Has our society become excessively materialistic - SAT essay Essay Example for Free

Has our society become excessively materialistic SAT essay Essay Though it cannot be denied that modern society is profoundly materialistic, there is nothing inherently wrong with a society that values the production and consumption of material goods. Ample historical evidence suggests that societies that devalue capital wealth and material gain will be unstable and short-lived. Materialism – whatever value we place upon it – creates a stable societal structure. Just turn on the television, peruse the magazine covers in a supermarket, listen to any one of the top forty radio hits and you will be immediately faced with the rampant materialism of modern society. What do we value? Material wealth and celebrity. Why do we worship Paris Hilton, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos. Steve Jobs? Because they have tremendous buying power and perceived power. What shows do we watch? American Idol, Cribs, Pimp My Ride, My Sweet 16 to name a few. All these shows lift conspicuous consumption and flagrant displays of wealth and hedonism to elevated levels. Our society is very much like the ancient materialistic society of Rome- in which wealth and power were paramount. Thus it cannot be denied that a materialist spirit pervades modern society. But who’s to say that materialism is wrong? Our philosophers praise the virtues of materialism. Our prophets include the venerable John Smith, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Keynes and all the myriad materialistic philosophers. And how the anti-materialist philosophers have waned in influence and been discarded to the waste bin of history: Karl Marx, Lenin, Charles Fourrier all have been relegated to the trash heap. Capitalism is the ethos of the day- the driving force of our world. Just ask the Chinese, the Russians, who have discarded their antiquated philosophies in exchange for a more durable, albeit potentially cynical materialism. Materialism acknowledges our innate desire to have more than our neighbors, to do better than the Jones. Because it caters to an inborn human need, materialism will always provide a more stable structure for a society. Modern society is deeply materialistic. That’s because materialism works. It validates human needs and desires and works with man’s actual structure rather than the same lofty ideal or fantasy. Let us then celebrate our pervasive materialism and acknowledge its efficacy and virtue. Source: http://www.applerouth.com/blog/2009/06/01/in-praise-of-folly-writing-the-sat-essay/

Female Genital Mutilation Essay Example for Free

Female Genital Mutilation Essay Female genital mutilation includes â€Å"all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons† (WHO). The World Health Organization states that 140,000,000 girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation. The procedure can be carried out on babies as young as two weeks old and on woman in their twenties. The age at which girls are cut can vary widely from country to country, and even within countries. Most often, female genital mutilation happens before girls reach puberty (Women’s Health). In Africa, there is an estimated 101,000,000 girls 10 years old and above that have undergone female genital mutilation. The procedure is generally performed without anesthesia by an older woman who acts as the local midwife and it is often conducted in the girl’s home. However, there are a few villages that have all the girls lay next to each other and the circumciser cuts all of them in a row. The World Health Organization recognizes four types of female genital mutilation. Type 1 and Type 2 are closely related. Type I is the removal of the clitoral hood, which is rarely, if ever, performed alone. Type 2 is called a clitoridectomy. This procedure is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and inner labia, with or without the removal of the outer labia. In a 1998 report from the World Health Organization, they wrote the clitoris is held between the thumb and index finger, pulled out and amputated with one stroke of a sharp object†. The sharp object can be a knife, pair of scissors, cut glass, sharpened rocks or fingernails. Medical personnel are usually not involved. However, in Egypt, Sudan and Kenya, these procedures are carried out by health professionals (Pruthi). Type 3  is called infibulation. This is the process of removing all external genitalia and the fusing of the wound, leaving a small hole for passage of urine and menstrual blood. A pinhole is crea ted by inserting something (usually a twig or rock salt) into the wound before it closes. The wound may be sewed with surgical thread, and in some cases agave or acacia thorns are used to hold the sides together. Then, the girl’s legs are tied together from hips down to her ankles and left to heal for 2-6 weeks. The infibulated woman’s vulva is opened for sexual intercourse by her husband’s penis or a knife. This creates a tear which they gradually rip more and more until the opening is sufficient enough to admit the penis. In some women, â€Å"the scar tissue is so hardened and overgrown with keloidal formations that it can only be cut with very sharp surgical scissors† (Lightfoot-Klein). If the woman gets pregnant, they will cut her open with a knife in time to give birth. After they give birth, many women ask to have the infibulation restored. Skoll World Forum Type IV is unclassified and it includes â€Å"pricking, piercing or incising of the clitoris and/or labia; stretching of the clitoris and/or labia; cauterization of the clitoris and surrounding tissue; scraping of tissue surrounding the vaginal opening or cutting of the vagina; introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina to cause bleeding or for the purposes of tightening or narrowing it; and any other procedure that falls under the definition of female genital mutilation above† (Reyners). The origins of the practice are relatively unknown. Theres no way of knowing the origins of FGM (female genital mutilation), it appears in many different cultures, from Australian aboriginal tribes to different African societies, states medical historian David Gollaher, president and CEO of the California Healthcare Institute. There is a reference to it on the sarcophagus of Sit-hedjhotep, dating back to the Egypt’s Middle Kingdom. The inscription says â€Å"But if a man wants to know how to live, he should recite (a magical spell) every day, after his flesh has been rubbed with the b3d (an unknown substance) of an uncircumcised girl and the flakes of skin of an  uncircumcised bald man† (Knight, pp317). The English explorer William Browne reported in 1799 that infibulation was carried out on the slaves, coming from Egypt, to prevent pregnancy. Traders simply paid a higher price for women who were infibulated. Slave patterns across Africa account for the patterns of fe male genital mutilation found there. Egypt and Africa are not the only continents that have a history of female genital mutilation. Gynecologists in 19th century Europe and the United States would remove the clitoris for various reasons, including treating masturbation, because they believed that masturbation caused physical and mental disorders (Rodriguez, p323) Isacc Baker Brown was an English gynecologist who believed that the â€Å"unnatural irritation of the clitoris caused epilepsy, hysteria and mania†. A paper that was written in 1985 and published in the Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey says that â€Å"the last clitoridectomy was performed in the United States in the 1960s to treat hysteria, erotomania and lesbianism† (Cutner, p135) The practice of female genital mutilation is most common in the western, eastern, and north-eastern region of Africa, in some countries in Asia and the Middle East (WHO). There are currently 27 countries in sub-Saharan and Northeast Africa, and immigrant communities, which still perform female genital mutilation. Countries such as Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan are predominantly Type 3. The list of health complications that arise from female genital mutilation is very extensive. There are no health benefits and it rooted in gender inequality, ideas about purity, and is an attempt to control a woman’s sexuality. Immediate complications can include sever pain, shock, bleeding, tetanus or sepsis, urine retention, open sores in the genital region and injury to nearby genital tissue. African Women.Org state that the long term consequences from the procedure are: Repeated urinary infection because of the narrowing of the urinary outlet which prevents the complete emptying of urine from the bladder. Extremely painful menstruation due to the buildup of urine and blood in the uterus leading to inflammation of the bladder and internal sexual organs. Formation of scars and keloid on the vulva wound. The growth of dermoid cysts which may result in abscesses. Formation of fistula – the rupture of the vagina and/or uterus. Vulval abscesses. Severe pain during intercourse which may consist of physical discomfort and  psychological traumatization. Difficult child birth which in case of long and obstructed labour may lead to foetal death and brain damage of the infant. In the case of infibulation acute and chronic pelvic infection leading to infertility and/or tubal pregnancy. Accumulation of blood and blood clots in the uterus and/or vagina. Physical short term and long term complications are not the only result from female genital mutilation. Mental anguish can result from this brutal procedure. When Waris Dirie was about five years old, she was left in a makeshift shelter under a tree for several days to recover from her â€Å"operation†. She was told that God wanted her to do this and she wondered why God hated her so much. When she was thirteen, her father wanted her to marry a man in his 60s. Waris ran across the dessert to Mogadishu where she lived with relatives until she made it London and lived with her aunt. Whilst in London, a photographer spotted her and she became a supermodel, appearing in Chanel campaigns and was in the James Bond film The Living Daylights (Saner). Waris’s popularity and status helped to give her a voice and she went public in 1997 in a magazine interview, to tell the world about what happened to her and her aspiration to stop female genital mutilation. Waris means Desert Flower, a flower that can endure even the roughest of climates. She started a foundation named Desert Flower that seeks to end the crime of female genital mutilation by raising public awareness, creating networks, organizing events and educational programs. Her foundation Desert Flower also supports victims of female genital mutilation. Last month, in Berlin, she opened the first of what will be several medical centers to offer help to women who have suffered from female genital mutilation. Waris Dirie isn’t the only one that is opposed to female genital mutilation. Others, such as the World Health Organization, have been working to educate woman on their rights to their own bodies. Many laws have been enacted to protect these women, but few abide by these laws. Eighteen countries—Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Togo—have enacted laws criminalizing female genital mutilation. The penalties range from a minimum of three months to a maximum of life in prison. Several countries also impose monetary fines. The Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act of 1985 made female genital mutilation unlawful in  England and in Wales. However, there is evidence that people used a loophole to take young girls abroad temporarily to carry out the procedure. In the United States, Cornell University Law School teaches that â€Å"Except as provided in subsection, whoever knowingly circumcises, excises, or infibulates the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minora or clitoris of another person who has not attained the age of 18 years shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both†. There are those out there that are for female genital mutilation. Many people from communities that practice it say that it is rooted in local culture and that the tradition has been passed from one generation to another. Culture and the preservation of cultural identity serve as the underlying impetus for continuing the practice. Many women will be social pariahs if they don’t go through the ritual. They cannot attend any public outing or funeral. If they children, they too will be outcast. Some of those who support female genital mutilation also justify it on grounds of hygiene and aesthetics, with notions that female genitalia are dirty and that a girl who has not undergone the procedure is unclean. The women that oppose the end of female genital mutilation compare it breast enlargements or rhinoplasty. They ask â€Å"why is okay for these women to change and shape their bodies to look the way that they want them to?† The answer, simply, is that these procedures are a women’s choice. They are eighteen years old and chose to have these procedures done to them. Female genital mutilation is child abuse and a violation of the basic human rights of women. The more we know about this procedure, the more we can do to put an end to it. References Consequences of FGM. African Women Organisation. N.p., 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. . Cornell University Law School 18 USC  § 116 Female Genital Mutilation. LII. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. . Cutner, L.P. â€Å"Female genital mutilation† Pg 135. July 1985. Web. 18 Oct. 2013 http:/ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Female Circumcision. Skoll World Forum. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2013. . Female Genital Cutting Fact Sheet. Womenshealth.gov. N.p., 15 Dec. 2009. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. . Female Genital Mutilation. WHO. World Health Organization, Feb. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. . Gollaher, David Discovery News. DNews. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. . Knight, Mary. Curing Cut or Ritual Mutliation. Chicago Journal 92.2 (2001): n. pag. JSTOR. June 2001. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. . Lightfoot-Klein, Hanny â€Å"Erroneous Belief Systems Underlying Female Genital Mutilation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Template. University of Maryland, 22 May 1994. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. . Pruthi, Priyanka. Child Protection from Violence, Exploitation and Abuse. UNICEF. N.p., 22 July 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. . Reyners, Marcel. Health Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation. Health Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation 4.4 (2004): 243. Health Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation. Dec. 2004. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. . Rodriguez, Sarah W. Project MUSE Rethinking the History of Female Circumcision and Clitoridectomy: American Medicine and Female Sexuality in the Late Nineteenth Century. Rethinking the History of Femle Circumcision and Clitoridectomy 63.3 (2008): 323-47. Project MUSE Rethinking the History of Female Circumcision and Clitoridectomy: American Medicine and Female Sexuality in the Late Nineteenth Century. July 2008. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. . Saner, Emine. Waris Dirie: Female Genital Mutilation Is Pure Violence against Girls' The Guardian. N.p., 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. .

Working and Non Working Mother Health Comparison

Working and Non Working Mother Health Comparison Chen and Lin (1992). Daily life demands, social support, life satisfaction and health of working women and housewives. To see the stress related to daily work overload, the Daily Life Demand scale, Social Support Scale along with the Life Satisfaction Scale and the Symptomatic scales are used to make comparisons between working women and housewives. A survey was conducted on 444 Taipei women revealing that daily life demands are experienced more by working women than housewives but also they have more support in dealing with these demands. The results showed high stress levels to be reported by all women being little more in working women than in housewives. Higher life satisfaction was reported by housewives and a higher degree of depression was experienced by working women. Mukhopadhyay et al (1993). Working status and anxiety levels of urban educated women in Calcutta. A study group from Calcutta resident working mothers was compared with a socioeconomically similar group of non-working mothers with respect to their anxiety level, measured by the Anxiety Scale Questionnaire. The relationships between anxiety score and age of these women were studied. Non working mothers showed higher anxiety levels than their working counterparts with respect to the total anxiety score as well as components, although the differences were statistically non-significant. Doby Caplan (1995). Organizational Stress as Threat to Reputation: Effects on Anxiety at Work and at Home. The results of this study showed that high threat stressors were most likely to generate the anxiety experienced at home and for this the anxiety experienced at work was the key mediator. Rout et al (1997). Working and non-working mothers: a comparative study. This study examines whether positive or neutral effects on women’s health are found in employed mothers by comparing working and non-working mothers. The results showed that working mothers reported less depression and had better mental health than non-working mothers. Major stressor for working mothers was a lack of social life whereas not having enough time to do everything was reported as a source of stress for working mothers. This study emphasizes on the benefits than costs of multiple role involvement. Welch Booth (1997). Employment and health among married women. Sample of 500 urban married women was used to evaluate the possible effect of outside-the-home employment on the mental as well as on physical health of married women. It was found that wives who had been employed for more than a year were healthier than wives not employed outside the home and wives who had worked less than one year. Whereas, housewives who had never worked outside the home were healthier, on the whole, than wives who had been employed at some time in the past. Poor marital relationships and having no preschool age children seemed to increase the health advantage of long term employed wives over those in the housewife categories. Whereas the occupational status of wife and husband did not seem to change these health differences very much. Macewan Barling(1998). Inter role conflict, family support and marital adjustment of employed mothers: A short term, longitudinal study. This was done basically to address the two issues, the effect of inter role conflict on marital adjustment and the moderating role of social support and hardiness being considered within the same analysis. To the inter role conflict, family support, personality hardiness and marital adjustment of 51 employed mothers were assessed twice, three months apart. Using hierarchical regression analyses, inter role conflict and family support exerted main effects on marital adjustment at time 1. More importantly, a significant inters role conflict/family support interaction predicted change in marital adjustment over three months. High family support exerted a negative impact on marital adjustment when inter role conflict was high. Greenhaus Beutell (2000) Sources of Conflict between Work and Family Roles. This study examined the literature on the conflict between work and family roles and found out that work-family conflict exists when: (a) time devoted to the requirements of one role makes it difficult to fulfill requirements of another; (b) strain from participation in one role makes it difficult to fulfill requirements of another; and (c) specific behaviors required by one role make it difficult to fulfill the requirements of another. Birch Kamli (2000) Psychological stress, anxiety, depression, job satisfaction, and personality characteristics in preregistration house officers. This study got lifestyle questionnaires filled by the officers and measured the self rated psychological stress, state anxiety, job satisfaction, and personality characteristics. It was seen that more of women suffered psychological stress, possible anxiety and possible depression. Nelson Quick (2000). Professional Women: Are Distress and Disease Inevitable? This study states that discrimination, stereotyping, the marriage/work interface, and social isolation are a source of stress for professional women. The study also identified a mentor, locus of control, self-confidence, and self-awareness as moderators for a stress-strain relationship. Paterniti et al (2002) Psychosocial factors at work, personality traits and depressive symptoms, Longitudinal results from the Gazel Study. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and changes in depressive symptoms, taking into account personality traits. The results showed that irrespective of the personality traits high scores were seen in both the genders when the job demands were high with low social support at work. Krantz et al (2003).Total workload, work stress and perceived symptoms in Swedish male and female white-collar employees. This research studies how the perceived symptoms of the white collar employees are associated with paid work, unpaid household tasks, child care, work–child care interactions and perceived work stress. Singapore Management Reviews published an article (2003) on work family conflict of managers by survey approach. Work and family are two important aspects of man’s life. The paper examined the nature of the conflict and its effects on manager. An empirical survey was described, aimed at enhancing the understanding the conflict that the individual experienced. This showed that although most of the respondent would trade some learning for family time, job related issue, investing security, flexible working hour and high profile for value ahead of laser activity but at a cost of behavior based, time based and strain based. Twenty percent of respondents strongly agreed that they would trade their income for lesser hour at work to spend time with their families, thirty percent of the respondents were neutral, forty percent of the respondents agreed that their family will accept and adjust to any necessary arrangements required. Iqbal et al (2004). Anxiety in non-working women with reference to their education, family system and number of children. The objective of the study was to observe the presence of anxiety in working and non working women with reference to their education, family system and the number of their children setting. Purposive sampling technique used to select the sample of 50 working women and 50 non working women. Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale was administered on all women to assess on their anxiety level. Anxiety was observed more in non working women than in working women. A statistically significant association was found between anxiety in women and education. It was concluded that all non-working women should be supported morally and socially to spare some time for their entertainment and pleasurable activities outside homes to distract the monotony of routine work. Hashmi et al (2006). Marital Adjustment, Stress and Depression Among Working and Non-Working Married Women. This study explores the relationship between marital adjustment stress and depression. Results also show that working married women have to face more problems in their married life as compared to non-working married women. Also it was seen that highly educated working and non-working married women can perform well in their married life and they are free from depression as compared to educated working and non-working married women. Melchior et al (2007) studied depression and anxiety in young, working women and men due to work stress. The results showed that participants exposed to high psychological job demands (excessive workload, extreme time pressures) had a twofold risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder compared to those with low job demands. The study stated that in previously healthy young workers, diagnosable depression and anxiety is precipitated by work stress. Aleem and Danish (2008). Marital satisfaction and Anxiety among single and dual career women at JamiaMilliaIslamia, New Delhi. The sample was selected by using purposive sampling 60 single and dual career women whose age group ranged from 25 to 45 years were studied using purposive method of sampling from Delhi. A Marital Satisfaction Scale was used to see the level of marital satisfaction among the two groups of women whereas; Sinha Comprehensive Anxiety Scale was administered on the sample to examine their level of anxiety. It has been found that pressure and hassles of jobs not only affect marital life but also proved to be a major source of anxiety particularly among women and also marital satisfaction among working women hardly get disturbed due to their multiple role but the thought processes seemed to be disturbed that is manifested in the higher anxiety among women. Netterstom et al (2008) The Relation between Work-related Psychosocial Factors and the Development of Depression. The study found moderate evidence for a relation between development of depression and the psychological demands of the job. Also it was seen that social support at work decreased the risk for future depression. Weiclaw et al (2008) Psychosocial working conditions and the risk of depression and anxiety disorders in the Danish workforce. This study examined the relation between psychosocial working conditions and the risk of anxiety and working conditions. The results showed high risks of depression but decreased risk of anxiety disorders related to high emotional demands and working with people. Dew et al (2009) studied mental health effects of job loss in women. This study reviews literature on involuntary job loss and its effects on mental health among women. The occurrence and duration of lay-off was significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms, but not anxiety-related symptoms. Results showed that among women who were laid off, those who had poor levels of support from their husband and those experiencing more financial difficulties reported higher levels of depression. Kaur et al (2011). Comparative study on working and non working married women: effect of anxiety level on life satisfaction. The objective of the study was to find out whether the anxiety level has any significant impact on the life satisfaction of the working and non-working married women. Research investigated the effect of anxiety level on the â€Å"life satisfaction† among the working and non working married women. â€Å"Satisfaction with Life Scale†, and â€Å"State-Trait Anxiety Test† was administered on an equal sample of women participants (n=45) from both the groups. Two way ANOVA was used for data analysis. The result showed that anxiety and life satisfaction are experienced differently by working and non-working women. The results of the study show that females those who are working and married, are low on anxiety with higher life satisfaction in comparison to the non-working married females. They perceived their life as challenging and secure. They fe el more comfortable with their life situations. On the other hand, the non working married females are less satisfied with their lives and their anxiety level is also higher than the anxiety level of working females. LilhareBorkar (2011). Comparative study on Stress and Anxiety in Working Women Performing Clerical and Shift Hour Duties. The study was designed to compare the stress, and anxiety level among different profession of working women. The study was an exploratory study. The Stress, Anxiety and Status test were administered on 200 samples, 100 for clerical working women and 100 for shift hour duty working women. The data was obtained and was analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t tests and compared. The findings of the research indicates that the working women performing Clerical and Shift Hour duties have significant difference on the measure of Stress,Status but do not have significant difference on the measure of anxiety. Virtanen et al (2011). Long working hours and symptoms of anxiety and depression: a 5 year follow up of the Whitehall II study. This study examined how long working hours are associated with the onset of depression and anxiety symptoms in middle aged employees. The results showed two fold risk of developing depressive and anxiety symptoms in employees working for more than 55 hours a week as compared to those working 35-40 hours a week. Also sex-stratified analysis showed that women are more prone to depression and anxiety than men. Revati and Jogsan (2012). Mental Health and Depression among Working and Non-Working Women. Total number sample taken was 80 women. The research tool used for mental health was measured by Dr. D.J. Bhatt and Gita R. Geeda (1992). Whereas the tool for depression inventory was used which was made byBeck (1961).t test was applied to check the significance of mental health and depression in working and non working women to check the correlation method was used. And results revealed that significance difference in mental health and depression with respect to both working and non working women on mental health and depression. Adhikari (2012) conducted a study on Anxiety and Depression: Comparative Study between Working and Non-Working Mothers. A significant number of mothers are working and playing the dual role of an employee and housekeeper to provide financial help to their families. These mothers experience anxiety and depression regarding the time they spend with their children and child care method. The results showed significant differences in degree of depression and anxiety of working mothers but no significant difference in that of non-working mothers. Bhadoria (2013). Level of Anxiety and Depression Among Working Women and Non Working Women of Gwalior. As today’s women have a whole set of responsibilities and problems involving the professional and family life, this study tried to compare the levels of depression and anxiety among working and non working women. The results obtained showed significant levels of difference between working and non working women. Fall et al (2013). Comparative study of major depressive symptoms among pregnant women by employment status. This study compares the prevalence of major depressive symptoms between subgroups of pregnant women: working women, women who had stopped working, housewives and students; and to identify risk factors for major depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Prevalence of major depressive symptoms was the lowest for working women as compared to housewives. Multivariate analyses showed that other factors such as low education, low social support outside of work, having experienced acute stressful events, lack of money for basic needs, experiencing marital strain, having a chronic health problem, country of birth, and smoking were significantly associated with major depressive symptoms Balaji et al (2014). A Comparative Study on Depression among Working and Non-Working Women in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This study was done to assess the burden of depression its risk factors among adult female working and non working population. The results indicated that working women suffer more from depression than non-working women. The risk factors for depression were identified as economic problems workplace problems, relationship problems and no personal life satisfaction.

Loyalty Conflicts between Family and State in Homer’s Odyssey, and Soph

Loyalty Conflicts between Family and State in Homer’s Odyssey, and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Antigone Everyday we are faced with hundreds of decisions. Some of the decisions take very little time and are made without a second thought. Other decisions hold more at stake and can tear a person in two while trying to make the final decision. The basis of many of the hardest decisions is the conflict between family and state. The decision between pursuing a career and starting a family first is an example. Once a family is started, there are endless decisions about daycare, office meetings, and school activities to decide which will take priority. These decisions can become harder during a time of war. People are forced to choose between their personal lives including education, family and careers, and their duties as a citizen. Some of the earliest recorded literature presents this conflict between family and state. Homer’s novel, The Odyssey, deals with the issue at a time of war. Sophocles also addresses the conflict in two of his famous plays, Oedipus the King and Antigone. In the Greek language, this is a conflict between oikos1 and polis. 2 This essay will present the separation of loyalty between oikos and polis as is evident in early literature and in decisions of today. A modern example of the conflict between oikos and polis at a time of war can be seen in one National Guard soldier, Ryan. In February, 2003, Ryan was twenty-one years old and had just received a degree from a two-year college. He had met the woman he wanted to marry and had recently proposed to her. The couple had not set a date, but was looking at the spring of 2004. Everything was headed towards a bright f... ... New York: Penguin, 1979. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1996. Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1984. Notes 1 Oikos is the Greek word meaning the family. 2 Polis is the Greek word meaning the government. 3 The Greek word for assembly is agora, which is the place of the meeting and the meeting itself. 4 Greek word for tradition, custom. 5 Greek word for multitudes. 6 Finley. 7 Greek word for king. 8 Greek word showing the might that the king has. 9 Finley, 91. 10 Homer, 228. 11 Finley, 120. 12 Auge. 13 Auge. 14 Sophocles, pg 63, lines 85 – 92. 15 Sophocles, pg 97, line 824. 16 Sophocles. pg 97, line 825. 17 Sophocles, pg 82, lines 503- 508. 18 Sophocles, pg 94, lines 756-761.

Tough economic times: The impact on employee motivation and morale Essa

Chapter Two Introduction The main purpose of this project is to uncover factors responsible for causing a 36% decrease in employee satisfaction for the department of EHS over a 5-year period (2005-2010) reported in EHS’s 2010 employee satisfaction survey (EHS, 2005; EHS, 2010). With over 64,000 full-time employees making up the State of Colorado’s workforce it is imperative to determine how best to improve employee satisfaction and morale as these directly affect job performance and workplace safety (Barling, Kelloway, & Iverson, 2003; STAR, 2009). The objective of Chapter two is to provide information regarding employee satisfaction and the examination of the capstone’s project theoretical framework. Having a clear understanding of the motivation of employees is tremendously significant to managers as well as the supervisors, particularly in the industries today where the limited budgets make it complicated to reward workers monetarily. In order to analyze the effect of the long-ter m reductions in employee compensation, benefits, and incentives directly affecting the State of Colorado workers’ motivation, job satisfaction, and morale, it is important to include the two well-known motivational theories i.e. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (1959) as well as Adam’s Equity Theory (1963), into the project’s theoretical framework (Gibson, et al., 2009). Definition of Terms In the context of this study, the following definitions are provided for understanding: Absenteeism: is the failure to report for duty or obligation or a habitual pattern of absences (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). Conventionally, the word absenteeism has been viewed as an indicator of poor individual performance (â€Å"Absenteeism,† n.d.). Effectiveness: The degree to ... ...ervant (Adams, 1963). Summary Chapter two provided an overview of the current problem at EHS and provided a literature review of two mainstream theories on employee motivation that is, Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory and Adam’s Equity theory. Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory is known as a Content Theory, which focuses on motivational factors within a person whereas Adam’s Equity theory is known as a Process Theory, which focuses on external factors to provide motivation (Gibson, et al., 2009). Motivation, job satisfaction, and reward systems are all key elements of an employee motivation models and are essential in encouraging an individual to attain a specific goal (Aguinis 2009; Gibson, et al., 2009; Robbins & Coulter, 2007; Robbins & Judge, 2010). Chapter three in brief outlines the capstones project’s methodology including how the data was analyzed and compared.

Julius Caesar Essay -- essays papers

Julius Caesar William Shakespeare has written many plays that touched millions of people throughout the centuries. His works are still the most controversial ones favored by many Literature critics because his plays generate spontaneous debates on issues such as friendship, revenge, human ambitions and moralities that lead to dynamic discussion among people. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, friendship vs. duty is one of the major themes that is developed. One's struggle over the choice between friendship and duty is depicted through the main character, Brutus, as he battles himself to choose between his duty to carry out people's will and his own conscious hitting on his faithfulness to his best friend Caesar. Although Brutus himself was skeptical if he made the right decision, he joins the conspiracy that plans for the murder of their leader Julius Caesar. The tragic aspect of the play Julius Caesar is that even though Brutus ‘s motives were immaculate, his fear toward Caesar's ambition, Cassius' persuasion, and his tragic flaw, idealism deluded him to make a tragic mistake of assassinating Caesar. While human ambition is considered an important requirement in achieving one's goal, it often leaves negative impressions to others. People do fear ambitious men because strong desire often leads to selfishness and dictatorship. As Caesar's popularity became more evident, his fellow officers and the nobles were worried that people of Rome might crown Caesar. As early as Act 1 scene one, two tribunes of Rome, Flavius and Marullus show concerns toward a possibility of a new dictatorship in Rome and remind themselves of their duty to protest against such power exercised by one person. Not surprisingly, the rumors of Ca... ...dealism. His tragic flaw, idealism, makes him to make initial decision, arrived at with such difficulty, that Caesar has to die. Brutus is wrong. Yet when we read carefully, the soliloquy in the garden, it becomes obvious that Brutus is deceiving himself. He confesses that he has "no personal cause" to fear Caesar and furthermore, that he has never known of potential of tyranny in Caesar. His honor and nobility were manipulated by Cassius and at the end, he finishes his life tragically by suiciding. The tragedy of Brutus lies here. Not that he attempted to free the republic of Rome from a tyrannous dictator and was killed in the action; but that, with the best of motives, he was responsible for the murder of Caesar.) (Mowant, P. 23 - 25) " Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever lived in the tide of times." (Shakespear, Act 3, scene 1, 256 - 257)

Knapp Case 1.8

Eden Mims Case 1. 8 Crazy Eddie, Inc. 1) The following table provides key financial ratios for Crazy Eddie during the period 1984-1987: 1987             1986             1985             1984       Current Ratio                2. 41             1. 4                1. 56             0. 93       Quick Ratio                  Ã‚      1. 4                0. 6                0. 77             0. 15    Debt Ratio                         0. 68             0. 66             0. 64             0. 83   Debt-to-Equity   Ã‚            2. 16             1. 98             1. 75             4. 88      Inventory Turnover 3. 23             4. 38             5. 14             5. 8       Asset Turnover            Ã‚   1. 2                2. 07             2. 08             3. 75 ROA 0. 04             0. 1                0. 09             0. 1 Return on Equity          0. 11             0. 31             0. 25             0. 61 Gross Profit Margin   0. 23             0. 26             0. 24             0. 22 Red Flags: the Inventory turnover rate steadily declines from 1984-87, which could indicate, lost sales. Misstatements of inventory or cost of goods sold could be possible.It also indicates employee strikes or, in Crazy Eddies’ case, employees leaving their jobs. In 1986 the A/R turnover rate was extremely high which is unusual because in that year the consumer electronics industry boom days had ended. Competition in the New York area was high. Inventory turnover rates had been decreasing. Extremely high A/R turnover rates are and indicator of credit and collection policies that are too restrictive 2. Accounting irregularities could have been f ound sooner if some audit procedures were performed. a) Falsification of inventory count sheets: This could have been prevented if the auditors were observing random cycle counts, if the auditors randomly performed cycle count audits, or if the auditors observed an entire physical inventory. (b) Bogus debit memos for accounts payable: The auditors could have confirmed balances with the debtor. (c) Recording transshipping transactions as retail sales: Observe flow of transactions for recording a transshipping sale. Audit the receipts of very large sales since transshipping sales are going to be very high in ollar amount. (d) Inclusion of consigned merchandise in year-end inventory: Auditors could have observed an entire year end physical inventory in all warehouses and not just a specific one that they tell the client they are going to. 3. Retail electronic stores changed drastically during the 1980’s, so did Crazy Eddie’s business. A factor in the Crazy Eddie case had to do with the inventory being overvalued. A small reason for why the inventory was overvalued is due to the rapidly decreasing prices in electronics due to constant improvements in technology.Electronics are out dated very fast if not sold upon arrival, they are always being improved on, and so electronic stores need to have a high inventory turnover. If not, then there is a chance that the inventory can become overvalued if the auditor does not stay up on the latest in electronics. Another change was with how Crazy Eddie was able to buy in such large amounts that he was able to sell via drop-shipments, this is something that the auditors are not used to because it is not a common occurrence.The drop-shipments would affect sales, but it should not affect inventory. As seen in this case, it required special attention because same store sales were increased by the way drop-shipments were recorded as revenue. All in all, if an industry is rapidly changing then so should the plan for t he audit. It is very important to know how the industry is doing so it can be compared to the company that is being audited. 4. The term lowballing is when the auditors sell the audit services very cheap in order to get very lucrative consulting deals with the client.This can jeopardize the truthfulness of the audit because the auditors may have to agree with the client on something that will affect the audit opinion in order to keep the client on their good side so they can keep the client as a consulting customer also. 5. Locating only 20 of the 30 invoices requested is a major problem. I would first see if the invoices were tied to another form like a sales order. If those can be located, then we can see if the 10 missing invoices had something similar on the sales order.Another action that should be taken is to have the auditor observe an entire transaction from start to finish seeing why an invoice may get lost. If there is no good reason, then there is a very high likelihood t hat there is fraud involved. Other information will still need to be obtained; getting it from the information system may be a possibility. This issue should be discussed further with management since it is likely that the person who prepares the invoices or files the invoices is very low on the staff. 6.This article was written before the accounting laws were changed because of problems encountered by ex-auditors working at the client, and having connections with the new auditors. This caused many problems exemplified by Enron and WorldCom. That is why it is no longer allowed to take a job with the client. I agree with the law at present, based on the fact that before the law was present, major fraud occurred that could’ve been prevented had hiring their old auditors been illegal and of course many other things, but it is still helpful in prevention.The only pro I can think of is the fact that the independent auditor would know a lot about the business and possibly help impr ove information systems and such. However, that is only if they are being hired for that certain job. That brings to the cons, which could be the auditor could help with hiding fraud since they know how to look for it in that specific company. Also, they are still in connection with their old firm and that could bring problems when the new independent auditor comes in.