Julius Caesar Essays (2418 words) - Julius Caesar, First Triumvirate

Julius Caesar Many things can be said about great men. You never can tell exactly just what makes a man great. Looks, personality, a strong mind, these are all good qualities to look for in a man. Speaking as a woman, I know women look for all these qualities and then some. Does he have a good job? A fine house? Good credit? Many of these questions plague the minds of women today. Whether you are looking for a life partner, a friend, or a lover, these questions will arise. Sometimes from you, but mainly from those around you. Needless to say, we are all looking for greatness. In one form or another. On July 13 100 B.C. a great man was born. Gaius Julius Caesar walked the face of this earth for 56 years. Some called him a tyrant, a foe, an adversary. Others named him a loyal friend and confidant. I, on the other hand, simply call him great. Journey with me through the life of this great man. We will walk together through his birth and family, his rise to power, and finally the betrayal that cost him his life. After this, we will meet back here. We will then reflect on the ups, the downs, the sorrows, and the pains of which Caesar would have called his life. As we walk down this road together, you will be awed, challenged and inspired. Come, let's go. The journey has already begun.... A Star is Born A light shined ever so brightly on the thirteenth day of July 100 B.C. That light was the birth of Gaius Julius Caesar. There was no small stir in the spiritual realm on that day. It seemed as though some mystical force knew what this young babe would later come to be. For that same mystical force tried to eliminate him at birth. Because of the various complications at birth, he was born through an unusual method for that time period. He was born through the process of what would later become known as a Caesarean Section. Although this process is commonplace for our day and time, at that time, his birth was nothing short of a miracle. This miraculous birth in itself was enough to let us know that this was not an ordinary man and this was not to be an ordinary life. Whatever mystical powers there are that be, tried to extinguish this life from the onset. Maybe this same power knew of the murders, the wars, the savageries, the betrayals that were to come. Maybe this power knew of the great lust for power and thirst for blood that was in this babe's future. This evil foreboding, seemed to cast a dim shadow over the remainder of his life. For this babe would grow into a lad and then into a man and yet this same mystical power would be continually petitioning the ultimate power for his life. For whatever reason that was, we cannot tell. However, looking through a dark glass in time we will least able to speculate. The Julian Family was a noble one to say the least. They were patricians, part of the Roman upper class. It was once rumored that they were direct descendants of the goddess Venus. However, modern scholars seem to believe that the Julian Family began this rumor on their own and it has no actual basis in fact. Descendants of the gods or not, the Julian family was a far cry from where they wanted to be politically, as well as financially. In fact, they were in the second or third rank politically. The highest office the family had reached was the office of Praetor. This shows they could not have had a great fortune. Caesar's father also was called Gaius Julius Caesar. His mother was named Aurelia, the daughter of consul Lucius Aurelius Cotta. In those days a Roman noble won distinction for himself and his family by securing election to a series of public offices, which culminated in the consulship, with the censorship possibly to follow. This was a difficult task for even the ablest and most gifted noble unless he was backed by substantial family wealth and influence. Even with all

The Global Media In The 1990s Example

The Global Media In The 1990s Example The Global Media In The 1990's – Book Report/Review Example The global media in the 1990s The global media in the 1990s Global Media in the 1990s, as expressed by Herman and McChesney expresses how US media business influences entertainment and news around the world. According to them, the deregulation and commercialization of public television systems globally began between 1970 and 1980, though it spread fully in the 1990s. Global media has occurred at the expense of systems that dominated previously. The reason why media corporations are able to gain this power and control is because government organizations like FCC (Federal Communications Commission), no longer regulate them. There is a strong critique of journalism degradation under commercial influences and a look at the larger culture commercialization. Moreover, a major subject in the 1990s was that, even though Hollywood fare in television, film and music had substantial appeal globally, this appeal had its limits (Herman & McChesney 43).Media corporations are capable of influencing the media through globalization since they join with conglomerates which are not of the US origin. For example, Disney signed a ten year contract with McDonald’s in 1996, giving the quick food chain special worldwide rights to promote Disney merchandise in its restaurants. In this case, Disney is permitted to use McDonald’s outlets in promoting its sales, whereas McDonald’s can use the latter’s to assist in its unabashed operation to dominate all markets in the world (Hackett & Zhao 9). Herman and Mchesney are basically saying that McDonald and Disney are able to benefit more popularity globally because they promote each other’s goods. In their article, these authors continue to explain how media conglomerates in the US manipulate globalization of American pop culture through lack of directive and having agreements with non-media corporations.Edward S. Herman, Robert W McChesney. The Global Media: The New Missionaries of Corporate Capitalism. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001. Print. Robert A. Hackett, Yuezhi Zhao. Democratizing Global Media: One World, Many Struggles. London: owman & Littlefield, 2005. Print.

Fukuyama's End of History and the Muslim World Research Paper

Fukuyama's End of History and the Muslim World - Research Paper Example The modern materialistic living style of the western world will influence the third world countries like a giant storm giving them no chance to think about an alternate, peaceful living style. Everybody will wear western clothing, eat their food and follow their lifestyle. Two decades after the book had been written we can now see most of his views have come true. There is a long queue covering three streets in China to buy the new iPhone which will be released in the US the day after. People in Korea alter their children’s tongue at a young age, so that they can speak better English and the most closed markets like India extend a red carpet welcome to Foreign Direct Investment, which comes from west, not from any developing country like Thailand or Indonesia. By far, the one and only people trying to resist these changes are the Islamists. They shoot the girl who wants to learn to read, write and barricade themselves from all scientific advantages in the name of religion. Who is right Fukuyama or the Islamists? In course of time, History will prove both wrong (Lal, 2006). Fukuyama’s theory states that capitalism which started to triumph at the death of communism, in the end of cold war will establish a ‘universal consumer culture’2 which will sweep down the ethical entities ingrained deeply in every individual. This is exactly what we see today. Education is no more a way to hone a skill. It is marks earned to secure a job with high earnings which in turn helps in buying ample things feeding the consumerism. So is it really the end of all indigenous ideologies which had been passed on from one generation to another. Not exactly because every ideology will keep evolving to some other form and liberal democracy is no exception (Marks, n.d.). Liberal democracy which simply evolved from communism based democracy eliminating its flaws and frays, will evolve into something better in the near future. Liberalism and Democracy themselves do n ot go hand in hand. There are several third world countries which struggle to use liberalism to their economic benefit. As Karl Marx stated, they will realize sooner or later, capitalism will lead to overproduction, low cost, scanty wages and unemployment doing more harm than good in the long run.3 They will start looking for alternate ideologies automatically leading to a better form of government and economic management. History proved aristocracy and communism cannot succeed. Likewise it will prove liberal democracy will also dwindle in some point of time in this 21st century (Marx & Engels, 1848). Do Islamists Have the Answer? Is Islamic idealism the core answer for an alternate ideology opposing liberal democracy? The answer is most certainly no because, evolution should lead to something which is better than the previous methods. But, Islamic ideologies force people to go back to the primitive living condition. Of course too much of sweet is bad for health. The available medic ine might have lots of side effects. But, a new alternate medicine or an ancient medicine which will cure the disease should be invented or revived, instead of banning the usage of sweets completely from life. Do the Islamists agree with it? Mainstream Islamic people do agree with it hundred percent. Karshidshak who worked in Iraq with the Muslim soldiers admits they are like any modern American youngsters longing for the latest model mobile and waiting to

Liquidation Damages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liquidation Damages - Essay Example This paper will look at how liquidation damages for Lake River Corp. v. Carborundum Co. were calculated and provide a critical view of the calculation used. Carborundum is a company that manufactures Ferro Carbo. It had entered into a contract with Lake River Company.   In the contract, Lake River Company would receive Ferro Carbo in bulk from Carborundum’s, put it in bags and ship it to Carborundum’s customers. Carborundum insisted that Lake River install a new bagging system to take care of the contract in an efficient manner, which costs $89000. In order to cover the cost and make a twenty percent profit, Lake River insisted on a minimum guarantee clause that ensured that if the full least quantity was shipped the Lake River would make $533000. However, Carborundum only shipped 12,000 of the 22500 tons of the Ferro Carbo at the time when the contract expired.  Carborundum had paid for the amount billed and bagged.   The clause left Carborundum Company owing $241000. That is $533000 (ferro shipped) less what Carborundum had paid. On the other hand, Lake retained 500 tons of bagged Ferro. As such, the issue was whet her the formulae in the minimum guarantee clause inflicts a penalty for breach of contract or whether it was just a deliberate attempt to liquidate damages (Whitney,1985). In this case, the district judge gave a judgment where Carborundum ended up with approximately $42,000. This amount was reached by making use of the following formulae; $269000 +$31000 -$241000-$17000. The last figure represented the prejudgment interest on the Lake river damages (Whitney, 1985). Here the damage formulae were designed in such a way that it will assure the Lake River Company receives more than the actual damages it incurs. This makes it a penalty. It was noted that, since Lake River did not do much work, they were not

Tools For Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tools For Learning - Essay Example In this regard, it is arguable that any form of positive attribute to the students by all stakeholders is indispensable. According to Blakemore & Frith (2007), motivation is considered the most critical aspect of learning that every student is supposed to be subjected to. In weak areas of students, motivation is regarded as the first element of ensuring student’s success. Motivation is believed to influence, stimulate and expedite students’ effort to accomplish results. Educational psychologists argue that motivating students in the early childhood education may require inducement of intrinsic motivation that aims at making learning pleasurable, enjoyment and interesting. This can be attained by subjecting students in play, exploration as well as challenge. Nevertheless, extrinsic motivation is also considered ideal in that the students are subjected to reinforcements such as rewards. However, this has been refuted by some researchers arguing that the intrinsic motivation is more desirable and mostly results in better learning outcomes compared to extrinsic motivation. Motivation involves constellating beliefs, perceptions, interests and actions (Alfrey, 2003). Educators can use either motivation that focuses on cognitive behaviors like use of different strategies and monitoring students’ progress or non-cognitive aspect which involves focusing and changing students’ perception, beliefs and attitudes (Blakemore & Frith, 2007). In some instances, educators can decide to use both motivational strategies in the effort of enhancing effective learning. In situations where behavior is the focal point that currently determines student’s performance, reinforcements like those advocated by B.F. Skinner are endorsed. Positive reinforcements such as rewards are advocated for students with good behaviors that are considered ideal in determining students’ performance while

Are Liberty and Equality Compatible?

Are Liberty and Equality Compatible? Reconciling Liberty and Equality There seems to be an endless debate amongst different philosophers in different political traditions on whether or not the concepts of liberty and equality are reconcilable. Some argues that the two go together and therefore are indistinguishable while others conversely maintain that they are incompatible. In modern democratic societies, the two principles need to be reconciled as they both seem to have a common end of developing the capacity of an individual. The concepts of liberty and equality seem to be in conflict due to the fact that they are derived from two opposite ideologies which are liberalism and socialism. However, a common argument is that the preservation of negative liberty requires positive action on the part of the state or society to prevent some individuals from taking away the liberty of others (Berlin, 1958). Political scientist Max Dalton clearly argued that liberty and equality are compatible. In his article titled; â€Å"Are liberty and equality compatible?† he says that when well reconciled, they support a capitalist state with some re-distributive measures (Dalton, 2014). However, inorder to reconcile the two concepts, we need to define the two terms on the outset. What is liberty? Liberty is derived from liberalism which believes in individualism. The term liberty narrowly means freedom, free will or permissive. The doctrine of liberalism stresses that an individual has got the right to live according to his or her wishes provided that such rights do not infringe on the overall good of the community. A liberal believer does not permit the state to constrain the freedom of an individual (Democracy Consolidation Programe, 2004). Liberty is contested concept. Different scholars have defined the term liberty differently. Mill, (1993) defined the term in a negative aspect as the freedom to act and he also defined it in a negative sense as the absence of coercion. Sir Robert Firmer defined liberty as the freedom to do what one likes, to live as one wishes and not to be tied to laws. In general liberty in a negative sense, also known as classical liberalism, means freedom of an individual from outside compulsion or coercion. In this sense, libertaria ns like Nozick, (1974) argues that any form of interference, either by a coercive authority, any other person or by oneself in form of ‘self-mastery’, ‘self-determination’, ‘self-realization’ or ‘self-compulsion’, is an encroachment in an individual’s space of freedom. Liberalism suggests that people need to be left alone to act on free will and to take responsibility for their actions. It further suggests that a man need to be given a realm of freedom without interference. Professor Isaiah Berlin said Liberty in the negative sense involves an answer to the question â€Å"What is the area within which the subject—a person or group of persons—is or should be left to do or be what he is able to do or be, without interference by other persons . In this sense, negative liberty seems to be a form of rejection of any supreme power or authority. On the extreme, the concept may be identified with a state of lawlessnes s. According to Johari, (2004) the negative view of liberty is not appreciated in the present time. Johari said that this is so because the liberty of an individual is relative to that of others because and man’s action need to be viewed as both self-regarding and other people regarding. On the contrary, positive liberty, also known as social liberalism, places emphasis on social structures and is related to egalitarianism. In the positive sense, social liberalism asserts that an individual need to be protected from tyranny and the arbitrary exercise of power. In this facet, social liberalism favors for the establishment of a social structure in a form of a minimal state that will be able to provide the necessary protection of the individual’s rights. T. H. Green as quoted by (Johari, 2004) defined positive liberty as the power to of doing or enjoying something that is worth doing or enjoying in relation with others. Johari (2004) contend that since man is a social creature, his life should be regulated by certain social bonds. This entails that liberty in its negative view favours lack of restraint of an individual while in its positive view, it permits the existence of a social system that exercises reasonable restraint of individual’s actions inorder to ensure that noone is allowed to enfringe on someone’s liberty. Equality is derived from socialism, an ideology which believes in equality of all individuals. It stresses that all people are equal and therefore someone should not necessarily get too much at the expense of others (Democracy Consolidation Programe, 2004). In socialism, mutual interest and common good is the main principle of organizing the economy. Self-interest and too much individual accumulation of wealth result in depriving others which in turn creates inequalities. Redistribution of wealth for the sake of common good is one key element of socialism (Democracy Consolidation Programe, 2004). Equality has narrowly been defined as the fact of being equal or the fact of having the same value. Johari, (2004) explains that equality means â€Å"equal conditions guaranteed to each for making the best of themselves†. In political science, the term usually means the equal treatment of people irrespective of social or cultural difference and it takes myriad forms such as social equ ality, economic equality, formal equality, legal equality, moral equality, international equality etc. These forms have been categorized into two main types which are namely positive equality and negative equality. Equality in the form of social equality is referred to as the absence of class or caste boundaries and the absence of discrimination motivated by an inalienable part of a person’s identity i.e. gender, race, age, sexual orientation, origin, caste or class, income or property, language, religion convictions, opinions, health or disability that may result in unequal treatment. In the egalitarian doctrine, equality is referred to as a condition in which all humans are equal in fundamental worth or social status should be treated equally in politics and economics cycles. It advocates for the removal of all economic inequality among people and this is considered to be the classical concept of socialists. Rawls, (1972) illustrates this notion in his Egalitarian theory of Justice where he notes that cooperation under the state is manifested in the sharing of ‘benefits’ and ‘burdens’. He further argues that if individuals acquire wealth at the expense of others, then they shall suffer the burden of having part of their wealth taken by the worst-off. Equality, may also take another form popularly known as equality before the law or legal egalitarian, which entails that all persons are entitled to equal treatment before the law. In a positive sense, equality means the provision of adequate opportunities for all (Johari, 2004). Johari further describes positive equality as not simply meaning identical treatment for all since men differ in their need and capacities for their self-development. However, scholars have argued that the provision of adequate opportunity, does not mean equal treatment for all. Equality in its negative sense is referred to the non-discrimination on the ground of religion, caste, wealth, creed, domicile, descent, sex and the like (Johari, 2004). But how can the two terms be reconcile in modern society? The fact that the two concepts are different in principle has been clearly eluded to. But however the two concepts shares some form of similarities as they have common foundations due to the fact that they all recognize that all members within the society are free and equal. Scholars have also argued that the two concept provide egalitarian guidance on controversial questions about the distribution of social and economic resources. On the positive sense, social liberty takes the form of egalitarianism as it places emphasis on the establishment of a social structure such as a state that is able to regulate the actions of an individual so that he or she does not hamper other people’s rights and freedoms. In this sense, the two are perceived to be compactible and inseparable. This is so because positive liberties fully appreciate the need of restraining an individual for the sake of public good as they are perceive as both self-regarding and other people regarding. In this aspect, the desire to have equality, just like the desire to enjoy negative liberties cannot be utilized without a positive state or social structure that would restrain the individual from infringing other person’s liberties. Therefore, the notion that liberty implies that man need to be given total freedom may not be true in our modern society. This fact agrees with the real definition of liberty given by Johari (2004) who conten ded that libery is not supposed to be identified with the absence of restraints and limitation. The desire to enjoy equality destroys the possibility of having full liberties while the exercise of full liberty may degenerate into licese and equality without liberty lapses into uniformity. Liberty is superior to equality because equality serves under liberty. According to Prof. Barker Equality in all its forms, must always be subject and instrumental to the free development of capacity; but if it be pressed to the length of uniformity; if uniformity be made to thwart the free development of capacity, the subject becomes the master, and the world is turned topsy-turvy (DasGupta, 2014). The development of a rich society requires a large measure of liberty and outlaws all attempts to enforce a dead level of social and economic equality. Liberty builds a united society but equality assesses the social hierarchy and contributes towards the stability of the community. Therefore liberty would be dull without some measure of equality and equality would be meaningless without liberty. A quick look at most of the democratic constitutions of the world and many international human rights instruments will review that both liberty and equality have been incorporated and this speaks volume to the fact that the two concepts have a common aim- and that is to develop an individual and to make life worth-living. Therefore, liberty without equality results in license – acts beyond one’s rights to abuse the rights of others; and equality without liberty is dull. Bibliography Berlin, I. (1958). Two Concepts of Liberty. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Dalton, M. (2014, May 1). Are liberty and equality compatible? . Retrieved from Oriel Web Site: http://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Max Dalton Lloyd Davies Philosophy prize Liberty.pdf DasGupta, R. (2014, May 21). Retrieved from Preserve Articles Web Site: http://www.preservearticles.com/201104265965/notes-on-the-relationship-between-equality-and-liberty.html Democracy Consolidation Programe. (2004). Building an Informewd Nation. Lilongwe: Montifort Media. Johari, J. (2004). Principles of Modern Political Science. New Dehli: Sterling Publishers. Mill, J. S. (1993). On Liberty and Utilitarianism (2nd ed.). New York: Bantam Books. Nozick, R. (1974). Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books. Rawls, J. (1972). A Theory of Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wiktionary. (2014, May 15). Wiktionary The Free on Line Dictionary. Retrieved from equality: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/equality Jean Valjean | Les Misà ©rables | Character Analysis Jean Valjean | Les Misà ©rables | Character Analysis The character I have chosen for study from Bille Augusts film, Les Misà ©rables, is Jean Valjean. As the main protagonist of the story, Valjean starts out as an ex-convict who went to prison for stealing bread, but after an encounter with a kind bishop, he makes important changes in his life. Jean Valjean went through many psychological changes throughout the movie Les Misà ©rables which molded him into a better person because of the mercy that was extended to him by the Bishop of Digne at a time when Valjean was least deserving of it; from that point on, he became a morally upright citizen who showed compassion and mercy on others. Throughout the movie, Les Misà ©rables, Jean Valjean goes through many distinct life-changing phases that permit him to grow from a loathsome of a man to a honorable man. Jean Valjeans first psychological alteration took place during his nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He went in as a wholesome and straightforward man, but came out of jail showing hatred and scorn to society. While in prison, Valjean endured abuse and, in turn, dedicated himself to defeating related mistreatment in society. Because of cruelty shown to him there, Valjean discovered a new level of physical strength and, more-so, a new emotional concentration through his newly found cause of social justice. Whether Valjean knew it or not, he was about to undergo another big psychological transformation that would change his life forever. The Bishop of Digne played a huge role in the psychological change of Jean Valjean, even though he was only in the film for the first couple minutes of the movie. Right off the bat, the humble bishop shows Jean something that he hasnt experienced in a couple decades; the power of love and respect. When the bishop saved him from the authorities after escaping from prison, Valjean came to deeply respect his great kindness and assistanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦so we thought. While the bishop and his wife are sleeping, Valjean, still stuck in his ruthless ways, starts stealing all of their silver utensils. At this point all I could think was, how could he do this to such a nice family who gave him a place to stay? But it gets crazier. The bishop hears the ruckus going on, so he goes to check it out only to find Jean Valjean stealing from him. Valjean ends up punching the bishop in the face, knocking him on the ground, unable to move as Valjean escapes. The next day, the police force caught Valjea n with all the silver he had stolen, and brought him back to the bishops house; this was the turning point in Valjean. The bishop shows an act of mercy on Valjean by telling the authorities that Jean didnt steal any of that stuff, but he just simply gave it to him. This catches Valjean totally off guard; he doesnt understand why the bishop would do this, so he questions him on why he saved him. The bishop responds by telling him something that would change his future forever: And dont forgetdont ever forget, youve promised to become a new man. You no longer belong to evil. With this silver, Ive bought your soul. Ive ransomed you from fear and hatred. And now I give you back to God. It was then when Valjean finally saw the brute, vile of a man he was, and the honorable, self-giving man he could become if he puts the bishops moral fiber into action. As nine years elapsed, Valjean was compelled towards a life of integrity, and consequently, he became a respected leader and prosperous businessman. After the city of Vigau bankrupted five years prior, Valjean decided to buy and refurbish the citys brick factory. At the time of the purchase, Valjean had been named mayor of the city. Obviously Valjean wanted to make something of himself, and also wanted to help others make something of their own lives by buying, running, and offering jobs at the factory to the people of the town. This is the first, of many, psychological changes we see in Valjean since the promise he made with the bishop. Additional evidence that further supports his transformation comes in the subsequent scene where Javert and Captain Beauvais are walking through Valjeans factory. Javert asks the question, The men and women work separately? Captain Beauvais answers, Yes. Monsieur le maire redesigned the factory in order to keep the sexes apart. He cares about honest working women and wants to protect their virtue. Valjean had a high regard for women workers despite the fact that many men did not value woman as important parts in society. He says, I dont want our ladies to be exposed to corruption. This is another moral transformation that Valjean has gone through. There have been a plethora of characteristics that Valjean has adopted over the years. Another trait he embraces is compassion. Fantine, a worker in his factory who had to turn to prostitution to support her daughter after being fired without Valjeans consent, was treated dissipatedly by men of the city and subsequently unjustly accused by Javert as he sentenced Fantine to six months in prison. When Valjean heard about this, he took time out of his night to make his way down to the police station to take care of the situation and set things straight. Not only does Jean set her free from jail, but he takes her into his home, just as the bishop had done for him, to care for her while she was very sick. He also paid to get Fantines daughter, Cosette, to be sent up to stay with him and Fantine. But before Fantine gets to see her daughter, she passes away from sickness. Valjean shows a further act of compassion by adopting Cosette and caring for her in place of her mother. These were just a few actions which demonstrated Valjeans newfound mannerism of compassion, and yet another psychological alteration in Jean. And yet Jean Valjean was still ready for more change. One day Valjean learned that a man named Jean Valjean had been found guilty of a crime. He knew that this couldnt be true because his name was Jean Valjean. After wrestling with his conscience, he decided to attend the court case where he revealed that he was the real Jean Valjean, thus releasing the indicted. Valjean says to the judge, I am the man you want. I am Jean Valjean. I wish I could keep my mouth shut and let this poor wretch suffer for me, but continue with the investigation monsieur. You will find further proof that I am Valjean. This was a huge decision that he made, since the authorities learn that he is an escape convict; forcing Valjean to, once again, to be an absconder from the law. This means that he would have to relinquish all the things that he had accomplished in his professional life, but by acceding to a standard of psychological integrity, by doing what is right and true, Valjean made one of the most affe cting psychological changes in his life. Sacrifice, what is it? According Websters New Collegiate Dictionary sacrifice is defined as, The surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim. The ultimate sacrifice is shown towards the end of the movie which shows Valjeans true character. After several years of running from Javert and the law, Valjean find himself in an intriguing situation. Valjean has Javert, who has been trying to end his life ever since he was in jail, with his hands tied, a gun to his head, and a chance for him to finally end his life. What does he do? He simply lets him go. Valjean spares Javerts life for some very straightforward, but touching reasons. Valjean is nothing like Javert. He does not embrace the same abhorrence or the desire to win like Javert does. Jeans simply wants to live in peace. This audacious decision by Valjean exemplifies how far Jean has come since the beginning of the film. Just as the bishop s howed mercy on Valjean, he also demonstrated that same act of mercy on Javert; even when he least deserved it. Even today, peoples perspectives on life are changed for the better when theyve been shown acts of love, compassion, and mercy. This is depicted in Les Misà ©rables as Jean Valjean goes through many psychological changes which shape him into, literally, a totally different person for the good. He was extended mercy when he least deserved it, and in-turn, became a morally upright citizen who showed compassion and mercy on others. I hope that through this paper youve been inspired to overcome obstacles and hard times in your own lives and are able to use your difficulties to mold you into a better person.

Agricultural Genetic Engineering Essay -- Genes Farming Science Agricu

Agricultural Genetic Engineering The ability to directly modify living organisms is a novel human technology. Since the discovery of the DNA molecule the field of genetics has grown at an astounding rate. We now have the ability to alter organisms to fit our needs. This prospect offers the possibility of solving problems that have plagued humanity for thousands of years. In recent years genetically modified organisms have found many practical applications, particularly in the agricultural sector. Genetically modified organisms in this area, called transgenic crops (TC) are already being implemented on a considerably large scale. The possible benefits of utilizing TC has caused us avoid addressing important moral and ethical issues; commercialization of genetic technology is allowing premature mainstream adoption. It is imperative that we ask ourselves, is it ethical to implement TCs? Background: Some foundational understanding of the technology underlying TC production is necessary to adequately consider the issues at hand. To modify crops biologist use recombinant DNA (rDNA). This consists of extracting a gene producing a desirable trait from one organism and inserting it into the organism to be modified. Taking a gene for a desirable trait from a plant and amplifying its effect is also a method of genetic engineering using rDNA. The sources of genetic material to insert are almost boundless, crossing bounds between species and even forms of life. (1) Production of TC is similar to the practice of hybridization by selective breeding. This method of selecting desirable crop traits has been practiced since the domestication of plants to improve yields. (15p62) TC is a significantly more efficient way to achieve a s... .... Accepts Labeling Rules" Wall Street Journal 10/8/2001 <http://www.biotech-info.net/lift_moratorium.html> (12) "FDA'S Policy for Foods Developed by Biotechnology ", U. S. Food and Drug Administration, 1995 <http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/biopolcy.html#label> (13a) " Monsant vs Schmeiser" 5/22/2002 <http://www.percyschmeiser.com/> (13b) Court Transcript , "Monsanto Canada inc. and Monsanto Company vs Percy schmeiser and Schmeiser enterprises Ltd." 2001 <http://www.percyschmeiser.com/T1593-98-%20Decision.pdf> (14) Lambrecht, Bill , Dinner At the New Gene Cafe St. Martins Press, 2001 (15) McHughen, Alean, Pandora's Picnic Basket Ocford University Press, 2000 (p1)<http://www.colostate.edu/programs/lifesciences/TransgenicCrops/animation.html> (p2)<http://www.colostate.edu/programs/lifesciences/TransgenicCrops/images/cotton.jpg>

Improper Garbage Disposal

With more college graduates than jobs, the government wrestles with what to do with themSouth Korea is beginning to wrestle with the unappetizing fact that too many of its young are in college. Despite the very real success of its economy, the country can’t manufacture enough jobs for its graduates – of which it produces a lot. Singapore, Taiwan and other Asian countries to some extent face the same glut. However, South Korea seems in a class by itself.Some 86 percent of all high school graduates go on to college, and most expect to graduate with a degree. About 3. 3 million students are enrolled in 347 universities – by one calculation one of every 14 South Koreans is a university student. A full 80 percent of parents fully expect their children to graduate with a degree. According to a study by the Samsung Economic Research Institute, the number of students in college is actually lowering gross domestic product by a full percentage point.The country is regularl y faced with the odd phenomenon of newspaper stories about many of its brightest graduates who are forced to enroll in vocational schools in order to get a job after graduation – including a recent story in the Korea Herald about a young woman with a degree in French who enrolled in a course to become a Starbucks barista. Other tales have philosophy graduates learning to become bakers. Fewer than half of those who graduated in 2010 had found full time jobs by the end of 2011.That has pushed the South Korean government to promote vocational skills as an alternative to college, with President Lee Myung-bak turning up to open the Sudo Electric Technical High School in 20. Sudo is one of 21 so-called Meister Schools modeled on German vocational schools, that are being funded by the government and which guarantee graduates jobs. However, critics say lots more must be done and that in fact the entire education system must be redesigned. The 21 Meister schools are hardly enough, and the practical training aspects of their curricula mean funding must be increased considerably over that of academic high schools.Certification systems for the students must also be introduced. According to the SERI study published last week, â€Å"it is estimated that 42 percent of the nation’s college graduates are over-educated. † Had those 42 percent bypassed college and started working immediately after highs school, according to the study, South Korea’s gross domestic product would have been as much as a full percentage point higher. In addition, according to the study, maximum opportunity costs — tuition plus forgone income — from attending college total an estimated W19 trillion per year (US$16. 8 billion). That is W14. 77 trillion for four-year university graduates and W4. 24 trillion for two-year graduates. The average university graduate spends W119. 6 million (US$102,000) on his or her education and W53. 6 million for two-year college g raduates.A college degree defines success, however, marginalizing high school graduates despite the fact that during the era of Korea's double-digit growth era, skilled technicians and craftsmen with high school degrees were credited with building the nation's infrastructure and lifted manufacturing up to global standards. But today, even those better suited for technical skilled jobs right after high school feel compelled to pursue a university degree,† according to the report. â€Å"Over the past 10 years, corporate executives with only a high school degree have plunged to 2. 6 percent from 7. 2 percent. † It is relatively easy to see why the young opt for college despite the crowded campuses. If half the graduates are on the street, the odds are about the same for those with a high school diploma, and after being hired they are often headed for low-skill jobs.In 2011, according to SERI, the employment rate of young people with a high school degree only was 59. 1 perc ent and those who were working were employed in low value-added industries and hold sales, services, technical and other such positions. Mechanical jobs and sales account for 38 percent and 32. 8 percent of working high school graduates, respectively. Consequently, high school graduates in 2011 had average monthly incomes of W1. 46 million (US$1250) — 77 percent of that of university graduates and 90 percent of two-year graduates.Job security among high school graduates also is considerably lower compared to young college graduates, according to SERI. In 2011, 72. 4 percent of all employees with a university degree or higher were in permanent jobs while only 47. 3 percent of high school graduates had them. The job of righting the situation basically almost means turning South Korean society, if not the education system, upside down, according to the SERI report. One of the big problems, according to a study by Clark W.Sorenson for the Comparative Education Review, â€Å"Voca tional schools, whether public or private, are generally considered less desirable than academic high schools by the public. † At one point during the 1960s and 1970s, according to Sorenson, the government hoped to educate up to 70 percent of students in vocational schools to provide technically trained factory workers only to have parents rebel. Thus, changing both parental and student attitudes will require comprehensive measures, including developing jobs in the base industries that are the cornerstones of Korean manufacturing competitiveness .SERI recommends that a specialized organization be established to connect high school graduates to the companies that would seek to hire them. The high school curriculum also needs to be redesigned to equip high school students with what the study calls ready-to-use skill sets, teaching problem-solving skills and a sense of responsibility. The SERI study recommends borrowing an idea from the United Kingdom, which in in 2008 introduced a diploma system that requires work experience for students 14-19 years in age to strengthen their career and job education.Companies must also be brought into the equation to identify jobs graduates can fill and to expand open recruitment of high school graduates. It will also be necessary to address discrimination against applicants who have not yet fulfilled the nation's compulsory military service requirement, the study notes. Businesses tend to avoid these applicants because of concerns over lost productivity. However, recent policy reforms should assuage their worries. For example, high school graduates now may defer their military service for four years.The point that needs to be made, however, is that Korean society has astonished the world with its ability to pivot and go in entirely new ways. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the country will go ahead and institute the reforms with the alacrity that got it this far, this fast. Set as favorite Bookmark Email T his Hits: 5741Comments (2)Subscribe to this comment's feed Re Graduate Unemployment written by Rob Schackne, June 11, 2012 We are seeing a similar situation in urban China today, where the masses of graduates face an increasingly alarming dearth of jobs.Where vocationalization, rather than education, has also got a bad smell. University graduates are waiting tables†¦ though poorly. But I wonder what government initiative was it that beckoned forth all those young people into a dream of white-collar office work. Was it prosperity, the Tiger miracle? Don't get me wrong, education is a beautiful thing. I'd prefer to ride in a taxi driven by a well-educated French major than a taxed cretin. The conversation will be much better, and all that resentment is a good story that passes the time.

Money and Federalism Essay example

Money and Federalism Essay example Money and Federalism Essay example Money and Federalism Interdependence of sectors of society compelled government to take larger role. Another factor: Federal government has a superior ability to tax and borrow. Why? Why? States and localities are in an inherently competitive situation with regard to taxation. People and business can move to another state or locality. National government dependent on personal and corporate income tax. State and localities: license fees and property taxes. Federal Government and Money Can raise more taxes than do all the 50 states. Can control the American dollar (the Federal Reserve). Can borrow money to cover its deficits. States and localities can go bankrupt - harder to find credit. Fiscal Federalism Federal government’s revenue raising advantage has helped make money the basis for many of the relations between the national government and state and local government. Carrot and stick approach. Principle method: Grants in Aid. Grants in Aid: The Carrots Defined as: money paid by one level of government to another level of government to be spent for a specific purpose. Have been used to fund projects in: mass transportation health care urban renewal drug rehab housing crime Three types of Grants Categorical- grants given for specific purposes Block- grants given for general purposes Revenue Sharing - grants given with no strings/direction given for its disbursement Two types of categorical grants Formula: those that are distributed according to a formula. Project grants: awarded on a competitive basis through a federal agency The Stick Approach Direct Orders: legal measures adopted by the national government and enforced by civil and criminal penalties that require certain actions by state and local governments. Equal Opportunity Act of 1972: Barred job discrimination by state and local governments on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. Another Example: Direct Order Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: requires that local governments see to it that all fixed rate public transportation systems be made accessible to the disabled as well as other new public transportation facilities. The national government passes a law that DIRECTLY requires some action on the part of state and local governments. The Stick: Preemption Preemption is the national government’s removal of an area of authority from state and local governments. Example: Clean Air Act 1990, Amendments in 1989 dealing with hazardous and solid waste, Water Quality Act of 1987. Took away state authority and often imposes costs in form of unfunded mandates. Partial Preemption Occurs when the national government establishes minimum standards in certain areas and authorizes state and local governments to exercise primary responsibility for

In Linda Pastans poem Ethics, the speaker recou Essays

In Linda Pastan's poem Ethics, the speaker recou Essays In Linda Pastan's poem "Ethics," the speaker recounts a moral dilemma that her teacher would ask every fall, which has been haunting her for a long time. The question was "if there were a fire in a museum / which would you save, a Rembrandt painting / or an old woman who hadn't many / years left anyhow?" and the speaker tells us through the theme that ethics and moral values can be only learned from the reflection which comes through experience and maturity. In this poem, imagery, diction, and figures of speech contribute to the development of the theme. The speaker in the poem uses images to help to support the theme. For example the statement that "sometimes the woman borrowed my grandmother's face" displays the inability of the children to relate the dilemma to themselves, something that the speaker has learned later on with time and experience. In this poem, the speaker is an old woman, and she places a high emphasis on the burden of years from which she speaks by saying "old woman, / or nearly so, myself." "I know now that woman / and painting and season are almost one / and all beyond saving by children." clearly states that the poem is not written for the amusement of children but somebody that has reached the speaker's age, thus supporting the idea of the theme that children cannot help or understand her or anybody of her age. In addition, when the speakers describes the kids in the classroom as "restless on hard chairs" and "caring little for picture or old age" we can picture them in our minds sitting, ready to leave the cl ass as soon as possible, unwilling and unable to understand the ethics dilemma or what the speaker is feeling. The choice of words of the author also contributes to the development of the theme. For example, the use of words like "drafty," "half-heartedly," and "half-imagined" give the reader the idea of how faintly the dilemma was perceived and understood by the children, thus adding to the idea that the children cannot understand the burden the speaker has upon herself. In addition, referring to a Rembrandt as just a "picture" and to the woman as "old age," we can see that these two symbols, which are very important to the speaker and to the poem, are considered trivial by the children, thus contributing to the concept that the children cannot feel what the speaker is feeling. To add to the idea of old age of the woman, and to define the point of view more clearly, the speaker uses "old woman" a number of times. The speaker uses the metaphors "The colors / within this frame are darker than autumn, / darker even than winter" and "the browns of earth, / though earth's most radiant elements burn / through the canvas." to give us the impression that the painting is not just a simple drawing, but it is something alive, something connected to the earth which is worth saving, thus putting it at the same level of the old woman, and thus making the dilemma more balanced. In addition, the idea of a color "burning through the canvas" puts more emphasis on the painting being something supernatural, thus increasing its status in the poem to be as high as (and maybe even higher than) the old woman. Symbolism is also used at the end of the poem, when the speaker describes the color of the painting as "dark than autumn, / darker even than winter" which adds to the idea that the painting is something that represents old age and death but that is also something natural, like a season. In addition, by saying t hat "I now know that woman / and painting and season are almost one / and all beyond saving by children" the speaker implies that both the painting and the woman represent something old, wise, and decadent, and are something that ethics say we cannot and should not easily give up, but children are not able to understand that, therefore they cannot save them. In conclusion, this poem is not just about a lesson of ethics learned in school by a student. Instead, this

Improving Communication Between Healthcare Providers and Patiets Research Paper

Improving Communication Between Healthcare Providers and Patiets - Research Paper Example When it comes to healthcare industry, one cannot make any mistakes, especially when the communication is taking place between patient and the healthcare provider. If the healthcare provider is able to provide such an atmosphere, where the patient is comfortable to express all concerns, it can help the healthcare specialist to gather enough critical information to diagnose the problem in the patient. However, a hostile environment can lead to missing important critical information in the communication process, leading to a grave mistake being made on the part of the practitioner. Since healthcare is a field, where a mistake can lead to losing the life or the wellness of the patient, effective healthcare communication and bedside ethics is of primary importance (Gary, 1994). There has been tremendous research currently being held all across the world, accessing the importance of effective communication in health care. Communications tool kit is a tool that has been employed in many organizations, across different fields and has been termed to be successful in increasing effective communication. This holds true also for the healthcare industry, where health care providers are provided with such communication tool kits to assist them during questioning and diagnostic sessions. Better communication between the healthcare provider and the patient can lead to better relationships and better care provided to the patients. According to the American Academy on Communication in healthcare, national data has indicated that communication and relationship are issues are fundamental in misdiagnosis or errors in the medical field. According to a recent study of Orthopedic surgeons, a minimum of 25% of medical errors were made due to miscommunication. Since healthcare providers have extensive academic programs related to the medical field, with not much to offer on communication, they sometimes lack the basics to break the barriers of

Between the cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Between the cultures - Essay Example The city was strangely quiet. Nobody was in the streets and it seemed like everyone was dead. Since it was my first night in the city, I was wondering what kind of city it was. I forced my way back towards home with no bread, and ready to starve till the next morning. I was eighteen years old, and I had been accepted in Yazd University, in the city of Yazd in my country, Iran. I rented an apartment with three other friends of mine and we moved in only that day. It was the first time we had left our homes. All of us were inexperienced in the home affairs, and now we were in a new and strange city with weird people for studying. I had grown up in Tehran, which is the capital of Iran. It had a population of more than ten million people. Whenever you wanted, you could find a grocery store, a restaurant or anything else you wished. Many people immigrated from country sides to Tehran for business, studying and residence in the most developed city of Iran. Tehran was a multicultural city. E very Iranian enjoyed living in such a big city like Tehran. But at the age of eighteen, I moved four hundred miles far from Tehran, to the city of Yazd. It was a small city with religious and intolerant people. Most of the men in Yazd wore beard and women used black burka. People of Yazd had a traditional life which was very hard for me to adapt. The new environment, situations and differences between my hometown and Yazd caused the feeling that I was living between two different cultures. I always liked my hometown’s culture, but I was not interested in the culture of Yazd’s people. It was really annoying for me and the students from the other cities to be a part of the same. I was in a constant struggle between the two cultures, however it was hard to ignore and get rid of it. The next day after starving, I and my friends went to the university to start our new semester. The university was similarly a weird place like the city of Yazd and its inhabitants. The securit y freaks the fashion of every boy and girl at the entrance gate of the campus. They had banned jeans pants for the boys, and it was obligatory for girls to use black burka. Every physical and verbal contact between a boy and a girl was reported immediately to the student life office. Also in the classrooms, front seats belonged to boys and rear seats belonged to girls. The university had lots of rules for segregating boys and girls. They knew their rules according to the Islamic creed. They tried to unify students’ culture, which I felt disgusted about. Sometimes I thought Taliban moved in from Afghanistan to our university in Yazd. I and my friends had never seen such a university like that. We had never expected anything of this sort. On the way back home, we bought lots of food to keep in our cooler because we didn’t like to suffer due to hunger after eight o’clock when everything got closed. When we got home, we were still surprised and wondered about our fi rst day at the university. We started to talk and laugh about ridiculous rules of our university. After a while one of our friends, who had a late evening class arrived at the main the door of the apartment. Since the door bell was broken and he didn’t have the key, he called through his cell phone to us, and asked us to drop the key for him from the balcony. One of my friends went into the balcony and dropped the key for him and he came upstairs. As he walked into the apartment, we heard a very loud sound. Someone was knocking the main door of