Greek and hellenistic religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Greek and hellenistic religion - Essay Example The introduction of Egyptian deities which included Isis, Serapis, Atargatis and of Hadad afforded new channel for the Greeks who were trying to find contentment and self-actualization in both their current life and life after death. During the Hellenistic period, worships were no longer solely given to deities but also to Hellenistic rulers. Semi-divine rulers who regarded themselves as god-kings inspired pharaonic tradition, thereby, holding them worthy of the peoples exaltation. While Hellenistic religion adapted the idea of offering worship to rulers, rulers had never become gods. The mixture of cultures and religion between Greece and other countries had stimulated the expansive practices of magic, which is still being practiced up to this present time. In the Hellenistic era, Greeks developed a rather spiritual and religious connection to certain magical forms like oracles, prophecies, charms, and trinkets to put off bad luck and other troubles, and to cast incantations. Furthermore, the belief that the future of human life can be determined by the sun, moon, and stars likewise cropped up; hence, the concept of astrology. Perhaps, it was due to the syncretic approach of the Greeks towards religion during the Hellenistic era that ushered in the creation of Hellenistic thinking: Stoicism and Epicureanism. Crucial to the changes in the Hellenistic religion was the introduction of the Olympian gods and goddesses. In fact, the term Olympian Pantheon is therefore called because these deities are believed to have resided on top of Mount Olympus. This had also stirred the foundation of Olympic Games in order to give honor to the deities athleticism. Every deity was venerated with temples, shrines, and sculptures which, while each god is revered with his or her own temple, likewise honor other deities. Fiestas and rites were carried out in different Greek cities that venerate their own patron god. For example, festivals and other forms of celebrations

Group Dynamics and Interaction Essay Example for Free

Group Dynamics and Interaction Essay In Week One, you will choose a generic organization (manufacturing plant, hospital, etc.). Assume that you are a hired consultant for this organization. You have been asked by the president of the organization to prepare a background paper on the results of your research and to make recommendations to improve group productivity in the organization. Your research has identified the following problems: 1. Role conflicts within groups 2. Communication problems among group members 3. Lack of cohesiveness in groups with diverse members 4. Excessive intergroup conflict In an eight- to ten-page paper, include the following: 1. Introduction clear explanation of the type of organization 2. Explanation of how each problem could impact a group’s productivity (use examples to illustrate points) 3. Recommendations to resolve each problem 4. Suggestions, based on your knowledge of group dynamics, for a company-wide training program on best practices for group productivity 5. Conclusion/Summary Do not borrow notes from other students. You might think it is okay to use notes from another student, but you can not be sure they are as diligent as you. You could be getting half the information or short cut codes that only make sense to the original note taker. In this work MGT 415 Week 5 Final Paper you will find the overview of the following topic: Group Dynamics and Interaction. Group Behavior in Organizations. Business Management Focus of the Final Paper In Week One, you will choose a generic organization (manufacturing plant, hospital, etc.). Assume that you are a hired consultant for Do not borrow notes from other students. You might think it is okay to use notes from another student, but you can not be sure they are as diligent as you. You could be getting half the information or short cut codes that only make sense to the original note taker. Business Management Focus of the Final Paper In Week One, you will choose a generic organization (manufacturing plant, hospital, etc.). Assume that you are a hired consultant for this organization. You have been asked by the president of the organization to prepare a background paper on the results of your research and to make recommendations to improve group productivity in the organization. Your research has identified the following problems: 1. Role conflicts within groups 2. Communication problems among group members 3. Lack of cohesiveness in groups with diverse members 4. Excessive intergroup conflict In an eight- to ten-page paper, include the following: 1. Introduction clear explanation of the type of organization 2. Explanation of how each problem could impact a group’s productivity (use examples to illustrate points) 3. Recommendations to resolve each problem 4. Suggestions, based on your knowledge of group dynamics, for a company-wide training program on best practices for group productivity 5. Conclusion/Summary

Examining the Organisational Structure and Culture

Examining the Organisational Structure and Culture Abstract In this report I aim to objectively examine the Organisational Structure and Culture by using three different organisations from different sectors within the UK and how it could affect the business. Furthering my report I will analyse the impact of staff behaviour on the three businesses. I will conclude my report by carrying out a detailed analysis on specific job roles within an organisation. I would be using McDonalds, Sainsburys Plc and Sony Corporation as part of my case study. Task 1 Introduction Organisational culture and structure Organisational Culture also known as Corporate Culture comprises the attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values of an organization. According to author Afsaneh Nahavandi, organisation culture has been defined as the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization [Which] control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization. Every organisation with more than one person needs a structure so that workers have clearly defined roles and are clear about the roles of others. As such, organisational structure is often presented as a chart which clearly identifies how management is organised vertically with layers of hierarchy and horizontally by function, product or division. The chart will make clear who is responsible for what, who is responsible to who and who to go to with problems and queries. There are three main types of organisational structure: tall hierarchical, flat hierarchical and matrix. McDonalds Plc and their structure McDonalds is the worlds largest fast food chain restaurant with over 31,000 outlets in 118 countries and employing over 1.6 million people globally. Out of the 31,000 outlets, 1000 of them are in the U.K. McDonalds serves over 47 million customers daily in the 118 countries they operate in and have a market capitalisation of $60.08bn in the financial year of 2008. 78% of the McDonalds are owned by the franchisees and the remaining 22% are owned by the corporation itself. Structure in simple terms, can be defined as the way things are set out in an organisation. Therefore, all businesses including McDonalds have their own organisational structure which consists of groups and individuals working together to achieve the same aims/objectives of the organisation. Organisations are structured in a variety of ways, dependent upon their objectives and culture. The structure of an organisation will determine the manner in which it operates and its performance. Structure allows the responsibilities for different functions and processes to be clearly allocated to different departments. The wrong organisation structure will reduce the success of the business. As a business expands the spans of control will widen. The higher the level of skill each employee has the more the business will make use of these skills across the organization and hence save costs. Internal factors such as size, product and skills of the workforce also influence the organizational structure. undefined Source: Online http://www.learnmanagement2.com/hierarchical%20structure.htm An example of a hierarchal organisational structure is given above for reference; The figure published according to McDonalds websites tells us that 78% of the stores are franchised; whereas the remaining 22% are owned by the corporation itself. My assumption is McDonalds as a corporation have adopted a hierarchal structure; but each store would be following a different yet similar structure within the framework of the hierarchal structure. All the stores would carry out exactly the same process but the way in which they deliver the service could vary. It would depend on the franchisee on how she/he controls their business; however there are certain aspects which the franchisee cannot alter i.e. the McDonalds logo, shop appearance and etc. As the above diagram shows, the most highest or influential person in any organisation is the Chief Executive officer/director (CEO) who takes all strategic decisions because they are on the top of the hierarchy and below him are his/her subordinates i.e. area regional managers, department managers who then report back to him/he r about the companys progress or any other important issues that needs their attention. However, every staffs responsibility is clearly defined and the business itself seems to be centralised e.g. important decisions being taken by the senior management centrally. Within this structure, the path to promotion is clearly defines i.e. a person will initially start from the bottom e.g. counter sales assistant and then they will have to earn their way up to the top to get a authority. It is considered employees of this type of structure are likely to be loyal to the business. However, franchised stores of McDonalds are likely to have a flatter structure. There is one manager, who is in control of the assistants and employees; who takes all the decisions for that particular store and he/she who is in charge of the main functions, carries them out. But the McDonalds corporation is likely to have a hierarchical structure. McDonalds is a big company with lots of different departments which need to be organized very well, because if the employees arent directed in the right way they wont perform their jobs uniformly. McDonalds culture On the other hand, according to author Afsaneh Nahavandi; organisational culture can be defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. set of beliefs, customs, practices and ways of thinking that they have come to share with each other through being and working together. Culture varies greatly between organisations and some business can be warm and friendly whereas some can be hard and unfriendly. McDonalds operates according to four values; quality, service, convenience and value. Part of their organisational culture is the delivery of uniform quality of food and service wherever the branch is located. These are some of the cultures associated with McDonalds; McDonalds place the customer experience at the core of what they do. McDonalds are committed towards their stakeholders. They believe in the McDonalds System. McDonalds operate their business ethically. McDonalds give backs to the community. McDonalds grow their business profitably. McDonalds strive continually to improve. Their mission/vision/aims/objectives of McDonalds will affect the culture of McDonalds to an extent. Initially, McDonalds key objective of serving the customers good quality food links in with their culture (values) which is that McDonald place customer experience at the core of what they do. This will result in repeat business and hence improve the profitability of the business which is another value (culture) of McDonalds. Another key objective of McDonalds is to be a socially responsible company; this has again affected their culture to a great extent. McDonalds gives back to the community via their own set up charity e.g. Ronald McDonalds House charity; however the franchised store have their own decision on it. It is clear that McDonalds investment is carefully considered. This again is reflected in their culture, which shows us that McDonalds are committed towards their shareholders and stakeholders. Another aim of McDonald is to provide customers with outstanding quality and make every customer smile; this is again reflected in their culture (values) as the website informs us that McDonalds strive to improve continually. Therefore, as the company is innovating and continually making improvements, it would satisfy more customers who were maybe previously dissatisfied with a particular aspect. In order for McDonalds to comply with their mission/vision statement identified previously, they would need to set their structures accordingly i.e. as McDonalds want to be their customers favourite dining out restaurant, they have ensured that staff and the management are working together effectively in order to prepare a meal for a customer quickly without any kind of mistake e.g. giving a customer a wrong product. Moreover, from the vision/mission statement of McDonalds it is clear that the companys main focus of attention is the customers and therefore in order to facilitate the demand of customers; this means that McDonalds needs to hire more staff and hence their mission links with the structure. Sainsburys Plc and their structure Sainsburys PLC has implemented the notion of making a clear organisational chart available to all employees and workers throughout the stores. This is the key to the success of the company as the more qualified workers in the store can speak to their subordinates directly. This however is not the case if the subordinates want to communicate with their seniors as they will have to refer to the organisational structure in order to speak to the relevant person. The system is efficient as the workers know who, where to go and seek advice from a member with more control and power of them. Moreover, the system enables employees to communicate with others efficiently and conveniently. An example of this is when an employee within a particular department such as Electronics wants to query something to a supervisor; it is through the organisational chart that the employee will know to communicate with the supervisor or the department manager. Organisational charts within larger companies such as Sainsburys Plc essentially provide its employees with a guide to the organisation and its key contacts. As such the organisation of the business allows all employees to recognise who is responsible for what. This is done for a number of reasons; the chain of command lists all employees and their role within the organisation. By implementing this strategy throughout their store, Sainsburys Plc reduces confusion around the hierarchy of the organisation by informing all employees about their own role, power and authority as well as the role of others and their responsibilities. An example of this is if an employee is unsure about his/her power over any subordinates, they can refer to the organisational chart. Another advantage to having an organisational chart is that everyone who work, liaises or partners with the company is aware of the span of control power, influence or authority an employee has over his/her subordinates. If the person is higher up they could clearly see that they have a wide span of control in a Sainsburys store as it is a flat structure which consists of many workers who have to be controlled by supervisors or managers; who in turn are controlled by their deputies or department managers. An example would be that a supervisor was unsure of how much span of control they have over his/her employees; they would check the structure of the business which would outline their own role and responsibilities In which case will be a lot as a checkout supervisor has a larger responsibility and trust within the checkout team. Although the organisational structure outlines each role and the responsibilities, communication between employees and their superiors can also help in clarifying responsibilities, as power has been delegated by high levels of authority the employee will know how much power they have received and what changes or decisions they can immediately carry out to take effect on thei r subordinates. This method of organisation of the business allows employees to work together effectively. This is because any disputes over power and decision making are brought up the organisation chart can help prevent and resolve issues regarding the power and status of especially higher people in the chain of command. It is through the companys organisational methods that that the success of Sainsburys will reflect how this is effective as all functional areas work within this structure. Using Sainsburys Plc as an example can identify how its employees can challenge and confront their superiors in terms of negotiating the power that each member of the store has. The structure of the organisation will be put to use here as it will clearly display where each person is in terms of accountability and power. This will indefinitely resolves the problem and help them work together and communicate effectively. This also applies to other employees, who can check their position in the hierarchy and their subordinates before confronting and starting disputes. These are some of the ways organisation in a business can allow workers to co operate efficiently. Sainsburys Culture The culture of Sainsburys describes the typical approach within the organisation. It essentially means the organisations universal beliefs, policies and procedures that determine the way the organisation is run. This culture is also reflected in Sainsburys employees and shareholders as well as the companys strategy. As such it is these elements that shape and determine the organisations success and at times its failures. Although a large corporation, Sainsburys much like Tesco, MS and Asda takes shape as a bureaucracy. Much like the above corporations, Sainsburys hierarchical structure and its top-down approach suggests that the company heavily implements the Top Hierarchal Culture. This means that communication is essential in the running of a successful company as each role is defined by the hierarchy up until the bottom of the hierarchy. To ensure that this structure is kept, Sainsburys have invested in ensuring that communication and the structure of the organisation is available to all its employees. An example of this is the centralisation of decisions, policies and roles and responsibilities of each individual belonging to the company. These are often outlines at the beginning of employment contract and often reiterated via email, circulation lists, newsletters etc; all of which are essential methods of communication. Due to the large nature of the organisation, Sainsburys is divided into sub-departments such as accounts, marketing and Communication to Electronics and Production department. It may be easier to visualise Sainsburys as two businesses; one being the top part of the hierarchy entailing more senior positions such as production director which involve the strategic management of the organisation. The other aspect is the wholly retail element, found on the shop floor. In this case one can see that power is hierarchical and often stems from the employees position. This is a primary reason as to why roles are defined via job descriptions; to essentially avoid the breakdown of the hierarchical structure. It is clear that Salisburys works within a bureaucratic culture, unlike the Co-Operative which works on persons culture. An advantage of which is empowering all parties who have connections with the organisation. Sony Corporations culture Sony known for its renowned innovation, technological gadgets and electronics it has created a multibillion, multinational electronic empire with products such as the transistor radio, the Trinitron, the Walk-in and the VTR. All of which have transformed life in the twenty first century. It is Sonys consumer targeted quest for excellence and constant innovation that have made them so successful. However, one must consider the companys recent profit loss as being a result of the constant innovation and production of new electronics as these have taken focus rather than concentrating on profit and loss statements have always been a part of Sony since its beginning days. For every successful product (i.e. transistor radio and Trinitron), RD cost often ran excessively high that they pushed the firm to the verge of bankruptcy. The company managed to bring back its losses by introducing a new culture. For every new product a project was created which was funded by Sony and overlooked by a senior member. This allowed Sony to expand its enterprise whilst allowing new projects authority and most importantly autonomy to manage and control each business unit. It was this new method of management that enabled Sony to create both a wider enterprise as well as a new business culture. Sony Corporations structure As mentioned earlier, the changes to Sonys business structure announced in early 2003 meant that Sonys profit margins were redesigned to maximise the effectiveness of their investment in each business category. In addition, a CFO position was established in each network company which became responsible for the monitoring of each business operation. This meant that all networks operated with a degree of autonomy whilst maintaining close strategic links to Sonys global hub. The result of Sonys business culture established a universal monitoring system within the company and its network companies which allowed Sony to analyse and manage the companys entire business. Task 2 Affects of organisations structure and culture to the business Organisation Structure is a key element in the running of a business as it applies to both the employers and its employees. Its importance also lies in that it gives a clear indication of how information can be shared or passed down within the organisation; in order for this happen there must be a link of communication between the senders and receivers. This is achieved by communication flowing up or down the hierarchy. Having an organisational chart makes this process easier as it clearly shows the hierarchy within the organisation, so that communication can be made more effective as the sender/receiver will be able to control their own communicational methods thus avoiding confusion. This enables the business to make communication more convenient and effective for all staff thus allowing departments to inter-liaise and continue information sharing in an effective manner. These are just a few of the benefits an organisation chart has on the business. On the other hand, according to author Afsaneh Nahavandi; organisational culture is defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. set of beliefs, customs, practices and ways of thinking that they have come to share with each other through being and working together. Culture varies greatly between organisations and some business can be warm and friendly whereas some can be hard and unfriendly. These theories are proved constantly in todays businesses. For e.g. the structure Sainsburys have implemented within their organisation, allows each of their departments to work individually to achieve some of its various objectives such as: To provide shareholders with good, sustainable financial returns. (Source: www.j-sainsbury.co.uk) It is clear from this objective that Sainsburys plc is keen about keeping their shareholders happy by providing them with sustainable financial returns on their investment. And due to its structure in place their accounts and finance department is able to deliver this objective by implementing a good financial strategy and doing the job well. Sainsburys plcs decisions in terms of culture and their structure also impacts on the companys business performance to an extent. The tables below demonstrate the level of achievement in sales, underlying operating margin and underlying profits before tax over the last five years. Sales figures of Sainsburys plc between 2005-2010 [%] Like-for-like sales (%) Operating cost margin (%) Underlying operating margin (%) Profit before tax ( £m) Underlying profit before tax ( £m) (Source: www.j-sainsbury.co.uk) The companys directors explain, Despite year on year of challenging market conditions, Sainsburys has delivered continued strong performance against its targets in 2009/10. The retail sector continues to be one of the most fast-moving and highly competitive in the UK. However, Sainsburys stable and experienced leadership team has consistently achieved growth since 2005. Task 3 Job roles Employees working for any organisation are enlisted to perform a specific role. These roles vary depending on the individuals skills and experiences, as listed below: The task or activity The amount of responsibility The job security The decision they have to make The payment they get The skills, knowledge and qualities they have There are four main types of job roles in a business: Directors: they are responsible for the overall direction of the business Managers: They are responsible for one area of the business for example marketing area Supervisors or team leaders: Has the responsibility to look after a team Staff: They are responsible for carrying out basic functions of the business If you look at an organization chart you will see that the person with the most authority is at the top. Individuals with the least amount of authority are placed at the bottom of the hierarchy; this is often referred to as the chain of command. Specific job roles and their responsibilities Directors The Directors typically create the business plans. Directors sit on the board because they have specialist expertise in a particular line of business, or because they have generalist experience, or sometimes more importantly, good contacts. The Managing director The Managing Director is the figurehead of the organisation. Managers have the job of organising and controlling resources. For example at Mcdonalds the managing director will have to look at the applications that come in and decide who to employ and who not. Senior managers Senior Managers make top level decisions concerning operational strategies. These decisions require detailed analysis and skilled judgement. Middle managers Middle Managers organise and control the resource of an organisation within established guidelines. Junior/supervisory management Junior/supervisory management is usually concerned with short-term supervisory activities making sure the operations are carried out in a nice smooth process and all resources is in place for it to happen. Supervisors Supervisors are quite often the backbone of the organisation. They are people who know how things should be done at ground level. They work with managers to put plans into action at operational level. They manage day-to-day resources including the supervision of staff. Operatives Operatives are at the ground level but their work is still very important. It needs to be carried out with care and precision. E.g. In a supermarket the operatives would be the shelf stackers, checkout operatives and etc Employees Personal attributes and how they affect the business The reason why personal attributes are important to the employee and the business is: Personal presentation: includes the individuals physical presentation, personal hygiene, and presentational skills. In addition to this, communication and ability to work with others are essential requirements for many jobs. It is important for the business because if they have staffs that are taking care about his personal presentation it will make the business look good and also the customers will feel comfortable talking with the staff. For example a customer service advisor must have good personal presentation skills as well as being a good communicator. These types of skills vary depending on the role, the position of the role and the skills of the individual and positive approaches increase on the business sales ultimately. And if they are not smart in these areas the business may even loose customers on that bases resulting in loss of business. Verbal communication skills: these skills are essential to any individual working in customer service, in contact with clients and partners. Having good verbal communicational skills means that the individual has the ability to make him/herself clear and has the ability to coherently vocalise their message. This is important for the employee so that if a customer asks him about information, he will able to answer so the customer understands them and it is also important to the business so that the customer can give good customer feedback. Following instructions: This element is essential to any role which an individual may apply for. It is natural to follow the hierarchal order, even if taking orders may be the case as stated in the individuals employment contract. It is the employers right to take any grievance, disciplinary action against the staff member if she/he refuses to complete a task stated on their contact as this has been agreed both contractually and verbally at the beginning of the employees contract. For example, if every member of staff does not follow what has been asked from them, the business could lose out on precious time and money. Conclusion Organisation Structure is a key element in the running of a business as it applies to both the employers and its employees. Its importance also lies in that it gives a clear indication of how information can be shared or passed down within the organisation; in order for this happen there must be a link of communication between the senders and receivers. This is achieved by communication flowing up or down the hierarchy. Having an organisational chart makes this process easier as it clearly shows the hierarchy within the organisation, so that communication can be made more effective as the sender/receiver will be able to control their own communicational methods thus avoiding confusion. This enables the business to make communication more convenient and effective for all staff thus allowing departments to inter-liaise and continue information sharing in an effective manner. These are just a few of the benefits an organisation chart has on the business. On the other hand, Organisational culture has been defined by Afsaneh Nahavandi as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. set of beliefs, customs, practices and ways of thinking that they have come to share with each other through being and working together. Culture varies greatly between organisations and some business can be warm and friendly whereas some can be hard and unfriendly. And this is proved over and over again by looking at some of the above case studys and how it this can affect the performance of the business itself. Finally we looked into various job roles within any business and their significance. And we also looked into various personnel attributes of an employee and their significance to the employee himself/herself and their employer too. One of those simple example being If an employee not bother about his personal development then: The employer will not be able to help employee to plan his or her career. The employer will not be able to assess future potential or suitability for promotion. The employer will not be able to identify training and development requirements for that employee. The employer will not be able to assist the employee to create a personal development plan for the next period and set key targets for achievement.

Critique of One Flew Over the Cuckoo?s Nest :: essays research papers

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is hilarious and very enjoyable. It deals with several men patients in a psychiatric ward in Oregon. The majority of the play is extremely funny, however, it does have its serious moments. Its themes and ideas are clearly shown, which may help the viewer in relating it to his/her own life. The actors and actresses did a great job depicting their characters. One of the main characters was Chief Bromden, played by Cliff Williams. He not only a main character, but also the narrator of the play. The actor played him very well because the features of the actor were the same as the character in the play. He was tall and dark, resembling an Indian which chief Bromben really was. He is very paranoid as he tells the story of his life and sanity. He is also constantly being bullied by the assistants that work in the ward. They think he is deaf and dumb; however, he really is not. Towards the end of the play, he becomes stronger and is able to escape from the ward. Another important character is Randle McMurphy, played by Aren Chaisson III. He is loud, obnoxious, rude, and not afraid to tell the entire truth. He also tends to make sexual and degrading comments to women. Throughout the play he tries to make Nurse Ratched lose her temper. He even has a bet going with the rest of the men in the ward as to when she will lose it. The actor truly portrayed McMurphy well. He was loud and annoying. His appearance also seemed like what McMurphy’s probably was. The actor also made it clear to the audience that McMurphy is not actually crazy. Stacy Searle played Nurse Ratched, a very stern and army-like nurse. She appears very cold when she comes into the play, however, she softens up when the rest of the patients come out. She is very controlling and demanding. The actress that played her did a very good job. She was stern and mean, with a soft side too. She also physically looked the part. She was big- boned and big-chested. She had many characteristics of someone in the army. The set/setting was all around what I expected. It represented the play very well. Whenever Chief Bromben would speak to himself, the fog would come out with a red light. This showed that he was thinking to himself.

Creative Writing – My Baby

I was walking in the thick white snow, my cheeks pale pink, and my eyes wet, from the cold, razor-sharp wind that seemed to blow across my face. My hands in my pocket, and my head down prevented me from seeing my way, so I raised my head. All of a sudden, my eyes met his across the street; he was tall, with sea blue eyes and long strawberry blond hair, which made him look ugly. But his eyes distracted me from seeing his flaws. His small white teeth showing in a smile, when he returned my stare. I was warm; my cheeks grew bright red, my eyes flooded with admiration for his looks. â€Å"Was it love or lust†? I thought as, I continued to stare at him. He was so kind, loving and caring, with a great personality that always made me smile, while I slept. He constantly made me feel good, and I loved him so much; that I could stay awake just to hear him breathing. Due to the fact that we were so young, we couldn't consummate our love for one another. I was 17, and he was 18, when we both decided that we should take our love to the next level. We wanted it to be special, so we could treasure the moment for the rest of our lives, therefore we lied to our parents about where we were going. We stayed in a cottage, which had a fire place. We made love in front of the fire place. The fire made our body, so hot, and sweaty. I smiled, keeping the pleasure from showing in my eyes. I wish could spend the rest of my life in this sweet surrender. After we made love I felt, like I have never felt before; I was far away dreaming, I was in ecstasy. The art of making love was new to me, but was exhilarating. Satisfaction drowned my body. Our body became one; and we shared deep love and feelings. I have no recollection of being this happy before, but we made one mistake. We forgot to use protection-condom. At school we were never taught sex education. Anytime I asked my mum, about sex she would make me wash my mouth out with soap, then take me to church and tell the priest he should pray for me, because I was turning to sin. I always laughed when she did it. So I did it often just to watch her reaction. Three months later I found out I was pregnant. I knew I was pregnant because I had missed my period for three months; also I got fat, and had morning sickness. I did not tell the father that I was pregnant. I didn't want to, he wouldn't have stayed anyway. But every moment I spent with him I treasured. I didn't want to have the baby, I was too young. I thought of many ways of getting rid of the baby with out killing it. I didn't know what to do, or who to tell. It was too much for me to handle. So I decided to tell my mum. Telling my mum was the worst. When I told, her normally blue-gray eyes grew green with hatred. Then her lips tightened against her reply â€Å"ok darling†. She did not shout, scream nor sob. I felt as if in her reply there was a plan. Six months later. I was ready to give birth. I preferred making the baby, than  giving birth to it, as I dreamt far away of the night it happened. It was as if my scream of pain, triggered the baby. My baby was born; he was small, and breathtaking. My breath was taken away when my mum said â€Å"you can't keep him†. There was no way I could speak; my voice had gone with shock. She took my baby away from me. I turned away so she could not see the expressions in my eyes. It took a moment for the shock-wave of pain to travel down my body, to my brain. The agony was so intense that a scream involuntarily tore its way from my throat. I hated her for what she did. My mum and I lived in silence, in a house where the love had been stolen. Although I stayed to take care of her, because she was ill with Alzheimer. Since my baby was gone I had no love to give, I had put a brick wall around my heart, which was guarded by my hatred for the world. At home in the sitting room drinking my daily caffeine shot, while watching DR PHIL, and my mum rambling incoherent words to the T.V. The phone called for me. The voice came through the telephone, echoing through a corridor 12 months long. â€Å"We have an address†, said the voice on the phone, my heart started to beat loud; it got so loud it made the voice the inaudible. 314 maple road, Leicester, could be where  my son lives.  I hesitated when I got to the door. I didn't want to ruin his happiness, in his new  life. â€Å"But my happiness has already been ruined,† I said selfishly. My finger trembled as  I rang the bell twice. A little boy answered the door. Many questions argued in my mind all at once; could he be my son? Could this be my baby? I felt happy when he spoke; â€Å"hello â€Å"said the soft voice. I could stay lost in this moment forever.

Jfk Cuban Missile Crisis Essay

The speech made people aware that action was being taken to prevent any unexpected attacks and that every aspect of the crisis was being looked into. The speech itself upset many Americans and put them into a state of fear, but it also reassured them that Kennedy was aware and ready to take control to protect his country. Kennedy’s impact on the United States was not as remembered for what he did, but more for what he could have done. This particular speech helps illustrate the greater aspects of American history and shows why we are still a united nation. The Kennedy family had a passion for success. The public attention and fame that the family possessed came from â€Å"personal wealth and politics. † (Gale, 1994. Biography In Context) John Kennedy’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy, was ambassador of the United States and the United Kingdom. His wife, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, was an American philanthropist. The couple had nine children together, John F. Kennedy being the second oldest son. He was born on May 29, 1917. His father put a great deal of his faith into his first born, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. , his goal being to make him president of the United States. With the family’s competitive nature, this caused a lot of rivalry between the two brothers. This issue followed them into their adult lives where â€Å"Jack,† as John was called, and his older brother both went to Choate and Harvard. Kennedy had not had a set plan for pursuing a career, but he was â€Å"certain of eventual American involvement in the expanding war. † (Gale, 1994. Biography In Context) He was assigned to Naval Intelligence in Washington when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He was reassigned to sea duty on PT boats. On August 2, 1943, after a Japanese destroyer crashed into Kennedy’s PT-109, he was declared a â€Å"hero† by The New York Times for rescuing the surviving crew members. This story was circulated in each of Kennedy’s campaigns helping him move up as a politician. A year later his older brother, Joseph was killed while on a dangerous volunteer mission in Europe. He died instantly do to the explosion of an aircraft carrying dynamite. Kennedy’s political career really started up around this time because of his feelings of an â€Å"unnamed responsibility† to his parents, brothers, and sisters. In 1946, his father felt it was necessary to have John Kennedy take his brothers place and run for the same seat in Congress John’s grandfather â€Å"Honey Fitz† held nearly five decades earlier. (Gale, 1994. Biography In Context) Kennedy went into politics with no plan or philosophy. Even without direction in his campaign he still did win. People looked at him indifferently due to the fact that he wasn’t very involved in the debates. His health started depleting and it was obvious to the public that he was suffering from illness. He was diagnosed with Addison’s disease in 1947. It is a disease that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones. He was then given only a few years to live, but when he started his cortisone treatments in 1950, his health improved along with his spirits. In the 1960 Presidential election, Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon by 12,000 votes. Kennedy began his presidency with grace and huge expectations for the nation. His inaugural speech focused on what America’s role was with the rest of the world and his obligations as â€Å"Leader of the Free World. † The Cuban Missile Crisis came about when Premier Nikita Khrushchev announced that Soviets plan to support â€Å"wars of national liberation† against noncommunist regimes around the globe. Kennedy sharpened the American military’s watch on communist rebellion against the government. In April, 1961 he authorized a CIA plan to invade Cuba. The invasion failed horribly at the Bay of Pigs and the U. S. was on the edge of war when President Kennedy confronted Khrushchev about the presence of missile sites in Cuba. After two weeks they had reached a compromise: Soviets would withdraw their missiles in Cuba and the U. S. would withdraw its missiles in Turkey. The Cuban Missile Crisis speech was given on October 22, 1962 at the White House. It addressed our nation’s allies and enemies along with all American citizens. Kennedy used logos, pathos, and ethos in his address. He used logos by stating â€Å"unmistakable evidence that a series of offensive missile sites are in preparation. He let everybody know that the evidence was proven true and that no lies are coming from the address.

The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home Essay Essays

The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home Essay Essays The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home Essay Paper The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home Essay Paper In Daniel Weintraub article â€Å"The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home† argues about childhood fleshiness get downing in the house and how its a deficiency of duty from the parents. Weintraub writes. â€Å"Parents. non province authoritiess. are in the best place to contend the epidemic† ( par 2 ) . He besides argues that in our universe right now childs doesn’t do anything but sit about at the house and play video games alternatively of acquiring up and exerting outside. Parents need to take more duty for child fleshiness but schools and fast nutrient companies besides need to take that same responsible function for the childs. It is the function of the parents to transfuse good feeding wonts and to function as function theoretical accounts for their kids. If the child has no medical ground for deriving weight so it seems acceptable to fault the parents. In the first topographic point. the parents are the 1s who buy the fast nutrient for their kids ; parents are the 1s who provide them with the money to purchase unhealthy bites. Fast nutrient is afordable point being able to upsize a repast for a really minimum fee has made many our childs happy. Good healthful nutrients cost more money and take more clip to fix for that ground. In our fast nutrient society. it is frequently much easier to drive through a McDonald’s than it is to cook a repast and eat it. Parents without tonss of money will acquire a whole repast instead than few veggies from the market for the same monetary value. Fast nutrient repasts are non merely convenient. they are frequently really inexpensive. The fact that fast nutrient is inexpensive and speedy is no comparing. Parents have a batch of influence on their kids from the twenty-four hours they child is born. Parents teach Children how to speak. how to esteem their seniors and they besides should larn healthy eating A ; exerting wonts. It does non take to much to state a kid â€Å"no† . really. doing bounds is good at times. How can you learn a child how to eat healthy if the lone illustration that he sees is how to gorge? . The manner kids eat is the chief cause of childhood fleshiness. Small alterations in their diets can hold big consequences in the hereafter forestalling them of fleshiness. A parent could do certain that they child is having Healthy picks including fruits and veggies alternatively of sugary bites. A good pick is carrots. apples. and even salads with a assortment of veggies and can extinguish sodium carbonate from the house and even extinguish all debris Food from the house like french friess and confect. We learn and feed off from their determinations. doing us who w e are today. Harmonizing to Weintraub. â€Å"it’s the mistake of the parents who let their childs eat unhealthy nutrient and sit in forepart of the telecasting of computing machine for hours at a time† ( par 4 ) . Weintraub’s point is that kids are influenced by their parents because they the 1s lived with them about all their life. Childs are influenced in good ways but largely on bad wonts that their parents learn them. Parents need to pattern how to exert every bit good as involve their kids in physical activities. Weintraub’s provinces. â€Å"we bound telecasting clip and promote our male childs to acquire out of the house. either to take part in organized athleticss or to sit their motorcycles. skateboard or roller blades† ( par 15 ) . Weintraub stats that the parents need to acquire of that couch and and make more of their hereafter of the childs. Peoples believe that the incrimination is in the fast nutrient industry. it is true that advertisement plants. but it does non if one as the parent takes duty over your kids activities. Childs do non hold the right yet to take their life manner if they little. The parents choose it for them. Parents should truly Prosecute them in physical activities outside of the place. Obesity will be less in the united provinces if everyone Ate wellness and exercising like they suppose to make. Peoples might reason that there are individual parents who do non hold the clip to take their kids to outdoor activities because they have to work long displacements. or they have two occupations. but there are free resources that those parents can take advantage of. Schools have after schools plans in which it is involve physical activity and there can be community centres near by that can offer free physical activities plans that your child can travel to. Attitudes. wonts and beliefs about nutrient choice and how to pass household clip are large factors to organizing a healthy relationship with nutrient. Exercise. place made repasts. and natural nutrients will be the lone manner to battle the lifting toll that fast nutrient is taking over American children’s. Childhood fleshiness depends on parental counsel. yet the fast nutrient industry splits the blameworthiness of childs acquiring overweight. The nutrient industry overall could make more to restrict kids exposure to nutrient that are unhealthy. There are fast nutrient eating houses around every corner. and the childs have easy entree to nosh nutrient s full of concentrated fats and sugars in their schools. Fast nutrient ironss should restrict the attraction for childs and have the Calorie booklet on every repast of their bill of fare. Corpulent parents are more likely to hold corpulent kids. The ground for this is because corpulent parents likely pass down their hapless wonts to their kids. When we combine the deficiency of exerting and the hapless picks in nutrient there is high opportunity that childhood fleshiness will stop up doing a job for kids. As parents you should take healthier bill of fare in eating houses. do eating gratifying and healthy by fixing nutrient together as a household. Fast nutrient should be limited and reserved for particular occasions. Get childs traveling ; acquire them out-of-doorss so they can bask holding some exercising and be fit for life.

Tourism Development in China

Tourism Development in China Tourism is a burgeoning industry in China. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 57.6 million foreign visitors entered the country in 2011, generating over $40 billion dollars in revenue. China is now the third most visited country in the world, behind only France and the United States. However, unlike many other developed economies, tourism is still considered a relatively new phenomenon in China. As the country industrializes, tourism will become one of its primary and fastest growing economic sectors. Based on current UNWTO forecasts, China is expected to become the worlds most visited country by 2020. History of Tourism Development in China Shortly after the Chairmans death, Chinas most famous economic reformist, Deng Xiaoping, opened up the Middle Kingdom to outsiders. Contrary to Maoist ideology, Deng saw the monetary potential in tourism and began to promote it intensely. China quickly developed its own travel industry. Major hospitality and transportation facilities were constructed or renovated. New jobs such as service personnel and professional guides were created, and a National Tourism Association was established. Foreign visitors quickly flocked to this once forbidden destination. In 1978, an estimated 1.8 million tourists entered the country, with the majority coming from neighboring British Hong Kong, Portuguese Macau, and Taiwan. By 2000, China welcomed over 10 million new overseas visitors, excluding the aforementioned three locations. Tourists from Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States comprised the largest share of that inbound population. During the 1990s, the Chinese central government also issued several policies to encourage the Chinese to travel domestically, as a means of stimulating consumption. In 1999, over 700 million trips were made by domestic tourists. Outbound tourism by Chinese citizens recently become popular, as well. This is due to a rise in the Chinese middle-class. The pressure presented by this new class of citizens with disposable income has caused the government to ease international travel restrictions greatly. By the end of 1999, fourteen countries, mainly in Southeast and East Asia, were made designated overseas destinations for Chinese residents. Today, over a hundred countries have made it onto Chinas approved destination list, including the United States and many European countries. Since the reform, Chinas tourism industry has registered consistent growth year-after-year. The only period in which the country experienced a decline in inbound numbers are the months following the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. The brutal military crackdown of peaceful pro-democracy protestors painted a poor image of the Peoples Republic to the international community. Many travelers ended up avoiding China based on fear and personal morals. Tourism Development in Modern China When China joined the WTO in 2001, travel restrictions in the country were relaxed further. The WTO reduced formalities and barriers for cross-border travelers, and global competition helped cut costs. These changes additionally enhanced Chinas position as a country for financial investment and international business. The rapidly developing business environment has helped the tourism industry prosper. Many businessmen and entrepreneurs often visit popular sites while on their business trips. Some economists also believe the Olympic Games fostered an increase in tourism numbers due to worldwide exposure. The Beijing Games not only put The Birds Nest and Water Cube on center stage but some of Beijings most incredible wonders were displayed as well. Moreover, the opening and closing ceremonies showcased to the world Chinas rich culture and history. Shortly after the conclusion of the games, Beijing held a Tourism Industry Development Conference to present new plans to boost profits by riding the games momentum. At the conference, a multi-year plan was set in place to increase the number of inbound tourists by seven percent. To realize this goal, the government plan on taking a series of measures, including stepping up tourism promotion, develop more leisure facilities, and reduce air pollution. A total of 83 leisure tourism projects were presented to potential investors. These projects and goals, along with the countrys continued modernization will undoubtedly set the touri sm industry on a path of continuous growth into the foreseeable future. Tourism in China has received a major expansion since the days under Chairman Mao. It is no longer uncommon to see the country on the cover of a Lonely Planet or Frommers. Travel memoirs about the Middle Kingdom are on bookstore shelves everywhere, and travelers from all over are now able to share a personal photo of their Asian adventures with the world. It is not surprising that the tourism industry would thrive so well in China. The country is filled with endless wonders. From the Great Wall to the Terracotta Army, and from sprawling mountain valleys to neon metropolises, there is something here for everyone. Forty years ago, no one could have ever predicted how much wealth this country was capable of generating. Chairman Mao certainly didnt see it. And he definitely did not foresee the irony that preceded his death. It is amusing how the man who detested tourism would one day become a tourist attraction, as a preserved body on display for capitalistic gains. References Wen, Julie. Tourism and Chinas Development: Policies, Regional Economic Growth and Ecotourism. River Edge, NJ: World Scientific Publishing Co. 2001.

Philosophy Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy Ethics - Essay Example Somehow, some acts are universally taken as condemnable, and people collectively abhor the corrupt behavior, and look down the people observing the same. I came across the moral corruption of some people belonging to the Middle East, where they secretly practice same sex relationships without displaying slightest tolerance for it publicly. Being one of the most religious regions of the entire globe, the Middle East maintains the reputation of the area f the fundamentalists, due to the very fact that the followers of three major faiths including Jews, Christians and Muslims reside there. The teachings of all these faiths vehemently condemn homosexuality, as it is completely prohibited according to these faiths. The Middle East states have introduced severe punishments and penalties on finding homosexual acts, and even announce capital punishment to the offenders. During my stay in Kuwait, I came to know the very reality that the Kuwaitis have imposed strict rules related to veil for women. Consequently, mixing of genders at public or private gatherings and functions are not allowed. Even the families of native people do not develop family terms and relationships between themselves. They pretend to be chaste and pious, which do not enter into social contacts with women, and thus sexual relations with them and adultery has no concern with their culture. They criticize the western societies for practicing adultery and fornication at massive scale, and thus have completely ignored the moral values and ethics from their very life. They blame the Europeans for introducing very favorable rules and laws to the people in respect of getting involved into immoral extra marital activities, which do not have any association with the Christian faith. The Arabs also maintain serious reservations about gay rights prevailing in the USA, Europe and other

Human Rights and Oil Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Rights and Oil Companies - Essay Example According to Kalu and Ngozi (19-38), the Niger Delta in Nigeria has been the center of focus of environmentalist, human rights promoters and fair trade unionists across the globe. The trial and execution of radical environmentalist Ken-Saro-Wiwa and eight other cohorts of the Ogoni ethnic minority made universal headlines. The then non-violent protests of the Ogoni people make world-attention too. The activities of large oil firms such like Shell Elf, Agip and Mobil, amid others have caused many worries and backlash.   A sequence of exploitive and fraudulent government in Nigeria have been endorsed and sustained by western administrations and oil companies, attentive on gaining from the fossils fuels that can be exploited.   As individuals and transitional oil companies have been dueling over this â€Å"black gold† in the delta region, massive poverty and ecological devastation have amounted.   The Ogoni, Ijaw among other communities in the Niger Delta, those who have be en adversely affected for decades attempting to fight for themselves, their ecological and their central human and economic rights.   The Nigerian administrations and oil corporations have reacted by cruelly silencing the dissenting voices.   According to the Human Rights Watchdog, international oil corporations are normally linked to the violations committed by the Nigerian military and police.   There have been many explicit instances of company motivations in the .Nigerian military suppressing the dissenters. The military have been blamed of thousands of killings, deliberate house/village burnings, torture, and menacing people, amid others. From Royal Dutch’s involvement in the murder of Ken-Saro-Wiwa to Chevron emblazoned choppers ferrying Nigerian military that opened fire on protestors, the activities have been dealing with the situation Should Nigeria reform its legal framework to the sustainable environmental conservation and human rights protection? The Crude Oil petroleum from the Niger Delta accounts for than 85 percent of the whole exports and foreign exchange of the Nigeria state. On the other hand, the oil commerce in the Niger delta has been marked with destruction, human rights violations and anxiety to the majority of the people in the oil-rich

An Ethical Leader's Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An Ethical Leader's Response paper - Essay Example The Utilitarian Approach was pioneered by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill in the 19th century, according to their approach ethical decisions are the ones that provided the greatest balance of good over evil. Following this approach, individuals or specifically managers or leaders at work goes step by step; they first organize their thoughts by making out the different courses of actions that are available to them and then raise questions themselves about which actions or alternatives selected will result in the greatest good and the least negative consequences to the parties at stake. The ethical action is one that provides the greatest good for the greatest number1. The Rights Approach; Immanuel Kant proposed this approach and suggested that people are free to do as they wish; it tells about their right to choose for themselves and not being forced by others in direction which is against their wishes and if this happens it will be a clear cut violation of the human dignity. Some of these basic rights include the right to privacy, truth, the right not to agree, the right of not being injured etc. When making decision using this approach managers or leaders should ask them whether anyone's rights are being hurt to make sure that rights of all are respected. The Fairness or the Justice Approach was initiated by the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. This use of this approach makes sure that decisions made are not discriminatory or biased in any way. In fact, the question is whether they treat every one equally. The favoritism and discrimination are seen as unjust and thus any decision taken on such grounds are not at all justifiable. The Common Good Approach unlike the rights approach looks for the benefit for the society or the community as a whole; from this approach emerges the concept of institutions and policies that favor the society as a whole rather than individuals in particular. The Virtue Approach leads to creations of ideals and role models who should be followed. These ideals represent the people we want to become. Virtues are the characteristics of a personality that leads one to act or behave in a certain manner. An individual when making decision though is affected by the approach he follows, but there are certain factors that influence the decision making; these factors include individual differences, situational factors and lastly the issue related factors2. Personal factors influence one's ability to make judgments and also differs in respect to how much a person is sensitive to a particular issue at hand. One's cognitive moral development affects the personal factors; it depends on which stage of moral development a person is in. There are three stages of cognitive moral development- the pre conventional, conventional and the principled level. At the pre-conventional level, which is the lowest level an individual is affected most by the societal responses that the decision will foresee, the degree of ethical involvement is determined by the desire to avoid the punishment or to receive any reward. At the intermediate level that is the conventional level, the concern for society is increas ed and decisions are made on the basis how they will affect others. At the last, the principled level, a person has already developed strong moral and ethical standards that have been shaped over the years and then selects from the approaches that we

Environmental law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Environmental law - Essay Example Along with the passing of an enabling statute, there is also the power to investigate violations of rules and judicial power to adjudicate disputes an agency may have with individuals or businesses (Kubasek & Silverman, 2000). Administrative agencies have three ways of making rules: informal, formal and hybrid ones – all governed by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). In informal rule making, an agency starts the process by publishing the proposed law in the Federal Register, together with a justification of the legal power for issuing the law. It also describes how people can be part of the rule making procedure, and invites those interested in submitting written comments. The agency then evaluates the comments and publishes the adopted law in the Federal Register. It bears a statement of its purpose and the date it becomes effective. Formal rule making occurs when an enabling statute stipulates that all regulations be passed by an agency as part of a formal inquiry process that includes an official transcript. The process starts in the same way as the informal one. However, it also includes a public hearing where witnesses give testimonies on advantages and disadvantages of the proposed law. A transcript of the hearing is maintained. An adopted law based on the received information is then published. Hybrid rule making combines the best features of informal and formal rule making in an attempt to minimize their flaws. It starts with publishing the proposed law in the Federal Register followed by informal public hearings and a restricted cross examination of witnesses. The adopted laws are then published. Administrative agencies have had a positive impact on local living environments. For instance, the EPA sets rules limiting the level of hazardous air pollutants an industry may emit into the atmosphere (Kubasek & Silverman,

Movie review Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare Assignment - 1

Movie review Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare - Assignment Example I do not like the way characters in the film appear half naked during house parties. The film portrays a life pursuit of pleasure, such as drinking, dancing and making love that to some extent becomes immoral (Canby). Benedict and Beatrice are in a funny and sarcastic relationship that makes the film more appealing. Benedict himself is a funny character in the way he acts in the film. His humor is mainly found in act 2 scenes 3, especially when he falls with a chair after overhearing Don Pedro, leonate and Claudio saying that Beatrice is in love with him. I would recommend this film to adults because it is funny and involve issues that only adults can comprehend such as love affairs, sex and marriage (Canby). I have decided to examine Don John as one of the characters in the film. There are a lot of similarities in the way Don John is portrayed in the text and in the film. In the act 2, scene 1 of the film, Don John is portrayed as a jealous man (Canby). He does not like Claudio for being in relationship with the Hero. He is also jealous of Don Pedro, his half-brother, for being Claudio’s ‘wingman’ in his relationship with the Hero. Similarly, Don John is portrayed in the text as being jealous that makes him villain to an extent of breaking the relationship between Claudio and hero. The film portrays Don John as being villainy especially through his actions and the way he dresses. During the mask part held in a Tuscan villa, Don John is portrayed wearing a red evil mask implying that he is evil in his actions. However, the final scene of the film portrays how Don John gets low props after being arrested for attempts to break the relationship between Claudio and Hero (Canby). The film has applied the quality of motion in act 2, Scene 3. The camera moves to cover a wide area of the Leonato’s garden. It brings a sensual appeal to the audience and simultaneously communicates the

The challenges of repaying a student loan Essay

The challenges of repaying a student loan - Essay Example As serious as this information may look, these account still falls short in many ways and may not be a true representation of the present problem. Such is the case that Data collected and reported on student loan repayment cannot paint the right picture of the debt’s effects on economy (Suze Ormans). For instance, let’s consider the data showing how many people are presently struggling with payment of their student loans. Presently such statistic is measured by mere prediction, a factor that openly shows how students struggle with loan repayment. Based on the information gathered till this point, it is obvious that much attention on loan repayment burden is needed. This may be explained basing on the following reasons. To begin with, more students today are borrowing large sums of money for their collage than before. Close to 2/3 of baccalaureate recipients today graduate with loan burden and their burden has greatly risen in the past decade on account of inflation. It is true that borrowing will always increase even with a gradual rise in tuition level. Second, borrower’s payment rate is continually rising as interest rates increase. A good example is the federal consolidation loan availed in 2004-05. This loan earned interest at a rate of 3% or even below for some students, a factor that reprieved many borrowers known to be struggling with paying back. Borrowers today have no such privileges; instead, a 6.8% interest rate was introduced on federal student loans. This change meant that the loan repayment would take 10 years and earn 20% more compared to previous years (Dept. of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, pg 45). Additionally, this change meant that some students would be left out because of the aggregate loan restrictions in the loan programs offered by federal government leaving them with no other option but to borrow the expensive private loans. The third reason closely relates to

Environmental law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Environmental law - Essay Example Along with the passing of an enabling statute, there is also the power to investigate violations of rules and judicial power to adjudicate disputes an agency may have with individuals or businesses (Kubasek & Silverman, 2000). Administrative agencies have three ways of making rules: informal, formal and hybrid ones – all governed by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). In informal rule making, an agency starts the process by publishing the proposed law in the Federal Register, together with a justification of the legal power for issuing the law. It also describes how people can be part of the rule making procedure, and invites those interested in submitting written comments. The agency then evaluates the comments and publishes the adopted law in the Federal Register. It bears a statement of its purpose and the date it becomes effective. Formal rule making occurs when an enabling statute stipulates that all regulations be passed by an agency as part of a formal inquiry process that includes an official transcript. The process starts in the same way as the informal one. However, it also includes a public hearing where witnesses give testimonies on advantages and disadvantages of the proposed law. A transcript of the hearing is maintained. An adopted law based on the received information is then published. Hybrid rule making combines the best features of informal and formal rule making in an attempt to minimize their flaws. It starts with publishing the proposed law in the Federal Register followed by informal public hearings and a restricted cross examination of witnesses. The adopted laws are then published. Administrative agencies have had a positive impact on local living environments. For instance, the EPA sets rules limiting the level of hazardous air pollutants an industry may emit into the atmosphere (Kubasek & Silverman,

The challenges of repaying a student loan Essay

The challenges of repaying a student loan - Essay Example As serious as this information may look, these account still falls short in many ways and may not be a true representation of the present problem. Such is the case that Data collected and reported on student loan repayment cannot paint the right picture of the debt’s effects on economy (Suze Ormans). For instance, let’s consider the data showing how many people are presently struggling with payment of their student loans. Presently such statistic is measured by mere prediction, a factor that openly shows how students struggle with loan repayment. Based on the information gathered till this point, it is obvious that much attention on loan repayment burden is needed. This may be explained basing on the following reasons. To begin with, more students today are borrowing large sums of money for their collage than before. Close to 2/3 of baccalaureate recipients today graduate with loan burden and their burden has greatly risen in the past decade on account of inflation. It is true that borrowing will always increase even with a gradual rise in tuition level. Second, borrower’s payment rate is continually rising as interest rates increase. A good example is the federal consolidation loan availed in 2004-05. This loan earned interest at a rate of 3% or even below for some students, a factor that reprieved many borrowers known to be struggling with paying back. Borrowers today have no such privileges; instead, a 6.8% interest rate was introduced on federal student loans. This change meant that the loan repayment would take 10 years and earn 20% more compared to previous years (Dept. of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, pg 45). Additionally, this change meant that some students would be left out because of the aggregate loan restrictions in the loan programs offered by federal government leaving them with no other option but to borrow the expensive private loans. The third reason closely relates to

What Music Can Teach Us About Unity Essay Example for Free

What Music Can Teach Us About Unity Essay Music teaches you how to live, it makes you feel emotions, and explains things and situations. Music can motivate, encourage, and energize. Music holds a powerful position. Music can travel across country borders, barbed wire, and conflict. Music cannot be beaten, stolen, jailed, insulted. Music is not one person’s claim; no one can own music. Music can be interpreted according to you; theres no right or wrong way. Music is a language that can be understood universally without translation. In times of need and sadness music has the ability to unite people across cultures. Musicians are given the power to use their music as a bridge to change and social advocacy. After World War II there was a period of time of unparalleled energy. African American soldiers had returned from war and demanded equal rights. Numerous ways of resisting racial segregation and discrimination included civil disobedience, protests, boycotts, and marches. The people who would fight for their American freedom did so without a weapon to kill or the urge to kill. They had one means of protection, however, music. With a strong mind, a song in their heart, a want to be free, they sang through the thickness. Music was a fundamental part of the Civil Rights Movement. Music had given them courage. When non-violent protestors came together they faced beatings, fire hoses, shootings, and jail. They didn’t have any source of protection other than the strength they gained from music. People that went through these trying times , â€Å"sang, in order to uplift their spirits and keep their minds focused on what they were trying to achieve.† (45, Hast) Not only can music cause unity to fight for a cause but it can also bring people together to help out others. On January 12, 2010 Haiti suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. There were 316,000 lives lost (Archibold). Musicians came together in order to create â€Å"We Are the World 25 for Haiti† a remake the 1985 recording for Africa. Within three days of releasing the song had sold over 267,000 downloads. People came together to purchase a song that was created by over eighty musicians (Who). The money was put forward to help with the aid and restoration of a country that did not have enough  resources to care for all of it’s people. The creation of one song brought together the globe in order to raise awareness. In history, sometimes, two opposing sides have been known to come together in peace. Granted, not often in song, but it can happen. In 1914, World War I launched the first substantial European war of the 20th century. Soldiers were told they would have a victory by Christmas but it was a false hope as it lasted for four years.On Christmas Eve of 1914 the British saw the Germans lighting candles and holding small Christmas trees. The message was clear: the Germans, who celebrated Christmas on December 24, were giving holiday greetings to the opposing side. â€Å"And then they sang ‘Silent Night’ ‘Stille Nacht.’†(Vinciguerra) Both sides laid down their weapons and joined in the middle. There was an undeclared truce. Even though the war resumed on December 26th there was still a welcomed pause. One song, a holiday necessity, had shown unity between two opposing sides. Gifts were traded and hands were shaken. A song had stopped a war. Unity is a condition of harmony. When people unite they come together for a common purpose. Unity is friendship, family, alliances. It is being undivided; standing together in both positive times and harsh times. It is multiple parts working together to create one great system. Unity is when people work better together than divided. Every second period of junior year, I would walk to the far side of Oakcrest High School and enter band class. I would pull out my beaten case and construct my alto saxophone for the one-thousand-three-hundred-and-twenty-second time. Second row up in front of Mr. Schwartz is where you can find me hidden behind a music stand. On that stand would be a foreign language; just dots mottled on the pages. I know how to decode that language. I can play that language in three different dialects: saxophone, piano, and clarinet. But, that isn’t the impressive part. When everyone would calm down, when the drummers ceased banging on snare drums, when trumpets stopped running their scales we would start. We didn’t just play our instruments. The clarinets begin with melody playing soft runs and mallet percussion help them reach their goal of measure eight.  There, trumpets begin a fanfare that could be played at a royal procession. All of the instruments meet up at measure twenty-five with melodies and harmonies with the bass drum matching with our ecstatic heartbeats. Music can not be achieved without unity. Even soloists, just one body and one instrument, can create unity through phrasing and technique. But, with a band it is much greater than that. A band cannot succeed if every member plays at 95%. Everyone must play everything correct or the piece falls apart. It is easy to depend on one person, but when there is forty people is when trust really takes place. A band becomes a well oiled machine with numerous parts creating one large system of beauty, defiance, and majesty all in one composition. Music can teach us about unity. This is vital because unity is something that keeps the world functioning. Whether it is a school ensemble, a youth group, a sports team, a business, or a government unity needs to be practiced. Everyone must be able to be on the same path to reach the same goals. The question may be asked, why if unity is so important that it is absent in so many teams? We see teams of all sorts as being dysfunctional. This is because it isn’t simple to be unified. There are always going to be obstacles and negative forces getting in the way of perfect unity. That is why we must look at what music can teach us. It shows the hours of sitting at home with song recordings and sheet music trying to form that perfect sound. It shows the hours of rehearsals where the band director formulates how to make the trombones and the baritone saxaphone play together in perfect harmony. If we can look at the unity of Lynyrd Skynyrd in â€Å"Freebird† or Led Zeppelin in â€Å"Stairway to Heaven† or Metallica in â€Å"Nothing Else Matters† we can learn from them. Maybe we could fix some things. When it is noticed that musicians can realize that without practice and pacifism towards others in band can truly accomplish things. It is hard to relate music to government but if the government could see what musicians can accomplish maybe they could accomplish more. Government is vital and there needs to be compromises, however, so much time is put into just winning the election that they forget why they are really there. They are there to compose their own music (laws) and the only way they can do that is if they  can work together in unity. Music has certain powers that other things do not. Music can break down social boundaries, halt wars, and raise awareness. Unity can bring people together in order to create a purpose. Music can teach us about unity and the way we should be living our lives. We need to have courage, we need to stop conflict, and we need to notice other people than ourselves. Music has the ability to do all of this. Music has the ability to change the world one note at a time. Works Cited Archibold, Randal C. Haiti: Quakes Toll Rises to 316,000. The New York Times. 14 Jan. 2011. The New York Times. 20 Dec. 2012 . Hast, Dorothea E. Exploring the world of music. 2nd ed.: Kendall/Hunt Company, 1999. Vinciguerra, Thomas. The Truce of Christmas, 1914. The New York Times 25 Dec. 2005. 13 Dec. 2012 . Who Do You Think You Are? Season Two. NBC.com. 20 Dec. 2012 .

How Does Diversity and Immigration Impact Innovation?

How Does Diversity and Immigration Impact Innovation? Anca Pop Nowadays, due to the increasingly competitive economic environment, and the constant danger of economic turn-downs, innovation has come into great prominence not only as an important source of competitive advantage, but also as a powerful driver of economic growth and prosperity. In this new context, attention has been drawn to the role that cultural diversity and immigration play in fostering innovation. Thus, the aim of this essay is to assess the impact of immigration on innovation. Furthermore, the question regarding whether or not a culturally diverse society represents an enabling environment for innovativeness shall be discussed. Nevertheless, a number of evidences and empirical data which support the linkage between cultural diversity, immigration and the innovation process shall be analysed. Statistical reports have shown that at the turn of the century â€Å"4.6% of world population was born in a different country from the one where it currently lived†. (Bratti and Conti, 2012:2). Given the size of this phenomenon, immigration has come into sharp focus on the global agenda, currently being at the centre of many economic and political debates and its economic consequences giving rise to a high level of research activity. Thus, it would be of highly importance to consider the contribution of increasingly cultural diversity in many societies to the innovation system especially when dealing with economic analysis and policy. However, in order to be able to analyse the effects of immigration and cultural diversity on innovation, firstly, the meaning of „innovation† as a concept along with its indicators should be tackled. Defining â€Å"innovation† could be rather a difficult task as it is a â€Å"multi-faceted phenomenon†, and a widely used concept in various ways and different contexts. (Venturini, 2005: 1) However, it could be generally agreed that †Innovation is different from pure invention. Innovation involves the successful implementation of a new product, service or process, which for most activities entails their commercial success.† (Gordon and McCann, 2005: 3). In addition to this, Ozgen, Nijkamp and Poot (2013: 3) state that innovation is achieved â€Å"by means of analytical knowledge† and argue that â€Å"The improvement of an existing product or the modification of an existing process or organizational arrangement can also be viewed as an innovation.† Regarding the measures of innovation, the most prominent ones are the number of patent applications and the Total Factor Productivity, used as proxies of technological growth and effective innovation s at both firm and country levels. Having now defined this process, leads the analysis further, to establishing how does immigration affect innovation. In recent years, research activities have demonstrated a rather positive correlation between migration and innovativeness, as â€Å"individuals coming from different countries usually have different, complementary skills with respect to natives, and the production of new ideas may be positively influenced by contacts and interchanges between culturally diverse individuals† (Bratti and Conti, 2012: 4). In addition to this, â€Å"migration brings youth to ageing countries, and allows ideas to circulate in millions of mobile minds. That is good both for those who arrive with suitcases and dreams and for those who should welcome them†. (The Economist, 2011) A rather more technical research on this matter is conducted by Ozgen, Nijkamp and Poot (2012) who study the impact of size, skills and diversity of immigration on the innovativeness of host regions using the number of patent applications per million inhabitants from 170 regions in Europe for the periods 1991-1995 and 2001-2005. According to this study, there are five mechanisms through which immigration may boost innovation: â€Å"the population size effect†; â€Å"the population density effect†; â€Å"the migrant share effect†; â€Å"the skill composition effect† and â€Å"the migrant diversity effect†. (Ozgen, Nijkamp and Poot, 2011:2). The first three mechanisms result from the fact that immigration increases the local aggregate demand. This boost in the aggregate demand could be met through an increase in the level and diversity of local production, which in the long run might need additional investment and thereby will encourage product and process innovation. Furthermore, local economy prosperity not only will generate firm growth but will also encourage additional start-up firms resulting into an innovation lift. Moreover, usually attracted to the large metropolitan areas with better job opportunities, migrants increase the urban population and thereby strengthen the forces of agglomeration which leads to greater innovation. (Ozgen, Nijkamp and Poot, 2011: 3). A more debated way through which the innovation system is enhanced by immigration refers to the skill composition effect on innovation. Given that the modern economy is in a constant quest for fresh ideas and better goods that would accelerate business growth, the global competition for highly-skilled migrants has gained magnitude. â€Å"Their role in innovation may seem obvious: the more clever people there are the more ideas are likely to flourish, especially if they can be commercialised.† (The Economist, 2009) Considerable empirical evidence for this is provided by Kerr who gathered data about the 8 million scientists who had acquired an American patent between 1975 and 2004. Hence, he found that the share of patents given to American-born scientists fell while the share of all patents awarded to immigrant scientists from China and India increased from 4.1% in the late 1970s to 13.9% between 2000 and 2004. (The Economist, 2009) Moreover, Kerr and William Lincoln (2008) ana lysed the way changes in the number of H-1B visa admissions reflected on patents in the years between 1995 and 2006. It is imperious to mention that H-1B visa is the United States work visa for skilled immigrants, which allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise as well as the attainment of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent as a minimum. Thus, they point out that â€Å"the estimates suggest that a 10% growth in the H-1B worker population is associated with a 2% increase in patenting† (Kerr and Lincoln, 2008: 20) Bosetti, Cattaneo and Verdolini (2013: 1) predict that skilled immigration has a significant positive contribution not only to the knowledge creation in host countries as â€Å"they add to the pool of skills in destination markets†, but also enhances natives ‘productivity as the interaction of diverse cultures and approaches in problem solving and brain storming situations might give birth to new, original ideas. In order to support these predictions, they have studied the effect of skilled migrants on the number of patents applied for through the Patent Cooperation Treaty and citations of scientific publications, as proxies of innovation in a panel of twenty European countries from 1995 to 2008. Thus, in accordance with their initial prediction, Bosetti, Cattaneo and Verdolini (2013:11) found out that â€Å"the variable measuring the stock of knowledge in a given country (stock of RD expenditure) exerts a positive and statistically significant effect on innovation. A 1 percent increase in the stock of RD expenditures is associated with a 0.6 percent and a 0.4 percent increase in patent application and citation, respectively†. In a similar vein, Hunt and Gauthier-Loiselle (2009) measure the likeness of skilled immigrants to enrich innovation and at what extent. They do so by evaluating the differences in patenting behaviour between immigrants and natives as well as the state-level determinants of patenting using a panel of data from 1940-2000 in the Unites States. The results show that a 1% increase in the college graduate immigrants implied 6.1% rise in patents per capita while 1% increase in the share of college natives raise patents per capita only by 3.5%. Furthermore, â€Å"1.3 percentage point increase in the share of the population composed of immigrant college graduates and the 0.7 percentage point increase in the share of post-college immigrants both increased patenting per capita by about 12% (..). The 0.45 percentage point increase in immigrant scientists and engineers increased patenting per capita by about 13%.† (Hunt and Gauthier-Loiselle, 2009:20). Hence they discover that one way ski lled immigrants could boost patenting per capita is by engaging in science and engineering as the knowledge and skills these occupations request are more easily transferable across countries. Skilled immigrants could also enrich patenting per capita, if an immigration policy regarding immigrants’ selection according to their abilities and knowledge levels was introduced. This would attract more science and engineering orientated migrants and would encourage less skilled migrants to acquire higher education and engage themselves more into the innovation process. (Hunt and Gauthier-Loiselle, 2009: 2). Nevertheless, due to migration and globalisation, diversity has become an increasingly outstanding feature of today’s world. This brings into discussion the fifth mechanism through which immigration can boost the innovation system, the migrant diversity effect, as an important link to innovation. A say on this matter had the European Commission (2008: 8), in their work regarding the diversity journey in search for talent, competitiveness and innovation: â€Å"as innovation processes depend on harnessing creativity, and while dynamic as well as supportive systems of management can elicit the best from staff, like-minded people will usually produce like-minded results. Diversity in the workforce can, however, help companies to break this mould and the cycle of limited unilateral thinking and, in so doing, set them free to discover new products, markets, and ways of doing or leading business†. Empirical evidence that confirms the positive linkage between cultural diversity and innovation is provided by Niebuhr (2006). She investigates the impact of a cultural diverse labour force in German regions on innovation, using a sample of 200 different nationalities. The results show cultural diversity to be beneficial to innovation: â€Å"Due to their different cultural backgrounds, it is likely that migrants and native workers have fairly diverse abilities and knowledge. Thus, there might be skill complementarities between foreign workers and native in addition to those among workers of different qualification levels.† (Niebuhr, 2006: 564). But are cultural diversity and immigration always beneficial to innovation? According to Bratti and Conti (2012: 4), cultural diversity might also cause difficulties in communication, especially when natives and immigrants do not speak the same language. This might reduce social capital and therefore act as an impediment to innovation and economic performance. In addition, Ozgen (2013: 92) finds as outcomes of cultural diversity, lower levels of trust and higher discrimination within firms, â€Å"non-transferability of skills† or â€Å"non-recognition of qualifications† which play as impediments in ideas exchange or the formation of new knowledge. Similarly, â€Å"co-ethnic networks can lead to spatial or occupational segregation and clustering of migrant groups, which may also impede the contribution of immigrants to firm innovation†. Moreover, a few other situations which lie on the negative side of immigration could be observed. That would be the case of areas experiencing higher inflows of low-skilled or low educated migrants: â€Å"unskilled immigration can have a negative effect by reducing social capital, creating communication problems among workers or pushing firms to lower their efforts to introduce product and process innovations†. (Bratti and Conti, 2012:16). In order to uphold this statement, Bratti and Conti (2012: 22) evaluate the effect of low-skilled immigrants in Italian provinces on patent applications, as a proxy for innovativeness. Thus, they find evidence that there is a significant negative effect not only of low-skilled migrants, but also an overall negative effect of large inflows of immigrants on innovation: â€Å"rising immigrants’ share by 1 p.p. produces a 0.064 percent reduction in patents’ applications per 1,000 inhabitants.† This negative effect is proved to be mostly driven by the characteristics of immigrants who â€Å"mainly appear as a source of low-skilled and cheap labour force, which is employed in traditional economic sectors† (Bratti and Conti, 2012:11). Although it focuses especially on Italy, Bratti and Conti’s study is not necessarily a particular case, as their findings are also consistent with the Lewis’ work (2011: 1031) who has proved that areas rich in low-skilled immigrants areas adopted less machinery, giving technological change a slower evolution and: â€Å"plants added technology more slowly between 1988 and 1993 where immigration induced the ratio of high school dropouts to graduates to grow more quickly†. Hence, the substantial immigration boom from the end of the last century had a negative impact of knowledge formation and actively led to a slow growth in the supply of skills in the United States: â€Å"only after the large wave of immigration in the 1980s did high-immigration ci ties become more unskilled than low immigration cities.† (Lewis, 2011: 1031). On the other hand, there are also claims that even low-skill immigrants can indirectly enhance productivity gains and innovation: â€Å"Even low-skill immigrants who start small businesses that stay small are important to the American economy. They provide low cost services and access to more goods. There are also second-order effects, for example someone who provides child or elder care cheaply provide an invaluable service. This allows natives to works outside of their home† (The Economist, 2010). Similarly, Peri (2009: 17) has found a positive linkage between productivity gains and immigration in the United States in the years between 1960 and 2006, although the most majority of the immigrants in his sample were low-skilled and engaged in menial work. He proves that the inflow of unskilled migrants resulted in a more efficient allocation of skills and education to jobs amongst natives, thereby leading to an increase in the total factor productivity. Additionally, the negati ve effects of cultural diversity and unskilled immigrants could be overcome by properly exploiting the competencies of skilled immigrants as well as by attracting more highly educated immigrants. This could be achieved by introducing favourable immigration policies for high-skilled immigrants, in order to foster innovation and economic growth. Furthermore, free language courses and job-related training programs could be provided for immigrants in order to reduce language barriers and allow them to develop or upgrade their skills. To conclude, on theoretical grounds, there are several ways in which immigration and cultural diversity can affect both positively and negatively the innovation system. Given such a mixture of positive and negative effects, the overall impact of immigration on innovation should be considered in terms of empirical evidences. In this sense, this essay has presented a number of different studies and approaches from European countries, but also from the United States. What is more, five mechanisms through which immigration can boost innovation have been analysed. As opposed to this, several negative effects of cultural diversity and immigration with regards to the innovation process have been considered along with several ways these drawbacks could be overcome. Thus, all things considered, it could be consented that migration and cultural diversity represent an opportunity as much as a challenge, but if managed carefully it would lead to positive outcomes such as innovation, technologica l change, increasing productivity gains and ultimately to economic growth. References Bosetti V., Cattaneo C. and Verdolini E. (2012) â€Å"Migration, Cultural Diversity and Innovation: A European Perspective†, FEEM Working Paper No. 69.2012. Online at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2162836 (Accessed 14 January 2014) Bratti M. and Conti C. (2012) â€Å"Immigration, Population Diversity and Innovation of Italian regions† Online at: www.ecostat.unical.it/rd2013/Papers/Bratti_Conti.pdf‎ (Accessed 12 January 2014) European Commission (2008) â€Å"Continuing The Diversity Journey: Business Practices, Perspectives And Benefits† European Union Publications Office, Luxembourg. Gordon I.R. and McCann P. (2005) â€Å"Clusters, Innovation and Regional Development: An Analysis of Current Theories and Evidence†, in Johansson B., Karlsson C. and Stough R., (eds.), â€Å"Entrepreneurship, Spatial Industrial Clusters and Inter-Firm Network†s , Edward Elgar, Cheltenham Hunt, J. and M. Gauthier-Loiselle (2008) â€Å"How Much Does Immigration Boost Innovation?† NBER Working Paper14312, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge Mass. Online at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp3921.pdf (Accessed 12 January 2014) Kerr W.R.andLincoln W. F. (2008)â€Å"TheSupplySideofInnovation:Hà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 1BVisaReformsandU.S.EthnicInvention†JournalofLaborEconomics. Online at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w15768 (Accessed 13th January 2014) Lewis, E. (2011) â€Å"Immigration, skill mix, and capital skill complementarity†. The Quarterly Journal of Economics 126, 1029–1069. Online at: http://ideas.repec.org/a/oup/qjecon/v126y2011i2p1029-1069.html (Accessed 9 January 2014) Niebuhr A. (2006): â€Å"Migration and innovation: Does cultural diversity matter for regional RD activity?† IAB discussion paper, No. 2006,14. Online at: http://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/31908 (Accessed 11 January 2014) Ozgen C. (2013) â€Å"Impacts of immigration and cultural diversity on innovation and economic growth† Online at: http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/handle/1871/47948/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1 (Accessed 13 January 2014) Ozgen, C., Nijkamp, P., Poot, J. (2011) Immigration and Innovation in European Regions IZA Discussion Papers 5676, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). Online at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5676.pdf (Accessed 12 January 2014) Peri, G. (2009) â€Å"The Effect of Immigration on Productivity: Evidence from US States† NBER working paper September 2009. Online at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w15507 Accessed 14 January 2014 The Economist (17 September 2010) â€Å"Importing job growth† Online at: http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2010/09/economic_growth (Accessed 10 January 2014) The Economist (19 November 2011) â€Å"The magic of diasporas†. Online at: http://www.economist.com/node/21538742 (Accessed 10 January 2014) The Economist (5 March 2009) â€Å"Give me your scientists†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , Online at : http://www.economist.com/node/13234953 (Accessed10 January 2014) Venturini A. (2012) â€Å"Innovation and Migration† co-authored with F. Montobbio, C. Fassio, MPC Analytical Note, 2012/05. Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, San Domenico di Fiesole (FI): European University Institute, 2012. Pluripotent Stem Cells: Benefits, Properties and Uses Pluripotent Stem Cells: Benefits, Properties and Uses INTRODUCTION Pluripotent stem cells give rise to nearly all cells types of the body, like, muscle, nerve, heart, and blood. They hold huge promise for both research health care. The advance in human biology continues to generate interest among scientists, patients suffering from a wide range of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes, their families. Embryonic stem (ES) cells, is derived from inner cell mass of mammalian blastocysts they have the ability to grow for an indefinite period while maintaining pluripotency. These properties have led to hope that human Embryonic Stem cells might be useful to understand the disease mechanisms, to monitor effective and safe drugs, to treat patients of various diseases and injuries, such as juvenile diabetes and spinal cord injury. Cell culture is the one of the most important basic biomedical research. From many decades, many innumerable insights into both normal pathologic cellular processes have been gleaned by the study of human cells explanted in vitro. Primary human cells have a small life span in culture, there is a regulation of tissue formation, regeneration, and repair. Many human cell types have never closely been adapted for the expansion in vitro, and the lack of available models of normal pathologic tissue structure has render many new important questions in human growth and disease pathogenesis and it is hard to find. At present three types of methods have been reported to induce pluripotency artificially in mouse somatic cells. Embryonic stem like cells can also be recognized by long-term culture of bone marrow cells, and pluripotent stem cells can be generate adult germ cells, either by vitro culture of spermatogonial cells or by the parthenogenesis of unfertilized eggs. The capability to reprogram cells from the human blood will let the generation of patient-spec ific stem cells for the diseases. In this disease-causing somatic mutations are then restricted to the cells of the hematopoietic lineage. Depending on methods used, reprogramming of the adult cells to gain iPSCs may pose significant risk those could limit their use in humans. Many scientists around the world, announced the discovery of the method that could eliminate oncogenes after the induction of pluripotency, which will increase the potential use of iPSC in human disease. In April 2009, it was verified that generation of iPS cells is feasible without any genetic modification of the adult cell: a repetitive treatment of cells by means of certain proteins channelled into the cells viapoly-arginine anchorswas sufficient to induce pluripotency. Pluripotent stem cells are a unique scientific and medical source.The pluripotent stem cells are derived using non-Federal funds 8yat the beginning, embryos donated voluntarily by couples who are undergo fertility treatment in an vitro ferti lization clinic. Human embryonic stem cells isolated from more surplus embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics represent an immortal circulation of pluripotent cells that can theoretically generate any cell type inside the human body. PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS are generated from adults cells where induced pluripotent stem cells is the part of pluripotent stem cells and it is also called as iPS cells or iPSC’s. Pluripotent stem cells give rise to nearly all of the cells types of body, like muscle, nerve, heart, and blood. Pluripotent stem cells are called master cells because they are able to make cells from all three body layers, so they can produce any cells or body needs to repair itself, it is called pluripotency. Pluripotent stem have promising future in the area of regenerative medicine because it it is different in effect on the cells of the body which are neurons, heart, pancreatic liver cells. It can help in the representation of single cell which can remain to lost the damage or diseased cells. IPSC they are similar to natural pluripotent stem cells, like embryonic stem cells in many ways, like the appearance of certain stem cell genes proteins,  chromatin methylation  patterns, doubling time,  embryoid body  formation,  teratoma  formation, viable  chimera  formation, and potency and differentiability. Pluripotent stem cells EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS Embryonic stem cells is the most important type of pluripotent cells. Embryonic stem cells(ES cells) arepluripotentstem cellsthat are derived from theinner cell massof ablastocyst an early-stage preimplantation  embryo. Humanembryos reach the  blastocyst  stage 4–5 days postfertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells. From adult tissue iPSC has been derived. They cannot by pass the need of embryos but they can be matched in the patients which mean that pluripotent stem cells line will be present in the each individual. Without any risk of immune rejection autologous cells can be used for recognising the basic behaviour of disease present in the patients therapeutic transplants are not safe in iPSC technology. ESC that are appeared which have large domains of the genome that have a specific histone code, that are not found in more mature cells, which allows very fast inactivation or activation of gene expression. Embryonic stem cells arepluripotent th at are able todifferentiatein all derivatives of the three germ layers:ectoderm, endoderm, andmesoderm. It includes more than 220 cell types in the adult  body. Pluripotency distinguishes embryonic stem cells from  adult stem cells  found in  adults; while embryonic stem cells can produce all cell types in body, adult stem cells they are multipotent  and they can create only limited number of cell type. Human embryonic stem cell structure SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER The somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) means, transferring the nucleus from a somatic cell, any cell of the body, to an other cell, in this case it’s an egg cell. This kind of pluripotent stem cell called ntES cell, which has only been made successfully in the inferior animals. To make ntES cells in the human patients, an egg donor, would be needed. The process of transferring a differentnucleusinto the egg â€Å"reprograms† it to a pluripotent condition, reactivating full set of genes for creating all the tissues of the body. PRODUCTION OF INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS iPSCs are introduced in a set of pluripotency associated genes or reprogramming factors in to a given cell kind. The original set of reprogramming factor are genes Oct4 (Pou5f1), Sox2, cMyc, and Klf4. It is a slow and unsufficient process which takes 1-2 weeks in mouse cells 3-4 weeks in human. It has efficiency of 0.01%- 0.1%. For improving the efficiency and time taken to get ipsc considerable changes have been done. In reprogramming factor, cell start to make colonies that look like pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotency is maintained by a combination of epigenetic, transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. PRODUCTION OF Ipsc CELLS GENERATION OF INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM cells. They divide culture donor cells. Transfect the stem cell-associated genes into cells by viral vectors. Harvest and culture the cells according to the Embryoic Stem cell culture by the use of mitotically in feeder cells. A small set of transfected cells become iPS cells generate ES-like colonies Generation of IPS cells Types of Pluripotent Stem Cells There are several types of pluripotent stem cells are Embryonic stem cells which are joined from the inner cell mass of blastocyst the embryos are produced from in vitro fertilisation, although this is important cause it eliminates the embryo, which could have been implanted for the formation of a baby. Embryonic germ cells which are obtained from the aborted foetuses and these pluripotent cells are copied from past cells. These past cells are those which can form sperm eggs. Embryonic carcinoma or the cancer cells which are cosset from tumour that sometimes are prevalent in a a foetus. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOTIPOTENT,   PLURIPOTENT, AND MULTIPOTENT Totipotent cells can form all the kind of cell in a body, in addition the extraembryonic, or the placental cells. Embryonic cells, the 1st couple of cell divisions following fertilization are the only cells that are totipotent cells. Pluripotent cells can also give rise to all of the type of cells that make up the body. Embryonic stem cells are called pluripotent. Multipotent cells can expand into more than 1 cell type, but they are more limited than the pluripotent cells, adult stem cells cord blood stem cells are often considered as multipotent. BENEFITS OF PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS Pluripotent stem cells give a renewable basis of healthy cells tissues to treat many type of diseases similar to heart disease and diabetes. People who are burn those patients who suffer from autoimmune diseases like Parkinsons can give advantage from the usage of pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells have large potential for treatment of diseases, because they give rise to majority of cell types in human body,which include muscle, blood, heart nerve cells. The use for pluripotent stem cells include the generation of cells tissues that are use in transplantation. Drug study research next method that pluripotent stem cells are beneficial. Animals are mostly used to measure the safety and use of drugs. Those drugs which are secure and used in development for testing on animals. TURNING PLURIPOTENT CELL INTO TREATMENT Over time, many techniques are developed, pluripotent stem cells could any one of the day allow doctors to create form, rejection-proof transplant to patch a scarred heart, revitalize damaged nerves or reboot an immune system which is not able of fighting infection. Doctors have first obtained  pluripotent  stem cells that match the patient genetically through genetic  reprogramming,  nuclear transfer, or parthenogenesis. There are four critical steps: To grow  pluripotent  stem cells that create a large quantity of healthy cells. Restore faulty genes,this would be needed if the cells are carrying a genetic disorder, such as sickle cell anemia which turn the stem cells into a specific cell kind or a tissue.A genetically healthy line of  pluripotent  cells is recognized, they must be creating specialized kinds of cells and this process is called as differentiation. To transplant cells or tissue to the diseased or damaged organ or tissue,the cells will require to reach right part of the body, take hold and start to function. Scientists know how to deliver blood to the stem cells, but they still need to develop some effective delivery method for other cell types. Getting the pluripotent stem cell The cells can be made in one of several ways: Nuclear transfer— By using a patient’s skin cell and then transferring it into an egg (possibly the patient’s own, or of an egg donor). Genetic  reprogramming— By transforming a skin cell or blood cell or other cell from the patient to a  pluripotent  stem cell. Parthenogenesis— This is done by using unfertilized eggs. A woman may be able to give her own eggs to make stem cells that match her genetically, or draw on master banks of stem cells which are made from eggs. WHY ARE PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS IMPORTANT? Pluripotent stem cells can be used to produce any cell or tissue the body might need to challenge a wide range of diseases, from diabetes to spinal cord injury, to childhood leukemia,or to heart disease. Pluripotent  stem cells can potentially be modified to provide a perfect genetic match for any patient. It means that the patient could get transplants of tissue and cells without matching tissue and tissue rejection problems. There is also no need to take powerful immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of their lives. Although there is time in achieving this, researchers have treated mouse models of human disease by using this strategy and hope that same can be done with human patients. Disease in a dish: Pluripotent stem cells create excellent laboratory models for studying how a disease unfolds, which further helps scientists to locate and track, very earliest disease-causing actions in cells. Immune deficiencies like type1 diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and myriad other disorders which are embedded in fetal development. In the lab, researchers monitor from where the first muscle cell comes from, or the first blood cell, and how this is different when the patient has a genetic disease. By the use of this information, doctors are able to correct the genetic defect before the disease advances. Applications: Pluripotent  stem cell has different characteristics that make it useful in different ways : Induced pluripotent cells(iPS cells) offer a unique chance to model many human disease and are already being used to make a lot of new discoveries about premature aging, disease,cancer, and more. They are made from a person’s own cells, they can be potentially manipulated to fix the defects that are causing disease and then used to create healthy cells for transplant that won’t be rejected by the immune system. Embryonic stem cells(ES cells) are standard for the biological theory of pluripotency. Scientists are continuosly working with Embryonic Stem cells to study more about a cell with pluripotency and discover safe better ways to create iPS cells. Each type of ES cell is important for different reasons: ES cells made from donating early embryos are unique tools for the understanding of earliest stages of human development specific tissues form, because they’re not modified to individual patients, their value is mainly in research. MEDICAL RESEARCH Disease modeling and drug development An attractive feature of the human iPS cells is their ability to derive them from adult patients for the study of cellular basis of human diseases. Since iPS cells have property of self-renewing and are pluripotent, they stand for a theoretically unlimited source of patient-derived cells which further can be turned into any kind of cell in the body. This is important because many other types of human cells which are derived from patients tend to stop rising after a few passages in laboratory culture. iPS have been generated for a broad variety of human genetic diseases, including common disorders such as Down syndrome and polycystic kidney disease. Organ synthesis A proof-of-concept by induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to make human organ for the transplantation  was reported by researchers of Japan. Human ‘liver  buds’ (iPSC-LBs) were grown from a mixture of three different types of stem cells: Hepatocytes  (for liver function) coaxed from iPSCs Endothelial stem cells  (to form lining of  blood vessels) from  umbilical cord blood Mesenchymal stem cells  (to form  connective tissue). This new approach allows different cell types to self-organize into complex organ, mimicking the process in  fetal development. After growing in vitro for few days, the liver buds were transplanted into mice where the ‘liver’ quickly connected with host blood vessels and then continued to grow. Tissue repair Embryonic cord-blood cells were induced to pluripotent stem cells by the use of plasmid DNA. Using cell surface endothelial/pericytic markers  CD31  and  CD146, researchers have identified vascular progenitor, which is high-quality, multipotent vascular stem cells. After the iPS cells were directly injected into the  vitreous  of damaged  retina  of mice, the stem cells then engrafted into retina, grow repaired the  vascular vessels. Red blood cells In 2014,  type O  red blood cells  were synthesized at Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service from iPSC. The cells were induced to become a  mesoderm   then  blood cells   then red blood cells. The final step was making them eject their nuclei mature properly. Type O rbc’s can be transfused into all patients. Each pint of the blood contain about 2 trillion red blood cells, although some 107 million blood donations are collected globally each year. Human transfusions were not expected to begin until 2016.