Athena essays

Athena essays Athena is the Greek goddess of war, arts, skill, and most of all, wisdom. The Romans identify her as Minerva (Hamilton 29). She sprung fully grown from her father's head, but there are many different versions of how that came to be. Some believe that she had no mother, while others think Metis, one of Zeus's many consorts, led to the birth of the Athena (www.pantheon.org). When people conjure up the image of Athena in their mind, a woman wearing a full armor is usually envisioned. In most pictures, she also carries a lance and a shield with Medusa's head mounted upon it. Athena is also frequently revealed with an owl perched on one of her shoulders, the owl being a symbol of wisdom. In many vase paintings, she is also depicted with birdlike wings (www.wikipedia.org). One of Athena's admirable traits is her compassion, as proven in many of the myths told about her. The story of Arachne and Athena's weaving contest is well known. Athena is not only known for wisdom, but also for her skills in weaving. Arachne however, was also popular in that aspect. Her weavings were so beautiful nymphs left their homes to watch her while she worked (www.goddess-athena.org). Arachne boasted that her work was greater than the Goddess's, and the contest more or less proved that her weavings were equal to Athena's, if not better. Any Goddess would not be able to stand being surpassed by a mere mortal, so Athena, in a fit of rage, tore Arachne's hard labor into pieces. The woman tried to commit suicide, but Athena took pity on her, and allowed her to live on as a spider, forever weaving webs (www.homepage.mac.com). During other times, when criminal trials came to conclusions in which votes were split equally, Athena voted to free the accused, revealing the side of the Goddess that understood and forgave human errors (www.arthistory.sbc.edu). Athena played a great influential role in her time. During a society in which women were "reduced to ...

Human Resources Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Resources - Research Paper Example One of the core roles of HR is to support workplace safety teaching and upholding rules for workplace injury and casualty reporting. Moreover, HR safety and risk experts often work closely with HR to manage compensation issues for the workers. Compliance with work and employment regulations is a key HR function. Failure to comply result in employee’s and general dissatisfaction with working settings that affect output and eventually, profitability. HR team must be alert of national and government employment rules and many other rules and regulations (Lussier, & Hendon, 2013).All personnel people participate in research activities. HR conduct research to get evidences and information about employees details in order to come up with and maintain a program that works. Through a well-designed research for instance survey, worker’s views can be collected on salaries, welfare services among others. It is therefore the sole duty of the HR to collect wholesome and current employee records are essential for most personnel functions. â€Å"Human resource managers must also create, administer and improve your compensation and benefit structures. Retaining excellent associates depends on many factors. Outstanding pay and benefits are two critical factors that will ultimately determine how well your employees feel about your organization and the likelihood that they will remain with your company in the future† Mondy & Gowan (2005). Constructing an effective compensation system and determining the best benefits package for all of your employees are skills that are mandatory for your HR manage It is very expensive to recruit employees. It is also a significant component of business and doing it properly counts. Choosing the right employee for a particular job, training them well and appropriately treating them, motivate these employees to produce good results and want to stay longer in the organization. In such situations, the organization’s original and

Diabetes Patients Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Diabetes Patients - Case Study Example Administration of empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics was mainly to manage the presumed cellulitis. The doctors recommended insulin therapy after a series of medication on oral hypoglycaemic drugs. After consultations, the visiting surgeons recommended continued abdominal imaging to the patient. Abdominal imaging however, however, was not possible since the 45-year-old woman was too obese to fit in the CT scan. She could not fit in MRI due to her obesity. The doctors finally treated the woman’s abdominal pain using opiates after thorough medical observation. The current treatment care for the 45 year old woman is the six one after a series of medication and obesity management. The forty-five year old has also been suffering from frequent thirst and urination. Her status worsened six months ago after admission with hyperglycemia and later for a patient care program for management. The 45-year-old woman’s daughter also suffers from obesity. The daughter frequently complains of severe abdominal pain (Blak et al., 2012a, p. 2). Obesity proves to be a serious problem in the modern world. Doctors in United Kingdom hospitals report many cases of obesity caused complications daily. Brunello et al., 2009, p. 2, discusses that obesity is a function of the body mass index. Doctors consider a body mass index greater than 25 kilogram per meters square as an overweight. Information from Management of obesity in adults,† 2004, p. 1 suggest that patients suffering from morbidly obesity have body mass index greater than 40 kilograms per meters square while obese weight patients have a body mass index greater than 30 kilograms per meters square. Obese individuals have higher probabilities of contracting associated illnesses such as diabetes, heart attack or kidney failure, respiratory problems, urinary stress incontinence and cancer. Health research indicates that morbid obese women are infertile. Mahmood and Arulkumaran, 2012, p. 405, elaborates that infertility of such women results from the changing levels of estrogen and progesterone that consequently affects regularity of menstrual cycle and fertility. The forty-year old was overweight, complained of frequent chest pains, and had polyuria symptoms.

Maximilian’s Letter Essay Example for Free

Maximilian’s Letter Essay In Maximilians letter to Minister Siliceo, he expressed a deep desire to improve the educational system in Mexico, such that he wanted Mexicos literacy level to be at par with those of the developed countries. His goal was to make education free for everyone, at least on the elementary level. In writing this, he made it clear that literacy should be a top priority and thinking otherwise would be detrimental to Mexico. From general instructions, like free elementary education for all and a secondary school designed to become a basis for specialized studies, he went on to specify that ancient and modern languages, as well natural sciences be taught in school for the purpose of achieving significant mental exercise for the young minds or the students of Mexico. Maximilian was emphatic about educating the students with modern languages because according to him, modern languages is nowadays absolutely essential for a Nation that intends to participate in world affairs (page 24). He further stressed that knowledge of modern languages is instrumental to maintaining and preserving Mexicos relations with other nations. In essence, Maximilian was implying the importance of standing on ones own feel while being inter-dependent with others, too. This is an excellent point of view because Maximilian did not want Mexico to be great yet isolated; rather, he wanted Mexico to become a self-sustaining nation that could interact competently with other nations as well. Interestingly, even physical education was not far from Maximilians concerns. In fact, Maximilian asked Minister Siliceo to pay as much attention to the physical well-being and activities, as to the intellectual development of the students. The longer his letter to Minister Siliceo becomes, the clearer it manifests that he had carefully planned the educational system of Mexico in his mind in such a way that it would never be left behind by the modern and advanced countries of the world. In the same manner that Maximilian wanted a balanced attention to physical education and intellectual development, he also stressed the importance of balanced attention to the sciences and the arts in higher and professional studies. Maximilian became extra emphatic when he discussed the science that was still not widely appreciated in Mexico at the time philosophy. He described philosophy as the science that strengthens the intellect, teaches man to know himself, and as a result of this self-knowledge, to comprehend the moral order of human society. In this point of the letter, it is very clear that Maximilian was not a conservative thinker. For one, he did not choose to stick to what has been the educational paradigm in Mexico; instead, he called for the introduction and promotion of philosophy among students. He was completely liberal in his flow of thought, such that he implied a hasty call for change so that the students become competent in philosophy, so that their intellect be strengthened, so that self-knowledge becomes a reality, and subsequently the students would see the moral order of human society from the perspective of an independent logical thinker. Maximilian also gave Minister Siliceo a piece of his mind regarding the Roman Catholic Church, which was the dominant church in Mexico at the time (and up to now). Religion, according to Maximilian, â€Å"is a matter of an individual’s conscience. † Here, he meant to say that choice of religion should not be shoved down the young minds of the student in a strict manner because ultimately, it is the human conscience that would decide what to choose. Maximilan further noted, â€Å"The less the State interferes with religious questions, the truer to its mission it will remain. † By this, Maximilian meant to emphasize that the State and the Church should be independent from each other. However, the issue of religious education is the responsibility of the State, and not the Church. Education, in all its level and facets, should be administered and operated by the State, according to Maximilian. This is the only way that the State can be faithful in its responsibility to educate the young minds of Mexico. In his letter, Maximilian told Minister Siliceo, â€Å"your drafts and proposals will emphasize the principle that local parishes give religious instruction in lower and middle schools on the basis of books approved by the Government. Essentially, everyone can choose their religion. In fact, everyone can learn about religion. However, if anyone wishes to learn more about religion than what the State approves of, then s/he would have to find an appropriate venue, other than the educational institutions operated by the State. Maximilian made it clear that the clergy would be educated in the way of the Church, but the rest of the students would learn according to the educational design of the Government. Ultimately, Maximilian wanted to preserve the independence and separation of the Church and the Government, and leave religion and religious beliefs to the human conscience. In Maximilian’s words, â€Å"We have freed the Church and science. † Therefore, as far as Maximilian was concerned, young minds will learn not the ways of the clergy but the ways of science. Finally, Maximilian instructed Minister Siliceo to train the best educators and provide good books for the total improvement and maintenance of the educational system in Mexico.

Things I Dont Want to be When I Grow Up :: Personal Narrative, Personal Experience

As a youthful teen, I have many dreams and ambitions yet to be achieved. I have always daydreamed of my future with childhood fantasy. But, what are the things I do not want to do when I grow up? A myriad of thoughts cross my mind. Firstly, I definitely would not want to have a lowly position in life. I would like to run the extra mile, to strive harder and to gain the highest education that I can achieve . I do not want to be underestimated and believe that nothing is impossible. I am resolute in achieving what I want and I know what I have to do to get there. The transition to adulthood is filled with many temptations that determine our lifestyle and choices for the rest of our lives. Drugs lead to an unhealthy economic and social position, besides extensively damaging our health. Greed ends up dominating the more prominent matters in life, such as taking time out for family, whilst jealousy is a sin that propels us towards superficiality. All these immoral acts and wrongdoings not only places others in grief but also shows a personality which is unhealthy in mind, soul and heart. Therefore, I do not plan on becoming one when I grow up, but rather be discipline and firm in doing the right thing. I do not want to be all blue and gloom. â€Å" Laughter is the best medicine.† It is very important that we always look on the bright side, to think half full, instead of half empty. Positive instead of negative. Optimistic rather than pessimistic. Furthermore, studies show that smiling releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers and that it takes 43 muscles to frown but only 16 muscles to smile! So, why frown? Smile a mile wide and share a cheery, bright personality with everyone. I do not want to experience the serious problem of unpaid debts and bankruptcy when I am grown up. We should not have excuses to spending lavishly. Prudent spending is always wise. After all, it is better to save that money for a rainy day than to spend it foolishly. I definitely do not desire to be ignorant of our environment of which we are depending on so wholly, especially when I am grown up. I want to go green and participate in preserving the environment, Our planet can continue to be a beautiful planet if we care for our environment and stop it from being destroyed.

The Globalization Debate: Prosperity or Impoverishment?

Is the shift toward a more integrated and interdependent global economy a good thing? Many influential economists, politicians, and business leaders seem to think so. They argue that falling barriers to international trade and investment are the twin engines that are driving the global economy toward ever greater prosperity. They argue that increased international trade and cross-border investment will result in lower prices for goods and services. They believe that globalization stimulates economic growth, raises the incomes of consumers, and helps to create jobs in all countries that choose to participate in the global trading system. There are good theoretical reasons for believing that declining barriers to international trade and investment do stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and raise income levels. Moreover, considerable empirical evidence lends support to the predictions of this theory. However, despite the existence of a compelling body of theory and evidence, the process of globalization has its critics. We would be remiss if we did not mention their concerns. Here we briefly review the main themes of the debate. In later chapters we shall elaborate on many of the points mentioned below Globalization, Jobs, and Incomes One frequently voiced concern is that far from creating jobs, removing barriers to international trade actually destroys manufacturing jobs in wealthy advanced economies such as the United States. The basic thrust of the critics' argument is that falling trade barriers allow firms to move their manufacturing activities offshore to countries where wage rates are much lower. Bartlett and Steele, two journalists for the Philadelphia Inquirer who have gained notoriety for their attacks on free trade, cite the case of Harwood Industries, a U. S. clothing manufacturer that closed its U. S. operations, where it paid workers $9 per hour, and shifted manufacturing to Honduras, where textile workers receive 48 cents per hour. 32 Because of moves like this, argue Bartlett and Steele, the wage rates of poorer Americans have fallen significantly over the last quarter of a century. Supporters of globalization reply that critics such as Bartlett and Steele miss the essential point about free trade-the benefits outweigh the costS. 3 They argue that free trade results in countries specializing in the production of those goods and services that they can produce most efficiently, while importing goods that they cannot produce as efficiently from other countries. When a country embraces free trade there is always some dislocation-lost textile jobs at Harwood Industries, for example-but the whole economy is better off as a result. According to this view, it makes little sense for the United States to produce textiles at home when they ca n be produced at a lower cost in Honduras or China (which, unlike Honduras, is a major source of U. S. textile imports). Importing textiles from China leads to lower prices for clothes in the United States, which enables U. S. consumers to spend more of their money on other items. At the same time, the increased income generated in China from textile exports increases income levels in that country, which helps the Chinese to purchase more products produced in the United States, such as Boeing jets, Intel-based computers, Microsoft software, and Motorola cellular telephones. In this manner, supporters of globalization argue that free trade benefits all countries that adhere to a free trade regime. Supporters of globalization do concede that the wage rate enjoyed by unskilled workers in many advanced economies has declined in recent years. For example, data from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development suggest that since 1980 the lowest 10 percent of American workers have seen a drop in their real wages (adjusted for inflation) of about 20 percent, while the top 10 percent have enjoyed a real pay increase of about 10 percent. Similar trends can be seen in many other countries. However, while critics of globalization argue that the decline in unskilled wage rates is due to the migration of low-wage manufacturing jobs offshore, and a corresponding reduction in demand for unskilled workers, supporters of globalization see a more complex picture. They maintain that the declining real wage rates of unskilled workers owes far more to a technology-induced shift within advanced economies away from jobs where the only qualification was a willingness to turn up for work every day and toward jobs that require employees to possess significant education and skills. They point out that within many advanced economies there is a shortage of highly skilled workers and an excess supply of unskilled workers. Thus, growing income inequality is a result of the wages for skilled workers, being bid up by the labor market and the wages for unskilled workers being discounted. If one agrees with this logic, a solution to the problem of declining incomes is to be found not in limiting free trade and globalization, but in increasing society's investment in education to reduce the supply of unskilled workers. Globalization, Labor Policies, and the Environment IA second source of concern is that free trade encourages firms from advanced nations to move manufacturing facilities offshore to less developed countries that lack adequate regulations to protect labor and the environment from abuse by the unscrupulous. Critics argue that adhering to labor and environmental regulations significantly increases the costs of manufacturing enterprises and puts them at a competitive disadvantage in the global marketplace vis-a-vis firms based in developing nations that do not have to comply with such regulations. Firms deal with this cost disadvantage, so the theory goes, by moving their production facilities to nations that do not have such burdensome regulations or fail to enforce the regulations they do have. If this is the case, one might expect free trade to lead to an increase in pollution and result in firms from advanced nations exploiting the labor of less developed nations. This argument was used repeatedly by those who opposed the 1994 formation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) among Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The vision they painted was one of U. S. anufacturing firms moving to Mexico in droves so that they would be free to pollute the environment, employ child labor, and ignore workplace safety and health issues, all in the name of higher profits. Supporters of free trade and greater globalization express serious doubts about this scenario. They point out that tougher environmental regulations and stricter labor standards go hand in hand with economi c progress. In general, as countries get ‘richer, they enact tougher environmental and labor regulations. Since free trade enables developing countries to increase their economic growth rates and become richer, this should be correlated ith the introduction of tougher environmental and labor laws. In this view, the critics of free trade have got it backward-free trade does not lead to more pollution and labor exploitation; it leads to less! Moreover, supporters of free trade point out that it is possible to tie free trade agreements to the implementation of tougher environmental and labor laws in less developed countries. NAFTA, for example, was passed only after side agreements had been negotiated that committed Mexico to tougher enforcement of environmental protection regulations. Thus, supporters of free trade argue that factories based in Mexico are now cleaner than they would have been without the passage of NAFTA. Free trade supporters also argue that business firms are not the amoral organizations that critics suggest. While there may be a few rotten apples, the vast majority of business enterprises are staffed by managers who are committed to behave in an ethical manner and would be unlikely to move production offshore just so they could pump more pollution into the atmosphere or exploit labor. Furthermore, the relationship among pollution, labor exploitation, and production costs may not be that suggested by critics. In general, a well-treated labor force is a productive work force, and it is productivity rather than base wage rates that often has the greatest influence on costs. Given this, in the vast majority of cases, the vision of greedy managers who shift production to low-wage companies in order to â€Å"exploit† their labor force may be misplaced. Globalization and National Sovereignty A final concern voiced by critics' of globalization is that in today's increasingly interdependent global economy, economic power is shifting away from national governments and toward supranational organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the European Union, and the United Nations. As perceived by critics, the problem is that unelected bureaucrats are now sometimes able to impose policies on the democratically elected governments of nation-states, thereby undermining the sovereignty of those states. In this manner, claim critics, the ability of the nation-state to control its own destiny is being limited. The World Trade Organization is a favorite target of those who attack the world's headlong rush toward a global economy. The WTO was founded in 1994 to police the world trading system established by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The WTO arbitrates trade disputes between the 120 or so nation-states that have signed the GATT. The WTO arbitration panel can issue a ruling instructing a member state to change trade policies that violate GATT regulations. If the violator refuses to comply with the ruling, the WTO allows other states to impose appropriate trade sanctions on the transgressor. As a result, according to one prominent critic, the U. S. environmentalist and consumer rights advocate Ralph Nader: In contrast to Nader's inflammatory rhetoric, many economists and politicians maintain that the power of supranational organizations such as the WTO is limited to what nation-states collectively agree to grant. They argue that bodies such as the United Nations and the WTO exist to serve the collective interests of member states, not to subvert those interests. Moreover, supporters of supranational organizations point out that in reality, the power of these bodies rests largely on their ability to persuade member states to follow a certain course of action. If these bodies fail to serve the collective interests of member states, those states will withdraw their support, and the supranational organization will quickly collapse. In this view, then, real power still resides with individual nation-states, not supranational organizations.

Mothers Day Celebrations Around the World

Although the idea of honoring mothers on a special day was known as far back as ancient Greece, today Mothers Day is celebrated in many countries, in many different ways, and on different dates. Where Did Mothers Day Originate? The credit for the American Mothers Day observance goes to three women. In 1872 Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), who also wrote the lyrics for The Battle Hymn of the Republic, proposed a Mothers Day observance dedicated to peace in the years following the Civil War. Such annual observances were held in Boston in the late 1800s. In 1907 Anna Marie Jarvis (1864-1948), a Philadelphia teacher originally from Grafton, West Virginia, began her own efforts to establish a national Mothers Day. She also wished to honor her own mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis (1832-1905), who had first promoted the Mothers Work Days in 1858 as a way to improve the sanitary conditions in her town. She later worked to relieve suffering during and after the Civil War. With the support of churches, business people, and politicians, Mothers Day came to be observed on the second Sunday in May in most U.S. states within several years of Ann Jarvis campaign. The national Mothers Day holiday became official on May 8, 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution, but it was more of a patriotic day on which flags were flown in honor of mom. Ironically, Anna Jarvis, who later tried in vain to combat the increasing commercialization of the holiday, never became a mother herself. Mothers Day in Europe Englands Mothers Day observance goes back to the 13th century when Mothering Sunday was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent (because it was originally for Mary, mother of Christ). Later, in the 17th century, servants were given a free day on Mothering Sunday to return home and visit their mothers, often bringing along a sweet treat known as the mothering cake that was to be kept until Easter. In the UK, Mothering Sunday is still observed during Lent, in March or early April. In Austria, Germany, and Switzerland Muttertag is observed on the second Sunday in May, just as in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Italy, Japan, and many other countries. During the First World War, Switzerland was one the first European countries to introduce Mothers Day (in 1917). Germanys first Muttertag observance took place in 1922, Austrias in 1926 (or 1924, depending on the source). Muttertag was first declared an official German holiday in 1933 (the second Sunday in May) and took on a special significance as part of the Nazi motherhood cult under the Hitler regime. There was even a medal—das Mutterkreuz—in bronze, silver, and gold (eight or more Kinder!), awarded to mothers who produced children for the Vaterland. (The medal had the popular nickname of Karnickelorden, the Order of the Rabbit.) After World War II the German holiday became a more unofficial one that took on the cards-and-flowers elements of the U.S. Mothers Day. In Germany, if Mothers Day happens to fall on Pfingstsonntag (Pentecost), the holiday is moved to the first Sunday in May. Mothers Day in Latin America International Mothers Day is observed on May 11. In Mexico and much of Latin America Mothers Day is on May 10. In France and Sweden Mothers Day falls on the last Sunday in May. Spring in Argentina comes in October, which may explain why their Mothers Day observance is on the second Sunday in October rather than May. In Spain and Portugal Mothers Day is Dec. 8 and is more of a religious holiday than most Mothers Day celebrations around the world, although the English Mothering Sunday actually began under Henry III in the 1200s as a celebration of the Mother Church. German poet and philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Von Vater hab ich die Statur, des Lebens ernstes FÃ ¼hren, von MÃ ¼tterchen die Frohnatur und Lust zu fabulieren.