Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Domestication History of Chickpeas

The Domestication History of Chickpeas Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum or garbanzo beans) are large roundish legumes, that look rather like a large round pea with an interesting bumpy surface. A staple of Middle Eastern, African and Indian cuisines, the chickpea is the worlds second most widely grown legume after the soybean, and one of the eight founder crops of the origins of agriculture on our planet. Chickpeas store really well  and are high in nutritive value, although they are not very disease resistant, compared to other legumes. The wild version of chickpeas (Cicer reticulatum) is only found in parts of what is today southeastern Turkey and adjacent Syria, and it is likely that it was first domesticated there, about 11,000 years ago. Chickpeas were part of the culture that first developed farming on our planet, called the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period. Varieties Domesticated chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) come in two main groups called desi and kabuli  but you can also find varieties in 21 different colors and several shapes. Scholars believe that the oldest variety of chickpea is the desi form;  Ã‚   desi are small, angular, and variegated in color. The desi likely originated in Turkey and was subsequently introduced into India where kabuli, the most common form of chickpea today, was developed. Kabuli have large beige beaked seeds, which are more rounded than desi. Domesticating Chickpeas The chickpea gained several very useful features from the domestication process. For example, the wild form of chickpea ripens only in the winter, while the domesticated form can be sown during the spring for summer harvest. Domestic chickpeas still grow best in winter when there is adequate water available; but during the winters they are susceptible to Ascochyta blight, a devastating disease which has been known to wipe out entire crops. The creation of chickpeas that could be grown in summer decreased the riskiness of relying on the crop. In addition, the domesticated form of chickpea contains nearly twice the tryptophan of the wild form, an amino acid that has been connected with higher brain serotonin concentrations and higher birth rates and accelerated growth in humans and animals. See Kerem et al. for additional information. Genome Sequencing The first draft whole genome shotgun sequence of both desi and kabuli breeding lines was published in 2013. Varshney et al. discovered that genetic diversity was slightly higher in the desi, compared to kabuli, supporting earlier contentions that desi is the older of the two forms. The scholars identified 187 disease resistance genes homologies, considerably fewer than other legume species. They hope that others will be able to use the information collected to develop superior varieties with improved crop productivity and less susceptibility to disease. Archaeological Sites Domesticated chickpeas have been found at several early archaeological sites, including the Pre-Pottery Neolithic sites of Tell el-Kerkh (ca. 8,000 BC) and Djade (11,000-10,300 calendar years ago cal BP, or about 9,000 BC) in Syria, Cayà ¶nà ¼ (7250-6750 BC), Hacilar (ca 6700 BC), and Akarà §ay Tepe (7280-8700 BP) in Turkey; and Jericho (8350 BC to 7370 BC) in the West Bank. Sources Abbo S, Zezak I, Schwartz E, Lev-Yadun S, Kerem Z, and Gopher A. 2008. Wild lentil and chickpea harvest in Israel: bearing on the origins of Near Eastern farming. Journal of Archaeological Science 35(12):3172-3177. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2008.07.004 Dà ¶nmez E, and Belli O. 2007. Urartian plant cultivation at Yoncatepe (Van), eastern Turkey. Economic Botany 61(3):290-298. doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2007)61[290:upcayv]2.0.co;2 Kerem Z, Lev-Yadun S, Gopher A, Weinberg P, and Abbo S. 2007. Chickpea domestication in the Neolithic Levant through the nutritional perspective. Journal of Archaeological Science 34(8):1289-1293. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2006.10.025 Simon CJ, and Muehlbauer FJ. 1997. Construction of a Chickpea Linkage Map and Its Comparison With Maps of Pea and Lentil. Journal of Heredity 38:115-119. Singh KB. 1997. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Field Crops Research 53:161-170. Varshney RK, Song C, Saxena RK, Azam S, Yu S, Sharpe AG, Cannon S, Baek J, Rosen BD, Taran B et al. 2013. Draft genome sequence of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) provides a resource for trait improvement. Nature Biotechnology 31(3):240-246. Willcox G, Buxo R, and Herveux L. 2009. Late Pleistocene and early Holocene climate and the beginnings of cultivation in northern Syria. The Holocene 19(1):151-158.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

7 Healthcare Jobs that Require No Experience

7 Healthcare Jobs that Require No Experience There’s no doubt healthcare is a booming industry, with tons of diverse well-paying jobs with good benefits and job security. You’re smart to want in. But what if  you don’t have any healthcare experience or educational background? Don’t fear:  not all healthcare jobs require it. Here are 7 healthcare jobs  in the industry that don’t require any particular prior experience or training to get hired. So go ahead, get your foot in that door.1. Home care aideWork in care facilities or in people’s homes assisting elderly and/or disabled patients with day-to-day functions and activities. You’ll be doing a lot of household labor, as well as interfacing with families, but you’ll start at just over $20k per year and get good training in the process.2. Medical assistantWork in a physician’s office or clinic- in any specialty- doing normal administrative duties plus some extra bookkeeping and records-keeping that are particula r to the field, plus assisting with minor medical duties and procedures. Great experience, great first opportunity, great starting salary (approximately $30k per year).3. Medical billerBasically handling the money- from patients, from insurers, and maintaining records. You can work in any number of health care facilities and settings, and make over $33k in your first year.4. Medical secretaryHelp manage a medical office. You’ll coordinate everything- from administrative duties, to supply ordering, to schedule keeping, communication, and liaising with doctors. You can choose from several different work environments and make over $32k per year.5. Nursing assistantWork as an assistant in nursing and patient care and get hands-on experience with patients working with trained staff. Help the pros with logistics and keeping patients comfortable while picking up valuable hours in the field. Expect to make between $25 and $26k per year.6. OT aideConsider working as an aide for an Occ upational Therapist in their offices or clinics, helping to rehabilitate patients with mental or physical impairments. You’ll work mostly handling equipment and administrative tasks, but you’ll gain great experience and make almost $32k per year.7. Psychiatric AideDo the incredibly good and hard work of helping patients who have been confined to mental health facilities. You’ll have tons of good patient care experience under your belt, make over $27k per year, and have done important work in the process.No matter where you’re starting out, you can always get started in the health care field. Just find yourself a suitable entry-level gig and start working your way up.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ethicsproject Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethicsproject - Case Study Example In turn, they mess up Bernie program of acquiring new television set on time. I think the proposals are well informed and ethical since they aim to improve the type of services the company offers to its guests. For instance, when Napoli Pizza brochures are given to each room and phone numbers provided, it would be easy to understand what guests needs and what they do not want. In turn, the communication between guests and the management improves the performance of the company. Further, it leads to customer satisfaction, which is the aim of the company. Jane acted ethically in that she wanted to satisfy the greatest number of people by supporting education. On the other hand, her parents are unethical since they only desire good things for themselves at the expense of others. This is the reason they were against Jane supporting education of people in the community. People should not use their grocery money to play lottery because it can interrupt other people. For instance, if they fail to win their desired prizes they end up losing what they have hence affecting people who depend on them. It is not ethical for Sal to direct Jim to increase the lottery when he understands that the chances of winning are slim. Further, they should target middle class not minority groups who rely on daily income from grocery for

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Cost of Financial Intermediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Cost of Financial Intermediation - Essay Example The general view among experts in this field is that if administrative authorities are in favor of competition, it will lead to the presence of larger number of players in the banking sector that would automatically lead to lower bank rates as competing bankers will vie with each other to attract customers, and will automatically have to become efficient in their functioning in order to stay afloat in such highly competitive environment. So, the economy as a whole would be able to enjoy efficient banking services coupled with comparatively affordable bank rates. However, if entry in banking sector is strictly regulated, it would result in less competition and might also lead to lesser efficiency and almost certainly higher bank rates as the few banks that would be operating in the finance sector would remain assured of clients as the latter would have no option but to approach these few bankers for finance. It must be repeated, however, that these statutory regulations differ so wide ly between countries and regions that the only plausible method of measuring the impact of such biases and restrictions on bank rates and efficiency would be to consider each instance individually and comparing it with the larger and more generic backdrop of financial efficiency. (Demirg''-Kunt, Laeven and Levine) Impact of net interest margin and overhead expenditures on Cost of intermediation Cost of intermediation is substantially impacted by net interest margin and it would be worthwhile to study in a little more detail as to the exact characteristics and features of net interest margin. Put simply, the net interest margin signifies the income of banks and it consists of the interest a bank earns by lending money to borrowers and the interest it has to pay to its depositors. The exact measure of net interest margin is obtained by dividing the difference between a bank's interest earning and interest expenditure by the volume of interest bearing assets. The net interest margin thus is related to the traditional functions of banking industry - accepting deposits at lower interest rates and lending them at higher rates of interest. The overhead expenditure ratio of a bank is calculated by dividing bank overhead costs by the total assets of the bank. It is but obvious that the more inefficient a bank the higher would be its overhead expenditure ratio. But overhead expenditures are not only dependent on pure operational efficiency of a bank. It also depends on the prevailing market regulations and freedom or otherwise for players to leave or enter the banking sector as and when the desire to do it arises. The degree of freedom of entry or exit is, quite obviously, determined by the statutory or law enacting authorities of the country. It might be worthwhile to mention at this juncture that though freedom of entry and exit primarily determines the extent of competition in the banking sector, there are other equally important issues that determine the ability of the commercial banks to offer credit to potential

Sunday, November 17, 2019

White People and Black Girl Essay Example for Free

White People and Black Girl Essay Since African American literature started back in the 18th century, the majority of these writings mainly focused on racism, ethnicity, and the struggle of African-American people. Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith are but two contributors to this area of literature. In my paper I will compare and contrast the short story by Nadine Gordimer, â€Å"Country Lovers†, and the poem, â€Å"What It’s Like Being a Black Girl†, written by Patricia Smith. In both pieces of literature, the focus is put on the racial background and ethnicities, considering that the main characters or protagonists are black women, dealing with some degree of discrimination because of the color of their skin. It is common knowledge that racism has been a major issue which has tainted society, and the African-American people, particularly females have been dealing with the effects of racism, and have experienced the effects of discrimination and racism. (Clugston, 2010). In the short story â€Å"Country Lovers†, a forbidden love between a black girl named Thebedi and a white male named Paulus, is depicted. In the story, two main characters are brought together since early childhood, spending much of the childhood days with each other. As they grow up, they became even closer, eventually falling in love. They soon realize that the racial politics of the time would not allow them to maintain their relationship simply because, Paulus, being the son of a white farm owner and Thebedi, the daughter of a black farm workers, would be unable to show or share their love publicly. I found that there were many dramatic effect throughout this entire story. For example, when we read about the part were Paulus is going way to school, â€Å"This usefully coincides with the age of twelve or thirteen; so that by the time early adolescence is reached, the black children are making along with the bodily changes common to all, an easy transition to adult forms of address, beginning to call the old playmates missus and baasie little master. † (Clugston 2010). When Paulus watches Thebedi wading in the water, is the part of the story where I interpreted the loss of innocence and the description of a forbidden love. â€Å"The schoolgirls he went swimming with at dams and pools I may bring farms were bikinis but the site of their dazzling bellies and thighs in the sunlight had never made him feel what he felt now when the girl came up to the bank and sat beside him, two drops of water beading offer dark legs the only points of light in the earth -smelling deep shade. They were not afraid of one another, they had known one another always; he did with her what he had done that time in the store room at the wedding, and this time it was so lovely, so lovely, he was surprised†¦ And she was surprised by it too he could see her dark face that was part of the shade, with her big dark eyes, shiny and soft water, watching him attentively: as she had when they used a huddle over their teams of mud oxen, as she had when he told her about attention weekends at school. â€Å"(Clugston, 2010). It is towards the end of the short story where you realize the racism. It begins when Paulus arrived back home from college over the holidays, and finds out that Thebedi had given birth to a child. When he decides to go and see Thebedi and the child, he said, â€Å"You haven’t been near the house with it? † (Clugston, 2010). His reaction alone reiterated the fact that such a thing would not be tolerated in his community. As the story continues, Paulus returned to the head later on: it states, â€Å"She thought she heard small grunts from the hut, the kind of insufficient grunt that indicates a full stomach, a deep sleep. After a time, long or short she did not know, he came out and walked away with plodding stride (his father’s gait) out of sight, towards his father’s house† (Clugston 2010). For me as a reader, it became apparent that Paulus actually killed the child. After analyzing that particular part of the story it became evident that Paulus was afraid the relationship between him and Thebedi would become common knowledge, so in murdering the child, it would serve as a cover-up as if nothing happened between two of them. In the ending of the story, the police assumed the baby’s body and charged Paulus with murder. During the trial, the story states that Thebedi took the stand. â€Å"She cried hysterically in the witness box, saying yes, yes (the gilt hoop earrings swung in her years), she saw the accused pouring liquid into the baby’s mouth. She said he had threatened to shoot her if she told anyone† (Clugston 2010). A year later, when she returned to the courthouse, she tells the court that, â€Å"she said that she had not seen what the white man did in the house† (Clugston, 2010). Because she altered her testimony, â€Å"The verdict on the accused was â€Å"not guilty† (Clugston, 2010). In the poem â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† seems to depict a very similar theme. In the poem, Patricia Smith tends to use rigid and strong words in order to show the seriousness of the topic she is writing about. From the very beginning of her poem, â€Å"First of all,† I sense of how the story is going to be told and is laid out for the reader. It presents the audience with a picture of a young black girl transitioning into black womanhood, a place where being a black girl as well as being a black woman is often not a welcome thing. To help the reader understand the thoughts that run through the mind of this puberty stricken young girl, she writes,† Its being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished, like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong† (Smith, 4) This particular poem, in my opinion, is how racism and discrimination, both of race and gender, affects this young girl as she is transitioning from a young black girl, into a young black woman, while trying to accept all the changes that are happening to her. In the line, â€Å"Its popping a bleached white mop head over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of mirrors that deny your reflection. † describes how this young girl wishes to look like other girls in order to be accepted in society. I found several tones in this poem that included not only pain and suffering, but courage is well. The poem discusses this young lady’s loss of innocence as a direct result of being raped. In the line, â€Å"It’s dropping food coloring in your eyes to make them turn blue and suffering the burn in silence,† in my opinion is the showing of this young girl’s pain of being raped by a white person. Since the color blue plays a significant role in this line, it shows not only this suffering, but the despondency this young black girl is experiencing. In both the poem and a short story, the main characters have been negatively affected by the discrimination of a society in which the color of their skin is not accepted. Both of the female characters lost their innocence, the only difference being, that Thebedi lost her virginity under the mask of the forbidden love, and the young girl in the poem lost her virginity is a direct cause of her rape. The sufferings of both characters is basically the same because the color of their skin and nothing else. The gender plays a very important role, but only after the race they belong to, as well as the alarming situation of the issue is accurately brought into the light and both of these literature works. It clearly indicates the suffering in the pain both these women experience. (Fluehr-Lobban, 2010). The mindset of a common young black girl is accurately presented in the poem â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl†, and shows the effects that the society leaves on the mind of young black girls who wish to have the appearance like white girls simply because white girls are accepted in the society and the black are usually misused, refused, and disrespected. (Clugston, 2010) Both the story as well as the poem distinguish ethnicity and radical backgrounds, as well as explaining how women experienced cruelty for white racists. I found limited separation between race and gender issues within both authors work simply because they elaborated the fact that they could not, and would not be on the same side with sexists or races. While reading Patricia Smith poem, it gave me the impression she was demonstrating her anger to the fact that white patriarchy confines and limits black women. Black females have been tormented by discrimination racism, and ethical and racial discrimination, as characterized in both the poem and short story can be affirmed as a depiction a reflection of racism and its effects on society. (Dovidio, Gaertner, 1996). In conclusion, I truly feel that both authors share the same sentiments. First and foremost, both of their main focus was on the role of the black female. Not only did the Explorer the victimization of the black woman, but also brought to light their emotional struggles as well as her experiences. I also feel that both authors were the obstacles of racism and feminists’ society that same time expressed that defeat does not mean giving up, but offers the opportunity to conquer negativity in life. References Clugston, R. W.(2010), â€Å"Country Lovers, Nadine Gordimer. In Journey into Literature (ch. 3): retrieved from http://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2/section/h3. 2 Clugston, R. W. (2010), Poems for Reflection. In Journey into Literature (ch. 12. 2): retrieved from http://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2/section/12. 2 Fluehr-Lobban, C. (2010). Race and Racism: An Introduction, Rowman Altamira: pp. 111-116 Dovidio, J. F. , Gaertner, S. L. (1996). Affirmative action, unintentional racial Biases and inter group relations. Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 52, pp 51-75.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Need For Independence in Everything That Rises Must Converge :: Everything That Rises Must Converge Essays

The Need For Independence in Everything That Rises Must Converge  Ã‚   At some point in every parent-child relationship, the child gets to a point where he no longer wants to feel dependent upon his parent.   In some cases, the child will emotionally detach himself from his parent in order to achieve this feeling of independence.   In Flannery O'Connor's short story, Everything That Rises Must Converge, the relationship between Julian and his mother is a situation where the child, Julian, has tried to gain a feeling of independence by emotionally detaching himself from his mother. Julian's financial dependence on his mother has made him very bitter.   His need to justify his mother's struggle to better him by stating that she "enjoyed the struggle" provides insight into the fact that he is a person who doesn't want to feel as if he owes anybody.   The irony of it is that he wishes to take care of his mother but is unable to do so.   His insistence that she keep the hat is an illustration of the fact that he wishes for her to have more. While Julian portrays his disapproval of his mother's views as a matter of right and wrong, in actuality he opposes her views in order to assert his independence.   His opposing his mother's belief that she has "won" is backed by self-pitying arguments.   His solid based opposition of his mother's prejudice views is really only a way to show his mother that he has his own independent views.   The fact that he never really cares out a conversation with any black person that he feels isn't educated and that he never follows out with his plan to invite them home to dinner shows that his own beliefs aren't solid and are based on his desire to infuriate his mother. Julian's need to feel intelligent is an attempt on his part to be better than his mother.   His comment on going to a "third-rate college, he had, on his own initiative, come out with a first-rate education; in spite of growing up dominated by a small mind [his mother's mind], he had ended with a large one; in spite of all her foolish views, he was free of prejudice and unafraid to face fact," is not only a demonstration of his need to feel superior to his mother but is also very ironic in the fact that if any of

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Moses Mendelsohn and the Religious Enlightenment

â€Å"His life our standard, his teaching our light† Isaac Euchel wrote about Moses Mendelssohn. Moses was a model for Jews in Germany during the late 1770’s, and a dominant figure in the emergence of the Haskalah. The Haskalah borrowed many forms and categories from the already existing European Enlightenment, but its contents were largely derived from medieval Jewish philosophy and biblical exegesis. Within the novel, Moses Mendelssohn and the Religious Enlightenment, David Sorkin conveys how Moses made the German Enlightenment compatible with Judaism, and shows Moses to be a more consistent thinker than previously believed; his views on Judaism, natural laws, and natural rights developed early and remained consistent throughout his lifetime. Sorkin accounts Moses’ contributions to Jewish thought in three successive phases: philosophical, exegetical, and political. First, in the philosophical phase, Sorkin reveals the foundations of Moses’ thought. At an early age, Moses read the bible, memorized passages, studied Hebrew grammar, and wrote biblical poetry. All of these activates later were key in the Haskalah. In 1743, at fourteen, Moses moved to Berlin, which was at the center of the German Enlightenment, and theorist Christian Wolff was a dominating influence. Wolff’s focus was to natural theology, where he accounted that God's existence and attributes were the basis for theology and ethics. Influenced by Wolff, Moses sought to apply these Wolffian concepts to Judaism. Moses used his own version of Wolffian philosophy as a means to articulate his full belief in revealed religion. For example, he alluded that God was the source of all perfection and thus the source of metaphysics and natural theology. He thought that Enlightenment philosophy and Judaism complemented each other, and that philosophy served Judaism as an instrument of self-articulation. As a result, he began to write philosophical works in German, and Jewish works in Hebrew. Most important during the start of his career, he introduced a distinction between practical and theoretical in philosophy, which was also influenced by Wolff. Moses stressed a Jew’s primary obligation is â€Å"torah and good deeds†, not philosophical contemplation. To Moses, revelation set distinct limitation on theoretical knowledge, so he concentrated no practical knowledge, which was usually later seen in the form of commentary, since commentary was seen as the legitimate form through which truth is approached. Moses’ early Hebrew works were commentaries in which he attempted to renew the tradition of philosophy in Hebrew, again using ideas from Wolffian philosophy. His first work, The Kohelet Musar, was the first modern journal in Hebrew. Another subject he addresses is the concept of an ideal personality, which was in terms of ones individuals’ relationship to God and his fellowman. To Moses, the ideal is the â€Å"man of faith† who combines religious study, honest occupation, family, and trust in god. Also, in Moses’ early works, he argued the importance of the study of the Hebrew language and the bible. In a commentary on Maimonides’ Logical Terms, he insisted without Torah and tradition, we are â€Å"like a blind man in the dark†, and the true path to knowledge is the combination of torah and logic. Continuing the Wolffian beliefs, Moses asserted that although things might look accidental to man, to God they are all necessary. His early works such as The Kohelet Musar and Logical Terms were both commentaries that embodied Wolfian principles. However, The Book of the Soul, was different in the regard that it was a freestanding philosophical work that Moses withheld from publication. In Moses’ early works, Sorkin notes that the lack of any original content is significant. According to Sorkin, the conclusion of Moses’ philosophical career was with the Lavater affair in 1769-1770. By the end of the 1760’s, Moses’ philosophical position was established and would remain until the end of his life. He created a public dualism by publishing philosophical works in only German, and commentaries on Jewish subject in Hebrew. The Lavater affair contested Moses to support all of his fundamental ideas. Johann Caspar Lavater, a Swiss Protestant pastor infamously challenged Moses to refute the arguments of the theologian, Charles Bonnet, or convert to Christianity, which Lavater referred as a â€Å"Golden Bridge† to Christianity. However, this posed a public challenge to Moses as a philosopher and as a Jew. In response, Moses publically defended toleration on religious and philosophical grounds, but in private, he wrote counterattacks and criticized Christianity. This task was not simple, and he again used Wolffian principles help justify that Judaism was in perfect harmony with natural religion and reason. Sorkin interprets that Moses drove Lavater to end the affair, and made him isolate from the public, and Sorkin named this â€Å"the triumph of toleration†. Although Moses overcame Lavater, the affair also had grave consequences on Moses personally; the affair aggravated his physical and psychological condition. He was a hunchback, and developed a nervous debility, which was linked to his deformity, prevented abstract thinking and grew much worse during this Lavater affair. The next period of Moses’ career, Sorkin names Exegesis, where he focused on making the bible vital to the Haskalah. First, Moses created a commentary on Ecclesiastes that is part of â€Å"wisdom literature,† and thus was able to reiterate his preference of practical knowledge. He constructed a defense of Jewish exegesis on the basis of language, and strived to show how there are multiple meanings, which are reasonable. He said, â€Å"there are four methods of interpreting our holy torah-the literal, homiletical, allegorical, and esteric†, proving that words can bear multiple intentions. Also, in his commentary, Moses introduced divisions that did not follow the traditional chapters and verses in the bible, because he argued that traditional divisions were intended for the â€Å"convenience of the reader†. Another interesting aspect Moses brought up in Ecclesiastes, was that the idea that truth was universal and neutral, whatever its origins, meaning he deemed it permissible to use non-Jewish exegesis. Lastly, in this commentary, language was of importance because Moses used German translations in Hebrew characters, giving equivalents with entire sentence. Sorkin believes he did this to him, Hebrew was the ideal medium for the spread of the practical knowledge, in which laid the essence of Judaism. This Ecclesiastes commentary placed him at the head of the Haskalah’s efforts to revive biblical exegesis. Next, Moses worked for thirteen years on his translation on the Psalms, with the goal of producing an exegesis document of natural religion, translated in German, and would be source of practical knowledge for Jews and Christians. Sorkin brings attention to how Moses uses the term â€Å"edification† in reference to the Psalms, which emphasizes his desire for an exegesis that would encourage universal religiosity. In the Psalms, Moses asserts that the sublime is a form of art, and the highest form of beauty. Moses thus disagrees with the idea that God is â€Å"the most sublime being† because he believed that the sublime was not natural, but artistic, existing as a human creation. Furthermore, he affirms that the sublime’s aesthetic impact is admiration, and its spiritual impact is edification. Unfortunately, the translation of the Psalms was only a success among the Jews, and others stated that, â€Å"nothing could be further from the truth. † Sorkin viewed this as a confirmation that Moses’ best medium is commentary, not translation. During the same thirteen years that Moses translated the Psalms, he also translated, commented, and wrote an extensive introduction to the Pentateuch, titled Book of the Paths to Peace. This translation aimed to convey a literal meaning of the text through a fluent German translation. While Moses remained the key contributor, he had four Maskilim participate, and this made a shift in the Haskalah. This book is divided into three themes: practical knowledge, literal meaning, and the use of history. In the first part of the Book of Paths to Peace, Moses viewed the Pentateuch as the primary source of practical knowledge for the Jews. Sorkin noticed he repeatedly argues â€Å"virtue must be made into a â€Å"second nature† by the continual exercise of moral judgment. Moses asserted that compared to the rest of humanity Israel had a special role, because those who reside in there all â€Å"believe† and the bible is a handbook of practical knowledge. Also, in the Pentateuch, Moses wrote â€Å"man is by nature and social and will not achieve success without help from others of his kind†. Interesting, Moses stressed that God created everything, and he that he is beyond nature, and thus â€Å"science† had no place in a commentary on Creation, which further showed his resistance to theoretical knowledge. Sorkin again demonstrated how Moses kept consistent in his views, since practical knowledge already played in other works. The next portion emphasized the literal meaning as the focus of exegesis. Due to the bible being the primary source of practical knowledge, the need to make its literal meaning known was vital for Moses. His basic premise was that the Bible had a unique oral quality that made it the most effective means of transmitting practical knowledge. He stressed the importance of grammar, and believed only with knowledge of grammar, does Gods’ word both literal and homiletical make sense, because grammar is essential to the tradition of Jewish scriptural transmission. It is this tradition that prevents the Jews from being â€Å"like a blind man in the dark,† and Sorkin points out that Moses used the same metaphor here as he did with Logical Terms. Moses believed that due to the structure of biblical poetry, that it was the most successful method for teaching practical knowledge. The last portion of the Book of the Paths to Peace, Moses established and defended his belief in Judaism through history. History helped establish Moses’ faith. Sorkin alluded that Moses was historical without being historicist, because he recognized history in the Pentateuch rather than the Pentateuch as a product of history. Sorkin notes that viewing history in this fashion was integral to the Haskalah and typical of the religious enlightenment. The Book of the Paths to Peace eventually had wide acceptance, even though some attacked the book. The book was meant to instruct Jewish youth, but since Moses used complex German, it forced students to concentrate on that language instead of the contents. Lastly, The final phase Sorkin accounts for in Moses’ life is his political activism. Moses was politically involved almost his entire career as a thinker and writer. Now, he focused on the state and individual rights from the viewpoint of a Jew living in hardships. Continuing the Wolffian philosophy, he emphasized a politics based on ideas of natural rights to promote legal equality. Initially, Moses arrived in the political arena by being an intercessor. Sorkin found this unsurprising since Moses was a philosopher and writer. Communities sought Moses in times of conflict, and usually Moses’ intercession was successful. For example, the Duke in the community of Mecklenburg prohibited the Jewish practice of early burial. Moses was asked to help, so he served as an intercessor, and the duke granted the Jews the privilege of religious liberty. However, Moses took this matter further, by trying to renew the ritual practice, just as he tried to renew the traditions of philosophy and exegesis. In 1777, Moses transitioned from the politics of intercession to the politics of emancipation, when he responded to the community of Dresden’s problem of Jew’s facing high taxation or expulsion. Moses’ letter asserted that Jews were being excluded from society because of their religion. His work, The Ritual Laws of the Jews was seen as an integral part of his Jewish thought, and referred to as a handbook on practical knowledge. Later, Moses took on dealing with Jewish rights. Sorkin implies that Moses’ advocacy of rights was fundamentally new, yet there was also substantial continuity with his earlier thought. Moses demonstrated that history plays an even more important role in his political thinking than in his biblical exegesis since human liberties were the issue rather than divine work. In order to understand Jews’ situation in terms of rights, Moses translated Rousseau’s Discourse. Moses maintained a balance between individual rights and absolutist state, and asked Christian Wilhelm Dohm to write a tract advocating emancipation of the Jews, and it was widely influential. Moses wrote an elaborate preface to the translation of Rousseau’s Discourse, which was divided into three parts, and titled Vindiciae Judaeorum. In the preface, it was the first time he publicly advocated â€Å"civic acceptance† or equal rights. An occurring theme in the preface was Moses expressing what he did not agree with Dohm’s memorandum, specifically with Dohm’s ban of excommunication. Moses deemed that religious excommunication invaded on civil rights because it involved the political authorities. Since he denied religion’s right to excommunicate, he was set apart from the mainstream of that scholarship. A month after he published Vindiciae Judaeorum, he also published his translation of the Psalms. The Psalms received little attention, while Vindiciae had a huge impact. A pamphlet appeared criticizing Moses’ work, but it was published as a famous Austrian statesman in order to be taken seriously, but truly, a minor writer August Cranz wrote it. Cranz posed more of a challenge to Moses’ faith than the Lavater’s affair; Moses had to realize that Christianity was the true religion and prepare to convert or admit Judaism was imperfect and in need of fundamental reform. Moses reacted to Cranz’s pamphlet by creating Jerusalem, or On Religious Power and Judaism, which Sorkin views as Moses’ fullest elaboration of his views on rights and the nature of Judaism. Jerusalem is divided into two parts; part one addresses Cranz’ contention that in â€Å"repudiating the ban of excommunication, he had repudiated Judaism. Moses argues mainly on the basis of natural rights. Moses’ theory of church and state is rooted in his idea of benevolence. He thought the best state was one whose members were able to govern themselves through education, and the institution capable of providing such education was religion. Moses also went back to Wolffian principle of metaphysics by asserting that liberty of conscience was crucial for the achievement of man’s eternal vocation. In part two, Moses addressed Cranz’s view that Moses left Judaism, and abandoned religion altogether. Moses answered using philosophical views, and switched between his exposition of Judaism and a digression of a specific subject to advance his argument, and to continue his method of writing German philosophy in German, and Judaism in Hebrew. He argued on the basis of revealed legislation. He stated that Judaism is a religion of revealed legislation, not of revealed beliefs. He asserted that only through a second revelation, comparable to the one at Sinai, could God establish the authority necessary to introduce changes into the practice of the law. The two parts of Jerusalem, fit closely together, since many of the themes developed in part one are discussed in part two. To conclude Sorkin’s argument, Moses was a traditional Jewish figure who sought to renew traditional philosophy and Biblical exegesis in Hebrew. Sorkin successfully displayed how Moses made the German Enlightenment compatible with the Haskalah, and stayed constant with his philosophy throughout his life. It is only normal that after reading Sorkin’s Moses Mendelssohn and the Religious Enlightenment that certain parts were more striking than others. Not only are certain aspects of the book especially intriguing, but also, I do not agree with certain theories that Moses posed. Also, I cannot help but compare the Haskalah to the European Enlightenment that preceded it. First, it is miraculous how one person can make a difference in others lives. Moses lived during a time where Jewish communities were suffering from not having equal rights in society. Jews were denied education, certain occupations, citizen status, and were the first ones to be held responsible for problems or crimes. The fact that Moses, with his short stature and hunchback, still had the confidence and ability to make reforms in society is unbelievable. Sorkin only mentioned Moses’ deformity once, and it is of graver importance than that. People who are blessed without any deformities take for granted how easy their life is, and I believe that more acknowledgements should be given to Moses for enduring such a struggle. Also, in Sorkin’s reference to Moses’ deformity, he also mentioned a nervous debility that was linked to his abnormality, which prevented conceptual thinking, and grew worse after the Lavater affair. The fact that this was only mentioned once, and in one quick sentence gives the impression that this was not a serious issue. However, if such a physiological condition occurred in Moses, one would think that since all of his works entailed abstract thinking, since he was a philosopher, that this would have severe consequences on his career. Yet, Moses was able to produce numerous works after the Lavater affair and many of them were highly praised. It makes one speculate, if Sorkin’s information about Moses’ nervous disability is completely accurate. Another part of the book that caught my attention was the aftermath of Christian Wilhelm Dohm’s publication of On the Civic Amelioration of the Jews, even though he was doing Moses a favor by writing it, and it provoked a major debate that made the rights of Jews a public issue, which is what Moses wanted. However, Sorkin displayed many aspects that Moses did not agree with what Christian wrote. For instance, Moses took issue with the notion that artisanry and farming are the sole sources of wealth, and with the ban of excommunication. Moses affirmed that no one could legitimately claim to exercise authority over another’s belief. Sorkin’s writing gave the impression that Moses was angry with Christian for putting certain beliefs in writing. This caught me by surprise because I was under the impression that Christian and Moses were good friends. The fact that Christian agreed to write this document, even though Moses was asked to write it, implied that they were in agreement with what was to be written. The way that Sorkin addressed this conflict in the book further suggests that Christian went against what Moses asked of him, and used this as an opportunity to voice his own opinions on the issue of Jewish emancipation. Furthermore, in a way, one can view Christian as being a catalyst for Cranz’s challenge. The connection is that Christian published work that Moses felt the need to counter in Vindiciae Judaeorum, and thus gave rise to Cranz challenging Moses. Additionally, I discovered that certain areas in the book negated Moses’ entire goal of the Haskalah. First, it is important to recall that prior to the rise of the Haskalah, most Christian thinkers thought Judaism was an irrational dark religion that did not allow for the age of Enlightenment. Hence gave rise to the premise that Jews were incapable of reaching such intellectual levels. Interestingly, Sorkin and Moses both acted in ways that confirm this idea. First, Moses published philosophy in German and commentaries in Hebrew. This action can be seen as if he was making it harder for Jews to reach an enlightened state. By publishing philosophy in German, which most Jews could not read, he further separated them from society. Also, not only were his philosophical works in German, but also they were in such a high level of German, that was very rare for a Jew to be able to write at this level. This also made it harder for Jews to understand his German works. Another instance is seen when the translation of the Psalms was only a victory among the Jews, and while non-Jews stated, â€Å"nothing could be further from the truth. † Sorkin viewed this as a confirmation that Mendelssohn’s best medium is commentary, not translation. Two things are happening in this situation. First, the reaction from society demonstrates that indeed the Jews are not as intelligent as the non-Jews because they thought Moses’ commentary was brilliant, when the majority of the population thought it was not legitimate to be a valid translation. Second, Sorkin’s account that Moses’ best means is commentary, shows that Sorkin is agreeing with the statement that his translation did not contain enough truth, thus putting Moses in the category of not being able to obtain enlightened thought. Next, in comparison to the European Enlightenment, the Haskalah is very different, even though it emerged because of the Enlightenment. The European Enlightenment held faith in the power of human reason to illuminate the world, rather than divine revelation. It encouraged an attitude of critical reflection, rather than an acceptance of received wisdom. Also, the Enlightenment was in sync with the Scientific Revolution in the early 1770’s and created the concept that science is a form of knowledge (Western Civilizations). In contrast, Moses affirmed that the best state was one whose members were able to govern themselves through education, and it was through religious institutions that are most capable of providing such education. This thinking is completely opposite of the Enlightenment, because their goal was to forget about religious teachings, and only learn from science, and other forms of confirmed reason. Another example that is contrasted to the Enlightenment is when Moses pleaded that a general disquisition on â€Å"science† had no place in a commentary on Creation. Members of the Enlightenment used the theory of evolution to explain the creation of the universe, which is all based on science. Also, using Wolffian beliefs, Mendelssohn asserted that although things might look accidental to man, to God they are all necessary, implying that everything on Earth happens for a reason. Again, this is not in accord with the Enlightenment philosophy because they do not refer to a God creating the future of the world, instead they sought evidence and valid truths to prove their beliefs that all is created through science and man labor. Interestingly, there are similarities between Moses Mendelssohn and Immanuel Kant, who was a key figure of the European Enlightenment. Moses became a member of Wednesday Society, which was devoted to political subjects. He often gave lectures; his most common lecture was â€Å"What is enlightenment? Similarly, Immanuel Kant became known by answering the question: What is Enlightenment? † written as a response to the Reverend Zollner. Kant also proposed to eliminate certain church and state restrictions, just as Moses did in Jerusalem. Although a huge difference is Kant believed religion infringed on one’s ability to full reason, while Moses saw religion, specifically Judaism as an integral part of the Haskalah, it is important to notice the comparisons between the two, especially since they are regarded as holding such different ideologies (Perspectives on the Past). Overall, Moses Mendelssohn was a principal figure in the creation of the Haskalah. He was a model Jew, and made many contributions to Jewish life during the end of the eighteenth century. After reading the novel, Moses Mendelssohn and the Religious Enlightenment, I now have a better understanding and respect for Moses Mendelssohn and the Haskalah. David Sorkin succeeded in providing information that accurately describes Moses’ philosophical works and showed how Moses made the German Enlightenment compatible with Judaism.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

What makes a good Entrepreneur?

Strengths: I am good at keeping calm in difficult situations. Keeping calm is important when running a business, things may go wrong and you may be in some bad predicaments, but it is always vital to be calm. I have shown my skills of being calm when working as a sales assistant in 3; as a sales assistant in a mobile phone shop there will be a lot of people coming in angry with complaints about, or even wanting to send their phones to the repairs, when these situations happen it is always essential to keep calm because the customer is always write in a business. Also if you are not calm when a customer comes in and they are angry, it could affect the business as the customer would not recommend the shop, or they would not come back and it is always good to have loyal customers. Good attendance:I will always be where I need to be, if I said I am going to attend or if I am supposed to attend I will always be present, because I do not like to miss vital information or miss out and the c atch up later. I’d rather primary information than secondary information, because I understand more when heard from the person explaining.Good personality:I am always positive, and happy if I am at work I never have a dull attitude I do what I have to do and I enjoy what I do, I do not do anything that I do not think I will enjoy. I do all I have to, to the best of my ability’s; never half hearted. Customers love me because I love to get to know new people, working in a phone job it is important to get to know the customer so you can provide them with a phone that will suite them best. I’m always smiling, do not hold grudges and can never be angry for long time. I think this would make me a good entrepreneur because whatever I am hit with I never dwell on it I get up and move on The ability to work as part of a team as well as on my ownWeakness: OrganisationI am not very good at organisation; I do not plan ahead before time or keep things that I think I may need in the future. I need to work on keeping all important documents together so when I need them it is not hard to find, also I need to be able to plan ahead, set myself a plan or a time table so  that I can do things systematically then doing things all jumbled up and not remembering what I have to do and what I have done. PunctualityMy punctuality is not as good as my attendance, I always make sure I’m there but sometimes due to my bad organisation I will end up running late because I have not organised, what I needed for the morning, the night before. I am good and at estimating what time I need to leave to get to somewhere on time.Management skillsI have not git much management skills, I am able to lead a group however I do not think I am advanced or organised enough to manage a whole team. As managing a whole need is a lot or balancing responsibility, with I would need more experience to do.I.T skillsI also need more experience and more training in IT Skills, ask they ar e good but nor excellent, it is good to have I.T skills as the worlds technology is advancing and soon everything will be electrical, so if my skills are very good now, I can be learning as technology advances, so that I will not be extremely behind. Opportunities for development: Asking for helpAsking for help could help me quite a lot because I have a lot of people around me at all times, so asking for help with all the things I am bad at could hopefully, teach me how to do things better and get me into a routine. Writing things downAlso for development I could begin to write things down more in a diary, and then I can remember things more and know where things are. When writing things down it makes everything more efficient and you will always have evidence to go back to and show specific dates. As an entrepreneur it good to remember dates when you started a new idea, what day your new stock arrives etc.TrainingTo improve my management and I.T skills I will need some training and experience, as I.T skills you have to learn because there is a lot to computing, and technology is improving, so it is ggod to be update with I.T  skills. Also as I am going to be running my own business I need to learn how to manage a larger group of people, larger amount of money and documents. MentorA mentor will be a lot of help, someone who is older than me that can give me some tips on how to run a and manage a business, someone that can support you and teach you what to do and what not to do, as they have had experience and training to do this.Threats- New technology As technology is advancing all the time, and to stay up to date with all the necessary technology, a lot of money needs to be spent, even starting up the business I would need to buy a lot of technology, such as computers for the tills, CCTV cameras, TV screens and iPads for attraction and marketing.CompetitionAnother threat is my competition, big stores worldwide such as JD Sport, Footlocker and Schuh as they are much bigger stores and more known to the public, those places will be the first choice, however our store will appeal to more unique individuals.Recession A recession is a very big threat because if there is a recession, then the prices will have to go up and the customers will find it difficult to do some shopping, employers could even demand a higher salary due to prices of everything else going out.Personal development plan Skills: The ability to do a certain task well, something that is learnt to perfection with a lot of practice. Attributes: A quality, property or characteristics of somebody or something, it is not something you gain. Skills I need to manage my business properly Type of skill Why is this relevant to the business? Are you competent in this skill? Yes/No Explain why? How can I intend to develop this skill Good CommunicationGood communication is very important in a business, as you will need to speak to the customers, to find out what they like and need when doing market research. When a business has good customer services customers all feel likely obligated to come back because the get treated so well, better that our competition, communication skills is not only essential with consumers but also with the staff, good communication with your staff will make the business flow very well; a staff will be more confidence in what they do because there has been an established understanding, YesMore experience can develop these skills, more contact with customers in a work place will defiantly enhance my communication skills Presenting SkillsThe ability to present an idea to a group of people is very important it can take you from a small business to a worldwide business so it is important not on to have good presenting skills but to have good persuasive skills also. YesManagement SkillsManagement skills are relevant in a business, are I am going to be the manager of the business I need to be able to run he business to success. I also need to know how to organise a business, hire people and make the right decisions and when he wrong decisions are made how to recover and get better. No, because I have never been a manager, hover I have been a team leader so I just need more training and experience. Training, Experience and Mentoring, all these things will help me to become a better manger. Book-keeping and accountancyThis is relevant to run my business, as I need to keep track of everything that is going on in the business, so that there is always evidence, also accounting skills are relevant just to make sure that everything is running well in the business and not relying on an accountant, which is a lot of cash loss, and even if an account is hired it is always good to double  check.No, as I am not used to book keeping, also I have only just started an accounting course and need more knowledge in that subject. Read more financial books, and get used to writing things down in a diary all the time.Attributes I need to m anage my business properly Type of attribute Why is this relevant to the business? Are you competent in this attribute? Yes/No Explain why? How can I intend to develop this attribute Good personalityA good personality is one of my best attributes I have a positive attitude in everything I do, I am never negative is anything that I do, never accept failure and never give up, do everything to the best of my ability. YesAlways keep a positive mind and always keep organised, do not let things overload, pile up and stress outCommitmentThis is important because it is never good to give up, always give 100% in running a business, and give all time and dedication to make it work. Give everything you need to make it work, if it fails try again, have a lot of persistence and put in a lot of hard work, to make your business successful. YesBalancing ResponsibilitiesBeing able to do this will keep the business running smoothly and keeping everything on track, balancing responsibilities I will be able to have a personal life away from my career life and be able to care of them both and not one more attention than the other. No, because I’m not very good a balancing my priorities  Lean to meet deadlines and know when it’s time to work and play.ConfidenceIt is important to be confident when running a business, as drastic decisions need to be made and if there is no confidence the decisions will not be made. Confidence is needed to present well and to make changes in the business, No, I am not used to standing up in front of big crowdsDo more training in leadership, and aim for higher roles such as class president or vice president. What Makes a Good Entrepreneur? The terms entrepreneur, manager and owner are very much in meaning yet exhibit different representations of business people who are present at the top management. Entrepreneur is a person who sets up a new organization or enterprise and accounts for accountability on his part of the risks that could come onto his shoulders for one reason or the other. When the discussion is of the for-profit organizations, the entrepreneur term replaces itself with founder.  (Versi, 1999) This person is responsible for establishing a new entity or unit so that the establishment could provide an existing product or service into the form of a single new market, which could have a profit or non-profit result. The entrepreneurs have strong insights as regards to the opportunities that exist within the market and the threats that come as a result of the very same. The risks that could arise in the wake of these include personal, financial or professional ones so that opportunity could be grabbed with bo th hands.(Martin, 1997) In different societies, the business entrepreneurs are regarded as the pivotal components of a social order. (Covin, 1999) Entrepreneur manages and runs an organization and manages the different undertakings of the enterprise. This enterprise could be a business which is normally associated with peculiar initiatives and foreseeable risks. An entrepreneur is also an employer of productive work or in other words of labor. He is also the contractor who deals with or initiates the process of entrepreneurship.The entrepreneur is the person who is responsible for running the system which is in place in a normal process. He is the one who organizes the whole process. Entrepreneur creates or sells a product and/or service so that he could earn a considerable profit/benefit. The entrepreneur is the risk bearer and an organizer within the business enterprise. More than anything else, an entrepreneur is a leader by sheer definition. An entrepreneur wants to achieve high since his ambitions are always at the top.He is a person who believes in dedication and hard work. (Drucker, 1985) These people like to work for their own selves rather than working for some other business. They believe in quality of work and take acceptance for responsibility which is a hallmark of a true leader. These entrepreneurs believe in a positive approach and give rewards whenever they deem fit. Their thinking is more on the lines of providing excellence towards work and they are good organizers as far as work ethics are concerned.They want to make a profit and this profit helps them to accomplish more and more in their passage towards success and achievements. (Ramsay, 2004) Some of the well known entrepreneurs have included names like Ben Cohen of the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Elisha Otis related with elevators, Ted Turner with the media field, Sam Walton concerned with the departmental stores and lastly Alan Sugar with the science of computers. (Watkins, 1998) Eff ective entrepreneurs know how to make use of their team members and during this while contribute in their own capacity towards team building.Entrepreneurial effectiveness within an organization could be improved if there is a general understanding that the entrepreneurs know their work well and also discern the exact basis for the workers who fall short on the knowledge curve. This would enable them to get the best out of these individuals and turn them into the strengths within the shortest possible time. (Versi, 2006) What spiral of knowledge does is to increase the awareness level of the entrepreneurs when it comes to their working methodologies and the ways and means through which they bring value to the different processes and activities of the organization.  (Gannon, 1987)The knowledge organization makes best use of the knowledge that it has and it does not let go on the opportunities which come in its way every now and then. There is a definitive need to outline the salient points which a entrepreneur must know in order to get the work done from the knowledge base and indeed the whole of the knowledge organization and it is only when there is a mesh of knowledge activities and the entrepreneurial effectiveness.  (Halal, 1996)Team building is one of the most significant aspects that come under the functions of an entrepreneur and he needs to make sure that he is the leader for all the activities and tasks that are happening under his vigilant eyes. Team building is all the more important because the entrepreneur needs to take decisions in line with the knowledge that his team can deliver under crunch situations and also because he has to take the company forward all this while.Thus it is imperative on his part to understand that the strengths and weaknesses of the team members are equally crucial and his requirement takes more ground in this whole equation when a difficult situation crops up. (Hocker, 2001) Thus a good team is only built when the lea der (entrepreneur) knows his team members pretty well and turns the weaknesses of different individuals within the team into their strengths and not only that but also in the strength of the team overall.  (Harper, 2003)An entrepreneur can only be termed an effective one when he understands his resources and what his team members can possibly do to their maximum in those available resources. Only then there is a sense of empathy and understanding amongst the team members and consideration towards the leader of the team which in this case is the entrepreneur himself. Thus, a good team is developed when there is complete harmony in the activities of the team members and there is basically a synergy amongst all of them.This synergy can only be encouraged by the team leader, which in this case is through an effective and considerate entrepreneur. (El-Amin, 2003) Being labeled as an entrepreneur is a social stigma, more so in the West where the same is attached with social injustice an d immoral etiquettes. In addition, being called as an entrepreneur of some business or corporation asks for the person to be termed as a tyrannical ruler who is ruling the lives of the employees and workers working under him. Oppression and entrepreneurship thus end up being each other’s synonyms.On the other hand, being called as an entrepreneur of an enterprise would be looked upon at in a very esteemed and reputable manner within a third world nation. (Economy, 2003) There are differences in the cultural mechanisms so as to speak. A conflict within an organization can take place due to differing personalities of the employees or in their attitudes that lead in their linkage with each other. This could also happen due to their norms and behaviors which might not be liked by any one party (person) and thus lead to a conflict of thoughts, ideas, actions and eventual behaviors towards each other.There is a degree of power when we speak of the entrepreneur in terms of the same over his subordinate or the employee who is working under him in a direct or an indirect capacity. In the end, it would be proper to state here that if the entrepreneurs are true to their jobs and know what they expect from the workers working under them, then it is duty bound on the part of these employees to be truthful about their work and apprise the entrepreneur as to where they have been lacking and what plus points have thus been achieved.  (Rogers, 2001)All said and done it is to the entrepreneur himself as to how best he can toe along the workers on those lines and till what extent he can drag them but in the name of a genuine organizational gain. A good entrepreneur can only be made if he is respected by one and all. (Milner, 2004)

Friday, November 8, 2019

Critical Evaluation of Three Journal Articles on the Effects of Imprisonment The WritePass Journal

Critical Evaluation of Three Journal Articles on the Effects of Imprisonment Critical Evaluation of Three Journal Articles on the Effects of Imprisonment This review will seek to establish the extent of the pro-social attributes offenders possess, and how these can be of use to the rehabilitation process. Offenders’ strengths have received relatively little attention in the literature, but strengths-based approaches show promising signs for criminal desistance, and as such deserve investigation. The first article under consideration (Aresti, Eatough and Brooks-Gordon, 2010) investigates reformed ex-offenders experiences in the community following release from prison. The study particularly sought to map the underlying psychological change, which comes with lasting desistance from crime. The findings were that criminal desistance seemed to be facilitated by a change to a pro-social identity and the attainment of meaningful employment. The change in identity was typically a positive experience, although participants struggled against their label of ex-offender when establishing this new place in society for themselves. They typic ally explained their past offending behaviour using whatever seems most plausible to them, such as mental illness or drug abuse, and thus distanced themselves from the offending behaviour. Participants were five male ex-offenders, who took part in semi-structured interviews. This method would also uncover specific subjective nuances conveyed by ex-prisoners about what caused them to fully embrace an identity shift. Although the sample size was very small, and extensive data obtained from five people can hardly be used to speculate on ubiquitous effects. Inclusion criteria were implemented to ensure that the participants had sufficiently similar experience of criminal justice and shared a motivational drive to reform. This strategy eliminates confounding variables but limits the applicability of findings to the group best described by the attributes of the participants. Aresti et al. (2010) filled an essential gap in the literature by addressing the experiences of reformed ex-prisoners in particular. The selection of this group is a good choice as developing a timeline of their reformation could assist in identifying factors which are conducive to causing offenders to re-assess their lives and make a qualitative change in their attitude towards society. Although it does not have the empirical specificity than quantitative research can provide; effect sizes and objective causal antecedents cannot be established. But subjective interpretations of the ex-prisoners involved gives research into this field a more human voice, aiding empathy and understanding which may ultimately help in the effort to reform more offenders. McMurran, Theodosi, Sweeney and Sellen (2008) examine the self-reported motivations and goals of currently incarcerated prisoners, a strategy which could prove useful as it can identify what offenders believe they need in order to reform at the crucial period during which their future offending behaviour is still in question. By identifying what prisoners want out of life, intervention strategies can be better informed to use this source of motivation to rehabilitate them. The method used was again qualitative, which was appropriate for in-depth understanding of prisoners’ aspirations. The paper brings in a relatively fresh perspective focusing on offender strengths and propensities to reform. Risk and needs-based models of criminogenic factors have been criticised for concentrating too much on offenders’ deficits and negative influences in their lives rather than their strengths and positive goals. McMurran et al. (2008) suggest that prisoners actually want what professionals on rehabilitation believe they need. But perhaps their present circumstances (incarceration) are causing them to assess their lives in this way, and upon release they will change their tone, or they could equally be expressing what they believe the authorities want to hear. This is a bias which profoundly impairs the validity of the findings. These papers advocate a strengths-based resettlement of prisoners following release rather than risk-oriented strategies. Subsequently, research must be reviewed on the effectiveness of strengths-based approaches to rehabilitate and address the concerns of ex-prisoners in the community. The obstacles facing practical implementation of such approaches including conflict with the prevalent risk-based policies must also be considered. Therefore the third paper in this review will be Burnett and Maruna (2006). This paper makes some excellent points on the potential of strengths-based approaches to endow ex-offenders with a sense of purposeful responsibility, which can help to enact a cognitive restructuring towards a pro-social belief system (Toch, 2000). Prominent in Burnett and Maruna (2006) is the empirical evidence; in particular a case study of a project in HMP Springhill in which prisoners were employed at a Citizens’ Advice Bureau (Burnett and Maruna, 2004). There were marked benefits for offenders; evidence for this was acquired via interviews, observations and surveys gauging public opinion, employed as an imprecise measure of prejudice against prisoners. The findings confirmed that the most important impact was on their social identity. As in Aresti et al. (2010) this was attributed in part to a reduction in both the fear of rejection and the dismay at lost opportunities owing to the offender label. This article also brings up an important effect that prisoners experience; the suppression of personal characteristics and social withdrawal while incarcerated. The re-emergence of individual personality and realisation of the self in a more pro-social light is stressed as perhaps the best indicator of sustained desistance from crime (Farrall and Maruna, 2004). Burnett and Maruna (2006) add to this that rehabilitation programs can best help prisoners by offering ‘helper’ roles in the community, and allow the input of prisoners in selecting volunteer jobs to maximise their feeling of responsibility and earning their place in society, as well as cultivating their new persona as caring and helpful. Criticisms of Burnett and Maruna (2006) have to include that the empirical evidence comes largely form only a single case study, limiting applicability. Also only the lowest risk offenders were allowed to participate in the program, arguably higher risk offenders would not be affected in the same way. Indeed this whole approach may only be useful for prisoners who are most willing to reform (and hence are lower risk) since inherently prisoners have to agree to the work and associate meaningfully with it. Ultimately, the recommendations for the criminal justice system based on these papers is that prisoners must be seen as resources capable of contributing to society, and opportunities must be presented for prisoners to develop a new pro-social identity and hone their individual skills. Stigma, labelling and the risk-assessment culture are huge obstacles to this, and the trust bestowed on prisoners participating in community programs must not be dissolved too eagerly as this threatens to fracture the new pro-social identity. In conclusion, although there are limitations of these articles including vague measurement tools and limited applicability, the identification of encouragement of offenders’ strengths could prove beneficial for some prisoners, but perhaps only those designated as low risk. References Aresti, A., Eatough, V. and Brooks-Gordon, B. (2010) Doing time after time: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of reformed ex-prisoners experiences of self-change, identity and career opportunities.  Psychology, Crime Law, 16(3), 169-190 Burnett, R. and Maruna, S. (2004) Prisoners as Citizens’ Advisers: The OxCAB–Springhill Partnership and Its Wider Implications. London: Esm ´ee Fairbairn Foundation Burnett, R. and Maruna, S. (2006) The kindness of prisoners Strengths-based resettlement in theory and in action.  Criminology and Criminal Justice,  6(1), 83-106 Farrall, S. and Maruna, S. (2004) Desistance†Focused Criminal Justice Policy Research: Introduction to a Special Issue on Desistance from Crime and Public Policy.  The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice,  43(4), 358-367 McMurran, M., Theodosi, E., Sweeney, A. and Sellen, J. (2008) What do prisoners want? Current concerns of adult male prisoners.  Psychology, Crime Law,  14(3), 267-274 Toch, H. (2000) Altruistic Activity as Correctional Treatment. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 44(3), 270–278

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

General Ambrose Burnside in the Civil War

General Ambrose Burnside in the Civil War The fourth of nine children, Ambrose Everett Burnside was born to Edghill and Pamela Burnside of Liberty, Indiana on May 23, 1824. His family had moved to Indiana from South Carolina shortly before his birth. As they were members of the Society of Friends, which opposed slavery, they felt they could no longer live in the South. As a young boy, Burnside attended Liberty Seminary until his mothers death in 1841. Cutting short his education, Burnsides father apprenticed him to a local tailor. West Point Learning the trade, Burnside elected to utilize his fathers political connections in 1843, to obtain an appointment to the US Military Academy. He did so despite his pacifist Quaker upbringing. Enrolling at West Point, his classmates included Orlando B. Willcox, Ambrose P. Hill, John Gibbon, Romeyn Ayres, and Henry Heth. While there he proved a middling student and graduated four years later ranked 18th in a class of 38. Commissioned as a brevet second lieutenant, Burnside received an assignment to the 2nd US Artillery. Early Career Sent to Vera Cruz to take part in the Mexican-American War, Burnside joined his regiment but found that the hostilities had largely been concluded. As a result, he and the 2nd US Artillery were assigned to garrison duty in Mexico City. Returning to the United States, Burnside served under Captain Braxton Bragg with the 3rd US Artillery on the Western Frontier. A light artillery unit that served with the cavalry, the 3rd helped protect the routes west. In 1949, Burnside was wounded in the neck during a fight with the Apaches in New Mexico. Two years later, he was promoted to first lieutenant. In 1852, Burnside returned east and assumed command of Fort Adams at Newport, RI. Private Citizen On April 27, 1852, Burnside married Mary Richmond Bishop of Providence, RI. The following year, he resigned his commission from the army (but remained in the Rhode Island Militia) to perfect his design for a breech-loading carbine. This weapon used a special brass cartridge (also designed by Burnside) and did not leak hot gas like many other breech-loading designs of the time. In 1857, Burnsides carbine won a competition at West Point against a multitude of competing designs. Establishing the Burnside Arms Company, Burnside succeeded in obtaining a contract from Secretary of War John B. Floyd to equip the US Army with the weapon. This contract was broken when Floyd was bribed to use another arms maker. Shortly thereafter, Burnside ran for Congress as a Democrat and was defeated in a landslide. His election loss, coupled with a fire at his factory, led to his financial ruin and forced him to sell the patent for his carbine design. The Civil War Begins Moving west, Burnside secured employment as the treasurer of the Illinois Central Railroad. While there, he became friendly with George B. McClellan. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Burnside returned to Rhode Island and raised the 1st Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry. Appointed its colonel on May 2, he traveled to Washington, DC with his men and quickly rose to brigade command in the Department of Northeast Virginia. He led the brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, and was criticized for committing his men piecemeal. Following the Union defeat, Burnsides 90-day regiment was mustered out of service and he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on August 6. After serving in a training capacity with the Army of the Potomac, he was given command of the North Carolina Expeditionary Force at Annapolis, MD. Sailing for North Carolina in January 1862, Burnside won victories at Roanoke Island and New Bern in February and March. For these achievements, he was promoted to major general on March 18. Continuing to expand his position through the late spring of 1862, Burnside was preparing to launch a drive on Goldsborough when he received orders to bring part of his command north to Virginia. Army of the Potomac With the collapse of McClellans Peninsula Campaign in July, President Abraham Lincoln offered Burnside command of the Army of the Potomac. A humble man who understood his limitations, Burnside declined citing a lack of experience. Instead, he retained command of IX Corps which he had led in North Carolina. With the Union defeat at Second Bull Run that August, Burnside was again offered and again declined command of the army. Instead, his corps was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and he was made commander of the armys right wing consisting of IX Corps, now led by Major General Jesse L. Reno, and Major General Joseph Hookers I Corps. Serving under McClellan, Burnsides men took part in the Battle of South Mountain on September 14. In the fighting, I and IX Corps attacked at Turners and Foxs Gaps.   In the fighting, Burnsides men pushed back the Confederates but Reno was killed. Three days later at the Battle of Antietam, McClellan separated Burnsides two corps during the fight with Hookers I Corps ordered to the northern side of the battlefield and IX Corps ordered south. Antietam Assigned to capture a key bridge at the south end of the battlefield, Burnside refused to relinquish his higher authority and issued orders through the new IX Corps commander, Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, despite the fact that the unit was the only one under his direct control. Failing to scout the area for other crossing points, Burnside moved slowly and focused his attack on the bridge which led to increased casualties. Due to his tardiness and the time needed to take the bridge, Burnside was unable to exploit his success once the crossing was taken and his advance was contained by Major General A.P. Hill. Fredericksburg In the wake of Antietam, McClellan was again sacked by Lincoln for failing to pursue General Robert E. Lees retreating army. Turning to Burnside, the president pressured the uncertain general into accepting command of the army on November 7. A week later, he approved Burnsides plan for taking Richmond which called for a rapid movement to Fredericksburg, VA with the goal of getting around Lee. Initiating this plan, Burnsides men beat Lee to Fredericksburg, but squandered their advantage while waiting for pontoons to arrive to facilitate crossing the Rappahannock River. Unwilling to push across local fords, Burnside delayed allowing Lee to arrive and fortify the heights west of the town. On December 13, Burnside assaulted this position during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Repulsed with heavy losses, Burnside offered to resign, but was refused. The next month, he attempted a second offensive which bogged down due to heavy rains. In the wake of the Mud March, Burnside asked that several officers who were openly insubordinate be court-martialed or he would resign. Lincoln elected for the latter and Burnside was replaced with Hooker on January 26, 1863. Department of the Ohio Not wishing to lose Burnside, Lincoln had him re-assigned to IX Corps and placed in command of the Department of the Ohio. In April, Burnside issued the controversial General Order No. 38 which made it a crime to express any opposition to the war. That summer, Burnsides men were key in the defeat and capture of the Confederate raider Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan. Returning to offensive action that fall, Burnside led a successful campaign which captured Knoxville, TN. With the Union defeat at Chickamauga, Burnside was attacked by the Confederate corps of Lieutenant General James Longstreet. A Return East Defeating Longstreet outside Knoxville in late November, Burnside was able aid in the Union victory at Chattanooga by preventing the Confederate corps from reinforcing Braggs army. The following spring, Burnside and IX Corps were brought east to aid in Lieutenant General Ulysses Grants Overland Campaign. Initially reporting directly to Grant as he outranked the Army of the Potomacs commander, Major General George Meade, Burnside fought at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania in May 1864. In both cases he failed to distinguish himself and often was reluctant to fully engage his troops. Failure at the Crater Following the battles at North Anna and Cold Harbor, Burnsides corps entered the siege lines at Petersburg. As the fighting stalemated, men from IX Corps 48th Pennsylvania Infantry proposed digging a mine under the enemy lines and detonating a massive charge to create a gap through which Union troops could attack. Approved by Burnside, Meade, and Grant, the plan went forward. Intending to use a division of specially trained black troops for the assault, Burnside was told hours before the attack to use white troops. The resulting Battle of the Crater was a disaster for which Burnside was blamed and relieved of his command on August 14. Later Life Placed on leave, Burnside never received another command and left the army on April 15, 1865. A simple patriot, Burnside never engaged in the political scheming or backbiting that was common to many commanders of his rank. Well aware of his military limitations, Burnside was repeatedly failed by the army which should never have promoted him command positions. Returning home to Rhode Island, he worked with various railroads and later served as governor and a US senator before dying of angina on September 13, 1881.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Differentiate between declaration a Vindication of the Rights of Woman Essay

Differentiate between declaration a Vindication of the Rights of Woman - Essay Example This led to the rise of feminist ideas that sought to bring out the inequalities between the two sexes, with the feminists arguing that the male gender was using the law to oppress and maintain dominance over the female sex. The feminists argued that the laws were tools of social ordering, which sought to oppress the rights of women. This essay seeks to evaluate the nature of the rights contained in the French Declaration on the rights of man in light of the feminist ideals that existed at that time. The essay will seek thus seek to answer question; were these Rights of man a vindication of the rights of women? If so, how were these rights a vindication of the rights of women? The first Right in the Declaration was to the effect that all men were born free and in equality of rights, with social distinctions only allowed for the common good. The provision for social distinction ‘for the common good’ created a loophole that was used by men to vindicate the right of women to freedom and equality. If, for example, it were decided that it was in common good for women not to vote or go to school, then the law would stand because society deemed it fit women not to exercise their right to education and participate in elections. The effect of this law was to create a perception of women as mere caregivers who could not participate in any meaningful social and political life (Wollstonecraft, 1792). The right to the effect that,† the law is a general will and every citizen has a right to participate personally, or through his elected representative.† It was in essence a mirage for women because they were not allowed to participate in elections. Wollstonecraft in her book cries foul on this right when she says, â€Å"But, if women are to be excluded, without having a voice, from a participation of the natural rights of

Friday, November 1, 2019

Attributes of a Culture Formed by the ISIS Assignment

Attributes of a Culture Formed by the ISIS - Assignment Example The religious seminars have been enforced for pharmacists that they have to pay their presence for the importance to being allowed to carry on operating their businesses. In various parts of Iraq, the ISIS has imposed taxes on local people business should pay taxes. Cars entering into the state have to pay tax. Other religions have to pay tax, for instance, the Christians. The ISIS has also imposed sweeping restrictions on personal freedom implying that women must wear the niqab, or face unspecified punishments. Every person under the control of ISIS should always carry a ‘repentance card, which is a paper testifying that a person has ‘repented’ from his or her heretical past. Status of women under ISIS In ISIS, the group has released a manifesto that illustrates the role of women in the jihadist group which say that it is ‘legitimate' for girls to get married to fighters whoa re at nine years and emphasizing their role as wives, homemakers or even mothers. T he ISIS believes that women should be kept at home unless an emergency occurs that requires them to get out of the home. When they leave their homes, they should wear the niqab. Under ISIS, Arab women are encouraged to go to ISIS Islamic countries such as the Iraq and Syrian, where they are asked to live the ‘sedentary’ lifestyle that is guided by the responsibilities in the home, which is considered to be their ‘divinely appointed right’ in line with Shariah as well as the life’s methodology that God ordained it.