The Nonconstructive Nature of Standardized Testing Essay

Standardized testing? Those two words are being heard by students all over the world and is beginning to be a repetitive non constructive assessment. This nonconstructive assessment has become relied upon by the school board to somehow grade the students accurately on a subject that is taught in a small window of time. This is a window that is a two week period and doesnt give teachers nor students enough time to learn or teach it. This is detrimental to the student body by not allowing a them to be properly +assessed. Throughout the last century, American education has used standardized testing to assess the aptitudes and achievement of our students. These tests have been used to make informed decisions about curriculum and†¦show more content†¦Standardized testing damages education for kids and young adults. Teachers and students feel a tremendous amount of pressure with high-stakes testing. It has caused kids to become overworked; burnt out on testing. The pressure felt by high-staked testing is greater in disadvantage schools and result in more drill and practice instruction. Legal precedent suggests that one can opt out on religious grounds. The 14th Amendment protects our rights to spiritual freedom, and this federal law supersedes state statute in regard to parental control over ones child. Do to the vast number of students who are opting out it has created an United Opt Out administration. Students who have not opted out are starting to revolt because they feel its unfair. Kansas, Alaska, Florida, Utah, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. All theis states withdrew the state standardized testing from their schools. Their reason is that the states have expressed concerns about the cost of the tests. â€Å"Smarter Balanced has estimated its test will cost $22.50 per student for the end-of-year exam and $27.30 per student including mid-year exam (Adrienne,n.p.).† Standardized testing evaluates a student’s performance on one particular day and does not take into account external factors. There are many people who simply do not perform well on tests. Many of these students are smart and understand the content, but it doesn’t show on the

A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles Free Essays

string(86) " the connection between the father and the son as both grow further towards maturity\." Introduction It is innate among humans to be fascinated by the different things that they particularly see around them (Durant, 1986, 10). It could not be denied then that through the years, this particular fascination within the different elements that could be seen in the human environment actually developed into the many discoveries and inventions that humans produced (Sternberg, 1989, 31). Through passing civilization of humans, it could be observed that the people were never contented with what they already have or what they have already accomplished. We will write a custom essay sample on A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is especially true in terms of science and technology as well as in arts and literature (Ambuel, 2006, 15). It is indeed undeniable that people recreate the things that are already existent within their own society.   The fact that they have already been able to see what they could do regarding a certain type of field (Cooper, 1997, 18), they intend to even do better the net time that they deal with the same invention. Yes, humans never get tired of reinventing everything there is in the environment. Why is this so? Human intelligence has always been noted by philosophers as the primary factor that makes the human creation different from that of the other God-made creations. The humans’ ability to innovate their own achievements to even better results for the present generation to see, has particularly noted them to be those who are capable of reinventing themselves to be able to evolve from generations to generations. (Corlett, 2005, 17) To discuss this particular fact further, take an example of the human literature. It is overwhelming enough to see that the society today is already flooded by the many informations that are presented to humans through the printed pages of literature. More than that, the emergence of internet technology has paved the way even for amateur writers to make mention of their thoughts to the world for them to be appreciated and particularly affect other’s opinions as well (Cooper, 1997, 10). Literature before was primarily defined as an art of writing that follows certain rules that are strict enough to keep its standards within the classical range of reading. However, when the different generations along with the historical events covered the human generation’s development (Ambuel, 2006, 15), the art of literature became one of the major process by which humans intended to express their thoughts and their predicaments about the things that are going on in the world. As a result, more and more people joined the bandwagon of writing and began to share their thoughts to the world with regards the issues that primarily concern the human society today. (Bakalis, 2005, 17) This particular progress in literature has primarily been further fueled by the democratic arrangement of the major governments around the world, giving a chance for the freedom of human expression. It is through this that people became more aware of the world around them, they cared more than ever with the political agendas, the social issues as well as other informations that concern their interests (Cooper, 2005, 16). True, the changing situation in the society and the demand towards progress requires that human intelligence be perfected in a way that it particularly caters to the needs of the entire humanity. The human brain’s ability to store and restructure informations that were accepted by it through the years of an individual’s life is particularly a proof that the application of humans’ intelligence could still be perfected as generations are still to come along. (Allen, 2006, 18) In the same idea, both the philosophers Plato and Pericles believed that humans are indeed capable of being highly involved with developments as they are certainly given the idealism of becoming the best at anything. They use their instinct accompanied by their need of fulfilling what they particularly opt to find out about life as a satisfaction to their curious minds (Sternberg, 1989, 14). Although both philosophers believed in this particular through, they did have different approaches in presenting the truth about their claims (Cooper, 1997, 13). To understand the issue better, the thoughts and philosophies of both Pericles and Plato shall be discussed within the paragraphs that follow in two separate presentations. The Thoughts of Plato Plato has been widely known in the human history of philosophy as the establisher of the western culture. His succession on the position left by Aristotle and Socrates has noted him to be among the most intelligent people who have lived in human history (Corlett, 1997, 25). His special skills in literature and the mind boggling explanation of human philosophy has particularly allowed him to become one of the most sought after philosophers of the world. As a philosopher, Plato has been known for his ability to validate his claims through mathematical pattern of assumptions as he present his ideas through his writings (Corlett, 2005, 27). The possibilities and the calculation of how the human mind reacts to certain situations has been noted to be among the best expertise of Plato himself. As one of the foundations of human philosophy, Plato contributed so much on the knowledge of people at present. Plato has been known for the presentation of his thoughts through the use of dialogues. The conversations between people have been utilized by Plato as a way by which he could convey his ideas to the people. Moreover, the said dialogues discussed different issues of human elements that could noticeably be used to explain the different difficulties that could be considered when the topic about human behavior comes into attention. (Durant, 1986, 31) Among the consequential issues that his dialogues mainly cater to are that of the father and son relationship, the truth behind the human realism, and the ability of humans to perceive the truth from illusionary imaginations (Bakalis, 205, 93). On the first issue cited herein, the relation of father and son have always fascinated the mind of Plato as he tries to identify the connection between the father and the son as both grow further towards maturity. You read "A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles" in category "Essay examples" Among the answers he usually opt to discuss is that of the ways by which the values that the father implies on the son contribute to the personal growth and being of that particular individual. Most likely, Plato has long been trying to identify how the elements of fatherhood actually influence the acceptance of different individuals of the teachings, thus applying them as values for themselves to learn from and later on apply in their o wn systems of living. The second issue presented is on the realism of the human population. This particularly points out to the ability of humans to use their reasoning and their intelligent judgment of the things that they hear, they see, and they observe, thus defining on which one is actually true and which one is on the other hand imaginary. True, people have this particular ability of knowing what is real from what is not. However, the reasoning behind such ability is somewhat complex, and this is what actually moved Plato to identify the factors that affect the human judgment on such elemental factors in the human society. The third topic of attention is that of the imaginative abilities of humans. True, humans enjoy the fact that they are able to imagine different things as a part of their intellectual capabilities. When feeling down and depressed, people usually use their capabilities of imagining things to at least ease them from the truths of their present situation. However, although many consider imagination as gift, it could not be denied that the human ability of coming back to reality could still help them set their decision on which one is the real situation differentiating it from the imaginary elements that they themselves have created in their minds.(Ambuel,2006, 15) Through these thoughts, Plato also tried to imply on his writing the idea on the â€Å"real world†, whereas he refers to the present system of things to be just a shadow of the real world, referring to the people at present as those who are living in an imaginary world. True, this thought might seem quite confusing at some point. However, if closely observed, it could not be denied that the situation is quite obvious. It all boils down to the reality of the people. Because of the fact that humans are less able to become realistic with who they are, they are then consequently living their lives in an unrealistic world that makes it even harder for themselves to â€Å"zap† back into the real life that they ought to face. This is in correspondence to the doubts of humans as to why they are at times in trouble of finding what they really want out of living on earth. The Thoughts of Pericles Pericles has been known to be among the list of the most successful ancient politicians of the human history. This is most likely because of the skill that he himself has faced during his rule in Athens. Even when he was still on his way in being inspired in becoming an icon of the public, he knew that the responsibility that he was about to take was not that easy to fulfill (Corlett, 2005, 48). This is when he was actually able to take into consideration the understanding that he must gain with regards the philosophical make up of humankind. Dealing with people of different individualities naturally urged Pericles to search in an in-depth way on the beliefs and the elements that contribute to human behavior and development. Hence, he has also be fascinatingly interested in human philosophical education. As he progressed in the learning, he himself has been urged to bring out the best among the people that he led. Particularly referring to the ability of humans to speak out their minds for others to hear their thoughts, he implied amongst his people the importance of one’s ability to at least freely speak off their minds to the public (Cooper, 1997, 18). This, according to him, is one of the most important rights a person could have, a certain process by which an individual would be able to experience the reality of life that he is supposed to live with. Conclusion Yes, it is indeed true that the human intelligence continues to grow through the years of its history. With the contributed foundation by those who have led the way in understanding the human capability of thinking and acting upon what they believe in, the human society today is now more confident in what they believe in, more expressive of their thoughts and more imaginative on their ways of facing the truth of their lives. From the discussion presented above, it could be observed that Plato particularly proffered on discussion the abstract factors that contribute to the continuous improvement of human intelligence. Moreover, the said thought has been mainly established by the philosopher through explaining his claims using the different dimensions of math and human philosophy. Constantly referring to the ability of the mind to imagine and to bring its thought back to reality has noted Plato as one of the most remarkable philosophers who were able to unlock the truth behind human imagination. On the other hand, Pericles has been mostly focused on the ability of humans to disperse their thoughts and actually affect the society that they are living in. It is through their freedom of speaking their thoughts off to the public that they are able to make the necessary changes that they ought to contribute to their communities. Certainly, if observed closely, Percles’ and Plato’s belief on the capabilities of humans to use their capabilities well explains how the human intelligence is actually used in the systems by which the human civilization progresses towards modernity. As people are able to imagine and disperse their thoughts to others, they are able to make different, at times even great changes to the societies that they are living in. The thoughts of the two philosophers as discussed herein could be noted as one of the most important influence that they both have left the human society. REFERENCES: Robert J. Sternberg. (1989). Handbook of Human Intelligence. Cambridge University Press. Allen, R.E. (2006). Studies in Plato’s Metaphysics II. Parmenides Publishing. ISBN 978-1-930972-18-6 Ambuel, David (2006). Image and Paradigm in Plato’s Sophist. Parmenides Publishing. ISBN 978-1-930972-004-9 Bakalis, Nikolaos (2005). Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics Analysis and Fragments, Trafford Publishing ISBN 1-4120-4843-5 Cooper, John M. Hutchinson, D. S. (Eds.) (1997). Plato: Complete Works. Hackett Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 0-87220-349-2. Corlett, J. Angelo (2005). Interpreting Plato’s Dialogues. Parmenides Publishing. ISBN 978-1-930972-02-5 Durant, Will (1986). The Story of Philosophy. Simon Schuster. ISBN 0-671-69500-2. Lawrence S. Cunningham and John J. Reich. Culture Values: A SURVEY OF THE HUMANITIES, volume one/sixth edition,   Library of Congress Control Number: 2005923993. How to cite A Discussion on the Thoughts and Philosophies of Pericles, Essay examples

Capital Puinishment Essay Example For Students

Capital Puinishment Essay Capital Punishment is an Unlawful and Ineffective Deterrent to MurderThe United States is one of the few countries left in the world to practice the savage and immoral punishment of death. Retentionists argue that the consequence of death prevents people from committing the crime of murder. It is proven that the death penalty does not deter persons from committing murder, nor does it serve as an example of the consequences of capital crimes to society. Furthermore, it is impossible to guarantee that the criminal justice system will not discriminate against or execute the innocent. Above all, the methods of execution are horrifying and barbaric, as well as the devaluing of a human life. We must realize that the life of a murderer is worth as much as the life of the victim. An indecent justice, one that takes human lives based on ideals of vengeance and violence, is an immoral system that is unacceptable. The most widely used argument in support of capital punishment is that the conseq uence of execution influences criminal behavior more effectively than imprisonment does (?Against the Death Penalty?). Although the argument may sound reasonable, in reality the death penalty fails as a deterrent. First, punishment can only be a useful deterrent if it is rational and immediately used. Capital punishment cannot meet those conditions. The number of first degree murderers who are sentenced to death is small, and of this group an even smaller number of people are eventually executed. Moreover, the possibility of increasing the number of convicted murderers sentenced to death and executed by requiring mandatory death sentences was declared unconstitutional in 1976 Jewett 2(National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty). Murder and other crimes of violence are not always premeditated. For example; gang violence, drive by shootings and kidnaping for ransom are serious crimes that continue to be committed because the criminal thinks he is too clever to be caught. Most cap ital crimes are committed during times of great emotional trauma or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, when logical thinking is in no doubt absent (NCADP). In such cases, a person will commit a crime of violence regardless of the consequences. The majority of the evidence shows that the death penalty is in no way more effective in deterring murder than life imprisonment. Evidence of past use of the death penalty establishes reasonable doubt that it does not deter murder, and there is no evidence to prove otherwise. In a thorough report on the effects of criminal sanctions on crime rates, the National Academy of Sciences concluded that it is misleading to justify the use of capital punishment on such ?fragile? and ?uncertain? results (NCADP). Moreover, there are clinically documented cases that reveal the death penalty actually provoked the capital crimes it was intended to prevent (Mappes). These include cases involving the so-called ?suicide by execution syndrome? in which a person with a desire to die but also fears taking his own life will commit murder, believing the state will execute him. The use of the death penalty obviously guarantees that the criminal will never commit another crime, for the murderer is dead, but, there is no evidence that capital punishment deters another individual from committing murder (Glover 139). Furthermore, it is a high moral price to pay when studies have proven that few convicted murderers commit further crimes of violence. An alternative, one that is far less inhumane, is a policy of life imprisonment without the Jewett 3possibility of parole (139). It is commonly reported that Americans approve of the death penalty. But, more careful analysis of the attitudes of the public shows that Americans prefer alternatives to capital punishment (Smart). In fact, most Americans would oppose the death penalty if convicted murderers were sentenced to life without parole and required to make some form of financial restitution. I n a 1993 nationwide survey 77 percent of the public approved of the death penalty, but the poll dropped to 41 percent if the alternative is no parole plus restitution (Smart). Only a minority of the American public would favor the death penalty if offered alternatives. By law, the trial and sentencing of the accused must be conducted with the utmost fairness, especially when incorporating the irreversible sanction of the death penalty. Only 88 percent of all executions since 1930 have been for murder (Warner). It is evident that courts have sentenced some criminals to prison while putting others to death, which clearly demonstrates uncertainty, racial prejudices, and simply unfairness. In his article ?American Dilemma? (1944) Gunnar Myrdal reported that the ?South makes the widest application of the death penalty?, and sadly ?Negro criminals are in for much more than their share of the executions? (Warner). Recently a study of capital punishment showed that the current system is an outgrowth of the racist ?legacy of slavery? (NCADP). Between 1930 and 1996, 4,220 prisoners were executed and more than half were black. A disproportionately large number of African Americans have always occupied the nations ?death rows,? considering the percentage of African Americans in the overall population (Dieter 144). During the past century, blacks were more often executed for what were considered less-than-capital offenses for whites, Jewett 4such as rape and burglary (Dieter 145). Furthermore, a large percentage of the blacks who were executed were juveniles, and the number of executions without having ones conviction reviewed by a higher court was higher for blacks (NCADP). In recent years, there has been wide belief that racial discrimination is a thing of the past. However, since the renewal of capital punishment in the mid-1970s, approximately half of the death row population, at any given time, have been black (Smart). When those under the death sentence are examined more closely, it is apparent race is a factor after all. A statistical study of racial discrimination in capital cases in Georgia showed that those convicted of killing a white person were more likely to receive the death penalty in all indicted cases. Further evidence proved unfairness in capital cases as reported by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). The GAO review concluded that of the 28 studies there was a ?pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing, and imposition? of the death penalty, and that the ?race of victim influence was found at all stages of the criminal justice system process (Dieter 144). One can conclude that in the courts of the nation, even today, the murder of a white person is treated much more severely than the murder of a black person. Therefore, it can be noted that our criminal system reserves the death penalty for those murderers (regardless of their race) who kill white victims (Dieter 145). Gender and socio-econ omic class also aid in the discrimination of those who will receive a death sentence. Only one percent of all those on death row were women, although women commit about fifteen percent of all criminal homicides (NCADP). Only 33 women, of whom 12 were black, have been executed in the United States since 1930. Fairness in capital cases requires most a competent counsel for the defendant. Yet, 90 percent of those on death row were unable to afford a lawyer when tried. The most common Jewett 5characteristics among death row defendants are poverty, lack of social community, and inadequate legal representation at trial or on appeal (NCADP). The above flaws in the actual administration of capital punishment are only one of the many clear reasons for abolition. In the judgement of the fair-minded and unprejudiced ?capital punishment is a power that cannot be exercised fairly and without discrimination? (Smart). Therefore, we cannot put human lives in the hands of a flawed system, for societ y will suffer the consequences, as well as the victims. Unlike all other criminal punishments, the death penalty is irreversible. Once a criminal is put to death no once can bring back the human life taken when a mistake is discovered too late. However, some supporters of capital punishment argue that its advantages are worth the sacrificing of innocent people, as well as the ideal that there is little chance that the innocent would be executed. Nevertheless, there is evidence showing that from the 1980s to the 1990s innocent people have been convicted of capital crimes as well as executed (?Against the Death Penalty?). Since the 1900s there have been an estimated four cases a year in which an innocent person was convicted of murder, in addition to the many that were sentenced to death (?Against the Death Penalty?). In many cases ? a reprieve or commutation arrived just hours, or even minutes before the scheduled execution? (?Against the Death Penalty?). Those wrongful convictions h ave occurred in almost every jurisdiction in the nation. Furthermore, despite the new death penalty statutes approved by the Supreme Court, the numbers of the wrongfully accused have not declined. Unfortunately, the innocent persons convicted of crimes they did not commit are not always saved from execution or released from their sentences. There are several other cases in which evidence that would have released the convicted was discovered after the execution. These examples explain why the judicial system cannot guarantee that justice will never make mistakes. To retain the death penalty Jewett 6and overlook the serious flaws in the system is unacceptable, especially since there are no strong overriding arguments to favor the death penalty (Glover 145-146). Among the flaws of the justice system, we must remember that the taking of a human life is immoral. The methods used to perform these violent executions are barbaric and unnecessary. But, prisoners continue to be executed in th e United States by any one of five methods; in a few jurisdictions the prisoner is allowed to choose which fate he or she prefers. The methods of capital punishment in use in 1997 included hanging, firing squad, electrocution, suffocation in the lethal gas chamber, and lethal injection (NCADP). The traditional execution by hanging is still used in a few states today. Death on the gallows can make for a slow and agonizing demise by strangulation if the drop is too short. Or, if the drop is too long, the head will be torn off. Two states still use the firing squad method, in which the condemned is hooded, strapped into a chair, and a target is pinned on the chest. Five marksmen take aim and fire (NCADP). During the twentieth century, electrocution has been the most widely applied form of execution in the United States, and still used in eleven states. The prisoner is placed in the death chamber and strapped into the chair with electrodes strapped to the head and legs. When the chair i s activated the body strains and jolts as the intensity of electricity is raised or lowered. It is not known how long the prisoner retains consciousness. In some cases, as with the electrocution of John Evans in Alabama, it takes more than one jolt of electricity to kill the prisoner. An eyewitness illustrated the ?barbaric ritual? in which it took three charges at thirty second intervals and ten minutes before doctors pronounced Evans dead (NCADP). The witness then went on to Jewett 7say that the officials were apparently embarrassed and one official remarked that the execution was ?supposed to be a very clean manner of administering death? (NCADP). The gas chamber was supposed to be a step ahead of the electric chair. In the gas chamber method, the prisoner is strapped into a chair with a container of sulfuric acid underneath. the chamber is then sealed and cyanide is dropped into the acid to create a lethal gas. As with electrocution, suffocation by inhalation of a lethal gas is not always a quick and clean way of death. In the case of the execution of Don Harding in Arizona, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said that it took Harding more than ten minutes to die. The latest mode of infliction of the death penalty is lethal injection. Some believe that this method is more humane, although killing in itself is plainly inhumane (NCADP). The U.S. Court of Appeals stated that there is ?substantial and uncontested evidence?that execution by lethal injection poses a serious risk of cruel, protracted deatheven a slight error in dosage or administration can leave a prisoner conscious but paralyzed while dying, a sentient witness of his or her own asphyxiation? (NCADP). As with the other methods of execution, death by lethal injection does not always proceed smoothly as planned. In 1985 ?the authorities jabbed needles intoStephen Morin, when they had trouble finding a usable vein because he had been a drug abuser? (NCADP). In a 1988 case during the execut ion of Raymond Landry, ?a tube attached to a needle inside the inmates right arm began leaking, sending he lethal mixture shooting across the death chamber toward witnesses.? Adam Bedau writes that ?its veneer of decency and subtle analogy with life-saving medical practice no doubt makes killing by lethal injection more acceptable to the public? (NCADP). Jewett 8After witnessing an execution, Journalist Susan Blaustein said ?We have perfected the art of institutional killing to the degree that it has deadened our natural, quintessentially human response to death? (NCADP). Most people who observe an execution are mortified and disgusted. Public executions were common in this country during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. One of the last public executions occurred in Kentucky when 20,000 people gathered to watch the hanging of a young African American male (NCADP). It is that inhumane delight in brutality and pain that the supporters of death penalty have cause against, yet th ey are at the level of murder themselves. Society must insist that the law not encourage such violent crime, for when the government ceremoniously carries out the cruel execution of a prisoner, the violent side of human nature is being allowed. Cesare Beccaria, an Italian jurist said ?The death penalty cannot be useful, because of the example of barbarity it gives men?. Even if capital punishment was ?useful? it would still be an example of the very brutality and violence the death penalty is supposed to prevent (?Against the Death Penalty?). Such methods of human torture and killing is allowed by retentionists to be hidden in the system we call justice. Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Godberg wrote ?the deliberate institutionalized taking of human life by the state is the greatest conceivable degradation of the dignity of human personality? (?Against the Death Penalty?). Society not only suffers from the burden of dealing with those lives which have been lost to an immoral and brut al execution, but will also suffer from the great deal of tax dollars spent to put their unjustified ways into action. From the time of arrest to the point of execution, it can be estimated that a single death sentence costs between one to three million dollars per case (NCADP). Some studies have figures as high as seven million per case. Life imprisonment, including incarceration, costs roughly five hundred thousand dollars. The millions of dollars spent Jewett 9on the unnecessary killing of one individual cuts into funds for more important needs, such as public safety and education (NCADP). Justice often insists that the death penalty is the suitable punishment for brutal crimes. According to Bedau, ?by its nature, all punishment is retributive? (?Against the Death Penalty?). Therefore, a punishment can be satisfied without killing. Moreover, the death penalty could only be used for the crime of murder and not for any of the several other crimes that have recently been considered as capital crimes such as rape, kidnaping, treason, drug trafficking, and espionage. Execution is an unnecessary punishment for murder. Albert Camus wrote that ?for there to be equivalence, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not encountered in private life? (Warner). It is also often argued that death is what murderers deserve, and that those who oppose the death penalty violate the ?eye for an eye? principle, the ideal of making the punishment fit the crime. If this rule means that punishments are unsuitable unless they are like the crime, then the principle is unacceptable. Such an ideal would mean that we must rape the rapists, torture the torturers, and inflict other degrading punishments on the convicted (Nathanson 133). We would have to betray traitors, and kill multiple murderers mu ltiple times, which are obviously penalties impossible to impose. Since we cannot reasonably punish all crimes according to this ideal, it is irrational to impose execution as a required punishment for murder. Criminals do deserve to be punished, and the severity of punishment should be appropriate to the harm they have caused the Jewett 10innocent. But the severity of punishment must have limits limits enforced by both justice and our common human dignity (Barzilai). Governments that enforce these limits do not use premeditated, violent homicide as a tool in society. There are people who have lost a loved one to murder that believe that they cannot rest until the murderer is executed, but not all of those inflicted with such a loss feel the same. Coretta Scott King said that ?as one whose husband and mother-in-law have died the victims of murder and assassination, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty for those convicted of capital offenses. An evil deed is not remedied by an evil deed of retaliation. Justice is never advanced in the taking of human life. Morality is never upheld by a legalized murder ? (Barzilai). Victims to the loss of a loved one do not need to reduce themselves to the evil level of the murderer, but those families need to replace their anger and hate towards the criminal in a more healthy manner for both the offender and the survivors. Although it can be easier said than done, the right to live belongs to all of the members of society regardless of what crime one has committed. It is not the right of the government, nor the right of any individual to inflict such cruel and hateful punishments onto another human being. Beyond the statistics we can see a brutal and unnecessary punishment. There must be limits to the power that a government has, as well as the power individuals in a society have. We degrade the murderer, yet the supporters of capital punishment reserve the passion to kill. As sane people with a respe ct for human life and dignity, we must not turn into the vicious murderer some of us fight to kill. According to Stephen Nathanson, we must set an example of the behavior we find acceptable in society. He goes on to say that ?even though this person has done wrong and Jewett 11even though we may be angry, outraged, and indignant with him, we will nonetheless control ourselves in a way that he did not. We will not kill him? ( Nathanson 137). We must not contradict the principle that murder is wrong, including the murder of a criminal. We must not kill, nor must any government hold the power to take a human life, no matter what the crime. BibliographyWorks Cited?Against the Death Penalty.? Amnesty International. http://www.amnesty.org Dieter, Richard. ?The Practical Burdens of Capital Punishment.? The Encyclopedia of Ethics. Censorship of Media Violence Argumentative Persuas Essay New York: Macmillan, 1967. Glover, Jonathan. ?Deterrence and Murder.? New York: Garland, 1992. Mappes, Thomas A., and Jane S. Zambaty. Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy. U.S.: McGraw, 1997. National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP). http://www.ncadp.org Smart, Christopher. ?Innocence Found on Death Row.? http://weeklywire.com Warner, Ralph. ?Killing Carelessly.? http://www.crimemagazine.com Government Essays

Young hindu boys Essay Example

Young hindu boys Essay Should children be brought up with a religious upbringing? Do you agree? Show that you have considered more than one point of view and refer to another religion in your answer. Many people around the world think that they should bring their children up religiously. There are quite a few reasons for this, mainly because of tradition. The few main reasons have been outlined below; Firstly, if the children are brought up religiously, they will be baptized, and once done so, to keep the baptism promises, parents will enforce and pass down teachings and bible quotations to their children which then are led to believe in god.This is similar to Hinduisms teachings, where the child goes through a special ceremony at birth to welcome god into their lives, thanking them and spending their lives in his debt. Christians have a similar confirmation ceremony which is rather like the thread ceremony for young hindu boys. From an early age, young Christians may go to Sunday school run by the church, where they would learn stories and prayers, and then assume that god exists because the people around the child believe that he does. In Hinduism, it is quite common for younger children to attend Sunday school hosted by the mandir. They are brought up to believe in god so that they may go to heaven after death.Most of the time, children are automatically accepted into their parents religion(s) because when they hear their parents talking about god or praying, they tend to follow in their parents footsteps which then lead them to believe and assume that god exists. We will write a custom essay sample on Young hindu boys specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Young hindu boys specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Young hindu boys specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As children get older, they are able to attend church which further helps them believe in god. Special festivals such as Christmas are usually celebrated without knowing their background and story, but if children attend church they naturally end up assuming that there are religious reasons behind every festival which end up positively enforcing their beliefs about god. They may also learn these facts through school, their peers and RE lessons. In Hinduism, children are taught about their festivals and nearly every festival has a religious meaning or story behind it, which eventually alters childrens thoughts as they grow older to accompany new religious ideas and beliefs.Finally, daily prayers and offerings are done by both hindu and Christian children which further enforces their beliefs about god. Children that are brought up with a religious upbringing usually believe in heaven, and their parents also believe that after death the body will rest eternally in heaven (or hell, in some cases). I disagree with the question and believe that children should not be brought up with a religious upbringing because they should have their own right to choose how they act and what they believe in.For example, Hindu children are not allowed to eat beef, and may bear a grudge against their parents for forcing them into Hinduism, or any other religion as such. This could lead to major conflicts which could break tradition, but wouldnt have occurred if the child could choose what they wished to be. Without religion, major conflicts which spark wars and other things such as bad behaviour can be prevented.Even if children are brought up in a certain religion they should be able to choose as they get older and have more experience about other religions. Sometimes children are brought up by agnostics, which can help reinforce the childs beliefs. In conclusion, I think that children have a right to believe what they want in life, and steer their lives in the right direction, for who knows whether the path they choose to live may be the right one for them, if not for others, therefore I disagree with the question stated above.

The Collision Theory Essays

The Collision Theory Essays The Collision Theory Paper The Collision Theory Paper To help me explain the collision I am going to use information from Chemistry Made Clear by Gallagher and Ingram.In order for a reaction to occur the particles must meet and the collision must occur with enough energy. In the reaction I am investigating, the making of magnesium sulphate, the magnesium atoms and hydrogen ions must collide with enough energy to successfully react.Below are some diagrams to help show this:The word equation for this reaction is below:The symbol equation for this is below:If there are many successful collisions i.e. the reaction goes quickly then a lot of hydrogen will be produced i.e. the rate of reaction is fast.However if there isnt enough energy to carry out the reaction then the hydrogen ion will bounce off and nothing will happen.Acid TheoryWhen an acid dissolves in water the acid molecule splits up and hydrogen ions and anions are formed. Their quantity is different depending on the acid. If all the molecules of the acid split up completely then th e acid will have a very acidic pH number. We know all acids contain hydrogen, but strong acids have a high concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) per dm3.H2SO4 2H+ + SO42-Due to the fact the hydrogen ions are in a solution then, as the particulate theory matter tells us, the ions will be moving randomly throughout the solution. Some will hit the metal. If the ions that hit the metal have enough energy then a chemical reaction will occur and the metal will lose electrons which become metal cations. These bond with the hydrogen ions and become hydrogen atoms. These atoms bond in pair to form molecules which effervesce and escape as gas.Rates of ReactionThere are three factors that influence the speed of which magnesium reacts with sulphuric acid.I will look at each of these in detail.* The concentration of sulphuric acid.If the concentration of sulphuric acid is increased then the speed of the reaction will be increased. This is because with an increase in concentration then there will b e more hydrogen ions present. If there are more hydrogen ions then therefore the chances of a collision will be increased, and therefore the reaction will be faster.* The surface area of the magnesium.If a large block of magnesium is reacted with sulphuric acid then only a small amount of magnesium is actually exposed to the hydrogen ions. If the block of magnesium is broken up into small pieces then a larger area will be exposed. This increases the chances of collisions, and the more collisions they is the faster the rate of reaction.* The temperature of sulphuric acid.As mentioned earlier, particles need enough energy in the collision to react. This energy, also know as activation energy can be increased by increasing the temperature. So if the temperature of sulphuric acid is increased, then any collisions that occur will have the activation energy. This means the reaction will be faster.Now for this course work I am required to investigate just one of these factors. I can forget about investigating the temperature of the sulphuric acid as to investigate it in detail may be a safety issue as heating an acid is unwise. It would also be difficult to investigate the surface area of magnesium as to do so I would need five different forms of magnesium and my school only stocks three of these.So the easiest factor for me to investigate would be changing the concentration of sulphuric acid. This is quite easy as the actual experiment is quite straightforward and I can make my own dilutions of sulphuric acid.VariablesThe independent variable is what I am going to investigate; I will do so by changing the concentration of the acid.The dependant variable is what I will be measuring, that is the time taken for all the magnesium to dissolve.The controlled variables is what are going to stay the same to keep the investigation fair; i.e. the temperature of the acid, the temperature of the water, the total volume of acid solution, constant swirling and the size of the mag nesium ribbon.PredictionMy hypothesis is that the higher the concentration of sulphuric acid the faster the rate of reaction with the magnesium ribbon.I have predicted this because:All acids contain hydrogen, and hydrogen dissociates when it dissolves in water to produce ions. Sulphuric acid is one of the acids that dissociates completely to form a strong acid. Sulphuric acid will be very acidic on the pH scale and have a high concentration of hydrogen atoms as all its molecules will dissociate.Its word equation is:H2SO4 (aq) 2H+ (aq) + SO42-(aq)As long as there is enough activation energy then a chemical reaction will take place between magnesium and sulphuric acid and magnesium sulphate and hydrogen will be produced.The more successful collisions there are, the faster the rate of reaction.So if the concentration of sulphuric acid is increased and as long as there is enough activation energy then the rate of reaction will be faster.Apparatus:2 burette holders2 retort stands2 waste beakers1 stop clock1 30cm ruler1 pair scissors1 small plastic filter funnel1 piece sand paper1 pair safety goggles1 white tileChemicalsSulphuric acid 100g/dm310cm length magnesium ribbonWash bottle of distilled waterMethod- Firstly I shall sand the piece of magnesium down to remove the oxide,- Then I shall accurately divide my piece of magnesium into 10 1cm strips using scissors and a ruler.- I shall then zero two burettes, one with water and the other with sulphuric acid.- I shall then accurately add 25cm3 of sulphuric acid into my conical flask.- To this I shall add a single 1cm strip of magnesium starting the stop clock as soon as it enters the flask.- I shall listen and watch until the magnesium completely disappears then I shall stop the clock and record the time.- I shall then repeat this using the same volume of sulphuric acid making sure to zero the burettes.- I will then repeat the above from the third point until now using the values in my table.- By dividing the two times I recorded for a piece of magnesium to dissolve by two I can find out the average time taken for each different concentration.- By inverting my times as fractions (i.e. a time of 20 second which is 20 will become 11 20)I can find out a decimal number which represents Rate ofReactions-1.SafetyDuring this experiment I shall wear safety goggles as Sulphuric acid is corrosive and can burn skin, and, as some may be taken up with the hydrogen ions as they escape as a gas (i.e. acid spray) it is only sensible to wear safety goggles.Strategy for dealing with resultsI shall display my results in a table like the one below:Volume of Sulphuric Acidcm3Volume of Water cm3Concentration of Sulphuric acid g per dm3Time1sTime2sAverage Times(Rounded)Rate of Reaction s-1Rate of Reaction x 1000s-125025100=1002517.2814.54161 =0.06251662.523223100=922518.7817.78181 =0.05551855.518718100=722529.6928.84291 =0.034482934.4816916100=642540.8439.90401 =0.0254025101510100=40251121131131 =0.0088491138.85I will graphically demonstrate these results in a graph which I believe will look similar (if the times have been recorded accurately) to the one below:I have predicted the positive correlation in the graph above as I believe that the rate of reaction is directly proportional to the concentration. I believe that as the concentration of acid doubles the rate should also roughly double. I believe this as when the concentration doubles there are double the number of hydrogen ions present, so there are double the number of ions to collide with. This would mean the reaction should occur in half the time, so the rate at which the reaction took place doubles.I will make sure that the results I take are as accurate as they can be by using burettes instead of measuring cylinders as they are more accurate and have a control on how much liquid is poured.I will make sure I read the meniscus at eye level as to make my reading more accurate. I will also use a white tile and put it behind the meniscus to help me see it clearer.I will sand the magnesium as this will remove the oxide layer which forms and help the reaction to run smoother.I will make sure to start the stop clock at the exact moment the magnesium drops into the sulphuric acid as the reaction will tart then. As well as this I will stop the clock as soon as the magnesium has completely dissolved as this is when the reaction is over.Each different concentration shall have results taken twice to not only find an average time but to see if there has been an error. If an error has occurred I shall repeat the experiment a third time to find out which of my two previous times is incorrect.Also I shall have to make sure the controlled variables I mentioned earlier are kept the same throughout, i.e.The temperature of both liquid shall have to be kept the same, as will the total volume of the acid solution. I will have to make sure that all the pieces of magnesium ribbon are as close to one centimetre as I can possibly make them . The hardest variable I will have to keep the same shall be the constant swirling as it will be hard to keep it the same speed as the time before. All of the above have to be followed to make this experiment a fair test.Obtaining EvidenceMy Table of ResultsVolume of Sulphuric Acidcm3Volume of Water cm3Concentration of Sulphuric acid g per dm3Time1sTime2sAverage Times(Rounded)Rate of Reaction s-1Rate of Reaction x 1000s-125025100=1002517.2814.54161 =0.06251662.523223100=922518.7817.78181 =0.05551855.518718100=722529.6928.84291 =0.034482934.4816916100=642540.8439.90401 =0.0254025101510100=40251121131131 =0.0088491138.85The above is my filled in table of results. All the times are my original times and as they seem quite consistent I felt no need to have to repeat an experiment.I calculated the concentration by using the following calculation:Volume of sulphuric acid x100=ConcentrationVolume of water and acid i.e. 25I calculated average time by using the following formula:Time1 + Time 2 = Average Time2I calculated Rate of Reaction by inverting the Average Time in Fraction and then I calculated its value as a decimal.As you can see from my graph they appear to be quite accurate, but I shall go into more detail in the interpreting section.InterpretingI have drawn a graph to show the rate of reaction against the concentration of the solution. This graph is at the end of the interpreting section.From the table you can see quite clearly that as the concentration of the solution decreases, the time take for the reaction to take place increases. This is what I predicted in my hypothesis.ConclusionI conclude that the rate of this reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the acid which can be seen clearly from my graph. At a concentration of 40% the rate of reaction was 8.85s-1. The rate then quite steadily increased until, at a concentration of 100% the rate of reaction was 62.5s-1. These results strongly backup my conclusion. So, to increase the rate of reaction, the concentration of acid must be increased.My original prediction was:The higher the concentration of sulphuric acid the faster the rate of reaction with the magnesium ribbon.And I believed, if I drew a graph, it would look like this:I can now say that my original prediction was correct and my actual graph strongly matches the graph I made to show how I believe my results would look, i.e. there would be a strong trend showing that the rate of reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the solution used.Scientific KnowledgeMagnesium is high up the reactivity series (a list showing how reactive the elements are) and as it is higher up than Hydrogen it means magnesium is more reactive and can displace hydrogen in order to gain stability (a full outer shell of electrons). By placing a piece of magnesium in a aqueous solution of sulphuric acid, the magnesium displaces the hydrogen, which escapes as a gas .Meanwhile, the magnesium is forming into magnesium catio ns which bond with the sulphuric anions and together they form a salt. The hydrogen ions, move randomly throughout the solution, some of which, if there is enough energy collide and successfully react with the magnesium.When the magnesium atoms loose atoms they become cations.This is known as an oxidation reaction as hydrogen ions take the place of the displaced electrons and join together to form molecules.As electrons are gained the below is a reduction reaction. The hydrogen molecules can escape as a gas which can be viewed and heard escaping from the solution.The full equation of the experiment isThis experiment is an example of a redox reaction, due to the fact oxidation and reduction both taking place.The magnesium is the reducing agent as it gives away its electrons quite easily.The hydrogen ions are the oxidising agents in this experiment as they remove the electrons. Should the number of hydrogen ions increase, then more electrons can be removed and the reaction can occur f aster. This can be observed when I used a 100% concentration of sulphuric acid, as there were a large number of hydrogen ions which increased the number of collisions with magnesium where electrons were lost, which increased the rate of reaction.So, to conclude my experiment:If the concentration of the solution is increased, and there is more sulphuric acid present then the rate of reaction with the piece of magnesium is increased.EvaluatingMy resultsOn my graph there is on point that is clearly off the line and two that are just barely on it. The one point that was off was my measurement for the rate of reaction taken for the solution with the concentration of 40gmd-3. It is this point however that I believe is anomalous, as the others are just on the line of best fit.The point recorded for a concentration of 40gmd-3 has a rate of reaction faster than the expected trend. There are several reasons for this. The first is that possible I made a mistake in the measuring and added too m uch acid to the solution which would have given me a result that was too fast. There is also the chance I swirled the solution faster than I had with the other volumes, which would also explain a result off the trend line. Also there is the possibility too little magnesium was added; either I sanded the strip too much, and removed magnesium as well as the oxide layer, or I cut this particular piece too small, but either way it would explain a fast rate of reaction, or through no fault of my own this piece of magnesium was thinner than the rest, i.e. a fault of the supplier.The last possibilities I can think of lie with the stop clock; either I stopped the stop clock too soon as perhaps the effervescence had dropped in noise level and the reaction was continuing when I thought it was over, or I started the experiment too late, while I attempted to drop the magnesium in, start swirling and start the clock all at once.I will now evaluate the two points that are just on the line. To me they are not anomalous, but they do stand out so I will evaluate what could have gone wrong. For the point with a concentration of 92gmd-3 the above possibilities that I have for the point at concentration at 40gmd-3 apply.However for the point at a concentration of 64gmd-3 there must be other reasons as it has a rate of reaction lower than the expected trend. It is possible that I didnt swirl the solution as fast as I had done for the other concentrations. Also it is possible I made a mistake in the measuring of the magnesium and added a piece that was too big which would have meant the reaction would have gone on for longer. Its also possible that I may have made a mistake in the volume of acid and added too little or I could have added too much water. Both of which could have given to a slower rate of reaction than expected. Then there is also the possibility that I may have not sanded the magnesium enough which could have left some of the oxide layer on, which would have slowed my reaction down. Finally it is possible that I stopped the clock too late.Analysis of ApparatusMeasuring ApparatusBurettes I still think using the Burettes were a good choice as I could very accurately control the amount of acid and water I was adding.Ruler- I felt this was a good choice as it enabled me to accurately measure out a 1cm strip of magnesium. However in combination with the scissors it was quite difficult to mark the length I needed to cut on the magnesium.Stop Clock- The stop clock I felt was awkward, as I felt an extra pair of hands were needed to start the clock while I put the magnesium into the conical flask and began swirling. Unfortunately I cannot think of another piece of apparatus I could have used in its place, so it was and is still the best choice open to me.Other ApparatusConical Flask- I feel a wider necked conical flask may have been better, as the piece of magnesium had a tendency to get stuck in the neck of the conical flask.Scissors- I dont really f ell these were adequate in conjunction with a ruler to measure the strips of magnesium off with as I had to scratch the 1cm lengths on the piece of magnesium with these and then remove the ruler to cut the magnesium.What would I do differently?If I had to repeat this experiment there are several things I would do differently.First of all I would use a magnetic stirring device instead of swirling the solution by hand which would remove the possibility of error.Second of all, in conjunction with the magnetic stirrer I would use a beaker as there would be no need to worry about the acid spilling over the side with the magnetic stirrer. This would also mean the piece of magnesium couldnt get stuck as the beaker has a very wide neck.Finally, I would have used some fresh, powered magnesium. This would mean there would be no oxide layer to worry about. Also I would by able to measure it accurately with a scale which could eliminate error that I could have got from having to use a ruler and scissors.Advice to the Medicine CompanyI would advise the company to conduct some large scale tests to find which concentration of sulphuric acid would be safe, as to speed up their reactions I am sure they would use other factors which would increase the rate of reaction; which with a high concentration of acid could cause an unstable reaction.An idea for the distribution of magnesium sulphate would be in the form of wipes which are easy to transport. The magnesium sulphate could be soaked into the wipes which would also prevent any magnesium sulphate being lost in the process because if any remained, it would be absorbed when more material is added.

Bill of Attainder Definition

Bill of Attainder Definition A bill of attainder – sometimes called an act or writ of attainder or an ex-post facto law – is an act of a government’s legislature that declares a person or group of persons guilty of a crime and prescribing their punishment without the benefit of a trial or judicial hearing. The practical effect of a bill of attainder is to deny accused person’s civil rights and liberties. Article I, Section 9, paragraph 3, of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the enactment of bills of attainder, stating, â€Å"No Bill of Attainder or ex-post facto Law will be passed.† Origin of Bills of Attainder Bills of attainder were originally part of English Common Law and were typically used by the monarchy to deny a person’s right to own property, the right to a title of nobility, or even right to life. Records from the English Parliament show that on January 29, 1542, Henry VIII secured bills of attainder that resulted in the executions of a number people holding titles of nobility. While the English Common Law right of habeas corpus guaranteed fair trials by a jury, a bill of attainder completely bypassed the judicial procedure. Despite their obviously unfair nature, bills of attainder were not banned throughout the United Kingdom until 1870. US Constitutional Ban of Bills of Attainder As a feature of English law at the time, bills of attainder were often enforced against residents of the thirteen American colonies. Indeed, outrage over the enforcement of bills attainder in the colonies was one of the motivations for the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The dissatisfaction of Americans with British attainder laws resulted in their being prohibited in the U.S. Constitution ratified in 1789. As James Madison wrote on January 25, 1788, in the Federalist Papers Number 44, â€Å"Bills of attainder, ex-post facto laws, and laws impairing the obligations of contracts, are contrary to the first principles of the social compact, and to every principle of sound legislation. ... The sober people of America are weary of the fluctuating policy which has directed the public councils. They have seen with regret and indignation that sudden changes and legislative interferences, in cases affecting personal rights, become jobs in the hands of enterprising and influential speculators, and snares to the more-industrious and less-informed part of the community.† The Constitution’s ban of the use of bills of attainder by the federal government contained in Article I, Section 9 was considered so important by the Founding Fathers, that a provision banning state law bills of attainder was included in the first clause of ​Article I, Section 10. The Constitution’s bans of bills of attainder at both the federal and state level serve two purposes: They enforce the fundamental doctrine of separation of powers by forbidding the legislative branch from performing functions constitutionally delegated to the judicial or executive branch.  They embody the protections of due process of law expressed in the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments. Along with the U.S. Constitution, the constitutions of ever state expressly forbid bills of attainder. For example, Article I, Section 12 of the constitution of the State of Wisconsin reads, â€Å"No bill of attainder, ex-post facto law, nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall ever be passed, and no conviction shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate.†

Friendship and companionship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Friendship and companionship - Essay Example It clearly shows how close two friends can be. The author was attracted to Queequeg because of his traits and unexpected behavior which is child like and got attracted and started observing his funny behavior by staring at him. His mental ability was so less that he can count only up to fifty. Then he starts counting from one again. By the understanding of the story it is clearly evident the kind of friendship between an innocent friend and a person with good presence of mind. Friends can be so close that they can share literally any thing between them from money to clothes. The story can be a lesson to the friends who regularly argue and fight every now and then. An eye opener, an ideal character, goodness and loyalty at heart. In today's age where gay couples are expressing their love openly, friends like Queequeg and the author are so intimate with each other but with out creating situations like Gay couples. The story idolizes that even money cannot part two friends. For example: when Queequeg took his thirty cents of silver from his pocket and mechanically divides then into half and puts in the pocket author. The author was actually spell bound with the gratitude of the Queequeg. Friends can be so close at times that they share the same bed together. A friendship like this can make an atheist to pray to god.

Film Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Film Review - Assignment Example Based on a true story, Missing weave the incident that took place in Chile in 1973. An American freelance journalist Charles Horman (John Shea) with his wife Beth (Sissy Spacek) is in Chile as the opportunity presents them with the condition of military coup to report on, during and after the regime of Salvador Allande. As the time nears for the couple to leave Chile to return to America, Charles is been abducted by the military, which hints the involvement of the American army – a place where they should not be present. The following events depict the father of Charles, a conservative business man trying to locate his son and get out of the jungle of lies and deception portrayed by the US embassy with his daughter in law. Like every film produced to date, Missing contains a theme, targets a specific audience and has few editing shortcomings. The theme of the movie can be describes as addressing the controversy that had resulted as a result of Charles Horman execution back in 1973 and to clearly portray the involvement of US government in the scenario. For instance, in the start of the movie Gavras educate the people that the proceeding scenes are accounted for and are documented too; this implies that whatever will be shown in the movie cannot be questioned and the scenes are shot after authorizing the incident. So, we can harmlessly assume that the Gavras hinting that the US government was involved and the embassy played a part in approving or commanding the execution of Chalres Horman is correct. But then, this particular controversy clearing scenes opened new questioning from the public as well as the government. People tends to get more involved in a movie if the movie is based on a real incident, as this flick by Gavras falls in the same category the audience targeted by the director was the American citizen, because of the fact that the main victim of the movie was an American and this topic had been controversial for a long period of

Kingdoms of Egypt and Nubia Essay Example for Free

Kingdoms of Egypt and Nubia Essay Historians once thought that the human race began with the white Greek and Romans. Present day archaeologists are telling us that the cradle of civilization is in the Nile Valley of Africa. Two rival kingdoms called Egypt and Nubia have much in common but they also have their unique differences. In my essay I will explore some of these similarities and differences. Egypt and Nubia were both ruled by monarchy, which shows that they had an advanced form of political organization. Archeologists findings show that the symbols of Nubian royalty are the same as those of Egyptian Kings. They believed that they were god-Kings and built large pyramids to spend eternity surrounded by there riches to keep them comfortable after death. The difference between the Egyptian and the Nubian monarchy is that the Egyptian monarchies were all male rulers but Nubians monarchies were both male and female and held power jointly. Egypt and Nubia both traded with other countries to acquire the goods they desired. Egypt had few natural resources but was involved in manufacturing glass, paper, perfume, cosmetics and fine linen fabric. Egypt wanted to trade these for the different products from Central Africa. Nubia had many natural resources such as gold, ivory, copper, frankincense, iron ore, hardwood timber, ostrich feathers, leopard skins and elephants. Nubia traded these along with their pottery and manufactured goods. The powerful, wealthy black Nubians Kings controlled the trade routes between central Africa and Egypt, which is one reason why Egypt eventually attacked and conquered Nubia. Egyptians and Nunians both believed in the god-Amun (the ram-head god). The Egyptians thought the silhouette of the mountain at Gebel Barkel looked like a cobras head which is a sign of royal power. They believed that the god-Amun lived there so they built a temple to him. Thus, its considered to be a sacred mountain, perhaps the holiest place in the Nile valley. It is where the pharaohs held their crowning ceremonies. The Nubians also believed the god-Amun lived in the mountain. When they conquered Egypt they called on the authority of the god-Amun. This was confirmed when archaeologists found a curving of a man making an offering to the god-Amun in the remains of a  large temple in Nubia. Both the Egyptians and the Nubians had a system of writing to record important events in their history. The Egyptians used picture writings called hieroglyphs that they curved on the temple walls and on tablets describing events in their lives. The Nubians used an alphabet called meroitic. Historians are hoping to understand this alphabet so that they will be able to read the Nubians writings and discover more about their culture. It is clear that the early African people were a politically organized, intelligent industrious, creative and civilized people worthy of our respect. Probably, due to racial prejudice, it was once thought that black Africans were not capable of producing high civilization. Nubia, the homeland of the earliest black culture may have been the home of the first human race on earth. Bibliography Edward Reynolds (1994) Focus on Africa: D.C. Health and company. CanadaWho are the Nubians? (Date N/A). Homestead. October 23, 2006. http://www.homestead.com/wysinger/nubians.htmlJamila, White. (1999). Black Kingdoms of the Nile episode 2. PBS. October 23, 2006http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Episodes/Epi1/1_wondr4.htmJimmy Dunn (Copyright 1999-2003). The Yam of Egypts Old Kingdom. Tour Egypt. October 23, 2006. http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/yam.htm

Who was Napoleon Essay -- essays research papers

Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on 15 August 1769, the second of Carlo and Letizia Bonaparte's eight children. In 1778, Napoleon began his education at Autun and later attended school in Brienne, excelling in mathematics and science. Following a year's study at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, he was commissioned in the artillery in 1785. The year 1789 saw the outbreak of the French revolution, which created an atmosphere of opportunity that would not have existed under the Bourbons, and Napoleon was to make the most of it. The first opportunity came in 1793, when Bonaparte was promoted to brigadier general for the decisive part he played in the siege of Toulon, which ousted the British from mainland France. After the coup de Thermidor in 1794, Napoleon fell out of favor and was imprisoned. After his release he ended up preserving the new government from the Parisian Mob with artillery fire, an event that has become known as the 'Whiff of Grapeshot.' A grateful government later appointed Napoleon to command of the Army of Italy. Before his departure, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais on 9 March 1796. Campaigning in Italy in 1796 and 1797, he inspired the impoverished army with the promise of "honor, glory, and riches," and enjoyed a succession of victories, which resulted in Austria signing the Peace of Campo Formio. His display of bravery, intelligence, and leadership proved an inspiration to the common soldier and formed an enduring bond. Returning to France, he was given charge of an expedition to Egypt, control of which would threaten English possessions in India. The victory at the Battle of the Pyramids gave French control of Cairo, but the naval defeat at Aboukir Bay isolated the expedition from France. After some unsuccessful campaigning in Syria, he departed by ship with a small group of friends and sailed to France, abandoning his Army. In 1799, public sentiment had swung against the government, and following the coup d'etat de Brumaire, Napoleon became the defacto ruler of France. The country was still at war however, and after a dramatic crossing of the Alps, Napoleon defeated the Austrians at the battle of Marengo on 14 June 1800. This victory solidified his reputation of invincibility, and combined with other successes, led to a general peace. After a decade of war, a grateful France made Napoleon Consul for Life and ... ...as soon forced to retreat. The 'scorched earth' policy employed by the Russians combined with extreme weather caused the Grand Armà ©e to disintegrate and the campaign ended in disaster. The defeat in Russia prompted Prussia, Sweden, and Austria to declare war on France. Napoleon raised another army but was decisively defeated at the great Battle of Nations. Napoleon fought a last brilliant campaign in France to defend Paris, but in April 1814 abdicated and went into exile on the island of Elba. The Bourbon king was restored to the French throne. While the Allies debated a realignment of the map of Europe in Vienna, Napoleon planned his return, and in March 1815, he landed in France and regained his throne in a bloodless coup. Rather than await another invasion, Napoleon surprised Allied forces in Belgium. After initial success, Napoleon fought the Duke of Wellington leading an Anglo/Allied army at Waterloo, and was decisively defeated on 18 June 1815. Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, where he resided until his death on 5 May 1821. His remains were removed from St. Helena in 1840 and his body now rests at les Invalides in Paris. Who was Napoleon Essay -- essays research papers Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on 15 August 1769, the second of Carlo and Letizia Bonaparte's eight children. In 1778, Napoleon began his education at Autun and later attended school in Brienne, excelling in mathematics and science. Following a year's study at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, he was commissioned in the artillery in 1785. The year 1789 saw the outbreak of the French revolution, which created an atmosphere of opportunity that would not have existed under the Bourbons, and Napoleon was to make the most of it. The first opportunity came in 1793, when Bonaparte was promoted to brigadier general for the decisive part he played in the siege of Toulon, which ousted the British from mainland France. After the coup de Thermidor in 1794, Napoleon fell out of favor and was imprisoned. After his release he ended up preserving the new government from the Parisian Mob with artillery fire, an event that has become known as the 'Whiff of Grapeshot.' A grateful government later appointed Napoleon to command of the Army of Italy. Before his departure, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais on 9 March 1796. Campaigning in Italy in 1796 and 1797, he inspired the impoverished army with the promise of "honor, glory, and riches," and enjoyed a succession of victories, which resulted in Austria signing the Peace of Campo Formio. His display of bravery, intelligence, and leadership proved an inspiration to the common soldier and formed an enduring bond. Returning to France, he was given charge of an expedition to Egypt, control of which would threaten English possessions in India. The victory at the Battle of the Pyramids gave French control of Cairo, but the naval defeat at Aboukir Bay isolated the expedition from France. After some unsuccessful campaigning in Syria, he departed by ship with a small group of friends and sailed to France, abandoning his Army. In 1799, public sentiment had swung against the government, and following the coup d'etat de Brumaire, Napoleon became the defacto ruler of France. The country was still at war however, and after a dramatic crossing of the Alps, Napoleon defeated the Austrians at the battle of Marengo on 14 June 1800. This victory solidified his reputation of invincibility, and combined with other successes, led to a general peace. After a decade of war, a grateful France made Napoleon Consul for Life and ... ...as soon forced to retreat. The 'scorched earth' policy employed by the Russians combined with extreme weather caused the Grand Armà ©e to disintegrate and the campaign ended in disaster. The defeat in Russia prompted Prussia, Sweden, and Austria to declare war on France. Napoleon raised another army but was decisively defeated at the great Battle of Nations. Napoleon fought a last brilliant campaign in France to defend Paris, but in April 1814 abdicated and went into exile on the island of Elba. The Bourbon king was restored to the French throne. While the Allies debated a realignment of the map of Europe in Vienna, Napoleon planned his return, and in March 1815, he landed in France and regained his throne in a bloodless coup. Rather than await another invasion, Napoleon surprised Allied forces in Belgium. After initial success, Napoleon fought the Duke of Wellington leading an Anglo/Allied army at Waterloo, and was decisively defeated on 18 June 1815. Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, where he resided until his death on 5 May 1821. His remains were removed from St. Helena in 1840 and his body now rests at les Invalides in Paris.

The Cyclops

Odysseus, the guy who poked me in my only eye, has been fighting for ten years in a city called Troy. When he finally finished, the gods were angry and sent a huge storm in the sea their way. The Greek warriors waited for the storm to end. They ended up on the shore of an island. It’s actually my island. I, Polyphemus, live in a cave on my island. It has lots of food so I’m good. Odysseus and his men explored the island and found my cave. They feasted on my baby lambs, goats, fruits and vegetables.They knew I was going to arrive soon so they planned on offering wine. Then I came in and saw visitors that were not invited. I asked who they were. They said they are warriors from Troy and they were under protection from the god Zeus. I said that I don’t care if they were under protection from Zeus and that I was not afraid of him. I ate two guys and fell asleep. That night Odysseus desperately tried to think of a plan to escape. He found timber and sharpened the end of it. He offers me wine. I drank it.Then for the second time in the story I fall asleep. Odysseus and his men blind me with the sharpened timber. They hid under my fat lambs so I couldn’t find them. They quickly escape and run to their ship. Odysseus taunts me. I throw a boulder with my almost perfect aim. I miss by just a little bit so they got away safely. I mean, come on, they should’ve got a screwed up ship because I only missed by like inches , but anyways, yea, I promise to get revenge the next time he comes back and touches my eye.

Differentiate Between Management and Leadership

Individual paper: Differentiate between management and leadership. Be specific 1. Describe the roles and responsibilities that organizational managers and leaders play in creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture. 2. ————————————————- Recommend at least two strategies that organizational managers and leaders can ust to create and maintain a healthy organizational culture. Support your concepts w/the concepts discussed in class. Management and leadership both play an important role in the success of a company.However, each role has a different function and in order to be successful in either position, you must have a clear understanding of what each role entails. This paper seeks to provide an understanding of the difference between management and leadership positions. It will expound on the role and responsibilities of each position because often times the t wo are viewed as having the same function. Managing a company is the process of moving the company forward implementing identified goals and objectives. Managing is the process of planning, organizing and allocating the necessary resources to accomplish these goals and objectives.He/she will be responsible for developing control mechanisms to motivate employees, measure the companies achievements, as well as ensure projects and operations are run efficiently, cost saving, and effective. 3. Leadership is more abstract when considered separately from management. Leadership is guiding a person or group toward the best results. It is having sound understanding to determine and ability to articulate visions and goals. Leadership is in par with management, but takes on precedence for strategic management and long-term success.

5 ways to help your teens career path

5 ways to help your teens career path These days, it’s more challenging than ever for teens to choose the right career path. On top of having a lack of real-world life experience and the self-awareness to help guide them towards making choices that are right for them, the world of work is changing so rapidly these days- the result of accelerating technological innovation, a fluctuating economy, and shifting staffing demands of companies across industries. What’s the end result? Many young adults who are struggling to find their purpose after high school. The challenges teens face when searching for their ideal careers starts in college, before they even enter the world of work. According to a recent Borderzine article, â€Å"About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career.† This general leve l of indecisiveness can have serious implications on young adults and their ability to make clear and rational life decisions, on top of adding stress and pressure to an already challenging time in life.If you’re a parent or guardian of a teen who’s trying to figure out what career path to pursue, consider taking advantage of the following 5 strategies for helping them out.1. Help them make choices based on who they are.This one’s important- although you may have big dreams and plans for your teen, your child is not merely an extension of you, and projecting your hopes and wishes for their future on them is not a guaranteed path to career fulfillment. If you want your teen to pursue a career path that has a good chance of making them happy, help them make choices based on who they are and what makes them a unique individual.2. Empower them to explore their strengths and passions.Choosing the right career doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark- in fact, it shouldn’t be! If your teen is having trouble making a decision, a great first step is to help them make a list of their strengths, interests, and passions. Once they have a list, it’s much easier to come up with a manageable set of possible career options that might be right for them.3. Help them find a suitable mentor.If your teen has an interest in a particular field, a great way to learn more- and discover if it truly is the right path for them- is to help them connect with a prospective mentor in the field who can help them learn the day-to-day realities of life on the job, as well as short-term and long-term career options and outlooks. Intern and volunteer opportunities are excellent ways to get valuable exposure and experience. Don’t forget, industry veterans- no matter how successful- were all once teens with little or no experience, and many will be more than happy to â€Å"pay it forward† and help the next generation of employees get their start .4. Support their choices.Sure, this seems obvious, but what happens if your teen chooses a career path that you don’t agree with? This happens all the time, and the parents who support and encourage their teens to follow their dreams- whether it’s a choice you wholeheartedly support or think is a bad idea- are much more likely to have teens who are happy and successful, no matter what path they decide to pursue. Be patient, be supportive, and be encouraging to your teen as they grapple with this tough life decision, and you’re much more likely to see a positive result.5. Set a good example.The truth is, parents who are happy and fulfilled with their professional choices in life and who stick to and display positive work habits and behaviors are much more likely to have children who make smart choices regarding their career paths- and they’re also much more likely to exhibit similar positive work habits, which will help them achieve success in their chose n fields.The truth is, teens who have a healthy and productive level of guidance and support from their parents or guardians have a much better chance at making better career choices than their go-it-alone counterparts. Use the strategies presented here to help your teen successfully navigate the career path maze.

China vs India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

China vs India - Essay Example Although, China has long been into modernized security strategy, actually nuclear forces are not their priority, in order to protect the country from external forces.3 In addition, China’s transitional shift towards modern and professional military equipped with high-technology weaponry marked a better security strategy. Part II. US-China Relations According to De Castro, China has been the most like America’s major competitor for geostrategic dominance in the Asia Pacific.4 China in its sphere has developed their economy since early years--very rapid economic growth. It is a large and populous country; a communist and capitalist, reforming and resisting change, strong and weak. However, it is quite hard to understand China, because it’s complicated--the fact that it is changing rapidly.5 U.S is undeniably prominent because of its booming economy and large political dimension. China has risen and will â€Å"bring the United States unipolar moment to an end.†6 This is not to say that there would be a literal violent struggle, or overthrowing of the Western system.

Business Project Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Project - Coursework Example Moreover, for maintaining its competitive advantages, the company has focused on satisfaction of its customers, employees and business partners such as its dealers, investors and suppliers among others. The vision and mission of Vauxhall Motors is to expand its business operation around the world with considering its core values of honesty, integrity as well as professionalism. In this regard, it is identified that the company exports a larger proportion of vehicles (80% out overall production) in the global market (General Motors UK Limited, 2014). In the recent years, Vauxhall Motors has been trying to develop new heavy motorcycle in the market place, with the aim of capturing the two wheelers nationally and internationally. The company has identified that two-wheeler market is one of the emerging markets across the globe over the last decade. The two-wheeler industry has witnessed positive volume of growth during the last few years. Simultaneously, the company has identified that the demand of motor cycle has been positively increasing among the consumers in the recent years. At the same time, the company has also recognised that due to high market demand, several existing motor cycle manufacturers are concentrated on the total quality management system with the aim of enhancing the performance and excellence of the motor bikes. Thus, Vauxhall Motors has tried to introduce a new heavy motorcycle with the intention of enhancing the profitability and acquiring high market share in global market place (General Motors UK Limited , 2014). Analysis of the Context In order to determine the internal situation of Vauxhall Motors, it will be vital to apply ‘SWOT’ analysis method for better understanding the current situation of the company. According to the report of Global Data (2012), Vauxhall Motors is one of the leading automotive players in the global market

Waste Elimination Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Waste Elimination - Coursework Example The system uses a two-way approach focusing and driving both customers, internal as well as external. The basic purpose of Lean Manufacturing is to eliminate waste at all levels of production including the product design, factory management, supplier networks and customer relations. Its basic aim is to reduce the overall human effort, reduce the inventory storage, taking less production time and less space to become responsive to customer demands while also producing high quality products in the most economic and efficient manner. In this context waste is defined as anything that customer is not willing to pay for (Ramnath, et al., 2010). In the current environment, no company in production or engineering can achieve success without the incorporating the lean production methods in their systems. The Lean production methods or the TPS system given by TaiichiOhno serves as a strong base for competitive, successful and modern flow of materials. (Berlec & Starbek, 2009) In the manufactur ing process any activity that doesn’t add value to the product is considered to be waste. Hence it is important for the company to identify the waste in the processes and to find out ways that can be used to eliminate these wastes in order to achieve success and to remain competitive. The seven types of wastes include(Hutchins, n.d.): 1. Overproduction - Producing more than the customer requires 2. Waiting - Excessive machine time/downtime, or waiting for upstream information/advice 3. Transport – transportation of goods over long distances 4. Over processing – producing more than what is required by the customer 5. Inventory – Parts or stock which are not currently being worked on and are stored 6. Motion – the search for tools and other accessories 7. Defects – working out the defects In addition to these other categories have also been added to this which includes: Raw material and energy Damage to the environment Background Honda motor c ompany was established in 1948 by Soichiro Honda with its core emphasis on competing in the Japanese motorcycle industry. However in the year 1962, Honda manufactured its first car and by the year 1995 the Honda group was manufacturing, selling, and repairing motorcycles and cars as well as other power products. Honda was the first Japanese company to establish its operations in US. Its first plant for producing motorcycles was in America, outside Marysville, Ohio in 1979. The company expanded its Marysville facility so as to gain localization which included: Production, products, profit and management. (Maxwell, et al., 1998) Environmental Policy and Management In the early 1990’s political pressure was built up concerning the environmental issue therefore to address these Honda strengthen its commitment to environment and its protection by adopting a Global Environmental Declaration and also by addressing the environmental issues on a global level. The Global Environmental Declaration dictated how each Honda company should strive to evaluate the impact of their activities to the environment, and to design the products in such a way that can reduce the impact of use and disposal, can help in recycling and conservation of energy and resources and to promote awareness in the employees and society. Honda adopted a policy that emphasized on the responsibility of

Globalization Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Globalization - Term Paper Example assumption that globalization entails economic integration, exchange of knowledge, as well as interdependence of political and legislative decisions of world countries. Among the latest definitions of globalization is that of Al-Rodhan, who concludes that â€Å"globalization is a process that encompasses the causes, course, and consequences of transnational and transcultural integration of human and non-human activities† (Al-Rodhan 5). Therefore, it can be said that globalization is the process which makes integration and communication between countries, nations, businesses and individuals easier and less dependent on political or territorial constraints. This means that state boundaries or long distances play a less important role in communication and cooperation of nations. As countries become more integrated, they become more interconnected and interdependent in many aspects of their operations. Technological developments in transportation and communication have made it pos sible for world countries and people to become closer. The Internet, in its turn, has sped up and intensified the process. Availability and relative cheapness of Internet access around the world has diluted the states’ boundaries having allowed more people and businesses to work internationally. This has made different types of globalizations become more distinct and powerful. Among the major types of globalization are economic (financial), socio-cultural, and political (Dreher, Gaston, and Martens 2). Economic and financial types of globalization are among the most discussed ones because they are related to interdependence of world economies, increased flows of international capital and cross-border trade of goods and services (Shangquan 1). Technological advancements in transportation and... The intention of this study is globalization as a very complex process that touches all the spheres of people’s lives. Consequently, just like the majority of internal processes of each country, globalization evokes both positive and negative consequences. On a positive side are, definitely, the spread of technologies, free trade, and an increase in exchange of commodities between the countries. Globalization brings economic and financial development to less developed countries, and new business opportunities to the whole world society. Still, it cannot be said that globalization can be made to work for all, because advantages in some aspects bring disadvantages in others. For example, the spread of communication and Internet technologies has allowed businesses to outsource jobs from poorer countries to take advantage of the lower wage rates. As a result, home country professionals either lose their jobs or have to work for lower salaries. Similarly, outsourcing of business pr ocesses, while is a great driver for India’s economy, has lead to displacement of some service-sector jobs in developed countries. Globalization diminishes the importance of borders and, supported by the Internet, allows for free movement of information. As a result, it is becoming more and more difficult for governments to control and suppress information they prefer to restrict. The Internet even provides large companies with opportunities to show self-governing behavior.

The HR policies in multinational companies

The HR policies in multinational companies A critical issue faced by host-country nationals with respect to HR management is the degree to which Multinational Companies (MNCs) include parent HR policies as part of global HR policies (Lawler, 1999). This greatly depends on the company structure, market structure, and its global presence. However, HR policies are affected by various factors that these MNCs need to incorporate once they start operating in host countries. A major factor because of which MNCs incorporate these factors in their HR policies is due to culture; many of the HR policies of MNCs take into account the culture of the host country of which gender is an important factor (Lawler, 1999). If gender discrimination is not appreciated in the host country, companies will need to formulate HR policies accordingly, whereas in countries that discriminate on the basis of gender and is culturally and socially acceptable, then MNCs may or may not formulate policies based on it as then it would be the parent companies discretion as to how they would want to approach the matter keeping in mind the company values and objectives. One way to study the culture of countries and understand how important the issue of gender discrimination is is by examining factors using Hofstedes cultural dimensions. These dimensions are power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede, 1991). To study the extent to which gender issues affect the HR policies of MNCs, it is more appropriate to look at individualism/collectivism rather than masculinity/femininity; gender issues in the context of HR is more about the degree to which women liberalisation is prevalent in the country rather than how masculine or feminine the culture of the country is. Individualistic cultures focus more on personal accomplishments hence those cultures are more likely to influence MNCs to formulate gender bias-free HR policies when operating in that particular country; the study reveals that in individualistic countries, HR policies of MNCs do not discriminate people on the basis of gender (Lawler, 1999). Globalization The world today has become highly dynamic and competitive; globalisation has become the catchphrase in the business world where policies and strategies are developed as per global competitiveness (Joynt and Morton, 2005). Due to this factor which affects revenue generation and profits of organisations greatly, multinationals try and formulate bias-free policies when it comes to gender. A research was conducted to compare the HR practices in insurance companies of Indian and multinational companies; results showed that Indian companies discriminated salaries and job positions on gender basis; however, in multinationals, this practice was not evident (Kundu and Malhan, 2009). Today, what companies are looking for is a competent skilled employee who is the right person for the job; jobs are not restricted to males or females, rather they are about the right person. Hence, it can be concluded that in multinational companies gender does not affect HR policies if organisations are revolvin g their strategies and corporate objectives around globalisation and are trying to gain corporate and competitive advantage on a global level. European Cases The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2005) studied a number of European corporate cases that included the HR practices of companies operating in Europe. All these examples focus on how important gender has been in being a part of HR policies and finally in achieving corporate objectives. Grupo Texto Editores is a Portuguese company that realised the importance of gender equality and made it a part of its HR policies as the management felt that gender balance was extremely important in order to make the company competitive; this HR policy of the company has won it the Gender Equality and Quality Award by CITE in 2000 (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, 2005). According to Mr. Luis Pedro Nunes, Head of Global Human Resources Operations of the group, the companys success is largely due to the gender policy of the group; the HR policies have been built on the principle of hiring the right people and hence it automatically maintains a gender balance in the organisation. Another case that the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2005) has studied with respect to gender and HR policies is that of Nestle. Nestle France has faced major challenges with respect to gender imbalances in the company which has affected its reputation globally. The multinationals HR policies in recruitment and other areas such as training are seen to be highly discriminatory by the union; women are not promoted to senior positions, they are not sent on training, and much of their demands are not addressed by the senior management. This resulted in unbalanced salary structures between men and women, limited training opportunities for women, and very few promotions for women to senior levels. French legislation has passed considerable bills that force firms not to discriminate on the basis of gender; companies with a workforce of over 200 are required to even have equality commissions. Nestle France however falls short in displaying gender quality and hence falls behind other global competitors such as Danone. The management did get concern about the discriminatory practices in the company and hence conducted a survey which showed drastic discrimination against women. Nestle France consequently made changes in its HR policies to tackle this problem and by 2003 the company had female managers in high positions and a female member on its board. Nestle has also put certain mechanisms to ensure gender equality as part of its global HR policy. Nestle France clearly illustrates an example whereby how gender-biased HR policies can affect the reputation of companies. If companies do not address these issues, they fail to gain competitive advantage over other firms, just like Nestle France has lost it to Danone. The Case of Norway Gender greatly affects the reputation of countries because of which they continue including it in HR policy formation. Norway has been given the status of forerunners regarding gender equality in Europe; it is also among the top countries that promote female participation in the workforce. However, the government of Norway, even after these statuses regarding gender equality, realised that the companies operating in Norway did not have much representation of women in leadership positions. To counter this issue, the government encouraged companies to formulate HR policies that give more opportunities to women and increase their role in leadership positions. Another reason they formulated such policies was because the country realised that they are wasting the 50% female population of the country and were not utilising these resources when females could contribute to the society in similar ways as men could. The Ministerial Intervention at the EU Informal Ministerial Meeting on Gender Equality (2008) discussed gender bias-free HR policies as a precondition for building competitive organisations in the global corporate world. The MNCs also saw women as the future and a sign of modernity for them which encouraged them to formulate gender-friendly HR policies. Due to these reasons, the gender balance requirement was set in Norway which was at 40% in all companies. This has proven successful across Norway; hence, it can be concluded that gender does affect HR policies in multinational companies and other companies, especially when countries, as a whole, realise the strategic importance of gender bias-free policies. Gender Pay Inequalities One of the major reasons for gender-based discrimination in MNCs is pay (Blau and Kahn, 2007). Many labor force statistics reveal the existence of gender pay gaps. In the USA, an average woman had to work until April 2008 at the present gap rate in order to earn what an average man earned towards the end of 2007 (The National Womens Law Center, 2008). Likewise, in the European Union, there are a number of MNCs being biased in their HR policies where the matter is related to pay structures. An average full time working woman in the UK would miss approximately  £369,000 in her working life (BBC News, 14.11.2008). At times, women do not even realise that they are being discriminated against on the basis of pay structures; in some cases, women may be aware of the discrimination as per company HR policies; however, they might not consider pay disparities as important when compared to other dimensions of work (Khoreva, 2009). The Global Gender Gap Index Gender, being a discriminatory factor in global HR policies, has become so important in todays globalised world that a need for a Global Gender Gap Index has arisen. Gender greatly affects the HR policies of MNCs, consequently creating gender gaps. The Global Gender Gap Index scrutinises the gap between women and men in four basic yet extremely important areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment and health and survival (The Global Gender Gap, 2008). It can be concluded form the report that the gap has been widening globally as the number of countries with widening gaps in 2006-2007 was 24, where as in 2007-2008 the number was 41 (The Global Gender Gap, 2008). Although countries with narrowing gaps are more than countries with widening gaps, the percentage of improvement is decreasing over the years; from 91% in 2006-2007, the rate has gone down to 87% in 2007-2008 (The Global Gender Gap, 2008). Hence, it is evident that MNCs globally are not addressing gender discriminatory issues in their HR policies as the Global Gender Gap Index is continuously increasing. Conclusion The discussion throughout this paper focused on different factors and reasons that affect HR policy formation; policy formation is not only based on corporate philosophies that promote gender equality or favor women, however there are multiple ways by which gender affects HR policy formation in multinational companies. Gender equality greatly affects HR policies in multinational companies primarily because of the global village the world has shrunk into. The need of the hour is the integration of the entire world where gender plays an extremely important and crucial role. Gender equality has become a prerequisite in developing multinational companies into highly competitive organisations. The world has become so competitive that in order to survive, companies will not just have to include women in its workforce but also invest in their training and development in order to help them reach leadership positions in top management. If companies favour either of the two genders, they will never be able to achieve success levels that organisations having gender bias-free HR policies might have achieved or will achieve in the future. Incorporating gender as a major factor in formulating HR policies especially in multinational companies motivates the local population of the host country. It helps bring the youth of the country, both men and women, together in contributing to society and more by being part of these companies. Finally, equal opportunity policies should be formulated as HR policies of multinational companies so that these companies are able to develop trust between the people of host countries they are operating in and the MNCs as that will facilitate the entire process of global communication and make the world a better place to live and work in.