Factors Affecting Organizational Behavior Essay

All companies today have internal and external forces that impact organizational behavior. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of internal and external forces on organizational behavior. The four forces we will discuss are, customer demands relating to Sinclair Oil, economic forces outside of Select Portfolio Servicing, restructuring within Nestle, and globalization factors relating to Northrop Grumman. Customer Demands Customer demands have a large impact on organizational behavior (OB) of the Sinclair Oil Corporation (SOC). SOC owns and operates three oil refineries, a trucking division, a pipeline division, the retail service stations, and eight hotels and resorts. The diverse nature of the company leads to many different customer demands. The oil refineries have two types of customers. The first is the retail service stations. The refineries must produce enough finished product each day to supply the service stations in 17 different states. The second type of customer is the federal government. Over the last eight years SOC has held the contract to provide jet fuel to Hill Air Force base. The average amount of finished product produced at the refineries is 600 hundred thousand barrels a day. This output is usually enough to supply the service stations needs and have some oil to put into reserve. Working conditions within the refinery are inherently dangerous, if production cannot keep up with demands operators often begin to feel additional pressure to keep pace; this distress can lead to additional dangers. There are three different types of hotels and resorts within the SOC/Little America organization. There are roadside properties, which cater to travelers and tourists, the elegant hotels and the ski resorts. Each type of property gears itself and its organizational behavior towards the customer base. The roadside properties, such as Little America Cheyenne, have a more casual approach to the customers; due to the affluent nature at the Grand America the environment is formal. The resorts are highly influenced with a European flair. This help the customers feel a sense of adventure. Economy While customer demands are one of the primary forces on SOC, economic forces greatly impact the OB of Select Portfolio Servicing (SPS). SPS is a mortgage servicing company. The resource group or hardship group is within the loan resolution department. Loan resolution assists borrowers who have fallen delinquent on their mortgage. The resource group assists customers that have hardship, such as, illness, death, loss of employment for extended periods of time, and property damage. When the economy falters the activities of loan resolution are in higher demand. Loan resolution and the resource group profit off the economic hardship of their customers. The purpose of loan resolution is to turn loss into profit for their investors. Loan resolution limits or prevents the loss which the investor experiences when a customer defaults. Loan resolution is paid based off of the percentage of delinquent accounts that they get re-performing, get paid in full, or liquidate for a loss. With the faulty economy there is more a more work that loan resolution must perform. Loan resolution is understaffed and overworked. The influx of high phone call volumes has caused little time for the resource group to complete their administrative duties. Morale is low department wide, largely due to the administration feeling they are performing two jobs daily. Answering phone calls and trying to complete the work the inbound calls generate cannot be completed eight hours a day. While loan resolution’s numbers still satisfy the investors giving them business, the administrative departments, such as, the resource group are becoming stressed and overwhelmed with a never-ending workload. Restructuring Economic factors affect companies like SPS and Nestlà © alike, but Nestle has chosen restructuring as the answer to its dilemma. Nestle is suffering from  the â€Å"big elephant† syndrome. In the old market diversifying and buying up the competition allowed it to survive and prosper, but in the new economy which is consumer driven the â€Å"big elephant† has been asked â€Å"to dance† for the customer. Nestle must rise to the challenge of change or it will be driven into extinction. The strategic decision makers at Nestle are trying to â€Å"trim the fat† on the elephant, and they have turned to organizational behavior to restructure their workforce. Globalization and technology have evened out the playing field for Nestle and its competition. Nestle as well as the competition is able to obtain the same raw materials at the same prices, and technology has allowed each company quick and efficient ways to process information. So, where will Nestle find its sustainable competitive advantage for the future? The innovation and the motivation of its employees will be the source of its sustainable advantage. Nestle needs to find a way of unlocking this source of intellectual capital. The corporate leaders feel restructuring is the key. This restructuring process has changed the organizational behavior of the company from a rigid hierarchical structure to a facilitator driven, empowered employee structure. The organization believes improving speed at the point of execution will make the business more successful, and it is the front line employees that are at the point of execution. To develop empowered employees organizational behavioral changes needed to be made. Monthly training has taken place on subjects like: change, communication, one hundred percent responsibility, situational leadership, and teamwork so far. Layers of supervision have been cut, and reincorporated into the workforce. Supervisors are being groomed as coaches and facilitators, instead micromanaging. Equipment operators are learning mechanical â€Å"first aid† to fix small problems and improve efficiency. A mentoring program has been instituted, so that empowered employees with positive attitudes are the role models for new workers. Globalization Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) considers itself a world class leader in  the production of military defense products. Many of these products are created for, and consumed by, customers in the United States, but many are also created and sold to companies and or countries all over the world. The company’s current position has not been easy to reach. Maintaining and growing this position requires constant vigilance in an ever expanding global market place. In fact, global factors in today’s economy have forced the company to make constant internal improvements to remain competitive in the global market. Exportation of intellectual property and gains in technological advances and capabilities of companies in countries abroad have resulted in more foreign competition. The entry of additional competitors in the defense business market has forced companies like NGC to look closely at internal business processes to find ways to gain or maintain a competitive edge. NGC has learned to modify the organizations overall behavior by training individuals in the use of business methods such as LEAN, Six Sigma and Training Within Industry (TWI). The following is a simplified description of what each of these business methods is intended to do. LEAN is specifically used to improve processes, manage inventory and manage movement of product throughout the production phase as well as eliminate practices which don’t add value. Six Sigma is applied as a tool to measure critical processes in a way that insures they stay under control. This is essentially done by setting control limits and then collecting data and analyzing the trends or movement of data as it relates to the control limits. TWI is being employed to ensure that every employee has the proper skill set to function within their specified job requirements. This training process employs a regiment of training that teaches, measures what has been learned, as well as maintains critical training information and/or tricks of the trade. This training method also provides the company with details of each employee’s specific capabilities and certifications. These internal changes have proven themselves invaluable to the company, saving NGC time, money, and valuable recourses as well as assist them in monitoring the company’s daily business. Most of all, changes in NGC’s OBhas been noticed by a number of the company’s customers who have noted the positive impact.

The Impeachment Process

The Senate and the House share equal authority over many congressional matters, which include declaring wars and maintaining the armed forces of collecting taxes. Congress’s joint powers that seem to be more judicial and less concerned with the maintenance of the government as a whole. The power is the impeachment that is not a criminal trial. The Senate is required to decide whether changes are brought by the House of Representatives to merit removing from office and to disqualifying him or her from holding other offices and titles. The impeachment process is one of the most serious and solemn of government proceedings. It can result in the trial and conviction of a President of the United States and immediate removal from office. Sometimes, impeachment is not taking very serious, but other then that it still has to go into affect whether or not. As far as it goes, the person may later be indicated, tired, and perhaps convicted and sentenced by judicial authorities, but none of these actions are imposed at the congressional level. The congress is simply to empower to decide whether the person should be removed from office. The House of Representatives has the right to formally impeach public officials for wrongdoings. It is the Senate that hears the case against the official and votes for conviction. If the president of the United States is being tried, then the Chief of Justice of the Supreme Court must preside over the trial. The Senate’s first impeachment trial came in 1798, and the proceeding one of its own members, Senator William Blount of Tennessee. H was involved in a plot to incite Indians to assist the British in trying to conquer territory in Florida and Louisiana that was the underneath Spain’s control. The impeachment proceedings against Blount, however, were dismissed since he no longer held office. For examples, the first impeachment and found guilty was Judge John Pickering of New Hampshire. In March, of 1804, the judge was found guilty of drunkenness and unlawful rulings. Many believed that his mind had become unbalanced, when he was removed from office after the guilty verdict and then died one year later. Since then, Congress has generally used the impeachment process cautiously. An important precedent was established early when Associate Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase, a strong Federalist, was impeached for judicial bias against Anti-Federalists. Chase although, was acquitted on March 1, 1805, in a decision that established political differences were not grounds for impeachment. The impeachment is a powerful tool that allows the legislative branch to remove high-ranking officials from office for cause.

Balancing Chemical Equations

Balancing chemical equations 1. Complete the following sentences, using the words or groups of words in the box below. You may use some words more than once. †¢ as small as possible |†¢ decrease |†¢ molecules |†¢ quantities | |†¢ balance |†¢ different |†¢ nature |†¢ rearranging | |†¢ bonds |†¢ equal |†¢ never |†¢ release of a gas | |†¢ characteristic properties |†¢ heat |†¢ new elements |†¢ rules | |†¢ check |†¢ increase |†¢ nuclear |†¢ signs | |†¢ chemical |†¢ law of conservation |†¢ nucleus |†¢ state | |†¢ chemical equation |of mass |†¢ physical |†¢ stoichiometry | |†¢ coefficient |†¢ mass of products |†¢ precipitate |†¢ subscript symbols | |†¢ colour |†¢ mass of reactants |†¢ products |†¢ transformed | |†¢ counting |†¢ molar mass |†¢ proportions |†¢ whole numbers | a)There are three types of changes in matter: ________________________ changes, chemical changes and ________________________ changes. b)A physical change occurs when the form or the ________________________ of a substance is changed. For example, when liquid water is cooled, it becomes ice.Whether water is in liquid form or in the form of ice, the ________________________ that form water remain the same. The ________________________ of water do not change. c)A ________________________ change alters the ________________________ of a substance. The very nature of the ________________________ is altered: they are no longer the same after the change. This transformation involves ________________________ the bonds between the atoms and forming new molecules. d)A ________________________ transformation involves changes that occur in the ________________________ of the atom. The transformation causes the atoms to split and form ________________________. ) Chemical changes occur when the ________________________ between reactants (initial substances) are broken to form new ________________________ (final substances), whose characteristic properties are ________________________. During this process, the quantities of reactants ________________________, and the quantities of products ________________________. f) We can recognize that a chemical change has taken place by certain ________________________: the ________________________, the emission or absorption of ________________________, the emission of light, a change in ________________________, and the formation of a ________________________. ) A chemical change, or chemical reaction, can be represented by a ________________________, which shows how the change took place. It is useful to identify the ________________________ of the substances (solid, liquid, gas or aqueous solution) with ________________________ in parentheses to the right of the substance. h) The scientist Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier made this famous statement that expla ins the________________________: â€Å"Nothing is lost; nothing is created; everthing is ________________________. † This means that the ________________________ before the chemical reaction is equal to the ________________________ after the reaction. ) To follow the law of conservation of mass, we must ________________________ chemical equations by ________________________ the number of atoms of each element on the reactants side and on the products side of the equation. The appropriate ________________________ must be placed in front of each substance so that the number of atoms on each side of the equation is ________________________. j) Certain ________________________ must be followed when balancing a chemical equation. The coefficients must be ________________________, and they must be ________________________. New substances must ________________________ be added, nor existing substances removed.Subscripts in chemical formulas must ________________________ be changed. Finally, we must ________________________ the equation by comparing the number of atoms of each element on either side. k) When a chemical equation is properly balanced, we can find the ________________________ of reactants needed for a reaction and predict the resulting quantities of products. ________________________ is the study of these proportions. It is essential to maintain the ________________________ of the substances throughout the reaction. We can use ________________________ to convert moles into grams. 2. What kind of change is described by each of the following examples? |a) a worn tire | | | |b) limewater that turns white | | | |c) a bracelet that tarnishes | | | |d) the fission of a uranium nucleus | | | |e) rusting iron | | | |f) mercury that expands in hot weather | | | |g) the fusion of the nuclei of several atoms | | | |h) food being transformed into energy | | | |i) salt dissolving in water | | | |j) radium emitting radiation | | 3.For each of the following exam ples, name at least one sign that a chemical change is occurring. a) A match burns. | | | b) A yellow substance appears when NaI is mixed with Pb(NO3)2. | | | c) Bubbles form when chalk is mixed with hydrochloric acid. | | | d) A bright light appears when a piece of magnesium is burned. | | 4. Write a chemical formula to represent the following situation. Aluminum oxide (AlO), commonly called alumina, is formed by the reaction between aluminum (Al) and oxygen (O2). Balance the equation. | | | | | | 5. Balance each of the following chemical equations by indicating the number of atoms in each molecule involved in the reaction. a) C(s)+ H2(g) + O2(g) ( CH3OH(g) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | b)Al(s) + O2 (g) ( Al2O3(s) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | c)C(s) + Cl2(g) + H2(g) ( CHCl3(g) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6.The decomposition of 10 g of copper oxide is represented by the following equation: 2 CuO(s) ( 2 Cu(s) + O2(g) If you obtain 8 g of copper, what am ount of oxygen was released? Explain your answer. | | | | | | | | | | | | 7. Calculate the mass and the number of moles of silver produced if you make 10  mol of zinc react with sufficient silver nitrate. (The equation is not balanced. Zn(s) + AgNO3(aq) ( Ag(s) + Zn(NO3)2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8. What mass of glucose will be formed if you make 32  mol of hydrochloric acid react with sufficient carbon? (The equation is not balanced. ) HCl(l) + C(s) ( C10H16(aq) + Cl2(g) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9. Given the reaction for the synthesis of ammonia: N2(g) + 3 H2(g) ( 2 NH3(g) How many moles of hydrogen are needed to produce 50  g of ammonia? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10. Given the following equation: 2 Na(s) + 2 H2O(l) ( 2 NaOH(aq) + H2(g) How many moles of hydrogen will be produced by the complete reaction of 75  g of sodium? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ———â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Support activities – Second Year of Secondary Cycle Two |EST | | student BOOK: Chapter 4, pages 108–113 | | Related Handout: Concept review 15 | ACTIVITY 15 EST EST EST EST EST ———————–  ©ERPI Reproduction and adaptation permitted solely for classroom use with Observatory. Observatory / Guide 11129-B

Role of the WTO and the IMF in global business Case Study

Role of the WTO and the IMF in global business - Case Study Example IMF was formed in 1944 at the conference held in the United States; another main role of formation was to provide loans to the members. The loan provision to members of IMF was meant to boost trade between countries or achieve balance of payments. While WTO has increased access to international markets, IMF has assisted some countries achieve positive balances of payment. However, many have criticized the two institutions. For example, IMF has been criticized for formulation policies that make it difficult for some countries to access IMF loan. This report explains the role of WTO and IMF. It also explains the impacts of the two institutions have had on global businesses. According to Morrison (2011), IMF and the World Bank are two institutions formed to provide funds. The two institutions are also called Bretton Woods Institutions because they were formed in Bretton Woods. The main aims of formation of IMF are to foster international monetary cooperation and expand international trade. The two objectives that led to the formation of IMF go on to remove the inequities that exist between members’ balance of payment. The goals that led to the formation of the institution are to be met by promoting exchange stability, maintenance of systematic exchange arrangements and circumvention of competitive exchange depreciation. In addition, IMF also promotes the economy of the member states by providing funds for disposal and the funds assist states facing financial crisis. Internal Monetary Fund also provides assistance temporarily to countries (members) that tries to keep their currencies stable in times of financial downfalls. In addition, the institution assists states that have structural trade problems. This only happens when the states having structural trade problem seek help from the institution. However, the author noted that the institution could not save the country facing huge and continuous (Ramakrishnan & Zalduendo, 2006). Here are main

Birmingham City Council v Abdulla & Others Case Study

Birmingham City Council v Abdulla & Others - Case Study Example The actual case to be determined by the Supreme Court was not whether the plaintiffs should be paid the equal pay claims they were seeking from the Birmingham City Council; rather, it was purely a case of jurisdiction. In the case that was presented before the high court, former employees of Birmingham the City Council were demanding to be paid equal employment claims after realizing that some of their ex-colleagues had been compensated for the same by the council (Old Square Chambers, 2012). However, while the claims that the former employees were raising could be genuine and valid, the legal issue that arises in the case is that by the time they realized that their ex-colleagues had been compensated for the equal pay claims, it was already too late since 6 months had expired. The law pertaining to this situation provides that a claimant has 6 months to present their employment claims to the Employment Tribunal from the date of the wrongdoing by the employer, after which such claims would not be admissible to the Tribunal (Honeyball, 2012, p. 47). However, the same law provides that the claimants have up to 6 years to present any claim to the civil courts, from the date of a wrongful act. Therefore, finding that their claim could not be admitted by the Employment Tribunal, the claimants presented the case before a civil court. In return, the Birmingham City Council filed a response to the court seeking to have the case struck out of the civil court, on the basis that such a case was better dealt with by the Employment Tribunal, as opposed to the civil court (Old Square Chambers, 2012). The high court upheld that the case could be heard by the civil court since its circumstances did not qualify the exceptional circumstances against which a case could be struck out of the civil court and be referred to the Employment Tribunal. The defendant, in this case, the Birmingham City Council, filed an appeal regarding the high court decision, which was also rejected by t he Court of Appeal, which held the same ruling that the Supreme Court had given. It is upon the rejection of the appeal by the Court of Appeal that Birmingham the City Council filed the case for determination by the Supreme Court, so that the Supreme Court could determine whether the case could be struck out of the civil court and referred back to the Employment Tribunal (Honeyball, 2012, p. 47). Facts of the Case The case Birmingham City Council v Abdulla & Others [2012] is a case falling under the employment law, specifically under the Equality Act 2010, which provides that both the male and female workers shall be compensated the same for the services they deliver to an employer, which requires similar efforts and for which similar qualifications are required (Barnard & Hepple, 2004, p. 22). According to this act, if a woman’s contract is based on no less favorable terms compared to those of men, and the woman does the same roles and she is in the same employment, terms of equality should be applied for both men and women (Hepple, 2011, p. 54). However previously, the employer, in this case, the Birmingham City Council, had not compensated both women and men equally for their contracts for which they delivered their services to the council.  

Questionaire design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questionaire design - Essay Example The second and third pages constitute the actual questions which are 30 in total. A correct answer gets 2 score. Answer next to correct gets one. The other two answers get zero score. (Example, if correct answer is 3: a) '0' gets no score, b) '1' gets no score, c) '2' gets 1 score, and d) gets 2 score. Correct Answers 1-3, 2-0, 3-0, 4-3, 5-3, 6-3, 7-0, 8-3, 9-0, 10-3, 11-0, 12-3, 13-0, 14-3, 15-0, 16-3, 17-0, 18-3, 19-3, 20-3, 21-0, 22-3, 23-0, 24-0, 25-3, 26-0, 27-3, 28-3, 29-0, 30-3. Scoring 46-60. Maximum zone. Person knows a credible deal about the WTO, and understands its policies and issues to an expert level. 31-45. Above-average. Person has reasonable understanding of WTO concerns, however there are issues of which he is oblivious. 16-30. Below-average. The person ceases to have an optimal awareness about the WTO. Has some idea, but is devoid of in depth information. 0-15. Minimum zone. The person knows about the WTO to an adequate level. The information is incorrect, and a dearth of insight into the organization is there. WTO Name: Date: Please read each statement and circle a number 0, 1, 2 or 3 which indicates how much the statement applies to you. Kindly do not spend too much time on any statement. The rating scale is as follows: 0 No 1 Possibly incorrect 2 Possibly correct 3 Yes 1 WTO is an international, multilateral organization, which sets the rules for the global trading system 0 1 2 3 2 There are 169 members of the WTO 0 1 2 3 3 WTO was founded in 1992 0 1 2 3 4 WTO has been a major focus for protests by civil society groups in many countries 0 1 2 3 5 GATT was an element of ITO 0 1 2 3 6 The Uruguay round lead to the formation of WTO 0 1 2 3 7 The WTO states that its aims are to decrease international trade by promoting lower trade barriers 0 1 2 3 8 A trading system should tend toward greater competition 0 1 2 3 9 Most of the WTO's decisions are made in informal meetings, often called 'Red Room' meetings 0 1 2 3 10 The topmost decision-making body of the WTO is the Ministerial Conference, which has to meet at least every two years 0 1 2 3 11 The General Council is the WTO's highest-level decision-making body in New York 0 1 2 3 12 The Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB) is open to all WTO Members 0 1 2 3 13 Doha Round was the 5th ministerial conference 0 1 2 3 14 One of the principal functions of the WTO is to act as an arbiter of disputes between member states 0 1 2 3 15 The Dispute Settlement Panel is usually made up of five trade officials 0 1 2 3 Please turn the page Reminder of rating scale: 0 No 1 Possibly incorrect 2 Possibly correct 3 Yes 16 Member countries must sign and ratify all WTO agreements upon their accession 0 1 2 3 17 The Agreement on Agriculture is criticised for increasing tariff protections for small farmers 0 1 2

Islam as a Way of Life in Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Islam as a Way of Life in Britain - Essay Example The recent terrorist attacks have even more made them subdued and separated from other communities living in Britain. So an Islamic person's life has to follow more of a dreadful path in the current scenario and some of it is being analyzed here. The research is aimed at portraying the pathos and future prospects of the Muslims in Britain. The research provides a brief history of the religion; development of the religion in Britain; acceptance of British and effects and aftermaths of 7/11 terrorist attacks; the hatred among the British and the role of media and government in fuelling it is described. Finally, the research concludes providing view into the future prospects for Muslims in Britain. Islam emphasizes the unity of God. The religion of Islam imparts idol free worship. The number of people following Islam is increasing. Around 1.5 billion Muslims are believed to exist in this world. People who follow Islam are known as "Muslims". They have their own beliefs and follow Quran and the messengers of god. Prophets are also treated as servants of god. The name Islam is not derived from the name of a person, like other religions. This religion worships Allah and does not worship any other person separately. Allah is believed to be the creator who has created the other things. The main concept of Islam is to be kind towards every human and to be compassionate. Islam was found in the 7th century. Islam has its origin in Arabia. Most of the Muslims reside in the Asia. Muslims belong to countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh. Now they have been moving to almost all the countries and thus considered as the religion that is growing on a fast pace. Islam preaches every human is equal. They are firm that no human should be discriminated. (Joel & Soper 2005) The Holy book Quran encompasses several aspects of human life. It expects one to have the knowledge and must maintain a cordial relationship with fellow beings. As oneness is the mission of Islam, any Muslim is not afraid of any superstitions because they believe Allah is universal and thus he will exist at any place. There are five principles that every Muslim should follow. The first principle says having faith in God and the messengers are the main pillar of Islam. Prayers have to be done daily at five times, which is the second principle. Third law states they should observe fasting for a month, that month is known as "Ramadan". Fourth principle emphasizes on helping the poor and the needy. The last pillar explains that a Muslim must go on a pilgrimage trip to Mecca, which is considered to be the Holy place. (Joel & Soper 2005) Quran is considered as God's revelation. The meaning of Islam is obeying; any person following Islam must obey the principles and abide by them. Islamic policies decide how a Muslim should lead his life and the culture that has to be followed. Islam consists major categories namely, Sunny, Shiite. Mohammed's demise lead to this separation as two sub sects. The differences were regarding the leaders who they trust. People from Sunni; believe God is related with each and every individual. Shiites think there are separate clerics who impart the will of God. Development of Islam in Britain Islam had spread world while from the time of its existence. During the 8th century, Muslims had problems with the Isles of Britain. After this many people from Britain started travelling through the Islamic

LEADERSHIP Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

LEADERSHIP - Assignment Example My MBA classes serve as my first real exposure to leadership styles and interaction with people of different cultures. At first, things feel awkward but as I learned more about the principles of leadership and human interaction, I begin to feel more at ease with the group. Given my experience, the three leadership skills that brings a lot of meaning to my life at this point are the skills in active listening, communicate assertively and influencing. Active listening is a very important skill that every leader should learn in order to understand their subordinates better and address their issues and concerns in the most appropriate manner. As for assertive communication, I believe that this still is very important because we all need to deal with certain issues that need to be addressed in certain manners. Influencing others on the other hand is a crucial skill that leaders need to master in order inspire others to follow us. In evaluating my leadership skills using the PDJ and feedba ck from my ground and some classmates, I realized that I need to develop the skills in asserting myself and influencing others. II. Evaluation of Leadership Behavior According to Kotter (1990), leadership involve several factors including setting direction, aligning people, motivating people and creating a culture of leadership. Koontz and O’Donnell (1959) describe leadership as â€Å"influencing people to follow in the achievement of a common goal† while Tannenbaum, R. , Weschler, I.R., and Massarik, F. (1959) define leadership as â€Å"interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of a specialised goal or goals.† Based on the definitions given, it can be surmised that leadership involves a complex and comprehensive approach to a given situation in order to achieve the desired goals. Based on my experience, leading a group is a complex process and there are a lot of things that one needs to consider in order to inspire people and achieve good results. Leadership styles vary from one person to another and for a leader to be effective; he or she needs to adopt a leadership approach that he or she is comfortable with. In my case, I have a clear vision of the future and understand the importance of clearly defining my development path in order to achieve my goals. By creating a sort of mind map and putting into context the kind plans that I have in order to reach my goal, I am better able to charter my courses of action. For instance, in an activity where my team had to work over the holiday season, I was able to visualize what my team needs to do over the holidays in order to achieve our goals. By visualizing the future tasks of the group and communicating my vision through text messages and emails to the members of my group, I was able to convey the right message to my team mates. Yes, some of my team mates feel that there are things that I need to improve in terms of planning and communication (see Appendix 9) but I believe that given the time constraints that we had, I was able to carry-on the task at based on my vision. In evaluating my leadership behaviour using my Personal Development Journal (PDJ) and the feedback from my peers, I

Acquisition of Gender Identity and Gender Roles Term Paper

Acquisition of Gender Identity and Gender Roles - Term Paper Example From the very start, the gender identity is determined through the sex of the person at conception, the influence of the male and female hormones secreted in the body, and the societal definitions and perceptions which identify the requirements of roles particular to one gender (Cox, 2008). The biological factors remain the core of defining gender identity and roles. However, each child passes through numerous phases of cognitive and psychological development, which creates the initial pattern of self-identity as a sexual being (Sammons, nd). One of the primary researches and understanding of gender identity and gender role has been achieved through Kohlberg’s development theory (Cox, 2008). He states that children, according to their mental capacity, growth and approach develop the sense of gender identity in three successive stages. The first stage which takes place at 2 years of age is when the child identifies himself as male or female (Cox, 2008 and Sammons, nd). The second stage is called gender stability, which takes place at age four years. At this stage, the child realizes that he or she is permanently male or female, that is, gender is a permanent phenomenon (Bussey and Bandura, 1999). The final stage, the gender constancy, takes place at ages 5 and 7 y ears. At this stage, the child realizes that clothes or change of appearance does not alter the sex of the person (Cox, 2008). I remember how it was very difficult for my mother to make me conform to things that are considered girlish. At first, it was always the correction of me being a girl and not a boy. Then further emphasis on me being a girl, by showing me what I should like and which are boy things to do. Finally, I was instructed how to dress and act, with a constant barrage of statements starting with â€Å"little girls don’t do that†.  

Technology and the Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology and the Future - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the future is coming and it will be shaped by technology. Everywhere around us, technology is changing our lives. The future is hard to predict, but one thing we know for sure is that technology will be present and increasingly determine our lives. This raises a lot of ethical issues. We need to think long and hard about these complex issues. For example, one of the things that technology can do is provide more security and convenience. However, many new technologies provide both pros and cons. The idea of implanting a CHIP inside of all U.S. citizens is certainly one. There are definite positives relating to this idea and definite negatives. Overall, however, this is a terrible idea and should not be pursued. There are positive aspects to inserting CHIPS in all American citizens. It would reduce costs and potentially reduce bureaucratic screw-ups. No one would ever lose their medical information and it would cost less to transfer. How ever, it is plainly unconstitutional. It is also a serious encroachment into the lives of American citizens on behalf of the Nanny State. In an age where TSA officers grope children in security lines in airports, the last thing we need is more intrusion such as the implantation of chips. We need to think about these ethical dimensions. We need to think about these questions, just as we need to think about whether to find out about the genetic situation of our children before they are born.

Smiths Clothing Essay Example for Free

Smiths Clothing Essay Smith’s Clothing Store has remained profitable but not to the companies expectations. Over the past â€Å"10 years a set of five or six aggressive, high-fashion into or within Bayview† (Bayview is Smith’s primary store territory) (Marketing Research, 9th Edition, Aaker/Kimar/Day, pg. 343). Due to this new accessibility to trendy fashions, Smith Clothing Store is looking to assess if it’s current business model of traditional upper class clothing fashion needed an upgrade to keep it’s edge in the Bayview market. Through research they hope to gain a better understanding of who their customer is, and what they want. What is the customer’s image of Smith’s Clothing store, whom is there customer, and how do they differ from Smith’s competitors? In performing this research they will gain a better understanding of their current clientele as well as the potential customer. The current customer of Smith Clothing Store is perceived as an upper class classic design female. Due to the recent growth of the current trend market in the Bayview area, the store has not seen the growth expected from their current client base. Through an at home survey they hope to gain a better knowledge of their current and potential customers needs and if they are currently being met. If this research shows that they still hold a majority of the upper class female market in Bayview for classical dress, then they can continue the road they are on. However, if the research shows that their current and potential customer is craving the new and trendy designs, they need to adjust to meet their client and potential clients need to show growth to compete in their market. An in-home, self-administered questioner appears to be the research tool that Simpson Research feels would best gain insight to what the high-fashion customer in that area. Specifically, on Smith’s current customers age, where they shopped, their fashion preferences, and their purchase profile. The uncertainty of the accuracy of such a questionnaire was that it was to address a finical bracket that was above median income. Once the data is collected it is then to be analyzed using data-processing steps leading up to an analysis. Simpson Research will then inspect the questionnaires for completeness and reasonableness of responses. These responses to each question are to be coded to ensure standardized entry into a computer. The data from the questionnaires is to be stored in computers and analyzed using various statistical techniques. Simpson Research will then interpret the results and conclusions based on those results will be made. A documented and written report of the findings of the questionnaire and the conclusion Simpson Research has drawn will be presented to Jim Andres, the president of Smith’s Clothing. This report will contain the specific research question that were asked, the method of approach, research design, data collection, data analysis and present the results and major findings.

Rhetorical Analysis of Jfk Inaugural Speech Essay Example for Free

Rhetorical Analysis of Jfk Inaugural Speech Essay In early 1961, the United States of America was enduring racial tensions and inequalities on the home-front, as well as waging war against Communism and the Cold War internationally. Chaos and fear had penetrated the minds of the American people because the Cold War was near its pinnacle; the American people longed for a strong, reassuring leader. John F. Kennedy provided that reassurance in his Inaugural Address. Taking the current national and international turmoil into account, Kennedy sought to persuade the Nations people to Join in his efforts and unify together in order to achieve peace. The inaugural address is saturated with rhetorical strategies seeking to flatter the American People and utilizes words of encouragement to evoke unification. Kennedy was able to effectively establish a profound kairotic moment at which his discourse can make the most difference or have the most influence. The speech persuades the American people by providing motivating propositions through appeals to ethos, logos and pathos. Kennedys inaugural address plays to an irrefutably persuading rhythm. Strong, motivational verbs are Joined with sophisticated adjectives in a manner that would make the most nane speech capable of swaying an entire population. In order to capture the minds of the American people, Kennedy begins with an antithesis, calling his victory, a celebration of freedom-symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning. This statement is to ensure the people that they are embarking in a new era of reform and peace, the end of turmoil, and the beginning of prosperous tranquility. Similar to the Declaration of Independence, Kennedys speech emphasizes the unification of the country through the use of parallelism and Juxtaposition. Kennedy appeals to his udiences ethos through visions of freedom and American values. He does this through the Juxtaposition of freedom from the tyranny of man and the reliance of God to provide such freedom. By utilizing a quote from Isaiah, .. to undo heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free, Kennedy persuades all who listen to pursue freedom because it is both their God given right and their patriotic duty. Kennedy emphasizes his argument for patriotic unification by effectively using anaphora to break his pledges and propositions into segments. The repetition of declarative lements exemplifies his pledge that he will continue to pursue peace and encourage action. He declares, to those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, and, to those peoples in huts and villages across the globe in order to evokes nationalistic feelings through the appeal to pathos. This pledge of calm persuasiveness exemplifies his stasis of remaining strong and unified amongst the division of tyranny. Kennedys choice of such language caused his audience to find it hard to disagree with such an amiable stance. He stated, United, there is little e cannot do in a host of co-operative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do, for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder. This statement exemplifies the importance of international and national unification. Due to the Cold War, Kennedy is extremely intent on bringing liberty to the world much more than protecting the liberties already present. However, it is evident that there was an underlying fear in his pledge; almost a plea to advisories for union and non violent where disagreeing with him would seem unpatriotic and weak, In your hands, my ellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe. Kennedy chose words such as, national loyalty, in order to evoke an appeal to ethos and logos and graves of young Americans to appeal to their pathos. He points to the resiliency of the United States and the need for the people to continue to support the ideals of freedom that ave seemed forgotten. The people were challenged to Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. Kennedy successfully appeals to the pathos and ethos of the audience in order to establish his views of the inane strength and duty within all Americans. In the conclusion of his speech, Kennedy cleverly positions one of the most memorable quotes of history. While the audience is full of excitement and atriotic duty because of his previous statement calling for strength and faith, he pauses for a moment and states And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what you r country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. This statement attenuates itself to the rhetorical instrument of kairos because the placement and the time in which Kennedy chose to speak the words provided its long lasting impact. The influence of this statement has persuading many Americans to act upon their own stasis and exemplify true freedom and strength for their country.

Benefits of Healthy Eating on the Body

Benefits of Healthy Eating on the Body Todays society is always on the go, with hectic work schedules and other responsibilities that limit the amount of time spent paying attention to eating habits. Americas society has become accustom to eating on the go, which has led to people relying on fast food. Fast food however is not necessarily a healthy alternative to a healthy well-balanced home cooked meal. A healthy diet improves ones health because proper nourishment allows the body to heal from illness and disease. Choosing to eat a healthy diet rather than a diet high in saturated fats will make an improvement in ones health. Various studies have proven a well balanced diet is to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and oils, and regular exercise is better for the body. Paying attention to the types of nutrients the body needs to function in a healthy way will make a difference in ones health. A healthy diet needs to consist of a variation of foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and a regular exercise regimen. Raw fruits and vegetables contain a high quantity of the essential nutrients that bodies need to be healthy. Without proper nourishment, our bodies are more susceptible to illness and diseases. For example, type two diabetes and heart disease to name just a few of the health complications that are associated with poor diet choices. The possibilities of other health problems are possible when diets are high in bad fats and cholesterol. By caring for our bodies with a balanced diet there will be a lessened chance for developing various illnesses and diseases. The body is like a machine that requires proper fuel and maintenance to continue running at its best performance levels. A well balanced diet would include whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. The body is able to use the good carbohydrates from this type of grain. Good carbohydrates supply our bodies with the energy that we need to be active and help control blood sugar and insulin levels from rising and falling too quickly. Healthy fats and oils are also an important part of a healthy diet. Healthy fats and oils include olive, canola, sunflower, and corn oils are good to include in a balanced diet. A variety of fruits and vegetables eaten raw or cooked has several benefits. However, fruits and vegetables retain more nutrients when consumed in a raw state. There should be a significant source of protein, fiber, and minerals included in a balanced diet. Proteins, fibers and other valuable minerals exist in nuts and beans such as garbanzo or navy beans, walnuts, and pistachios. A well balanced diet will include fish for the omega-3 and chicken or turkey as a source of protein. When planning a healthy diet there needs to be a source of vitamin D, this can come from dairy products such as low fat milk or cheese or in the form of a supplement. At last red meat and butter, this is what our bodies need the least. Red meat contains high amounts of saturated fats with little to no nutritional value. The other foods that should be consumed sparingly include white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and other sugary foods, these foods are high in the carbohydrates our bodies do not need (Harvard School of Public Health, 2005). A healthy diet nourishes the body so we can perform at optimal levels. When consuming the vitamins and minerals needed, there will be an increased energy level. The benefits of a healthy diet will include a lower risk of colon problems, heart disease, and diabetes. A properly nourished body can resist germs and bacteria better than a body that is relying on an unhealthy diet regimen. This is difficult to do when going out to eat at the average restaurants on a regular basis. Although there are restaurants that serve healthy menus and are conscious of the fact that some people choose to eat healthier low fat foods. The menu items offered at many restaurants often include foods deep-fried or smothered with condiments that include unnecessary fats, and cholesterol. Even though many popular fast food restaurants are improving, the menus to include low fat alternatives to the traditional menu items there are better choices. These fast food menu items can be prepared at home in a much heal thier manner. Cooking at home allows more choices in low fat and leaner options. For example, home cooked meals provider more control over making choices like choosing skinless chicken over beef and fat free dressings for salads versus full calories dressings. The food society consumes plays a significant role in the bodys ability to prevent and recover from illness and disease. When someones body is healthy because of eating properly and getting regular exercise there is a decreased risk of illness. Although a person is less likely to become sick when healthy, diet exists. It is probable that everyone will catch a cold or virus at some time in life. Fortunately, some foods can help treat the symptoms. Some research has shown that there is truth to chicken soup being good for treating the symptoms of a cold. Boiling chicken releases amino acids into the water turning the water to a broth that has many healthy elements that improve the symptoms of a cold. When this broth is inhaled, the steam will thin mucus and relieve inflammation making it easier to breathe (Rutecki, 2009). Garlic has shown to have an effect on cancer cells. Allyl sulfate along with other compounds in garlic have shown to damage cancer cells in a greater way than normal cells (National Cancer Institute, 2008). The effect that garlic has on cancer cells is being researched to learn more about how this information can be applied to help treat and prevent cancer. At the World Diabetes Congress conference, researchers reported a diet rich in pulses and nuts have an effect on glycemic levels in patients with type two diabetes. The effect was comparable to taking prescription medications (Johnson, 2009). Early studies show that there is a chance a low fat vegan diet can improve or even reverse the diabetes disease (Nicholson, 2008). Changing the diet to control diabetes would allow a person to rely less on medications. If diabetics could rely less on medications is would improve the quality of life for these people. The websites discussed in this section are easily accessible providing the public with information about how to eat healthy. Sites exist with examples of healthy foods, how to prepare these foods in a variety ways and ideas for daily exercise routines. One site that provides an abundance of information is the Harvard School of Public Health. The Harvard School of Public Health is available to the public to provide information about healthy eating. The site is full of information and suggestion to teach people about why and how to eat healthy. The Healthy Eating Pyramid developed at the Harvard School of Public Healths Department of Nutrition determined that the foundation for a healthy diet is regular exercise and balanced nutrition. This pyramid is an easy to follow example of a healthy diet. The diagram is colorful and designed to be easy to use as a guide to develop healthy eating habits. The pyramid shows picture examples of the optimal food choices in each category. Using this p yramid to structure a balanced diet is a resourceful tool in learning how to eat healthy (Harvard School of Public Health, 2007). The United States Government has taken action to help protect and educate the public by appointing an independent agency known as the Food Standard Agency to protect the public. This agency is to conduct research related to setting food standards for the American people. The Food Standard Agency decides what is safe for people to consume and how foods are stored and handled in a variety of settings. The other responsibility of the agency is to determine what is healthy to consume and in what amounts. This agency offers a wide array of resources to provide information relevant to a healthy diet. The website also provides information that describes in what manner the research is conducted and the results of the research. These two sites are educational sources of information meant to inform the public about the best way to make healthy diet choices. Anyway, one looks at it a healthy diet improves the bodys health because proper nourishment allows the body to heal from illness and disease. Some changes in eating habits like eating home cooked meals more often, choosing healthier menu items when eating out, and utilizing information that is available to make healthier diet choices are all examples of what can improve ones health. Any positive change in a persons diet will make an improvement in someones health. References Johnson, K. (2009, Nov. 15). Dietary nuts and pulses beneficial in diabetes.(ENDOCRINOLOGY)(Report). Internal Medicine News, 42.20, p.36(1). Retrieved from the University of Phoenix Library Gale PowerSearch National Cancer Institute, (2008). Garlic and cancer prevention: fact sheet. Pamphlet by: National Cancer Institute. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix Library Gale PowerSearch database. Nicholson, A. (2005). Diabetes: Can a Vegan Diet Reverse Diabetes? Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Retrieved From http://www.pcrm.org/health/clinres/diabetes.html The Nutrition Source, (2007) Staying Active Every Bodys Path to Better Health, Reaping the Benefits of Exercise. Harvard School of Public Health, para. 3. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/staying-active/staying-active-full-story/index.html The Nutrition Source, (2005) Food Pyramids: What Should You Really Eat. Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid-full-story/index.html Rutecki, G.(May 2009). Does mother always know best? What the evidence shows: bundle up, drink chicken soup, get plenty of sleepare these motherly maxims supported by clinical data?(Top Papers Of The Month: Articles You Dont Want To Miss). Consultant, 49.5,p.e13.Retrieved from the University of Phoenix Library Gale PowerSearch database.

The Catcher In The Rye Essay By Jason So :: essays research papers fc

A 'Phony' Family Each and every action the children performed in school and in any place is a reflection of the quality of life they have in their own homes. Parents have a responsibility of taking care of their children and parents have the influence and impact that creates the primary personality of an individual. This influence can mold a certain individual into a responsible citizen or a rebellious delinquent as perceived in J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye". The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, interacts with many people throughout novel, but probably none have as much impact on him as certain members of his immediate family. The ways Holden acts around or reacts to the various members of his family give the reader a direct view of Holden's philosophy surrounding each member and would likely explain his actions in the story. Holden makes reference to the word "phony" forty-four separate times throughout the novel (Corbett, 1997). Each time he seems to be referring to the subject of this metaphor as -- someone who discriminates against others, is a hypocrite about something, or has manifestations of conformity (Corbett, 1997). Throughout "The Catcher in the Rye", Holden describes and interacts with various members of his family. The way he talks about or to each gives you some idea of whether he thinks they are "phony" or normal. From the very first page of the novel, Holden begins to refer to his parents as di stant and generalizes both his father and mother frequently throughout his chronicle. Holden's father is a lawyer and therefore he considers him "phony" because he views his father's occupation unswervingly as a parallel of his father's personality. "Lawyers are all right, I guess - but it doesn't appeal to me,' I said. 'I mean they're all right if they go around saving innocent guys' lives all the time, and like that, but you don't do that kind of stuff if you're a lawyer. All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like a hot-shot. How would you know you weren't being a phony? The trouble is, you wouldn't'" (Salinger, 1945). When Holden describes his mom, he always seems to do so with a sense of compassion yet also with a jeering tone. Holden makes his mom sound predictable and insincere. These phony qualities are shown in two different examples when Holden is hiding in the closet of D.

Essay --

The Differences Sunni and Shia Ideology Thesis: The Sunni and Shia ideology in terms of the concept of imamate, their believe on al-Quran and Hadith and the successor of the leadership after the death of the prophet Muhammad i. Sunni and Shia ideology in terms of the concept imamate. A. The appointment of shall be the duty of human priest or God? 1. Sunni a) They stated that the selection of imam is the responsibility among Muslim and it is not duty of God. b) The Sunni say believe in imams excluding priests rule of faith. c) The importance of Salat (prayer) than Imamate by Sunni. 2. Shia a) They stated that the appointment of the imam is the duty and responsibility of God b) Of the fabricated views and beliefs of the shia is that they hold their imams something of divine origin, much above the human beings, and even above Prophets and Messenger. (Tarjman Al-Hadith, The Shi’ites And The Sunna, Idara Tarjuman Al-Sunnah, 1984, p.90) c) The Shia say, believe in twelve imams, including the pillars of faith. (www.wiki.answers.com.) d) The importance of Imamate in Shia is more importance of salat (prayer). ii. Sunni and Shia ideology in terms of al-Quran and Hadith. A. Al-Quran and Hadith 1. Sunni a) Sunni agreed on the truth of the al-Quran and protected from any deviation. b) Sunni Muslims accept this Hadith as Sahih (authentic). The Hadith of al-Quran and Sunnah is used by the Sunnis to stress importance of following the Sunnah. (Yaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Islamic Beliefs & Doctorine According to Ahl al-Sunna, As-Sunna Foundation of America, 1996, p.242) c) Accept all the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslims and other hadith books. 2. Shia a) They had argument on the truth of the al-Quran and accused that al-Quran have devia... ...ussion concluded whereas faith practiced by the Shia obviously been in conflict with the faith that underpinned by Sunni. It is not only against the consensus of â€Å"the scholars, even worse, it has been inverting the texts that have been handed down by God as understood by the majority of scholars to mankind. Based on this differences, there is no way to achieve unity and strengthen them to adopt beliefs or withholding resources unless one of the parties to leave their positions and recognized source of resources. Although there is a meeting point between the two parties, but much dispute on the ground that creates a gap in the far east and far west. In the case, there is no better shield strong in facing the challenges of this movement effectively unless Muslims should return adheres to the belief that authentic knowledge legacy of the Prophet and his companions R.A.

The Relationship Between Business and Government Essay -- Business Man

Relationship between Government and Business in the United States The government’s position is to ensure that citizens do not suffer harm resulting from business operations, such as selling tainted food or preparing foods in unsanitary conditions, causing ecological harm, or dealing unscrupulously in financial matters. As the government grows, government regulation, taxation, and spending has been beneficial for businesses (Carney, 2006). Businesses prefer the government eliminate regulates and government watchdogs so they can continue to operation in a fashion that would increase their profits. Most business leaders believe the government is excessively involvement with how businesses operate. A poll taken in 2005, found 90% of Americans believed that large businesses had great influence over the government. The CEO’s of large corporations are able to have personal meetings with senators and cabinet secretaries to discuss their position and influence their decision-making (Carney, 2006). Since the Obama Administration, the government is interacting directly with businesses to ensure that they are being fiscally responsible so as not to negatively impact the American citizens. President Obama had to intervene on behalf of Wall Street, automotive companies and the banking industry by means of stimulus package to avoid an economic depression for the country. Both businesses and the government need to work together to ensure the citizens receive the greatest protection in all issues, to include health and safety, defense, economics and environmental protection. The relationship between government and business is crucial and critical if American is to remain successful. Government will have to lay aside its bipar... ...cles/cpr28n4-1.html Federal Trade Commission, (n.d.). Protecting America’s consumers. Retrieved from http:// www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/data/idt.shtm Goodell, J. (2010). As the World Burns. Rolling Stone, 1096, 30-45, 62. http://search.proquest. com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/220179270?accountid=34899 Machan,T. (1988). Government regulation of business: The moral arguments. The Freeman,38 (7). Retrieved from http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/government-regulation-of -business-the-moral-arguments/ Milkin Institute Global Conference (2009). The new relationship between government and business. Retrieved from http://www.milkeninstitute.org/events/gcprogram.taf?function= detail&EvID=1957&eventid=gc09 National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education. (2008). Retrieved from http://www. indicatorproject.com/preservation2009/index.html

Intellectual Auto Biography Essay

Unlike many of my colleagues or others who have majored in history before, my intellectual background has been influenced by two major cultures in the world. As a twenty three years old student living in America but originally from Japan, the foundation of my intellectual being was shaped by the Japanese culture and education since the first 18 years of my life and schooling took place in Tokyo Japan. Later I moved to America, California where I have been under taking my degree course, majoring in History. This does not mean that my intellectual story is different or unique but I have to admit that, it is somehow interesting since many people and many things have played a part in it. From the time I started schooling, I have always had an interest in history. Just like America, Japan is really rich in history which is somehow different from the American one. The curiosity and the thirst to know more about my native country and the world at large formed the basis of my interest in history. In other words, I know why I am pursing history and sometimes I think taking this course of study was inevitable since it has really shaped my life. It is a well known fact that Buddhism is one of the major religions in the world especially in Japan and from a historical point of view; the religion has come to be identified with the country. It has shaped its culture, economy and political aspects. I am a self confessed Buddhist brought up by Buddhist parents and the whole of my life has been characterized by Buddhist doctrines. My beliefs and how I view life can only be attributed to the religion. As a history major, I believe one of the most interesting topics in history is religion and how it shapes people’s lives. I have always taken myself as an example, trying to analyze how it has really affected my life and my views about everything. I tend to agree that Buddhism is a philosophy more than religion because it defines lives of those who believe in it. Philosophers have defined the word philosophy as ‘the love of wisdom and Buddhism propagates that. I myself love wisdom and that is why I chose to do history in the first place; just to know almost everything that has shaped this world from the time it came into existence. Another thing I believe in is honesty. For me it is a very important virtue and has a major role to play in this world in regards to morality. Honesty, according to my understanding and beliefs can only be achieved the moment one is true to himself and to God/gods, depending on whom one worships or believes in. Being true to oneself forms the basis of honesty which will be followed by other forms of honesty for example, being honest to others and to God/gods. Those who are familiar with Buddhism religion will agree that, this view has somehow been influenced by the religion and that is why I began by saying that Buddhism is part of my life. As a Buddhist, I am supposed to be aware of my thoughts before I do anything. This also applies to actions. Before undertaking any action, one is supposed to be aware of it and to have wisdom and understanding on how to go about it . When all these are combined, they all add up to being true to oneself and that is what I call honesty in other words. This belief has really shaped my life especially in regards to my relationships with others. The moment one adopts this view of honesty, it is very difficult to fall out with anyone since one will always be open-minded. Being true to oneself will only mean that, you will do what you believe is true and it will be very difficult to be pressurized maybe by the peers into doing something against your will. When it comes to handling others, it will be very easy. For example, if one sees a friend doing something one is not comfortable with and maybe that friend wants you to join him/her, since you are true to yourself, you will be able to express your concerns and at the end of the day, that friend will see that your concern is actually genuine since it is coming from deep within you. It is not forced, not a pretence or expression of fear but your true self expressed in words. This will actually be felt by another person and it will eventually influence his thinking. I remember mentioning earlier that I am Buddhist and some may question whether I believe in one God or gods. I know in the modern days there are those Buddhists who believe in one God and there are others who do not for they believe in many gods. The question always poses some problems to me especially when it comes to explaining to others, especially my friends. They have always known the religion that I profess and what it says about the issue of God and gods but they are never sure about my stand. First I have to clarify something, Buddhism is a way of life and that is what makes it different from other religions. It emphasizes so much on how people are supposed to live and as a Buddhist; there is that kind of life that I am supposed to live. There is no mention in my religion that Buddha worshipped or believed in any one God. That does not mean we are atheists in fact there are so many Buddhists who believe in that one God of the Jews, we call Him, ‘the God of the desert. ’ Personally, I don’t have problems with those Buddhist who profess a kind of God in their lives even though it is not in Buddhism doctrines. Sometimes I tend to think that I will head there someday. Right now, from what I have read and seen, I tend to think that, there is a supernatural power that is in control of the world. I have been skeptical about the issue for a very long time and sometimes I do not want to talk about it. I have read so much regarding the matter, I have been exposed to so many religions and I have even been following what is happening in this world and to some extent, I think there could be actually a supernatural hand behind it all. Can I be regarded as an atheist then? I leave that judgment to ones discretion but as I said earlier, I am true to myself and what I believe in, but maybe one day I may change my mind; no one knows. I believe that Buddhism is a well organized religion. In fact, it has never been heard before that Buddhists have fought with any religion over religious matters and that is what I love most about the religion. Foundation is the most interesting part of the religion as far as I am concerned. Buddha was born in an affluent family but he decided to leave all that to suffer. He manly focused on suffering. The religion is not about God but suffering as a way of life and that God has no solution to suffering. The only thing can bring sufferings to an end is the teachings of Buddha whereby only wisdom and compassion can end one’s problems. I really believe in these concepts which continue to shape my life. Wisdom has always been a driving force behind everything that I do. The course that I am pursuing is my way of becoming wise especially of the things of his world coupled with other ways for example meditation which is a requirement of my religion. One has to accept everything that comes in the way. That is how I mainly live my life and this has really helped me to come to terms with my problems. The pains that we go through as human beings can only be solved the moment we accept them. Some people have always misunderstood Buddhism as a religion, some of them claiming that we worship a human being. I don’t blame them because they are acting out of ignorance. Even though we really hold Buddha with high esteem that does not mean that we worship him. In fact I have so much respect for him and this should not be misquoted that I worship him. I have always tried to apply his principles in my life and so far I do not have any complaints. Another thing that interests me about Buddha’s teachings is that, he says that moral and ethical uprightness will end suffering forever. Many will definitely differ on the definition of the phrase ‘morally uprightness’ because the word ‘morally’ is relative depending on one’s culture and background. However, according to me, being true to oneself constitutes moral uprightness. Sometimes it is argued that ones life is predestined and I find myself asking, since human life is characterized by so much suffering, were we predestined to suffer? If that is so, why then do we have to struggle to improve life? Is there anything like free will? In the course of my study, I have come across so many stories and events that have characterized human beings from the time they came into existence and one thing we can agree on is that life has not been smooth sailing for human beings. It has always been about diseases, wars and rumors of wars, poverty among others. Sometimes I ask myself, if we use the concept of predestination to explain this, does that mean that we were predestined to go through all these? If we agree on this, then that means we have no control whatsoever and the actions that we carry out are also predestined. Then why does human being try to look for solutions to solve these problems or prevent them from repeating themselves in the future? If we believe that everything is predestined, then nothing matters because it means we are not in control of anything. I have read about almost all the wars that have characterized the world right from world wars and major civil wars and some countries have justified some of these wars, giving so many reasons. Let’s consider two wars; World War II and the Vietnam War. These two wars have been surrounded by controversies right from the start, and some have argued that, they were not to happen in the first place. The US has been regretting of its decision of going to war with Vietnam for so many years and if we adopt the concept of predestination, it will only mean that, they do not have a reason to regret because everything was predestined. The war had to happen and they had no control over it. Why then should they blame themselves? Even though the world has been trying to prevent another World War, then its efforts are meaningless because if it is predestined to happen, then no one can prevent it. The concept of predestination will only mean that, we are not answerable for the mistakes that we do and we owe no one an apology. If we believe that everything in the world is pre-designed, then, that means we are just existing to fulfill our purposes in life and not living our lives the way we would want. So does that mean that free will is at work and not predestination? The more I tend to think about these two concepts, the more I get confused. If we say that free will is at work, then as human beings we are to blame for everything that we go through because the power of making free choices is in our hands. Every thought that we harbor in our heads and every action that we undertake, will be determined by us. Should we blame ourselves for all those wars that took place? Sometimes I tend to think that free will and predestination are both at work. There are some areas of our lives which have been predestined for example death and birth of children. No one wants to die any day but at one point we will all have to die. When I was young, still in primary school, I wondered what brought about twins. After learning some biology I understood but I used to ask myself why I was not born with a twin sister or brother and the only answer I could think of is predestination. I was destined to be born alone. Where does free will come in then? I believe that human beings can choose to live their lives the way they want to live, for example, one can choose to be successful or to be a failure, one can choose to pass exams or not, marry or not to marry, have children or not among others. Even though I believe this to some extent, I think that free will and predestination are both at work. I am always left with so many questions regarding the two concepts and thus I agree with those who propose that, free will and predestination are two concepts that can never be understood and are not conclusive enough. I am well aware of the concept of predestination according to Buddhism religion; that every human being’s destiny is determined by ones personal actions. This means that, one’s thoughts and words will determine what he will become in the future. I do not dispute that; in fact, it forms the foundation of my faith. However, I also believe that human beings have a choice to make when it comes to the actions they decide to carry out. In other words, if one chooses to do wrong actions, that will determine his or her destiny, and that is why I believe that free will and predestination work together.

Happy Endings by Margaret Atwoods Essay

Every literature tries to make a specific point. A good writer always associates her opinion, ideas and thoughts in her or his masterpiece. Some produce literature are purely for entertainment stressing that life is funny and humorous, some include many ironies highlighting that life is complicated and hard to understand, some literature especially those classics are for the purpose of political movement portraying the kind of values and morality the society has, some are for the purpose of religion and spirituality and some literature was made to emphasize creativity or unconventional way of creating a literature. Happy Ending by Margaret Atwoods  was used by her to portray what makes a literature genius, more authentic and interesting. Most readers consider a literature ‘nice’ if the ending satisfies them and satisfaction is always in connection to happy ending, giving a social justice to the characters’ predicaments especially of those protagonists. However Margaret Atwoods illustrates in her short story that it is not the end of the story that is important but how well the beginning especially the middle were structured. How and the characters’ circumstances happened are more significant than what happened in the end. The creation of â€Å"Happy Endings† by Margaret Atwoods is not so much about the how the story ends. The writers give different options on how the story might end and the various possibilities of John and Mary’s love story. The story is divided into six possible life scenarios of John and Mary’s love story. Atwood sums it up in her concluding remarks. â€Å"John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die. † On plot A, it offers the classic boy meets girl story that demonstrates the usual â€Å"live happily ever after† ending. This is the type of story that most readers wanted to believe in. However the succeeding version breaks away from the cliche of fairy tales, introducing a more realistic perspective in the midst of dominance, tragedy and cynicism. The point is that the writer compels and reminds us to the basic reality of life, that every body dies and that everybody fades away- that is the real and ultimate ending for every human being. Margaret Atwoods is particularly stressing that the readers should not seek the satisfaction on the ending because the ending will not help them to relate about life because all lives has the same ending. In order to fully embrace the importance of literature, one must critically meditate on how and why the characters commit a particular action and decision. The story is not found in the ending but it’s in what we do while we are alive that gives meaning to our existence. Literature for Atwoods has no ending if the characters did not die. The author’s belief that fiction has many beginnings and middles, but only one eventual ending. Margaret Atwoods suggests that we can do nothing about our mortality but we can precisely do something about the quality of our lives. Atwoods says that life is a continuous and never ending journey that there is no concept of happy ending as long as you live in this world. You might end up marrying your dream person but that doesn’t already mean and guarantee that your life is a happy ending; no one knows what will happen next. Every existing being has only one ending and that is death. This story also takes us through our childhood preconception about how love and life is supposed to turn out based on what has been written in fables and fairy tales. As human being grows older, they slowly realize through experience that most fiction fairy tales ending is unattainable. Obviously Atwoods opens up with various settings, different versions and opportunities that are grounded to reality. Atwoods may also want to redefine the stereotypical characterization of men and women and to the readers who readily accepts such gender typing. Most love stories always employ women as a weaker sex who is incapable of themselves most of the time. But in this story, Atwoods introduces the different facets of women who are both capable of vulnerability, unselfish love and extraordinary strength just like men. Atwoods employ both the weaknesses and strengths of Mary and John from those various possible plots. It challenges the writers on where to proceed next from the typical and conventional creation of love story with a more realistic endings and scenarios. Writers must not stay to those predictable stories that will not help the readers much. Writers must be more realistic in portraying themes so that the readers’ life will not lead to destruction. Typical fairy tales as we all know has been destructive, it makes the readers detach to reality, hoping unreasonably that everybody has a happy ending. Hoping of something unattainable will corrupt one person and eventually the society.

Fetal Rights Essay

The government sees the rights of the human fetus as a complex topic, along with civil and human rights. In most states fetuses are not given entitlements because it can be seen as a violation of the privileges of the woman carrying the fetus. As of today the U. S. Supreme Court does not recognize the fetus as a person under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U. S. Constitution (Constitution). In the Declaration of Independence it is stated that the government is in place to give the U. S. people, â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,† as part of societies’ inalienable rights. In the entitlements of a fetus – a combination of a sperm and an egg – which many believe becomes a human being at the moment of conception. If this is the case then the fetus is entitled to these same privileges. Society should be able to go against the government in the case of fetal rights because they deserve to be treated as any other U. S. citizen. The citizens of the U. S. should fight for the rights of the fetuses because that is where every human being’s life began. The treatment of these unborn infants throughout pregnancy affects the overall health, both physical and mental, throughout their lifetime. Society and government officials need to put themselves in the situation of the disabled or mentally ill children that are born into this world with a preventable defect had they been taken care of properly within the womb. When a woman is pregnant they harbor another life that is completely innocent and should be treated as so. The fetus deserves to be given the same inalienable rights that those already born into this world receive, despite the wishes of the carrier. The acknowledgement of the human fetus and determining whether or not it has certain rights varies from state to state. In 1987 in the state of California, these rights were put to a test in the case of People vs. Stewart (Maternal). In this case Ms. Stewart had been charged with child abuse because she had been stated to have â€Å"willfully omitting to furnish medical services. † Her actions caused the child to be born with cranial damage and then died in the following two months (Maternal). In 1986 the judge charged her offense for harming this child in its’ fetus state, but on February 26, 1987 the charge was revoked. A new judge was assigned from the state of California and came upon the conclusion that Ms.  Stewart could not be penalized because she was in the state of pregnancy (Maternal). It was seen that Ms. Stewart was in the right when abusing her own body therefore affecting the fetus because she was committing an action to herself and a fetus without rights. The debate of the fetus and the rights it has conflict with those of woman rights. In some states, women’s rights in the terms of pregnancy include the ability to have an abortion under certain circumstances such as: rape, drug-abuse, or incest (Isaacs). This element arose in the case of Roe vs. Wade when identifying the personal rights and the role of prevention from the government (Brant ed. ). Society should be able to recognize the difference between a woman who is unable to carry a baby, for whatever reason, and the abuse of the child within the womb and the affects after birth. If fetuses were given the same inalienable rights as other U. S. citizens that have already been born into then the abuse of these infants would be put to an end. The gynecologist who sees after these women as they go through pregnancy would be able to protect the fetus from harm if the mother revealed the use of substance abuse during pregnancy. Currently, if a mother confesses to the doctor she is misusing a substance during pregnancy the doctor is not able to prevent this from continuing, as it would violate the woman’s rights. Infants born with an addiction to drugs or alcohol would be put to a halt completely because the mother would be unable to take part in these actions, as she would be in turn harming the fetus. The doctors would have the right to place these women in the hospital for the duration of the pregnancy to prevent further drug use. Today much of society is unaware that the fetus is given certain rights, but they seem to be overruled by the maternal rights of the mother (Isaac). If society was well informed of the treatment of these children maybe there would begin to be a movement to give these infants the rights they deserve. The opinions of the concerned and well informed citizens needs to be heard by government officials and even by the mothers who continue to choose to harm themselves and their child throughout pregnancy. The words and concern of fellow citizens could stop the ill treatment of the fetuses and given them the rights they are entitled to from the moment of conception. If citizens came together and drew a line on the rights for both parties and if health care was reformed to provide more affordable birth control so pregnancy could be prevented. If the future mothers were able to receive help for their substance abuse early on then they could be sent to rehabilitation centers before becoming pregnant. These ideas could help become the solution for the mothers and the fetuses.

Chapter01: Defining Marketing for the 21st Century

vKT: 601 Chapter01: Defining Marketing for the 21st Century Importance of marketing The scope of marketing Services, Events, Experiences, Persons, Places, Properties, Organizations, In formations, Ideas Markets and prospects 1. Negative demand- Consumers dislike the product and may even pay a price to avoid it. 2. Nonexistent demand – Consumers may be unaware or uninterested in the product. 3. Latent demand – Consumers may share a strong need that cannot be satisfied by an existing product. 4. Declining demand – Consumers begin to buy the product less frequently or not at all. 5.Irregular demand – Consumer purchases vary on a seasonal, monthly, weekly, daily, or even hourly basis. 6. Full demand – Consumers are adequately buying all products put into the marketplace. 7. Overfull demand – More consumers would like to buy the product than can be satisfied. 8. Unwholesome demand – Consumers may be attracted to products that have undesirab le social consequences. Markets Key customer markets ?Consumer Markets ?Business Markets ?Global Markets ?Nonprofit and Governmental Markets ?Marketplaces, Market spaces and Metamarkets (search for product) Needs, Wants and DemandsTarget markets, Positioning and Segmentation Offerings and brands Value and satisfactions Marketing channels Supply chain Competition Marketing environment The New marketing realities Major Societal forces ?Network information technology ?Globalization ?Deregulation ?Privatization ?Heightened Competition ?Industry convergence (Combining, home theater) ?Consumer resistance ?Retail transformation (Direct mail) ?Disintermediation/reintermediation The New Economy: Consumer benefits ?Substantial increase in buying power: More disposable income and inclination to spend ?A greater variety of goods and services: Brand proliferation, can purchase from Internet also ? A greater amount of information about practically anything: Mass media and other sources availabili ty ? A greater ease in interacting and placing and receiving orders: Places order from home, office or can shop traditionally ? An ability to compare notes on products and services: One can use Internet to compare prices and other attributes of various brands The New Economy: Companies’ benefits ?Websites provide powerful information and sales channels. Can collect fuller and richer information about markets, customers, prospects and competitors. ?Can speed up communications among employees. ?Can have 2-way communication with customers and prospects ? Can send ads, coupons, samples, information to targeted customers. ?Can customize offerings and services to individual customers. ?Internet can be used as a communication channel for purchasing, training, and recruiting. ?Can improve logistics and operations for cost savings while improving accuracy and service quality.Company orientation towards the marketplace ?The production concept ?The Product concept ?The selling concept ? The marketing concept ?The Holistic Marketing concept ?Relationship marketing ?Performance Marketing ?Financial accountability ?Social responsibility Marketing management tasks ?Developing Marketing strategies and plans ?Capturing Marketing insights ?Connecting with customers ?Building strong brands ?Shaping the market offerings ?Delivering values ?Communicating values ?Creating long term growth

Assignment Final Paper Topic Essay Example for Free

Assignment Final Paper Topic Essay This work contains GEN 499 Week 3 Assignment Final Paper Topic Thesis Statement and Annotated Bibliography Education – General Education Review the Final Research Paper instructions located within the Final Research Paper link. The Final Research Paper is due in Week Five. To help with the preparation of the paper, complete the following and submit it to your instructor for feedback. Topic : Refer to the Final Research Paper guidelines for your topic selection. Confirm your topic, and identify how this selection relates to your academic and professional pursuits. Review the feedback from your topic choice presented in the Week One discussion. How did your argument stand up to the examination of your peers? Thesis : Write a direct and concise thesis statement, which will become the point or perspective you will argue or prove in the Final Research Paper. Refer to the Ashford Online Writing Center for information on how to develop a solid thesis statement. APA Reference Page : For this paper, you will conduct research in peer-reviewed journals or other sources that are considered to have academic information. You will need a minimum of five professional scholarly sources, at least one of which is a multimedia source. For each source, you are responsible for summarizing the source and examining how it will support you in defending your argument. Keep in mind the Academic Research standards for all Ashford University Papers. Academic Research Academic research and papers must meet certain standards of quality recognized by the academic community. What constitutes quality, academic research? Primary sources, which are documents from the time period being discussed Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources Credible sources (experts in the area of study)   Relevant research (materials are p†¦ For downloading more course tutorials visit – https://bitly.com/1rubFkT If you are returning to college with a kid or more, you might assume that on-campus living is not an option. This is not always true. Alot of colleges provide a place for children to live as well. Colleges and universities have accepted the fact that some students are older and already have families. Be sure to ask early about housing options for families, because it tends to fill up very fast. Education – General Education Review the Final Research Paper instructions located within the Final Research Paper link. The Final Research Paper is due in Week Five. To help with the preparation of the paper, complete the following and submit it to your instructor for feedback. Topic : Refer to the Final Research Paper guidelines for your topic selection. Confirm your topic, and identify how this selection relates to your academic and professional pursuits. Review the feedback from your topic choice presented in the Week One discussion. How did your argument stand up to the examination of your peers? Thesis : Write a direct and concise thesis statement, which will become the point or perspective you will argue or prove in the Final Research Paper. Refer to the Ashford Online Writing Center for information on how to develop a solid thesis statement. APA Reference Page : For this paper, you will conduct research in peer-reviewed journals or other sources that are considered to have academic information. You will need a minimum of five professional scholarly sources, at least one of which is a multimedia source. For each source, you are responsible for summarizing the source and examining how it will support you in defending your argument. Keep in mind the Academic Research standards for all Ashford University Papers. Academic Research Academic research and papers must meet certain standards of quality  recognized by the academic community. What constitutes quality, academic research? Primary sources, which are documents from the time period being discussed Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources Credible sources (experts in the area of study) Relevant research (materials are pertinent to the area of study) In graduate work, the use of peer-reviewed journal articles (journal articles reviewed by recognized experts in the relevant field of study) is required. Assignment Final Paper Topic. (2016, May 19).

Chemicals in the environment that disrupt the bodys normal functions Essay

Chemicals in the environment that disrupt the bodys normal functions - Essay Example I wonder if this is legit to submit I to turnitin.com or not? These are my own words!! Pollutants include chemicals, biological materials, as also various physical agents (e.g. noise, radiation, heat). Most pollutants are of human origin, resulting from human activities such as industry, energy production and use, transport, urbanization, waste disposal, agricultural practices etc. The rapid expansion of the chemical industry that has occurred during the last 50 years has created numerous xenobiotics (molecules foreign to biological systems) capable of causing chemical toxicity leading to morbidity and mortality. New information on potential environmental risks from widely used chemicals is continuously emerging. Some of the major causes of mortality from diseases linked to environmental pollution have been listed as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, acute respiratory diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diarrhoeal diseases (Murray and Lopez, 1997). The reproductive system is an important target of several environmental chemicals. Hence, the environmental polluta nts are currently under intense scrutiny especially regarding their possible adverse actions on human infertility. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of couples experiencing reproductive difficulties has gone up from 4.9 million in 1988 to 6.1 million in 1995, and 7.3 million in 2002 (Luoma, 2005) (Fig. 1). The apparent or proximate causes of female infertility are numerous and involve impaired sperm quality or reproductive tract abnormalities, fallopian tube obstruction, hormone/menstrual cycle irregularities and anovulation, to implantation difficulties and recurrent miscarriage. In the male, the dominant causes of infertility and sub fertility are reduced sperm count and quality, reduced motility and/or abnormal morphology of sperm, and sperm DNA damage (Luoma, 2005; Bretveld et al., 2006). Multiple factors, including age, heredity, lifestyle,

Analysis of Robert Hass's Meditation at Lagunitas Essay

Analysis of Robert Hass's Meditation at Lagunitas - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Robert Hass is known to have spent much of his life residing in the ‘Lagunitas’, a rural town in Northern California, where beautiful forests, lakes, and green grass thrive and most   importantly, it reserves the spot for the wildly growing blackberries which Hass makes reference to in the poem. Hence, the poet can be imagined to be taking a stride along paths surrounded by the scenic wonders in Lagunitas at which he might have found delight in meditating and composing poems altogether. As Hass speaks of the ‘clown-faced woodpecker’ and the ‘black birch’ in the 5th and 6th lines, the curious reader may readily suppose that these details appear specific as they are in association to the place, in the same way, the author may have held a special regard for Lagunitas being a particular setting. Since the poet is claimed to have sought inclinations with an Oriental school of thinking, the meditation carried out through his poem may be thought to derive influence in part from Hass’s religious endeavor with Buddhism and Hinduism. By the first and second lines, the poet necessitates introducing the piece by alluding that there exists loss as language fails with proper expression in â€Å"the new thinking†. A â€Å"clown- / faced woodpecker probing the dead sculpted trunk / of that black birch† is a metaphor for his quest for a more suitable expression and eloquence. The act of â€Å"probing the dead sculpted trunk† provides an imagery for such theme, justifying the fact that the struggle to find an exact identity with words is as painstaking as it gets in the process. At a point, saying â€Å"a word is an elegy to what it signifies† blends of tragedy with occasional beauty especially as the writer testifies to the truth about his friend’s voice in the 13th line where it possesses â€Å"a thin wire of grief†. This tonal conflict ind icates how at times, poetic potentials may be limited by the approach and narrow scope of language the complexity of which is normally understood on a gradual basis. The General vs. The Particular Hass appears to be utilizing irony in the rather Platonic concept which distinguishes the unique worldly elements and the words that represent a uniform ideal. Such application of Platonic thought supports the first two lines as it vividly depicts the proof that general philosophical ideas can be clear but are practically useless while personal experience counts in developing conveyable philosophical thought. Despite this, the narrator sounds appreciative with â€Å"the luminous clarity of a general idea† even though the intricacy in specifics removes its original essence. Close It is seemingly through the lamenting about â€Å"loss† that words along with the human experiences bound to which as well as the ability to recount them, lose their intended significance. The signifi cance of the Blackberry On the second half of ‘Meditation at Lagunitas’, the poet diverts his path of discourse from the notion of the general to the certain ensuing splendor which bears another subject of particular value. Brought by the transition stating that â€Å"everything dissolves: justice, pine, hair, woman, you and I†, the term ‘woman’ which gets mentioned twice in the 16th line constitutes softness in thought as if Hass chooses to mellow from the former mode of heavy meditation.