Healthy Personality: Ability to Adapt Change and Handle Stress

The road to a healthy personality is like a road itself. It has many curves and blind corners. Ones ability to adapt to this constantly changing road is one of the most important components of a healthy personality. That is, the ability to adapt to a changing world. Another important component is the ability to handle stress. We are just beginning to find out what stress does to our bodies and minds, and most of it is not good. Some other components I will discuss are having a good self-concept and everything that encompasses self . Our world is constantly changing and putting different pressures and demands on us. We have to adapt to many new kinds of stressors resulting from evolution alone. Time is changing constantly and that brings on new situations we need to cope with. When a person can adapt well, they have less stress and in general have a healthier personality. Adapting gives us the means to survive. It provides us with shelter, food, and a competitive edge. Without these things its hard to survive. There are people like this too. Some people, whether it be circumstantial or relative, just do not have what it takes to make it these days. These people usually do not have a healthy personality. It would be hard to even think about what a healthy personality is like. The ability to adapt gives us access to the resources needed for lives essential biological needs, which in turn allows us to think deeper about our state of mind and relationships with others. The way we handle stress and how we react to it plays a big role in the development of a healthy personality. To go out into the world not prepared to handle stress would be like going into war with no ammo in the guns. You would not last very long in either situation. There is no denying the fact that all of have stress to deal with. I'm not going to tell you or anyone else what I'm going through. You don't need to hear it and I don't like hearing it from other people. What it comes down to is how one deals with their individual stressors. Psychological hardiness comes into play here. If you are a psychologically hardy person, stress may be a foreign word to you. On the other hand if you are not a psychologically hardy person you will have a very good idea of what stress is. Psychological hardiness, to me, is the act of actively knowing you have stress and using three simple guidelines to deal with that stress. Those three are commitment, control, and challenge. These three things are very important in stress management. Especially in comparison to other ways of stress management like substance use, withdrawal, or defense mechanisms. While these things temporarily relieve the effects of stress they usually are short lived or have negative consequences attached to them. If you commit yourself to do something you are actively staying involved in that activity. This helps you to set goals and achieve them. Challenge is taking a stressful situation and turning it into a challenge instead of some situation you just have to deal with. When you take on something it doesn't quite seem the same as a stressful situation. The situation may be very stressful, it's all about the attitude one takes on before going into a certain situation. Finally control can aid in stress relief. When people feel that they are in control they have an easier time dealing with whatever situation they are in. If you feel that you are in charge of your life and the decisions you make and the attitudes you take on are your own you will have an easier time dealing with stress. These are not the only ways of dealing with stress. There is Albert Ellis's concept of controlling stressful thoughts. Ellis says that what we think is directly correlated to what we feel. His theory includes concepts like catastrophizing thoughts and irrational beliefs. These things are hard to detect, but I think we all do them. Irrational beliefs and catastrophizing thoughts are negative feelings about situations you feel stress in. An example would be thinking you have to act a certain way to get the approval of others in a social setting, or thinking that there is nothing that you could possibly do in a situation. The main point in dealing with stress that Ellis is trying to make is realizing that we all have these negative thoughts and beliefs. When something happens to us, Ellis called this event the activating event, we have consequences that follow. In between those two events is when the belief or thought will take place. An example would be if you lose your job, activating event, you will have negative consequences. A lot of people would add in a catastrophizing thought like â€Å"that job was everything to me† or â€Å"I'll never find a job as good as that one†. When we do that it makes it easier to look at our failures and concentrate on them instead of trying to fix them. It also makes it easier to become depressed or anxious. People get in the habit of using these beliefs and thoughts over time and have a hard time breaking there habits. My final component to a healthy personality is a collaboration of several different theories. They all have to do with how we perceive ourselves and how we feel about ourselves. Individual theories that will be discussed are self perception, the self concept, self esteem, and ideal self. I feel that all of these things are closely related and tied together very intricately. They are reflected within each other and none could really be complete without the others. Self perception is an ongoing and constantly changing view of what we are. It can be broken down into three major components, they are: the physical self, the social self, and the personal self. The physical self is the bodies we walk around in and the unique features each of them possess. Our physical appearance has an enormous effect on a healthy personality. Some people tower over others and some, like me, wish they had a few more inches. Some people are physically more beautiful than other people, and in turn get more attention for their appearance. Other people are ridiculed for their appearance. How people deal with their physical self has a lot to do with a healthy personality. For example if a young girl really wants to be a model, but is not cut out to be one, the realization that she will not be a model will have a profound effect on her personality. Perhaps she will take on negative attitudes about her body and appearance. Maybe those attitudes will develop into false beliefs that people, including her, are somehow not as valuable unless they are beautiful. You can also look at it from the other end, perhaps a very beautiful young lady develops negative feelings about unattractive people. And those feelings develop into beliefs that she is better than everyone else and the most beautiful person on earth. How we deal with the fact that we are constantly being judged and evaluated on our physical appearance has a profound effect on personality. The social self is the many different masks and roles we play in social and home settings. You might play the role of a sophisticated gentleman at a fancy Christmas party, or the role of a brother, sister, mother, father, or child within a household. How we use these different roles and masks has an effect on our personality. What if you went to fancy Christmas parties in wholly jeans and a t-shirt? You would probably be looked down upon. And if you did that all the time, that is use the wrong social masks in the wrong situation, it would affect your personality negatively. The personal self is the part of you that nobody else knows. It is the constantly changing feeling of being yourself, with always changing emotions, attitudes, and feelings. The personal self includes our names and self concept. Our names do have a small effect on our personality. They can change others perception of us, which can lead to many different things, but for the most part peoples names do not have a profound impact on personality. A self concept is an impression or concept of yourself. It is a collaboration of personal traits you feel are important, and your own impression on how you stack up to these traits. Your self concept can have positive and negative impacts on your personality. If you have a very rigid view on what values you should have and you do not live up to them you could consider yourself not worthy. It can lower your self esteem, which is another closely related concept. Self esteem is approving of yourself. It is respecting yourself as a valuable person. Self esteem is said to form in childhood when parents either show conditional or unconditional love. This can have a profound affect on personality. People with lower self esteem tend to be depressed more and are shown to be more susceptible to suicide. Flip side of the story, people with high self esteem tend to live happier lives with overall healthier personalities. Concepts of how we ought to be is our ideal selves. This is all the traits we think we should be full of. Things like compassion, honesty, or it can be things like physical appearance, height, and hair color. The closer we actually are to what we think we should be correlates to ones self esteem. That is, the closer we are, the higher our self esteem. If we think we are not up to par with ourselves it can lower self esteem. Our concept of self is a very intricate and delicate web of emotions and outside pressures we need to keep tabs on. The concepts in this essay are a lot like car accessaries. You can add new shiny paint to show of its physical appearance and you can add snow tires to adapt to different road conditions in the future. What we do to our vehicles that we have is up to us. We have the innate ability to change our surroundings and ourselves. That is why a lot of these components are related. If we feel like we have low self esteem we can start exercising to feel better, which will in turn allow us to be physically fit. Physical fitness will allow us to feel less stress about being overweight or lazy, and that in turn will allow us to concentrate on adapting to our natural surroundings.

Freudian Analysis of Melancholia Essay

The film Melancholia by Lars von Trier gradually develops into the character’s depression through their actions and choices that can relate directly to Lars von Trier’s own depression and unfortunate childhood circumstances. The main protagonist of the movie, Justine, is depressed and this affects everyone around her. Lars von Trier, the writer and director, is depressed was depressed when creating this film and this depression is reflected in Melancholia. Freudian theories relate to Melancholia through Justine’s life as well as her love life. She is constantly unsatisfied and immediately has an extramarital sexual encounter when she is vulnerable. Freudian theories are demonstrated through the depression from the characters in the movie to the writer. Some of Freudian theories that will be discussed are looking at how some of the character experiences are similar to Lars von Triers past and the Oedipus complex. Lars von Trier’s past greatly influenced how and what he wrote for Melancholia. Freud said that â€Å"the notion that human beings are motivated, even driven, by desires, fears, needs, and conflicts of which they are unaware† (Tyson, 14-15) indicates Lars von Trier is motivated by his past experiences. The viewer learns quickly that Justine has an unhappiness that constantly affects her daily routine, and she pretends to be someone else when she’s around others. Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration. These problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairments in one’s ability to take care of their everyday responsibilities. Justine shows signs of depression throughout the film for example, when refusing to take a bath or go riding which she usually she enjoys doing. People with depression tend to be exhausted on a regular basis similar to when Justine left her own wedding party to have a nap. Lars von Trier may have experienced the same symptoms of depression in his personal experiences, as well his childhood might have influenced why he became epressed in his later life which could have possibly enhanced his work for Melancholia. Although Lars was diagnosed with depression in 2007, he had a difficult childhood. He did not know who his biological father was until his mother told him on her death bed. Freud believed that â€Å"our unconscious was influenced by childhood events†. Lars von Trier stated during an interview that â€Å"I come from a family of communist nudists. I was allowed to do or not to do what I like. My parents were not interested in whether I went to school or get drunk on white wine. After a childhood like that, you search for restrictions in your own life. † Lars’ childhood relates greatly to the character of Justine. Justine’s parents did not seem to care for her. During Justine’s wedding, her parent’s self-absorption is reflected in their speeches about their marriage problems. As well, her parents did not care or take time for her when Justine specifically asked a few times to talk privately to her father and he could not find the time. In the bedroom, Justine was upset and asked her mother for help but her mother was no help at all. Her mom did not seem to care and her father left the wedding leaving only a note saying that he was leaving with another woman and to â€Å"forgive an old fool†. Lars’ and Justine’s parents have similar responses to their children of not caring. Claire was distraught and acted out of character, she could no longer organize her thoughts and be as calm around Justine as she was before, alike to Lars’ thoughts he quoted â€Å"Everything is going to Hell, but we should smile all the way. † (Lars personal quotes on IMDB) Once Justine realized Melancholia was going to hit the earth she became collected and composed. At the end of the movie Justine, Claire and Leo site together, close their eyes and hold hands as Justine had instructed. This is one of the only scenes where Justine actually genuinely smiles. She appears to be at peace and content even though she knows that the end of the world is approaching. This scene relates to Lars’ quote. Even though Justine knows everything is going to Hell, she is smiling even at the end. Lars’ mentions the restrictions he puts on his life like Justine not allowing herself to have a happy marriage and accept her husband’s love and happiness. Justine becomes very depressed during her wedding and cheats on her newly wedded husband. She will not have a real relationship with her husband but moments later will have a quick sexual encounter with a complete stranger. This relates to Freud’s beliefs in the Oedipus complex, a girl’s desire for her father and anger and jealousy towards her mother. Justine’s father flirts openly with other women in front of his wife and children at the wedding. Justine has a sexual encounter with a stranger trying to mimic a relationship alike to her fathers. This may have influenced Justine’s decision to behave dishonestly with her husband even though her husband loved her very much. Justine’s mother makes a speech during the wedding dinner and expresses her animosity against marriage, while Justine and her sister Claire look at their mother with anger and embarrassment. Justine and Claire disrespect their mother by getting married, knowing to expect her disapproving comments, yet criticize her for it. â€Å"The result is a murderous rage against the Mother†¦ and a desire to possess the Father† (1016) Melancholia is about the world ending and in Justine’s small world she is depressed, Citing Freudians Oedipus Complex one can parallel Lars’ state of depression which is shown throughout the movie. The character’s actions mirror Lars von Trier’s beliefs and experiences through his life and through his depression, which is a huge factor in Melancholia. As well the relationships Justine has reflects the Oedipus Complex through her behaviour and decisions. Therefore Freudian theories relate directly to Melancholia.

Creating market value for consumers

The plan is for the creation of an ethnic Arabian/ Middle Eastern restaurant offering entertainment programs in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Arabian Nights is a trendy new ethnic restaurant located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The emphasis of the restaurant is going to be Oriental cuisine, with up-to-date and traditional recipes. Besides, Arabian Nights will offer regular simple dishes for the companions of the consumers who for some reason are not attracted by the rich and spicy Oriental food. The restaurant will also offer evening shows featuring costume displays, fashion shows, dancing, and singing so that customers could taste a flavor of the Orient. In our opinion, the market need for the creation of this product is conditioned by the relative scarcity of ethnic cuisine offerings in the vicinity of Fairfiled, CT. The area also misses rich entertainment possibilities. The interest in ethnic foods surges in the US market as people are increasingly dining out and their tastes shift towards gourmet cuisine. Bakers’ Dozen report on food service trends for 2004 cites the trend for original ethnic foods as one of the most important for the year. The authors of the study believe that the original recipes will increasingly replace â€Å"mall ethnic fare† that is typically â€Å"Americanized version of ethnic food† (Bakers’ Dozen 2004). As one can see from the Megasite Guide to Dining, Fairfield county restaurant owners offer their customers predominantly uniform meal styles, flavored by some intermittent Chinese, Japanese and European ethnic cuisines (Megasite Guide to Dining). In part this is conditioned by the relative lack of ethnic diversity in the area cited by the participants of the high school focus group (Long Range Plan 2001-2006). Arabian Nights will be the first restaurant in the area that will combine eating out with entertainment. The shows will be relatively low-priced as compared to the offerings of the entertainment places like concert halls and theaters ($6-10 per person admission fee on the night of the performance), and will add excitement to the evening out experience. The restaurant will cater both to those who are interested in the Middle Eastern culture and customs and those who have only a fleeting wish to get an exotic meal. The decorations of the interior will feature paintings of the Arabian lifestyle, exquisitely designed modern and ancient maps of the region and a few recipes of the simplest Middle Eastern foods set in trendy frames. In the future, the restaurant will aspire to become the renowned local venue and a community specialty. The focus of the restaurant will be on both food and entertainment. Considering the public’s interest in exotic dishes, Arabian Nights will offer the Oriental food, the area untapped by other fashion restaurants in the vicinity. As today’s public is taking an interest in health diet, the restaurant needs to emphasize the fact that it is using healthy ingredients, and the food is not fattening. The potential customers will include young couples in their 20s and 30s, as well as older public. The potential visitors will be also couples with kids who might take an interest in the show and educational displays in the establishment. The message of the product offerings will be communicated to consumers using various communication channels. The primary vehicle will be advertising including ads in local newspapers, quick commercials on local TV channels, and Internet ads placed on websites on local entertainment and dining opportunities. Besides, the first shows are expected to attract a great deal of publicity that will be supported by the company’s pres releases. The restaurant hoped to achieve publicity also by granting support to the local â€Å"Feed the Hungry† programs. Works Cited Bakers’ Dozen Foodservice Trends: Trends for 2004. Retrieved Jan.12, 2004 from the Hubert Company website: http://www.hubert.com/pdf/hubert-foodservice-trends.pdf Fairfield Public Library. Long Range Plan 2001-2006. Part 9 – Appendix A. Focus Group Results. Retrieved Jan.12, 2004 Megasite Guide to Dining. Current Restaurants, Caterers and Delicatessens. Retrieved Jan.12, 2004 from Megasite Guide to Dining: http://www.culinarymenus.com/current.htm   

How organizational citizenship behavior is determined and how it Essay

How organizational citizenship behavior is determined and how it impacts on the efficiency of performance in Ministry of Interior in UAE - Essay Example Organizational Citizenship behavior exceeds the required limits as formal organizational roles require so; it is not possible to hold the staff accountable for failing to undertake it. However, in many occasions, levels of productivity of performance could be sacrificed for the sake of serving colleagues and bossed or serving public objectives at the organizational level. From the practical viewpoint, the significance of organizational citizenship behavior lie in its capability of developing organization’s effectiveness and efficiency though, protecting organization resources, presenting necessary creative and developmental suggestions, achieving the levels resilience in the face of challenges and unexpected emergencies. Introduction and Problem Statement Employment in the government commands the highest level of social responsibility and moral conduct in addressing the needs of the citizenry. This is because government service is essentially public service, which implies a subordination of personal interest and even comfort to the greater interest of the nation and its citizens. Nowhere is there a more fitting application of this construct that in the Ministry of Interior, where the imperative to apply force to ensure law and order is tempered by the need to observe organizational citizenship behaviour in the implementation of its police and security function.

Options for Implementing a Leadership Change Essay

Options for Implementing a Leadership Change - Essay Example Moreover generating short term wins. Also, making sure that the change is here to stay, and be altered again as per the need of the hour. Kotter moreover maintains that a big number of individuals are required to make alterations take place rather than any single individual along with their wants to be a society of leadership inside the organization. The people, who have contributed in the formation of the organization, were not in for it for fame, they were in it for the passion of the field of bio technology, and how they wanted to change the whole field of research with their remarkable findings. Looking at Don , it seems that he has been a good leader moving on with his participative style of leadership until this point in time , he has maintained a very cooperative environment , and also has maintained a very cordial relationship with the pioneer team members which has reaped him huge fame and revenues. Accordingly, he has always recognized his employee efforts at each and every step of his progress (Kelly, 1998). Now, currently, the company is facing the scenario of globalization that is taking place around the world very rapidly in every field of life .The bio technology field now demands innovative technology products and new research genres, for which Don along with the approval of his board members is jumping onto the act of an IPO. Wherein, presumably the results will put them on a higher scale even in terms of Wall Street as well as his own corporation, by going public. Gene one needs to work really hard on the project as the team members who are within the senior management are not too experienced with the concept f handling an entire IPO process. It also seems that this is taking a toll on all the senior management's attitude as well as their performance and relationship amongst each other and amongst their team members. As a result of the new suggestion of switching onto an IPO and public, the team members and the other players, have started laying hands on each other, presuming that the target is unachievable, some of them are also presumable not too happy about the IPO decision. Within this situation Teri sends in her resignation, which is compelling don to think that maybe he is not the right person to be handling or leading his team at this point in time. There are several recommendations that can be made but it would be best to relate to this with the leadership literature. A change strategy: Don to begin with needs to comprehend the detail that victorious leadership approaches ought to diverge with administrative inferences of change in addition to the total of time required to achieve the desired revisions. additionally his team members who think about this stride of

The Insanity Defense of Andrea Yates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Insanity Defense of Andrea Yates - Essay Example June 20, 2001, which had started as a normal day in the Yates family living in the suburban area of Houston, brought some tragic misfortunes to the family. Following her daily routine, Andrea Yates, a suburban housewife, made breakfast for her five children and then the hell broke out in the family when she drowned each of her five children one by one in the family’s guest bathroom. The eldest among the children, Noah, was just 7 years old and the youngest one, Mary, was only of 6 months. Her other three children whom she killed were John, 5 years old, Paul, 3 years old and Luke, 2 years old. Once she found all of them to be dead after drowning them in the bathtub, she spread the bodies of her four children out on her bed, and left Noah, her eldest child, floating in bathtub. After committing this horrifying crime, she called the police as well as her husband for disclosing the crime she had committed. (McLellan; Keram) There is no doubt that no crime could be more heinous than killing one’s own children. However, looking at the nature of crime committed by a mother, questions are bound to arise regarding the mental status of Yates at the time of the crime. It was her psychological disorder which prompted her to commit such crime and considering her psychological problem her defendant demanded insanity defense in the first trial. She was under treatment and was taking drugs even two days before the incident occurred. She claimed of having odd visions and hearing sounds which was not real. She believed that for the good of her children she must kill them. The act was committed when her husband had left her alone with the children despite the doctor’s instructions against it. However, in the first trial, she was accused of committing the crime of killing her own children and sentenced to life. (Keram) She was declared not guilty only in the second trial and released on

2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2 - Essay Example This discussion explains how they American Patriots won the Revolutionary War. American colonies won the Revolutionary War through the use of various strategies that disadvantaged its enemies. It is necessary to explain that a good war is fought by an army that is located near its home. America fought a war that took place on its major colonies and thus it was very easy for military orders, troops and supplies to reach their destination without delay. On the other hand, the British colonized a very expansive region and this means that there were challenges in transporting troops and other military supplies to soldiers. The distance covered by British troops was longer and cumbersome compared to the one covered by American troops. Therefore, geographical barriers became a huge hindrance to the British Empire and this put their troops at a disadvantage (Zinn 55). On the other hand, it was very easy for American troops to be organized and get military supplies and new recruits within a short time. Secondly, Americans had clear objectives that motivated its troops to fight and ensure they were achieved. In addition, Americans supported their troops to help them have adequate supplies that would enable them to fight without being in a disadvantaged position. It is necessary to explain that Americans believed that no country had a right to invade its territory and command its citizens. Therefore, they fought to reject violation of their rights and ensure they were allowed to do what they wanted without restrictions. In addition, America had been colonized by the British for a long time and it was time to become self-governed. One of their main objectives of waging war with Britain was to eliminate the British rule and become independent. It was not easy to become independent without engaging in bloodshed. On the other hand, the British had no

Week 5 discussion questions and participation Essay

Week 5 discussion questions and participation - Essay Example The direct method ignores any other service departments when allocating service cost to production departments. The step down method is different because it recognizes that in some service departments support the activities in other service departments as well as the producing department. The direct method is simpler for accountants to calculate the costs since there are less variables involved. The step down method uses a sequence of service department allocation to arrive at the different costs. In the business world accountants prepare information differently depending on the purpose. Managerial accounting focuses on providing information for internal purposes. Financial accounting on the other hand focuses in making reports for external users of information. Variable costing system monitors changes in costs that occurred on a daily basis. This helps managers in their day to day decision making process. Data and information that is presented to outside users must summarize the results of a period of time. External users are not concerned about the day to day operations of the enterprise. Cost distortions are a potential problem that can lead to many obstacles for a manager. If the costing system is not accurate the managers will make erroneous assumptions that can lead to business errors. For example imagine if a company had a costing system that stated that each unit cost $2.00 to produce. The costing system was distorted and the real cost of the product is $3.05. The made a decision to sell the product at $3.00 which a price that is 50% above cost based on the inaccurate costing system. The manager would lose $0.05 on every sale instead of making a $1.00 profit. If the company is able to develop a costing system that provides a lot of detail the decision seems like a good idea. The manager of that company has to determine if the benefits of maintaining the system outweigh the costs of

Case Brief - McGurn v Bell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Brief - McGurn v Bell - Essay Example ons, McGurn said that a termination clause covering his initial twenty four months of service was considerable which he says Bell did not object to this. Bell extended another offer which McGurn rejected owing to its termination clause. Finally, Bell extended an offer to McGurn which said that following termination of his employment, he was to be given his basic salary over 6 months plus a lump sum amounting to forty thousand dollars or fifty percent of incentive p.a. but this cover was to last for the initial 12months of his service. McGurn signed as required but crossed out the word ‘twelve† and inserted â€Å"eleven† and didn’t inform anyone at Bell of the alteration. Bell’s HRM department received and filed the letter though they denied having viewed it on return. After approximately 13 months, Mcgurn’s employment was terminated, he advised Bell officials that he believed that his contract had a 2year termination clause; they also noted the alteration in the offer letter but refused to pay hence McGurn sued for bleach of contract. An exception to the rule that offerees who accept an offeror’s performance with the knowledge of offeror’s expectation in return for his performance have impliedly accepted the offeror’s terms. This happens where the offeree receives the advantages of the service offered with a reasonable opportunity to decline them plus grounds to recognize that they were accepted with the anticipation of recompense (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers and Langvardt, 2004). The court borrowed the procedure from two case i.e. Gateway C. v. Charlotte Theatres, Inc. and Kiddlerv Greenman. The Bell’s silence amounted to acceptance of McGurn’s counteroffer. The Bell microproducts, Inc. should to revisit the offer it wrote and signed earlier after it has been countersigned and returned by McGurn. For the first issue, the general rule of law holds that silence in reply to an offer aimed at forming a contract doesn’t add up to an acceptance of

Descriptive Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Descriptive Statistics - Essay Example In simple words, the results are not accurate because the last patient’s survival of 45 weeks is an exceptional entry that has alone a considerable impact on measures of central tendency in this study. Recall that the standard deviation defines an area below and above the mean about which it is expected that a majority of the scores will fall. The researchers; therefore, would be required to submit another set of results on 12 new entries to estimate the mean and central tendency measures. Additional money to researchers will then be granted if they come up with satisfactory results. Research Hypothesis Null Hypothesis: H0 - ? = 9.6 Alternative Hypothesis: Ha = ? > 10 The original claim is that the mean number of weeks that a prostate cancer patient lives after receiving a confirmed diagnosis of being in stage 4 is 9.6. Whereas, the new case study considers that it is above 9.6; therefore, there is need to conduct a statistical test of single average. Test Statistic Variables The independent variables include the age of cancer patients, financial situation of participants etc. The dependent variables may include medical checkups and patients’ personal care. Selection, Problems and Ethical Issues The cancer patients in stage 4 will be selected randomly without identifying their forecasted survival life in weeks by doctors and medical representatives. Indeed, this is an attempt to avert any possibility of biases in the study.

Addiction Wrecks Essay Example for Free

Addiction Wrecks Essay Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that affects the brains reward, motivation and other related systems. It is a relationship you have with an object or substance. Most addicts come to depend on that object or substance to meet emotional needs. Individuals struggling with addiction are unable to control their actions and make rational decisions about their behavior. There are two main forms of addiction, physiological and psychological. Psychological is an emotional dependence on the feeling a drug or action gives you. Physiological addiction goes beyond mental cravings. One becomes physiologically addicted to a substance when your body has marked a physical need for increasing doses. Drugs such as heroin, cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol are physiologically addictive. There are many warning signs and symptoms of physiological addictions; tolerance you need more and more to get high. Withdrawal: which has symptoms such as; sweating, tremors, tension, anger, irritability, becoming impatient, and rapid heart rate. Those symptoms appear when you quit using the drug or substance. There is no standard time it takes to become addicted, many say consistent use over a 30 day period but there is no magic number. No matter what once an addiction is forms it is extremely harmful. â€Å"In 2005 scientist found the so called addiction gene, a brain receptor that, in certain forms, makes people more susceptible to drug and alcohol addiction†. (Winters 8) Many believe that the disease is hereditary however no one is doomed from birth many factors beyond genetics play in, such as psychological factors; failure in parental guidance, unstable family environments. Psychological vulnerability, depression, stressed tense and unhappy life styles. Although knowing the gene exist is most useful in providing preventive treatment that isolates that particular receptor and potentially decreases a person’s change in becoming addicted (pg. 9) Many children develop addictive behaviors because it is a learned behavior. A big part of how you act is determined hoe your parents act, you learn by watching and interacting with them. Unfortunately people who are raised in addictive families learn addictive beliefs and logics. For instance, if one of your parents is an alcoholic you learn growing up that the way to cope with a bad day is to come home and have a few drinks to numb the pain. Pure pressure may also lead you into an addiction. There are different stages that lead to addiction; first experimentation it’s marked by someone wanting to do something only a few times to see what it’s like such as gambling or a sex experiment. Then there is casual use, doing something occasionally or just a few times a month. Abuse is the third stage that leads to addiction, abuse is when someone continues to abuse an object or substance regardless of the negative consequences or desire to quit. Dependence is next, using or doing on a regular basis. Increased tolerance levels and mild withdraw. Last you become fully addicted, an over whelming compulsion for an event or substance on a continuous basis. Once you become an addict it becomes the most important thing in your life above family and all. Addiction wrecks your life including your physical health, personal relationships and overall job performance. The worse the addiction the more the addict isolates him/her self from people who can help and the longer the illness progresses the less the addict feels like they cant turn to others. Most of the time the addict doesn’t realize there is a problem and are in denial. Addicts go to extreme life threatening behaviors because they lose control of their own actions. Alcohol is the most widely abused drug in the world. Technically a depressant, alcohol provides a drunken high that often allows people to forget their troubles. Extreme alcohol craving can also result from genetic vulnerability. Studies show that adult children of alcoholics are 3-4 times more likely to become alcoholics themselves (Kuhn 19). No one is doomed from birth; many factors beyond genetics play in such as psychological factors. Alcohol effects how the body works, when drinking all the time the body adapts its self to having alcohol in the blood stream and then comes dependent on it and needs it for stability. Marijuana usually know as the gateway drug is made from leafs of a cannabis plant and is usually smokes. State of intoxication from marijuana is also known as being high, usually people feel relaxed and their senses are heightened (Kuhn 3). Marijuana causes psychological dependence. While under the influence of marijuana sense of time is distorted and simple task seem to take longer to accomplish. Some effects of smoking marijuana are increased heart rate, slowing reaction time, memory loss, and slowing reaction time. These effects are noticeable in just a few min and last a few hours. The most lasting and harmful effect of marijuana is the physiological changes in neurotransmitters and structures in the brain, leading to the loss of motivation and cognitive impairments. Drug addiction is one of the most visible and common addictions today. One of America’s biggest battles today is on narcotics. The most common used narcotics are Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxy-cotton, which are all made with opium. Opium is a reddish-brown heavy scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used as a narcotic and in medicine as an analgesic. When opiates are introduced to the brain the body stops producing its own endorphins, which leads to tolerance and addiction. Narcotics cause an initial rush followed by a 4-6 hour high, during the high the user feels relaxed however after these phases wear off the user crashes and produces the desire for more of the drug. If the user doesn’t get more of the drug they go into what is called withdraw. Withdraw happens when the user does not have more of the drug within 8 hours after the user comes down. Symptoms of withdraw are tearing eyes, chills, sweats, nausea and increased heart rate. These symptoms can last 3-4 days if the user doesn’t have more drugs. The severity of withdraw depends on the severity of the addiction. Addiction and drugs don’t discriminate. They don’t care whose life they ruin or who they kill. Addiction doesn’t care what kind of home you came from or how responsible you parents are. Addiction can and will affect you if you let it. If you already find yourself in the vicious cycle of addiction there is a way out and always a road to recovery if you truly want it. It won’t be easy; it will be long night of no sleep and hard days of wanting to give into those painful cravings. However if you as an individual want it bad enough you can achieve sobriety. Step 1 is admitting you have an addiction. Confront what you have been ignoring and be honest with yourself. Second is to seek help, support groups with others who are in your same situation and can help you reach your goals of sobriety. Probably the most important is treatment or a rehab facility to keep you safe why you reach your maximum potential on your road to recovery. Recovery is a constant struggle; it may take many months’ even years for you to confidently say you are a fully recovered addict. However it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You learn how and why you were addicted and how to work out many of the problems you were previously trying to avoid. The knowledge you learn can give you confidence in confronting an addiction urge may it ever appear again. If you’re struggling with addiction, get help! Talk to a friend, teacher, counselor, neighbor, you’re not alone. Addiction is one of the biggest problems in today’s society. Start today by taking the first step to make a life changing decision. You can overcome it and there are people and facilities out there that are willing able and ready to help addicts.

AP Dashanchurna Essay Example for Free

AP Dashanchurna Essay Operating since 1912, Ayurvedia Pharmacy is one of the oldest operating pharmacies in Bangladesh. Despite its long life, it has failed to make its mark as one of the prominent companies in this country. It has a range of over 100 products but only four of these are prominent. Even among these four, some are faltering and losing ground to new entrants. AP Dashanchurna (white toothpowder) is one of these products. AP Dashanchurna has been around for a very long time, but it gained popularity after the current owners took over the company from the government in the year 1979. It gained the epitome of popularity in the years 1990-95 when this name was a household name. Regretfully, AP Dashanchurna has not been able to hold on to its glory. AP Dashanchurna is now a losing concern. The company has held onto this product simply because it has been one of the flagship brands of the company for a long time. The problem with AP Dashanchurna is that it has failed to capitalize on its long life and fame. In the meantime, products like Magic Toothpowder, Colgate Toothpowder, Shakti Majan etc have gained significant foothold in the market. These companies take a more structured approach to identifying the target market and have significantly better marketing communication. AP Dashanshurna has failed because it has not balanced its marketing communication with the target market and hence lost customers. It also failed to make use of its chief strength, the herbal makeup of the products. AP Dashanchurna is launching a new campaign in an effort to rejuvenate the product. They are bringing changes in the packaging, going for television commercials and newspaper advertisements. They do not undertake any activities to find out consumer insights, and marketing communications are based only on gut feeling of the marketers. A set of recommendations have been proposed for AP Dashanchurna. Our recommended marketing campaign is focused on its relevant target market and its perception in the market. The whole marketing mix has been renovated and a new marketing mix has been suggested for AP Dashanchurna. It is expected that this marketing mix will help redeem the product’s value and perception in its target market.

Vietnamese culture

Vietnamese culture VIETNAMESE CULTURE Totally this topic needs a wide knowledge about Vietnamese culture. Although I am a Vietnamese but maybe my knowledge is still not enough to talk about everything I want you to know. So, my entire essay is my result in finding from Internet and from my understanding about my country. Actually, there are some words I dont know how to translate into English, and then I let them in Vietnamese. That thing means keep tradition of Vietnam. Thank you for your attention! Some website you can find more information about this topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1945.html#dien Vietnamese Culture and Tradition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Vietnam http://www.vietnam-beauty.com/vietnamese-culture.html http://www.vietnamtradefair.com/en/vh.htm http://www.trekkingtravel.com.vn/about_vietnam_list/14/1/VietNam_Culture.html http://www.adoptvietnam.org/vietnamese/index.htm http://www.vietspring.org/ http://www.terragalleria.com/vietnam/ http://www.photosbymartin.com/asia/vietnam_pictures.htm http://www.bugbog.com/gallery/vietnam_pictures/vietnam_pictures_door.html http://www.vietnam-photograph.com/ http://history1900s.about.com/od/vietnamwar/tp/vietnamwarpictures.htm I) INTRODUCTION Vietnam has a very rich culture that has been shaped by many different civilizations throughout history. Through many long struggles, the Vietnamese have created our unique culture. Our culture has been influenced by many other civilizations: the ancient peoples that once inhabited the land, the Chinese, the French, and most recently, the Americans and Russians. From all these outside influences, and centuries of war, oppression, and hardship, we have formed, and maintained our culture. The people of Vietnam are hard working and feel strong ties to our families. We are well versed in the arts, and have made several contributions to the world of literature. Aside from our painful history, the Vietnamese people have a culture and many customs, all our own. We can begin with wars of Vietnam. II. BODY: 1. Vietnam wars: We had to struggle many years to take the government back from enemies. Vietnam was split into two in 1954, as part of the Geneva accords. It had a communist government in the north, and a democratic south. A series of events led up to a full scale war between the two countries which included not only the Vietnamese, but people from America, Australia, and other nations. The Americans supported the widely unpopular southern regime, and although in the beginning they attempted to keep their involvement limited, they sent millions of soldiers to war in Vietnam to prevent the spread of Communism. Years of bitter guerrilla warfare in the rugged jungles and villages of Vietnam eventually resulted in a North Vietnamese victory and the reunification of Vietnam. Millions of people, American and Vietnamese alike died in the war, and the country today still struggles to reestablish itself after the damages on its economy, land, and people the war caused. Especially, we have Vietnam war which also known as theSecond Indochina War, was aCold Warmilitary conflictthat may be said to have occurred inVietnam,Laos, andCambodiafrom September 26, 1959to April 30, 1975. The war was fought between the communistNorth Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government ofSouth Vietnam, supported by theUnited Statesand other anti-communist nations. TheViet Cong, a lightly armed South Vietnamesecommunist-controlledcommon front, largely fought aguerrilla waragainst anti-communistforces in the region. TheNorth Vietnamese Armyengaged in a moreconventional war, at times committing large units into battle. U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied onair superiorityand overwhelming firepower to conductsearch and destroyoperations, involvingground forces,artilleryandair strikes. The United States entered the war to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of their wider strategy of containment.Military advisorsarrived from beginning in 1950. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with U.S. troop levels tripling in 1961 and tripling again in 1962.[13]U.S.combat unitswere deployed beginning in 1965. Involvement peaked in 1968 at the time of theTet Offensive. After this, U.S. ground forces were withdrawn as part of a policy calledVietnamization. Despite the Paris Peace Accords, signed by all parties in January 1973, fighting continued. TheCase-Church Amendment, passed by the U.S. Congress in response to theanti-warmovement, prohibited direct U.S. military involvement after August 15, 1973. U.S. military and economic aid continued until 1975.[14]Thecapture of Saigonby North Vietnamese army in April 1975 marked the end of Vietnam War. North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year. The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities, including 3 to 4 million Vietnamese from both sides, 1.5 to 2 million LaotiansandCambodians, and 58,159 U.S. soldiers. But after all the difficult time we had to struggle, there was one day, when Vietnamese had our independent day. From that day, our country became an independent country, an free country. On 2 September 1945,Ho Chi Minh(leader of the Viet Minh) declared theindependentDemocratic Republic of Vietnambefore a crowd of 500,000 inHanoi.In an overture to the Americans, he began his speech by paraphrasing theUnited States Declaration of Independence:All men are created equal. The Creator has given us certain inviolable Rights: the right to Life, the right to be Free, and the right to achieve Happiness 2) People: Although there are as many as 60 different groups of people living in Vietnam, the majority of the populations are the Viet people. Of the 78 million people living in the country, 85 percent are what we refer to as Vietnamese. They live primarily in the lowlands of Vietnam. Three-quarters of the population of Vietnam live in rural villages. A vast majority of the citizens are rice farmers, and live in the lowlands where there is fertile, easily irrigated soil. Where the ancestors of the Viet people came from is not completely known. They were probably farmers that moved gradually into the northern part of Vietnam from China, and slowly moved south, pushing other native people like the Champa out or up into the mountains as they migrated along the coast. One of the larger minority groups in Vietnam are the Chinese. They immigrated to the lowlands of Vietnam during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Before the war between North and South Vietnam, they were involved in foreign and rice trade, and remained somewhat independent from the Vietnamese people. Later, however; new laws and regulations forced most to abandon their ways of life, and many fled the country. Two other minorities living in the lowlands include the Cham and the Khmer. The Cham are descendants of the Champa kingdom that existed along the central coast for thousands of years. Now there are only about 50,000 of their people left living as fishermen and farmers in scattered villages along the coast. The Khmer, of Cambodian decent, live and have lived for a long time in the swampy Mekong Delta, south of Ho Chi Minh City. They are more numerous than the Cham people. The other residents of Vietnam live in the mountainous regions of the country. They, as a group, are commonly called the Montagnards. In the northern mountains, along the Chinese border, live tribes that have migrated there in the last several centuries. Some of the more common of these include the Tai, Nung, Meo, Yao, Muong, and the Tay. The Tay are by far the most numerous of the northern people. To the south, in the central highlands, are the Rhade and the Jarai peoples. They are descendants of nomads who came to the central coast in the third or second millennia BC, and have since been pushed up into the highlands. Now they live mainly by slash and burn agriculture. For centuries, the mountain people lived in isolation and were suspicious of lowlanders. They maintained only limited communication and trade with the Vietnamese. In the last fifty or so years, Vietnamese people have tried both peace and force to integrate them into their society, and finding themselves in the middle of several wars. Now the Vietnamese government is implementing programs to improve and develop communities, bring lowland Vietnamese people into the mountains, and educate the children of these Montagnards, while still allowing them to maintain their heritage. Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world. Its official language, Vietnamese is spoken throughout the country, but dialects vary between the north, south, and center. English is common in larger cities and is taught in schools, and French is also spoken in various parts of the country. Vietnam has an 88 percent literacy rate. Their national script is called Quoc Ngu. It was introduced by European colonists, and utilizes the Roman alphabet (the alphabet used for English †¦ but Vietnamese alphabet has some letters different from English). Nowadays, in a lot of school, besides English and French we can also learn many foreign languages such as: German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian, and Canada †¦ Those languages service to our new economy, we join with world, with other developing country and so on. The Vietnamese people and the many minority groups living with us have created a unique culture and form of society. We have held onto their heritage and pride throughout countless struggles and wars, and are still striving to integrate and unite all parts and people of their incredible country. 3) Food: Typical Vietnamese food varies from one region of the country to another. In the north, spices are mild and no used often. In central Vietnam, food is much spicier, and uses ground chilies often. Foods in the south often include spicy seasonings such as curry. Tropical fruits, stir fries, rice, and soups are eaten all over. The same as almost other country in Asia, rice is the main grain for the Vietnamese people. It can be served plain, sweetened, stir fried with meat or vegetables, added to soups, made into rice cakes, or into flour to make rice noodles or thin rice paper. Rice paper is often seen wrapped around meat, vegetables, and noodles, and then fried to make Vietnamese egg rolls. Rice is eaten at almost every meal. Beef and other meats are uncommon; they are too expensive and spoil easily without refrigeration. Instead, the people of Vietnam eat seafood, eels, frogs eggs, and the occasional duck, chicken, or pork. In the mountains, they hunt birds and other animals, and eat or sell the meat they obtain. Vegetables, grown on plots near the house when possible, include onions, soybeans, bamboo shoots, yams, and other roots. Common fruits include bananas, mangoes, coconuts, and other tropical fruits. Tea, soda, beer, and rice wine are the main beverages. A common sauce is nuoc mam, a fish sauce used to flavor many things, including rice. Dishes of meat, vegetables, seafood, and rice are placed in the center of a table. People choose what they want, and mix them with their bowls of rice. Soups, also with mixtures of meats and vegetables, are also popular. The Vietnamese eat with chopsticks, and raise their up off the table to eat. Vietnam also has a large variety of noodles and noodle soups. Different regions invented different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colors, etc. For breakfast, people often eat a soup called pho. This soup can contain whatever the cook wishes to put in, but usually includes rice noodles, beef broth, onions, seasonings such as ginger, and bits of meat. Street vendors sell snacks and meals at all times of the day. As people go to or from work or school, they can pick up a bowl of pho, rice cakes, tiny meatballs, and noodles with sauces, candy, or any number of other treats. This food has become famous in the world. It is considered the symbol of Vietnamese food. If you are a tourist traveling Vietnam, that is the food you cant ignore. It has the private taste, so delicious and unforgettable. Vietnamese cuisine is extremely diverse, often divided into three main categories, each pertaining to Vietnams three main regions (north, central and south). It uses very little oil and many vegetables, and is mainly based on rice, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavors are sweet, spicy, sour, nuoc mam (fish sauce), and flavored by a variety of mint and basil. Currently, Vietnamese cuisine has been gaining popularity and can be found widely in many other countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Laos, Japan, China, Malaysia, and France. Vietnamese cuisine is recognized for its strict, sometimes choosy selection of ingredients. A chef preparing authentic Vietnamese cuisine may incorporate the ingredients provided in these countries, but generally will prefer ingredients native to Vietnam. 4) Life style: In each region of Vietnam, lifestyles differ, but there are some aspects of life which remain fundamentally the same. The family is the center of Vietnamese life. Many homes support large extended families with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all living under the same roof. Although the government encourages, and rewards people for small families, the average number of children per couple is four. Respect is important in the family. Each person has his or her own place with the father or eldest son as the head of the household, and the one who gets the most respect. Every member of a family must work hard. Eighty percent of the populations of Vietnam live in rural villages scattered throughout the lowlands and mountains. Villages in the north consist of a group of houses with a temple or central building as a town center and social meeting place. Southern villages are houses lined up along a central road. Many houses are built on stilts to keep above flood waters. Many rural families dont want or cant afford to have running water or electricity. People living in the lowlands make money by farming. There are several state owned farms as well as private, family run ones. People grow rice, fruits and vegetables, sugarcane, tea, or coffee. Some families raise livestock for extra money. Along the coast, in addition to farmers, there are many fishermen. People who live in the central highlands and the northern mountains are very self sufficient. They only buy things that they can not make, grow, trap, or hunt. To obtain money, mountain dwellers grow certain types of rice, harvest the rubber trees, and work with coffee and tea. Some are also involved in the illegal growing and harvesting goes the opium poppy. The life of a farmer is hard. People must rise before the sun comes up to get started on their work. They take a break in the middle of the heat of the day, and then return to the fields. Each member of a family has certain jobs to perform. Men do heavy labor like plowing and digging. Women work around the house, and help with the harvest, planing and weeding. Elderly people do light labor. Girls clean, cook, and work in the vegetable garden; while boys carry water, and help the men in the field. The entire family helps out during planting and harvest. Typical clothing worn by farmers is lose pants and shirts (or skirts for some women) that can be easily rolled up and kept out of water an mud. Most people wear sandals or go barefoot. All over Vietnam people wear conical shaped hats called non la to protect them from the scalding sun and heavy rains. The other twenty percent of the inhabitants of Vietnam live in cities. They have jobs just like the jobs people living in cities all over the world have. There are construction workers, office secretaries, merchants, street vendors, teachers, government workers, factory workers, and many other occupations. Cities experience more of the western influence than rural areas do. People wear western clothing such as jeans and T-shirts, and do things like people in Europe and America do. Most families live in small, crowded apartments, or in government housing. The city is very crowded, and streets are often crammed with bikes, motorbikes, scooters, and some cars very early in the morning. Street vendors are all over. One can pick up a meal or snack from them as soon as he gets hungry. Overpopulation is a problem in cities. The government encourages couples to have only to children, but many have more. They are also trying to resettle families into the less crowded mountains. City life is also hard, crowed. Many people must take two jobs to get enough money to support their families. Both men and women work, although men do most of the heavy labor and hold positions of authority. Everybody gets up early in the morning. Work starts at about 7, but before that people are up and about, and in public parks exercising, or at open markets buying the days groceries. Children go to school for half the day; either in the morning or afternoon shift, then go home to work, study, or play. Women buy food and necessities on the way to or from work. Most families eat at about 6 or 7 PM and go to bed at about 10 or 11. Homes are small and sparsely furnished. Straw mats are used for both sleeping and sitting. Meals are eaten on a low table, in low down chairs. Food is often cooked outside, or on three legged wood or coal burning stoves in the main room. In the country, electricity and running water are rare. In cities, they are in many homes, but most families dont have appliances such as refrigerators or TVs. 5) Religion: Although only about half of the people of Vietnam belong to organized religions, religion, and the beliefs arising from religions play large parts in the lives of most Vietnamese. They are often very superstitious, and believe things must be done right, or the family will have bad luck. Most Vietnamese practice ancestor worship. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors come back to earth on specific days, and throughout the year they pay high respect to them. In many homes there is a small alter to the ancestors of the family where they burn incense, have food offerings, and pictures of their deceased family members. Certain beliefs of many religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, animism and Catholicism are incorporated into the lives of the everyday, not seriously religious, Vietnamese person. Of the people who are members of organized religions, the greatest number is Buddhists. Buddhism came to Vietnam from India, during the Chines rule. This religion concentrates on self improvement and the belief of more lives after death. People must carry themselves well and improve and realize themselves in this life in order to pass on to a better life in their next one. There are slightly different beliefs between the north and south. The members of the Hoa Hao sect in South Vietnam are more radical in their beliefs than members of the more passive sects in the north. Hoa Hao is the largest major sect of Vietnamese Buddhism, was founded during the early 20th century in South Vietnam, and has over one million followers. Catholicism is another major religion. It was brought to Vietnam by the French colonists and has about four million followers. Many Catholics were against communism, and many fled the country when it was split up in 1954 and when it was reunited in 1975. Other Christian churches have sent missionaries to Vietnam, but were not widely adopted. Many of the mountain tribes practice spirit worship, or Animism. There are differences between what each tribe believes. In general, Animism is an ancient religion centered on the belief that clouds, rivers, forests, animals, etc. all have spirits. It used to be believed all over the world, but now only in scattered regions, including the Vietnamese highlands. Confucianism is more of a philosophy than a religion, but it has a strong influence on Vietnamese life. The Vietnamese took many of the Confucian morals and ethics. Confucianism, introduced by the Chinese, teaches respect, honest government, formality, and that people should be rewarded for merit. Another Chinese religion that influences Vietnamese philosophy today is Taoism. A few of the teachings of Taoism are belief in the spirit world, and the importance of how things line up. People must be very careful where they build houses, dig graves, or face doors, or it could be very unlucky. Perhaps the strangest Vietnamese religion is Cao Dai. It was founded in 1919 in the city of Tay Ninh and has as many as one million followers today. Cao Dai was established to bring together the best of all religions. There are little bits and pieces of many religions as part of it. Among its saints are religious figures from other faiths as well as famous people from history such as author Victor Hugo, and comedian Charlie Chaplain. They have statues and icons that are mixtures of important Vietnamese mythical animals, and things found in other religions, with a little bit of their own innovation included. Many seriously religious people are activists. They believe in justice for all, and the government may not completely trust their loyalty, so it discourages strong devotion to some religions. Vietnams diversity of people and religions throughout history has helped make Vietnam the fascinating country that it is today. Religion in Vietnam has historically been largely defined by the East Asian mix of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, the so-called Tam Già ¡o, or triple religion, but today it has become more diverse including other religions such as catholism, etc. Vietnamese Buddhism has typically been the most popular. The country also has a strong cultural norm of ancestor worship as well as animism. This fits perfectly with the triple religion; making it difficult for many Vietnamese to express exactly which religion they practice. Of the three, Vietnamese Buddhism has always been the most popular with commoners. Besides the triple religion, Vietnamese life was also profoundly influenced by the practice of ancestor worship as well as native animism. Most Vietnamese people, regardless of religious denomination, practice ancestor worship and have an ancestor altar at their home or business, a testament to the emphasis Vietnamese culture places on filial duty. Along with obligations to clan and family, education has always played a vital role in Vietnamese culture. In the old days, scholars were placed at the top of society. Men not born of noble blood could only wish to elevate their status by means of studying for a rigorous Imperial examination which could potentially open doors to a position in the government, granting them power and prestige as Mandarin officials. A part we must to mention in this part is temples, pagodas †¦ Architecture in Vietnam today is a mixture of French colonial manors, and Chinese pagodas and temples. Many traditional Vietnamese buildings were destroyed by nature or war. Many big buildings and cathedrals resemble French Gothic architecture. Other buildings have pointed roofs and curving eaves, like Chinese buildings. There are remains of ancient stone buildings built by previous inhabitants of Vietnam. In cities, many buildings contain stores on the bottom floors and homes on top. Homes are small. In rural and mountain areas, houses are larger, one or two room wooden dwellings. 6) Recreation: Elementary schools dont have sports teams, but secondary schools do. The most popular sport is soccer. Schools also have track, tennis, and volleyball teams. In large cities, the government sponsors sports teams in soccer, swimming, table tennis, badminton, volleyball, tennis, and other sports. Children, in their free time, like to play games similar to those played in other countries. They swim, jump rope, play kickball, marbles, card games, and many other games. People enjoy playing musical instruments and having any number of friendly contests. In rural areas, they have competitions in things that help people with tasks that they must complete in day to day life. Although the Vietnamese are not very competitive, they enjoy friendly games and competitions. Teens in the cities like to hang out in the streets, ice cream parlors, or in cafes. The like listening to music, and going to movies, dances, and cafes where they can eat and watch movies. Many people in cities exercise early in the morning in public parks. Thai cuc quyen, a form of slow motion shadow boxing related to kung fu, is very popular among young and elderly women. Martial arts are often taken up by boys. People also attend dance and music lessons. Most free time is spent with friends and family. In the cities there are many things to do, and in rural villages, people are never lost for something to entertain them with. When families go on vacation, they usually go to one of Vietnams many beautiful beaches or to the mountains near the town of Da Lat. 7) Customs: The Vietnamese have many unique customs. They have a great respect for their families and ancestors. Children obey their parents, and wives obey their husbands. Many people practice ancestor worship. They have shrines in their homes where they burn incense for their deceased family members. They believe that they must treat their ancestors well, or bad things could happen. If a special pet dies, a family might bury it as if it were one of the families. People, especially in the highlands, believe that everything has a spirit. They respect and even worship things like trees, animals, clouds, and streams. Sacred animals of Vietnam include dragons, turtles, and more. The Vietnamese are very suspicious. Things must happen right on special occasions such as Tet, or the family will have bad luck. There are numerous signs that could mean bad fortune is imminent. Geomancy is another superstition. It is centered on the belief that all things in the universe must line up. Before the building of any important structures or buildings, geomancers or pepole who understand the principals of geomancy are consulted. Confucianism introduced a strict moral code, formality, harmony with nature, and established a social order centered on society, family, and male dominance. Buddhism stresses self improvement, and greatly influences Vietnamese life. The French colonists brought industrialization, the idea of individual importance, and the equality of men and women. Nowadays, there are a bit of all shape Vietnamese life and traditions. 8) Clothing: In feudal Vietnam, clothing was one of the most important marks of social status and strict dress codes were enforced. A part of that relates to the way people design them. Its art.Vietnamese art shows a strong Chinese influence, but has the delicate Vietnamese twist. Ceramics are common in Vietnam as is silk weaving, and elaborately engraved furniture. A popular art form is wood block printing where a design or picture is carved into a block of wood, then painted. The paint is pressed onto a sheet of paper, and a beautiful picture appears. Mother-of-pearl inlay originated in Vietnam over 1,000 years ago. Pieces of colorful mother-of-pearl shells are inlayed in wooden bowls, boxes, furniture, or other things. Silk screen painting is also popular. Before photography, portraits and scenery would be painted onto pieces of white silk. Lacquer ware, introduced by the Chinese is found all over Vietnam. Wooden objects are painted with black and a design, and coated over and over with a clear, glassy liquid. When the coats dry, there is a glossy layer over the object that protects it from the humid Vietnames e climate. Dragons and turtles are two very important animals in the Vietnamese culture. There are many beautifully crafted sculptures of those and other important animals, people, and things all over the country. Many of these arts have been used in Vietnam for centuries. Commoners had a limited choice of similarly plain and simple clothes for every day use, as well as being limited in the colors they were allowed to use. For a period, commoners were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white (with the exception of special occasions such as festivals), but in actuality these rules could change often based upon the whims of the current ruler. The à o tá » © thà ¢n or four-part dress is one such example of an ancient dress widely worn by commoner women, along with the à o yá º ¿m bodice which accompanied it. Peasants across the country also gradually came to wear silk pajama-like costumes, known as à o cà ¡nh in the north and à o bà   ba in the south. The headgear of peasants often included a plain piece of cloth wrapped around the head (generally called KhÄÆ'n Ä‘á »â€˜ng), or the stereotypical Nà ³n là ¡ (conical hat). For footwear peasants would often go barefoot, whereas sandals and shoes were reserved for the aristocracy and royalty. Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the color gold, while nobles wore red or purple. Each member of the royal court had an assortment of different formal gowns they would wear at a particular ceremony, or for a particular occasion. The rules governing the fashion of the royal court could change dynasty by dynasty, thus Costumes of the Vietnamese court were quite diverse. The most popular and widely-recognized Vietnamese national costume is the à o Dà  i, which is worn nowadays mostly by women, although men do wear à o dà  i on special occasions such as weddings and funerals. à o dà  i is derived from the Chinese Qipao, although it consists of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over cotton or silk trousers. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear, and likely derived in the 18th century or in the royal court of Huá º ¿. White à o dà  i is the required uniform for girls in many high schools across Vietnam. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries, tour guides) are also required to wear à o dà  i. à o Dà  i was once worn by both genders but today it is worn mainly by females, except for certain important traditional culture-related occasions where some men do wear it. In daily life, the traditional Vietnamese styles are now replaced by Western styles. Traditional clothing is worn instead on special occasions, with the exception of the white Nowadays, throughout the lowlands of the country, people dress in loose pants or skirts with long sleeve shirts that can easily be rolled up. In cities jeans and T-shirts are common as well. Most people wear sandals or go barefoot. The ao dai are a traditional garment worn for special occasions and commoly seen with high school girls in Vietnam. The mountain people wear traditional dress made on looms. The material often has a repeated pattern and is decorated with beads. Each mountain tribe has a different style of clothing, and wears different colors. Conical hats, made out of tightly woven straw or bamboo are worn by people all over Vietnam to protect them from the scalding sun, and heavy rains 9, Literature: First, its the trend of music in Vietnam. Vietnamese music has a sad eerie quality to it and is quite mesmerizing. Often it takes the form of poetry that is sung. It is very interesting because the tones of music must rise and fall as the Vietnamese language does. There are three main types of Vietnamese music: folk, classical, and choral. Folk music includes childrens, work, festival, and funeral songs, and is sometimes accompanied by instruments. Classical music, based on the Chinese opera, is played by a large orchestra. Choral music is sung by a chorus with instrumental accompaniment. Common Vietnamese instruments include bamboo fl

Protestant Propaganda Essay -- Ireland Propaganda Essays

Protestant Propaganda What do you think of when you hear the name Ireland? Ireland is a relatively small island off the coast of Great Britain with a land area of 32,424 square miles (Delaney 2). There are several things that you may associate with this country such as St. Patrick’s Day, shamrocks, beer, and strife. The source of the bitterness behind this conflict began centuries ago, when Britain came over and forced Protestantism on the Irish Catholic inhabitants. For this reason there has always been an animosity between the Protestants and the Irish Catholics. The island is broken up into two distinct regions. The Republic of Ireland consists of twenty-six counties, which make up the southern region. This area is predominantly Roman Catholic. Northern Ireland is made up of the six northern counties, which are under British rule and predominately Protestant. Both sides use propaganda to spread their ideas and gain support. They each have organizations, such as the I.R.A., in the south, and the U.V.F., in the north, which use peaceful methods such as newspapers and murals along with violence to fight for their cause. In Northern Ireland the Protestants used their position in the government to spread anti-Catholic propaganda and persecute the Catholic citizens. One way the Unionists, supporters of British rule whose majority is Protestant in faith, used the church is to help spread their anti-Catholic propaganda. Some Protestant ministers such as the Reverend Ian Paisley used pulpit to express his opinion. Catholics. Once while preaching in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, Reverend Paisley â€Å"calls down contumely on ... ... deadly. I do not think that the peaceful methods such as the use of newspapers, poetry, and film are as bad because they are nonviolent and do not physically harm anyone. However, I do not agree with the use of violence, such as, that on Bloody Sunday, nor do I agree with the use of the Lord’s house to teach hate and discrimination. It is not right to use the church for this purpose. One should not teach hate under the guise of God. It is also wrong to pass laws in order to persecute a minority. I can understand the reasons they did this, to gain and keep control, however that doesn’t make it right. The Protestants and Unionists were not the only ones who used these methods of propaganda; the Catholics and Nationalists did as well. Some of these methods have been used since the beginning of the conflict and will most likely continue for generations to come.

Cuba and the United States Essays -- Foreign Policy Politics Political

Cuba and the United States The island of Cuba has been a focal point of American foreign policy since the acquisition of Florida in the late 1800's. Cuba continues to capture America's attention as it is the only existing communist state in the Western Hemisphere. U.S. policy has attempted to topple the communist regime in Cuba since its outset in 1961. Policies designed to incite revolution, destroy the Cuban economy, and starve the Cuban people seem to be at odds with American ideals of democracy and sovereignty. It is, in fact, the very policies that the United States has implemented that have strengthened and prolonged Fidel Castro's reign in Cuba. The relationship between the United States and Cuba is paradoxical in that its very basis is anti-democratic. The United States never has supported the right of the Cuban people to govern themselves and now it has adopted a position of attempting to force on Cuba the political ideals it deems safe. This examination hopes to explain the background of that relationship and the state in which it now exists. Foreign policy in Cuba is fascinating in that it is a story unlike any other in U.S. history. The ability of one small island to dominate the foreign policy concerns of a world power is certainly an subject for inquiry. Obsession with the island of Cuba itself is nothing new in the United States. For the last thirty years, the small island just 92 miles off the coast of Florida, has shaped American foreign policy. Cuba's geographical location and political structure place it at odds with the United States on all fronts. The close proximity of Cuba to the United States coast places it in the limelight of national security concerns. The map provides a clear ... ...e Secretary General of the United Nations. 20 September 1995. MacGaffey, Wyatt. Twentieth Century Cuba: t he Background of the Castro Revolution. New York: Anchor Books, 1965. Manach, Jorge. Marti: Apostle of Freedom. New York: Devin-Adair, 1950. Matthews, Herbert. The Cuban Story. New York: Harcourt, 1961. Matthews, Herbert. Fidel Castro. New York: Harcourt, 1969. Matthews, Herbert. The Fruits of Fascism. New York: Harcourt, 1943. Mills, C. Wright. Listen, Yankee. New York: Ballantine Books, 1961. Myers, Steven. "Clinton Clears Media to Open in Cuba." New York Times, 13 February 1997. A6. Oppenheimer, Albert. Castro's Final Hour. New York: Macmillan, 1992. Oppenheimer, Albert. "Incresingly, Castro Loses Touch With Cuba." The Miami Herald. 28 July 1992, A12. Phillips, Ruby. The Cuban Dilema. New York

Lessons Learned from Notes to a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin

Realizing What Society Really Is Born in 1924, James Baldwin grew up in Harlem during harsh racism and the infamous Jim Crow laws. In addition to being surrounded by hate crimes and riots, Baldwin had a rough relationship with his father, who died when Baldwin was only nineteen. Twelve years after his father?s death, Baldwin wrote an essay, entitled ?Notes of a Native Son,? which described the events that took place around the time of his father?s death. Being one of his trademark talents, he also inserted periods of analysis while narrating the story. These insights, often reflections on his life and actions, illustrate the importance of learning to truly understand the society in which one lives in order to react appropriately to one?s current situation in life. James Baldwin noted at the beginning of his essay that he really began thinking about his life and his father?s life when his father passed (63). Just like most rebellious teenagers, he did not always understand his father?s intentions when he was being warned about drugs, white people in general, and other activities that he was specifically warned about and kept away from. Arguments were of course inevitable, and their relationship worsened because James Baldwin kept silent. In fact, the one time that he can remember when they had a real chat together was when his father asked him if he really wanted to write instead of being a preacher, like his father (80). Looking back on his childhood, James Baldwin realized that he did not really take any time to get to know his own father, and once he died it was too late. Baldwin also added some analysis about father and son relationships, noting that ?It seems to be typical of Ameri... ...is a commonplace? (84). Back in the forties and fifties, and still today, life isn?t fair, and there still exists strong hatred between certain groups of people. Denial of the way society was or is prevents people from taking control of their lives and growing to become better people despite their respective situation. Baldwin described that personal growth as a continuing fight against those injustices by pushing for complete equality amongst everyone in one?s own life (84). Hatred and discrimination still exist today, but because so many people fought for equality over the past sixty years, changes have occurred to make the pain of realizing how society really was, and how it has become, more bearable. Works Cited Baldwin, James. ?Notes of a Native Son.? 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

An Argument Against the Death Penalty Essay

An eyewitness to the execution of John Evans in Alabama describes this scene from the final moments of a death penalty sentence being carried out: â€Å"The first jolt of 1900 volts of electricity passed through Mr. Evans’ body. It lasted thirty seconds. Sparks and flame erupted from the electrode tied to his leg. His body slammed against the straps holding him in the electric chair and his fist clenched permanently. A large puff of grayish smoke and sparks poured out from under the hood that covered his face. An overpowering stench of burnt flesh and clothing began pervading the witness room. Two doctors examined Mr. Evans and declared that he was not dead.† It took three jolts of electricity and 14 minutes before John Evans was declared dead (Radelet, â€Å"Facing the Death Penalty†). Throughout history, various forms of executions such as this one have taken place as a punishment for crime. In 1976, the United States reinstated the death penalty after having revoked it in 1972 on the grounds that it â€Å"violated the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment† (MacKinnon, â€Å"Ethics† 289). Since its reinstatement, the morality of such punishment has been extensively debated. I argue that the death penalty cannot be morally justified on the basic grounds that killing a human being as a form of punishment is wrong. A major argument supporting capital punishment is that it serves as a deterrent to crimes – specifically, murder. However, this argument requires that the would be killer would take at least a moment to consider what the consequences of murder within our legal system are. This assumes that the killer is capable of such reasoning, and that the crime would be considered before it occurred. In fact, â€Å"those who commit violent crimes often do so in moments of passion, rage and fear – times when irrationality reigns† (Information, â€Å"Capital Punishment† 107). Whether or not a murder or crime is premeditated, there are statistics existing that cause us to question how supportive an argument of deterrence can be. In 1989, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee said that if we look at other Western democracies, â€Å"Not one of those countries has capital punishment for peacetime crimes, and yet every one of them has a murder rate less than half that of the United States† (Information, â€Å"Capital Punishment† 110). The Information Series on capital punishment also says that states that FBI statistics from 1976-1987 show that â€Å"In the twelve states where executions take place, the murder rate is†¦exactly twice the murder rate of the thirteen states without the death penalty† (111). The deterrent value of capital punishment is certainly in question. Killing a human being as a deterrent to crime is, in essence, using a human being as a means rather than an ends. Kantian ethics state that we are to treat people as having intrinsic value and not simply instrumental value. â€Å"People are valuable in themselves regardless of whether they are useful or loved or valued by others† (MacKinnon, â€Å"Ethics† 56). Also, as MacKinnon states, â€Å"using the concern for life that usually promotes it to make a case for ending life is inherently contradictory and a violation of the categorical imperative† (133). If we hold that killing is wrong (except in self-defense) and therefore a killer needs to be punished, to follow with the conclusion that the killer’s punishment is to be killed is completely contradictory. Some would argue that the execution of a murderer is in the â€Å"self-defense† of society itself. This is a distortion of the definition of self-defense. Self-defense is when your life is in immediate danger and a reaction is necessary in order to prevent your injury or death. I believe that self-defense could also apply to situations where the lives of children or others who could not defend themselves were in immediate danger and someone else had to react in order to protect them. The key phrase in each of these definitions is â€Å"immediate danger† and, in the trial of a murderer, there is no indication or guarantee that the person is going to kill again, and there is no immediate danger or threat that requires reaction. This is not self-defense and does not justify killing. Simply because a guilty verdict requires that the murderer be punished, it does not follow that the punishment should be death on the grounds of self-defense. The determination of guilt within our legal system is also in question. Legally, criminals are to be â€Å"innocent until proven guilty†, but in reality they are often â€Å"guilty until proven innocent†. Unfortunately, our legal system is not always just or accurate. Innocent people are convicted. This can happen due to inconclusive evidence, the socioeconomic status of the accused, or jury/judge bias and prejudice, among other factors. A criminal who is convicted and sentenced to imprisonment and then later proven to be innocent can be released. Such is not the case once the irrevocable death penalty has been carried out. The Information Series on capital punishment cites the work of Michael Radelet of the University of Florida who counted since the turn of the century â€Å"343 cases in which a defendant facing a possible death penalty was wrongfully convicted. Of these, 137 were sentenced to death, and 25 were actually executed. Sixty-one served more than 10 years in jail and seven died while in prison† (77). If even one innocent person is wrongfully killed, how can we claim that this is justice? Racial and socioeconomic factors also come into play in the trial and conviction of the accused. The Information Series states that â€Å"since the death penalty was reinstated, six White defendants have been executed for murdering a Black person, while 112 Black people have been executed for the murder of a White person† (105). Samuel Jordan of Amnesty International also points out that in 1998, â€Å"although African-Americans count for 50 percent of homicide victims in the nation, 82 percent of death row offenders have been convicted for the murder of Whites† (Information, â€Å"Capital Punishment† 104). In the 1970’s the Baldus Study found that â€Å"defendants charged with killing White persons received the death penalty in 11 percent of cases, but defendants charged with killing Blacks received the death penalty in only 1 percent of the cases† (Information, 46). The Baldus Study also found that prosecutors sought the death penalty more in cases where a Black defendant was charged with killing a White. Samuel Jordan pointed out that â€Å"poverty as well as race often determines the allocation of the death sentence. Inadequate, inexperienced representation for indigent defendants characterizes most legal litigation† (Information, 104). While the unfairness and inequality of our legal system does not show that the death penalty itself is wrong, I would argue that because of the judicial disparities shown in the statistics above, we know can never be 100 percent certain of the guilt of an individual. Due to this measure of uncertainty, it is morally wrong to determine a punishment that is as irreversible as death. We cannot put ourselves into a position of God. Some will say that the killer’s actions are irreversible and that such a crime deserves an equal punishment. These same people would cite the biblical passage that exhorts â€Å"an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth†. However, if a crime deserves equal punishment, then why do we not rape the rapist or burn the arsonist? A civilized society must be based on values and principles that are higher than those it condemns. As I stated previously, to punish killing with death is inherently contradictory. Biblically we are called to live by higher values. In the New Testament, Jesus said that we may have heard it said â€Å"an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth† but he instructed us to â€Å"turn the other cheek† (Matthew 5:38-41) to love even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-45), to obey the Ten Commandments which tell us not to kill (Exodus 20:13) and not to put ourselves into the position of God by judging whether others live or die (John 8:7). Vengeance and retribution are to be left to God, who is the only one with the perfect capabilities of judgment. If the argument is that serious crimes deserve equal punishments, it is interesting to note, as MacKinnon states in her text, that the death penalty is also assigned as punishment for treason and rape. Capital Punishment is obviously extreme and unequal to such crimes. There are also certain times when the death penalty is not sought for murder cases (297). The inconsistencies in application seem morally problematic in themselves. Burton Wolfe quotes Albert Camus as saying: What is capital punishment if not the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal act, no matter how calculated, can be compared? If there were to be real equivalence, the death penalty would have to be pronounced upon a criminal who had forewarned his victim of the very moment he would be put to a horrible death, and who, from that time on, had kept him confined at his own discretion for a period of months. It is not in private life that one meets such monsters. (â€Å"Pileup† 419) Camus goes on to say that â€Å"the devastating, degrading fear imposed on the condemned man for months or even years is a punishment more terrible than death itself, and one that has not been imposed on his victim† (â€Å"Pileup† 419). A Utilitarian might argue in support of the death penalty based on the moral premise that the goal is to increase the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. Often the victim’s family and others in society will claim that the death penalty is â€Å"justice† and that therefore they are happier when it is applied. I would argue that this â€Å"happiness† is often more of an appeasement – – a very shallow form of â€Å"happiness† that is actually wrapped up in anger and revenge, and not what Utilitarians would classify as true happiness. John Stuart Mill would classify this as a lower pleasure or happiness as described in MacKinnon’s text (37). I would also argue that such â€Å"happiness† would be of short duration. The killing of the murderer does not bring back the life of the victim, and the sorrow from that death is not eliminated by adding the death of another. It would also need to be taken into account that the murderer may also have friends and family who would be caused pain and suffering by the death of the person they care for. It also seems morally dangerous to apply The Greatest Happiness Principle to the determination of whether or not another human being lives or dies. Using this type of reasoning a killer could be able to justify his actions if he were able to prove that greater happiness was produced through the killing of one individual than if they would have lived. The intrinsic value of life itself does not allow for this kind of reasoning for ending it. Killing a human being hinders them from reaching their goal of mature potential. As MacKinnon states when discussing Natural Law Theory, † the innate drive toward living is a good in itself† (133). Other human beings should not choose the time of another human being’s death – this is not natural. To argue that the killer has done this does not make it morally justifiable for us to do the same to the killer. Killing an individual robs them of the opportunity to rehabilitate and to live a good life. Whatever the reasons might be that would determine that a person should be sentenced to death, there can be no argument that we are prematurely ending the life of another with no foreknowledge of what their future may have held. We have no means beyond mere hypothesis to determine what the future actions of an individual will be. This is not to argue that certain actions do not morally require punishment, but simply to argue that the death penalty itself is an inappropriate form of punishment because of the way that it devalues life itself. As members of a civilized society made up of morally responsible individuals, I feel that we are required to consistently value human life. There can be no â€Å"fair† judgment of which lives have more worth than others and we cannot, as a society of moral beings, be saying that it is wrong to take a life and at the same time threaten that if you do, we will take yours. The existence of the threat itself within our legal system contradicts the value we are trying to uphold. Gandhi was a strong proponent for peace and nonviolence within society and throughout the world. Eknath Easwaran quotes Gandhi as saying, â€Å"Violence can never bring an end to violence; all it can do is provoke more violence† (â€Å"Gandhi† 49). He also said that â€Å"Nonviolence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute. The spirit lies dormant in the brute and he knows no law but that of physical might. The dignity of man requires obedience to a higher law †¦Ã¢â ‚¬  (â€Å"Gandhi† 152). No arguments can outweigh the intrinsic value of other human beings and of life itself. Capital punishment cannot be morally justified. Works Cited Easwaran, Eknath. Gandhi: The Man – The Story of His Transformation. Tomales: Nilgiri Press, 1997. Holy Bible: New International Version. Nashville: Broadman & Hloman Publishers, 1995. MacKinnon, Barbara. Ethics: theory and Contemporary Issues – Second Edition. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998. Radelet, Michael. Facing the Death Penalty: Essays on a Cruel and Unusual Punishment. New York, 1989. The Information Series on Current topics. Capital Punishment. Cruel & Unusual? Wylie: Information Plus, 1998. Wolfe, Burton H. Pileup on Death Row. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1973.

Evergreen Investment Essay

Case Summary This case talks about an American mutual fund company that was facing problems  ·with its CRM system. Sales agents felt that they derived little value from it and also it was time consuming. The company is investigating if it could solve this problem by introducing mobile CRM to be accessed wirelessly on blackberry devices. But what are the key factors that have contributed to the success of mobile CRM initiative at Evergreen? Evergreen investments’ background Evergreen investments are the America’s 25th largest asset management company and 32nd largest investment management in the world. It is headquartered in Boston and Charlotte. The company entrusted with $250 billion in assets, over 350 investment professionals and over 3 million investors. CRM in the past In the past, the company use company-supplied laptops to gain access to CRM system, send Emails to customs and expend reporting and commission tracking. At the same time, the company use mobile phones to give their customs a voice call. Scheduling client calls is another way to build a link with customs. It include informal face-to-face meet. And also, client calls can make company knows the actual sales pitch, discuss market topics with customs, meet new faces and call back-up for data. At last, company update any information in CRM, and participate in evergreen conference call at fixed period. Issues in the past Although the company uses CRM to gain some success, their issues still exist. On the one hand, this method required too much time. The company needs to dial up the Internet, using multiple passwords and entering lengthy data, all of which are time consuming. On the other hand, some information is unavailable when they needed. More specifically, when the company meets the customer, laptops were unavailable. Moreover, the company required the use of internal sales consultant to help them handle the business with customers. At last, entry CRM is not easy, the company usually required 1 day per week and sometimes data is unreliable. Mobile CRM In order to improve the CRM system, the company introduces mobile CRM to be accessed wirelessly on blackberry devices. Blackberry main menu allows for easy access to CRM. Its clicking track wheel allows drill down into any sales number. Initial screens display YTD, MTD, previous day’s sales, or large orders. It enables more detailed data, reports, customer information, and other tasks. Detailed customer screens show single customer information including contact details and sales summary. On the basis of this mobile CRM, the Evergreen Investments’ design greatly improved and the productivity increased as well. The key factors to success The success of the company using mobile CRM due to three factors, easy to use, reliability and updated. More specifically, using the simple method can build an easy way to contact between customers and company. It also makes the company more effective in terms of CRM. In addition, the CRM system should be reliability for both customers and company, which resulting a trusted relationship between customers and company. At last, the company should update their data about their customers. The updated progress should be easy and fast. Potential threats Even if the company uses mobile CRM with an exact way, they may face some potential threats as well. People do not need to come to office, they just need a mobile phone and work wherever they want, which could lead to the low efficiency. They need to handle the relation between family and work. And also this kind of work pattern is not easy for managers to manage their company.