation between Beatrice and Benedick.  Ã‚   It is upto the reader to interpret this relation as love or â€Å"merry war.†    Works Cited Bloom, Harold.   Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York : Riverhead Books, 1998. Palmer, John.   Comic Characters of Shakespeare. New York : Macmillan, 1959. Wells, Stanely.   Shakespeare -   a Life in Drama. New York : W.W Norton, 1997.

Metallica Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"If you came here to see spandex and big hair, this ain’t your band†, Metallica’s â€Å"war cry† throughout the early eighties. While the rest of the hard rock bands wanted to get rich and a lot of women, Metallica, as in the words of former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, â€Å"Our hole existence pretty much was guitar, dominating the world and getting liquored up†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a new wave a British Heavy Metal entering the cassette and 8-track decks of people everywhere. Over in Denmark, current Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, was a hug fan of this type of music. So obsessed with this music, Lars Ulrich wanted to start a heavy metal band... a band that he could play his favorite songs with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other side of the globe, James Hetfield, Metallica’s current rhythm guitarist and lead singer, was looking to start a band of his own. His current roommate had taught him how to play guitar and James was very motivated to get something started. In effect, James had put a listing in a worldwide music magazine, The Recycler under â€Å"H† for â€Å"Heavy Metal†. James and Lars, were the only ones listed, so it was obvious that the two should talk to each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the fall of 1981, the band â€Å"Metallica† was formed. Playing drums was Lars Ulrich, on bass guitar was Ron McGoveny, playing lead guitar was Dave Mustaine, and rhythm guitar and lead vocalist was James Hetfield. During the song writing process over the next few months, the band became very addicted to Alcohol. When drunk, Dave Mustaine would get very violent, while the rest of the band would get happy. Happy and Violent people just don’t mix. Ron McGoveny could not handle the situation with Dave, and so he left the band.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lars, James, and Dave then went around to local clubs to check out bassists’ from other bands. At one club, they found Cliff Burton playing with a band called Trauma. Cliff Burton was a technical engineer and could do certain things on a bass that would make it sound like noises from a guitar. After the show that night, Lars, James, and Dave confronted Cliff asking him to join â€Å"Metallica†. Cliff said he would join, only if the band relocated from Los Angeles to San Francisco.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Los Angeles, Metallica recorded their first demo... ...the Page,† written by Bob Segar, was placed on this album. James Hetfield states, â€Å"When I first heard this song, the lyrics spoke to me and I realized that this song was written for me, written for Metallica.† The Video released for this song showed a story of a prostitute trying to support and provide a normal life for herself and her daughter, accompanied by the song in the back-ground.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the start of Metallica, the members have always been about the fans, and for the fans. The members of Metallica consider themselves to be four lucky fans who got together in a garage. Metallica’s music goes much more deeper in emotions than rap and other new forms of â€Å"popular† music. Since the day I started listening to Metallica, there hasn’t been a day that went by where I didn’t listen to them. Metallica has a song for every person and every emotion. By cutting there hair, by changing what ways they allow their music to be produced, they have grown up. Metallica was started by 17 year olds and while they are in their ripe, current age 37, they will continue making music that suits them, and only them. For that reason, they have my full and undivided respect.

English Language Teaching in Gulf Essay

Zafar Syed’s assertions about the TESOL challenges in Gulf are subjective reflection over the issue and he is unable to provide any verified or verifiable data and findings. He places all responsibility on the structural constraints i. e. contextual framework, human resource development, system and standards, and research and knowledge and paid less heed to other relevant and important dimension f the TESOL i. e. the constraints on the art of the students. He relies too much on the secondary sources but those secondary sources are also related to education and teaching general and has taken into consideration English language teaching particularly. To some extent citation of these secondary resources is relevant e. g. citation of Mograby to provides facts and figures about the unprecedented quantitative growth in education in UAE . (338) He then generalizes that this unprecedented growth has adverse effect on the teaching of Language. He describes that this unchecked growth impacted the planning and implementation of English teaching patterns and policies. (338) In the following paragraph, he is unable to support he preposition by any solid line of arguments, research study or verifiable facts and figures. He is unable to demonstrate that how this rapid growth in education industry has affected the teaching of language. It is more important to provide a socio-cultural context as well that deter or propel the teaching and learning of a language. He describes that â€Å"local students see no concrete link between English ability and communicative requirements†. Mr. Syed is correct in saying this as communicative important of any language in general and English language in particular is related to exposure of the students to other medium of communications. If the socio-cultural context is conservative and does not allow a student to participate in activities involving other communities and people, he will be unable to use his acquired language capacity and thus will consider it meaning less and futile. This will restrict English language teaching to academic activity only. But Mr. Syed does not provide why such perception is created and this issue can be tackled. The next constraint that Mr. Syed takes into account is human resource development. This part of the study is most powerful and relevant as Mr. syed evaluates the role of English language faculty development and describes an array of issues related to it. He rightly point out the important of the local Arab English language teachers. The pool of English language teachers in the whole region are comprised of various expatriates groups that do not possess enough knowledge â€Å"about the local socio-cultural communities and languages† (339). Syed accurately concludes hat this lack of knowledge about local socio-cultural context breed problems like teacher-students gap and this gap endangers effect English Language teaching. Foreign teachers are not well-capacitated to anticipate and delve deep into the socio-problems of the learners and hence can suggest remedies to these. Grammar Translation Method also requires an understanding of the local language and context in order to effectively implement this methodology. (Chastain, 1971. p. 131) Mr. Syed concludes that this ad-hocism in the hiring of contractual foreign faculty hinders the way to implement a more effective and locally suitable system as these temporary teachers are less motivated to make an in-depth evaluation of the system. Here r. Syed has recognized the sole cause of the problem that triggers a cause and effect phenomenon leading to the deterioration of the English Language teaching system in Gulf. Only a motivated and well-informed teachers can recognize the contextual important and shortcomings of language teaching and hence can formulate policies to reduce or eradicate these contextual barriers. Mr Syed has further taken in to consideration the systems and standards but he is unable to realize that only senior and seasoned English language teachers and professors can help designing and executing a viable system and standard for English language teaching. It is not something independent in itself. He emphasizes on the importance of research but it must be noted that research only come through established systems and qualified academia. So first there is dire need to develop faculty and establish a contextually modified system of instructions. This will ultimately lead the faculty to conduct research on appropriate issues pertaining to every facets of English language teaching. Despite various defects in his theoretical framework, he provides some excellent insights into Gulf English language teaching. In addition to his content, he had certain serious flaws in the style of his expression. He only comments on a specific issue briefly and then goes on to comment on another challenges faced by the English Language Teaching without elaborating the first one. The very first sentence of the study indicates that it has nothing to do with primary research as conducting interview of the ESL teachers to locate the challenges faced by them. Further, Syed has limited his study to UAE with a little reference to Saudi Arabia here and there. So this not only limits the scope of the study but indicates that relying on a particular country in the region, generalizations have been made about the whole region. Chastain, Kenneth. The Development of Modern Language Skills: Theory to Practice. Philadelphia: Center for Curriculum Development, 1971.

Feminism in Pakistan

Out of the fifteen people asked, 53% of the survey population responded negatively to the question inquiring whether men were equal to women. Zahra Mania, a secretary for a business organization claimed that in our society, there is a substantial gap in the rights of men and women. The interviewee claimed that despite both sexes being intellectually equal, preference is given to men in acquiring important jobs such as being CEO, CFO, etc. Another respondent, who opted to remain anonymous backed this point by stating that women are far more likely to attain low-paying jobs such as being secretaries or receptionists.A journalist refuted these points by saying that in her profession, men were given equal rights to women and that in order to be promoted, a person’s work was taken into consideration, not his or her gender. Similarly, another journalist agreed with this point, adding further that equality between men and women is mostly dependant on the customs of a society, and the career one wishes to pursue. When asked about what would have to change before men and women achieved true equality, 18% responded negatively stating that in a patriarchal society, it would be nearly impossible for men and women to achieve equal rights.The rest 82% had optimistic views, claiming that while it would indeed be difficult to change the mindset of people who firmly believe in male dominance, a good start would be with the family. Many respondents believed that children need to be socialized in such a way where they believe that male and females are equal. If a boy is brought up to believe that he is no different from his sister, he will have a more positive outlook on life claimed Sana Memon. Another respondent stated that the oppression of women had to come to an end and in doing so, education would play a big part.According to her, education would eradicate ignorance within a persons character, and would lead to a deeper understanding of the other sex. When asked the question of what change does one wish to see regarding women’s rights, male respondents generally claimed that they did not want the workings of society changed. Ahmed Shehzab, an accountant, stated that women’s rightful place is at home, looking after the family whereas men have a duty to generate income and provide for their family.Similarly, another businessman claimed that women are inferior to men in both intelligence and physical exertion, and are therefore unable to handle the strain of leading a company. However, many respondents refuted these points by saying that women should be given more freedom. Nausheen Afzal claimed that in western countries, women are more liberated and are allowed to participate in almost anything. Being a pro-feminist, she believes that the same rights should be implemented in Pakistan. 72% of the survey population believe that the family plays an important part in gender role socialization.Fahaama Khalid, a housewife, believes that c hildren are heavily influenced by the perceptions and thoughts of their family, with whom they spend a lot of time. She believes that (specifically in Pakistan), girls are socialized in such a way that they are lead to believe that they are physically weaker than men and lack male dominant qualities. Girls are primarily raised to be mothers and care-takers of the household and are expected to obey their husbands rules. Similarly, Farhana Farooq who is a shopkeeper, believes that the family plays a crucial role in a child’s life.It is the family, she says, who influences the child using both direct and indirect methods. Direct methods, she explains, includes sending children to segregated schools and stopping girls from participating in athletic activities whereas indirect methods are when a child looks at his family, sees his father as the head and his mother as a nurturing woman, and automatically assumes that that is what is normal. Faareha Ansar, a waitress, refutes these points by saying that education is what has a more important role in a child’s life, for it is through knowledge and its application that children realize how society works. 1% of the survey population is of the belief that gender plays an important role in a person’s life chances. Anushe Zafar, a salesclerk says that in a patriarchal and close-minded society as the one in Pakistan, high-paying jobs are generally offered to men. She states that despite the fact that a female may have the same qualifications as a male, males are more likely to be favoured for jobs. Hassan Javed backs this point, saying that women are far more likely to attain positions such as receptionists or PA’s in lieu of occupations such as CEO’s or CFO’s. There are mixed views when considering feminism to be defensive or offensive. 3% of the survey population believes that feminism is offensive and ridiculous. Waleed Khan, a shopkeeper, says that feminism is a waste of time an d an excuse for women. However, many others refuted this point by claiming that women have a right to be heard, to have their sufferings acknowledged and appreciated and also to maintain equal status with men at all levels. The hypothesis of this report is that Pakistan has a patriarchal society and does not give much freedom to women. Many respondents have proved for this theory to be true, giving their honest opinions and using examples from their work life.

Managerial Economics and Globalization Essay

Abstract This paper will describe the details of a fictitious business and will assess the current environmental scan factors while determining the factors that will have the greatest impact on plant operations and management’s decision to continue or discontinue operations. Thirdly, this paper will evaluate the financial performance of the company using the information provided in the scenario; consider all key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term. Also, a recommendation as to how the company can improve its profitability and develop a brief plan to implement the recommendations. Lastly, this paper will assess the circumstances in which the company should discontinue operations while providing a set of reasonable rationales. 1. Briefly describe the details of the fictitious business that you created for this assignment. The fictitious business in this assignment is named TopShop, which is an American multinational retailer with its main headquarters in New York. It is a high end fashion brand that specializes in fashion clothing, shoes, make-up and accessories. Currently, TopShop has 150 workers for its factory in New Jersey, and has hired a consultant to offer some advice that could help it make a decision as to whether it should shut down completely or continue operations. In addition, TopShop has 100 workers that produce 6,000 units of output per month (working 20 days / month). The daily wage (per worker) is $70, and the price of the firm’s output is $32. The cost of other variable inputs is $2,000 per day. The firm’s fixed cost is â€Å"high enough† so that the firm’s total costs exceed its total revenue. The marginal cost of the last unit is $30. 2. Assess the current environmental scan factors. Determine the factors that will have the greatest impact on plant operations and management’s decision to continue or discontinue operations. The environmental scan factor refers to the macro environment and is the activity of acquiring information about events and relationships in a company’s outside environment, the knowledge of which would assist top management in its task charting the company’s future course of action. (Aguilar,1967). Comparably, finance, marketing, and operations will have the greater impact on plant operations and management’s decisions in determining if the operation continues its business. First, finance is responsible for acquiring financial resources at favorable prices and allocating those resources throughout the business, as well as budgeting, analyzing, investment proposals, and providing funds for operations. Secondly, marketing aims to analyze and determine consumer demands in the future, then selling and promoting its products and services. Thirdly, operations are responsible for production of goods and customer services in business. In addition, the production of goods or services supply could transform inputs into outputs (Michaels, 2011). Inputs such as capital, labor, and information are used to create goods or a service. That is why companies take measurements at various points in the transformation process and then compares them with previously established standards to determine whether corrective action is needed. In other words, the three factors; finance, marketing and operation can work in the study and interpretation of the political, economic, social and technological (PEST analysis) events and trends which influence a business, an industry or even a total market. In summary, they have the greatest impact on plant operation and management’s decision. 3. Evaluate the financial performance of the company using the information provided in the scenario. Consider all the key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term. Be sure to show the calculations that helped you reach your conclusions. Topshop’s financial performance is in trouble. A decision was made to hire Mr. Blake Lively as a managing consultant to offer suggestions to improve Topshop’s financial performance. Based on the data given, Blake considered the following key drivers of performance and the financial analysis. The details are following: 100 employees produce 6,000 units in a month. The price is $32 The total revenue per day = 6,000*$32 = $192,000 Daily wage per employee = $70 Total wage in one month = 20days * 100 employees * $70 = $140,000 Total variable cost = variable inputs + total wage in one month = $2,000*20days+ $140,000 = $180,000 per month. AVC=TVC/Q=$180,000/6,000=$30 per unit Net income=Total Revenue-TVC=192,000-180,000=$12,000 Based on the analysis of data, Topshop could continue its operations in short term because the $32 price is more than AVC $30, and the revenue received per month is $12,000. However, in the long term, Topshop should seriously consider the option of shutting down completely. The main reason being that the firm’s fixed cost is high enough so that its total costs exceed its total revenue, and the price must be less than AVC. Under this situation, the firm has no other recourse but to close its operation. 4. Recommend how the company can improve its profitability. Then, develop a brief plan to implement the recommendations. Every business can improve its profitability by aiming to increase profitability, reduce costs, consider the price, and expand the market. Buy more effectively One of the most obvious routes to increasing the profitability is to buy more effectively. It makes sense to review a supplier base regularly and to determine if a firm can buy the same raw materials more cheaply or efficiently. However, it must be ensured that the cheaper raw materials will not reduce quality of product and service (He, et al., 2007). Manage your costs Close management of the costs can drive firm’s profitability. Most businesses are capable of fining some forms of waste to reduce, however it is important to be mindful and not cut costs at the expense of the quality of products and services. Pricing considerations It is a good idea to regularly examine the pricing. Changes in the marketplace may help increase the price without risking sales. However, it is essential to test any price increases before they are made permanent. Expand your market Moving into new market areas can transform a business and if handled correctly, can significantly increase the profitability. However, bear in mind that developing new products and services and selling in new markets can be risky – and mistakes can prove very costly. 5. Assess the circumstances in which the company should discontinue operations. Provide a rationale with your response. To qualify for presentation as a discontinued operation, all of the following conditions must be met: 1. The operations and cash flows of the component have been or will be eliminated from the ongoing operations of the entity as a result of the disposal transaction and 2. The entity will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the component after the disposal transaction 3. A description of the facts and circumstances leading to the expected disposal, the expected manner and timing of the disposal and the carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the disposal group (if not reflected separately on the face of the statement). 4. The gain or loss recognized and, if not separately presented on the income statement, the caption in that statement in which the gain is included. 5. If applicable, the amount of revenue and pretax profit or loss reported in discontinued operations. 6. If applicable, the segment in which the long-lived asset or disposal group is reported. References Aguilar, F. J. (1967). Scanning the Business Environment. New York, NY: McMillan. Michaels, R. J. (2011). Transactions and Strategies. 1st Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. He, Y. Q., Chan, L. K. & Wu, M. L. (2007). Balancing productivity and consumer satisfaction for profitability: Statistical and fuzzy regression analysis Original Research Article. European Journal of Operational Research, 176(1), 252-263 Drake, M., Gerde, V., & Wasieleski, D. (2011). Socially responsible modeling: a stakeholder approach to the implementation of ethical modeling in operations research. OR Spectrum, 33(1), 1-26. doi:10.1007/s00291-009-0172-9

Victorias Secret

Store location is an important decision for retailers because location is â€Å"typically one of the most influential considerations in a customer’s store-choice decision† (Retailing, 167). Most consumers choose which store to visit based on close proximity to home or work, comfort level, and other surrounding retailers so shopping stays relaxing and a lot of driving isn’t needed. Victoria’s Secret in the Beverly Center is in a shopping mall. Reasoning behind the store being placed in the mall across from the elevators in the center is because malls have high amounts of traffic.Another reason why a mall location has its advantages, because malls provide the chance to combine shopping with entertainment, a great place to walk around catch up with friends while getting your shopping done, bringing in large numbers of people a day. Victoria’s Secret in the Beverly Center is a leader in lingerie, with Fredrick’s of Hollywood as their largest comp etitor is far from this location. Therefore shoppers at the Beverly Center who are looking for affordable lingerie will venture in to Victoria’s Secret. Victoria’s Secret is a multi-channel retailer, from stores, to online, to catalogs.This an advantage to the company because if a customer cannot find an item, or color they are looking for in the store, they have two other methods of how to purchase that item, still making Victoria’s Secret a profit and keeping the loyalty of the consumer. Victoria’s Secret is a leader in the retail industry not only because of the products they put out but because they understand the â€Å"3 most important things of a retail chain, location, location, location†(Retailing, 167). Work Citied Levy, Michael, and Barton A. Weitz. Retailing Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2009. Print.

(Love) Ethical Issues in Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

(Love) Ethical Issues in Healthcare - Essay Example Group morality on the other hand is the contrast values of right and wrong that are stipulated by each group according to the group dynamics and its organizational culture. The moral exemplary leader of all times is the late Mother Teresa. She was a moral leader because she stood for what was right according to not only the culture but also according to the bible. She made many people develop their own personal morality by just following her moral standings and judgment. Deontology is the morality theory that states that an individual follows his or her own personal morality when it comes to making ethical decisions. On the other hand, utilitarianism states that an individual’s ethical decision depends on whether the decision will benefit many people or not (Hinman 2007). An example of deontology is when a friend steals medicine from the hospital’s pharmacy and you have to decide whether to report the friend or assume the theft. In this situation, your personal morality is the one you will base your decision

Written reflective commentary on group work Assignment

Written reflective commentary on group work - Assignment Example Body I would say this assignment has strengthened my communication abilities within a group setting such as this. It becomes very important when you are working as part of a team to be able to effectively and clearly communicate what it is that you need the other person to understand. Information exchange concerning who will be doing what and devising a schedule and determining who will lead the group are key periods when your communication ability becomes evident. Our group chose to meet weekly to discuss and update each other on what is going on with our part of the task. We had four meetings that the group was able to attend and the final meeting we had to change plans and meet at my flat due to the library being full. We did not have any issues with group members being present and on time. Our group did not find it necessary to have a group leader as we all did our own parts and took equal initiative. Eaxh group member completed their part successfully. We also used email to corr espond and exchanged telephone numbers. Flexibility and patience are elements of a successful group task, both of which I was able to use within the group. I was able to use flexibility when the library was closed. Because my group was on task it wasn’t necessary that I had a great deal of patience.... In dealing with members not contributing there is no reason for me to get angry as I know that I cannot influence the contribution of another. It is best in this case to contact them several times after which if they are still not contributing then let the instructor know and be certain that I have completed my own part to the group task. We did not have any issues with attendance or anyone being tardy for any meetings on the group work. Interpersonal abilities and skills are the main skills one needs to work within a group setting in completing a task. Usually before doing a group presentation you will want to find out who your audience will be. Finding out what they already know about your subject, what their attitude is and what their interest level is in your topic can help you make a more successful presentation. Knowing the size of the audience and what type of people are in is will also help. Are these business members of the community? Are they students? Are they being forced through go to your presentation for job reasons? Are they truly there on their own because they have a deep interest in what you have to say? We also would like a way to receive feedback after we’ve done our presentation/ power point and in this case we will get from the instructor. In forming groups there are different steps and stages to make a successful group that can communicate effectively together. Forming the group is when we are all assigned the group and initially noticing who else is in our group. Storming is when the ground rules get set, roles are clarified, purposes and responsibilities of each individual decided. Norming is when the

Protecting the Environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Protecting the Environment - Research Paper Example As a result of the industrial revolution and globalization, however, today, we are used to a lifestyle that promotes all these ills. However, they are also promoted by governments that work in collaboration with industries that tend to pollute the environment and exploit natural resources in an unsustainable manner. The initiative and the drive to clean up the mess, therefore, need to come from governments across the world. This has been slow in coming but slowly, across the globe, there has been recognition of the political nature of the problem and the need for a political solution for this problem. This paper shall focus on the initiatives that the Brazil government has taken so as to decrease pollution that occurs as a result of the gases that are emitted by vehicles that run on fossil fuels. An energy crisis that occurred in Brazil during the 1970s made the government of this region sit up and take notice of the problem and made it recognize the need for finding a solution that would be long-lasting, to this problem (Hofstrand). This crisis was the result of the scarcity of fossil fuels during the 70s that led a lot of countries to look for means to reduce their dependence on imports for fuel. While most countries switched back to fossil fuels as soon as the crisis was over, Brazil opted for a more lasting and environment-friendly option. In this move, we see how the political will of the government was important in the setting up of the policy that has today reaped rich rewards. The Brazilian government is far ahead of other governments in the sophistication of its machinery and the availability of ethanol- based fuel. The ethanol fuel industry would not have reached the heights that it has reached today if not for the will of successive Brazilian governments that have maintained the production of this form of fuel as a priority and initially offered heavy subsidies to this industry as a result of which many car- manufacturers started producing automobile s that ran on ethanol. By the middle of the 1980s, most of the cars that were being produced in Brazil were ones that ran on ethanol. The response that the private automobile firms made to the scenario that developed was one that was encouraging but was based on the market forces of supply and demand. This scenario came about because of the commercial viability of ethanol- based fuels for the consumers; a situation that evolved out of the government’s policy of providing subsidies to the ethanol fuel industry (Thompson). This made the option of ethanol a profitable one for the consumer classes which in turn influenced the automobile industry to switch to the production of vehicles that ran partially or completely on ethanol. The government’s policy that subsidized the production of these fuels is what was instrumental in the present situation where private players have stepped into the fray, thereby allowing the government to spend more on welfare projects that further enhance the standard of living of the Brazilians. The policies that were followed by the Brazilian government, thus, have enabled the protection of the environment, without compromising upon the goals of development that are important for a developing country like Brazil. This again goes to prove that the protection of

Marketing research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing - Research Paper Example Today, over half of the 500,000 cars that are sold by Hyundai in USA each year are manufactured within the country itself. The company employs over 20,000 US citizens directly and generates indirect jobs for 6,000 more through its vendors. The company has a marked presence in the states of Alabama, Michigan and California, which house our manufacturing facility, engineering facility, proving grounds and design and research center respectively (Hyundai Motors, 2011). Hyundai’s association with USA goes deeper than just selling cars in the country. Since 1998, Hyundai Motor America, along with Hyundai dealers has been striving to help find a cure to childhood cancer by funding the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. The company has hitherto raised $13 million for the cause. Marketing Brief Market Hyundai Motor America, being an automobile manufacturer, is obviously engaged in the automobile manufacturing market in USA. The company manufactures vehicles across variou s categories including, but not limited to compacts, family sedans, crossovers as well as premium vehicles. It also positions its products in various segments based on price starting from prices as low as $9,985 and going as high as $58,000. Main Competitors The competitive landscape of Hyundai Motor America comprises five main competitors viz. Ford Motor, General Motors, Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Hyundai Motors currently holds a 5.3% market share in the US market, but is seen to be steadily catching up to its competitors, recording its three best monthly sales volumes in the country after August 2010 as well as its best ever worldwide sales figure in the same year (PR Newswire). It is currently among the top four foreign car manufacturers in the country. However, the company is also threatened by the rapid progress of global rival Suzuki Motors as well as upcoming names such as Tata Motors and Fiat who are looking to gain a strong foothold in the US market after faring well in the Asian and European markets in identical vehicle segments. The Hyundai premium segment model ‘Genesis’ has also been touted as a competitor to luxury cars like the BMW and the Lexus. Main Customers The main customers of Hyundai Motor America comprise the end user of the automobiles manufactured by them. Like any other automobile manufacturer, Hyundai has an established distribution chain in the country to sell its products directly to the buyer. In other words, it is primarily a B2C company and focuses its marketing on the end consumer. All intermediaries in the sale of Hyundai products are either affiliated with or subsidiaries of the company. Core Competencies Hyundai Motor America, as well as its global contemporaries have a competitive advantage over their opponents through their constant innovations in new technology available at affordable costs to their customers. Features synonymous with any Hyundai car include power, handling, safety, comfort, stability, good cu stomer service and economy in their cars. Every car rolled out by Hyundai motors in the US is expected to have adequate powers, safety measures, simple and responsive controls, comfortable interiors and provide good mileage for that segment. These features are the main reason that Hyundai’

Arthur Andersen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arthur Andersen - Essay Example Long-range planning is most often an extrapolation of the present. It answers the question of how to get the job done. For example, if you (as a city department head) plan to provide the same services with the same frequency to an expanded city, that is long-range planning (Bateman and Snell 2009). In Arthur Andersen, planning function of management is based on unique strategic goals and competitive pressure, the need to meet customers' needs and preferences. "Once managers have assessed the various goals and plans, they will select the one that is the most appropriate and feasible" (Bateman and Snell 2009, p. 135). The planning function of management is to incorporate mission, vision, objective and goals into a well-thought development plans. For Arthur Andersen, the three basic strategic options are to grow, to remain static, or to shrink. The intent here is not to go into a detailed discussion of their application, but simply to point out the importance of establishing a clear theme of organizational direction and intent. Describing the overall strategy in clear terms is the pragmatic link to organizational objectives. Objectives, in turn, are the specific steps used to execute the defined strategy. Organizational goals are derived from the major categories of problems and opportunities, while objectives are derived from the specific issues that are listed as problems and opportunities. Thus, there will be a much larger number of objectives than organizational goals. Each objective is categorized under the specific goal that it supports. Worthwhile objectives meet certain criteria and are achievable. These conditions may be more stringent than they sound. Many times, too much is taken on in strategic-planning conferences, resulting in unrealistic expectations (Bateman and Snell 2009). Legal issues, ethics and corporate social responsibility have a great impact on planning determining the main directions and framework of future performance. The legal norms and principles are the core of planning process. Similar to other accounting firms, Arthur Andersen pays a special attention to FASB and Codes of ethics. Ethical issues involve fair treatment f all customers and high morale, strict moral principles of the profession and in personal relationships. This description implies that the responsibility of individuals and firms is to identify and respond to market stimuli and to make profits for the shareholders. Any corporate action on social issues is considered to violate management's responsibility to shareholders (Gutman, 2002). As the most outspoken supporter of the fundamentalist position, According to an accepted manifesto of the managerial view, the modern professional manager also regards himself, not as an owner disposing of personal property he sees fit, but a s a trustee balancing the interests of many diverse participants and constituents in the enterprise, whose interests sometimes conflict with those of others. What all this implies is that Arthur Andersen's managers have enough discretionary control of corporate resources to consider adding social responsibi

Management of change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management of change - Essay Example If the organizations fail to accomplish the two objectives they are often considered as â€Å"corporate dinosaurs† because they no longer fit to the current business environment (Ashkenas, 1999). In order to make the organizations change-capable there are some significant strategies that should be implemented. They are as follows: Determining the type of Change Perhaps the most difficult task that the organization needs to get involved in is to determine the type of change that it needs to accept. Precisely, in order to design the change-capable strategic issues it is worth to distinguish between two types of changes: Evolutionary Change and Transformational Change. Evolutionary change refers to the constant adjustments, product alterations and enhancements that an organizations need to make as per demanded by the customers. Transformational change refers to the dramatic change in the organization’s core competencies. For Example: Nokia becoming a wood supplier though h aving their expertise in telecommunications. With the advancements in technologies, organizations have to be capable of changing their core competencies. The best way to think of the need for a change capability is that at least most organizations should be capable of adapting an evolutionary change. But in some circumstances, the need for a transformational change could be vital; therefore it is important to take the necessary steps to prepare the organization accordingly. For this, financial processes should be planned under which funds would be offered to individuals, structures which include some special new ventures that have experienced a major change in past and the rewards system should be acquired under which rewards will be offered to those that contributed in a transformational change within an organization. What Aspects Should Be Kept Stable? In order to adapt a change it is very important to analyze what particular aspects should be kept stable and what aspects should b e allowed to change rapidly. This could certainly be a significant facilitator of change. It is partially determined by the type of change that the organization needs to make. Many aspects can be kept stable in case of an evolutionary change but it would be a completely different scenario while adapting to a transformational change. In the case of a transformational change, stability refers to the commitment towards a certain goal, way of communication with the individuals and moreover rewarding and appreciating them for their respective contributions. As aforementioned, much more can be kept stable in case of a continuous evolutionary change. For example, the Human Resources systems and the basic organizational culture can remain constant. Some of the key processes can also be kept stable such as communication with the staff and the measurement of the business success. Dealing with Internal Competition Internal and external competition can be significant in order to encourage a cha nge. It is quite obvious that the organization’s main focus would be to concentrate on its external competition. Competing against your external rivals would certainly be very supportive and helpful but resolving the issues of the internal competition is also very necessary. It is very important for an organization to maximize the focus and provide proper emphasis on internal competitors as well