Tao Te Ching Essays - Taoism, Tao Te Ching, Laozi, Tao, De

Tao Te Ching "The Ancient Masters were profound and subtle. Their wisdom was unfathomable. There is no way to describe it; all we can describe is their appearance." "The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal food. The best leader follows the will of the people ." The teachings from the book, Tao Te Ching helped influence both the social and moral aspects of the Chinese way of life. The teachings have provided hope, and inspiration for the Chinese people. In ancient China, the people were self-providing farmers who lived exclusively off the land. They rarely took the time to intermingle with their neighbors, and the family stood independently. The people had little knowledge about the outside world and had no desire to learn. Far travel was avoided at all costs, due to the strong attachment to one's own home. The people believed that, "No man could be full grown without his roots in his home ." The people referred to their homes as "tien, yuan, lu mo", which meant fields, gardens, houses, graves. The Chinese thought that the causes of crime were soldiers and wanderers. They were considered evil beings for venturing away from they home. The people believed that all things, living and un-living, had spirits in them. They felt that the spirits if disturbed, could drastically affect one's life. They used amulets, spells, prayers, incantations, and special rites to ward of misfortune. This is a direction to a later Lao Tzu's teaching stating, "Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place ." The home did not limit its members to the current living members; the dead and the future were also considered family. Around 650BC, during the Chou Dynasty, the value of knowledge changed. Although communication between towns was still difficult, many Sages were in desire of knowledge. Some of the most well known sages were; Mencius, Mo Tzu, Confucius, and Lao Tzu, the author of Tao Te Ching. Confucius wrote about the problems of man, and proposed many solutions. He also wrote about authority and respect, and proposed "submissiveness." His works helped influence the way that government was run, and Confucius actively participated in government. His teachings were present in the Chinese government for many years, until the belief in Tao. A sage named Lao Tzu created the Tao religion. Very little is known about Lao Tzu. Even the meaning of his name is a mystery; "the Old Master" or "the Old Boy"? The only thing we do know about Lao Tzu is that he wrote the book, TAO TE CHING, and created a thought revolution. His reference to the eternal force he called Tao, gave people inspiration, and a new method of thinking. Lao Tzu described Tao as, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The unnamable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things. Free from desire, you realize mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding. " and later went on to say, "The Tao is infinite, eternal. Why is it eternal? It was never born; thus it can never die. Why is it infinite? It has no desires for itself; thus it is present for all beings. " Taoism believed in little governmental interference. This is best described through the belief that, "the meek would inherit the earth. ". Another example would be from the passage by Lao Tzu stating, "Throw away holiness and wisdom, and the people will be a hundred time happier. Throw away morality and justice, and the people will do the right thing. Throw away industry and profit, and there won't be any thieves. " Taoism is most described as that which is striving for equality. The thought of remaining in the middle, is the general belief in Taoism. . The creation of Yin and Yang derived from the belief of Tao. Tao is not only tangible things, but also what cannot be comprehended. What cannot be seen is also know as the ultimate principle or truth. Tao proposed a new thought pattern for the Chinese people. The people now realized that they need each other. "Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and

Jane Addams essays

Jane Addams essays Jane Addams was born on September 6, 1860 in Ceadarville, Illinois. She entered the Womans Medical College of Philadelphia after receiving her A.B. degree from Rockford College in 1882. Addams is remembered as a feminist icon, a social activist, and a reformer. She is one of many female social reformers that was active in the early twentieth century. Her most popular creation was the Hull House in Chicago in 1889. Jane witnessed the heartaches of life, the loss of loved ones, postwar depression, and how people were not able to escape it. Her father, John Addams, whom she admired, encouraged her not to pretend to understand what you didnt understand and to always be honest with yourself inside and out. It was said that women should prove themselves in what was still a mans world. Her travels encouraged her to do something about her concern for the welfare of the other half in other words known as the poor. Jane had inspired other women to work for sanitation and housing laws, to improve school systems, to join the Womens Suffrage, to support the legal protection of immigrants, and anything that would improve the way of life. After seeing Toynbee Hall in London, she realized the need for something similar in her country. It was Toynbee Hall, which inspired the Hull House. On September 18, 1889 the Hull House opened its doors to people in need of relief. Addams and her colleague, Ellen Starr, took care of children who had working mothers, arranged for medical care for the sick, and fought against the diseased streets which spread sickness and disease through the neighborhood. It was the beginning of one of the great social movements in America and was an action that allowed Jane to break away from the roles women were being portrayed by. The Hull House became the community center all throughout Chicago. It was a boys club, an art museum, a theater, a music school, ...

Molecular Formula and Simplest Formula Example Problem

Molecular Formula and Simplest Formula Example Problem The molecular formula of a compound lists all the elements and the number of atoms of each element  that actually make up the compound. The simplest formula is similar where elements are all listed, but the numbers correspond to the ratios between the elements.  This worked example problem demonstrates how to use the simplest formula of a compound and its molecular mass to find the molecular formula. Molecular Formula from Simplest Formula Problem The simplest formula for vitamin C is C3H4O3. Experimental data indicates that the molecular mass of vitamin C is about 180. What is the molecular formula of vitamin C?SolutionFirst, calculate the sum of the atomic masses for C3H4O3. Look up the atomic masses for the elements from the Periodic Table. The atomic masses are found to be:H is 1.01C is 12.01O is 16.00Plugging in these numbers, the sum of the atomic masses for C3H4O3 is:3(12.0) 4(1.0) 3(16.0) 88.0This means the formula mass of vitamin C is 88.0. Compare the formula mass (88.0) to the approximate molecular mass (180). The molecular mass is twice the formula mass (180/88 2.0), so the simplest formula must be multiplied by 2 to get the molecular formula:molecular formula vitamin C 2 x C3H4O3 C6H8O6AnswerC6H8O6 Tips for Working Problems An approximate molecular mass is usually sufficient to determine the formula mass, but the calculations tend not to work out even as in this example. You are looking for the closest whole number to multiply by the formula mass to get the molecular mass. If you see that the ratio between formula mass and molecular mass is 2.5, you might be looking at a ratio of 2 or 3, but its more likely youll need to multiply the formula mass by 5. Theres often some trial and error in getting the correct answer. Its a good idea to check your answer by doing the math (sometimes more than one way) to see which value is closest. If youre using experimental data, there will be some error in your molecular mass calculation. Usually compounds assigned in a lab setting will have ratios of 2 or 3, not high numbers like 5, 6, 8, or 10 (although these values are also possible, especially in a college lab or real world setting). Its worth pointing out, while chemistry problems are worked using molecular and simplest formulas, real compounds dont always follow the rules. Atoms may share electrons such that ratios of 1.5 (for example) occur. However, use whole number ratios for chemistry homework problems! Determining the Molecular Formula From Simplest Formula Formula ProblemThe simplest formula for butane is C2H5  and its molecular mass is about 60. What is the  molecular formula  of butane?SolutionFirst, calculate the sum of the atomic masses for C2H5. Look up the  atomic masses  for the elements from the  Periodic Table. The atomic masses are found to be:H is 1.01C is 12.01Plugging in these numbers, the sum of the atomic masses for C2H5  is:2(12.0) 5(1.0) 29.0This means the formula mass of butane is 29.0. Compare the formula mass (29.0) to the approximate  molecular mass  (60). The molecular mass is  essentially  twice  the formula mass  (60/29 2.1),  so the simplest formula  must be multiplied by 2 to get the molecular formula:molecular formula of butane 2 x C2H5   C4H10AnswerThe molecular formula for butane is C4H10.

Canadian Training Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian Training Systems - Essay Example h programs in the long run can be neglected in no respect and neither can the positive outcomes of training on the productivity and success of various other establishments in the market be kept unseen. I personally do believe that a meager 0.25% increment on payrolls of employees during training is inadequate and dissatisfactory, so as to keep them going and making them believe in their capabilities and the importance of what they learn during the training process. A 1% increment will to some extent, solve some if not all of the problems that these valuable gems of our organizational family face in their day to day lives. I have full confidence in the project and hope that it will bring success and fame, leading us to prosperity. returns to training investments in workplaces. The benefits from such investments in Germany and Japan have been remarkable and have encouraged other countries to follow suit. Workplace training since long has been a black box in terms of our human resource management system. The AET (adult education and training) and IAC (industrial assessment center) surveys carried out in most industries all over the country; reveal the importance and requirement of employee as well as employer training. Training can be categorized into formal and informal. The WTS (workplace training surveys) say that training in 75% of all establishments all over Canada is informal. The type of training that includes proper vision, pre-defined objectives, a structural format and a defined curriculum may be defined as the formal dimension of training. Informal training may include monitoring relationships, experimental learning and sharing knowledge among employees. These methods could be highly flexible, versatile and effective. However, with these, our statistical profile of training and its efficiency does still remain mostly incomplete. Training, more specifically the formal version, takes place in larger establishments and organizations rather than the smaller

Counselor Interveiw Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Counselor Interveiw - Essay Example The profession of talk show host in some way was related to his next profession because he thought about working on a crisis hotline. He thought that might be an interesting career. This is where he first recognized his passion for counseling and decided to make a career out of it. Jim mentioned that he had worked at many agencies and learned to totally appreciation Family and Community Services (F&C). He mentioned that if this was an individuals first job, they may not appreciate how good a job this one is; he did because he had so many jobs he did not like. In some of the agencies he worked at he was under a lot of stress because he was always trying to make quotas as part of the job. He likes F&C because it has such a relaxed atmosphere that he loves coming to work. At this agency they do not have to worry about quotas because they are a non-profit agency and rely more on grants than the number of patients that come through the door. He feels he is able to really focus on the clients now which is what he has always wanted to do. Jim gave me a small description of the various parts of his job. He does eerythign from paper work to working in the court system. He seemed proud of the fact that he is on a first name basis with the judges in Kent, OH. The F&C is responsible for a variety of programs. In addition to his other duties, Jim runs a 26 week Domestic Violence program for individuals who have committed domestic violence and have been sent through the court system. He also conducts a weekend Alcoholics Anonymous class for DUI offenders. His counseling duties take him into individual sessions with men and women who experience PTSD due to sexual assault. Jims agency also runs a homeless center for veterans and three community centers. In addition to Jim, the agency has three other counselors. There are group, couple, family and individual counseling for children, adolescents

French Educational System Compared to the American System Essay Example for Free

French Educational System Compared to the American System Essay France and the United States have numerous striking differences and tastes in almost all cultural aspects. The French education system has been criticized globally by scholars and experts in various career fields for its failure to provide a flexible, all-round education. However, it has also received praise and recognition by the world at large for its significant contribution to the field of mathematics, with the revolution in banking in the late 20th century pioneered by French mathematicians. The United States education system, on the other hand, is increasingly receiving favor by international students for its provision of high class, market friendly education, despite the current criticism on the high cost of education. This paper compares the French and the American education systems. There are many differences, as well as similarities, in the French and the US education systems. One of the major aspects which have raised concern is on higher education. In both countries, higher education is given high priority, and in the US, for instance, the majority of adults are college educated. In France, higher education is also highly valued, with a person’s popularity and respect increasing as she or he advances in education. A significant difference in the higher education in both France and the US, however, is on the entrance process to university. In the French education system, before one can gain access to university studies, the final exam, the Baccalaureat, or the â€Å"Bac† is mandatory. The â€Å"Bac† is a rigorous school-leaving examination with no multiple choice questions and includes a written part and an oral part, with several subjects each. The â€Å"Bac† is highly valued in the nation so much that despite numerous criticisms from scholars globally to change the system and implement other selection methods, the nation has refused to change it. (Understandfrance. org, 2008) Despite the tough examination system, the French have no other university selection method. The nationwide â€Å"no selection† policy has raised controversy from scholars worldwide who find the method not sufficient for a thorough process. College selection in the US however, is very vigorous and students undergo numerous processes before gaining entrance to college. Selection is comprised of practices such as writing a personal statement, attending an interview, being involved in extra curricular activities among of course, the class ranking and the grades earned in high school courses taken. Recommendations too, by responsible persons are also considered before one can gain entrance into any higher institution of learning. A major reason which has made many international students prefer the higher education system in the United States over that in France in the recent past is the many facilities and services offered in US institutions. Issues such as overcrowding in lecture halls, for instance, are not experienced in majority of US institutions, although quite evident in most of the universities in France. Such prestige, however, comes at a cost. College tuition fees in the US can in no way be comparable to France, where education, interestingly, at all levels is almost free and only 26 percent of university students receive scholarships. (Understandfrance. org, 2008) Tuition fees is so high in the US, such that scholarships alone cannot cater for the students; the majority of US students receive either loans, grants or both from the government, so as to cater for their tuition fees. The government, in fact cannot sufficiently cater for the tuition needs of all the students, and private sources are increasingly becoming normal. Grants and loans are even not enough, and many students opt to sign up to study over the internet, in the many obviously questionable free online courses. Another striking difference in the education systems of both France and the United States is their curriculum. The French curriculum has been criticized globally for its failure to connect to the world market. Many demonstrations have been staged by French students, for decades and although there have been reforms; the reforms have not been good enough to cater for the current market demand. The US system, on the other hand, has diverse and flexible curricula, with a wide range of topics, from nuclear science to dance. As opposed to the French curricula, where extra curricular activities such as sports, musical groups and numerous clubs are not recognized in the curricula and where one can only have private classes for the same, in the US, such activities are given high priority. They can also be found in US institutions, both public and private. The flexibility of the US education system is what has made it the most preferred by international students worldwide, since they can have access to almost all interested areas of study. Unemployment, as a result is not as prevalent in the US as it is in France, with the recent demonstrations by French students to find solutions to the problem. The French are recognized as a literacy community, where education levels determine a person’s status. The more one advances in education, the more recognized she or he gets. This is a belief not common in the US. This general belief is what makes the education valued so greatly, with most French students spending most of their time in classroom related activities, allowing no room for other activities such as music and art related fields. Highly educated people in France in especially the globally viewed â€Å"tough† subjects such as mathematics, are given great respect, with the not very successful in education, despite their circumstances or other achievements, looked down upon and not recognized. In the United States, however, education levels are not given such respect and other issues such as healthcare are given more weight even politically. It is not surprising to note that the richest Americans are college dropouts, big names such as William Gates III. This notwithstanding, the education facilities in the United states are the best compared to other institutions worldwide. Despite critics arguing that French schools tend to make students theoretical and uncreative, French academic standards are high and discipline is strict. This is however not the case in the American education system, where the use of drugs is common especially in junior high and high schools. This problem has remained a major problem in the US for many years. (Hall, 1990, 99-102 144) Education, over the years, has played a very important role in the development of individuals and a nation. It is important to note that both the French and American education systems should be improved, in certain features, as aforementioned, such as eradicating the drug use in US schools, making the French system more market friendly and more relevant to the current market stage, and improving the overcrowded high education institutions. This move would in the long run, make both of the systems stronger, hence ensuring effectiveness in both; an important catalyst in the road to globalization. Works Cited: Hall M. R. (1990) Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French and Americans (Intercultural Press) Understandfrance. org (2008): Education in France. Retrieved December 2nd 2008 from: http://www. understandfrance. org/France/Education. html

The Character of Claudius in Shakespeares Hamlet Essays -- GCSE Englis

The Character of Claudius in Hamlet      Ã‚      Shakespeare presents Claudius as a character with many faces yet the audience can clearly understand his motives and ambition throughout the play. His character does however change and we clearly see how his evilness and weakness increases as his need to escape discovery and his clandestine nature in doing so, is revealed.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      It is in Act one scene two that we are first introduced to the character of Claudius. The impression made by him is that of a powerful and controlled man who is respected by most. His mannerisms of speech are graceful and are nothing less than the words of a king, 'to bear our heats with grief, and our whole kingdom.' Claudius is presented to us by Shakespeare as a dominant but caring king. He acts in a friendly manner to his subjects "Take thy fair hour, Laertes; thine be thine" and shows warmth to his nephew, " but now my cousin Hamlet, and my son-." To the naked eye of the audience, Claudius may even be seen as a likeable character, but we later understand Shakespeare's use of Claudius's attitude towards his family at this stage, which is unknown to us to be a whole deceitful act. Here we perceive that not only does Claudius have a great knowledge of affairs of state, "now follows that you know young Fortinbras, Holding a weak supposal of our worth." but he is also a g reat actor.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We know as the viewer of this play, that it was Claudius that committed the murder of his brother Hamlet, and that in selfish reason Claudius took to the throne along as marrying Gertrude, the past kings wife. Like the audience of the Elizabethan times, Hamlet is also mystified at this "O hasty marriage." In his superficial speec... ...Faucit, Helena (Lady Martin). On Some of Shakespeare's Characters. 6th ed. London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1899.    Knight, G. Wilson. "The Embassy of Death." The Wheel of Fire. London: Methuen and Co., Ltd., 1954. p. 38-39. http://server1.hypermart.net/hamlet/wheefire.html N. pag.    Mack, Maynard. "The World of Hamlet." Yale Review. vol. 41 (1952) p. 502-23. Rpt. in Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Madariaga, Salvador de. "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern." "On Hamlet." 2nd ed. London: Frank Cass & Co., Ltd., 1964. p.14-16. http://www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/essayson.htm#demag-ess N. pag.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.   

U.S. Civil Rights Milestones of the Early Twentieth Century

It would be almost impossible to discuss the issue of civil rights in the U.S. without mentioning Martin Luther King. He was the undeniable leader and hero of the American Civil Rights Movement of the twentieth century. He is widely recognized for his valiant efforts to advance civil rights for African Americans in the U.S. in the late 1950's and 60's. Countless streets and buildings carry his name and the country celebrates a national holiday on his birthday in January. He was the founder and first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The SCLC organized non-violent protests throughout the South. However, many people in the U.S. are not aware of any of the events in the Civil Rights Movement that took place before Dr. King's leadership. The three major milestones that set the stage for Martin Luther King and the SCLC to advance the cause of U.S. civil rights were the integration of the military, the Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education decision, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The first noteworthy event of the twentieth century that advanced the cause of civil rights was executive order 9981. President Truman became enlightened about the plight of African Americans when he met with civil rights activists in the White House in 1946. After establishing a committee to recommend preventive measures to fight discrimination, Truman signed executive order 9981 that called for the integration of the military (Executive Order 9981). However, it was not fully enforced until the U.S. became involved in the Korean War. A legal decision that had a lasting impact on civil rights was the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education handed down in 1955. It established that public schools should not be segregated. Though it was challenged by several southern states for many years, all the states eventually followed it (Brown v. Board of Education).The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a protest orchestrated by Dr. King. Most people remember Rosa Parks as the brave woman who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. Her arrest led to a boycott of the buses in Montgomery, Alabama for over a year. The protest was successful and led to Martin Luther King's presidency of the SCLC. As the president of the SCLC, he led many protests and marches and gave countless memorable speeches to champion civil rights (Montgomery Bus Boycott). Before MLK assumed a leadership role in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement through his presidency of the SCLC, other key events took place to pave the way for the fight for equality. Truman's Executive Order 9981 in 1948 eventually led to complete racial integration in the military. Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education legally ended public school segregation, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott resulted in the end of illegal desegregation on public transportation. These historic events preceded Dr. King's numerous achievements and helped energize the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Works Citedâ€Å"Brown v. Board of Education.†Ã‚  History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history.com/.â€Å"Executive Order 9981.†Ã‚  Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 2016, www.encyclopedia.com/.â€Å"Montgomery Bus Boycott.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 2018, www.britannica.com/.

Rethinking Poverty

Esmeralda Johnson Dr. Douchant ECON 33065 May 2nd, 2018 Rethinking PovertyIntroductionDespite the remarkable and noticeable progress since the Second World War in various parts of the world, severe poverty remains to be a concern in various regions in the globe. From the World Bank's report of 2008, more than 1.4 billion people are living in poverty, which is under 1 dollar a day income (United Nations, 5). The world is facing very diverse challenges. Recently, crises of energy and food are making hundreds of millions to be susceptible to poverty and hunger. The world economic and financial crisis also is threatening to wipe out progress in the reduction of poverty, as climate change remains the main threat to the lives of the poor people. The negative outcome of the crises highlights an increased vulnerability to poverty, hence calling for some international poverty reduction (Karnani, np). It eventually underscores the need of rethinking strategies for poverty reduction, including the development paradigm. Background information on global poverty. Poverty is a key cause of undernourishment and hunger. From the 2009 research by the Food and Agriculture Organization, more than 960 million people are hungry people worldwide, representing more than 15 percent of the world population. Most of the hungry and undernourished individuals are in the poor countries nations. Poverty on its own is claiming more than 25 000 children every day, with the number also increasing all the time (United Nations, 5). These children die miserably in various parts of the earth. Also, more than 28 percent of the children in countries that are developing, are assumed and assessed to be stunted or underweight. More than 1 billion individuals in the unindustrialized countries lack access to sufficient water, while more than 2.6 billion individuals are under inadequate sanitation (United Nations, 6). When relating poverty and inequality, they have a close relationship, and inequality itself is rising worldwide at both the national and global levels. Over 81 percent of the global population lives in nations where there is an increase in the income differences. 40 percent which represents the poorest of the world population only contribute to 5% of the global income. Whereas, 20 percent which represents the rich are accounting for 75% of the global income (United Nations, 7). Multidimensional nature of poverty Poverty does no only entail lack of unsatisfied material needs or undernourishment. Other accompaniments include state of powerlessness. In the democratically organized nations, the poor people do not have a choice but to accept the political humiliations that they face. Since they feel ashamed of being unable to care and provide for their children, they lose hope with life, and they feel like they do not have anything to show beyond how they survive. From the 2000 Millennium Summit which was adopted during the United Nations Declaration, the leaders came up with some Millennium Development Goals (Karnani, np). The major goal was towards halving global poverty by 2015, which never worked so well even up to now. The progress towards meeting the target of reducing poverty has constantly been threatened by financial and economic crisis, which began during the Great Depression of the 1930s, which was a major hit to the world at a time it was recovering from the energy and food crises. The impact of poverty is mostly felt in the African countries, which depend on imported cereals, forming 80% of their dietary being imported (United Nations, 6). When poverty strikes, children are majorly affected. The children always suffer the health and education setbacks when such crises come. When the families shrink the household budgets, the parents are forced to pull their children to leave school, with girls being the first target as compared to boys. From the 2009 – 2015 report, it constantly shows that more than 1.5 to 2.8 million children, especially infants may die in case the crisis will persist (United Nations, 7). It is attestable that international energy, food, economic and financial predicaments are the main causes of poverty in the global regions. They reverse the progress which is achieved so far towards realizing the internationally agreed development goals towards eradicating poverty. Besides these cause, climate change poses another severe risk to the reduction of poverty as well as threatening in undoing the decades of laying development efforts (Brady et al. 751). The confrontational impacts of change in climate are much evident as natural tragedies become common and devastating with developing countries being much susceptible and prone to these effects. Major victims of poverty globally Although poverty is said to be a global phenomenon, it is evident that those who feel it most are the poor people as well as developing countries. These developing countries are prone to the climate change effects because their institutional and financial capability towards anticipating and responding to the adverse impacts of financial changes are greatly insufficient (Pearce, 122). Many of the sectors which are providing the basic services for livelihood to the poor people living in the developing countries are not able to deal with the current stresses and variability of climate changes in these particular countries. Poverty eradication as an ethical and moral imperative The eradication of poverty is considered to be both moral as well ethical imperative, with its course being the governing standards of United Nations. Living poverty and hunger-free life if considered to be among the fundamental freedoms and human rights that every individual need to enjoy, according to the â€Å"Universal Declaration of Human Rights†. Article 25, clause 1 of this Declaration states that any person has the right to living adequately both for health and wellbeing, and even the family when it comes to commodities like clothing, medical attention, clothes and basic needs. The United Nations' General Assembly also recognizes extreme poverty is a great defilement of human privileges, including the right of living as well. Hence, one of the basic United Nations' goals is towards promoting high living standards, with employment as well as social and economic development, as defined by the articles 55 and 56 of the same Declaration (United Nations, 8). Poverty is also the violation of some of the fundamental standards of social justice. Social justice, in its broad sense, emphasizes the key standards of non-segregation as well as fairness including the political, civic, cultural, economic and social rights. These principles, when rightly applied, will give rise to the socio-political priorities and reduce the vulnerability, segregation and discrimination development (Cobbinah et al. 28). The social justice has a requirement that every individual should have an equal living standard, and that those people who live in poverty should be receiving assistance and support in case they lack the means of living their lives of human dignity and worth. Growth, inequality and poverty eradication A successful and sustained reduction of poverty is fully dependent on the pace of a country's development growth. Most of the East Asian countries have affirmed that poverty can be reduced. Most of the successful example of a quick reduction in poverty in this modern age, also confirms that the nations with equivalent delivery of its resources and revenue develop faster than the nations with high inequality degree. High smallholder's output, investment of human capital, economies of scale are just by suggestive factors towards accounting the reason that great equality has a concision with fast growth. Rapid industrial investment expansion as well as jobs to enable the surplus labor to be absorbed also show a good experience on the reduction on poverty levels (Babcock, np). The continuing reduction of poverty in the East Asian region does not only depend on the results of unleashing the market powers. However, it lies in the states' continual forge on the social contract. The contract was designed towards ensuring jobs expansion in the labor-intensive industries to employ the unskilled labor and reduce poverty. Also, the contract works towards effecting a shift to technologically demanding activities for competitive benefits in the international markets for future increased living standards. Rethinking of poverty currently Since the United Nations adopted the Millennium Declaration in 2000, various nations in Latin America and Africa have recognized a fast growth in economy, with benefits from high prices of commodities. Most of the developing countries are achieving macroeconomic stability, with a balance in their public finances. The investors are nowadays willing to invest in the developing countries, because the financial markets are thriving in liquidity. Foreign Direct Investment or FDI is on its rise, especially on the countries which are resource-rich, while the mining countries are still the advantage of the high prices of the minerals (Pearce, 124). The strong growth and development of countries like India and China help in reducing the global poverty rates, not only within themselves but also with the trading partners' economies. The world strategy towards economic growth is essential in the reduction of poverty. Those convinced that economic growth is offering the better way towards reducing poverty and the benefit of the poor from globalization would make the world a better place. However, the main problem is with the crises in food and energy as well as global economic and financial crisis. As per now, the World Bank has revised the â€Å"dollar-a-day† methodology as well as the poverty estimates (Babcock, np). The world has come to the point of accepting the poverty reduction is something complex and needs conventional wisdom. Hence it calls for a more oriented and progressive state of activism and universality, rather than selectivity towards the social policy. Conclusion There is also hope that through the highlight of moral obligation to handle poverty as a human right and fundamental, social spending problem will be automatically resisted at this time of economic hardship. However, the ultimate role of handling poverty as well as climate change is lying on the hands of governments. The developed words must play their role to support the developing countries' efforts in achieving the globally agreeable developmental goals towards ensuring there is an establishment of an inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world which is free from poverty, hunger, deprivation, and indignity.

How to Find the Gemini Constellation

How to Find the Gemini Constellation The Gemini constellation is one of the most ancient known star patterns. People have been observing it since earliest human history, and it was first charted by the Greek-Egyptian astronomer Claudius Ptolemy as part of his sky mapping activities. The name Gemini is the Latin word meaning twins, and most star-chart makers depict the stars in this constellation as a pair of twin boys.   Finding Gemini Constellation Look for Gemini in the sky near the constellations Orion (which has some fascinating sights of its own) and Taurus. For northern hemisphere viewers, its a winter star pattern and its two brightest stars, Castor and Pollux, are part of an unofficial asterism called the Winter Hexagon. That pattern contains six bright stars from the constellations Gemini, Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, and Taurus. Gemini looks like two long strings of stars extending down from Castor and Pollux, which are the heads of the twins. The easiest way to find it is to look for Castor and Pollux east of the vee-shaped Hyades cluster, which makes up the face of Taurus the Bull. The best views of this star pattern are available when it is straight overhead early in the new year. It remains visible until late spring, when it disappears into the sunset glow.   The Winter Hexagon is made up of the brightest stars from the constellations Orion, Gemini, Auriga, Taurus, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Carolyn Collins Petersen The Story of Gemini The mythology of the ancient Greeks and the Babylonians concerned a pair of twins in the sky.  For the Babylonians, these boys were in the realm of the gods, and they called them Meshlamtea and Lugalirra. They were related to a more important god, named Nergal, who presided over the Underworld and was thought to bring about all kinds of misfortune, disease, and other ills. The Greeks and Romans called these stars after the twin sons of Zeus and the maiden Leda. The Chinese saw a bird and a tiger in these stars. The modern constellation of the twins was set by Ptolemy and formalized by later stargazers. The formal area of the sky that contains the twins was set by the International Astronomical Union and contains other stars beyond the main ones, plus nearby deep-sky objects.   The Stars of Constellation Gemini Gemini constellation is dominated by the bright stars Castor and Pollux. These are also known as ÃŽ ± (alpha) Geminorum (Castor) and ÃŽ ² (beta) Geminorum (Pollux). Castor may look like only one star, but in reality, it contains six stars in orbit with each other. It  lies some 52 light-years from Earth. Twin brother Pollux is an orange giant star that lies about 34 light-years away from the Sun. Pollux also has at least one planet in orbit around it.   The official chart showing the stars of the constellation Gemini, provided by the IAU. IAU/Sky Telescope.com   Stargazers who want to explore other stars in Gemini might find ÃŽ µ (epsilon) Geminorum, which is interesting since its a binary star that can be seen through telescopes. One member of the pair is also a Cepheid variable star that brightens and dims with a period of about 10 days.   Deep-Sky Objects in Gemini Constellation Gemini isnt enriched with a lot of deep-sky objects. This is because its situated away from the plane of the Milky Way, where most of the clusters and nebulae exist. However, there are a few things that observers can search out in the constellation. The first is a star cluster called M35.  Its what astronomers call an open cluster. That means that its stars are fairly scattered through space but are still traveling together. There are about 200 stars in M35, and this cluster can be seen with the naked eye from dark-sky sights. Its also a lovely sight through binoculars or a telescope. Look for it near Castors foot.   The open star cluster M35 (lower right) in the constellation Gemini. 2MASS/NASA.   Skygazers up for a challenge can also search out two dim planetary nebulae in Gemini. These are clouds of gas that have formed around dying sun-like stars. The first is the Eskimo Nebula (also known as NGC 2392).  It has been imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope and is about 4,000 light-years from Earth.  Search it out by looking just to the left of Polluxs waist (marked 2392 on the chart). The other object is called the Medusa Nebula, and its a real challenge to see.  Search for it along the border with Canis Minor, below Polluxs knee. The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini, as seen by Hubble Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/STScI   Finally, meteor shower fans spend each December 13-14 observing the Geminid Meteor shower. Its a shower created by a stream of material left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon as it orbits the Sun. The meteors are not actually from Gemini, but they appear to radiate from the constellation. In a good year, observers can spot upwards of 100 or so meteors per hour from this shower.   Gemini in Modern Culture As a starry constellation, Gemini has appeared in both space science and astronomy, as well as science fiction. NASAs Gemini missions were named for this star pattern because they each carried two astronauts to space. The Gemini Observatory has two domes, one in Hawaii and one in Chile, both inspired by the starry twins. Finally, science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein named two of his teenaged characters after the two bright stars Castor and Pollux.

Canute the Great

What role did religion play in Canute’s leadership? 5 What were Canute’s strengths and weaknesses? 6 Conclusion8 References9 Canute the Great Introduction Canute was a Viking king. He was son of Sweyn Forkbeard, the king of Denmark. Canute ascended the Danish throne upon the death of his father in 1018. But in 1016, as the prince of Denmark Canute successfully conquered England. Thus by the time Canute became the king of Denmark he was the king of a vast empire that included England, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, parts of Sweden and Germany from 1018 to 1035. He came into power during a time of turmoil but Canute established an era of peace and prosperity to a once divided kingdom. His rule was known as a peaceful and orderly time throughout his entire kingdom. By the time of his death in 1035, Canute was not only known as a successful king but also a monarch and religious figure. This report will discuss the achievements of Canute, his strengths and weaknesses and how religion played a role in victorious leadership. What achievements did Canute the Great make? One of Canute’s greatest achievements was he was successfully able to use his skill as a leader and military commander and become the ruler of an empire that included England, Denmark, Norway, western Sweden, and northern Germany. Although Canute was a Dane ruling English land one of his other great achievements was bringing peace and prosperity to England. Over the twenty years of his reign Canute ensured that the ties of England and Denmark were strong and good. Canute also developed and maintained a strong legal and fiscal system to ensure his empire was orderly and calm. Even though Canute was a Viking and during the early part of his reign he was very ruthless, and his actions were barbaric he became a wise ruler who made many great decisions that benefited his empire. For example, he secured recognition from three Scottish kings after 1027. He also made English trade more profitable by controlling the Baltic trade root. In addition, Canute was able to obtain a reduction in tolls and charges for people wanting to travel to Rome for pilgrimage. This highlights Canute’s achievements in foreign affairs. Canute was also known as a religious king and he his achievements in promoting Christianity was seen for example when he encouraged the church to undertake missionary work in Scandinavia. Canute also ensured that those who were not Christians we not punished and was able to work with them for the benefit of his country. For example, he led an army that was largely mostly pagans and thus created a rule that was peaceful and orderly. Canute made many great achievements but perhaps one Canute’s greatest achievements was winning the English crown. England was a land in ruin in 1013 and only a strong and powerful king could unite this divided nation. The people of England recognised that only Canute had the will and power to unite their land and in 1016 Canute was declared king of England in Lincolnshire. What role did religion play in Canute’s leadership? Canute was an extremely religious king who was known for his close relationship with the church. He associated himself with key religious figures such as Wulfstan, the Archbishop of York. He was also known for his generosity toward the church, giving impressive gifts and relics to the English Church. One of the highlights of Canute’s leadership and association to the church was his pilgrimage to Rome to visit Pope John XIX, in 1026. During Canute’s reign, the Church was an extremely powerful and influential organisation. Canute recognised that he needed to ally himself with the Church, not only be accepted by the people as their Christian King but also to ensure that he was able to retain his power as a ruler. He knew that in order to avoid a conflict with the church and its followers he had be a friend of this very powerful religious organisation. Canute was a clever and effective ruler and led many successful military campaigns. Although Canute was a religious King, he did not punish those who were not of the Christian faith. For example, Canute’s army were mostly pagans and yet Canute was an effective military leader and was accepted by his men as a Christian monarch. This shows how clever Canute was in using religion to guide his leadership. Many however questioned Caute’s motives on showing himself to be a devoted Christian and a close friend of the Church. They thought that Canute allied himself with the church in order to be able to consolidate and retain the power he held as the ruler of his vast Empire. Despite controversy over Canute’s reasons for being Christian, history books say his treatment of the church was very sincere. For example, Canute repaired churches and monasteries that had been looted by his army and also built new ones. Although it is hard to know whether Canute was sincerely religious or he used the Church to his own benefit, what is clear is that Canute used religion and the power of the church to consolidate his leadership. What were Canute’s strengths and weaknesses? Canute was a ruler who showed both strengths and weaknesses. His weaknesses lead him to commit acts that tarnished his character as a great king. His strengths as a ruler allowed him to rule his empire, which included England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden, effectively and history has recorded him as one of the greatest kings. One of Canute’s main strengths was his strong management skill. For example, history books all recognize Canute’s ability to skilfully manage the wealth and resources of his empire very cleverly. He also managed his finances very well. For example, the coinage system was carefully controlled by his administration. In addition, Canute although a Danish ruler, understood the English political system very well. This was one of his greatest strengths as it helped him to keep control of his large diverse empire that included not only England, Norway, and Denmark but also parts of Sweden. Canute was also recognized as a strong military leader. Although he had very little knowledge of how to lead, control, and guide an army. In addition, unlike many other young kings, Canute had no second in command that could advice and support him. Despite this, Canute was very skilful at managing men and was able to lead a successful army. Canute was also seen as an opportunist, who took every chance he could get to accumulate power and expand his empire. He always took advantage of political and military opportunities. He was cunning and accumulated power strategically. For example, he married his daughter to the Roman Emperor. This action shows that Canute was also a very clever politician and diplomat. Canute’s greatest weakness was his ruthless character; he didn’t stop at anything. For example, at the very beginning of his rule over England, he gave estates belonging to English nobles’ to reward his Danish followers. This made the English unhappy. He also engineered the death of Edmunds brother Eadwig and had some prominent Englishmen killed and outlawed. Although Canute’s ruthlessness may be seen as a bad character trait it was important to have a leader that has that much drive in order to have a secure empire. Some people viewed Canute as a very short-sighted leader. For example, when he gave three of his earls; Godwin, Leofric, and Siward high power in order to gain their favour and support. This caused a lot of internal fighting between the three families and threatened to weaken Canute’s control of his Empire. In spite of these weaknesses Canute was a great leader who established and maintained prosperity and peace in his kingdom. Conclusion In conclusion, although Canute could have been remembered as a ruthless Viking Danish king who ruled by brutal force, he is remembered instead as a Great King because of the peace and prosperity he brought to his people. Through his many strengths Canute united a divided England and ruled over an Empire that included the people of Denmark, Norway parts of Sweden, Germany and England successfully. This required a ruler that was strong and powerful and wise and Canute was all of these. Canute’s diplomatic skills and military talent allowed him to be one of the greatest kings of his times. He is remembered as a Great ruler who brought peace and prosperity to his people.

Analyze the Current Presidential Campaign Essay

Analyze the Current Presidential Campaign - Essay Example The USA administers general elections for its highest official post of the president of the country after every four years on 4th of November in the leap year. These elections are watched and observed with great curiosity all over the world, and people from different regions of the globe remain well informed regarding the latest developments being made during the election campaign. Problems are discussed, issues are raised and promises are made, according to the prevailing situation, with the people by the presidential candidates. There was a time, when the election campaign of the country was determined by targeting the growing Russian threat, though it has become quite a stalemate during the contemporary era, and the candidates have to set other targets in order to capture the attention of the subjects. â€Å"The United States†, Rice submits, â€Å"has found it exceedingly difficult to define its "national interest" in the absence of Soviet power. That we do not know how to think about what follows the U.S.-Soviet confrontation is clear from the continued references to the "post-Cold War period." Yet such periods of transition are important, because they offer strategic opportunities. During these fluid times, one can affect the shape of the world to come.† (Rice, 2000: retrieved in the Council of Foreign Affairs) Now terrorism, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, price hike of oil products, globalization, the unabated unemployment and widening gulf between the USA and Iran have become the moot point especially during the present campaign for the presidency of the USA. Since this year 2008 is also the election year, many candidates appeared during the election campaign to participate the elections, and arranged demonstration in order to introduce themselves in public. The public listened to the points raised by these candidates and analyzed them in the perspective of the existing uncertain state of