Lexical Semantics: Hyponyny Networks

Question 2 Not all dictionary definitions contain classifiers, but many do, and in some cases when you look up the classifier itself, you find another even more general classifier within its definition. For example, you might like to think about the following definitions from the Collins English Dictionary. Colostrum is the thin milky secretion from the nipples that precedes and follows true lactation. It consists largely of serum and white blood cells. A secretion is a substance that is released from a cell, especially a glandular cell, and is synthesized in the cell from simple substances extracted from the blood or similar fluid. Substance is (1) the tangible basic matter of which a thing consists; or (2) a specific type of matter, especially a homogeneous material with definite or fairly definite chemical composition. Matter is (1) that which makes up something, especially a physical object; material. What are the classifiers in these definitions? (Why is this question hard to answer? Can you change the definition to make it easier? ) Draw a diagram to show the hyponymy chain you found in (a), with hyponyms shown below their classifiers. Can you think of any additional levels that you can put in the hyponymy chain above secretion? Add them. Sebum and saliva are co-hyponyms of colostrum. Add them to the diagram, along with two co-hyponyms for each level of the chain. Add distinguishers to your diagram, to differentiate each of the co-hyponyms you have added. On an intuitive level it would seem a simple task to select the different classifiers within each of the above definitions however, several problems arise which belie this. Colostrum is the easiest to deal with as it is the most specific of the four terms, although there is still potential for an error to be made. The only classifier in this description is ‘secretion' as, according to Hudson (1995: 26) â€Å"the classifier †¦ is the first common noun that follows is†[1]. Although this syntactic relationship is useful as a method of identification, it is not the reason ‘secretion' is a classifier of ‘colostrum'. Syntactic relationships exist between lexemes, not senses, and are governed by the relationships between senses, thus it is the latter that hyponymic networks represent. The classifier (C) is the concept that is superordinate to the ense in question (S1) in that S1 must possess enough characteristics of the classifier to make it a type of that concept, even if not a typical one, as well as distinguishers that serve to differentiate it from the classifier and any other co-hyponyms. More simply, S1 is a hyponym of C iff all S1 are a type of C, but not all C are S1 (op cit. 16). Furthermore, classifiers for common nouns will always capture what S1 is, not how or why it is. In the case of ‘colostrum' only ‘secretion' performs this function: we can say that colostrum is a type of secretion. It is important, however, to refine the concept of ‘what it is': if this is taken to include a material concept as well as a typical one, i. e. , what it is made up of or consists of, there is more scope for what can be considered a classifier. Under this description both ‘serum' and white blood cell' can be considered as classifiers of ‘colostrum'. This does not seem to be correct though, as ‘colostrum' is not a type of serum or white blood cell, nor does it possess enough of the characteristics of either to qualify as a hyponym. Therefore, in such cases we can eliminate concepts about the material of which a referent of the given sense consists as candidates for classifiers. Having established the criteria for identifying classifiers it should now be easier to identify those for the remaining senses however, there are further difficulties. It is safe to say that ‘substance' is the classifier of ‘secretion' according to the above rule but the use of ‘substance' twice in the definition provides potential for confusion: according to the definition for ‘secretion' above we can make the following statement: (A) a secretion is a substance1 made up of substances2. The difficulty seems to lie in SUBSTANCE being polysemic (Palmer 1981: 100), a fact apparently proven by its having two definitions. This implies that SUBSTANCE1 represents one of the given senses of ‘substance' whilst SUBSTANCE2 represents the other, but neither fits with sense (1) as both are a specific type of matter. Therefore, both must be the concept in sense (2) but if SUBSTANCE1 and SUBSTANCE2 do have the same sense statement (A) has no useful meaning, for it to do so SUBSTANCE requires an additional sense. The solution is provided in the definition of ‘secretion': SUBSTANCE1 is istinguished from SUBSTANCE2 by the addition of ‘simple' to the latter. In this way it can be seen that SUBSTANCE1 refers to sense (2) whereas SUBSTANCE2 refers to a different sense that is related to, but more specific than (2). To avoid such confusion replacing SUBSTANCE2 with a different lexeme could prove useful, e. g. , COMPOUND, although this is not necessary so long as we unde rstand that SUBSTANCE is polysemic and we know which sense each refers to. As ‘substance1' has the sense (2) in the definition we shall refer to it as ‘substance (2)' and it is this sense that is the classifier for ‘secretion'. The definition provided for ‘substance (2)' makes identifying the classifier here straightforward as it begins by telling us that it is a â€Å"specific type of matter† (my emphasis), which is the central criteria for hyponymy. So given that ‘matter' is the classifier for ‘substance (2)' we can now find the next classifier in the chain. It could be assumed that the brevity of the definition makes this task even more simple however, the definition is a â€Å"consists of† statement which rules out any concepts it contains as a classifier. It is thus the case that not all concepts have a superordinate concept. As such we can say that ‘matter' sits at the top of the hyponymy chain and is the broadest sense of ‘colostrum'. Given this information we can now represent all of the relationships above in the following diagram: Fig. 1) Initial hyponymy chain for colostrum. This chain is based solely on the definitions given above however, the claim can be made that this diagram does not contain a complete set of classifiers for ‘colostrum'. There are facts about ‘secretion' that are not contained in ‘substance (2)' but that cannot be considered as unique to it, in particular those about its relationship with organisms and organic matter. This claim is based on the fact, as given in the definition, that ‘secretion' is a substance particular to cells, which are the constituent parts of an organism. All of this information is unrepresented within the chain as it is because the relationship ‘secretion' has with ‘cell' is not due to a shared nature or type. When the hyponymy test is applied the mismatch is more evident: ! a secretion is a type of cell. This does not deny that the two are related however, only that they are not the same kind of thing, so instead n alternative way must be found of including and representing this relationship. As ‘cell' is the missing concept there must be some sense it shares with ‘secretion'. According to my definition of ‘cell' many together make up an organism and because any substance that is a ‘secretion' is the product of a cell, it can also be considered the product of an organism. We can go a step further and state that both are types of sub stance particular to organisms, which allows the statement a ‘secretion' is a ‘substance particular to organisms'. This can be further refined when the concepts ‘glandular' and ‘blood' are considered as these relate specifically to ‘body', not just to any organism in general. We can thus replace ‘organism' and instead state that a ‘secretion' is a ‘substance particular to a body' or, more concisely, it is a ‘bodily substance'. A second gap exists between ‘bodily substance' and ‘substance' for the same reason as above: arguably, a ‘bodily substance' has characteristics shared with other types of particular substance that together constitute a more general type of substance. As mentioned above ‘organism' bears a relation to ‘organic material' in that all of the substances of which an organism is composed are organic. Given that a body is a kind of organism any bodily substance must also be organic but not all organic material is of the body hence, ‘organic material' is a classifier of ‘bodily substance'. These new facts can be added to Fig. 1) to provide a more complete sense network: Fig. 2) Full hyponymy chain for ‘colostrum'. When considering potential co-hyponyms there are two criteria that must be met: the co-hyponyms must share most if not all of the sense of the shared classifier but they must be differentiated by at least one distinguisher (Hudson 1995: 27). Each of the co-hyponyms in Fig. 3) meets these criteria but this does not mean to imply it is a simple task. Take ‘matter' and ‘substance (1)': the two could initially be considered to be co-hyponyms. This, however, is not the case. Essentially, the definitions for ‘substance1' and ‘matter' are the same: we could give a definition of matter s ‘that of which a thing consists' because CONSISTS OF and MAKES UP have the same sense. Nor does there appear to be any fact about either concept that serves to differentiate them so we must accept that rather than ‘matter' and ‘substance (1)' bearing a hyponymic relationship they are actually synonyms. As such, SUBSTANCE (1) is nothing more than an alternative lexeme that can be used to represent ‘matter' and so can be omitted from the network. Fig. 3) shows that although many of the co-hyponyms do not bear a direct relation to ‘colostrum' they are part of a conceptual network that illustrates how senses are related. It also displays the fact that the further up the chain a concept is the broader is the range of its hyponyms because the sense becomes more generalised at each level. Furthermore, it also shows how concepts can share multiple classifiers and hyponyms. Fig. 3) Hyponymy network for ‘colostrum'. Distinguishers can be concise or generalised providing they serve as differentiators between the senses. When selecting appropriate facts to include the notion of prototypes should be accounted for in that any potential distinguisher should ideally describe a prototypical referent of the given sense (op. it. 20). Take ‘glandular' it appears in the definition of ‘secretion' but it has been omitted from the network. This is because it is not a prototypical characteristic in that not even the majority of secretions are from glandular cells, it is only provided as an example of the kind of cell involved. A further difficulty in selecting distinguishers is deciding what kind of inf ormation to include. Definitive information serve to provide the minimum data needed to clarify a concept whilst encyclopaedic information attempts to provide all of the facts about a concept. The danger with the latter is that information may be included that does not serve to differentiate that concept from another. I would argue that both kinds of information should be included provided that each fact is part of the sense it iff that fact is relevant to the function of differentiation. Fig. 4) includes information of both kinds and, although I have removed the referent and lexeme classifier for the sake of clarity, it can be considered as the most complete network of senses that relate to colostrum'. Fig. 4) Complete hyponymy network for ‘colostrum'. Bibliography Hudson, R. (1995). Word Meaning. Padstow: Routledge. Palmer, F. R. (1981). Semantics. Bath: Cambridge University Press. Stevenson, A. (ed. ) (2007). Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (6th edition). Italy: Oxford University Press. Word Count 1693 not including diagrams. 1799 with diagrams ———————– [1]I have used â€Å" â€Å" for quotations rather t han ‘ ‘ to prevent confusion between quotes and senses.

Dove, the Brand to Beat Essay

Dove is a brand under the many products of Unilever. It was in the 1890s when William Hesketh Lever, founder of Lever Bros popularized cleanliness and hygiene with his introduction of the Sunlight Soap in Victorian England. The Sunlight Soap led the advocacy â€Å"to make cleanliness commonplace; to lessen work for women; to foster health and contribute to personal attractiveness, that life ay be more enjoyable and rewarding for the people who use our products†. (www.dove.com) For three centuries, Unilever has proven its success over economic booms, depressions, world wars and the changing lifestyle of its consumers as the world advanced through technology. Dove is the leading skin care product since 1957. It is clinically proven and has been noted to be good for dry sensitive skin which half the women in the world has. And since the 1980s, Dove has launched more supporting products to the soap bar such as moisturizing body wash, deodorants, body lotions, facial cleansers, shampoos and conditioners. All of these products are aimed to solve skin needs comprehensively bringing out the true inner beauty of women. Dove is boasts of its number one in the race of cleansing brands with double-digit growth data. Sales in over 80 countries are over â‚ ¬2.5 billion a year. They estimate that over 1 billion showers are done using Dove products each year in the US alone. The success is due to the brands keeping of its clinically proven promises and understanding of its real market. Studies show that only 12 % of women are very satisfied with their physical attractiveness. 2% of women articulate themselves as beautiful. 68% knows that media almost always sets unrealistic standards of beauty and the 75% hopes that media would better itself in portraying diversity in women’s physical attractiveness that includes size, shape and age. â€Å"Dove is actively trying to address the root of the problem of negative self-image. Dove has founded the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, which funds programs to raise self-esteem in girls and young women. In the US, it’s working through the Unilever Foundation to sponsor a partnership with Girl Scouts, called ‘uniquely ME!’ It also supports the BodyTalk education program for schools in the UK and Canada.† (www.dove.com) The Dove Self-Esteem Fund has come along way since consumers saw that water alone was not enough to clean oneself. American consumers of the new millennium are more demanding than ever and value minded. Dove consumers pay a higher price for Dove due to its after sales value. The target market of Dove are the people who can afford to put a premium for added market values compared to cheaper alternatives such as Ivory. â€Å"According to Soap, Cosmetics, Chemical Specialties, aging baby-boomers were looking for milder, less irritating products. Soaps using vegetable-based fats, with no animal fats or animal testing, were also in demand. Other popular items included loofahs, oatmeal products, and chamomile leaves. In general, customers demanded performance and value in all their soap, shampoo, and detergent products, which were the driving factors behind the soap and detergents industry at the turn of the century.† (Thompsons, 2006) All these added value makes Dove cost more than the average bath product. Value leaders attempt to offer the best product at the cheapest price. These products cannot compare on quality and in the short term, competes for the value of each dollar. Ivory products advertise themselves on the price pitch that does not happen to Dove products. Each Dove product commercial does not mention price. this kind of advertising strategy may increase Ivory income by selling more quantity but soaps such as Dove and Dial remain successful as well by selling more expensive and keeping loyal customers at lesser volumes. â€Å"The bar soap market, which had grown at an average rate of about 4.1 percent annually in the early 1980s, entered the 1990s with a growth rate of about 4.9 percent. Beauty bars comprised the fastest growing segment of the bar soap market, with sales increasing at a rate of about 7 percent per year. Later in the decade, however, bar soap began to lose some ground to shower gels. In 1998, bar soap sales grew only 1.5 percent in value and slipped 4.5 percent in unit terms, while shower gel sales increased dramatically. However, even with their 18.1 sales gain in 1998, the shower gel market, with total sales of $450 million, remained slightly less than a third the size of the bar soap market, which totaled $1.4 billion in value in 1998.† (Thompsons, 2006) Dove has been successful in its campaign to increase and sustain loyal consumers due to its steadfast supporting of its timeless belief in their original product. Compared to the rest of the competition, Dove remained the soap that held on to its ‘added moisture’ selling point. From that, Dove has evolved and widened its strategies in cornering a wider and global market. For one, it’s campaign-promoting self-esteem in women cuts above the rest. The ‘campaign for real beauty’ ad that models larger than average smiling women in white underwear has sent advertisers of other soaps amok. The message of this ad is a statement against the usual advertisers that project the beautiful woman with impossibly physical proportions. This strategy of using controversy for advertising worked so much for Dove. â€Å"The women in these photos appear to love who they are and the way their bodies look. Sue Ontiveros of the Chicago Sun-Times says, â€Å"It’s the joy on their faces that I really like. There’s just so much happiness in their smiles that I feel as if these women are saying ‘this is the real me and I like her.’ Boy, is that rare and just the message I’d like females to get and embrace.† Just because your booty can’t fit into a size four doesn’t mean you’re not sexy. The joy and confidence of the Dove models allows them to look sexy without having to wear seductive facial expressions.† (www.campaignforealbeuty.com) The challenge that lies on the Dove self-esteem campaigns is to make sure that they do not get caught playing two sides. A teener realizes that the big women ad was sporting big tight thighs. Dove was getting the most of this because their thigh-tightening product was being launched. A critic also realized that letting women with underwear pose on camera was still diminishing respect for women even if they were all size large. The most significant challenge that advertisers faced was fueled by the growing global concern of consumers over environmental issues. Consumers demanded that products like Dove have to be manufactured and marketed using ‘earth-friendly’ products and processes without sacrificing quality. Dove’s dishwashing liquid leads their earth-friendly products. Using the dishwashing liquid leaves the hands moisturized, the plates squeaky clean and the rivers unpolluted Another important strategy for Dove products to stay in the lead is using technology to further their market reach. The website of Dove and its dealers are well-made and very user friendly. Buying online is very convenient. Using the internet as part of the marketing efforts, Dove can ensure the existence of its loyal customers who pays more to buy Dove soap. The prices below gathered from the websites show comparisons in prices of different common leading bath soaps. Dove fits in the middle of the price war as it is appreciated by the market as the soap that has more value compared to the usual everyday common soaps such as Dial and Coast but not too expensive like the signature and specialty soaps like Cetaphil or Neutrogena. Price Comparisons Dove   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3.08 Dial   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   0.99 Ivory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.89 Cetaphil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4.09 Neutrogena   Ã‚  Ã‚   3.95 Coast   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.20 Table 1. User ratings between Dove competitors Product name Pears Soap Imperial Leather Original Soap Palmolive Original Soap Bar Dove Extra Sensitive Cream Bar Lux Milk & Honey Beauty Soap Oilatum Soap Bar Camay Classic- Toilet Soap Overall user rating:    Recommended by 100% (13 Reviews)    Recommended by 95% (19 Reviews)    Recommended by 50% (6 Reviews)    Recommended by 86% (28 Reviews)    Recommended by 100% (1 Review)    Recommended by 100% (2 Reviews)    Recommended by 33% (3 Reviews) http://www.ciao.co.uk/product_comparison.php?Pid=1%2C10%2C10534%2C15372%2C5015455%2C5231365&IDs%5B%5D=70462&IDs%5B%5D=70445&IDs%5B%5D=70457&IDs%5B%5D=70440&IDs%5B%5D=70450&IDs%5B%5D=5628139&IDs%5B%5D=70438&Compare=Compare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The table above shows user ratings from the ciao website. Recommendations between Dove competitors are tabulated. Though Dove Extra Sensitive Cream Bar had an 86% recommendation ratings, it had the most number of reviews totaling 28 as compared to Imperial leather Original Soap that seconded the list with 18 reviews, a far ten reviews short of Dove. This short sampling will show that there are more Dove users who connect to the internet as compared to the other products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dove moves forward in its goal to build a strategic global ‘master’ brand. Backed by Unilever’s expertise in product branding, Dove with its good quality material for hygiene and beauty preservation will continue to focus on making their brand lead by promoting the value of their brand as against the price of the soap.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Dove was an instant hit, generating $55 million in sales its first six months, per Information Resources Inc. This year, sales climbed to $79 million for the 52 weeks ended April 22. Dove’s current market share stands at 4.7%, equal that of Procter and Gamble’s Old Spice. P&G’s Secret brands still collectively dominate the $1.6 billion category, but have been losing share to Dove. Total Secret sales were $229 million as of April 22, down 8% from $248 million for the year ended Sept. 10, 2000, per IRI.† (Ward, 2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I have personally using Dove for the past ten years and have been more than twice tempted to try other brands. Though I did try out one or two other brands during such time, I always went back to using Dove because of its simplicity, truthfulness and mission to add social value to a common daily commodity. In a world where brand names are easily communicated with visuals only technology knows how far will go, Dove will remain as a trustworthy partner in my personal health care. References: U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S. Industry and Trade Out-look ’99.   Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1999. U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S. Census Bureau. 1997 Economic Census. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1999. Van Arnum, Patricia. â€Å"Consumer Product Majors Soak in a Renewed Outlook.† Chemical Market Reporter, FR3-5. Ward, John. 2003. Does Market Share Really Apply to Apple? http://www.vectronicsappleworld.com/2003/opinion/0306.html www.ciao.com www.dove.com www.answers.com Dove’s extension into deodorant is a prime example of Unilever’s long-term strategy to build a set of global â€Å"master† brands with new products and heavy marketing support. The launch was backed by more than $30 million in media spending, a level usually reserved for new brands. Dove marketers also wanted to develop a product specifically for women. While a number of existing brands are gender neutral (Ban, Sure) or targeted to men (Brut, Right Guard, Old Spice), not since P&G introduced decades-old Secret has a manufacturer captured the collective attention of the female audience. Preferred language style: English(U.S.) †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Dove Soap (brand I want researched on)†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Think about a product you love, that you use all the time. In this first part of the assignment, your goal is to uncover as much research about the brand and it competitors as possible. †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨You`ll want to know the history of the brand, the characteristics of the people who buy/use the brand, and everything else possible about it. But don`t forget to look into the competition. What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong? 5 pages 4 sources History Characteristics of its market Competition status What they are doing right? What they are doing wrong?   

Marx and Locke

Miriam D. Knox Dr. Soupios Political Science 304 April 6, 2010 Karl Marx’s and John Locke’s Ideologies The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels and The Second Treatise of Government written by John Locke are two distinct written pieces that describes their ideas and their philosophical beliefs regarding how society would function at its best. Moreover, both writers offer a detailed explanation about the many struggles that man has encountered regarding his existence in the world. In addition, they suggested political concepts whereby they felt it would help man to bring about socialization that would allow man to live a fair and qualitative life. In The Communist Manifesto, Marx uses a large portion of the book to give a historical perspective of society. He emphasizes from the very beginning that most of mans history has been based on economic pursuits and economic gains. As a result, he says that â€Å"all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles† (50). Throughout history, social change occurred when the productive forces in society clashed with the conditions of production, resulting in massive social upheaval. This was always to the benefit of one social class at the expense of another. Modern society was the result of a long series of revolutions in the modes of production, of which the bourgeois class was the main beneficiary. Marx wrote in the Communist Manifesto, â€Å"Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: bourgeoisie and proletariat †(51 ). The bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, consists of the relatively small number of people who owned or controlled the means of creating wealth including land and raw materials; mines, factories, and offices; machinery and technology and who could employ wage laborers to work for them. Proletarians perform most of the work in capitalist economies, but they had little or no control over their work-lives or over the wealth that they produced. The relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is an exploitative one because the latter is paid less than the value that its labor creates, with the surplus of economic profits being kept by the bourgeoisie. While wages may rise if workers are well organized and during periods of economic growth, competition between capitalists compels employers to reduce labor costs as much as possible, particularly during recurring periods of capitalist economic crisis. Historically, the bourgeoisie had played a quite revolutionary role. Whenever it has gained power, it has put to an end all â€Å"feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. â€Å"(53). It has eliminated the relationships that bound people to their superiors, and now all remaining relations between men were characterized by self-interest alone (53). In addition, religious fervor, chivalry and sentimentalism had all been sacrificed. Personal worth is now measured by exchange value, and the only freedom is that of Free Trade. Thus, exploitation that used to be veiled by religious and political â€Å"illusions† is now direct, brutal and blatant (53). The bourgeoisie has changed all occupations into wage-laboring professions, even those that were previously honored, such as that of the doctor. Similarly, family relations have lost their veil of sentimentality and have been reduced to pure money relations (53). Marx continues to describe that the bourgeoisie had only one thing in mind, and that was how to increase their economic status. Subsequently concerns and issues regarding mans overall well being was ignored and had no significance within society. The bourgeoisie made it clear that they were only concerned with increasing their political power. Furthermore, human conditions or any means of making humanity better was never considered nor important. In fact, Marx emphatically reminds us that money and political power was the bourgeoisies’ primary interest. The Manifesto then discusses the relationship of the Communists to the proletarians. Marx says that Communists have been â€Å"reproached† for desiring to abolish the â€Å"right† of acquiring private property through the fruits of one's labor (67). However, he points out, laborers do not acquire any property through their labor. Rather, the â€Å"property† or capital they produce serves to exploit them. This property, controlled by the bourgeoisie, represents a social power and not a personal power. Changing it into common property does not abolish property as a right, but merely changes its social character, by eliminating its class character. Marx also points out that the â€Å"[The bourgeoisie] is unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help letting him sink into such a state, that it has to feed him, instead of being fed by him. Society can no longer live under this bourgeoisie, in other words, its existence is no longer compatible with society† (65). The bourgeoisie wanted man to exist in a subservient state of mind and wanted man to accept the exploitative lifestyle they were providing for their daily existence. Moreover, â€Å"What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable† (65). Marx reminds us that it was impossible for man to continue to work and survive in such limited and harsh conditions successfully. If man continued to live like this it would lead to severe suppression and eventually to mans own demise. Therefore, Marx stresses in order for the proletariat to survive, they must revolt against the bourgeoisie. Marx states, â€Å"The immediate aim of the Communists is the same as that of all the other proletariat parties: formation of the proletariat into a class, the overthrow of the bourgeois supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat† (66). Marx understood that the proletarians had to revolt in order to experience freedom from their enslaved environment and develop a communistic society. According to Marx, † the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property† (67). Marx felt in order for the proletarians to escape the bondage they were encountering and to establish a Communist society this theory had to be implemented. This theory was not an option, but in fact a necessity for the proletarians to develop a communistic society. Marx ends Communist Manifesto in stating â€Å"Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. Working men of all countries unite! (91). Marx strongly felt that man united throughout the universe and living in a Communist society would offer man the opportunity to live with the prospect of both justice and a qualitative lifestyle while living in the world. He new this type of revolution would make the bourgeoisie fall and crumble. The Second Treatise of Government written by John Locke places sovereignty into the hands of the people. Locke's fundamental argument is that people are equal and invested with natural rights in a state of nature in which they live free from outside rule. Locke addresses the state of nature in order to define political power. In Chapter 2, Locke explains the state of nature as a state of equality in which no one has power over another, and all are free to do as they please(4). He notes, however, that this liberty does not equal the license to abuse others, and that natural law exists even in the state of nature. Each individual in the state of nature has the power to execute natural laws, which are universal (5). Locke's theory includes a host of moral beliefs and moral practices. Moreover, Locke points out and wants us to understand that the state of nature derives from a theory of justice and from a set of rights. No one would have any â€Å"rights† at all in the absence of a moral code applicable to human actions or any standard of â€Å"just† punishment. One topic that Marx and Locke had different views points on was whether private property was a natural right or not. John Locke believed that private property was a natural right, in fact he believed owning property was one of the most important possessions that mankind should seek and obtain. Locke emphasized that all men have the right to â€Å"life, liberty and possessions â€Å"(5). One of man’s best attributes as well as his down fall is having freewill, whereby man has the option in making a good or bad choice regarding his actions. Keeping this in mind, Locke realizes the importance of establishing clear and precise rules for man to abide by. Locke emphasizes that, in any civil society, situations will arise that have to be dealt with before the legislative can be assembled to provide laws for them. In these instances, the executive may exercise executive prerogative or simply â€Å"good judgment† (95). The executive is qualified to take actions that are outside the framework of the laws (not breaking them, just not provided for by them), if their actions advance the society's best interest. He defines this prerogative as â€Å"nothing but the power of doing public good without rule†(95). Overall Locke believed this rule of thumb avoided chaos and would provide peace and order. Ultimately this thought process was for man’s overall good and for his general welfare. Locke defines tyranny as â€Å"the exercise of power beyond right† (112). A just leader is bound by the laws of the legislative and works for the people, whereas a tyrant breaks the laws and acts on his own behalf. Locke notes that any executive body is not just a monarchy, but in fact ceases to function for the benefit of the people are a tyranny. Locke implies when the government is dissolved, the people are free to reform the legislative in order to recreate a civil state that works in their best interest before they fall under tyrannical rule. In addition, He expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people, namely by protecting life, liberty, and property. He explained the principle of checks and balances to limit government power. He favored representative government and a rule of law. However he denounced tyranny. He insisted that when government violates individual rights, people may legitimately rebel (126). Overall Locke believed that men were, by nature, born free and independent, meaning every person was a law unto themselves. That meant that they couldn't be subjected to political power without their own consent. Since every individual had consented being part of the community, they had the power, and the will to act as a whole. By consenting to being in a community, man is obliged to be a part of it, and to support whatever the general will is, for his fellow citizens. Hence, Locke was asserting that government had to be fair and equitable towards all its citizens. In addition, Locke believed it was crucial for citizens had the right to revolt if government was not meeting their needs. Marx and Locke were aligned along these terms although the ideas of Karl Marx did not have the same implicit trust in the inherent â€Å"good† of government that Locke had. According to Marx, government was not an entity through which change could be brought about. Rather, for change to happen and for the class struggles to be resolved it was necessary for the people to rise up and bring about the necessary adjustments to society. Works Cited Locke, John. The Second Treatise of Government. 1997 Prentice Hall Engels, Friedrich & Marx, Karl. The Communist Manifesto. 1998 Signet Classics

James C. Curtis, Andrew Jackson and the Search for Vindication Essay

James C. Curtis, Andrew Jackson and the Search for Vindication - Essay Example Throughout the start of the book, Curtis widely relates Andrew’s early encounters with his prospective motivations both in political and personal thoughts. Andrew Jackson personally participated in important national and international events within the period between, 1767 and 1845. For one, it is within this period that Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the U.S. serving between 1829 and 1837. During this period, he remained a polarizing figure and controlled the Second Party System. As a president, he demolished the national bank and repositioned most Indian tribes to the west of river Mississippi. Before this, Jackson had served as a politician and an army general who was able to defeat the Indians during the 1814 battle of Horseshoe Bend. Similarly, Andrew defeated the British forces during the 1815 battle of New Orleans. It is during this period that Jackson became a rich slaveholder and appealed to the United States’ common people. He is also known for po litically fighting against what he referred to as closed and undemocratic aristocracy, hence, the era of Jacksonian democracy. Another event that marks this period in Jackson’s life is the Nullification crisis. This crisis was characterized by the tariff issue that evidently established one of the most important elements of Jackson’s term as a president. ... Andrew Jackson was extraordinarily successful in national politics as he played a major role in it. For instance, the Americans viewed Jackson as the embodiment of success as he was a man who could overcome inseparable opposition through determination. Hence, he was referred to as the Man of Iron Will .One of his remarkable characteristics as president was his well-known inflexibility of purpose. Andrew Jackson has remained extraordinary, as he was able to close the second Bank of the United States. He did this in order to avoid the destruction that would befall the bank due to corruption. Another noticeable success of Jackson was his famous duel with Charles Dickson, as suggested by O'Brien (89). In the duel, he was able to use his wisdom and ended the life of Dickson. Hence, his behavior in the duel gave an example of animal courage and demonstrated his ability to conquer battles. Jackson also alleged in rights of the states. He asserted that there were firm limits in the constitut ion in as far as federal government authority was concerned. As a result, he supported the state of Georgia in its jurisdictional disagreement with the federal government concerning the Cherokees. Moreover, Jackson strived to advance the common person interest against his almost equally corrupt opponents. Andrew Jackson also had outspoken commitment to particular principles that led him to shaping his party. He was also consciously and honestly dedicated to working people whether in agriculture or industry and to the America’s democratization. As a result, he insisted to limited public economy and government apart from where the President’s power was required to defend the interest of the

Whats Your Dangerous Idea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Whats Your Dangerous Idea - Essay Example Common people or the governed want to be left on their own to manage their own affairs. On the other hand, the ruling class or the elites are always seeking for a pretext such as war, social disorder and poverty to increase their power over common people, hence, even in the aristocratic nation, one expects the ruled in defending their interests to delay the growth and development of centralized authority. Aristocracies or governments that repress class conflicts are always successful. For instance, countries such as ancient Rome and U.S became powerful and successful because her citizens were warlike and truculent (Machiavelli 23). Politics and religion were distinct in the sense that people in ancient Rome were not godly and absolute in anyway but they are still in a position to provide vital insight in how people operated. This is the platform and foundation of political thoughts, and how the society is to be planned and organized so that every individual benefits. My political theory offers a cure to the diseased politics in the sense that my interest in the conflicts in early societies is a reflection of my personal concerns with current state which is rife with conflict. For instance, there was tension between the Italian bourgeois and the nobility, and the poor were excluded from other social classes in society. Therefore, with all these dissensions, someone has to emerge as a winner while another as a loser. In such a case, the loser has to submit to the winner in order to establish social stability (Machiavelli 55). Politics is not similar to science because of the absence of absolute rules and regulations for how to attain and maintain authority. There are certain actions to be taken but not police to resolutely and absolutely direct ad guide people’s actions. This is because contexts, time and situations transform. Therefore, the ruler or president will not remain

Bill Clinton's Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bill Clinton's Speech - Essay Example Within hours of this confessional breakfast, the internet was a flurry of activity. The news of the speech, and the opinions of this president by millions around the world was spread, and the net seemed to close on William Jefferson Clinton. In a 445-page document, all posted on the internet, Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel, had found Bill Clinton liable to impeachment on eleven counts involving perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of authority. This indictment was supported by an agonizing and scandalous telling of details. In the Paula Jones case, Clinton had denied, under oath, ever having had sexual relations with "that woman, Miss Lewinsky". Therefore, Mr. Starr has provided a lurid and sometimes funny account of Bill Clinton's "sexual encounters" with Monica Lewinsky, a 21-year-old intern at the White House. This section of the report revealed Clinton "as a middle-aged urchin, dangerously vulnerable, lacking judgment, self-control and integrity. Public attention worldwide has naturally centered on this section of the Starr Report." (Ahmad) The response to the President's speech, varied among the many religious communities of the United States. Several who were present told reporters later that they had been deeply moved by the president's speech Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the US National Council of Churches, the largest ecumenical organization in the country, described the temper of the audience as "deeply spiritual". She believed Clinton to be penitent. She also told reporters that even so she wasn't sure if the United States was "prepared to be led by a repentant sinner." (Herlinger) A well-known African American clergyman, James Forbes, senior minister of New York City's Riverside Church, said in a television interview following the address that "it felt like a real holy moment. There was not a single false note. Here is a man who has been anointed by grace and awaits restoration," said Forbes. (Herlinger) Clinton emphatically denied doing anything wrong, following the accusations that surfaced in early 1998. He clearly stated he had no "sexual contact" with a young White House intern. These accusations were made in the course of a civil lawsuit against then President Clinton, in an alleged act of sexual harassment occurring while he was governor of Arkansas. Clinton was accused of lying to a grand jury about his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, the young intern. Having been caught in a series of lies about his personal affairs demanded a public response. That response took the shape of the "I have sinned" speech, delivered September 11, 1998, and one other delivered August 17, 1998. The September speech can be considered effective because it shifted the public focus in such a way that Clinton's character appealed to his audience. (Harris) Considering the two speeches to be Clinton's apologia to the American public several constants can be identified that contributed to the effectiveness, particularly the September speech. 1) Ethical appeals precede logical appeals; 2) Offensive remarks follow defensive remarks; 3) Most evidence appears in the middle third apologia; and 4) The argument resembles previously used arguments. A fifth constant more recently added to this list is an apologia ends with an appeal to

Argument essay with research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument with research - Essay Example According to Katz and Green, for decades business owners had always thought that the greatest challenge that was facing their business was the insufficiency of financing to start their businesses when in fact it is not (2009). it is this product or service that would satisfy a certain demand or a product or service that can create demand. I can cite several example of entrepreneurs who started with almost no capital and are now successful and very rich. Foremost, is the example of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who started the now very famous Apple in a garage. Both of them had no money then that they have to create their first computer in the garage of Steve Jobs’ parents . The computer was great and from then on capital just followed enabling the company to create revolutionary products such as iPhone, iPad, iTouch and iPad. This only shows that a very good business idea can create capital by itself. Another example is the famous search engine Google. Google just started in a dorm room way back in college. Back then, it was still called as â€Å"BackRub† in 1996 and its founder was just a college student just like me, without capital to start a business. But a great idea is not enough to start a business. Equally important is that one must act on his or her business idea. There are a lot of people with great business ideas that did not materialize because they did not acted it. Perhaps that are anxious about the risk involved in business or just plainly lazy to act on their ideas. Starting a business requires the ability to take risk and extra ordinary determination to succeed coupled with unparralled hard work. This was elaborated by Zimmerer and Scarborough who explained that â€Å"an entrepreneur is one who creates a new business in the face of risk and uncertainty for the purpose of achieving profit and growth by

Food Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food Analysis - Essay Example Pollan identified this concern and explored it extensively in his script the omnivore’s dilemma. Based on the concepts noted by Pollan and other scholars would enable one analyze the production, handling of chicken, its effects and suitability in the society. Since the date of domestication, chicken has dominated people’s diet since it has a high nutrition value. Individuals also prefer chicken because of its less complicated rearing and preparation procedures. Consequently, chicken is customary food that is significant in the contemporary society (Michael 18). Industries can process chicken into various food supplements based on modern technologies. This has increased the popularity of this type of food. Studies indicate that the present chicken consumption rate is about 4kgs per head within a year, and estimates highlight that the rate is likely to increase in future. Furthermore, studies assert that more than 60% of world’s population consumes chicken (Neil & Clive 4). During earlier centuries, the society consumed chickens that came from local homes where they were reared using customary procedures and in small quantities. However, this is never the situation with the current society. These customary sources are unable to sustain high demands for chicken leading to the establishment of the alternative sources. Presently, the society entirely gets chickens from commercial industries specializing in chicken rearing. Individuals obtain chickens from chicken complexes that have hatcheries, processing units, and chicken farms. These plants rear chickens specifically for commercial purposes (Michael 26). In these commercial centers, chickens grow in secluded cages or houses with limited space for movements. Initially, in the hatchery, a selecting breed with rapid growth and weight gaining rates provide the eggs that are hatched to produce chicks (Michael 28). These chicks are reared in houses

Criminal Profiling Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Criminal Profiling - Term Paper Example The origin of criminal profiling can be traced back to the 19th century where researchers such as Alphonse Bertillon and Hans gross realized the potential of criminal profiling (Turvey 3). In the 1880s, the Metropolitan Police made the first examination in the murder of prostitutes. They were successful because they found Jack the Ripper guilty of the offence through the evidence gathered from the crime scene. To come up with a criminal profile the following approaches are followed. The first approach is the geographical approach whereby the patterns in relation to the location and timing of the scene of the crime are analyzed, which then helps in identifying the location of the offender. Second is investigative psychology that uses the theory of psychology in analyzing and identifying the true characteristics of the criminal. This is achieved through looking at the analyzed offending style and behavior of the crime. Third is the typological approach, which focuses on the specific characteristics, portrayed by the scene of the crime and then the offender is categorized according to ‘typical’ characteristics identified. Finally is the clinical approach that is useful in identifying whether the criminal is suffering from psychological abnormalities. In the case of a homicide, the FBI gathers the information about the offender(s) through four phases. The first phase is the antecedent, which involves investigating the fantasy or plan of the murderer before the act. The second phase is method and manner, which tries to determine the type of victim the murderer chose and the manner and method used in the murder such as stabbing, shooting, and strangulation. The third phase is the body disposal, which tries to identify if the murder and disposal of the body took place at multiple or one scene. The fourth and final phase is the post-offence behavior, which investigates whether the murderer is trying to inject himself

Mergers and Acquisitions Office Max Office Depot Essay

Mergers and Acquisitions Office Max Office Depot - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the term merger involves the combination of two companies, which work together for an achievement of one common goal. Basically, the merger is between the same industry as the objectives of the two companies are the same. Although there will be a difference of approaches and methods following by each of them, the result achieved will be industry oriented. Moving towards the acquisition, it is a term defining when a company buys the assets or equities of another and leaving the liabilities. In acquisition, the financial terms are led by both of the companies while in the merger, financed is one company oriented. Both merger and acquisition can take place between public trading companies or private trading companies, involving the access of shares to public and shares which are not registered. Acquiring or merger with a firm requires the high level of negotiations to balance and mutual understanding of the objectives. The study of the me rger of Exxon-Mobil is a merger of giant companies in the oil industry and this has been aimed to enhance the productivity of the two companies. The rate of a merger was high in the US in between 1994 to 2004, which was due to some major factors that are involved in the economy of the company and industry. The basic circumstances of the merger activity include the increasing number of merger particularly because of advancement in technologies, globalization of markets, intense nature of forms and sources to make industries deregulate, dynamic change in financial markets. Following these global trends of mergers, there some industry related trends as well. The oil industry of US is a large sized market and thus, it incorporates many challenges. Two major challenges of this industry are the addition of the future reserves within the country and the price fluctuations in the price of oil. The advantage of a large firm was firstly owned by only a few firms and is now one of the barriers to entry to the industry.

Pennsylvania Advance Directives Essay Example for Free

Pennsylvania Advance Directives Essay Living Wills are defined as that which ‘contains your written instructions about what level of medical treatment you want in the event that you are unable to express your wishes verbally’ (CBC News Online. March 22, 2005. Living Wills: FAQs. Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from website http://www. cbc. ca/news/background/wills/). Living Wills therefore are considered as the wishes of persons who are unable to converse their desires during those moments of their lives wherein they are too weak, unsound or unstable to verbally communicate them. This specifically pertains to the medical aspect of the treatment that these people wish to receive. This document is very important because it allows those people around the ailing patient to respect the wishes of the latter as to whether or not he still wants to undergo further treatment or to just be left alone after a certain procedure without submitting to other treatments. For example, a patient can specify that after a heart attack he do not want to be revived anymore. This living will allows a person to experience fully his freedom and right to live. Although there may be other groups who would argue that there are ethical considerations to this, the validity of the living will has been held upheld. Thus, living wills which carry the wishes of a patient should be respected and followed. A living will may also contain wishes such as what organs to donate after the death of a person and to whom these organs should be given. The manner by which a living will comes into existence begins wherein a person who has the legal capacity to contract, meaning he should be of age would write down his desires, instructions or wishes pertaining to the medical treatment that he would like to receive. The person would then name a specific individual tasked to carry out these desires in the event that the patient is in no position to verbally communicate these matters. The contents of a living will could be motivated by different factors. For instance, the will may contain an instruction that the patient does not want to receive any major operation in connection with his sickness because of budget or financial constraints. The other factors may also be emotional, age or physical considerations. A person who has no living relative or family member can easily decide to refuse seeking further medical treatment since there can be the thought that he or she has no reason for living. Further a patient who is in his early 20’s would also decide differently from a patient in his late 70’s. From these concepts, we can get the idea that living wills are not necessarily associated with death or old age. Living wills are executed in anticipation of a worse case scenario where a person is unable to communicate what he wants to be done with his health. The situation of sickness, death or accident chooses no one, thus, it is best to be prepared for any contingency through a living will. The execution of a living will is also a big help in the event that the family has to make a life or death situation for a family member (CBC News Online. March 22, 2005. Living Wills: FAQs. Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from website http://www. cbc. ca/news/background/wills/). For example, the patient can put in the will a provision that the family can decide to take away any life support machines for the patient. This would be a big relief on the part of the family since they would not be burdened with any guilt or hang ups regarding their loved one. It would also be a big help to go through a consultation with a doctor before writing a living will so that there would be a thorough analysis of the evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the possible consequences of the will. It would be a big help to have the guidance of a professional so that there would be no room for error in the future. The execution of a living will varies from that of a last will and testament since these are two different and unrelated documents. They can exist independent of the other for they have different subject matters. The state and federal guidelines contains provisions regarding the documentation of living wills. As I have previously mentioned, living wills are valid documents, thus they are recognized and accepted under the law. A copy of the living will should be given to the doctor and to the family. The United States has a registry of living wills that can be accessed through telephone. These living wills are also given to the health care providers so that they would have a copy of it and this would also give them the opportunity to study as to whether or not the provisions contained thereof can be carried out by their company. In the event that the health care provider cannot carry out the wishes of the person for the reason that their state does not allow it or otherwise, then the doctor or person concerned should be immediately informed. It is a basic principle that all contracts or documents must be in accordance with valid and existing laws, thus, if the provisions of the will are contrary to the existing laws of a state then the health care provider can validly refuse to execute them. If the health care provider or doctor is amenable to the provisions thereof then the will of the patient would have to be followed. The living will would now form part of the records of the health care provider, the doctor or the hospital for proper documentation. This presupposes that the living will was validly made by the patient in that the latter signed it or asked a representative to sign it for him, it was witnessed and other steps were taken for the validity thereof. It is the duty of the healthcare provider to look for another company who would be willing to carry out the wishes of the patient. A living will can also be revoked or changed to be patterned after any event that may take place. Reference: 1. Evans, Daniel. 1992. Pennsylvania Advance Directives for Healthcare. The Pennsylvania Estate and Trust Cybrary. Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from website http://evans-legal. com/dan/padhc. html. 2. Understanding Advance Directives for Health Care. Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from website http://www. aging. state. pa. us/aging/lib/aging/Advance_Directives_brochure1. pdf. 3. The North American Registry of Living Wills. Living Wills. Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from website http://www. livingwill. com/. 4. CBC News Online. March 22, 2005. Living Wills: FAQs. Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from website http://www. cbc. ca/news/background/wills/.

Nursing management Essay Example for Free

Nursing management Essay Introduction To lead effectively, you have to strike the difficult balance between communication and accountability. Different situations call for different leadership approaches, depending on corporate needs, objectives and available resources. Ultimately the goal of any leader is to get results. Here’s a list of the various common leadership types. Types of Leadership The Autocrat The autocratic dictator is the one of the most common types of leaders. The autocrat’s approach is to make unilateral decisions without asking for suggestions from other members of the group. Such totalitarian leaders have the advantage of saving time and receiving little oppositions as they seek solutions. The classic example of autocratic leadership is seen in the governments of countries like North Korea, which control their citizens through force and fear. Used positively, this type of approach is helpful to tighten up companies that are suffering from inefficiency or a lack of discipline. The Laissez-Faire Leader This type of leader is the opposite of the autocrat: employees are given a lot of freedom and eeway to work as they see fit. The laissez-faire leader rarely monitors employees and does not get feedback or updates on a regular basis. The style can be advantageous for companies that aim to harness individual leadership skills and encourage initiative among employees. The laissez-faire approach can result in time savings and better intra-office relationships, but only in companies with efficient, honest workers that require little supervision. Over time, leaders still need to follow up on the employees or they may sacrifice efficiency, productivity and affordability. The Motivational Leader A motivational leader helps to bring out the best in everyone. By taking the time to get to know each member of the organization, this type of leader gets to study employee’s strengths and weakness and develop strategies for taking advantage of them. This approach leads to good communication throughout the different levels of an organization. Employees get to share their feelings, thoughts and ideas, and so feel empowered and satisfied. AÂ  motivational leader is perfect in sales organizations or companies that are in need of a creative spark—or a jolt of enthusiasm. The Democrat The democratic leader values every member of the organization and seeks to make each group member feel content and useful. A democrat participates in tasks while respecting and acknowledging the suggestions and contributions of other workers. This approach generally leads to team efficiency and happy employees. Note that while members of the group participate in the planning and decision-making process, the leader makes the final decision based on all available information. The Gratifier The gratifier follows the old carrot-and-stick approach. Such a leader sets goals and then offers relative rewards depending on the contribution and achievements of members. If an employee or department performs poorly, there may be punishments or penalties. One benefit of this traditional management strategy is that it’s possible to initiate competitions within the workplace that often lead to improved—even transcendent—performance. The Innovator An innovator is creative and dynamic, adapting quickly to change and spearheading explosive growth. An innovative leader is aware of new developments in the marketplace and is always listening to other team members, on the lookout for fresh ideas and solutions. The best thing about the innovator’s approach is that the lead-by-example creativity inspires other employees to explore, expand and come up with new concepts of their own. This type of management strategy is particularly effective for tech, media and other idea-driven businesses. Your company’s current needs and goals may dictate the most effective management approach. Be flexible, and respond to changing circumstances or personnel by varying that approach as needed. It’s also wise to tailor your style of management to the capabilities and personalities of your company leaders.

Ethical Implications Of Human Cloning Philosophy Essay

Ethical Implications Of Human Cloning Philosophy Essay Cloning has been going on in the natural world for thousands of years. A clone is simply one living thing made from another, leading to two organisms with the number of genes. In that sense, identical twins are clones, because they have identical DNA. Sometimes, plants are self-pollinated, producing seeds and eventually more plants with the same genetic code. When earthworms are cut in half, they regenerate the missing parts of their bodies, leading to two worms with the same set of genes. Any organism that reproduces asexually; produces a clone. Ever since the conception of cloning, the creation of engineered animals provided a major stepping stone for the process of cloning cells and even humans. the ability to intentionally create a clone in the animal kingdom by working on the cellular level is a very recent development. From sheep to monkeys, scientist have made great strides in the past few years in cloning mammals. The possibilities and benefits of cloning are endless, and it is a Science worth pursuing. Benefits from saving endangered animals, growing replaceable organs for humans, or even developing regenerative cells for sick humans. The Roadblock and the question to cloning is just one concern. Is it ethical? In this day and age where technology drives society, biological technology is one of the ones on the for-front. Step by step science has gotten to the point where Scientist are now capable to clone a human being. Controversy over the process is high. Many blockades are in place to limit the growth and usage of this technology due to many reasons, the main being ethical concerns from society and anti-cloning groups. Scientists believe the technology for human cloning, at least a limited type of cloning for now which is semi ethical is available. Starting small with animal or human stem cells or even pushing the boundaries, by experimenting with human reproductive biology that provides technical means for cloning humans. Many scientists who work with cloned animals say that the procedure is difficult and dangerous and unethical to try on humans. Issues ranging from encouraging the process of cloning until a successful clone is made, while discarding failed embryos. Turning human beings and clones into commodities and human rights issues for clones. Assault against gods design, etc. The issues relating to ethics are endless on topic of cloning. (All.org). To get around these issues have led scientists to bend some rules while experimenting with the technology. Developing emerging technologies that can be directly applicable to the potential of human cloning, such as experimenting with small animals such as mice or stem cells of other animals. (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=study-suggests-cloned-mic) In order to make a fully justified decision on whether human cloning is ethical or not, one must be exposed to the background of the subject. To start, a clone is an exact replica of an organism, cell, or gene. The process itself is done asexually with the use of a cell from the original human. It is then placed inside a female capable of bearing a child and is then born as a clone. Along with this comes questions of whether or not it is right to clone a human being based on different facts and opinions of small groups or communities (buzzle.com/articles/human-cloning/). The technology of cloning is not quite developed enough for a doctor to be certain that an experiment will be successful. In Scotland, the first sheep was cloned and was named Dolly. It took over 250 tries before they were successful in creating the successful clone.( buzzle.com/articles/human-cloning) When this news reached the world, immediate polls showed that the majority of the world were against the idea of cloning humans. Those who support cloning research replied by saying, the public based their opinions on fallacies of the news media and misunderstandings of the process, therefore, could not comprehend the whole concept Those in favor of cloning might say it can push forward medical research. For example, with cloning technology it may be possible to learn how to replace old cells with new ones. Help fight certain diseases, etc. This could lead to a longer life for individuals. With enough research scientists could create clones to act as donors. Basically Shells of human beings with organs. Human shells without brains that can be harvested for their organs. Organs such as Hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys, etc. Some scientists even say that human cloning may eventually reverse heart attack through simple cloning methods that involve stem cells from human embryos. This accomplishment would take place by injecting healthy heart cells into damaged heart tissue. In addition, cloning could help improve psychological and human family life. For example, if a couple lost a child they loved dearly and could not reproduce naturally, cloning that child could be an alternative. In this way, the parents would have the chance to love the clone just as much as the original child. (http://www.geneticsandsociety.org/) On the other hand, those against cloning would say that it is wrong for a doctor to harm a clone. If this were allowed, eventually we would compromise the individual. Clones would become second-class citizens. Cloning strips humanity from natural reproduction by leaving a clone with only one parent. In addition, there would be a decline in genetic diversity. In other words, if some day we all have the same genetic makeup and lose the technology of cloning, we would have to resort back to natural reproduction. This would cause problems because it has the same effect as inbreeding. In the same way, clones would feel like they had lost their individuality. For example, their genetic makeup would be known. Also, there could be negative psychological effects that will impact the family and society. For instance, if a clone finds out that he or she has no biological father it may suppress the clones feeling of equality among other naturally born people. Also, there is a chance that the mot her or the clone may become sterile. Among all of these there are too many risks for the bearing mothers and embryos. Eventually, it would turn into a routine to destroy human embryos in the process of cloning. According to Religious groups contend that cloning does not respect the fact that humans have souls and it robs clones of their humanity. God intended the power to create humans to be practiced between a man and a woman in the boundaries of marriage and natural means. Doing otherwise is going against the work of God into human hands. This means that humans lack the authority to make decisions about creating or destroying a life. In addition, humans do not have enough knowledge or power to control outcomes of certain events. However, others believe religion has no place in the debate. Atheists or agnostic argue, interpreters of the Bible cant agree on what actions God would allow to be done with justified means. In addition, Religion and religious books have limits to their validity because they do not address specific issues that need to be answered. People can say human cloning is unethical because bad means are used to achieve the goals For instance, it took scientists 277 tries to create the first cloned sheep. This means that there were hundreds of deformities before the successful specimen was created. In the same way, deformities of humans would be a result of experimentation, which would decrease the quality of life for those specific clones. Recent studies have shown, most cloned mammals tend to die early unless perfected the process is painstakingly difficult. And, even if we found a cure for a disease, lets say cancer, it would be reaching a good end through bad means. http://www.scientificamerican.com/ On the other hand, people for the process would say that human cloning is ethical in that the number of people who benefit from it outweighs the number of people who suffer from it. For example, cloning could be a way to help expand the length of human life, but it would cost the lives of clones who were failures in the experiment. In this way, realists and people for cloning would agree that bettering all of humanity in exchange for a small group of less fortunate people is justified. would say the act of cloning a human being is an act of human will separate from god or religion. Therefore, if an individual decided to go forward in this act, because humans have the ability to do it, it should be done. After taking into account many of the alternatives and situations of cloning, Human cloning should be supported. The effects from all of the harms that are unknown outweigh all of the good that can come from the research of cloning. Many sacrifices must be made, including possible consequences to society and civilization to accommodate this science. cloning involves too much unknown information that we would need in order to even consider it, but we cant proceed or perfect without taking the first step. If scientists had enough information to be able to clone a human without a doubt, then it might be ethical to clone. But, the social stigma would still be present; clones would be seen as inferior to naturally reproduced humans even if they were perfected copies identical to humans. Once the support of legalization of cloning or any practices is passed. Laws can also be passed to grant rights to Clones. But as of right now, if humans could be cloned without the risk of death or intent ional killing of clones for organ transplants it would be more acceptable to practice it. This would be a great start before cloning full humans. The possibilities and benefits of cloning are endless, and it shouldnt be something that should be feared. The Pros of cloning significantly outweigh the negatives of cloning, so the obstacles blocking the technology from being used should be demolished. A technology that can be of immense great use to Human civilization, shouldnt be something that is discarded.

Essay on Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man and The Wall

The Artist in Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man and Pink Floyd's The Wall      Ã‚  Ã‚   Foragers, the people who live in hunter-gatherer societies, have no artists. It is only when society becomes complex enough to support a division of labor do artists emerge-first as shamans, then as the painters, singers, writers, etc., that we usually think of today. Society, then, creates the artist, but it can also destroy him. In A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man, James Joyce describes the particular development of Stephan Dedalus that led to his becoming an artist. Pink's development in Pink Floyd's The Wall, mirrors that of Stephen yet concludes in the destruction of the artist.    An important similarity between them is their isolation. Joyce believed that the separation from society is important for an artist in order to see society clearly. Common people are easily swayed by authority figures, as Dante and other Irish Catholics are against Parnell by the church's condemnation, or by other trendy movements such as the peace testimonial, all of which are rejected by Stephen in the end. When Stephen in his discourse on beauty describes the basket, he says "your mind first of all separates the basket from the rest of the visible universe which is not the basket. The first phase of apprehension is a bounding line drawn about the object to be apprehended" (212). Thus, by extension, if an artist is to apprehend the society, a line must be bound around society separating the artist from it in order to view it; it is difficult in a maze of hedges to comprehend the pattern, but when viewed from above the paths in and out become clear. The artist must stand outside the changeable mindset of the average human being in orde... ...at make up the crowd or the eerie, bulbous faces on the train. Stephen fulfils his role as an artist by becoming a sort of teacher-shaman as he gives his discourses on esthetics to Lynch and prepares to depart into the world, like some wandering monk or sage. Separate from society he is able to search out and convey the truth of society. Pink's isolation, however, utterly destroys him. Unable to endure, the wall is torn down by the hammer of conformity and Pink becomes the very personification of repressive society. If the role of the artist is to objectively show society the truth of itself, then Pink emerges an artwork in himself, an accurate mirror of the forces that shaped him.       Works Cited    Joyce, James. A Portriat of the Artist as a Young Man. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.    Pink Floyd. The Wall. Sony Wonder Studios, 1982.   

The Daily Life in a Civil War Camp :: essays research papers

Officers in the field lived much better than enlisted men. They generally assigned one or two officers to a tent. Since they provided their own personal gear, items varied greatly and reflected individual taste. Each junior officer was allowed one trunk of personal belongings that was carried in one of the baggage wagons. Higher-ranking officers were allowed more baggage. Unlike infantrymen, who slept and sat on whatever nature provided, officers sometimes had the luxury of furniture. Enlisted men, unlike their officers, had to carry all their belongings on their back. On long marches men were unwilling to carry more than the absolute essentials. Even so, soldiers ended up carrying about 30 to 40 pounds. Each soldier was issued half of a tent. It was designed to join with another soldier's half to make a full size tent. The odd man lost out. When suitable wooden poles were not available for tent supports, soldiers would sometimes use their weapons. Soldiers endured the daily round of roll calls, meals, drills, inspections, and fatigue duties. Throughout this tedious and seemingly endless routine, it was often the personal necessities sent or brought from home, or purchased from sutlers (licensed provisioners to the army) that made camp life tolerable. Many of these items were used for personal hygiene, grooming, and keeping uniforms in repair. Today these diminutive legacies provide us with a very personal and tangible connection to the soldiers of the Civil War. Confederate and Union soldiers added various clothing and equipment to their military issue . To make their life more tolerable, they brought various personal items to camp or were given them by family and friends. Few soldiers owned all the items in this exhibit, although most had at least some of them. A variety of personal items were used by Civil War soldiers. Confederate and Union soldiers often wore civilian-style underwear that they provided themselves. Officers and wealthy individuals frequently wore linen undergarments purchased from commercial houses. Junior officers and enlisted men, on the other hand, usually wore military issued cotton and wool garments. Confederate "haversacks" were used to carry food rations. These bags were typically made of linen and lacked the waterproofing found on Union counterparts. Personal effects grew in number during long encampments and were reduced to a minimum during long marches and battles. Items would generally be boxed and stored in military bases or shipped to quartermaster storehouses to be held until the campaigning season was over.

Just War Theory :: Free Essay Writer

Just War Theory Questions About The War I think the just war tradition is a great way to rate if a war is really worth fighting or is it really not worth fighting. For the first law Just Cause, yes I would say that we as the United States have just cause to end the terrorist attacks because it is really starting to get out of hand. The Second law Comparative Justice yes I would say that we have comparative justice because we have definitely suffered more than Afghanistan because we have lost many more people in their attacks than they have in any of our attacks. The Third Law Legitimate Authority is definitely being used in our country to begin our war against terrorism. Our highest rank is the president and he is the one that did declare war against terrorism. The Fourth Law Right Intention, yes I do think that right intention is being used because they killed 4500 of our citizens and all we are doing is wiping out terrorism not necessarily killing any people. We as a country just want to out do the terrorist actions and bring peace to all countries. The Fifth Law Probability of Success, yes I think that the probability of success is greater than the probability of success for the terrorists. The probability of success against terrorism is greater to prevail because the United States and Britain are just taking the initial step and if any thing goes wrong the United States has 90% of the other countries around the world to help us if we need them. The Sixth Law Proportionality is being put in effect that they keep the civilian casualties down to a minimum because that is not the purpose of the war and after the war the will have out done evil and the good and peaceful will prevail.

Behaviour Awareness Essay

Self concept is created by two main concepts, self image and self esteem. How you see yourself, your personality and how others see you are all part of a persons self concept. The more positive a person views themselves, the greater the chance of that individual reaching their full potential and being able to maintain a positive attitude. Self image being how you see yourself and your appearance. It does not have to necessarily reflect that of reality, someone suffering from anorexia for example who is visibly thin may, â€Å"have a self image in which the person believes they are fat. (1) The development within children and their self concept is quite significant. Young children will only possess a limited self concept of few descriptions which are usually physical. Older Children develops to a series of â€Å"factual categories†, these being things such as, hair colour, eye colour and height. In the adolescence period the self concept begins to expand further. Incorporating many likes and dislikes along with beliefs and may include details regarding others. Once self concept is in an adult stage it includes personalities and details of the quality of their life. If a person sees themselves as being a success it is likely that their self esteem will be high. With a positive self belief and a positive self image comes a positive self concept. According to Seligmon’s cycle of failure, if a child was attempting a certain activity and failed they could develop a negative concept of their abilities perhaps reinforced by others. With the negative builds a low self esteem leading the child not to try at the activity which in turn would lead to them failing once again. The cycle could also work in a positive way, If an individual performed an certain action and was rewarded for it they would repeat that action. For children to be able to develop need to have a role, a sense of worthiness. This could be as simple as tidying their bedroom or toys away. To have a positive self esteem children should also be praised and rewarded for good behaviour, and on the same principle have criticism and discipline for any bad actions. The case study of Emily illustrates aspects of her development and self concept, it is stated that, â€Å"she was an unsettled a baby and spent the first three months of her life crying. At this stage in a child’s development the baby would have little concern over self image or self esteem and is therefore crying for comfort, safety, love, in pain or just hungry. Due to the unhappiness of Emily it is unlikely that she was receiving the sufficient care or attention she needed. As Emily grows older her role is diminished even more, being blamed for the collapse of the family and the walking out of her father. The lack of belonging will damage Emily’s ability to find her identity, causing her a low self esteem. This only encouraged as she grows older, being neglected and left in her playpen. With the lack of interaction Emily is unable to make any form of attachments and develop any social skills. She is constantly being compared to her brothers in a unfair fashion yet again breaking down her self esteem and therefore her self concept. The sense of rejection from the family is renewed later on when the father collects her brothers to go and play football. With the reasoning, â€Å"she is a girl and girls do not play football! Not only presenting a sexist attitude, Emily is once again denied any form of acceptance. This denial of acceptance could influence her gender concept and develop the thought that she, and women in general are the weaker sex when compared to the male race. When Emily starts school, she does not mix with the other children. She instead isolates herself, a lack of confidence and social skills instantly signal a low self confidence and self image. This is most likely to be a result to her previous life experiences, she has not been encouraged to interact with others and therefore not know how to. As the case study explains in regard to Emily‘s social interactions, â€Å"Her brothers have little time for her† and that her mother, â€Å"was too depressed to care for her. † A lack of interactions may have given her a low self concept, the feeling that she was not worthy of positive attention. This lack of communication would have had a profound impact on Emily’s own attitude hence the lack of interacting with others once she begins school. If not improved Emily’s isolation could lead on to more serious problems such as depression in Adolescents and later life. Her perspective on socialising will impact her in a very negative way once she moves into her teenage years, it is during this period that relationships shift and close attachments are formed with friends. However, if she is unable to mix with others, unable to fit in the pressure could become too much. She could fall victim to bullies without the protection of friends or display what is often described as, â€Å"off the rails† behaviour. Drinking, smoking taking drugs and self harming to numb her disappointment with herself as she compares herself to others created a low self image and therefore low self concept. Teenage depression is a major issue often dismissed as â€Å"emotional teenage behaviour†, in actual fact it is said that, â€Å"one in seven children† develop depression with, â€Å"More than 70 percent† of these not being diagnosed and treated (2) An individuals self concept has both primary and secondary influences. Primary influences can be those of most significance to a person. Examples such as, friends and family who have a profound impact due to the closeness of the relationship. A person’s upbringing, how an individual is treated whilst growing up. The perspective on life and the morals of an individual all depend upon the atmosphere they have learned from. If a child for example had little attention or care from the parents, they may be badly behaved to get that attention even if it is in a negative form. Life experiences all depend on the depth of the example, if it was as simple as starting school it may not have such a dramatic impact when compared to a more serious situation like being moved due to a case of domestic violence. In the case of Emily her primary influences all possess negative elements, her family appear to disregard her displaying little love and affection towards her. The upbringing that she receives seems very â€Å"hands off†, her mother is suffering from a form of depression so therefore does not grant Emily much positive attention. Her brothers are fed lies from their mother who tells them that Emily, â€Å"is the reason why their father left. † and as for her absent father figure, he comes by and takes her brothers out leaving her behind. Secondary influences include, the influence of the media, certain situations such as arguments and role models. In regard to the case study of Emily, only negative influences are represented. With exception of the teacher who is the only one who appears to show any concern for her. From being a baby, Emily has had no close relationships. Her father left, and for this her mother and brothers both set the blame onto her. The upbringing she has received is simply that of neglect and disappointment. With all this rejection Emily must have an extremely low self esteem and sees herself as a failure. She has many life experiences, being blamed for them has affected her confidence and may be partly responsible for her self isolation. As for role models, Emily must be in envy of her brothers and the praise they receive so she may see them as her ideal self. The situation that Emily must be in is awful, she is aware that her family feel as though she is to blame and punish her for the break up of the family however, Emily has little concept on why others are treating her this way and so believes it must be her actual self developing her low self concept. As humans we all make comparisons. Comparing looks, styles, personalities ect. Children are less intrigued by style and dress size, instead many tend to focus on possessions. A friend having a certain new toy however, parents sometimes curse they children after they question the appearance of someone with a visible disability. It is just the curious nature of a child as they develop. Michael Argyle stated that self concept was made up of four factors, one of these being the comparisons we make. One website states, â€Å"If the people we compare ourselves with (our reference group) appear to be more successful, happier, richer, better looking than ourselves we tend to develop a negative self image BUT if they are less successful than us our image will be positive. † (1) This statement is relatable to most individuals as based on others we create our self image, am I as pretty as them? Am I more successful? These are questions that many ask daily and based on their personal answers the self image may change as a result. Comparisons can be negative but at the same time positive. By comparing yourself to someone in a negative way will only damage your self confidence and therefore, self concept. Emily is regularly compared to her brothers by her mother and also by her father in the form of neglect. This resulting in comparing herself to her brothers, her possible â€Å"ideal self†. It is because of this that any comparisons she makes will be negative towards herself. Once she begins attending school, it would be expected that she also makes comparisons between her parents and everybody else’s. Presumably enhancing the lack of love she receives from her mother and distant father. Many people have role models, someone they can look up and aspire to. They may also compare themselves to this person, their ideal self. As a child heroes tend to be a fictional character rather than an actual person although some may favour their parents or close family. By having a superhero as a role model, children want to act in the same way as them. Claiming that sense of power and authority they appear to possess. The mind of a child should be full of imagination and the ability to make believe. With this the self esteem and self image of a child can be fulfilled. As people grow older and develop more the hero’s they once looked up to seem outdated and childish. Role models at this stage tend to develop into real inspiration people. Someone who’s actions have had an impact and influenced an individual. . A persons self concept can have a very dramatic effect upon relationships. Some of the negative effects of having a bad self concept may include, lack of confidence, little interaction, isolating yourself, a low self esteem and a low self confidence. All of these reactions having a deep impact on the way we form and present friendships and relationships. If someone has a low self concept for one reason or another, they could become distant and withdrawn. This affecting others who are close to the person. If this was to occur with children they would not have the knowledge to understand that there might be a problem and dismiss it and maybe find new friends, rejecting the withdrawn one. As people grow older and become wiser it would become more apparent that there was a problem. Hopefully in this situation any friends would address to problem and support their friend. Depending on past experiences it may be difficult for some people to make or maintain friendships or relationships. A lack of trust or social skills would make it hard for an individual to express themselves and be themselves. In the case of Emily when she starts school, she makes no effort to make friends or socialise. From past experience she has had no real friends to be able to base future friendships on. The only actual relationships ships she has encountered are those of her mother and brother, which is filled with hatred and guilt. Bearing this in mind, in future Emily will always be conscious that she might cause the relationship to fail, and therefore never just be herself. On the other hand, due to her experience of abuse, neglect and negative attention it is possible that these qualities are those of what she will encounter in future relationships as to her this may be viewed as the norm. Michael Argyle was a theorist. He said that self concept is developed and affected by four main things. These being, the comparisons we make, our reactions to others, the roles that we play and the identification with role models. Comparisons we make: we are constantly comparing ourselves to others, this occurs most during the adolescence stage when individuals are attempting to find who they are and look at others for inspiration. Comparing almost everything in either a negative or positive way. The reactions towards others: how people interact, confidence or lack of social skills. If a person is happy and has a high self concept it would be more likely they would interact more. The roles that we play: does a person have any value or a role in life? It is important for an individual to have a role in life, to make them feel worthy like they have a purpose. Our identification with role models: means someone that an individual can aspire to and follow giving them some reason in life, an ideal self. Erik Erickson was a German theorist who set about a theory which suggests humans experience eight stages. At each of these we are faced with a crisis, a life experience. They are presented as opposites for example, trust Vs mistrust. It is said that we learn both positive and negative parts from each stage, which we never fully resolve. Instead take them and live by them in the next stage. For a healthy development throughout life the positive experiences must outweigh the negatives. His theory can be viewed as a lifelong description of ego. Either loosing or gaining the strength of ego as a result of each stages developmental experiences. All of this creating and shaping a persons personality, who they are. The development of his theory being influenced by both biology and genetics. The sequencing of events due to genetics and when each stage occurs as a result of biology. The theory which consists of both social and mental development, was also influenced by interactions with the environment.

Taking Care of Our Elderly

Davis 1 E. Diana Davis ENGL 2010 Professor Asplund 21st September 2012 The Responsibility of Taking Care of Our Elders My grandmother knows a lot about how it feels to be left in a house alone, waiting for someone to assist her to just get out of bed. This Saturday morning I decided to go visit her while my grandfather was at dialysis. She was surprised to hear my voice as she turned her head over my way and smiled. I could hear the sound of relief in her voice just knowing her granddaughter was here to see about her.My grandmother has been blind since March 2012; she is a diabetic that has had an eye surgery to help repair a detached retina that is still healing. In the meanwhile she’s been dealing with paralysis on her right side from a stroke she suffered over twenty years ago, and it’s really taken a toll on her health. As I sat down beside her with a pen and paper I told her I wanted to get her point of view on how she feels about being an elderly person in this ha rd economy. I needed to know if they were able to cover all their needs on a fixed income. Did she really feel like her and my grandfather’s needs were really being met?As she began to tell me about her fears Davis 2 And concerns my heart sunk and I thought to myself, have we really failed to live up to the obligations of taking care of our elders. As she spoke in her little sweet tone, she made me aware of how hard it is to do simple things like taking a shower, cooking and even going to the restroom is a hard task to do these days. She said â€Å"I feel like everyone is too busy to lend a hand, and me and your grandfather don’t want to be a burden on you all. † I thought to myself as her granddaughter, was I even doing enough?Was the responsibility of taking care of our elderly been overlooked, or was it being passed down to the few faithful people who were getting burnt out on the responsibility? My grandparents as parents bared the moral, legal, and ethical responsibilities to care for their children. However, now that my grandparents have reached an age where they can no longer look after themselves, the duties of their adult children to support them is less clear. It is therefore only fair to say now that their children are grown up and now their parents have become elderly, they should take up the responsibility to provide a decent life for their parents.While it is not a legal obligation, it is a moral obligation and it’s time to pay forward what is owed to our parents/grandparents. It’s our responsibility to help any family member in need. Our family has raised us and helped to survive in this uncertain economy, so why shouldn't we help out when our parents and grandparents reach an age where they need our assistance? Davis 3 Only one out of in five people takes the needed steps to prepare legally and financially for taking care of an incapacitated parent. Consider this contrast between expectations and reality: Only 13 percent of some 4,000 U.S. workers surveyed for the 2011 (Aflac Work Forces Report) believe that the need for long-term care would affect their families. â€Å"The percentage of adult children providing personal care and/or financial assistance to a parent has more than tripled over the past 15 years,† the research group found. Of course, in today's tough economy, it also is common for elderly adults to be supporting their adult children. But in some ways, that's easier to accept: Parents often plan to leave whatever wealth they have to their children anyway.The flow of wealth from older to younger generation feels natural to many. But with Americans living so much longer now, the younger generation has to do more thinking about how they might care for parents who have exhausted their savings. After spending the whole day talking with my grandparents about their concerns I felt compelled to lend a hand. I made lunch for them and started to clean the kitchen. By the end of the day the whole house was spotless, and before I left I help my grandfather get my grandmother ready for bed.I have to say I was really exhausted when I finished, but the feeling I felt when I saw them smiling and relaxing together was worth a million bucks. As soon as I got home that night, I was determined that I had to help with this situation right away. The first thing to do was to call a family meeting. It was time for everyone to pull Davis 4 together and take up their responsibility to do their part. First thing we needed to do is put together a schedule and set it in stone. We all agreed that we would be assigned a day to go and check on our grandparents/parents.This action plan would include cooking, cleaning and donating at least a hundred dollars a month to help with their financial needs. So far this is working out great, and all it took was a concerned person to be a good listener and someone to pull a family together to put a plan in action. By working together as a family it helped to mend broken relationships and it helped us to accomplished many beautiful things. I’m happy to say my grandparents are well taken care now, and years have been added to their life span. Davis 5 Works Cited Http://www. aflac. com/ Aflac_WorkForces_Report 2011