Thomas Jefferson Essay Example

Thomas Jefferson Essay Example Thomas Jefferson Essay Thomas Jefferson Essay Thomas Jefferson and His Effect on America Thomas Jefferson possessed one of the greatest leading minds of colonial America. Literate in political theory, scientific farming, natural history, and architecture, Thomas Jefferson personified the optimistic spirit of Enlightenment thinking. Thomas Jefferson proved to be one of the major forces in the founding and developing of America. When Jefferson became the third President of the United States, he immediately made an impact on the lives of average Americans by reiterating his idea of a Jeffersonian Republican Yeoman Farmer. Leading the nation, Jefferson made significant changes in the government, spurred the idea of American movement westward, and worked to fix the ever-growing slavery issues and better the education system to spring America forward and develop it into the prosperous nation it is today. Prior to Jeffersons presidency, Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as the minister to France in 1785. As Secretary of State, Jefferson took part in both domestic and world affairs. Jefferson clashed frequently on many issues with Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton (Bernstein 101). The conflict between Jefferson and Hamilton caused many other disagreements in American politics that pinned former allies against one another. With the government on opposite ends, two political parties began to form: the Federalist Party lead by Hamilton and the Jeffersonian Republicans lead by Jefferson. The Jeffersonian Republicans were opposed toa strong central government whereas the Federalists favored the strong central government. Jefferson preferred a less centralized government with more power for the states. Jefferson, being a brilliant man, drafted the Northwest Ordinance also known as the Ordinance of 1787. This ordinance provided a structure for government of the Northwest Territory. Jeffersons outstanding leadership led to his being elected President of the United States in the 1800 election. Jeffersons most lasting contribution to America is the Declaration of Independence. Specifically chosen, Jefferson needed to carefully choose his wording so that the document would be persuasive enough towards a number of parties (The Declaration of Independence). Congress intended for Americans to read it and want to become a part of the patriot cause and foreign powers read it and want to aid the ilitia. In the first part of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson expresses key concepts at the core of American beliefs such as all men are created equal, unalienable rights, and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In the next section, Jefferson listed injustices that the colonies considered independence worthy. Jefferson accused King George of trying to construct absolute tyranny in America so in the conclusion, Jefferson officially destroys all ties with Britain and is now guilty of treason. Everyone in the congregation could be condemned to the gallows if rosecuted before a royal court. By a vote of twelve to zero, the colonies approved the document and declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. One of Jeffersons greatest achievements as President includes his investment on the Louisiana Territory owned by the French. Jefferson visualized American westward expanslon ana took advantage 0T tne opportunlty presented to nlm. Napoleon Bonaparte, Frances ruler, needed money to fund the war against the British so he offered all of Frances claims in North America to Jefferson. With the territory tretching a vast 820,000 square miles, the transaction would amount to about three cents per acre totaling a whopping $15 million dollars. However, Congress originally only approved to spend $10 million, so the purchase sent the nation into a large debt. This famous transaction came to be known as the Louisiana Purchase. The United States, now doubled in size, grew beyond the Mississippi River to include forests, plains, prairies, and mountains. Surprisingly, Jefferson did not intend to buy all of the Louisiana Territory, Just the port of New Orleans so that the United States, ot its competitors such as Spain, France, and Great Britain, could control the mouth of the Mississippi River (De Cesar). With the Louisiana Purchase fulfilling his dreams of westward expansion, Jefferson now sought to launch an expedition to explore the new addition to America. Minus what French traders and fur trappers and Spanish and British explorers shared about the west, nobody really knew what the western part of the country held. Jefferson assigned a prominent frontiersman named Meriwether Lewis to lead the U. S. Army expedition (known today as the Corps of Discovery). Then Lewis hired William Clark to accompany him on the Journey, hence the name The Lewis and Clark Expedition. Jefferson sent a letter to Congress asking for $2,500 to fund the trip through the Louisiana Territory and on to the Pacific Ocean. Jeffersons main goals included establishing trade with the Native American people of the West as well as to find a straight shot water route to the Pacific (Thomas Jefferson and the Lewis and Clark Expedition). Jefferson also assigned Lewis and Clark the task of documenting the geography of the West, how the Native Americans communicated and lived, and ow things like the plants and animals, the soil, the rocks, and the weather differed from those in the East. The total round trip lasted two years and four months and the work of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery instituted an American presence all across the continent. A major problem Jefferson faced during his Presidency involved the Barbary Pirates from the Barbary States of Tripoli, Tunisia, Algeria, and independent Morocco. These pirates harassed and preyed on the commercial shippers that traveled through the Mediterranean Sea. Soon debate began on how to deal with these irates. After an American brig faced capture by a Moroccan pirate ship in the Atlantic Jefferson stressed, Our trade to Portugal, Spain, and the Mediterranean is annihilated unless we do something decisive. Tribute or war is the usual alternative of these of pirates Why not begin a naw then and decide on war? (Roberts). In 1801 Jefferson refused to pay tribute to the pirates and deployed a U. S. Navvy force to the Mediterranean. If the United States wished to continue their commercial trade, they would need a protective force at sea (Roberts). The U. S. Navvy took military ctions against pirates by blockading the Barbary ports to achieve a deadlock and included an American land assault to gain control of the main city. By 1805, Jefferson signed a treaty ending the Barbary Wars and made peace with the Barbary States. LIKe most wealtny American men In Jeffersons time, ne owned slaves. However, Jefferson opposed slavery his whole life and felt it went against the laws of nature. He knew everyone had a right to personal liberty (Thomas Jefferson and Slavery). Jefferson worked to abolish slavery but did not have strong political support. When rafting and proposing many ordinances, he tried somehow to work in the ordinance banning slavery. When he drafted the Northwest Ordinance, it outlawed slavery in the Northwest Territories. Jefferson continued to support abolition but slavery continued to grow because the demand for laborers increased. To try and end Virginias support towards slavery, Jefferson encouraged growing crops that required little slave labor. If the abolition of slavery did not happen, Jefferson feared the federal union would be destroyed by slavery and result in a civil war that could tear he nation apart (Thomas Jefferson and Slavery). Jefferson became deeply concerned the next generation of leaders would not end slavery. One of Jeffersons lasting legacies and greatest accomplishments is the founding of the University of Virginia. Ideas of educating the common man occupied Jeffersons mind. In a letter to James Madison, Jefferson wrote, Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to; convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty. (Quotations on Education). Jefferson developed much of the University and designed the curriculum, secured its funding, and generated how to hire teachers. The University of Virginia is a public university funded by the state of Virginia. Jefferson intended the university to be dedicated to teaching and grooming future leaders. Jefferson believed they needed to be educated in practical affairs and public services (Founding of the University). Jefferson retired from office in 1808 but still continued to contribute to the nation. When speaking with James Madison, Jefferson said he wanted to be remembered as wo things: the author of the Declaration of Independence and the founder of the University of Virginia (Kindig). Jeffersons wishes came true because this is what Jefferson is most famously known for. Overall, Jefferson created a positive lasting effect on America. Today in Washington D. C. there stands an enormous 19-foot statue of Jefferson that is surrounded by passages from the Declaration of Independence as well as passages from his other writings. The Jefferson Memorial stands as a timeless monument dedicated to one of Americas most influential Founding Fathers.

Preparing Your Family History Book for Publication

Preparing Your Family History Book for Publication After years of carefully researching and assembling a family history, many genealogists find that they want to make their work available to others. Family history means a lot more when its shared. Whether you want to print a few copies for family members or sell your book to the public-at-large, todays technology makes self-publishing a fairly easy process. How Much Will It Cost? To estimate publishing costs, you will need to consult with local quick-copy centers or book printers. Obtain bids for the publishing job from at least three companies since prices vary greatly. Before you can ask a printer to bid on your project, however, you need to know three vital facts about your manuscript: Exactly how many pages are in your manuscript. You should take the finished manuscript with you, including mock-ups of picture pages, introductory pages, and appendixes.Approximately how many books you want to be printed. If you want to print under 200 copies, expect most book publishers to turn you down and send you to a quick-copy center. Most commercial printers prefer a run of at least 500 books. There are a few short-run and print-on-demand publishers who specialize in family histories, however, who are able to print in quantities as small as a single book.What kind of book features you want. Think about the paper type/quality, print size and style, number of photos, and binding. All of these will factor into the cost of printing your book. Spend some time browsing through family histories at the library to get some ideas on what you want before heading to the printers. Design Considerations LayoutThe layout should be appealing to the readers eye. For example, small print across the entire width of a page is too hard for the normal eye to read comfortably. Use a larger typeface and normal margin widths, or prepare your final text in two columns. You can align your text on both sides (justify) or only on the left side as in this book. The title page and table of contents are always on the right-hand page - never on the left. In most professional books, chapters also start on the right page. Printing Tip: Use high-quality 60 lb. acid-paper paper for copying or printing your family history book. Standard paper will discolor and become brittle within fifty years, and 20 lb. paper is too thin to print on both sides of the page. No matter how you space the text on the page, if you plan to do double-sided copying, be sure that the binding edge on each page is 1/4 inch wider than the outside edge. That means the left margin of the front of the page will be indented 1/4 extra, and the text on its flip side will have that extra indentation from the right margin. That way, when you hold the page up to the light, the blocks of text on both sides of the page match up with one another. PhotographsBe generous with photographs. People usually look at photographs in books before they read a word. Black-and-white pictures copy better than color ones and are a lot cheaper to copy as well. Photographs can be scattered throughout the text, or put in a picture section in the middle or back of the book. If scattered, however, photos should be used to illustrate the narration, not detract from it. Too many photos scattered haphazardly through the text can distract your readers, causing them to lose interest in the narration. If youre creating a digital version of your manuscript, be sure to scan the pictures at least at 300 dpi. Balance your selection of pictures to give equitable coverage to each family. Also, be sure you include short but adequate captions that identify each picture - people, place, and approximate date. If you don’t have the software, skills, or interest in doing it yourself, printers can scan your photos into digital format, and enlarge, reduce, and crop them to fit your layout. If you have a lot of pictures, this will add quite a bit to the cost of your book. Binding Options Printing or Publishing the Book Some publishers will print hard-bound family histories with no minimum order, but this usually increases the price per book. The advantage to this option is that family members can order their own copies when they wish, and you arent faced with purchasing books and storing them yourself.

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 14

Case study - Essay Example It will explore the aspect of euthanasia and its interrelation with the Hippocratic Oath where the doctors have to make a decision whether to save their lives or to let the patients die willingly. It will also explore the issue of legal consent obliged to the patients. The essay argues that doctors have a moral duty to save patients lives according to the Hippocratic Oath. Patients suffering from terminal illnesses sometimes give up and prefer death to pain. John’s case is an example of a patient who has given up and wants death through euthanasia. Hopelessness is one of the factors that associates with euthanasia and is a contributor of early death. It is characterized by the patient’s loss of fighting spirit due to factors such as poor prognosis, pain, undesirable effects of treatment and rapid deterioration of health and advancement of illness. Most patients with terminal cancer usually have a sense of hopelessness and in many times lose the self-control and the self-belief that they can prolong their life. Loss of control makes them to consider decisions such suicide and euthanasia (DeGrazia 42). Other Issues such extreme suffering and high medical bills can easily convince the patient to consider euthanasia. In such a case, the doctors should practice positive psychology and instill hope and optimism that they will do everything in their ability to help the patient recover and continue with life. Doctors should encourage patients to take control of all aspects of their lives and have a fighting spirit. In John’s case, Dr. R and Dr. S should have dissuaded Mr. John H from taking such a decision and that there was still a chance that John would survive. At the time John made such a decision, the two doctors had some chance of trying to improve John’s health even though it was in a deterioration state. It is the role of healthcare providers to provide

Heat Energy and Climate Change Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Heat Energy and Climate Change - Term Paper Example Heat energy emerges from behavior of atoms in a body and it can be quantified through temperature scale. Cheshire explains that atomic motion results in heat energy and possessed energy defines temperature (13). In addition, heat energy spread in an environment based on temperature gradient and moves from regions with high temperatures to regions with low temperatures, a definition that is consistent with Sang’s classification of heat as an energy transfer (81). Mechanism of heat also identifies and relates to the principles of motion and conservation of energy. Based on energy conservation law, energy cannot be â€Å"created or destroyed† but may be converted to other forms (Chesire 25). Newton’s first law of motion however explains that a body maintains its velocity unless an external force acts on it while Newton’s second law explains that force (and by extension, energy) is proportional to kinetic energy (Giordano 40, 41). Consequently, atoms in a body will continue to move at a constant aggregate force and retain the body’s heat energy unless an external force converts energy in the body, positively or negatively. Example of a change is converted energy into a body that would increase velocity of atoms to increase heat energy in the body. Laws of thermodynamics explain the relationship between heat energy and mechanical energy. From the second law of thermodynamics, mechanical energy can be converted to heat energy while the third law of thermodynamics explains that heat energy can be converted to mechanical energy (Giordano 535). Mechanical work can therefore yield heat energy and heat energy can be converted into mechanical energy for doing mechanical work. Direct heat transfer from a body or into a body occurs through conduction, convection, or radiation. Conduction is the heat transfer through movement of atoms from hot to cold regions and is common in metals in their atomic states and in ionic compounds. Convection is another

Achievements and Complaints of India Today Group Essay Example for Free

Achievements and Complaints of India Today Group Essay Operating for 36 years now, the company has consistently maintained incomparable goodwill and rapport in the market. The India Today Group continues to be the best and has steadily bagged major awards and notched up achievements over the years, some of which are: * Its news channel Aaj Tak won the Indian Telly Award for Best Hindi News Channel for the 10th consecutive year in 2010. * The Editor-in-Chief of Aaj Tak, Prabhu Chawla, won the Best News and Current Affairs Anchor Award at the Indian Telly Awards 2009. * The India Today Group publishes the Cosmopolitan magazine in India and has been featuring awards for Fun and Fearless Male and Female of the Year since 2002. * Cosmopolitan also showcases awards for the Best Bachelor of the Year. * Cosmopolitan further promoted the Practice Safe Sun campaign that fights against skin cancer * The India Today Group organizes several events like the India Today Conclave and ACUMEN, which deals with some of the major issues and businesses in the country. * The Vasant Valley School was started by the India Today Group to encourage education for all in the country. CONTROVERSIES AND COMPLAINTS In the recorded conversations between Nira Radia and prominent figures, referred to as the Radia Tapes, several prominent figures are heard in conversation with Radia amongst them were Prabhu Chawla, editor of India Today magazine and Shankar Aiyar, then with India Today Group . ONLINE CHEATING AND SCAM BY BAGITTODAY an INDIA TODAY Group: The company, bagittoday,an india today group company,known in ecommrce as living media india ltd cheated many people by not giving them promised service, gifts and evn asking the people for account nos with passwords . They realise payments through credit card/Online banking and do not send the material. October 14 was a sad day for Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid and the India Today group, which owns a number of print journals and TV channels, says B Raman A non-governmental humanitarian trust for assisting physically disadvantaged people with which Khurshids wife Louise is reportedly associated has been the target of allegations of wrongful use of funds amounting to approximately Rs 80 lakh sanctioned by the government for humanitarian relief. A Hindi TV channel of the India Today group and the India Against Corruption group headed by Arvind Kejriwal, a non-governmental activist, have been spearheading the campaign against Khurshid on these allegations against the humanitarian trust. The two campaigns have been trying to project themselves as separate from each other without any orchestrated co-ordination, but an undeclared, but evident convergence of objective between the two is discernible to any objective observer. That objective is to exploit the suspected misuse of the funds to cause public discomfiture to Khurshid.

Masking Ends in Deception, Much Ado About Nothing Essays -- essays res

Masking Ends In Deception?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare used many literary devices throughout his history to create timeless classics. Much Ado About Nothing is no exception. He used things such as themes, symbols and motifs to create this effect. Masking is the prominent motif in Much Ado About Nothing. It is seen many times over in this play. There are two kinds of masking that Shakespeare used in Much Ado. One is literal masking, this where a character actually wears a mask during the play. This is seen several times. There is also another form of masking that was used in Much Ado About Nothing, this is literary masking and this is when characters hide and/or makeup plots to put into others heads for a benefit or a cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Act II, scene i, a â€Å"masked ball† was underway in a hall in Leonato’s house. This is a prime example of literal masking. In the previous scene, Don Pedro learned of Claudio’s love for Hero. Since he is the â€Å"cupid† of this story, he decides that at the ball he will mask himself as Claudio to determine if Hero’s love is returned. So while at the ball, Don Pedro, masked as Claudio, dances with Hero and says, â€Å"Speak Low, if you Speak love.† Of course she agrees, and eventually she and Claudio plan to be married the following Friday.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During Act II, scene ii, Don John sets up a plan of yet another act of masking. His plan is set up so Borachio looks to be making love to Hero, yet he...

Race & Ethnicity in Our Society Essay

Race and ethnicity are important concepts and plays a great deal among our society. Very few of us are aware of the difference between race and ethnicity. Many of us assumed that is the same definition. In Sociology this terms have a very specific and different meaning. Race: Is your biological features this can include your skin color, eye and hair color, as well as a tendency toward developing certain diseases. Race can’t be changed or disguised. Race does not have customs or globally learned behaviors. In other words race refers to only your genetic history and identifiable physical characteristics that are separate and distinct from other races. For example Hispanics are always generalized as Puerto Rican. Skin color does not necessarily connect to your cultural background. Ethnicity: Is a concept referring to a shared culture and way of life. This can be reflected in language, religion, material culture such as clothing and food and cultural products such as art and music. Ethnicity is often a major source of social cohesion and social conflict. Ethnicity is not just a person’s race. For example the term Caucasian means white, but this term doesn’t describe a person’s ethnicity. We can have three white people from different parts of the world like Canada, Ireland, and England. Just by looking at them we can’t determine from what part of the world they are from. But, if we give them appropriate items from their culture, like religion, language, food preparation and preferences, then is easy to determine their origin. Ethnicity is about tradition, behaviors and customs. We can change our ethnicity but not our race. Ethnic groups have a consciousness of their common cultural bond. Ethnic groups doesn’t exist simply because of the common national or cultural origin of the group, they develop because of their unique historical and social experiences, which became the basis for the group’s ethnic identity. For example prior to immigration to the United States, any group of immigrants did not think of themselves as a distinct group with common interest and experiences. However, the process of immigration and the experiences they faced as a group in the United States, including discrimination, created a new identity for the group. Some examples of ethnic groups include Italian Americans, Polish Americans, Mexican Americans, and Irish Americans. Other ethnic groups are found in other societies such as in Afghanistan and Iraq, whose ethnicity is base on religious differences. Like ethnicity, race is a socially constructed category. A race is a group that is treated as distinct in society based on certain characteristics. Because of their biological or cultural characteristics, which are labeled as inferior by powerful groups in society, a race is often singled out for differential and unfair treatment. It is not the biological characteristics that define racial groups, but how they have been treated historically and socially. Society assigns people to racial categories such as blacks, whites, Hispanics etc. not because of science, logic or fact, but, because of opinion and social experience. Hispanics and blacks are perceived as minority group who share common characteristics like low status in society, there is more poverty among them, and low education standards. A minority group is any distinct group in society that shares common characteristics and is forced to occupy low status in society because of prejudice and discrimination. A group may be classified as minority on the basis of ethnicity, race, sexual preference, age, or class status. It is important to note that a minority group is not necessarily the minority in terms of numbers, but it is a group that holds a low status in relation to other groups in society. (Regardless of the size). The group that assigns a racial or ethnic group to subordinate status in society is called The Dominant group. One of the problems that have an impact on race and ethnicity is stereotypes. It is an oversimplified opinion and judgment about individuals of a social group. It is also a tendency where humans characterize a person of a race or ethnic group based on assumptions criticizing one’s appearance. Some examples of this are: Chinese and Indians are good in math and sciences, but are poor in English and humanities, White Americans are lazy, obese, and judgmental towards other races and are highly materialistic. Italians are always in a mob, Irish people are always drunk and African Americans are drug peddlers, thugs, good dancers, and good at athletics. Additionally, there are other forms of stereotypes such as: gender stereotypes that are based on an individual’s gender and some examples are: men make great business leaders and women make good homemakers, men are masculine and strong, women are good cooks, they want to have babies and make great nurses. Another stereotype is social class that is based on social status in society and some examples of this are: homeless people have behavioral problems, are into substance abuse, lazy and smelly, working class are naive and not street smart, and upper class are judged as being shallow, arrogant and untrustworthy There are several sociological theories about why prejudice, discrimination and racism exist. Prejudice and discrimination are two similar terms that deal with negative misjudgments and disrespect. Prejudice is unreasonable feelings and attitudes toward a social group based on preconceived preference without any knowledge or facts about that group’s race or ethnicity. There have been researches that state the origin of prejudice began from learning and observing manners from peers, parents, and the media. For example, if children imitate their parents complaining against another individual of a different nationality, then that child will mature and think negative ideas about those members of that culture. In the media, movies, magazines, books and newspapers depicted some nationalities in pessimistic images; for example, Japanese Americans were shown as sneaky and untrustworthy and American Indians were presented as scoundrels or submissive characters. As for discrimination, it is a behavior of contempt and insolence against members of a group rather than show consideration for an individual’s merit. An example of this is a landlord doesn’t rent an apartment to someone because that individual is mentally retarded and a property manager checks the credit records of all Hispanics and black applicants and sues small credit problems as an excuse to refuse to rent an apartment, but doesn’t always look at the records of white applicants and overlooks small credit problems in their records. Racism is a term where negative attitudes and behaviors are linked together and makes an individual belonging to a racial or ethnic group as intellectually, socially, and culturally inferior to one’s own group. Furthermore, there are many types of racism that exist in society such as: old-fashion racism, which deals with physical violence; aversive racism, is being stealthy or not interacting with someone of another race or ethnic; laissez-faire racism which occurred after the Second World War and during the 1950s , is a subtle but constant negative stereotyping of minorities, a tendency for whites to blame a racial group for gaps in socioeconomic standings, occupational achievement and educational achievement, and clear resistance to meaningful policy efforts designed to improve America’s racially oppressive social conditions and practices. The next racism is color-blindness because an individual affected by this type of racism prefers to ignore lawful racial, ethnic, cultural and other differences and insists that racial issues in America will go away if only race is ignored all together. Lastly, institutional racism is negative judgment and coercion of one racial or ethnic group by society’s existing institutions based on presumed inferiority of the oppressed group. An example of this is racial filing, where if an African American or Hispanic individual is arrested, they are considered to serve more sentence time than that of Whites and Asians. In fact, an African American or Hispanic who commits a crime, are more likely to get arrested than a White person committing the exact same crime. Yet, there are three types of sociological theories that study on the origins of racism, discrimination and prejudice. They are: functionalists, symbolic interaction and conflict. First, functionalist theory has its origins in the work of Emile Durkheim and it interprets each part of society as a whole. Meaning, that the different parts of society are organized to fill the different needs and each has particular consequences for the form and shape of society. Also, from this perspective, if there is disorganization in the system, such as deviant behavior, it will affect all other parts and create social problems, which later lead to social change. So, in order for society to maintain stability, racial and ethnic minorities must assimilate into society. Meaning, that this perspective assumes that in order for minority groups to be fully pledged members of society, they must adopt the culture of the dominant society and thus give up their own culture. But, assimilation stands in dissimilarity with pluralism, which is the maintenance and perseverance of one’s own culture, language, traits, practices, art, etc. Second, symbolic interaction theories have two types of issues addressing it: one, the role of social interaction in reducing racial and ethnic hostility and second, how race and ethnicities are socially constructed. So, contact theory, which it was originated with the psychologist Gordon Allport, argues that Whites and other minorities groups will reduce racism, discrimination and prejudice with each other, but only through these three conditions. First, the contact must be between individuals of equal status and both parties must interact on equal grounds. Second, the contacts between equals must be sustained; short-term contact will not decrease racism, discrimination and prejudice. Lastly, social norms favoring equality must be agreed upon by the participants. The third theory, conflict theory is based on class conflicts, which are inherent and fundamental part of society. Also, theorists argue that class inequality must be reduced to lessen racial and ethnic conflict in society. The current â€Å"class versus race† controversy has caused concerns of whether class or race is more important in explain inequality and its consequences of whether they are of equal importance. Those focused on class conflict, such as sociologist William Julius Wilson, have argued that class and changes in the economic structure are sometimes more important than race in improving the life chances for different groups. On the other hand, some sociologists such as Bonilla-Silva and Feagin argue the opposite. They say that race has been and is relatively more important than class – in explaining and accounting for inequality and conflict in society and that directly addressing the question of race forthrightly is the only way to solve the country’s race problems. Also, another perspective called intersection perspective refers to the interactive or combined effects of racism, classism and gender in the coercion of individuals. This perspective notes that not only are the effects of gender and race intertwined, but also both are intertwined with the effects of class. So, this is the reason why class, along with race and gender, are integral components of social structure, according to intersection perspective. Lastly, there have been individuals in history that have formed groups and organizations in order to attain ethnical and racial equality. These groups help show everyone that no matter what race or ethnicity someone belongs to, if individuals are willing to fight for civil rights and privileges, then they can make a change in society, no matter what consequences are in store. First, the civil rights movement was based on the passive resistance philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr., learned from the philosophy of Satyagraha of the East Indian Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi (meaning â€Å"leader†). This helped African Americans and black people to fight against segregation through nonviolent techniques, such as sit-ins, marches and appealing to human conscience in calls for brotherhood, justice and equality. Even though African Americans and black people fought for racial justice and civil rights before this movement, this movement brought greater civil rights under the law to many groups: women, disabled people, and the aged. In 1955, African American mistress and NAACP secretary Rosa Parks made an impact in history when she bravely refused to relinquish her seat in the â€Å"White only† section of the Montgomery bus. In addition, most of the bus drivers were African American and thanks to the action of Rosa Parks, the famous Montgomery bus boycott, led by Martin Luther King Jr. initiated. Impetus was given to the civil rights movement and the boycott due to the unspeakable death of Emmett Till in 1954. He was a black teenager who was killed in Mississippi only for whistling at a white woman in a store. So, a group of white individuals rousted Till from his bed at the home of a relative and beat him until he was dead and unrecognizable. Then, they tied a heavy cotton gin fan around his neck and dumped him in a river. Later on, Till’s mother allowed a picture of his misshapen son so that society could contemplate the horrific event that occurred and no one was prosecuted for till’s murder. The next movement known as La Raza Unida Party (The Race Party) was established on January 17, 1970 in Crystal City, Texas by Jose Gutierrez and Mario Compean. It centered on Chicano nationalism and in the 1970s, it campaign for better housing, work and educational opportunities for Mexican–Americans. It was originated by the Workmen of the World and it expanded to other states, such as California and Colorado. However, the novice city council did not implement the parties’ goals due to political and economic attacks from Anglo business, landowners in surrounding counties and political and economic attacks from Democratic and Republican parties. Still, La Raza Unida Party was still active and ran candidates for governor of Texas, Ramsey Muniz in 1972 and Mario Compean in 1974. But in 1972, they ran a candidate in a very competitive US Senate race in Colorado, Secundion Salazar, who received 1. 4% of votes. During the late 1970s, the party changed tactics to a more community based, grassroots, where Revolutionary Nationalist formations were seeking the unity of all Chicanos, Latinos and Native Americans in the southwestern of the United States by the proponents of the views of the Party, but not by non Chicanos, Latinos and Native Americans. Lastly, the American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by urban Native Americans. It agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership and sovereignty and its members in 1968 are: Dennis Banks, George Mitchell, Herb Powless, Clyde Bellecourt, Harold Goodsky, Eddie Benton-Banai, and a number of others in Minneapolis’ Native American community. The group was formed to address various issues concerning the Native American urban community in Minneapolis, including poverty housing, treaty issues and police harassment. In the decades since its founding, the movement had led protests advocating indigenous American interest, inspired cultural renewal, monitored police activity and coordinated employment programs in cities and rural reservation communities across the United States. In conclusion do not judge a book by its cover. Each race and ethnic group brings new learning experience to our lives. Each culture allows us to grow as human beings and this is what makes America a great nation.

Small-Scale Fish Farming in Bangladesh

Small-scale fish farming in Bangladesh Introduction For many people in Bangladesh small-scale fish farming is an important opportunity to generate income and is a significant nutritional source providing protein-rich food all year round. It comprises of a range of options that can be adapted to suit the needs and capacity of people living in rural Bangladesh. The two approaches commonly implemented on a small scale are: †¢ Local pond fish farming Open water fish farming in lakes, rivers, dams and reservoirs The benefit to low-income farmers is that they are able to invest in fish cultivation when there is sufficient income, which will then be able to generate additional income and food when other sources of income are limited. Much of Bangladesh is flooded annually during the monsoon season as water flows into the country through the Ganga (Ganges), Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. This provides an extensive range of habitats for wild and cultivated fish species.Fish catches are h ighest after the monsoon rains when supplies of other foods, such as rice, are low. With so much water, fishing plays a vital role in the economy of rural villages. Fish farming options Capital intensive One of the main trends in fish culture over recent years has been towards capital-intensive, high-input high-yield systems, which can dramatically improve the rate of production if operated in ideal conditions. The development of practical hatching techniques has vastly improved fish cultivation and allowed careful breeding and selection of desired species to take place.Although these techniques were introduced to Bangladesh some years ago, it has taken time for them to become established. Commercially produced fish have become a significant proportion of the total fish supply. But intensive cultivation methods increase the cost of fish production beyond the reach of poorer farmers. Consequently, alternative low-cost approaches have been promoted by NGOs working in the country. Fish farming for the poorAn enormous variety of water bodies, including rivers, irrigation canals, flood plains, beels (large depressions), ox bow lakes and ponds are dispersed throughout Bangladesh offering considerable potential for fish cultivation, but a general lack of capital, access to resources and knowledge means that many farmers are unable to provide all the commercial inputs required for intensive production methods. An alternative low-cost approach is more appropriate for many people, relying on existing water bodies and natural vegetation and household waste, supplemented with animal protein in the form of snails and homemade supplements for fish feed.Many NGOs are adopting strategies to minimise the inherent riskiness of fish culture by undertaking research into low-input systems, low-cost technology, fast growing species and alternative management practices. Pond culture Site selection is an important factor in the success of a fish farm but the ideal site is usually not available to poorer families. Site location will be dependent on a number of factors: †¢ The fish species being raised. †¢ Soil quality, which affects water quality and productivity. †¢ An adequate supply of water. †¢ Land ownership. Marketplace and market conditions. †¢ Fish food and other inputs available to the farmer. †¢ Groups adjacent to water. †¢ More than 1 metre water retention capacity for at least 6 months of the year. †¢ Pollution free. Ideally, the fishpond should be 0. 5 to 1. 0 metres at the shallow end and sloping to 1. 5 to 2 . 0 metres at the drain end. Drain vales, baffle boards or tilt-over standpipes should be incorporated into the design. It should be possible to drain the pond within three days. The edges of the pond should have a slope of 2:1 or 3:1 on all sides.If possible the pond should be located to take advantage of the effect of the wind on the surface of the pond to mix the water; although locations that are too windy can cause erosion of dykes. If the site is very windy the long side of the pond should be at right angles to the prevailing wind. Hedges and trees can be used to protect the pond. In practice, existing ponds and pools are abundant in Bangladesh, often located near to farmers’ homes. Small-scale fish cultivation is mainly a secondary occupation for farmers. These ponds tend to be small (less than 0. 5 acres) and do not have any water drain facility. They are commonly referred to as fishponds but are in fact â€Å"borrow pits†, where earth has been removed for building. Fish breading is just one of the activities that the ponds are used for. Other uses may include domestic water use, washing, irrigation or duck keeping. Ponds are occasionally integrated into paddy fields as additional ditches. Consequently, the ponds have many limitations for producing fish. In managing the ponds there are many potential problems to be considered, including: †¢ Broken pond ba nks; check the pond walls on a regular basis. An irregular water supply, too much water in the monsoon season and too little in the summer. †¢ Predators; check the pond for signs of snake and rat holes. The Boal fish is a particular menace that eats smaller fish. †¢ Grazing animals can damage the pond banks and should be kept out of the way. †¢ Silting or a build up of organic matter; check the bottom of the pond and scoop silt out when required. Mud on the bottom of the ponds can be agitated with a rope to release harmful gasses. †¢ Leakage; check the inlet and outlet on a regular basis. Fish diseases; check the fish on a regular basis. †¢ Poor water quality; lime can be added to improve the water quality. Open water fish farming Open water fish farming is particularly suited to Bangladesh with its many water sources. Cages or pens are used to separate an area of larger water bodies for fish cultivation. The selected water source should be of good quality w ith low turbidity. Dams and reservoirs primarily exist to store water but as a secondary function these bodies of water can be stocked with fingerlings or fry and the fish can be harvested later on using nets.In river locations a slow current is necessary and there should be little disturbance from water traffic. The disadvantages are: †¢ Fish farmers have little control of the water, as they do not own the dam or reservoir. †¢ Water cannot be drained, as the main function of the resource is to provide water. †¢ There are likely to be more predators of the fish in the water. †¢ It is not possible to feed or fertilize the water, as occurs in more intensive fish farming, so there is a reliance on naturally occurring fish food. There is a potential risk from disease but stock held in small-scale cages scattered around villages will probably be less vulnerable than stock held in more concentrated and centralized commercial systems. †¢ The risk from theft and van dalism is a serious problem in some places. This is especially real for the poorest people who are perceived as easy victims. †¢ A significant expansion of cage culture activities in some villages could lead to local depletion of snail or other foods, to the detriment of ducks and other domestic and wild animals. †¢ Multiple ownership of ponds can be a major drawback to the effective use of such resources.Consensus over access to the water for the poor has to be developed. Figure 2: Bilkish Begum and Hamida Begum working with fish cages (Photo credit: Practical Action / Zul) Fish cages Cages are used as a form of farming in their own right within flowing or large bodies of water and can also be used in small pond fish culture to protect fingerlings in the initial stages of development. Small cages with a capacity of one cubic metre are suitable for fingerling protection. The cage can hold up to 300 fish at a time. People grow fish in their local ponds using a simple fish c age known locally as a â€Å"hapa†.A few young fish are put into each â€Å"hapa†, which acts as their home, floating just below the surface of the pond. Cage construction Cages can be made using a few cheap materials. Bamboo poles form an outer frame that is covered in netting; inside is a â€Å"nursery† section for the younger, more delicate fish; and floats are added at the corners. A cage is a very simple means of restraining fish in one place and it can be easily made using local materials. Cage design must incorporate certain physical properties, including the ability to hold fish securely but also to be within the financial means of the cage operators.The cages presently used are small in size, measuring between 1 and 2m3, inexpensive and simple to construct. Farmers use both fixed and floating cages. In general, fixed cages are installed in water where the depth is relatively low and bamboo poles can be fixed into the riverbed or substrate. Floating cage s do not have this limitation and can be used in deep water. Floating cages tend to be easier to manage but when selecting the type and design the following points should be considered: †¢ Ability †¢ Input availability †¢ Natural disaster †¢ Type of water body Water depth †¢ Water current †¢ Water retention period over one year †¢ Social problem †¢ Cage management Fixed cages Fixed cages are very easy to construct and only require a small amount of capital investment. The materials needed to make fixed cages are netting with an 8mm mesh size, bamboo, rope, twine and sinker. Routine management is difficult for these cages and storms, strong currents, tidal surges and flooding may cause damage if precautionary measures are not taken. Fixed cages are difficult to move from one place to another during water fluctuation.A top cover is usually provided on cages to reduce the risk of fish escaping, especially in areas prone to flash floods where wate r levels rise very quickly. A small opening is kept at one edge or in the middle of the top covering for feeding purposes. A feeding platform made of fine mesh is placed on the bottom of each cage to minimise food loss. To fix the cage, four bamboo poles are fixed in the substrate and the four top and bottom corners of the cage are tied to the bamboo poles with nylon rope, allowing the cage netting to stretch.To minimise installation cost and to reduce daily management labour, cages are sometimes fixed in rows with a narrow space between the adjacent cages. Floating cages The size of the cage is usually 1m3. A top net is always used to minimise escapees because the cage is only a few centimetres above the water surface. The top of the cage is on hinges that can be opened to allow feeding, the checking of fish, the removal of waste and harvesting. A layer of fine mesh net is placed along the bottom of the cage and 10 centimetres up each side which reduces food loss.However, where wat er has a high turbidity, the use of fine mesh is not recommended as it clogs up the mesh and causes structural stress on the cage frame. In these areas, feeding trays should be used instead of fine mesh. Buoyancy is achieved by using four plastic floats (buoys) which are tied to the four horizontal frames, approximately 10 centimetres from the top of the cage. Bamboo frame cage To make a 1m3 bamboo cage, twelve one metre long bamboo sticks (about 2cm in diameter) are required and fixed into the holes of the angles, one angle for each corner, giving a box shape. Advantages and disadvantages of fixed and floating cages | |Fixed cages |Floating cages | |Advantages | |Cost per unit is small |Water volume remains constant even with a fluctuation in the water | |Not damaged by storms |level | |Easy age management |Cage can be installed in deep water | |Cage bags spread properly in the water |Floating cage with box type frame gives adequate space inside | |Easy to construct | |In tidal water bodies the effective cage depth is greater | |Disadvantages | |Water depth inside cage varies with the fluctuation of the water |Cost per unit is higher than fixed cages | |level |Algae deposits on cage net affect the water exchange | |Vulnerable to tidal surge and storm |Cage management i. e. cleaning, moving and sampling are not easy | |Cage cannot be installed in all types of water bodies |Due to water flow sometimes the cage bag does not spread properly | |Prone to crab cutting |Easy to steal fish by lifting the cage | |Poorer fish growth and higher mortality rate |During flooding may wash away | Cage managementCare of cages – cleaning of aquatic weeds nearby, removal of water hyacinth, cleaning of waste feeds from cages, cleaning of deposited silts from cage, removal of dead fishes, checking cage frames, floats, ties, anchors, feeding trays etc. , cage shifting, considering the water level, checking water pollution and guarding. Care of net – Algae attachme nt should be cleaned at regular basis to ensure water exchange, net holes must be checked properly and need quick repairing when necessary. Care of fish – profitability depends on proper attention to the fish growth, regular, adequate and quality feeding is important. Fish health and disease should be monitored during feeding and sampling.The fish must be fed daily using aquatic weed or a mixture of rice bran, oil cakes, kitchen waste, chopped snails or cow dung. Minimising risk of cage culture †¢ Appropriate cage design can help minimise failure. †¢ The use of more than one cage per household greatly reduces the risk of an individual losing all fish. †¢ Placing many cages together in clusters also reduces the risk of poaching. †¢ Individual farmers can form groups that can guard the fish and therefore considerably reduce potential poaching threats. Fish types Fish is an important part of the diet for the people in Bangladesh providing protein calcium, fat ty acids and vitamins.Traditionally, a variety of local species were used in ponds, mainly carp, caught from the wild as spawn (fertilised eggs or small fish). One of the main drawbacks of this source of supply is that along with the desired fish species come many undesirable ones Most of the species currently used in the cages in Bangladesh are exotics. However, for decades these fish have bred naturally and distributed themselves throughout the flood plains and the delta. Common fish types The selection a suitable fish species will depend on various biological and economic factors, such as; †¢ Market price †¢ Growth rate †¢ Ability to reproduce simple culture of young fish Match of fish and available fish feed †¢ Water temperature is an important criteria in assessing which fish species is suitable. The main types of cultivated fish are Carp, Tilapia and Catfish. Other fish suitable to cultivation are eel, tawes, mullet, snakeskin, and rohu. Some fish are more suitable to pond conditions than others, some fish will not adapt the confined conditions while others such as the indigenous Koi (Anabas testidunous) have been found to thrive in cages. Small indigenous species In addition to the main cultivated species there are many indigenous breeds of fish that play an important role in the nutrition of the population.These fish are classed as small indigenous species although not all fish within this classification are particularly small. Of the 260 species of fresh water fish found locally, over 140 species are classified as Small Indigenous Species (SIS) and account for over 80% of the total catch, consumed by the poorer section, as preferred species. The term SIS would seem to be a recent re interpretation of the Bangla word chotmach (literally small fish) as opposed to Boromach (literally large fish). Common fish within the small indigenous species category include: Figure 3: Bilkish with prepared food for her fish (Photo credit: Practical Action / Zul) †¢ Small catfish †¢ Knifefishes Snakeheads †¢ Needlefishes †¢ Minnows, Rasboras, and bards †¢ Loaches †¢ Anchovies and sardines †¢ Spiny eels †¢ Climbing perch †¢ Gobies †¢ Mud Perches †¢ Glassfishes †¢ Fresh water prawns Small, low-value fish are particularly important for the extremely poor after the rice harvest when the demand for their labour declines. Feeding the fish With the non-intensive approach it is possible to feed fish on nothing more than scraps and waste, duck weed, oil cake, kitchen waste, rice bran and snails which will provide all the nutrition required. Some low-cost feeds are bought in by the households, typically rice bran and oilcake, but these costs are minimal.Occasionally, the diet may be supplemented with commercially available compound feeds. In most cases a mixture of diets is offered, according to their availability and needs of the fish. Fish harvesting and marketing Growth is r apid in the warm climate of Bangladesh and the fish attain marketable size within 3-9 months, providing farmers with a rapid return on their investment and labour. Fingerling production culture cycle is between 1 and 2 months. Cage nursery producers can sell fingerlings to the pond farmers and ox-bow lake operators. Fish for food culture cycle is between 4 and 6 months. Fish food producers consume the cage fish as well as selling them in the market.Figure 4: A group of landless women discussing finances in Madaripur (Photo credit: Practical Action / Neil Cooper) Profitability depends on many factors including the type of water body and culture, cage construction materials, the choice of fish species, fingerling size and price, stocking density, feed price, availability of protein rich feed, culture duration, cage management, harvesting and marketing. Another concern relates to economies of scale. Almost all enterprises are subject to economies of scale, and cage culture is no except ion. The labour of looking after one small cage is far greater per kilogram of product than that for looking after a large one.The cost of the cage per kilogram of production will also be higher for a small cage versus a large cage. However, co-operative use of labour can be used to realise economies of scale in relation to labour, and this is already done in many villages. The third concern, related to the second, is comparative advantage. A significant proportion of the fish is intended to be sold for cash rather than consumed by the farmer and his family. In the medium term, an important question is whether small-scale producers in villages are well placed to compete – either with larger commercial producers, or producers from elsewhere. If they are not, and if competition increases, then prices – and returns – will steadily decline.In practice there is strong local demand for fish throughout the country, and small-scale producers are well placed to serve wid ely-dispersed rural markets. Secondly, the use of surplus off-season and/or family labour is itself a comparative advantage. Thirdly, in those systems which use local food resources, such as natural foods and kitchen wastes, feed costs are relatively low compared with those for commercial producers. Small-scale fish producers should therefore be able to survive competition in much the same way as village-scale poultry producers have survived, and even to some extent benefit from the increasing number of intensive poultry operations. References and further reading †¢ Small-scale Freshwater Fish Farming by van Ear et al.Agromisa 1996 †¢ Cage and Pen Fish Farming: Carrying Capacity Models and Environmental Impact FAO Fisheries Technicla Paper 225, 1984 †¢ Food, Livelihoods and Freshwater Ecology: The Significance of Small Indigenous Fish Species, ITDG Bangladesh, 1999 For further information, please contact: Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Devel opment Bourton-on-Dunsmore Warwickshire CV23 9QZ United Kingdom Tel: + 44 (0)1926 634400 Fax: + 44 (0)1926 634401 E-mail [email  protected] org. uk Website: www. practicalaction. org Practical Action Bangladesh G. P. O. Box 3881 Dhaka 1000 Bangladesh Tel: + 880 – (0)2 – 8111934, 9110060, 9123671 Fax: + 880 – (0)2 – 8113134 E-mail: [email  protected] org. bd

Principles of Management as Prescribed by the Mahabharata Essays

Principles of Management as Prescribed by the Mahabharata Essays Principles of Management as Prescribed by the Mahabharata Essay Principles of Management as Prescribed by the Mahabharata Essay Western management philosophy may have created prosperity – for some people for some time at least but it has failed in the aim of ensuring betterment of individual life and social welfare. It has remained by and large a soulless edifice and an oasis of plenty for a few in the midst of poor quality of life for many. It does not give a sense of fulfillment what an individual desires at the end. (Aids Foundation of Bill Gates may be an example. ) Mahabharat depicts a path of Dharma as the sole objective, be it individual or corporate, since the same ensures maximization of happiness of all groups. An unholy desire to achieve results by any means often becomes counterproductive in the long run for the corporation and the country as a whole. Hence, there is an urgent need to re-examine prevailing management disciplines their objectives, scope and content. Management should be redefined to underline the development of the worker as a person, as a human being, and not as a mere wage-earner. With this changed perspective, management can become an instrument in the process of social and indeed national development. Gita however talks about Nishkam karma which helps one to achieve results more effectively in the long run by pursuing a path of Dharma. The two main pillars of Gita are abhyas (practice) and tapasya (penance). Going by this the corporate sector should continue doing the right thing ceaselessly by adopting the right means with a single-minded objective in mind ( Abhyas) and should not get swayed under any temptations or distraction and bear the hardships in the short run( Tapasya). With these two principles results will automatically come which will bring satisfaction to all groups be it customers, shareholders, vendors, workers, etc. 2. The Management Principles: Now let us re-examine some of the modern management concepts in the light of the  Bhagavad Gita  which is a primer of management-by-values. Mahabharat is not plainly the story of a war or a source of wisdom for philosophers. It exposes the secrets of leadership and the path to success. Mahabharat can be considered equivalent to other management bibles. Whether it is man management, human/organisational behaviour, game theory, management by objectives, all aspects of modern management can be discovered in various characters and episodes of the great epic. Bhishma, an honest manager caught in diametrically opposed clashes, who was forced to take wrong decisions by forces beyond his power. Yudhisthira is a flawless example of managerial acumen. Karna, a manager who fought his way up the ladder but could not keep up with the pressure and tensions and met a tragic end. Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, a daredevil leader without a business-plan of escape. He fought his way into the chakravyuha, but failed to come out and was brutally cornered and killed by Drona and others. Draupadi is the typical model of a woman powerhouse who kept others motivated till the goal is achieved. And Lord Krishna is the ideal example of a leader-manager who kept his eye on the target till the desired outcome was achieved. i) Honor Thy Competitor The Mahabharata tells us that one should never humiliate his competitors. Competitors should be treated with dignity. The great Kurikshetra War itself could be avoided if the pride of Duryodhan had not been hurt. When Duryodhan came to the palace at Indraprastha of the Pandavas he was mesmerized by its beauty. He mistook the crystalline edifices to be water bodies and vice versa and every time he made such a mistake the Pandavas and Draupadi made no efforts to hide their amusement which hurt Duryodhan’s pride beyond repair which laid the seeds of war in his mind. ii) Business consideration above personal consideration Dhritarashtra was the patriarch of the Kauravas. He was extremely partial towards his eldest son Duryodhan. He was blind not only literally but also figuratively. He was blind to his son’s faults. He took all decisions in Duryodhan’s favour irrespective of whether it was morally right or wrong be it the decision of sending the Pandavas to 14 years in exile or planning to murder the brothers and their mother at Vanavrata. This led to disastrous consequences. A person who is the head of an organization must take his decisions with an eye to the general good overriding personal considerations. His extending favours to his close subordinates must not be at the cost of the corporate health. He must keep his eyes and ears open and be aware of the limitations and shortcomings of his chosen successors or heirs. iii) Adaptability The Pandav brothers were not only great Kshatriyas skilled in weaponry and the art of warfare but also well versed in other humbler skills such as cooking, tending the cows and horses, dancing, etc. It was their versatility and adaptability that enabled them to complete their exile in the forest for 12 years and also the 13th year in disguise in King Virat’s court without any glitches. Had these princes born into the royal household, used to the royal comforts of their princely heritage not been so adaptable and adjusting they would have found it difficult to bear the rigors of a forest life and the humiliating positions of attendants in the royal court. Similarly, a good manager should be conversant with all aspects of the organization he works for from the shopfloor to the boardroom. He should be ready to exchange his suit for the gloves. iv) Making wise choices An important lesson of management science is to choose wisely and utilize scarce resources optimally. During the curtain raiser before the Mahabharata War, Duryodhana chose Sri Krishnas large army for his help while Arjuna selected Sri Krishnas wisdom for his support. This episode gives us a clue as to the nature of the effective manager the former chose numbers, the latter, wisdom. v) Attitudes towards work Three stone-cutters were engaged in erecting a temple. An HRD Consultant asked them what they were doing. The response of the three workers to this innocent-looking question is illuminating. I am a poor man. I have to maintain my family. I am making a living here, said the first stone-cutter with a dejected face. Well, I work because I want to show that I am the best stone-cutter in the country, said the second one with a sense of pride. Oh, I want to build the most beautiful temple in the country, said the third one with a visionary gleam. Their jobs were identical but their perspectives were different. What the  Gita  tells us is to develop the visionary perspective in the work we do. It tells us to develop a sense of larger vision in our work for the common good. vi)Dedication towards work A popular verse of the  Gita  advises â€Å"detachment† from the fruits or results of actions performed in the course of ones duty. Being dedicated work has to mean â€Å"working for the sake of work, generating excellence for its own sake. † If we are always calculating the date of promotion or the rate of commission before putting in our efforts, then such work is not detached. Working only with an eye to the anticipated benefits, means that the quality of performance of the current job or duty suffers It is not â€Å"generating excellence for its own sake† but working only for the extrinsic reward that may (or may not) result. Some people might argue that not seeking the business result of work and actions makes one unaccountable. In fact, the  Bhagavad Gita  is full of advice on the theory of cause and effect, making the doer responsible for the consequences of his deeds. While advising detachment from the avarice of selfish gains in discharging ones accepted duty, the  Gita  does not absolve anybody of the consequences arising from discharge of his or her responsibilities. Thus the best means of effective performance management is the work itself. Attaining this state of mind (called â€Å"nishkama karma†) is the right attitude to work because it prevents the ego, the mind, from dissipation of attention through speculation on future gains or losses. ii)Self- actualization- The Ultimate Goal Today’s management principles say that satisfying lower order needs such as food, shelter and clothing ensures that an employee puts in his maximum effort and it keeps the employee motivated. However, that is not the case. It is a common experience that the dissatisfaction of the clerk and of the Dir ector is identical only their scales and composition vary. On the contrary, a lowly paid schoolteacher, or a self-employed artisan, may well demonstrate higher levels of self-actualization despite poorer satisfaction of their lower-order needs. This situation is explained by the theory of self-transcendence propounded in the  Gita. Self-transcendence involves renouncing egoism, putting others before oneself, emphasizing team work, dignity, co-operation, harmony and trust – and, indeed potentially sacrificing lower needs for higher goals, the opposite of Maslow. â€Å"Work must be done with detachment. † It is the ego that spoils work and the ego is the centerpiece of most theories of motivation. We need not merely a theory of motivation but a theory of inspiration. viii) Work culture An effective work culture is about vigorous and arduous efforts in pursuit of given or chosen tasks. Sri Krishna elaborates on two types of work culture – â€Å"daivi sampat† or divine work culture which includes fearlessness, purity, self-control and â€Å"asuri sampat† or demonic work culture which includes egoism, delusions, improper performance and work not oriented towards service. Mere work ethic is not enough. The hardened criminal exhibits an excellent work ethic. What is needed is a work ethic conditioned by ethics in work. It is in this light that the counsel, â€Å"yogah karmasu kausalam† should be understood. Kausalam† means skill or technique of work which is an indispensable component of a work ethic. â€Å"Yogah† is defined in the  Gita  itself as â€Å"samatvam yogah uchyate† meaning an unchanging equipoise of mind (detachment. ) Tilak tells us that acting with an equable mind is Yoga. The  Gita  further explains the theory of â€Å"detachment† from the extrinsic rewards of work in saying: If the result of sincere effort is a success, the entire credit should not be appropriated by the doer alone. If the result of sincere effort is a failure, then too the entire blame does not accrue to the doer. The former attitude mollifies arrogance and conceit while the latter prevents excessive despondency, de-motivation and self-pity. Thus both these dispositions safeguard the doer against psychological vulnerability, the cause of the modem managers companions of diabetes, high blood pressure and ulcers. Assimilation of the ideas of the  Gita  leads us to the wider spectrum of â€Å"lokasamgraha† (general welfare) but there is also another dimension to the work ethic if the â€Å"karmayoga† (service) is blended with â€Å"bhaktiyoga† (devotion), then the work itself becomes worship, a â€Å"sevayoga (service for its own sake. (This may sound a peculiarly religious idea but it has a wider application. It could be taken to mean doing something because it is worthwhile, to serve others, to make the world a better place ) ix)Manager must show superior judgement In the book, the  Mahabharata, we come across a king by the name of Yayati who, in order to revel in t he endless enjoyment of flesh exchanged his old age with the youth of his obliging youngest son for a thousand years. However, he found the pursuit of sensual enjoyments ultimately unsatisfying and came back to his son pleading him to take back his youth. This â€Å"yayati syndrome† shows the conflict between externally directed acquisitions (extrinsic motivation) and inner value and conscience (intrinsic motivation. ) In today’s world also a manager must not be swayed by external vagaries. He must have a sound mental health which is the very goal of any human activity more so management. Sound mental health is that state of mind which can maintain a calm, positive poise, or regain it when unsettled, in the midst of all the external vagaries of work life and social existence. Internal constancy and peace are the pre-requisites for a healthy tress-free mind. x) Manager must follow the ‘actions speak louder than words’ policy â€Å"Whatever the excellent and best ones do, the commoners follow,† says Sri Krishna in the  Gita. The visionary leader must be a missionary, extremely practical, intensively dynamic and capable of translating dreams into reality. This dynamism and strength of a true leader flows from an inspired and spontaneous motivation to help others. 3. conclusion Sri Krishnas advice with regard to temporary failures is, â€Å"No doer of good ever ends in misery. Every action should produce results. Good action produces good results and evil begets nothing but evil. Therefore, always act well and be rewarded. All clouds will vanish. Light will fill the heart and mind. I assure him of this. This is the message of Holy  Gita. This discussion doesnot suggest discarding of the Western model of efficiency, dynamism and striving for excellence but to tune these ideals to Indias holistic attitude of â€Å"lokasangraha† for the welfare of many, for the good of many. This is indeed a moral dimension to business life. What we do in business is no different, in this regard, to what we do in our personal lives. The means do not justify the ends. Pursuit of results for their own sake, is ultimately self-defeating. (â€Å"Profit,† said Matsushita-san in another tradition, â€Å"is the reward of correct behaviour. † – ed. ) REFERENCES 1. You Can Win- Shiv Khera 2. managementparadise. com 3. citehr. com XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

10 Signs You Shouldnt Take the Job

10 Signs You Shouldnt Take the Job You’ve been searching and searching and finally you find yourself with a job offer in hand. Trouble is, there are a few red flags. How do you know when you should really turn a job down instead of taking it? Remember: you’ll spend a significant chunk of your adult life at work. You might as well not be miserable. Here are ten ways to tell if you should pass and hold out for something better:1. Unprofessional/Untimely CommunicationIf your perfectly reasonable emails with questions go consistently unanswered. If you receive communications that are not clear, thorough, or respectful. If appointments or interviews are cancelled at the last minute without explanation or apology. If your questions are dodged or not answered to your satisfaction†¦ None of this bodes well. If a company can’t get it together in the hiring process, chances are the job itself will be even more frustrating.2. Ghost companyYou’ve Googled and Googled and you still can’t find any substantive information about the company. Or worse- what information you can’t find is bad or negative press. Or bad Yelp reviews! Or worst- bad reviews from former employees. One or two outliers shouldn’t be a big deal; but consistently negative information? Run.3. Aggressive InterviewerIf your interviewer starts giving you the hard sell and trying to convince you to take the job on the spot, that’s not a great sign. It smacks of desperation. Similarly if a recruiter tries to push you in the direction of a particular job. No job is immediately perfect without going through the proper process. And you can always take time to think it over and say no.4. TurnoverYou’re looking at an old company, but none of the employees have been there for more than a year. Ask yourself why the company has such a hard time keeping good people on long term? This is especially true if your interviewer starts badmouthing her current team.5. Repeat AdsYou keep seeing the same job posting popping up on job sites. Over and over again. This is never a good sign.6. Asks for moneyAs outlandish as this sounds, it does happen, and you should be wary of it. If anyone asks for money for background checks or training, just cut and run.7. Defeated workersIs the climate in the office chilly, doomy, or gloomy? Do all the employees look hunched over and defeated? Read their body language and the energy in the room. Does it look like they want to be there?8. No path forwardThere’s no mention of how you might grow into and beyond your position. Don’t let yourself get stuck in a dead end job. Similarly, if there’s no clear description of the job’s duties or your role. If they can’t tell you what success would look like in your position, it will be impossible for you to succeed in such a place.9. Bad bossHonor that feeling in your gut that says you just don’t like your potential supervisor. Either they don’t seem to t rust you or you get a bad vibe from them. Trust this instinct and save yourself months or years of unhappiness.10. Instant hireBe wary of any company that wants to hire you on the spot without calling any of your references or doing a background check. It could just be a super casual company policy, or it could speak of desperation on the employer’s part. Which, again, is never a good sign.

Emergency Operations Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emergency Operations Plan - Essay Example Emergency Management Introduction and Overview of the Environment Pleasantville is an Atlantic city which is located in New Jersey, USA. The total population of this American city is approximately 21 thousands in the total area of 7.298 square miles. Pleasantville is considered to be more prone towards encountering natural disasters because of its geographical location which lies in the Atlantic county (Christen, Callsen, Miller, & Lord, 2011). The total number of natural disasters in Pleasantville that has been counted is significantly higher than the total average of United States. Pleasantville is not only exposed to earthquakes but this city contains the potentiality to encounter numerous other natural disasters including storms, tornados and floods. In this context, emergency management plays a significantly crucial role to cope up with the challenges which any emergency situation can arise in Pleasantville (Christen, Callsen, Miller, & Lord, 2011). Emergency Management Elements In order to design an emergency operational plan, the analysis of elements of emergency management is sufficient. There are five elements which are considered in emergency management. ... These five plans will be discussed in the following headings. Mitigation Plan Mitigation plan is a course of action which state governments and local governments acquire in the identification of risk and vulnerabilities which are related with a natural disaster. It is used to develop enduring strategies in order to protect people and their properties from the hazard of natural disaster. Mitigation plan includes identification and profiling of natural disasters in accordance with the area along with the vulnerabilities of people, structures and crucial facilities (Fagel & Fagel, 2012). In Pleasantville, schools, hospitals and recreational facilities are vulnerable from the potential catastrophe of earthquakes (Christen, Callsen, Miller, & Lord, 2011). Preparedness Plan Preparedness plan is acquired with the intention of coping up with the emergency situation through practical anticipation of the hazard. It involves strategies which are made by local and state governments along with ot her community services like rescue service provides, police and emergency medical service providers to reduce the risk from the natural disasters like earthquakes. Preparedness plan is acquired to practically imply to reduce the dangers of natural disasters through anticipation and training of individuals along with the capacity for authorities to deliver appropriate decisions in the emergency situations (Oliveira, 2007). Response Plan In the state of emergency, the initial steps are considered to be most crucial which can potentially safe numerous lives and property damages. Emergency response plan contains the acquisition of preparedness plan and generates a system for the state and local governments along with

Judea Declares War On Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Judea Declares War On Germany - Essay Example Germany at that time was going through an economic crisis so the declaration was really a surprise. I was also surprised to see such a document which is a facsimile of the original British newspaper. First, I never realized that Jews were very powerful during that time- financially and politically. Imagine, thousands of Jews in the US forming assemblies to bring down Germany on its knees through an economic boycott. The thing that shocked me was the fact that Jews were always represented as poor, helpless people on movies about the Holocaust. This piece of information in history actually confused me because it changed my ideas about the Jews. Another thing that I can say about this article is that the way the news was written seems biased. The news did not seem to report only the facts because it was followed by articles with words about â€Å"Hitler’s terror†. If I were reading that newspaper that time, my opinion against the Germans would also be influenced negatively because I would feel that they are bad people. The lesson that I can learn from this article is that people should be conscious of their accusations against another group of people because they may not want the consequences later.