Friday, December 27, 2019

The Dark Colonialism and Racism in Heart of Darkness - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 614 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/06/10 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Heart of Darkness Essay Did you like this example? In Joseph Conrads lifetime, little objectiveness was made over his 1899 novella Heart of Darkness. Be that as it may, Throughout the span of the previous century, Conrads once-dark work about a man, Marlow, traveling down the Congo River, has turned out to be a standout amongst the most studied and most examined pieces of literature. It remains today, a standout amongst the most omnipresent things in school course syllabi around the United States and with it comes a varying range of perspectives, studies, and emotions. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Dark Colonialism and Racism in Heart of Darkness" essay for you Create order This novella, which likely has Conrads numerous endowments as an author, has been perused as a scorching evaluate of European colonialism in Africa. It makes a point, all things considered, of demonstrating the dangerous impacts the colonial exertion has on the mind of both its storyteller and its focal point, Kurtz. It goes to lengths to scrutinize the prudence of ill-natured Europeans. So intensely installed in the social cognizance of the book. Which is all to state that its not astounding that such a generally perused work ought to be the subject of a lot of controversies. For this situation, the controversy begins with how Conrads writings are frequently proclaimed as a triumph of anti-colonial estimation, it is indeed, just as racist as you would ordinarily expect nineteenth-century writings on Africa to be. However Conrad contemplates everybody he writes about, he portrays Europeans as the victims of colonization notwithstanding its culprits. To mind, the willfully vague and strange depictions that Conrads narrator uses to portray the general population and culture he experiences on his outing exhibit, rather than presenting a particularly optimistic or particularly pessimistic portrait of Africa and its culture, there is no representation of the portrait by any means. By privileging the European viewpoint, stating nothing by making every single African character basically mute and having indistinguishable masses of eeriness, Conrad reaffirms the regular story of Europes predominance over Africa. In any case, for Marlow as much with respect to Kurtz or for the Company, Africans in this book are for the most part seen as objects. Marlow alludes to his helmsman as a piece of machinery, and Kurtzs African mistress is, best case scenario a bit of statuary. It very well may be contended that Heart of Darkness takes part in a persecution of nonwhites that is significantly viler and a lot harder to cure than the open maltreatment of Kurtz or the Companys men.It ought to be maintained a strategic distance from the Europeans due to its otherness, its mysteriousness, and its assumed mediocre-ness. While readers may sensibly blame Conrad for tending to the topic of personal racism and bigotry while disregarding principal presumptions of European superiority incorporated within the structure of the book, there are differences that raise imperative questions concerning how and why we read. Extraordinary novelists like James Joyce and F. Scott Fitzgerald in some cases peppered racial slurs into their writings, and poor demeanors toward women abound throughout the commencement of writing, yet we are, presumably appropriate ly, detest to surrender to Ulysses (1922) and The Great Gatsby (1925). At what point does a specific delineation or portrayal go from incidentally offensive to possibly ruinous? How would we analyze the legislative issues of a masterpiece in a way that is reasonable for both writer and reader? Do we read essentially to be engaged and entertained, or do the books we perused unpretentiously shape our perspectives? Regardless of whether history eventually chooses that Heart of Darkness is too racist to possibly be extraordinary writing or too incredible to possibly be bigoted, we can, at any rate, express gratitude toward it for forcing readers and researchers to go up against their own suspicions about literature.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Capital Punishment A Moral and Economic Disaster

Capital Punishment: A Moral and Economic Disaster The average cost for a death penalty case in the United States of America is 2.4 million dollars. Currently, the number of people on death row is 3261. The government, therefore, would have to pay a little over 7.5 billion dollars to execute every single person on death row (â€Å"Death Penalty Statistics†). The United States government can alternatively spend this large sum of money in numerous ways aside from taking people’s lives, such as saving them, by putting the funds into projects like reducing health care costs, ending poverty, or expanding education, social prosperity would increase significantly. In addition, the government should not take a sacred human life based on limited evidence provided by an attorney that is trying to prove the guilt of the individual. Furthermore, when man tries to put himself in the place of God, too much power is put into the hands of a few individuals, which often leads to disaster . Although some may claim that capital punishment is necessary for society, it is a terrible evil that interferes with the laws of God and should be immediately abolished. Based on plentiful evidence, the death penalty is not an effective way to deter murder. The Death Penalty Information Center took a survey of the presidents of the country’s top academic criminological societies finding that eighty-eight percent of these experts stated that the death penalty was an extremely ineffective way to reduce theShow MoreRelated Anti Death Penalty Essay1721 Words   |  7 Pages Disasters in Death Introduction I. Roosevelt Collins, a black man in Alabama, was convicted of rape, sentenced to death, and executed in 1937. Roosevelt testified that the â€Å"victim† who was white had consented to sex, which caused a near-riot in the courtroom. The all-white jury deliberated for only FOUR minutes. Later interviews with several jurors revealed that although they believed the act was consensual, they also thought that he deserved death simply for â€Å"messin’ around† with a white womanRead MoreSocial Harm Is More Advantageous And Useful Over That Of Crime1617 Words   |  7 Pagesof free will and recognises rational choice of the individual. It influences much of our system of justice today; especially aspects of due process. It argues that criminality is therefore part of nature; and order is maintained through law and punishments. We can see this through Beccaria’s approach of certainty, celerity and severity (Beccaria, cited in Newb urn, 2013, pp116). Positivism, associated with theorists such as Lombroso, offered more of a scientific approach in identifying the causesRead MoreDoes The Ends Justify The Means?1597 Words   |  7 Pagespositive and negative application outcomes. This should allow readers to gain a better understanding of why the doctrine of does the ends justify the means can become clouded and how the decision being made should have a basis of one’s ethics and moral judgement. The Doctrine: Does the Ends Justify the Means? The question: Does the Ends Justify the Means? is brought to discussion in the text by Riemer, Simon, Romance (2014) with regards to Niccolo Machiavelli s political strategy of the lionRead MoreConstantine and Christianity Essay2155 Words   |  9 Pagesmade it clear that if anyone was a Christian there would be capital punishment. With capital punishment comes the excuse that all Christians were the cause for every disaster in the Roman Empire; whether it be an earthquake, plague and even drought. ‘Christians to the lions’ as Trajan would say, an emperor in the early centuries Christianity to them have alienated the favour of their gods which has and would continue to cause disasters in the Roman Empire. The misfortune of Christians did not stopRead More Genetic Engineering Essay example2745 Words   |  11 Pagesgenetically altered organisms in the environment can increase human suffering, decrease animal welfare, and lead to ecological disasters. The containment of biotechnological material in laboratories and industrial plants contributes to the risk of accidental release, especially if the handling and storage are inadequate. The purely political dangers include intensified economic inequality, the possibility of large-scale eugenic programs, and totalitarian control over human lives. How should the acceptabilityRead MoreThe Bhopal Tragedy23347 Words   |  94 PagesEXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR THE BHOPAL TRAGEDY HISTORY AND BACKGROUND Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, the largest and one of the most economically depressed states in the nation. At 1970s, the public health infrastructure, sewage and waste system in Bhopal are still in very poor condition . Besides, mass casualty emergency response system also lacking in Bhopal. Union Carbide Corporation is one of the largest chemical and polymer companies in the united state. In 1984, Union Carbide operatedRead MoreThe Rising Subculture Of Punk : The Economy, Violence, And Rebellion Essay1859 Words   |  8 PagesWith the economic decline and availability of jobs with upward movement, a culture of youths formed in Britain that challenged the ideals and cultural norms of the generations that came before them. A consistent movement from traditional society through youth subcultures brings light through the eyes of the musicians that describe their generation’s feelings of homelessness in an era filled with unemployment, low wages, and violence. The insurgence of the counterculture movement, poor economic conditionsRead MoreHow to Write an Argument Essay4815 Words   |  20 Pagesallot, provide, budget, make available, waste, award Space exploration = space program, trips to the moon, the international space station, planets, planetary voyages Money =   budgets, taxes, resources,   Problems =   concerns, issues, worries, disasters, threats, threatening, war, famine, poverty, education, homelessness, drugs, global warming Here = on earth, in our own countries, closer to home, in developing countries, foreign aid,   3: Use Your New Words in the Opening Sentences With manyRead MoreThe Great Leap Forward3342 Words   |  14 PagesThe Great Leap Forward was a creative yet disastrous interruption in Chinese economic development. It is one of those moments in Chinese history that is the epitome of Mao Zedongs willingness to experiment, as well as his political genius in seizing control of the forms of government out of the hands of his intellectual and political adversaries within the Communist Party of China. Given that more conservative leaders, such as Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping, were not in agreement with Mao on the

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Setback, Determination, and Recovery free essay sample

I have reached my senior year at Culver and I have one major goal, which seems to grow more difficult as the year unfolds. To provide some backround: last summer I worked at a polo farm, taking care of horses and working a barn so I could get some additional time to play polo. I wanted to improve my riding and mallet skills to assist CB (the best player on our team), as a wingman this season. I would also be able to step in for him if I were needed. To achieve this goal, it was up to me to build and enhance my riding skills if I aspired to become a great player at Culver. I realized this would not be easy, but I believed that working all summer would make the difference. Unfortunately fate crossed my path with devastating news for my polo career and my hopes. Late in the summer I joined in on a fun polo game whose purpose was to exercise the horses, I was there in the blink of an eye because I seized every opportunity to play. We will write a custom essay sample on Setback, Determination, and Recovery or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Half way through this game I was pushed off my horse and had quite a brutal fall that would allow for no mercy on my body. Well it turns out that after finishing the summer at the farm, I would return to Cleveland with many back pains which I knew had come from my fall over the summer. Well I had come to find out, after what seemed like millions of x-rays, I had developed a stress fracture in my L4 vertebrate which was very unhealthy for someone of my age to have. So now that I have to wear a protective brace on my back for the next couple of months, I had lost hope for my polo career, but after talking to my friends who only gave encouragement and my coaches who knew what I was going through, I had begun to regain hope for my situation and knew that maybe eventually I could be back in the saddle, helping out CB on the field. I have gone to the gym and started doing physical therapy for my back and knew that if I work hard enough at it, I could maybe I could speed up the process of this whole back problem. Even though people have told me that it couldn’t’ happen, who are they to take away my hope, how can they put themselves in that position to judge my status and stamp a â€Å"done† on my fore head. I knew that as long as I could instill hope for myself, then there was nothing that I couldn’t do. It is now December and the doctor said that if I continue to wear the brace and if I continue to work with the physical therapist then I could be healed by January 3rd, which by coincidence is my birthday, so I am hoping for this to be one of my best presents. I take a step outside the box and look in on my situation, and I know that my odds are not great for me to heal as fast as the doctor said, but I know that there is that chance, and with it I will do absolutely everything that I can. I have heard so many hope stories and I often think to myself â€Å"why couldn’t that happen to me?† and that is what is keeping my on track and focused on this process of redeveloping my back strength and becoming that polo player that I envisioned over the summer.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Wayne Gretzky Essays - Wayne Gretzky, Pacific Division, Gordie Howe

Wayne Gretzky Wayne Gretzky has to one of the greatest if not the best hockey player in the National Hockey Leagues history. He was adored by almost everyone, the exemptions being his opponents. Now, Mr. Reynolds you say how do I involve Mr. Wayne Gretzky into my math analysis report? Well it is easy, throughout the duration of Wayne's career he has accumulated many points. He also has one many awards and I'll give you little quizzes to tell how much you know about the great one. Wayne Gretzky hockey career started at a very early age. He was born on January 26, 1961. He was born in Brantford, Ontario. He was always a great hockey player even at the young age when we were all just rink rats. Back then could you guess what numero he was. Well the answer would be number 9. Why, number 9, well because there was a legendary guy that was named Gordie Howe that had the jersey with a number 9 on it. When the great one was ten years old he recorded 369 goals in his fifth year in hockey. Wow, my (meaning Mark Lawrence) greatest year of hockey I only had 67 goals and 32 assists. That was in about 40 games. But then you look at Wayne's younger times and it makes me look horrible. People looked at Wayne Gretzky with high expectations, and some knew that he was going to something very great one day. The only problem people thought of him was that he was too skinny and he had no beef to himself what so ever. Well all of his points throughout his career proved everyone wrong. His coming into the NHL was in 1978-1979 year. He had 51 goals and 86 assists in 79 games played. That adds up to a whooping 137 points total. In that rookie year he had 13 power play goals, one short handed goal, six game winning goals. He has 284 shots on goal. So that means his 284 shots with 51 goals he had a shooting percentage of 18 percent. Wow, that is whomping good. Then you say, hey then that guy has to be very aggressive, and racks in the penalty minutes. Don't you think? But, Hey now he only had 21 penalty minutes. That would be 8 minor penalties and one major penalty. Now, you know the other teams are in some trouble. You have a man that can score but also can keep his cool. Wow, well compare him to someone also great. Oh, what the heck we'll compare him to me. I had an average of 1.5 penalties per game this year or around 3 minutes in the box. If you put that into Wayne Gretzky rookie year then he should have gotten 237 penalty minutes instead of his 21. In the 1982-83 season Wayne accumulated his most penalty minutes he has ever had in a season. He had 59 penalty minutes in 80 games. The time spent in the box per game would then be .7375 minutes. If we change that into seconds that would be 44.25 seconds. Now we'll get away from that stupid penalty box I hate soo much. I will get into Wayne Gretzky records and some of his tremendous accomplishments. The great ones first goal was in 10-4-79. They were playing against the Vancouver Canucks. On December 30, 1981, (my mom's B-day), Mr. Huge obtained his fiftieth goal in only his 39 game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Wow that is a huge number! Now, Reynolds whose record did Waynoo beat and how long did it take them to get 50 goals. A. Mike Bossey, 50 goals in 50 games. B. Maurice the ?rocket' Richard, 50 goals in 50 games. C. Gordie Howe, 50 goals in 50 games. Will it be A, B, or C? What do you think?. It was actually A and B Mr. Reynolds. The great one demolished the sustaining record. If you do the Math it took him 11 less games to reach 50 then it took Maurice or Mike Bossey to reach 50 goals. Wow that was amazing, huh! Lets do up some Math with that then. Wayne's goals per game in that 39 game period would be 1.28 goals per game. Maurice and Bossey's goals per game were 1.00. Using Wayne's average he scored a little more then five goals in four games. Maurice and Bossey averaged out at exactly four goals per game. Wayne Gretzky won

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Captivity Essays - Fiction, Ojibwe People, Guggenheim Fellows

Captivity Louise Erdrich, the author of the famous poem titled Captivity, tells a story about a married mother who has been held captive by a tribe of Indians. The poem uses a wide variety of literary elements such as sympathy, guilt, submissiveness, and tentativeness. The two main themes of this first person, six-stanza poem, are love and fear. Erdrich also uses tricksters, which are supernatural characters found in the folklores of various primitive peoples. They often function as culture heroes who are given acts of sly deception. In this poem, the narrator's captor takes on the role of a trickster. In most of Erdrich's writings, she uses multiple characters as tricksters and this reflects on her Native American Heritage (Smith 23). One of Erdrich's main writing tactics is the use of ?historical ?captivity narratives'? (Wilson and Jason 2716). One of the interesting facts about this poem is that it is based upon a true story. Erdrich gives us that feeling of truth and captivity before the poem begins. ?He (my captor) gave me a bisquit, which I had put in my pocket, and not daring to eat it, buried it under a log, fearing he had put something in it to make me love him,? (Erdrich, 26). This quote came ?from the narrative of the captivity of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,? (Erdrich 26). Mrs. Mary was held captive by the Wampanoag Indian Tribe in 1676, when Lancaster, Massachusetts was demolished (Erdrich 26). The first stanza brings a strong feeling of some sort of imprisonment or captivity. ?But he dragged me by the ends of my hair,? (Erdrich 26). The narrator at this point is experiencing fear from her captor, however she also feels passion and love when she looks into his face. ?I could distinguish it from the others? I feared I understood his language, which was not human,? (Erdrich 26). Also, there is irony in this stanza when her captor saves her from the cold waters of the stream (Wilson and Jason 2715). In the second stanza, the tribe is pursued by white men who have ?guns loaded with swan shot,? (Erdrich 26). However, the tribe is put in danger because of her child's cries, which are from starvation. In my interpretation of the poem, she cannot ?suckle? her own child because she is so nervous and confused (Erdrich 26). Luckily for the tribe and captives, there is a woman who feeds the child ?milk of acorns,? (Erdrich 26). In the third stanza, the narrator is to the point of starvation as she tells herself not to take food from his hands. ?I told myself that I would starve/ Before I took food from his hands,? (Erdrich 26). I believe that Louise is trying to reflect the quote used before the poem taken from Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, trying to give the reader a sense of hidden desire. However, going against her will to not give in to her captor, she eats the fetus of a deer that her captor gave to her. ?He had killed a deer with a young one in her/ And gave it to me to eat of the fawn,? (Erdrich 26). The way that the narrator describes her meal is delicate, however Erdrich tells us that it is a fetus; that paints a distasteful picture for the mind of the reader. At the end of the stanza, Erdrich is very vague about what happens and leaves it up to the reader to decide the outcome. I felt that the narrator was tentative when she said, ?That I followed where he took me./ ? He cut the cord that bound me to the tree,? (Erdrich 27). In my interpretation, this is where Erdrich uses the literary element of submissiveness. I personally think that she slept with her captor because the next and last stanzas of the poem she feels guilty. In the fourth stanza, the narrator is frightened and hides herself in fear from God because she knows in her heart that she has sinned. ?After that the birds mocked./ Shadows gaped and roared/? He did not notice God's wrath./ God blasted fire from half buried stumps./ I hid my face? fearing that he would burn us all,? (Erdrich 27). Perhaps she

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Effective Pieces of Advice on How to Write a Fantasy Novel

Effective Pieces of Advice on How to Write a Fantasy Novel How to Write Your First Fantasy Novel Many people are passionate about fantasy novels. Such stories expand our imagination, excite our emotions, and take us to a journey we have never been before. Fantastic fiction is everywhere in pop culture. With this unpredictable genre, many modern authors like George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, and Scott Lynch continue to stretch, overturn, and interpret the plots to attain exciting punchlines. However, creating a unique and convincing fantasy story is complicated. You should realize that you are creating an entirely new world with original characters, personified things and ideas, in which people should believe. This process requires thorough consideration and planning. To establish an imaginary world, you must create characters that will captivate and engage the audience. Although fantasy stories take place in fictional world, they still have certain rules. The genre fantasy is divided into plenty of subgenres where high fantasy is the thing which writers and readers admire the most. It is not enough to include magical objects and characters in the plot. The author’s main aim is to subvert the readers’ expectations and make him/her perceive the world as an entirely different place. If you are interested in how to write a fantasy novel, you must let loose your imagination. This article provides some tips that are designed to assist you in composing a fascinating story. Tips to Write a Fascinating Story Study the Useful Insights of the Genre Certainly, reading is essential if you want to become a good writer. This should be your first step to get into the fantasy fiction world. It is necessary for you to get a clear understanding of the elements that make fantasy novels different. It is also important to read extensively, as this will help you examine the specific features of the genre. Here are some pieces of advice: Examine the ways different writers create complex and immersive universes. Compare the examples from various fictional plots. For instance, think how differs the peaceful village from â€Å"The Lord of the Rings† from Mordor. Study the ways the writers develop the characters. If you want your first fantasy novel to be well-written, you should observe everything in other authors’ characters, from their demeanor to their quirks and vexes. Note the ways they go through all the challenges. Compare the internal logic of every imaginary world. What’s great in fantasy novels is that they never bind their readers’ thinking. Even some minor events in the plot always have certain logic. Every magic system has its own rules to follow. If you try to create your own magical world, you should examine the internal logic of any other fictional world. Thus, on the first stage of creating a fantasy novel, you have to learn to think beyond the boundaries of the real world. Now, your aim is to study the approach of the best fictional authors. Examine the ways they manage difficulties in fantasy writing process. It is very important to read a lot until you have an idea on how to create a convincing fictional world. Not only will it improve your writing skills but also help you create good outlines for your stories. Explore Various Ideas To learn how to write fantasy stories it is important to explore some exciting fantasy novel ideas. Some of the most known fantasy novels were only able to persuade readers because they contained original ideas. This genre has a great opportunity for exploring creative freedom. A huge number of young-adult fantasy stories, over the last time, have significantly explored the boundaries of science-fiction and reality. The main aim of this was creating something that will help the readers escape the present and run into the imaginary world. Therefore, to create a fictional universe, you must develop unique and fascinating ideas – particularly for the setting. Actually, you can find inspiration anywhere, for example: Watch a documentary on Animal Planet, which may trigger an idea to create an imaginary world for animals and other fantastic creatures Explore unusual settings and observe exceptional things Read top fantastic fiction series and compare settings while making notes of some interesting elements which make them unique Make sure to jot down all your ideas, including minute details such as weather, housing, and scenery to have a clearer picture of your fantasy universe. Describe Your Imaginary World Every good writer has his own tips for writing a fantasy novel and uses them to make the readers see the fantasy world through his/her eyes. Thus, if you want your novel to be more realistic, you should pay special attention to the description of the settings’ and the characters’ physical features. Make sure you already have a clear vision of your fantasy world so that you are able to describe it in detail. Depict physical features of the countryside, universe, or even a teeny hut, where your story takes place. Make every effort to provide your reader with the ability to picture the environment of the characters. Here are some ways to practice this: Start observing and depicting everything that is going on around you by using descriptive language. Describe everything, including feelings, smells, and looks. Connect all these scenes while illustrating them on the paper. Use this same strategy to describe your imaginary world. Describe plants, their appearance, colors, and smell. Describe the environment, weather, sounds, and so on. Add some contrasts to the atmosphere to enhance your readers’ perception. The most critical thing is describing your characters’ appearance, details which make them different so that your readers are able to create their pictures in mind. Map out Your Story By drawing a map with the story, you make it easier to write understandable fantasy novels. For this reason, many known writers practice this to incline their audience artistically. If it seems to you that it will help the readers understand the complex set of your story, you should draw it. Furthermore, include some significant landmarks and mark seas and rivers. It would be also great if you create symbols that will indicate cities and towns. Set the Time Frame It is one more important part of your story. It should be set in a specific timeframe as the story’s characters and setting greatly depend on the timeframe. For example, stories that are set in future mostly revolve around technological achievements. If the novel describes a specific historical era, the timeframe might represent a primitive society. Therefore, keep it in mind while looking for ideas to write a fantasy novel. Look through many ideas of timeframe and learn the ways various writers incorporate it into their stories’ themes. If you are going to write a futuristic story, it might be useful to do some research into the technology. It will help you do some assumes about the changes in human life, as well as get a better image of your characters and settings. If your story takes place in the ancient world, you should get sufficient information about past cultures and traditions. To write the most realistic novel, include the details which will portray the timeframe in your plot, like traveling, cultures, and ancient people’s appearance. Make Social Conventions Different social classes and lifestyles are inherent to our society. To write a fantasy novel step by step, make sure to include certain rituals and customs. One of the options is incorporating various aspects of the actual social conventions. Do the characters of your story have any festivals? How do they mark death? Think over these or similar ideas so that your audience is able to relate to them. One more great way to come up with some ideas of new social conventions is researching different cultures. Many writers borrow certain ideas of rituals from older cultures. Make an Outline of the Story As soon as you decide on the topic, plot, and other important aspects, you are strongly encouraged to write down the outline in the sequence. Draft an outline before you start writing. It will provide you an opportunity to analyze all the twists and turns of the plot. Besides, it is very convenient to create headings and divide the story into the chapters on this stage. The best way to structure the novel is by dividing it into three main phases: beginning, the body, and climax. Additionally, you can compile the events by describing the course of actions, turning points, conflicts, and resolution. Final Phase Now, it is about time you edited your novel. Go back and make final changes if needed. It is best told be great if you ask for feedback of an experienced writer or publisher to improve your novel before publishing it. In general, creating a fantasy story is mostly about playing with your imagination. Good luck to you with writing an original and fascinating fictional story.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Problem solving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Problem solving - Essay Example Additionally, organizations can resolve to have single mode of software installation authentication method. In this case, instead of selling licenses to customers and software users, the organizations can require that all software activation requirements are conducted online to ensure that every copy is only activated using one unique product key (Microsoft, 2015). For organizations that require software installation to a vast number of machines, the installation files can be configured to contain equivalent number of activation codes as the number of machines. For every used code, the installation media would connect to the internet verifying that the software is genuine and one among the provided codes has been used to activate one workstation. When addressing the issue of software piracy, there are various levels of consideration that organizations put take into account. For instance, the cost of data loss and the inability to generate sustainable profits are two major threats caused by piracy. With reference to the two examples, it is evident that based on value and use, different organizations address the challenge of software piracy differently. With respect to the magnitude of anticipated losses and the corresponding cost of software development, some companies invest more funds in developing anti-piracy strategies while others concentrate on economies of scale by developing free or cheap software (Microsoft,

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Explain three ways in which governments shape labour markets and Essay

Explain three ways in which governments shape labour markets and Explain, using examples, three dimensions of the relationship between paid and unpaid work - Essay Example nt base in order to instill more confidence in the workforce and â€Å"focus on the context for investment† (Lecture 3, p.3) thus creating a congenial environment for business while addressing the social concern of employment. In the current economic situation where the role of government in protecting labor has been reduced to the bare minimum due to globalization and advancements in technology, it is flexibility of the job market that is more in perspective than formulation of laws to safeguard labor. However, the scope of employment also raises the issue of work where salary is high that consequently raises the standard of living and another type of work where workers are paid low wages leading to social disparity and discontent. The issue of low wages is compounded by globalization that firms use as bargaining chip to tame labor with threats of outsourcing, giving business the upper hand as trade unions have largely been marginalized in an environment where technology has reduced manpower. The government is not only responsible to oversee a strong and vibrant economy but also to ensure equitable living conditions for every citizen in general, and the weaker sections of society in particular. There are some countries like the Scandinavian nations where the citizens enjoy generous social packages even if they are unemployed. There are other nations where 5 percent of the population enjoys 95 percent of the nation’s wealth, whereas 95 percent of the population survives on 5% of the country’s resources. It may not be possible for every country to satisfy every citizen with generous social schemes, but it is necessary to create conditions where everyone feels cared for. Generally, the government is noncommittal when it comes to the interest of workers in the lowly paid services basically for two reasons: one, the government wants to encourage new entrepreneurs to rise to the occasion and take advantage of working conditions under the new technological order

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Poverty and Pollution Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poverty and Pollution Case Study - Essay Example Firms that manufacture chemicals, which are too unsafe to manufacture within the first World will always acquire a market within third World Nations (The Environment..., 2013). There exist no regulations within the Third World Nations that govern dumping and pollution. Generally, Third World nations have to choose between food and a contaminated environment. Third World governments cannot limit nor have regulations, as it would be too expensive to their countries more specifically since most of their people are trying to earn a living (Hardoy, 2011). This paper is an analysis of the Pollution and Poverty Case Study. Ethical effects of pollution in a third world nation would directly affect the inhabitants of the Third World Countries (Hardoy, 2011). For instance, the dumping of toxic electronics within the south of Chinese town of Guiyu had Women melting hard drives and motherboards from CPUs to extract gold from them. This exposed them to toxic fumes. Ghana is another country, which has had wastes dumped in one of its regions. On the borders of Agbogbloshie town, there is an enormous wasteland as well as one of the highly polluted water bodies on Earth(The Environment..., 2013). ... Once they obtain the personal data in them, they sell the data for roughly $35 for each hard drive. Information obtained from these hard drives includes private financial facts, credit-card numbers, account data and reports of electronic transactions. Mostly, the original holders of the hard drives do not know that such information had been left in those drives. It becomes easier to clear out accounts with the account information. Ghana is listed as among the top cybercrime perpetrators in the globe conferring to the American State Department (Ghana Dumping..., 2012). During an off-camera interview, one of the drives purchased had a $22 billion United States government contract. The hard drive had come from an American military contractor known as Northrop Grumman; it is among the largest military contractors in the U.S. The hard drive contained very sensitive details such as multi-million dollar deals of the United States government with agencies such as the DIA (defense intelligenc e agency), Homeland Security and NASA (Ghana Dumping..., 2012). This poses an enormous security risk that places everyone at the vulnerability of the perpetrators. If regulations and laws had been established to govern e-waste disposal and pollution, then cybercrime might not be a huge issue as it is currently. Obtaining personal information about people is one thing, but it is another to obtain detailed information on government contracts (News Week Magazine, 2013). When 3rd World nations do not have any regulations or laws shielding them from 1st World Nations polluting and dumping in their nation, then it renders it difficult for them to prohibit 1st World Nations from dumping and polluting in their countries. Initially, some counties embraced the e-waste. A

Friday, November 15, 2019

Water Analysis to Determine River Tees Chemical Composition

Water Analysis to Determine River Tees Chemical Composition Water analysis to determine the chemical composition within a section of the River Tees, and the difference between freshwater samples and Sea water. Introduction Water is one of the most fundamental requirements for man’s existence on earth; it is required in so many functions such as for drinking, cooking agriculture and even transportation either biological, (blood) or non-biological such as cargo ships, (Hunt Wilson, 2002). Without water, life as we know it would simply cease to exist; Water is one of earth’s most renewable resources. As such, it is vital that water content is analysed to monitor toxic and non-toxic chemicals entering the water systems, monitor global anthropogenic impact, react rapidly to chemical contamination through accidents or industry, and to enable safe water systems for domestic and agricultural use. One such example of where water analysis has been instrumental is after the recent floods in the UK where overflow from sewers, rivers and run off from industrial sites has allowed chemicals to enter into water systems. Analysis of these systems allows for the damage to be assessed and necessary action to be taken, (Environment Agency, 2014). Our aim of the practical was for us to understand the different methods of water analysis. We conducted a number of tests on a number of freshwater samples and one sweater sample to determine the levels of pH, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, nitrate content, ammonia and phosphate content within the water samples; this enabled the analysis of whether there were differences in chemical content between the freshwater samples and sea water. Hypothesis: â€Å"That there is a difference in chemical composition within water samples taken from three sites along the river Tees and a difference between freshwater and sea water†. Method pH Water samples from the Durham University section of the River Tees were analysed using a mixture of both a hand held ultrameter (Myron) and a probe meter. A 10ml quantity of water from all the samples taken was placed in a test tube. A pH probe meter was inserted and the pH results recorded. Using the electronic hand held analyser, the samples were analysed by placing a small amount of the sample into the analysing cup attached to the device. The lid was replaced and the pH button pressed to start the analysis. The results were recorded as shown in table 1. Salinity Water salinity was measured by using a hand held salinity meter with a salinity range of 0-100% (density 0.001sg). A small amount of the water sample was placed onto the deviation prism. The cover plate was closed and the instrument was held up to a light source (natural light) and the reading taken from the salinity gauge and recorded. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 2. Conductivity As per pH but using the Conductivity function on the Myron multi-meter. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 3. Dissolved O2 As per pH but using the dissolved O2 function on the Myron multi-meter and the analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 4. Nitrate (Nitratest) Nitrates in the water samples were reduced to nitrites using a zinc based reduction agent, (Nitratest powder and Nitratest tablet). The solutions were then transferred to a clean test tube where a re-agent was added, (Nitrocol tablet). The solutions were then analysed for nitrate levels using the Palintest 8000 photometer and the analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 5. Ammonia We tested the water samples using the indophenol method by the addition of chlorine and catalysts that react with ammonia to form a coloured solution, (Indophenol complex). fig1. Reagents in the form of tablets were then added and the sample solutions analysed using the palintest 8000. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 6. Note: For the Sea water sample (Sample 1), Ammonia conditioning agent was added to prevent the precipitation of salts. Fig 1. Water samples in Indophenol complex form prior to testing for Ammonia. Phosphate LR We tested for phosphates by reducing the samples by ascorbic acid as phosphates react under acidic conditions with ammonium. Catalysts were added to ensure a rapid colour movement as well as an inhibitor to deter any influence from silica present in the solution. Reagents were then added and a period of 10 minutes elapsed prior to placing the samples for analysis testing using the palintest 8000. The results were recorded as shown in table 7. Results: pH The pH values of both the fresh water and sea water samples analysed all fell within close proximity to each other and within the parameters of normal surface water of pH>6.5 – pH Table 1. pH values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Salinity: Only one sample (Sea water) registered for salinity when tested. The Reference -Composition salinity (SR) was 30, (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008). Table 2. Salinity values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Conductivity: Electrolyte conductivity recorded in the samples ranged from 8.4 S/m in the sea water sample and between 9.6-10.85 S/m in the freshwater samples. The Seawater sample was higher than the normal range of 5 S/m, and the fresh water samples were within normal parameters 5-55 S/m. (California State Water Resources Control Board, 2004). As shown in Table 3. Table 3. Conductivity values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater Dissolved Oxygen: Sample 1, (Seawater) falls within the normal range for DO2 as recommended USEPA of >80% DO=83.6. (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999). Samples 2-4 (Freshwater), also fall within the guidelines of freshwater DO2 based on CCREM guidelines of 65% and 100%, DO=76.2-98.7% (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999), as shown in table 4. Note: All samples were analysed in lab conditions at room temperature and as such are subject to the relevant physiological conditions such as pressure and temperature which should be considered, (Henry’s Law etc). Table 4. Dissolved Oxygen values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Nitrate: All the samples tested were within the safe limits of nitrogen content in water, (0-10mg/l), as shown in table 5. (Seawater = 0.82mg/l and freshwater =0.047mg/l to1.52mg/l). (World Health Organisation, 2011). Table 5. Nitrate values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Phosphate: Phosphate levels found in sweater were within the normal range (1.2 mg/l and 1.6mg/l), (Paytan McLaughlin, 2007). The phosphate levels found within the freshwater samples exceed the recommended limits = . Table 6. Phosphate values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Discussion The ocean contains approximately 97% of all the Earths’ water. (Hunt Wilson, 2002). The ocean and fresh water although have similar properties such as the molecular structure H2O, the chemical properties can be quite different. There are many factors that affect the chemical properties of both fresh and sea water, such as pollution, natural occurrences (e.g Algae blooms) and acid rain, and it is imperative that constant monitoring of our water systems is undertaken to be able to act proactively and swiftly to any changes. (Environment Agency, 2014). When considering the results of our analysis, we can see similarities on pH and dissolved oxygen, (Table 1 and table 4 respectively). Both these chemical properties give a clear indication as to the health of the water systems being analysed. A high pH in the seawater sample for example could suggest an increase in acidification, or pollution in the freshwater should a high pH have been found, especially in an area of high industrial manufacturing such as Stockton and Middlesbrough. The most noticeable difference between the samples was the salinity of seawater against freshwater, (Table 2). As one would expect, seawater salinity is considerably higher due to the output of weathering of the Earth’s surface being transported into the oceans. This makes the ocean a different habitat than that of freshwater. Conductivity increases as salinity increases, however this was not found in our analysis. One possible reason could be the time that the sample took to be analysed and the sample temperature as these factors could have affected the results. (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008). Nitrate content was lower in seawater. Nitrates are a naturally occurring compound in the water system whether fresh or sea water. However the slightly higher levels of nitrates shown in freshwater could indicate anthropogenic influences due to farming. (World Health Organisation, 2011) High Nitrate composition is also harmful to health as this could cause methemoglobinemia. Nitrates reduce the ability of blood cells carrying haemoglobin resulting in infant deaths. This would also add weight to the higher levels of Phosphates present as it has been suggested that Phosphate increases could be attributed to fertilizer usage and above the levels suggested as acceptable. (White Hammond, 2006). In Summary, the water chemical composition of both freshwater and seawater in general fall within normal expectations and are good indicators of the quality of the water system within an industrialised zone. The hypothesis that there is a chemical difference between the two sample types, freshwater and seawater was proven if only somewhat marginal. Further testing for different chemical composition could find a different result. Exercise Chemical differences between saltwater and freshwater. The major difference between fresh water and salt water is salinity. Freshwater has little or no salt content ( The chemical composition differences between seawater and freshwater can be outlined in order of abundance in table 8. (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008) Table 8. Chemical composition of seawater and freshwater in order of abundance. Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen concentrations, (DO), in water is an important factor for all aquatic life. Should DO levels exceed 110%, it can become harmful to marine life and could case the blockage of gas exchange in what is known as â€Å"gas bubble disease†, whilst water that has a DO of less than 5mg/l or lower over a longer period of time can result in fish kills on a large scale and puts stress on all aquatic life. (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999).

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Equality and Inequality Under Perfect Competition

Equality and Inequality Under Perfect Competition The mythical world of perfect wage equality Under certain very strict assumptions, a perfectly competitive market will lead to perfect equality of wage rates. All workers will earn exactly the same. These strict assumptions are as follows: All workers have identical abilities. There is perfect mobility of labor. All Jobs are equally attractive to all workers. All workers and employers have perfect knowledge. Wages are determined entirely by demand and supply.Given these assumptions, if consumer demand rose in any industry, the demand for labor would rise. As a result, wage rates would begin to rise. Immediately workers would flood into this industry, attracted by the higher wages. Very quickly, then, wage rates would be competed back down to the level in the rest of the economy. Likewise if wage rates began to fall in any industry, workers would leave, thereby eliminating any labor surplus and preventing the fall in wage rates.Under t hese conditions, therefore, not only would the labor supply curve to a firm be infinitely elastic, but so too would the labor supply curve to each industry at the universal wage rate. Of course, in the real world these conditions do not hold. Huge inequalities of wages exist. A financial dealer in the City can earn fifty times as much as a shop assistant. But even if markets were perfect, inequality would be expected to persist. Causes of inequality under perfect competitionIn the short run, inequality will exist under perfect competition because of the time it takes for changes in demand and supply conditions to bring new long-run equilibrium. Thus expanding industries will tend to pay higher wage rates than contracting industries. But even after enough time has elapsed for all adjustments to be made to changes in demand and supply, long-run wage differentials will still exist for the following reasons: Workers do not have identical abilities.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Hotel Rwanda Term Paper Essay

1. If you were in the situation of Paul, how far would you go to protect your countrymen, when you know very well that this will cost you the life of your family? Will you abandon your family to save the lives of others? => If I will put myself in Paul’s situation, I think, I would help and protect my countrymen as long as I can and as long as I’m living. But first I’m going to ensure my family’s safety before I gamble my life. If I die for the sake of others, it will looked like I abandoned my family but truly it’s not, because in the situation, I think they will surely understand me why am I going to sacrifice myself just to protect and save others life who only depends on me. It’s not that I prefer to die than to live with my family, but I also believe that life lived for others is worth living, like our God who gave His only Son for the sake of us all. God gave me life not just for my family but also for other people. Honestly, Not only y our family makes your world but also the other people around you. And I cannot take to see those people struggling and dying then I just do nothing. Especially when I know that i’m the only one who can protect them. I know I cannot save everyone because i’m just only human but somehow, i know i did something I can. 2. In the ensuing violence, the international community and the government was forced to pull its foreign emissaries to safety. This included officials providing aid and relief such as the UN and the Red Cross. Do you think that the government and the international community’s decision to remove its employees from the scene of the fight were ethical, despite the fact that the natives rely on these organizations for aid and protection? Justify your answer using one ethical theory that we’ve discussed in class. => It is true that the goverment became selfish about their decision of forcing the foreign emissaries to leave and put themselves into safety even if they know that there’s no other people who can help the natives except them. But we can’t deny the fact that those foreign emissaries were not involved in the war and so, their race must be saved, that’s why, what they have done was ethical. By the use of the theory called Egoism, which means things or actions can be moral or ethical if it will benefit one’s interest and will care about your own value, it can be proven that it was ethical to saved only the whites because there’s nothing wrong of saving your own race and disregard the others even though it would be so wrong in the other people’s eyes. To better understand this situation, try to put yourself in their place and surely you will only save yourself and your race. But we can still that it is an ethical egoistic act. 3. The struggle between the Hutus and the Tutsis of Rwanda was allegedly due to the interference of the Belgian and other Western colonizers, who have created this kind of â€Å"caste system† (Hutu and Tutsi) in the first place. Do you think that the colonizers were the party to blame in the violence that occurred? Why? => Yes! no one should be blame but them because if they didn’t create that †caste systemâ € , the Hutus and Tutsis would only be one race with no insecurities and no superior. And therefore, there would be no occurence of violence. Because of that caste system, the discrimination occured between the two race by their physical characteristics,The Tustsi became superior that made the Hutus started the slaughter in their country due to their rage or fury. And so, the Colonizers were the one to be blame. 4. The genocide in Rwanda is not a unique case. In fact, it is reminiscent of the Holocaust during the Nazi era and the religious struggle between Pakistan Muslims and Indian Hindus. How do you think will genocide be prevented in the future? => Genocide usually occur because of having insecurities between different race by physical, identity or position in the society and power. And no other resolution for this but to be satisfied in yourself. You must make a change within yourself. Let us avoid discrimination that will cost anger and revenge because this simple revenge will lead to a big trouble and war. We must also face the problem that we see without using violent ways and we will somehow work it out by proper conversation. Finding peace within yourself could also help us to prevent genocide, it will help you not to bad things especially to kill lives.If you know what peace is, you will surely want it and once you want it, you will make a way to have it. We must also respect each other, know every people’s worth so that , if you are one of the soldiers or the one who is involved, you would realize that life is so important. And of course, the goverment holds the big responsibility about this, so I think they must be friend with other nation, the world must come together. And the soldiers must know where are they for, because if they are for peace, then why is there war? they must also know their limitation.

Friday, November 8, 2019

A Look At Mein Kampf essays

A Look At Mein Kampf essays I. INTRODUCTION.......................................................... 4 V. CONCLUSION.............................................................11 Throughout written history there have been a select few that through works, circumstance, or a combination of both, will remain on the minds and hearts of people for centuries to come. Incredibly this honor is not reserved only for those who symbolize love, kindness, and everything we should strive to be. We also have a morbid fascination with those who represent everything in our nature that is dark and cold. The only parallel that can be drawn between the two, is the uncanny familiarity with and utilization of certain human emotions, like a farmer harvesting only a few seeds, leaving the rest of the crop stunted or withered. For example, Jesus Christ harvested only love and compassion, leaving hates and fear stunted. Others were driven only by fear and hate. One such person is the subject of this paper; the subject is Adolph Hitler. It is my belief that what a person is willing to share publicly is a restrained expression of the depth of their emotions on a subject. At leas t that is the case with politicians like Hitler. Hitlers book Mein Kampf offers incredible insight into his beliefs and aspirations. I would like to share what I have taken form she study of this book, from both what is read and what is inferred. Adloph Hitler was born in the small town of Braunau-on-the Inn in the country of Austria. His father was a civil servant, and his mother a housewife. It seems obvious from the title of the first chapter of Mein Kampf In The Home Of My Parents, that Hitler is trying to belittle the fact that his birthplace is not Germany. And seemingly for those who may frown upon this, in several chapters he attests that Austria is synonymous with Germany and should be seen as such. Hitler also speaks about his earily fascination with ecclesiastic...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

History of Electromagnetism

History of Electromagnetism Electromagnetism  is an area of  physics  which involves the study of the  electromagnetic force, a type of physical interaction that occurs between  electrically charged  particles. The electromagnetic force usually produces  electromagnetic fields, such as  electric fields,  magnetic fields  and  light. The electromagnetic force is one of the four  fundamental interactions  (commonly called forces) in  nature. The other three fundamental interactions are the  strong interaction, the  weak interaction  and  gravitation. Until 1820, the only magnetism known was that of iron magnets and of lodestones, natural magnets of iron-rich ore. It was believed that the inside of the Earth was magnetized in the same fashion, and scientists were greatly puzzled when they found that the direction of the compass needle at any place slowly shifted, decade by decade, suggesting a slow variation of the Earths magnetic field. Edmond Halleys Theories How can an iron magnet produce such changes? Edmond Halley  (of comet fame) ingeniously proposed that the Earth contained a number of spherical shells, one inside the other, each magnetized differently, each slowly rotating in relation to the others. Hans Christian Oersted: Electromagnetism Experiments Hans Christian Oersted was a professor of science at Copenhagen University. In 1820 he arranged in his home a science demonstration to friends and students. He planned to demonstrate the heating of a wire by an electric current, and also to carry out demonstrations of magnetism, for which he provided a compass needle mounted on a wooden stand. While performing his electric demonstration, Oersted noted to his surprise that every time the electric current was switched on, the compass needle moved. He kept quiet and finished the demonstrations, but in the months that followed worked hard trying to make sense out of the new phenomenon. However, Oersted could not explain why. The needle was neither attracted to the wire nor repelled from it. Instead, it tended to stand at right angles. In the end, he published his findings without any explanation. Andre Marie Ampere and Electromagnetism Andre Marie Ampere in France felt that if a current in a wire exerted a magnetic force on a compass needle, two such wires also should interact magnetically. In a series of ingenious experiments, Andre Marie Ampere showed that this interaction was simple and fundamental: parallel (straight) currents attract, anti-parallel currents repel. The force between two long straight parallel currents was inversely proportional to the distance between them and proportional to the intensity of the current flowing in each. There thus existed two kinds of forces associated with electricity- electric and magnetic. In 1864, James Clerk Maxwell demonstrated a subtle connection between the two types of force, unexpectedly involving the velocity of light. From this connection sprang the idea that light was an electric phenomenon, the discovery of radio waves, the theory of relativity and a great deal of present-day physics.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Nikko Hotels International and Japanese Airlines Development Company Case Study - 43

Nikko Hotels International and Japanese Airlines Development Company - Case Study Example The managers comprised of an Austrian, in charge of food and beverage, an Irishman in charge of human resource, Japanese in control of matters and a Lebanese chief engineer and an American in charge of marketing. All these individuals brought together a taste of their diverse backgrounds and culture, enabling the hotel to be a global brand. The aim of the retreat was to get together this team of diversity, as well as brainstorming on how to venture into the American market. In addition to this, the Japanese element of the company was to be discussed in terms of how it will merge into the American business environment. The executive president, Mr.Miura joined the managers at the time of presentation of their ideas. This was after they had come up with these ideas in their respective small groups and brought them forward. Once on the table, Miura commented on them in a way which the non-Japanese managers found annoying. This was a highlight of the cultural differences within the team and served as a wakeup call for the president to learn how to manage diversity. He was shocked because, he presumed that based on his position as the president, all his subordinates were answerable to him, and not the other way round. This might be an effect of his native Japanese culture whereby seniors are not supposed to be answered rudely even when they criticize wrongly. On regaining control of himself, he decided to give them a break and take some time off until the following day. This was in order for him to work on his profile and speech while giving the managers some time to calm down. The next day, Miura has certainly learned how to manage his managers. He began by giving a speech about the reason the business was opening in America, then his previous work experience which spanned twenty-seven years. After the speech, he joined the executives in formulating the hotel’s mission statement.  

Friday, November 1, 2019

Nike Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nike Analysis - Case Study Example For fiscal year May 31, 2009, the company has reported revenues of more than $19 billion. These figures include sales for affiliate businesses such as Converse, Umbro, Cole Haan and Hurley International. While the company has recorded a 6% drop in its return on investment (ROI), Nike’s performance between 2005 and 2009 is so much better compared to the top 500 S&P companies. Nike’s success may be traced back to capacity to tap into the international market, which accounts for more than half of the company’s sales. Aside from this, Nike has chosen various Asian countries for their contract manufacturing base, allowing them to take advantage of low operational costs and even lower wages. Known best for its â€Å"Just Do It† Campaign which started in 1988, Nike has struggled with issues involving violations of human and labor rights, and deficiencies in health and safety conditions (Ferrell et al., 2011, p. 387). Like most companies that had to face human rig hts allegations, Nike’s response was slow and ineffective. According to an Amnesty International (AI) report, the company’s response may be summarized in four stages: denial, blame others, damage control, reassert control over damaged corporate image, and give appearance of compliance (Avery, 1999). At the beginning, Nike reiterated the efforts the company is making to improve working conditions and raising wages in countries where their factory is located. In a statement, Philip Knight said, â€Å"every Nike subcontractor is subject to systematic, unannounced evaluation carried out by Ernst & Young and that our own reviews†¦have shown that the Code [of conduct] is complied with in all material means† (as cited in Avery, 1999). Unfortunately, the review evaluation carried out by Ernst & Young did not reveal how may factories were actually audited and what tools were used to carry out its evaluation. Moreover, hiring its own evaluators to assess the companyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s operational practices was counterproductive, according to the company’s detractors. For one, how can a company release a negative report against the same people who are providing them with business? Moreover, as a growing company, Nike was too busy fulfilling client orders, its hiring and standard operating procedures were not yet a subject of scrutiny – until the Asian employees started their strike, that is. With thousands of people in their employ and hundreds of factory locations around the world, Nike failed to institute an internal auditing system (and an internal auditor) which could have helped them ensure the highly viable working conditions they wanted to provide. Another issue that led to Nike’s failure to address corporate responsibility earlier is the presence of a contract manufacture base denuded the company’s ability to monitor the activities in all its subcontracting plants. In addition, because many of the contracting plants wer e located in Asian countries, Nike should have installed an in-house representative who is tasked of ensuring that the new manufacturing plant has adopted the Code of Conduct. Transitions should have been made, and regular audit should have been scheduled to monitor the plant’s performance and adherence to the Code. Aside from its labor issues in the Asian territories, Nike has also earned the disagreement of several thousand people who were formerly employees

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Supply chain management - Essay Example Moreover, the research also addresses other fundamental concepts such as the procedures which precede the decision to invest in capital equipment and required services, whether to undertake measures that are associated with strategic outsourcing and an explanation of the legal issues and local and international contract disputes which are faced by the company. History and Background of the Organization Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) was founded in 1939 by Stanford University students Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard (Hewlett-Packard 2013). Since, its inception in a Palto Alto garage the primary objective of the business was built on the foundations of promoting a distinct within the industry. According to Hewlett-Packard (2013), the first product that was built by engineers, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard was an audio oscillator which provides assistance to sound engineers. Eight samples of the company’s first ever creation were bought by Walt Disney Studios for their project, Fanta sia. The product line by HP broadly includes Personal Computer systems (PC’s), printing & imaging (inkjet and printing), and enterprise services (software & services, and accessories & networking) (Hewlett-Packard 2013). The company sells high quality laptops, desktop computers, tablets, monitors, servers, storage systems, handheld devices, printers, toners, ink, softwares, and networking accessories. Among its services are consultation, outsourcing, infrastructure, applications and other technological services (Reuters n.d.). The Organization’s Supply Chain Management Efforts According to the International Business Blog, HP organizes its company based on product departmentalization (McEntee 2010). That is, it has three main product departments including Personal Computer systems, printing and imaging, and enterprise services. The organization chart for HP found on the Cogmap website shows Leo Apotheke as the CEO, president and Chairman of the HP company with nine Exec utive Vice Presidents (EVP’s) below it handling the different departments including technology solutions group, human resources, imaging and printing, personal systems group, and so on (2013). Below the EVP’s are the SVP’s (Senior Vice Presidents) after which come the VP’s (Vice Presidents) and then the GM’s (General Managers). Charlie McMurty is the SVP for supply chain and Randy Salley is the SVP for Information Technology (IT) and supply chain systems. To deal with supply chain issues after facing rising inventory and customer dissatisfaction in the late 1980s, HP called an internal consulting group known as SPaM (Strategic Planning and Modeling) consisting of industrial engineers and management scientists to solve problems regarding supply chain (Lee & Billington 1995). The supply chain of HP’s computational and other products included the production of integrated circuits, board assembly, final assembly and delivery. The initiative of i mproving supply chain issues was first started by the 1990 CEO of HP, John Young (Lee & Billington 1995). The company had a very diverse product line and therefore inefficiencies could occur anywhere along the chain. The first step was the identification of the problem. The shipment of supplies could be delayed or the supplies could be

Monday, October 28, 2019

10 Facts on the Great Depression Essay Example for Free

10 Facts on the Great Depression Essay 1.Hoover reacted to growing despair by urging more voluntary action. 2.Hoover blamed the depression on international economic problems, and he was at least partially right. 3.In may 1931, the leading Austrian bank collapsed;by June , the German financial system. 4.Many World War I veterans lost their jobs during the Great Depression, and beginning in 1930, they lobied for the payment of their veterans’ bonuses, wich were not dure until 1945. 5.A bill passed congress in 1931, over Hoovers veto, allowing the veterans to borrow up to 50% of the bonuses due to them, but this did not satisfy the destitute veterans. 6.In May 1932, about 17,000 veterans marched onto Washington. Some took up residence in a ShantyTown called Bonus City that was located in the Anacostia flats outside the city. 7.In the Mid-June, the senate defeated the Bonus Bill, and most of the veterans were disappointed and resigned, and accepted a free railroad ticket home. 8. Several thousand remained, however, along with some wives and children, in the unsanitary shacks during the steaming summer heat. Among the were a small group of committed Communists and other radicals. 9. General Douglas MacArthur, the army chief of staff, ordered the army to disperse the veterans. He described the Bonus marchers as a â€Å"mob†¦animated by the essence of revolution.† With tanks, guns, and tear gas, the army routed veterans who 15 years before had worn the same uniform as their attackers. Two Bonus marchers were killed. And several others were injured. 10. Roosevelt’s caution and conservatism shaped the first New Deal. He did not promote socialism or suggest nationalizing the banks. He was even careful in authorizing public works projects to simulate the economy.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

My Educational Goals and Philosophy Statement Essay example -- Philoso

My Educational Goals and Philosophy Education is the foundation of today's society. Without it, there is no future. Every other career begins on that first day of kindergarten, when a nervous student stumbles into the classroom and finds a chair in the corner of the room. At that moment, a teacher plays a pivotal role in the child's fate. If they are successful in making the child feel comfortable, they can nurture the student's desire to learn. If they are not successful, they may hinder this pursuit. Education has two major, seemingly contradictory, purposes. First, it transmits a country's culture to the next generation. Secondly, it gives societies a vehicle for changing the culture. I believe that it is essential for students to come into contact with their peers and with adults of similar and different backgrounds. This promotes tolerance and growth. Teachers should instill values in their students. They have an amazing opportunity to make an investment in the future. However, sometimes learning comes best through interaction with people of the same age. By befriending students of different races and economic statuses, children can recognize the differences and similarities between them and learn to accept and even appreciate each other for these. If society has veered down the wrong path, this social interaction between students can have tremendous rectifying powers. If students are taught to hate people of a certain color, religion, sexual orientation, etc., being around people with these characteristics, with no way to avoid them, can show students that the ideas that they have been taught may be misconceptions. Students then have the power to disagree with this hatred and contribute that to ... ...l immediately. Here, I will test my views. Eventually, I hope to continue my education by pursuing a Master Degree. I am also interested in teaching at the collegiate level at some point in my career. Whatever level I end up on, I hope to have a positive effect on the lives I come into contact with. I believe teaching is such a fulfilling career because everyday educators have the opportunity to change a child for the better. Giving students a well-rounded education, focusing on traditional subjects, which all other fields stem from, will enable the world to continue advancing and change with the times. Part of a well-rounded education also includes evoking positive interactions between people of different backgrounds. I believe that a teacher who strives to accomplish these goals has done more than fulfilled their job requirements. They have become a hero.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Explaining the Mysteries in the Story “Lucky” by Viet Dinh Essay

Viet Dinh’s short story is about the change in relationship between a man and his Aunt and Uncle. Jae, the main character in the story used to like his Uncle Sung and Aunt Kwi better than his own parents but suddenly had a change of heart because of an incident he experienced. Jae had been working in his Uncle Sung’s store when it was robbed one day. The robber put a gun against Jae’s temple and demanded for cash. Although the robber had acquired the contents of the cash register, he also demanded Uncle Sung’s wallet, threatening to put a hole in Jae’s head. While Jae had been terrified with his current situation, fearing for his life, Uncle Sung acted as if his nephew were not in a life-threatening situation, refusing to surrender his wallet. In the end, Uncle Sung bribed Jae $20 for his silence. Despite of his Uncle Sung’s request for him to keep silent, Jae told his Aunt Kwi what really happened during the incident hoping to get the sympathy of his Aunt. To Jae’s dismay, Aunt Kwi also requested for his silence. Jae was only 12 years old during the incident. While Jae’s change of heart in his relationship with his Aunt and Uncle is understandable, there are some mysteries in the story. First, why would Uncle Sung and Aunt Kwi not want Jae to tell others what really happened during the robbery? What would Uncle Sung accomplish or get by not telling the truth or by reinventing the story? Certainly, Uncle Sung has nothing to do with the whole incident and he was a victim as much as Jae was. Second, why were Uncle Sung and Aunt Kwi still mad at Jae 16 years after the robbery incident when it did not really did them any harm whether Jae told the real story or not? As a matter of fact, they were the ones who should be sorry for what they did to their nephew. Third, Jae’s feelings towards his Aunt and Uncle were not really resolved. The answers to these questions were not very clear from the story but I will attempt to find the logic behind such actions by the characters. The answer to the first mystery may be found in Uncle Sung’s sense of adventure. At the beginning of the story, Jae, who was also the narrator, related how Uncle Sung died. Uncle Sung, with all his profit from his businesses, was able to buy different cars, all of them built for speed. Uncle Sung died while driving one of these sports cars, where he apparently lost control, probably racing on a freeway. Jae held that he always felt danger around Uncle Sung. Uncle Sung’s sense of adventure was apparent during the robbery by keeping his cool despite the presence of life-threatening danger that he bragged about it in a get-together after the robbery. He even rebuked Jae for acting cowardly during the whole incident while leaving out the important part that Jea had been held captive. The first mystery could also be solved by Uncle Sung’s greediness with money. It was apparent during the robbery incident that money was more important for Uncle Sung than the lives of his workers, especially of Jae who was held captive by the robber, imposing a real threat to his life. Although, the robber was demanding for his wallet, Uncle Sung acted as if he did not care about Jae’s life hanging in the balance. He told the robber that he did not have his wallet at the moment although he had it in his pocket all along. Although Jae ended up keeping his life, Uncle Sung refused to give the robber his wallet in exchange for Jae’s life. That Uncle Sung held his money more important than anything else is shown also by his attitude regarding money. By bribing Jae, he hoped to buy Jae’s silence, and by giving a large sum of money during Jae’s wedding, he hoped to appease Jae. Uncle Sung regarded money so much as to think he could buy people with it, as through the manifestation of their silence or approval. Note that this attitude of Uncle Sung works in tandem with his being adventurous to solve the first mystery. By asking Jae to be silent, Uncle Sung hoped the approval of those who heard his version of the incident, that he would gain their admiration by keeping his cool despite the terrifying incident. To fully accomplish this, however, it was important for him to leave out the part that he put Jae’s life on the line, which also saved him hard-earned money in his wallet. Having found the answer to the first mystery, the solution to the second becomes apparent. Uncle Sung and Aunt Kwi were still mad at Jae because they held honor an important aspect, even though this honor was not rightfully earned. Knowing the real story of what happened during the robbery and his apparent refusal to keep silent, Jae represented a threat to Uncle Sung’s honor. Although it was really not clear whether or not Jae told the story to others, he at least told it to his parents, as could be shown with their understanding why Jae would not want to see or be associated with his Uncle Sung. In fact, the whole incident was the reason why a strain in the extended family’s relationship developed. Uncle Sung and Aunt Kwi were still mad at Jae because, after all that they had done for their nephew, he still refused to keep silent threatening the reputation his uncle worked hard to achieve. They held that Jae’s refusal to keep silent is a sign of not only his disrespect for them but also of his ingratitude towards what they did for him and his family. Again, it displayed Uncle Sung’s attitude towards money, that he expected Jae and his family not to cross him by helping Jae’s family on their business. Unfortunately, the third mystery could not really be solved from the solutions to the first two mysteries. Although Jae agreed to come to his uncle’s wake, it is uncertain whether or not he had already forgiven his uncle for putting him in danger and asking him to keep silent. Maybe he agreed to come, just as he was urged to agree to invite Uncle Sung in his wedding, because of his parents’ urging that Uncle Sung is still a family member. However, in his uncle’s wake, Jae told his Aunt Kwi that his uncle looked so peaceful. It is unclear whether this was a sign of him making peace with his uncle or not and it does not help knowing the reaction of his aunt. Aunt Kwi, after hearing what Jae has to say, pushed him away saying that he was ungrateful. There are two plausible solutions why Aunt Kwi may have acted the way she did. First, she still may hold a grudge against Jae for being defiant towards Uncle Sung. There is however a flaw in this solution. It was apparent that Aunt Kwi was preventing for the relationship between her husband and Jae from getting any worse through her action during Jae’s wedding, wherein she tried to put her husband at ease while Uncle Sung was criticizing Jae in front of other people. By preventing her husband from saying any further that may ruin Jae’s reputation, despite of the fact that she disapproved of what Jae had decided to go against their wishes, then it is possible that Aunt Kwi no longer hold any grudge against Jae. The second plausible solution why Aunt Kwi acted towards Jae the way she did during the wake was that she may have found no sincerity in Jae. Remember that Jae was only urged by his parents to come to the funeral and it is all too possible that Jae went only because of this and not because of his wanting to pay respect and tribute for his uncle. Looking into his eyes, Aunt Kwi may have concluded of this fact and so pushed Jae away while stating her dismay towards him and his being ungrateful, that after all the years and after his uncle has already passed away, Jae was still unforgiving. Saying this, the solution to the third mystery may be that Jae still has not forgiven Uncle Sung. This could also be established by the fact that Jae does not approve of his uncle’s adventurism, as is apparent by stating that he always knew Uncle Sung would die in the freeway and that he always felt danger around him. Works Cited Dinh, Viet. â€Å"Lucky. † Zeotrope All-Story vol. 8, no 2, 2008.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Renal System Physiology Physioex

Exercise 9: Renal System Physiology: Activity 3: Renal Response to Altered Blood Pressure Lab ReportPre-lab Quiz ResultsYou scored 25% by answering 1 out of 4 questions correctly. 1. If all other variables are kept constant, how does the afferent arteriole radius affect the rate of glomerular filtration (select all that apply)? Your answer : b. A decreased afferent arteriole radius will increase the rate of glomerular filtration. Correct answer: c. An increased afferent arteriole radius will increase the rate of glomerular filtration. . A decreased afferent arteriole radius will decrease the rate of glomerular filtration. 2. If all other variables are kept constant, how does the efferent arteriole radius affect the rate of glomerular filtration (select all that apply)? Your answer : d. A decreased efferent arteriole radius will decrease the rate of glomerular filtration. Correct answer: a. An increased efferent arteriole radius will decrease the rate of glomerular filtration. b. A decreased efferent arteriole radius will increase the rate of glomerular filtration. 3. If all other variables are kept constant, how does blood pressure affect the rate of glomerular filtration (select all that apply)? Your answer : c. If blood pressure goes down, the rate of glomerular filtration goes up. Correct answer: b. If blood pressure goes up, the rate of glomerular filtration goes up. d. If blood pressure goes down, the rate of glomerular filtration goes down. 4. In the absence of other renal processes (including tubular reabsorption and secretion), more glomerular filtration leads to a larger urine volume.You correctly answered: a. trueExperiment ResultsPredict Question: Predict Question: What will happen to the glomerular capillary pressure rate and glomerular filtration rate if both of these arteriole radii changes are implemented simultaneously with the low blood pressure condition?Your answer : b. Glomerular filtration rate and pressure will rise above baseline values.Stop & Think Questions:If blood pressure were to drop (for example, as the result of blood loss), what changes in the nephron would allow the kidney to maintain ts normal glomerular filtration rate (select all that apply)?Your answer: c. afferent arteriole constrictionCorrect answer: a. afferent arteriole dilation d. efferent arteriole constriction2. Comparing the glomerular filtration rate and glomerular capillary pressure with the baseline values (from the first run), how effective was the increased afferent arteriole radius in compensating for the low blood pressure?Your answer : b. The afferent arteriole dilation improved the low glomerular capillary pressure and filtration rate marginally.Correct answer: c. The afferent arteriole dilation returned the low glomerular capillary pressure and filtration rate almost to baseline values.3. Comparing the glomerular filtration rate and glomerular capillary pressure with the baseline values (from the first run), how effective was the decreased efferent arteriole radius in compensating for the low blood pressure?You correctly answered: b. The efferent arteriole constriction improved the low glomerular capillary pressure and filtration rate marginally.Experiment Data:Post-lab Quiz ResultsYou scored 0% by answering 0 out of 4 questions correctly. 1. If all other variables are kept constant, when blood pressure decreases, glomerular filtrationYour answer: b. remains approximately the same.Correct answer: c. ecreases.2. If afferent arteriole radius decreases in response to an increase in blood pressure, then glomerular filtrationYour answer: a. increases.Correct answer: b. remains approximately the same.3. If all other variables are kept constant, when the efferent arteriole radius decreases, glomerular filtrationYour answer: c. decreases.Correct answer: a. increases.4. With blood pressure held at a constant value, which of the following combinations will raise the glomerular filtration rate above baseline values? Your answer: c. afferent rteriole constriction and efferent arteriole constrictionCorrect answer: b. afferent arteriole dilation and efferent arteriole constrictionReview Sheet Results1. List the several mechanisms you have explored that change the glomerular filtration rate. How does each mechanism specifically alter the glomerular filtration rate?Your answer: Renal mechanisms have effects on water excretion . GFR is large compared to the amount of urine produced. Most water in the filtrate because of renal processes and independent of ADH action2.Describe and explain what happened to the glomerular capillary pressure and glomerular filtration rate when both arteriole radii changes were implemented simultaneously with the low blood pressure condition. How well did the results compare with your prediction?Your answer: The simultaneously implementation of both arteriole rates changing caused glomerular filtration rate and low blood pressure conditions went above the baseline value.3. How could you adjust the afferent or efferent radius to compensate for the effect of reduced blood pressure on the glomerular filtration rate?Your answer: You can co nstrict or dilate them.4. Which arteriole radius adjustment was more effective at compensating for the effect of low blood pressure on the glomerular filtration rate? Explain why you think this difference occurs.Your answer: There was a greater increase of glomerular pressure when afferent radius is increased ra ther than the decrease of the efferent radius.5. In the body, how does a nephron maintain a near-constant glomerular filtration rate despite a constantly fluctuating blood pressure?Your answer: Auto-regulation

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

America, Russia and the Cold War essays

America, Russia and the Cold War essays The Cold War was a rivalry between America and Russia; it began after World War II and ended with the fall of the Soviet Union. During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union fought as allies against the Axis powers. At the meeting in Yalta in 1945 the main Allied countries decided to control Germany jointly. Each country would be responsible for a certain area of Germany. The relationship between the US and Russia was a tense one. Americans had long been wary of Soviet communism and were concerned about the Russian leader, Joseph Stalin, who was a known tyrant in his own country. Postwar Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe shocked many Americans,' and they feared a Russian plan was in the works to control the world. This aggressive move was countered by the US establishing military bases and setting up other countries to be able to stop a possible attack. In 1947 Greece and Turkey were in the line of fire for a communist takeover, so US president Truman asked Congress for aid and acquired $400 million to aid both countries in not becoming communist. So you could say that both sides were to blame for the tension that became the Cold War. In 1948, The Russians blockaded Berlin. Berlin was situated in the middle of the Russian area of Germany, so the only way to get there was to fly. This action prompted the US and British to airlift 1.5 million tons o f supplies to the residents of West Berlin. After almost one year and 200,000 flights, the Soviets lifted the blockade. This action by the Soviets was yet another red flag and the United States, Britain and France soon became the protectors of Germany instead of the conquerors. They needed to help Germany, so they were not sucked into another communist state. In 1949, with the threat of further Communist expansion, the United States and 11 other Western nations form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization In 1955 the Soviet Union and its Communist nations in Eastern E...

Monday, October 21, 2019

What to Expect From the ACT Math Section

What to Expect From the ACT Math Section Does algebra leave you confused? Does the thought of geometry giving you anxiety? Maybe math isnt your best subject, so the ACT Math section makes you want to leap into the nearest volcano. Youre not alone. The ACT Math section can seem  really frightening to someone who isnt an ACT Math expert, but it really isnt anything to stress out about. It simply tests you on math youve learned during your junior and senior years of high school. You can still do well on this test even if youd didnt pay a lot of attention in your trigonometry class.  Heres  what you need to know to master it.   ACT Math Details If you havent taken the time to read ACT 101,  you should do so. If you have, you know that the ACT Math section is set up like this: 60 multiple-choice questions – there are no grid-ins on this college admissions exam60 minutesGrades 9 through 11 math You can also use an approved calculator  on the test, so you dont have to try to figure out all those math questions on your own.   ACT Math Scores Just like the other multiple choice test  sections, the ACT Math section can earn you between 1 and 36 points. This score will be averaged with the scores from the other multiple-choice sections –English,  Science Reasoning  and Reading – to arrive at your Composite ACT score. The national ACT composite average tends to stay right around a 21, but youll have to do much better than that if you want to be accepted by a top university. Students attending the top colleges and universities in the country are scoring between 30 and 34 on the ACT Math section. Some, like those attending MIT, Harvard and Yale, are getting closer to 36 on the ACT Math test.   Youll also receive eight more ACT Math scores based on different ACT reporting categories, and a STEM score, which is the average of the ACT Math and Science Reasoning scores. ACT Math Question Content Is it imperative that you take an advanced math class before taking the ACT Math test? Youll probably fare better on the exam if youve taken some trigonometry, and you may have an easier time with the more advanced concepts if youve practiced a bit for the test. But basically, youll have to brush up your skills in the following categories.   Preparing for Higher Math (approximately 34 - 36 questions) Number and Quantity  (4 - 6 questions):  Here, you must demonstrate your knowledge of real and complex number systems. Youll have to understand and  reason  with number quantities in many different forms, such as integer and rational exponents, vectors, and matrices.  Algebra (7 - 9 questions):  These questions will ask you to solve, graph and model many different types of expressions. Youll solve equations with linear, polynomial, radical and exponential relationships, and youll find solutions to systems of equations, even when theyre represented by matrices.  Functions (7 - 9 questions):  These questions will test your skills with f(x). Questions may include – but are not necessarily limited to – linear, radical, piecewise, polynomial and logarithmic functions. You must manipulate and translate these functions, as well as apply features of graphs.  Geometry  (7 - 9 questions):  You will encounter shapes and solids, finding congruence or similarit ies on things such as surface area or volume. You will have to demonstrate your ability to solve for missing variables in circles, triangles and other figures using trigonometric ​rations and equations of conic sections.   Statistics Probability (5 - 7 questions):  These types of questions will showcase your ability to describe center and spread of distributions, and to understand and model bivariate data and calculate probabilities including related sample spaces.  Ã‚   Integrating Essential Skills (approximately 24 - 26 questions) According to ACT.org, these integrating essential skills questions are the types of problems youd probably tackle prior to 8th grade. Youll answer questions related to the following: rates and percentagesproportional relationshipsarea, surface area, and volumeaverage and medianexpressing numbers in different ways Although these seem pretty simple, the ACT warns that the problems will become increasingly complex as you combine skills in more and more varied contexts.   ACT Mathematics Practice There it is – the ACT Math section in brief. You can pass it if you take the time to prepare properly. Take an ACT Math Practice Quiz to gauge your readiness, like those offered by the Khan Academy. Then launch into these  5 Math Strategies to improve your score. Good luck!

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Biography of Indias Indira Gandhi

Biography of Indias Indira Gandhi Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India in the early 1980s, feared the growing power of the charismatic Sikh preacher and militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, sectarian tension and strife had been growing between Sikhs and Hindus in northern India. Tensions in the region had grown so high that by June of 1984, Indira Gandhi decided to take action. She made a fatal choice - to send in the Indian Army against the Sikh militants in the Golden Temple. Indira Gandhis Early Life Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad (in modern-day Uttar Pradesh), British India. Her father was Jawaharlal Nehru, who would go on to become the first prime minister of India following its independence from Britain; her mother, Kamala Nehru, was just 18 years old when the baby arrived. The child was named Indira Priyadarshini Nehru. Indira grew up as an only child. A baby brother born in November of 1924 died after just two days. The Nehru family was very active in the anti-imperial politics of the time; Indiras father was a leader of the nationalist movement  and a close associate of Mohandas Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Sojourn in Europe In March 1930, Kamala and Indira were marching in protest outside of the Ewing Christian College. Indiras mother suffered from heat-stroke, so a young student named Feroz Gandhi rushed to her aid. He would become a close friend of Kamalas, escorting and attending her during her treatment for tuberculosis, first in India and later in Switzerland. Indira also spent time in Switzerland, where her mother died of TB in February of 1936. Indira went to Britain in 1937, where she enrolled at Somerville College, Oxford, but never completed her degree. While there, she began to spend more time with Feroz Gandhi, then a London School of Economics student. The two married in 1942, over the objections of Jawaharlal Nehru, who disliked his son-in-law. (Feroz Gandhi was no relation to Mohandas Gandhi.) Nehru eventually had to accept the marriage. Feroz and Indira Gandhi had two sons, Rajiv, born in 1944, and Sanjay, born in 1946. Early Political Career During the early 1950s, Indira served as an unofficial personal assistant to her father, then the prime minister. In 1955, she became a member of the Congress Partys working committee; within four years, she would be president of that body. Feroz Gandhi had a heart attack in 1958, while Indira and Nehru were in Bhutan on an official state visit. Indira returned home to take care of him. Feroz died in Delhi in 1960 after suffering a second heart attack. Indiras father also died in 1964  and was succeeded as prime minister by Lal Bahadur Shastri. Shastri appointed Indira Gandhi his minister of information and broadcasting; in addition, she was a member of the upper house of parliament, the Rajya Sabha. In 1966, Prime Minister Shastri died unexpectedly. Indira Gandhi was named the new Prime Minister as a compromise candidate. Politicians on both sides of a deepening divide within the Congress Party hoped to be able to control her. They had completely underestimated Nehrus daughter. Prime Minister Gandhi By 1966, the Congress Party was in trouble. It was dividing into two separate factions; Indira Gandhi led the left-wing socialist faction. The 1967 election cycle was grim for the party - it lost almost 60 seats in the lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha. Indira was able to keep the Prime Minister seat through a coalition with the Indian Communist and Socialist parties. In 1969, the Indian National Congress Party split in half for good. As prime minister, Indira made some popular moves. She authorized the development of a nuclear weapons program in response to Chinas successful test at Lop Nur in 1967. (India would test its own bomb in 1974.) In order to counterbalance Pakistans friendship with the United States, and also perhaps due to mutual personal antipathy with US President Richard Nixon, she forged a closer relationship with the Soviet Union. In keeping with her socialist principles, Indira abolished the maharajas of Indias various states, doing away with their privileges as well as their titles. She also nationalized the banks in July of 1969, as well as mines and oil companies. Under her stewardship, traditionally famine-prone India became a Green Revolution success story, actually exporting a surplus of wheat, rice and other crops by the early 1970s. In 1971, in response to a flood of refugees from East Pakistan, Indira began a war against Pakistan. The East Pakistani/Indian forces won the war, resulting in the formation of the nation of Bangladesh from what had been East Pakistan. Re-election, Trial, and the State of Emergency In 1972, Indira Gandhis party swept to victory in national parliamentary elections based on the defeat of Pakistan and the slogan of Garibi Hatao, or Eradicate Poverty. Her opponent, Raj Narain of the Socialist Party, charged her with corruption and electoral malpractice. In June of 1975, the High Court in Allahabad ruled for Narain; Indira should have been stripped of her seat in Parliament and barred from elected office for six years. However, Indira Gandhi refused to step down from the prime ministership, despite wide-spread unrest following the verdict. Instead, she had the president declare a state of emergency in India. During the state of emergency, Indira initiated a series of authoritarian changes. She purged the national and state governments of her political opponents, arresting and jailing political activists. To control population growth, she instituted a policy of forced sterilization, under which impoverished men were subjected to involuntary vasectomies (often under appallingly unsanitary conditions). Indiras younger son Sanjay led a move to clear the slums around Delhi; hundreds of people were killed and thousands left homeless when their homes were destroyed. Downfall and Arrests In a key miscalculation, Indira Gandhi called new elections in March  1977. She may have begun to believe her own propaganda, convincing herself that the people of India loved her and approved of her actions during the years-long state of emergency. Her party was trounced at the polls by the Janata Party, which cast the election as a choice between democracy or dictatorship, and Indira left office. In October of 1977, Indira Gandhi was jailed briefly for official corruption. She would be arrested again in December of 1978 on the same charges. However, the Janata Party was struggling. A cobbled-together coalition of four previous opposition parties, it could not agree on a course for the country  and accomplished very little. Indira Emerges Once More By 1980, the people of India had had enough of the ineffectual Janata Party. They reelected Indira Gandhis Congress Party under the slogan of stability. Indira took power again for her fourth term as prime minister. However, her triumph was dampened by the death of her son Sanjay, the heir apparent, in a plane crash in June of that year. By 1982, rumblings of discontent and even outright secessionism were breaking out all over India. In Andhra Pradesh, on the central east coast, the Telangana region (comprising the inland 40%) wanted to break away from the rest of the state. Trouble also flared in the ever-volatile Jammu and Kashmir region in the north. The most serious threat, though, came from Sikh secessionists in Punjab, led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple In 1983, the Sikh leader Bhindranwale and his armed followers occupied and fortified the second-most holy building in the sacred Golden Temple complex (also called the Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib) in Amritsar, the Indian Punjab. From their position in the Akhal Takt building, Bhindranwale and his followers called for armed resistance to Hindu domination. They were upset that their homeland, Punjab, had been divided between India and Pakistan in the 1947 Partition of India. To make matters worse, the Indian Punjab had been lopped in half once more in 1966 to form the Haryana state, which was dominated by Hindi-speakers. The Punjabis lost their first capital at Lahore to Pakistan in 1947; the newly-built capital at Chandigarh ended up in Haryana two decades later, and the government in Delhi decreed that Haryana and Punjab would simply have to share the city. To right these wrongs, some of Bhindranwales followers called for an entirely new, separate Sikh nation, to be called Khalistan. During this period, Sikh extremists were waging a campaign of terror against Hindus and moderate Sikhs in Punjab. Bhindranwale and his following of heavily armed militants holed up in the Akhal Takt, the second-most holy building after the Golden Temple itself. The leader himself was not necessarily calling for the creation of Khalistan; rather he demanded the implementation of the Anandpur Resolution, which called for the unification and purification of the Sikh community within Punjab. Indira Gandhi decided to send the Indian Army on a frontal assault of the building to capture or kill Bhindranwale. She ordered the attack at the beginning of June  1984, even though June 3rd was the most important Sikh holiday (honoring the martyrdom of the Golden Temples founder), and the complex was full of innocent pilgrims. Interestingly, due to the heavy Sikh presence in the Indian Army, the commander of the attack force, Major General Kuldip Singh Brar, and many of the troops were also Sikhs. In preparation for the attack, all electricity and lines of communication to Punjab were cut off. On June 3, the army surrounded the temple complex with military vehicles and tanks. In the early morning hours of June 5, they launched the attack. According to official Indian government numbers, 492 civilians were killed, including women and children, along with 83 Indian army personnel. Other estimates from hospital workers and eyewitnesses state that more than 2,000 civilians died in the bloodbath. Among those killed were Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the other militants. To the further outrage of Sikhs worldwide, the Akhal Takt was badly damaged by shells and gunfire. Aftermath and Assassination In the aftermath of Operation Bluestar, a number of Sikh soldiers resigned from the Indian Army. In some areas, there were actual battles between those resigning and those still loyal to the army. On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi walked out to the garden behind her official residence for an interview with a British journalist. As she passed two of her Sikh bodyguards, they drew their service weapons and opened fire. Beant Singh shot her three times with a pistol, while Satwant Singh fired thirty times with a self-loading rifle. Both men then calmly dropped their weapons and surrendered. Indira Gandhi died that afternoon after undergoing surgery. Beant Singh was shot dead while under arrest; Satwant Singh and alleged conspirator Kehar Singh were later hanged. When news of the Prime Ministers death was broadcast, mobs of Hindus across northern India went on a rampage. In the Anti-Sikh Riots, which lasted for four days, anywhere from 3,000 to 20,000 Sikhs were murdered, many of them burned alive. The violence was particularly bad in Haryana state. Because the Indian government was slow to respond to the pogrom, support for the Sikh separatist Khalistan movement increased markedly in the months following the massacre. Indira Gandhis Legacy Indias Iron Lady left behind a complicated legacy. She was succeeded in the office of Prime Minister by her surviving son, Rajiv Gandhi. This dynastic succession is one of the negative aspects of her legacy - to this day, the Congress Party is so thoroughly identified with the Nehru/Gandhi family that it cannot avoid charges of nepotism. Indira Gandhi also instilled authoritarianism into Indias political processes, warping the democracy to suit her need for power. On the other hand, Indira clearly loved her country  and did leave it in a stronger position relative to neighboring countries. She sought to improve the lives of Indias poorest  and supported industrialization and technological development. On balance, however, Indira Gandhi seems to have done more harm than good during her two stints as the prime minister of India. For more information on women in power, see this list of Female Heads of State in Asia.