Saturday, August 31, 2019

Charmed

Running head: CHARMED: MY FAVORITE TV SHOW Charmed: My Favorite TV Show Tolby Markham Kaplan University LS 526-01: Academic and Professional Writing for Graduate Students CHARMED: MY FAVORITE TV SHOW Charmed: My Favorite TV Show Charmed, I’m sure! Are you? Charmed is the story of The Charmed Ones – the most powerful good witches the world has ever known, whose job is to protect the innocent and not blow their cover. When their grandmother, Grams, suffers a heart attack, Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell move back into the family manor in San Francisco where Phoebe discovers the legendary Book of Shadows hidden in the attic.Reading aloud a mystical incantation, the three sisters receive their Wiccan powers, which are needed to fight off evil. Despite wanting normal lives,  The Charmed Ones fight evil beings every day and have always been the most powerful source of good witches and good magic the world has ever seen. The perception of witches in American culture has und ergone a radical transformation in the last century as Americans have become familiar with scientific explanations for supernatural events.Because of this, there has been much less genuine fear or hysteria regarding the supposed use of occult magic. Yet the popularity of witches in America persists even today. In fact, the frequent appearances of witches in television and film have gradually changed the way most Americans think about witches. The most notable change has been in the presentation of women in these roles—from the evil, traditional â€Å"hag† witches in early works like Disney’s  Snow White  to the much more attractive and benevolent Halliwell sisters of the television series  Charmed.Magic in itself is fascinating. Having such a tremendous power id amazing and the responsibilities that come with it are enormous. Fighting demons, evil witches and warlords and CHARMED: MY FAVORITE TV SHOW the ultimate bad guy â€Å"The Source† is what th e Halliwell sisters are born and even one dies for. The three sisters, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and later Paige have such powers combined that they try to save the world everyday while trying to sustain a normal mortal life like everyone else in the world.The first in the line, Melinda Warren was burned at the stake but before this, she foresaw that each coming generation of witches in her family would grow stronger and stronger, culminating in the arrival of three sisters – the strongest good witches the world had ever seen; the three sisters would form the Power of Three making them the most powerful magical force ever to exist. The effect of a Power of Three bond being formed is that all the members' powers are pooled together into a  Collective. One of the benefits of this bond is  High Resistance.Of course, the downsides of this are that the amount of power one gains from this is relative to the level of the other beings involved, with the above example assuming that the beings involved are (at least more or less) the same strength. Another downside of this is that if one member dies it weakens the Collective, making the other members easier to kill off with the death of each member. However, on the flip side, more powerful (and hence higher level) beings are harder to kill/affect with ones powers than lower level ones i. e.Piper and the other various Charmed Ones have been shown to have taken direct hits from all kinds of attacks such as Fire and Energy Balls and live many times over whereas such attacks would vanquish any other magical creature instantly. The Triad  are also highly resilient to Piper's combustion power whereas other lower CHARMED: MY FAVORITE TV SHOW level demons usually disintegrate within seconds. Therefore this particular con is easily balanced out. Then there is the fact that this collective interconnects all of the members to each other in various metaphysical ways.Certain spells cast on one member may affect the others thr ough this interconnection such as when Prue was magically turned evil, causing Piper and Phoebe to turn evil also. A Power of Three bond can be broken in several ways. If the members use their powers on each other in a negative manner or atmosphere then the bond will be broken. Fortunately, this may be reformed by all of the members reconnecting with each other emotionally or something to that effect. For example, when the Charmed Ones used their powers on each other during an argument it shattered their Power of Three.However, later on they all got over the argument and showed their solidarity as a sister (which is where their Power of Three comes from) and hence reformed it. Another way, mentioned above, would be if one of the members died. Although this event is less likely the implications are more severe as the collective would be weakened beyond repair. Each sister has a distinctive power to help aid them in vanquishing the evil beings. The sisters’ powers are as follow s: * Prue Halliwell, played by Shannen Doherty, had the power of telekinesis and astral projection. CHARMED: MY FAVORITE TV SHOW Piper Halliwell, played by Holly Marie Combs, had the power to freeze time and also held the power of molecular combustion. With the death of Prue, Piper becomes the most powerful of all three sisters; * Phoebe Halliwell, played by Alyssa Milano, had the power of premonition, levitation and empathy, and * Paige Matthews, played by Rose McGowan, had the power to orb and telekinetic orbing. Rose took on the role of the third sister when Shannen left the show at the end of season three. During the show’s eight year run, Charmed was nominated for 30 awards and won 18.Just to name a few: * In 2006, Charmed became the longest running hour-long series featuring all female leads (Mitovich, 2006), and * Holly Marie Combs (Piper) was named the third greatest with in television history, only behind Samantha (Bewitched) and Willow (Buffy). In this same list was Alyssa Milano (Phoebe) at number seven, Shannen Doherty (Prue) at number tem and Rose McGowan (Paige) at number thirteen (Greenberger, 2012). To sum it up, if you enjoy the supernatural or if you like special effects, Charmed is the show for you.Charmed was a television series on the WB Television Network which ran from 1998 thru 2006 (IMDb, 2012). The show is now shown Monday thru Friday on the drama network TNT, from 7am to 8am and 8am to 9am (Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. , 2012). CHARMED: MY FAVORITE TV SHOW References IMDb. (2012, August 24). Retrieved from An Amazon Company: www. imdb. com Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. (2012, August 25). Retrieved from A Time Warner Company: www. tntdrama. com Greenberger, R. (2012, August 23). ComicMix. Retrieved from ComicMix, LLC: www. comicmix. com Mitovich, M. (2006). Charmed Hits a Final? Milestone. New York City: TV Guide.

Friday, August 30, 2019

From Jack Kevorkian to Terry Schiavo

From Jack Kevorkian to Terry Schiavo, much media attention has been given in recent years to the question of the right to die. Most American states have laws against taking one’s own life and many also have specific laws against assisted suicide. Many others charge those who would assist with suicide with manslaughter or attempted murder. Opponents of euthanasia say that there is no provision in American law for the right to die. Many specific rights are spelled out in the Bill of Rights and others have been granted through the Constitution and its amendments, but nowhere has the law granted a person the right to die.Proponents claim the right is inherent, God-given and a matter of free will. The truth lies somewhere in between. Americans should have the right to determine when their lives should end. That right is granted them by the Declaration of Independence. Americans have the right to die, as it is included in the right to life, the right of self-determination and the pu rsuit of happiness. The first legal standard allowing Americans to choose to die should be the words of founding father Thomas Jefferson.In writing the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson said that people should have the right to â€Å"life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. † By simple logic, death is an inherent part of life and therefore should be protected by Jefferson’s words. As death is the ending of life and the right to life is guaranteed by the Declaration, it is clear that citizens should be afford the right to die as they choose. By guaranteeing people the right to life and liberty, Jefferson may have been simply spouting the philosophies of John Locke and others, but he inadvertently guaranteed people the liberty to choose their own death.Clearly, in 1776, the concept of keeping people alive through the use of machines was not a consideration. However, Jefferson makes it clear that self-determination is a right of the people. It is that very self-de termination that gave the American colonies the right to revolt against England and form their own country. That same right of self-determination should also apply to the average citizen. Nothing is more a matter of personal freedom than the right to die. Other cultures have long practiced this form of self-determination.In many cultures, the sick, infirmed or elderly would leave their society to die when they decided it was time. The concept that society has become more civilized should not prevent people from making this choice if they desire. The reality is that modern medicine has allowed many people to live beyond what would once have been a normal life expectancy. Many of those people regret their longevity as they feel isolated, due to the deaths of contemporaries, and feel the guilt of being a financial or emotional burden on their families.Others do not want to face the pain of chronic disease. These people have earned the right to do as they please and by the theory of sel f-determination, they should be granted that right. Finally, the Declaration grants people the right to â€Å"the pursuit of happiness. † Again, despite the advances of modern medicine, there is no guarantee that simply lengthening a person’s life grants them additional happiness. In fact, some elderly persons are simply lonely and in pain. The pursuit of happiness for them might include an end to their suffering and as such, the right to die.The simple matter is that by guaranteeing people the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and by predicating our society on the right of self-determination, America has already made it clear that the right to die is inherent in our beliefs. It should be as clear as the right to freedom of the press or the right to bear arms. Unfortunately, though we preach a separation of church and state, America is also a religious country and the right to die will not be acknowledged until the fear of the moral repercussions is o vercome.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Advantages Disadvantages of electronic commerce

Advantages & Disadvantages of electronic commerce History In the 1970s, the term electronic commerce, referred to electronic data exchange for sending business documents such as purchase orders and voices electronically. Later, with the development of this industry, the term of electronic commerce is used to the business of goods and services via the web. When the first World Wide Web was introduced in 1994 as comprehensive, many well-known researchers have been predicted this type of business the web-based business will become soon important in the world economy, but it took four years that HTTP based protocols should be widely available to users. The first electronic commerce created in the USA and some European countries in 1998. These types of business are formed with beginner and unprofessional websites and it has been expanded rapidly. Electronic commerce was spread rapidly in most cities in America, Europe, and East Asia in 2005. Some say dates of electronic commerce return to prior of the Internet, but due to the costs of this style of business, only business and financial institutions and corporations could use it. But with the widespread use of the Internet to all of the people and change the structure of electronic commerce, this kind of business from the specific business case for a particular group out and became the industrial form. Frameworks Electronic commerce framework is comprised of three levels that this framework is needed to for successful electronic commerce. 1. Infrastructure The first part of the framework for electronic commerce is including hardware, software, databases, and communications. It is used in term of World Wide Web on the Internet or other message switching methods on the Internet or other telecommunication networks. 2. Services The second part of the framework includes a wide range of services that provide the ability to find and present information and are including the search for trading partners, negotiation, and agreements 3. Products and Structures This section of the electronic commerce frameworks consist forecasts and direct provision of goods, services, and trade-related information to customers and business partners, cooperation and sharing of information within and outside the organization and organizing of environment of electronic marketplace and chain of supply and support. Advantages Disadvantages The invention of new telecommunication networks and modern online devices has resulted in a new business. In fact, electronic commerce has become one of the most popular activities on the web. Electronic commerce created many benefits for companies and users, however, some disadvantages and serious problems stem from this issue. We can also sell any time, night or day, 365 days a year. Even while we are resting, our users can visit our website, search our goods, services, and determine their orders. Decrease Transaction Costs If we buy from the online store, we spend low operational cost, we have a better quality of service, and we can cut the many unnecessary costs. For example, if our goods or services downloadable, we will have transport costs completely cancel. Conduct a Business Easily In electronic commerce, we do not need physical company setups or there are not any crowds to deal with. We can buy from our house comfortable; users can easily choose goods from various procedures without moving around physically. Comparison in Prices Everyone can easily compare fees among the various websites. We can usually earn discounts on fees when compared with normal shop fees. Disadvantages Security Security pursues to be the main problem in electronic commerce. Everyone good or bad can easily open a website, and there are many bad sites, which their aim is users money. Guarantee There is no guarantee for product quality. Our orders might be damaged in the post or things may look different online to what you actually receive, for example, slightly different colors and feel of clothes or the freshness of vegetables and fruits. Social Relationships Electronic commerce allows users that buying and selling goods and services without geographic limitations but in this method, we have not any contacts and relationships with other persons and loss our social contacts. Impact Electronic commerce is a new method business that mixes all of the prior methods and transaction styles. Electronic commerce and electronic business have an impact on many districts of business, for instance, economics, marketing, computer science, finance and accounting, production and operation management, management information system, human source management, business law, and ethics. The following are some of the factors describe: Marketing The rise of information technologies and computer networks has many effects in business especially in the field of marketing. Everyone can make markets work more efficiently and they can improve their career with information management within a group. In this case, they can decrease the cost of opera tions and catch new markets and new opportunities for selling and transactions. Economics In the industry world, managers must encourage and conduct employees to devise plans to take advantages of new economic opportunities. Electronic commerce is creating new opportunities for the global economy, for example in the global travel and tourism industry. Transforming from traditional business method to electronic commerce method is hard and there were many different factors for companies to adopt them with electronic commerce factors. For this work, they must use the Internet and many other online networks, because for grow and use from new economic opportunities in each industry it is necessary to be matched with new technologies. Finance and Accounting Two decades of progress in information technology and development of its applications in the field of economic and social to form a new chapter of relations between people, institutions, companies and governments and new concepts are emerging on the literature of economic and trade. Internet as a global network, as well as prerequisite of electronic commerce, for reason flexibility, attractive, ease of use, low-cost access and ubiquity, is changing the traditional business moreover, electronic commerce had a significant impact on finance and accounting that include saving time, disinflation, increase productivity, reduce the demand for money (reduce the cost of publishing) and etc. Production and operation management The outcomes of a managers work, by on-time product qualify productions and with the least cost is determined. For this purpose, the first requirement is the correct information. Electronic commerce is the best way to have the most accurate and correct information for managers because consumers transmit their demands to managers directly

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Consequences of Vietnam War on the American Society Term Paper

The Consequences of Vietnam War on the American Society - Term Paper Example The most devastating effect on the society was felt by the Vietnamese veterans. They were so outraged by the injustice of the war that they formed the organization â€Å"Vietnam Veterans against the War†. The organization grew tremendously to nearly 30,000 members from veterans in the U.S as well as officers on duty in Vietnam. In the Foreword of the book Telltale Hearts, Ambrose opines that all American wars have instigated some kind of uprising against the war but the movement against Vietnam War was by far the biggest, the most influential and ironically, the least effective too (Garfunkel, 1997). The returning veterans also experienced various health problems due to the use of chemicals and herbicides in the war. Many of the veterans returned home only to live the rest of their lives in fear of developing diseases from the chemicals and passing it down to their children. Others were now addicted to drugs such as heroin and marijuana which increased the demand of heroin in the U.S market. According to a study conducted by the Pentagon in 1970s, 35% of GIs had tried marijuana while the rate of this occurrence increased gradually because of the falling morale and changing culture (Kuzmarov, 2009). Hence, drug abuse grew in the American society as a result of the Vietnam War. The veterans of the war also suffered a lot of disgrace. They were severely stereotyped and were claimed unfit to readjust into society due to the gory, inhumane nature of the Vietnam War and hence, were ostracized for their participation in the war. Even though these veterans served their country just like any other, they were not given the same respect or appreciation. The writer of the book The Vietnam War rightly says that if the people of a nation are against a certain governmental policy, it is seldom to succeed and even if it does, the impact is temporary and rightly so (Huynh & Werner, 1993). The Vietnam veteran’s memorial was erected primarily to return the honor and respect the troops deserved despite the political reasons of the war. It was built seven years after the war which was a bit too late to commemorate the sacrifices of the soldiers. Despite the concern of POVs, people were less concerned about the internal matters of U.S and more about the government’s interest in Vietnam, or the foreign policy. Eventually the society began to see the war differently and began to distrust the U.S government. Initially it was the poor people who sacrificed. It was their sons who were sent to war. Eventually the lives of the middle and upper classes started getting effected too. This is when the hue and cry against the war actually started (Huynh & Werner, 1993). The military also became extremely unpopular in the eyes of the American people. The war did not affect U.S position as the super power because the country was not physically hit. However, it did bring about a change in the internal politics of the country. The early 1970s witnessed â €Å"Momentous changes† in the US because of the war. Previously, the congress was flexible with the formulation of the foreign policy by the executive and decided to ignore the latter’s manipulation. However, around this time, this practice was coming to an end (Brown, 1991). These changes proved to bring about a

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Importance of Being a Learned Person in a 21st Century Socioeconomic Essay

Importance of Being a Learned Person in a 21st Century Socioeconomic Society - Essay Example an society today, it has become the culture to work for a salary to pay for the expenses of living and the increasing unemployment rates in the country, however means that there is going to be a lot of hardship for the unemployed individuals, and their families. Most of the people who end up being unemployed are those who have not gone to college and therefore cannot be considered to be learned. This has created a situation where whenever there are any economic problems, then these people do not have the necessary skills either to move to another sector of the economy, or move into another country where there are more opportunities for their own advancement. Being a learned person is a fact which ensures that an individual has the best options in life since they can be able to have flexibility not only within their societies, but also at the international level (Boardman and Sandomir 36). There have developed quite a number of reasons why there is a high unemployment rate in the coun try and most of these are related to the low number of individuals who can be considered to be learned. In many instances, this comes as a surprise and people are hardly ever prepared for them and when these newly unemployed individuals attempt to get other jobs, their potential employers are often exceedingly wary because of the fact that they do not meet the necessary academic qualifications to take on new jobs when their previous ones come to an end (Dash 10). Another cause of the high rates of unemployment in the United States are instances where individuals get laid off their work because their positions are no longer needed by their employers and this is largely because of the introduction of new technology and without the necessary skills that can only be acquired from a good... This essay specifies numerous advantages, that obtainment of quality education brings to a person`s life. In the modern world, one of the most important aspects that define individuals is based on the level of education that an individual has achieved and because of this, many individuals often strive to achieve academic excellence. Education is a basic human right that nobody in the whole world should be denied and it is necessary for it to be made universal. Education is necessary when dealing with almost all aspects of life, because individuals have to make the most educated decisions about all that they do. It is a well known fact that people have to study to a certain level in order to get the kind of job that is equivalent to that level of education. Quite a number of individuals all over the world, however, tend to start businesses without having to study. Most of the people who end up being unemployed are those who have not gone to college and therefore cannot be considered to be learned. In fact, an individuals who is learned can be able to work anywhere in the entire world as their knowledge and skills are universal and can be used by many different countries. The importance of individuals being learned has to be taken seriously because this is the only way through which they can be able to survive in an increasingly globalised world. Individuals, who acquire an education, are the best suited to succeed in the current world, because being learned ensure the breaking of all the possible constraints

Monday, August 26, 2019

Genzymes CSR Dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genzymes CSR Dilemma - Case Study Example All this point out to a dire need in the market for intensive research and development of a new drug for T.B. Genzyme although incapacitated with scarce resources has been able to create good partnership with ‘The TB Alliance Partnership’. The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development provided a highly skilled biotechnology firm. The funding of the partnership by the Gates and Rockefeller foundation provides a sure way of capital funding for the rigorous and expensive venture into the development of an effective drug. Outsourcing the research to pharmaceutical giants such as Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline ensures that appropriate machinery and skill is put into play in the development. With Genzyme vast infiltration into the developing countries, potential targets could be sourced for screening although it would require sufficient funding which was possible with the funding by the two foundations. In the current context of HAND, Genzyme aims at maximizing returns as much as helping people suffering from common treatable but neglected highly infectious diseases. To do this, Termeer should consider the potential for the firm’s resources and capabilities to achieve competitive advantage over their competitors. Termeer should consider using the Resource- Based Model of Above Average Returns (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 17). This model assumes that every organization should develop its own resources that should be unique into capabilities. These capabilities arise out of integration of resources into a task that should be dynamically managed. These resources and capabilities should serve as a competitive advantage for the firm. This brews core competencies that enable the firm to produce products that are unique and non-imitable in the market place by competitors to give a leverage to the returns. Through practice and continued use of these resources, the firm creates a strong capability to develop new products that

A Non-intrusive Three-way Catalyst Diagnostics Monitor Based on Assignment

A Non-intrusive Three-way Catalyst Diagnostics Monitor Based on Support Vector Machines - Assignment Example One such situation is the engineering production process. For example, the Ford Mustang GT uses the engineered sensor to determine catalyst output (Backey 3). The sensor and catalyst ensures motor vehicle exhaust fumes adhere to the government’s environmental standards (Backey 3). Furthermore, Dr. Backey explained the current monitoring process contributes to the control of polluting exhaust fume contents. Ford Company’s ODB monitor motor vehicle maintenance device enhances the monitoring and control of the exhaust contents. The easily developed new device implements a non-intrusive maintenance process (Backey 4), not interfering with the current control strategy. The easy development and the non-interference concept effectively contribute to better control and diagnostic procedures (Backey 4). Moreover, the Ford entity implements the clustering strategy. The company prefers the FCM cluster technology. Under the technology, the entity takes into account the FCM cluster strategy. Different cluster technologies are taken into consideration. One clustering strategy is the K-means statistical tool approach. The MATLAB statistical tool is another good alternative (Backey 11). The company strategy is a continuing research and development plan, continually developing data that will enhance the Ford Company’s motor vehicle operations. In addition, the Ford entity must implement the above bucket style diagnostic strategy. The strategy is a compulsory American government requirement. Failure to comply with the requirement, the company cannot sell its motor vehicles within the United States environment (Backey 5). The sensor must be tailored to fit the different motor vehicle models. Further, the current strategy incorporates physics principles (Backey 6). The physics equations contributed to the strategy’s success. The equations were combined

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Patient satisfaction of Health Care service quality in Saudi Arabia Research Proposal - 1

Patient satisfaction of Health Care service quality in Saudi Arabia - Research Proposal Example The study that uses the recipients of the healthcare services as its respondents will also exhibit the cultural diversity in the country to ensure the sample is a representative of the general Saudi Arabian population. Questionnaires will be the key instrument for data collection and the obtained data will eventually be analyzed for the purposes and reflected upon in regard to subject under study. Conclusions and inferences will be made based on the accrued information for the purpose of recommending the suitable healthcare approaches for improving the service quality. Patient satisfaction refers to the feelings of an individual in form of pleasure or disappointment as a result of comparing the perceived performance outcome of healthcare services in relation to the expectations of the individual. In this case, therefore, a performance that is way below the expectations of the patient results in dissatisfaction, whereas the service whose perceived quality is within the patient’s expectations results in satisfaction and delight (Nguyen Thi, Briancon, Empereur and Guillemin, 2002). In the recent days, the healthcare service providers have had to awaken to the challenges, quality, competition, and the marketing realities posed by the consumers of their services. In line with these changes, there has been the emergence of an equally important and related issue, which is the relationship between the care provider and the patient concerning the general evaluation of the quality of health care service (Andaleeb, 2001). There is a marked level of fr ustration among the patients, especially with the recent commercialization of the health care services, weakened relationship between the client and care provider, and the proliferation and bureaucratization of the health care system (Pakdil& Harwood, 2005). In order to realize patient satisfaction in the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Whatever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Whatever - Essay Example I am of the view that my ethical theory is a manifestation of who I am and what I want to do in this world with the changing times. I am sure that my ethical theory is a good one because it covers quite a many issues and practically encompasses the strengths and weaknesses that exist within my fore. There is a great amount of learning that is required within my ethical theory which is something good that is proactively happening. This ethical theory is indeed created by my own self as I am the sole owner and hence can change it as and when required. What I have found out with the passage of time is the fact that my ethical theory is dependent on how well I shape up value for my own self and the people who are around me from time to time (Anscombe, 1958). This ethical theory is the basis of providing me happiness whenever I am down and when I need to seek new things within my life domains. It makes me contented with what I have learned thus far and what I aim to explore with the passage of time. The normative ethics that surround my basis have given me an ideology of my own. It has made me realize where I have been wrong and what I can do once I set my eyes on something big. I am sure that with proper incorporation of efforts and endeavors on my part, I will be able to achieve the goals and objectives which are tied up with the ethical theory that I have devised for myself. As far as the future domains are concerned, I am glad that I have made the right decision as far as implementing it within my fore. It has put me in a better league than many others who exist in the society and who seek to learn new things on a regular basis. In the end, I will suggest that my ethical theory is complete from all angles and sides yet there is always room for improvements and enhancements which shall continue on a consistent basis. It has made me feel successful as far as dealing with other people is related, and put me head and shoulders above the

Friday, August 23, 2019

Indian and Southeast Asian art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Indian and Southeast Asian art - Research Paper Example Indian art is not to be studied from the time-based evolution perspective but rather from the region and period of its evolution perspective. (Mitter, 2001) Indian art has continuously evolved through time and is still evolving. It begun with rock painting, moving onto rock cut caves and temple architecture and then paintings and sculptures. Alongside these forms, India also showed progress in the tribal form of art as there were various cultural and social groups in India. However, it is worth mentioning that almost all art forms were inspired by the innumerous Gods and Goddesses that people believed in, who were transformed into contemporary forms and familiar images. Indian society has been very secular ever since ancient times and has encouraged different practices all along. This rich philosophy, both spiritual and rational, made its impact on Indian art and architecture. Temples and stupas were seen to incorporate symbolic languages based on important philosophical concepts. (M itter, 2001). These included the Chakra or wheel of time, Padma or lotus, the symbol of creation, Swastika representing aspects of creation and motion, Mriga or deer the symbol of erotic desire and beauty and many such symbols. After the Mughals came to India, monumental architecture was introduced by them. The change in the architecture was reflected in most prominent landmarks like the city gateways and the designs of royal tombs and mosques. However, traditional Indian tastes did continue to influence the Islamic architecture. Throughout its history, religion has played an important role in shaping the country’s culture and beliefs. The major religions practiced in India are Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Sikhism. Of these, Hinduism has been the foremost and most commonly... Dance forms, puppetry and shadow plays were introduced to these countries by Indians in the early 7th century.   Later though Chinese influence was observed along with Islamic influence. Indonesia, a very strong Islamic country, still retained forms of Hindu art and culture like Shadow Puppet and literature like the Ramayana. That is common for most Mainland SEA except Vietnam where Hindu gods and arts were infused into Thai, Khmer, Burmese and Lao cultures.   Many SEA languages like Maley and Javanese contain words of Sanskrit of Dravidian origin and some languages like Thai are still written in some form of Indian derived scripts. Their concepts of kingship and social hierarchy were all adapted from ancient Hindu political theories. The Thai monarchy though follows Buddhism, requires the presence of Gour Brahmans for performing certain ceremonies. The images of Vishnu, lingas, Buddha and other Hindu cults are evidence of influence of Indian culture. Almost everywhere in SEA is a Buddha image showing influence of Guptas or Amravati’s.  The cult of Devaraja or God King, a derivate from Indian terminology, of cosmological and political ideas which was evident in the temple of Angkor Thom. The concept of worshipping a god and making a place of worship was implemented first ever in this temple. With time, the interaction between India and regional evolution started producing many distinctive styles of Indianised SEA art and architecture.The other common factor between India and SEA was the worship of Lord Shiva.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Best Practices in Managing the Human Factors of HR Management Literature Review Essay Example for Free

Best Practices in Managing the Human Factors of HR Management Literature Review Essay Human Resource Management is one of the most significant functions in an enterprise. However, there are different factors that are impacting on HRM. Human Factors has its origins in the Industrial Revolution and emerged as a full-fledged discipline during World War II. It was recognized that aircraft cockpit design needed to consider the human interface for controls and displays. Design Engineers were focused on the technology while Industrial Psychologists worked to optimize the interface. In some cases, Human Factors design can affect bottom-line profitability or can be a life and death matter, e. g. , you dont want to push the wrong button or mistake meters for kilometers in a spacecraft. Companies came to realize that a products success is dependent upon good Human Factors design. Human Factors are very important for the successful operation of the company. The term human factors is to a large extent synonymous with the term ergonomics Human Factors Integration Research with Defense Technology Center is Human Factors Integration is the process adopted by a number of key industries (notably defense like United Defense and hazardous industries like oil gas like Shell) in Europe to integrate human factors elements into the systems engineering process. Although each industry has a slightly different domain the underlying approach is the same. HFI undertakes this by conducting a formal process that identifies and reconciles human related issues. These issues are split for convenience into domains. Manpower The number of military and civilian personnel required and potentially available to operate, maintain, sustain and provide training for systems Page 2 Personnel The cognitive and physical capabilities required to be able to train for, operate, maintain and sustain systems. Training – The instruction or education, and on-the-job or unit training required to provide personnel their essential job skills, knowledge, values and attributes. Human Factors Engineering The integration of human characteristics into system definition, design, development, and evaluation to optimize human-machine performance under operational conditions. Health Hazard Assessment Short or long term hazards to health occurring as a result of normal operation of the system. System Safety – Safety risks occurring when the system is functioning in an abnormal manner. Strengths: Indentifying the Problem, Evaluation and solving issues Weakness: Psychological Human Factors are not treated. Motorola’s Human Factors Engineering One of the best Practice in Managing Human Resource is HFE, Firstly implemented by Motorola, USA in 1984 is considered as the best for employees. In Research with HFE, Motorola is commonly thought of as how companies design tasks and work areas to maximize the efficiency and quality of their employees work. However, Motorola HFE comes into everything which involves people. Work systems, sports and leisure, health and safety should all embody Human Factors principles if well designed. Strengths: Employee Determination at work, Safety Health and Low Stress methods. Weakness: More importance to Leisure time and found some Low Production. Page 3 Encourage Employee Development Growth of a company is closely linked to employee development within the organization where each employee plays a vital role in the success of the company. Employee growth has direct and indirect benefits. More knowledgeable, skilled and capable employees directly impact your company’s ability to satisfy customers, resolve problems and crises, and adapt to changing market conditions. Paying for an employee’s continuing professional education, for example, can help your company gain expertise in new technologies and markets, which can save you money in the long run. This type of practice is found in Coco Cola, where are often send to Trainings on different process. Strengths: Motivational to Employee and Long Retention periods. Weakness: Cost effective and Time Taking Process. Work Life Balance The term â€Å"work life balance† was coined in 1986 in response to the rising trend Human Factors in Development of the Company. The employee Psychological benefits are taken into consideration with many instructions like Stay positive, stay in control, Stay healthy, Divide and de-clutter, Keep stress under control and other safety measures. This helps the companies to maintain good relations with the employees and make them as the best factor of production. In Research with General Electric which follows Work Life Balance as a practice to develop Human Factors. Strengths: High Production Facility, Long Retention and Safe Employee and Company Relations. Weakness: Only limited to Companies with Large Scale of Production Facilities. Page 4 Corporate Mentoring Programs Corporate Mentoring Programs are like teaching classes where employees are motivated to the work and work environment, making employee coordinated towards work. Therefore, companies have started to place greater emphasis on personal attributes while selecting and developing staff. This brings a number of benefits to the business, not the least of which is a cohesive team. On going development of employee potential is critical for business success. Corporate mentoring programs are effective in quickly ramping up employee performance because they facilitate the transfer of business knowledge in a way that is not quite possible in regular training. Strengths: Every Effective Approach in Developing Human Factors, Human Psychological Advantage and Growth Oriented. Weakness: Very Systematic Approach. Metrics to Evaluate the Practices Human Factors Integration (HFI) implemented by Defense sectors is only related to Large Scale industries although it has all the factors of Human Factors. Key Performance Indicator of Human Factor Integration(HFI) is the Objective oriented and Specific Tasking. Motorola’s Human Factors Engineering is also related to tasking and other relations, not dealing with the Psychological factors of the Employees. Encourage Employee Development is training method to make them work in stress and problems, No personal and physical importance is not given to the employees. During this Research we found that the best Practice that develops the Human Factors in the company is Corporate Mentoring Programs, where the employees are motivated on the work and provide various benefits including safety and stress free work Page 5 environment. Research with Minnesota University, I found that more than 80% of the companies in United States uses this Corporate Mentoring Programs. References †¢ Creating a Mentoring Culture: The Organizations Guide, 2007 †¢ A Strategic Approach To Corporate Mentoring Programs, CEO World Magazine, 2006 †¢ Human Factors Methods – Robert Stanley – Edition 2, 2006 †¢ Ergonomics Society, UK †¢ Human Resource Management Programs at Human Factors and Ergonomics Society †¢ Research Center for Work Safety and Human Engineering, Technion, Israel. †¢ Motorola HR Practices, www. motorola. com

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Apache Corporation Essay Example for Free

Apache Corporation Essay Apache Corporation was formed in 1954, based on the idea of becoming significant and prosperous in the oil industry. The company took $250,000 of investor capital, paired it with fierce determination and now Apache Corporation is considered one of the top independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world (Apachecorp.com, 2012). Apache Corporation operates in both domestic and international markets exploring for, developing, and producing natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids (Apachecorp.com, 2012). On December 31, 2011, the Company had production in the United States, Canada, Egypt, and Australia. Offshore production exists in the United Kingdom, the North Sea, and Argentina. Looking into the future Apache plans to continue to explore other countries for new discoveries and development opportunities (Apachecorp.com, 2012). Environment The success of any business depends on the ability to adapt to the environment it operates in. As part of the oil and gas industry Apache Corporation operates in a global business environment known for its competitiveness. The company has shown growth in production thirty one of the last thirty three years and throughout those years change has been a constant companion. Wide swings in oil prices have become commonplace in the world today, the price of a barrel of oil changes almost daily. Operating in other countries means that political unrest and changes in government policies must be addressed, as well as oil industry regulations that are constantly evolving. Apache Corporation has withstood the changes in business environment for 57 years and remains committed to successfully embracing the changes yet to come. Technology Over the last 10 years the most significant technological advance for the industry has been the coupling of horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing techniques. This new method allows the development of resources that are trapped in shale and other areas that have been nearly impossible to mine in the past. Apache Corporation now applies this technology worldwide (Apachecorp.com, 2012). This method is also used by nearly all other companies in the industry including the comparison companies Devon and Anadarko. Financial Health According to the 2011 Apache Corporation Annual Report the company showed a profit for the year and the debt ratio is 0.22. One top competitor Anadarko Petroleum located in San Antonio Texas has a debt ratio of .65 and showed a loss for the 2011 year (Hoovers, 2012). A second top competitor Devon Energy located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma had a better year in 2011, this company did show a profit and their debt ratio is 0.48 (â€Å"Hoovers†, 2012). Within the gas and oil industry the overall financial status of Apache Corporation is sound. Working in a high risk industry the production risks are balanced by both geographic diversification and a mix of high and low risk properties in the portfolio (Hoovers, 2012). With approximately 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserve Apache Corporation is positioned to maintain their current momentum. The natural gas product is sold most often at current market prices while the crude oil is marketed directly to integrated marketers and refineries. Contract terms are generally 30 days with automatic renewal until canceler at current market prices which change almost daily (Apachecorp.com, 2012). Apache Corporation has been exploring for and producing oil and gas products for over 50 years. The company has been successful and appears to be a sound investment. In this analysis we have reviewed the business environment, financial health and use of technology for Apache Corporation for the purpose of deciding whether or not to invest in the company. References http://www.apachecorp.com/Resources/Upload/file/investors/Apache_AR_2011.pdf Hoovers. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.hoovers.com/company/Apache_Corporation/rfrtif-1-1njea3.html Hoovers. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.hoovers.com/company/Devon_Energy_Corporation/rrxkxi-1-1njea5.html

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Organizational Behavior and Team work

Organizational Behavior and Team work Managers are born on job; Leaders are born when they are seven The above statement well is the reflective saying of the basic difference between Management and leadership theory. A managers main task includes organizing, controlling, planning and directing the activities in an organization to produce profitable results. A manager could possess leadership skills and make its use in some scenarios but leadership alone is not efficient for a manager and hence not essential. A manager performs activities as per the rules of the organization while leaders do things based on their own instinct which sometimes does prove more rewarding for the company. Leaders are selected to lead a team of members but sometimes it has a negative impact on the team as well. I would like to draw out some points from an well known leading software company INFOSYS to evaluate as what the best in this organization amongst leadership and management. This Paper will give an understanding of teamwork and the techniques and procedures required to contribute to and lead an effe ctive team. This work then goes on to cover the tools and techniques needed to enables learners to select a process or part for improvement and apply continuous improvement techniques in any organization in this supersonic era. Skills required for Leaders and Managers Have willing followers Get results through other people Use influence Must have authority The right to lead is earned from followers The right to manage is granted by ownership Have personal power and position power Intend to make changes Produce goods and services At any time, a follower can walk away and follow a different leader, or simply stop following The leader with heart and soul and just do what it takes to get by. Leaders cannot impose their vision on anyone or force anyone to follow them. There are informal leaders in every organization. They have no position power, no authority, no title; but they have influence, personal power, and followers. Leadership is not a title or a position; it is the earned right to lead, positively or negatively, by those who follow. If we think back about people with we have enjoyed working with. Were they leaders or Managers? Hopefully we have experienced, and enjoyed, both. Recognizing the Differences, whatever we are, be the best manager or leader we can be. There is a difference INDUSTRY I chosen the Top most Software Company which is adopting world class learning corporate systems giving its best in this supersonic competitive world. Infosys This is one of the leading software companies which have its headquarters in India. It is ranked as the second leading It companies that is present in India. It have spread worldwide and it finds its place in almost 22 countries around the world which includes U.S, U.K, Canada, and Australia and may more. This was founded by Mr.: N. R. Narayana murthy along with his seven of his friends which mainly concentrates on the software development of the company. This concern really increases the economic growth of the country. It also serves the country by eradicating of unemployment crisis, serving the poor and the Orphanage people in the country. Role of Leadership Leadership in Infosys is extensively concerned as one of the companys greatest conspicuous features and its function in forming the organization and its group has been written about significantly. Executive vice-president of human resources Pratik Kumar, at rival Wipro, explains Infosys as a very ambition story. This success, says Kumar has come through its set of leaders with strong values and teamwork. Infosys is also considered as being founder-led by many both inside and beyond the organization. A few months ago, Infosys established a recent policy making council and has produced more non-founders into the core management of the company in order to dispel this notion and to strengthen its next generation of leaders. Performance management Infosys Believes that the most guaranteed way of improving teamwork is to applying the principles of performance management to the groups behaviors They are as follows: Identifying teamwork behaviors will lead to best performance (the TARGET Performance) Analyzing which teamwork behaviors are currently being used (the CURRENT Performance) Practical analysis between target and current teamwork Performance, and taking action to bring current teamwork performance closer to the target. 1. TARGET Performance Recognizing and control of difficulties is likely among them such as, executives and clients. Making it easy to discussion among the working group, and the others beyond the group in order to have better functioning. Broadening the view of working on operational objectives, to their best interest, to make difference in their objectives. 2. Current Performance Present situation The ethics in business The opinions beyond the working group The likeness, chosen by the group There are number of influences Innovative Training process Infosys strongly believe in the innovation training process in making global leaders. This helps to mingle the customers and the company in a productive way. They clearly understand that the company revenue factor increases once if they handle the client with almost care and sincerity. Innovative steps and new ideas are always welcomed by Infosys in making strong team. They believe that Business depends on the operational leaders On the other hand they believe in the faster innovation learning process which helps the industry to grow in a fruitful path. Henceforth they depend upon the increasing speed factors for improving continues skills depending on the challenges. Infosys understands very well that the success is growing only because of the hard work, dedication provided by the employee. Therefore building a strong relationship and helping the team is essential for the concern to keep upon. Infosys mainly focus and take all possible steps to understand the team in all aspects. ha s a fine blend of diverse breeds of employees with different mentalities. Managers task here is to get the best out of these people to acquire optimal results and client recognition. Learning Objectives Achievement by Infosys falls the way of defining the sentient by powerful stages. Infosys chooses that the personnel absorb the tasks at hand and the objectives by 29 percent more incoming of comparing the other firms. (Watson Wyatt Work Study). The staff chooses their tasks to a better figure as 75% as the industrys assignment assay turned of how the executive is performed (workplace 2006 Infosys Employee Insight Survey). To be recognized and respected as one of the premier associations of HR Professionals. (HR Association of Greater Detroit) The individuals concept essay for every personnel may set-in as straight forward of few utterances on paper or more to achieve further as to become contend as part of the team at Infosys. . . Learning Techniques Learn the modern leadership styles. Infosys follow Participative style, Consulting style, Negotiate style, Delegative style, Directive style. As per the recent studies leaders are very comfortable using these styles. Once these styles are achieved by them, then they learn leadership styles. They believe that if we master them all then they can become a better leader. Improving communication skills. They try to spend at least one hour a day talking to team on how they are performing. If staff are doing well, then they are in part doing their job well. Prioritize your time. Providing time to work out and establish them self is the best quality which employees have in Infosys. This does not occur by chance, because they think that the best leaders are organized and prepared for the week and the months and even in further years. This is in identifying both long period strategic planning and short period operational. Sandwich technique Infosys keep on with this technique where they first begin talking to a person in a good way, then put the difficult subject or hard topic in the middle, then also end on a positive suggestion. This seems much better than just mentioning the negative matters to a staff member. Suppose a sandwich or a burger. begin with the bread on the top which is the discussion, then the burger Pattie is the difficult subject, then the lowest part of the burger is the conclusion of another positive declaration about that person. These are the few steps that Infosys follow to build Leaders in a successful team. What makes a good Leader in Infosys? To become a good leader these are the qualities needed experienced knows what to do productive problem solver Open minded listens Supportive challengeable, makes it safe for others to contribute Personal initiative Positive style Problem Solving Technique In Infosys Team Identification of the problem establish a cooperative setting concur on values for discussion Invite all opinions stay fact-based in our verdicts Be durable on the subjects, not on each other Put in reserve any individual memo exterior any supposition and prejudice classify and examine the issues, pertinent proofs, and enhanced replies recognize conceivable resolutions and their benefits and disaffects Solve the single inquiry which is the most wanted resolution? MAJOR CLIENTS They serve Aerospace, Banking and capital markets, Automobile, communication services, education, Health care, Insurance, manufacturing, Retail and utilities. Major IT services are covered by this company. This includes Application services, architecture services. Independent validation service, Infrastructure service, Knowledge services, and system Integration services. TEAM GATHERING Infosys strongly believe in team gathering on every week that is on Friday to discuss the progress of various projects and issues if faced any. Our managers used to be with us for the call. Manager should always present in the office to guide new project and make sure that everything is working smoothly. In this gathering managers will be in conference across the globe to highlight points about the management team and performance. LACKING LEADERSHIP If I talk about every single team in Infosys, the senior members in the team play the role of a team leader. Infosys always welcome fresh talents from IIMs and premier B Schools in India apart from recognizing in house talent. Whenever a fresh manager joins a team, there are chances of role conflicts between manager and the team leader. There is always a problem with existing senior employees to listen to a new leader or manager because they feel that they know the process well than them and could take suitable decisions which is true to some extent at that point of time. Leaders take blame if any issue or problem arises within their team and they give credit where it is due. I would like to write down few instances or observations where I felt leadership team work to be improved Leaders in various teams taking credit for junior developers work, which is not expected of a leader. During major project launches, developers were asked by managers to handle specific tasks within a decide d time frame. Leaders always set new direction for the team but the way of working in a corporate ike Infosys is established. CONCLUSION Taking decisions by Management should be improved for continues learning.Comapany should takes all the facts relating to the employment which emphasis individual task, development of organization, quantitative output and the compliance of employee. Management favors quality, recognition, performance, flexibility and the rights of employment relations. The open management system explored the superiority of human resource and considered it as the backbone of every organization. The business strategy comprise of career development of an individual, relationship among employees, team work and the task. All those severe rules were destroyed for the orientation of the business; achieve proactive measures and the self regulation (Dessler, 2003). Hence duty of a Company became a long-term strategy and it completely resides only for team build up and team performance. (Beardwell, 2004) REFERANCES LaFasto, F. and Larson, C. (2001) When Teams Work Best (Sage Publications) pages 29 and 85 . Greenberg, J.R. Baron, R.A. (2000). Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall: New Jersey. Laurie.J.Mullins, Management and Organizational Behaviour, Financial Times Management; 5th edition (May 1999) Ancona, Deborah G., Thomas Kochran, John Van Maanen, Maureen Scully and Eleanor Westney,  Managing for the Future: Organizational Behavior and Processes (New York: Southwestern College Publishing, 3rd ed., 2005). Web links www.topnews.in/files/infosys_0.jpgimgrefurl=http://www.topnews.in (Accessed on 7/03/2010) http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4316 (Accessed on 7/03/2010) http://www.infosys.com/pages/index.aspx (Accessed on 8/03/2010) http://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/22/weekinreview/ideas-trends-team-work (Accessed on 9/03/2010)

Monday, August 19, 2019

Lateritic Soils in the Tropics: The Problems and Management Possibiliti

Lateritic Soils in the Tropics: The Problems and Management Possibilities The soil name "laterite" comes from a Latin word "later" meaning brick. It is an appropriate name, as soils under this classification are characterized by forming hard, impenetrable and often irreversible pans when dried (Soils and Soil Fertility 1993). Lateritic soils are also characterized by their low soil fertility. Due to the high rate of weathering, and resulting low charge minerals, the soil is unable to retain the nutrients needed for plant growth (Ibid., Coleman 1989). Laterite soils have many names. In the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization they have been named Ferralsols and Acrisols, and in the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Taxonomy, Oxisols and Ultisols. Ferralsols, like Oxisols have high iron and aluminum oxide contents, whereas Acrisols and Ultisols are characterized by extreme stages of weathering (Oades 1989). Below, we take a look at the formation of lateritic soils, the importance of biota for soil fertility and some suggestions for laterite management. Soil Formation Both climate and parent material are important in the pedogenic processes which go into the formation of lateritic soils. Laterite soils are formed in moist, well-drained, tropical conditions (usually in areas with a significant dry season) on a variety of different types of rocks with high iron content. (See Appendix 1.) Initial stages of weathering lead to the formation of kaolinite and iron oxyhydroxides. Micro and macro-level movements of iron through soil minerals also begins to occur (Nahon 1986). Next, mottled clay layers are formed. Iron oxyhydroxides continue to migrate within the soil profile, becoming more crysta... ...69 - 190. - Oades, J. Malcolm, Gavin P. Gillman, and Goro Uehara with Nguyen V. Hue, Meine van Noordwijk, G. Philip Robertson and Koji Wada. " Interactions of Soil Organic Matter and Variable-Charge Clays" IN: " In: David C. Coleman, J. Malcolm Oades and Goro Uehara (eds.), Dynamics of Soil Organic Matter in Tropical Ecosystems: Hawaii, NifTAL Project University of Hwawii Press, 1989. p. 69 - 95. - Soil and Water Quality: An Agenda For Agriculture, Committee on Long-Range Soil and Water Conservation, Board on Agriculture., National Research Council: Washington D.C., National Academy Press, 1993. p. 218. - Soils and Soil Fertility, Frederick R. Troeh and Louis M. Thompson (eds.), New York, Oxford University Press, 1993. p. 311, 321 - 322. - Wambeke, Armand Van. Soils of the Tropics: Properties and Appraisal: New York, McGraw Hill Inc, 1992. p. 139 - 161.

The Yellow Wallpaper :: Charlotte Gilman

In a female oppressive story about a woman driven from postpartum depression to insanity, Charlotte Gilman uses great elements of literature in her short story, The Yellow Wallpaper. Her use of feminism and realism demonstrates how woman's thoughts and opinions were considered in the early 1900?s. The theme of this story is feminism. Having gone through postpartum depression herself, Gilman?s story was strongly personal. During the time period that she wrote it, woman?s rights were limited. The character in this story felt she knew ways to recover herself from her depression, or ?baby blues?. Baby blues also known as postpartum depression is a form of severe depression after pregnancy delivery that requires treatment. Women may feel sadness, despair, anxiety, or irritability. The woman from the story wanted to get well and wanted to work. However, as a woman she was forbid by her husband to do this. Instead she was isolated from society, from being able to work, do the things she loved, or take care of her baby. The Yellow Wallpaper was written as a realism story. It showed how woman felt they had the same opportunities as men in their personal choices. In this story, the woman expressed her worries to her husband who through good intentions, required that his wife stay in bed 24/7, and not do any of the things she would normally do. In effect his wife became worse until she reached the limit. The behavior of the husband at this time was completely normal. Men were the higher power over women and women, like the one in this story, felt that they couldn?t stand count for themselves.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Dramatic Impact on a Jacobean Audience of Act 1 Scene 5 of Shakespe

The Dramatic Impact on a Jacobean Audience of Act 1 Scene 5 of Shakespeare’s Macbeth In this essay I will be examining how Act 1 Scene 5 of â€Å"Macbeth† would have had a dramatic impact on a Jacobean audience. I will also be exploring how Shakespeare’s stagecraft – his use of devices such as symbolism, references to contemporary events and imagery – would have helped to create this dramatic impact. Macbeth was written to be performed – on a stage, by actors, and to an audience. In Jacobean England, drama was considered to be the greatest art form, and was appreciated by many classes of people, from King James downwards, so these audiences would have been large and varied. Shakespeare’s stagecraft is such that it would have been understood by the whole audience – though many themes were linked to the particular interests of King James, they would have been understood by all, as would all the imagery and symbolism in the play. Act 1 Scene 5 begins with Lady Macbeth reading the second half of a letter she has received from Macbeth. Starting the scene with the second half of the letter helps with continuity in the play and between the scenes, and also means that the audience will not have to hear Lady Macbeth read information that they already know. The part of the letter that is read reveals much information about Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship. It shows that they have a loving relationship - Macbeth addresses Lady Macbeth as ‘my dearest partner of greatness’. This line also shows that they share a love of power, and both have strong ambitions. However, after she has read the letter, Lady Macbeth reveals in her soliloquy... ...suspense and dramatic irony. Dramatic irony – when the audience know something that a character does not - is also very important throughout the play. In Act 1 Scene 5, when Lady Macbeth is planning to kill the King, the audience knows that the King will be staying at her castle that night, but she does not, and is shocked when she is told – ‘Thou’rt mad to say it.’ In my opinion, Shakespeare effectively creates dramatic impact in Act 1 Scene 5 of Macbeth. I think that this impact would have been particularly pronounced on a contemporary Jacobean audience. Shakespeare uses a wide range of techniques, all of which are used successfully. The scene, and the play, would have appealed to and interested all of a Jacobean audience, from the King downwards, because of these techniques and the dramatic impact they create.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Major works data sheet for Rebecca Essay

Title: Rebecca Author: Daphne du Maurier Date of Publication: 1938 Genre: Romance, Gothic, Mystery, Classic Biographical Information about the Author: Daphne du Maurier was born on May 13, 1907, in London, England, the daughter of actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier. She was a popular novelist known for her suspenseful, romantic and sometimes supernatural plots. Her best known works are Rebecca and The Birds, both adapted to film by Alfred Hitchcock. Du Maurier was made a Dame Commander in the Order of the British Empire in 1969. She died in 1981 in Par, Cornwall, England. Historical Information about the period of Publication: Characteristics of the genre: Romanticism saw a shift from faith in reason to faith in the senses, feelings, and imagination; a shift from interest in urban society to an interest in the rural and natural; a shift from public. Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Plot Summary: Rebecca’s narrative takes the form of a flashback. The heroine, who remains nameless, lives in Europe with her husband, Maxim de Winter, traveling from hotel to hotel, harboring memories of a beautiful home called Manderley, which, we learn, has been destroyed by fire. The story begins with her memories of how she and Maxim first met, in Monte Carlo, years before. In her flashback, the heroine is working as the young traveling companion to a wealthy American named Mrs. Van Hopper. In her flashback, Maxim is staying at the same hotel as the heroine and her employer, and after knowing the heroine for only a few weeks, he proposes marriage. She accepts, and he marries her and takes her back to his ancestral estate of Manderley. But a dark cloud hangs over their marriage: Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, drowned in a cove near Manderley the revious year, and her ghost haunts the newlyweds’ home. Rebecca’s devoted housekeeper, the sinister Mrs. Danvers, is still in charge of Manderley, and she frightens and intimidates her new mistress. Despite the encouragement of the house overseer, Frank Crawley, and Maxim’s sister, Beatrice, the heroine struggles in her new life at Manderley. She feels that she can never compare favorably to Rebecca, who was beautiful, talented, and brilliant–or so everyone says–and soon she feels that Maxim is still in love with his dead wife. Manderley traditionally hosts a costume all each year, and it is soon time for the gala to take place. Swept up in the preparations, the heroine’s spirits begin to revive. But the ball ends in disaster: on Mrs. Danvers’s suggestion she wears a costume that, it turns out, is the same dress that Rebecca wore at the last ball. Upon seeing the heroine, Maxim is horrified, and the heroine becomes convinced that he will never love her, that he is still devoted to Rebecca. The following day, Mrs. Danvers almost convinces her to kill herself, and she only breaks away from the old woman’s spell when rockets go off over the cove, signaling that a ship nas run aground. When divers swim near the grounded snip, they find the wreckage of Rebecca’s sailboat, with Rebecca’s dead body in the hold. This discovery prompts Maxim to tell the heroine the truth: Rebecca was a malevolent, wicked woman, who lived a secret life and carried on multiple affairs, including one with her cousin, Jack Favell. On the night of her death, Maxim had demanded a divorce, and she had refused, and told him that she was pregnant with Favell’s child. Furious, he seized a gun and shot her, and then sailed out to the harbor in Rebecca’s boat and sank it, with the body stowed safely inside. This revelation restores the heroine’s marriage, and enables her to finally shake off the burden of Rebecca’s ghost. Meanwhile, however, the noose of Justice tightens around Maxim: first, it is found that holes have been drilled in the bottom of Rebecca’s boat; luckily the coroner delivers a report of suicide, rather than murder. But soon Rebecca’s cousin Favell, certain that Rebecca did not kill herself, accuses Maxim of the crime. The local magistrate, Colonel Julyan, investigates, and finds that on the day of her death, Rebecca went up to London to see a Doctor Baker. Favell, Maxim, and he heroine accompany Julyan to London; the heroine is certain that Baker will reveal that Rebecca was pregnant, thus revealing Maxim’s vengeful motive for murder. But instead, it turns out that Rebecca was dying of cancer, and that furthermore she was infertile; she had lied to Maxim about her pregnancy. Her terminal illness now supplies a motive for Rebecca’s supposed suicide, and Maxim is saved. He and the heroine drive all night back to Manderley, stopping only once, when Maxim calls home and learns that Mrs. Danvers has disappeared. As they crest the ridge near the mansion, they look down and find it in flames. Describe the authors style: British writer that uses vivid and lengthy descriptions to describe nature. She is very detailed and descriptive, and used some poetic themes to strengthen her writing. An example that demonstrates her style: â€Å"The road to Manderley lay ahead. There was no moon. The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea. † Memorable Quotes â€Å"If only there could be an invention that bottled up a memory, like scent. And it never aded, and it never got stale. And then, when one wanted it, the bottle could be uncorked, and it would be like living the moment all over again. † P 36 The quote shows how much the heroine enjoyed spending the quality time with Maxim and wanted their quality time to last a lifetime because she loved him so much. â€Å"l wish I was a woman of about thirty-six dressed in black satin with a string of pearls. † Heroine always wanted to change because she believed that Maxim was still in love with Rebecca, so she believed that she had to change to make him love her as much as he loved Rebecca. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. † Heroine had dreams of Manderley a lot because it still haunted her even after it had been burned down. She did end up falling in love with it, but all the baggage that came along with it was too much for her. â€Å"Either you go to America with Mrs. Van Hopper or you come home to Manderley with me. † â€Å"Do you mean you want a secretary or something? † â€Å"No, I’m asking you to marry me, you little fool. † Maxim asks the heroine to marry him so that she can go back to Manderley with him instead of having to leave with Mrs. Van Hopper. â€Å"The road to Manderley lay ahead. There was no moon. The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea. † The mansion had been set fire by someone, and the details given her are a great example of du Maurier’s writing and the details and vivid descriptions that she gave throughout this novel. â€Å"We all of us have our particular devil who ruses us and torments us, and we must give battle in the end. Maxim said this, because he has that â€Å"devil† of Rebecca still aunting him even though she has long been dead. Characters Name Role in the Story Significance Adjectives Heroine (Mrs. De Winter) Mr. de winter’s wife, and loyal supporter. She is the main character, But she is never named. Even throughout the entire book she never has a name besides Mrs. de Winter. She was a shy newcomer to Ma nderley and was kind of not liked by some especially Mrs. Danvers. Shy; self- conscious; Mr. de Winter (Maxim) The husband to Mrs. de Winter, and later to be revealed in the novel as the killer of his late wife Rebecca. The other main character of the husband to Mrs. e Winter. A cultured, intelligent older man, and the owner of Manderley, a prized estate and mansion on the English coast. novel, Intelligent; rich Mrs. Danvers Housekeeper of Manderley, was Rebecca’s personal maid. The sinister housekeeper at Manderley. She was fiercely devoted to Rebecca, and remains devoted to her even after death. She despises the heroine for taking her mistress’s place. Mean; selfish; rude Jack Favell Rebecca’s Cousin Rebecca’s cousin. Lacking integrity and given to alcoholic behavior, he was Rebecca’s lover while she was married to Maxim. Crazy; drunk Rebecca Maxim’s late wife, who was murdered by him. In life, Rebecca was the beautiful, much-loved, accomplished wife of Maxim de Winter, and the mistress of Manderley. Now a ghost, she haunts the mansion, and her presence torments the heroine after her marriage to Maxim. Beautiful; cunning; sneaky Mrs. Van Hopper Heroine’s employer at the beginning of the book A vulgar, gossipy and wealthy American woman. She employs the heroine as a companion while sne travels trom one European resort unkind Setting: town to another. Rude;

Friday, August 16, 2019

My Dream, My future Essay

â€Å"Live Your Values, Pursue Your Dreams, And Follow Your Passions†. This really implies the true ways we must do to have the best future life we could possibly have. Seeing through around the earth, we will find all kinds of people exist in the world. I think why those people are different from each other might be a difficult task to study—–which factor influences and drives them different. It is lucky that I am the one among them so I know that mine is my dream. Over my life time I would like to achieve many things but there are three main things I would like to accomplish: to be a triumphant person, help my loving parents and most especially to serve my fellows. I have been exhilarating by my dream, from the day I knew why I came into the world to so far and even in future, which is making me different from others. It is a goal, an aim, a direction for my life. It is not strange from outside, but from inside. Read more: Future plans essay It is to be an engineer. At first, I could hardly decide what I want to be in the future because there are so many choices painted in my mind. But at this time, I am at the crossroads where I have to make decisions, specifically at my choice of course in the college and at the same time, my profession. With all the sacrifices and eschews that my parents are exerting just to send me in school, I don’t have reasons not to give my bests all the time. This is my second dream. At that time, I have my job and I have something to make them feel so proud of me, I would like to give them the best life. I would like to make them feel comfortable and see sweet smiles in their faces. This is really the one I like to achieve in my life, mountains of words can’t explain how much I love and appreciate them. With all of my knowledge and values learned, I would like to share these to my fellows especially to those youths, in the future, by serving them with unconditional, whole-hearted and without any ambiguity or doubts. This really shows our compassion and charitable heart for others. Simple dreams of mine for others but worth living reasons for me. I, together with my parents, have a simple means of living; but because of firm determination, strong faith in GOD, good values and virtues I assure that we will have the bests of life in the future not because of the luxuries but the richness of love, compassion for people and passion for God. These are my dreams, my inspiration which I have to work on for the future.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Evidence-Based Practice

The term Evidence-based practice is relatively new, yet in the last decades, EBP had a great impact on nursing practice, education and as a science in general. There is a broad agreement by scholars and publications upon EBP definition as â€Å"problem-solving approach to clinical decision-making that integrates the best available evidence and clinical expertise, along with patient preference and values† (Hain & Haras, 2015). Meanwhile, ethics is rooted in ancient Greek philosophical inquiry of moral life and relates to a system of principles that can considerably change previous thoughts, actions, and decisions (Doody & Noonan, 2016). More particularly, The nursing code of ethics stands as a central and necessary mark of a profession. It functions as a general guide for the profession's members and as a social contract with the public that it serves. The code list nine provisions that makes explicit the primary goals, values, and obligations of the nursing profession and expresses its values, duties, and commitments to the society of which it is a part. The relationship between evidence-based practice and ethics is obvious in many waysEmpirics and ethics are fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing: Empirics and ethics are actively participating in being fundamental patterns of knowing that shaped nursing as distinguish discipline. We gain empirical knowledge from research and objective facts.This knowledge is systematically organized into general laws and theories. One of the ways we employ this knowledge is through the use of evidence-based practice (EBP). likewise, ethical knowledge helps one develop our own moral code; our sense of knowing what is right and wrong. For nurses, our personal ethics is based on our obligation to protect and respect human life. Our deliberate personal actions are guided by ethical knowing (Vaughan, 2014). The â€Å"Code of Ethics for Nurses† can guide us as we develop and refine our moral code. Certainly, empirical knowledge is essential to the purpose of nursing, but nursing also required to be alert to the need to express the uniqueness of individual and to have an appropriate parameter that can judge and appraise these evidence on ethical manners. The knowledge of ethical code can provide answers to the moral question during the application of EBP. According to Carnago ; Mast (2015), each pattern of knowledge in nursing is separated but interrelated and interdependent to each other, and none of them alone should be considered sufficient.The overall purpose of EBP and nursing code of ethics is almost identical: The second provision of the code clearly states that â€Å"The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group or community† (ANA, 2015).This commitment is to the health, well-being, and safety of the patient across the lifespan and in all settings in which health care needs are addressed. The principle of beneficence, which promote the well-being of others and non-maleficence which refers to the †obligation to not inflict harm on others. Once again, many statements in our Code reflect this important concern for avoiding harm to those we serve. The nurse upholds patients' interests by influencing and managing those who provide direct care and fostering positive team approaches to facilitate safe, quality care. Similarly, the definition of evidence-based practice emphasize the use of best available evidence which most probably will benefit the patient and ensure the safety of that course of action through utilizing only approved and extensively tested evidence. While, a great attention to preserve the uniqueness of individual values and preferences. the Code of Ethics basic principles and definition of EBP simultaneously stress the importance of using best current evidence that ensures achievement of the desirable outcome (Stokke, Olsen, Espehaug, & Nortvedt, 2014). To conclude, Nurses encounter and address many ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. Since nursing actions aim to improve the health and wellbeing of patients which best manifested by using EBP, it is inevitable and expected that nursing practice has an ethical dimension. Nurses, therefore, have a duty to develop not only an awareness of the ethical dimension of practice but also strategies to practice ethically. Fortunately, The original ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements was released in 2001, and it was revised in 2015. This update ensures that the Code of Ethics continues to be relevant to the transformations in health care delivery and modern clinical practice advances. No matter how important technical and scientific expertise in nursing may be, providing nursing care must always be characterized as an ethical founded undertaking. By incorporating evidence-based decision making and intersecting it with traditional principles of ethics (beneficence, non-maleficence and justice), nurses are fostering care strategies for individuals and populations while addressing underlying systems issues that may impact care including facilitating a culture of safety that supports reporting errors and near misses which is vital for modern date practice (EBP) and promoting a healthy work environment of respect and c

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Impact of Water Shortage on Humans and the Environment

In Sandra Posted article she explains the Impact Lack of water will have on Humans and the environment. She begins the article by stating that, â€Å"our water problem turns out to be much more worrisome than our energy problem† (Posted 1). She goes on to explain that human activity, the increase in global warming temperatures and humans altering of our natural waterways are the blame for the water problem. She gives examples of natural water disasters and she also explains that as the population grows more demand has caused global water shortages.She also talks about how water is absolutely essential for all life forms. There is no way for us to survive without water. There is absolutely no substitute for water and why we must work hard to conserve it. She explains that we can reverse the water problem. She said that energy and water are connected and that we need one to have another. Posted said there are multiple problems that the world must focus on. She said In the past d ecades we have had floods, storms, droughts, dam's breaks and famines.She points out that most Americans think these disasters only happen in faraway countries, but in fact in the last couple of years Americans have experienced floods and natural disasters. She also commented that the water challenges confronting us locally, regionally, and globally are unprecedented. She finishes up the article by explaining that if we allow dams to be taken down and natural water purifying systems to be put back Into place could help water scarcity will be self-fixing. I found Sandra Pastel's article extremely critical.She talks about the importance of shrinking our personal water footprints and that the amount of water used to produce all the things we buy Is staggering. She also explains that â€Å"the average U. S. Resident uses, directly and indirectly, about 2,480 pubic meters of water per year- about 1 ,800 gallons per day-twice the global average† (Posted 8). That statement bought ba ck memories of the water shortage some years ago. We were asked to not flush toilets, take less baths and not water our lawns.I never heard any government official or community leaders talking about building a long-term contingency plans. What I did hear was a lot talk about why we were experiencing the water shortages. The main reason given was low rain fall amounts and this was said to cause our flow into the river to be below normal. Pastel's article has made a believer out of me. I am ready to commit to doing whatever it takes to conserve water. The united States and other countries need to band together in these conservation efforts. I believe that if we educate people on water conservation.The more they will be willing to help. In my opinion. The best way right now to help with water conversation is to raise public awareness and enforce laws. A strong point in this article was the message: â€Å"Energy and water toy 2 13). I agree with Posted views on fossil fuels which can l ead to even more water being conserved. I really think that we can partner with other countries to make a lasting impact. Farmers can also make a huge impact on conserving water by using efficient irrigation equipment and weather APS.Using these APS along with irrigation systems can help save water. Farmers can also use proper soil management, water recycling and organic farming methods. Using organic farming methods will reduce the amount of water used. Sandra Pastel's article has made me more aware of our water crisis. What is the solution? In the future, residential communities will have to take into account possible water shortages. One way to do that would be to build homes that are more water efficient akin to energy efficiency. This would include low flow bathrooms and efficient lawn watering systems.In the meantime there is so much an individual can do to make a world of difference with small adjustments such as detecting leaks, visiting your local water conservation office, turn off the water while you are lathering your hands, turning off water when brushing your teeth, and upgrading older toilets. I plan to spread the word and be a water advocate with my neighbors, friends and coworkers. I will also attend local water district meetings. We have a long way to go, but a deeper appreciation of the nature of the water problem is needed.Often, the public tends to confuse the term global change with global warming and do not associate the global change with the problem of water scarcity. Global shortage of water, now is the real inconvenient truth. We must take heed and react quickly before it is too late. I believe that we can meet these challenges if we work together. Our Joint efforts will go a long way towards alleviating this growing problem. Then we must we elect politicians who takes the survival of our planet a priority, we might be able to slow down global warming and conserve water before it is to late.

Diversity Action Plan for Microsoft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity Action Plan for Microsoft - Essay Example This is, in a way, a stand against racism and prejudice. Now, why might organizations implement this Just like every other action, this has good characteristics as well as bad ones. First of all, the biggest benefit to any organization of hiring employees from different races and ethnicities is that it creates a good impression in the minds of socialists, shareholders, the public and all other stake holders. For Microsoft, this will be especially important because multinational companies such as itself gain additional profits and other non monetary benefits such as good will only by creating a noble image in the minds of their stakeholders. Secondly, diversity leads to a greater pool of ideas. When people come from different backgrounds, they tend to think differently in terms of logic as well as innovation. For a software house such as Microsoft, it is very important to hire people who can come up with more than one way of creating software or going about a project. In other words, it helps to solve problems in more than one way. This could probably even make problem-solving easier. This then saves time and when employees save time in deciding how to solve something, they utilize the rest in producing more. This leads to an increase in productivity. Higher productivity, ultimately, generates profits for firms. A diverse workforce can understand and meet customer requirements better as the client-base is likely to be diverse also in a country like the US. This is especially true for an organization like Microsoft whose customer base is massive. Lastly, diversity helps to reduce lawsuits and increases marketing opportunities and creativity (Esty, et al., 1995). Challenges The biggest problem that diversity presents to organizations is that it causes communication problems. This happens because people come from different backgrounds. They have different accents, different ways of thinking, different ways of perceiving things, and different ways of understanding. Therefore, this causes intra- and inter-team communication barriers. Either 'diverse' employees have problems understanding the communicator, or they have problems making themselves heard. Even feedback problems are likely to occur. Some may think that having a number of ways of solving a problem is good. It leads to saving time and maybe even increased productivity. Alternatively, other might say that having too many ways of solving one problem may lead to confusion. It becomes more difficult to judge what would be a better option. Also, it gives rise to disagreements between different individuals, especially more when they are of different mores. This causes frustration amongst team members and other colleagues which further leads to a hostile and an uncomfortable environment. This could even be the cause of de-motivation of employees. There is likely to be plenty of communication problems within different groups or between individuals as it is. A difficult-to-work-in environment further leads to more communication problems. Also, cultural biases are spawned when trying to change the corporate culture. If such biases and behavior grow in frequency and intensity it can result in legal charges of discrimination, in its most serious form (Thomas, 1997). Finally, when an organization employs a diverse workforce, it becomes important to acknowledge their needs and earlier unrecognized

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Reading reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading reflection - Coursework Example to be intellectually creative by having their ideas accepted as well as being offered matters to be concerned about intellectually, it gives them an opportunity to learn about the world with their general intellectual ability being stimulated as a happy side effect. In her article, she discusses issues such as learning environment, the role of a mentor or teacher as well as emotional and mental knowledge of the learner which are all significant in mentorship. Malcolm Gradwell’s book, tipping point entails application of epidemic phenomena in solving various social phenomena. The author illustrates that such a move is significant in restoring complexities and mysteries of the human behavior (Schmidt & Olson, 2008). He states that having knowledge of social phenomena as a wave helps in mystifying them other than considering them transparent. The knowledge achieved through reading the book helps mentors to understand that human behavior can be manipulated for the best. Knowledge of social phenomena is significant in understanding the behavior of the mentee and thereby manipulating it for the best. Colby and Damon’s article, â€Å"How moral commitment develops through life† explains the implication associated with the guidance of an adult which often occur mechanically. The authors argue that social influence is a more organic and an irregular process that remains closely in tune with the agenda of child development as w ell as taking place on numerous psychological processes (Damon & Colby, 1996). A mentor can offer simple encouragement or direct the attention of the child, friend or family friend. The authors offer the best approach in understanding the significant of mentorship to a friend or

Monday, August 12, 2019

The extent of bankers' awareness, attitude towards social enterprises Dissertation - 2

The extent of bankers' awareness, attitude towards social enterprises business modes and social enterprises' ability to at - Dissertation Example This research is mainly descriptive and exploratory in nature. Research approach can be qualitative or quantities or mixed. Since, the present study deals with qualitative variables and it is of exploratory and descriptive nature, employing a qualitative research approach will be the most appropriate one. Quantifying awareness or attitudes of bankers or ability to wiliness of social enterprises is not quite possible. It would be more suitable to gather some qualitative and subjective ideas regarding these variables. (Kotler, 1972) In a qualitative study data is generated on the basis of the participants’ opinion regarding a particular topic. A research of qualitative nature is helpful for examining any case thoroughly. As highlighted by Creswell (2001), a qualitative study generally shows a tendency of gathering data in natural settings. In a qualitative research, collected data usually takes into account the beliefs and point of views of the researchers and the sample partici pants who are being scrutinized, through the utilization of different types of research instruments. Research tools that are employed to assemble the data are personal observations, focus groups study, case studies and interviews (Creswell, 1994). Research Instrument For conducting a qualitative study, the technique of surveying seems to be the most appropriate one. Researchers employ surveys to obtain specific knowledge about certain individual’s awareness, beliefs, perspectives, preferences and the level of satisfaction regarding some specific aspects. For the purpose of present study primary survey seems to be the most appropriate one where a sample of bankers and managers of social enterprises has been chosen and asked a range of questions through the process of interviews. (Kotler, 1972) Interview is regarded as an extremely valuable and influential tool for carrying out researches, mainly qualitative studies. At the time of conducting any research, a bunch of selected i ndividuals are interviewed for examining what an individual in reality think concerning a specific matter. Interviews facilitate researchers in accessing the standpoint of those individuals who are being confronted with a bunch of questions related to the topic of a research. By means of interviews it becomes feasible to discover some vital things pertinent to a research topic that can not be achieved or observed otherwise. Interviews also assist in revealing the meanings of some specific things associated with the behaviour pattern of individuals, their feelings, habits etc. (Burns and.Bush, 1995). Additionally, the technique of interviewing also represents a tool of collecting data systematically through asking various types of questions, listening to those questions attentively and recording or noting the responses to those questions precisely. By means of the technique of interviews, a researcher obtains an access of an extensive range of knowledge, various sorts of circumstance s and a variety of experiences that could not be attained otherwise. While conducting interviews, researchers may face a huge probability that a candidate would explain some confidential or susceptible behaviour, pertinent to the interview’s topic, which happened in past or in some places that are unreachable for the researchers. Interviews are capable of providing definite information

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Government and politics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Government and politics - Term Paper Example Firstly, in order to understand the way in which the executive branch has changed, it is necessary to begin the analysis by stating that the Constitution of the United States expressly prohibits the President from declaring war. As such, this particular process is one that is supposedly only allowed to be engaged by the Congress. However, ever since the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the president has been able to allocate military resources and all but declare war. Though the Constitution has placed the executive branch in direct charge of the military and all actions related to them, the informal and circuitous manner by which the executive branch has engaged in war over the past 60+ years has meant that this particular dynamic of executive power has grown precipitously (Galbraith, 2013). Although this has been much discussed throughout society and opposing candidates of both parties have promised to close the loopholes by which such decisions are made, little actual traction has been made on this issue. Further, if any one of the three has most certainly lost power, it can be determined to be the Supreme Court. This supposedly supra-political entity has increasingly shown signs of operating at the behest of the executive branch and/or merely upholding policies or legislation of the Congress. Evidence of this can of course be seen with regards to the way in which the Supreme Court chosen to behave with relation to the Bush v. Gore crisis of 2000 and the decision to allow the continued suspension of habeas corpus with regards to the detainees housed at Guantanamo Bay (Alternman, 2000). Further, increased political pressures have kept the Supreme Court from ruling on warrantless wiretapping from the Patriot Act, clearly an unconstitutional practice, or the torture practices that certain branches of the military and intelligence community has been known to exercise over those whom it suspects of anti-American activities or sentiments. Whereas corporate interests nec essarily factor heavily into the decisions of governance, no more so can this be seen as with respect to the degree and extent to which the legislative branch has grown and evolved over time. Whereas several decades ago an individual of relatively meager means could run for Congress, the manner through which the system operates currently ensures that only those who are heavily funded, oftentimes by corporate or special interest groups, has any chance of actually attaining office (Bradley & Morrison, 2012). This has meant that the Congress does not serve as a primary mechanism for representing the will of the people; rather, it is oftentimes a mechanism through which back door deals, corporate cronyism, and other crooked practices are more and more likely to take place. Further, from pressure from the executive branch, the legislative has been seen time and time again to yield and favor a particular piece of legislation that has clearly not been in the best interests of the entire po pulation. Evidence of this can be seen with respect to the funding for the Iraq War, financial bailouts which were hastily agreed upon with little if any oversight or discussion, and a