Stress and Everyday Life free essay sample

Everyone has used the word â€Å"stress† before, what is it, and why is it a commonality upon the population in the western world. The word stress is defined â€Å"Physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension†. 1 Has Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, coined the original definition of the word stress, in the mid-twentieth century. 2 But why do we get stressed? It seems that the modern worlds business culture is the main feed for stress. The long hours working in a office, not knowing if your going to be fired or not, or even having a very disruptive supervisor can bring common stress to everybody; the main source of stress can revolve around the ever so threatening â€Å"deadlines† that can make or break people. We all know what it feels like to be stressed, and all the immediate effects of being stressed, but why do we keep on doing this to ourselves. 3 The stock market is a perfect example on how today’s business culture inflicts stress to the business men and women out there on the floor. We will write a custom essay sample on Stress and Everyday Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The stock exchange where people can loose all their money in a blink of an eye or become a millionaire in the same amount of time. There are countless accounts of people getting trampled on because of 2000 other people wanted to get their money. Even though this is a risky market for money people still flood the floors every day of the week. We have to stand back and remember October 29, 1929 Black Tuesday, the beginning on the great depression. It is estimated that stockholders lost more than $40 billion dollars. 4 With all the stress in the environment that today we live in, how do we overcome the stress of life? Some of the generic stress relievers include, music, sex, exercise, visualizations (guided imagery), massage, crying, laugh, ect. The more interesting ones revolve around the Buddhist culture, such as, breathing exercises, yoga, walking (mindful walking), and mainly, meditation. 5 Meditation is a top hit for stress release, but why? What does meditation do to help stress? And how would we integrate meditation into our already busy western way of living? whereas the Buddha taught that happiness lies in limiting desires, American culture teaches that happiness can be found in fulfilling desires† 6 What is meditation? Meditation is a family of practices in which the practitioners train their minds. This practice is generally inward oriented which can invoke or create a feeling or internal state, such as compassion or resolve phobias, sometimes we can use meditation as away to hide away from ourselves and life. Various methods of meditation have incased shown changes to the practitioner’s metabolism, blood pressure, brain activity and other bodily processes. The most commonly known type of meditation is sitting meditation, where as it is the most stable posture for the practitioner. There are two seated positions that one can take, either the half lotus or the full lotus position; make sure you allow your back to be strait, close your eyes and rest your hands comfortably on your lap. To meditate you have to concentrate on your breathing, to practice breathing is very important in mediation, where while meditating the practitioner should be concentrating on their breathing in the sense to be able to clear their mind. Breathing is the unity of the body and mind, sometimes our mind is thinking one thing and our body is doing another, when in meditation the practice of breathing brings unification for the body and mind to become a whole again. â€Å"Let go of all involvements and let myriad things rest. Do not think good or bad. Do not judge right or wrong. † 8 When the mind and body are in unification there is no stress, there is not hing to worry about, meditation is living in the moment, thus there is nothing to be bothered by. When exiting meditation, the mind becomes non-unison to the body anymore, thus the problems of the world come back, and only with extensive practice with meditation one can truthfully escape stress. In Brad Warners Sit down and Shut up, Warner warns us to that meditation is not an immediate relief to stress. When the practitioner is not use to meditation, they may notice the tension in life a lot more while practicing, and be overwhelmed. However with extensive amount of meditation, the effects of stress will have less of a toll on the self, up to the point at points where you should be stressed a clam aura will stay with you. â€Å"Overcoming negative minds and cultivating constructive thoughts in the purpose of the transforming meditations found in the Buddhist tradition†. 10 With the hectic pace of the modern business culture, it often feels like there just is not enough time to get everything done, so how can you fathom to find time to meditate? However meditation makes mo re time, it clears your mind so that you are calmer and more focused. If you want to mediate and you don’t feel like you have enough time, simply either watch 30 minutes less Television a day or wake up 30 minutes earlier and you can simply make more time to meditate. To meditate you make yourself more productive for the day and you are able to enjoy the day. What is the point of waking up if you are not going to enjoy the day? To practice meditation for 10-15 minutes minimum daily, however the longer that one meditates will improve body and mind further, and the benefits are endless. An easy way to integrate meditation into a daily life, when ever you are feeling most stressed practice your breathing for 5 minutes. When you learn to control your breathing you can begin to add more time to the 5 minutes, eventually from controlling your breathing you will be able to move on and control your mind. In time you will be able to notice a definite difference in your state of mind and how you cope with stress. 11 Anyone can meditate, you don’t have to be a Buddhist to meditate, don’t feel like you are cheating your god when you do so. Stress is a feeling that we all get, it is a shame that some ignore the feeling. In todays world of the business culture, we are often felt overwhelmed and that there is not enough time in each day to get everything done. Not enough people are taking time to step back and smell the roses. If we continue in this way of life everything is going to get worse, we will only pass down our stress to later generations.

Overpopulation in China and India Essays

Overpopulation in China and India Essays Overpopulation in China and India Paper Overpopulation in China and India Paper Some of the policies created by China and India have shown to be very effective in repressing the growth of the population while others barely make a difference. Differing Ideas and approaches to enforcement have produced different effects which, ultimately, help people know whose policy is more effective. Chinas One-Child policy has proven to be more successful than Indians policies because the when the policys enactment, paired with strict enforcement, brought about beneficial effects. When India gained its independence from England in 1947, their economy Egan to improve and the country started to establish their authority in the world. In addition, their population started to grow at a more rapid pace. India had old traditions embedded in their culture. Traditions like child marriage, early pregnancy and having many children lead to uncontrolled increase in population. In 1952, when the government finally saw how scarce their resources had become, the National Population Policy became the first official step towards control over population growth (India Population and). It sought to address the need for contraception, healthcare infrastructure and o provide basic reproductive and child health care to its people. However, India was not rigid in implementing its policies. They took a milder approach in controlling the population by integrating family planning with general health care. The policies helped spread the word of the importance of having less children but it did not help reduce birth rates. In response to further reduce birth rates, more programs and policies were enacted. By 1975, population control became a regularly taught subject in school curriculums. Also, financial rewards were given to couples who refrained from having hillier for n;v0 years. Despite these attempts, none made a huge impact on the countrys increasing population. The government was able to inform couples the importance of having fewer children which caused a minor drop in birth rates, but not a significant one. The policy could be effective; because the policy was lenient and unforced, citizens would be more open to following it. At the same time, though, the flexibility will cause people to not take the policy seriously, resulting in no decrease in birth rates. Like India, China also faced a decreasing amount of resources with the rapidly increasing population. In 1 956, China took action to suppress a rapidly growing population with the use of propaganda. They soon realized that it made very little impact. After many attempts and failures, the government enacted the One-Child Policy law in 1 979 (Worded). This law stated that each family could only have one child except those with special circumstances (Worded). The program was a sophisticated system which rewarded those who observed the policy and penalized those who did not (Worded). If a family did not follow the One-Child Policy, they could receive a high fine, some amounting P to six times a couples annual income (Worth). Forced abortions and sterilization was common in women who did not obey the law (China steps). Those who adopted the law received special benefits. If a family agreed to have only one child, they received $72, a fortune for the Chinese people, after they turned 60 (China Rewards). China, as a result of their strife, has prevented around 400 million babies from being born, a successful feat for the overpopulated country (Retell). China has seen healthy economical growth which might not have happened if the population had been inappropriately larger. Thanks to the policy, other negative effects of overpopulation were thwarted and did not create a major impact to the society. Even with these benefits, there remain downfalls. A new dilemma has arisen named the 4-2-1 problem, which states that since a daughter or son in a family will be an only child, that one child must care for their two parents and their four grandparents when they are too old (Hester). Also, an even graver situation looms over China. Because the Chinese prefer boy children, the One-Child Policy means some couples may only get a female child. The overspent allows couples to have a second child if their first is a girl, but there are no third tries, even if the second is a girl as well (Worded). Many families, upset with their female child, have resorted to condemning their newborns to orphanages, abandoning them or even killing them. Because of the persecution of the female children, there are a smaller percentage of female children to male children (Fitzpatrick). The One-Child Policys strictness has been very beneficial to China in that it has prevented millions of births from occurring and helped in the countrys fight against pollution. However, the stern enforcement and punishment has led to couples abandoning and killing their babies and possible dilemmas for the future generations. In comparison, Chinas policy is clearly more effective than India in controlling their population. While Indians policy is mild, modest and not enforced, Chinas policy is strict and rigid. Indians policies make the citizens less likely to oppose the idea, but that same reason causes them to not think much of the rule, resulting in no birth rate decline. China, on the other hand, treats their policy much like a law. This makes the policy much more difficult to bypass. The rule may have brought upon some dilemmas, but even so, it has resulted in positive effects. Because of diligent enforcement, Chinas One-Child Policy has been more effective than Indians policies. It is projected that in 2030, India will surpass Chinas population. The projected population in India is 1. 53 billion and 1. 45 billion in China, which will be the countrys climax population. It is important to note however, that despite the efforts of both countries, China is still seeing a continued increase in birth rates but at a less paid pace compared to India.

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Report - Essay Example The Managerial Escalator The â€Å"managerial escalator† concept seeks to explain how specialists grow in their careers to become managers. In most companies and organizations, specialists are employed to perform a specific activity that is in line with their profession (Rees and Porter 7). For instance, an engineer may be hired to specifically deal with the design and implementation of technical concepts. This specialization cuts across various fields for professionals such as accountants, scientists and other professional fields. After some time in the job, a specialist may acquire some minor supervisory duties. For example, a senior engineer may have the responsibility to guide new employees with their job assignments and also check on their progress. These supervisory duties may be very informal since the specialist may not have a direct managerial role. Once the specialist attains experience of say five years, it is not uncommon for him or her to be promoted to a senior r ole. The new role may require the specialist to officially perform some sort of managerial duties albeit on a smaller scale (Schermerhorn & Schermerhorn 2011). Foe instance, an accountant may be put in charge of a small division within the accounting department. The role of leading a team inherently requires some level of managerial skills from the specialist The specialist may get further promotions as he or she attains more experience on the job. In the course of their duties, specialists often gain some managerial experience albeit informally. The managerial escalator concept argues that specialists may actually end up spending most of their time in management roles unknowingly. It is imperative that amount of time that an individual spends on a given position will depend on the individual’s skills (Mintzberg, 2009). Thus, the course of progress in the managerial escalator will vary from person to person. Even though a specialist may continue spending time in the area of s pecialization, the managerial shift occurs when the specialist finds himself spending more time managing people rather than engaging in the specialized activities himself (Rees and Porter 6) The progression from being a specialist to being a manager may not necessarily be similar for all individuals. One of the critical elements that dictate the evolution of specialists to managers is the structure of an organization (Schermerhorn & Schermerhorn 67). Specialists who are given some level of responsibilities and independence progress faster to managerial positions in comparison to those who have limited responsibility. In some organizations, there are specific guidelines that determine the career progression of its employees. It should be noted specialists who transition into managers may not have the requisite managerial skills. In fact, most organizations do not train their specialists with managerial skills and in the rare occasions where the managers are trained, the skills give a re not effective. Thus, it is common in organization to find specialists turned managers who have only informal management skills. The transition from a specialist to a manager may also face some challenges. Management requires specialist skills in order to lead and instruct others appropriately. The possession of specialist skills may also come in handy especially in

Sex Education in Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sex Education in Schools - Essay Example There are some critics who argue that sex education in schools does not achieve the intended purposes. It is however important to realize the importance of offering sex education in schools which is where the young people spend most of their time, and the many benefits that sex education has. This means that policies should be put in place to ensure that sex education is part of the curriculum in the different schools. The role of parents and caregivers should however not be ignored when it comes to giving sex education to the youth. It is important to have the realization that there are many benefits to having sex education as part of the school curriculum. This is because while most young people assume that they have the required knowledge when it comes to sex matters, most of them are very misinformed. This is because they get their information from unreliable sources such as friends who may also lack the proper information. This makes it necessary for teachers to provide the corr ect information to avoid negative consequences. Sex education therefore is the process of ensuring that the relevant and correct information and attitudes about sexuality and sexual identity, intimacy and relationships, sex, and sexually transmitted infections is passed on to the relevant parties. When the information is obtained from the teacher in a regulated setting such as the classroom, the youth will gain a better understanding and therefore avoid the negative consequences of engaging in risky sexual behavior. There are many aspects of sex education, and the content is diverse. The content in sex education includes teaching the students about their sexuality and what makes them male or female and how to deal with developments in their sexuality. In most cases, it is accepted that the goal of sex education should be to ensure that the young people are informed on their sexual health, and when they have received the necessary information, then they will be able to enjoy satisfyi ng relationships while avoiding the risks of reckless sexual behavior which includes diseases and teenage pregnancies. There are two main types of sex education. One type is the abstinence only type of sex education. This is the type of sex education that teaches the youth to avoid engaging themselves in sexual intercourse until such a time that they are married (Denyse and Coles 1). The other type of sex education is referred to as abstinence-plus sex education or the comprehensive sex education. This type of sex education urges the youth to postpone their first sexual encounter and also gives them information on condom use, birth control, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Article pertaining to a change in the supply demand,pricing of a Essay

Article pertaining to a change in the supply demand,pricing of a particular product or service - Essay Example During the height of fighting in January 2003, the price of cocoa on world commodity exchanges more than doubled surpassing $2,700 a ton. While it has fallen back to about $1,700 a ton now that a tentative peace prevails, it remains historically high. (Cocoa was trading for about $1,000 a ton before the outbreak of the war). Chocolate companies have already passed some of the added cost to the consumers. In 2003, Nestle increased its chocolate prices by 10% while Hershey’s and Mars raised the wholesale price of some of their most popular candy bars y a similar amount. Swiss chocolate maker, Lindt, Kellogg’s Keebler, and Kraft’s Nabisco have also raised prices. The war has also set back attempts by the world’s large chocolate companies to curb the use of child labor and help improve the lives of the people in the Ivory Coast by teaching them new farming techniques and business practices. Worse still for the Ivory Coast, where the incomes of six million people – about 35% of the population – are linked to cocoa farming, is that chocolate companies may begin rethinking their reliance on the country amid fears of continuing political instability. â€Å"If things don’t improve,† says Anne Prendergast, an analyst with the commodities trading firm Refco in New York, â€Å"over the next five years one may see a gradual erosion of production from the Ivory Coast.† In the succeeding weeks the rebels and the government have made progress toward peace. The next several months are critical. If the Ivory Coast can begin to mend its shredded political and social fabric, it may be able to undo the damage already don to its cocoa economy. But if unrest continues, the situation could become dire for both the country’s cocoa farmers and the world’s chocolate companies. The war turned any of the major cocoa centers in the western part of the Ivory Coast in the battlefields. Farmers abandoned

The Power Of Margaret Thatcher

The Power Of Margaret Thatcher The coming to power of Margaret Thatcher in March 1979 was in a context marked by the 1970s in England by crisis in economic, social, political and cultural. The crisis was economical with the 1973 oil crisis, the deindustrialisation, the negative growth in 1974-1975, the rise of unemployment, and the high level of inflation. The crisis is with the social movements of strikes that paralyzed the country, and mass unemployment. The crisis is political with the growing power of unions fighting for wage claims. Unions refuse limitation to 5% of the increase in base salaries that wants to impose the Callaghan government. Winter 1979, called Winter of Discontent, saw successive strikes increasingly unpopular which paralyzed the country. In this winter of Discontent, two out of three manufacturing companies were affected by strikes and stoppages. (Norman Gash, Madsen Pirie, 1989, p2). And finally, the cultural crisis is, in retrospect the success of the welfare state which does neither lead to growth nor full employment. We can not therefore underestimate the seriousness of the situation in Great Britain in the late 1970s. England was the British disease (Green, 2006, p55), through this study we will analyse how Margaret Thatcher and her administration drive the country with economic policy with the objective to break down the inflation and to enable Britain economy to recover balance growth. We will first explore whether it was a Thatcher Revolution? And in a second part we will see if this revolution was a success a miracle. Finally we analyze the statement. Margaret Thatcher won the elections in May 1979 and will be the first woman to rule England. Middle-class daughter of a grocer, she grew in an environment conducive to the Victorian values such as work, the emphasis on family, the sense of nationhood, and free enterprise. With these convictions, she adopted a policy and anti-interventionist philosophy (Green, 2006, p56) to rescue the British economys decline. It is in this context that the elections occur. Margaret Thatcher campaigned on the theme of British decline, socialism was for her as unmitigated evil, a perversion of human nature and a blight upon the land (Jenkis, 1989, p322) imposed by all-powerful unions, who have instilled in the population a culture of dependency. She undertakes to give priority to enterprise culture (Pugh, 1994, p20), free market, curb inflation and to curtail the role of the state (Pugh, 1994, p20). Thatcher decided to follow drastic measures (John Redwood, Madsen Pirie, 1989, P6). She easily wins the elections of May 1979: a vote clearly based on the discontent of the consensus state-employers-unions, became inoperative. She said in Perth during her campaign Today it is socialism which is in retreat and Conservativism which is advancing..'(Jenkins, 1989, p323) Margaret Thatcher created the political revolution has profoundly changed the political life, breaking with the values advocated by the Keynesian model: her primary objective was to fight against inflation before unemployment, she wanted the free market, she seeks to reduce trade union power, and reduce taxes to encourage growth. The Right Approach to the Economy is directly inspired by the partys program of 1970, and monetarist theories of Milton Friedman as the liberalism of Friedrich Hayek. For monetarist, price rises could be restrained by restricting the supply of money to the economy (Pugh, 1989, p303). She wanted to roll back the frontiers of the state (Jenkins, p369) and refocus on its natural function: to guarantee the currency, maintaining public order and National defense. The liberalization of the economy has performed under four themes: the affirmation of the primacy of the market, privatization of some public sector, reform of labour relations and tax reform. The assertion of the primacy of the market was made in 1979 by removing a certain number of controls over income, prices, dividends and wages. Inflation led to price controls, wage controls in order to combat rising public spending (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p12). The government has effectively abolished the incomes policy and price from Callaghan government. The decision made by Thatcher to curb inflation by monetary means was an excellent decision, the value of the British currency has risen and has helped to make the British economy more attractive to investors. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p12). In mid 1980s, Lord Young was responsible for the deregulation unit and made good progress and results; however, the government was faced with the necessity to regulate the financial services industry, to regulate privatized telephone and gas companies to comply with the creation of an integrated European market (John Redwood, Madsen Pirie, 1989, P12). Deregulation enabled substantial improvement in cus tomer service with lower prices and better services in airline and bus industry. (John Redwood, Madsen Pirie, 1989, P13) Then there was the liberalization of capital movements began in July 1979 that accelerated the internationalization of the British economy and stimulated the activities of the City of London. Mergers, investment of foreign multinationals have thus been encouraged and Great Britain was the European country most open to Japanese investment since 10 years. After a trip to Japan in 1982, Mrs Thatcher did not hesitate to encourage Nissan to set up factories in Britain; it was realized the following year. The export of the British capital has enabled the UK to continue to invest heavily abroad (Leruez, 1991, p146), and assets of the UK exceed 100 billion pounds by the end of 1988. This liberalization of the economy was completed in October 1986 by the deregulation of activities in the City in London. Despite the competition of other capital markets, this revolution has allowed London to maintain its role as a leader and pioneer in the financial industry (Leruez, 1991, p146). Although the privatizations program the most unique success (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p10) is now considered as en essential reform of the Thatcher government, it should be noted that it was not given an importance in the election manifesto of 1979. This show the inherently adaptable character of the action of Mrs Thatcher (Leruez, 1991, p147), and became the centre piece of the Thatcher Revolution (Jenkins, 1989, p370). The economic justifications of denationalization are the following: decrease the influence of state and the political decision making on the economy, increased efficiency and innovation of companies, decentralizing economical decision and negotiations of wages and working conditions. Major privatizations (Britoil, British Telecom, British Gas) and most symbolic (Rolls Royce, privatization of water) (Leruez, 1991, p147) started between 1979-1983. The privatization process enabled success of major industries, British Airways became highly profitable and successful airline. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p10). Even the British steel became in Europe the most productive and profitable. The Privatization of Jaguar was considered as a signal for a major change of attitudes in that company, with improvement of quality of product, with emphasis on training, cooperation from de workforce as shareholders (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p11). Between 1983 and 1987 under the second term of Mrs. Thatchers privatization program will bring more than 10 billion pounds, or 5 times more than the previous. Privatization enabled companies to decide by themselves concerning investments, strategies, and became synonymous with popular ownership (Jenkins, 1989, p370). In 1978-1979, thirteen out of the eighteen have been privatized (Madsen Pirie, 1989, P11). Harold McMillan denounced privatisation as selling the family silver.(should I give a comment for this, please help me) (Pugh, 1994, p317). In 1988, the public sector accounted for only 4% of employment and 7% of GDP. Its about the quarter of the public sector companies transferred to the private sector and 600,000 employees transferred from the public to private sector (Jenkins, 1989, p369). Thatcher encourages the liberalization of initiative; indeed, we observed the growth of entrepreneurship, more of one million opted to set up their own companies between 1979 and 1987. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p15). As new opportunities have been allowed for people working in the deregulated sectors (public transport, air transport, catering) which adhere to the advantage of markets and competition. Private companies have realized the importance of quality, training and research and development. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p15) In the mid 1980s, England experienced a significant rise in industrial and commercial activity with an increased number of investments. Indeed, the North Sea industrial and commercial companies have achieved a rate of 8% return during the 1970s, which reached 4% in 1981, and increased beyond 10% in 1987. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p15) Politically, Thatcher government has achieved one of its objectives: the expansion of public shareholding. Shareholders were now outnumbering unionized in the adult population: 20% against 3% in 1979. In addition, three quarters of these new shareholders will own shares in newly privatized companies. (Leruez, 1991, p150). There was a revolution by the expansion of shareholding, one in five of the population become shareholders (Jenkins, 1989, p369). From 1979 to 1987, there was an increased from 7 to 20 per cent of the owning shares of the population (Jenkins, 1989, p370) On the other hand, the government decided to implement strategies such as the housing programme to encourage home ownership at the expense of council housing (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p8). The extension of ownership was a revolution, a million council tenants purchased their own homes (Jenkins, 1989, p369) Others reforms were on trade unions in order to regulate their actions. The 1980 law on labour relations merely limit the company closed shop, to prohibit sympathy strikes. The 1982 Act is much more restrictive, yet it limits the closed shop by requiring that it be approved by 80% of staff concerned and for 5 years only. But it has other limitations: while giving a strict definition of a conflict of legal work, it increases the penalties for illegal actions, authorized or even just tolerated by the union involved, with potential fines. The 1984 Act contains mains provisions: It stipulates that a referendum, secret ballots (Jenkins, 1989, p370) of members must be held before the strike, without a prior vote conflict becomes illegal. The law requires the election of union executive (Jenkins, 1989, p370) every 5 years. With the 1984 Act, we passed from the definition of the legal framework of trade union action to the control of the internal democracy of trade unions. In 1979, the Briti sh trade unionism was 13 700 000 members or 54.6% of the workforce (Leruez, 1991, p153). In 1988, union members were only just over 10 000 000, the unionization rate fell to 35%. The primary cause of the decline in unionization is the fall in industrial employment (coal, steel) between 1979 and 1986. The culture that encourages individualism and the poor public image of unions led to the decline of unions. In 1987 only one per cent of voters would consider trade union power to be the chief issue facing the country, when in May 1979, 73 per cent of people had believed to be so. (Jenkins, 1989, p369). The marginalised membership in Trade unions shows the revolution in the British beliefs, mentalities and is the most singular of her [Thatcher] achievements (Jenkins, 1989, p370) The Strikes launched against Thatcher or during Thatcher Administration have been failures (The steel strike in 1980, The strike of public service in 1981). The defeat of the miners in 1984 after a conflict during a year from March 1984 to March 1985 marked a turning point. It was a revolution, the government has managed to resist and endure for a year of strikes in the coalfields and put an end to Arthur Scargill actions. (Jenkins, 1989, p369) The other structural reform in the economy was the taxation. This reform is directly linked with the general objective of liberation of the individual initiative and to decrease the weight of government on individuals and on businesses. The VAT rate is replaced by a single rate of 15%. The corporate tax decreased from 50% to 35%, but employer contributions to the functioning of social security had greatly increased (under Labour was down). However, individual contributions to Social Security grew faster than the cost of living. The general effect of this global redistribution of taxes was an increase of the poorer part of the population poverty with the existence of inequalities in income and living conditions across regions. (Leruez, 1991, p157) Through these reforms, the government had a budget surplus of 3, 6 billon pounds in fiscal year 1987-1988 and 14 billion from 1988-1989 (including 6 billion pounds from privatizations) The Thatcher measures helped the British economy to perform: between 1979-1983, productivity was 2, 1%, above EEC and OECD performances. Between 1982 and 1988, Britain will record better results than the major OECD partners (Layard Nickell, 1989, p215). The brutal measures of 1979-1981 have allowed a dramatic improvement in the years 1982-1988, which shows the undoubted vitality of the economy. (Leruez, 1991, p159). This miracle some observers said that something surprising has happened to British productivity (Layard Nickell, 1989, p215). Thatcher actions in 1979, by doubling the VAT and suppression of the incomes policy had consequence on increase of the inflation in 1980. In 1979 inflation was 13, 2% and decreased to 5,6% in 1988, a decrease of 7,6 points. (Layard Nickell, 1989, p216). After 12 years of Thatcherism, we highlight structural problems in the British economy: For Jenkins (1989, p329), the greatest failure of the Thatcher Revolution has been in the application of market economics to the Welfare state. The priority of the government was to get rid of inflation before creating employment. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p13) Unemployment double from 4,7% in 1979 to 8,5% in 1988 and concerned primary wage earners (Layard Nickell, 1989, p216). We thought that in 1986, unemployment fell but in reality it was a decrease of the number of people receiving benefits (Layard Nickell, 1989 p216). The Government created training programmes such as Manpower Services Commission (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p13) but it was a mismatch between skills demanded and skills held by the unemployment (Layard Nickell, 1989, p218). The inadequacy compounded by the socio-economic disparities between regions: Development disparities between north and south of England have increased since the rece ssion of 1979 to 1982. In January 1987 there were 1 740 800 unemployed in the North and 1 185 000 in the South. In January 1989, there were 1 878 000 unemployed in the whole country, 1 102 700 in the North. 94 per cent of the 1979-1986 job losses had been in the Midlands and the North (Jenkins, 1989, p330). Immobility of labour and the decline in manufacture explained theses regional disparities. (Jenkins, 1989, p330) The Two nations, The privileged and the People (Jenkins p372) as Disraeli described characterised the polarisation (Jenkins, 1989, p372) of the British population with the emergence of two entirely different socio-economic systems (Andrew Broadbent in New Society, 14 May 1986, quoted in Jenkins, 1989, p372). Inequality increased by inequality in pre-tax earning and even by the unequal distribution of the average direct tax rates. The number of families with children in poverty rose by 580,000 to 1,171,000 in 1986 (Church of England, Not just for the Poor, 1986, p46) Nigel Lawson characterised the economic growth improvement by 4% between 1883 and 1988 as economic miracle. The measures implemented have reduced inflation from 22% in 1980 to 7% in 1985 and a decrease of 3% in 1986. (Pugh, 1989, P306). However, deep-seated problems of the economy remained (Pugh, 1989, p304) with a high level of unemployment. (3,2 millions in 1985) (Pugh, 1989, p306). This economic miracle defined by Nigel Lawson was actually an economic mirage: The rise of the demand for consumer goods has been artificial, it rested on an inflated debt and spending on imports helped to unbalance trade deficits with more than  £15 billion from 1988 to 1989. (Pugh, 1989, p306). The Statement of Thatcher may be compared to important social marginalization of a significant proportion of the population that appears even in the unemployment statistics a disaster. It was a revolution; in that she broke sharply with the principles that guided economic policy in Britain since 1945 (Callaghan, Healey Government, Welfare State, Keynesianism policy). They [Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher] were revolutionaries in their thinking and in their ability to inspire others to accept fundamental change (Martin Feldstein, Project Syndicate, 2009), and also because it was implemented as a routine set of ideas that were a world view. Peter Jenkins (1989) returns to his ascension, puts into context and shows how her policy in stark contrast with everything that has been done before. Margaret Thatcher was indeed a revolution, a political belief, a philosophy and style beyond the umpteenth administration, yet another government. There is a before and after Thatcher, was discovered here in what her legacy will be decisive for the British political landscape for years to come. For Martin Feldstein (2009), Margaret Thatcher brought such profound improvements that there is no going back. Regarding to the miracle, it must be taken to mean economic miracle, because in the 1970s, Britain was really the sick man of Europe. The growth, prosperity and productivity performance in England can be considered as a miracle. However, this revolution does not take advantage and do not concern the whole population. Jenkins used the word half revolution, because Britain remains divided into Two nations, but at the same time two ideals between the new Enterprise ideal and the Welfare ideal.(Jenkins,1989, p378) Thatcher modified the British economic governance (Green, 2006 p56), she neglected the human consequences of her economic policies. The reforms of Mrs Thatcher allowed her to fully address the globalization of the years 1980-1990.

faulkner essay :: essays research papers

Sanity Must Be It In William Faulkner’s, As I Lay Dying, Addie died and told her family to bury her in Jefferson with the rest of her family. Of course, they listened and carried her dead body on a wagon. On their journey they encountered multiple complicated situations, which tested their limits of sanity and insanity. The second oldest son, Darl, came out as the sanest of them all. With the family’s own desires, it causes each person to become an insane person. Darl, however, cares for others and observe their actions to determine how they are doing. He was aware of his own existence and surroundings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anse, the father of the Bundren family, acts selfishly through his laziness and greed. For example, his family constantly does chores around the house, but he does not because â€Å"he was sick once from working in the sun the if he ever sweats, he will die†(17). His lethargy shows when he refuses to work because he will die from a drop of sweat. That is preposterous, considering he makes his children labor and make up for his part. In addition, Dewey Dell knew Darl burned down the barn and â€Å"she hadn’t said a word, hadn’t even looked at [Darl] when them fellows told him what they wanted and that they had come to get him†(237). Darl’s family wanted him gone because if he were taken away as an insane man, then Anse would not have to pay for the barn damages. Anse would do anything just to conserve their money and keep him out of trouble. His saved money only goes to his teeth, and would not spend a penny for anything. No one c ares what may come about to another family member but what would happen to themselves. In the end, Anse and the other children’s selfishness led them to become psychotic people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As an outsiders’ point of view, the Bundren family’s neighbors notice how Darl functions as the most normal of them all. For instance, Darl walks into Addie’s room to see how she is doing, and Cora says, â€Å"I always said Darl was different from those others. I always said he was the only one of them that had his mother’s nature, had any natural affection†(21). He cared for his mother unlike the others. Darl took time out of his day to see how his mother was coming along.

Mahabharata

Ethics and Values Introduction Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn't, good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is useful when we have to trade off meeting one value over another. Ethics tend to be codified into a formal system or set of rules which are explicitly adopted by a group of people. Ethics, are how we actually do behave in the face of difficult situations that test our moral fiber. It has been said that values, morals and ethics are inextricably tied together.Ethics and values deeply integrated in Mahabharata/Vidur Niti Mahabharata is considered as an encyclopedia of reference for human life. It is said to contain all that a man should know towards achieving the four human goals, Dharma (righteousness), Artha (human Endeavour towards material pursuits), Kama (desire) and Moksha (salvation). The Mahabharata is called the fifth Veda as it contains the essence of the four Vedas. This encompass es a whole lot of knowledge in it, like Vidura Neeti, Srimad Bhagwadgita etc. re a part of this scripture only. Vidur Niti by Mahatama Vidur is one of the prominent Niti Sastras containing ethical values, having relevance even for today. Once Dritarastra,who was having a sleepless night, called Vidur to seek the way for solace.The preaching which Vidur delivered during that time and subsequently, in continuation, is even today known as Vidur Niti. It contains not only the fundamental principles and deep knowledge of politics, but also deals greatly about ethics and values, i. e. ow should an administrator run his government efficiently by following the DHARMA and not resorting to unfair means which are not in the benefit of the stakeholders. In today’s modern management when ethical judgment and importance of recognizing the ethical dimensions is talked about, Mahabharat gives excellent analogies to identify the ethical boundaries. â€Å"Rules of ethical conduct†, dhar mayuddha, for the war were framed by the supreme commanders of each side. Vidura explains codes of conduct and how one should act in different situations. His teachings are aimed at kings, ordinary citizens as well as at ascetics.Brief summary/story of Mahabharata enlightened with Ethics and Values Vidura respected his elder brother Dhrtrastra , and all along he tried to guide him on the right path. During the fratricidal war of Kuruksetra, Vidura repeatedly implored his elder brother Dhrtrastra to do justice to the sons of Pandu, but his son Duryodhana did not like such interference by his uncle Vidur, and rather practically insulted Vidura. Vidura was very prudent, wise, polite, religious, well- mannered and devoted to the Lord Krishna. As a minister to Dhrtarastra, he used to give him good advice.When Duryodhana was born, Vidur had cautioned him that his child would be the cause of the Kauravas’ destruction, but due to the attachment for his child, Dhritarashtra did not pa y heed to his advice and as a result suffered a lot all along his life just because of Duryodhana. Because of Duryodhana's atrocities, Mahatma Vidur developed sympathy for the Pandavas and he helped them and protected them directly or indirectly. He knew that despite any crisis, the Pandavas would win the battle eventually. They were blessed with a long life and hence no one could kill them.Kunti was convinced of Vidur's words as she knew that he was a man of truth. Vidur had also cautioned Yudhishtir of the imminent danger that was lurking in Barnavata and also told him the way to escape the danger. It was Vidur who had planned the digging of a tunnel from Lakshagriha to the bank of the Ganges and had arranged for the boat to emerge on the river and finally cross it. Thus, acting prudently, Vidur saved the lives of the Pandavas. Vidur did not discriminate in his affection for the Pandavas and the Kauravas and he used to give them good advice as well.But Duryodhana never liked his a dvice. Even then, Vidur tried his level best to put Dritarastra on the right track. But under the influence of his sons, Dritarastra never followed Vidur's advice, although assuming him to be his well -wisher, he always sought his advice. Following Shakuni's advice, Duryodhana informed the proposal of inviting the Pandavas over a game of dice. Vidur cautioned Dritarastra that such a game would only increase the enmity between the two sides, as the game of dice was inauspicious for both the sides.Praising Vidur, Dritarastra then persuaded Duryodhana to give up the plan. But Duryodhana was determined to humiliate the Pandavas, hence he made Dritarastra accept his plan. Ultimately, it was Vidur who went to Indraprastha with the proposal of the game. Yudhishtir too did not like the game of dice but to honour his uncle's desire, he accepted the proposal. Even when the game was being played, Vidur tried to convince Dritarastra that he still had enough of time to come around and drop his s ubmissive stance for Duryodhana and save his clan and not to make the Pandavas their enemy.Again after the Pandavas had left for exile, Dritarastra was worried as to how to convince the subjects and how to please the Pandavas to return. Vidur then said: â€Å"O King, Artha, Dharma and Kama (wealth, religion and pleasure) are received through Dharma only. Dharma is the pedestal of the state. Hence, you should protect yourself and the Pandavas. Your sons have snatched everything from the Pandavas. It is against the Dharma. Hence, you should first get Duryodhana arrested and hand over the kingdom to Yudhishtir. Yudhishtir has no envy or jealousy, hence he will rule the kingdom religiously.Ask Dushasana to beg for pardon from Draupadi and Bheema in the court. Doing these things, you will be free from your worries. † But Dritarastra did not like this advice and he told Vidur as to how he could give up his sons just for the Pandavas sake†,and ordered Vidur to leave. Anticipat ing the imminent fall of the Kauravas, Vidur visited Kamyaka Vana to meet the Pandavas and told them a few things for their benefit. Dritarastra having come to know of Vidur's visit to the Pandavas began to suspect that with the help of Vidur, the Pandavas would become stronger.So, he called Vidur back and begged him for pardon. At that Vidur told Dritarastra that he did not differentiate between the Kauravas and the Pandavas but seeing the Pandavas in such a hapless condition, it was but natural to help them, in any case, he did not have any partiality for the Kauravas. Vidura was also very loyal to Lord Krishna. When Krishna came to Hastinapur with the peace proposal, he preferred to stay with Vidur relishing the plain food offered by him in contrast to the royal meal, which was being served at the palace.It is thus easy to guess the intense love of Lord Krishna for Vidur. Next day when Duryodhana tried to tie Krishna in the palace, Vidur cautioned him and told him that Shri Krish na is the Lord Himself and any kind of disrespect for him would destroy him like a flame destroys a moth. Thereafter the Lord appeared in his cosmic form and seeing which all except Vidur, Bheeshma, Sanjay and Drona closed their eyes. After the battle was over, Vidur consoled Dritarastra that whoever died in the battle had attained salvation, hence one should not mourn for them.Every time a human is born, he makes new relations but after his death these relations crumble like a castle made out of sand Hence, it is useless to mourn for the dead relatives. Events like comforts and miseries, crisis and fortune and misfortune etc. is due to the result of one's own good or bad deeds. Every living being has to bear the fruits of his deeds. Thereafter Vidur preached the ways of observing the right conduct and how to be rid of the miseries. After the coronation of Yudhishtir, Dritarastra came to stay with him.Vidur also stayed with him and used to be engaged in religious discussions. Eventu ally, he accompanied Dritarastra, Gandhari and Kunti in their penance. Conclusion From above epic/story/discussion, it will be observed that many gems of ethical values are contained in the Vidura Niti and in the Mahabharata as whole, which is still relevant in the modern times, when the degradation of ethical values has become rampant all around the world. Let us ponder over some of them to be more wise, prudent, and successful in the ultimate reckoning.

Free Essays on Comparison Old Man And The Sea

Santiago or the Fish? The Old Man and The Sea, a novel written by Earnest Hemmingway, illustrates a great conflict between man and fish. Santiago is an old fisherman with great experience, but down on his luck. Santiago hopes to end an 84-day streak without a catch by landing a really big fish. Far off the coast, Santiago encounters such a great fish, and the struggle begins. Santiago and the fish are foes with different virtues. Both characters share a sense of class, which makes them great. The old man’s knowledge and experience, clashes against the strength and nobility of the fish. It is to be a monstrous battle with a monstrous fish. The fish is the biggest catch the townspeople have ever seen, measuring at an astonishing18 feet in length. The weight of the fish is about 1,500 lbs. The great fish’s head is a dark purplish color. The sides of the fish are wide, with a light lavender color. The nose, or sword of the fish, is as long as a baseball bat, and tapers down like a rapier. The fish is too great of a catch for most, but is sought after by such a little old fisherman as Santiago. Santiago, with eyes like a hawk, was a man of strength before age had withered him. Age had increased the size of the fish, but had a reversed effect on the old man. The old man was very thin with a dark, even tan, and a body that showed the effects of many years under the hot sun. Santiago must prove that age hasn’t diminished all the strength that is needed to catch a big fish. The fish, great in size, is greater in strength. The strength of the fish is in control when Santiago first encounters it, by pulling the boat out to sea. It has the ability to pull a skiff as large as Santiago’s for nearly two days straight. After all, the great fish is about two feet larger than Santiago’s skiff. Santiago has great strength for an old man, but none compared to a 1,500 lb. fish. The fisherman has no choice but to use s... Free Essays on Comparison Old Man And The Sea Free Essays on Comparison Old Man And The Sea Santiago or the Fish? The Old Man and The Sea, a novel written by Earnest Hemmingway, illustrates a great conflict between man and fish. Santiago is an old fisherman with great experience, but down on his luck. Santiago hopes to end an 84-day streak without a catch by landing a really big fish. Far off the coast, Santiago encounters such a great fish, and the struggle begins. Santiago and the fish are foes with different virtues. Both characters share a sense of class, which makes them great. The old man’s knowledge and experience, clashes against the strength and nobility of the fish. It is to be a monstrous battle with a monstrous fish. The fish is the biggest catch the townspeople have ever seen, measuring at an astonishing18 feet in length. The weight of the fish is about 1,500 lbs. The great fish’s head is a dark purplish color. The sides of the fish are wide, with a light lavender color. The nose, or sword of the fish, is as long as a baseball bat, and tapers down like a rapier. The fish is too great of a catch for most, but is sought after by such a little old fisherman as Santiago. Santiago, with eyes like a hawk, was a man of strength before age had withered him. Age had increased the size of the fish, but had a reversed effect on the old man. The old man was very thin with a dark, even tan, and a body that showed the effects of many years under the hot sun. Santiago must prove that age hasn’t diminished all the strength that is needed to catch a big fish. The fish, great in size, is greater in strength. The strength of the fish is in control when Santiago first encounters it, by pulling the boat out to sea. It has the ability to pull a skiff as large as Santiago’s for nearly two days straight. After all, the great fish is about two feet larger than Santiago’s skiff. Santiago has great strength for an old man, but none compared to a 1,500 lb. fish. The fisherman has no choice but to use s...

Free Essays on Workplace Observation

I work for Ikon Office Solutions that is located in Texas. I have worked there for a year and a half. I have more unbiased opinion than someone who has been with the company for several years. I look at the company and my co-workers thru a fresh set of eyes. There are different types of communication methods, cultural backgrounds, resolution of conflicts and different technologies. Communication: I have discovered over a short period of time that I have worked for Ikon Office Solutions that they have a high level communication. They have a well-defined business strategy that enables the company to communicate on a personal but very professional level. Ikon Office Solutions believes in four main business strategies listed below: 1 The focus o high growth in the core markets that located in three rapidly growing states. 2 To maintain a conservative and financial position in the marketplace for the economy. Ikon operates a conservative in order to be the best supplier and copier company for their customer. They believe in communicating on a professional level but to satisfy all the needs of the buyer. The company has a well-defined approach when it comes down to communicating with the potential homebuyer. 3 Ikon strives to acquire a strong land positions through disciplined acquisition strategies. They believe that there strategy to the success of acquiring land and developing business in different locations through out the United States. 4 To be affective inn maintaining a low cost structure for the development supplier and copier for years to follow. Ikon always puts their best foot forward in communicating with their employees and future Supplier’s and copier buyers. The company tries to keep their prices favorable for the ir new customers as well as their present customers. Culture The culture within the company has a wide range of nationalities to age difference. Through asking numerous questions to my fellow c... Free Essays on Workplace Observation Free Essays on Workplace Observation I work for Ikon Office Solutions that is located in Texas. I have worked there for a year and a half. I have more unbiased opinion than someone who has been with the company for several years. I look at the company and my co-workers thru a fresh set of eyes. There are different types of communication methods, cultural backgrounds, resolution of conflicts and different technologies. Communication: I have discovered over a short period of time that I have worked for Ikon Office Solutions that they have a high level communication. They have a well-defined business strategy that enables the company to communicate on a personal but very professional level. Ikon Office Solutions believes in four main business strategies listed below: 1 The focus o high growth in the core markets that located in three rapidly growing states. 2 To maintain a conservative and financial position in the marketplace for the economy. Ikon operates a conservative in order to be the best supplier and copier company for their customer. They believe in communicating on a professional level but to satisfy all the needs of the buyer. The company has a well-defined approach when it comes down to communicating with the potential homebuyer. 3 Ikon strives to acquire a strong land positions through disciplined acquisition strategies. They believe that there strategy to the success of acquiring land and developing business in different locations through out the United States. 4 To be affective inn maintaining a low cost structure for the development supplier and copier for years to follow. Ikon always puts their best foot forward in communicating with their employees and future Supplier’s and copier buyers. The company tries to keep their prices favorable for the ir new customers as well as their present customers. Culture The culture within the company has a wide range of nationalities to age difference. Through asking numerous questions to my fellow c...

Strategy Innovation & Change - Critically evaluate the alliance Essay

Strategy Innovation & Change - Critically evaluate the alliance between Avebe and Noveon. What does this case show us about strategy as a process and its imple - Essay Example is a holistic approach that is adopted by organisations in planning the future course of business and as Mintzberg points is out, â€Å"strategies are both plans for the future and patterns from the past† (Mintzberg, 1987, P. 67). Of the various methods that organisations generally adopt in order to manifest strategic success, strategic alliance is very popular, and as Kanter propounds, â€Å"business alliances are living systems, evolving progressively in their possibilities† (Kanter, 1994, P. 97). She further suggests that â€Å"relationships between companies begin, grow, and develop – or fail – much like relationships between people† (Kanter, 1994, P. 99). This essay will focus on the strategic alliances and their conceptual tenets. This essay will focus on the strategic alliance that was struck between Avebe and Noveon in March 1995, and was terminated in September 1999. It was observed that the alliance was based on shared-supply as they joint ly developed a product but marketed it independently (Dussauge & Garrett, n.d., P. 63). When companies wish to enter into a shared-supply alliance, comparative analysis of core competencies is indispensable in evaluating technological and other resources-related compatibility and thus helps in anticipating the outcomes of such alliances. Generally firms also take into consideration the mutual competencies in terms of marketing as well in order to project the future prospects of the novel products, if any, that are focused on developing. While conducting an internal appraisal, organizations should also consider their cultural aspects and try their best to enhance employee-involvement so that they are properly aligned with strategic objectives. Das and Teng suggest that â€Å"the first stage in forming alliances is the selection of partner firms† (Das & Teng, 1999, P. 56-57). Prior to formulating any organizational strategy, the management should take into consideration the external business environment as these

The use of rehabilitation as the dominant model for corrections Term Paper

The use of rehabilitation as the dominant model for corrections - Term Paper Example ce system that what goals to emphasize, what programs to offer, and what model to follow are issues being continuously debated upon, especially so that number of offenders is in continuous rise, bleeding off American taxpayers millions of dollars just to maintain correctional facilities. The irony of the picture, wherein the victims’ (mostly taxpayers) money is spent for their offenders (mostly unemployed), also illustrates the dilemma of corrections as to which should be emphasized: retribution or rehabilitation? The answer to this illustrates how one understands criminal justice. Meaning, what should be the primary consideration in choosing a model for corrections: Would it be political, financial, practical, legal or ethical considerations? In other words, what is ethical may not be politically advantageous, may be too expensive, may not be legal or may be too hard to achieve. But are these considerations justifiable? To think as such is a mockery of criminal justice, becau se as Sherman (1981) explains with certainty, criminal justice decisions are primarily moral decisions (as cited in Gold, 2012, p. 12). To render justice then is upholding what is right. Within this premise, this paper argues for rehabilitation as the dominant model for corrections for various reasons as discussed below Corrections are traditionally perceived to function primarily as an institution for the following four major goals. One is retribution – to justly punish offenders. Underlying this goal is the belief of ancient and biblical origin, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ (cited in Clear, Cole & Reisig, 2010, pp. 70-73), which means that every criminal offense deserves just punishment. Offenders should be punished according to the severity of their crime. Thus it would be unjust to give capital punishment to someone caught for simple misdemeanor, because the punishment is more severe than the crime committed. In the same way, it would be unjust to put simply on