Free

Freedom Fighters Essay Nelson Mandela was a visionary freedom fighter who brought about the end of an apartheid society and solidified the democratic elections of presidents by majority rule to South Africa. Born in 1918, Mandela’s early introduction to leadership in the Thembu tribe molded his democratic beliefs (Nelson Mandela, 2009). His youth found him exposed to Western culture which ultimately led him to abandon the Thembu culture and relocate to Johannesburg (Nelson Mandela, 2009). It was during his early years in Johannesburg that he explored the many political philosophies that surrounded him. It was also during this time that Mandela began thoughtful observation and contemplation of the struggles of the black men and women in South Africa. Mandela came to the conclusion, â€Å"It was not lack of ability that limited my people, but lack of opportunity† (Sohail, 2005). His profound dissatisfaction with the apartheid society and the oppression of his people eventually led him to join the African National Congress or ANC in 1944 (Nelson Mandela, 2009). In 1948, the Afrikaner dominated National Party established the apartheid customs into law (Sohail, 2005). In response to this the ANC initiated the Campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws at the urging of Mandela (Sohail, 2005). This was the turning point for the ANC and the beginning of Mandela’s rise to recognized leader within the ANC. Prior to this campaign the ANC was committed to peaceful negotiations. With Mandela’s convincing they converted to nonviolent protesting with the goal of overthrowing the white minority government and putting an end to the apartheid laws (Nelson Mandela, 2009). These unsuccessful protests were met with violent opposition. It was one such violent encounter that propelled Nelson Mandela and the ANC to adopt violence as a means of protest. In 1960, sixty nine protestors were killed by government police, this act ultimately lead to the development of Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) by Nelson Mandela (Nelson Mandela, 2009). The Umkhonto we Sizwe was an offshoot of the ANC whose sole purpose was to engage in violent sabotage of the government. It was Nelson Mandela’s activities within the Umkhonto we Sizwe that ultimately led to his capture and incarc eration. His trial and sentencing captivated a world audience and forced the actions of the South African government into an international spotlight.(Nelson Mandela, 2009). Fully expecting the  death penalty, Mandela rebutted the idea of seeking appeal recognizing the strength of his position in regard to the cause; â€Å"If anything we might serve the cause greater in death as martyrs than we ever could in life† (Sohail, 2005). Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment and solidified his standing as a symbolic embodiment of South African’s fight for freedom (Nelson Mandela, 2009). While incarcerated the violence that Mandela birthed continued to escalate over the years. The world continued to pay attention and the United Nations began supporting sanctions against the South African government (Sohail, 2005). Mandela, aware of the violent chaos, began to contemplate a change in strategy. Recognizing that the movement he began was not vast enough to outright overthrow the existing government he began to consider the possibility of negotiations. At the height of the violence and with increasing international pressure the South Afric an government was ready to negotiate as well. The first of many secret meeting took place in 1988 between President Botha and Nelson Mandela (Nelson Mandela, 2009). While these negotiations failed to produce any compromises they set the precedent for Botha’s successor F.W. de Klerk in 1989. President de Klerk was committed to change and meaningful negotiations. With the help of President de Klerk, Mandela established the foundation on which the ANC and the South African Government would negotiate (Sohail, 2005). President de Klerk overturned several of the apartheid laws and ensured Mandela his freedom. Nelson Mandela, to the celebration of millions, was released on February 11, 1990 (Sohail, 2005). After spending 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk mediated the negotiation of the multiparty Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Nelson Mandela, 2009). The culmination of these negotiations was the Record of Understanding signed by Mandela and de Klerk in 1992 establishing a â€Å"freely elected constitutional assembly† (Nelson Mandela, 2009) and the drafting of a new constitution. The first free democratic elect ions took place on April 27, 1994 (Nelson Mandela, 2009), effectively ending the minority white reign and the apartheid laws. For Mandela’s significant contributions and sacrifices to bring about these social and political changes he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993(Nelson Mandela, 2009). Andrew Jackson was a revolutionist and the 7th President of the United States. It was though this pursuit of the United States presidency  that he changed the political landscape; changing the way presidents were elected and solidifying presidential power. He further initiated significant change with the displacement of the Native Americans westward. (Red Hill Productions, 2007) Andrew Jackson was born 1767 in South Carolina. Orphaned by the Revolutionary War at the age of 15, he quickly developed a reputation of being â€Å"hot tempered and violent† (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Yet at the same time, he maintained a strong work ethic and earned a law degree. He relocated to the frontier lands of Tennessee at the age of 20 to serve as a public prosecutor. It was during this period in his life that he first experienced formal politics. Serving as Tennessee’s first Congressman he quickly became disenchanted with the political scene. Frustrated with ineffective committee meetings and what he saw as far reaching corruption, he returned to Tennessee where he became a superior court judge. (Red Hill Productions, 2007) At the urging of his supporters and amid far reaching popularity, Jackson once again entered politics with a bid for the 1822 presidential race. Andrew Jackson was defeated in 1824 despite winning the popular vote. John Quincy Adams was awarded the presidency at the discretion of the sitting House of Representative (Andrew Jackson, 1997). Empowered by what they saw as a corrupt election process where presidents were decided via the political elite and not the will of the common people, Jackson’s supports organized the first Democratic Party (Red Hill Productions, 2007). United under the Democratic Party the common people led a feverish campaign. This campaign culminated in the electing of Andrew Jackson to the presidency in 1828 (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Recognizing the political power of an organized party the Republican Party was realized later in the decade. Originally dubbed â€Å"the National Whig Party† (Red Hill Productions, 2007), the birth of this party laid the foundation for a two party political system that continues to dominate politics today. During Andrew Jackson’s two term presidency he further enacted political change by redefining the role of President within the government. In juxtaposition with the founding fathers, Jackson saw the role of the President as the leader in gov ernment rather than the Congress (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Being the only position in government to be elected by the vast majority of the common people, Andrew Jackson envisioned the presidential responsibility as to â€Å"serve the good of all people† (Red Hill Productions, 2007). With  this responsibility came great power which Jackson wielded with great efficiency. He invoked his executive power and utilized his veto power vehemently (Red Hill Productions, 2007). With this wide sweeping reform and successful transition of political power to the President, Andrew Jackson is credited with being the first modern President (Red Hill Productions, 2007). While serving as President, Andrew Jackson determined to secure westward expansion of the United States enacted even further political and social change with the Indian Removal Act of 1830 (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Jackson was the catalyst that ultimately concluded with the displacement of the Native Americans east of the Mississippi (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Recognizing the significance of westward expansion for the continued success of the United States, Jackson introduced the Indian Removal Act in a message to Congress in 1830 (Red Hill Productions, 2007). This displacement of the Native Americans wou ld open Native American lands for the white Americans to develop and expand westward. The Indian Removal Act was passed by Congress in 1830 (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Despite the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Cherokee people, Andrew Jackson moved forward with the Indian Removal Act forcing a westward movement of the Cherokee people (Red Hill Productions, 2007). This westward movement was famously termed â€Å"the Trail of Tears† (Red Hill Productions, 2007). This impacted the Creek and Seminole people as well and effectively solidified the expansion of the white farmers and business entrepreneurs on the land west of the Mississippi for the American people (Red Hill Productions, 2007). Andrew Jackson’s contribution of the establishing of political parties and the expansion of presidential power solidifies his legacy of enacting significant political and social change. These contributions continue to remain the foundation of politics in the United States. His Indian Removal Act was an equally significant example of political and social change that allowed the United States to expand westward. This westward expansion firmly cemen ted the continued success of the United States. References Andrew Jackson. (1997). In Biography Reference Bank. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/delivery?sid=986fb1e9-82c5-4a86-8443-28de1ed235%40sessionmgr112vid=13hid=4208 Nelson Mandela. (2009). In Biography

Influences Of Feminism On Political Science

Influences Of Feminism On Political Science This essay will evaluate the influences of feminism on political science. Feminists have given us a different outlook on what we define as politics. In simple terms politics is about power. However the ways and spheres with in which this power is exercised and the actors who have authority to use it can be debated. By challenging conventional ideas of what is political, feminists have broadened the definition of politics. The question above will be answered in this essay by firstly looking at the historical roots of feminism. I will then move on to describe the term feminism and how this movement has developed over the years. In the second half of the essay I will look at how feminists view the state. Finally I will carry out a case study to reinforce the contributions made by feminism to the field of political analysis. Although feminist aspirations have been expressed in societies dating back to china, they were not underpinned by a political theory until the publication of Mary Wollstonecrafts a vindication of the rights of women (Heywood, 2002:61). In terms of Europe, the first set of women who highlighted issues regarding their sex did this for religion and within religious frameworks (Walters, 2005:6). Following this in the early 19th century campaigns were organized for improving education, increasing opportunities to work outside home, legal rights for married women and the concept of giving women the right to vote was initiated (Walters, 2005: 41). As a result of the demand for voting rights for women, the suffragettes movement came into being. In 1918, women over the age of 30 were given the vote; and in March 1928, under a conservative government, they finally won it on equal terms with men (Walters, 2005: 85). In simple terms feminism can be defined as an ideology committed to promoting the social role of women and, in most cases, dedicated to the goal of gender equality (Heywood, 2002: 423). Firstly the idea that there is gender and inequality in terms of sex, secondly the fact that this patriarchal system should not be allowed to dominate forms the base of feminism (Heywood, 2002: 61). Feminism essentially can be divided into three sub sections. First wave, second wave and third wave. It can be observed that with time feminism has become more radical as demands have increased. The first wave feminism, which is also known as liberal feminism, was initiated by the suffragettes movement. Mary Wollstonecraft laid the foundations for first wave liberal feminism with the help of her book a vindication of the rights of women (Pettiford, 2005: 159). In A vindication of rights of women, she used liberal arguments to make the case for equal rights and opportunities for women (Pettiford, 2005: 159) . Liberal feminism focuses on the reasons behind women being classified secondary to men. They do not question the epistemological assumptions for these differences and mainly focus on the given content. Liberal feminist believe that by empowering women legally they can raise their status in society. These include a number of issues for example the problems faced by refugee women and sex trafficking (Smith, 2007: 188). The second and third wave feminism is critical of liberal feminism. Second wave feminism came about after the Second World War in a number of countries. By 1947 the UN had established a commission that served the purpose of looking at the status of women in society. In 1949 by issuing the declaration of human rights, the UN acknowledged that both men and women have equal rights in terms of marriage and divorce (Walters, 2005: 97). With the help of the womens liberation movement, the demands of more radical feminists were presented to the world. The aim was to stretch the concept of politics and stop it from being only restricted to its arena definition. The famous slogan the personal is political came around (Heywood, 2002: 12). Politics was not only about the state or government now; it was seen as an everyday experience. This means that it is present in relationships between families, work colleagues and almost any association one individual might have with another. Radical feminists demand a sexual revolution through which they argue we can remove the patriarchal state that currently exists (Heywood, 2002:12). The third wave of feminism raises many fundamental questions about their discipline. These include looking at the methodologies that are used in political science. By challenging the state as being the only arena for power and politics, feminists have produced a range of arguments through which politics can be defined or analyzed. To begin with by uncovering the idea of patriarchal state, the feminist have made a huge contribution to make us view how are legal and state institutes are controlled by men and also how conventionally politics has been viewed as male stream (Hay, 2002: 71). Feminist perspectives can be divided into five broad categories: The neutral state, patriarchal state, capitalist state, women-friendly welfare state and finally the post structural state. Liberal feminist have made contributions to the idea of a neutral state. They influenced policy making. Public debates surrounding equal pay, quotas and citizenships are now being seen under the light of equality and universality. These will enable women to step into institutes that have a male majority. Liberal feminists have armed us with a numerous of essential ideas regarding justice that are still being used in feminist debates (Marsh, 2006: 119-120). Radical feminist have given us ideas that help in unmasking the patriarchal nature of the state. This in turn has helped in uncovering how the state has a part to play for gender inequalities within various settings (Marsh, 2006: 122). Marxist and socialist feminist contribution was to conceptualize the state as a social relation and to stress the importance of understanding capitalist relations when theorizing the state (Marsh, 2006: 123). It emphasised the idea of the work women do for their family without demanding a wage and established a fresh outlook to liberal and radical feminist perspectives on the state (Marsh, 2006: 123). The women-friendly welfare state feminist approach contributed to feminist debates on the state by highlighting the role of context in feminist state theory. It provided tools for analysing by challenge questioning widely accepted theories and judgments about womens link to the welfare state which was built on Anglo-American theory and research. Furthermore by looking at gender and state in terms of theory it gave us a softer approach of analysis to the values of womens agency (Marsh, 2006: 124-125). Post structural approaches have contributed significantly to feminist debates about the state by highlighting the differentiated nature of the state and by questioning the unity of state responses (Marsh, 2006: 125). The classical definition of politics provided to us by the author Robert Dahl which is that power exists when A is able to make B do something that B wouldnt normally have chosen to do (Heywood, 2002: 11). This makes power a key concept of political science. If we then look at feminism, it is not hard to deduce from the definitions of the movement provided in the first part of this essay that feminists do indeed focus and criticise the use of power. It can be argued that ideas such as rational choice theory and feminism have produced a whole new language with a range of lexis for the analysis of political science. The question of what is politics? and whether or not it is a science or not can be looked in a whole new light. The key three terms that have been developed for this debate are ontology, epistemology and methodology. Ontology refers to what is out there in the world to know. Epistemology helps us to trace how we know about these ontological issues that exist. Finally methodology is a term used to describe the means employed to search for ontology and epistemology. Feminism has been described as going through three epistemological phases: rationalist (positivist), anti rationalist and post rationalist (interpretive). By rejecting conventional borders of political science and bringing up the issue of public/private dichotomy, feminists have indeed provided essential tools to dissect and analyse political issues and disci pline (Stoker, 2002: 113-115). In order to summarize and emphasise the contribution of feminist theory I will now analyse a case study. Currently the world is plagued by wars in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Along with this the current recession has left many unemployed and it is safe to say the world is going through a rather dark time. Due to word restriction I have decided to only look at the war on Iraq and analyze it from a feminist point of view. The key issue I will be looking at is how the meaning of protection and security has taken a new dimension when we analyze the war on Iraq from a feminist perspective. To begin with decision to enter Iraq was made by representatives of a patriarchal structure which included ideas such as revenge, strength and bravery. These ideas would contradict feminine ideas like compromise. War on Iraq followed after September 11 attacks on the twin towers in New York. It also resulted because the Bush administration claimed that Saddams regime were in possession of weapons of mass destruction. However these weapons were never found and civilians as well as military personnel are dying on a regular basis in these parts of the world. If we then look at this in the broader sense, the soldiers who die in these wars leave behind families. This increases the responsibility on women as they have to usually become the breadwinners of the family (Owens, 2008: 270). This not only challenges the myth of pr otection but also allows us to see how feminists historically contributed to allow women to become responsible for the welfare for their families. For example if we were to accept the idea of women being confide to households, who would provide basics necessities of life to these families. Along with this if a women has taken up a role of the head of the house then why should she not be allowed to make decisions on higher institutional levels. Feminists define security broadly and encompass ideas such as violence, physical, economic and ecological security (Owen, 2008: 270). The national security of states, defined in masculine terms lays emphasis on military strength, can overlook the physical and economic security of individuals (Owen, 2008: 270). This essay has reflected on the various influences that feminism has had on political science. By questioning the relationship between public/private, feminists have contributed in revealing the complexities of the political world. The case study I used above can show us how if we were to filter conflicts from a feminist perspective, we can take account of humanitarian crises that lie ahead. Finally by showing that power is a universal and everyday practice, feminism has allowed us to see that politics indeed exists in our society and in political institutes such as the state.

The Teapot Dome Scandal

The Teapot Dome Scandal Tarryl Garner The topic is Teapot Dome scandal. People in the office decided to make a company for oil to make more money for themselves. Harding called for a return to normalcy, which meant support for the pursuit of private profit. The people in the office was caught and had to turn the oil company to the navy. The Teapot Dome scandal of 1923 was the worst of many political scandals of Hardings tenure and of the 1920s in general. It happened in 1921-1923. It was the first time that a president that had a scandal. The first person who is involved in Teapot Dome is Albert B. Fall. Albert Fall received approximately four hundred thousand dollars exchange for his favoritism. Fall was the United States Senator from New Mexico and the secretary under President Warren G Harding infamous for his involvement. Albert Fall became the first cabinet official was sent to prison. The second person is Edwin C. Denby. Edwin singed all the leases Edwin was cleared of all the charges he had. Became interested in mines, lumber, land, railroads, farming, and stock raising member Territorial House of Representatives 1891-1892. Convicted of bribery for leasing federal lands to oil companies in exchange for personal loans. Fall spent nine months in a New Mexico state prison. Fall retied in major Marine Corps in the United States Reserve in 1919. Appointed chief probation officer in the recorders court of the city of Detroit and in the circuit court of Wayne County in 1920. Resumed the practice of law and various bus iness enterprises died in Detroit Michigan February 8, 1929 interment in Elmwood Cemetery. He also was well known as a dancer. He was writer and wrote books. The third person was Harry F Sinclair. Sinclair wanted to be in a businesses into the oil fields, which was in the early phase of their development in the central part of the country. He was an American industrialist and was the founder of the Oil Company. He was implicated in the 1920s Teapot Dome Scandal. He served six months in prison for jury tampering. Sinclair decided he didnt want to be in jail so he decided to deny all guilt so he can get back into the oil company to make more money that he lost, which continued to prosper. During the Great Depression, he purchased troubled oil companies continuing to build a nationwide network of oil fields, pipelines, and refineries. The fourth person is Edward L. Sinclair. In 1922 Sinclair was the president of the Mammoth oil company, Sinclair was received the rights to the Teapot Do me. He rose from years as a drifter to become the richest man in America. He wants to spend his last years in prolonged court battles on charges of bribery and corruption in the famous Teapot Dome Scandal. While Edward Sinclair waits for his second trial, for bribery, Doheny faced a major family tragedy. Edward Doheny was a friend of fall was prominent in the American petroleum and Transport Company was leaked in the fields in California Elk hills. Edward Doheny was guilty of bribery charge, but Edward was forced to repay $47 million in settlements, taxes, and penalties by the court. The last person was Warren G. Harding. Warren G. Harding was elected the 29th U.S. president on his birthday, and served from 1921 to 1923. At age 14, Harding attended Ohio Central College where he edited the campus newspaper and became an accomplished public speaker. He personally overturned or allowed Congress to reverse many policies of the Wilson Administration and approved tax cuts on higher income s and protective tariffs. Facts about the teapot dome scandal. It was named after rock formation. Fall received bribes of over $400,000 it did not remain as a secret for along time. Greatest and the most sensational scandal in the history of American politics. The Teapot Dome was a geological formation that traps oil underground by the layers of the rocks layer up to form a dome. In 1924, the senate inquiry concluded that the Teapot Dome and Elk hills oil leases had been fraudulent and corrupt. Both Albert Fall and Edwin Denby they had to resign from office because of the Teapot Dome scandal however, President Harding was not involved to have a role in the illegal dealing. Edwin Denby was not fraud but with his helping, the other he was forced to resign from the office. When President Harding he surrounded himself with a group of his old friends that become known as the Ohio gang. Then on August 2nd 1923, President Harding died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Calvin Coolidge became president. The Teapot Dome scandal period was from 1921-1923. The First World War ends for the United States in August of 1921 when the U.S. and Germany signed the Treaty of Berlin. New York Yankee pitcher Babe Ruth hit his 138th home run during June of 1921. Ruth broke the career home-run record that had been held by Roger Connor for 23 years. Seven of the sixteen major railway unions at the time joined to protest wage cuts for railway maintenance workers. At the start of the strike about 400,000 workers walked off the job and while the strike had some economic effects across the country. The surrounding circumstances. Fall secret granted to Harry Sinclair of the oil company to see if he had the exclusive rights to the Teapot Dome Wyoming reserves. He granted similar rights to Edward L. Doheny of pan American Petroleum Company for the Elk Hills reserves in California. They all came very rich. Teapot Dome is a geological feature in Wyoming, Teapot Dome named for nearby rock, and you can see the oil company. In addition, private wells surrounded the naval reserve fields, siphoning off their underground deposits. When the news became public in April 1922, conservationists and small oil producers in Wyoming, who objected to the secrecy and lack of competitive bidding, raised a storm of protest. Teapot Dome was only the most dramatic example of corruption by Hardings appointees. President Coolidge set up the Federal Oil Conservation Board to encourage closer coordination in oil production between the federal government and the oil industry. A company from Sinclair and the rest of the people that was in the scandal indicating that the bonds receiving good things from the leases. There were rumors where in which couple people in Hardings Administration had bought a rich deserted oil reserve in Wyoming to private interest to eventually payback the bribes toward the company. The senate public made a choice to investigate the Albert fall received not only $100,000 from Doheny Fall also received $300,000 from Sinclair the president of Mammoth oil company Fall exchange it to cash for the use of the Teapot Dome oil reserve. It started with rumors that the members of the administration had purchases some the remote rich land which was an oil reserve in Wyoming to private interests in return for bribes. Some men in New Mexico had become increasingly suspicious when they noticed fall buying more land and improving his property there, and oilmen in Wyoming and Colorado began to write their Congressmen in protest and for information. At an executive session of the Public Lands Committee on January 26, 1924, Walsh introduced an idea where he introduced on a Monday during the Senate Resolution calling on President Coolidge to annul the leases of Teapot Dome and Elk Hills and to appoint a special counsel to investigate and prosecute the individuals of all who were involved in the mater. The effect on the government. Judge T Blake ruled against the government to give the scandal to someone else but the leases were finally cancelled when the United States Supreme Court overturned the Kennedy decision. Became synonymous with government corruption and the scandals arising out of the administration of President Warren G. Harding. Since then, it has sometimes been used to symbolize the power and influence of oil companies in America politics. Occidental Petroleum Company took over operations there in 1998 in the largest single divestiture of federal property in the history of the US government. Which currently produces a small amount of crude oil and natural gas and earns approximately $5 million per year for the federal government. Eventually everything was okay the United States Supreme Court decided to get rid of the lease inoperative and the oil company at the Teapot Dome and Elk hills was returned to the government. The suffering of the people were involved in the teapot scandal. Albert B. Fall was convinced of bribery he served nine months of a one-year sentence but after 9 months he been in jail he was released because of bad health. Harry Sinclair was put in prison he served six and half months in prison. Harry Sinclair left prison denying all guilt and returned to his oil business, which continued to prosper. Edward Doheny was acquitted again of the bribery charge, but was ordered by the courts to repay $47 million in settlements, taxes, and penalties. Edward Doheny son was killed by Plunkett. Plunkett later comminuted suicide because Plunkett feared that he was going to be sent to prison for helping delivering cash to Albert Fall. The outcome of the Teapot Dome scandal. District Judge T. Blake Kennedy ruled in favor of against the government, but the leases were finally cancelled when Supreme Court overturned the Kennedy decision. Concluded that the Teapot Dome and elk hills oil leases had been fraudulent and corrupt. The federal government brought the trial to federal court in the state of Wyoming to deny the bribery-induced leases to Teapot Dome that fall had given to Sinclair. Congress made President Harding to cancel the leases. The Supreme Court made the leases cheating ruled illegal the charges what President Harding had go against Albert Fall. People in the office decided to make a company for oil for a backup plan to make a lot of money. When you are in charged you should become a leader and show people how to be a better person.

Og Mandino (For the Rest of My Life) :: essays research papers

For the Rest of My Life . . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the rest of my life there are two days that will never again trouble me. The first day is yesterday with all its blunders and tears, its follies and defeats. Yesterday has passed forever bye my control. The other day is tomorrow with its pitfalls and threats, its dangers and mystery. Until the sun rises again, I have no stake in tomorrow, for it is still unborn. With God’s help and only one day to concentrate all my effort and energy on, this day, I can win! Only when I add the burden of those two frightening eternities, yesterday and tomorrow, am I in danger of faltering under the load. Never again! This is my day! This is my only day! Today is all there is! Today is the rest of my life and I resolve to conduct myself through every waking hour in the following manner. . . . For the rest of my life, this very special day, God help me . . . to heed the wise advice of Jesus and Confucius and Zoroaster and treat me. To maintain a rein on my tongue and my t emper, guarding against foolish moments of faultfinding and insults. To greet all those I encounter with a smile instead of a frown, and a soft word of encouragement instead of disdain or even worse, silence. To be sympathetic and attentive to the sorrows and struggles of others, realizing that there are hidden woes in every life no matter how exalted or lowly. To make haste to be kind to all others, understanding that life is too short to be vengeful or malicious, too soon ended to be petty or unkind. For the rest of my life, this very special day, God help me. To keep reminding myself that in order to harvest more ears of corn in the fall, I must plant more kernels in the spring. To understand that life always rewards me on the terms that I establish, and if I never perform or deliver more than that for which I am paid, never will I have reason to demand or expect and additional gold. To always deliver more than is expected of me, whether at work, at play, or at home. To labor wit h enthusiasm and l9ove, no matter what the task at hand may be, realizing that if I cannot secure happiness out of my work I will never know what real happiness is. Og Mandino (For the Rest of My Life) :: essays research papers For the Rest of My Life . . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the rest of my life there are two days that will never again trouble me. The first day is yesterday with all its blunders and tears, its follies and defeats. Yesterday has passed forever bye my control. The other day is tomorrow with its pitfalls and threats, its dangers and mystery. Until the sun rises again, I have no stake in tomorrow, for it is still unborn. With God’s help and only one day to concentrate all my effort and energy on, this day, I can win! Only when I add the burden of those two frightening eternities, yesterday and tomorrow, am I in danger of faltering under the load. Never again! This is my day! This is my only day! Today is all there is! Today is the rest of my life and I resolve to conduct myself through every waking hour in the following manner. . . . For the rest of my life, this very special day, God help me . . . to heed the wise advice of Jesus and Confucius and Zoroaster and treat me. To maintain a rein on my tongue and my t emper, guarding against foolish moments of faultfinding and insults. To greet all those I encounter with a smile instead of a frown, and a soft word of encouragement instead of disdain or even worse, silence. To be sympathetic and attentive to the sorrows and struggles of others, realizing that there are hidden woes in every life no matter how exalted or lowly. To make haste to be kind to all others, understanding that life is too short to be vengeful or malicious, too soon ended to be petty or unkind. For the rest of my life, this very special day, God help me. To keep reminding myself that in order to harvest more ears of corn in the fall, I must plant more kernels in the spring. To understand that life always rewards me on the terms that I establish, and if I never perform or deliver more than that for which I am paid, never will I have reason to demand or expect and additional gold. To always deliver more than is expected of me, whether at work, at play, or at home. To labor wit h enthusiasm and l9ove, no matter what the task at hand may be, realizing that if I cannot secure happiness out of my work I will never know what real happiness is.

Compare and contrast Anne Hathaway and Frau Freud in Duffy’s Essay

Compare and contrast Anne Hathaway and Frau Freud in Duffy’s collection The World’s Wife There are both similarities and contrasts between ‘Anne Hathaway’ and ‘Frau Freud ‘One of the mail similarities between the two poems are the sexual references in both poems , the structure of the poems and that they are both written in a women’s voice. One of the main similarities between the poems is that they are both written by wives of two very famous men, William Shakespeare and Sigmund Freud. There are also similarities in the fact that there are sexual references in both of the poems. In ‘Anne Hathaway’ she uses these sexual connotations as a way of explaining why Shakespeare did leave her the second best bed. â€Å"The bed we loved in was a spinning world/of forests, castles, torchlight, clifftops, seas/where he would dive for peals.† In ‘Frau Freud’ the poem contains a list of euphemism for penises that men use. Duffy or Frau Freud uses these synonyms to completely debunk Freud theories with this list that brings the readers attention to Freud’s theories of the male obsession with the penis. The women in the two poems both enjoy sex, Anne Hathaway comments on how she and her husband shared their love with their actions and words. In ‘Frau Freud’ she also says that she enjoys sex â€Å"I’m as au fait with hunt-the-salami/as Ms M. Lewinsky" Another similarity between the two poems is that they are both written in sonnet form. They both contain fourteen lines and are written as a sonnet for two specific reasons. ‘Anne Hathaway’ is written in sonnet form because it was Shakespeare’s most famous and memorable form of expression. Duffy also used as a way of keeping Anne Hathaway’s love for her husband alive ... ...igraph to the poem is an extract from Shakespeare’s will which supposedly insults Anne Hathaway, but Anne explains in her sonnet to the people outside of their marriage that she would not want their best bed because this was not the bed they loved each others in. â€Å"as he held me upon that next best bed† Overall the similarities that can be seen between the two poems are mostly superficial comparisons and are not really relevant to the main themes of the poems. Even the similarities have contrasts within them, for example they are both about relations with their husbands and their sexual relationships. But Anne Hathaway looks upon Shakespeare with love and compassion, Frau Freud sees Freud as obsessive and has no emotions towards him and sees sex as a merely physical activity. So I must conclude that the poems contrast more than they are able to compare.

Wal-Mart: Ethical or Unethical

Wal-Mart: Ethical or Unethical? Almost everyone living in North America undoubtedly knows what Wal-Mart is and has already conceived some sort of opinion, whether it is good or bad. On one hand people complain that they are ruining competition, they are treating their employees’ terribly or that they are given extreme unfair advantages that no other company receives. However, on the other spectrum there are those that believe in the free market, as well as those that say Wal-Mart is cutting down the cost for low to average income families’ cost of living or even those who claim that although wages are not perfect they are in fact employing a large amount of people whom would otherwise not have a job. Whichever end of the spectrum your beliefs may lay, there is no doubt that Wal-Mart does create very affordable prices for those families in need; however are these incredibly low prices taking an even greater toll on Wal-Mart employees and community members? Throughout this paper we will explore the two main ideas of whether Wal-Mart’s way of conducting business is ethical or unethical, and let you decide which end of the spectrum you are on. The American Economy is built upon Capitalistic Principles. American’s have pride in their free market economy with the largest GDP in the world. Income in a capitalist system takes at least two forms, profit and wages. Profits are used to expand a company, creating more jobs and wealth. Every company’s primary goal is to produce profit. The means by which each company produces profit contrasts in accordance with the market said company is in. Companies can attempt to differentiate themselves in their business model but generally certain sectors of the market produce similar profit strategies. Wal-Mart’s strategy relies upon low-wage labor by discouraging the unionization of its employees. Wal-Mart’s strategy of low-wage labor to reduce their costs is hardly unique. Wal-Mart’s competitors: Target, Kmart Corp. and Home Depot all pay similar wages and give comparable benefits. Competition arises when more than one producer is trying to sell the same or similar products to the same buyers. Competition leads to innovation and more affordable prices. Economic freedom is afforded to the private sector (such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, etc. ), allowing the private sector to make the majority of economic decisions in determining the direction and scale of what the U. S. economy produces. Relatively low levels of regulation and government involvement enhance this. Although Wal-Mart's revenues are greater than the combined sales of its top competitors Target, Sears Roebuck, Costco Wholesale, Home Depot and The Kroger Co, Wal-Mart needs to continue its business strategy (including low-wages) in order to keep the edge it has built. Wal-Mart is one of the biggest employers in the United States, with 1. 4 million associates. Wal-Mart is not only one of the largest employers in the United States but the largest in Mexico and one of the largest in Canada. Wal-Mart is also a diverse employer with more than 257,000 African American associates, more than 41,000 Asian, 5,900 Pacific Islander, 171,000 Hispanic, 16,000 American Indian, and 869,000 women associates. Along with the diverse employment the majority of the employees work full time. Wal-Mart full time average hourly wage is $11. 5 and is even higher in urban areas. Employees can receive performance-based bonuses and receive opportunities for advancement. Wal-Mart grants â€Å"full time† benefits to those working as little as 34 hours per week, but does not limit workers to just 34 hours per week. Wal-Mart has a health care benefit for all of its employees and recently announced that over 1. 2 million associates are covered under its healthcare program a nd the number of uninsured associates dropped by nearly 25 percent in the past year and more than 40 percent between 2007 and 2009. Both full time and part time can be eligible for health benefits. The benefits are for all levels of the company from the part times workers to the full time managers. Along with all the health care benefits, Wal-Mart also added a new program called â€Å"Life with Baby,† in which the program helps mothers and their babies get a healthy start for the child’s life. Wal-Mart saves money for families. Wal-Mart has health care benefits for 94. 5 percent of their employees worldwide. One of Wal-Mart's biggest goals is to save families money. In 2006 Wal-Mart saved American families on average $2,500. Saving money means more money in consumer pockets, which also in turn mean more business for other businesses. Wal-Mart is helping the economy by saving money for families with their lower prices. First of all, according to the document Wal-Mart provides unequal salary payment to men and women. The company uses gender discrimination to scale the wage difference to pay for it employees, which is unethical for employees’ job opportunity. Moreover, it is unfair when both men and women do the same job in the store, but women get less money than men do. In 2001, six women sued Wal-Mart in California claiming the company discriminated against them by systematically denying them promotions and paying them less than men. The lawsuit has expanded to potentially the largest class action in U. S. history – on behalf of more than 1 million current and former female employees. While two-thirds of the company's hourly workers are female, women hold only one-third of managerial positions and constitute less than 15 percent of store managers. The suit also claims that women are pushed into â€Å"female† departments and are demoted if they complain about unequal treatment. One plaintiff, a single mother of four, started at Wal-Mart in 1990 at a mere $3. 85 an hour. Even with her persistent requests for training and promotions, it took her eight years to reach $7. 32 an hour and seven years to reach management, while her male counterparts were given raises and promotions much more quickly. Secondly, the Chinese employees working for 24 hours a day and seven days a week all year round, and their wage is about $3. 0 per day. The company has factory in China and it offers a low quality of life and poor work environment. Wal-Mart also charges apartment and utilities fees from the factory workers before paying their salaries. Moreover, if the workers want to move out from the dorm, they still have to pay for the apartment rent to the company. Wal-Mart is paying eleven million dollars to settle Federal allegations it used illegal immigrants to clean its stores and also Wal-Mart is facing a class-action lawsuit for discrimination against $1. 6 million former and current female employees. Wal-Mart keeps its wages low even by general industry standards. The average supermarket employee makes $10. 35 per hour. Sales clerks at Wal-Mart, on the other hand, made only $8. 23 per hour on average, or $13,861 per year, in 2001. About one-third of Wal-Mart's employees are part-time, restricting their access to benefits. These low wages complicate employees' ability to obtain essential benefits, such as health care coverage. All in all, Wal-Mart's success has meant downward pressures on wages and benefits, rampant violations of basic workers' ights, and threats to the standard of living in communities across the country. The success of a business need not come at the expense of workers and their families. Such short-sighted profit-making strategies ultimately undermine our economy. In conclusion, Wal-Mart is undoubtedly making the lives of millions of consumer’s much easier, but is it coming at too big of a cost to those that are employed by them? This is really the basis of the whole ethical versus unethical argument, and in the end both sides will probably never be able to come to an agreement. The fact of the matter is this, in order for a corporation to grow to the magnitude of Wal-Mart there has to be millions, if not billions of people who continue to shop there and keep putting their money into it. So the next time you are at Wal-Mart you need to ask yourself, is this low price coming at too high of a cost to employees and community members? If the answer is no, then purchase that item, but if the answer is yes go ahead and walk out of the store to shop somewhere else. Just remember with whatever decision you make, the decision is always yours to choose where you will consume.

My Strengths and Weaknesses Essay

I have a mutual share of strength and also weakness in a really and rarely main subject in school, although schools only focuses on Maths and Vietnamese, and usually left the other main subject in Award-winning. That subject, is English. People in my country rarely have young talented English Expert. My country doesn’t have schools that trains student to English Genius, because through many years, Vietnam has some trouble with the other countries or maybe Vietnamese and Maths has a long history and yet tradition of students getting into Vietnamese or Maths Major, sometimes they even eliminate English from schools majors. But for people that interact with TV, extra-hours English Schools, people from other countries, like me: it always easy when it comes to Writings and Readings in English. You see: my strength in writing English is unbelievable. I can write 100 of English topics that I like. Remember the last 3 words because it will be really important. I like to write. I write all the time, and it’s like a rampaging life with a thousand words being delivered or somehow passed by into the writings. My goal to persuade is making people care about my writings, with a way out that please everyone and actually like it. Some maybe written about policy. Read more:  Strength and Weaknesses of a Person Some maybe written about problems that wasn’t solve like Apathy, North Korea-USA Legal Trouble, Julian Assange†¦ Yeah some like that. But my weakness in this is that I can’t write things that I don’t like or don’t care about. It is like a disease that nobody yet find the cure. This weakness wasn’t too bad, because either I like it or not, in time, I could write it. But it is just not as good as my likings. The writings that I finish but I don’t like was like a dirty draft. To this day I have many dirty drafts, for example, topics like: Marry issues, Dying Man’s Last Wish thought, When You Got A 10, how does it feel ? †¦ things like that, are actually ten ton craps. In communication, I have good ability of persuading people into activities or make interest in people’s already good hobby. My speaking is good, communicating to others, meaning or translation. Like helping old people. They found themselves in trouble talking with English. I can translate for them, with a persuasive talk and meaningful speaking when they don’t understand. Although some people didn’t really like to talk with me about problems above. It’s really awkward, because I don’t know how to stop the conversation. Really I don’t. But that’s not my weakness. The actual weakness of mine in communication is I don’t use to the thought of presenting or in a easier way to understand: talking in front of many people. I am kinda ashamed of talking to people I don’t know, or talking things that they like, but disappointed because I didn’t bring the hit to them. I only talk if I have to. Like if I was a Economic teacher, talking in front of many people will be ok. But if I was a one hit wonder singer, presenting songs that they never heard because they only like the hit, not other songs. Like that. Because of this issue above, I communicate with personnel, not any crowd. Speaking with more than 5 people that I don’t know, I could have a stroke for god saint. So there you have it, my strength and my weakness in Writing and Communicating English. What I learn from this is there are strength and weakness in every one, even the person that you most think that is the best: yourself. You just have to see it your own and find a way to solve it. Until know, I didn’t find mine yet. But if you believe in a shining and successful future with a near-perfect (nobody is perfect, no matter how hard they try) self, find it. You have many chance to find it, it’s just about how you take it and learn.