Great Gatsby1 essays

Great Gatsby1 essays The more things change, the more they stay the same "The Times They are a-Changin'," or so 60's singer/songwriter Bob Dylan thought. But have we really matured enough as people to say that racism and prejudice are no longer words in the English vocabulary? Most people like to think so, but the facts paint a different picture. The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald can be used to illustrate these points. In the mid-20's, when American author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, it was common to use words to describe African American people that today would be seen as offensive and degrading. Mainly the sole purpose of using such words were to depict African Americans as objects, not human beings. When Nick describes the "two Bucks" and a Negro girl passing them in a horse-drawn carriage with a white chauffeur he thinks to himself "Anything can happen now that we've slid over this bridgeÃ…  anything at allÃ…  " This shows how people in Fitzgerald's time reacted to free black families. Nick describes the black males as "Bucks" because that's the name people used when they auctioned them off as slaves. He couldn't just refer to them as "men" or "gentlemen" because it was inappropriate to give blacks a high status. Throughout the novel discussing the downfall of the white race is a common topic. Tom and Daisy share thoughts about the downfall over dinner and Tom states that "If we don't look out the white race will be-will be utterly submerged," and Daisy follows that comment up with "We've got to beat them (minorities) down." Because nobody looks the same and because people fear anything different, they had no choice but to fear minorities. If you were not wealthy and white, you were feared. But racism wasn't the only degrading thing in the book; characters spoke condescendingly about people's financial status as well. If you lived in East Egg, you were wealthy and glamorous. If you lived in West Eg ...

How to Color Your Urine Safely

How to Color Your Urine Safely Have you ever wanted to color your urine or wondered what causes urine to become colored? If so, youre in luck! Heres a little bit of applied color chemistry for your entertainment and experimentation pleasure: Violet- Violet or purple liquid is not something you see in the toilet bowl every day. However, you can  get violet or purple urine if you eat both beets (red) and methylene blue dye (blue), which is safe in low quantities. Blue- Methylene blue will turn your urine blue or greenish-blue. It can also color the whites of your eyes blue. The coloration of both urine and eyes is reversible. At one time, methylene blue was considered to be an effective treatment ​against malaria. As far as urine colorants go, this one is considered to be reasonably safe to eat, though you should be aware some people are allergic to it. Food coloring may turn your urine blue. A rare, inherited disease known as porphyria can also cause blue urine. King George IIIs blue urine may have been attributable to porphyria. Green- Asparagus will turn urine green and also will give it a very strong odor (although not everyone can smell it).  Food coloring can also turn your urine green, as can certain medications. Yellow- Yellow is the normal color of urine. If your pee is too pale to detect the color, it means youre over-hydrated. If you have colorless urine yet want a yellow tint, you can take a vitamin B12 capsule. Another option, which is also extremely fast, is to drink a colored energy drink. Look for one that contains added B vitamins. Amber- Dark golden urine often results from dehydration (not drinking enough water). A very dark color might indicate the presence of bile in urine, which is symptomatic of a medical condition. To safely darken yellow urine, try taking a B vitamin. Drinking an energy drink wont help because the caffeine acts as a diuretic, adding more water to your urine and making it colorful, but pale. Orange- Eating rhubarb or senna can turn your urine orange. Senna is a dangerous herb to mess with. Stick with rhubarb (just dont eat the leaves as theyre poisonous). Red- Eating beets or blackberries can turn your urine red. Blueberries can also tint urine pink. Even though the berries are blue, the pigment in them is a natural pH indicator that changes color. The normal pH of urine is slightly acidic first thing in the morning, trending toward slightly alkaline later in the day. The color of your urine resulting from foods youve eaten can be affected by the time of day you eat them. Pink- Pink urine can result from a urinary tract infection or from eating smaller quantities of beets or blackberries. Brown- Brown urine can be the result of kidney dysfunction, jaundice, or from an overdose of the herb goldenseal. Brown urine is not a good thing. You should probably avoid this color, if at all possible. Black- Black is not a good color for your urine. Black urine results from Blackwater Fever, which is associated with malaria. The black color comes from massive death of your blood cells, leading (usually) to death.   Milky or Cloudy- This results from blood, protein, or pus in the urine and usually indicates illness and is not an effect you can achieve by eating or drinking something non-toxic. Clear- All it takes to achieve clear urine is to drink plenty of water. Dont go overboard, though, since even too much water can be bad for you. If you decide to try any of these out for yourself, make sure to read the safety information that accompanies the chemicals carefully and use common sense. If youre concerned you have colored urine due to an illness, be sure to consult a health care professional.

Constructive Trusts show the conscience of Equity at work Essay

Constructive Trusts show the conscience of Equity at work - Essay Example It is submitted at the outset that the wide applicability of constructive trust renders it necessary to undertake a contextual approach focusing on particular areas. As such, this paper will consider the statement in context of constructive trust applicability in equitable tracing and fiduciary duties and the financial consequences of relationship breakdown. From a historical perspective, equity developed as a result of inflexibility of common law and â€Å"wiped away the tears of the common law†3. In common law, the doctrine of tracing enables a claimant to trace the path of their misappropriated property, identify the proceeds of the property along with persons who have handled the property. Moreover, the common law remedy of tracing enables an applicant to make a claim against the property itself4 However, tracing money at common law is inherently fraught with difficulties, especially where monies have passed through bank or similar accounts and in practice claimants often rely on the equitable doctrine of tracing5. The fundamental problem in common law tracing is the identity requirement, perpetuated by the common reality of funds being mixed. For example, the case of Taylor v Plummer6 affirmed that in order to succeed in a claim for tracing at common law, the property had to be identifiable and distinguishable from other property. Conversely, the Court of Appeal in Agip Africa v Jackson 7 asserted that equity will however allow tracing through mixed bank accounts through the imposition of fiduciary duty and constructive trust, which lends itself to support the assertion that constructive trusts act as the conscience of equity. A prime example of the broader scope of equitable tracing in contrast to legal tracing is the Privy Council decision in AG for Hong Kong v Reid.8 The dispute in the case centred on whether the solicitor general’s subsequent

Paper assignment 3# Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paper assignment 3# - Essay Example The setting of the novel is in New York which is a diverse community with people from different class division, races and nationalities. Corrigan is placed amidst all the types of people in New York and undertakes the role of helping and playing guardian for them even for those who are not part of his faith. As a young man, the readers are introduced to a child who would sneak out at night just to be able to help and spend time with the drugs addicts, homeless and the prostitutes. After the death of his mother, he is compelled to leave Ireland due to his devotion to help those who are suffering and moves to New York following the 9/11 attack. Both his physical and spiritual labor are directed towards helping those in different types of difficulties. Corrigan finds excellence in difficulty and suffering of people through despair and trauma, McCann says, ‘So you force yourself into a position of difficulty, because it seems to me that we have forgotten†¦ But there’s s omething really beautiful in the notion of difficulty.’ By being an Irish catholic, Corrigan has also been used a representation of the theme of religion. As a central personality in New York, his vocation has been used to show the act of redemption for the church even after going through many challenges and scandals. His religious role is used in the narrative to reconcile God and the reality of New York streets. As such, Corrigan is placed in a setting of the everyday life filled with tragedies and horrors in the streets of New York yet, he is expected to come out after defeating evil. As such, although he may go through darkness and end up bruised and damaged, the light at the end of the tunnel will make God more believable to the people he is interacting with. Religion and hope are themes which are intertwined in order to draw people closer to God. Corrigan gives hope to the people affected by different social evils

Human Sexuality Essay Example for Free

Human Sexuality Essay William and Jessie both 23 years old have been dating for 3 years. They plan to get married in 2 years when they finish with graduate school. About three months ago William had an unplanned and alcohol induced intercourse with a colleague from work. The couple are in counseling and working on issues of trust and communication. Recently, they have started having sexual intercourse. Jessie says she is unable to climax like in the past. William says he is doing everything the same and thinks she still blames him. Looking at William and Jessie’s case, I believe that the possible societal and gender influences related to William’s and Jessie’s concerns are the male and female sexual scripts. According to Strong, DeVault, Sayad and Yarber (2008), â€Å"Sexual Scripts refers to the acts, rules, and expectations associated with a particular role† (p. 143). All humans are sexual beings; however we all are diverse in terms of our sexual definitions and script expectations. Sexual scripts are not innate, yet they are learned through culture and socialization (Strong et al. 2008). There are as many distinctive sexual scripts as there are people, nonetheless some of these scripts have common themes and can be recognized as a shared blueprint or trend in the larger society. Some male scripts that are relatable to Williams’s concerns are: Performance is a thing that counts. A man always wants sex and is ready for it and, sexual intercourse leads to orgasm. Society has this idea that is embedded in many people that sex to men is something to be accomplished (Strong et al. 2008). It is important for us to notice that in Williams situation, he is feeling like â€Å"less of a man†, in other words, his ego is bruised, because he cannot make Jessie climax. Additionally, there are sexual scripts allotted to women as well. Some female scripts relatable to Jessie’s concerns are: â€Å"The traditional male sexual scripts focuses on sex over feelings, the traditional female sexual script focuses on feelings over sex, on love over passion† (p. 41). Jessie apparently has issues during sex because she can’t get over the thought of Williams having sexual contact with another woman, especially when William is supposed become Jessie’s future husband. The sexual script that relates to this issue is that the woman does not want to have sex, sex is uncomfortable for her or not pleasurable for her. However due to female sexual scripts, women should not talk about sex (Strong et al. , 2008). Sexual scripts are similar to traditional gender roles; society holds men and women accountable for the roles and expectations that have been set for them and if we fail to live up to them, then we are failures at our gender. Moreover, there are indeed biological and psychological components of William and Jessie’s case. Starting with William, he can’t achieve to make Jessie Climax. Psychological causes include trust and communication related stress and anxiety, because he too busy trying to gain Jesse’s trust. Because of this William is most likely concerned about his sexual performance, trust issues and the guilt of having sexual intoxicate intercourse with his work colleague. For women in particular, emotional closeness is a main component in sexual desire (Strong et al. , 2008) and because William cheated with a colleague, she perhaps could have grown psychologically distant. As stated by Strong et al. (2008), â€Å"Desire is the psychological component of sexual arousal† (p. 92). According to the Masters and Johnson’s four-phrase model of sexual response, Kaplan’s tri-phasic model of sexual response and Loulan’s sexual response model, they all include desire and excitement as key elements to sexual response and pleasure and without these two elements, a person cannot truly experience the true satisfaction of sexual intercourse and an orgasm (Strong et al. , 2008). In relation to this case the developmental concerns related to the early adulthood stage according to Strong et al. 2008) are the following: Integrating love and sex, forging intimacy and making commitments. Integrating love and sex was not integrated when it comes to Williams’s infidelity. William was more so thinking with his penis rather than thinking about the love of his life Jessie. As the female, Jessie thinks more with her heart and values the love for William. The thought of betrayal from William, may possibly be disheartening and could hinder Jessie from climaxi ng during intimacy. In Jessie’s mind, loving William and having that solid connection with him was important to her. Furthermore this developmental concern strongly compares to the male sexual script with thoughts of sex over feelings, while the woman’s thoughts consist of feelings over sex. The key to integrating love and sex was missing because of Williams’s infidelity. Therefore uniting the two will take a longer process to connect. Forging intimacy and making commitments plays an integral part in the developmental concerns in this case as well. According to Strong et al. (2008) as a relationship become more meaningful, the degree of intimacy and interdependence increases. As adults become more intimate, most desire to develop their ability to make commitments. In relation to William and Jesse they are in a meaningful relationship, they were planning to get married and spend the rest of their lives with one another, before the infidelity occurred. It is my assumption the intimacy was on a higher level but after the infidelity occurred the intimacy decreased and the trust and communication issues began to form. During the early adulthood stage young adults begin to attend college and students began to meet lots of people in their age bracket. There will be opportunities during college where students attend plenty of social gatherings (frat/sororities houses and parties) and majority of the time alcohol and drugs are involved as well as risky sexual activities. Strong et al (2008) strongly believes that among college students, the use of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of unwanted intercourse, sexual violence and STDS. Since Jesse and William are in the early adulthood stage, it is a strong possibility William wants to venture out in a since before he gets married. Maybe he feels pressured and tied down to Jessie. Lastly, infidelity is common amongst the early adulthood population. Research by McAnaulty and Brineman (2007), states that 41% of the students identified having sexual intercourse with a person other than ones primary partner as constituting being unfaithful. More students (57%) identified dating/spending time with another as unfaithfulness. Infidelity can greatly affect committed relationships, because it could cause a lack of communication and trust worthiness. When relationships are broken, a lot of emotions occur such as lack of sleep, a decrease in appetite, anxiety and constant crying in some cases.

Sleep Apnea: The Unsuspected Killer Essay -- Sleeping Disorders Papers

In spite of their efforts to ensure they obtain sufficient sleep to prevent daytime sleepiness, many people are consistently tired during the day. Some of them have a breathing disorder called sleep apnea, although they may be completely unaware of this fact. When the symptoms of sleep apnea are unrecognized or ignored, the disorder usually causes a combination of medical, social, and psychological illnesses -- which can become life-threatening over a prolonged period. Although sleep apnea is not a curable disorder, when symptomatic individuals utilize the availability of a simplistic diagnosis process and effective treatments, they will participate in a preventative medicine, adding years to their lives. Although sleep seems to be "...a time of inactivity, vulnerability, a void or absence punctuated by the strange reality of dreams, a passive and vulnerable time that doesn’t reveal its worth in obvious ways", according to the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA), "...sleep is not merely a time out from daily life. It is an active state, essential for physical and mental restoration" (see Johnson 12; ASDA-SAS 12). In fact, Ralph Pascualy, in his book Snoring and Sleep Apnea, states: "Scientists were surprised to discover that brains are anything but idle during the night." Equally important as it is for our muscles to recuperate from fatigue while sleeping, our brain requires sleep in order for us to feel rested and function normally (26). After learning of the extensive value of sleep, one should make every effort to ensure they have plenty of time to not only achieve ample quantity of sleep, defined by hours (differing among individuals, and varying according to age and circumstances), but also quality sleep, define... ...es." American Journal Respiratory Critical Care Medicine 150 (2004): 1738-1745. (Referred to in text as ATS-ISUN) American Thoracic Society. "Sleep Apnea, Sleepiness, and Driving Risk." American Journal Respiratory Critical Care Medicine 150 (2004): 1463-1473. (Referred to in text as ATS-SSDR) Findley, Larry, et al. "Vigilance and Automobile Accidents in Patients With Sleep Apnea or Narcolepsy." Chest 108 (2005:3) : 619-624. Johnson, Scott T., and Jerry Halberstadt. Phantom of the Night. Cambridge: New Technology, 2004. Martin, Richard, et al. "Indications and Standards for Cardiopulmonary Sleep Studies." Sleep 8 (2001) : 371-379. Pascualy, Ralph A., and Sally Warren Soest. Snoring and Sleep Apnea. New York: Demos Vermande, 2006. The Center for Sleep Apnea. Patient Information Concerning Sleep Examination. Redding: The Center for Sleep Apnea, 2005.

Ford Motor Company: Options for a Successful Future

The future of Ford Motor Company and its ability to remain at the top of the automotive industry requires the company to focus on products, resources, planning, and implementation. Decisions must be made relative to product lines, sales. and re-directing the organization’s resources for future success. In order to do so, four options have been recognized and the company must determine which options are best suited to move the company in a positive direction. Discuss at least three criteria the company should use to decide which of the four listed options is best and the reasons why each criterion should be used. Ford Motor Company has the option to close down older plants in an effort to realign production and sales. The criteria identified in order to determine if this option is in Ford’s best interest include: What will be the total cost to the company to buy out employees, close plants and the political ramifications of this decision? What are future trends? What is the differential between production and sales? The second option for Ford Motor Company to determine is whether to produce only smaller cars, eliminating or sharply reducing the SUV and truck lines. In order to determine the validity of this option, the company would need to evaluate the following: Can fuel economy be realized in these particular vehicle lines without significant cost being passed on to the consumer? Will there be a continuing market for SUVs? How will reducing or eliminating truck lines affect overall sales? Option number three requires reducing the North American presence and focusing more on international markets where Ford has been very successful. The determining criteria for this option includes: What is the sustainability of the Ford brand in the international market? How will reducing or removing North American presence affect the overall brand? Can reducing North American presence act as a catapult and raise demand for Ford vehicles in that geographical location? The fourth option to be considered by Ford is the possibility of selling its luxury line – the PAG group. The determining factors for choosing this option would include: Performing a profit and loss analysis of the group to determine the losses sustained by the company relative to continuing to invest in this product line. Could redirecting investment from this product be better spent lsewhere? In light of the possibility that market conditions can and do change, discuss at least three examples of how the company should build-in flexibility to back up its decision-making process. The possibility of market fluctuation is imminent. Therefore, Ford must be certain to build in flexibility to sustain change. Using an options based approach will allow flexibility by reserving resources such as time, people, money, or production capacity. (Williams, 2010). By maintaining flexibility, Ford will be better equipped to adjust to changes and fluctuations in the market. Discuss how an effective action plan can be created and how progress can be tracked. Creating an effective action plan involves setting both short term (proximal) and long term (distal) goals. Achieving short term goals is motivational to the employees who will assist in the achievement of the long term goal. Short term goals are more easily attainable than long term goals. However, long term goals are essential. Another way to track the progress of an action plan is by providing frequent feedback regarding performance to workers and employees. This will allow Ford to make adjustments in order to achieve goals. Williams, 2010) List at least three steps that make-up a workable plan and explain why each is important. Setting goals is the first step in creating an action plan. Goals should be specific, attainable, realistic and timely (S. M. A. R. T. ). (Williams, 2010) Once goals have been set, a workable plan that develops commitments to the goals must be created. Enlisting the commit ment of upper level management and employees is essential to achieving goals. An effective action plan indicates who, what and when for accomplishing goals. (Williams, 2010). The best options for Ford Motor Company would be to limit production of SUVs. Today’s economy lends itself to more fuel efficient, eco-friendly vehicles. With gas prices soaring to new heights on a weekly basis, maintaining a large SUV is simply no longer cost effective for the average American family. The price point for this type of vehicle is also a downside to ownership. However, the truck lines produced by Ford should remain intact. Ford’s truck line has become known as a reliable brand and people take stock in the Ford brand when it comes to company fleet vehicles, construction vehicles and even the agricultural and farming industries rely on the Ford truck brand. Without question, Ford should sell the PAG group. With losses i n the billions and rising, resources from this product line could be redirected into better selling ventures such as the smaller vehicle product line discussed earlier. Ford does not have to rely on the PAG group for growth and profits. This venture is simply a dog that needs to be put down. The option to reduce SUV production and sell the PAG group would be the options best suited to produce growth and stability in Ford Motor Company. These options allow Ford to focus on the traditional product lines of smaller and more economical vehicles and durable truck lines. Producing more cars than it can sell at this point in time would be detrimental to their future success. More inventory does not equate to more sales. The PAG is a loss that continues to be a thorn in Ford’s side. Eliminating this group would free billions of dollars for re-investment into fuel consciousness research for smaller vehicles while upgrading the truck lines. Implementing these options will contribute to Ford’s longevity, profitability and growth.

Man 4102 Class Project Part 1

MAN 4102 CLASS PROJECT PART 1 Karen McCarthy Hawn Student, State College of Florida MAN 4102 Class Project Part 1 Per the digital document from Contemporary Authors (Biography), by Thomson Gale, (2004) Gerard Hendrik Hofstede was born October 2, 1928. He is the son of Gerrit and Evertine Hofstede. He married Maaike A. Van den Hoek on the 4th of June, 1955 and had four children.He graduated from Delft Institute of Technology in 1953 and Groningen University, Ph D (cum laude) in 1967. His work history began in 1953 as a lieutent in the Netherlands Army. In 1955 and 1965 included management consultant for Bernschot Consultants and Stork Machine Works, plant manager for Jovanda Hosiery Co. , production manager of weaving for Menko Textile Co. , and director of staff services for IBM (Gale, 2004).After leaving IBM in 1965 he began his career in research and education and was employed with European Education Center as the manager of personnel research through 1971, IMEDE Management Develop ment Institute as visiting lecturer through 1973, European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management as professor of organizational behavior through 1979, Fasson Europe as director of human resources through 1983, and then served as dean at Semafor Senior Management College (Gale, 2004).Hofstede also held several international university positions as a visiting professor or scientist throughout Europe until he assumed his position at University of Limburg in Netherlands. He held the position of director of Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation (IRIC) through 1980 and currently is the professor of organizational anthropology and international management (Gale, 2004). The biography listed Geert H. Hofstede as the author on 9 books, contributor on 14 books, and as a contributor to numerous articles to various social science, professional, and management journals in over seventeen countries to date (Gale, 2004).On his website, Geert Hofstede, discusses the reasons he fe els that culture is so important (Hofstede, 2012). Hofstede’s ideas are based on the premise that people share common human nature and as such the shared human nature of all groups is very social, Hofstede (2012). That all groups use empathy and language, all practice collaboration, and all exhibit intergroup competition (Hofstede, 2012). How we all do these things while still being a good member of our various groups is what defines what Hofstede calls the unwritten rules of culture.These cultures include symbols, rituals, laws, taboos, and religions that drive the groups â€Å"moral circle† (Hofstede, 2012). Per Hofstede, (2012) there are said to be unconscious values that change at a slower pace than those of the practices of each group. Hofstede categorizes these groups based on national boundaries, ethnic boundaries, religion, occupation, or academic disciplines and states that the groups are typically classified as either inferior or superior to our own groups (H ofstede, 2012).To get things done we all need to have skills for cooperating across cultures and that enable us to cooperate with members of the globalized world. This concept is addressed in his Hofstede’s book, (Hofstede, Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. , 2001) and was the outcome of his research during the IBM study. He analyzed employee value scores that were collected between 1967 and 1973 from IBM employees in 70 countries and from this he established the paradigm of cultural dimensions. (Itim International, 2012).In his interview for his biography, Gerard H. Hofstede told CA: Cultures Consequences is my chef d’oeuvre. It deals with differences in thinking and acting among otherwise similar people in many different countries, which was the right subject at the right time. Correspondence with readers about it has become one of my regular side activities (Gale, 2004, page 2). Hofestede’s Cu ltural Dimensions In the course textbook Hofstede’s five dimensions of culture are used to categorize behaviors in different cultures and explain why they differ (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).The IBM study of employees from the 70 countries was the basis for the dimensions and has been critized since there was only one company in the data set however, Hofstede’s belief was that using just one company would better reveal the national differences. According to the authors Phatak, Bhagat, and Kashalk (2009), he believed this because the IBM employees were the same in other respects like type of work, job descriptions, and education. This study has been stated to be the most comprehensive study of how values are influenced in the workplace (Itim International, 2012).Itim International, (2012) noted that Hofstede’s work established a paradigm in international economics, communication, and cooperation, from which Hofstede developed the first emphirical model of â €Å"dimensions† for national organizational culutre. The first dimension is Individualism and Collectivism. These are social patterns under which beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values are then organized into one theme. Some countries practice individualism and the members of society are motiviated by their own needs and preferences above the needs of the group.In contrast, countries that practice collectivism are much more closely linked as a group and are motivated by the obligations that are considered norms for the group. Hofstede felt that countries with higher higher per capita gross national product (GNP), were likely countries that would exhibit more individualism than countries with lower per capita gross national product (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009). The next cultural dimension, Power Distance, is expressed as the extent to which less powerful members of society, institutions, or organizations accept that power will be distributed unequally.Countries with small power distance have subordinates that show a limited amount of dependence on their bosses, there is a relationship based on interdependce, and a preference for consultation when decisions are made. On the contrary, countries with large power distance will likely have subordinates that are very dependent on their bosses, will follow procedures that are dictated by management, and with a reward systems in place that are not equal.There is a correlation noted between cultures that are individulistic which tend to be lower power distance whereas, cultures with strong collectivism will likey have small power distance (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009). The third cultural dimension in the text is uncertainity avoidance which is described as the extent to which members of society will experience anxiety over uncertainity in their environments and how far they will go to avoid it (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).Cultures that are high in uncertainty avoidance will attempt to control these u nstructured situations with strict laws, rules, safety and security measures, and with the use of philosophical and religious beliefs (Itim International, 2012). Uncertainity accepting cultures are more tolerant of opinions that differ from their own and allow many different religious and philosophical ideas to flow concurrently. Masculinity and Feminity is the fourth cultural dimension that compares how societies and cultures are composed based on masculine and feminine tolerance traits.More feminine societies have expectations for both males and females to act in similar manners. Members are supposed to be modest, compassionate, and are expected to stress solidarity through compromise and negotiation. The masculine societies and cultures are driven by material success, money. They expect men to be assertive, ambiutious, and tough. The women of masculine societies are to be tender and hold care taker roles. The masculine society stresses competition, performance and conflicts are r esolved through fights (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).The fifth and final cultural dimension is time orientation and it is stated that different societies place a varying emphasis on the value of time. Some cultures value time and are very conscious of how time is spent. Other societies consider time to be unlimited and a resource that they cannot exhaust. This makes the way that multiple countries address puncuality and their sense of urgency very different. Cultures with no time orientation will come across to many other cultures as very casual. The other aspect of time orientation is based on the different cultural views about the future.Cultures with short-term orientations are concerned with things like lesiure time, bottom lines, and have a tendency to use short term investment plans. Their management teams are rewarded for immediate financial outcomes. In contrast the cultures with long-term future orientations have philosphies in which persistence is valued, gratification is delayed, and investments are longer term. In these cultures family and work are not separated and status is respected (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).Hofstede’s model of dimensions has been applied in practice to many domains internationally to include public, business, education, and health care and have become widely used (Itim International, 2012). Meaning and Impact of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions John Bing’s article discusses the impact of Hofstede’s work on consulting and business practices across the globe and states that Hofstede’s findings could be applied to business in general (Bing, 2004). The way that Hofstede organized his dimensions into mental geographies explained how there could e similarities and differences between countries in close physical proximity. He states that Hofstede’s survey research which was employed across a large number of countries created a whole new field of comparative intercultural research. Th e Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire Hofstede created has been used to help individuals understand the cultural preferences of their peers and their own preferences. It is believed that many professionals have benefited from studying Hofstede’s work and being able to apply it’s principles to their own work.The author used Hofstede’s principals in his own work during the development of a prototype for the first Peace Corps cross-cultural manual (Bing, 2004). Hofstede’s work has been the standard to which many others make reference and his past works have characterized much of the contemporary cross-cultural quantative research models. There have been many offshoots from his research even from those individuals who do not necessarily agree with his theory or conclusions. If nothing else they at least acknowledge his work.His work was almost immediately used in attempts to determine how people could be helped to work more effectively in more than one cul ture. Hofstede’s work is sometimes misunderstood or misused when practitioners attempt to predict individual preferences based on the scores of the entire cultures. Bing says that Hofstede likes to make it clear that country scores will not predict an individual’s cultural preferences but will predict the group tendencies (Bing, 2004). Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have influenced how people organize and understand the varying cultural dimensions of the regions they travel to for personal and business reasons.Once Hofstede’s dimensions have been studied and understood the subtle niances of different cultures will become more apparent to the informed observer. Such was the experience of Bing per his article as he traveled to Austria and Japan (Bing, 2004). He also discusses the potential benefit of applying a study of the cultural dimensions to gain a better understanding of why countries resort to war when negotiations and other legal, moral, and conflic t management alternatives may be better alternatives.He notes that sophisticated interpreters of Hofstede’s research have found ways to avoid the application of stereotypes about cultures that have long since changed. The value of Hofstede’s research is found when the dimensions are used to help individual learners to understand their own cultural dimensions first. This then opens the door to a better understanding about the different preferences that others in the organization or workplace will have. (Bing, 2004).The study of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions has opened a door of better understanding for me as Bing referenced. It is easy to grow up learning the known stereotypes of other cultures due to misunderstandings of how those cultures have changed or adapted over time. By gaining a better understanding about how entire cultures have come to their common values, their cultural practices, and even their religious beliefs and how these impact business decisio ns and emotions that people exhibit will enhance my overall effectiveness in business.To have an actual framework such as Hosfstede’s cultural dimensions as tools for analysis to use when trying to understand the objections and barriers that come up while transacting business will makes me a more effective employee. I believe that Hofstede’s research has already changed business pratices for many international workplaces with regard to how they prepare and support their employees who are deployed all across the globe.Most companies have cultural diversity training upon hire or annually to reinforce the need for cooperation and sensitivity to diverse cultures in the workplace. I must admit that being an American woman, raised by a single mother of seven, I rate high in individualism and prefer masculinity to feminity. I prefer to work in organizations with low power distance and like the ability to collaborate but not to work where there is a total lack of individual de cision making capabilities. I do think short-term and have a results oriented, time is money mentality.My uncertainity avoidance level is very low and I move quickly to learn and try new things. As I have read the text and studied the findings of Hofstede I came to the realization that I had preconceived ideas about other women who to me appear to lack self empowerment. I will have to practice applying a study of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to my assumptions in the future to ensure that going forward I reach out with a perspective of better understanding as to why these individuals may be in that less empowered state.References Bing, J. (2004). Hofstedes’s consequences: The impact of his work on consulting and business practices: An executive Commentary. Academy of Management Executive, 18 (No 1), 80-87. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. Second Edition, Thousand Oaks CA: S age Publications, 2001. Itim International. (2012). http://geert-hofstede. com/ Thomson, G. (2004). Contemporary Authors (Biography), Thomson Gale Publishing.

The Assassination of Shaka Zulu (September 24, 1828)

The Assassination of Shaka Zulu (September 24, 1828) Shaka kaSenzangakhona, Zulu king and founder of the Zulu empire, was murdered by his two half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana at kwaDukuza in 1828- one date given is September 24. Dingane assumed the throne after the assassination. Shakas Last Words Shakas last words have taken on a prophetic mantle- and popular South African/Zulu myth has him telling Dingane and Mhlangana that it is not they who will rule the Zulu nation but white people who will come up from the sea. Another version says swallows will be the ones to rule, which is a reference to white people because they build houses of mud as do swallows.​ However, the version which is probably the truest rendition comes from Mkebeni kaDabulamanzi, King Cetshwayos nephew and grandson of King Mpande (another half-brother to Shaka)- Are you stabbing me, kings of the earth? You will come to an end through killing one another. Shaka and the Zulu Nation Assassination by rivals to the throne is a constant in monarchies throughout history and around the world. Shaka was an illegitimate son of a minor chief, Senzangakhona, while his half-brother  Dingane was legitimate. Shakas mother Nandi eventually was installed as the third wife of this chief, but it was an unhappy relationship, and she and her son were eventually driven away. Shaka joined the military of the Mthethwa, led by chief Dingiswayo. After Shakas father died in 1816, Dingiswayo supported Shaka in assassinating his elder brother, Sigujuana, who had assumed the throne. Now Shaka was the chief of the Zulu, but a vassal of Dingiswayo. When Dingiswayo was killed by Zwide, Shaka assumed leadership of the Mthethwa state and army. Shakas power grew as he reorganized the Zulu military system. The long-bladed assegai and the bullhorn formation were innovations that led to greater success on the battlefield. He had ruthless military discipline and incorporated both men and youths in his armies. He forbade his troops to marry. He conquered neighboring territories or created alliances until he controlled all of present-day Natal. In doing so, many rivals were forced out of their territories and migrated, causing disruption throughout the region. However, he was not in conflict with the Europeans in the area. He allowed some European settlers in the Zulu kingdom. Why Was Shaka Assassinated? When Shakas mother, Nandi, died in October 1827, his grief led to erratic and deadly behavior. He required everyone else to grieve with him and executed anyone he decided was not grieving sufficiently, as many as 7,000 people. He ordered that no crops be planted and no milk could be used, two orders sure to induce famine. Any pregnant woman would be executed, as would her husband. Shakas two half-brothers tried more than once to assassinate him. Their successful attempt came when most of the Zulu troops had been sent north and security was lax at the royal kraal. The brothers were joined by a servant, Mbopa. Accounts vary as to whether the servant did the actual killing or it was done by the brothers. They dumped his body in an empty grain pit and filled the pit, so the exact location is unknown. Dingane assumed the throne and purged loyalists to Shaka. He allowed the troops to marry and set up a homestead, which built loyalty with the military. He ruled for 12 years until he was defeated by his half-brother Mpande.

History and Geography of the Florida Keys

History and Geography of the Florida Keys The Florida Keys are a series of islands extending from the southeastern tip of Florida. They begin about 15 miles (24 km) south of Miami and extend out toward the southwest and then west toward the Gulf of Mexico and the uninhabited Dry Tortugas islands. Most of the islands making up the Florida Keys are within the Florida Straits, a body of water located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The most populated city in the Florida Keys is Key West; many other areas are sparsely populated. Early Days of the Florida Keys The first inhabitants of the Florida Keys were Native American tribes: the Calusa and Tequesta. Juan Ponce de Leon, who arrived in Florida in about 1513, was one of the first Europeans to find and explore the islands. His attempts to colonize the region for Spain was soundly defeated by the Native people. Over time, Key West began to grow into Floridas largest town due to its proximity to Cuba and the Bahamas and a trade route to New Orleans. In their early days, Key West and the Florida Keys were a major part of the areas wrecking industry- an industry associated with the frequent shipwrecks in the area. In 1822, the Keys (along with the rest of Florida) became an official part of the United States. By the early 1900s, however, Key Wests prosperity began to decline as better navigational techniques reduced area shipwrecks. In 1935 the Florida Keys were struck by one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the United States. On September 2nd of that year, the hurricane winds of over 200 miles per hour (320 km/hr) hit the islands and a storm surge of over 17.5 feet (5.3 m) quickly flooded them. The hurricane killed over 500 people and the Overseas Railway (constructed in the 1910s to connect the islands) was damaged and service stopped. A highway, called the Overseas Highway later replaced the railway as the main form of transportation in the area. The Conch Republic Throughout much of their modern history, the Florida Keys have been a convenient  area for drug smugglers and illegal immigration. As a result, the U.S. Border Patrol began a series of roadblocks on the bridge from the Keys to the mainland to search cars returning to Floridas mainland in 1982. This roadblock later began to hurt the economy of the Florida Keys as it delayed tourists going to and from the islands. Because of the resultant economic struggles the mayor of Key West, Dennis Wardlow, declared the city as independent and renamed it the Conch Republic on April 23, 1982. The citys secession lasted only a short time however and Wardlow eventually surrendered. Key West also still remains a part of the U.S. Islands of the Keys Today the total land area of the Florida Keys is 137.3 square miles (356 sq km) and in total there are over 1700 islands in the archipelago. However, very few of these are populated and most are very small. Only 43 of the islands are connected via bridges. In total there are 42 bridges connecting the islands but the Seven Mile Bridge is the longest. Because there are so many islands within the Florida Keys they are often divided into several different groups. These groups are the Upper Keys, the Middle Keys, the Lower Keys,  and the Outlying Islands. The Upper Keys are those located the farthest north and closest to Floridas mainland and the groups extend out from there. The city of Key West is located in the Lower Keys. The Outer Keys consist of islands that are accessible only by boat. Hurricanes and Flooding The climate of the Florida Keys is tropical, as is the southern part of the state of Florida. However, because of the islands location between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, they are very prone to hurricanes. Because the islands have low elevations, are surrounded by water, and flooding from the storms surges can easily affect large areas of the Keys, hurricanes can be especially problematic. Evacuation orders are regularly put into place due to flood threats. Coral Reefs and Biodiversity Geologically, the Florida Keys are made up of the  main exposed parts of  coral reefs. Some of the islands have been exposed for so long that sand has built up around them, creating barrier islands while other smaller islands remain as coral atolls. Additionally, there is also still a large coral reef offshore of the Florida Keys in the Florida Straits. This reef is called the Florida Reef and it is the third largest barrier reef in the world.   The Florida Keys are a highly biodiverse area because of the presence of coral reefs as well as undeveloped forested areas. Dry Tortugas National Park is located about 70 miles (110 km) from Key West and, since those islands are uninhabited, they are some of the most well preserved and protected areas in the world. The waters around the islands are home to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Because of its biodiversity, ecotourism is becoming a large part of the Florida Keys economy. Other forms of tourism and fishing are the major industries of the islands.

'Discuss the biology of Alzheimer's disease' Essay

'Discuss the biology of Alzheimer's disease' - Essay Example The clinical features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are, loss of short-term memory, deficient in praxis (ability to perform skilled movements) and the skill of reasoning and judgment (Doraiswamy PM, 1997). These symptoms arise from involvement of the temporal lobe, hippocampus, and the parietal association cortices, with lesser involvement of frontal lobes, until the disease is in its later stage. A second most prominent neuropathological feature which is also present in AD is the complex, fibrilar deposits in the cortex of the brain; this is known as senile and amyloid plaques. Amyloidal plaques have been the subject of AD research in recent times. These plaques contain a number of proteins, including apolipoprotein E, and 1-anti-chymotrypsin (Carlos Morgana, 2004). The principal component amyloidal plaques are amyloidal-beta peptide that is derived from a beta-amyloidal precursor protein. The presence of another distinct characteristic, that is also present in other dementias like Le wy Body Variant of AD and Fronto-temporal dementia, is the incidence of neurofibrillary tangles. These tangles are intraneural inclusions that are composed of hyperphosphorylated forms of a microtubule associated protein known as tau (Peter H. St George-Hyslop, 2004). In other words neurofibrillary tangles are the pathological neuron aggregates present in the neurons of the patiets suffering from AD. In the last several years, due to the increasing incidence of AD, researchers have been focussing on the main causes of this disease in the general population. Much research has been carried out, and it generally confirms that the overall life time risk of AD in a first degree relative of someone with AD is about 38%, by the age of 85 years. Three main reasons seem to reflect a complex mode of transmission (1) single autosomal gene defects, (2) multi-gene traits, (3) a mode of transfer in which both genetic and environmenal factors connect. The research also suggested that only a smal part of human poulation reflected, the transmission as a pure autosomal dominant mendelian trait. Recent genetic studies have identified four genes associated with inherited risk for AD (presenilin 1, presenilin 2, amyloid precursor protein, and apolipoprotein E) (Peter H. St George-Hyslop, 2004). The first gene to be identified as a precursor for AD is the amyloid precursor protein (APP). This gene is responsible for encoding an alternatively spliced transcript which, in its longest isoform encodes a singe transmembrane that spans a polypeptide of 770 amino acids (J. Kang, 325). This protein undergoes a series of endoproteolytic cleavages. This is mediated by a membrane-associated alpha-secretase that cleaves this protein in the middle of the A peptide domain, and liberates the extracellular N-terminus APP. The other cleavage pathway involves sequential cleavages by the - and -secretases, thus generating a 40-42 amino acid A peptide. The second protein responsible is Apolipoprotein E. This protein in humans contains 3 common polymorphisms. Analysis of these polymorphisms in AD unaffected persons has shown that there is an increased frequency of the delta 4 allele in people with AD. The third gene responsible for AD is Presnilin 1 (R. Sherrington, 1995). Presenilin 2 is the fourth gene that was identified during the cloning of Presenilin 1 on chromosome 14. This gene encoded a po lypeptide whose open reading frame