Musical Instrument Essay

It seems that no matter what at some point in a child’s life they wander up to their parents and ask, â€Å"Mom, Dad, can I learn to play an instrument?† Whether or not it is the guitar, drums, piano, or flute a child could possibly have the thought of wanting to learn how to play an instrument. When Mom and Dad end up saying no to their child they should stop and realize that when a child knows how to play a musical instrument it can help them out in many more ways than they know (iDiva). Having a young kid learn an instrument can help develop better coordination, build better concentration, help with stress relief, and enhance a child’s intelligence, along with many other positives (o5). I personally play the guitar, and it has helped me out throughout the years. Probably the largest positive that comes out of a kid learning how to play a musical instrument is that it enhances their brainpower. It improves their memory, helps the child out socially and can even give them some extra intellect (Caron). Why would a parent not want to put their kid through music lessons? If playing an instrument can improve the child’s brainpower, it is a no brainer to give the kid a musical instrument to try out (Caron). Parents should let their children at the very least try out the instrument. With enhancing the brain comes enhancing other skills. â€Å"Studies show that learning music can help improve reading comprehension, mathematics, and cognitive skills (o5).† Parents today seem like they are pushing harder and harder for their offspring to do better in school; if these parents give their children a musical instrument it can increase their IQ (iDiva). Not only does learning an instrument help improve brainpower it also has other benefits to it. Being a typical American I am not accustomed to having any patience; however whenever I sit down and start to play the guitar I have all the time in the world. Once I start to learn a new song patience has to be sitting there right next to me, because no one can learn a whole song in only five minutes. Playing an instrument teaches kid’s to have patience (Caron). When people are in a band slamming away on the guitar, or pounding on the drums they have to be able to wait for the right time to play. â€Å"You need to work together in a group to make music (Caron).† One person in the band can’t be playing faster or slower than everyone else because then the music ends up sounding out right bad. This is where patience comes into play. Having to be able to wait for the right time to strike a chord or beat the snare drum. Patience will not just be used only when someone is playing in a band, they can take the patience that they learned from all the practice of the instrument and put that towards everyday use. Having patience is a wonderful trait to have, but every now and then patience are going to run thin and one may become angry, and this is another area where knowing how to play an instrument can help. I myself can say that whenever I am angry, sad, depressed, or flat out stressed my guitar has always been right there waiting for me to pick it up. It is a way for me to let my emotions out; it is a superb way to relax. â€Å"Engaging in a calming expressive ability proves more effective than merely sitting down to relax; music calms the nerves and stimulates the brain. It also increases the ability to absorb more information (iDiva).†Ã¢â‚¬ ¨I cannot tell people how jamming on my guitar has helped me get through those stupid middle school and high school problems. Parents should want to get their kid’s into an instrument simply for this reason. Would a parent rather have their child dealing with their problems with drugs and alcohol, or by locking themselves in their room and getting lost in their instrument? Stress is something that everyone has; studies have shown that playing an instrument can lower heart rates and blood pressure (o5). Having a way for their children to get their frustrations out is why parents should let their kids play a musical instrument, but it also lets them be creative (Caron). Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach are some of the most creative people in the history of the World, and what did they do? They played instruments. Playing a musical instrument for a child is a creative pursuit (Caron). Parents are always pushing their children to be more and more creative, well parents why not buy them an instrument and let their creativity be expressed? â€Å"Everybody is born creative, but many people don’t realize it because it’s not encouraged in their early years (iDiva).† Having your child play an instrument would let that creativity that is bundled up inside them, that they did not even know they had, and would let it sore out. Look at the creativity that the guitarist in the last thirty to forty years have. Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Angus Young are three of the greatest guitarist. Imagine if their parents would have never bought them a guitar. Then some of the best music ever would have never been written. It is the ultimate feeling someone can receive when they are just playing along on an instrument and all of a sudden compose some sort of music. When I’m playing my guitar just doing really nonsense chord progressions, or playing random riffs, and I build a song on the guitar the feeling is unreal. Once that happens the only thought that goes through my head is, â€Å"Whoa, I just made music on my own.† I’ve been playing for about 8 years now and that feeling never goes away. Along with being creative a musical instrument is a way for a young child to express his or herself (Caron). Today people express themselves in different ways. Whether it would be through protest, or occupying the stock market everybody expresses himself or herself in one way or another. Playing a musical instrument can be a way for a person to express their identity (Caron). Moms and Dads are always telling their children to be themselves, or don’t follow the crowd. Well how can they not follow the crowd if they do not have anyway to express themselves, or have a different identity? Giving a kid a musical instrument can help him express emotions and give that kid an identity (Caron). For me in middle school me being the so called â€Å"guitar guy† was my identity. It did not stick with me through high school, but that was because I didn’t want to be that guy anymore. Having the guitar right by my side through middle school helped out a huge amount, â€Å"It gives pleasure and expresses nuances of emotional life for which there are no words (Caron).† Of coarse with anything positive people will try to come back and say that there is something bad about it. Well the positives far out way the negatives. The biggest arguments against learning a musical instrument are not even the fact that you should not learn how to play the instrument, but that one should not take formal music lessons (Oldenburg). Another argument is that a child should not learn how to play more than one instrument (Turtenwald). Let’s see why that a child should not take formal music lessons. One of the simplest arguments against formal music lessons is the cost (Oldenburg). I took formal music lessons when I was a kid to learn guitar, and yes the lessons may not have been the cheapest; however, having the one on one experience definitely helped hone out my guitar skills. Something else that is a negative to formal music lessons is the time. Driving back and forth to music lessons and having to sit and wait for your child is a downfall to lessons (Oldenburg). Parents, who is learning the instrument? It is the child who is getting the experience of learning an instrument. If the parent isn’t close enough to be able to go home and wait bring something to do: work, read a magazine, maybe even learn an instrument yourself. The last argument against formal music lessons is the loss of passion (Oldenburg). This is certainly not true. Having lessons helps one build passion. Teaching oneself how to play an instrument can be very hard, if anything I would loose passion doing that. In formal lessons you get that one on one time and learn something new. When you teach yourself how to play you have to read out of a book, and there is no one around to help you out if you don’t get something. Learning the instrument on your own will mean that no one is around for you to ask questions to. Finally the other argument against playing a musical instrument is that a child should not learn how to play more than one instrument (Turtenwald). There are two main arguments against learning how to play more than one instrument. The first is, like against formal music lessons, the time (Turtenwald). Learning how to play one instrument can be challenging enough, but taking on a second one at the same time will be tough (Turtenwald). This is completely understandable, but notice that she never says anything about not playing a musical instrument she only says do not play more than one. â€Å"Taking on the challenge of learning more than one instrument requires a greater time commitment (Turtenwald).† The second argument is lack of commitment. What this means is a child may not put forth the same effort towards both instruments. Again she is not saying do not play an instrument, but don’t play more than one. Teaching a child how to play an instrument can help them in school, and throughout life. Parents it may be a good idea to buy your child the guitar or drum set they have been talking about, and get them started as soon as possible. Works Cited â€Å"5 Reasons to Encourage Kids to Learn a Musical Instrument.† 5 Recipes For Life. o5. n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. Caron, Sarah. â€Å"10 Ways Music Benefits Children.† Sheknowsparenting. SheKnows, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. Oldenburg, Chris. â€Å"Why Your Child Shouldn’t Take Formal Music Lessons.† Benefits of Music Lessons. Better Parenting, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. Turtenwald, Kimberley. â€Å"Advantages & Disadvantages of Learning a Secondary Instrument.† eHow. Demand Media, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. â€Å"Why Your Child Should Learn a Musical Instrument.† iDiva. Times Internet Limited. n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012.

Body of Speech

About it: This speech can be delivered by any anchor or host, who is member of any NGO/social organization to start a program being organized to spread awareness regarding importance of blood donation in today's life. Body of Speech It's an honor itself to honor this beautiful audience who gather here for the cause of humanity. We wish a very warm welcome to all of you and a heartily congratulations be a part of this social event. I assure you that this event will definitely results in positive directions and will help in saving someone's life in future.This program is being organized to spread the awareness for blood donation & its importance in today's life. As we all know that blood is a base of every human life and there is no life without blood, this makes its value priceless. Blood donation is a great example of altruism in action. The most important thing about donating a blood is that it should be a voluntary donation therefore we have organized this event. Ask few question f rom yourself.. Have you ever visited Hospitals? Have you ever saw any major accident case? Have you ever saw any patient suffering from a major disease in which blood is required to save his/her life. If your answer is YES then think about their lives! Their lives can be saved by just donating our blood. If you look at the statistics of population of a country and the number of road accidents and other major disease in which a patient is urgently required blood, then you will realize how important donating blood is. As the demand and supply is already differs a lot, therefore this gap can be filled by an active participating in Voluntary Blood Donation programs. Can you assume the extent of happiness of victims or patients family after saving his life? It is the real feeling of heart that occurs in their wishes.Many of us have myths about donating blood. Some People says it affect our health and makes us weak. Some people avoid it for their traditional and religious thoughts. And so me people even say that it against their cast and religion. So my dear friends, we would like to clear your doubts regarding all these myths that these myths and thoughts have no meaning. The color of blood is only one that is RED; it has no religion, no cast. The donating of blood is totally safe and has no effect upon the health of one's, though the time gap and other measure of safety and quality must be taken into effect before donating the blood.The organization collecting the blood will ensure all these factors itself before collecting the blood. We usually see many articles on the internet, and books and even there are many awareness campaigns happens in schools and colleges, just like this event we are organizing here. We all must have to give our best to contribute and make other people aware about it. At the end we would like to say that we have a team of doctors to clear all your doubts and queries regarding it. And other useful stuffs to help saving someone's life. Thank s and Regards. Sachin Kumar Do well, Get well, Be well.

Goals After Graduation †Essay Essay

When I found out I was going to be a mother for the first time I had feelings wash over me that I never knew you could feel all at once. Some feelings I suddenly felt I didn’t even know existed until that very moment. Sitting there thinking about having a life inside me to care for and love, yet at the same time thinking I am to young, not ready, under educated, and just plain scared to death. All I knew is I wanted nothing more than to have a child that I have waited for, for so long. While I was expecting I had such dreams of what that blessed event would be like, could be like. I was very guilty of setting my expectations too high for something I knew absolutely nothing about. Being a first time mother who had read every conceivable magazine, book, and internet web site on the subject of giving birth I considered myself to be an expert. It was about the same time as the first labor pains started that I forgot everything I had ever read in my entire life; not just everything I had ever read about giving birth. During the lulls between the hours of labor pains I would still imagine what my child would be like. At that very moment when I went into labor (August 4, 1995) with my daughter Kaitylyn, all that seemed unimportant. The only thing that matter was seeing my daughter and holding her for the very first time! I first saw her face while I was delivering her and I remember her little lip quivering right before she cried her first cry. At that very moment I felt a peace with her and I wash over me and all I wanted was to take my daughter and hold her forever. When they took and placed my daughter in my arms I could not speak nor could I do anything, but look into that little face and be amazed at the miracle lying in my arms. Then the feelings started washing over me all at once fast and fleetingly. First came love which never went away and I know never will! After came fear which, was quickly replaced by determination. Determination that I would make the best life for her that I could. Then came joy! Joy that my little girl had all ten toes and fingers and was doing great. Then came overwhelming feelings that even now I can’t find the one term to categorize them in. Feelings of pure wonderment, pride, and motherly love are the only way I can ever explain. Looking into those little brown eyes knowing we  would be just fine that life had just begun, for not just her, but also for me. I was a mother and her life depended on mine. I was unafraid. I knew deep in my heart this child was a fresh start in life and that I was strong enough, determined enough to make sure we could take on life. Now sixteen years later I know that becoming a mother for the first time can be the hardest thing in the world. Now at thirty eight years old I have three children and it is clear to me that not all the feelings of becoming a mother for the first time go away after the first time! I still have feelings that I had then like fear, hope, and yes the second guessing my choices. However, seeing the young adult my daughter has become lets me know WE WOULD BE FINE!

Crime Increases on Campus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Crime Increases on Campus - Essay Example It is essential for students to be provided a safe and secure environment at the campus they are studying. Such a secure environment may lead to an increased interest of students in their studies as they may feel the campus to be similar to that of their own home. So in order to ensure such an environment for learning, many aspects are needed to be sought out and taken in to consideration. One such important aspect is the safety and security of the students within the campus. In order to be safe and secure a campus requires being adequately equipped with emergency accidental cases as well as the ability to curb the crimes within the campus. The mishaps of campus fierceness have appealed notice of broad publicity recently due to the increased crime rate within campuses. To address this issue there are two ways of addressing the problem. The common law is the foremost that provides regulations regarding the conduct within educational institutions. These laws and regulations are common for all campuses. Another way is the use of administrative authority of the campus to enforce its own formulated regulations to control the campus violence. Besides the authoritative enforcement, the modern technology helps in the attainment of the goal of a safe and sound environment within the campus by bridging the gaps in the security by manual monitoring (Hyland, 2003). Upon completion of project the crime rate within the campus could be declined by 90% resulting in the resolution of campus violence completely. The safe and secure environment will result in increased admissions within the campus and better results. This security plan has been tested by Central Alarm Security Systems in a violent campus within States and the quoted results were attained as the crime rate was declined by 90% within the campus. The installation of CCTV camera system will require 2 days and

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DO SOCIOLOGICAL METHODS PROVIDE AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF THE Essay

DO SOCIOLOGICAL METHODS PROVIDE AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD WHAT IS LEFT OUT BY THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE - Essay Example Many fundamental discoveries in sociology have been made, reviewed, established, evaluated and adjusted according to new data in the past decades. However, the current position in sociological research is looking at tools and techniques which could not have been imagined a few decades ago (Platt, 1996). The application of the scientific method of study to sociology created the first revolution and the information age can be said to bring about the second revolution for all fields of study. This is especially true in sociology since the ability to crunch numbers at light speed is only possible with the use of new and powerful computers. While the modern methods of research and analysis have had an important effect on the field, scientists are also concerned about their overuse and a lack of focus on actually performing the study and too much attention on the analysis and twisting of the results. Indiscriminate application of technology and statistical tools can only result in situations where the application of sociology is more or less meaningless (Chatterjee, 2004). Some human conditions can not be described in percentages or in terms of numbers and require more than simply pushing buttons. Sociologists apply methods and techniques which result in statistical figures used by governments and the media and we are often told that one can prove anything with statistics. While tricks may be played with statistics, there is no doubt that the scientific methods needs to be applied for it to give results that are useful. We can debate all we want about qualitative/quantitative evaluations, micro/macro assessments and inductive/deductive reasoning but unless the scientific method is applied any research can be doubted. With the correct application, statistical sources and various methods for research and analysis are invaluable tools but misuse and unethical

Alcohol abuse and alcohol disorders Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Alcohol abuse and alcohol disorders - Case Study Example Consequently, the nursing care would need to be tailored as appropriate to help the client in such situations. In this assignment, the case scenario of a patient who has been admitted to the surgical area for a cholecystectomy for gallbladder stones will be discussed in that light. This patient is a 45-year-old male with cholelithiasis and cholecystolithiasis with mild hyperbilirubinaemia due to partial obstruction of the common bile duct due to stone. This patient is a known alcoholic, and the idea of admitting him to the hospital is to control his bilirubin levels and sustain his abstinence from alcohol in the hospital ward so the surgery becomes uneventful. Therefore, the nursing management plan will have to be designed which would take care of his problems during the course of his hospital management. The most important health issues during this preparatory phase of the management will be the nutritional care of the patient who has already been compromised from the nutritional po int of view. Literature has delineated the nutritional problems in alcoholics that arise from alcoholic hepatitis and pancreatitis. Moreover, alcohol per se leads to deficiency of vitamins due to poor nutritional intake and compromise in the fat digestion due to abnormal fat metabolism due to pancreatitis. Surgery is a stress situation (Breslow et al., 2006, 359-366). Therefore, for the upcoming surgery, this patient needs to be prepared nutritionally to be able to tolerate this stress. This problem has been compounded by the hyperbilirubinaemia on presentation that tends to aggravate these problems further. Alcoholic hepatic dysfunction and fatty liver both add to the gravity of the problem. From that perspective, one of the core issues would be nursing nutritional management of this patient. The second core issue is related to his habitual alcohol intake that is continuing over years. A sudden stop or abstinence forced or otherwise, would point to the issues related to dependence and problems related to withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms or syndrome, if they appear in the acute form may be potentially problematic, and consequently, the nursing care plan must evolve around this core issue also (Banks et al., 2000, 1249-1254). Care Plan and Related Evidence: Dependence and Withdrawal: Alcohol or ethanol is a sedative anesthetic found in various proportions in liquor, wine, and beer. Alcohol produces a sedative effect by depressing the central nervous system (CNS). This effect causes the individual to experience relaxed inhibitions, heightened emotions, mood swings that can range from bouts of gaiety to angry outbursts, and cognitive impairments such as reduced concentration or attention span, and impaired judgment and memory (Porjesz and Rangaswamy, 2007, 131-141). Depending on the amount of alcohol ingested, the effects can range from feelings of mild sedation and relaxation, to confusion and serious impairment of motor functions and speech, to severe intoxication that can result in coma, respiratory failure, and death. Excessive or long-term abuse of alcohol can adversely affect all

Strict Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strict Liability - Essay Example The present study would focus on a strict liability offence is defined as one where â€Å"no mens rea need[s] be proved as to a single element in the actus reus†. Strict liability is also apparent when it has at least one element in the actus reus, even without the related mens rea. Strict liability lacks the mens rea element in relation to one of more elements related to actus reus. One of the classic examples of this case was seen in the R v Prince case where the conviction was based on the fact that the Offences against the Person Act 1861 were violated. In this case, Section 55 stated that whoever was to take an unmarried girl, one below the age of 16 years, out of the possession and against the will of her father or mother would be strictly considered liable for a misdemeanour. Strict liability is sometimes used interchangeably with absolute liability. As such, confusion is often seen between these two terms. Nevertheless, it must be understood that absolute liability ref ers to the liability without mens rea in conjunction with actus reus and without any defence like duress or compulsion â€Å"other than the fact that the defendant is under 10†. Strict liability is the liability imposed regardless of mens rea (in relation to actus reus); on the other hand absolute liability is liability even with the lack of mens rea (in conjunction with actus reus) â€Å"without the availability of any defence other than the defendant is under 10†. ... 141). Strict liability is the liability imposed regardless of mens rea (in relation to actus reus); on the other hand absolute liability is liability even with the lack of mens rea (in conjunction with actus reus) â€Å"without the availability of any defence other than the defendant is under 10† (Oxford University, n.d, p. 141). In instances when a state has favourable reasons for wanting to reduce certain acts and incidents, the reasons behind such prohibition may be associated with the harm principle, where incidents which would cause harm are being prevented. An example of an act which may be regulated by the state is driving. This is an act which can be defined without having to refer to a mental element (University of Pennsylvania, 2003). There may however be instrumental reasons which can be used to define the prohibition and regulation of the act as a strict liability act. In reviewing the benefits of imposing strict liability, a benefit may be seen in terms of cost. B ased on administrative assessments, costs before and during the adjudication of a case would likely be reduced with the application of strict liability policies (Oswald, 1993). The elements which have to be proved and tried in court would be reduced and issues encountered also largely minimized. The element of cost is significant because criminal justice often racks up significant costs (Page, 1986). If states would require proof for the commission of any offence in compliance with the elements of actus reus, the implementation of criminal justice would be largely unaffordable and significantly challenging for both the offended parties and the state. Strict

Vulnerable Population in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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UK Micro Environment Factors for a Tobacco Company Essay

UK Micro Environment Factors for a Tobacco Company - Essay Example [2] These variables affect the business and its operations to the core and a proper understanding of these is a necessary step to expand the product in a particular market. According to porter, there are 5 forces that act on a business in the Micro Environment. These five variables along with others variables proposed by different authors can be broken down as. [5] Cigarette is an additive product and that is a favorable point for the company as far its sales are concerned. Buyers are hooked to the brand of cigarette usually from the start so there is little bargaining that the customers can do. The buyers are also brand conscious and they don not change their brands rapidly and specially in UK. Even if the prices of the cigarette increases, the customers will continue to buy it because of its addictive nature. Retailers get a nominal amount on retailing the cigarette however they are in much demand so they keep it. Also the retailers usually get branded settings and are paid extra to keep shelf space for a brand. As substitutes for the products exist, retailers have a bit of power over the companies There are high barriers to entry. ... People trying to leave this habit usually revert to nicotine gum, counseling, or behavior modification. In extreme cases acupuncture needles are stuck in the bodies or the nicotine-averse images implanted in their minds however these are not that successful. Competitive Rivalry Among the four top brands of cigarettes in UK, Imperial Tobacco Group is the market leader. However, this has created intense rivalry amongst all the competitors. This is not a good sign for the company since this much competition can make it harder for the rest to come to the standard of these leading companies. Stakeholders The stakeholders such as the government, the media and the society play a major role in the business. Since smoking is considered a social evil, the society usually shuns the smokers. Laws, and deals such as the 'tobacco resolution' are the results of the anti-smoking society. The increase in taxes makes it harder for the company to sell their products. The UK tobacco sector is one of the most heavily taxed in the world, and UK cigarette prices are the highest in the EU, with taxes accounting for around 84.5 percent of the retail cost of a typical packet of cigarettes. [3] [4] Conclusion - Changes to the Company's Strategy and its Impact Micro environmental factors play as much a vital role in a business as other macro does. Maybe these are even more important since these factors are hard to investigate as they work on a hidden level. From the information gathered, it has been found out that a few dramatic changes to the company's strategy must be brought. First the company must be perceived as a "green company". Since awareness of the harms of cigarette smoking is increasing, the company must promote itself as a

The Value of a Human Life Essay Example for Free

The Value of a Human Life Essay We look at the words of one of the framers of our constitution, and we apply it to the concept of assisted suicide. This subject was one of the hottest issues of the late 20th century, but why was this issue so crucial? Why did it seem to have law writers and judges fumbling to grab for their red tape? There seems to be a more deep seated opinion on why the land that gives us the right to freedom of speech, expression, natural, and civil rights, can restrict the one right we should inherently have. The question I pose for you today isn’t to look at the morality of suicide, but rather look, and ask yourself, why don’t we have the right to die? This paper will be broken down into two sections, one will be the law, precedent, acts, etc. and the other will be the philosophy governing our actions as a collective body and why the ideals that the sound percentage of this united states are unrepresented. The Law There are many cases of assisted suicide, and legislation overseeing it, but the few examples I will give will show the stance that America has taken on the subject of assisted suicide. Jack Kevorkian was the front runner for euthanasia, advocate for a pro-choice death, and leader of one of the most controversial hot button issues of the late 1980s to 1990s. He fought for the legalization of assisted suicide in terminal patients and was known for saying â€Å"dying is not a crime†. He’s an important figure in this movement because he couldn’t be convicted until he was aired on 60 minutes as personally injecting the patient with the drug, instead of having them commit the suicide themselves. The importance of this distinction is that when Jack himself did not inject the patient, he was not found accountable, showing the importance of the word â€Å"assisted† in assisted suicide. [2] Secondly, the Terry Schiavo case was another landmark case pertaining to the death of a terminal patient. Theresa Marie Schindler (Terri) had entered a vegetative state and was comatose and on life support. Her husband had the power to order her feeding tubes removed, ultimately sentencing her to death, however, many people intervened and wouldn’t let her pass away, rather they kept her on feeding tubes for 15 years until she finally was taken off life support and passed 13 days after. During her life, the very controversial â€Å"Terri’s Law† was written up and gave the power to Florida’s Governor to put Terri back on life support. An interesting point in this legislation is that President George W. Bush flew to Washington just to sign this bill into action. â€Å"It should be noticed that this is the same George W. Bush who, as Governor of Texas, signed into state law the power of hospitals to remove a patient (in identical situations as Terris) from life support a critical factor being the familys ability to pay the hospital bills even if such removal was against the familys objections. †[3] This brings a completely different angle into the element of a patient’s death. From the parameters of this case it proves that the government will not intervene into the death of one of its constituents, unless of course that person is not financially able to keep living. I’ll explain this further, in the second section. Another fact to outline our government’s stand on suicide is the Washington v. Glucksberg case. In this case the Supreme Court agreed unanimously that the Due Process Clause of the Constitution did not protect the right to assistance in committing suicide. There was a previous case, Moore v.  East Cleveland, which decided that liberty interests cannot be protected if they aren’t deeply rooted in the nation’s history. Rehnquist wrote that it â€Å"furthered various compelling state interests, such as the preservation of human life and protecting the mentally ill and disabled from medical malpractice†. The Court also thought that protecting physician assisted suicide would create a â€Å"slippery slope† towards involuntary euthanasia. [4] Some things that must be discussed in this regard are as follows. The Due Process Clause protects the right to choice over abortion, which can be compared semi-closely in this case. 5] Why should those who are unborn have no say over their own demise, but yet someone who is suffering and wants to die with dignity cannot have the blessing and assistance of their physician? Furthermore, the slippery slope argument is not a logically proven one, it’s simply using something with shock effect and making it seem less distant than it really is, putting fear in those who notice nothing wrong with the argument. R. G. Frey, DPhil says it best in his book titled â€Å"The Fear of a Slippery Slope,† Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: For and Against. Especially with regard to taking life, slippery slope arguments have long been a feature of the ethical landscape, used to question the moral permissibility of all kinds of acts The situation is not unlike that of a doomsday cult that predicts time and again the end of the world, only for fol lowers to discover the next day that things are pretty much as they were We need the evidence that shows that horrible slope consequences are likely to occur. The mere possibility that such consequences might occur, as noted earlier, does not constitute such evidence. [6] There’s no other way it can be put, the use of a slippery slope has no bearing on the actual case in front of the judges and should have never been allowed as reasoning for striking down the act. Another commonly cited document in this case is the Hippocratic Oath, the rule of law for doctors and alike as well as a document swearing in medical practitioners into the field. The cited phrase that those opposed to assisted suicide use is â€Å"I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone†. It seems that people are being too narrow-minded about the term, â€Å"harm†. As Philip Nitschke, Founder of Exit International, a pro-euthanasia group says, â€Å"The much-quoted reference to do no harm is also in need of explanation. Does not doing harm mean that we should prolong a life that the patient sees as a painful burden? Surely, the harm in this instance is done when we prolong the life, and doing no harm means that we should help the patient die. Killing the patienttechnically, yes. Is it a good thingsometimes, yes. Is it consistent with good medical end-of-life care: absolutely yes. [8] Another interesting quote in the Hippocratic Oath is the phrase, â€Å"I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion. †[9] This shows some contradictions in the Oath that the opposition has held so dear. The abortion line has since been removed, as well as the statement about a lethal drug, but in the updated version it also has no statement about â€Å"never do[ing] harm†. Some anti-euthanasia persons use an outdated version of the oath to make their points, but have neglected that there are also other statements in that old version that are no longer applicable to this day and age. [10] The last and final bit of information is the Death with Dignity Act, established in Oregon and Washington. It has been voted in by the citizens of each individual state by majority, challenged by the state legislature and rejected by voters, and even challenged by the Bush Administration and upheld in the Supreme Court by Gonzales v.  Oregon. The act establishes safe and enforceable guidelines to go through before the patient takes the life-ending medication. The guidelines include and enforce a waiting period, must be reviewed by two physicians, the patient must be free of a impairing mental illness, must be witnessed by two people, one of which isn’t family, and the request is voluntary and can be backed out of at any time. [11]/[12] This is the act we need established in the entire United States; one that gives patients the right to die with dignity. The point of this research is to show the clearly biased views of the American government; next, I’ll be demonstrating examples and reasoning for why we should be allowed the freedom to choose. Philosophy First, it must be said that to purely discuss the task at hand we must remove all prejudice about religion and morality. Those things can be used in one’s own personal value that they put upon this subject, but in front of us is the law, and it must be known that all religious aspects must be removed from government. Now, what we’re facing is the legalization and promotion of assisted suicide. Suicide is a non-punishable crime, so to speak. It’s not that they can convict a corpse, but in the attempt of a suicide attempt one can be taken into a mental institution to be assessed and treated. The first question posed is how can a crime that can’t be punished be illegal? How can we outlaw something that no government, law, or individual can persecute another for? Back in the earlier years of this country suicide used to be treated with a common law, governing all forms of the same type of suicide. However, the common law must always be updated in this ever changing society. Back when the precedent was decided there was no need so assisted suicide because the people with the illnesses would simply pass away, but today where there’s life support and other means of keeping sick patients alive, now we must choose where to draw the line in that individual’s suffering. There are different tiers of being â€Å"alive†. The fact that someone is breathing doesn’t mean that they’re alive. One may say that their life is running, playing with family, writing books, or painting pictures. This life is taken away from them when they’re sentenced to a hospital bed with tubes keeping them alive and no way to interact with others. They don’t want to ever let themselves get to the point where their family has to see them like that, and it’s an honorable, selfless thing to do. Human beings have certain unenumerated rights, sometimes known as natural rights, those not to â€Å"be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people†. Upon looking into the words of this phrase in the Ninth Amendment, we see that this amendment is plainly stating a sense of equality. If we apply this to the case of assisted suicide, the vast majority of Americans have the natural right that is life. If we were to break down the spirit of the word life, let it be seen that, as formerly stated, life has different acceptable meaning depending upon circumstances. The law cannot be taken at face value in this case and must be interpreted accordingly. Life, for one may mean freedom, and in this case the only freedom a terminally ill patient has is in death. The patient needs freedom, freedom from the constraints of suffering, freedom to move on to a better place than they are in now, whether that be a religious place, reincarnation, or a hole in the ground. As stated earlier there is a quandary in this argument when finance enters into play. We might ask ourselves why our government is so adamant on keeping us alive. Through legislation, passed by a man that became our president, it appears that a financially stable families can keep their loved ones alive even against the wishes of her husband who has the power of choice, while those not able to pay for life support must watch their loved one die as the feeding tube is removed against their will. The question of preservation of life is miniscule in this example. The real reasoning behind certain groups advocating for life is because of monetary gain, they force an individual who cannot communicate his wishes to continue living an unexamined life on his death bed, while the man who does have a say cannot choose his own path. This brings forward the one of the focal points of this paper; can and individual violate their own rights. The government is put in place to protect our individual rights and freedoms, and they use that title to protect our right to life by not letting us choose. Someone can violate the rights of another and be sent to jail in which their rights are revoked until their time is served, but are the consequences the same for one who attempts suicide? The answer is no, a human being may have the right to life, but that life cannot be violated by themselves. I can say this because of the inherent freedoms allowed by the Bill of Rights. In these, Americans are given freedoms to be their own person, to worship, and express themselves completely and fully within constraints of their own person. As long as the rights of other humans are not directly, or even indirectly, put at risk there is no fear of conviction. To explain further I must say that we cannot violate our own rights in the legal sense. If we are to take our own life, it is our right to, and one cannot be held accountable for their choices pertaining to themselves. This leads us to the discussion of positive and negative rights. Positive rights are those that permit or allow action, whereas negative rights are those who permit or allow inaction. For example, a person may want to be assisted in their suicide, and that should be their positive right to do so, but their physician, who may not morally agree with the procedure, has the negative right to refer the patient to a different doctor. This comes up most frequently in the case of abortion where the doctor may not want to go through with it for moral reasons, but the patient still has the right to have the procedure. This is important in the distinction because a person who does not agree with assisted suicide has the negative right not to have the procedure done on their death bed, and the fact that the wishes of other are not imposed on them is showing the freedom this country has not fully applied on both ends of the spectrum. They should have the right not to have the procedure done if they don’t want it, just as much as the person who wishes to have it should be allowed that right. Liberalist Thomas Szasz writes that, â€Å"If freedom is self-ownership—ownership over ones own life and body—then the right to end that life is the most basic of all. If others can force you to live, you do not own yourself and belong to them†. This is exactly what the framers of our constitution wanted us to believe in, self-ownership, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. What better way to prove that the individual purely owns himself than to be able to make his own decisions up until and including death. Conclusion In conclusion, the proof if right in our own Constitution, and in the precedent set in past court cases and actions of the government. The right to a physician assisted suicide should be a part of our freedoms just as much as abortion, freedom of religion, and freedom of expression. The Bill of Rights sets up certain unwritten rules that everyone should have equal access to, and it should be stated that the right to life can intrinsically be attributed to death as well. There are already states with legislation in order, but it will take an act of government to make it federally acceptable. The arguments against suicide either come from the slippery slope argument or from an argument from morality. As we can see, the slippery slope argument has no proof or rational acceptance, unless more proof from trial comes forth, and since there are already states which have enacted legislation on the subject, and no problems have arisen, we can justify the disregard for such an argument. The argument from morality also holds no grounds because morality is different in each individual being, and we cannot make another mistake in our practice of government such as letting the thoughts of the many outweigh the few who have a constitutional equality. It is stated that we all have our own freedoms, which cannot be violated either by ourselves or by our government. The protections that are placed upon us are inalienable by any means, and it is contradictory to say that we’re violating our own rights and should be held accountable by anyone except for ourselves. To finish, I hope I have shown enough research, and voided enough counter arguments, to show that and rational being must be able to accept the proposition of assisted suicide from the view of legal equality and representation. I’ll end with two quotes that speak volumes to the desires of these terminally-ill people.

A Place That Is Important to Me Essay Example for Free

A Place That Is Important to Me Essay I have lived in Bunbury for 15years. My family has occupied the house in which I live for 10years. I have two sisters and two brothers. I am the middle child. I have always felt that my home has been an important place to me. I have countless memories held within these walls, and almost all of them are positive. Home to me, has always been the roof above my head. Recently though, when my elder sister moved out, I have been lost by what home truly means. If I no longer feel a sense of home under my roof, then where is my home? I try to answer this by thinking about the places that are important to me. As I do this I come to the realization that there is no one particular location that screams of an overwhelming importance to me. I have a myriad list of locations that I have felt some form of emotional connection with. But does this mean that all these places are a home to me? Where is my home? Important places to me are those that you don’t think you could live without. When I think of a soccer field, a dancing stage, or a couch to simply lie and have movie marathons on, I don’t think about the location, I think about the people involved in the memories created there. These places are important to me, not because they themselves are important, but because of the amazing memories I have experienced there. So if I were asked if I could live without these places, I would say no. But does that make them all a home to me? And if not, where is my home? Maybe home truly is where the heart is. A phrase I have always thought to be corny, but now however I see some form of factual meaning behind. Home to me is all about that sense of security and love. Knowing that you are wanted. So does this feeling necessarily have to come from a particular location? Could it not be found simply by doing something, or being with someone? And if home can really not be about the walls around you, where is my home? I try to think about when I’ve been my happiest, my safest, when I’ve felt unbelievably accepted and appreciated. I can only here say with complete honesty that I think of my sister. I think of all the fun and laughs we’ve had together. I think about how I feel every time I get to see her, and how I feel every time I have to say goodbye. I’ve come to realize that without her ever-bubbly presence in my life I have changed a lot. I believe that we, as humans, never purposefully change. We simply adjust to new things, and without realizing it we find new people to help us breathe. These people fill me with the utmost joy and security. These people are my home. An important place to me is my home. To have that sense of belonging, and know that there is always someone there to take care of you. That is my home. I have learnt how to cope without my sister, even though it proves hard at times, I have learnt to cope. For as hard as it is to know that she’s not around, I know other people will be. And that’s all I need. That sense of place, to know that no matter where I am or who I’m with, I am loved for myself. That’s what’s important.

The equal opportunities and managing diversity approaches

The equal opportunities and managing diversity approaches Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of the equal opportunities and managing diversity approaches. Using the analysis above, discuss what the equal opportunities and diversity approaches could each contribute to the developed of an organisational programme to contract disadvantage of members of ONE of the following social group: Gender Ethnicity Disability Sexuality (2800 words) Intro: Diversity The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our differences. Diversity is inevitable. It occurs in every mans day to day life without even noticing it. It occurs in every part of the world. According to Dictionary.com (Anon 1, 2010), diversity is defined as the state or the fact of being difference. The dissimilarity is such as age, gender, ethnicity, different lifestyles and cultures, educational backgrounds, working methods, experiences, religious belief, sexual identity and against disabled people. Diversity in organisations reflects the changes that were occurring at the time of theorising equality developments. Organisations approach these issues by managing them using equality policy-making. Diversity has advanced from a traditional view to a more contemporary view because it covers a much wider framework than legal requirements in this modern society. The worlds increasing globalisation requires more interaction from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before. People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace; they are now part of a worldwide economy with competition coming from nearly every continent. For this reason, profit and non-profit organisations need diversity to become more creative and open to change. Maximising and capitalising on workplace diversity has become an important issue for management today. Today, in an organisation, each and every employee must accept the differences between individuals and respect them. Differences are seen in two aspects: people being valued for being diverse and unique which bring the uniqueness of a particular individual or organisation and the other aspect, a person marked as different, getting different treatment (Lecture Notes). Diversity issues are now considered important and are projected to become even more important in the future due to increasing differences. Companies need to focus on diversity and look for ways to become totally inclusive organisations because diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages (Society for Human Resource Management, 1995 cited in Green et al, 2002). Diversity is beneficial to both associates and employers. Although associates are interdependent in the workplace, respecting individual differences can increase productivity. Diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, recruitment, creativity and business image (Esty et al., 1995 cited in Green et al, 2002). In an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness, diversity is critical for an organisations success. Managing Diversity Managing diversity is defined as a management process that embraces the challenges of managing a workforce that is heterogeneous in terms of culture, ethnicity, religious belief, political affiliation, sexuality, gender and disability (Oxford University Press, 2009). Managing diversity is about assessing differences and treating people with dignity and allowing everyone, not taking into account their differences, to be able to perform to their level of ability. Managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management, which can improve workplace productivity (Black Enterprise, 2001 cited in Green et al, 2002, p.2). Demographic changes, such as women in the workplace, organisational restructurings, and equal opportunity legislation, will require organisations to review their management practices and develop new and creative approaches to managing people. Changes will increase work performance and customer service. According to Smed et al (1994 cited in Liff, 1996, pp.14-16), there are four approaches of equality: dissolving differences, utilising differences, accommodating differences and valuing differences. Dissolving differences may be seen more as equal opportunity than diversity management. Valuing differences, apparently, is the main approach to diversity management. This approach includes providing and initiating for the people, such as training and educating employees in the organisation to help them understand the organisational processes and boost their confidence. Accommodating and utilising differences, unlike dissolving and valuing differences which represents the dominant strands in the diversity management, are almost similar to some equal opportunity approaches (Liff, 1996, pp.14-15). According to Kirton et al (2009, pp.5-7), inequality in the neoclassical economics, the employment outcome reflects every individuals preferences and choices. Inequality existence is due to the system of production that is based on the principles of market competition. Equal Opportunity Equal opportunity aims to ensure that our working and learning environments are free from discrimination and harassment and that policies, procedures, structures and services created by government and organisations do not disadvantage anyone based on their disability, socio-economic background, location, language, cultural or ethnic background, gender, sexual preference, marital status or religious and political conviction. Equal opportunity is defined as an elastic notion that is caused by the appropriate measurement of the particular problem (Anon 2, 2010). In equal opportunity, differences are dissolved under the equality policies (Liff, 1996, pp.13-14). Differences exist between every living being, however, they do not need much attention from the legal approaches. Advantages of Equal Opportunity Equality of opportunity sets, that is, rendering the sets of choices available to different individuals the same (Roemer, 2002:456). It aims justice for all by preventing discrimination. Equal opportunity for all might be provided with the harmony of social, cultural, economic and legal conditions that affect each other successively. According to Liff (1996, pp.11-12), equal opportunity do not focus on differences. Under equal opportunity, everyone regardless of their age, gender, or ethnic origin should be treated equally. In the UK, a legal framework underpins the importance of equal opportunity approaches to treat everyone equally (Liff, 1996, p.12). This approach primarily protects gender against inequality and being discriminated at work. Although differences exist between people, differences should not be acknowledged in this approach; instead, it should be ignored. In an organisation, it should not be assumed that men are more committed to the job compared to women. The chances of a married woman going away on maternity leave should not be judged just because she is married. There is a possibility that this woman might not want to have kids. There is also a possibility that a man at work might meet with an accident and be away for nine months on sick leave. Therefore, men and women should be treated equall y in an organisation. Ethnic minorities should as well be treated equally and organisations should not have the assumption that people of different ethnicity could not speak their language. There are many ethnic minorities from Commonwealth countries speak English as their first language, because the British influence during the British Colonial in their countries. For that reason, ethnic minorities should also be treated equally and should not be assumed that they do not speak the international language. The main aim to create equal opportunity is to create a context where every individual is able to demonstrate and perform to their relevant capabilities. They should be judges on the basis that they are equal. Limitations to Equal Opportunity Not focusing on differences, equal opportunity found its limitation to accommodate other minorities, such as aged people, religious belief and disability. These minorities may need special attention or legal framework enforced to protect them from being discriminated. According to Liff (1996, pp. 12-13), in an organisations decision making, individuals gender an ethnicity are stripped of to be equal. Any form of unfair, unequal treatment because of age, disability, marital status, ethnicity, religion, social-economical background, and any other factor that can give rise to unfair treatment is called discrimination. Discrimination may be defined as selection of the candidates for a work according to the criterias which are not related to the job directly (Daft, 1991) Discrimination prevents equality of opportunity in any way. If an employer asks for a requirement that is not a bona fide occupation qualification (BFOQ) candidates who do no have that special requirement can not apply for the work. Some approaches of equal opportunity appear to break the principle of ignoring differences (Liff, 1996, pp.12-13). Advantages of Managing Diversity Unlike equal opportunity, diversity management focuses on differences (Liff, 1996, pp.11-12). By employing a diverse workforce can be beneficial to both the organisation as well as the stakeholders. Diversity management strategies can help create a link between the internal and external aspects of the work of an organisation. The organisation is, then, better able to understand the demographics of the marketplace it supplies. By knowing the marketplace and the customer better makes the business easier to manage, especially if the organisation employs men and women, people from many generations, people from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds and so on. The diversified workforce gives the organisation a better understanding of the demographics as well as the marketplace. For instance the marketing department of an organisation with a diversified workforce will better understand the market structure and the demand of the market from its different employees knowledge and experie nce. It, therefore, makes the organisation better equipped to thrive in the challenging market. A diverse workforce in an organisation would improve employees satisfaction and inspire all of their employees to perform to their ability. Company-wide strategies can then be executed. The work pattern will, eventually, show a better productivity, profit, and return on investment. Employees will feel safer and more secure working for an organisation with a better managed diversified workforce. A diverse workforce that feels comfortable communicating varying points of view provides a larger pool of ideas and experiences. The organisation can draw from that pool to meet business strategy needs and the needs of customers more effectively. Hence, it can supply a greater variety of solutions to problems in service, sourcing, and allocation of resources. Employees from diverse backgrounds bring individual talents and experiences in suggesting ideas and a collection of skills, such as languages and cultural understanding, which are flexible in adapting to fluctuating markets and customers demands on a global basis. Disadvantages of Managing Diversity Diversity in the workplace brings about many benefits to the organisation, as well it can lead to many dispute. Managing diversity, according to many organisations is more than simply acknowledging differences in every employee. Apparently, it is more difficult to motivate and manage a diversified workforce. Miscommunication occurs in managing diversity, due to having people from all walks of life. Different gender sometime interpret things differently based on their gender instinct, different ethnic group may have different culture in doing things and by having too many people of different religion and not understand each one of them may cause a big trouble when organisation an event. Perceptual, cultural and language barriers need to be overcome for diversity programs to succeed. Ineffective communication of key objectives results in confusion, lack of teamwork, and low morale. Resistance to change and accept diversity management in their workplace silences new ideas and inhibit progress. The inability to manage diversity in a proper way in the workplace can be extremely harmful and can costs the organisation by creating negative image, high employee turn over rate, loss of advertising revenue, discrimination suits, ligitation time and money. Diversity management, if handled insensitively, may invade employees privacy and poorly handled programme may result in conflict and ill-felling. Hence, cultural bias is another factor to diversity management disadvantages. It refers to prejudice and discrimination. According to Liff (1996), prejudice refers to an unjust behaviour and preconceived opinion and attitude towards an employee based on his or her culture group identity or religious belief. Discrimination on the other hand refers to observable adverse behaviour for the same reason. It also means a judgement of recognition and understanding of the difference between different people. In some organisations, assimilations are created to create a situation in which some individuals are different and they are likely to fail. Deep-seated prejudices may be brought into the open, causing short-term tension. Implementation of a diversity programme may, in the short term, be expensive. Sexuality Sexuality was defined as something which a society produces in complex ways (Weeks, 1986, p.25 cited in Hearn et al, 1996). Diverse social practices caused meaning to social activities, of social definitions and self-definitions, of struggles between those who have power to define and regulate and those who resists. There are five factors of sexuality: sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual attraction (Kormanik, 2009). When an employment decision is based on sex and gender, it is a sexuality factor of sex discrimination. In the construction site, for example, construction workers are usually men. This is because women is seen as the more feminine sex and could not be able to carry weights. Sexual harassment is a form of teasing and demeaning behaviour made by a group of people about an individual. Usually, at a workplace the more feminine female worker is likely to be sexually harassed by her male co-worker. Sexual orientation, on the other hand, is an individuals erotic or affection deposition to the same and or opposite sex. A persons sexual orientation is the attraction to the opposite sex and or even the same sex. Gender identity is the individuals psychological sense of the sex, either being male or a female. According to Jamison (1983:46 cited in Kormanik, 2009), sexual attraction is a quality or feature that attracts that one person experiences the exhilaration of inclination toward another person. Equal Opportunity and Diversity contributes to disadvantages of Sexuality In the past, people are more conservative and have inherent ideas from cultural and philosophical past which makes them perceive that accepting lesbians, gay men and bisexuals will wreck the society, culture and beliefs and reflects some form of devils. Even in the modern society, there are people who cannot accept lesbians, gay men and bisexuals and tend to treat them in a way that these lesbians, gay men and bisexual people are unable to for into the society. Many heterosexual parents think if they accept lesbian and gay people or bisexual people in their society, it would eventually rein the society, itself, especially the younger generations. It is the lesbian and gay people and the bisexual peoples biggest fear is being refused by the public, the society and relationship with other colleagues in the workplace and fear that the job or promotion opportunity is in threat. There might be some fear towards being discriminated in the overall labour market. In the education and childre n channel broadcast industry, lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are being discriminated and not offered the job. Parents fear that their children will grow up into a homosexual or bisexual. Heterosexuals who discriminate against lesbians, gay men and bisexual people often harass them verbally. Whether at work or in public, heterosexual people often act as though they are more superior to the homosexual and bisexual people and patronise them which makes the homosexual and bisexual people felt patronised and afraid and feel intimidated to face the public in their true identity. For that reason, homosexuals and bisexuals are more likely to be harassed, especially at work, compared to heterosexuals. The issue of sexuality was avoided in organisations in the past. No one was supposed to bring up the issue of sexuality of homosexuals and bisexuals as it opposes many cultures and religions and many societies conservative attitude towards them. It was not against the law to refuse the homosexuals and bisexuals in an employment or refuse any of their benefits. In the labour market, the workforce is usually dominated by the heterosexual people. Homosexuals and heterosexual people try to be like heterosexual, in order to keep their job and their current position in the organisation. In many organisations, however, discrimination and harassment against homosexual and bisexual people still occur. There is a strong discrimination against homosexual and bisexual people. Most of the cases are verbal and physical act against them, the lack of information, hence, makes it difficult to prove. Therefore, many lesbians, gay men and bisexual people rather conceal their sexual identity. It is easier for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people to conceal their identity compared to other groups of diversity (Kirton et al, 2010, p.39). Sexuality can be easily concealed by not revealing it to anyone around. At work, heterosexuals usually dominate the work environment and those who are against homosexual people and bisexual people often harass them verbally, some even physically. Homosexual people and bisexual people are often seen as an object to the heterosexual which they can make fun of. Which makes the homosexuals and bisexuals develop some form of fear against the society an d the society acceptance of them, despite those who are in favour of them, and tend to be quiet and shy. Higher income earners who are identified as homosexuals or bisexuals reportedly found it more difficult to be open about their sexuality at work (Palmer, 1993 cited in Kirton et al, 2010, p.40). In organisations, top management people are expected to be at certain professional manner and are expected to set an example to their subordinates. It goes the same for teachers to students and television presenter to children. According to Shape et al (1995 cited in Kirton et al, 2010, p.40), it is unaccepted to many organisations that their top management people are open about their sexuality if they are homosexuals or bisexuals. In certain professional field, such as teaching, the health science, television broadcast and the military, people are expected to be clean or conceal their sexual orientation at work. Many studies proved that gay men tend to receive lower wages compared to heterosexual men (Schmidt, 2008). On the other hand, lesbian women receive higher wages compared to heterosexual women (Schmidt, 2008). In recent years, many European countries governments enforced and reformed laws and rules and regulations to protect homosexuals and bisexuals at work. Some governments even protect homosexuals and bisexuals in their normal lives. According to the Employment Equality Regulation 2003, there is an act which protects homosexuals and bisexuals from sexual discrimination or harassment. Like many other lawsuits, there are many cases seeking to protect homosexual partners from sexual harassment due to sexual orientation have been unsuccessful. In Whitfield v. Cleanway UK Ltd (2005), homosexuals and bisexuals are often being discriminated at work. A similar case was decided, Reaney v. Hereford Diocesan Board of Finance (2007) ET 1602844/06. The case involved homosexuals and bisexuals being discriminated on religious grounds. Some countries have policies against homosexuals and bisexuals, such as Algeria, Iran, Liberia and Nepal. There are countries would still legally punish homosexuality on religious grounds. Malaysia, for instance, fine and or jail sentence for up to 20 years (Anon 3, 2010). Some countries set death penalty to homosexuals and bisexuals to punish them. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts reviewed a case, Weber v. Community Teamwork Inc (2001) 434 Mass. 761, 752 N.E.2d 700, where a lesbian plaintiff claimed she had been terminated from her job based on sex discrimination and discrimination based on sexual orientation. In Muzzy v Cahillane Motors Inc (2001) 434 Mass. 409, 749 N.E.2d 691 reviewed by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the case involved a lesbian complaining that her boss, who was also a lesbian, sexually harassed her on the job. In both these cases, the Court found insufficient proof to support the plaintiffs case (insufficient evidence that the work environment was intolerable) and dismissed those cases. These cases reflects hostile work environment, which is based on verbal and physical acts that make the workplace intolerable. It is more difficult to prove a compilation of acts, gestures, jokes and innuendoes. Conclusion A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace. Diverse teams bring high value to organisations. Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diverse management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. Management tools in a diverse workforce should be used to educate everyone about diversity and its issues, including laws and regulations. Most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures, so organisations need to learn how to adapt to be successful. Differences live forever and human mentality is not easy to be influence over a few decades, therefore, discrimination continues and it is inevitable. It might need far longer time to manage the diverse culture of the world. According to the Fortune 500 in 2006, there is an increasing number of organisations that are taking steps forward managing diversity in the workplace. These companies begin to provide basic benefits to homosexual and bisexual staffs, such as the health benefits. Another reason for taking that step is to assist employees and management in moving through the state of being aware of other employees sexual orientation and gender identity.

Merchant of Venice Essay: The True Nature of Venetian Society

The idea of mercy is important in The Merchant of Venice because it provides a focus for the contrast between Venetian Christian society and the alien invader, represented by Shylock. Mercy occupies a "central" position in the trial scene (IV.i.), where the power struggle between aristocratic Venetian society and the threatening force Shylock comes to a climax. My thesis is that the contrast between (and equation of) mercy and revenge in the trial scene reveals the true nature of Venetian society as insecure , hypocritical and vengeful. Mercy is clearly of greatest importance to the Christians in this text. It is only mentioned in the trial scene by two characters--the Duke (3 times) and Portia, in her guise as the lawyer Balthazar, (10 times). Mercy is significantly never mentioned by Shylock, implying either that he does not believe in it, or that he sees a hidden motive behind the Christians' insistence that he should be merciful to Antonio. By looking at what mercy means to the Christians and how they use it in the trial scene, I will try to show how it acts as a mirror for their true value system. Mercy can be defined as "kind and considerate treatment that you show to someone, especially when you forgive them or do not punish them." It is a Christian value associated with the New Testament, thus contrasting with Shylock's Old Testament religion and its image of a more stern and vengeful God. In the first half of the trial mercy and revenge are contrasted. The Duke appeals to Shylock to be merciful as if he shared their Christian values-- Shylock the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice To ... ...is required to become a Christian. Shylock feels he might as well be dead-- Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that,- You take my house, when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house: you take my life When you do take the means whereby I live. IV.i.370-373. To the Christians, then, mercy has different meanings and uses in this trial scene. It is used to try to tempt Shylock to recognize Christian values as superior to his own, to tempt him with the delusion of power if he accepts them, and when he refuses, to crush him and take away all his economic, religious and racial power. This abuse of mercy also reveals Venetian society to be greedy for power, hypocritical in its use of Christian values for secular aims, and vengeful. Mercy, and its uses and misuses, is revealed as having a power far greater than is at first apparent. Merchant of Venice Essay: The True Nature of Venetian Society The idea of mercy is important in The Merchant of Venice because it provides a focus for the contrast between Venetian Christian society and the alien invader, represented by Shylock. Mercy occupies a "central" position in the trial scene (IV.i.), where the power struggle between aristocratic Venetian society and the threatening force Shylock comes to a climax. My thesis is that the contrast between (and equation of) mercy and revenge in the trial scene reveals the true nature of Venetian society as insecure , hypocritical and vengeful. Mercy is clearly of greatest importance to the Christians in this text. It is only mentioned in the trial scene by two characters--the Duke (3 times) and Portia, in her guise as the lawyer Balthazar, (10 times). Mercy is significantly never mentioned by Shylock, implying either that he does not believe in it, or that he sees a hidden motive behind the Christians' insistence that he should be merciful to Antonio. By looking at what mercy means to the Christians and how they use it in the trial scene, I will try to show how it acts as a mirror for their true value system. Mercy can be defined as "kind and considerate treatment that you show to someone, especially when you forgive them or do not punish them." It is a Christian value associated with the New Testament, thus contrasting with Shylock's Old Testament religion and its image of a more stern and vengeful God. In the first half of the trial mercy and revenge are contrasted. The Duke appeals to Shylock to be merciful as if he shared their Christian values-- Shylock the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice To ... ...is required to become a Christian. Shylock feels he might as well be dead-- Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that,- You take my house, when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house: you take my life When you do take the means whereby I live. IV.i.370-373. To the Christians, then, mercy has different meanings and uses in this trial scene. It is used to try to tempt Shylock to recognize Christian values as superior to his own, to tempt him with the delusion of power if he accepts them, and when he refuses, to crush him and take away all his economic, religious and racial power. This abuse of mercy also reveals Venetian society to be greedy for power, hypocritical in its use of Christian values for secular aims, and vengeful. Mercy, and its uses and misuses, is revealed as having a power far greater than is at first apparent.

Biography of Julius Caesar Essay -- Julius Caesar Roman Empire Essays

Biography of Julius Caesar A baby was born on July 12 or 13 of 100 BC in Rome. Little did the proud parents of this baby know that he would rule most of the known world. This baby was born to the name of Gaius, his personal name, Julius was the name of his family's clan and the name of his family was Caesar meaning hairy. Caesar was such an amazing man that many people couldn't believe that he was born the same way as them. Over time stories have arisen about Caesar's birth. One story says that Caesar was pulled from an incision in his mother's stomach. This is where the medical term of Cesarean section came from, from Caesar's birth. Not everyone paid that much attention to the birth of Caesar, it was overshadowed by exploits of his Uncle Gaius Marius. Marius was a politician, he was a "new man" or a plebeian politician. He married into the aristocratic Caesar family so he would have a name to back up his words. Marius did not receive a first-class education or a lot of other advantages some politicians had. Marius was elected consul in 108 BC, once in office he proved himself as a brilliant general. He persuaded the senate to send him to Africa and replace the general in the war there. He took over for General Metellus. Soon he ended the war that had been dragging on for many years. When he returned to Rome Marius found another chance for fame. Nomadic German tribes had invaded the north of Italy and winning a couple battles over Roman armies. Marius took the spotlight away from this little bundle of joy named Caesar.No matter what he wanted he was propelled into politics. Many of his relatives were senators or held other important political offices. He listened to many political discussions between his family which had substantial influences on him. He was trained to be a politician by his tutor Antonius Gnipho. He studied Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and most important, rhetoric or the art of persuasive argument. At the age of twelve he was brought to the senate house to watch speeches and debates.As a kid he wrote numerous poems and plays. Augustus believed that these writings might tarnish his reputation, when he became emperor he burned all of Caesar works. Caesar was a very handsome boy and for that matter man too. He dressed in a style all his own. He was not very strong as boy. All male children were expected to be goo... ...ors over the edge. Caesar wanted to lead armies again in new and glorious conquests. He made plans to leave Rome for two years and lead an army. He was to leave on March 19. This meant the assassination had to take place soon, Cassius had to make final plans. Caesar knew something was wrong he had spies everywhere and a soothsayer openly said that he would be killed. He refused to take precautions and even dismissed his bodyguard. This whole time he refused to be crowned king. Caesar was scheduled to attend a meeting on the Ides, or fifteenth, of March, that was the day the conspirators would attack. On March fourteenth Caesar's wife had terrible dreams of her husband's death. In the morning his wife pleaded with him not to go. Caesar postponed the session. One of the conspirators named Decimus Brutus came to Caesar's house and persuaded him to come to the session. He gave in and came to the session. His wife's try to save him failed. When Caesar entered the Senate a group formed around him and stabbed him to death. He was stabbed 23 times then fell on a statue of Pompey. So Caesar died. Caesar had a great life and then was stabbed because people were jealous of him.

Response to Trifles by Susan Glaspell Essay -- Plays Susan Glaspell Mu

Response to Trifles by Susan Glaspell The play â€Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell is type of murder mystery that takes place in the early 1900’s. The play begins when the sheriff Mr. Peters and county attorney Mr. Henderson come to attempt to piece together what had happen on the day that Mr. Wright was murder. While investigating the seen of the murder, they are accompanied by the Mr. Hale, Mrs. Hale and Mr. Peters. Mr. Hale had told that Mrs. Wright was acting strange when he found her in the kitchen. After taking information from Mr. Hale, the men leave the women in the kitchen and go upstairs at seen of the murder. The men don’t realize the plot of the murder took place in the kitchen. The action begins when the men leave the women in the kitchen alone. This where Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find out themselves find out who had kill Mr. Wright. For some unknown reason the women were acting like they were profession detectives, they were asking question and making conclusion. They were discussing the way the kitchen was left are the murder. For example, when Mrs. Peters was looking through the cupboard, she finds out that Mrs. Wright had bread set. Mrs. Hale concludes that Mrs. Wright was going to put the loaf of bread beside the breadbox. Another example is when Mrs. Peter notices that Mrs. Wright had been making a quit. They were asking question if Mrs. Wright making quilt or making a knot, like a professional detective. The men come back in the kitchen and overhear th...

Chuck Taylors All Stars Essay

A.) Marketing Channel Converse uses a distribution channel when marketing the Chuck Taylor All Stars basketball shoes; they have two distribution centers in Ontario, California that uses an automation system to get the shoes into their reserved racks and shipped out to their destinations. These distribution centers handle both Converse and Hurley products as a multi-channel distribution in retail, wholesale, and e-commerce processing. Through this the company has increased the speed of their production by taking two days off the retail order processing timeline and reducing the CPU of apparel by 20 percent. They follow the APCD format which stands for Act, Plan, Check, and Do. The company â€Å"acts† by deciding on the changes needed to improve processing, â€Å"plan† by designing or revising business process components to improve results, â€Å"check† by assessing the measurements and reporting the results to decision makers, and â€Å"do† by implementing the plan and measurin g its performance (Webstoryteller, 2012). B.) Type of Distribution Converse is an intensive distributor because their products and footwear are aimed at maximum market coverage; they try to have the shoes available in every outlet where potential consumers are willing to buy them. The strategy is to sell a large percentage of their products to wholesalers and retailers that are trying to stock their own products. (Lamb, Hair, McDaniel, 2012) C.) Maintaining Channel Cooperation For the most part, Converse has no problem maintaining their distribution channel since they follow the APCD guidelines. The distribution centers’ warehouse management and control systems manages the daily order requirements due to the coordination of their employees, processes, and systems all working together. The company operates a 2 shift/5 day schedule that allows them to receive over 20,000 cases per day, stored over 9 million units of footwear, replenish their orders within 48 hours, and perform dynamic routing (Webstoryteller, 2012). D.) Physical Distribution In footwear, Converse has 12 automated value add and 5 case sealing stations that print of RDIF tickets that are required by client contract services. The shoes are packaged and then shipped off to retailing stores like Target, Kohls, Journeys, Journeys Kids, Macys, Nordstrom, Foot Locker, Champs, Finish Line, JC Penny, Lord & Taylor, Converse Outlet, Nordstrom Rack, Famous Footwear, Foot Action, Amazon, eBay, Sears, Sports Authority, Dicks Sporting Goods, and Zappos (Webstoryteller, 2012).

Democratizing American Education Essay

For years, the American education system has been plagued with criticism. In 1983, for instance, a report entitled â€Å"A Nation At Risk† from the National Commission on Excellence in Education warned that â€Å"the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people. † (p. 4) Two decades later, America’s public schools have barely made progress in addressing the problems posed by the NCEP report. This is evidenced by the continued inability of most schools to produce students who are mathematically and linguistically competitive enough for the demands of the American labor market. (Du Pont, 2003) Likewise, the rapid increase in immigrant population has brought the problems of the American educational system to the fore by heightening the impact of the socio-economic divide on individuals’ access to quality education. In â€Å"Lives on the Boundary,† author and educator Mike Rose (2008) describes how the changing landscape of America is pushing the need for reforms in the educational system in order to adapt to the diverse realities of a multi-cultural American background. However, Rose also contends that some proposals being advanced supposedly to democratize education, may actually increase rather than narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor, and further exclude the people who have been historically marginalized both literally and figuratively from the sphere of learning and education. (as cited in Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz, 2008, p. 99) One finds it difficult to disagree with Rose’ doubts about the ability of the proposal to return to what he calls the canonical tradition in the university and in American education in general, to turn the quality of American education around. Rose shows the problems of the proposal to return to what he calls the canonical tradition of teaching by presenting the realities of three immigrant students and an African-American student, individuals with vastly differing cultural backgrounds from the predominantly white, middle-class America. In this situation, it is doubtful that canonical teaching would be able to address the increasing need for student learning that is based not only on literacy but also the unique needs of the students for social inclusion and empowerment. Rose argues, for instance, that the obsession among influential educators and policymakers to â€Å"define achievement and excellence in terms of the acquisition of a historically validated body of knowledge† (as cited in Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz, 2008, p. 98) tend to push the marginalized more deeply into the margins rather than brings them into the social fabrics of American society. Indeed, despite the democratic trapping that has been thrown over efforts to establish uniform standards and benchmarks of learning, at the heart of the canonical tradition is the tendency to homogenize student thinking and learning. The superficial commitment to democratizing education is illustrated in the way that America’s education leaders pay lip service to democratic ideals while continuing to deny the rich cultural diversity and the individuality of each student in terms of his or her learning needs. One of the educators that Rose mentions is Paulo Freire, who acknowledged that real education must be relevant to the lives of the masses if is to have any meaning at all. In this sense, a return to an education that is based on the â€Å"Great Books† or â€Å"the canons† would be tantamount to regression. Such proposals also inevitably dilute public debate and understanding of the structural flaws of the American education system through its naive and myopic assumption that the failures of American education are caused by a failure in instructional methods alone. However, scholars have pointed out that the deterioration of the American educational system is pedagogical in nature. Smith, et. al. (2004) contend, for instance, that the decay in American education arises from the â€Å"increased influence of corporations† (p. 193) on educational policy. Consequently, the leaders of the American educational system suffer from a simplistic view of education in which it is seen as a nothing more than a means of training the next generation of workers, cogs in the great American industrial empire, in order to sustain America’s supremacy over the world. The United States’ alarm at the increasing â€Å"mediocrity† of American schools was rooted more in its economic concerns as the world’s economic giant rather than concerns for cultivating a better American society based on American values and ideals. Clearly, the continuing failure of the current system of education points only to its inability to provide students with the best learning opportunities; and the best learning opportunities are necessarily the ones in which they feel have connection to their realities, which have relevance in their lives and in their struggles for a sense of identity and belonging. In this aspect, the very benchmark used to measure student learning in American schools must be questioned and examined based on how these are used to tailor students based on the mold of the ideal worker and punish students who cannot cope with such corporatist educational standards because they learn differently or they have trouble understanding the new culture they are in. Even the word â€Å"mediocrity† or the label â€Å"inferior† carries with it the bias of class, race, and gender. Clearly, these labels are usually attached to individuals or groups who are impoverished and who cannot conform to the ideal of white supremacy and strength. Thus, meaningful education must â€Å"consider the context in which it occurs,† (Rose, as cited in Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz, 2008, p. 101) More importantly, appreciating the nature of literacy necessitates an understanding of how it can be used as a tool for empowering the marginalized, the uprooted, and the disenfranchised on the basis of social inclusion and identity formation. In this sense, standardized tests and benchmarks can never really measure what students learn. Instead, educators should create and utilize learning benchmarks that are based on the concrete learning needs and interests of students. Thus, Rose’ discussion of the continuing marginalization of the immigrant and â€Å"cultural minorities† in the field of education reflects the social inequities which underlie the problem of American education. Further, the author’s criticism of the additional threats posed by moves for canonical-oriented reforms shows how the educational problem lies in the general philosophical problem of the meaning and relevance of education for every citizen. In the efforts to institute reforms that would democratize and enhance access to American education, there is nothing more defeating than the assumption that a single American experience exists to which the entire American society can relate to. Another faulty assumption is that every single American student can be taught to behave and to think based on the ideal male, white, and middle-class American. It is this multi-dimensional nature of America that the leaders of the American educational system have time and again failed to acknowledge. It is this failure by American leaders to come to grips with the diverse nature of American reality that is the real cause of the growing mediocrity in American schools. Works Cited: Du Pont, P. (2003). Two decades of mediocrity. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 30, 2008 from http://www. opinionjournal. com/columnists/pdupont/? id=110003445 National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983). A nation at risk: imperatives for educational reform. Retrieved July 30, 2008 from http://www. ed. gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/risk. html Rose, M. (2008). Lives on the Boundary. In Lunsford, A. and Ruszkiewicz, J. (Eds. ) The presence of others: Voices that call for response, (p. 90-103). New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Smith, M. L. , Fey, P. , Miller-Kahn, L. , Heinecke, W. , & P. F. Jarvis (2004). Political Spectacle and the Fate of American Schools. United States: Routledge.