Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks Essay Example

Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks Paper Corporate Social Responsibility of a company: Starbucks Starbucks, the largest coffeehouse company in the world, is a company that tries to make business in a socially responsible way. The firm is not only about making coffee but also about treating with dignity the clients and the environment where they are operating into. Hereby, we will discuss the different actions undertaken by Starbucks in order to be socially correct. One word that could best describe the mission of the company is  «commitment ». First, Starbucks is commited to its origins. It invests great amounts of money that benefit coffee producers, as well as the natural environment. By doing that, it helps to improve the lives of coffee farmers and at the same time they protect the environment where they cultivate their beans. Moreover, Starbucks supports the preservation of the environment. It tries to reduce waste from its operations and to recycle, in order to have a healthier planet. Some examples are the use of environmentally friendly products, the recognition that the fiscal responsibility is crucial to the future of the world’s environment, and the measure of the progress for each project. In addition, Starbucks shows its commitment to its partners. Therefore, it provides a great working environment by treating each employee with respect and dignity. Furthermore, it embraces diversity by recruiting people from all over the world. Last but not least, the coffeehouse does not forget the local communities. We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate Social Responsibility of Starbucks specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Its purpose is to contribute to those communities by encouraging its partners to become active participants in the place where they work. In conclusion, Starbucks is a company that respects people, the environment, and consequently, the planet. The coffeehouse could be a great example for other companies that do not care about social issues and just try to increase their profits. If other companies followed the way that Starbucks is operating, the world would become a better place to live. Bibliography: http://gr. starbucks. com/en-US/_Social+Responsibility/_Social+Responsibilities/Environment+Mission+Statement. htm

Labor in Colonial America to The Origins of Slave labor essays

Labor in Colonial America to The Origins of Slave labor essays It is a common held belief that slavery was a direct result of racism and that it appeared suddenly. As a matter of fact, racism developed gradually and was the consequence of certain business and economic decisions. In Colonial America, there were three contending systems of production in Labor. There was the plantation system, which consisted in having large farms, and hired or enslaved laborers. Another system was the family based farming in New England and the Middle Colonies, which produces primarily for the family and local community. The third system of production was the artisan crafts. There were 100 or more crafts (carpentry, printing...). The three main forms of European (White) Labor were, voluntary, semi-voluntary and involuntary. The voluntary laborers were indentured or went of their own freewill. The indentures would agree to work without pay for a certain amount of time. The semi-voluntary laborers were mostly young apprentices, while the involuntary laborers were transportees. Two different experiences in Colonial America took place; one in the city of Jamestown in Chesapeake, and the other in New England. -Jamestown was founded as a profit-making corporation with God, Glory, Gold as a slogan. Jamestown turned out to be a total disaster. Only 60 people had survived in 1609, out of the 800 who arrived in 1607. They had come with no real intention of working, and only a few were skilled workers. Their relations with the Indians were disastrous meaning a lot of people were killed. Most deaths were caused by starvation. Tobacco was becoming more popular and this helped Jamestown to make a lot of money but also created economic problems such as labor shortage. Chesapeake could either exploit indentures or encourage immigrants. Those who survived made claims on their land bringing about inequalities between rich and poor planters and creating rebellions such as Bacons Rebellio...

Florida Immigration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Florida Immigration - Research Paper Example It is noticed that more than 8% of the workforce in Florida was constituted by the illegal immigrants in 2008. Natural calamities in Haiti too added much to the immigration burden of the state of Florida. The proposed Florida immigration bill attempts to curb illegal immigration by approaching it as a serious law and order problem than a socio-economic issue. The Fear Politics and the Fallibility of Cost-Benefit Analysis It is through a fear politics created by the right wing, illegal immigration issue comes to the forefront of policy making. There has never been more immigration to a country than it could afford. If more people come to Florida, even illegally, it means that there exist conditions for illegal immigrants to be here. It was independently testified by the business community in Florida, especially the sector of Agrarian businesses. And, importantly, the huge majority of the immigrants become successful in finding jobs and adapting the American way of life. In this contex t, it is quite astonishing to see even a theorist such as Huntington would argue that ‘in this new era, the single most immediate and most serious challenge to America's traditional identity comes from the immense and continuing immigration from Latin America, especially from Mexico, and the fertility rates of these immigrants compared to black and white American natives’ (Huntington, 2004, p.3). Therefore, at the heart of immigration debate, lies the hidden racism and xenophobia that our culture would be colonized from within by the alien culture of the illegal immigrant. This xenophobia, the fear politics generated from it is central in the discourse on immigration than supposed socio-economic issues and security matters. ‘Massive Hispanic immigration affects the United States in two significant ways: Important portions of the country become predominantly Hispanic in language and culture, and the nation as a whole becomes bilingual and bicultural’ thus wa rns Huntington (2004, p.7). This is nothing but eloquent and sophisticated articulation of fear of diversity and the negation of core values that constitute America. It is in this wider context, Arizona Immigration Bill and the replicated model of the Florida immigration bill came to existence. The Florida immigration bill has been hotly debated by both the civil society and policy makers in recent times. It is important to note that the current Florida Immigration Bill is stemmed from the more controversial Arizona Immigration Bill. Immigration, in the wider context, is an endemic problem in much of the western countries which are highly developed and industrialized. The United States of America has been at the receiving end of immigration issues from the end of Second World War itself. The rise of both legal and illegal immigration has sometimes developed into a national issue, especially the case of illegal immigration has much to do with other problems such as internal security and welfare distribution. Even the widespread recession in the United States has not resulted in any substantial decrease in the illegal immigration to the country. Arizona Immigration Bill was meant for countering the illegal immigration mainly through the Mexico border. Although the Florida peninsula is surrounded by water, it still experiences illegal immigrati

Critique of an Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critique of an - Article Example Moreover, the authors assert that customers may have a central role to play in the employee turnover in a firm, since satisfied clients may increase the likelihood of employee retention for a firm due to heightened job satisfaction. Slatten, Svensson and Sv?ri (2010: 213) found out that all other factors contributing to the rate of employee turnover are dependent on the employees’ perception of the quality of service that one is capable of providing. The study shows that employee perception acts as the link between antecedents of employee turnover (empowerment, coaching and clarity of one’s role at the workplace), and the consequence that is the likelihood of employees to leave a workplace for another one. The 1076 subjects of the study completed a self-interview questionnaire, all of whom were frontline employees for service firms in Norway (Slatten, Svensson and Sv?ri 2010: 211). The sample was selected by judgment sampling, as 52 percent of the sample was male; avera ge age was 32 years; 61.3 percent were permanently employed and working on a fulltime basis; 74.6 had lasted for approximately 6 years with their employer; and about half had achieved higher education. This sample is only appropriate for demonstration purposes as it is not representative of Norway’s service industry workforce; in addition, the sample size is small and not appropriate for generalization to the whole population (Grant and Cavanagh, 2004: 18). The authors should have adopted a random sample, mainly by a combination of a cluster sample and a systematic sample that is inclusive of all components of the service sector employee population, and is random enough to give each member of the population a chance to be picked in the sample. However, testing the questionnaires on 53 respondents before the study was a proper approach since the pilot study enabled them to identify limitations of the study before incurring financial and time expenses, and make modifications. M oreover, the use of a combination of questions from previous studies gave the authors an increased chance of making corrections on errors made in previous studies and improving on previous study techniques. The variables in this study are qualitative, including satisfaction, perceptions, needs and preferences; however, Slatten, Svensson and Sv?ri (2010: 211) used a seven point Likert-scale to give the qualitative information a quantitative aspect. This involves making numerous assumptions, including the obvious one of assuming that employees had the ability to assign numerical values to their feelings and perceptions (Karatepe and Uludag, 2008: 116). Consequently, the objectivity of the study is reduced as a result of the process of changing quality into quantity, as employees are not homogenous in their perceptions. In addition, there is little difference between the seven levels of Likert-scale, and employees are more likely to be biased in their analysis due to real or perceived differences between them as seen in Chiu et al. (2005: 486). This makes it impossible to generalize the results of the study to include different backgrounds, mainly due to the varied results that are likely since employee perceptions are dependent on a myriad of market factors (Richards, 2009). Slatten, Svensson

Art Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art Movements - Essay Example Han dynasty is one of the most prestigious dynasties in China. Confucianism and Daoism became official religions during this era. Confucian and Daoist teachings of immortality and nobility and uprightness of the human soul influenced artists during the Han dynasty to predominantly paint human figures and scenes of daily social life. Zen artists view art as a representation of the essence, â€Å"the eternal qualities of an object.† This is already existent even before the artist arrives. His job therefore is to suggest by the simplest possible means the inherent nature of an aesthetic object. The economy of means is important to convey the purity and simplicity of the eternal nature of an object. His aim is not to create an illusion of reality, as what western artist does, but rather to produce something that makes one think beyond reality towards the essence of reality. Though seemingly simple, creating the abstract representation of the innate essence of the object requires t ime and patience. After the comprehending the essence of an object, an artist can effortlessly and spontaneously paint his masterpiece. Stupas represent the Buddhist belief that they can also achieve the enlightenment that Buddha achieved in his lifetime. The monument which is composed of parts represents the elements that would lead to enlightenment, is an edifice that would make Buddhist connected with their goal of enlightenment. Art, in this case, is a tool to remember the spiritual aims and purpose of man. Set B 1.) Modernism is an art trend that stresses the power of human beings to create, improve, and reshape their environment, with the aid of scientific knowledge, technology and practical experimentation. Many of the previous movements had failed to realize their goals. Painters of the 19th century believed that art should present images that contain and reflect moral and ethical values for others to emulate (Witcombe). However as scientific breakthroughs provided a possibility of debunking conservative values, a new, progressive world order emerged. From Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism all of which portrayed life as it is, Modern art, focusing on possibilities, emerged. 2.) Most of the American painters during the 19th century were trained and worked in European countries. The

Defining Stakeholders and their responsibilities

Defining Stakeholders and their responsibilities Stakeholder is a person,  group, or organisation that has direct or indirect  stake,  that is Support, in an organisation. Thay are called Stakeholders because they can affect or also be affected by the organisations  actions,  policies, and  objectives. Key stakeholders in a  business  organization are include  Creditors,  Customers,  Directors,  Employees,  Government  (as well as their   agencies),  Owners  ( that is Shareholdes) , Suppliers,  Unions, and the  Community  from which the business draws its  resources. Although stake-holding is usually self-legitimizing (those who  judge  themselves to be stakeholders are  de facto  so), all stakeholders are not equal and different stakeholders are  entitled  to different  considerations. For example, a  firms  customers are entitled to fair  trading  practices  but they are not entitled to the same consideration as the firms employees. In short, Stakeholders are groups of people who have an interest in a business organisation. Type of Stakeholders : ~ http://www.answers.com/topic/stakeholder-corporate Stakeholders can be devided in two different groups as shown above that is internal as well as external. It also can be called as Primary Stakeholders and Secondary Stakeholders. Not only that, but some stakeholders are those who might be both that is interal as well as external. For example company employee is by default internal stakeholder. But at the same time when he become the same companies customer he become the external stakeholder. Stakeholders of COCA COLA companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Q.)Who are the stakeholders of COCA COLA Company ? All most all the businesses have to keep in mind the effect of their activities on stakeholders. Coca-Cola is also not an exception. There are so many stakeholders in Coca Cola Company. They include all those stakeholders, who are most affected by or who most affect the way they do business. This includes Consumers/Customers, Suppliers, Manager, Owner(shareholders),Employees, Government regulators, Speial interest Groups, Non-Govermental Organizations (i.e. NGOs) as well as the local communities/society in which Coca Cola Company operate. Each and every Stakeholder has its own interests in Coca Cola Company and places different demands on them. The Company try to engage with each constituency according to its needs, using different engagement methods as appropriate. Consumer/Customers Consumers are the external stakeholders. In Coca Cola Company, Consumers are given very much importance because they have a very much influence on business strategy because, wherever possible, consumers want to buy products from those companies on which they trust. So Consumers are very much influential. Because all business is after all depends upon a customers. If there will be no customers, there will be no business at all. Suppliers Suppliers and business partners are vital to Coca Cola Companys success. Because they help them refresh the world, more than 1.6 billion times every day, through delivering necessary products and services for their business. Having a sound, stable and ethical supply base is important for growth of the Coca Cola Company and the footprint that the suppliers leave in local communities around the world. As a company, they have a responsibility to hold their direct suppliers to standards no less than those required by applicable law. So suppliers are also very much influential. Government agencies and civil society Coca Cola Company made wide-ranging industry commitments. Such as the   Action on Diet, Health and Physical Activity  . They are a member of the different  Union of European Beverages Associations  , which the EU Platform acknowledged as an example of best practice on how to develop and follow up the commitments made. Coca Cola also work with : ~National Government Agencies to implement  sports and fitness programmes ~National Environment Ministries to  protect watersheds ~Industry and Government Agencies to build sustainable  packaging management schemes and promote recycling So government is also influential at a a greater level. Creditors Creditors are the external stakeholder of the Coca Cola Company. The Coca Cola Company participate in  investor assessments  and conduct briefings specifically for the socially responsible investment community. They routinely include sustainability performance in their all annual financial report and investor road shows. So creditors are also influential at a certain level. Employees Employees are not just internal stakeholders, they might be also external stakeholders. Because when any employee purchase an item from the same Company in which they are employed they become external stakeholder. So just like other companies in Coca Cola Company also Employees are very much influential. So Coca Cola Company conducted  a survey about the key measures of employees engagement. In 2007 Coca Cola Company won several awards, which includes: ~ Best employer awards in Serbia and Poland. ~ Second place in the  Great Place to Work  survey in Italy. Owners (Shareholders) Owners are the internal stakeholders of the Coca Cola Company. They are the Primary stakeholders.In Coca Cola Company Stockholders have an immediate stake in a corporation because it is all about their money that is funding the company. If Coca Cola Company does well, their stock gains value and ultimately they earn more and more money. If the  business  does badly, simply they lose money. So shareholders are very very much influential in Coca Cola Company. Non-Govermental Organizations (NGOS) The Coca Cola Company always rely on NGOs and public-private partnerships to inform and guide their policies and initiatives, as well as challenge them as they work on complex and fast-changing issues such as climate change and others. Some of Coca Colas key stakeholders and partners includes the following: ~World Resources Institute ~World Wildlife Fund ~Carbon Trust ~Carbon Disclosure Project The NGOs also influential in Coca Cola Company. Stakeholders of Cancer Research UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Q.)Who are the stakeholders of Cancer Research UK ? Cancer Research UK is a non profit organization. But that doesnt mean that it doesnt have stakeholders. There are stakeholders just like other organization. Some examples of Stakeholders for a Non Profit Organization like Cancer Reseach UK are given here : Director, Trustees , Donors, Employees, Government, Patients, Doctors and Nurses, Fundraisers,Volunteer,Corporate partners like Tesco and BQ. Director The Director is a person who board typically chooses to have this one person who is ultimately responsible to carry out the overall wishes of the board. The director is always directly accountable for the work of the staff and supports the work of the board committees.  So director is a key stakeholder for Cancer research UK. So he is very much influential stakeholder. Board of Trustees Trustees are always much influential for any non profit organization. Cancer research UK also have a Bord of Trustees. They have to perform some duties likeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ ~Carry out the terms of the trust instrument ~Defend the trust ~Proper investment of trust assets e.t.c. So Board of Directors of Cancer Research UK are very much influential. Employees Employees are always influential for any organization, wether it is profitable or non profitable organization. So just like others here in Cancer Research UK, employees are very much influential. Volunteers In Cancer Research UK, volunteer are the most influential stakeholder as they are provide their help and time free of cost. Cancer research UK might cant operate without the help of the service of the Volunteers. So because of the given reason, they are very much influential in cancer Research UK. Donors Donors are the person who gives monetary and non monetary help to the organizations. In Cancer Research UK, Donors play an important role as they are the distinct from others as they give their support to an organization from which they know, they will not getting any monetary refund. So donors are influential in Cancer Research UK.

Free Will in a Clockwork Orange Essay

Choice and free will are necessary to maintain humanity, both individually and communally; without them, man is no longer human but a â€Å"clockwork orange†, a mechanical toy, as demonstrated in Anthony Burgess’ novel, â€Å"A Clockwork Orange†. The choice between good and evil is a decision every man must make throughout his life in order to guide his actions and control his future. Forcing someone to be good is not as important as the act of someone choosing to be good. This element of choice, no matter what the outcome, displays man’s power as an individual. â€Å"A Clockwork Orange† starts with Alex posing the question: â€Å"what’s it going to be then, eh? â€Å". Burgess begins the story by demonstrating that Alex and his gang are free to do as they choose. Alex and his â€Å"droogs† are rebellious modern youth in an oppressive society. The â€Å"droogs† are tempted like all humanity by sin and try to show their hatred for the government with acts of extreme violence. The violent and rebellious behavior is a result of free will, but without the presence of evil, there would be nothing for humanity to choose. Throughout part one of the novel the droogs’ choices often result in violent actions harming innocent people. Examples of their â€Å"ultra-violence† are rampant: Alex and his droogs choose to rob and assault a man, Alex rapes young girls, and the droogs rob an old â€Å"ptitsa† who later dies from Alex’s assault. As Burgess says : â€Å"evil has to exist along with good, in order that moral choice may operate? Unfortunately there is so much original sin in us all that we find evil rather attractive†. God gave individuals free will, and they are responsible for their actions. The government has no right to interfere with human nature. A person can choose to be good or evil as Alex tries to demonstrate when he says: † what I do I do because I like to do†. With this statement, Alex clearly demonstrates that he is responsible for his actions and he chooses to act out against society simply because he likes to, because he is attracted to sin. When Alex and his gang attack F. Alexander and his wife, we again witness horrible acts of violence that are ultimately the result of Alex’s choice. This appalling scene is another example of Alex using his free will and his temptation towards evil. Evil is not only part of Alex’s life but the government’s as well. The evil of the government can be seen in part two of the novel when Alex’s mind is controlled and forced to have no moral choice. The government controls Alex’s free will by means of the Ludovico Technique, which makes Alex physically ill at the mere consideration of violent thoughts. When Alex is in the â€Å"staja† the Governor states that criminals â€Å"can best be dealt with on a purely curative basis. Kill the criminal reflex? â€Å". The Governor does not understand that criminal intent is not an unrestrained reaction, but the result of autonomy. The voice of reason in the prison is the prison Chaplin who questions the ethics of interfering with God’s gift of moral choice, â€Å"goodness comes from within?. goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man†. Again through one of his characters, Burgess is stating that inhibiting a person’s free will is more evil than a person’s ability to choose evil over good. If one cannot choose, one ceases to be human and is exactly like a machine controlled by the government. After Alex undergoes the Ludovico Technique, he stops asking â€Å"what’s it going to be then, eh?† only to prove that Alex has lost his free will. Alex’s question that was so prominent disappears and the mere thought of violence makes him physically ill. Dr Branom explains the effects of the technique to Alex : â€Å"you are being made sane, you are being made healthy†. The government and the doctors are convinced that they are making Alex â€Å"sane† and â€Å"healthy†. On the contrary, they are controlling his ability to have a choice in his actions. The doctors are attempting to eliminate Alex’s moral choice, which is neither sane nor healthy. The doctors go even further when they discover Alex’s love for classical music. Dr Branom says: â€Å"here is the punishment element, perhaps. The Governor ought to be pleased†. They go beyond trying to reform Alex and continue to punish and torture him, for after this torment is complete hearing a beautiful piece of music makes Alex sick. Alex’s reaction to music becomes violent and painful because of the government’s manipulation and the side effects of the Ludovico Technique. Alex did not choose to have his free will and love for music taken away. After the procedure is complete, the prison Chaplin comments † he has no real choice , has he?†¦ he ceases to be a wrongdoer. He ceases also to be a creature capable of moral choice†. The government limits Alex’s moral choice to only good which is truly the essence of evil for it interferes with the gift of free will given to humankind by god. After Alex is released into society, he has a difficult time adjusting since his world has drastically changed. Alex is now forced to behave oppositely to what he desires. The doctors have forced him to be â€Å"good†. After Dim and Billyboy have assaulted Alex, he encounters F. Alexander who takes him in. Alex attacked F. Alexander earlier in the story and mocked him for explaining the concept of free moral choice. When F. Alexander hears Alex’s story he remarks: â€Å"they have turned into something other than a human being. You have no power of choice any longer. You are committed to socially acceptable acts, a little machine capable only of good? â€Å". F. Alexander understands that limiting a man’s free will is a sin, but as we soon learn, F. Alexander and his faction use Alex for their own cause and form Alex into a martyr by manipulating and influencing his will. This act of selfishness proves that F. Alexander’s faction is no better than the government they are criticizing. They are willing to sacrifice Alex to make him â€Å"a martyr to the cause f Liberty? â€Å". F. Alexander and his faction are so ruthless that Alex sees suicide as his only way out. He decides to â€Å"do myself in, to snuff it, to blast off forever out of this wicked and cruel world†. Alex’s thoughts, feelings and choices have been altered and he feels that he can only escape his evil manipulation by suicide. To Alex, F.Alexander’s faction turns out to be as evil as the government they are fighting. While Alex is in the hospital, after his failed suicide attempt, F. Alexander says: â€Å"you have served Liberty well†. It is clear to Alex that there is no distinction between the oppressive government and the deception of F. Alexander’s faction. Once Alex has regained his free will, he is released back into society and attempts to go back to his old ways. The beginning of part three mirrors part one; however, Alex is starting to change. Alex seems less interested in senseless violence, and since his free will has returned, he starts â€Å"dreaming and wondering what it was like changing and what was going to happen to me†. Alex is beginning to realize that he has choices to make in his life. After meeting Pete who has matured Alex has a revelation, he imagines himself as a husband and father and realizes â€Å"I was like growing up†. Alex is attracted by love and parenthood, not by sin. He uses his moral choice to choose to righteous path and finally answers the question with â€Å"that’s what it’s going to be, brothers†. Alex willfully chooses to change his ways; he decides to be productive, and chooses love over sin. He realizes that what he did in the past was wrong, as well as the immorality of his ways. It is through free moral choice that Alex arrives at this conclusion, not through a government technique forcing him to make the â€Å"right† decision. As part of the process of maturity, Alex would have likely selected this path naturally. However, the interference of the government and F. Alexander’s interference with Alex’s moral choice ultimately drove him to attempt suicide to escape the evil ways they chose for reform. Moral choice can lead to violence, but without the risks, there would be nothing for humanity to choose. The government and F. Alexander’s faction control Alex’s free will to justify their own political agenda. They control his ability to choose without realizing that interfering with humanity’s ability to exercise free will is evil. Both the government and F. Alexander’s faction claim to be â€Å"the good guys† when they are the true faces of pure evil. One has to remember that evil is a master of disguise. It often hides behind the mask of the hero.

Dumbing us down: Weapons of Mass Destruction Essay

In the article â€Å"Dumbing us down: Weapons of Mass Destruction† John Taylor Gatto explains how today’s education system needs to be changed to focusing more on children’s interests instead of an institutionalized curriculum. He wants to revolutionize the school system to something similar to his education in a small town called Monongahela, Pennsylvania. When he went to school he was taught through classical schooling, which trained him to develop independent thinking and the appreciation for great old books before his time. In his small town of 4500 numerous important people have been brought up there including: Joe Montana, the founder of the Disney channel and the inventor of the nerf football. He thinks perhaps the success of these people is related to how they were brought up in school getting a hands on experience by cooking there own school meals, handling the daily school maintenance. He questions how college admission such as Harvard put such a big em phasis on standardized test. Gatto thinks that the education system was founded through a strict military system in Germany to keep the lower and middle classes grounded so leaders could keep capitalism running. During his time as a teacher he talks about how he wanted his students to get hands on experiences. For example one of his classmates was interested in comic book art so he sent her to watch a comic book artist for a week. The last part of the article talks about a way to stand up to the current education system by using Mellville’s moran genius in Bartleby, the scrivener. This is a way to peacefully refuse to go by the current system and simply reject it by getting large groups to not take the tests that schools hand out. Although John Gatto has some very intriguing information I, strongly disagree with his article. He never gives a reasonable way to fix our curriculum, but can only hope enough people agree with him to refuse it. The American school curriculum is great because if you work hard and make good grades then many doors will open through numerous colleges and scholarships. I think standardized testing is crucial to our education system because without it there would be no way to gage where every student should go after high school. John Gatto wrote this article specifically because he has been on two different sides of American education. In his youth, he was taught with more hands on learning that molded his view of how children everywhere should be taught. He is biased because of how great of success some people have had coming out of his small town of 4500 people. Then he was thrown into a unfamiliar way of teaching when he taught at a upper Manhattan school. In the Manhattan school a big amount of the focus was on getting kids ready national achievement tests. Although he may be right about how the curriculum was just turning into a achievement prep course, the reality of current schooling is how good you can do grade wise and on achievement tests like the ACT and SAT. In the article he tells of how it was his mission to teach beyond the boundaries of standardized testing and promote a more hands on type of learning so that his students would be motivated to seek out what they were passionate about. Hands on teaching is great, but what happens when they leave his class and are thrown out into standardized testing without and experience or practice. The article never really answers how his students did in the future but he was awarded the New York teacher of the year, and has written numerous books on our failing education system. John Gatto puts real life examples of how his teaching has affected students, which makes his argument a lot more compelling. He tells of how he sent a girl to the state capitol to speak to her local legislature and now she is a trial attorney. In the last part of his article he digs deep in how are education system needs to be reformed, using examples of college dropouts such as bill gate and Steve Jobs who are now running today’s economy. The article states how the government is not going to fix this problem, but it is up to the people to be educated enough to solve it themselves. He gives outlets such as home school or keeping your children aware that having bad grades is not the end of the world. The last paragraph goes into detail about how there are many different ways to get around the school system, but he never gives any real way that it could ever be changed. In the Article John Gatto expresses how achievement test are a waste of time in school, but I think that they are extremely important in showing where every student in the country stands. If we did not have standardized test it would be unfair to students who are in a lot more challenging schools. I did not think standardized testing was important either until my time at Baylor. My eyes were opened when kids with 4.0s in high school were struggling through there first semester. I never realized that some of these kids went to easier high schools then me, and were not prepared for the rigorous curriculum Baylor has to offer. For me standardized testing helped me get into a good college, because my high school was hard and I was not able to make good grades. If Baylor simply placed all its emphasis on GPA there is no way I would be at this school. Standardized testing is said to be a â€Å"pack of words† (Gatto John 593) by Gatto which is so false, because with out it there is no way for students in my situation to be given the opportunity to go to great schools like Baylor. I am thankful for my tough high school education because now at Baylor it is easy for me to stay organized and make good grades. Achievement tests also help kids who are in schools that are not as aca demically demanding. Colleges now have achievement tests like the SAT so they can gage where a student’s intelligence level is on providing admission into their school. John Gatto talks about how he was educated in a classical style with more hands on teaching, and when he was younger college was much to get into. I have talked to my dad and his friends and they say the SAT was almost optional in their time, and you could almost pick any school back then to attend. Today if students want to be taught a classical learning style they would have to be home schooled, because of how expensive it is already to fund the public school system the United States. He is right that hands on learning is critical for children, but a good basic education is needed for kids to be successful out of college. I think that in present times the SAT is critical for students in any situation to rise above and get into a college that is right for them regardless where they grow up. In the article Gatto does not like the r ole capitalism plays in our school system, even though it is actually what makes it possible for the individual to succeed no matter what background they came from. He thinks that capitalism in our schools is a way of keeping lower and middle classes in line when in reality it is there to help people willing to put in the work to get out of there respected social class. Capitalism is why people immigrate to America everyday; knowing that are country promotes the freedom to succeed economically and socially regardless of where you are from. Public schools may not all be on the same playing field academically, but that does not have to stop some one who is smart and motivated. Unlike some other countries, we give everybody a chance to succeed to the best of their abilities. It is impossible to give everyone the same education, but a strict curriculum and government regulations is the best attempt. Capitalism goes hand in hand with another prime example about how college drop outs such as Bill Gates are now some of the richest men in the world. Only in America is this possible, in places like china if you do not have a high education you are given limited opportunity. Gatto does a lot of complaining in his article, but has no real solutions except keeping your child aware that doing well in school will not define your future. I think Gatto is so corrupted by his small town upbringing that he does not understand that his type of education cannot be afforded by every body. Capitalism is what America and education are based of off, and with out it there would be no way for lower or middle class people to display their full potential. I completely disagree with John Gatto’s article, and think it could be hazardous for some people to read. If this article is read wrong children, even young adults will be under the impression that school is not that important; and be under the impression that it is, better to rebel against our school system then to flourish in it. Achievement tests are how capitalism is integrated into our schooling system, and with out it I fear where we would be as a country. Works Cited Wood, Nancy, and Miller James. Perspectives On Argument. 7th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2012. Print

s Speech

Patrick Henry’s address to the Second Virginia Convention calls upon the House to wage war against oppressive British rule instituting it not only as a necessity, but also as an obligation demonstrating loyalty towards their nation and God. Henry’s proficiency in persuading the congressmen directly reflects his use of repetition asserting that they are at the hands of time while providing justification for what may appear to be an extreme measure by announcing that they have put forth every possible effort to prevent war. Henry states that, if we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained; we must fight! Implicating that it is of their responsibility and of honor to gain independence from British domination. This also establishes Henry’s serious tone, enforcing the sincerity of his plea persuading the House to declare war. Henry proceeds to dictate the thoughts of the congress through manipulative projections used to produce fear and recognition of his perspective of the situation. Henry observes that, we are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. During his speech he incorporates many mythological and biblical images as depicted, functioning as a source stimulating consciousness. This exhibits... 's Speech Free Essays on The Dissection Of Patrick Henry\'s Speech Patrick Henry’s address to the Second Virginia Convention calls upon the House to wage war against oppressive British rule instituting it not only as a necessity, but also as an obligation demonstrating loyalty towards their nation and God. Henry’s proficiency in persuading the congressmen directly reflects his use of repetition asserting that they are at the hands of time while providing justification for what may appear to be an extreme measure by announcing that they have put forth every possible effort to prevent war. Henry states that, if we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained; we must fight! Implicating that it is of their responsibility and of honor to gain independence from British domination. This also establishes Henry’s serious tone, enforcing the sincerity of his plea persuading the House to declare war. Henry proceeds to dictate the thoughts of the congress through manipulative projections used to produce fear and recognition of his perspective of the situation. Henry observes that, we are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. During his speech he incorporates many mythological and biblical images as depicted, functioning as a source stimulating consciousness. This exhibits...

The eNotes Blog You Dont KnowDickens

You Dont KnowDickens 7 lesser-known facts that may make you see the  beloved author and philanthropist  of the Victorian era in a new light by Michelle Ossa 1. He suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his time at  Warrens Shoeblacking Factory and Warehouse At the age of 12 Charles Dickens suffers a life-changing event that forever marks his life. His father, John Dickens, was arrested for debt, and sent to Marshalsea Debtor’s Prison in London. The able-bodied, older male Charles was considered old enough to work and earn some wages. For this reason he is forced out of school and sent to Warren’s Shoeblacking;   a place fully-described in the semi-biographical novel Oliver Twist. Similarly, Charles works under grueling and cruel conditions that predate any workers’ rights movement. Moved by these sad events Dickens used his talent to publish in mass and expose these realities. Through literature, he gave a voice to orphans, destitute children and mistreated workers using them as motifs that recur in his body of work.   According to Dickens’s most reliable biographer, John Forster, the author had â€Å"an attraction of repulsion† that rendered him more effective when dealing with topics that directly describe images of his sad childhood.   Therefore, this repetition of misery and pain during childhood as a central theme denote a need to continuously cope with the traumas of childhood. 2.  He was likely manic depressive According to his own letters, Dickens suffered consistent bouts of â€Å"depression† that would start when beginning to write a new work, and would then developing into a â€Å"mania† that powered him to complete them.   It was a â€Å"balance† between deep, debilitating sadness followed by periods of acute impulsivity.   According to Hershman and Lieb in the book Manic Depression and Creativity   (1998), Dickens’s explosive creativity was a result of the maniac state that makes sufferers of bipolar disorder feel indestructible (p. 106).   An example of Dickens’s mania is what is known as the â€Å"Dickens Summers†. According to Manic Depression and Creativity Dickens would rent a spacious summer home and have sumptuous parties for large quantities of people on a daily basis. Dedicated to the very last detail both at home and work, Dickens would also spend hours insisting on completing massive amounts of work until the last word was w ritten. The book explains how bipolar disorder renders those who suffer from it extremely oblivious of the wants and needs of others. The need to be the center of all attention, and the extreme shift in mood certainly profile Dickens as bipolar. 3.  He was a chauvinist Although Dickens was a charmer on the outside, he was considerably different with his own family, particularly with his wife, Catherine. Several books have been written on the matter, all depicting the relationship between Dickens and his wife as very one-sided†¦ favoring Dickens’s side of course.   For example, in the book Dickens’ Women author Miriam Margolyes cites an 1842 letter in which Dickens tells a friend that his wife is â€Å"as near being a donkey as one of her sex can be.   According to Dickens’s published letters, he also refers to â€Å"Kate† as â€Å"baggage†, as dumb, and as an incompetent mother and housekeeper. To make matters worse for Mrs. Dickens it seemed that each time hubby Charles would fall for another woman (and it happened often), Catherine would become pregnant. Catherine bore Charles ten children, and, according to Charles, she was to blame for every one of them. Dickens had a deep weakness for other women and did all he could to impress them. At home, however, he was stern and abusive to his very loyal wife, and his needs came before those of his family. But Dickens did not fall for just any woman. It seems Charlie’s â€Å"women wish list† comes with a bit of sauciness 4.  Ã‚  He was a sexual deviant of the time Dickens was a good â€Å"politician† in his own right, building a â€Å"super hero of the people† persona through his many charities, and demands for social reform. This very persona conveniently hid a secret life that evidences a penchant for sexual deviance. Now, let’s make something clear: It is very easy to be a sexual deviant. All you need to do is enjoy sex in a way that deviates (detours, moves away) from what is considered â€Å"traditional† sex, that is, married, monogamous, missionary, etc. In Victorian times especially it was not difficult to be labeled a deviant. Back to Dickens, his sexual appetites denote three specific tastes:   a) very young women, b) women who defied the prudish Victorian ideal and, c) women who were also sexually deviant in nature. The first typology encompasses women in their late teens starting with Dickens’s own sister-in-law, Mary. Dickens had a deep, plutonic desire for Mary up until she died in his arms at age 17. Then came a series of other equally young females, ending in May, 1858 when a middle-aged Charles wrote to his lawyer, Frederic Ouvry, asking for a legal separation from Catherine. He  had fallen  deeply in love with 18-year old actress Ellen Ternan. They even moved in together and remained a couple until his death. Notice that actresses were considered less respectable women in the 19th century and that may be precisely what enticed Dickens.   Moreover, the book Charles Dickens by the well-respected biographer Claire Tomalin hints at the possibility that Dickens may have even frequented t he â€Å"fallen women† whom he was â€Å"helping† to â€Å"clean up† from the streets of London.   Super-hero syndrome, anyone? 5.  He was a manipulator Happy ol’ Dickens made a major and infamous faux pas: he sent his teeny-bopper mistress a very cute bracelet†¦ but it reached his wife by accident! This mistake made the news and everyone was talking about it. What was there to do? Use your social influence to spin stories against your wife. Yep. Now the poor woman is also to blame for the mistake that HE made of sending the mistress’s bracelet to poor Catherine by accident. Such is life. Also, a sudden alliance between Dickens and his sister-in-law served as a way to publically taint the reputation of Catherine as a wife and mother. All of this was a clever, yet cheap, move for Dickens to â€Å"make well† with his people while removing any doubt about his character. Either way, the fact remains: he dumped the wife of forever, the same one who bore him the 10 kids, for an 18 year old second rate actress. And that†¦ is just NOT cool. 6.  He was  obsessive compulsive According to several biographers, most notably Foster, Dickens was obsessed with the new discoveries on electromagnetic fields. He felt that these fields rendered people powerless unless humans work in tandem with the fields. For this reason, he made his family sleep, sit, work, and conduct their daily interactions in a manner where they would supposedly go in the same direction as the field. Sleeping positions and   places at table were of particular importance. Dickens was witnessed touching things several times (often three times), and demanding that his furniture were to be put â€Å"in the correct order† for the â€Å"energy† to flow properly (kind of like Victorian Feng Shui). A master of cleanliness, he would make his children maintain their rooms organized and clean. After all, with  10 of them, why not?   Most notably, Dickens was ceremonious and liked routines ad nausea. Routines were imperative to be followed and he would often lose his temper if things did not operate the way that he would calculate. Other quirks that have been documented include excessive grooming, a constant need to accomplish mini-goals (i.e. his compulsion to complete tremendous amounts of work within one day), and a penchant for looking at himself in the mirror, which comes along with the incessant grooming of his hair.   It could be argued that the fact that specific topics repeat prodigiously among his works could also be a sign of OCD as well as post-traumatic stress. 7.  He was very superstitious Dickens was connected to the London Ghost Club. This should not come to a surprise since the famous (fake) Fox sisters were already conducting the sà ©ances that would bring Ghost-mania to London during Victorian times. Whether he practiced sà ©ances as well, we will not know for sure. However, it is evident that Dickens was a fan of every trend that surfaced in society. One of these was the new hypnotism movement that was known as â€Å"mesmerism.† Ever the experimenter, Dickens would claim that hypnotism helped him and his family get rid of illnesses. However, the pressure that Dickens exerted on his family members may have led them to say just about anything to make their father happy. Despite   his chaotic love life and strange behaviors Dickens worked endlessly to earn a well-deserved reputation as a prolific and respected man of letters. He also did his best to influence social reform, personal life aside. The influence of his works is magical, creating worlds to which we have all traveled in our imagination. Clearly, there are two sides to every story. Even the moon has a dark side. We can forgive and forget this side of Dickens and continue to revel in his unmistakable genius. Sources: Landow, George P. The Blacking Factory and Dickenss Imaginative World. The Blacking Factory and   Dickenss Imaginative World. 14 Oct. 2002.. victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/dickensbio3.htmlgt; Coustillas, Pierre. GISSINGS WRITINGS On DICKENS. London: 1969. (On esoterism) Hunter, Nigel and Edward Mortelmans. Great Lives: Charles Dickens. New York: Bookwright Press, 1989. https://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/CD-Biblio.html

Fairfax County, Virginia Fire Department Research Paper

Fairfax County, Virginia Fire Department - Research Paper Example Presently, Fairfax County Fire Department maintains close to1, 4000 uniformed personnel, both women and men who operate within the 37 fire rescue locations placed strategically across the 395 square mile Fairfax County. In addition, about 250 civilians employed either as fulltime or seasonal workers offer important support services within the main offices and other stations within this department. Another group of about 310 serve as a joint career and volunteer section that focus on offering supplemental support. Fairfax County Fire Rescue Department has also been associated with off shoring. Here individuals are offered opportunities to work in other nations across the world. Currently, this department is offering off shoring opportunity for drilling jobs in the oil empires. Provides free air transportation, as space permits, for cancer patients traveling to or from a recognized treatment or consultation location. Transportation is also provided for those individuals donating or receiving bone marrow. The patient may travel as often as necessary. Fairfax County Fire Rescue Department is no longer receiving applications from individuals interested in Firefighter/EMT position. However, the organization has expressed its intention to recruit personnel’s in the Firefighter/Paramedic position, starting March 3, 2014. The department launched an online recruiting system that will serve this purpose. From the recruitment desk, interested persons should posses â€Å"a certification as an Advanced Life Support Provider at National Registry EMT-P or EMT-I or Virginia State Certification as EMT-I or EMT-P to apply.† The Fairfax County Retirement Administration Agency maintains three independent benefit retirement systems that depict well defined functionalities. These include: the Employees, uniformed and Police Officers systems. To qualify for the Employees Retirement System one should either be a full-time merit worker or a

The Ku Klux Klan in the City 1915-1930 by Kenneth Jackson Essay

The Ku Klux Klan in the City 1915-1930 by Kenneth Jackson - Essay Example The rise of the Ku Klux Klan is urban areas in the 1915 was one of the most astonishing events that occurred in the American history post World War I. Kenneth Jackson, in his work discusses the many aspects regarding the second Klan. Jackson insists that many Americans joined the second Klan genuinely joined with the intention of being a true patriot. However, many Americans were unaware of the extreme prejudices that were hidden. The re-enlightenment of the second era had many different views than its predecessors. Post 1920, the Klan grew a strong membership of 4 to 5 million. Unlike the first Klan movement in the reconstruction era, it extended beyond the traditional motives. The second wave of the Klan continued to focus national agendas at hand that went beyond the agrarian economy. Since the Klan compromised majority of white and Protestant, it was vital that they elaborated on array of social and political issues. The macro focus was on civil issues such as Prohibition, employment, immigration restriction. One might even insist that it was a reformation movement. However, this movement did have many ramifications as it propagated violence and publicly humiliated the status of minorities. The Klan’s supreme strength was unpredictable as it held strong ground in Indiana, Oregon, and Colorado. The Klan played a huge role in politics according to Jackson as it affected the Democratic convention in 19 24. The Klan was fed up from the fact that black workers on the domestic front earned decent wages and were being accepted in this new America. According to Jackson, the Klan made its moral duty to halt this new type of African American growth in society. Jackson reiterates the fact the Klan rose due to many factors. First and foremost was the fact that it possessed great numbers outside the South and half of the followers lived in the cities. The Klan in essence was so engrossed in its own agenda that it embedded prejudice and racism in their ideology. Often times, it crossed the legal boundaries and infringed on basic human rights as killings became common. Secondly, the Klan rose in an era where depression plagued society. The Klan was fed up with not only economic conditions but also due to the fear of the growth of communism. Since the south at that time was majority, the Klan made it their priority to attack that particular region. Jackson argues that the Klan that rose in tho se cities had different agendas, which was to enforce a moral code according to their perspective. Interestingly enough, states such as Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma did not face as much hostility from the Klan as expected. According to many historians, Texas should have the main target for the Klan. However, that was not the case as El Paso was never the home for target violence. Hence, it became common that the appeal of the Klan spread to North and West. The Klan had so much influence that its members served in the congress. The second wave of KKK was much stronger, organized, and confident that the emergence of the first KKK. As mentioned, this organization not only propagated for â€Å"white supremacy,† an intense attachment to anti-Semitic and anti-Catholicism. One of the