Our Society’s Indifference to Violence Essay

Last year, while sitting in my car with a friend at the beach, I witnessed a terrible situation in which almost no one helped the woman in trouble. Although I was scared, it never occurred to me to not offer my assistance. Looking back at the situation now, I can’t help but wonder if I wasn’t there how differently the night may have turned out for an innocent girl. This one night, changed my life and probably saved hers. On this night, we sat in the car talking about the day’s events and enjoyed the calmness of the ocean and the peacefulness of the night. Although it was already dark, many other cars lined the boardwalk and several people were sitting out watching the wave’s crash on the nearby beach. For a late evening, the beach was unusually busy. We sat and talked for few minutes before noticing a commotion off in the distance. At first, it appeared to be a prank, or a fight. Initially I didn’t think it was serious and went back to enjoying the sound of the waves and the company of my friend. Soon, the distraction appeared to take on a more desperate tone, so I focused ahead on what was happening. In the distance I could see a young woman frantically running from vehicle to vehicle. I had no idea what was going on, and although I wanted to ignore it, something told me not to. I strained my eyes to see what she was doing, and to my surprise no one else seemed to notice how frantic she was. As she ran around, shouting and what looked like crying, people walked away, rolled up their windows and ignored her. She was making her way down the line of parked cars in a hurried fashion, but I still had no idea how severe the situation was. In no time, she was standing at the driver’s side window screaming. Her words were difficult to make out and my first thought was that she was drunk or on drugs. I quickly dismissed this idea when I noticed her shirt. It was covered, in what appeared to be blood. She was crying, and talking so fast I couldn’t make out what she was saying. What was clear was that she was asking, in fact, begging for help. We quickly told her to get into the backseat, away from the danger that had caused her this horrible reaction. She was trembling, and bleeding and crying. We did our best to comfort her and quickly called 911 from our cell phone. Luckily the police were nearby and responded very quickly. As we sat, and waited for the police to question us, we couldn’t help but wonder why no one had helped her. She had asked at least ten people for help, and all of them had ignored her. The situation was obviously dire and had we not called the police immediately who’s to say what would have happened to her. We waited for what seemed like an eternity until finally the police explained the situation. It seemed the girl was making her way back to the road from the beach when a man jumped out from behind the bushes and attacked her. She had been stabbed, but managed to get away before he was able to do more harm to her. Unfortunately, the unidentified man was also able to get away. After being attacked, and stabbed, she ran for help. She was obviously hurt and bleeding but no one, except us, helped her. She was quickly whisked away in an ambulance and the police assured us that her wound was minor and she would be okay. We sat for at least another hour as the helicopters, police and search dogs looked for the assailant. We learned later, on the news that the man was never found. It was so disturbing to see someone in obvious need asking for help and everyone turning their back to her. It was as if they couldn’t be bothered, or they thought she was joking. So many people were so quick to dismiss it as â€Å"not serious† just to justify their time of peace that it nearly cost someone their life. I would like to think that if the people who did not help, knew that the girl was injured they would have offered to help, but I am not sure. They were all so quick to make a judgment about the situation and assume that it was serious that this girl, who had just been stabbed, couldn’t convince them that she was hurt. Our culture is becoming one of not only increasing violence, but one of desensitization to that violence. Had we not been there to help, I can’t help but wonder if anyone would have thought to call the police, or an ambulance, or offer even basic comfort to someone in obvious need. The people that did not help that night were completely indifferent to her and were more considered with their own enjoyment that they failed to help a young girl in need. In so doing, their lack of assistance may have provided the attacker the time needed to get away. In this case, indifference led to injustice for not only this one girl, but to everyone else this man may have attacked in months and years to come. We’ll never know just how many people this lack of compassion affected. Our society has become numb to violence and that numbness has not only caused an increase of violent acts it has caused a greater degree of indifference for the victims of horrible crimes like the one I witnessed. The people on the beach that night justified their lack of action by saying they thought she was acting, or drunk. Sadly, it should never have mattered why she was screaming, bleeding and asking for help. Help should have been offered without question and without prejudice. If we don’t change this behavior, as a society, violence and indifference will only continue to grow as it has for the past several decades.

Buck’s Dilemma Essay

Solution 1 — Classification with the Statement of Cash Flows Buck should present the borrowing and payment activity as a cash flow from financing activities. ASC 230-10-45-14 states that â€Å"proceeds from issuing bonds, mortgages, notes, and from other short- or long-term borrowing† are a cash inflow from financing activities. Similarly, ASC 23010-45-15 states that â€Å"repayments of amounts borrowed† are a cash outflow for financing activities. Solution 2 — Gross versus net presentation Scenario 1 Net presentation is appropriate. Buck may classify the activity as a $50 million net cash inflow ($100 million in total draws less the $50 million repayment) within the financing activities section of the statement of cash flows. Buck’s activities in Scenario 1 are broadly consistent with the requirements for net presentation under ASC 230-10-45-8 and 45-9. Specifically, the draws and payments on the facility can be considered large in relation to the maximum borrowing capacity (Buck actually reached its maximum borrowing capacity before making any repayments). The volume of the transactions is assumed to be large (note, in practice, this determination typically involves judgment and is dependent upon individual facts and circumstances). In addition, the terms of both draws stipulate that all amounts are due on demand; therefore, Buck should consider the draws as having original maturities of three months or less. ASC 230-10-45-9 only permits net presentation when borrowings have original maturities of three months or less. Scenario 2 The activity related to Buck’s first draw and subsequent repayment should be presented on a gross basis within the financing activities section as a $60 million inflow for the draw on July 15, 2010, and a $60 million outflow for the repayment on December 15, 2010. The activity related to Buck’s second  draw and subsequent repayment may be presented on a net basis within the financing activities section. The $40 million draw on September 30, 2010, and the repayment on December 1, 2010, net to zero for annual reporting purposes. Buck’s activities related to both of the draws in Scenario 2 once again reflect some of the characteristics within the cash flow statement guidance. The transactions can be considered large in relation to the maximum borrowing capacity, and the volume of activity is assumed to be large (note, in practice, these determinations typically involve judgment and are dependent upon individual facts and circumstances). Unlike Scenario 1, the terms of the draws do not consider the draws to be due on demand to Buck’s bank. Rather, the first draw has an original maturity of six months, and the second draw has an original maturity of three months or less. Therefore, in accordance with ASC 230-10-45-9, Buck must present the activity related to the first draw on a gross basis because the original maturity is greater than three months. In turn, net presentation is appropriate for the second draw since it has an original maturity of three months or less. Scenario 3 Buck should present all borrowing and payment activity under the Facility on a gross basis within the financing activities section of the statement of cash flows. The draws on the Facility do not have any specific repayment provisions other than the overall expiration date of the Facility as of December 31, 2012. While the activity does have some of the factors needed to consider net presentation, including large dollar amounts in relation to the maximum borrowing capacity and large volumes of transactions (see notes in Scenarios 1 and 2 above), the draws do not have an original maturities of three months or less. Under the provisions of Scenario 3, the only activities that Buck could potentially present net within its statement of cash flows are transactions occurring on or after October 1, 2012. Said differently, only draws occurring within three months of the Facility’s expiration would be considered to have original maturities of three months or less. Solution 3 — IFRSs Under IFRSs, IAS 7 is the primary source of guidance for determining how to present information about the cash flows of an entity within the financial statements. IFRSs and U.S. GAAP are broadly consistent regarding net versus gross presentation. Similar to U.S. GAAP, IFRSs generally require entities to present information about an entity’s amounts of cash receipts and cash payments during a period on a gross basis. However, in certain circumstances, IFRSs permit certain cash flow activities to be presented on a net basis. Paragraph 22(b) of IAS 7 states that cash flows may be reported on a net basis when â€Å"cash receipts and payments for items in which the turnover is quick, the amounts are large, and the maturities are short.† This guidance is generally consistent with the provisions of ASC 230-1045-8. Further, paragraph 23A of IAS 7 provides the following examples of cash receipts and payments that may be presented net under the criteria set forth in paragraph 22( b): a. principal amounts relating to credit card customers; b. the purchase and sale of investments; and c. other short-term borrowings, for example, those which have a maturity period of three months or less. Accordingly, under IFRSs, an entity’s cash inflows and outflows associated with a revolving line of credit may potentially be presented on a net basis within the financing activities section of the statement of cash flows, provided the aforementioned criteria are met. Therefore, the conclusions under IFRSs for each scenario in this case would be consistent with that reached under U.S. GAAP.

Catch

Heller’s novel was able to become so popular because readers use the characters as a comparison of how patriotism should be, and the attitudes of the soldiers during World War II illustrates how idealism needs to change. The attitudes of characters in Catch 22 are far from our normal perception of patriotic. For example, the main character, Yossarian fakes injuries in order to stay the in hospital, because he does not want to risk his life in battle. He complains saying things such as â€Å"I think it’s my appendix bothering me† (Heller 176) and â€Å" then I’ll just go back to the hospital† when he is soon to encounter another battle. Yossarian is so unpatriotic that he even â€Å" goes absent without official leave from Milo† (Heller 405). Many characters in Heller’s novel simply have no motivation to serve and protect their country. One soldier states, â€Å" there’s no patriotism, that’s what it is. And no matriotism, either† (Heller 123). Compared to the time period in which the novel was written, this mind set is unacceptable. Yossarian has such a negative attitude, it is even stated â€Å"morale was deteriorating and it was all Yossarian’s fault However, there are characters in the story that are used as comparison to Yossarian, and show the level of morality people would have expected during the time period in which the novel was published. Appleby is one of these soldiers, who seems to be the perfect soldier. He follows regulations without question and does everything he is supposed to do, managing to succeed with minimal effort at whatever he does. It is stated that â€Å"Appleby is a symbol of American Virtue† (Heller 18) Texan is also another comparison character. Texan is up beat, excited, and full of energy. He is proud to be serving his great nation. Heller writes, â€Å" Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous, and likable. In three days no one could stand him. † (Heller 9) This statement clearly explains the behavior of most soldiers in the novel. The importance of these characters is to portray to the reader how soldiers should have acted, and also provide evidence for the rise in levels of idealism and patriotism during this time period. It is easy to tell by the soldiers in Catch 22 that attitudes needed to change. The presidency of John F.

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 49

English - Essay Example 3:10 to Yuma is centered on cowboys and outlaws; Sleepy Hollow’s story is derived from ghosts, witches and black magic; whereas The Red Badge of Courage, is the depiction of a civil war zone. 3:10 to Yuma has several characters that honor and duty seem to have affinity with. Evan (Christian Bale), the impoverished rancher, exhibits both qualities on several occasions where as towards the end it is Wade (Russell Crowe), the outlaw, who seems to exude them the most. The story is from a time where both honor and duty were benchmarks on which men assessed their character. The movie also depicts the same thing. Throughout the movie Evan is trying to maintain his honor, whether it is trying to keep his livelihood i.e. his ranch, working or trying to get Wade captured and later helps in having him delivered for an arrest. Evan is trying to fulfill his duty to his family and more specifically his sons so that they have a father they can look up to. His actions depict a certain behavior that his sons can one day follow. His past as a soldier haunts him which is why he vows to himself to honor his word and that becomes the most important thing for him, it becomes his duty. Sleepy Hollow, is a completely different genre and falls somewhere in between a suspense thriller and a horror movie. The concepts of honor and duty are evident most in one character and one character alone, and that is Ichabod Crane. Though his job scares him, though he finds it horrifying at times, Ichabod never backs out and he never quits. His character at one point even faints out of fear during the movie but in a nutshell his resolve does not waiver. Throughout the investigation of the headless horsemen there are many instances where Ichabod is faced with situations he would rather not be in, his duty towards his investigation is more important to him however and he does not abandon it. His honor is in protecting the woman he loves and finishing the job he

Supervision Topic of Issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Supervision Topic of Issue - Research Paper Example Thus, this discussion seeks to evaluate the relevance of supervision in social work, with a view to underlining the different types of supervisions necessary for the accomplishment of effective social work services delivery. Supervision in social work has become an important aspect of determining the success of maintaining the best practices in both the health and human services professions. Successful client outcomes, is the major target of social work supervision (Noble & Irwin, 2009). Through good supervision, high levels of job satisfaction are achieved, while commitment to the organization and a high rate of social workers is realized. The first area through which social work employees are able to perceive the nature of support that they are offered by their organization is in supervision. This is because; social work consists of emotionally charged nature of tasks, which then requires that the social workers are granted sufficient support in order to be able to cope with the nature of their work. Thus, effective social work supervision has been identified as one of the ways of enhancing social workers retention within health and human services organizations (Reamer, 2003). The relevance of supervision in social work draws from the fact that the knowledge of social work has greatly increased, while the population served by the social workers has increasingly become complex. Equally relevant in the social work profession is the need to protect the clients from any form of harm that might arise out of unethical social practices that degrades the client’s dignity or breaches their confidentiality (Pack, 2009). In this respect, it is essential that all social workers are suitably equipped with the right skills and training to deliver social services effectively, while also ensuing that any form of assistance that the social workers might need to execute social work responsibilities

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection Research Paper

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection - Research Paper Example Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection affects women mainly causing cervical cancer (Levesque, 2014). Cancer is a chronic illness that is deadly, quite expensive to treat and manage. Most women who suffer from cervical cancer end up having their uterus or part of the cervix removed (Chaturvedi, et al. 2011). The implication is that they may never conceive from that point forward. The danger of this infection thus underscores the significance of the topic on health care of women. Research indicates that up to 90 percent of the disease would just go away without manifesting symptoms (Ma, et al. 2014).In this regard, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can be passed from one person to another even without knowing it and at a very high rate causing more harm. There is significant challenge in respect of early treatment of this disease for one simple reason; cancer caused by this virus does not show symptoms until at a later stage that makes it even more deadly. Chaturvedi, A. K., Engels, E. A., Pfeiffer, R. M., Hernandez, B. Y., Xiao, W., Kim, E., ... & Gillison, M. L. (2011). Human papillomavirus and rising oropharyngeal cancer incidence in the United States.  Journal of Clinical Oncology,  29(32), 4294-4301. Ma, Y., Madupu, R., Karaoz, U., Nossa, C. W., Yang, L., Yooseph, S., ... & Pei, Z. (2014). Human papillomavirus community in healthy persons, defined by metagenomics analysis of human microbiome project shotgun sequencing data sets.  Journal of virology,  88(9),

How has the debt problem in Europe envolved Essay

How has the debt problem in Europe envolved - Essay Example The EU market was lending to Ireland, Greece and Portugal at a rate that was at par with the one offered to Germany in 2008. The assumption at this point in time being that the Euro could never at any one given point break up and as a result, each and every country within the region was taken to be as safe as Germany- which had been considered to be the safest. For a very long time, Germany benefitted from the Euro zone crisis. The country had very low interest rates that made it even easier for the government to borrow more, thus creating a demand for more personal loans. The European Commercial Bank (ECB) even purchased German government bonds. Germany was seen to be the safe haven in European economics. Interest rates in the country had been going down since the start of the first symptoms of the crisis (Broyer, Peterson and Schneider 2012, p.2). . This was a part crisis how had the country performed before? Was it over heating? If no why? Following this assumption, Greece did acc umulate almost 145% of its gross domestic product (GDP) as gross debt, a figure that was by far beyond what the country was capable of producing within a period of about one year and six months. As the crisis was progressing into its third year, it was not clear whether or not it would culminate in bringing to an end the straightening out or further accelerate the continent’s six-decade progress toward slow but sure confederacy, as Europe staggered between the currency’s (Euro) break up and the measurably stouter measures that would pave way for tighter political and fiscal bonds (Ernst & Young 2012, p.1). The move towards a single economic region, as adopted by the European Union in the unveiling of the Euro currency is informed by the optimum currency area theory. Presented by Robert Mundell, the theory outlines the features of a new currency developed after several currencies have merged. It deals with the currency of a region as opposed to that of a country; a part icular region, larger than a particular country has to share a currency (Mundell 1961, pp. 658). In essence, the theory seeks to set out the maximum number of currencies that can be used in one particular region. The theory has enabled the close study of the many economic features that are key pillars in monetary unions. What does the theory say should happen? In spring 2010, Greece was not in a position of borrowing on the open markets at reasonably priced interest rates; a bailout package amounting to 110 billion Euros was devised by the European Union, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank. As an act of pay back Greece was required to cut down on its public spending by a quantifiable amount. In May 2010, the European countries’ government leaders made an approval of a contingency fund totalling to 500 billion Euros for the Union at large. In November 2010, Ireland did wrack a banking crisis after the collapse of a housing bubble and was in receipt of a bailout amounting to 6 billion Euros. Portugal, on her side, received 78 billion Euros as a result of a long-term economic laggard (Wharton 2012,

Freigtag Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Freigtag Company - Essay Example The company prides its products in high regard, which is mirrored in the price of the bags. The company targets the high-end market, but it has not stopped the market from spending money on the pricy bags. However, the nature of the products is designed as durable bags, which is incorporated in the pricing. The company bases their pricing on the factor that the purchase of a bag will imply that the customer will not have to buy another bag for a long time. The durability of the bags is attributed to the resources used in the product development (Kotter, 2002). The organization uses old truck tarpaulins, car seat belts, and the inner tubes of bicycle tires to develop their expensive bags. The tools used are ideal for the company because they are cheap material since they are on low demand and they can be used in developing the bags, which are durable. The design of the bags is based on the bag design for the bike couriers, which they use for making deliveries. The design is suited to the general market because it has a casual look, and the bag can be used for various occasions, as well as in practical sense. The design is based on attracting keen observers of style and design. Along with the design, the bags are proven durable, waterproof, repairable, easy to use, and practical. The designs are unique and each bag is hand-made, making each bag personally tailored for its buyer (Richard, 2001). Strategy The strategy implemented by FREITAG is focused on using cost-cutting measures to increase or maximize profits. From the inception of the company, Marcus and Daniel did not borrow money, which was a main strategy of reducing any costs of the company that may affect the productivity in the long run. Even with the aim of creating FREITAG into an international company, the brothers focused on using their funds purchase material that will increase efficiency in the firm’s production strategies (Kleiman, 2010). The plan has served the brothers well over the years , it has fostered the development, and success of the organization, and they have managed to succeed in turning the company into an international company. The prime factors that have influenced the company’s strategy are three vital factors: quality, sustainability, and functionality. The three factors are integrated in the bag design as a measure of ensuring the firm’s success in the market. The brothers also ensured that the bags would be special, tough, and useful (Mitcham, 2005). It pushed the firm into using strong and durable material in the production of the bags, but still using materials that would keep the firm’s costs to a minimum. It is the reason why the organization will use recycled materials, which include pieces of airbags to make labels, and Velcro to produce quality bags at a low cost of production (COP). The organization focuses on in-house funding (revenue) as the means of developing the company’s brand and expansion strategies. The c ompany’s main core is centered in Europe, where it employs 88 employees. 76 are located in it is headquarter in Zurich, four operate in Hamburg, and Berlin and Cologne have three employees each. The company may have over 350 designated selling points worldwide; however, they are not employed directly by the company, which is a measure that ensures the firm maintains a low COP (Gomez, 2008).

Reading and Thought by Dwight MacDonald Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reading and Thought by Dwight MacDonald - Essay Example He has made a stark contrast between the people in the sixteenth century with the modern day person and highlighted the negative impacts of the habits of a fast paced life. He has used Henry Luce’s journalistic empire as an example to coherently put his point forward to the reader through the examples aforementioned in this paragraph. However, I disagree with Macdonald. Macdonald in his criticism does not look upon the technological advancements and the research and development going on in this world. Modern day technology has made accessibility to information so much easier with the development of tablets, smartphones and laptops. Macdonald considers the internet as a collection of the world untouched literary work. What Macdonald fails to understand is that while the people in the sixteenth century had more time to dwell on the literature they lacked the quantity of literature. There wasn’t information about everything available as in today’s world rather a lot of time was spent on finding relative literature. In comparison, finding topic specific information is extremely efficient and can be accessed immediately. Macdonald starts of his article by underlining how Henry Luce had come to cash on the human natural weakness of being ‘well informed’ and made a journalistic empire for himself. Henry Luce the owner of the ‘Time’magazine coined the term ‘functional curiosity’ and he believes that it is because of this his magazine’s circulation has risen to more than two million people since its inception in 1925. The word ‘functional curiosity can be defined as one of the basic human thirst for obtaining knowledge by searching and looking, it is the kind of hungry and intense thirst for knowledge about what is happening everywhere which is not related for amusement purposes but has a solid belief that everything happening

Explain how a company can operationally manage environmental issues Essay

Explain how a company can operationally manage environmental issues - Essay Example tal engineering is therefore to deal with waste products after pollutants have been generated and then develop appropriate technology to mitigate their impact, e.g. synthetic landfill liners to contain polluted water seepage. However, Coulter (1995:4) criticises environmental engineering techniques for not addressing the primary cause, and simply transferring the problem elsewhere. ‘The concept of pollution prevention, as an alternative to treatment and disposal has been embraced by pioneering corporation and state level industry assistance programs’ (Coulter, 1995: 4). The key aim is to eliminate pollutants from existing products and process technologies, and to introduce new equipment, technology and processes to improve manufacturing techniques and move towards ‘zero carbon economies’. However, Coulter (1995:4) also notes that ‘the transition from pollution control to prevention has been hampered by limited information, technologies and capital, as well as by impediments in existing regulatory policies’. ‘Designing for the environment’ acknowledges that whilst there maybe negative environmental effects during a production life cycle, designers are conscious of this during the design stage. They can therefore incorporate operating constraints into the initial design phase of a product. Therefore negative environmental effects will be limited. For example, Aerial clothes tablets have now been designed to clean cloths at 30Â °C (as opposed to 40Â °c), which saves energy of the washing machine. Coulter (1995:5) describes life cycle design as a ‘cradle to grave approach, which provides the most complete environmental profile of goods and services’. It provides a holistic view of product design, manufacturing, consumer use and disposal. High emphasise is placed on the environment, and companies work towards achieving sustainable development techniques in ‘green product design’. The US Congress Office of Technology Assessments

A New Realism-Crafting a US Foreign Policy for a New Century Essay Example for Free

A New Realism-Crafting a US Foreign Policy for a New Century Essay The political turmoil that the United States had yet to face in the 21st century was manifested in one brutal fell swoop on September 11, 2001, when thousands of innocent Americans were slaughtered on their native soil at the hands of vicious and brutal foreign operatives whose goal was to strike terror into the heart of the United States. Moreover, a clear message was sent- the rules of the international game of power were changed forever. Threats, it was clearly seen on that horrible day, could just as easily come from a group of motivated individuals as it could from an organized and recognized international government. With this in mind, foreign policy that heeds the changes in the international political landscape is a matter of life or death for not only the US, but every other nation on the face of the earth as well. In this research, a discussion of the construction of US foreign policy in the midst of sweeping changes in international affairs will be discussed from many points of view in an effort to ultimately better understand not only what has happened to effect change, but also what must occur for a brighter tomorrow to result. Jihad and International Politics As this research began, the point was made that 9/11 served as an abrupt wakeup call to not only America, but the entire world that there were forces afoot that could, seemingly at will, bring even the most powerful of nations to their collective knees through the use of terrorist actions that could be inflicted by a dozen people as bad as any army could possibly inflict. For all of this harsh reality, however, there is another stark reality in the years after 9/11- there has not been a sufficient level of improvement in the coordination of international intelligence levels and the law enforcement needed to effectively battle terrorism on a unified front (Richardson, 2007). Moreover, almost no effort has been made to understand why Jihadism exists, even though radical groups such as Al Qaeda have been shown to be making efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. With all of this happening, the obvious assumption would be that the US, as a superpower, would certainly lead the charge and do everything possible to understand the nature of the new enemy, what the enemy can inflict, and prevent access to nuclear materials that terrorist groups need in order to fabricate weapons of mass destruction. However, the reality is, from a President who has seemingly waged war against an innocent state in Iraq to intelligence organizations that have leaks of classified information on a regular basis, the US is setting a poor example in terms of antiterrorism. Illegal Weapons-Foreign and Domestic It has been said that guns do not kill people, but people do kill other people. In a world where thousands of people can be slaughtered without so much as a single shot fired, one still needs to realize that the traffic in illegal weapons- both in the US and globally, poses a national and international threat (Richardson, 2007). Weapons are readily available in towns large and small, for very little money. Legislation aimed at gun control does very little to prevent the problem to any measurable extent, and lawmakers are hard pressed for valid solutions to the dilemma in the US (Richardson, 2007). Of course, on an international scale, terrorists and other fringe groups are stockpiling huge amounts of weapons that are ready to be used at any time to inflict death without restriction. Beyond the issue of guns, the use of nuclear materials for the construction of weapons is a huge problem given the efforts of nations such as India, Pakistan and others now having the capability of manufacturing nuclear material and very little regulation in terms of how and where that material would in fact be distributed and used. The US has in fact been quite lacking in the securing of nuclear materials, and the required bans on the testing of nuclear weapons by other nations are either not in place or are not enforced adequately in the cases where they do exist (Richardson, 2007). This is yet another problem for the US to contend with- something bust be done to hold back the nuclear tidal wave before it is too late for everyone. Asia Rising Beginning with the recovery from the death and destruction of World War II, up to and through the Vietnam War and beyond, the nations of Asia have quite literally gone from hell and back many times. Rather than grinding those nations into a helpless submission, these challenges have seemingly motivated the billions of people of Asia to a new level of economic, military and educational ambition. In generations past, the goods of Asia were merely dismissed as useless and tawdry trinkets. However, with the increase in the level of education, implementation of technology, and old fashioned determination of Asians, the other nations of the world have been left with little choice but to take seriously the multi-faceted threats that Asia poses to the US and others (Richardson, 2007). To begin, one must come to terms with the highly dangerous economic threat of Asia; because of the huge influx of capital from American and European firms foremost, the business and industry of Asia has grown extremely strong. The resulting profits from these operations have given Asia the monetary muscle to conversely invest in businesses, real estate and industry, ironically enough, in the US and Europe. Therefore, what is seen in this instance is the full circle fulfillment of a sad destiny- Asia is slowly owning ever-increasing pieces of the rest of the world- a world that not too long ago dismissed Asia as a laughable excuse for a continent. Economic gains for Asia have likewise enabled the nations of Asia to be able to flex a bit of economic and military muscle. Take, for instance, China, a long-time Communist stronghold and now a stockpile for cash and weapons. In this case, the classic idea of â€Å"guns and butter† is seen in horrific reality. China not only holds a huge amount of the debt of the US and other nations, but also has been very likely putting together a massive army, complete with the latest weapons, including those of the nuclear variety. This, combined with the fact that China holds a radically different political mindset than many of the other nations of the world, makes for a potentially explosive situation. If, in fact, China chooses to recall the foreign debts that it holds, decides to invade other nations, or pose a more serious and tangible nuclear threat, there will be epic problems with which to contend, which brings back the recurrent theme of the US foreign policy in such situations. How can the US develop a realistic and effective foreign policy when dealing with a giant continent like Asia, populated with radical nations like China? Surely, a match of aggression with additional aggression is far from acceptable. Therefore, the challenge that lies ahead for the US is to maintain a strong position in the world and still avoid additional conflict. Russia Reborn A deadly myth exists in the world today- that which holds that Russia is all but dead and buried in the political landscape. In reality, Russia is coming back to life in a political and economic sense. While, admittedly, the economy of Russia has never been as economically viable as it could be in a freer economy, the military muscle which Russia is currently in the midst of rebuilding can once again pose a massive threat to the US. This, combined with the other enemies in the present day, can spell disaster. What Russia means for US foreign policy going forward is significant- if the US makes the fatal mistake of discounting the possibility of Russian aggression becoming a lethal situation, yet another bit of fuel will have been thrown on the political fire that has the potential to consume the US from abroad. Economic Imbalances Poverty is one of the evils which has been cited as a key culprit in the proliferation of global terror, bloodshed, and dispute (Richardson, 2007). Classically, the view of the human condition has always been that people who are hungry, sick, and lack the basic necessities of life are typically much more hostile and harder to negotiate with than one would find in the person of those who had a suitable standard of living. Another possibility is that nations which hate the US may hate in large part because of the resentment for the excesses which exist in the US and the apparent overindulgence of Americans in all forms of enjoyments and material goods. Meanwhile, religious extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere are watching the people of the US in the midst of excessive revelry and have come to the conclusion that people in America, who take so much for granted and do not seem to care very much about the plight of others in the world. As such, the prevailing viewpoint seems to be that Americans need to be shown that all is not well in all parts of the world and in a sense; the party is over in the US. Global Problems-American Solutions In the article which was utilized as the basis for this research, the author ultimately came to an interesting conclusion. Simply put, the author’s thesis is that the US first must stop using the granting of diplomatic relations with rogue nations as a reward for good behavior (Richardson, 2007). The reason for this is quite simple- these nations, which of course most likely have at their heart the goal of overcoming and defeating the US, will conduct themselves in an acceptable way only when they are being evaluated for the granting of diplomatic relations and once that is complete, and the US has let down its guard, the nations will once again resort to evil behavior, and the consequences could be drastic. The answer to this problem, as the author asserts, is the resurrection of a sort of Marshall Plan, especially in the case of Middle Eastern nation and North Africa as well. With this plan as the cornerstone, it is possible for the US to use its massive resources to provide educational, economic, and political aid to these hostile areas, with the hope of deflating the widespread efforts of Jihad and ultimately change the minds of those who hate the US- not with bullets, but with food and books and other help. Overall, the other enemy that the US should be seeking to eradicate, per the author, is poverty. The seemingly underlying cause of most of the violence that is taking place in the world is motivated by the lack of a suitable standard of living for some groups, and indeed, entire nations of people (Richardson, 2007). Therefore, if the element of deprivation were in fact taken away from the argument, what one would see would be a clearer way to look at the other fundamental differences between the West and other parts of the globe, and perhaps, some progress could be made to bring about a stronger, more reliable peace. Overall, what the US needs to do it would seem, is to look at problems on a global scale and consider the viewpoint of the enemy, and take steps in order to be able to be more of a friend and less of a foe. Conclusion In a world where the rules are constantly changing, the environment is becoming more deadly day by day, and the threat of terrorism and rogue nations spreads like a plague, the US stands as a stronghold of liberty and virtue in a sea of death and lawlessness. However, as has been seen, the US is seriously lacking in many areas where responsibility and action are desperately needed. Foreign policy is a key part of this action plan- without an aggressively enforced program of protecting American interests, maintaining a global peace, and fighting terrorism where it resides, it is very likely that chaos, evil and disaster will become the norm in the world instead of freedom, peace and safety. The writing is quite clearly on the wall- for America, action has to happen soon and continue to happen if the world is to be saved for those who wish to live in harmony and safety. The evil that turned the world upside down on a sunny morning in September, 2001 must not be allowed to prevail, and indeed, hollow policy without enforcement will be just as bad as no policy at all. Therefore, in closing, the issue is clear- foreign policy must change and grow with the times if the future is to exist at all. Bibliography Richardson, B. (2007). A New Realism: Crafting a US Foreign Policy for a New Century. Harvard International Review, Summer 2007, 26+.

Comparing Models of Health

Comparing Models of Health â€Å"Compare and contrast any two models of health. Briefly explain the relationship between named social factors and health† There are numbers of ways of how health can be defined. One of most known definitions is by World Health Organization that states ‘health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of diseases. However, there are three main models of health and each of them has its own definition. This essay will compare and contrast two models of health bio-medical model and social model as well as discus s range of social factors that affect it health. Over the last century the most influencing and dominant model in health in Western countries has been biomedical model. It began in nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when there were great advances of medical science (Taylor, Field). Biomedical model is a conceptual model of illness that only includes biological factors, excluding possible psychological and social factors in attempt to understand persons medical illness or disorder (Mondofacto, 2009). In other words, biomedical model sees human body as a machine that if it is not working then it needs to be fixed. Furthermore, it only embraces one cause of illness, dismissing other possible factors that may have lead to it. Prevention of disease is not the priority of this health model; it focuses on finding a cure. The aim of biomedical model is to â€Å"reduce morbidity and premature mortality† (Naidoo, Willis, 1994) The social model of health is not as popular as biomedical model, because its cure of illness or disease is not so straightforward. It focuses on the lifestyles and behaviour of individuals as well as it stresses and encourages personal responsibility. According to Taylor and Field (2007) ‘significant improvement in health is more likely to come from changes in peoples behaviour and in the condition under their live. Following this further, social model of health acknowledges influences on health of political, economic, social and environmental factors with the aim of changes in them, which will help to promote help. (Naidoo, Willis, 1994) On the contrary to biomedical model, the social model of health sees body as a whole rather than separate bodily part. The biomedical and social models of health are different in most of the aspects. Though their both promote health, their propagation towards it and understanding in health is different. While bio medical model of health states that â€Å"the individual is not responsible for their illness and that mind and body work independently from each other (Ogden, 2004), the social models affirmation is different. It believes in overall state of health that addresses to physical, social and economic environment (Naidoo, Willis, 1994). For example, biomedical model of health would claim that lung cancer is caused by smoking, while social model of heath may suggest that passive smoking or hereditary disposition to the disease can be causes to it. Pursuing this further, Blaxter (2004) yet suggest that bio medical model of heath does not promote a healthy lifestyle, as it could be thought if you are smoking, excessively drinking and eating unhealthily but not feeling ill, then it is acceptable t o carry on with that. Controversially, social model of health is looking at it differently, by encouraging people to lead a healthy lifestyle and prevent illnesses and diseases (Blaxter, 2004). The differences between the bio-medical and social models of health intensifies even more when in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries mortality and morbidity rates decreased. The reasons of these magnificent changes were ‘reduction in mortality from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, diphtheria and dysentery (Morgan, Calnan, Manning, 1998,). The serious debate begun between Griffiths and McKeown, after Griffiths claimed, the ‘growth of the hospital, dispensary and midwifery services, additions of knowledge of physiology and anatomy, and introduction of smallpox inoculation (ibid) were the great causes of declining in mortality rates. Despite the strong evidences, Tom McKeown proved that T. Griffiths analysis were wrong and gave distinctive examination. It was concluded that particularly improved living conditions, sanitation and nutrition as well as limitation in family size were the major factors of reduction in mortality rates. By this, McKeown demonstra ted that social and environmental conditions have a big impact on peoples lives. In Modern Britain social classes still exist with lower classes living in poverty and facing inequalities in health. For long, health inequalities between social classes were not certified until ‘Black report† was published in 1980. By using infant mortality rates, life expectancy, mental illness and causes of death, it showed that the higher persons social class is, the more likely he would be in a good health. Since the general living and working conditions are significantly worst in lower social classes, these evidences do not come as a surprise. Not only people live in inadequate housing conditions, such as damp, disrepair and lack of toilet facilities (Naidoo, Willis, 1994) which have an impact on health but also are more inclinable to lead unhealthy lifestyle with lack of exercises, poor nutrition and bad habits (Browne, 2005). Consequently, people living under these conditions have more health problems, such as heart diseases and respiratory illnesses. Following this further, people from deprived areas are not only more likely to suffer from ill health, but also, have to face a poorer medical care, with overworked GPs and long waiting lists in hospitals. (Browne, 2005) However, bio medical model of health does not agree with social model by raising awareness in inequalities in health between social classes, stating, that the ‘ diseases of affluence , such as coronary heart diseases and cancer are the major killers in contemporary Britain (Naidoo, Willis, 1994). Yet, Naidoo and Willis (1994) represented argument that these diseases are more common in lower social classes. Notwithstanding, Bio medical model agrees with social model of health about sex differences in morbidity and mortality. Naidoo and Willis report ‘that women are more resistant to infection and benefit from a protective effect from oestrogen accounting for their lower mortality rates (Naidoo, Willis, 1994). Even so, the bio medical model can not explain the difference of womens mortality rate between social classes yet again. In conclusion, it is observable that both bio medical model and social model of health has a great arguments in their believes and promotions. However, it is clear that social model of health is offering more holistic approach to health by looking at lifestyle and environment with the aim to prevent illnesses before it appeared. Saying that, without a bio medical model of health, medicine would not be as much advanced as it is now. Ideally, both models of health should be working along side to provide with the best care in health and so much needed qualities in health. http://www.mondofacto.com

Learning And Development As An Organisation Process Management Essay

Learning And Development As An Organisation Process Management Essay If the Challenge of the past has been to get organized, the challenge of the future is to find ways in which we can remain open to continous self-organizations: so that we can adapt and evolve as we go along (Gareth morgan, Imagination, p.17) Learning and development is an organisational process. Learning development is a multi-faceted study. LD activity first acquired a specific organizational meaning in the USA in the 1970s. Termed human resource development its purpose was regarded as primarily about short-term training ,encompassing skills acquistion and behavioural change . It was defined by one of its most influential commentators(Nadler 1970) as: a series of organized activites conducted within a specified time and designed to produce behavioural change. Hall(1984) defined it in more strategic perspective as Strategic human resource development is the identification of needed skills and active management of learning for the long-range future in relation to explicit corporate and business strategies According to CIPDs defnition LD purpose is as follows (CIPD 2001a): The organizational process of developing people involves the integration of learning and developing process,operations and realtionships.its most powerful outcomes for the business are to do with enhanced organizational effectiveness and sustainability .For the individual they are to do with enhanced personal competence,adaptability and employability. It is therefore a critical business process , whether in for profit or not-for-profit organizations. Rosemarys definition of LD purpose is shorter than the CIPDs and has a rather different emphasis: The primary puropse of learning and development as an organizational process is to aid collective progress through the collaborative and expert stimulation and facilitation of learning and knowledge that support business goals, develop individual potential, and respect and build on diversity Learning learning is a selfdirected, work based process leading to increased adaptive capacity in other words an environment where individuals learn to learn and possess the capabilities that enable them to build thier skills and help thier organisation retain competitive advantantage. Development Development implies a longer process of learning , acquiring skills or knowledge by different means such as training, coaching, formal and informal interventions, education or planned experience. It can be strutured by human resource development (HRD)professionals, or created as a personal plan. Learning and development (LD) as a field of management research and practice is concerned with how individuals acquire or create knowledge and skills which enable them to perform and grow in thier current or future occupational role. Historical background Terms for LD as an organisational process ; In the past three terms have been widely used to describe the LD field: training and development , employement development and human resource development.The term training development is still a popular one , however training is only way of achieving development . The term employee development is now touched by political correctness , it gives a view of master- servant relationship. It is no doubt that is falling out of use at time when many organisations are referring to their members as associates or partners rather than employees. The term human resource development retains its popularity amongst academics but it has never been as attractive practitioners. They tend to dislike it because reference to people as resource is felt to be demeaning. Putting people on a mission with money, materials and equipment creates an impression of development as an essentially unfeeling, even manipulative activity. However ,using the term learning and development is not the perfect solution. What is gained in scope is lost somewhat in generalisation. learning has so many meanings . a common view is to see it as a life long activity involving three processes (onions 1973): To develop : to unfold more fully , bring out all that is contained in To educate: to bring up from childhood , so as to form habits , manners and mental and physical aptitudes To train : to instruct and discipline in or for some particular art, profession, occupation or practice: to exercise , practice ,drill. Combining these terms a conditioning process and the gaining of competencies through planned instructional activity . another kind of defnition would draw more attention to learning driven by natural curiousity. So the terms we choose to describe things matters. They influence peoples perceptions and bestows identity. An organisation that uses the term human resource development in preference to employee development, or training or learning and development has reason for that choice. LD activity is first acquired a specific organisational meaning in 1970s. Termed human resource development its purpose was regarded as primarily about short term training , encompassing skills acquistion and behavioural change . it was defined by one of its most influential commentators (Nadler, 1970) as a series of organised activities conducted within a specified time and designed to produce behavioural change. By 1980s some commentators were moving towards a more strategic perspective. According to hall(1984) strategic human resource development is the identification of needed skills and active management of learning for the long range future in relation to explicit corporate and business strategies Now it is easy to find out the stated purpose of LD activity in HSBC? And how well or badly do the employees think LD is linked to other HR practices and to organisational goals. http://books.google.com/books?hl=enlr=id=vMFcnZiT63cCoi=fndpg=PR11dq=nadler+learning+and+developmentots=YZPzM5-Ndnsig=ZY-gDyZiM3LpuLB1IGbCNpp1OcI#v=onepageq=nadler%20learning%20and%20developmentf=false The importance of context Although many employers today increasingly call for thier LD activity to be more convincingly tied to business needs, there are still many organisations where there is not happening and also where LD professionals are to make a strategic contribution. Often this because they do not relate thier activity sufficiently to context. The term has two dimesions , external and internal. The external context consists of the business environment of the organisation and other factors that have a direct relevance for LD practice within the organisation. The internal , organisational context, expressed most obvisouly in workplace culture, is most powerfully shaped by Top managements vision and values , goals and leadership Management (espcecially front line management) style and actions HR strategies and practices. According to survey by CIPD 2004 on Training and development, it showed that greater attention is now being paid to workplace learning, and that on the job training and coaching/mentoring are the most popular processes here. Thier main use , however is to improve individual peformance , tackle underpeformance and improve productivity again, not an indicator that value is placed on longer term development. CIPD (2004a) revealed Minimal evaluation of either coaching or mentoring process against business objectives Very little training provided for the line managers who carry the main burden of coaching roles Uncertainity as to what activities coaching and mentoring involve. Thus research however should be continued to show a gap between strategy delivery across the whole HR area .To tackle this gap in thier field, LD professionals need to work with line managers to build and support learning cultures that will make LD plans come to life in the workplace. Front-line mangers in particular need helping in coping with thier LD responsibilites they are much pressurised by the organisations that regulary restructure in search for competitive advantage. Importance of planning Planning is a process of developing strategies to accomplish the goals. Planning in organizations provides a logical framework approach to the goal. It helps to improve the performance of the company. Planning, learning and development is becoming increasingly important in all organizations to become successful in the present competitive world. There are various planning models like strategic planning, Issue based planning, alignment planning, scenario planning, organic planning etc.., People have to continue learning to develop their skills along with the changing world. Learning theories like behaviorism, cognitive, constructivism, design-based and humanism theories will help in understanding the importance of the LD in the organization. The concept of identifying and analyzing the importance of training and learning is necessary at different levels. The various theories and models have a functional involvement for LD research and practice. However, all the models present only a partial imminent in actual workplace. Learning and development is concerned with how the individuals can gain the knowledge and skills which will assist them to execute the performance well in his future career. Planning is very important and has to be done properly to attain a goal of the organization. Development occurs as a result of the learning,coaching,mentoring,training,planning etc..The motivation of learning and development may differ in individuals depending on their goals.Through Learning people should change from what they were and should be able to produce a proper output. LD Management development planning term refers to the activities involved in enhancing leaders, managers and supervisors abilities to plan, organize, lead and control the organization and its members. Consequently, many view the term management development to include executive development (developing executives), supervisors). leadership development (developing leaders), managerial development (developing managers) and supervisorial development (developing Management development is an effort that enhances the learners ability to manage organizations. Managing includes activities of planning, organizing, leading and coordinating resources. A critical skill for anyone is the ability to manage their own learning The main purpose of learning and development as a process is to help collective improvement through the joint and expert stimulation and facilitation of learning and knowledge that support business goals,develop individual potential and build on diversity. Leaning and development provides a wide range of activities to improve the capacity of the individual. LD can be designed to deliver specific skills in a short time to meet an immediate need or can be designed to attain broader requirements over a longer period. Theories surrounding Learning There are various theories surrounding the learning and development which include Behaviourism theories, Cogtnitivism theories ,Humanism thories, Social and situational theories etc.There are different roles for all the theories in the individual development. Aspect Behaviourist Cognitivist Humanist Social situational PLANNING: Planning consists of some essential and significant aspects to be considered, which include goals, strategies, resources, objectives, tasks etc., Goals: Goals are the important aspects that should be accomplished in total by the organization. Goals are mission of an organization. Strategies and achievements: To achieve the goals in the organization strategies should be planned and followed. Strategies are the processes in the system. Objectives: Objectives are specific targets that must be accomplished to achieve the goal in total. To achieve the goals, objectives are the milestones, which should be implementing the strategies. Tasks: In organizations people are usually assigned with various tasks to implement the plans. If the scope of the plan is small then the responsibilities and activities are essentially the same. Resources: Resources in an organization include people, material, technologies, money etc.., which are required to implement the strategies to accomplish the goals. Costs of these resources are estimated in the form of budget. Planning models There is no one perfect planning model for each organization. All the own environment and model of organization ends with developing their developing their own planning process, planning often by selecting a model and modifying it as they go along in The models like strategic planning, Issue based planning, alignment planning, scenario planning, organic planning etc An organization might choose to integrate different planning models, e.g., work force planning model in an organisation is used in developing and retaining the staff. Using a scenario model to creatively identify strategic issues and goals, and then an issues-based model to carefully strategize to address the issues and reach the goals. Planning determines the future of the organization. The focus of strategic planning is mainly on the entire organization, while the focus of the business plan is usually on a service, product or program. The planning is developed depending on the nature of the leadership, size, capability of planners etc.., in the organization. Development of the planning greatly helps to clarify the organizations plans and make sure that key leaders are all in the same play. The process of planning is more important than the strategic plan document. 1. Basic strategic model Basic strategic model of planning is a very fundamental process is normally followed by organizations that are enormously small, busy, and have not done much planning before. Planning is usually conceded out by top-level administration. This basic strategic planning process includes: a. Identifying the function of the organization (mission statement) This describes the organization its basic purpose. The statement should explain what are the client needs are and what are the services expected by them. The toplevel management should develop and agree on the mission statement. The statements will change over the years. b. Selecting the goals the organization must achieve Goals are about what the organization need to accomplish to meet the purpose. c. Identify specific strategies that must be implemented to reach the goal By closely examining the environments of the organization or by conducting PEST and SWOT analysis specific strategies should be implemented to accomplish the goals d. Implement the action plans for each strategy These are the definite actions that each department must undertake to make sure that the implementation of each strategy is done properly. Objectives should be clear, to the extent that public can assess if the objectives have been met. The top management should ideally develop detailed committees that each has a work plan. e. Monitoring the plan Planners frequently reflect on the level to which the goals are being reached and whether the action plans are being implemented correctly. The most significant indicator of accomplishment of the organization is the positive feedback from the customers. Monitoring requires existing and appropriate data. When the plans are not being implemented according to targeted time, corrective actions must be implemented to reach the target. 1. Issue based Model Organizations that start with the basic planning evolve to using this wider ranging and more efficient type of planning. Issue-Based (or Goal-Based) Planning The organizations may not perform all the following activities every year. 1. External and internal measurement to identify SWOT and PESTEL. 1. Calculated analysis to classify and prioritize major issues and goals. 2. Design most important programs to address issues and goals. 3. Design and update idea, mission and principles. Some organizations may do follow this step first in planning. 4. Establish action plans for implementing the plans. 5. Document the analysis, issues, goals and action plans of the organization. 6. Develop the yearly Operating Plan record. 7. Develop and approve financial plan for year one. 8. Monitor, estimate and update Strategic Plan document 3. Alignment Model The main principle of this model is to make sure that there is a strong alignment between the organizations mission and its resources to efficiently function the organization. This model is useful for organizations that require altering strategies and finding out the problem during the function of a plan. An organization plans to choose this model if its facing a large amount of issues. 4. Workforce planning model Effective workforce plan is an important tool to identify appropriate.Effective workforce plan is an essential tool to identify suitable staffing levels and validate budget allocations so that organizations can accomplish their objectives.Workforce planning is a efficient process for identifying the human capital necessary to meet the organization goals and developing the strategies to meet their requirements. This step involves linking between the workforces planning process with the organization strategic plan. The main purposes of workforce planning are a.To ensure that an organization has the required workers to support their mission and strategic plan. the objectives of its strategic plan Those responsible for workforce planning should identify the organizations mission and b. Analyze workforce, Identify skill gaps and conduct workforce analysis Analysis of workforce data is the main element in the workforce planning process. Workforce analysis usually considers information such as occupations, skills and experience, retirement eligibility, diversity, turnover rates, and trend data. c. Develop and implement action plans Implementation brings your workforce plan to life. You may need a separate action plan to address the implementation of each strategy in the workforce plan. The workforce plan should be implemented in connection with the requirements of the organizations strategic plan. If the strategic plan changes due to unanticipated customer, leadership, or legislative changes, adjustments to workforce plan strategies may be necessary. d. Monitor, Evaluate, and Revise The evaluation and adjustments are very important in workforce planning and are keys to continuous improvement. Although a workforce plan should cover five years, it should be reviewed annually. If an Organization does not regularly review its workforce planning efforts, it runs the risk of failing to respond to unexpected changes. Key enabling features in managing learning and development Everyone has a responsibility in managing learning and development to achieve outcomes efficiently and effectively. Learning and development are critical processes for enhancing productivity and organizational performance. Research shows high-performing organizations in Australia and overseas share certain features in relation to learning and development as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They align and integrate their learning and development initiatives with corporate and business planning by reviewing existing activities and initiating new learning programs to support corporate plans. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The corporate culture supports these initiatives and addresses cultural barriers to learning. They focus on the business application of training rather than the type of training, and they consider appropriate learning options de-emphasizing classroom training and allowing staff time to process what they have learned on the job consistent with adult learning principles. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They evaluate learning and development formally, systematically and rigorously. Most organizations carry out evaluation at the reaction level,but few attempts to assess changes in behaviour of criteria of organizational effectiveness(Ralphs and Stephan,1986;Saari et al..,1988;Training in Britain,1989). (Performance = Ability ÃÆ'- Motivation ÃÆ'-Opportunity). People development will have a lot of impact on the organization performance. Competitive success through people involves fundamentally altering the way we think about the workforce and the employment association. Success can be achieved by working with people, not by replacing them or limiting the scope of their activities. Firms that take this different perspective are often able to sucessfully outsmart and outperform the rivals.

The Role of Computers in the Criminal Justice Field :: Technology Benefits Essays Papers

Computers take part in a big role in the Criminal Justice Field. So far computers have allowed us to make it accessible for witnesses to go through and look for a suspect's picture on the screen. Computers have enabled us to be able to do DNA testing. Which now only takes the labs a short time to process, and finding criminals from cases 15+ years ago can now be charged for their actions. There are laptop computers in police vehicles; therefore, police officers can look up information right then and there instead of having to wait until they get back to the station. Some cars even have the wireless Internet connection that goes through satellite which allows them to do even greater things. Computers have also allowed the use of fingerprinting to expand. Agencies can now take someone’s fingerprints and send them through the computer and find out if they are linked to any other cases going on at the time, or any other cases in the past. Also, Criminal Investigators can determine how a fire started by using computer analysis devices. Whether or not an accelerant was used in a fire such as: gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, or if the fire just accidentally happened. Computers are used at traffic stops. The officer can find the vehicle identification number (VIN) and calls the number in to the secretary and the secretary lets the responding officer know whether or not the vehicle belongs to the driver of the car, to make sure the vehicle isn’t stolen. If the car is stolen the officer car arrest the person right then. The use of computers by officers of the law allows lists of prior criminals to be kept on file. These files can be viewed at the push of a button. No longer do police officers have to go to the filing cabinet to find the needed information on a criminal. Also list can be kept of all citizens with prior tickets, misdemeanors and felonies. This can make the process of narrowing down suspects much easier. Databases of citizens’ personal information can also be found. Therefore a person could be found easily when needed for questioning. Computers are also being used to create simulations. For instance right here on campus is something called range 2000.

The Distance that Separates us from Shakespeares Merchant of Venice Es

The Distance that Separates us from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice Without a doubt, Shylock of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice has been a subject of much controversy and debate for scholars and critics worldwide. Specifically, an element of his character that has been thoroughly reviewed is the harshness with which he proposes his bond with Antonio. As contemporary readers of the pound of flesh story we are naturally mortified by the fact that Shylock would call for such barbarous terms. What many of us do not realize is that while we might feel horror about the idea of the bond, the same is not necessarily true for an Elizabethan audience. This story has been a major source of misunderstanding for many of its readers, as it is often interpreted as a demeaning reflection of the nature of the Jew. However, a more careful look at this story, where it may have originated, and what it may have meant to a 16th century audience, may cause us to revaluate this very significant element of the play. The tracing of the possible sources of the story and the examining of the history of usury as well as its position in Elizabethan society may actually serve as testimony on behalf of Shylock and his Jewish identity. A careful look at the text In order to begin a comprehensive analysis of the pound of flesh story, it is important to first compare our reactions with those of the other characters in the play. Examining how Shakespeare has his characters respond can tell us a lot about how his audience most likely would have reacted to the same thing. If Shakespeare’s purpose for the bond was indeed to portray the Jew as vulgar and shockingly inhuman, then he would not have had his characters respond so calml... ...n our ages, the differences must be insisted upon.† He eloquently acknowledges the distance that separates us from Shakespeare and asserts that is, â€Å"When we disregard that distance, that the static of our desire to claim his as our contemporary disrupts his voice, and we listen less to his concerns than to his anticipations of our own.† Works Cited Charlton, Henry. Shakespeare’s Jew. Manchester: The Manchester University Press, 1970. Friedlander, Gerald. Shakespeare and the Jew. London: George Routledge & Sons LTD., 1921., Grebanier, Bernard. The Truth About Shylock. New York: Random House, 1962. Greenblatt, Stephen; Cohen, Walter; Howard, Jean; Maus, Katharine. The Norton Shakespeare . New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 1997. Watson, Alan. The Law of the Ancient Romans. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1970.

Romania :: essays research papers

One day a man named Jim was working at as a herder. Jim was very smart but could not was stuck in the family business of herding sheep all day. Well, Jim had had enough. "I can do better than this." He said. "In fact, I think I will revolutionize the entire world." With that he dropped his shepherd's crook and set to work on something that would make the world a better place. After months of work in his shed behind the small house he lived in, he had finally done it. "AT LAST!!! I HAVE CREATED THE BEST THING EVER!!!" He proclaimed. "Now all I have to do is figure out how to power it." You see, he had to find a power source because he had constructed a central processing unit capable of quadrillions of operations per second and hold an almost infinite ammount of data from only sheep dung. Yes, sheep dung. Well Jim had racked his brain for hours trying to find out how to make it work until it finally came to him. "I know!! Potatoes generate a marginal ammount of electricity, all i have to do is plug this baby into about 1 million or so and i am set!" Jim went out into the fields and gathering one million and one potatoes(one for himself for dinner) and created the battery for the computer. Finally, after months of hard work Jim was ready to unleash the power of his dung made, potato powered computer. With a deep breath he flipped the power switch. A deep hum ocurred and Jim continued to watch, intent on what was going to happen. After what seemed like an eternity, the computer's crystal monitor came to life and the computer began booting. "A SUCESS!!!" Jim proclaimed as he jumped into the air. Yet, all was not for the best, upon booting up the operating system and moving the mouse about, Jim encountered it, the most feared thing in all of geekdom, yes, Jim had experienced the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!!! Jim tryed control-alt-delete but to no avail, he tried alt-f4 and alt-tabbing out of the screen but nothing worked. Upon closer inspection of the screen Jim noticed small print, he winced and could make out the letters: "W...I...N...D...O...W...S" "huh" jim said. "Windows?? I never made any windows...." But after reading the screen again he saw it, in plain type.

Sustainability A Study Of World Leading Universities Environmental Sciences Essay

Universities, as Centres for developing responsible and knowing worlds, prepare pupils to react to the rational, societal, and personal challenges that they will confront in community. To this terminal, universities will take usage of assorted resources. In this respect, the inquiry which rises is to what extent the universe taking universities take their environmental duty into consideration and how committed they are to environmental sustainability. This paper aimed to research this issue by analyzing the universe top 10 graded universities. The survey sample included Harvard University ( US ) , University of Cambridge ( UK ) , Yale University ( US ) , University College London ( UK ) , Imperial College London ( UK ) , University of Oxford ( UK ) , University of Chicago ( US ) , Princeton University ( US ) , Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( US ) , and California Institute of Technology ( US ) . The needed information was collected through the content analysis of the web site s and one-year studies of the mentioned universities. Findingss of the paper showed that all the studied universities were involved in a figure of assorted environmental activities and were committed to their environmental duties. The findings of the paper can be a benchmark for other universities. Since the environment is an of import pillar of corporate societal duty ( CSR ) and critical portion of sustainability, the findings have of import deductions for CSR policy of universities. Keywords: Awareness, environmental sustainability, university. Introduction All worlds have a moral duty to continue the planet and there is no alibi for making nil to better the environmental province of the Earth. This besides applies to establishments of higher instruction ( Christensen et al. , 2009 ) . Organizations such as companies or universities are normally responsible for the terrible environmental debasement we have witnessed ( Alshuwaikhat and Abubakar, 2008 ; Hoffman and Woody, 2008 ; Haden et al. , 2009 ) . Nowadays, higher instruction establishments can do â€Å" important environmental impacts † ( Jabbour, 2010 ) . Many of them, due to their big size, expressive motion of people and vehicles, high ingestion of stuffs, and strong development of complex activities, may be considered as â€Å" little towns † ( Alshuwaikhat and Abubakar, 2008 ) . Therefore higher instruction institutes have a great environmental duty toward society. This could be through preparation alumnuss with suited environmental cognition every bit good as env ironmental programs and plans to cut down waste and preserve environment. Now, the inquiry which arises is how cognizant universities are toward their environmental duties toward society. To reply this inquiry, this survey will look into the issue among universe top 10 universities through reexamining their web site content and one-year studies. Although old surveies have been conducted in this country, they are chiefly instance surveies sing merely one university. This survey, nevertheless, considers 10 International universities at the same clip and attempts to supply a general image of how cognizant and responsible universe top universities are toward environment. Since the environment is an of import pillar of corporate societal duty ( CSR ) and critical portion of sustainability, the findings of this survey have of import deductions for CSR policy of universities. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN UNIVERSITIES Sustainability is a form of resource usage which meets the demands of the present without compromising the ability of future coevalss to run into their demands. The chief thought of sustainable development is to accomplish the permanent satisfaction of human demands. Environmental direction may be defined as â€Å" the survey of all proficient and organisational activities aimed at cut downing the environmental impact caused by a company ‘s concern operations † ( Cramer, 1998, p. 162 ) . Although ab initio targeted for companies, this definition can besides be applied to service sector and universities. Universities apply assorted resources to supply quality instruction for pupils. This, in bend, will do impacts on the environment. Several simple illustrations of these impacts are electricity ingestion, production of waste and CO2 emanation caused by day-to-day printing of big Numberss of documents. A figure of dimensions define environmental direction patterns ( AragI?n -Correa, 1998 ; Klassen & A ; Angell, 1998 ; Klassen & A ; Whybark, 1999 ) . As Cespedes-Lorente et Al. ( 2003 ) reference, â€Å" Peattie and Ringler ( 1994 ) drew a differentiation between package and hardware environmental activities. Software activities are those focused on organisational issues such us systems, processs, audits and manuals, whereas hardware activities are concerned with technological alteration to cut down the environmental impact of the house † . Environmental sustainability refers to the environmental actions or impacts of what we do. There are a figure of surveies sing the issues of sustainability and environment in higher instruction. A survey by Wright ( 2010 ) , examined how a cohort of university presidents and vice-presidents in Canadian universities conceptualize sustainable development, sustainable universities, the function universities play in accomplishing a sustainable hereafter, cardinal issues confronting the university, and the barriers to implementing sustainability enterprises on campus. They showed that although the bulk of participants were good versed in the construct of sustainable development, they were less familiar with the construct of a sustainable university. However, bulk of them were dedicated to holding their university go more sustainable. The participants besides listed â€Å" fiscal quandaries † , â€Å" deficiency of apprehension and consciousness of sustainability issues amongst the university population † , and â€Å" a opposition to alter † as the chief barriers in the way of sustainability. Pollock et Al. ( 2009 ) besides insisted that â€Å" complex and uneffective administration, traditional disciplinary boundaries, and the deficiency of a shared vision at academic establishments frequently hinder university ‘s advancement toward taking the universe to a more sustainable and desirable hereafter † . Furthermore, a survey by Rauch and Newman ( 2009 ) in Yale University explored how an institutional mark can take to greater community action and long-run committedness than if no specific mark is established. Methodology Similar to a related survey by Capriotti and Moreno ( 2007 ) , this paper used a content analysis methodological analysis to analyse the web sites of the top 10 universe universities ranked by Times Higher Education ( THE, 2009 ) . This research studied the content of the university functionary web sites and tried to place universities environmental patterns, processs and programs. To this terminal, we have reviewed all the related web pages of the universities ( including intelligence, media, section web pages, etc. ) and non merely direct links from the home page. The survey sample included Harvard University ( US ) , University of Cambridge ( UK ) , Yale University ( US ) , University College London ( UK ) , Imperial College London ( UK ) , University of Oxford ( UK ) , University of Chicago ( US ) , Princeton University ( US ) , Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( US ) , and California Institute of Technology ( US ) . FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The findings of this research shows that universe taking universities are in some manner or another involved in environmental patterns and committed to their environmental duty. Table 1 summarizes the diverseness of the countries which these universities are involved in. Table 1 Environmental patterns of studied universities Environmental Practice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Decrease of nursery gas emanationsiiiiiiiiiiDecrease in the usage of fossil fuels and increase in the usage of renewable resourcesiiiiiiiiiiWaste recycle and directioniiiiiiiiDecrease of H2O usageiiiiiiGreen edifices and environmentally responsible architectureiiiiiiiRuning an specialised environmental centre/ webiiiiiiiiiiDecrease of the environmental impact due to the usage of paperiiiiAddition of environmental consciousness among staff & A ; pupilsiiiiiiiiiiMinimization of environmental impact due to stuffs and services used by the universityiiiiiiiiMinimization of environmental impact due to goiiiCare of university sites in an environmentally sensitive manneriiiiiiGreen buying for university procuranceiiiii1: Harvard University ( US ) , 2: University of Cambridge ( UK ) , 3: Yale University ( US ) , 4: University College London ( UK ) , 5: Imperial College London ( UK ) , 6: University of Oxford ( UK ) , 7: University of Chicago ( US ) , 8: Princeton University ( US ) , 9: Massac husetts Institute of Technology ( US ) , 10: California Institute of Technology ( US ) . With the turning concern on clime alteration around the Earth, most of the universities are taking this issue into consideration. For case, Harvard University proctors and publishes its nursery gas emanations statistics across its assorted schools in North America campus. As shown in their study ( Harvard, 2008 ) , the university managed to wholly diminish its nursery gas emanation to the sum of -2.3 % in twelvemonth 2008 compared to twelvemonth 2006 in their North America campus. At Harvard, they besides notice the issue of green edifices through specifying Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ( LEED ) undertakings. As mentioned in their environmental study ( ibid. ) , â€Å" LEED is a evaluation system for green edifices and provides a nationally accepted third-party confirmation that a edifice undertaking meets the highest public presentation criterions † . Similarly, in University of Cambridge, a pupil web named â€Å" Architecture sans Frontieres ( ASF ) † considers the possibilities of a new socially and environmentally responsible architecture. Through talks and exhibitions, this web aims to acquire people believing about how edifices can react to the demands of society and the environment ( Cambridge, 2007 ) . Yale University besides has an office of sustainability where they run assorted undertakings such as LEED evaluation. Similarly, California Institute of Technology utilizes the LEED criterion to guarantee its edifices meet and keep a high degree of energy, H2O and resource efficiency. In another case, Imperial College London was recognised by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers ( CIBSE ) for the attempts of the Facilities Management section to cut down its C production. Interestingly, University of Chicago has an interesting web site called â€Å" green usher † where they provide information related to wellness and environmental subjects at the University of Chicago and portion tips with visitants on how to populate a greenish life ( Chicago, 2006 ) . The university besides provided eco-tip of the month in its web site. Overall, all the studied universities take their environmental duty earnestly and are involved in this respect. Decision This survey showed that universe taking universities are cognizant of their environmental impacts and have taken necessary stairss toward sustainability. Many of them have defined one-year programs with aims to accomplish. This can be considered as a benchmark for other universities around the Earth. However, the key to success of such programs is commitment from all degrees of direction specially top leaders. As discussed by Wickenberg ( 2006 ) and cited by Axelsson et Al. ( 2008 ) , the norm support given by the leaders of the universities is necessary and important to success in local execution of sustainability programs. This is supported by the research of Christensen et Al. ( 2009 ) who showed that in malice of following an environmental policy and subscribing an understanding to work for sustainable universities, Aalborg University ( Denmark ) failed to make its aims due to the deficiency of committedness from top direction, the losing credence from proficient staff, and a nar row apprehension of the university ‘s environmental impacts. Other universities and their leaders can benchmark these programs and civilization to form their ain sustainability and environmental programs. Recognition The first writer would wish to thank Universiti Sains Malaysia ( USM ) for back uping this research through supplying Vice-Chancellor Award.

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man- in †the Moon Marigold

Dominik Laszczkowski 11/12/12 Test Essay In The Effect of Gamma rays on Man- in – the Moon Marigold by Paul Zindel, Beatrice, the single mother of Tillie and Ruth, has multiple internal and external conflicts which present barriers to living a normal life. A single mother whose life has gone awry, she copes with it through  self-hatred,  cynicism, and  drug abuse, and by verbally (and at times physically) abusing her two daughters But she finds other ways to sustain herself.There are many internal conflicts reflected by personality and inner issues, as well as external conflicts which inhibit her ability to function normally in society, including family dynamics and environmental factors. Beatrice faces many internal conflicts because, first off, she is a crazy women! She is completely nuts. In the story Beatrice asks, â€Å" Do you want me to chloroform that thing right this minute? † ( 10) This shows her insanity because she wants to kill a rabbit that has not d one much harm to her or anyone else.Eventually her insanity drives her to the max and she ends up killing the per rabbit. Another problem Beatrice has is her life style, its not healthy at all. She sustain herself with alcohol and cigarettes and by creating illusions. Creates an illusion to escape problems by drinking but then having a drinking problem because she is always drinking. Because Beatrice was crazy and had a bad childhood she is know as â€Å" Betty the Loon†. In the story Ruth says, â€Å" Miss Hanley said her nickname used to be Betty the Loon. † ( 71) Thus everyone remembers her and how much of a weirdo she is.And Beatrice does not have a lot of nice to clothes to wear because of how poor they are so she never want to go out in public, or anywhere in general. Not only does her internal conflicts cause problems, so does her external ones. Beatrice has many external conflicts that cause her a lot of trouble too. She is very anti-social, stays home a lot be cause she wants to hide from people. Beatrice does not like being judged in anyway. In the story when yelling at Tillie she says, â€Å" I have no clothes, do you hear me? I'd look just like you up on the stage, ugly little you! (61) This shows how poor they area and that she knows that people are going to laugh at her because of their poverty. Beatrice is also husband- less because he left thus making it extremely hard being a single mother as she needs to do everything herself. Another external conflict is that she gets paid very little weekly and she needs to take care of very old people, people that are almost-died. She struggles a lot to make it through life. Beatrice has bad memories from her childhood which still taunt her now in her life and she does not want people to remember her.Beatrice has dreams that she wishes to come true and uses them as illusions. She wants to turn the closed shop that part of her home into a tea shop. Beatrice is also looking into buying a real e state so that they can move into a new big home. In the story Beatrice says, â€Å" Four- family house. Six and a half and six and a half over five and five. Eight garages. I could really do something with that. A nursing home†¦ † ( 22) This shows her illusions by thinking about buying expensive stuff in the future, but she does not have that much money to pay something like that because of her low paying job and poverty.Her routes of escape is drug abuse. She drinks a lot when there a problem she doesn't want to deal with and as well as smoke a lot of cigarettes too. As the play's main character, Beatrice is mainly  narcissistic and  lethally short-tempered, which is only worsened by the drugs. However, her plight is  sympathetic, as her past reveals a life spiraling steadily downward, leading her to  self-destruction. Thus being able to create illusions for herself she can sustain herself a little and not have to face the problems for a little.

Hebrew and Islamic Mythology Essay

While science and religion are notorious for their contentious and often violently contrasting relationship, they bear much in common in their agenda. Both set out to provide explanations for the world’s mysteries. And as such, they also share a large hand of unanswered questions. Perhaps chief among them, the question of the earth’s creation, and by extension, man’s ascension to awareness, is one with very few empirical explanations. And in an absence of any conclusive evidence, theories abound from all camps. A common thread in history’s chapters, myths regarding the Earth’s conception provide insight into the lives and cultures of their respective societies. In western society, the Judeo-Christian anecdote is easily the most well-known. This story is the primary creationist mythology for many monotheistic sects. Herein, God creates the earth in six days, with man arriving on the last. On the seventh day, the omnipotent rests and thus, delivers man the Sabbath. However, in the centuries that preceded the inflection point where monotheism began to take popular hold, polytheistic idolaters provided the most commonly held ideas about the earth’s origin. One of the earliest examples of the literate and elaborated nature that these myths could take on comes from the rich tapestry of Greek mythology. The Greeks were idol-worshippers who had developed a complex and extremely colorful cast of gods. Though not omnipotent like the Judeo-Christian almighty, these gods were believed to possess real and considerable power over the lives of their human subjects. The Greek myth of creation is an exposition of that relationship. It was believed that, prior to earth, there was nothing but darkness. And amid this darkness, the only object was a black-winged bird called Nyx. This bird, alone in the void, was impregnated by the wind. (Note the parallel to the immaculate conception of Christ. ). As a result of this cosmic union, she yielded a golden egg, which she proceeded to roost upon for many thousands of years. Eventually, this egg hatched and the god of love, Eros, sprang forth. Just as Eros was born, so too were his siblings, whom he was given the honor of naming. They were the upper and lower halves of his shell, which rose to the air and sank to the ground respectively. They became the sky and the earth. Eros called them Uranus and Gaia and blessed them with love. This love resulted in children and grandchildren who would blossom into twisted, war-bent gods whose better judgment would be often blinded by a hopeless quest for power. A first-generation child of Gaia and Uranus, Kronus took a wife in Rhea and produced many children, whom he grew to fear immensely. Kronus, a problem-solver by nature, swallowed his children while they were still infants, thus preventing what he considered to be the inevitable threat of usurpation. The youngest of his sons, however, was also the most beloved to Rhea so she deceived her husband into consuming a rock in the child’s place. This youngest child, Zeus, would grow strong in manhood and ultimately bring to realization Kronus’ greatest fear. Zeus liberated his brothers and sisters from his father’s malicious and all-consuming grasp. Then he led them to revolution, waging a war against the tyrannical god. In their victory, they turned their benevolent attention to the great creations of Nyx. The gods began to populate Uranus with the stars thus creating space. They began to furnish Gaia with life, thus birthing nature. After creating the appropriate backdrop, the gods recognized that the earth was correct excepting its want for animals and humans. Zeus set to the task his sons Prometheus and Epimetheus, whose names translate literally to mean forethought and afterthought. This provides some interesting insight, perhaps, into the Greek perspective about man’s intellectual capacity and eventual self-awareness. In addition, it offers literal details about the unique abilities and idiosyncrasies that mark the species which populate the earth. When assigned to the job of designing creatures, the brothers were given a variety of gifts to offer their creations. While Epimetheus set upon the task of creating the animals and awarding them all with gifts, Prometheus carefully sculpted man to be in the image of the gods. (Again, man’s definition as being in the image of god holds much in common with Judeo-Christian creationism). When he completed his task, he found that Epimetheus had given away all the gifts, leaving humankind with the shaft. Prometheus sought to rectify the matter by stealing a trace of fire from the setting sun and giving it to man. When Zeus awoke to find man in possession of that which was to belong only to the gods, he was furious. He punished Prometheus to an eternity stapled to a tree, having his liver chewed on by vultures. But the damage was done. Man had been created and given the power of fire. There is a great deal more to Greek mythology, as with the bible. The role of the gods takes on a wide array of purposes, gradually divining all of man’s vices and virtues. But in the story of the earth’s creation alone, there is much illumination. The Greek legend begins to tell part of the story of Greek culture insofar as it offers some true self-examination. In this story of violence, deception and a natural tendency toward roguishness, the Greeks provide a piercing look into a psyche long since perished from the world. Surviving with far greater ideological intensity are those creation myths driving modern faith. The traditional structure of the dominant monotheistic faiths incorporates a narrative regarding the creation of earth and man into its formative doctrines. Herein is typically contained an originating explanation for the relationship between god, man, heaven and earth that provides grounding for the entirety of the faith’s sacred text. This is a fundamental commonality between the texts of the Hebrew Bible and the Holy Qur’an, both of which dedicate significant portions of their second chapters to delineating the story of the first man. It is striking to compare the passages concerning the creation of the first man as they appear in the two texts. Though today Judaism and Islam function almost as antecedents to one another, with their practitioners often viewing their respective texts as placing them into diametric and practical opposition of one another, these passages provide evidence of their common derivation. The creation myths of the two religions suggest that their political, social and cultural differences today may stem from the nuances therein, which had the effect of placing their interests in close confines with one another while arming them with divergent perspectives on how best to achieve said interests. The details surrounding God’s deliverance of Adam to the Garden are essentially the same according to the two texts, but the wording of each calls for closer speculation. In Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible, God follows his work of creating the heaven and the earth by creating man: â€Å"Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.. † (Gen. 2:7) From here is taken a substantial assumption in the Judeo-Christian faith which proceeds from it, that man is created in the image and likeness of God. The breath of God, this passage indicates, circulates in the body of every man, suggesting a responsibility to godliness for all of us. The Qur’an, in its recognition of the same deliverance to the Garden, paints a different image in acknowledgment of God’s endowment of life. In keeping with a prominent thematic impulse of the Qur’an, convicting its readers to note the distinction in fates for believers and nonbelievers, the phrase depicting Adam’s creation is posed with a similar connotation: â€Å"How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him. † (Koran, 2:28) This is a passage which demands not just belief in the creationist role of Allah but also a devotion to eradicating or combating non-belief. More explicitly and ideologically pertinent though, it carries with it a description of the process of reincarnation. Man, in this passage, is described as an entity being fully at the mercy of God within the bonds of the creator-to-created relationship. And where the berth into God’s image, held in the Hebrew Bible, ultimately predisposed man to divine immortality, this infinitude is represented differently in Islam. The overtones of reincarnation here suggest that man is not considered to be made in the image of God, nor even an element of the earth as also implied by Genesis 2:7, but is a soul perpetually disposed to take forms according to the will of Allah. This does not necessarily indicate a fundamental difference in the dispositions of the gods in question, Yahweh and Allah in the bible and Qur’an respectively. In Genesis, there is an articulated statement regarding God’s willingness and right, as creator, to snuff out his subject for transgression of his law. At the time, this law was constituted summarily of one directive in which â€Å"the LORD God commanded the man, saying: ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. ‘†(Gen. 2:16-17) These foreboding words are those which assured our mortality on an earth characterized as the forum for exile from the Garden. The air which god breathed into us through Adam’s nostrils would, as God promised, be the price paid for partaking of the fruit. This fall from the grace of godly immortality would define the nature of man’s life-cycle, and by extension, theoretical concepts such as time and space and spiritual assumptions about death and the afterlife. God’s proposition to Allah as depicted in the Qur’an is not endowed with the same consequence, perhaps a product of the initial divergence between the two texts with regard to the fundamental construct of man in relation to his god: â€Å"And We said: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden and eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish and do not approach this tree, for then you will be of the unjust. † (Koran, 2:35) The fall from grace is described quite differently here, with man incurring no such threat as explicit as a certain death. This is a condition already possessed of man in the passage concerning his formation. It is not a punishment but a state of being given grounded in man’s relationship to Allah. Original sin is still a common element to the doctrines of the two faiths, but its consequences appear as quite different actually. In the Hebrew Bible, the serpent is a creature which plays the role of deceiver and, by metaphorical extension, the antithetical and fundamentally evil counterpart to God’s unchanging benevolence. This is contrasted by the Qur’an’s direct address of a Satan figure, a development affirming its composition as having occurred at a far later date than that of Genesis: â€Å"But the Shaitan made them both fall from it, and caused them to depart from that (state) in which they were; and We said: Get forth, some of you being the enemies of others, and there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time. † (Koran, 2:36) A punishment dealt herein concerns man’s occupation of earth as a home, with God endowing it only a finite capacity to host mortal life. Again, the contrast between the implications to man’s punishment for Original Sin in the two texts can be traced to the contrast in man’s assumed composition. In the Hebrew Bible, God punished Eve and her offspring to a perpetuity of painful childbearing â€Å"and unto Adam He said: ‘Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying: Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. † (Gen. 3:17) In this passage, a fundamental difference in perspective is illuminated, that man’s lot, to toil on the land, is a punishment profoundly connected to his violation of God’s will and his organic relationship to the soil. Where the Garden of Eden was a sanctuary at Adam’s disposal, the Earth would be his responsibility and his shackles. His mortality would be profoundly chained to his capacity to manage the earth. Where Islam casts its subjects as inhabitants of a land inevitably bound to eventually leave them to resource-deprived oblivion, Judaism confines its followers to a eternity of suffering knowledge of the earth’s hard reality. God tells Adam of this fate as being a mixed blessing, with the knowledge equally capable of delivering him to pain and pleasure, â€Å" for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. ‘† (Gen. 3:5) In a way, this is a complete fulfillment of man’s emulation of the creator-image just as it is the downfall from godliness. Indeed, the serpent cavorts Eve by telling her that she and Adam will be endowed with knowledge and fortitude, and be gods themselves. In exchange for this transgression, god casts man without guidance into the desert abyss. This is contrasted by the denouement of original sin in the Qur’an, where Allah casts his children out but does so under the auspices of mercy: â€Å"We said: Go forth from this (state) all; so surely there will come to you a guidance from Me, then whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. † (Koran, 2:38) Here, God reaffirms his commitment to man even in his failing, offering him an unconditional love as sanctuary for the pain and suffering of the land. The intricacies that differentiate the two texts offer a useful set of variations on a creation story that is highly associated with the evolution of monotheism. Particularly, the mutual centrality of the texts on man’s role and purpose in the earth’s creation and the heaven’s sanctity illustrates the capacity of each to elucidate its pursuant culture’s views on God’s divine plan for humanity. Bibliography: Fahs, Sophia Lyon, Spoerl, Dorothy T. Beginnings: Earth, Sky, Life, Death. Beacon Press. Boston. 1965. Freund, Philip. Myths of Creation. Washington Square Press, Inc. New York City. 1965. Koran Text. (1997 edition). The Holy Qur’an. University of Virginia: Online Book Initiative. Online at Masoretic Text. (JPS 1917 Edition). A Hebrew-English Bible. Mechon Mamre. Online at