Personal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Personal - Essay Example I would be able to realize my potential as a businessman and live life to the fullest. All because my grandfather ensured that the future generations of his family would have the chance that he never had in life. So after the properties were sold and I got my share of the inheritance, I felt so rich. I know I only received $25 thousand but to me, that meant I was in the league of Donald Trump. Unfortunately, with the money that I inherited, I decided to live like Donald Trump did also. What a big mistake that was. The first thing I did was to resign from my job and enter into a silent partnership in a business with my best friend. He assured me that the business would have a 100% return on investment in a years time. I also put a down payment on a house in one of the upper middle class neighborhoods in our area and bought my dream car. It was second hand, but it was still my dream car. My parents and other relatives kept on reminding me to set some money aside for investments and liquidity and i kept telling them not to worry, I was in control of the situation. I was not going to lose the money I had. I was too shrewd and careful to do that. I had business advice coming in from my friends and they all had various investments that I could go into quite safely. Being my friends, I did not think twice about entrusting my money to them. All was well for a period of time. I was living the high life and getting dividends from my stock investments and loans that I gave to my friends. The business seemed to be doing well also. I will admit, I did not know anything about business. All I knew was that I was promised money in exchange for letting my friends handle my finances. I know realize what a big mistake that was. The Wall Street crash of 2008 happened in the blink of an eye. Just like everyone else in the world, my finances were severely affected. Suddenly, my friends who invested my finances were

Psychology Stress Coursework Essay Example for Free

Psychology Stress Coursework Essay Stressed, unbalanced and permanently under pressure. This is how in the movie â€Å"Office Space† Peter, a programmer in a big software company, passes his days and therefore hates his bothersome job, his boss and his whole life. When seeking help in hypnosis the therapist dies suddenly and leaves him back in a state of total relaxation and casualness so that he neglects orders to do extra work at weekends, finds the courage to start dating the long admired girl next door, and surprisingly impresses some evaluation interviewers with his new coolness what ends up in unexpected promotion. In the new position he decides to strike back against his company by installing a virus-like software to invincibly transfer money from the company to their bank account together with his just fired friends Michael and Samir. By mistake, however, the plan gets totally out of control so that they fear their uncovering and decide to secretly return the money, which – after some confusion produced by mentally handicapped Milton who has been humiliated by the boss so far and therefore sets the whole office on fire – finally brings all of them to a happy life in relief, relaxation and harmony. But before that relaxation can ease his life, Peter is exposed to a variety of stressors (most of them having been discussed in our lesson) at the beginning of the movie. Most prominent are task-related job stressors. Peter is responsible for essential reports to fix millennium bugs in bank software and simultaneously works for eight bosses. This situation sets him under daily pressure when e.g. his boss asks him to deliver a report by the same day he didn’t even start working on by midday, or when he gets negative feedback from all his bosses for a single mistake. Together with high levels of monotony and the fact that he has almost no control on the type and amount of work he’s got to do within rigid deadlines, this situation is a constant source of psychological pressure and imbalance. Additional stress originates from physical stressors like the need to work in small and stuffed office boxes, disturbances by loud and annoying office equipment or by getting periodic calls from colleagues and bosses, like e.g. Milton, who permanently talks crab and even calls him on the phone for that. Further stressors can be identified as demanding and privacy-hostile working-time arrangements. When he for example tries hard to escape his boss on a Friday afternoon to not risk a â€Å"last-minute† weekend shift, but badly fails, one can imagine that the view of a boring and stressful Saturday at work is everything but relaxing. But even in his private life poor Peter is far from being relaxed and easygoing. When he for instance comes home to relax after a long day in the office, his neighbour can hear every single breath he does and they can talk to each other through the thin wall, which can be considered as a kind of social stressor within his own apartment. The same is true for his fear to talk to the waitress in his favourite lunch restaurant, who he always wants to invite for a date, but never finds enough courage to do so. All those stressors show obvious consequences and lead to clear symptoms of strain. While no real physiological strain in form of illness or injury is shown in the movie (although I’d be quite sure that he suffers from high blood pressure!), job-related and emotional signs of strain are heavily appearing. In his job, Peter reacts to raising stressors with lack of motivation and a clearly decreased satisfaction in both his professional and private life. Emotional strain can be identified in his general burnout symptoms and e.g. in dramatic loss of patience. The latter is nicely shown at the very beginning of the movie, when he is stuck in heavy traffic and tries to be faster by permanently changing lanes to the assumed faster one – which of course turns out to be a totally wrong strategy and makes him proceed even slower than an old and handicapped pedestrian on the sidewalk. To deal with his stressors, Peter applies several coping strategies in both problem-focussed and emotion-focussed manners. His activities to start work always late, to avoid real work as good as possible and to play computer games or surf in the internet instead, can all be classified as problem-focussed because they all are an attempt to change the stress producing conditions at work and make his daily routine more relaxed. The same is true for his regular and elongated coffee breaks with Michael and Samir, independently if there is the boss waiting or an urgent deadline approaching. On the other hand, his decision to undergo a hypnosis therapy is an emotion-focussed coping strategy, because it’s an internal process to change his attitude to stressful events, rather than changing the cause of stress itself. However, I believe those two categories of coping strategies are somewhat flexible and interfering, since a persons’ internal attitude towards a job can become a stressor itself by e.g. setting a person under additional pressure to fulfil certain tasks under high self-expectations. However, it was the hypnosis that finally brought substantial relief and relaxation in Peters life. Due to the – unplanned – fact that he stayed trapped in his hypnotized state, he managed to approach both his work and his private life in a very relaxed and cool way, and even when initially not expected by himself and his environment, led to an increase in his motivation, joy, brought him more credit in his professional evaluation and finally facilitated a relaxed and satisfied life. Even when the movie is clearly exaggerating at many points, the basic idea of how Peter is coping with the mentioned stressors is quite reasonable to me. In an office environment it is normally quite difficult to change tight work schedules, deadlines or an over demanding boss. For that reason, the attempt to minimize stress by e.g. keeping social contacts in coffee breaks or maintaining short resting phases during work seem to be helpful and applicable coping mechanisms. If by hypnosis or any other method, the relaxation of internal tension seems to be most reasonable to me. In real life changes will certainly never be as dramatic as shown in the movie, but reducing internal pressure can surely help to find a way back to a relaxed and balanced life, which doubtlessly can increase overall satisfaction, joy and motivation. This can by the way partially be supported by allowing aggressions against bothersome machines like the poor office printer in the movie†¦ I do believe that such behaviour can bring big relief sometimes!

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller Analysis

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller Analysis Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible was involved in communist activities during the Cold War in the United States which, considering the historical context brought him to court. This demonization of people who expressed different political views materialized by a witch hunt impregnates the play in the sense that the author compares his situation to the one of the hundreds of thousands innocent women that were sometimes killed for the sake of personal satisfaction. This will to label people and call for abomination when someones thoughts and opinions differ from social conventions is symbolized in the play with characters like Goody Putnam or Danforth who represent Millers personalisation of judgement by both society and individuals. People convicted of witchcraft belonged to the Puritan society which is known for its severity and its devotion to Christianity. The environment is thus propitious to all sorts of judgements. It is for example the case when John Proctor is asked why he does not attend Church every Sunday: In the book of records that Mr Parris keeps, I note that you are rarely in the church on Sabbath Day (Miller 53). Hale here makes an assumption that Proctor is not a good Christian since he is rarely at the church. He does not ask whether John is a good father or if he helps his neighbours, all he cares about is whether he is physically present at the office every week. This emphasizes the importance of the social environment on ones reputation. Nowadays, in liberal countries like France for example, the factors that determine whether a person is good or not might be his frequentations, his generosity or his involvement in the community. In the Salem of the 17th century, what makes someone a good pe rson is first of all Christianity and the attendance at the Church. Judgement by society depends on the social standards and conventions that create an ideal citizen to which everyone tries to resemble as much as possible. In this precise historical context, this ideal would be a married man with children, all baptized, that would go to the Church every Sunday, respect all of the commandments and work hard on his piece of land without necessarily being rich. Since no one in Salem completely corresponds to this portrait, people judge and accuse each other of not being good Christians. It is in this context propitious to judgement of others that Miller decided to install his plot. During the Cold War, a terror campaign was led through the United States to demonize communism and the USSR. A Manichean myth was blossoming showing the ideological war that opposed both superpowers as us versus them, good versus evil. The exact same situation is present in The Crucible when in the testimonies and questions from the judge there is absolutely no space for someone like John Proctor who is neither totally good nor evil. From the judges point of view, you are either on God of the Devils side. People convicted of witchcraft usually confess under torture or because they just dont want to die. The latter case is usually a lie that permits to escape death but involves someone elses name. This is for example the case of Tituba who, under the pressure of Hales questions names other women who she says she saw with the Devil: Aye, sir, a good Christian (37) and I dont know, sir, but the Devil got him numerous witches (39). This example shows all the hypocrisy of people who call themselves good and permit judging others, but when the situation gets warm, they are capable of anything that would save them, including buying their freedom with someone elses life. It is the same for Goody Putnam whose role in the play is to make a relation to witchcraft to everything she sees. She wants to convict someone for her babies death and the arrival of Reverend Hale is a good way to prove herself it is not her fault if she cannot give birth to a vigorous baby. She thus tries to get involved in the inquiry and does not hesitate to give evidence of the guilt of whoever is named by Abigail and the girls: I knew it! Goody Osburn were midwife to me three times. I begged you, Thomas, did I not? I begged him not to call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shrivelled in her hands! (39). Goody Putnam never mentioned Goody Osburns name before Tituba in the play. This quote shows how some people dare judge others and try to hammer them down for personal satisfaction. Tho se who like Goody Putnam are not suspected of being evil because they are at the Church every Sunday are, at least in this play, the ones whose soul is the most blackened. This situation can be compared to Millers period of time, when people like Senator McCarthy who was far from being exemplar still convicted artists for un-American activities. The author fustigates this attitude by giving the reader the impression that Goody Putnam for example or Judge Danforth are simple minded people. Those they convict, like John Proctor or Rebecca Nurse are not perfect but are at least honest with themselves until proven otherwise. Throughout the play, we never see either of them spitting on someone else or trying to bring trouble to anyone. This kind of character might represent Arthur Millers ideal; someone that does not permit himself to judge others since no one is perfect. John and Rebeccas death at the end of the play might symbolise the authors wish to represent them as martyrs who died for the ideas and moral values they defended and thus bring the sympathy of the reader. The Crucible is a way for the playwright to bring the readers attention on how judgements may be dangerous and end up like a snowball effect. The judges Danforth and Hathorne already had their idea on John Proctor when he came to try to save his wife, which means nothing could have twisted his fate. He was condemned to death the minute he entered the court because of Parriss record of attendance at church. The judiciary system is represented as obsolete and totally subjective in The Crucible in the sense that the judges do not show any subjectivity and that people are sent to death with no proof of their affiliation to devilish activities. Considering this play is an allegory of what happened in the United States during the Cold War, Miller explicitly criticizes the trials of all those who were convicted of un-American activities. The reason that took Giles wife to prison for example shows how arbitrary the decisions taken by the judges were. The judgements were not based on the quality and veracity of evidence or testimonies like for Elizabeth. Had they thought more of it for a second, Hathorne and Danforth could have guessed Abigail might have seen Mary put a needle in the poppet and thus created the whole masquerade that followed. Starting from the point that Mr Parris is a minister and that John Proctor is not considered a good Christian, there is ninety percent of chance that Proc tor will lose his trial. The characters of Danforth and Hathorne represent justice as Arthur Miller sees it; a group of pretentious old men who believe almost anything as long as it fits to their opinion. When Hale asks Danforth to postpone John and Rebeccas execution, all he can answer is that its impossible since other people before them have been executed. This example shows Danforths incompetence and his lack of arguments which he compensates with a complex of superiority. The judges know their decision cannot be questioned and they do not refer to anyone about what they decided so they are the supreme authority of the court and thus, can decide whatever pleases them. John and Giles wish to save their wives with testimonies are vain in the sense that all that appeals to the judges about this list is more names of people who can be convicted of witchcraft. It seems that Hathorne and Danforth want to give ampleness to their trial and thus to their reputations of good Christian jud ges that do not show pity for Gods enemies. The hypocrisy of this religious centred society arises in the whole play and through many different characters, like the judges who, instead of praying for their soul and truly follow the love messages in the Bible, prefer to execute people who are thought of dealing with the Devil but against whom no concrete proof can be held, for the sake of the Lords power. Right before the execution, Rebecca throws a warning at the judges who she knows care more about their glory than following what the Bible says: Let you fear nothing! Another judgement waits us all!  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ». According to the holy book, God will decide who goes to Heaven and Hell on Judgement Day, and Rebecca tells John she is confident that because justice was not made in this world, it will be in the other. She is more afraid of Gods punishment than an execution decided by judges who trample His name. This last sentence brings solemnity and a heroic touch to John and Rebe ccas execution. It is thrown like a prophecy, which considering what happened to those who were responsible of their deaths and how history remembers of the Salem witch trials, can be compared to Jacques de Molays curse over Pope Clement V and King Philippe le Bel right before his execution. This shows Millers will to prove that true justice always triumphs, no matter in what form. The Crucible can be considered as a radiography of the American society during the Cold War. Fear and terror promoted by the government disturbed the balance of justice in the United States in the sense that according to Arthur Miller, it had reached the level of freedom women who were accused of witchcraft in the 17th century had. The historical context of the play is a metaphor of what Miller really wishes to criticize, and his choice to postpone his problems to another period of time might be a constraint due to censorship. However, the playwright indignation towards judgements, either by society or individuals is highly palpable throughout the story. Miller openly criticizes the hypocrisy of religious people and politics but also everyone who wishes to enhance others problems but not theirs. Whether he treats the theme of judgement through personifications or by pointing out the whole paradox of this attitude, Miller does not hide his disgust for insincerity and mockery.

The Death Penalty Is Archaic and Immoral Essay -- Against Capital Punis

The death penalty is simply a modernized version of the Holy Bible’s â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot†. Some argue that death is a necessary retribution for murderous cases - but is it effective morally? Revenge only glorifies violence, which is most definitely not the message the world strives to display. The death penalty is a negative form of punishment and insinuates a harsh reflection of society economically, politically, and socially. More than two thirds of the world’s countries formally oppose the death penalty, yet only fifteen out of the fifty United States also object against the decree. What does this say about America? The United States represents freedom yet braces an extremely unjust law that sharply curtails the lives of innocent people. From 1972 to 1976 the death penalty was deemed â€Å"cruel and unusual punishment† under the eighth Amendment. Though technology has allowed for a less painful death, what makes the action of killing someone today any different from killing someone in 1972? We simply do not have the ...

Whether the Construction Industry Is the ‘Pillar’ Industry in Hong Kong?

BRE216ECONOMICS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE Kwan Tsz Him (11168188D) Kwan Cheuk Pui (11055717D) Cheng Ming Xian (11704592D) Introduction Although Hong Kong has less land, there are always construction projects happening everywhere in Hong Kong, for example, West Kowloon Cultural District development, Kwun Tong redevelopment project, etc. However, workers and capital involved in the construction industry have been decreasing.In this report, we will discuss whether the construction industry is the ‘pillar’ industry in Hong Kong and we disagree with it. Focused industries As proposed by the Government decades ago, there are four ‘pillar’ industries in Hong Kong, namely, financial services, trading and logistics, tourism and producer and professional services. They account for about 60% of GDP and nearly half of the total workforce, in which construction industry is counted in the producer and professional services.In the 21st century, the Government wants to look forward and follow the trend of technological and advanced world, they proposed another six new ‘pillar’ industries, concerning testing and certification, medical services, innovation technology, culture and creative industries, environmental industry and education services, in which construction industry is not counted in any ‘pillar’ industry and no longer treated as important by the Government. Features of local construction industry There are several features for local construction industry in Hong Kong, with dangerous working environment being the major one.Without doubt, accidents happen all the time in Hong Kong when you simply flip through the newspaper. Some of the accidents are inevitable while some happened due to carelessness. For example, the workers may not be aware of the safety regulations, accidents always happen while the workers do not obey the safety regulations as well as not to follow the working regulations. Besides, competiti on between overseas contractors is keen. Nowadays, a lot of construction projects in Hong Kong are outsourced to overseas contractors. It is because the technology is more advanced in overseas countries such as in Germany, the United States, France, etc.With reasonable price and advanced technology, the other countries sometimes are more competitive. Moreover, labor intensive is also the label of construction industry in Hong Kong. Limited land with high population is a characteristic for Hong Kong. Labor can be easily found, however, is only applicable in the past. This will be examined in the report later. Concerning the environment, pollution is in line with the construction industry to a large extent. Since construction work will inevitably pose noise, air and sometimes water pollution.The pollution extent depends on the scale of the project. Basically, the larger scale of a construction project, the greater the pollution will be resulted. Reasons of excluding construction indus try as pillar an industry in Hong Kong As mentioned before, the feature of labor intensive can only be described in old years due to the transformation of economy. In late 80s, the HKSAR has been transforming the whole economy from labor intensive industry to commercial industry which is defined as tertiary services as finance and accounting, investing, banking and so on.In such knowledge-based society, the unemployment rate for those with low education level could be especially higher. Also, there is no new blood to enter such industry. This can actually be explained by the above phenomenon. Nowadays, most of the workers are 50 years old or above and the industry faces the aging problem. As this cannot be fixed, construction industry will decline gradually. Nowadays, the opportunity of receiving proper education is higher, thus the citizens do not willing to enter to an industry with gloomy future. Diagram showing the percentage of population distribution in different working secto rsAs for the construction industry, we may see that the percentages are actually fluctuating throughout the years and increased from 5. 4% to 6. 8% in 1971 and 2006 respectively. Only a light increase in population is resulted and also, it just accounts for a little percentage. Frankly speaking, a lot of buildings are, nowadays, built for different uses for economic development and social settlement. However, the problem of aging of such industry is becoming more serious and we can barely see how the government has implemented any scheme to cope with such problem.Total building and construction output and annual percentage change (Census and Statistics Department) | Total construction as % of GNP| Current value| 2006| 25. 1| 14. 2| 2007| 23. 7| -0. 1| 2008| 21. 1| -15. 6| 2009| 13. 8| -44. 6| 2010| 9. 2| -35. 0| Direct and indirect employment construction (Census and Statistics Department) As the diagram above suggests that the direct and indirect employment in construction is shrin king from 2004 to 2010. Also, the total output as well as the total construction as percentage of GNP is decreasing from 25. 1% to 9. 2% in 2004 and 2010 respectively.This data has indicated that the economic return and contribution to Hong Kong is contracting to a large extent. Construction distribution to GDP Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Economic Activity – Percentage Contribution to GDP at Basic Prices (Census and Statistics Department) | 2006| 2007| 2008| 2009| 2010| Construction| 2. 7| 2. 6| 3. 0| 3. 2| 3. 3| Services| 91. 7| 92. 8| 92. 5| 92. 6| 92. 9| GDP refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. From the table above, we can find that from 2006 to 2010, the construction industry only contributed about 3% to GDP.To compare with other industries, construction industry seems has not reach the standard of becoming a pillar in Hong Kong. The problem of construction industry in Hong Kong Building contractors in Hong Kong are usually small. The competition between domestic and foreign building contractors is keen, because our building technology is labor-intensive and traditional. They compete on price, and cut costs, and sometimes, very unfortunately, corner as well. Consequently, the problems of safety and lack of technology development happened. Besides, the building cost in Hong Kong is among the highest in advanced economies.As a result of low profitability, most industry participants adopt a short-term view on business development. Complex infrastructure projects have been undertaken by international contractors most of the time. According to Labour Department accident statistics for 2005, the accident rates per 1,000 workers in the construction industry is 59. 9, these figures were higher than the overall accident rate of 30. 6 per 1,000 workers in all industries. Due to the risk is higher than other industries, lack of graduates over the next two/three years will associate with con struction.The potential danger has reduced the possibility to attract leaving certificate students into the construction professions, it increases the difficulty to continue and expand the construction industry. Number distribution of workers in construction industry (Labour Department) | End of 2000| Beginning of 2009| Total workers| 83924| 51944| Public| 44355| 20825| Private| 32704| 31119| Building| 61676| 40772| Civil| 22248| 11172| Conclusion To conclude, we do agree that construction is very important in Hong Kong. Real estate is closely linked with the economy and it creates many job opportunities.During the â€Å"financial tsunami†, government even earmarked large amounts of public money on construction projects to stimulate the economy. However, the distribution from construction industry to GDP becomes less and less while compare with the past, it only holds about 3% of GDP every year. Besides, with many problems in this industries, it is not easy for the Government to make it as a ‘pillar’ industry. We suggest that the Government still need to put focus on construction industry but it need not to be the pillar industry in Hong Kong. Reference 1.Census and Statistics Department: Report on the Quarterly Survey of Construction Output, 3rd Quarter 2011 http://www. censtatd. gov. hk/freedownload. jsp? file=publication/stat_report/commerce/B10900022011QQ03B0100. pdf&title=Report+on+the+Quarterly+Survey+of+Construction+Output&issue=Third+Quarter+2011&lang=1 2. Census and Statistics Department: Real Estate Project Statistics http://www. censtatd. gov. hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistical_tables/index. jsp? tableID=119 3. Census and Statistics Department: Statistics in the industry section of construction http://www. enstatd. gov. hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistical_tables/index. jsp? tableID=116 4. HK Job News http://www. hkjobnews. com/2010/03/7. html 5. Construction Workers Registration Authority. Annual report http://www. cwra. org. hk /information/AnnualReport/report11/index. htm 6. Shair W, Bright horizon for Hong Kong's construction sector: Recruiting newcomers. http://www. careertimes. com. hk/english/article/show_article. asp? category_id=1037;article_id=14111;title=bright-horizon-for-hong-kong-s-construction-sector;listby=date;listby_id

Domestication History of Rye

Domestication History of Rye Rye (Secale cereale subspecies cereale) was likely fully domesticated from its weedy relative (S. cereale ssp segetale) or perhaps S. vavilovii, in Anatolia or the Euphrates River valley of what is today Syria, at least as early as 6600 BC, and perhaps as early as 10,000 years ago. Evidence for domestication is at Natufian sites such as Can Hasan III in Turkey at 6600 cal BC (calendar years BC); domesticated rye reached central Europe (Poland and Romania) about 4,500 cal BC. Today rye is grown on about 6 million hectares in Europe where it is mostly used for making bread, as animal feed and forage, and in the production of rye and vodka. Prehistorically rye was used for food in a variety of ways, as animal fodder and for straw for the thatched rooves. Characteristics Rye is a member of the Triticeae tribe of Pooideae subfamily of the Poaceae grasses, meaning it is closely related to wheat and barley. There are around 14 different species of the Secale genus, but only S. cereale is domesticated. Rye is allogamous: its reproductive strategies promote outcrossing. Compared to wheat and barley, rye is relatively tolerant to frost, drought, and marginal soil fertility. It has an enormous genome size (~8,100 Mb), and its resistance to frost stress appears to be a result of the high genetic diversity among and within rye populations. The domestic forms of rye have larger seeds than wild forms as well as a non-shattering rachis (the part of the stem that holds the seeds onto the plant). Wild rye is free-threshing, with a tough rachis and loose chaff: a farmer can free the grains by a single threshing since straw and chaff are eliminated by a single round of winnowing. Domestic rye maintained the free-threshing characteristic and both forms of rye are vulnerable to ergot and to munching by pesky rodents while still ripening. Experimenting with Rye Cultivation There is some evidence that Pre-Pottery Neolithic (or Epi-Paleolithic) hunters and gatherers living in the Euphrates valley of northern Syria cultivated wild rye during the cool, arid centuries of the Younger Dryas, some 11,000-12,000 years ago. Several sites in northern Syria show that increased levels of rye were present during the Younger Dryas, implying that the plant must have been specifically cultivated to survive. Evidence discovered at Abu Hureyra (~10,000 cal BC), TellAbr (9500-9200 cal BC), Mureybet 3 (also spelled Murehibit, 9500-9200 cal BC), Jerf el Ahmar (9500-9000 cal BC), and Djade (9000-8300 cal BC) includes the presence of multiple querns (grain mortars) placed in food processing stations and charred wild rye, barley, and einkorn wheat grains. In several of these sites, rye was the dominant grain. Ryes advantages over wheat and barley are its ease of threshing in the wild stage; it is less glassy than wheat and can be more easily prepared as food (roasting, grinding, boiling and mashing). Rye starch is hydrolyzed to sugars more slowly and it produces a lower insulin response than wheat, and is, therefore, more sustaining than wheat. Weediness Recently, scholars have discovered that rye, more than other domesticated crops has followed a weedy species type of domestication processfrom wild to weed to crop and then back to weed again. Weedy rye (S. cereale ssp segetale) is distinctive from the crop form in that it includes stem shattering, smaller seeds and a delay in flowering time. It has been found to have spontaneously redeveloped itself out of the domesticated version in California, in as few as 60 generations. Sources This article is part of the About.com guide to Plant Domestication, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology Hillman G, Hedges R, Moore A, Colledge S, and Pettitt P. 2001. New evidence of Late Glacial cereal cultivation at Abu Hureyra on the Euphrates. The Holocene 11(4):383-393. Li Y, Haseneyer G, Schà ¶n C-C, Ankerst D, Korzun V, Wilde P, and Bauer E. 2011. High levels of nucleotide diversity and fast decline of linkage disequilibrium in rye (Secale cerealeL.) genes involved in frost response. BMC Plant Biology 11(1):1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-11-6 (Springer link is currently not working) Marques A, Banaei-Moghaddam AM, Klemme S, Blattner FR, Niwa K, Guerra M, and Houben A. 2013. B chromosomes of rye are highly conserved and accompanied the development of early agriculture. Annals of Botany 112(3):527-534. Martis MM, Zhou R, Haseneyer G, Schmutzer T, Vrna J, Kubalkov M, Kà ¶nig S, Kugler KG, Scholz U, Hackauf B et al. 2013. Reticulate Evolution of the Rye Genome. The Plant Cell 25:3685-3698. Salamini F, Ozkan H, Brandolini A, Schafer-Pregl R, and Martin W. 2002. Genetics and geography of wild cereal domestication in the near east. Nature Reviews Genetics 3(6):429-441.   Shang H-Y, Wei Y-M, Wang X-R, and Zheng Y-L. 2006. Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships in the rye genus Secale L. (rye) based on Secale cereale microsatellite markers. Genetics and Molecular Biology 29:685-691. Tsartsidou G, Lev-Yadun S, Efstratiou N, and Weiner S. 2008. Ethnoarchaeological study of phytolith assemblages from an agro-pastoral village in Northern Greece (Sarakini): development and application of a Phytolith Difference Index. Journal of Archaeological Science 35(3):600-613. Vigueira CC, Olsen KM, and Caicedo AL. 2013. The red queen in the corn: agricultural weeds as models of rapid adaptive evolution. Heredity 110(4):303-311.   Willcox G. 2005. The distribution, natural habitats, and availability of wild cereals in relation to their domestication in the Near East: multiple events, multiple centres. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 14(4):534-541. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00334-005-0075-x (Springer link not working) Willcox G, and Stordeur D. 2012. Large-scale cereal processing before domestication during the 10th millennium Cal BC in northern Syria. Antiquity 86(331):99-114.

The Death Penalty A Necessary Evil essays

The Death Penalty A Necessary Evil essays Life is the most wonderful gift that God gives us. He also gives us the power to do what we wish with that life. We can keep it and guard it, or we can take it away. It follows that murder is the worst crime anyone could ever commit. It is a crime that no one can ever make right because once you take a life away you can never give it back. Penalties exacted from criminals are made to fit the crimes committed. The worst crime possible should therefore receive the worst penalty possible. That Take, for example, the case of a man who is caught shoplifting. He does not deserve the same punishment as someone who is convicted of assault and battery. Most people would have no problem agreeing with this. Yet many of these same people believe that a cold blooded killer deserves the same life sentence as a convicted kidnapper who did not kill his prisoner. Granted these are both serious offenses, but our system of law works by degrees of seriousness (Bedau, p.326). The mental damage done to that prisoner can be turned around, but the life taken away by the murderer can never be given back. They should therefore be given a harsher punishment than life in prison. In terms of justice, we should all get what we deserve. One argument against the death penalty is that the bible tells us not to murder. If this includes all people it should include the government. However, the death penalty is not quite the same as murder. It is an exacting of justice. Consequently, the Bible also says, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It could also say a life for a life as well. The government also has rights that we as citizens do not have. As Mayor Ed Koch says in his essay on the death penalty, the execution of a lawfully condemned killer is no more an act of murder than is legal imprisonment an act of kidnapping. (Bedau, p.318) ...

Ethan Allen - American Revolution

Ethan Allen - American Revolution Birth: Ethan Allen was born at Litchfield, CT, on January 21, 1738, to Joseph and Mary Baker Allen. The eldest of eight children, Allen moved with his family to nearby Cornwall, CT shortly after his birth. Raised on the family farm, he saw his father become increasingly prosperous and serve as a town selectman. Educated locally, Allen furthered his studies under the tutelage of a minister in Salisbury, CT with the hopes of gaining admission to Yale College. Though possessing the intellect for higher education, he was prevented attending Yale when his father died in 1755. Rank Titles: During the French Indian War, Ethan Allen served as a private in the colonial ranks. After moving to Vermont, he was elected colonel commandant of the local militia, better known as the Green Mountain Boys. During the early months of the American Revolution, Allen held no official rank in the Continental Army. Upon his exchange and release by the British in 1778, Allen was given the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army and major general of militia. After returning to Vermont later that year, he was made a general in the Army of Vermont. Personal Life: While working as the part owner of an iron foundry in Salisbury, CT, Ethan Allen married Mary Brownson in 1762.  Though a largely unhappy union due to their increasingly conflicting personalities, the couple had five children (Loraine, Joseph, Lucy, Mary Ann, Pamela) before Marys death from consumption in 1783. A year later, Allen married Frances Fanny Buchanan. The union produced three children, Fanny, Hannibal, and Ethan. Fanny would survive her husband and lived until 1834. Peacetime: With the French Indian War well underway in 1757, Allen elected to join the militia and take part in an expedition to relieve the Siege of Fort William Henry. Marching north, the expedition soon learned that the Marquis de Montcalm had captured the fort.   Assessing the situation, Allens unit decided to return to Connecticut.   Returning to farming, Allen bought into an iron foundry in 1762. Making an effort to expand the business, Allen soon found himself in debt and sold off part of his farm. He also also sold part of his stake in the foundry to his brother Hemen.   The business continued to founder and in 1765 the brothers gave up their stake to their partners. The following years saw Allen and his family moved several times with stops in Northampton, MA, Salisbury, CT, and Sheffield, MA. Vermont: Moving north to the New Hampshire Grants (Vermont) in 1770 at the behest of several locals, Allen became embroiled in the controversy over which colony controlled the region. In this period, the territory of Vermont was claimed jointly by the colonies of New Hampshire and New York, and both issued competing land grants to settlers. As a holder of grants from New Hampshire, and wishing to associate Vermont with New England, Allen aided took in legal proceedings to defend their claims. When these went in New Yorks favor, he returned to Vermont and helped found the Green Mountain Boys at the Catamount Tavern. An anti-New York militia, the unit consisted of companies from several towns and sought to resist Albanys efforts to take control of the region. With Allen as its colonel commandant and several hundred in the ranks, the Green Mountain Boys effectively controlled Vermont between 1771 and 1775. With the beginning of the American Revolution in April 1775, an irregular Connecticut militia unit reached out to Allen for assistance in capturing the principle British base in the region, Fort Ticonderoga. Located at the south edge of Lake Champlain, the fort commanded the lake and the route to Canada. Agreeing to lead the mission, Allen began assembling his men and the necessary supplies. The day before their planned attack, they were interrupted by the arrival of Colonel Benedict Arnold who had been sent north to seize the fort by the Massachusetts Committee of Safety. Fort Ticonderoga Lake Champlain: Commissioned by the government of Massachusetts, Arnold claimed that he was to have overall command of the operation. Allen disagreed, and after the Green Mountain Boys threatened to return home, the two colonels decided to share command. On May 10, 1775, Allen and Arnolds men stormed Fort Ticonderoga, capturing its entire forty-eight man garrison. Moving up the lake, they captured Crown Point, Fort Ann, and Fort St. John in the weeks that followed. Canada Captivity: That summer, Allen and his chief lieutenant, Seth Warner, traveled south to Albany and received support for the formation of a Green Mountain Regiment. They returned north and Warner was given command of the regiment, while Allen was placed in charge of a small force of Indians and Canadians. On September 24, 1775, during an ill-advised attack on Montreal, Allen was captured by the British. Initially considered a traitor, Allen was shipped to England and imprisoned at Pendennis Castle in Cornwall. He remained a prisoner until being exchanged for Colonel Archibald Campbell in May 1778. Vermont Independence: Upon gaining his freedom, Allen opted to return to Vermont, which had declared itself an independent republic during his captivity. Settling near present-day Burlington, he remained active in politics and was named a general in the Army of Vermont. Later that year, he traveled south and asked the Continental Congress to recognize Vermonts status as an independent state. Unwilling to anger New York and New Hampshire, Congress declined to honor his request. For the remainder of the war, Allen worked with his brother Ira and other Vermonters to ensure that their claims to the land were upheld. This went as far as negotiating with the British between 1780 and 1783, for military protection and possible inclusion in the British Empire. For these actions, Allen was charged with treason, however since it was clear that his goal had been to force the Continental Congress into taking action on the Vermont issue the case was never pursued. After the war, Allen retired to his farm where he lived until his death in 1789.

Political Issues - The Congress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political Issues - The Congress - Essay Example The member of Congress holds forums with the constituents while at home. The member also likes to appear as if they are one of the constituents. He achieves this through putting on the local attire, talking in a casual manner, and answering the questions in a way that will leave the constituents attracted to him. Moreover, he uses this forum to listen to the grievances of the people on the ground and issues that they would like the member to address once he gets into Capitol Hill. Hill style is significant in fulfilling the election promises. It is the style of which a member represents his district. This can be achieved through voicing a support to projects that are of great significance to the constituents. In addition, a member can request more funds to support stalled projects in the district. Hill style focuses mainly on bringing money back home. In addition, it includes voicing the support of the home people, businesses, and sports team in order to attract investment and increa se the focus on the area. Through the hill style, the constituents are able to fell well represented, an aspect that leads to the reelection of the member. One of the major problems facing the Congress is the increasing number of unemployed people in the country. The economy is growing slowly and people are optimistic that is heading in the right direction. However, ballooning debt is likely to affect the policies that are meant to create more jobs for the young people who are being released from the institutions of higher learning.

Does the implementation of the PI program improve the performance of Research Paper

Does the implementation of the PI program improve the performance of Reseda High school students - Research Paper Example te the research such as the curriculum of the schools that are chosen in the research and the control variables which are issues that can be controlled by the researcher such as the program improvement and types of students who are sampled during the research. The variables play a large role in the research and thus it should be noted that the researcher should do their best not to influence them in a way that the end results are affected (Lopez, 2008). The study of whether implementation of the PI program will help improve the performance of public schools is an issue that needs to be determined clearly in order for the government to decide on if they should introduce the program to more schools or if the designers need to go back to rethink in a bid to work out the kinks if any before spreading to other schools in the country (Kate, 2010). 2. Research Design and its Justification The research design that is used in this study is also another important issue that needs to be determi ned in order to ensure that accurate results are achieved at the end of the research. The research design refers to the method that the researcher chooses to carry out his study in terms of attaining the answer to the question that has been posed. The method chosen has to be applicable to the particular study and should suit the environment in which it is used. This implies that the method undertaken should not be forced into action but should fit seamlessly into the activities that are involved which include the collection of the data required and its analysis in the final stage of the study to determine the results. Choosing the wrong research design may add unneeded complications for the researcher during the study and in the worst case scenario even result in inaccurate results... Does the implementation of the PI program improve the performance of Reseda High school students? The performance of public schools has become a reason for concern as the results of children who attend these schools have shown little advancement over the years. There are a number of reasons that have been given for this trend with the most popular being the transfer of the brighter children in the public school systems to private institutions once their high IQ is discovered. The method chosen has to be applicable to the particular study and should suit the environment in which it is used. This implies that the method undertaken should not be forced into action but should fit seamlessly into the activities that are involved which include the collection of the data required and its analysis in the final stage of the study to determine the results. Choosing the wrong research design may add unneeded complications for the researcher during the study and in the worst case scenario even result in inaccurate results. There are a number of advantages that the use of Quasi-Experimental Designs brings to the table of the study; some of these include factors such as they are easier to put up than true experimental designs which simplify the procedure for the researcher. These designs also reduce the risks to external validations as they are held in natural environments, which also allows for generalizations on certain topics to be made about the population that is being studied.

Country project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Country project - Term Paper Example Further, its poor political dynasty with dominant interest groups and shifting policies to cater for the politically dominant interest groups is reflected on investor’s behavior. At microeconomic level, investors portray a pervasive conduct on both exogenous and policy generated economic risks in relation to income and property. The political-economic has multiple structural vulnerabilities and weakness in their governance (Praeg 86). From time immemorial, Ethiopian economy is controlled by elite kings, usually described as slavery in modern world (Clarke 97-101). Private ownership of lands had never been heard of until 1970’s, with inequitable land holdings of the country under the slogan, ‘Land to The Tiller† where the state ended up owning lands itself instead of giving it to the people. Though the state controls land ownership, rural peasants and pastoralists are guaranteed a lifetime of â€Å"holding right†, while urban residents are guaranteed the right to get land for residence for 99 years lease based; these rights gives all rights to the people of Ethiopia except sale and mortgage right. However, from 1974 during the fall of emperor Hailesilassie, land remained public property despite earlier socialist oriented military government to make land property of the people and not the state. At the moment, Ethiopian economic growth is estimated to remain strong in year 2015 under the Growth and Transformation Plan. This plan aims at boosting agriculture as the heart of the country economic growth, promoting industrial development and aiding development of quality infrastructure. However, corruption is a key issue in Ethiopia. Historical background of economic policies reflects centuries of internal conflicts and external threats. Internally, varying customs, religions, and ethnicity served as focal points in the contest for power and control of economic resources (Adejumobi 187). Externally, regardless the fact that the country has

Diabetes and its affect on the workplace Research Paper - 1

Diabetes and its affect on the workplace - Research Paper Example Productivity costs are those linked to the loss of Production, replacing sick workers, disability and the death of productive individuals. A report by The Institute of Medicine of the United States in 2010 indicated that the yearly value of lost Productivity was in the range of 297.4 to 335.5 billion dollars.11.6 to12.7 billion dollars was lost in work missed, 95.2 to 96.5 billion dollars in hours of work lost and 190.6 to 226.3 billion dollars in lower wages (Harder, 2013). Those suffering from diabetes are more frequently absent from and work for fewer hours. They are more likely to lose over two hours per week. Absenteeism peaks with age but varies by demographic group (Harder, 2013). Presenteeism refers to being present at work but performing inefficiently. Those with diabetes have higher presenteeism rates. Diabetes and related complications often lead to disability and even death, robbing the nation of skilled workers and reducing productivity levels. Diabetes victims often stop working, prefer part time work or are totally unemployed. When they work they are victims of work limitations either personally or by their Supervisors (Matthews, Meston, Dyson, Shaw, King and Aparna 2008). Productivity costs include unplanned absence from work, permanent disability death before the age of retirement. Death and disability have greater indirect productivity costs. Most studies use the minimum wage as the base of productivity hours lost yet many diabetic workers earn above the minimum wage. Diabetes statistics reflect a Gender and Racial bias. Most victims tend to be male, single, African-American or non Hispanic, less wealthy, less educated and are likely to suffer from chronic health conditions. Studies reveal that diabetes is more prevalent in men than women in across all age brackets. Figures from 2008 and 2009 breakdown the percentages of diagnosed diabetes by race as follows, Hispanic whites

Comparison Of Hinduism & Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparison Of Hinduism & Buddhism - Essay Example Hinduism and Buddhism share a relationship somewhat comparable with the connection between Christianity and Judaism. The Buddha’s parents and family were Hindu but Buddhists argue that Buddhism is not a derivative of Hinduism nor associated with it. Buddhism has, however, gained wide acceptance in India because it is a less traditional and dogmatic religion. Though these two distinct religions have millions of followers worldwide, their history, beliefs and practices are still largely unknown to western societies. This discussion will provide a brief overview of the ancient religions Hinduism and Buddhism and examine the similarities and differences between the two. Though the precepts of Hinduism and Buddhism are fundamentally unrelated each influences the other in various ways. The Buddhist concept of empathy toward all living things was exacted from Hindu teachings and Buddhists greatly influenced the development and growth of art in India. Buddhism also introduced meditation techniques to Indian Hindus who have since become better known for using meditation to attain higher levels of consciousness (Jayaram, 2007). The ‘religion of India,’ literally translated as ‘Hinduism,’ though tied by definition and by its predominance in the country of India is practiced in many regions of the world. Hinduism originated at least 3500 years ago from prophets who divulged their secrets to followers. It has no single founder.

Consumer Relationship and Personal Selling Essay

Consumer Relationship and Personal Selling - Essay Example Personal selling remains important independent of technologically driven sales processes because it is the â€Å"only communication† process that â€Å"allows a marketing message to be adapted to the specific needs and beliefs of each customer† (Spiro & Weitz, 1990, p.61). Other sales promotions such as promotions, point-of-sales’ exhibitions, packaging, and so on are directed toward the â€Å"typical customer†. Personal selling is rather more flexible as it allows for adjustments to be made to the sales’ message in response to observable consumer reactions. With other forms of selling processes, marketers have limited opportunities for adjusting messages as they typically have to wait it out and interpret consumers’ purchasing behaviour.It would therefore appear that personal selling has become even more important with technological advancements. While consumers are more inclined to rely on, and expect technological solutions, consumers valu e and expect superior customer services (Spiro & Weitz, 1990). Personal selling provides consumers with superior customer services since it puts the consumer in touch with sales’ personnel and offers a unique opportunity for consumers to ask questions or to register concerns and to have those concerns addressed. Moreover, personal selling is focused on specific consumers and as such creates and fosters the feeling that the consumer is special and valued. Personal selling is an important customer service technique.... nication† process that â€Å"allows a marketing message to be adapted to the specific needs and beliefs of each customer† (Spiro & Weitz, 1990, p.61). Other sales promotions such as promotions, point-of-sales’ exhibitions, packaging, and so on are directed toward the â€Å"typical customer† (Spiro & Weitz, 1990, p. 61). Personal selling is rather more flexible as it allows for adjustments to be made to the sales’ message in response to observable consumer reactions. With other forms of selling processes, marketers have limited opportunities for adjusting messages as they typically have to wait it out and interpret consumers’ purchasing behaviour (Spiro & Weitz, 1990). It would therefore appear that personal selling has become even more important with technological advancements. While consumers are more inclined to rely on, and expect technological solutions, consumers value and expect superior customer services (Spiro & Weitz, 1990). Personal selling provides consumers with superior customer services since it puts the consumer in touch with sales’ personnel and offers a unique opportunity for consumers to ask questions or to register concerns and to have those concerns addressed. Moreover, personal selling is focused on specific consumers and as such creates and fosters the feeling that the consumer is special and valued. In other words, personal selling is an important customer service technique that is particularly important at a time when modern technology is especially impersonal. Personal selling functions to personalise the relationship between the consumer and the firm and thus facilitates the superior customer services that consumers have come to expect. 2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of building customer relationships by the internet. Chen

Diabetes and its affect on the workplace Research Paper - 1

Diabetes and its affect on the workplace - Research Paper Example Productivity costs are those linked to the loss of Production, replacing sick workers, disability and the death of productive individuals. A report by The Institute of Medicine of the United States in 2010 indicated that the yearly value of lost Productivity was in the range of 297.4 to 335.5 billion dollars.11.6 to12.7 billion dollars was lost in work missed, 95.2 to 96.5 billion dollars in hours of work lost and 190.6 to 226.3 billion dollars in lower wages (Harder, 2013). Those suffering from diabetes are more frequently absent from and work for fewer hours. They are more likely to lose over two hours per week. Absenteeism peaks with age but varies by demographic group (Harder, 2013). Presenteeism refers to being present at work but performing inefficiently. Those with diabetes have higher presenteeism rates. Diabetes and related complications often lead to disability and even death, robbing the nation of skilled workers and reducing productivity levels. Diabetes victims often stop working, prefer part time work or are totally unemployed. When they work they are victims of work limitations either personally or by their Supervisors (Matthews, Meston, Dyson, Shaw, King and Aparna 2008). Productivity costs include unplanned absence from work, permanent disability death before the age of retirement. Death and disability have greater indirect productivity costs. Most studies use the minimum wage as the base of productivity hours lost yet many diabetic workers earn above the minimum wage. Diabetes statistics reflect a Gender and Racial bias. Most victims tend to be male, single, African-American or non Hispanic, less wealthy, less educated and are likely to suffer from chronic health conditions. Studies reveal that diabetes is more prevalent in men than women in across all age brackets. Figures from 2008 and 2009 breakdown the percentages of diagnosed diabetes by race as follows, Hispanic whites

Consumer Relationship and Personal Selling Essay

Consumer Relationship and Personal Selling - Essay Example Personal selling remains important independent of technologically driven sales processes because it is the â€Å"only communication† process that â€Å"allows a marketing message to be adapted to the specific needs and beliefs of each customer† (Spiro & Weitz, 1990, p.61). Other sales promotions such as promotions, point-of-sales’ exhibitions, packaging, and so on are directed toward the â€Å"typical customer†. Personal selling is rather more flexible as it allows for adjustments to be made to the sales’ message in response to observable consumer reactions. With other forms of selling processes, marketers have limited opportunities for adjusting messages as they typically have to wait it out and interpret consumers’ purchasing behaviour.It would therefore appear that personal selling has become even more important with technological advancements. While consumers are more inclined to rely on, and expect technological solutions, consumers valu e and expect superior customer services (Spiro & Weitz, 1990). Personal selling provides consumers with superior customer services since it puts the consumer in touch with sales’ personnel and offers a unique opportunity for consumers to ask questions or to register concerns and to have those concerns addressed. Moreover, personal selling is focused on specific consumers and as such creates and fosters the feeling that the consumer is special and valued. Personal selling is an important customer service technique.... nication† process that â€Å"allows a marketing message to be adapted to the specific needs and beliefs of each customer† (Spiro & Weitz, 1990, p.61). Other sales promotions such as promotions, point-of-sales’ exhibitions, packaging, and so on are directed toward the â€Å"typical customer† (Spiro & Weitz, 1990, p. 61). Personal selling is rather more flexible as it allows for adjustments to be made to the sales’ message in response to observable consumer reactions. With other forms of selling processes, marketers have limited opportunities for adjusting messages as they typically have to wait it out and interpret consumers’ purchasing behaviour (Spiro & Weitz, 1990). It would therefore appear that personal selling has become even more important with technological advancements. While consumers are more inclined to rely on, and expect technological solutions, consumers value and expect superior customer services (Spiro & Weitz, 1990). Personal selling provides consumers with superior customer services since it puts the consumer in touch with sales’ personnel and offers a unique opportunity for consumers to ask questions or to register concerns and to have those concerns addressed. Moreover, personal selling is focused on specific consumers and as such creates and fosters the feeling that the consumer is special and valued. In other words, personal selling is an important customer service technique that is particularly important at a time when modern technology is especially impersonal. Personal selling functions to personalise the relationship between the consumer and the firm and thus facilitates the superior customer services that consumers have come to expect. 2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of building customer relationships by the internet. Chen

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay An Organization can process Recruitment and Selection strategies by using a simple technique based on the knowledge and skills of an applicant. It is imperative that an Organization be able to recruit the most experienced, skilled and suitable candidates. Having a recruitment process is critical for new Organizations. The first step consists of managing applicants and welcoming potential participants (Cascio, 2013). To entice and recruit highly knowledgeable and experienced employees, Landslide Limousine must wisely develop a strong recruitment strategy and plan. Organizational Goals While looking at all past communication, the client communicated that Landslide Limousine would require 25 employees, with a projected revenue of $50,000 in the first year, and an expected yearly revenue growth of 5%. They also expect an annual turnover of 10%, while maintaining an expected yearly revenue growth of 5%. This can seem overwhelming while keeping track of it all. By following the recruitment and selection strategy plan, you must use it to employ the most skilled and suitable candidates. This will help the organization in accomplishing its Organizational Goals and offering superior service to its clients is priority. This in turn, will add value to the Organization. Demographic Changes In today’s world, many changes are occurring in demographics due to globalization. It’s imperative that there be focus on a more diverse  workplace. Being able to manage a diverse workplace can have its challenges. By having a diverse workplace, it benefits the Organization by offering opportunities to influence and obtain its potential employees. Using proper recruiting and selection strategies, Landslide Limousine Services are able to compete with other competitors by providing customers with superior service. It is highly recommended that the company intend to hire theut most skilled and knowledgeable candidates. Having a proper recruitment and selection strategy along with a rewarding reward and compensation plan. With all of these in place, Landslide Limousines Services can achieve the challenges given at hand and those challenges involved in managing workplace diversity. Organizational Branding As a small business owner, it is important to first create awareness, by advising current employees to spread the news about the company friends and family. Employees can also use the employee referral system to help the company in seeking experienced and qualified applicants. This will help the company in generating job satisfaction and a culture in which employees feel valued and trusted. The company can also accomplish two highly important objectives by caring for the current employee’s concerns and desire for promotion. These objectives consist of forming a high-quality learning environment and choosing individuals for current opening in various divisions within the organization (Cascio, 2013). The most important stage of developing a successful limousine service consists of managing the selection of drivers and hiring chauffeurs. These positions represent the face of the company. Customer service is very key and vital in these positions, as they type of service the customer receives will determine their continued business and longevity with the company. With this, it is important for the management teams to focus on the selecting, hiring, and retaining the organizations valued resources. It is also important that the organization abide by the organizations local and state laws and regulations. Not following the company’s proper employment practices can cause harm to the organization as well as the client. When selecting a chauffeur, management must create job ethics and standards.  It is important these standards are followed by each applicant applying for the chauffeur position. The next step is to develop a job description. Developing a job description will ensure that each applicant is aware of the jobs responsibilities and expectations associated with the position. Properly developing strong job responsibilities will also assist in disciplining chauffeurs who are not performing efficiently. Upon offering the chauffeur position it is important to give each applicant a copy or the job description. The next step in recruitment is to prepare a job application form. This will ensure that the correct information is provided to the applicants in regard to the working in the limousine business. The final step in the recruitment process is developing a limousine driver training and employee placement package. The training and placement package will assist in helping management and employ ee to move forward after the hiring process is complete. Methods for Screening Once an applicant has submitted their application and each application has been carefully reviewed, a formal interview should follow for all qualified candidates. When conducting a formal interview, they will assist the hiring manager by giving them an overview of the client. From how they are dressed, to how well they speak and act, to include all other body language. According to Cascio (2013), when conducting the proper interview it is important to follow the following steps. It is important for Management to have a comprehensive list of questions to ask applicants. Prepare for the interview and select a designated time in a quiet location. Pay close attention to the applicant and listen to their answers with an open mind. It is crucial to avoid all unnecessary interruptions and answering the phone when conducting a formal interview. Remember to avoid making promises to prospective applicants. If a promise has been made, it is imperative that it be done to avoid misrepresenting or misleading an applicant. It is critical that during this interview, management evaluate appearance, knowledge, communication skills, education and character for determination. Methods for Recruiting Candidates It is important to consider any laws that may be used for recruitment and  selection. Acknowledging and abiding by these laws passed to protect the rights of people in the workplace, are very important when trying to run a successful business. Being able to adapt to a changing society is crucial to have continued success and growth in an Organization. Some of the laws that Management must be aware of are: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967- protects employees from discrimination on the basis of age. Both private and public employers need to adhere to the provisions of the law which calls for eliminating discrimination of employees above the age of forty (EEOC, 2014). The Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits discrimination based on religion, color, sex or origin. This is law is particularly applicable to workplaces employing more than 15 people (EEOC, 2014). The Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits discrimination based on religion, color, sex or origin. This is law is particularly applicable to workplaces employing more than 15 people (EEOC, 2014). The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1975 – which prohibits refusal to employ pregnant female employees (EEOC, 2014). Selecting Candidates After the interview process, potential candidates move on the next step of the process which consists of forming an analysis of all applicants or potential candidates, to include all information gathered from the formal interview. Each potential applicant must be screened for the important requirements that Landslide Limousine Services will be needing candidates that have superior driving skills, review a copy of their motor vehicle records if applicable, and a background check. These requirements will help in assisting Landslide Limousine Services in providing adequate information for each potential applicant and help in selecting the right employee for the position. Conclusion Selecting the correct candidate is an important process for any business. Although some applicants have excellent work history, it is imperative that management recruit the most qualified. Candidates who not only have the experience, but will maintain great communication, customer service with clients and can help make the goals of the Organization a reality. Hiring the right employees in a business can have a big impact on the business. It can either be very good or very bad. So, making sure to hire the right  employees will dictate the type of service your Company will be giving. It might seem simple to train an employee for their position, however, it is impossible to train an employee on morale, attitude and motivation. (Cascio, 2013). References Cascio, W. F. (2013). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits (9th ed.) Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin EEOC (2014). Discrimination by Type, retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/index.cfm

Medical Marijuana and the Legalization Debate

Medical Marijuana and the Legalization Debate Introduction Medical marijuana or medical cannabis can be defined as the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Marijuana itself is a drug that comes from the cut and dried leaves of hemp plant also referred to as cannabis sativa. Its most active ingredient is delta tetrahydrocannibinol. Throughout history marijuana has been used in many different cultures to change perception, mood and consciousness. Its effects range from provoking mystical experiences to the increment of creativity. It comes second from alcohol in the list of recreational drugs. Around the globe, it has been used for many purposes. For example in the primitive tribes of South America India and Africa it is used for religious and ceremonies and also for some medical purposes. For instance the African mine workers used it in easing the drudgery of their work while the Jamaicans used it in the evenings to ease or relieved their fatigue. The ancient Persians, Greeks, East Indians, Assyrians and Romans used marijuana as the drug fo r controlling reducing muscles spasms, treating indigestion and the reduction of pain (Roth Rebecca 1). There are two sides on the issue of legalization of marijuana and each side has a multitude of reasons as to why medical marijuana should be legalized. This leaves one unsure of which side is credible. Reasons as to why medical marijuana should not be legalized. There are some reasons as to why the some people in the society are refuting the legalization of medical marijuana. One of the reasons is that medical marijuana is perceived to be addictive in many countries. For example in the united states of America the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana as a schedule 1 drug on basis that it contained high potential for abuse. This was propelled by the perception that people who consume it usually get hooked up therefore becoming potheads and the drug eventually dominates their lives. They also believe that the frequent overuse of the drug can lead to lethargic behaviors or even serious health problems. Addiction is brought by the fact that there is a possibility that someone treated for chronic periods of time for a constant pain will eventually become more dependent on the drug. He will also require high amounts than before. This addiction may lead to death due to respiratory failure. Another reason as to why some people are against the legalization of the medical marijuana is because they hold the idea that it has no accepted medical use. For example marijuana may yield considerable medical benefits for many patients with ailments such as cancer and glaucoma but these benefits have not been universally accepted both nationally and internationally. Another reason as to why many people are opposing this initiative is that it is historically linked to narcotics such as cocaine and heroine. For example in America the early anti-drug laws were stipulated so that they may regulate narcotics which included opium and its derivatives such morphine and heroine. These anti-drug laws also regulated marijuana although it is not a narcotic. The other reason is that some people believe that marijuana as a drug is associated with unfashionable styles. This is because often many people have taken marijuana to be the drug for losers and hippies. They feel that its legalization wil l lead to increased number of losers and hippies and therefore imposing of criminal sanctions against people who are found to be in possession of marijuana is perceived to a form of communal protection or tough love. Some people who are opposing the legalization of medical marijuana feel that there is no enough evidence to show that the drugs cure disease. In some countries (Holland and Amsterdam) where medical marijuana is considered to be illegal, it is assumed that marijuana can not be used for medical purposes because of some harmful effect brought about by its use. For example it is assumed that it affects the skills required for one to drive safely because it lowers alertness or the ability to concentrate, ability to react quickly and personal coordination. It also affects the driving skills by making it difficult for one to react to signals, sounds on the road and judge distances. Other harmful consequence of marinol drug which is made from marijuana include premature cancer, mental disorders such as depression, increased aggressiveness and hostility, memory loss, general apathy impairment of the immune system and the reproductive disabilities. For example scientific studies indicate that marijuana weakens the immune system of people suffering from AIDS for it is estimated that marijuana smokers who are HIV positive progress to the full blown aids twice as fast as the non-smokers. Opposers of legalization of the medical marijuana also believe that legalizing of the drug will lead to increased access to marijuana for the young population who are most likely to be damaged by the drug use. They also argue that there are many other drugs which can be used in the treatment of the same diseases. Therefore, the use of marijuana for medical purposes is uncalled for. The opposers continue to assert that it is harmful because it is an unstable mixture made up of more those 425 chemicals which usually convert to thousands especially when it is being smoked (Marijuana.com 1) Reasons as to why medical marijuana should be legalized. A raging debate has ensued about the legalization of the marijuana medicine. The proponents of the legalization of marijuana believe that marijuana should be moved to a schedule II drug so that it can be useful to a point that it can be prescribed by a doctor. They also believe that it doesnt cause some health problems like those caused by alcohol or tobacco such as strong addiction, cancer, heart problems, birth defects liver damage and emphysema. They also believe that death from an overdose is impossible. A study carried out by the UCLA school of medicine which featured 243 marijuana smokers over 8 years of smoking has shown that neither the intermitted nor the continuing marijuana smokers showed any declining rates in the lung function compared to the people who have never smoked marijuana (Barry 1). Many proponents also believe that many people are arrested and charged when they take marijuana for treatment since many people would rather face the law that die of certain diseases which can be remedied by marijuana. They also assert that scientific and medical tests dating back to thousand of years point to the medical properties of cannabis. They also state that thousands of doctors, patients and their families have also have also witnessed the medical benefits of marijuana because they have told other through testimonies in public hearing and also in the mass media. They have also contributed to books and even research studies on the drug. The proponents claim that the phenomenon (use of marijuana for medical purposes) is real and those who say the evidence is not sufficient are missing the point. They also argue that the evidence is enough for one to declare that there is no any valuable reason as to why medical patients who use marijuana for legitimate medical reason should be subjected to arrest, jails, public embarrassment and fines. They argue that the decisions about the use or purposes of marijuana lie in the hand s of doctors and patients. Some countries or states have legalized and others are pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana because of its positive attributes which include the medical value and its use as a recreational drug accompanied by relatively mild side effects. Many people believe that its a good treatment of some ailments. For example it provide the relief in pain, spasticity, nausea and many other symptoms which have not been successfully been treated with conventional medications. This is evident from the State of California whereby the smoking of marijuana has effectively been used in the relieving of chronic HIV associated nerve pains which were characterized by aching, burning and painful numbness. The patients were advised to smoke marijuana at least three times a day so that they can do away with the pain. People say it helps cancer patients because they believe it can stimulate appetite therefore alleviating the vomiting and nausea associated with the chemotherapy procedures (Sanfranc iscocannabisclubs.com 1). It is also argued that marijuana offers a mild and moderate way of relaxing unlike alcohol which has some of the vices associated with it such as frequent urination, nausea and at times vomiting especially when the individual had not taken some food before drinking taking it. After personal observations done by many people it is said that marijuana can be a good choice of drug because it has relatively low dependence liability and it is a little bit easier to control its side effects compared to the other drugs. It is believed that most of the marijuana users mainly develop tolerance to the drugs side effects and those who do not then stop using the drug with an immediate effect (Alternet.org 1). Conclusively, legalization of marijuana is a hotly contested debate between the opposers and proposers. Each side has got a multitude of reasons to support its respective stand and this creates an evenly balanced debate. Some of the medical reasons cited by one side are a counter to the reasons put forward by the other side. This creates a quagmire regarding the whole issue as one is unsure of which side is more credible. Works cited Sanfranciscocannabisclubs.com. The Medical Marijuana Guide, 2009. Retrieved from  http://www.sanfranciscocannabisclubs.com/medical-marijuana/  The source talks about the diseases which can be treated through the use of marijuana as the medicine Roth, Rebecca. Medical Marijuana, 2008. Retrieved from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1901  This source talks about the history of marijuana a and how it was used the past or its main uses. Alternet.org. The Top Ten Reasons Marijuana Should Be Legal, 2007. Retrieved from  http://www.alternet.org/drugs/60959/  The article gives some of the reasons as to why there should be the legalization of the medical marijuana Marijuana.com. Marijuana should not be legal because, 2000. Retrieved from  http://www.marijuana.com/legalization-decriminalization/1004-marijuana-should-not-legal-because.html  The article gives some of the reasons as to why some people do not support the legalization of medical marijuana Barry, Ian. Legalize marijuana, 2009. Retrieved from http://blog.sanonofre.com/2009/06/ian-barry-teen-pot-essay.html The article gives some of the examples of the fact that marijuana is not harmful and also explains why medical marijuana should be legalized.

madonna Essay -- essays research papers

Have you ever heard a song once and was never able to get the tune out of your head no matter how hard you tried? I know that has happened to me on several occasions. Whether we enjoy the songs or not, there is something about music within popular culture that drives the American public wild. Sadly, for quite sometime the music industry was largely closed off to women. Of course there were obvious exceptions to this, since talented female artists have existed through the ages, but on the whole there were not many female artists that got a lot of airplay and certainly none were considered significantly influential in the music industry. Recently the United States has begun to experience a women’s musical renaissance. Women’s roles in pop music are steadily growing. There have been many outstanding female musicians and vocalists in the past that have aided in making the music industry less of a male opinionated society, from Aretha Franklin, Mo Tucker, and Ella Fitzgerald to pop icons like Courtney Love, Queen Latifa, and Melissa Ethridge. Along side these, there are two women who have conquered most obstacles they’ve faced and, in addition, forced the music industry to become more of a female friendly environment. Those two women are Madonna and Brittany Spears. Madonna is an artist that most Americans are very familiar with. From rudeness to charity, she is always in the public eye. Madonna took women and sex through a quantum leap and her unique style and flair has been imprinted on pop culture forever. Besides creating major trends in music she was responsible for many fashion statements throughout the eighties and nineties (Gandee 307). Up until 1982, female sexuality was largely a suggestion of cleavage and tight-fitting jeans, then Madonna showed up in 1983 wearing her Victoria's Secrets on the outside, and all hell broke loose. Madonna Ciccone was born in 1958 near Motown, to an engineer father and homemaker mother, the eldest of eight children. The one thing baby Madonna wanted more than anything was to become famous. She trained on piano and dance, and signed up for almost any activity that would put her face in public view. By the time she turned twenty, she felt she had waited long enough for fame to find her, and went out looking for it. Throughout her career as one of America’s superstars, Madonna maintained much of her creative control while... ...stry seem obtainable to everyone. Their accomplishments represent many of the recent victories won by women in the music industry; Accomplishments like Lilith Faire and Rock for Choice. Though many doors have been opened there are many that have remained shut. For instance, the way that many labels choose to market female artists like sex symbols instead of relying on their ability to perform. A women musician are becoming more and more visible, and with this visibility comes power. Ani DiFranco and Madonna are just two examples of women who are starting their own record labels and signing their own bands. By doing this they are insuring that female artists get heard. Obviously, not every women musician can have this kind of determination, but the fact that they are on stage playing what they love, music, makes them powerful. O’Dair, Barbara. "Introduction". The Rolling Stone Book of Women In Rock. Ed. Barbara O’Dair. New York: Random House, Inc., 1997. Udovitch, Mim. "Madonna". The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock. Ed. Barbara o’Dair. New York:Random House,Inc.,1997. Gandee, Charles. "In The Closet With Madonna". Vogue Oct. 1997: 306-313, 378.

What Is History? :: essays research papers

What Is History? What is history? Where do I start? And who says it started there? I wasn’t there, does it matter? Can I accept whatever happens in another part of the world into my personal history, or just in the worlds history? What parts of history are most important? Who decides? What a question! The word history has many attached meanings to it, and the result is that the definition for history depends on who it is you are asking. But What is it? Dictionary.com states that, â€Å"history is a narrative of events; a story.† Everyone has stories. it goes without saying then that everyone has history. But what about looking at the world in a broader aspect. I think we could look at humans, in whole, and see that we all have a history; a social history. Also, what students mostly study in textbooks, and in lecture halls; political history. Therefore, history, in my terms, can be broken into three very different branches: Personal, Social, and political. A friend of mi ne unfortunately parted ways with a woman whom he devoted a long period of time to. Inquiring, as I often do, I ask for the details on their break up. I was given a response of, â€Å"Man, She’s history.† And my friend is exactly correct. This woman now lies within his personal history. Had this girl never came into my friends life, he could not claim her a part of his history; his past. We have defined history as, â€Å"a story,† and my friend can tell stories of him and his girl. (in fact lately that is all he talks about) The Vietnam war was a very important part in history. Actually, the boss at my present place of employment served a long period of time in the war. He was a grunt. I have asked him about it, trying to hear maybe a story or two of what it was like, but he doesn’t like to talk about it. this part of his history he shuts out. Many veterans are like this. I believe the reason being is that the war that is in his history is a very differen t war than we could ever read in books or hear about from professors. War is different for everyone; as is history itself. These few examples give way to the first area of history; personal history. This is the story that everyone has.

Selena Quintanilla a Gifted Icon

When I was a little girl, I was a big fan of Selena Quintanilla. I had all her music, disks and posters all over my room. My dream was to meet her in person and it came true when I assisted one of her concerts. I knew everything about her even though I was 4 years old. She was a role model for me, she was family oriented and she is still today living in my memory. I memorized every song of hers word by word, and I would imitate her dancing all day long. As a little girl I could not understand why someone would have wanted to take her life away when she was a good person. Selena Quintanilla is considered to be one of the most popular and influential Hispanic music icons of all times because of her history, culture, and all the people she influenced with her charisma. Selena Quintanilla in her early years was a girl who had the spirit to believe in a dream, blessed by being born in a musical family. Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer born in Lake Jackson, Texas, where her musical career began. Her father Abraham Quintanilla was the greatest influence and inspiration in her music career (). Mr. Quintanilla stimulated the musical talents in all his children, teaching them to play instruments and sing in Spanish. Selena Quintanilla made her first performance at the age of 8 in the year of 1980 at her father’s Mexican restaurant (PapaGayo), and recorded her first record at 9(). Through her adolescence years she was mostly on the tour bus â€Å"Big Bertha†. Everything was not a bed of roses, her education was probably the hardest she ha d to accomplished. Her father made her dropped from regular school education permanently when she was in 8th grade. His major concern was to give her the opportunity to concentrate and devote more time to music. Selena Quintanilla in order to perform the music with her family on long trips crossing the states was forced by the nature of the music venture to complete her high school diploma through the American School in Chicago, Illinois by mail(encyclopedia supplement/library vcc)and this was the way she earned her general education diploma(GED) in 1989. She enrolled at Pacific Western University as a correspondence student taking business classes(contemporary/vcc library). Quintanilla had a love life like any other girl. The singer fell deeply in love with guitarist Chris Perez. This relationship led the singer to a very troubled life and finally her family accepted him because they realized he made her happy. The Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla had multiple talents. Since the age of 8 she was a vivacious entertainer. Her passion for music took her to the stage of being one of the most recognized Latino singers in the United States. Her ability to sing in a sexy and charismatic way made her an idol of the American and Latin markets. Throughout her short life filled with success Quintanilla was a singer, song writer, record producer, and to add to those multiple talents she also dabbled in acting, making a cameo in a romantic comedy in the Johnny Deep Film ‘Don Juan de Marco’. She also danced at the stage making her performance more appealing to the audience. Included among other qualities she enjoyed to design her own clothes. Her unique way of designing her own bustier earned her the nickname of â€Å"The Mexican Madonna†(BD). Among her career successes as a singer vocalist it is obvious why she got so famous, she was hooked on music and her passion for it brought her success, music was in her heart. In 1982 the family band moves to Corpus Christi, Texas and the Tejano music flourishes making Quintanilla a Tejano music star. Her first album was â€Å"Ya Se Va†; the second album was â€Å"The New Girl in Town† in 1985; â€Å"Alpha† and â€Å"Munequito Ea Trapo† in 1986. Also in 1986 Quintanilla was discovered by two huge names in the tejano music industry, Rick Trevi, founder of The Tejano Music Award, and Johnny Canales, the host of one of the top Spanish television shows. She won the tejano music award for â€Å"female entertainer of the year† in year of 1987, and in the same year the â€Å"female vocalist of the year† and â€Å"performer of the year† honors at the annual Tejano music awards. Other awards follow, in the late 1980’s Quintanilla’s was known as â€Å"La Reina de la Honda Tejana† (â€Å"The Queen of Tejano Music†). Her popularity attracted her with annual awards and a contract EME Latin Records in 1989. The band attracted 11,041 people, more than Clint Black, George Straight, Vince Gil and Reba McIntyre. All of Quintanilla’s efforts pay of quickly. Her band reaches their popularity to the highest peak in 1993 with â€Å"Entre a mi Mundo† making Quintanilla the first tejana to sell more than 300,000 albums. In 1993 she signed with SBK Records to produce an all-English album, and eventually replaced with the bilingual â€Å"Dreaming of You†. The record â€Å"Dreaming of You† sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release, making its debut number one on billboard magazine pop chart. Also in 1993 Selena Live received a Grammy Award for best Mexican album (notable Hispanic American women). The song â€Å"Fotos y Recuerdos† reached the top ten on Billboard magazine’s Latino charts. By 1995, â€Å"Bidi Bidi Bon Bon† won the singer a song of the year award at The Tejano Music Award, making her the winner of an additional 5 more awards, including â€Å"Female Entertainer†, â€Å"best female vocalist†, album of the year, record of the year, and tejano crossover song. Quintanilla quoted, â€Å"Never in my dreams would I have thought I would become this big. I am still freaking out. †(notable Hispanic, 5) She was recipient for ten consecutive years of the â€Å"Best Vocalist† award. Quintanilla becomes a millionaire By the year of 1995 Selena Quintanilla had become an icon in the Hispanic community, a beloved figure to whom Mexican-Americans attached their aspirations and their feelings about their cultural identities. Her music crossed cultural boundaries touching the lives of young and old. She will be remembered in the years to come by her fans for her kindness, her positive attitude and the wonderful music she made. The American and Spanish speaking Western Hemisphere markets had been influenced by Quintanilla’s music were she took the Tejano music into new stylistic realms. Her death has perpetuated and immortalized her image for future generations. The queen of tejano will live forever in the people’s heart(SME). Quintanilla’s death shocked Latinos and non-Latin across the United States. She was cried by thousands of fans who rendered the ‘Queen of Tejano music’ the last goodbye in the Friday she died; this day will always be known as black Friday, March 31, 1995 (IP). Her body was displayed at the Bayfront Plaza in Corpus Christi. Two weeks after her death Governor George W. Bush declared Selena’s Day in Texas(biography based ). The violent death of Selena by Yolanda Saldivar, her fan club president, compares to the grief to the one experience by American people after the death of such major cultural figure as President John F. Kennedy. Quintanilla became immortalized after her death. In conclusion, Quintanilla influenced millions of people around her from young to old, including g me. Everyone has been able to know Quintanilla’s history and appreciate what she was as a person to her people. I understand what her family went through at the time of losing their Selena. I also recognize that as a human being she was like any other person with troubles and economic problems. I can related to her as a person now that I have learned as about her as a cultural icon. Sometimes we just have to go with the short but successful happy life.

Raising children Essay

Raising children in this country is extremely harsh, many children are introduced to abuse, violence, neglect and exporiation. During the years of war, hundreds of children have been used as suicide bombers and are daily put in harms way. According to Swanson (Swanson & Swanson,2011) â€Å"Conflict and political violence force millions of children and their families to flee their homes and as a result displaced families spend years in situations of uncertaniity and insecurity.† Role of genders In this country, discrimination of women and girls is a daily occurrence. During their childhood years 70% of girls do not even attend school, according to Swanson (Swanson & Swanson, 2011) a staggering 94% of female births are not even registered at their births. Boys are considered to be soldiers and at a young age are taught to kill. Afghan men believe all boys even at a young age are already considered to have a promiscuous nature and are encouraged to act on it. Marriage Marriage in this country is a process, most men and women do not have an opportunity to meet each other, the wife is usually chosen for the man through family members. In the case that a man does choose a wife from an unknown family, the parents usually will perform background checks on her to try and gain knowledge of her beauty, morals and any other family affairs  that may be of importance. (Muzaffiray,2013) Aging The average life expectancy in this country its 59 years for men and only 61 years for women. This expectancy average comes from taking into consideration their way of life in regards to housing, their food, housing and medical attention. Due to this expectancy, the government does not even offer a pension plan for those not working for the government. Violence For years violence has been an ongoing issue in this country, A group calling themselves a â€Å"special envoy† believes in honor killings which gives men the human right to abuse women and is considered justified. This group has raised the percentage in deaths and injuries by 20%. Boys are taught to be soldiers at a very young age are expected to be a cause of violence against others. Drug use According to Ahmed (Ahmend, 2013) between the years of 2005-2008 the use of drugs according tho the United Nations Office on drugs and crime has raised more than 40%. Afgans are considered to have huge addiction problem on their hands, some even considere Afghanistan to have a growing army of drug addicts. Suicide As one may expect, suicide is a huge problem in this country. Many people are trainied to be sucide bombers. However, there are those that commit suicide for other reasons such as not being able to take their way of living anymore, some women take their own lives due to not being able to handle being married to abusive drug addicted husbands. Men take their own lives simply due to not wanting to go on anymore. Authority Afghanistan has been for years a country struggling with authority issues. These struggles date back to the 16th century of the Mughal Empire and continues with the Taliban today. These historic struggles are responsible of the changing nature of political authority in this volatile region of our world. There have been many attempts from other groups to try and â€Å"conquer† the land but have to this day failed on all attempts. Beauty According to the Guardian, (the guardian.com) many people are only able to see the harsh, violent side of this country through news reports and other television shows, and do not have the chance to see its beauty. If one is able to visit this country, they could hopefully see past the negative and view the God’s beauty in country in landscapes and beautiful mountain tops.