The Journey of Telemachuss Ma essays

The Journey of Telemachus's Ma essays The Journey Of Telemachuss Manhood Telemachus is the son of Odysseus and Penelope. After twenty years of his fathers absence, Telemachus is advised to seek out information as to his fathers whereabouts, which he does in the courts of his fathers' friends: Menelaus and Nestor. Although Telemachus is just a boy when we are introduced to his character, he makes the transition from a boy into a man, and that man is one day going to be a reflection of his father, Odysseus. Telemachus leaves on a journey to Pylos, the stately citadel of Neleus, to find information on his fathers' whereabouts. At the house of Nestor, the tamer of horses, Telemachus shares wine and sacrifices to the Gods that he may accomplish his task and get home safely afterwards. After the sacrificing is completed Nestor asks where he is from and why he is here. Telemachus replies We are from Ithaca, which lies at Neions foot, and have come on private not public, business. I am searching through the length and breadth of the land for any news that I can pick up of my royal father, the gallant Odysseus. When King Nestor hears that Telemachus is Odysseuss son, he is more than willing to help him, however the only information that he can give to him is that his father is alive on the island of the nymph Calypso. The most important issue that King Nestor brings up is that Menelaus and Helen have just arrived from a remote region that even the birds cannot make the passage in a ye ar's time. That morning, after King Nestor and Telemachus had their fill of wine and food, King Nestor announced his wishes. Fetch Telemachus a pair of horses and harness them to a chariot so that he can be getting on his way. And so Telemachus and Peisistratus came to the rolling lands of Lacedaemon, deep in the hills, and drove up to the palace of Menelaus. When they arrived at Menelauss palace, there was a great feast i...

Terrorism and Illegal Immigration

Terrorism and Illegal Immigration Not all illegal aliens crossing our borders are looking to take advantage of the American way of life; some are looking to destroy it. The uproar over Arizonas new immigration law leaves the impression that all immigrants illegally entering the state are Mexicans. But according to a 2006 report from the House Committee on Homeland Security, an increasing number of illegal immigrants from nations known to produce, train and harbor Islamic terrorists are using the Southwest border as a gateway to the United States.While the Committees report, A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border, focuses on criminal activity and violence taking place along the Southwest border of the United States between Texas and Mexico, it also brings to light the increasing frequency with which Other than Mexican (OTM) persons from 35 special interest countries known by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to harbor Islamic terrorists are illegally entering the United States. Based on U.S. Border Patrol statistics there were 30,147 OTMs apprehended in FY2003, 44,614 in FY2004, 165,178 in FY2005, and 108,025 in FY2006. Most of them were apprehended along the U.S. Southwest border.The sheer increase of OTMs coming across the border makes it more difficult for Border Patrol agents to readily identify and process each, thereby increasing the chances that a potential terrorist could slip through the system. Moreover, there is no concrete mechanism for determining how many OTMs evade apprehensions and successfully enter the country illegally. Where Do the OTMs Enter the United States? While most illegal immigrants of all nationalities are apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol in the Tucson sector of Arizona, the vast majority of OTM and Special Interest Alien apprehensions take place along the Texas border - specifically in the McAllen sector. Since September 11, 2001, DHS has reported a 41percent increase in arrests along the Texas/Mexico border of Special Interest Aliens, states the report. From FY2001 to March 2005, 88 percent of Special Interest Alien apprehensions for both the Southwest and Northern borders occurred in Texas.   Where Do The OTMs Come From? According to the report, hundreds of OTM illegal aliens from special interest countries from countries including Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Cuba, Brazil, Ecuador, China, Russia, Yemen, Albania, Yugoslavia and Afghanistan have been apprehended in the South Texas region alone since September 11, 2001. Just recently, U.S. intelligence officials report that seven Iraqis were found in Brownsville, Texas in June 2006. In August 2006, an Afghani man was found swimming across the Rio Grande River in Hidalgo, Texas; as recently as October 2006, seven Chinese were apprehended in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas. Evidence of Terrorist Ties Far from basing their ties to terrorism on the OTMs nation of origin alone, Border Patrol agents have, in many cases, found frightening physical evidence, according to the Committees report. A jacket with patches from countries where al Qaida is known to operate was found in Jim Hogg County, Texas by the Border Patrol. The patches on the jacket show an Arabic military badge with one depicting an airplane flying over a building and heading towards a tower, and another showing an image of a lions head with wings and a parachute emanating from the animal. The bottom of one patch read martyr, way to eternal life or way to immortality. Confirmed Terrorists Apprehended A few of the apprehended OTM illegal immigrants with confirmed ties to terrorist groups listed in the congressional report include: Neeran Zaia - arrested on September 8, 2004 - headed an organization responsible for smuggling more than 200 Iraqi, Jordanian, and Syrian nationals into the United States. When he was arrested, U.S. Customs agents discovered that Zaia had a prior conviction for human smuggling.Mahmoud Youssef Kourani pleaded guilty on March 1, 2005 to providing material support to Hezbollah. Kourani is an illegal alien who had been smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border after bribing a Mexican consular official in Beirut for a visa to travel to Mexico.Salim Boughader Mucharrafille - was arrested in December 2002 for illegally smuggling more than two hundred Lebanese, many believed to have ties to Hezbollah into the United States. The Problem of Getting OTMs Out of the US Prior to the Secure Border Initiative, the Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had a real problem getting Other Than Mexican illegal immigrants out of the United States. Even though most OTMs enter the U.S. from Mexico, Mexico will not accept them. Instead, they may only be sent to their native country, or any third country that will accept them.According to the 2005 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, Border Security: Apprehensions of Other Than Mexican Aliens, the DRO lacks adequate bedding space to house every OTM apprehended by ICE. As a result of this, states the CRS report, the majority of OTMs apprehended by the USBP are released into the interior of the United States with notices to appear before an immigration judge. Most of these released OTMs fail to show up for their hearings and are not ultimately removed.Since going in to effect in November 2005, the Department of Homeland Securitys Secure Border Ini tiative (SBI) has employed an expedited removal process that enables ICE to remove OTM aliens to their home countries in from 15 to 30 days. When the Secure Border Initiative was first initiated, ICE inherited close to 4,000 OTM aliens awaiting removal from the United States. According to ICE, close to 3,000 of those OTMs have been removed from the country so far.

Standardized Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Standardized Organization - Essay Example Following Ruest and Ruest (2006): "Standards are the key here. Organizations that run non-standard systems are faced with several potential issues on an ongoing basis" (3). Design of the structure involves such central issues as how the work of the organization will be divided and assigned among positions, groups, departments, divisions, etc., and how the coordination necessary to accomplish total organizational objectives will be achieved. This, it is important to note that standardized organizations can be found outside IT environment. In general, standardized organization means a structure of the organization based on certain standards and rules which guide and support organizational performance. Standardized structure allows companies to maintain control through the use of certain rules. Choices made about these issues are usually publicized in organizations charts. "Standard processes are a lot easier to automate because they are repeatable and predictable" (Ruest and Ruest 7). The behavior in a standardized organization is influenced by a system of variables (technical, individual, social and organizational inputs), it is obvious that such formal documents are only one method of signaling to individuals what behavior is expected of them. Nevertheless, this method is important because it is so widely used by managers to define and communicate their expectations of other organization members, encourage them to undertake collaborative activity. While our central focus is on the basic structure, we shall have more to say about these operating mechanisms later. In standardized organization, units which are required to integrate their activities closely are grouped together, because the common superior can then work to achieve the required integration through the management hierarchy (Robbins 8). In the stable environment, successful organizations tended to be what the authors called "automation." There is more reliance on formal rules and procedures. Decisions are made at the lower levels of the organization. The spans of supervisory control are narrow. They found that successful organizations in industries with different production technologies are characterized by different structures. The structure of organization is one variable in a system affecting behavior in organizations and providing a conceptual framework which is sufficiently comprehensive for analyzing and solving structural design problems. As such, "standardized processes rely on automation to reduce potential diversity within deployed systems" (Ruest and Ruest 2). Rather than thinking of division of work as only affecting the economies and efficiencies of task performance, Ruest and Ruest (2006) recognize that each unit is itself a subsystem in which members would develop particular orientations and structura l patterns, depending on their task and their predispositions. Since different units are working with different parts of the environment, these units would develop differentiation to some degree or other, depending upon the specific environment. For instance, "In a non-standard environment, there is simply no such thing as service level agreements. It is understandable: how can you predict how well a service will run if you cannot state with determination how it was

Judaism and the Roots of Western Reli Coursework

Judaism and the Roots of Western Reli - Coursework Example Their belief lies in the principles that goodness will be rewarded by the God and sins will be certainly punished in the Judgment after death. They also have a strong belief that God would send Messiah to the world by the End of Days to redeem his people to the Promised Land. There are also various religious practices and ethics followed by the Jews, based on their belief in one God. In addition, the laws in Torah, the Jewish bible, form the foundation for their religion based customs and practices. Their way of worship is traditional, three times a day, by reading the scriptures of Torah. According to their customs, Sabbath, the holy day of rest is observed on Saturday, as a reminder about God’s rest after creation. Also Jews are prohibited to do specific kinds of work on that day. Those prohibitory practices are clearly mentioned in their scriptures. The most common Jewish symbol is the ‘Star of David’ that is used to represent them in synagogues. Rise of Synago gues Synagogues, in the olden days, acted as a place for community gatherings on Sabbaths and festivals. Later, after the exile of large number of people from the holy land, the tradition of sacrifice ceased with the prayer being viewed as the means of worship. This established the development of synagogues as an institution where daily prayers, community meeting and religious studies were observed. Soon after the destruction of the Holy Temple, synagogues were given a significant importance as the central place of Jewish religious life, especially for their social and religion based practices. â€Å"After the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. the synagogue emerges as a well established institution and the center of the social and religious life of the people.† (Harris, 2010). Though the actual origins of synagogue are not clearly stated in the annals of history, scholars infer that might have got originated right from the olden days of Babylonian exil e. However, there is a common misconception that synagogues started to emerge only after the destruction of their temple. This is indeed a wrong concept as synagogues always existed, even during the times of Temple. However, the key point is that the destruction of the Temple primarily led to the rise of synagogues as places of worship. Over the course of time, synagogues replaced the central sanctuary in Jerusalem holding the Ark with the Torah scrolls and the Ner Tamid, the everlasting flame. Comparison of Jewish traditions There exist three variants of Jewish traditions - Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed Jews, differing minimally and maximally by the customs and beliefs that they hold and practice. Orthodox Jews are those who attach the highest level of importance to the scriptures and the prayers, by strictly adhering to the Sabbath laws and traditional beliefs. Conservative Jews are slightly liberal in their belief of Judaism adapting it in line with their contemporary life, which is much contrary to the Orthodox Jewish beliefs which states that the customs and laws of Torah should not be altered or rejected, by any means. In the early 19th century, the Reformed Jewish traditions were formed in response to the Enlightenment in Germany, adopting Judaism as a religion rather than a race or culture. They rejected most or all of the rituals performed pertaining to Torah but much emphasized the ethical aspects of the religion. Unlike Conservative and Orthodox Jews, they hold a belief that Torah is merely a good

History of French Cuisine from Conventional to Extraordinary Essay Example for Free

History of French Cuisine from Conventional to Extraordinary Essay Derived from the French language, bon appetit has been a familiar saying known around the world. Meaning good appetite or enjoy your meal, bon appetit exemplifies the French culture. The French have been known for centuries of elegant and exquisite cuisine especially gourmet desserts. Located in Western Europe between Italy and Spain, France has been a hotspot of enriched ancient culture. France flourished into a tourist location which ignited a change in Frances commercial kitchens. Chefs were obliged to create dishes that appealed to a growing audience. French cuisine has evolved extensively over the centuries. However, centuries of bliss and creativity was dampened with years of anguish and turmoil, when Germany occupied France during the Second World War. France’s once plentiful food supply quickly turned scarce. This forced cooks to utilize new substitutions for ingredients and start practical meal planning. The hardships the French cuisine faced during 1940-1944 simultaneously changed the French lifestyle. Modern French food now embodies simplicity yet class; rustic yet modern. Once having everything then being stripped away to nothing, France needed to rebuild a cuisine embracing the past, present, and future. Therefore beginning from World War II to modern day, French cuisine has experienced many changes whereby impacting French culture. An adversary of Germany, France sustained a significant setback when Germany took control. Prior to the German occupation, French food was known has haute or grande cuisine. Traditional haute cuisine is highly noted all around the world. The food is well known due to the immense amount of preparation and presentation that goes into each dish. Precision plays a crucial role in creating an exquisite haute meal (Franklin). However, haute cuisine ceased to exist under German occupation and subsequent food shortages. Lines were long in front of French shops as people hoped to purchase depleted foods and staple products. Burdened with these difficulties, the French government instituted food charts and tickets which were to be exchanged for French staples. Items such as butter, bread, and meat were being rationed. Traditional cuisine then became obsolete due to citizens skimping on spices and decorations. Although the government tried to provide food subsidies, hunger still existed affecting the youth in urban areas. With the absence of standard foods normally seen in their diet, the French people searched for new European dietary substitutes (Beaufort). They ate unusual vegetables, such as Swedish turnip and Jerusalem artichoke. Products such as sugar were replaced by alternatives such as saccharin. In lieu of coffee, toasted barley mixed with chicory became the beverage of choice (â€Å"French Classics†). Scams and trickery got the best of people who were desperate for a meal during this time. Some people utilized the black market. There people could sell food without government tickets. Resulting in the prices being extremely high. Counterfeit food tickets were also in circulation. Along with the black market there was also direct buying from farmers in the countryside. The above activities carried the risk of fines and punishments as they were strictly prohibited by the government. In remote country villages vegetable gardens, the availability of milk products, and illicit animal slaughtering provided better survival for the people verses those living in the large cities (Beaufort). Wine played a key role during World War II as well. Wine is commonly consumed during festive occasions it has been utilized during war as well. Over the years, wine has made an unusual appearance on the battlefield. Commanders have allowed their troops to consume wine on the front lines hoping for an increase in performance and moral. During World War II, the combination of wine and war played out in a heartfelt way. The French army did everything in their power to keep their wine and their national identity out of the hands of the invading German forces (â€Å"Saving†). Although, the German forces did invade France, the consumption of wine on the frontline gave hope to the French soldiers that traditional French culture was being preserved during and after the war. The liberation of France began on June 6th, 1944. The Allied forces put forth into to action their plan, D-Day which was the invasion of France. After World War II, tourism signaled a new beginning for French cuisine. Tourism introduced the demand for haute cuisine at a reasonable price. Japanese, Middle Easterners, British, Americans, and even French travelers were yearning for new food experiences. French chefs were now determined to start a new style of cooking, one that would keep some traditional recipes but implement new ones. New cuisine was a counteraction to the classic haute cuisine (Franklin). New cuisine or Nouvelle was the answer that chefs from all parts of the world were looking for. Nouvelle cuisine had several characteristics. For example it was important that high quality and fresh products were utilized for cooking. The chefs would travel to markets every morning and look for the freshest products. These new and improved cooks would not fathom the idea of using any product that was not absolutely fresh or needed preservatives. Chefs simplified menu cards deleting a long list of dishes. Smaller quantities and choices meant no leftovers guaranteeing freshness. Chefs were looking for quality and became more attracted by unfamiliar products. Foreign influences prevailed and chefs began to use exotic products from Asia, North Africa and Italy (â€Å"Nouvelle Cuisine†). In new cuisine recipes, fewer ingredients were used to enhance purity and light sauces substituted creamy, thick ones. Flexible preparation methods and more experimentation with non-traditional flavors allowed new cuisine to become popular (Franklin). Fortunately, this new cooking style is said to be less fattening. Chefs used limited meat in new recipes which stems from the shortage of meat during World War II. It is perfect for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, the new cuisine was prepared with lighter ingredients such as herbs, quality butter, lemon juice, and vinegar. This flexible and less expensive cuisine mainstreamed into restaurants and other eateries (Beaufort). One byproduct of the new cuisine is the menu de degustation or tasting menu that was offered in many restaurants. Achieving notoriety, diners were eager to sample all of the dishes of the new cuisine. Each member in a group had the opportunity to order a different appetizer, main course, and dessert. Tasting menus gave the diners the convenience to experience many varieties. Another byproduct of new cuisine is the choice of a la carte. It is a menu in which the patron makes individual selections from various menu categories and each item is priced separately. Serving single portions was seen as a rare new talent to chefs (Olver). The French culture was launched and savored by people around the world. World War II impacted French living for the better by reevaluating French values and introducing new French cuisine ideas. French cuisine influenced other cultures as well and many countries adapted new French cooking methods. Throughout the centuries, France was noted for its grandiose and eccentric lifestyle. Rich foods and lavish feasts were an integral part of the France culture. Chefs prepared French cuisine with the finest ingredients. Wine was served and enjoyed at every meal. Food was plentiful for all. All of this changed rapidly with the German Invasion in 1940. A ravaged and war torn country left the French people forced to explore new and less expensive ways to provide meals solely for survival. Yet, despite the devastation and hardship the French citizens endured, they utilized these cost effective measures and the importation of ingredients into the development of the nouvelle cuisine. Tasting menus and ala carte menus, not to mention exquisite appetizers and desserts, created the ultimate dining experience enjoyed by patrons. Thus emerged the world renowned and delectable French cuisine that is so popular today.

Halting Mad Cow Disease Hysteria Essay -- Health Food Disease Meat Ess

Halting Mad Cow Disease Hysteria If you had to choose between having Mad Cow Disease or becoming the top scientist in your field, which would you choose? The answer is obvious. Most realize that Mad Cow Disease, i.e. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, is a fatal disease that has been present among cattle populations in Europe over the past couple decades. In BSE, brain cells begin to die, forming sponge-like holes in the cow’s brain tissue. Evidence shows that consumption of infected cattle could correspond with the contraction of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a similar disease in humans. Although few people have been diagnosed with CJD worldwide, they remain fearful of showing symptoms of CJD; commonly resulting in death within a year. For this reason, many Americans panicked when becoming aware that the first case of BSE was discovered in the United States in December of 2003. Unfortunately, the media is quick to show infected cows, distempered and shaking in their stalls, without giving sufficien t information of the disease’s origin or the preventative measures being taken to halt its spreading. Before consumers restrict beef intake from their diets they should consider their risks. In America, chances of developing BSE is far slimmer than becoming infected with other food-borne illnesses. Although many Americans were recently startled by a reported case of Mad Cow Disease in the United States, they are assured protection from infection by: consumption of selected meats, closely guarded packaging plants, and regulation in beef imports. To fully understand the spreading of BSE, one must first know the diseases origin. The cause of the disease is not official, but three theories are considered. The fi... ...eats contact. Finally, families who eat spinal or nervous tissue of cows can greatly reduce their risks of developing mad cow disease by not purchasing such items. The beef industry is willingly under surveillance, making all attempts to produce safe and healthy products. American residents should be assured that all necessary precautions have been taken to keep Mad Cow Disease out of the United States and consumer-friendly beef on market shelves. An excerpt from the FDA Consumer Magazine leaves the nation with this very â€Å"important message from both the Harvard and GAO studies. . . We must continue to work hard to make a good system even better. The FDA and the states will continue their aggressive inspection program and will continue to work closely with all components of the cattle and feed communities to help make a, thankfully, low public risk even lower.†

Operational Research Essay

Stock control or Inventory control has been in use for a long time. While small organizations may use manual methods to track their stock, complex global organizations make use of sophisticated systems like ERP’s to handle inventory control. There are various stock control methods in use. The methods used by a business organization depend upon not only the size and complexity but the type of industry it is in. A DIY superstore may use a method like the Order Point where the demand is driven by the customer’s buying patterns with little or no control by the manufacturer. As against this, a stock control method like MRP is used in companies like the Executive Upholstery Company where demand is dependent upon sales forecast and the sales orders. In the following paragraphs the stock control methods used by Executive Upholstery Company and DIY superstore are examined and also compared with each other to provide insights into the two methods discussed. Order Point Method – DIY superstore Supermarkets, warehouses and even some manufacturing companies tend to use Order Timing Decisions or Order Point methods for inventory control where the demand is not certain. The demand pattern in a DIY superstore is seasonal and is dictated by the consumers. The demand is independent of the manufacturing processes and many variations in demand need to be considered while controlling the inventory. Traditionally stock control was done using guess work to identify the stock levels and re order points. Factors like Safety Stock, EOQ, an Lead Times were not considered. Because of the huge numbers of items involved, and also the need to cope up with variable and uncertain demand patterns, manual methods gave way to some techniques like ABC/ VED analysis; Forecast Order Point. In ABC analysis, for instance, the inventory is categorized by the importance of the contribution to the final product cost. Some classification can be the ‘most important’, ‘important’ and ‘less important’. In the Forecast Order Point method of stock control, the future demand is calculated using the historical demand patterns. Time series methods like simple average, weighted average and exponential smoothing methods can also be used to forecast demand more accurately. In the DIY superstore example, the simple average method was used to forecast demand and lead time. Based on the 5 weeks of Master Production schedule, re order point for various items for the week6 were determined. Table 2 below shows the reorder point for the various items based on the 5 weeks of maser Production Schedule. The inherent problem with this technique is that it assumes that the forecast is near accurate and there is safety stock. In a weighted average method of forecasting technique, weighting to the most recent demand is given more and less to the earlier weeks. Techniques like Exponential smoothing are used to forecast the demand more accurately when there are trends in data and data is available for a longer period of time. Considerations like Safety stock and Service Level need to accounted for while using any forecasting technique. MRP in Executive Upholstery Company MRP is used when the demand is more certain and is based on sales forecasts, sales orders. It uses a time phased production schedule dictated by the capacity available. MRP uses, apart from this top level demand, inputs like Bill of Material, Stock on hand, Purchase orders already placed. Bill of materials lists all the parts and components required to make finished products and subassemblies. A structure diagram for BOM can be made using various levels with the finished product being at level 1. Manufacturing organizations do use stock files and work order files. Stock files list current stock of all parts: finished, raw material and sub assemblies. Work order files list replenishment orders which have been already placed. The main consideration of MRP is to produce a set of ‘time phased requirements’ (orders) for each component in the system at specified intervals of time – days or weeks. The first step in MRP is to identify the Gross Requirements for each component or assembly – how many in each time period. The Gross Requirements for each part in the example at table 1 is arrived at by identifying the demand quantity of each of the three types of chairs (Captain, Recliner and Director) from the Master Production Schedule and multiplying this quantity by the quantity in each part in its bill including the parts of sub assemblies and then adding them up all to arrive at the total demand for each part. While calculating the Gross Requirements, the lowest level components are used. Also, the beginning inventory(stock on hand) as well as the purchase orders pending were taken into consideration while calculating the net Requirement for each part. Another concept used in the example in Table1 is the Planned Order Releases which are scheduled orders by taking into consideration lead time, lot sizes. Summary MRP solves more complex issues like which part to order and when for a production process which are not easily amenable in a stock control method like Order Point. Order Point calculations do not take into consideration lot sizes, safety stock, and the more methodical approach of calculating Gross Requirements and net Requirements of each part involved in a finished product.

Unions at the Work Place

Work dominates modern life. Work can be satisfying, enjoyable and rewarding. Many of the difficulties which face several nations today arise from the fact that, over many years, a lot of people who want to work have been denied the chance to do so. Most employers treat their workers fairly. But some do not. Complaints about the way they were treated by their employer are rampant. Even the best bosses can make mistakes from time to time. Unions exist to help people at work and make the work place a better place. Basically, unions work on the simple principle that while an employer might be able to ignore the views of a single worker, if all workers speak with one voice the employer has to take notice. Unions encourage their members to take part in collective decisions on workplace issues and these views are then put to the employer. From time to time, Union members in the same workplace will get together to talk about common problems. The issues most likely to come up are pay, safety, unfair treatment of a group or individual, or simply the way the work is organized. The union members will usually elect someone to speak on their behalf – a shop steward or office representative. The rep will then discuss their concerns with management. Where the union has a recognition agreement with management they reach decisions together on key issues. In bigger workplaces there will be a number of representatives, sometimes from different unions, speaking on behalf of different groups of workers. And in very big workplaces some of these union representatives will spend much of their working day dealing with union business, talking to management helping solve problems on behalf of their members. Most sensible employers welcome these arrangements. They understand it is better for workers to have an independent means of dealing with problems rather than letting them fester or hoping they will be sorted out by the supervisors or line managers who are sometimes the cause of the problems. However, is that enough? Shall Unions' responsibility be limited to those of their kinds or should it be widened to apply coverage to the whole society at large? Ross M. Martin, in the book Trade Unionism – Purposes and Forms, p. 62 wrote: â€Å"The responsibility of the part to the whole is inseparable from the idea that society is an organism. For the trade union that means a responsibility which extends beyond the membership, beyond the class, to society at large.† When we talk of trade union, we talk of association of workers for the purpose of improving their economic status and working conditions through collective bargaining. Historically there have been two major types of labor unions: the horizontal, or craft, union, in which all the members are skilled in a certain craft (e.g., carpenters); and the vertical, or industrial, union, composed of workers in the same industry, whatever their particular skills (e.g., automobile workers). A company union is an employee-controlled union having no affiliation with other labor organizations. The term closed shop refers to a company that hires only union members. In a union shop, employees are required to join a union within a specified time after being hired. An open shop does not restrict its employees to union members. Labor unions are essentially the product of the industrial revolution of the 19th century. In Great Britain, miners and textile workers were organized in the 1860s. Most European labor organizations today are either political parties or are affiliated with political parties, usually left-wing ones. In Britain today there are almost 23 million people in paid employment. Most of them spend up to a quarter of their lives at work – longer, on average, than anywhere else in Europe. Today almost seven million people in Europe belong to TUC unions (founded in Manchester in 1868) that is almost one worker in every three. Wherever people work there are union members – or potential union members. They include men and women; full-time and part-time workers; people in big businesses, and those in small ones; people who work for the government and those who work for themselves. Union members are no different from anyone else, except they tend to be better paid and have better working conditions because they have someone to stand up for them. Unions contribute to the success of an enterprise by helping employers plan for the future and manage change. Some of the most dynamic companies work routinely with the unions to keep their workforce informed on crucial issues. The development of worker and union involvement in an enterprise is known in Europe as ‘social partnership'. In some workplaces arrangements to involve workers more closely have been developed with formal â€Å"works councils†. European regulations require such works councils for large companies that operate in more than one EU country. They also require consultation where big changes or redundancies are planned. Sometimes companies and unions have to find imaginative solutions to changes in demand for goods and services. The social partnership approach allows both sides to explore ways of working to the benefit of employees as well as the enterprise. Many union movements in the underdeveloped countries have led anticolonial campaigns toward political independence. In the United States, Unions began developing in the 1830s. Among the important early organizations were the Knights of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World. A milestone in the history of American unionism came in 1886 with the formation of a group that eventually became the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), an association that includes nearly all of the larger U.S. Unions. The U.S. Labor movement gained support from such new deal laws as the Wagner Act (1935), creating the National Labor Relations Board, but later was restricted by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959. By the late 1970s some 20 states had banned the closed shop through right-to-work laws. In bargaining with companies in economically troubled industries in the 1980s, U.S. Unions often sought to save existing jobs through concessions (give-backs) of earlier gains, and in 1993 unions unsuccessfully fought passage of the North American free trade agreement, fearing job losses if it were ratified. U.S. Union membership has steadily declined from its peak of 35.5% of the nonagricultural workforce in 1945; in 1992, when U.S. Unions had 16,390,000 members, it stood at 15.8%. Today there are unions in virtually every country in the world. In countries as far apart as South Africa and Poland unions have been at the forefront of campaigns for social change. Internationally, world trade unionism was split after 1949 between two rival organizations: the World Federation of Trade Unions (1945) and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (1949). The International Labor Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Essays

Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Essays Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Paper Persuing a Career in Civil Engineering Paper Why do I want to be a civil engineer? Until recently, I did not know the answer to this question myself. I was extremely confused when it came to choosing a career. There were so many fields that interested me that I found it difficult to make up my mind. Then I read about civil engineering, an occupation involving the construction of buildings, roads, and bridges. As I looked further into civil engineering, I began to like many aspects of this career. Civil Engineers play a crucial role in the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings. Before beginning construction civil engineers plan layout and every other aspect of a building. As the article â€Å"Architecture (building)† on Microsoft ® Encarta ® remarks â€Å"Architecture must satisfy its intended uses, must be technically sound, and must convey aesthetic meaning† because â€Å"Architecture is a social art† (page 1 of 19). Structural engineers are principally concerned with the structural form of a building, whereas architects are concerned with the integration of the building functions, form, mechanical system, as well as the building itself. It is through their collaboration that complex building can be designed. Designing the overall frame of a building is the first step in constructing a viable and stable structure. According with the Attila Lawrence’s article on the â€Å"architectureweeek† web page, â€Å" In today’s competitive business environment, corporate cultures tend to focus on improving product quality while minimizing costs and managing risks†, (page 1 of 2). Furthermore, the English poet Sir Henry Wotton said: â€Å" Well building have three conditions: Commoditie, Firmenes, and Delight† (qtd. In Architecture (building) page 1 of 19). Structure and aesthetics of a building are related through efficiency, lightness, elegance, and the principles of minimizing weight and using the least material possible to control cost. Civil engineers and architects together design in detail the various components of a building and the materials to be used. According with the article â€Å"Building Construction† on Microsoft ® Encarta ®, â€Å" The major elements of a building include the following: The foundation, the structure, the exterior walls, the interior partitions, the environmental-control systems, the vertical transportation communications, and the power, water supply system†, (III elements of a building, page 2 of 12). Furthermore, as the article â€Å"Building Construction† on Microsoft ® Encarta ® remarks, â€Å"As a eneral rule, state laws require a registered architect or engineer, or both, to execute the design and to make sure the design complies with public health, zoning, and building-code requirements†, (II construction industry, page 1 of 12). Thus the designs of a building are not only influenced by the principles of physics and economics but also by laws t hat are set down by every culture to make buildings conform to their standards. Another factor that influences the design of a building is technology. The article Architecture (building) Microsoft ® Encarta ® explains: â€Å"Architectural form is inevitably influenced by the technologies applied† (page 1of 19). One such technology is the AutoCAD design software. It is used to design sophisticated construction, mechanical, and electrical, structures. According to professor Curtis Burkett, â€Å"AutoCAD is an excellent software that had changed the way of drawing plans and design structure† (personal interview). Paper designs of buildings are a thing of the past. In the age of computers, civil engineers design and test their structures on computers. Civil engineers use their knowledge to make the calculations required for the design of projects and supervise the drafting. Susan Knack in the article â€Å" who builds big† says that the most fun thing about civil engineer job is â€Å" applying problem-solving skills to resolve real-life problems, visiting job site, seeing my designs transformed from paper to real life, and every once in a while, getting to rappel off a building,† (page 2 of 3). Civil engineers calculate the most efficient way to put together the various components of a building, and establish detailed programs for the coordination of site activities. Eugene L. Bass in the article â€Å"The Law Civil Engineering,† says: â€Å"The law has attempted to be of assistance in providing a definition of supervision of the construction of engineering structures. It means the periodic observation of materials and completed work to determine general compliance with plans, specifications, and design and planning concepts,† (page 1 of 2). During construction the civil engineer is charged with the responsibility of insuring that the facility is constructed according to plans and specifications and that the materials and equipment incorporated in the project are those that were called for in the original design. Construction site are among the most dangerous of all industrial workplaces. In the article â€Å"The law Civil engineering† by Eugene L. Bass, â€Å" Supervisions of the construction of engineering structure does not include responsibility for the superintendence of construction processes, site conditions, operations, equipment, personnel, or the maintenance of a safe place to work or any safety in, or about the site† (page 1 of 2). Civil engineers have the control over the employees and the job site, and are the overall coordinators of the work, but they are not responsible for the safety of the workers at the construction site. Protecting construction workers from injury and disease is among the greatest challenges in occupational safety and health. For the construction workers is important to have contractual protections from responsibility for jobsite safety. Civil engineers continuously check the integrity of the buildings, and carry out any emergency reapers that might be required. According with the article â€Å"Building Construction,† Microsoft ® Encarta ®: the contractor, architect, and engineer are legally responsible for any deficiencies in the construction or design for a period of several years after acceptance,† (II construction industry, pages 2 of 12). A civil engineer skill is the knowledge of methods and techniques as applied in surveying and construction and maintenance of works. Furthermore, civil engineers have to take preventive measures to stop corrosion of building parts. For example, Susan Knack in the article â€Å"Who builds big? † explains things that engineers are use to do for the maintenance of a building. She says: â€Å"I investigate why buildings leak and deteriorate and design new construction and repairs to deal with these problems,† (page 1 of 3). Civil engineers have many ways to examine deteriorate building parts, but the most common is the nondestructive evaluation.. According with the article â€Å" Nondestructive Evaluation for Historic Preservation,† Architectureweek web page, â€Å" An investigation usually begins with a walk-through survey of the entire site and structure† then â€Å"A close inspection can then take place, documenting all or selected areas of the building† finally â€Å" An inspection of building systems may address all or only some elements and features of the building, including site and subsurface conditions,† (page 1 of 7). In conclusion civil engineers conceive, plan, construct, and operate facilities that meet basic human needs. It is an exciting field where I can use my creativity to build beautiful, useful and lasting structures. Moreover, civil engineers play an important role in a culture in the sense that a culture is known by what it creates and leaves behind for future generations. I have determined that civil engineering is the career that I want to pursue. I am counting on my passion for building structures that are unique to succeed in this field.

Easy and Common German Adjectives to Remember

Easy and Common German Adjectives to Remember Beginning German learners usually learn basic common adjectives first, such as gut (good), schlecht (bad), schà ¶n (pretty), hsslich (ugly), neu (new), alt (old). But your knowledge of German adjectives could grow exponentially without much mental effort, if you used what you already know with some slight modications. Being aware of the following will help you learn a whole array of easy German adjectives. Cognate Adjectives:The German language has a surprising large amount of cognate adjectives in English. They differ mostly by their suffixes. There are only slight differences between these adjectives in the two languages. Even if you dont remember these differences when speaking, the adjectives resemble one another so much, that a German speaker would understand what you are trying to say :(dont forget to switch the c to a k when writing them!) English adjectives ending in : diagonal, emotional, ideal, normal, national, original English adjectives ending in : tolerant, interessant, elegant English adjectives ending in : excellent, intelligent, kompetent English adjectives ending in : generell, individuell, offiziel, sensationell English Adjective ending in : allergisch, analytisch, egoistisch, musikalisch English adjective ending in :aktiv, intensiv, kreativ, passiv English adjective endings in : freundlich, hungrig, persà ¶nlich, sportlich Using Present and Past Participles as Adjectives:Though you need to know how to form participles to begin with, these are easily mastered. (See Participles) Basically one changes a present or past participle into an adjective simply by adding the appropriate case ending.For Example:The present participle of schlafen is schlafend.Das schlafende Kind - The sleeping child. (See Present Participle)The past participle of kochen is gekocht.Ein gekochtes Ei - The cooked egg. (See Past Participle) Adjective Combinations:These types of adjectives give a nice punch to conversation and serve to further itensify and emphasize what you are trying to say. (Just make sure to not overuse them.) The easiest ones to remember are the ones that are a literal translation from English. There are several of them and are mostly adjective combinations with colors and some with animals:Color adjectives with ... dunkel (dark), hell (light) and blass (pale)etc.For Example: dunkelblau (dark blue), hellbraun (light brown), blassgelb (pale yellow)same: schneeweiß (snowwhite) rabenschwarz (ravenblack), blutrot (bloodred)Animal Adjective Combinations:Some of these are not at all expressed in English in the same way, nevertheless the visual picture associated with these adjectives make them easy to remember.aalglatt - to be smooth like an eelbrenstark - to be strong like a bearbienenfleissig - to be busy like a beemausarm - to be as poor as a mousehundemà ¼de - to be dog-tiredpudelnass - to be wet like a poodlewieselflink - to be as swift as a weasel

Life Span Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Life Span Development - Research Paper Example Children go through many physical and emotional changes and these years play a very important role in the lives of individuals as its effects last for the rest of the life. According to Erik Erikson’s theory of socio-emotional development, a person develops skills, self-esteem, confidence, a sense of responsibility, and learns about love and family values (Rosenthal, Gurney, & Moore, 1981). By the time a person reaches young adulthood, a person focuses more on interpersonal relationships and looks for a partner to commit to, which increases a sense of belonging. Erikson calls this stage Intimacy vs. Isolation (Rosenthal, Gurney, & Moore, 1981). A study concludes that romantic love in young adults consists three main factors: connectedness, attraction, and painful love (Seiffge-Krenke, Shulman, & Kiessinger, 2001). The relationship of a person with parents, the marital status of parents, and a number of other factors related to different stages of development have a significant effect on the romantic love of young adults (Seiffge-Krenke, Shulman, & Kiessinger, 2001). Selecting a life partner is one of the most important decisions of young adults and has a significant influence on the life of a person. Social Penetration is a term used to define relationships that move from liking to greater closeness and intimacy (Altman & Taylor, 1973).

Women's movments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women's movments - Essay Example Mass women’s movements are no longer there since the beginning of the era of organizations that acts on their behalf such as the National Organization for Women. Opposition to women demands also led to the decline and the backsliding of the women’s movement in many forms such as silence and backlash in legal attacks on the actions taken, and the media portrayal of some women. There were also a lot of opposition from politicians, employers, and bureaucrats in the private and the public arena as Epstein (2002) asserts. The job evaluators were not keen on increasing women’s salaries to equalize it with the mens but wanted to protect the interests of their private employers. Employers also opposed any pay rises due to the fear of high costs, and working men feared a pay cut to increase the womens wages. Men with masculine superiority never wanted women work to be equal to theirs and opposed the idea greatly. There were also employment and economic changes by capitalists aimed at achieving flexibility, maximize profits, and make the movement weak. Males were opposed to payrise for women, as they wanted them to remain inferior to them in all aspects (Ehrenreich, 2005). Many changes occurred in the organizations such as labor movements not related to feminism leaving feminism organizations to focus on races, cross-class, and global focus.Women remain the active caregivers with or without pay. One major cause of the decline in the womens movement is the continuous attack on feminism and the decline of the other activist’s movements that encouraged women to demand their rights. There is a big decline in the Black Power Movements and the civil rights such that they have weakened. The other groups such as the gay and lesbian rights groups nowadays have no direction and the movement’s leaders are not willing to discuss the problems facing movements in the