Managing Information Technology Essay Example for Free

Managing Information Technology Essay Question #1: What would be your prioritized list of IT investments? Four IT investments need to be prioritized; 1. 2. 3. 4. Ecommerce Web sales Aligning the various systems (legacy, SAP, ERP) together. Hire relationship managers Make IT a â€Å"partner† 1. After only 3 years, KL’s Web sales have reached $156M, equalizing its in store sales, and now represent 15% of total sales. This is very encouraging and exciting. KL needs to continue to invest in Ecommerce Web sales in order to continue this great growth. Selling via the Internet should be a priority because it’s cheaper than your ordinary brick and mortar sales points, there is less overhead expense, and this market is growing exponentially. The company should work towards gaining the most market share possible developing an industry leading website, timely and dependable delivery, and customer service. Accomplishing the above means getting all the company sharing information and data more efficiently (see point #2). 2. KL has a complex IT infrastructure with various systems in use around the world. The result is a frustrated bunch of employees upset with the fact that communication data sharing is awful. To remedy this the company needs to invest more in training to get the whole company, including the USA, to use SAP as soon as possible. 3. Assign/hire relationship managers to improve information sharing, facilitate plans, priorities, communications, and relationships, and in turn get the whole system to work together. 4. To avoid such problems in the future, KL needs to make IT a â€Å"partner† in the decision making process. In other words, the company needs to better involve IT in company strategy and tactical planning. With the IT team, the company needs to develop and define an Enterprise Operating Model and Architecture that include business strategy, current IT assessment, IT strategy and IT plans. Question #2: Would your colleagues on the executive committee agree with your selection and prioritization? The above priorities should be well received because they solve or improve many of the frustrating employees around the company. This answer will look at each division (upper management, sales marketing, order fulfillment and distribution, and ITS) and see why the four IT priorities should be well received by the executive committee. The KL upper management is on record stating that the company has IT challenges â€Å"†¦around coordinating the various, and at times conflicting, business priorities across the enterprise. We sure could use better IT tools for this as well as ready access to timely performance data.†, CEO Joseph Campbell. In addition, COO Jens McCreary stated that the company needs to improve global supply-chain management and leverage the expertise to outpace out competitors and cut our operating costs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Considering these quotes it’s safe to assume that the CEO and COO should be accepting of these four IT priorities because will want to see IT provide better services in order to reach their goals. The products, manufacturing and distribution divisions of the company want to see SAP standardized and compatible across the company in order to better share information. Priorities #2 and 3 should please this division. Sales marketing hope to see inter-operating unit and communications and coordination issues to be resolved and they need real-time data. Priorities #1, 2 and 3 should encourage the sales and marketing team. The order fulfillment and distribution divisions need capabilities to forecast sales and manage our product and cash flows need to be more competitive. They want to be able to deliver in a J.I.T. basis (optimize effectiveness) and have data integration between the legacy systems, SAP, Oracle, etc. These issues should improve with priorities #2 and 3 and this making these priorities acceptable to this division. Finally, the information technology services (ITS) claim that not spending enough on IT (more spent on production and sales), and Web and ecommerce should be priority. Priorities 1 to 4 all favor the ITS team, and therefore should be well received.

Environment Essay: UK energy policy

Environment Essay: UK energy policy The main problem for the UK and other countries has been the unmanaged release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere resulting from the use of fossil fuels in energy generation. There is convincing evidence that this is causing major changes in the Earths climate, the consequences of which could threaten the health and livelihoods of so many people on this planet. The major issue that Governments worldwide are now facing is how to meet increasing energy demands from an ever increasing world population. The issue is politically charged, with differing opinions on how nuclear, renewable and energy efficient measures should contribute to future energy policy. From the governments point of view, energy policies must be driven by the aim of ensuring an adequate and secure supply of affordable energy whilst also properly dealing with the production of wastes, including both carbon dioxide and radioactive materials. The Government’s figures show that UK carbon dioxide emissions have increased over the last two years, and although Kyoto targets are likely to be reached, the UKs energy policies must aim for cuts in emissions of 60 per cent in the longer term (defra, 2005). One of the major challenges facing the UK is how to generate electricity whilst minimising the damage that can be caused by waste products. In the short to medium term, some scientists comment that it will be difficult to reduce dependence on fossil fuels without the help of nuclear power (Royal Society, 2005). At present, the UK relies on nuclear power to generate about a quarter of the UKs electricity demands. All nuclear power stations are scheduled to reach the ends of their lives within the next 30 years. Unless the rate of development of both renewables and energy efficiency measures makes up for the loss of capacity resulting from the phasing out of nuclear power, the UK will become more reliant on fossil fuels, which is obviously not consistent with an overall aim of drastically reducing carbon dioxide emissions. According to the Governments own estimates, we will be more dependent on fossil fuels to generate electricity in 2010 than we were in 1995 (defra, 2005). Whilst the UK has made relatively well funded policy commitments to increasing its renewable energy capacity throughout the 1990s, it would still be hard to argue with the European Renewable Energy Study description of renewable resources à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“playing an almost negligible role in the United Kingdoms energy balance (TERES, 1994). Since that 1994 report the UKs efforts have seen it rise only from 15th to 14th by 2002, on a list ranking the 15 EU countries on the fraction of energy they obtain from renewable sources. Production amounts to only 3% of total primary energy use in the UK, with 46% of this figure coming from hydropower (Smith, 2002). The reasons for this low figure can be broken down into a number of categories, including problems with planning regulations, poorly thought out support mechanisms and a general lack of political will. Whilst having provided prior support for the support of RD efforts in renewable energy, significant efforts in providing UK policy on developing their potential can be traced to the oil crises of the 1970s, as with the efforts of so many of its competitors. Elliott provides an extensive overview of renewable energy RD funding in the UK up the late 1980s, and the underlying policy basis for it (Elliott, 1989). Elliott records that wave energy came to be the most favoured of the new renewable energy technologies in the late 1970s and received considerable government support on this basis. This was to change following a 1982 review by the Advisory Council on Research and Development for fuel and power (ACORD), along with a report from the Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) (HMSO, 1982). This led to the reassessment of wave as unlikely ever to achieve a sufficiently low price to make it economically viable. Wind had initially been classified as one of the technologies least likely to develop to an economically viable stage and was thus provided with only a low level of funding. ACORD support of wind led to favourable government policy and funding for R,DD, though the government stood firmly against providing direct financial grant aid to try to move the technology from the demonstration phase towards being fully commercial. This policy of eschewing grants was to remain intact up to the 2001 announcement of  £40 million to support a limited number of offshore wind developments and the expansion of biofuel use. One of the problems often cited in connection with the development of renewable and nuclear sources of energy is that they appear to be uneconomic compared to fossil fuels. This is based on what the Royal Society considers a flawed assumption, that there is no cost associated with pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Government needs to introduce a charge for the right to produce carbon dioxide, through for example a carbon tax or a system of tradable emissions permits. Such measures are required to balance the economic arguments surrounding energy generation. The end of 2001 saw the announcement of a wide range of new instruments aimed at revitalising the UKs efforts regarding renewable energy. Current plans for future policy in the UK centre on achieving a target of 10% of all electrical generation from renewable energy sources by 2010. The central mechanism aimed at achieving this end is the newly introduced Renewables Obligation (RO). However, to date, not all of these have reached the statute books and begun to have an impact in real terms. The governments future energy policy must focus on how to ensure a secure supply of affordable energy, how to manage the waste products of energy generation regardless of whether it is in the form of radioactive materials or carbon dioxide, and how to increase energy efficiency. The fact that DEFRA is responsible for dealing with waste, while Department for Trade and Industry deals with the commissioning and operation of power stations, must not prevent a coherent approach to policy that meets our future energy requirements whilst properly managing any waste that is produced. Bibliographywww.defra.gov.uk (accessed 2005)Elliott D. Renewable energy RD in the UK: a strategic overview. Technology Analysis Strategic Management 1989;1(2):22337.ETSU. Strategic review of renewable energy technologies. London: HMSO, 1982.Smith A Watson J The renewables obligation: can it deliver? Brighton, SPRU, University of Sussex, 2002, 6.TERES. The European Renewable Energy Study. Luxembourg, Advisory Council on Research and Development, European Commission, 1994. Passion Fruit: Medicinal Uses and Taxonomy Passion Fruit: Medicinal Uses and Taxonomy Introduction Passion fruit is one of the most exotic tropical fruit because of the magic of its aroma and the taste of its fruit. It belongs to the family Passifloraceae and is estimated to have approximately 500 species of Passiflora. Within this species, there are two distinct forms, the P. edulis f. flavicarpa i.e the yellow passion fruit which is in Peru, Brazil and Ecuador, it is also widely distributed in Guyana as well and the Passiflora edulis L which is widely known as the purple passion fruit. The purple passion fruit is cultivated in Africa and India. They both differ not only in color but in other feathers. The purple passion fruit has is less acidic, has a better aroma and flavor, and has slightly higher juice content. The yellow passion fruit on the other hand has a, ore vigorous vine; the fruit is larger and has a thicker wall than the purple type. Thus they both make an excellent juice blend. Passion fruit vine is a shallow-rooted woody, perennial, climbing by attaching its tendri ls to objects. The leaves are evergreen, hairless and are alternately arranged, posses 3-lobed when mature, they are finely tooted, grow from 7.5-20 cm long, deep green and gloss above, paler and dull beneath, the stems and tendrils are tinged with red or purple ( mostly the stems and tendrils of yellow passion fruit). Fragrant flower grow from 5-7.5 cm wide and is borne at each node. The bloom is clasped by 3 large green leaf-like bracts, consisting of 5 greenish-white sepals, 5-white petals, a fingerlike corona of straight, white-tipped rays, rich purple at the base, 5 stamens with large anthers, the ovary and triple-branched style forms a prominent central structure. The yellow passion fruit flower grows slower with more intense color than the purple passion fruit. Taxonomic Classification of Passion Fruit Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Passifloraceae Genus: Passiflora Species: Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa (yellow passion fruit) and Passiflora edulis L. (purple passion fruit). Brief Origin of Passion Fruit Passilflora spp, in particular the purple passion fruit is native to South America, from Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina; better adapted to tropical highland areas and it is the most popular type to be exported. On the other hand the yellow type is better adapted to tropical low land areas and is the principle type produced in Guyana. The fruit is widely distributed in the market and a small amount is exported to Barbados and Canada. It is one of the best tropical fruit to grow because it comes into production within a year and is referred to as fruit cash crop. Its juice is rich in vitamin A, B5 and C. Passionfruit acquired its name from Spanish missionaries who thought parts of the plants flower resembled different religious symbols. The Jesuit missionaries who accompanied the Conquistadors to South America saw in its striking flower a means of illustrating the Crucifixion; the 10 petals and sepals represented the apostles, the crown of thorns was seen in the filaments, the five anthers represent the five wounds, the three stigmas were allied with the nails used to pierce the hands and feet of Jesus and the vines tendrils were equated with the whips. (http://www.passionfruit.org.nz/History.htm). Medicinal uses and properties of Passion Fruit The passion fruit leaves together with a small portion of the juice contain the alkaloids, including Harman which is used to lower blood pressure, sedative and antispasmodic action. The leaves are also use in many countries as medicine. The flower of passion fruit has a mild sedative and can be use to induce sleep. Passion fruit flowers have been use in treatment for the nervous system in easily excited children, bronchial asthma, insomnia, nervous gastrointestinal disorders and menopausal problems. The flower is sometimes used as a mild hallucinogen. It provides a useful amount of fibres and iron; also use to relieve rheumatism or gout. It has been used for centuries by indigenous tribes as a sedative or calming tonic. Used for urinary infections and as a mild diuretic. The juice of passion fruit reduces cancer cell growth; the phytochemicals in this fruit juice is responsible for the inhibition of the cancer cell growth. The phenolic acid (known for its anti-microbial activity) and flavanoids present in the fruit are known to possess heart protecting function. Passion fruit is a good source of both water soluble and fat soluble antioxidants. Passion fruit possesses antiseptic properties, anticancer effect, and anti-clotting and antioxidant properties. The fruit is high in carbohydrates and simple sugars, which improves energy performance. Passion fruit contains plant sterols, which help lowers the level of cholesterol. Some studies say that the fruit is good for attaining optimum health and weight loss. Herbalist used passion fruit flower to aid in digestion, as a stress reducer and as an insomnia treatment; the flowers can be use fresh or dried for use in pills, teas and for extraction e.g. tinctures and infusions. The flowers are also used by Europeans as an effective prescription medication to relieve anxiety disorder. The flower can also improve symptoms such as shortness of breath after treatment for congestive heart failure. Plant parts use to prepare supplement obtained from the leaves, flowers and fruit of Passiflora edulis and ailment encountered from supplements: Plant parts use form medicinal purposes Ailments Leaves Lower blood pressure Flower Induce sleep, aid in digestion, as a stress reducer and as insomnia, relieve anxiety disorder, congestive heart failure. Treatment of nervous system, bronchial asthma, insomnia, nervous gastrointestinal disorders and menopausal problems. Mild hallucinogen, relieve rheumatism or gout, sedative or calming tonic, mild diuretic. Fruit juice Inhibition of the cancer cell growth, heart protecting function, water soluble and fat soluble antioxidants, improves energy performance, lowers the level of cholesterol, optimum health and weight loss. Medicinal uses of Passion fruit- Passiflora edulis as obtained from interviews of Herbal Medicine Practitioners at Bourda Market. The leaves and flowers of passion fruit can be use as a nerve tonic. Passion fruit can be taken naturally as a good appetizer. The fruit can also be use to cleanse upset stomach. The fruit has a good source of vitamin C and is mixed naturally with water or sometimes added sugar to make a clenching thirst fruit juice. Passion fruit seeds contains high amount of fiber that the body needs to cleanse the colon, improve digestion, and help prevent heart attack and stroke. Passion fruit is high in vitamin A which helps the body to remove free radicals that causes skin and tissue damage, and it also help to improve our vision. Passion fruit can also be use as pig food. Name of Bush Medicine Vendor: Mugabe Jawanza Telephone #: 639-1552 Address: Lot 25 Lane Avenue, Georgetown Date of interview: 23rd April, 2011. Name of Bush Medicine Vendor: Sharmilla Mohammed Telephone #: 220-7729 Address: 149 Broad Street, Better hope, Georgetown. Date of Interview: 23rd April, 2011. Method of Preparation for the Medicinal uses or uses of Passiflora edulis obtained from interviews: The leaves and flowers are boiled with water and draw to make a nerve tonic. The fruit can be eaten raw, chopping the fruit in half and eaten (seeds as well as the orange juicy sac in the centre). Squeeze the juice from the fruit and drink naturally to cleanse the stomach. Chop of the top of the fruit, scope the pulp into a bowl; rub the pulp through a sieve to extract the seeds; squeeze gently to extract the juice, which is in the form of a rich, natural extract, can be diluted with water or other fruit juice additive and mixed with sugar to form a refreshing drink. This quenches thirst boost up and improve the bodys energy. The seed can be obtained by chopping the fruit and gulping the pulp into the mouth naturally or obtaining it after it was strained to extract the juice. This can be taken to cleanse colon, improve digestion and prevent heart attack and stroke. The rind of the fruit is chopped, dried and combined with molasses as cattle or pig food. Non-medicinal uses of Passion Fruit- Passiflora edulis The fruit of Passiflora edulis can be use naturally to make juice. Passion fruit mousse is a common dessert, and passion fruit seed are used to decorate the tops of cakes. The fruit can be used in many countries to make jams, jellies and butter as well as syrup to use on shaved ice. The fruit can also be eaten raw with sprinkles of sugar. The juice of passion fruit can be used to flavor ice-cream and other desserts such as cakes, yogurts, cocktails and cookies. The juice can be boiled as a thick syrup and use in pastries and can also be added to fruit salads as a dressing or as a fruit. The fruit is widely use as juice mixes. Pharmacological effects and risks as obtained from literature search and interviews: Effects obtained from Literature Sources Rapid heart rate and rhythm, nausea, and vomiting have been reported as the rare but serious side effect from obtaining supplements of the passion fruit or any part of it. Side effects may also include drowsiness/ sedation and mental slowing. It is advice that person operating or driving heavy machinery should take caution when using Passiflora edulis. The passion fruit flower may increase the risk of bleeding and alter blood tests that measure blood clotting. Passion fruit flower can also cause the effect of congestive heart failure for the treatment of shortness of breath and difficulty exercising. Effect obtained from Interviewers No effect was obtained from the interviews.

The Theory of Human Development :: Papers

What makes a person what they are? Why does a person do what they do? Where does personality come from and how does it grow? These are some frequently asked questions when discussing the topic of personality. The latter of the questions is actually an answer in itself. Personality does originate from a specific point, and from then on it continues to grow and become exponentially more complex. This core point from which personality begins and the growth of it will be discussed in the sections to follow, but first we must look at certain assumptions that are commonly made when developing a personality theory. Assumptions The first of these assumptions concerns whether one believes that the behaviors, any type of action, a person exhibits are produced by conscious choices and decisions, also known as free will, or "determined" by forces beyond one's control. I believe in the free will explanation, but not the type of free will commonly imagined. Humans do ultimately have the power to choose their actions, however the extreme influence of other factors, such as heredity, environment, and learned behaviors, may make it seem like a persons actions were predetermined. For example, if a starving people were put into positions where they could either eat a Subway turkey round placed in front of them or just sit there and stare and stare at it, common sense shows that these people would eat. However, it is possible that one person, like an anorexic, would just sit and stare at the sandwich. For that reason, it can be assumed that human beings do have free will, however the choices made are greatly impacted and seemingly determined by inherited basic needs, environment, and learned behaviors. This leads us into a second assumption, rationalism or irrationalism. Do human beings operate primarily on the basis of intellect, or on the basis of impulses and passions? The answer is the latter theory. Going back to the Subway example, the most likely decision on whether or not to eat the turkey round would be based on an irrational impulse in one's subconscious. The basic physiological need of food has a profound influence on the given choice. But note that this is only the most likely response and not a definite one. There is always the chance that a person could make a conscious, rational decision not to eat. Because a people ultimately do have some sort of a conscious decision over their actions, it cannot be assumed that behavior is solely determined by irrational impulses.

Florida Should Legalize Euthanasia :: Free Essay Writer

Florida Should Legalize Euthanasia Florida should legalize euthanasia and I offer the following plan. The way Florida would legalize euthanasia should be by setting up a set of professional doctors who could examine all cases in which a person or an ill patients family request euthanasia due to extreme pain or an incurable disease. The doctors could examine these people and if they find there is no way other than the use of machines 24-hours a day to keep these people alive they will allow the doctor of the patient to assist in suicide or in better terms freeing an immense pain and agony. The benefits from legalizing euthanasia in Florida would be the health care spent to keep many of the people who live on machines from terminally or incurable diseases would be saved, many families would not have to watch there family member die slowly, and many stories like Sue Rodriguez's would never be. In the first place, health care on people with incurable or deadly diseases cannot be paid by many people because of no medical insurance according to Euthanasia questions by the IAETF. The government jumps in and pays for the treatment and care. This could be replaced in incurable or agonizing pain situations with the better and cheaper treatment of death. Next, not all family life is harmonious, and underlying pathology can often be exacerbated by the stresses of a family member's terminal illness bring says an article in Law Medicine & Health Care of 1992. If euthanasia is legalized the family members of a patient could sleep peacefully knowing that they have been "mercied" and died easily and with little pain instead of being kept alive by a machine or dying slowly and painfully from an incurable disease. Finally, let me tell you a true story from Vess Fast Access TO Information On Euthanasia, about a 31-year old mother named Sue Rodriguez. Sue Rodriguez was dying slowly of the incurable Lou Gehrig's disease. She lived several years with the knowledge that the disease would one by one waste away her muscles until the point while still conscious the lack of muscles would choke her to death. She begged the courts to allow her and her doctor to choose the moment of her death instead of the inspicable pain of being choked to death. The court refused to mercy her and she lived in terror every day. Every morning she would wake up wondering if this is the day she would be choked to death maybe while her children watch. In February 1994, Sue Rodriguez died. Florida Should Legalize Euthanasia :: Free Essay Writer Florida Should Legalize Euthanasia Florida should legalize euthanasia and I offer the following plan. The way Florida would legalize euthanasia should be by setting up a set of professional doctors who could examine all cases in which a person or an ill patients family request euthanasia due to extreme pain or an incurable disease. The doctors could examine these people and if they find there is no way other than the use of machines 24-hours a day to keep these people alive they will allow the doctor of the patient to assist in suicide or in better terms freeing an immense pain and agony. The benefits from legalizing euthanasia in Florida would be the health care spent to keep many of the people who live on machines from terminally or incurable diseases would be saved, many families would not have to watch there family member die slowly, and many stories like Sue Rodriguez's would never be. In the first place, health care on people with incurable or deadly diseases cannot be paid by many people because of no medical insurance according to Euthanasia questions by the IAETF. The government jumps in and pays for the treatment and care. This could be replaced in incurable or agonizing pain situations with the better and cheaper treatment of death. Next, not all family life is harmonious, and underlying pathology can often be exacerbated by the stresses of a family member's terminal illness bring says an article in Law Medicine & Health Care of 1992. If euthanasia is legalized the family members of a patient could sleep peacefully knowing that they have been "mercied" and died easily and with little pain instead of being kept alive by a machine or dying slowly and painfully from an incurable disease. Finally, let me tell you a true story from Vess Fast Access TO Information On Euthanasia, about a 31-year old mother named Sue Rodriguez. Sue Rodriguez was dying slowly of the incurable Lou Gehrig's disease. She lived several years with the knowledge that the disease would one by one waste away her muscles until the point while still conscious the lack of muscles would choke her to death. She begged the courts to allow her and her doctor to choose the moment of her death instead of the inspicable pain of being choked to death. The court refused to mercy her and she lived in terror every day. Every morning she would wake up wondering if this is the day she would be choked to death maybe while her children watch. In February 1994, Sue Rodriguez died.

Family Management Essay

1. What information in the documentary most surprised you? The thing that most surprised me was the amount of credit cards that a household. I am currently stressed out by having one credit card, I could not even imagine multiplying that stress by 8. I understand that adults with families need credit cards to help buy necessities for their families, but I think that if you are going to take on the responsibilities of owning a credit card, you should make sure you are able to pay more then just the minimum amount. That is another thing that surprised me, the fact that 35 million people only pay the minimum amount due is really shocking because people should be well aware by now how much money they are actually loosing by doing that. 2. Do you think the government should have a role in regulating both who can get credit cards and what interest and fees consumers should pay? If so, who should be the regulators? Who would benefit from such regulation? Who would lose? Explain. I don’t think the government should have a role in regulating who can get a credit card or the interest rate or fees. When people sign up for a credit card, they are well aware of the responsibility that they are taking on. Everyone knows their limit and how much interest they are charged, so if you cant afford to pay something off on time you should not buy it. I don’t think people should blame the banks if they are being charged interest on their purchases; it is their responsibility to be able to keep track of their income and their spending. Even though the bank is making money off of people who do not pay their bills on time, they are the ones lending money to people and they need to make some profit to, like every other business out there. 3. How, according to the four â€Å"normal consumers† in the documentary, does owning a credit card or credit cards affect purchasing decisions? Owning a credit card or multiple credit cards give the illusion of having more money then you actually do. The credit card makes people think that paying it later isn’t a big deal, when actually it buries people in huge sums of debt. Buying something for $500 and only making minimum payments for it can actually end up being double the price (depending on your interest rate). I was brought up thinking that credit cards are for emergencies and emergencies only, but now that I have one I find myself tempted to by things that are not even close to a necessity, and because of this piece of plastic, I also find that I convince myself not to worry and that I will pay it off later. It affects the purchasing decision by giving the illusion of money that most people don’t have, people have a hard time distinguishing the difference of their wants and their needs. Since there is an option to do a minimum payment, the majority of people are taking that route. 4. Who loses and gains the most from credit card companies’ policies? The people who gain from credit card companies are the ‘dead beats’, also known as the people who pay off their entire credit card bill at the end of the month. The reason that they are the gainers is because they are the ones who never have to pay interest, therefore the credit card companies are not making any money off of them and are basically just lending money to these people. The people that pay of their entire bill at the end of the month not only don’t have to pay interest, but they also gain benefits and good credit rates, depending on what that bank offers. The people that lose from credit cards are the people that only make the minimum payments. The downfall with only paying the minimum payments is that they are gaining interest of the balance spent, so they are constantly loosing money. They may think that they are saving money because they are not spending a lot on payments, but in the long run they are paying double the amount. 5. Has the documentary influenced how you might use credit cards in the future? Explain† (Frontline, 2008). Definitely, I’ve always thought I had a good concept on the whole credit card situation, but looking at the video has made me realize how much money I am actually loosing. I’ve always paid more then the minimum payment but still, I would much rather be one of the â€Å"dead beats†. Being in school makes that next to impossible though since I cannot work as much as I’d like to. This video makes me more conscious of the purchases that I make and it also makes me want to pay off my credit card off immediately! Being a student has put me into a lot of debt, I hope that once I have a career in place I will be able to pay off all of my debts.

Similarities in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Siddhartha as Portrayed by an Unknown Author and Herman Hesse

Similarities in The_ Epic of Gilgamesh_ and Siddhartha As portrayed by an unknown author and Herman Hesse Both Siddhartha and Gilgamesh believe in themselves, they do not let others define them or make decisions for them. Siddhartha demonstrates that he has strong will from the very beginning of the novel. He is taught by the Samana even though the teachings he received up to this point in his life say that the Samana’s wayis the wrong religion. â€Å"It is not fitting for a Brahmin to speak angry and violent words/But indignation moves my heart/I do not wish to hear that request a second time from your lips†(Hesse, 9). Siddhartha wants to make his own decision to study with the Samana, therefore, he needed to go against his father’s judgment and demand leave to travel with the Samana. This clearly shows Siddhartha’s strong will by wanting to study with the Samana strongly enough to disobey his father. Siddhartha also demonstrates determination when he does not fall prey to the temptations of Sublime ones teachings. Siddhartha believes you do not need a teacher or scriptures to be taught how to achieve Nirvana. He abandons the Buddha and also his friend with hope of finding the way to Nirvana on his own. Gilgamesh on the other hand is the ruler of Uruk. In order to be able to keep his people alive he needs to be level headed and strong willed. Gilgamesh is so strong willed he seems arrogant, he believes he is one of the Gods and immortal and forgets that he is only 2/3 God. The villagers of Uruk say that â€Å"[Gilgamesh’s] arrogance has no bounds by night or day†(tablet 1, 62). Although his strong will is mistaken for arrogance on numerous occasions, Gilgamesh changes through the course of the novel. After meeting Enkidu he seems less arrogant to the people of Uruk and becomes their hero. Gilgamesh’s strong will helps him through the trials he must face to reach immortality. He faces the battle with Hambaba, the death of his friend, he passes through the mountain pass, rows across the waters of death and then return to his people. Gilgamesh did not give up during his journey because he did not want to let the people of Uruk suffer an illfate. The thought of his people gives him courage and his strong will is what allows him to continue. Gilgamesh and Siddhartha are two men from different times but they still share the same quality of being strong willed. The importance of loyalty is conveyed through Siddhartha’s and Gilgamesh’sloyalty to their friends. Siddhartha is loyal to every person he meets during his journey, but his most trusted friend is Govinda. They start their journey together; Govinda is in love with Siddhartha and therefore follows all his wishes. After meeting the Sublime One Siddhartha feels as though he has wronged his friend by bringing him along on his journey, because they have not found Nirvana: Govinda, my friend, now you have taken this step, now you have chosen this path. Always, oh Govinda, you've been my friend, you've always walked one step behind me. Often I have thought: Won't Govinda for once also take a step by himself, without me, out of his own soul? Behold, now you've turned into a man and are choosing your path for yourself. I wish that you would go it up to its end, oh my friend, that you shall find salvation! Siddhartha wants only the best for his friend so he waits for Govinda to decide to leave him instead of sending him away. Siddhartha wishes Govinda well, even though he knows later on he will feel lonely without his friend. Siddhartha and Govinda meet each other after they depart on two other occasions. On each meeting they speak as though they had never left one another’s side. Friendship thus plays a key role in Siddhartha as well. Gilgamesh initially does not seem like a loyal person because of his arrogance, however, when he meets Enkidu, Gilgamesh becomes a loyal friend. At the beginning of their relationship, Gilgamesh’s loyalty seems questionable, but after the death of Enkidu the reader can see the great love he has for his friend. â€Å"[. . . ] seven days and seven nights he wept for Enkidu† (Tablet, 96). Following the death of his friend, despite Gilgamesh’s vow to walk with him in the neverlands (valley of death), he leaves on a journey to find immortality because he does not want his people to suffer the way he has. Despite his journey to find immortality Gilgamesh comes to realize that immortality will not bring his friend back from the dead. He discovers that he must live his life the way Enkidu would have wanted him to; without grief. Gilgamesh decides to stay loyal to his friend and walk in the neverlands with him after his own death. Gilgamesh and Siddhartha are loyal to their closest friends and they only wish the best for them. Through their loss they were able to achieve impossibilities. Siddhartha and Gilgamesh never truly experience grief until the death of the ones they love. Their experience with grief is similar because it helps them evolve as people and it changes their lives. After the death of Kamala, Siddhartha is enlightened and is able to experience the grief of this world as well as see the grief he inflicts on his father the day he leaves. Kamala’s death leaves Siddhartha with the responsibility of raising his son, who hates living as a ferryman. His son wants to return to the town but his father does not let him. â€Å"I hate you you’re not my father/even if you were her lover ten times over. † (Hesse,108). Siddhartha feels grief at that moment for not being loved by his son, but it is through grief that he can understand Nirvana. Gilgamesh has everything he has ever wanted and he has never had an occasion to understand or feel grief. He would have never felt grief if he did not enjoy the company of Enkidu. The death of Enkidu is the turning point in The Epic of Gilgamesh, because Gilgamesh, in order to forget his grief, sets out on his journey to find immortality, in his attempt to resurrect Enkidu, also to shelter his people from grief. For Gilgamesh and Siddhartha, grief is the turning point in their lives, because it helps them move forward. Siddhartha discovers Nirvana and Gilgamesh finds that you can’t escape reality with immortality. While writing Siddhartha and The_ Epic of _Gilgamesh the authors would have been influenced by the beliefs of the society in which they lived. Siddhartha follows the Buddhist belief that you can find Nirvana through teachings and meditation. Nirvana is a state of mind which is completely at peace and with complete clarity and lucidity without thoughts of volitional formation (Bhikkhu Bodhi). Herman Hesse wrote the novel Siddhartha during his time in India and China, where the central religion is Buddhism. It is unknown to this day who the author of The Epic of Gilgamesh really was. First the story was found on tablets years after it was written and secondly the tablets state that Gilgamesh himself had written the novel. The reason people do not believe it was Gilgamesh who wrote this novel is because it is written in the third person. But we do know that The Epic of Gilgamesh is influenced by the Babylonian’s beliefs of dream interpretation and the cosmic. Since the epic is found in Babylonian ruins, archeologists assume that the epic is written by the Babylonian’s who also believed in astrology. The novel states that it is written during the age of the Taurus, also Gilgamesh sacrifices a bull, which is a custom among the Babylonians (Tony Crisp). Both novels are influenced by the place they were written but also during the era they are written in. Siddhartha is written in 1922 by a German named Herman Hesse who studied the Buddhist religion during 1910-1922. Around the time that Hesse wrote Siddhartha, his wife was suffering from mental instabilities and his son was seriously ill. Hesse stayed positive and strived for spiritual self-realization. Hesse states that â€Å"There is no reality except the one contained within us†(Hesse, 1919), this is a concept found within the novel Siddhartha. The difficulties and trials Hesse has to face helped make his novel one that’s praised around the world. The Epic of Gilgamesh has no official author because it is written on stone tablets that were discovered in the mid nineteenth century by Austen Henry Layard. They believed the tablets to be written around 2000 BCE but the actualdate is still argued. The tablets were found in ancient Mesopotamia, where they discovered 12 incomplete tablets. More tablets with a Syrian script have been found as far away from Mesopotamia as Syria and Turkey. Richard Hines) Both novels were written as a work of fiction but in reality they are both written using the name of an actual historical figure. Siddhartha of Gautama is known as the â€Å"Awakened one† or the Buddha throughout Asia; Hesse’s story does not follow closely to that of the Buddha. The journey they follow is different but the path they take to find Nirvana is the same. They both end up finding Niravan through medi tation and self teachings. the tablets on which The Epic of Gilgamesh is written tell the true tale of the historical figure, Gilgamesh, fifth king of Uruk. Water is the sign of purity and rebirth, but in order to be reborn in water you must emerge from its’ depths. (Didier Coiffard) During Siddhartha’s attempt to escape his life as a merchant, he runs away and decides to commit suicide near a river bank. While under the water he sees the word OM in front of him and finds himself unable to commit suicide. He emerges from the water a renewed man with renewed knowledge. â€Å"The new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this flowing water and decided that he would not leave it again so quickly† (Hesse, 81). He then meets the ferryman and becomes his apprentice in order to study the water and relearn his skills as a Brahmin and Samana. Siddhartha learns to listen to the river and becomes friends with it. With the help of the ferryman and the river Siddhartha finds Nirvana. He also relearns his skills of fasting, thinking and waiting. It is with the help of the river that Siddhartha is able to become a renewed and awakened person. Gilgamesh was also fortunate enough to find rebirth near water. Gilgamesh ends his initial quest near the river of death and retrieves a magic plant. In order to reach the plant Gilgamesh needs to submerge himself in the river. Once he emerges from the water he finds new hope in the magic plant, knowing that he could help his city. On his way back to UrukGilgamesh falls asleep and a snake steals the magic plant. For whom have I labored? For whom have I journeyed? For whom have I suffered? I have gained absolutely nothing for myself, I have only profited the snake, the ground lion! Gilgamesh goes back to Uruk to be with his wife and children, he realizes that he is only human and will keep his promise with Enkidu and walk in the neverlands with him. Both Siddhartha and Gilgamesh follow higher powers during their lives. Buddhists do not believe in a high power so Siddhartha follows the idea of spiritual awakening and a spiritual leader within himself . Siddhartha hears from his spiritual being when he leaves the Buddha and meets a woman that he desires but â€Å"[. . . ] upon hearing his innermost voice, and the voice said, no† (Hesse, 47) He immediately gives up on the woman and leaves her. He hears from his guide more than once through his journey. He hears the voice at the river and sees the word OM which is what gives him emotionalstrength. Like Siddhartha, Gilgamesh also follows a spiritual guide except for Gilgamesh believes in the gods. Until having met Enkidu, Gilgamesh has given his respect to the gods by sacrificing women and animals as well as building temples and shrines. After meeting Enkidu, he takes his fate into his own hands and kills Hambaba, but Enkidu dies by the will of the gods because he was not suppose to kill Humbaba. Gilgamesh has been touched by the gods since birth as his father, Utnapishtim is a god, which would make him 2/3 God and 1/3 man. The lives of Siddhartha and Gilgamesh are touched by a spiritual presence that helps them through their journey to find the meaning of life. In the beginning Siddhartha and Gilgamesh do not understand the meaning of life because they have never experienced anything outside of their cities. Siddhartha does not understand all aspects of life and therefore cannot experience nirvana. So his spiritual voice sends him on a journey to find and experience life. Through his journey he finds that there is no such thing as time, â€Å"Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence† (Hesse, 87). Without his journey into life he would have never found this wisdom and with knowing and understanding that time is irrelevant, he would have never found Nirvana. Gilgamesh is much like Siddhartha because he has not experienced anything outside of Uruk. After the death of Enkidu he realizes that he is not immortal and will die one day. This realization scares Gilgamesh so he sets out on his journey to find immortality. After meeting his father, Gilgamesh realizes that becoming immortal is impossible, so Gilgamesh acknowledges that one day he will die because he is only human. With this knowledge he goes back to Uruk and strives to be a good king for the rest of his life. Siddhartha learns that only through life experiences can the spiritual self be understood and Gilgamesh learns that even though one day everything will die, you have to do what youcan at the present time. Herman Hesse and the Babylonian text are stories that will always be loved by many readers. They are stories that can be passed down to future generations and taught for years to come because they show the true meaning of existence. Gilgamesh learns to appreciate his life as a human being as opposed to a god, and not wish for immortality. He also finds that he is only capable of so much. Siddhartha learns that life is meant to be experienced in order to find nirvana and be at complete peace. The stories tell the reader that they do not have to be perfect or have everything to be truly happy with the life they have. Siddhartha and Gilgamesh are two fictional characters very similar in nature, despite having been written in two different times; ancient history and the twentieth century. The morals and ideas that these books hold true to this day, in order to find our spiritual selves we need to go on a journey to the depths of our souls and find the peace with us. Tomb of Gilgamesh believed found. † BBC News. 23 April 2003. Water a source of inspiration. Cite expos l’eau pour tous. 9 January 2008. â€Å"Nirvana. † Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 7 January 2008 â€Å"Babylonian Dream Beliefs. † Dream Hawk. Mesopotamia. 6 June 1999. World Civilizations, Richard Hines. 8 January 2008 < http://w ww. wsu. edu/~dee/MESO/GILG. HTM> â€Å"Free Siddhartha Essays: Themes in Siddhartha. † 123HelpMe. com. 04 Jan 2008 http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=10368.

Frontiero v. Richardson - 1973 Supreme Court Case

edited with additions by  Jone Johnson Lewis In the 1973 case Frontiero v. Richardson, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sex discrimination in benefits for military spouses violated the Constitution, and allowed the spouses of military women to receive the same benefits as did the spouses of men in the military. Fast Facts: Frontiero v. Richardson Case Argued: Jan. 17, 1973Decision Issued: May 14, 1973Petitioner: Sharron Frontiero, a lieutenant in the United States Air ForceRespondent: Elliot Richardson, Secretary of DefenseKey Question: Did a federal law, requiring different qualification criteria for male and female military spousal dependency, discriminate against woman and thereby violate the Fifth Amendments Due Process Clause?Majority Decision: Justices Brennan, Douglas, White, Marshall, Stewart, Powell, Burger, BlackmunDissenting: Justice RehnquistRuling: The Court ruled that the statute required dissimilar treatment for men and women who are similarly situated, violating the Fifth Amendments Due Process Clause and its implied equal protection requirements. Military Husbands Frontiero v. Richardson found unconstitutional a federal law that required different criteria for male spouses of military members to receive benefits, as opposed to female spouses. Sharon Frontiero was a U.S. Air Force lieutenant who tried to get dependent benefits for her husband. Her request was denied. The law said that male spouses of women in the military could only get benefits if the man relied on his wife for more than half of his financial support. However, female spouses of men in the military automatically were entitled to dependent benefits. A male serviceman did not have to show that his wife relied on him for any of her support. Sex Discrimination or Convenience? The dependent benefits would have included an increased living quarters allowance as well as medical and dental benefits. Sharon Frontiero did not show that her husband relied on her for more than one half of his support, so her application for dependent benefits was denied. She contended that this distinction between male and female requirements discriminated against servicewomen and violated the Due Process Clause of the Constitution. The Frontiero v. Richardson decision noted that U.S. statute books were laden with gross, stereotyped distinctions between the sexes. See Frontiero v. Richardson, 411 U.S. 685 (1977). The Alabama district court whose decision Sharon Frontiero appealed had commented on the administrative convenience of the law. With a vast majority of service members being male at the time, surely it would be an extreme administrative burden to require each man to demonstrate that his wife relied upon him for more than half of her support. In Frontiero v. Richardson, the Supreme Court pointed out that not only was it unfair to burden women and not men with this extra proof, but men who could not offer similar proof about their wives would still receive benefits under the current law. Legal Scrutiny The Court concluded: By according differential treatment to male and female members of the uniformed services for the sole purpose of achieving administrative convenience, the challenged statutes violate the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment insofar as they require a female member to prove the dependency of her husband. Frontiero v. Richardson, 411 U.S. 690 (1973). Justice William Brennan authored the decision, noting that women in the U.S. faced pervasive discrimination in education, the job market and politics. He concluded that classifications based on sex should be subjected to strict judicial scrutiny, just like classifications based on race or national origin. Without strict scrutiny, a law would only have to meet a rational basis test instead of a compelling state interest test. In other words, strict scrutiny would require a state to show why there is a compelling state interest for the discrimination or sex classification, instead of the much easier to meet test of some rational basis for the law. However, in Frontiero v. Richardson only a plurality of justices agreed about strict scrutiny for gender classifications. Although a majority of the justices agreed that the military benefits law was a violation of the Constitution, the level of scrutiny for gender classifications and questions of sex discrimination remained undecided in this case. Frontiero v. Richardson was argued before the Supreme Court in January 1973 and decided in May 1973. Another significant Supreme Court case the same year was the Roe v. Wade decision regarding state abortion laws.

The Impact Of Photography On The 19th Century - 2359 Words

Name: Title: Institution: Thesis Statement Painting is a workmanship that has existed since 16th century. Different spots leads by Philadelphia have the accumulations of craftsmanship painting that reflects occasions that have occurred, individuals and society. All work of art shows impact from the general public in which the specialists live, the materials accessible to them, and also the innovation of their times. Ancient man utilized cavern dividers as ground and shades produced using ocher, and his topic was impacted by superstition and nature. Throughout the history of Philadelphia, painting as an art has advanced and there are plenty of collections of gallery artistic pictures belonging to most peculiar artists such as Charles Willson Peale and Benjamin West. Introduction The late eighteenth century introduced the Industrial Revolution. Craftsmen in Western countries in this period profited from a surge in innovative advancement with paint in tubes and also from a more assorted customer base found inside the inexorably well off white collar class. Generally as altogether, the improvement of photography impacted workmanship in the second a large portion of the nineteenth century. The cam s impact was obvious in the visual qualities of sketches, the topic, and the effective course in which specialists had the capacity take their inventive visions (Barker, 1999). Most genuine collectors in Philadelphia were more disposed to gain representation or verifiable canvasesShow MoreRelatedArt History 211750 Words   |  7 Pages1. Discuss the impact of photography on the nineteenth-century landscape. How did it affect painting? What were the political implications of the medium? Use examples to support your essay. 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