Professional Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professional Development - Essay Example The first step in the strategic plan is to secure membership as a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), a world renowned organization dedicated to advancing knowledge of human resources, providing literature on managing people using contemporary leadership philosophy, and serving as an HR advocate for legal issues in business and coordinating efforts of HR policy makers (SHRM, 2013). As a student, this membership is only $35 annually, with the expenditure allowing the student to access modern HR research studies and having the ability to network with other international and domestic human resources leaders and practitioners. Through this networking, I will be able to exchange ideas and interact with reputable and competent HR professionals who will provide the knowledge necessary to become a more progressive HR leader and also stay up-to-date on advances in HR practice versus theory. Once securing the aforementioned membership with SHRM, I will begin reviewing qualitative and quantitative research data regarding how to properly motivate teams, build their long-term loyalty, and establish cohesive teams devoted to achieving strategic goals.

Care study for operating department practitoner(odp) Essay

Care study for operating department practitoner(odp) - Essay Example Silvestre, to theatre for a minor operation under local and is being checked into the department, she remained restless throughout the entire period of admission process. My mentor, Dr. Hughes, supervised me as I took Mary and Mrs. Silvestre through the theater admission procedures. After sometime, Mrs. Hughes decides to quickly nip to the toilet during the process in order to get back ready to transfer the patient into theatre. He leaves me behind to complete the remaining procedures and prepare the patient for admission. It is during this time that I observed that the consent form has been signed by Mary and a comment added to the notes that Mary thinks she may be pregnant. I proceed to confirm this comment setting Mary free for theater admission after completing all required procedures. After transferring Mary into theatre my mentor attempted to insert a cannula into the dorsum of Mary’s hand. To my utter amazement, Mary is startled by the sharp pain inflicted upon her by the inserted cannula. She immediately withdraws her hand resulting in the cannula becoming dislodged with some blood spillage. I privately ask Dr. Hughes, my mentor, why such a unique occurrence is taking place and she quickly confesses that she has not really attempted a cannulation procedure unsupervised before. I concluded that she must have forgotten to follow certain necessary procedures resulting into the pain experienced by the patient and consequently, the blood spillage upon withdrawal. Despite all these, however, Dr. Hughes decided to have another go on the patient in order to save time. Nursing practitioners have a huge role to play in seeing forth the liberation of patients from the anguish of various diseases. The situations to which nursing practitioners are often exposed as health care professionals are sometimes so complex and demanding including serious issues of health and well being of various patients. It is for this reason that nursing practitioners have to be well

Factors Affecting The Pakistan Tourism Industry

Factors Affecting The Pakistan Tourism Industry Pakistan appeared as a modern nation on 14 August 1947. There are four provinces and all four are gifted with heritage and culture. It is one of fertile and unique collections of majestic and rugged mountains, lush fields, deserts, rivers, lakes, seashores and landscapes enriched with friendly and hospitable people thus making it a heavenly destination for tourists with different tastes. Pakistan is known in the world of tourism because of the mountainous regions of the north, the Hindukush, Karakoram and the Great Himalaya who form the densest concentration of high peaks in the world. Kalam (Swat valley) in Pakistan is known as the Switzerland of Asia. The Hunza and Chitral valleys in Pakistan were the home to a small pre-Islamic animist Kalasha community who claim descent from the army of Alexander the Great (Mapsofworld.com). The historical and archaeological sites of Ghandhara and Indus Valley civilizations, Mohenjo-Daro, Taxila and the Mughal Empire are the examples of oldest ci vilizations in Pakistan. This multicultural nature of the country also contributes to the tourism industry in the way that it offers various traditions, customs and festivals for the tourists to explore and enjoy. Problem statement: According to the above paragraph, Pakistan seems to be a perfect place for tourists to be visited but still the tourists arrival is decreasing day by day if we take into consideration the years from 1995 till 2008. Aims and Objectives: The aim of my thesis is to find out the positive and negative factors which are affecting the Pakistan tourism industry and also the cause of tourists declining ratio. Find out the role of the government towards the development of this industry and suggest some strategies that can improve this sector and also discover the hidden potential of tourism industry. Another motivation behind this research is to examine and compare the economic effect of tourism in terms of money and job generation in our country as compared to the neighboring countries. Research Questions: The research questions are: What are the factors affecting tourism industry in Pakistan? How much potential Pakistan has got in tourism industry? How tourism industry created revenue and job for the country? What will be the strategies to develop the tourism industry in Pakistan? What the government should do to develop the tourism industry in Pakistan? Literature review and theoretical background: In this chapter, I will discuss some of the available literature and compare it with my research work giving a broader picture of the unique nature of the work and its practical usefulness. Literature review: Kakar et al. 2007, in their research thesis provided a relation between tourism and employment in Pakistan. The purpose of this research was to determine the rate of employment generated in different occupations from the tourism sector. The survey was carried out by personal visit to the hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agents, car hire firms, tour operators and airline offices. They designed a questionnaire for this purpose. The survey was restricted in the sense that it was carried out in only two cities of Pakistan i.e. Swat and Abbottabad and secondly it was carried out in hotels and restaurants. No attempt was made to determine the total impact of tourism on different employment sectors like taxis, guides, entertainment, travel agencies etc. furthermore the statistical data provided on the number of hotels, number of beds and the number of people employed is limited in the sense that there is no proper information about the time/date/year in which the data was recorde d. Baloch (2007) in his research of managing tourism in Pakistan deals with the issue of diagnosing the cause of crawling nature of Pakistans tourism growth and suggest ways to develop this industry through natural, historical and cultural resources. The research was carried in Chitral valley only. The methodology used was recording the views of tourists, locals, hoteliers and data collection from Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and Ministry of Tourism. The research is restricted in the sense that the deteriorating condition of this industry is explained only for 2006 and there is no proper statistical data provided for Chitral valley. The data was collected from the concerned departments and there is no proper findings obtained from the tourists and hoteliers. Although some of the studies found and discussed above are related to the tourism industry in Pakistan but there is hardly any research that focuses mainly on positive and negative factors effecting Pakistan tourism industry on a whole and compare this industry to its neighboring countries. Ill focus on factors effecting tourism, its impact on employment and the revenue earned for the whole country. The research will include statistical data for last fourteen years which will help in comparing the performance of this sector with other countries also. Theoretical Background: There are many positive and negative factors which are affecting Pakistan tourism industry. These are as follows: Positive factors: The tourists usually travel to see different places and things other like climate, nature, cultures, people, customs, arts, cuisines, languages, unique festivals, old historical buildings and sites etc. the reason why Pakistan has a great potential in tourism industry is that it posses every single thing that could meet the demand of visitors. Following are the types of tourism in Pakistan: Diaspora Tourism: According to Clarke (2003) the term Diaspora refers to a person who is from one country but originates from another and identifies with the country of origin. The term Diaspora can be approached from two different directions, as a typological tool and as a social condition. When the term is used typologically it refers to a group of people who have moved from one place to another and who still identify with their homeland. The homeland is just a metaphor, it may not even exist but it still carries significance for the individual. Clarke (2003) argues that Diaspora is people who have relocated for any of five different reasons; victim, labor, trade, imperial and culture. All of these reasons are in some way forced upon the individual, which is the central idea behind this type of approach to the Diasporas phenomena. For example, the British who immigrated involuntarily to the different colonies were imperial Diasporas. The typological approach to the Diasporas issue is that it disrega rds the differences within the different groups. So it is more accurate to describe Diaspora as a condition. The condition of being from one place but of another and identify with sentiments towards a homeland (Clarke, 2003) According to Ali Eteraz (2008), more than 7 million Pakistani people are living outside from Pakistan. Pakistan has got a large number of Pakistani Diaspora which can contribute a positive role in the economy of Pakistan. Apart from Diaspora, visiting friends and family tourism is also very important. Many of these Pakistani Diasporas have friends and families living in Pakistan, and they continue to visit these friends and families playing more positive role in the development of Pakistani tourism. Domestic Tourism: According to Richter (1989), many countries of the world take domestic tourism as a poor cousin and didnt pay much attention but according to Boniface and Cooper domestic tourism make up 80% of the world tourism flow. In Pakistan, there are many worthwhile places which not only attract international tourists but also domestic tourists. Heritage Tourism: Pakistan is a home to the most spectacular ancient cities of the world including the Indus and Gandhara civilization. Taxila, Moenjodaro and Harrppa, museums, Mughal heritage and the silk route, Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort (UNIC, 2011). Lahore Fort K Ali Figure 2: Lahore Fort (Source: http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/lahore_fort) Religious/ Spiritual or Pilgrimage Tourism: Pakistan is also famous for its shrines and temples. Each year not only Muslims from different countries come to visit the holy shrines but also the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhist visit Pakistan for pilgrimage (UNIC, 2011). https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFkl0hBvE-TfWI3ux2m8I3Dil3tlh1m5pxg70yh-K_GuU7nq6MjbIsLqdidJZ-uS4T6_JbgYURteeiM7jDFhsLVE8P_q_UhsC_kSE6uUoz03TZxs3u7-1GqVRzpY3-vSXoiHgJ2dAIAvG/s400/shrine-abdullah-shah-ghazi.jpg Figure 3: Shrines of Pakistan (Source: http://pak-istan.blogspot.com/2009/09/shrines-of-pakistan.html) Cultural Tourism: Besides archaeological sites and architecture masterpieces of Mughal emperors and British antecedents, Pakistani cuisine and festivals are yet another interesting part of rich Pakistani culture. The food streets in Pakistan are becoming a major source of attraction for tourists as they can enjoy the local Pakistani food as well as the colorful streets and people shopping in the streets at the same time. Famous food streets in Pakistan are Food Street Gawalmandi and Anarkali in Lahore, Melody and blue area Food Street in Islamabad, Burns Road in Karachi, and Ghantar Ghar in Peshawar. Festivals tend to provide celebration, joy, mental and physical refreshment to not only local people but also the tourists who come with the aim to explore and enjoy different cultures and festivals. Some of the famous cultural ceremonies and festivals of Pakistan include Lok virsa mela, Horse and cattle shows, Basant or kite flying, Festivals of lamps, Northern areas festivals including the famous Kalash festivals and Silk route festivals etc (UNIC, 2011). Food Street, Lahore Figure 4: Food Street Lahore (Source: http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/country/26292.php) Adventure or ECO Tourism: ECO or adventure tourism is the most significant part of the tourism industry as Pakistan is blessed with worlds most beautiful and renowned mountains, lakes valleys, glaciers and passes. Tourists not only enjoy the site viewing but also perform activities like skiing, hiking, surfing, camping and cruising. Mountaineering and trekking are the most exciting activities that tourists enjoy. World 2nd largest mountain K2 and Switzerland of Asia known as Swat valley is also located in Pakistan. Silk route is also included among Pakistan attractions as it is an ancient route connecting east and the west. Pakistan is also home to 31 natural and manmade lakes and reservoirs. The helicopter or train safari is also very famous among tourists as they travel to see the most spectacular views of landscapes and mines across the country. The helicopter safari is the latest means of travelling as it takes the tourists high in the sky so they can enjoy the highest peaks in the north and deserts in th e south (UNIC, 2011). click here to enlarge Figure 5: Ayubia (Source: http://www.offthemap.ca/diaster.php) Wild Life Tourism: There are about 14 national parks which give a beautiful glimpse of the rich Flora and Fauna of Pakistan. And there are 2 safari parks with various types of animals like tigers, lions, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, pythons, birds, deers etc (UNIC, 2011). https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheStYjnW0AYY4IZ4JaaG9AB3PgMPS4dkVHJGlRAKoIRaKojoOK-ae6TEPU0C6InicA0ViajgQukvrhp-qXV_vEu_4ghU0WWVo650UhvIGxZ0_ZFV228xWU1uZthgtPNBfwauaSbi-yqSg/s320/CIMG2056.JPG Figure 6: Kund Wild Life Park (Source: http://kiranpalwasha.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html) Sports Tourism: Pakistan is popular as a tourist sports destination. Himalayan range which is the worlds highest mountain range in the world demands for professional trekking along with general trekking. Other types of sports tourism include white water rafting, wild boar hunting in deep forests, shandur polo games, mountain biking, golf, ice climbing, rock climbing, snowboarding, skiing, caving and pot holding etc. rich people and prince come from middle east for deer hunting in Pakistan. All the above mentioned factors contribute positively to Pakistan tourism industry but along with these, there are also negative factors which are affecting Pakistan tourism industry and have resulted in the loss of tourists arrival in Pakistan. Negative Factors: The negative factors effecting Pakistan tourism industry are the views and opinions of domestic and international tourists obtained via questionnaire and interview. According to the tourists, the biggest problem they are facing while travelling is security issues which include the current insurgency in Pakistan. Even the domestic tourists dont feel like travelling in their own country. Second issue of tourists decline is negative image of Pakistan portrayed by media to the outside world. Lack of infrastructure, ineffective promotional policies, inadequate tourists services and facilities, lack of initiatives by concerned government departments, inadequate knowledge and training of personnel in tourism sector, law and order situation especially in the high tourists attraction areas, inadequate infrastructure facilities, lack of incentives in the tourist sector, failure to show and project the positive image of the country via media to the outside world, low allocation of annual touris t budget, lack of development and facilities in the mountain regions, lack of understanding to the tourist needs, the overtaking and change of governments and administration within the country (army rule) and high inflation rate are the key points which have altogether made tourism an unsuccessful industry in Pakistan. The tourism Ministry is not playing sufficient role and tourist faces difficulties in getting timely visa and other informations. The tourism authorities must focus on this sector as tourism is the only sector, which can contribute substantially in the poverty alleviation and improving the living standards of the local community. Factors Effecting Tourism Positive Factors Negative Factors Security problems for the tourists Less marketing and publicity on international level Weak travel and tourism framework Low allocation of annual tourist budget High inflation rate Overtaking and change of governments Lack of initiative by concerned government departments Presence of tourist attractions Mountains Valleys Lakes Historical places Rich culture Rich food Salt mines Spring festivals 5 stars hotel chains Restaurants Handicrafts Museums Business environment Factors effecting tourism Figure 8: Factors effecting tourism

The Gaelic Athletic Association Essay -- Essays Papers

The Gaelic Athletic Association After the Great Potato Famine in the country of Ireland, the culture and pride of the land began to disappear. The Irish had lost around one million people after this tragedy struck the land, and the Irish morale was low. People began to emigrate to other countries and British customs and language were beginning to take over. It became evident that the Irish needed a cultural revolution to restore all that had been lost in their culture. The solution to this problem was found in the creation the Gaelic Athletic Association. While its main focus may have only appeared to involve sports, it was very influential in the cultural and political revolutions to come in the future. The GAA has been described as a sum bigger than its parts because of the fact that it involved so many more aspects of Irish life than just sports (Fair). The revival was seen by most people as an effective way to enter the modern world as an Irish nation instead being associated with Britain. Ireland was at a cruc ial part in its history and the GAA played a major role in politics and in restoring the Irish pride that makes Ireland so famous today. It is generally viewed that the GAA had the biggest impact on Irish society during this very unstable time period because it "spread the country like prairie fire." (Gaelic Athletic Association). Sports played an important role in Irish culture and it was essential to organize them as best as possible for the people of Ireland. The Gaelic Athletic Association was organized by Michael Cusack in 1885 to restore traditional Irish games that had been overrun by British sports (Hutchinson 158). Games such as hurling and Gaelic football were revived to give the Irish sports to associate... ...d that Ireland had a unique and interesting cultural identity through the works of literature during this time period (Hachney and Hernon an McCaffrey 142). The importance of the Gaelic Athletic Association can be viewed in the impact it has had on Irish society in the 20th century. At a time when Irish morale was depleted and cultural identity was almost non-existent, the GAA helped restore both through the sports and programs it created. These sports brought the Irish together as a nation and helped improve the overall condition of Ireland. The nationalistic feelings that the GAA brought to Ireland became the driving force for the rebellions to come in the near future and the political culture was legitimized through GAA influence. Without a doubt the GAA has done more for Ireland than simply organizing sports, and have shaped the Irish nation that exists today.

HR Practices of United Services Automobile Association Essay

The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) is a Fortune 100 company as of the year 2009 that primarily sells life and property insurance to its 7. 7 million members, which consists of active and retired military personnel and their family members (www. biz. yahoo. com). They also offer such services as banking and investment management, focused on helping military persons to manage their money wisely and offer them services at reasonable costs with low interest rates. As of 2009, the company employees 21,500 people and competes in the industry of property and casualty insurance against other companies such as MetLife, State Farm, and Government Employees Insurance Company (www. biz. yahoo. com). USAA is headquartered out of San Antonio, Texas, where twenty-five Army officers founded the company in 1922 and set out to insure each other’s cars while standing firm in the values of honesty, integrity, loyalty and great service (USAA. om). â€Å"USAA’s mission is to facilitate the financial security of its members, associates, and their families through provision of a full range of highly competitive financial products and services; in so doing, USAA seeks to be the provider of choice for the military community,† (usaa. com). This mission statement from USAA’s website shows that the company has established its target market, segmenting it into the realm of military personnel and their families. Their main business strategy in attracting customers and beating out the competition for those customers is not only offering a wide array of financial and insurance services, but also by doing so at reasonable costs, rates, and carrying operations out with superior customer service. As a USAA customer having dealt with their top competitors also, I know firsthand that they initially attract customers by internet and television advertising mostly, and achieve customer loyalty by offering a great product at a great price with superior customer satisfaction relationships; this gives the company a high sustainable advantage in their industry and creates a high customer value in the market. This major corporation can afford to be such a customer-focused one because they are not a publicly traded company; in other words, they answer not to stockholders, but rather to the members of the association to cater to their desires. This is how they are able to beat out the competition and gain the edge on acquiring and sustaining more customers than other companies in their industry. Human Resource Practices The USAA corporate website’s careers section pitches employment with the company to interested potential employees as not simply taking orders from customers, but rather truly making a difference in a military family’s life with each and every call. One thing they do that is effective is putting a section titled, â€Å"What’s in it for you? † under which they share that the company pays competitively against the competition within the labor market and offer benefits such as a great 401(k) plan, fitness programs, and other beneficial incentives (usaa. com). From an employee’s perspective, USAA is a great company to work for because the pay is competitive, the benefits increase the value of the job above the pay rate, and there is tremendous job stability once you become a part of their team. This website shows that the company’s human resource practices focus chiefly on pay and benefits to attract potential employees; furthermore the job qualifications insinuate that they are looking for people that have some sort of military service completed, with a moderate college education but skills that are focused on customer satisfaction and interacting well with other people. Often times, customer service positions have a high turnover rate due to the nature of the position in dealing with disgruntled customers, however, USAA does a great job of attracting and retaining the type of individuals they are seeking by offering great pay and benefits that make the job tough to quit. Ethical Philosophy The USAA company website states that their core values are, â€Å"service, loyalty, honesty, and integrity; the same as the military community we serve,† (usaa. om); this portrays the corporate philosophy and ethical positioning quite clearly. They believe in working hard and faithfully to deliver the best service possible while doing what is best for the â€Å"greater good† of the society in which they operate. When compared with the Kantian Rights discussed in chapter one of our textbook, Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (Noe, page 15), USAA’s company ethics parallel with them quite well. The four traits of service, loyalty, honesty, and integrity would completely support the Kantian Rights of free consent, privacy, freedom of conscience, speech, and due process because these are the very things the military fights to defend, and the military is the market which USAA seeks to serve. Foreign Operations The extent of USAA’s foreign operations is not too great considering they serve the people of the American military forces. However, they do handle customer accounts while they are in foreign lands serving in the military; for instance, USAA offers great financial management support for military personnel who are about to be deployed so that they can use their combat and active duty pay wisely to support themselves and their family. HR Practices and Business Strategy One trait that makes a large difference between successful corporations and lesser successful corporations is the company’s ability to implement its ideals into everyday business operations and sync its human resource practices with the overall business strategy. Seeing as USAA is rated in the top one hundred best companies to work for, they must be lucratively creating an environment in which their human resource practices are complimenting the overall business strategy. This creates loyal and satisfied employees that will, in turn, carry out their tasks with diligence and create the superior customer service that so greatly defines USAA. If the customer service employees at USAA were not satisfied, whether it be for compensation reasons or any reason for that matter, they would not be in a position or attitude to maintain the core values of the company, thus the HR practices would no longer be in harmony with the overall business strategy. It is in this situation that we see the utmost importance of the human resource department and its ability to compliment the company’s business strategy. Due to the company’s competitive pay and long list of great benefits that increase the value of having a career with USAA, it is fair to say that their employees should be satisfied and adequately motivated to carry out the overall business strategy.

Cadbury and Kraft

The acquisition of Cadbury faced widespread disapproval from the British public, as well as groups and organisations including trade union Unite,[29] who fought against the acquisition of the company which, according to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, was very important to the British economy. [30] Unite estimated that a takeover by Kraft could put 30,000 jobs â€Å"at risk†,[24][31][32] and UK shareholders protested over the Mergers and Acquisitions advisory fees charged by banks. Cadbury's M;A advisers were UBS, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. 33][34][35] Controversially, RBS, a bank 84% owned by the United Kingdom Government, funded the Kraft takeover. [36][37] http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmbis/234/23405. htm High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut ; paste the article. See our Ts;Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales. [email  protected] com to buy additional rights. http://cachef. ft. com/cms/s/a153ff94-595f-11df-99ba-00144feab49a. html#ixzz1dKyAgSEK Cadbury helps Kraft to 26% rise in revenuesBy Greg Farrell in New York and Elizabeth Rigby in London Published: May 6 2010 23:54 | Last updated: May 6 2010 23:54 Kraft Foods reported net revenues of $11. 3bn for the first quarter 2010, a 26 per cent gain over the comparable period in 2009, much of it fuelled by the US food company’s acquisition of Cadbury, completed in February, and aided by favourable currency exchange rates. Organic revenues for Kraft grew 3. 3 per cent for the quarter, while Cadbury’s organic revenue growth was 8. 2 per cent. Net earnings for the company were $1. 9bn, largely from a $1. 6bn gain on the divestiture of Kraft’s pizza business.

Roman Decline essays

Roman Decline essays The seemingly unstoppable Roman Empire was bound to fall after the many aspects that made Rome such a dominant empire started to fade away. Rome was the center of the world and the thought that such a worldwide power could decline was unheard of. It was not built in a day; therefore it couldnt be destroyed in one day. The marvelous city declined for many reasons yet there are only a few major reasons that led to its diminish. Political, economic, religious, and outside forces were the major factors that led to the fall of the giant empire. Most of the problems came from within the city and were not caused by a major military defeat. Every decision that Rome made had a vast affect on city itself and the rest of the world. Many foolish decisions my terrible emperors weakened the city and eventually cause the many aspects of life to crumble. The Roman Empire did not fall in a day but rather fell victim to a gradual decline in the prosperity due to many illogical decisions made by the Romans themselves. All of the problems could have easily been prevented with the right leadership and common sense. Unqualified rulers caused political problems. The invasions were due to the mistreatment of the new settlers; this mistreatment was due to the Roman mentality to conquer all. Politics and poor management of the roads and public buildings due to the lack of funds to maintain them had a significant effect on the economy. Christianity was outlawed to keep all of the Roman citizens under complete control. With the right leadership all of the disastrous decisions could have been prevented and the reign of Rome could have been prolonged long after its fall in 476 AD. In conclusion, the Roman Empire declined based upon the same factors that had caused it to flourish. It fell because the social, economic, political, military, and religion strengths were no longer viable. The Roman Empire came gradually and fell gradua ...

Cultural Conflicts in Wide Sargasso Sea

Cultural Conflicts in Wide Sargasso Sea 1Cultural Conflicts in Wide Sargasso SeaTayo's experience returning to New Mexico after World War II and Rochester's presence in the Caribbean are excellent examples of characters being torn between being an outsider and being a welcome member of society. Both Tayo as well as Rochester experience being torn from their own cultures. Tayo going to war separates him from his culture while Rochester's going to the Caribbean to find a wife pulls him out of his British culture. Rejection by their families plays a central role in making Tayo and Rochester feel estranged. Dealing with their masculinity is also a problem in both characters stories. Tayo and Rochester both lack a true father figure which makes becoming a man much more difficult. There are many similarities between Tayo and Rochester and their struggles with being torn between cultures, rejected by their families, and coming to terms with their own gender issues.English: High Falls Rochester NYThe similarities between Tayo and Rochester being torn between cultures is contrasted by the fact that Tayo is desperately trying to figure out his identity while Rochester was taken from his English culture and placed in the Caribbean. Throughout his childhood, Tayo is faced with many obstacles that end with him losing his identity. Tayo desperately tries to find balance between his pride in his Indian heritage and his shame for being half-white. Growing up, Tayo goes to Indian school where most of the teachers were Anglo and try to pull him and his cousin Rocky away from their Indian culture by telling them "not to believe in that kind of 'nonsense'"(Silko 19). His cousin Rocky is accepted by the white community because of his status as a football star; and so, in turn, Rocky starts to leave his Indian heritage behind. Tayo looks up to...

Hash libraries for C Programmers

Hash libraries for C Programmers This page lists a collection of libraries that will help you in programming in C. Libraries here are open source and used to help you store data, without having to roll your own linked list etc data structures. uthash Developed by Troy D. Hanson, any C structure can be stored in a hash table using uthash. Just include #include uthash.h then add a UT_hash_handle to the structure and choose one or more fields in your structure to act as the key. Then use HASH_ADD_INT, HASH_FIND_INT and macros to store, retrieve or delete items from the hash table. It uses int, string and binary keys. Judy Judy is a C library that implements a sparse dynamic array. Judy arrays are declared simply with a null pointer and consume  memory only when populated. They can grow to use all available memory if desired. Judys key benefits are scalability, high performance, and memory efficiency. It can be used for dynamically sized arrays, associative arrays or a simple-to-use interface that requires no rework for expansion or contraction and can replace many common data structures, such as arrays, sparse arrays, hash tables, B-trees, binary trees, linear lists, skiplists, other sort and search algorithms, and counting functions. SGLIB SGLIB is short for  Simple Generic Library and consists of a single header file sglib.h that provides generic implementation of most common algorithms for arrays, lists, sorted lists and red-black trees. The library is generic and it does not define its own data structures. Rather it acts on existing user-defined data structures via a generic interface. It also does not allocate or deallocate any memory and does not depend on any particular memory management. All algorithms are implemented in form of macros parametrized by the type of data structure and comparator function (or comparator macro). Several further generic parameters such as the name of next field for linked lists may be required for some algorithms and data structures.

Tourism Management in Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tourism Management in Egypt - Essay Example While France is ranked as the 1st with over 81 million tourists visiting the country every year, and Mexico is ranked as 10th attracting 22 million tourists a year, Egypt is attracting only 8 million tourists. These statistics reflect the fact that Egypt is not successful in manipulating all the factors that may enable the country to be one of the top tourism destinations in the world. The attitude of low class Egyptians towards tourists, the destruction of the environment, and the lack of effective publicity campaigns are the main problems, which hider the development of the tourism sector in Egypt, requiring extensive efforts to be done from the government in order to revive this sector. The first problem that the tourism sector in Egypt faces is the attitude of the low class citizens towards tourists. This sort of problem can be observed in almost any place where tourists exist in Egypt. Harassment is the clearest annoyance directed towards tourists by many Egyptians. For example, tourists are always victims of over pricing by many shop owners and vendors in tourist places. Also, beggars harass tourists wherever they go in a manner that annoys those tourists severely. Accordingly, those harassed tourists may develop a negative feeling towards Egypt, making it hard to convince them to revisit Egypt. Actually, there are many researches, which show that the impression a tourist develops about a certain place affects his decision for visiting this same place in the future. In a research that was conducted in the small village of Bighodi in Uganda about the reason behind the increase in the number of tourists visiting this village, it was discovered that the residents of this village have a positive attitude towards tourists (Lepp). This attitude results from their awareness that tourism increases the income of the village, improves agricultural markets, and helps in community development. This research shows the strong effect of the residents' attitude in increa sing or decreasing the number of tourists visiting a specific place. Although Bighodi is a small village in a poor country that lacks sources and services that are essential for any touristic country to have, yet the welcoming attitude of the citizens of Bighodi succeeds in attracting tourists from different places in the world. Thus, the case of the Bighodi village gives a clear indication about the effect of people’s behavior towards tourists on the revival of the tourism sector in a given place. Consequently, it is hard to revive the tourism sector in Egypt without changing the bad behavior of some Egyptians towards tourists. The main solution for this problem of the bad attitude towards tourists in Egypt is to develop awareness among Egyptians about the importance of tourism for the economy of the country. Again, the Egyptian government may take guidance in the experience of the village of Bighodi. The residents of Bighodi were not taught how to treat tourists and how to be welcoming to them, but their good attitude comes out of their awareness of the importance of tourism to their village. For example, the Egyptian government should make it clear for the people that the tourism industry in the country forms almost 15% of the national

Funding Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Funding Education - Essay Example Funding Education The university has principled values that is inculcated in all the students. Honesty, efficiency, exceptionality, and modesty are inscribed in students during the course of study. Every employer looks for an honest person. Now, being that the university is known for producing people of unquestionable integrity one would find it pleasurable and an honor to be part of this fraternity (British qualifications, 457). Employers also do not only want results, but they are impressed with exceptionality: a thing that the university inculcates in the course of study. The university teaches on how one can become innovative hence remarkable achievement in any field of endeavor. Queen Mary University is reach in diversity with an international outlook. This aspect of the university makes in a good ground for interaction and a place of multi-cultural experience. The university also has various exchange programs with many universities in other countries of the world. The university has such programs to help in the expansion of the worldview of its students. The grandaunts of this university are always diverse in opinion and they are often prepared to serve in any part of the world because of the nature of socialization in this great university. The university is not streamlined to the course work but it also gives the students the opportunity to interact widely and to experience the rest of the world.

Event reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Event reflection paper - Essay Example The speaker spoke about the way the history of gender disparity has been documented and the way this forms the attitudes that exist within the community today. Although they noted that there has been a great change in the public attitudes on matters of gender, they appreciate there is still a lot that has to be done to change these attitudes. The history that exists today should avoid depicting woman as an inferior person in the society as this suppresses the efforts that have been put to develop the society and liberate it from gender discrimination. In their opinion, gender disparities have to a great extent affected community development in the contemporary society (LSE, 2014). In their conclusion, they stated that the history that promotes gender disparities should be abolished if the world has to realise its potential for development. The most interesting idea in this event is the opinion that gender equality if one of the indicators of community development. From a critical analysis, the speakers in this event feel that gender issues development is one of the strategies the government should develop to win its war against poverty in the society. While this may be a controversial point, it is clear that there is a lot of support for this idea from many scholars and world organizations (Elson, 2009). The issue of sexuality in the society today has become an important factor for the government today. The government puts a lot of efforts in empowering women to help them acquire education and employment within the society. Multinational organizations such as the United Nations have established gender equality laws that seek to protect the weaker gender to ensure that they have legal rights and are treated the same way the counter gender. The wellbeing of a country is attributed to the gender development within the so ciety. Those countries that higher gender gap are regarded as undeveloped. The idea that economic development can be related to

Project Evaluation Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Project Evaluation Report - Essay Example The research carried out at the beginning of the project was quite useful; the development programs were just right and the methodology worked out perfectly for this project. A waterfall methodology was used in the development of the website. All the stages of the methodology proved to be very necessary for the completion of the project to be a success. The website was developed successfully and project finished at the planned time. This report will evaluate whether the development of an online football ticketing and reservation website was successful. The basic purpose of this project was to develop a website that would allow football fans to buy their tickets online as well as make reservations on the games they want to watch beforehand. The purpose was to produce a website using a combination of SQL and CSS development languages and also the use of MS Excel and MS word. Several objectives were defined at the commencement of the project. They included; conducting research to determine the technologies to use in the project as well as specifying the tasks to be carried out in the development of the online booking system and also to determine their deadlines. The basic goal of this project as to create a website where football fans will purchase their tickets as well get to learn of upcoming games whilst booking online from the comfort of their locations. The website was to be developed in such a way as to allow fans to view and log into the website even on their IPhones and other portable internet enabled gadgets. At the end of the project period, several things had to be achieved. A working online ticketing system that will have achieved the objectives and solved the problem statement was the main aim, as well as the submission of the project as a requirement for graduation. The main objectives of this project were to develop an online ticketing system that would also serve to give information to the fans on the upcoming events and also on any

Stuff paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stuff paper - Essay Example Coffee today is one of the most popular beverages in the world. The coffee beans are grinded to form a powder from which the beverage is prepared. It is one of the most popular beverages consumed by more than one third of the world’s total population. One major difference found in its consumption is in the way the drink is consumed around the world. (Kolecki, n.d). People, in general, prefer to consume coffee according to their taste and liking. This includes adding items like milk, creamer, and sugar to the actual coffee to create a particular individualized taste. Therefore, part of the attraction of coffee as a drink is the fact that one can personalize the drink to one’s individual liking. Coffee’s popularity has resulted in a wide demand and increased production throughout the world. The raw materials for coffee are obtained from a fruit’s seed, which is known as the coffee bean. (As You Sow, 2010). These beans are collected from the coffee trees that contain aromatic substances which add up to the taste of the beverage. When the berries are ripened, the beans provide a better taste for the beverage. The coffee trees themselves grow well in a climate of moderate temperature. Apart from the conditions of the climate, the soil too plays a vital role in cultivating the coffee beans. Fertile soil enables better cultivation and production of the coffee beans. A well maintained volcanic soil also helps in the cultivation, as it improves the flavor of the beans. The manufacturing process of coffee does not end up impacting the environment as severely as the manufacturing of other beverages. (Wintgens, 2009). The environmental consequence is certainly varied as the tree is grown in places where the natural soil is at its best. The cultivation does not include any artificial plantation or pesticides and hence it does not create chemical harm to the environment. Another aspect is the social consequences of the object, coffee. Due to the i ncreased production of coffee beans, countries like Brazil and Africa have extensively benefited. Since the country’s economic stability grows through the plantation of coffee beans, the social consequence is obviously beneficial (Wintgens, 2009). However, this does not mean that there are not any environmental consequences within the production of coffee. The actual use of the land to produce coffee is cause for some concern. Coffee is a cash crop, meaning that land is often cleared to grow it, and this can take away from even more sustainable resources. Some type of monitoring program can be implemented to ensure that other resources are not being stripped, or at least stripped beyond their capacity to reproduce themselves. Where the rainforest is involved, this has caused growing concern for many environmentalists, since much of the time the rainforest will be destroyed if profit is involved, and the rainforest is not something humans can recreate. Since many of the countr ies producing coffee are economically poor, they are willing to destroy natural resources in order to take advantage of greater economical gain (Wintgens, 2009). Coffee production can be made more sustainable through the monitoring of the land used in its development. If legislative rules are enacted to regulate the planting of coffee and the way coffee is grown, in order to

National Environmental Policy Act Research Paper

National Environmental Policy Act - Research Paper Example The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was first passed in 1969, and it is one of the first laws ever written which establishes an encompassing national framework in the protection of the environment. It basically seeks to ensure that all agencies of the government give adequate consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any significant federal action which may affect the environment. This paper shall identity the most significant challenges facing the United States and/or the international community in resolving, identifying and/or dealing with this policy or issue or both. It shall identify and explain two different perspectives that contribute our understanding of the select issues. This paper shall define this issue/policy supported by research and analyses. Discussion There are various challenges which the United States and the international community are facing in relation to environmental policies and issues. When the Industrial Revolution hit its stride, the Earth’s climate and environment started undergoing changes; these changes were mostly seen in the agricultural and industrial practices (Berkeley University, 2004). Due to the increase in population and fossil fuel use seen through burning, toxic emissions, vehicle emissions, and deforestation, various gases have been introduced into our air which are harmful to living things, including human life. These gases are introduced into the atmosphere mostly as a result of human activity, activities which produce high levels of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide (greenhouse gases or GHGs). These are heavy gases and do not interact well with our ozone layer. As a result, our ozone layer is being slowly depleted (Berkeley University, 2004). This is unfortunate because the ozone layer shields us from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. These greenhouse gases also cause the greenhouse effect where these gases trap the heat in the atmosphere and cause higher earth temperature levels , otherwise known as global warming. The US environmental issues largely stem from its energy use. The US remains to be the largest energy consumer in the world and also the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide (Berkeley University, 2004). Motor vehicles are the main sources of carbon emissions in the US and in recent years, shifts of use from cars to larger vehicles have assisted in reducing carbon emissions. In 2001, the US consumed about 24% of the world’s main energy consumption. The US released about 1,883 million metric tons of carbon in 2001, and this is credited for 24% of the world’s carbon-related emissions (Berkeley University, 2004). In 2003, the US Department of Energy set forth its Climate Vision program which was meant to assist the President in reducing greenhouse gas intensity from 2002 to 2012. This policy included different federal agencies coordinating with industrial leaders to minimize GHG emissions during the time period set. Bush als o states that a $1.2 billion hydrogen fuel plan was aimed at establishing technologies which would produce, store and distribute hydrogen as a fuel during transport (Berkeley University, 2004). The FreedomCAR (Cooperative Automotive Research) was also launched in an attempt to establish hydrogen fuel cell technology and advanced automotive technologies, including hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars. The US energy consumption will likely increase in the coming years and as a

Stuff paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stuff paper - Essay Example Coffee today is one of the most popular beverages in the world. The coffee beans are grinded to form a powder from which the beverage is prepared. It is one of the most popular beverages consumed by more than one third of the world’s total population. One major difference found in its consumption is in the way the drink is consumed around the world. (Kolecki, n.d). People, in general, prefer to consume coffee according to their taste and liking. This includes adding items like milk, creamer, and sugar to the actual coffee to create a particular individualized taste. Therefore, part of the attraction of coffee as a drink is the fact that one can personalize the drink to one’s individual liking. Coffee’s popularity has resulted in a wide demand and increased production throughout the world. The raw materials for coffee are obtained from a fruit’s seed, which is known as the coffee bean. (As You Sow, 2010). These beans are collected from the coffee trees that contain aromatic substances which add up to the taste of the beverage. When the berries are ripened, the beans provide a better taste for the beverage. The coffee trees themselves grow well in a climate of moderate temperature. Apart from the conditions of the climate, the soil too plays a vital role in cultivating the coffee beans. Fertile soil enables better cultivation and production of the coffee beans. A well maintained volcanic soil also helps in the cultivation, as it improves the flavor of the beans. The manufacturing process of coffee does not end up impacting the environment as severely as the manufacturing of other beverages. (Wintgens, 2009). The environmental consequence is certainly varied as the tree is grown in places where the natural soil is at its best. The cultivation does not include any artificial plantation or pesticides and hence it does not create chemical harm to the environment. Another aspect is the social consequences of the object, coffee. Due to the i ncreased production of coffee beans, countries like Brazil and Africa have extensively benefited. Since the country’s economic stability grows through the plantation of coffee beans, the social consequence is obviously beneficial (Wintgens, 2009). However, this does not mean that there are not any environmental consequences within the production of coffee. The actual use of the land to produce coffee is cause for some concern. Coffee is a cash crop, meaning that land is often cleared to grow it, and this can take away from even more sustainable resources. Some type of monitoring program can be implemented to ensure that other resources are not being stripped, or at least stripped beyond their capacity to reproduce themselves. Where the rainforest is involved, this has caused growing concern for many environmentalists, since much of the time the rainforest will be destroyed if profit is involved, and the rainforest is not something humans can recreate. Since many of the countr ies producing coffee are economically poor, they are willing to destroy natural resources in order to take advantage of greater economical gain (Wintgens, 2009). Coffee production can be made more sustainable through the monitoring of the land used in its development. If legislative rules are enacted to regulate the planting of coffee and the way coffee is grown, in order to

The best ideas Essay Example for Free

The best ideas Essay It is ingrained among most people that important discoveries and concepts are results of concerns about problems of huge complexity. Nevertheless, if we allow more reasoning about that, we are bound to find out that is not always the case since history has been showing us plethora of , say, cientific development triggered by investigation over facts often dismissed as trifles. In order to bolster the argument just stated, it will be useful to refer to the pioneer of Genetics, namely Mendel. Those who would doubt a reclusive monk could make any good science out of growing peas will be appalled by his outstanding achievements. Mendel, tending the pea trees as usual, realised that the collor of the pea beans, whether green or yellow, could be predicted under some controlled unaccuracy provided the parents trees were known. Moreover, after several experiments sedulously carried out, he came to the conclusion that the collor outcome in question was result of the crossing of the parents features following some determinative selection rules. Then gene concept was born and proved to be correct and useful through nowasdays. Apart from the preceding historic report, we can think of a number of other instances in which everyday facts conceal valuable information just waiting to be uncovered such as symmetry in a snowflake, shape of droplets, reflection upon a lake, waves ruffling around a bathtube, wings of a butterfly etc. Were we to look carefuly into them, we would come up with a lot of physical facts almost ubiquitious in nature whose consequences are more complexes than one can imagine. Therefore, it is seems to be clear that the best ideas quite often result of looking into passionately into simple thing surrounding us. Methaphorically speaking, nature tell us her secrets in the silence of commonplace things rather than in the hustle and bustle that builds up in our minds clustered in a noisy complexity.

Super Size Me: Film Report

Super Size Me: Film Report Chapter I: Introduction Morgan Spurlock the director of Super Size Me went on a daring adventure to test whether the claims made by two overweight/obese teenagers was true. Two teenagers claimed that they had received their condition as a result from the McDonalds Cooperation by eating their fast food. Seeing how McDonalds is the most populous fast food restaurant in the world. Many Americans do indeed follow a fast food diet but are unaware of the exact health results. Since America is growing in the percentage of overweight/ obese people in America there should be some data on what fast food restaurants have in this issue. Obesity has become a major health problem in the United States; with over 60% of adult Americans beingobese. Obesity can lead to an array of other diseases, an increased risk of illness and premature death. Chapter II: Review of Literature The documentary, Super Size Me, was not only created to show the harmful effects of eating fast food, namely McDonalds. Morgan created the film to show that fast food has become a fixture in our countrys culture. I learned the ongoing and fast rate obesity is growing. Diabetes is also playing a key role as well as psychological changes and side effects that can result from a high fatty diet. Marketing campaigns by fast food markets are stronger and louder than healthy eatingmessages. Being obese has now become the second largest preventable cause of death falling behind cigarette users. Each day, one in four Americans visits a fast food restaurant. This figure shows how the fast food market has really taken a grasp on American lifestyles with eating. With McDonalds making up of 43 percent of the fast food market today and shelling out more money in advertising alone compared to health food ads, its easy to see how the convenience of fast food has taken apart of Americans â€Å"culture†. In general, children and adolescents are eating more food away from home, drinking more sugar-sweetened drinks, and snacking on food that cost generally less than their healthy counterparts. Convenience has become one of the main criteria for Americans food choices today, leading more and more people to consume quick service or restaurant meals or to buy ready-to-eat, meals to prepare at home rather than the ordinary home-style cooking by the mother due to the fact that this requires far more work. Only 21 percent of young people eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. 32 percent of adolescent girls and 52 percent of adolescent boys consume three or more eight ounce servings of soda per day. And with, schools currently decreasing the amount of free play and physical activity that children receive during school hours this does not add up to a particularly healthy lifestyle. Only about one-third of elementary children have daily physical education, in which this time of life can set the tone on how children will lead their lives as they later grow up into adolescents. Spurlock goes on to show how our nation is becoming morbidly obese and the fast rate it is growing just by fast food in itself. In the United States alone it has reached epidemic proportions. Being overweight during childhood and adolescence increases the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type two diabetes as a youth. With over 60 percent of adult Americans beingobese side effects can result from this, hypertensionbeing one of the most common side effects of obesity. Another complication associated with obesity is diabetes, with 15 million people alone in the United States being diabetic; approximately 10 percent are juvenile onset diabetics. The other 90 percent of diabetics are type two diabetics, commonly known as adult onset. Those who develop adult onset diabetes generally are diagnosed in their middle years, between 30 to 60 years old. This type of diabetes is almost always associated with obesity. The m ajority ofobeseindividuals with diabetes can reduce their complications by losing as little as 10 percent of their current body weight. Just being diagnosed with diabetes will automatically cut 17-27 years off a human life. Overweight in children and adolescents are generally caused by a lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns resulting in excess energy intake, or a combination of the two. If people were to look at the long-term consequences, overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, which increases to 80 percent if one or more parent is overweight or obese. Within the documentary, Spurlock seems to contract the beginning stages of a severe condition calledsleep apnea. For people with this problem, it becomes more difficult to breathe at night as their weight increases. People with this condition typically snore severely and have episodes when they stop breathing completely, sometimes for up to one minute at a time. Sleep apnea although not as well known of a complication is still quite serious, and in many cases requires medical attention. The best method of treatment for any of the above side effects is weight loss. In 2000, the total cost of obesity for children and adults in the United States was estimated to be $117 billion ($61 billion in direct medical costs). Understanding the causes of childhood obesity can provide people with the opportunity of eating right and staying healthy. Chapter III: Methodology Before undertaking the experiment of living every childs dream by eating McDonalds for thirty days, procedures needed to be taken to ensure that data would be accurately recorded and that Spurlock would be obtaining the most accurate results possible. He must eat one of everything on the menu at least once, and when asked to super size his meal he must do so. Another requirement of Morgans experiment is that he can only take 5,000 steps a day to replicate the exercise that most average Americans get on a daily basis. He must also eat three meals a day, no exceptions and if McDonalds doesnt serve it Morgan cant eat it. To start, Morgan enlists three doctors to assist him through his thirty day documentary. A cardiologist, gastroenterologist, and a general practitioner all check him out at the beginning of the experiment. Spurlock, who stands six feet two inches tall, had a body weight of 185.5pounds, 11 percent body fat, perfect blood pressure, and cholesterol of 168, Morgan sported a very fit body before undergoing the McDiet. This is about as perfect of a body that someone can sport at the age of 32. Morgan also hires a nutritionist and dietician named Bridgett Bennet who will help track his progress. With the hypothesis of what results that may be seen from this diet, the cardiologist says that he expects to see a change in Morgans triglycerides, but he says that his liver will probably be able to metabolize the excess fat. The general practitioner says that Morgan will probably gain weight and that his cholesterol will probably go up as well. In my own personal opinion, an experiment I would use as a follow-up to Spurlocks would be a test to show more of a long term effect on eating at McDonalds. If I was a scientist and was studying the effects of eating fast-food, one way I would go about running this experiment would be to find two men of common age, height, weight, and healthy eating habits. Then I would have one of these men continue with their healthy eating, while the other man has McDonalds at least twice a week. The man who continued eating healthy would help provide a control for the experiment that Spurlock lacked. Even extending the period of the experiment to maybe two to three years will provide a more realistic view of the effects on McDonalds in a diet then an unrealistic every day and every meal experiment. Whether there would be a huge difference in the two men or none at all, I have no idea but I think that it would be a way to increase the validity of the lab that Spurlocks experiment lacked. Chapter IV: Presentation of Findings Even during the first few days of the McDonalds diet, Spurlock was showing signs of being visibly uncomfortable. One afternoon eating in his car after stopping at a drive-through, he was havingtrouble finishing his supersize fries, complaining that he was experiencing a McBelly ache, McGas, and McSweats. The results in the 30 day McDonalds diet is that there was change to the human body caused by fast food was in fact much worse than the three doctors had originally anticipated that occurred to his body after undertaking this experiment. Before, Spurlock was in taking about 2,500 calories per day, but when undergoing the McDiet, the calorie intake doubled to 5,000 per day. Morgan frequently pointed out that throughout his day, he felt depressed and sad, during his thirty day McDonalds diet. Spurlock claims he was hooked on fast food during his binge, feeling happy only while eating. I definitely went through serious withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, sweats, and shakes, and only when he ate another McDonalds meal did he find sanction from these symptoms. Over time Morgans weight dramatically increases, his health weakens and he begins to show signs of depression. Morgan at six foot two inches, 185 pounds, and 11 percent body fat was fit and lean at the start the month. After 30 days Morgan has gained 24.5 pounds and increased his body fat by seven percent, concluding that such an extreme diet really can be hazardous to your health. His cholesterol goes up, and so does his blood pressure. His doctor describes his liver function test results as obscene. His liver test came back to ratify the doctors conclusion, that his liver was starting to turn to fat. His cholesterol went from 168 to 230.He went from 11 percent body fat to 18 percent body fat. This was extreme for just thirty days. During his various checkups throughout the month, his body weight slowly increased except for one exception when one pound was lost. This is theorized that the excess fat he was obtaining was weighing less than the muscle mass that was being lost.The movi e presented some alarming facts.With only seven items on the McDonalds menu were sugar free along with the case that McDonalds can be found in nearly every city across America, this doesnt help the cause of the growing obesity pandemic in America. Chapter V: Summary/Implication/Discussion What else is there to be expected if you are eating fast food three times a day and getting little to no exercise? Since Spurlocks documentary Super Size Me argues that fast food is addictive but not in the typical way that someone would find it. It was only addictive in the case of finding a haven from the various side effects of not consuming fast food. Throughout the course of the documentary Spurlock uses humor to advance his thesis. He shows pictures of famous personalities to kids who look to be about six years in age. The children readily identify Ronald McDonald and George Washington but are stumped by a third picture. George W. Bush? one little boy ventures, No, but thats a good guess, says Spurlock, turning the picture toward the camera. Its a drawing of Jesus Christ. How does this help further prove that children are on a course of obesity just because they can identify the leading fast food figure? Its not the kids to blame that Ronald McDonald spends a great deal of time on commercials of children television commercials than Jesus himself does. As with Spurlocks exercise in extreme eating, Im not sure what that proves. The fact that kids know who Ronald McDonald is does not mean they will end up becoming obese. Similarly, Spurlock asks a group of tourists to stand in front of the White House and recite the Pledge of Allegiance, which they have trouble doing accurately and in unison. But when he asks about the components of a Big Mac, one of them wattles off, Two all-beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun. Im sure that if I went on to remember the list of what a Big Mac consists of, I can still avoid eating one. Throughout the movie I found one particular quote that stood out to me apart from the rest. It came from the words of Jared Fogle, the man off of the Subway commercials, commenting to a obese family that The worlds not going to change. You have to change. All in all, I think that this experiment was not valid. However, the effects resulting from Spurlocks experiment were too good to be true. Supersize Me† showed me very interesting things about eating at McDonalds. For example, it helped me realize that eating at McDonalds is a consumers choice. The meals provide a quick, easy, and cheap way to fill a persons stomach which definitely attracts many customers to eat at a restaurant. There is without a doubt that fast food comes at a costly sacrifice and being absurdly unhealthy. People, if they realized the facts of what they were eating you cant blame them for wanting a crack at the fast food industry of what it has done to their body. However the catch is, its your own choice to purchase the food they are selling. If people are really worried about their health, then they should take the measures of looking up exactly what it is they are consuming. Within months after the films release McDonalds excluded the Supersizing option. Nutrition information was printed right on food packages, and thousands of people may have started thinking twice before considering McDonalds for a meal. In this case of the documentary, â€Å"Supersize Me† was a hit success.

Confucian Values And Japans Industrialization :: essays research papers

Confucian Values and Japan's Industrialization Many factors helped aid in the dynamic growth that occurred in Japan and the four little dragons during the post-World War 2 period. Some of these factors were situational factors unique to the time but some of the factors were cultural. The legacy of Confucianism in Japan and the four little dragons helped to further the goals of industrialization that these nations had. The traditions of Confucianism provided for Japan and the four little dragons both a pliant public and a model for choosing competent leaders. Confucian traditions placed an emphasis on the values of the group over the individual. This helped industrialism by creating a pliant populace who were willing to accept long hours and low wages and not question government policies. The traditions of Confucianism taught workers not to question authority. These traditions carried over into the post war period and allowed authoritarian regimes in the four little dragons to go unquestioned by the public. This lack of dissent allowed the four little dragons to have stable governments which were critical to investment and industrialization. The stability of these nations was a direct result of Confucian values being indoctrinated into the population. Confucian placement of the group over the individual and strong belief in filial piety also caused families and local communities to accept social responsibility for members of their community. This safety net that was provided by communities and families allowed the government to limit it's spending on social welfare programs and thus channel more funds into infrastructure and industry. Confucianism also placed an emphasis on self-cultivation which has helped East Asian Countries to have a skilled and ambitious work force. The tradition of self-cultivation like the work ethic that Max Weber credited Protestantism of producing lead people to strive to acquire new skills, speak foreign languages, and in the offices and businesses of Japan, drive workers to strive with in their firms to improve group performance. Confucian traditions also placed emphasis on the creation of a meritocratic elite and the use of entrance exams. These traditions were in place before World War 2 in the East Asian countries but they helped aid in the carrying out of the industrial policies of the post-war government of Japan and the little Dragons. The traditional system of a meritocratic elite was adopted in the post war years in the form of meritocraticly chosen bureaucracy that made and carried out many government policies. This elite was free from many of the strains of politics and thus was able to carry out policies that democratically elected leaders might not be able to pursue do to the changing feelings of the

The Purpose of Education :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Teachers Essays

The Purpose of Education American youths attend schooling between the ages of approximately six to eighteen years of age. Yet, in this required schooling, oftentimes one is at a loss to understand why schooling is necessary for twelve years of each of our lives. I believe there are three reasons why a rigorous twelve-year education plan is mandated in this country. Students must developmentally be around their peer groups in their early youth, they must learn about how our society works, and must become educated enough in order to live in that society upon graduating. For those pursuing further education, K-12 schooling also helps students to find a desired subject area for them to preserve and/or enhance our society's growth and well-being. First, we find that the ages between six and eighteen are those when human behavioral skills exceed any other time in our lives. Before the age of six, young children are learning to speak and use basic motor skills. It is approximately at the age when we begin schooling that children are learning social behaviors. These behaviors include interacting with other children, communicating, and adapting to schedules that do not revolve around the child's own needs. Young children learn to abide by structured hours instead of basing their actions on what they want and need. This basic form of teaching children to begin to grow up is why education begins at the age that it does. Once we learn the basic behavioral skills and understanding that the world does not revolve around oneself, schooling is important for another reason. This reason is comprised of the actual content being taught. We must learn about our own society and the world in which we live in order to one day become an active part in them and be educated on what needs to be done to create positive changes. Students must learn their own language, other languages, mathematics, history, and sciences, so they understand what the world around them looks like and how it is changing. Toward the end of the later years of education, students often have options of taking certain high school classes to correlate with their interests. However, the primary goal is to educate all students thoroughly and not to concentrate on too much of any one subject.

Bush and Branson: Dichotomies of Power

Jane Jacob’s book, Systems of Survival, discusses two types of ethical or value systems governing our working lives, with each one the complete foil of the other. These two systems describe the framework by which we operate day to day, procuring our needs and securing our own territories. It is interesting to note that while the two systems in question are polar opposites, there are several instances where organizations use a combination of the two.However, it is worth mentioning that while the two are indeed different, both, as products of their own unique environment, are equally necessary and valid to the circumstances in which they arise and within the context of their use. There are times when one system leverages another for its own advantage. The two systems are Guardian Moral Syndrome and the Commercial Moral Syndrome. From their names alone, it is easy to guess their differences from one another. The first model, the Guardian Moral Syndrome, generally refers to people or agencies that are protective or defensive in nature.Examples of guardians are the military and the police, organizations which employ force in order to achieve its goals. The Commercial Model Syndrome is used by commercial or business entities. The commercials use trade in order to advance its interests. The main argument of Jacobs’ book is that our world uses only two methods to acquire resources and those are to trade in an atmosphere of symbiosis, or take another’s resources by force under the pretense of a variety of reasons. As Paquet & Gilles explains, â€Å"Guardian moral syndrome underpinning hierarchical system, and commercial moral syndrome underpinning market-type organizations.(1999, p. 35)In this regard, this paper will try to differentiate the two systems more clearly by citing two famous personalities who embody each system or model and try to explain their actions in light of the values that define each system. Guardian Moral Syndrome: George W. Bu sh It is perhaps unfortunate to be the President of the United States at the time when the September 11 World Trade Canter attack took place. Imagine the burden of responsibility, made more difficult to bear with the whole world watching your every move. George W.Bush, the current President of the United States made the decision to retaliate and take an offensive stance against terrorism, saying that it was a necessary move to protect his country. Soon after the 9-11 attacks, the United States, backed by its international allies waged a war on Afghanistan to free the country from the iron grip of the Taliban rule. By doing so, Bush redefined the concept of terrorism from nameless, stateless entities, to one that is closely associated with the country that is giving them safe passage (Moens, 2004, p. 164).A country that harbors a terrorist shares in the sin and will suffer the consequences of doing so. Up to now, even the face of growing dissent, Bush has continued its war against te rrorism. After Afghanistan, Bush went on to attack Iraq and weed out Saddam Hussein. While he was successful at bringing Hussein down, the long drawn out war in Iraq is hugely unpopular in the United States. Bush is receiving increasingly heated criticism from his own country. From receiving the highest approval rating immediately following the 9-11 attacks, his ratings plummeted to a level lowest in recent history.According to Sammon, Bush defends his position by saying that terrorism is not a criminal offense, but an act of war. (2006, p. 25). It is very plain to see how Bush is exhibiting the Moral Guardian Syndrome. He does not hesitate to use force to advance his own cause. Perhaps encouraged by the success of the Afghanistan campaign, he truly believes that he can rid the world of terrorists. Values such as exert prowess, take vengeance, deceive for the sake of task, be fatalistic, can be seen in Bush’s leadership style.Primarily, it is the unflinching willingness to us e physical force that defines Bush’s presidency. In order to protect his territory and resources, he embraces force and stands his ground. The use of military might to exact vengeance and uphold a way of life holds true with the Guardian Moral Syndrome. In fact, the need for righteous revenge was what galvanized the United States soon after the World Trade Center was attacked, killing thousands of people. Bush capitalized on his country’s united call for justice in order to indefinitely maintain his war against terrorists and extremists.He protects his turf by actively seeking out and eliminating those who threaten his territory and he does so with firm belief in his cause. Bush personifies the guardian moral syndrome because the use of righteous force governs his thoughts and actions. He remains faithful to the cause and is more than willing to pay the price for his advocacy and beliefs. Commercial Model Syndrome: Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Brans on is the owner of the Virgin group of companies. He was born in Surrey, England and is currently the fifth richest man in the United Kingdom.Branson is a high school dropout because his dyslexia was getting in the way of his learning. His teachers, who did not know any better at that time thought he was a slow learner. Whatever shortcomings Richard had in his academic life, he made up with his entrepreneurial spirit, Richard has always been enterprising, venturing into businesses at a young age. He was 21 years when he opened his first record store in 1971. In the 1980’s, Branson’s Virgin record label grew rapidly, spurred primarily by his flamboyant and competitive style. What started out as a small record store is now a globally-recognized brand.A big part of Branson’s early success was the choice of name for his business, but foremost was his passion and faith for what he is doing. He was focused and had his eye on the goal from day one. He leveraged his sma ll successes in order to take on grander undertakings. Fridson describes Branson’s success. â€Å"The unconventionality reflected in Branson’s managerial style is a personality trait that made him a highly successful innovator throughout his career. † (1999, p. 226) Branson breaks the mold of the traditional successful businessman (Nelson and Quick, p. 111).Nevertheless, he is still remains to be a classic example of the commercial moral syndrome and is a good case in point. Among all the values embodied by the commercial moral syndrome, Branson is the epitome of optimism. He had explicit faith in his own success, and the positive expectations he had for himself became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as evidenced by his Virgin conglomerate. Aside from his optimism, Branson is also industrious and efficient, and does not balk at the competition. However, it should be noted that among all of Branson’s traits as a businessman.He best embodies the qualities of th e commercial moral syndrome with his willingness to innovate. Among the precepts of the commercial moral syndrome says that one should be open to inventiveness and novelty. There should be a willingness to try something new and keep redefining the current state of things. Branson, for all his successes, could have just chosen to rest on his laurels and enjoy the fruits of his hard work. But the need to raise the bar keeps him on the top of his game. This perhaps is the hallmark of every great businessman.The willingness to create something new, and accept the risks that go with it are what sets the Branson from the rest of the crowd and is perhaps the main reason for his success. Branson acquires resources and riches by engaging in business under a free market economy, and he expands on his territory by using what he has earned as funds in order to acquire more. He enters into agreements and partnerships to diversify and knows how to invest productively and is optimistic even as he takes calculated risks. Branson is a model for the commercial moral system because he represents all the best that this system embodies.He is perhaps one of the best arguments for this model. Branson has proved that with the right attitude, anyone can be successful businessman, even a school drop-out like he is. Indeed the concept of a dichotomy in business and government entities is dictated by the circumstances wherein they are being used. One model or syndrome is not necessarily better over the other because they were made for entirely different reasons. Guardian precepts are designed to strengthen the individual against fear and weakness, but it should be tempered with a strong sense of fairness and justice.The best guardians are that person who, while believing in the necessity of force, exhausts all peaceful means before using it. Force should always be a last resort, and must never be used to advance any selfish interests. Conversely, commercial precepts are designed for the accumulation of wealth under a free market environment. But it success in a commercial model should be tempered with civic responsibility and the willingness to give back to the community and help those who have not been so fortunate in life. The two people mentioned in this paper does embody the qualities of each system.They are operating within their own zones and are successful in their own right. However, I believe that the world is far too complex to be condensed into a black and white model. While there is no doubt that Jacobs has great insights on how we act to survive and keep our turf, most things in life are not as clearly defined. Depending on the situation, we can be guardians or commercials, or a bit of both. And while the two people discussed here typify one model or another, there is no saying how long will they stay that way and how will they act if their life circumstances were any different, or if something changes in their environment.

Recommendations for Auric Bank Essay

Auric Bank is a modern British bank that cares about its customers. Business at Auric Bank is constantly reviewed in order to provide customers with excellent service at competitive prices. The objective of this business report is to scrutinize different solutions to the two issues Auric Bank is currently facing. One of them is customer service improvement and the second one involves implementing a policy which will cut the bank’s costs and at the same time will boost its profits and share price. As a part of the major reorganization a look has to be taken at the cost of customer service since Auric Bank generated a loss of approximately  £1.5 billion in 2011 by investing in unprofitable areas of business. Since that time the bank has carried out a major review of its operations the main points of which are: 1. Customers believe Auric Bank is charging too much for its services 2. Auric Bank no longer has the image of a ‘caring ´ bank that is close to its customers and understands their needs 3. The bank needs to reduce costs to increase profits and price per share Today Auric Bank has 2,500 employees working in three call centers located in different cities in South England. There are four solutions which the directors of the bank are considering: 1. The call centers could be kept in-house  2. The call centers could be outsourced to a Company based in South Africa 3. The call centers could be outsourced to a Company based in Scotland 4. The call centers could be outsourced to a Company based in India PROBLEM SOLUTIONS First option One of the solutions is to keep call centers in their current locations in South England and reduce costs by using more part-time workers, reducing working hours of business centers and enhancing productivity by increasing the ratio of calls returned per hour. Estimated cost of running the call centers for the next five years is  £16 million. Estimated savings by introducing changes are above  £3 million with actual costs being equal up to  £13 million. The price is really high for our cost-cutting policy. There are three positive parts of this solution: 1. Current employees in call-centers are ready to provide the customers with personal approach as they have been acquainted with each other for a long time 2. Current employees know the operations and transactions inside out and, therefore, do not need intensive training 3. South-English workers show that Auric Bank is an English bank and, therefore, reinforce the bank’s closeness to its customers Second option Another way is to outsource services of call-centers to a company based in South Africa. Resource Plc is a company based in Cape Town. Calculations show us that cost of the contract with Resource Plc to run call centers for the next five years is  £8 million. This firm has an excellent reputation for its reliability and good service, and that is a crucial aspect because one of the priorities in banking sphere is the quality of customer service. Moreover Resource Plc has a lot of experience in running this kind of centers. We must take into consideration that Resource Plc offers good balance of costs and quality of service. It is expected that they will manage call centers more efficiently. The staff will be trained to provide the bank with new products and services at much lower costs than the UK centers and will undoubtedly conduct business very professionally. Third option Third possible solution could be outsourcing the call center to a Scottish company Orion Plc. Estimated cost of running the call centers for five years is  £10 million. The positive part of this company is that it is a new firm with young, energetic managers, which can work almost restlessly. Second advantage is that they have several contacts with big companies; this means that these companies trust them. Also they are experienced in running call centers that will help to avoid confusion during work. However, there also are setbacks such as complaints of the customers about telephone lines being always busy, which does not indicate a high productivity level. Contracts with big companies can undermine the reputation and performance of our collaboration. Price of contract with Orion Plc is not relatively low, but quality of their service is not enough for this price. Fourth option Last solution is to outsource the call centers to an Indian company that is based in Bangalore. X-source India is a fast growing company that has contracts with several large US companies. This means that it does not have problems with hiring employees and operating with low costs. An estimated cost of the contract with X-source India over the next five years is  £5,5 million. We must take into consideration that a lot of US companies perform cost-cutting policy through Indian outsourcing call centers. Indian employees have good qualification because the majority of them are university graduates. Indian management will provide fast and effective service and price of the contract is very low. RECOMMENDATIONS We understand that Auric Bank is the English bank, and if directors decide to relocate call centers abroad they will have some problems with laying off 2,500 employees. This fact will negatively affect the reputation of Auric Bank and of course labor unions will be against this action. Quality of service might not stay on the same level abroad, however, keeping call centers in England is too expensive. Taking all facts into consideration I would advise to relocate the call centers of Auric Bank abroad. Scottish and Indian companies have been servicing a lot of big clients. This fact, their serious commitment, can affect the quality of their services provided to other customers in a negative way. The call centers had better not be kept in-house because it is a very expensive solution that will not let AB focus on developing parts of business. Therefore I suggest moving call centers to South Africa and collaborating with Resource Plc. The offer of this company represents an appropriate price-to-quality ratio. If AB cooperates with the South African company it will achieve its goals: reduce operation costs, increase quality of services and get customer loyalty.

Why Does Plato Argue That Rulers Must Be Philosophers?

Within this essay I Intend to examine Plates reasoning and justification for his belief in philosopher rulers and question whether they are, in fact, the best people to govern society. The current democratic method of organization of the â€Å"polis† was not suitable for Plato as he considered ruling far too vital a role in society to be left to the untrained. Instead, it should be left to those who have the knowledge and more crucially, the wisdom required to comprehend such a task.It Is, however, at this point, we should consider that a significant factor In Plat's opposition to democracy was that the Athenian democracy had condemned Socrates o death. It is important to remember that the liberal democracy which we currently experience is very recent and not at all the concept of democracy that Plato speaks. In fact, the idea of all adults over the age of 18 being able to vote would indeed be absurd to someone such as Plato.The democracy, of which he speaks, would be of great er equivalence to a modern day referendum, In which all those eligible to vote gather to debate and eventually vote. Plato thus set out to craft a new structural form for the polls, in simple, an Ideal society. This constituted three general social lasses and indirectly three separate polio's within the whole Solipsism. At the lowest end of this, was the â€Å"producers†, although Plato pays little attention to this class, it compromises people who were engaged in economic activities, such as, farmers and manufacturers.Although of no political importance, they served the crucial function of providing the economic and material requirements of the community. Primarily, Plato places them as obedient workers under the control of the axillaries. This constitutes the first polls, â€Å"one In which money lovers, and only money lovers are made as happy as possible† (Reeve C. D. C IPPP 1984), and thus becomes a â€Å"luxurious polis† (Plato The Republic IPPP e). The sec ond level on Plates ideal society was that of the auxiliaries.It was the auxiliaries who, in current times, would complete the actions of the military civil service and public offices I. E. Police. Consequently, it was their occupation to enact the decisions made by the ruling class. It would be from the elite of the auxiliaries that a philosopher guardian would emerge, as they had worked their way through the education and training. Therefore, this emerges as the second polis in which â€Å"unnecessary appetites† (Reeve C. D. C IPPP 1984) are removed this is the part of the Solipsism in which honor-lovers are made as happy as possible. (Reeve C. D. C IPPP 1984) However, it must be pointed out that the auxiliaries also shared this second polis with the guardians who were not chosen as â€Å"pensioner Kilns. † Hymnal, It was ten Guardians won were let at ten top AT ten society, as the rulers. This was the elite group above the rest of society, only those who completed a ll the statutes laid out during their training would be able to become a recognized philosopher guardian at the age of 50. These would be the people who had a true understanding of the forms and ultimately, of what is good ND Just.With this Plato has set out his â€Å"dodos† for the ideal society and his belief that those most suited to govern this society were his â€Å"Philosopher Kings† who were chosen from this Guardian class. It is at this point, that I believe we must further engage with what in fact it means to be a philosopher, and how you reach such a position. Plato sets an initial screening process, â€Å"the one who is willing to taste every kind if learning with gusto, and who turns to learning with enthusiasm, and cannot get enough of it, he is the one we shall rightly call a philosopher. (Plato The Republic 474 c) â€Å"Those who have reached that goal are philosopher kings at last. The polis over which they rule, and which contains the elaborate educa tional apparatus necessary to reliably produce them, is the third polis. † (Reeve C. D. C. P 195, 1984). During Plat's explanation of his philosopher-king, he uses three analogies, the sun, the line and finally the cave, in order to depict the reason for the philosopher's irreplaceable role in politics.The central element in each of these is the concept of the forms. In my opinion, Plato most aptly explains the transition to a philosopher with his simile of the cave. Plato classes this as â€Å"the enlightenment or ignorance of our human condition† (Plato The Republic IPPP a). The allegory of the cave is to illustrate that the philosopher is the one who sees things as they really are. The philosopher is able to see the truth, whereas, the masses see, merely, shadows.The arduous process of education which draws the philosopher from the state of ignorance and belief to the enlightened state of knowledge and wisdom is comparable with the difficult Journey from a dark cave up a long path to the open light of the sun. Whilst explaining the Journey of the philosopher's education he also attempts to show why it is that the masses reject the philosopher once their knowledge has been gained. Primarily, Plato says that the philosopher is misunderstood by the ignorant masses and that the knowledge which they attempt to impart threatens the beliefs of their UN-enlightened minds.It is clear upon examination of Plat's society, that it is indubitably a totalitarian regime; however, this point must be critically examined as it is clear that there are distinct and separate ways to critique this point. Naturally, there are those who would say that the restriction of freedom from a dictatorial power is inherently wrong. Conversely, though it must be considered that restriction of freedom for the good of people is no bad thing. In theory a system which imposes â€Å"The Good† on all people, would be one which benefits all and enhances the chance of maximum hum an development and freedom from evil. Until philosophers rule as kings, or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophies, that is, until political power, authority and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will eve no rest from evils,†¦ Nor, I think, will the human race. † (Simon Blackburn IPPP c- D 2006) Obviously the counter argument to that and the very basis of Plat's critics, is that whether human nature being as it is, would ever allow it in reality?Especially when compared Walt previous totalitarian regimes, experience Allocates Tanat teen have rarely brought good to the majority, and predominantly have indeed brought the opposite. In reality, it could be argued that there has been a historical dominance of state dictatorships in comparison with the relatively recent liberal democracies. Citizens who are raised within the l iberal western tradition are taught to be convinced of the faultlessness of democracy and thus find it challenging to comprehend that any other system could be better, or even to see the weaknesses in democracy.Due to the inability to acknowledge the failings of democracy, Plato creates two illustrations to depict them; these are the similes of the beast and the ship. Plato utterly rejects two common modes of thought in democratic societies, Just because everyone believes it to be true and good does not make it so, and that Just cause someone is a convincing speaker and persuades the masses to his view – it does not mean he is speaking the truth or that his ideas are good. The foundation of these illustrations is that the Philosophers simply know â€Å"The Good†.Plat's debate is clearly rejecting some of the foundational ideas within Democracy. Within the simile of the beast, the large and powerful animal in this story is the general population who make up the democrac y. In this tale, Plato is depicting a clear division between, what the majority like and think is good, what pleases them, and unbeknown to them, what actually is â€Å"The Good†. The Good (I. E. The dodos or form of the good) is good whether people think it is good or not. The Good is the predetermined standard against which the pleasures and desires of the masses must be Judged to determine whether they are good or bad.Plato is saying that the Sophists of his time were merely concerned with remaining in power and thus would bow to the appeasement of the masses that were ill educated. Fiscal and devoid of the knowledge of what is truly important in life and were subsequently unfit to rule the polis. They were no more than manipulators and responders to popular opinion without any standard tit which to work. The Sophists were relativists. For them ‘good' meant no more than what the people want, what will keep them happy, and what society thinks are good.This approach to politics is recognizable within the contemporary use of opinion polls and pressure groups. â€Å"All those individuals who make their living by teaching, and whom the public call â€Å"Sophists† and new for their skill, in fact teach nothing but the conventional views held and expressed by the mass of the people, when they meet; and this they call a science† (Plato The Republic IPPP a-b) This forever, does not entirely show why Plato is convinced that it is philosophers who should rule.Socrates proposes the notion that the study of philosophy results in the unearthing of objective truths about what is good, from this grounding this knowledge can be used as an unique;coal platform for policy-making. Plato believes that in contrast with his idea of the world of matter, the world of sense , which he classes as a mere world of shadows, is in fact â€Å"world of final, immutable, changeless, objects of contemplation, at the summit of which stands the ultimate object of a facial kind of knowledge independent of sense experience.This is ultimately a real and ultimately fitting object of love and desire, a constantly radiant eternal source of light, the form of good itself. † (Blackburn S. Pop, 2006). Subsequently, it has the natural progression that the people most suited to rule, are the people who have the wisdom of this higher realm, so Justifiably this would be the philosophers. â€Å"If pensioners nave ten capacity to grasp ten eternal Ana Immutable, Wendell tense won have no such capacity are not philosophers and are lost in multiplicity and change, which of the two should be in charge of a state? (Plato The Republic p 484 b). At no point, has it ever been empirically verified that those who have studied philosophy will all agree on that which is good and right. Even those who do agree that there are moral facts do not agree on exactly what they are – nor do they agree on what is the best way to act in the light of those facts. Eve n if we do agree with Plato and accept that a true understanding of goodness and Justice is both possible and agreement can be reached between philosophers, it still leaves the question whether this is all that a politician needs.