Thursday, November 28, 2019

Freshwater Resources Tapped Out By Peter Gleick Essays

Freshwater Resources: Tapped Out By Peter Gleick The article being discussed was entitled Tapped Out and was written by Peter Gleick. It focuses on the depleting supply of our Earths freshwater resources. How it effects the human population, and how the problem will develop in years to come. The question being asked is will we be able to sustain enough freshwater to satisfy all the worlds needs? And what will we do about the present lack of clean freshwater in many underdeveloped countries all around the world. The reason why is quite obvious. We need to reevaluate our distribution of freshwater, and find a way to conserve and preserve it for generations to come. An astounding half of the worlds population lives with out an adequate supply of clean water. Think of all the ways that Americans use water everyday. We have the advantages of taking showers, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, or washing our cars. In other places in the world people dont even have a clean glass of water to drink let alone cook or clean with. Ten to twenty thousand children die everyday of preventable water related diseases, and the latest evidence shows that we are lagging in the effort to solve these problems. The average person doesnt realize what people without running water go through. Carrying water for miles and miles from a well just to boil a pot of water over a fire, and who is to say that the water is clean. One billion people suffer from lack of a clean water supply. Two and a half billion do not have adequate sanitation services in their homes or around them. Rivers and streams that may have once provided a water source have now been contaminated and are no longer useful for drinking or cooking with. Most of the time people are forced to drink brackish or arsenic contaminated water. Millions of people in Bangladesh and India drink water with arsenic in it everyday. Other problems with water sanitation include diseases, such as cholera. The last massive cholera outbreak was in Latin America, Asia, and Africa during the mid 1990s. However thanks to improvements and advances in sanitation this disease has mostly been wiped out. Another factor in these developments is a greater awareness of how to conserve and recycle water. Since the 1980s demand for water has actually gone down due to awareness. Individuals and communities are better equipped to save water and they have learned to be less wasteful. The focus has returned to concentrating on basic needs for the human population and the environment. Even though there are serious efforts being made to create water for everyone experts are not sure if the water supply can keep up with a population that is growing as fast as ours is. It has been estimated that by 2025 forty percent of a population numbering 7.2 million may face serious problems if only natural sources are available to them. Agriculture, industry, and general human health will be challenged by high demand. Even though we are at a point where the water supply is being sustained surging future populations around the world are already putting stress on a limited supply. The article also states that human health is not the only thing in danger. By creating dams, and canals damage is caused to animal and human habitat. By far the most casualties have been in the numbers of fish. Populations of freshwater and saltwater fish have been greatly effected. In the United States alone 95% of the juvenile salmon population did not survive the migration to the ocean because of dams and reservoirs along the Colombia and Snake Rivers. The population of Atlantic Salmon has fallen to less than one percent of its original number. The major factor was the 900 or so dams on New England and European rivers that block them from their reproduction grounds. Although more drastic than any other situation is the one in the Aral Sea which is located in central Asia. The two main rivers that flow into it (Amu Darya and Syr Darya) have been diverted to irrigate cotton, and the sea can no longer be sustained. As a result the twenty-four species of

Monday, November 25, 2019

Parataxis in Steinbecks Paradox and Dream

Parataxis in Steinbeck's 'Paradox and Dream' Though best known as a novelist (The Grapes of Wrath, 1939), John Steinbeck was also a prolific journalist and social critic. Much of his writing dealt with the plight of the poor in the United States. His stories allow the reader to question what it means to be American especially during hard times like the Great Depression or times of great social upheaval during the Civil Rights Movement. In the essay Paradox and Dream (from his final nonfiction book, America and the Americans), Steinbeck examined the paradoxical values of his fellow citizens. His familiar paratactic style (heavy on coordination, light on dependent clauses) is clearly illustrated here in the opening paragraphs of the essay. From "Paradox and Dream"* (1966) by John Steinbeck 1 One of the generalities most often noted about Americans is that we are a restless, a dissatisfied, a searching people. We bridle and buck under failure, and we go mad with dissatisfaction in the face of success. We spend our time searching for security, and hate it when we get it. For the most part, we are an intemperate people: we eat too much when we can, drink too much, indulge our senses too much. Even in our so-called virtues, we are intemperate: a teetotaler is not content not to drinkhe must stop all the drinking in the world; a vegetarian among us would outlaw the eating of meat. We work too hard, and many die under the strain; and then to make up for that we play with a violence as suicidal. 2 The result is that we seem to be in a state of turmoil all the time, both physically and mentally. We are able to believe that our government is weak, stupid, overbearing, dishonest, and inefficient, and at the same time we are deeply convinced that it is the best government in the world, and we would like to impose it upon everyone else. We speak of the American Way of Life as though it involved the ground rules for the governance of heaven. A man hungry and unemployed through his own stupidity and that of others, a man beaten by a brutal policeman, a woman forced into prostitution by her own laziness, high prices, availability, and despairall bow with reverence toward the American Way of Life, although each one would look puzzled and angry if he were asked to define it. We scramble and scrabble up the stony path toward the pot of gold we have taken to mean security. We trample friends, relatives, and strangers who get in the way of our achieving it, and once we get it we shower i t on psychoanalysts to try to find out why we are unhappy, and finallyif we have enough of the goldwe contribute it back to the nation in the form of foundations and charities. 3 We fight our way in and try to buy our way out. We are alert, curious, hopeful, and we take more drugs designed to make us unaware than any other people. We are self-reliant and at the same time completely dependent. We are aggressive and defenseless. Americans overindulge their children; the children, in turn, are overly dependent on their parents. We are complacent in our possessions, in our houses, in our education; but it is hard to find a man or woman who does not want something better for the next generation. Americans are remarkably kind and hospitable and open with both guests and strangers; and yet they will make a wide circle around the man dying on the pavement. Fortunes are spent getting cats out of trees and dogs out of sewer pipes; but a girl screaming for help in the street draws only slammed doors, closed windows, and silence. *Paradox and Dream first appeared in John Steinbecks America and Americans, published by Viking in 1966.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Discussion Post Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Post - Movie Review Example It is important to note and mention that he involves humor thus introducing comic relief ensuring the audience relaxes to engage during the presentation. Another advantage and merit is that David Gallo uses hands and gestures to make points clearer and show vigor during the presentation (Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2011). This is to mention that the use of body language enhances the ease of putting the message across thereby stressing on the important issues and points. In some instances, the speaker uses short sentences which in conventional knowledge are used to portray tension. Thus, the fact that David Gallo uses short sentences at the end of the presentation is akin to introducing tension or some sort of edginess in the presentation. In all fairness and respect, the use of short sentences is a short coming of the presentation. Similarly, there is less use of rhetoric questions in the presentation which means that the presentation translates to a monologue. Thus, few uses of rhetoric que stions reduces the presentation to a one man show. From the outset, it is notable that he uses a fast paced approach of talking in his speech. This is so because one easily notes that he speaks in a relative fast pace. It is important to note and mention that the voice of Sir Ken Robinson is commanding and authoritative in a way and manner. In terms of his use of stage, he does not move around the stage and instead stands in one place. This is to say that he does not engage the whole audience effectively. Secondly, he maintains eye contact with the audience thus improving the appeal of the audience and attract their attention. Equally interesting in the presentation of the speaker is that he maintains facial expression which are used to mean and imply different things. For instance, during the times of humor, he contorts his face in a friendly way therefore engaging the audience during the light moments. On the other hand, this presentation is non-interactive because the speaker

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Opening a restaurant Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Opening a restaurant - Term Paper Example These businesses are believed to have certain weaknesses that Lexus will capitalise in in order to compete favourably in the market. The business will employ a marketing strategy where our sales representatives will visit institutions to show case the products and services we offer. Brochures, fliers, and posters will be developed to be used in marketing strategy with most of information to be accessed through the website page. We aim to capture majority of the market share in the 1st one year. The business is also planning to use several others strategies like product differentiation, pricing, place/location, segmentation and growth strategies. Together with these, the SWOT analysis of the business is to be examined in order to know all the areas to improve in. The proposed business is to be registered under the name â€Å"Lexus Unit Restaurant†. â€Å"Lexus† is a term in Germany translated to mean satisfactory and comfortable surroundings. The decision to use the above name is based on the restaurant’s ultimate goal of ensuring maximum client’s satisfaction in terms of meals served, lodging services in a favourable dining environment. â€Å"Lexus Unit Restaurant† a 1,200-square-foot restaurant will be setup at Outer Drive within Sioux City and it will be the only restaurant business located on the 25-acre tract of city-owned land targeting middle level income earners. The site is supposedly convenient for the business because it serves as the central point with good proximity and accessibility to potential customers with a good infrastructure such as good road network, electricity, water and telecommunication services. The Metropolitan area highly secured and exposed to several customers that tours the city projects hence need for quality meals and favourable environment to dine. The proposed business will be a sole proprietorship form of business sponsored by me and who shall also be the manager of the enterprise. I will keep truck of the

Monday, November 18, 2019

Decision analysis ( Supply Chain management class ) Research Paper

Decision analysis ( Supply Chain management class ) - Research Paper Example The literature review conducted for a research study assists the researcher to develop a theoretical knowledge regarding the subject matter with the help of the research works of eminent authors and scholars. The literature review of the current paper has been framed on the basis of books, journals and other scholarly publications. The purpose behind using such materials is to create appropriate academic basis for accomplishing the research. Through the literature review, the researcher is able to attain clarity of ideas. It also assists in the development of suitable grounds for studying the subject of the study. It has been ensured by the researcher that the literature review lays its focus on the primary objectives of the paper which is to critically evaluate the role of decision analysis in supply chain management. At the end, a conclusion has been formulated on the basis of the study. In the recent age, the concept of decision analysis has gained popularity in the business strategic management. The fast increasing impact which this field of decision making has created on organizations, both private and public is noticeable. The business units are always engaged in making strategic and critical decisions in order to gain over their competitors and to succeed in the long run. Major progress in theory, computational techniques and modeling tools are attributed to the leaps in computer science which has made the decision making process an integral division of business (Cooper & Schindler, 2003). Anderson, et al. (2015) defines Decision analyses as a systematic, visual and quantitative approach utilized by the companies in order to evaluate and address vital choices that the businesses deal with. Decision analysis implements different tools to extract all relevant data that are required to find an optimal solution in the process of decision making. The term decision analysis was first coined by Ronald A. Howard in 1964 (Hatten, 2015).

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Social Practice Of Untouchability Sociology Essay

The Social Practice Of Untouchability Sociology Essay Untouchability is the social practice of casting out a minority group by regarding them as ritually polluted and segregating them from the mainstream. The excluded group could be one that did not accept the norms of the excluding group and historically included foreigners, nomadic tribes, law-breakers and criminals. This exclusion was a method of punishing law-breakers and also protected against contagion from strangers. A member of the excluded group is known as an untouchable. The people who are said untouchable are from that section of society which is not only held in the lowest esteem, but which is behaved by the other castes as unclean. Who are found to be the sweepers, cleaner, and leather tanners are considered as unfit for human society or co-mingling. They are not permitted to take their water from the public wells. The word caste was loosely used by the Portuguese to denote the Indian social classification as they thought that the system was intended to preserver purity of blood. The system is such a peculiar and complex thing that no satisfactory definition is possible. Hence we find no unanimity among scholars on the subject. Senart states that a caste is a close corporation, exclusive and in theory at any rate rigorously hereditary. It is equipped with ascertain traditional and independent organization, including a chief and a council, meeting on occasion in assemblies endowed with less full authority. According to sir H. Risley, a caste may be defined as a collection of families or groups of families bearing a common name, claiming common descent from a mythical ancestor, human or divine, professing to follow the same hereditary calling, and regarded by those who are competent to give opinion as forming a single homogeneous community .the name generally denotes or is associated with a specific occupation. A caste is almost invariably endogamous in the sense that a member of the large circle denoted by the common name may not marry outside that circle, but within the circle there are usually a number of smaller circles each which is also endogamous. The untouchables have been referred to as Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes. Local names for the untouchables are in different parts of India and known by different names: Bhangi, Pakhi, Chandal, etc. Mahatma Gandhi called them Harijans, which means children of God. It is still in wide use especially in Gandhis home state of Gujarat. Harijans are now Dalits, which means broken people. Historical background: Hindu culture was made of four castes according to work of people. There are the brahmins, the highest or scholarly people, kshatriya, the caste of the ancient kings or warriors; the vaisya, the farmers and traders; and the sudras, laborers. The people, who come under the sudras caste, are treated with disdain, but not as outcasts. Today, the caste system is become more complicated and having many subdivisions, each forming a social organization whose function is to protect caste members. In Manu Smriti there is written that the first part of a Brahmins name should denote something auspicious, a Kshatriyas name should be connected with power, and that a Vaishyas name should reminds wealth. The first part of a Sudras name should express something contemptible and the second part should describe the service, because of the Sudras low origin. According to Hindu practice, only the upper castes are given right to study the Vedas. If the Sudra intentionally listens for committing to memory the Veda, then his ears should be filled with molten lead and lac; if he utters the Veda, then his tongue should be cut off, if he has mastered the Veda his body should be cut to pieces says the Manu Smriti. In the epic Ramayana, after Lord Ramas return from exile, a Brahmin accuses him of causing the death of his son by his toleration of Shambuka, a Sudra who recited the Vedas. In order to control the situation, Rama finds Shambuka and killed him. The Brahmin boy got life again. In Manu Smriti different punishments are given for the same crime, depending on the culprits caste. If this much punishments were for the Sudras, what was the treatment reserved for the untouchables who were outside the caste system, and placed even lower than the Sudras in society. In the 1500s, during the rule of the Marathas and the Peshwas untouchables were not allowed within the gates of the Poona between 3.00 pm and 9.00 am. The reason was that during this time their bodies were casting long shadows, with the reason that the shadow of an untouchable might fall on a Brahmin and pollute him. An untouchable used to carry an earthen pot around his neck so his spittle might not pollute the earth by the shadow. In Maharashtra an untouchable wore a black thread either in his neck or on his wrist for ready identification of upper caste people, while in Gujarat a horn was being worn for identification. It must be remembered that Dalit does not mean Caste or low-Caste  or poor; it refers to the deplorable state or condition to which a large group of people has been reduced by social convention and in which they are now living. Protection under constitution: Indias government and legal system when dealing with dalits or untouchables is fraught with contradiction. This is evident in the disparities between upper and lower castes, in terms of economic and political power, and is a consequence of the States differential treatment of these sections. The Indian Constitution the writing of which was chaired by the most powerful dalit advocate for dalit rights, Dr. Ambedkar embodies civil and legal rights providing for non-discrimination. However, secular legal and constitutional structures are contradictory to the prevalent ancient Hindu law: religious, social and economic practices that involve a discriminative hierarchy based on hereditary social status, occupation and ritual duties. Stratification of society benefits the upper classes as it secures positions of economic and social power, and allows the exploitation of the lower castes; Hindu beliefs and law sanction this. It is therefore not in their interest to remove discrimination by th e implementation of the constitutional principles and laws in favors of the dalits. The Indian state hasnt, to date, taken a serious approach to the betterment of the dalit situation because it is essentially aligned with the upper castes. The provision of reservations for government seats, employment and higher education has improved the living standard of some dalits, yet most remain in poverty. Reservations provide positive discrimination; ironically this also stereotypes dalits, resulting in their continual segregation in society. The state has not successfully provided due access to education, equitable employment, ownership of land and legal protection to break the cycle of caste based oppression. Dalit political parties and movements for the assertion of rights and self determination have been numerous and varied, but have been successfully quelled by the state and upper castes through the use of political power, violence, and police intimidation, all contrary to the constitu tion. Hindus maintain the caste system because their religion requires them to do so, and caste is a characteristic of Brahmanism, the Brahmans being at the top of the system.1 Dalits, as they will be referred to here, are a sub caste of people at the bottom of the Hindu social and religious hierarchy called Varna Dharma; due to polluting nature of their occupations which include handling dead animals, cleaning, and jobs to do with human excrement. They are forced to behave in de-humanizing ways such the eating of excrement. The interaction of the castes and 1 L.G. Havanur, Backward Classes, Judicial Meaning, Socio-legal Services and Research Centre, Bangalore, 1991, p.55 jatis, or endogamous sub divisions relating to occupation, is known as the jajmani system. Hindus have relied on this system to divide labour, social and commensally relations and ensure economic and social co-operation.2 On every level the dalits have been discriminated against, and subordinated into servitude.3 Ambedkar in his leadership role in the Indian constituent assembly sought to erase the oppressive caste system by raising dalit awareness and empowerment through provisions in the constitution. Article 15 and 17 prohibits the practice of untouchability and discrimination based on caste.4 In hindsight, these basic aims seem too lofty to be realized, given that dalits still remain disenfranchised in relation to the implementation of these articles. Forty years later, writing in 1994, Dr. B.D Sharma describes the Indian micro-universe as separated into the first world, where people exercise their rights and have access to courts and police for protection under the law and the o ther world where people do not.5 The first world comprises of only 15-20% of the population and the other world makes up the majority of disinherited and exploited people.6 In addition, The Civil Rights Protection Act, 1955, intended to abolish disabilities associated with backward classes including dalits. While creating an atmosphere where the inequalities suffered by the dalits have been publicly condemned, the constitutional measures have been rendered ineffective as they are mostly ignored in practice.7 Dalits make up 77% of agricultural labour which is classified as unskilled and unorganised. In the urban setting, they are labourers in construction, scavengers and sanitation workers, also falling into the unorganized category. Wages in the organized sector are regulated by the State so that they rise with increased prices, and are adequate enough for one wage earner to sustain a family. Labourers bear the brunt of the disparity between organized and unorganized sections. Viola tions of minimum wage, set very low in the first place, and payment in kind are common, and go unchecked.8 Consequently, one wage cannot support a family and children and the elderly are forced to work, children dont go to school and are trapped by poverty.9 The State allows illegal labour practices because exploitation results in economic benefits for landowners and employers who are mostly upper caste, if it should interfere, more 2 Sumit Ganguly Neil DeVotta eds, Understanding Contemporary India, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder, London, 2003, p.233 -234 3 Robert.W.Stern, Changing India, 2nd edit, Cambridge university press, Cambridge, 2003. p.60-61 4 Sumit Ganguly Neil DeVotta eds, Understanding Contemporary India, p.243 5 Dr. B.D. Sharma, Dalits Betrayed, Har-Anand Publications, New Delhi, 1994, p.13 6 Ibid. 7Robert.W.Stern, Changing India, 2nd edit, p. 242 8 Prem.K.Shinde ed, Dalits and Human Rights, volume 1, (Dalits and Racial Justice) Isha Books, Delhi, p.84 9 Dr. B.D. Sharma, Dalits Betrayed, p.47 dalits may be able to enter the organised sector, and thus this exploitable labour resource would be drained. Although this massive failure of participation in the organised economy could be corrected by affirmative action policies, these have also been insufficient. Article 330 and 332 of the constitution call for affirmative action in the form of special reservations in government representation, government employment and higher education, intended to raise the dalit position in society. Reserved seats are allocated in the Lok Sabha, and the legislative assemblies of the states, effectively giving dalits representation. The scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (The Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 was designed to better punish offences such as injury or harassment directed at dalits. In addition, Article 14 of the constitution states that no citizen be denied equality before the law. Ghandi believed that the superior/inferior relations between dalits and upper castes could not be remedied by the state, but needed to be addressed by the upper castes themselves who were responsible for the system.10 10 Lelah Dushkin, Scheduled Caste Policy in India, p.632 Untoucability, A social Evil: Untouchability is basically not from India. It was practiced in parts of Europe until a few centuries ago, and Japan still has a large number of Untouchables, called the Burakumin. But it is in the Indian Sub-continent that this system survives, closely bound with culture, religion, history and politics. Today over 170 million people in India are considered Untouchable, and their development has been slow despite the Legal safeguards and the Government programs. According to the Manu Smriti there are four castes in Hindu society and each caste has assigned duties, responsibilities and privileges. The Brahmins are the learned, the Kshatriyas are the warriors, the Vaishyas are the traders, and the Sudras perform menial tasks and physical labour, and are considered as the lowest. And only uppers castes have the right to study the Vedas. The upper castes alone have the right to the thread ceremony which is performed as a rite of passage, allowing them to be termed twice-born. What is a Dharma? A study reveals that he who has the knowledge of Brahmagnan is called the Brahmana, and not by caste or not by the birth. Each one of us is an untouchable, because who among us is free from disobedience to Natures laws, from impurity of heart and mind, from fears of a thousand kinds, from selfishness and greed. Let us remove the untouchability in us. Anyone is not perfect, but through right dharma, by eliminating our differences and by strengthening our virtues, we move towards perfection. Let us develop the virtue of efficiency and skill to become Shudras; the virtue of charity and become Vaishyas; the courage and become Kshatriyas; the sacrifice and become Brahman, and make ourselves in the copy of the Great Purusha, the Radiant. According to the Bhagwadgeetha or The Bible or any other, written, or said, is the same, that all humans are equal. The Air we breathe, the Water we drink, the Fire, the Sky, the Earth are same. These days Indian students and citizens are being attacked in some countries, and we are discussing and talking about the RACISM and craving for justice. We should condemn these at any cost, but it would be fair if we stop those things in here. What is Untouchability? Untouchability in India is a practice where a particular community considers even touching another community person as polluting one.   A person who touches the untouchables is usually made to undergo cleansing process, like bathing, or spraying of water, depending on the regional practice. Who practices untouchability? There is an intense propaganda that untouchability is practiced by higher caste people over lower caste people.   But that is no right.   Untouchability is practiced by almost all castes, right from brahmin caste to the dalit caste. Even the dalit castes practice untouchability over others.  One dalit caste will not even drink water from another dalit caste. Does Untouchability mean segregation? Segregation in western sense, means, classification and isolating a certain groups of people, for varied reasons.   Segregation is mostly associated with authority based society like the western one.   Normally, the criminals, rebels, and other anti-social elements only are segregated from the mainstream society, and deported to far off lands or put in jail.   This is what happened in the western societies. In general, segregation  means, separation of different groups of people from one another, and no relationship exists among these groups.   For example, in Europe, the protestants and the catholics are segregated, and there is no healthy relationship b/w them, except for that both worship jesus.   Similarly, shias and sunnis are segregated people, without any interdependence. But, untouchability does not mean segregating. Because, untouchability was mutually practiced by all groups.  In caste system, even though people practiced untouchability, the different castes are interdependent on one another, thus always having some kind of interaction and relationship. Does Untouchability mean isolation? Definitely not,  there may be segregation of houses of castes in some villages.   But there is never isolation in any villages.   Almost all castes interact with each other, because, all castes depend on one another for some needs. The level of interaction differs from caste to caste.   For example, the dalits will strictly not mingle with other dalit caste, eg. Sakkiliars will never drink water from parayars.   But, they will get food and water from the dominant caste of that region.   Similarly, the dominant castes like chettiyars, devars, nayakkars, etc may have interactions on equal footing.   But still, they do not mingle with one another. There are few communities, who have to closely interact with one another.   Particularly in kongu region, the naavithars, vannan community, kosavar community, etc have close interaction with the dominant gounder community.   The naavithars (barbers) usually conduct most of the rituals, right from birth to death in the gounders family.   It is they who used to sing mangazha vaazhthu during gounders marriage. Why does a caste practice untouchability? There is no definite answer to this, as the reason may vary from place to place.   But based on my understanding, untouchability is practices because of extreme cultural contradictions.   Let me list out the possible reasons for untouchability, as i perceive. Life style: We all know India is a land of cultural diversity, and that the life style of one community largely differs from others.   For eg, a brahmin community follows strict hygiene, and are strict vegetarians.   On the other hand, the farmers and farm laborer castes usually work in fields; do not have hygienic life practices.   The dalit community works on cow skins, which is a sin to brahmin community. So its natural that the brahmins could not mingle with other castes. Commune Living: Most of the castes live a strong commune life, with a common profession.   So, the life styles of all the community members are aligned towards that lifestyle.   And there are strong inter dependencies among the community member.   In such commune living, people used to live as large families, with common interest.   In such cases, when a member of the family or community, elopes with the other community girl or boy, it creates a confusion in the large family.   The incoming girl/boy may not adapt to the family life style, and may not adapt to the community profession.   For example, a brahmin girl will not be able to work in fields if she marries a farmer.   Or a farming girl may not be able to work in leather products if she marries a dalit.   So, the society has evolved itself to an inbuilt arrangement, not to mingle with each other. Prisoners of war: On those days (before Muslim invasion), when a king was defeated in a war, he captures the prisoners of war, and deports to his kingdom to work as laborers   or current empire may be ruled by the enemy for few years, and recaptured by the original king. In such case, the people settled there by the former temporary ruler, may lose their status, and become laborers.   In such cases, the victorious king may take steps to suppress the settled external people, so that they dont again attempt to overthrow him.   Religious Differences: I need not mention about Hindu Muslim differences.   That is entirely a different subject.   However, there are many sub sects within Hinduism, which had opposed each other.   Particularly the influence of Buddhism had profound impact on suppressing those people who work on leather products, as Buddhist believed in ahimsa.   The vegetarian character of India is believed to have acquired during Buddhist rule.  Ã‚   Also, since anyone who left the caste is usually abandoned by the community, those who had converted to Buddhism might have been left out after Buddhism waned way. Today, for many of the dalit people, their kula deivam is Vishnu. Cultural Differences: Apart from life style, the cultural values of the castes also an important reason for untouchability.   For example, the ruling castes had stricter cultural values, which they have followed for generations.   For example, widow remarriage is not allowed in dominant castes.   But its normal in dalit castes.   The widow in dominant caste often follows sati, whereas it is not required in the dalit castes. Lineages: The common culture and profession resulted in a common lineage over centuries, which evolved the respective castes in to distinctive identities, which had made them not to mingle with others. Exceptions from Untouchability: The saints and rishis are mostly exempted from untouchability.   It means, almost all communities welcomed rishis and saints, and the saints also embraced all communities. Also, the saints are placed outside the caste system, as they have raised one level above in their life, towards the god. Most of the kings never practiced untouchability, and they were mostly secular.   Moreover, they did not have the situation or the time to do that. Good and Bad in this world are highly relative term rather than a universally defined one.  In the society of barbarians, murderers and rapists, a thief could be the best person among others. However, in a society of saints and nobles, the same thief would be the worst person.   Thus when we are judging anything as good/bad, we need to consider the environment and prevailing situation. There was heavy propaganda of dalit oppression and suppression by the Marxists, for around a century here.   But even assuming their propaganda to be true, lets see how the dalit people were treated here. The dalits lived in a separate colony in the same village. The dalits are not slaves.   They were mere laborers to the land owners.   They have the right to move to other village, if they feel, the current village is discriminatory or not able to live in. A typical dalit community is allowed to have their own commune life, simply because, untouchability prevented the dominant caste from abusing or exploiting them. The dalits had their own temple, their own festivals. The dalits had similar type of caste structure, with gothrams and kula deivams.   A dalit married from a different gothram of his caste from another village.   These ensured that the dalit people also had relations among multiple villages and have their own social structure to follow with. Since the dalit people were allowed to live as a community, their women had the inherent protection from exploitation.   In the case of American slave system each African women is an individual slave, which the owner can do whatever he want.   Other slaves cannot come to rescue if the owner rapes the slave women.   However, in our caste system, the women were part of the dalit community, and they could not be exploited.   Also, since the dominant caste practiced untouchability over the dalits, their youths refrained from mingling with dalit girls; as such an act would excommunication from his caste.   It is same for the dalit people too. The dalit people had their own panchayat for issue resolution.   This is the highest point of freedom that any community might have.  Ã‚   The elders in the dalit caste usually try to solve the problem.   If that fails, they take the case to the village panchayat head. To quote a recent history of India, the entire Kashmir valley had been ethnically cleansed of Hindus, just because the Muslims could not tolerate the presence of Hindus.   So when they became majority they persecuted the Hindus. However, it has to be noted that the Hindus, even though invaded by Muslims were able to tolerate them for thousands of years, by simply practicing untouchability. There are many other instances in the history where I find that untouchability would have prevented genocides, persecution and other horrors of the history. Comparing those incidents with our caste system, we find that untouchability is a practical system evolved as a solution to peaceful existence of conflicting communities. We all know that the urban people are classified as higher class, middle class and lower class.   But its a fact that these class peoples mostly lived isolated from others. For example, the higher class people live in posh areas, with neat roads, electricity water facility and spacious homes, public parks etc.   The middle class usually lives in comfortable homes, but in congested areas. The lower class people often were the slum dwellers who live in unhygienic and horrific conditions. Let me ask the following questions: How many upper class people live along with slum dwellers? Suppose a slum dweller roams in front of a posh bungalow, what will the security of the bungalow will do?   We often find that the rich people drive away the slum people through their securities. How many of the higher class people allow their children to play with middle class people? How many of the middle class people allow their children to play with the slum boys girls? In villages, even though castes follow untouchability, each caste knows the members of the other caste.   When the dalit caste had any needs, they always approach the dominant caste.   The dominant caste provides food to the dalit people, when they come to the home.   The dalit women often share their problems with the dominant caste women and seek solution.   Thus there is a mutually supporting life in villages, inspire of untouchability.   Let me ask, how many people in rich posh areas, know the people of the nearby slum.   Or how many rich people help the slum people in needy times? Lets take the case of gang wars in colleges.   Students belonging to one group wont interact with the other.   Its the norm in many colleges.   Its natural because, when there are differences, people chose to live away.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Persecution of Christians Today Essay example -- Exploratory Essay

The Persecution of Christians Today The persecution of minority groups has been well documented throughout history. These documentations have been mostly of people of one race, culture, or ethnicity; persecuting another based on the belief that one race is superior to the other. In the case of Christianity, however, the documentation of the persecution has been kept to a minimum. In fact, it is rare to find a case in today’s world of the media reporting on the persecution of Christians. The reports of the atrocities of the Jews during the Holocaust where horrifying indeed, but equally horrifying are the accounts of the slaughter of Christians in the first century A.D. The descriptions of the means of death that many Christians faced during the early years of the Church leave one’s stomach uneasy to say the least. Tortured, raped, and killed, simply for what they believed in, Christians faced death almost willingly in some cases. Today the extent of the persecution of Christians often depends on where an individual lives. In the United States, a â€Å"nation under God,† Christians are quietly persecuted during everyday life. It is not seen as persecution by non-Christians who live in the U.S., but as their right to freedom of speech to mock and belittle Christians. In other parts of the world, however, the persecution is much more severe. Maltreatment in areas of the Middle and Far East are often issues of life and death. Christians are being imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and their attempts to spread the good news of salvation to the lost. This discrimination will not end anytime soon. It will be in the world until Jesus returns. Different groups will... ... Christian Legal Society. Center for Law and Religious Freedom. 22 April 2003 http://www.clsnet.org/clrfPages/litigation/litigation_Hensley.php3 . Focus on the Family. Dr. James Dobson. 21 April 2003 www.family.org . Fox, John. Fox’s Book of Martyrs. Philadelphia:The John C. Winston Co., NO DATE. Life Application Study Bible. NIV. Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1997. â€Å"Persecution of Christians Growing in the United States.† Thomas Horn. 21 April 2003 http://www.worthynews.com/christian-persecution.htm . Pong, Peter, Wang, Shih-Ping, Liu, Tsin-Tsai, Cheng, Samuel, Kim, Kyung. Communist Persecution of Churches in Red China and Northern Korea. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1959. 1-7. Swint, Wayne. Personal interview. 22 April 2003. â€Å"Working with the Communist.† Christianity Today 7 Oct. 2002. 56-59.

Monday, November 11, 2019

SAS 99 Memo for Google

Contained herein is the SAS 99 for Google (GOOG). Several measures of internal fraud in the company will be discussed in subsequent sections of this memo. Fist will be a comparison of income information with that of competition, especially Yahoo and Microsoft.The second measure to be investigated is that of compensation of company executives using stock options. Third measure will involve the connection between senior management and board of directors, whereas the fourth measure intends to answer the question whether the company's stock is overvalued.Google is the youngest of the three major Internet search engine and online communication providers. However, this new entrant to the industry is rapidly becoming a trend setter for its older rivals. the same is happening with net income, although it may take few more years before Google reaches Microsoft's multimillion dollar profits.According to EDGAR reports by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Google's 2007 profits stood at $ 4.2 billion compared to   3.1 billion in 2006 and 1.5 billion in 2005.As this report indicates, the company's profits have been rising steadily since it was listed at the NYSE. The profitability is echoed by the ever rising popularity of Google's products. In the same period, Yahoo's profits stood at 800 million in 2005, 1.9 billion in 2006 and 750 million in 2005.Yahoo's profits have been cyclical despite the rising usage of Internet worldwide. Microsoft, the other market participant that competes with Google and Yahoo made $ 12.2 billion in 2005, 12.6 billion in 2006 and 10 billion in 2007.From the three companies, it is clear that only Google's profitability has been on rising streak compared to its competitors. The continuation of this trend, buoyed by ever increasing demand for company products and services. Having illustrated profitability between Google and its competitors, the subsequent sections of the memo shall address investigates probability fraud in the company. With regard to the non financial measures, Google has been steadily increasing the number of employees to cater for the increasing demand for its products and services. Considering Google is a growth company, it has been undertaking aggressive development of new products, which increases the demand for more employees.This explains the rising employee expenses in the company's balance sheet—the expenses rose from 266 million in 2006 to 2007 million in 2007. Microsoft's employee compensation expense increased from $ 1.9 billion in 2006 to $2.3 in 2007. The doubling of Google's employee compensation is due to the fact that the company on its growth stage whereas   Microsoft seems to be reaching maturity stage.Compared with profitability of the company, it is clear that increasing labour force has been paying off in both short and long run life of the company. In addition to the regular salaries provided to employees, some members of the labour force, especially executives and members of the board of directors benefit from being compensated through stock options. In the 2007 financial year of $ 137.2 million stock options were exercised by respective employees and board members.At the same period, Yahoo's stock options were valued at $ 108 million and that of Microsoft at $ 819 million. Microsoft's large amount is occasioned by the large size of the company, which means that there is a greater number of employees taking part. As for Google, the number is in no way showing fraud indications, compared to the rest.Most of Google's 1998 founders are still very much involved in the day to day running of company activities. Indeed, a good number of them serve in both executive positions and at the board of directors. For instance, Eric Scmidt has for long continued to serve as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the company's Board of Director; he has occupied both positions since 2001.The same happens with Sergy Brin who serves the executive position o f Technology President and as member in the board of directors. The other founder is Larry Page who serves as President of Products and as a member in the Board of Directors.This is a far shift from the practice in rest of Google's competitors; none between Microsoft's and Yahoo's executives serve in the Board of Directors. In this regard, Google  Ã‚   executives are more likely to participate in fraud compared to those of Microsoft and Yahoo.Last is the measure on whether Google's shares are overvalued in the stock market. As of Friday, June 6, 2008, Google's stock was trading at $ 567, compared to Yahoo's $ 26 and Microsoft's $ 27. 49.The higher price paid on company stock develops from fact that Google is poised to in crease its dominance in the industry and thus led to better return on investment. this is an indication the stock is not over valued at all. Investors are therefore eager and willing to make a bet on Google's shares. Considering the analysis above, it is hereby ob server that Google far from being prone to internal fraud.Works CitedSEC. Securities Fillings and Forms. Securities and Exchange Commission. 8 June, 2008,  

Friday, November 8, 2019

Pliopithecus - Facts and Figures

Pliopithecus - Facts and Figures Name: Pliopithecus (Greek for Pliocene ape); pronounced PLY-oh-pith-ECK-us Habitat: Woodlands of Eurasia Historical Epoch: Middle Miocene (15-10 million years ago) Size and Weight: About three feet tall and 50 pounds Diet: Leaves Distinguishing Characteristics: Short face with large eyes; long arms and legs    About Pliopithecus One of the first prehistoric primates ever to be identifiednaturalists were studying its fossilized teeth as far back as the early 19th centuryPliopithecus is also one of the least well understood (as can be inferred from its namethis Pliocene ape actually lived in the earlier Miocene epoch). Pliopithecus was once thought to be directly ancestral to modern gibbons, and hence one of the earliest true apes, but the discovery of the even earlier Propliopithecus (before Pliopithecus) has rendered that theory moot. Further complicating matters, Pliopithecus was only one of more than two dozen similar-looking apes of Miocene Eurasia, and its far from clear how they were all related to each other. Thanks to later fossil discoveries from the 1960s, we know a lot more about Pliopithecus than the shape of its jaws and teeth. This prehistoric ape possessed very long, equally sized arms and legs, which makes it unclear whether it brachiated (i.e., swung from branch to branch), and its large eyes didnt quite face fully forward, casting doubts on the extent of its stereoscopic vision. We do know (thanks to those ubiquitous teeth) that Pliopithecus was a relatively gentle herbivore, subsisting on the leaves of its favorite trees and probably spurning the occasional insects and small animals enjoyed by its omnivorous relatives.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Ideas and Inventions Attributed to Archimedes

The Ideas and Inventions Attributed to Archimedes Archimedes was a mathematician and inventor from ancient Greece. Regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians in history, he’s the father of integral calculus and mathematical physics. Here are some of the ideas and inventions that have been attributed to him. While there’s no exact date for his birth and death, he was born approximately between 290 and 280 BC and died sometime between 212 or 211 BC in Syracuse, Sicily. The Archimedes Principle Archimedes wrote in his treatise â€Å"On Floating Bodies† that an object submerged in fluid experiences a buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces. The famous anecdote for how he came up with this was started when he was asked to determine if a crown was pure gold or contained some silver. While in the bathtub he arrived at the principle of displacement by weight and ran through the streets naked shouting Eureka (I have found it)! A crown with silver would weigh less than one that was pure gold, Weighing the displaced water would allow calculation of the density of the crown, showing whether or not it was pure gold. The Archimedes Screw The Archimedes screw,  or screw pump, is a machine that can raise water from a lower to higher level. It is useful for irrigation systems, water systems, sewage systems and for pumping water out of a ships bilge. It is a screw-shaped surface inside a pipe and has to be turned, which is often done by attaching it to a windmill or by turning it by hand or oxen. The windmills of Holland are an example of using the Archimedes screw to drain water from low-lying areas. Archimedes may not have discovered this invention since there is some evidence they existed for hundreds of years before his life. He may have observed them in Egypt and later popularized them in Greece. War Machines and Heat Ray Archimedes also designed several claw,  catapult, and trebuchet war machines for use against the armies laying siege to Syracuse. The author Lucian wrote in the second century AD that Archimedes used a heat-focusing device that involved mirrors acting as a parabolic reflector as a way to set invading ships on fire. Several modern-day experimenters have attempted to show this was possible, but have had mixed results. Sadly, he was killed during the siege of Syracuse. Principles of the Lever and Pulleys Archimedes is quoted as saying, Give me a place to stand on and I will move the Earth. He explained the principles of levers in  his treatise â€Å"On the Equilibrium of Planes.† He designed block-and-tackle pulley systems for use in loading and unloading ships. Planetarium or Orrery Archimedes even built devices that showed the movement of the sun and moon across the sky. It would have required sophisticated differential gears. These devices were acquired by General  Marcus Claudius Marcellus as part of his personal loot from the capture of Syracuse. An Early Odometer Archimedes is credited with designing an odometer that could measure distance. It used a chariot wheel and gears to drop a pebble once per Roman mile into a counting box.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Component design assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Component design assignment - Essay Example h supports components proposes the possibility of making software applications by examining together software components in similar manner to how electronic devices are made from electronic components. This kind of method used to software development is referred to as component based development. Component based development demands to give a thoroughly new approach to the design, construction, putting into effect and development of software applications. Software applications are bring together from components from the different kinds of sources and these components maybe written in several different programming languages and run on different methods. The idea of this trend is to reuse components that is already completed instead of developing everything from the beginning each time. There are many advantages the component-based development brings such as gives support to the higher level of software reuse, it allows testing to be done by first performing a test to each of the compon ents before performing a test to the group of components, free to improve and/or add components as Components express themselves through interfaces. An interface is the connection to the user that will interact with the component. The function Application Programmable Interface (API) are the once who are exposed to the user. If there are any changes to the API, the user has to recompile his code also. In the case of the object-oriented world, the interface is a group of public methods defined for an object wherein this object is controlled through its interface. In the language of C++, the code can only be recompiled when the interface (code) is changed. The problem is that the user of the class must use the same programming throughout the entire development. In separating the interface from the implementation, the languages used are the COBRA and COM which is done through binary interfaces. There are three major component models that are successfully used today which show accurately

Friday, November 1, 2019

The First Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The First Principles - Essay Example By stating different people in trade, I. e butcher, brewer, and baker, smith was expressing principles of division of labor and specialization in trade. All the mentioned personnel’s play a role in production that ends up satisfying the consumers’ needs of their products. Smith was sensitive of the mutual gains expected by both the producer and the consumer. He expresses the gains obtained by both parties when he considered that the produces has own interest in the trade that lead them to produce their products regardless of who will purchase their goods. This in return helps in solving the consumers’ needs of supply. The consumer on the other hand has little regard to whom produced the product, to them availability of supplies take centre of interest. Thus, both the producer and the consumer benefit in the end. The producer is at will to produce their products based on their area of interest. This is influenced by the advantages one gets from trade rather than on what the other person does. The producer thus enjoys freedom of trade even in the congested market since they do not produce out of compassion but out of gains obtained from