Free Essays on Judaism And The Three Branches

Running head: JUDAISM AND THE THREE BRANCHES Abstract When contemplating the concept of Judaism, or what is conceived as the Jewish religion, most non-Jews are unaware of the fact that there are three branches of Judaism. The three branches are Orthodox, Reformed and Conservative. (Domnitz, 11) This study will analyze, compare and distinguish the three branches. It will also dissect their origins, beliefs and ways of practicing their religions and discover what distinguishes them. What is Judaism? Judaism is a not just a religion but a way of culture for Jews. The two are blended together to create a religious way of life which is demonstrated through the food they eat, the way they speak (Hebrew or Yiddish), the way they pray and a deep belief in their religion. Being Jewish is not a race; there are Jews in many countries. They speak different languages and may be of any color. Anyone can become a Jew who believes in the Jewish religion, and obeys its laws and traditions according to the religious authorities (Fisher, 4). According to Jewish law, any person whose mother is Jewish is Jewish, whether or not he or she is religious. Some people consider themselves to be Jewish even if only their father is Jewish. You can also convert and become Jewish. Jews who actively follow Judaism as a religion are called practicing or observant Jews. Jews who do not, are called secular Jews (Stoppleman, 5). Jewish history began over four thousand years ago in the Middle East (Fisher, 5). It is also considered to be the base of other religions, such as Christianity and Islam. Jewish immigration to the United States began in the mid-nineteenth century. By 1880, there were 250,000 Jews in the United States, mostly of German origin, and middle class in occupations and attitudes (Fisher, 258). There are more than 17 million Jews throughout the world, with the majority living in the U.S. and Israel. Israel is considered... Free Essays on Judaism And The Three Branches Free Essays on Judaism And The Three Branches Running head: JUDAISM AND THE THREE BRANCHES Abstract When contemplating the concept of Judaism, or what is conceived as the Jewish religion, most non-Jews are unaware of the fact that there are three branches of Judaism. The three branches are Orthodox, Reformed and Conservative. (Domnitz, 11) This study will analyze, compare and distinguish the three branches. It will also dissect their origins, beliefs and ways of practicing their religions and discover what distinguishes them. What is Judaism? Judaism is a not just a religion but a way of culture for Jews. The two are blended together to create a religious way of life which is demonstrated through the food they eat, the way they speak (Hebrew or Yiddish), the way they pray and a deep belief in their religion. Being Jewish is not a race; there are Jews in many countries. They speak different languages and may be of any color. Anyone can become a Jew who believes in the Jewish religion, and obeys its laws and traditions according to the religious authorities (Fisher, 4). According to Jewish law, any person whose mother is Jewish is Jewish, whether or not he or she is religious. Some people consider themselves to be Jewish even if only their father is Jewish. You can also convert and become Jewish. Jews who actively follow Judaism as a religion are called practicing or observant Jews. Jews who do not, are called secular Jews (Stoppleman, 5). Jewish history began over four thousand years ago in the Middle East (Fisher, 5). It is also considered to be the base of other religions, such as Christianity and Islam. Jewish immigration to the United States began in the mid-nineteenth century. By 1880, there were 250,000 Jews in the United States, mostly of German origin, and middle class in occupations and attitudes (Fisher, 258). There are more than 17 million Jews throughout the world, with the majority living in the U.S. and Israel. Israel is considered...

6 Signs Your Job Opportunity Might Be a Scam

6 Signs Your Job Opportunity Might Be a Scam Ever wondered if a job posting seems too good to be true? Chances are, if you feel like you see a tiny  warning flag, it’s probably there. Protect your identity, your money, your time, and your dignity by being on the lookout for the following signs of scam. 1. They contacted you.Always verify if the job posting finds you, rather than the other way around- particularly if the pay seems far too good to be true. Try to avoid searching on job sites that don’t have a privacy mechanism. You’ll be much less vulnerable to scammers.2. All details seem vague.Beware if the job requirements are very vague, as is the position description, like if there’s no mention of education or experience, just a few incredibly basic â€Å"requirements† to make it look more real- age, perhaps, or â€Å"access to the internet.† Real jobs will ask for very specific things.3. Their emails are unprofessional.If you receive correspondence from a potential job, and there are typos, misspellings, or other errors in style, don’t bother writing back. Capitalization should be standardized and professional. Punctuation and grammar should be utterly correct. Anything short of the highest standard of professionalism and you’re probably looking at a scam.4. Interviews are done via Yahoo or nonprofessional  chat.You can interview via Yahoo Instant Messenger? No thank you. In person or on the phone, or perhaps on Skype, is the preferred method. Yahoo IM should be a very clear red flag. If you are at all inclined to go through with the interview, make sure to research the organization vigorously beforehand to make sure it really exists.5. There’s no contact info.You get an email without any contact information, or from a personal address, there’s an issue. Most professionals will conduct all of their work and recruitment correspondence from their work email. If they don’t have one, be worried. Be worried also if you arenâ⠂¬â„¢t provided a phone number or a business address or web address- and extra worried if you Google them and turn up no results. If you do find a real company, but still feel sketched out about the contact, you’re well within your rights to call the company and verify that the person in question is an actual employee.6. They ask you for something out of the ordinary.Just run away the minute someone asks you for any sensitive personal information. Don’t ever give out your bank account- even if someone offers to send you jewels or funds from a foreign bank. And RUN  if they ask you for money. Never agree to pay for a credit report, or a background check, or software. Real jobs supply all this for you. And they review your resume and application gratis.Remember fake jobs can be lurking on social media, legitimate job sites, even under the name of legitimate companies. Your best defense is to keep your wits about you, and listen to your gut. If you get a funny feeling a bout a company, chances are you have some reason to.

Management - London 2012 Olympics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management - London 2012 Olympics - Essay Example According to IOC the government is not allowed to take part in any of the games. Thus the Olympic Deliver Authority (ODA) was created to look after the functioning of the games. The Olympic board is shared by the Mayor of London and the minister for Olympics. The board is a strategic body takes make decision for the betterment of the game (Bloyce & Smith, 2009, p.169) LOCOG had a plan to build the best organisation for the Olympics 2012 and leave an everlasting economic, cultural and sporting legacy. But creating a structure for an event like Olympic is not an easy task. LOCOG created an organisation that was able to deliver the largest most complex sporting event and that also without a blueprint. While designing the committee, LOCOG took help of the previous games but till date nothing has been so unique with the country’s culture, legacy from the games and the level of involvement of the governments and the stakeholders. There is an estimate of staff accounting to 3000 peop le who would be supported by 70000 volunteers and about 100000 contractors (Deloitte, 2010). In a nutshell London Olympics constitute of British Olympic Association (BOA) who works with governing bodies and selects teams; The Department for culture media and sports are the departments which are of importance in the 2012 Olympics; the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG); and finally the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) who is responsible for the venues and infrastructure (London Olympic 2012, 2012). Figure 1: Organisational structure for London 2012 Olympics (Source: ICE, 2011, p.6) The ODA which stands for Olympic Delivery Authority is an organisational body which was established by the LOCOG, London Olympic Games and Paralympics Games Act of 2006. Therefore the mission of ODA is to look after the venues, infrastructure, facilities and transportation for the Olympic game. The ODA was responsible for the success of the organisation with time, cost and purpose. T his body is solely responsible for the success of the Olympics 2012. In order to deliver an effective management program it was essential for ODA to appoint a partner. Thus the delivery partner was made responsible for the smooth run of the event. The internal organisational structure of ODA is as follows: Figure 2: Organisational Structure of ODA (Source: Olympic Delivery Authority, 2007, p.3) The benefit of such an organisational structure where the ODA is involved, is that the committee is further divided into four sections, Assurance, project construction, program operation and administrative. The structure is designed so as to provide a suitable fit to the ODA. The committee has appointed a delivery partner from the private sector the consortium CLM which comprises of CH2M Hill and Laing O’Rourke along with Mace to carry out the role of private partner. The advantage of appointing a private partner was that ODA was able to provide a larger skill from the organisations wh ich make up the CLM. As seen in the diagram, the five departments had different set of bodies regulating so to bring in the desired result. The ODA aims to provide its progress to the Olympic Board. The ODA also requires seeking advice for projects which crosses above its prescribed budget which is 20 million pounds. The duties and powers of ODA are defined by the London 2012 Olympi

The Cold War and it's Aftermath Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Cold War and it's Aftermath - Term Paper Example Instead, political, economical, and ideological differences among the world nations eventually led to the formation of two distinct blocs, the Western and the Eastern. Eventually, the whole world became under the threat of an imminent war between these blocs. But both the Western and Eastern blocs did not try to indulge in a direct fight. Instead, global arm race and ideological conflict became the focal point of the Cold War. Thesis statement: The Cold War resulted in political conflict, military conflict, ideological conflict and global arms race, and eventually led to the decline of communism, growth of capitalism, growth of the U.S. as a global superpower, and the rapid spread of democracy. One can easily identify the fact that the political ideologies of the Western and Eastern blocs were entirely different. To be specific, the political ideology of the Western bloc was democracy. On the other side, the Eastern bloc was deeply influenced by Communist ideology. This fundamental d ifference eventually led to political propaganda and political conflict. Richard Saull states that â€Å"The Cold War, then, was not a genuine international conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, but primarily a relationship that facilitated each side in its attempts to realize its goals within its own sphere of influence.; for the United States, this was the dominance of the postwar capitalist order and for the USSR the internal security of the rule of the CPSU.†1 To be specific, both the blocs considered that political propaganda is an easy way to influence nonaligned nations. The Eastern bloc under USSR began to influence the neighboring nations and considered that the Western bloc is an imminent threat to their political interest. On the other side, the Western bloc under the U.S. began to influence the European nations. This initiative to divide the whole world nations into two blocs resulted in long lasting political conflict in America, Europe, and As ia. Military conflict The military conflict within the context of Cold War was limited to the context of threatening each other by exhibiting military superiority because both the sides possessed nuclear arms. Besides, both the sides were aware of the possibility of large scale destruction and its economic burden. So, the Western and the Eastern blocs strengthened their military forces, but did not try to attack each other. But the Suez Crisis (say, in the year 1956) the Cuban Missile Crisis (say, in the year 1962) and the â€Å"Able Archer† NATO military exercises (say, in the year 1983) led the whole world to suspect the possibility of military conflict during the Cold War. In short, military coalition and deployment of military forces was common during the Cold War era. Ideological conflict As pointed out, ideological difference was one among the grass root level reasons behind the Cold War. To be specific, the ideological conflict during the Cold War era was between commu nism and capitalism. Raymond P. Ojserkis makes clear that â€Å"A wide variety of other disagreements existed as well, many stemming from the Soviet distaste for the American vision of a postwar world dominated by relatively free trade (with currencies pegged to dollar) and elected governments.†2 One can see that the communist nations under the leadership of USSR tried to install the spirit of communism among their allies. This eventually led to the global propaganda against capitalism. On the other side, the Western bloc under the leaders

Working With Teams Essay Example for Free

Working With Teams Essay The scenario is inaccurate coding and lack of patient information which delays payments for the doctor. As head of the billing department a process will be implemented to solve problems on this issue. The current process is not working and because of the loss of productivity, a team was assembled to solve problems. The goal is to find where the error is, and recoup the loss revenue. The first person to question would be the front office personal who checks in a patient upon arrival. After getting the insurance card and demographic page, it is important to compare that information on file to be certain it is accurate, and up to date. A copy of the insurance card should be taken at every visit. Even if the patient were there just there a few weeks ago, it is important to establish a routine of quality. Second, the front office personal should check the insurance carrier to see if a referral is necessary. However, most insurance carriers do not require a referral for family practice it is advantageous to determine if the doctor is in network. When the patient is called back to their examining room, the medical assistant will ask for the reason for the visit. It is up to medical assistant to write down the signs and symptoms of the patient. The documentation must be detailed and recorded properly on the patients face sheet. The department manager of nurses should be scrubbing the documentation before it is submitted to the billing department. For example, if a patient has a routine check and the physician decides to order labs, the lab draw must be documented; even though it was not the reason for the visit. The communication starts with the first point of contact, which is the front office. This person must be detailed, efficient and willing to ask questions without hesitation. They do not assume or fill in the blanks. They are assertive and responsible, to answer staff questions. Without this, the team will spiral downward like a domino effect. For example, the check out personal will not be able to excuse the patient without collecting the co pay. The co pay is not determined unless the insurance is entered correctly by the front office. According to Veean (2012) â€Å"We are paying more attention to electronic devices than to one another. The person to person communication between doctor and staff; and doctor to patient is decreasing. The answer to the question, is we can save health care by utilizing a balance of words and computers†. The team will be organized by personality types. Keeping in mind the group of people has a variety of experience, skills and talents working to help each other achieve a common goal. The group has the task of problem solving why the billing codes are incorrect, and where the missing link is for payment. According to Chong (2007) â€Å"team performance can be positively correlated with the teams that are organized based on their individual characteristics†. Each person will be responsible for their role. Selecting the team by department will make sure all employees are contributing to their individual duty and this will equal success. There will be one leader, a couple of nurses to scrub the documentation for errors, two administration personal to make sure the demographics and insurance information is correct. A person from the billing department who will run a report from the last 120 days. The doctor also needs a friendly reminder, to document according to the procedure. The doctor must know that treating patients is not their sole responsibility in an office. Consequently, all team members were selected according to their talents and skill level. How well they communicate with written and verbal communication. According to Cheesebro, (2010) the ability to solve problems and think critically are good traits to have. They have a desire to accomplish the task and be held accountable for their performance. The potential for conflicts would consist of pointing fingers and judging without investigating. A person might already know who the employee is that started the problem and approach the person, unprofessionally. The process needs to be redefined and no one should be singled out as the culprit. Furthermore, a conflict may ignite if communication is not open. Hence, one person might feel an idea or strategy is not helpful to reach the goal. Although, good teamwork creates a positive environment. If there is a heated disagreement, it can lower the mood, and demotivate the rest of the team. However, according to Cheesebro, (2010) Conflict is healthy in certain situations, because it will bring a team together. Research has shown, employees who feel part of a strong team are happier and more productive. An acronym for team is: trust, empathy, attitude and mutual respect. In conclusion, the best way to avoid future billing failures is to call the insurance company. According to University of Florida, College of Medicine, (2010) Cigna, United Health Care, Medicare and Medicaid will notify the billing office the reasons for denial. It could be as simple as the birth date does not match what is on the enrollment application. A modifier was not placed after an International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision (IDC-9) code. Perhaps the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) was entered as a 4 digit code instead of a 5 digit code. Even though a report will catch this error, if a person overlooks uploads it electronically anyway, it will be denied. The rules for assigning these codes are complex, and have a significant role in coding; so that payment can be received. For example, if a bill for CPT 31256, nasal/sinus endoscopy would not be supported by ICD-9 826.0, closed fracture of the foot. This claim would be rejected and sent back. In most offices, it is presumptuous to label the front office as the reason for failure in payment. It could be anyone’s guess the reason; hence a team approaches to solve the mystery of lack of payment is effective to problem solving. A person from the billing office would concentrate on these rejected claims, repair the error’s, and return them for payment. They will have 15 days to reprocess the claims, and recover the blunder.

Hospice in the United States Essay -- Hospice Terminal Illnesses Cance

Hospice in the United States Hospice is a concept of caring borrowed from medieval times, where travelers, pilgrims and the sick, wounded or dying could find rest and comfort. The contemporary hospice offers a program of care to patients and families facing a life threatening illness encompassing medical, nursing, spiritual, and psychological care. It is more than a medical alternative, it is an attitude toward death and the process of dying. Terminal disease is managed so patients can live comfortably until they die. The hospice program in the United States has evolved in part as an attempt to compensate for the inadequacies of the present medical system, particularly in caring for patients with a terminal illness. Hospice care has grown from an alternative health care movement to an established component of the American health care system. The modern hospice movement began in 1967 when Cicely Saunders opened St. Christopher's Hospice in London England. In the late 1960’s, several Yale University student s invited Dr. Saunders to come speak at Yale. These students were inspired to create a similar service in the United States. They opened the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, Connecticut and pioneered the hospice movement in the United States. This became the nation’s first specially designed hospice care center. What is Hospice care? In an attempt to answer, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement in 1990 about the philosophy and techniques of hospice care. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hospice affirms life and regards dying as a normal process. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hospice provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms associated with dying. D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hospice combines aspects of psychosocial and spiritual care. E  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hospice offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death. F.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hospice offers a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and during the bereavement process. We can see that the hospice concept is a bio-psychosocial approach to the dying process, concerned with biological, psychological, and social health. Because of its proponents, Hospice is considered a more humane and sensible approach to terminal illness, combining care, comfort, and support of family and friends as the individual faces death. Their concern for dignity and fo... ...age dementia: A national survey of hospice programs. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 43(1), 56-59 Mesler, M. A., & Miller, P. J. (2000). Hospice and assisted suicide: The structure and process of an inherent dilemma Death Studies, 24(2), 135-155 Newsome, B. R., & Dickinson, G. E. (2000). Death experiences and hospice: Perceptions of college students. Death Studies, 24(4), 335-341 O’Connor, P. (1999). Hospice vs. palliative care. Hospice Journal, 14(3/4), 123-137 Paradis, L. F. (1984). Hospice program integration: An issue for policymakers. Death Education, 8(5-6), 383-398 Russell, G. M. (1985) Hospice programs and the hospice movement: An investigation based on general systems theory Dissertation Abstracts International, 45(9), 3082 Simson, S., & Wilson, L. B. (1986) Strategies for success: An examination of the organizational development of early hospice programs. Hospice Journal, 2(2), 19-39 World Health Organization. (1990). Hospice Facts [On-line] Available HTTP://www.cp-tel.net/pamnorth/facts.htm Zehnder, P. W., & Royse, D. (1999) Attitudes toward assisted suicide: A survey of hospice volunteers. Hospice Journal, 14(2), 49-63.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Factors Affecting Academic Interest Essay

A NOAA (AOML) in situ pCO2 sensor (SAMI-CO2), attached to a Coral Reef Early Warning System station in Discovery Bay, Jamaica, utilized in conducting ocean acidification studies near coral reef areas Australia Main article: Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system.[46][47][48][49] The reef is located in the Coral Sea. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Particular environmental pressures include runoff, salinity fluctuations, climate change, cyclic crown-of-thorns outbreaks, overfishing, and spills or improper ballast discharge. Southeast Asia See also: Southeast Asia coral reefs Southeast Asian coral reefs are at risk from damaging fishing practices (such as cyanide and blast fishing), overfishing, sedimentation, pollution and bleaching. Activities including education, regulation and the establishment of marine protected areas help protect these reefs. Indonesia Indonesia is home to one third of the world’s corals covering nearly 85,000 square kilometres (33,000 sq mi) and one quarter of its fish species. Indonesia’s coral reefs are located in the heart of the Coral Triangle and have fallen victim to destructive fishing, tourism and bleaching. Data from 414 reef monitoring stations in 2000 found that only 6% are in excellent condition, while 24% are in good condition, and approximately 70% are in poor to fair condition.[50] Philippines In 2007, Reef Check, the world’s largest reef conservation organization, stated that only 5% of Philippines 27,000 square kilometres (10,000 sq mi) of coral reef are in â€Å"excellent condition†: Tubbataha Reef, Marine Park in Palawan, Apo Island in Negros Oriental, Apo Reef in Puerto Galera, Mindoro, andVerde Island Passage off Batangas. Philippine coral reefs is Asia’s second largest.[51] Taiwan Coral reefs in Taiwan are being threatened by human population growth. Many corals are affected by untreated sewage and souvenir-hunting tourists, not knowing that this practice destroys habitat and causes disease. Many corals have turned black from disease off Taiwan’s southeast coast.[52]——————————————- Indonesia Indonesia has 2,915,000 square kilometers of marine area. The reef area is 51,020 square kilometers. Of that amount, 82% of it is at risk. Indonesia holds 17% of the world’s total coral reef areas. Blast fishing, which has been illegal since 1985 still goes on today, along with cyanide fishing (1995). Another factor that is hurting the coral reefs in Indonesia is the amount of coral that they export. They are the world’s largest exporter of corals, exporting about 500 tons of coral per year.[16] COREMAP is helping Indonesia with their destruction of corals by working in 9 of the 32 provinces. They want to: 1. Heighten law enforcement to protect coral reefs; 2. Establish coral reef monitoring and information systems, in order to conduct research on the status of coral reefs and more effectively disseminate that information to stakeholder groups; 3. Develop community-based management systems and increase public participation in coral reef resource management; 4. Increase institutional capacity and strengthen inter-institutional coordination in planning and implementing policy that affects coral reef management, and; 5. Enhance public knowledge of the importance of coral reef and motivate people to actively participate in the management and sustainable use of coral reefs. Philippines The Philippines, with more than 7,000 islands and warm ocean waters, surround about 26,000 square kilometers of coral reef. [3] These coral reefs have recently brought the attention of beneficial economic uses to the Philippines government.[4] Benefits of Coral Reefs in Philippines 1. Coral reefs break the waves from the chance of eroding the coastline of the islands; [5] 2. Protection of Communities: â€Å"the reefs act as buffer zones† meaning they decrease the power of typhoons and hurricanes as they approach the Philippine Islands; [6] 3. Economic Benefits: Fishing off the coral reefs, profits from tourism, for example, Diving tours and snorkeling areas on the shallow reefs. These economic benefits create many new jobs and profitable opportunities to the country. State For the past 50 years, the proportion of degraded reefs in Indonesia increased from 10 to 50%. From 1989 to 2000 reefs with over 50% live coral cover declined from 36 to 29%. Western Indonesia, which is more developed and holds the majority of the nation’s population, faces the greatest threats to its coral reefs. Surveys concluded that reef condition improves from west to east. The percentage of reefs in good or excellent condition (live coral cover of 50% or more) is 23% in western Indonesia versus 45% in eastern Indonesia. 65% of surveys taken from the Maluku islands had evidence of bomb damage. In addition, reefs affected by land-based pollution (i.e. sediment discharge into reefs by deforestation, industry, sewage, and fertilizer) show 30-50% less diversity at depths of three meters and 40-60% less diversity at 10 meters in comparison to pristine reefs. The 1997-1998 el Nino event triggered widespread bleaching in Indonesia, with western and west-central Indonesia most af fected. Bleaching was recorded in East Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Lombok. In the Seribu Islands northwest of Jakarta, 90-95% of coral reef from the reef flat down to 25 meters died. Two years later, the Seribu Islands significantly recovered, with live coral cover of 20-30% (2000). Coral reefs in Indonesia are located near Java (Batavia), Nusa Dua, Jakarta and Saribu. [8] 30% of the Philippine’s coral reefs are dead while 39% are dying. The news isn’t all bad: Establishment of the Sumilon Island marine reserve has resulted in a marked comeback of fish in adjacent areas. Along with the establishment of the Sumilon Island marine reserve, there is hope for the Philippines via boosts in ecotourism. In recent years, local Filipino governments have discovered that fishing is not the only economic benefit the reefs can provide. They are confident that with a spread of ecotourism, even local fishermen will reap the financial benefits of this economic sector. A surge in coral reef conservation education is helping the tourism sector provide information to tourists on how to preserve the coral reefs while they enjoy the beauty and serenity of the reefs.[17]The Philippines ecotourism sector is unfortunately stifled at this time due to a limited budget and there are approximately 7,000 islands to patrol for destructive fishing techniques.[8] [9]. Destructive fishing techniques are thought to be the largest contributor to reef degradation in the Philippines. The first ever mass-bleaching event in the Philippines was reported in 1998-99. It began at Batangas, off Luzon, in June 1998 and then proceeded nearly clockwise around the Philippines, correlating with anomalous sea-surface temperatures. Most reefs of northern Luzon, west Palawan, the Visayas, and parts of Mindanao were affected. Subsequent mortalities were highly variable, with decreases in live coral cover ranging from 0.7 to 46 percent and up to 80 percent in Bolinao. Recent surveys in 1997 found a low percentage of reefs to be in excellent condition. They found only 4 percent of Philippine reefs in excellent condition (i.e., over 75 percent hard or soft coral cover), 28 percent in good condition (50-75 percent coral cover), 42 percent in fair condition (25-50 percent coral cover), and 27 percent in poor condition (less than 25 percent coral cover). The Visayas have experienced the most significant decline in coral cover, exhibiting an average of only 11 percent hard coral cover. [10] A study in the early 90’s revealed that coral reefs are damaged by a variety of human activities such as household sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural chemicals from land that are washed to the sea. [11] This was a new finding for the time period in which it was widely believed that the main damage to coral reefs was causes by oil spills or from pollution dumped by ships. This survey was concentrated on SE Asia mainly because it was believed that coral reefs in this region were at great threat of extinction if continued to be unmanaged. In the last thirty years climate change has had the most harmful effect on corals. (Hughes) Currently one of the major issues the Indonesian government is dealing with is climate change. (CIA Worldfactbook) When the ocean warms such as in El Nino, coral bleaching occurs, which kills the coral. (Hughes) The reefs are incredibly important to the economy and people of Southeast Asia. The reefs bring in $1.6 billion a year through fishing, employment, and the tourist industry. (Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia Key Findings 2002) Today, the coral reefs located in the Philippines and Indonesia are in great danger. Fishermen are constantly practising dangerous methods such as blast fishing and dynamite fishing. These practices prove to be detrimental to the coral reefs as well as the marine life in the surrounding areas. Because of the dangerous methods, fish that are usually near the coral reefs are no longer there any more. Two of these fish are Groupers and snappers. According to David Nockels it was only seven years ago that 30% of the reefs were dead in this region and many more were dying Marine protected areas Amongst the many proposed solutions to the problems plaguing coral reefs in Southeast Asia is the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs). Currently marine protected areas make up around 8% of the area of Southeast Asian coral reefs.[26] The World Commission on Protected Areas [12], amongst other groups, has been active in establishing MPAs in Southeast Asia. However, the success rate of MPAs in Southeast Asia is low, with an estimated 14% of MPAs rated effectively managed.[30] [13] This rate reflects the difficulty of implementing MPAs. Moreover, it shows that much work is still needed to make MPAs successful in Southeast Asia. IUCN has defined an MPA as â€Å"any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment†.[31] In other words, an MPA is a marine area in which the water column and all the life that exists in it are protected through laws. These laws restrict certain practices within the MPA, which can differ per MPA. Marine protected areas, in sum, provide a marine sanctuary which can foster an increase in marine biodiversity.[32] (See also: [14]). This increased biodiversity is though to be able to carry over to the non-protected surrounding areas in which fishing can take place. This is important for a number of reasons. In the Southeast Asian context, especially amongst the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, the sea and people are very much interconnected. As mentioned, the sea provides both a source of income and source of food for the people. In the Philippines, for example, 67% of protein food consumption comes from fish and fish products. Additionally, roughly one million people in the Philippines are employed in the fishing industry.[33] Increased fish stocks resulting from marine protected areas only add to the solutions needed to revitalize Southeast Asian economies, life systems, and coral reefs. In addition, the LMMA (Locally-Managed Marine Area) Network is another organization that takes part in the Southeast Asia marine conservation. Similar to the MPA, the LMMA also provides protection areas in the sea. However, according to the definition above, an LMMA is an example of an MPA because an MPA includes a large space within and close by the area. The LMMA involves members from around the world, and the communities within the managed areas. The goal of LMMA is to allow members and local communities to learn the uses of protected resources.[15] Due to the massive destruction of coral reefs in Southeast Asia, the LMMA has established two areas in Eastern Indonesia: Padaido Islands, Biak, West Papua, and Southern Ambon Island and the Moluccas Islands; and various areas in the Philippines. With the help of the LMMAs, the local communities would learn to preserve their marine goods, and be able to maintain for longer years. Gradually, the communities will accommodate bigger and healthier fish. [16] There are an estimated 400 MPAs in the Philippines. Of the 400 only 16% have yielded an increase in bio-diversity. The high failure rate is due to poor management and a lack of regulation.[34]Despite the numerous failures there have been successes. One of the best known areas is Apo island where a small community has effectively managed an MPA since the mid 1980s. The Apo MPA includes a ban on detrimental fishing practices and a no-take zone covering 10% of their reef. Apo’s reef has thrived giving hope to Philippine reefs.[35] Contributions for management The state of the coral reefs in the Philippines and Indonesia are depleting with every blink of an eye. It is to no one’s surprise that the Philippines have lost more than 80% since the 1920s. In Indonesia it is a little better due to the some drastic actions made by the government. On December 6, 2002 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a US$33 million loan in order to save what is the rest of these important organisms. Over fishing, illegal fishing methods, and overpopulation have all contributed to the decline of the coral reefs both in the Philippines and Indonesia. Along with the loan the Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Project (Phase II), the second part of a three phase plan has given us all hope in restoring coral reefs in this part of the region. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries will oversee the whole entire project with a due date of June 30, 2009. If it all goes according to plan the fishing industry will be the benefited the most. However, government action is not always necessary to manage reefs. When the community dependent on the resources provided by coral works together to save and restore the fish population, the results can be very good. The community managed reefs of Apo Island, located in the southern Philippines, known worldwide for its success. The waters around Apo Island are home to about 650 species of fish and 400 species of corals. The waters of Apo Island were not always this full of life. Fishing is the major occupation on the island, and even those who do not fish, rely on the catch for their protein. So when a fisherman’s catch began shortening, after years of unregulated fishing, it was very easy for them to resort to destructive methods of fishing,such as blast fishing and cyanide fishing, to get by. These methods almost led to the end of the already dwindling fish stocks. The community began, through education and widespread involvement, the process of making these practices socially unacceptable.[36] People began patrolling the waters in a small area with the intention of allowing fish to flourish and repopulate and then spill over into areas that had been fished out. This informal establishment of a sanctuary was first met with a lot of resistance, eventually though, after seeing the obvious improvements, the island community and local council were able to formalize the sanctuary in 1985, three years after it started. This formalization extended the sanctuary to water surrounding the island up to 500 meters from the shore and declaring a portion a no-take fish sanctuary.[37] To manage the coral reefs effectively to preserve what is left of the beautiful natural resource, individual people must unite. If the marine ornamentals trade is to successfully turn around and begin to sustain more live fish, certain people must perform their jobs to the fullest. Firstly, there if lobbyists are responsible about the issue, they will provide healthy animals, maintain healthy reefs, sustain reef animal populations, and adequately compensate fishing communities for their efforts. Also, responsible industry operators must minimize animal mortality and habitat impacts and focus on animal health and quality collection practices. The problem with this method, though, is that merely trust and word of mouth aren’t enough. If we are to legitimately depleting the coral reefs in Southeast Asia, we must set international standards.

Impact of western culture on india Essay

since Indian people are becoming more modernized. They totally get involved in style and want to look trendy. They get annoyed hearing Indian music which have Ragas, Talas which give us pleasure. But on the other hand the GEN-Y’ers only like pop, rock and hip-hop. India offers a number of classical dance each of which can be traced to different parts of the country and because of the western outlook most of them tend to follow it. Some festivals are associated with renowned historical or cultural places like the Khajrao festival, Taj Mahoutsav, etc. we must give equal importance to the Indian culture as we are Indians and shouldn’t let any culture to come in our way. Jai Hind! Yes I think the Indian culture is influenced by the western culture. Today’s generation thinks that knowing their own culture is something to be ashamed of. Children want to be modern to keep their respect high. They don’t know the value of India’s heritage and culture. Indians are depleting their own culture. 14. Compile the books of prayers, songs, and stories, and with translations, and make them available to everyone. 5. Make the proper and benevolent images to worship where and when it is helpful. 6. Construct centers for prayer, worship, and practice. Such centers are the basis of preserving the culture and offering education in them. 7. Congregate together regularly, and be supportive toward one another. 8. Celebrate and enjoy your festivals, and know and discuss the meaning of them so they are not lost, and be willing to share the beauty and joy of them with all others. 9. In a friendly way, encourage others you know to participate as the basis of a united community. 10. Recognize the need to be pro-active in working to keep your culture. Join or form the organizations that help you preserve and protect your culture. 11. Establish the means or campaign that will assist people to realize the value of their own spiritual heritage. 12. Form political action committees to (A) make sure politicians are aware of your issues, (B) to make sure that they are representing you properly, and (C) to unite voters to bring in a better political representative for the indigenous culture or vote out those who are ineffective. 13. A group should be established in every town and village, if possible, to encourage people in this way. 14. Come together in groups regularly to participate in and discuss your culture, and develop the ways of defending it, especially when it is under attack or threatened by conversion groups who are under a foreign influence. 15. Also recognize the need for true harmony and unity, and know that a true religion or spiritual path does not create disharmony by dividing people into the â€Å"sinners† and the â€Å"saved† simply because of following different religions or spiritual traditions. 16. There must also be the maturity to balance the old traditions with any new modifications. 17. Unite with other organizations, groups, or village tribes who have similar interests and concerns for cultural preservation, and share information and support with other groups. 18. Start your own schools. Write or compile teacher’s guide books on ways to teach children and The word CULTURE has been derived from a French word CULTURA which means to cultivate, to till, to grow. Therefore culture is a process of growth through the means of education, discipline, training etc.. Western and Indian cultures are diametrically opposed. The reason for this is that western culture is based on the principles of MATERIALISM, whereas Indian culture is based on the tenets and principles of SPIRITUALISM. Materialism stands for worldly possessions, wealth, canons of economics, material gains etc., whereas spiritualism stands for moral values, ethics, scruples, virtues and the power to distinguish between right and wrong, between good and evil, between correct and incorrect etc. It is essential to have material possessions in this world. It is a source of sustenance. It is a must to have economic advancement and liberalisation alongwith globalisation. Scientific advancement is another sphere where India as a country needs to deve CHEERS†, and the party starts. With booze, fags and skimpily dressed girls who move their bodies to be the cynosure and to attract males. Everyone is wearing branded clothes, imported watches, designer accessories and what not. These things have become the necessities of the Indian youth and even the older generations. A father-son duo sitting together and enjoying their drinks, women going to pubs and discos and getting involved in obscene acts and girls taking their boyfriends to their homes to have a jolly time with parents and otherwise too. What can one infer after reading the above lines? I guess, the first answer would be that India is changing over the course of time. India, as the name flickers, one thinks of religion, traditions, art and culture and it’s apt to think so because India is the country which is famous for its diversity in these aspects. The land where the great Raja Ram Mohan, Tagore, Gandhi transformed the thinking of people and removed the social stigmas like sati pratha (the practice of widows being forced to sit on the pior of their husbands), untouchability and many more. India was known as â€Å"Sone Ki Chidiya† (The Golden Bird) but the shine has faded away gradually with the change in I, YOU and WE. Indian society has evolved into a mixed breed of Western and Indian culture. People are becoming too much casual in both their personal and professional lives, how a â€Å"Good Morning Madam† has now become â€Å"Hi Diksha†, how a â€Å"Namaste Daadu† has become â€Å"Hey Grandpa†, courtesy the western culture. The western culture has proved to be a setback for Indian culture, its rituals, its traditions and mannerism. The Indian morning which used to begin with bhajans and kirtans now begins with the rock of Metallica and the punk of Greenday. The age of losing virginity has gone down to teens — following the western culture, these days it has become a casual and usual trend to lose virginity as teenagers. The way in which Hollywood movies have created an†¦ [continues] Preserve articles Essay on the impact of western culture on India Civilizations do meet and even merge but never has such an impact been witnessed as the impact of the west on India. A Birdseye view of the Indian scenario would depict a miniature or a distorted West in India. The impact has been so great and so deep that, wherever we go, and, as far as the eye can see, we notice only western modes and we are for a moment set to wonder if we are in India or in some western country. Impact of cultures is felt elsewhere also and this is bound to be, when two people or two societies or two countries meet but, neither leaves its own system wholesale as in India. This is a unique feature in India only, where the culture of the west has penetrated so deep and far and wide that, the original Indian culture has got lost somewhere. To find western impact on India we do not have to go far to seek. Each and every home, each and every sphere of life has been completely influenced by the west that it is difficult to recognize what is Indian in India. Our food, and food habits, our dresses, our dances, our songs, our music, our life style are all of the western pattern. One often wonders whether where we live is India, or a colony of the west? The influence is also changing our education system. In schools, the language most prominent is English and not Hindi. The medium of instruction is also English, so far so good. However, the sad part of this system is that, the schools that lay more stress on Hindi, or use the Hindi Medium of instruction, are known to be second rate schools. Thus, we have not only adopted the British ways but we also appreciate them only. The height of it all is seen when see that, a person who can communicate in English is known to be smarter than a person who cannot. This volume of change is not understandable. It implies that, not only have we taken to western styles, we also admire only them who follow the western styles, in comparison to those who follow the Indian styles. This much influence is not only unwarranted but also shameful. It has often been seen that countries do adopt methods of other countries but in doing so, they maintain their own identity. The loss of the identity is only found in India. To a great extent the influence of the British can be well understood as, we have remained slaves to them for two centuries. This much may be excused, but to revolt if anything Indian or anything indigenous is being introduced cannot be forgiven at all. This only points to the ugly fact that, we have got independence from the British only physically and politically but, mentally and culturally the onslaught on India has been complete. We, even to-day, remain culturally and mentally bonded to the west. Whenever anything Indian is talked about there is an attitude of derision for it, even in the highest echelons of society This indicates a full and complete degeneration of Indian culture and its total merger with the culture of the west. In my view, it is good to learn whatever is good anywhere, but, to learn a thing just because it is of the west only depicts a crumbled and shattered state of the Indian mind. We must learn to sort out and learn what is good elsewhere and maintain what is good in us. If we do this we can have the best of all – and that is what on intelligent person or community should be doing – alas India has not done it and got lost in the labyrinth of western notions at the cost of all that was ours. Culture† and â€Å"Tradition† are more significant in a country like India which has always been cherishing its rich culture and heritage and it’s quite well known for it worldwide. But these things are just on paper and are slowly losing their sheen. Why? India is known by her people. We, the younger generation are the representatives of India in a true sense of the word. Even in history, we come across various incidents where the youth took the lead to bring about a change and get India independence from the British rule. We, the Indian youth have always been the power and pride of India. We are the sole cherishers of India’s pride and its heritage which actually lies in its culture, its diversity, its uniqueness. In such a scenario, where the point of a rich cultured country like India is facing the problem of losing its culture, are we, the youth; the Indian youth not ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? Are we not putting our own self image, our self respect, our mother India’s pride at stake by doing so? Just think about it my dear friends. There is no problem as such when we follow the western culture to some extent. The problem is we are forgetting our culture to a greater extent. Why should we do so? 21st century youth doesn’t mean forgetting the motherland and following or in short adopting western lifestyle in totality . Every culture has its own pros and cons. We individuals should be strong enough to take the good and throw off the bad. But what are we doing now? It’s a shame to see that â€Å"India’s pride†; â€Å"We Indian Youth† doesn’t have even a bit of importance for India’s pride and heritage, its culture; and we are easily influenced by western culture. Right from our clothing, till the music, the films, our attitude, our lifestyle, in short every aspect of our life has totally changed. â€Å"Change doesn’t happen on its own; it’s we who bring about the change.† But by this change, our mother India has lost its sheen and beauty; its place; its uniqueness in the†¦ [continues] Is Western Culture dominating India Culture Now we are in 21st century ,if we compare the culture which means the way we live,the way we love,the way we give respect to yelders and teachers,the food we eat,the way we dress,etc., of the 20th century I can say that the western culture is not dominating but going to dominate unique Indian culture. Today youth occupy most of the population of our country. Youth contribute to the uniqueness of any nation.Our nation has its uniqueness in its culture through the world.Most of the countries respect our culture. But for a doveloping country like India some of the western principles are necessary to make it dovelprd country.This reason is making our youth attracted to the bad part of western culture such as late night pubs,shorts,western music,etc which is giving them a great intellectual freedom. All these results in this present discussion of Domination of culture. Some of the citizens of the nation are supporting the western culture by saying that without the western culture no country will become developed.I agree with them up to some extent because a country should have to adapt foreign principles up to which the people of nation doesn’t get spoiled bi it. There is a saying of Mahathma Gandhi that â€Å"Open the doors and windows of the house to get fresh air from them to makes us good but not to flew away by heavy wind†. So I can say finally that we should adapt the positive side of the foreign culture which makes us developed and oppose its negative side†¦ [continues] The culture of India has been shaped not only by its long history, unique geography and diverse demography, but also by its ancient heritages. Regarded by some historians as the â€Å"oldest living civilization of Earth†, the Indian tradition dates back to 8,000 BC and has a continuous recorded history for over 2,500 years. But due to the increasing development†¦ Due to globalization†¦ the rich culture of India is disappearing. The most impact is of western culture on India culture. Western culture is based more on materialistic factors where as our culture has a spiritual base. The culture of India is been disappearing by many ways†¦ the youths in India do not respect their elders, the families in India live separate†¦ And thus have lost contacts with their other relatives†¦ the big point which is making the culture of India to disappear in bollywood†¦ the dressing style of the actresses, the slang word used in movies are been influenced the youth to bad step of life. The young ones try to act the same as these actors do which is very bad to the culture of India†¦ the lack of morals, the lacking faith in God, having late night parties, the influence of drugs and alcohols, least interest in Indian languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, Celebrating mothers day, fathers day, valentine day, fools day etc rather than celebrating our Indian festivals and thus wasting their precious time of life, Thinking to be independent at an early age so I strongly say that accept good from that and try to know our Indian culture more than u definitely change mind.. Thnkyou! 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Rothschilds Essays

Rothschilds Essays Rothschilds Paper Rothschilds Paper The Vienna branch of the Rothschild banking consortium was established by Salomon Rothschild in 1815, after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. His brother Carl established the Naples branch only a few years after him. The biggest struggle that the Rothschilds faced during these early years was acceptance. Anti-Semitism kept them out of the elite social circles, necessary realms of connection making, and thus hindered business. This was especially felt in Vienna and Naples. Salomon wasnt even able to buy a home in Vienna until 1842, as there were laws forbidding Jews from owning property within the Imperial capital. Through his wealth alone was he able to receive an exemption from this rule. He and his brother Carl in Naples were hesitant to purchase much real estate, though, for fear of the anti-Semitic backlash which it might incur, since real estate was seen as a sign of aristocracy. The Rothschilds frequently found themselves left off of the guest lists of influential balls. They countered this by throwing their own balls, which, by their extravagance alone, eventually attracted the clientele they were after. It wasnt until the late 1830s that senior government officials such as Metternich and Gentz would dine with Salomon. Once they established themselves, however, they became less cautious in hiding their blithe disregard for social rank. They detested such events, but held them for their business worth only.Salomon was especially known for his disapproval and extravagance.He was also known to eat too much, drink too much, to be rude, to surround himself with sycophants, and for having a lecherous passion for very young girls.He felt he was uneducated, an opinion of him held at the time by many other social and political elites, and thus he tried to refrain from social events as much as possible. The familys social efforts, trying as they were, did pay off though.

How to Grow Your Own Quartz Crystals

How to Grow Your Own Quartz Crystals Quartz crystals are silicon dioxide, SiO2. Pure quartz crystals are colorless, but impurities in the structure lead to beautifully colored gems, including amethyst, rose quartz, and citrine. Most natural quartz crystallizes from magma or precipitates from hot hydrothermal veins. Although man-made quartz is produced, the process requires heat not generally possible in a home setting. Its not a crystal most people want to try to grow at home  since perfect crystals require  specialized equipment. Synthesized quartz is made using the hydrothermal process in an autoclave. You probably dont have one of those in your kitchen, but you may have a smaller equivalenta pressure cooker. Growing Crystals With a Pressure Cooker If you are truly determined to grow quartz crystals at home, you can grow small crystals by heating silicic acid in a pressure cooker. Silicic acid can be made by reacting quartz with water or by  acidification of sodium silicate in aqueous solution. The main problem with either technique is that silicic acid has a tendency to turn into silica gel. However, it is possible to synthesize quartz crystals with a pressure cooker. In 1845, the German geologist Karl Emil von Schafhutl succeeded in making quartz the first crystal grown by hydrothermal synthesis. Modern techniques can be used to grow large single crystals, but you shouldnt expect fabulous gems from a home canning system. Similar Alternatives Fortunately, there are similar-looking crystals you can grow at home. One rather spectacular option is to make a fulgurite, which is the glassy shape made by a lightning strike or other electrical discharge into sand. If youre seeking a large colorless crystal to grow, try alum crystals.

Strategic Management Case Study of SABMiller Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management of SABMiller - Case Study Example This development is similar to that proposed by Johnson et al (pp. 240, 2006). As bases of competition, SABMILLER had a strategy positioning on four fronts. It considered maintaining a price and differentiation strategy, with particular focus on markets in developing economies. In doing so, its combination of price and differentiation strategy justified its hybrid strategy. Here a hybrid strategy refers to the act of simultaneously achieving product differentiation and low pricing than competitors. The success of such a strategy depended on SABMILLER's ability to deliver enhanced benefits to customers together with low prices while achieving sufficient margins for reinvestment to maintain and develop the bases of differentiation. Secondly, to achieve competitive advantage as a strategy positioning SABMILLER opted to sustain operations in the markets it already controlled, while maintaining hypercompetition such that the frequency, boldness and aggressiveness of dynamic moves accelerated to create a condition of constant disequilibrium. At the same time, the company embarked on redefining collaboration which took the dimension of taking over other companies in the same line of business. Apart from this, one of the most vital issues to shape its positioning strategy was its involvement in game theory wherein every competitor contrived to get the best possible strategic solution for themselves given the response from each other. Thirdly, under detailed choices SABMILLER determined its positioning strategy by defining its mode of growth. From information read in the case, the company's decision to be listed on the London Stock Exchange was strategically backed by the motif to raise more capital for expansion. In the light of this, the company made a number of moves to merge or take over other companies. b) The strategic priorities for SABMILLER at the time of the case were basically centred on growth. This growth was to phased and comprised organic growth and physical growth. Organic growth refers to growth that would come as a result of reinvesting its excess profits back in the business to increase production capacity or expand into new markets. Such a move had significant stimulus from the statistics that the world's five major breweries could more or less account for just 30% of global demand. This therefore steered the move to expand production capacity and enter unexploited markets in developing economies. Meanwhile, physical growth refers to growth that ought to come as a result of harnessing more capital to expand. So, moves like listing itself on the London Stock Exchange to raise more capital come to justify the fulfillment of SABMILLER's strategic priorities. This was the only logical step if the decision to expand into foreign markets had to be a realised strategy. 2) The company's core competencies were seen to be the activities and processes through which resources (in/tangible and non/physical assets) are deployed in such a way as to achieve competitive advantage in ways as to achieve competitive advantage much to the illusion of competitors. A summary tool to identify these capabilities and resources is as shown below: Threshold capabilities are those essential for an organisation to be able to compete in a given market (Johnson et al, 2006). The strength of these capabilities