The World in a Train

One Sunday I entrained for Baliwag, a town in Bulacan which can well afford to hold two fiestas a year without a qualm.I took the train partly because I am prejudiced in favor of the government-owned railroad, partly because I am allowed comparative comfort in a coach, and finally because trains sometimes leave and arrive according to schedule.In the coach I found a little world, a section of the abstraction called humanity whom we are supposed to love and live for. I had previously arranged to divide the idle hour or so between cultivating my neglected Christianity and smoothing out the rough edges of my nature with the aid of grateful sights without – the rolling wheels, the flying huts and trees and light-green palay seedlings and carabaos along the way.Inertia, I suppose, and the sort of reality we moderns know make falling in love with my immediate neighbors often a matter of severe strain and effort to me.Let me give a sketchy picture of the little world whose company Ma ng Kiko shared in moments which soon passed away affecting most of us.First, there came to my notice three husky individuals who dusted their seats furiously with their handkerchiefs without regard to hygiene or the brotherhood of men. It gave me no little annoyance that on such a quiet morning the unpleasant aspects in other people's ways should claim my attention.Then there was a harmless-looking middle-aged man in green camisa de chino with rolled sleeves who must have entered asleep. When I noticed him he was already snugly entrenched in a corner seat, with his slippered feet comfortably planted on the opposite seat, all the while his head danced and  dangled with the motion of the train. I could not, for the love of me, imagine how he would look if he were awake.A child of six in the next seat must have shared with me in speculating about the dreams of this sleeping man in green. Was he dreaming of the Second World War or the price of eggs? Had he any worries about the perman ent dominion status or the final outcome of the struggles of the masses, or was it merely the arrangement of the scales on a fighting roaster's legs that brought that frown on his face?But the party that most engaged my attention was a family of eight composed of a short but efficient father, four very young children, mother, grandmother, and another woman who must have been the efficient father's sister. They distributed themselves on four benches – you know the kind of seats facing each other so that half the passengers travel backward. The more I looked at the short but young and efficient father the shorter his parts looked to me. His movements were fast and short, too. He removed his coat, folded it carefully and slung it on the back of his seat. Then he pulled out his wallet from the hip pocket and counted his money while his wife and the rest of his group watched the ritual without a word.Then the short, young, and efficient father stood up and pulled out two banana le af bundles from a bamboo basket and spread out both bundles on one bench and log luncheon was ready at ten o'clock. With the efficient father leading the charge, the children (except the baby in his grandmother's arms) began to dig away with little encouragement and aid from the elders. In a short while the skirmish was over, the enemy – shrimps, omelet, rice and tomato sauce – were routed out, save for a few shrimps and some rice left for the grandmother to handle in her own style later.Then came the water-fetching ritual. The father, with a glass in hand, led the march to the train faucet, followed by three children whose faces still showed the marks of a hard-fought-battle. In passing between me and a person, then engaged in a casual conversation with me, the short but efficient father made a courteous gesture which is still good to see in  these democratic days; he bent from the hips and, dropping both hands, made an opening in the air between my collocutor and m e – a gesture which in unspoiled places means â€Å"Excuse Me.†In one of the stations where the train stopped, a bent old woman in black boarded the train. As it moved away, the old woman went about the coach, begging holding every prospective Samaritan by the arm, and stretching forth her gnarled hand in the familiar fashion so distasteful to me at that time. There is something in begging which destroys some fiber in most men. â€Å"Every time you drop a penny into a beggar's palm you help degrade a man and make it more difficult for him to rise with dignity. . .†There was something in his beggar's eye which seemed to demand. â€Å"Now do your duty.† And I did. Willy-nilly I dropped a coin and thereby filled my life with repulsion. Is this Christianity? â€Å"Blessed are the poor.† But with what speed did that bent old woman cross the platform into the next coach!While thus engaged in unwholesome thought, I felt myself jerked as the train made a c urve to the right. The toddler of the family of eight lost his balance and caught the short but efficient father off-guard. In an instant all his efficiency was employed in collecting the shrieking toddler from under his seat. The child had, in no time, developed two elongated bumps on the head, upon which was applied a moist piece of cloth. There were no reproaches, no words spoken. The discipline in the family was remarkable, or was it because they considered the head as a minor anatomical appendage and was therefore nor worth the fuss?Occasionally, when the child's crying rose above the din of the locomotive and the clinkety-clank of the wheels on the rails, the father would jog about a bit without blushing, look at the bumps on his child's head, shake his own, and move his lips saying, â€Å"Tsk, Tsk.† And nothing more.Fairly tired of assuming the minor responsibilities of my neighbors in this little world in motion, I looked into the distant horizon where the blue Cordil leras merged into the blue of the sky. There I rested my thoughts  upon the billowing silver and grey of the clouds, lightly remarking upon their being a trial to us, although they may not know it. We each would mind our own business and suffer in silence for the littlest mistakes of others; laughing at their ways if we happened to be in a position to suspend our emotion and view the whole scene as a god would; or, we could weep for other men if we are the mood to shed copious tears over the whole tragic aspect of a world thrown out of joint.It is strange how human sympathy operates. We assume an attitude of complete indifference to utter strangers whom we have seen but not met. We claim that they are the hardest to fall in love with in the normal exercise of Christian charity. Then a little child falls from a seat, or a beggar stretches forth a gnarled hand, or three husky men dust their seats; and we are, despite our pretensions, affected. Why not? If even a sleeping man who doe s nothing touches our life!

Last Day at School Essay

As we come to the end of 2012-13, the words that come to mind are â€Å"thank you. † This has been an amazing year !! As we reflect on the 2013-2014 school year, please join me in acknowledging and celebrating the many wonderful learning experiences and educational opportunities that have taken place for our students at school, in numerous classrooms and in very creative and innovative ways. Together we have planned and executed best teaching practices and held students to high standards and expectations. The school’s unique character, excellence in teaching, and the tremendous dedication and talent of all staff members continues to make it a wonderful and special learning environment. It is my deep belief that the hallmark of a great school is to continuously work to improve learning for each and every child. As the leader of the school, I see this is as my most important responsibility and I take it very seriously. Therefore, creating strong and effective teacher teams at each grade level each year is a top priority for me as I work to ensure positive and effective teacher collaboration on behalf of children’s learning. As principal, I am solely responsible for the supervision and evaluation of every staff member at School. In doing this, I visited every classroom several times throughout the year for extended periods of time as well as made numerous informal visits. These observational visits have given me a unique perspective on the teaching life of the school. I have been able to see firsthand how and what kind of learning is taking place in every classroom. In addition, I have also gained knowledge and perspective in working with faculty members both in groups or individually, throughout the year. This year can be summarized in a few words: In the face of significant challenges, we made significant progress. I thank you for your continued commitment and all that you did to deliver on our purpose – to help students and parents seize opportunities at every stage. I wish Mr Shawn and Ms Charo a wonderful future in terms of their careers and personal lives. Please enjoy some well deserved rest with family and friends during this holiday season, and let’s get right back to school on 13th July 2013 at 8. 00 am.

Short Anlytical essay Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Short Anlytical essay - Movie Review Example nversations between the man, his secretary, his mother and the federal agents pose several questions about the importance of standing on his real identity for a person. The movie shows how mistaken identity could take a person close to death due to others’ misunderstanding about him. It tells about the situations when the false identity captures a person so strongly that the truth becomes vulnerable and mistaken identity dominates the life of the people despite their will to prove their real identity. The lead character of the movie a successful advertising executive Thornhill was believed to smuggle the microfilm and the spies tried to prevent him. They strived to kill him as they believe that he was George Kaplan. The agents followed that man across the United Stated to stop his interference with their plans. Due to his mistaken identity the agents strived to prevent him from smuggling the microfilm that contain some very important government secrets however, in real he has nothing to do with the government secrets, microfilm and plans of the U.S. secret agents. He was busy in his routine activity when the federal agent identified him as Kaplan. Since, no one has seen Kaplan in real it became even more difficult for Thornsill to prove that he was not Kaplan. The innocent and ordinary wrong man hero represents the 20th century movie characters surrounded by dangerous circumstances, police chase and mysterious and glamorous lady. The scene, graphics, music and background colours are also brilliantly selected by Hitchcock to appropriately compliment the main theme of the movie. The movie tells the tale of life of an ordinary person caught up by mysterious incidence due to mistaken identity however; the movie conveys the deep message about the mistaken identity of the entire society. It shows that everyone in the world is not actually what he appears in front of the others. Thornhill used to do the job of hiding the truth and portraying false image of things in

Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Decision - Essay Example These places on the web are full of information for students, faculty and potential students. In addition to housing information about current events or application procedures, the university web site attempts to present a certain image about the school. In marketing, this would be called branding. Universities try very hard to convince potential students that they can expect specific opportunities and live a certain lifestyle if they attend this university. In this way, college web sites have become increasingly influential in attracting prospective students to individual schools. A great way to see how this is done and whether it is done well is to compare the web sites of two different universities. In this activity, Penn State University and Stanford University are compared and contrasted. The Penn State University web site is adorned in blue and white, the school colors. The first impression I have when looking at their web site is that it is not very visually appealing. The blu e background seems to overpower the rest of the page. The images are poorly done as well. Visually, the photographs used are simply photos of people not doing particularly interesting things. There is the image of two individuals standing in a laboratory, an image of a white kid standing neck to a man dressed in some sort of traditional dress and other photos of graduate and undergraduate students. The images are given very little context, other than a heading above each that seems to shout â€Å"Research† and â€Å"Global†. They are also tagged with captions that seem a bit insipid, such as, â€Å"How can research improve our lives and communities?† Anyone contemplating college should already have some answers to this question, so the reader is not inclined to click on the link to find out more. What is nice about the Penn State University web site is the clean design and the ease of finding the most useful information. Key links are found in a neat column that flanks the right side of the photomontage. These include links to lists of campuses, a visitors guide and new student information. Below the photo montage there is a horizontal band of links to information for professionals concerning jobs and the faculty portal. Immediately below this, a search window is prominently displayed. Overall, the layout sends the message for the university that this wed site is a tool that you can use to access information. The utility of the web site seems to be of utmost importance to the designers, because it is not a very visually attractive or stimulating website in any way. One of the amazing things about the web and school web sites it their ability to change and evolve. I insert this paragraph here, because the Penn State site has actually changed since I have begun researching these two universities. The Penn State site is now much more visually appealing, having combined all of the photographs into a scrolling sequence window. Some of the photo s are the same, so they are still not particularly intriguing or interesting, but they work better on the screen one at a time. This gives the photo a better context. The sequencer also breaks up the monotony of just having half a dozen photos of people staring into the camera lens. This new design is a great improvement over the original page I saw on the Penn State site yesterday. The Stanford web site is more visually appealing than the Penn State site, even with the improvements. A beautiful photo of historical actors is accompanied by a headline stating, â€Å"Picture Jasper Ridge: Biological Preserve Provides Unique Space for Performance Piece.† This photo and headline makes me want to learn more. I find myself asking questions about Jasper Ridge and the nature of the performance that is going to take

The role of nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The role of nursing - Essay Example Significant studies in the area have suggested that the effect of reduced nurse staff on patient outcomes is an inverse relationship between the two whereas positive outcomes result when there is adequate nurse staffing. Therefore, the effect of nurse staffing on patient outcomes has been one of the most essential areas of nursing research and this qualitative research makes a profound analysis of the published literature on the topic in order to determine the various aspects of nurse staffing in relation with patient outcomes. The research question of this nursing research proposal proposes to analyze the various aspects of nurse staffing in relation with patient outcomes and the research question is: What is the effect of nurse staffing on patient outcomes and how can favorable staffing ensure better patient outcomes The research question analyzed in this paper incorporates various important secondary questions such as 1) What are the various aspects of patient outcomes affected by nurse sta... ) What are the determinants of favorable staffing, and 4) What is difference in the results of adequate staffing and that of the reduced nurse staffing. The Purpose or Aim of the Research The research purpose usually reflects the type of study conducted and the main purpose of this qualitative research on the effect of nurse staffing on patient outcomes is to determine the relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes. The most important aim of this study is to help the nurses improve their practice by making their aware of the positive relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes. Examining the effect of various nurse staffing levels on the patient impact can highly determine the aspects of good practices of health care and in turn produce positive results in the organizational outcomes of health care. Therefore, the purpose of the research proposed in this paper is to contribute to the practice of nursing, health care, and patient outcomes. Keywords to search for The keywords related to this study include: nurse staffing, patient outcomes, reduced nurse staffing, adequate nurse staffing, etc, Scope of the Study (Who is written for) The scope of the proposed study, i.e. the effect of nurse staffing on patient outcomes, covers various aspects of the practice of nursing, health care industry, and patient outcomes. Therefore, this proposed study is intended for the various people engaged in the practice of nursing, health care, and the health industry and this will help in improving the quality of nurse staffing in order to help better patient outcomes. Population of interest The population of interest in this research includes nurses belonging to different levels of nurse staffing and the patients in the related areas of nursing. It will also

Sam 322 unit 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sam 322 unit 5 - Assignment Example Biomechanics provides essential information on the safest and efficient movement patterns and relevant exercise to improve human motion. Therefore, kinesiology and biomechanics work together to help determine what exercise, should a person do, how the workout should be conducted, how effective it is and if the exercise is safe. Biomechanics act as a tool for studying kinesiology. Through the study of kinesiology, the sport professional are capable of learning various body motion mechanisms. They can determine the structure of the musculoskeletal system and their mechanical properties that aid body movement. The biomechanical qualitative and quantitative analysis also provides vital information to analyze human movements to improve effectiveness. The analysis in both quantitative and qualitative involves identification of the factors that affect human movement performance which is interpreted and solved through high levels of critical thinking. The procedure is useful for sports professionals in understanding body motions. Lastly, the study of biomechanics fundamentals such as mechanics, dynamic such as kinematics and kinetics are all vital in explaining the human body movement. For example, a sports professional will use fluid mechanics to study swimming, heart valves, or adapting sports equipment to minimize air

'How has the Y Generation changed HRM practice' Thesis

'How has the Y Generation changed HRM practice' - Thesis Example A fundamental concern in employee retention is how the so-called Generation Y affects HR practices. This issue emerged out of the principle that generations of employees differ in their characteristics, and, hence, have different needs, desires, behaviour, expectations and requirements needed to be satisfied. With the aim to investigate the impact of Generation Y on HR practices, four objectives were laid down. A case study approach was adopted for the study which is qualitative in nature. Data was collected through both primary and secondary methods. Primary data was collected through interviews of employers and survey of employees. More or less the same questions were posed to both and the responses evaluated. All the four objectives have been achieved. The study concludes that as yet organizations have not changed their policies to a large extent. They have made some changes in areas such as salaries and work schedules but training, mentoring and incentive programs still need to b e looked into. Moreover, some of the changes which they feel is in the interest of the Yers, is not what the Yers expect. The Yers expect challenging assignment s and personal development while the organization believes that they would expect higher salaries.This suggests that the HR managers have not understood the values and beliefs of the Gen Y. The Yers seek rewards and recognition programs which is a better motivator than higher salaries. The HR professionals yet do not seem to know what drives the Gen Y. The study concluded after making recommendations for further research on the subject. Limitations to the study were highlighted. Table of Contents Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Rationale for research 2 1.3 Research aims and objectives 3 1.4 Organization of the study 4 Chapter II Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 5 2.2 Generation Y 2.2.1 Definition 5 2.2.2 Characteristics of Gen Yers 6 2.2.3 Generational differences 7 2.3 Career expectations and aspirations 7 2.4 Difference in work attitude 9 2.5 Challenge for the HR practitioners 10 2.6 Summary of literature review 11 Chapter III Methodology 3. Methodology 13 3.1 Research philosophy 13 3.2 Research phenomenon 13 3.3 Epistemology 14 3.4 Research approach 14 3.5 Research Methodology 15 3.6 Case study method 15 3.7 Time Horizon 16 3.8 Data collection 16 3.9 Data Analysis 17 3.10 Ethical concerns 18 Chapter IV Findings and Discussions 4.1 Introduction 19 4.2 Findings 19 4.3 Discussion 21 Chapter V Conclusion and Recommendations 5.1 Conclusion 25 5.2 Recommendations 27 5.3 Limitations of the study 27 5.4 Reliability and validity 28 References 29 Appendix 31 Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background Retaining talent is a major concern for all organization in every sector. This has become intense due to labor mobility prompted by the forces of globalization. Recruitment too becomes a challenge as older members start to retire while the younger members just enter the workforce. Thus, the organizations too need to be as dynamic as the changing business environment (Reisenwitz and Iyer, 2009). They must be aware of the characteristics of the entry level recruits and understand their needs and aspirations. It may appear that there is not much difference in attitudes and aspirations between the current youngest generation, namely Gen Y and the previous generation, Gen X. Many scholars and researchers have conducted studies and they have found significant difference between these two generations. To maintain competitive advantage while also focusing on profitability HR experts experience ‘a war of talents’ as they scramble to deal with talent shortage and its consequences. To manage talent successfully an organization cannot afford to focus on the top performers alone. The

Cave of Forgotten Dreams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cave of Forgotten Dreams - Essay Example The French government took control of the cave and to protect its wealth and banned from general visitors. Mr. Herzog managed to get permission from the French government for himself and his crew to go with the researchers inside the cave to dig out the hidden secret of mankind. It was considered as a blast to go inside the cave and to see these images. When researcher and crew saw cave from inside they all were in same astonishing state of mind and seemed like they were deeply touched by the depiction on the walls of cave and in some cases they seemed like talking with eternally lost and dead souls. The painting of physical connection between early man and woman was of prime attraction. Sometimes the director drifts away from the caves and start tagging with perfumer who got ability to sniff and find his way out of the cave.   Archaeologists around the globe are in debate of the age of the cave on whether these Chauvet painting are before 30,000 BP or they are younger. A German archaeologist Chistian Zuchner believes that even if the caves are not that old as presumed still they are rich collection of cave art found anywhere in the world. The cave largely kept Mr. Herzog indulgence in the realm of the world of stories and

Answer four questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Answer four questions - Essay Example On the other hand, management accounting innovation is the adoption of new ideas or modern forms of management accounting systems. Management accounting innovations are among the central themes driving modern organisations. These modern organisations manage to prosper and retain its success in the aggressive market environments through stable innovations towards organisational prosperity. This paper will outline the contribution of management accounting innovations towards organisational success. 1. Why Management Accounting Innovation is one of the core themes driving modern organisations Innovations are of many types, and research suggests that distinguishing the difference between them is very essential because innovations have different attributes (Schmeisser, 2010). More so, the adoption processes of innovations are not the same and factors affecting them differ. There are different types of innovation that mainly are technical innovation, administrative innovation, process inno vation, product innovation, radical innovation and incremental innovation. To start with, technical innovation relates to the major work activities that are carried out in an organisation, while administrative innovation relates to the organisational structure and administrative processes inclusive of the management. Thirdly, process innovation contains an organisation’s process in new elements. ... Innovations vary differently in different organisations due to the sise and activities of an organisation. However, in management accounting only two innovations are commonly used. These two innovations are administrative and radical innovations. 2. Management accounting is the core theme in driving innovation in modern organisations In the past decades, management accounting strategies included both decision-making and analysis (Emsley, 2005). These past management strategies are claimed to be the predecessor for the emerging innovation and the latest technologies. The modern accounting represents both the operational and the financial planning and control. Managerial accounting is a very essential tool in an organisation because it provides essential data with which the organisation operates. In other words, managerial accounting can be simply referred to as cost accounting. The management accountants have the role of preparing reports that focus on how well or bad managers and the business unit have performed (Lucey, 2003). The management accountants go ahead to measure these performance measures and the results are compared to plans and benchmarks. Most of these reports provide frequent updates on essential indicators and any arising problem is addressed. The main problems that arise in the reporting field are declining in profitability, global market crisis and other emerging problems. These problems are then solved strategically. Therefore, management accounting analyses the past, present and the future of an organisation’s performance through financial transactions. These summarised outputs are essential in planning the current and future stability of an organisation through

Generational Welfare Essay Example for Free

Generational Welfare Essay Generational Welfare For most of America’s history, farmers, entrepreneurs or shop owners could live their entire lives without getting any assistance from the federal government except maybe mail. But those days are long gone. In 2012 the total number of Americans on government assistance or welfare reached 4,3000,000. Many of which are 4th or 5th generation Welfare recipients. For whatever the reason, we have become a culture of dependency in which poverty is a trap. Long-term recipients loose job skills, work habits as well as work contacts. For this reason the government should require recipients to work as much as they can. It could be called â€Å"workfare† and could help recipients increase potential long-term earnings. Generation poverty is defined as children of parents in poverty grow up to live in poverty themselves in a continuous cycle for at least two generations. All too often this is a result of a traumatic event-taking place such as a illness or divorce that alters the family structure Hard working, self-reliant men and women built this country, but these work ethics began to change during the great depression in the 1930’s. A federal welfare program was introduced, it granted monthly cash and food coupons to assist with basic living needs, it was established to assist those who were living below the poverty line. This system went virtually unchanged since 1930, and was due for a much-needed reform. In 1996 President Bill Clinton made great strides to give welfare a long overdue facelift. He gave the duties of welfare to the states by implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This act restricted aid to most legal residents. The bill had a 5year lifetime maximum for cash assistance and, required recipients to search for employment among other requirements. This welfare reform law was very successful. More than 60% percent of recipients were able to get off the welfare program. However, the core of this program was done away with in 2012 by the Obama administration. A directive was issued stating that TANF (Temporary assistance for needy Families) work requirements could be waived or over ridden by section 1115 waiver authority under the Social Security law. This has fueled an ongoing debate over whether welfare dependency in one generation causes welfare dependency in the next generation. Psychologist, Albert Bandura is considered the pioneer  behind the Social Learning Theory. This theory states that people learn from their so cial contexts and much of social behavior is learned through observing and practiced through modeling. This observational learning can occur in three ways: live modeling, symbolic learning and instruction. This explains the cycle of generational welfare among our nations poor. Last year the Wall Street Journal reported that 49% of the population of the United States lives in a household where at least one person receives some type of government assistance. The Heritage Foundation’s annual Index of Dependence on Government, tracks government spending, and the score is adjusted for federal programs that contribute to government assistance dependency. In 2010 the foundation reported that nearly 67.3 million Americans received Social Security, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, educational support for higher learning, or some other assistance that was once considered to be the responsibility of families, individuals, churches, and neighborhoods. A culture has developed within families in which welfare is reinforced and sometimes even encouraged by parents who are also receiving benefits and their children. Children also become more accepting of the idea of assistance because their parents are currently receiving welfare benefits. The goal of public policy should be reducing poverty, not just the reduction of caseloads. The plan that was implemented by former President Clinton did just that. Jobs have to be created and av ailable before we can reduce the number of persons receiving government assistance. More often than not, when jobs are created they are low-skill jobs and do not pay enough to meet employees basic needs which results in many quitting and going back on government aid. We need more programs set up to provide training in work skills or a trade so that citizens will be able to receive wages that will easily sustain their families and encourage them to become self sufficient and non dependent on government assistance. It gives great satisfaction for a person to know that they are completely self-sufficient and can provide their family with at least its basic needs. It gives a sense of purpose and builds self-confidence that you do not have when you have to rely on the government or another person for financial help. It requires decision, determination, and discipline. Some may argue that generational poverty is determined by poor health across generations and not by observation or modeling of ones parents. However the statistics  from the changes made during the Clinton administration, give proof that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, that works and should be reinstated. Most citizens have a desire to be successful but just don’t have the skills or self-esteem they need to accomplish these goals. Sometimes it takes a little push to get them headed in the right direction and this program seems to do just that. It provided nearly any means of assistance for individuals to become job ready. It provided assistance with transportation problems; self-esteem issues like dental work or even haircuts. Individuals were coached in interview skills and good work ethics. Many classes were provided to help assist in lifestyle and finance management changes. Individuals were encouraged to further their education and were given assistance with college enrollment applications as well. All of the qualities that are needed to preform a job to the fullest of ones ability were provided to wean recipients off of welfare. We have to reach the core understanding of why some people get stuck in a cycle of generational poverty and work on the core problem if we want long-term results. In which individuals receive jobs, perform their duties to the best of their ability and take pride in being self-sufficient. When individuals are proud of their accomplishments and are confident that they will be able to provide for themselves and their family, then we will begin to see a decline in numbers of generational welfare recipients and will be able to witness our economy grow and flourish. Works Cited Axelrod, Norman. Chicago Tribune: Chicago Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Weather and Traffic Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune: Chicago Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Weather and Traffic Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 Aug. 2013. . Bowen, Barry D. 1996 Welfare Reform Facts. 1996 Welfare Reform Facts. N.p., 1996. Web. 01 Aug. 2013. . Gaiser, Elliot T. Obama Guts Welfare Reform. Heritage.org. N.p., 8 May 2013. Web. McLeod, Saul. Bandura Social Learning Theory. Albert Bandura. Simply Psychology, 2011. Web. 01 Aug. 2013. . Generational Welfare For most of America’s history, farmers, entrepreneurs or shop owners could live their entire lives without getting any assistance from the federal government except maybe mail. But those days are long gone. In 2012 the total number of Americans on government assistance or welfare reached 4,3000,000. Many of which are 4th or 5th generation Welfare recipients. For whatever the reason, we have become a culture of dependency in which poverty is a trap. Long-term recipients loose job skills, work habits as well as work contacts. For this reason the government should require recipients to work as much as they can. It could be called â€Å"workfare† and could help recipients increase potential long-term earnings. Generation poverty is defined as children of parents in poverty grow up to live in poverty themselves in a continuous cycle for at least two generations. All too often this is a result of a traumatic event-taking place such as a illness or divorce that alters the fami ly structure Hard working, self-reliant men and women built this country, but these work ethics began to change during the great depression in the 1930’s. A federal welfare program was introduced, it granted monthly cash and food coupons to assist with basic living needs, it was established to assist those who were living below the poverty line. This system went virtually unchanged since 1930, and was due for a much-needed reform. In 1996 President Bill Clinton made great strides to give welfare a long overdue facelift. He gave the duties of welfare to the states by implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This act restricted aid to most legal residents. The bill had a 5year lifetime maximum for cash assistance and, required recipients to search for employment among other requirements. This welfare reform law was very successful. More than 60% percent of recipients were able to get off the welfare program. However, the core of this program was done away with in 2012 by the Obama administration. A directive was issued stating that TANF (Temporary assistance for needy Families) work requirements could be waived or over ridden by section 1115 waiver authority under the Social Security law. This has fueled an ongoing debate over whether welfare dependency in one generation causes welfare dependency in the next generation. Psychologist, Albert Bandura is considered the pioneer  behind the Social Learning Theory. This theory states that people learn from their social contexts and much of social behavior is learned through observing and practiced through modeling. This observational learning can occur in three ways: live modeling, symbolic learning and instruction. This explains the cycle of generational welfare among our nations poor. Last year the Wall Street Journal reported that 49% of the population of the United States lives in a household where at least one person receives some type of government assistance. The Heritage Foundation’s annual Index of Dependence on Government, tracks government spending, and the score is adjusted for federal programs that contribute to government assistance dependency. In 2010 the foundation reported that nearly 67.3 million Americans received Social Security, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, educational support for higher learning, or some other assistance that was once considered to be the responsibility of families, individuals, ch urches, and neighborhoods. A culture has developed within families in which welfare is reinforced and sometimes even encouraged by parents who are also receiving benefits and their children. Children also become more accepting of the idea of assistance because their parents are currently receiving welfare benefits. The goal of public policy should be reducing poverty, not just the reduction of caseloads. The plan that was implemented by former President Clinton did just that. Jobs have to be created and available before we can reduce the number of persons receiving government assistance. More often than not, when jobs are created they are low-skill jobs and do not pay enough to meet employees basic needs which results in many quitting and going back on government aid. We need more programs set up to provide training in work skills or a trade so that citizens will be able to receive wages that will easily sustain their families and encourage them to become self sufficient and non dependent on government assistance. It gives great satisfaction for a person to know that they are completely self-sufficient and can provide their family with at least its basic needs. It gives a sense of purpose and builds self-confidence that you do not have when you have to rely on the government or another person for financial help. It requires decision, determination, and discipline. Some may argue that generational poverty is determined by poor health across generations and not by observation or modeling of ones parents. However the statistics  from the changes made during the Clinton administration, give proof that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, that works and should be reinstated. Most citizens have a desire to be successful but just don’t have the skills or self-esteem they need to accomplish these goals. Sometimes it takes a little push to get them headed in the right direction and this program seems to do just that. It provided nearly any means of assistance for individuals to become job ready. It provided assistance with transportation problems; self-esteem issues like dental work or even haircuts. Individuals were coached in interview skills and good work ethics. Many classes were provided to help assist in lifestyle and finance management changes. Individuals were encouraged to further their education and were given assistance with college enrollment applications as well. All of the qualities that are needed to preform a job to the fullest of one s ability were provided to wean recipients off of welfare. We have to reach the core understanding of why some people get stuck in a cycle of generational poverty and work on the core problem if we want long-term results. In which individuals receive jobs, perform their duties to the best of their ability and take pride in being self-sufficient. When individuals are proud of their accomplishments and are confident that they will be able to provide for themselves and their family, then we will begin to see a decline in numbers of generational welfare recipients and will be able to witness our economy grow and flourish.

SanGrafix Video Game Company Business Process

SanGrafix Video Game Company Business Process The BMI was part of analyzing and selecting vital areas of SanGrafix Video Game Company. It was prepared on March 22, 2017. Regardless of how well the company plans for downtime errors, there is a chance that this will happen and the main point of consideration is how fast the company is able to recover from such errors. Purpose The purpose of this document is to identify and prioritize various system components in line with business processes that the system supports. It has the following parts: Determining business processes and the areas that require critical recovery Identifying resource requirements as per their urgency within the company Identifying recovery priorities for system resources based on the urgency of required production (Gadir et al., 2015). 2. System Description SanGrafix is a video game company of the 21st century that endeavors to create a scintillating experience with each video game they create. They are known to take the gaming experience to the next level as they aim to create a gaming experience that completely assimilates the real life experience. The company has a majority of its first-hand market in America. It offers a great variety of games from car racing to combat games all of which are the state of the art quality. The company works under the principles of getting better and making the customer experience better and improved with each new product that is launched to the market. The company is highly reliant on top notch technology which drives the innovation behind each of their amazing products and hence its competitiveness is highly dependent on its ability to ensure they minimize errors or enhance their capability to recover from such errors within the shortest time (Master, 2014). The company is setting its footprints in an industry where the competition from other companies is fierce, and the chance of being kicked out and rendered irrelevant are beyond high. The company has a huge basement of employees all performing different specialized tasks aimed at ensuring continuous provision of services to its clients. There are the technical engineers who are in charge of developing and maintain the companys system performing at optimal levels which include the network infrastructure, the hardwar e and software components. They are also in charge of creating the gaming programs that the company uses. The company as well has developers who come up with the games as well as constantly improving on them now and then according to developments in the market. The business has a vibrant marketing department which is always at the forefront of letting the consumers aware of any new products. The marketing team is as well in charge of creating and coming up with news ways through which the company can increase its reach to the market. The marketing team has been using the online platform as the main channel of marketing. 3. BIA Data Collection The company as earlier mentioned uses the online platform as the main tool of marketing. The majority of the sales are recorded through the online shop while other sales are through and online catalogs. Calls can also be made to the head of the department where assistance is offered regarding sales or any other queries that the clients might have. 3.1 Determine Process and System Criticality E-commerce processes are the heart and soul of SanGrafix Company since a huge percentage of the sales are recorded through the e-commerce platform. The majority of the clients do not even have the idea of where the company is located physically their interaction with the company is mostly limited to the e-commerce platform. As a result, the e-commerce processes are quintessential to the firm. The e-commerce processes of online payments include the transfer of funds from the buyers account to the banks accounts. The majority of companies in the gaming industry is set on creating profits and so does SanGrafix and among the key supporters in the gaming profit generators is the E-mail based communications and the network that allows for multi-player support over a network for the company. Far away clients reach the company through emails where they place their orders waiting for delivery or response through the emails. The same emails are highly used within the company structure to pass information from one source to another every time it is deemed necessary to pass information around. The same email communication platform is highly utilized to get information about customers reaction towards certain products as the company has made it their traditions to seek the feelings of the customers towards services delivery and product performance. The customers are encouraged to use the email services more than the telephone mode to let the company know their reactions. The company is practically in existence due to its online presence more than the physical presence. As a result, the Marketing and public relations sector are as well critically dependent on the online platform. The company conducts most of its marketing through its website as well as another host of social media pages it operates. The company has a lot of followers across the various social platforms who keep on increasing every so time. The followers are always keen and eager to learn of new products or any new information regarding their favorite product while at the same time there is a team of dedicated personnel who is always ready to feed the market with any form of information deemed necessary. Through this continuous exchange, the company can expand its market while at the same time maintain a high level of public relations with the clients. Other departments that require the online presence within the company but at a lowered rate include the Research and development activities where research on how to improve on the current products is carried out. A team of developers who work on flexible working durations requires the online platform to expand the creativity into making the video games of the future. Customer service handling can be carried out through the online platform as well as through the telephone channels. Mission/Business Process Description e-commerce processes processes through which the company accepts payments for products Marketing and public relations Mechanism through which the company markets its products to the market Research and development activities Process of coming up with new products and improving existing ones Customer service handling Might require both online and telephone lines 3.1.1 Identify Outage Impacts and Estimated Downtime Some of the potential outages that face the company include power outages which are normally rare and far in between. Nonetheless, the company is well equipped with a secondary source of energy that automatically reconnects as soon as a power outage is experienced which narrows the downtime experienced as the switch the second source of energy is almost immediate. A server crash also negatively affects the operations of the company since most of their online activities would be brought to a halt. Nonetheless, the downtime experienced in this is short since it would only take a few moments to get hosting from other servers while a repair is being done to the companys server. A website hack would also be catastrophic to the company since lots of business is done through the website. The downtime in this would be long since tracking hacking activities could be tedious and long to trace (Cordero et al., 2011). Outage Impacts Severe = a lot of money and time Moderate = low fees and limited time Minimal = limited cost and time If of a power outage the company suffers minimal impact since business is barely affected by the power outage given the time lapse between switching the secondary power source is almost immediately. As a result power outage is a minimal impact outage to the company. Server crash carries the medium impact since getting another web to host the company is both costly and could take some moments hence negatively affecting the business. A hacking problem could have severe impact on the business since the amount of time and data lost in the process is a lot and could compromise the integrity and public confidence of the company besides violating the federation laws of protecting the client information and this could be followed by unending lawsuits that could push SanGrafix out of the gaming industry business (Wiggins, 2008). Estimated Downtime Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) by the company is the least time possible to get the business functioning again at the least cost Recovery Time Objective (RTO) allocated to a power outage as well as server crash is minimal while the RTO for hacking could be extended. Recovery Point Objective (RPO) for the company is daily hence it will lose a days data which is not so devastating for business. Mission/Business Process MTD RTO RPO Power outage Less than 1 hour Less than 1 hour Less than 1 hour Server crash 6 hours 4 hours 12 hours Hacking 72 hours 48 hours 12 hours 3.2 Identify Recovery Priorities for System Resources The recovery time required for several outages is variant from each other. Priority System Resource/Component Recovery Time Objective Power outage Electricity Almost immediately to rebuild Server crash Optiplex GX280 Less than 12 hours to get another host Hacking Optiplex GX280 Less than 72 hours to reconstruct References Master, L. L. (2014). Assessing threats and setting priorities for conservation. Conservation of networks, 5(4), 559-563 Cordero, A., Gonzalez, N., Chen, Z., Campos, R., Polanco, A., Melfi, D., Ouchaou, M. (2011). U.S. Patent Application No. 09/789,834. Gadir, O. M., Subbanna, K., Vayyala, A. R., Shanmugam, H., Bodas, A. P., Tripathy, T. K., Rao, K. H. (2015). U.S. Patent No. 6,944,785. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Wiggins, C. (2008). U.S. Patent No. 5,717,604. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Mental Retardation in American Society Essay -- Mental Retardation Dis

Mental Retardation in American Society Mental retardation is a very serious illness, and most of the American population is ignorant regarding the subject. Approximately 3 percent of people in the U.S. are considered mentally retarded. With a percentage like this, the ignorance on the subject is bizarre. The nation has adopted slang terms such as â€Å"retard†, to insult others. Using this term is a way to call someone stupid. But there is a lot that people do not understand about mental disabilities. The study of the illness is actually a very complex topic. There are many parts that build up the subject. The definition of mental retardation is: significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Mental retardation is a term used when someone has limitations in their mental functioning. They also are limited in skills such as communicating, self-care, and social skills. These limitations cause a child to learn and develop slower than an ordinary individual. Children with mental retardation may take longer when learning to speak, walk, and take care of their personal needs such as dressing or eating. They are likely to have trouble learning in school. They will learn, but it will take them longer. There are usually things they cannot learn. There are many causes of mental retardation. They include; genetic conditions, pregnancy troubles, birth difficulties, and health problems. In some cases irregular genes inherited from the parents can cause mental retardation. Mental retardation can be the cause of baby not developing properly when in the womb. This could be the effect of the mother consuming alcohol or drugs during pregnancy. At birth, if a newborn does not receive enough oxygen, the result could be mental retardation. Many health problems are the basis for mental retardation. Numerous illnesses cause mental retardation. Also malnutrition and insufficient medical care are grounds for mental retardation. If a child is not receiving ample nutrition then negative effects will result. In addition, if an adolescent does not receive proper medicine, they could in result, develop a mental illness. Despite popular belief, mental retardation is not a disease. It is also not a men... ...s. People with mental retardation are highly misunderstood, but that is beginning to change more and more each year. People are starting to realize that people with mental disabilities aren’t stupid, and that they can learn and understand new concepts. People with mental retardation are fully capable of entering the work force and contribute to society. Individuals with mental retardation are still ostracized to some degree but it has become less and less over time. Soon people will become even more understanding of the mental disabilities that people contain, and hopefully most of the ignorance will vanish. Works Cited Brooks, Penelope H., Sperber, Richard, and McCauley, Charley. Learning and Cognition in the Mentally Retarded (1984): 56-230. Farber, Bernard. Mental Retardation: Its Social Context and Social Consequences (1968): 123-158 Zigler, Edward, and Balla, David. Mental Retardation, the Developmental-Difference Controversy (1982): 47-63. The Medem Network: Connecting Physicians and Patients Online. 3 Dec. 2004 Department of Mental Retardation. 3 Dec. 2004. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 3 Dec. 2004

The Change in Obstetric Care in the United States :: Evolution Childbirth America

Imagine for a moment a small room with pale green walls, and smelling of latex and disinfectant. The sharp light of fluorescent bulbs gives the space a harsh unnatural glow. A woman is lying on a metal bed: covered by a flimsy sheet, legs uncomfortably splayed open, feet in stirrups. A doctor and an entourage of residents enter the room in white coats. The doctor snaps on a pair of latex gloves, looks and feels between the woman’s legs, announces everything is moving "right on schedule," and hurries out the door, on to another patient. The woman is left wondering, among other things, what "on schedule" means. It doesn’t sound very pleasant, but for years this was what it was like to give birth in an American hospital. And, for many women, it is still true today. Just add to the situation a fetal monitor to measure the baby’s heart rate, an intravenous drip into the mother’s arm, an ultrasound machine, a catheter to collect the mother’s urine, surgical instruments for performing an episiotomy before delivery (an incision made to widen the vaginal opening), and various other technological devices, "just in case." While they can be helpful in certain situations, such as high-risk births, these things can impede the natural process of labor. In this paper, I will examine three distinct stages of obstetric care in the United States. By looking at the stages, you can see the evolution of childbirth in our country as it developed from a female- to a male-dominated field, and how it is now beginning to break away from some of the traditional medical methods that have been used for over 50 years. However, this break is not complete. Even with today’s woman having more power than ever in her decision making, we as Americans still can’t seem to get away from the technology used in childbirth, even though much of it is unnecessary and can sometimes even be detrimental. For the past 100 years, our view of pregnancy and childbirth has evolved into seeing it as a condition or sickness that needs to be controlled and treated by modern medicine. The first stage of OB care took place before and during the 19th century. In that time, obstetrics was a field dominated by women, almost entirely midwives. Almost all physicians were male, but for the most part, obstetrics was not studied in medical school.

In Search of a Methodological Foundation for Applied Ethics :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

In Search of a Methodological Foundation for Applied Ethics ABSTRACT: The problems that face contemporary applied ethics are indissolubly related to some characteristics of postmodern civil society. In this paper I will try to take a stand in the discussion between a proponent of a particularistic approach and one who favors a universalistic approach to the present difficulties that accompany human action. Karl-Otto Apel combines in his ethics of discourse a focus upon universal and normative structures of communication with a Kantian transcendental method of thought. Paul van Tongeren follows Aristotle and Nietzsche in arguing that the local and historically determined contingent traditions are the basis on which to approach our ethical questions. After giving a brief presentation of their respective contributions to the discussion, I shall end with some reflections on the difference between, and the merits and demerits of, a universalistic and a particularistic ethics. Until very recently in the history of mankind, most people lived in rather small communities. Their knowledge of and their influence on distant cultures was rather limited. With the rise of modern science, resulting in the present communication era, things changed considerably. Today, man's cultural evolution has reached a point where the local and the global dimensions of his actions are hard to distinguish. Another feature of our existence at the present 'fin de sià ¨cle' is the declining influence of the great narrative traditions. In our liberal democracies the new leading narrative is that of the free market, accompanied by the imperative of unlimited profit making and consumerism. The lack of a consensus on many basic social values which results from the declining influence of the 'great stories' of our traditions, generates a mentality of 'collective individualism' and value relativism. In this situation we face the danger of initiating a process in which the rather fashionable ideals of pluralism and tolerance turn out to be mere indifference. (1) The problems that face contemporary ethics are indissolubly related to these characteristic features of post-modern civil society. In this paper I will try to take a stand in the discussion between proponents of a particularist approach and those who favour a universalistic approach to the present difficulties that accompany human action. After giving a brief presentation of Karl-Otto Apel's and Paul van Tongeren's contribution to the discussion, I shall end with some reflections on the difference between, and the merits and demerits of, a universalistic and a particularistic ethics.

College Essay Essay

The last two years I have been on the high school gymnastics team. Before that I was in club gymnastics, yet somehow both are very different from each other. When I started high school gymnastics I didn’t know what to expect. Everyone was very friendly and excited to start the season, just like I was. In club gymnastics, it seemed more like an individual sport. High school gymnastics has been such a good and different experience. It may seem like gymnastics would be the same no matter where you went, with routines and working out the same. But in high school, you see your friends in the gym and during school too. I have made so many friends and new relationships with people with different interests and personalities, that I didn’t think I would ever get to know. I have learned from these relationships how to respect people more and treat people how you would want to be treated. It has helped me to understand people better and how to respond to people in different situations. Now it may seem like I only did gymnastics for friends, but that’s not true. I have been in gymnastics since I was 3 years old. It has taught me so much more than just friendship. It has taught me self- discipline, courage, strength (physically, and mentally), and now that I’m older, leadership. In life I consider those very important traits to have. I can take what I’ve learned in gymnastics and apply it to everyday life. We would have to set goals for gymnastics on certain skills we wanted to get by a certain time. I have used that to set goals for the future and where I want to be in 5 – 10 years. Not only did I set those goals, but I know what I have to do to achieve those goals. And having self –discipline helps me keep myself on track to make sure I get things done, not just with goals in life, but also with everyday things. For example, juggling school work and gymnastics. I have to keep myself on track to make sure I understand the material to keep my grades up. So gymnastics has really taught me a lot, not only throughout my life, but these last two years especially. It has helped me over come things I didn’t think I could handle by myself. I can honestly say gymnastics has made me the person I am today, and can’t wait to see the things colleges brings my way in the future.

Why Did So Many Molonists Die at Jamestown

In a matter of four years, almost every colonist died in Jamestown. In 1607, English ships sailed Into Chesapeake bay and up the James river and later founded Jamestown in Virginia. By the Summer of 1609, 524 colonists would have arrived in Jamestown. But by 1611, more than 80% Would be dead! There are three main reasons why this could have happened. There wasn’t Enough food, the water was unusable, and they didn’t have enough workers with the right skill Set to help them survive.One of the biggest problems for the colonists is that the droughts made it hard for them to Grow crops, (Doc. B) and the food that they did have wouldn’t have been enough to last through winter. (Doc. D) from about 1607 to 1612, Jamestown suffered a horrible drought. This would have a big effect on colonists because no water means that they can’t grow crops. This would lead to starvation. Another reason they starved is because of Francis wests men took the grain loaded it onto the ships and didn’t take it back to Jamestown.(Doc. D) this is a big reason why most of them starved to death.Another big problem for the colonists is that their water was too brackish, which made it Unusable.(Doc. A) This caused many to get sick and die. The thing that caused the waters to become too salty are the tides. An event that happened two times a day. Since Human wastes wouldn’t float away down the rivers because of the tides it would just stay in the water, this caused the water to be contaminated and a major cause for disease. Water was scarce in the first Four years of living at Jamestown due to the drought.(Doc. B) This might have caused competition for water but the water that they did have would be contaminated.The last major problem for the colonists, when they came in 1607, they didn’t bring Many skillful workers. (Doc. C) More than half the people who came on the first boat Were gentlemen. They weren’t used to working with their hands so they would have been Inexperienced in doing work that involved their hands. There weren’t any apothecaries on the first boat and  there was only one surgeon. Since there wasn’t any apothecaries on the first ship anyone who needed medicine wouldn’t receive it or the right kind which could lead to death or overdose.There was only one tailor so in the winter they froze to death because he couldn’t make enough clothes for everyone who needed it. Overall not having these skillful workers on the first trip over played somewhat a major role in the death of so many colonists at Jamestown.Out of the many reasons for the deaths at Jamestown the three biggest reasons being they didn’t have enough food, brackish water, and not having enough skillful workers played a Great role in the deaths of so many colonists at Jamestown.

The Yellow Wolf: The Strong and Wise Cheyenne Indian

The Indian Frontier of the American West tells a story of the different Indian tribes and whites from 1846 to 1890. This period of time is very famous in American history. It produced some of the most widely heard of names in the battles between Indians and whites. These names include Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe, Sitting Bull of the Oglala Sioux, Cochise, Geronimo, and Mangas Coloradas, and John Ross of the Cherokee Nation. These names are still very respected among historians and are seen throughout history books used in schools across the nation. These names were involved in many battles with whites in the middle of the nineteenth century. In this book, Robert Utley describes how many different Indian cultures survived between 1846 and 1890. Utley also spent some time in discussing how Americans felt about Indians. This book also talked about how the American government was run, and how they dealt with the different Indian cultures. This book had a couple of interesting stories in it also. The dozens of cultures depicted in this book really made it somewhat interesting to read. One story that I truly liked in the book was that of Yellow Wolf. Yellow Wolf was an extremely strong and wise Cheyenne Indian. He was a man that was known for his leadership in battles with the Utes, Pawnees, Kiowas, and Comanches. Yellow Wolf also played an important role in helping William Bent, also known as â€Å"Little White Man†, as to where to set up his trading post along the river. After Bent had set up his fort, Yellow Wolf traveled there in the summer. He watched as tens of thousands of white men move in and through the Indian country. This made him worry about the future of his people, something no other Cheyenne leader would even consider for years. In discussing his fears with an army officer he talks of how his people and the buffalo are disappearing. He also says that his people will become extinct unless they change and adopt the habits of white people. Yellow Wolf lived for eighteen years amongst the white man. In his final year of his life, Yellow Wolf watched his worst fears come true. Through all of this, he continued to believe that the only hope his people had was if they learned from the white man. On November 29, 1864, a white man from General Stephen Watts Kearney†s army gunned down Yellow Wolf. He was 85 years old. Another part of the book that I truly enjoyed reading was the section on Grant†s Peace Policy. While Grant served as General in Chief of the United State Army a group of Quakers, know as the Friends, urged him to adopt a new peace policy. This policy was to be founded on Christianity and peace, rather than on force of arms. The policy also called for men of religious conviction to be appointed to agency posts. Grant quickly embraced this idea and pretty soon Grant†s Peace Policy was adopted. Grant didn†t hold any strong convictions about Indians, but he did indicate that: â€Å"Those who do not accept this policy will find the new administration ready for a sharp and severe war policy. † Throughout the entire process, Grant remained as open minded as possible about the peace treaty. The policy wasn†t carefully crafted. It actually came together on its own, and as it took shape it began to have direction and definition. One of the strongest forces guiding Grant was Colonel Ely S. Parker. He had betrayed his racial origins and become a fixture in both the white and Indian worlds. He served as chief of the Senecas and Grand Sachem of the Iroquois Confederacy, and as lawyer, engineer, and soldier for the United States. Prior to the election, Grant relied on Parker more than anyone else when it came to Indian matters. Parker made detailed plans of Indian management that Congress supported and he also served on various commissions and conducted numerous investigations. Parker was so involved and was so respected that after Grant was elected he appointed Ely Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The wars that broke out in light of the peace policy really grabbed my attention. As with all peace treaties there usually will be some drawbacks. The point of the policy was to place all Indians on reservations, where they could be kept away from the settlements and travel routes and where they could be civilized. Indians, on the other hand, did not feel this way. Almost every major battle was fought to force Indians back to their reservations, or to force them on to newly created ones. The combination of battles and diminishing support it once had made the Peace Policy all but forgotten. These wars became somewhat of a regular fixture. Whites wanted all Indians to live on reservations and learn to live like white people. Indians refused to adapt to these new rules so they fought for what they believed in. Overall, I found this book to be less than interesting. My family tree dates back to the Cherokee Indian so I was interested in reading about what Indians actually went through. Robert Utley did a very good job with all of the various illustrations and maps. I especially was intrigued as to the many different pictures of Indians as well as the whites. In reading this book, I learned of yet another race that whites attempted to take over or confine to certain areas. Being a minority helps me keep an open mind to what went on in the past as well as what goes on in today†s society. The struggle that Indians endured in the 1800†³s symbolizes the struggle that some Indians still go through today. Although we do not live in a country where people are forced to live in certain areas, there are some American Indians that still live on reservations because they feel society will not accept them. I did not particularly care to read about all of the whites during that period of time, but I would not have gotten a full understanding unless they were included. I would recommend anyone wanting to learn a good deal about the struggle of the Indian people to read this book.

Ethics Reflection Essay

The increasing diversity and needs of today’s clients has allowed many businesses to open and foster greater responsibility in pursuing common goals and objectives. This process caters to the formulation of specific ethical principles and adherence to the ability to enhance corporate social responsibility. These two processes remain crucial as it outlines dynamic means to intensify opportunities for growth and development. By seeking to understand these dimensions, it allows any upcoming manager to facilitate and effectively nurture skills development and responsiveness to today’s current trends. Assessing the role of ethics and social responsibility in fostering a strategic plan, it can be seen that these two principles serve as a guide in enriching and exploring professional practice that is more responsive to the needs of the social environment. It is in here that the goals explored complement sustainability and leadership in the environment. Such aspect then introduces better choices and decision making not only in strategies employed by an organization but also within the scope of how a company impacts the social realm and the overall environment (Management Help, 2009). Similarly, the creation of ethical standards within the strategic plan also infuses accountability among stakeholders. This means that appropriate guidelines according to moral obligations and professional standards are in place to make sure that it harnesses appropriate responses from each member of the organization (Management Help, 2009). Likewise, these set of norms and rules also serves as a guide on what behavior is deemed necessary to address objectives. Such dynamics then increases the likelihood of responsiveness and opens up opportunities for becoming competent in existing trends within the system. Relating the formulation of a socially responsible and ethical strategic plan to stakeholder needs, it can be surmised that it serves to complement and serve their best interest. Since increased responsibility, accountability, and communication is expected among members of an organization, it allows stakeholders to receive or provide products/services that are responsive and effectively addresses the needs of clients. These directions in turn help shape effective means to promote optimal actions, where responsibility is shared, communication is open, and people seek to adhere to one common standard and policy. Reflecting on how my ethical perspective revolved during the program, it can be seen that I had made considerable progress in identifying specific issues and providing appropriate solutions that not only addresses the interests of the few. Rather, it is more of adhering the conditions and changes reflective of proposing solutions that can benefit all actors involved. The dynamics of the course as well as the readings opened up new perspectives concerning ethics and how it can be applied in the business setting. Likewise, the idea of proposing strategies was also another process I learned and acquired throughout the course. It helped generate an ethical perspective that is congruent within the organization I am into. Since ethical principles are interpreted and applied differently among companies, it is then crucial for my part to adapt and respond to these areas accordingly. Allowing this strategy to take effect brings about considerable dynamics in relation to bridging the gaps related to the ideal and the real scenario/s that are happening. Overall, the course was effective in helping portray the conditions shaping ethics and how it can impact organizations and companies both in the short and long term. By actively immersing in several ethical issues, I feel I had made considerable progress not only in recognizing issues but also define my leadership style that is more responsible, reflective, and accountable to the needs of all people. It is through these that one can gain the ability to become adaptive to the continuously changing trends of the 21st century business environment. Reference Management Help (2009) Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers. Retrieved from http://managementhelp. org/ethics/ethxgde. htm#anchor41892

Connectivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Connectivism - Essay Example It is not with the human beings by birth or we cannot call knowledge as an innate part of human beings. The learning theories of behaviourism, constructivism and cognitivism regard knowledge as acquirable and identify various ways with the help of which, a person is able to learn in this world. According to the learning theory of behaviourism, the knowledge that a person keeps or attains by means of experience or rationality can be assessed by means of change of behaviour (Gredler, 2005). When a person attains knowledge, his/her behaviour changes with the acquisition of knowledge. The behaviourism philosophy can be defined as a philosophy that deals with the transformation of behaviour as an indication of learning (Vaill, 1996). Therefore, in behaviourism learning theory deals with the transformation of behaviour of an individual as a sign of his/her learning. Learning theory of behaviourism regards learning as wholly external. Constructivism is also based on the philosophy of constructivism. According to the learning theory of constructivism, knowledge comes to a person with the help of his/her past experience (Gredler, 2005). A person is able to learn on the basis of his/her past experiences in terms of knowledge acquisition. Knowledge is acquired by means of comprehension of experiences that a person goes through in his/her life time. According to the constructivism theory of learning, learning is something based on internal input of a human being (Gredler, 2005). As far as congnitivism is concerned, according to the learning theory of cognitivism, a person is able to get knowledge similarly as the computer does. An input is required, there is some memory where the knowledge is stored on temporary bases and then this knowledge is coded for future employment. Cognitivism also categorizes knowledge as an external element (Vaill, 1996). These theories

Managing Global Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing Global Economy - Essay Example Non-economic rationales for government interventions on trade commonly identified as providing a suitable foundation for regulation are the promotion of fairness and the fostering of community ideals (Cheffins 1997, p. 126). The legal regulation of market transactions can be justified on a number of grounds. One basis upon which this can be done is that outcomes which are unfair require a response from the government. On the protection of community ideals, state intervention can perhaps correct the corrosive impact market forces allegedly have on society. Correspondingly, support exists for the proposition that lawmakers should take action when markets threaten to undermine key community ideals. Nontariff barriers include quotas, voluntary export restraints, voluntary price restraints, import licensing, customs procedures, exchange controls, domestic content requirements, "buy national" policies, discriminatory trading agreements. These barriers involve direct import control measures. Nontariff barriers affecting exports indirectly include standards, distributor practices, and financial controls (Hilke & Nelson 1988, p. 8). The static effects of economic integration have their most obvious and profound influence in the period immediately following the creation of, for example, a customs union. Gradually, after several years of adjustment, the dynamic effects will increase in importance and become dominant. These effects push further technological constraints and provide the group with an additional integration-induced 'growth bonus' (Jovanovic 1998, p. 40). 6. What are foreign exchange markets and the exchange rate Vanek (1962) defines foreign exchange market as all places where foreign exchange is traded. There are two useful sets of classification of the foreign exchange market. In the first place, there is not one but a large number of foreign currencies. Second, the total supply and demand of foreign currency is derived from different types of transactions, which provides a convenient classification for the study of the market for exchange (p.56). 7. Discuss how companies use foreign exchange. A foreign exchange is being used by companies for purchase/sale of foreign currency that operates outside the legal financial system of a country. It is an illegal source (or use) of foreign currency that buyers and sellers choose to utilize for various reasons -- from tax evasion to operation of a contraband business to escape from onerous and sometimes conflictive government regulations (Grosse 1994, p. 1). 8. List and define the categories of exchange rate regimes. 9. Discuss purchasing power parity (PPP) and the short-run problems that affect PPP. The first equilibrium theory, time-honoured, is purchasing power

The Differences Between Islam And Christianity Essay

The Differences Between Islam And Christianity - Essay Example One of the reasons of the success of the Muslim conquest was that they were aided by the Christian and the Jews when Heraclius tried to attack the Muslims at a;-Yarmuk, due to the aid of the Christians and the Jews, the Muslim army outnumbered the army of Heraclius (FORDHAM, 2012). The Christians and the Jews decided to aid Muslims in their conquest when the Muslims threatened to return them to their former condition, at that time the Christians and the Jews decided to help the Muslims as they preferred living under Muslim Rule rather than Byzantine Rule. The second reason of the Muslim conquest during the war of al-Yarmuk was the unity among the Muslims, although the army led by al-Ghassani outnumbered the Muslim fighters by a great deal, still, the Muslims ended up being victorious. An instance that supports this reason is the participation of the Muslim females in the war. Ans 4.In accordance to the insulting stories produced by Christians during the 9th and the 10th century, the view they had about the Prophet Mohammed was a mass murderer and terrorist like (Constable 48). This can be seen through the views that he was provided with arms and swords to treat the Gog in a very cruel manner so the Cog would bow in front of him and perform activities which he wanted them to perform. Similarly, these stories state that he had ordered the followers of the religion of Islam to kill those who were not ready to accept Islam as their religion and to make sure that people accepted Islam with the aid of sword.

International Quality Management System - Practice exam Coursework

International Quality Management System - Practice exam - Coursework Example Delivering quality products and services also help in building a reputation for business, which influences the achievement of competitive advantage (Goetsch & Davis, 2013). In many cases, businesses seek to achieve accreditation from the international body that recognizes quality standards. The body gives ISO certification to businesses that meet the international quality standards, which helps in building a company’s brand and reputation. Quality is not achievable unless created, meaning that the products and services being able to achieve quality standards cannot happen by accident. The achievement of quality is a process because quality helps in the creation of value for both customers and the business. Based on this understanding, businesses have shifted from only achieving quality, but improving on this process by applying total quality management. Total quality management is a process that focuses on increasing a company’s competitive level through the constant improvement of its functions. Functions in this case include services, business processes, employees, products, and the business environment (p. 4). Total quality management also focuses on the continuously attaining customer satisfaction at the lowest costs. Quality can be achieved by improving a business’ operation characteristics, making the products be durable, reliable and the features of the product. Juran defined quality as ‘fitness for use’ and was of the belief that money was the language that is mainly used in management. Juran developed the Juran’s trilogy that had quality improvement, quality control and quality planning as the three main elements. In quality planning, Juran intimated that it is important for a business to identify its customers and their needs before embarking on the process of delivering quality (p. 10). Once these elements have been identified, a business can be able to develop products and services that can meet the needs of the customers. For this

Why do some parts of the world develop more quickly than others Research Paper

Why do some parts of the world develop more quickly than others - Research Paper Example The distribution of such resources as minerals and arable land thus made some regions advantaged over others thus become more developed. Man first relied on rain fed agriculture, most of the early civilizations relied on the trade of agricultural products. Such led to the development of market economies in different regions. Additionally, the subsequent development of both industrialization and urbanization followed the patterns of the availability of the natural resources. The environment is therefore an essential factor in analyzing the development rates of different regions thought the world. Diamond analyses the development pattern of the Eurasian society. He observes that the society was advantaged by the presence of suitable plant and animal species in their regions. The domestication of better animal and plant species facilitated the economic growth of the regions. Such regions as central Europe has no deserts implying that the region have cooler climates thereby enabling the domestication of stronger breeds of animals and better cash crops. With these, the societies pioneered the earliest civilization and the development of stronger market economies. Stronger economies facilitated the development of effective governments in the region to oversee the management of the resources thus facilitating the faster development of the Eurasian regions. Diamond further compares the rate of development in Europe to other Eurasian regions such as China and other parts of the Eastern bloc. The European regions had numerous natural features that enabled the establishment of boundaries. Such included rivers, mountains and other large water bodies including lakes and oceans. The presence of such geographical factors enabled the creation of smaller territories, which are easier to manage. Countries in the Eastern bloc such as China, India and Japan among others are larger with bigger populations. These are unlike the European countries that are smaller owing to the

COMMENT PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

COMMENT PAPER - Essay Example (Article 5. 1.a drafted by Dr. F. V. Garcà ­a Amador, Special Rapporteur, and submitted to the International Law Commission. International Responsibility: Second Report 1957 cited in Friedmann, et.al., 760) It goes to say that Allan, even if he is not a national, will be allowed certain basic rights such as making contracts and closing deals. Since it was also mentioned that the State of Lunacy will not tolerate any discrimination in contracting, it is the State’s obligation to render necessary actions to Charlie Company, which they did—revoking Charlie Company’s charter. Therefore, if the Unites States would charge the State of Lunacy in behalf of Allan, the State would not be held liable for Charlie Company’s discrimination because they had already applied the necessary action. b. According to Lunatic law any person seeking redress against a business incorporated under state law is allowed to sue in their courts. Not giving Allan the right to sue because of the sole reason that he is an â€Å"alien† is a violation of the State of Lunacy’s Law. The Clerk would have to face the consequences of his/her judgments against Allan as an answer to the violation. When states fail to adhere to the international standard, a denial of justice may occur. Denial of justice holds states responsible under international law for wrongful administration of justice regarding foreigners committed by the executive, legislative or judicial organs of the State. It includes improper administration of civil and criminal justice with regard to foreign persons, such as denial of access to courts, inadequate procedures, and unjust decisions. (Paulsson, Jan, Denial of Justice in International Law) If not given proper action by the State of Lunacy, the United States could i nclude this situation to their charges against the State in which they will be held liable. c. The State of Lunacy will be not held liable even though Allan is an alien and is injured during

Classical Economists and Their Philosophy Literature review

Classical Economists and Their Philosophy - Literature review Example All the terms are part of the business strategy which is actually and play a decisive role in constructing marketing tactics (Stigler, 1957). The classical economists had always talked about business tactics. The idea of growth and competitor business strategy is part of their explanation. Here are some who described economics and behavioural finance in all different perspective: Among major terminologies of economics, the classical economists have given much importance to the term â€Å"Competition†. Competition is something that surrounds the basic business environment, in which there are competitors, consumers and the market. Entrepreneurs call it a â€Å"business constraint†, as it changes for the success or failure of business at the same time. The economists have provided several teachings in understanding the term â€Å"competition†. This is for the business strategists and those who seek technical strength for competing in the market. In the late 19th cen tury just after World War II ended, the term â€Å"competition† was felt in different occasions of the business culture. The business strategists discussed it on all intense occasions of the business and tried to fit it in different situations like in a situation of a â€Å"perfect market† or a situation of â€Å"business equilibrium† (balance of supply and demand). ... According to Smith, one is excessive supply tactics where the prices get automatically high for competition, while the other is fewer supply tactics where the prices increase and set a demand. This is how competition floats in the market, and the rivals plan according to the same effective strategy (Stigler, 1957). Adam Smith emphasized on following five conditions which set a competitive advantage of one entrepreneur to another: The competitors should work independently instead of working collectively. A competitor should attain an advantage by minimizing the advantage for the next competitor. The competitor should attain full knowledge of the market to attain a parallel advantage. The competitors are free to work on such knowledge. Resources should be vitally utilized in order to stabilize the presence in the market. The following above statements worked in the agriculture sector where there is no such â€Å"monopoly â€Å"according to modern economists. However, the idea of comp etition is quite clear in a general way as everyone knew how to race in an environment where the competition is simply to bid one another. This is the definition of â€Å"business environment† which modern economists summarize in their literature work (Stigler, 1957). John Elliott Cairnes and â€Å"Industrial Competition† J.E.Cairnes a pioneer of classical economist got labelled in Industrial competition. He described competition as a condition where there is an exchange of capital and labour between the Industrial partners. He focused on the environment of non-competing Industrial groups. In case of capital, his ideology got successfully applied as capital is easy to transfer and sacrifice, but in the labour, it gets hard because the workmen are solely dedicated to their specialized field and cannot compromise their profession in terms of extra remuneration or wage.     

Humanities Today Essay Example for Free

Humanities Today Essay For as long as humankind has existed so have art, music, architecture, literature, and philosophy. The University of Phoenix (2009) defines humanities as â€Å"an approach to study that emphasizes ideas and values through analysis of modes of cultural expression, philosophical and religious thought, and modes of human communication† (University of Phoenix, Week One Supplement). Gloria K. Fiero (2006) further defines humanities as literature, philosophy, history, architecture, visual arts, music, and dance (p. 4). Humanities impact daily life without many people being aware of their presence. What distinguishes humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression is that they focus on ideas and values, not simply the production or result of an action. This paper will provide current examples of visual art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature and analyze how they reflect current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology. Visual art can be, but is not limited to, painting, sculpture, and photography. Classic paintings by renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso are still considered masterpieces in today’s society but are not enjoyed by the common population the way that graphic and digital art have in the past century. Graphic and digital technology have become the means by which visual art is to be viewed and cherished among the mass population in a way that has never been available in history. Today’s society has become focused on instant gratification. Changes are expected to be made in politics overnight, struggles in socioeconomics demand rectification within weeks (even though they took years to create), and advancements in technology feeds society’s dependence on better, faster, and stronger tools. Unfortunately, visual art has become victim to this need for instant gratification. No longer are single masterpieces created by the flow of an artist’s hands, shaping and molding art into a creation of his or her soul. Instead, art is generated digitally by the click of a mouse and a selection of color and size from a predefined chart. The art can then be mass-distributed and mass-produced around the world in the matter of minutes. The creativity is still there, but the love generated through the time and patience required to construct that art by hand is no longer there. With the flood of self-help books saturating the market, literature also reflects society’s need for instant gratification. Self-help books are a reflection of the current socioeconomic state in which everyone is looking for a way to better his or her life instantly. Politicians have indirectly supported this literary genre by focusing and promoting what is wrong in the country and in each other. For example, if a politician has shortcomings in his or her public speaking abilities, the opposing political party will ridicule that person publicly. Citizens who feel they also do not have strong speaking skills and fear being mocked may then be compelled to purchase a self-help book on public speaking. As technology has advanced, self-help books have become a wonderful tool for individuals struggling to learn how to use the newest electronic devices. One popular technology self-help series is the For Dummies books. The books began in 1991 with â€Å"DOS for Dummies† (Johnson, 2006, para. 3), but they have now sold over 150 million Dummies books in 39 languages. Many people have benefited from the simple, helpful language used in these books, but not all self-help books are created equal. Some self-help books offer a quick solution that often leaves individuals feeling worse than when they began. Striving for self-improvement is excellent; however, self-help books can sometimes do more harm than good. Music in today’s society can also do more harm than good when presented to an impressionable mind. Music has always been used as a means of creatively reflecting political and socioeconomic issues, but since the inception of the Rap and Heavy Metal music genres, discontent, anger, and frustration have become common and wide-spread in music over the past 50 years. Songs about drug use, suicide, murder, and rape and those that use explicit language are common in these two genres of music and have begun to permeate other forms of music. This reflects not only society’s discontent with the current political and socioeconomic state, but it also reflects society’s tolerance and acceptance of freedom of speech. The sound of music, the production of music, and the enjoyment of music have evolved as technology evolves. New sounds that have never been possible before are now available through technology. Music is now available anywhere through the use of an MP3 player or cell phone. No longer does a person have to stop and listen to a musician; music can be played at any time. This fills society’s need for instant gratification. Today’s architecture also caters to the on-the-go lifestyles of society. Bigger, stronger, smarter, and faster are all ideas and values visibly manifested in current architecture. The aesthetic appeal of a building has given way to designs which exploit opportunities to get the most for the money. A recent trend which reflects a change of political and socioeconomic initiatives is building environmentally-friendly structures. That means creating a building that produces little waste, uses alternative power solutions, and emits minimum greenhouse toxins. Advances in technology have made these structures possible; however, they cost additional money to construct, and businesses and individuals are charged more money to use them than a traditionally built structure. Instant gratification, the struggle for self-improvement, tolerance and acceptance, and the idea of making as much money as possible are all philosophies in today’s society. Each is reflected in art, literature, music, and architecture, but as a whole, they make up the philosophy of society through their ideas and values. Developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology have all played a part in creating these philosophies, but they are visibly manifested in the humanities. One can only wonder how the current humanities will be viewed and analyzed 50 or 100 years from now. The examples this paper has provided of visual art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature demonstrate how current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology are reflected. As politics, socioeconomics, and technology change so too will art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. They are a reflection of one another and intertwined in their evolution. References Fiero, Gloria K. (2007). The humanistic tradition (5th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Johnson, Doug (2006, October). For dummies books are popular learning aids. Retrieved from http://www. voanews. com/specialenglish/archive/2006-10/2006-10-12-voa1. cfm University of Phoenix (2009). Week One supplement: Humanities Terminology. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Week One, HUM102 – Introduction to the Humanities website.

The Human Mind Essay Example for Free

The Human Mind Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Computers are everywhere and the processors for personal computers these days are more powerful. In the last decade, we have witnessed the advancement of computer in the areas of movies and entertainment, multimedia arts, science and technology, business and industries, health, sports, and education. Humans have created the very useful and powerful machines that have made our lives convenient. However, there are shades of controversies and arguments claiming the superiorities and abilities of either the human brain or the computer’s processor. Humans have created and developed a great machine and the capabilities of their creations have gone beyond our imagination. Human Mind and Computer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People created computers and software that functions like the human mind. The human brain processes information similar to a computer. It receives information, scrutinizes it, stores it, and remembers past knowledge to work out problems rationally. Since the human mind possesses all the memories of past events and memories of everything that has happened in our life, we can use it to recall the information that we need. For instance, while you are driving, you hear an old familiar music on the radio that you have not heard for a long time. You are thinking of the name of singer who sung the song and suddenly you recall the name of the singer and the lyrics of the song. The human brain is sometimes faulty and does not always work they way we want it to but our memory comes back while we may be thinking of something completely different. This problem is due to the organization of memory in the human mind. The human brain stores millions of memories but it has no idea where they are located (New York University Office of Public Affairs, 2008). The information in the brain is retrieved not by knowing where it is, but by using cues or clues that hint at what we are looking for (ibid.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gelgi (2000) wrote that consciousness or the understanding process is the most important factor that differentiates the computer from the human mind. He further stressed that the computer can compute the data given but it cannot understand what it is. It can perform any operation for which it is programmed but it cannot evaluate nor make its own judgments (Priddy, 1999). A good example of this statement can be applied in statistical analysis where the researcher feeds the raw scores into the computer to determine the results of the survey. The computer will yield either a â€Å"1† or â€Å"2† that may represent â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† respectively but it cannot provide a descriptive analysis of the data. The computer simply follows instructions; hence it does not have a mind. Searle (1980) claimed that the mind is not a computer program because computer programs has a syntax and human minds have semantics and is not an algorithm. Humans obtain information through the senses and they have the ability to read and interpret facial expressions (Technology Research News, 2006). Because of our ability to pick up gestures and understand body language, we tend to disregard the use of verbal expression. When we see a person smile, nod, and raise his eyebrows, we can interpret this as a sign of greeting or saying â€Å"hi† or â€Å"hello† in non-verbal manner. A computer is a powerful machine that is capable of repetitive and logical functions but it cannot be compared to the human brain as it cannot communicate with us in a manner we are accustomed to (ibid.). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Computers are extensions of the human mind and body. The complexities of the human brain in terms of thinking process and its multitude neuron network structures cannot be duplicated by machines that are controlled and created by human beings. Computers are effective tools that has made our lives more comfortable but it does not have the capability to think, feel, interpret, and decide like human beings. References Gelgi, F. (2000). Can AI be more advanced than the human mind? Retrieved July 4, 2008 from http://www.public.asu.edu/~fgelgi/ai/ai_mind/ai_mind_ess.htm. New York University Office of Public Affairs (2008). Human mind product of chaotic evolutionary path, NYU psychology professor concludes in new book. Retrieved July 5, 2008 from http://www.nyu.edu/public.affairs/releases/detail/2087. Priddy, R. (1999). The mind-computer analogy. Retrieved July 5, 2008 from http://home.no.net/rrpriddy/lim/13.html. Searle, J.R. (1980). Minds, brains, and programs. Retrieved July 5, 2008 from http://members.aol.com/NeoNoetics/MindsBrainsPrograms.html. Technology Research News (2005). Pattern recognition: computers and human communications. Retrieved on July 4, 2008 from http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2005/030905/HIW_Pattern_Recognition_030905.html.