prohibition essays

prohibition essays In 1917 Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution which prohibited the export, import, manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States. This new law is believed to have had the greatest effect on the twenties creating a feeling of rebellion and wild behavior. Many people thought this law violated there right to live by their own standards and have a good time. The Volstead Act passed by Congress set up penalties to all violators of the Eighteenth Amendment. Prohibition is one of the best things ever done by the United States Government. It single-handedly created new business opportunities and brought people together like never before. It had also created a booming new industry, and created a new way of life for many people. Unfortunately, none of these things were good things. The new business opportunities were all in the organized crime realm. With the banning of alcohol they saw an incredible boom in business. No longer did they have to rely on robbery, brothels and cons. There was a whole new business out there and it was making millions. Prohibition also united the American people more than anything since the World War. Everyone, from the poor to the rich, united to break the law. Even the police, yeah sure they will serve and protect, unless they find a better deal. The police were letting alcohol be made and sold right under their noses. The rich buy the booze to spice up their parties and the poor spend their time and money in bootleggers houses getting drunk. Rarely do the rich and the poor agree on anything. But, prohibition contributed to an increased sense of community and neighborly love. Prohibition also brought big business to the small businessman. Alcohol making used to be done by all the large companies. With prohibition the big companies were put out and the small businesses had to meet the demand. This was what I wa ...

Pesticides essays

Pesticides essays There are 2.5 billion pounds of pesticides being applied to agricultural products each year in the United States. This is ten times more than was applied forty years ago. It is still unknown as to what type of exact effects these chemicals may have on individuals. Some farmers that have been using pesticides in their fields and developed leukemia are finding that the cause of their disease is from inhaling pesticides. These chemicals are still in use today and most of them have never been tested for the short or long-term effects that they may have on humans. Each year there are 10,000 pesticide related poisonings. On July 4th 1985, over 300 Californians became sick after eating watermelons treated with the pesticide tenik. Testing supermarket produce is a way of determining the amount of exposure the consumer receives through common produce like carrots, tomatoes and lettuce. 44% of foods that were tested in supermarkets were found to have some traces of pesticide residue on them. Of all the pesticides found, nineteen of them were a pesticide called DDT. DDT was banned in this country 12 years prior to the testing. It was believed that these chemicals might have entered this country from another country that doesnt have pesticide restrictions as the U.S. does. Pesticides are contaminating the Earths water supplies. There are seventeen pesticides found in twenty-three states water supplies right now. Scientists at Cornell University conclude that 99% of pesticides miss the intended source and find their way into the water, air and soil. Most of the pollution isnt strong enough to create an immediate impact on humans so the wildlife is the primary target to these contaminates. Animals such as the European Starling birds are constantly being tested and found that they are greatly affected both behaviorally and psychologically. Farming practices that do not use pesticide ...

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study - 1

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility - Case Study Example The study also aims to assess the impact of these strategies on stakeholders of the company, namely customers, employees and promoters of the brand. The paper tries to establish that the strategy of sustainable development has led to growth of customer base, increased customer retention and has been an overall benefitting investment for the company. Best Buy, through low prices and big discounts, has been attracting several customers, but its policies on sustainable development has also garnered goodwill and increased brand equity. The company uses the policy of recycling of e-waste to increase chances of return sales as well as helps in conserving the environment through sustainable strategies (Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006). Hence, in the study, the effort of Best Buy to implement its sustainable development policies and their impact on the brand has been critically examined. In 1966, Richard Shulze had opened a very  small business  at St. Paul in Minnesota, called  Sound of Music. In the next 17 years, the small store of Shulze had gradually grown into a multi-million dollar firm. By 1983, Sound of Music had changed its name to Best Buy Corporation, Inc. The first superstore opened up in Burnsville, Minnesota, under the new name. The store began selling more brands and appliances. It also started offering central service as well as warehouse distribution. In the nineties, Best Buy was the pioneers to offer newest technology such as, DVDs and HD TVs. By 1999, Best Buy and Microsoft had collaborated for mutual promotion. This has also led them to offer a two for one stock split. Best Buy operates through two business segments, Domestic and International. The  financial security  of Best Buy relies on its stores, Magnolia Audio Visual Stores and the Geek Squad. Between the year 2005 and 2008, Best Buy wanted to achieve a higher income rate than earlier. Four strategies that

Chart the development of virtual reality from 1950 to 2050 Essay

Chart the development of virtual reality from 1950 to 2050 - Essay Example This implies that virtual reality translates to near reality. Nevertheless, technical phrases have a straightforward description since it describes virtual reality as a three-dimensional atmosphere created by the computer, which an individual can investigate and interrelate with. The individual who interrelates with this virtual sphere or gets enormous inside its setting is able to influence things or perform a sequence of deeds. This individual generally applies goggles, earphones, gloves among various devices, and in this manner, the computer manages in any case three of the five common senses. Prior to supplying sensory input to the client, these gadgets in addition supervise the client’s deeds. For example, the goggles supervise eye progress and react accordingly through forwarding new video input (Vince, 2004: 4). History background of virtual reality There existed abundant debates unto the connotation and appropriate name of what remains presently known as the virtual ar ts, even prior to the growth of these idea commenced. Therefore, describing and knowing virtual arts is a significant feature in providing a concise account of its growth. Its naming fluctuated due to the brandling of its occurrence since virtual reality bore three models namely synthetic reality, virtual atmospheres, and supplemented reality. Nevertheless, the ideal naming of virtual arts has gone through alterations as the virtual art idea advanced. However, the description coagulated to â€Å"virtual† during the 1960s when computers surfaced, giving it a tangible meaning owing to computer visuality. On the other hand, the idea of reality cropped up when theorists questioned if something else existed excluding the discernible and quantifiable reality of virtual manifestation, and the idea concludes as reality owing to the sensible positivity it showed. This implies that virtual reality turned to the common phrase that befitted the idea, and during 1989, Jaron Lanier changed it through definition that comes out by the application of the newest invention of goggles, gloves and associated technologies (Yu, 2010: 310). The account of virtual arts has been current and abrupt. This is because, whereas its constituents have grown for almost forty years, operational virtual systems simply emerged lately on the screen (Mclellan, 1992: 24). Development of Virtual Reality Nevertheless, the past of virtual arts dates back during the middle of 1950s when a futurist cinematographer known as Morton Heilig constructed a multi sensory simulator known as the Sensorama. The gadget contained a stereoscopic exhibit, dischargers moving chair and speakers. These traits enabled the client to watch television in three-dimensional modes since it pre-recorded movie in colour and stereo. More so, the simulator contained binaural sound, moving air, odour and vibration practices. Although the simulator had the total of these modified features, it was not as associative as expected (Steed, 2002: 3). Later on during 1961, another group of engineers known asPhilco Corporation developed the first HMD bearing the name headsight. The helmet contained a video screen band a tracking system that had linkage to a closed circuit camera system (Will, 2009: 4). During 1965, Ivan Sutherland, a famous computer scientist imagined a further advanced method known as the eventual system, which linked the

Critique of Gallery Shows of Asian Art Essay Example for Free

Critique of Gallery Shows of Asian Art Essay Asian art can refer to the vast genre of art and artists throughout the Asian continent. The history of Asian art is as varied as the cultures that make up this region of the world. From ancient bronze sculptures in India to the Manga cartoons of Japan, each country has a distinctive perspective on the world around them. In this paper I will look at three proposals for gallery shows of Asian art, each completely unique in their view of Asian culture. The first group looks at â€Å"Pop culture in Asia† focusing on the works of artists Wang Guangyi, Satoshi Kon, Takashi Murakami, and Basak Aditya, as well the art of Japanese tattoos. Organizing such conflicting works together seems disjointed and lacking coherence. Indeed the idea of Pop culture in Asia could be defined in multiple ways, but this grouping lacks consistency and logic. Works by Wang Guangyi, Satoshi Kon and Takashi Murakami, each with their pop art style and references, would be a good match for a show focusing on pop culture. Wang Guangyi reinvents propaganda posters from the 1960’s and 70’s into capitalist propaganda posters, using the same triangular composition and palette. Takashi Murakami is known for his sculptures of highly stylized cartoon or invented characters, referring to the popular culture of Japan or contemporary films. Satoshi Kon is a director of animated films that are loaded with Japanese cultural references and symbolism. I believe the work of these three artists would have been enough for a succinct show of Pop culture in Asia. The addition of the works of Basak Aditya and Japanese tattoos makes this grouping lose its focus. Although the work of Basak Aditya, with his poetic landscapes and dream-like portraits, is interesting, it is not a good fit because they are too personalized and make no references to the pop culture of India. And finally the addition of Japanese tattoos just seems like an arbitrary decision. Although some tattoos may have pop cultural references, the inclusion of photographs of skin art is incompatible with the cohesion of the first three artists in the grouping. The next group â€Å"Art and Power† successfully showed a variety of artwork that represented power throughout the ages. Beginning with paintings from the Chinese era of emperors and using concise language to demonstrate their interpretation of power. This group then looks at the brass and copper sculptures of Buddha, Shiva, and Jambhala, clearly demonstrating the power of religion in the regions of Tibet and India. Next are a grouping of decorative and ceremonial items from Korea, signifying the power of the ruling and upper-classes of ancient Asia. This grouping ends with a group of painting and sculpture of samurais and two thangka paintings. The overall consistency of the objects and paintings used for this grouping makes for a successful exhibition. All the works chosen were clearly indicative of power in this well organized grouping. Finally the last group chose â€Å"Asian Animation† as a theme. Again this is a clear and well put together group of mostly Japanese cartoons and figures. This group first looks at the work of Satoshi Trajiri, and the media franchise of Pokemon. This group clearly spent time on creating colorful cartoon-like backgrounds to add to their clear, well planned presentation. They then look at the illustration work of Akira Toriyama and his colorful, well defined sharp edge illustrations. The group then looks at toys and costumes that are created from these cartoons and comics, again using a similar background to unify the presentation. Although some of the content is repeated at the end of the grouping, the overall vision of presenting these comics and cartoons as art forms is cohesive and easy to understand. The group points out how important comics as an industry is to Japan and their cultural affects throughout the world.

David Hume - Naturalistic Metaethics, Politics, and Psychology :: Philosophy David Hume

David Hume - Naturalistic Metaethics, Politics, and Psychology ABSTRACT: According to the views expressed in this paper, influences unrelated to the conclusions of Immanuel Kant and G. E. Moore respecting what they saw as the appropriate foundation for moral systems seems to have been at work in the reactions of both to the earlier criticisms of David Hume. Building on a "recent meeting" with Hume in a pub on Princes Street in Edinburgh, I develop the suggestion that both Kant and Moore were loyal to traditional notions of an intuited, non-prudential basis for ethical injunctions. Kant, by his insistence that any morality linked only to hypothetical imperatives cannot be truly "moral," and Moore by his refusal to see the emptiness of his posited "good as simply good" which he felt must be kept free of any corrupting reference to real-world prudential constituents, thus support the foundation of ethical systems in an inner, unanalyzable moral impulse. And they do so in obedience to commitments that antedate their moral philosophies. I also claim that Hume has been misunderstood in that he did not mean to oppose the naturalistic grounding of moral systems in his famous statement disjoining is-statements from ought-statements; what he really intended was to point out the illogic of moralists who improperly pretend to derive categorical or intuited moral imperatives from real-world is-statements while denying any prudentiality or a posteriority to the transaction. Because both maintain that this simple inner moral impulse must be independent of prudential considerations in making moral decisions and judgments, Kant and Moore oppose naturalistic ethical systems which, like J.S. Mill's, suggest that this-worldly welfare and happiness are in large part coexistent with the true meaning of morality. Their position, therefore, places both of these proponents of intuitionist metaethics at odds with the principle of political social democrats that a respectable moral system must place worldly satisfactions and happiness above obedienc e to any putative "higher" moral law and its intuited imperatives. I had a talk with David Hume one rainy night recently in a pub in Edinburgh, over—naturally—kippers with brown bread and a pint of stout or two. He let me in on a secret and gave me leave to whisper it in turn to a few friends. Which is why I jotted down this account of our meeting and am presenting it to you here. Remember what that great analyst wrote to set in motion the train of thought that culminated in G.

Demarcation in Philosophy of Science Essay

The demarcation problem in the philosophy of science is about how to distinguish between science and nonscience, and more specifically, between science and pseudoscience (a theory or method doubtfully or mistakenly held to be scientific). The debate continues after over a century of dialogue among philosophers of science and scientists in various fields, and despite broad agreement on the basics of scientific method. The demarcation problem is the philosophical problem of determining what types of hypotheses should be considered scientific and what types should be considered pseudoscientific or non-scientific. It also concerns itself with the ongoing struggle between science and religion, in particular the question about which elements of religious doctrine can and should be subjected to scientific scrutiny. This is one of the central topics of the philosophy of science, and it has never been fully resolved. The Purpose of Demarcation Demarcations of science from pseudoscience can be made for both theoretical and practical reasons. From a theoretical point of view, the demarcation issue is an illuminating perspective that contributes to the philosophy of science. From a practical point of view, the distinction is important for decision guidance in both private and public life. Since science is our most reliable source of knowledge in a wide variety of areas, we need to distinguish scientific knowledge from its look-alikes. Due to the high status of science in present-day society, attempts to exaggerate the scientific status of various claims, teachings, and products are common enough to make the demarcation issue pressing in many areas. The demarcation issue is therefore important in many practical applications such as the following: Healthcare: Medical science develops and evaluates treatments according to evidence of their efficiency. Pseudoscientific activities in this area give rise to inefficient and sometimes dangerous interventions. Healthcare providers, insurers, government authorities and – most importantly – patients need guidance on how to distinguish between medical science and medical pseudoscience. Expert testimony: It is essential for the rule of law that courts get the facts right. The reliability of different types of evidence must be correctly determined, and expert testimony must be based on the best available knowledge. Sometimes it is in the interest of litigants to present non-scientific claims as solid science. Therefore courts must be able to distinguish between science and pseudoscience. Environmental policies: In order to be on the safe side against potential disasters it may be legitimate to take preventive measures when there is valid but yet insufficient evidence of an environmental hazard. This must be distinguished from taking measures against an alleged hazard for which there is no valid evidence at all. Therefore, decision-makers in environmental policy must be able to distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific claims. Science education: The promoters of some pseudosciences (notably creationism) try to introduce their teachings on school curricula. Teachers and school authorities need to have clear criteria of inclusion that protect students against unreliable and disproved teachings Ancient Greek Science An early attempt at demarcation can be seen in the efforts of Greek natural philosophers and medical practitioners to distinguish their methods and their accounts of nature from the mythological or mystical accounts of their predecessors and contemporaries. Medical writers in the Hippocratic tradition maintained that their discussions were based on necessary demonstrations, a theme developed by Aristotle in his â€Å"Posterior Analytics†. One element of this polemic (passionate argument) for science was an insistence on a clear and definite presentation of arguments, rejecting the imagery, analogy, and myth of the old wisdom. Aristotle described at length what was involved in having scientific knowledge of something. To be scientific, he said, one must deal with causes, one must use logical demonstration, and one must identify the universals which ‘inhere’ in the particulars of sense. Criteria for Demarcation: Logical Positivism also known as Verificationism * Held that only statements about empirical observations and formal logical propositions are meaningful, and that statements which are not derived in this manner (including religious and metaphysical statements) are by nature meaningless. * The Viennese philosophers who introduced the positivist paradigm effectively laid the groundwork for the modern philosophy of science and one of its most important strands of thought. The early Positivists favored a rather strict approach to the demarcation and strongly affirmed the empirical nature of science, meaning that questions that cannot be empirically verified or falsified are irrelevant to scientific thought. * These philosophers, who called themselves logical positivists, argued that to produce a meaningful claim, one must always return to the tangible observations that result from that claim. * By the late 1970s, its ideas were so generally recognized to be seriously defective. Falsifiability * Proposed by Karl Popper. In his monumental book, â€Å"The Logic of Scientific Discovery† he proposed the idea that scientific hypotheses must be falsifiable; unfalsifiable hypotheses should be considered pseudoscience. Popper’s emphasis on falsifiability changed the way scientists viewed the demarcation problem, and his impact on philosophy of science was enormous. * Popper’s demarcation criterion has been criticized both for excluding legitimate science and for giving some pseudosciences the status of being scientific. Postpositivism * Thomas Kuhn, an American historian and philosopher of science, is often connected with what has been called postpositivism. * In 1962, Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, which depicted the development of the basic natural sciences in an innovative way. According to Kuhn, the sciences do not uniformly progress strictly by scientific method. Rather, there are two fundamentally different phases of scientific development in the sciences. In the first phase, scientists work within a paradigm (set of accepted beliefs). When the foundation of the paradigm weakens and new theories and scientific methods begin to replace it, the next phase of scientific discovery takes place. Kuhn believes that scientific progress—that is, progress from one paradigm to another—has no logical reasoning. He undermines science as a whole by arguing that what is considered science changes throughout history in such a way that there is no objective way (outside of time or place) to demarcate a scientific belief from a pseudoscientific belief. Science, Kuhn argues, is like politics: institutions believe that certain ways are better than others at different points throughout history; however, it is impossible to be more or less certain of our basic assumptions about the world. Within a democracy (a specific political paradigm) there can be progress: an economy can grow, schools can be built, and people can be given healthcare. However, if a revolution occurs and the country becomes socialist, the government is not inherently better or worse than before, but simply begins to follow a different set of assumptions. Paradigm shift * A paradigm shift is a phenomenon described by philosopher Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. * Kuhn posited a process to explain the persistence of incorrect ideas, and the seemingly rapid and sudden abandonment of these ideas when they finally are rejected. * People tend to believe in what they know, and science is basically conservative. A current â€Å"paradigm† or theory is difficult to dislodge. It takes either a large volume of evidence, or a particularly powerful single piece of evidence to overturn major scientific theories (scientific revolution). When this occurs, it is called a â€Å"paradigm shift†. Lakatos’ research programs * Imre Lakatos combined elements of Popper and Kuhn’s philosophies with his concept of research programs. Programs that succeed at predicting novel facts are scientific, while ones that fail ultimately lapse into pseudoscience. Feyerabend and Lakatos * Kuhn’s work largely called into question Popper’s demarcation, and emphasized the human, subjective quality of scientific change. Paul Feyerabend was concerned that the very question of demarcation was insidious: science itself had no need of a demarcation criterion, but instead some philosophers were seeking to justify a special position of authority from which science could dominate public discourse. Feyerabend argued that science does not in fact occupy a special place in terms of either its logic or method, and no claim to special authority made by scientists can be upheld. He argued that, within the history of scientific practice, no rule or method can be found that has not been violated or circumvented at some point in order to advance scientific knowledge. Both Lakatos and Feyerabend suggest that science is not an autonomous form of reasoning, but is inseparable from the larger body of human thought and inquiry. NOMA * The concept of Non-overlapping Magisteria is a relatively recent attempt at proposing a clear demarcation between science and religion. It explicitly restricts science to its naturalistic foundations, meaning that no conclusions about supernatural phenomena like gods may be drawn from within the confines of science. â€Å"As to the supposed ‘conflict’†¦between science and religion, no such conflict should exist because each subject has a legitimate magisterium, or domain of teaching authority—and these magisteria do not overlap.† Criteria based on scientific progress Popper’s demarcation criterion concerns the logical structure of theories. Imre Lakatos described this criterion as â€Å"a rather stunning one. A theory may be scientific even if there is not a shred of evidence in its favour, and it may be pseudoscientific even if all the available evidence is in its favour. That is, the scientific or non-scientific character of a theory can be determined independently of the facts†. Instead, Lakatos proposed a modification of Popper’s criterion that he called â€Å"sophisticated (methodological) falsificationism†. On this view, the demarcation criterion should not be applied to an isolated hypothesis or theory but rather to a whole research program that is characterized by a series of theories successively replacing each other. In his view, a research program is progressive if the new theories make surprising predictions that are confirmed. In contrast, a degenerating research programme is characterized by theories bein g fabricated only in order to accommodate known facts. Progress in science is only possible if a research program satisfies the minimum requirement that each new theory that is developed in the program has a larger empirical content than its predecessor. If a research program does not satisfy this requirement, then it is pseudoscientific. According to Paul Thagard, a theory or discipline is pseudoscientific if it satisfies two criteria. One of these is that the theory fails to progress, and the other that â€Å"the community of practitioners makes little attempt to develop the theory towards solutions of the problems, shows no concern for attempts to evaluate the theory in relation to others, and is selective in considering confirmations and disconfirmations†. A major difference between his approach and that of Lakatos is that Lakatos would classify a nonprogressive discipline as pseudoscientific even if its practitioners work hard to improve it and turn it into a progressive discipline. In a somewhat similar vein, Daniel Rothbart (1990) emphasized the distinction between the standards that should be used when testing a theory and those that should be used when determining whether a theory should at all be tested. The latter, the eligibility criteria, include that the theory should encapsulate the explanatory success of its rival, and that it should yield test implications that are inconsistent with those of the rival. According to Rothbart, a theory is unscientific if it is not testworthy in this sense. George Reisch proposed that demarcation could be based on the requirement that a scientific discipline be adequately integrated into the other sciences. The various scientific disciplines have strong interconnections that are based on methodology, theory, similarity of models etc. Creationism, for instance, is not scientific because its basic principles and beliefs are incompatible with those that connect and unify the sciences. More generally speaking, says Reisch, an epistemic field is pseudoscientific if it cannot be incorporated into the existing network of established sciences. Rejection of the Problem * Some philosophers have rejected the idea of the demarcation problem, such as Larry Laudan. Others like Susan Haack, while not rejecting the problem wholesale, argue that a misleading emphasis has been placed on the problem that results in getting stuck in arguments over definitions rather than evidence. Laudan * Larry Laudan concluded, after examining various historical attempts to establish a demarcation criterion, that â€Å"philosophy has failed to deliver the goods† in its attempts to distinguish science from non-science—to distinguish science from pseudoscience. None of the past attempts would be accepted by a majority of philosophers nor, in his view, should they be accepted by them or by anyone else. He stated that many well-founded beliefs are not scientific and, conversely, many scientific conjectures are not well-founded. 3 Major Reasons why Demarcation is sometimes difficult: * science changes over time, * science is heterogeneous and; * established science itself is not free of the defects characteristic of pseudoscience

Kerzner Office Equipment

Critique Briggs’ management of the first meeting. What, if anything, should she have done differently? The approach employed by Amber Briggs in the first meeting of the Kerzner Anniversary Task Force can be described as traditional. Firstly, Briggs, the head, prepared the agenda, which mainly consisted of the activities to be done within the one-hour meeting, followed by the members’ introduction of themselves wherein they stated the different departments they are connected with and lastly, the head reminded them to solicit information from their department colleagues on how the anniversary celebration should be done.In my analysis, there’s actually nothing wrong with the way Briggs handled the first meeting, but considering that the purpose is to prepare for an upcoming event that is special and grandiose, she could have handled it a little differently than the conventional way. I understand that this event would really call for commitment and teamwork so she co uld have awakened the interest and stirred the creative minds of the task force’ members by brainstorming on the appropriate theme for the event. This would serve as the guide of all the committee heads (task force members) in coming-up with the plan for their respective committee assignments. The meeting could have been more fruitful.Since the group members are coming from different departments, Briggs should have done better by explaining to the members the main purpose of the task force’s creation so that each one will know their vital role, the presentation of the budget they will be working on so that they will have an idea of how much the management is willing to spend in order to make the event successful and the presentation of the committees. The members, being the committee leaders, will now pick the committee they are willing to handle, which is supposedly prepared by Briggs prior to the first meeting’s schedule.Sample committees with specified tasks that will help realize the goal of the celebration could be: a) promotions to take charge of the intra-company advertisement (e.g. bulletin boards update, flyers, etc) and gimmicks prior to the actual celebration in order the set the pace for the much awaited activity; program to take charge of the entire flow of activities, program layout, invitation, and selection of the program hosts or emcees; games and awards to take care of the fun games to serve as fillers for the lull moments and the identification and preparation of awards to be given (e.g. per department to acknowledge their contribution for recovering and staying in the business despite the national recession).Food to select the caterer and menu; decoration to plan and supervise the decoration of the venue in accordance with the theme or concept of the event; physical arrangement/lights/sounds to take charge of the layout of the venue, the lights needed to make it livelier and the sound system, which would include the sel ection of the music to be played throughout the activity; and documentation committee to capture every moment for everyone to cherish including the preparation of an article on the event to be published in the company’s newsletter.Before ending the meeting, rather than merely reminding them to solicit information from their colleagues, each member should have been reminded to prepare a plan with the proposed individual committee members and estimated budget, which will be presented in the next meeting. All the task force’s members will then give their comments and suggestions to improve the prepared plan.It would have been better also if the actual date of the next meeting was decided upon. Briggs, as the head, could propose a schedule before adjourning the meeting so everyone can give their comments. Once schedule has been agreed, the members should ensure that if they could not attend due to operational concerns or unforeseen circumstances, a capable and committed re presentative, who has been briefed of his or her role, will be present to attend the meeting and give updates.What barriers is she likely to encounter in completing this project? What can she do to overcome these barriers? Note: Answers to q. # 3 is imbedded (italicized) in the answers to q. # 2The major barrier that is likely to be encountered in completing this project is the availability of the task force members. It would have been better, if after the discussion of the objectives, the members were asked on how interested and committed they were to be part of the team. As mentioned in the case, most of the members were assigned rather than volunteered so a very pertinent issue involved here would be commitment. It’s also possible that because the company is composed of 1,100 employees, not all of them know each other personally.This is very essential to encourage teamwork. Briggs, being in the HR department, should ensure that this group would have a chance to meet each o ther more frequently in other company engagements or activities. It would also be good if they could work in pairs in their assigned committees. Briggs could also allot 5 minutes every time the task force meets for group dynamic activities to promote teamwork. For a start, a getting-t- know-you activity would be nice.What should she do between now and the next meeting?After the meeting, she could send an email to all the members on the minutes (what has been discussed) including their specific committee assignments and the things expected of them in the next meeting. She could also send a separate email to the two absent members to update them on what has been discussed. She could ask them too if they are available and would commit to the future undertakings of the group. As stated above, a five-minute group dynamic activity could strengthen the group’s teamwork. This would also make the meeting more interesting. Briggs should also acknowledge the team’s progress to en courage more their participation.Park Manor Condominium: Analysis of social and psychological market factorsCase written by Prof. John M. Hess, University of ColoradoPark Manor, a condominium apartment community located twenty five minutes from downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is troubled by a significant decline in sales in recent months. The developers Herbert Klein, Hilton Howard and Lloyd Franklin, analyzed the different strategies employed by the condominium in attracting customers and debated whether they have reduced the market too severely by their age and no-children barriers. Howard believes that they have already exhausted the over-forty market and should therefore lower the minimum age limit.On the other hand, Franklin said that they have barely touched the market by focusing too much on the retired individuals instead of the working people and those whose children have left home and no longer desire for a large house. Klein also thinks that they have taken the wrong track by limiting their efforts on the local area. It would have been better if they have attracted retirees from a regional or national market. He specifically identified Chicago, which has approximately 200,000 eligible retirees with an additional 20,000 persons retiring each year (cited in Stanton, 1978).To provide the right solution to the problem, they conducted a market study, which revealed some public misconceptions and prejudices that probably aroused from shifts in promotional emphasis. A summary statement of the report reads: a) age – most respondents view Park manor as an old-people’s home; b) income – majority of the respondents identify Park Manor as an expensive, high income and high cost place to live; c) institutionalization – people fee that they will loose their freedom if they move to the place; d) not quite respectable   – many perceive as not being quite respectable   and e) apartment living – homeowners do not like to l ive in an apartment and apartment dwellers don’t wish to invest or tie up funds in their residence (cited in Stanton, 1978).As a result, the development company has learned that buying a home and moving are emotion-laden activities and that each type of the market has different reasons for changing residences, which is often at cross purposes, thus appeals to one may alienate the others. Park Manor also feels that they have to identify and select the most compatible market elements (cited in Stanton, 1978).CVS/Pharmacy: Market Expertise Is Key to SuccessCVS/Pharmacy, one of the largest retailers in the US, wanted to launch their new camcorders with the aid of market experts to ensure success. They believe in the power of PR and they have sought the help of the best agencies for their unique PR programs. For the photo division, they wanted an agency with solid media connections and with an understanding of the imaging market. Furthermore, they wanted an agency with the ability to generate results instantly, thus they hired Matter Communications (http://www.matternow.com/CaseStudies/case_cvs.htm).This agency is known for its unparalleled knowledge of the imaging market, with a philosophy to directly align PR programs to business goals. When the agency launched their new product, it was a success, which was even applauded by the national news outlets including Wall Street Journal and Time. With the successful outcome, they engaged Matter Communications to build an ongoing and sustainable PR machine with the goal of driving local consumers directly into local stores for its one-time-use digital camcorder.Matter, aiming to become CVS long-term partner, in turn developed a media program that focused on product placement, reviews and feature stories across the country. 200 articles, television segments and radio spots featured CVS’ camcorder in just five months. It was also included in regional holiday gift guides, â€Å"Best of 2005† round-ups a nd targeting syndicated writers paid off wherein one article yielded 34 articles. Results matter for Matters Communications. This was evidenced by their success in launching CVS’ new product. In December alone, Matter helped reached more than 107 million readers/viewers. (http://www.matternow.com/CaseStudies/case_cvs.htm).ReferencesMatter Communications. CVS/pharmacy: Market Expertise Is Key to Success. Retrieved December 28, 2007Stanton, William J. (5th Ed.). (1978). Fundamentals of Marketing. United States: McGraw-Hill Book Company

Gulf Region Exam

Gulf Region Exam Introduction It can be noted that the study of international relations and the scope of Middle East research are often regarded as worlds apart, with minimal uniting factor between them. In this current age, this definition is too stark. However, it is correct to suggest that more effort needs to be put to bring the different side together and most importantly to bring the region of the Middle East to the core of international relations development (Sasley, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gulf Region Exam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The most influential theory in international relations and predominantly used in the United States from the end of the Second World War was realism. This is a perspective that is based on the intellectual foundations in conservative political and social ideology. To get a better understanding of realism as a perspective in the study of international relations, there is a need to recognize its conservative roots. Although it is conservative like many other theories, realism has an abundant and complex network of thoughts created over centuries. In addition, to avoid the risk of explaining a theory in just a few pages, looks at the critical areas of the realism theory (Hobson, 2005). Realism Theory The first essential element of the realism theory is that it has pacifistic perceptions about human nature. In the conservative world, people are viewed as imperfect, imperceptible and flawed beings. In essence, human nature is a combination of bad and good attributes, and the former cannot be absolutely eliminated. Conservatives who are largely inclined to religion argue that the notion of the first sin can be traced to the biblical stories. This is found in the book of Genesis about how man fell from grace with his creator. This is the reason why all Christians pray for forgiveness every time they attend church. The general assumption is that all in attendance could have at one time in the past week committed a sin. In general, the Christian theological views regard all human as carrying the original sin and by extension regarded as flawed creatures (Sasley, 2011). The second important element of realism theory is a perception of people as social beings. This signifies the fact that people are driven, and have an underlying need to be recognized and belong to a certain social community. The individual does not want to be left in isolation to become unattached creatures. Human beings are not individualist. In this case, they derive an essential sense of belonging, satisfaction, and comfort from their association within social groups. The only difficulty is that group recognition encompasses both inclusion and exclusion from the group. In essence, society groups are recognized by the individuals within, as well as those outside the groups. If everyone belonged to the same group, the group would cease to exist as it would not provide a sens e of belonging (Steele, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The third important aspect of related to the conservatism theory or ideology is the belief that social conflict is inevitable. Why is it suggested that conflicts are inevitable? Conflicts are known to be both rational and irrational at the same time. Collective and group egoism is said to be one of the causes of conflict. When a certain group perceives itself as not only being different from the rest, but better or more deserving than the rest, it leads to social conflict. However, conflict does not only result from irrational perspectives. Thus, conflict also results from the lack of establishing of a clear political, social and economic order that can be beneficial to all the groups. It can be noted that proponents of realism view conflict as an important aspect in the study and evaluation of international rel ations theory. According to Shimko (n.d.), the roots of political life known as conflict group’s human beings will fight each other primarily as members of certain groups and not as independent persons. In the international scene, the parent group is formed by the nation state itself. Realists argue that in the current international relations conflict is about the interaction and struggles between and amongst individual nation states (Steele, 2008). Another theory that can be used to understand the international relation is colonialism and post colonialism theories. Colonialism should not just be regarded as a historical occurrence, but instead, it should be viewed in light as a valuable theoretical ideology too. In recent studies, it has been engulfed under the wider rubric of post colonial surveys. Thus, colonialism should be understood beyond the realm of physical control. In general, it is about the nature of thought, and explores the nature of thinking about the Middle E ast and how these thoughts shape certain activities. Notably, the term Orient was coined by the Europeans. It was formulated as an approach towards the Middle Eastern region. As the Europeans made reference to the Middle East in their own perceptions, the study of the orient became inextricably aligned to western and European policies directed towards the region.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gulf Region Exam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, if the Europeans viewed the Middle Eastern region as being backward or primitive, then the duty of European policies towards the Middles East was made easier. It is argued that Orientalism as a mode of thought encourages the Europeans to occupy the Middle East thereby imposing rules on its people. If the perception of the Middle East was that it was irrational, weak and cowardly, then it will be justified for the Europeans to govern the region. This will not be welc ome as it will deny the people their sovereign nationhood and statehood that the European powers possessed for their own benefit (Steele, 2008). Where blame is directed, it has critical implications on the course of the effects and solutions needed to rectify the situation. The colonialist approach will solely direct responsibility at the doorsteps of European colonialists. If France, the United Kingdom and the United States are liable, the remedies to these challenges solely lie in the hands of these external nations. This translates to more considerations regarding the balance of trade and security provision arrangements, waving of debts and much more. On the other hand, if the Arab nations are responsible, then the solutions would be a transformation of ideology from within the region itself, which may even include the abolishment of these nations. This was a conclusion that was propounded by the Bush administration leading to the self assertion of the United States as the sole d emocracy advocate in the region. Post colonialist is concerned with the political aspects (Hobson, 2005). It is an activist approach to provide certain remedies to resolve the existing power struggles in the Middle East. It lays emphasis on the dominant structures of the world system. This is in regard to how it is formulated or created by the western powers, and how they determine and influence non western players and regions to the latter’s ultimate detriment (Sasley, 2011). At the pivot of the study of international relations is the paradigm of the security dilemma. This paradigm can be structured in two complementary ways. First and foremost, it implies that, in a state of chaotic environment, nations and governments enjoy no obvious, disruptive path to peace. Therefore, the steps that a nation take or employs to intensify its own security prompts other countries to counter by taking measures that worsen the situation. At times, this leaves the country in a worse position than it the case was before the security dilemma. Unfortunately, the phrase security dilemma is usually used in loose or simplistic fashion.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Researchers in world politics usually refer to a security dilemma as a substitute security challenge or problems. In this case, they do not focus on the evaluation of the dynamics of the dilemmas to be solved by the respective states in anarchy. The security dilemma in the gulf can be defined as complex and dynamic set of interrelations among the extra regional and regional nations that exhibits a range of daunting obstacles on the path to lasting regional peace (Adib-Moghaddam, 2006). The Security Dilemma in the Persian Gulf The security dilemma in the Persian Gulf sheds a lot of light on the important dynamics of international politics and relations of the contemporary states in the Persian Gulf. There are four major dilemmas that the states face in the Persian Gulf. The first dilemma can be referred to as the classic security dilemma. In this scenario, governments are faced with the dilemma of whether to invest in projects that would enhance their overall security compared to oth er nations. The second dilemma involves a scenario in which various states come together to form agreements on how to cooperate in the provision of security to member states against their adversaries. The third option involves trading off. Here, the nations are faced with the challenge whether to hold the status quo and maintain internal political stability or whether to depend on external forces or powers for security. Lastly, the Gulf nations encounter a paradoxical decision to make between forming strategic partnerships with external powers as patron or leaving the region insulated from universal disputes and rivalries (Adib-Moghaddam, 2006). The various nations in the Persian Gulf are faced with critical choices of whether or not to implement what is referred to as security producing programs. The individual Gulf States are forced to put their interests first considering the chaotic nature of the region. In this case, there are no overarching powers that exist which can provide security whether for the individual countries or for the entire region as a whole. However, it is not yet clear how the Gulf nations can appropriately secure their interests visvis the interest of each other. For as long as there is no physical threat from any neighboring country or nation, it would be prudent to forego any investments in equipping the nation with armory and other equipment for defense against external aggression. Such resources can be put to good use in other sectors of the economy such as education and health care. However, this is clearly a risky venture as a state can never be certain about the intentions of its potential and actual adversaries (Adib-Moghaddam, 2006). Neither can they be certain how the volatility or strategy in the region may change in the near future. Subsequently, nations are presented with a strong obligation to be prepared for the worst at any time. This is achieved by making sure that they have armed themselves despite not possessing any a ggressive intentions. However, if one nation happens to go ahead with security producing projects with a view of protecting its interests, other nations might find themselves in a compromised situation. In this case, the other nations may even go as far as interpreting the action of such a state as an act of aggression. The rest of the nations will at least be expected to initiate security producing projects of their own to counter what the other nation has done. It is evident that none of the Persian Gulf nations have been able to avoid investing in the armory and establishing its military. This is a clear sign that they are faced with the classical security dilemma. In addition, the states in the Persian Gulf are also faced with a critical dilemma on how to relate simultaneously with their allies and adversaries. If the country acts belligerently towards an adversary state, its allies become reassured of the ongoing significance and unity of the alliance and are thus enticed to im plement risky foreign policy programs that may pull the state into unexpected and unwanted conflict. This scenario has been referred to as a dynamic entrapment. In this case, trying to be loyal to ones allies might land a state into a conflict in which it has or bares no interest. On the other hand, if a state makes initiative to embrace or reconcile with an adversary, its allies will be greatly concerned that they are attempting to change alliances. In this regard, the other allies will also be inclined to make similar overtures at the adversary as well which eventually leads to a preemptive realignment. Alternatively, the other allies may send overtures to other prospective allies and abandon the state which will leave it exposed to its adversary. The third dilemma is best illustrated by the actions and decisions taken by the Saudi government during and after the second Gulf War. The Saudi government was faced with a difficult decision on whether to mount up it own defense forces or to rely on the protection of its allies. Eventually, the government decided to rely on the protection provided by its allies lead by the United States. This was because the cost of establishing its own army would have been enormous could have taken a considerably long time to assemble and may have destabilized the domestic status quo by empowering or strengthening the military (Abdulla, 1998). Although by overtly depending on the United States military, the internal sovereignty of the nation and the legitimacy of the political administration were put into question. This meant that the nation found itself far less secure after the Gulf War than it was at the beginning. These Gulf States face a fourth dilemma in the nature of the relation they foster with extra regional powers. The Persian Gulf states should refrain from making any partnerships with other powerful states outside the region. In this way, this region is likely to avoid the hustles and bustles associated with disputes and rivalries in the global scenario (Almeziani, 2012). Conclusion The theory of realism is critical in understanding the international relations in the world today. The Gulf States are faced with various security dilemmas. In this case, the various states are confused on how to come with strategies that will ensure the security of the region. The theory of realism can be used to understand the security situation of the Gulf States. References Abdulla, A. K. (1998). The Gulf Cooperation Council : Origin and Process. London. Tauris Co. Ltd. Adib-Moghaddam, A. (2006). The International Politics of the Persian Gulf: A cultural genealogy. New York: Routledge. Almeziani, K.S. (2012). The UAE and Foreign Policy: Foreign aid, identities and interests. New York. Routledge. Hobson, C. (2005). A Forward Strategy of Freedom in the Middle East: US Democracy Promotion and the ‘War on Terror’. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 59 (1): 39-53. Sasley, B. E. (2011). Studyin g Middle Eastern International Relations Through IR Theory, OrtadoÄŸu Età ¼tleri, 2 (2): 9-32. Shimko, K. L. (n.d.). International Relations: perspectives, controversies readings. US. Wadsworth Cengage learning. Steele, B. J. (2008). Ontological Security in International Relations: Self-Identity and the IR State. New York: Routledge.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in Everyday Life

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in Everyday Life GIS According to Canalys there were approximately 41 million GPS units sold in 2008, and in 2009 the number of GPS enabled cell phones in use had exceeded 27 million. Without even thinking, tens of millions of people access directions and look-up local businesses from these hand-held devices every day. Lets tie this back to our big picture here, GIS. The 24 GPS satellites orbiting earth are constantly broadcasting data about their location and exact time. Your GPS device or phone receives and process the signals from three to four of these satellites to figure out where it is located. Points of interest, addresses (lines or points), and aerial or road data is all stored in a database that is accessed by your device. When you submit data, such as posting a geo-Tweet (a location-based Tweet on Twitter), checking in on Foursquare, or rating a restaurant you are adding data to one or more GIS data sources. Popular GIS Applications Traditionally desktop GIS has dominated the GIS mindset. People think of ArcMap, MicroStation, or other enterprise-level GIS applications when they think desktop GIS. But the most prevalent desktop GIS application is free, and quiet powerful. With over 400 million total downloads (according to GeoWeb 2008 keynote speech by Michael Jones) Google Earth is by far the most used GIS application in the world. While many people use Google Earth to look for fun things such as a friends house, crop circles, and other oddities, Google Earth also allows you to add georeferenced images, view parcel data, and find routes. Georeferencing Photos Even before the average computer user was using GIS on a near daily basis, everyone has benefited from it. The government uses GIS to decide voting districts, analyze demographics, and even time street lights. The real power of GIS is that it is more than a map, it is a map that can show us exactly what we want to see. How has GIS become such an integral part of society almost seamlessly? Google, Garmin, and others were not creating products with Hey, the mass public needs GIS in mind, no, they were meeting needs. Humans think geographically. Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How those are the five Ws right? Place is extremely important to people. When studying how human populations have acted over the past millennia it is easy to see how geography dictated culture. Today, place still dictates much of our lives: property values, crime rates, education standards, these can all be classified by place. It is interesting to see when a technology has become so ingrained in a society that people dont consider it when they use it, they just use it; like with cell phones, cars, microwaves, etc. (that list could be very long). Personally, as someone who loves maps and loves computers and works in the GIS field I think it is great that an eight-year-old has the ability to look-up their friends address and sho w their parents exactly where they are going, or for family members to be able to see pictures of those they love where they were taken, and so many more cool things that GIS allows us to do without thinking. Kyle Souza is a GIS professional from Texas. He operates TractBuilder and can be reached at kyle.souzatractbuilder.com.

The American Labor Sector of Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The American Labor Sector of Today - Essay Example   The movements drew clear lines between the management of the industries and the labor aspects that based on the issues between the two. This was aimed to advocate for the improvement of their working conditions. It is sentiments like these that the screenwriters and the director of the movie â€Å"Norma Rae† shared and sought to evoke among the audience. The movie highlights the processes and trials experienced in the starting of a workers union (Canby). It shows that although the start of worker unions is marred by challenges, their successful formations eventually result in improved labor conditions. The employers victimize the founding figures of trade unions when they start advocating for the rights of the workers. The movie gives a clear illustration of this aspect that is replicated in nearly all scenarios involving the establishment of labor unions. After hearing a speech from Rueben Warshowsky, Norma decides to unionize her workmates. This does not augur well with the managers of the cotton mill, who confront her (Canby). She in turn writes â€Å"UNION† on a piece of cardboard and stands on a table to display it to her workmates. This makes them shut down their machines. The management views this as a threat to their authority and responds by sacking her and sending her to jail (Canby). Although Reuben eventually frees her, the acts bring out the factor of victimization against unionists advocating for workers rights. The movie brings out the aspect of the different family members reaction to one’s involvement in union activities. After hearing Reuben’s speech Norma starts participating in union formation activities. This invokes negative reactions in her husband who feels Norma is not spending enough time with her family (Canby).

Chrysler Group LLC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chrysler Group LLC - Research Paper Example This is a good stance for our students since they will also learn the basic tenets of corporate social responsibility. As a reputable institution, we should groom our students so that they can meaningfully contribute to the development of different societies rather than just focusing on getting well paying jobs. This will also help to create a good reputation for the institution if we are associated with companies that are socially responsible for their operations. The aspect of good corporate citizen makes Chrysler Group an ideal company to partner with in as far as internship for our students is concerned. Good record of workplace safety The other reason why we should partner with Chrysler Group in terms of internship for our students is that it has a good record of workplace safety environment. Our students will be safe if they are attached to this company and they will also generate knowledge about the significance of creating and maintaining safe working environments. The Nation al Safety Council (NSC) recognized Chrysler Group’s focus on improving safety in the workplace recently. Each company has a responsibility of ensuring that it creates a safe working environment and there is no doubt that Chrysler is good in this particular area. The company also strives to maintain good records of quality working relationships and this will help our students to gain the practical experience they so much require. This will also help our students to transform the theoretical knowledge they have so far acquired from their academic courses into practice. The aspect of good record of workplace safety maintained by Chrysler Group will play a pivotal role in the development of our students. Committed to develop diverse future business leaders Finally, there are indications that the company will uphold its commitment to develop diverse future business leaders. This is evidenced by Zetsche’s outstanding leadership qualities that significantly helped the company to turnaround its fortunes in the early 2000 after unprecedented loses. This leader is accommodative and to date Chrysler Group boasts of diverse and competitive leaders who come from different parts of the globe. The major success of the company can be attributed to its strategy of recruiting talented people from diverse backgrounds. The company also has retention schemes in places that are meant to ensure that all the skilled workers stay for a long period there. The company also has a policy that is meant to attract students for internship and this program is designed in such a way that the students will improve their business communication skills. Of notable concern is the fact that Chrysler Group offer scholarships to talented MBA candidates and it draws the applicants from more than 30 of the nation’s leading business schools. It will be a privilege for our school to be associated with is reputable company since it will help us to create a positive image. On top of tha t, our students will be marketable internationally which will be an added advantage to them as well as our institution. It is my conviction that the company’s commitment to develop diverse future business leaders will go a long way in assisting our students with their internship