Geography and Environmental Determinism Essay Example

Geography and Environmental Determinism Essay Example Geography and Environmental Determinism Paper Geography and Environmental Determinism Paper History shows many examples of how geography and environmental determinism played a huge role in the development of early civilizations. It can be seen as early as Mesopotamia, where the constant tension between nomadic and settled lifestyles was an important aspect of early historical development. The Sumerian culture developed in southern Mesopotamia, near the Persian Gulf. The civilization was generally pessimistic in outlook, an observation based mainly on the evidence of religious sources that depict a gloomy picture of the afterworld as a place of misery, because of the uncertain floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that destroyed river valleys. Although the geography negatively affected the Mesopotamia civilization, it eventually had a positive effect because there was a strong push towards stronger irrigation systems and tech analogical advancements. Jarred Diamond, according to his book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, characterizes an instance such as this as environmental determinism because a civilizations environment positively affected everyday life. Political systems were also influenced by the geography because regional city-states near the rivers plopped strongly under leadership of the upper class. Although, at first, the geography of Mesopotamia had a negative effect on the belief systems, it eventually produced widespread development in political, economic, and social organizations. : In contrast, Ancient Egypt developed and remained optimistic in history because of its environment. Geographically, the Nile River unified the region and made agriculture possible while the desert offered protection from nomadic invaders necessary for the evolution of centralized political authority. The Nile provided the civilization with optimism about the future because it produced soil-rich areas for agriculture. Egypt more defensible geography and sea-nourished Nile River resulted in a more politically, socially, and economically secure civilization. In Asia, geography plays a major factor in the development of many civilizations. Separate regions caused economic diversity, racial differences, and diversity of language. China development was very original because, just like Egypt, deserts, seas, and mountains isolated it. However, Chinas environment was characterized by the Yellow and Yanking rivers as well as patterns of mountain ranges that created disunity throughout Chinas history. Downfalls in dynasties inhibited political, social, and economic developments. It can be seen that a civilizations geography greatly contributes to its own future because of the major effect it has on whether it succeeds or does not. In the regions of Micronesian, civilizations developed based on intensive agriculture. Geographically, the region of Mesospheric was a complex patchwork of zones divided into tropical lowlands and coasts. These climatic variations created different possibilities for human exploitation. The Elms have been called the mother civilization of Mesospheric. They grew maize, especially along rivers, and it provided the basis for a state in which complex religion dominated life. Their impressive settlements, drainage systems, temple complexes, and ability to move stones weighing tons attest to a high degree of social organization and artistic skill. Geography influenced the development of this civilization because many other civilizations were developing elsewhere in Mesospheric and had influences on the Elms religiously, socially, and economically. There was shared technology, and cultural elements were diffused to indicate political expansions during the time. Lastly, geography and environment influenced development in the Andes, specifically the Chapin culture. This culture was characterized by artistic motifs that spread widely throughout the Andean region. The Chapin artistic style was so widely diffused that archeologist call this a horizon, a period when a broad central authority seems to have integrated a widely dispersed region. Geography played a part in the political, social, and economic development of this region because permanent agricultural villages were established in the Andean highlands where Maize was introduced, crops Were grown, and pottery was made. The highlands provided a place for irrigated agriculture to produce crops, for Llamas and related animals to be domesticated, and for dense populations and hierarchical societies to be formed. It can be seen throughout the world that the geography and environment of a specific civilization greatly affects its overall success and development through history.

Quotes That Show Macbeths Intentions

Quotes That Show Macbeth's Intentions The motor that drives the tragedy of Shakespeares  Macbeth  is the lead character’s ambition. It is his primary character flaw and the trait that causes this brave soldier to murder his way to power. Early on in the famous play,  King Duncan hears of Macbeth’s heroics at war and bestows the title Thane of Cawdor on him. The current Thane of Cawdor has been deemed a traitor and the king orders him to be killed.  When Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, he believes that the kingship is not far off in his future. He writes a letter to his wife announcing the  prophecies, and it is actually Lady Macbeth who fans the flames of ambition as the play progresses. The two conspire to kill King Duncan so that Macbeth can ascend to the throne. Despite his initial reservations about the plan, Macbeth agrees, and, sure enough, he is named king after Duncans death. Everything that follows is simply the repercussion of Macbeths unbridled ambition. Both he and Lady Macbeth are plagued by visions of their wicked deeds, which eventually drive them insane. Brave Macbeth When  Macbeth  first appears at the start of the play, he is brave, honorable, and moral- qualities that he sheds as the play develops. He comes on the scene soon after a  battle, where an injured soldier reports Macbeth’s heroic deeds and famously labels him â€Å"brave Macbeth†: For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name- Disdaining Fortune, with his brandishd steel,Which smoked with bloody execution,Like valours minion carved out his passageTill he faced the slave.(Act 1, Scene 2) Macbeth is presented as a man of action who steps up when he is needed, and a man of kindness and love when he is away from the battlefield. His wife, Lady Macbeth, adores him for his loving nature: Yet do I fear thy nature;It is too full o th milk of human kindnessTo catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,Art not without ambition, but withoutThe illness should attend it.(Act 1, Scene 5) Vaulting Ambition An encounter with the three witches changes everything. Their premonition that Macbeth â€Å"shalt be king hereafter† triggers his ambition- and leads to murderous consequences. Macbeth makes clear that ambition drives his actions, stating as early as Act 1 that his sense of ambition is â€Å"vaulting†: I have no spurTo prick the sides onlyVaulting ambition, which oerleaps itselfAnd falls on the other.(Act 1, Scene 7) When Macbeth makes plans to murder King Duncan, his moral code is still evident- but it is beginning to be corrupted by his ambition. In this quote, the reader can see Macbeth struggling with the evil he is about to commit: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,Shakes so my single state of man that functionIs smotherd in surmise.(Act 1, Scene 3) Later in the same scene, he says: Why do I yield to that suggestionWhose horrid image doth unfix my hair,And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,Against the use of nature?(Act 1, Scene 3) But, as was made apparent at the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a man of action, and this vice supersedes his moral conscience. It is this trait that enables his ambitious desires. As his character develops throughout the play, action eclipses Macbeths morals. With each murder, his moral conscience is suppressed, and he never struggles with subsequent murders as much as he does with killing Duncan. By the end of the play, Macbeth kills Lady Macduff and her children without hesitation. Macbeth’s Guilt Shakespeare does not let Macbeth get off too lightly. Before long, he is plagued with guilt: Macbeth starts hallucinating;  he sees the ghost of murdered Banquo, and he hears voices: Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep.(Act 2, Scene 1) This quote reflects the fact that Macbeth murdered Duncan in his sleep. The voices are nothing more than Macbeth’s moral conscience seeping through, no longer able to be suppressed. Macbeth also hallucinates the murder weapons, creating one of the play’s most famous quotes: Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand?(Act 2, Scene 1) In the same act, Ross, Macduffs cousin, sees right through Macbeths unbridled ambition and predicts where it will lead: to Macbeth becoming  king. Gainst nature still!Thriftless ambition, that will ravin upThine own lives means! Then tis most likeThe sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.(Act 2, Scene 4) Macbeths Fall Near the end of the play, the audience catches a glimpse of the brave soldier who appeared at the beginning. In one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful speeches, Macbeth admits that he is short on time. The armies have amassed outside the castle and there is no way he can win, but he does what any man of action would do: fight. In this speech, Macbeth realizes that time ticks on regardless and that his actions will be lost to time: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrowCreeps in this petty pace from day to dayTo the last syllable of recorded timeAnd all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way to dusty death.(Act 5, Scene 5) Macbeth seems to realize in this speech the cost of his unchecked ambition. But it is too late: There is no reversing the consequences of his evil opportunism.

The Spinster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Spinster - Essay Example She added to her stock a female swine which she tended till it was old enough to breed. She was so glad that the swine had sixteen breast nipples because these would indicate it can have many piglets. She had her artificially inseminated. She must not have imagined a boar over her beast! Alter ego! After few months the beast delivered seven piglets. She was so glad tending the young ones and hoping to sell them at a better price soon. What a profit! Unfortunately, one morning while she was busy tending on her pregnant cattle, a mad dog drop by and bit three of the piglets. Eventually, all the piglets including the mother swine went crazy. It was so horrible for her that at the blink of an eye her capital went crazy and eventually underground with the dead. But, she did not despair. She still has her chicken and almost skinny, but pregnant cattle. Surely, the cattle delivered another female after a long wait. It certainly meant profit! Happily she goes to fields with plenty of free grass feed for her cattle' every morning, leave them to fodder till the late afternoons, when she brings them back home and give some water with little salt. One morning when she was ready to tow the cattle for fodder, the cattle just went crazily jumping around and around that sh

SEE BELOW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SEE BELOW - Essay Example In the closing paragraph, an appreciation and a positive expectation of a future was stated to the customer. Thank you for your letter about your $1000 CrossWalk 570 treadmill equipment. Fitness Equipment Store appreciates your inquiry concerning your CrossWalk 570 treadmill equipment and wanted to satisfy our customers with high-quality. Fitness equipments should be built to last is what Fitness Equipment Company believes just like you do. This is the reason why we stand behind our products with a one year warranty. However, we can still help by repairing your equipment with $35 repair service fee. Fortunately, we have the following service fee promo for this first month of the year that you can avail: Please take or package the equipment carefully to our store in S Morgan Street, Chicago with your name, address, phone number, and a brief description of the malfunction along with a check of $10 initial examination. After the assessment, we will send you a written estimate of the needed parts. Then please let us know if you want to make the repairs by calling this number, 312-2222. Thank you again for inquiring for our service. If you want to inquire about the latest fitness equipments, feel free to visit our website at www.fitness_equipment.com. If you want to have the newest model of treadmills, Fitness Equipment Store will provide a generous assistance for

Hydraulic Fracking Essay Example for Free

Hydraulic Fracking Essay This paper explores the hydraulic fracturing process, exactly what it is, what the fracturing process does to the earth and the surrounding environment in addition, to the consequences. Hydraulic fracturing is fracturing of rock by pressurization. This process by which oil and natural gas can be forced from the earth. The hydraulic fracturing process takes millions of gallons of clean water, sand, chemicals and pumps them underground at high pressure to break apart rock to release gas and or oil. My research has led me to the discovery that there are as many proponents for fracking as that are those that oppose the process. One thing no-one can deny or easily hide is that once the damage is done and something has gone wrong, the evidence usually speaks volumes that this is not something we should be doing to our planet or its people. The diagram on page 3 outlines the process defined as fracking for an easier understanding of how invasive the process is to the environment. Hydraulic Fracking Research Paper and Why the process of Fracking is bad for our environment Hydraulic fracturing experimentation started in 1947 and it had its first commercially successful applications by 1949, so it has been around for a long time. In twenty-thirteen, it is estimated that well over sixty five percent of all new oil and gas wells worldwide are using the process of hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing, has allowed the United States to tap into domestic sources of natural gas and oil that were previously not economical to extract from such as shale beds. This has created numerous economic benefits for communities and governments in a time of economic instability. Hydraulic fracturing Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled they are sometimes spilled on the surface which can cause site contamination or find its way back to water clean water. The natural gas industry defends hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as safe and efficient. Thomas J. Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, a pro-industry non-profit organization, claims fracking has been â€Å"a widely deployed as safe extraction technique,† dating back to 1949. What Mr. Pyle fails to explain is that until recently energy companies had used low-pressure methods to extract natural gas from fields closer to the surface than the current high-pressure technology that extracts more gas, by digging to deeper levels and it also uses significantly more water, sand and chemicals. There have been serious environmental impacts associated with the process which has raised public concern. At this point, a causal relationship has not been established but increasing attention opens the possibility that further government action could be imminent regarding the practice. According to Baumgartner and Jones’s Punctuated Equilibrium theory, policy processes are generally characterized by stability and incrementalism in the subsystem level of government, but occasionally if enough attention can be garnered toward an issue, then large scale change can occur. Thus far, policy regarding hydraulic fracturing has been incremental and mainly consists of agency rules and state regulations. However, it can be argued that if a definite relationship can be established between fracking activities and public health risks, then the likelihood of a major punctuation occurrence would increase and allow for significant policy change on a national level regarding this issue. The issue is being brought to the forefront due to the changes in the fracking process, the original method forced fluid down a vertical shaft to create fissures in the bedrock to release more gas or oil but this method limited extraction to directly under the well. Now, the current method forces fluid under extreme pressure down a vertical shaft with horizontal or directional sections that allows for extraction from a wider area within the formation. The pressure and fluid create fracture systems that allow the natural gas or oil to move more freely from rock pores to production wells that bring it to the surface. The fluid used is mainly composed of water (ninety percent), propping agents (such as sand account for nine percent) and chemicals (point five percent). The specific make-up and combination of chemicals is often considered confidential or a â€Å"trade secret† by many companies. The Democratic Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce found that 750 different chemicals are used in fracking and range from harmless substances such as salt and citric acid to extremely toxic ones such as lead and benzene. Assertions have been made that the chemicals used may be contaminating water sources and causing air pollution however, confirming the pollution is a result of fracking has been difficult. The line is very light gray it has been difficult to prove the relationship which has contributed to allow the industry to operate with minimal regulations until recently. According to the American Petroleum Institute (API), fracking has produced 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 7 billion barrels of oil and is projected to account for 70% of future natural gas development. Natural gas is considered by some to be a â€Å"bridge† fuel that will allow for the transition from petroleum to alternative fuels. Over its full cycle of production, distribution, and use, natural gas emits just over half as many greenhouse gas emissions as coal for equivalent energy output,† wrote the Worldwatch Institute. The promise of a significant domestic energy supply is extremely attractive as the nation strives to find a way toward energy independence. Fracking has also been touted as a job creator and economy stimulator. American Petroliem Institute (API) estimates that the development of the Marcellus fairway (which covers Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia) could generate 300,000 new jobs, over $6 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue and nearly $25 billion in value added to the economy by 2020. In the northern part of South Texas Eagle Ford Shale, Exco Resources will acquire about 55,000 net acres in Zavala, Dimmit, La Salle and Frio counties. The properties contain 120 producing wells that had average net daily production of 6,100 barrels of oil equivalent during May. Chesapeake Energy Corp. plans to sell assets in the Eagle Ford and Haynesville shales to Dallas-based Exco Resources for $1 billion. According to the American Chemistry Council, fracking has decreased the price of natural gas which has resulted in more industrial companies choosing to keep their business in America. Investments from these companies could hit $16 billion and create 17,000 direct jobs and 400,000 indirect jobs. However, these economic benefits need to be balanced against potentially negative environmental impacts including water contamination and air pollution that could cause serious health concerns. Problems with Hydraulic Fracturing Fresh water is one of the most precious resources on earth and also a very scarce one. Fresh water makes up only 2. 5% of all the water on earth and of that, 1. 3% is surface water and 30. 1% is groundwater. The rest is in the form of ice and snow in either glaciers or ice caps, according to the United States Geological Survey. Water is necessary for life on earth, it is extremely critical that it be protected from harmful pollution. Allegations have been made that fracking has led to the contamination of both surface and groundwater sources. Groundwater consists of all water located below the surface. Fracking activities have been linked to ground water contamination in a variety of ways. Most fracking happens at about 8,000 feet below the surface depending on the geological makeup of the area, while most underground water aquifers are located about 1,000 feet below the surface. Fracking proponents argue that there is no way for the contaminants to migrate due to the significant space between the activity and the aquifer. However, the composition of the earth may be extremely porous, have natural fissures or fractures that would allow contaminants to migrate. Combine a porous formation with the extreme pressure used in the fracking process and the potential for migration increases. One particular worry is methane gas, which occurs naturally in the earth, and is released in concentrated amounts when the fracking process breaks apart the rock formations. According to a study done by the National Academy of Sciences, methane gas concentrations in drinking water wells increased with the proximity to the nearest gas well at levels that had the potential to be an explosion hazard, in comparison to dissolved methane samples in wells next to nonextraction sites. In Dimock, Pennsylania, the study found that some residents’ water wells that were in close proximity to where fracking activities were known to be happening had their wells explode or their water could be lit on fire due to concentrated levels of methane gas. In Texas, several cities and surrounding counties of Lubbuck, Weatherford, Beaumont and Ft Worth have complained of methane contamination in drinking water. Levels are confirmed up but the cause has not yet been determined. Another possible point of aquifer contamination is in the construction itself. Oftentimes, the shaft is drilled down through the aquifer on its way to the shale formations below. If the shaft is poorly constructed, there is potential for the fracking fluid to leak directly into the aquifer as it is going down or coming back up as flowback. Contamination to ground water can also come from the fracking wastewater that is brought back to the surface. Once it has been used, it can be disposed of in an injection well. Currently, this waste is considered â€Å"oil/gas waste† and not â€Å"hazardous waste† so it is not subject to the stricter disposal guidelines associated with the hazardous distinction which leaves the potential for hazardous chemicals to reach groundwater sources if the injection well is poorly constructed. Besides ground water contamination, fracking activities have been blamed for surface water pollution as well. Surface water consists of all fresh water on the surface of the earth usually in rivers, streams or lakes. Fracking creates millions of gallons of wastewater that is extracted back to the surface in the recovery of the oil and gas. Typically, the flowback is treated by waste water treatment plants and released back into surface waters but is only tested for tier 1 2 chemicals, not tier 3 which are volatile chemicals. If they cannot dispose of it in this manner, some companies will utilize large â€Å"containment ponds† which are lined and used to hold the wastewater while it evaporates. Recently in Texas fracking operations have been blamed on recent increase in air pollution, perhaps these containment ponds are the issue. The liners are typically plastic and sometimes crack or get damaged which allows the contaminated fluids to leach into ground or surface water. Another potential danger comes from plugged wells. During the fracking process, large amounts of pressure is used and if the cement plug used to close the well is not sealed properly, there is a risk of it exploding and spewing the fracking chemicals into nearby surface water. In some areas, naturally occurring radioactive elements, such as radium, have been found in concentrated levels in local waterways due to fracking activities. In addition to water contamination, there have been serious allegations of air pollution caused by fracking activities. Natural gas fracking extraction emits greenhouse gases, smog-inducing compounds and potential carcinogens causing health and environmental concerns. Increased levels of methanol, formaldehyde, carbon disulfide, and benzene have been found near fracking sites. These pollutants are known to cause asthma attacks, cancer, and even premature death. Some airborne pollutants from fracked gas wells, like volatile organic compounds, can react with sunlight to create smog. Loopholes The Energy Policy Act of 2005 exempted hydraulic fracturing from the restrictions and standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). It created the â€Å"Halliburton Loophole† which prohibited the EPA from regulating the injection of fracking fluids under the SDWA except in cases where diesel is used. Since the exact chemicals used in fracking are often considered proprietary by the industry so it is difficult to ascertain when or if diesel is used in a fracking operation. Some companies have chosen to disclose the chemicals they use on www. fracfocus. org. While this is an encouraging first step, it is entirely voluntary at this time on private land. The Department of the Interior has mandated that companies drilling on public and Indian lands will be required to disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. The new rules also set standards for proper construction of wells and wastewater disposal. These rules could serve as a model for state regulators. Some states such as Wyoming, Michigan, and Texas, have been proactive and required full public disclosure of fracking fluid chemical constituents. The other federal law that governs water is the Clean Water Act which authorizes the National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System to provide permits to companies who dispose flowback into surface waters. Currently, flowback that is released back into surface water is not tested for volatile organic compounds which can cause cancer or birth defects in humans. The Clean Air Act allows the EPA to regulate industry emissions into the air to protect its quality and the stratospheric ozone layer. According to an April article in USA Today, the EPA released first-ever air pollution rules for â€Å"fracking† wells, requiring that drillers burn or capture the gas and its smog-producing compounds that are released when wells are first tapped. The rules went into effect in June of 2012 but have a two year transition period. During that time, drillers may burn off the gas and chemicals but will need to move towards capturing them (called â€Å"green completions†). EPA estimates that this will cut 95% of the smog-related chemicals that are released by fracking wells. Given the lack of a definitive link between fracking activities and public health risks, fracking was allowed to develop with minimal regulations for decades because it was not on the public radar. It has only been in the last few years that the practice has come under scrutiny due to the increased usage of fracking and the undeniable potentially harmful impacts of the practice. Therefore, until it can be proven that the danger to human health posed by the environmental impacts of the practice can be shown beyond a doubt, fracking is going to continue. However, there needs to be more regulation of the industry and monitoring of the impacts of the practice to ensure that it is done in a safe manner. . If this happens, the likelihood for policy favoring more vigorous regulation of hydraulic fracturing is greatly increased. However, if there continues to be ambiguity and questions raised by proponents of fracking the changes will likely be small and incremental on the subsystem level. The response by the industry and its political allies to the scientific studies of the health and environmental effects of fracking â€Å"has approached the issue in a manner similar to the tobacco industry that for many years rejected the link between smoking and cancer,† say Drs. Bamberger and Oswald. Not only do they call for â€Å"full disclosure and testing of air, water, soil, animals, and humans,† but point out that with lax oversight, â€Å"the gas drilling boom . . . will remain an uncontrolled health experiment on an enormous scale. † References Bibliography of Works Cited: http://earthjustice. org/our_work/campaigns/fracking-gone-wrong-finding-a-better-way? gclid=CJ-tqOHWr7gCFWFp7Aod9GAAFw http://geology. com/articles/hydraulic-fracturing/ http://lubbockonline. com/filed-online/2012-10-19/methane-found-drinking-across -us-brings-concern-lubbock community#. UeMaf6Uo5Ms http://psehealthyenergy. net/data/Bamberger_Oswald_NS22_in_press. pdf www. coalitiontoprotectnewyork. org http://www. counterpunch. org/2012/03/19/the-perils-of-fracking/ http://www. marcellusoutreachbutler. org/ http://www. provostumphrey. com/blog/2013/01/texas-man-finds-benzene-and-methane-in-his-drinking-water. shtml http://www. scribd. com/doc/97449702/100-Fracking-Victims http://stateimpact. npr. org/texas/2012/08/07/frackings-link-to-smog-worries-some-texas-cities/ http://www. propublica. org/special/hydraulic-fracturing-national http://frack. mixplex. com/content/scientific-study-links-flammable-drinking-water-fracking http://www. hydraulicfracturing. com/Pages/information. aspx http://www. epa. gov/hydraulicfracture/ http://www. usatoday. com/money/industries/energy/environment/story/2012-04-18/fracking-pollution-

Terrorism, Peace and Diversity :: September 11 Terrorism Essays

Terrorism, Peace and Diversity    Acts of terrorism underscore the urgent need to promote peace. Yet, this is also an opportunity to promote diversity. Indeed, peace and diversity are related.    --It is a good time to look at ripple effects and connections.    --More than 1/3 of the people killed in the World Trade Center on September 11 were not Americans. They were citizens of 70-80 other countries. Hundreds were Muslims.    --More than 40% of residents of New York City are foreign-born.    --The dead and missing and 6,000+ treated at hospitals in New York City, and several hundred more at the Pentagon and in the Pennsylvania crash, have families and friends--if each one has only 10 family and 10 friends, that's 250,000 people directly connected to the injuries and deaths, in shock and mourning for their personal loss and grief--but of course the number is much larger. If there was a funeral every day, it would be 20 years of going to funerals.    --Many Americans apparently do not know about the differences between Muslim and Hindu, or Arab and Muslim, not to mention Sikh and Coptic Christian, much less between terrorist and fellow-citizen. Many do not make any distinctions, do not care about making distinctions.    --Americans are notoriously bad at knowing geography and languages, cultures and religions. Now, the situation cannot be understood without knowing about Kashmir, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Iraq, for starters, not to mention the internal conflict in Afghanistan, the nuclear bomb tests by India and Pakistan, and how the United States, the largest weapons dealer in the world, provided missiles to the Mujaheddin in the Afghan war against the Soviet Union that some people fear may be used against the U.S.    --I recall the corporate audiences in New Jersey who told me that more than 20% of Americans are Jews. The correct figure is 2-3%. Many African-Americans, part of a group that is 13% of the population, do not recognize Jews as a minority group. There are about 3.5 million Arab Americans and about 3-5 million Muslims (there's no accurate count) in the USA. Should it matter how large or small a group is to be covered by the Bill of Rights, by basic American principles?    I think we should volunteer to be resource people in local schools.

Organizational Citizenship Behavior Essay

Human Resource Management (HRM) is defined as the organizational function that focuses on recruiting, management, and the directing of the employees that work in the organization. It also deals with compensation, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. Even though the HR functions evolved, some things never change. Since most companies will always need the traditional HR functions such as hiring and firing employees, providing pay and benefits packages, training and developing the workforce, and dealing with employer – employee conflicts. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is a concept defined as the set of additional activities that are beneficial to an organization and its employees. These activities are not required in a formal way; that is, they are not stated in a contract nor required by the company. OCB is commonly a behavior of employees towards their company and vice versa. It is clear that the organization’s HRM plays a vital role in implementing OCB through creating a well-established relationship between the organization and the employees. Rousseau and Geller argued that this relationship’s status is critical in the amount of OCB produced by employees where the company must deliver first a few requirements. (cited in Morrison, 1996). Schuller states that each company’s HRM has a set of principles and values that are integrated in its overall philosophy, which includes a respectful treatment of its employees (cited in Morrison, 1996). According to Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, and Sowa, how effective is an organization in applying that philosophy is related towards how much the employees feel appreciated in their work place and therefore related to the amount of OCB displayed (cited in Morrison, 1996). OCB is present in all companies and can be considered a cycle. In fact, the HR department encourages OCB through several actions, which pave the way to creating a healthy organizational culture where the company protects its employees who are devoted to their company. This report will discuss OCB in Middle East Airlines (MEA) by taking a closer look at the employee – company relationship and the company – employee relationship. Literature Review on Organization Citizenship Behavior How Companies Encourage OCB In order for employees to work on achieving OCB, the human resource management has to work on some issues to help encourage each individual to participate in developing the company. The management must ensure that several things should be well done: Social Exchange, ldentification with Organizational Objectives, Empowerment, Selection and Socialization, Evaluation and Rewards, Rules and Job Descriptions. In an organization, Blau identified two types of relationships that tie the management and the employees together: the economic relationship and the social relationship (cited in Morrison, 1996). Konovsky and Pugh’ analysis states that it is more likely for employees to perform OCB under good social conditions than economic (cited in Morrison, 1996). Organ claims that this fact is due to several reasons: First, social relationships allow employees to have feelings of mutual trust with the organization and they will build long-term relationships with the management. This will encourage employees to help enhance the image of their company by practicing OCB. Second, the social relationship is one that is ambiguously defined, that is it does not have clear boundaries; therefore employees will more likely include certain citizenship acts in their job tasks (cited in Morrison, 1996). The identification of the employees with the organizational objectives is crucial for achieving OCB. That is because each individual will adopt and familiarize with the values and principles of the company, and hence become a part of its system, which will give a feeling of belonging and an encouragement for being part of the progress of the company. For employees to achieve OCB, Conger and Kanungo believe that they must be first willing to do so, and that is by being encouraged and empowered (cited in Morrison, 1996). Bowen and Lawler claim that many benefits are generated as a result of empowerment. First, it will shorten the time of response of employees to serve their customers. Second, the relationship between the employees and the customers will be more enthusiastic and kind. Third, it will allow the employees to be more innovative and generate ideas for the benefit of the company (cited in Morrison, 1996). Selection is the first phase of the entrance of an employee into a company. During this stage, Shore and Tetrick claim that each individual becomes aware of the job responsibilities in his field. Also, it is through this stage that the company indicates to the employee the responsibilities that the company has towards him as well, such as security, progress and training; hence it identifies a two-way relationship. This will lead to a feeling of respect and interest from the other party, which will lead to employees achieving OCB (cited in Morrison, 1996). Selection is also important in what is referred to by Chatman as person-organization fit: by learning about the organization’s objectives, the employee becomes aware that he or she will be chosen not solely for their job qualification, but for their compatibility with the work environment as well (cited in Morrison, 1996). Socialization as defined by Van Maanen and Schein is when the company prepares the new employees with the set of knowledge, approaches, and behaviors that they should apply in order to fit into their roles (cited in Morrison, 1996). Similar to selection, socialization is about showing the new employee that the relationship with the organization is based on social exchange. This can be clarified through such processes as orientation that holds within it more value than it shows. Chatman claims that socialization also familiarizes the employees with the company’s objectives and values not to mention that it plays a vital part in the empowerment process. (cited in Morrison, 1996). There are two extremes stated by Jones in applying socialization. The first is a highly institutionalized one where the new employees are separated and offered a common learning program. The second end is highly individualized, where employees are left on their own to engage in informal relationships with their fellow employees and to have self-learning experiences. There is however one disadvantage to socialization: when the objectives are clearly defined for employees, they tend to perform solely what they were expected to (cited in Morrison, 1996). Therefore, a company that seeks employee OCB will tend to have a more individualized socialization. OCB by definition includes the set of actions performed by employees that are not asked by management, therefore it is not directly rewarded. Thus, to encourage employees into applying this behavior, O’Reilly and Chatman believe that the company should employ indirect means that will encourage them to do so. That can be done by giving a reward to the organization’s performance as a whole. This will be helpful in two ways: first, it will further familiarize the employees with the company’s objectives and this way they will tend to act more upon achieving those goals through citizenship behavior. Second, by giving an award for the entire company’s performance, the organization will indirectly inform the employees that their job goes beyond what is clearly specified and limited into a certain role or department (cited in Morrison, 1996). According to Bowen, Siehl, and Schneider, when the company imposes a high number of rules and regulation, it is limiting and discouraging the employees’ ability to perform tasks outside their field of work, therefore limiting the OCB that can be achieved in that organization. A high number of rules will clearly define the limits of the economic exchange relationship between the employees and their company which will diminish their will to achieve OCB by determining exactly what the employees are asked to do and not to do and preventing them from engaging in any other action that is indirectly rewarded even if it benefits the company as a whole. Hence, in order for employees to want to perform citizenship behavior, the company must reduce its rules and thus create a social exchange relationship (cited in Morrison, 1996). Like rules and regulations, if a company describes the employees’ job in a very precise and narrow matter, it will reduce according to Bowen and Lawler the citizenship behavior applied by its subordinates. Employees will then have extremely well defined tasks to perform with no regard to any other company-wide actions. That way the exchange relationship between employee and company will more likely to be economic, not to mention that it reduces empowerment by limiting the resources needed by employees such as knowledge and skills to taking action towards OCB (cited in Morrison, 1996). How Employees Exercise OCB: To achieve organizational citizenship behavior, employees must practice different means. First, as Organ defines it, helping behavior is critical and evident in creating inter-employee relationships. Such behavior can be noted in the simplest acts such as when an employee assists his co-worker when the latter is overstrained with his paperwork or any other task being done. Second, according to Organ as well, sportsmanship, another dimension of OCB, is the ability to accept criticism and unfortunate events in the company without complaints, verbal or written. Consider a meeting for a marketing idea where employees are brainstorming. When the group rejects someone’s idea and the latter accepts that without being offended, he/she is considered to have a sense of sportsmanship. Third, organizational loyalty is a major concept when it comes to having a constructive organizational culture. This is evident whereby when employees are loyal to their company, they would feel safer and more content about the workplace and the organization’s culture. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) Individual initiative, a fourth aspect of OCB, is represented in taking on additional responsibilities and engaging in task-improving actions without being asked to do so. This also includes encouraging others to do so, which helps the company as a whole improve. (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) An example is when an employee suggests to adopt a new method of performing a task, which he/she knows will improve the way things s done. Related to this is self-development, which is yet another dimension of OCB. According to George and Brief, self-development pertains to voluntarily engaging in development courses that are not required from the company in the attempt of improving one’s skills and broadening one’s knowledge. (Cited in Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) For instance, an employee could learn about upcoming seminars and training sessions and inform his colleagues of their dates. A different aspect of OCB is civic virtue, which can be defined as a commitment to the organization as a whole. This takes place through engaging in governing the organization indirectly, looking out for its best interest, and protecting it from threats. (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) A simple example of this is turning off the lights after having used the restroom. Similar to this is organizational compliance, the last dimension of OCB, which is when an employee complies with the company rules and regulations whether or not the latter is being monitored. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) Returning to work right after having finished the permitted lunch break is an example of organizational compliance. It is crucial to note that all these behavioral aspects of organizational citizenship behavior are not part of the work contract or job description. Factors that diminish OCB: Several factors antecede and affect organizational citizenship behavior. Such factors can be set into four basic categories: employee characteristics, organizational characteristics, task characteristics, and leadership behaviors. The influence of these categories on OCB can be either positive or negative. It is evident that OCB is present in all companies, whether on a noticeable scale or an imperceptible one. This report will be depicting the negative relations between OCB and its antecedents, whereby, according to studies done in a meta-analysis by Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, and Bachrach, it has been found that organizational and task characteristics have little impact on OCB relative to individual and leadership behaviors which have greater impact on OCB. Employee or individual characteristics affect the presence of OCB and how much the latter contributes to building a constructive organizational culture. Taking two extremes, one can consider an employee who is indifferent of his/her company’s interest. The latter would surely not engage in activities pertaining to civic virtue, thus not exercising good citizenship behavior. The other extreme is an employee who is very concerned about the company’s interest and always seeks to attain goals that hold the company’s benefit. Such employee is more likely to be engaged in the different dimensions of citizenship behavior. To go back to the bigger image, an employee’s characteristics help in determining how well OCB is exercised in an organization. Indeed, it is found that the existence of OCB increases with the increase of employee loyalty and concern to the organization, and decreases with indifference to the greater benefit of the company and the rewards granted for good citizenship behavior. Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000) Leadership behaviors are quite correlated to the presence of citizenship behavior in an organization. According to another meta-analysis reported by Podsakoff, MacKenzie, and Bommer in 1996, leadership behaviors are mostly positively related to OCB, whereby most leaders reward citizenship behavior within performance in general, which increases such behavior in the company as employees are aware of such rewards. The only negative leadership behaviors are contingent and non-contingent punishment behavior as well as leader specification of procedures. This is due to the fact that employees feel confused as to why leaders perform contingent punishment, thereby decreasing their citizenship behavior. Non-contingent punishment is a discouraging factor by itself, which makes it obvious why it negatively affects OCB in an organization.

Freedom Writers Changing Perspective Essay

The natural and reoccurring aspect of life, change, is one that has positive outcomes and cannot be reversed. The outcome of how change affects a person can be modified due to extrinsic factors of people or place. The inevitability of change can be daunting or reassuring for a person, depending on the way it is embraced. Humans change their perceptions of the world due to what they are subject to. Ones extrinsic factors and how they see the world is constantly shaping their intrinsic factors and his manipulating the ideologies of the forever developing human mind. As individuals, people continue to grow and mature due to how they lead their life. This Change can be seen in the Richard Lagravanese’s composed Freedom Writers, The students undergo a significant change in perspective that breaks down the cultural barriers between the students and opens their minds. This is due to the supreme catalyst figures of Erin Gruwell and also Miep Gies. Place is also a key factor in the sculpting of one’s perspective and the Holocaust Museum The students venture to is a momentous place that furthers their change in perspective. In the film The Composer supports this message through various film and language techniques. The student’s Teacher Erin Gruwell was the driving force behind the student’s positive change in perspective toward life, education and their fellow peers. Her enthusiastic attitude toward her students and job give her students the best chance in life. In the first scene we see Erin at the school, she confesses to the English Coordinator she â€Å"chose Wilson because of the Integration program† and is clear on her teaching goals that â€Å"by the time you’re defending a kid in the courtroom, the battles already lost†¦ he real fighting should happen here in the classroom†. This shows her enthusiasm for teaching and the composer juxtaposes Erin with the Margret (English coordinator) as Margret is now an outdated teacher who sees the children as no more than scores on paper. Erin’s bright radiant blue and red clothes and attitude portray her mind-set and the reoccurring motif of the pearls her father bought her are also present as a close up camera angle is used to show them. Erin meets resistance from the students in room 203 during their first lesson as they show her no respect by arriving late to class and apathetic. The dialogue intensifies the idea of them being apathetic and shows they lack inner belief, â€Å"this is the dumb class† and their body language furthers this, Marcus is eating in class. The Camera angles the composer has used always shows Erin isolated from the class, signifying her lack of control. In the line Game scene, Erin Finally breaks down the barriers dividing them through the confronting questions she asks them, â€Å"Step up to the line if you have lost a friend to gang violence†. As the students realise the similarities they share they start to open up and become more understanding of each other. Erin takes them on a self funded school trip letting them know they are worth more than the give themselves credit. After this scene the students start to write positive and optimistic thoughts in their diary. One student writes in their diary â€Å"Miss G had a beautiful dinner for us†. Erin Does an implausible job at opening the students minds on education and other racial clans and providing them with their own â€Å"kicking spot† where they can escape the dramas of life and be themselves. Erin Met quite a lot of resistance from Eva, who expressed hate for Erin on multiple occasions during the film, until eventually Erin and Eva sat holding hands after Eva, showing the connection they had now established. Another life she gets back on the right track is Andres, as after he is completely isolated from all of his family, he stops attending class and reunites with drug dealing. Erin uses tough love on Andre to get his perspective back on track; she says â€Å"i know what you’re up against†. Andre sheds a single tear which represents him returning to his former functioning life. As the students have now opened up to Each other and start to build relationships between themselves, they are provided with more stimulus to change their perspective on their life, education and their viewpoint on other racial groups in the form of Miep Gies. As the students listen to her story, their attention is engulfed in her and they realise that the problems they are facing are pedestrian to that of what Miep faced. A man pointed a gun at me†¦ and put it against my head† she said. There is sad and quite non-digetic music played during her story to intensify the depression of the time. During her speech there was numerous close up camera shots of the students faces and their facial expressions as they were taking all the information in, however the camera kept showing Eva, it showed her face when Miep said â€Å"I did what I had to do, because it was the right thing to do† . In the next scene Eva Testified in court against â€Å"her own† Because of the influence of Miep Gies’ speech and when she saw the innocent defendants family which reminded her of what she had to face many years before. The surroundings of a person go a long way in shaping their perspective, ideas on life and opening their minds, The Holocaust museum that Erin took the students too played a huge factor in changing their perspective. They Realise that the opportunity for education they are being given is very valuable and they are not utilising the opportunity as not everyone is as lucky as them. The students are really taken back from all the pictures of the affected children. The lighting the composer has used is all dark, black in some spots to exaggerate the sorrow during the visit to the museum and the photos of the children affected by the holocaust are a contrast to this as they are bright, to bring attention to them and show their innocence. The students feel so sad at the experience because they can relate to the holocaust victims, â€Å"I’ll never forget those people† Andre states. The important and unavoidable feature of the world, change, has lasting effects on people that can be beneficial and positive. The fact that the world a person lives in can mould them into something more is a prosperous idea. Its positive outcomes arise from significant aspects of people and place. As a person, one repeatedly embraces change as they thrive off the endless possibilities of the outcome. Richard Lagravanese’s Freedom Writers is a perfect representation of this idea.

Lawrence of Arabia essays

Lawrence of Arabia essays The story opens with a large symphonic overture, which leads into the death of Thomas Edward Lawrence (Peter OToole) in a motorcycle crash. When a reporter asks questions at the memorial service at St. Paul's a flashback to the desert campaigns of the legendary figure begins. In 1916, Lawrence is a disgruntled young lieutenant with the British H.Q. staff in Cairo. Discontent with a desk job, he persuades Mr. Dryden (Claude Rains) of the Arab Bureau to let him seek out the Bedouin Chief, Prince Feisal (Alec Guiness), to check on the progress of the Arab Revolt. Lawrence suggests the possibility of helping Feisal unite the Arab tribes against their common enemy, the Turks, with whom the British are also at war. Having received permission to try, Lawrence journeys to the desert. There his first encounter with tribal rivalries occurs when Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif), who is later to become one of Lawrence's strongest allies, shoots Lawrence's guide for drinking from a water hole which belongs to Ali. With the help of Ali, Prince Feisal is convinced into allowing his own guerilla army to cooperate with the British. Lawrence soon becomes a charismatic Leader to the Arab hordes. Sustaining the independent spirit of the Arab revolt, Lawrence leads a miraculous crossing of the Nefud Desert, making it possible to capture the Turkish port of Aqaba. The Victorious Arab Warriors triumphantly proclaim him El Aurens. However, when Lawrence and Ali go on a scouting expedition into Deraa, which the Turks are holding, Lawrence is captured by the Turks, tortured and then released. This incident breaks the illusion of invincibility that Lawrence has of himself and which the hero-worship of the Arab tribes has created. Again he is tempted to resign his command, but once again General Allency (Jack Hawkins) sends him back to the desert. ...

6 signs you have what it takes to be a recruiter -TheJobNetwork

6 signs you have what it takes to be a recruiter -TheJobNetwork One of the keys to running a successful business is staffing it with a team of superhero employees. That vital process often begins with a recruiter. Finding and securing the best-of-the-best is a recruiter’s job, one that requires some specific skills and personality traits. If you’re considering a career in corporate recruiting, you should first consult the following list of 6 signs to see if you have what it takes.1. You love peopleAn amazing job opportunity might sell itself, but a big part of recruiting still involves winning over potential employees so they’ll take the positions recruiters need to fill. That means a corporate recruiter must love people and be an expert at dealing with them. An outgoing nature is absolutely essential for the successful recruiter. The ability to turn down candidates who don’t make the cut with tact and compassion is a trickier, but equally essential, characteristic.2. You’re a self-starterWorkers who constantly require management to prod them into action need not apply. A recruiter must be completely proactive and constantly on the lookout for the very best people for particular jobs. If you have that constant yen to get working, you have a trait that all recruiters must possess.3. You’re a great communicatorAnyone who works with people must be a great communicator, and recruiters interact with people constantly. If you have a tendency to serve up word salad, recruiting isn’t for you. But if you are able to speak and write clearly, properly, and confidently, you are more likely to convince the best job candidates to come aboard. Not only must a recruiter be a great communicator, but they must also love to communicate. So if you’re the type who is always talking on the phone or texting, you might be cut out for recruiting.4. You solve problemsA recruiter’s life is not just locating great people and fitting them with great jobs. There are a lot of snags that can p op up during the workday, and it is the recruiter’s duty to meet any and all problems head-on, solve them quickly, and get on with the business at hand.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});A champion recruiter never gets thrown by a candidate who fails to show up for an interview or a position that seems nearly impossible to fill with the right person. They greet such situations as challenges and always works to find the right solution.5. You are positiveUnexpected problems can toss a crimp into a recruiter’s workday, but the best ones always handle those challenges with a smile. The ability to meet all problems cheerfully is vital for the recruiter because those problems will often involve dealing with people- and the last thing a recruiter wants to do is alienate potential employees or employers with a bad attitude.6. You’re competitiveOne unique facet of a recruiter’s life is that there is a lot of competition out there. Other recruiters may be vying for the very same candidates as you, so you must thrive on competition and be completely determined to be the one who nabs that brass ring. Recruiters don’t just need the best candidates for particular positions; they too must be the best in order to be successful at their own jobs.If all of these characteristics seem to describe you, then you may very well be an ideal candidate for a career in corporate recruiting.

Radical Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Radical Movements - Essay Example On the other hand, supporters of radical action believe that it is their participation which influences change: this can be clearly seen in the way in which Martin Luther King and Ella Baker reacted to events in Montgomery: Radical movements are essentially grassroots actions, often involving more direct intervention than there more authoritarian allies, and with the nature of this kind of action comes several questions on the nature of leadership and power within radical movements; whether these movements can be organized and planned, or whether they are essentially spontaneous and dependant upon individual participation, and how radical actions are depicted by the media, and then transplanted upon political movement as a whole. These questions will be studied through the perspectives of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the labor and union movements of the 1970's and 80's, and the anti-war/globalization movements of the late 90's and early 2000's. ... Civil Rights The civil rights movement of the 1960's had a striking heritage in the campaigns of previous decades, including the radical actions of the 1930's (although the latter was rather taken over by the Communist Party, as in the Scottsboro Affair, due to lack of initiative by the NAACP). However, the previous campaigns had also left a deep split between the idea of strong leadership controlling the action, and the desire for collective control of the movement. The latter movement essentially believed that it was necessary for the oppressed to run their own lives, and this was the best method of obtaining freedom: "Including everyonemeant that the common assumption that poor people had to be led by their social betters was anathema" (Payne, chap 3). The mission of the Highlander Folk School was to teach people to develop themselves, not do their thinking for them. Even in white schools, this was a daring idea; but the real nature of the Highlander was radical civil disobedience. The school broke the segregation laws at the start, having an 'interracial philosophy': Many visitors testified that the experience of egalitarian living in an interracial situation had greater impact on them than the courses and workshops. (Payne, Chap. 3) This radicalisation not only extended to teaching and education, it also enrolled people as voters: a massively important move in the South, where very few black people were registered, and those involved in registering them were shot, injured, and frequently beaten up. The importance of this movement lies in its origins; although the Highlander was one school, it funded grass-roots education systems, until nearly two hundred schools were operating on the Highlander system: They had

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

International Management - Essay Example ers have reported the co existence of contrasting ends of the continuum of the models that have been described in nation like India, Russian, china and others. Culture will be described in this paper by looking at the qualifications of culture development from a multidisciplinary point of view. The typology of antecedents elucidates the likelihood of unpredictability within the nationalized culture and as well elucidates the fact that culture may perhaps not be bound by state boundaries (Triandis 2002b). It became very difficult to explain a complex phenomenon like culture basing arguments on tow layers yet the problem was like an onion model. Basically multifaceted approach was the best way to go. There are tow famous models of explanations to culture (Adler 2002). Trompenaars and Hampde-Turner Model- they also adopt the onion model concept of describing culture. Nonetheless, their model increases the core level of the very basic two encrusted model, to a certain extent than the outer level. In their perspective, culture is comprised of basic assumptions at the centre point. The fundamental assumptions are to some extent comparable to the values in the Hofstede model (Hall 1996). Hofstede Geert- he described culture as a collection of aspect that programs the mind and differentiates the elements of one grouping or class of people from another. He proposed four layers each of which included lower level being a model of a peeled onion, layer after layer. Figure 1 shows how Hofstede indicated the differences between culture, personality and human nature (Hofstede & McCrae 2004). One weakness of the cross-cultural analyses is the failure to go beyond the predisposition to equate culture with the conception of the country. A nation state is a political unit which consists of an independent state populated primarily by inhabitants sharing a universal culture, language/languages and history. Cultures do not have strict borders like nations or states. Its appearance