Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Facts You Dont Know About Anne Frank and Her Diary

Facts You Don't Know About Anne Frank and Her Diary On June 12, 1941, Anne Franks 13th birthday, she received a red-and-white checkered diary as a gift. That very day, she wrote her first entry. Two years later, Anne Frank wrote her last entry, on August 1, 1944. Three days later,  Nazis  discovered the Secret Annex and all eight of its inhabitants, including Anne Frank, were sent to concentration camps. In March 1945, Anne Frank passed away from typhus. After World War II, Otto Frank was reunited with Annes diary and decided to publish it. Since then, it has become an international bestseller and an essential read for every teenager. But despite our familiarity with Anne Franks story, there are still some things you might not know about Anne Frank and her diary. Anne Frank Wrote Under a Pseudonym When Anne Frank readied her diary for eventual publication, she created pseudonyms for the people she wrote about in her diary. Although you are familiar with the pseudonyms of Albert Dussel (the real-life Freidrich Pfeffer) and Petronella van Daan (the real-life Auguste van Pels) because these pseudonyms appear in most published versions of the diary, do you know what pseudonym Anne chose for herself? Even though Anne had chosen pseudonyms for everyone hiding in the Annex, when it came time to publish the diary after the war, Otto Frank decided to keep the pseudonyms for the other four people in the Annex but to use the real names of his family. This is why we know Anne Frank by her real name rather than as Anne Aulis (her original choice of a pseudonym) or as Anne Robin (the name Anne later chose for herself). Anne chose the pseudonyms Betty Robin for Margot Frank, Frederik Robin for Otto Frank, and Nora Robin for Edith Frank. Not Every Entry Begins with "Dear Kitty" In nearly every published version of Anne Franks diary, each diary entry begins with Dear Kitty. However, this was not always true in Annes original written diary. In Annes first, red-and-white-checkered notebook, Anne sometimes wrote to other names such as Pop, Phien, Emmy, Marianne, Jetty, Loutje, Conny, and Jackie. These names appeared on entries dating from September 25, 1942, until November 13, 1942. It is believed that Anne took these names from characters found in a series of popular Dutch books written by Cissy van Marxveldt, which featured a strong-willed heroine (Joop ter Heul). Another character in these books, Kitty Francken, is believed to have been the inspiration for the Dear Kitty on most of Annes diary entries. Anne Rewrote Her Personal Diary for Publication When Anne first received the red-and-white-checkered notebook (which was an autograph album) for her 13th birthday, she immediately wanted to use it as a diary. As she wrote in her very first entry on June 12, 1942: I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support. From the beginning, Anne intended her diary to be written just for herself and hoped no one else was going to read it. This changed on March 28, 1944, when Anne heard a speech on the radio given by the Dutch Cabinet Minister Gerrit Bolkestein. Bolkestein stated: History cannot be written on the basis of official decisions and documents alone. If our descendants are to understand fully what we as a nation have had to endure and overcome during these years, then what we really need are ordinary documents a diary, letters from a worker in Germany, a collection of sermons given by a parson or priest. Not until we succeed in bringing together vast quantities of this simple, everyday material will the picture of our struggle for freedom be painted in its full depth and glory. Inspired to have her diary published after the war, Anne began to rewrite all of it on loose sheets of paper. In doing so, she shortened some entries while lengthening others, clarified some situations, uniformly addressed all of the entries to Kitty, and created a list of pseudonyms. Although she nearly finished this monumental task, Anne, unfortunately, didnt have time to rewrite the entire diary before her arrest on August 4, 1944. The last diary entry Anne rewrote was March 29, 1944. Anne Frank's 1943 Notebook is Missing The red-and-white-checkered autograph album has in many ways become the symbol of Annes diary. Perhaps because of this, many readers have the misconception that all of Annes diary entries lay within this single notebook. Although Anne began writing in the red-and-white-checkered notebook on June 12, 1942, she had filled it by the time she wrote her December 5, 1942, diary entry. Since Anne was a prolific writer, she had to use several notebooks to hold all of her diary entries. In addition to the red-and-white-checkered notebook, two other notebooks have been found. The first of these was an exercise book that contained Annes diary entries from December 22, 1943, to April 17, 1944. The second was another exercise book that covered from April 17, 1944, until right before her arrest. If you look carefully at the dates, you will notice that the notebook that must have contained Annes diary entries for most of 1943 is missing. Dont freak out, however, and think that you didnt notice a year-long gap in diary entries in your copy of Anne Franks Diary of a Young Girl. Since Annes rewrites for this period had been found, these were used to fill in for the lost original diary notebook. It is unclear exactly when or how this second notebook was lost. One can be reasonably certain that Anne had the notebook in hand when she created her rewrites in the summer of 1944, but we have no evidence of whether the notebook was lost before or after Annes arrest. Anne Frank Was Treated for Anxiety and Depression Those around Anne Frank saw her as a bubbly, vivacious, talkative, perky, funny girl and yet as her time in the Secret Annex lengthened; she became sullen, self-reproachful, and morose. The same girl who could write so beautifully about birthday poems, girlfriends, and royal genealogical charts, was the same one who described feelings of complete misery. On October 29, 1943, Anne wrote, Outside, you dont hear a single bird, and a deathly, oppressive silence hangs over the house and clings to me as if it were going to drag me into the deepest regions of the underworld.... I wander from room to room, climb up and down the stairs and feel like a songbird whose wings have been ripped off and who keeps hurling itself against the bars of its dark cage. Anne had become depressed. On September 16, 1943, Anne admitted that she has started taking drops of valerian for her anxiety and depression. The following month, Anne was still depressed and had lost her appetite. Anne says that her family has been plying me with dextrose, cod-liver oil, brewers yeast, and calcium. Unfortunately, the real cure for Annes depression was to be freed from her confinement - a treatment that was impossible to procure.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Problem With Feudalism

The Problem With Feudalism Medieval historians arent generally bothered by words. In fact, the intrepid medievalist is always ready to leap into the rough-and-tumble milieu of Old English word origins, medieval French literature, and Latin Church documents. Icelandic Sagas hold no terror for the medieval scholar! Next to these challenges, the esoteric terminology of medieval studies is mundane, and no threat to the historian of the Middle Ages. But theres one word that has become the bane of medievalists everywhere. Use it in discussing medieval life and society, and the average medieval historian will screw up his face in revulsion. There might be some sighs, some head shaking, and perhaps even some hands thrown in the air. What is this word that has the power to annoy, disgust, and even upset the ordinarily cool and collected medievalist? Feudalism. Every student of the Middle Ages is at least somewhat familiar with feudalism. The term is usually defined as follows: Feudalism was the dominant form of political organization in medieval Europe. It was a hierarchical system of social relationships wherein a noble lord granted land known as a fief to a free man, who in turn swore fealty to the lord as his vassal and agreed to provide military and other services. A vassal could also be a lord, granting portions of the land he held to other free vassals; this was known as subinfeudation, and often led all the way up to the king. The land granted to each vassal was inhabited by serfs who worked the land for him, providing him with income to support his military endeavors; in turn, the vassal would protect the serfs from attack and invasion. Of course, this is an extremely simplified definition, and there are many exceptions and caveats that go along with this model of medieval society, but the same could be said of any model applied to a historical period. Generally, it is fair to say that this is the explanation for feudalism youll find in most history textbooks of the 20th century, and it is very close to every dictionary definition available. The problem? Virtually none of it is accurate. Feudalism  was  not the dominant form of political organization in medieval Europe. There was no hierarchical system of lords and vassals engaged in a structured agreement to provide military defense. There was no subinfeudation leading up to the king. The arrangement whereby serfs worked the land for a lord in return for protection, known as manorialism or seignorialism, was not part of a feudal system. Monarchies of the early Middle Ages may have had their challenges and their weaknesses, but kings did not use feudalism to exert control over their subjects, and the feudal relationship was not the glue that held medieval society together. In short, feudalism as described above never existed in Medieval Europe. We know what youre thinking. For decades, even centuries, feudalism has characterized our view of medieval society. If it never existed, then why did so many historians say it did for so long? Werent there entire books written on the subject? Who has the authority to say that all those historians were wrong? And if the current consensus among the experts in medieval history is to reject feudalism, why is it still presented as reality in nearly every medieval history textbook? The best way to answer these questions is to engage in a little historiography. Lets begin with a look at the origin and evolution of the term feudalism. A Post-Medieval What, Now? The first thing to understand about the word feudalism is that it was never used during the Middle Ages. The term was invented by 16th- and 17th-century scholars to describe a political system of several hundred years earlier. This makes feudalism a post-medieval construct. Theres nothing inherently wrong with constructs. They help us understand alien ideas in terms more familiar to our modern thought processes. The phrases Middle Ages and medieval are constructs, themselves. (After all, medieval people didnt think of themselves as living in a middle age they thought they were living in the now, just like we do.) Medievalists may not like the way the term medieval is used as an insult, or how absurd myths of past customs and behavior are commonly attributed to the Middle Ages, but most are confident that the use of middle ages and medieval to describe the era as in between the ancient and early modern eras is satisfactory, however fluid the definition of all three time frames may be. But medieval has a fairly clear meaning based on a specific, easily-defined viewpoint. Feudalism cannot be said to have the same. In 16th  century France,  Humanist  scholars grappled with the history of Roman law and its authority in their own land. They examined, in depth, a substantial collection of Roman law books. Among these books was something called the  Libri Feudorum- the Book of Fiefs. The  Libri Feudorum  was a compilation of legal texts concerning the proper disposition of fiefs, which were defined in these documents as lands held by people referred to as vassals. The work had been put together in Lombardy, northern Italy, in the 1100s, and over the course of the intervening centuries, many lawyers and other scholars had commented on it and added definitions and interpretations, or  glosses.  The  Libri Feudorum  is an extraordinarily significant work that, to this day, has been barely studied since the 16th-century French lawyers gave it a good look. In the course of their evaluation of the Book of Fiefs, the scholars made some fairly reasonable assumptions: That the fiefs under discussion in the texts were pretty much the same as the fiefs of 16th-century France- that is, lands belonging to nobles.That the  Libri Feudorum  was addressing actual legal practices of the 11th century and not simply expounding on an academic concept.That the explanation of the origins of fiefs contained in the  Libri Feudorum- that is, that grants were initially made for as long as the  lord  chose, but were later extended to the grantees lifetime and  afterward  made hereditary- was a reliable history and not mere conjecture. The assumptions may have been reasonable- but were they correct? The French scholars had every reason to believe they were, and no real reason to dig any deeper. After all, they werent so much interested in the historical  facts of the time period as they were in the legal questions addressed in the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Libri Feudorum.  Their foremost consideration was whether or not the laws even had any authority in France- and, ultimately, the French lawyers rejected the authority of the Lombard Book of Fiefs. However, during the course of their investigations, and based in part on the assumptions outlined above, the scholars who studied the  Libri Feudorum  formulated a view of the Middle Ages. This general picture included the idea that feudal relationships, wherein noblemen granted fiefs to free vassals in return for services, were important in medieval society because they provided social and military security at a time when  the central  government was weak or nonexistent. The idea was discussed in editions of the  Libri Feudorum  made by the legal scholars Jacques Cujas and Franà §ois Hotman, both of whom used the term  feudum  to indicate an arrangement involving a  fief. It didnt take long for other scholars to see some value in the works of Cujas and Hotman and apply the ideas to their own studies. Before the 16th century was over, two Scottish lawyers- Thomas Craig and Thomas Smith- were using feudum in their classifications of Scottish  lands and their tenure. It was apparently Craig who first expressed the idea of feudal arrangements as a hierarchical  system;  moreover, it was  a  system that was imposed on nobles and their subordinates by their monarch as a matter of policy.  In the 17th century,  Henry Spelman, a noted English antiquarian, adopted this viewpoint for English legal history, as well. Although Spelman never used the word feudalism, either, his work went a long way toward creating an -ism from the handful of ideas over which Cujas and Hotman had theorized. Not only did Spelman maintain, as Craig had done, that feudal arrangements were part of a system, but he related the English feudal heritage with that of Europe, indicating that feudal arrangements were characteristic of medieval society as a whole. Spelman wrote with authority, and his hypothesis was happily accepted as fact by scholars who saw it as a sensible explanation of medieval social and property relations. Over the next several decades, scholars explored and debated feudal ideas. They expanded the meaning of the term from legal matters and adapted it to other aspects of medieval society. They argued over the origins of feudal arrangements and expounded on the various levels of  subinfeudation. They incorporated manorialism and applied it to the agricultural economy. They envisioned a complete system of feudal agreements that ran throughout all of Britain and Europe. What they did  not  do was challenge Craigs or Spelmans interpretation of the works of Cujas and Hotman, nor did they question the conclusions that Cujas and Hotman had drawn from the  Libri Feudorum. From the vantage point of the 21st century, its easy to ask why the facts were overlooked in favor of the theory. Present-day historians  engage in  a rigorous  examination of the evidence and clearly identify a theory as a theory (at least, the good ones do). Why didnt 16th- and 17th-century scholars do the same? The simple answer is that history as a scholarly field has evolved over time; and in the 17th century, the academic discipline of  historical  evaluation was in its infancy. Historians did not yet have the tools- both physical and figurative- we take for granted today, nor did they have the example of scientific methods from other fields to look to and incorporate into their own learning processes. Besides, having a straightforward model by which to view the Middle Ages gave scholars the sense that they understood the time period. Medieval society becomes so much easier to evaluate and comprehend if it can be labeled and fit into a simple organizational structure. By the end of the 18th century, the term feudal system was in use among historians, and by the middle of the 19th century, feudalism had become a fairly well-fleshed out model, or construct, of medieval government and society. The idea spread beyond the cloistered halls of academia. Feudalism became a buzzword for any oppressive, backward, hidebound system of government. In the  French Revolution, the feudal regime was abolished by the  National Assembly, and in Karl Marxs  Communist Manifesto,  feudalism was the oppressive, agrarian-based economic system that preceded the inequitable, industrialized, capitalist economy. With such far-ranging appearances in both academic and mainstream usage, it would be an extraordinary challenge to break free of what was, essentially, a wrong impression. In the late 19th century, the field of medieval studies began to evolve into a serious discipline. No longer did the average historian accept as fact everything that had been written by his predecessors and repeat it as a matter of course. Scholars of the medieval era began to question interpretations of the evidence, and they began to question the evidence, as well. This was by no means a swift process. The medieval era was still the bastard child of historical study; a dark age of ignorance, superstition, and  brutality; a thousand years without a bath.  Medieval historians had a great deal of prejudice, fanciful inventions and misinformation to overcome, and there was no concerted effort to shake things up and reexamine every theory ever floated in the study of the Middle Ages. And feudalism had become so entrenched in our view of the time period, it wasnt an obvious choice of target to overturn. Even once historians began to recognize the system as a post-medieval construct, the validity of the construct wasnt questioned. As early as 1887,  F. W. Maitland  observed in a lecture on English constitutional history that we do not hear of a feudal system until feudalism ceased to exist.  He examined in detail what feudalism supposedly was and discussed how it could be applied to English medieval law, but never did he question its very existence. Maitland was a well-respected scholar, and much of his work is still enlightening and useful today. If such an esteemed historian treated feudalism as a legitimate system of law and government, why should anyone think to question him? For a long time, nobody did. Most medievalists continued in Maitlands vein, acknowledging that the word was a construct, and an imperfect one at that, yet going forward with articles, lectures, treatises and entire books on what exactly feudalism had been; or, at the very least, incorporating it into related topics as an accepted fact of the medieval era. Each historian presented his own interpretation of the model- even those claiming to adhere to a previous interpretation deviated from it in some significant way. The result was an unfortunate number of varying and even conflicting definitions of feudalism. As the 20th century progressed, the discipline of history grew more rigorous. Scholars uncovered new evidence, examined it closely, and used it to modify or explain their view of feudalism. Their methods were sound, as far as they went, but their premise was problematic: they were trying to  adapt  a deeply flawed theory to such a wide variety of facts. Although several historians  expressed concerns over the indefinite nature of the well-worn model and the terms many imprecise meanings, it wasnt until 1974 that anyone thought to stand up and point out the most basic, fundamental problems with feudalism. In a ground-breaking article entitled The Tyranny of a Construct: Feudalism and Historians of Medieval Europe,  Elizabeth A. R. Brown  leveled an unwavering finger at the academic community and roundly denounced the term feudalism and its continued use. Clearly,  feudalism was a construct that was developed  after  the Middle Ages, Brown maintained, and the system it described bore little resemblance to actual medieval society. Its many differing, even contradictory definitions had so muddied the waters that it had lost any useful meaning. The construct was actually interfering with the proper examination of evidence concerning medieval law and society; scholars viewed land agreements and social relationships through the warped lens of the feudalism construct, and either disregarded or dismissed anything that didnt fit into their chosen version of the model. Brown asserted  that  considering how difficult it is to unlearn what one has learned, to continue to include feudalism in introductory texts would do readers of those texts a grave injustice. Browns article was very well-received in academic circles. Virtually no American or British medievalists objected to any part of it, and almost everyone who read it agreed: Feudalism was not a useful term, and really should go. Yet, feudalism stuck around. There were improvements. Some new publications in medieval studies avoided using the term altogether; others used it only  sparingly,  and focused on actual laws, land tenures, and legal agreements instead of on the model. Some books on medieval society refrained from characterizing that society as feudal. Others, while acknowledging that the term was in dispute, continued to use it as a useful shorthand for lack of a better term, but only as far as it was necessary. But there were still authors that included descriptions of feudalism as a valid model of medieval society with little or no caveat. Why? For one thing, not  every  medievalist had read Browns  article,  or had a chance to consider its implications or discuss it with his colleagues. For another, revising work that had been conducted on the premise that feudalism was a valid construct would require the kind of reassessment that few historians were prepared to engage in, especially when deadlines were drawing near. Perhaps most significantly, no one had presented a reasonable model or explanation to use in place of feudalism. Some historians and authors felt they had to provide their readers with a handle by which to grasp the general ideas of medieval government and society. If not feudalism, then what? Yes, the emperor had no clothes; but for now, he would just have to run around naked.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Necessity of Supply Chain Management Research Paper

Necessity of Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example The present research has identified that in a round of the activities involved, supply chain management deals with the purchasing and storage of the various raw materials that are necessary for production of the product, the inventory involved within the manufacturing stage (creation of the product) and the handling of the final product up to its point of consumption. It ensures that no snag in terms of the materials involved in any of these stages is come across acting as a hindrance to the provision of the final product to the consumer. The necessity for supply chain management can be seen through the various responsibilities that are seen in this activity. Business has grown and developed over the years and has expanded from the simple buying and selling into a series of activities and responsibilities required to ascertain  the smooth operations of such a setup. One of these responsibilities is supply chain management, and this aspect of the business has become an integral frac tion of the business activities that take place in a company. Supply chain management can be termed as the running of all businesses that happen to be interconnected with one another in relation to their involvement in the provision of a product or a service that is required in the creation of the final end product that is required by a consumer. This means that it deals with all the various parties that are involved in the different steps that are needed in the production of a good or a service so as to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Experience branding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Experience branding - Essay Example In this section, Bondi Junction will be described. Moreover, the demographical information regarding the community will likewise be described. Such information is valuable to the development of the brand since the people in the community are the primary consumers who have the easiest access to the store. Bondi Junction is one of the suburban areas located in the eastern section of Sydney. The said locality is found 6 km east of Sydney's central business district. The governing body in Bondi Junction is the Waverley Council. The area covered by Bondi Junction is quite small at 0.8 sq. km. However, it has outgrown its size and has greatly developed. Bondi Junction is easily accessible by public transport as there are several means of mass transportation that travels to and fro the said area. The Eastern Suburbs railway, part of the CityRail system, passes thru and stops at the Bondi Junction station. Above the said station is a bus terminal wherein buses that travel to various locations are found. ("Bondi Junction", 2006) Due to continuous and fast-paced developments, Bondi Junction has emerged as the fifth largest business district in Sydney. Moreover, Bondi Junction is home to several strip-mall types of developments. Also, several shopping centres are located in the area. However, the most prominent of these shopping centres is the Westfield Bondi Junction which is considered as one of the largest shopping malls in Sydney. ("Bondi Junction", 2006) The said shopping complex is the proposed location for the jewellery store under conceptualization and development. The People The population in Bondi Junction as of 2001 is 6,299. The population at the said time was growing at a rate of 2.2%. There are more women than men that reside in Bondi Junction. According to The Public Practice Pty Ltd (2001), women in Bondi Junction outnumber men by a ratio of 104 to 100. More significantly, majority of Bondi Junction residents are in their prime working age with 52% of the population falling in the 25-54 age range. The second biggest demographic group is 55-74 age group, which makes up 14% of the population. The people in Bondi Junction are very family oriented with majority of the population living in families. Most people reside in 4 or more storey buildings. Others lived in townhouses, walk-up flats/units, or separate houses. Moreover, most of these houses are private rentals. (The Public Practice Pty Ltd, 2001) The working population in Bondi Junction earned an average of $780 a week. However, the average weekly wage for men was greater than that of women. The men and women in the prime working age (25-54) had the highest weekly average at $1,090 and $890 respectively. (The Public Practice Pty Ltd, 2001) The Sydney Retail Market According to Foster (2005), "Australians have a high living standard and make beautiful houses, clothes, cars, yachts, food, wine and women." Sydney is one area which demonstrates such traits. Being one of the foremost locations in the whole country, Sydney will, by far, best symbolize the culture and lifestyle of Australians. Foster stated that Australians have a unique way of life. He said, "This lifestyle is shaped by its geographical remoteness and the ways by which it became a European outpost in the 18th and 19th centuries." (Foster, 2005) Basically, the culture in Sydney is an integration of the various cultures and peoples that have chosen Sydney and Australia as their home. There is much cultural diversity in

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Fairness in the American Taxation System Essay Example for Free

Fairness in the American Taxation System Essay The hot topic in America right now is taxation. While many members of society believe the current taxing system is fair, others believe it is not. The President, congress, and the senate try their hardest to work together to please the entire population with all of the reforms they make. Not only is paying taxes mandatory for American citizens, it is a public duty. The reason people are required to pay tax is because the government uses the money collected to support the country Americans live, breath, and work in. Taxes are like a form of rent. With our country being as diverse as it is, there are many people that cannot survive on their own nor pay any sort of taxes. The most common reason for persons not being able to pay up is disability. It is up to the rest of the citizens of the United States to help support this percentage of people that are not able to work. Since these people are unable to work and provide for their families, the government created a social program called Welfare. This program is very special and gives security to the people receiving it for a better, poverty-free life. Another program for the underprivileged is called Medicaid. Similar to Welfare, this gives insurance to people that cannot afford to pay medical bills, etc. The type of tax that is currently in play in the United States is called Progressive tax; the more you earn the more you pay. â€Å"The new economy rich often favor tax increases because, in contrast to Republicans and their business backers, they enthusiastically support increased government spending on education, health care, and scientific research† (Callahan, David 14). While some say this is not just, obviously the government, congress, and voters believe so. Some people believe it to be fair because the rich have more to offer then the poor; they work hard for their money and have a lot to show for it. Federal taxes this year will approach $3,300 a person. To tax everyone equally is out of the question. Many individuals and families cannot possibly bear a Federal tax of $3,300 per capita. So government must treat people, not equally but unequally. Harriss, Lowell 271) It would be unfair and brutal for a poor family in our country to pay the same amount of money in taxes as the wealthiest family in America. Tax increases on the rich would not be punishment nor unfair, â€Å"They worry about poor people and pollution. They want government to make sure that Americans have the kind of education they need to compete in the global economy† (Callahan, David 13). Although all citizens would not be taxed the same amount annually, the progressive sys tem gives each citizen the right to live a blessed life. Regarding making the taxation system â€Å"simple, equal, and fair,† (Simple 42) â€Å"fulfilling all of these objections is challenging† (Simple 42). No Matter how the law of taxation is set, there will always be people to protest and their will always be people to challenge the system. â€Å"Degrees of fairness in taxation cannot possibly be measured, but we can often sense that one condition is nearer than another to the concept we have in mind† (Harriss Lowell 271). Reasonable, humane, productive, creative, generous, innovative persons – voters embodying the attributes we admire – and persons embodying the attributes we consider destructive of the good life – envy, spite, greed, profligacy, short-sightedness, selfishness – will probably have different views about a fair scale of progression. (Harriss Lowell 273) The types of admirable views listed above show that progressive tax is truly the best decision for America. Not only is it the right choice in equality, but it is morally well-rounded. Most of the taxes we pay go to citizens that are deprived of money. The government ensures that the money taken out of an individuals check is put to good use. Other taxes go to support the entire country. If taxes did not exist, it would be every man for himself and our economy would be a disaster. Without a progressive taxation system, America would not be as strong as it is today. There would be an even bigger difference between the wealth and poverty line. People travel all over the world to come to the United States to achieve the â€Å"American Dream,† and the government’s law of taxation allows individuals to do just that.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Life Foolishly Lived :: Personal Narrative Essays

A Life Foolishly Lived I've never quite understood the whole racism thing. I grew up in suburbia, but in the part of town considered the black neighborhood. When I was younger black kids were no different from everyone else, and I was happy that way. It wasn't until middle school and my encounters with Joey that I became aware of a difference. I was young and impressionable, and totally bought into what anyone who would consider me "cool" was saying. Joey was a 30-something-year-old quadriplegic man who lived near me. I was considered a nerd and felt desperate for guidance of some sort. Joey became my mentor. Before the accident that left him in a wheelchair, he was a rocker, and I spent hours by his side listening to his stories. "I tell you, Owen, I had it all. And the girls loved me," he would tell me, while I emptied the bag of urine strapped to his leg. Even though he never graduated from high school, had no job, would get drunk and stoned all the time, and lived with his parents, I wanted to be just like the person he used to be. He'd had girlfriends and lived the rock-and-roll lifestyle, but that ended when he was pushed off a porch and snapped his neck. He attempted to continue his old life through kids in the neighborhood. Joey would tell us how he used to make pipe bombs, so naturally we had to make a bomb and blow up a chunk of the street. But we didn't have the know-how or the supplies to make a pipe bomb, so a gallon of gasoline would have to do the trick. Sadly, we picked a bad place and set a man's lawn on fire. The police and firemen were on my street that night, putting out seven-foot high flames and asking questions. Even though nobody knew exactly who blew off the gas bomb, most had an idea. I'm sure people in that neighborhood could think only of Wheelchair Joey and his gang of misled youth. Joey listened to heavy metal and sported Charles Manson and Confederate flag t-shirts. Before I knew it, I was doing the same. He convinced me to wear the flag shirt in school the day we watched "Roots" for Black History Month. We laughed when I told him about the reactions I got, and then he congratulated me with a beer and some vodka mixed with juice.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Human Resource Management Essay

Human Resource Management (Fall 2013) MGMT 351 CASE STUDY 2 I Feel Great Les Partain, manager of the training and development department for Gazelle Corporation, was 64 years old and had been with the firm for over 30 years. For the past 12 years he had served as Gazelle’s training and development manager and felt that he had been doing a good job. This belief was supported by the fact that during the last five years he had received excellent performance reports from his boss, LaConya Caesar, HR director. Six months before Les’s birthday, he and LaConya were enjoying a cup of coffee together. â€Å"Les,† said LaConya, â€Å"I know that you’re pleased with the progress our T&D section has made under your leadership. We’re really going to miss you when you retire this year. You’ll certainly live the good life because you’ll receive the maximum retirement benefits. If I can be of any assistance to you in developing the paperwork for your retirement, please let me know.† â€Å"Gee, LaConya,† said Les. â€Å"I really appreciate the good words, but I’ve never felt better in my life, and although our retirement plan is excellent, I figure that I have at least five more good years. There are many other things I would like to do for the department before I retire. I have some excellent employees, and we can get many things done within the next five years.† After finishing their coffee, both returned to their work. As LaConya left, she was thinking, â€Å"My gosh, I had no idea that character intended to hang on. The only reason I gave him those good performance appraisals was to make him feel better before he retired. He was actually only an average worker and I was anxious to move a more aggressive person into that key job. We stand to lose several good people in that department if Les doesn’t leave. From what they tell me, he’s not doing too much of a job.† QUESTIONS 1. From a legal viewpoint, what do you believe LaConya can do regarding this situation? Discuss. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What actions should LaConya have taken in the past to avoid her current predicament? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Influences to Become an Ik Essay

In Lewis Thomas’s essay â€Å"The Iks†, the Iks are described as cruel and detestable human beings. Iks grew up in their own ideal society as nomadic hunters and gatherers, but were soon forced to change into farmers on a poor hillside soil. After that, the Iks created their own views of how society acts to defend their self in their unworkable environment. The Iks treat their children as labor workers because they are put to work once they are able to walk. They desert their elders to starve and the children steal their food. The Iks breed without love or care for each other, which makes the breeding seem like a way to just increase their population. The only joy they get from life is by laughing at other people’s misfortune. Another bad quality they have is that they defecate on other people’s doorsteps. The Anthropologists believe that the Iks are cruel and detestable characters. However, Thomas believes that the Iks became who they are by copying that behavior from other groups. I agree that everyone has Ik characteristics from the influence of others. For everyone to have inner Ik characteristics, it would have to be from the influence of others. As Thomas states, â€Å"Cities have all the Ik characteristics†(82). Cities are a big influence because everyone watches or reads news about how they treat each other and others. They portray Ik characteristics on themselves or others. Thomas states that cities have the same qualities as Iks because they also have greedy and heartless characteristics, and they could have been an influence on the Iks. Cities portray Ik characteristics on their own or on others. The people living in the cities desert their elders in a less harsh sounding way, by sending them to senior centers. Senior centers are similar to deserting elders because one pays another to take care of their elders, so they do not have to deal with them. Cities also laugh at other people’s misfortune. In addition, cities also defecate on other properties. They ways that they defecate on themselves are by littering. People litter all over the environment, where the cities had to take action and create laws that would punish those who litter. To show a cleaner environment to others, rules are made to stop people who do not care about the environment. In addition, Thomas says, â€Å"No wonder the Iks seem familiar. For total greed, rapacity, heartlessness, and irresponsibility there is nothing to match a nation†(82). A nation strives to protect themselves and for other nations to respect their area. However, war is a big factor on how the Iks are cruel to others. There is only fighting and distain between the nations that are in war with each other. For example, â€Å"†¦editorials in every American and European newspaper and magazine of note adding to this vocabulary of gigantism and apocalypse, each use of which is plainly designed to inflame the reader’s indignant passion as a member†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (105). This shows that the news is a big factor on how the citizen of the nation acts. If the news says how despicable one country is, then all the citizens would believe the same and act angrily towards them. All these characteristics are ways that influence how the Iks act towards each other in their own society. Thomas’s ideas are true because people grow and change from watching the actions of others. Especially, with how they were treated and forced to change their lifestyle. This rude and forceful way of changing them are also factors in the Ik character. People hold Ik like characteristics from different kinds of entertainment and how others typically react to it. The only enjoyment Iks get in life is from laughing at other peoples’ misfortune. This is portrayed in current society through the media, such as movies or television shows. Recently I watched the movie Jackass 3D because my friend went to go see it. This movie directly relates to how Iks get enjoyment from other peoples troubles. The whole movie was about a group of guys doing stupid and harmful activities to make the audience laugh. The movie did bring some laughter out of the audience, but there were also scenes that were shocking or displeasing to watch. However, the whole point of the movie was the make the audiences laugh by watching their misfortune. There are also video clips on YouTube with similar concepts. Even though people in the videos get seriously injured or die, there are still people that find enjoyment from watching it. These are all characteristics that can influence others to hold the same characteristics as the Iks. As Thomas believes, the Iks would have to have some sort of influence to become the way they are. Overall, I agree with Thomas that the Iks were influenced by some outer group to become the way they are. People grow up with different characters depending on how their society lives and acts towards others. Cities and nations are a big influence to how people act towards one another. They also influence each other on what is funny to laugh at. Without the influence of others, movies like Jackass 3D would not even be a movie if they did not know that people enjoy laughing at their stupid activities. In addition, the Iks were treated badly by the people that forced them to change their lifestyle. These traits are the sorts of ideas that give people Ik characteristics.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Preparing for a offsite visit to the local park by foot Essays

Preparing for a offsite visit to the local park by foot Essays Preparing for a offsite visit to the local park by foot Essay Preparing for a offsite visit to the local park by foot Essay under no circumstances will a child be included in the outing without first written permission from the parent/career. It is important o keep the parents up to date about outer nurseries activities so they know about the wear abuts of their children and are able to contribute by volunteering and Joining in , this will benefit the communication between nursery staff, parents/careers and children. They will feel valued and equal. Managing the Ratio It is important to meet the national ratio guideline which is provided by the Department of Education and is a part of the nurserys standard procedures. Ratio of adults to children needs to be at least 1 :6 for under 5 year olds. When away from the Nursery children are much more vulnerable and are lost easier, therefore higher ratios are recommended. When traveling with children the adult to child ratio can vary depending on size of the group, the age of the children and their behaviors and busyness of the roads . F there is a big group of children, then they would be split in two halves to make sure that the ratio requirements will be met and that all children available. The reason for these ratios is to ensure that the care and well being of ACH child is met at all times. Toilet ratios Adults that havent previously volunteered and that havent had the necessary vetting checks, will not be left alone with children or take them to th e toilet unaccompanied. For example, with a ratio of two adults to ten children one adult can supervise hygiene duties one adult can supervise safety and a head count The recommended number of toilet facilities for children under five years old- one toilet per ten children disabled children- one toilet per ten children Responsibilities During the planning for the park trip, it will be identified who will be responsible for hat. If there are parents going on the outing as volunteers, there will be an agreement made beforehand as to what their role will be regarding their own children. All the staff members have their individual Job roles to; Staff member a: Divides the children into small groups to keep the right ratio Take the nursery mobile phone with her/him so that the group is contactable and with all necessary contact numbers. The nursery will be contacted at least once whilst out. Staff member b: Takes the E bag that is provided with: Register with all the names of the children and staff. The Accident Book The First Aid kit that is complete with all needed medication and other first aid equipment before taking it . Also a information sheet of individual children who require certain medical care whilst in the park. Staff member c: Talk to the children in advance about the safety rules, especially regarding road safety such as crossing a road and not running of. This could be done at circle time and be built in to play. Staff member d; provides the snack bag with cups, plates, drinks, snacks and whips Staff member e; provides the changing bag with whips, hand disinfecting gel, nappys, whips and the hanging sheet ,also a blanket List of Names A list of names of both staff and children with all details will be left with the Nursery Manager and a separate list will be taken with the staff. There will be a clear understanding as to where the group is going and at what time the group will be returning. Should there be a delay in returning, someone in the group must contact the designated person so that arrangements can be made for informing parents. First Aid In the planning of the park visit the First Aid equipment will be checked to make sure that it is complete and that needed medication e. G. ; inhalers, pep-pens, and individual prescribed medication is not missing plus any essential medicine required by the children and essential records, which include a contact telephone number for each child. All childrens needs will be catered for whether cultural or due to disabilities. Medication The information sheet will be checked out on which children are on medication and bring written instructions with us for its exact administration. It will be decided in, advance, who has responsibility for giving children any medication. Risk assessment A route risk assessment is carried out by either the nursery manager or the room seed, it will indicate measures to prevent or reduce risks that could be on the way to the park and it is based on the following considerations; What are the Hazards? Who might be affected by them? What safety measures are needed to reduce risks to an acceptable level? Can the safety measures be put in place by the group leader? Ones this is done and the Manger [Supervisor has reached the local park he/she will do an on-site risk assessment. The playground area will be evaluated for potential hazards that could cause serious or fatal injuries to the children. Health and safety issues that are identified during the risk assessment will be recorded. Evaluating Hazards. Looking out for foreign objects such as glass, nails, and pop tops that are hard to see. Ensuring all animal feces are removed from area. Watch for hazards like loose or protruding nuts or bolts, broken parts, exposed concrete, and shallow protective surfacing that occur through the childrens regular use of equipment. If there are problems that the manager / supervisor can deal with themselves, like picking up trash, then the problem will be corrected. If there are other safety problems like broken equipment, or inadequate amount of surfacing eternal, the administrator will be contacted and it will be requested that it be fixed, or taken out of service. In case of an emergency Absolute team work and communication is vital to follow through the instructions throughout the emergency Immediate contact must be made with the rest of the group. Assessment of the emergency and actions will be carried out. The Management will take lead professional role. Contact with the nursery will be made. Where relevant the emergency services will be contacted. Where relevant the Parents/Careers will be contacted. Where possible the rest of the group will return to the nursery maintaining staff otiose If a child goes missing Immediate contact will be made with the rest of the group. The children will all be grouped together. The Supervisor will take lead professional role. A head count of all the children will be counted and the register called. Contact with the manager at the nursery will be made. Two members of staff will leave the rest of the group to search the surrounding area, After 10 minutes the emergency services will be contacted. Parents/Careers will be contacted as soon as the police have been contacted. All other children will be returned to the nursery. Spare staff will remain to search the area.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Make Homemade Fizzy Bath Bomb Balls

How to Make Homemade Fizzy Bath Bomb Balls Use your chemistry to make a fizzy, scented bath bomb (bath ball). Make them for yourself or give them as gifts! Its pretty easy to make and takes only about 15 minutes! Fizzy Bath Bomb Chemistry Fizzy bath bombs or bath seltzers are an example of an acid-base reaction. The citric acid (weak acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, which is a weak base) react together to release carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms the bubbles. The citric acid and baking soda dont react until they are in an aqueous (water-based) solution. The cornstarch helps keep the bath bombs dry until you add them to the bath. You could substitute Epsom salts in place of the cornstarch if you prefer. What You Need for Bath Bombs 2 tablespoons  citric acid2 tablespoons cornstarch1/4 cup  baking soda 1/4 teaspoon fragrance oil3-6 drops food color3 tablespoons vegetable oil Lets Make Bath Bombs! Mix all dry ingredients (citric acid, cornstarch, baking soda) in the bowl.In a different bowl or a small cup, mix the vegetable oil, fragrance, and coloring together.Slowly incorporate the oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well.Place 1 balls of the mixture on waxed paper. They will be semi-hard within 2-3 hours, but allow 24-48 for them to fully dry before storing them.Store bath balls in a sealed container, away from moisture.Add a few to the bath and enjoy! For gift giving, the balls may be placed in individual candy cups. Useful Tips Either fragrance and/or coloring is optional.Suggested vegetable oils include coconut oil, avocado oil, apricot kernel oil, sweet almond oil, or olive oil, although any emollient oil is good!Use small molds to make three-dimensional fizzy bath shapes.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 39

Psychology - Essay Example raisals are a person’s beliefs about the ability to deal with a situation based on available resources, and they can lead to a challenge response or a threat response. A challenge response occurs when we believe that we have enough resources to address the situation, and may have beneficial cognitive and cardiovascular benefits. However, a threat response due to an appraisal of insufficient resources may cause damages that are associated with stress. The authors suggest that humans have a natural attentional bias to potential threats, and that we may enter stress responses without a full appraisal of the situation. It is proposed that reappraising the resources available to deal with a potential threat may lead to a challenge response instead, and better psychophysical outcomes. This research included fifty participants (25 male, 25 female) who were compensated with either $25 or class credit. The subjects were prescreened for cardiovascular problems and one was excluded from the analysis after requesting to leave the study. Sensors were used to gain a baseline cardiovascular reading from each subject. They were placed in one of three conditions (reappraisal of resources, ignoring external cues, and a non-intervention control) and were re-tested after reading information about physical stress in scientific journals. The reappraisal group was instructed to appraise the task based on the new information while the external cues group was told to ignore the stress during subsequent readings. A modified Stroop task was used to measure attentional bias, while a Tier Social Stress Test measured perceived threat and questionnaires provided additional information. The collected data was analyzed using a mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was shown that reappraisal participants reported more perceived resources than the other groups along with less physiological reactivity. Reappraisal subjects also showed less attentional bias for threats and emotionally negative