Historical Geography of North America Journal Review Essay

Historical Geography of North America Journal Review - Essay Example Mann's sources are recognizable experts in this arena and the article cites them prolifically. While many of Mann's points make enough logical and reasonable sense to dispel the widely held romantic version of the early settlements, the author's arguments rely on a connect-the-dots logic in the absence of a complete historical record. The author succeeds in making the point that the early American settlers were not faced with the typically romantic ideal of cooperation with the environment and struggling against Mother Nature. Instead, he paints a stark picture of famine, disease, and constant hardship replete with starvation and cannibalism. His vision of the Europeans being able to stave off hostile attacks from the Natives is based on the theory that the Natives had been severely weakened by Malaria. Mann also dispels the myth of Pocahontas saving the life of John Smith in 1607. However, this is a literary story that is part of America's myth and hardly an historical moving revelation. The real power of the article is the sense the author gives us that, "Much of what we learned in grade school about the New World encountered by the colonists at Jamestown turns out to be wrong". It demands further investigation and invites a more deeply researched debate. The author contends that the ecology of ... s little evidence offered for the damage done by the earthworm purportedly imported in European soil, it has been long held that the agricultural practices of Europe had a profound effect on the New World. The author also magnifies the destruction that domesticated animals did to the native's farmland, and the resulting tensions between the Natives and the Europeans. Here again, the author gives a reasonable view of animal farming in New England of large animals running wild and destroying the crops of the Natives. However, the evidence is anecdotal and does not consider the viewpoint that it may have been more likely that the animals were restrained and managed as they were in England, as that would be in the best interest of the settlers. However, Mann's point that they altered the ecological landscape cannot be refuted. The strength of the article, apart from its intellectual stimulation, is its contention that European farming and agricultural practices forever transformed the landscape. Mann explains why the different approaches held by the Natives and Europeans to the concept of property ownership came at odds and favored the Europeans. The Native culture believed in a constantly evolving landscape where property rights would shift according to need and use. The Europeans believed in private property ownership and were thus able to accumulate property. The introduction of new plants and controlled agriculture invaded the New World and left a permanent change on the face of America. There can be little argument that tobacco and corn changed the soil, the land, the people, and the economy of the New World. In conclusion, this article is a well-written consensus of a number of noted experts. While it may be somewhat shy of hard evidence, the incomplete historical

Hinduism, History of Christian Thought, and Greek Philosophy Research Paper

Hinduism, History of Christian Thought, and Greek Philosophy - Research Paper Example A study of the religious scriptures in Hindu mythology reveals various forms of Krishna and its simultaneous worships. The figures of Krishna as the supreme manifestation of power have been portrayed in every form. Three levels of Krishna mythology have been evident from the study of religious doctrines. The oldest and the most popular form of Krishna are evident in the oldest core of the Mahabharata. In Mahabharata Krishna is depicted as the son of the Vasudeva and Devaki. In Mahabharata Krishna has been portrayed to belong from the Yadava society and plays an instrumental part in the war of Kurukshetra where he served as the charioteer of Arjuna. In the expanded version of Mahabharata we find Krishna as the incarnation of Vishnu and the wisdoms of the Bhagwad Gita, The holy book of the Hindu’s are proclaimed through him. The form of incarnation of Visnu was found after 300 B.C.E which is popularly known as the early Hindu period. After 200 C.E. Krishna is depicted as the cowherd of Vrindavana and symbolizes as the passionate lover of Gopis and Radha in particular. This depiction of character of Krishna is found in Harivamsa and Vishnu purana. Other than a passionate lover Krishna he is portrayed as a slayer of demons. However in the Pre Aryan period there is no evidence of w orship of Krishna. The first two images of Krishna as the chief of Yadava and the reincarnation of lord Vishnu settled from the area of Dwarka to Mathura. However the form of Krishna as the cowherd of Vrindavana is not there in the Bhagwat Gita. The divine power of Krishna is evident in the Vishnu purana from his childhood where he demolishes various demons encountered by him. In Viishnu Purana however Krishna is not portrayed to take part in the war nor is a teacher of Gita. (Hopkins, p 99-104) The different form of Krishna often raises confusion. But the portrayal of Krishna in different forms in different era of Hindu mythology stresses on the fact that the presence of Krishna is there as a form of good source of energy and its presence cannot be ignored. The idea of re-incarnation of Vishnu as Krishna also is based on the same propositions as Vishnu is claimed to have ten other avatars. The Hindus have handled the different adaptations oh Krishna but worships them as a single fo rce of power. The importance of historical study is important in understanding the theology of Hindu. The different forms of Krishna and its significance can be clearly understood by studying the different religious chronicle in different times of history. The division of Hindu mythology is also very vast and should be studied minutely to have a clear understanding of the proceedings. The depiction of varied character of Krishna in Vishnu purana and Gita shows considerable link between them and helps to conclude that both of the characters are of the same person. Worksheet -15 1. The teachings of Athanasius were held as harsh by the church of Alexandaeria. His teachings tried to pry matters outside his domain which made him look unpopular. However his teachings were in favor of the council of Nicaea. He also used homousious and he believed that the divinity of the worlds would not have been possible by the divine participation of god. His meltian opponents were Eusebius and Arsenius . He exiled to Trier to prevail peace between the church and the east and the rise of the hostility with the opponents. He refused to attend many types of council as charges would be stacked against him. (Frend, 524) 2. The council of Sardica took place under a series of events. Constantine was governing the empire and he himself murdered his wife Fusta. The eastern frontier on the other hand was managed by his nephew. Constantine used his administrative skills to manage the empire. The importance of the council lies in the fact that the three brothers who were ruling had different views. Constantine II and Constants promoted the views of Nicaea whereas Constantius was guided by the view of Eusebi. In order to prevent the difference of view and reach a

Quality Early Childhood Education Essay Example for Free

Quality Early Childhood Education Essay This essay will identity three of quality indicators which related to early childhood education [ECE]: trained staff, small group size, and partnership with parents and families, then discuss about why they are important for children, parents and society. Firstly, young children should be cared by trained staff. Rouse and Tarrant (2001) stated staff should have high qualification, training, experience, and positive attitudes working with young children. Educators with high acknowledge are able to provide appropriate care and learning activities. Therefore, not only will children improve their social skills, but their parents will also get valued support and information (Rouse Tarrant, 2001). In addition, small group size plays an important role in quality ECE. This means â€Å"the children learn more, get on better with others, express themselves better and feel good about themselves† (Rouse Tarrant, 2001, p.13). For example, if children are well organized to watch how a butterfly to begin hatching from the chrysalis, they can observe more carefully by asking interesting questions. During this play, children can take advantage on making good relationships and intensive conversations. Without doubt, children will feel more valued and secure (Rouse Tarrant, 2001). Finally, it is vital for centres to have good partnership with parents and families. Both staff and parents should recognize children’s education is consistent learning which based on their families’ customs, values and beliefs (Grey, 1999). This means they need to respect and trust each other. This can be achieved by working together with decision-making (Ministry of Education, 1998). Obviously, they will get more opportunities to discuss how to improve children’s development more efficiently. Consequently, both parenting skills and children’s self-confidence will be enhanced, and the society will be the real winner as children are a previous resource for future society (Rouse Tarrant, 2001). To conclude, children will get long-term benefits, if they play in a small group, and be educated by high quality staffs who work with parents.  And these benefits will extend to their family and the whole society as well. (332 words)

History of African Law

History of African Law It would be impossible to provide a history of African law without exploring the major influences of the European countries that colonised most of the African continent in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. The major legal influences in the African continent come mostly from English, French and Dutch law, as those were the main colonisers in this area. The different countries that brought their laws with them when they took over control of the particular countries have moulded the law in Africa in their own image. Some of the oldest legal systems in the world began first in Africa many thousands of years ago. For example the laws of Ancient Egypt utilised a particular type of civil code, which was based on the concept of Ma’at. The Ma’at was an informal system involving such principles of social equality and impartiality. The Maat was portrayed as being responsible for the regulation of the seasons, stars and the actions of both mortals and the deities. Some of th e laws of the countries in Northern Africa are still primarily based upon on French and Islamic law. One example of this is Algeria, which remained under direct French rule for over one hundred years and it is plain to see the French legal influences in many different areas of their legal system. Algeria became a sovereign state in 1962 but still retains many facets of Roman law that it has inherited from the French colonialists. A brief summary of the legal history of the entire African continent is impractical and so the focus of this piece will be mainly on the history of South African law as it is demonstrative of the continent as a whole, as it contains all the same themes that are present in the majority of African countries. South Africa has a mixed legal system, comprised of the combining of several distinct legal traditions. The original Dutch colonisers in the Seventeenth century brought with them a civil law system; a common law system was inherited from the later English colonisers in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, and indigenous law, often referred to as African ‘customary law’. The interrelationship between these individual traditions is very complex, with the influence of English law being the most noticeable in procedural characteristics of their legal system and set up and methods of judiciary. There is a major Roman law influence in the legal system in addition, which is most visible in its substantive private law. More recently in the late Twentieth century another component has been added to this mix and that is the constitution. This interrelation of vastly different legal systems and methods is visible throughout the continent and no exploration of the history of African law would be complete without an analysis of the individual sources of this law itself. Throughout the majority of the African continent it is most difficult to discover the history of the legal systems that were in existence prior to the Europeans arriving. The reason for this is because with the exception of a few countries such as Egypt, there was no formal written history of laws in most African countries. Seemingly to amplify this problem was the failure of the Dutch, British and other European regimes to record the laws of pre-colonial Africa. From the middle of the Seventeenth century, with the arrival of Dutch explorers in the Cape of Good Hope, the spread of the Roman-Dutch based legal system gathered momentum and quickly became the recognised legal system of not only South Africa but the majority of African countries The situation for many years in South Africa was wherever British law does not stand, Roman-Dutch law forms the fall back to which the country looks towards to ensure clarity in its law. In the case of South Africa, which is highlighted in many ot her countries including Zimbabwe, after the Second World War, Britain and the other European colonists of Africa gradually lost influence and this led to the creation of numerous Republican regimes. The Republic of South Africa was formed in 1961, but many of English laws and facets of the English legal system were incorporated into and now form the bedrock of South African law. The current situation in South Africa is that the fundamental source of laws in the country is the 1996 Constitution, which was formed by virtue of the Constitution of South Africa Act 1996. Any law or action that breaches the provisions of this Constitution is illegal. The sources of South Africas law have been briefly explored above and will now be further elaborated upon. The current position in South Africa reflects the situation in many post-colonial African nations in terms of the sources of its legal system. It is made up of the following components: Statutory law which is formed by the legislative institution It is the codified part of the South African Law. These laws are contained in Acts and various subordinate legislation, which is passed by the Parliament of South Africa Common law, which comprises of judicial precedent taken from case law, which is based on the same tradition of precedent as that which applies in England and Wales and from case law and the Roman Dutch ‘old authorities’. Roman Dutch Law, which is prevalent throughout large parts of Southern Africa, is a legal system that is fundamentally based on Roman law. This was the legal system that was operative in the Netherlands throughout the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. There are many African countries whose legal systems are still based upon Roman Dutch law and Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia are the most prominent examples. African customary law Foreign and international law. The laws of South Africa that are not contained in Acts passed by Parliament are those based on common law. The development of the Common Law system of South Africa is made possible by the fact that the South African courts follow the UK system of legal precedent or ‘stare decisis’.

Analyzing Social Change Through Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Pun

Albert Einstein said it best, â€Å"The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them† - Albert Einstein(58 Quotes). Social change is an opportunity for positive growth in today’s world, however it may sometimes take a tragedy to get there. Many big events in history such as The French Revolution and the Civil Rights Movement have caused social change, but our world is stronger because of those events. It takes leadership and a desire for growth to make a positive change in today’s society. Many philosophers have theorized social change through functionalism, conflict theory, and punctuated equilibrium. In the early twentieth century, Emile Durkheim along with the help of Talcott Parsons established the basis of the functionalist theory; known as the oldest yet still prominent theoretical perspective in sociology. â€Å"Functionalism can be summed up with one simple premise "the world is a system of interrelated parts, and each part makes a necessary contribution to the vitality of the system†(Functionalist Perspective of Sociology). Functionalists strive to explain the various parts of a society and their relationship through the organic analogy. The organic analogy refers to society as the organs of a living organism. These organs must be able to survive and function through a certain system much like that of a society. The functionalist view looks at society altogether as well as its interrelated parts and how they maintain the whole (Anthropological Theories). Criticism of functionalism began in the ‘1970s’. â€Å"Functional theory also has been criticized for its disregard of the historical process and for its presupposition that societies are in a state of equilibrium† (qtd. in... ...rinnell.edu. 24 Feb. 2000. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. . "Punctuated Equilibrium | Academic Room." Educational Websites. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. . "Punctuated Equilibrium in Social Theory." - Volume of Interactions. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. . "Punctuated Equilibrium." Science.jrank.org. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. . "The University of Alabama." Functionalism. 2009. Web. 02 May 2012. . Wade, Mike, and Scott Schneberger. "Punctuated Equilibrium Theory." Theories Used in IS Research. 13 Apr. 2006. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. .

Forming the Pomegranate :: Fruits Foods Papers

Forming the Pomegranate pome ·gran ·ate Punica granatum Punicaceae Derived from Old French pome grenate: pome for apple and grenate, having many seeds. And there is also Latin: grantus, granum, grain, seed. This skin of a pomegranate is like tissue, the inside of the body, like blood clotting. Soft tissue. At least twenty-seven different hues of red. Or any other number, perhaps it is more. Pomegranate red when a lip is bitten, the inside of the mouth--soft tissues of the mouth. The fruit's body is deformed, rough, parched. Gentle dents, the kind found upon a child's skull--the way the cranial bones fuse together. Parched, callused: I think of browning manuscripts in libraries; I think of hands. I have one here I am trying to dry, letting it shrivel, concave upon itself. I am letting the dark, damp seeds inside wither. I place it in the fall of the sun, beneath my window. The pomegranate fits my hand, my palm that agrees to the rises and slopes of the fruit. My fingers curling across the indentations, uneven red ground. When Demeter, the goddess of the earth, lost her daughter Persephone, she made winter. The god of the underworld, pale Hades, saw the beautiful child (one can never help with whom they fall in love) and from his chariot he clasp the girl, descending into his dark land. He would have said I loved her because she was so light. Upon the earth the people were confused by the new cold and still Demeter refused spring until her daughter was returned. The other gods demanded of Hades the release of Persephone. In that dark land, soil as sky and all creatures a languid shade of gray, Persephone ate of a pomegranate. She ate six seeds and those small seeds, Hades' artifice, bound her to him for six months of the year, always. And so she rose to Demeter and still must return again to her melancholy groom, every year the same footsteps, the same chariot of black horses. Pomegranate beneath the soil, a muted shade of gray and seeds also a color she did not recognize. Pomegranate, which is regarded as food for the dead. I learned this fruit's story: pomegranate's origins in Iran, in the Himalayas. Later certain travelers carried its seeds on their journeys across the Mediterranean. It now claims many lands: India, Southeast Asia, the East Indies, tropical Africa.

The Conscience of Companies Today

Organizational or corporate social responsibility refers to the obligation of a business firm to seek actions that protect and improve the welfare of society along with its own interests. Corporate social responsibility often challenges businesses to be accountable for the consequences of their actions affecting the firm's stakeholders while they pursue traditional economic goals. The general public expects business to be socially responsible, and many companies have responded by making social goals a part of their overall business operations (Hay, 1989). This paper will discuss four companies that have a conscience towards our today's society, and helped to create a better community for all of us, they are Johnson & Johnson, American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), Herman Miller, and Procter & Gamble. A crisis confronted Johnson & Johnson in the fall of 1982, when seven Chicago area residents died after taking Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules contaminated with cyanide. Not only was $400-million-per-year Tylenol the best-selling U.S. drug, but it was a product that symbolized the Johnson & Johnson reputation for quality, gentleness, and fine health care (Kreitner, 1990). Despite the pressures of dealing with national media coverage, J&J executive immediately opened their doors to the press and took great pains to keep the public informed about the situation. It soon became apparent that the cyanide had been put into the capsules after they had left J&J's factories, and the problem seemed to be confined to the Chicago area. Nevertheless, Tylenol sales sank to 20 percent of their previous level, and an opinion poll showed that 61 percent of Tylenol users intended to stop using the product. A major question that arose was what to do about the 31 million bottles of Extra-Strength Tylenol on drugstore shelves throughout the country. The FBI and Food and Drug Administration advised J&J managers not to take any drastic action. Even so, the managers promptly took the unprecedented step of recalling the unsold bottles, at a cost to the form of $100 million (Fortune, 1987). A few weeks later they decided to reintroduce Tylenol capsules in a triple-sealed, tamper-resistant package. In the months following the tragedy, the company established a consumer hot line and continued extensive cooperation with media. It also made a widely advertised refund offer to consumers for any pre-crisis capsules they still had, and its chairman, James E. Burke, appeared on the Donahue show. In an opinion poll taken 3 months after the tragedy, 93 percent of the public felt that J&J had done a good job of handling its responsibilities. In considering these events, David R. Claire, J&J's president, said, â€Å"Crisis planning did not see us through this tragedy nearly as much as the sound business management philosophy that is embodied in out Credo.† The Credo's first opening sentence is: â€Å"We believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services.† (Pearce & David, 1987) . Unfortunately, the importance of relying on the Credo was soon demonstrated again by another crisis. In early 1986, a 23-year-old woman died after taking a cyanide-laced Tylenol capsule. The company quickly offered to the replace capsules with caplets, tablets in the shape of capsules. The replacement effort cost J&J $150 million. In addition, J&J announced that it would no longer offer Tylenol in capsules-another bold and costly move in keeping with its Credo. The actions of J&J in the two Tylenol incidents earned the company widespread praise. Among Fortune's 300 most admired U.S. corporations, J&J was rated number one in 1987 on community and environmental responsibility. J&J's action in the Tylenol situation were unusually swift, decisive, and costly. In the mid-1990s, Tylenol remains one of the America's most popular and trusted brand names (Guzzardi, 1990). The product commands nearly one-third of the $3 billion brand name analgesic market. No other brand approaches have even 50 percent of Tylenol's market share. American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) established goals for reducing air emissions, CFCs, solid waste, and hazardous waste in 1990. Under the direction of David R. Chittick, AT&T's vice-president of environment and safety, the company has either surpassed its operations, AT&T invested $25 million to develop an array of alternative technologies (Business Week, 1987). One, called how solids spray fluxer, eliminates the need for CFC solvents to clean excess flux from electronic circuit broads. AT&T is now selling this technology to some 25 other companies, among them IBM. AT&T even gives its ideas away at times, to help to create a better and safer environment for all. The company managed to eliminate virtually all its ozone-depleting substances a year and half before company's goal, and 2 years ahead of the worldwide ban. Now AT&T does not have to worry about the new U.S. law that requires companies to put warning labels on all goods that contain or are manufactured with ozone-depleting substances. The company figures that the cost of tracking and labeling all the tiny components and switching systems that it once manufactured with CFCs would add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The early phase out also will save AT&T $25 million annually. In addition, AT&T embraces total quality management (TQM) principles to solve the universal office pollution problem of too much paper. First, the company established a corporate paper reduction goal of 15 percent by 1995, then it created a corporate TQM team to figure out how to meet it. The department's TQM teams suggested simple ways to decrease paper consumption, such as eliminating cover pages and using electronic rather than printed media. The department was consuming 22 percent less paper within a year. Today, AT&T is one of the companies that has the reputation of saving the world. Company's ‘goes green' not only create a better place for communities, but also helping the company to save on a lot of costs. Herman Miller, Inc., proves that financial success and a constant striving to be a better corporate citizen are complementary, not contradictory, goals (Griffin, 1993). The company has long been as well known for its participative management system as for its innovative office furniture designs (Woodruff, 1991). The company is doing everything it can to lessen its adverse effect on the environment. It recycles leather, vinyl, foam, office paper, telephone books, lubricating oil, and even old office furniture. When it found that recycling 800,000 Styrofoam cups every year was not practical, it banned the cups and handed out 5,000 mugs. Instead of dumping into landfills the 4,000 tons of scrap fabric that it produces each year, it now ships them to a North Carolina firm that shreds them and turns them into insulation for car-roof linings and dashboards. Since 1982, much of the trash that can not be recycled has fueled Miller's waste-to-energy plant, which saves $750,000 a year in fuel and landfill costs and paid for itself in ten years, a decade ahead of schedule (Woodruff, 1991). Miller also recently spent $800,000 for two high-tech incinerators to burn the toxic solvents that escape during staining and varnishing. Miller's environmental consciousness extends beyond local and national products. One of the company's best-known products, the $2, 277 Earnes chair, was always finished with rosewood until the company's research manager realized that Herman Miller was contributing to the destruction of tropical rain forests. He consequently banned the use of rosewood and Honduran mahogany. Another test of Herman Miller's humane attitude came when some of its employees contracted the AIDS virus. When an AIDS victim in the company's Georgia plant decided to let the rest of the workers know about his condition, his supervisor took charge, acting as what Herman Miller Chairman Max DePree calls a â€Å"roving leader†. The supervisor told two managers, and then the three of them quickly told everyone in the plant, ensuring that rumors did not get started. On the next workday after the announcement, the company's director of health and wellness flew down from Michigan to show a video on AIDS and answer questions. With a history of such sensitivity to its environment and its workers, it is no surprise that Herman Miller tops lists of most-conscientious and best-managed companies (Nelson-Horchler, 1991). Procter & Gamble is another company that has a conscience by helping the community. The 23rd Summer Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles, in July and August. This will be the high point of years of hard work and training by many of America's young athletes who are eager for an opportunity to make this country shine. But the U.S. Olympic Committee, which is responsible for fielding the U.S. team, depends on the American people to support these talented athletes. The U.S is the only major nation in the world whose Olympic athletes do not receive a continuing government subsidy. U.S competitors are supported solely by private donations. P&G has initiated several programs to help raise these funds, giving millions of Americans the chance to support this important cause (Cordtz, 1990). Five big separate coupon events, involving over thirty P&G brands, make up the company's Olympic promotions. They are designed to encourage consumer to purchase P&G brands and thus aid U.S. Olympic athletes. The company also sponsored a sweepstakes that helped to raise more funds. P&G Chairman of Board Owen B. Butler presented a check for $1 million, on behalf of the company to the U.S. Olympic Committee. P&G's past experience has taught the company to expect such business success. For the past four years, P&G has sponsored similar promotions benefiting the Special Olympics, and international sporting competition for mentally and physically handicapped children and adults. Business results have been very impressive. P&G helps itself by helping the communities. Four examples stated above say that corporate social responsibility does not necessarily lower profits but encourage firms to focus on long-run profits rather than short-run profits, and optimum profits rather than maximum profits (Post, Frederick, Lawrence, & Weber, 1996). Because of its obvious importance, organization proactively attempt to manage social responsibility (Van Fleet & Peterson, 1994). Moreover, the iron law of responsibility suggests that socially responsible behavior may have a positive long-run effect on organizational success.