Ww Ii Essays - Combat, Military, , Term Papers

Ww Ii Journal of Social History Summer, 1999 The World Within War: America's Combat Experience in World War II.(Review) Author/s: Michael Neiberg By Gerald F. Linderman (New York: The Free Press, 1997. viii plus 408pp.). More than 16,000,000 Americans served in the Armed Forces during World War U, but only 800,00 (or just 5%) took part in what Gerald Linderman calls extended combat. (1) Their world, he convincingly argues, differed so fundamentally from the world of non-combat soldiers that it constituted a separate world within war. Combat, over and above military service generally, altered the very world view of the soldier and shook his basic assumptions about his enemy, his peers, his God, and the nation he had pledged his life to defend. Linderman uses the letters, diaries, and books of combat veterans along with a survey done by the Army War College to let the combat veterans speak for themselves. He focuses primarily on ground combat in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific, though he addresses the air war in chapter one. In chapters 3 and 4 he argues that the geographic, cultural, and military contexts of the three theaters produced very different kinds of war and different understandings of what the rules of war meant. Linderman is not the first scholar to write about this world. Paul Fussell's 1989 book Wartime argued that the world of the combat soldier was so much as odds with any non-combatant's ability to understand it that the real war will never get in the books. Linderman agrees. Indeed, the combat soldiers themselves understood that civilians and non-combatants could not (and perhaps should not) know about the world of combat. In this world, men became callous to the deaths of enemies and of comrades alike, acted in ways that contradicted a lifetime of church and school, and sometimes found themselves inexplicably fascinated by the enduring appeals of battle. The distinct world of combat, and its inaccessibility to anyone who has not experienced it, underscored the sense of alienation that the combat soldier felt from everyone except his closest comrades. Only those men who had fought together that men in combat developed. Combat veterans knew all too well that their world lay beyond the ability of outsiders to understand. Witness two Marine Corps veterans asked to leave a theater during a showing of SANDS OF IWO JIMA because they could not stop laughing at a Hollywood depiction of a real war (315). Linderman's best chapter examines the close relationship between American values and the combat experience. Americans, coming from the Great Depression, saw the war, and combat more specifically, as a job to be completed as soon as possible. The likening of combat to a job gave combat veterans a way of dealing with the horrible acts they were required to perform as well as the knowledge that their death or survival had become purely a matter of chance. Ironically, those same values made combat appealing for some. Combat was the one place where true comradeship, without concern for background (except race - the Armed Forces remained segregated until 1948), ethnicity, or even military rank, existed. It was also the one part of military life where chicken *censored* military discipline and regulations (particularly anathema to American soldiers) mattered very little. Paradoxical as it may seem, the world of combat was, in many ways, the most un-military part of the thousand yard stare. While those at home enjoyed high wages and savings accounts, and noncombat personnel experienced relative comforts like beds and hot food, the combat veteran lived with the knowledge that only the end of the war or his own death would end his suffering. In order to survive, imagination, tenderness, and compassion had to die. Soldiers often believed in God (male and benevolent) or luck (female and usually malevolent) to get them through. Because their ex periences outstripped their ability to explain them, they relied on men like Ernie Pyle and Bill Mauldin to explain the war to civilians in words that would convey some semblance of truth without the shock of the whole truth. Because so few people experienced this world within war, World War II has come to be thought of as the Good War. The recent Enola Gay controversy reveals America's unease with

Dimensions of Psychological Disabilities

Dimensions of Psychological Disabilities Free Online Research Papers Dimensions of Psychological Disabilities: Effects and Ways to Break Through AD(H)D and Workplace Depression Presenteeism a kind of absent presence can be observed in our daily life. There are kids who can’t sit tight; girls who tend to daydream anytime; students who try to sneak out of so called boring lectures; jobholders who lack positivity, patience or anger management. These people are around us or one of us. Are they sick? Or do they lack humane behavior? Answer lies deep within. Psychologists pointed out depression and neurological disabilities are the keys to the broken rings. These people can be changed to cope up with the usual flow of life just by proper treatment, care and many other ways. I am willing to present some methods we can use to help these people as well as maximize our own benefits. Lynette had been the star employee of her company until past few weeks. Out of nowhere, Lynette recently was being late, negative even short tempered. Diving through her, it’s been found that, she was depressed as her ex-husband and best friend married someone else. Lynette was hoping for the comeback of her husband and her heart was broken. She kept the things in her and continued to work lethargically. Tom’s teachers are always complaining about his grades as he is known as the most inattentive one who always pulls prank on other kids at class. Tom’s mother is so worked up with constant complaining that she has decided to put Tom in residential school but it seems that Tom somehow managed to keep his name as the inattentive prank puller. The 1st case is known as WPMHD or Work Place Mental Health Disorder. (Knippers, C, 2006) The 2nd case shows that the hyperactive boy has a neurological disorder called Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (Biggs, S., Nadeau, K. 1992, December). Experts recently have agreed that the daydreaming can be ADHD sometimes called ADD because it occurs without hyperactivity (Biggs, S., Nadeau, K. 1992, December). But what happens when the child with AD(H)D grows up? How can tutors work with college students who have AD(H)D? How can employees cope-up with workplace depression? Effects of Workplace Depression and AD(H)D Workplace Depression Workplace Depression can be hard to explain as it is an outburst of internal mental disorder of a person. At workplace depressive behavior may be found out by noticing attitudes like: Working slowly, Making mistakes more often, Unable to concentrate, Forgetful, Late for work or meetings, Getting into disputes and arguments with colleagues, Unable to delegate tasks, Working, or trying to work, much too hard (Marano, H.E. 2003). Now, everyone feels blue or sad from time to time. Its a normal life experience. But when these emotions increase in intensity, persist for more than a few weeks, and start to interfere with a persons life, it may signal depression. No amount of cheering up can make the depression go away; no amount of exercise, vitamins or vacation can make it disappear. Thats because depression is an illness, not a weakness. So, depression is the change in behavior which is caused by personal warfare or other problems that occupies someone’s mind and making his\her days numb. AD(H)D The three most important symptoms of AD(H)D are inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity ((Author)). These symptoms must be persistent and they must be more frequent and severe than they are for other people at about the same level of development (Latham, P. H., 2000).Symptoms might not show up if the person is under very strict control, is in a new place, or is doing especially interesting activities, or is working with only one other person. AD(H)D is not a single condition; instead, there are three subtypes. People with the predominantly inattentive type have trouble paying attention. Those with the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type are hyperactive and impulsive. The combined type includes all three major symptoms (Latham, P. H., 2000). Perhaps the most well known symptom of AD(H)D is hyperactivity and mostly girls and women-are quiet daydreamers. Booth, R. C. (1998) notes that children with AD(H)D are consistently inconsistent. That means the same student could do very well in school one month then very poorly the next. Booth, R. C. (1998) also point out that people with AD(H)D are sometime able to hyper focus. That means they may focus very well on one thing for a long time and will have trouble stopping when it is time to finish. What exactly does it mean to be inattentive, impulsive, or hyperactive? Some specific symptoms of inattentiveness can include overlooking details, making careless mistakes, doing messy work, having trouble paying attention, changing from one activity to another without finishing anything, and being easily distracted. Some examples of impulsivity include impatience, frequently interrupting other people, talking at the wrong time, clowning around, and doing dangerous things without thinking about what will happen. Ways to Fight Through Working up WPDMH According to Knippers, C (2006) the best things to fight depression can be: 1. Confront the situation quickly. One way to do this is for the person doing the confronting to open with an admission of their own personal struggles, past or present, and how that affected their work behavior. Then they can point out to the depressed person that some specific behaviors have been noticed. But avoid saying anything like, Everyone is noticing?. The depressed person is embarrassed already and doesnt need to think that everyone is talking about him or her. 2. Be empathic. Empathy is the mental and emotional attitude of actually entering into another persons experience, and standing beside them in their feelings, rather than standing above them in pity, judgment or of being above it all. Empathy says, Ive been where you are emotionally, and I know its rough. This supportive attitude helps the depressed person immensely because they will no longer feel alone in their pain. 3. Listen to their story. Every depressed person has a story that they are longing to tell, and it is a huge relief to know that someone cares to listen to their life experience. In fact, when depressed people hear themselves relating their story, they can often gain a new perspective on the situation, and sometimes they even realize a solution. 4. Provide a solution to the employee. A counselor needs to be made available at an affordable rate for that employee. There are some brief forms of therapy or counseling that are extremely effective. Cognitive therapy is the most highly respected form of brief therapy today. Medication alone is not the answer. 5. Offer practical assistance within the workplace. Maybe there are some ergonomic concerns that can be addressed; or maybe they need a little temporary assistance with their duties to get back on track. A day or two off work or temporarily reduced hours can help. Last but not the least point is the fact of being unaware about organizational depression can be severe. Because, depressed people live with their feelings. But its in the workplace that they will try hardest to mask their illness. Fear of being reprimanded, dismissed or stigmatized for feeling down, and feelings of shame will prevent someone from seeking help. Helping AD(H)D’s There is very little information on how to tutor students with AD(H)D. However, many authors have shared ideas on how teachers can help children in their classroom who have AD(H)D. Other authors have shared ideas on how people with AD(H)D can help themselves become more organized. Booth (1998) emphasizes that it is important for teachers (and, one presumes, tutors) to be aware that no two students with ADD are alike and that there are multiple approaches that can and will be different from student to student (para. 7 under subhead Teacher attitudes and beliefs). Accordingly, Booth encourages teachers to be flexible. For example, one student with AD(H)D might have trouble starting a task, and another student might have trouble finishing one task and starting the next (General Information, 1999, August, para. 2 under subhead Teacher Tips). Booth (1998) strongly encourages that teachers use accommodations to help students learn to become more independent. Accordingly, teachers should only give students additional interventions or accommodations when the students really need them. The goal should always be to slowly remove accommodations when possible. Teachers can provide support in planning long projects until the student gradually learns how to use better time management skills and how to plan ahead better. People who work with children or other students with AD(H)D can help them by reminding them about assignments they need to do. Also, teachers should give directions both face to face and in writing. When a person with ADD is daydreaming, it can help to make eye contact with the person. The eye contact pulls them away from their daydream so they can pay attention (Hallowell Ratey, 1994). Students with AD(H)D can usually focus better in a quiet, low distraction work area (General Information, 1999, August; Booth, 1998). People with AD(H)D can help themselves by making lists to remind themselves of things they need to do (Hallowell Ratey, 1994). They should divide large tasks into small ones and give themselves deadlines for finishing each small part (Hallowell Ratey,1994). Perhaps a regular tutor could serve in the role of an ADD coach by helping AD(H)D students divide each big project into many smaller steps and decide when they will complete each step. For example, a student who n eeds to do a term paper could choose a deadline for each of the following steps: choosing a topic, deciding what information he or she needs to gather, finishing the research, writing a rough draft of the paper and showing it to the tutor, revising the paper and showing it to the tutor again. When tutors meet with students, they should ask them where they concentrate best. Can they concentrate well if they work at the tutors usual table? Or should the tutor and student meet somewhere else? Also, tutors should be ready to repeat or write down their directions. In addition, tutors can make eye contact more often to help students with AD(H)D stop daydreaming and focus better on their tutoring session. If a tutor meets with an AD(H)D student on a regular basis, then the last five or ten minutes of each session can be used to discuss what homework the student will do before the next session and what things they will work on during the next session. Conclusion WPMDH or AD(H)D both are not sickness rather it is best to call them barriers which stops one from attaining the best. Today most of us are afraid of mentally sick people and make inaudible comments about them. But we must know that no one in this world is perfect. May be one of us is having mental trouble. It may be depression or frustration or anything. So what is better is to show a little positivity towards mental sickness and help the people get through their disabilities. It is also essential to know that AD(H)D or workplace depression can’t be just driven away. They need proper care with steps followed by people near AD(H)D or depressed persons. Most of all we need to remember that they are also normal people with a little disadvantage. References Biggs, S., Nadeau, K. (1992, December). Students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Presented at Chesapeake Psychological Services to members of Nations Capital Area Disability Support Services Coalition. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from adult-add.org/study/student/study_study_tips.htm Booth, R. C. (1998). List of appropriate school-based accommodations and interventions. Highland Park, Ill.: National Attention Deficit Disorder Association. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from add.org/content/school/list.htm General information about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder fact sheet number 19 (FS19). (1999, August). The Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs. Article retrieved April 06, 2008 from adult-add.org/study/teacher/study_teach_tips.htm Knippers, C (2006). 7 Steps to Combat Workplace Depression. Article retrieved March 12, 2008 from http://hr.blr.com/whitepapers.aspx?id=18885 Latham, P. H. (2000). Attention Deficit Disorder in college faculty and students: Partners in education. National Center for Law and Learning Disabilities. Article retrieved April 14, 2008 from adult-add.org/study/student/study_student_college.htm Marano, H.E. (2003). Depression Lowers Productivity.Article retrieved March 12, 2008 from www.psychologytoday.com/id:2877 Research Papers on Dimensions of Psychological DisabilitiesTrailblazing by Eric AndersonTwilight of the UAWCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenStandardized TestingPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHip-Hop is ArtMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

A Look at the Different Opinions Concerning Abortion

A Look at the Different Opinions Concerning Abortion Being a subject that is never taken lightly in society, abortion is a wildly controversial issue. With a nation full of many diverse ethics and values, the issue of abortion has been divided into two opposite positions of pro-life or pro-choice. The pro-life stance is in opposition of legal abortion and against the termination of unborn fetuses. Overall, in the eyes of pro-life believers, life is a precious miracle and no matter how far along a fetus has developed, every aborted fetus has indeed been murdered. On the other hand, the stance of pro-choice supports the action of abortion and believes that women should have the legal right to terminate their pregnancy. No matter what position is taken on this crucial issue, abortion will always have lasting impact on people. For example, who can blame anyone who defends a pregnant mothers right to make a life and death decision by her own free will when assuming she completely understands all ramifications? By whatever way she arrives at her final heart- tearing decision to kill the fetus, should anyone have the right to force her to bear a child? Or, in contrast, who can fault someone who wishes to prevent the termination of a teen pregnancy in order to save the life of the innocent unborn child? Questions like these not only help conceive the importance and value of abortion but also raise much curiosity about this year’s election and the candidate’s beliefs. Although many of this years election policies are based on issues that encompass our devastating economy, the often neglected issue of abortion has become a ruthlessly exploited topic in this years presidential debates. The candidates, Governor Mitt Romney and President Barrack Obama, have very differentiating views of pro-life and pro-choice. Usually shown as an issue that favors pro-life candidates, this election has shown a historical change due to President Obama taking charge in a recent Gallup Poll (Dannefelser). Although there are some appealing arguments about the pro-life choice, I believe the policy of abortion should be terminated in our society, as it takes the lives of approximately 115,000 innocent and defenseless children daily. Of course, there is a population that doesn’t believe that the act of abortion is wrong and feels that women should have the right in whether they want to bear a child. Supporting this view, President Obama believes in the policy of pro-choice and holds the opinion that woman should bear the constitutional rights to their personal health and reproductive freedom. Within his campaign, Obama has shown his complete support of Planned Parenthood and given much funding to abortion and contraception advertising through his recent video known as â€Å"Yes We Can† (Yarrow). Through this tactic, Obama establishes the message that the women of America are capable of making their own choices. Disagreeing with parental notification, he states that he feels that abortion is an act that needs to have much thought and consideration and if â€Å"a young women becomes pregnant they should talk to their parents†. Moreover, he realizes that all girls do not have parental guidance a nd â€Å"in those instances, we should want these girls to seek the advice of a trusted source. Many feel this campaign tactic will be helpful in gathering support for abortion because â€Å"according to NARAL’s model and an extensive survey that shows there are over 5.1 million women pro-choice†(May). Claiming how Governor Romney â€Å"has gone to more extreme place†, by completely getting rid of funding for planned parenthood, President Obama claims that if he gets elected for a second term this crucial social issue will get resolved (May). Although President Obama makes some crucial arguments about this serious policy, there have been criticisms’ about his policy of abortion. President Obama constantly mentioned the topic of federal funding of planned parenthood numerous times and consistently made sure to bring up Romney’s vow to defund the nation’s largest abortion provider that also delivers an array of other productive services (Yarrow). Furthermore, Obama states in all three of his presidential debates that not only does his funding of planned parenthood help women in need, but it also can act like any other health care provider or OB/GYN by providing breast examinations and referring women to outside technicians (Viebeck). In reality though, Obama has recently been proven wrong, though, due to a recent fact check that verified that Planned Parenthood does not perform mammograms or even possess the necessary equipment to do so. The truth is actually revealed; â€Å"they do hundreds and thousa nds of abortions and not a single mammogram†(Dannenfeiser). According to the Washington Times â€Å"Planned Parenthood is even reportedly dropping what little prenatal care it offers† (Dannenfeiser). Moreover, the Congressional Research Service report stated that the federal government gives Planned Parenthood about $66 million to a unreliable service (Viebeck). In general, this shows the amount of money that is being taken out of the American’s pockets (Viebeck). Furthermore, pro-life candidate Mitt Romney claims that his opposing candidate, Barack Obama, needs to critically consider that abortion is a social issue and not an economical issue (Dannenfeiser). In general, Romney feels the most important thing should be fully trying to recover America from economic stress and this current devastating recession. Now completely behind the policy of pro-life, Romney’s policy of abortion has three exceptions of â€Å"cases of rape, incest, or pregnancy that endangers a women’s life† (Romney). His belief of pro-life advocates the legal protection of human embryos and fetuses and outlaws abortion. Throughout Romney’s debate he claims his first action he will take will be to defund Planned Parenthood in America. In addition, he he plans to overturn Roe vs. Wade, which states the legalization of abortion, due to over â€Å"fifty million abortions have been performed since 1973†. Through this plan, Romney claims that on ce overturned, abortion will be a matter of state decision and not a matter of federal decision. It will â€Å"finally allow the states to have authority† that they were initially intended to have (Blodget). In addition, Romney indicates that he will reverse the Mexico City position of the President and â€Å"reinstate the Mexico City policy which keeps us from using foreign aid for abortions overseas†(Weiner). Feeling that abortion is more of a social issue and not economic issue he plans to instead help the 17 million women that are currently living in poverty today (Weiner). Romney states I’m going to help women in America get good work by getting a stronger economy and by supporting women in the workforce.(Bennett). In general, much of this topic is subject to opinion and perspective and that is just the nature of this argument. Overall though, I find myself mostly behind Governor Romney and his choice of pro-life within America. Influenced by my morals and religious back ground, I believe that there are no exceptions for abortion. Living in a society that finds murder as a morally wrong act that deserves punishment, I believe the policy of abortion should be ended because I feel that there is no difference between murder and taking the life of an innocent and defenseless child. If a mother does not want a child or rape has occurred, adoption or other measures should be considered. Unfortunately, this is not a popular stance to many Americans due to the belief that woman should possess their constitutional rights. In reality, the act of abortion is legal before three months because the fetus is still in the embryo stage. In contrast, facts show that â€Å"More than 90% of the body structures found in a full-grown human are present after 9 weeks.† Overall I feel that today we live in a morally wrong and depraved society that is unwilling to accept their wrongs. We end up exonerating others for our mistakes. I understand that fear indeed is a powerful motivator, but as we accept these self-centered acts we underestimate both the intelligence and priorities of women. The women of America can use their brains, not solely rely on other parts of their body, to move ahead in society and achieve their goals.

The effects of The Treaty of Paris on The United States Essay

The effects of The Treaty of Paris on The United States - Essay Example the Conference have been usually labeled as failure because the treaties signed during the Paris negotiations did fail to secure peace in Europe in the long-term (MacMillan & Holbrooke 2001). The reasons for the failure were at least twofold: (1) the range of problems the negotiating parties had to deal with at that difficult time were too complicated and often defied effective solutions; (2) although several nations participating in the conference benefited more than others under the conditions of the peace treaties the amount of disagreement and controversy involved in each negotiated issue was huge, particularly in such critically important aspect as treating Germany. Although the common goal of the leaders involved in the Paris negotiations was apparently to restore peace and stability in Europe, the Conference immediately exposed serious disagreement between the Allies concerning how to treat Germany. The views were highly contradictory with the Big Three leaders balancing between the long-term political benefits for their countries, almost always varying and often conflicting interests of their partners, and the public opinions of their nations (Henig 1995). As a result, majority of the participants failed to full achieve their goals, and the effects of the Treaty on each nation were vastly different. The seriousness of President Wilson’s intentions during the Conference was evident: he became the first American President to ever visit Europe while in office (McMillan 2001: 3) while the US mission in Paris included almost 1300 members at its peak (Gelfand, 1963). Wilson came up with the famous Fourteen Points program that was supposed to become the foundation for a peace program. The Fourteen Points included the following items: However, the Fourteen Points of President Wilson reflected his excessively idealistic and pacifist views on the political situation in Europe. Perhaps that is the key reason for largely unsuccessful effort of the American mission

Citi group Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Citi group - Research Paper Example The project also makes a cost and benefit analysis to identify the most suitable application of strategies. Lastly it recommends suitable ways of application of the strategies to produce desired results. This project tries to identify the present problems confronting one of the leading financial service providers in the world, the Citigroup. The company originated in New York and is based all over the world. The period of financial crisis followed by the economic downturn had serious consequences for the company and its stakeholders. It led to the creation of a number of problems for the organization. The project tries to identify those problems. Identification of problems has been supported by provision of data using secondary research. Each problem has been presented explicitly along with data and examples. The project tries to understand the root of these problems and designs suitable strategies to solve them. It also makes a cost and benefit analysis to priorities the list of solutions. Lastly it tries to present the ways in which the company’s mission can be achieved using the strategies. Citi is the leading company in the field of financial services in the global market. The company is based in New York. The company originated from the merging of two banking giants, namely Citicorp and Travelers Group. It is known for having the most efficient and largest financial services network across the globe. Its business is spread across 140 countries and its customer base goes up to 200 million. The company provides a wide range of products and services to customers, institutions, corporations and the government. Its services include â€Å"banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services and wealth management† (Citi-a, â€Å"Our Brands†). The company considers providing advisory solutions to clients is of paramount importance. It never fails to reinforce this commitment in every

Hinduism and the Religion’s Worldviews Essay Example for Free

Hinduism and the Religion’s Worldviews Essay Hinduism is not merely a religion, it is also a philosophy and the culture in India, and it has already been a marked part of their everyday living. So much so that everything aspect of their daily lives goes back to it; and it has 950 million followers to wit (mostly from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan). Hinduism ranks third as the world’s largest religion after Christianity and Islam, and it is also said to be one of the world’s oldest organized religion along with Judaism (VandeWeghe, 2007). Hinduism and Christianity differ in many ways, and it is rational that there are disagreements and contradictions when two people from different religions involve themselves in a conversation regarding their beliefs. The purpose of this paper is to discover an effective way to build a pleasant relationship with a Hindu in order to be able to share the gospel with them. In order to accomplish this aim, this paper will discuss the origin, beliefs, practices and the views of Hinduism about Christianity and how they differ from the said religion. Hinduism: A Closer Look According to Robinson (2007), besides being called â€Å"Hinduism†, it is also referred to as Sanata Dharma (eternal religion) and Vaidika Dharma (religion of the Vedas). Hinduism has no specific founder and the day that it was born is still unknown; however, there are two theories regarding the origin of the religion. One is the Classical Theory which explains that Hinduism originated at the Indus Valley around 4000BCE to 2200BCE and that its development was due to various foreign invasions particularly of the Indo-Aryan for they are the ones who were said to have brought the religion of Vedism. The other is the Emerging Theory which went against the first theory by proving that there were no foreign invasions along the Indus Valley and that the Vedic religion (Hinduism at 1500BCE to 500BCE) was allowed to flourish by the same group of people who later called themselves Aryan. The Hindu scriptures as well as literatures, which are even older than the Bible’s Old Testament, are the sources of the religion’s beliefs and practices. The most sacred Hindu scriptures are the four Vedas (Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda) which consists of hymns, incantations, rituals and explanations – among which the Rig Veda (1700BCE to 1100BCE) is said to be the oldest. There are also the Upanishads which discussed â€Å"states of consciousness, dreams, meditations, self-realizations and unity†; the Darshanas which consists of six philosophical system and teachings derived from the Vedas; and lastly and the most recent, the Puranas which tells the stories of the most recent gods (Reid Corduan, 2008). Hinduism also has the two great epics that show the virtues and ideals that are significant to the religion; the first is the Ramayana which is a tale about a prince named Rama and his wife, Sita, and the Mahabarata, a collection of poems which states the duties of a â€Å"religious, law-abiding man† (Mason, 2000). Not only is Hinduism one of the oldest and largest religions, it is also said to be the most complex one (McDowell, 2002). There are various beliefs in Hinduism and one of them is the very popular and highly criticized Caste System which is said to be the cause of inequality and harsh laws in India. There are four main castes; the Brahmin (priest-teachers), kshatriyas (soldier-nobles), vaishyas (merchants) and sudras (servants). In the early periods, it was supposed to be part of the divine order, however, as years passed by, subcastes were developed and there came the outcastes or the untouchables – people who do not belong to any of the four main castes (Perry, 1989). Associated with this system are other beliefs. The belief that each of them have dharma (duty), depending on which caste they were born into; they also believe in karma and samsara (reincarnation) – thus, they believe that if they do their duty properly, they will have good karma and will be reincarnated into a higher class. On the contrary, if they did not, they might be reincarnated to the lower class or even as an animal. Their goal is to achieve moksha (release), which is their concept of salvation. Here they would not be liberated from sin but to life existence itself for they believe that as long as they are in the maya (phenomenal world) suffering would never stop because of karma and samsara. Moksha can be attained in three ways, by â€Å"way of works†, â€Å"way of knowledge† and â€Å"way of devotion† (bhakti) which is the most popular one, in which a person will completely devote himself to a certain god and the latter will take care of everything in his behalf (Reid Corduan, 2008). In early Hinduism, Jesus Christ has no particular role in the religion and is not even mentioned in their scriptures; however, due to the rise of Christianity, Hindu thinkers thought of a place where they could put Jesus Christ in their religion. According to Reid and Corduan (2008), since Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, the Hindus viewed Jesus Christ as one of the incarnations or avatars of Brahman who, like Rama and Krishna, is a â€Å"divine self-embodiment† in order to preserve Hindu teachings and another way was by saying that Jesus Christ spent his â€Å"silent years† in India to proclaim the teachings of Hinduism. Nevertheless, Hindus’ incorporation of Jesus Christ into their religion does not seem to fit properly. According to McDowell (2002), Hinduism is known to be tolerant towards other religions because of similarities with Hinduism. This is believed to be one of the characteristics of a polytheistic and henotheistic (believing in one god and regarding other gods and goddesses as just manifestations) religions. However, due to rise of a nationalistic political party which took hold of the India’s government, the separation of church and state collapsed and religious tolerance went down as well, increasing anti-Christian violence in the country (Robinson, 2007). Christianity and Hinduism has numerous differences and some of them are the following: Hinduism’s Supreme Being is the Brahman, an indefinable and impersonal deity, while Christianity has a loving, personal and caring Creator. Hinduism looks at man as a materialization of Brahman who has no value and self-worth at all, whereas, Christianity proclaims that man is created in the very image of God that deserves to love and be loved despite their sinful deeds. When it comes to sins, there are no sins that are committed against Brahman, things that were done wrong are taken as results of ignorance that can be redeemed by following the duty of a specific caste to which the person belongs to and the path going to salvation. On the other hand, wrongdoings that are done within Christianity is taken as acts of rebellion against God. Salvation in Hinduism is referred to as moksha and can be attained in three ways which cannot be accomplished in one lifetime, while salvation in the Christian sense is granted by God to those who deserve it after being separated from him. Lastly, even their view of the material world differ – for a Hindu, the material world is an extension of Brahman and just a transitory and secondary importance; on the contrary, Christians see the material world as an objective reality and a something total different from God (McDowell, 2002). However, despite these differences, it is said that Hindus accept Jesus, but not the Christian relgion. In fact, they even refer Christianity to â€Å"Churchianity. † According to Abhedananda (2002), Hindus can tell apart the religion of Jesus Christ from the religion of the Church for the reason that the true religion of Jesus Christ is a religion of the heart. Thus, it has no dogma and no theology, no rituals and ceremonies, and is not based from a book. From their perspective, the religion of the Church is based from a book, is full of creeds and rituals, and even has an organized way of preaching them. When it comes to the Gospels, they see it as full of inconsistencies and discrepancies, and one very doubtful area for the Hindus comes from their awareness that Jesus Christ did not have His own writings and that there are no precise and contemporary accounts of His life inside and outside of the Bible. In order to share the Gospels to the Hindus, Rev. Dharmaraj (2001), gave some advice to approach the Hindus and make them listen to the Gospels. He said that one should determine and understand what type of Hindu community one intends to visit, since there are different sects that belong to Hinduism. Next, he said that one should explain the concepts incorporated in the Gospels in order for them to understand the Gospels for they have their own understanding of God, salvation, sin, among others. Lastly, Christians should deal with the challenges of dogmatism, risks of syncretism and to focus on evangelism. In addition, according to Reid and Corduan (2008), a Christian should connect with the person rather with the person’s religion; Christians should approach them along with humanitarian efforts and outreach projects since Hinduism does not cater to such. Through a combination of these, Hindus have already felt the kind of loving relationships that pay no attention to the caste which have long been abolished but is still being practiced. The salvation of Christianity even reached them in a way, and it even made them accept Jesus Christ more as they felt that they have been freed from the dark aspects of Hinduism. The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven [is above all]. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him. (John 3:31-36, NAB) In the given Gospel, in order for a Hindu to understand it, one should clarify that the God in the Gospel is the Creator and that His son is Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind from sins. In addition, it will also be better to give a slight background of what the Gospel is about – say that at this point in the Gospel, the Savior have finally presented Himself in front of the people. The Hindu should also be informed that â€Å"eternal life† is referring to the promised salvation in a Christian context and that it can only be attained by believing in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the Christian should also point out what â€Å"the wrath of God† means, so that the Hindu could have insights as to the consequences of not obeying their God. And since this pertains to the concept of Hell, it should be also explained again in totality for Hindus do not have this concept in their belief system. Hinduism is a large complex religion that is older than Christianity. If one would be able to understand the essentials of this religion, it would be easy to reach out to the Hindus and make them listen to the Gospel. Christians have their views about Hinduism and Hindus likewise have their own views about Christianity. While they criticize and contradict each other about most of the aspects of their beliefs, setting them aside for awhile in order to learn about one another’s religion makes it possible to establish not just communication but also an open, two-way relationship. To share a Gospel to Hindus, proper understanding of Hinduism is required along with the use of an effective interpersonal approach. References Mason, C. (2000). A short history of Asia – Stone Age to 2000AD. London: Palgrave Macmillan Perry, M. (1989). A history of the world.Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Holy Bible: the new American Bible. (1987). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Abhedananda, S. (2002). Why a Hindu accepts Christ and rejects Churchianity. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Hinduism website: http://www. hinduism. co. za/jesus. htm Dharmahal, P. (1992). Communicating Christ to the Hindu world. Retrieved April 1, 2008 from Mission Frontiers website: http://www. missionfrontiers. org/1992/0912/sd9211. htm McDowell, J. (2002). A ready defense. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Jesus Who website: http://www. greatcom. org/resources/areadydefense/ch24/default. htm Reid, P. Corduan, W. (2008). About Hinduism. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Christian Answers Network website: http://christiananswers. net/evangelism/beliefs/hinduism. html Robinson, B. A. (2007). Hinduism: the world’s third largest religion. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Religious Tolerance website: http://www. religioustolerance. org/hinduism. htm VandeWeghe, R. (2007). Prepared to answer. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from Windmill Ministries website: http://www. windmillministries. org/frames/CH30A. htm

Harley-Davidson Inc. Essay -- Business Management Harley Davidson Essa

Harley-Davidson Inc. Celebrating their 100th anniversary next year, Harley-Davidson is a true American success story. From their modest beginnings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to one of the most recognized company names worldwide, they have been passionate about motorcycles. Harley offers an experience like none other with the one of a kind look, feel, and sound only available on a Harley. Besides their main business of building and selling motorcycles, they have began to offer financing and insurance through Harley-Davidson Financial Services, and they also offer a full line of accessories and apparel to make the Harley experience complete. Harley-Davidson, the corporation, has many things to brag about. On top of their financial success over the years, they have built a solid reputation as a fair, honest, and caring company. In January 2002, Forbes magazine named Harley-Davidson its â€Å"Company of the Year for 2001and in February, Fortune magazine selected them as one of the nation’s â€Å"Most Admired Companies.† Every employee at the company can be proud of these achievements because the corporate culture stresses the importance of all employees. While maintaining a level of success in these areas, they have managed to increase their revenues for the last sixteen years straight. Even in the economic downturn of the last year, Harley-Davidson posted record revenue and earnings. Harley-Davidson states their mission as â€Å"We fulfill dreams through the experiences of motorcycling by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles, branded products and services in selected market segments.† They have performed wonderfully over the past hundred years, and have not forgotten their mission or where they came from. Over the years they have stuck with the things they know, and also expanded into related services and products. Out of the 151 motorcycle manufacturers, Harley-Davidson and Indian were the only two companies to survive the Great Depression. Harley-Davidson was the only one in America after Indian dropped out in 1953, but face Indian again now since they re-entered the market in 1999. Harley-Davidson owns a twenty percent market share followed closely by Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki. One thing they have had to overcome in the marketplace is the stereotypical image associated with motorcycle owners. It seems the publ... ...Tot. Debt to Equity .27  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   .46  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amount Borrowed/ Equity Activity: Inventory Turnover  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12.98  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   7.87  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Move inventory quickly Asset Turnover  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.20  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.26  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Effective utilization of assets Receivables Turnover  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4.91  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6.71  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Collection of receivables / year Net Inc. / Employee  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  57,157  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28,241  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utilization of people Breakeven Analysis: Assumptions: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Total Variable Costs are 60% of Total Costs; While the other 40% are from fixed costs. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All units cost the same to produce and sell for the same price. Breakeven Point: Total Revenue (TR) = $3,363414000 Total Variable Cost (TVC) = $1,310,045,400 Total Fixed Costs (TFC) = $873,363,600 Total Cost (TC) = $2,183,409,000 Average Variable Cost (AVC) = $5,587.48 per unit Quantity Produced (Q) = 234,461 Profit (ï  ) = 1,180,005,000 Price (P) = $14,345.30 per unit 99,723.83 = 99,724 units Required Profit Analysis: Assume required profit is equal to selling, general and administrative expenses so after expenses they will breakeven. Required profit = $578,777,000 165,810.74 = 165,811 units

Plato Book V Is Plato a Feminist

In book V of Plato’s republican Plato is very clearly a feminist although he does not hold women completely equal to men. In fact Plato states that the majority of women are inferior to all men, but not all women were inferior. Plato was indeed a feminist, but his feminist views were as a result of decisions made for what he thought was in best interest of the good city. A feminist is a described as an advocate for women’s rights and legal protection. Within book V of the Republic, Plato advocates equality in different features of life within the good city for women. The equal education of man and woman is one feature of the good city which Plato desired to put in action. Plato felt this was necessary not based on feminist views, but due to the fact that women were potential guardians of the good city so they should have equal education as the male guardians. Due to the fact that Plato calls for equal education of the two sexes clearly classifies him as a feminist. Plato states in the Republic that the majority of women are inferior to men, he later states that some women may be capable of being equal to or even superior to some men. With this fact being, Plato feels that women must also be given an equal opportunity to govern the state due to their potential superiority over men. Therefore/ Plato called for equal education of men and women in the good city (Is Plato a Feminist? ). Another topic discussed in Book V of the Republic was the Nature of a human’s soul. Plato felt that just because women had inferior physical features then men did not mean that women should be ruled disregarded from their nature. In other words, if a man and woman both had guardian nature, the woman should not be neglected due to her gender. Plato’s feminist views are greatly expressed when he explains that women could be well-suited to govern the good state. In the best interest of the good city Plato felt that potential guardians or politicians of the good city should not be limited based upon their gender due to his belief that all humans have a certain nature within them regardless of their sex (Is Plato a Feminist? ). Once again this feminist belief portrayed by Plato was not accredited to his passion for women’s equality, but is represented by his opinion in preserving the good city. Plato would not be considered the ideal feminist; his decisions in giving the women of the good city equality were not made in the best interest of the women. Plato feminist decisions were made as a result of what he thought would be in best interest of the good city. Throughout the Republic Book V Plato expresses his views and opinions on different issues relating to the good city. Although Plato states that does not hold women equal to men in mainly all aspects measurable he is still undoubtedly a feminist. The main aspect of Plato’s feminism is that he gave women rights for what he thought was in the best interest of the good city, not the women. Even though Plato would not be considered the ideal feminist he is evidently a feminist nonetheless. Plato would not be what many consider to be an ideal feminist. But, when answering the question if Plato is a feminist or not, he and decisions he made regarding the good city are undeniably feminist. Plato’s views of feminism are not a direct result of concern of women’s rights, but are directly related to Plato’s idea of the ultimate good city.

Culture’s Impact on Education and Development Essay

Children’s participation in education is considerably influenced by several different cultural customs and tendencies. In my opinion, culture signifies a common set of beliefs and values. Different school systems practice what their particular culture believes in and how their culture believes education should take place and be taught. Different cultures have a complete diverse set of expectations for what they believe â€Å"normal† school behavior consists of. It is important for teachers to understand and to take into consideration these different cultural tendencies. One of the strongest roles played on an individual’s disposition of accepting their school’s discipline is the influence of their individual culture and family background (Feinberg & Soltis, 2004). For instance, a teacher who is unaware of the differences between cultures might construe a child’s behavior as disrespectful and misbehaving. However, the child views and considers their behavior as normal. In many cases, due to the fact that these cultures are hard to recognize, students do not always understand why their teachers are punishing them and categorizing their behavior as ill-mannered and inappropriate. Once children are placed in their school environments, what happens next? Every child in the world deserves an equal right to education. Unfortunately, today’s world faces a very critical issue. Children are not receiving the adequate and plentiful education in which they deserve. While in third world countries, there is a tremendous amount of children who are not attending school, today’s world faces an even larger issue. In Africa, for instance, attending school can be very dangerous due to the prevalent amount of violence that takes place both in and outside of the school environment. As author Jonathan Jansen explains, â€Å"Opportunity to learn might be less achievable than full enrollment† (Jansen, 2005). That is to say, the more pervasive problem facing the education of today’s developing countries is not quite the access to schools, but the things that occur once the child gets inside those schools. Furthermore, it is imperative that educators truly understand the distinct histories and ideologies concerning the cultural tendencies of groups as well as the education and learning. In America, maintaining eye contact while having a conversation with someone is considered a sign of respect. In contrary, the cultures of different countries, such as Asia and Africa, view making eye contact with an authority figure or elder as disrespectful and in appropriate. With that being said, we can visualize how easily misinterpretations are made between students and teachers of different backgrounds and cultures (â€Å"Non-verbal communication,†). The Japanese teacher’s approach to the students’ disputes, in the article about Japan, certainly surprised me. From past personal experience, whenever I would find myself in the middle of a dispute there was always an adult alongside to help resolve it. From elementary school to high school, there were constantly authority figures that would intervene as soon as a dispute between students was recognized. In contrary, the Japanese teacher in the reading emphasized that she restrains herself from intervening disputes because she’s afraid of sending the wrong message to the children. She doesn’t want them to think that they can’t handle and take care of themselves in any given situation. By intervening, she stresses that it would interrupt the children’s experience with complex situations and resolving things upon themselves (Tobin, Hsueh & Karasawa, 2009). References Feinberg, W., & Soltis, J. (2004). School and society. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Jansen, J. (2005). Targeting education: The politics of performance and the prospects of ‘Education For All’. Non-verbal communication. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JMDMvvI0abkJ:sitemaker.umich.edu/356.kyprianides/non-verbal_communication &cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us Tobin, J., Hsueh, Y., & Karasawa, M. (2009). Preschool in three cultures revisited: China, Japan, and the United States. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

The History of How Cows Were Domesticated

The History of How Cows Were Domesticated According to archaeological and genetic evidence, wild cattle or aurochs (Bos primigenius) were likely domesticated independently at least twice and perhaps three times. A distantly related Bos species, the yak (Bos grunniens grunniens or Poephagus grunniens) was domesticated from its still-living wild form, B. grunniens or B. grunniens mutus. As domesticated animals go, cattle are among the earliest, perhaps because of the multitude of useful products they provide humans: food products such as milk, blood, fat, and meat; secondary products such as clothing and tools manufactured from hair, hides, horns, hooves and bones; dung for fuel; as well as load-bearers and for pulling plows. Culturally, cattle are banked resources, which can provide bride-wealth and trade as well as rituals such as feasting and sacrifices. Aurochs were significant enough to Upper Paleolithic hunters in Europe to be included in cave paintings such as those of Lascaux. Aurochs were one of the largest herbivores in Europe, with the largest bulls reaching shoulder heights of between 160-180 centimeters (5.2-6 feet), with massive frontal horns of up to 80 cm (31 inches) in length. Wild yaks have black upward- and backward-curving horns and long shaggy black to brown coats. The adult males can be 2 m (6.5 ft) high, over 3 m (10 ft) long and can weigh between 600-1200 kilograms (1300-2600 pounds); females weigh only 300 kg (650 pounds) on average. Domestication Evidence Archaeologists and biologists are agreed that there is strong evidence for two distinct domestication events from aurochs: B. taurus in the near east about 10,500 years ago, and B. indicus in the Indus valley of the Indian subcontinent  about 7,000 years ago. There may have been a third auroch domesticate in Africa (tentatively called  B. africanus), about 8,500 years ago. Yaks were domesticated in central Asia about 7,000-10,000 years ago. Recent mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) studies also indicate that B. taurus was introduced into Europe and Africa where they interbred with local wild animals (aurochs). Whether these occurrences should be considered as separate domestication events is somewhat under debate. Recent genomic studies (Decker et al. 2014) of 134 modern breeds supports the presence of the three domestication events, but also found evidence for later migration waves of animals to and from the three main loci of domestication. Modern cattle are significantly different today from the earliest domesticated versions. Three Auroch Domesticates Bos taurus The taurine (humpless cattle, B. taurus) was most likely domesticated somewhere in the Fertile Crescent about 10,500 years ago. The earliest substantive evidence for cattle domestication anywhere in the world is the Pre-Pottery Neolithic cultures in the Taurus Mountains. One strong strand of evidence of the locus of domestication for any animal or plant is genetic diversity: places that developed a plant or animal generally have high diversity in those species; places where the domesticates were brought in, have lesser diversity. The highest diversity of genetics in cattle is in the Taurus Mountains. A gradual decline in overall body size of aurochs, a characteristic of domestication, is seen at several sites in southeastern Turkey, beginning as early as the late 9th at Cayonu Tepesi. Small-bodied cattle do not appear in archaeological assemblages in the eastern Fertile Crescent until relatively late (6th millennium BC), and then abruptly. Based on that, Arbuckle et al. (2016) surmise that domestic cattle arose in the upper reaches of the Euphrates river. Taurine cattle were traded across the planet, first into Neolithic Europe about 6400 BC; and they appear in archaeological sites as far away as northeastern Asia (China, Mongolia, Korea) by about 5000 years ago. Bos indicus (or B. taurus indicus) Recent mtDNA evidence for domesticated zebu (humped cattle, B. indicus) suggests that two major lineages of B. indicus are currently present in modern animals. One (called I1) predominates in southeast Asia and southern China and is likely to have been domesticated in the Indus Valley region of what is today Pakistan. Evidence of the transition of wild to domestic B. indicus is in evidence in Harappan sites such as Mehrgahr about 7,000 years ago. The second strain, I2, may have been captured in East Asia, but apparently was also domesticated in the Indian subcontinent, based on the presence of a broad range of diverse genetic elements. The evidence for this strain is not entirely conclusive as of yet. Possible: Bos africanus or Bos taurus Scholars are divided about the likelihood of a third domestication event having occurred in Africa. The earliest domesticated cattle in Africa have been found at Capeletti, Algeria, about 6500 BP, but Bos remains are found at African sites in what is now Egypt, such as Nabta Playa and Bir Kiseiba, as long ago as 9,000 years, and they may be domesticated. Early cattle remains have also been found at Wadi el-Arab (8500-6000 BC) and El Barga (6000-5500 BC). One significant difference for taurine cattle in Africa is a genetic tolerance to trypanosomosis, the disease spread by the tsetse fly which causes anemia and parasitemia in cattle, but the exact genetic marker for that trait has not been identified to date. A recent study (Stock and Gifford-Gonzalez 2013) found that although genetic evidence for African domesticated cattle is not as comprehensive or detailed as that for  other forms of cattle, what there is available suggests that domestic cattle in Africa are the result of wild aurochs having been introduced into local domestic B. taurus populations. A genomic study published in 2014 (Decker et al.) indicates that while considerable introgression and breeding practices have altered the population structure of modern day cattle, there is still consistent evidence for three major groups of domestic cattle. Lactase Persistence One recent strain of evidence for the domestication of cattle comes from the study of lactase persistence, the ability to digest milk sugar lactose in adults (the opposite of lactose intolerance). Most mammals, including humans, can tolerate milk as infants, but after weaning, they lose that ability. Only about 35% of people in the world are able to digest milk sugars as adults without discomfort, a trait called lactase persistence. This is a genetic trait, and it is theorized that it would have selected for in human populations that had ready access to fresh milk. Early Neolithic populations who domesticated sheep, goats and cattle would not have yet developed this trait, and probably processed the milk into cheese, yogurt, and butter prior to consuming it. Lactase persistence has been connected most directly with the spread of dairying practices associated with cattle, sheep, and goats into Europe by Linearbandkeramik populations beginning about 5000 BC. And a Yak (Bos grunniens grunniens or Poephagus grunniens) The domestication of yaks may well have made human colonization of the high Tibetan Plateau (also known as Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau) possible. Yaks are extremely well adapted to the arid steppes at high elevations, where low oxygen, high solar radiation, and extreme cold are common. In addition to the milk, meat, blood, fat, and pack energy benefits, perhaps the most important yak byproduct in the cool, arid climate is dung. The availability of yak dung as a fuel was a critical factor in allowing for the colonization of the high region, where other fuel sources are lacking. Yaks possess large lungs and hearts, expansive sinuses, long hair, thick soft fur (very useful for cold-weather clothing), and few sweat glands. Their blood contains a high hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count, all of which make cold adaptations possible. Domestic Yaks The main difference between wild and domestic yaks is their size. Domestic yaks are smaller than their wild relatives: adults are generally no more than 1.5 m (5 ft) tall, with males weighing between 300-500 kg (600-1100 lbs), and females between 200-300 kg (440-600 lbs). They have white or piebald coats and lack gray-white muzzle hairs. They can and do interbreed with wild yaks, and all yaks have the high altitude physiology they are prized for. There are three types of domestic yaks in China, based on morphology, physiology, and geographical distribution: a valley type distributed in the valleys of north and east Tibet, and some parts of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces;a plateau grassland type mainly found in the high, cold pastures and steppes that maintain an annual average temperature below 2 degrees centigrade;and white yaks found in almost every region in China. Domesticating the Yak Historical reports dated to the Chinese Han Dynasty state that yaks were domesticated by the Qiang people during the Longshan culture period in China, about 5,000 years ago. The Qiang were ethnic groups who inhabited the Tibetan Plateau borderlands including Qinghai Lake. Han Dynasty records also say the Qiang people had a Yak State during the Han dynasty, 221 BC-220 AD, based on a highly successful trade network. Trade routes involving domestic yak were recorded beginning in the Qin dynasty records (221-207 BC)predating and no doubt part of precursors to the Silk Roadand cross-breeding experiments with Chinese yellow cattle to create the hybrid dzo are described there as well. Genetic (mtDNA) studies support the Han Dynasty records that yaks were domesticated on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, although the genetic data does not allow definitive conclusions to be drawn about the number of domestication events. The variety and distribution of mtDNA are not clear, and it is possible that multiple domestication events from the same gene pool, or interbreeding between wild and domesticated animals occurred. However, the mtDNA and archaeological results also blur the dating of the domestication. The earliest evidence for domesticated yak is from the Qugong site, ca. 3750-3100 calendar years ago (cal BP); and the Dalitaliha site, ca 3,000 cal BP near Qinghai Lake. Qugong has a large number of yak bones with an overall small stature; Dalitaliha has a clay figurine thought to represent a yak, the remnants of a wood-fenced corral, and fragments of hubs from spoked wheels. The mtDNA evidence suggests domestication took place as early as 10,000 years BP, and Guo et al. argue that the Qinghai lake Upper Paleolithic colonizers domesticated the yak. The most conservative conclusion to draw from this is that yaks were first domesticated in northern Tibet, probably the Qinghai Lake region, and were derived from wild yak for the production of wool, milk, meat and manual labor, at least 5000 cal bp. How Many Are There? Wild yaks were widespread and abundant in the Tibetan Plateau up until the late 20th century when hunters decimated their numbers. They are now considered highly endangered with an estimated population of ~15,000. They are protected by law but still illegally hunted. Domestic yaks, on the other hand, are abundant, an estimated 14-15 million in central highland Asia. The current distribution of yaks is from the southern slopes of the Himalayas to the Altai and Hangai Mountains of Mongolia and Russia. Approximately 14 million yaks live in China, representing about 95% of the worlds population; the remaining five percent are in Mongolia, Russia, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Sikkim and Pakistan. Sources lvarez I, Pà ©rez-Pardal L, Traorà © A, Fernndez I, and Goyache F. 2016. Lack of specific alleles for the bovine chemokine (C-X-C) receptor type 4 (CXCR4) gene in West African cattle questions its role as a candidate for trypanotolerance. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 42:30-33. Arbuckle BS, Price MD, Hongo H, and Ãâ€"ksà ¼z B. 2016. Documenting the initial appearance of domestic cattle in the Eastern Fertile Crescent (northern Iraq and western Iran). Journal of Archaeological Science 72:1-9. Cai D, Sun Y, Tang Z, Hu S, Li W, Zhao X, Xiang H, and Zhou H. 2014. The origins of Chinese domestic cattle as revealed by ancient DNA analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science 41:423-434. Colominas, Là ­dia. The impact of the Roman Empire on animal husbandry practices: study of the changes in cattle morphology in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula through osteometric and ancient DNA analyses.  Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, Angela Schlumbaum, Maria Saà ±a, Volume 6, Issue 1, SpringerLink, March 2014. Ding XZ, Liang CN, Guo X, Wu XY, Wang HB, Johnson KA, and Yan P. 2014. Physiological insight into the high-altitude adaptations in domesticated yaks (Bos grunniens) along the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau altitudinal gradient. 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A 3 page good reasons to explain or suggest to the men Duffy Cut why Essay

A 3 page good reasons to explain or suggest to the men Duffy Cut why it is not a good idea for them to come to the United States - Essay Example f other reasons, economic and social should have prevented the journey of fifty-seven Irish laborers to the United States of America to assist in the construction of a railroad by an American contractor named Philip Duffy. All of them succumbed to death by cholera; recent evidence indicates that many of them may have been murdered (O’ Carroll). Most of them were not granted proper funerals, an event which highlighted the low esteem in which people of Ireland and catholic nations in general were held, in the early nineteenth century. the subsequent decades, was reason enough for the laborers to not have gone to the United States of America. A lasting cure for this was found out later on (Thomas), but the condition of cheap labor in America would have been reason for anybody to be cautious. Proper medical facilities were not provided to these man and their lives were often at the risk of being taken by cholera. The condition of the Irish laborers in America was often worse than that of the slaves in America since their wages hardly sufficed for them to afford decent lodgings and good food (Watson, 32). This, along with the threat of disease, meant that the journey to the United States of America was fraught with danger for the Irishmen who worked for Duffy and they undertook it with great peril to their health and eventually, their lives. This alone, should have deterred them from their journey to America. The journey that was undertaken by these people should not have materialized, if they had considered the imm ense risks that it involved, to their lives. The socio-political concerns of the American state were not humanitarian enough to provide safety to these laborers. During this phase, the United States of America, along with other states in Europe, were engaged in improving the state of infrastructure in their countries. Therefore, the safety and well-being of their workers, poor catholic immigrants at that, was not of primary importance to the American

Talk bout racism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Talk bout racism - Essay Example William is described as a person who has a good sense of humor, in addition to loving his family (Petrini 1). He is a businessman and he hates to leave his family whenever he has to travel or attend to his businesses. William has been profiled on a number of occasions, and he is also guilty of profiling others. It is vital to note the interest that William has on knowing the American culture. This interest is motivated by his need to feel like a true American. The main theme in the story is the racial profiling of people from different backgrounds. For instance William profiled Fekadu when he came to pick him up from his house. During this instance, William glanced at Fekadu and concluded that he is a, â€Å"black man with a violent history† (Alexia 50). This conclusion was motivated by the fact that Fekadu had a scar on his neck. During their interactions, William learnt that Fekadu was learned and non-violent. He learnt that Fekadu studied physics and he was a jet-fighter pilot. However, he had to escape from his home, in Ethiopia, without informing his parents. The characterization of Fekadu and William impacts on readers because they are able to relate to their problems and issues. The two characters also have positive impacts on each other. The narration of the story using flashbacks and old dreams helps in the connection of the two characters and the instances of racial profiling. William’s insights and thoughts, and the theme of profiling enable the reader to analyze and think about each of the characters. The two characters are able to relate because they find themselves in similar circumstances. They are faced with problems such as racial profiling, family stability and their personal pains, hopes and fears. William does not like business trips that make him leave his family (Petrini 1). He fears that a racially instigated problem may arise and cause harm to his family. The