Art History Essay

Jose De Ribera, Martydom of Saint Bartholomew, ca. 1639. Oil on canvas * Ribera uses this piece to scorn idealization of any kind. * The drama and brutality expresses the harsh times of the Counter-Reformation. * We notice Caravaggio’s influence on Ribera through the naturalism and drama used in Martydom of Saint Bartholomew and Caravaggio’s many works. Francisco De Zurbaran, Saint Serapion, 1628. Oil on canvas * Serapion was a British martyr who was supposed to fight the Moors in Spain, who ended up being butchered in Algeria. * What makes this piece different is a complete lack of violence. There is no blood or any sign of a wound, as we can see his white robe is spotless. * Unlike most martyr paintings that make the subject seem heroic and brave, Zurbaran captures the true helplessness of the saint, winning the viewer’s emotions. Diego Velazquez, Water Carrier of Seville, ca. 1619. Oil on canvas * This piece captures the social issue of the rich and poor of Spain during the time. * The contrast of dark and light shows elements of Caravaggio, who Velaquez had studied. * Although this scene shows everyday life, the care it conveys suggests a deeper meaning. Diego Velazquez, Surrender of Breda, 1634-1635. Oil on canvas * Velazquez aided Philip IV in regaining power by using Surrender of Breda as propaganda. * This piece was not only a symbol of Spanish nationalism, but a tribute to Ambrogio Spinola, the Spanish general of this war. * Velazquez’s relationship with Spinola made Surrender of Breda especially historically accurate. Diego Velazquez, King Philip IV of Spain (Fraga Philip), 1644. Oil on canvas * Velazquez portrays Philip as a military leader by focusing attention on his marvelous red and silver campaign dress. * The painting is also known as Fraga Philip, because it was painted in the town of Fraga in Aragon. * This portrait was just another example of Velazquez’s propagandistic images used for King Philip IV. Diego Velazquez, Las Meninas, 1656. Oil on canvas * The use of depth and content in this piece helped prove Las Meninas as Velazquez’s masterpiece. * The mirror on the back wall seems to be the reflection of the king and queen, meaning they are being painted on the other side of the room. * Velazquez actually painted himself as the artist in the room. Peter Paul Rubens, Elevation of the Cross, 1610. Oil on panel * Rubens used elements both from the Renaissance and of the Italian Baroque to create the first Pan-European style, as seen in Elevation of the Cross. * The tension is emotional and physical, as seen in Christ’s face and the grief of his followers. * The drama is intensified by the strong use of light and dark. Peter Paul Rubens, drawing of Laocoon, ca. 1600-1608. Black-and-white chalk drawing with bistre wash * The predominantly black chalk drawing shows Rubens’ study of classical representation of the human form. * This piece is obviously a revisit of the marble sculpture that depicted Laocoon and his sons breaking free from serpents. * Rubens had a big focus on mastering the human body, which led him to copy classical works of earlier master artists, such as this piece. Peter Paul Rubens, Arrival of Marie de’ Medici at Marseilles, 1622-1625. Oil on canvas * The painting depicts Marie arriving in France after a long voyage from Italy. * The women waiting for her is an allegory personified to represent France, and the goddesses, Neptune and the Nereids (daughters of the sea god Nereus), represent the sky and the sea rejoicing her safe arrival. * The surfaces are enriched with decoration to further bring the painting together. Peter Paul Rubens, Allegory of the Outbreak of War, 1638. Oil on canvas * The beautiful human forms and energy that take away attention from the chaos of this piece is a recurrent theme in Rubens’ other works. * The Thirty Years’ War was Rubens’ reason to create Allegory. * The woman clothed in black, deprived of her jewels and ornaments is an unhappy Europe. Anthony Van Dyck, Charles I Dismounted, ca. 1635. Oil on canvas * Charles I turns his back on his attendants as he looks over his domain. * His location on higher ground gives us the idea he is higher than all of his observers and followers. * The king impersonates as a noble man for a casual walk in the park, but no one can take their eyes off his regal poise. Hendrick Ter Brugghen, Calling of Saint Matthew, 1621. Oil on canvas * The naturalistic presentation of the subjects echoes the work of Caravaggio. * This piece differs from work of Caravaggio because the use of color, rather than extreme contrast of light and dark. * There is a definite claustrophobic effect as noticed by the figures being crammed into a well-lit room. Gerrit Van Honthorst, Supper Party, 1620. Oil on canvas * In this painting, Honthorst portrays the darker side of humanity. * The man on the right being fed by the woman is sometimes interpreted as a warning by Honthorst to avoid the sin of gluttony. * Honthorst frequently placed a hidden light source in his paintings, such as Supper Party, to work with violent dark and light effects. Frans Hals, Archers of Saint Hadrian, ca. 1633. Oil on canvas * The Archers were one of many militia groups that helped in liberating the Dutch Republic from Spain. * In this portrait, each man is a troop member yet individually different from the next. * The troop members’ attire further helps create a certain rhythm to the piece. Frans Hals, The Women Regents of the Old Men’s Home at Haarlem, 1664. Oil on canvas * This piece captures the details of each sitter and their cultural characteristics. * The women seem to have different emotions all around, from complete disinterest to concern of their environment. * The monochromatic theme of this painting further adds to the painting’s restraint. Rembrandt Van Rijn, Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, 1632. Oil on canvas * The students’ individual faces tell us each has different feelings and thoughts about the man being dissected. * Van Rijn diagonally placed the body to break away from the strict horizontal orientation found in traditional paintings. * Rembrandt chose to have the students all on the left side to highlight Dr. Tulp and the body.

Essay on protection individuals from abuse

Identify two reports on serious failures to protect individuals from abuse. Write an account that describes the unsafe practices in the reviews. Abuse can happen anywhere anytime, but especially to vulnerable people. I have researched into two cases reported for abuse in adults. The Winterbourne case and the Orchid View case. Six care workers at the Winterbourne View care home were given prison terms for â€Å"cruel, callous and degrading† abuse of disabled patients. Orchid View care home was branded Britain's cruelest care home with neglect stemming from institutionalised abuse contributing to the deaths of five elderly residents.Staff at Winterbourne care home were using unsafe practices, They were caught on CCTV slapping vulnerable residents, soaking them in water and trapping them under chairs, staff were caught physically abusing these residents as well as emotionally and verbally abusing them by taunting and swearing at them. The individuals were not able to defend thems elves, this is an abuse of power and trust. Winterbourne were putting profits before humanity, it was run with a view to profit and with a lack of interest to its residents or staff.Poor working practices are seen here, one member of staff stated that he was originally shocked by the ill treatment of patients at Winterbourne yet became use to it over time. This is unsafe practice, not reporting incidents is also abusing the residents as they are still in danger. It was this member of staff’s responsibility to report what was happening. His behaviour was inappropriate. Unsafe practices were also seen in the Orchid View case. There was multiple accounts of maltreatment to elderly people in this home, there was institutionalised abuse throughout the home which started at a very early stage and nobody did anything about it.The home was mismanaged and understaffed meaning that the environment was not safe for the residents. There were several severe cases of neglect in this home, residents were left soiled and unattended while others were locked in their rooms. Another lady has a fractured ankle left undiagnosed for days. There was so many incidents of neglect reported in duty of personal care, another being unsafe administration of medication, for example failing to check the dosage. One lady had been overdosed and then her medical records were destroyed when it became clear she needed medical treatment.This is also inappropriate communication, not giving out the appropriate paperwork. Police and social workers where called into the home after a whistleblower reached breaking point after being told there was 28 errors in administrating drugs in a single shift. This shows the failure in ensuring supervision and staff being trained correctly. In both of these homes residents came into them to be looked after and to feel safe, yet lost their dignity, independence and some even their lives because of the unsafe practices being used and the abuse not being repor ted soon enough.

Global Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Business Strategy - Essay Example Globalization of firms of all sizes and from a variety of industries is a watch word which must be reckoned with in today’s competitive world markets. To be successful a company should have a, a consumer – oriented approach and should understand customer needs worldwide, along with a comprehensive global business strategy As the world becomes smaller and smaller, it is becoming more and more evident that business firms will increasingly face stronger competition. The purpose of utilizing different types of business strategies on a global scale is to increase the firm’s ability to produce a higher quality product at a lower cost on a world scale. A global business strategy usually comprises of a global product and a brand name, presence throughout the world market. The production activities of the business also will be located worldwide so as to gain maximum advantages, co – ordination of strategies and activities.The global business strategy must be based on standardization of product, branding and advertising. Globalization and business From the perspective of business, interest in globalization centers on two major facts; globalization of markets and globalization of supply chain. The globalization of markets suggested that technological change, social, political and economical development have, in recent decades driven the world towards a ‘global village’ or ‘converging commonality’ – a homogenized unified global market in terms of consumer taste and product preferences. While there is strong evidence that many markets are becoming increasingly global in certain aspects, an approach to strategy that concentrates almost exclusively on standardization and costs represent an oversimplification of the situation. The global environment is becoming increasingly complex and requires more sophisticated approach to strategy.† As per (Ali, 2000, pg.8) â€Å"Global corporations should treat globalizati on as a view and outlook that broadens and energizes human mind and perspectives† As the market become global, consumers are becoming more sophisticated, demanding products that are differentiated rather than standardized. A further complexity is that globalization is not confined to simply to consumer markets but also relates to the global scope of all of organizations’ business operations and its ability to compete on a global scale. Global business strategy is an approach to strategy that embraces the worldwide scope of organizations activities, a view that the whole world is a potential market. Globalization has given business the opportunity to configure its activities so as to take account of vocational and other advantages arising from difference in resources, skills and economic conditions in different parts of the world. The Concept of Strategy with Relate to Business Strategy concerns organizational learning about the business and its environment and the devel opment of knowledge that produces core competences which position the organization favorably with regard to the variable in the environment. Strategic management is comparatively young discipline and, in consequences, there is considerable debate over which approach manager should adopt in devising their strategies. Strategic management is the ongoing process companies use to form a vision, analyze their external environment and their internal organization, and select one or more strategies to use the

Emotional Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example Emotional intelligence basically means to control our emotions and expressions and thus maintain the interpersonal relationships. This art of emotional intelligence is very important in a person’s life. If anyone can control his or her facial expressions then he can be successful in his life just because of this emotional intelligence. The importance of emotions and feelings is vital but same is the case with the emotions and feelings of others. At certain times we have to take care of their emotions also just to save our relationships. In this situation emotional intelligence plays important role. With the help of this art we can control what we are felling at that particular time. When we talk about team work, leadership and management, then the importance of emotional intelligence is vital. Because all of these are totally dependent on relationships or we can say interpersonal relationships. These relationships can be managed only by controlling the emotions so that people may not feel any disrespect or harm form the management. The sentimental capacity of human mind can also be referred as the emotional intelligence. Some authors are of the opinion that emotional intelligence of any human being can be developed as the time and age passes and thus we can say a mature person would be more mentally stable as compare to an individual who is younger than him. But this theory does not fit in most of the cases. We may find many young individuals who are more stable emotionally as compare to their elders. Therefore the other group of authors which are against the development of emotional stability give their view point as that emotional intelligence is only inborn and it cannot be developed with the passing time. The presence of emotional intelligence is important in order to survive in the community or we can say that it helps us to manage our social lives also. Suppose we are unable to

History of the Symphony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of the Symphony - Essay Example The origins of symphony date way back to the early 19th century, continuing through the 20th century, and on to the 21st century. Haydn was one of the foremost composers of the symphony in the 1800’s. Mozart expanded on the symphony by composing short tone poems. Sonata form was popular in this period. Beethoven made similar pieces to Mozart—however, Beethoven was much more orderly, fond of expanded form, and liked to write symphony pieces that were more reserved, in a sense. Also in the late 1820’s, Robert Schumann attempted his first symphony, entitled â€Å"Spring.† Berlioz was fond of using expanded instrumentation and programmatic symphony. Mahler used altered symphonic form. Strauss later became a conductor. Aaron Copland was well-known for his symphonies as well, ushering in the 20th century—championing serialism, or twelve-tone music. Schoenberg ushered in the 21st century of American symphony. â€Å"[Schoenberg’s] early works, which were reminiscent of Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss, are still disliked because they were written by his infamous hand. His twelve-tone technique is the first attempts at atonality during his era and would be never developed and explored by later composers...† William Schuman wrote eight symphonies.

How staff motivation can be improved by effective leadership and Essay

How staff motivation can be improved by effective leadership and management - Essay Example This style is also known as authoritarian style .It is one in which involves retention of full authority by the leader. Leader decides, decision is passed on to subordinates, instructions about the implementation of decisions are given and the subordinates are expected to do what the leader has told them to do. The employees have to obey the supervisors without receiving any explanations. â€Å"The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments† (Styles of leadership, 2002). The advantage of this style is that the tasks are efficiently completed, since there is no opportunity for the time consuming two way communications between the employees and the supervisors. The autocratic styles are useful in the case of new untrained employees who need detailed orders and instructions to perform. There are some workers who prefers autocratic leader since they feel secure under his or her leadership. In such cases productivity and morale of the workers tend to be high. The report analyses the various implications of autocratic leadership under different heads. The impact of autocratic leadership styles in different kinds of organizational setup is being analyzed in this portion. The autocratic leadership has a lot of problems associated with it. The primary problem is that workers are made aware of what to do but not why. This may lead to low employee morale and higher turn over. The autocratic leadership style cannot be used in some situations. In the case of employees become tense and fearful, and depend more on their supervisors to take decisions, the production volume is high and the time is limited to take a decision. In such situations if this style of leadership is used the employees do not feel secure and they cannot adjust with the situation. They don’t get motivation, therefore their confidence decreases. This will increase the employee turn over. This also creates low employee morale in the

How successful is chinese "soft power" in the west Essay

How successful is chinese "soft power" in the west - Essay Example The China’s soft-power activities in the international world include the use of foreign aids and investment, exchange programs, diplomacy, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance, and multilateral involvement. These vary in application over the western countries as compared to the African and other Asia countries. Nevertheless, the China’s soft-power activities are not successful in the West as evident in other countries, despite experiencing positive outcomes in the economy and reputation. Determining the China’s success in the west would help evaluate the usefulness of the soft-powers towards the western countries. This paper will evaluate the success of Chinese soft-power in the west that will be achieved by analysing the economic and social-cultural gains as well as the limitations to great successes as obtained in other regions. China has used its soft power to grow its trade activities with the western countries and this has borne positive outcomes in the American and European economies. China has attained increased persuasion in the west through use of her economy and rich culture to enter into trade deals as well as increase levels of the exports to the western countries. China has increased favourable trade relationships, notably with the Latin American countries through bilateral agreements (Gill & Huang, 2006 p.20). This has promoted economic activities between the citizens of both regions by attaining apt environment for businesses to thrive. The exports and financial transactions with countries such as Brazil have been on a rise in the recent years. A similar observation is made on the Chinese trade with the United States. China is the largest single exporter in the American market with a range of products such as in the telecommunication and textile industry (Gill & Huang, 2006 p. 24). The increase d exports are

Why the auteurist theory has become so important to film analysis Essay

Why the auteurist theory has become so important to film analysis - Essay Example The paper throws light on the theory of auteurism as a one of the most useful approaches to writing about films. Simply put, the auteurist theory in cinema is based on the idea that there should be identified a single creator of the film, with his own visionary approach – just as we identify an author for any work of art or literature. While within the auteurist theory film critics attempt to identify the film’s author, the theory also aims at to study the whole body of work produced by one specific author, like, for example, studies devoted to Alfred Hitchcock. While critics of the second half of the 20th century recognized the theory very useful due its librating effect – it allowed applying their initially naive suggestions about the role of authorship in a particular movie, it has acquired a more post-structural shape of late. To illustrate, within the latter the auterurist theory allows examining the work of a certain director not as the expression of his ge nius, but as the site where a biography encounters a historical moment, an institutional context, and, lastly, an intertext. The usefulness of this theory is also determined by its practicality since it requires focusing on just one person. One of the major arguments against the auteurist theory is that it is believed that movies have nothing in common with any other form of arts, e.g. paintings. Rather they are viewed as results of collaborative efforts by a number of artists. It is argued that one person cannot be credited with so much influence and importance that he/she is recognized the sole author of a movie. Another argument is that it is virtually impossible to identify a sole author since critics are not a part of films’ development and assess the movie’s auteur by a mere guess. Plus, the criticism of the auteurist theory deals with its suggested impact on boosting some director’s egos and reducing the role of input by other members of the crew. Therefo re, the criticism may be rely too much on a personality of a director ignoring the contribution of other people. For example, in a marketing campaign of the Psycho film (1960), directed by Alfred Hitchock, it was mentioned that that was the film by Hitchcock, which was intended to make people see the movie, although the most famous scene in the film, the shower scene, has been recognized the result of creative collaborative work with Saul Bass. The Jaws is cited as a good example of the misunderstanding rooted in the auteurist approach. While the plot was conceived by Peter Benchley, an author of the related novel and a co-author of the screenplay (along with Carl Gottlieb), the film was shot by Bill Butler, edited by Verna Fidelis, and filled with compositions by Joh Williams, attributing the authorship of The Jaws to one single director seems unfair and not objective. Of course, â€Å"Steven Spielberg’s film† sounds goof for a marketing campaign, since it advertises the film by the use of the famous name, yet it is hard to disagree with Goldman who asks, â€Å"How in the world is Steven Spielberg the â€Å"author† of that? † (Goldman, 1983, p.101). 8. After watching three of the ten movie clips listed in the Multimedia section, below, describe how they fit into a specific genre (or subgenre). What elements of the film are characteristic of that genre? How does it fulfill the expectations of that genre? How does it play against these expectations? I have watched two movie clips from

How personality and individual differences effect on motivation Essay

How personality and individual differences effect on motivation - Essay Example The paper tells that personality refers to those characteristics of the person that account for consistent patterns of feelings, thinking, and behaving. When it comes to an organisational environment, there are a large variety of people who can be distinguished on the basis of their personality and behaviour. Pervin, Cervone and John further explained their definition by saying that differences in these personality traits impact the organisational behaviour and employee motivation. Personality can be treated as a guiding factor of any individual. In fact, individual differences are referred to variations in personality as well as ability. It is the difference in individual personalities that give way to the job of a psychologist whose main task is to identify the exceptionality in individuals. In general, when the thought of a person’s personality traits, the questions that come up are why some are talkative while others speak less, why some are too joyful while others are ver y reserved and so on. These variations are termed as individual differences in psychology. Individual differences in people can be classified on the basis of two factors: the genetic framework of an individual and the situational factors around him. The genetic framework refers to the characteristic features an individual possess from their ancestors. In other words, it refers to the qualities of nature that a person is born with. On the other hand, the situational factors deal with the environment in which a creature operates.

Political science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political science - Research Paper Example an Glover persuasively argues that the propensity of people in the West to attempt to explain the genocide in Rwanda by harking back to tribal divisions and historic tribal animosities is an oversimplification which does not do justice to the conflict. Accordingly, by focusing on the inevitability of such tribal animosity Western scholars have ignored important preconditions to the outbreak of genocide in Rwanda in 1994. As the poorest country in data set #9, the world-wide movement to atone for the historical injustices faced by the Tutsi people is alive and well in post-genocide Rwanda (CIA, 2009). Genocide in Rwanda did not â€Å"just happen†. The Belgian colonial experience shaped the artificial â€Å"ethnic† divisions in Rwanda which shaped politics for years to come, culminating in the genocide of 1994. Accordingly, the conflict in Rwanda was more than a civil war or short-term conflict. While estimates vary, up to one million people – largely Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in an incredibly short period of time. The Rwandan genocide was not a standard civil war and was an orchestrated full-scale genocide perpetuated against the Tutsi minority but extremists within the Hutu camp. A hate campaign against Tutsis and moderate Hutus was conducted through a variety of means by gà ©nocidaires intent on eradicating the Tutsi presence in Rwanda. Fearing a Tutsi-led invasion in the aftermath of Habyrimana’s death, the genocide planned by â€Å"people wanting to keep power† (Glover, 121) and a variety of means were used to coerce the Rwandan population to engage in the genocide. Instead of a mere tribal hostility, Glover argues for individual agency in attempting to account for the emergence of the genocide and argues that key players within the Hutu extremist establishment were responsible for the events that transpired after Habyrimana’s plane crashed. Instrumentalism is a theoretical paradigm which argues that things â€Å"don’t just happen†, events

A Review of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Essay Example for Free

A Review of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Essay In all honesty, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge was a bit confusing to read. It was not only confusing, but the ending was a surprise to the reader. In the story, we got to see many different aspects of the life of Peyton Farquhar. This story shows the difference that times were back then compared to now. In today’s would, a man would not be hung, let alone executed for tampering with a bridge. I also liked the part in the story of the betrayal of the soldier that appeared to be in the confederate army. This showed that Farquhar was gullible and would do anything to get involved in the army, since he was not able to fight in it. At the end of the story, I was very surprised in finding out that Farquhar was really dead and his escape was just a figment of his imagination. The escape that he had watched in his mind showed how eager Farquhar was to get back to his home and his family. I enjoyed the narrative style the story was written/told in. I thought that since the story was split into three different sections, it was easier to read, and all around understand. The narrator made the beginning of the story suspenseful because the reader wants to know why Farquhar was going to be executed. This technique wants us to keep reading on to find out the terrible thing that Farquhar did. In the middle of the story, we learn the reason he was to be executed was because he tampered with the confederate bridge, thinking it was going to help them. The narrator did a good job of explaining what Farquhar was like and gave the readers a good mental picture of the situation he was in on the bridge. There are several possible themes that could go along with this story. The specific theme that I would choose for this story would be the difference between reality and fantasy. The difference between reality and fantasy go hand-in-hand throughout this story. It is not until the end of the story that we see the difference of them in Farquhar’s life. When Farquhar describes his escape, we believe that this is really happening. Farquhar describes his escape in a lot of detail and talks about his desire to be back with his family and back at home. The difference between reality and fantasy also is seen with the soldier that pretends to be a Confederate. Farquhar believes that the soldier is a Confederate, therefore plans the hurting of the bridge. This ends up being the illusion that leads him to his execution. This illusion of the soldier caused Farquhar to damage the bridge was the reason of his demise. This story did a great job of making you ask yourself, â€Å"what just happened† after reading the last few sentences. The narrators’ creation of Farquhar’s escape confused the reader, yet made it more interesting in the greater scheme of the story.

The Jnanas in Meditation

The Jnanas in Meditation Concentration, the ability to detach oneself from the environment and the attainment of insight and later on Nirvana are the reasons why students enrol themselves in meditation classes. Because of these, any one teaching meditation should pay special attention in helping and guiding the student in attaining these goals. In this end, the jnana can be used by the teacher to enhance the student’s practice of meditation and lead the path to enlightenment and gaining inner peace. The Jnana: What is it all about? Jnana is a term that is used for most meditation practices, and can be found in other writings with varying spellings depending on the language being used. The term jnana that will be used in this module is from the Pali language. Other spellings of the word are gnana or gnaan in the Sanskrit language, or dhyana also in Sanskrit. Regardless of its spelling and language using it, the term is used to denote the presence of knowledge of an individual. This meaning is one of the most widely used in meditation centers based on various religious beliefs. The meaning of the word, which is knowledge, can vary depending on what context it is being used. Jnana and its context of knowledge revolves around an occurrence in the cognitive aspect of the individual where something is not just learned, but experienced by the individual. Because of this close association, the knowledge that the individual can gain from an event cannot be separated from his or her actual experience of it and it attached to the reality in which the meditator has experienced the learning. In some cases, it is also connected to a supreme being that is present in the material world (or the Mahesha-dhama) like Siva-Sakti. In Buddhist practices of meditation such as the Tibetan Buddhists, jnana is used to denote a state of awareness that is pure and free from conceptual disruptions and other forms of distractions. This is also used as a contradictory concept to vijnana, which is known as divided knowing. It is believed that when a meditator decides to practice and start practicing jnana and go through the Jnana or Bhimis, then that meditator may experience the presence of complete state of enlightenment and achievement of Nirvana. According to the venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, who is an authority in the Vipassana meditation in Buddhism, there are several nanas or knowledge as the person meditates. What the teacher must stress to his or her students is that these knowledge are to be experienced in stages chronologically. Also, it should be made clear that progression from one stage to another does not have a specific time frame since it can vary from being experienced for only a short period of time up to several years. The intensity in which these knowledge are experienced as also vary as well. The Jnana and Samadhi Aside from being used to gain knowledge related to the experience of things, the jnanas can also be used to refer to several states of Samadhi. This occurs when the meditator has learned to detach himself or herself from attributes of his or her mind in the quest to meditate better. When this detachment is attained, the mind of the meditator would become more stable and firm in the blocking of distractive thoughts and his or her ability to concentrate on the focus of the mediation will be improved greatly. Samadhi is the result of this increased concentration of the mind of the meditator practicing the jnana. As mentioned in the previous section, there are several levels of the jnana, and these levels can be applied in the practice of Samadhi as well. The term appana Samadhi is applied when the first to the fourth jnana are grouped together. This is especially true when the term is used by the disciples of the Buddha. The Use of the Jnana in Buddhist Traditions Jnana has been present in Buddhist literatures for a long time and it is mostly associated with any form of meditation. The first to the fourth stage of jnana are considered in the early Buddhist traditions as the right meditation. Because of this context in which it was used jnana has been associated mostly with the meaning it was given by the followers of the Buddha. In early Buddhist texts, it has also been found that the Buddha himself has engaged in the practice of the jnana as he was on his quest to find enlightenment. The practice of the jnana was used by the Buddha to this end because he learned that the meditation practices that he used were not particularly leading him to achieve the state of Nirvana. Prior to using the jnana, the Buddha has used other forms of meditation, but because these did not lead him to Nirvana, he became disillusioned. This has led him to recall a state of meditation he did when he was a child and followed it. In the Maha-Saccaka Sutta, it was mentioned that the Buddha has entered the first jnana and he called this the path to Awakening. If the Buddha himself did the jnana and used them in his quest for Nirvana, then the teacher must stress to students of meditation that indentifying and overcoming the obstacles to concentration is necessary before they are able to enter the stages of jnana. In the Upakkilesa Sutta, the Buddha was written to be saying that during the practice of meditation and the meditator starts doubting his or her capacity to carry on the meditation, the concentration would fall and the focus would be diverted. This is important to be avoided by the meditator through remaining diligent in keeping the focus of the meditation on the forefront of his or her mind and ensuring that attention is kept and not just the concentration. Because the Buddha has mentioned that the jnana is the path to achieve liberation and awakening, meditators should be encouragedto develop this as well if they are in the path to liberation and awakening as well. The Stages of the Jnana Pali has described all eight stages of the jnana in a progressive manner. Four of these eight stages are called rupa jnana or meditations or form, while the other four are called arupa jnana or the formless meditations. Rupa jnana is loosely translated to mean fine material jnana. The rupa jnanas are the stages of meditation in which the meditator experiences a deeper level of collectedness of thought and concentrarion. Moreover, each level of the rupa jnana have their intrinsic qualities which are derived from each other and can disappear. The first to fourth jnana are: The First Jnana. In this level of the jnana, the meditator experiences the presence of rapture, directed thoughts, pleasure, evaluation of thoughts, unification of the mind, mindfulness, presence of contact, feelings and perception, intention, consciousness, persistence, desire and attention. The Second Jnana. The second jnana is manifested by the presence of pleasure and rapture, unification of the mind, contact, perception and feeling, intention, desire and consciousness, persistence, decision and attention, equanimity and mindfulness. Also, in this level, there is the presence of internal assurance. The Third Jnana. This stage includes the feeling of equanimity-pleasure, contact, perception, feeling, intention, desire, consciousness, persistence, decision, mindfulness, attention and equanimity. The Fourth Jnana. The fourth level stage of the jnana is represented by the presence of an unconcern based on the presence of serenity of awareness; a feeling of equanimity, presence of unification of the mind and the other things that are experienced in the earlier stages of the jnana. Apart from the things occurring in each of the first to the fourth jnanas, there are qualities that remain specific to each stage. In the first jnana, there is the presence of subtlest forms of mental movement and the complete disappearance of the five hindrances. Moreover, intense and unified form of bliss remains and the person’s capacity to have unwholesome intentions stops. The second jnana is related to the cessation of all mental movements and the experience of bliss. In the third jnana, joy that is considered to be one half of the feeling of bliss disappears from the perception of the individual. And finally in the fourth jnana, happiness which is the other half of the feeling of bliss disappears and leading to the neutral feeling of neither pain nor pleasure. Also, it is said that this state renders the breathing of the person to temporarily cease. The arupa jnanas, of the formless meditation contains the other four stages of jnana. These states of the jnanas are written in literatures as formless or immaterial. This led this to be called as the Formless Dimensions in some translation and has helped in distinguishing it apart from the first four jnanas. Contrary to the other stages, these four are used to expand the presence of the concentration that is attained from the first to the fourth jnanas. Also, when the eight jnana has been attained, the meditator can experience enlightenment and complete dwelling in emptiness. The four jnanas in the arupa jnanas are: The Dimension of Infinite Space. In this dimension of the jnanas, the following qualities are removed from consciousness such as the singleness of the mind, perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space, attention, equanimity, decision, persistence, mindfulness, feeling, perception, contact, intention, desire, and consciousness. The Dimension of Infinite Consciousness. In this stage of the jnana, the following qualities of the mind of the meditator are eliminated like the perception of the dimension if the infinitude of consciousness, contact, feeling, unification of the mind, consciousness, intention, desire, perception, persistence, decision, attention, equanimity and mindfulness. The Dimension of Nothingness. In this dimension of the jnana, the perception of the dimension of nothingness, contact, the singleness of mind, perception, feelings, intention, desire, consciousness, decision, mindfulness, persistence, attention and equanimity are ferreted out from the mind of the meditator. The Dimension of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. In this final stage and dimension of the jnanas, no qualities or characteristics of the mind of the meditator are to be ferreted out, instead, the individual experiences awakening. NOTE: The teacher would have to stress out to the student that although the two stages, the Dimension of Nothingness and the Dimension of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception are considered to be part of the jnanas that are described by the Buddha as part of the path to enlightenment, they are not part of the Noble Eightfold Path. This is because according to the Eightfold Path, the last is the Samma Samadhi or the Right Concentration. This is only part of the first to the fourth jnanas, and therefore considered to be just the start of attaining concentration. The teacher must therefore take his or her student through all the stages of the jnanas with the focus on the stage of having his or her perceptions and feelings cease to exist. E.The Nirodha-Samapatti In his path to attaining Nirvana the Buddha has made a discovery higher than the eight stage of the jnanas, or the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is called the nirodha-samapatti, or the cessation of feelings and perceptions, and is sometimes considered to be the ninth jnana. The Jnanas and the Attainment of Insight Buddhist texts present the thought that if a meditator was able to progress into the ninth stage of the jnana or the stage of the nirodha-samapatti after going through all the eight stages of the jnana, liberation is attained. The meditator uses the jnana in an effort to rest the mind and to sharpen and strengthen it in the process. When this happens, he or she will be able to focus the attention into finding out the true nature of the dhamma and go on the quest to higher forms of knowledge. In this way, it can be said that the more time the meditator stays in the state of jnana, his or her mind becomes more powerful and sharper as a result. Moreover, because the presence of the five hindrances are controlled or suppressed for an extended period of time after the meditator enters the jnana, he or she will be able to feel clearer, will be full of compassion, mindful, and experience the feeling light and peaceful after meditating. Despite this positive results that the jnana brings to meditators, teachers should warn their students that they should not mistake this or assume for this to be the stage of enlightenment. What the teacher has to the student is that the practice of jnana alone cannot lead him or her to enlightenment, but it can help him or her suppress the presence of defilements that disrupt meditation. The meditators should use the jnana as a tool to develop deeper sense of knowledge and as a means to cultivate their insight on things which can help them to attain Nirvana. In the Theravada Buddhist tradition commentary made in the Visuddhimagga, the meditato is usually found in the state of post-jnana access concentration after he or she comes out of the jnana. When in this state, the meditator would be able to carry out the analysis and investigation of the true nature of phenomena and how they begin, develop insight into the characteristic impermanence of things and of suffering and the non-self. These things can only be experienced by the meditator if he or she practices the core concepts of the Buddha’s teachings. If the Visuddhimagga has included that the practice of vipassana is done after the person emerges from the jnana, it is contradicted by what is written on the suttas. In these works, it is said that the meditator can practice vipassana and gain insight while in the jnana. In fact, it encourages the meditator to stay in the fourth jnana after entering it so that the presence of mental defilements are removed and uprooted before working to attain insight can be started. Mastery of the Jnanas A successful entry and attainment of the jnana cannot be achieved if the person would just progress from one state after the other only. This means that for the meditator to fully realize the jnanas, he or she would have to attain a mastery the present state he or her is doing first before wanting to go on to higher stages. This mastery will help the meditator to easily enter and leave the jnanas at will and experience them when he or she requires it. Another benefit of this is that it will avoid the confusion that can occur later on when the manifestations of a lower level of jnana shows itself in the higher states. The following aspects of jnana mastery should be included by the teacher in instructing and guiding as student meditator in to higher jnanas in the quest to attain insight, liberation and enlightenment. Mastery in adverting. In this aspect of mastery, the student meditator should be taught on how to advert certain factors of thejnanas especially when the meditator has just emerged from it. This, he or she should be able to do at will. Mastery in attaining. This aspect allows the meditator to quickly enter the jnana quickly. Mastery in resolving. This happens when the meditator is able to remain in the jnana for a certain period of time. Mastery in emerging. The mastery of emerging allows the meditator to emerge from a stage of jnana quickly and without any perceived difficulty. Mastery in reviewing. This occurs when there is an ability on the part of the meditator to review the jnana and other factors related to it while gaining knowledge in the process. References: Richard Shankman,The Experience of Samadhi an in depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation, Shambala publications 2008 Venerable Sujivo,Access and Fixed Concentration. Vipassana Tribune, Vol 4 No 2, July 1996, Buddhist Wisdom Centre, Malaysia. Bodhi, Bhikkhu (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya. Boston: Wisdom Publications.ISBN 0-86171-331-1. Henepola Gunaratana,The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation. Pali CanonsAnguttara NikayaandDhammapada, by John T. Bullitt. Jhanas Advice: Information about the Jhanas from Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder, authors ofPracticing The Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation As Presented By The Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw by Snyder, Stephen; Rasmussen, Tina. Shambhala: 2009.ISBN 978-1-59030-733-5 Jeffrey S, Brooks,The Fruits (Phala) of the Contemplative Life

Big Brothers Essay -- essays research papers

Becoming a mentor can have a tremendous impact on the life of a youngster. Children need someone to look up to that doesn’t necessarily need be a part of their immediate family. Sometimes they have no siblings, or maybe their siblings or parents are busy. Perhaps they have no grandparents to do things with. These children are the ones that spend their afternoons in crowded after school programs where they may not get the attention the crave. This may lead to isolation and oppositely over hyperactive children starved for attention. In other cases, some children who are not so fortunate as to be offered after-school programs are subject to the world outside all on their own. In too many cases, these are the children that become statistics. These are the children who turn to drugs or crime, be it out of fear, or simply to feel accepted. Accepted in the wrong crowds still may comfort a lonely child. One of the most renowned mentoring agencies is a non-profit organization called big brothers/ big sisters of America. A man who saw a young boy sifting through the trash for food created this establishment over 90 years ago. He took the boy home, fed him, and then met his poverty-stricken family. From that point on, he became a mentor to the little boy, and this inspired him to form the organization for other boys, and in following years, a group of Christian women created a program for little girls. The soon joined forces and became the big brothers and big sisters of America. I...

Kudler Fine Foods Case Study: Personal Values Essay -- Business Case

Aristotle, the famous Greek Philosopher, believed ethics is common knowledge. In fact, he taught and practiced virtues and ethics, and strongly believed that ethics is the behavior learned through practice. According to Aristotle, "The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival† (Irwin, 1988, p.702). To be clear, there are many descriptions used to analyze a person’s ethical behavior. The description used to analyze my behavior is the ethical perspectives of the Williams Institute Ethics Awareness Inventory (EAI). The EAI identifies four CORE ethical perspectives to determine the effect of one’s decision-making. However, this paper will focus on the ethical perspective, Character. Likewise, the paper will compare and contrast my personal values related to the core perspective, Character, with that of Kudler Fine Foods. It is worth noting that sound judgment enables a person to build character and make the right decision in their personal or professional life. In fact, according to the Williams Institute, â€Å"Character is a key factor in the workplace because integrity is highly regarded. Also, sound judgment applied in a business strategy within an organization, is relevant to the character profile.† (The Williams Institute of Ethical Management, 2003). The Author’s Values: Developing positive Character traits are essential to the success of any organization and the EAI results provided valuable insight to my management style. After personally completing the self-assessment test, the following details are the results: The ethical perspective most likely aligned with is Character; and the ethical perspective least likely aligned with is Equity. Character by d... ...ate the ethical standards set. Therefore, resolving any potential problems by displaying leadership, effective communication, and positive ethical behavior. Works Cited Character. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved February 28, 2010, from http://merriamwebster.com/dictionary/character Hunte, S. (2009, December 9). Character Quotes - Do You Have the Best Character? Retrieved February 28, 2010, from ezinearticles.com/? Character- Quotes- - - Do- You- Have- the- Best- Character?&id=3401750 Irwin, Terence. Aristotle’s First Principles. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. p.702 University of Phoenix. (2003). Williams Institute Ethical awareness [Computer Software]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Simulation, MGT521 website.

Essay --

Within the body of this paper, readers will find an analysis of the motor development, visual-perceptual, fine motor development, communication, social behavior and play, attention, emotions and self- regulations, attachment and development of the self, and hearing and vision of children aging between 0 and 6 months. The continuation of this essay will include identified values and/or belief systems of the 0-6 month culture that could possibly present changes in social worker’s abilities to develop culturally responsive therapeutic relationships. There will also be a distinguishing of recommended tools for identifying problems within this developmental stage including a visual reference for the identified tools. Resources regarding the tools will include what the tool assesses, the age it is designed for, who is to use the assessment tool, how long the assessment typically takes, and the scoring of the results. Motor development In these early stages of life, there is little motor development in comparison to older children, however many of the developments of their later years begin in these tender times ("Occupational therapy," 2002) Between the ages of 0-2 months, some of the motor developments that are present at this time include sparing kicks and what seems like stretching of the arms ("Occupational therapy," 2002). When lying on their backs, the infants head is usually laid to one side or the other based on how they were laid, as they are not yet able to hold the weight of their own head yet ("Occupational therapy," 2002). These activities later on grown into more frequent arm stretches and kicks between the ages of 3 and 6 months. By this time, the baby will have a much greater ability to hold the weight of their o... ...erience is more so focused on the parent(s) of that child in hopes to best serve the child in their home context ("Touch therapy with," 2014). This is a very important consideration in regards to the therapeutic experience of the infant because without parent involvement there is an almost guaranteed failure rate of change or development for that child. Because the infant is not able to fend or express for themselves at this age, it is a necessity for the parent(s) of an infant in therapy to be invested in therapeutic process and dedicated to the implementation of what was discussed in therapy outside of the therapy sessions. With lacking parental involvement, it would make it almost impossible for a clinician to be able to develop a therapeutic relationship with a child reaping positive change of any kind ("Touch therapy with," 2014). Instruments See Attachment

History of La Cosa Nostra

Running Header: {History of La Cosa Nostra} History of La Cosa Nostra UNK Dr. Neal CJ 380 12. 01. 2011 Envision a world where crime is king; a world where mobsters were more influential than political figures, controlled law enforcement, and ran cities to line their own pockets. They stole from whom they wanted and murdered those that got in their way. While it sounds like something out of a movie, it actually happened here in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. The American Mafia has evolved over the years as various gangs assumed and lost dominance: the Black Hand gangs around 1900; the Five Points Gang in the 1910s and ‘20s in New York City; Al Capone’s Syndicate in Chicago in the 1920s. Since the 1900s, thousands of Italian organized crime figures, mostly Sicilian Mafiosi, have come illegally to this country. The Italian Immigrants crowded into older lower class neighborhoods of American cities, sometimes given names such as â€Å"Little Italy†. These neighborhoods suffered from overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions. Living together in such closed communities created little more than a microcosm of the society they had left in Europe (par. 3, Black Hand). Some criminals exploited this fact, and began to extort the more prosperous Italian’s in their neighborhood creating a crime that would eventually snow-ball into an epidemic known as ‘The Black Hand’ (par. 3, Black Hand). The extortions were done anonymously by delivering threatening letters demanding money, signed with crudely drawn symbols, such as a knife or a skull. People paid the Black Hand extortionists in the fear that American law had no understanding, or power, to help them (par. , Black Hand). Many who fled here in the early 1920’s helped establish what is known today as La Cosa Nostra or the American Mafia (par. 10, FBI). La Cosa Nostra, or the LCN as it is known by the FBI, consists of different â€Å"families† or groups that are generally arranged geographically and engaged in significant and organ ized racketeering activity (par. 30, FBI). The LCN is most active in the New York metropolitan area, parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, and New England. It has members in other major cities and is involved in international crimes (par. 1, FBI). During the 1920s Prohibition era, when the 18th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcoholic beverages, Italian-American gangs along with other ethnic gangs entered the booming bootleg liquor business and transformed themselves into sophisticated criminal enterprises, skilled at smuggling, money laundering and bribing police and other public officials (par 2, History Channel). By the end of the ‘20s, two primary factions had emerged, leading to a war for control of organized crime in New York City. The murder of faction leader Joseph Masseria brought an end to the gang warfare and in 1931 Sicilian-born crime boss Salvatore Maranzano crowned himself the â€Å"capo di tutti capi,† or boss of all bosses, in New York (par 3, History Channel). Two of the most powerful La Cosa Nostra families, known today as the Genovese and Gambino families emerged from Maranzano’s restructuring efforts. Maranzano named Luciano the first boss of what would later be known as the Genovese family. Unhappy with Maranzano’s power grab, Lucky Luciano had him murdered that same year (par 3, History Channel). Charles â€Å"Lucky† Luciano became the new leader. Luciano then masterminded the formation of a central organization called the Commission to serve as a sort of national board of directors for the American Mafia, which by then consisted of at least 20 crime families across the country (par 3, History Channel). New York, which had become America’s organized-crime capital, had been divided into five main Mafia families; everywhere else the Mafia operated, there was just one crime family per city. The Commission’s role was to set policies and mediate disagreements among the families (par 3, History Channel). In 1936, Luciano was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison. Ten years later, he was released from prison and deported to Italy, never to return. When he was convicted, Frank Costello became acting boss (par. 49, FBI). Costello led the family for approximately 20 years until May of 1957 when Genovese took control by sending soldier Vincent â€Å"the Chin† Gigante to murder him. Costello survived the attack but relinquished control of the family to Genovese. Attempted murder charges against Gigante were dismissed when Costello refused to identify him as the shooter (par. 50, FBI). In 1959, it was Genovese’s turn to go to prison following a conviction of conspiracy to violate narcotics laws. He received a 15-year sentence but continued to run the family through his underlings from his prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia (par. 51, FBI). The Genovese family went through a succession of bosses until Lombardo, his two captains in prison and his health failing, turned full control of the Genovese family over to Gigante, the man who tried to kill Costello 30 years earlier (par. 56, FBI). Gigante ran the family from behind the scenes while pretending to be mentally ill until he was convicted of racketeering and murder conspiracy in December 1997. Gigante’s odd behavior and mumbling while he walked around New York’s East Village in a bathrobe earned him the nickname â€Å"the Odd Father† (par. 58, FBI). The other powerful New York mafia family was the Gambino Family. The Gambino family was named for its most powerful boss, Carlo Gambino, a smart, cunning individual with a fascination for the works of Prince Machiavelli. His sharp business sense, and traditional values, earned him the respect of his allies. Don Carlo was never arrested during his career as boss, and he died of natural causes in 1976, leaving brother-in-law Paul Castellano in charge of operations. From 1976 until his assassination by John Gotti in 1985, Castellano would come to be known as the â€Å"Boss of Bosses†. Big Paulie Castellano was never a mobster in the classic sense, but rather a racketeer. He didn't even hang out with other gangsters, preferring the company of businessmen, and other â€Å"important† individuals. Castellano had few enemies, but John Gotti believed Aniello Dellacroce should have been made boss, and he had often been chastised by Castellano for dealing drugs and conducting operations without prior consultation. When Big Paulie was arrested by the FBI after bugs planted in the mobsters home had provided several hours of recorded evidence, rumors began to circulate as to whether he would rat out fellow Gambino Family members, John Gotti, now acting in lieu of Dellacroce who had recently died of brain cancer, decided it was time to plan Big Paulie's retirement (par. 1, Gambino Family/Paul Castellano). Castellano was gunned down outside Sparks Steakhouse in Manhatten as Gottie and Sammy the Bull Gravano watched from a nearby car. Throughout the 80s, Gotti earned the nickname, the â€Å"Teflon Don†; for none of the charges brought against him would stick†¦ At least until the early 90s, when he was indicted and tried on a RICO (Racketeer Influenced, and Corrupt Organizations) case; this time facing a prosecution armed with mobster turned informant Sammy â€Å"The Bull† Gravano, who had been Gotti's own underboss, and who provided damning testimony against his former boss, particularly about about the Castellano murder. Gotti was sentenced to life imprisonment, and later made several attempts at a second trial, all of which were denied. John Gotti died of cancer in the Springfield, Missouri federal prison hospital, on June 10th, 2002 (par. 1, Gambino Family/ John Gotti). Another of the five families is the Bonanno crime family, originally headed by then twenty-six-year-old Joseph â€Å"Joe Bananas† Bonanno, Sicilian-born and one of the youngest bosses of all time. The Bonanno War or â€Å"Banana Split† occurred when the Commission demoted Bonanno to underboss, sparking fervent family in-fighting among those who sided with Bonanno and those who sided with the new boss, Paul Sciacca. The fighting continued until 1968, when Bonanno suffered a heart attack and retired, though by this point the Commission had stripped the Bonanno family of its seat (par. 3, Investigation and Discovery). Troubles with the law have plagued the family, leading one newspaper to report that 75 of its 150 members have been indicted on various charges (par. 5, Investigation and Discovery/ Bonanno). The Columbo Family is the fourth of the five families. Following the Castellamarese War of 1929-1931, the family emerged as the Profaci family. It was headed by Joseph Profaci, without much threat to his leadership, until the 1950s. After Profaci’s death, Joseph Magliocco took over for a short time before the family was handed over to Joe Colombo, and the family bears his namesake to this day (par. , Investigation and Discovery/ Columbo). The family has been greatly depleted from its heyday, and continues to be ruled by Carmine Persico, now 73 years old, from prison with help from those family members who remain on the ground (par. 6, Investigation and Discovery/ Columbo). The Fifth Family, the Lucchese crime family, as it is known today, emerged out of the Castellamarese War of 1929-1931 , with Gaetano â€Å"Tommy† Gagliano serving as the appointed boss and Gaetano â€Å"Tommy† Lucchese as the appointed underboss. The family was known for its successful forays into industries such as trucking and clothing. Following Gagliano’s death in 1953, Lucchese took over and successfully ran the organization for many years with an excellent reputation. He never received a criminal conviction in his 44 years in the Mafia (par. 1, Investigation and Discovery/ Lucchese). By the mid-20th century, there were 24 known crime families in America, comprised of an estimated 5,000 full-fledged members and thousands of associates across the country. Prior to the 1960s, some government leaders, including FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, voiced skepticism about the existence of a national Italian-American organized crime network and suggested instead that crime gangs operated strictly on a local level. As a result, law enforcement agencies made few inroads in stopping the Mafia’s rise during this period (par. 6, History Channel). Since its beginnings La Cosa Nostra has been involved in a variety of rackets including gambling, loan sharking, labor union corruption, prostitution, and drug trafficking to name a few. Labor unions provide a rich source for organized criminal groups to exploit: their pension, welfare, and health funds. There are approximately 75,000 union locals in the U. S. , and many of them maintain their own benefit funds. In the mid-1980s, the Teamsters controlled more than 1,000 funds with total assets of more than $9 billion (par. 66, FBI). Labor racketeers attempt to control health, welfare, and pension plans by offering â€Å"sweetheart† contracts, peaceful labor relations, and relaxed work rules to companies, or by rigging union elections (par. 67, FBI). Labor law violations occur primarily in large cities with both a strong industrial base and strong labor unions, like New York, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Senator Estes Kefauver’s Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime did not out rightly expose the complete, brutal reality of the Mafia to the American public. Nor did the Appalachian incident ignite immediate action on the part of the federal government. However, something changed when dozens of Mafia bosses met one 1957 November day at Joseph Barbara’s estate to select Vito Genovese as the boss of bosses. The response by law enforcement of the past had been to try to take down the bosses. But what became evident with the realization of the existence of such a â€Å"syndicate† was that even if Mr. Big were removed, his family would remain intact; it would simply transfer hands, usually resulting in the family being renamed. New legislation would have to be of an entirely different mold in order to be of any use to law enforcement, and such a campaign wouldn’t come into play until after the death of FBI Director Edgar J. Hoover (par. 9, The Mafia and American Law). In 1970, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, this proved to be a powerful tool in the government’s war on the Mafia, as it allowed prosecutors to go after crime families and their sources of revenue, both legal and illegal. During the 1980s and 1990s, RICO laws were used to convict numerous high-level mobsters. Some Mafiosi, faced with long prison sentences, broke the once-sacred code of omerta and testified against their fellow mobsters in exchange for a place in the federal witness-protection program. At the same time, Mafia membership declined as insular Italian-American neighborhoods, once a traditional recruiting ground for mobsters, underwent demographic shifts and became more assimilated into society at large (par. 7, History Channel). References GangRule. com, The Black Hand. (2011). Retrieved 6:52, December 7, 2011, from http://www. gangrule. com/gangs/the-black-hand Italian Organized Crime, (2011). The Federal Bureau of Investigation website. Retrieved 2:32, December 7, 2011, from http://www. fbi. ov/aboutus/investigate/organizedcrime/italian_mafia Mafia in the United States. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 5:25, December 7, 2011, from http://www. history. com/topics/mafia-in-the-united-states. The Five Families. (2011). The Investigation Discovery website. Retrieved 2:32, December 7, 2011, from http://investigation. discovery. com/investigation/mobs-gangsters/five-families-03. html The Gambino Family. (2002). The Gambino Family website. Retrieved 6:52, Dece mber 7, 2011, from http://www. gambinofamily. com/carlo_gambino. htm

Apush: the Enduring Vision Ch 27 Notes

The Cold War (continued) Chapter 27 to page 837, plus 863-64 in Chapter 28 The Eisenhower Presidency 1. Eisenhower – What type of chief executive was he? He gave peace and stability. He gave a sense of unity, inspired confidence and even Democratic liberalism and republican like him . With McCarthyism and desegregation of schools, he had a hand off approach. 2. â€Å"Dynamic Conservatism† – How did it differ from conventional conservatism? – Reduce taxes, contain inflation, and govern efficiently without surrendering the fundamentals of the New Deal. 3. William F. Buckley, National Review, John Birch Society – A young conservative yale graduate who founded the National Review in 1955 -> claimed that domestic communism was a major subversive threat. John Birch Society was at the top of this belief, it also denounced Eisenhower as a communist conspiracy. 4. Joseph McCarthy and the Army-McCarthy Hearings – THE DOWNFALL OF McCarthy. He was made that one of his aides had not received a draft deferment, so that senator accused the army in 1954 of harboring communists.Army countered saying that he had tried to get preferential treatment for the aide who had been drafted. ON NATIONAL TV. Died 1957 from alcoholism -> fear still lingered of communists HUAC still alive.5. Interstate Highway Act ( 830) – what effects did it have? – In 1954 Eisenhower set up a high powered commission to recommend a highway program that would cost as much as the war. – over 100 billion spent- largest and most expensive public works scheme in American history. – freeway helped unify Americans by increasing the accessibility of once distant regions. FAST FOOD CHAINS MICKEY D’s26.Earl Warren – new chief justice in 19537. Jencks v. U. S. – Court held that the accused had the right to inspect government files us ed by the prosecution8. Yates v. U. S. -The justices overturned the convictions of Communist Party officials under the Smith act. Essentially ended further prosecutions of communists. -> opposition to warren from the right wing9. Brown v. Board of Education, â€Å" all deliberate speed,† – End of segregated schools.10. Orval Faubus – Arkansas governor mobilized the state’s national Guard to bar nine AA students from entering the school .11. Southern Manifesto – In 1956, more than a hundred members of Congress signed this, denouncing Brown as â€Å" a clear abuse of judicial power. †12. Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960 – 1957 : the first since Reconstruction, est a permanent commission on civil rights, but did little for black votes. 1960 strengthened it. Neither act empowered fed officials to register AA to vote. The Cold War Continues13. Korean war armistice – July 1953 established 38th parallel b/n North and South Korea. Ei senhower veiled nuclear weapons right before the armistice was signed.14.John Foster Dulles and â€Å"brinksmanship† – Secretary of State for Eisenhower, a Presbyerian, crazy religious -> wanted holy war against atheist. Brinksmanship, the art of never back down in a crisis, even if it meant risking war ( opinion against communism)15. Atmospheric Test suspension – In 1958, as a first step toward a test-ban treaty, both the U. S. and Soviet Union temporarily suspended nuclear testing. This informal moratorium on nuclear testing was ended in September 1961 by the Soviet Union. Two weeks later, the U. S. responded by conducting its own test series.The resumption of nuclear testing produced much radioactive and political fallout. The public concern about the fallout danger finally produced enough political pressure to force negotiations of a test-ban treaty.16. Emphasis on nuclear weapons as â€Å"more bang for the buck† – instead of traditional force, now the new look defense program promised more bang for the buck, NUKE EM for def.17. Shooting down of US spy plane –18. Allen Dulles – CIA commander chosen by Eisenhower, a veteran of wartime operations (brother is SoS)19. CIA & Iran – 1953, CIA organized coup to overthrow government of Iran in fear of oil fields to Soviets. Replaced prime minister with pro-American Shah Reza Pahlavi. -> Iran hatrid20. CIA & Guatemala – 1953 overthrew leftist elected government in Guatemala because took took United Fruit Company land, and then we took em back.21. Indochina (Vietnam) – Most extensive CIA operations happened here in the 1950s. With the outbreak of war in Korea, and Communist MAo Zedong – > Indochina key battleground. U. S aids 75% of French forces. But they still lost. French wanted their help! What shall they do?22. the Geneva Peace Accords US rejection of the Geneva Peace ACcords – international conference hich arranged a cease-fire and temporarily divided Vietnam. United States never agreed to this. United States created SEATO.23. Division of Vietnam – 17th parallel.24. the National Liberation Front – Diem’s opponents created the NLF, backed by North Vietnam, the insurgency attracted broad support and soon controlled half of South Vietnam. DIEM cOST 1 billion. (DEAN SHUDA BEEN IN NAM)25. Ngo Dinh Diem – U. S made this anti communist Catholic man the premier, then president of an independent South Vietnam. CIA agents helped Diem train his armed forces and block the 1956 election to unify Vietnam. They did this because if there was an election, likely 80% of the population would have voted for communism. NO DOMINO.26. â€Å"domino theory – If one country falls to communist, more will follow. Do not let Vietnam fall. If it did, Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, and the rest of Asia would eventually fall.27. The Suez crisis- In 1954 when Gamal Abdel Nasser came to power in Egypt, he canceled a previous loan from the United States to finance the government, which followed the nationalization of the British-owned Suez Canal. British believed the Canal to be the lifeline of their empire -> take it back by force! British supported by France (fear Arab nationalism in their Algerian colony) & Israel ( fear of Egyptian Army). – Egypt attacked 1956 –> Ike was mad because war could drive Arabs to Russia. –> Eisenhower Doctrine28. Eisenhower Doctrine – 1957, proclaiming that the UNited States would send military aid and, if necessary, troops to any Middle eastern nation threatened by â€Å"communist aggression. † –> 14k troops in Lebanon in July 1958 to quell a threatened Muslim revolt against its pro-western regime.29. Military industrial complex. Cold War Activism30. Space race/ Sputnik/ NASA / NDEA / ICBM – NOtes31. Kennedy Tapes -Secret tapes recorded inside the white house that only the president and two secret CIA ag ents knew about.32. Peace Corps – created in 1961, exemplified the New Frontier’s liberal anticommunism. By 1963, there were 5k volunteers in Third World countries including teachers, sanitation engineers, crop specialists, and health workers.33. Fidel Castro & Che, Cuban Revolution (1959) -From US supported Dictatorship to Communist run dictatorship. At first people liked Fidel Castro Overthrowing the previous president and promoting democracy but that didn’t last long†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.34. Bay of Pigs fiasco. Any conflict with Good Neighbor Policy- JFK really messed up. he deprived the 15k anti-Castro exiles of air support. JFK accepted the blame.35. The Berlin Crisis and the Berlin Wall. – Notes 36. The Cuban Missile Crisis / how started? / major players? / Options? / Deal? – USSR set up missile bases in Cuba, US spy planes find out. Khrushchev lied straight to JFK face. Options: Airstrike, Invasion, Blockade, Negotiation. (ask for more? )37. Nikita Khrushchev – Premier of USSR38. Robert Kennedy / Robert McNamara – Attorney General, and Secretary of Defense.39 . he â€Å"hotline† – Two months after signing an agreement to establish a 24-hour-a-day â€Å"hot line† between Moscow and Washington, the system goes into effect. The hot line was supposed to help speed communication between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union and help prevent the possibility of an accidental war. In June 1963, American and Russian representatives agreed to establish a so-called â€Å"hot line† between Moscow and Washington. The agreement came just months after the October 1962 Cuban missile crisis, in which the United States and Soviet Union came to the brink of nuclear conflict.It was hoped that speedier and more secure communications between the two nuclear superpowers would forestall such crises in the future. In August 1963, the system was ready to be tested.40. Atmospheric and unders ea test ban treaty – In 1958, as a first step toward a test-ban treaty, both the U. S. and Soviet Union temporarily suspended nuclear testing. This informal moratorium on nuclear testing was ended in September 1961 by the Soviet Union. Two weeks later, the U. S. responded by conducting its own test series. The resumption of nuclear testing produced much radioactive and political fallout.

Enron Financial Statement Case Essay

Accounting is all about financial information —capturing it, recording it, configuring it, analyzing it, and reporting it to persons who use it. The financial statements : The final product of financial accounting is in the form of financial statements that are packaged with other information in a financial report. †¢Financial statements are prepared at the end of each accounting period. A period maybe one month, one quarter, or one year. †¢Financial statements report summary amounts, or totals. There are three main financial statements: –The balance sheet: containing Assets and source of Assets at a specific date –The income statement representing : is the all-important financial statement that summarizes the profit-making activities of a business over a period of time. –The Cash flow statement: presents a summary of the business’s sources and uses of cash during the income statement period. Financial Report : Financial Report Form: Financial Report must be prepared according to the Standards of GAAP : generally accepted accounting principles for preparing the financial statements, these rules permit alternative accounting methods for some transactions. Furthermore, accountants have to interpret the rules as they apply GAAP in actual situations. The devil is in the details. The point is that interpreting GAAP is not cut-and-dried. Many accounting standards leave a lot of wiggle room for interpretation. Deciding how to account for certain transactions and situations requires seasoned judgment and careful analysis of the rules. Furthermore, many estimates have to be made. Financial Report main components: The three basic financial statements: income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. A statement of changes in owners’ equity (if needed). Disclosures: mainly containing Footnotes: and the most important footnote is the one which identify the major accounting policies and methods that the business uses and justifying any change in the policy used. Independent auditor’s report: must be done by independent (from the firm) licensed auditor and give the business a clean bill of health, or that the report is misleading and should not be relied upon. This negative, disapproving audit report is called an adverse opinion.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay

Often people are traumatized by traumatic events that take place their lives. We seldom expect these events to happen so we often do not know how to react when it does happen, this can lead to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In this assignment is the definition of PTSD, the reason why South Africa has such a high prevalence of PTSD and also the methods of prevention of PTSD will be discussed. DEFINITION OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be defined as a response people have to traumatic events in life and can arise as an immediate, delayed and/or protracted response (Seedat, 2011). These events can be natural disasters, such as a tsunami or earthquake, or it can be ‘human-made’ like a hijacking or an assault, and even things like apartheid and xenophobia (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111) (Seedat, 2011). PTSD can lead to a person feeling helpless and having an intense fear (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111). To diagnose a person with PTSD, three main criteria of symptoms must be visible in the person namely the person must be re-experiencing the traumatic event, the person must have an avoidance associated stimilu, and the person must have a hypervigilance and chronic arousal (like having anger issues or not being able to sleep) (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111) (Seedat, 2011). These three symptoms can be in a minimum state, but all three need to be visible before a person can be diagnosed with PTSD (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111). All symptoms must be shown for a month or more and cause signifcant distress or impairment in social or occupational areas of functioning and if these symptoms carry on for more than three months it can be seen as chronic PTSD (Seedat, 2011). Different psychological factors can play a role in the development and maintanence of PTSD. These factors were identified by Edwards (2005c) as emotionally distressing and problematic processes of guilt, shame, grief, anxiety, dysfunctional and/or distorted cognitions, and various cognitive, affective, and behavioural avoidance mechanisms (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111). WHY SOUTH AFRICA HAS SUCH A HIGH PREVALENCE OF PTSD PTSD is fairly common as approximately eight out of 100 people will develop PTSD (Seedat, 2011). Women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD (Seedat, 2011). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is very common in South Africa because of various reasons (Seedat, 2011). In 1997, the World Health Organization issued a study on the Global Burden of Disease. They found that mental disorders are second in burden to infectious diseases (Burke, Unknown). There have not been much studies of trauma disorders in SA, but the existing research suggests that South Africans, especially black South Africans, are still struggling with SA’s past, this being the apartheid which started in 1948 and lasted until 1994 (Burke, Unknown). In 1997, Market Research Africa and the Community Agency for Social Equality issued a study of face-to-face interviews with 3,870 adults who grew up during this time and the results were that 17% of people who had been exposed to trauma described their mental health as poor. There were 2 % of people who were exposed to violent events and 78 % of this 23% had one or more symptoms of PTSD (Burke, Unknown). Most peo ple who lived through apartheid do not suffer any symptoms of PTSD, but there are those people who are still so undone by the atrocities of the apartheid era that they still suffer the symptoms of PTSD. The symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder have many different consequences for different people. PTSD can sometimes lead to drug and alcohol abuse. According to a report from the Health Department released recently, South Africa has the highest rates of alcoholism in the world (Burke, Unknown). METHODS OF PREVENTION OF PTSD Some evidence suggests that intervening with medications or psychotherapy within a short time after the traumatic event may prevent PTSD to develop (Seedat, 2011). One possible method for the prevention of PTSD is the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI). The purpose of this method is to prevent the development of PTSD within a 30 day range after experiencing a potentially traumatic event. In a study, a number of 7 to 17 year old children were randomly assigned to the intervention or to a four-session supportive Comparison condition. The results were that the children part of the CFTSI had less and less symptoms of PTSD which suggests that a caregiver-youth and early intervention for children exposed to a potentially traumatic event is a promising method to prevent chronic PTSD (Berkowitz, Stover, and Marans, 2010). Another possible method for the prevention of PTSD is memory structuring intervention (MSI). Studies have been made on how trauma is processed which lead to the creating of MSI. In a randomised-controlled study, traffic accident victims who were at risk for PTSD were assigned to two MSI or two supportive-listening control sessions and the MSI patients reported a significantly less frequent arousal and PTSD symptoms than the controls (Gersons, Carlier, Lamberts & Kolk, 2001). CONCLUSION PTSD can come forth when people are exposed to a traumatic event, and it can become a chronic disorder if it lasts for longer than 3months. In South Africa we have a high prevalence for PTSD. We think that there are more people who were part of the apartheid era, that have PTSD than what studies have shown. Not every person understands the severity of PTSD or knows the symptoms of PTSD so they don’t realize that they have it. PTSD is not only treatable but possibly preventable too. There is no definite prevention method as different people handle different situations in different ways. Thus it would be good if people were more aware of the symptoms more could be done to prevent PTSD. Biblography Austin, TL., et al., (2011). Schizophrenia. In TL. Austin, et. Al. Abnormal Psychology: A South African Perspective (pp. 160-193). Cape Town: Oxford University Press South Africa. Burke, L. (Unknown). The consequences of truth: Post-traumatic stress in new South Africa (continued). Retrieved April 20, 2012, from South Africa in Transition: http://journalism.berkeley.edu/projects/southafrica/news/traumapart2.html Gersons, Carlier, Lamberts & Kolk. (2001). Translating Research Findings to PTSD Preventionl: Results of a Randomized-Controlled Pilot Study. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from Spingerlink: http://www.springerlink.com/content/w18292635382q182/ Seedat, S. (2011, 03 01). Depression – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from Health 24: http://www.health24.com/medical/Condition_centres/777-792-807-1650,11960.asp

Shipbuilding industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Shipbuilding industry - Essay Example South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is watching China’s growth with lot of concerns. It should be noted that China is using indigenous technology for shipbuilding whereas South Korea is importing such technologies from overseas countries. Moreover, cheap labor is another major asset of China in promoting shipbuilding industry. In any case, South East Asia (Japan, China and South Korea) dominates the present global shipbuilding industry. These three nations accounted for more than 78% of global ship production in 2005. â€Å"In the same year, Korean shipbuilders received 21,960,000 GT, 37% of world shipbuilding orders, while Japanese shipbuilders secured 14,230,000 GT, 24.5% of the world total, and Chinese firms received 9,640,000 GT, 16.6% of the world total†(Shin & Ciccantell, 2009, p.184). These statistics clearly suggest that South Korea is the current leader in global shipbuilding industry even though Japan and China are not far behind. Shipbuilding history i n Korea has started even in the 16 th century. After getting independence in 1948, Korean government established a national company; Korea Shipbuilding and Engineering Corporation (KESC), to promote shipbuilding. Since then Korea witnessed huge growth in shipbuilding industry. ... It should be noted that all the big three are well known companies in the world at present. In the Korean shipbuilding industry, the number of workers has been increasing, which reflects the high performance of the industry. The number of workers in the industry in 1995 was 77,330, and it increased to 97,323 by 2004. Korean shipbuilders enlarged the labor force of unskilled workers of subcontracting companies in order to reduce labor costs. Furthermore, Korean shipbuilders worry about the possibility of a shortage of young technicians, an aging labor force, and the general trend among young people to avoid working in the local areas where most dockyards are located (Shin & Ciccantell, 2009, p.182). Shipbuilding requires huge manpower. The role of machines in manufacturing ships is minimum compared to the role of manpower. As in the case of other industries, shipbuilding industry is also facing strong competition in international market. The emergence of China as the cheapest labor or iented country is causing problems to Korean Shipbuilding industry. The success of Korean shipbuilding industry can be attributed to three factors; First, major shipbuilders started to reduce production at a time when the demand for new ships increases. Second, South Korean government implemented meaningful strategies to exploit the opportunities. Third, South Korea managed to continuously develop and upgrade its production processes, sustaining its initial cost advantages through rationalization and innovation (Bruno & Tenold, N.d., p.21). In short, South Korea’s current leading position in shipbuilding was obtained due to the favorable trends in the market and the visionary policies implemented by the government. One of the major raw materials required for ship manufacturing is steel.

Toyota Brand Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Toyota Brand Analysis - Essay Example Fortification - the brand should carry a consistent image over time to reinforce its place in the consumer's mind and develop a special relationship with the consumer. Brand extensions can further fortify the brand, but only with related products having a perceived fit in the mind of the consumer. A company may have many brand names, but each group should fit well together. When Toyota wanted to compete in the luxury car market, a new brand called Lexus was created. This avoided muddying the established Toyota brand name, which represents value and economy, and removed any possible negative preconceptions about the Lexus name being cheap. The divergent fortunes of two automobiles made by the same manufacturer offer an unintended study of the power of brand strategy to alter behavior. Since 1989, both the Toyota Corolla and the Geo Prizm have been made by New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI), a joint venture of General Motors and Toyota. While the two cars are virtual twins, the Corolla has had consistently stronger sales despite a higher price. How come "The strength of Toyota's brand allowed it to charge more," says The Economist. "Buyers thought a Toyota would be superior to a GM car in the same class, and so happily paid more." The effect of brand equity on profit and growth is striking. ... "Buyers thought a Toyota would be superior to a GM car in the same class, and so happily paid more." The effect of brand equity on profit and growth is striking. While both cars cost the same to make-about $10,300-Toyota sold 200,000 Corollas to dealers at $11,000 each, while GM managed to move only 80,000 Geo Prizms at $10,700 between 1990 and 1994, The Economist notes. The result: "Toyota made $128 million more than GM in operating profits from NUMMI, while its dealers made $107 million more than those of GM from the plant's products." Toyota Motor Corp. (TM ) is on pace to be the world's No. 1 auto maker by 2008. It produces nearly one of every six cars sold in the U.S., including nine models in the South and Midwest, where it employs 32,000 Americans. Even New York livery cab fleets, once largely made up of leathery Lincolns, now feature Toyota's Prius, the hit hybrid taking coastal cities by storm. Toyota largely remains "terra incognita" to American investors, while GM can still attract buyers even as it flirts with bankruptcy. "Toyota stock doesn't have the 'mind share' of GM or Ford," says John M. Novak, an auto analyst at Chicago's Morningstar Inc. "There's a perception that you can't invest in it [because] it's a Japanese company -- that you would require a special account." ( Business week) Toyota Strengths: In 2003 Toyota knocked its rivals Ford into third spot, to become the World's second largest carmaker with 6.78 million units. The company is still behind rivals General Motors with 8.59 million units in the same period. Its strong industry position is based upon a number of factors including a diversified product range, highly targeted marketing and a commitment to lean manufacturing and quality. The company makes a large range of

Analyst article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyst article - Assignment Example Nuclear energy contributes 20% of the energy produced in the US. However, the nuclear industry is struggling following delayed construction of nuclear plants and ballooning costs of setting up new modern plants. Additionally, the industry faces intense competition from cheaper alternative energy sources. However, these sources emit carbon thus environmentally unfriendly (Kelly-Detwiler, 2014). Thus, politicians, energy companies and engineering outfits campaign for revamping of the industry until the country has energy alternatives that would not harm the environment. In this article, Kelly-Detwiler (2014) appreciates the need for cheaper alternative energy sources but at the same time the need to protect the environment. Whereas new cheaper energy generating technologies are emerging, they emit carbon. Thus, while nuclear energy fails to be cost-competitive, its use should be promoted due to associated environmental benefits. This is an interesting article as it appreciates the reality of nuclear energy being overtaken by emergent energy sources as a low-cost energy source. Even so, the need to protect and preserve the environment creates the need to foster the nuclear energy industry until environmental friendly alternatives are fronted. Thus, cost and environment are both important considerations when making energy source

Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis of Salmonellosis Essay

Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis of Salmonellosis - Essay Example Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care). It is also called as bacillary dysentery. Universally gastro-enteritis is caused by Shigella. It may cause bloody diarrhea also called dysentery or cause non bloody diarrhea. Shigella gains entry through epithelial lining of large intestine and obliterate the intestinal mucosa. The infection is highly contagious and is responsible for over 600,000 or more deaths per year. Most victims are from developing nations and in areas of overcrowding where poor sanitation persist; jails, mental hospitals, refugee camps, daycare or in primary schools (Scarpignato, C, Lanas A, Bacterial Flora in Digestive Disease: Focus on Rifaximin (Digestion)). Classical symptoms include watery loose stool, abdominal pain, mild fever, abdominal cramps, painful stools, frequent stools with bloody mucus. Some of the strains of Shigella are known to produce toxin that result in "hemolytic uremic syndrome"( Scarpignato, C, Lanas A, Bacterial Flora in Digestive Disease: Focus on Rifaximin (Digestion)). Clinical Sample: Stool/ feces/ blood/ rectal swab (Josephine A. Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care)Positive cultures are obtained from blood-tinged plugs of mucus of freshly passed stools. Rectal swabs are collected if arrangements are there for rapid processing of the sample or holding solution containing: buffered glycerol saline is available (Scarpignato, C, Bacterial Flora in Digestive Disease: Focus on Rifaximin (Digestion)). Microscopic Examination: Bacillary dysentery characterized by sheets of PMN Morphology & Staining: Differential Gram staining is performed show gram negative bacilli. Processing of the clinical sample is done with the following protocol to confirm causative agent. (Josephine A. Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care) Media: Low selectivity: MacConkey, EMB Intermediate Selectivity: Xylose Lysine Desoxycholate, Desoxycholate Citrate Agar, Salmonella Shigella agar and Hektoen enteric agar (HE) Highly selective: Bismuth sulphite (BS) agar and brilliant green agar (BG). Biochemical Tests: KIA Gas H2S MR VP Ind Cit Ure Mot Pad Lys Arg Orn ONPG K/A + + + - - + - + - + +/- + - Serological Tests of Salmonellosis: Widal test (H and O agglutination for typhoid and paratyphoid patients), CIEP, Haemagglutination, ELISA, Bactericidal Antibody test, Adherence test for detection of IgM antibodies, RIA, Co-agglutination test, Latex agglutination test, PCR, Diazo test of Urine, bacteriophage typing (Josephine A. Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care). For detection of Salmonella, 8 hour of pre-enrichment is performed, persuaded by automated DNA extraction and a sensitive real-time PCR. Optimization of this method is done to obtain highest possible yield of cells and DNA to ensuring public health (Josefsen, M. H., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2007). Serological Tests of Shigellosis: Slide agglutination with antisera for serogroup and serotype, PCR, ELISA, Monoclonal Antibodies test. Biochemical reactions: MR +, reduce nitrate to nitrite, citrate utilization-ve, inhibited by KCN, H2S-ve,catalase+ve, oxidase+ve,

Current Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current - Research Paper Example It there for means that Eli Lilly and company is basically the bedrock or pillar of Lilly Endowment. However, Lilly Endowment remains a motivator for the pharmaceutical company, and hence it affects some of its business and management strategies. Lilly Endowment entails some community and volunteer programs in the community. It is believed that its budget is greatly financed by Eli Lilly and company and this means that the pharmaceutical company would do anything to make gain, to put in a capacity to support Eli Endowment. This could mean cutting on expenses like reduction of labor, adoption of modern and effective digital management strategies like e-human resource management (E-hrm) to reduce the number of workers hence reduce on the labor expenses among others. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical company may have to organize some workshops and seminars to encourage the beneficiaries and officials from the Lilly endowment and this could mean some cost and time as well. Some senior management team are always required to mentor the youths and women in the Lilly Endowment and this means they have to forego their core roles in the Eli Lilly and company to encourage some members of the Lilly Endowment Inc. Lilly Endowment was founded by the core owner of Eli Lilly and company and his three core values revolved around community development, education and religion among others. This means that the same principles must be incorporated in the pharmaceutical management strategy. The element of community development could be related to its CSR which entails building schools for the locals, initiating clean water projects in the community, constructing health institutions and funding certain health related projects to eradicate epidemic like HIV and TB among others. The company is known to donating food and pharmaceuticals to the less fortunate like the street homes and elderly homes

Welcome to the World of Sony- Unless the Yen Keeps Rising Essay

Welcome to the World of Sony- Unless the Yen Keeps Rising - Essay Example It is also crucial to note that most of Sony’s customers are in the US and Europe and, therefore, making the products in these regions would save the Sony Company a lot in terms of saving on export rates. Welcome to the World of Sony- Unless the Yen Keeps Rising Contraction of the economy causes a lot of financial downfalls in many countries. Japan and the United States of America are not independent. The contraction of the economy made currencies fall, and some of the products became too expensive. The living standards become too expensive for the normal person to survive, thus† luxuries† such as televisions, mobile phones and play station games are not a priority to many. When there was the financial crisis, Japan’s business Sony got into problems. With the fall in the financial market, there was less demand because of the products were too expensive. This, in turn, led to a fall in the company’s profits. With the Japanese Yen extraordinarily strong, the export price was remarkably high and the products were too expensive. There was also a reduction in the demand of the goods. This is because of the high prices set by the company to make a profit. This made a substantial reduction in the sales, and there was a considerable drop in the export earnings. With the dollar being weak, commodities in every part of the world become quite expensive. The money got from Sony in the United States was tremendously reduced. When the dollar becomes weak, other currencies become stronger making it difficult for exporters to export because of the high export rates. This in turn makes exports less competitive, so, people would rather go for local products that are cheap.