A Few good men essays

A Few good men essays Courtroom drama is a popular type of film which involves at least one trial and pin points much of the emotion and tension within a court of law . "A Few Good Men" is an emotional story of two military men accused of killing a young soldier . Tom Cruise play's Danny Kaffe , the smart mouth defense lawyer , and Demi Moore play's Joe Galloway , his nosy special council . The movie starts of by showing us the plot and then begins to tell the story . Compared to other movies with the same genre , I'd have to say this is one of the best . It was boring at times but it did it's best to show action through words . The music is very soft and sets the mood . It gives the viewers a tingling feeling inside . It's not only the music that makes the movie a success, it's also the acting . Tom Cruise makes himself seem like a no brain marine . That makes him perfect for the job . Demi Moore plays a tough but sexy naval officer (I always liked a women who takes charge) . She always wanted things done her own way . She originally ask for the case but was denied , because they wanted someone who would screw up . The lighting and camera angles in the courtroom does a lot , they make sure to stay on top of the people's faces , so we as viewers won't get mixed up with who's talking . The main thing that really made the movie was Tom Cruise , when he got up their and put on a show , that I think nobody will forget . He does his hotshot act and this is when we knew he was going to do it . He put smiles on people's faces , he put tears in your eyes , he made sure to win the audiences attention . He made sure to go out with a bang . This movie received fairly good reviews . Some comments weren't that great , but still it was a good movie . The film reviews state that this movie eliminates the element of surprise . They told us what he's going to do and instead of not suc ...

Using dbExpress in Delphi Database Applications

Using dbExpress in Delphi Database Applications One of the strengths of Delphi is the support for many databases using several data access technologies: the BDE, dbExpress, InterBase Express, ADO, Borland Data Providers for .NET, to name a few. What is dbExpress? One of the data connectivity options in Delphi is dbExpress. In short, dbExpress is a light-weight, extensible, cross-platform, high-performance mechanism for accessing data from SQL servers. dbExpress provides connectivity to databases for the Windows, .NET and Linux (using Kylix) platforms.Initially designed to replace the BDE, dbExpress (introduced in Delphi 6), allows you to access different servers - mySQL, Interbase, Oracle, MS SQL Server, Informix.dbExpress is extensible, in that it is possible for third-party developers to write their own dbExpress drivers for various databases. One of the most significant features of dbExpress lies in the fact that it accesses databases using unidirectional datasets. Unidirectional datasets do not buffer data in memory   such a dataset cannot be displayed in a DBGrid. To build a user interface using dbExpress you will need to use two more components: TDataSetProvider and TClientDataSet. How to Use dbExpress Heres a collection of tutorials and articles on building database applications using dbExpress: dbExpress Draft SpecificationAn early dbExpress specifications draft. Worth a read. Introduction to ClientDataSets and dbExpressA TClientDataset is a part of any dbExpress applications. This paper introduces dbExpress and the power of ClientDataSets to people who have been using the BDE and are afraid to migrate. Additional dbExpress Driver OptionsA list of third-party drivers available for dbExpress Migrating BDE Applications to dbExpressThis PDF goes into extensive detail on issues you may face when migrating applications from BDE components to dbExpress components. It also provides information on performing the migration. Create a Reusable Component to Connect Delphi 7 to DB2 with dbExpressThis article shows you how to use IBM DB2 as the database for applications written with Borland Delphi 7 Studio and dbExpress. Specific topics include how to connect the seven dbExpress components to DB2 and use them to build visual forms on top of database tables.

The implications of downsizing (rightsizing) to the employees, Research Paper

The implications of downsizing (rightsizing) to the employees, communities, and families of the employees - Research Paper Example Downsizing can have many implications on employees, their families as well as the communities in which rightsizing organizations operate. The impacts on employees may include loss of morale, financial loss and emotional and psychological stress among other effects. Similarly, their families are bound to suffer a reduction in standards of living and may also be subjected to psychological torture in the period that their bread winners remain jobless. Downsizing can also negatively impact on societies in which they operate. Through massive layoffs, the living standards in the societies decline and robbery may take lead in communities which are deficient of job opportunities. Irrespective of the motives, corporate downsizing may yield considerable consequences on the superficial corporate social responsibility of any organization. This paper explores the implications of downsizing on employees, their families and communities. How Downsizing (Rightsizing) Affect Employees Downsizing is a practice that has become synonymous with contemporary organizations. The experience of working in an environment with high likelihood of redundancy and seeing co-employees leave an organization has become part and parcel of workers. Downsizing in organizations makes employees to feel anxious. It affects the morale and also threatens the welfare of employees in numerous ways. In most occasions, employees may perceive the organization as unfair and behaving in unwarranted manner. Besides affecting the morale of employees, downsizing also thwarts trust, employee commitment, loyalty and performance. According to Redman and Wilkinson (2001), downsizing causes â€Å"downsizing syndrome† on survivors. It also imposes psychological impacts on leaving employees. i. Downsizing Implications On The Morale Of Employees Employee morale is a crucial determinant of organizational performance. In the event of downsizing, both surviving employees and downsizing victims tend to exhibit low work morale. Downsizing creates adverse emotions among remaining workers who feel withdrawn from executing their organizational duties. Moreover, surviving employees usually feel irritated, grief, betrayal and are psychologically estranged from their organization. Despite the fact that employees usually struggle to perform better in order to retain their jobs after downsizing, their attempt is usually compelled and not out of free will. Surviving employees are always ready to try new approaches to task execution. With few employees increasing, work burden increases and so does the stress level for employees. Consequently, a downsizing organization may fail to realize it anticipated better performance because of deteriorating morale of employees. In some cases, downsizing might even lead to protest and rampant absenteeism among employees, who feel uncertain as to what might become of them in the near future. The loss of longtime workmates and close friends adversely affect both leaving a nd surviving employees. The idea of separation flattens the morale of remaining employees, which in turn lowers the performance level. It is quite obvious that employees are bound to loss morale in the event of downsizing. Therefore, organizations should be ethical enough to mitigate the impact of downsizing on employees by ensuring adequate

RESEARCH PAPER ON JAPANESE AMERICAN SEGREATION IN THE PERIOD OF Essay

RESEARCH PAPER ON JAPANESE AMERICAN SEGREATION IN THE PERIOD OF BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR - Essay Example For example, the FBI, along with the Office of Naval Intelligence and Military Intelligence Division, wrote Sonia Shah, had conducted surveillance of the Japanese American community since the early 1930s, a decade before the Pearl Harbor bombing. (p. 179) Anti-Japanese immigration has been present ever since in communities and in the media. And, finally, the success of the attack highlighted the â€Å"racial inferiority† of the Japanese in the American point of view. Barry Dean Karl (1983) offered us an account: The training of the young Japanese air pilots to fly aircrafts was to crash and explode was taken as an example of Japanese racial character rather than military patriotism. Suicide was acceptable to Japan†¦ That the attack on Pearl Harbor was a sneak attack, was also taken as demonstrating a character defect, and it was presumed to have been necessitated by another Japanese defect: that they were shoddy manufacturers whose equipment could not stand up in a proper battle. (p. 202) Pearl Harbor as the worst defeat ever suffered by the American Navy was unbelievable to Americans. The American racism which fueled the previously outlined American perspective towards Japanese led many people to believe that Japan could not have pulled off their stunning raid without inside help of some sort. Here, we also see that American prejudice played a role in the base being unprepared: Commanders at the base refused to focus on what the Japanese were capable of doing and instead focused on what seemed to make sense for them to do. 3 Anti-Japanese sentiment eventually obscured any Japanese-American efforts to display loyalty to the United States. Swiftly, only three months after the bombing, President Franklin D. Roosevelt codified the hatred towards the Japanese when he issued Executive Order 9066 which mandated the exclusion and confinement of 120,000 Japanese-Americans in internment camps.4

Reading Autobiography Essay Example for Free

Reading Autobiography Essay Although I do not have many vivid memories of my childhood the few things I do recall from my early years mostly seem to focus around school and my academics and interactions with children my own age. It is nearly impossible to pinpoint when exactly it was that I began to read but it must have been somewhere around the end of kindergarten and the beginning of first grade. I didn’t attend preschool so up until kindergarten my primary interaction with others was in my first language, Spanish. I can recall learning the alphabet and the sounds of all letters and I started to make out certain words like ‘see’ and ‘my’. The most influential person in the process of acquiring the skills I needed to read must have been an instructional assistant, Mr. Torres who would help me and other bilingual students regularly in the classroom. Of course the instruction by my teacher set the basis for my learning but the one on one help that he provided helped me make connections to my learning in Spanish and that made me feel very comfortable. The first books I began to read must have been simple stories that I came to memorize. Stories like The Gingerbread Man or Brown Bear that had repetitive lines were probably how I started to make connections with words, sounds and pronunciation of those words and sounds. Learning to read made me feel empowered and I remember wanting to read â€Å"big kids† books once I felt I was capable. Among my favorite types of books were scary chapter books like the series of Goosebumps as well as biographies of famous athletes. Among my least favorite must have been nonfiction and folktale because they never really managed to pull me in and I was always very skeptical about such fantasy. Unfortunately, this thrive to read did not last very long because I started to drift away from the constant practice of reading around the fifth grade and started seeing it more as an obligation rather than a choice. As a whole the literacy environment in my household was actually a very positive one and ever since I can recall my mom has always been a big reader and has many books and magazines throughout the house. All of her reading though was done in Spanish when I was growing up because as I was learning how to read my mom was learning the English language. My dad on the other hand has never been a big reader. Actually I can’t recall a time when I have seen him sit down and read something simply for leisure. I also had an older sister who was just a grade ahead of me in school and she has always been a bit of a bookworm and was constantly going through different books as we grew up. Even with all these things I think the language barrier influenced my detachment from reading. In my household we rarely spoke English, maybe if my mom and dad knew the language or were more comfortable with it they might have pushed me to read more or took the time to sit down and read to me. Come to think of it my mom would read to me but she would do it in Spanish and it was a bit boring for me. She would read common stories that I had already heard like the three little pigs or something of that sort and all I would gain out of this was amusement because the way things translated to me was funny. My mom did take us to the city Library and I remember going to story time or to some sort of show based on books. I remember seeing a magician and also petting a snake. As for having materials to read and write, there was always plenty throughout my house. My mom kept a full stock of pencil and paper as well as of books it was just a matter of me doing the actual work. She constantly asked me to explain to her what I was reading or writing for school but I always seemed to find a way to not spend too much time with it because all I wanted to do was play with the neighborhood kids or run off to soccer practice. In school the literacy environment was very positive as well and I remember how much time and dedication the faculty would place on reading and the development of reading skills. I can’t remember who formally taught me how to read but it must have been either Mrs. Diamond or Miss Falgot my first and second grade teachers, because by third grade I remember being able to read fluently. They used several different types of methods but I remember being read to very often by Miss Falgot. I do recall being placed in groups and having partners whom you read to and vice versa. I believe both Mrs. Diamond and Miss Falgot were key role players in my acquisition of reading skills and although I don’t recall specifics they did their job because by third grade I was at the top of my class. I do remember a particular case that had a bit of a negative effect on me in terms of reading. I remember being in either fourth or fifth grade reading as a class and the teacher called on me to read a paragraph. I don’t remember what I was thinking but I was not listening and wasn’t even on the right page, once I located it I got nervous and couldn’t even read. Luckily the teacher called on someone else but I felt horrible. As a class throughout elementary I remember visiting the library and running to the sport books section. The Library was so calm and always cool and I remembering going in there on hot summer days to get away and read a good book. The librarian I remember was always very sweet and she was very patient with all the students. As for literacy events the only thing that is clear in my mind is the book fairs that occurred maybe twice or three times a year. They were very fun and I remember they made even the boring books seem interesting. They set up all kinds of posters and it was something that I always looked forward to. As an adult I began to pick up old habits especially after I came into college. I can’t say I read a lot but I do find time to fit in a book every once in a while. I am still a big fan of autobiographies and I have recently developed a liking for books in Spanish. I usually read on the weekends when I am well rested and have slept in. I also like to go to parks and sit in the shade and enjoy a good book or story or even an interesting article. I think reading is very important and not only to help us expand our vocabulary or help us academically but when you read a good book you get a chance to escape your everyday and it gives you an insight into a story or a character in the way a TV or radio cannot. It captivates you and manages to get all of your attention but at the same time relaxes you. I think reading is something that should be taught to students but not just in order to help them academically but educators should also focus on showing the importance of literature in our lives and the positive way it influences our lives down the road something the media of today cannot manage to do. Writing equally should be not only taught for the purpose of education but in a way those students value it and continue to practice it even without a teacher pushing them to do so.

Remarks on the Spoudaios in Plotinus Essay -- Ethics Philosophy Papers

Remarks on the Spoudaios in Plotinus Who is the Plotinian spoudaios and what is his function in the Enneads? This question turns out to be fundamental, especially when trying to make out an ethical dimension in Plotinus. Treatise I 4 [46] offers, concerning that question, not only the longest sustained discussion of the spoudaios, but also shows how highly problematic it is to figure out more precisely his characteristics. This is due to the terminological ambiguity with the term sophos, which is also the reason why the two terms are often considered synonymous by translators. It appears in I 4 that this ambiguity is closely related to the question of aisthesis. And this is also perhaps the main problematic point concerning the spoudaios: he is instituted by Plotinus as the paradigm of the ‘living man,’ but is still described as someone who has detached himself from the bounds of the sensible world. So this leads to several conclusions concerning the Plotinian conception of ethical implication. 1. status questionis Who is the plotinian spoudaios and what is his function in the Enneads? This question occurs especially in regard to treatise I 4 [46] which offers the longest sustained discussion of the spoudaios. The main problem which presents itself as regards the term spoudaios is its apparent terminological similarity with sophos. As most translations show, both terms seem to be taken as almost synonymous, the most problematic one being Brà ©hier's French translation of the Enneads where spoudaios and sophos figure as the wise (le sage). This has mainly to do with the tradition of the term of spoudaios, as will be shown further on. What I would like to show in this paper is that the function of the spoudaios has b... ...ry similar formulation in the pseudoplatonic Definitions: "spoudaios: o teleios agathos; ho echon ten autou areten "(415e). (10) Even though within the three Ethics the status of the spoudaios turns out not to be totally equivalent. It is not possible to discuss further this point, as it would lead to considerations which go beyond the purpose of this paper. (11) NE III, 1113a32-33. (12) H. v. Arnim, Stoicorum veterum fragmenta, Teubner, Stuttgart, 1964, vol. III. (13) In Philo, vol. IX, trad. Colson, p. 10-100. (14) Which is the Henry-Schwyzer version, while Armstrong and Brà ©hier read: "kan spoudaios e autarkes†¦" (15) Which is the classic argument since Aristotle, NE, I. 10. 1100a8 and 11. 1101a8. (16) All quotations are from Armstrongs translation, whereas I keep the Greek terms for spoudaios and sophos, so to avoid further ambiguities.

Exception to Rule of Law Article 14

ExceptionToRuleOFLaw The above rule   of equality is however not an absolute rule and there are   number exception to it v  Ã¢â‚¬ËœEquality of Law’ does not mean the power of the private citizens are the same as the power of the public officials. Thus a police officer has the power to arrest you while no other private person has this power. This is not violation of rule of law. But rule of law does require that these powers should be clearly defined by law and that abuse of authority   by public officers must be punished by ordinary courts.The rule of law does not prevent certain class of persons   being subject to special rules. Thus members of   armed forces are controlled by military rules. Similarly medical practitioners are controlled by medicalcouncilofIndia Certain members of society are governed by special rules in their profession i. e. lawyers, doctors, nurses, members of armed forces and police. Such classes of people are treated differentlyfromordinaryc itizens. Article 14 Permits Classification But Prohibits Class Legislation The equal protection of laws guaranteed by Article 14 does not mean that all laws must be general in character.It does not mean that the same laws should apply to all persons. It does not attainment or circumstances in the same position. The varying needs of different classes of persons often requires separate treatment. From the vary nature of society there should be different laws in different places and the legitimate controls the policy and enacts laws in the best interest of the safety and security of the state. In fact identical treatment in unequal circumstances would amount to inequality. So a reasonable classification is only not permitted but is necessary if society is to progress.Thus what Article 14 forbids is class-legislation but it does not forbid reasonable classification. The classification however must not be â€Å"arbitrary ,artificial or evasive† but must be based on some real and s ubstantial bearing a just and reasonable relation to the object sought to be achieved by the legislation. Article 14 applies where equals are treated differently without any reasonable basis. But where equals and unequals are treated differently, Article 14 does not apply. Class legislation   is that which makes an improper discrimination by conferring particular privileges upon a lass of   persons   arbitrarily selected from a large number of persons all of whom stand in the same relation to the privilege granted that between whom and the persons not so favored no reasonable distinction or substantial difference can be found justifying the inclusion of one and the exclusion of the other from such privilege. TestOfReasonableClassification While Article 14 frobids class legislation it does not forbid reasonable classification of persons, objects, and transactions by the legislature for the purpose of achieving specific ends.But classification must not be â€Å"arbitrary ,artif icial or evasive†. It must always rest upon some real upon some real and substantial distinction bearing a just and reasonable relation to the object sought to be achieved by the legislation. Classification to be reasonable must fulfil the following two conditions Firstly the classification must be founded on the intelligible differentia which distinguishes persons or thing that are grouped together from others left out of the group Secondly the differentia must have a rational relation to the object sought to be achieved by the act.The differentia which is the basis of the classification   and the object of the act are two distinct things. What is   necessary is that there must be nexus between the basis of classification and the object of the act which makes the classification. It is only when there is no reasonable basis for a classification that legislation making such   classification may be declared discriminatory. Thus the legislature may fix the age at which pers ons shall be deemed competent to contract between themselves but no one will claim that competency.No contract can   be made to depend upon the stature or colour of the hair. Such a classificationwillbearbitrary. The true meaning and scope of Article 14 have been explained in a number of cases  by the supreme court. In view of this the propositions laid down in Damia case still hold good governing a valid classificationandareasfollows. 1. A law may be constitutional even though it relates to a single individual if on account of some special circumstances or reasons applicable to him and not applicable to others, that single individual may be treated as a class y itself 2. There is always presumption in favour of the constitutionality of a statute and the burden is upon him who attacks it to show that there has been a clear transgression of constitutional principles. 3. The presumption may be rebutted in certain cases by showing that on the fact   of the statue, there is no cla ssification and no difference peculiar to any individual or class   and not applicable to any other individual or class, and yet the law hits only a particular individual or class 4.It must be   assumed that Legislature correctly understand and appreciates the need of its own people that its law are directed to problem made manifest by experience and that its discrimination are based on adequategrounds 5. In order to sustain the presumption of constitutionality the court may take into consideration maters of common knowledge, matters of report, the history of the times and may assume every state of facts which can be conceived existing at the time of the legislation. 6. Thus the legislation is free to recognize degrees of harm and may confine its restriction to those cases where the need is deemed to be the clearest. . While good faith and knowledge of the existing conditions on the part of a legislature are to be presumed, if there is nothing on the face of the law or the surro unding circumstances brought to the notice of the court on which the classification may reasonable be regarded as based, the presumption of constitutionality cannot be carried to extent always that there must be some undisclosed and unknown   reason for subjecting certain individuals or corporation to be hostile or discriminating legislation 8. The classification may be made on different bases e. . geographical or according to object or occupation or the like. 9. The classification made by the legislature need not be scientifically perfect or logically complete. Mathematical nicety and perfect equality are not required. Equality before the law does not require mathematical equality of all persons in all circumstances. Equal treatment does not mean identical treatment. Similarly not identity of treatment is enough. 10. There can be discrimination both in the substantive as well as the procedural law.Article 14 applies to both. If the classification satisfies the test laid down in t he above propositions, the law will be declared constitutional. The question whether a classification is reasonable and proper and not must however, be judged more on commonsense than on legal subtitles. Cases D. S. Nakarav. UnionOfIndia The Government issued an office memorandum announcing a liberalized pension scheme for retired government servants but made it applicable to those who had retired after 31 March 1979.The supreme   court held that the fixing of the cut off date to be discriminatory as violating Article 14. The devision of pensioners into two classes on the basis of the date of retirement was not based on any rational principle because a difference of two days in the matter of retiremnt could hav a traumatic effect on the pensioner. Such a classification held to be arbitrary and unprincipled as there was no acceptable or persuasive reason in its favour. The said classification had no rational nexus with the object sought to achieved.MadhuLimayev. Supdt. TiharJailDel hi There were Indian and Europian Prisoners. Both were treated differently. Europian gets better diet. Court held that difference between Indian and   Europian prisoners in the matter of treatment and diet violates right to equality under Article 14 of Indian prisoners. They all are prisoners they must treat equally. SanaboinaSatyanarayanv. Govt. ofA. P In Andra Pradesh. They formulate a scheme for prevention of crime against women.In prisons also prisoners were classify in to two category first Prisoners guilty of crime against women and second prisoners who are not guilty of crime against women. Prisoners who are guilty of crime against women challenge the court saying that there right to equality is deprived. Court held that there is resoanble classification to achieve some objective. TamilNadu  ElectricityBoardv. Veeraswamy The employee were governed by the contributory provident fund scheme. With effect from 1-7-1986 a scheme was introduced.The question was whether the pens ion scheme ought to be applied to those who had already retired before the introduction of the pension scheme the supreme court rejected the claim. As per the rules prevalent at the time the retirees had received all their retiral benefits. If the pension scheme was made applicable to all past retirees, the resulting financial burden would be Rs200 crore which would be beyond the capacity of employer. The reason given for introducing the scheme was financial constraint- a valid ground.The court held that retired employees and those who were in employment on 1-7-1986 cant be treated alike as they do not belong to one class. Te workmen who had retired and received all the benefits under the contributory provident fund scheme cease to be employees of the applellant   board w. e. f. the date of their retirement. They form a separate   class. Thus there was no illegality in introducing the pension scheme and   not making it applicable retrospectively to those who hadretiredbeforeth edate. ConclusionWhat article 14 forbids is discrimination by law that is treating persons similarly circumstanced differently and treating those not similarly circumstanced in the same way or as has been pithily put treating equals as unequals   and unequals as equals. Article 14 prohibits hostile classification by law and isdirectedagainstdiscriminatoryclasslegislation. A legislature for the purpose of dealing with the complex problem that arise out of an infinite variety of human relations cannot but proceed on some sort of selection or classification of persons upon whom the legislationistooperate.Its is well settled that Article 14 frobid classification for the purpose of legislation. Its is equally well settled that in order to meet the test of Article 14 (i)  classification must be based on intelligible differentia which distinguishes persons or things that are grouped together from those that are left out of group and  (ii)  the differentia must have a rational nexus to the objects sought to be achieved by the executive or legislative action under challenge. Article 14 contains a guarantee of equality before law to all persons and protection to them against discrimination by law. It forbids class legislation.

Against the Machiavellian Principles of Politics Essay

According to Machiavelli, the affairs of the state reside in the power of the prince. It is the prince which determines, directs, and unifies the components of the state. The prince therefore should act to preserve, strengthen, and protect his position from danger, whether external or internal, without due moral consideration. In short, with the preservation of the state in mind, the prince should act with political diligence to promote it, regardless of the means. According to Machiavelli, â€Å"he who considers what ought to be done rather what is done will rather find himself in a state of ruin than preservation† (Machiavelli, 29). Political action free from any moral consideration is based from three assumptions: 1) Human nature is corrupt and selfish. It is impossible for the prince to satisfy all the needs of the people without injuring the welfare of others. The people is always eager to overthrow their government, to mock the instruments of the state, and to criticize the actions of the prince, whenever their interests (whether political or economic) are affected. According to Machiavelli, â€Å"Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you† (Machiavelli, 29); 2) Morality and religion only limit the actions of the prince. In fact, when fortune fades away, the prince may become unable to defend himself from disconcerting threats. It is therefore important, according to Machiavelli, for the prince to â€Å"guard himself as from a rock; and he should endeavour to show in his actions greatness, courage, gravity, and fortitude; and in his private dealings with his subjects let him show that his judgments are irrevocable, and maintain himself in such reputation that no one can hope either to deceive him or to get round him† (Machiavelli, 32). The prince should endeavour to show himself as the bearer of righteousness, fidelity, and religion, without endangering his own power. This impression is only used to preserve the power of the state. Only in this way can religion and morality be twisted for the benefit of the prince; 3) The success of a prince is never solely dependent on law, morality, or religion. Sometimes, political success is achieved by political deception, alteration of political favors, and in general by arms. It is therefore necessary for the prince to use these instruments to preserve the instruments of the state. It is this condition that the position of a prince who took the state by arms is much more endangered than that of a prince appointed by the people or the Church. To preserve his power, the prince must take moral considerations and religion as only instruments of that purpose. General Critique In order to provide a more comprehensive criticism against Machiavellian politics, there is a need to draw important propositions from different thinkers and theories. Some of the selected philosophers and social theorists are as follows: St. Thomas Aquinas, Immanuel Kant, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. According to Aquinas, morality and religion are necessary instruments for the governance of the state. In his book â€Å"De Regnum† (On Kinship), Aquinas argued that it is always necessary for the ruler to take the precedents of moral and religious obligations as a means to please Divine justice (Curtis, 431). For Aquinas, the foundation of the state is divine in orientation. It is founded by the grace of the Divine Being (who willed the creation of the state after man’s fall). A prince who disregards the religion and morality disregards the Creator. Aquinas here does not disregard the necessity of preserving the power of the state. What Aquinas emphasized is the excesses of unscrupulous rule – a condition which would be punished by God. For Aquinas, a good prince ‘will always be favored by God’ (and preserve his base of power). Rousseau argued that morality is borne out of the so-called ‘social contract. ’ The people gathered to appoint a ruler who would promote their interests. The ruler has the following obligations: 1) to protect the people from threats, 2) to maintain peace and order, 3) to promote solidarity and good governance, and 4) to relinquish power whenever the people chooses a new ruler. A ruler who fails to accomplish these tasks would lose his position. The state, however, would remain intact because the instrument of power resides not in the prince but in the people. According to Rousseau, a prince who put all the instruments of power in his hands is more likely to fall than a prince who measure his authority based on public will. Montesquieu offered a more critical and comprehensive understanding of the position of the prince. According to him, an unruly rebellion of the people is tantamount to political disobedience – a violation of the law of the land. This instance applies only if two conditions are met. First, the ruler does not show any violation of the law. And second, the people unlawfully breaks the social contract and sought to depose a good government. In short, according to Montesquieu, there is no need for a ruler to follow the Machiavellian principles because the law is the manifestation of social and moral obligation, the codec of ethics (Curtis, 613). Here, one may infer that the actions of the ruler should be based solely on this criterion. A ruler who follows the law would never fall in disgrace. Using Kant’s universal moral standards (in his book â€Å"Prolegomena†), one can create a set of moral standards which would be used in judging the actions of a ruler. First, one should determine whether the consequence and intensity of political actions. If a political decision disfranchises a significant portion of the population, such decision is illegitimate (not morally neutral). Second, one may determine the means by which decisions are carried out. Here, legality is an important factor. Third, one may determine whether the actions of the state are in congruent with accepted international standards of morality. Here, an external standard is added in order to ensure the moral efficacy of the state in all levels. The proper enforcement of these external standards is either left to the disposition of international agencies or to the efficacy of treaties. In short, internal political standards of morality are enforced by the state (the people serve as the watch guard of the state). Machiavellian concepts of political deception and moral neutrality have no standing in this type of political set-up. Works Cited Curtis, Michael. The Great Political Theories. New York: Avon Books, 1981. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Trans. by W. K. Marriott. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1995.

On the Value of Free Advice

On the Value of Free Advice As a writer I get a steady stream of free advice from individuals who apparently understand my life far better than I. These individuals are mostly strangers, people who contact me Sometimes I get advice And do I heed their advice? Not yet. Probably never. For a writer to heed every little bit of advice she receives, whether from strangers, friends, or even family, is deadly. Writers must learn to eventually heed no advice but that of their own instincts. The marketplace will be the final barometer of how sound those instincts are. And that is the only barometer a writer needs. Martin Seligman, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, and developer of such concepts as learned helplessness, learned optimism, and authentic happiness, cautions that the only people worth taking advice from are those who have already achieved success in the area in which you aspire to be successful, and who are recognized as experts in their field. To give credence to all the non-experts would be like hiring a carpenter who has never pounded a nail, but has read a few books about how to pound a nail properly, to build your dream house. Or to have your appendix removed As a writer, editor, and writing mentor for the past thirty years, I encourage all my students and clients to adopt this same practice of ignoring the opinions of those who have not demonstrated that they know more about what constitutes good writing than they do. Such proof is not in any way related to the number of advanced degrees the individual holds, but to the success of one’s publications in the marketplace. Back when I was still an aspiring writer, a man I looked up to suggested that my goal of being a writer was unrealistic for someone from the coal fields of rural Pennsylvania. When I wrote my third book, my first literary mystery, I was advised As an aspiring writer, there will always be naysayers eager to deter you. Sometimes they mean well and sometimes they don’t. Does that make a difference in how you should respond? When it comes to free advice, I prefer to remember the words of my very practical father: You get what you pay for. *** Randall Silviss many literary awards include the Drue Heinz Literature Prize, two fellowships from the NEA, a Fulbright Senior Scholar Research Award, and a Doctor of Letters degree bestowed for distinguished literary achievement. His 15th book, the novel Blood Ink, was recently declared a Kindle Scout winner and is available through Amazon. In addition to his novels, screenplays, and essays, he co-hosts a popular weekly podcast at TheWritersHangout.com, and teaches in the Seton Hill University MFA Program. His website can be found at randallsilvis.com. To sign up for Randall’s free monthly newsletter, which includes info about his work and news of interest to writers, send an email to silvisrandall@gmail.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject box.

Capybara Facts (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

Capybara Facts (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest rodent in the world. Its common name comes from the Tupi phrase kaapià »ara, which means grass eater. The scientific name means water hog. Capybaras are related to guinea pigs, rock cavies, coypu, and chinchillas. Fast Facts: Capybara Scientific Name: Hydrochoerus hydrochaerisCommon Names: Capybara, chigà ¼ire, chigà ¼iro, carpincho, water hogBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 3.5-4.4 feetWeight: 77-146 poundsLifespan: 4 yearsDiet: HerbivoreHabitat: Wetlands of South AmericaPopulation: AbundantConservation Status: Least Concern Description The capybara has a barrel-shaped body and blunt muzzle, somewhat resembling a pig. The brittle fur is reddish-brownish in color and paler on the belly. The animals ears, eyes, and nose are high on its face so it can remain above water when the rodent is submerged. The capybara has a vestigial tail and partially webbed feet. On average, adult capybaras are 3.5 to 4.4 feet in length, stand about two feet tall, and weigh between 77 and 146 pounds. Females are slightly larger than males, with the largest recorded female weighing just over 200 pounds. Both males and females have anal scent glands and a special snout scent gland, called a morillo. The morillo is a distinctive feature of a capybaras face. Richard Evans / EyeEm, Getty Images Habitat and Distribution All South American countries except Chile are home to capybaras. The animals live in wetlands and near bodies of water. Escaped captive capybaras are found in Florida, but its unknown whether they have established a breeding population. Diet Capybaras are herbivores that graze upon grasses, fruit, tree bark, and aquatic plants. They eat their own feces and regurgitated food to help digest cellulose and retain gut flora. Their teeth grow continuously to compensate for the wear from grinding food. Behavior Although capybaras are excellent swimmers, they are able to run as fast as a horse on land. During the day, the rodents wallow in mud to stay cool. They graze before dawn, late in the afternoon, and into the evening. They often sleep in water with only their noses exposed to air. Capybaras use their scent glands and urine to mark territory. Females scent-mark areas more often during the mating season. Males mark females as well as objects. Reproduction and Offspring Capybaras live in herds of up to twenty individuals. Within the group, there is one dominant males, additional submissive males, females, and young. The dominant male has breeding rights to all of the females, but he cant oversee them all the time, so many of the submissive males also mate. Mating occurs once a year during the rainy season, which may be in April or May (Venezuela) or October or November (Brazil). A females scent changes when she is in estrus, plus she whistles through her nose to advertise fertility. Males pursue females and mate with them in the water. After 130 to 150 days of gestation, the female gives birth on land to a litter of one to eight young. The average litter size is four offspring. Baby capybaras are mobile, and they typically resemble their parents. The female and her young return to the water within a few hours of birth. The young may nurse from any female in the group. They start to eat grass after a week and are weaned around 16 weeks. Capybaras become sexually mature between one and two years of age. Young males often leave the herd when mature. Captive capybaras may live 8 to 10 years. Wild animals only live four years on average because they are popular prey for anacondas, jaguars, eagles, caimans, pumas, ocelots, and humans. Capybara young are miniature versions of their parents. Kevin Schafer, Getty Images Conservation Status Capybara conservation status is classified as least concern by the IUCN. The species is widely distributed and reproduces quickly. In some areas, hunting has diminished capybara numbers, but for the most part the population is stable and abundant. Capybaras and Humans Capybaras are hunted primarily for their meat and skin, although there is also a market for their fat, which is believed to have medicinal value. Ranchers sometimes kill the rodents because they compete with livestock for grazing. Capys are also farmed and kept in zoos. In some places, it is legal to keep a capybara as a pet. The animals are gentle and tolerate hand-feeding and petting. Sources Macdonald, D. W.; Krantz, K.; Aplin, R. T. Behavioral anatomical and chemical aspects of scent marking among Capybaras (Hydrochaeris hypdrochaeris) (Rodentia: Caviomorpha). Journal of Zoology. 202 (3): 341–360, 1984. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1984.tb05087.xMurphey, R.; Mariano, J.; Mouraduarte, F. Behavioral observations in a capybara colony (Hydrochaeris hypdrochaeris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 14: 89, 1985. doi:10.1016/0168-1591(85)90040-1Reid, F. Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2016: e.T10300A22190005. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T10300A22190005.enWoods, C.A. and C.W. Kilpatrick. Infraorder Hystricognathi. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1556, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

Managing Human Resouces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Human Resouces - Essay Example ty, than the last one is Personal Objective, it is assumed to be the core purpose of HR and that is to assist employees in reaching their own goals and helping and assuring their contribution in the success of the organization it self. Lets move onto few more important steps of HR. "To raise productive efficiency and to improve the physical and mental conditions under which people work. The two goals are related in the sense that better working conditions may raise productivity, but this does not always happen. The emphasis differs among countries and among enterprises. Quality circles, for example, are designed primarily to raise productivity, while safety and health measures may be directed toward improving the working environment, even at the expense of output"(Galenson, 47: 1991). The most important thing to do in life is "Work" and one cannot do any such work in a long term, which is affecting the personal issues, it can be very difficult for someone to actually work an entire life with in same circumstances which are making life even more terrible rather than fulfilling the needs of that individual, the stress is inevitable in the lives of each and every one of us and just simply cannot move out of it though there are numerous ways through which we can reduce stress in life, it is all about managing and brining a balance in life and work, if the balance can be found than it would involuntarily bring stress under control. According to Cooper in 1999, "there is a considerable amount of activity in the field of stress Management, it is disproportionally concentrated on reducing the effects of stress, rather than reducing the presence of stressors at work"(p. 1). It is important to know the relationship between the work and stress, how could some one work effectively if he/she knows that in coming weak he/she would be fired How could someone work effectively if someone after knowing that in the next 48 hours he/she would have to work continuously because of some sudden problem We all simply can understand the basics required to live a healthy life. The stress and work has a direct relation with each other, the stress created by work is usually based on three characteristics of human nature, couple of them has been discussed but they are more formally known as Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, these points are the results of previous redundancies or the happening things around such as change in company policies and change in the organization's culture, in the modern days Human Resources have gained more

Profile of an Organisation (Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton) Lab Report

Profile of an Organisation (Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton) - Lab Report Example 1). In 2010, Hilton WorldWide earned well over $13 billion from it various activities (Hilton Management Services, par. 1). This paper discusses the Hilton Hotels brand with an aim of establishing a clear profile of the business. Conrad Hilton as an Entrepreneur An entrepreneur is a person who innovates or introduces new things with an aim of making a profit. Many analysts agree that many entrepreneurs share certain common characteristics. For one, entrepreneurs are disciplined. In this respect, they make strategies and define ways through which to achieve their goals. Yet again, entrepreneurs are open minded and see business opportunities where others see hurdles. This trait is seen in Hilton’s life when he buys his first hotel after realising that the hotel has great potential going by his experience; he had tried to book a room in the Mobley Hotel in vain for the high demand at the time (woopidoo n.d., par. 6). They are also ready to take risks as they focus on the goals th at they have set. One important characteristic of successful entrepreneurs is that they are self starters. In connection to this characteristic, the entrepreneurs believe in the fact that if something ought to be done, it is they that must initiate action. In other words, they are proactive and will go at great length to ensure that they succeed without seeking the approval of other people. Hilton is seen to be a self starter in many occasions. Without seeking anyone’s approval, he established a bank and bought his first hotel and worked his way to success. Hilton as an entrepreneur was keen to analyse the business environment before making important decisions. Before the First World War, Hilton had raised 3,000 USD of which he established a bank (woopidoo n.d., par. 8). When the country entered the war, he decided to sell the bank considering the possible negative impacts of the war on the business. Hilton, an American entrepreneur, was a hard working person going by his acc omplishments. During his younger days, Conrad helped his father in his business endeavours. At the tender age of 21, Hilton was already confidently managing his father’s store and enjoying a share of the profits (woopidoo n.d., par. 4). In spite of the fact that he was earning a lot of cash for himself, he felt that he needed to be autonomous. Later, he established and managed his own businesses before venturing into the hotel industry. Many of the hotels and resorts that form Hilton Worldwide’s portfolio were bought by Hilton in his lifetime. Some of the hotels that he bought include the Mobley Hotel and the Statler Hotel chain (Hilton, 1957, p. 17) Marketing Strategies Used By the Organisation The success of Hilton Hotels brand is a product of several factors. For one, the company’s marketing strategy is unique in many ways and has seen the organization expand and reach greater heights. In 2005, the Hilton Hotel Corporation emerged winner of the Best Customer Focus award - an award given by the UK National Business Award. From this achievement, it is worth noting the amount of focus that the brand puts on customer satisfaction. According to Mike Ashton, a senior Officer of the company, the philosophy of equilibrium greatly impacts how the organization operates and how it relates with customers. In a bid to improve its offerings to customers and for