God Is Love

â€Å"God is Love. † This simple yet complex statement is found only twice1, 2 in the Bible and is commonly presented out of context. It is generally misunderstood and often circulated in a fashion that leads many into Hell. The statement –while very easy to make and accept when presented in its undefined form– has a depth of reality far beyond what the average person wants to know even though such knowledge is critical to salvation. 1. â€Å"Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. † [1 John 4:8 ] 2. â€Å"We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us*.God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. † [1 John 4:16] * This usage of the term â€Å"us† refers only to men of faith. In the following important prelude to the above passages the term â€Å"if† is used five (5) times. Entry into eternal life must always be considered as conditional: â€Å"Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, â€Å"We have fellowship with him,† while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, â€Å"We are without sin,† we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins,3 he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, â€Å"We have not sinned,† we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. † [1 John 1:5-10] 3. â€Å"Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. [John 20:23] — This authority was given by Jesus to the eleven apostles –even though only ten were present at the time– and to their validly ordained successors on Easter Sunday durin g His first visitation with them. All validly ordained priests (also known by the terms presbyters and elders) have this authority even though not materially present during this visitation. NOTE: The references in the book of Hebrews to Jesus being High Priest should be seen as a clear statement that there were other priests serving under His authority. (Priests can only be ordained by someone with demonstratable authority from God to ordain.They can never be elected or self-appointed. ) It must be understood that true love reflects the totality of goodness. Absolute goodness resides in God alone and is shared by Him with those who have sincerely sought association with Him. When one honestly seeks out God one is looking for that fullness of truth found only in God. A fullness of truth that few have any real desire to put into practice. Those who eventually reach Heaven have all truth present to them and can utilize any truth they seek, but they remain incapable of possessing at any given time the totality of truth.Goodness is dependent upon truth and truth leads to justice. Not only must one desire truth and make a sincere effort to acquire all of the spiritual truths that are available and within one's capacity to understand, but one must also be willing to put them into practice as opportunities present themselves. Without truth their can be no understanding of goodness and goodness demands service to God and neighbor according to the teachings of Jesus, Son of Man/Son of God. Justice is a cohort of goodness and has as its foundation the Word of God that is always truth.Justice is the exercise of works in the service of both positive and negative commands of God – what one must do and what one must not do to obtain eternal happiness. Good deeds are meritorious works (witnesses to faith), benefitting the Heavenly Kingdom, that are performed by those who still reside in this life. While no quantity or quality of works can substitute for the salvific ac t accomplished once by Jesus on the cross – that allowed access to Heaven to those judged worthy (Matthew 25:32), they are necessary witnesses to that love of God which is required for one to enter Heaven.Again, the mercy of God has been made obtainable only through the redemptive act of Jesus. Prior to this act no one was permitted entry into Heaven no matter how worthy they might be deemed to have been including Able, Enoch, Abraham, Joseph, Moses and many others. The ultimate mercy –redemption from the sin of Adam that caused separation from God– is received only by those who have put the fullness of God's Word (commands – direct or implicit) into practice by actions of faith. Summarization: God is love and love is shed upon those who seek knowledge of required truths that lead to the practice of justice in respect for the goodness of God.A greater appreciation of God can be obtained by meditating upon the qualities or attributes of God. Anyone who pur sues truth and practices justice is loved by God, that is, comes under the umbrella of that love which can be received from God alone. For those who do not pursue goodness, through the seeking of truth and the practice of justice, God is for them anger, hatred and wrath. To be a recipient of salvation/mercy one must sincerely develop a full love of God and pursue Him through the practice of justice that can be understood only through the acquisition of spiritual truth.One must develop a sincere interest in God, listen –accept and practice– to His word, and grow in God's love. God is love for those who love truth and practice justice and mercy –Reference the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy– according to His will. This is the true meaning of the phrase, â€Å"God is love. † One should never mistake the statement, â€Å"God is Love,† to mean that God does not condemn those who do not seek His love according to His (God's) definition of lo ve while sincerely seeking His mercy.Those who ask for His mercy must be sincerely repentant, turn their lives around, and develop a humility that allows them to be of true service to the Lord through service in this life demonstrated in the form of good deeds/good works. Without the witness given by good works, any protestation that one loves God or has faith in God is meaningless. God's mercy –salvific act of redemption for people of active faith– does not benefit those who culpably profess a false position of faith or love. In effect such people are lovers of evil and servants of Satan. God is good. Goodness loves and associates with that which is good.Perfect goodness –which is the nature of God– is only able to associate with that which has been made/becomes perfectly good. Perfection is not gratuitous. Absolute perfection is necessary before one can enter the presence of God. If perfection is not achieved in this life by those not condemned to Hell, then it must be obtained through a purification process in an intermediate state of existence. In this state –referred to as Purgatory by those who accept Catholic doctrine (mandatory for Catholics)– one's attachment to any imperfections, brought about by self-will, is gradually overcome.The removal of attachment to sin –often a degree of denial relating to bad habit(s) not fully dealt with in this life– is facilitated through the application of that degree of encouragement (pain) that proves necessary over an extended period of time to make one accept the necessity of turning away from accumulated dysfunctional desires and activities that had been accepted by the spiritual mind. It should be understood that many opportunities (much encouragement) are presented while in this life to turn away from sin.Problems and sufferings in this life were meant to focus one's attention and reliance upon the stated will of God. One must learn to accept what is univers ally good instead of that which is only self-serving. In life one is given instructions and at times painful encouragement that is focused upon turning one away from sin and all attachment to it. Purgatory is for those who have only made a partial effort at turning away from association with sin. Please keep in mind that there are no free rides into Heaven, for anyone.Further, there is no simple method for gaining perfection at the conclusion of life. After years of stubbornness relating to the retention of wrong doing one should not expect to be instantly made perfect. No one is gratuitously made perfect as this would limit that quality of free will which is necessary for one to effectively share with God in eternal life to the degree deserved through meritorious actions during life. Those who are not redeemable (unrepentant grave sinners) through a process of purification are condemned to eternal suffering commonly referred to as Hell.Eternal suffering is necessary for incorrigibl e sinners. They have eternally living spirits that would be destructive to the harmony of Heaven if allowed freedom. Ceaseless pain keeps them from developing into a force that would be disruptive to those living in eternal happiness. When one fails to adhere to the commands of God –statements of His will that are either positive or negative– one is not in the love of God. Everyone wants to be able to do things their own way. They want to consider their way as the right way.This is a product of egocentrism (self-centeredness). Most are not willing to accept that God's way is the product of great wisdom known through the explicit true teachings of the one authorized and unified (under supreme but controlled papal authority) Church established by Jesus. The avenue of established truth does not often agree with one's personal preferred way. God is love, but He is also light, truth and justice. Mercy is a by product of justice and while necessary for salvation it is not gr atuitous even though Jesus' redemptive act was gratuitous.Mercy is not granted to those who do not have sincerity of repentance. Everyone must make a humble request for mercy that has been warranted as worthy of being granted through meritorious deeds. Depending upon circumstances such deeds can be either simple or complex. SUMMARY: God, being love, has the perfection of that love which is goodness. He sheds Light (knowledge) upon those who seek truth and then put the acquired truths into practice (justice – good works versus misdeeds or indifference).One who truly loves God will act in a way that demonstrates a sincere love of God. One must give God sincere worship and humble himself before Jesus. Service to Jesus is through placing into action spiritual knowledge that has been obtained. A major part of learning is focused upon love of neighbor. The simple way to accomplish this is to put into practice the Golden Rule, that is, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. † The corporal and spiritual works of mercy are of major importance in relation to serving others in this life in the service of almighty God.

Ethics on Smoking Industry

INTRODUCTION: Ethics occupy an important place in today’s modern business world. Every organization makes use of ethics to make day-today decisions and fulfill societal expectations. This essay brings to light ethical and social responsibility that every individual and company should follow in order to become better citizens for society. Essay presents analysis based on real case of Philip Morris, a tobacco company in U. S. A versus Mayola – a widow, who took legal action against company for her husband’s death due to smoking. Essay draws balanced argument based on evidences about unethical behavior of tobacco company and smokers personal responsibilities for their actions. We have used Ethical decision-making model of Lagenderfer and Rockness to frame our analysis. ETHICS & BUSINESS Ethics in simple terms means set of moral principles or list of rules, which can determine whether particular action undertaken is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. All the activities undertaken by society are based on ethics. Ethics can be personal as well as professional. Personal ethics are based on individual’s values, beliefs, attitudes and actions while business ethics are based on certain principles or code of conduct to guide individual or a group in accordance with societal expectations. Business ethics can be defined as â€Å"study of business situations, activities and decisions where issues of right or wrong are addressed†(Crane, A& Matten ,D, 2007,P. 5). Thus, ethics helps in making decision and is a key for solving problems. Today, society is facing considerable increase in number of ethical issues such as fraud, exploitation, misleading advertisement and increasing pollution. Birt, Chalmers, Beal, Brooks, Byrne, Oliver, 2008, P. 65). CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY It is essential for every organization to undertake corporate social responsibility along with its goals and objectives. According to (Birt et al. , 2008, p. 70) Corporate social responsibility can be referred to responsibility that an entity has to all its stakeh olders, including society in general and physical environment in which it operates. There are many companies, which lack sense of corporate social responsibility and acts against interest of society. RELEVANT FACTS DETERMINED UNDER CASE: Today, business is giving rise to numerous ethical issues, as many companies are involved in exploiting its customers, selling harmful products in markets, false marketing of products and increasing environmental and health issues. Many tobacco companies like Phillip Morris are selling harmful and addictive products like cigarettes that cause serious diseases like lung cancer and heart attack. Analysis of Phillip Morris v. Mayola, Williams case brings down certain relevant facts that give rise to ethical issues. Mayola took a legal action on Philip Morris on the grounds of false and misleading advertisement and marketing undertaken by company for its products. It is fact that Philip Morris knew that tobacco was harmful for health still he advertised his product as non-addictive and safe and Williams death was caused by smoking. Second, fact is that Philip Morris appealed solely against damages that company had to pay to other smokers who did not bring any actions against court. Their appeal was only based on excessive damages that company was supposed to pay to strangers. This clearly indicates that he is very well aware of harms caused by his cigarettes to smokers and did not appeal on the grounds that his products were safe and less addictive. It is also relevant fact that Supreme Court made decision in favor of Philip Morris that company is not liable to pay excessive damages to Ms Williams on the grounds that damages were proper under Oregon statute but was excessive under federal constitution (BBC article, 20 Feb, 2007). This indicates that ethical laws are still complex and not clearly stated under constitution. ETHICAL DILEMMAS FOR BOTH SMOKERS AND COMPANY: Ethical dilemma arises when there is a situation with conflict of interest. We have built certain arguments based on ethical dilemmas from perspective of both smoker and company. We have constructed evidence-based arguments on unethical behavior by Philip Morris Company, which includes major ethical issues, such are selling harmful products, misleading and false advertisement, acting against societal expectations and caring out unethical business practice. Company is involved in producing and selling harmful tobacco products that contains high amount of nicotine, are addictive, and can cause serious health issues such as lung cancer and heart attack. Company acts unethically by encouraging people to smoke and their conflict of interest with societal ethical standards and expectations. According to (Janine and Ruth, 2008) company prevents old smokers from quitting and targets young people and children. Company adopts new and innovative marketing approaches to promote its products like direct mail advertising and sending coupons with discounts. Low tar† cigarettes were developed in response to the health concerns of older smokers in 1970, but experts found them no advantageous to health and did not help smokers to quit. Company lacks in corporate social responsibility as they perform activities that are against interest of society in general and physical environment in which it operates. Company undertakes massive fraud by acting d ishonestly having financial motive in mind. Company is involved in false advertisement indicating their products to be less addictive, more filtered and safe. According to ( Rosner, 2006, P. 193-196) company tries to create illusion by sponsoring cigarette cessation programmes and try to make society believe that they act in ethical way, but their real motive behind it is to promote company’s goal of selling cigarettes and meet their financial interests . Their misleading marketing activities makes lots of people to go for smoking. Philip Morris promised to shut down instantly if their cigarettes were found to be harmful but has failed to keep its promise, which gives rise to ethical dilemma. According to (David & Silva, 2004, p. 9-22) Company uses their political and economic influence to create an environment that encourages continued consumption of cigarettes. Company is accused of political lobbying. They lobby legislators and officials in finance ministry in order to keep tobacco prices low and thus encouraging people to smoke. Philip Morris was after minimizing total tax burden on cigarettes in order to keep smoking affordable . Article in Ethical Corporation magazine (2004) states that company declares itself responsible and argues that there is increasing demand for cigarettes by customers and if they stop selling it, someone else will take their position. Company tried to safeguard themselves on the grounds that they are selling legal products, which are not banned by government and are acting in ethical way by warning its customers against dangers associated with smoking. Thus, company gives rise to ethical dilemmas as it has an intension to make huge profits by selling harmful products that are responsible for death of millions of people and still trying to gain creditability as responsible company. From perspective of smokers in general, they give rise to ethical issues by consuming harmful products that are not ethically accepted by society and do not take warnings given by companies and government seriously. It is unethical to blame companies solely responsible for damages caused to them and bring their own actions against company. Their behavior can give rise to ethical dilemmas as their actions have a deep impact on their children and makes smoking more desirable for their kids in future. They also lack in personal and social responsibility by giving rise to health issues and environmental concerns for society in general. CONCLUSION: Thus, we conclude that tobacco is one the world’s greatest preventable health problems. According to our analysis, we came to a balanced conclusion that smokers should take responsibility for their actions and companies should behave ethically by making its customers fully aware about the dangers of smoking. It is very essential to undertake combined ethical and social responsibility by both smokers and tobacco companies to avoid millions of deaths due to smoking and to act in favor of societal expectations. Tobacco companies should stop giving misleading advertisement and marketing activities, which indicates their products to be safe and less addictive. They should stop encouraging consumption of tobacco among young and old and should ban children from its consumption. It is the responsibility of companies to support smoking cessation programs and help smokers to quit not just for sake of creating illusion but also to act in favor of societies interest in general and to build better image in society. Company should change their unethical business practices of creating massive fraud to fulfill its financial motive and provide support to government activities that help smokers to quit. Smokers should follow their personal ethics and should take responsibility for smoking. They should take warnings given by tobacco companies and government to quit smoking seriously. They can search on internet for more information or consult doctor to improve heir knowledge about serious health issues caused by smoking. Smokers should not escape from their personal and social responsibilities towards society and their families. It is unethical to bring their own action against company and solely blame company for health issues caused by smoking. It is moral duty and responsibility of every citizen to bear risk associated with their actions. It is responsibility of government to take care of its citizens and find solutions for their health relating issues. We believe that Political parties should not accept any funds from Tobacco Company for their campaign and government should ban any kind of commercial ads for cigarettes in magazine, newspapers or on television. Government should support smoking cessation programs and quitting and should be alert if tobacco company provides any support as they may mislead government by doing indirect advertising for their products. We recommend that there should be strict tobacco control strategy that restricts consumption of all tobacco products. Thus we conclude that it is ethical, moral and social responsibility for smokers, tobacco companies and government to stop consumption and selling of harmful products for betterment of society and environmental concerns. REFERANCE )Birt, J. ,Chalmers, K. ,Beal, D. , Brooks, A. , Byrne, S. , & Oliver, J. (2008). Accounting: Business Reporting for Decision Making. (2nd ed). John Wiley & Sons: Milton, Old. 2)Crane, A. , Matten, D. (2007). Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship & Sustainability in Age of Globalization. (2ND ed). Oxford University Press: New York. 3)David, A. , Silva,V. ( 2004). Building Blocks for Tobacco Control: a handbook tools for advancin g tobacco control in xxist century. Publisher World Health Organization: Geneva 4)Rosner, F. (2006). Contemporary Biomedical Ethical Issues and Jewish Laws. KTAV Publishing House: New Jersey 5)Janine, C. , & Ruth, M. (2008). False Promises: Journal of American Geriatrics, 56(9), p1716-1723, 8p, 1 chart retrieved on 5/ 09/2009 from Academic Search Premier Database. 6)Tobacco firm wins payout appeal: BBC news article https://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/6379767. stm retrieved on 6/9/2009. 7)Philip Morris executive declares his company ‘Responsible’: Article from Ethical Corporation Magazine: http://www. ethicalcorp. com/content. asp? ContentID=2345 retrieved on 8/09/2009.

Norm Paper

PAPER # 1: BREAKING A NORM NAME: Nisha Tommy A norm is a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide, control, or regulates proper and acceptable behavior. Social norms are group-held beliefs about how members should behave in a given context. Sociologists describe norms as informal understandings that govern society’s behaviors, while psychologists have adopted a more general definition, recognizing smaller group units, like a team or an office, may also endorse norms separate or in addition to cultural or societal expectations.The psychological definition emphasizes social norms' behavioral component, stating norms have two dimensions: how much behavior is exhibited and how much the group approves of that behavior. The people living in the society develop social norms. These norms have its importance and pay a vital role in the socialization of an individual and molding of personality. There are some important functions of social norms, which play essential part in the smooth of the society. These are control behavior, harmonize the society, and law and order. I chose to violate a social norm when riding on the elevator.I did this in a hospital environment where doctors, nurses, technicians, and mostly patients were around me. I monitored the reaction of ten different groups throughout the experiment to get the best result. It is included different nationality and different age group. I rode the elevator ten times but instead of standing the â€Å"normal† way which is facing the door an unspoken social norm I stood the wrong way standing by the door looking at the back of the elevator. I felt very uncomfortable for the first few times but, after that I started enjoying people’s nonverbal reactions.Still it is hard to break a norm by knowingly breaking it. I got various reactions. Some people stare at me as if I was not normal. Some rolled their eyes and others startled their forehead. Some of them as ked me if I was ok. Some couples looked each other and smiled. Some shook their head. Some of them didn’t look at me at all they were looking on the floor. One of the employees asked me â€Å"Do you work here? Which department do you work for? † One person asked me â€Å"Do you have elevators in your country†? One person asked me â€Å"how long have you been in US†? After my answer she made a facial expression.The question â€Å"Are you ok? ’’ contradicted my hypothesis and proved it wrong which was even if I stand the wrong way in the elevator and go against the social norm then people still won’t really react. This experiment proved my hypothesis wrong. While I had thought I wouldn’t get any reactions I did in reality get many reactions from staring to being asked if I was ok. Many people stared at me as though there was something wrong with me or even felt uncomfortable around me. My hypothesis was proven wrong because clea rly breaking a social norm is more significant than I had assumed.The experiment proved a lot about social norms and breaking them. It showed the significance of social norms how much social norms play a role in society and people as individuals act. The social norm I broke was implicit yet it proved to be so great in how people saw me and how they reacted. I standing the wrong way changed the way some people felt in the elevator they started to feel uncomfortable because my actions went against the social norm which is standing facing the door and anything that goes against the social norm is not normal.The gesture was small yet it proved to generate greater reactions. This experiment proves that there are such things as social norms that aren’t even formally stated and as a society rules are set as to how once should behave and when broken one is met reactions and seen as different and â€Å"not normal†. Even in fast paced places where people tend to be too busy or t hey are stressed or even too sick to notice, people notice the breaking of social norms and react toward it because that is how people were taught to look at differently those who don’t follow the social norm.I had believed that in United State where the attitude of minding your business is what people shape their lives around this would not be the case but I was wrong. Adhering to social norms is clearly a big part of people’s lives and shapes the way they act. What surprised me about the results was the way people acted toward me how some people were feeling uncomfortable. This surprised me because they were acting like there might be something wrong with me just because I was standing the wrong way. The man who asked me if I am ok shocked me the most because I didn’t expect anyone to actually ask me this.All of this also shows how the environment plays a role in a person’s life. The social norms of a place which differ from place to place shapes the so ciety it sets the social code. Especially in the case of the man who asked me if I was ok. His behavior and the rest of the experimental group showed how me breaking the social norm affects not only me but the people around me and changes the way I am seen to the world. He would have probably not asked me this is I was standing the right way. But because I violated the social norm his behavior and reactions changed.The groups acted differently because of the variable which made all the difference. One can bring in conformity to explain these results. Society as a whole has learned to conform so as not to be the odd one out. The social based rules that were made people as a whole have learned to change their behavior to conform to the universal social code so they aren’t different. And when they see someone who acts differently they see them as â€Å"weird† different. People like behaviorists would say have been â€Å"shaped† a certain way a socially acceptable w hich is why people reacted the way they did to me.I went against everyone the rules of society by not conforming hence I was the odd one out. If it weren’t for the social norms then maybe I would not have gotten the reactions I did because there wouldn’t be anything to conform too. One can infer that some of the reactions showed the following of the social norm of not being rude. While some of them stared they did not do anything as not to be rude which is in its own way following a social norm of politeness. This experiment has taught me basically a lot more about social norms and society. I got to see firsthand how social norms work and how much they play a role in everyone’s daily lives.I learned how people react toward people who don’t follow the social norms and break them. If this experiment was conducted somewhere else I would say definitely the results would be different, because the place makes the social norms. Every environment is different and society makes rule based on that. What might be acceptable in one place might not be so acceptable in another and vice versa. For example in some place standing away at a decent distance is considered disrespectful that is going against the social norm whereas in America that is not the case. Here standing too close is breaking the social norm.The results might have been more drastic or there might have not been any reaction at all. This experiment helped in providing the significance of social norms. The experiment also proved to show the difference between following and breaking social norms. After breaking the social norm I got to see many reactions which proved my hypothesis wrong and showed how conformity has a strong impact on society. By standing backwards in an elevator I broke the social norm of standing facing the back of the elevator and hence I became the odd one out. I enjoyed doing this experiment as a whole.

Novel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Novel - Essay Example Whether Ryan will be able to do the justice to the task assigned to him, while solving a mystery of his past simultaneously. There seems to be no clear link between the abduction of his friends and the murder of Katy, except that they both occurred at the same place with a gap of twenty years. It appears as if Ryan is so disturbed by his past that he cannot analyze the situation critically. Dealing professional consignments with personal motives may end up in a blunder, and this is very much the case with Ryan’s search for the truth. In the start of the novel, the narrator explains the relationship between truth and detectives as that of a most desirable woman and her jealous lovers. He also warns the readers in the start that he craves for truth yet he lies (French, p.5). This is the paradox of the story, because Ryan has not revealed his identity of Adam Ryan, who was found in the woods in the summers of 1984. Therefore, Ryan’s services towards truth have been based on a lie. At the end of the novel Ryan receives the punishment for his dishonesty towards his lover, when he is removed from the case as well as he is restricted to a desk job. Ryan was after all not a good detective, because he did not respect the demands of his profession. A detective must use his mind while investigating a crime; he needs to be clear of all the prejudicial biases. The reason why Ryan was taken of the case was the fact that he was involved in similar incidence in the earlier part of his life. If he had been true to his pro fession, he would have not been transferred to the desk job; rather, the maximum that could have happened to him would be cancellation of investigation in only one case. Ryan took the matter personally, his conduct was based on logical fallacies, and as result of which he had to suffer. One can feel apologetic towards Ryan, but on rational grounds it

Management- Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management- - Case Study Example In 1983 Benetton had sales of $351 million, from 2600 stores in Europe. The supply chain can be described as the network, covering the various stages in the provision of products or services to customers (Monks, 1996). It includes not only manufacturers and suppliers, but also transporters, warehouses, distributors, retailers, etc. The number of stages in the supply chain depends on the customers' needs, and the role each stage plays in fulfilling their needs. Supply Chain Management (SCM) integrates procurement, operations and logistics to provide value added products or services to customers. Effective management of the supply chain helps organizations meet customer requirements on time, with the desired quality specifications, in a cost-effective manner, through the coordination of different activities which transform raw materials into final products or services ((ICMR), Operations Management, 2003). Supply Chain Management can provide both tangible and intangible benefits to an organization. Tangible benefits include revenue growth, improved facility utilization, optimized inventory management, etc. Intangible benefits include improvement in quality, improvement in customer satisfaction, and enhanced customer and supplier techniques (Dilworth, 1992). Supply Chain Management has become on of the key areas that organizations are focusing on to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of the production process (Chopra, 1992). Four key drivers of supply chain performance are inventory, transportation, facilities and information. They help determine not only the responsiveness and effectiveness, but also the strategic fit of the supply chain. Inventory - Inventory includes raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods in the supply chain. Inventory exists in organizations due to a mismatch between demand and supply. Inventory is also maintained to increase the responsiveness of organizations to sudden increases in customer demand. Transportation - Organizations use transportation to move components and products between the different stages of the supply chain. Transportation decisions are made on the mode of transportation and route to use in the transfer of products from one point to another. Facilities - Facilities are the locations in the supply chain where the raw materials and finished goods are stored, and where work-in-progress materials are assembled or fabricated, and from which finished goods are distributed. Facility's capacity and location has significant affect on the performance of the supply chain. Information - Sometimes, the value of information as a supply chain driver is undermined due to its abstract quality. However, in reality, it is one of the key drivers affecting the performance of the supply chain. As the supply chain is made up of various entities, proper coordination is the key to improving the efficiency of the supply chain system. The flow of information also affects the performance of other drivers. With proper information, organizations can predict the quantity to produce, when it is needed and where it is needed. This makes the supply chain more effective and responsive to market demand. In order to service the needs of customers and fulfil their expectations and to meet the organizations'

Contract II Coursework Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contract II Coursework Question - Essay Example In order to circumvent a contract on the grounds of frustration, it has to be established that the events had not only made it much more difficult to comply with the contractual obligations, but that they had also destroyed its very foundation. The BBL Company should have made alternate arrangements to contend with the problems arising from the failure of machinery. As per the case law discussed in the sequel, contractual terms that become more burdensome, cannot provide a defence of frustration of the contract. The BBL Company had breached the implied terms stipulated by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, as it had failed to complete the work within the specified time. In Bush v Trustees of Port and Town of Whitehaven, it was held by the court that the contractual terms had changed sufficiently, for the contractor to claim an additional amount for the inordinate delay.3 This decision was censured in the Davis Contractors case, and it was opined that a party to a contract could not claim relief from a contractual obligation, merely on the grounds that the contract had become more onerous to perform.4 Consequently, a quantum meruit arises only when the circumstances change to such an extent that the contract is frustrated. The mere fact that the contract has become more expensive or has changed appreciably does not constitute frustration of the contract.5 As a result, the goods had to be sent through a much longer route. This doubled the cost, and the appellants contended that the contract had been frustrated. The House of Lords ruled that there was no frustration, as the shipping route had not been specified.7 As such, it was held that a mere increase in cost did not constitute grounds for the frustration of a contract. In Davis Contractors Ltd v Fareham UDC, a contract had been formed for the construction of a number of houses.

Doing yoga at a local recreation center can cause harm to Hinduism Essay

Doing yoga at a local recreation center can cause harm to Hinduism - Essay Example Currently, yoga has been influenced by modern world. In most cases, modern day yoga has been misrepresented; it has less spiritual essence, and has more emphasis on financial gain. This is because modern day yoga has been reduced to physical exercise program, with yoga specialists releasing yoga videos, as well as magazines for sale. This situation has been worsened by the fact that more yoga specialist especially those in the secular field have no background on Hinduism and they do not appreciate Hinduism and Buddhism religions. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately, 20 million people practice yoga. It is estimated that the practiced has been there since 1970 with majority of the US citizen pursuing yoga for medical reasons with few individuals pursuing it for purposes of acquiring body energy and stamina, spirituality and to magnify self esteem and creativity (Syman, 2010). In this regard, due to beneficial aspects of modern day yoga, the practice has been integrated in recreation facilities in developed nation. In Ohio, the integration of yoga at Snowpea City Recreation Center has been critiqued by majority of the residents due to the fact that the center which was funded by resident taxes should , therefore, not promote Hindi practices like yoga, since most of the residents are non-Hindi believers (Syman, 2010). In this regard majority of the residents have criticized the yoga practices due to the fact that it downplays the Monism principle of Christianity (the philosophy of existence of one God, the distinction between one God and the universe). The practice of yoga where an individual is recommended to repeat the phrase â€Å"So-ham† during deep breaths is violation of Christian faith since the quote translates to identification of oneself to the divine and the merging of oneself with the divine. In addition, yoga advocates for an individual’s spiritual detachment and freedom from body and material constraint, while

SOURCE EVALUATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SOURCE EVALUATION - Essay Example Therefore, for football games to be peaceful, it is important that the origin of hooliganism be understood. It is also, essential to find out what causes unrest among football suppoters and the issue be addressed by the world football governing body; FIFA. According to Ramon (11), football hooliganism is a social problem that causes a lot of anxiety among people in different countries in Europe. The study of hooliganism is therefore a major step in addressing the vice. This book, provides the reader with the social approaches to this issue and their limitations. â€Å"Among sociological study of hooliganism, three quite clearly delineated approaches can be distinguished: the Marxist approaches by Ian Taylor and John Clarke; and (iii) the post modernist approaches by Giulanotti and Redhead.† The source, â€Å"Understanding human hooliganism: A comparison of six western European football clubs† is very relevant given the rising cases of hooliganism in the world. For example, on February 03, 2014 the mirror daily newspaper reported that police are looking for three football supporters who were alleged to have thrown coins into the field. In summary, this source is very important and relevant to any student or researcher, this is because it addresses an issue which has a very negative social impact and if not addressed properly; will affect the football industry, which is currently practiced by thousands of

Has british politics become more feminized since 1997 Essay

Has british politics become more feminized since 1997 - Essay Example While the current parliament has the largest number of women MP’s in British history, the proportion is only 22.6%, which is just an increase of about 4% since 1997. This proportion indicates an increase of 1.3% in female representation per each election held after 1997. As many political systems across the world move towards equality in representation, Britain still lags way behind other countries like China, Italy, Germany and Argentina among many others. Feminisation of British politics has progressed with slow increase since the major achievement of 1997. The concept of feminisation of politics is based on the gender rather than the party and sex differences existing between men and women. The increased debate on the feminisation of politics is essentially based the perceptions of women’s political styles being less legitimate, than those of their male counterparts. The practice of politics is believed to be completely different between men and women. The fundamental discrepancies existing in the ways which individuals from different genders practice politics are utilised in the determination of feminisation of political systems. Feminism politics are characterised as based on co-operation, collaboration and honesty, qualities that depict them as gentle and kind politics. Masculine politics on the contrary, are presumed to be based on conflicts, hierarchy and sleaze. The characteristics of political systems and the politics have a significant effect on how the political environment within a country. The basic definition of feminisation of politics is based on the gender representation of individuals rather than the content of the political system. Consideration of the gender issues within the British system results in the politics being considered to be less feminine, because of the large number of men within the

Native American culture Essay Example for Free

Native American culture Essay Native Americans were influenced by the environment, plants, and animals in the areas in which they settled. Some practices were influenced over time by migration and contact with other tribes along trade routes. Many tribes used herbs and seeds gathered from their immediate environment and from hunting excursions for healing rituals or ceremonies. Many Native medicine practices were lost or driven underground because they were banned or illegal in parts of the United States until 1987; when the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed. In 1987 there were difficulties with ceremonies and rituals on sacred sites, as ritual activities are sometimes forbidden because the land now serves other purposes. Today, Native American and American Indian community-based medical systems still practices some Native American healing rituals, while others secretly practice in their homes and refuse to use conventional medicine. Those who grew up within the Native American culture still apply what they learned or grew up with, which is healing spiritually along with their illnesses. They do not believe in modern medicine and question any of the practices that are available now. Native Americans tap into the knowledge gained from their ancestors and prefer to â€Å"sweat it out† instead of giving in to conventional medicine. Beliefs and Practices. With this in mind, the Native American culture carries the understanding that the harmonious balance between oneself, man and nature is sophisticated and should not only exist, but it needs to be respected. Rituals and practices bring participants into harmony with themselves, their tribe and all of life. There is a belief that violating tribal laws carries consequences to include mental and physical illness, ongoing bad luck, disability or trauma. Any violations must be made right in order for harmony and good health to be restored. Among Native Americans, the idea remains that the sickness and illness that one experiences is related to a spiritual cause, and in turn creates a disparity between mind, body and spirit. Native Americans deem their bodies as an expression of the spirit and just as each person has to keep harmony with oneself, each person is responsible for his or her own health and also recognizing that all thoughts and action (negative or positive) carries consequences; creating either harmony or disharmony. Any disharmony or disparity may cause illnesses. Native Americans believe that they are related to and intertwined with all forms of life; therefore they can call on or evoke spirits, which strengthens their inner being and can be called upon to render assistance; further emphasizing why harmony and oneness in the Native American culture is a necessity. The Native American philosophy recognizes that there are various aspects of natural world that cannot be seen by the naked eye or with any form of technology, but can only be experienced spiritually. Furthermore, Native American healing also includes a variety of practices; such as religion, spirituality, herbal medicine and rituals to treat people with medical and emotional conditions; including the use of sweat baths, usually in a â€Å"sweat lodge† to purify, cleanse and allow participants to emerge reborn. The lodge is a darkened enclosure heated with stones from a fire and represents the warm moist heat of the womb, allowing them to be renewed into the Light of the world. They also wear medicine bags, which are painted or beaded with designs and patterns for the wearer; this is done to entice the spirit of the animal figure of symbol. Most medicine bags usually contain common object such as stones, ash from a ceremony fire, roots and barks, herbs, feathers, dirt from a ceremonial ground, or wood from a tree struck by lightning. Native Americans primarily used herbs to correct and to fix the mind, body and spirit; for example, sage is believed to protect against bad spirits, heal the stomach, nasal passages, colon and kidneys; cedar is used for coughs and forehead colds and sacred or pure tobacco which allows their breath, the source of life to become visible; rising up to the Great Spirit carrying prayers. Native American healing practices differ greatly, as there are over five hundred and the type of ritual is based on their Native American Nations, which are called tribes. There are many tribal differences and the most sacred traditions are still kept secret, passed from one healer to the next. The most common healing ritual involves herbal remedies which can include teas, tinctures, and salves. For example, one remedy for pain can be treated with bark from a willow tree which contains acetylsalicylic acid also known as aspirin. Native American medicine addresses imbalance on every level of life, from the most personal inner life to the most overt behavior. Some illnesses are believed to be caused by angry spirits; a healer would perform a ritual to cleanse this person and them. Disease is not defined by physical pathology, but viewed from an expanded context that includes body, mind, spirit, emotions, social group, and lifestyle. Most Native Americans believe that illnesses come from spiritual problems and that their healing practices can cure almost anything. Some healers are believed to have cured heart disease, diabetes, thyroid problems, asthma, and cancer. Scientifically, there is no evidence that supports that Native American healers or herbalists can cure cancer or any diseases and there have been no scientific studies that have supported those claims. On the other hand, individual reports suggest that it can reduce pain and stress and improve quality of life and Native and non-Native Americans alikesuggest that these methods really do work for a range of physical and emotional ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, thyroid conditions, cancer, skin rashes, asthma, alcoholism, and depression. Native Americans use a wide variety of treatments such as herbal remedies, purifying rituals, shamanism, and symbolic healing rituals to treat illnesses of both the body and spirit. Native Americans rely heavily on herbal remedies which are used to treat physical conditions, whereas purifying rituals are used to cleanse and prepare the body for healing. Shamanism refers to the belief and practice of communication with the spiritual world. Shamans are intermediaries between the human and spiritual world and treat sickness and diseases by healing the spirit. Symbolic healing rituals use ceremonies involves the community and sometimes included chanting, singing, painting bodies, dancing, exorcisms, sand paintings, and limited use of mind-altering substances can be incorporated into the ritual to persuade the spirits to heal the sick person. These rituals can last hours or even weeks and are a way of asking for help from the spiritual dimension and the healing treatments are usually a slow process, spread over days or weeks. The person who is ill is with the healer most of the time to make sure that the healer can connect with the spirit of the one who is ill. Prayer is also an essential part of all Native American healing technique. Most Native Americans see their healers for spiritual reasons, such as to seek guidance, truth, balance, reassurance, and spiritual well-being and call conventional medicine a cure to the â€Å"white man’s illness. † They prefer to use spiritual healers and native remedies in place of conventional medicine. Conclusion Finally, Native American health beliefs and practices as patients and as medical professionals can have an adverse effect. Healers and family members perform or participate in ceremonies to rid patients of bad spirits, or offer song and prayer in blessing a room where someone has died, but modern medicine, also known as the cure to the â€Å"white man’s illness† still has to intervene. This intervention is frequently a must as herbs and potions used by herbalists, medicine men and women may have not been thoroughly tested to find out how they interact with medicines, foods, or dietary supplements. When a Native American physician goes to see a patient, due to strong cultural doctrines and beliefs, eye contact is avoided and speaks in third person when delivering a difficult diagnosis. If the patient does not inquire about the chances of survival, nothing is said about it. Strongly held Navajo cultural tenets do not allow directly linking a person to an illness and its consequences. To do so could be interpreted as wishing harm. Cultural deference only goes so far; ultimately, the patient has the right to know everything and all options for treatment in order to make an informed decision. Nowadays, Native American patients may seek medicine men for encouragement and to restore their spirituality, yet they also must put faith in modern doctors. Bridging the cultural chasm between physicians and traditional healers is seen as essential for improving care to the Native American population. Although Native American healing has not been shown to cure disease, anecdotal reports suggest that it can reduce pain and stress, and improve quality of life. Also, due to the limitations in the studies that were conducted, it is impossible to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of Native American healing, consequently requiring more clinical studies to confirm the benefits of the specific healing methods. Regardless, the communal support provided by this type of healing could have beneficial effects. Prayers, introspection, herbal remedies native ceremonies, rituals and meditation can be calming, reduces stress and can create a lifetime of comfort, benefit and peace of mind for those who live and believe in it.

Battle Of Thermopylae Was Fought History Essay

Battle Of Thermopylae Was Fought History Essay The main source that described the battle of Thermopylae is the book VII of Herodotus. He was a Greek historian, and in his book he generally favors the Greeks. But he also writes about the greatness of the Persian Empire. There are also some doubts in the story told by Herodotus. For example, in one part Herodotus states that 2.6 million people were the total Persian armies in the battle. But modern scholars reject this claim and they state that the figures given are unrealistic and it is as the result of miscalculations or exaggerations that sources put to favor the victor side. King Xeroxes was so frustrated because his father, Darius who attacked the Greeks in 490 BC, shamelessly defeated in the battle of Marathon. After the battle Darius wanted to reinforce and attack the Greeks again, but the rebellion in Egypt got his attentions off the Greeks and before he could deal with the Egyptian, he died in 486 BC. Xeroxes then crushed the Egyptian and turned his attention to the Greeks. He started his long term plan, which lasted for couple of years, to be prepared for the war. At that time even the Greeks knew that the battle is inevitable. Xeroxes decided that Hellespont, which is a narrow strait, connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara, is the way that he could get to Greece. So he ordered that Hellespont should be bridged by ships so his army could cross to Europe. By early 480 the massive army of Persia was ready to invade Europe, and the preparation was complete. The Persian army crossed Hellespont on two bridges which were made of ships. Athenians were aware of the Persian threat and they were preparing for the war with Persians in the middle of 480 BC. It was at 482 when Themistocles, who was an Athenian politician and general, suggested that the best way to defend against the Persian is by building triremes, which were an ancient vessel and a type of galley. But the Athenians did not have enough workers to defend against the enormous army of Persia so they asked the other Greek states for help. A congress met in the late autumn of 481 BC, and an alliance was formed between the Greek states. The congress was very important and remarkable because some of the states were in war at that time, so the alliance helps the union between the Greeks. The congress met again in the spring of 480, and this time they decided to block Xeroxes advance to Europe. The congress sends the army containing 10,000 hoplites, which were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed as spearmen and fought in phalanx formation, to The Vale of Tempe, which is a gorge in northern Thessaly, Greece, located between Olympus to the north and Ossa to the south. However the planed did not work and the army retreated because Alexander I of Macedon warned them that the Persian army is overwhelming and they could bypass them easily. The Persian army was marching through Greece with the help of Greek spy in august of 480 BC. They were in luck because by the law Spartan army were forbidden to have military activity because of a festival called Carneia. It was also the Olympic Games season and it would have been doubly sacrilegious for the whole Spartan army to march to any war. Under this circumstances king Leonidas took 300 men and around 1,000 Phoceans, which were the support troops, with the orders of the Ephors, leaders of ancient Sparta, and shared power with the Spartan kings to launch an expedition and gather as many Greek soldier as possible and await the arrival of the main Spartan army. Herodotus told a legend that Leonidas consulted Oracle at Delphi, the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, before and the oracle told Leonidas that he is going to certain death, so Leonidas only took 300 men with a living son. By the time Leonidas arrived at Thermopylae, he had more than 7,000 men contingents from various cities. He chose to defend the narrowest part of the pass of Thermopylae called the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“middle gateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  because there was a defensive wall constructed by Phocians in there. He was afraid that mountain track nearby Thermopylae could be used to outflank the pass, so he put around 1,000 men on the heights. Finally, the Persian army led by the god-king Xeroxes approached Thermopylae. The total number is unknown and Herodotus number is unrealistic. Modern scholars estimate the total number of Persian army had been around 70,000 to 300,000. At first Xeroxes wanted to negotiate with Leonidas, so he sent an emissary to him. Leonidas refused the offer of Persians to resettle in another area and in a famous response he said: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“come and take themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . After that the war became inevitable and after four days, which Xeroxes thought the Greeks were going to disperse, he sent his troops to kill Leonidas and crush his army. At the first day of the battle, Xeroxes ordered five thousand archers to attack the Greeks with their arrows, but the bronze shield of the Greeks deflected the arrows and eventually no one got hurt. After Xeroxes realized that the archers could not to any damage to Leonidas army, he ordered Medes and Cissians, which were around 10,000 soldiers to attack and bring prisoners before him. They Spartans and other Greeks crushed them with an easy victory. Xerxes then shocked by the result sent his best troops, the Immortals. They defeated horribly and had no more success than the other group. The reason Spartans could defeat the Persian army so easily is the tactical advantage at Thermopylae. One of the reasons was that Persians were too many on numbers and the battlefield was too tight, and the only weapons that they had were daggers and short spears for hand to hand combat. Persians were not fighting the way they had been trained and they were not equipped for such close fighting so the Greek army wiped them out easily. Another reason could be that Greeks were fighting for their lands, and defending their homes and their family so they had more intangible edge. On the other hand, half of the Persian army was slaves and to make them fight the Greeks the commanders lashed them with whips. On the second day of the battle, Xeroxes again sent some troops to attack the Greeks. After Greeks drew them off with light injuries, Xeroxes stopped and withdrew to his camp without any plan. However, everything changed at the end of the second day. His name was Ephialtes, which coming to mean nightmare in the Greek language, and he was a Trachinian traitor. Greed and rewards made him to betray the Greek army and informed Xeroxes of the mountain path around Thermopylae. After that a Persian army under command of a general named Hydarnes attacked the pass. The 1,000 Phocians guarding the pass were surprised by the Persian attack and they retreat to higher grounds to regroup after a brief resistance. However the Persian army advanced through the pass and did not chase them. On the third and final day of the battle,