Thursday, December 26, 2019

Comparing the Struggle in Dante’s Inferno and Book VI of...

The Infernal Struggle in Dante’s Inferno and Book VI of The Aeneid Does hell have its own history? For Dante, the structural and thematic history of ‘hell’ in the Inferno begins with the Roman epic tradition and its champion poet, Virgil. By drawing heavily from the characteristics of hell in Book VI of The Aeneid, Dante carries the epic tradition into the medieval world and affirms his indebtedness to Virgil’s poetry. Moreover, Virgil becomes a central character in the Inferno as he guides Dante, the pilgrim, who has no knowledge of hell, through his own historical model. Similarly, the protagonist of The Aeneid, Aeneas, lacks the foresight necessary to make the journey through hell on his own and thus places his trust in the†¦show more content†¦The historical relationship between the Aeneid and the Inferno originates with Dante’s own definition of the former as â€Å"the canonic epic model† (Jacoff 3). By definition an â€Å"epic model† dramatizes events of historical or legendary importance (Webs ter). Thus Dante, who â€Å"had no direct access to Homer† and the first epic models of Western literature--The Illiad and The Odyssey--chose Rome’s national epic, The Aeneid, as his historical inspiration (Jacoff 3). Specifically, the Inferno finds its overarching structural and thematic antecedent in Book VI of The Aeneid, where Aeneas descends into the realm of the shades. Here among hell’s carnage Aeneas finds his idea of eternal beauty embodied within the shade of his father, Anchises, who has survived in the heaven-like Elysian Fields. In the Inferno, the pilgrim undertakes the same journey as his historical prototype but instead searches for spiritual absolution in a Christian heaven. The motif of the journey remains, but the specific religious overtones of hell become slippery from the time of Aeneas to the pilgrim. For example, in his essay entitled Imagination and Thought in the Middle Ages, Umberto Eco notes that â€Å"the medieval period was a prolo ngation of the mythopoetic dimension of the Classical period, though

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Leadership Style at Nike - 2715 Words

MBA FIRST YEAR 2012 MBA 8105 – ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR LEADERSHIP CONUNDRUM: NIKE AFTER KNIGHT Prepared by Narendra Hirani Registration Number MBA/2443/12 April 2012 1a) Discuss and evaluate the appropriateness of the leadership style adopted by Phil Knight. Philip Knight’s leadership style can be analysed using the various leadership theories that have been developed. Their appropriateness can be evaluated based on the information available in the case study. Rensis Liekert developed four systems of leadership, exploitative autocratic, benevolent authoritative, participative and democratic. Knight’s leadership style at Nike can be described as democratic as per the systems developed by Riekert. According to Riekert, the†¦show more content†¦We are also informed that Knight is subordinate oriented, as per the leadership continuum developed by Tannenbaum and Schmidt. In this approach the manager allows the team to develop options and make decisions within their mandate which has been agreed upon at the onset. In the case of Knight, it is demonstrated on more than one occasion that he is prepared to sit and watch from t he sidelines, whilst his executives make decisions. This style is very suitable for industries whereby there is a need for development of new products within the organization. In Nike, we observe that they are always in the process of developing new products and therefore giving his senior executives a â€Å"free hand† in developing new ideas and executing them is vital to the success of the organization. Knight adopts the participative mode of leadership. The key characteristics of a participative leader are: * maintains free-flowing and honest communication; * remains easily accessible; * stresses development for his subordinates; * expresses consideration and support; * is willing to change. We note that Knight demonstrated all the traits listed above. The traits listed above allowed the other Nike employees to express their creative thoughts and allow Nike to develop new products and also new marketing strategies which have assisted Nike in achieving the success it h as achieved so far. It is alsoShow MoreRelatedTheories of Management in Practice1274 Words   |  5 Pages Nike seems to be led in a leadership style that is more akin to Theory Y. Phil Knight and his successor Bill Perez are known in the press such as in the Stanford University alumni magazine, Business Week, Forbes, and official Nike press releases that proclaim that they do what is best for the company and not what is best for them personally as individuals. Nike is one of the first major western corporations that has adopted human resource, management, and organisational leadership styles foundRead MoreNikes Approach To Compete International Case Study1234 Words   |  5 Pagestime they were distributing running shoes for a company in Japan. (Nike, 2015). One could say they were ahead of their time and true visionaries; moreover, they were doing business with a foreign country and would soon branch out to Asia. They designed and tested their shoes in America; however, they soon realized the value in overseas manufacturing, so they outsourced the manufacturing to Asia. Competing Internationally Since Nike started their business with Japan, they were familiar with the policiesRead MoreLeadership Practices in The Post-Bureaucratic Era1575 Words   |  7 Pagesgoing to argue that leadership practices bring impacts on sustainable development in the post-bureaucratic era. World Commission on Economic Development(WCED) defines sustainable development as development that satisfies the needs in the present as well as in the future (Bansal 2005). Business is considered as an aspect of the society as a whole (Evans 1992) and it can be seen that the society is more concerned about ethics,law and regulations,thus a more sustainable management style is widely appliedRead MoreNike Case Answers1120 Words   |  5 PagesNike Case Answers– Spreading out to stay together 1. When Nike CEO Phil Knight stepped down and handed his job to Bill Perez, he stayed on as chairman of the board. In what ways could Knight’s continued presence on the board have created an informal structure that prevented Perez from achieving full and complete leadership of Nike? Answer: Informal structures are the set of unofficial relationships between organization members. Potential advantages of informal structures: ââ€" ª Helping peopleRead MoreNike, Mission, Vision, Values, Principles Essay704 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: NIKE, Inc. Mission, Vision, Principles 1 NIKE, Inc. Mission, Vision, Principles Ameirah Aldahmani MSM631 – Strategic Management and Financial Reports Analysis Regis University Saturday, September 04, 2010 Abstract This paper is a qualitative and quantitative analysis of NIKE, Inc., done as six separate sections. The six sections of the project are external environment analysis, S.W.O.T analysis, executive interview, strategic and tactical plans and controls, structure,Read MoreNike Business Analysis Essay1378 Words   |  6 Pagesattributed to its shrewd marketing strategy. As reported in its 2009-2010 Annual report, because NIKE is a consumer products company, â€Å"the relative popularity of various sports and fitness activities and changing design trends affect the demand for our products†. Therefore, Nike must â€Å"respond to trends and shifts in consumer preferences by adjusting the mix of existing product offerings, developing new products, styles and categories, and influencing sports and fitness preferences through aggressive marketing†Read MoreCase Study - Nike: Spreading Out to Stay Together1343 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study: Amazon: Nike: Spreading Out to Stay To gether Nike, Inc. is an American  multinational corporation  that is engaged in the design, development and worldwide marketing and selling of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. The company is headquartered near  Beaverton, Oregon, in the  Portland metropolitan area. It is the world s leading supplier of  athletic shoes  and  apparel  and a major manufacturer of  sports equipment, with revenue in excess of US$24.1  billion in its fiscalRead MoreNike s Offensive Competitive Advantage1206 Words   |  5 Pagescompetitive advantage. Therefore, this subject is difficult to understand and then apply to a company. The Five Generic Competitive Strategies that Michael E. Porter developed are not really five strategies, more like five with subsets under them. Nike does not fit neatly into a specific strategy. The first factor within the competitive strategy as described in the Essentials of Strategic Management textbook is a broad target market or a narrow target market. The second factor considers the competitiveRead MoreNikes Core Competencies Exist In Their1511 Words   |  7 Pagestheir products and markets. Although Nike does not manufacture any of its own shoes, the company is still today’s leader in selling athletic shoes and apparel. Nikes marketing strategy is an important component of the companys success. Nike is located as a premium-brand, selling well-designed and costly products. Nike lures clients with a marketing strategy centring on their brand image: a distinctive logo (the Swoosh ) and the advertising slogan Just Do It. Nike promotes its products by supportRead MoreNike Marketing Strategy Review1044 Words   |  5 PagesMurad Tahirov Marketing Spotlight-Nike The Nike story begins with its founder, running enthusiast Phil Knight. In 1962, Knight started Blue Ribbon Sports, the precursor to Nike. At the time, the athletic shoe industry was dominated by two German companies, Adidas and Puma. Knight recognized a neglected segment of serious athletes whose specialized needs were not being addressed. The concept was simple: Provide high-quality running shoes designed especially for athletes by athletes. Knight

Monday, December 9, 2019

Effects of Reality Tv on Society free essay sample

There are many discussions about the effects of reality TV on society. Positive and negative effects of reality TV are two parts of a coin. Unfortunately the coin mostly falls on the negative side. Many reality TV shows are created purely for profit without thinking about its consequences on the mindsets of viewers, especially young viewers . Media companies accept that they make these shows for profit and they do not care about the effects on people. They say that they just show us what we want. Is it right not to care about the viewers mental health just to make more money? Most of these shows do not portray reality and this weakens the ability of critical thinking, causes to depict a false image of life, develops wrong notions, erodes some ethical and moral practices. Reality TV shows give a false image of reality, since the people watching them are under the impression that everything happening in the show is real. According to a Time magazine article, some reality TV shows are edited to be dramatic and some quotes may actually be manufactured. Clashes and ugly feuds between the reality stars may be constructed and some parts of the shows may also be completely edited and cut out so they dont make the final show that people see on TV. Some critics actually charge that reality TV is not so real and that these shows may be far more manipulative than we think. When all is said and done, some people on the reality shows say that they were unfairly represented and the reality taken out of the show therefore making the show pure entertainment. In some ways, this gives the audience that the characters in these shows are real and acting normal. Some viewers empathize with the show’s stars. Viewers tend to behave, feel, think like the stars and during this process they lose their critical thinking skills. A great example can be seen in John Cheveer’s article ‘’The Enormous Radio’’. In the article a woman has a radio that is capable of playing the neighbor’s conversations. The woman has created an apished public self, and when she hears the neighbor’s private conversations she is witnessed to the nakedness of their misery. She asks her husband ‘’We’re happy, aren’t we, darling? We are happy, aren’t we? ’’ (Cheever, pg. 83) . So she lost her ability to judge her own happiness by being witnessing other people’s life’s, just like some reality TV shows . Certain shows are filled with glamour, filtrations, indecent acts, promiscuity, greed, jealousy, conflict and other sensitive issues. These create a controversy in the society where this society begins to support unethical and immoral practices. Humans take the negative parts of these shows causing increased rates in murder, corruption in society and antisocial behaviors. As Salman Rushdie claims, ‘’ The television set once so idealistically thought of as our window on the world , has become a dime-store mirror instead. ’ (2001, pg. 63) . Values such as being successful, smart, educated, acting polite has less value nowadays. A glaring example on mental effects ‘’ When the sister of a woman who appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover committed suicide in 2004, the contestant sued the network for wrongful death and other charges . The contestant, who was competing to win free plastic surgery but lost, claimed that her sister had felt so guilty about mocking her appearance on the program that she killed herself. ABC settled the case for an undisclosed amount last year. ‘’ (W. Peters, 2010, pg. 74) . This example also shows producers of reality shows do not care about the consequences on society as long as they are making money. As Jeremy W. Peters claims ‘’In recent years producers and networks have increasingly pushed the boundaries of television voyeurism in search of another ratings hit’’ (2007, pg. 73) . Since there is not a law against producers to harming people, they do not be careful on what they show on programmes. Therefore there are social organizations which want to make a law against reality TV or completely ban reality shows. Many programmes insult and degrade moral values. ‘‘It ? s hard to defend the deception of Joe Millionaire which set up twenty women to court construction worker Evan Marriott by telling them he was a multimillionaire’’(Poniewozik, 2003, pg. 69) . This example shows us how the show degrades women . Also on some shows great portion of the African American contestants are shown as bad. For example the show ‘’Love Cruise’’ is where singles pair up on cruise ships and get married. The women were told to hook up with whomever they want, but every woman chose a white man. The one guy left standing was the black man. Of course we cannot claim that reality shows effect every human in a negative way . In fact there are people who claim reality TV has positive effects on the society . Such as James Poniewozik ‘’It has given the networks water-cooler buzz again; it has reminded viewers jaded by sitcoms and dramas why TV can be exciting; and at its best, its teaching TV a new way to tell involving human stories. ’’ ( 2003, pg. 67) . Also these shows are a place where people could show their talents and get rewarded for it. On the show American Idol, a woman had two children but she did not have enough money to raise them. She had a great voice, so she won the money prize and now the family has a great life. Unfortunately these kinds of positive effects are only a small part of the pie . By considering all of the points made above the effects of reality shows on people may not be crucial, but it is definitely taken in great importance. The ignorance of producers and effects on mental health and social talents are unjust and corruptive. Maybe strict laws could put a stop to all of it but until that time comes the community will still get effected by reality TV.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth free essay sample

Macbeth answers, We will speak further (1. 5. 71), but if he intends to appear noncommittal, he hasnt fooled his wife. She tells him that all he has to do is put on a pleasant face, and Leave all the rest to me (1. 5. 73). With that, the partners in crime hurry out to welcome the King they are going to kill. While King Duncan is having supper in Macbeths castle, Macbeth steps out to think about the plan to kill the King. When Lady Macbeth finds Macbeth, she exclaims, He has almost suppd: why have you left the chamber? (1. 7. 29). Then, in order to keep Macbeth committed to the murder plan, she verbally assaults his courage and manhood. She accuses him of being the kind of person who can dream of wearing kingly robes only when hes drunk. She asks sarcastically, Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressd yourself? Hath it slept since? Macbeth tries to defend himself by saying, I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none (1. We will write a custom essay sample on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 7. 46-47), but Lady Macbeth declares that shes more man than he is:I have given suck, and know. (1. 7. 54-59) After this, its really all over. Lady Macbeth wins. Macbeth asks what happens if they fail, and his wife disapprove the very idea. She will get King Duncans two attendants drunk, so they wont be able to protect him, and then theyll take the blame for the Kings death. Macbeth replies with admiration (or fear? ), Bring forth men-children only As she waits for her husband to come with the news that he has murdered King Duncan, Lady Macbeth says to herself, I laid their daggers ready; but shes worried he wont get the job done. Then, after murdering the King, Macbeth comes to her with his hands all covered with blood and carrying the grooms daggers. Not only that, but hes so unnerved that all he can do is look at his hands and talk about voices that he heard. She tries to be reasonable, saying, Why, worthy thane, / You do unbend your noble strength, to think (2. 2. 41-43), but hes paralyzed with horror. Finally, she has to do what he should have done. She takes the daggers from him, carries them back to place them with the grooms, and smears the grooms with the Kings blood. When she returns, Lady Macbeth hears Macbeth talking about his bloody hands, and she comments, My hands are of your colour; but I shame / To wear a heart so white (2. 2. 61-62). She means that her hands are red, too (because she has been busy smearing the Kings blood on the grooms), but that she would be ashamed to have a heart as white as Macbeths. A white heart is white because it has no blood, and the person with a white heart is a coward. As she delivers this insult, we hear the knocking again, and Lady Macbeth takes her husband away, telling him that A little water clears us of this deedAt this point in the play, it appears that Macbeth would be helpless without his wife. After the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth does all she can to protect herself and her husband from suspicion. Without telling his wife a thing about it, Macbeth arranges for the murder of Banquo. In the next scene, Lady Macbeth has a short soliloquy in which she expresses whats weighing on her mind: Tis safer to be that which we destroy / Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy (3. 2. 4-7). The first rhyme expresses a common experience, which is that if we get what we want, but arent happy with it, we really dont have it. The second rhyme deepens the thought by saying that it would be better to be dead than to feel what Lady Macbeth is now feeling. She and her husband destroyed King Duncan, who is now safe from all the worlds problems. In contrast, the lady and her husband live in doubtful joy. In Shakespeares time the word doubt was commonly used to mean suspicion or fear, and the present king and queen live in fear that their guilt will be discovered and punished. Despite her own depression, Lady Macbeth tries to make her husband cheer up. She asks him why he has been keeping to himself, and why he has been keeping company with his sorriest fancies (3. 2. 9). A fancy is a daydream or fantasy; a sorry fancy is one that is depressing or frightening. He starts talking about the danger presented by Banquo and Fleance and hints that something will be done. Lady Macbeth asks whats going to be done, but her husband answers, Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed (3. 2. 46). Chuck is a pet name, a variant of chick. So it seems that now Macbeth has the upper hand in their relationship. Hes telling her that she doesnt need to worry herself about anything until it comes time to be his cheerleader. The night that he has Banquo murdered, Macbeth hosts a banquet for his nobles. Lady Macbeth, who does not know what has happened to Banquo, tries to play the gracious hostess. Lady Macbeth covers for her husband. She asks everyone to stay seated, and explains that Macbeth is often like this, and has been ever since he was young. Hell recover in a moment, she says, but if they stare at him, it will only make him worse, so they should just eat and pretend that nothing has happened. The guests do as they are told, and Lady Macbeth takes her husband aside. As she did early in the play, Lady Macbeth challenges her husbands manhood. .. This is the very painting of your fear: / This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said, / Led you to Duncan (3. 4. 59-62). She also tells him that hes making ridiculous faces, so that he reminds her of a woman telling a scary story that she heard from her grandmother. His fear is shameful because, When alls done, / You look but on a stool (3. 4. 66-67). This time unlike earlier in the play Lady Macbeths scorn seems to have no effect on Macbeth. He calms down only after the Ghost of Banquo leaves and she says (gently? ), My worthy lord, / Your noble friends do lack you When Banquos Ghost reappears to Macbeth the guests stare and ask questions, so Lady Macbeth gets rid of them by telling them that if they stay they will only make things worse. When theyre alone, he hints that hes going to take action against Macduff and that hes going to visit the witches, but she says little. By the end of the scene, she seems to have forgotten her anger against her husband. She tells him that You lack the season of all natures, sleep In her sleepwalking scene, Lady Macbeth thinks that a spot of King Duncans blood is on her hand and she tries to wash it off. She also relives other horrors, including her attempt to persuade her husband that Banquo couldnt possibly rise from his grave. As she exits, she imagines that Duncan has just been murdered, and that she is once again taking care of Macbeth. Her last lines in the scene are, To bed, to bed!. (5. 1. 66-68). [Scene Summary] As he tries to prepare himself for battle with the forces arrayed against him, Macbeth asks the doctor how Lady Macbeth is doing. The doctor replies, Not so sick, my lord, / As she is troubled with thick coming fancies The cure her of that appears to be an order, but the rest of the speech (which may be as much about Macbeth as his wife) seems to indicate that that Macbeth has no real hope that she can be cured, and the doctor replies, Therein the patient / Must minister to himself This angers Macbeth, and he curses medicine. Then he arms for battle. Apparently he has no more time to worry about his wife. As the forces under Malcolm approach Macbeths castle, Macbeth receives the news that The queen, my lord, is dead (5. 5. 16), but that is all he is told. Theres nothing about how or why she died, and he doesnt ask. In a show of callousness, he says he doesnt have time for her: She should have died hereafter; / There would have been a time for such a word (5. 5. 17-18). Thus begins the most famous passage in the play. The rest of the speech is despair masquerading as cynicism: To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow..

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Scheduling Essay Example

Scheduling Essay Example Scheduling Essay Scheduling Essay 1 . Why is scheduling fairly simple for repetitive systems but fairly complex for Job shops? Scheduling for repetitive systems is fairly simple because the activities and equipment used is the same. This goes for high-volume and medium volume systems because the productions are the similar. Scheduling for Job shops is more difficult because the products formed are customized or of a personal nature and therefore are not mass produced. Stevenson, William J. Operations Management, 1 lth Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2011. VitalBook file. 5. Briefly describe each of these priority rules: FCFS First come first serve; it is processing Jobs in the order they are received at the work station or machine. SPT Shortest processing time; processing the shortest processing time Job EDD- Earliest Due Date; andling the Job that has the earliest due date. SIO- Global rule ; Final due dates for orders rather than intermediate, departmental deadlines. RUSH- Local or global rule processing Jobs on an emergency basis Stevenson, William J. Operations Management, 1 lth Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2011. VitalBook file. 7. What problems not generally found in manufacturing systems do service systems present in terms of scheduling the use of resources? Customer requirements in service systems generally present very different circumstances than those encountered in manufacturing systems. Some services can use appointments and reservations for scheduling purposes, although not all systems are amenable to this. When multiple resources are involved, the task of balancing the system can be fairly complex. Stevenson, William J. Operations Management, 1 lth Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2011. VitalBook file. 8. Explain forward and backward schedulings and each ones advantage. Forward scheduling : Scheduling ahead from a point in time. Forward scheduling is used if the issue is How long will it take to complete this Job? Forward scheduling enables the scheduler to determine the earliest possible completion time for each Job and, hus, the amount of lateness or the amount of slack can be determined. Backward scheduling: Scheduling backward from a due date. Backward scheduling would be used if the issue is When is the latest the Job can be started and still be completed by the due date? With backward scheduling the scheduler is able to determine if the due date can be met. Stevenson, William J. Operations Management, 1 lth Edition. References: Stevenson, William J. Operations Management, 1 lth Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2011. VitalBook file.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Mosquito Control With Birds and Other Natural Predators

Mosquito Control With Birds and Other Natural Predators When the topic of  mosquito control is discussed, thrown into the mix is usually a fervent argument for installing purple martin houses and bat houses. Stores that cater to bird enthusiasts often tout the purple martin houses as the best solution for keeping your yard mosquito free. Bats, which may not be the most beloved of mammals, are defended with the claim that they consume hundreds of mosquitoes per hour. The truth of the matter is that neither purple martins nor bats provide any significant measure of mosquito control. While both eat mosquitoes, the insect makes up a very tiny portion of their diets. Other animals might have an upper hand on mosquito control, particularly in the fish, other insect, and amphibian classes. Mosquito Munchies For bats and birds, mosquitoes are more like a passing snack. Multiple studies of wild bats have consistently shown that mosquitoes consist of less than 1 percent of their diet. In purple martins, the percentage of mosquitoes in their diet is slightly higher- about 3 percent, at most. The reason is simple. The payoff is small. A bird or a bat that feeds on insects must invest considerable energy in flying around and must catch the bugs in mid-air. Birds and bats are usually seeking the biggest caloric bang for their buck. Given the choice between a mosquito morsel, a hardy beetle, or a mouthful of moth, the mosquito hardly makes the top-10 list. An Efficient Mosquito Natural Predator Gambusia affinis, also known as the mosquitofish, is an American fish that is utilized by some mosquito control districts across the country as a very effective predator of mosquito larvae. As far as natural predators go, the mosquitofish is by far the most efficient natural predator of mosquitoes. The mosquitofish is a voracious predator. In certain studies, mosquitofish have been shown to consume up to 167 percent of their body weight in invertebrate prey, including mosquito larvae, per day. Mosquitofish, as well as small predatory fish such as guppies, can be quite useful in the reduction of mosquito larvae given the right conditions. Other Mosquito Consumers The closely related  dragonflies and damselflies  are natural predators of mosquitoes but do not consume enough mosquitoes to cause a significant impact on the wild mosquito population. Dragonflies are often referred to as mosquito hawks for an unsubstantiated claim of being able to kill thousands of mosquitoes. One thing that does make the dragonfly a better predator than most is that, in the aquatic larval stage, one of their food sources is mosquito larvae. Dragonfly larvae can sometimes live up to six years in this stage. During this phase of life, dragonflies do the most damage to mosquito populations. Frogs, toads, and their young tadpoles are often touted as excellent for mosquito control. In reality, while they do consume their fair share, it is not enough to seriously put a dent in vast mosquito populations. When frogs and toads do consume mosquitoes, it is usually after they have transformed from tadpole to adult.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Strategic Threats Facing Google Research Paper

The Strategic Threats Facing Google - Research Paper Example Moreover, the firm was far ahead of other search engines because their search results were of high quality, and due to this, the company has become very popular and successful. Besides being so popular, the firm employs several people globally; moreover, it has always been ranked as one of the best firms to work for. The firm has acquired several firms to enable it to continue being innovative. In the year 2003, it acquired Applied Semantics Inc, which advanced the advertising campaign of the firm. In the year 2006, Google acquired Writely, and as the end of 2006 approached, it acquired YouTube by outbidding other competitors for $1.65 billion. Similarly, early in the year 2007, the firm at $3.1 billion acquired Double click. The firm has acquired several other firms since then; one of them is Tonic Systems. The mission statement of the firm, which is to sort out the worlds’ information, makes it available and helpful to its users; moreover, this statement refers to their goals; however, it is not reflecting how the firm is supposed to earn profits and revenue. Moreover, the mission statement of the firm does not provide a timeline but it just states the end-result. However, the mission statement of Google is very original and distinctive and very relevant, thus, it should not be altered. Google is an internet search engine. It enables individuals to get information that is kept in several other sites. The main product or service of Google is internet search; it also enables individuals using the internet to search for single words or word combinations. Other than being a search engine, Google also advertises the products and services of other firms, which is also another source of revenues. Besides, Google has a number of online productivity tools and some of them include Gmail, which is a free webmail and Google voice talk. The major source of  revenue for Google is its advertising services, AdSense, as well as AdWords. Advertising contributes to 99% of the total revenues of the firm; in this case, firms make payment to Google to put their AdWords on Google sites as well as in its affiliates.  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Challenging perspective in research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Challenging perspective in research - Essay Example According to him: â€Å"Looking at the different cultures of the world, one finds that no society is classless that is un-stratified. There are some primitive communities so small that no class strata appear, the social organization resting almost entirely on age, sex and kinship; but even here chieftainship individual prowess and clan or family properly introduce an incipient stratification.† (Davis and Moore, 1945: 242, quoted in Zaidi, 1997: 29) A child learns the process of interaction with other individuals from family and the peer group. All the parents try to bring up their children within the best possible atmosphere. The resources play pivotal role in the socialization of the individuals in a society. The members belonging to the upper class contain better opportunities to educate and nurture their children, and thus can make them more civilized and cultured ones in the future years to come, whereas the lower classes lack proper sources and opportunities that may influence their children. Rothstein has also defined the fact in the following words: â€Å"Parents of different social classes often have different child-rearing styles. It makes sense when you think about it: If upper-middle-class parents have jobs where they are expected to collaborate with fellow employees or create new solutions to problems, they are more likely to talk to their children in open-ended ways that differ from how parents address children if their own jobs simply require following orders. Children raised by middle-class parents will, on average, have more inquisitive attitudes toward academic material than children raised by working- class parents. No matter how competent a schoolteacher, lower-class children’s achievement will, on average, almost inevitably be less. Because the achievement gap already exists by age 3, it is unlikely to be narrowed without expensive infant and toddler centers where lower-class children can be

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Library Statement of Goals Essay Example for Free

Library Statement of Goals Essay I have submitted my application for admission into the Kent State School of Library and Information Science as an avenue for professional growth within my current career. As a former Spanish teacher and currently a computer technology teacher, it is important to pursue the MLIS as current librarians seek retirement and technology continues to infiltrate libraries across our nation. I am currently interested in pursuing the MLIS plus the K-12 licensure in order to serve in an urban school library setting. My current teaching assignment of computer technology lends itself to a smooth transition from the classroom to a librarian position as our school district places more emphasis on digital media. I remain fully committed to providing instruction to students; however, with teachers and school librarians retiring in droves, I fear that our schools will be left with overworked teachers and no librarians in our schools. By completing the MLIS degree, I will be accomplishing an additional career objective. I remain committed to my career goals that were previously established many years ago. My first goal was accomplished by completing my undergraduate course of study at the University of Cincinnati. My second career goal was to obtain my M. Ed. In School Administration and I accomplished that particular goal in the year 2000. My third goal, albeit somewhat personal, was to earn my private pilot’s license, and I successfully completed that task in 2001. My fourth career oriented goal was to transition from teaching Spanish to teaching computer science with an ultimate goal of finishing the required courses to earn the MLIS degree. I am currently in the middle of this goal. After speaking to our retiring librarian, she suggested that I apply my technology expertise and apply for the vacant school librarian position. Our current librarian highly encouraged me to seek at least the minimum courses for K-12 certification. After speaking with Dr. Sarah Harper and educating myself about the MLIS program and learning about the additional career opportunities associated with the MLIS, I have decided to pursue this additional graduate degree. The role of the librarian appears to be shifting from the traditional aspects of managing a library to more of the role as a librarian media technologist. An important current issue of the library is to also serve as a digital media center due to the increased technology needs facing libraries. I am greatly interested in this transition as many school librarians almost double as the digital media technologist. Colleges and universities are also adopting the model of librarian media technologist to enhance the needs of such educational institutions. As our digital technology library needs grow, I foresee a point where the current traditional school librarian could potentially be at a slight disadvantage without minimal technology background. I firmly support digital media; however, print media is equally as important. It will be the role of the librarian to determine which media shall remain in print edition for students, and which media will transition to digital media. Another current issue that is important is to fully integrate the school library as an extension of the classroom. It is important to fully utilize the library beyond the common routine of â€Å"pulling books† for a specific course. Instead, it would be beneficial to teachers and students if the library were to be established as an academic department. Establishing meaningful collaboration between the library personnel and teachers will foster a learning environment conducive to learning. As a school librarian, a goal should be to create a library setting that embeds the role of the library into the classrooms. Instead of thinking of the library as an independent space of a school, the library now serves as an extension of the classroom. However, it is equally important to keep in mind, the school librarian is not able to provide content specific instruction, but rather, instruction on how to locate the resources required for the specific content. It is important for the librarian to serve as an instructional partner in the learning process. Finally, another current issue that I believe is important is increasing the mobility of the library. Technology has advanced to where it is no longer required to leave the house and go to the library to seek and acquire information. With nearly all of our students owning a mobile device, whether it is a cellular telephone, iPad, Nook, mobile devices are changing the way information is delivered and accessed. While students easily have access to the internet through mobile devices, it is equally important that students have access to digital records housed in the library. Furthermore, many library users have learned the convenience of downloadable e-books. As teachers, students, and others navigate away from the traditional book delivered in print, it will be important for the librarian to explore new ideas and collaboratively implement a plan to cost effectively deliver more data via mobile devices.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Billy Budd :: essays research papers

As portrayed in the Bible, Adam and Eve were the perfect human species. This was only a result because of their complete innocence. God let them remain in his presence because of this reason. After the devil conned them into eating fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil they became unclean. In Herman Melville’s Billy Budd the question this apparent: Is innocence and ignorance dominant over knowledge and power? To emphasize the importance of this theme, Melville uses the character Billy Budd. Aboard the ship, the Rights-of-Man, Billy is a cynosure among his shipmates. He also becomes a leader by setting an example by his innocent ways. He is later transferred to the Indomitable. After waving goodbye to his shipmates, he salutes the ship saying "And good-by to you too, old Rights-of-Man" (11). Many witnessed this event to be ungrateful to the Indomitable and his role as a member of this ship. While aboard the Indomitable, Billy meets up with John Claggart, the master-at- arms. Claggart’s personality coincides with that of Billy’s and with the help from Dansker, Billy soon realizes. Billy soon realizes that Claggart is out to get him after he talks to the Dansker. "The old man†¦ rubbing the long slant scar at the point where it entered the thin hair, laconically said, Baby Budd, Jemmy Legs is down on you" (34). This surprised Billy, because the master-at-arms had been nothing but, what seemed to be, nice to him. Throughout the story, Billy witnesses incidents and threats made by Claggart on other members of the ship. This is just the start of tension between Claggart and Billy. "Starry" Vere, the captain of the ship, is a man who believes the military duty of one’s life must rise above the moral values. And everything must be done in a procedure manner. This contrasted Billy’s way of life in which he remains pure and quiet about the mutiny aboard ship. After much turmoil, Claggart decides to approa ch Captain Vere about Billy, accusing him of conspiring to mutiny. Captain Vere is overwhelmed by this information and does not believe what he is hearing. However, to keep things fair and under control he schedules a conference between the three. After hearing the amazing propaganda that Claggart has presented, Billy becomes speechless and strikes Claggart in the head killing him instantly. Captain Vere tries to keep military law before morals and decides to hold a trial in which persuades the jury to sentence Billy to death.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Human Resource Information System Essay

The function of human resources (HR) departments is generally administrative and common to all organizations. Organizations may have formalized selection, evaluation, and payroll processes. Efficient and effective management of â€Å"Human Capital† progressed to an increasingly imperative and complex process. The HR function consists of tracking existing employee data which traditionally includes personal histories, skills, capabilities, accomplishments and salary. To reduce the manual workload of these administrative activities, organizations began to electronically automate many of these processes by introducing specialized human resource management systems. HR executives rely on internal or external IT professionals to develop and maintain an integrated HRMS. Before the client–server architecture evolved in the late 1980s, many HR automation processes were relegated to mainframe computers that could handle large amounts of data transactions. In consequence of the high capital investment necessary to buy or program proprietary software, these internally developed HRMS were limited to organizations that possessed a large amount of capital. Raija and Hlonen (2009) described the role of information systems in the process of combining district organizations which use information system in financial administration, HRM and social welfare. They explored the role of IS in decision-making in public sector. The lack of inter-opera ability between legacy systems and new information systems was perceived as a huge problem. In the present situation of our economy, most of the companies used manual system in their company, also some are using computerized system which lessen the expenses and saves time. An effective and well-designed Human Resource Information System shall make it easier to manage record, update files and retrieve records in Employee records. Confidentially, accuracy and integrity are maintained. The use of computer enables user to minimize efforts to do a certain job or action nowadays. When the Information Technology emerged, it gave a great impact when it comes to business problems especially when it comes to data entry accuracy, managing data’s and retrievals. Dr. Karishna & Meena (2010) identified the various functional areas to which ICT is deployed for information administration in Higher Education institutions. Current level of usage indicates a clear integration of ICT for managerial or information based administration in higher education institutes. Matthew &Douglas (2009) analyzed that nature of developing IS in any organization is characterized by multi dimensional and often messy problems, involving technical organizations and personal dimensions. David et al(2010) analyzed the main traits of efficient firms and the main sources of firm’s efficiency through samples of catalan firms. Firms efficiency shows a significant improvement when advanced ICT uses are combined with human resource practices, Dileep (2010) indicate that HRIS is an integration of HRM and information systems. HRIs helps HR managers perform HR functions in a more effective and systematic way using technology. HRIs system usually a part of the organization’s larger management information system which would include accounting, production and marketing functions. Ikhlas & Zaid (2010) indicate that the quick response and access to information were the main benefits of HRIS implementation. They also identified the cultural and financial barriers to the implementation of HRIS. Kristine & David (2010) identified the implementations or upgradation of HRIS has been undertaken with the aim of utilizing HRM functions.. Barriers also associated with the acceptance of new or upgraded HRIS.HRIS play an important role in shaping user perception and behavior. The addition of information technology to the human resource industry has revolutionized the contemporary workplace. HR professionals now have an increased capacity not only to gather information, but also to store and retrieve it in a timely and effective manner. This has not only increased the efficiency of the organization but also the effectiveness of management functions. New technology has also created opportunities for higher levels of stress for younger and older workers alike (Mujtaba, Afza, and Habib, N. (2011), unethical temptations and behaviors (Mujtaba, 2011), and opportunities for better leadership practices (Mujtaba and Afza, 2011). After delivering our suggestions for the Customer Appreciation Program, Kudler has asked us to evaluate the Human Resource Department, to see what changes need to made, to make the process better and smoother. Before making suggestions, we have to analyze their current setup. The Human Resources Department is a valuable department, so we want to assure that Kudler’s is running smoothly and efficiently. Kudler’s current HR Department is setup in the following manner: they use Quick Books and outsourced their payroll to Intuit. Intuit tracks all the following information for each employee. They track the employee’s personal information, pay rate, tax exemptions, hire date, seniority date, and organizational information. Changes to any of this information, can only be change by submitting a special form in writing by the employee’s supervisor and entered by the accounting clerk. The accounting clerk also keeps a file with the appropriate tax forms for each employee and all changes to employee data. The employees turn in manual time sheets weekly, which are approved by the store manager. The time sheets are then faxed to accounting, where they are entered for payroll. All changes have to be approved by the direct supervisor and store manager. Each store manager is responsible for keeping the files of their employees. They are kept in a locked file and include the following information: job application or resume, performance reviews, I-9 forms, and any disciplinary memos or performance management issues. The managers are also responsible for tracking any time off, which includes vacations.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Australia Country Risks Essay

The overall performance of Australia in world economic outlook is generally one of the most stable. Because of the well planned course of running the economy, the Australian government has been maintaining a good level of growth among the Asia Pacific countries. However, it is also important to see some of the risks involved if one wishes to invest in the Australian market. The first aspect in strategic planning is to identify the political risks. Apparently, the political risks in the country can only be identified in terms of effectiveness. The implementation of different laws is at least better in Australia than any of its neighbors. In a general scale, it is one of the most stable political units in the world. Although some corruption incidences have been reported previously, there is still a very good control of the government to combat such problems (McKeever). The legal risks involved in Australia are also very minimal. Since the Australian laws are basically made of Federal Parliament directives, there are very little chances of having a biased law towards a particular party. The laws are ratified by the three system political approval such as the executive, legislative and judicial segments. Basically, Australian Laws are for the common man which reduces the possibility of having extreme unwarranted consequences of biased judgments. Lastly, it is also important to note he regulatory risks in a particular country. In Australia, this risk is also very minimal because of the previous financial deregulation processes ratified in 1983 by making the Australian dollar float in the international foreign market (Wikipedia, 2007). This served as the primary attractive factor for most investors who wish to get a deregulated instrument for investment. References McKeever. N. D. The McKEEVER Institute of Economic Policy Analysis. Retrieved December 2, 2007 from http://www. mkeever. com/australia. html. Wikipedia. 2007. Economy of Australia. Wikipedia-The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 2, 2007 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Australia.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

3 Cases When Hyphenation Doesnt Help

3 Cases When Hyphenation Doesnt Help 3 Cases When Hyphenation Doesn’t Help 3 Cases When Hyphenation Doesn’t Help By Mark Nichol Writers are often confused by the complexity of hyphenation rules, mistakenly omitting them when their presence would help clarify meaning and inserting them when they’re superfluous. The decision about whether to use them can be further complicated in sentences in which it would be technically correct but aesthetically inadvisable to use them. Three examples, each followed by discussion and revision, demonstrate a few sentences in which recasting a sentence to avoid hyphens is preferable to using them. 1. They can lean toward easier-to-maintain, off-the-shelf server, network, and storage gear. Hyphenation of the phrasal adjectives â€Å"easier to maintain† and â€Å"off the shelf,† both of which modify the phrase â€Å"server, network, and storage gear† is correct, but the double dose of multiple hyphenation, complicated by the fact that the phrases modify a phrase rather than a single word, clutters the sentence. Relaxing the statement as shown here improves readability: â€Å"They can lean toward off-the-shelf server, network, and storage gear that is easier to maintain.† 2. The company’s conversation about buying a brand can evolve into a mergers and acquisitions (MA)-type dialogue. Identifying a term’s abbreviation within parentheses immediately after the first reference to the term when the abbreviation will be used in place of the term in subsequent references is standard procedure, but when the term is modified by a word attached to it with a hyphen, the intervening parenthesis is intrusive. Again, sentence relaxation is a simple solution: â€Å"The company’s conversation about buying a brand can evolve into a dialogue similar to that regarding mergers and acquisitions (MA).† (Also, technically, temporarily disregarding the parenthesis, an en dash should replace the hyphen in the original sentence to signal that type is being attached not just to acquisitions but to the entire phrase â€Å"mergers and acquisitions†: â€Å"The company’s conversation about buying a brand can evolve into a mergers and acquisitions–type dialogue.†) 3. The next step should be to evaluate the effectiveness of existing practices in customer information collection strategies. Technically, the string of nouns turned adjectives that combine to modify strategies should be hyphenated to signal their teamwork (â€Å"The next step should be to evaluate the effectiveness of existing practices in customer-information-collection strategies†), but that three-car train of adjectives can be avoided by relaxing the sentence: â€Å"The next step should be to evaluate the effectiveness of existing practices in strategies for collecting customer information.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and Toes41 Words That Are Better Than GoodPhrasal Verbs and Phrasal Nouns

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

So you didn’t get the jobâ€now what

So you didn’t get the job- now what In the course of your job search, you’ve probably come across someone who talks about how they lucked into some great opportunity, clicked with an interviewer right away, and basically walked away with a job offer on the spot. And you probably hate that person a little, especially if you’ve experienced what just about all of us have at some point: a rejection after going through the application process. Let’s face it: that rejection always stings, even if you know you weren’t a good fit or you didn’t have a good interview. Thinking you may not get a job and the confirmation of that fact feel like two different things. So how do you cope after you get the call, email, or deafening silence that confirms the worst?Mourn it a little, but then move on.This is a disappointment. It’s okay to embrace that, but it’s really not worth wallowing for too long. Whether you were the next choice on the list or dead last in the rankings, the end result is the same, so why dwell? Even if you had your heart set on this new gig and envisioned yourself getting that sweet, sweet offer letter, you can’t let the disappointment derail your progress in your job hunt.Don’t expect specific intel on why you weren’t hired.Unless you’re told directly that they didn’t hire you for X reason, you’re probably never going to know for sure exactly why you lost out on this job. Don’t look for closure from the company, because you might be disappointed in what you get. If you ask for specific feedback, you may get it, but it’s just as likely you’ll get a response like, â€Å"we decided to go in a different direction.†Remember that it doesn’t mean you’re un-hireable.It can be tempting to personalize the decision. Why didn’t they want to hire ME? What did I do to make this happen? Chances are, it wasn’t you, personally, who triggered the rejection. Maybe so meone else had a few more experience points or aced the interview. Just because this particular company decided not to hire you does not mean you’re fundamentally flawed as a candidate or that it will affect your chances on your next application.Consider it a chance to regroup.Getting a rejection is a chance to take an honest look at what happened at every step of the process (review your resume, reflect on the interview) and decide what you can improve for next time. It can make you leaner and meaner, and ready for the next job to come along. Were you as prepared as you could have been? Did the interview go well or were there things you’d change? Can your resume be more targeted and reflective of your top skills? These are important questions to ask after any job rejection.Not getting the job is also a chance to think about what your job search goals are. Did you really want this job? Do you want to continue looking for this specific kind of job after all? The bottom line is that this is a good chance to re-evaluate yourself- both as a potential employee and as a job seeker.After any job rejection, it’s important to remember that it’s not the end of the world. It’s a letdown for sure, but for whatever reason, this job just wasn’t right. At some point, the stars will align, and you’ll find an employer who thinks you’re a perfect match for their job opening. Don’t lose your motivation or your faith in yourself- see it as an opportunity to learn from the experience and move on to the next thing.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Database in arcGIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Database in arcGIS - Essay Example As we have seen throughout this course, GIS is literally the picture that’s worth a thousand (or more) words. It’s little wonder that the use of GIS technology has expanded so exponentially since its initial development. In the case of the ACHS, the requirements required by the client are in keeping with their needs—and more. The truth is, ArcGIS can provide not only a more robust system for their currently applications, but considering the potential for growth, the proposed system would be unmatched. The growth of the GIS industry has resulted in a trend from an esoterically inclined group of computer geeks working on mainframes, to the common user on desktop computers. This trend will benefit the ACHS a great deal, not only allowing them to collect, store, and visualize their own information in a better format, but will give visitors to the ACHS a portal that will allow the most inexperienced user to benefit from the data available. It is also fortunate that the tool being suggested for use is Arc GIS, which is a full complement of GIS tools in one package. The net result of using ArcGIS for this application is the ability it will give a wide variety of users to work with the available data on their level of need as well as being within their ability to use the tool. Land use change studies. Land use data layers will allow city planners and others to see changes in the use of land through time. Assuming that the data available is accurate, those responsible for creating and maintaining datasets should find their tasks considerably easier. the historical datasets. These records will make keeping track of these persons/businesses easier and of greater value. This benefit is not only good for those who want to find long-lost relatives, but queries for a more general nature that can trace period history. City visualization. GIS

Friday, November 1, 2019

Family Ties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family Ties - Essay Example We all know how important family ties are for people and how needful it is, to have someone close enough to support and understand you in any situation. Either parent in childhood or a spouse in the adult life is those who would never leave or betray. To my thinking, marriage ties are the strong connection between people similar to the connection existing between parents and children. As one begins his/her life journey and starts living separately from parents, a wife or a husband may become the most precious soul mate to accompany and help throughout one's life. People do not bear soul mates, they become soul mates, and it is the great happiness, to find such a soul mate. To me, my wife is the person I can always rely on, the person I can fully trust. And marriage is not a mere word for us. We are used to supporting and complementing each other, and living apart would be very hard and unhappy for both of us, especially living in different countries. I would like to be near her both in happy and sad moments and help her overcome all the hardships. This is what I promised to do when I married her. People say that when people love their souls come in touch with each other until they become a single whole. I am sure a husband and a wife have one soul for two, and tearing his soul apart would be very painful for both. Living alone without my wife here will be extremely hard for me: I am a man, and I want to be a tower of strength for the woman who is the dearest person to me.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

EU Initiatives for Contribution to Health and Safety of Workers Coursework

EU Initiatives for Contribution to Health and Safety of Workers - Coursework Example Contributions were made from the member states of the European Union. There was a focus on indicators of health and safety strategies including the extent and costs of occupational injuries and ill health, legislative arrangements, inspection, preventive services, and arrangements for participative management of health and safety and insurance systems. EU HSE directives and specific applications have been reviewed. Hazard has been defined as something such as an object, property of a substance, or a phenomenon or an activity that can cause adverse effects. For example, the breathing of asbestos can cause lung cancer. Risk has been defined as the likelihood that a hazard will actually cause adverse effects, and the effects can be measured. The interpretation is in two parts. Likelihoods are expressed as probabilities, frequencies or in a qualitative way. Effects are described in some measurable way (HSE, 2010). SFAIRP is defined as â€Å"so far as is reasonably practicable† or â€Å"reasonably practicable.† The HSE Act has led to legislation for duty holders to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable. It is a statutory obligation that has to be carried out in the light of current knowledge if it is feasible, irrespective of cost or difficulty. The term requires a cost-benefit analysis to be used while determining actions that have to be taken in response to identified risks or comparison is to be carried out in similar circumstances. The preventive measures should be commensurate with the magnitude of risk (Institute of Engineering and Technology, 2009). SFAIRP is also defined as â€Å"it can be done, it must be done â€Å"or â€Å"practicable.† It is a statutory liability in health and safety legislation. The legislation may be absolute or qualified by expressions for ensuring â€Å"practicability.† The courts make a determination as to whether duty holders have complied with their obligations.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Effects of Dementia | Considering Gender and Age

Effects of Dementia | Considering Gender and Age Dementia has been associated with impaired memory, poor orientation, low thinking capacity, low comprehension, language problems, poor calculation, poor judgment and learning capacity. With such effects there is need to establish the magnitude on the patients so as to paint a clear picture of the pandemic. This proposal seeks to identify the effects of dementia with patients in general and particularly the different genders and age groups. Data from hospitals will be collected to identify the various effects where they will then be recorded in excel worksheets for analysis. The data will be from hospitals in a given region and randomly selected files from each hospital. Age groups and gender representations in the data will also be identified, calculated and presented to ensure there is comprehensive knowledge on the impact of dementia in the region. Introduction Dementia is a word that has been used to describe a set of signs that influence brain function. A number of factors including head trauma, Alzheimers diseases and even stroke can cause this phenomenon. It is usually diagnosed if two or more functions of brain, like language skills, memory or perception, and cognitive skills are affected. In most cases, memory loss is the main common symptom of dementia, however, if that is the only symptom depicted then dementia is not diagnosed. The effects of dementia on patients can affect several aspects of life. It is very vital to be aware of symptoms that may occur when the brain function is influenced. Some of the major common symptoms of dementia are having trouble in completing tasks that previously were familiar, short-term memory loss, problem of identifying what is the time and where one is, changes in mood and personality, forgetting simple terms and phrases, or even losing things, (Schienberg 2010). Review of literature Memory Loss and performing previously activities This is one of the effects of dementia. Long-term and short-term memory can be because of brain damage. A patient dealing with dementia might forget that they have already asked a particular question hence will ask again, or at other times, they might begin to have challenges in completing tasks that they have been doing routinely. The short term memory takes in information and starts the memory process, if it has no ability to move that information, to the long term memory, then such information will be lost and never recovered again. Some types of dementia resulted to problems in this area, for instance an individual might ask similar information he has been given, meaning that it did not pass short-term memory. Brain damage and cell loss, might also lead to challenges with short-term memory. When essential parts of brain that house long-term memories get affected, people start experiencing problems in doing things that they have been doing previously, (Schienberg 2010). The Effects of Dementia on Cognitive Skills It is clear that individuals with dementia have needs for support in undertaking daily activities. This is because the cognitive limitations that occur as a result of being affected by dementia disease set several requirements on the interface design. The need to be supported concerns the facilitation of the short-term memory; the cognitive prosthesis has to recognize physical limitations like reduced Visio-partial functions and reduction in performing activity capabilities. The human traits also become affected because of dementia disease. This usually affects patients who frequently have failures in their day-to-day life due to fading social and cognitive capabilities, (Sidel et al 1999) Dementia and Sexuality Sexual needs and caring expressions are very important during illness course. Progression of symptoms changes the very nature of partners relations. Both care receivers and caretaker might need increased reassurance that comes from being held, loved, touched, and receiving attention from one another. Issues like depression, dementia, or even the impacts of pharmacological regimes change many conditions. Most individuals with dementia rejects all affectionate overtures, while others, inmate contact, affection, sexual pleasures and warmth capacities may remain, and in some cases increase than ever before. When behavior and mind is changed by dementia, normal faculties decline, sexual needs and desires for affection still exists better after normal capacities have declined. Several problems happen at inappropriate times with demented individuals; physical and emotional abuse, decline in personal hygiene, changes in personality, verbal abuse, and even exhaustion of caregivers from care giving demands, (Alzheimers Association 1998) The major problem is that, care receivers ends up displaying inappropriate sexual behaviors even in public places, especially if they are also demonstrating in home setting. In some other cases, dementia individuals loose correct judgment for socially acceptable manners. Dementia makes individuals in some cases, to misperceive the cues of behavior of other individuals. Dementia Has On Language Language skill impairment affects effective communication and can lead to development of disruptive behaviors. Most of this disruption is because of severe dementia symptoms. Dementia individuals use fewer total words, less unique words, fewer subordinate clauses, fewer prepositional phrases, , and more sentence fragments that are incomplete. Greater severity is connected to laconic speech that is syntactically less complex. Research has shown that lexicon deficit is more susceptible to disruption in dementia than the syntax, (Hier et al, 2004). Visual impairment When one has dementia the risk of visual impairment is also possible; this is normally related to the aged. The effects include having problems in focusing on objects where patient will be affected while reading (Iliffe, Manthorpe, 2005). There is also low color and contrast sensitivity where that patient is not able to clearly identify colors. In addition the patient has inaccurate judgment of distance and could result to falling while walking or misjudged placement of objects (Iliffe, Manthorpe, 2005). The patient normally observes blur images which makes him/her unable to conduct normal routine practices hence affects the patients normal life. Problem statement Dementia has continued to affect persons silently where many have continued to be infected and other affected. The ailment has continued to torment the patients with some incurring huge bills whereas it is a chronic ailment. Once it affects the brain patients progressively deteriorate in health, this gives a justified reason for its study. Due to its effects on the patient such as impaired memory, orientation, thinking, comprehension, language, calculation, judgment and learning capacity its effects must be identified and prevented (Winblad, et al., 2001). The causes of the disease such as Alzheimers disease and cerebrovascular disease should be identified and its effects to the patients addressed through the necessary measures. The disease affects the functionality of individuals and if young brains are affected then the population will loose since it will affect their growth and development (Iliffe, Manthorpe, 2005). Once a person has brain dysfunctions, there is a lot of stigma from the society on not only the patient but also family of the patient therefore the issue needs to be addressed. Dementia is also a cause for impairment and death. This leads to pain and anguish for the family and friend of the deceased due to the loss of a loved one. Such effects should be reduced or zero rated so that such incidences never occur. The effects dementia has on the patient are identified by this report through proper data on the leading effects and how they can be addressed (Kitwood, 1997). Graphs, charts, figures, and tables will be used to present the raw data, where proportional representation of the occurrence in each hospital and in the general population will be presented. This will be useful in identifying the cases reported in the sample and deduce inference for the population. Research question The study tries to determine the general effects of dementia and specifically to; Determine the effects that dementia has on memory loss Determine the effects that dementia has on sexuality Determine the effects that dementia has on language Determine the effects that dementia has on cognitive skills Determine the effects that dementia has on visual input Determine the effects that dementia has on thinking reacting and performing activities. Determine the effects of deaths caused by dementia to the family members Methodology The study targets patients with dementia particularly those that are admitted in hospitals but not limited to them. Those who have been discharged and the families of the infected will also provide the necessary data. The data provided in the hospitals will be confidential and will conceal any identity of the persons involved. Data will be obtained from hospitals that will be selected in a region to represent the whole population. Few random samples will be identified from the files from each hospital from the current and former patients with dementia. Hospitals that major on brain ailments will be identified and patient files obtained from management so as to consolidate the data. The main objective will be to identify the causes and effects of dementia on the patients; this will be grouped in to both male and females where the data will be filled in excel worksheets. The data will also seek to identify the effects on the different age groups where the young (16-19), middle aged (20-35) and aged (35 and above) will be identified. The different effects such as memory loss, sexuality, language, cognitive skills, visual input, thinking reacting and performing activities or any other unique effects will be identified and filled up in the worksheet for both male and females (Rockwood, Joffres, 2002). Death cases will also be identified and recorded. The data recorded will then be tallied in the respective effects such that all cases concerning memory loss will be pooled together and counted to establish the numbers. The same will be repeated for all the effects and total of the cases reported calculated. The patients and family members that are out of the hospital setting identified will also be interviewed and their effects recorded in a separate sheet but the total effects grouped into one sheet i.e. data from the hospital and outside the hospital setting. The totals will help identify the number of cases in each effect and the total in the samples which will be used to draw deductions for the population being surveyed. The leading effects of dementia on patients will be identified and the rate of their occurrence identified. Graphs, charts, figures, and tables will be used to present the raw data, where proportional representation of the occurrence in each hospital and in the general population will be presented using charts. Age groups and gender representations in the data will also be identified, calculated and presented to ensure there is comprehensive idea on the number of males and females affected in the region and the most affected age group. Conclusion This research will identify the Effects of Dementia with Patients. This will help one identify the effects of dementia as dementia has the capability of taking different forms and affects every person differently. If one notices any symptoms that concern it, it is very important to seek medical attention immediately. This is because; medical attention or treatment has the capability of helping one to prevent or slow the memory loss process and keep ones brainpower in action.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Be Quiet :: Bible Critics

Bible critics assert that the beloved apostle Paul was a male chauvinist. One might inquire, â€Å"How do they support such a claim?† Critics of the sacred writings often flee to 1st Corinthians 14:34-35 to buttress their accusations of apostolic misogyny citing Paul’s infamous command, â€Å"The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.† Let us employ some excellent, fundamental, Bible study techniques to determine the meaning of Paul’s words. First, Biblical passages do not contradict one another, â€Å"The sum of Your word is truth† (Psalm 119:160). 1st Timothy 2:11-12 states that edification for women in the assembly is allowable provided it’s accompanied by a quiet, submissive attitude. Also, women may prophesy as long as their head is covered (1st Cor. 11:5). Therefore, we must interpret the silence of 1st Cor. 14:34 with the former passages in mind. Moreover, let us remember the ancient Biblical real estate law, â€Å"Location, location, location, â€Å"Context, context, context.† Biblical passages must be interpreted with the context in mind, and the context of 1st Corinthians 14 is the Corinthian is authority and the abuse of spiritual gifts. Therefore, let us examine the word silence in its proper context. Silence is the Greek word sigao, and it’s not used to denote absolute, unqualified silence. Therefore, we must look to the context to determine the type of silence in view. Allow me to illustrate. Discussing the physical toll of refusing to confess sin, David wrote, â€Å"When I kept silent about my sin †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Psalm 32:3). The word silent doesn’t mean he never spoke, rather it means he never spoke or confessed his adultery. Let’s look at a New Testament example. Jesus took Peter and the sons of thunder, James and John, with him on the mountain to pray. The blessed trio witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, saw and heard his discussion with Moses and Elijah, and they heard God’s command from heaven to listen to his Son. How did the disciples respond? Be Quiet :: Bible Critics Bible critics assert that the beloved apostle Paul was a male chauvinist. One might inquire, â€Å"How do they support such a claim?† Critics of the sacred writings often flee to 1st Corinthians 14:34-35 to buttress their accusations of apostolic misogyny citing Paul’s infamous command, â€Å"The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.† Let us employ some excellent, fundamental, Bible study techniques to determine the meaning of Paul’s words. First, Biblical passages do not contradict one another, â€Å"The sum of Your word is truth† (Psalm 119:160). 1st Timothy 2:11-12 states that edification for women in the assembly is allowable provided it’s accompanied by a quiet, submissive attitude. Also, women may prophesy as long as their head is covered (1st Cor. 11:5). Therefore, we must interpret the silence of 1st Cor. 14:34 with the former passages in mind. Moreover, let us remember the ancient Biblical real estate law, â€Å"Location, location, location, â€Å"Context, context, context.† Biblical passages must be interpreted with the context in mind, and the context of 1st Corinthians 14 is the Corinthian is authority and the abuse of spiritual gifts. Therefore, let us examine the word silence in its proper context. Silence is the Greek word sigao, and it’s not used to denote absolute, unqualified silence. Therefore, we must look to the context to determine the type of silence in view. Allow me to illustrate. Discussing the physical toll of refusing to confess sin, David wrote, â€Å"When I kept silent about my sin †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Psalm 32:3). The word silent doesn’t mean he never spoke, rather it means he never spoke or confessed his adultery. Let’s look at a New Testament example. Jesus took Peter and the sons of thunder, James and John, with him on the mountain to pray. The blessed trio witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, saw and heard his discussion with Moses and Elijah, and they heard God’s command from heaven to listen to his Son. How did the disciples respond?

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal – The Taj – is the â€Å"King Emperor† amongst the World Wonders. The Taj is the final achievement and acme of the Mughal Art. It represents the most refined aesthetic values. It is a fantasy-like grandeur. It is the perfect culmination and artistic interplay of the architects' skill the jewellers' inspiration. The marble in-lay walls of the Taj are amongst the most outstanding examples of decorative workmanship. The elegant symmetry of its exterior and the aerial grace of its domes and minarets impress the beholder in a manner never to be forgotten. It stands out as one of the most priceless national monuments, of surpassing beauty and worth, a glorious tribute to man's achievement in Architecture and Engineering. The Taj is threatened with deterioration and damage not only by the traditional causes of decay, but also by changing social and economic conditions which aggravate the situation with even more formidable phenomena of damage or destruction. A private sector preservation organization called â€Å"World Monuments Fund† (American Express Company) has published a list of 100 most endangered sites (1996) in the World. The environment of Agra is today beset with problems relating to the inadequacy of its urban infrastructure for transportation, water and electricity. Residential fuel combustion, diesel trains and buses, and back-up generators cause the densest pollution near the Taj Mahal. Constitution of the proposed Agra Ring Road and Bypass that would divert the estimated daily 6,50,000 tons of trans-India truck traffic financing. Strict controls on industrial pollution established in 1982 are being intensively enforced following a 1993 Supreme Court Order. The Asian Development Bank's proposed $300 million loan to the Indian Government to finance infrastructure improvements would provide the opportunity to solve the chronic problems. Agra contains three World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal. † According to the petitioner, the foundries, chemical/hazardous industries and the refinery at Mathura are the major sources of damages to the Taj. The Sulphur Dioxide emitted by the Mathura Refinery and the industries when combined with Oxygen – with the aid of moisture – in the atmosphere forms sulphuric acid called â€Å"Acid rain† which has a corroding effect on the gleaming white marble. Industrial/Refinery emissions, brick-kilns, vehicular traffic and generator-sets are primarily responsible for polluting the ambient air around Taj Trapezium (TTZ). The petition states that the white marble has yellowed and blackened in places. It is inside the Taj that the decay is more apparent. Yellow pallor pervades the entire monument. In places ugly brown and black spots magnify the yellow hue. Fungal deterioration is worst in the inner chamber where the original graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie. According to the petitioner the Taj – a monument of international repute – is no its way to degradation due to atmosphere pollution and it is imperative that preventive steps are taken and soon. The petitioner has finally sought appropriate directions to the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to stop air pollution in the TTZ and save the Taj. The court considered the affidavit filed by the board and directed the board to issue a public notice. Pursuant to the courts order, the board filed affidavit (5. 8. 93), wherein it stated that public notice was published in two national newspapers calling upon the industries to file their replies during the extended time. The affidavit also states that all listed industries were polluting industries and 507 out of them had not even installed any air pollution control device. The 212industries that did not respond to the notice and failed to take any steps towards installing the pollution control devices were closed by order-dated 27. 8. 93. The court was assisted in its efforts to improve air quality in the TTZ by the reports prepared by the NEERI (National Environment Engineering Research Institute), Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) on the supply of fuel gas to industries in the area and the study conducted by the Vardharajan Committee, which was constituted in May 1994, by the MoEF. Varadharajan Committee made, among others, the following recommendations: â€Å"Steps may be taken to ensure that no new industry including small industries or other units which can cause pollution are located north-west of the Taj Mahal. Efforts may be made to relocate the existing small industries particularly the foundries, in an area southeast of Agra beyond the Taj Mahal so that emissions from these industries will not be in the direction of the monuments. Similar considerations may apply to large industries such as Fertilizer and Petrochemicals. Such industries, which are likely to cause environmental pollution, may not be located in the neighbourhood of the refinery. The Committee further recommends that no large industry in the Agra region and its neighbourhood be established without conducting appropriate detailed studies to assess the environmental effect of such industries on the monuments. Location should be so chosen as to exclude any increase in environmental pollution in the area. †¦ The Committee wishes to record its deep concern regarding the existing level of pollution in Agra. It recommends that an appropriate authority be created which could monitor emissions by industries as well as air quality at Agra on a continuous basis. This authority should be vested with powers to direct industries causing pollution to limit the level of emission and specify such measures as are necessary to reduce the emissions whenever the pollutant level at the monuments exceeds acceptable limits. The Committee particularly desires that recommendations made in regard to reduction of existing pollution levels at Agra should be covered to a time-bound programme and should be implemented with utmost speed. The Committee also recommends that studies should be undertaken by competent agencies to explore the possibility of protecting the monuments by measures such as provision of a green belt around Agra in the region between Mathura and Agra. Even though assurances have been obtained from IOC that adequate precautions would be taken to contain the pollution on account of using coal in the power plant, the Committee is of the opinion that till such time this problem is studies in depth and suitable technologies have been found to be satisfactorily in use elsewhere the use of coal in the refinery power plant should be deferred. The National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) gave an â€Å"Overview Report† regarding status of air pollution around the Taj in 1990. â€Å"The sources of pollution, including small and medium-scale industrial units, are scattered all around Taj Mahal. High air pollution load is thus pumped into the Taj air shed. Sudden rises in concentrat ion level are often recorded in all directions in gaseous as well as particulate pollutant depending upon the local micro climatic conditions. On four occasions during the five-year air quality monitoring, the 4 hrly average values of SO2 at Taj Mahal were observed to be higher than 300 ug/m3, i. e. 10 folds of the promulgated CPCB standard of 30 ug/m3 for sensitive areas. The values exceeded even the standard of 120-ug/m3 set for industrial zones. Statistical analysis of the recorded data indicate that 40% (cumulative percentage level) has crossed the standard set for sensitive receptors/zones. The SPM levels at Taj Mahal were invariably high (more than 200 ug/m3) and exceeded the national ambient air quality standard of 100 ug/m3 for SPM for sensitive locations barring a few days in monsoon months. Another study during 1985-87 brought to fore that the overall status of the ambient air quality within the trapezium has significantly deteriorated over this period. â€Å"The Taj Mahal marble samples analyzed by NEERI in 1993 reveal that the black soot on certain protected surfaces contains 0. 6% Calcium and traces of Sulphate. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that soot and quartz (Silicon Dioxide) and the major constituents of the black coating at Taj Mahal (Lal and Holden, ES & T, April 1981). The origin of soot can be traced back to the fuel consumption around the sensitive receptor, while quartz is derived from geocrustal origin and causes surface abrasion. Soot in itself is not chemically destructive, but with tar it acts as a soiling agent. Absorption of the acidic gases is enhanced due to the presence of soot/smoky matter resulting in long-term effects. Further, the presence of soot reduces the aesthetic value of the monument. Ambient air around Taj Mahal is polluted primarily from point/line sources and has adverse impacts on building material by alteration of marble and sandstone structures at microcrystalline level. The earlier studies have revealed that the concentrations of gaseous pollutants and SPM (predominantly soot and carbon particles) are relatively high during winter months due to the frequent inversion conditions restricting vertical dispersion. During monsoon seasons, suspended particles are washed away and this cycle of pollutant builds up and subsequent removal continues exposing fresh surface of the monument to the pollutant. The period industrial development of Agra-Mathura region has resulted in acidic emissions into the atmosphere at an alarming rate. This causes serious concern on the well being of Taj Mahal. †¦ The gaseous pollutants being acidic in nature, significantly both the as well as the biotic components of the ecosystem like plants and building material like marble and red stone. The sources of pollution in Agra region as per the report of the Central Pollution Control Board are iron foundries, Ferro-alloyed industries, rubber processing, lime processing, engineering, chemical industry, brick refractory and vehicles, Mathura Refinery and Ferozabad Glass Industry. On 3 August 1995, the court formed a tentative view that polluting industries in the TTZ would have to be relocated and sought the assistance of the Union Government to device an appropriate solution. Taj, being a cultural heritage is an industry by itself. More than two million tourists visit Taj every year and this is a good source of revenue for the country. The court had monitored this petition for over three years with the objective of preventing and protecting the Taj from deterioration and damage due to atmosphere and environmental pollution. It cannot be disputed that the use of coal/coke by the industries emits pollution in the ambient air. The objective behind this litigation is to stop pollution while encouraging development of the industries. The old concept that development and ecology cannot go hand in hand is no longer acceptable. The development of the industries is essential but not at the cost of the environment. Orders passed by the court time to time indicate that the relocation of the industries from TTZ is to be resorted to only if the Natural Gas, which has been brought at the doorstep of TTZ is not acceptable/ available by/to the industries as a substitute for coal/coke. The GAIL has already invited the industries in the TTZ to apply for gas connections and industries operating in TTZ with the gas connections need not relocate. The atmospheric pollution in the TTZ has to be eliminated at any cost as it's not just the preservation of monument, which is essential, but also the human life. In August 1999, the Supreme Court struck again, ordering the closure of 53 iron foundries and 107 other factories in Agra that had not cleaned up their act. The order has become a call to arms for foundry owners, workers, trade union representatives and small-scale industry. However, industry is buying time: it filed a review petition through the Uttar Pradesh State government and obtained a reprieve on the court order's implementation. The matter comes again before the Supreme Court this summer. In the meantime, Agra's Iron Founders' Association is building up their case. They argue that 3,000 cottage and engineering units depend on the foundries, and that they directly or indirectly employ about 300,000 workers. They hold that the technology for using natural gas in their industries is not yet ready. Taj trapezium project's phase II gets green signal Buoyed by a decline in the pollution levels around the Taj trapezium with the successful implementation of the first phase of the afforestation project, the state administration has okayed the Rs 15. 0-crore second phase. The success of the plantation scheme assumes significance since a report prepared by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, had pointed out how â€Å"pollution inventory of Agra reflected high concentration of NO2, SO2 and CO2†. Apart from a vigorous re-run of the plantation campaign in the Taj city, this ph ase envisages greening of â€Å"sensitive receptors† of pollution like the heritage monuments and the 42-hectare land strip along the NH-2 (Delhi-Agra-Kanpur), NH-3 (Delhi-Agra-Mumbai) and NH-11 (Jaipur-Agra) highways. A 3

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Why Women Should Not Be Assigned to Combat Positions

Throughout history, women have played a role in the defense of their nations. In 1429, Joan of Arc successfully led the French Army into battle against the English at age 17. In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I traveled to Tilbury, Essex to fight beside her Army during the Spanish raid. And in 1788 at the Battle of Monmouth, Mary Ludwig Hayes, also known as â€Å"Molly Pitcher†, took over her husband’s cannon position and continued to engage the enemy after he had fallen in battle. While these are extraordinary accomplishments made by these most admirable women, should this level of close combat be expected, or possibly even required of women in the military? Many will argue that the ban on women in combat is a discrimination issue, and that it creates a structural barrier that can hurt their chances of promotion or advancement. The Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services actually found that â€Å"women serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have had a positive impact on mission accomplishment. But these women were not assigned to an actual combat position in a unit that has a primary mission of direct ground combat engagement of the enemy. They were either assigned to a combat support unit that was engaged by the enemy, or they were attached to the combat arms unit. There is a vast difference, and this essay will explore why placing women in direct combat roles in the military would have a negative impact on combat readiness. All male units in the field experience bonding that enhances readiness and cohesion. When women are introduced, men stop relating to each other and begin trying to attract the women. This puts them in direct competition with each other and becomes a severe distraction from the mission at hand. Morale cannot be maintained if accusations of harassment are a threat, and Commanders are unable to keep the males focused on the mission when they are at war with each other over a female unit member. â€Å"Helen of Sparta was perhaps the most inspired character in all literature, ancient or modern. A whole war, one which lasted for ten years, was fought over her† (Bell, 1991, p. ). King David of Israel ordered Uriah the Hittite into battle to fight in order to commit adultery with Uriah’s wife in his absence. He would even wage war against another nation in order to eliminate any competition for his women. But a relationship with a supervisor or a co-worker is detrimental to teamwork and fairness in the workplace. A lack of trust or possible resentment toward another soldier can possibly result in poor judgment in the heat of battle when someone decides they are mad at the man that got the girl. Disrespect among the ranks, mistreatment of fellow unit members, and destruction of professional reputations will surely affect the career progression of everyone involved. And what happens to the effectiveness of the unit when a female combat soldier gets pregnant? Naval ships at war must return to shore because of the pregnancy of female sailors, thus hindering the combat mission. Infantry units must evacuate the female soldier out of the war zone and reassign her to a support position back in the States. The disruption to combat readiness is extreme and can be costly. Chivalry is not dead. The basic, instinctual nature of males is to protect females. This is true of any species of animal. Parents raise their sons to protect women, and to ensure their safety because they are less capable of protecting themselves. While this may not be true of all women, it is certainly true of all men. In the New York Times article, Female POW is Abused, Kindling Debate, by Ellaine Sciolino, Army Major Rhonda Cornum was interviewed regarding her captivity during the Persian Gulf War. She said â€Å"Everyone's made such a big deal about this indecent assault,† she said, in her first interview since the war. But the only thing that makes it indecent is that it was nonconsensual. I asked myself, ‘Is it going to prevent me from getting out of here? Is there a risk of death attached to it? Is it permanently disabling? Is it permanently disfiguring? Lastly, is it excruciating? ‘ If it doesn't fit one of those five categories, then it isn't important. † But the male so ldier that was with her had a different opinion. The 22-year-old specialist from Fort Rucker whom Iraqis slapped and beat during interrogations said he had not changed his opinion that omen should not be in combat, despite what he described as Major Cornum's stoicism. â€Å"I worried about her all the time,† he said, â€Å"and being a P. O. W. and going through the torture, the pain, you shouldn't also have to worry about what's happening to the female soldier all the time. † While the women may be able to endure such atrocities that come with war, the men are not psychologically prepared to deal with listening to the screams of their women being raped, sodomized, and tortured by the enemy. Then there is the moral question behind women in combat units. The question isn’t necessarily whether a woman can do it, but whether she should do it. Assigning them into these positions would â€Å"require training men and women to regard the brutalization of women, and a woman’s brutalization of others, as normal and acceptable† (Kirkwood, 2003, p. 1). According to Vietnam War hero Ron Ray, â€Å"Women should only be used in combat if national security depends on it. † This means that all of our men have been killed or captured, and the only possibility of survival is left with the women and children. Even then it should be a last resort. There is something unsavory in the mouths of society in turning a woman into the kind of person that is capable of performing such heinous actions that are required in close ground combat against another human being, while being expected to nurture our children once she returns from such brutal actions. Women by nature are the nurturing gender. What will this do to our society of civilized humans if we turn our women into barbaric warriors? Women certainly play a significant role in today’s armed forces. On a grand scale they have been instrumental in improving the readiness of their organizations, better enabling them to perform on the asymmetrical battlefield. But placing them into close ground combat positions will not improve the readiness or performance of the armed forces. The presence of women in combat units creates sexual tension that eventually puts one man against another in direct competition for her, thus affecting morale and cohesion. As prisoners of war, women will put their male counterparts at risk because a man’s instinct is to protect the woman rather than complete his mission and overcome the enemy. As a civilized society, it is morally wrong to place a woman into a position where she could be brutalized, or where she would have to brutalize another. They simply are not emotionally or psychologically equipped to do that, and nor should they be. But in the quest for equality of the sexes, placing women in combat units isn’t the answer. It should still remain more important to maintain military tradition and combat effectiveness than it is for social experimentation.