Baby Dumping Essay Example for Free

Baby Dumping Essay Child is a priceless give from Allah. However, baby dumping is a social crisis and has a chronic discarding or leaving alone, for an extended period time, a child younger than 12 months of age in a public or private setting with the intent to dispose of the child. Based on Bukit Aman Police Headquarters statistic found a total of 580 babies were found dumped between year 2011-2012 and found the number was increased day by up until now. This number of cases every year where as much as 65 baby dumping cases has increased to 83 cases in the earlier year of 2013. In the first 5 months, almost every day there are reports on dumped baby cases. This scenario had been more serious from day to day although there are a lot about this in a mass media and teenagers always seen to be involved in this situation. YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE ISSUE: In my opinion, we can avoid the baby dumping through several activities; Through campaign: To raise awareness of this issue to the public. One of the campaigns focuses is Kami Prihatin. It was launched on 23rd March 2010 and activities were organized to promote child protection policy, producing the documentary and publishing community awareness advertisements in Utusan Malaysia. Other ways: Prevention programs towards the regions and categories of population with increased risks of dumping and setting up a coherent reporting and monitoring system as regards the dumping and the risk of abandonment. Standardizing the written forms and the procedures of registering women which get admitted in maternities in order to give birth and elaborating procedures for keeping records of mothers and children without identity papers and creating a database on this matter. Religion knowledge: every religion emphasizes their believer to not to do the wrong things. Long-term solutions to the problem of baby dumping require efforts at prevention. Steps must be taken to prevent unwanted pregnancies, provide assistance to parents in crisis, and increase communication within families and communities. HOW THE ISSUE CAN INFLUENCE YOU IN YOUR LIFE For me, this kind of action should be avoid totally by every single soul because the baby is an innocent and don’t know anything and even animal loves their babies. This kind of action gives me such a lesson that it will ruin our society ‘totally’. We should take a responsibilities to our action and do not let others take it. I can’t stand still if I heart this kind of case because I have the humanity sense and I think other people are agreed to my statement. Only people that have no humanity sense will dump their baby away. I will not do this action and I hope others too. I am the saddest person if I heard and look the baby being dumped by their ‘animal’ mother.

Russia Pestel Essay Example for Free

Russia Pestel Essay Recent dissolution of the form Communist state of the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation. Russia’s economy is in transition from a a state-controlled to a market-controlled economy. †¢Vladimir Putin, moved to reduce the political influence of oligarchs soon after taking office, forcing some into exile and prosecuting others. Bbc Still strained relationship between the Russian Federation and the West (U.S) rooted from the cold war Uncertainty of control within the Russian government 2003 October Billionnaire Yukos oil boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky arrested and held in custody over investigations into tax evasion and fraud. Mr Khodorkovsky had supported liberal opposition to President Putin. (bbc) The energy giant Gazprom is close to the Russian state and critics say it is little more than an economic and political tool of the Kremlin. Existing taxes on oil companies * Royalty (6-16% of gross revenue).  * Mineral resource tax (10% of gross revenue less the value of the taxpayer spending on exploration). * Excise tax (66 rubles/tonne of oil, equal to 2.5%, according to calculations of the Ministry of Finance based on the weighted average price of Russian oil and taking into consideration export and domestic sales). http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-99/issue-33/special-report/the-russian-oil-gas-industry-analysis-raises-questions-about-russian-tax-proposal.html Uncertainties about legal rights, infrastructure, ownership, and liability have slowed development despite the high hopes of many western corporations. http://archive.greenpeace.org/climate/arctic99/reports/blackice-8.html Yet, by end of 1998, the oil industry was fully privatized, substantially  deregulated, and had undergone significant internal restructuring (see Table 1 below). Even more recently, the Russian government has adopted (1998-2000) and enacted (1999-2002) a new Tax Code that by most accounts exceeds Western standards.5 For example, it introduced a 13 percent flat tax on personal income, capped corporate contributions to the social insurance fund, reduced the profits tax (a.k.a. corporate income tax) rate from 35 to 24 percent, abolished turnover taxes (as of 2003), tied export tariffs directly to the price of oil, and established new accounting procedures that are on par with International Accounting Standards Foreign Investment policies The Yukos crisis began when Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, chief executive of Yukos and Russias richest man, was jailed at gunpoint Oct. 25 on charges of fraud, forgery and tax evasion. Mr. Khodorkovsky insists his arrest and the prosecution of other large Yukos shareholders are politically motivated. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/03/world/signs-of-damage-control-in-russia-s-oil-scandal.html Tax and royalties http://new.aibse.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Patton2008.pdf

Industrial Design And Engineering Design Cultural Studies Essay

Industrial Design And Engineering Design Cultural Studies Essay This paper gathers views in the literature on design thinking and representation of design processes from the point of view of industrial design and engineering design. The paper conducts a critical review of texts dealing with differences and similarities in design processes in the field of industrial design as opposed to engineering design, with particular attention to the elements of creativity in product design. The design of a consumer electrical appliance such as a hair dryer and the larger dimensions of car design are areas where what an industrial designer might do and what a design engineer might do can be usefully compared and contrasted. The paper goes on to survey the field of product design from a different perspective, that of art. It takes up the challenge to traditional design by the Bauhaus movement in Germany in the1920s to 1930s, and the Memphis movement of the 19760s to 1980s. It is a valid question, apart from the how of product design, to ask whether new movements or initiatives might easily change the what of the design world, and through emphasis on fashion and style both industrial designers and engineering designers might find themselves creating new, more creative patterns and products. Background The combined shortage of designers and demands of manufacturers led to criticism of industry by such designers as William Morris and John Ruskin who could see that separation of design from the processes of production had influenced esthetic quality (Haskett 1977). This paper explains how industrial design focuses on user interface and esthetic quality. At the same time engineering design has become a key element in product design, applying engineering principles to developing components, systems and processes to meet specific needs. A concept of an artisan, craftsperson, who is totally free to invent art forms and create designs, with no restriction, is not reflected in the history of art and craft, whether in Europe or in Asia. There is the economic restriction that there must be a user who purchases the work or supports the craftsperson; and it should be kept in mind that craft requires a properly equipped workplace and usually workers. There is the social reality of the acceptance of the work of a craftsperson and the general estimation of its value. Thus in focusing on the inseparability of invention and execution as it may be applied to design, the anachronistic idea of individualism need not be introduced in order to understand the creative process. A key condition is the ability of craft to produce the designs that emerge. Technology has, essentially, made that a very possible prospect. Further, in terms of a reciprocal effect of design on craft, the use of computerised design and the production of computer software to meet designers demands, along with the common feedback effect on production of new computer hardware, can mean that craft and design can contribute to each other. The Collins English Dictionary defines technology as the application of practical sciences to industry or commence, or the total knowledge and skills available to any human society for industry, art, science, etc. (1995). Barras (1986) has argued that the typical course of development in services has been from process innovation and focus on the new product design and market, then moving to achieving economies of scale and low costs. The decline of the traditional craft apprenticeship system meant that craftspeople became more familiar with others in in terior, industrial, theatre and product design, and with architecture, fashion, and performance art (Margetts 1989, pp.9-10). Although an industrial-design profession did not exist in the late nineteenth century, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright articulated its principles in 1901 by advising artists create prototypes for factory reproduction rather than to produce craft work. After 1900, manufacturers tried to give new form to electrical appliances, cars and other new technologies. In the 1920s, some decorators took up French modern styles, and Art Deco was adopted in the late 1920s. The Bauhaus school of art and design, closed by the Nazi regime in 1933, established a relationship between design and industrial techniques as well as between fine and applied arts (Chilvers Glaves-Smith). From there, there has been rapid growth in the design of manufactured products. Henry Fords rigid standardization, interchangeable parts, and special-purpose machine tools complemented Fords introduction of the assembly line in 1913, resulting in vastly increased production volume and relentless cost reduction. Global competition in the 1980s and 1990s impelled designers to give form to the hardware and software of the information age. Quality became a key criterion also (Volti 2005). Affective design that is able to translate human affections into product design specifications has been widely accepted as an effective tool for product development. It enables designers to identify product features that can meet consumer needs to feel satisfied with a product. Affective design knowledge can help designers improve product design (Zhai et al. 2009). Environmentally friendliness of consumer products is another aspect of design, but it has been observed that consumers need to be reminded of ecological issues when actually using the product. It is worth noting that it is a holistic, life-cycle-based analysis that will enable the designer to assess the environmental impact of design options: environmental damage can occur as toxic emissions during production, energy consumption during use, or toxic waste during disposal (Saue et al. 2002). As far as the larger environment is concerned, the US electrical industry has contributed played a part in the use of consumer goods ( Carlson 2001). Design encompasses these issues. Industrial Design Industrial design may be defined as The ideation, specification, and development of functions, properties and concepts of industrially manufactured products and systems, mainly regarding aspects of user-products interaction, aesthetics and identity considering a totality of ergonomic, usability, technical, economic and social factors (Warell 1999). Industrial designers are concerned with communicating the quality and function of a product as well as the reputation of the manufacturer object by visual means. The product should be easy, comfortable and safe to use (Dieter 1991, p.111). The industrial designer emphasises the user and the purpose of the product; its esthetic nature, including not only style and appearance but what the product will convey to the owner in emotional terms; and product identity, which may apply to strategic positioning within a specific market and linkages with other products. In the design process the designer has considerable freedom to decide on how an optimal result is achieved (Green Bonollo 2004). This illustrates the way in which creativity informs industrial design. Design is a part of product planning and development that come from the business strategy of the client company and are marketed and distributed in order to await success at the hands of the consumer (Cross 2000, p.198). Analysis of features of competing products, the use of benchmarking, or research into user needs and preferences may take place. Specifications may be elaborated and concepts critically examined (Green Bonollo 2004). Conceptualisation refers to highlights in the creative process. Synectics is a group technique which draws on analogical thinking, identifying parallels between apparently dissimilar topics (Dieter 1991, p.113). A process of rough visualisation through sketching may follow. At some point an industrial designer will have a basic idea of the concept to be embodied in the product-how it works, the overall shape and so on. In this phase the schemes are worked up in greater detail and, if there is more than one, a final choice between them is made. The end product is usually a set of general arrangement drawings. There is (or should be) a great deal of feedback from this phase to the conceptual design phase (Cross 2000). Before selecting a concept, industrial designer needs to consider the availability of technology: if there is no existing technology that can be used for a design, the industrial designer will need to consult with engineering designer. Dorst (2003) argues that the interaction itself has to be designed: the industrial designer should use design techniques such as scenario-based design and storytelling to deal with this issue effectively. A Rapid Prototype model may be made in order to finalise design details. In addition, industrial designers may carry out styling, where components of style are built into their own designs. This can involve materials or techniques, environmental influences or social trends (Mayall 1967). Detailed design issues follow: component parts, nesting, packaging, shipping and marketing issues may be relevant. Colour and placement of the brand name are important (Cross 2000, p 32).Finally the industrial designer uses three-dimensional computer programs such as Solidworks to create actual size 3D models and engineering drawings to be used in production. Engineering Design Engineering design tends to relate to the technical operation of mechanized products rather than their esthetic characteristics. In the automobile industry, stylists were used at General Motors as intermediaries between the mechanical engineers and consumers. What these stylists did was to give cars a visual identity through the shape of the body, grille or dashboard design, or colour choices and interior fabrics (Woodham 2006, p.141). Engineering design is design with particular emphasis on the technical aspects of a product. It includes activities of analysis as well as synthesis. This definition broadly describes what engineering designers do. They may be concerned with aspects of engineering consideration that includes machine elements, solid mechanics, strength of materials, aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, hydraulics, electronics engineering, software and systems engineering, quality engineering, industrial economics and human-factors engineering (Warell 1999). A formal definition of engineering design is found in the curriculum guidelines of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The ABET definition states that engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective. Engineering design should be creative and use open-ended problems and modern design theory and methodology. The approach process of engineering design is more systematic and problem-focused than industrial design. Engineering design is a sequential process consisting of many design operations. It may include exploring the use of alternative systems, formulating a mathematical model of the best system concept, or specifying subsystem components. It could mean selecting a material from which to manufacturer a part (Birmingham et al. 1997). In the product planning and task verification phase, the roles of engineering designer and industrial designer are similar, though a particular concern of the engineering designer will be what the client requested. Conceptualisation for the engineering designer involves determining the elements and mechanisms to be used in the product. This will often involve formulating a model, either analytical or experimental (Dieter 1983). Before moving to the embodiment stage, it is important for the engineering designer to understand the strengths and weaknesses of mechanisms, concepts or material and be able choose the one most appropriate to the product function. An excellent technique to guide the designer in making the best decision is a scoring matrix, which forces a more penetrating study of each alternative against specified criteria (Haik 2003). Embodiment involves the clear determination of the physical processes which govern the main flows and conversions of material, energy, and information. This stage of engineering design includes building and testing experimental models. Dieter (1983) notes that this phase lays the basis for good detail design by means of a structured development of the design concept. Most of the time engineering design requires experimentation where a piece of hardware is constructed and tested to verify the concept and analysis of the design as to its work ability, durability, and performance characteristics. The design on paper is transformed into a physical reality. Three techniques of construction are available to the designer: the mock-up, generally constructed to scale from plastics, wood, cardboard, and so forth. It is often used to check clearance, assembly technique, manufacturing considerations, and appearance. It is the least expensive technique, provides the least amount of information, a nd is quick and relatively easy to build. The model is a mathematical representation of the physical system. The prototype is the most expensive experimental technique but the one producing the greatest amount of useful information (Haik 2003): In the detailed design stage, the engineering designer may find many complex interrelationships involved in the product. The quality and cost advantage of a product are determined by the level of quality detail. Manufacturing specialists may also be involved. This is now a tested and producible product. The arrangement, form, dimensions, tolerances and surface properties of all individual parts and the materials and manufacturing processes are all specified (Dieter 1983). Communication and preparation for production now follows a sequential flow of operations. Tooling and machinery are laid down. Production cost estimates will be available, but close collaboration with mechanical engineers is necessary and high costs could mean changes in materials and even in design. The colour of a car is usually applied as paint, but paint goes beyond merely esthetic and cosmetic features. Consumers and manufacturers have to face the fact that new investment in vehicles is extremely expensive, and consumers are not inclined to accept alternative or radical designs. Paint is a comparatively cheap way out of this, and plastic components are painted as well. Paint thus keeps the car looking good, but it no doubt inhibits the use of new alternative materials or new manufacturing initiatives in design this in turn could inhibit the extensive adoption of new and alternative materials (Nieuwenhuis et al. 2006). The engineer manages schedules and uses resources after research in the car industry. He or she is also participant and communicator of design. The desire to be more ecologically and environmentally aware has had a major influence on automobile design. Automobile design factors will need to be covered as a broad range rather than just by focusing on particular single consumer requirements. The car has to meet human needs but also to be environmentally friendly. This will entail: (1) technological support for automobile design, (2) product innovation for various automobile prototypes (low emission car, high efficiency car, friendly car, advanced safety car), and (3) design methodologies (e.g., CAD-CAE-CAM, real time simulations, rapid prototype systems, parameter design technologies) (Ardayfio 2000). Design innovation, often pushed by customer needs and expectations, enables companies to gain leadership in an extremely competitive global marketplace. But products need to go beyond customer expectations. Industrially also, innovation is needed to remain competitive (Ardayfio 2000). Art and Design Apart from the creativity of design, there is the excitement of design. Bertola (2003) argues that design is a multifunctional activity. It can take many forms to adapt to contextual infrastructures, that is different organizations and purposes. Design can act as a knowledge broker, flowing from outside to inside companies. Design, if it is seen as a knowledge process that can adapt, can also be seen as an opportunity to support innovation in a particular context. This paper began with reference to creativity in product design. Button (2000) takes up the concept of ethnography in relation to design. Ethnographical field work has tried to analyse foreign cultures from the inside, developing theories about exotic cultures. But design in a Western culture can also be seen in terms of ethnography. This is particularly so in the context of industrial design, whose origins are quite recent. Ethnomethodology suggests that it is just not possible to go beyond the knowledge possessed by members of a society about what they do. Whatever explication given by the ethnographer may not be of interest to design engineers, for example, but the substance of his or her report should be recognisable to them. From an anthropological or sociological point of view, there is some logic in this. However this paper, building on what has been said about industrial design and engineering design, argues a further point: that the concept of design as allied to art can eas ily be misplaced or forgotten in an organisational situation where the concern is to produce a product. A Bauhaus or Memphis, even a postmodernist initiative, may not emerge from a tunnel of emphasis on products as products. This is where product design, along with architecture, has a place in the overall scope of Design and Art. There is an imagination within the desire to produce something novel. This is a field that allows the operation of graphic art, and a sculptured three dimensional impression that includes the artifact as well as the common consumer purchases. If modernism and postmodernism are currents, then they may be described as floating currents because they are difficult to locate precisely. The two currents interact at some points. In art, modernism may be said to date from about 1860, and became an orthodox school in the 1920s. Modernism tended to stress form more than content and to reject traditional esthetic values. It was very influential until about 1960, and then postmodernism came into vogue. It has been related to poststructuralist writers Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault, whose writings embodied a radical relativism which was able to be used to deconstruct the status quo. It is important to note however that there have been 250 years of intellectual-literary-artistic alienation when from Rousseau onwards artists tried to stand aside from mainstream culture. Modernism and postmodernism are part of that overall movement (Murphey 1999). The Italian design group Memphis was a flash of artistic input to interior design. It is said to be part of postmodernism. The trend crystallized in Memphis was away from the decorative styles of the Arts and Crafts movement. Symbolism, pattern and of course ornament were relegated essentially to the modern era. The Bauhaus designs with their geometry dovetailed into a simplicity which in Italy focused on furniture design. The Memphis Group emerged. Austrian-born, Italian-educated Ettore Sottsass formed Memphis in 1981, with a loosely-formed group of designers. The designs that emanated out of the Memphis group included limited productions of unusual and functional designs, characterized by plastic laminated surfaces and bold colours and patterns.   The interpretation of the group has involved making a political statement: high and low classes should share perceptions and ideals. Meecham and Wood examine the proposition that as art itself has fundamentally changed in the modern period, so have ideas about it (1996, p.1). Postmodernism may be said to differ from modernism in that it returns art to a representation of the worldattempts to restore art to its external referencesRepresentational art is back, but it tends to be critical rather than celebratory, stressing bleak and shocking images rather than the beauty of nature or intimations of divine order (Veath quoted in Murphey, 1999). A group of designers of furniture and household accessories, who were known for erratic, illogical, avant-garde and anti-establishment style, Memphis in being concerning with juxtaposing reality infiltrated the world of the imagination, in a way that was deeper and different from the modern. There is a need to look back to compare with the modern, because in many ways this is a necessary context for the description of the postmodern. The Modernists had disliked decoration and colour, but Postmodernism used them with enthusiasm. Allegory, multi-historical and multi-cultural references came into new design. Memphis bad taste was an ironic bad taste. Pattern and ornament are characteristic of the works, just as they were alien to Modernism. The impression is kitsch, cheap and nasty materials, and bad taste throughout. Whether it is self-conscious or even self-mocking, the point is made that this is not modernism (Reed 1984). The bright and careless style of some of the Memphis design will have been trendy once, and some people will have worn them at some times. However these designs are bold and brazen. They seem directed to a middle class or intellectual section of society that likes to be overexpressive and does not care even if there are consequences for being like this. That is the impression I had, and that was the impression I gained from overhearing two possibly third year students who seemed to have generally quite mature attitudes on art. A group of designers of furniture and household accessories, who were known for erratic, illogical, avant-garde and anti-establishment style, Memphis in being concerning with juxtaposing reality infiltrated the world of the imagination, in a way that was deeper and different from the modern. There is a need to look back to compare with the modern, because in many ways this is a necessary context for the description of the postmodern. The Modernists had disliked decoration and colour, but Postmodernism used them with enthusiasm. Allegory, multi-historical and multi-cultural references came into new design. If accused of bad taste, Memphis would have said, Of course. Their bad taste was an ironic bad taste, but there was bad taste in their work. These attributes of Memphis no doubt related to its short-lived presence in the art world (Watson 2002). In a sense furniture design itself is an activity that can easily push against the boundaries of modernism, if only because small aspects of furniture design can jump past the outrageous modern stage into a stage which inverts and turns around artistic insights at will, lampooning commercial motives as it goes. The postmodern impulse that seems to be emerging from every joint is somehow trying to say, or saying, that this is something to sit on and it will probably hold you up, too, but you need to see it as something a little funny, a little amusing. Memphis asks not to be taken too seriously. This whimsical face of furniture design has a certain class aspect inasmuch as the poor and the working classes cannot afford to see their houses and what goes in them in terms of play. The question will be more often whether they can afford to buy furniture. Modern art and particularly postmodern art go beyond this basic complexion of need. Conclusion A striking thing that comes out of this survey of writing on the role of industrial design versus engineering design is the interdependence of the two. This may not mean an interrelated operation or a simultaneous operation involving the two aspects of engineering, but it is clear that to present an optimally designed product in the industrial sense means that it must work in the engineering sense. And engineering designers must be able to locate the device or consumer good within a framework of its production and ultimately its marketing and use. There are many articles on this issue that could have been referred to here, or summarised, or responded to in some way. However the coverage here is no doubt adequate to show how industrial and engineering designs are complementary. What has emerged most strikingly from the whole context of industrial design is its potential responsiveness to the culture in which it exists. It is possible to look back at various movements that have shaped the consumer products with which people are so familiar in their everyday lives, and where their parents have seen changes over the years. The Bauhaus, now a long time past, had a distinct and revolutionary approach to design. Memphis similarly had an avant garde approach which vanished into air. Whether such movements will resurface in some other form will probably not be the doing of the design engineer. But it may arise out of the imaginative design of the industrial designer. It may also arise as a resolution of forces in society that may flow conservatively for a time and then suddenly change direction. This can affect everyday objects-the hair dryer, the car, the television set, the computer and so on. It has certainly affected the miniaturised communication device, the m obile telephone. The fuel consuming, polluting yet status symbolic institution of the automobile will no doubt respond to pressures to change. There is an art in design that over time is likely to surface in different ways and in different places. In this context, the industrial designer along with the design engineer is likely to be closely involved.

Ida Tarbell the Muckraker: Digging up the Dirt Essay -- Essays Papers

Ida Tarbell the Muckraker: Digging up the Dirt During the late 1800's and early 1900's, change in American society was very evident in the economy. An extraordinary expansion of the industrial economy was taking place, presenting new forms of business organization and bringing trusts and holding companies into the national picture. The turn of the century is known as the "Great Merger Movement:" over two thousand corporations were "swallowed up" by one hundred and fifty giant holding companies.1 This powerful change in industry brought about controversy and was a source of social anxiety. How were people to deal with this great movement and understand the reasons behind the new advancements? Through the use of propaganda, the public was enlightened and the trusts were attacked. Muckraking, a term categorizing this type of journalism, began in 1903 and lasted until 1912. It uncovered the dirt of trusts and accurately voiced the public's alarm of this new form of industrial control. Ida Tarbell, a known muckraker, spearheaded this popular investigative movement.2 As a journalist, she produced one of the most detailed examinations of a monopolistic trust, The Standard Oil Company.3 Taking on a difficult responsibility and using her unique journalistic skills, Ida Tarbell was able to get to the bottom of a scheme that allowed the oil industry to be manipulated by a single man, John D. Rockefeller. Being a conscientious journalist, Ida Tarbell is known for the inauguration of muckraking. President Theodore Roosevelt had given the term ‘muckraking’ to this type of investigative journalism done by Ida Tarbell. Roosevelt did not fully support her work because of its "focus and tone." The President got this name from a c... ...s Press, 1994), 4. 2. Kathleen Brady, Ida Tarbell, Portrait of a Muckraker (New York: Seaview/Putnam, 1984), 140. 3. Ida M. Tarbell. "The History of the Standard Oil Company." 1904. Available [online]: http://www.history.rochester.edu/fuels/tarbell/MAIN.HTM. (15 February 2000). 4. Fitzpatrick, 2. 5. Mary E. Tomkins, Ida M. Tarbell (New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc, 1974), 15. 6. Brady, 136. 7. Tomkins, 15. 8. Brady, 121-124. 9. Brady, 133. 10. Fitzpatrick, 60-70. 11. Tarbell 12. Tomkins, 65. 13. Fitzpatrick, 77-79. 14. Tomkins, 59-65. 15. Tarbell 16. Tomkins, 66. 17. Lowrie, Arthur L. "Ida M. Tarbell: Investigative Journalist Par Excellence." 1997. Available [online]: http://merlin.alleg.edu/hmccell/tarbell/biobib.html (15 February 2000). 18. Brady, 160. 19. Lowrie

Stoics :: essays research papers

Stoicism was a group of philosophers in the First Century who made laws that they thought should be followed by the citizens of Rome. Two of these laws were the concepts of rationality and nature. Marcus Aurelius was the Emperor of Rome at the time and he also the most known Stoic. His concepts were vital to the survival of the Stoics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of rationality is what tells a human being what’s right and wrong and what should be done and what is good for the human and the state by thinking. â€Å"the reason also, in respect which we are rational beings, is common: if this is so, common also is the reason which commands us what to do, and what not to do; if this is so, there is a common law also; if this is so, we are fellow citizens; if this is so, we are members of some political community; if this is so, the world is in manner of a state.†(1) Marcus Aurelius says here that the citizens who are ration beings as a part of the whole political spectrum, should combine to make he world one state. He wants the world to join as one state and governed by one, the people are all part of the same political system, so they should join together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his Meditations Aurelius talks about every action having a purpose. â€Å"Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according to the perfect principles of art.†(2) He says here that the reason we have is because everything we do has a purpose. The purposes are there because they are the unwritten rules of art. These rules are abided because they just happen. The art sets its own rules through the purposes of the acts that are done. No act should be done if it does not follow the rules of art. Yet, the rules of are made by the act’s purposes. This meaning everything has a reason why it is done and the purposes are legitimate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A man’s life does not become worse unless he makes it worse. â€Å"That which does not make his life worse, nor does it harm him either from without or with in.†(3) In this quote, Aurileus tells the Stoics that the things that don’t harm him won’t make his life worse inside or outside including the soul. This meaning that a person should do what they feel is right, because it will not hurt them physically or mentally.

Friendly Gossip is an Oxymoron :: Friendship Essay

Friendly Gossip is an Oxymoron "Can you keep a secret?" Becky asked me in a hushed tone. We were in my living room. Last I checked, my walls don't have ears. I had no idea why she was speaking so quietly. "Why? What is it?" I was wise to this type of chit-chat. She wanted to tell me a piece of gossip that she wasn't supposed to reveal. Her betrayal was quickly becoming my problem. Before I could respond negatively, she burst out, "Jennifer is pregnant!. She just found out and told me, but asked me not to tell anyone. You won't tell, will you?" She continued, "Just act surprised when she tells you." "Okay," I managed halfheartedly. How unfair. Now I knew something I shouldn't; even worse, I had to "pretend" to be clueless. Becky hadn't even given me a chance to say, "No, I don't want to know." I honestly didn't want to know. I had been in similar situations before and gotten burned. I lost a dear friend because of revealed secrets and gossip. Curiosity doesn't even get the best of me anymore. Now the games begin, I thought. Should I betray Becky or Jennifer? History repeats itself and I knew nothing but distrust would come of this conversation. Unfortunately, there is truly no such thing as "friendly gossip." At that moment, I knew that I couldn't trust Becky. Had she been revealing all the confidences that I shared with her in the past? She had always been a close friend. She was also that friend from whom I always learned the latest scoop on everyone. I started thinking of the countless secrets that I told her over the four years we knew each other. Many of those conversations became public. I hadn't thought she was the person who told. I hadn't considered that someone who claimed to be a dear friend would divulge my feelings. I heard an abundance of gossip from her lips. Not until she sat in my living room whispering about Jennifer had I considered she was a blabbermouth. I had told Becky when I discovered I was pregnant. She was ecstatic. I hadn't told anyone else. A few days later, everyone was congratulating me. I was hurt. I wanted to impart my wonderful news. I was deprived of the experience. Despite my hurt feelings, I didn't want to confront her. I didn't tell her that I suspected that she blabbed.

Iraq War and Osama bin Laden Essay

The United States of America has failed in its endeavors with Iraq. Looking at the current situation in Iraq, there were so little, or no improvement at all ever since America waged a war on â€Å"terrorism,† pointing the finger to Iraq. When it was planned to train Iraqi soldiers so that they could â€Å"defend† themselves, leaving them to the hard work in their own backyard, one thing has been overlooked. Training a small population of Iraqi’s to defend or fight for their welfare is not the solution, hence it could further lead to something worse. It is only adding fuel to the fire, igniting the civil war Iraq is experiencing in its backyard (Bereuter, 2004). It will only increase the horrifying truth of the Iraq war, and its negative effects on the humans – death, starvation, poverty, and hatred of its own countrymen. It also has its toll on economy, pestering both Americans and Iraqis. There are various variables to consider when you talk about this war. These are the dependent and independent variables. The first variable that is a proof of the war’s failure was the increasing death toll. It is a rather dependent variable on the war because it is directly affected by the war itself. The military death toll have greatly increased, wasting the precious lives of the soldiers willing to do any of the President’s bidding. Non-Iraqi workers and contractors death toll has also doubled, bringing fear in the hearts of those who wish to work in there. The insurgencies and Iraqi resistance has then risen in a great number of times since the war has started. Death is the biggest price that both sides will pay in this Iraqi war. Roughly a lot of Iraqis have died defending their country – or fleeing it. U. S. -trained Iraqi police and National Guards were unable to protect the people, to provide safety for everyone, as it was promised by the United States government. On the other hand, not only were the United States losing the war in Iraq, they are also losing precious lives of the soldiers fighting for a lost cause. More than a thousand American soldiers and their families have suffered the consequences of the Iraq war. If death wasn’t enough, it also caused a tragic change in the economy of both countries. Both countries have increasing number of bodies being piled on the ground. Another dependent variable is insurgency. It is a consequence of the United States’ campaign on Iraq. Many people decided to take arms and fight US instead of helping peace to prosper. Insurgency has grown stronger than ever, as it can be seen on the number of deaths and losses from both ends. As the U. S. continues to stay in the Iraqi backyard, the more these Iraqi insurgents would mass up and attack people, the more the problem will continue for Iraq and the US, just like an incurable headache. The Pentagon points out that in November 2003, there were only about 5,000 Iraqi insurgents. But as of September 2004, the number of these people have blown out 400% – 20,000. And considering that the number of dead Iraqi resistance fighters were around 24,000, the grim fact is that it is even larger in reality (Lieberman, 2005). An independent variable of the United States war against Iraq was the impact on economy. It is a rather independent factor that you consider because it is not connected to the so called â€Å"campaign against terror. † But whether people like it or not, war has affected the economic situation of the country and the whole world. Not only was this war wasting precious lives, it is also wasting hard-earned money. About 151 billion U. S. dollars went down the drain as the cost of this war continually increases. The money which came from America’s taxpayer’s pockets are surprisingly being wasted on bullets, guns and ammunitions, vehicles, and more, considering that these things are being wasted, and have no real benefit as of late. Ending the war: the price for Osama’s head The United States, along with the United Nations and the European Union have resorted to a lot of efforts in order to solve this problem. This includes empowering a few chosen Iraqis to defend themselves and be able to start a new government. This effort has been considered futile since Iraq as a country is being plagued with internal conflicts – civil wars between various ethnic groups. So if you empower any of these groups, there is a tendency that they would just go against each other, so instead of solving the problem, you are giving them another blow in the head. Another effort which they had resorted to was hunting down the famous terrorist leader, Osama bin Laden (Kirkpatrick, 2004). As the Al Qaeda’s leader, he is considered to be one of the most influential heads of the Iraqi resistance. They think that killing him would mean victory in the Iraq war. They see that his presence – his very existence, is considered to be an encouragement for the Iraqi people to take arms and fight the â€Å"invaders† in their lands. Using the terrorist attacks in the country as an example of what this man can do, the United States government has waged an all out operative to search for bin Laden. The army literally bombarded the possible hiding places for Osama bin Laden, but still returning empty handed. Rumors about his death came out, but the lack of evidence has left the people doubting. What the United States overlooked was not Osama bin Laden is not the problem, so putting him out of the scene was definitely not the solution. Osama bin Laden was only a part, just a fraction of what the US government is up against with. He may be an influential leader, but still, there are other factors that they have to consider if they really want to end this war against Iraq. Iraq is in the middle of a very turbulent civil war; different groups in the country are fighting among themselves for survival, since each of them claims that they can’t live with any of the other groups. It is a communal war, wherein they are slugging it out with other groups; Sunnis fighting against Shiites, Kurds against Sunnis, and Shiites against Kurds (Diamond, 2006). In these groups there are other minorities fighting on multiple front, thus making the war complex. Osama bin Laden as a terrorist icon doesn’t necessarily prove much of an importance, since between these Iraqi’s lies greater conflicts. These conflicts could lead to mass slaughter, thus creating chaos in the global level.