Free Essays on Alcibiades

The history of Greece includes many â€Å"great† men: some led them to glory, and some led them to destruction. Assess the qualities, weaknesses and contributions of Alcibiades and review the war between Athens and Sparta. Alcibiades was one of the so-called â€Å"great† men during the Peloponnesian Wars’ between Athens and Sparta. The Peloponnesian War took place in ancient Greece from 431 B.C. to 404 B.C. There are many factors that led up to the Peloponnesian war. One of these factors came from the Persian defeat. Yet another was Alcibiades himself. This along with the overall arrogance of the Athenians in general brewed a pot of war ready to boil over. The war between Athens and Sparta was ready to erupt far before it actually did. Athens’ always knew that Sparta was the only other power in Greece that could contend with them. Many of the Delian League (a group of counties formed to keep the Persians in line after the Persian War, Western Civilizations pg 137) city-states began to rebel against Athenian control shortly after the defeat of the Persian Empire. Athens, needing the control of these lands and money, quickly squashed these rebellions and imposed Athenian citizens into the city-states. This obviously started the further dislike of Athenians by the rest of Greece. With this further content the Corinthians persuaded Sparta that war with Athens was inevitable. Once the war finally erupted in 431 B.C., the Athenians came to the quick conclusion that they could not possibly defeat the Spartans in land warfare. Thus they devised a new strategy. They brought all the Athenians inside the walls of Athens. They then set out against the Spartan forces by sea. Since the Spartans had almost no naval war ships, they suffered tremendous defeats to Athens navy time and time again. This strategy was a simple plan based on waiting out the Spartan forces inside the walls of Athens while the Helots (a person... Free Essays on Alcibiades Free Essays on Alcibiades The history of Greece includes many â€Å"great† men: some led them to glory, and some led them to destruction. Assess the qualities, weaknesses and contributions of Alcibiades and review the war between Athens and Sparta. Alcibiades was one of the so-called â€Å"great† men during the Peloponnesian Wars’ between Athens and Sparta. The Peloponnesian War took place in ancient Greece from 431 B.C. to 404 B.C. There are many factors that led up to the Peloponnesian war. One of these factors came from the Persian defeat. Yet another was Alcibiades himself. This along with the overall arrogance of the Athenians in general brewed a pot of war ready to boil over. The war between Athens and Sparta was ready to erupt far before it actually did. Athens’ always knew that Sparta was the only other power in Greece that could contend with them. Many of the Delian League (a group of counties formed to keep the Persians in line after the Persian War, Western Civilizations pg 137) city-states began to rebel against Athenian control shortly after the defeat of the Persian Empire. Athens, needing the control of these lands and money, quickly squashed these rebellions and imposed Athenian citizens into the city-states. This obviously started the further dislike of Athenians by the rest of Greece. With this further content the Corinthians persuaded Sparta that war with Athens was inevitable. Once the war finally erupted in 431 B.C., the Athenians came to the quick conclusion that they could not possibly defeat the Spartans in land warfare. Thus they devised a new strategy. They brought all the Athenians inside the walls of Athens. They then set out against the Spartan forces by sea. Since the Spartans had almost no naval war ships, they suffered tremendous defeats to Athens navy time and time again. This strategy was a simple plan based on waiting out the Spartan forces inside the walls of Athens while the Helots (a person...

The Types of Parallel Universes

The Types of Parallel Universes Physicists talk about parallel universes, but its not always clear what they mean. Do they mean alternate histories of our own universe, like those often shown in science fiction, or whole other universes with no real connection to ours? Physicists use the phrase parallel universes to discuss diverse concepts, and it can sometimes get a little confusing. For example, some physicists believe strongly in the idea of a multiverse for cosmological purposes, but dont actually believe in the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum physics. It is important to realize that parallel universes are not actually a theory within physics, but rather a conclusion that comes out of various theories within physics. There are a variety of reasons for believing in multiple universes as a physical reality, mostly having to do with the fact that we have absolutely no reason to suppose that our observable universe is all that there is.   There are two basic breakdowns of parallel universes that might be helpful to consider. The first was presented in 2003 by Max Tegmark and the second was presented by Brian Greene in his book The Hidden Reality. Tegmarks Classifications In 2003, MIT physicist Max Tegmark explored the idea of parallel universes in a paper published in a collection titled  Science and Ultimate Reality. In the paper,  Tegmark breaks the different types of parallel universes allowed by physics into four different levels: Level 1: Regions Beyond Cosmic Horizon: The universe is essentially infinitely big and contains matter at roughly the same distribution as we see it throughout the universe. Matter can combine in only so many different configurations. Given an infinite amount of space, it stands to reason there exists another portion of the universe in which an exact duplicate of our world exists.Level 2: Other Post-Inflation Bubbles: Separate universes spring up like bubbles of spacetime undergoing its own form of expansion, under the rules dictated by inflation theory. The laws of physics in these universes could be very different from our own.Level 3: The Many Worlds of Quantum Physics: According to this approach to quantum physics, events unfold in every single possible way, just in different universes. Science fiction alternate history stories utilize this sort of a parallel universe model, so its the most well-known outside of physics.Level 4: Other Mathematical Structures: This type of paralle l universes is sort of a catch-all for other mathematical structures which we can conceive of, but which we dont observe as physical realities in our universe. The Level 4 parallel universes are ones which are governed by different equations from those that govern our universe. Unlike Level 2 universes, its not just different manifestations of the same fundamental rules, but entirely different sets of rules. Greenes Classifications Brian Greenes system of classifications from his 2011 book, The Hidden Reality, is a more granular approach than Tegmarks. Below are Greenes classes of parallel universes, but weve also added the Tegmark Level that they fall under:   Quilted Multiverse (Level 1): Space is infinite, therefore somewhere there are regions of space that will exactly mimic our own region of space. There is another world out there somewhere in which everything is unfolding exactly as it unfolds on Earth.Inflationary Multiverse (Level 1 2): Inflationary theory in cosmology predicts an expansive universe filled with bubble universes, of which our universe is just one.Brane Multiverse (Level 2): String theory leaves open the possibility that our universe is on just one 3-dimensional brane, while other branes ​of any number of dimensions could have whole other universes on them.Cyclic Multiverse (Level 1): One possible result from string theory is that branes could collide with each other, resulting in universe-spawning big bangs that not only created our universe but possibly other ones.Landscape Multiverse (Level 1 4): String theory leaves open a lot of different fundamental properties of the universe which, combined with the in flationary multiverse, means there could be many bubble universes out there which have fundamentally different physical laws than the universe we inhabit. Quantum Multiverse (Level 3): This is essentially the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics; anything that can happen does... in some universe.Holographic Multiverse (Level 4): According to the holographic principle, there is a physically-equivalent parallel universe that would exist on a distant bounding surface (the edge of the universe), in which everything about our universe is precisely mirrored.Simulated Multiverse (Level 4): Technology will possibly advance to the point where computers could simulate each and every detail of the universe, thus creating a simulated multiverse whose reality is nearly as complex as our own.Ultimate Multiverse (Level 4): In the most extreme version of looking at parallel universes, every single theory which could possibly exist would have to exist in some form somewhere.

The Strategic Plan for Kudler Fine Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Strategic Plan for Kudler Fine Food - Essay Example Once the company operations have been stream-lined and costs have been reduced, we will proceed with the implementation and launch of the web-based Catering service. To achieve operational excellence, the SAP Business ONE solution will be configured and deployed in the organization. This all in one solution will allow KFF to manage its accounting and financials, purchasing and operations, and most importantly better manage its supply chain and product inventory. To reduce up-front and maintenance cost, the company will use the SAP solution on a monthly subscription-based model. This eliminates the required up-front capital and transforms it in a monthly operational cost. The chosen service provider is Attenda as it offers a fully managed hosted SAP Business One solution at a competitive price with 24x7 customer support. 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 0001000400000000009302210220da0800040000002d010000030000000000 The following section describes the action plan required for meeting the above stated objectives. This action plan implements the described strategy. Action Plan The following table lists the actions, milestones, and

Critique of Uncle Sam The Deluxe Edition By Steve Darnall and Alex Essay

Critique of Uncle Sam The Deluxe Edition By Steve Darnall and Alex Ross - Essay Example Darnall and Ross argue that the US is no longer the ideal democracy or the land for all as envisioned in the dreams of the founding fathers. The main points that will be highlighted in this paper include the purpose of Darnall and Ross in writing the comic narrative, and an assessment of the text and the writer’s effectiveness in achieving their purpose. Lastly, the paper will respond to the text by identifying the views that have been discussed by the authors. In summary, the intent or the purpose of the creators in writing the paper is to highlight and inform the readership on the shortfalls of the modern American society and its administration. Information is the main purpose in the comic as the voice over in the comic illustrations and the dialogue bubbles contain information that is of historical significance to the American society. The historical allusions employed by the authors show that the main purpose of their writing is to provide the readers with information on t he argument that the American society is not as free as envisioned in the dream of the founding fathers. Darnall and Ross manage to effectively achieve the purpose of their writing through use of various comic vocabulary and visual aspects. The use of comic narratives in passing an informative and political message is unconventional. Political subjects and topics are usually discussed through scholarly, news and other form of activism materials.

General Description of the Community Essay Example for Free

General Description of the Community Essay Target area being assessed by the author is hospice service in Sioux Falls and surrounding areas provided by Avera Mckennan. Hospice care is end-of-life care provided by health professionals and volunteers Hospice care provides medical services, emotional support, and spiritual resources for people who are in the last stages of terminal illness. Although most hospice patients are cancer patients, hospice accepts anyone regardless of age and type of disease. The goal of hospice treatment is to keep patient comfortable and improve quality of life. Hospice care tries to manage symptoms so that patients last days may be spent with dignity, surrounded by his/her loved ones. Hospice care is family-centered: the patient and family are both included in the care plan and emotional, spiritual and practical support is provided depending on the patients wishes and families needs. Hospice is not so much a place, as it is a philosophy of care with a family-centered approach that considers the patient and family to be the unit of care (Lattanzi-Licht et al. , 1998). Avera Mckennan Hospice Services are the main focus of author. Avera McKennans Home Hospice and Palliative Care program office is located in the Dougherty Hospice House. Through this program, they provide hospice services in a variety environments: hospice care in the home setting, hospice care in an assisted living facility, hospice care in a skilled nursing facility and also, in Dougherty Hospice House. The Dougherty Hospice House is a unique sixteen bed hospice facility located on the Prince of Peace campus. This place provides a home like setting with specious rooms for patient and sleeping accommodations for family members. It also has a meditation room, wireless internet, beautiful meditative garden, large dining and family room for families to gather, and library. Dougherty Hospice House and its surrounding property are tobacco free environments. About 80% of all hospice care is provided in private homes, nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities (Caffrey, C. et al. , 2011). If hospice care provided in patients home, a family member will look after their loved one much of the time. Someone form hospice team will usually visit patient once or twice a week assessing a patient and addressing current health issues. Avera McKennan Hospice team consist of 25 people including nurses, social workers, spiritual advisors/chaplains, nursing assistants, trained volunteers, pharmacist and medical director. In case of emergency home hospice patient can call the 24-hour hospice number for advice. A nurse usually can come to patients house at any time of the day or night or give an advise over the phone. Based on the patients circumstances and stage of care, a hospice interdisciplinary team (IDT) may provide variety of services. Registered nurses assist patient with management of discomfort, pain and side effects of previous treatment ( nausea from chemotherapy). Also nurses help educate both patient and family about what is happening. The nurse is a link connecting patient, family and physician. Home health aids provide extra support for personal care such as bathing, shaving, dressing and eating. Trained hospice volunteers offer assistance with everyday tasks such as shopping, babysitting, and carpooling. They are being available to listen to the patients and families and offer compassionate support. Primary doctor approves plan of care for hospice patient and works with hospice team. A hospice medical director who has expertise in symptom management and end-of-life care is available to the attending physician, patient and family, and hospice team as a great resource and consultant. Chaplains, priests, or other spiritual counselors help patient and family explore the meaning of the death, and perform religious ceremony specific to the patient. Respite care can be provided by inpatient hospice to give family a break from stress of care giving in up to 5-day periods. This service recognizes the need for caregivers to have time away from caretaking roles (Ingleton, Payne, Nolan, Carey, 2003;Lattanzi-Licht e. l. , 1998). Terms such as caregiver burden (Chwalisz Kisler, 1995), caretaker role fatigue, spousal burnout, and role engulfment refer to an imbalance between the physical and mental resources needed to give care and those available within the family unit (Reese Sontag, 2001). Regularly scheduled family conferences most often led by the hospice nurse or social worker allow patient and family members share feelings, talk about what to expect, what is needed, and learn about process of dying. The interdisciplinary team coordinates Avera McKennan Hospice services and supervises al care 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The team is making sure that current information is shared among all the services involved in patients care. Official Community Government (form of government). For-profit and nonprofit hospices have the same regulations. They must comply with State low and Code of Federal Regulations governing hospice care. For-profit hospices grow more than six times faster than nonprofit hospices. Profit sometimes risks compromising the quality of care patients receive. Nonprofit hospices provide hospice services to anyone including persons who do not have health insurance coverage and cannot afford to pay for care. In this case, nonprofit hospice can provide services to person free of charge as part of its charitable mission because nonprofit status of the hospice requires it to offer charitable services and they are dedicated to the mission of caring those in need. Main purpose of for-profit hospices is to make money and pay dividends to their stockholders. They have no obligation to provide services to anyone who does not have Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance coverage. However, both type of hospices are trying to make money, but when they compete for patients, they must provide better care. Averas Home hospice services are covered 100% under Medicare and some Medicaid plans, but inpatient care at the Dougherty Hospice House involve some financial expense. Social workers offer patients and their families help with payment options and never turn away a patient for inability to pay for the service. Medicare is the primary payer for hospice services covering 77% of all hospice expenses. The rest is paid for by Medicaid (4%), private insurance (12%) or other sources (7%). Compare to hospital and skilled nursing facilities, hospice is considered a cost-effective service. Hospice charges per day are much lower than hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Hospice care is covered in full by most insurance. Medicare and Medicaid provide a special Hospice Benefit. This benefit provides 100% coverage for visit by staff, medications related to the hospice illness, durable medical equipment in the home, and supplies for skin care, incontinence management, dressings, etc. Hospice care covered under Medicare includes both inpatient care when needed, and home care services. The focus of hospice is on care, emphasizing help the person to make the most of each day by providing comfort and pain relief. Most private insurance companies include hospice care as a benefit. Patient and family can hire hospice providers and pay for their services out of pocket. If patient has a limited financial resources, non-profit hospices provide services without charge as part of charitable mission. Any patient who enters hospice must be evaluated at the time of admission to the hospice program. Hospice dietitians assist the patient in reaching the best nutritional goals, depending on the current state of the patient’s condition. Common problems for hospice patients are nausea and vomiting. These can be controlled with anti-emetics in some cases, while for some patient s change of diet is sufficient. Educating patient and family about the changes occurring in the patient’s body is imperative. During the course of illness, patient experience changes to some extend in their food intake. It is common for the hospital patient to reduce oral intake of food and fluids as the disease progresses. In general, there is metabolism alterations occur in patient’s body with a terminal illness. Furthermore, there comes a time when the body begins to break cells down instead of building them up. At this point, the body is no longer takes nutrients in. Sometimes patients are forced to take food by family members; in this case the body may refuse through vomiting or diarrhea. A hospice dietitian will explain when this point is reached. However, addressing to stop oral intake before this point is reached is not appropriate. Ongoing assessment of hospice patient nutritional needs will help to determine if there is any appetite change or ability to take the food in and keep it. Based on a study of the non-hospice end-of-life experience of 3,357 seriously ill patients who died reported 40% were in severe pain prior to their death, and 25% experienced moderate to great anxiety of depression before they died (Lynn, 1997). However, hospice is a compassionate way to deliver health care and supportive services. Despite the low South Dakota’s death rate compare the national death rate, the two leading causes of death are heart disease and cancer, accounted for half of South Dakota deaths. Healthy lifestyle changes are critical in reducing deaths due to cancer and heart disease. These modifications can be accomplished by reducing tobacco use, increasing physical activity, and developing healthy eating habits. Minorities in South Dakota include African American, Asian, and Hispanic populations. In general, language barriers, transportation, finances, and lack of insurance were found to be the issues encountered by minorities in seeking adequate health care. Furthermore, end of life care is not reach minority population and remains as a national issue. The majority of hospice patient care is provided in the place patient calls â€Å"home†. In addition to private residences, this includes nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As the health care becomes better, the population lives longer. Nursing home patients benefit from hospice services as much as people living in their homes. According to studies, nursing home residents enrolled in hospice were less likely to be hospitalized in the final 30 days of their life (24% vs. 44%) (Miller, 2001). They were more likely to be assessed for pain, were twice as likely to receive pain management within clinical guidelines (Miller, 2004). Large percentage of elderly people receives home hospice service. Many homes need some modifications for the hospice services to be provided. For example, a bedroom may need to be relocated to a main level of the house for those who have difficulties claiming stairs. There is widening of the hallways may be required to accommodate a wheelchair access. Because of the growing number of people who wish to stay and receive care at home, general contractors are available to assess remodeling needs. A number of programs and sources provide reduced rates, loans, or free services with home modifications.

The Character of Henry Higgins in Pygmalion Essay -- Character Analysi

Shaw has often been criticized for his inability to create well- developed round characters. His characters are usually seen as mere puppets propelled by the crisis of the plot or as mouthpieces for his socialist viewpoint. However in Pygmalion,, Shaw vindicates himself of these charges by the creation of rounded and life-like characters such as Higgins and Eliza. Clearly they are not authorial stooges. They have a peculiar quality that leaves a lasting imprint on the reader's memory. But there is some truth in the charge that Shaw created a mouthpiece for his own ideas and the character of Alfred Doolittle is a case in point. While Doolittle is undoubtedly a staple comic character, he is an artificial and flat one. Doolittle is there for a purpose - he serves Shaw's didactic needs. As such he is in the Dickens' vein of exaggeration. Doolittle's character is drawn for the sole purpose of ridiculing the Victorian philosophy of the "undeserving poor." One cannot imagine such a characte r existing in real life. On the whole, however, Pygmalion is peopled with imaginative and lively characters. While Higgins and Eliza are excellent, even the minor characters are well drawn. Henry Higgins Higgins is an extremely interesting character and the life of the play. Although the play's obvious concern is the metamorphosis of a common flower girl into a duchess, the development of Higgins' character is also important. The play isn't only Eliza's story. One also detects changes in Higgins or to be more precise he appears to the reader in a new light at the end. This is seen when he tells Eliza that he has grown accustomed to seeing her face and hearing her voice. This is not much of a sensitive display of emotions but it is quite diffe... ...ough the character of Higgins. It is obvious that Higgins's manners are not much better than those of the Covent Garden flower girl. In fact Higgins comes off much worse because of the fact that he has had all the civilizing benefits of wealth and education yet he is rude to the point of being boorish and ill mannered, is given to frequent inflammatory outbursts, and possesses abominable table manners. The fact that such an ill- mannered person is accepted by society as a "gentleman" provides Shaw with an opportunity to expose the shallowness and hypocrisy of such a society. Shaw thus critiques a society that views wealth and the ability to speak correctly as the constitutive criteria of a prescriptive gentleman. It is one of Shaw's master ironic strokes to make such a rude and boorish egotistical bully the main agent for transforming a common flower girl into a lady.

Racial inequality in the period 1945-55 Essay

How accurate is it to say there was significant progress towards racial inequality in the period 1945-55? Racial inequality in the USA was an extensive and significant issue before, and controversially after this time period. What is crucial to say is that progress still needed to be made – this is despite the colossal step forward predominately in the legal frame work of federal government, but economic and social steps too, for example – voting rights in the southern states. Arguably though these so called steps forward both helped and hindered the fight for black equality. An example of this hinderance would be the rise in white opposition due to African American protests. One major problem in American society before 1945 was the lack of expression the black population had on American politics, and crucially if they could vote the amount of affect they could make.One effective section of American society that was positively changed by primarily Truman’s government was political appointments, and political change. Perhaps interestingly you could say, limitedly that political viewpoints and acceptance had been altered. On one section we look at political appointments. Under Truman’s government we see an attitude change to black people in politics. Before 1943 we have no African Americans in senior political and federal positions. However the change begins in this year when William Dawson and Adam Powell were elected to congress – successively in 1949 we see William Haist become a Federal Judge. This arguably indicates a crucial change in viewpoints, or at least a step forward to this. Activism due to the war also heightened in1945. This point is crucial as its direct consequences allowed direct action to influence political agenda. For instance the Morgan V. Virginia case in 1946, arguably wouldn’t have appeared before the war. Irene Morgan with the help of the NAACP targeted supreme court, consequently ruling the segregation in interstate busses was illegal. So here we have a pathway. Increased black activism, increased direct action and political judge appointments – alongside government change of tactic leads to the conclusion that significant progress with various court cases have vastly improved the racial equality, in 1945-55. In hindsight we see a consequence of CNO’s direct action campaign in Arkansas. In 1945 1.5% of black people could vote, however as a result of increased activism in 1947 17.3 voted. This was crucial as it shows the phenomenal change the war brought on activism and equality and more interestingly how the apparent change in political viewpoint changed how Black people were able to express themselves politically, arguably this suggests its highly accurate to say this time period was significant. Another example of how significant progress was made was how various economic impediments were overcome. Before 1945 Huge restrictions, even in the North were upon Black workers – however under Truman’s Government and the ‘Secure these rights’ agenda things were about the change. ‘Secure these rights’ was a committee set up by Truman to highlight inequality and changes to be made in America. There are several main examples that were helped by this scheme, arguably the most significant were the various proposals and departments set up in 1949 which were consequently proposed to congress. One main section would be the ‘Fair Deal’ program. This initiative aimed to tackle fundamental economic inequalities. Evidence suggests that segregation was accentuated by literal segregation of communities. Black people had a lower standard of living. Under Truman in 1949 we see a government initiative providing a higher minimum wage and a public housing scheme. Moreover, looking at a different section of economic impediments we see a huge unemployment difference between black and white people, a startling statistic is that 62% of low paid labour jobs were done by black people, only 28% white. This huge juxtaposition in jobs was yet again tackled by Truman and ‘Secure these rights’ In his 1949 speech (to an integrated crowd) he pledged to not fund organisations that discriminate on the grounds of race. This was extended from before 1945 as the CGCC scheme. This arguably was achieved through Truman’s fight in the cold war, but perhaps more significantly through the efforts of Black direct action. Evidence suggests that although segregation was still an issue, looking back years before this era – significant change had been made to fundamentally the perception of people and the legal framework. I think looking at economic initiatives we see a path being built that wasn’t thought of before 1945. In this I believe this era is fundamental for the successes of people like Martin Luther King and the NAACP in the decades to come. Social changes, mostly as a result of the factors above Eg. Secure these rights, also took place in this period. The fight for equality was most apparent in the South before 1945. We see all aspects of society from education to restaurants was segregated, but this was, at least attempted to be tackled in this era. Steps were being made, with the help of activism, courts and initiatives. With education we see Black children were being segregated in inferior schools and to many extents being treated as second class citizens. Fundamentally though this had wider consequents as this lack of quality education would put Black people for generations to come at a disadvantage – helping segregation in the economy. Here we have a historical pathway. As a result of the war – activism was increased and groups such as CORE and the NAACP emerged. This allowed lobbying of supreme court, and laws to be passed in their favour, eg. Sweatt V. painter case (1950). In the Brown v. Topeka case we see that Direct action unswervingly caused the supreme court to rule in 1954 that segregation of schools was illegal. More over reported incidences of lynchings were proportionally lower in the later stages of this period, despite a boom after the increased activism. However on the whole the change is significant as it altered attitudes of the plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896, that black people can be ‘separate but equal’ This new ruling completely goes against this and I believe this is the true change of this period, and in many respects a beginning to the end.The evidence suggests here that without a doubt this time, due to many different factors was crucially significant to the framework of equality that was needed to change older and newer generations viewpoints on African Americans. Arguably in this light, this period seems detrimentally effective. In stark contrast we look on the other side of the spectrum. We see numerous de jure laws being placed, and we see that framework being laid – but how significant is that progress? How effective were those laws? We are now underpinning how little de facto change actually took place, especially in the political realm. For example there was a change in law in particularly the southern states enabling Black people to vote. However Grandfather clauses’ (you had to be able to prove the previous two generations had voted) and unanswerable literacy test or clause (the ability to read) stopped Black people from voting. In 1947,17.3% of black people could vote in new orleans – but many were stopped because of sheer intimidation. More over in the North – where arguably politically barriers were not present, poverty of black voters often stopped them from voting. So although laws had been placed preventing it – the idea of white supremacy constantly found routes around this. So looking at the significance of the change, the evidence suggests they are relatively minor in the de facto change. Furthermore we look at Truman’s significance, on one hand we see he was the first president (After Lincoln) to express Black equality so highly in his manifesto. However more significantly many of the proposals by ‘Secure these rights’ never got passed. This is because of the overwhelming about of racists in congress – arguably more could have been done in this period, but political factors stopped this from happening. The examples made earlier was the creation of the ‘CGCC’ (Committee on Government contract compliance). At the time of creation, this seemed to have worked. However in hindsight we see that it was poorly conceived and could not force defence companies to implement fair employment. Here is a clear example of how on one side of the spectrum the CGCC seems to have made significant progress – however when you dive deeper we see that little change took place – suggesting that this time period was not as significant as first thought. Perhaps if more defined laws had been implemented and congress backed Truman this time period could have been more effective. Political factors were not the only topic to doubt this eras significance. Stemming from this economically and socially, despite great change Black people still faced great hardship. In the South, they faced lower wages and higher unemployment. In 1950 one-third of black Americans lived in the North due to migration. This just fuelled the lower standards of living in ghettos, concentrated in industrial cities. On one hand this could be a positive factor, in that unemployment was down. Significantly though – looking at segregation, black industrial workers were unlikely to get payed the same as their white counterparts. Furthermore although unemployment had fallen they were still more likely to be unemployed than white Americans. For example in New York City 6% of the white population was unemployed, adversely the figure was 10% for black men. On one hand, arguably opportunities had been changed and improved for black workers, but significant progress still needed to be made. For instance socially, schools were still segregated on the large part in southern states, similarly in other aspects of life such as state bus services and social areas. Crucially black people were still treated like second class citizens, in this period, in many aspects of life. This point had not changed from before 1945. Segregation, although in many cases illegal put black citizens at a disadvantage constantly – so they could never be in the same position as white people, suggesting significant progress still needed a lot of progress. Above all, looking in hindsight at this point it seems the position of black people had fundamentally not changed, therefore one could conclude that it is not accurate to say significant progress had been made. In conclusion it is clear a combination of factors help both sides of this argument. On one hand we see that although de jure change has been made, little had been done to follow up these policy proposals, and on the whole peoples social, economic and political position changed very little. This is despite the steps forward in public engagement (direct action) and political momentum (Truman’s government). CORE’s ‘Journey of Reconciliation’ in 1947 is a prime example of this. On one hand we see black and white citizens standing up for what is right, non segregated interstate busses. However the consequence of this direct action was arrested campaigners and little media attention. Perhaps the years 1955, and later were more significant in making de facto change, in that problems were finally beginning to be solved at grass root level. However in stark contrast we look at the other side of the spectrum, relatively significant progress had been made. For example if you look at the years before 1945, we see little or no change to the legal framework, other than the 14th and 15th amendments that considerably contributed to equality of African Americans, however in this period we see masses of physical change in all aspects of society. More over we see increased activism due to the war laid down the fundamental roots of direct action. For example one major fault of the Journey of reconciliation was the little time it was over, 2 weeks. However these newly founded groups (UDL, NAACP, CORE) in this period grounded themselves, and learnt – for example the Montgomery bus boycott was a success, with the help of a better organised NAACP. On the whole I believe that it is hard to ignore the progress made in this period. From 1945, with primarily the help from supreme court many aspects of several generations lives were improved – and this improvement is more that can be said for any other period of time. It is this comparison alongside compelling grass root policies of Truman’s government that leads to the argument that it is accurate to say there was significant progress made 1945-55.

The Macroeconomic Perspectives of David Ricardo, Karl Marx

The Macroeconomic Perspectives of David Ricardo, Karl Marx, and John Stuart Mill ECON 350 19 November 2012 Abstract The author surveys three influential economists of the Classical era—Ricardo, Marx, and John Stuart Mill—and introduces the reader to their Macroeconomic perspectives based on some of their more prominent Macroeconomic theories. David Ricardo David Ricardo was a Classical Economist who lived from 1772 to 1823.In his professional life he wore many hats: he was a businessman, a financer, a speculator, and a member of Parliament. But what he is most remembered for is the role that he played in the evolution of economic theory, alongside of such other greats as John Stuart Mill and Thomas Malthus, among others. In examining the economic theories which he espoused it is interesting to consider the part that his above-mentioned professions played in influencing his positions.Through his experience as a businessman was undoubtedly able to gain insights into the w orkings of industry; through his experiences as a financer and a speculator he gleaned invaluable insights into the workings of the financial system; and through his experiences as a member of Parliament he no doubt acquired insights into the workings of government and politics that does much to add credibility to many of his economic expostulations. Although he worked diligently in the fields of both Macro- and Micro-economics we will be focusing here primarily on some of his more distinguishing Macroeconomic contributions.The principals within this field of economics which we will be focusing on in particular are: The Law of Comparative Advantage, Comparative Statics, International Money Movement, and Deficit Spending. The principal which is arguably the most important and enduring contribution that David Ricardo ever made to the field of Economics is The Law of Comparative Advantage, also known as The Law of Comparative Cost. This was a principal that was originally developed by Adam Smith in his renowned work entitled â€Å"An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. However, although Adam Smith first developed this principal it was David Ricardo who refined it and thus he is deserving of credit for his part in the formation of this economic principal. The Law of Comparative Advantage was first mentioned by Ricardo in his work entitled â€Å"On the Principals of Political Economy and Taxation. † It is based in â€Å"specialization. † and is a â€Å"law† which we see operating all around us in present times. Basically this law takes one of Adam Smith’s observations–that specialized units within a manufacturing process leads to increased efficiency—and applies it on an international scale.Adam Smith’s observation was that when manufacturing a particular type of item, if each worker present were to work on an item from start to finish they would be inefficient and slow and would not be able to produce nearly as much of the items as would a factory of workers who were separated into specialized units, each unit having the responsibility of completing one of the processes necessary for manufacturing the particular item. Ricardo took this one step further and applied it on a macro level.He noted that different countries, for various reasons, have specific goods that they are particularly adept at producing. He further noted that if countries had to provide for all of their needs internally then they would be unable to focus their attention on the things that they did particularly well. On the other hand, if each country were able to focus on producing the things that they did well then they could produce exponentially more of them and could trade amongst each other for the things that they needed but did not produce internally.Also, he took the Opportunity Cost into account and noted that even if one country did everything better than another it would still be practical for the lesser country to manufacture items for the greater country since the greater country would see the highest returns if they focused their time, money, and energy on the things that they did particularly well. This was actually quite a big deal during Ricardo’s since Protectionist policies were hindering free trade, which Ricardo was a proponent of as can be seen from his Law of Comparative Advantage.One of Ricardo’s first interactions in the economic dialogue of his time was based around the Quantity Theory of Money. At the time there was something going on in Britain that would come to be known as the â€Å"Bullion Controversy†. Basically, as a result of a potential war the British government temporarily suspended the obligation of the Bank of England to convert its notes into gold. During this time agricultural prices rose (which some people attributes to poor harvests) and gold prices went up. It is on this second point that Ricardo chimed in. Ricardo argued that the rise in gold prices was actually the result of inflation.According to him, since the bank wasn’t obligated to exchange their notes for gold they were printing more notes than they had gold to back them. This flood of currency, Ricardo said, was creating an excess supply which was devaluing the currency and thus causing inflation (Laidler, p. 12). Karl Marx Karl Marx is probably best known for the work that he co-authored with Fredrick Engels entitled â€Å"The Communist Manifesto† and also for his work entitled â€Å"Capital. † He is also arguably one of the most well-known of the Classical Economists, or of any group of economists for that matter.In addition to being an economist he is also renowned for his work in the fields of philosophy, sociology, history, and journalism. Karl Marx was a staunch Socialist and the vast majority of his contributions to the field of economics revolved around a singular event that he believed would inevitably o ccur sometime in the future and would bring about the fall of Capitalism, replacing it instead with a Socialist society that would eventually evolve through natural means into a Communist society. Marx saw society as segregated units of distinct classes.In his mind there was a constant struggle going on between these classes as a direct result of one class having dominance over the other. The two classes that he was particularly concerned with were the Proletariat and the Bourgeoisie. The Bourgeoisie were representative of the wealthy Capitalists—this included factory owners, entrepreneurs, and the like. In other words the Bourgeoisie was composed of those individuals who were able to create great wealth for themselves as a direct result of the Capitalist system. Aristocracy and the like were not included as among the Bourgeoisie.The Proletariat on the other hand were those individuals who worked in the factories, et cetera, of the Bourgeoisie. These were the blue collar work ers of their time and the lower class members of society. In Marx’s opinion the Bourgeoisie had taken advantage of the Proletariat by making themselves wealthy off of the labor of this oppressed class. Furthermore Marx felt that the base nature of the work that the Proletariat was given to do was stifling. Last and worst of all Marx felt that these workers were not being fairly compensated for their work.What we now call Recessions and Depressions Marx referred to as â€Å"Crises. † He felt that these Crises were the direct result of disproportionalities in the Law of Supply and Demand. According to Marx the amounts of items supplied to markets and the amounts demanded were in a constant state of tension because they were always seeking to achieve equilibrium but could never quite do so. Since this often led to more of an item being supplied than was demanded by the market, the market became flooded and the item’s price would drop significantly.Businesses in the ir current state could not survive off of these minimal returns, and workers ultimately suffered as a result. Marx believed that workers were not paid adequately during good times to compensate for these Crises, whereas the Bourgeoisie ultimately became wealthy despite these Crises. Marx did not blame the Bourgeoisie but instead saw them merely as a product of their environment. He did, however, feel that this environment which ran according to the tenets of Capitalism was inherently flawed.Marx believed that the Proletariat would eventually revolt against this flawed system and would take manufacturing into their own hands. At first a Socialist form of government would be set up and would be run by what Marx referred as the â€Å"Dictatorship of the Proletariat. † This would only be a temporary institution however and it would eventually become obsolete and dissolve naturally and from that time on Communism would be the sole system that would guide the economy, government, a nd society as a whole.John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill was born in England and lived between 1806 and 1873. He was both an accomplished philosopher and economist and is recognized as one of the greatest thinkers of his time. His father, James Mill, was a respected philosopher, economist, and political theorist. James Mill was also a contemporary and close friend of David Ricardo and was influential in the Classical Economics movement of his time.Because of James Mill’s intellectual circle of friends, and also because of his strict tutelage, John Stuart Mill was, from a very young age, privy to much of the political, philosophical, and economic discussions and arguments of his day. Because of the influence of his father and also because of his close acquaintance with David Ricardo and others in his father’s circle, he would continue to hold to and defend many of their opinions and precepts throughout the course of his life. John Stuart Mill was also a contemporary of K arl Marx although Mill was apparently unaware of who Marx was.Although Mill wrote volumes of literature on the topic of economics during the course of his lifetime, there is one particular topic that seems to be especially relevant in shaping an understanding of his macroeconomic perspective and so it is on this topic that we will focus our attention. Thomas Stowell tells us in his book entitled â€Å"On Classical Economics† that â€Å"the three major controversies in economics during John Stuart Mill’s lifetime were disputes over Say’s Law, the Malthusian overpopulation theory, and the theory of value (p. 134). The first is a macroeconomic concern whereas the second and third fall under the banner of microeconomics. Therefore it is on this topic that we will now focus our attention: Say’s Law, also known as the Law of Market, was founded on the presumption that money is used solely as a means of initiating transactions and that in the end transactions u ltimately consist of one commodity being traded for another. Say believed that producers are eager to get rid of their products because of price fluctuation which could cause their devaluation and because an unsold product produces no return on investment.Say also believed that producers were equally eager to get rid of the money they acquired through transactions because money’s value fluctuates as well. In order to get rid of money it must be traded for some product or service and thus through this cycle economic growth is created. Say believed that â€Å"gluts† occurred when too much of one product was created, thus flooding the market. This, the law states leads to a loss of revenue for the producer, who in turn consumes less due to this loss of revenue.Because of this lowered consumption there is an overall reduction in demand in the economy as a whole. This reduced demand leads to unemployment and recessionary conditions. It should be noted however that these con sequences ultimately result not from an inadequate supply of money with which to purchase goods, but from markets supplying more of one particular product than is desired and not enough of others. John Stuart mill was a huge proponent of Say’s Law although he did appear to alter some parts of it slightly throughout the course of his life. ReferencesBalassa, Bela A. (1959). John Stuart Mill and the Law of Markets. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 73, No. 2. Balassa, Bela A. (1959). Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill. Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv. Bordo, Michael D. ; Schwartz, Anna J. (1984). A Retrospective on the Classical Gold Standard, 1821-1931. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, IL. Brandis, Royall. (1985). Marx or Keynes? Marx and Keynes. Journal of Economic Issues. Vol. 19, No. 3. Campbell, Martha. (1997). Marx and Keynes on Money. International Journal of Political Economy. Vol. 27, No. 3 Davis,Timothy. 2005). Ricardo’s Macroeconomics: Money, Trade Cycles, and Growth. Cambridge University Press. New York, NY. Laidler, David. (2000). Highlights of The Bullionist Controversy. Retrieved from http://economics. uwo. ca/faculty/laidler/workingpapers/highlightsof. pdf. Lutz, Mark A. (1979). The Limitations of Karl Marx’s Social Economics. Review of Social Economy. Vol. 37, No. 3. Sowell, Thomas. (1974). Classical Economics Reconsidered. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ. Sowell,Thomas. (2006). On Classical Economics. Yale University Press. New Haven, Conn.

Utopia and Communism essays

Utopia and Communism essays The belief that Utopia was a perfect society is as mistaken as saying that communism works. Thomas More describes Utopia in a very one sided view, much like communist leaders often spoke regarding their government policies and tactics. Utopia is a society based on collective. The utopians shared absolutely everything, including their children need be. Such a society would not last very long, but would crumble much like communism did in todays society. Having a society where everyone is equal does not work, because not everyone is equal and not everyone deserves exact same thing. Utopians had no monetary system by which they could be rewarded for their hard work. Instead everyone got exact same amount of everything much like everyone else in his or her society. This practice in time will cause the hard working people that push themselves the extra step to stop trying to excel because no matter how much they produce or improve they are not rewarded one bit more then the person who does not care about his job. Not having a merit system is first flaw of this so-called perfect society. Communism was very much the same way. Utopians had restrictions put on them on where they could travel and when. This does not sound like a perfect society. Communists did not let their citizens leave the country in order to keep them from being exposed to foreign ideas and thought due to the fear that they might come back and speak out. Perhaps this is the same reason that utopians were not allowed to travel without asking for permission. In utopia when there was a shortage of a certain trade people that knew that certain trade would be forced to work, even thought they might not enjoy it. Communists evaluated what society needed and assigned people to those particular jobs without consulting the individuals. This secluded and freedom deprived society is nothing more then a different version of communism or perhaps monarchy. Without ...

Battle of Antietam - Outcome and Significance

Battle of Antietam - Outcome and Significance Dates: September 16-18, 1862 Other Names: Sharpsburg Location: Sharpsburg, Maryland. Key Individuals Involved in the Battle of Antietam: Union: Major General George B. McClellanConfederate: General Robert E. Lee Outcome: The result of the battle was inconclusive, but the north did win a strategic advantage. 23,100 casualties. Overview of the Battle: On September 16, Major  Gen. George B. McClellan  met General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in Sharpsburg, Maryland. The next morning at dawn, Union Major General Joseph Hooker led his corps to mount a strong assault on Lees left flank. This began what would be the bloodiest day in all of American military history. Fighting occurred across a cornfield and around the Dunker Church. In addition, Union troops assaulted the Confederates at the Sunken Road, which actually pierced through the Confederate center. However, the Northern troops did not follow through with this advantage. Later, Union General Ambrose Burnsides troops got into the fight, croosing over Antietam Creek and arriving at the Confederate right.     At a crucial moment, Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill, Jrs  division arrived from  Harpers Ferry  and counterattacked. He was able to drive back Burnside and save the day. Even though he was  outnumbered two-to-one, Lee decided to commit his entire army while Union Major General George B. McClellan sent in fewer than three-quarters of his army, which enabled Lee to fight the Federals to a standstill. Both  armies were able to consolidate their lines during the night. Even though his troops had suffered crippling casualties, Lee decided to continue to skirmish with McClellan throughout the day of the 18th, removing his wounded south at the same time. After dark, Lee ordered the withdrawal of his battered Army of Northern Virginia to across the Potomac into the Shenandoah Valley. Significance of the Battle of Antietam: The Battle of Antietam forced the Confederate Army to retreat back across the Potomac River. President Abraham Lincoln saw the significance of this and issued the famous Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. Source: CWSAC Battle Summaries

Procurement and management of construction Essay

Procurement and management of construction - Essay Example It is major contributing factor to client satisfaction in the entire processes as well as the accomplishment of the plan with reference to the above descriptions and definition of the project participants and authorities (Cox 2005, p 75). There are numerous procurement methods and their selection can result to a successful or unsuccessful project. It is advised that procurement method selection is of greater importance especially after the recent financial slow-down and the latest bubble bursts among properties. Its importance is based on the ability of controlling the risk, time, responsibilities and entire building costs. The selection of a procurement method is mostly based on the scope and nature of the work under preposition. Other factors may include apportionment of the risks, where and how the design responsibility has to be placed, coordination of the entire process and the contract price on which the entire process is to be awarded. In choosing and settling on the forms of contract, it is essential to make a choice on the type of contact and procurement method. Procurement using the traditional approach has the clients accepting consultant’s appointment for designing, controlling cost, administration of the contract and that is the outworker is accountable for the works being carried out. These discussed responsibilities are extended to all employees or workforces that include suppliers and sub-contractors. The disadvantages of the traditional method of contracting include the engagement of contractors in the nominated, named and pre-selected methods. This is because the contractors may take full charge of the performance or even have limited responsibilities. In the case of the latter, it is essential to have a warranty between the sub-contractor and the clients. Another disadvantage is that the choice of contractors is usually based on competitive tenders that include presentation of documents to provide complete information. Other factors th at can be used in the choice of contractors include earlier appointments through nomination information, partial nomination or through negotiation. In most cases, people use the accelerated traditional method of contracting that involves two stages of negotiating or tendering. An advantage to this method is the ability for the construction to run or continue parallel to an extent that is limited. An additional advantage is that it creates an opportunity for early starting on the site as well as entailing costs that are less certainty. Other traditional methods include sequential traditional lump sum system of building contracting. The client and the construction company In the projects discussed below, there are numerous contractors and subcontractors involved with the client being Wembley National Stadium Limited. The construction industry in the United Kingdom is consisted of about three hundred firms that offer employment to almost two million individuals. These people are held u p in different roles and embraces suppliers and producers, products and construction materials, manufacturers and building services, installers and providers, contractors and sub contractors, advisers, professional and construction clients. Others who are included into this industry are organizations relevant to design, operation, building and refurbishment of buildings. In the UK, construction is essential since it provides a gross value added of about 8.7% that can be

Project Management - Bubble Bee Case part 3 [sap21] Essay

Project Management - Bubble Bee Case part 3 [sap21] - Essay Example Perhaps the most significant value that understanding cash flow provided in six (6) months is in building investor confidence so that the capacity of the company to meet future operating expenses is determined. The Cash flow Bubble Bee ensures that every cash flow item happens at the acceptable seniority to items. Categories of cash flow items present Bubble Bee case with comparison of Cash flow Statement in the bubble gum Project Finance Model. Activities are budgeted depending on the needs and intensity of work. Trial procedure is more costly than logistics. During the first month, much of the cost went into product development and requirement and needs survey. The second month saw costs distributed to product development, trial and logistics. The sixth month had most of the costs going into compliance (food, drug and administration approval, product planning, protection and ramp up). The cash flow statement gives details that can be enthusiastically evaluated from an external investor’s dimension, whereas the cash flow bubble bee gives information that can be analyzed by the banks. The screenshot shows a higher level graphics of a cash flow statement. When categories are compared with the structure, the differences in costs and baselines can be identified. This ensures cash allocations are done according to item seniority and intensity. This is especially significant in scenario analysis or downside sensitivity in which the operating cash flows are highly stressed. The cash flow bubble bee also shows daily and weekly spending and calculates the net movement in the cash balance, within the project hence predicting cash closing balances. Including integrity checks to cost line signifies the possibility of Closing Cash Balance (Balance C/f) being negative. This is a critical element to project completion. Cash flows help in reinforcing integrity check which is added a project to funding by identifying negative cash balance which determines a practical