The Organic Food Industry Has Gained A Great Deal Of...

The organic food industry has gained a great deal of customers over the past few years. Consumers commonly follow popular word of mouth marketing and the organic food industry has established a name for itself. Claiming to be better for overall health and wellness, the industry has made more people want to incorporate a variety of organic foods into their diets. Though claims may hold valuable truth, do organic groceries truly benefit people more than the conventional foods that many have grown up with? Consumers should be advised of the lack of benefits they receive when purchasing organic groceries in comparison to conventional groceries. To begin, people buy organic produce with the intention to maintain their health, but is it truly†¦show more content†¦By the end of the experiment, Hoefkens and her team were able to conclude that the organically grown vegetables suffered more damaging consequences than conventional vegetables.2 The antioxidant agents were also much lowe r after the cooking processes. The results demonstrated, in terms of antioxidant properties present, that there was no added benefit of consuming the organic vegetables in comparison to the conventional vegetables. Moreover, the publication J Science of Food and Agriculture, provided a study done in 2012 by Van de Vijver, et al. that focused their research on how consumers were affected while eating only organic foods. This study was conducted in the Netherlands via a free access online questionnaire.4 The questionnaire was exclusively advertised places where people who bought organic foods would see such as advertisements in organic vegetable bags. The questionnaire gave instruction to participants to include health effects they noticed from eating organic.4 Of the 592 questionnaires, 25 were excluded for not providing information based on the questions, thus a total of 566 questionnaires were obtained for data.4 Results found 30% of respondents reported no health effects from eati ng organic, while 70% did.4 Out of a sub-group who were instructed by their physicians to switch to an organic diet due to health issues, 45% stated they had felt better overall, but the initial illness did notShow MoreRelatedOne Of The Largest Mergers Of 2015 Was The Merger Of The1364 Words   |  6 Pagesprimary shareholders of Heinz - 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway, own about 51% of the total shares of the new company while Kraft owns the remaining shares. The merger of these two food giants, collectively known as The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC) was finalized at a whopping sum of $45 billion making it the third largest food and beverage company in North America. The company is co-headquartered in both Pittsburg and Chicago to help retain its relationship with their respective communities. The costsRead MoreGiant Foods Case Analysis1681 Words   |  7 PagesPROMOTION PROMOTION FOR WHICH ITEM FINANCIAL ANALYSIS THANK YOU NOTE 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ï‚› Frozen food division (FFD) is the key contributor to Giant Consumer Product s (GCP) profits which have successfully grown over the past 30 years. The company has two main products lines, Italian frozen dinner â€Å" DinardoTM†, and organic frozen foods â€Å"Natural mealsTM †. However, recently FFD has encountered a shortfall in sales volume and gross revenues. Now, Allan Capps the CEO of GCP is hesitant aboutRead MoreProduction Process And Nutritional Value Of The Foods1850 Words   |  8 Pagesthe production process and nutritional value of the foods they consume. Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market is an international supermarket chain that specializes in organic foods and products. As early as 1984, Whole Foods began expanding across the South and, soon afterwards, expanded to major cities around the U.S. with new stores and strategic acquisitions. Although organic grocers and health stores existed prior to Whole Foods’ founding, founder and CEO John Mackey was the firstRead MoreA Company Of Organic Skin Care And Home Products1572 Words   |  7 PagesIntro to our company: We are a company of organic skin care and home products as well as products that supports a healthy life style. Our company is called Eden organics. We believe that life is about balance and the need to take care of our body, health and living space. With balance in all these areas can bring peace and make one feel better and have more energy for day to day living. We desire to provide customers with products that are friendly for their skin and products that can help themRead MoreCountdown1478 Words   |  6 Pagesis New Zealand’s leading supermarket brand, providing customers with a variety of groceries line. Countdown has over 160 supermarkets across New Zealand supported by over 18,000 team members. The company delivers customers a choice of more than 20,000 different products in each of stores. The first Countdown supermarket opened in Northlands, Christchurch at 31 December 1981. This business was established by Rattrays Wholesale and gained momentum through the 1980s. The Rattrays Wholesale GroupRead MoreWhole Food Market in 2008:Vision, Core Values and Strategy1945 Words   |  8 Pages Question No. 1 What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? Use Strategy Diamond to explain this part. ARENAS: †¢ Product: The company has a broad range of products including Natural and organic items like beverages, snacks, frozen items, Meat and poultry, Dairy Products, Fresh Sea food, baked products, coffees, cheese and different supplements,  etc †¢ Market Segment: Health Conscious People of many ages and ethnic group Technology: BiodieselRead MoreWhole Foods Markets : Business And Society3257 Words   |  14 PagesUNIVERSITY Whole Foods Markets Business and Society Mohammed Abujabal, Audrey Bingaman, Michael Fassl, Alyssa Marshall, Sarah McCaw, Courtney Reiley April 20, 2015 Company History The origin of Whole Foods Market began as a small natural food store under the name Safer Way Natural Foods in Austin, Texas, in 1980. As interest in the natural food movement quickly grew, Safer Way soon merged with another local natural grocer. This union was called Whole Foods Market (â€Å"NewsroomRead MoreWhole Foods Strategy Analysis Essay2870 Words   |  12 PagesWhole Foods’ market strategy is built upon their fundamental differentiation from conventional supermarkets. We strive to meet our strategy by working under the motto of Whole Food, Whole People, Whole Planet. At Whole Foods we use a focused differentiation strategy to offer unique products to our customers in a narrowed market. We focus on selling high quality organic and healthy foods that our customers can feel comfortable eating at a higher price. Whole Foods’ competitors include Kroger, TraderRead MoreHonest tea Essay6615 Words   |  27 PagesABSTRACT The Honest Tea case is about an entrepreneur, Seth Goldman, who built a successful social venture in the alternative beverage industry. After building Honest Tea to become an industry leader, Seth faced with the decision of whether to merge with Coca-Cola and how to successfully manage the post-merger transition. Information about the alternative beverage industry and Seth’s use of social media is presented to help determine how Honest Tea can continue to grow after merging with Coke yet maintainRead MoreNestle Strategic Management2356 Words   |  10 PagesNow, the company has grown into the world’s leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company and its mission statement is Good Food, Good Life, which means providing consumers with the best-tasting, most nutritious choices in a wide range of food and beverage categories to suit any occasion. Nestlà © is present in 117 countries all over the world. Food and eating habits vary from country to country and region to region, as do flavour preferences. As they say, food is local. Nestlà © has several successful

Market Structures Perfect Competition, Monopoly,...

Executive summary The main purpose of this report is to introduce four market structures – perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly, and their determinations of price and output. It also discussed the possibility for firms to generate profits in the short-run and/or in the long-run within these four market structures. It will be shown in the discussion that both monopolistic and oligopolistic firms are able to generate profits in both short-run and long-run, while firms in perfect competition and monopolistic competition could only make profits in the short-run but not in the long-run. In the last section of the report, it provided a case of a Chinese monopolist in the railway service industry and talked about its pricing strategy when studying the monopolistic inelastic demand curve. 1. Introduction Identifying which type of market a firm is performing business in is important for a firm. Being in different types of the market will affect a firm’s ability to determine the price and thus generate profits. It also affects a firm’s ability to make profits in the long-run (Dietl 1998). In the case of China Railway Group Limited which will be discussed in this report, its monopolistic power helps it to regulate the prices of railway tickets as well as to achieve profits in the long-run. Hence, it is very vital and helpful for a firm to know which market it is in (Robert Cave 1999), in order to understand its power to set the monetary value. HavingShow MoreRelatedTypes of Competition1000 Words   |  4 Pagestypes of market structure: monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, and perfect competition. Although the list of market structures can be virtually unlimited, these four types are considered to be the basis for understanding the principles of market performa nce in different market conditions. Each of the four types of market structures possesses its benefits and drawbacks. In any of these markets, an entrepreneur can develop a strategy appropriate for conquering a part of the market niche. AlthoughRead MoreAn explanation of monopoly, oligopoly, perfect competition, and monopolistic competition - a detailed overview946 Words   |  4 PagesThe Australian market is a diverse economic ocean - it has different species of marine life (industries), different swells (market structure) and even hot and cold spots (public companies). One of the key determinates to a successful national economy is the structure of its markets. The main market structures are: 1. Monopoly 2. Oligopoly 3. Perfect Competition 4. Monopolistic Competition Each of these market structures have unique characteristics, and can be classified according to threeRead MoreDifferent Types Of Market Structures1413 Words   |  6 PagesMarket Structures A market is defined as an institution that brings together buyers (demanders) and sellers (suppliers) of a particular good or service. A Market structure is the relationship among the buyers and sellers of a market and how prices are determined through outside influences. There are four different types of market structures. Two on opposite extremes, and two comfortably in the middle. On one end is perfect competition, which acts as a starting point in price and output determinationRead MoreThe Types Of Market Structures1640 Words   |  7 PagesA market structure is where the physical characteristics of the market, where firms interact (). Market structures can highlight the criteria of firms, and express the barriers that they may face with entering. There are four types of competition across various market structures. The types of competition are perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. Each types of market structures are a direct reflection of t he current economic market state. When a company assessesRead MoreMarket Structures Of The Market1198 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION Market Structures are classified in term of the presence or absence of competition. When competition is absent, the market is said to be concentrated. There is a spectrum, from perfect competition to pure monopoly. Market structure is the physical characteristics of the market within which firms interact. It involves the number of firms in the market and the barriers to entry. Perfect competition, with an infinite number of firms, and monopoly, with a single firm, are polar oppositesRead MoreMarket Structure Of The Company Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesMarket Structure Introduction There are four types of market structures and they are monopoly, perfect competition, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly. What is a market structure? A market structure is â€Å"the makeup of the companies operating in a particular market.† Why is the market structure important to the producer as well as the consumer? It distinguishes the difference in seller numbers, buyer numbers, seller entry barriers, and buyer entry barriers. The main differences in market structuresRead MoreEssay on International Business Structure963 Words   |  4 Pagesrelating to market structures, these are oligopoly, monopoly, perfect competition and monopolistic competition. Each theory has its individual assumptions and norms. In turn, these theories will be analysed, compared and contrasted with real life examples. The market structure related to each business reflects the profit maximisation and productions of the firms. The demand curve will also vary depending on the market structure; MC=MR. Perfect competition is representative of a competitive market; customaryRead MoreThe Market Structures Of A Market Structure962 Words   |  4 Pagesfour market structures that function in the worldwide market. Each of these market structures correlates with one another to create the demand and supply of the market. However, these market structures have some unique traits that no other theory can have alike. Therefore, a comparison and contrast is necessary to distinguish each of these theories from one another. These market structures of the economy are perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly. These market structuresRead MoreEssay on Four Market Structures in Australia865 Words   |  4 PagesIndividual Essay Four Market Structures in Australia. NAME: LKHAGVASUREN KHURELBAATAR ID: EMV 20110 ------------------------------------------------- Individual Essay Four Market Structures in Australia. Introduction Market structure reflects all the most important aspects of the market - the number of firms in the industry, the type of product produced, the possibility to enter and exit of firms, number of customers, the ability of a single firm to influence the market price. The lowerRead MoreThe Competitive Strategy Of Titan1090 Words   |  5 Pagesone of four different market structures; perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly. The market structure an organization is grouped in is based on characteristics such as competition, products, and ease of entry into the market. Powerlifting is a specialized sport with only a few companies selling the custom equipment required. Titan is one of the companies that sell powerlifting equipment. The following paragraphs will identify which market structure Titan belongs to and

Environmental Management free essay sample

Design for the Environment Guide High performance ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems The ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (MESS) can be optimized by emphasizing resource efficiency and cleaner production. Advantages of building this high performance into your ISO 14001 system include reduced production costs, efficient use of materials and resources, and improved public image. This guide sheet includes examples of high performance systems from a variety of ISO 14001 MESS certified organizations. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, developer of the F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter, has had an environmental management system in place since 1992. What SO? The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created more than 8,000 internationally recognized standards for everything from paper sizes to film speeds. SO, which was founded in 1947 in Geneva, Switzerland, now has over 120 countries as members. What is the ISO 14001 standard? The development of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (MESS) standard was initiated in 1992 after the need to promote a common, international approach to environmental management was recognized. Earlier successful implementation of the ISO 9000 quality standards paved the way for expansion into the creation of MESS standards. ISO 14001 is a standardized environmental management system that has a number of requirements listed in clauses and subclasses. The MESS does not set requirements for environmental compliance or specific levels of pollution prevention. It does however, establish an MESS that includes all employees and builds in accountability, consistency, and continual improvement. The concept behind environmental management systems is based upon the plan-do-check-act model?environmental activities are planned (plan), they re carried out (do), progress is checked (check), then efforts are adjusted accordingly (act). Optimizing IS 4001 MESS clauses The ISO 14001 MESS standard contains four main sections, or clauses. The first three clauses contain a definition of the scope, space for normative references, and definitions. The fourth clause contains the environmental management system requirements and expectations of the standard. Under each subclasses, examples Adoption of an MESS at an organization can yield varying levels of success depending upon how the system is initially established. The greatest opportunities for optimizing n MESS system can be found in the following five subclasses of the MESS requirements (clause 4): environmental policy; environmental aspects; planning objectives and targets; training, awareness and competence; and operational control. These subclasses identify and establish activities directly related to environmental performance. Are given from companies that have moved beyond compliance to optimize the system by including: resource efficiency waste reduction cleaner production ISO 14001 MESS 4. 2 Environmental Policy According to ISO 140001 subclasses 4. 2, top management is the definer of the environmental policy for the system. The environmental policy must include a commitment to comply with regulations, and be available to the public in addition to other basic requirements. Examples of language used by successful MESS implementers in their policy statements to optimize their ISO 14001 systems are provided below. IBM Corporation. The IBM Corporation in San Jose, California, includes the following statement in their policy, Use development and maturating processes that do not adversely attest the environment, including developing and improving operations and technologies to minimize waste, prevent air, water, and other pollution, minimize health and safety risks, and dispose of waste safely and responsibly. This policy commitment to minimize waste has contributed to a number of environmental benefits. These benefits include an annual 73 percent reduction in solid waste and a 4 percent reduction in energy use per year in the facility. L Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. A section of the policy for the ISO 14001 MESS at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Palmdale, California, states, Prevent pollution, conserve resources, reduce waste, and recover or recycle resources where economically feasible. By implementing this policy, Lockheed Martin has been able to: eliminate ozone depleting compounds reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (Voss) by 80 percent reduce overall hazardous waste generation by 91 percent reduce toxic release inventory URI) chemicals by 91 percent In addition to these environmental benefits, the company has also benefited financially. After implementing ISO 14001, the companys hazardous waste disposal costs decreased from in 1991 to $375,000 in 1998. 1 Lucent Technologies. The ISO 14001 MESS policy at Lucent Technologies-Microelectronics Group in Allentown, Pennsylvania, includes a focus on pollution prevention. Lucent has achieved significant environmental cost benefits through its MESS. Along with materials recycling, Lucent has been able to reduce waste by: eliminating 4,100 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually avoiding the use of 1 55,000 gallons of water daily reducing energy use by 35,000 million Buts annually As a result of these efforts, Lucent has benefited from annual cost savings of $800,000. 4. 3. 1 Environmental Aspects (Planning) This subclasses requires an organization to identify aspects such as activities, reduces, or services that interact with the environment. Impacts on the environment that result from these aspects are then identified and ranked by significance. Determination of the companys environmental aspects can lead to future potential cost savings by identifying wastes and inefficiencies beyond those associated with regulatory concerns. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. At ELM Rare-Palmdale (Lockheed Martin), in order to identify which of their aspects have a significant impact, aspects are evaluated in terms of environmental safety and health impacts as well as business impacts. The probability of an impact occurring and the environmental constituted on next page sign tort the Environment quince of that impact are ranked low, medium, or high. Business impacts are evaluated in terms of compliance, costs, and stakeholder interest/concern and are also ranked low, medium, or high. The two scores are combined on a risk/significance matrix which yields a significance. Through this analysis, ELM Rappelled better understands the risk and significance of their environmental impacts and designs management responses accordingly. The capacity of an organization to know and understand the environmental impacts of their regulated and unregulated activities is another indicator of an improved system for public and environmental protection. l Pfizer Inc. A pharmaceutical manufacturer in Elitist, Pennsylvania, has integrated pollution prevention into their environmental aspects and impacts evaluations. One of the significance rankings for consideration of an environmental impact is based upon the amount of pollution prevention opportunities associated with it. 3 Pfizer 4. 3. 3 Objectives and Targets (Planning) Environmental objectives are overall quantified goals that an organization sets for itself. Targets identify specific detailed actions that need to be set in order t o achieve the objectives. The IBM-San Jose facility and the Artistic Plating plant offer examples of objectives and targets that go beyond legal requirements. IBM Corporation. IBM- San Jokes MESS demonstrates the potential to drive environmental performance beyond regulatory requirements through aspect and impact identification and objective and target setting. All of Bambina Jokes objectives and targets achieve results that are not compliance related or compliance driven. l The following table lists the facility aspects/impacts and objectives/targets. Aspect/almanac Objectives/Targets Energy use Conserve 4% electrical usage (kHz) Solid waste Recycle 73% of solid waste Recycle Water use to industrial waste Track site water use and trends Transportation (employee) Increase CEO Pass users by 10%, Commuter Check users by 25% Products (environmental impacts) Various objectives covered under Environmentally Conscious Product Strategy Water discharge Reduce wastewater discharge year to year indexed to production Chemical use Establish chemical use reduction committee and set target Hazardous waste discharges Reduce disposal amount year to year indexed to production Taken from California EPA, Report to Legislature: Seventh Quarterly Update, Cot. -May 2001 Artistic Plating. At the Artistic Plating plant in California, significant aspects were identified, targets were set, and the management system was established. As a result, the company was able to: eliminate the use of parenthetically reduce nitric acid use by 62 percent reduce the use of chrome, cyanide and liquid chrome by 50 percent According to the company, Overall of the performance enhancements went beyond legal requirements, suggesting the reason for the achievement is the MESS, and the recess it established. 1 4. 4. 2 Training, awareness, and competence (Implementation) Appropriate training for employees in relation to their roles and responsibilities can generate environmental benefits for the organization. The emphasis and degree of this training determines how effective it will be. Plant in Fairfield, California, attributes its significant progress in water conservation to comprehe nsive training. Through the training program, employees become aware of the impact that their Job assignments and duties have on the environment. This impact is recognized in the companys Standard Operating Procedures. Better awareness by employees of the environmental impacts of their Jobs and the environmental objectives articulated in their MESS appears to have resulted in the Enhances-Busch Fairfield brewery being the lowest water user and wastewater discharger within Enhances-Bushs 12 breweries. l Enhances-Busch. The Enhances- Busch 4. 4. 6 Operational Control (Implementation) Operational controls ensure that activities associated with significant environmental aspects are in line with the organizations environmental policy, objectives, and targets. This subclasses ensures that procedures along with operating criteria are commenced and maintained so that objectives and targets are met. Optimized operational controls such as those at Lockheed Martin Rare-Palmdale can lead to significant benefit. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. At ELM Rare-Palmdale, chemical management and disposal are significant aspects and require extensive control. The major subclasses of the chemical control program involve the Chemical Control Board (CB) and the chemical control cribs. Their review includes an analysis of the SHE risk involved with the chemical, the need for the chemical, and a search for less toxic alternatives. The daily use of chemicals is racked and managed through a system of chemical control c ribs. Internally, the package-by-package tracking of chemical use provides operational control. .. The crib process also contributes to meeting pollution prevention goals. The accounting system reduces chemical usage and waste by ensuring that only necessary amounts of chemicals are provided to employees. This also has reduced the amount of chemicals that become waste due to shelf-life expiration. l Summary An ISO 14001 MESS builds ready access to documentation, consistency, accountability, and continual improvement into facility operations. It also offers a significant opportunity to drive resource efficiency, cost savings, and improved public relations. The examples describe companies that built language into their MESS to take them beyond the minimal requirements to leverage this opportunity for resource efficiency and cleaner production. A common principle to all these companies was the establishment of clear, measurable objectives to drive performance improvements References 1 . Http://www. Called. Ca. Gob/MESS/Publications/200117thQtr/ 2. Http://www. Deep. State. Pa. Us/Gob-awards/winners/19. HTML 3. Http://www. Deep. State. Pa. Us/Deep/depute/pollster/is014001/Pfizer/Pfizer. HTML

Pride and Prejudice Essays (453 words) - Mr. Darcy, Romance Novels

In fact, Pride and Prejudice was originally entitled First Impressions. However, the novel is not only about first impressions. Although we can find the first impressions about the characters through the first few chapters, this book shows us the effects of those impressions on the individual characters--prejudices of the characters. The story almost evenly describes the defects of Fitzwilliam Darcy who show "pride" at the beginning of the novel; he speaks carelessly and insultingly to Elizabeth Bennet, and George Wickham who deceives others on purpose and conceals his truthless character. Elizabeth misunderstood both of them at first because of her prejudice. At first I have assumed that the title of this novel alludes clearly to Darcy's "pride" and Elizabeth's "prejudice." I also thought that the novel tells how Darcy and Elizabath overcome their pride and prejudice. However, I realize that this over simplifies the author's purpose. We can certainly see that Elizabeth has "pride" as much as Darcy has. She is proud of her intelligence, comprehension and independence. Actually, Darcy's pride disappears quite a bit early in this novel. By chapter 6, he is starting to change his attitudes towards her. He is humbling himself to be close to her. This shows Darcy's change: "But no sooner had he made it to clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eye" (16 page) "He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing with her himself, attended to her conversation with others." From this point, Darcy's prejudice against Elizabeth begins to fade while her prejudice towards him still remains because he refused to dance with her at the ball. Her prejudice spreads throughout the book, and that prejudice is an outcome of her wounded pride. The main subject of this novel is courtship and marriage. Jane Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice, shows and indirectly criticizes the 18th century England's rural society and the pride of high class through several people's marriages who are in different social position. Although the novel talks about the marriage and courtship, it's main focus is on pride and prejudice that complicates marriage and courtship. This difficulty is apparant in Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. Elizabeth refuses to take Darcy's hand in marriage at first because she still has her prejudice towards Darcy. The happy ending of this novel suits the novel because it stresses the point that pride and prejudice can be overcome. Hence, nothing in Austin's novel is pointless or distracting from the main theme--pride and prejudice

French and Indians essays

French and Indians essays The French and Indian War was caused by the worldwide struggle for empire by France, Spain, and England. The fighting of these countries often times spilled over into North America, where colonist were dragged into three wars: King Williams War, Queen Annes War and King Georges War, these wars lasted between 1689 and 1748. With the threat of war breaking out in Europe, the prospect of more colonial warfare remained. To gather a plan of defense and to gain Iroquois as allies, representatives from seven colonies and the Iroquois League met in Albany, New York. During the Albany Congress the delegates adopted Benjamin Franklins Albany Plan of Union. However the colonial assemblies rejected the plan, fearing that it would cause a raise in taxes and give Great Britain an up hand in power. The Iroquois decided that the English were too disunited to defeat the French, would not commit their support. In 1749 land speculators bought land in Virginia, hoping that there would be a quick profit form its resale. The Virginians felt the need to protect their land so the built forts at the junction of Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela rivers- this is present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The French thought that the land was theirs as well, so of course this caused some friction between the British and French. During the friction the French decided to dive the Virginians off of the land. Once the Virginians were off the land they completed the fort and named it Fort Duquesne. This outraged, Lieutenand Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia sent George Washington and a company of militia to send the French from the area. But the French but up a good fight for the land. The British was just as determined to keep the land so they sent General Braddock, Washington and a large force of British and colonial soldiers to take Fort Duquesne back for their own. The colonial forces however were ve ...

Shawn Hornbeck Kidnapping

Shawn Hornbeck Kidnapping It was a shocking discovery that prompted an emotional response from even the veteran police officers who made it. Looking for a boy who had been kidnapped four days earlier, they found another boy who had been missing for four years. But the miraculous recovery of the missing teen immediately raised as many questions as it answered. On January 12, 2007, the investigation into the disappearance of a 13-year-old Missouri boy  who was last seen four days before getting off the school bus, resulted in the discovery of Shawn Hornbeck, 15, in an apartment near St. Louis. Police serving an arrest warrant in an apartment complex for another person  spotted a white pickup truck that matched the description of one being sought in the disappearance of Ben Ownby, who was last seen near his home in Beaufort, Missouri, about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis. Why Didnt He Escape? When police served a search warrant on the apartment of Michael Devlin, listed as the owner of the pickup truck, they found Ben Ownby along with Hornbeck, who disappeared in October 2002 while riding his bike in Richwoods, Missouri, about 50 miles southwest of St. Louis. Immediately questions were raised as to how Devlin was able to hold Shawn Hornbeck in an apartment for four years without him being able to get away, although he had several opportunities to escape. Neighbors reported seeing young Hornbeck hanging around outside of his apartment complex, unsupervised. He would also ride along the neighborhood streets on his skateboard or bike, alone or with a friend from the complex. When he was nearing the age to get a drivers license, neighbors saw Devlin giving him driving lessons. Most assumed that they were father and son. Hornbeck also had contact with the police four times during his captivity. One time he spoke to the police after he and his girlfriend discovered that his bike had been stolen while parked outside of a shopping mall.   He also had access to a computer and posted on the website dedicated to Hornbeck that his parents put up. He asked in his post how long they would keep looking for their son and he signed it with the name Shawn Devlin. Why didnt he run away? Why didnt he reach out for help? Deal With the Devil When Michael Devlin pleaded guilty in four different courtrooms to charges related to kidnapping and assaulting the two boys, the answers to those questions were revealed. Shortly after Devlin kidnapped Hornbeck, back in 2002, he planned to kill the boy after repeatedly sexually assaulting him. He took Shawn back to Washington County in his pickup truck, he pulled him from the truck and began to strangle him. I attempted to kill (Shawn) and he talked me out of it, Devlin said. He stopped choking the boy and sexually assaulted him again. In what prosecutors called a deal with the devil, Shawn told Devlin at that time that he would do whatever Devlin wanted him to do to stay alive. We know now the details that made him not run away, said Shawns stepfather, Craig Akers. Over the years, Devlin used many methods to control Shawn. The details of the abuse Shawn endured are so horrific and graphic that it was not released by most media outlets, although the reports were readily available. Devlin admitted to making pornographic photographs and videotapes of Shawn and taking him across state lines to engage in sex acts. To continue to control Shawn, Devlin took him with him when he abducted Ben Ownby in January 2007, telling Shawn that because he was in the truck he was an accomplice to the crime. Shawn Protected Ben Ownby Authorities said Shawn was a hero, who tried to protect Ben Ownby from the torture that he had to endure. Devlin told Shawn that he planned to kill Ownby after keeping him a short time. I think that Shawn Hornbeck is really a hero, Ethan Corlija, one of Devlins attorneys, told reporters. He really threw himself on the sword many times so Ben would not have to go through any undue torture. Devlin entered guilty pleas to dozens of charges in four different courts. At last count, he received 74 life sentences to run consecutively, which will keep him in prison the rest of his life. Were just so glad this is the outcome, that the monster is caged and will remain caged, said Craig Akers.

Shawn Hornbeck Kidnapping

Shawn Hornbeck Kidnapping It was a shocking discovery that prompted an emotional response from even the veteran police officers who made it. Looking for a boy who had been kidnapped four days earlier, they found another boy who had been missing for four years. But the miraculous recovery of the missing teen immediately raised as many questions as it answered. On January 12, 2007, the investigation into the disappearance of a 13-year-old Missouri boy  who was last seen four days before getting off the school bus, resulted in the discovery of Shawn Hornbeck, 15, in an apartment near St. Louis. Police serving an arrest warrant in an apartment complex for another person  spotted a white pickup truck that matched the description of one being sought in the disappearance of Ben Ownby, who was last seen near his home in Beaufort, Missouri, about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis. Why Didnt He Escape? When police served a search warrant on the apartment of Michael Devlin, listed as the owner of the pickup truck, they found Ben Ownby along with Hornbeck, who disappeared in October 2002 while riding his bike in Richwoods, Missouri, about 50 miles southwest of St. Louis. Immediately questions were raised as to how Devlin was able to hold Shawn Hornbeck in an apartment for four years without him being able to get away, although he had several opportunities to escape. Neighbors reported seeing young Hornbeck hanging around outside of his apartment complex, unsupervised. He would also ride along the neighborhood streets on his skateboard or bike, alone or with a friend from the complex. When he was nearing the age to get a drivers license, neighbors saw Devlin giving him driving lessons. Most assumed that they were father and son. Hornbeck also had contact with the police four times during his captivity. One time he spoke to the police after he and his girlfriend discovered that his bike had been stolen while parked outside of a shopping mall.   He also had access to a computer and posted on the website dedicated to Hornbeck that his parents put up. He asked in his post how long they would keep looking for their son and he signed it with the name Shawn Devlin. Why didnt he run away? Why didnt he reach out for help? Deal With the Devil When Michael Devlin pleaded guilty in four different courtrooms to charges related to kidnapping and assaulting the two boys, the answers to those questions were revealed. Shortly after Devlin kidnapped Hornbeck, back in 2002, he planned to kill the boy after repeatedly sexually assaulting him. He took Shawn back to Washington County in his pickup truck, he pulled him from the truck and began to strangle him. I attempted to kill (Shawn) and he talked me out of it, Devlin said. He stopped choking the boy and sexually assaulted him again. In what prosecutors called a deal with the devil, Shawn told Devlin at that time that he would do whatever Devlin wanted him to do to stay alive. We know now the details that made him not run away, said Shawns stepfather, Craig Akers. Over the years, Devlin used many methods to control Shawn. The details of the abuse Shawn endured are so horrific and graphic that it was not released by most media outlets, although the reports were readily available. Devlin admitted to making pornographic photographs and videotapes of Shawn and taking him across state lines to engage in sex acts. To continue to control Shawn, Devlin took him with him when he abducted Ben Ownby in January 2007, telling Shawn that because he was in the truck he was an accomplice to the crime. Shawn Protected Ben Ownby Authorities said Shawn was a hero, who tried to protect Ben Ownby from the torture that he had to endure. Devlin told Shawn that he planned to kill Ownby after keeping him a short time. I think that Shawn Hornbeck is really a hero, Ethan Corlija, one of Devlins attorneys, told reporters. He really threw himself on the sword many times so Ben would not have to go through any undue torture. Devlin entered guilty pleas to dozens of charges in four different courts. At last count, he received 74 life sentences to run consecutively, which will keep him in prison the rest of his life. Were just so glad this is the outcome, that the monster is caged and will remain caged, said Craig Akers.

Incident of Morales video Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Incident of Morales video - Assignment Example When Phaust’s management is confronted by the ethical issues involved in hiring a critical person from the rival business the person in charge Chuck replies that Fred is under no non-disclosure agreement with Chemitoil. The ethical implications of such a decision are clear and should be avoided as far as possible. In a similar manner the management at Phaust finds out that Chemitoil is about to release a new paint remover known as â€Å"Easy Strip† so they decide to brand their own product as â€Å"Strip Teasy† which sounds similar to the original product’s name. The contention is to promote sales by blurring out the customer’s brand distinction so that customers going for Chemitoil’s product may accidentally buy Phaust’s product too. This is an ethically repugnant method to boost sales and represents an ethical dilemma even if the legal department allow it. Once the plant was cleared for construction, it was situated in Mexico in orde r to take clear advantage of the more lax environmental laws. The implementation of less stringent environmental laws would allow Phaust to construct the plant at a far lower cost than the cost of construction in the United States. While this would benefit Phaust in the short and long run but such a decision would be very detrimental to the interests of many stakeholders in Mexico such as labour unions, people living in the adjacent localities, workers working at the plant amongst others. It was Phaust’s ethical responsibility to evaluate its decision and to match up salaries, environmental protection and the like before creating a plant in Mexico because ethical constraints demand as such. As the construction of the plant proceeds the construction team is faced with the decision of lining the evaporating ponds in order to discourage the infiltration of hazardous substances to drinking water nearby. There are no environmental protection laws in Mexico to supplant or require s uch a commitment but it was the ethical responsibility of the construction team to ensure that the local drinking water supply was not affected by their actions. Failure to comply with ethical standards in order to curb costs reflects on the low ethical standards employed at Phaust. Moreover Phaust is represented as possessing a culture of speed over safety. Though upper management might feel that this stratagem would promote efficacy and reduce waste but the implications are opposite to the desired effects. The promotion of speed forced Fred to design a conventional plant using conventional design pressures and temperatures. Forcing the design team beyond their means in order to save time was an unethical violation of norms at Phaust. This in turn forced the construction and design teams to work up a design that was not up to the job as the new product from Chemitoil was analysed. The construction phase of the plant was filled up with unethical conduct as well. The procurement of e xpensive control systems from a person related to the higher management at Phaus is a clear violation of the code of ethics for engineering procurement. Utilising the money in one such section would drain the construction in other places and the video shows this clearly as it proceeds. Similarly the uncalled for budget cuts across the board were uncalled for and unethical to say the least as not formal assessments or evaluations were undertaken to determine the amount of cuts required. The removal of

Marco Polo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marco Polo - Essay Example "Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus and other explorers couldn't resist the urge to trade in goods that they could not find at home, such as precious metals, spices and silks." (Jones, 100) Marco Polo has always been regarded as making a more important contribution to the Western world as he found the significant silk root to China to pioneer the explorations of the East. Apart from the contributions he made through his various explorations, Marco Polo also made a commendable input to the world of explorers through his book Il Milione, also known as Oriente Poliano. In other words, he is considered the most famous Western explorer who excelled the other voyagers with his determination, his writing, and influence over the following generations. Thus, this great explorer of the Europe travelled on the Silk Road to reach further than his predecessors, and explore the new land of China, and returned to his land to narrate the tales of his explorations that later became the greatest travelo gue to humanity. Bartolomeu Diaz (c. 1450 - 1500), the Portuguese navigator, has been remembered as the first explorer to round the Cape of Good Hope, which was considered an unattainable task. Diaz's name is written in golden letters in the history of European explorations as he was one of the great Portuguese sailors who helped find the south-eastern sea route between Western Europe and Asia. "The first European to see the stormy Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa was Bartholomew Diaz (or Dias), a courageous Portuguese sea captain and explorer. Diaz was one of the great Portuguese seamen who helped find the south-eastern water route between Western Europe and Asia." (Bartolomeu Dias (or Diaz): Portuguese Adventurer & Explorer) He was master to Vasco da Gama as well as he pioneered the later expeditions of the East through the African coast. Vasco da Gama (1460-1524), the Portuguese explorer, discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East and his explorations were proved significant for the later European exploration and colonization of the East. His voyage from Portugal to India eventually helped the European Imperial and colonial interests to make him a famous explorer of Europe. Starting his sail from Lisbon, Portugal, in 1497, Vasco da Gama rounded African Cape of Good Hope to reach Calicut, India, in 1498. Though he was well-received in India in the beginning, da Gama left the land in 1498, when he was asked to pay a large tax and leave all of his trading goods. "When he left, da Gama took his goods with him, together with some Indian hostages. Upon his return, da Gama was treated as a hero and was rewarded by the king." (Vasco da Gama: Explorer) Christopher Columbus (1451 -1506) was another Italian explorer who made significant voyages across the Atlantic which resulted in the European discovery of the American continents. There is a distinct and unrivalled place for Columbus in the history of exploration and voyages. It is mainly the characteristics of his explorations and the great spirit of exploration to give a shining model to the following explorers that Columbus is mainly known. Examining the mostly southward voyages of the Portuguese into the Atlantic and Africa, Columbus realized that the sail westward would ultimately get to India and he took the different root. "The fundamental difference between

James Baldwin Essay Example for Free

James Baldwin Essay Has writing ever changed your life? Have you wondered about the author of the amazing work? James Baldwin was the author of books, plays, and essays that broke literary ground. His work explored social and racial issues regarding discrimination. James Arthur Baldwin was born in Harlem, New York in August 2, 1924 to Emma Berdis Jones and an unknown father. His stepfather was David Baldwin, a Baptist preacher and a factory worker. Baldwin grew up with an abusive father and a poor family with eight siblings. He wrote and edited the school magazine at his middle school, Frederic Douglass Junior High, at the age of 11. At the ages of 14 through 16, Baldwin was a Pentecostal preacher at Pentecostal Church, delivered by the difficulties of life, as well as his abusive stepfather, who was also a preacher. At the age of 15, a running buddy, Emile Capouya, recommended the young Baldwin to meet Beauford Delaney, an American modernist painter. Delaney became Baldwin’s mentor, living proof that African-American artists exist and that he could become one himself. You might be wondering what Baldwin achieved in young adulthood as he matured into the revolutionary writer he became. After attending high school, Baldwin started a string of ill paid jobs, self-study, but earned a literary apprenticeship in New York City. Around the age of 20, Baldwin moved to Greenwich Village, New York a popular home of African American artists and writers. While in New York, he befriended Richard Wright, a fellow African-American writer. At the age of 21, Baldwin landed a fellowship through Wright. He started to publish his first essays and short stories (ex: The Nation, Partisan Review, and Commentary). Three years later, at the age of 24, Baldwin moved to Paris on another fellowship. His personal life was lonely. He once loved Lucien Happersberg, a Swiss artist that he lived with while he stayed in Switzerland. He was single and had no children. His personal hobbies included writing and reading which lead to his writing career. He enjoyed writing poems, essays, short stories, and plays that were against discrimination. Baldwin was one of the leading voices in the civil rights movement. His work broke literary ground by influencing others. Maya Angelou called Baldwin her friend and brother and was greatly influenced by his work. He was especially well known for his essays on the black experience in America. He provided an unflinching look at the black experience in America through his work. Nobody Knows My Name, one of Baldwin’s touching books, hit the best-sellers list, selling more than a million copies. Early on December 1, 1987, Baldwin died of esophageal cancer in Saint-Paul-de-Venice, France. He was buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, near New York City. Baldwin was cheerful and active days before his death, hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. He had continued to write until his death at the age of 63. He had finished Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings, and had published The Price of the Ticket in 1985, just two years from his death. James Baldwin was an influential person. I learned that anyone can change things within and without your reach with determination. I was impressed that he was eager to change people’s perspectives of the world around them. The lesson that I learned from him was that one should do the right thing in bad situations. James Baldwin was a truly amazing person.

Summary of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay -- Maya Angelou Liter

Summary of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya recalls an Easter Sunday at the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in Arkansas. Her mother makes her a special Easter dress from lavender taffeta, and Maya thinks the dress will make her look like the blond-haired blue-eyed movie star that she wishes, deep down, to be. But, the dress turns out to be drab and ugly, as Maya laments that she is black, and unattractive as well. She leaves her church pew to go to the bathroom, and doesn't make it; she runs from the church, ashamed, but glad to be out of church and away from the children who torment her, and make her childhood even harder than it already is. Analysis: One of the main themes of this chapter is race and appearance; Maya already establishes that she wanted to be a movie-star looking white girl as a child, and tried to deny her real appearance. Connected with the idea of race is beauty, as Maya describes images of blond hair and blue eyes as the paragon of beauty, and says her appearance is merely a "black ugly dream" that she will wake out of. Maya seems to have been an imaginative child, as she envisions her "head [bursting] like a dropped watermelon" from trying to hold her bladder. Angelou shows a talent for using images to explain and clarify feelings, and employing her descriptive powers to make even mundane incidents very vivid. This autobiography, which covers Maya's life from age 3 to age 16, is often considered a bildungsroman since it is primarily a tale of youth and growing into young adulthood. However, unlike a typical, novel-form bildungsroman, the story does not end with the achievement of adulthood; Angelou continues to write about her life in four other volumes, all addressing her life chronologically from her childhood to the accomplishments of her adulthood. It is important to keep in mind that this is an autobiography, rather than a novel, and that the narrator and the author are indeed one and the same, and the events described in the book are intended to relate a very personal portrait of a person's life. Chapter 1: Summary: Maya says that when she was three years old and her brother was four, they were sent from their father in California to their paternal grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. They were eventually embraced by the town, and lived at the back of the store that their grandmother and uncle owned and ran. ... ...al and flawed. The images and words chosen to represent St. Louis tell of the children's fear of this new place, and their apprehension at being taken to live with someone they don't know. The "crowded-together, soot-covered buildings" are completely alien, and a bit bleak to them. They may have been driving "to Hell" for all the children knew, with their uncertainty and fear coloring the strange landscape. She begins to believe in "Grownups' Betrayal," as again they are being let down by their father; her tone reveals her hurt and bitterness at being reclaimed by their father, only to be sent away once again. Angelou describes her mother as being like "a hurricane in its perfect power," or "the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow"; these metaphors convey that Maya's mother is a flawless work of nature, vibrant, powerful, and very beautiful. Maya seems to admire her from afar, too, like you would admire a rainbow from afar; but the instant power of the children's love for her is encapsulated in the two cliched phrases "struck dumb" and "love at first sight." Although Maya might feel a bit distant from her mother, nevertheless the love she feels brings them a little closer.

Paparazzi: An Embarassing Part of American Culture Essay

Imagine living in a fish bowl. Every move you make, magnified by the glass surrounding your whole existence; every flick of your hand, exaggerated by the bubble that surrounds you; every little notion taken and dissected by the ones distantly observing you outside the fish bowl. Not such a pretty experience for somebody so vulnerable and meek. However, why do we, as a society, feel it is ok for celebrities to be treated with such cruelty, and such blatant disrespect for privacy? We may not realize it, but celebrities are now like small, vulnerable fishes living in a world that, much like a fish bowl, does not give them any smidgen of privacy. This is not anything new. We see it in the hottest gossip columns, in those cheap tabloids, and in those entertainment-themed television shows each and every day: paparazzo stalking celebrities who have now become household names. Paparazzi and their stalker-like tendencies, are part of American culture, they have been imbedded in the veins of our society. Tabloids and paparazzi shots are ordinary to American culture, for some people, they part of everyday life. And because we find it so common and ordinary, we forget that this is not the case in the rest of the world. In most Asian countries, celebrities are appreciated for their craft, and they are given much respect and are treated with much accord. Although there are a lot of gossip columns, they retrieve information based largely through simple interviews with the celebrities. However, the trend in American celebrity journalism (if you could even call it that), is sensationalism. And to make these odd and exaggerated claims more believe, a picture, unfortunately, is given as proof. Take for example, pictures of Brad Pitt walking nude while on vacation in some island circulating the internet. Mr. Pitt has never allowed himself to be shot (in a movie or for a photo shoot) completely naked, exposing even his private parts; but with the paparazzi’s intrusion of his privacy, he now has his nude pictures scattered all over the internet. My point is simple; paparazzi and the pictures they take are very intrusive and give absolutely no respect to celebrities. And the reason why paparazzi continue on stalking the most popular celebrities is because they get huge paychecks for one controversial picture. They are making a living out of these celebrities pictures, and they even get perks like free trips to wherever the celebrity they are tasked to follow plans on vacationing. Tabloids are willing to pay huge amounts of money for these pictures because they get higher sales when they print more intrusive and more controversial pictures. So in the end, it is not just the paparazzi’s fault, it is not just the tabloids’ fault, it is the fault of the American public who purchase and show interest in these tabloids and pictures. And just like any other positive movement, a single person convinced to stop wasting their time and money on these intrusive pictures, is a big help in finally putting a stop on this embarrassing industry of ugly journalism and disrespect for the basic right to privacy. Main Point: Paparazzi shots and sensationalism is an embarrassing and intrusive part of the American journalistic world, and of American culture. Summary: Paparazzi and their stalker-like tendencies, are part of American culture, they have been imbedded in the veins of our society. Unlike in Asian countries where celebrity journalism is less intrusive and maintains respect toward celebrities’ privacy, the trend in American celebrity journalism is sensationalism. Tabloids are willing to pay huge amounts of money for these pictures because the American public patronizes the more intrusive, more controversial photos. The American people should stop wasting time and money on this embarrassing part of American culture.

Persecution in the Early Church

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that one of the factors that the early church grew was because of persecution. However, this was not the only factor. The faith of those who followed Jesus Christ transcended the state of Christianity and helped it grow exponentially in the first centuries. Introduction Christianity today has millions of followers. In the early stages of Christianity, this wasn't always the case. How and why did it spread? Nowadays, many convert to Christianity for various reasons. Following the death of Jesus Christ, the persecution of Christians in the early church did not hinder or eliminate the growth of Christianity, on the contrary, there is a direct correlation between the persecution and growth of Christianity in the early church. However, persecution was only one reason, of all the many reasons that helped the early church grow. It was the apostle Paul who said, â€Å"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for is the power of God unto salvation . . . to the Jew first and also to the Greek† (Rom. 1:16). There was no power or empire on earth that was going to stop the growth of Christianity. In as little as three centuries, Christianity became the religion of preference and eventually the official religion of the Roman Empire. According to K. S. Latourette, â€Å"The complete story of the spread of Christianity in the first couple of centuries cannot be entirely told, for there is not sufficient data to write it.† Moreover, what can be told is that within the first five centuries Christianity became the dominant religion. Christianity began in the Roman Empire and became one of the major systems of belief. The irony of the intolerance of Christianity was that most cultures of the time accepted all sorts of deities. When the Apostle Paul stood before the Aeropagus he makes mention that the people of Athens were religious people in the sense that they had many Gods. The author F. F. Bruce states, â€Å"Paul was brought and invited to expound his teaching.† The Apostle Paul said, â€Å"As I was walking through your city and observing your objects of worship I found an altar bearing the inscription: â€Å"to an Unknown God† (Act 17:23). The number of gods and objects that were worshiped was so vast, that the people of Athens even had an altar made to someone who was unknown, just to make sure they hadn't forgotten anyone. Even with the vastness of religions, somehow Christianity was an outcast in the middle of a plurality of religions. Century after century of persecution, which in some cases occurred in isolated areas, and other times was empire driven, the Roman Empire was bent on eradicating Christianity. How is it that Christianity continued to grow in spite of the onslaught of persecution that occurred? According to Phillip Schaff, there are at least ten major persecutions that stand out in the early church. Here are the ten Roman Emperors who initiated those persecutions:Nero (64-68) PersecutionDomitian (81-96)Trajan (112-117)Marcus Aurelius (161-180)Septimus Severus (202-210)Decius (250-251)Valerian (257-59).Maximinus (235-38)Aurelian (r. 270–275)Diocletian and Galerius (303-324)A Brief Summary of Some of the Notable Roman Emperor Driven Persecutions (Nero 64-68AD).According to Everett Ferguson, the apostles Paul, Peter, and James were all killed within five years of one another in the m id-sixties. James was killed by the Jerusalem authorities while Peter and Paul were executed in Rome under Nero (64-68 AD). After Nero's persecution of Christians (64 AD), Paul is never heard of again. James â€Å"the brother of the Lord†, as the leader of the Jerusalem church and was respected by his followers, however, in 62 AD, he was assassinated under the authority of the Jewish high priest. In the year 66, the Jews rebelled against the Roman authority and â€Å"refused to perform the daily sacrifice for the emperor.† Four years later, the Emperor Vespasian's forces, led by Titus, completely plundered and destroyed Jerusalem. At this point, the leadership of Christianity was seemingly wiped out. There would be no logical reason for Christianity to grow now that the leadership was dead. Millard J. Erickson writes that Christians knew, â€Å"one salient dimension of God's preservation is that the believer is not spared from danger or trial, but is preserved within it. There is no promise that suffering or persecution will not come, but rather that they would not prevail against them.† The Apostle Paul affirms this reasoning when he states, â€Å"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ† (Rom. 8:35). â€Å"Persecution† is assumed in his statement following this verse, and he ends with this summary, â€Å"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord† (Rom. 38-39). Approximately, five centuries before this, the same faithful stance resonated in Daniel's three friends before King Nebuchadnezzar in the face of a fiery furnace. It is here that one begins to grasp the starting point of why Christians would not compromise their faith even through persecution. Ekeke observes, â€Å"The persecution under Nero was confined to Rome, but this action set the tone for what would occur elsewhere in the Roman Empire.† Before killing the Christians, Nero would dress them in furs to be killed as animals while others were crucified. Christians were seen as mere animals in the eyes of Nero. The Letter of the Churches of Vienne and Lyons According to Ferguson, this letter is considered one of the most important letters of second-century martyr literature. â€Å"The persecution at Lyons is notable (1) for the first-hand account of the rage of the populace that resulted in exceedingly brutal experiences for Christians and (2) for a large number of martyrs, the Roman citizens beheaded and the rest condemned to the wild beast contests in the area.† Decius and Valerian The Roman empire fell on economic hard times, and in the fall of 249 A. D. Caius Messius Decius became head of the Roman Empire. Decius concluded that Roman gods had been neglected. He affirmed that the solution the Empire needed, was that all Roman temples should be reopened, and that all citizens needed to show their allegiance to the gods of Rome by worshiping at the shrines. The Christians refused to worship at the shrines, and their refusal was seen as an act of treason. Christianity, in the view of the emperor, had become a detriment to Roman society. When Valerian superseded Decius, within time it was clear that his agenda â€Å"was to destroy Christianity.† However, both Valerian and Decius true motives for wanting to get rid of Christianity were based seemingly on economic principles on the basis of trying to avoid further economic ruin. The suppression strengthened rather than weaken Christianity at the hands of Decius and Valerian. â€Å"For public opinion condemned the government's violence and applauded the passive resistance of the Christian.† Once again, the relentless efforts of the Emperors failed at destroying Christianity. At this time many Christians defied the Roman government and the bishops of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Rome were executed. Diocletian and Galerius (303-324)Diocletian is considered by historians to be one of the most brutal persecutors of Christians. Although he helped restore efficiency in government processes, such as but not limited to the economy, military, and administration, he also gave the order to eliminate Christianity from the Roman Empire (the irony of this is that his wife, Prisca, and his daughter, Valeria, were considered Christians), burn scriptures, ban Christian gatherings, and tear down church buildings. Diocletian also ordered the leaders of the church to be tortured, imprisoned and put to death. Galerius, the son-in-law of Diocletian (married to Valeria), and the Caesar who ruled the eastern part of the empire, was the one who convinced Diocletian to begin the persecution. By the year 311, Galerius came to finally realize the ineffectiveness of his attempt to wipe out Christianity. Although there were many Christians who recanted their faith in Christianity in the middle of facing martyrdom, thousands did not recant, and paid the ultimate price for the faith in Christ with their own blood. In effect, as persecution persisted, more and more Christians died for their faith. Diocletian's reign is considered one of the â€Å"last great persecution of the Christian church.† Some of the Reasons for PersecutionOne of the main reasons for hostility towards Christians was that the Christian ethic in itself was a criticism of pagan life. The Roman persecutions many times were in part, dependent on the political atmosphere. Moreover, â€Å"Out of the fifty-four emperors who ruled from 30 and 311, only about a twelve, persecuted Christians. . . It has been calculated that between the first persecution under Nero in 64 to the Edit of Milan in 313, Christians went through almost 130 years of persecution.† The Christian ethic went against all the pagan and immoral way of living propagated by the Roman Empire. Fundamental to the Christian lifestyle was the rejection of pagan gods. Both the Greeks and Romans had gods for all the natural and man-made elements. The denial of these elements â€Å"marked the followers of Jesus as â€Å"enemies of the human race.† Amongst other things, â€Å"Christians were accused of sexual sins and cannibalism.† Ferguson writes, â€Å"The presence of Christians had been the occasion of disturbance in Rome. Christian teaching threatened pagan society during the reign of Claudius. . . Under Nero, and in response to other blaming him for the great fire that destroyed much of Rome (64 AD), Nero blamed and punished Christians for the fire.† After Nero, Domitian was remembered in Christian writing as the next persecuting emperor. Correspondence between Pliny the Younger (governor of Bithynia the emperor, Trajan, states that Pliny executed those Christians who did not deny their Christian faith. In spite of all the efforts to eliminate and suppress Christianity, it remained a peaceful and powerful group in the Roman Empire. The author Alannis Nobbs states, â€Å"It is attested by the growing number of fragments of earlier Christian literary papyri, and it confirms the rapid spread of Christian activity.† One by one the persecutors of the Christians passed away, yet, Christianity kept growing. William Tabbernne writes of Eusebius, â€Å"God's restraining hand can always be replaced once God's purposes have been served, forcing evil tyrants, such as Maximinus II, to stop persecuting. More importantly, God can also raised up pro Christian Emperors, such as Constantine, who will protect, rather than persecute the church.† The push of Christianity was so powerful that its converts included Roman Emperors. Reasons why Christianity Spread in the First Couple of Centuries after Christ's DeathAgainst all logic, the spread of Christianity should have been stopped by the immoral belief systems of many Roman Emperors and the waves of persecution that bombarded the early church. Phillip Schaff writes: The chief positive cause of the rapid spread and ultimate triumph of Christianity is to be found in its own absolute intrinsic worth, as the universal religion of salvation, and in the perfect teaching and example of its divine-human Founder, who proves himself to every believing heart a Savior from sin and a giver of eternal life. Christianity is adapted to all classes, conditions, and relations among men, to all nationalities and races, to all grades of culture, to every soul that longs for redemption from sin, and for holiness of life. Its value could be seen in the truth and self-evidencing power of its doctrines; in the purity and sublimity of its precepts; in its regenerating and sanctifying effects on heart and life; in the elevation of woman and of home life over which she presides; in the amelioration of the condition of the poor and suffering; in the faith, the brotherly love, the beneficence, and the triumphant death of its confessors. With or without persecution, Christianity would have continued to spread throughout the world. Persecution either affirmed the early church in what they stood for or it drove them away. The moral teachings and power of the gospel brought hope to an empire that was on a downward spiral into immorality and economic ruin. People in general grew weary of the evil that was associated with the pagan gods, their own personal struggles, and the decline and cruelties of the Roman Emperors. What Christianity had to offer back then, as it does now, is hope. Not hope, for hope's sake, but hope in the very person for whom they were being persecuted. A hope not just for this physical life but for the eternal life offered by Christ. Christianity condemned the immoral practices of the Roman culture. The Christian appeal was one of loving your neighbor and your enemy. This ethic stood in stern contrast to the ideal or philosophy of that time. It was one of preserving not only the unity of marriage but the unity of the family. Most of the apostolic leadership lost their lives for the type of life that Christ offered. However, being a follower of Christ came at a cost. The apostle Paul wrote, â€Å"everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted† (2 Tim. 3:12). The apostle John wrote that Jesus said, if they persecuted Him, they will also persecute His followers (John 15:20). The Roman empire was one bent on the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, sensuality, and self-gain and self-interest. If truth is said, modern society has not changed much. Jesus said, â€Å"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you† (John 15:18-19). It is these types of enduring words that were etched in the hearts of those who were persecuted in the early church. Christians subscribed to a different lifestyle than what Roman society offered. What did Roman society offer? The apostle Peter says, â€Å"For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you† (1 Pet. 4:3-4). Peter depicts the current state of affairs of Roman society, and the reasons why Christians were hated and persecuted. For these and many other reasons the early church grew and multiplied until Rome could no longer ignore, suppress, kill off, the faith of those who were followers of Christ. Conclusion The early church grew for many reasons. Although persecution was not a willfully invited reason but rather one that was forced upon them, it is clear that despite hostility and persecution, Christianity continued to grow exponentially across the Roman Empire. An almost unwilling fact and the irony of the persecution is that the more the early church was persecuted, it continues to multiply. Terullian, was on point in saying â€Å"the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.† This same seed is being planted today in many countries who are both tolerant and intolerant to Christianity. The modern church just like the early church can continue to grow if their faith is anchored in Christ. It was true of then as is today. Christians who are faithful did not and will not compromise their faith anyone or anything. The Roman Empire could not sustain its decline and offered no answers to the question of salvation. The intolerance of Christianity helped it spread more because every time Christians rejected what the pagan driven culture offered, they had the opportunity to proclaim their faith in the risen Savior. It is important to also not that most of the early Christian converts were not only Jews but mostly Gentiles. These Gentiles were tired of the pagan religions of Rome and did not want to convert to Judaism (mainly because of its male circumcision and various laws on personal diet). Unlike most religions, Christianity offered something most didn't at the time, and this was Salvation. Salvation was maintained through accepting and remaining faithful to Christ. The light of many shined through faithfulness and was highlighted even more during their persecution.

International Economic Conditions in Ukraine

International Economic Conditions in Ukraine Introduction Ukraine is the largest country in Europe in terms of land mass. The country borders Belarus on the northwestern side, Russia from its eastern and northeastern side, and Black Sea from its southwestern side. Ukraine also borders Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. It continues to enjoy the second largest military body among all European nations.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on International Economic Conditions in Ukraine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The country has a population of about 45.4 million people. Most of the Ukrainian Christians are members of the Eastern Orthodoxy. Ukraine has a market economy that formed immediately after the planned economy of the former Soviet Union. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the economy of Ukraine began experiencing a major slump. Ukraine’s population also gradually became poor. In the efforts to curb this situation, the government success fully liberalized trade in 1991. The government also subsidized most of the public industries and the agricultural sector in the country. However, high rates of inflation grew speedily in 1990s to a hyperinflation. For example, Ukraine had the highest rate of inflation in the world within a period of one year. In 2008, the economy suffered the great economic crisis effects. As the paper reveals, the country is currently facing various international economic conditions. Ukraine and the International Trade Many countries have expanded their businesses to the global levels as a way of boosting their productivity. Ukraine is not an exception. As Dabrowski and Taran confirm, the country has been a major player, especially in the European Union (2). The major international trade partner to Ukraine is Russia. Other trade partners include Turkey, Italy, Germany, China, Poland, USA, France, and Turkmenistan among others. Ukraine is both an exporter and an importer of various goods to and fro m other countries.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The major exports from Ukraine include iron and steel, mineral fuels, oil, gasoline, nuclear reactors, machinery, cereals, tools, and base metals. Ukraine also imports goods from various nations in the world. Such commodities include mineral fuels and crude petroleum, nuclear reactors, vehicles, electronics, paper and paperboard, and articles of pulp (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 796). For several years before the onset of economic and political crisis, the economy of Ukraine was rated one of the best in Europe. The country has relied on imports to sustain its economy. Several factors come into play to necessitate the country’s imports. To begin with, Ukraine’s internal energy sources can only cater for 15% of its yearly energy needs (Dabrowski and Taran 6). This finding implies that Ukraine has to import energy sources, including oil, nuclear reactors, and electricity. Secondly, the forest cover in Ukraine is small and inadequate for its timber and wood product needs. Hence, for it to sustain its pulp, timber, and paper-dependent industries, it has to import wood products. Thirdly, Ukraine does not have the absolute advantage of manufacturing cars as the situation is witnessed in Germany and Japan. Therefore, it is economical for it to import cars from various nations of the world. Deploying the Heckscher-Ohlin model, a nation that is abundant in the production of a particular factor has the advantage of exporting the item it produces extensively. The model also affirms that a country will export goods that it produces intensively through resources that it is endowed with. This theory explains the iron, steel, grains, and grain products that Ukraine exports. Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr assert that Ukraine has abundant fertile farmland that it uses for the production of grains f or local markets and export (796). On the other hand, the demand for energy and energy products outdo the country’s local production.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on International Economic Conditions in Ukraine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bilateral trade between Ukraine and Russia can be seen from the specific factor model. Although, Russia has played a major role in positioning and projecting the economy of Ukraine, Russia’s gains are incomparable to the losses that Ukraine encounters (Dabrowski and Taran 4). According to the specific factor model, the international trade has the ability to change income distribution in countries. The result is the witnessed unleveled gains and losses by some people. For instance, the Russian economy is currently slumping due to the political crisis and demonstrations in Ukraine concerning Russian annexation of the Ukrainian land. Trade agreements that were signed by the two countries in the view of streamlining the economy of Ukraine have not taken off. Ukraine import cars and electronics from Russia since it has an absolute advantage over such products (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 796). Export of grains, iron, and steel to Russia does not compensate the gap. In fact, the population of Ukraine demonstrates regularly to press the government to cut its ties with Russia over the annexed land and political interference. Economic Conditions that affect Ukrainian International Trade Government Policies on International Trade The Ukrainian government has enacted protectionist policies to gain its international trade. For instance, the Ukrainian government has put tariffs on automobile imports (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 798). Although this move vehemently affects international trade with various countries such as Germany, Japan, and Russia, Ukraine has gained some milestones from it with reference to the Heckscher-Ohlin Model. For instance, the se laws have benefitted the local business, but not the international business.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Automobile tariffs make it prohibitive for Ukrainian importers and exporters to bring automobiles for sale. Such countries may opt to export their automobiles to other parts of the world consistent with the specific factor model of international trade where trade between one nation and the other may affect the partners in a way that one partner gains while the other loses. In this case, Ukraine has gained by imposing high trade tariffs on automobile imports. As a result, its automobile manufacturing industry has grown to the extent that the country can now export its household automobiles. In addition, owners and employees of Ukrainian automobile industries have benefitted from the protection policies that the government has imposed on automobile imports (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 798). The growth of the automobile industry implies more employment opportunities and technological advancement in the country. Moreover, the other consequence of automobile import tariff is that prices of Ukrainian automobiles such as cars have gone up very much. Cars are very expensive in Ukraine. Competition for car manufacturing is just within where few international motor dealers can penetrate the automobile markets in Ukraine. Therefore, exporting automobiles such as cars, airplanes, motorbikes, and other vehicles to Ukraine is a venture that the country’s international trade partners reject. With the imposition of steel tariffs by the World Trade Organization (WTO), prices went up for steel and steel products in the US where Ukraine imports its items. Since steel is used in the manufacturing industry, its rise in price is likely to affect exports from the manufacturing industry (Kostenko 56). Therefore, international trade policies are likely to affect the global business relationship between Ukraine and its partners. The implication is that the protectionist policies benefit the country that imposes them, as opposed to the situation with the specific model theory. Non- membership of Ukraine in the World Trade Organization According to Kyzym et al., although there has been an outcry in Ukraine for the country to join the WTO, it has not yet become a member (7). Lack of membership to the WTO makes the trade relationship between them strained. Ukraine is likely to face limitations when trading with the WTO members. Most of the trading partners of Ukraine are members of WTO, apart from Russia. However, its major trade partner (Russia) is on the verge of registering its membership in WTO (Kostenko 54). Therefore, Ukraine is likely to face protectionist rules in its trade with members of the WTO as a nonmember. Ukraine is not protected from the abuse of patent or trade disputes in the international markets. Therefore, whenever there is a trade dispute concerning quotas, protectionism, and duties between Ukraine and its partners, the situation remains at the partners’ mercies. Most of the trading partners such as China are also cautious of lack of surety that Ukraine puts on the table in trade relations. Membership in the WTO provides some confidence to traders in the international market (Kyzym et al. 8). The WTO rules bind all members. Hence, as a non-member, Ukraine cannot be bound by the rules and regulations of WTO whenever it contravenes them. Lack of membership to the WTO has negatively affected Ukraine’s imports and export processes. For example, there were embargoes on Ukraine grains in 2006 and 2007. This case contradicted the WTO regulations on exports. However, since Ukraine was a non-member, nothing could have been done. Trade Embargoes The impact of the 2006-2007 trade embargoes on Ukraine grains still affects its international trade (Kyzym et al. 22). According to the WTO, trade embargoes can only be applied when an exporter is suffering from a serious shortage of the commodity. However, no serious shortage of grains was witnessed in Ukraine during the period when it embargoed its grains. As a result, m ost of the exporters of grains from Ukraine suffered great losses and cancelation of international contracts. In addition, a general imbalance of grain products was witnessed in the international market. Traders also suffered losses from the depreciation of grain prices locally. Moreover, the country’s farmers also suffered a lack of the market share since it was oversupplied to the tune of $200million (Dabrowski and Taran 3). Today, grain exporters fear buying grains for exports from Ukraine, unless the prices are discounted to cater for the appreciation in the international market. The government must also provide a room for the high risk that grain traders pose to Ukraine. Export Taxes and Prohibitive Energy Cost Export taxes on some commodities such as scrap metal, skins, sheep and goats, and sunflower in Ukraine are prohibitive (Kyzym et al. 8). These taxes negatively affect Ukraine’s poor citizens who rear sheep and goats, grow sunflower, and/or buy scrap metals. On the other hand, rich citizens who are involved in this trade gain highly. This observation reflects the specific factor theory where the international trade affects the participants differently. Hence, the affluent class grows wealthier while the underprivileged one continues to be deprived while still trading. For instance, sunflower farmers in Ukraine are forced to pay a 16% tax on their sunflower overseas sales as export tax (Kyzym et al. 23). As an implication, the farmers opt to smuggle their sunflower to other parts of the world, thus resulting in uncontrolled domestic prices. In line with Heckscher-Ohlin model, export taxes benefit the rich people and not the poor ones. They also prohibit the commitment of the international investors. The energy sector in Ukraine is prohibitive for foreign investors (Dabrowski and Taran p.3). Laws and policies on energy in Ukraine are also limiting for foreigners to operate. For instance, foreign companies that are interested in oil explo ration in Ukraine are required to bid and complete their tasks within a period of not more than five years. Such policies prohibit the entry of international explorers of the Ukraine market. Another crippling factor in the energy sector is that the government does not offer any information concerning energy resources (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 812). The contract winner is supposed to collect data and explore the resource within the limited period. This situation has affected the gas industry. Hence, Ukraine continues to import gas. Energy regulations in Ukraine also make it difficult for foreign investors to run their industries. Prohibitive Laws and Regulations on Investment Laws that guide the business environment in Ukraine make it difficult for foreign direct investment to succeed. Foreign investors face difficult processes in terms of registering businesses and running them in Ukraine (Kyzym et al. 7). For instance, the law requires businesses that are owned by foreigners to be regularly inspected and satisfied for health and human resource safety. This rule has become an avenue for corruption through bribery where investors bribe government inspectors to avoid prosecution and withdrawal of permits. Laws on business regulations in Ukraine do not come from a specific arm of the government (Kostenko 54). For example, the president, ministers, and individuals who are in charge of the department can enact them. This flexibility makes it difficult for foreign investors to carry out their business operations smoothly. Dabrowski and Taran say that obtaining the right of ownership in joint companies is difficult in Ukraine (4). A deficiency in laws that regulate shareholding in joint stock companies opens up the economic environment to corruption. This gap has negatively affected the stock markets in Ukraine. As a result, major firms in Ukraine have turned into investing in foreign markets, for instance, in the United Kingdom and China. Foreign and international companies avoid investing in Ukraine since no clear laws on joint stock companies have been established (Dabrowski and Taran 4). This situation contradicts the specific model theory since both the national economy and the international investors do not benefit from poor joint stock laws in Ukraine. Conclusion Ukraine is one of the major economic hubs in Europe. Since its independence in 1991, the country has experienced both vicissitudes in its international economic endeavors. As discussed above, various conditions influence Ukraine’s international economic environment. Such conditions include government policies on international trade, protectionist policies, non-membership of Ukraine in the World Trade Organization, and trade embargoes. Besides, export taxes, prohibitive energy cost, prohibitive laws and regulations on investment, laws on business environment, inconsistency in commercial laws, and deficient laws on joint stock companies are part of the conditions that infl uence Ukraine’s global business operations. Dabrowski, Marek, and Svitlana Taran. â€Å"Is Free Trade with the EU Good for Ukraine?† CASE Network E-briefs 1.6(2012): 1-4. Print. Hoekman, Bernard, Jesper Jensen, and David Tarr. â€Å"A Vision for Ukraine in the World Economy.† Journal of World Trade 48.4(2014): 795-814. Print. Kostenko, Nataliya. â€Å"Geo-Economic Strategy of the European Union: Experience for Ukraine.† Economics Business 25.1(2014): 54-60. Print. Kyzym, Onesmus, Vera Yaroshenko, Yasmin Matyushenko, Bahma Semyhulina, and Malik Makhansova. â€Å"Opportunities and Threats of Ukraine WTO Membership to the Production and Foreign Trade of Grain Crops with the EU and Customs Union and EurAsEC.† Problems of Economy 1.2(2014), 7-24. Print.

Troubleshooting Problems in Crystal Growing

Troubleshooting Problems in Crystal Growing There may come a time when you will try to grow a crystal without success. Here are some ideas for possible problems and ways to correct them: No Crystal Growth This is usually caused by using a solution that isnt saturated. The cure is to dissolve more solute into the liquid. Stirring and applying heat can help to get solute into solution. Keep adding solute until you start to see some accumulate at the bottom of your container. Let it settle out of solution, then pour or siphon the solution off, being careful not to pick up undissolved solute. If you dont have any more solute to use, you can take some comfort in knowing that the solution will become more concentrated over time, as evaporation removes some of the solvents. You can speed this process by increasing the temperature where your crystals are growing or by increasing air circulation. Remember, your solution should be loosely covered with a cloth or paper to prevent contamination, not sealed. Saturation Problems If you are sure your solution is saturated, try to eliminate these other common reasons for the lack of crystal growth: Too much vibration:Â  Keep your crystal set up in a quiet, undisturbed location.Contaminant in the solution:Â  The fix is to re-make your solution. The fix only works if you can avoid contamination (wont work if your starting solute is the problem). Common contaminants include oxides from paper clips or pipe cleaners (if youre using them), detergent residue on the container, dust or something else falling into the container.Inappropriate temperature:Â  Experiment with temperature; you may need to increase the temperature around your crystals to get them to grow (increases evaporation). For some crystals, you may need to decrease the temperature (which slows the molecules down and gives them a chance to bind together).Solution cooled too quickly or slowly:Â  Did you heat your solution to saturate it? Should you heat it? Should you cool it? Experiment with this variable. If the temperature changed from the time you made the solution to the present time, the rate of cooling might ma ke a difference. You can increase the rate of cooling by putting the fresh solution in a refrigerator or freezer (faster) or leave it on a warm stove or in an insulated container (slower). If the temperature didnt change, maybe it should (heat the initial solution). Water wasnt pure:Â  If you used tap water, try re-making the solution using distilled water. If you have access to a chemistry lab, try deionized water that was purified by distillation or reverse osmosis. Remember: water is only as clean as its container! The same rules apply to other solvents.Too much light:Â  An unlikely problem with home crystals, but for certain materials, the energy from light can inhibit the formation of chemical bonds.No seed crystals:Â  If you are trying to grow a large single crystal, you will need to get a seed crystal first. For some substances, the seed crystals may form spontaneously on the side of the container. For others, you may need to pour a small amount onto a saucer and let it evaporate to get crystals. Sometimes crystals will grow best on a rough string suspended into the liquid. The composition of the string is important! You are more likely to get crystal growth on cotton or wool string than on nylon or a fluoropolymer.Seed crystals dissol ve when placed in the new container:Â  This happens when the solution isnt fully saturated. See above for details.

The American Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The American Revolution - Essay Example Struggle with the external enemy - the British Empire - accompanied by deep domestic transformations led to emergence of the first democratic republic of the new historic epoch. Although some residuals of the colonial past continued to persist (for example, slavery, structure of the local governments, etc) the newly born stat embodied the political ideals of the Enlightenment. However, struggle with the 'old order' which characterised the European revolutions of that period was not characteristic of the American Revolution. Perhaps the major reason for this was that the American Revolution took place in an absolutely new country without almost any history, while, for example, the French Revolution occurred in one of the eldest European states. Consequently, the participants of the American Revolution did not have to overthrow the established aristocratic society and absolute monarchy in order to proclaim either equality of people (because they were equal) or sovereignty of their new state (the British monarch was geographically too far from them). In other words, the birth of the new society in the United States occurred without major tension though the American Revolution pursued the same principles of the natural human rights the French Revolution did leaving the disgraceful legacy of terror and violence equalled by no other event of that period. Despite certain disagreement between scholars as for the causes and preconditions of the American Revolution (Nash, 2005) the assertion that the major causes were similar to those of European bourgeois revolutions seems to be correct. The American Revolution was largely caused by the economic pressure of Britain, which was economically dependent on the colonies. The decision to raise taxation on the American colonies (the Stamp Act of 1765) was largely made due to serious expenses suffered by the Empire in the Seven Year War with France. However, the raise itself did not represent a serious problem for the colonists whom paid lower taxes than citizens of Britain. The key issue was that the colonies had not been preliminary consulted about the new taxes, as they had no representation in Parliament: in other words, the Empire failed to adequately justify the new though not too heavy burden of taxes. This problem - often termed 'taxation without representation' - is reported to be one of the most essential factors that eventually led to the revolutionary situation (Wood 1998). Strong protest from the colonies forced the British to repeal the raise in 1766 (McKay, Hill & Buckler, 2005). Some scholars believe that the great deal of independence historically exercised by American colonists also played a role in the onset of the American Revolution. Absence of the stable system of hereditary class system was one important element of this independence. From this perspective the problem of representation was only a pretext as the colonists were no less represented than inhabitants of British Islands: the colonists strongly believed that their status gave them the right to make their own laws (McKay, Hill & Buckler, 2005). Evidently, such point of view implies that the American

Health care management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health care management - Essay Example This paper explores how this new role would affect my personal life, and identifies a number of possible ward problems and possible approaches for tacking these problems are suggested. These include expectations from the team that I should do more hands on work, instead of planning; the problem of interpersonal conflicts, e.g. between nursing and administration teams, and complexity compression. One problem case in particular, that of an underperforming nurse colleague, is examined in more detail using the control (ie checking and quality control) management process. The first challenge that will face me upon taking up this responsible position will be the need for me to make personal adjustments to the new role. It is not easy to suddenly become a person who is held responsible for others in a team, and I anticipate both a high workload and an increase in stress caused by the fact that I will encounter new issues that I have not had to deal with before. It will make sense for me to scale down family and free time commitments as far as possible for the first few months so that I can keep focussed on the job. It would be a good idea to plan a specially rewarding holiday for my first leave period a few months down the line. The transition into the nurse manager role is difficult if one attempts it alone, and yet discussing personal worries or problems with members of the ward team would not help them to trust my judgement. It has been suggested (Belcher, 2006) that it is a good idea for new managers to actively seek out a mentor figure who is not in the same immediate area of work, but who knows the organization and the general demands of the role. This author suggests locating someone with good chemistry, clarifying what the mentor is expected to do, and using that mentor to find out all the ins and outs of the larger organization, including shortcuts to the people who hold key information or who have power in particular areas (Belcher, p. 150-151).