Sebastian Butler Essays (323 words) - Literature, Revenge

Sebastian Butler Mrs. Strickland Honors 9 June 12, 2016 Is Revenge Justifiable? Revenge is to avenge oneself by inflicting pain or harm on someone. (Merriam-Webster) Many people choose revenge because they like that feeling of having that last hit in. Those who believe that revenge is justifiable don't get anything from plotting revenge. Those who believe that revenge is not justifiable are the ones who have better lives. Revenge is not justifiable because it creates more problems and does not end positively as shown often in The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, by Jenny Wingfield and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. In The Homecoming of Samuel Lake there are many plots of revenge on different characters. These don't end well and they affect of the story goes. Ras Ballenger is upset that the Lake family has kept his son, Blade from him but they only keep Blade because of Ras' abusive behavior towards Blade. Ras' wants his revenge on the Lake family, so what he does is kidnaps Samuel's daughter, Swan. He then takes her in this underground safe place and rapes her. He leaves her there but when Samuel realizes that she is gone things get bad. He right away heads to Ras' house to question him. When Samuel asks where his daughter is, Ras lies straight to Samuels face. Luckily Swan had a cowbell, which she shook as hard as she could for Samuel to hear. When he heard it he tackled Ras and twisted his neck, which killed him. This was Samuel's revenge on Ras for what he did to Swan. All this did was make matters worst because he killed a man and would have to inform the law about the situation. This is on e scene from The Homecoming of Samuel Lake that proves that revenge is not justifiable. In To Kill a Mockingbird there are plenty revenge that takes place on different character. Some believe that revenge is justifiable.

Maj. General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican-American War

Maj. General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican-American War Born on November 24, 1784, Zachary Taylor was one of nine children born to  Richard and Sarah Taylor. A veteran of the American Revolution, Richard Taylor had served with General George Washington at White Plains, Trenton, Brandywine, and Monmouth. Moving his large family to the frontier near Louisville, KY, Taylors children received a limited education. Educated by a series of tutors, Zachary Taylor proved a poor student despite being seen as a quick learner. As Taylor matured, he aided in developing his fathers growing plantation, Springfield, into a sizable holding that included 10,000 acres and 26 slaves. In 1808, Taylor elected to leave the plantation and was able to obtain a commission as a first lieutenant in the US Army from his second cousin, James Madison. The availability of the commission was due to an expansion of the service in the wake of the  Chesapeake-Leopard  Affair.  Assigned to the 7th US Infantry Regiment, Taylor traveled south New Orleans where he served under Brigadier General James Wilkinson. War of 1812 Returning north to recover from disease, Taylor married Margaret Peggy Mackall Smith on June 21, 1810. The two had met the previous year in Louisville after being introduced by Dr. Alexander Duke. Between 1811 and 1826, the couple would have five daughters and a son. The youngest, Richard, served with his father in Mexico and later attained the rank of lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. While on leave, Taylor received a promotion to captain in November 1810. In July 1811, Taylor returned to the frontier and assumed command of Fort Knox (Vincennes, IN). As tensions with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh increased, Taylors post became the assembly point for General William Henry Harrisons army prior to the Battle of Tippecanoe.  As Harrisons army marched to deal with Tecumseh, Taylor received orders temporarily calling him to Washington, DC to testify in a court-martial involving Wilkinson. As a result, he missed the fighting and Harrisons victory. Shortly after the outbreak of the War of 1812, Harrison directed Taylor to take command of Fort Harrison near Terre Haute, IN. That September, Taylor and his small garrison were attacked by Native Americans allied with the British. Maintaining a vigorous defense, Taylor was able to hold during the Battle of Fort Harrison. The fighting saw his garrison of around 50 men hold off approximately 600 Native Americans led by Joseph Lenar and Stone Eater until being relieved by a force led by Colonel William Russell. Temporarily promoted to major, Taylor led a company of the 7th Infantry during the campaign which culminated at the Battle of Wild Cat Creek in late November 1812. Remaining on the frontier, Taylor briefly commanded Fort Johnson on the upper Mississippi River before being compelled to retreat to Fort Cap au Gris. With the end of the war in early 1815, Taylor was reduced in rank back to captain. Angered by this, he resigned and returned to his fathers plantation. Frontier Wars Recognized as a gifted officer, Taylor was offered a majors commission the following year and returned to the US Army. Continuing to serve along the frontier, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1819. In 1822, Taylor was ordered to establish a new base west of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Advancing into the area, he built Fort Jesup. From this position, Taylor maintained a presence along the Mexican-US border. Ordered to Washington in late 1826, he served on a committee that sought to improve the US Armys overall organization. During this time, Taylor purchased a plantation near Baton Rouge, LA and moved his family to the area. In May 1828, he took command of Fort Snelling in present-day Minnesota. With the beginning of the Black Hawk War in 1832, Taylor was given command of the 1st Infantry Regiment, with the rank of colonel, and traveled to Illinois to serve under Brigadier General Henry Atkinson. The conflict proved brief and following Black Hawks surrender, Taylor escorted him to Jefferson Barracks. A veteran commander, he was ordered to Florida in 1837 to take part in the Second Seminole War. Commanding a column of American troops, he won a victory at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee on December 25. Promoted to brigadier general, Taylor took command of all American forces in Florida in 1838. Remaining in this post until May 1840, Taylor worked to suppress the Seminoles and facilitate their relocation west. More successful than his predecessors, he used a system of blockhouses and patrols to maintain the peace. Turning command over to Brigadier General Walker Keith Armistead, Taylor returned to Louisiana to oversee American forces in the southwest. He was in this role as tensions began to increase with Mexico following the admission of the Republic of Texas into the United States. War Approaches In the wake of Congress agreeing to admit Texas, the situation with Mexico rapidly deteriorated as the two countries argued over the location of the border. While the United States (and Texas previously) claimed the Rio Grande, Mexico believed the border to be located further north along the Nueces River. In an effort to enforce the American claim and defend Texas, President James K. Polk directed Taylor to take a force into the disputed territory in April 1845. Shifting his Army of Occupation to Corpus Christi, Taylor established a base before advancing into the disputed territory in March 1846. Building a supply depot at Point Isabel, he moved troops inland and built a fortification on the Rio Grande known as Fort Texas opposite from the Mexican town of Matamoros. On April 25, 1846, a group of US dragoons, under Captain Seth Thornton, was attacked by a large force of Mexicans north of the Rio Grande. Alerting Polk that hostilities had commenced, Taylor soon learned that General Mariano Aristas artillery was bombarding Fort Texas. Fighting Begins Mobilizing the army, Taylor began moving south from Point Isabel to relieve Fort Texas on May 7. In an effort to cut off the fort, Arista crossed the river with 3,400 men and assumed a defensive position along the road from Point Isabel to Fort Texas. Encountering the enemy on May 8, Taylor attacked the Mexicans at the Battle of Palo Alto. Through the superb use of artillery, the Americans forced the Mexicans to retreat. Falling back, Arista established a new position at Resaca de la Palma the next day. Advancing down the road, Taylor again attacked and again defeated Arista at the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. Pushing on, Taylor relieved Fort Texas and on May 18 cross the Rio Grande to occupy Matamoros. On to Monterrey Lacking the forces to push deeper into Mexico, Taylor elected to pause to await reinforcements. With the Mexican-American War in full swing, additional troops soon reached his army. Building his force through the summer, Taylor began an advance against Monterrey in August. Now a major general, he established a series of garrisons along the Rio Grande as the bulk of the army moved south from Camargo. Arriving north of the city on September 19, Taylor was confronted by Mexican defenses led by Lieutenant General Pedro de Ampudia. Commencing the Battle of Monterrey on September 21, he compelled Ampudia to surrender the city after cutting off its supply lines south to Saltillo. After the battle, Taylor earned Polks ire by agreeing to an eight-week armistice with Ampudia. This was largely motivated by the high number of casualties sustained in taking the city and the fact he was deep in enemy territory. Politics at Play Directed to end the armistice, Taylor received orders to push forward to Saltillo. As Taylor, whose political alignment was unknown, had become a national hero, Polk, a Democrat, became concerned about the generals political ambitions. As a result, he ordered Taylor to stand fast in northeastern Mexico while ordering Major General Winfield Scott to attack Veracruz before advancing on Mexico City. To support Scotts operation, Taylors army was stripped of the bulk of its forces. Learning that Taylors command had been reduced, General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna marched north with 22,000 men with the goal of crushing the Americans. Attacking at the Battle of Buena Vista on February 23, 1847, Santa Annas men were repulsed with heavy losses. Mounting a tenacious defense, Taylors 4,759 men were able to hold though they were badly stretched. The victory at Buena Vista further enhanced Taylors national reputation and marked the last fighting he would see during the conflict. Known as Old Rough Ready for his gruff demeanor and unpretentious attire, Taylor had largely remained silent on his political beliefs. Leaving his army in November 1947, he handed command to Brigadier General John Wool. President Returning to the United States, he aligned himself with the Whigs though he was not in full support of their platform. Nominated for president at the 1848 Whig convention, Millard Fillmore of New York was selected as his running mate. Easily defeating Lewis Cass in the 1848 election, Taylor was sworn in as President of the United States on March 4, 1849. Though a slaveholder, he took a moderate stance on the subject and did not believe that the institution could successfully be exported to the newly acquired lands from Mexico. Taylor also advocated for California and New Mexico to immediately apply for statehood and bypass territorial status. The issue of slavery came to dominate his term in office and the Compromise of 1850 was being debated when Taylor suddenly died on July 9, 1850. The initial cause of death was believed to be gastroenteritis caused by consuming contaminated milk and cherries. Taylor was initially buried in his family plot at Springfield. In the 1920s, this land was incorporated into Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. On May 6, 1926, his remains were moved into a new mausoleum on the cemetery grounds. In 1991, Taylors remains were briefly exhumed following some evidence that he may have been poisoned. Extensive testing found this not to be the case and his remains were returned to the mausoleum. Despite these findings, assassination theories continue to be put forward as his moderate views on slavery were highly unpopular in Southern circles.

Colonization Impact on Aboriginal's Health Essay

Colonization Impact on Aboriginal's Health - Essay Example (Atkinson J.,pg.27) Due to this colonization the Aboriginal people suffered a major setback in terms of ill-health, loss of land and identity, exclusion from society, etc. Now the Australian government has imposed laws and policies for the betterment of the Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander People, which shows some signs of hope. Living in their own territorial boundaries, in small extended families, linked to larger groups and woven together by complex systems and rules for social interaction, Aboriginal people lived in total harmony. (Atkinson J., pg.25). They believed in We Al-li: fire and water, anger and grief, a program of healing. They also believe that dysfunctional cause's ill health, and so breach of land, kinship and trade obligations, breach of taboo, disrespecting dead and law was avoided. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). They had well balanced nutritious diet of animals, insects, plants, vegetables, fruits, etc. etc as they were available in plenty. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991) and practiced a very healthy lifestyle which they got from daily activities like hunting/gathering. They had their own ways of taking revenge or giving justice like: 1) Physical retribution 2) Tribal 3) Sorcery or Supernatural powers (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). Tribal healers, men or women were able personalities who had a lineage of healing. They used bush medicine like plants, shells, insects, etc. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). Aboriginal men and women believed in equality where no one was considered superior. They believe that racism has ill effects on the health and hence it should be avoided. Impact of Colonization: Colonizers invaded the tribal land and came with Savagery and Violence. Large-scale developments like, space station, resorts, mining, etc. laid deadly impacts on individuals, families and the entire communities and societies. Further this colonization resulted in dysfunctional and violent behavior on both individuals and human interaction. (Atkinson J., pg.23) Aboriginal people were traumatized and this affected their health to a large extent. Their ceremonial responsibilities and process were destroyed by the colonizers and had profound Tran generational effects on the people of this land (Atkinson J. pg.35) environments and the relationships within them became chaotic and unstructured.(Atkinson J.,pg.45) Large-scale epidemics, massacres, removals of whole population to detainment camps called reserves, removals of children, splitting apart of family groups, physical and cultural genocide, formed layers of trauma.

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 138

Essay Example The initiative was launched in 2004 for the companies who agree to follow minimum security procedures. As per this initiative, the companies need to allow audits to ensure that the security procedures are followed. The C-TPAT also enforces on importers that their vendors, suppliers and manufacturers are undertaking security audits on their businesses. The Container Security Initiative (CSI) is a Customs program initiated by the US government to inspect high-risk cargo at the foreign ports before shipping into the US. This necessitates on foreign ports to use tamper-free containers and screen all high-risk containers. Currently, 37 foreign ports follow CSI procedure of cargo security that constitute 60 percent of all the cargo shipped into the US each year. European Union cargo security rules did exist since 2003; however, the security rules and procedures have been further augmented making it effective from April 2010. The European Union has initiated air cargo security that aims at establishing the security control of consignments and securing supply chain. Accordingly, the cargo not handled by regulated authorities will be physically screened before its loading into aircraft. Various methods are used such as X-rays, physical checks, sniffer dogs or trace-detection. Every product must pass through customs where a multilayered risk management approach is applied that include an "Authorised Economic Operator" (AEO) program for traders. All members will have detailed monitoring system and regular checks on known consignors (European Commission, 2010). The secure supply chain in the European Union is identified as known freight forwarders that fall in the category of regulated agents. They are obligated to meet strict standards of controls such as background checks on staff, training aspects and legal compliance. This is to facilitate faster clearance without additional security controls such as screening. By end 2013,

EPILEPSY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

EPILEPSY - Essay Example The epilepsy happens when the electrical impulses bursting in brain escapes their normal limits. The electricity impulses can be transferred muscles resulting in convulsions and twitches. However the cause of epilepsy in many people is unknown. There are many types of seizures like idiopathic, generalized and partial epilepsy. As per, Better Health ( 2013) â€Å"Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated seizures, also known as â€Å"fits†. Epilepsy is a common occurrence in UK and children with this disease encounter learning problems usually with writing, reading and comprehension. They may also need extra help with everyday skill. Many children and adults do not achieve much with epilepsy and the life is difficult when it comes to studies or work. This assignment looks at the role of adult, mental and child nursing in supporting the epilepsy patient and the cultural and psychological effect of the disease on the individual and family. This topic was chosen because epilepsy has an adverse effect on the patient and family members. There is lot of stigma around this disease and also patients experience disability. The seizures give rise to neurological disturbance and burden on family members. They also face problem in life as unemployment, educational disability and poor health. In UK, epilepsy is a common condition among children and adult. In a year, more than thousands of people die because of epilepsy. As per, Epilepsy Action ( 2012) â€Å"In 2009, 1,150 people died in the UK because of epilepsy, and most of these deaths were associated with seizures. The principal cause of seizure-related death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, accounting for an estimated 500 deaths each year†. The epilepsy has different effect on people and culture has certain significance to the disease onset. In UK, people lead a stressful life and it can contribute to the onset of disease. Also certain people are highly influenced to drugs and

Abortion pro life vs pro choice

Abortion pro life vs pro choice Pro-life vs. pro-choice is a nasty debate that doesnt seem to have many answers. There are many questions and facts to back up both sides of the argument. Some people say abortion is a womens rights issue. Other people say its an issue of morality, and still others an issue of just being right. The issue of abortion rights is an opinionated controversy in public life. Every person has an opinion about abortion rights, and it seems that a moral objective has become divided into two different arenas-social issues vs. religious issues, with the Church and the politicians in the direct line of fire. On one side of the abortion rights debate are the pro-life proponents. In the United States, the position of most Christian churches is that the Church has something to say about public life and the good society. The primary involvement of the U.S. Catholic bishops in public life in the last decade focused on abortion. The movement is not flexible, and while the movement recognizes that some women might not be ready to become mothers, pro-life supporters offer women a chance to give up their babies or offer support services. The pro-life movement is simple: abortion is murder and murder is bad. Pro-lifers measure life as beginning at the moment of conception. Anything which may disrupt a pregnancy (including birth control) is wrong. On the surface, the pro-life movement seems to impact the reproductive rights of women-because it does. While Roe vs. Wade 1973 allows women the right to choose to have elective abortions, pro-life supporters believe that the law abortion 3 should stop this from happening. Pro-lifers believe that all abortions are wrong and that every baby should have a chance to be born. The pro-life movement gave rise in the sixties. The proponents maintain that the fetus is alive and human. They believe that the unborn fetus is a person and physically independent, and as a person, the fetus has human rights. Pro-life believers agree that killing an unborn fetus is murder. There appears to be a competition between the U.S. Catholic and American politics. The bishops describe abortion and euthanasia as pre-eminent threats to human dignity because they directly attack life itself. The bishops declare that killing an unborn child is evil and to make such an evil action legal is wrong. Their opposition to legal abortion is the primary social issue. The Churchs teaching that direct abortion is morally wrong has become a tradition in the Church itself-the Church teaches that abortion is not only morally wrong, it is murder. Pro-lifers argue for the rights of unborn fetuses. Catholic moral teaching is based on the dignity of the human person, and the principles based on this foundation of human dignity apply across the board to all life issues. Abortion is now the fundamental human rights issue of today. The outcome of the debate between pro-choice and pro-life opponents needs to be politically correct and morally right. Pro-life and pro-choice are terms of political framing. The Catholic Church does not give women a personal choice in the abortion issue. Abortion is murder and pro-life is anti-abortion. The end abortion 4 result could possibly be that the U.S. bishops and the American politicians will both win their side of the controversy at hand: the social issue and the religious issue of abortion rights will not be morally right, and abortion will not be legal. In the argument for pro-choice, those who want women to have the choice whether or not to have an abortion, the debate does not discuss whether life begins at fertilization. The argument in pro-choice is not necessarily that all women should HAVE abortions, but that women should have the CHOICE whether or not to have one. Pro-choice is a middle ground; anti-choice is forced motherhood. Pro-choice supporters believe abortion should be settled privately between a woman and her doctor. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. Supporters include those who are personally against abortion, but who do not impose their viewpoint on all women. The pro-choice movement does not advocate abortion over birth-it simply defends the right of women to decide for themselves. The pro-choice believers support and work towards preventing unwanted pregnancies, reducing abortion, promoting contraception, educating women and youth, and ensuring that families have the necessary resources to raise healthy happy children. Abortion clinics and hospitals follow proper protocol for abortion. These clinics must provide full information on the risks and side effects and procedures. They must allow a woman to view the embryo, inform her if there are twins, and provide fetal development photos. All women are counseled on birth control, and counselors offer non-judgmental options to the women. abortion 5 Most women have already made up their minds to have abortions when they visit an abortion clinic, yet 1 to 5% change their minds after counseling. Clinic counselors clear up womens anxieties and fears about abortion. An abortion clinic counselor saves far more unborn babies in a year than an anti-abortion picketer saves in a lifetime. The pro-choice movement and abortion providers are in the business of protecting and respecting womens rights, their moral autonomy, and their choices. They want every woman to be willing and every child to be wanted. Pro-woman, pro-child, pro-family, and pro-life in the true sense of that term. The movement struggles alone in efforts to decrease the need for abortions. Anti-choice opposes contraception and sexual education-a possible return to illegal unsafe abortions. Legal safe abortion is a matter of fundamental rights for women BECAUSE LAWS AGAINST ABORTION DONT STOP ABORTION. Pro-choice supporters do not want to debate with those who wish to strip women of their rights. In my opinion, the moral issue has been transferred from Church to state. Pro-life is a struggle between what is politically correct and morality. Both the pro-life and pro-choice movements have become a moral and political debate between the Church and the lawmakers and work toward their own desires and goals. The Catholic Church says that killing an unborn child is evil and to make such abortion 6 an action legal is wrong. The Church interprets abortion as killing and teaches that killing is a mortal sin. I question where the interpretation comes from: the Bible? The Ten Commandments? The Vatican? The Church thinks that abortion is a threat to human dignity because it directly attacks life itself. The moral issue of abortion becomes a social issue because of the Churchs opposition to legal abortion. They are saying that the act of making an abortion legal is wrong. Its almost like blaming the lawmakers for the sin of abortion. Then, they want the law to enforce their teachings. The abortion issue is not whether a woman is committing a sin by having an abortion, its who is legally responsible for her decision and the outcome. A woman should have the rightful freedom to believe what she wants to believe, and her sin (if it is a sin), is between her and God-not the Church, and not the law. The Church does not give women a personal choice in the abortion choice, therefore, they are taking away their fundamental human rights. I am not going to debate whether pro-life issues are correct or false, but rather, try to understand what pro-life is, what it means, and why its still being argued as the right way. On the other hand, the pro-choice movement is an ethical view that women should have the choice to continue or terminate a pregnancy. If abortion is not legal, women will return to illegal unsafe abortions. I believer that a woman should have the RIGHT to choose what to do with her body, and at the same time, I support the teachings of the Catholic Church that abortion is morally wrong. Abortion is a moral choice for any woman wishing to abortion 7 control her body-and this should be a certain unalienable right. If I were attempting to exercise my right of choice to have or not have an abortion, I would need to ask myself the following questions: -Is the fetus alive? Of course. Its a biological mechanism-a genesis of new life. But it does not have human rights-including the right to be aborted during its gestation. -Is it human? Yes-a human being in an early stage of development-not with full human rights. -Is it a person? No-just a potential person. -Is it physically independent? No-absolutely dependent on another human being for its continued existence. -Does it have human rights? Yes and no. Not before birth. -Is abortion murder? No-its not an independent person. While I support the teachings of the Church, I believe that a women should have the right to choose what to do with her body. The pro-choice movement wants every woman to be willing and every child to be wanted. Pro-woman, pro-child, pro-family, and pro-life in the true sense of that term. No one has the right answer, but no one has the wrong answer either. Although the woman always has the right to choose, the pro-life movement makes some good points any scared and single mother might want to consider. As for my feelings, I believe that abortion is a private issue-an issue that abortion 8 should be between a woman and God. I believe the Churchs teaching that God gave me free will to make my own decisions. I think that the pro-choice movement struggles alone in its efforts to decrease the need for abortion. Legal safe abortion is a matter of fundamental rights for women because LAWS AGAINST ABORTION DONT STOP ABORTION. Pro-life vs. pro-choice is a vicious debate that doesnt seem to have many answers. Some people say abortion is a womens rights issue. Other people say its an issue of morality, and still other an issue of just being right. abortion 9

Strategic Management Essay -- Business Analysis Management

Every firm competing in an industry has a competitive strategy. Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organization through its structure of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations. In other words, strategy is about the direction in which the business is trying to move in the long term. A strategy should help in finding the potential markets in which the business competes and its corresponding activities. It should help in analyzing the resources needed to compete, example : skills, assets, finance, technical know-how etc. Strategies should help in Analyzing the external environmental factors that affects the ability of the business to compete. Finally it should help in analyzing the values and expectations of the stakeholders who have the power in and out of the business. The organization's strategy must be formulated in such a way that it has a unique distinctiveness which is clearly specified. This distinctiveness must place the organization in the potential market with a strong base . The strategy developed will be successful when it fits into the company's activities and they should balance each other and they should supply the right benefits to the firm and its customers. The ultimate concept is to position the firm in a way that will ensure its survival in the long term among the competitive environment. The various elements of strategies are strategic planning, strategic thinking and strategic management. Strategic planning is a management tool. It serves one of the main purpose as a management tool i.e., to help an organiz... ...al and the dynamic approaches are equally important. The organizations will prove to be more successful when they apply both these strategic approaches. The organization should know where it is heading to and must also be quick enough to grab the new opportunities and welcoming changes in the competitive market to gain a competitive advantage. BIBLIOGRAPHY : Strategic Management - An Integrated Approach Charles W. L. Hill / Gareth R. Jones (Third and Sixth Edition ) Strategic Management - Issues and Cases Paul Dobson, Kenneth Starkey and John Richards Competitive Strategy - Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors Michael E . Porter WEBSITES : 1. www.findarticles.com 2. www.pim.com 3. www.tutor2u.net 4. www.whatcar.com 5. www.strategyclub.com Strategic Management Essay -- Business Analysis Management Every firm competing in an industry has a competitive strategy. Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organization through its structure of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations. In other words, strategy is about the direction in which the business is trying to move in the long term. A strategy should help in finding the potential markets in which the business competes and its corresponding activities. It should help in analyzing the resources needed to compete, example : skills, assets, finance, technical know-how etc. Strategies should help in Analyzing the external environmental factors that affects the ability of the business to compete. Finally it should help in analyzing the values and expectations of the stakeholders who have the power in and out of the business. The organization's strategy must be formulated in such a way that it has a unique distinctiveness which is clearly specified. This distinctiveness must place the organization in the potential market with a strong base . The strategy developed will be successful when it fits into the company's activities and they should balance each other and they should supply the right benefits to the firm and its customers. The ultimate concept is to position the firm in a way that will ensure its survival in the long term among the competitive environment. The various elements of strategies are strategic planning, strategic thinking and strategic management. Strategic planning is a management tool. It serves one of the main purpose as a management tool i.e., to help an organiz... ...al and the dynamic approaches are equally important. The organizations will prove to be more successful when they apply both these strategic approaches. The organization should know where it is heading to and must also be quick enough to grab the new opportunities and welcoming changes in the competitive market to gain a competitive advantage. BIBLIOGRAPHY : Strategic Management - An Integrated Approach Charles W. L. Hill / Gareth R. Jones (Third and Sixth Edition ) Strategic Management - Issues and Cases Paul Dobson, Kenneth Starkey and John Richards Competitive Strategy - Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors Michael E . Porter WEBSITES : 1. www.findarticles.com 2. www.pim.com 3. www.tutor2u.net 4. www.whatcar.com 5. www.strategyclub.com

Free Will and Divine Foreknowledge Essay

Free will is the ability to make our own choices in issues regarding all aspects of life. It is a power that enables us to make our own choices that are not affected by external factors such as divine will. Therefore, each one sins by his/her own will. While, divine foreknowledge is the fact that God has complete knowledge of what will happen in the future. In â€Å"On Free Choice of the Will†, St. Augustine discusses a critical issue which is the incompatibility of man’s free will and God’s foreknowledge. So the question is, do we really have free will in spite of the fact that God foreknows everything? If God knows what must necessarily happen next, then how do have the free will to make our own choices? Augustine comes up with a series of arguments to prove that we sin by our own will with no intervention of the divine foreknowledge. Augustine first argued a characteristic of God that He has free will, and that He has foreknowledge of his own actions. Therefore, both God’s will and foreknowledge go along with each other. From this point he then assumes that man’s will and God’s foreknowledge are both compatible. But can we compare God with man? And is this argument convincing enough? More elaboration has to be given in order to make it more convincing. Augustine then proceeds to do so. He states that people who do not believe in the compatibility of free will and divine foreknowledge are those who â€Å"are more eager to excuse than confess their sins† (p. 73). That means that people who always blame others for their own wrong doings rather than admitting it are those who claim that we have no free will and that everything is already known by God, and that nothing can be changed, which they also use as a justification for their wrong actions. These people live their life by chance, leaving everything according to the circumstances rather than trying to take good actions. An example for that is the beggars, who always try to take money from people without giving anything in return or even having a job, although they have the ability to do so. But because of their laziness and their belief that this is what they were created to be, they leave everything to happen by luck and according to God’s foreknowledge that couldn’t be changed (p. 73). Augustine then moves to another point which is the relation between the will and the power to achieve that will. He states that the will itself is within our power. Therefore, our desire to commit certain acts is a power that we own. But if we will something that is not within our power then it is not considered as a will because we can only will what is within our power. Augustine then discusses that if something good happens to us then it is accordance to our will, not against it. So for example, being happy, although God foreknows that you will be so, doesn’t mean that we are happy against our will. Thus, God’s foreknowledge of our happiness doesn’t take away our will to be happy (p. 76). And so, he concludes that if God foreknows our will, then definitely this will is going to occur, and so it will be a will in the future. Consequently, his foreknowledge doesn’t take away our will. And since that what we will is in our power, God foreknows our power and He will not take it away. Hence, we will have that power because God foreknows it (p. 77). So Augustine made it clear â€Å"that it is necessary that whatever God has foreknown will happen, and that he foreknows our sins in such a way that our wills remain free and are with in our power† (p.77). However, the fact that God’s foreknowledge of our sins is consistent with our free will in sinning still stays questionable. Taking into consideration the fact that God is just, so how does He punish our sins that happen by necessity? Or is God’s foreknowledge not an obligation? The topic is still confusing so Augustine then proceeds to make it clearer. He explains that if we are certain that someone is going to sin, then we have foreknowledge with the wrongdoing that he/she is going to commit. This foreknowledge didn’t force them to do so, but it was done by their own free will. Accordingly, their will to sin is consistent with our foreknowledge of that sin. Therefore, â€Å"God forces no one to sin, even though he foresees those who are going to sin by their own will† (p. 78). Augustine then compares foreknowledge with memory. He states that our â€Å"memory does not force the past to have happened†, and similarly God’s foreknowledge of the future doesn’t force it to occur (p. 78). And we remember things in the past that we have done but didn’t do everything that we remember, likewise God foreknows everything that He will cause in the future, but doesn’t cause everything that is within His foreknowledge (p. 78). As a result, God punishes our sins that we do by our own will and which He did not cause, as God is known by his justice. Augustine then comes up with a good argument for all those who are still slightly confused, that if God should not punish us for our sins that He foresees then He also shouldn’t reward us for our good work that He also foresees (p. 78). To conclude, Augustine succeeded in coming up with a good argument showing that man’s free will and God’s foreknowledge are both compatible. The sequence of his ideas made his argument understandable and convincing for any reader. As a reader, I’ve always thought about that subject but didn’t receive any answers. However, reading â€Å"On Free Choice of the Will† made everything clear for me and made me well convinced that God’s foreknowledge doesn’t intervene with our own choices that we make. Works Cited Williams, Thomas. On Free Choice of the Will. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. , 1993. 129. Print.

6 Simple Tips for Writing an Amazing Fight Scene

6 Simple Tips for Writing an Amazing Fight Scene If youve reached the point of writing a big fight scene in your novel and are struggling, dont worry. Thats just your intuition as a writer telling you to take a minute and really think about what you want to do here.Conflict in literature isnt just a plot point- its a vehicle to move a story forward, to reveal important character traits, and eventually, to achieve catharsis at the end. Knowing this, when its time to write a scene involving major conflict, particularly a fight scene, its important to take a minute to step back and evaluate what needs to happen with that scene to make it effective. And beyond effective- you need to take a step back to consider what needs to happen to make it memorable.What makes a memorable fightAnyone who has ever read the fight scene between Inigo Montoya and Westly in William Goldings The Princess Bride has read one of the most memorable fight scenes in literature.The man in black stood.You seem a decent fellow, Inigo said. I hate to kill you.You s eem a decent fellow, answered the man in black. I hate to die.But one of us must, Inigo said. Begin.And so saying he took the six-fingered sword.And put it into his left hand.William Goldings The Princess BrideWhat follows is a series of specialized sword attacks and subtleties that, across approximately seven pages, is one of the most memorable fight scenes of modern literature. And since Golding wrote the screenplay to the movie adaptation of the book, its just as good on film.Obviously, writing a fight scene can be one of the most intimidating parts of your story to write. So, lets look at a few tips for making your fight scene memorable.1. Make it more than just a fightYour fight scene should, above all else, be a moment when your protagonist confronts the antagonist (or minor henchmen/bad guys) and reveals important information about them both. As youll notice in the scene from The Princess Bride, the dialogue that occurs between the two characters is a kind of meta, fairytale- esque example of what makes all memorable fight scenes stand out from the rest.Consider the final fight between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. The famous No, I am your father line not only changed the protagonist- it revealed something startling about the antagonist, thus developing both characters significantly within fight dialogue.2. Choose a great settingThe fight scenes in The Princess Bride and The Empire Strikes Back have something else in common- they both take place in great settings.This tip is a little tricky because in addition to choosing a great setting, you have to avoid too much description of the setting while the fight is taking place. Too much description not only slows the pace (which is usually the last thing you want to do when a confrontation is taking place), but it detracts the readers attention from the character development that needs to happen.Youll notice in both The Princess Bride and The Empire Strikes Back, we see the setti ng of the epic fight scenes before the actual fights take place. This gave the writer (and director) time to reveal details about the great location that would soon be the setting of the upcoming fight scene.3. Dont over-describe movementsIn the same sense that using the fight scene to write a lot of setting description will slow down the action, over describing the fight itself will have the same effect. Instead of doing this, use as many action words (verbs) as possible while keeping descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs) minimal.Youll also want to avoid giving your readers a blow-by-blow account of every moment in the fight. Keep in mind these simple rules- make it powerful and quick, choosing emotion over extensive setting or movement description. Let your reader fill in some of these details in their own imaginations and it will keep the pace of your fight scene on track.4. Include emotion and dialogueYour first impression when reading that heading might be, but wait, wont emotion and dialogue slow the pace during fight scenes? Again, think back to the pivotal fight between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker when Vader finally admits that Luke is his son. Think about the pauses for effect and how dialogue- in small doses- increased the tension during the fight in ways that only emotional dialogue can.As for emotion, dont falsely assume that the only way to show emotion is to describe it. Here is a moment when it is even more important than ever to show, dont tell, when you write. Think about the ways your characters can show their emotions through physical response- heart pounding, blood racing, grip tightening responses.5. Be realisticWith the almost meta moments happening throughout Goldings novel, realism wasnt his goal. We all know that in the real world, two opponents wouldnt carry on such witty banter as they try to win against the other. However, unless youre writing a Golding-esque Fantasy with elements of satire, keep your fight scenes as realist ic as possible to keep your readers turning pages.Here are a few ways to ensure that your fight scenes are written as realistically as possible:Research the weapons your characters would most likely be using based on their job/role. If youre going to be using sophisticated weaponry or black-market technology, make sure you know it well by doing as much research as possible. While you dont want to go overboard on descriptions of these weapons or hi-tech gadgets, realistically mentioning them during the scene will make your fight more believable.Avoid over-use of dialogue and make sure that what is said has a purpose of either advancing the plot forward or revealing important character traits.Dont allow your character to have superhuman traits (unless its a superhero story), such as fighting off 12 guys at once or dodging bullets. This kind of unrealistic fighting should only take place when characterization requires it, such as stories of people with superhuman strength or science fi ction, in which an alternate universe or setting allows the laws of physics to be avoided.6. Know the purpose of the fightFinally, lets discuss the fights purpose and why youve chosen to write one in the first place. Before we do this, however, ask yourself this very important question: Am I throwing in a fight just to make the book exciting?If your answer to that question is yes, youd be better off thinking of other ways to ramp up the tension in your book. Sometimes a simple, menacing conversation between the antagonist and protagonist is all it takes to create conflict and tension. If your fights sole purpose is to build tension rather than the other tips Ive covered, it could very well be a distraction that doesnt do anything for your plot building and should be avoided.A fight is the perfect moment to reveal important things about your characters and create reader excitement, especially in interesting settings. However, its also a literal representation of conflict, and should be used with the utmost caution if you want your book to be a bestseller that readers cant put down. A fight for the sake of a fight gets old fast- give your readers more in your fight scenes and theyll turn out better than you ever expected they could.

British and Irish company law Essays - Legal Entities, Free Essays

British and Irish company law Essays - Legal Entities, Free Essays In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A company limited by guarantee does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as guarantors. The guarantors give an undertaking to contribute a nominal amount (typically very small) in the event of the winding up of the company.[1] It is often believed that such a company cannot distribute its profits to its members but (depending on the provisions of the articles) this is not actually true.[2] Converting a limited company to a Community Interest Company (CIC) removes this doubt entirely, as CICs feature an asset lock which prevents the extraction of profits. However, a company limited by guarantee that distributes its profits to members (nor CICs) would not be eligible for charitable status. A private company limited by shares, usually called a private limited company (Ltd.) (though this can theoretically also refer to a private company limited by guarantee), is a type of company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, Scotland, that of certain Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland. It has shareholders with limited liability and its shares may not be offered to the general public, unlike those of a public limited company (plc). "Limited by shares" means that the company has shareholders, and that the liability of the shareholders to creditors of the company is limited to the capital originally invested, i.e. the nominal value of the shares and any premium paid in return for the issue of the shares by the company. A shareholder's personal assets are thereby protected in the event of the company's insolvency, but money invested in the company will be lost. Introduction Companies limited by guarantee are widely used for charities, community projects, clubs, societies and other similar bodies. Most guarantee companies are not-for-profit companies, that is, they do not distribute their profits to their members but either retain them within the company or use them for some other purpose. Most such companies need their articles to be drafted for that particular organisation, and this is the main specialised work to be undertaken. Community Companies CIC at registering such companies and their website gives much more detailed information. Why use a guarantee company? The main reason for a charity, community project, etc., to be a company limited by guarantee is to protect the people running the company from personal liability for the company's debts, just as a business may be set up as a company limited by shares for the same reason. Sometimes funding bodies, such as local authorities, insist on an organisation being registered as a company limited by guarantee. Limited liability If a charity, community project, club, etc. is not registered as a limited company, then the people running it (typically the management committee, etc.) can be made personally liable for its unpaid debts. This can be a real risk. Some charities, community groups, sports clubs, etc. can be substantial enterprises, with liabilities that cannot easily be turned off. They may have leasehold premises, employ people, have equipment on finance contracts, etc. If the income does not meet these outgoings, the charity, etc. may become insolvent, and the people running it (though not usually the members at large who are not on the committee) can be made personally liable for the shortfall. This can happen because of unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, such as the sudden withdrawal of financial support from a body such as the local authority. With a company, on the other hand, the company itself is a separate legal entity and it, not the people who own or run it, is liable for its debts. In a company limited by shares, the shareholders' liability is limited to the amount the shareholder has agreed to pay for his or her shares. In a company limited by guarantee, the liability is limited to the amount of the guarantee set out in the company's articles, which is typically just 1. In both a company limited by shares and one limited by guarantee, the people running the company (the directors) will only incur any personal liability for the company's debts if they have been guilty

Budgeting and customer satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Budgeting and customer satisfaction - Essay Example There are some factors and approaches that Duma may need to focus on/adopt in order to maintain or even increase its market share in terms of attracting more customers. Discuss these factors and approaches and how they may be used by Duma corporation. In order for Duma to expand on its market, Duma Corporation has to adopt strategic management in its operations. With strategic management, the company has to start with setting a mission, vision, and corporate objectives, and then crafting a strategy in order for the company to thrive in its chosen industry. Strategic management entails application of strategic marketing, strategic finance, strategic human resource management and other functions of the company's operations. Strategic marketing will be the front-runner of the company's efforts in order to attract more customers, and increase its market share in the process. How does the company do this' It has to assess the current level of the demand in the market, as well as the supply. Given the gap in the market, it can set a certain level of market share which it aims to capture as its marketing objective. This target market share is transformed into sales objectives. After determining its marketing objectives, the ... This target market share is transformed into sales objectives. After determining its marketing objectives, the company can craft its marketing strategy. It must set criteria to segment the market, such as profitability as it cannot please all the customers (Duncan 2005). After knowing the segments and targeting a segment where it want to operate, the company must know what the attributes are customers give premium on when choosing specialist photocopiers. Armed with this knowledge, the company can position itself according to the preferences of consumers. This positioning, or what the company stands for as regards its offer should set a level of expectation for the market. Satisfaction of its current customers is key to retaining its market share; satisfaction occurs when the level of expectation of the customers is exceeded (Pickton & Broderick 2001). Thus, Duma corporation must exceed what customers expect of its product in order to satisfy them, make them loyal to the brand or product of the company, or in extreme cases, advocate the brand which can help the company acquire more customers in the process. It is very usual that positive word of mouth can accompany high levels of customer satisfaction (Duncan 2005), and this positive word of mouth is a very powerful marketing communications tool in order for Duma to reach and convert other customers to joining its customer base. Customer satisfaction by providing satisfactory product and services is key for Duma to maintain its market share. This customer-centric approach to marketing is can only be accomplished by investing in consumer research in order to probe for the preferences of the customers (Pickton & Broderick 2001). Without knowing what the customers

The Historical Foundation of Physical Education Essay

The Historical Foundation of Physical Education - Essay Example The Historical Foundation of Physical Education Take the idea of Allen Guttman, he described Modern Olympic Movement as weak and highly influenced by commercialism of today. According to him, there are major forces that drive the Olympic today and one of them is politics in sports. He further emphasized that Olympic Games are too complex, too prone to internal and external forces, and too appealing in different ways to vested interest groups global-wide. On the other hand, Robert Mechnikoff in his book had noticed minimal discrepancy for he focused his discussion on the historical and philosophical perspective of sports. For him, many people who have involved in sports seem to forget the value of building good character and healthy body. Many people today engaged in physical activities in order to acquire ideal body built and follow the norm of today’s gymnast enthusiasts. It is quite obvious that many people who are successful in their chosen sports have never been into college because of financial reason. Take for instance the Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao who is a boxer since childhood. He gets into this sport because according to him, this is the only way he can do to support his poor family. A Mexican boxer Oscar Larios is also from a poor family who found fortune in the boxing arena. The wrestling superstar Batista on the other hand, became famous and financially successful; though, in his childhood, his family could not send him to college.