Saturday, November 30, 2019

Should Worldcom Ceo Bernard Ebbers Been Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison free essay sample

The WorldCom fraud that came to light in 2002 was an example of many things that went wrong within the organization. Unethical conduct by its senior leadership beginning with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bernard Ebbers was certainly at the forefront of these problems. The question is should a CEO like Ebbers have been sentenced to prison for his liability in the WorldCom scandal? My answer is yes, he should’ve gone to prison as well as other CEOs who engage in unethical conduct that results in laws being violated. I will support my answer by aking a look at the duties of a CEO, focusing on leadership responsibilities and accountability. I will discuss causes of ethical problems in CEOs and finish by discussing utilitarian and deontological ethical issues as they pertained to Ebbers. Background As the telecommunications industry slowed in the late 1990s, WorldCom’s stock price began to decrease. Ebbers came under pressure from financial institutions to cover margin calls on WorldCom stock he used to finance other businesses (Vasatka, 2007). We will write a custom essay sample on Should Worldcom Ceo Bernard Ebbers Been Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From 1999 to 2002, a few WorldCom senior executives engaged in fraudulent accounting practices. These practices were esigned to portray losses as growth to the public. Ebbers resigned as CEO under pressure for several reasons unrelated to the accounting fraud on April 29, 2002 (Beresford, Katzenbach Rogers, 2003). Cynthia Cooper led an internal audit investigation of suspected accounting irregularities in May-June 2002. According to Ms. Cooper’s statement, she discussed the investigation with WorldCom Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Scott Sullivan on June 12, 2002. She then discussed her investigation with two others on June 13, 2002. They were Max E. Bobbitt, Chairman of the Audit Committee, WorldCom Board of Directors and Mr.Farrell Malone, engagement partner of KMPG, LLP, an external audit agency. The Board of Directors met on June 25, 2002 and decided to publish a revised financial statement for 2001 and first quarter 2002. They also decided to report this action to the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the events leading up to it (WorldCom, 2002). The SEC launched its own investigation into the matter (Vasatka, 2007) and brought civil action against a number of WorldCom executives in June 2002 (SEC, 2002). WorldCom filed for bankruptcy protection on July 21, 2002. The U. S. Justice Department rought criminal charges against Ebbers and several other WorldCom executives. For his role in the scandal, Ebbers was convicted in Federal court on March 15, 2005 and then on July 13, 2005 sentenced to 25 years in prison. The CEO as a Leader To examine the issues in this case from a normative ethics viewpoint, I believe that we should see what a CEO does in performing the leadership functions of their job as they relate to ethical issues. A good description of the CEO’s leadership role can be found in The Duties of a Chief Executive Officer (Wibowo Kleiner, 2005). The authors cite information in CEO Causes of Ethical Problems in CEOs The position of CEO is one that has a great deal of power. There is a quote from British historian Lord Acton (1834-1902): â€Å"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men† (Lewis, n. d. ). In the article No Fair Shake for Shareholders, the author discusses the CEO personality as possibly contributing to the ethical problems that arise with some CEOs. Traits such as a strong ego, left unchecked can turn into bad behavior. CEOs normally are good salesmen and they often sell themselves on how good they are which inflates their egos. A weak board of directors can fail to hold a CEO accountable. He stresses board responsibilities relative to CEO accountability (Wilson, 1989). In the article The Responsibility of the CEO Providing Ethical and Moral Leadership, Lewis says that there is a difference between what is legal and what is ethical. He stresses the need for a culture of ethics within an organization where all team players practice good ethics, including the CEO. He says laws only deal with part of the ethical issues faced by businesses. He cites heavy competition and pressure many employees feel to engage in unethical behavior as some of the keys to the problem. Good corporate governance, beginning with the CEO, is very important to building a good ethical culture within the organization (Lewis, 2002). Discussion of Ethical Issues Pertaining to Ebbers Ebbers had a responsibility to the employees of the company, investors, and the public to report WorldCom’s finances accurately and honestly. He was accountable to the board of directors for his actions as CEO – both good and bad. Ebbers should’ve had loyalty to these people to help them avoid the monetary losses resulting from WorldCom’s shaky financial situation. This is an example of a utilitarian ethics issue. Due to his position, he should’ve had the greater good of all these people in mind as he ran WorldCom. However, Ebbers allowed unethical practices to continue with his knowledge, with the consequence that many people lost money when WorldCom went bankrupt. Ebbers had an obligation to provide honest financial statements in order to not to violate the rights of others. He failed in this obligation, violating the rights of many people in the process. This is an example of deontological ethics. Continuing on this track, investors also have a right to know the truth about companies that they are investing in or may invest in. They also have an obligation to learn as much about the companies they are investing in or planning to invest in. Due to the fraud committed by senior executives and allowed by Ebbers, WorldCom’s public financial statements made it difficult for investors to know the truth about its financial health. Even with the fraudulent statements, some investors were able to learn of some of the irregularities in WorldCom. Shareholders filed a lawsuit against WorldCom in June 2001 alleging widespread fraudulent accounting practices. The case was subsequently thrown out by a judge in Mississippi (Weinberg, 2002). In this example of deontological ethics shareholders acted to protect their rights. Also by learning the truth about WorldCom they fulfilled their obligation to gain as much knowledge about the company as they could. In addition to Ebbers’ failings, there are others that should be mentioned in this discussion of ethics. First, WorldCom documents and testimony of employees revealed that some employees discovered problems as far back as 2000, tried to do something to correct them, and failed (Waggoner, 2002). The question is how hard did these people try to correct what they saw that was wrong? From a utilitarian ethics perspective, they had to know many people could get hurt if this continued. Secondly, regarding the shareholder lawsuit previously mentioned why didn’t the board of directors or the SEC act when these allegations were made? The board failed to hold Ebbers accountable for the accounting fraud that was being uncovered nearly two years from the time it went public in 2000. From a deontological ethics viewpoint, they had an obligation to look into these allegations so that the rights of others wouldn’t be violated. Conclusion Ebbers’ conviction and prison sentence were justified. From a utilitarian ethics perspective, he was responsible and accountable to serve the greater good of others and failed in that capacity. From a deontological viewpoint, he also had an obligation to ensure the rights of others associated with WorldCom wouldn’t be violated and he failed to meet this obligation as well. Contributing factors to the WorldCom fiasco were poor corporate governance and a corporate culture where some employees were aware of problems but failed to get corrective action taken.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Conjugation of Creer

Conjugation of Creer Creer, an everyday verb usually meaning to believe, is irregularly conjugated in terms of spelling but not pronunciation. The -i- in the conjugation ending is either accented or changed to -y- as needed to avoid diphthongs or an awkward -eie- combination. Common verbs that follow the same conjugation pattern are leer (to read), poseer (to possess) and proveer (to provide). Uncommon verbs with the same conjugation include descreer (to disbelieve), desposeer (to dispossess) and releer (to reread). Note that proveer has an alternative past participle, provisto, in addition to proveà ­do. Poseer also has an alternative past participle, poseso, in addition to poseà ­do. Irregular forms are shown below in boldface. Translations are given as a guide and in real life may vary with context. Infinitive of Creer creer (to believe) Gerund of Creer creyendo (believing) Participle of Creer creà ­do (believed) Present Indicative of Creer yo creo, tà º crees, usted/à ©l/ella cree, nosotros/as creemos, vosotros/as creà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas creen (I believe, you believe, he believes, etc.) Preterite of Creer yo creà ­, tà ºÃ‚  creà ­ste, usted/à ©l/ella creyà ³, nosotros/as creà ­mos, vosotros/as creà ­steis, ustedes/ellos/ellas creyeron (I believed, you believed, she believed, etc.) Imperfect Indicative of Creer yo creà ­a, tà º creà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella creà ­a, nosotros/as creà ­amos, vosotros/as creà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas creà ­an (I used to believe, you used to believe, he used to believe, etc.) Future Indicative of Creer yo creerà ©, tà º creers, usted/à ©l/ella creer, nosotros/as creeremos, vosotros/as creerà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas creern (I will believe, you will believe, he will believe, etc.) Conditional of Creer yo creerà ­a, tà º creerà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella creerà ­a, nosotros/as creerà ­amos, vosotros/as creerà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas creerà ­an (I would believe, you would believe, she would believe, etc.) Present Subjunctive of Creer que yo crea, que tà º creas, que usted/à ©l/ella crea, que nosotros/as creamos, que vosotros/as creis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas crean (that I believe, that you believe, that she believe, etc.) Imperfect Subjunctive of Creer que yo creyera (creyese), que tà º creyeras (creyeses), que usted/à ©l/ella creyera (creyese), que nosotros/as creyà ©ramos (creyà ©semos), que vosotros/as creyerais (creyeseis), que ustedes/ellos/ellas creyeran (creyesen) (that I believe, that you believe, that he believe, etc.) Imperative of Creer cree (tà º), no creas (tà º), crea (usted), creamos (nosotros/as), creed (vosotros/as), no creis (vosotros/as), crean (ustedes) (believe, dont believe, believe, lets believe, etc.) Compound Tenses of Creer The perfect tenses are made by using the appropriate form of haber and the past participle, creà ­do. The progressive tenses use estar with the gerund, creyendo. Sample Sentences Showing Conjugation of Creer and Similar Verbs No puedo creer que lo hayamos hecho. (I cant believe we did it. Infinitive.) He leà ­do todos sus artà ­culos. (I have read all of her articles. Present perfect.) Posees muchos talentos pero no eres lo suficientemente tenaz para explotarlos. (You have many talents, but you arent perseverant enough to take advantage of them. Present indicative.) Los escritores proveyeron muchas clarificaciones como esa. (The writers provided many clarifications like that one. Preterite.) Creà ­an que era un perro perdido pero la realidad era muy diferente. (They believed he was a lost dog, but the reality was much different. Imperfect.) Lo creerà © cuando lo vea. (Ill believe it when I see it. Future.) La abogada leerà ­a los contratos buscando una clusula de revocacià ³n. (The lawyer would read the contracts looking for a revocation clause. Conditional.) La felicidad no se encuentran en los bienes que poseamos. (Happiness isnt found in the goods we possess. Present subjunctive.) Era una manera para que proveyeran para sus familias de una manera digna. (It was one way for them provide for their families in a dignified manner. Imperfect subjunctive.)  ¡Lee este libro! (Read this book! Imperative.)

Friday, November 22, 2019

10 Interesting Fluorine Facts

10 Interesting Fluorine Facts Fluorine (F) is an element you encounter daily, most often as fluoride in water and toothpaste. Here are 10 interesting facts about this important element. You can get more detailed information about chemical and physical properties on the fluorine facts page. Fast Facts: Fluorine Element Name: FluorineElement Symbol: FAtomic Number: 9Atomic Weight: 18.9984Group: Group 17 (Halogens)Category: NonmetalElectron Configuration: [He]2s2sp5 Fluorine is the most reactive and most electronegative of all the chemical elements. The only elements it doesnt vigorously react with are oxygen, helium, neon, and argon. It is one of the few elements that will form compounds with noble gases xenon, krypton, and radon.Fluorine is the lightest halogen, with atomic number 9. Its standard atomic weight is 18.9984 and is based on its single natural isotope, fluorine-19.George Gore managed to isolate fluorine using an  electrolytic process in 1869, but the experiment ended in disaster when fluorine reacted explosively with hydrogen gas.  Henri Moisson was awarded the 1906 Nobel Memorial Prize in Chemistry for isolating fluorine in 1886. He also used electrolysis to obtain the element but kept the fluorine gas separate from the hydrogen gas.  Although he was the first to successfully obtain pure fluorine, Moissons work was interrupted multiple times when he was poisoned by the reactive element. Moisson was also the first person to m ake artificial diamonds, by compressing charcoal. The 13th most abundant element in the Earths crust is fluorine. It is so reactive that it is not found naturally in pure form but only in compounds. The element is found in minerals, including fluorite, topaz, and feldspar.Fluorine has many uses. It is found as fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water, in Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene), drugs including the chemotherapeutic drug  5-fluorouracil, and etchant hydrofluoric acid. It is used in refrigerants (chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs), propellants, and for the enrichment of uranium by UF6 gas. Fluorine is not an essential element in human or animal nutrition. Topical fluoride application, as from toothpaste or mouthwash, was once believed to be effective for a conversion of tooth enamel hydroxyapatite into stronger fluorapatite, but more recent studies indicate fluoride aids enamel regrowth. Trace dietary fluorine levels may impact bone strength. While fluorine compounds are not found in animals, there are natural organofluorines in plants, which typically act as defenses against herbivores. Because it is so reactive, fluorine is difficult to store. Hydrofluoric acid (HF), for example, is so corrosive it will dissolve glass. Even so, HF is safer and easier to transport and handle than pure fluorine. Hydrogen fluoride is considered to be a weak acid at low concentrations, but it acts as a strong acid at high concentrations.Although fluorine is relatively common on Earth, it is rare in the universe, believed to be found at concentrations of about 400 parts per billion. While fluorine forms in stars,  nuclear fusion with hydrogen produces helium and oxygen, or fusion with helium makes neon and hydrogen.Fluorine is one of the few elements that can attack diamond.The pure non-metallic element is a gas at room temperature and pressure. Fluorine changes from an extremely pale yellow diatomic gas (F2) into a bright yellow liquid at -188 C (-307 F). Fluorine resembles another halogen, chlorine. The solid has two allotropes. The alpha form is soft and transparent, while the beta form is hard and opaque. Fluorine has a characteristic pungent odor that can be smelled at a concentration as low as 20 parts per billion. There is only one stable isotope of fluorine, F-19. Fluorine-19 is highly sensitive to magnetic fields, so it is used in magnetic resonance imaging. Another 17 radioisotopes of fluorine have been synthesized, ranging in mass number from 14 to 31. The most stable is fluorine-17, which has a half-life just of under 110 minutes. Two metastable isomers are also known.  The isomer 18mF has a half-life of about 1600 nanoseconds, while 26mF has a half-life of 2.2 milliseconds. Sources Banks, R. E. (1986). Isolation of Fluorine by Moissan: Setting the Scene.  Journal of Fluorine Chemistry.  33  (1–4): 3–26.Bà ©guà ©, Jean-Pierre; Bonnet-Delpon, Danià ¨le (2008). Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry of Fluorine. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-27830-7.Lide, David R. (2004). Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (84th ed.). Boca Raton: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0566-7.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

New business plan - organic oil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New business plan - organic oil - Essay Example The implementation of this strategy will be a costly and demanding task as numerous procedures will be involved in transforming this vibrant business idea into a practical reality. The company has therefore developed a number of business processes that will be handy in the holistic endeavor of realizing this business plan. Advertisement and promotion will be performed extensively to publicize the company and establish a niche in the oil market. This will involve numerous media activities through which a business awareness of the prospect will be accomplished. A succinct SWOT analysis will be accomplished to guarantee the company’s success in the oil business. Organic Oil Company endeavors to collect the pure oil from Morocco and provide its clients with inherently pure organic oil. The company will as well sell to resellers, small businesses, traders along with wholesalers. Additionally, the oil company plans to sell the oil to individual customers particularly through electronic means like websites. The kind of oil to be produced will be unique as it will only be produced in morocco. Therefore, the oil is estimated to have great demand and a competitive edge in the international market. Owing to the fact that the company target America as its main market, the uniqueness of the oil will be an added advantage as most clients will be inclined to purchase it. The oil to be produced will be applied to a variety of uses and clients will demand the products for several applications. For instance, the oil will be used in the production for cosmetics along with culinary. Since these are daily uses in life, the oil will enjoy great demand among individual clients for personal and commercial uses. There is immense competition in the business of exporting oil from Morocco, this could be a great challenge and threat to the survival of Organic Oil since it is a new venture (Bush and Johnston 56-64). Most of the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Nominal and Real GDP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nominal and Real GDP - Essay Example As per common belief nominal GDP is the total of all the products and services produced by a country in a particular time span, generally one year, expressed in current prices (NZIER.org, 2006). Nominal GDP technically does not include all the goods and services produced by any country. This would lead to double counting of certain products. To avoid this error, only the final product value is taken into consideration. In this value the share of intermediaries (Eg: Raw material suppliers) is apportioned according to their value add to the final product. This usage of intermediates to produce a final product is called as intermediate consumption. Hence nominal GDP is the sum total of all the products and services produced in a country in a specific time period minus the intermediate consumption (NZIER.org, 2006). Increase in nominal GDP is not a reflection of actual economic growth according to economists (Baumol and Blinder, 2004). In nominal GDP, as the current prices are considered, the increase over the previous year is not comparable. Nominal GDP will also show variations according to inflation. If inflation is higher, then nominal GDP is higher. This explains that nominal GDP only reflects changes in prices and does not reflect changes in output levels. Hence GDP is indexed against a base year and the increase from that year is calculated.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Management Information System Essay Example for Free

Management Information System Essay In this subject, we tackled about the information technology system. Based in our generation today computers is the one of the most important in our country to communicate other, to make process easier and to help the businessman/ investor, to make faster in their work. When using computer, people can know work together as if they were sitting next to each other today the internet is a networks of networks, with a millions of servers or permanent cable link, they can access a huge number from internet servers, to research, participate in electronics discussion, shop, make purchase and make payments. In an economy that produces and consumes so much information managers must know how to use information system and virtually every business activity without information none of these activities or the decision making that underlies management is possible. Practically the only tool to handle is important resource is information technology they also tackled all about the types of information system. There are the transaction processing system, supply change management system, customer relationship management system, business intelligence system, decision support and expert system geographic information system. This types of information system gives supports one or more of this activities to transacts business with other parties , to produce in a product or services because the information that provides supports planning of shipping resources such as personnel, funds, raw materials and vehicles. They also tackled about the telecommunication. Telecommunication is the transmittal data and information from one points to another also the data communication it is transfer of data between computer and another device. In management and information system you can create a new and unique products or services that many organization and individual need gives an organization a great competitive advantage. We also tackled about the difference between effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is the degree to which a goal is achieve while efficiency is determine by the relationship between resources expended and the benefits gain in achieving goal. Example, when you efficiency in your class the teacher is an effectiveness just like in management information system. People require information for many reasons and in varied ways. In business, people and organization seek and use information specifically to make some sound  decision and to solve problems too closely related practice that form the foundations of every successful compa ny. The computer a convenient means to execute the for main operations of information system the input, data processing, output and storage. It in business computers have changed the face of our business and personal lives as few others modern devices we have because computer is an electronic device design to accept input data process data, output information and store data of information for future used. We also tackled the strategies of information system the word strategy originates from Greek word â€Å"strategos† meaning general. A strategy is a plan to gain an advantage over the enemy other discipline especially business have borrowed the term as u know from media coverage, corporate executive often discuss actions in ways that make business competition sound like war. Business people must device decisive courses of action to win just as generals do. In business, a strategy is a plan design to help an organization outperform is competitors. Many strategies do not and cannot involve information system but increasingly, corporations are able to implement certain strategies such as maximizing sales and lowering cost – thanks to the innovation use of information system in other words better information gives corporation a competitive advantage in the market place. The internet has been the most exciting development in the field of information system and telecommunications the combination of advance telecommunication technology and innovative software is revolutionizing the way we communicate shop, make contracts and payments, educate, learn and conduct business. With the introduction of graphical interface on the internet world wide web, numerous companies throughout the world have established a Net presence. The World Wide Web became the killer application of the internet the new application brought multimedia to the internet. If without management information system in our economy many investors and businessman cannot deliver a thing at the right time. The internet was a communications network connecting government agencies, universities, and research institutions and it could transmit only text. Management information system is a beautiful subject even if not easy because in this subject is you can learn about the purpose of information system, the components of information system, the four processing, information system in business function, careers in information system. I know that this subject  is not easy to learn because it is information technology, and how to make use a computer machine. So we are so lucky because in our generation we can use a modern technology. Ma’am you are SMART which means Specific and Contextual, Meaningful measures, Achievable within the resources, Realistic and Time- Targeted.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Great War Essay -- essays research papers

The Great War , or as it is known now, World War One was a global conflict fought between the Allied Powers ; Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States along will other smaller nations and the Central Powers ; Germany, Austria – Hungary, Turkey/Ottoman Empire and other small nations from 1914 to 1918. World War One began from a series of tumultuous events, that in turn affected the balance of alliances that had been made between countries at that time in the world. The ignition, or rather start of these events occurred on June 28th, 1914, when the Archduke of Austria – Hungary, Frances Ferdinand and his wife, were assassinated by a young Serbian militant, Gavrilo Princep. Austria – Hungary was ensured of support from the German government if the declared war against Yugoslavia, who had a defensive treaty with Russia. On July 25th, Austria – Hungary extended a ten point ultimatum to the Serbian government, along with a forty – eight hour deadline to enforce the ultimatum. July 28th marked the official declaration of war between Austria and Yugoslavia. The conflict was begun with the intentions of seizing a portion of Serbian territory and utilizing that as a leverage tool to gain their demands. The Russian military began its mobilization efforts to protect Yugoslavia. Trying to still maintain peace the Russians said they would not attack if peace talks would begin. The Germans then issued a twelve hour deadline for th e demobilization of the Russian build up, and the Germans declared war on the Russians on August 1st, 1914. Although Germany had perhaps not been planning for this conflict to materialize in the exact manner that it had, they did have a â€Å"contingency† plan. That plan was known as the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan consisted of war plans for the invasions of all the European nations. The German Military leader Moltke determined that the war had to be fought and won on the western front in order to defeat the Russians (Germany in World War One, Holburn) . Germany then declared war on France on August 3rd , 1914, and invaded Belgium the following day. Belgium tried to resist the oncoming Germans, but fell in three days. The English became involved due in part to the Treaty of London of 1839, in which Great Britain guaranteed to help defend Belgium’s independence. Great Britain then issued an ultimatum to the Germans to withdraw f... ...ntry in a more thorough state of defense but also to exert all its power and employ all its resources to bring the Government of the German Empire to terms and end the war†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , ( First World War, Wilson). On April 6, 1917 Congress passed President Wilson’s declaration of war with Germany. American manpower contribution rose from 200,000 to over 2 million by the war’s end, in part due to Selective Service Act, passed in May 1917. this act called for all males to register for draft induction to the military, between the ages of 18 and 30. Of the 24.2 million registered, only 2.8 million were drafted, ( America, Past and Present, 7th ed., Divine). With American intervention, Allied forces doubled in size and were able to start making ground against the German/Central Powers in Europe. Throughout the fall and early winter of 1918, Allied forces catapulted on even the Germans eastern front (the Balkans and Rumania), when the German military leader Ludendorff st ated, â€Å" The condition of the army demands an immediate armistice†, (Germany During World War One, Holburn). On November 11, 1918 ( thereafter, known as Armistice Day), Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War One. The Great War Essay -- essays research papers The Great War , or as it is known now, World War One was a global conflict fought between the Allied Powers ; Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States along will other smaller nations and the Central Powers ; Germany, Austria – Hungary, Turkey/Ottoman Empire and other small nations from 1914 to 1918. World War One began from a series of tumultuous events, that in turn affected the balance of alliances that had been made between countries at that time in the world. The ignition, or rather start of these events occurred on June 28th, 1914, when the Archduke of Austria – Hungary, Frances Ferdinand and his wife, were assassinated by a young Serbian militant, Gavrilo Princep. Austria – Hungary was ensured of support from the German government if the declared war against Yugoslavia, who had a defensive treaty with Russia. On July 25th, Austria – Hungary extended a ten point ultimatum to the Serbian government, along with a forty – eight hour deadline to enforce the ultimatum. July 28th marked the official declaration of war between Austria and Yugoslavia. The conflict was begun with the intentions of seizing a portion of Serbian territory and utilizing that as a leverage tool to gain their demands. The Russian military began its mobilization efforts to protect Yugoslavia. Trying to still maintain peace the Russians said they would not attack if peace talks would begin. The Germans then issued a twelve hour deadline for th e demobilization of the Russian build up, and the Germans declared war on the Russians on August 1st, 1914. Although Germany had perhaps not been planning for this conflict to materialize in the exact manner that it had, they did have a â€Å"contingency† plan. That plan was known as the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan consisted of war plans for the invasions of all the European nations. The German Military leader Moltke determined that the war had to be fought and won on the western front in order to defeat the Russians (Germany in World War One, Holburn) . Germany then declared war on France on August 3rd , 1914, and invaded Belgium the following day. Belgium tried to resist the oncoming Germans, but fell in three days. The English became involved due in part to the Treaty of London of 1839, in which Great Britain guaranteed to help defend Belgium’s independence. Great Britain then issued an ultimatum to the Germans to withdraw f... ...ntry in a more thorough state of defense but also to exert all its power and employ all its resources to bring the Government of the German Empire to terms and end the war†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , ( First World War, Wilson). On April 6, 1917 Congress passed President Wilson’s declaration of war with Germany. American manpower contribution rose from 200,000 to over 2 million by the war’s end, in part due to Selective Service Act, passed in May 1917. this act called for all males to register for draft induction to the military, between the ages of 18 and 30. Of the 24.2 million registered, only 2.8 million were drafted, ( America, Past and Present, 7th ed., Divine). With American intervention, Allied forces doubled in size and were able to start making ground against the German/Central Powers in Europe. Throughout the fall and early winter of 1918, Allied forces catapulted on even the Germans eastern front (the Balkans and Rumania), when the German military leader Ludendorff st ated, â€Å" The condition of the army demands an immediate armistice†, (Germany During World War One, Holburn). On November 11, 1918 ( thereafter, known as Armistice Day), Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War One.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Developing your Empowering People Skill Essay

The following skills exercise is focus on how manager can develop empowering people (delegating) skill. According to Robbins & Coulter (2012), clarify the assignment, specify the employee’s range of discretion, allow the employee to participate, inform other that delegation has occurred, and establish feedback channels are the five actions that separate an effective delegator from a ineffective delegator. It is essential for manager to be effective delegator because not all managers have the time or knowledge to work on every single project. To practice the five skills, Robbins and Coulter have provided a scenario. The scenario involved a manager (Ricky Lee) who is currently does not have the time for a new project, the boss (Anne Zumwalt) who want the manager to prepare the department’s new procedures manual, and Ricky’s employee (Bill Harmon) who is going to be task with the project. The team (Team B) is going the five actions as a guideline to solve the problem. In the captioned scenario, one should first receive permission from Anne Zumwalt to task Bill Harmon with this project. Bill is chosen for this assignment for his three years experience in the contracts group; therefore, he is more than capable of completing the task in a satisfactory manner. One would then need to sit down with Bill and see if he has the time and motivation to complete the task (Robbins & Coulter, 2012). If Bill agrees, one would then explain the details of the project. This can be achieved by specifically identifying the conten t and scope of the manual. If there is a certain standard format, that should be discussed as well. It would need to be pointed out that thorough research, reference material and accurate information is expected in the manual. As recommended in Robbins and Coulter (2012) Bill should then be given a deadline. The Friday of the week prior to the end of the  month would give Ricky time to review the work and direct any changes. Robbins and Coulter (2012) explains the next step as, â€Å"Specify the employee’s range of discretion† (p. 282). Ricky would then need to explain to Bill what his range of discretion is for this project. As this is a fairly large project with a short deadline, it would be advisable to give Bill discretion to delegate sections of the manual to those employees with experience in each section. Ricky should insist that all although Bill has the freedom to task others for help, all final decisions rest with Ricky to ensure someone is not pulled away from other projects. Ricky should also tell Bill to use all of the resources he needs at the office to complete the task. The next step is to specify the level of participation the employee will have in the project (Robbins & Coulter, 2012). Regarding Bill’s level of participation in the project, that decision should be left to him and will depend on his leadership style. Bill should be reminded that ultimately, the proje ct is his responsibility, regardless of his level of participation. At this point, a meeting with all of the employees should be held where Ricky would announce what has been delegated to Bill for this project. Robbins and Coulter (2012) indicates the purpose of this step is to let others know that a delegation has occurred, to whom and what its circumstances are. Ricky should stress with everyone that this is an important project, during which, everyone should give 100% of his or her energy. Ricky should articulate that Anne Zumwalt has given him discretion to task others with parts of the project so there would be no challenge to his authority. To establish feedback channels as discussed in Robbins and Coulter (2012), Ricky should instruct Bill to give him progress reports each Monday about the prior week’s work to ensure he stays on track. Ricky should also instruct Bill to have the project completed the Friday of the week prior to the end of the month. This way, there is time to review the manual, make adjustments and smooth it over before the deadline. It would also be advisable for Ricky to check on Bill randomly during each week to ensure he is not abusing his authority or is on the wrong track with the project. â€Å"Delegation is an art that must be practiced. Few people are born with this innate ability, but given time and practice, they can learn to become confident and tactful delegators† (Mahoney, 1997) Anne was clear in her directions to Ricky as she disclosed her requirements and briefly yet in great detail defining the assignment, specify the employee’s range of discretion, allow the employee to participate, inform other that delegation has occurred, and establish feedback channels. Which in turn Ricky too practiced the five actions that separate an effective delegator from a ineffective delegator when informing Bill of the assignment. I enjoyed both Anne and Ricky actions: Anne describe the real basics what we call the who, what, when, where and how. And Ricky took the bull by the horns and in his requirements went a bit further into the details. Ricky laid an outline, timeline and left the team a week to fix any short comings if needed once Bill completed the task. I thought that was excellent in his planning. The other think I admired in this process was Ricky’s ability to recognize his own work load and knew right away who to delegate to and knew that persons skill set, all which tells me Ricky is a very in turned type leader. If Ricky had not delegated to Bill the project probably would not have been as strong as a final product because of his current work load. In my years of leading and managing I have observed many leaders take on more than they could handle and bad things happen. Delegating is skill that all leaders, managers must possess to be effective in a greater sense. Meaning managers must know their people and their skill sets and of course trust their team greatly to delegate task. Both Anne and Ricky clear ly practiced the five skills present in Robbins and Coulter book. References Robbins, S.P. & Coulter, M. (2012). Management. (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Janet Mahoney, Nursing Management, (1997), (Volume 28) (Issue 6), Springhouse Corporation, Chicago

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Prometheus Unbound

In examining Asia’s speech, appearing in Act 2 of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s ‘Prometheus Unbound,’ it is evident that Shelley utilised a vast range of themes to create such a unique piece. Overall, the play draws chiefly from areas such as Philosophy, Romanticism, Mythology, Music and Religion (Rossetti). However, the play itself could not have been created without Shelley’s reading of Aeschylus’s play, â€Å"Prometheus Bound† (McDonald). In this sense, the play is very much an appropriation of and sequel to the original.With the above matters combined, Shelley created a work that is conceptually complex, providing the foundations for a challenging yet dramatic play that â€Å"paradoxically performs itself inside the mind of the reader† (Quillin). Asia’s speech in Act 2 reveals Prometheus as fundamentally, the first humanitarian. As such, Prometheus is known as the liberator of humanity and referred to as the â€Å"culture br inger† (Greenblatt 821). Symbolically, Rossetti affirms, â€Å"The unbinding of Prometheus is the unbinding of the human mind† (28).In addition, Rossetti suggests the cave that retains Prometheus â€Å"†¦is the cavern of the human mind- the recesses of creative and contemplative thought, vocal with human sympathy, fertile of human enlightenment and elevation† (31). Therefore, Shelley's ideas signify Romanticism, as his writing insinuates when individuals attain freedom, the power of their imagination is unlocked (Quillin). This can be seen in the â€Å"Prometheus saw, and waked the legioned hopes Which sleep within folded Elysian flowers, Nepenthe, Moly, Amaranth, fadeless blooms; That they might hide with thin and rainbow wings The shape of death; and Love he sent to bindThe disunited tendrils of that vine† â€Å"Prometheus saw, and waked the legioned hopes Which sleep within folded Elysian flowers, Nepenthe, Moly, Amaranth, fadeless blooms; That th ey might hide with thin and rainbow wings The shape of death; and Love he sent to bind The disunited tendrils of that vine† subsequent fragments of Asia’s speech. First and foremost, Asia’s speech is one of unrhymed rhythm and abundant of religious connotations depicting parallels between Greek mythology and Christianity (Quillin). The word ‘Elysian’ refers to Greek mythology and the paradise to which heroes on whom the gods deliberated immortality were sent (Encyclop? ia Britannica). The word ‘hope’ is personified as it is ‘woken’. The awakening of ‘legioned hopes’ may also signify the mass of humanity, in the sense they have been transitorily paralysed by Jupiter’s wrath. It also provides parallels to purgatory, as the forced temporary suffering upon human kind occurs for an unspecified period of time (Padgett). The heavenly flowers act as strength to Prometheus. With Prometheus’ epiphany that lo ve is the answer, the ‘binding’ of the ‘disunited tendrils’ symbolises Prometheus’ realisation that he can be reunited with his wife.The ‘vine’ may also symbolise the chains that bound Prometheus to the cliff. In addition, metaphorically, the vine could represent the almighty strength of a vine in comparison to Prometheus and Asia’s undying love. Rossetti expands this notion, by stating Prometheus and Asia may be regarded as the â€Å"union of the mind and body, or mind and â€Å"Which bears the wine of life, the human heart; And he tamed fire which, like some beast of prey, Most terrible, but lovely, played beneath The frown of man, and tortured to his will Iron and gold, the slaves and signs of power, And gems and poisons, and all subtlest forms,Hidden beneath the mountains and the waves. † â€Å"Which bears the wine of life, the human heart; And he tamed fire which, like some beast of prey, Most terrible, but lovely, p layed beneath The frown of man, and tortured to his will Iron and gold, the slaves and signs of power, And gems and poisons, and all subtlest forms, Hidden beneath the mountains and the waves. † beauty, or intellectual and emotional/loving elements in the human soul† (32). The first line alludes to the greatest gift in life and predominant theme in Prometheus Unbound; love. Love aids the strength and power in Prometheus’ defeat of Jupiter.Evidently, ‘The frown of man’ refers to Jupiter, the chief of Gods who initiated the binding of Prometheus (Magill). After the annulment of Jupiter’s curse upon Prometheus, the play suggests if human kind decides to embrace love, freedom and reject all evil, then the reforming of humanity should occur (Padgett). Thus, the poem is contradictory to Shelley’s statement in the preface stating that â€Å"Didactic poetry is my abhorrence† (Greenblatt 797) as it essentially teaches morality. Once more, the play provides a parallel to Christianity, in the sense that the characters ‘Prometheus’ can be compared to Christ and ‘Jupiter’ to Satan (Padgett).As pointed out, Shelley’s philosophical roots are strongly embedded throughout the play. With this is mind, it is clear that Shelley utilised Aristotle’s theory of the four basic constituents of matter; earth, water, air and fire as a thematic element within the play (Fowler). Thus, words such as ‘fire’ and ‘forms’, refer to Shelley’s cosmic approach to symbols represented throughout the play (Padgett). This distinctive style of imagery enabled Shelley to thoroughly capture the readers’ imagination, as his writing suggests imagery â€Å"He gave man speech, and speech created thought, Which is the measure of the Universe;And Science struck the thrones of Earth and Heaven Which shook, but fell not; and the harmonious mind Poured itself forth in all-propheti c song, And music lifted up the listening spirit Until it walked, exempt from mortal care, Godlike, o’er the clear billows of sweet sound; And human hands first mimicked and then mocked With moulded limbs more lovely than its own The human form, till marble grew divine, And mothers, gazing, drank the love men see Reflected in their race, behold, and perish. † â€Å"He gave man speech, and speech created thought, Which is the measure of the Universe; And Science struck the thrones of Earth and HeavenWhich shook, but fell not; and the harmonious mind Poured itself forth in all-prophetic song, And music lifted up the listening spirit Until it walked, exempt from mortal care, Godlike, o’er the clear billows of sweet sound; And human hands first mimicked and then mocked With moulded limbs more lovely than its own The human form, till marble grew divine, And mothers, gazing, drank the love men see Reflected in their race, behold, and perish. † that can be concei ved various ways simultaneously (Padgett). The final section of Asia’s speech further glorifies Prometheus and the birth of liberation for human kind.It also typifies the premise of the entire drama; Prometheus is acknowledged as â€Å"the culture bringer† (Greenblatt 821). Meaning, he has given human kind the power of intellectual ability, made up of the creative arts and sciences, thus, liberating human kind. This is evident as â€Å"He gave man speech, and speech created thought, which is the measure of the universe†. This line highlights what Prometheus has achieved for the human race. Proving his suffering was not in vain, Rossetti states it has provided intellectual freedom for the rest of society (31).Furthermore, the line; â€Å"music lifted up the listening spirit† reiterates Prometheus’ liberation of human kind. From this, it is clear that Shelley adopts musical themes in his poetry when language no longer proves to be an effective mode o f aestheticism (Quillin). Overall, Shelley produces a dramatic piece addressing his revolutionary ideals by combining music and dialogue, which ironically performs itself in the mind of the reader (Quillin). In Conclusion, Percy Bysshe Shelley’s ‘Prometheus Unbound’ was conceptually inspired by a plethora of key factors.Throughout ‘Prometheus Unbound’, it is evident that Shelley’s approach to imagery stems profoundly from his interest in Philosophy, Romanticism, Mythology, Music, Religion and most importantly, the appropriation of and sequel to Aeschylus’s play, â€Å"Prometheus Bound† (McDonald). These key elements have enabled a multifaceted approach to Shelley’s’ writing, formulating the dramatic shape of the play as a whole. Works Cited â€Å"Elysium†. Encyclop? dia Britannica. Encyclop? dia Britannica Online. Encyclop? dia Britannica Inc. , 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. ;http://www. britannica. om/EBchecked/t opic/185418/Elysium; Fowler, Micahel. â€Å"Aristotle. †Ã‚  Beginnings of Science and Philosophy in Athens. N. p. , 9  Feb. 2008. Web. 11  Mar. 2013. ;http://galileoandeinstein. physics. virginia. edu/lectures/aristot2. html;. Greenblatt, Stephen, Ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9th  Ed. New York, United States: W. W Norton ; Company, Inc. ,  2012. Print. Magill, Frank. â€Å"Prometheus Unbound. † Magill Book Reviews,  2011. Web. 10  Mar. 2013. ;http://www. enotes. com/prometheus-unbound-salem/prometheus-unbound-0089900364;. McDonald, Marianne. â€Å"Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound.   Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – UC San Diego Extension. N. p. ,  2008. Web. 10  Mar. 2013. . Padgett, John B. â€Å"The Imaginary Ideal: Prometheus Unbound. †Ã‚  Shelley, Dante, and Romantic Irony. N. p. ,  1995. Web. 11  Mar. 2013. . Quillin, Jessica K. â€Å"An assiduous frequenter of the Italian opera: Shelley’s Promet heus Unbound and the opera buffa. †Ã‚  Romantic Circles. University of Maryland, 15  Mar. 2005. Web. 10  Mar. 2013. .

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Reaction paper

Reaction paper Reaction paper Journal Review on Counselor Education and Supervision 3 Preparing School Counselors This article looks into how to prepare school counselors for the unprecedented responsibilities and challenges they are required to take on, school counselor education programs must be dramatically transformed. In urban educational settings, the needs for effective school counselors are even more perceptible (Shoffner & Briggs 2002). For instance, urban schools tend to be larger with fewer resources and located in areas with higher poverty rates. The student populations in urban schools are more likely to be comprised of people of color or of students whose first language is not English. In addition, children in urban areas are more often exposed to conditions that endanger their health and well-being, such as limited access to medical care and increased exposure to violence and crime. Each of these preceding factors influences the academic development of students. Students who attend urban schools are less likely than their suburban counterparts to complete high school. And, those who do graduate are more likely to be unemployed or living in poverty this is where the role of counselors and school leaders come together to work for academic success. According to the article the focus on career, personal and social achievement is the key to working together on helping students reach their goals. In order to make school counselor education programs more selective and diverse, the selection process must take into consideration not only test scores (e.g., GRE scores) but key dispositions that lead to effective, equity-focused, and data-driven urban school counseling. They tested the interactive CD-ROM it gave an example of a students, each intern had to choose all aspects of the students life in order to get a perspective of the best way to help the student achieve his future goals. In simple terms â€Å"putting you in the student’s shoes.† Students come from different backgrounds culture, language, social economics and many other differen ces. According to Journal Review on Counselor Education and Supervision 4 Shoffner & Briggs 2002 becoming the future counselor’s one must continue to educate and collaborate with administrators, teachers, students, and parent. As a counselor I can learn from these practices however, I believe internship and supervision would be the best way a counselor can learn. The use of the CD-ROM may not be useful in all situations. This article lacks more detail on the CD-ROM usage. It only mentioned one student’s situation and it did not express what the counselor solution was. New Opportunities for Training School Counselors Professional Development Schools (PDS) have different goals from one another they tend to have and share some of the goals. According to Clark & Horton-Parker 2002 the goal is to enhance school achievement in PDS by preparing educators, administrators and counselors to attend to social, emotional, and careers developments needs of students. In this study it was intended for the collaboration of the teachers and the counselors to work in urban setting to prepare effective administrators, counselors and teachers. Professional Development Schools provide valuable opportunities for collaboration among university faculty and public school professionals and offer the promise of enriched educational experiences for children and enhanced training for preserves and in-service teachers and counselors. In this article new ways that school counselor interns can receive valuable training and counseling experience through their work and supervision in PDS. I strongly believe that it is import ant for the counselor, educator and administrators to have collaboration with one another in order to be effective in Journal Review on Counselor Education and Supervision 5 their responsibilities. They only did a

Monday, November 4, 2019

Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research Essay Example for Free

Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research Essay Over 100 million animals are used every year in the United States as models in biological and medical research to study human disease, injury, development, psychology, and anatomy and physiology. Research involving animals has played a vital role in virtually every major medical advance of the last century. Even today, there is no complete alternative to biomedical research with animals. The vast majority of research animals are mice and rats bred for this purpose. Dogs, cats, and non-human primates together account for less than one-half of one percent of the total, and this number has declined for more than 25 years. Since 1979, the number of dogs and cats needed in animal research has declined by more than 50%. The number of non-human primates needed represents less than .2% (.18% in 2004) and has remained relatively constant—in the 50,000 per year range—for the past decade. The history behind animals being used in scientific research is that is started In Europe and in the US by the early 1900’s and especially during and following World War I the benefits of animal research continued to be recognized. Following the Nuremberg Trials for atrocities by the Nazi’s during World War II, society spoke loudly demanding no research on humans until animal research had made such research a reasonable risk. Today, the majority of people in our society do agree with the idea of the humane and responsible use of animals in research. There is safeguard standards for scientific studies on animals * The USDA has set forth federal regulations governing the care and use of animals in biomedical research that are considered even more extensive than those covering human research subjects. * The Animal Welfare Act sets standards of care for research animals with regard to their housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation, and medical needs and requires the use of anesthesia or analgesic drugs for potentially painful procedures and during post-operative care. * The US Public Health Service Act requires that all institutions receiving research funds from NIH, FDA, or CDC adhere to the standards set out in the â€Å"Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals†. * Institutions must follow detailed animal care recommendations and establish an IACUC to ensure that all animals are treated responsibly and humanely Some people think that all animals that are in scientific research are in pain or distress while undergoing the research that is not necessarily true. The 2004 USDA Annual Report reveals that 57% of all research procedures with animals involved no more than slight or momentary pain or distress (i.e., an injection). In 34% of research procedures anesthesia and postoperative painkillers were used. In 9% of the procedures, neither anesthesia nor pain medication could be used, as they would have interfered with research results. Scientific Perspectives Here are 4 reasons why animals are used in research: 1. The principles of anatomy and physiology are true for humans and animals, especially mammals. Once scientists learned that animals were similar to humans, in physiology and anatomy, it became preferable to use animals rather than humans for preliminary research. 2. Certain strains or breeds of animals get the same diseases or conditions as humans. â€Å"Animal Models† are frequently critical to understanding a disease and developing appropriate treatments. 3. Research meant introducing one variable and observing the results of that one item. With animals we can control their environment (temperature, humidity, etc.), and shield them from diseases or conditions not related to the research (control their health). Although human and animals get the disease that may be the subject of a research investigation, the different life styles or living conditions make them poor subjects until preliminary research under controlled conditions has been done. 4. We can use scientifically-v alid numbers of animals. Data from one animal or human is not research; it is a case study. To scientifically test a hypothesis, an adequate number of subjects must be used to statistically test the results of the research. Some individuals claim that we should use human or animals that have a disease to study that disease. Certainly, epidemiological studies (tracking the occurrence of a disease or condition) have provided many important insights into the cause of a disease or a condition, especially when an environmental aspect is responsible. However, epidemiological studies are successful in only a limited number of situations. Only if the study of a disease is severely hindered or not possible when the research subjects have been/are exposed to a variety of environmental factors. According to the American Medical Association, humans are the most frequently used animal in research. However, research studies conducted on humans follow preliminary studies conducted in animals. These animal studies make human studies a reasonable risk. The animal studies are not a guarantee of success, but they do tell us that the human research has a reasonable probability of success. Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research. (2017, Feb 09).

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Jet Li as Transnational Actor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Jet Li as Transnational Actor - Essay Example He has taken different career paths such as martial arts, film production, martial arts and acting. He started training for martial arts when he was still a young boy. He trained rigorously in Wu Bin and this helped him in winning a championship in the Wushu competition. This was the turning point of his life. He retired from Wushu when he was 19 years old. He now started acting in several Chinese martial arts film. Later he performed in other Hollywood movies the Expendables being on of the movies that hit the box office movies list. This article is review of Jet Li development in his career an actor, how his various roles in varied cultures have grown him and the overall public reception he has had. Jet Li Careers in Martial Art at Wushu Li was born the last born of a family of five children. When he was only two years, his father died leaving his mother with the huge responsibility of raising the children alone. Jet Li joined Wushu when he was very young. At the age of 8, his trai ners realized the talent that he possessed and he was enrolled for classes. He participated in the sports performed by the Wushu teams. This team would perform in the all Chinese games and this gave him the exposure he needed in martial arts. During this time, he was coached by Wu Bin and Li Junfeng. The coaches realized the talent in this young man and would even go an extra mile to ensure that he did not miss on practice and that he performed well. Jet Li came from a poor family background. The coaches would buy Jet Li family meat as this was the diet recommended for a fighter. A diet with meat as a predominant content was crucial to keep an athlete physically fit. As a member of the wushu team, He traveled to 45 different countries to perform. In 1974, he performed together with the Wushu team before the former president of America Richard Nixon. Nixon was deeply impressed by Jet Li prowess that he requested him to be his personal body guard. Jet Li turned this offer down because he said that he was not meant to protect an individual but hoped that when he grew up he would be able to protect a billion Chinese citizens. During this performance, he won the All Round National Wushu Championship a title he continued to hold for the next five consecutive years. When at Wushu, Jet Li trained on several Wushu martial skills. Among them include praying mantis fist, drunken fist, eagle claw fist, shape intent fist and northern long fist style (Ushan, 2011: 182). He retired from Wushu when he was just seventeen and this is the time he began his acting career. Acting Career Chinese Films Li releases his first film in 1982 and it was called the Shaolin Temple. This movie became a hit in china and opened him to Chinese film. He later relocated to Hongkong where he acted in several Chinese martial arts movies. He got his screen name in 1982 when a publicity company in Philippines though that his real name was hard to pronounce. They likened his new career with a jet whic h takes off very fast. The name jet Li was born and was placed on his movie poster. Soon, people started referring him with his new name which is stuck and he has used it ever since. In 1991, he acted in another Chinese film called the Once Upon a Time in China. Here, he assumed the role of a legendary hero who fought against invaders thereby safeguarding and protecting the lives and property of his countrymen (Leon, 2005: 216). Later he acted in the movie fist of Legend which was a